little white truths: May 2017

Hello all and welcome to another Project Pan update!

I somehow managed to sneak these photos in yesterday, which surprised me because both kids were home and I do have a lot of work on at the moment - but I needed a break from the computer screen so I stole my chance.

Anyhoo! Here's what's left on my list at the end of May:

Too Faced HangoveRx Face Replenishing Primer
Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser
L'Oreal Anti-dullness CC Cream
BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Gel in 06 Ginger
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in Medium
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Topaz
Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil
'Tini Beauty Eye Cordial Shadow + Base in Spiced Rum
Inika Certified Organic Eyeliner Pencil in Black Caviar
Stila's Aqua Glow Watercolour Blush in Shimmering Lotus
Ofra Lip Liner in Wine
Sportsgirl Pout About It! Lip Colour in Onyx
Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 03 Nude Shimmer
Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask
~~Chantecaille Lip Chic in Anais~~
~~Bodyography Oxyplex Foundations in Wheat and Cocoa Tan~~
~~John Frieda Frizz Ease Primer~~
~~Mauli Grow Strong Hair Oil~~
~~Frank Body Lip Scrub~~

As you can see above, I finished five products off this month (or six, if you count the two powder foundations separately), leaving me with fourteen things on my list. Since I don't like having more than fifteen in total at any one time, I won't go too crazy with replacements - but I will include a couple of 'short-term' things to make up for the longer-term products saturating my list.

Let's have a quick look.

First up, complexion products. My BareMinerals tinted moisturiser is showing some reasonable progress (see marker below), even though I only introduced it in May. That's because you need a good dollop each time to get a light-medium coverage - which I don't mind because it helps boost my sun protection - and it's my HG tinted moisturiser so I don't want to rush through it anyway.

As for the L'Oreal CC cream, I introduced this at the same time as the BareMinerals product. The coverage on this isn't great unless you pack it on, but I can't do that with this because it self-adjusts a shade too dark for me - so what I've been doing is whacking this down first and then putting the other one over it, so I've got the right shade and I'm not using too much of the BareMinerals.

I expect these both to be done by the end of July, and the L'Oreal one will likely be finished first.

You'll see that I've made some good progress on Becca Topaz this month: that's because I've been mixing it with the two primers below and then using the mix all over my face, neck and dec. I do this so that the bronze glow this product gives me is uniform, and that way I don't get a floating foundation face because this product does change the colour of my skin a little and it peeks through the two above products.

As for the Maybelline concealer, I'll likely start getting through it a little bit faster than I have been previously because I've started using more of it ever since I introduced the two lighter bases above - so I use this to manage any redness around my nose and on my chin, while before I was only using it underneath the eyes because the coverage of my previous base was higher.

I expect these both to be gone sometime in August.

Ok, primers. The Too Faced primer that everyone loves isn't as hydrating on me as it seems to be on others, so it's not my favourite but I don't mind using it because it does feel lovely and replenishing when applied - plus it gives a nice tacky finish that helps makeup adhere. Must review this one soon, but suffice to say that I can't rely on it for hydration so I need good skincare for that, but I have made some good progress (see below) and it should be gone by the end of July.

As for the Maybelline primer: I don't like this at all but when I mix it with the Too Faced product and also the Becca one, I barely notice it's there. As mentioned above, I then apply the mix to my face and neck/upper chest so I'm all the one colour, plus I like the feel of the Too Faced product (even though I don't like the lack of hydration) so I'm happy to apply it to a wider area. I hope to have this finished by the end of July, but it's slow-going so we'll see.

As for the Clarins gloss, I'm so over using this but I'm not far from the point where I'll need to cut the tube open, and after that I suspect I'll just use the dregs to hydrate my feet because I've had enough of this already and I'm keen to move on to other lip products.

You'll see my marker sheet for the Sportsgirl lipstick towards the end of this post. I've been tearing through it, which isn't surprising because it's a creamy product and even though it lasts well, I like my lips to feel doused in moisture so I keep re-applying it. Mind you, it is one of those products that dries your lips out with frequent use (despite how creamy it feels), so I need a good balm to wear underneath it to keep my lips feeling ok. I won't be surprised if I finish this in June.

