Lush Imperialis Facial Moisturiser

I love the Lush store. Last time I was in one was in Italy and I couldn't understand the labels haha. A trip to Dublin's Lush is on the cards. 

I bought their Imperialis online. It is a facial moisturiser made of cocoa butter, tiger lily and orange flower. It is very runny and light in consistency and absorbs really well into the skin. I love it and seem to be reaching for it all the time lately as it soaks in very well and I don't need to wait long before I apply my foundation. It has quite an old fashioned scent and reminds me of Ponds.  

Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator & Skin Repair Moisturiser

As the Liz Earle range is agreeing with my skin so well, I decided to expand my collection with their exfoliator. I also received their Skin Repair Moisturiser in one of their latest offers, and a very relaxing Eucalyptus & Rosemary Candle. 

The exfoliator includes eucalyptus, cocoa butter and jojoba beads. A little goes a long way - I work it into my skin in circular motions, concentrating on those parts that I want to invigorate and brighten. I use it about twice a week and find it great. 

I prefer the Skin Repair Moisturiser to the Superskin Moisturiser I already had. It has a slightly thicker, richer texture, I think. I chose the one for Dry/Sensitive Skin. It includes borage oil, echinacea, hops and avocado oil.

Perhaps it is due to the passage of time but it is certainly not due to my diet (which is another story or blog post!!) but my forehead which was quite bumpy is now smooth and blemish-free. In general my skin has never been so clear and healthy looking! :) 

Winter Weathering (Prevention of)!

I thought I would post about keeping hydrated this winter, in every way 

- hair, lips, hands, body and face. 

 (I hope you like the picture. This was taken out my back on a lovely old style fence, unfortunately you can't see the fence as I thought the trees and sky looked lovely on this wintry afternoon. I had great fun taking this as the tube on the far right kept falling!)

Hair

About a week ago I bought two items from Kerastase - a shampoo and a mask. Their anti-dandruff moisturising shampoo is an exfoliant. I had never used an exfoliator on my hair before and was a little apprehensive but it was so good. Unusually I had quite a bad bout of dandruff  but it practically disappeared after the first use. If you have dandruff or dry scalp at the moment I highly recommend this. I was only on the search for a good anti-dandruff shampoo, however there was a discount on 2 or more items so of course I got sucked in and now I am the proud owner of their Nutritive Masquintense. I have yet to try this but if the scent is anything to go by then I think I'll like it. The Kerastase range is expensive but hopefully worth it.

If I'm in a hurry and don't have time to condition my hair I spray some of Herbal Essences Bee Strong  Leave-In Cream into the length of my hair. 

Hands

The two hand creams I am using these days are La Source Hand Therapy by Crabtree & Evelyn and Garnier's Intensive 7 Day. I love both of these as they are fast absorbing and don't leave a sticky feeling. I also have the La Source Exfoliator which is brilliant. I find when I don't keep my hands moisturised they look like they belong to an old lady!

Lips

Blistex Intensive Moisturiser is brilliant. Don't forget to exfoliate your lips with a toothbrush, making them all plump and soft.

Face & Eyes

Read earlier posts to find out about my skincare routine. In addition to my current routine I use Avene's Soothing Moisture Mask and The Body Shop's Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-Oil. Once a week I apply the mask and I reapply to the areas where the mask has soaked into easily. I often get into bed with the mask on, trying to stay on my back. I wake in the morning hydrated and soft. Another great product for night-time is the Serum-in-Oil - very hydrating and softneing. Of course try to exfoliate your face at least twice a week to get rid of dead skin. The skin around the eyes dries out too so I am now lashing on eyecream whenever I remember. 

Body

My favourite body moisturiser at the moment is coconut oil. After a hot bath or shower, it soaks in very well. Again, try to exfoliate at least once a week to increase the effectiveness of your moisturiser. 

And of course hydrate your body from the inside with water and fruit :) 

Liz Earle: Superskin Moisturiser & Instant Boost Skin Tonic

A few weeks ago I started using and posted about Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish. Today, following a complimentary facial, I added to the range with a moisturiser and a tonic. 

 

The Instant Boost Skin Tonic revitalises, soothes and tones. 

