It’s been almost exactly three months since my last empties post! Can you believe? Time is a flat circle, etc. Well, I have been blitzing through stuff ever since and once again I’m ready to share my thoughts on them with you. Onwards to the mini-reviews!
Another totally mediocre Lancer product! I just don’t GET it. This is a foaming cleanser. It cleaned my face, but so do foaming cleansers that aren’t €59. What is going through these luxury brands’ minds? I just wanna talk.
This is a modern classic, in my opinion. It’s a simple yet effective hyaluronic acid serum — 11 lovely, hydrating ingredients, gorgeous gel texture, stunning skin-plumping abilities. I’ve gone through maybe three bottles now and will happily repurchase it.
Research on the effects of CBD on the skin is still emerging — it’s supposed to have anti-inflammatory and sebum-controlling properties. Regardless of whether CBD skincare is a swizz or not, I really liked this night cream! Besides the CBD, it contains hyaluronic acid and rosehip oil, and it feels super rich and nourishing. My skin has dried out a small bit with age (:|) and as such I am finally ready to embrace rich moisturisers. Slather me in grease.
The Inkey List Polyglutamic Acid
Polyglutamic acid is said to hold four times more moisture than hyaluronic acid, which… hello, sign me up. However, I found this serum to be rather disappointing. It has a strange, thick consistency — there are absolutely loads of silicones in it, giving it the feel of a mattifying makeup primer rather than a skincare product. Some reviews on Cult Beauty suggest pairing it with your hyaluronic acid serum to get the full benefit of it, but shouldn’t it work well on its own? I think I’ll stick with serums like the Vichy one for my hydration boost, TBH.
Ole Henriksen Glow2Oh Dark Spot Toner
I always have an acid toner in rotation for some exfoliation in between retinol applications (rotation exfoliation application station across the nation) — this one contains glycolic, lactic, and phytic acids and claims to target dark spots, which interested me as someone who usually has more than a few acne marks on the go. It did the job exfoliation-wise but it didn’t blow me away, nor did it make an enormous difference to my hyperpigmentation. I don’t think I’ve ever had a holy grail acid toner though, so no hard feelings, Ole.
La Mer, La Mer… What can I say about La Mer? When this product was sent to me back in October, I immediately looked up the price and what it was for. The answer to the first question was easy to find — it’s a mere €450 for 50ml. The answer to the second was more elusive. I read the press release. I read the blurb on the website. Each said something like, “It will make your skin feel nice.” Luxury brands love teasing you like this. But all I want to know is: What ingredients should I care about? When should I use it? What do you do successfully? Quickly! Eventually, Brown Thomas beauty guru Aidan Corcoran set me right, informing me that it was primarily designed to heal and calm irritated skin. The ‘concentrate’ in question is a high dose of La Mer’s Miracle Broth, the ~magical algae~ that the entire range is based on.
With that in mind, I began using it the morning after I had applied a retinol or acid toner. It felt nice on the skin, though that was probably due to the sheer amount of silicones in it (again, this always makes me suspicious). It smelled like a spa. The packaging looks like art. Did it actually do anything for my face? I don’t think so. If La Mer is in your budget, then please, enjoy your La Mer. But I need active ingredients! I need results! Don’t be codding me with your seaweed soup or whatever it is. Come on now.
I have reviewed this before as a monthly favourite so I won’t go into all the details again, but suffice it to say, this is an excellent and expensive Vitamin C serum and I’m absolutely devo that I’ve run out. Any suggestions for a potential replacement that won’t cost the earth will be gratefully accepted! At the moment I’m using The Inkey List’s Q10 as an antioxidant, but I’m missing the glowy benefits of Vit C in my routine.
Dermalogica Biolumin-C Eye Serum
A cute little eye cream moment from Dermalogica! I loved the gel texture of this under my eyes and Vitamin C is most always welcome. The jury has been out about eye creams but I will always use them because I do think that the moisturisers I use are too much for my dainty delicate undereyes. *shrugs*
Soap & Glory Wonditioner hair mask
This mask had the look and feel of yogurt, which was quite distressing, and was so thick that I found it hard to work through my hair properly. It did nothing to smooth or soften my hair, but made it smell absolutely stunning — I love that Soap & Glory scent. Next time I’ll just buy the body wash.
Oribe Gold Lust shampoo and conditioner
You may recall that I said that I don’t understand fancy shampoos and conditioners — well, this is what I was talking about. I enjoyed using these, but my hair honestly looks and feels the same with the OGX ones I’m currently on. I’m open to being proved wrong… I just don’t think that’s going to happen.
Hey, remember when I had this as a monthly favourite a few posts back? Well, I finally finished it! There was a whole month’s worth of lip balm to dig out with a lip brush, and dig out I did. I actually finished a balm! The sense of accomplishment is unreal, guys. The review is in the post linked above but to recap: It is a great lip balm, I love the scent and the subtle tint it gives, and I will probably buy another one.
Catrice Liquid Camouflage concealer
I discovered this in a bag I had last used before the pandemic, and while it’s not *empty* empty, it is crusty AF and fit only for the bin. Catrice are always a safe bet for purse-friendly base products, and this is a full-coverage option that will tell your undereye circles to GTFO. Unfortunately, the shade ranges from both Catrice and Essence (they’re sister brands) are absolutely shocking, which is a shame as they’re so affordable and accessible. Drugstore brands somehow manage to evade criticism when really, they should be the first to step up.
I’ve gone through loads of these liners — I used to wear black winged eyeliner all the time but it just hasn’t really appealed to me as of late. Who even am I anymore? Anyway, this is a good one. It’s got a tiny brush tip (not a felt tip, I don’t like felt tips), it’s very black, and it lasts as long as you want it to. I think I have another one hanging around to replace this one, but I actually really want to try the Chanel liner that comes so highly recommended from Laura Kennedy. Maybe I should start actually wearing liner again before I drop €40 on a fancy one. Be reasonable, Valerie.
Catrice Brush Ink Tattoo Liner
This was the first liner I found in the drawer when looking for a replacement for the KVD one. It too has a brush tip, which is rare for a cheaper liner, but it dried up after one wing. We can’t be having that. Byeeee!
Thanks for reading Vanity Project! Hope you enjoyed hearing about my trash. I’ll be back soon with another instalment! TTYL!