The 11 Things I Was Sent For Free That I Purchased Again With My Own Money
by Audie Metcalf
This article might win an award for least relatable piece of content ever written, but it ends better than it begins.
I am extremely lucky that brands sometimes send things to us to try out. It’s an amazing perk of the job, and I still squeal with unhinged glee when packages I didn’t order arrive at my door.
But because we are who we are, we only write about products we actually love. And we ask ourselves if we love it because it’s free or if it truly is better or special or unique in some way.
But then, there is that rare product that is SO good, we purchase it again with our own money.
And today, I’m revealing the 11 things I was initially sent for free that I then purchased again (and again) with my own hard-earned American dollars.
Here they are.
1. Furtuna Skin Due Alberi
Biphase Moisturizing Oil
Listen. It’s expensive, so let’s just get that out of the way. When I try expensive things I honestly sort of hope that they’re terrible, because it’s just not as interesting to be like: hey world, this 9 billion dollar thing is actually amazing! It’s far more compelling to reveal that a $10 hidden gem from the drugstore is just as good as some ludicrously priced product. But I am merely your humble servant of the truth, and I am here to tell you that I have never in my life experienced anything like this oil. Its “phases” are part oil-based part water-based, and once shaken, both parts are activated to create this almost slip on the skin that is deeply hydrating but not at all oily. For anyone with mature skin who still deals with big pores or breakouts or texture or hormonal acne, this is sort of a holy grail.
Left: Chest lines using only moisturizer
Right: 5 weeks later using only biphase oil that remained on my hands after applying to my face
I got a custom code from the brand for you: use CANDIDLY20 to get 20% off. It’s just that good.
Price: $125-$225
2. Beyond Yoga Spacedye Out Of Pocket High Waisted Midi Legging
I’ve spent 30 years searching for the perfect legging. Possibly more. It seems like a simple task. They all basically look the same when they’re crumpled up in my drawer. But. This. Legging.
It’s perfectly high-waisted, never gives me a camel, has pockets (whee!!) and is made from the softest material that somehow sucks you right in WHILE never feeling tight.
In this case, I think a visual representation says it best. On the left, the Beyond Yoga legging. On the right, a pair of leggings I used to love and then burned immediately after seeing this side-by-side (which was taken 3 minutes apart).
Price: $99
3. True Botanicals Nutrient Mist
Do you need this? No. Is it the most gorgeously hydrating spray to use right out of the shower so that all your skincare afterwards works 15,000 times more effectively? Yes. I’ve gone through, oh, 12 of them? I will never buy another face spray. Ever.
Use code THECANDIDLY15 to get 15% off
Price: $24
P.S. They also make one of the dreamiest cleansers that is so lovely and non stripping (and smells like what we all imagine heaven might smell like). I will often give these two products as gifts because they work for everyone.
4. Jones Road The Bronzer
There is no shortage of bronzers on this earth. But this new one from Jones Road (this is Bobbi Brown’s new line) is so so so foolproof and so natural looking, it’s all I use now. And I have, oh, no fewer than 37 bronzers in my possession at this time. It comes in many shades, so no matter your skin tone, you’ll find your perfect match. It’s not for “contouring” (which is a nightmare); it’s just for sweeping all over your face haphazardly and emerging from your house as if you’ve spent 48 hours in Ibiza. Then sent me the color “tan” and I loved it so much that I immediately bought it in other colors.
I am also having a passionate love affair with their bronzer BRUSH which applies the product so smoothly you’ll never have a whisper of patchiness
Price: $35
P.S. There are 2 runners-up from this brand: THIS blush hybrid which I just tap on my cheeks post-bronzer (and gives this glossy, ethereal glow) and THIS pencil which I use in the corners of my eyes and right under my nose for those little veins and on any spots. It’s creamy and won’t exacerbate texture or wrinkles BUT it lasts all day. Miracles, both of them.
