little white truths

If you read this blog, you'll know that I announced another spending ban last week.

I've put 'one month down' in the title however because I did start a low buy at the beginning of 2016 and I think it's ok to include that in my total (I mean, that still took some discipline...).

For the first two weeks of January, I was following a 'one in, one out' rule (and with some products it was a 'one in, two out' arrangement), meaning I could only buy something if I'd finished off a like product or products. 

Then, about halfway through January, my husband and I nutted out our finances after a few unexpected hits and we've had to tighten things up even more for a while. I saw this as an opportunity to change my low buy to a no buy, which I've sustained for two weeks so far. It's not much, but it's a start ; )

I didn't announce it for a week because I wanted to think it over and be sure I could do it to myself again, and I decided that I could. Unlike the last one - which I'd hoped to sustain for a year - this one's open-ended. I'll see how long I can do this without being ridiculous about the whole thing.

I thought I'd do a report each month, just to let you know how I'm travelling and to also make myself accountable, which can help when the sales come around and it's hard to close your eyes to them ; )

In the first two weeks of January I did buy an eyebrow gel because I'd run out of mine, and also a Maybelline lipstick and a Revlon BB cream, because I'd finished two like products of each respectively and they were on sale for 50 per cent off at Chemist Warehouse. So I did manage to sneak in a few things before the blanket ban started, which I'm pleased about because they were on my wishlist anyway.

Anyhoo. This is just a short note to say that, since my low buy morphed into a spending ban, I have stuck with it and we've got through the month following the rules that I had in place at the time. Huzzah!

I'll check back in soon with another update. Do let me know if you're on a spending ban or low buy, or have ever done one. I'd love to hear : )

As you may know, I've recently been using OGX products on my hair and absolutely loving those.

I noticed last week, however, that my hair was starting to feel quite heavy, so I suspect I'm experiencing some haircare build-up and it's now time to change my haircare routine for a while before going back to my OGX products (I'm about halfway through those at present).

Haircare build-up is common and I've experienced it with most haircare I've used for long enough - especially the stuff that's designed for dry hair like mine because it contains more weighty, nourishing ingredients - so there's no issue with the OGX products, it's just time to give them a rest for a while.

This Davroe 'Smooth' kit was given to me by my mum two Christmases ago, and since it takes me so long to finish hair products, it's been sitting in the cupboard unopened since I received it.

It's been on my list of products to open for a while, so it's a good time to do that now that I need a break from my OGX haircare.

I'll comment on each product briefly now, then write full reviews of the individual products and the kit as a whole once I've used them.

That's a lot of haircare! 

Here's to hoping I don't receive more haircare from sub boxes for the next little while - I'm backlogged as it is ; )

Davroe Smooth Senses Shampoo & Conditioner

These are designed to tame frizz and help prevent fly-aways, providing moisture, shine and manageability. The Smooth Senses range also protects against surface damage from regular heat styling.

That sounds like exactly what I need, so I'll be interested to see how these go.

Davroe Replenish Jojoba Créme Treatment

This apparently strengthens and rebuilds weakened hair, and penetrates the hair shaft to work from the inside and help fortify and renew. It also reduces premature colour fading and restores shine and silkiness, leaving hair in optimum condition.

I definitely need some of that! Ach, the terrors of having dry hair.

Davroe Smooth Senses Straightening Balm

This one's meant to be the perfect accompaniment to heat styling. It helps repel moisture and humidity for increased straightening potential, and contains an aloe vera and olive oil formula that offers protection against heat damage while smoothing and eliminating frizz for increased manageability with a high shine.

Sounds good to me! I don't straighten my hair as much these days because I don't have the time, but maybe this product will encourage me to start doing it more often again.

In sum

Looking forward to testing these! Do let me know if you've used Davroe products before, and what you think of them if so.

It's definitely been a month of using up sachets for me - partly because I'd managed to accrue so many and partly because I've put myself on a spending ban, so sachets are one of my few sources of fun new products to try.

Some of these you'll have seen before but some are new, and I'm happy to say that I've finally had the chance to test Make Up Forever's fabled Face & Body Foundation, so let's kick off with that one:

Make Up Forever Face & Body Foundation in 24 and 32

This foundation was on my 2016 wishlist, and I'm glad I've tested it because I can now remove it and focus my attentions elsewhere. Both colours were reasonable matches for my medium skin, and while I didn't hate the product, I was expecting to love it but it didn't quite hit the mark.

