I introduced this cleanser as part of my recent declutter post (see here), but I've actually been using it for close to a month now - it's just that it took me ages to get that post up.

I can't remember exactly when I received it, but it came with an Adore Beauty order at some point earlier this year.

Asap is one of those brands that I've never bought anything from but I do keep receiving Asap samples along with orders, so I feel like I have some idea of what the products are like.


Asap claims/product details:
  • A light-lathering, soap-free cleanser that's formulated to gently and thoroughly cleanse the skin
  • Removes makeup and excess oil, while maintaining the skin's natural moisture balance
  • Contains soothing aloe vera and powerful antioxidant white tea to calm, moisturise and help protect skin against free radical damage
  • Suitable for all skin types and perfect for sensitive skin
  • Paraben free
  • To use: gently lather a small amount on moistened hands and massage onto damp face and neck; rinse thoroughly
  • RRP $49 AUD for 200ml, but do shop around (it's available online for less than $40 from a few different retailers)


When I went to review this product, I was surprised to find that it's had a lot of reviews on various websites (see eg Adore Beauty).

It's not a product I'd ever heard about before receiving it, but it's obviously well-loved by many: most people have given it five stars. While I personally wouldn't rate it that highly, I do think it's nice and I can see why it's a favourite of those with super sensitive skin. More on that in a tick.


Verdict

This is a nice, gentle everyday cleanser and while I'm enjoying it, it's not a stand-out for me and it's not one I would buy.

It's a clear gel with a light, slightly sweet and slightly herbal scent. You lather up a small amount and apply it to your damp face, and I do like that it lathers a little so it feels like it cleans - but I wouldn't call it a foaming cleanser.

Once applied, it feels gentle and silky, and it never strips my skin or dries it out. I agree that it would suit sensitive skin because it hasn't irritated my (sometimes) sensitive skin and my pH strips rate it at about a six so it's not too astringent.

I prefer this as a second cleanse in the morning, after I've used my cleansing oil. I've tried it a few times as my evening cleanser, but it doesn't do a great job of removing makeup and I always need to double cleanse with it to remove everything. So it's not a super effective cleanser in my experiencce, but it's fine for morning use.

After use my skin feels clean, lightly moisturised and soft, and ready for the rest of my skincare. It's one of those cleansers that feels nice to apply and suits the morning position, but I wouldn't call it the cleanser to end all cleansers.

Indeed, I've used other gentle cleansers that feel like they clean my skin a little better than this one does. Eg, I prefer SebaMed's offering (reviewed here), which is very gentle too and it's also cheaper.

So in sum, this is a decent everyday cleanser and I've been happy enough to use mine, but it's not one I would buy.

Good but not great.

You may remember that I included this foundation in one of my recent sachet posts (see here), and I'm back today to give you some swatches and first impressions.

Long story short, I thought I would absolutely hate it but I don't. Sure it's too full-coverage for me so I wouldn't buy it, but at least I could work with it and find a way to enjoy it - and I can't say that for all heavy-duty foundations so there you go.

The product retails for $49 AUD so it's not the most expensive foundation on the market, although it's not cheap either. Still, at least with Sephora you can wait for a 20 per cent off sale.

Now for swatches. Below I've given you a heavy blob, a partially blended one and a blended one - in a few different lights.

Indirect sunlight:


Direct sunlight:


Natural light (outdoors):


Natural light (indoors):


Verdict

This is obviously a first impressions post and I've only worn the product a handful of times - so if you're after an in-depth review, this isn't it. But I do have some thoughts to share that might be helpful to someone.

First, the product has a weird, mealy scent that I'm not a fan of, but it's not very strong so I'm only aware of it if I hold the foundation up to my nose.

It's fluid and a little paint-like in texture (and it does look a bit like paint until you blend it in), but fortunately I found it a lot easier to work with than I have many other thicker foundations. Sometimes I have trouble blending heavy-duty products out, but I didn't with this so that's a plus.

Note that the coverage isn't full straight out of the starting gate: I got more of a medium with this when I wore it alone, but I'm sure you could build it if you wanted to - it's just that I didn't.

Medium 54 is described as 'medium with yellow undertones', and I agree with that. It was too dark for me, but I lived with that because I wasn't going out when I wore it so it didn't matter that the colour was off.

It did dry down but it still had a slightly tacky feel to it so I ended up setting it with a tiny bit of powder. The finish wasn't a true matte: I would call it more of a satin-matte, which I liked because it didn't look drying or flat on the skin. 

