Showing posts with label lush. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lush. Show all posts

Sunday, 20 September 2015

#MissoinEmpties Week 04: The Curtain Call

The #MissionEmpties Challenge is in its final week, and with it comes a whole new list of products I've managed to tick off my pledge list. On the round-up this week, we have a wonderful range of delicate and nurturing products, all of which keep sensitivity in mind.

You'll notice a sizeable amount of Bee Good products featured this week. That's because I picked up the Bee Good Bee Beautiful Gift Pack (£45.00) a few months ago, giving me the opportunity to try out (nearly) everything they have to offer, and boy, it did not disappoint.

So, for the final time, let's see what's graced my body this week, shall we?
I am terribly prone to cold sores, and, if you've ever had a cold sore, you'll know just how difficult it is to keep your lips hydrated without risking spreading the infection. Tea tree is a fantastic natural antiseptic, making it super useful to feature in a lip balm, as it helps to fight the cold sore infection while keeping the rest of the lips nourished and hydrated. This has to be my all time favourite product. It has a very balmy (clue is in the name) texture, that melts into a warm, nourishing oil. It has no greasiness or stickiness, just a smooth moisturising layer. There is a lovely inoffensive tea tree smell, making it the perfect partner when my lips are damaged or sore. Essential. 
I have a bit of a love affair with this cleanser (full review here). It has a lovely pillow-y texture that effectively clears the skin while helping retain optimum moisture levels. Don't get me started on the smell. This wonderful piece of cloud is scrumptious, hydrating, rich and refreshing. You can bet I'm bumping this thing up from Effective, repurchase to Essential.
As moisturisers go, this has to be the thinnest one I've used to date. This almost runny liquid easily glides and spreads over skin, absorbing instantaneously. Skin is left feeling light and fresh, allowing for that breathable skin sensation. It has a gorgeously sweet scent, that helps to make you feel, look and smell delicious. This moisturiser is perfect for helping any non-absorbing products to absorb. For example, with any particularly stubborn facial oils, when I apply a small amount of this on top, they sink into skin instantly. While I do love this, I think it is really rather too expensive, making it a tough purchase to justify. Effective, don't repurchase.
The 3-in-1 properties of this product include: cleansing, toning and refreshing, it can be used for any of the aforementioned. Similar to that of your typical micellar waters, it can be used to cleanse skin and remove make-up, or as a non-astringent replacement for a toner, or as a pick-me-up to help refresh throughout the day. I use this as a toner as it is very light and delicate, making it super suitable for sensitive skins. It offers an instant refreshing sensation that is cooling and nicely soothing; making skin feel fresh and clear. It's best for those more sensitive days, when skin is feeling a little delicate, but otherwise offering no real skin benefits. Effective, don't repurchase.
A considerable amount of bee-centric companies have their own gardener's hand cream, that is usually far more intensive than your average day-to-day one. This is no different. This supper intensive cream is fantastically hydrating, helping to keep hands protected. However, because it is super strength, I can only use it before bed, when I no longer plan to touch anything, as it leaves a white cast on hands, along with an almost sticky finish. The smell is pretty and fresh and my hands are left in very good care. Effective, don't repurchase.
This wonderful little oil helps to keep skin clear of blemishes while providing the utmost nourishment and hydration (full review here). This orange-green elixir can stain, so its important to fully blend in, allowing the oil to fully absorb and moisturise the skin. It's perfect for keeping blemishes at bay, and as it's completely non-astringent, it makes skin feel revitalised. Effective, repurchase.
This is one of those heavy duty moisturisers, when your skin requires something a little more powerful to protect and rehydrate. This is a balm that turns into a near grease-like texture on skin, and it will remain greasy, without absorbing. It has a bubbly consistency, that feels almost exfoliating. I find this perfect for helping to rehydrate and re-nourish after using a particularly strong face mask. It will help remove that tight, inflamed feeling, restoring my skin's balance. As always, it features that truly edible signature PureChimp banana smell. Effective, don't repurchase. 
As compliment to the PureChimp Super Face Cream (featured above), I use this facial oil to help nourish my skin when it is irritated, tight, inflamed or dehydrated. This oil is expertly nourishing, helping to restore, revitalise and care for my skin. I use this on both face and body, it will not absorb on the face, but it does absorb on the body, helping to soothe rashes and calm any inflammation. Effective, don't repurchase.
This little sachet appeared in the September edition of the LoveLula Beauty Box, I wanted to talk about it briefly as it inspired me to pick up the full size. This lovely orange-gold syrup has an uplifting and gorgeous mint fragrance. As it contains no sulphates, it doesn't actually foam, however, it still offers a thorough cleanse. My hair is left silky smooth and shiny. I honestly feel like I have advertisement-worthy hair. An absolute full purchase. Effective, repurchase.
This nutty and naturally fragranced conditioner is wonderfully conditioning and nourishing for my dry hair. My strays and fly-aways are contained, without this product being too heavy or making my hair lank/weighed down. This is the perfect conditioner to help lock-in moisture. Effective, don't repurchase.
Said to see you through a #QuarterLifeCrisis, this serum allegedly provides a pre-anti-ageing treatment (more on that in my full review here). This delicate little serum helps to improve skin condition by smoothing and redefine the skin, offering a more youthful appearance. Pores are made to appear reduced, and scarring and blemishes are diminished. While this doesn't delete dullness, it provides a much smoother complexion. Effective, repurchase.
Having spent a lifetime of holidays on Fistral Beach, Newquay, I am a big lover of ocean-fresh hair which can only be achieved by natural sea salt. While this product doesn't do much in the way of creating those beach waves, it does add a salty rough texture, which then can be styled as pleased. Applying the correct amount is key, use too much and your hair will become super try and matted, use too little and it won't take any effect. Effective, don't repurchase.
This is something I talked about a good while ago (full review here), and something I've completely changed my opinion on. I no longer like it. While it is aimed at combo skins (meaning it isn't really applicable to me), it doesn't nothing in the way of oil control. It is think and spreadable in consistency, but it doesn't exactly absorb. Nor does skin feel all that fresh, after a few hours of wearing I feel almost dirty. It's a fairly moose-cream type consistency that doesn't offer any hydration. Yet, it still features a wonderfully sweet smell, so there that is. Ineffective.
LUSH Imperiaus Facial Moisturiser £13.50 / 45G
This is a moisturiser I only use pre-exercise. As it has a light consistency, yet offers a heavy dose of hydration. This product is perfect for keeping skin moisturised while being in no-way suffocating. It's quite a refreshing product, lightweight enough to sweat through and still remain intact (full review here). Effective, don't repurchase.
I don't know what it is, clearly me and Andrea Garland don't see eye-to-eye as this is yet another product that I just can't stomach. It as been an agony to use this, and once again, the blames lies with the scent. Smelling like something in the way of used tea bag, this has a strong sharp and lingering scent. While said to help balance sebum production, this product does nothing of the sort. Instead, it makes me very oily, very quickly. It has a horrible heavy and thick consistency, that likes to sit atop of skin. While it's not all criticism, this moisturiser does effective balance my uneven skintone, helping to calm and reduce and redness. Avoid.
That's another 15 product empties, only 8 of which were on my initial pledge.Tune in tomorrow for the final tally. There will be many statistics. Don't all cheer at once!