5. Petite Plume 100% Mulberry Silk Women's Bengal Stripe Pajama
A fancy pajama set is one of those things I’ve always thought are for “other people.” And as a 40ish married person, finding the correct clothing to put on my body while sleeping has proven to be nearly impossible. A sexy négligé is pleasing to him but entirely impractical. A ratty, hole-filled college t-shirt is wildly comfortable, but divorce perhaps would be imminent. And so when this brand reached out, I didn’t hesitate to try these 22mm mulberry silk Bengal striped pajamas (I barely know what half those words mean). Friends? I am converted. The silk is so silky. The cut is so flattering. The price? Well it’s difficult. But I can wash them in cold in a laundry bag, and you’re goddamn right I’ve worn them out on the town with a blazer and a heel. So they’re multipurpose, don’t you know. I figure, I’ll buy them once and never buy them again. Well, except I did buy them in men’s for my husb so we could match in our silkiness. And they’re on my list for gifts, but only for people I love a HUGE amount. We’re talking moms and best friends only.
Price: $295
6. Cozy Earth Ribbed Terry Bath Towels
This company sent me their towels, and I finally understood the life-altering reality of owning the “good towels.” They are easily the softest, most luxurious towels I’ve ever used. Ever. They stay soft after washing, have perfect little loops for hanging. My whole bathing experience became one of luxury. The only issue was that my family felt them and insisted they too now require the “good towels.” So I had to invest in a full set, and it has repeatedly proven 100% worth it.
Use the code CANDIDLY to get 35% off.
Price: $150 for a set of 2
7. Nècessaire The Body Wash
Surely you’ve seen these minimalist bottles all over your Instagram and thought, but this is just chic packaging and lots of good marketing. And it IS that. But it’s also just so very good. The body wash reveals the tenderest sud, the scrub is softening but not scratchy, and from there, I basically bought their entire line. Their body serum is especially magnificent during the winter when no moisturizer can seem to penetrate those sandpaper elbows.
We also got you a code, because it’s just too good not to try. Use code CANDIDLY10 to get 10% off
Price: $25
8. Augustinus Bader The Cream
I wrote a NOT SPONSORED soliloquy about the magic of this moisturizer HERE. I don’t really have the effort to write another one. But that one has before and after photos of my actual face, and if that doesn’t convince you that this stuff is some kind of witches brew I don’t know what will. I’ve bought many bottles since that first bottle, and while it’s pricey, I don’t waste my time/life/money experimenting with other things nor do I have a big, complicated skincare routine. I use this. It works.
Price: $290
9. Universal Standard Kelsey Denim Jacket
I think I’ve written about this piece of clothing more than anything else on the site; it’s just that special. It’s cut with a slight crop so it’s wildly flattering on anyone, and the arms are so roomy and stretchy you’ll never feel like you’re wearing a straight jacket. I wear full-blown sweatshirts underneath it, and I still have room to move, and my arms are QUITE rotund. I bought all the colorways after discovering the light blue, and I wear them all constantly.
Price: $138
10. Solawave 4-in-1 Skincare Wand
The number of “techy” skincare gadgets out there is astonishing. This is probably the category of product I’m sent the most. I think “home treatments” exploded during the pandemic which makes sense, but that doesn’t necessarily mean any of them actually do a damn thing. But this little red light therapy tool really does something! The benefits of LED light therapy are absolutely proven and the low-key, low-effort of this tiny device is why it made the list. I’m just not gonna crack open some huge Hannibal Lector mask every night, nor am I going to haul myself to some medspa once a month. We just don’t have the lifestyle for this, do we? But 5 minutes a night while brushing my teeth and escaping my family in the bathroom? Yes. I have time for that. It significantly reduces puffiness (my main issue), and it also helps to lessen wrinkles, texture, and dark spots. I purchased one for every skincare-loving friend in my life. And more important, I gave one to my mom and step-mom both of whom spend almost zero minutes a day on their skin, because I knew they would actually use this.
Get 15% off using the code CANDIDLY15.
Price: $149
11. Andie Swim The Amalfi
The entire basis of this article is to share things I was sent that I fell in love with, but in the case of this suit, it was actually the other way around. I was so overcome by the unbelievably flattering, completely comfortable fit that I actually approached this brand for a partnership. I won’t mince words. It’s the most amazing swimsuit I’ve ever worn. And I extol its seemingly endless virtues HERE, where you can also see an entire photoshoot of me wearing it, bare rump and all, something I’d only be caught dead doing because it is this suit.
Price: $98
Audie Metcalf is the Editor-in-chief of The Candidly, and lives in LA with her family. You can find more of her articles here.
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
We have to eat.