It contains:

- Aloe Vera to hydrate

- Calendula for its anti-inflammatory properties

- Cucumber to rejuvenate

- Rose-scented Geranium for anti-aging

The Superskin Moisturiser is for mature or very dry skin. It smoothes, plumps and replenishes. Unlike the cleanser & toner it is fragrance-free. It can be used both day and night.

It contains:

- Cranberry Seed Oil moisturises

- Borage Oil for its anti-inflammatory properties

- Rosehip Oil rejuvenates

- Pomegranate Fruit Extract hydrates

The naturally active ingredients contained in Liz Earle's Skincare range were specifically chosen to combat skin disorders such as eczema, acne and rosacea. It has been a while since I used the 3 steps: cleanse, tone and moisturise. I can't wait to start cleaning my face properly once again! 

PS - Happy Autumn! :)

Manuka Doctor - Apiclear Facial Moisturising Lotion

Manuka Doctor is another more natural choice I came across recently. It is available in Holland and Barrett.

There are 5 ranges: apiclear, apiwellness, apinourish, apirevive and apifocus. It includes purified bee venom which is renowned for its anti-bacterial properties. I love honey products so was more than willing to give this brand a go!

On this occasion I went for Apiclear which is for troubled, blemished skin, eliminating blemish causes, encouraging cell regeneration and reducing scars and wrinkles. It is dermatologically tested and is paraben free.

It is quite light and soaks in very easily into the skin. As it does not have sun protection I only use it on dull, cloudy days. 

Image Skincare

Hi, I am back with yet more skincare and perhaps my favourite brand yet!! I cannot say enough about the quality of these products. As you know I have rosacea which is quite difficult to manage. I have tried and tested many products but these are right up there in terms of sensitivity, effectiveness and scent ( they smell divine!) 

I was recommended these by a beauty therapist after I was pampered with an Image facial. The facial itself was amazing and really brightened up my skin. I highly recommend them and facials in general; I love going to the spa. It is an absolute treat for me and I go a few times a year. 

Back to Image Skincare - I am currently using their Vital C hydrating anti-aging serum and their Prevention+ daily matte moistuiser (SPF 32). The Vital C soothes the visible effects of environmentally damaged skin. It contains vitamins A, E and highly potent anti-oxidants. It feels so nourishing and brightens up the face. It is a little pricey but absolutely worth it. The moisturiser smells amazing and has such a lovely consistency. It soaks in very well and is very gentle on the sensitive areas of my face. It also contains anti-oxidants. I also feel very protected wearing a factor 32. 

I wanted to buy more of their products but as I mentioned already they are dearer than what I normally go for. 

The Body Shop's Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-oil & Moisture Lotion SPF 15

Hello everyone, I am back after a busy few weeks. I thought I would update you on two vitamin E products from The Body Shop - their moisture lotion and their overnight serum-in-oil. 

Their moisture lotion is for daytime and has an SPF of 15. It claims to help protect skin from environmental damage and premature skin aging. Although it is very creamy and leaves skin feeling soft, it did not soak into one dry patch of dry skin that I had. It was very moisturising for all other parts of my face though. It also has a strong scent, a sun protection type scent. It is a little on the greasy side so even though it says it is for all skin types I would not think it would be ideal for oily skin. So on the plus side it has an SPF and leaves your skin feeling soft and on the down side it has a strong scent, is a bit too greasy for my liking and it does not penetrate dry patches. I definitely would not opt for this again. 

Thankfully, the overnight serum-in-oil was a lot better. It claims to replenish and recharge moisture while you sleep. I definitely noticed a difference using this; my skin felt so soft after just one use. It has a slight scent. It really softened the more 'normal' parts of my skin but did not work wonders on the blemishes. This would be ideal for people with 'normal' skin; I cannot imagine it would be good for anyone with clogged, congested skin or very dry skin. I will continue to use this for its softening qualities.

What's new?! - La Roche-Posay, The Body Shop & dr.organic

I thought I would share a few new products I got lately. I am not going to talk about them in any great detail today as I do not know what they are like yet but if they work for me I will post about them again in a few weeks. 

La Roche-Posay's Rosaliac Micellar Make-up Removal Gel (for Redness Prone Sensitive Skin) - I have used this twice so far and I love it. Definitely a must try. It's unlike anything I have tried before in terms of consistency, application and removal. 

dr.organic's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Day Cream - this brand looks great and I wanted to buy more of their products but I thought I would start with this. This brand is definitely worth a browse. 

