4 Product Skincare Routine | Beauty

What is this you see? A beauty post on my blog after I said I wasn't going to do beauty stuff anymore? Escandalo! The thing is, I do still love beauty but I have found in the 11 months I haven't been blogging and buying unnecessary products for my blog I have stripped my skincare regime right back and have only been buying 4 products, yes you read that correctly only 4 products I use to keep my skin happy! There are lots of skincare specialists out there that will tell us we need more and we need different things for morning and night and that we need different steps for different skin types which I am sure is true but I know my skin and I know that for me less is more. 

A bit of short background, I used to have horrific acne for years went on a high dose of roaccutane and it change my life! Skin cleared up, I was left with a few scars but it was so much better, however I did realise that all the products that tell you they are good for clearing skin etc is all a load of marketing bullsh*t and can do more damage than good! Ever since then, I have been paranoid with what goes on my face and use very little products, then I started to blog again which lead to me buying loads of new products and then I decided to go cruelty free which meant I needed even more products then I stopped blogging and it all calmed down. I made a conscious decision  to use all the stuff I had and then only buy things I absolutely needed which started with cleanser, I had so many different types which were all fine but I wasn't in love with any of them. I tried The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil which I liked the idea of but it was a bit of a faff, you had to put it on your face then wet your face then wipe it off and I just wanted something easy but equally as gentle which is when I picked up from the same range the Camomile Cleansing Butter which was a game changer, take a little bit, warm it up on your face to it melts into an oil and boom wipe off! So simple, so gentle, so easy! With this cleanser I have no desire to find another and without beauty blogging I didn't find the need to try something new at all! 

Moving onto a brand I have dabble in for a while now which is The Ordinary, I have tried both of their foundations and they were both awful on my skin so never went back to their make up, their skincare on the otherhand is amazing! It started with The Peeling Solution which has been written about by loads of people but I picked it up because it was a great price and I wanted something that would reduce some of my scarring. It's a little 10 minute mask that I use once a week sometimes once every 2 weeks, It makes my skin look and feel so much smoother. It is quite strong stuff so be mindful when using it. The next product is one that I definitely bought on a whim, I was reading a commuter magazine (either the Stylist or ES mag) and someone (I didn't even know them) in the mag recommended Plant Derived Squalane which is a plant base product which is great at keeping skin and even hair hydrated. Think of this product as an oil, that doesn't leave a greasy residue on your skin, it just absorbs and leaves your skin feeling fresh and it's gentle enough to use every day and I tend to use this after I have cleansed in the evening! 

The next and final product left in my entire collection (for the face, I do still have body products) is the delightful Drops of Youth, Youth Cream this is actually a product I bought a while ago but then I tried something else and just didn't love it! This cream is fantastic because its so fresh and cooling, I use it in the morning under my make up and it creates such a lovely base. I doubt it is making me look youthful, much to my disappointment, but it is a really fantastic product! 

I think whether you are in the "less is more camp" or the "more is more camp", it feel so good when you find products that just work for you because when you feel like you skin looks good you immediately feel much better about everything else!  

The Body Shop Roots of Strength Serum | Beauty

So I have this thing with The Body Shop, I mean I can't seem to control myself lately every time I go in I end up buying too much and this time I walked away with The Roots Of Strength Firming Shaping Serum which at £32 is very much a "considered purchase". To be honest, I'm 30 next year and I feel this blind panic to really try and do something with my skin and whilst I have always had a little dabble I really want to find some hero products this year. I was reading Hayley Hall's blog and she mentioned this serum in her Four Fab Skincare Gems she was honest but saying she hadn't noticed a huge difference but it does leave her skin feeling good and it is a product that she likes using so I thought, "that's good enough for me" 

Roots of Strength range is inspired by traditional Chinese medicine and infused with 3 root extracts which are ginger, ginseng and rucus root so these products pack a mighty scent so if you don't like strong gingery scents this probably isn't for you my dear. I went for the serum over the face cream simply because I already have a face cream that I am loving right now which is TBS Drops of Youth facial cream so I thought I would use something a little richer and targeted beforehand. I have been using this product for about 7/8 weeks now and I have to be honest that whilst I haven't noticed my skin that much firmer, I have noticed that it looks fresher. I actually started using this product at the same time I started using The Ordinary Peeling Solution so it's hard to pinpoint what it making my skin fee so good right now but I do believe this had contributed to some of it. 

When I first started using it, I was using it every day and I must admit I don't think my skin liked it too much, my skin is a bit fussy and it doesn't really like to have multiple different products on it. I noticed that my skin felt a little clogged after a couple of weeks so I dropped down to using it every other day and that works a lot better for me. 

Roots of Strength Firming Shaping Serum is a really nice product, it's great to apply and melts into the skin beautifully, I'm still not sure whether it's something I would buy all the time but we'll see how I feel when I run out. 

What facial serums do you love right now? 

