Xmas 2015 / Kiehl's Holiday Gifts

A beautiful wrapped present certainly makes an impact on the eye of the receiver, it shows that you care and an eye-catching packaging makes the gift even more appreciated!

Proof of that, Kiehl's has teamed up with Pop Art artist Peter Max to redesign their Holiday 2015 Collection, making their iconic products extra special and festive.

The inspiration comes from his masterpiece 'The Cosmic Runner' and the colourful drawings represent vibrant Holiday Flyer characters with an aura of magic. The all concept embodies values important at heart for the artist and the brand: love, joy, solidarity and respect for the environment.

There are several holiday edition bundles of products to choose from and my top pick goes to Kiehl's Essentially Yours Gift Set*.

This set contains a complete selection of skincare best sellers, from cleansing to moisturising.

In the roomy and chicly branded beauty bag, you'll find a full size Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser and a full size Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate.

The cleanser is very mild and suitable for all skin types; it's ph-balanced so it doesn't dry out the skin and also dissolves make up.

The night serum - well, who doesn't know this product?! - is a true skincare hero! It comes with a dropper and you only need to use a couple of drops, on its own or under moisturiser; it's paraben free and 99.8% natural and it promotes skin recovery during the night for a more radiant appearance in the morning - A miracle worker!!!

Finally, you also receive a sample of the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer that works in unison with the cleanser; this lotion is very light in consistency but still provide 24-hr hydration.

The Kiehl's Daily Reviving Concentrate is an 100% natural and paraben free face oil which is full of antioxidants and provides protection against daily environmental aggressors. I haven to used this one before and it sounds pretty amazing - looking forward to try it out!

Peter Max has also rebranded several single items for the Holiday 2015 Limited Edition Collection. The Kiehl's Creme de Corps Whipped Body Butter* is one of them.

I love the airy consistency of this moisturizer! It melts into the skin and leaves my skin soft for up to 24 hours.

The special soy milk & honey formulation also gives it its particular indulgent scent and I dare you not to smell your arm all day long. ;)

Again, the illustrations are cheery and Christmasy and just put you in a good mood at the end of a hard day.

Have you seen this Collection in store? Head over to http://www.kiehls.co.uk for your Christmas shopping.

Christmas 2014 / Botanicals Offer!

Dear Beauty Addicts,

I'm happy to share that Botanicals is running a fantastic offer until the 19th of December!

First of all, they are providing free delivery on all orders AND - when you order any 2 Botanicals Gift Collections - you will receive a complimentary Botanicals Daily Essentials Facial Collection - worth £25.

The gift set contains a cleansing milk, an hydrating mist, a moisturiser and six organic cotton pads and you can choose from Rose & Camellia for dry and mature skin or Mandarin and Chamomile for normal, combination and sensitive skin.

...and you're spoilt for choice with 6 gift sets for face and body to choose from; my personal favourites are: 

Luxury Handcare Essentials Collection that includes everything you need to pamper your digits, nails and cuticles and the particularly impressive Botanicals Hand Serum and Botanicals Hand Soak.

The other set that I'd recommend is the Balance My Skin Facial Trio, perfect for sensitive and problematic skin. It contains a gentle facial polish, cleansing melt and radiance serum.

I've been personally testing the Botanicals Mandarin & Chamomile Cleansing Melt* in the past week and I was so impressed on how gentle yet effective it is at removing make up and grime at the end of the day.

It comes in the form of a solid balm that melts in contact with your body heat; it penetrates deep into lower layers of the skin and doesn't strip it of its natural oil.

Finally, you simply remove the product with a hot, damp cloth (a muslin cloth is also included in the set).

Let's not forget that Botanicals is an award-winning brand that still makes its natural products by hand; they are free from artificial colours, fragrances and petrochemicals, including parabens.

They are also Soil Association approved  and, with their charming packaging, they are guaranteed to make an impression on your loved ones!

You can browse the collections and take advantage of this offer at www.botanicals.co.uk 

Have you tried this brand before?