Next up, my pots. The Peter Thomas Roth mask is hanging on because I like the product so I'm not over-using it, but it doesn't have a permanent place in my collection so I would prefer to finish it and move on to other masks (I have too many and need to get through some).

My skin has been extra dry now that it's getting colder, though, so I may use it more frequently from now on and I could well get through it next month. You'll see the markers below.

It's a bit hard to see the markers on my Stila blush but hopefully the above shot shows the three black lines clearly enough. I've definitely made progress on this and I'm still mainly using it as a lip stain (when I'm not wearing the Sportsgirl lipstick), although occasionally I'll whack it on my cheeks when I don't feel like going upstairs and picking a blush for the day.

I'll get through this in August if I'm lucky. It's a beautiful colour and I like the formula, but I just don't wear non-powder blush enough to warrant keeping the product.

Last up, my long/skinny products! That Inika eyeliner is still going strong and I'm getting really sick of it now. I've started using it as a marker for my products (see marker sheet below) and I'm applying it to my eyes twice a day. I'm determined to finish it by the end of June so I can start using the brown eyeliner I have in back-up, and I might just get there because this product is starting to get old now so it's softer and I'm getting through it faster.

The Chella product is slow-going too but I don't mind that because I'm enjoying it. I use it over my concealer along the darkest parts of my eye-bags, and also to manage any darkness at the inner corners of my eye (especially the insides of my nose), where I get really dark. It's also a good product to manage any redness around my nose and chin that starts peeking through after lunch. Despite daily use, I won't be surprised if this hangs around until Christmas.

The OFRA lipliner isn't a good product for me: it's too drying. Still, I'm trying to get myself into the habit of wearing lip liner - something I've tried to do before but have always failed - and I don't mind throwing it on every day, so long as I've got a good hydrating balm to put underneath it. Slow and steady wins the race.

The 'Tini Beauty liquid eyeshadow is starting to thicken up a bit, which tells me that it may soon be time to throw it out. As you may know, I've panned one of these before and they go off before I can finish them - even with daily use - so eventually it may just become a product marker, which is what I did with the nail polish that was previously on my list (and you'll see that I've tested it out already as a product marker: it does dry and stay put so it'll work well for that purpose). Let's see if I can get another month's use from it before sending it on its way.

There's my (messy!) marker sheet above so you can see my progress on each item. I really need to prepare a new one of these, but I'll hang onto this one a little longer.

As for my replacement products, this is what I've decided on:

Sea2Skin Active Hydration Mask: Full review here. I really like this product but I have too many masks so I'd like to knock another one out. Considering I've already used quite a bit of this product (see marker below), it's a good place to start.

TonyMoly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar: This came from Maslow & Co's Global Edit last year (unboxing here). There's not a lot of product in it so I should get through it quickly - needed because most of my current products are in for the long haul.

Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector: This has been on my list before and I wanted to bring it back in because I love it, so I'm happy to use it every day - but I've had it for a while now so it's time to get through it.

Tocca Cleopatra EDP: I really like this fragrance but the longevity is awful so I want to finish it and find another travel-sized perfume for my handbag.

The Becca product will likely last out the rest of the year, but I'm hoping to see the other four out in June.

There they are again below so you can see how much is left (the TonyMoly product is noted on my marker sheet above):

In sum

That's all from me! I hope your panning challenges are going well and that you're getting through plenty of products.

Speak soon x

I've been using this for ages now and I kept meaning to review it, but it's been one of those items that was often pushed back by more 'urgent' posts.

We received it from Maslow & Co's Australia Edit (unboxed here) and I was pleased to see it because anything with 'hydration' in the title tends to be something I'll like. Happily I do like it, and I've been using it once or twice a week since I got it - so I'm over halfway through the tube now. A good thing, since I have too many masks and need to reduce my stores.

