Sample Society: August 2012

=D. I started out being a little more than peeved at SS this month. The account said that my box was to have shipped July 28th (receiving August 3), then changed to saying that it shipped Aug 3rd. Being so used to receiving it the second business day of the month, I wasn't too happy about the unexpected change (I'm a creature of habit, what can I say?)

THEN, I looked at the product list for this month and all was well again ~^o^~. This month's theme must be products with interesting concepts.

Let's get going, shall we?

Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer, Private Dancer

• I love purple! This is from the Mirrored Chrome collection. The colors have a duochrome effect. This one is purple and gold. Originally I was wondering if I wouldn't've liked Sugar Daddy or Swagga Like Us better, but I don't wear gold, and Swagga Like Us swatches make it look like oxidizing copper.
• LOVE the square bottle.
• Applies smoothly and without streaks. It's not completely opaque until 3 coats for me.
• It didn't look too unusual or impressive at first, but after a few minutes I started digging it. It makes me feel like some evil queen witch. Doesn't make me feel like a private dancer though.
• Full Size worth $18

Elemental Herbology Cool & Clear Facial Cleanser- Water lily, Green tea and Aloe vera cools and soothes sensitive skin. Olive oil acts as a cleansing agent to gently purify pores. Lavender and Tea tree extract help provide an antibacterial and sebum-regulating action.

• Clear, liquidy, lathers nicely. Smells like lavender (well ok, maybe not, but something strong, plant-like, and pungent)
• At first I thought "Oh great, another cleanser that's gonna dry me out". Turned out to not be the case. When applied it actually has a bit of an oil feel to it. My face didn't really dry out at all. I did a double take. Must be the olive oil.
• Didn't really feel any cooling effect.
• Full size 3.4 oz worth $46, sample size 0.8 fl oz worth $10.82

Jane Iredale Longest Lash Mascara, Black Ice -Longest Lash Mascara contains sea minerals to condition lashes while thousands of cellulose fibers coat the lashes without clumping or flaking.

After- applied on left of picture

Before

After- applied on left eye in picture

• THANK YOU! For the Black. Any other color and I honestly wouldn't know what to do with it. Gray lashes? NTY.
• The interesting thing here is the packaging concept. It's in a squeezable tube! How many times have you cried over not being able to use up every last smudge of mascara. It must be congregating at the bottom. This way, you can actually manipulate the product in the tube. If you would like more or less product, you can also control it that way. I hope the packaging doesn't dry out the product any faster though.
• Love the big brush with the pointier end (helps to get the lashes on the inside without smearing mascara everywhere).
• No clump application. Appears to lengthen and thicken slightly. I think there are fibers in here too.
• Full size .42 oz $33? Yikes, that's not cheap. Sample size .1 oz worth $7.86

Phyto Phytonectar Oil- Phytonectar Pre-Shampoo Ultra Nourishing Oil Treatment easily penetrates deeply into each strand bringing damaged, dehydrated hair back to life. The formula, rich in proteins, lipids, and vitamins from egg yolk, restructures ultra-dry hair while preventing oxidation with sunflower extract. Hair feels immediately replenished and its original softness and shine are restored. Use Phytonectar oil once-to-twice a week for five consecutive weeks. Do not use for one week after color process.

• I don't know what Phytonectar is, but this whole pre-shampoo oil concept is new to me. 
• Was going to dye hair, but it says not to use for 1 wk after so I held off and tried this instead.
• You have to leave it on for 15 minutes. I didn't know if you're supposed to apply to wet or dry hair so I applied to dry hair. Had to use the whole vial.
• Went to rinse the vial, and interestly the oil inside turned into a milky white concoction! How strange is that?? It wasn't even very oily feeling anymore, just slightly.
• Didn't have the Phytonectar shampoo, so I just used my own. Wondered if the shampoo doesn't just wash out all the oil and negate the effects, but surprisingly my hair was untangled after shampooing as well.
• The overall effect is that my hair was still dry on the ends. It may have to do with the Sebastian condition that I'm using from the July 2012 Glossybox.
• Full size 1.7 oz worth $30, sample size .33 oz worth $5.82

Arcona Cranberry Toner- This three-in-one formula tones and hydrates, while also infusing skin with protective antioxidants to leave your complexion looking and feeling refreshed. Antimicrobial cranberry, containing vitamins, phyto-nutrients and essential fatty acids, clarifies and protects. Use Cranberry Toner anytime to cleanse and tone or to remove makeup.

• Multi-use products have been a mini-rage recently, and this is supposed to remove makeup, refresh the skin, and protect against free radical damage.
• Can't evaluate it's ability to protect against free radicals, but I wasn't feeling very refreshed after.
• Has cool shimmers floating around. Smells like fruit at first, then becomes mixed with a potpourri smell. Quite strong.
• I was amused at having two plastic shrink wraps on my bottle.

• Full size 3.72 oz. worth $32, sample size 1 oz worth $8.60

Malin+Goetz Vitamin E Face Moisturizer

• This is an extra that's included. I'm not sure if Sample Society is following Birchbox and Glossybox with the "extras"
• I was excited to try this since I love the jojoba facial exfoliator.
• This seems like a normal moisturizer. Doesn't have a scent as far as I can tell.
• Full size 4 oz $45, sample size 0.04 oz worth $0.45

Overall Box Value: ~$51.55

There wasn't anything that I'm head over heels in love with this month, but I had fun trying them all out. The Cranberry toner I will probably not use because I never use toner, and this one is strongly scented. Vitamin E Face Moisturizer is also not that special. Facial cleanser and Phytonectar oil are interesting, but I don't see any huge improvements with them. The Jane Iredale mascara didn't give a stunning effect so I'll pass. DL nailpolish is cool. I'll see if I can find an occasion for it.