little white truths

Welcome to my first empties post for the month!

I was keen to knock this off because I knew my empties box was growing, and I've been on a decluttering stint lately so I've wanted to clean out my finished products as soon as possible.

Happily there are some good empties in this lot - including some longer-standing items that I'd begun to think I would never finish - so the bathroom shelves are looking less dense than they were. That has to be a good thing!

Let's have a look.

Project Pan empties

I'll just touch on these briefly because I've already talked about them at length through Project Pan, but suffice to say that I probably wouldn't buy any of these in future.

I like the Shanghai Suzy lipstick formula but Miss Sophia Lilac isn't quite the right shade of lilac for me (it's too pale); the Nars Sheer Glow looks like a mask on me; the clariSEA exfoliant isn't a great product and I have better exfoliants; and the highlighter from The Cosmetics Kitchen is decent but I've been through two tubes now so I'm ready to try something else.

So that's a no to repurchasing these.

Clarins Extra Firming Body Cream

Full review here. This came in a GWP set and while I'm glad that I've tried it, it's certainly not one I would buy. Reason being, it's super expensive and I don't think it's worth the price at all.

Also, it's so thick that it's difficult to spread and this tube didn't last long at all because I needed to apply so much each time, and while it felt rich and had a nice texture, not all of it was being absorbed and it left a residue behind. Purchase? No.

Naobay Moisturising Peeling

This is one of those products that I expected to love but just didn't. I've been through two tubes now (both received from sub boxes) and I hope I don't ever receive it again because I've struggled to finish it both times! I've reviewed it here.

It's not that it's a bad product, it's just that it doesn't do anything particularly well - whether cleanse, hydrate or exfoliate - and I'll always reach for other items over this one. Still, I got through it in the end by making myself use it as my second cleanser in the shower, and I'm super glad that it's finally gone. Purchase? No.

Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser

Full review here. This is one of my favourite cleansers of all time and I rationed this last tub because it's not so easy to come by in Australia and I just didn't want to finish it.

It's a beautiful product that smells lemon delicious and feels wonderful on the skin. It contains sugary grains but these aren't too rough on the face because they melt and you can just massage it gently. Plus a little goes a long way so it's a good investment and this tub has lasted for ages. Repurchase? Yes.

Essano Rosehip Collagen Repair Serum

This came in a sub box and it's one of those products that hung around for ages (like the Naobay one above) because I didn't love it and I was always reaching for other things over this one. I've reviewed it here.

While it does plump the skin as claimed, it dries down to a super tacky finish and I wondered how much was being absorbed because it sat on top of the skin, rather than delivering moisture where I need it most. This did however make it a good primer (due to the sticky finish), but you could only use the tiniest amount because it had a tendency to 'pill' and leave you with flaky bits running through your foundation. Not ideal ; ). Purchase? No.

Full review here. If you read this blog, you'll know how much I love Alpha-H products in general, but in the end this one didn't quite hit the mark for me.

While I quite liked it to start with and it made a nice, lightweight cream for use under makeup, by the end of the tube it had started to make my eyes water (and it wasn't very old) so something in it didn't agree with me. I had to start using it on my face instead so it wouldn't cause my eyes to run and stuff up my eye makeup. But I'll leave my review as is (which says that I liked it) because the first two thirds of the tube worked well for me - it was just the end bit that caused issues. Repurchase? No.

Bioderma Hydrabio Light Cream

This was one of those products that just didn't agree with me at all. I've reviewed it here.

Not only did I not find it moisturising, but it almost seemed to suck the moisture from my skin and negate the hydration from whatever oil or serum I placed beneath it. Not what a dry-skinned lass needs! Bioderma products just don't agree with me for some reason, and this cream was no exception. Purchase? No.

Clarins Toning Lotion with Chamomile

Full review here. This came as part of a GWP set with the body cream above, and while it was an ok toner that was super gentle, it didn't grab me in any way.

It felt nice and soothing on the skin, but it didn't remove that last layer of gunk from my face as well as other toners do, plus it left a film behind that I felt might be interfering with my serum. Clarins products in general don't work for me (aside from the fabled Beauty Flash Balm!) and this one was hoh-hum too. Purchase? No.

Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara

This was a good mascara and it reminded me of Too Faced's Better than Sex Mascara - the brush is very similar and the formula is too. I've reviewed it here.

So if you're one of those people who can't wear Too Faced's offering because it flakes on you, it's worth giving this one a try. It gives you beautifully full and long lashes, and it stayed put throughout the day (at least it did on me). There was too much product in this sample-sized tube so it spewed out of the top before I removed some, but it got a lot easier to apply after that and maybe it's not an issue with the full-size. Purchase? Maybe.

In sum

Some good and not-so-good items in this lot. I'll really miss my Suki cleanser so hopefully I can find it and buy it again sometime next year (I'd like to have a break and try other products first).

I also really liked the Stila mascara, but I don't normally buy higher-end mascaras because so many great options are available in the chemist/drugstore and I'd rather save my pennies for fancy items that don't need to be turfed within a few months of purchase.

That's all from me. Let me know if you've finished anything amazing this month: I'd love to hear x