little white truths

Normally I get my first monthly empties post up well before now, but I've had a bundle of products that were getting so close to empty, that I wanted to wait a bit so I could include them.

Fortunately I have finished quite a few of those and I can tell from the bottles in the bathroom that there'll be a few more by month's end, and on top of that, it's shaping up to be a reasonable Project Pan month too. This means I'll be able to open up some new products shortly to replace the ones I've finished, which makes me happy because I've been working hard to finish what's open so I can do that - yay!

Anyhoo. Let's have a quick look.

Full review here. I didn't mind this but I didn't love it either, and it's not one I would buy again because I've used better tanners that felt more hydrating for my dry skin.

It's a thin, lightweight lotion that applies and spreads well, and while it tans well enough, I was expecting it to be more rich and hydrating (like the standard Palmer's creams) so it was a little disappointing on that front. Repurchase? No.

Mr Bean Coffee Bean Scrub in Mandarin

This is one of my HG body scrubs and I'm sad that I've finished it because I don't have another one on hand. Foo! I've reviewed it here.

It scrubs beautifully well and I don't find it as messy as other dry scrubs (perhaps because the product isn't quite dry, so it adheres better to the skin), and I love the coffee/citrus scent of this but prefer the coconut version, given the choice. It's also not too expensive so it's one to consider. Repurchase? Yes, but I'd like to explore other scrubs first.

I've talked about these three more than enough via Project Pan, so I'll be brief.

I love the Stila HD Illuminating BB Cream and may well repurchase that in future because it turned out to be a super useful product that was not only great on its own, but also made a sensational mixer product to 'fix' other bases. So that's a maybe on the repurchase front.

The Cheek Room Lip Palette wasn't terrible but it wasn't great either and it ended up going off (perhaps due to the high surface area), so that's not one I would buy, and while I would buy the Becca Sheer Lip Tint if I could, it's been discontinued so I can't.

Soap & Glory, The Righteous Butter

Full review here. This for me is one of those products that we all come across sometimes - those ones that everyone else raves about but we just don't get.

I don't love the fabled scent (to me there's something cheap and saccharine about it); the whipped texture isn't rich enough for my dry skin; and the product also sits on top of my skin - rather than being absorbed - so it's not hydrating enough for me. I don't love the sticky finish either. Purchase? No.

Bioderma Hydrabio H2O Solution Micellaire 

Well I don't like the regular Bioderma micellar water, and I don't like this one any better. I know I'm in the minority here, but this just doesn't work for my skin for some reason and I've used micellar products that remove makeup better than this does.

Sometimes cult products that are HG items for many just don't work for some people, and this is the case for me here (and above!). Hoh well, cheaper micellar products exist so perhaps I should just be happy that those work for me where this one doesn't : ). Purchase? No.

Pixi Glow Tonic

Full review here. Another hyped-up product, although at least I can understand this one a bit more because it's decent product - especially if you're new to glycolic acid and need something more gentle. 

For me, though, I'd much rather stick to my trusty Alpha-H Liquid Gold because that does more for my skin in one use than this does in four (and that's the ratio of how often you're meant to apply each). Coupled with the fact that I need to use twice as much of this per application as I do the Liquid Gold, the Alpha-H one works out to be much better value than this on a per-use basis, even though the initial outlay is bigger. Repurchase? No.