little white truths

Hooray to finishing more products! We're moving out of our house at the moment because we need a bigger place, so I'm more than happy to throw this lot of empties into the recycling.

It's amazing how much crap one accumulates, and we're not hoarders so I can't imagine how much stuff you'd wind up with if you liked hanging on to things. Granted I have more than enough beauty products, but the dwindling stores don't take up much space these days so I've no idea how I'm filling so many boxes.


Allegra Rhodes Ocean Mist Hand Wash

Full review here. This hand wash smells divine and it's the fragrance that sets products from Allegra Rhodes apart. I don't really notice the texture/effect of a hand wash unless it's really bad or really good, and this is neither: it's decent and cleans well, but I would be buying it for the smell alone because it's not insanely better than any other hand wash I've tried. One good thing about this product is that it lasted over a year and had a lot of use in that time, so it's good value. Repurchase? Maybe in a different scent, just for a change.

Happy Skincare Cloud 9 Deep Cleansing Balm

If you read this blog, you'll know that I'm a huge fan of Happy Skincare products and this cleansing balm in particular. Full review here. The only thing I'll say about it is that I preferred the old texture: I think the formula is the same, but not long ago the texture changed and this doesn't feel quite as delicious on the skin. I still do like it though and I love cleansing balms/creams in winter because they're great for dry skin. Repurchase? Maybe. I've been through a few of these now and would quite like to see what else is out there that's similar.


Tosowoong Syn-ake Wrinkle Free Lotion

This was a Memebox inclusion. Full review here. It was an ok moisturiser, it just didn't have enough punch for my dry skin so it's not one I would consider buying. In the end it got sent to the body cream section and it lasted a remarkably long time, so that's a plus. Purchase? No.

Bobbish Luminous Body & Facial Mist

Another Memebox inclusion. Full review here. I didn't like this as a face mist because it sat on top of the skin and made me look greasy, especially when I put it over makeup. I guess that's because of the oil in it. But I generally only use face mists to spray throughout the day, so I didn't have much use for it otherwise. In the end I used it as a body mist in place of my moisturiser, just to get rid of it. Even then it left me feeling pretty slick, more than a normal oil, and I didn't like it for that reason. Purchase? No.


Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk

Full review here. I got this in a Priceline baggie and it smells soapy fresh and clean, which makes a nice change from other dry shampoos I've used that have smelled a bit chemical and synthetic. It's an ok product as a dry shampoo but I think better ones exist on the market, and ones that are better value because I needed to use so much of this each time to get it to work as intended. Purchase? No.

Schwarzkopf Essence Ultime Omega Repair Shampoo

Full review here. I didn't like it at all unfortunately: it's quite heavy and doesn't lather well, and I need to use it three times each wash to get my hair feeling even close to clean. It also leaves my hair looking dull and lifeless, and has a strong smell that's quite chemical in nature and hurts my nose a bit. Purchase? No.


Neutrogena Alcohol-free Toner

Full review here. This product was a bit meh for me and I didn't love it (although I didn't hate it either). It doesn't irritate my face but I think it's too gentle for me because I don't get that wonderful refreshed feeling after using it that I get from other toners. I also don't think it cleans as well as other products because I sometimes needed to use it twice to get the job done. Repurchase? No.

Urban Skincare Co Body Bar

This was part of an upgrade pack that I received from Urban Skincare and since I don't use soaps, I gave this to my husband and he happily used it. I did give it a trial after he'd opened it and it's a nice-enough soap that cleans well, but it didn't wow me as other soaps have (eg one I recently used from MOR). Purchase? No.


Benefit They're Real Lengthening Mascara

Oh how I hate this mascara. Full review here. I forced myself to use this sample for six weeks once I'd opened it, and I suffered every day. Not a day went past when the ridiculously fat brush didn't deposit mascara where I didn't want it. Honestly, it's the worst brush I've ever come across and I find it impossible to use. This probably has a lot to do with my puffy eye shape, but it's so fat that others must find this issue too. Purchase? Never.

