little white truths

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

While I'm due to write my full Project Pan update either today or tomorrow, I wanted to post on these empties now so that my full update is smaller.  

Let's see what I've finished.

First up, my Batiste Dry Shampoo in Divine Dark. While I love Batiste's dry shampoos, these tinted versions don't work for me as well so I wouldn't buy them again.

Even though I didn't have much of this product left when I started panning it, it took me ages to finish because I kept using the other Batiste dry shampoo I own instead, simply because it works so much better for me. But it's gone now so that's a good thing.

My other empty:

It's my NYX Butter Gloss in Praline. While it looks as though there's a small amount still down the bottom where the stopper doesn't reach, I did in fact get most of this out with the end of a makeup brush - it's just a little rim around the edge that was harder to get to.

This is one of my favourite NYX glosses because I love the colour and the formula of this one doesn't sit in lip lines (some of them can a bit), so I would absolutely buy it again.

That's all from me. I'm glad I've finished two more products before the end of the month and I'll look forward to writing my full update shortly.

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

Hello and welcome to my final Pan that Palette update for the year.

While there's still a few months left of 2019 and I still have shadows in my custom palette to work on, I've now finished my Too Faced palette so I've decided to close down the challenge for this year. That way I can focus on other eyeshadows so they don't sit around gathering dust.

Let's have a look!

I finished my Too Faced palette yesterday, and as suspected, Strapless was the last shadow to go. Still, I was able to get through everything relatively easily because the pigment started to fade a couple of months back, meaning that things started to move faster after that.

Here's how my palette looked last month:

And today:

As you can see, it's definitely empty!

I really enjoyed panning this and I never tired of it. It also lasted reasonably well because it was 4.5 years old when I started working on it in January, and the shadows only started to crumble and lose their pigment towards the end.

As for my custom palette, here's how it looked last month:

And today:

As always, let's work in sections.

My Kevyn Aucoin eyeshadows, as they were last month:

And today:

So, all the shadows showing pan look a little more loved, and I'll continue to work on those slowly after I close down this challenge. I can't see myself finishing them anytime soon, but I may get there next year. We'll see.

As for my Kevyn Aucoin bronzer, here's how it looked last month:

And today:

It doesn't look like I've used this much over the past month, but I have so there must be some progress made - even if it's not visible.

What I plan to do with this now is re-press it into an eyeshadow pan because I don't have a warm brown in my custom Kevyn Aucoin palette and I need one, and if there's leftover product, I'll re-press it into this pan and hopefully finish it as a bronzer within the next couple of months.

My Becca eyeshadows, as they were last month:

And today: 

And today:

So I didn't quite finish the gold shade, which surprises me because I thought I would. Oh well, I know I can finish it within the next month.

Otherwise I only used the bright orange as eyeshadow paint for my kids (that's why it looks strange), and now that this challenge is finished, I'll remove it from my palette and only use it as paint because I don't like it and it only cost a few bucks anyway.

In sum

I'm happy with how things turned out with Pan that Palette this year and I'm pleased to say that I've finished a whole eyeshadow palette. This will mean I've got one less palette in my collection, and I want to keep reducing things because I still have a few too many.

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

I bought this hand cream from one of the online retailers because I needed to make up the value of an order to get free shipping, and this was the right price to get me over the line.

I'm happy to say that I do like it, although it's not the best hand cream I've used so I mightn't buy it again. Still, I like the packaging and it's nourishing enough for my dry skin so that's saying something.

Panier des Sens claims/product details:

• The small delicate blossoms of jasmin grandiflorum were used in the 16th century by the master perfumers of Grasse
• Very quickly this veritable botanical became an essential element of a perfumer's palette; picked at dawn in August, its pristine flowers deliver a captivating powdery and slightly fruity fragrance
• Panier des Sens pays homage to jasmine with this silky cream that nourishes and protects the skin
• An ultimate beauty ritual, the formula contains olive oil for soft and supple hands
• Made in France
• RRP $9.95 AUD for 30ml or $19.95 AUD for 75ml

I didn't know anything about this brand so I had a quick look at its website, and apparently it was established in Provence in 2001. 

Inspired by natural resources and Mediterranean know-how, Panier des Sens takes the best that Provence has to offer to develop natural, simple and authentic products.

What I like about the brand so far is that the products aren't over-priced and they come in really beautiful packaging, so I think you could find some good gifts in the range that don't break the bank.

Verdict

This is a nice hand cream and I'm enjoying using it, but it's not perfect for me so I wouldn't buy it again.