It wore well throughout the day, but best of all, it didn't sit in pores or cling to dry patches - and it looked more like skin than I expected. Yes you could tell I was wearing foundation, but it wasn't mask-like so I was pleased about that.

Also note that you can mix this foundation with the primer (which was also part of my sample cards) for a sheerer coverage. I did this on four occasions and really liked it! It was dewy, it looked like skin, and it didn't emphasise texture. If KVD released a product that was like this mix, I may well buy it - but I wouldn't go out and buy both the foundation and primer for the purposes of mixing them on the daily. I liked the combination, but not that much.

Worth noting too is that I swatched the foundation alone on the back of my hand while writing this review (hands being a good place to test foundation because they have so much texture), and I don't think my hand has ever looked so airbrushed! The product has a smoothing effect and it hasn't sunk into lines, not a single one. Tick.

Overall I think this a good foundation and although it's probably better suited to those with oily skin who like more coverage than I do, the fact that it played well with my dry skin (and my preference for a lighter coverage) says a lot.

Decent.

Hello and welcome to this little unboxing post.

Since it's Mecca's 20th birthday this year, things have been done a little differently and we received a special birthday gift (unboxed here), plus this special edition Beauty Loop Box.

Levels 1, 2 and 3 received different gifts, and today I have the L3 one to show you.


The products come in fun neon packaging, which of course has played havoc with my camera and given me grey-washed, fuzzy images. So thank you packing ; ) 

Sooner or later I'll have to take a crash course in photography so I know how to deal with situations like that. Perhaps when the toddlers are older...

So, we received two things: a liquid highlighter and a lip balm. Let's have a quick look at each.


Mecca Cosmetica Lit From Within Illuminating Drops (RRP $45 AUD for 15ml)

At first I thought this was a sample but looks like the full size is 15ml, so there you go.

Apparently the product contains ultra-pigmented illuminating drops that adorn the skin with a delicate sheen. They can be mixed with moisturiser, primer, SPF or foundation to add luminosity, or applied directly to the skin as a serum to balance skintone, offset uneven pigmentation and blur imperfections.

I haven't swatched these in-store before so I'm not sure what they're like, but I'll certainly use them. I'm about to finish a liquid illuminator via Project Pan so these have filled a gap in my collection.


Mecca Cosmetica Lip De-Luscious SPF 25 (RRP $28 AUD for 11g)

This is a well-loved product in the beauty community and it won't go astray. I've reviewed one here.

It claims to hydrate and condition lips with a botanical-rich, lip-loving formula. It contains shea butter, hyaluronic filling spheres, pomegranate seed oil, vitamin e and SPF 25 for beautifully soft, SPF protected lips.

This is a limited edition tub in the shade Peach Shimmer, and I'm looking forward to using it. That won't be until next year, though: I have far too many lip products to get through before I open this one.

In sum

That's all from me! I hope you're happy with your October Beauty Loop Box, whatever goodies you received.

I'm happy with mine but I'm glad they've only done one of these birthday edition boxes this year: I do prefer to receive the standard box with four samples from different brands, because we receive Mecca-branded products quite often and it's nice to try other things.

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

Hello and welcome to October's Project Pan update!

It hasn't been my best PP month this year, but it has been a pretty good one and I've happily managed to finish some of my larger products this month.

Here's how my list is looking at the end of October:

  • Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation in Beige
  • Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal 
  • Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector 
  • BareMinerals 5-in-1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow SPF 15 in Sweet Spice 
  • Nars Liquid Laguna Bronzer 
  • Gorgeous Cosmetics Prism Powder Highlighter 
  • Gorgeous Cosmetics Lip Pencil in Tangerine 
  • Becca eyeshadow pan (from Ombre Rouge Palette)
  • Self-mixed eyeshadow pan
  • Bodyography Electric Lip Slide in 1605 Berry'd Alive (switched out)
  • Wyte Luxe Whitening Applicator 
  • Clarins Beauty Flash Balm
  • Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser in Groenland 
  • Becca Backlight Priming Filter 
  • Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation in Fair 
  • Stila Sun Bronzer in Dark 
  • Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipcolour in 730 Orchid Ecstasy

So I've finished seven products in total, which includes a tinted moisturiser and a primer that have been on my list for ages. I've also switched out my Bodyography lip product, for the simple reason that it's taking ages to pan - and I would rather focus my efforts on items that I have a chance of finishing before year's end. I will bring it back for Project Pan 2018, though, so never fear.

Let's have a quick look at each item in turn.