To catch up on my initial pledge list and rule about the self-directed #MissionEmpties Challenge, please read the #MissionEmpties MASTER POST.
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Sunday, 13 September 2015

#MissionEmpties Week 03: Over the Hump

Week after week, I find myself increasingly satisfied with the sheer volume of products I am able to eliminate from my collection. While the countless emptied bottles, tubes and jars all speak for themselves, I can't give myself total credit. These featured products were already partially empty when I begun #MissionEmpties, ranging anywhere between 1 days use, to 4 weeks remaining, the majority of which, falling into the lower end of that scale. Because, let's be honest, nobody gets through 3 toners in a month.
This week has been an interesting rollercoaster of finding dreamy products I have fallen in love with, countered by a myriad of products I've found dull, useless, or just outright hated. Yes, this week has been tough. Let's go from best to worst, shall we?
I just could not love this cleanser more (full review here). While it creates a small lather, it is in no way stripping, instead, it's really quite moisturising. Its ability to unclog pores is unmatched. I have the clearest, cleanest skin imaginable after use. This product has become an absolute staple for me, degunking pores in the most comfortable fashion. Essential.
Through encouraging cellular function, this oil hugely improves skin condition, creating a healthier and plumper complexion (full review here). My skin looks fuller and nourished, given the optimum level of hydration. While a slightly heavier oil, it's perfect for use as a night-time moisturiser. Effective, repurchase.
This delicately light oil helps to improve skin's condition while regulating oil production (full review here). Skin is expertly hydrated, while revitalised through the rejuvenating properties of frankincense. My skin appears much healthier, offering a brighter complexion, the perfect substitue for a day-time moisturiser. Effective, repurchase. 
PureChimp Super Body Cream £12.95 / 120ML
I'm a big advocate for PureChimp, their simple natural formulas are, in essence, super foods for the skin. Their PureChimp Super Body Cream is a buttery little number, with an almost bubbly, whipped texture, which, once applied, melts into a rather thick oil. While it is fairly greasy, it is in no way sticky. Follow that up with a wonderfully banana-y scent, and you've got yourself the perfect creamy mix to keep skin supple and moisturised. Effective, repurchase. 
As someone who is always on their feet and always participating in sports or exercise, my feet are often left neglected, when really, they need the utmost care. I suffer with dry feet, blisters, cracking, you name it, I continue to put my feet through it. Beeswax has been the perfect solution for helping to moisturise and heal my poor bruised tootsies. The beeswax helps to create a thick protective barrier that moisturises and cures any damage. My feet are now super supple and soft. It's wax after all, so it's a little tough to spread, but it's wonderfully moisturising, perfect for evening use. Effective, repurchase.
My hair has always been dry and frizzy, and I've found one of the best ways to counter that is to cleanse my hair with moisturising shampoos without any over-stripping sulphates. The LUSH Curly Wurly Coconut Shampoo is very nourishing and caring, helping to leave my hair and scalp wonderfully hydrated, without making it heavy, greasy or lank. It contains desiccated coconut, which becomes tangled in hair, even after rinsing, as it's tricky to remove. I find it in my bathtub, on my floors, in my bed, stuck in my hair. It's very, very messy. Effective, don't repurchase.
While oily, my skin often does become dehydrated or in need of some TLC. For those times, I'll pick up and intensive moisturiser to help sooth and rehydrate my skin. The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream is very cooling to touch, helping to instantly sooth and calm. It is a very loose, spreadable liquid that quickly absorbs, offering an instant boost of hydration. The smell is just divine, very natural and pretty. Effective, don't repurchase. 
During my initial pledge, my other half said he would help me get through my products. This is the one and only product he used... and you guessed it, his comments on it are dry at best. "Yes it smells good and yes it does good.": in response to my questioning. But, well, that's not useful to anybody, so I used this body wash myself (even though I'm an self-proclaimed soap lover). Geranium is one of my all time favourite scents, and combined with grapefruit creates the ultimate complimentary blend. The wash is wonderfully moisturising and effectively cleans. If I were a body wash user, you can bet I'd repurchase this. But sadly, I'm not. Not Suitable.