It's a thick and rich hand cream that spreads and absorbs well, although it does leave a slightly greasy residue so I need to wipe my fingers down before using my computer, which is a little annoying but of course I'll live.

The scent is too powdery and heady for my tastes, so if I were to buy another one of these, I would go for a different scent. Yes I can smell some jasmine in there, but overall the fragrance is too heavy for me and I don't like sniffing my hands after use because a scent like this can give me a headache (I have a strong sense of smell).

What I do like about this product however is that it's rich and nourishing, and it's been great for my dry skin in winter. It also does a good job of nourishing and soothing my chilblains (geez I can't wait for those to die down), and not all hand creams penetrate my blistered skin but this one does so that's a plus.

I also really love the packaging of this product, and as mentioned above, I reckon that items from this brand would make great gifts because they look so lovely and they're not overpriced. I'd say that most people (in Australia at least) haven't heard of this brand too, so the products would make good gifts for the beauty lover who's already used just about everything.

On the claims: yes the fragrance is powdery (too powdery for me) and slightly fruity; yes the cream nourishes and protects the hands; and yes it leaves my hands feeling soft and supple.

Overall, I think this is a good hand cream but it's not perfect because the residue annoys me (I can still use this cream overnight though), although I do enjoy how well it nourishes my skin. And while I don't love this particular fragrance, that's just personal preference and there are plenty of other scents to try anyway.

Decent.

I included this in one of my larger samples posts and I'm so far behind with reviews that I'm only getting to it now, and I had to ration the last quarter of the product so I didn't finish it before I could review it.

Long story short, I think it's a great makeup remover and I can see why it's had such good reviews, although I wouldn't typically spend this much on a separate eye makeup remover (or indeed any makeup remover) so it's not one I would buy.

Clarins claims/product details:

• For a fast, effective way of removing heavy or waterproof eye makeup
• This extremely gentle, bi-phase eye makeup remover is suitable for those with sensitive eyes or contact lens wearers 
• Helps preserve youthful eye contours
• Lifts away all eye makeup, including heavy or waterproof formulas
• Moisturises, soothes and softens eyelids
• Helps preserve fragile lashes
• Does not sting, and respects the pH balance of tears
• RRP $40 AUD for 125ml

Verdict

This is a great makeup remover, and while I wouldn't buy it because it's expensive and I don't want a separate eye makeup remover (I just want one for my whole face), I'm enjoying it and I can see why it's had great reviews.

It's a super oily product so if you don't like the feel of oil on your face, you probably won't like this. It has a soap-like scent that's not too strong, although note that parfum is included in the first half of the ingredients list so it mightn't be as good for sensitive eyes as it claims to be. I haven't however had any issues with irritation and my eyes can be sensitive, so that's worth mentioning.

I apply mine to a cotton pad and deal with my eye makeup first, before running the pad over the rest of my face. What I like about this is that it dissolves my makeup more easily than most removers (this will have a lot to do with the oil it contains), and I also feel that I don't need to rub too hard in order to get my makeup off.

After use my eyes (and face) feel soft, hydrated, makeup-free and ready for cleansing. They also feel very greasy, but that doesn't bother me because I have dry skin so I love some good grease, and my cleanser always removes the excess oil anyway.

On the claims: yes this is a fast, effective way of removing heavy or waterproof eye makeup; yes it lifts away all eye (and face) makeup, including heavy or waterproof formulas; and yes it moisturises, soothes and softens eyelids.

Overall I think this is a great little product and I recommend it. While I wouldn't buy it because I tend to buy cheaper removers and spend my money on other skincare (plus I don't want a separate makeup remover for my eyes), I still think it's good and I'm enjoying using it while I have it.

This works.

Hello and welcome to another empties post for the month.

I'm pleased that I've managed to get four empties posts up this month because I've been drowning in finished products for a while and I've wanted to get ahead of things so that the empties box isn't so full. Hopefully we're there now.

Let's have a look.

Alpha-H Liquid Gold

Full review here. I love this product and I've been using it for years. What I love about it is that it resurfaces my skin beautifully, leaving my face looking brighter, fresher and healthier.

It also helps with clarity so it clears pores and means I get less blemishes, plus it leaves me with smoother, more youthful-looking skin. On top of that, one of these bottles normally lasts me almost a year so it's good value and it's been an HG of mine for years for a reason. Repurchase? Already have.

Jurlique Purely Age Defying Mist

This is a nice face mist and I've enjoyed testing it. Nevertheless, it's expensive for what it is and I personally wouldn't buy the full-size for myself because it doesn't suit my personal needs. I've reviewed it here.

