Product review: SkinMedica Replenish Hydrating Cream @skinmedica

I got a small sample tube of this cream with a beauty box I subscribe to. Before that tube was gone I was here on Amazon buying the full size. I have sensitive skin and it's always on the dry side. I was going through a very bad spell that lasted for days after having used a mask that was way too irritating. My skin was actually sore. While using the sample, my skin irritation vanished completely. So I thought afterward that maybe it was a little heavy, but I've been using and loving it ever since.

It is very pricey, but the price here was actually much lower than on the web site associated with the beauty box I got my sample in - definitely great prices on this brand here on Amazon. You only need a tiny pea-size amount to moisturize your whole face, so the tube lasts foever. The consistency is like a thick gel cream that spreads easily over your entire face. It's super moisturizing and the moisturized feeling lasts me all day. Now this cream would likely be too heavy for people who have oilier skin, and I may have to back off a tiny bit in the hottest part of the summer, but otherwise, this is my go to moisturizer. I absolutely love this stuff!

First impressions - awesome beauty products #Ulta

With after holiday sales, I ended up with a ton of samples - mostly from Ulta. Everything I tried today was from Ulta sample packs with the exception of the Curl Keeper, which came from my January 2015 Birchbox.

The first thing I tried was the Hempz Coconut Fusion Herbal Body Wash. The sample pack made plentiful suds on my shower poof. It smelled absolutely lovely and left my skin feeling very soft. I followed that up with the Hempz Coconut Fusion Body Souffle - this is much more like a body butter. It's very thick and there was enough in the packet for my arms and legs - a little goes a long way. Both of these Hempz products were absolutely lovely - smelled wonderful and felt great. Having tried these samples, I think I would like to buy the full-size products.

Next was L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Golden Serum and L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Day Cream. This duo was in my Walmart Winter Beauty Box. First, the serum has an iridescent golden glow to it, which looked strange, but it's likely formulated to give you skin a glow to it. It worked, The day cream was fairly thick. My skin is dry, but I was surprised to feel a little over moisturized. I'm not sure I would purchase either of these products. They can't really compete with the system I'm using now anyway (Palmetto Derma Collagen Booster & Restoration Serum and Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer with Retinol).

After my shower I gave myself a quick pedicure and after my polish was dry, I applied Le Couvent des Minimes Hiker's Foot Healer. What an absolutely wonderful product! This product deeply moisturized my tired, worn out feet and left them feeling really smooth and soft. I like this so much that I'm going to check the price on Ulta to see if it is affordable enough for me to buy it. It's made in France and is paraben free.

Finally, the last thing I tested today was Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper Gel. This was an item in my January 2014 Birchbox. It comes in an usual multi-use sample pack with a full ounce in it that will last me through several stylings. It is a pretty thin, watery gel that did style nicely without weighing my hair down. It had a very nice, light scent. Though very nice, I'm not sure how committed I feel about it. I have other styling gels and foams that are working very well. Still, I'll reserve judgement until I've had a longer period of time using it.

Until next, thanks for reading Reviewer's Diary.