Sea2Skin claims/product details:

Our revitalising mask restores essential moisture while gently exfoliating the skin
Formulated to promote a firmer, youthful complexion
Rich sea botanicals and marine collagen combine to revive dull skin cells, resurface and smooth skin
Natural hyaluronic acid and rose hip oil deeply hydrate and deliver cellular support
Your skin will be left feeling rejuvenated and nourished with a radiant glow
Key benefits: smooths & resurfaces; hydrates & plumps; boosts skin elasticity; anti-ageing treatment; rejuvenates & restores moisture; improves skin resilience
To use: apply a generous layer of the mask to clean, dry skin; leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water; use up to twice a week; can be stored in the fridge so it's more cooling
RRP $34 AUD for 75g

I like the packaging because it's simple and looks good, plus it's compact so it wouldn't be a bad one for travel - especially because, unlike a standard tub, it gets smaller as you use more.

What I don't love, however, is that it's not so easy to store - at least for me. It's almost too wide for the shelf that I store my skincare bottles and tubes on, and it takes up too much room on that shelf anyway because it's flat. Currently it's lying in the cabinet under the sink where I keep things like loo paper, which isn't ideal but it will do.

The other thing to note is that the product description says you can get up to ten uses from this 75g pouch. I don't know how much you're meant to put on your face, but I'll easily be getting over twenty - and I'm still noticing benefits from using a smaller amount so I wouldn't over-apply it. Do note, however, that I only put this on my face, so it may be that they're factoring in your neck and dec too.

Verdict

I'm really enjoying this product and it's one of the better hydrating masks I've used. It's not as good as my two favourite hydrators - these being the Ren Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask (reviewed here) and the Chantecaille Jasmine Lily Healing Mask (reviewed here) - but it's definitely a good product.

It's a white cream that's not unlike yoghurt in texture and it has a fresh, interesting scent that I can't place: it's kind of mealy but light at the same time, and there's something a tiny bit sour about it - but not in a bad way. Indeed, the scent is something I like about the product.

It feels soothing, cooling and lovely when applied, and it's one of those products that I enjoy using for how it feels on the skin. Sometimes masks can feel a bit yuck when applied (eg some mud masks go on too thickly and some gel masks can feel a bit slimy), but this one feels really nice.

It dries down like a clay mask might do but I don't find it uncomfortable as it dries - a plus because my dry skin often can't tolerate masks that are too drying. There's also a tiny bit of tingling in the first few minutes after application, but it's a good tingling: the kind that tells me is the product is working.

After use my face looks brighter and plumper, and it feels more hydrated too. I also reckon there's a resurfacing action happening because it feels smoother to boot and makeup goes on well after I've used it.

On the claims: yes I think it restores moisture and exfoliates; yes it makes my skin feel firmer and look more youthful; yes it resurfaces and smooths; and yes it leaves my skin looking nourished, rejuvenated and more plump.

The other good thing is that it's not super expensive - except if you're planning to only get ten uses from it (as the brand suggests). Then it's at least $3.40 per use and that's too much in my books. But if like me you're getting twenty to thirty uses from this little pouch, then I think the value is there.

Overall I reckon this is a really nice product. While it's not my favourite mask, it's definitely one I recommend and I'm enjoying it while I have it.

Lovely.

Hello all and welcome to another update for Pan that Palette 2017.

As you may remember, I did a mini update at the beginning of the month, letting you know that I'd recharged my palette and would be including more pans to replace the ones I had finished. That update is here if you're interested.

I also did another mini update during May, letting you know that I'd re-pressed a few shadows and had already hit pan on others, just so this month-end update was less of a surprise. That mini update is here.

What I'll do in this update is show you the comparison between my Z-palette at the beginning of the month (rather than halfway through), otherwise things could get confusing. But you can track my progress following the links above if you wish.

So without further ado, let's look at my progress for May. I'll start with my Stila cream contour duo this time, just for a change.

Please note that I've enhanced most of the below photos, just to improve clarity (so don't rely on them for colour).

