I think it’s safe to say I’m becoming a bit of a skincare addict. Too many years of hormonal acne and fighting with concealer has made me overly aware of my skincare regime. But with trial and error I’ve come to love my skin.

Now, I’m a big believer that our skin is an indicator of what is going on in our bodies. I try my best to maintain a balanced diet because my skin quickly shows when I’m too indulgent. Also, eating terribly makes me feel like poo. The other side of the skincare balance is what products you are using.

But constantly trying new products with the hope of finding your unicorn can be exhausting and expensive. One of my favorite ways to save money is samples. If you’re ever in my bathroom, you’ll notice I have a drawer divided up that I use for travel and generally testing products. Because I’m looking to do longer travels this year, I’ve been trying to find ways to save where I would normally spend.

Product wise I’ve been a regular Sephora sample goer. If you’re curious about an expensive product but don’t have the money or want to see how your skin reacts, I’d highly recommend popping in and asking for a sample. This way you get to test it out without dishing out serious moolah. It’s a win win.

So, today I thought I’d share my list of products I’ve been sampling or I’m dying to try. These rank from moderate to I’m putting on my wishlist. My birthday may be over but it’s never too early to start preparing for Christmas, right?

Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser* – I got a sample of this in a sephora cleanser sample box a few years ago and it’s lovely. Personally, I’m striving to move towards a cleaner, in the chemical sense, skincare routine and this ticks all the boxes for it. I’d highly recommend getting your hands on sample.

Tatcha Polished Classic Rice Enzyme Powder* – This is one of those things I’ve heard rave reviews on but wasn’t quite ready to spend the money and invest in. I’m still working my way through my bottle of Acure* and I can only use so many products at a time. However, I picked up a sample a few months ago and loved how it gentled exfoliated my skin. It’s definitely high on the birthday wish list items.

Milk Makeup Matcha Cleanser* – I’m not going to lie. The packaging and the fact that it says matcha totally has me curious. It’s a new product so I haven’t had a chance to sample it but I’m really curious. It’s a bit more affordable that the other two so I’ll probably be trying this guy out soon.

Sunday Riley Martian Mattifying Melting Water-Gel Toner* – I feel like the name of this one is a bit of a tongue twister but it also tells you what it does in the title. If you have acne prone skin, this might be a good one to try. I’ve heard wonderful things about this product and I’m definitely looking to try more Sunday Riley products in my future.

Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner* – In the last few years, I’ve noticed that my skin as changed a bit. Rather than the oily skin I’ve known, I now am combination. Because I tend to lean towards the dryer side, a make-up artist friend of mine recommended I try out the original rose toner from Fresh. But this one has me even more intrigued. I can definitely see this in my future.