It offers a beautifully natural but buildable coverage, so that wasn't my issue with it: my issue was with the finish. I have dry skin and this wasn't dewy enough for me (it wasn't matte, but it didn't have enough luminosity), and there was something powdery/grainy about the texture and feel on the skin that I didn't love. 

I'm pleased I've tested it though because it's had so many rave reviews that I was almost ready to buy it without trying it first. Glad I didn't!

My mum gave me these and I have a feeling she received them on a plane flight. Both products were ok but they weren't stand-outs for me because they didn't offer enough hydration for my dry skin.

There's not much else to say about them! If you have normal skin they might suit you more, but I need something much heavier.

Dermalogica Total Eye Care SPF 15 and Soothing Eye Make-up Remover

I've tried both these products before and I remember liking the eye cream much better last time around than I did this time. Previously I thought it was hydrating and nourishing enough for my eye area, but this time it didn't have enough punch. Maybe the heat has been drying out my skin more than I thought.

The makeup remover is quite an odd product and I don't love it. It's in gel form, and you apply it to a wet cotton pad and then rub it over your face. I didn't love the consistency but it did dissolve most of my makeup - it just didn't remove mascara. Few things do.

Josie Maran Cosmetics 100% Pure Argan Oil Light

I've also used this before and I do like it. It's a light, hydrating oil that my skin drinks up quickly, and while the jury was still out on this product last time I used it, this time I've put it in the 'no' basket because I need a heavier oil than this one (are you sensing a theme here?!). I'd like to try the standard oil from the range and see whether it works better for my skin.

Bobbi Brown CC Cream SPF 30+

I really hated this product last time I used it because it dried so quickly and left patches all over my face, so I had to wash it off and reapply it. This time it didn't dry quite as fast, but I still needed to move quickly so it didn't set before I'd applied it evenly.

I also discovered this time around that it sits in pores a bit and the lasting power is really bad (you could barely see it after four hours' wear), so it's definitely not for me.

Goldfaden MD Needle-less Line Smoothing Concentrate

This is meant to reduce the appearance of fine lines and creases, and while I'm not sure it did that (it's pretty hard to tell much from a sample this size), I did really like the product. It's a clear serum that's very thin in texture, which is generally how I prefer my serums. It sunk in beautifully and left my skin looking brighter and fresher. I've just seen the $170 AUD pricetag (!), so it's not one I would buy but I'd be more than happy to try it again.

In sum

This wasn't a great bunch of sachets but at least I can now say that I've tested the Make Up Forever foundation, and I know to put the Goldfaden product on the wishlist if I ever become a millionaire. 

Have you tried any samples recently and fallen in love with them? I'd love to hear : )

The end of the month is favourites time, and I always look forward to picking out the products I've been loving during the month.

This month I could have chosen quite a few products, but I've narrowed it down to five - just to keep things short and sweet.

In no particular order:

Ladykin Close Up Decuple Shimmering Primer

I've reviewed this here. I wasn't expecting to see this in a favourites post because although I quite like it, it's not a product I really love. It's a dupe for MAC's Strobe Cream, and while the MAC product is better, this one isn't bad and it does offer a good (slighly glittery) base for makeup.

The reason I've included it here is because I ran out of night cream this month, so I switched my day cream to night and needed a replacement. This was it, and it's been working really well as a day cream because it's quite hydrating and pairs well with any primer or base I've applied over the top.

It's one of those products I'd forgotten I owned, but I was super glad to re-discover it because it's saved me a purchase.

Garnier BodySummer Sun-kissed Look Nourishing Lotion

This product showed up in my 2015 favourites because not only is it a great self-tanner, it's also a fantastic body lotion. I've reviewed it here.

What I love about it is that it's super nourishing and hydrating, and a little goes a long way because it spreads well and absorbs beautifully. This means it's lasted longer than many other body creams I've used because my dry skin seems to swallow them up. Plus it smells good. What's not to love?!

Real Techniques Blush Brush

Full review here. I can't believe I haven't included this in a favourites post before - what an oversight! It's easily my most-used brush these days and I couldn't live without it.

The design of the head is what makes this brush so special: you can apply product more directly (by using the tip) or in a more diffused way, depending on how you angle it. I use this not only for blush, but also for bronzer and setting or finishing powders. You could also use it for powder foundation. Seriously, it's awesome.

Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation SPF 30

I absolutely love this product, I just wish that it didn't cost $80 AUD. I might consider buying it if I didn't need to use so much per application to get an effect, but I'm not going to fork out that amount of money on something I'll finish within a couple of months. I've reviewed it here.

It's a gorgeous foundation that offers a beautifully natural coverage and feels amazing on the skin. It's not for those who prefer heavier bases that give good coverage, but if you prefer a lighter base then you might really like this. I love it but it's not one I would buy - it's far too expensive.

Kevyn Aucoin The Pure Powder Glow in Dolline (Apricot)

Full review here. This is one of my HG blushes and I absolutely love everything about it: the colour, the texture, how it applies and how it looks on the skin.

There's something magical about this product because it manages to offer a glow while still being matte. I've no idea how the brand managed that but I love the formula so much that I'd be buying more from the range if any of the other colours called to me (they don't - a good thing for my wallet!). 

This one's a warm peach that's not so pigmented that it's hard to work with, but it's pigmented enough that you don't need to use heaps of it to get the colour to show up. I can't ever imagine being without this blush and I would certainly buy it again, if I ever finish it.

In sum

I love monthly favourites posts - both reading and writing them. It's always fun to see what people pick for their favourites, and I've often found new products to love when I read others' posts.

Let me know what you've been loving this month : )

Look what showed up today - woot woot!

I've been looking forward to this month's LHI even more than usual, since I've put myself on another spending ban and sub boxes are now my only source of fun new products.

Happily this month's LHI arrived before the end of the month, and it's a great box so I'm extra pleased.

How nice is the SkinYoga packaging?! It has to be some of the best packaging I've ever seen.

I received a SkinYoga product in a previous LHI Eco Box, and I'm thrilled to see more from the brand (just because the packaging is so nice, not because I know whether the stuff is any good ; )). What I might do is open and test them together, to see how they work when combined.

Let's have a quick look at each item in turn:

Unani Micellar Water (RRP $22.50 AUD for 200ml; received full size)

This was the sneak peek item for this month and I'm happy to see it because I have nothing else like it. Micellar water seems to be all the rage these days, but I've only ever tried the Bioderma one and I didn't love that (I know, I know: I'm weird), so hopefully I'll prefer this one.

Apparently this is a refreshing solution that leaves your skin soft and clean, removes impurities and clarifies the skin, leaving it supple and hydrated. Sounds good. Fingers crossed.

According to the product card, almonds and oranges work wonders for cleansing and repairing your skin. This scrub aims to hydrate and mildly exfoliate, giving a smooth and flawless complexion. We should apparently be able to tell the higher quality ingredients from the first use.

I hope so! In any event, I'll be keeping the packaging and displaying it because it's so gorgeous.

SkinYoga Sandalwood Saffron Face Mask (RRP $24 AUD for 50g; received 5g sample)

Another beautifully packaged product from these guys. This one's meant to reverse the signs of ageing and gradually remove wrinkles and dark spots (that'd be good!). It should also improve skin texture and make the complexion lighter and more radiant, as well as helping with skin regeneration, circulation and elasticity.

I really hope this works. I'm starting to think I 'need' the whole SkinYoga range ; )

I didn't love the Hikari eyeshadow we received in a previous box, but that was more to do with the colours I received (although the quality of each shadow in the quad wasn't consistent either).

When I first saw the colour I received - described as a 'pinky peach with light shimmer' - I was quite pleased. Then I swatched it. I have a feeling it will be far too icy and pale for me (as Benefit's Coralista was), but I'll reserve judgement until I test it.

There's a swatch in natural light (blended on the left and heavier on the right):

According to the card, this blush is designed to highlight your complexion and can be used lightly for a fresh look or layered for a more dramatic look. It's also meant to apply well and last all day.

It did feel soft and finely milled to the touch, but I'm not sold on the colour - I think it would suit paler, cooler-toned lasses but not work as well for those of us with warmer, medium or dark skin. We'll see. I might be completely wrong.

Hikari Lip Crayon in Macchiato (RRP $18 AUD for 2.5g; received full size)

Unfortunately my one of these arrived broken: the product itself has fallen from the plastic cradle inside the tube and squished itself against the lid. I can't be bothered asking for a replacement, and in any event, I should still be able to use it so I'll live.