Here's how my Stila duo looked at the end of April:

And here's how it looks now, at the end of May:

As always the paler side is showing much more progress than the dark one - and, also as always, I'm wondering if I'll be able to finish the dark one by the end of the year. I suspect not. If I have to carry it over to Pan that Palette 2018 then I will, but I don't want it hanging around too long because I wouldn't be contouring every day if it weren't for this product, and I don't really want that extra step in my routine.

If you have any suggestions for how I can get through this product faster, please share them in the comments!

Now for my Z-palette. If you would like to see how it looked before I recharged it, my April update is here.

Here's how it looked when I first recharged it, at the beginning of May:

And here's how it's looking now, at the end of May:

What I'll do as always is go through both halves of the palette in detail, so it's easier to track progress.

Here's the left half, beginning of May:

And here we are now, end of May:

There's not a huge amount of difference in the eight Stila pans in this half (so the six across the top and the two extras down the right side). I've mentioned before that I'm not in a rush to get through my favourite shades in this lot - being the four on the right and the two on the left - because I don't have close dupes for them and I like the formula. So those six might remain in my palette at year's end.

The three Nars pans down the left: you should be able to see good use in all three, but especially in the two that make up Nars Portobello (the browns). I've been using these mixed in with a red-brown blush I don't love to make a good colour for bronzing, and occasionally I'll use them as base shades or blending shades - but not when I want to look my best, since the formula is so drying on me.

The three GA-DE shadows next to the Nars ones: the big news in this lot is that I've hit pan in the top one. You may remember I mixed this myself because I didn't love the colours of the four shades from that pre-made quad, and I'm pleased to report that I enjoy the mix enough that I've hit pan in my first month of using it! It's great for the crease and also makes a good blush. I've hit pan so quickly because I pressed it myself, so it's a little powdery.

That sole Becca cream shade: I use this as a base shadow when I remember, but I often forget because I've always just used my setting powder as a base. It also works well if my tinted moisturiser has faded a bit after lunch, when I use it to calm down any redness on my nose and chin.

On to the second half. Here's how it looked at the beginning of May:

And here's how it looks now:

So, top left to right: I'm not surprised that the Manna Kadar highlighter is vanishing quickly. It's so powdery that I tend to lose a lot. I'm using this for my collarbones and sometimes on the eyes and face. The powder beside it is one I mixed myself, which is why it's moving fast. I use it daily on my brows and lower waterline. The blush (Bahama Mama from theBalm) isn't my favourite because it contains too much gold sheen for my personal tastes, but I love it on the eyes as a lid colour and I'll often use it after lunch when I'm at home and the blush I was wearing has faded.

The five square/rectangular eyeshadow pans: the three purples are all showing some use and I expect to be done with the smallest one (from Lancome) in June. The one beside that I mixed myself (it's the last pan from the GA-DE quad), and I'll focus on it more once I've finished the Lancome shade since I use them for similar things. The lavender So Susan shade I've re-pressed and thankfully that has improved it: it was grainy and powdery before, but I've pressed it in tightly so it's now easier to use.

As for the two Stila pans beside the purples, the dark grey has such a bad formula that I'm only using it as dry shampoo, and the brown one I use for lining if I want a darker look. Both of these I re-pressed during May so they should move faster from now on.

As for the four round pans: the matte is from Becca and the shimmers are all from Ardency Inn. I haven't used these much but I will once I start to finish off some of my other shades.

In sum

That's all from me!

I hope you've enjoyed this little post. Do let me know in the comments if you're doing Pan that Palette this year and include any links you may have. I'd love to follow your progress : )

Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x

Hello all and welcome to this quick mini update.

It hasn't been my best Project Pan month but it also hasn't been my worst, and the most exciting thing so far was that I recently finished off two full powder foundations, which had been on my list since last year.

In the past couple of days I have also finished the above two items, and while I was going to save showing them until my full month-end post, I've decided to sneak a mini update in now because I have a lot of work on so I may be a little late with my full update.

So, I've finished my Frank Body lip scrub and my Mauli hair oil. You'll see the purple nail polish marker on the oil, and the scrub was about half full at the beginning of May.

