Alba Botanicals Natural Hawaiian Facial Scrub; The Pore Purifying Pineapple and Papaya Perfecter!

The Alba Botanicals Natural Hawaiian Facial Scrub is an interesting little number, being both your physical and enzyme exfoliator in one tube, this fruit-packed scrub offers both a mild-buffing and surface decongestion in one. The magical mix of papaya and pineapple enzymes, plus the ever scrumptious jojoba esters makes for a super gentle way to clear and smooth the skin.

By some possibly intentional or unintentional engineering, the Alba Botanicals Natural Hawaiian Facial Scrub manages to maintain perpetually cool. This was particularly welcome during the summer period, as it kickstarted my skin with an instant refresh. The jojoba esters are especially spongy, offering a super gentle exfoliation with a similar sensation to finally being able to scratch an itch that's been tickling forever. That is by no way to suggest that this scrub is harsh, when it is in fact very mild, due to the cushioning jojoba beads.

Being labelled as hypro-allergenic, this enzymatic exfoliator is made with sensitivity in mind. My sensitive skin does not take any issue with the pineapple and papaya enzymes, and I find that they very aid in clarifying my dull, congested skin. I usually gently buff my skin for 1-minute to allow the jojoba beads to remove any surface debris, then leave the product on my skin for around 3-5 minutes to allow the enzyme exfoliation to take place. 

It's worth mentioning that this product does leave an oddly wax-like film on my skin, so I always have to remove it with a cleansing cloth. The fruity and citrusy fragrance is just tops, the scent is fresh and it certainly makes skin feel fresh after use.

The Alba Botanicals Natural Hawaiian Facial Scrub is a wonder-worker when it comes to clearing pores and decongesting skin. The cushion-like jojoba esters are gentle yet purifying, and the pineapple and papaya enzymes are reviving and clarifying. This makes for a perfect in-the-shower scrub, but remember to keep a muslin to hand. 

As usual, when it comes to physical exfoliators, I'd like to remind everyone about Ban the Microbead to help reduce our consumption of plastics and the truly gross environmental impact that has. Make the switch to natural by seeing the full list of approved products for your region here: http://www.beatthemicrobead.org/en/product-lists.

Alba Botanicals Natural Hawaiian Facial Scrub can be purchased from Beauty Naturals for £7.30 / 118ML. 

Origins Original Skin Retexturising Mask With Rose Clay Really Does Retexture Skin To Its Original Smooth And Flawless Condition

What a concept! To retexture skin to its original flawless texture. For someone with congested skin, oversized pores, blemishes and irregularities, it's the kind of thing I'd roll my eyes at and ask to pull the other one. So can you imagine the spit take when I discover a mask that delivers smoother, supplier and retextured skin? The Origins Original Skin Retexturising Mask With Rose Clay manages to be both a face mask and an exfoliatior; an expert resurfacing combination that really does achieve that flawless skin.

Origins' latest mask is a gorgeous pink little number contains active rose clay, Canadian willowherb and jojoba seeds to help provide that flawless look. Rose clay is a gentle way to extract impurities. This soft, sticky clay barely hardens, it remains gorgeously wet and hydrating when left for the 10-20 minute treatment. A little unusual for your typical clay mask, this mask manages to draw out impurities through its sticky texture, as opposed to the hardening and drying of clay. As a bonus, I use a cleaning cloth to remove (as I said, this mask can be a bit of a tough cookie), as a little boost to the exfoliation factor.

The added (and plentiful at that) jojoba beads helps to aid exfoliation on, ensuring that pores are unclogged, skin texture is resurfaced and any impurities are removed. The delicate jojoba beads are soft and natural circular seeds that gently move along the skin's surface aiding renewal. Everything about this mask is delicate and nurturing, transforming even my sensitive skin into a healthy complexion.

Original Skin is perfectly descriptive of what this mask achieves. Offering that youthful skin texture, skin is smoother, supple and healthy. Impurities are removed, skin is decongested and pores are emptied, creating a true silky smooth surface. My skin is left clearer, clarified, balanced, calmed and flawless. 

