Current Skincare Favourites...

Hello everybody!

I apologize again for the radio silence. I have moved house and started a new job so everything has been pretty up in the air. 

I am fully settled now and I have missed blogging so much! There is lots to come now. 

I was thinking which post I should go for as I have been absent for so long, and then I realized that make up aside- its my skin care that has seen the most change, so I thought it was a good place to start!

Some of the above are old, some are new, but regardless, I am loving them right now. 

Una Brennan Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Skin Renewing Cleansing Oil: I have heard so many great things about this cleansing oil (mostly from Viviannadoesmakeup- one of my biggest enablers).

This does a fantastic job at breaking up makeup and it is gentle enough to use as a double cleanse. 

I don't think it performs as well as the Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil when it comes to pure make up removal, but it is a lovely, gentle non stripping oil that I enjoy. 

It's the first affordable cleanser that  I have liked in YEARS - I honestly have really high maintenance skin, so I like there is something on the high street that doesn't break the bank.

It does have a fragrance to it but its not overpowering and for me, not irritating. 

Ren Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask : I am a huge fan of using acids on my skin- I barely ever use manual exfoliants these days. I use this mask once a week and I think it has done a really good job at brightening my skin that has been ravaged by excessive sugar consumption and central heating.

I make sure not to over exfoliate so I only do this once a week and with one or two swipes of my First Aid Beauty pads here and there. 

It makes my skin clearer and brighter. I will definitely pick up the full size.

Ren Flash One Minute Facial: This is so refreshing to use in the morning, its ever so slightly grainy and its weird that you only need to leave it on the skin for a minute, but it does help to perk up tired skin.

I think this could be pretty harsh so I only use it a couple of times a week, but its a pleasure every time. 

If you are super sensitive though, I would maybe ask for a sample- I can be pretty sensitive and its pretty easy for my skin to get blotchy and red looking- this however is fine for me.
I do find sometimes my skin can feel a little tight after use, but it does make my skin look great and its nothing that a little facial oil cant sort. 

I will pick up a full size when this runs out, but I have other brightening masks that I will finish first.

Emma Hardie Brillaince Facial Oil : I LOVE this stuff- a full review is on its way!

Egyptian Magic Cream : I have had his for ages and I'm only nearly a third of my way through. It's one of my holy grails. The packaging sucks though as all the writing has worn off.
For a full review, click here. 

Liz Earle Instant Boost Tonic: I used this religiously for years but stopped to try new things. I'm glad this is back in my life! 

I really enjoy this in spritz form as a toner, to refresh throughout the day and also to spritz on after I've done my make up in case things are looking a little powdery.

Its become a permanent fixture in my make up bag. Non drying and refreshing. A win. 

Liz Earle Eyebright: If like me- you wear lenses, you will understand the agony of putting lenses in tired, dry eyes. 

It's horrible, but sometimes unavoidable. If I've had little sleep (which is often) I cant afford to wait forever for my eyes to adjust...

Enter this. I now keep this by my bedside, and after my first alarm has gone off, I drench two cotton discs with this calming solution and place on my eyes for 10 mins. 

I'm sure this would help with de-puffing, but I don't really have that problem- I more need something to bring my eyes to life. 

This does just that, soothes my eyes, wakes me up and tricks my eyes into thinking they're contact lense ready. Its a keeper. 

What are your current skin care faves? 

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The New Thing....Egyptian Magic

I was given a sample of this a while ago in SpaceNK and to be honest....I had never heard of it before.

I opened up the little sachet thinking I would be greeted by your run of the mill face cream, alas no. This is some sort of hybrid between a cream/oil and balm. You only need a tiny amount and I mean TINY. A little goes a very long way.

Let me explain.

This cream contains only a handful of very basic, all natural ingredients. The entire inci list is as follows : Honey, Beeswax, Olive Oil, Royal Jelly, Bee Pollen and Bee Propolis.

So that might give you some indication of what the texture is like as in the tub it looks like a dense honey (minus any granules) but once you rub it between your fingers it melts into this delicious oil.

This is a fantastic product and my new skin savior. I went away last week and I didn't pack this (for reasons unknown) and my skin let me know pretty quickly.

It has an array of benefits such as helping to heal, comfort and moisturize.

Due to the honey it is also antibacterial so if you have blemish prone skin this will also help to clear it.