My Gorgeous Cosmetics Prism Powder Highlighter is still going strong but I've had to re-press it, and I'm still hopeful that I can finish it by the end of the year. 

I use it each day as an illuminating setting powder, and sometimes I use it on the eyes and also as a facial highlighter. If I keep triple-purposing it, I should be able to finish it by Christmas.

If you'd like to see how this product (or any other) looked last month, September's update is here.


I can't believe how long my Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector is lasting. Honestly, it just doesn't want to die! 

But I do love it and I am getting there (slowly), so it will be gone by the end of the year. After that I can finally open the Tarte one I bought in the last Sephora sale, and I'm really looking forward to that because I've heard it's excellent.


My Nars Liquid Laguna Bronzer is so close to being finished, I'm a little grumpy I couldn't get through it during October! 

I tend to mix it with Becca Opal (below) and use the mix as a glowy, bronze-y primer, and I do enjoy using them that way so I'm happy to do it a little longer. I know I can finish the Nars product during the first week of November so I'll be glad to have another bronzer gone from my collection - I certainly need to pan some.


My Gorgeous Cosmetics Lip Pencil in Tangerine is showing more progress this month than it has in previous months (see marker sheet below). This is because it started to go quite soft halfway through the month, meaning that it's now moving faster. Given this, I think I can actually finish it by the end of the year - which I wasn't expecting to do - so that's a positive.

This BareMinerals 5-in-1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow SPF 15 in Sweet Spice is proving to be tough to get through, although I was expecting that because cream shadows are notoriously hard to pan. Mind you, I've been using it not only as an eyeshadow base but also as a facial contour, which is why I'm moving through it faster than you might expect. I doubt I'll finish it in November but you never know. 


Next, my Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation in Beige and Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal.

I haven't bothered marking the foundation because although I've used it, I haven't used it enough to make a dent so there's no point. Once I've finished the Nars bronzer, I'll get through it faster because I use both products for darkening any base that's too light for me and I've been focusing on the Nars one (which is almost finished).

Becca Opal is also almost finished, and I'll be glad to send it packing because I've had it for ages. As mentioned above, I often mix it with the Nars bronzer and use the combination as a primer - and I can layer another primer over it if I want to, but I usually don't - so I'll keep doing that and I should be through it during November.


Last, two eyeshadows that I brought over from Pan that Palette after closing it for the year. The cream shade is from Becca and the grey one I mixed myself.

I re-pressed both this month and I know I can finish the cream one by year's end, but the grey one will be harder because it's a darker colour and it's also more pigmented. I'm not sure if I can finish it but I'll certainly try.

There's my marker sheet:


So you can see that Tangerine has moved faster this month, but there's still a while to go. I think I can get there, but only because it's started melting and crumbling/breaking off - so there's sometimes product wastage and it can snap off when I sharpen it. Hoh well, at least it will move more quickly.

And finally, my replacements. I've picked five, even though I wanted to keep my list at twelve products - purely because my husband was home yesterday to help with the kids, so I had time to take some extra shots. What I'll do is introduce them now, and then as I finish things during the month, I won't replace them until my list has reduced a bit again.

Here's what I chose:


I've picked two lipsticks, a mini bronzer, one hair treatment and a face mask.

Let's have a quick look at each one.


Neuma Neusmooth Leave-on Conditioner

Full review here. I don't like this product and all it's currently doing is cluttering up the bathroom so I'd like to get through it and try something else.

It's meant to do things like detangle, tame frizz and condition, but it doesn't work for me so I stopped using it after I'd reviewed it. What I might do is try it as a pre-wash treatment on both mine and my daughter's hair, and I'll also use it to coat our hair before swimming in the hope that it protects our locks from the drying chlorine.

I think if I do both those things, I can finish it by Christmas.


Above are my Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 32 (reviewed here) and my Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in 720 Nottinghill Nude (reviewed here).

I don't like either of these and I've had them sitting on my desk for the last couple of weeks so I could give myself a head-start on them before introducing them to Project Pan.

You'll see that 720 is looking rather odd: that's because it has started melting (even though it's well within expiry), so I've been applying it from the sides of the bullet where it's melted - meaning that it's thinner than it once was.  

Shade 32 will take me longer to finish and it's even more drying on the lips that 720, so when I use them, I use them together but I also need to put a balm down first.

I can see myself finishing 720 this month and 32 next month.


Next, my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Luminous Bronze Light (reviewed here). This is my favourite formula for bronzers, but I prefer the colour of Radiant Bronze Light so I don't mind getting through this mini.