As a face mask with a consistency similar to a treacle syrup, it manages to be both moisturising and exfoliating, turning skin into a much smoother and balanced canvas. This mask continues to stay wet, not drying on skin, meaning skin continues to feel hydrated and cherished. My skin feels very supple and soft after use, as, upon removal, the sugar granules create a nice gritty method of exfoliation. My complexion is balanced, meaning any redness or inflammation is significantly reduced. However, the smell somehow manages to be both sickly sweet and powerfully chemical, not nearly as delicious as it initally sounds. Effective, don't repurchase.
This product is the face scrub equivalent to the Skin Food Black Sugar Mask Wash Off (as seen above). Once again, it uses sugar to exfoliate, leaving behind much smoother skin. As sugar very readily dissolves in water, the scrub begins fairly gritty and once the granules begin to dissolve, becomes quite soft and gentle. It's bound inside a thick, sugary syrup which has a very fake an synthetic scent. Effective, don't repurchase.
I'll admit, I was a little dubious about this product, as I assumed it was going to be astringent. Instead, I found it to be really quite gentle. But this is where my praise ends. This tonic is utterly useless. It does nothing in the way of balancing, calming, toning or refreshing skin. While my skin does feel comfortable after use, the lack of any other redeeming properties make it really quite pointless. Ineffective.
This has to be one of the most pointless and ineffective products I have used of late. Supposedly, this product melts away blackheads after you message the soft-scoop balm into skin for around 3-5 minutes. It does nothing of the sort. The soft balm, melts into a very thin milk-like texture and disappears. There is no sensation while massaging and no visible after effects. It clogs pores horrendously; I can see the product trapped in my skin, so have to cleanse and exfoliate immediately after. Ineffective.
LUSH Tea Tree Water £4.25 / 100G
Since becoming enamoured with toning mists and sprays over the past few months, I figured this was a blanket truth for me, but after using LUSH Tea Tree Water, I quickly learned how wrong I was. This is not something you want to spray directly onto your face, ever. As it's a toning water, it's far thicker and heavier than your typical mist. It fires out of the bottle with such vigour, and leaves a very, very wet mess behind. It doesn't absorb, so bring out the welcome mat for the cotton pads. Spray directly onto your face, or apply via the cotton pad. Either way, keep this thing away from your eyes as it stings without mercy. As a tea tree toner, the fragrance is subtle and its antibacterial properties seem absent. Its only real redeeming quality is that it is very refreshing. Skin feels extremely fresh and clean after use, and nothing more. Ineffective.
I'll be honest, I found this utterly useless. Sadly, we just didn't click. This eye cream is of an extremely light consistency that manages to spread too far, too much. You have to be extremely sparing with your portion size, as the cream seems to slip and slide around skin, getting everywhere without ever actually absorbing. You are going to have to dedicate some real time to get this product to blend in. Besides the hassle, that's also the part where this cream doesn't work. My eye area is not brighter, or revived, nor am I hydrated. In fact, my eyes are often left feeling tight and exposed. Whatever you do, do not get this product in your eyes. It stings horribly and will leave irritation for at least 30 minutes afterwards. I don't need to tell you, Avoid.
As my cleansing routine is dominated by oils, I struggle just justify ever needing a dedicated make-up remover. When I consider that this is just specific for eyes and lips and requires a cotton pad to apply, it just seems too wasteful. When we also consider that this product is to be used specifically on the eyes, the very least we can expect is that it doesn't actually sting the eyes on contact, right? Well, enter The Body Shop Camomile Waterproof Eye & Lip Make-Up Remover the most irritating product I have ever used. My eyes sting, weep and itch after use. To top that off, it just isn't effective, or nearly as efficient as an oil. While it does remove make-up, it takes such a huge amount of product to do a proper job. Avoid.
Andrea Garland Rose and Ginseng Revitalising Toner £12.50 / 100ML
This. Oh, my goodness. With only three organic ingredients, I would imagine you'd be very hard pressed to go wrong. Sadly, this is the most pointless, useless and ineffectual product I have ever used. Taking a small amount onto a cotton pad, and wiping it along skin, the initial scent is unpleasant, but not unbearable. After several moments the scent seems to sour and, quite honestly, smells like urine. It's powerful and unmasked. The grotesque scent sits with me all day. There are no toning, balancing or purifying effect here, only horrific smells. Avoid.
On that note, yes, I'm looking forward to returning to my usually routine. It has been tough, biting my tongue and getting through some of these products. I hate the thought of being wasteful, which I why I need to become far more savvy and responsible with my buying.