The floral scent of the rose clay is subtly sweet. It's a fragrance that endures, so for the 10-20 minutes during the treatment I can continue to experience this relaxing and calming scent. The clay is cool and wet when first applied, then begins to warm - in quite a comforting way - without any of the tingling that comes with a typical clay mask.

Origins Original Skin Retexturising Mask With Rose Clay has been an expert skin treatment to keep my skin soft and supple. Whenever I feel congested, Original Skin is what I reach for, whenever my pores are clogged, Original Skin is my first port of call, whenever I what clearer, more clarified and balanced skin, Original Skin is always there in my hour of need. This mask really has become my saving grace, providing me with such well-conditioned skin that I never imagined my face could attain.

Origins Original Skin Retexturising Mask With Rose Clay can be purchased from Origins for £23.00 / 100ML.

What's The Difference Between Bloom Skin Essentials Polish for Oily Skin and Polish for Combination Skin?

I'm one of those I-want-to-try-a-bit-of-everything types. So when you tell me there are different versions of the same product designed to target specific skin types, I can't help but find myself at least a little curious. Often, curiosities pay off, and trying out Bloom Skin Essentials Polish for Oily Skin and Polish for Combination Skin is absolutely one of those times.

My skin is oily. There's no question there. I'm oily, congested and have dramatically oversized pores. It was only natural that I picked up the Polish for Oily Skin from Bloom Skin Essentials. I love everything about it (as demonstrated by my full review here); it has become a skincare staple and a consistent repurchase. But, as I said, I was curious what the difference was with the Polish for Combination Skin, and you know what, I found myself yet another staple to add to my collection.

The Polish products contain a very simple list of 100% organic and super effective ingredients (ingredients for Polish for Oily Skin listed here, ingredients for Polish for Combination Skin listed here). There are only three ingredients that these products share: rice powder, whole milk powder and coriander powder. Meaning it's up to the three remaining ingredients to make a difference, and yes, they make a very welcome difference indeed.

Described as an 'Everyday Brightening Polish', this is like a very mild exfoliator that is gentle enough to be used every single day if you please. It also doubles up as a face mask, to either be combined with Glow. or, my personal favourite, with water. The ground powders, milled petals and fruit peel act as a very delicate way to buff the skin, helping to remove dead skin cells and reveal that bright and lovely complexion hiding beneath. 

There are three types of Polish in total, for Dry, Combination and Oily, each designed to match the needs of your skin type. As I'm oily, I want a buff with a little bite. These products suit my sensitive skin perfectly, effortlessly unclogging pores and evening out my skin tone without disturbing or disrupting. Not sure on your skin type? Bloom has a neat little test here.

When used daily, I am far fonder of Polish for Combination Skin. This is just a tad gentler, offering the same brightening effects but with a softer touch. Its texture strikes the perfect balance of being heavy enough to effectively buff, while being soft enough to cushion the granularity. 

As a daily exfoliator, it expertly unclogs pores, instantly giving me a brighter skin tone. It also wonderfully smooths my skin, giving me a soft and flawless complexion without any need for that harsh over-polishing. Furthermore, it completely balances my complexion. I have a very uneven skin tone, due to redness and inflammation, and the anti-inflammatory powers of Polish for Combination Skin helps to restore equilibrium no problem.

Polish for Combination Skin makes for the ideal daily exfoliant. It's powerful, it's effective, it's gentle and it offers instantaneous results. This is absolutely my favourite way to balance and brighten my skin, without question.

As for the Polish for Oily Skin, this little fellow has become my staple masking partner. As usual, you'll need to combine this with an oil like Glow or just plain old water, to turn it into a paste. You then take that paste and apply it to your face, wait 10 or so minutes, then remove, massaging as you go, for that extra exfoliation and that extra circulation. 

