And THIS is why I love my sample subscriptions!

[calexxia]

For the past decade or so, I've SWORN by Estee Lauder skin care. For the past couple of months, however, I've been trying out the various things in my subs....and tonight, I decided it was time to go back to the EL.

Yeah, not so much.

I've gotten so spoiled by the formulations of some of the stuff I've gotten in my subs that I actually cannot STAND the way the EL feels on my skin now--it makes it feel crispy, practically, with how thick some of the items are. I actually washed OFF the cream that I used to apply religiously because it felt so icky on my skin now.

I'm not talkin' smack: EL is still good stuff--my skin looked better using it than it did when I used nothing at all beyond soap and water. But some of the stuff I've gotten in my subs, I see an IMMEDIATE impact (such as the Skyn Iceland pen....literally, within minutes, I see a reduction in the lines under my eyes). Not so with the Estee. Kinda funny how convinced I was that the EL was the greatest stuff ever....and now, I don't even wanna use it. 

And that, to me, is why I love my sample subs--finding new products that maybe work better for who I am NOW, rather than who I was when I first started with a specific regimen. It's a good thing.

 

[icecreamofwheat]

what are some of the skincare items you've come to love through your subs? if you can even list them all XD

I got into the habit of wearing makeup very often but am trying to focus on skincare to fix the problems and cover up my face less.
 

Originally Posted by calexxia /img/forum/go_quote.gif

For the past decade or so, I've SWORN by Estee Lauder skin care. For the past couple of months, however, I've been trying out the various things in my subs....and tonight, I decided it was time to go back to the EL.

Yeah, not so much.

I've gotten so spoiled by the formulations of some of the stuff I've gotten in my subs that I actually cannot STAND the way the EL feels on my skin now--it makes it feel crispy, practically, with how thick some of the items are. I actually washed OFF the cream that I used to apply religiously because it felt so icky on my skin now.

I'm not talkin' smack: EL is still good stuff--my skin looked better using it than it did when I used nothing at all beyond soap and water. But some of the stuff I've gotten in my subs, I see an IMMEDIATE impact (such as the Skyn Iceland pen....literally, within minutes, I see a reduction in the lines under my eyes). Not so with the Estee. Kinda funny how convinced I was that the EL was the greatest stuff ever....and now, I don't even wanna use it. 

And that, to me, is why I love my sample subs--finding new products that maybe work better for who I am NOW, rather than who I was when I first started with a specific regimen. It's a good thing.

 

[Playedinloops]

Originally Posted by icecreamofwheat /img/forum/go_quote.gif

what are some of the skincare items you've come to love through your subs? if you can even list them all XD

I got into the habit of wearing makeup very often but am trying to focus on skincare to fix the problems and cover up my face less.

I'm trying to get my skin to a point that I feel comfortable not wearing foundation, and kiehl's is the best thing I've found, along with dermalogica daily microfoliant and black soap. Kiehl's and the microfoliant are daily, and I use the black soap twice a week and my skin has never looked better. I found the black soap through beauty army and dermalogica through sample society.

 

[calexxia]

I'm using the Skyn Iceland cooling relief pen under my eyes.

Currently using straight black soap as a cleanser

Loved Algenist firming cream.

So far, liking the MAD Skincare serum I got the other day.

Seriously, EVERY moisturizer product I've gotten in my subs has been much lighter in consistency and just plain FELT better on my skin. Now, the EL feels like smearing wax, sadly.

 

[icecreamofwheat]

thanks for that, I'm going to look into those products and see if any of them are for me.

I've done a lot of online research on the black soap but never got around to purchasing it. I was surprised to see the Sheaterra version - didn't expect it to be liquid.

Originally Posted by calexxia /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Currently using straight black soap as a cleanser

do you mean the black soap that comes in solid brick form? I've seen many amazon sellers (I know there are more legit places but headed there to see the feedback on the cheap stuff) but think I'm going to try some of my friend's first since I can be pretty certain she got it straight from Ghana.
 

 

[calexxia]

Yes, I was referring to the bricks /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[Playedinloops]

I use the brick of black soap regularly too, the liquid shea terra is not pure black soap, its black soap and rose hips oil and also has shea butter and some other oils in it and it is a deep cleaning exfoliant type thing. Its not gentle enough to be used daily, at least not for me.

 

[Isabelsjewely]

where do you ladies buy your bricks?

 

[Playedinloops]

Originally Posted by Isabelsjewely /img/forum/go_quote.gif

where do you ladies buy your bricks?

I got mine on amazon. From here: http://www.amazon.com/Raw-African-Black-Soap-Ghana/dp/B003UBHPNQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1332770569&sr=8-3

I don't know if that link will work, but their amazon name is "halaleveryday". They have a good feedback rating, and I haven't had any issues with them. My roommate thought I had like a giant pound of drugs sitting on the table when it arrived, lol. 

 

[icecreamofwheat]

Originally Posted by Playedinloops /img/forum/go_quote.gif



I got mine on amazon. From here: http://www.amazon.com/Raw-African-Black-Soap-Ghana/dp/B003UBHPNQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1332770569&sr=8-3

I don't know if that link will work, but their amazon name is "halaleveryday". They have a good feedback rating, and I haven't had any issues with them. My roommate thought I had like a giant pound of drugs sitting on the table when it arrived, lol. 

lol that'd cost a lot more than $11. I bought from this seller too.. then 5 mins later canceled the order b/c my I have yet to receive my beautyfix order from last season and don't want those cleansers to go to waste if I like black soap.

do you find the need to do extra moisturizing when you use the stuff? I've heard it's very common to buy raw unrefined shea butter w/ the soap for moisturizing.

I wish all sellers would use their own pictures :/

 

[Playedinloops]

Originally Posted by icecreamofwheat /img/forum/go_quote.gif


lol that'd cost a lot more than $11. I bought from this seller too.. then 5 mins later canceled the order b/c my I have yet to receive my beautyfix order from last season and don't want those cleansers to go to waste if I like black soap.

do you find the need to do extra moisturizing when you use the stuff? I've heard it's very common to buy raw unrefined shea butter w/ the soap for moisturizing.

I wish all sellers would use their own pictures :/

lol that is what I told her, lol. I use philosophy hope in a jar during the day and have a boots no 7 night cream I use, but I don't use the black soap on  my face daily. I do use it on the rest of my body, though. It works really well for taking care of keratosis pilaris. 

 

[GirlyEnthusiast]

Ditto! I've found some amazing skincare products through my subs lately, particularly Beauty Army. I've been strictly using the BeFine Night Cream before bed and CellCeuticals Ceractive in the morning under my makeup and my skin has not felt this good in forever. I normally have dry flakey patches around my eye area and mouth, but my skin is smooth as a baby's butt with these two products.

I just wish the full size CellCeuticals Ceractive wasn't $47.50 /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> the texture is so amazing. It absorbs instantly and doesn't leave any shine or greasy feeling.

 

[calexxia]

Originally Posted by Isabelsjewely /img/forum/go_quote.gif

where do you ladies buy your bricks?

got mine on amazon; I think it was around 18 bucks for a pound of soap and the pound of shea butter that I have yet to use lol

 

[Katie-Gaslight]

I seriously fell in love with the Dermalogica powder exfoliant I got in my Birchbox 2 months ago. Thankfully MyGlam had that Dermstore coupon, so I got the full-size ($50...) there! Yay! I probably would have spent my BB points on it otherwise to get a discount, but those went elsewhere since I got the coupon /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />