Here I am with another sample stash post! I’m loving working my way through over here. It’s been so fun to try out new products. So far I’ve been trying the product out without looking up it’s description online first. It’s kind of fun to check the description afterwards and see if the conclusion I came to is what the intent was. This mostly applies to scents and colors I guess. I feel like I have a pretty good sense of smell (my husband says too sensitive sometimes haha) and I’d like to think I have a keen eye for color so I like to put those senses to the test. I have to say that some of those aromas are so hard to decipher though! It’s a skill I will have to work to perfect. I want to be like a sommelier, but for skincare. I want to be able to pinpoint with accuracy. #goals Not sure how well I did this time, but you have to start somewhere! Read on for the deets on my stash this week:

Whole Foods Market Color Preserve Shampoo & Conditioner
Both the shampoo and conditioner in this set had same consistency- on the thinner side. For the shampoo it took a little extra product to to get the later I wanted. I also found I needed a little boost to the lather so had to add a little water to my hair to suds it up further after application. When rinsed it felt moisturized, not squeaky clean. The conditioner rinsed out well and hair felt a bit fuller afterwards, not thinner like some conditioners. The scent is like tropical fruits and lime and a bit creamy. As far as blow drying goes, it tangled a bit with the comb out, I had to add leave-in conditioner. It was also a bit tangly while blow drying. My hair felt light afterward, not heavy. It says it’s good for color treated hair, but I can’t say for sure if it helps color with just one use.
Would I buy? Maybe, but would probably choose something else over this since I have pretty tangly hair. I do like the price point though.

GoMacro Macrobar – Sweet Rejuvination | Cashew Butter:
So this sort of had a weird flavor, almost like those southern sesame seed cookies from South Carolina- Benne Cookies- if you’ve ever had those. If you haven’t, well then I don’t know how else to describe this. I really like cashews, but I couldn’t tell if this tasted like what I expected. It has a soft texture, dense and not too chewy. There are chunks of cashews throughout which I liked.
Would I buy? It’s ok, not sure I’d buy this flavor again but I would try a different one.

Bonnie – Hestia Lip & Cheek Treatment Balm
Love the color of this balm (swatch above). It’s kind of a fall color or maybe good for people who have cooler skintones? (But I’m no skin tone expert) It’s not fall and I don’t have a cool skintone and I’d still wear this though. It’s a brick red color (you know like the crayola?), like earthy-rust-coral-red. How’s that for a description? 😁 It’s good for both lips and cheeks. It’s very moisturizing on lips and the hue comes out a bit darker, more of red color comes through. On the cheeks it’s a bit lighter, more of coral comes through and it’s lightly glossy, like a built in highlighter. It’s not sticky on either cheeks or lips. There is a light scent: earthy sweet.
Would I buy? Yep, for sure. Now I’m curious about the other tints too!

W3ll People Bio Brightener Stick
This highlighter glides on smooth and provides a natural looking highlight. It’s a subtle silver/neutral shimmer so would be good for everyday use. I like that it gives a hint of glow. The actual product is a stick form so would be super easy to apply too.
Would I buy? I don’t use highlighters often, but if I did I would buy this one.

Moss Skincare Zen Physic Botanical Spot Treatment
So the smell on this one is a bit strong, not bad but not necessarily good either. However, the smell instantly makes me feel like it’s going to work. I really like that instant assurance. Upon application you can almost feel it getting to work, like a light astringent sort-of feeling. I only felt it was necessary to apply a little dab on any blemishes so I think this would last a long time. It didn’t leave my face overly oily, so would probably work well under makeup too. I noticed a visible reduction in redness by the next AM, or a visible calmness and had no new breakouts from it.
Would I buy? Yes, I liked the performance. With that said, it didn’t blow my expectations out of the water, but I definitely like this one.

100 Percent Pure Honey Cream Wash Gingerade
I didn’t find that this body wash had much lather, but to be fair I didn’t use this with a pouf like most people would. I don’t own a pouf so just used like soap and there wasn’t enough in the sample to go very far so I’m not sure this can even be a good review.
Anyway, because of light lather I felt like maybe you’d have to use more product overall. It smells great, a light scent, like a lightly tart honey-like lime. The scent seemed to linger lightly afterwards and my skin felt soft afterward.
Would I buy? Would probably not buy because I don’t use body wash, but like the scent so if I did use body wash I’d try it.

Amazing Grass Green SuperFood Orange Dream
I knew it was going to be green but dang, it’s dark green. If you’re new to green drinks it might freak you out. I added the whole packet to about 8oz of water, but then added some more after tasting. It was probably about 12-16 oz total. I added more water not because of the taste but the texture was a little chalkier than I wanted. That being said, overall it’s really not too chalky compared to others I’ve tried. Despite the rich color, the flavor is actually pretty mild. I was expecting it to be gross but it’s mild and actually does taste like vanilla orange (it’s light, but it’s there). It’s not too sweet either. It’s sweetened with stevia so there’s <1g of sugar. I could drink this plain, would be good in a smoothie too
Would I buy? Yes, I like the flavor enough and the convenience of getting in your greens so easily. Also, the ingredient list is amazing and it’s full of nutrients.

May Lindstrom The Problem Solver – Warming Correcting Masque
I’ve been looking forward to trying this mask as I’ve seen rave reviews. It’s like other dry masks, you have to add water to it, but that’s good because it extends the shelf life. When water is added to make mixture it gets a little bubbly, which is unique. The texture is kind of light and fluffy. The powder is really fine so that likely contributes to the texture. Important note: it smells like a brownie! I applied it with a brush and was fairly easy however it was a bit thinner consistency, not too thick, almost a bit drippy. That might have been my fault, not sure if I added to much water but I’m pretty sure I followed the instructions right. Anyway, it wasn’t a bad thing, just different. It was cooling upon application and tingly and a bit warm as it dried. I left on for 15 mins and it tightened while drying but not too bad. My face felt so clean and fresh afterward, a bit warmed even. I did this mask at night and my skin seemed calmer next day too.
Would I buy? I think the best results are seen after using this mask multiple times and the sample really only had enough for one application so I can’t say if it solved all my problems but I would definitely purchase and give it more tries. The only downside is it’s a bit pricey!

There you have it! Another sample batch down. Have you tried any of these? What was your experience?