I don't use this in the morning as it takes quite some time for this to absorb, I use about a 5 pence piece amount, massage it into my skin after cleansing and after using my Kiehls midnight recovery oil and my skin dramatically improves the next day.

I find it hard to come across multi-functional products but this does deliver what ever my skin is craving.

I can go to bed with dull/dry/spotty/dehydrated/course skin and ten wake up feeling so much better.

My skin feels moisturized whilst clearer and brighter.

It is somewhat of an all rounder as it can be used as a lip balm/on cuticles/ and burns.

Bottom Line : I adore this stuff. It is my skin care savior and now I can't imagine it being out my routine. It just goes to show that sometimes simplicity is best. I won't make the mistake of leaving it at home again. Also it comes in a massive jar so this will last for a long, long time.

Have any of you tried this wonder cream?

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June Skincare Favorites

June has been a very good month for skincare! I have discovered a few new lovely things with a couple of repurchases thrown in for good measure. 

La Roche-Posay Serozinc : I know, I know, this is probably the most blogged about skincare item and chances are you are quite sick of reading reviews- but it has been a fave of mine so I had to add it in.

This is a repurchase and it is something quite lovely.

This toner only contains three ingredients; water, sodium chloride and zinc. I appreciate the simplicity and the lack of astringents, but it is the Zinc that is the hard worker here.

This is meant for oily/blemish prone skin, which I have not but it still works for me.

When I am having a dry skin day I go for my hydrating toners, but during the summer months when I am naturally sweating more, I end up with a few little bumps under the skin- the product really helps rid me of some of them. It's brilliant and now more widely accessible to us Brits in larger Boots stores.

Caudalie Premier Cru the Elixir : I had never heard of this facial oil until I was given a sample at Space Nk. Face oils are my thing so I was keen to try but I hadn't read any reviews so I had no exceptions or any clue what it was really meant to do.

Let me tell you, this oil brings the hydration and the glow. It's gorgeous, a full review is on it's way.

Orico Streetwise Coco Spritz : I have been on the look out for a hydrating toner for a while. I do love my Body Shop Vitamin E facial mist but I just get through it so rapidly and I wanted to try something new.

This is gorgeous- totally Amelia Liana inspired- she is one of my biggest enablers and when she compared it to the Omorovicza Queen of Hungary mist but twenty quid cheaper, I was keen.

It is lovely, again stay tuned for a full review.

Clarins Radiance Plus Body Golden Glow Booster : I am sorry to be so annoying today- but a review is also on the way for this one! Just a quick spoiler- I don't think I will be without this product from now on. I have never found a fake tan that I actually liked. This is fab.

Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche Body Lotion : This is the body cream that I have been adding the Clarins Booster to.

I have had this cream for some time but I am so bad at moisturizing my body- truth me told I am intrinsically lazy but due to the Clarins only working as a mixer, it has forced me into moisturizing and I love it! I am going to try my utmost to stick to my new routine.

I finished the perfume version some time ago, it's a real favorite with woody,citrus and floral notes- it's pretty but not headachey. I am not a huge floral girl but due to the top notes being citrus and woody, it gives it a bit for depth.

I tend to think that the that fragrance brands that release body lotions tend to be mediocre creams with the scent just shot through- this is not the case here.

This cream is deeply hydrating leaving skin silky soft whilst absorbing quickly.

Another plus is that mixing this with the Clarins gives you a fake tan that smells like Chanel. I'm sorry but that's the dream right? No horrid biscuity smell here.

The scent also lingers or a while, just lovely.

Egyptian Magic : This is another product I hadn't heard anything about but upon receiving a sample from Space NK I become hooked and was desperate to pick up the full size after it was finished.

Review soon.

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads : This is another repurchase.

I ran out of these a couple of months ago and didn't really realize how much I was missing them!

These pads are pre-soaked with acids (Lactic and Glycolic) and after cleansing I wipe both sides all over my face in circular motions. I leave it for a couple of minutes and then go in with my facial mist.

I use these in the evening, usually 3/4 times a week and they do a lovely job of exfoliating the skin, leaving it brighter and smoother- it does help with those little milia bumps you get under the skin.

Exfoliating is also very important as it helps whatever serums/oils you put on after be more easily absorbed.

This is my favorite exfoliator but I don't like over using it. It is gentle, you don't really get any stingyness with this and I find 3/4 times a week more than enough to keep my skin looking fresh. It is not necessary for me to use this daily as it's a bit too much exfoliation for my skin.

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