Review / Bee Good Honey & Propolis 2-in-1 Cream Cleanser

Bee Good is an independent British brand, based in Hampshire, that gained deserved recognition in the last couple of years. It combines the goodness of the beehives with the finest botanicals to create reliable beauty products for the face and body.

They are also the only British brand to exclusively use British bee ingredients and to promote and  support British beekeepers, re-investing locally.

Some of the by-products that you will find in their products are: propolis – great for its antibacterial and  antioxidant properties – beeswax - conditioning and calming –  and wildflower honey - which is the perfect nourishing and soothing moisturiser.

Lately, I’ve been using the Bee Good Honey & Propolis 2-in-1 Cream Cleanser* which has a soft and rich consistency and it's easy to work into the skin.

I love to use a creamy cleanser in the evenings because I find that they are the best at removing every trace of make up, yet they are gentle enough to be used daily.

You simply massage it well into dry skin and then remove the product with the included muslin cloth, that also perform a gentle massaging exfoliation; I found it suitable to remove eye make up too and it didn’t sting the eyes. The cloth is also really good quality, soft and doesn’t scratch the skin.

The formulation has a delicate and natural scent and the packaging too – with its pastel colours – has a fresh appeal.

I'm definitely converted to this cleanser now and can appreciate and feel the good impact of these quality ingredients on my skin.

Have you tried anything from Bee Good yet?

New In / Nourish Kale Enzymatic Exfoliating Cleanser

I’m a big fan of the Nourish Revital-Eyes Kale Biomimetic Anti-Ageing Eye Cream and in fact it’s been a staple in my everyday routine for months. So, I was mostly excited when I heard about the new addition to the kale range with the Nourish Kale Enzymatic Exfoliating Cleanser*.

Let’s give merit where merit lies! This product is a multitasker and an half!

First of all, it can be used as a cleanser. You massage it over wet skin to create a milky emulsion;

then it can also be used as a flash daily mask, if you leave it on pose for 2 minutes; or as a weekly treatment, applied on clean and dry skin for 5 minutes and finally rinsed it off with some cold water.

My personal favourite is as cleanser - it leaves the skin soft and clean; but also as a mask - it’s great to refresh the complexion and mute down any redness.

The consistency is like a grainy cream, green in colour and with a slight leafy scent, which is quite peculiar and pleasant; I love the natural approach and the use of quality ingredients that is a guarantee when talking about Nourish. I just wish the tube was a bit bigger, I’m going through this baby like crazy and I use it everyday.

Have you tried this yet?

New In / REN Rosa Centifolia Hot Cloth Cleanser

Creamy Hot Cloth cleansers are my favourite type of cleansers and an unmissable step in my evening routine; I have tried many - of course some I like less, some I like more - and the new REN Rosa Centifolia Hot Cloth Cleanser* is already part of the latter. It ticks so many boxes!

First of all, it does NOT contain parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, synthetic fragrance, synthetic colours, silicones and other nasty chemicals - in line with the brand ethos.

I found many cleansers to be way too thick, like a paste, but the REN one is very creamy and light, easy to spread and suitable to use on eyes too; it's a pleasure to massage onto the face and the soothing herbal scent is also relaxing for the mind.

You massage the product onto dry skin to help loosen dead skin cells and make up; then, it's recommended to wet the cloth with warm water and to place it on the face to open up the pores; finally, use the cloth to remove the cleanser and polish the skin.

It doesn't leave any oily residue and, at the same time, my skin feels nourished and not tight at all. 

It comes in a handy pump bottle that cleverly allows to see how much product is left and a stay-warm cloth. 

I got to say that I'm so glad to see REN adding another great product to their already successful skincare range.

This cleanser is now part of my evening rotation... and it's here to stay!

 I first saw a sneak peek of the REN V-Cense Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial on Instagram back in November and I can't tell you how excited I'm to finally try this product.

Sad news is that it's not going to be released until the autumn :( ...but I simply couldn't wait to share it with you guys.

The mask is a green balm with a sweet citrusy marzipan/almond scent.