That Frank Body product is easily one of the worst things I've ever used: I absolutely hated it. It's so thick and slimy and waxy - plus it was so difficult to remove - that I opted to use it as a foot scrub just to get through it. I hated every moment of doing that too, so in hindsight I probably should have decluttered this and saved myself a headache. Still, it's gone now so let's move on.

The Mauli product I haven't reviewed because I didn't use it much for its intended purpose. It's meant to be a hair oil that you leave on overnight and then wash out in the morning, but since I wash my hair in the evening, I tried it first as a scalp massage oil but found it difficult to wash out, so instead I used it as a foot treatment and I quite liked it for that because it was really hydrating.

As for replacements, I'll save introducing my new products for when I do my May update. I'm still deciding what those will be, but I think I'll need at least a couple of 'fast turnaround' products since most of my current items are larger and therefore in for the long haul.

Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x

Hello all and welcome to another round of sachet city! I've done things a little differently this time around: while normally these posts only contain sachets and really small samples, this time I've thrown in a few minis because I want to get through them.

What I've also belatedly done is realised I should have included the below product in this post:

So it's not in the opening shot, but you'll see my comments on it below. I decided to include it because it came with my recent Beautyheaven Beautorium haul (post coming soon) and they ask for reviews of products within a specified timeframe, so I thought I'd better do it now or I'll forget.

Anyhoo! Let's see what I've been testing.

Rune Platinum Face Masks & Hadabisei Kracie Moisturising Facial Mask (Extra Rich)

These both came from our Maslow & Co Japanese edit (unboxed here) and I've decided to comment on them together because they did the same thing and I have no specific comments for either.

They're both 'standard' sheet masks and although I didn't hate them, they didn't do much for me either. Sheet masks rarely do. You pop them on and leave them for twenty minutes like any old sheet mask, and after use my skin temporarily felt and looked more plump and hydrated, but that was it. There was also far too much 'essence' in both so I got a full use of body 'cream' from them. That is all.

I'm so over sheet masks, I can't tell you.

RAFRA Complete In Gel Cream

This cream promises to offer the benefits of a multi-step regime in just one product, removing the need for a lotion, emulsion, serum, face cream, oil, eye cream and mask. It also claims to treat multiple skin concerns including pigmentation, enlarged pores, fine lines, dullness and dryness.

I like the idea of a 'do all' product in theory, but in practice I like my multi-step routine - plus this cream didn't do enough for my dry skin so it's not one I would buy. Yes it smelled nice (like orange peel) and yes it felt nice on the skin, but it was too light for me and my face always felt dry after use, unless I put a good serum or oil down first. Not for me.

Nars Pore & Shine Control Primer

This came in one of our Mecca Beauty Loop boxes (unboxed here). It's apparently a 'must have' for shine-prone complexions: it's meant to be lightweight and mattifying, while also targeting open pores.

In some ways this reminds me of the Hourglass Veil primer (it's white and the texture is similar, plus it aims to do similar things), but I much prefer the Hourglass version. This one felt powdery on me and it also balled up if I used a hair too much. Yes it reduced shine (not what I want for my dry skin!), but I don't think it did a great job of diminishing the look of pores.

Also, my face shrivelled like an old prune when I added foundation over this, so I only used it once before sending it to the declutter pile - which is saying a lot because I would normally just finish a sample this small (it's 2ml). But I couldn't bear to. Maybe it's good for really oily skin.

Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Face Butter

This is described as a super hydrating product, and anything that has 'oil' and 'butter' in the title gets me pretty excited because my skin needs all the grease it can get.

I liked it. It's a nice rich cream that isn't too heavy and it spreads and absorbs well, plus it feels quite velvety so I enjoyed the texture. It has a light, inoffensive shea butter scent and it hydrates beautifully, so it's indeed good for dry skin. The full 50ml size is $58 so it's not super cheap, but it's not the most expensive face cream I've seen either.

Estee Lauder Bronzed Goddess Eau Fraiche Skinscent

This came in a subscription box and I was quite interested to try it because I've heard a few youtubers rave about the original version. Unfortunately it's just not for me: it's quite a potent scent and it doesn't smell good on me at all.