The Ordinary Peeling Solution | Beauty

Ah The Ordinary has really reached cult status hasn't it? It one of those brands that offers a lot of variety but for a fantastic price but if you have read my blog recently then you'll know my disappointment for the Coverage foundation, I mean I just hated that product! But my opinion on the make up aside I still wanted to try out a little something from this brand and take a little leap into the world of facial acids which is why I wanted to try out the AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution. 

In the past I have tried glycolic acid face pads and I frickin' loved them but I haven't really tried anything harsher than that so I had a look at the QUEEN of skincare Caroline Hirons blog post on Affordable Acids where she mentions that it's a good and cheap acid and but it's not a daily acid as it is strong. After researching it does suggest it should be used by people who know how to use acids/who's skin is used to acids so I was taking a little risk but I figure that providing I follow the instructions and stop if I don't like it I would be fine. 

I have been using it once a week for about 6 weeks now and I must admit I am quite impressed because it is powerful and instantly you can see a difference in the skin texture. I have used a lot of different products that might leave my skin looking good and fresh but this Peeling Solution actually leaves my skin shiny and smooth. The first time I tried it, I only left it on my face for 5 minutes just to be sure that I was going to be OK to use the product. Then after that I have used it for the full 10 minute each time. I love my skin when I wash the product off and then the next day my make up goes on perfectly but one thing I have noticed is that during the day my cheeks can get really red and hot. I don't know whether that is as a result of using this product but I feel like it is, however the days after that are completely fine. 

I have noticed that the texture of my skin is starting to look overall a lot smoother than before and sometimes when I wake up my skin actually looks really fresh, I'm actually starting to see and feel the improvement, I just love it! I haven't noticed any dryness or peeling, which I was worried about as it is an exfoliating product. 

Personally I think The Ordinary's Peeling Solution is a great, but it is strong so if you are considering using this you need to be cautious and aware. It's also a fantastic price at £6.30 it's worth trying. 

Have you tried facial acids? 

Current Skin Care Routine | Beauty

Today I thought I would share with you my current evening skincare routine and what products I am currently loving I have written about my skincare quite a few times before but I think my last post on my Holy Grail Skincare early this year and things have changed since then. For skincare and make up I only use cruelty free products and whilst before I generally used a lot of these products, now I make an active decision not to buy anything that isn't cruelty free. The great thing about this is I have had to discover a lot of new (to me) products to find something that would work for me. 

When I got my products out I was actually quite surprised at how many Body Shop products I have, considering it's wasn't a brand I really used that often until a few months ago. In fact I have been quite vocal about my disappointment with some of their products *cough* Instaglow CC Cream *cough* but these ones I have included here are genuinely products I adore and believe they have made a difference to my skin appearance, anyway enough blabbering on lets get started with...

The Burt's Bees Orange Essence Cleanser, I have already written about this cleanser and how much I love it but I tend to use this as a first step to get rid of all my make up before really doing a deeper clean. I love how zesty it smells and it definitely leaves my skin looking fresh but it's not enough on it's own it gets rid of the day to day grime but you need a little something extra which is where the Resurfacing Liquid Peel comes in. I have gone into more detail about this liquid peel before because it's so bloody unusual, it forms these clumps on your skin, it's so grim but I just love it! I do have acne scars and I don't think this has smoothed them out much but it leaves my skin looking so bright and feels incredible. 

The newbie to my skincare routine is the Body Shop's Monoi Oil which is NOT a facial oil and doesn't claim to be, in fact I use this oil on my body and I'm obsessed with the stuff. I don't know what possessed me to add it to my face after the first two steps but I am glad I did, I literally added 2 or 3 drops to my face, just a teeny tiny amount but I just feel that it adds a bit of radiance to my face, I love it! I must admit I want to try out some other actual facial oils because I really like the way this makes my skin look. I then go to bed and let that skin in overnight so in the morning my skin is looking all plump and fresh. I then follow up with my final step in the morning with another new addition which is Drops of Youth, Youth Cream because basically I'm getting old now guys, I look 108 already and I need anything to help slow it down. It's a lovely light cream that almost melts into a cool gel like texture without the stickiness. I tend to play close attention to applying the cream around the eye area and after about 3 weeks of using it every morning I have noticed a difference to my skin it looks more supple and overall smoother than before. 

I feel like these products are somewhere inbetween when it comes to prices, not too expensive but definitely not cheap however the older I get/look the more I feel like I need to invest in good skincare. These are my fave products right now and my skin is loving this little routine. 

What are your favourite skincare products right now?

LQ Liquid Health | Beauty

I have spoken a lot about beauty products and skincare and in the past I have tried out different supplements and really liked them. Today I am writing about the LQ Liquid Health Advanced Skin Care, that HelloSkin kindly gifted me but of course all views are my own! 

The LQ Liquid Health Advanced Skin care supplement contains lots of lovely ingredients for your skin such as marine collagen, hyalunornic acid, aloe vera, zinc, even turmeric! It also has vitamin C in it which also help maintain healthy skin and give your skin a bit of a boost if you feel it is looking a little lack lustre. The website actually suggests that if you have dry skin or acne this product can help. 

