*this post includes products that were free gifts. Full Disclaimer below
I've travel/sample size of high-end products. They are usually given out to rewards from places like Sephora or Ulta. You can usually find some near the checkouts too. All the minis I've purchased over the years have all be under $10. And that was only a few. Most were freebies.
Minis are my favourite way to try out that new $35 primer or $45 mascara. Why buy a full tube of some pricey product when you aren't sure how it preforms. $10 or less to test it out for about a month or so to really get how it really functions is so much better. I've done this a few times. I grabbed a tiny Benefit Hoola Bronzer on one of my first Ulta trips. And minis of powered products like blush or bronzer last forever!
I'd love to get a big one when the mini Benefit Hoola expires but sadly Benefit sells in places that require Animal Testing by law so they aren't CF so I won't be rebuying this one.
I also have a sample of *Tarte 24h Amazon Clay Blush from a Sephora B-day gift and adore it. But it too is lasting forever. I don't know if they will run out anytime soon. I will rebuy the blush at some point, it just might expire rather than be used up.
Another Sephora b-day gift that I need to grab a full size of is *KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner. The brush is amazing! It's actually a brush. Even in the mini. I got this before KVD sold the company and was iffy to if I should buy a full size but once she sold the brand I was hyped. I love the liner and need to grab a new one next time I'm at Sephora.
For those who don't know Sephora's b-day gifts always has 2 minis in it. Along with the KVD Liner I got a tiny *KVD Beauty Lock-it Setting Powder. I was not a big fan of this powder. It has some major flashback. I tried it on my hand next to another powder and this one light up when I took a photo. I'm keeping the container cause it's hella cute but the powder isn't getting used on my face.
Keeping with the KVD Beauty the only other product I have is the KVD Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks. I bought a mini 2 pack of two grey ones. I always wanted to try KVD Liquid Lip since people talk about it all the time and I'm the lipstick queen. They are on sale cause they still had Kat's name on the packaging and I got them for $5! I really love the formula and will definitely be grabbing some of the fun colours they carry.
One of the best deals I've ever gotten from makeup though is Getting a 3 pack of half-sized Urban Decay Glide-On Eye Liners for $22, the price of one liner. I got a black, a navy and a gray. I love them! They have lasted me so long but if I ever need a good eye liner I'm headed straight for the Urban Decay display. (The UD Lip Liners also rock. I just never bought a mini one so I didn't included it in the list but yeah they are also great.)
When I bought the UD Eyeliners I also grabbed a mini Urban Decay Primer Potion because everyone always says how good it is. And it's alright but I've actually swapped to just using concealer or my regular primer. No need to buy that extra product.
Quickly diving into the bulk of the non-CF products I'm going to mention in this post, *Nars Orgasm Blush, *Nars Laguna Bronzer, *Nars AfterGlow Lip Balm, *Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara. Since these aren't CF as they sell in places that require testing by law they are immedite no buys. Thought I will say the Nars Bronzer and Blush would be a buy if Nars was CF.
I also wouldn't get *Benefit Roller Lash Mascara or Benefit POREfessional Primer. Benefit also isn't CF. I also don't care for the brush in the Roller Lash and the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara is wicked good so it's my go to High-End mascara! I love it. I bought a mini at first to try it but I'm definitely going to grab a full size asap! The hourglass wand is just amazing. As for the primer, I can get the same results and feel as POREfessional with the e.l.f. Mineral Face Primer for only $8.
And to finish off let's do a lippie quick fire round. *Tarte Tarteist Lip Paint, no comes off too easily. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick, yes. It's matte but creamy and not drying. *Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, no because they aren't CF. They aren't anything to special but I'd consider getting more if Nars was CF. BITE Matte Creme Crayon, yes. It's smooth and not drying, though it does come off a little easy. *Marc Jacobs Lip Creme, no comes off way to easy.
FULL LIST OF SAMPLES/TRAVELS I'VE TRIED:
BUYS
*Tarte 24 Hour Clay Blush
*KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner
Benefit Too Faced Mascara
Urban Decay Glide-on Eye Liner
*Marc Jacobs Liner
KVD Beauty Everlasting Liquid Lipstick
*BITE Matte Creme Lip Crayon
Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick
Tarte BB Cream
AND BYES
Benefit Hoola Bronzer (Would Buy if CF)
*Nars Orgasm Blush (Would Buy if CF)
*Nars Laguna Bronzer (Would Buy if CF)
*Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil (Would Consider if CF)
*Nars AfterGlow Lip Balm
*Benefit DewTheHoola
*KVD Beauty Lock-it Translucent Setting Powder
Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion
Benefit POREfessional Primer
*Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara
*Tarte Tarteist Lip Paint
*Marc Jacobs Lip Creme
itCosmetics CC Cream
So if you look at my full list of buys and byes it really does pay off to try the mini first. More of my samples I will not be rebuying. Though a handful are on the no buy list because they aren't cruelty-free. If their statuses ever change I'd definitely buy some of these products again.
I didn't actually realized how many Sample Size products I had until this post. 7 years of loving makeup you accumulate a lot of freebies and minis to try. It was a lot of fun looking back on my makeup history.
FREE GIRT DISCLAIMER: Some products mentioned in this post where free gifts, all the free gifts in this post are from beauty rewards programs. These products will be marked with a *star.
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