Apparently it's a new take on the old classic and the notes include bergamot, tiare flower, vanilla, amber and coconut, plus sandalwood, pulpy orange and lemon. While that does sound like a perfume I would like because I tend to enjoy citrus scents with a hint of sweetness and also some depth, I've hated using this: it just doesn't work on me. It also doesn't last well and after a couple of hours I can only smell coconut and vanilla with the faintest hint of something woody underneath. Maybe I would have liked the original one better.

Byredo Super Cedar EDP

This is described as a unisex woody fragrance, with notes of rose petals and cedarwood. To be honest I don't smell rose petals at all, but I do smell the cedar and gosh it's strong.

I normally like masculine fragrances and I've been known to buy them for myself before, but this one is so masculine that I wouldn't even call it unisex. It's not a bad scent, but it just smells like wood to me so it's not particularly complex or interesting, nor does it smell nice to my nose - or perhaps it just smells bad on me. Fortunately I've found it less offensive and pungent than the Estee Lauder one so I haven't hated using it, and it's been good to wear overnight because it is quite a sleepy scent and there's something relaxing about it.

Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation

I received samples of this in two colours: Santa Fe (Medium 2) and Barcelona (Medium 4). I wasn't expecting to like it because it's full coverage and I'm not about that life, but it does claim to have a radiant, weightless finish, and I am about that so I kept an open mind.

This is actually the best Nars foundation I've tried to date (not including my HG Nars tinted moisturiser). The other two Nars bases I've tried (the fabled Sheer Glow and Velvet Matte Skin Tint) have been awful on me. They've looked like masks and have also pooled in pores, so I wouldn't go near them again. This one still looks like a mask on me, but that's partly because the coverage is too high for my tastes - although I did sheer it out to a medium coverage and it still gave me mask-face. Still, it's better than I expected so that's something.

I have a first impressions and swatch post coming up for this product soon, so stay tuned for that.

Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum

These are described as pure, potent, intensive single dose capsules. They aim to deliver the restorative power of ceramides and essential lipids to help strengthen the skin's barrier against the visible signs of time.

I expected to love them because I've seen them advertised and they look all fancy and special sitting there in their single dose capsules, plus when I used the first one I discovered that it contains an oil that feels rich and hydrating (so I'd call it more of an oil than a serum). But unfortunately the product does nothing for me when applied, except add a layer of grease to my face. So it looks and feels like it would be hydrating, but it's definitely not - or at least not for me. I feel so dry after I use one of these that I've needed to put them on over a hydrating serum, rather than using them as my first layer. Erk. What a letdown.

In sum

That's all from me! I hope you enjoyed this little post, and do let me know if you've sampled anything amazing recently.

Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x

Another month is rolling to a close so it's time to start wrapping things up.

It's been a difficult month here because myself and the kids were sick for over two weeks of it, and it was one of those illnesses that just didn't want to shift. On top of that, I've had a bundle of work with a tight deadline - something I haven't had to deal with for a while because I've been on maternity leave - so I'll be glad to say goodbye to May and hopefully face June with a fresh outlook.

Moving on.

Favourites! In no particular order...

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette

Full review here. This is one of those products that's been a favourite since I bought it, but during May I was using it via my Project Dent series so I was reminded of just how much I love it.

It's hard to describe exactly what these blushes do, but they lift the cheeks, blur imperfections and make me look younger in the process. They're hands-down the best blushes I own and nothing else I've ever tried comes close.

What was useful about including these in Project Dent is that I learned they work well on the eyes too, so the palette is much more versatile than I first thought. While unfortunately the palette was limited edition so it's no longer available, each individual blush is sold separately so all is not lost.

Love.

Rituals, The Ritual of Sakura Body Scrub

This is a gorgeous product. While it mightn't be the most amazing body scrub I've tried, it's certainly the nicest one I've used in terms of scent and how it looks. I've reviewed it here.