What I like about it is that it feels very soothing and cooling when applied. Indeed, it would be a great product for summer because it's so refreshing. It also feels a little hydrating, and while it's not the most hydrating mist I've used (I have dry skin and need something with more punch), it still does something and I think it would be enough for me in summer when my skin isn't so dry. What I don't like about it is that the spray itself isn't fine enough, so it leaves little droplets on my face that can create holes in my makeup. Annoying. Purchase? No.

NYX Butter Gloss in Gelato

I've been through quite a few of these glosses now and I absolutely love them so you'll probably be seeing them show up in my empties posts forevermore. I've reviewed Gelato here. Do note that I didn't quite finish this shade because I found that I just wasn't using it enough (even via Project Pan), but I'd got enough use from it that it didn't feel like I was completely wasting it, although it would have felt like a waste of time if I'd kept trying to pan it.

What I love about these is that they hydrate my lips better than most other lip products I've tried, and they also have a plumping effect so they smooth out the look of texture on my lips. On top of that they wear pretty well for glosses and they come in a variety of shades (so there should be something for everyone), plus they're cheap to boot. Love. Repurchase? Already have.

Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara

Full review here. This mascara is pretty good. The brush isn't too fat so it's easy for me to use and I don't make mistakes with it, it gives reasonable length and volume, and it also doesn't smudge or flake throughout the day. 

While I agree that it doesn't leave clumps on my lashes, what it doesn't do well is separate them - so I always need to go in with an eyelash comb after I use this and of course that's annoying. I also wish that it lengthened and thickened a little better than it does, and that's why it's not my favourite. Repurchase? No.

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil

Full review here. While this oil costs more than what I would typically pay for a body product, it's super luxe and I'm really enjoying it so I think it's worth the price-tag.

It has a sweet scent that's not overpowering and the texture is rich and gorgeous. Once you add water, it thins out beautifully and also lathers up nicely so it spreads out and cleans the skin well.

It also feels beautifully hydrating and nourishing on my dry skin, and what I find after use is that my skin feels soft, clean and moisturised. It's just a lovely product and I recommend it. I've even given it an HG tag. I've been using it daily over the winter and I'll need to buy it again next year because I enjoy it so much. Repurchase? Yes.

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

Full review here. I can see why so many people love this powder, although I wouldn't buy it again because I prefer Coty's offering (I've reviewed that here), which is also significantly cheaper.

It's super finely milled so you can get a really thin coating with this, and it feels smooth and silky to the touch - if a tad dry. It applies and blends well, and I agree that it isn't detectable on the skin. It also doesn't sit in fine lines or wrinkles, and I agree that it doesn't look cakey or announce itself as powder on the skin.

I also like that it has a blurring effect so it smooths the look of pores. Do note, though, that it's not as effective at smoothing out the look of pores as the Coty powder, which is one of the reasons why I would opt for the Coty over this one. Yes this airbrushes, but the Coty is in a league of its own. Repurchase? No.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

Full review here. This is one of those products that most people in the beauty community would have heard about by now and it's a favourite for many.

For this reason I was really looking forward to trying mine and while I do enjoy it, it's not anywhere near as hydrating as I thought it would be so I wouldn't call it my HG like many do. 

Sure, it does stay put well so I only need to apply it once and it has made my lips more tolerant to lipsticks etc during the day, but my lips always feel dry underneath the product and it doesn't absorb as well as I'd hoped so I'm not going to rave about it like everyone else seems to. Mind you, it has made my lips feel more comfortable during the day (even though I only use it at night) so I do like it. Repurchase? Yes.

Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+

Full review here. This is a nice facial oil and I'm glad I've tried it because it's on my radar now and I may well buy it in future. I've tried a few rosehip oils before but only two of them have stood out for me and this is one of them. 

It feels beautifully rich in texture and just melts into the skin. It somehow manages to be hydrating without feeling too oily - a plus because I wouldn't use it in the morning before makeup application if it were too heavy. This I can happily use both morning and evening, and it works well in both spots. After use, my skin feels nourished and comfortable. It's a great product for dry skin and I recommend it. Repurchase? Yes.

Acure Brilliantly Brightening Facial Scrub

I received a couple of these scrubs as GWPs and this is my second tube so I have none left. I've reviewed it here.