These are apparently rich and highly pigmented, and you can use them lightly or build them for a stronger colour.

There's a swatch:

A lot of people wouldn't be happy with an orangey brown but I'm super excited to receive something that isn't bright pink or red! I have a feeling the colour will suit me and I don't have enough neutrals, so I'm looking forward to trying it.

In sum

I'm really pleased with this box. 

Forget the makeup - I love the look of the skincare products I received and can't wait to try them. This is a good box for me because I'll probably keep everything except the blush (unless I'm wrong about how the colour will work on my skin).

Did you receive this month's LHI? Let me know what you think if so : )

Welcome to my first full Project Pan update of 2016!

It's always a bit daunting doing these posts because I have such a long list and so many photos to take, but I managed to sneak in some shots yesterday while my husband was home from work and could keep an eye on the little one for me.

• ModelCo Colourbox Eyeshadow in Tahiti 
• Emite Make Up Precision Eye Pencil in Spir 
• Bloom Eye Definer Pencil in Dark Brown
• Dd'ell Stay Forever Gel Eye Pencil 04 in Espresso
• Be a Bombshell Eye Base in Nudist
• 'Tini Beauty Eyetini Cordial Eyeshadow + Base 
• 'Tini Beauty Pearl Fizz Eyeshadow
• Croquis Duo Concealer
• Evelyn Iona Concealer in Flawless
• Australis AC ON Tour kit
• The Cosmetic Kitchen Pressed Mineral Blush in Raw Cacao
• Lust Have It Sunset Strobe Natural Highlighter
• Pureplus+ Milk Bebe Lip Treatment
• SweetPea & Fay Liquid Lipsticks in Ranunculus and Beluga 
• Mememe Cosmetics Goddess Rocks
• Shangai Suzy Lipstick in Miss Amy Baby Pink
• ModelCo BB+ Cream in Medium
• Benefit Cha Cha Tint
• Royal Nature The Soothing Blemish Balm
• Lipsi Cosmetics Aphrodite Powder

Both the Royal Nature Blemish Balm and the Benefit Cha Cha Tint have been on my list for ages, so I'm pleased I've finally finished them.

The Shanghai Suzy Lipstick in Miss Amy was a newer inclusion, but it started to get waxy and melty towards the end, so I lost a bit because it broke and fell on the floor. Since it was almost finished anyway, I didn't mind losing that last little bit.

As for my other products:


My SweetPea & Fay Liquid Lipsticks are new inclusions and I doubt I'll ever finish them, but I've been using them most days so at least I can say that I'm getting my money's worth from them.

The Pureplus+ Milk Bebe Lip Treatment is getting more of a workout now that I've finished off the Shanghai Suzy lipstick, so I expect it won't last too long. Another three months maybe?


My hatred of this Australis AC On Tour palette continues, but at least I can say that I've made some good dents in it!

The shimmer shade is almost finished and the yellow and pink highlighters are vanishing quickly, plus I've also started using that middle contour shade as a brow powder - which is all it's good for (at least for me), given how patchy it is when applied to other parts of my face.


I'm not using my Croquis Dual Concealer as much as I would like, and it may be that I switch it out of circulation soon and save it for the cooler months, when I'm paler and it's a better colour match for my skin.

The Evelyn Iona Concealer is getting used daily and I've hit 'pan', but there's still a lot of product left in there so I expect it to last another few months.


My 'Tini Beauty eyeshadow has some pan showing - woot woot! I love this product and I use it every day, whether on my eyes or as a subtle highlighter. I love it and am glad I've got a back up for it because it's such a good and useful product.

Loot at my ModelCo eyeshadow! That's been with me since the beginning of 2015, and it's finally starting to look like I'll finish it soon enough. I stopped using it as a brow powder because it was so dark and I had to apply it so carefully, and I now use it as a dry shampoo. Slow and steady wins the race ; )


I'm not using my 'Tini Beauty Eye Cordial as often as I was, and it's another product that I might move out of circulation soon because I've used it so much that I don't mind casting it aside for something else. I might do that next month.

The Be a Bombshell Eye Base is getting used daily on my collarbones and shoulders throughout summer, since it's rubbish on the eyes and transfers in a heartbeat. I've no idea how long it'll take to finish this one - another six months?


