little white truths

Today I wanted to update you on how I'm going with these samples, so I'm writing some mini reviews of the above travel-sized items that I've been using for the last few weeks.

Do note that I plan to review some of these items later on, it's just that I'm flooded with posts to write at the moment so those reviews mightn't be up for a while.

Let's have a quick look at how I went with each of the above products.

Cremorlab TEN Cremor Mineral Treatment Essence

This claims to restore your skin's suppleness and natural moisture balance. It contains minerals to deliver hydration, reduce wrinkles, tighten pores, brighten the complexion and refine the skin's texture. 

I've always liked essences because they add an extra layer of hydration without weighing my face down, although I have to say that this one wasn't very good and I didn't feel any real benefit to using it. 

Yes it hydrated my skin a little but that's about it. I guess it was refreshing too. I reckon I can do better, so my search for the perfect essence continues. I want something that feels stronger than plain water, and this wasn't it.

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

With multiple major awards, this cult-favourite bestseller claims to feel incredibly soft and silky-light on your skin. Pros love the super smooth application: goes on evenly, blends effortlessly, provides great wear. Sets makeup without adding weight or texture.

Thankfully this is as good as everyone says it is and I'm really enjoying it. It smooths out the skin and blurs the appearance of pores, and it's finely milled so I can just use a thin layer and not look too cakey or powdery. 

I do own a full size of this product so I'll be reviewing that down the track, but for now I'll just keep this little container for special occasions. Worth noting is that I don't necessarily think it's any better than Coty's Airspun Loose Powder, so that's worth keeping in mind if you'd prefer to save your pennies.

Laura Mercier Lip Glacé in Bare Naked

This is apparently a high-shine, perfectly pigmented lip gloss with rich, long-lasting colour and brilliant shine that creates the appearance of fuller lips. With a unique blend of moisturising, anti-ageing, antioxidant and plumping ingredients, the non-sticky gloss formula applies smoothly without feathering or bleeding. 

I'm absolutely loving this gloss, I must say - and I do have another one so I'll review the formula in future. I love that it's hydrating enough so I can rely on it for moisture, and I also love that it doesn't sit in lines.

Plus the formula has a yummy vanilla scent and it plumps the lips up nicely. If I'd known how good these were, I might have bought some before Laura Mercier left Australia. Hoh well. My wallet isn't sorry about that.

Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick in Champagne Flash

Create an instant flash of glow with these cream highlighter sticks in a smooth, weightless texture that's designed to give you an instant seamless highlight. Long-wearing, innovative formula blends effortlessly into the skin, while soft-focus technology creates a flash of light for a virtually perfect highlight every time.

I think this is a nice formula because you can apply it over powders without upsetting things, and it's so air-light that you can barely feel it on the skin. It's also not a super creamy product so it may suit those with oily skin who prefer creams that feel more powdery to the touch.

I do plan to review this at some point, but I'll need to use it more consistently before I do that. Problem is, I prefer powder highlighters. I also think this one emphasises texture - unusual for Hourglass, I know.

Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment

Full review here. This is a really fantastic product and I've been through countless sachets and a travel-sized tube already, so you've probably heard me rave about it before. 

It's one of those exfoliants that's not for the fainthearted or for sensitive skin, although my skin can be sensitive and I haven't had any issues with it - so it's worth trying at least even if you're prone to sensitivity (and there's also a gentle version if this one's too much). 

It's one of my favourite exfoliants and it leaves my skin beautifully polished and renewed, and I always look forward to using it because I know my skin will feel smoother for days after use. I can only use it once a week max, however: otherwise it's too much for me.

Inika Loose Mineral Blush in Peachy Keen

This is apparently free of oil, alcohol, talc, fillers, fragrance, preservatives and chemical dyes - so it's great even for sensitive skin. Plus you're receiving nothing but pure pigment, which means a little goes a long way.

This blush is a really lovely colour and it applies and blends well. Problem is, it contains so much shimmer that I personally find it to be unflattering because it emphasises texture. I also don't want my blush to be that glowy: I much prefer a matte or satin blush, so then I can spot highlight. Disco-ball cheeks don't look good on me. Suspect they never will.

I'll be reviewing this later on too, so stay tuned for that if you're interested.

Nip+Fab Kale Fix Dry Skin Moisturiser

This is described as a superfood powerhouse complex of kale, watercress and almond oil that enriches skin with deep vitamin nourishment and protects against external aggressions that can cause dry skin. Concentrated aloe vera and shea butter help to further soothe and improve skin texture, providing long-lasting hydration.