You get 10 little 50ml bottles for £29.99 so it is a little pricey but personally I consider this type of purchase an investment because it's your skin health. When it come to the taste of the product it certainly has a zing to it! I was expecting something tasting like orange...no idea why but I just thought it would. I will be honest, it doesn't taste the best but it isn't awful either it just has a slight bitter after taste, I would suggest having another drink handy! 

After I finished using the supplement, overall I was really happy with the results. The thing is these types of supplements can't work miracles, I did not wake up with celebrity skin but it's the small things I noticed that I was really impressed with. For example, when I am due on my period, I tend to get spots on my chin however I was drinking the LQ Liquid Health Supplements I noticed that didn't get any spots, like at all! How good is that? My skin overall looked a little brighter and fresher than what it has recently. As with anything you have to use these supplements for a longer period of time to see the best results and my opinion is very much a first impression, I have no doubt that over several months the results would be even more impressive. 

I think there is a lot to be said for supplements and I think it's really important to try and get as many vitamins and minerals into your body and these types of drinkable supplements are a really easy way to do it! 

What supplements do you take? 

Cruelty Free Skincare | Beauty

As you guys will now know if you I am going cruelty free with my skincare and beauty products which means, over the last few weeks I have been trying out a lot of new stuff. I wanted to share with you my thought on these lovely products and how I got on with them. 

I think I want to start with the Melting Gel Cleanser from the Superdrug range B. This was something very unexpected because it is literally a clear gel, that when you rub over your skins for a minute or two it turns to an oil, that washes off milky white  - like what? At first i struggled with this one but that was because I was using too much of the product, you actually only need a hazelnut sized blob of the stuff any more and it becomes a sticky mess. I would also say that you should massage the gel into your skin until it has completely changed into a oil texture. The first couple of weeks I noticed a couple of spots pop up on my chin but I can't say it was 100% down to this product but the rest of my skin looked really good, very fresh and bright. I have easily fallen in love with the Melting Gel Cleanser and use it about 3 times a week, it is really gentle and can be used to take off eye make up! 

Moving onto another B. product which is the B. Confident Day Cream  which is part of the Phase 1 range aimed at skin between the ages of 20-30. Finding a good cream was quite scary for me because I loved my Olay day cream so much but unfortunately this brand is not cruelty free so I have no other option but to find something else. The B.Confident Dy Cream is quite a thick formula which claims to hydrate the skin for up to 12hrs which is a bold statement but I have found that my face does feel better hydrated that it was before. Whilst it is a lot thicker than what I am used to, it actually absorbs quickly into my skin but again I use a very small amount. I have been using this for over a month and can definitely see the difference this product, coupled with the Melting Gel Cleanser, has made to my skin. 

Moving onto another Superdrug gem we have their own brand shower gel and I have it in the Cherry & Almond scent and oh my god! I love the Superdrug shower gels because they are actually quite similar to the Original Source shower gels with wonderful vibrant scents but at a FRACTION of the cost being 99p compared to OS £2.29. The shower gel is just a good and definitely cruelty free as are all of the Superdrug own brand products are. This smells insane, I just wanna eat it...but I can't! I used exfoliating gloves in the shower so i just whack a big squeeze of that in one hand and lather myself up, it's a really nice gel for the price. 

Of course, no skincare post would be complete without discussing lips and you just know I had to mention my beloved Burt's Bees Lip Balm and I really love the original version of this balm because it has peppermint in it and quite frankly I like the tingly feeling. This lip balm was something I didn't even realise was cruelty free until I pulled back the label and saw the little leaping bunny, so bloody happy with that one. 

This post is a first phase in transitioning to cruelty free, there are so many good brands out there and I've kinda gotta try a lot to find my perfect combination but so far I have been so impressed with just these products already, good prices and quality is great why wouldn't you want to go cruelty free? Another thing to note is that the B. range is not only cruelty free but also suitable for Vegans which is always good to know. If you wanted to know which brands to avoid you can find a little blacklist of the big highstreet brands who do still test on animals. 

Have you tried any of the B. products? 

Holy Grail Skincare Products | Beauty

Oh boy am I happy to be back in the UK and with all my fave beauty skincare products! Today I am going to have a little chat about my top 3 holy grail products. 

To give you guys a bit of background, my skin is awful! I don't mean spots, Roaccutane thankfully fixed that but the scarring I am left with is ugly, I have an old face which is a little sad but without having a skin peel or something similar there isn't a great deal I can do about it. My skin is still a little temperamental so I really try not to do too much too it but I have got into a really great skincare routine which is working really well at the moment. 

Let's start with my fave cleanser which is the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish , I just find that this product is so gentle on my face and immediately my skin looks fresh and and more mattifed (is that even a real word?) The only thing that annoyed me a little is the scents of these products, I'm not a fan of the original one and I don't even love the Rose and Lavender that much which is a shame but it does a really nice job so I am happy to over look it. 