This mask is absolutely incredible for decongesting my terribly congested skin. Any impurities are extracted, any rough skin is removed and any clogged pores are completely cleared. The Polish for Oily Skin gives skin a run for its money, instantly providing a clearer and brighter complexion. 

With regular use, this two products have provided me with gorgeously balanced, brighter and clearer skin. They never, ever fail me. Their gentle but scrubby textures, their wonderfully delicious fragrances and their unmatched results are all reason for me to place Bloom Skin Essentials Polish as a solid staple in my skincare collection. 

Bloom Skin Essentials Polish can be purchased from Bloom Skin Essentials for $40.00 / 6 OZ. ($20.00 international shipping, subject to customs fees).

Burt's Bees Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub For A Very Scrubby Way To Scrub

If there's one thing I've said before, and it's one thing I'll continue to say again, Bee Conservation is so bloody integral to our survival, and it's one thing that should never go ignored. Burt's Bees production ethics are bob-on in terms of sustainability, conservation and partnering with charities to help maintain our bee populace (you can read about their policies here). 

What's more, Burt's Bees also avoid microbeads in their products, featuring natural alternatives instead, such as fruit and nut kernels, milled petals, jojoba beads and ground seeds. Microbeads are little plastic spheres that are too large to dissolve, making them a deadly pollutant as they are consumed by countless marine life. You can find out more about microbeads, alongside a list of products containing microbeads specific to your country, here.

Burt's Bees offer three different types of facial exfoliators, all of which I've purchased and all of which I love for different reasons. The Anti-Blemish Pore Refining Scrub (reviewed here) is the softest one of the group, using jojoba beads to exfoliate, this scrubs provides lusciously smooth and clear skin. The Citrus Facial Scrub (reviewed here) is a cakey little number that provides clear and balanced skin, using ground almonds to exfoliate. As for the Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub, I'd refer to this as the mastodon of the group. This really is a heavy-duty scrub. While I love it for my oily and congested skin, I'd always err on the side of caution if your skin is unsteady around a exfoliator that doesn't hold back.

This 100% natural facial scrub, uses nothing but the finely ground stone of a peach to - what we must refer to as fairly aggressively - exfoliate the skin. Now, this is indisputably heavy duty, designed for a skin type like mine, that has a quick cell turnover (an onset of which, a build-up of dead skin and clogged pores). Even I can only use this once every 2 weeks. 

While finely ground, the peach stone is still rather large and can very much be felt. As they aren't perfectly spherical, the stones can be almost sharp and gritty, their jaggedness is present as I roll them around my skin. For me, this isn't neccesarily a scratchy product, but it is something I can only apply with very little pressure indeed.

The ground stones are carried in a very lightweight and easily spreadable cream. This cream is thin, so thin in fact that it disappears as you begin to lightly scrub. This makes it quite a raw process, the cream is almost like a lubricant, to help you get purchase on the stones, allowing the peach do to its magic without impeding the process. 

With a name like Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub, you're going to expect some results. Well, if your pores are easily clogged like mine, I've found this scrub to very effectively 'empty' them, leaving me with a much clearer and smoother complexion. Any dark build-up that was trapped in my pores is removed, making my skin tone appear far more neutralised and all-round balanced. 

Interestingly, after watching Wild Organic Beauty's vlog recently (I know it's really late, but would you like to see my August favourites?), she mentioned that this scrub was far, far too aggressive for her face and instead used it as a foot scrub. I gave that a go myself, and you know what, she's onto something here! This product makes for a really effective foot scrub. Our skin here is usually a little tougher and if you're prone to hard or dry skin on your feet, this little gem might just do the trick. 

I do like this, I honestly do. If my skin is ever craving a heavy-going exfoliation, this is the scrub I can rely on. But once again, I would go on the explicit advice of your own skin. My skin can take a little brutality (product depending), or  it occasionally needs some tough love, so me and the Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub get on like a house on fire. Just be warned, this scrub pulls no punches. Effective, don't repurchase.

The Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub can be purchased from Burt's Bees for £11.49 / 170G.

