little white truths

I received this sample face cream as a GWP and I included it in one of my recent samples posts in order to get through it.

I've now been using it on and off for the past couple of months, and after this review I plan to finish the rest as a body cream because I just don't like it and I can't wait to pan it. More on that below.

Olay claims/product details:

• A lightly scented, fast-absorbing and non-greasy cream with a luxurious feel 
• In just eight weeks, its formula with PearlOptics Science fades the look of dark spots, age spots, sun spots and discolouration – evening your overall skintone
• Illuminates skin's appearance to help recapture its healthy-looking, youthful glow 
• Contains carnosine, a powerful antioxidant di-peptide that protects the skin against dulling
• Olive M boosts antioxidants to fight free radicals
• Vitamin B3 boosts cellular turnover and maintains skin’s moisture
• N-Acetyl brightens the skin and reduces the appearance of dark spots
• Glycerin offers intense moisturising properties
• RRP $48.99 AUD for 50ml, but do shop around

Verdict

I don't like this cream at all and I'm looking forward to getting through it. Unsurprisingly I'm not the only one who isn't a fan, and the reviews on eg beautyheaven's website are lukewarm at best.

It's a pale peach cream with a strong scent, and I wasn't surprised to see fragrance noted about halfway through the ingredients list, so it doesn't just contain artificial fragrance, it contains quite a lot of it and I would avoid this if you have sensitive skin.

In texture it feels smooth and creamy, but from the moment I first used it, I could feel how chalky and powdery it felt when applied - so I wasn't surprised to see that the formula is heavy on silicones. What this means (at least in my case) is that the damn stuff won't absorb properly, so it leaves my face feeling tight and parched after use.

Not only this, but because it leaves a film over my skin, I can't ease any dryness by laying down an oil over the top because nothing will penetrate through it. This means that all it's doing is leaving a coating on my skin and it's not offering any real benefits.

Another thing worth mentioning is that, likely because it's heavy on silicones and glycerin, not only does it feel chalky and powdery on the skin, but it also has a tendency to ball up when you layer it over a serum or try to put something more hydrating over the top. Blurgh.

On the claims: no it's not fast-absorbing (it doesn't absorb well at all); I don't think it feels luxurious (it feels chalky to me); no it hasn't faded the look of age spots or discolouration; no it's not illuminating; no it doesn't moisturise or maintain my skin's moisture; and no it doesn't help with dullness either.

Overall I don't like this product and I can't wait to send mine packing. In my view it doesn't meet any of its claims, and it also hasn't been formulated with skin-friendly ingredients because it's heavy on fragrance and silicone. I've given it a disappointing products tag.

Not for me.

Hello and welcome to my third empties post for May.

I should have done three empties posts for the last couple of months, which effectively means I've got six I could do this month - but I'll limit myself to three and make sure I start them early in June.

Let's get straight into it.

BareMinerals Skinlongevity Vital Power Infusion 

Full review here. This is a really nice serum, and while it's not quite as good as my HG Lancome serum (reviewed here), they're similar in terms of effect - it's just that the Lancome serum yields stronger results. 

What I love about this BareMinerals offering is that it has a brightening effect so it boosts radiance, plus it plumps fine lines and wrinkles (at least temporarily) so it makes my skin look more even. 

I also feel that it firms and tones the skin for a while after I've applied it. Indeed, my skin looks more healthy when I use this, and it feels softer and smoother so makeup glides on better, which is always a plus for me personally. Repurchase? Yes.

Mecca Enlightened Illuminating Body Oil

I didn't like this oil much and I'm glad it's gone. It came from Mecca last year as our birthday gift, and it's probably the only gift I've received from Mecca that I haven't liked. I've reviewed it here.

First, I don't need a shimmery body oil and I certainly don't need one that's this expensive. Second, the texture is thick and it doesn't spread well so I need too much per application. Also, while I do think it moisturises a little bit, it leaves a sticky finish so I suspect it won't be for everyone, and not all of it is absorbing and nourishing my skin where I need it most. So I would steer clear of this if you need hydration, because this likely won't deliver. Not for me. Purchase? No.

