Xmas 2015 / Dermalogica Our Favorites Set

Give the gift of healthy, clear skin this Christmas with Dermalogica. They have 6 Limited Edition sets to choose from, targeting different needs: from intense hydration, to problematic skin, to a selection of top sellers. 

... and Dermalogica Our Favorites* is - indeed - my favourite! ;)

It contains 4 super-taskers, suitable for all skin conditions. The minis meet travelling standards and are perfect for trying out these products, if this is your first approach to the brand. 

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant is a well known raved about product in the blogosphere. It is a dry scrub, in the form of a rice-based powder; you just mix it with some water and massage on the face to reveal a smoother texture. It's pretty amazing and you can really custom the exfoliating action, best suited for you.
Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner comes in a pump bottle and it's ideal to prep the skin, before moisturization; it contains arnica and cucumber extracts to hydrate and refresh - especially after air travel.
Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque is an high performing treatment to inject much needed moisture to dry or stressed skin; it has a unique cross-linked hyaluronic acid that delivers hydration over time for, lasting results.
Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm is one of my all time favourite eye product! It has a silicone/balm feeling that smoothes lines, protects against further damage and improves elasticity; it is really a cream & primer & treatment all together in one. Highly recommended!

Have you tried Dermalogica before? Which are your favourite products?

New In / The Body Shop Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Essence Lotion

The recently launched Oils Of Life from The Body Shop is a collection of luxurious, high end skincare items, containing three precious seed oils aiming at revitalise and repristinate radiance to the skin.

The line includes: Intensively Revitalising Facial Oil, Intensively Revitalising Cream, Intensively Revitalising Gel Cream, Intensively Revitalising Essence Lotion and a Twin-Ball Facial Massager.

The Body Shop Oils Of Life Intensively Revitalising Essence Lotion* is a Oil-In-Water Bi-Phase formula where the water is infused with 3 selected oils: Black Cumin Seed Oil from Egypt (rich in antioxidants), Rosehip Seed Oil from Chile (containing Omega 3 and 6) and Camellia Seed Oil from China (naturally rich in nutritive oleic acid).
Seeds give life to a new plant, making their oils the most concentrated sources of essential nutrients on Earth.
The combination of these potent, cold pressed seed oils delivers instant results and they are suitable for every skin type and age.

The lotion is a daily toning step, after cleansing and helps prepare the skin for the next step in your beauty regime: the water feeling is refreshing on the skin and I especially enjoy it in the evenings, after wearing make up all day. At the same time, the oil particles nourish the skin, leaving it soft to the touch and smoother.

I'm a big fan of facial oils. I usually use them in serums/treatments form but some can feel a bit tacky on the face; this bi-phase formula is fantastic in delivering the benefits, without leaving the skin greasy. Definitely thumbs up from me!
Have you tried this new The Body Shop range yet?

Rose Inspiration

Hello ladies!

How many of you will receive a bouquet of roses on Valentine's Day?!

 Well, roses are not only beautiful but also smell fantastic and no wonder that it's a popular scent for many beauty products.... and the inspiration for today's post:

Nourish Radiance Rejuvenating Peptide Serum* contains Damask Rose which provides healing and soothing properties; you'll also find hyaluronic acid for a more youthful appearance, tripeptides to smooth the skin and tonka beans to add luminosity.

It has a thin and comfortable consistency which absorbs easily and the complexion is left visibly and instantly radiant; in fact it can also be used both over or under your moisturiser depending if you prefer a dewy or matte look.

Personally, I've been enjoying it in the morning over my day cream as it doubles as a primer. 

This serum is suitable for normal skin and you can trust Nourish Skincare for their natural and high performing ingredients.

Melvita Damask Rose Floral Water* is obtained by steam distillation of fresh Damask Rose petals; this method allows for an high concentrated formula, rich in active principles.

This refreshing toner is ideal to improve dehydrated skin and perfect for every season.

I love the blue-tinted slim bottle and the delicate scent that is also soothing for the mind.

Have you tried these products yet?

Introducing / Nourish Skin & Body Care

Nourish understands that different skin types have different needs so has created a range for everyone. Every system solution delivers the optimal ingredients in order to keep an healthy and nourished skin. 

