little white truths

This review has been a long time coming. 

I've had this product open for over five months now and it's also on my Project Pan list, so I've been using it daily for the last few months and I'm more than ready to review it.

I bought it because it was so hyped up and heaps of reviewers call it their HG primer: it's said to be super replenishing and hydrating, plus it apparently makes a good base for makeup. 

While I do think it feels replenishing when you apply it and it does make an ok base for makeup, I'm going out on a limb here and joining the few dissenting voices who say this isn't hydrating at all. Quite the opposite. 

Indeed, it leaves my skin feeling parched if I don't make sure I've whacked something heavy like an oil on underneath it. More on that below.

Too Faced claims/product details:

• Got a beauty hangover? Our replenishing face primer is your instant cure
• Hydrates, smooths and brightens skin for a dewy, healthy looking finish without excessive shine
• A lightweight primer that nourishes, brightens and hydrates the skin all in one simple application
• Makeup glides on smoothly and wear is extended
• A revolutionary makeup primer infused with coconut water, probiotics and skin revivers that work together to boost skin’s radiance, promote elasticity and help hydrate while locking down makeup for fresher, longer and more flawless wear
• Acts like an energy drink for the skin by replenishing moisture levels
• Can be worn alone or underneath makeup to create the perfect canvas
• RRP $46 AUD for 40ml

Verdict

This isn't an awful product and I don't mind using it, but I've still given it a 'disappointing products' tag because I expected it to answer all my skin-prayers, given the hype. If I'd just used it without knowing how many people loved it, I probably wouldn't be calling it disappointing - but I am so there it is.

It's a white lotion that I'd call a cream/gel hybrid because it's so lightweight and it does feel cooling and replenishing when applied. It also has a very faint coconut scent that I quite enjoy but I'm only aware of the fragrance if I hold the product up to my nose, so I wouldn't automatically cross this off your list if you don't like scented products because you might be ok with it.

Even though I'm disappointed by this product, I do think it meets many of its claims: yes it smooths and brightens the skin (without excessive shine); yes it extends the wear of makeup a little (it has a tacky finish so that's likely why); yes it absolutely feels like you've given your skin an energy drink when you first apply it; and yes I do think it has a very slight (and very temporary) plumping effect too.

So why don't I love it? Because the product absolutely does not hydrate, moisturise or nourish my dry skin: indeed, the damn thing dries me out.

I was hoping this would be one of those primers that I could use over a serum in place of my moisturiser on days when I was in a rush, but after a few days of trying that, I realised I was sorely mistaken. If I don't wear something heavy underneath it, my skin feels super uncomfortable within a minute of applying this primer, and it stays feeling dry and parched all day.

On the days when I didn't throw a heavy moisturiser or oil on underneath this, my face ended up looking all wrinkled for the day - even after I put my tinted moisturiser on - and nothing could fix it. I think the tacky finish does help makeup adhere, but it also doesn't allow my tinted moisturiser to penetrate and plump my skin up like it usually would because it stops anything else going through and delivering moisture where I need it most.

I'm not sure why this product works so beautifully for some and not for others, but if there's any 'common theme' I've noticed, it's that the few who don't rate this product have dry skin like I do. Having said this, I've also seen a few lasses with dry skin say that it works for them, so that division isn't a given thing.

All in all, I think this is fine as a makeup primer and it does have some benefits - in particular it helps makeup stay put, given the tacky finish - but I can't recommend it because it doesn't hydrate my skin like I hoped it would.

I'll use it, but I definitely won't repurchase it.

This is going to be a first impressions post because I only used this product on my face three times before deciding that it just wasn't good for my skin. To be honest, I knew from the first use that I shouldn't be putting it on my face - but I took one for the proverbial team and used it a couple more times just so I could review it.

In short, I don't think this is good for your skin so I personally would steer well clear of it. Indeed, I even tried it on my body and found it too drying/astringent for that, so all I'm going to do with it now is use it for cleaning my makeup brushes: it does that well enough and none of my brushes are expensive so I'm not too concerned about what I use to clean them.

Let's have a look.

Bioré claims/product details:

• A facial scrub that harnesses the power of baking soda
• The concentrated powder scrub foams up on contact with water, gently exfoliating to deep cleanse the pores and break up oil and impurities
• Gives you cleaner, smoother skin
• The concentrated powder granules are activated in the palm of your hand 
• For optimal results, use daily
• Great for combination skin
• To use: wet face; pump cleanser into hands and work into a foam; massage over entire face; rinse thoroughly
• RRP $10.99 AUD for 125g, but do shop around

The product comes with a cap that flips open when you press that blue 'button' at the front. 

This is actually really handy and the packaging is the only thing I like about the product. I own other dry 'mix with water' products and I wish they all came like this because the button arrangement is much easier than fiddling with a cap or screw-top when your hands are all wet.

Indeed, I may keep the container and dispense something else into it when I've finished this.

Verdict

Ok, so it's up to you to decide how 'thorough' this first impressions post is, given I only used it on my face three times, my body once, and now use it to clean my brushes. But a cleanser is a cleanser and you generally don't notice a cumulative effect from most of them over time (unlike eg a serum), so I do think it's worth writing this post.

It's a white powder and you can absolutely tell that it's full of baking soda because that's what it looks and feels like. It goes bonkers when you add water (I can hear a sizzle) and the scent isn't unlike baking soda but there's something tangy about it and perhaps a hint of lemon, which makes sense because the ingredients include limonene and citronellol.

Also included in the ingredients are menthol and fragrance, which might be partly why this feels irritating on my skin. Mostly, though, I think the product as whole isn't good for me: my skin feels really unhappy when I use it and it stings (not in a good way), so I can't tolerate it for long before having to wash it off. This is why I could only use it on my face three times. After use my skin feels stripped and unhappy, which is why I'm not using it again. 

Worth noting is that my body and hands are much less sensitive than my face, so when I've tried this on those they don't sting, but they do feel dry and stripped after use. Yes it's true that this product is designed for oily/combination skin and I'm dry, but I'd be really careful about using this cleanser. Remember that baking soda is used for cleaning (it's great for things like ovens and bathrooms/showers), so I'd keep that in mind before going to town with this on your face.

Also worth mentioning is that the tube and online directions come with a warning: 

I don't know about you, but my cleansers often wind up in my eyes when I'm in the shower (maybe I'm just clumsy ; )), so best to have some that aren't going to cause irritation!

On a positive note, this works brilliantly as a cleaner for my makeup brushes. I just throw a bit in a cup with some water and it lifts all the gunk clean off them with very little effort from me. I don't think the whole brush-cleaning process has ever been easier!

But as mentioned above, I don't have expensive brushes and most of mine are quite old so I don't mind what I use on them - but if you have pricey brushes, you might want to avoid this in case it strips them. I must say, though, that my brushes don't seem to be suffering from this so I'm happy to keep using it until the product's all gone.

In sum, I'd avoid this one. I'm not convinced that it's a good thing to put on your face - whatever your skin type. Do let me know in the comments if you agree or disagree.

Speak soon x