Goldfaden MD Wake Up Call

Full review here. I absolutely love this product and I recommend it. Yes it's expensive, but gosh it works well and I'm almost prepared to forgive the massive price-tag because it does such good things for my skin. 

I've been using mine for the last six months, and my skin hasn't been in this good condition for a while. It's not just that it looks brighter and fresher these days, it's also a lot clearer and I don't have those break-outs along my chin anymore - which I've been getting for as long as I can remember - so it's a huge deal for me that something has finally targeted them. Love. Repurchase? Yes.

Ren Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic

Full review here. This is a good toner and I recommend it. What I love about this is that it feels like it's clearing the gunk from my face, and the makeup pad certainly comes away dirty whenever I use it. It has that slightly astringent feel as it pulls away the dirt and impurities from my skin, and I can also feel it clearing away dead skin cells. But despite how effective it is, my dry skin has been able to tolerate it well.

After use my skin is left looking brighter and feeling smoother, and this has also helped keep my face clear over time so I don't have as many breakouts as I do when I'm not using a product like this. I also think it clears the path for my skincare to absorb better, because it has a resurfacing effect so it's removing the dead skin and leaving the newer skin ready for skincare. A great little product. Repurchase? Yes.

Andalou Naturals Bioactive 8 Berry Fruit Enzyme Mask

Full review here. I wanted to love this mask because I generally enjoy Andalou as a brand, but unfortunately it didn't work for me so I had to put it on my Project Pan list, just to get through it.

It's a gel mask that smells like fresh berries. It feels nice, cooling and soothing when applied, but it's also one of those masks that doesn't feel like it's doing a hell of a lot once I've got it on. Indeed, when it comes to washing the product off, I can barely notice any change in my skin. Perhaps it feels a little more hydrated and perhaps it looks a little brighter, but I think I'm reaching here and I don't notice much change at all. Not for me. Purchase? No.

Nivea Irresistibly Smooth Body Souffle

I really like this product and I would absolutely buy it again. It's been perfect for my dry skin and I enjoy the experience of using it, plus it's not super expensive so it's one I would recommend because it won't break the bank. I've reviewed it here.

It's a beautifully rich, thick and creamy product with that familiar Nivea scent. I like that it's super nourishing and hydrating, but it doesn't feel too heavy for my dry skin. Plus it spreads and absorbs well so a little goes a long way and I don't need to work too hard to get the product to sink in. While I think it would be too much for oily skin, if you have dry skin like I do, this is definitely a product to try. Repurchase? Yes.

Grown Alchemist Anti Frizz 0.5 Shampoo & Conditioner

I have mixed feelings about these products because I do think they work well to reduce my frizz - as they're designed to do - but otherwise they're not the most effective haircare items I've tried so it's not all good news. I've reviewed them here.

I found that the shampoo didn't wash my hair properly on its own, so I always needed to wash it with another shampoo when I used it. I also needed to use far too much per application, so I burned through it too quickly. The conditioner was better, although I still needed to use a lot per application - meaning it wasn't great value either.

When combined, the first two times I used this, my hair was definitely less frizzy but it was also very knotty and it wasn't properly clean either. After I started washing my hair with a more effective shampoo first and using more of the conditioner, things got better. The products not only helped manage frizz, but also left my hair feeling clean, soft and hydrated. Still, I wouldn't buy these because they're not cheap and they're not perfect. Repurchase? No.

Dermaveen Daily Nourish Foaming Facial Cleanser

Full review here. This was sent to me for review and I'm glad it was because I really enjoyed it. It's a clear gel cleanser that foams surprising well for something that doesn't contain any nasties. The foam it creates is soft and creamy, and it feels nice and gentle on the skin. I can absolutely tell that it's pH balanced too.

It leaves my skin feeling soft, clean and hydrated after use - never stripped or dry - which is a plus for me because I have dry, sometimes sensitive skin and I need something that doesn't exacerbate the problem. I love that it cleans well without irritating my skin, and I also love that I can use it as often as I like without my face feeling parched after use. Plus it's fragrance free, which is always good for those of us with sensitive skin. Worth trying. Purchase? Yes.