Secondly we have a new little fave, which is a bit of a surprise to me because I wasn't expect to love this face mask as much as I do. I recently wrote about my first impressions on the L'Oreal Pure Clay Purity Mask , in the post I actually have a little moan because I wanted the detox mask but I can say after a few weeks of using it I'm actually really surprised how it has improved my skin. I really didn't think it would do much but it definitely has reduced some of the blemishes I had or at least helped them look less harsh. Super impressed with that little face mask. 

Finally we have my most BELOVED product which are the Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Facial Pads though as you can see I have been using them for quite some time but when I moved out to Florence you just couldn't get them so I stopped using and oh my god, I had completely forgotten how good they were. I bought these in Superdrug as they were on a Buy One Get One Free which is bloody great because they are on the slightly higher end of the high street but they are SO worth it! They really help to reduce scars, pore and evens out my skin, seriously if you have a few acne scars or would like to make the appearance of your skin a bit smoother you need to check these out! 

There we have my top 3 holy grail skincare products! What are yours?  

Lancome Visionnaire Nuit : Update | Beauty

It's about time I gave you guys an update on my Lancome Visionnaire Nuit product. I actually purchased this in August because I realised how haggard my face looked and decided I need to so something to try and save it, I wrote about my first impressions but it's definitely a good time to give you my end result feedback. 

Now you guys know I don't do the whole face on the blog thing, so don't expect any before or after pictures, you know I don't want to scare you off with my troll like features. I do just want to explain my experience with Visionnaire Nuit though. I think at first, I was bloody obsessed with it, wore it every night literally smothered myself in the stuff and my skin definitely looked nice but it made it a bit oily if I'm honest and I was using so much that I would wake up and it was still very much on my skin. Then I stopped using it, I really got out of the habit, it's hard to remember to do it every night and if you have people coming over you don't want to suffocate them with the granny smell that Visionnaire Nuit definitely has you can't use it. Also, when I am drunk the LAST thing I want to do is faff with skincare.

However when I started using it again, I decided that I wouldn't use it every night instead I would on use it after I had done a face mask to give my skin a bit of moisture. I probably put a facemask on twice a week at the moment, and I'm using a clay mask which I am kind of obsessed with. I have mentioned before that I am really fussy with my skincare because I used to have horrific acne so I try not to use to many products on my face. I found that after I did my facial regime using Visionnaire Nuit complimented it really well. I also reduced the amount of product I use as well so my skin can absorb what it needs to. 

Let's get down to the results ay, basically this cream/gel/oil is not a miracle worker but on the other hand my skin is pretty bad with all the acne scars etc BUT it has without a doubt reduced my wrinkles I had on my forehead between my brows. I have quite a prominent frown line and it's quite deep but it has definitely been reduced, you can still see it but I don't think it looks as harsh now. Also the night after using Visionnaire Nuit my skin looks all fresh and full of life so I'm really happy with it. 

I would definitely repurchase though it is on the pricey side, so I'm trying to make this jar last as long as possible. 

What are your holy grail anti aging products? 

Yes To Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Wipes | Beauty

Just a couple of points to note before we go too deep into this post, yes oh yes, this is a beauty post which means it's making a slight comeback to my blog as I try and increase my posts to twice a week! Second thing, before we all go crazy that I'm writing about a face wipe and they are the worst thing in the world in beauty land...we all use them, they're quick and easy so let's not pretend here guys!

So today I'm doing a little review on these Yes To Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Facial Wipes, I was actually given these for free as they came in a goodie bag I received for sponsoring an event. I personally haven't tried any of the Yes To products but I know they have quite a wide range which include a variety of different facial wipes. Obviously the first thing I noticed was that the wipes are actually black, the little goth girl inside me squealed when I realised! It's quite a quirky idea especially because I don't think I have seen any facial wipe that is anything other than white.

We all know the amazing properties of charcoal on our skin, a lot of facial masks have this product included in them, charcoal really gets into your pours for a deep clean and almost extracts some of the toxins on your face. However Yes To has added it to their wipes, as well as the super veggie (or fruit) that is tomatoes, in fact 95% of these wipes are made with natural ingredients which is obviously gonna be way better than using a standard wipe.

The first time I used the wipe I tried to remove my eye make up, it was rubbish like these wipes are not designed to remove eye make up! I do wear a lot of mascara and liquid eyeliner but it would take a lot of rubbing to my eyes to remove all my eye make up so I would definitely recommend not using these on your eyes. But when I started using them on my face that's where things got interesting and a little grosse! Basically because the wipes are black you can actually see all the dead skins cells on the wipe which was disgustingly fascinating. There is no doubt about it my skin definitely felt very clean after using these wipes, more so than any other wipe I have used in the past which I think it really impressive. The scent of these wipes is a little unusual, it is pleasant but it's kinda earthy but not too powerful so it's nice.

The reality is you should never just rely on facial wipes to cleanse your face but adding these to your already good skincare routine I personally think isn't such a bad thing! I use them to take my facial make up after the day and then use my Liz Earle cleanser or put a face mask on.