First, you massage the mask into the skin and then add a bit of water, to activate the powerful Vitamin C exfoliant; it suddenly starts to tingle and you leave it on pose for only 60 seconds.

Once removed, the skin felt smooth and soft to the touch, it looked plumped up and rosy.

In the short term, I'm definitely impressed and I can't wait to get my hands on a full size bottle since it promises to help with UV damage and uneven skin tone too, in the long term.

Do you use hot cloth cleansers? Have you tried REN products before? 

Just In / Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Grapefruit & Patchouli Limited Edition

Tada!
I finally managed to get my hands on a tube of the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Grapefruit & Patchouli Limited Edition.
I'm a big fan of the Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser and I'm running low on my current bottle - well, that is a guess since I don't see a way to tell -  so I couldn't resist to get the limited edition.
The bottle is really pretty and I L O V E grapefruit... but I was actually pretty disappointed with the scent :(
I find it pretty bland and too similar to the regular formula and I can't really smell any grapefruit at all. I guess there's an hint of muskiness from the patchouli but again very faint.
Looking on the bright side, I will still use it because this is one of my favourite cleansers and it came with 2 cloths that are always useful... but if you're straggling to find it, don't waste any more time - You don't need this!

Have you tried it? What do you think?

Review / REN Rosa Centifolia Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser

REN has recently added a collection of cleansers - the Rosa Centifolia range - to its already healthy selection. They are suitable for all skin types and they have a delicious, yet gentle aroma of roses & peppermint.

The REN Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser* has a creamy consistency and exfoliating beads that are very gentle on the skin; because it's not super abrasive, I can use it on a daily basis both on wet or dry skin.

It's actually very effective in leaving the skin feeling freshly cleaned from everyday pollution and city grime. 

It reminds me of the REN Jojoba Micro Bead Invigorating Polish (in fact, it also contains the Jojoba beads) but the exfoliating particles seem finer and overall you're getting a fantastically improved performance.

This luxurious cleanser never leaves my face, thirsty for hydration, but my skin feels supple, revitalized and smooth.  

In keeping with the brand ethos, these products only includes 100% plant and mineral derivatives and they are free from synthetic ingredients; for these reasons, they are ideal for sensitive and reactive skin too and against animal testing.

I think this Ren Rosa Centifolia range is my favourite line yet and I'm definitely interested in trying the other cleansers too, like the Foaming Cleanser and 3-in-1 Cleansing Water.
Currently exclusively available from Marks&Spencer online and in store!

Have you tried any of these new products yet??

Empties / July

Body:

Clarins High Definition Body Lift: a favourite of mine, I have gone through a couple of these already. It absorbs fast and doesn't feel sticky on the skin. It's pricey but it's one of the few creams where I can actually see some improvement. It smells lovely and floraly too and comes with a booklet with massaging tips.

Repurchase: probably, like a treat due to the price.

Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Cuticle & Nail Refiner: I've been using it once every fortnight; it's pretty gritty and an high duty exfoliant and a little goes a long way but I can't say it made any significant difference to the appearance of my cuticles.

Repurchase: probably not.

Percy & Reed Totally TLC Hydrating Mask: Definitely in my Top5 of favourite hair masks; I got it for free in a magazine... added bonus. I love how soft it leaves my hair and it's pretty fast acting in 10 minutes; I'm just not too crazy about the 'manly' scent.

Repurchase: yes.

The Body Shop Coconut Body Scrub: I'm not a huge fan of The Body Shop, if I'm honest and I can't say to shop there regularly but their body scrubs are my absolute favourites. They are good value for money, they are just the right consistency for my liking and come in so many beautiful scents; Talked about the pink grapefruit one here.

Repurchase: Hell Yeah!

