L'Occitane's Angelica Hydration Face Cream £30

Our skin can feel dry this time of year (in the UK anyway). But whether the weather is hot or cold you are always in need of a good moisturiser.
I am a lover of serums but it could be said that your moisturiser is one of the most important products in your skincare routine. Your moisturiser creates a protective barrier that boosts our natural oils to protect from the elements. Facial moisturisers can dramatically change the texture and overall look of your skin. 

There are so many face creams on the market promising brightening, toning, protecting, clarifying, hydrating, smoothing properties. But what do I want from a moisturiser? Just all of the above! Is that too much to ask? Surely not these days..

I have been testing L'Occitane's Angelica Hydration Cream £30.

This moisturiser can be used day and night and is for normal to combination skin types.

Ingredients:
Angelica root extract- Hydrates, protects against the environment (free radicals)
Glycerin- Retains the moisture in the skin
Shea Butter- Protects and nourishes
Borage seed oil- anti-inflammatory, good on spots and redness
Peppermint- Antibacterial, good on spots, and balances the oils in the skin (good for oily T-Zones)

I was surprised at how many natural and organic ingredients this product contained. I love the smell of this cream, it reminds me of freshly cut grass, so refreshing. I applied the cream day and night. It has a light texture which absorbs quickly in to the skin.

I have only been using this product for one week and feel like I need to give it a chance because of all the goodness that it has in it. I have recently had a few blemishes, which is not great as this cream is supposed to help with spots! It may be a little bit too stimulating for me or it could have been those chocolates!


I have seen mixed reviews so what's the verdict? I will keep you posted!

Dr. Nicholas Perricone Super Cleanser

Cleansers. 

You have the creamy ones, foaming ones, gel ones, ones for sensitive skins, ones for dry/oily/normal skins. So many choices!

My preference is a creamy cleanser in the evening which will remove all my make-up and that is gentle enough to use on the eyes. I cannot be doing with a separate eye make-up remover. Then in the morning I use a gel or foam texture which all helps with the waking up process.

This is a creamy cleanser which I have never heard of so of course I had to try it! Again I purchased from TK Maxx for around £7.00.

So far my favourite cleansers to use in the evening are Lush's Ultra Bland and Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish.

What is the criteria for a creamy cleanser?

Texture- not too thin
Natural ingredients- LOTS
Removes make-up and dirt effectively

You will be surprised that I haven't added fragrance to the list, but that would be a bonus. It just has to be effective.

Ingredients: Blueberry, Blackberry, Apple, Grape, Raspberry, Apricot, Acai powder, Cocoa seed butter, Tamanu seed oil

The tamanu seed oil and cocoa butter help this product glide on to the face easily and to stop the skin from drying out. The fruit extracts are full of vitamins and have brightening properties. So your skin will not only be cleansed effectively but also look brighter.

Application
It states to apply on to damp skin however I prefer to apply it on to dry skin. Two pumps in circular motions. You should always use circular movements as our pours are round and we want to deep clean them. Then remove with a warm, damp muslin cloth or flannel or cotton wool, whichever takes your fancy!

The smell is quite unusual. Very sweet, but I have grown to like it. It removes all traces of make-up and my skin has kept clear while using it.

Still think that Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish is my winning cleanser so far, but this will take a close second and was kinder to my purse.

Which is your cleanser of choice?

Argan Plus Body Lotion

What do I expect from a body lotion?

Easy application (pump or a tub container)
Quick absorbsion
Glides on to the skin for minimal effort
Smells nice
Uses natural ingredients
last longer than a month......Not a lot then!!!

Argan Plus body lotion, £8.00 TK Maxx

I purchased this product as I have never heard of the brand and I was interested by the quantity of natural ingredients as well as the size of it (500ml)

The application is dead easy as it comes with a pump. The texture is just light, quickly absorbing and it smells like a tropical cocktail of natural goodness. yum!