Have you tried these facial wipes? What are your favourite Yes To products?

Lancome Visionnaire Nuit | Beauty

Oh yes, today we are talking about wrinkles as much as it pains me to say I have got a bucket load of wrinkles and it's my birthday soon! Fab! I thought I would share with you my initial thoughts on the Lancome Visionnaire Nuit but let's just give you a bit of background first...

My skin has been through a lot, because I used to have horrific acne I'm quite badly scarred and this had aged my face quite badly so recently I have just felt that I need to do something about it. The thing is, I'm getting into a really good cleansing regime which is great and I'm loving the products I'm using on a daily and weekly basis so I didn't really want to change this so I thought I would opt for a night time product.

There is a pretty massive Sephora in Florence's main station Santa Maria Novella so this is where I go for all my make up and stuff which meant naturally I found myself lingering on the skincare isle. The are SUCH a vast range of anti wrinkle products and it's quite tricky trying to figure out what you need, I didn't need a cream for women who have like 60 year old skin but I wanted something a little more than a glorified moisturiser. After having a chat with the very lovely store assistant I ended up with the Lancome Visionnaire Nuit night cream/oil, now I don't want to talk about the price of which you can easily find online but right now I'm at a stage in my life where I just really want to invest in me, which sounds shallow I know, I know!

After I bought the product I actually read the reviews, which is a little backward I must admit but sometimes (I mean, always) I'm impulsive with purchases so I just went with my gut. The overall feed back was actually really good, a lot of people appear to have said the cream was amazing and people saw results instantly. Even on the box itself it says you can see results from the first night. So I smother myself in the stuff and go to bed expecting to wake up like Blake Lively...unfortunately that did not happen! I mean, it's a cream not a miracle worker. But the second day, I noticed my skin just looking overall smoother, really interesting.

Visionnaire Nuit is a really odd cream, it even comes with a little spoon! I kind of struggled to figure out how much to use so I watched a little tutorial online first. It's more of a gel that when you add to your hands it kind of melts into an oil, very smooth and luxurious! It's definitely a night cream because it doesn't really absorb into your skin very quickly you still feel it present for a while before you fall asleep but I don't mind it. The one thing I will say, which I have noticed other people picked up on as well is the scent. It's pretty bloody strong and a bit of a granny scent if you ask me. Some people said it gave them a headache or that they couldn't sleep, I think that's a tad dramatic but I found that after an hour or so the scent subsided, but it will rub off on your pillows so be aware. Thank god I sleep by myself at the moment is all I can say...sexy stuff!!!

I have been using it a week and already my forehead looks way smoother, we have to bear in mind that my wrinkles aren't deep just yet so Visionnaire Nuit is a perfect match for me. I have even found myself going out without make up at the weekends just because my skin looks fresher than what it did a couple of weeks ago. This cream won't work on my deep acne scars but for my expression lines on my forehead and around my eyes i'm actually pretty impressed so far. I will actually follow up with my thoughts on this cream after 4 weeks though because apparently that's how long it will take to see full results so keep and eye out.

What anti wrinkle cream do you love?

Skincare Routine | Beauty

I have found that when traveling for work, my skin care routine kinda goes out of the window because I might get in at like 1am really drunk from an event and have to get up really early the next day for another event so for me it's easier to do the full works before and after the trip.

I'll be honest, in the past I've never really had a great routine but the more I fly, the more my skin dries out and hates it all. The problem is I have always had bad skin, the acne scars are pretty bad and whilst I don't have acne anymore, just the odd spot, it has really ruined my face and makes me look far older than what I am. Because of the acne, I pretty much stopped using the typical treatments and just kept my skin routine very simplistic because those acne treatments can definitely make it 100 times worse. This being said, I think I have found something that works for me.

Recently I have fallen in love with Liz Earle's hot cloth cleanser but I have bought it in the Rose and Cedrat, the scent is more delicate than the original. I always feel the eucalyptus is a strange scent, sometimes I like it and other times it's just too strong so for me I would much rather go for a limited edition than the original product. In the past I have used this product and I think I was using it too often because I started getting spots and my skin just wasn't loving it so I stopped, it's weird because this product is gentle enough to be used twice daily but at first I just couldn't get on with it. However this time around, I don't use it everyday and my skin is much happier.

For a face mask I am currently using Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask which smells like Christmas but tingles on the face. It's an exfoliating mask that helps resurface the skin, so you know I love it! Honestly, any chance I get to use products that resurface I am happy to try because if it helps get rid of some of my acne scars or at least reduce them then it's totally worth it. The thing that I like about this face mask is that you don't have to leave it on for a stupid amount of time and doesn't dry hard to your face. You only need to leave it 3 - 7 minutes and let it do it's tingly magic and you are left with a very smooth and soft face, big fan!!!

For a toner I am currently using like a travel sized version of a product because one of my colleagues actually gave it to me because she wouldn't use it, it's the Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence moisturising  toner. Now this product I'm not 100% sold on but I do like the fact that it gives you a very quick boost of moisture, because flying does dry your skin out this is perfect.