Face:

L'Oreal Perfect Clean Foaming Cream Wash - Soothing: this is actually not finished but I have had it for ages and when I tried to use it again it stung my face... I think it may have gone off, better safe than sorry!
I remember I quite liked this and the wee brush too - there are a couple of different ones and the blue, I liked it even better, very refreshing on the skin. I can recommend this but I'm not sure if I would repurchase, simply because I tend to spend a bit more money on face cleansers nowadays.
Repurchase: see above.
Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream: nope - Balance Me just doesn't blow me away; I have tried few different products now but I'm once again underwhelmed. It's an ok cream but not moisturizing enough, for my needs. I was pretty glad to finish it off, actually.
Repurchase: no.
Ren Keep Young And Beautiful SH2C Serum: same as above - Underwhelmed! There are maybe 2 products from this brand that I like but the rest just disappointed me. This serum also broke me out so definitely thumbs down in this case.
Repurchase: no.
Yes to Cucumber Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Towellets: I use face wipes to remove most of my make up before the gym and then I do a deep cleanse before bed. These served me pretty well: they are a handy travel size and stayed moist until the end (hate when wipes dry out mid-pack!). Scent is not annoying and not harsh on the skin.
Repurchase: yes.
St. Ives Apricot Scrub Invigorating: LoveLoveLove! Who doesn't like the St. Ives scrub, let's be honest?!
I love everything - from the apricot scent to the exfoliating particles to the price! It does the job and it does it well, it's easily available on the high street and convenient.
Repurchase: yep!

Have you tried any of these products?

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?

Empties / May

Body Items

SilDerm Stretch Mark Massage Oil: another GlossyBox offering coming to an end. I use body oils daily after the shower and this is pretty average. Don't get me wrong - it's not bad and it didn't make any difference to my stretch marks (not that I had any hopes, anyway) but it's nothing extraordinary either. It smells like lavender and rosemary.

Repurchase: nope, I can get alternatives for cheaper.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer: the Elasticizer is one my favourite hair masks. You leave it on pose for 20 minutes before shampooing; it needs to be applied on wet hair which kinda of annoys me because by the time I jump in the shower, I'm freezing! ;) but that's me for you, I get cold very easily.

You can read my original review here, my opinion hasn't changed.

Repurchase: yes.

No7 Smooth & Improve Cellulite Treatment: hated it hated it hated it and then multiply by a 1000. The actual product takes ages to absorb and, even with all the massaging, I didn't see any improvement on the cellulite. I didn't enjoy using the applicator either (you can see a picture here) but had no choice because you can't open the bottle and use it normally. Well, you may want to cut the bottle like I did, if it gets REALLY frustrating.

Repurchase: hell no... it's over 20 quid and not worth it!

Lush Fair Trade Foot Lotion: I really like this foot cream and I have used it few times in the past. It looks quite thick but doesn't leave a greasy residue; it smells minty but not in an overpowering way and it's bright pink!!! The joy! :D

Repurchase: yes

Face Items

Jane Iredale PureLash Extender and Conditioner: I didn't actually finish this product but found it at the back of my drawer and had completely forgot about it. It's all dried up now and pretty old so I wouldn't use it on my eyes anyway. I remember not being particular impressed with it and it made my lashes crispy too.

I have tried few lashes primers but, to be honest, it's an additional step so rarely use them; also because I don't see a huge difference - one day I'll try the much hyped Dior one and see what I've been missing out on.

Repurchase: no.

REN Frankincense Revitalising Night Cream: to be honest, I've been *I don't want to say disappointed* unimpressed by many REN products and this cream is also average for me. It absorbs well and I strangely love the peppery smell but I can't justify buying it for that reason alone. It's still a nice night cream but I can get the same performance cheaper from the high street. Shame! :(

Repurchase: nope.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair: What can I say? This is my favourite night serum. I know it doesn't work for everybody but when I use it, my skin looks considerably improved OVERNIGHT!

No spots, radiance and smooth skin so I'm a bit sad to see it go but it was nearing the expiry date so can't complaint, it lasted a long time.

Repurchase: absolutely!

Sprout Cleanser: I used this cleanser to remove the first layer of make up at night; it did a good job and left my skin soothed. I found the scent to be soothing for the mind, too. 

Sprout has actually re-branded as S.W. Basic of Brooklyn but for what I can see that's the only thing that has changed - Full range review here!

Repurchase: yes.