Those pencils have lasted a lot longer than I'd thought they would, but the Emite Cream Pencil is almost dead and I reckon it will be done within a couple of weeks.

The Dd'ell and Bloom products are still going strong, so they may well last out the year. I'll be interested to see how long it takes to finish these since I don't use much of them each day and they don't seem to be getting any smaller.


These are my newer products and they'll take a while to start looking worn. The Mememe Goddess Rocks won't last ages because I'm crushing those and adding them to my body cream for a nice summer glow, so they shouldn't last any more than six months.

The Sunset Strobe Highlighter and Raw Cacao Blush, however, are in for the long haul. I doubt they'll be done by the end of the year, but we'll see.


Above are the products I'm replacing the three finished items with.

I picked the Teeez eyeliner because I'm using that every day on my upper waterline anyway, so I thought I may as well add it to the list.

The Bodyography foundations I'm only including because they're my oldest bases - not because I want to finish them! I absolutely love them but they've been open for over a year now, so it's time to start using them up before they go rancid.


Bodyography Natural Finish Foundation in 160 and 165

Full review here. These are my HG foundations and I love them. They offer a natural finish that's barely detectable, but they're still buildable so you can get higher coverage from them if you want.

I've always saved these for special occasions because I love how they look (and they don't contain SPF so they're good for things like weddings when you might get photographed), but it's time to use them more often to get my money's worth - I don't want to waste a drop of them!

I'll use these maybe four or five days a week, and hope they'll be done by the end of March. They're better summer colours anyway, so I'd prefer to finish them by then.

It's coming to the end of the month again, which means it's time for empties and favourites posts, plus an update for Project Pan.

I've decided to roll with the empties post first, and if I'm lucky I might get a second post in today because we're dropping my daughter off for her second-ever half-day of childcare this morning. Woot woot! My little girl all grown up...

Well. She's one on Tuesday. But you know what I mean ; )

I've reviewed this here. It's one of the few Memebox products I received that I loved, so I'm sad to see the back of it but also glad because it's been open for ages and it was time to try something new.

It's one of the best clay masks I've used. The texture is wonderful and the after-effect noticeable: my skin looked brighter and more plumped after use, and felt smoother too. Purchase? Yes, but I'd like to try other things first.

Villainess Ginger Snapped Whipped! Body Cream

I didn't mind this but I was expecting to love it, given my love of the other Villainess products I've tried. I've reviewed it here.

It wasn't as rich as I was expecting it to be, and while I loved the scent, I would only use it at night because I didn't want to smell like ginger snapped biscuits during the day. I also finished it so quickly because I needed to use heaps per application (it just wasn't hydrating enough for my dry skin), so it wasn't worth the outlay for me. Repurchase? No.

I've reviewed this here. This was another Memebox product, and while I'm always up for a decent facial sunscreen with high sun protection, this was one of those products that left a 'ghosting' effect on my face so I couldn't wear it over makeup during the day.

It did do the job well however and it was a good base for makeup, and while it didn't absorb well on its own, it did if I really worked it into the skin. It also didn't break me out, which is a plus when it comes to facial sunscreens. Purchase? No.

Natures Organics Australian Pure Sensitive Eye Makeup Remover

This was a terrible product that didn't remove makeup well at all. Full review here. I bought it half price from the supermarket for the grand total of $2.50, but it didn't end up being a bargain because it didn't work for me and it took ages to get through the damn thing. It's called an eye makeup remover and it doesn't remove eye makeup. 'Nuff said. Repurchase? No.

Coastal Scents Revealed Palette Sampler

I've reviewed this here. It's obviously not quite finished, but I'd almost finished the matte brown and silvery shimmer shades and the whole thing was starting to look a little crusty, so I felt it was time to move on to something else. 

It's been a great product to cart around in my handbag because it's so tiny and I could get a decent eye-look from it. That matte brown also made a reasonable contour shade, so I got a lot of use from the palette as a whole. The quality was reasonable and if these shades are a good representation of the full-sized Revealed Palette, then it's one I'd recommend testing because they're good shadows for the price. Purchase? Maybe. I have too much eyeshadow as it is though.

Urban Skincare Co Infuse Body Balm

You've probably seen a couple of empties of this product before, and there'll be more in future because we scored a few of them when we stayed in a hotel last year. Full review here.

