little white truths

I've only just realised that I completely forgot to do an empties post earlier in the month, so best I sneak one in now and I'll try to a second one before the end of July.

And trust me, another empties post is needed: the empties box is overflowing again and I have more empties than I do back-up skincare and makeup - a good thing!

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Full review here. This wasn't an awful product but it's not for me: it didn't clean well or leave my skin feeling refreshed. While I do love a good gentle cleanser (especially for morning use), this one crossed from gentle territory into 'doesn't work' territory so it's not one I would personally recommend.

Mind you, it's non-foaming and great for young/sensitive skin, so I was able to use it on my baby and toddler when I bathed them - and it worked well-enough for this purpose. If you're after a gentle, non-foaming cleanser, I personally prefer Mario Badescu's Enzyme Cleansing Gel (reviewed here) and SebaMed's Liquid Face & Body Wash (reviewed here). Purchase? No.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

I been through a few of these and haven't bought a single one: they've all come in sub boxes. I've reviewed the product here.

I like it, I must say. It's not my favourite but it's cheap and does the job. While it doesn't work on heavy eye makeup (at least for me), few things do so I can overlook that. And call me crazy, but it also works better for me than Bioderma's offering - worth mentioning because the latter is much more expensive. Purchase? Yes.

Jergens Hydrating Coconut Dry Skin Moisturiser 

Full review here. From memory I've used four or five different Jergens body moisturisers (all courtesy of the Parcel of course ; )) and while this one was fine, it wasn't my favourite. It wasn't as hydrating for my dry skin as I'd hoped, plus it left a tacky finish that I didn't love. Also, I was hoping for it to smell like coconut because it should, given the title, but I could barely smell any coconut goodness. Sad face.

I personally prefer the Jergens Shea Butter Deep Conditioning Moisturiser (reviewed here) and the Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturiser (reviewed here) - both of which felt more nourishing on my skin than this did. Purchase? No.

Mario Badescu Aloe Vera Toner

This wasn't a bad product but it's not my favourite and I think you can do better, even in this price range. I've reviewed it here.

Yes it was gentle and it didn't irritate or strip my dry skin, plus it's fragrance-free - so I agree that it's great for sensitive skin - but it was one of those 'meh' products that I just didn't enjoy using. On top of that, it didn't tone that well or remove that last layer of gunk from my face either. Repurchase? No.

NS-8 Leg Care Cream

Full review here. This was included as a freebie in my last Beautyheaven Beautorium haul, and I was looking forward to trying it because I do have dry body skin (especially my feet) and this is designed to target the issue.

Unfortunately, I didn't like it at all. It contains peppermint oil and menthol, both of which can be irritants and they definitely irritate the skin on my face (but thankfully not on my body). My other issues with the product were that it took some work to rub in - something that annoys me more than it should ; ) - and it also wasn't nourishing/hydrating enough for me, probably because it didn't absorb properly. Purchase? No.

Elucent Anti Ageing Eye Cream with 4% AHAs

This product came from the Parcel, and it not only caused an allergic reaction on my eye area, but it also stripped the skin on my face and left me with dry, flaky patches and redness. While I can accept that my eyes are sensitive and can't tolerate active ingredients, my face can and I've been using actives for years - so I don't know why I had such a bad experience with this product, but there it is. 

I've reviewed it here. Definitely tread carefully with this one. Purchase? No.

Korres Fig Body Butter

Full review here. This was another product that took some work to rub in, so I found that the best way to use it was to warm it in my hands before application. I don't have time for that these days, plus the product left a greasy after-feel that I didn't love.

The best way to use this (for me) was as an overnight handcream, just to avoid the issue of having greasy hands during the day. Also, it has a strong fig scent and while I don't mind a bit of fig, I'm glad I bought the travel-sized tube because I'd have gotten over the scent of the large one pretty quickly. Repurchase? No.

Korres Shower Gels in Santorini and Bergamot Pear

Full review here. I bought three of these to test the formula and try different scents, and the Guava one (included in a previous empties post) was definitely my favourite fragrance of the three. I liked Santorini the least.

As for quality, look, they're ok. Problem is, I've been completely spoiled by my Rituals body foams and washes, so everything else just doesn't compare.

The mild lather these produce isn't particularly rich or creamy, and that's the biggest thing I've noticed when using these. While my Rituals Shower Foams feel like luxury on the skin (I've reviewed one here), these don't feel like anything special so I didn't look forward to using them. I've used cheapies from the chemist that I prefer over these. Repurchase? No.

Monde Reve Angel Wash Cleanser

This came from Maslow & Co and I absolutely loved it. Problem is, it has an alkaline pH of 8.3, which I understand is a big no-no in skincare. It's a foaming cleanser but I haven't been able to find out whether it contains SLS, so I can't tell you whether it's a product to avoid for this particular reason.

What I can tell you is that never once has it irritated my dry, sensitive skin - nor has it stripped it - even with daily use. I often find cleansers too astringent, so that's saying something. 

If you want to hear me rave about it something chronic, please see my full review here. In short, it feels so beautifully light and, quite frankly, ethereal on the skin (so the 'Angel Wash' name is bang-on), but I don't want to say 'buy it!' because I'm not professionally qualified to tell you whether or not it's skin-safe. Repurchase? Maybe.

Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial

Full review here. This is an HG product of mine and has been for years. I've already been through two travel-sized tubes and now this full size, and I happily have a back-up courtesy of a Mecca Beauty Loop box.

This is one of those products that meets its claims - a rare thing, in my experience! Yes it instantly revitalises and visibly rejuvenates my skin; yes it smooths, firms and tones; yes it reduces signs of fatigue and imperfections; and yes it evens out my complexion and diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Plus it does all these things in one little minute! Repurchase? Yes.

Skinstitut L-Lactic Cleanser

This product grew on me the longer I used it, after I experimented and worked out how to make it perform better for me. While I've used other lactic acid cleansers that I prefer, this one is still decent and you can't beat the comparatively low price-point. I've reviewed it here.

At first it wasn't doing much for me at all, so I decided to 'ignore' the directions and instead leave it on for a few minutes before removing it with a damp face cloth. More details re how I used it in my review if you're interested, but suffice to say here that - after changing how I used it - my skin felt smoother and looked brighter/clearer, which wasn't happening when I used it as directed. Purchase? Maybe.

In sum

That's all from me! I hope you enjoyed this little post and found some ideas for products to try. The best item in this round of empties was definitely the Ren Flash Rinse.

Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x