I have flattened it significantly and although these bronzers are pigmented, this particular shade takes some building on my colouring so I'm confident that I can finish it by Christmas. Wish me luck!


Alpha-H Balancing & Pore Refining Mask with Jojoba

Full review here. I'm obsessed with this mask (it's so good) but I'm also annoyed that it comes in a 100ml tube: the directions say that you're only meant to use it once a week but the shelf-life is a small six months. So I'm not sure what Alpha-H was thinking there, but I certainly couldn't get through 100ml of face mask in that time. I would struggle to do that even with a mask you could apply a few times a week.

Anyway. Mine must have been open for close to six months now and I've barely made a dent in it (see marker above), so I'm including it in Project Pan to make sure I use it. I've been applying it once a week - sometimes once a fortnight - since I opened it, so I'll need to get cracking.

What I plan to do is use it perhaps every five days (my dry skin couldn't tolerate more than that) and I'll be sure to apply it to my neck and upper chest too, just to make sure I finish it before it turns.

I'm unlikely to finish it this year but I'd like to get the process started now.

In sum

That's all from me! I hope you enjoyed this little post, and that you're going well with your own panning projects.

I suspect I'm not the only one who's planning to stick their head down and get through as many products as possible before the new year, so good luck to all of us! There's a lot to get through, but I do want to start 2018 with less stuff so I'm determined.

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

I've been really keen to do another one of these sample clear-outs before the end of the year, since I've somehow found myself with truckloads of smaller items during 2017.

So this will be my last one for 2017, but never fear because I'll be back with more in the new year ; )

As always what I'll do now is introduce each item, then I'll be back with mini reviews once I've used everything. Three of the products in this lot are also large enough for separate, full reviews - so stay tuned for those if you're interested.

In no particular order...


OUiGLO Rich Collagen Face Mask x 3

If you read this blog, you'll know that I'm no friend of sheet masks - they rarely do anything for me; they're expensive for one-use products; and that's also a lot of packaging/material going into a single-use product, so how environmentally friendly can they be? - but I know I'm in the minority there because most people seem to love them.

These ones apparently contain a blend of collagen and fruit extracts to exfoliate gently and give you a dewy glow. Other ingredients include apricot, grapefruit and cucumber. They came from Maslow & Co in our last boxes.

What I plan to do is use one, see how good/bad it is, and then I'll declutter the other two if they don't work for me. We'll see.


L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream

This is described as a super-smoothing and bestselling synergy of 20% shea butter, vitamin e, honey and sweet almond extract, blended with the scent of jasmine. It should absorb well, to help heal and protect dry or dehydrated skin. 

I actually have two of these (the second one isn't pictured) because I thought I'd already reviewed it so I was going to pass on the extra one to a friend, but turns out I haven't so I'll definitely use both and review the formula in the coming weeks. I have used this before so I already know I like it, but it's been ages since I had one so it will be nice to try it again.

Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture Moisturising Sunscreen Lotion 

With broad spectrum sun protection and a moisturising formula, this sunscreen claims to guard against harmful UV rays and also nourish your skin. It combines strong UVA and UVB filters that shield the skin from sun damage with a caring formula, containing panthenol and vitamin e to protect the skin from the drying effects of the sun.

I haven't used this before and I'm always in the market for a good sunscreen, so hopefully this one's decent. I'm currently looking for a budget facial sunscreen that isn't too greasy, because although I love my Mecca To Save Face, it costs a bit more and I'd prefer to have a cheaper option that I love just as much.


Bobbi Brown Soothing Cleansing Oil

This is a special blend of jasmine flower extract and botanical oils, and it should dissolve surface impurities and makeup without disrupting the skin's natural balance. After use, your skin should feel soothed, supple and comfortable.

I'm always up for trying a new cleansing oil so I'm excited about this product. And lucky me, I have two of them! I have a vague memory of trying it before and really enjoying it, but I suspect this was before I started blogging. So because I have 30ml of product to try, I'll be doing a separate full review of this item also. Looking forward! 


Asap Gentle Cleansing Gel

This is described as a light-lathering, soap-free cleanser that's formulated to gently and thoroughly cleanse the skin. It removes makeup and excess oil, while maintaining the skin's natural moisture balance. It's suitable for all skin types and perfect for sensitive skin. 

I've used quite a few Asap samples over the years and they've all come from Adore Beauty, as this one did. There's 15ml in the tube, which is more than enough to get a good feel for a cleanser so I'll definitely do a separate review of this product. I do also need to get through some cleansers so it will be nice to send another one packing.