Burt's Bees Citrus Facial Scrub: It's Like Cake On Your Face, Instead Of In It

Burt's Bees Citrus Facial Scrub is the most scrumptious facial exfoliator I have ever used. It's like taking a delicious slice of rich fruit cake and massaging the sweet, sugary crumbs into your skin. Let's be honest, isn't this what we've always wanted from cake since the dawn of home baking?

I have used all 3 of Burt's Bees exfoliator offerings now, and let me tell you, Burt's are the king of the gentle and refreshing exfoliation. They are very simple natural exfoliators that avoid the use of any microbeads, using ground up nuts and petals as a substitute. 

Cake in a jar. It's indisputable. The Burt's Bees Citrus Facial Scrub is a super thick, super rich cake-like exfoliator that is 99.96% natural. It loses points because it contains fragrance, sadly. To exfoliate, it uses finely ground almonds, oats, pecans and milled rose petals, very gentle, very natural. Yes, it is gentle, yes it is lovely. 

The thick consistency acts like a cushion, meaning I can apply a little pressure while pushing the cake-like texture around my face, without feeling any discomfort. In fact, it's actually kind of nice, like scratching an itch you didn't know you had. So while it is spongy and bouncy, it still has a nice grittiness to it. This is in no way harsh or abrasive, it's completely friendly and soft. 

I scoop up a bite-sized amount of the mixture and combine it with a little water. I also find it's always best to apply this product to damp skin. This helps to really soften up the product, while still allowing the nuts, oats and petals to work their exfoliating magic. At first it might feel a little tough (cue the cake-analogy once more), but once you begin smoothing it into the skin, it will loosen, becoming a lot more manageable. 

In terms of results, Burt's Bees Citrus Facial Scrub is a simple exfoliator, nothing complex here. It's exfoliation powers are mild in comparison to some of the more heavy duty products out there, but it's a wonderful little refresher to help clear your skin, soften and remove any build-up, while providing moisture and nourishment to the skin.

Burt's Bees Citrus Facial Scrub can be purchased from Burt's Bees for £10.99 / 55G Jar. 

Bee Good Honey & Camelina Facial Exfoliator For A Gentler Way To Exfoliate

Bee Good. I love Bee Good. We know this; I find it just darling, and the Honey & Camelina Facial Exfoliator is no exception. This little number is one of the most gentlest and caring exfoliators I've used, perfect for my sensitive skin, on those days when I need to refresh without a heavy-duty polish.

There are just three little words that perfectly match the sensation, the scent and the effects of using this product: subtle, polite and nurturing. Polite? What a choice, right? But it's so courteous to sensitive skins, that I can't help but consider it to be the most well-mannered skincare I've encountered to date.

To exfoliate, the Honey & Camelina Facial Exfoliator uses finely milled lavender petals. These are super, super soft, so as you massage them into your skin, you'll feel nothing but the cushioned lavender roll across your face. You don't need to apply any pressure for the petals to get to work, just massage in circular motions a few times and your skin will instantly be brighter and clearer.

The petals are carried in a wonderfully rich and creamy formula, that begins thick and then starts to thin as you massage away, eventually turning into a milk when it comes to rinsing. I love how plump it feels. It is an insanely moisturising cream that prevents you from becoming dry or irritated. From the descriptions in the ingredients list, the responsibility seems to lie with the Camelina Oil (a flowering common flax), which helps to reduce moisture-loss while protecting and nourishing the skin. My face feels so lovely and supple after exfoliating, which really is something to cherish.

The thing with exfoliation is that it can leave you feeling polished or buffed. Yuck, okay, just yuck. As this is so, so very gentle, it manages to effectively slough off those dead skin sells without over-smoothing my skin. Meaning, I'm clean and renewed, without that shiny/gloss-like finish. This really is made with sensitivity in mind. So much, in fact, that I can use this daily with absolutely no skin qualms. It's so delicate and non-stripping, with the bonus moisturising benefits after use.

