Last month I picked up Chanel's reformulated CC Cream as soon as it dropped in Australia. I was really after a 'my skin but better' routine in the morning, unfortunately Chanel's latest iteration left me wanting more.

Chanel's CC Cream promises to soothe, protect, moisturise, correct and perfect, but what I experienced was a mottled, pale mess -- my favourite primer (Stila's One Step Correct) couldn't even compensate. Upon reflection, most foundations don't have a prayer when it comes to lasting on my skin; its a treacherous game of push and pull between midday oil production and dehydrated skin thanks, in part, to the dry winter months. The elastic will inevitably break, or in my case lead to foundation failure.

Here I am a few weeks ago wearing Chanel's CC Cream in shade 20 on its own. While my skin initially appears brighter and luminous, the formula created a white cast and left me looking ghost-like. Personally, I prefer a warmer complexion; why couldn't I be as lucky as my brother, Richard, with his beautiful olive undertones, big brows and eyelashes?!

In an attempt to bolster colour and longevity I mixed Chanel's CC Cream with Make Up For Ever's HD Foundation in shade 118 (my preferred summer foundation). This concoction isn't probably the most economical, nor convenient, but in a pinch between seasons it can certainly work wonders and restore faith in underperforming products.

Wearing equal parts Chanel CC Cream and MUFE HD Foundation

The moral to the story here is to not be afraid of mixing, matching and blending your products in order to achieve a desired outcome. Be the beautiful scientist you were always meant to be.

Side note: Seriously obsessed with my new Dogeared makeup bag.

A few years ago I worked as a bank teller in a really affluent Massachusetts' town and I was hustling to burst out of there. For a hot second I was courted to become an Arbonne saleslady.

Yep, you heard it here first.

Long story short a customer had sold me on a few products; cut to me attending an Arbonne sales consultant event with said customer in attempt to serve me some Kool-Aid. In the States, if you hit your sales goals they give you Tiffany jewellery. That's right, give.

But I saw through the pyramid scheme and even had a moment when my mind flashed back to Roald Dahl's The Witches. My mind jogged to the part where the boy spied the witches convening at the hotel -- one second they were these miserly women and by the next second they had peeled their masks off! I kept waiting for this to happen, but it never did.

Every time I hear or read the name Arbonne I instantly think of The Witches, which I realise is unfair, but the mind (mine especially) has a funny way of working.

Swatch of Arbonne's CC Cream in light (applied heavily)

Swatch of Arbonne's CC Cream in light (sheered out)

Arbonne's (C)omplexion (C)ontrol Cream promises to "mattify, moisturise and prime all at the same time." While I did share a similar experience to Arbonne's claims, I wasn't prepared for the CC Cream to slip and pool within my pores after a few hours of wear. Initially the coverage was smooth, but something gave way and forced Arbonne's variant to make my pores appear larger than life.

If it hadn't been for Arbonne's migratory flight pattern, I could've gotten on board.

If you think the 10 benefits Arbonne promotes for using their CC Cream (Primer; Protector; Concealer; Hydrator; Mattifier; Brightener; Blemish Cover; Pore Refiner; Comforter and Complexion Controller) outweighs my own personal user experience, then head on over to Arbonne to check out the other three shades (fair, medium and dark) available for purchase.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Arbonne's CC Cream: