little white truths

Over the past few months I've reached for some travel sets of skincare that I had sitting around, meaning my empties posts are looking fuller than usual because it's of course easier to get through smaller sized products than it is large ones.

This month has been Mario Badescu month and next month I'll make Suki month, since I have some full-sized products from Suki that I've been saving in case I was able to pick up anything else from the range and test all my Suki products together (unfortunately I haven't, since Violet Box appears to have closed operations completely and won't be having that final sale as promised, but that's another story altogether).

Anyhoo. That's the long way of saying that I may well have a third empties post this month, so I thought I'd better sneak this one in today in case I do decide to write another one before the month's end.

Garnier Intensive 7 Days Soothing Hydrating Lotion with Sweet Almond Oil

Full review here. This is a bit of a 'cheat' product in terms of empties since it was my husband's but I did use quite a bit of it so I thought I'd include it here.

I'm not a huge fan of this one because it sits on top of my skin rather than absorbing well, and it leaves me with white streaks that I have to give a good rub. Plus it has an odd, banana-like scent that I don't love, and it leaves a greasy residue behind that I'm not a fan of either. Repurchase? No.

Cedel Conditioning Foam with Argan Oil

Oh I feel sad just looking at this: it's an amazing product (see my review here) but something went wrong about halfway through the bottle and it first stopped foaming and then stopped coming out of the can altogether - so half of it was wasted and I can't for the life of me get any more out. Foo!

I don't know whether I got a bung product or whether it's an issue with the foam itself, but I'm disappointed because it's one of the best hair products I've used in ages and I'll miss it. It's hydrating and de-frizzing, and it manages to make my hair look and feel better without weighing it down. Plus it adds shine and makes my dry hair more manageable too. Repurchase? Yes, if I ever get through the haircare I already have!

Flora by Gucci

This is a beautiful fragrance and I enjoyed using it until I got about halfway through the bottle, when I got bored of it. There's nothing wrong with the fragrance - it's light and floral and fresh - it's just that I tend to get over perfumes quickly unless they're super amazing. It also doesn't last that long on the skin so I had to apply it more often than I might other fragrances. Repurchase? No.

Shanghai Suzy Lipstick in Miss Sally Watermelon

Full review here. I love my SS lipsticks but some of the ones I own are too bright for me to wear on an everyday basis. This was one of those and it was also the oldest lipstick I owned, which is why I moved it to my Project Pan list so I could finish it off. 

I won't say more than that because I've talked about this product enough, but if you haven't tried these lipsticks I urge you to do so: they're so cheap and so good. Repurchase? No, not in this particular colour.

Becca Sheer Lip Tint in Olesya

Full review here. This was another Project Pan product and I'm glad I've finished it because the smell was starting to turn and I couldn't have used it for much longer. 

These tints are sensational and I wish they hadn't been discontinued: I want them all! This one was my least favourite of the three colours I bought, but I still liked its gentle brown tone and happily wore it every day. Repurchase? No, just because the range has been discontinued.

Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum

This was included in one of my boxes from Marie Claire's The Parcel and I really didn't like it. I've reviewed it here. It smells off, is drying on my skin and doesn't spread well so I needed to use heaps of it to cover my whole face. I think it was also responsible for some break-outs I had recently because once I stopped using it, the blemishes stopped appearing. Purchase? No.

Darphin Hydraskin Intensive Moisturising Serum

This was a Mecca sample and I loved it. It quickly became an HG product of mine and I can't wait to buy the full size. It's a watery product that somehow manages to be hydrating even though it's so light. It also brightens my skin and a little goes a long way, so even this little 5ml sample lasted for ages. Purchase? Yes.

Mario Badescu Super Collagen Mask

Full review here. This was from the Mario Badescu Anti-ageing Kit that I've been testing over the last five weeks, and while I don't think it was amazing, I didn't mind it either. It's a run-of-the-mill mud mask that aims to purify and can feel a touch uncomfortable as it dries down. It didn't irritate my sensitive skin but I also think it didn't do much to help it either. Repurchase? No.

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner

This toner was the main reason I bought the Mario Badescu kit because I'd been wanting to try it, and while I don't think it was a bad product, it wasn't wonderful either. I've reviewed it here. 

While it did remove that last layer of grime from my face, it didn't leave my skin feeling fresh and clean as I'd hoped it would. It also didn't deliver a brightening effect as some toners do, and the glycolic acid content apparently isn't high enough to get you very far. Repurchase? No.

Full review here. This is a sensational cleanser and it hit HG status almost from the first use. It dissolves makeup and grime unbelievably well, and I don't need to double-cleanse with this product because it works so well. Plus it leaves my skin feeling fresh, clean, soft and supple, and I think it has a brightening and resurfacing effect too. Can't rave about this one enough. Repurchase? Yes.

Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex

Full review here. This is a decent product, I just don't love it because it's a light gel and I prefer heavier eye creams because my eye area is dry and needs a lot of TLC.

That's not to say that this product doesn't have benefits - it does (it hydrates, brightens and feels refreshing) - it's just that I'm not 22 anymore and need something with more punch. Repurchase? No.

In sum

A bit of a mixed bag in this bunch: some products I love and some I really don't. The best item is definitely the Alpha-H cleanser, and I love the Darphin and Cedel products too. All three of those have gone straight to the wishlist, and I'll be buying them as soon as I've finished off a few like products.

I'll probably do another empties post at month's end, so stay tuned : )