Something I love, is when you receive a little freebie or sample of a product not expecting much, then end up being really impressed by the results. This has happened to me twice this week and so I'm feeling rather smug at my new finds!
First off, I noticed that Harper's Bazaar were giving away a free Leighton Denny nail polish with each copy; there were three colours to choose from; Coral Reef, Plush Pink and Supermodel (I went for Coral Reef ). I'd never tried or even paid much attention to the brand before now, thus had no real expectations. The polishes normally retail at £11 each however, so I suppose I was hopeful that they'd at least be of reasonable quality...
After giving myself a little manicure last night to test, I can say that I am now a big fan. The polish went on easily, dried quickly and best of all; I only needed one coat (having to apply more than one is a real bugbear of mine). The color is beautiful and I would be more than happy to spend the full £11 in order to purchase if necessary. In fact, looking at their full range of colours, I think I'll definitely be investing in a few (after collecting the three freebies on offer that is!) - the Castaway Collection (which includes "Coral Reef") has some beautiful bold shades, so I suggest you all go take a look! :)
Secondly, I just thought I would mention this new Hawaiian Tropic product; "Silk Hydration" lotion sunscreen. Anyone who has purchased from ASOS recently will know that they have been giving away miniature bottles of this along with every order placed. Being a huge pale-head means I have to adhere to a strict routine where sun protection is concerned (unless I want to end up like a giant lobster that is!) so this was a welcome arrival even before I had chance to sample it. Once I did get chance though, the one thing that stood out to me was the gorgeous scent it has - really light and fresh, almost floral I suppose you could say. The other thing was that after applying it, there was no stickiness left over like you get with some sun protection lotions - which is great, especially if you're planning to wear it at the beach as it eliminates the age old problem of loads of sand getting glued to the excess.
Again, I am definitely going to purchase this product once my sample has run out. I think it retails at something like around £6-7, and with the voucher for £3 off I was also given, it's definitely worth investing in. The only down side with the one I've been given is that it's only SPF 15 and because of my complexion, I normally go for at least a factor 40. It is available in SPF 50 though and so I expect I'll opt for this - not that sunshine is really a worry with the weather we're having at the moment! It's always good to be prepared though I suppose :)
Anyway, I hope these little freebie reviews were of some use to you all. Like I say, you should all definitely take advantage of the Harper's Bazaar/Leighton Denny collaboration if you get chance - complete value for money!
Are there any other products like these out there at the moment that I should be trying? Be sure to let me know if you've discovered any!