My skin has been looking a bit dull lately so I've started using some Nourish products from the Radiance line. I've been reaching out for natural and soothing products more, lately and I was pleased to find out that every product is 90+% organic.

 Nourish Radiance Purifying Cleanser* contains rose absolute which is cooling and soothing and gives it its lovely fragrance; all you rose-addicts out there will love this product and its unique twist on the rose scent. Another main ingredients is alpine foxberry which is known for its brightening properties and helps reduce the appearance of pore, leaving the skin looking luminous and refined.

The consistency is like a cleansing milk and comes with a pump; directions say to apply a small amount on a cotton wool and gently sweep over the face. I have been using it this way when I don't wear make up and I think it's perfect to get rid of the day grim and pollution on its own - It leaves my skin clean without being too aggressive. On other nights, I mix it with a drop of water and helps to remove the first layer of make up.

The Nourish Radiance Refreshing Toning Mist* has the same quality ingredients and it's the perfect compliment to finish my daily routine, after the cleanser. In the mornings, I like to spray it on a cotton wool pad, whist at night I spray it liberally all over my face, neck & chest and then pat dry. 

It's extremely cooling, helps balancing the skin pH and apparently, the fragrance has mood enhancing qualities and boosts inner confidence... a treat for body and mind!

Nourish also takes care of your body wellbeing with shower gels, body butters and hand lotions.
Nourish Radiance Phyto-Active Body Butter* has the same rose scent as the skincare line; it's deeply nourishing and hydrating thanks to moroccan argan oil and shea butter, without being heavy; it also contains phyto-active marine algin, hyaluronic acid and peptides that stimulate collagen synthesis and improve firmness. I'm currently using a self-tan cream a couple of times a week but it can dry my skin slightly; I found that this body butter is ideal to use between self-tanning sessions because it leaves my skin super soft.
It also comes in a gorgeous and colourful glass jar, making it a great present too.

Go and have a look on the website - nourishskinrange.com - the range is vast and they also do handy gift packs so you can try the all range at once.
Have you used Nourish before?

Introducing / Jurlique

Jurlique is one of these brands that whoever you're talking with, they would say 'You have to try *insert Jurlique product*'!

Recently, I got the chance to test few items from the Purely Bright line and - boys & girls - I'm joining the club.

What you'll notice first is the beautiful and engaging packaging; this is a brand that is proud of what they are offering - rightly so - and not skipping on quality ingredients for sure. 

Let's talk about the facial toner, for example: it comes in a white matte finish square glass bottle that I'm so happy to own.

 The Purely Bright range, in particular, is ideal for uneven skintone - which is kinda of my burden - and to help restore radiance and I'll take any help that I can get, thank you very much!

 The star ingredient is VitaBrightKX which contains Kakadu Plum - the world's richest source of vitamin C - and clinically proven to reduce discolorations.

First, I start off my evening routine with the Jurlique Purely Bright Cleanser*.

This is a creamy cleanser that doubles as a face exfoliant. It lathers into a milky consistency and removes any last trace of make up and dirt from my busy day. The exfoliant action unclogs any stubborn pore and leaves my skin feeling smooth and polished. It's not a mechanical scrub so is gentle enough to be used everyday and I can see my skin becoming less dull by the day. I've been enjoying using it and it also prepares my skin for night treatments. 

Then, I move into my second step with the Jurlique Purely Bright Mist*

I usually spray some toner on a cotton pad and wipe it all over my face to make sure that I have deeply cleansed, but I have used this mist in so many ways because it's fantastic!
In the mornings I mist my hands and then press the palms on my face. It's so refreshing and the perfect way to start my day; Or during the day (let's be honest, any excuse is a good excuse) to brighten up your make up.

It also contains Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract that has shown to inhibit melanin synthesis and that will help fading my dark spots over time. 

The whole line smells divine, like lillies... I'm actually here at my desk, writing this review and enjoying a spritz or two of the mist.... ahhhhh lovely! It is Spring in a bottle, nevermind the weather. ;)
I'm very impressed with the results I'm already seeing and I can hearty recommend this line!
Have you tried any Jurlique product? What do you recommend?
x 

Haul / FeelUnique

Last week, I placed a cheeky order on FeelUnique.com; most of the products had been reduced for the sale so I decided to cross few items off my wishlist ;)

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

 I'm sure you all know this spray and I've been looking forward to try it myself for a while too. I didn't want to commit to a full size bottle so I picked up the 30ml bottle for under a tenner.

