little white truths

I realised yesterday that I'd completely forgotten to update this post, so best I sneak it in now before I forget what these samples were like.

As you may know, every month or so I like to do either a sachet post or one of these samples posts that focuses on larger minis and travel sizes. If I didn't do this, then these products would likely sit around in my collection gathering dust and I would never get through them all. 

Let's have a look.

Odacité Skincare Gt+L Radiance Effect, Ba+S Eye Contour and Po+R Hydration

These little vials of oil came from Maslow & Co and I wound up receiving them again in Maslow's last box. I've reviewed them here.

They're described as concentrated serums that target specific issues, and you add them to your usual skincare to 'super-charge' your products. 

The Hydration serum is definitely the most nourishing of the three and it's the only one that I feel did something 'extra' for me. The other two were fine but they're no different from any other oils I've used so I certainly wouldn't go out and spend tonnes of money on them. Plus the full-sizes are only 5ml so you're not getting much bang for your buck.

While I don't mind these products, they do involve additional steps so I was happy to finish them off. Who has the time? Not I.

Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector in 01 Rose

I've used one of these before in the same colour so I was happy to receive another one from Mum (she buys a lot of Clarins products so she often winds up with GWP minis that she won't use).

I'd intended to write a full review of it this time around, but in the end I didn't because I burned through it within a week so I didn't feel that I could write a complete review.

I did like how creamy it was and I also liked that it smoothed out lip lines and plumped up my lips a little, but I don't think that buying a full size would be worth it for me anymore because I would finish it far too quickly.

Still, I enjoyed it and I wouldn't knock back another one if it came my way.

Clarins Extra Firming Neck Cream and Super Restorative Night Cream

The neck cream is supposed to preserve the softness, firmness and tone of the fragile neck area. It should help reduce wrinkles, and plump and soothe the skin.

I didn't like this. It felt ok on my neck but then when I tried it on my facial skin, I discovered that it had a silicone-like, drying texture and it did absolutely nothing for moisturisation. Indeed, it dried my skin out and I had to wipe it off. Erk. Don't bother.

The night cream was better and while I did like how thick and rich it was, I also don't think that you need to spend this much on a moisturiser. Most Clarins skincare seems to be overpriced to me and while I think this is one of its better products, it certainly didn't do enough to make me want to buy it. 

It did smell nice and feel nice on the skin, though, and it kept my dry skin feeling hydrated until morning. One thing to note is that it was very thick so I got through it quickly, meaning the full size wouldn't be great value for me personally.

Dermalogica Overnight Repair Serum and Phyto Replenish Oil

These came in a GWP set and while they were ok, neither of them stood out to me and I can barely remember using them. That certainly tells you something!

I remember that the serum was nicely hydrating but it wasn't any more hydrating than the Antipodes serums I love (which are significantly cheaper) and the oil was just another facial oil that nourished the skin but didn't feel any different from the cheaper options I've used.

Also worth noting is that the packaging on these samples is an absolutely nightmare. The bottles contain little dropper caps that weep tiny tears of product, but the stuff inside didn't run out of them easily (I guess because there wasn't enough product and therefore weight in the samples to push out the lower fluid properly) and I'm also convinced that half the samples were wasted because I couldn't dispense everything in there, nor could I remove the caps and get it out.

Annoying. Don't bother.

Dermalogica Daily Superfoliant

This one I liked a lot better and I do intend to review it at some point so stay tuned for that if you're interested.

It's described as a highly active resurfacer that delivers your smoothest skin ever, and helps fight the biochemical and environmental triggers known to accelerate skin ageing.

I think it's a good exfoliant and it's one of the few Dermalogica products I've used that I do like and that works for me. I know a lot of people swear by Dermalogica but it generally doesn't agree with my skin for some reason, but I liked this and I'm glad that I have a full size in back-up.

It's a grey-coloured powder that you mix with water and then apply to your face, and it does a beautiful job of exfoliating and resurfacing the skin without feeling too harsh. It also has a brightening effect so my skin not only feels smoother after using this, but it looks healthier and happier too. I'm definitely glad to have another one.

Thalgo Collagen Cream

I haven't tried much from Thalgo so I was pleased to try this. It's meant to be rich and it should plump up the skin and also protect it.

I had initially intended to write a full review of this product but I'm getting through it too quickly for that so I won't.

I like it. It's thick and rich so it's perfect for dry skin, and indeed I've been using it as my overnight cream. I like that it protects and nourishes my skin overnight, so it keeps my skin feeling comfortable until morning and my face has felt less dry while I've been using it.

Mind you, because it's so thick, I've been getting through it faster than I would other creams so I'm not sure the value is there because I would burn through the full size. Nice but not a keeper.

Sephora Collection Express Cleansing Wipes for Face, Eyes and Lips

These should exfoliate and purify your skin, and cleanse and tone for a healthy appearance. They claim to remove all makeup, including long-lasting products. 

I'm not a big makeup wipe user and I didn't like these ones. They were smaller than average and they also weren't wet enough so I had to douse them in makeup remover before I used them.

Plus they didn't do the job well so although they removed easy makeup, they didn't stand a chance against normal eye makeup - let alone the waterproof stuff. Blurgh. 

Chantecaille Flower Harmonising Cream 

This came in our latest Mecca Beauty Loop box and it's described as a truly luxurious moisturiser that feeds the skin with anti-inflammatory vitamins to help promote collagen production and effectively relieve dry, dull skin. Featuring a slow-release 24-hour moisture system, it should deliver skin that stays balanced and hydrated throughout the day.

The full size retails for a whopping $160 AUD so for that price it would want to be amazing, but it was one of those creams that I barely noticed using because it was neither very good nor very bad. Yes it hydrated ok but not as well as my dry skin needs, so it was better for morning use under makeup - it didn't do enough to be used at night. Not for me.

In sum

That's all from me.

I'm pleased that I've managed to get through most of these products now, and I'm hoping that finishing them off will make a difference to the numbers in my skincare inventory (which I do need to update soon: it's on the list!).

Probably the best item in here was the Dermalogica exfoliant and I'm glad that I have another one of those because I do use it and it does work for me. As for everything else, I can take or leave it.

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