Alpha-H Liquid Gold Resurfacing Cleansing Cream

I don't think this is a bad product and it's had some good reviews online, it's just not the right cleanser for me because it's quite strong and I don't want a cream cleanser that's heavy on the acids (I have other products for that). I've reviewed it here.

It spreads and applies well, and although the texture is creamy, it doesn't feel hydrating on my skin - if anything it dries it out a little. When applied it starts to tingle - not in an uncomfortable way, but in a 'this is working' way - so I can tell there's a good amount of active ingredients in the formula, which may be a plus for some. After use, my skin always feels a bit too resurfaced and sometimes uncomfortable. So while I think there's a place for a product like this and I do think it's decent, it's not the right product for me. Repurchase? No.

In sum

Yay to finishing another empties post. I do have another bunch of empties that I recently photographed, so I'll aim to get that post up early in June because I'd like to make a start on the empties pile sooner rather than later.

The best items in this lot were the BareMinerals serum, the Ren toner, the Goldfaden cream and the Dermaveen cleanser. Everything else I can live without.

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

Hello and welcome to my second empties post for May.

I'm hoping to get a third one in before the end of the month, although it won't be easy because there's only half a day of May left! We'll see.

In no particular order...

Full review here. I don't mind this hand cream but I do prefer products that I can use for both day and night so I probably wouldn't buy it again. 

It's on the thick and rich side, and it smells like vanilla, orange and amber. It spreads and absorbs well, and I like how hydrating and nourishing it feels on the skin. Once applied, it leaves a slightly greasy residue that's fine for night use but I don't like applying it during the day because I need to wipe my hands down before eg I use my computer. I don't like having to do that (with a toddler and a pre-schooler, it's hard enough to find the time to apply hand cream in the first place), so I tend to use things I can whack on at any time of day because that makes my life easier. Repurchase? No.

Skin Physics Dragon's Blood 3 in 1 Advanced Treatment Cleanser

I'm really enjoying this cleanser and I'm so glad I bought it: I would absolutely buy it again, and it's become a favourite very quickly. It feels quite cooling and soothing on the skin when applied, so it's been a good cleanser to use at any time of year. I've reviewed it here.

This cleanser doesn't lather so much as become thinner and silkier when you add water. It's a lovely texture and I enjoy having it on my face. I also enjoy that you can leave this on for a few minutes as a mask: I love a good double-purpose product and this is definitely one of those. When I wash it off, my skin is left looking brighter and fresher, and also feeling smooth and softer to boot. I also like that it not only exfoliates my skin, but cleanses it nicely too. Repurchase? Yes.

In sum

That's all from me. It's the last day of May here in Australia and I'm keen to get another empties post up after this one because I'm drowning in them at the moment.

The best items in this lot were the Skin Physics cleanser, the Palmer's oil and both the Ethique bars.

Do let me know in the comments if you've finished anything good this month: I'd love to hear.

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

I wanted to get an empties post up today but I have a bundle of work to do so instead I'll quickly write this Project Pan mini update and then get stuck into it. If I'm lucky, the work won't go on for too long and I'll be able to do an empties post afterwards. We'll see.

Above is my Andalou Naturals CannaCell Glow Mask, which I finished last night. There it is again:

Yep, it's empty. I'm glad it's gone because it doesn't do much for me and it also stung a bit on application so it's not one I would buy for myself. 

To finish it, I used it twice weekly for the past month and then used the last application all over my body, just because I wanted to speed things along so I could focus on masks I prefer.

Here's my replacement:

It's my evo the great hydrator moisture mask. I received this as a GWP and I included it in one of my samples posts a couple of months ago, and since then I haven't tried it once so I'm throwing it into Project Pan to make myself use it!

There's how much I've used (none):

I can't tell you how long this will take to pan because I don't know how much I'll need per application or whether it even works for me.

Still, I'll aim to have it panned within a couple of months because I have too much haircare at the moment and need to get through some.

That's all from me. Now to get stuck into the pile of work.

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

Hello and welcome to another Project Pan mini update for the year.

As you can see above, I've now finished my Andalou Naturals Clean Skin Lemon Sugar Facial Scrub. While I only introduced this recently, I used it twice a day and there wasn't a huge amount left so I was able to finish it within a week.