Soak Skin Booster Body Lotion

This was a Violet Box inclusion. Full review here. I did like it but I've used plenty of other body creams that I prefer because they smell nicer. Scent aside, this is a hydrating cream that spreads well, so the trial-size tube lasted a good while. Purchase? No.

In sum

This isn't a great round of empties and the best products are the first two, the Allegra Rhodes Hand Wash and the Happy Skincare cleansing balm. I wouldn't buy either however because I would rather find new products to play with.

Hopefully there'll be more products in next month's empties post, so I can happily be rid of more products received from subscription boxes that I haven't loved : )

This showed up yesterday - just making the right month - but unfortunately I wasn't able to sit down to write this review until today because there's a lot going on in our house at the moment and duty called.

Indeed, I didn't even get a chance to open the package until a few hours after it arrived, so it was a good day for its arrival because I needed a happy distraction.


It's Violet Box's birthday month, which explains the addition of the candle. I do love fancy candles so I'm happy with that, although Violet Box really outdid itself with last year's birthday box and I have a feeling that most people will have preferred that one.


Three lip products are in this month's box, so if you're not up for lip products then you might be disappointed. Granted, one of the lip products doubles as a cheek tint, but it's so un-tinted that I'm not sure whether anyone would be able to use it for that purpose.


There's the product card above. My only gripe would be the addition of yet another black eyeliner. I've received enough eyeliners from subscription boxes in the past year to colour a white horse black, and I don't use black eyeliners so there's a 'lost' product each time.

If only we could receive something in grey or brown for something different.


Gascoigne & King Candles (RRP $25 for 200g)

Apparently this candle is rich and sumptuous, and a favourite from this particular brand. It will leave a lasting scent and has a 25-hour burn.

While I do love my candles, this one smells far too sweet for me: I could smell it even before I'd opened the internal box from my package. Hopefully it won't smell quite so sweet once it starts burning.

Still, I'll definitely use it and I'm happy with the inclusion.


Mullein & Sparrow Tinted Lip & Cheek Balm (RRP $22)

Now this was open when the box arrived - as in, the lid was on the other side of the box to the base - and it had little bits of crepe paper stuck to it. I'm not sure when this happened and whether the product is ok, so I might wait to see what others have to say about it and then contact VB for a replacement if need be.

There's the product below:


I did try to swatch it but it's barely tinted and doesn't show up on me at all. It's apparently an all natural tinted balm to give your lips and cheeks a slight flush and dewy finish. I'd be surprised if it showed up on anyone, but maybe I got a dud.

I do like the cute packaging though! Might be one of those products that I like in theory but not in practice.


Doucce Ultra Precision Eyeliner (RRP $30)

This is apparently a moulded, waterproof eyeliner. Ultra precise, it provides a soft application that lasts. The smooth and velvety waterproof formula glides on easily for seamless blending.

There's a swatch below:


I gave it a gentle wipe after a minute:


The smudging above isn't too bad, so this might actually be a decent eyeliner. I'll give it a crack but I'd say it's destined for the present pile because I won't use it.

Hoh well. You can't win 'em all.


Starlooks 'Cuddle' Lip Gloss (RRP $14)

This is apparently a non-stick formula that has an exotic vanilla scent. It's a creamy, glassy, long-lasting gloss that adds a glistening effect to any look.

There's what it looks like:


I've just finished off a couple of glosses so I'm happy to add another one to my dwindling stash. My lips are always dry and I go through glosses like no tomorrow.


Jing Ai Velvet Shine Lip Jewel Lip Crayon in Pink-A-Boo (RRP $29)

This apparently gives your lips a powerful dose of long-lasting colour. The formula is infused with 100% natural macadamia oil, shea butter and jojoba seed oil.

There's the colour:


I haven't swatched it because I'm not sure whether I'll keep it: pink really doesn't suit me. But I've seen a few people mention on FB that they really love this product, so I'll keep an open mind and look out for swatches before using it. If it's not my colour, it's destined for the presents pile.

Verdict

The RRP value of this box clocks in at $120 so it's a good-value little package. I'm happy with it, but wish the eyeliner and lip crayon were in different colours - or that at least people were given a variety of colours so it would be possible to hit the FB Violet Box swap group if you didn't like what you got.

The candle is a nice inclusion for VB's birthday month and I'll definitely use it.

This box isn't my favourite one of late, but I do think it's a good one.

I thought I'd keep going with my Nars eyeshadow reviews: next up is Portobello.

I have four Nars duos in total and, as mentioned in an earlier post, that's more than enough for me. While I do like these shadows, I've recently discovered what Kevyn Aucoin can do with a matte eyeshadow so my wishlist is now peppered with KA products.


Given the hype around Nars eyeshadow duos, I'm surprised there's not much online about this one. That might be because it's quite a 'boring' duo and, if you're going to pick something up from Nars, you're probably more likely to choose one of the shiny/pretty ones and not something like this that doesn't look like much in the pan.

While I totally get that, this is easily the most functional Nars duo I own - I can wear it with just about anything and it makes a good base for other colours. Also, the lighter shade is my go-to shadow for covering/diffusing any harsh lines after I've applied my crease and lid colours, so this little duo gets a lot of use - even though it's not my favourite (Charade beats it. Just).


Also, some Nars duos don't contain shades that have a lot of contrast, and this is one of them. This might be one of the reasons why it doesn't seem to be that popular.

As you can see from the photos above and below, there isn't a hell of a lot of difference between the two shades when applied, so if you want more contrast, this mightn't be for you.

But enough preamble! Let's have a look at Portobello.


Nars claims/product details:

• Porobello is described as 'matte ecru and soft matte mushroom'
• Nars duos are modern and unique, sometimes comprising unexpected colour combinations 
• Worn alone or together, all duo shades feature micro-fine powders that are highly pigmented, long-wearing and crease resistant
• Colour glides on smoothly, evenly and blends effortlessly
• The effects can be subtle or smouldering: the options are endless
• True colour application
• Can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for stronger intensity
• RRP $50 AUD, but do shop around

As mentioned in my review of the contour brush from this set (see here), I bought this as part of a three-brush pack ages ago because I'd heard so much about Real Techniques brushes that I couldn't resist buying them when I saw them on special.

Unfortunately I don't think the brushes are essential and this eye brush is my least-used tool from the set, but I do think the brushes are good quality and they do fill a gap in my collection - even though I don't strictly need them.

I'm reviewing each of the three brushes in turn and then I'll do a round-up post on the full set.


Real Techniques claims/product details:

• Create buildable colour and add texture to look pixel perfect for any occasion and in any light
• The duo fiber eye brush is for finishing touches to the eye
• A true multitasker: duo-fiber bristles work with cream, liquid or powder for an unbelievably air-brushed finish
• Ultra-plush, synthetic bristles are hand-cut and 100% cruelty-free
• Extended aluminium handles are light and easy to use
• RRP $55 AUD for the three-brush set, but do shop around (I paid around $30)

As with the other brushes in the set, this eye brush has shorter and denser bristles (the black ones) and longer ones that are more sparse (the white ones).

This means you only pick up a tiny amount of product each time, so it's best for finishing off your look, rather than packing on colour.


Verdict

Don't reach for this brush if you're using a normal-to-sheer eyeshadow and want to apply it quickly: it's not meant for that and it's a hassle to use for that purpose.

What this little brush (and the others in the set) is good for, is products that are so pigmented that it's easy to make mistakes and add too much. It works for these products because it picks up less colour than an average brush, so you're less likely to put too much on.

The other thing it's good for is adding the finishing touches to your eyes. For example, it's not unusual that one eye will look slightly darker than the other (or that application is patchy or harsh in parts), and this little brush is good for evening things out with less risk of over-correcting.