This was a really nice moisturiser. It was rich, hydrating and nourishing, and my dry skin really liked it. While I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for oily skin because I think it'd be a little too much and it does leave a greasy residue behind, for my skin (especially now that it's cold) it worked well. I wouldn't buy it because it wasn't a stand-out, but I liked it while I had it.

Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum

A cult-favourite for the skincare expert and novice alike, this powerful blend of AHAs and BHAs refines and resurfaces like no other for your smoothest, most radiant complexion yet.

This was a lovely serum and I reckon it did some great things for my skin - it resurfaced, brightened and plumped - but it honestly wasn't worth the $196 AUD that you'll pay for the full-size. Still, I was glad to receive this sample so I could try it.

Yes it absorbed well and yes my face really liked it, but I don't think you need to drop that much on a decent serum. Alpha-H does good serums that also contain active ingredients, and even my HG Lancome serum is half the price of this one. 

In sum

That's all from me. Obviously I still have my work cut out for me because I have a few full reviews to write and some of these products will last me a good while, but at least I've made a start on the samples pile so I'm not feeling as overloaded.

Do let me know if you've tested anything amazing recently: I'd love to hear.

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

I've owned this product for around six months now and it's quickly become my HG foundation for night-use or big events. While I'll always reach for my Koh Gen Do for everyday use because it has less coverage, this is the product I reach for when I need my makeup to look a little more polished and to last a little bit longer.

Yes it looks very natural on the skin so it's like the Koh Gen Do (indeed, they're rather similar and if you like one then I suspect you'll like the other), but it has more coverage out of the starting gate and it also builds better, so it may be a good choice for those who find the KGD to be too subtle.

Kevyn Aucoin claims/product details:

• Naturally flawless, luminous skin is just one step away with this radiance-boosting, moisture-replenishing foundation
• Achieve the coveted 'lit from within' look with this lightweight, medium coverage formulation
• Infused with ultra-fine pearl pigments to reflect light, radiance magic pearl powder to diffuse and brighten, and hyaluronic acid for a shot of hydration
• Glides on effortlessly to grant a natural-looking airbrushed finish, akin to a second skin, with a lustworthy glow
• Available in 16 shades
• For all skin types
• Dermatologist tested
• RRP $85 AUD for 28ml

The product comes in a nice-looking plastic bottle that's lightweight (so it's good for travel) and it has one of those pumps that moves upwards over time so you can see how much you've used as the tray moves up from the bottom and a gap starts to appear.

I like the pump, I like that you can control the amount dispensed through the pump, and I like being able to see exactly how much I have left. Ten points to the packaging.

Light and heavy swatches, indirect sunlight:

And direct sunlight:

Verdict

This is an amazing foundation and the only thing I don't like about it is that it's expensive, but it's so good that I honestly think it's worth the money and I would buy it again in a heartbeat.

It's a standard fluid foundation that's on the runny side, and it spreads and applies well. Given that it's thicker and has more coverage than the typical sheer foundations and tinted moisturisers I use, I do need to work at this a tiny bit more than usual (I'm a fingers-applier), but I can still get an even, smooth coverage with very little effort. It glides on like the proverbial dream and merges beautifully with the skin.

What I like about this is that I can apply half a pump for a sheer coverage and one pump for a solid medium. And the pump dispenses an amount that's smaller in size than a pea, so if you're getting a solid medium out of that, you're doing well. Just goes to show that the pigment is really there. I never need to build it. 

Shade Light EF 05 is described as 'light with golden undertones' and I think that's right, although note that it's at the light-medium end of the spectrum. In winter, it's the closest foundation I've ever found to my natural skintone - and while it's not quite perfect because I have yellow undertones and I can see the slight difference between my face and neck, once I've bronzed and put my blush on etc, it's a very good match.

Worth noting is that shade Medium EF 06 is a very good match for me in summer, especially because that one has yellow undertones. Yes it's a hair too dark, but if it's rare for me to find one shade that matches me well in a range of foundations, it's even rarer for me to find two that I can work with. That's never happened to me before. I can't quite believe it! Of course, my ideal shade would be between those two - but you can't have everything ; )

I love that the product is hydrating and offers me a natural radiance without being too shiny. I also love that it has an airbrushing effect so my pores and fine lines look less pronounced when I wear it. Even better, it wears well throughout the day so I know that if I put it on in the morning, it will still be going strong eight hours later.

Overall I think this is a brilliant product that generally meets its claims and I can't live without it. Yes it's pricey, but at least I don't need to use much each time so I think it makes up some of its value on a price-per-use basis. I can't imagine ever being without this foundation in my collection: it's that good.

Love.