Sorry for the loooong post but I did finish more items than usual this month (hurray!) - do you like empties posts?
xxx

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 

Review / Laidbare DIY! Two in One Cleanser & Toner

I have an important initiative to share with you today.

Laidbare will donate £1 from the sale of its blue products to ovarian cancer charities. 

March is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month with the aim to remind women of the signs and symptoms of the disease; a disease that affects 7000 women in the Uk every year and the fifth most common cancer in females.

But Laidbare support doesn't confine to only 1 month, in fact they will donate a percentage of the sales from now until the end of April 2013.

Laidbare is a brand that I came across quite recently but I can see already been a favourite for many bloggers on the web.

I've started using the Laidbare DIY! Two in One Cleanser & Toner* for only a couple of weeks and, I'm not exaggerating, when I say that it's my absolute favourite!

It contains liquorice and aloe vera, both anti-bacterials, which help in soothing and strengthening my sensitive skin; other natural ingredients include apple secrets extract to protect the skin cells and brazil nuts extract that purifies and nourishes the skin.

For the green people out there - this is also free from parabens, petrochemicals sulfates and all the others nasty chemicals... and it's cruelty-free too.

The gel consistency is perfect to lather on the skin on his own and I find it works very well in conjunction with the Clarisonic, too. It's also a make up remover so I tested it on my eyes and I can report that it got rid of very stubborn mascara and it didn't sting my eyes.

It leaves my skin refreshed and clean but without stripping it; I would say it leaves my skin 'matte'... yeah I think this is the best way to describe the feeling and finish.

Gentle yet effective that I can use it on a daily basis, without stressing my skin, but actually improving it!
Such a fab product, really!!!

The scent is mix of zesty and sweetness and very pleasant, indeed - The price? £5.99... what an amazing bargain and personally, I would happily pay triple that for the quality.

Love the simple, clean design of the brand but my only issue is with the actual tube: the screwtop is not  the most practical for me to use and the cap broke after a few days... still this is not gonna stop me from buying it for life!!!

Have you tried Laidbare before? Believe me, you do NEED this in your routine! ;)

Empties / November

Face Products:

Clarisonic Gentle Hydro Cleanser - I received this in a beauty box a loooong time ago! Not the best cleanser I have ever used but not even the worst. The consistency is perfect for the Clarisonic (weirdly enough, right?!) but it doesn't leave the squeaky clean feeling, maybe too gentle for me?

Repurchase: probably not.

Elemis Absolute Eye Serum - another one bites the dust. This is a staple in my beauty regime and I can't live without this eye serum. Full review here.

Repurchase: Hell yeah! I already have a back up. ;)

Lanolips 101 Ointment - one of the best lip balm, I have ever tried. Definitely in my Top3. The consistency can be quite hard to squeeze out but then it melts on the lips and apparently, it's better than the petroleum in the Vaseline.

It also doesn't irritate my lips, which is a huge bonus... I often get rashes from lipsticks :(

Repurchase: Yep, I already have the lemonaid version in my stash!

Body Products:
Ahava Mineral Body Lotion in Water - another offering from the beauty boxes. I don't usually do 'plain' body lotions but I love the smell of this one. I've been using it for special occasions, before a night out because it makes your skin smell amazing and leaves it super soft.
Repurchase: Maybe, as a treat.
The Body Shop Body Scrub in Pink Grapefruit - these are my new favourite body scrubs. Love the consistency, very effective, and this scent in particular makes me verrrry happy. I adore pink grapefruit!
The only thing that I'm not crazy about is the tub: not the most convenient to use in the shower.
Repurchase: Absolutely yes!
Collistar Intensive Anticellulite Serum - Collistar is an italian brand, available in Sephora in Italy so I guess in other Sephoras in Europe, too... I have never seen it in Uk, tho.
It's a great brand that I highly recommend to try out. Their body line is one of the most effective against cellulite, especially the Talasso scrub (put that on your wishlist, ladies!). This body serum also has a very light and easily absorbed consistency so it's perfect for morning applications; I go back to this product over and over again. They also do make up and skincare... an exciting brand all round!
Repurchase: Yes.