It smells good - rich and gingery - and is super hydrating and nourishing without leaving a greasy residue. It also absorbs and spreads well, so a little goes a long way and this 35ml sample didn't vanish in a few uses, as some body creams tend to do. It's definitely one I would use again. Purchase? Yes.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse

This is an HG product of mine and I absolutely love everything about it - the smell, the texture and how it makes my skin feel. I've reviewed it here.

It's a dry oil that's multipurpose so you can use it on your face, body, hands and hair. Who doesn't love a product that you can chuck in a bag at short notice and know you're covered? A little goes a long way with this, although my skin does drink it up when it's dry (as it is now in all this heat) so I went through this little travel-sized version all too quickly. Repurchase? Yes.

Alpha-H Liquid Gold with Glycolic Acid

This product showed up in my 2015 favourites and if you read this blog, you're probably sick of hearing me go on about it! Full review here.

It's one of the few products that makes a real difference to my skin and I always notice when I stop and start using it. With this product my skin is clearer, brighter and healthier. Repurchase? Already have.

Aspar Sweet Orange Lip Balm

I haven't reviewed this because it was a sample and I didn't end up using it much on my lips, so I didn't feel I'd used it enough to give it a full review. Once I tested it and didn't love it on my lips (it was quite slippery and I have better balms on hand), it got sent to the foot balm section because it's not coloured and it left my tootsies super hydrated. Purchase? No.

Paula's Choice Resist Vitamin C Spot Treatment

Full review here. This sample came from Marie Claire's The Parcel, and I had high hopes for it because Paula's Choice is known for its skincare. Unfortunately this really stung my skin in certain parts, so I couldn't use it in all the spots I wanted to. The benefit of this was that the sample lasted for ages, so I was able to review it because I could note its results over time. I saw none. Foo! Purchase? No.

In sum

Huzzah to finishing more products! The best items in this bunch are the Alpha-H, Nuxe, Secret Nature and Urban Skincare products. I would buy all of those, if I ever get through the stuff I already have ; )

What have you finished this month? I'd love to hear : )

Even though I vowed never to buy another brand of facial wipe after discovering my HG Essenzza Fuss Free Naturals (reviewed here), when I saw these at half price in the supermarket last month I thought I may as well give them a go: who can resist a good bargain?!

Plus I'd heard great things about Garnier's Micellar Water, so I thought these wipes might be good too. Happily they are quite good and I recommend them, although I would still choose my Essenzzas over these any day.

• Extra gentle wipes that contain thin silk fibres in a thick, soft wipe
• Soaked with micellar water and specially formulated for makeup removal on sensitive skin
• Like a magnet, the cleansing agents capture impurities and lift away dirt from the skin
• No need to rub to efficiently remove makeup
• In a single step, your makeup is removed and your skin feels refreshed and soothed
• To use: gently cleanse your face with a single wipe, including your eyelids and neck, in the morning and evening; no need to rinse; re-seal the adhesive panel to help prevent the wipes from drying out
• RRP $6.99 for 25 wipes, but do shop around

Verdict

These wipes are good and I recommend them. They're not fantastic, but they're better than many other wipes I've used.

The first thing I noticed about them was that the texture of each wipe is different from any other wipe I've tried: these are quite thick, soft and silky, and they feel great against the skin. They don't have that awesome textured side as the Essenzza versions do (so they don't exfoliate and cleanse as well), but they stand out for their texture and I enjoy using them for that reason alone.

They have a faint, fresh scent that shouldn't offend anyone, and there's plenty of moisture in each wipe so they earn points on that front. Having said this, I often wet my wipe with water once I've used both sides, just to get the most out of it and avoid taking out a second one.

When it comes to actually cleansing the face of makeup, that's where these wipes fall down for me. They do a good job of 'easy' makeup like tinted moisturiser and powders (although you may need more than one wipe to get your skin really clean), but they don't remove all my eyeliner and mascara - waterproof or otherwise. Few wipes do, in my experience, so they don't lose a huge amount of points for that but it's worth mentioning.

On the product claims: yes these are gentle and they don't irritate my sensitive skin; yes they do contain a good amount of moisture and have a silky texture; yes they do remove most makeup and grime but you may need more than one wipe to get the job done properly, and they don't remove stubborn eye makeup.

All in all, these wipes are good and I recommend them. I prefer my Essenzzas so I wouldn't buy them again, but I'm glad I've given them a go.