The Body Shop's Vitamin E Moisture Lotion (SPF 15) & Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-Oil - to top up those Vitamin E and moisture levels

Malibu's Lipcare SPF 30 - for these brighter days!

What's new?! - La Roche Posay, Benefit, Nivea & treaclemoon

I have not been blogging lately as I have been so busy preparing for my piano exam! I am a late starter to this instrument so I should be on grade 8 by the time I'm 60,  haha. No, seriously I love it and do intend on continuing with it. I sat my grade 2 exam today so I'm delighted. The past few weeks piano has been top of my list of priorities and other things like gym and blogging fell by the wayside. Now that I have more time, I will be able to blog more often!

Here are a few new things I have bought recently or started trying out. I had been refraining from testing products as my skin had reacted badly a few months ago but recently I have started trying out a few, more gentle ones.

La Roche Posay's Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel for Oily Sensitive Skin

-Soothing and Anti-Irritating

-pH 5.5

-Soap free

-Colorant free

-Alcohol free

-Paraben free ( I still do not know what a paraben is, haha)

-Tested on imperfection prone skin

I had not intended to buy this but it came with the Effaclar Duo + as a special offer. I am not quite so sure that this suits my skin type but the brand is gentle and for sensitive skin so I knew it would not do any harm. I have used it a good few times now. It is quite a thick gel so you need to wet your hands or face to build up a lather. I find it removes make up very well. A little goes a long way so it's very good value. 

Nivea's Pure & Natural Soothing Day Cream

- 95% of natural origin
-Chamomile - naturally soothing
-Argan Oil - source of vit E

I had been using Avene's Skin Recovery Cream and while it has not caused a bad reaction, it has not helped or improved my skin either. I think a good moisturiser should make a difference and that one wasn't. So ... when I spotted this in Tesco (oh how I love to browse the beauty aisles of Tesco!) the words 'Gentle' and 'Soothing' jumped out at me, even 'Natural' was in green! I had to get it. I have used it twice so far and I find it very moisturising and I have not reacted badly to it. It has quite a thick consistency but absorbs well.

La Roche Posay's Rosaliac CC Creme

-SPF 30

-for all types of redness

-a universal tone for fair to medium skin

I received a few samples of this colour correcting cream. I have yet to use it but will let you know how it goes as soon as I try it a few times.

Benefit's Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup

-Oil-free

-SPF 25

I forgot I had a little sample of this and used it yesterday and today. While it is not too dark ( shade Honey), it gives a very healthy look which I like as I am on the pale side. It has a very light feel and for me it is more a tinted moisturiser than a foundation. I had to build it up a bit to cover some blemishes. Without a setting powder, its staying/lasting power is not so good so I would not rely on this for a night out or special occasion.

treaclemoon My Coconut Island Body Butter

-smells divine

-smooths and softens

I can't wait to slap this all over me, haha. When I opened it to do the sniff test, I went to lick it, it is just so delicious. It reminds me of those coconut gooey things - yum!! I love their simple packaging and website - such a humble company. 

More soon!!

Honey as a cleanser and moisturiser!

Honey has antibacterial properties and has a calming effect on the skin so it is perfect if you have acne, rosacea or if you just want to prevent any further breakouts. If you don't have blemishes but just simply want softer, nourished skin, try it out too. 

It is a little messy but if you're careful you shouldn't get any on your clothes, shoes and floor like I did. I took out a small spoonful and used a cotton bud to apply it directly on the areas I wanted to treat. For me, that was my forehead and sides of my nose. Avoid your eye area. I smoothed it out so that there wasn't a very thick layer or any big blobs. Gravity will obviously take an effect but you can always catch any drops and lick them - yum! 

After a few minutes it will harden and you will feel it tighten. I left it on for about 20 minutes and then washed gently away with warm water and a facecloth. 

I immediately felt my skin was softer and my blemishes looked less red - much improved appearance over all. I did this at night time and in the morning my skin was so moisturised from the previous night's treatment that I did not need moisturiser at all!