There it is again:

As you can see, it's definitely empty! While I enjoyed this product, it wasn't the best scrub I've used and I wouldn't buy it again because I have so many others I prefer.

As for my replacement, I've picked one:

It's my BareMinerals Gen Nude Patent Lip Lacquer in Everything (reviewed here). I do enjoy this product but I keep forgetting about it, so bringing it into my challenge will help me remember to use it.

There's how much I've used below:

So I'm about one third of the way through, and I'm hoping I can pan this in time for my next quarterly makeup inventory at the end of June. We'll see. It's a smaller tube so I may just get there.

That's all from me. Just a short one because I'm drowning in work today!

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

Hello and welcome to my next round of Project Dent.

I've decided to pick another Hourglass quint and I may well dent the third one I own after this: I like that they're small so I can still use my Too Faced palette (from my Pan that Palette challenge) while I'm denting them, and the shimmers pair well with the Too Faced mattes.

If you're interested, I've reviewed this palette here. Note however that this range has been discontinued and I'm not sure whether you can still buy them.

Essentially I think this palette is a lot better than Obscura, and while I don't think you need to pay this much for an eyeshadow palette, I do like this one and I like it enough that I have no plans to pan it anytime soon because I want to keep it in my collection.

Let's get straight into progress shots.

Here's how it's looking today, 28 May 2019:

Below I've enhanced the above shot for clarity:

As you can see, it barely looks like I've used this and I would like to change that over the denting period. While I don't expect to see huge amounts of progress in only two weeks, I know I can achieve some in that time and I'll try to open up a visible dent in at least two of the shades. We'll see.

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

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

Ideally I would like to get three empties posts done over the next few days because I'm in ridiculous empties back-log, but I mightn't quite get there since there's a queue for photographs at the moment and I have other products that need to be photographed first. We'll see.

In no particular order...

Palmolive Body Butter Coconut Scrub Exfoliating Body Wash

Full review here. I did enjoy this but I much preferred the scent of the coffee version (reviewed here) so I probably wouldn't buy this particular scent again because it's not as rich and delicious as I'd expected it to be, given my experience with the coffee scrub.

It's a creamy product that feels nicely hydrating on the skin, so it doesn't dry out my already dry skin and that's a plus. Note that it contains little exfoliating grains that basically do nothing, so I wouldn't buy this for the scrub aspect - but it does make a lovely body wash. It cleans well and leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated after use, so it's a good formula for the cooler months. Repurchase? Yes, but not in this fragrance.

Batiste Dry Shampoo, Original

I discovered this range of dry shampoos over a year ago and I haven't looked back since then: they're my absolute favourites. Hence I've been busy trying all the different scents, and this Original version is my favourite because it doesn't smell like cheap deodorant. Full review here. 

What's great about this product is that it does exactly what it says it will do: it makes my hair look and feel cleaner and fresher, plus it adds body and texture to boot. It also works if eg I've used a product that's left my hair feeling heavy and coated, so it deals with more than human grease.

Plus it makes my hair easier to brush so I think it has a detangling effect too, and it adds some shine and makes my hair feel softer. Basically it does everything that I want and need a dry shampoo to do. Hip hip hooray. Repurchase? Yes.

Elizabeth Arden Prevage Progressive Renewal Treatment

Full review here. I was sent this product to review so I had to use it according to the directions, although I would have preferred to use it every second night because I often felt like my skin needed a break and I don't think that extending things would have sacrificed efficacy. Of course, this would also have meant that it lasted me two months instead of one, making it better value.

As a whole, this treatment did something for my face but I would want to see amazing results from something that costs this much. Note that I didn't notice any real difference in strength between the different weeks of the treatment (and I'm not the first person to have said this), and although it says that the bottles get stronger over time, I couldn't tell that while I was using it. So while it did clarify and brighten my skin a bit, I've used products that did more for texture etc so I wouldn't go back to this. Purchase? No.