Of the 16 products listed here, 11 are from my original pledge, making the current standings at 17 left to empty.

To catch up on my initial pledge and rules about the self-directed #MissionEmpties Challenge, read the #MissionEmpties MASTER POST.
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Sunday, 9 August 2015

LUSH Moisturisers: Enzymion and Imperialis - Not Highly Rated

LUSH Moisturisers... I'm still undecided on this one. Do I like them? I'm so unsure. They have some very common traits that seem to feature amongst all of the LUSH Moisturisers. While I have only purchased Enzymion and Imperialis from the line-up, I have tried Gorgeous, Celestial and Vanishing Cream samples. They are heavy (yet somehow watery?), greasy and not very effective. I guess that wraps up the whole do-I-like-it thing then. The answer is no. 

Enzymion

Enzymion - the one that is designed for oily skin. Its definitely not designed for my oily skin. In fact, the ingredients are so not what my oily skin needs. Ever. The main ingredient is Cocoa Butter. This is a natural emulsifier that is generally used to moisturise and condition dry and irritated skin... What? Sure, it's nourishing and conditioning, but why is this featured as a star ingredient for this moisturiser. If I'm missing a trick here, someone please enlighten me!

Next up, this thing likes to brag about the fact that it includes a whole freshly squeezed lemon in every pot. Again, what? The thing with lemons is, they are highly acidic. These things are generally used to exfoliate and brighten dark marks. The issue being, that due to their high acidity, they are going to disrupt the pH balance of your skin. This results in over compensating oil production!

Why does my oily skin want any of this? It doesn't. Which is precisely why this thing don't work. 

A note on the fact that this moisturiser is super watery. This is never good for me. Sure, that means it spreads great, but it's so thin and watery that it just slips right off the skin. And because it is watery, it just doesn't hydrate. If anything, it leaves my skin feeling dehydrated and exposed. I am certainly not left to feel moisturised with this moisturiser (ho, ho, ho). It's a moist definitely a nothing product.

So we've established that the ingredients are just nonsense, the product isn't moisturising, it's very dehydrating. Could there actually possibly be anything else wrong with this thing? Yes. Of course there is. It doesn't bloody control oil. Surprise, surprise...

As has already been said, the moisturisers are greasy. From first spread, these things are greasy and it only gets worse from there. It both feels and looks greasy, and since it doesn't control oil, I'll become gradually more slick with grease as the day goes on.

You guess it, I couldn't continue using this thing, I hate this thing, I will never be purchasing this thing again.

Imperialis

Imperialis is one for the combination skins, for the skins that can't quite make their minds up and don't really know what they need. I know my skin type, and it's not combination, but I often tend to foray into products aimed at combination because I generally find them a little more hydrating, and this one is hydrating, hooray! 

The thing is, we're now dealing with both Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter, which are both high up on the ingredients list. This means, we're looking at super nourishing ingredients (that's great, no complaints there), but super buttery and oily textures which aren't compatible with my oily skin (that's not so great, definitely complaints there). 

But, you guessed it, greasy once more. It's greasy going on and remains greasy through the day. But there's on key difference between Imperialis and Enzymion, Imperialis actually makes my skin feel comfortable and hydrated. I like it. It's one my skin sometimes craves.

I tend to use this product before exercise, to keep my skin hydrated without being suffocated and before applying a particularly dry face mask, to make prevent my face from becoming painfully tight afterwards.

It really is quite refreshing, it's fairly soothing, it's nourishing and hydrating and it smells absolutely wonderful. While it doesn't control oil, it's one I use in situations where I'm not entirely fussed about oil control and want to feed my skin with a little hydration.
Enzymion can be purchased from LUSH for £14.50 for 45G. Imperialis can be purchase from LUSH for £13.50 for 45G. Happy moisturising! 
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Thursday, 16 July 2015

Travel Essentials Revisited: Doing it Right(ish) in Budapest

Another month, another holiday, this time to the oh-so-beautiful and historically rich city of Budapest, Hungary. 

Packing light is not really my jam, but I also like to be thrifty - so hand luggage only, right? Culling my skin and cosmetic collection into just 10 liquids is always a real struggle for me. Especially when those liquids must include the bare essentials, such as sunscreen and toothpaste. That's two slots gone. I've noticed lately that my collection has migrated into more solid-based alternatives for this very reason. 

I was cheeky this time round, as I was travelling with my partner, who, despite my attempts to turn him onto real skincare routines, only packs antiperspirant and prescribed acne medicine. Meaning, I had a few more liquids to play with. Dream come true.