Ingredients-

Argan Oil- Ant-Ageing and super moisturising

Mango butter- full of goodness! vitamin A, C and E

Acai Berries- Anti-oxidant. Full of vitamin C

Other nourishing ingredients- Coconut oil, glycerin, shea butter, sunflower oil, jojoba oil, more vitamin C and E

 

I'm loving this product and it cost me just over £8! Bargain buy.

I often use it as a hand cream and every time I shower/bath.

Tip: you have just 3 minutes before your skin starts to dry out after being in contact with water. 

So be quick to apply!

I will be buying again. Thank you TK Maxx. You've done it again.

Tell me your favourite body cream? 

New Year, New Skincare Habits

So the New year is fast approaching us and what a great time to get in to some good skincare habits.
I often have customers that find it difficult to stick to a beauty routine. Here are my top tips:

1) Make it achievable! 

If you have never used a moisturiser then it more than likely you will not use a toner, serum and eye cream. If you are not used to using skincare then start off with the most important products- a cleanser and moisturiser, and build up your routine from there.

2) Fit it in with your daily routine

If you shower first thing in the morning then use your cleanser in the shower and then use your other products straight afterwards. If you love the feel of water on your skin use a cleansing foam or gel. If your skin is dry then try a cleansing milk. I know that this just sounds obvious but so many people start a new skincare routine that is alien to them which doesn't fit in with their lifestyle and the products go in the draw never to see light again! Get products that for your skin type and that will fit in with your day.

3) Force yourself for the first 20 times

Anything that's new will feel strange when you first start, but it is said once you get past 13 times it will start to feel natural. So bare with it! Maybe cross it off the calendar or mark it in your dairy. It will feel like an achievement I promise, especially when you start to see a difference on your skin.

4) Set up an easy access area

Make sure you are set with all the tools you need with cotton pads and all your beautiful products.

This could be by your side table in your living room or a shelf in your bathroom. Think of what has stopped you from using products before. Was it because the bathroom is upstairs and you are relaxing in the living room?  

Here is my bathroom.

I have baskets in my bathroom that I put my products in. These aren't all my products but ones I need to hand. I have a make-up bag for my make-up, then my first basket has my cleanser, lotion, serum, moisturiser and eye balm. In front is my fragrance I am currently using, which I have out of the basket for easy access. The middle basket is for my boyfriends products. The basket on the far right has all my hair care needs with brushes, clips, dry shampoo and so on.

I use muslin cloths, which I keep the clean ones in the airing cupboard and one that I am using by the sink area.

By my shower I have my face scrub, shampoo, conditioner, hair mask and shower oil that I use.

This is what works for me, but it will be different for others.

Here are some other examples.

My mother always has done her skincare regime in bed. She has a draw beside her bed that has all her products in and she uses a cleansing milk which she removes with a toner (so no need for the water). 

A friend uses a 3-in-one cleanser with cotton wool that she uses when she gets in from work while enjoying her favourite program on the box. 

A customer I know always checks her emails first thing in the morning so keeps her products by her computer.

What works for you? 

Christmas Discounts at TK Maxx

I'm trying my best this Christmas not to go mad with spending hundred of pounds on gifts. I often make small gifts to go with my purchases, which this year will be fudge and candles. Lucky people!

This is also my first year of shopping online and I have been very impressed with the great offers TK Maxx has on top cosmetic brands. Why pay full price when you don't have to?

Here are my favourites:

Nail inc. Colour Collection, RRP £44, TK Maxx £14

I may split these in to two gifts! This is great value at just £3.50 each nail vanish. 

Christian Breton Eyelash Builder, RRP £36.44, TK Maxx £12.99

It's all about the lashes, and this would be a product that I wouldn't normally buy myself, but would love to have.

Lancome Paris, La Maison Make Up Palette £29.99

This is a beautiful limited edition which unfortunately I could not find it's original price. I'm transported to Paris. Stunning.