Goldwell Kerasilk Repower Volume Shampoo 

This is described as a gentle, lightweight and cleansing shampoo formulated with keratin and elastin. It apparently offers the ideal foundation for body and fullness with colour protection. 

This came as a freebie in a Beautyheaven Beautorium haul, and as you may know, I really hate receiving haircare without its partner (so in this case, the matching conditioner). I just don't think you can test items properly unless you have both, which is why I've thrown this product into one of these declutters - I'll be able to give it a mini review but that's it.
  

Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial and Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask

These products don't need much introduction because they're well-loved in the beauty community, and for good reason: they're both fantastic.

I've reviewed the Flash Rinse here. It calls itself a transforming treatment that instantly revitalises and visibly rejuvenates the skin, and it should leave skin looking firm, toned and smoothed. It also claims to reduce the signs of fatigue. Happily I can confirm that it does those things, and I'm pleased to have the product back in circulation again after finishing mine earlier in the year.

I've reviewed the Glycolactic product here. It's described as a potent bio active peel mask that's designed to refresh and renew the complexion, reduce fine lines and dramatically improve skintone, firmness and radiance. I just used it again this morning after finishing my full size a few months ago, and I was pleased to find that I love it just as much as I always did.

Both these samples came in Mecca Beauty Loop boxes and I'm glad I received them because it's delayed me buying them again.

In sum

That's all from me! I'm looking forward to using these and I'm especially looking forward to clearing out more smaller items from the cupboard - I have too many!

I'll check back in soon with mini reviews of everything, so stay tuned for those if you're interested.

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

Hello and welcome to my third empties post for October 2017. I'm glad I managed to squeeze in these photos yesterday because I've finished lots of products this month and it's always good to start a new month with less stuff in the empties bin.

Note that this empties post will be a little different because it contains all Project Pan items - meaning that I've already talked about them heaps so I won't go on too much about them here or I'll bore you to tears.

So without further ado...


First up, four complexion products:

  • Becca Backlight Priming Filter: full review here. I love this primer but I can't wear it with my sheerer tinted moisturisers (or those that wear off too quickly) because it's super shiny so it can look wrong if it's not toned down with something stronger. It smells nice and it's beautifully hydrating, and it's definitely a product that I'll miss. Purchase? Yes.
  • Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation in Fair: I don't love this formula because it's too glowy (so it can emphasise texture), plus it clings to dry patches and also sits in pores. I've reviewed it here. Fortunately, though, it's the best mixer foundation I've ever used - so it wasn't a wasted purchase. Repurchase? No.
  • Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser in Groenland: full review here. This is a really fantastic tinted moisturiser and I'll miss it, but I'm also pleased that I've finished it so I can try other things. It offers a natural finish and it has more coverage than most tinted moisturisers I've tried, so it should suit those who prefer a medium coverage. Repurchase? Maybe.
  • BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Gel Cream in 06 Ginger: I love this stuff and I'm missing it already so I'll likely buy another one next year, once I'm through a couple of other similar products. I've reviewed it here. It's hydrating, it's lightweight but still offers some good coverage, and it looks like skin so it's perfect for those who don't like heavy makeup. Plus it's not ridiculously expensive. You really can't beat it. Repurchase? Yes.


Next, lip products:

  • Maybelline Colour Sensational Rebel Bloom Lipcolour in 730 Orchid Ecstasy: full review here. This is my favourite lipstick formula, quite possibly of all time. Yes I've found some high-end formulas that are lovely, but I really don't think you can beat the quality and price of this one. It's hydrating, it lasts well and it doesn't emphasise texture. Repurchase? Yes.
  • NYX Butter Gloss in Apple Strudel: I'm sure you've heard everyone rave about these and they're not wrong - these glosses are fantastic and I can't wait to try more of them. They're comfortable and hydrating, they come in great colours, and you can pick them up for a song if you wait for specials. I've reviewed this one here. Repurchase? Yes.
  • Stevie K Matte Lipstick in King Kylie: full review here. This was ok but the colour didn't suit me (too pale) and it was also quite drying, plus it emphasised lip lines so it's not something I would buy. Fortunately I got through it quickly though, because it went on so thickly that it vanished like nobody's business. Purchase? No.
  • Clarins Rouge Eclat Lipstick in #13 Woodrose: I really didn't like this and I'm wondering whether it was responsible for giving me little white dots on my lips. Plus it was drying, it feathered and bled, and it emphasised lip lines so it just wasn't flattering. It didn't wear well either. I've reviewed it here. Purchase? No.