Darphin Ideal Resource Serum | Beauty

If you read my Rakuten Affiliate Network blog post a couple of weeks ago you'll know that I recieved this in a little box they kindly sent me. 

I've never heard of the brand Darphin before but I have done a little digging around at they actually resell in places like, Space NK, Feel Unique, John Lewis and Look Fantastic. This brand is also part of the Estee Lauder group so it's sister brands are Clinique, Oriin, Creme Del a Mer, Smashbox etc. I think the reason I've never really come across this brand is because I tend to stick to what I like with regards to skincare but I must admit I have noticed that I'm starting to get some pretty noticable wrinkles around my eyes so I was really keen to try out the Ideal Resource Perfecting Smoothing Serum. 

It's quite a small sample but I only really wanted to focus on my eyes anyway. When I first tried this out I was quite surprised with it's consistency, the Ideal Resource serum is actually quite runny. When I think of serums I think of a gel like formula and this isn't, not that it is a bad thing it's just different. It has a very delicate floral scent that is really pleasant actually because I don't like scents that are too heavy or floral on my face. I found it to a be really light weight formula under the eye and that it definitely helped with the appearance of my fine lines. It also brightens the skin around my eyes which is a great bonus too.  

The website suggests that "Over time, Clary Sage helps improve smoothness, and our powerful LINE POLISH COMPLEX helps support skin’s natural collagen" so it's good to know that over time this product can help with your over all skins appearance on a deeper level. 

The Ideal Resource Serum retails for £60 for 30mls, which I think is pretty expensive but I will say that even though I recieved a small sample, the product inside you can tell is something special.

Have you tried any Darphin products?

Ahava Face and Body Starter Kit | Beauty

Today I'm going to give you my first impressions on a brand that I'm fairly certain is pretty hard to get in the UK called Ahava. My wonderful work colleague recently went out to New York and came back with this little treasure. I have heard of the brand before because of my job but have never actually used any of the products so I was super excited to try them out. 

This Ahava face and body starter kit is a really great way to try out a variety of different products from the range because they are all travel sized and comes in a really handy little travel bag.The Face and Body Starter kit contains Velvet Creme Body Wash which is scented with Hibiscus and Fig, fig is like my all time favourite scent, I love fig and honey but this fragrance combination is wonderful. There is also Mineral Hand Cream, Essential Day Moisturizer and a Purifying Mud Mask. If you have read my blog before you'd know I'm a massive fan of clay and mud masks, the more the merrier in my eyes. This Purifying Mud mask is fairly similar to the Simple cleansing face mask in the sense you only leave it on the skin for a couple of minutes. Many other clay/mud masks ask you to leave it on your skin for 10 minutes which actually makes it incredibly hard to remove. 

I do just have to mention the scent each product has a wonderful floral frangrance the 3 Deadsea Water products don't mention what kinda of scent it is but I kinda want to say it's Hibiscus  but if you don't like floral scents then these aren't going to be for you. I've already got the hand cream in my bag along with the body wash. 

I really think these types of kits are a perfect way for you to try out a variety of different products from new brands. I'm such a lover of sample size products before you invest in the full sized version. The only problem I face now is actually getting the products in the UK, I know you can get these products on Amazon though. 

What is your favourite skincare brand?

Australian Bodycare Cleansing Face Mask | Beauty

If you are a regular reader you'll know I love a face mask, any kinda I love trying out and was very kindly sent this face mask, so you know I was pretty excited to try it out. 

Australian Bodycare is a brand I've heard of before, I have actually used their After Wax product which is really nice. They have quite an extensive range of skincare products on site and most appear to have Tea Tree Oil in them. This is the Cleansing Face Mask* and it's a clay based mask which I was surprised about because when you first squeeze it out of the bottle you'll notice that it's no where near as thick as other clay masks which is a good thing because some clay mask dry so hard you actually do more damage to your skin trying to get it off. Australian Bodycare's version is a thick but creamy formula and not only includes Tea Tree Oil but also has Macadamia Oil and Papaya.

The scent of this product is very strong, you can smell the Tea Tree as soon as you take the lid off this but to me this isn't a bad thing. However if you don't like strong smelling products it may not be for you. This product is mild enough to be used everyday but I decided I'd only use it weekly, I don't usually use face masks everyday, who has time for that? I'd say you've gotta give it a pretty good shake as well, because it's a funny kind of texture, it's a little runny, a little thick, a little lumpy, just give it a shake and it makes it come out of the bottle much smoother. 

When I put this product on it actually felt quite tingly, which is something I'm not used to, as it was drying I could really feel it. It wasn't unpleasant, but I think if you have very sensitive skin it would almost feel a little irritated. The thing that I really love about this product is the way it dried onto my skin. With Clay masks they can dry to hard and it make it a pain to get off, however this Australian Bodycare face mask actually dried softly so it was much easier to wash off. Once I did wash it off, I noticed my skin looked very matte and fresh, I really like how my skin felt. I put a bit of my favourite moisturiser on and for the rest of the day this product leaves my skin feeling very smooth and soft. 

