Project Pan - November Empties/Reviews

Rimmel London - Volume Flash x10 Mascara

Final score - 22/30

Price vs Value - 5/5

Formula/Performance - 3/5

Scent & Texture - 3/5

Longevity/Results - 4/5

Packaging & Experience - 3/5

Repurchase Potential - 4/5

If we’re talking value, £7.99 feels very fair for a drugstore mascara.

The packaging is quite standard. Though I do have a bone to pick with the security label from hell plastered across the lid, it peels off at the corners and you’re left with a sticky residue that clings to your fingers every time you unscrew it, so throughout my useage, I didn't want to risk taking it all off, it's minor, but bloody maddening.

The wand is actually quite nice. Light, easy to handle, with bristles that grip the lashes well without feeling scratchy. The shape gives you decent control and reach, especially on those stubborn corner lashes, I have vitiligo, and because of this my lashes are pure white, it does a great job of not only coating these completely, but making it easy to get right to the little ones!

The formula claims to have a “unique gel texture.” I’ll give them unique. It’s wet. Very bloody wet. To the point where I had to scrape off most of the product back into the tube unless I wanted to recreate spider season on my eyelids.

Once you manage to tame the excess, though, the payoff is actually lovely. One coat gives a deep, inky black finish that grabs the lashes nicely and adds visible length and volume without feeling heavy. It dries down quickly, doesn’t flake or smudge at all - genuinely

That said, it’s a very controlled chaos kind of mascara. You either finesse it, or it finesses you. I've already replaced this for now, but if i'm in a scrimp or find myself without a mascara, I would definitely go back to this.

Available here

Elf - Enhancing Lash & Brow Serum

Final score is 28/30

Price vs Value - 5/5

Formula/Performance - 5/5

Scent & Texture - 5/5

Longevity/Results - 5/5

Packaging & Experience - 4/5

Repurchase Potential - 4/5

I didn’t expect much from this one, not gonna lie, but this has impressed me more than I care to admit.

The wand is slim, simple, precise, and actually usable, it glides easily along the lash line without flooding your eyes, which makes application quick and mess free. The formula itself feels light and conditioning rather than sticky or heavy, and after a few weeks of using it morning and night, I did start to notice my lashes felt and looked more nourished, denser and a little longer, like they finally stopped giving up halfway through their growth cycle.

I’ve used some ELF products in the past that made my eyes a bit irritated, but this one has been a total non issue, no stinging, no redness, nothing. The tube might be small, but it’s mighty. It’s the perfect travel size for an overnight bag, meaning there’s no excuse to skip a night.

I took a deep dive into the ingredients and while it should be said that nothing can really create new hair growth, this is packed with some nice ingredients; Castor oil is rich in ricinoleic acid, which helps improve blood circulation at the follicle and keeps the hair conditioned which in turn prevents hair loss, same can be said for the ginseng root extract, again, for stimulation to the root, not creating hair growth, while green tea and larch extract are known to protect against breakage and keep lashes in their growth phase for longer. Hyaluronic acid and glycerin add the hydration, so your lashes don’t end up brittle which again, prevents breakage. Basically, it’s a gentle, nourishing little blend that gives your lashes what they actually need to grow stronger.

With the controversy around ELF lately, it kind of stings to admit this, but I would probably consider repurchasing this serum. I’m currently using a serum mascara, but this will always stay on my list as an option, especially when I want results that are visible and come without the side effects or ridiculous price tag. This is currently on the Elf website at £9. Available here*

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MISSHA - Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence RX

Final score is 30/30

Price vs Value - 5/5

Formula/Performance - 5/5

Scent & Texture - 5/5

Longevity/Results - 5/5

Packaging & Experience - 5/5

Repurchase Potential - 5/5

Every so often, a skincare product walks into your life quietly and then ruins every product that comes after it. For me, that product was this, the gateway drug that pulled me headfirst into Korean skincare and hasn’t loosened its grip since.

Let’s start with the bottle, frosted, weighty, minimal, luxury without shouting about it. It looks like it should cost three times the price, and with how long it lasts, the cost per use is borderline laughable. A few drops on a reusable cotton pad and suddenly I’m living my best soft skin, glowy goddess fantasy.

The texture is water light and the scent nonexistent, which I love. On my skin, it's an instant refresh, my skin drinks it in like it’s been trekking through the sahara.

I use a lot of hydrating products (it’s practically a personality trait at this point), but this one hits different. There’s a noticeable bounce and clarity that only happens when this essence is in my routine. With bifida ferment lysate and saccharomyces ferment filtrate to help repair the skin barrier and strengthen resilience, and niacinamide to give you that brightened, smooth, effect.

This also has ceramide np which helps lock hydration in and keeps the skin barrier cushioned and theres some good antioxidant protection in there like barley extract and cassia alata.

Literally everything in here works together to give that hydrated, balanced, “my skin is finally behaving” payoff, but without heaviness and without the tacky finish so many essences fall victim to.

I could have seen this becoming one of my forever products, however as amazing as this product is, for me personally, it stings a little that this brand may not be cruelty free.

Available here* - use code FINDING30 for a discount

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