I'm also now a little more switched on with what I can and can't include in my liquids allowance. Two months back, in my trip to Barcelona, Spain (full breakdown here), I squeezed Lanolips Golden Ointment and PapayaGold Moisturising Balm into my liquids container. I didn't do that this time. Maybe I was pushing my luck a little, as they are balms/liquid-esque, but nobody seemed to bat an eyelid. 

The Organic Pharmacy

I considered a short city break the perfect opportunity for me to pick up some conveniently small travel-sized products, while trialling some new items that I've had my eye on for some time. In hindsight, I see that this was just an outright mistake:
a) I always prefer to test full-sized products, to fully form my opinion
b) Playing with new products I haven't tested with my skin before is always a dangerous game
I picked up The Organic Pharmacy Discovery Travel Kit from Naturisimo, and you know, it wasn't all doom and gloom, in fact, I am now inspired to pick up the full-sized version of the Carrot Butter Cleanser and the Double Rose Rejuvenating Face Cream.

The Organic Pharmacy / Carrot Butter Cleanser is a balm based cleanser which melts into a creamy, rich oil when warmed on skin. This product is absolutely scrumptious. It's smooth to touch and delicately glides over skin. Make-up is lifted by the oils and then easily wiped away with the supplied muslin cloth. £39.95 / 70ML full-sized product. 10ML is incl. in the Travel Kit.

The Organic Pharmacy / Herbal Toner as spray toners go, this one is fairly fast and clumsy. It's quite a heavy liquid that comes out with starling force, clumping on your face in thick droplets. It requires a sweep over with a cotton pad to spread evenly. It is lovely and refreshing and it definitely leaves my skin hydrated. It's just all too thick for me, It has a tendency to feel heavy on the skin. £31.95 / 100ML full-sized product. 10ML incl. in the Travel Kit.

The Organic Pharmacy / Double Rose Rejuvenating Face Cream is possibly my favourite of the bunch. It has the most divine scent, followed by a silky and creamy texture. It's always cool to touch and spreads wonderfully across skin. It's super nourishing, leaving my skin feeling enriched and hydrated after use. £39.95 / 50ML full-sized product. 10ML incl. in the Travel Kit.

The Organic Pharmacy / Antioxidant  Face Firming Gel, now, as gels go, I don't like gels, and this makes no exception. Gels, such as this, are greasy and thick and heavy and never want to absorb. This product likes to sit on skin, leaving a very uncomfortable slick trail behind. I stopped using it in the daytime, as I just could not get it to absorb. I will not comment on its effects, as the trial-sized version did not offer enough product for me to take notice. £54.95 / 35ML full-sized product. 5ML incl. in the Travel Kit.

The Organic Pharmacy / Antioxidant  Face Firming Serum is something I could just not get along with. This kit wants me to just pile on face product after face product and I'm left in layers of liquids that just don't want to absorb. This serum is very thick and greasy. It happens to just sit on my skin, giving me this horrible thick and sticky face. No thank you. I will not comment on its effects, as the trial-sized version did not offer enough product for me to take notice. £75.95 / 35ML full-sized product. 5ML incl. in the Travel Kit.

The Organic Pharmacy / Muslin Cloth, I actually already own this cloth, and have been wanting to pick up another for a while. So, winner-winner, right? This cloth has such a wonderfully soft texture, yet has a nice slight grit to it, enough to pick up any debris or oil. It's gentle to touch, never abrasive to skin. It's one of the thickest cloths I've come across, meaning it can retain a good amount of water. £3.95 / 1 PIECE. 1 PIECE incl. in the Travel Kit.

The Organic Pharmacy Discovery Travel Kit can be purchased from Naturisimo for £45.00 and contains 5 travel-sized products and 1 full sized muslin cloth. 

Then The Other Liquids

Every other liquid I took in my liquids allocation was an absolutely dream or saviour in some way. A lot of the products here are already staples of mine, products that I utterly cannot live without. I am so thankful for travel sized containers. It really saved my bacon this holiday.
Bee Good / Honey & Propolis 2-in-1 Cream Cleanser I've said in length before (full review here), that I just absolutely adore this cleanser.  It's lovely, creamy, rich and really cleanses your face in such a nourishing and caring way. My skin is fresher, clearer and smoother after use. Bee-liss! £4.95 / 30ML Travel Size from Bee Good.

Skin & Tonic London / Brit Beauty Oil This oil is a real winner with me. It's so bloody conditioning for my skin. I feel softer and look smoother. It's jam-packed with so many intelligent ingredients which my skin absolutely just eats up. Any inflammation is soothed, my skin is brighter, plumper and I am utterly well-conditioned. £28.00 / 30ML Full Size from Skin & Tonic London.

Egyptian Magic / All Purpose Skin Cream I'm a sucker for multi-purpose products and this is absolutely no exception. 5 of the 6 delicious ingredients are incredible bee-byproducts. While a solid yellow balm to begin with, when massaged into skin it melts into this wonderful nourishing and moisturising oil. I use this on nipple, eczema and any bits that chafe, need soothing or nourishment. £16.00 / 59ML Travel Size from LoveLula.

