little white truths

These empties are actually from December 2018, but I ran out of time to do this post during the festive madness so I'm only getting to it now.

Never mind. I'm always happy writing empties posts and sending more products packing, no matter how late I am with the posts and no matter what I've finished.

Let's have a look.

Isocol Rubbing Alcohol

I've had this bottle for years and I'm sad I've finished it because now I'll have to buy a new one and neither of my two local supermarkets stocks it. Blurgh. Hoh well.

This is the rubbing alcohol I use when I'm re-pressing powders, and while I've never used another one so I can't tell you if this is better or worse than average, I can tell you that it works well for me. Also, this bottle has lasted me three years, and I use it often enough so that's a positive: anything that doesn't need to be replaced too often is ok by me. Repurchase? Yes.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Beautiful Brunette

Full review here. While I normally love Batiste dry shampoos, this particular version didn't grab me and I wouldn't buy another one.

Yes the product deals with normal human grease ok, but it doesn't do anything for detangling, adding shine or making my hair more manageable. The original versions do all those things, plus they work on product build-up too. This one doesn't. Repurchase? No.

Olay Regernerist Microdermabrasion Kit

I enjoy microdermabrasion products and happily this was a good one. I'm glad I tried it. I've reviewed it here.

The first step in the kit was microdermabrasion crystals in oil, and the second was a serum that acted as a chemical exfoliant. What I liked about the kit was that it didn't irritate my skin but it was still very effective, so my face always felt smooth and soft after use - plus it looked brighter and younger too. I would definitely use this again. Repurchase? Maybe.

SunSense Sensitive Invisible SPF 50+

These two tubes came as GWPs. Apparently the product is specially designed for sensitive skin, and it should help defend against sunburn and premature ageing. 

I found it to be ok, but it wasn't the best facial sunscreen I've used so I wouldn't go back to it. For me, it was a little thick so it took some work to rub in (meaning it made me look white sometimes), and it also had a greasy finish so I needed to powder my face more than usual when I used it. As a sunscreen, though, it was fine - and I'm sure you could do a lot worse than this. Purchase? No.

Trilogy Mineral Radiance Mask

Full review here. This mask didn't do much for me so I was happy to include it on my Project Pan list last year, just to get through it.

While I'm glad that it wasn't uncomfortable on my dry skin as it dried down (and it also didn't leave my skin feeling dry after use), that was where the good stuff ended. It just didn't do anything for me - it didn't resurface, it didn't hydrate, it didn't detoxify and it didn't cleanse - which meant there was no real point in me using it. Repurchase? No.

The Ordinary Alpha Lipoic Acid 5%

This is an intense treatment that you apply every few days and I wouldn't use it any more than that or you'll risk irritating your skin. Indeed, I can't use it after any other treatment because it's too strong and it feels like it's burning, so I make sure to give my skin at least a day's rest after using eg one of my chemical peels. Full review here. 

What it does is resurface and brighten the face, and it really kills that top layer of dead skin so that my face feels beautifully smooth on the morning after I've used it, plus it looks younger and fresher. It faded my age spots a bit too. A great little product and also a cheap one. Repurchase? Yes.

Goldfaden MD Vital Boost

This is apparently a supercharged daily moisturiser to correct the look of uneven skintone. It should improve skin elasticity and encourage a more youthful-looking complexion, while imparting hydration, antioxidants and radiance to the skin.

I barely noticed using this and it was one of those products that didn't grab me either way: it was hydrating enough for my dry skin but not so hydrating that I loved it, and there wasn't anything in particular that I didn't like about it - though I will say that it was a bit meh for me and of course that isn't a good thing. Purchase? No.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Overnight Renewal Cream

Full review here. This is a good product and I do enjoy it, but it's not good enough that I would consider buying the full size. While I have enjoyed using it, it's not the most hydrating cream I've tried - and since that's normally what I look for (my skin is dry so I need serious nourishment), it's not one I would buy. 

Still, there's something exfoliating and resurfacing about it, and it's been a good cream for the warmer weather when my skin is less dry because it's not so heavy that my face can't breathe through it. My skin has also felt a little smoother while I've been using this, so while it's not top of my list, it does have some effect. Purchase? No.

Soak Hair Revive Shampoo & Conditioner

These were hotel samples, although you can buy them online and I've also seen this brand show up in subscription boxes, so initially I'd planned to review them but I decided not to because I didn't use them enough to do so (they didn't work well enough for me to continue using them).

The shampoo wasn't great and I needed to do three washes with it in order to clean my hair, and when I used it on the kids, I had the same issue: it wasn't concentrated enough and I needed to use heaps each time.

As for the conditioner, this too wasn't concentrated enough so I needed to use a lot per application (both on my own hair and also on my kids' hair), and unfortunately it wasn't hydrating enough for my dry hair so I was left with knotty, dull locks after use. It didn't do much for my kids' hair either and I found their hair harder to brush while we were using these.

Not for me. Purchase? No.

In sum

Them's my first empties for 2019! 

The best items in this lot were the acid from The Ordinary and the Isocol rubbing alcohol. Everything else I wouldn't rush to use again, although I did enjoy the Olay microdermabrasion set too.

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