The Honey & Camelina Facial Exfoliator isn't going to work miracles, no, it's far too gentle for that. However, it very effectively cleans my skin, clears build-up and leaves me with a much brighter and radiant complexion after use. My skin is balanced and redness is reduced. But these effects are minor compared to some of the meaner and tougher products I've used.

From what I've found, the bigger the portion size I give myself of this product, the better. Sadly, this product only comes in a 50ML sized tube, meaning, I burn through it pretty fast. Come on, you guys. I'd like to see a minimum of 100ML, for the way in which I like to use it. As it thins fairly quickly, it's difficult to spread as far as you'd expect.

The product has a very subtle sweet and delicious scent that's actually quite comforting to smell. It has a warmness about it, absolutely in-offensive, but beautifully delicate like the rest of the product.

This little wonder is just charming. A delight for my sensitivity, leaving me clear and bright, without over-buffing. Brilliant for those days when I want to remove build-up, but don't want anything too strong to do the job. Scoring Effective, repurchase.

The Honey & Camelina Facial Exfoliator can be purchased from Bee Good for £10.50 / 50ML. 

BLOOM Skin Essentials: Now Essential To My Routine

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). 

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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.

TONY MOLY Egg Pore Tightening Cooling Pack + Silky Smooth Balm (we're ignoring the Blackhead Steam Balm for good reason)

The first contenders to enter the ring from my Korean Beauty Haul: BeautynetKorea is the TONY MOLY Egg Pore Collection. WARNING: please, please note that the Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm CONTAINS MICROBEADS. I had to throw this product away after first realising. To read more about the environmental hazards of microbeads, please click here.

This trio's philosophy is to exfoliate, tighten the skin's elasticity, and prime. Essentially, remove blackheads, clear pores and reduce excess sebum, They are packaged as three adorable little eggs that are simply twisted open to reveal their contents. As cute as it is, the packaging is utterly redundant, making it a fairly wasteful product. While TONY MOLY do adopt a Green Philosophy, in that these products are made from recycled materials, the lid is nearly twice the size of its contents! It's impracticable, unnecessary and highly wasteful. Quirky egg design should be no way to market these products.

Blackhead Steam Balm

As mentioned, we're ignoring the Blackhead Steam Balm for good reason, because WARNING: IT CONTAINS MICROBEADS. While the principle of exfoliating the skin before applying a face mask is something I subscribe to, I wanted to instead provide two far less dangerous alternatives that offer the exact same results.

Origins Modern Friction This exfoliator mimics the effects of microdermabrasion treatments but with the considerably less abrasive rice starch. It's quite a soft, plump exfoliator which offers the same warming effects. But this product can be very harsh. I found my skin to become a little irritated when using, possibly because the ingredients list features SLS and lemon oil. £32.00 / 125ML

Burt's Bees Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub This product is a fantastic alternative, and the one I found myself using most often. It uses small apricot kernels to exfoliate, and its rich and creamy texture makes it very soft and kind to skin. It contains 100% natural ingredients and is sulphate-free, making it extremely gentle on my sensitive skin. £10.99 / 110G

Any of the above two exfoliators are a better alternative. As matters of ethics, morales and principle, I cannot use cosmetics containing microbeads. 

Tightening Cooling Pack

The Tightening Cooling Pack is possibly the gentlest face mask I've ever used. Assuming this is where the product's name comes from (beside the packaging), its texture is just like scrambled eggs! Oddly, it is actually very cool to touch, and remains cool on the skin. While the cooling qualities are supposedly to help 'close' the pores, that's just nonsense. It does, however, very effectively de-gunk my pores.

Simply scoop out a small piece of the gelatinous mask, and begin to spread it onto the skin. It's not a great spreader, it does tend to be a little too on the sticky side, so I often found myself laying it on quite thick. The most interesting thing about this mask, is it doesn't dry on the skin, it manages to retain its moisture, making it incredibly soft, gentle and barely feel-able and all the while, staying lovely and cooling. 