Our Tiny Bees / Über Balm As we know, I suffer with psoriasis. Burden, burden. This little tin contains the most delicious smelling honey-based balm which absorbs quickly into skin and leaves my dry elbows and knees wonderfully moisturised all day long. Not greasy, but utterly nourishing. I'm not flaky, I don't need to itch or fight, I'm soothed and calmed. Absolute staple.  £7.95 / 45ML Full Size from Our Tiny Bees.

La Roche-Posay / Anthelios XL SPF 5 Dry Touch Gel Cream As someone with incredibly fair and sun-intolerant skin, I can't ever go lower than factor 50, especially in a ~35°C climate such as Budapest. This product offers perfect protection for both UVA and UVB rays. However, it is really difficult to spread. Seriously difficult. It's a dry touch gel, so it dries almost instant. You really have to work it into your face quick, or, you guessed it, white patches! £16.50 / 50ML Full Size from Boots.

Solids

Substituting some of my products for a solid alternative really is doing myself a solid. It saves me a lot of liquids allowance and means I can cater to a lot more of my skin needs. A lot of the products featured here are quickly becoming staples, products that I just cannot live without. Looking at you, BLOOM POLISH.

PureChimp / Super Cleanser I've said it before, and I'll say it again: this is my favourite cleanser ever. As a solid cleanser, you take a piece into your hands and mix it with a little water. It turns into this lovely thick mush, which you then massage into your skin. It is creamy and thick enough to get really stuck into my pores. My skin is so wonderfully soft after use, I have never had smoother skin since.£11.95 / 80G Full Size from PureChimp.

BLOOM Skin Essentials / POLISH Okay, this is a product I just cannot go without. Sense dictates that it's too clunky to be carting around in your hand luggage, and a face mask is a bit of a luxury I can skip... But really, I just can't. I had to take this with me. This fine powder can be mixed with water to form a paste, I then leave it on my skin for 10-15 minutes. It completely decongests my skin. I get heavily blocked around my nose, and after using this mask I am clearer and brighter. My skin is completely balanced and soothed, any inflammation has completely disappeared. $32.00 / 6OZ. Full Size from BLOOM Skin Essentials.

Lanolips / Golden Ointment Another solid favourite. This is one of the best moisturising balms I've ever used. It forms a lovely thick and nourishing barrier around skin to protect it and feed. It really helps with any wild dry patches that appear, as it's totally soothing and utterly calming. I like to use this around my eyes as they can get very tight in the corners. It's great for sleeping in. £17.99 / 50G Full Size from Boots. 

PapayaGold Moisturising Balm I use this every day as part of my not-make-up-make-up. It's a really lightweight multi-purpose balm and I like to use on my eyebrows as an eyebrow wax. It's completely invisible and doesn't solidify or leave a trace. I also rub a little just below my eyebrows as a highlighter. As mentioned, it's very lightweight, so it catches light very subtly. £5.99 / 25G Full Size from PapayaGold.

Crystal Spring / Salt of the Earth Deodorant This deodorant features one little ingredient: potassium alum (mineral salt). I simply need to wet my underarms and rub this stick on as I would a roll-on deodorant. This is super effective at keeping away odour, but as it is only a deodorant, not an antiperspirant, I found I caved in the hot climate. It's perfect for cooler weathers. £4.96 / 90G Full Size from Crystal Spring. 

LUSH Vanillary For me, the act of putting on a solid perfume is so graceful, that I can't help but revel in the experience. This fragrance is so divine, subtle and perfectly vanilla. It's lovely and creamy and melts just easily into skin. I place it behind my ears, along my clavicle and both wrists. £8.00 / 12G Full Size and in-store only from LUSH.

LUSH Trichomania This solid shampoo is perfect for my hair type. It's so beautifully nourishing that it puts both my hair and my scalp in wonderful condition after use. It has a very subtle lather, which turns into a fairly creamy texture when massaged. £5.75 / 100G from LUSH.

LUSH Jungle The ends of my hair are fairly frizzy and dry, and this solid conditioner just did not meet the grade. It's fairly difficult to spread onto hair, and what is there is relatively heavy, making hair appear lank after washing. It's difficult to use and not very effect, sadly. £3.50 / 55G from LUSH.

LUSH Porridge I just love this soap. It contains little oats which help to very gently buff and exfoliate the skin. It has a very creamy and rich lather which really moisturises skin. It smells divine and it does divine. This soap is perfect to combat a long day of beating sunlight and layers of SPF. £3.10 / 100G from LUSH. 
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Monday, 25 May 2015

Travel Essentials, Travelling Light and Travelling Face First

I recently spent 3 nights in Barcelona (amazing city, I will definitely be back), and I always like to pack light. When flying, I always try and take the bare essentials, to keep my luggage as hand luggage only. This means I'm restricted to an impossible 10 liquids and usually a 10KG case. 

I'm going to ignore the very everyday essentials with this post (deodorant, toothpaste), I'm human, obviously I took these. I'll also be avoiding SPF to cover this in a later post. As someone who wears very minimal make-up (eyes, eyebrows. occ. lips), I fortunately don't have to carry all that much on-board. As a psoriasis sufferer, there are also a few products here to help calm dry and chaffed skin. 

