January was the month of trial sizes, clearly! I went on a makeup and skincare binge during the holiday season and bought lots of sampler sets so I had plenty of new products to try during winter break.

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads ($15 for 28 pads or $30 for 60 pads) - Loved using this product. I felt my skin was brighter when I used these regularly and already added them to my Sephora "loves" list for next time. I would love it even more if they came out with a toner rather than the presoaked pads as a toner would be more cost-efficient than spending $0.50 per pad (although this is less expensive than many other high end or mid level presoaked pads). 

Chanel Le Blanc Brightening Moisturizing Cream ($130 for 1.7 oz) - I liked this more than I expected. Perhaps in the future, I will purchase the full size but as a student, it's a bit out of my price range. A little goes a long way and I made this small sample last about 2 weeks using it nightly. My skin did feel sufficiently moisturized after using this and surprisingly soft. I couldn't stop touching my face after applying! (naughty, I know). The fragrance is quite strong for those who are less tolerant of scents but I loved the scent. Currently sold out most places I looked so either this is very popular or it's being discontinued.

Shu Uemura Whitefficient Clear Brightening Gentle Cleansing Oil ($38 for 150 ml) - Another product I loved! I got this sample when I purchased a full sized cleansing oil (the High Performance Balancing oil) but I like the scent of the Whitefficient better. Both oils are absolutely fantastic and I can't imagine ever using another makeup remover.

Lancôme Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector ($79 for 1 oz) - Good product; I'll admit I was tempted to purchase the full size when I saw it on sale at the Lancôme outlet but I resisted. At this point, I have too many skincare products and couldn't justify the purchase. In the 2.5 weeks I used this product, I didn't see a dramatic difference in my skin. However, after applying, my pores did seem less noticeable. May consider purchasing this in the future but at this point, it's unlikely.

Philosophy Eyes Wide Open (seems to be DC'd) - Hate. I'm not a particular fan of gel eye creams but this product just didn't work for me. If you put too much on, your undereye area feel sticky but a light layer just wasn't sufficiently moisturizing for me.

Origins A Perfect World Age-defense Moisturizer with White Tea ($41 for 1.7 oz) - Ambivalent about this product. I actually kept this in my purse for on-the-go touch ups and wound up using it as a hand cream. It didn't do anything special when I applied it to my face so I will not be purchasing the full size.

Origins Starting Over Age-erasing Moisturizer with Mimosa ($49.50 for 1.7 oz) - Same as above; ambivalent. Not a great product but not terrible either. It just didn't do anything special for my skin that another moisturizer couldn't accomplish. Also will not be purchasing the full size.

Clinique All About Eyes ($31 for 0.5 oz) - Ok, but not great. While this was moisturizing, I just didn't fall in love with the product.

Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus eye cream ($45 for 0.5 oz) - Liked this better than the All About Eyes due to the firming effect. The texture was unlike any other eye cream I tried. It was almost spongy at first and I had to warm it up with my finger to get product transfer. From what I've seen, the All About Eyes Rich has a similar texture. On the fence about repurchasing; with so many eye creams on the market, I'll be trying out some other options for the time being.

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Vitamin C Collagen Booster ($48 for 1 oz) - Liked this product; had a nice citrusy scent. Only need a little bit (this sample packet lasted 4-5 days). I have a deluxe sample from one of the Olé Henriksen kits so I'll be giving this a more thorough try.

Garnier Ultra Lift Miracle Sleeping Cream ($14.99 for 17 oz) - Ok product but very similar to the Laneige Water Sleeping Pack. I prefer the Laniege; it sinks into the skin better and gives more noticeable results in the morning. While it may seem like the Garnier would be more cost effective, I bought the Laniege for $13 when Target had a $10 off coupon for beauty products, making the prices comparable.

SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion ($70 for 5 oz) - Not sure this is really making a difference in keeping my skin clear. Given the price, I expected more of a difference. I have several other 30 ml bottles like this one since I bought them at the same time but at this point, I'm not sure I'd repurchase.

Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus serum ($49.50 for 1 oz) - Similar to the Lancôme Visionnaire, this is a good product but I didn't see a big difference in my skin. Without seeing actual, tangible results, I hesitate to purchase the full size. Felt nice upon application though.

 Benefit Posietint ($30 for 0.42) - Not a huge fan of this. Color was too light for me to use on my lips and I'm just not a fan of liquidy products on my cheeks.

Blinc mascara ($26 for 0.21 oz)- HATE. I've used this before and struggled with it and this time was no different. I actually tossed this after only 2 days wearing it. It does not come off as easily as the advertisements make out. Even using the Shu Uemura cleansing oil, I still had to use more pressure than with any other mascara. Considering the effects aren't all that impressive, the struggle was just not worth it.

Covergirl Natureluxe Gloss Balm in 225 ($5.49)- Decent product. Picked this up on clearance so I'm not sure if they're still available. Great for on-the-go touch ups; moisturizing; added a nice wash of color on my lips.

Benefit Highbeam ($26 for 0.45 oz) - While I did enjoy this product, I don't think I'd buy the full size. The full size is simply too large and would probably dry out before I used it up. While it looks like there's still product in the bottle, I could no longer get any out. Nice highlight; easily blendable.

Origins Stay Tuned Balancing Face Makeup ($24.50 for 1 oz) - One of my favorite foundations. This is actually my second bottle and I plan to pick up another next time Origins has a $10 off deal. I would describe this as light to medium coverage, easily buildable. My face does seem a bit shinier than usual at the end of the day so I wouldn't necessarily recommend this for people with very oily complexions. My only complaint is the packaging; there's no pump so you have to tip the product out, which isn't always hygenic.

Tigi Bed Head Moisture Maniac shampoo ($17.95 for 25.36 oz) - Not overly impressed with this shampoo. Another one of those products that wasn't necessarily bad, but also didn't get great results.