It has an inoffensive sweet scent to it which I can't actually smell while wearing the mask. However, as it's feather-light, gentle and odourless it is completely easy to forget this product is even on your skin. 

While it may not dry on the skin, it does like to grip the skin, making it fairly tricky to remove so you will need to grab the muslin cloth. Afterwards, I'm left with slightly red and irritated skin, possibly due to the difficult removal. However, this is amazing for de-gunking pores. My skin is far more clearer after every use, turning my pores into a more greyish colour, making them increasingly less and less visible. 

Silky Smooth Balm

The Silky Smooth Balm is actually a primer, and does not offer any skin benefits. Its aim is to reduce excess sebum production and control oil. You can apply this product alone, after your usual skincare routine, or just before make-up. I like to wear it alone, as I don't tend to wear any make-up products.

As the name suggests, this is a super silky smooth customer. Scoop a little piece onto the end of your finger and begin to spread it onto the skin. Do not massage it in. Just glide your fingertips over your skin, outwards from the nose. It's far more effective when you let it rest upon your skin as a barrier against oil. 

Your skin may feel like its wearing a barrier, but I find it in no way uncomfortable and it's very soft to touch. You will notice that the balm instantly eliminates any shine, leaving you with a flawless matte finish. It is very, very effective, keeping me oil-free for the entire working day. Yup. Its effects are astounding. 

It smells absolutely delicious, a really sweet and pleasant scent. Everything about this product is a real catch, the smells, the texture, and most importantly, the effects. It is definitely a favourite of mine for oil control.

While we're always told not to put all our eggs in one basket, the Blackhead Steam Balm is definitely one egg that I will be avoiding in all of future shopping baskets. The Tightening Cooling Pack was effective sure, but I won't be repurchasing this product as it's difficult to remove and contains a very small helping. However, the Silky Smooth Balm is a dream come true. I've loved how successful this product is, and have categorised it as an absolute essential. 

The Tightening Cooling Pack can be purchased from BeautynetKorea for $10.99 / 30G. The Silky Smooth Balm can be purchased from BeautynetKorea for $13.22 / 20G. 

Korean Beauty Haul: BeautynetKorea

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Obligatory Korean Beauty Haul? I think so. While this might be fashionable in current times, that's not without good reason. Korean, and by extension, Asian beauty products, are powerful, adorable, targeted and reputable. While it might be a little confusing at first, there are a lot of cute infographics to mill through, complimented by confusing English, these products can be both entertaining and powerful.  

As this is completely new territory - where do you even begin? It's important to shop from reliable sources, and, during an introductory phase, focus on the wider, more popular brands. I shopped with BeautynetKorea. They stock a tonne of beauty, make-up, skincare, body and perfume products for both men and women. Their prices are reasonable (usually discounted), they offer free worldwide shipping on orders over $50.00, not to mention the wedge of customised samples I received with my order.

This is just an introduction, not a review. I wanted to show you what I picked up and why. There is a big focus here on blackhead removal, lots of scrubs, exfoliators and masks. 

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TONY MOLY Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm 30G + Tightening Cooling Pack 30G + Silky Smooth Balm 20G ($35.27 USD) This little set was just too adorable not to pick up. I know, that's no way to shop, but I kept seeing these products mentioned time and time again, success story after success story. This Egg Pore 3 Pack Collection contains a Blackhead Steam Balm, to be used first to 'open up' the pores. This facial exfoliator warms up as it is massaged into the skin, preparing you to follow it up with the Tightening Cooling Pack, a cooling face mask used to tighten pores and improve the skins condition. Finally, the Silky Smooth Balm is more of a primer (make-up), offering no real skincare benefits. This is to be applied on its own, or under make-up, to keep you matte and blur them pores. 