Liquids

I only managed to squeeze 9/10 liquids into the miniature 20cm x 20cm clear plastic bag. As I own a gargantuan skincare collection, it's very difficult to dwindle down to just 10 candidates (who could even?). So the focus here is on staying clean and staying hydrated. 
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+] This little tube of anti-blemish magic has been a godsend for me. It's main purpose is to combat blemishes, unclog pores and refine skin texture. It does exactly that. But it also doubles up as a moisturiser. It's fairly thick-feeling on the face. But I couldn't live without it. It has helped to clear my skin, remove damage and scarring and keep me hydrated throughout the day. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+] is available from Boots for £11.62 / 40ML.

Lanolips Golden Ointment This multi-purpose product is ideal for covering all bases. It is a fairly thick, creamy balm, but I love the sensation of massaging it into my skin. I primarily use it as an eye cream, specifically in the outer corner of my eyes where the skin can feel a little tight. It leaves my eyes feeling relaxed and well nourished all day and I was so thankful for this after a full day of squinting and sightseeing. Lanolips Golden Ointment is available from Boots for £17.99 / 50G.

PapayaGold Paw Paw Moisturising Balm Yet another multi-purpose balm, but I use this for an entirely different purpose. This product is dreamily light. It's weightless on skin but feels instantly nourishing. I adopted this to my make-up routine, as opposed to my skincare. It's fantastic as an eyebrow wax, to hold back stray hairs, and doubles up wonderfully as an eyebrow highlighter when massaged sparingly under the brow arch. PapayaGold PAW PAW Moisturising Balm can be purchased from Boots for £5.99 / 25G. 

Salcura Zeoderm Skin Repair Moisturiser I very unfortunately suffer with psoriasis, primarily around my elbows which can becomes insanely dry, flaky and therefore uncomfortable. This product is perfect at keeping any irritation at bay all day long. I only need to apply one in the AM and again in the PM to reap its benefits. While it does sting ever so slightly when first applied, that discomfort shortly disappears and I'm left in love with how moisturised my skin feels. Salcura Zeoderm Skin Repair Moisturiser can be purchased from Boots for £8.99 / 50ML.

KIKO Volumeyes Plus Active Mascara This is one of the only mascaras I've used that doesn't come with a helping of lash clumping. I get perfect divisions and length with this mascara in a perfectly natural looking way. I adore the shape of the wand. It makes it so easy to apply, I can alter its angle easy enough without reapplying to areas I've already covered or accidentally touching skin. It also features voluminous technology to help your lashes grow. Mine are far more thicker since using this. KIKO Volumeyes Plus Active Mascara can be purchased from the KIKO MILANO store for £7.99 / 11ML.

LUSH Vanillary Solid Perfume I cannot get enough of the way this smells. I'm already a big lover of all things vanilla, but this just takes the bacon. It comes in a small tin and you simply rub your finger around the balm a little then transfer it to your skin. I like to place it just under my ears and on my wrists. LUSH Vanillary Solid Perfume can be purchased from LUSH for £7.99 / 12G (the single product in only available in-store and the link will direct you to the gift box containing the entire Vanillary range). 

Non-Liquids

The non-liquids cover mostly cleansers, hair and body products. I decided to opt for solid cleansers that need to be activated with water (to cut down on my liquids but also because I find them much more clarifying). I also subscribed to using LUSH's Shampoo Bars, which are essentially a solid shampoo and conditioner, or, if you like, a soap for your hair.
LUSH Let the Good Times Roll This is a fairly gentle exfoliating cleanser. It's already relatively moist, but I add water to it to make it extra gentle. It has very fine grains in it to help remove surface build-up. My skin feels lovely and clean after applying this product. And of course, there's the scent. Containing popcorn, it smells exactly that way. LUSH Let the Good Times Roll can be purchased from LUSH for £6.75 / 100G.

Pure Chimp Super Cleanser My skin has never been softer since using this product. Yet another cleanser that is activated with water, this turns into a very creamy paste which I love to massage into my skin. My skin has become super smooth to touch since using it, that I can no longer live without it. A delicious banana-y scent that it wonderful to wake up and fall asleep to. Pure Chimp Super Cleanser can be purchased from Pure Chimp for £11.95 / 80G.

LUSH Ultrabalm Yet another multi-purpose balm, because, why not? Full disclosure. I use this as a nipple cream. But it's also great for any areas that are dry, particularly nostrils and feet. It has a very, very fine sugary feel to it, so it takes away any damaged skin while keeping the areas nourished and well moisturised. LUSH Ultrabalm can be purchased from LUSH for £8.95 / 45G.

LUSH Trichomania As a solid shampoo, you simply rub this bar directly onto your scalp as though it were a bar of soap. It does create a nice lather which I then massage into the rest of my hair. It smells wonderful and it nicely hydrating, keeping my hair in good condition without making it oily. LUSH Trichomania can be purchased from LUSH for £5.75 / 100G.

