little white truths

Hello and welcome to my first empties post for August!

It hasn't been the best month of empties for me so far: a good thing, since it's meant that I've finally cleared out the empties bin completely and have already photographed the products for my second empties post this month. Huzzah!

How I love seeing more empty containers float into the recycling bin. I love it especially this morning since I just dropped both toddler and baby off at childcare for the first time. Number one has been going for over a year now but it's number two's initiation...

FREEDOM.

Darpin The Revitalising Oil

Full review here. I didn't hate this product but I didn't love it either. It had an odd smell that I didn't enjoy (and most Darphin products smell lovely to me, so I was surprised not to like this one), plus it was quite thick and it sometimes felt a bit grainy on my face.

After a few weeks of using this as my overnight face hydrator, I eventually decided to do something naughty and use it on my body. While I wouldn't normally 'waste' a $46 oil on my body, I justified this by using it only once a week and therefore delaying the purchase of a replacement body oil for a few months - so all was not lost. Repurchase? No.

Darphin Hydraskin Intensive Moisturising Serum

Now this product I absolutely love. I've been through a couple of full sizes now, as well as the sample that started it all (which came in one of Mecca's Beauty Loop boxes). I've reviewed it here.

What I love about this is that it's super thin - just how I like my serums - and it's also wonderfully hydrating, even though it basically feels like water with a dash of oil to the touch. Few serums nourish my skin as well as this one does, and a little goes such a long way that it lasts me a couple of months longer than most other serums, so I absolutely think it's worth the $77 AUD outlay. Repurchase? Yes.

RAFRA Complete In Gel Cream 

This cream claims to offer the benefits of a multi-step regime in just one product, removing the need for a lotion, emulsion, serum, face cream, oil, eye cream and mask. It should treat multiple skin concerns including pigmentation, enlarged pores, fine lines, dullness and dryness.

I like the idea of a 'do all' product in theory, but in practice I like my full routine - plus this cream didn't do enough for my dry skin so it's not one I would buy. 

Yes it smelled nice (like orange peel) and yes it felt nice on the skin, but it was too light for me and my face always felt dry after use, unless I put a good serum or oil down first. Not for me. Purchase? No.

L'Occitane Immortelle Precious Cream 

This 8ml sample came in our last Ageless Parcel (unboxed here). Apparently L'Occitane has invested in the very first large-scale, sustainable and organic immortelle program in Corsica (immortelle being a flower with exceptional longevity). The cream should leave skin looking more luminous, revitalised and rejuvenated.

I was looking forward to using this because it just looks special, and I'm happy to report that I really enjoyed it: it's super smooth, rich and velvety without being too heavy or feeling like it clogs pores.

It also sat well under makeup, so I could use it as both a day and night cream. I mightn't buy it because it is quite pricey and it hasn't kicked out my favourite products, but it was still lovely and something I can recommend if you're after something luxe that feels special. Repurchase? Maybe.

Redwin Perfect Naturals Coconut Balm

Full review here. I've been through two of these now (both came via the Parcel) and I really like it.

Mind you, I got through it faster than I'd hoped because I was using it on my feet for some extra hydration and my tootsies have been dry recently so I was slapping this on almost every night.

It smells divine, hydrates well and it's cheap. Plus it's multipurpose so I think most people would be able to find some use for it. Purchase? Yes.

Skinstitut Retinol Serum

This product has rave reviews online but it did absolutely nothing for me. I've reviewed it here.

It's quite a thick serum so I had to warm it in my hands before application (I was getting through it too quickly otherwise) and it should target things like age spots, fine lines and dullness - everything you'd expect retinol to do - but unfortunately it did none of those things for me.

I've liked the other Skinstitut products I've tried so far but I can't recommend this one because it didn't hit the mark for me. It seems to work for everyone else though! Repurchase? No.

Fig & Yarrow Clay Mask [White]

This came from Maslow & Co and it's meant to be good for dry skin, but I found it really drying and it did absolutely nothing for me (except dry me out) so it's not one I would recommend. Full review here. 

Thankfully I found an alternative use for it. It's a powder product that you're meant to mix with a liquid carrier (eg yoghurt or water), so what I did was apply it dry to my wet face in the shower and it worked well as a gentle exfoliant: the powder worked like fine grains on the face until the water turned it into a paste. So I don't rate the product as a mask but I do like it as an exfoliant. Purchase? No.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Moisture Rich Night Cream

This came in our last edit of the Parcel. It contains cocoa butter - 'nature's super beauty ingredient', according to Palmer's - as well as retinol and vitamin e to promote softer, smoother and younger-looking skin. With the added goodness of peptides to protect cell structure, it claims to be the perfect overnight repair treatment. 

While I do love Palmer's for body care, I'm not sure it's a brand I'd turn to for facial skincare - and this cream only confirmed that opinion. It wasn't awful but I didn't love it either: it just wasn't hydrating enough for my skin, and I couldn't use it as my night cream without eventually putting something over the top to help boost hydration. Purchase? No.

Ren Wake Wonderful Night Time Facial

Full review here. I liked this product but it's not a repurchase for me. As I say in my review, when I tested a few sachets of this, I fell head-over-heels for it - but when it came to using my full-size, it didn't do as much for me.

Don't get me wrong, it still left me with brighter skin that looked and felt smoother and healthier - plus it had a slight resurfacing effect - it's just that it did much more for me before. I've decided that the reason is probably that I'm using more active ingredients now that I'm no longer pregnant, but I tested the sachets of this product when I was, so there was more 'work' for this product to do then, whereas now there's less. That's my theory, anyway. Repurchase? No.