ETUDE HOUSE Blackhead Final Kit Double-Up Blackhead Romving Toner-X 60ML + Black Head Smooth Cream 15ML ($17.49 USD) While the first item in this kit is referred to as a toner, it is not a toner in the traditional Western sense. In fact, you soak a cotton wool pad, or a cloth, in the toner then press it onto your face and leave it there for 10-15 minutes, after which, you wash/clean away. Follow this up with the cream, used to sooth the skin and control excess sebum. 

INNISFREE Jeju Vocanic Blackhead Out Balm 30G ($6.99 USD) Innisfree is an admirably green Asian beauty brand. Their ingredients are pure and naturally sourced. The Blackhead Out Balm (fun name, right?) melts blackheads away. It is a solid balm, which when massaged into the skin, melts into an oil, which then dissolves blackheads and absorbs sebum. 

Holika Holika Pig Nose Clean Blackhead Cleansing Sugar Scrub 30 ML ($7.78 USD) Pig Nose is for the removal of sebaceous filaments (white and horny clogged pores). The sugar scrub effectively removes these filaments, alongside blackheads by massaging the product softly into skin. Once massaged, leave the product on the skin, converting it into a mask, to allow the pink clay to absorb the excess sebum.

SKIN FOOD Black Sugar Mask Wash Off 100G (10.49 USD) While mask is in the title, this is actually just a face scrub. Gently massage this sugary product into the skin for a few minutes, then wash it away. As the name implies, this brand uses food within their products as part of their key ingredients, believing that good food products make you healthy inside and out. 

Here are the collection of samples I received with my order, all TONY MOLY, probably one of the more prominent Korean brands. While some of them are dupes, samples often go a long way in my books. The samples include: Magic Good Banana Hand Milk, Panda's Dream White Hand Cream, Panda's Dream Eye Patch, I'm Real Avocado Rich Cream and Floria Whitening Capsule Essence.

Are you tempted to splurge on a Korean Beauty Haul? What items are you interested in picking up?

Yes to Tomatoes Daily Pore Scrub, Daily Clarifying Cleanser, Daily Repair Treatment, Daily Balancing Moisturiser and Clearing Facial Mask

Yes! Yes to Tomatoes in fact. This was one of the first brands to really take my interest when I first took the unreturning jump onto the skincare wagon. I unwittingly thought that this brand was nowhere to be seen in UK waters, I know better now. Yes to ranges can be purchased from Boots, BeautyBay, Asos and LoveLula. I realise now, that I can't actually move for the stuff.

Yes to Tomatoes is that one you want if you're fighting with blemishes, blackheads and/or oil control. Harnessing the powers of, you got it, the tomato (lycopene), the pull of this range is using powerful anti-oxidants to help fight free-radicals and restore pH balance. Okay, so does it work? Short answer... Yes to some of it does!

Yes to Daily Pore Scrub

Okay, so I love the sensation of exfoliating. Put that in a formula that's gentle enough to use daily and I've found myself a match made in sweet grounded mango seed heaven. Swoon. This product is designed to target blemishes, reduce blackheads and unclog pores. It also does a neat little trick of reducing redness.

I use this daily, towards the end of the evening as one of those take-the-day-off systems. I can really feel it slough off all those dead skin cells, excess oils and dirt from the day gone by. I take a 50 pence piece sized amount into my palm and very softly massage it into my skin applying almost absolutely zero pressure. Focusing primarily on my cheeks, nose and forehead, I notice afterwards than any foreign bodies camped up in my pores have been eliminated. 

While unfortunately I did not notice a reduction in blackheads, it is a very powerful product for clearing and renewing the skin. It gives a very solid clarified sensation without any stripping, drying or *cringe* squeaky feeling. It also helps to even out my skin tone. After use I don't feel like I'm red in all the wrong places. 

The exfoliating factor in this product is finely ground mango seeds. And boy are they finely ground. They are almost indistinguishable, which, I suppose, is what makes them gentle enough for daily use. They don't come in short supply either, there's absolutely thousands of these little grains waiting to kick out any muck from your pores.