LUSH Big Solid Conditioner As a solid conditioner, this product can either be directly applied to the hair (same as above), or broken off and rubbed in. I like to rub this product in to make sure I get a real deep condition. It makes my hair feel wonderfully soft and light, while adding a slight beach-y and tousled look. LUSH Big Solid Conditioner can be purchased from LUSH for £9.00 / 100G.

 LUSH Porridge Porridge is a wonderful and delicious thing I can never grow tired of (both the soap and the super food). The little bar of soap contains actual porridge oats which help to exfoliate the skin. I don't bother using a cloth with this, I just apply it directly and find it becomes really thick and creamy on skin. The oats are super gentle and cause no irritation but effectively help exfoliate. LUSH Porridge can be purchased from LUSH for £3.10 / 100G.


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Tuesday, 24 March 2015

Lush: Cupcake

Product: CUPCAKE FRESH FACE MASK
Brand: LUSH
Price: £6.50 / 75G
Category: OIL CONTROL, ACNE TREATMENT
Type: FACE MASK
URL: https://www.lush.co.uk/products/cupcake
Score: AVOID

We're back to that age old question. Face masks: why? Bad, bad, bad.

Lush like you to keep their face masks in the fridge and I dig that, but that also brings with it a super short shelf life. Check your labels. You will have anywhere between 3-4 weeks to smear what you can of this product onto your face 1-2 times a week. I forced myself through 6 applications of this product before deciding enough is enough.

This mask brought with it some very in-your-face, on-my-face spots, which were far from discrete and everywhere. Okay, that's being dramatic. It gave me 2-5 very red, very large spots along my cheeks and forehead that just would not budge. This was the consistent result after every application. 

Contrary to those points, I did feel like my face had an overall clarity to it. Both my skin and pores felt clearer, fresher and cleansed. It is a joy to use; super soft and non-abrasive. It did not clench up like other masks, it remained creamy and melted away with water. 

I'm not even entirely a big fan of the smell. It isn't your traditional scent of chocolate or cake. It strangely seems almost artificial. While it's bearable, it does detract from the luxury. 

 With all that being said, I just can't use this product. There was no quantifiable reduction in oil production and there was a sudden increase in stubborn break outs. The exact opposite of what this product is telling me it will do. 

 I've never known a product to bring on spots the way this did. And consistently so. 
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Monday, 16 February 2015

Lush: Grease Lightning

Product: GREASE LIGHTNING
Shop: LUSH

Price £6.40 / 45g

Catagory: SPOT TREATMENT 

Rating : 4/5

I was initially going to give this product 4.5/5. That is so almost nearly top marks. You know, I like this. I super like this. And it super works. But after 3 weeks of solid use, I came to realise that this is not a solution, this is an investment and therefore plummeted by a whole .5 points. (In hindsight that might be a little unjust)

While I've never really been one for teenage skin - thankfully - I have been one for large, stubborn, under the surface spots.  These only really feature along my neck and jawline and are impossible to remove, as they never break the surface or form a head. Enter, Grease Lightning. 

I accidentally fell into a spiralling LUSH obsession after receiving three soaps for Christmas. Now, after discovering they also offer skin, hair and make-up products, I cannot leave the stop without a bag full of deliciously fragranced cosmetics. 

Amongst those many cosmetics is the Grease Lightening Spot Treatment. It is one of the only products of this type they seemed to offer, so my hands were pretty much tied into purchasing it...

The product comes out in an oddly non-stick type gel. It has a slick consistency, the kind of texture that never really gets any purchase, it just kind of sits there and gets pushed around a little - meaning, the entire blob can fall from your fingertips in the distance it takes you to move your hand from the pump-action mechanism to your face. 

I massage this product into my jawline to get a full coverage of the problem area. After the product has dried and set, I find that it can flake and peel. This proves extra problematic if it comes into contact with foundation or powder. Making you look both dry and dusty, but hey, at least you don't have acne now.  

It smells. I can't deny that. I don't like the way it smells. I definitely can't deny that. It has a savoury, earthy scent, like falling into the scenery, face first, and then sniffing up, I guess. But it's not a lingering scent, no way.

 I've found that the majority of other spot treatments can be very harsh and overbearing to skin. Especially so in sensitive skin. [Chemicals], I guess. This is not like that one bit. This is light and safe and super kind to skin. 

Grease Lightning got to work in quite literally one day. When I woke up the following morning my spots were visibly less red and about half the size. After just half a week, the majority of the spots have disappeared altogether. Two weeks later I gave my neck the all clear, it was good to go. I feel my neck and it doesn't feel like me (having a cylinder wrapped in nice skin resting under my head is a feeling I have to get used to).

I stopped using the product for several days, thinking, "Hey! I'm spot free now, I don't need to treat them any more!" Wrong. They came back and they came back big. It looks like I've bought in now, and I'm staying in.

It's good. It works on me. It is super easy and super effective and I will continue to use this. But I will only continue to use this until something better comes along, unfortunately. 

Pros
  • Fast working and effective
  • Kind to skin
  • Leave-on treatment
Cons
  • Gel-like consistency makes it difficult to apply
  • Peels off, making skin appear flaky
  • Only a temporary fix
  • [Subjective] Oddly scented
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