little white truths

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

I'm pleased to report that it's been a very good month for empties so far, and I'm expecting to have a third empties post filled within the next week - which can only be a good thing, considering that I have my next makeup inventory update due very soon.

Let's have a look.

Becca First Light Priming Filter

This is one of my favourite primers on the planet and I'm sad that I've finished it, although I needed to because it had been open for a while. I've reviewed it here.

It's purple in colour but it sheers out beautifully on the skin and brightens the complexion. It also adds a subtle luminosity and it's nicely hydrating, and I think it evens out the look of texture too. It's one of my HGs for a reason. Repurchase? Yes.

Australis Matchmaker Shade Adjusting Drops in Lightening

Full review here. I do have a back-up for these because they're the best and cheapest, most widely available foundation whitening drops on the market in Australia at the moment, and although they're not perfect, they do work and I'll certainly use my second bottle.

They're good for lightening bases that are a little too dark for me, but they're not so good when I need to add more of them to an even darker base because they can change the formula and they can also make things look ashy because they're white: I'd prefer to see these done in eg pale yellow, pale pink, pale beige etc. Still, they're functional. Repurchase? Already have.

Blessed by Nature Hydrating Mist Toner

Full review here. This came as a freebie in a Priceline bag and I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed it and that I would buy it - especially because it's so reasonably priced.

It's a standard toner that comes in a spray bottle, and while I think it worked best as a dedicated toner, in the end I used it as a face mist because I didn't have another one and this worked well for that purpose too. It was hydrating and the mist was fine enough that I could apply it over makeup without disturbing things, and it was a big bottle so it lasted a long time. Good value. Purchase? Yes.

Trilogy Cream Cleanser

This is apparently Trilogy's bestselling product, and while I did like it, it wasn't my favourite and I wouldn't repurchase it. I've reviewed it here.

I found this to be an effective cleanser, and although it didn't remove my eye makeup, it dealt with everything else well. It also left my skin feeling clean, soft and hydrated after use, and I can see why a lot of people love this product. For me, I still prefer oil and balm cleansers over cream ones so I'll be sticking with those for now. Repurchase? No.

La Roche-Posay Serozinc

Full review here. I wasn't expecting to like this because it's normally raved about by lasses with oily skin and I'm dry, and it's also marketed as a mattifying product that reduces shine and keeps oil and blemishes at bay - so basically the opposite of what I want in a face mist.

However. I found this to be super cooling and soothing on my skin, and it was hydrating to boot. It also didn't suck the life from my face or make me look powdered, so if you've also been avoiding this because your skin is dry, don't discount it. It works for me and I would absolutely buy it. Repurchase? Yes.

BareMinerals BareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer in Medium

This is my HG concealer so I was sad to finish it, but I'd had it for around 18 months and it was starting to separate so I'm glad I panned it when I did. I've reviewed it here.

I've now been through two of these and while I'm currently trying another formula because I was ready to give something else a go, I would still go back to this one. It covers well, it's hydrating and it doesn't sit in fine lines. Perfection. Repurchase? Yes.

Lux Passionate Spell Body Wash

Full review here. I've been through two of these since they reformulated them to remove the micro-beads and I haven't liked either of them.

First, the formula is incredibly astringent and while my body can usually tolerate a lot more than my face can, I feel like this strips my skin and dries it out. I also find the two fragrances I've tried to be very strong and heady, and while this wasn't as bad as the purple version, it wasn't a scent I enjoyed. Repurchase? No.

Klorane Shampoo with Mango Butter

This product came from the Parcel and I didn't review it because I didn't have the matching conditioner to test it with, but I can tell you that it didn't work for me or my kids.

The issue was that it didn't clean well and it was very heavy so I also couldn't wash it out properly, plus it left a coating on our hair. The good news was that it smelled absolutely divine (I love mango) so we mostly used it as a bubble bath because that's really all it was good for. Purchase? No.

L'Oreal Pure Clay Exfoliating & Smoothing Red Algae Mask

Full review here. This mask was on my Project Pan list for a couple of months because it wasn't doing much for me and I wanted to finish it.

It contained little exfoliating grains and while I liked those because they gave my skin a good polish, they were the only good thing about the product and I don't need a mask to exfoliate (my scrub can do that in a fraction of the time) so I was happy to get through it: the mask itself didn't do anything positive for my skin. Repurchase? No.

L'Oreal Pure Clay Purifying & Mattifying Eucalyptus Mask

This one was even worse than the above mask because it completely stripped my skin. I don't know what was in it, but it was super irritating and my face stung and felt awful after I used it. I've reviewed it here.

Yes my skin is dry, but note that people with oily skin have said the same thing - that is, it irritates and strips the skin to the point that it causes their face to produce even more oil. Not ideal! In the end I used this as a body mask to get through it, and I wouldn't use it again. Repurchase? No.

In sum

My favourite empties in this lot were the BareMinerals concealer, the Becca primer and the face mists from Blessed by Nature and La Roche-Posay. Everything else I can take or leave.

Let me know in the comments what you've been loving lately: I'd love to hear.

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