It's hard to describe what sakura smells like if you haven't smelled it, but it somehow manages to be sweet without being too much and there's something complex about it that really appeals. The scrub feels nice on the skin as you rub it in - exfoliating but nourishing at the same time - and after use my skin feels refreshed and also hydrated from the oils.

While you can find scrubs that are just as effective for a fraction of the price, it's nice to use something this lovely every now and then. I've been rationing mine and I'm not looking forward to the day that I finally finish it!

Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask

Full review here. I absolutely love this mask, which is saying a lot because I'm super picky with face masks: if it doesn't work brilliantly, then I don't want to waste time on it. This one's never a waste of time.

What frequently surprises me about this product is just how hydrating it is: it plumps up my skin beautifully and makes it look and feel like it's had a massive drink. My face always looks less lined and brighter after using this, so it's a great product to use in the morning under makeup.

This one's on my Project Pan list because I do need to reduce the number of masks in my collection, but I won't be rushing through it: it's too nice for that.

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara

This is a fantastic mascara and I absolutely love it. Indeed, it's overtaken Too Faced's Better Than Sex Mascara as my favourite non-budget mascara - mainly because the brush is thinner so I make less errors with this one, but also because it looks less dramatic and therefore more natural if you don't build it. I've reviewed it here.

It's everything I want in a mascara: it delivers good length and thickness (probably a bit more length than thickness, which is my preference); it's not too clumpy so I rarely need an eyelash comb; and it stays put throughout the day so I don't wind up with flakes and smudges everywhere by lunchtime.

Did I mention that the wand isn't too fat?! I did, but I'll mention it again. Thank golly.

Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector

Full review here. This was previously on my Project Pan list but I removed it for a while so I could test another product. Now that I've done this, I've come back to this one and reminded myself of how much I love it.

If the reviews are anything to go by, this is a polarising product - some people love it while others think it's plain awful - so I feel lucky to be able to say that it works beautifully for me and really makes a difference to my eye bags. Whenever I'm going to a special event, this is always on my 'must use' list because it helps me look my best.

Looking forward to reintroducing it to Project Pan soon.

In sum

That's all from me! I hope you enjoyed this little favourites post and that you've found plenty of things to love throughout May too.

Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x

Hello and welcome to my second empties post for the month!

I was going through my empties a few days ago to pick out the dozen or so empties I would include in this post, and I was surprised to discover a truckload of Project Pan empties that I hadn't yet sent to the recycling bin. So considering that it's a tight month in terms of time because I have a lot of work on, now is my chance to do them all in one hit and make this empties post a little shorter than usual.

So without further ado...

Project Pan empties

Yep, there they all are above. I'll comment on them briefly because I've already talked about them at length through Project Pan, but I'll include review links if you're interested in more details on any particular item.

Maybelline FitMe Concealer in 10 Light: Full review here. I don't mind this concealer but I don't love it as much as others do: I personally prefer Maybelline's Age Rewind version (reviewed here). This one's a little drying on me, which is why I prefer the Age Rewind.
Bodyography Oxyplex Loose Powders in Wheat and Cocoa Tan: These are fantastic powder foundations and I highly recommend them. They give great coverage and they don't dry out my already-dry skin. I've reviewed them here. Still, I'm glad to have finished them because you get a whopping 27g per tub so they lasted for years.
Davroe Straightening Balm: Full review here. This was not a good product. Thank god I've finished it. That is all.

Of these three products, I would absolutely repurchase the Bodyography foundations but not anytime soon: I'd like to try something else first. So that's a yes to repurchasing the Bodyography product but a no to the other two.

