Product Testing

Digital Beauty and Editorial Writing:

Product Testing. 11/10/16

There were a lot of samples placed on the table and we were asked to try them out and talk about our first impressions and how we found the products.

I’m a skincare nightmare. I see it as a chore it’s not something I invest a lot of time into not just because I’m lazy but I’m really fussy with the scent of products. I am trying to get better the market for skincare products seems to have exploded and there’s so much choice and so many ingredients that are promising you everything but a millionaire’s lifestyle. It’s really overwhelming.

The first product we tested was a roll on scent from Urban Outfitters. I can’t the exact one on their website but I’ve found some that are similar within their range. What I find very interesting about the range is that it fuelled on the belief of Crystal Healing. I’m not a naysayer, it’s just not something I’ve ever really looked into. I know that some people are adamant that they don’t work and it’s all a hoax but if it keeps people happy and they are non aggressive with their opinions, it doesn’t bother me. The product description on the website is as following :

Exclusive to Urban Outfitters, the vegan + cruelty-free Adorn Eau De Parfum collection combines natural scents supercharged with sacred stones in the bottle to channel inner strength, balance + luck. Choose from strength-inducing Tiger's Eye, balancing Amethyst, clarifying Lapis or serendipitous Jade for uniquely fresh scents that will bring out the best in you.
 

Unlike the image, the product came in a cutesy little roller with amethyst stones in it. I give them kudos for originality, it’s quite cute and original. I guess people would use it before meditation or yoga. Some people might use it as they would use lavender to help calm nerves. I applied it to my wrists and rubbed it into my skin. I’ve worked on a perfume counter so I know better than to smell it straight away. I let it settle into my skin before I smell it. Right off the bat, I don’t like the smell. It’s too overpowering and it’s just not a scent I’d go for. I’ve just looked up the notes in my favourite perfumes and they both contain Jasmine and Violet notes, so it must be the Ylang Ylang that I’m not a fan of. It’s price is $24 for 1 fluid ounce. I guess that’s not a bad price, I’m not sure about the staying power of it. I personally, would just rather buy a perfume.

Next on the test it list is a foundation by a brand called Inika. I had a look on a few websites and this is what I’ve found
What it is
Inika Liquid Mineral Foundation offers a revolutionary formula certified organic and packed full of organic antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It blurs the line between foundation and moisturiser by hydrating and nourishing the skin while providing a flawless and radiant finish that lasts all day. Inika Liquid Mineral Foundation also helps to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and regenerates skin cells.
Key Ingredients
- Renowned antioxidant green tea extract, rosehip and hemp seed to accelerate the formation of new skin cells, improve circulation and protect the skin
- Inika used pure mineral pigments provide exceptional coverage for all skin types, even the most sensitive
I’m always up for trying new foundations as I feel as though sometimes you need to change your foundation a few times a year because of how our skin changes. The coverage of the foundation is good for what it supposed to be. So this product has a little more coverage than a tinted moisturiser and is more like a BB cream. It melted into my skin well even though this wasn’t the right shade for me. Upon further investigation what I find really intriguing is that they only offer 3 shades in this line. It’s almost like they have tried to pick 3 colours that are suitable for everyone. I don’t think that works.  I don’t like a light coverage foundation like this because my skin isn’t great all of the time so it makes me feel conscious of my blemishes and how tired I look.

The price of this is RRP £29.50 and you get 30ml of product. I won’t be swapping my MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation which is £26 (40ml) and offers a med/full coverage for this. I feel a bit annoyed at the price of a foundation moisturiser, the price of this just seems like quite a lot.

Tints, illuminates and evens out your skin tone. Northern Rose Hip extract and natural pigments instantly hydrate and perfect the skin’s appearance. Masks imperfections and fine lines, leaving skin fresh and radiant. A lighter alternative to foundation. 

Apply evenly to face and neck.

Certified ECOCERT. Natural & Organic. Vegan. Cruelty Free. Gluten Free. Nut Free.

I was really excited to try this. Some of my favourite face wipes are moon flower scented. I had a little read of the sample and it is an illuminator. As much as this highlighting trend has taken off, I prefer a nice glow to the landing strips of highlight that are being placed on cheeks. I’m really sceptical of the claim that it’s an alternative to foundation, maybe if you’re blessed with perfect skin you could wear this alone. Me? No. I swirled it onto the back of my hand I really liked the colour that was until I noticed the smell. It smelled nothing like my face wipes and it was really horrible. It’s really sad because I liked the finish of it on my skin. The smell is just that bad that I wouldn’t want it all over my face. This retails at £24.31 for 50ml. Again, I’d say that’s a little on the pricey side. I’m not the only one who didn’t like the smell of this but the internet seem to love it.

We did a couple of others but the last one I will be writing about is from a brand called Fat and The Moon. I love the packaging of this one! I love the logo it’s really quirky and odd. Something I could see being in my bathroom cabinet.

Here’s what the website had to say. (Quite a lot actually)

Fat and the Moon admits to having a slight preoccupation with dry shampoos. They are really, really cool. It ain’t great for the health of your hair and scalp to wash your hair every day, dry shampoo absorbs oil and add body so ‘no shower day’ can be ‘awesome hair day’. Yet upon inspection of the dry shampoos out there on the shelf, even the products deeming themselves ‘natural’ are loaded with aluminum. Applying aluminum to your armpits is bad, but to your head- where your brain lives, is just stupid. And breathing aluminum powder in? Faa-get about it.

Ingredients:
cocoa powder*, arrowroot starch*, kaolin clay, lavender essential oil*

2 fl oz

It’s really clear what the mission statement of this brand is. What I really like is next to each product on their website they explain why the product works; unlike some of the other brands that try and bamboozle you with science or expect you to be a skincare expert.

The general feedback from the group was that they didn’t like it. I however, loved it. I loved the concept behind it. I find that other dry shampoo brands that come in an aerosol form tend to leave my hair sticky and a lingering white residue. Fat and The Moon’s has cocoa in it which adds a little colour so it doesn’t look like normal dry shampoo. I would have loved to have given this a go in my hair as it didn’t have a sticky formula. The only thing I didn’t like was that the smell of cocoa was just a little too much for me. The price isn’t too bad either.

Retails for $14.00