It claims to lift and buff away dead skin cells and built-up dirt and grime, while nourishing, hydrating and brightening the skin. I reckon it does those things, and while it does contain scrubby matter, it doesn't feel too scratchy on the skin and I don't find it to be too harsh. It also contains heaps of scrubby matter, so a little goes a long way and even this 30ml sample lasted me ages. Nevertheless, I still prefer chemical exfoliants so I wouldn't buy it. Purchase? No.

Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Cleanser

Full review here. This cleanser is raved about in the beauty community but it was a little too astringent for me so I couldn't use it twice daily or even once daily (I tended to use it every second day). Indeed, it has a pH of between 7 and 8, which would explain why it's a little too much for my dry, sometimes sensitive skin.

While I did enjoy using it - it smelled nice, it lathered beautifully and it cleaned well - it's not one I would necessarily buy again because I would of course prefer to use something a touch more gentle. Still, I can see why people love it. It's a pleasure to use. Repurchase? No.

In sum

That's all from me. I'm really glad that I've managed to knock out four empties posts this month - it should help me face a less overwhelming empties box as we head into the busy end of the year.

The best items in this lot were the Laneige lip mask, the L'Occitane shower oil and the Alpha-H treatment. Everything else I can take or leave.

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

I must have been using this product for almost six months, and I've kept forgetting to review it so I want to do that before I finish the tube.

Long story short, I really love it and it's surprisingly good at filling in the gaps in my brows, so I can use this alone if I want to - which I wasn't expecting. This tube is also lasting me a good while, so although the product isn't cheap, it's turned out to be a good investment.

Hourglass claims/product details:

• Create bold, beautiful brows in one swipe with this buildable, tinted gel 
• Infused with microfibres to provide colour, volume and definition
• This soft-hold, flexible formula creates fuller-looking brows
• Whether you want to achieve the perfect bold brow or a natural-looking untamed look, the dual-sided brush features short and long bristles to apply the formula in varying intensities for different looks
• Smooth, long-lasting and comfortable formula that looks natural all day, without smudging or flaking
• RRP $44 AUD for 3ml

There's the brush (you'll see there's a shorter side and a longer side):

Below are my brows before I've applied the gel:

Verdict

First up, I want to explain why I went for a shade like Soft Brunette, when in theory a darker shade like Dark Brunette may have been a better match for my thick, dark brows. Essentially anything that's too dark makes my brows look too thick, too strong and too unnatural, so I prefer to go for something paler that won't make me look overdone. 

Also, Soft Brunette is cooler than Dark Brunette and I hate a warm brow on me, although arguably Soft Brunette is still too warm (you can see there's a bit of warmth to my brows after I've applied the product), and something even cooler would suit me better.

I think it's also worth mentioning why I don't brush up my brows like most people do (which generally gives a more youthful look). This is simply because I have such a huge gap between my lashline and brows anyway, so brushing them up increases that distance and makes my face look weird. For this reason, I brush them straight across and sometimes slightly downwards, which reduces that space and looks better on me.

Anyhoo, the product. I really like this brow gel and I can see why it's had such great reviews (see eg Mecca's website). What it does is thicken the brows, tame them and hold them in place, and it's also surprisingly good at filling in the gaps in my brows. While initially I'd thought that I'd still need to use a brow pencil with this to fill in the larger gaps, turns out I can get away with only using this, and that's a plus for me because it saves me time.

I like the brush and I use both sides when I apply this, so the shorter side I'll use to lay down the product and the longer side I'll use to brush it through. If however I've used a pencil first, I'll only use the longer side - otherwise my brows look too strong.

I like that the product holds my unruly brows in place throughout the day (they're curly so they're hard to tame and I also have to trim them), and I also like that it lasts well and doesn't smudge or flake.

Overall I think this is an excellent product that does what it claims to do and can offer a stronger or more natural look, depending on your preferences. I can't fault the formula, and while I wish that Soft Brunette pulled a little cooler on me, I can still use it and I suspect I'll buy it again.

A great little product.

I bought this night cream a while ago after trying a cleanser from this brand and absolutely loving it. So when I needed a night cream and this one was half-price, I thought I'd try something else from Skin Physics to see how it went.

While I do think it's decent, it hasn't grabbed me as much as the cleanser so I wouldn't buy it again. Still, it's good enough that I'm open to trying more from this brand.

Before we start, the cleanser I mentioned above is the Skin Physics 3 in 1 Advanced Treatment Cleanser (reviewed here). It functions as a cleanser and a mask, and I've already recommended it to a few people - all of whom enjoy it.

Anyhoo. My review of this night cream.

