little white truths

Hello and welcome to another sachet city post.

You may notice that I have a few more sachets in this post than usual: that's because we're currently away and I chose to mostly travel on sachets (well, skincare sachets) so I could save on space. Plus I had quite a few sachets piling up in my stores so it seemed like a good way to get through them.

In no particular order...

Dr Jart Ceramidin Liquid Toner

I haven't used a lot from Dr Jart so I was interested to see what this was like. It's a toner that's in gel form and you apply it to your face after cleansing but don't wash it off, unlike standard toners.

It's meant to hydrate and tone the skin, and to be honest it didn't do either of these things for me. Indeed, there was something rather drying about it. It was also quite thick so I'm not sure how well my serum and moisturiser penetrated through it, which didn't help with how dry my skin felt after use. Not for me.

Beauty Essentials Flamingo Mini Wet Wipes

I bought these to raise the value of a Mecca order to qualify for free shipping (I'm sure I'm not the only one who's done that: they only cost $3) and I brought them away with me to use in place of a makeup remover.

Using them has reminded me of why I don't like wipes: I don't think they're that good for your skin and so many of them aren't very effective - including these ones. They're not wet enough so I need to add water before using them, and they also don't remove makeup very well. Plus they're a little scratchy on the skin. I'll be glad to get through them.

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear SPF 15 in 03 Beige Diaphane

I thought I'd done a swatches and first impressions post on this but turns out that was another Lancome foundation, and I can't do it now because I've finished the sample. Oops. Hoh well.

I quite liked it: it was thin and lightweight but it still offered decent coverage and it also wore well throughout the day (even in this heat). Unfortunately this colour was too orange for me - the right depth but the wrong undertone - so I'm not sure how I'd go finding a match in the range, given that this is likely my closest shade. It was also a little drying on me, although that could be because my skin's drier than usual at the moment. Still, it was a nice foundation so it's one to test.

Marc Jacobs Undercover Perfecting Coconut Eye Primer

I've tested this before: it's a good product. It's described as a crease-proof eyeshadow primer that’s formulated with coconut extracts to lock in colour for up to 12 hours. It's quite thick so I was a little worried at first that it might go on too thickly and therefore be a bit drying, but I'm pleased to report that it sheers out very well so that wasn't an issue.

Yes it helps intensify the look of my eyeshadow and yes it helps stop it from creasing, and it's been hot here so I can confirm that it stands up well in those conditions. Still, it's $37 AUD for the 11g full size so it ain't cheap and I would never get through that much product within expiry so I can't see myself buying it. Also, some of my shadows don't blend that well over it so it might be too 'grippy' for me personally.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders in Mood Light and Diffused Light

There's so much product in the above four sample 'pans' that I could have travelled without my Hourglass edit and just used these as my finishing powders for ten days. Never mind, I have no issue travelling with extra Hourglass stuff ; )

I've used Mood Light before and I really like it. Along with Dim Light, it's the only one of these powders that doesn't contain little bits of shimmer so I prefer the look of it on my face.

Both powders do what you'd expect Hourglass powders to do - that is, they airbrush the skin and take years off my face - but they both give a slightly different glow. To be honest, I prefer the yellow Diffused Light on me (perhaps because I have yellow undertones in my skin) but I can see the little flecks of shimmer when I step into the light so I wouldn't buy it.

Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment

Full review here. This is a really fantastic product and I've been through countless sachets and a travel-sized tube already, so it's almost not worth including in sachet posts because you've probably heard me rave about it before. But if I didn't include it, I'd forget to use it!

This is one of those exfoliants that's not for the fainthearted or sensitive skin, although my skin can be sensitive and I haven't had any issues with it so it's worth trying at least even if you're prone to sensitivity (and there's also a gentle version if this one is too much). 

It's one of my favourite exfoliants and it leaves my skin beautifully polished and renewed, and I always look forward to using it because I know my skin will feel smoother for days after use. I can only use it once a week max, however: otherwise it's too much for me.

Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

This claims to dig deep and clear out toxins, dirt and debris from the skin, leaving your face clean and radiant.

It didn't do much for me. It's a charcoal coloured mask that dries down after application and for some reason I had issues getting a smooth, even coverage from it (it was a little gloopy or something), which meant I had to keep applying more of it to fill in the gaps.

Unfortunately it was one of those masks that didn't make my skin feel any different after use, and the only change I noticed was that my face felt more dry. Perhaps it works better for other skin types.

By Terry Serum Terrybly Sunbooster

This is described as a 'groundbreaking alternative to chemical self-tanners'. It claims to be a multitasking bronzing serum that delivers a natural-looking glow to the skin.

It's complete rubbish, so I wasn't surprised to see that it only has 2.6 stars out of five on Mecca's website. One, I've been using it twice-daily for over a week now and I don't look any more tanned. Two, it's a crap serum that doesn't hydrate or offer any benefits to my skin (indeed, it's quite drying), and three, it costs $134 AUD for 50ml. Don't waste your money.

BareMinerals Clay Chameleon Transforming Purifying Cleanser

This is a clay cleanser that transforms into a cream when massaged, leaving skin deeply cleansed but comfortable. It's formulated with purifying Brazilian red clay, mineral-rich sea salts, vitamin-packed papaya and bamboo to promote smooth, supple and clarified skin.

I loved this. Indeed, I loved all three products from these two sample cards and I would buy all of them. It cleanses beautifully but it's also very gentle so it didn't upset my dry skin. Plus the full size is reasonably priced at $31 AUD. It's on the list!

BareMinerals Skinlongevity Vital Power Infusion

I've been wanting to try this for a while so I was pleased to see it in the samples. Indeed, I've been wanting to try a lot of the newer skincare that BareMinerals has released because it all looks lovely and it's had good reviews.

Described as the first of its kind, the product apparently combines the weightlessness and absorption of an essence with the efficacy and potency of a serum for the ultimate hybrid formulation. Fine lines and wrinkles are softened, moisture is restored and skin is given a youthful radiance.

After going through two sachets, I reckon it does those things. It's beautifully hydrating and it absorbs into the skin like a dream, leaving my face feeling moisturised and looking brighter and younger. I'm going to buy this too.

BareMinerals Smart Combination Smoothing Lightweight Emulsion

This is described as a lightweight, balancing emulsion for powerful oil-free hydration and smooth, refined skin. It's designed for normal to combination skin types, but my dry skin loved it and I would also buy this product.

It's incredibly lightweight but very hydrating at the same time, and the super thin texture allows it to penetrate deep into the skin and add some much-needed moisture. A little also goes a long way so I reckon the full size would last a good while. Definitely worth trying.

In sum

That's all from me! The stand-outs in this post were the three BareMinerals products and I would buy them all. Yes I love the Kate Somerville and Hourglass products too, but I've used those before so they weren't exciting finds like the BareMinerals ones were.

Looks like I now have a few products I want to buy. Yay!

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