Well,
I give up. I've done it. I've found just the
most perfect, nourishing, revitalising skincare products, that I may as well just pack in this whole blogging journey thing right now.
I'm all kinds of serious.
BLOOM Skin Essentials have been an absolute glimmer of light, turned into a glowing reality. These oil control pangs I've been going through? No more. These oversized pores blessing my cheeks and nose? Hugely reduced. This dull and blotchy complexion? Balanced and radiant.
The
BLOOM products are cruelty free, 100% pure, organic, sustainable and recyclable botanical skincare. They contain absolutely no toxic ingredients and are preservative free, even suitable for vegetarians and vegans. I thought that none of that really mattered that much to me (apart from the recyclable thing, that's a
big concern of mine), but when I see the incredible effects of using toxin-free skincare, the penny drops and I think "Yes, this is the way forward!"
The entire
BLOOM range is available in the
Essentials Kit. Naturally, this is what I bagged myself. It contains 5 of the most wonderful products I've ever encountered:
- GLOW Daily Glow Tonic (Oil Cleanser)
- POLISH Everyday Brightening Polish (Exfoliant + Face Mask)
- HYDRATE Hydrating Botanical Mist (Mist Toner/Essence)
- NOURISH Essential Facial Serum (Facial Oil)
- RESTORE Eye Cream (Yeah... exactly what it says on the jar, really)
These products are adapted for your particular skin type (Dry/Combination/Oily). This is particularly pertinent to the
POLISH and
NOURISH products, as these will vary to account for your skin's needs. For example, I picked up the Oily Range which contains a much rougher
POLISH to help exfoliate and clear my much larger build-up of sebum. If you don't know your skin type, you can take
BLOOM's test
here.
GLOW
As we all know by now, I'm a big purveyor of oil cleansing, and
GLOW is definitely one I would push for anyone with a love for oils. It's a wonderfully thick oil, that is absolutely soft and nourishing to skin, effectively removing any trace of dirt or make-up while leaving skin, you guess it, glowing.
This is a completely natural oil, and because of this, it's unlike any other oil I've ever used before. It's thick and gloopy and downright wonderful. As it is a pure oil, you won't be able to remove this cleanser with just water. Oil and water don't mix, remember? Instead, you'll want to use a muslin cloth. I found
The Organic Pharmacy's Organic Muslin Cloth to be a perfect partner. You'll want something thick and gentle to help pick up the oil and remove it from your skin.
It's also suggested to mix this oil with the
POLISH exfoliant, which is exactly what I did, and boy, did I love it. You simply take a few drops of
GLOW and a few sprinkles of
POLISH and mix them together to form a paste. Massage the paste onto damp skin, without applying any real pressure, just gently glide your fingertips over your face and remove one again with the muslin cloth.
I have, honestly, the most glowing and radiant skin I've ever seen. I look so much brighter and clearer when using
GLOW and combining it with
POLISH just gives me the freshest feeling imaginable. As it's non-astringent, it leaves skin very hydrated and soft, leaving me with a very well-nourished and well-fed sensation.
Don't get my started on the smell. I revel in the smell. This little family of products all have a very similar scent and it's one I just can't get enough of. It's fresh and natural and an absolute treat to be putting on your skin.
GLOW can be purchased individually for $22.00 / 4OZ. (that's 118ML, for us Brits).
POLISH
With this collection, I find it quite difficult to pick favourites, but I've got to say, this product trumps all.
POLISH is a multi-purpose product that can be used as both an exfoliant to buff away dead skin sells and soften skin, and also a face mask to draw out impurities and deeply cleanse. And it excels at both.
As mentioned above, combining
POLISH with
GLOW can make a lovely custom paste which is gentle enough to be used daily. The oily version is a rougher, but nothing our thick skins aren't meant to handle, as it is in no way harsh. It leaves skin softer and smoother by taking away the layer of build-up from excessive oil production.
POLISH (for oily skins) has a wonderfully grainy feel. It uses very finely ground and milled rice powder, chamomile petals and coriander powder. None of it is hard or clunky, it's all soft and gentle. Exactly what we want.
Now
BLOOM recommends also mixing this product with
GLOW to use as a face mask. But I don't play by the rules. I like to mix it with water as I find it to be a lot more extracting. My nose gets incredibly congested and this mask is the master at decongestion. After removing, all the gunk that was clogging my pores is extracted and I'm left with much clearer, more breathable skin.
A cute little wooden spoon is supplied with this mask. 1-2 scoops is enough for a daily exfoliate, and 3-4 scoops is enough to cover your entire face for the mask.
While this mask does dry and become hard on skin (only with water; with oil it will remain soft), it is in no way tight or uncomfortable. Yes, it is a bit of a pain to remove, so bring out the muslin cloth yet again. But once removed, my face is absolutely wonderful. My skin tone is completely balanced. I have no inflammation or redness, I'm just glowing and I'm clear and I'm fresh and I'm lovely.
POLISH can be purchased individually for $32.00 / 6OZ. (that's 170G, for us Brits).