I used a jar of honey that has been in my press for ages - it had congealed so I heated it up by placing the jar in a pan of hot water. I put this on the heat, stirring the honey as it softened and hey presto, I had runny honey in no time!

Does Effaclar Duo really clear up breakouts??

My skin, which reacted badly nearly 2 months ago, still has not fully cleared up so I have decided to go gung ho on La Roche-Posay products only. My forehead is quite bumpy and actually looks worse under make-up than without. Around my mouth has cleared luckily. I finally gave in and bought La Roche-Posay's Effaclar Duo  - Corrective and Unclogging Anti-Imperfection cream. I had been refraining from buying anymore products. 

The assistant was guiding me towards their Rosaliac range as it would treat redness but at the moment I just want to clear my bumpy forehead. It did look very tempting though!! If this Effaclar Duo clears my forehead I might treat myself to the Rosaliac range :)

I had simplified my routine and minimised the application of products; I had even avoided make-up but my breakout is still sticking around. There were a few blemishes around my mouth but they have subsided thankfully. 

Many months ago I got a sample of La Roche-Posay's Physiological Cleansing Milk which I loved; I recently bought the full size. It is so soothing, moisturising and smells so so good. It is one of, if not the most soothing, moisturising cleansers I have used. I also got a sample size of the Physiological Soothing Toner.

My plan is to do a 3 step routine of cleansing milk, followed by soothing toner, followed by Effaclar Duo &/or moisturiser. I will post before and after pics once I see a difference.

Calming the Skin!!

Recently my skin has been breaking out in areas it does not usually break out, like the forehead and above the lip. It has been going on for most of March. I am still trying to figure out what I am doing differently to cause this. It could be because I was trying and switching a good few products like cleansers, moisturisers and foundations. Or it could be my diet? Or that I don't always wash my face at night? Or hormones? Weather? Or a combination of all the above. It's hard to know for definite!

Anyway today I was dying to get home from work to clean my face, so as to let it breath and be product-free. However, in order to become product-free I needed a product to clean off my make up so I decided on Avene's Gentle Gel Cleanser as I thought it would be the most gentle. I used the facial brush very gently as I have not used it in a week or two! Oh how I love those bristles!!

  

I went about my evening then, product-free but before long my face felt tight and dry and I knew I wouldn't last in that product-free state. So I rummaged through all my moisturisers (as the one I have been using the past week or two could be the cause of my breakout) and went back to the good ol' faithful Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturiser. During the rummage, I rediscovered their Redness Solutions which I had forgotten about. 

I have not had the most consistent skincare routine lately as I have been trying and testing a cleanser here and a moisturiser there. My face does not know what it will be lathered in from one day to the next so I think it's time to be more consistent and simple and minimise the amount of product being applied. This, of course, puts an end to the shopping for a while as I am quite the skincare shopper!

I have been drinking more water than usual lately so I am going to continue to do so, alongside my more consistent skincare routine. 

 What do you do to calm your skin??

AVENE Soothing Moisture Mask & AVENE Skin Recovery Cream

I used and blogged about the Skin Recovery before and loved it. Since my skin is going through a rebellious time lately I thought I would go for it again. For such a light cream, it really works magic and this calming formula is perfect for my sensitive skin. Time will tell if it improves my skin.

While browsing at the Avene stall I found their Soothing Moisture Mask and had to get it. I used it this morning and it was heavenly. A thick layer is applied to the face and neck and allowed to absorb in for 15-20 minutes. My face was left feeling so, so soft and moisturised. 

I am so delighted I started using Avene as it suits my sensitive skin so well, calming and soothing it. I love and highly recommend these two moisturisers. 

L'Occitane Immortelle Collection

I treated myself to some new creams last weekend, deciding to indulge in L'Occitane. Their store in Liffey Valley is so inviting and I could have bought many other things but these should keep me going for now! There was a special offer on their Immortelle collection which targets anti-aging. I got the day cream, night cream, cleansing foam, serum and lots of samples thrown in. It ended up being very good value for money. I have been using these for a few days now and they feel amazing!

A mini Clinique haul!

Happy New Year to all my viewers!! I thought I would share a few things I got in Clinique last month. I was delighted as bonus time had ended but the assistant fortunately let me have the last bag she had put away. Hooray!!

