Review: Sampar Glamour Shot Matte Perfection

The 6 Hour Mattifying Transparent Concealer...

Glamour Shot Matte Perfection, £26 for 15ml

I recently reviewed the Sampar So Much To Dew Day Cream and since then I've had the chance to try a product that i'm always on the hunt for; a long lasting skin mattifier. Sampar's Matte Perfection boats being able to keep my skin shine-free for 6 hours whilst also helping to conceal enlarged pores. I've used a wide range of serums and gels to help me deal with any shine I accumulate throughout the day and none so far have lasted me any longer than 2-3 hours before i've needed to blot. 

Sampar's pretty packaging...

Again, Sampar's packaging is really feminine and pretty with the powder pink tube and Parisian skyline   encasing the product within. Glamour Shot Matte Perfection is £26 and the tube holds 15 ml - you only need to apply to your problem areas, not the whole face unless you really feel you need it, so it should last a decent amount of time before running out. I'm quite excited about the fact that Sampar describe it as a concealer and state that "over time, skin texture is refined" and that it "unifies the complexion"... This product is definitely quite the multi-tasker!

Potent formula

As you can see, the gel is milky and transparent. When applying to my T-Zone, it almost instantly dried upon blending and felt very dry at first; not tight just smooth and slightly like a dry coating/film where I had used it. I had just cleansed my face so I was very shiny in places but once applied the shine nearly vanished completely! It doesn't erase 100% of my shine but it certainly conceals the majority of it and leaves me with a very lovely shine-free finish. It just looks natural. I'm not keen on the scent and it's very pungent and strong. I can't describe it to you as there's no florals in there, a little bit strong for my liking. 

Swatch of a pea sized blob

The question you've all been dying to ask: did it last the full 6 hours?!

It certainly provided me with 6 hours shine fighting time but after about 4-5 hours I was slowly starting to feel the need for my blotting tissues. That said, it is still the most powerful mattifier that I have tried so far and you have to bear in mind that my skin is VERY combi/oily so keeping the sebum under control which causes shine is pretty damn hard for even the most potent mattifiying potions... 

This is also a product that gets to work on your skin over a period of time, balancing sebum production, so it should slowly last longer and give more dramatic results over time. My pores definitely looked like they had shrank and when I applied my usual foundation over the top my skin just looked so much more flawless. I think this would last possibly more than 6 hours on someone with normal skin that has a few shiny areas or milder cases of combo/oily skins. 

If you want to try this for yourself, take a peep at Sampar.co.uk or Marks and Spencers... 

Tried this product? Did it last the full 6 hours for you? I'd love to hear x

REVIEW: Sampar So Much To Dew Day Cream (Crème Source de Jour)

SAMPAR...Pioneer of Urban Skincare

The Brand

I'm completely obsessed with the French Pharmacy craze that has swept overseas to the UK over the last year...There's just something about french women and their perfectly clear and radiant skin that makes me want in on the action too! For this reason, I came across Sampar for the first time whilst scouring Feelunique online for french skincare brands and up popped Sampar... I just remember seeing some pretty powder pink bottles with the beautiful outline of the Paris skyline adorning the entire product. This of course really caught my eye and I felt I had to research further into the brand and hope that the product held within these gorgeous bottles would win me over as much as the packaging did! And the rest is history, as they say. Just as my bio says; I'm an avid enthusiast of all things beautiful and I can safely confirm Sampar sure is a beauty. 

Sampar's ambition is simple: "to awaken the sleeping beauty in every woman, uncovering and revealing her natural allure" and it aims to do this by using "smart ingredients" to allow for "smart skin" that can heal and repair itself from every day stressors and free radicals that we face. The key to doing this comes from Sampar's "Urban Advance" formulation which is present in ALL of it's products. This innovative formula really works at the heart of cells to wake them up and acts as an anti-pollution shield, if you like.

The Product

Isn't the design of this bottle so pretty? It really is a treat to have it resting on my bedside table waiting for me to apply every morning! The So Much To Dew Day Cream is dermatologically tested, hypoallergenic, paraben and alcohol free so this is a very skin friendly product that won't irritate even the most sensitive of skins, like mine. Hurrah! This bottle is 50ml full-size and retails at £29.00 and can be found in an increasing number of retailers both online and instore in the UK these days as Sampar continues to grow. My favourite place to browse and try the range of Sampar products is in the Marks & Spencer's beauty hall in Meadowhall but Feelunique.com also has a large selection of their skincare but sadly no So Much To Dew Day Cream as yet. There is free delivery and often discount days over on the official Sampar website - so keep your peepers peeled and get stocking up!

The instructions advise that you apply morning and/or night and apply with light massaging strokes to the face and neck area. So although this is primarily a day cream, the So Much To Dew moisturiser can also double up as a night cream! I really like using this as my night cream too as it's creamy but not too creamy and heavy like most night versions tend to be. I only need one full pump from this bottle and I rub together slightly in my hands before patting and massaging across my entire face and décolletage. If my skin is feeling particularly parched I might use two pumps for a more generous application.

 As you can see in the picture above, one pump gives a decent sized blob to play with and once smoothed over the skin it blends easily with no need for harsh rubbing. The texture is creamy yet light - the lower half of the picture shows the blob once blended slightly and you can tell it's quite fluid and not heavy. I love how quickly this product sinks in to the skin and how there is no rescue or stickyness left behind after application. The scent that surrounds you once applied is heavenly; a light floral/fruity fragrance, not at all overpowering but very refreshing. It really soothes the senses and I love it when a product that i'm using not only calms my skin but eases the mind through it's delicate scents. 

The Verdict

I'm a new Sampar addict and will be hoping to try lots more products from their skincare ranges after this successful discovery! This brand has it all - beauty and brains...I would say that although this is a cream that is definitely suitable for everyone and every age, I personally find it very pleasant to use with my combo/oily skin as it's so very light and sinks in quickly. It isn't too intense so i don't feel as though i'm getting sticky after a few hours of wearing it and it delivers just enough hydration to keep my skin feeling nourished throughout the day. I think this product is especially great for skin that can't handle too much moisture without breaking out but if you were looking for something a little more intensely moisturising, you might be better off with the Ultra Hydrating Fluid. I definitely felt hydrated and fresh all day long with no need to re-apply until after cleansing when I have been using it as a night cream also.

The Sampar website is packed full of information on their products and can help you get an understanding of the brand if you are interested in purchasing their products and don't forget to go and swatch or test the products in an M&S beauty hall near you! 

Have you tried this or any other Sampar product? If so, I would love to hear about it in the comment section below xo