Yes to Daily Clearing Facial Mask

This is my favourite. Trumps all else. You know by now my position on face masks (I just don't understand them!), but this is something I can really get into bed with. Stating it will refine and purify pores, absorb sebum, and clear skin, you can forget all that, this product is for balancing your face and when timed correctly, you'll get some simply wonderful results.

It smells exactly like the Daily Balancing Moisturiser, so I'm more than happy to let this sit on my skin for 5-10 minutes. It is a very thick and hard mask. One that feels heavy when you scoop it out of the pot, and will really solidify when you place it on your face.

 
It's a pure white formula that is lovely and cool to touch. It will go very firm after a few minutes, and you will feel its presence on your face. One removed, my skin tends to feel a little off-kilter, so I always double moisturise. I know, you're wondering why I even like this so...

I use this mask whenever I have a long day ahead of me when I don't have the luxury to blot or fix, as this mask keeps my skin completely balanced for the entire day. Thank you Yes to! That doesn't mean I use it every day, I couldn't do that, my face would weep. I just save it for those important days.

Yes to Daily Repair Treatment

Designed to reduce blemishes and acne, this product went down really well with me. It answered everything that was wrong with Lush's Grease Lightning (review here). It was effective, light, absorbent and completely gentle. 

While it doesn't work quite as quickly as Grease Lightning at removing blemishes, it does reduce redness in due course. As mentioned previously, I only get heavy subsurface blemishes along my neck and jawline, and within one week those were very much disappeared. 

The product sinks in instantaneously and does not leave a single trace. It's perfect for my sensitive skin, I was scared it wasn't going to kick in as I couldn't even feel its presence. I apply it all along my neck and jawline twice daily and find that it is perfect at keeping any blemishes at bay and reducing inflamation.

Yes to Daily Balancing Moisturiser

Now, a downfall with this product is that it's actually aimed at Combination Skin (not the products fault, my face's fault, probably). Meaning, that this moisturiser isn't quite well equipped to deal with everything oily skin brings. Which is mostly just yucky oil. While it is a little heavier than I would have liked, it isn't without its positives. 

This product is one of my favourite smells. Not sure what it even is? But it definitely isn't tomato. In fact, nothing in this range even smells remotely of tomato, or the same as each other. But this is sweet bliss, making it a pleasure to apply. 

It certainly does keep my skin well moisturised, not in a way that makes it pump out oil, but in a way that makes it feel hydrated. I apply it and my skin will feel silky soft. It's got a very good spread and a wonderful finish. The feel of this product is just perfect.

I find that pushing the pump dispenser only half way down gives me more than enough product to cover my face and neck. It will leave me looking and feeling very refreshed and awake after use and while it can't quite control my oil enough throughout the day, it really does feel wonderful to use.

Yes to Daily Clarifying Cleanser

Now this, this is actually the only product in the entire range that was a big miss for me. It smells super chemical, while it is 98% natural it does contain alcohol, mild surfactants (lauryl glucoside) and preservatives (Sodium Benzoate / Potassium Sorbate). While it isn't my aim to induce fear, these are the qualifying ingredients that turn me away from the product.

It is a translucent gel cleanser, which is a really very runny product. As mentioned, it does contain mild surfactants so it does foam slightly. Not enough that it becomes stripping, but enough that it makes me uncomfortable. 

This product does offer a nice clean feeling, but it doesn't aid much in the way of skin benefits. I find that it isn't quite nourishing or healthy to skin. Instead, it just does its job of remove dirt and cleaning your skin. Which is fine. But it isn't enough. 

All of these products are listed here on the US Yes to retailer but can be purchased in the UK from Boots. Yes to Tomatoes Daily Pore Scrub / £11.99 for 112ML / Yes to Tomatoes Daily Clearing Facial Mask / £11.99 / 50ML / Yes to Tomatoes Daily Repair Treatment / £11.99 / 50ML / Yes to Tomatoes Daily Balancing Moisturiser / £11.99 / 50ML / Yes to Tomatoes Daily Clarifying Cleanser / £6.99 / 90ML