Skin Physics claims/product details:

• A potent hydrating and firming cream that uses the nourishing, moisturising and antioxidant properties of nature’s dragon’s blood extract and argan oil
• Contains 3D plumping spheres that deliver a high dose of hyaluronic acid into the skin, unravelling within to plump-out wrinkles, smooth facial lines and firm skin
• Fermented pomegranate gives a rich source of exfoliating enzymes that work on dull, dead skin cells to reveal resurfaced, refined and radiant skin
• Natural boost argan oil, packed with antioxidants and vitamin e, deeply nourishes, moisturises and calms the skin
• No parabens, no sulphates, no phthalates, no nano, no mineral oil, no petrolatum, no ethylene/propylene glycols, no MIT/MCI, no DEA/TEA, no artificial colours, no formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
• RRP $59.99 AUD for 50ml, but do shop around

Verdict

I think this cream is good but it hasn't done enough for me to want to buy it again, and if you're interested in trying it, I definitely wouldn't buy it at full-price because it's expensive for a pharmacy product and you're better off waiting for one of Priceline's big sales.

It's called a cream but it's more of a gel/cream hybrid in texture and it has a chemical scent that's not strong so it doesn't bother me. It applies and spreads well, and the tub has lasted me a good while so it's not a bad investment on a price-per-use basis.

I've been applying mine most evenings for the last few months, although I did have a break from it for around three weeks while I got through some smaller skincare samples. I also wanted to have a break from it so I could see how my skin reacted to stopping and starting it again.

What I find is that it does do something and I can tell that it contains active ingredients, but it's very gentle so I think that most people would be able to use it. When I apply it, I'm aware that it's working (I can sometimes feel a very faint tingle) and I do think it has a brightening and pluming effect, so at least it does what it says it will do in the claims. It definitely has a resurfacing effect too, albeit not a super strong one.

Note that I prefer to use this on evenings when I'm not using one of my treatments from The Ordinary (so I use it around five nights a week). I've chosen to do this because although it's reasonably hydrating, after an acid I need something more nourishing and more soothing, and since this contains active ingredients itself, I don't like to overdo it so I leave this for nights when I haven't used an acid first.

On the claims: yes it does hydrate and firm; yes it does have a slight plumping effect, although not a strong one; yes it does resurface and brighten the skin; and while yes I think it's moderately nourishing, it isn't a heavy-duty moisturiser so I'll sometimes apply an oil over the top if my skin is super dry.

Overall I think this product is decent, but it's expensive for what it is and I wouldn't buy it at full price. Still, it's good value at 40 percent off, so do wait for a Priceline sale before you buy this. While it's not the most effective product I've used, it does work and my skin likes it so I can see why it's had some great reviews.

Worth testing.

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

I'm pleased to say that I've finally finished this Tarte primer, which took me months to pan so I'm glad I've done it.

There it is:

It's definitely empty!

I enjoyed this product but I've had it for something like 18 months now so it was time to finish it before it got too old and started to go off.

As for my replacement, I've picked another primer:

It's my MAC Prep + Prime Natural Radiance Primer in Radiant Pink. This came as a GWP and I'm keen to get through it before my next makeup inventory at the end of September, to help keep my numbers down.

Even though I haven't used it yet, there's only 6ml in here so I should finish it without issue over the next month.

There's my marker:

That's all from me. I'm glad I finished another product before my full update is due at the end of August, and I'm looking forward to seeing if I can finish at least one more product before then. We'll see.

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

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

I've almost finished my Too Faced palette now (I've worked on that this year via Pan that Palette), so it's time I started using the other eyeshadow palettes in my collection - some of them have barely been touched this year while I've been panning other things and that needs to change.

My review of this palette is here if you're interested.

Long story short, I really like it but I don't reach for it quite as much as I do some of the other palettes I own from Marc Jacobs - although this is great for summer so I can see myself using it more as the weather warms up. The formula is fantastic though, and there's a reason why I own five of these septets: I just love them.

Here's the left side of my palette, today 24 August 2019:

Below I've enhanced the above shot for clarity:

And the right side (noting that the first shade is repeated):

Enhanced for clarity:

So you can see that I've used this, but I haven't used it a lot so there's not a huge amount of visible progress. Still, I expect to get a few dents happening in at least some of the shades over the next two weeks, because I've used everything enough that we should soon start seeing some movement.

That's all from me. I'm glad I have the space now to start using my eyeshadow palettes again, and I'm looking forward to winding up Pan that Palette soon because I've done enough eyeshadow panning this year and it's time to give myself a break before starting my 2020 challenge.

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