Once I've applied my eye shadow, I take this brush and pick up a neutral shadow to fade out/cover any harsh lines - but that's really all I use it for and I only use it because it's there, since I do have other brushes that I could use for this purpose.

You could probably also use this to set your under-eye concealer, but I prefer using the thinner side of the contour brush for this purpose because it's bigger and gets the job done more quickly.

My issue with this brush, I think, is that it's too large for precision jobs - so I can't use it to highlight my browbone or to place colour on my lids, which I would like to do for heavily pigmented products but can't because I have 'short' eyelids and the width of this brush doesn't allow me to do that. If you're blessed with better eyelids than I am, you might like to use this for pigmented products that require a soft touch.

Do note that I wouldn't use this brush for very sheer powders because it takes too long to apply colour, nor would I use it for loose powders because I struggle to pick up a small amount of product (the powder gets caught between the longer bristles because they're too sparsely packed).

What it is good for however is pressed powders that are a little on the soft side, because it won't kick up too much product if you use it lightly, whereas denser brushes might.

As with the contour brush from this set, I'm not sure how you would use this tool for cream or liquid products because I think the long bristles are too sparse and blending would be a nightmare. I'm only putting a question mark over that however because I use my fingers for creams and liquids so I haven't tried these brushes for that purpose.

I've had this set for a while now and the brushes are yet to shed or lose their shape, so that's a plus.

In sum, I do like this brush but I don't think that it - or any other in this set - is essential, and you're better off starting with the core Real Techniques range if you don't already have an armoury of brushes in your collection.

I bought this as part of a three-brush set ages ago because I'd heard so much about Real Techniques brushes that I couldn't resist grabbing the set when I saw it on special.

Unfortunately the set isn't my favourite and I don't think it's essential, although I do use this contour brush and the face brush on a regular basis.

What I'll do is review each of the three brushes in turn and then do a round-up post on the full set.


Real Techniques claims/product details:

• Create buildable colour and add texture to look pixel perfect for any occasion and in any light 
• The contour brush is for controlled contouring and sculpting
• A true multi-tasker: duo-fiber bristles work with cream, liquid or powder for an unbelievably air-brushed finish
• Ultra-plush, synthetic bristles are hand-cut and 100% cruelty-free
• Extended aluminium handles are light and easy to use
• RRP $55 AUD, but do shop around (I paid around $30)

As you can see from the above photos, the brush has a thinner side and a wider one.

The darker/shorter bristles are more dense and the lighter/longer ones are more sparse, meaning you pick up less product when you use these brushes - so they're best for more pigmented powders that are hard to use without applying too much colour.


Verdict

If you're expecting these products to apply your makeup quickly and with impact, you'll be disappointed. As mentioned, these are best for applying a very fine layer of colour and therefore they won't suit everyone for all purposes.

This will be my second Nars post in the space of a week (the first was on the duo Charade: see here).

St Paul de Vence was the last of four Nars duos that I bought, and it will likely remain the last - at least for the foreseeable future - because I think four is more than enough for me.

While I do like the Nars shadows I own, I prefer matte shadows due to my eye shape and there's just not enough interesting mattes available in the Nars range. Plus I've since discovered the mattes that Kevyn Aucoin can produce, so I'd rather save my pennies and wait for another Beautybay sale if I need any more shadows (which I don't, and won't for at least ten years).


St Paul de Vence is a duo that I couldn't not buy: I'm obsessed with all things orange and this falls within the orange department (indeed, I feel that wearable shades in this colour range were missing from the Nars offering); plus it's limited edition so it mightn't always be available; plus the darker colour isn't shimmery so it's something I can wear on my puffy eyelids and in my crease without accentuating an area that I want to look smaller.

On top of all that, I had some money left over on a Mecca gift card I'd got for Christmas and there was nothing else I had my eye on, and I wanted to buy something because I was on a spending ban at the time and feeling a little sorry for myself ; )

Anyhoo. I'm saying all this because St Paul de Vence is the worst Nars duo I own in terms of quality, although I'm still glad to own it because I don't have any other eyeshadows like it.



