little white truths

I bought this product from strawberrynet a while back along with some Becca lip products because they were all on sale for a song. 

I must confess, when I put this into my cart, I didn't research the product and I thought I was getting a much-needed facial spray (it does kind of look and sound like one) so I was a little surprised when I opened it and saw what came out. 

Ooops! Oh well, at least it's more of a serum than a regular facial cream because I don't have a lot of back-up serums, so it moved into circulation pretty quickly.

You may have heard me say before that I've only ever made two orders from strawberrynet and, after this one, I don't plan on ordering anything more from the site because I suspect that many of the products on sale there are very old.

Of those three Becca lip products I bought (which I later discovered had been discontinued), one smelled old and the other two are obviously heading that way - so while I've been able to use them, I've had to keep an eye on them and use them ahead of other products because I don't want them going rancid on me before I've got my money's worth.

I wanted to mention this because I'm not the first person to have put a question mark over the age of strawberrynet's products, so it's something to be aware of if you've got your eye on anything from the site.

I'm going to assume that this product is ok and not past its expiry because it smells alright and hasn't caused any adverse reactions. 

It's a thin cream/serum hybrid that feels quite soothing and cooling when applied. While it's described as fragrance-free, it does have a slight creamy-sweet scent - so be aware of that if you don't like fragranced products because this one does smell a little.

I used this product for a couple of weeks when I first got it, then gave it a break, and I've now been using it day and night for the last month. I did this because I find it's the best way to see exactly what a product is doing and how it compares to other products that you use before and after it.

What I've found is that it sinks beautifully into the skin and spreads well, so a little goes a long way and this bottle should last a good while. Once applied, it does have a brightening effect and my skin looks fresher, cleaner and younger.

Despite these benefits, this product doesn't wow me enough to earn a place in my skincare routine. I think it's good and I'm enjoying using it, but it hasn't blown my socks off so it's not one I would repurchase. If you have a look at the online reviews of this product, opinions seem split down the middle: you either love it or think it's useless. So it's worth testing the product before buying it because it mightn't be for you.

On the claims: yes I think it creates a radiant complexion; yes I think it has a soothing and smoothing effect; and yes it's refreshing and I notice some exfoliating benefits when I use this. 

I don't however think it's fragrance-free, and although it does make my skin look a bit nicer and feel smoother, I wouldn't say it's a stand-out makeup base because I've got better primers that do more in terms of hydrating and brightening the skin and making my foundation last longer.

All in all, this is a good product but I'm glad I got it cheaply and it's not one I would buy again. There's nothing wrong with it - and indeed it's a good skin-brightener - it's just that I have other products I prefer and ones that offer more benefits for my skin than this one does.

Decent but not a stand-out.