Last, miscellaneous products:

  • Clarins Beauty Flash Balm: full review here. I've had a long relationship with this product and I almost always have one in my collection. I apply it over makeup and it plumps up my skin and takes a few years off my face, plus it adds some much-needed hydration to my dry skin. I'll miss it. Repurchase? Yes.
  • Wyte Luxe Whitening Applicator: this came from Maslow & Co and it's a decent product, it's just that I don't have time for tooth-whitening these days - which is why I put it on my Project Pan list, to remind myself to use it. It's easy to use and it does work, it's just one of those extra steps that I don't find essential these days. I've reviewed it here. Purchase? No.
  • Pureplus+ Milk Bebe Lip Treatment: full review here. I really enjoyed this while I had it, but unfortunately I lost it twice (once this year, once last year), so by the time I found it again and brought it back into circulation, it had turned. Annoying! But it felt nice, wore well and plumped up my lips, so it's a product I would use again. Purchase? Maybe.
  • Stila Stay All Day Sun Bronzer in Dark: I loved this bronzer so I'm sad that it's been discontinued. It was finely milled, pigmented and it blended well, but more than anything, I really loved the colour and I've saved a tiny bit of product so I can search for dupes in future. I've reviewed it here. Fingers crossed that Stila brings it back! Repurchase? Yes, if I could.

In sum

That's all from me! I hope you enjoyed this little empties post and that you've got plenty of your own empties for the month.

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

I've been really keen to knock out another round of sachets during October: that way I can spend November and December working on some travel-sized samples and minis, which I also need to do.

My aim is to start 2018 with less small stuff in the cupboards; for some reason I've collected too much smaller stuff over 2017 (more so than in previous years), to the point where I have more of that than I do full-sized products.

Anyhoo. Let's have a look.


Dermalogica Sheer Tint Light SPF 20

This apparently provides a light coverage while protecting your skin with broad spectrum SPF 20. It contains hyaluronic acid and walnut seed extract, to help improve skin texture and reduce the appearance of fine dehydration lines.

This is as sheer as you might imagine a tint to be, to the point where it does absolutely nothing in terms of coverage (at least for me). Perhaps if you were very fair it might do something, but I'm yet to come across one of these tints that does anything for evening out my complexion so I don't really see the point of them.

It has a sweet scent that I'm not sure how I feel about, plus it takes some work to rub in and leaves behind a residue and a tacky finish. Not a fan. I reckon you go for either a sunscreen or a tinted moisturiser/BB cream: these tint products don't make sense to me.

Dermalogica Redness Relief Primer SPF 15

This is a redness-reducing, broad spectrum primer for sensitised skin. It should neutralise, relieve and defend against inflammation and redness.

I really liked this, and I wasn't expecting to so it was a nice surprise. It's a green product with a powdery texture, but when you apply it to the skin, it sheers out so you don't look like a martian.

It's smoothing and feels nice on, and while I don't think it did a hell of a lot for redness, it was still a nice primer and I like that it contains sunscreen. I probably wouldn't buy it but I did enjoy it.


Dermalogica Ultrasmoothing Eye Serum

This is described as powerful, anti-ageing care for sensitive eyes. It claims to be a velvety smooth eye serum that hydrates the delicate eye area while addressing fine lines and wrinkles.

I must say, I absolutely loved this. It's super rich and a little oily in texture, and my dry skin couldn't get enough of it. You only need the tiniest amount each time so even these little samples lasted a while, and I found that the product worked well for both day and night use because it sat comfortably under makeup but was still hydrating enough to keep my dry eyes comfortable overnight.

You can find this online for around $60 AUD so it's not the most expensive eye product on the market, and I'll certainly be looking out for specials because it's the right kind of eye cream for me.


Kérastase Aura Botanica Bain Micellaire Shampoo and Soin Fondamental

The shampoo is described as a gentle, effective formula that transforms into a luxurious lather, cleansing away all impurities. The conditioner is described as a lightweight product that melts into hair fibres for deep, durable nutrition and frizz control.

The shampoo was rubbish and I needed to do three washes to get my hair close to clean. Indeed, normally I go through twice as much conditioner as shampoo - but in this case the reverse was true. It did smell lovely, but not lovely enough to warrant the $44 AUD price-tag.

The conditioner was decent. It smelled nice and it left my hair feeling beautifully nourished and healthy. Mind you, it also left a coating on my hair so it reduced the time between washes, and my hair looked a little dull after use due to the coating.