As for the other four items:

Chantecaille Lip Chic in Anais: Full review here. This was a lovely lipstick but it didn't convince me that high-end lipsticks are worth the money. Yes it's hydrating and yes it plumps my lips (the two things I look for most in my lip products), but I can find decent lipsticks in the chemist that do the same thing so I wouldn't buy this again.
Bodyography Lipstick in Seductress: This was also a nice lipstick but the colour didn't suit me so I was glad to get through it. I've reviewed it here. You can find these for mid-range prices so I'd be more likely to buy something like this than I would the Chantecaille product.
Mecca Fresh Faced Hydrating Primer: Full review here. I didn't hate this product but I also didn't love it because I expected it to be more hydrating (I mean, look at the title), and for me it was more of a smoothing primer. Not a bad product, just not what I wanted it to be.
John Frieda Frizz Ease Forever Smooth Anti Frizz Primer: This didn't work for me at all so I gave it a 'disappointing products' tag (see review here). I was however able to use it as a foot cream so all was not lost.

As for repurchasing, I probably wouldn't buy any of these but I'd be most likely to buy more of the Bodyography lipsticks if I could get them on special.

Maybelline Volum' Express Pumped Up! Colossal Mascara in 214 Glam Black

Full review here. When I first used this, it wasn't good at all because it clumped like crazy and I had issues with the fat brush (I always do, damn hooded eyes), but after a few weeks the mascara started performing much better, so it's obviously one of those formulas that's too wet to start with and improves with age.

After that it gave me clump-free lashes and delivered a good amount of length, and while it thickened the lashes a little, I found it was better for lengthening overall. It's not the best mascara I've tried but you could do a lot worse. Purchase? No.

Divine Woman Soothing Rose Toner

This was only a sample so I haven't reviewed it, but it came in a set and I'll eventually review the set as a whole.

I've almost finished the four products now and this was the one I liked least: it wasn't awful but it just did nothing for me. I didn't feel that it toned well, nor did it remove that last layer of gunk from my face as well as other toners do. Plus it smelled weird: yes I could smell the rose, but it smelled a bit pungent and off. Purchase? No.

La Roche-Posay Micellar Water Ultra for Reactive Skin

This came from our recent edit of The Parcel (unboxed here) and I do think it's a decent micellar water: it worked better for me than some others I've tried, including Bioderma's. It cuts through makeup well and doesn't irritate my dry, sensitive skin.

Having said this, I prefer the micellars I've used from eg Avene (reviewed here) and Unani (reviewed here) so I'm more likely to buy those, or even Garnier's version (reviewed here), which is cheaper. Still, it does what it says it will do without 'upsetting' my skin so that's something. Purchase? No.

Korres White Tea Fluid Gel Cleanser

Full review here. This was fine for gentle morning cleanse but I've used similar cleansers before that I prefer. It's not that it's a bad product, it's just that it didn't grab me.

Still, it's not expensive and it doesn't foam or irritate/strip the skin, so if you need a simple cleanser for morning use then this isn't a bad pick. I wouldn't recommend it for makeup-removal, though: it did an ok job of that but I don't think it's best-suited to that purpose. Repurchase? No.

In sum

Hooray for more empties! It's been a pretty good month so far and I could have squeezed in a third empties post if I had time, but that will have to wait for another day.

Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x

Hello all and welcome to another mini update for Project Pan 2017!

Please note this is going to be a photo-heavy post (unusual because I normally ramble on a bit ; )), but in this case the unthinkable has happened: even though I took far fewer photos than usual of these two little empties, for some reason most of them turned out and were in focus. My golly! What did I do?! If only all photo sessions were like that...

I digress.

Yes it's true, another unthinkable thing has happened: would you believe it, but yesterday morning I mixed my last batch of these two Bodyography powder foundations, and I then used the remnants stuck to the sides of both tubs to powder my face.

I can't quite believe it! These have been on my list since last year and I honestly thought they'd still be going until Christmas. Huzzah.

See markers above.

You'll note that I've moved quickly ever since I got to the lower end of the tub - which I was expecting, but not to this degree - and while in theory I still have some product left because I have the mixed amount in another container, that won't last out June and these powders are 'finished' for the purposes of Project Pan.

There they are again in all their empty glory. I still can't believe it!

Anyhoo. I've decided not to replace these items for now because I've already brought extra replacements in this month and they took my list total over fifteen (my perfect panning number), so I'll wait until I've finished more things before introducing anything else.

That's all from me. Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x

little white truths

Pages

Contact Form / PR Friendly