little white truths

You may remember that I set out my 2016 beauty wishlist back in January (see here), and now that it's March and I've had a chance to test some of the items on my list, I wanted to go back in and revise it.

This post won't be as long as the first one because I won't comment as much on individual products, and indeed my wishlist has become shorter since I've tested some items and know they're not for me (*wallet breathes a sigh of relief*).

I've also added some products to the list as they've been released, and in some cases they've replaced other items on the list because I want the new ones more. Shows that it pays to wait a while before committing to a purchase!

Burberry: still want it!

This part of the list hasn't changed and I'm still after the Burberry Earthy Blush, the Copper Glow Warm Glow Bronzer and the Complete Eye Palette in 07 Pink Taupe. Fingers crossed at least one of these is mine by year's end : )

Sunday Riley: not sold for the price

I've now tested some of the products I wanted and I'm not sold on the Luna Sleeping Night Oil because I think I get better results from my Alpha-H products (good, they're cheaper!). I also didn't find the Ceramic Slip Cleanser to be a must-have, but the Good Genes Treatment still calls to me and I know I'd pick up the Artemis Oil over Flora.

Budget buys (complexion)

I managed to pick up the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer and the Revlon Photoready BB Cream at half price before turning my low buy into a no buy, and I've still got my eye on the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer and the L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation, which I haven't yet tested. I did swatch the Lumi Cushion and found it too thick for me (I prefer a lighter base), but I'll keep it in mind and might try it again next year when I've finished more of the products I have open.

High end (complexion)

I managed to pick up the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser with a gift card (woot woot!) and I still want the BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Gel, which I tested again to confirm how much I love it.

I've also sampled the Make Up Forever Face & Body Foundation and now feel I could do better, and I quite liked the Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Foundation.

New to my list are the Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation and the Laura Mercier Candleglow Luminous Foundation, which both sound like something I'd love - and I'm still keen to try the Becca Backlight Priming Filter and the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Strobe Powders.

Skincare

Still on my list are the Ren Wake Wonderful Night Time Facial; the Annie's Way Arbutin + Hyaluronic Acid Brightening Jelly Mask; the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel; and the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask.

I'm also keen to try a bunch of stuff from Origins and Glamglow, and there's a serum from Darphin that I've sampled and loved so I might 'have' to pick that up when I've finished one of my serums.

Finally, I've been watching Caroline Hirons on youtube, and she's made me want some Tata Harper cleansers, eg the Regenerating Cleanser; but I'm not sure how I'll go finding online outlets that ship to Australia. I'll start with Beautybay and see how I go.

Makeup

I didn't mention these products last time, but I've also got my eye on the Becca Mineral Blush in Songbird, given how much I love the Becca blushes I own, as well as the Becca Ombre Nudes Eyeshadow Palette (which I now own, thanks to a giftcard from my partner). I own the Ombre Rouge version and love it so much that I was keen to pick up the other one. I haven't opened the Ombre Nudes Palette yet and plan to open it within the next few months.

I'd also love the Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow Palette in Infinity (I own Monochrome and love it), but I don't plan on picking that one up until next year, when I've hopefully finished some of the eyeshadows I own since I have so many already.

In sum

That's it! I might check back in mid-year with another updated wishlist. I'm getting better at waiting to make purchases - even when it comes to products I've run out of and need to replace with something else - because I've learned that my wishlist changes over time, so it's worth waiting at least a couple of months before buying something. If a product is still on the list after a couple of months, that means I really want it!

What's on your beauty wishlist at the moment? I'd love to hear : )

I recently reviewed my Becca Mineral Blush in Wild Honey (see here) and thought I may as well keep going and review the other two I own as well.

Next up is Sweet Pea, which is probably my least favourite of the three colours I own (the other is Bolero), but I still really like it and wear it often, so that's saying something.

The reason I don't like it as much is because it's more of a pinky brown nude (despite being called a 'rosy plum nude' by Becca), unlike the peachy brown Wild Honey and the browny brown Bolero - colours that suit me a little better than this does. But I still love it and reach for it over many other blush formulas since Becca makes such a great blush.

I do love the Becca packaging - I think it's classy without being over-the-top and it's interesting as well. I've seen a few people call Becca powders 'little UFOs' and indeed they look just like that, in a simple and understated way.

Each compact is sturdy and comes complete with a mirror. I've also found that my Becca products don't attract fingerprints like eg my Nars and Hourglass ones do (although at least the Hourglass ones are easy to clean), so that's worth mentioning if dirty packaging is something that bothers you. Whie I'm sure my fingerprints are all over them, it's just that they don't show up as much.

Becca claims/product details:

A luxury powder for cheeks, imparting natural, luminous colour that is ultra-kind to skin
Longwearing and delicate mineral formula
Contains a hint of highlight to lift the complexion
Never appears cakey or chalky
Infused with anti-oxidants such as vitamin a, e and c
Formulated with a natural mineral complex including mica
Contains skin-treating conditioners for smooth, even application
Free of parabens and phenoxyethanol, fragrance, alcohol, oil, chemical dyes, talc and other fillers
Packaged in a classic compact with mirror for on-the-go application
Available in seven shades
RRP $50 AUD for 6g, but do shop around

I've photographed the compact in direct sunlight above and in natural light below. You can see it's a beautiful nude colour with some very fine sparkles: these don't translate to the face so you won't look glittery (phew), but they do add a slight sheen that lifts the cheeks.

There's the colour below. It looks brown here but it starts to look a little more rosy when applied.

Below I've swatched it and taken the photo in direct sunlight (unblended on the left and blended out on the right):

Same shot, taken in natural light:

And in the shade:

Wearing the blush, shot taken in natural light (click on any image to enlarge it; and note I've been quite heavy handed with it, so the colour will show up well):

And again, natural light:

And here's what it looks like if I apply just a little, as I would when I'm not photographing it (natural light):

Last one, wearing just a little:

Verdict

As I said in my review of Wild Honey, all blushes should be as good as this one. Honestly, I can't fault it.

It's described as a 'rosy plum nude' but on me it's more rosy and I don't notice anything plum about it, so do be aware of that if you're after something more plum. It's a beautifully natural colour and I never look overdone when I wear this, and it goes with any look and works in any season. Indeed, I can say that about all three Becca blushes that I own.

The consistency is smooth and creamy, and the product applies and wears well. I've never wound up with patchy, clown cheeks when I've worn this, which is a huge plus for me because I don't have time to spend ages working on my makeup every day. These also don't fade as quickly as some other blushes, so I don't need to touch-up throughout the day.

There's a beautiful luminosity to Becca blushes that never means you have specks of glitter on your face (at least, not with the three I own). What you have instead is the smallest amount of sheen that lifts the face and looks completely natural.

The only thing to be aware of with these is: don't dig your brush into the pan because they are a touch on the soft side (one of the things I love about them), so you'll wind up with loose product in the pan if you go in too hard. That's not a criticism, just a comment.

They're pigmented but not so much so that you risk making mistakes, and they almost diffuse themselves. I'd go as far as to say that they're foolproof, or at least the ones I own are.

All in all, these are my HG blushes and I reckon they meet all their claims. The only bad thing about them is the price, although you can often find them heavily discounted at one of the online retailers. You'll find plenty of rave reviews about these blushes online, and for good reason.

Love.

little white truths

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