HYDRATE
Big claim, I know, but this is the best face mist ever. I'm standing by that sentiment, wholeheartedly. It's ultra-hydrating, enlightening, therapeutic, and totally moisturising. There is no better, or more effective way for me to give my skin the hydration boost it needs, than by spritzing it with this wonderful elixir.
I say spritzing, it's actually super delicate. One pump from the nozzle and the mist just very gently falls onto skin and politely kisses you on the face, followed by an instant hit of hydration. As oily as I am, keeping my skin well moisturised is usually at the back of my mind, as it usually contributes to excessive oil production. But using
HYDRATE is just right and
gives my face all the essential hydration it needs, helping to prevent it complaining later in the day.
It's absorption rate is fast, meaning there's little-to-no waiting around time for this little elixir to work its magic into skin. You feel the hydration boost immediately. If I'm ever feeling tight or dry or fatigued, I'll pick up this bottle and spray it all over and revel in its instantaneous hydration.
When wet, using
HYDRATE in conjunction with
NOURISH is the perfect way to dilute the oil a little and help it carry into skin. It gives you a very fresh, dewy look. Something I know that we oily folk fear, as dewy always crumbles and becomes just oil. But not with these products. These products are perfect for adding glow and life into our otherwise wilfully mattified faces.
As mentioned, this is a very therapeutic experience. I feel calmer and revitalised when breathing in this product. As it falls so delicately through the air, it becomes quite ritualistic to breath in the mist while letting it absorb into skin. It smells delightful and it's absolutely refreshing - a true delight to all the senses!
HYDRATE can be purchased individually for $28.00 / 4OZ. (that's 118ML, for us Brits).
NOURISH
If you want oil control, look no further than this delightfully fragranced, effective and light facial oil. Oil for oily skin, you say? It's a question I hear quite often. Switching out a moisturiser for an oil has been one of the best changes my face has gone through and
NOURISH is the queen of them all.
Giving my face the essential ingredients it needs, helps prevent it from overproducing oil to compensate. The brunt of this is taken on by the vetiver root and the palmrosa, which help to balance sebum levels and the brown rice powder, which helps to absorb dirt and oils without disturbing the skins natural pH balance. You can read up on the full list of organic ingredients
here.
Let me tell you, it's bloody brilliant at controlling oil. Whenever I wear this, I can be absolutely secure in the knowledge that my face is shine-free, grease-free and clean. It's such a refreshing sensation. Quite literally. I now know what it is to feel fresh! It's just the lightest thing, positively weightless. So not once do I ever feel burdened or uncomfortable in this oil. Hydrating, nourishing, refreshing and light, this oil has got it all.
At the end of the day, this is an oil. It's oily, okay. The absorption rate is a little on the slow side. I'm talking an hour plus here. If I've got the time to wait around for it to absorb, which I often don't, I will go the entire day completely bare faced and without the need to touch up or blot. If I don't have the time spare, I will have to cover it with a primer, unfortunately. That helps to disguise the oil while it gets to work in the background.
My skin condition has massively improved with the use of this product. While I still rely on it to help me control oil, I look generally more smoother and brighter. As it's super moisturising and hydrating, my skin never complains and will never become inflamed or uneven. I'm well conditioned and well nourished. How aptly named!
NOURISH can be purchased individually for $40.00 / 1OZ. (that's 30ML, for us Brits).
RESTORE
The eye area is extremely delicate and often has a dedicated product to help sooth, moisturise and care for.
RESTORE is exactly that product. It's a gentle, nourishing balm that is massaged under and around the eyes to keep them supported and moisturised.
This product is incredible. I'm often very fatigued because I have very little sleep (
nothing that isn't self inflicted), meaning I suffer with the heavy and dark under-eye bags. This has been the only eye product I've found that actually helps to sooth and revitalise my eyes, making them brighter and livelier after use. I look awake, I look fresh, and, most importantly, I'm bag-free.
I never realised before, that I had dark spots around my eyes. I assumed it was one of the side-effects of fair skin and UV exposure ie. freckles. But actually, it was skin damage. After using this product for a few weeks, the dark spots began to fade and then eventually disappeared entirely. I was so impressed at how effectively the product handled them, in the most delicate and nurturing way possible.
This is the first eye product I've used that is actually a balm. Bit crazy, right? The issue with balms is that they actually melt and become an oil. So once this balm has been massaged into the eye area, I end up with these rather wet looking eyes. The trick is, everything in moderation. I had to really reduce the amount of product I was using and I would no longer have wet eyes. The beauty of that is, the smaller the portion, the longer it lasts.
This is a wonder products that's brought me out of tired, removed my dark spots and kept my eyes completely soothed. It definitely has wonderful restorative powers.
RESTORE can be purchased individually for $28.00 / 1OZ. (that's 7ML, for us Brits).
The clue is in the name really, these products are
essential to my routine. Every last one of them. Which is why my second order is currently en route. You can pick up the entire range for $130.00 USD on the
BLOOM Skin Essentials online store. Products can also be purchased individually, as priced above.
