PSA: Issues With Sample Society's November 2014 Alterna Hair Caviar!

**Update: I emailed Sample Society to let them know what happened. Their customer service is FABULOUS. They let me know that they had not heard of this problem happening with anyone else. I may have just gotten a defective item. They also randomly credited my account for $5- which was totally cool because I did mention I was not looking for a replacement/refund. Thank you Sample Society!**

Just wanted to do a quick PSA in regards to a problem I literally JUST encountered with my November 2014 Sample Society box.

To give you a frame of reference, I have a fairly large box that I store all my extra beauty haul products from my subscription boxes and elsewhere. It is basically a huge stash of items I plan to use eventually, plan to gift, looking to experiment or review, or to resell on Ebay. 

I am meticulous about this box and the items in it. I do not open or swatch these items. I inspect this stash at least weekly (especially anything with an expiration date). It is extremely important to me that I keep everything in tip top shape. 

Last month, I received a sample of Alterna Anti-Aging Hair Caviar.

I was on the fence about this item and stored it (upright!) in said sample box. It has remained untouched in a cool, dry place since my unboxing. A couple of days ago, I posted pictures of my DIY Beauty Baskets. I was considering the Alterna Caviar for one of the baskets. I obviously inspected the bottle and ultimately decided to forego using it in my gift basket. But, everything was fine.

Yesterday, I decided to go through my stash to take some pictures for an Ipsy trade I am doing. This was one of the items I was looking to trade. But, when I went to take pictures for the person I was trading with, I noticed something odd...

The rubber dropped cap at the top had suddenly become bloated and distorted. In my infinite wisdom, I assumed that the rubber had just detached from inside the top of the cap. And, without thinking about it, I tried to apply a little pressure to slip the rubber back under the lip of the lid.

Nope.

That little poke caused the rubber cap to pop open and off- spraying some of the oil all over me. I'm trying SO hard to refrain from any morose bloated corpse references. But, you get the idea... It was essentially like some odd gas built up inside the rubber top and now I am suspicious of letting this product anywhere near my hair!!

Here's what my sample looks like now:

I will be contacting Sample Society tomorrow to let them know of this issue and will post a follow up if I hear back.

Please be careful!!