I was, mostly, worried about the scent but so far It doesn't bother me - hopefully I will see an improvement on the appearance of my skin too.

bareMinerals READY Eyeshadow 4.0 Limited Edition in The Rare Find

 There is another limited edition quad, The Happy Place, which is also stunning but I decided to go with this one because of the more 'unusual' shades. 

I, totally, fell in love with Eureka from this palette as soon as I saw it; I adore my Becca Line + Illumited Pencil and I use it quite a lot but I don't have any olive/khaki shadows.. so you can say it was overdue. ;)

I also can't wait to try Frisson, which is a matte reddish brick colour - should work well with green eyes.

These bareMinerals shadows are just fantastic: the quality is really good and are some of my favourite eye products! I also have one of their duo - you can check it here!

Yes to Cucumbers On-the-Go Cucumbers Essentials Kit

Finally, I bought this samples kit from Yes to; I haven't tried Yes to before so I was curious to give it a go and I chose the Cucumber line because it's targeted for sensitive skin.

Have you tried this brands before?

xxx

Empties / December

Philosophy shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath trio: I really struggled to finish these off. The scent pay off is not great - you can read my opionion here as it hasn't changed.

Repurchase: nope.

Lush Helping Hands: I really like this hand cream; I have used it in the past and always go back, periodically. It's very moisturising but a bit greasy so I only use it around the house. Also love the kinda of yeasty smell. :)

Repurchase: yep.

Sanctuary 5 Minutes Thermal Detox Mask: this is one of the deep cleansing mask that I use once a week, after my steamer session. I like that it's fast acting and the charcoal purifies the skin very well but the consistency is kinda of gluey and you end up using more than needed. Also, it needs to go on wet skin which doesn't help on spreading the product on the face.

Repurchase: probably not.

Dr Nick Lowe Dark Cicles Correcting Cream: this is a decent eye cream but I wasn't blown away - plus it din't make any difference to my dark circles. I need to mention that I, instead, really liked another Dr Nick Lowe eye cream... you can check the review here.

Repurchase: no.

Sprout Toner: I loved spritzing it over my face, every morning! It's very refreshing - perfect to start the day - and also balancing - ideal to keep the odd spots at bay. The pump works great and I will definitely re-fill the min bottle for travelling. The only thing I would mention is the smell of vinegar (one of the main ingredients is organic raw apple cider vinegar, actually) which doesn't linger on the skin so it doesn't bother me but you're warned! :)

Repurchase: yes. 

Liz Earle Advent Calendar / 2

2nd December - Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic

Excited to get a sample of this toner; I love the scent of this product and I already have the spritzer full size bottle, but it's huge. This bottle will come in handy when travelling for sure. Full review here.

Introducing / Sprout p.2

Sprout Cleanser*

This cleanser is as simple as it gets: organic rosewater, organic vegetable glycerin, organic tea tree oil.

Did you notice the organic list? Yep and because it's also soap-free and alcohol-free, it's not drying... and no parabens, of course!

I've been using it in the morning - I spritz it on a cotton wool pad and wipe all over my face to get rid of the possible make up residue of the night before.

It's ideal for both sensitive skin and problematic, where the tea tree oil comes in handy.

Sprout Toner*

I think the toner could be the most controversial of the lot; it contains raw apple cider vinegar - giving it a strong vinegar smell - which may not be for everybody.

Myself - well I love vinegar and I could easily drink it so the smell doesn't bother me.

I have also learned that you're supposed to pat your face dry, after using a toner, otherwise the atmosphere will pull moisture away from your skin, leaving it dehydrated. Did you know that?

Sprout Exfoliant*

This is the face exfoliant of the line and contains a mix of almonds, oats and sea salt. They are finely milled and comes in a velvety powder.

You need to add few drops of water in the palm of your hands and then work it into the face; it leaves the skin soft and glowing... just be careful to keep the product dry inside the jar.