This Cleansing Face Mask really is gentle on the skin and has some great ingredients, I can definitely notice a different in my skins texture and overall appearance every time I use the product. 

Have you tried anything from Australian Bodycare?  



*PR Sample, all views my own

Monthly Faves | Beauty

It's been a while since I have done one of these posts, I don't like to do them too frequently as my fave products don't change that often. I have found this month I have tried to improve the appearance of my skin and the overall texture of it. I'm really starting to see an improvement with and I think it's definitely down to some of these products. 

Starting with Garnier Micellar water, oh my god. This is stuff is so good and completely changed my evening routine, I don't know what I did without it but this product removed dirt and make up perfectly for me. I have also been drinking these amazing Wassen Collagen Drinks which I honestly cannot get enough of, I have seen such an improvement with my skin It's amazing. 

Moving onto Max Factor Creme Puff Blush, this blusher is just so easy to wear. I love that it has the shimmery highlights in it so for me it works as both a blusher and a highlighter which is pretty handy.I always use this on the weekend when I don't want to go too heavy with my make up. It adds a really lovely flush of colour to my cheeks. I am considering trying out some more shades but we'll see. 

And finally we have the Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Serum which I haven't actually reviewed on my blog (yet, maybe) but I've started using it in the evening just after I have used my Micellar water and I'm have noticed a difference in the pores around my nose and the smoothness of my skin. I have reviewed Gylcolic Fix  Exfoliating Pads and they are amazing, I still use them but I'm liking the addition of the serum too. 

What are your monthly favourites?

Garnier Micellar Water | Beauty

I thought it was finally time for me to get involved with this Micellar Cleansing Water hype, I mean what does Micellar water even mean? I don't know! I've been looking for a quick an easy way to cleanse my face, I'm probably the most boring person out there when it comes to skincare. I know what works for me and I kinda just stick to it. That being said I have noticed my skin has been looking just a little lifeless recently, so I thought I would try out something new. 

I have read a lot of blogs who bang on about Micellar water and to me it just seems like a nice easy step for my skincare routine so I thought I would try out the Garnier version. Now, there are a lot of different types of Micellar water out there, which one do you choose? I really struggled at first because the Garnier Version was in a massive bottle, which is great if I'm already a fan of this product but in terms of a first time purchase I just didn't want to commit to a big bottle. I then went to Superdrug to see what range they had and saw that Simple have their own and immediately I grabbed a bottle, but it was on offer Buy One, Get One Free, again what if I don't like the stuff? I did however notice that Superdrug were selling the Garnier version in a "Mini Format" so that made my mind up. 

The Garnier Micellar Water works as both a cleanser and a make up remover so it is pretty gentle on the skin and you don't have to rinse it off. I'd say that this isn't the best eye make up remover because it took quite a while to get my mascara off but in all fairness I do wear a lot of eye make up. It's great a removing the rest of my make up and leaving my skin feeling all fresh and clean. I did feel it dried out my skin just a tad at first but after a few uses I was fine.

I'm am loving this addition to my skin care routine and now totally get the hype surrounding Micellar water. 

What are your thoughts on Micellar Water?

Dr.PAWPAW Original Balm | Beauty

Could this be the most amazing lip balm yet? In short yes. I was kindly sent this Dr.PAWPAW* product and I was thrilled. I'm always on the hunt for a good lip balm, I am bored with Vaseline, Carmex and Nivea. Don't get me wrong these brands are great brands but I was looking for something new, with some more natural ingredients that would just work. I've found it. 

I wasn't really familiar with the brand Dr.PAWPAW but the products are 100% British made, it even had a tiny Union Jack on the back of the tube. The Original Balm actually has very few ingredients which I really like, it has stuff like Carcia Papaya which is rich in vitamins,

potassium and iron which all aids in skin repair. It also has Olive Oil and we all know the skin benefits of olive oil and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, which is great for the skin on your face because it helps reduce pores even helps to cleanse and tone the skin. Also, it's good to mention that this product isn't tested on animals

But essentially this is a multi purpose product, if you get the Original Balm which is in the yellow bottle there is a whole host of different things you could use it for such as Lip Balm (of course) Skin Soother, Eye Primer before make up, you can use it on bites and stings and even can be a nappy rash soother. They also have a Dr.PAWPAW in a tinted red shade and a peach tint which is good for lips and cheeks. 

I never wear lip balm during the day because I feel that you always end up using it more often and then become a little reliant on it so I only use it at night which gives it a chance to properly absorb into my skin. From the first time I tried it when I woke up my lips were so smooth and felt really nourished. I do get really dry lips and even using just a small amount of this product fixed them over night. It's nice because it doesn't have any over powering scents, it's colourless, it does the job incredibly well and I am converted. With most lip balms you have to use it a few times to repair dry lips but this one was pretty much instant relief, I'm really impressed. One thing I will say the product was incredibly hard to get out of this tube but I think that's just because it's a sample. 

