little white truths

It's so cold here in Melbourne at the moment and gosh it's been such a chill winter overall, that I've been managing chilblains on my fingers and toes for the last month or so - and I haven't suffered from those since 2009. 

Fellow sufferers will know that chilblains ain't pretty: the itchiness, the pain, the swelling, the heat, the inflammation - plus the inability to use your hands without second thought, because that pain hits whenever the affected area makes contact with something. And yes, when you're a primary carer, you have to use your hands for everything. It has not been fun.

Rant over.

Anyway, my chilblain/gosh-it's-bloody-cold opening was a round-a-bout way of introducing this post: I've decided between the shivers that it's a good day for an early monthly favourites post. Reason being, they always make me smile because they focus on the things I've been loving lately - plus they temporarily draw my attention away from the piles of draft review posts currently sitting in backlog ; )

So, in no particular order...

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Luminous Bronze Light

I own Hourglass' Radiant Bronze Light in full size and it's my favourite bronzer of all time - which is the only reason why I was prepared to buy this bad-value little mini (which is a TINY 1.4g in size and paying $35 AUD for it was nothing short of daylight robbery). But I wanted to own both shades and this was the cheapest way to do it.

Long story short, I introduced this mini to Project Dent earlier in July (see my post here), which has put this bronzer front-of-mind and reminded me of how much I love the formula. I prefer Radiant Bronze Light in colour so I'm glad now that I only got the mini of this one and saved myself the extra $40ish for the big one, and extra glad because I'll definitely be buying one of the new shades at some point. 

While Luminous Bronze Light does work with my skintone, it's the formula itself that's made this mini a July favourite. I haven't reviewed these bronzers yet but I will say that, in my humble opinion, they just can't be beat. 

Too Faced Peanut Butter & Jelly Palette

Full review here. This palette was also part of Project Dent this month and I happily realised that I like it more than I first thought. While I never had a problem with the formula overall or (most of) the colour choices, what has always bothered me about this palette is that I need to pull in cool or neutral crease and/or transition colours because it pulls too warm on me otherwise.

The trouble with palettes that aren't stand-alones, of course, is that most of us tend not to reach for them as much as we do 'complete' palettes - which has previously been the case for me with this one.

However, during July I found colour combinations in this palette that I really love, and I've now realised that I could totally pan it if I wanted to (alongside the cooler shadows mentioned above). Plus Bananas is my favourite gold of all time. I just love it, and I'm yet to find a dupe that's exactly the same tone as this one. The palette itself isn't an HG product for me, but Bananas is and I've loved experimenting with the whole palette throughout July. It isn't perfect, but it's definitely good.

Rituals Hammam Olive Secret Shower Paste

This is an unassuming little product that doesn't announce itself with fanfare (unlike eg the Rituals Shower Foams, which foam so beautifully and with such luxuriousness that you can't help but notice them), but it gets you in the end and I love it. I've reviewed it here.

It's a thick, gel-like product and I can see why they've called it a paste. What constantly surprises me about it is just how little you need to get the job done, and also how hydrating it is. I've used shower oils that don't feel anywhere near as nourishing as this does (even a shower oil from Rituals itself), so something about the formula absolutely meets the claim that the product is 'ultra-nourishing' and good for dry skin.

I first fell in love with this when we lived in Berlin in 2012 and 2013, and once I was finally able to get my Australian hands on it again, I fell in love with it twice.

Darphin Hydraskin Intensive Moisturising Serum

Full review here, and please note that I do plan to update the photos on that post because it shows a sample of the product, rather than the full size I've pictured above. It's on my to-do list, promise ; )

It was love at first use for me with this product and I've continued to love it - even after having gone through a couple of bottles now. Since I so rarely repurchase skincare items because I love trying new things, that says enough in itself.

It's a super lightweight product that feels like water with a dash of oil to the touch, and while you wouldn't think that something this thin and watery would pack so much punch, it does. It leaves my face looking less lined, brighter and more fresh - plus my skin feels hydrated, nourished and just happier overall whenever I use it.

A little also goes a long way and, and at $77 AUD for the 30ml full size, sure it's not super cheap but it's also not overpriced - especially considering how long the bottle lasts and how much it helps my dry winter skin.

Darphin Hydraskin Rich Cream

Another one from Darphin that's been a saviour for dry winter skin. I haven't reviewed this cream yet but I will soon and I'm looking forward to singing its praises: my skin hasn't survived winter this well for as long as I can remember, and I think that both this cream and the serum above have had a lot to do with that.

Mind you, it's one of those creams that won't be for everyone: it is indeed 'rich' and it basically feels like applying a cooling, soothing slice of soft butter to the face. Whenever I use it, my skin breathes a sign of relief. 

I apply it overnight, as the last step in my skincare routine, and wake up to comfortable skin - which is not something I'm used to quite frankly, given that I'm dry, dehydrated and sleep-deprived, plus drinking too much caffeine - so thanks, Darphin, for managing these things ; )

It's too heavy for me in summer (when I first tried it), but it's absolutely the right overnight cream for me now.

In sum

As always, I hope you enjoyed this little post and found a few ideas for new products to try.

Also as always - I hope all's well with you, and speak soon x