Sprout Lip Balm*

This wee tube is my favourite, definitely! I love smothering my lips with this indulgent stick. It's very soft and not sticky and leaves my lips super soft and smelling (and tasting) like cocoa.

There are also cinnamon, citrus, peppermint and vegan versions available... I want them all!!!

You can argue that the ingredient list is so minimal that you could try and make these yourself but when I think about beauty, I think about treating myself, pampering myself and I find comfort in knowing that somebody else has gone through the trouble of resourcing the best raw materials and all I need to do is buy and enjoy them!

You can check the bodycare reviews here.

You can buy Sprout on the official website www.sproutskincare.com and - for the Uk - is also available on www.cutecosmetics.co.uk

Delivery / Debenhams

I took advantage of the gift with purchase for Elemis and placed a cheeky order on the Debenhams website, last week.

At the moment, there's this Limited Editon: Papaya Daily Facial Essentials Kit available; I had both the Papaya Enzyme Peel and Soothing Apricot Toner on my wishlist for some time, so it made perfect sense to buy this set. In the bag, you also get the Melting Cleansing Gel - which is a bonus - and Maximum Moisture Day Cream - which I read so many raves about.

The print of the washbag is gorgeous, too - the design is from Laura Oakes for the celebration of the papaya enzyme peel 10th Anniversary; for the occasion, Elemis have teamed up with charity SOCO to provide founding for over 50.000 vaccinations for children in Africa.

I have another one of these washbag and I, actually, use it to store jewellery more than toiletry.

love the details on the plaque too :)

 For the second purchase, I got the Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser: I'm running out of the Liz Earle cleanser so I thought I try this one as It's supposed to be very similar... this one, also, comes with muslin glove.

Finally, the gift set. 

I'm, mostly, looking forward to try the Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash - which was also on my wishlist; the Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Serum sounds, also, exciting... and for the bath, you get a Tranquil Touch Creamy Body Wash and a Quiet Mind Relaxing Bath Elixir. I will save these for the winter months: perfect to unwind in a relaxing, warm bath!

Have you tried any of these products?

Any like/dislike?

Miscellaneous

I got the Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days Ultra Softening Lotion through the post a few days ago. This is a new product and they send you 7 satchel to take the 'week challenge'; I think it's, definitely, a good body cream, absorbs fast and smells lovely but I didn't notice any serious improvement.

I swapped the Monu Rosewood Reviving Mist on the Facebook group, Beauty Box Swappers. I think this was sent in a recent GlossyBox but I'm not a sub anymore - still, I'm obsessed with Monu and really enjoying face spritzers/toners, lately.

The smell is a bit too strong for me - the sandalwood makes it quite musky - so I was glad to discover that it can also be used as a body refresher.

I go these candles samples on www.yankeecentral.co.uk ... they only took over TWO MONTHS to arrive!!! You had to pay for postage, that's what is annoying.

Anyway, they all smell really good and I can't wait to try them - Pink Dragonfruit is my favourite. :)

Definitely, I wouldn't recommend to order from this website - the customer care is appalling!

I got the Benefit PoreFessional with Glamour Magazine; I'm already using this product so I picked myself a backup (it's also sealed so It won't get spoiled).

Marie Claire, instead, was giving away a Ciate' nail polish - I chose Bon Bon.

I wished it was more on the pink side (like My Fair Lady) but it's a grower; as always, I love the black bow on the bottle and I'm liking the new skinny font, as well.

Unfortunately, it started chipping after 2 days - not good enough for me as I can't be bother to paint my nails more than once a week.

You can get your Avene samples, filling a profile on their website and then they send you some products to try, targeted to your skin type: Brilliant!

I got the Gentle Gel Cleanser and Hydrance Optimal UV Legere. 

I've very excited to use these - I love Avene as a brand and looking forward to try some new products.

Other swaps from BBS:

Liz Earle Clenase & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - well, I always need a back up of this product as I adore it. You can read what I think about it here.

Percy & Reed Dry Conditioner: I was so curious and intrigued when I heard about it. Dry conditioner? How is it working?

Do love the Totally TLC Hydrating Mask too.

UNE Skin-Glow Foundation: I received this sample from Boots.com - looking forward to try something from this brand... any recommendation? I like their minimalist packaging.

That's all folks! ;)