Together these didn't work that well because the shampoo didn't clean properly, but when I used the second dose of conditioner with another product, I liked it better. I wouldn't recommend either though, especially considering how expensive they are.


Kat Von D Lock It Foundation in 54 Medium and Lock It Hydrating Primer

The foundation is described as a 24-hour powder foundation with a flawless, matte finish. It should be budge-proof, sweat-proof and smudge-proof.

The primer is described as a hydrating, water-based primer that’s specially designed for long-wear foundations. It’s infused with nourishing ingredients (including vitamin B5, aloe vera, jojoba and shea butter) and should help long-wear foundations glide evenly onto skin for a poreless, soft finish.

The primer has a super sweet scent that I wasn't a fan of, but it is very hydrating so I liked how it felt on the skin. I agree that it has a smoothing effect and it also did feel nourishing, so it was quite a nice product for my dry skin.

I was expecting to hate the foundation because I don't like full coverage and I don't like a matte finish, but it wasn't too awful and it didn't look like a mask (although granted, I didn't build it up to full coverage). Yes it was too much coverage for me and I prefer a dewy finish, but it did look like skin and it also wore well throughout the day. I'll be doing a swatches and first impressions post on this, so stay tuned for that if you're interested.

It says on the sample card that you can mix the primer and foundation for a sheerer coverage, so I did that three times and I really liked the effect. The combination was dewy, felt hydrating and it just looked like skin. It also didn't sit in pores or emphasise texture, and while I wouldn't go out and buy both products to use as one, I was happy enough to use these two sample cards.


Mario Badescu Enzyme Revitalising Mask

This is described as a moisture intensive, alpha hydroxy mask that's ideal for dull, dry or mature skin. Papaya and grapefruit extracts are the natural exfoliants, blended with antioxidant vitamin A and E oils, giving the skin a refreshed, glowing appearance.

One of the things I love about Mario Badescu's sachets is that they're always huge. The last eye cream sachet I received was 3ml (it lasted for ages) and this mask is 10ml. That's enough for plenty of applications, so you know exactly how you feel about it.

I like this. It smells fruity and it feels like a hybrid oil/cream. It spreads beautifully and feels nice and cooling when applied, then it tingles a little so I can feel it doing something. It doesn't tingle as much as my other AHA products so I think it's quite gentle, but it does do something and my skin looks and feels fresher and more hydrated after use. It's brightening too and it only costs $28 AUD for the 56g full size, so it's a steal.

Omorovicza Refining Facial Polisher

Enriched with marine micro-algae, this claims to refine texture and brighten tone, while natural pumice exfoliates dead skin cells, smoothing the epidermis and helping regenerate the skin.

I've used this before and it is a nice product - it contains plenty of very fine grains that offer a gentle exfoliation that never feels too abrasive - but it's not the most effective exfoliant I've tried. Yes it resurfaces and brightens a little, and my skin does feel beautifully soft after use (without feeling irritated), but for the $112 price-tag, it would want to be bloody amazing. 

I personally prefer Kate Somerville's ExfoliKate (reviewed here): I just think that does more for my skin and I don't need to use it as often, so it works out to be better value because I can just buy the small size and that will last me a year.

In sum

This was a good little bunch of empties and I may well buy that Dermologica eye serum. I did also really enjoy the Mario Badescu mask, but I have so many masks at the moment that I won't be needing another one anytime soon.

That's all from me! Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x

Welcome to my next round of Project Dent for 2017!

This next product I've wanted to dent for ages, it's just that I've been focusing on working out which products to pan next year so I've been denting those.

But it's a good time to work on this one now, since I've closed Pan that Palette for the year and it won't be competing with other shadows I'm trying to finish.


I don't own much from Too Faced, and this palette and the Peanut Butter & Jelly one are the only two eyeshadow palettes I own from the brand. I bought this one first, fell in love with it, then went back for seconds.

While I have swatched the larger Too Faced palettes (the Chocolate Bars, Sweet Peach etc), none of them called to me and to be honest, I'm not a fan of the packaging. Yes that puts me in the minority, but a lot of it feels a bit 'young' and inelegant to me - and since I keep my makeup out on display and not tucked away in drawers, I'm more swayed by packaging than I probably should be because I don't want to look at anything that I don't like.

Anyhoo. I do like the packaging of this particular Too Faced palette, so there you go.


I haven't reviewed this palette yet, so I hope to do that over the next couple of weeks.

What I can tell you now, though, is that I absolutely love it - and every time I use it again after having forgotten about it for a while, I wonder why I don't just use it every day. Honestly, it's fantastic.

