little white truths

Hello and welcome to my first empties post for July.

As you may know, I'd hoped to finish off a lot of products during July and August because I have quite a few full-sized items that are close to being done, and thankfully I'm off to a reasonable start so I can run through a few of them now.

My aim over the next two months will be to clear out a good amount of my open skincare and makeup, so then I can start bringing some new things into use and also reduce the amount of clutter in my cupboard. Looking forward!

In no particular order...

Listerine Bright White Mouth Wash

Full review here. This is a product that I wasn't expecting to love but ended up giving a great review because it really works. I'm missing it already.

It was sent to me for review and it promises to whiten the teeth within two weeks, and happily it did that for me. I must admit, I was surprised - I don't think I've used a mouthwash or a toothpaste before that has worked as promised for whitening - so it's definitely a product I would recommend and I do plan to buy it again. Purchase? Yes.

L'Oreal Pure Clay Charcoal Detoxifying Gel Wash

This is one of those products that I was enjoying for a while, until I saw the ingredients and realised that it hasn't been well-formulated - and I also belatedly worked out that it was drying out my skin. I've reviewed it here.

While it doesn't foam like crazy, it still contains both SLS and SLES, plus my pH strips told me that it read as high as an eight or even a nine - so it's not something I can recommend and I think you can do a lot better, even at this price-point. In the end I added the rest of it to the hand-wash container in the kitchen, and that's how we're getting through it. Repurchase? No.

Pur-lisse Blue Lotus Seed Mud Mask

Full review here. This came from Maslow & Co and I ended up throwing it into my Project Pan list, just to get through it. While it wasn't a terrible product, it didn't do anything for me and I'm really picky with face masks because I don't want to waste time on something that doesn't work.

It was a standard mud mask that dried down and it contained little exfoliating grains, and those grains were honestly the best thing about it because they offered a gentle polish - but I don't need to waste time on a face mask for that purpose. All I need for that is a good exfoliant that I can use in the space of two minutes, not something that takes twenty minutes each time. Purchase? No.

Dermalogica Ultrasmoothing Eye Serum

I initially bought this because I tried a sample of it that I really liked, so I went ahead and bought the full size because the sample had worked so well for me. I've reviewed it here.

Unfortunately the full-size didn't pan out as well, and for whatever reason, I didn't like it as much as the sample. It wasn't a terrible product, it's just that I remember the sample being a lot more hydrating and plumping than this tube was. This doesn't happen often but it's always a huge disappointment when it does. Repurchase? No.

Sukin Super Green Cleansing Oil

Full review here. This is one of those products that wasn't very good in practice but I enjoyed using it so much that this didn't matter as much. Sure I wouldn't buy it again, but I liked it while I had it.

It was one of those cleansing oils that was super sticky so it was incredibly difficult to remove, and nothing but hot water and a decent cleanser would get rid of it (even a damp face cloth didn't do the job). It also wasn't the most effective product when it came to removing makeup, but what I loved about it was the gorgeous scent and also the fact that it felt very hydrating on my face, so it worked well as a 'mask' in the morning. I wouldn't recommend it if you're picky with cleansing oils, but at least it was cheap and I bought it half-price so it only cost around five bucks. Repurchase? No.

Lancome Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Serum

I love this stuff. It made my skin look so much better that other people even noticed the difference. That's saying something! I've reviewed it here.

It's a fluid serum that comes in a beautiful, weighty bottle: the product just feels special, but better still, the results it offers are special too. Not only does it spread and absorb well, but it also has a brightening effect so it boosts radiance. On top of that, it plumps fine lines and wrinkles so it makes my skin look smoother, and it has an effect on how firm and toned my face feels too. 

This is one of the few serums that I've given an HG tag. Must buy another one! Repurchase? Yes.

Nivea Daily Essentials Refreshing Toner

Full review here. This is my HG budget toner and it's been a favourite since the first time I used it. It doesn't matter how many new toners I try, I always come back to this one and I miss it when it's gone.

It's hard to describe why it's so good, but part of my love for it definitely comes from the refreshing smell: something about it wakes me up and makes me feel cleaner and better. It's also great at gunk removal so it's a good one to use not only all over the face, but also down the neck and dec (where perhaps your cleanser hasn't quite reached). The makeup pad always comes away dirty when I use this so it does the job and it's cheap to boot. Repurchase? Yes.

Skinstitut Enzymatic Micro Peel

Full review here. This was on my Project Pan list because it had been open for ages, but I did really like it and it's one I would consider buying again. While I haven't had huge success with Skinstitut as a brand, this was the one stand-out for me and the product I'd recommend from the range.

It's a face mask that performs a mild exfoliating function and it's gentle enough to use a few times a week if you want to. What I liked about it was that, not only did it resurface and brighten my skin, but it also added some much-needed hydration and I really enjoyed having it on my face. I don't repurchase many face masks, but this one's on the list. Repurchase? Yes.

J One Jelly Pack

This came from Maslow & Co and it's had some great reviews, but it didn't work that well for me so it's one I was happy to finish. I've reviewed it here.

It's a face primer and it does have a firming effect, but it was so sticky that everything stuck to my face (dust, fluff, dog hair, you name it) and it also left a coating on my skin that felt rather suffocating. I was able to get through it but it's not one I would buy for those reasons, and also because it dried me out and I couldn't moisturise over it, given the film it left on my skin - nothing could penetrate through it. Purchase? No.

In sum

Hooray for empties. The best items in this lot were the Skinstitut peel, the Nivea toner, the Original Source shower gel, the Listerine mouth wash and of course my HG Lancome serum.

Indeed, it was a pretty good round of empties: plenty of things I would repurchase!

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