Ralph Lauren Midnight Romance

I haven't reviewed this because I mostly don't review fragrances on this blog (they're too personal and everyone likes different things, plus different fragrances smell different on different people), but I wanted to include this in my empties post because it's worth throwing in a few comments.

I enjoyed the fragrance and it reminded me a lot of Lancome's Tresor Midnight Rose (there's blackcurrant in both), but what I didn't like was how bad the lasting power was. Indeed, I needed to spritz it three times a day if I wanted to wear it, and I don't think that's good enough. Repurchase? No.

Hello and welcome to another Project Dent update post.

I'm pleased to be wrapping up this round because I mostly use only three of the shades in this quint, and while I enjoy those three, I'm ready to move on to something else.

If you're interested, my review of this palette is here - although note that these Modernist palettes have now been discontinued, so you mightn't be able to get your hands on them anymore. 

Long story short, I love the shimmers in this quint but can live without the other shades so I don't plan to keep it in my collection long-term. I do however hope to find dupes for the shimmers before I pan it.

Here's how it looked two weeks ago:

And here's how it's looking now, after two weeks' daily use:

Below I've enhanced the above two shots for clarity.

Two weeks ago: 

Today:

As you can see, I've made some decent progress in this palette over the denting period. I've expanded the pan on the bronze (right) and I've also hit pan on the cream, which I was able to do by mixing some in with my setting powder each day for a slight glow. Reason being, this cream has a sheen to it so I can't use it to set my concealer or eye primer because all that does is emphasise my lines and the bags under my eyes.

I also have a good dip happening in the middle shade (bottom) and I used the brown on the left in my brows, although you can't see too much progress on that shade in the above photos.

I promised to let you know whether I think I'll pan this palette next year and I think I will, although I may decide to bring it into my Pan that Palette 2019 challenge once I've panned my Too Faced palette, which I suspect will happen within three months. We'll see.

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

Hello and welcome to my next round of Project Dent for the year.

I'm currently panning a bronzer but I've been feeling like a break from that lately, so I've decided to dent another bronzer and allow myself to play with something else.

I've picked this Chantecaille product because I'm yet to dent it this year, while some of my other bronzers have already been circulated.

Note that while I think this is a nice product, it's not the best bronzer I own (despite being the most expensive) and I wouldn't buy it again.

Indeed, I don't think it's worth the massive price-tag and I expected more from it. Sure, it blends and applies well, but it doesn't give me that airbrushed look that I've come to expect from powders that cost this much. Give me something from Hourglass or Marc Jacobs any day.

I've reviewed this duo here if you're interested.

Let's get straight into progress shots.

Here's how my bronzer is looking today, 27 May 2019:

Below I've enhanced the above shot for clarity:

So you can see that I've definitely used this, and indeed I made a reasonable amount of progress in a short period of time when I last dented it. That's because it's not super pigmented, and I'm expecting to make a similar chunk of progress this time around.

Wish me luck!

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

Hello and welcome to another Project Dent update post for the year.

I've now been using this blush palette for two weeks, so I'm ready to check back in and show you my progress shots before moving it out of circulation and choosing something else to replace it.

If you're interested, my review of this palette is here. 

While I do really enjoy it and it's up to Hourglass' usual standards, I prefer the original Hourglass blushes because they're not as shimmery as these ones.

Nevertheless I've been lucky with the individual pans in my palette because I can focus my brush in particular areas and get both a blush and a highlighter from each pan. This means it contains six different powders in practice, which can only be a good thing!

Now for progress shots.

Incandescent Electra, as it was two weeks ago:

Today:

Below I've enhanced the above two shots for clarity.

Two weeks ago:

 Today:

Below I've enhanced the above two shots for clarity.

Two weeks ago:

Today:

As with the other two shades, I've mainly been able to make a mark on the highlighter portion of the pan when it comes to this colour. Yes I've used the purple swirls a bit, but you can't really see that and the main visible difference is where you can see that dent in the centre of the pan.

In sum

It's been a good round of Project Dent and this palette is now looking more loved than it did before. While the progress isn't huge, it's a start and that's the main thing.

What I'll do now is set this palette aside for the moment and pick out my next item for Project Dent. I suspect it's time to start circulating through some of my bronzers.

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