Worth noting is that I also own Kat Von D's Shade & Light, and while I think the formula of both is great, I prefer the colours of this Too Faced one. I just think the pink/plum row across the middle makes it more versatile, and even though the KVD has more shades, I find that some of the ones in the neutral and cool quads are interchangeable on me - while every shade in this Too Faced palette performs a separate function. Even Cashmere Bunny and Nudie (which look very similar in the pan) are different enough on the eye that I do use them for different things.


Anyhoo!

Here's how my palette is looking today, 29 October 2017:


Same shot, enhanced for clarity:


Unfortunately it's hard to get really clear shots of a palette like this to show you exactly how much I've used, but hopefully you can see that Honey Butter and Chocoloate Cookie (the smaller pans, bottom row) have the most use in them, with Strapless coming in a close second.

The other shades have all had good use but nothing has a visible dent in it - although they've all been smoothed down a bit across the whole surface. And it's that smoothing that's not giving my camera anything textured to focus on. Annoying.

So what I'll do over the next couple of weeks is use this palette daily and try to get some good visible progress happening. That should be easy enough to do because not only does the palette have great shades for the eyes, but Lace Teddy, Strapless and Honey Butter look like they might make good blushes, Nudie would make a good contour shade for the face, and Heaven might work as an all-over setting powder, as well as a matte highlight. We'll see.

I'm looking forward to using this palette, I must say. It's one of those foolproof palettes that just works every time and I've never done a dud look with it.

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

Back on 13 October, I introduced this Hourglass blush palette to my Project Dent series for the second time.

After using it daily since then, I'm ready to give it a rest and update you on my progress. 

Funnily enough, October has brought my most useful rounds of Project Dent to date: not only did I finally work out how to pan my Burberry quad so I wasn't hating it, but I've also made some good headway in this palette and I'm starting to think that I should pan it next year.


If you're interested in seeing my review of this palette, it's here.

And my intro post for this round of Project Dent is here if you'd like to see that.

So. Here's how my palette looked before I dented it last time (and note I've enhanced all the below shots for clarity, so the blushes aren't quite true to colour):


Here's how it looked after my last round of Project Dent:


And here's how it's looking now, 28 October, after just over two weeks' daily use:


Before looking at the individual pans (below), you should know that I managed to drop my palette for the second time this month, and Luminous Flush fell clean out. 

It was pretty amazing: it fell out as a perfect little square with only a tiny bit of product hanging on around the edges of the pan, so what I did was place it back in and drip some rubbing alcohol around the sides, then pressed along the join to seal it back into place.

While I don't know how long that will last, I wanted to do it this way so I wouldn't have to crush the thing up and spoil the marbled pattern! 

Anyhoo. I wanted to tell you this because Luminous Flush does look a little different now, and that's why.

So, the individual pans. Again, I've enhanced the below shots for clarity so don't rely on them for colour. If you're interested in 'true' colour shots, see my review linked above.

Luminous Flush on 13 October:


Luminous Flush now:


Incandescent Electra before:


Incandescent Electra now:


Mood Exposure before:


Mood Exposure now:
  

As you can see above, I've really gone to town on this thing! It looks battered and bruised, but despite this, I still love it just as much as I always did - perhaps even more.

Last time I was able to make visible progress by getting a small eyeshadow brush into the Ambient Lighting Powder parts of the marbling (so the pale parts of each pan) and using the product I removed as both a setting powder and also a highlighter. 

I did that again this time, which is why I've been able to make significant dents in Mood Exposure and Incandescent Electra in particular (unfortunately it's harder to do that with Luminous Flush, since I didn't get enough larger patches of white in that particular shade).

What I also discovered during this round of Project Dent is that, if I focus my brush in Incandescent Electra so that I get mostly white but some peach, it makes the most beautiful highlighter - it's this pearl shade with a hint of peach and it looks gorgeous. If Hourglass released a separate highlighter in that shade, I would absolutely buy it.

Also like last time, I used these shades not only on the cheeks, as setting powders and as highlighters, but also on the eyes. And turns out it was a good palette to work on alongside the Burberry one because the shades in this brought life to the dud ones in the Burberry quad.

So, the big question now is whether I'm going to pan this next year alongside the Burberry quad. That depends on whether I can get my hands on Incandescent Electra as a single, and I'm still waiting to hear back from both Hourglass and Mecca as to whether it's been discontinued (it exists as a strobe blush but I find that formula too shiny), so the jury's still out.

Now, to choose my next item for Project Dent...

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