I was keen to try out their Redness Solutions daily relief cream. It is suitable for Rosacea or redness prone skin. I really like its thick and creamy consistency; it is also oil-free. I will be using this a lot more often to see if it really does relieve redness. 

I was also curious to try out their chubby sticks for eyes; I chose the brown colour 'lots o' latte'. They are so easy to use, all you need to do is run it over your lid and blend with your finger. These are perfect if you don't want to spend a lot of time doing eye makeup and you don't need any brushes.

I got the following products as part of bonus time: 

7 day scrub cream: a great exfoliator, leaving your skin soft and smooth

blush, in iced lotus: a very nice, rosy pink

high lengths mascara: I found this disappointing as it doesn't seem to lift the lashes or give length

chubby stick for lips, in plushest pink: this is a bright pink, more suitable for summer

COOLA mineral sunscreen tinted moisturiser

I received this in July's Glossybox, and tried it at the time and again this morning. At first I was a little reluctant as it looks very orange-brown but it blended very well, giving a very slight hint of colour. For a tinted moisturiser, it has practically no coverage. I would consider it more a sunscreen product rather than a tinted moisturiser. It is lightly rose scented and has an SPF of 20.  In terms of its moisturising qualities, it feels pretty good and soaks in nicely. Would I use it again? Yes 

Would I buy the full size product ( $36 for 50ml) ? No

Review of Dove Summer Glow, Hoola, Benefit Facial Emulsion, Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream & Revlon Lip Butter

Ok, so I posted about my mini haul this morning and then I went and tried 5 of the products. I thought I would write about them right away before I forget my initial thoughts. 

So first the Dove Summer Glow, if you want a tanner that does not have a strong scent then this is not for you - it has that typical tanning smell and it's quite strong! I think my tan is coming up already and it's looking nice and even. 

I thought the Facial Emulsion wasn't that creamy and quite light, a little hard to rub into my skin. It almost felt that it is not for dry skin and more for oilier skin. I'll have to try it again to be sure. 

The eye cream felt very similar to The Body Shop's. I didn't see any immediate difference but I'm sure it would need to be used consistently over a long period of time. 

Hoola was nice, a little goes a long way. It is definitely more pigmented than my usual L'Oreal Bronzer, but it would want to be as it's nearly 3 times the price. In saying that I would say Hoola will last a long time. 

Finally, my favourite of the five was the Revlon Lip Butter. I thought it would be very moisturising and it is. Usually I put on lip balm before lipsticks but I did not need to with this. The colour Berry Smoothie is lovely and now I want to buy more lip butters!! Yum!!

A mini haul!

I am just back from visiting a friend and we treated ourselves to some goodies!! 

Here is what I got ...

-Benefit Triple performing Facial Emulsion Oil-free SPF 15 ... I think the packaging is so cute, I have never used it so looking forward to doing so. It came in a little mini size set with the eye cream and the Porefessional Pro Balm.

-Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup in Honey ... a few weeks ago I got this in Ivory and was very happy with it, I think this is a darker shade so it will be interesting to compare the two. I like that this sample is of course bigger than the last but comes with a pump - very cute! Thank you Benefit!

- Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie ... it sounds yummy. I have been hearing about lip butters and how buttery they are so am dying to try it. It sounds like it will be moisturising but we will see.

-Dove Summer Glow Nourishing Lotion ... I have heard a lot about this too but have never tried it. I am curious to see how the shade Fair to Medium will come up! I only want a hint of a colour just to look healthy.

-Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream ... this came in the little set and looks so cute. Benefit's packaging is my favourite!! As I have only one other eye cream it will be interesting to compare their texture and effectiveness.

- Benefit Hoola Bronzing Powder ... I have had my eye on this for so long and have bought it at last! I have heard it is amazing but will see for myself once I get ready very soon!!

-Artdeco Blusher ... This brand caught my eye as I had never heard of them and they are reasonably priced. I like to try new brands. They are numbered not named, I got 44, a peachy shade.

-Benefit Stay Flawless 15 Hour Primer ... I was kindly given this sample. I am not the biggest fan of primers at the moment but of course will try it out.

My skincare routine

If you are like me and have redness/rosacea, you may want to see how I clean my face as gently as possible. Lately I have become obsessed with Avene and La Roche-Posay! Read my routine