I've had a look online and a 25ml tube of this balm is around £6.95 which I think is a fantastic price but they also do 3 for 2 offers and you can try out some of the other tinted balms as well. I believe you can only get these products in the UK. I know I'm definitely going to be repurchasing the Dr.PAWPAW original balm once I run out. 

Fantastic little balm. 

Have you tried Dr.PAWPAW?

*PR Sample, however all views my own

Clayspray | Beauty

I absolutely love a face mask, I do try to take care of my skin but I don't like adding too many products to it because ultimately they can be incredibly drying and often break my skin out with spots, which is never a good look.

I've been introduced to a brand called Clayspray* who I haven't really heard of because I'm very much a highstreet kinda gal. I just walk into my local Boots and grab pretty much whatever is there. 

Clayspray is a skincare brand that offers a range of clay based products. Their products are gentle on the skin because they are paraben and preservative free. Clayspray's products are also hypoallergenic and made from all natural ingredient and are even Vegan friendly.

I must admit I really like the sound of the brand but as with most samples you aren't really given much info on how long to leave it on your face for etc. But most clay products you pretty much leave them on until they dry out and then wash them off so I'm thinking about 10 minutes. I received the white clay mask which is actually formulated for all skin types. This product claims to leave visible results just after one use and you know what, it's true. 

When I first applied it I noticed that it dried quite quickly, it's been a very long time since I have used a thick clay mask like this. It took me two sachets to cover my entire face which actually is quite minimal so if you were to purchase the bottle of Clayspray it would last ages! I also found that this product has a cooling effect on the skin as it dries, which felt lovely.

Once I washed it off my face my skin looked great, my pores looked really reduced and my skin had an almost matte sheen to it. Sometimes with face masks my skin goes shiny and red but this one made my skin look lovely. But for me the real impressive thing was how great my skin looked the next day, it felt incredibly smooth and my pores still looked reduced. I'm so impressed. I'm in love with this product, it's a product that actually lives up to it's claims.

I am buying the full sized product from their website, that's how much I love it. 

Have you heard of the brand before?



*This is a PR sample but all views are my own

London Butterflies Salt Scrub | Beauty

When I received this in my Birchbox a few months ago I was incredibly excited. London Butterflies isn't really a brand I've heard before but I just love body scrubs, it was a great size too you get quite a lot of product in it.

Firstly the scent is gorgeous, it has a very sweet scent of almonds which is always lovely. It is also a sea salt scrub, which I prefer natural to artificial particles because that can be quite damaging to the skin. I also noticed that this scrub wasn't as runny as other I have used previously, in the jar this stuff doesn't budge at all.

It was love at first scrub! I tried this on my legs first, it almost has a gel/hair wax like consistency but when you start rubbing it literally melts into your skin, it feels so nice. I just kept rubbing until the salt had dissolved and then with my exfoliating gloves just and removed any excess. The almond oil still stays on the skin making it feel quite luxurious and smooth.

The thing that did surprise me is that sweet scent almost disappeared entirely when applied onto the skin, but in all fairness I was sitting in a Lush Comforter Bubble Bar bath which has an incredibly strong fruity scent so perhaps I just didn't pick up on the London Butterflies scrub.

The real wow factor was how smooth my legs were the morning after, I mean my entire body felt good but my legs really felt another level smoother and softer, I have quite dry skin on my legs in winter so I really feel that this scrub helped nourish them. 

I've managed few uses from this little 34g sample but I am seriously considering making a purchase.

Have you tried anything from London Butterflies before?

Dove Essential Nourishing Lotion | Beauty

When it comes to moisturising daily, I'm somewhat lazy, I just can't be bothered. I've tried all new moisturisers and lose interest in them very quickly. I used to be good when I used one specific moisturiser because I actually felt like it made a difference to my skin which was...

Dove Essential Nourishing Lotion for Dry Skin

I used to use this stuff ages ago but after a year or so I wanted something different, I kinda got bored with the scent and started trying new stuff but oh yes, I came crawling back. 

This moisturiser works, end of. I have weird dry patches on my shins in the winter, lord knows why it's probably because I wear tights and dresses even on the coldest days and this lotion sorts it out almost over night. But the real bonus is that I don't have to use it every day because the smoothness lasts for 1-2 days which is perfect for lazy moisturisers like myself. This Dove product has a "DeepCare Complex" meaning that the lotion works down to some of the deeper layers of skin, normally I don't really believe in these types of formulas because they never really work. However I can honestly say that this lotion does work incredibly well because the smoothness lasts for a few days without having to reapply. 

The scent is pretty hard to describe, it's nice though. It's probably more floral than fruity but I wouldn't even say it smelled like flowers. The formula is quite thick which is great for dry skin as you want to make sure you skin is being nourished. 

I literally picked this product up on a whim when I was last in Boots but I'm so glad I did. 

What's your favourite moisturiser?