Parisax Profressional Make-up case RRP £29.99 TK Maxx £29.99

Who doesn't like to organise their make-up and cosmetics. So satisfying, especially in the new year.

Dr. Nicholas Perricone, 3-Minute Facial RRP £37, TK Maxx £12.99

I am currently using a Dr. Nicholas Perricone cleanser and love it. Again not everyone would buy themselves a mask, or may not have time. I like the idea of a speedy detox mask in just 3 minutes.

Melvita face scrub review £16

Facial scrubs are just as prescriptive as facial moisturisers and I am very fussy when it comes to purchasing one. Either the granules are too small/big or not there's not enough/too many of them!

Hopefully you have a scrub in your skincare routine. I would use one every other day or twice a week. A good scrub will also instantly brighten and smooth your skin, so it is essential for getting your make-up to glide on to the face and keeping your skin clear.

Melivita Foaming Facial Scrub £16

I like my scrub to be quite rough and feel as though it is doing something. I am not too keen in the gel or foaming formulas, which this is, but I will give anything a go.

Melvita makes organic, natural cosmetics that is a sister company of L'Occitane. This is the first of it's skin care range that I have tried.

Formula-

Glycerine and carnauba wax-  Keeps the skin moist 

Sunflower seed oil- Healing/moisturising

Bamboo tears- antioxidant, anti-aging

Silica- This is the exfoliant particles

Pink Corallina- A seaweed rich in calcium that promotes healthy cell renewal

This facial scrub smells of grapefruit, which was nice but not particularly special. I used a pea size on dampened cleansed skin, using circular motions. Wasn't sure on the texture as it was slightly runny (I now shake the bottle before using). I used a damp muslin cloth to remove.

I would have liked the scrub to be slightly more abrasive, but this would be the right texture I'm sure for most. My skin was definitely brighter and smoother.      

I purchased this product from TK Maxx for just over £4. BARGAIN! I am happy with it but wouldn't buy at it's retail price of £16.

  

Review, Divine eye cream, L'Occitane £46

How often do you apply a hand cream? Couple of times a day? Once a day?

What about an eye cream? Day and night? Once a day? Once a week?.... Never?

Just like our hands, our eyes are constantly being used, however I feel it is a product that is overlooked. I am one of those people!

Divine Eyes, L'Occitane £46

Your eye area is 6 times thinner than the rest of your face so it is really important to use a specific product for the eyes. Your moisturiser is too thick and can actually do more harm than good and should only go as far as your eye socket.

The product I have been testing is L'Occitane's Divine Eye Cream. This is a high end product costing £46.00 that contains natural plant extracts and oils. It claims to be a 'one does all' product, which I like, and be effective on puffiness, dark circles and lines.

Key ingredients:

-Rose to calm the skin. Also good for lines

-Buckwheat extract for puffiness

-Ash tree extract for dark circles

-Organic Immortelle flower extract for smoothing the skin

-Hyaluronic acid that is encapsulated so that you get 24 hour hydration

Sounds magical!!

I applied half a pump of the eye cream around the eye socket after moisturising. This felt very calming and cooling with a light creamy texture. I had no problems applying my concealer on afterwards, which is a big thumbs up. I also suffer from very sensitive eyes, and it did not irritate.

This isn't the colour of the product, just an indicator of where to put it!

I found this product moisturised my eye area. I am lucky that at the moment I do not suffer with lines or puffiness but I do get dark circles. I think you would need to use the product for longer to see results.

I would recommend this product to people with sensitive, dry eyes. 

Tips

Apply your eye cream with your wedding ring finger and dab along the eye socket with the lightest touch. Do not drag the skin!

Always apply your eye product after your moisturiser both morning and night.

Add your eye cream to your make-up routine. Make-up unfortunately is one of the biggest culprits for dehydrating your skin. Apply before your make-up and that way you will not forget about it.

So I am going to try and remember to use my eye cream. If you have a favourite I'd love to here about it.