Nars claims/product details:

• St Paul de Vence is described as 'shimmering nectarine and chestnut'
• Nars duos are modern and unique, sometimes comprising unexpected colour combinations 
• Worn alone or together, all duo shades feature micro-fine powders that are highly pigmented, long-wearing and crease resistant
• Colour glides on smoothly, evenly and blends effortlessly
• The effects can be subtle or smouldering: the options are endless
• True colour application
• Can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for stronger intensity
• RRP $50 AUD, but do shop around

Above the chestnut is on the left and the nectarine on the right (photo taken in natural light).

The shadows are sheer and not particularly pigmented, and I've photographed them as they are - rather than applying them wet to pack on the colour - because I don't want the photos to be misleading.


There we are again above in direct sunlight, and below indoors, with flash. The colours don't get any deeper, no matter the light!


Fortunately the shadows do show up better on your face, although it's best to use a primer. Below I've put the chestnut all over the lid and the nectarine on the inner corners. I've used a different highlighter shade along the lashline because the nectarine doesn't have enough punch (you can see that the inner corners look muted by comparison, which is why I used a different highlighter shade so you can see how muted it is).


One more for good measure:


Verdict

This isn't a good quality eyeshadow, especially when you consider the price. While the quality isn't horrendous, as mentioned this is the worst Nars duo I own and I wouldn't be rushing out to buy it unless you're set on the colours as I was.

I've seen other reviewers comment on the sub-par quality and I agree with those who suggest using a primer or cream-based shadow to help this stick and show up. Other suggestions include using a sponge applicator and/or pressing the shadows on. While I haven't tried those techniques (I rely on a decent primer), I can see how those methods might help things.

Let's just say from the outset, however, that you shouldn't need to work this hard with a shadow that costs this much, and since what sets Nars shadows apart (at least in my view) is their workability - rather than their texture or pigmentation - this one isn't worth the outlay and you're better off finding something cheaper that's easier to work with.

I'd be careful of the colours too. I liked the look of this on me in store when I went to test it, but as soon as I applied it at home the next day, I was disappointed in how it looked: for some reason it made me look a bit sick, or like I'd had an allergic reaction to something around my eyes. Fortunately it doesn't look that way now that it's winter and my skin's paler, but since these are good colours for the warmer months, I'm sad that I won't be reaching for it when the sun returns because it just looks wrong when my skin is a certain tone.

On the product's application: I should have been more switched on when the sales assistant tried this on me in store because after trying it dry, she switched to a sponge applicator and told me she needed to apply it wet. That should have told me something! I think it was one of those situations where I'd already decided to buy it - even before I saw it - and because most of its cost was covered by the gift card, I didn't question the purchase that much (I mean, it's not really money when it's not yours, is it?! ; )).

When I apply it myself, aside from needing to use a primer, I've found that both shades can be quite dry and patchy to use. Plus they're so sheer that you need to build them and spend some time making sure they're looking even, so I don't reach for this duo when I'm in a rush (which is often). Thankfully they do blend well enough, but at this price point they shouldn't need that much blending in the first place.

I received this mascara in Marie Claire's Autumn Edit of The Parcel (reviewed here).

I didn't have high hopes for it because I haven't had a lot of luck with Maxfactor over the years, and I also don't like the packaging - it's rather cheap/tacky looking to me - but happily the mascara performs well and it's one I'll use.


Maxfactor claims/product details: 

• Our revolutionary new mascara instantly creates darker, bigger, more dramatic lashes
• New instant impact wand: a small brush that captures and volumises every lash
• The instant impact wand holds product on the outside of the bristles, immediately transferring it to the base of the lashes in just one stroke
• Rows of rotating bristles ensure that, as the lashes are brushed through, every lash is captured and coated
• The result? Lashes that instantly appear thicker and fuller
• RRP $23.95 AUD for 13g