Moisture Boosting.

Indeed Labs –

Hydraluron™ Moisture Boosting Facial Serum

“Hydraluron™ moisture boosting facial serum. The ultimate serum that starts where your moisturiser stops. The result: better hydrated, glowing, plumped up looking skin.”

As the name implies, Hydraluron is a Moisture Booster which contains our old friend hyaluronic acid in high quantities. What this also means is that if you have a known allergy or reaction to hyaluronic acid then this is not for you, no matter how much you want to try it. Some people have reported breaking out from products with too much hyaluronic acid which tells you that you can have too much of a good thing.

The product comes in a small little unassuming tube in a large box. The packaging is pretty unassuming and I might even say clinical. It is one of those things that you will likely miss when scanning the shelves, because it just isn’t very impressive to look at. But do look again. I promise you, it’s worth your time.

The product itself is a clear gel-liquid or is it a liquid-gel? Either way, it’s clear and has a slightly runny gel consistency, which makes it very easy to spread.

Hyaluronic acid, if we didn’t already know, is the latest “star ingredient” for trapping moisture in skin and attracting moisture, so it keeps the top layer of your skin plump and hydrated and this translates to better looking, clearer skin. I had realised that keeping my skin well hydrated is a key factor in keeping breakouts and dull skin at bay. It even helps scars and marks heal and fade more quickly as my skin heals more efficiently.

If you have oily skin try this anyway because I’ve found that well hydrated skin can actually balance out your skin oils and help you have less oily skin. Besides, oily skin can also be dehydrated below the surface. If you have dry or dehydrated skin then this is what you need for boosting moisture in your skin. Give it a month of at least once a day use and you WILL notice the difference.

To use, just squeeze out a dollop of product – what you see in my picture above is about right. Spread it over your face. I find that it will feel a little tacky before it dries and settles. I don’t wait for it to dry to continue with my routine and neither should you.

This does retail for £25, and it is rather hard to find, however it has completely transformed my skin and is amazing for this winter/spring transition time.

Original Skin Retexturizing.

Origins –

Original Skin Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay

“Glow big with our innovative 2-in-1 mask! Made with Mediterranean Rose Clay, Canadian Willow Herb and exfoliating Jojoba beads, it helps gently deep clean while refining skin’s texture. Pores appear to vanish. Clarity is restored. Glow is instant.”

Origins Original Skin Retexturising Mask is a dual action product, meaning it does more than just deeply cleanse. In laymen's terms - the texturised clay based texture thoroughly cleanses the complexion while the gritty particles gently polish and refines the surface of the skin during the removal process. It is every bit as easy and great as it sounds, the best part? It only takes 10 minutes to use. It's what Sunday evenings have been crying out for.

Sounds great but if you are anything like me you will want to know what the core ingredients are? As mentioned this a clay based mask, Rose Clay no less which gently absorbs excess oil, dirt and general impurities, all the while calming the complexion. To help clarify and induce a natural glow Origins have added Canadian Willowherb, this is renowned for combating dull skin, this is coupled with Persian Silk Tree to encourage the skin to deal with stress and also adds a protective barrier against irritants. Lastly to remove dead skin cells Origins Original Skin Retexturising Mask contains Jojoba beads, these come into play when you dampen the skin to remove the mask - it is a gentle yet effective way to both deeply cleanse and exfoliate in one quick step. Oh and I've saved the best part until last, this has been formulated to aid those with enlarged pores - don't ask me how it works but it visibly (if only temporarily) reduces the size and appearance - I'd imagine it is to do with the cleansing properties, either way I'm satisfied.

Overall, this is a contender for my favourite Origins mask ever. I was a a huge fan of Origins Clear Improvement Mask but Origins Original Skin Retexturising Mask couples the deep cleansing abilities of clay with a gentle exfoliating action and is far more gentle on the skin, sometimes I found the Clear Improvement Mask made my face very red and sometimes very sore. Whereas this leaves my skin visibly radiant, softer and works wonders on my pores. Quick, easy and effective - your bathroom shelf needs this.

Origins Original Skin Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay is £23 and is available now at John Lewis, Boots, House of Fraser and Feel Unique.

Wish List.

I always have a ever growing wish list on my phone. I split it into Need (things I have tried and need to buy asap) and Need to Try (which tends to be brand new products thats I really want to try). Today I thought I would show you a small snapshot of the soft of things I have on my wish list.

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil

‘Next-generation retinoid oil to reduce pore size, improve appearance of damaged skin and help fight wrinkles.

With an advance retinol complex, Luna helps reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles while simultaneously correcting damage caused by the sun, time, and pollution. Use this oil before bed to notice firmer, clearer skin by morning. Trans-retinol ester fights the look of fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of skin elasticity while an essential oil complex calms and soothes skin. Cold pressed avocado, chia, and Concord grape seed oils sink into skin for quick absorption of actives while boosting radiance.”

I haven’t used oil for a long time, and tend to find over winter oil works better for my skin then a cream. I have seen so much hype about this oil and how fantastic it is meant to be; therefore I know I need to try it. The only downside is it cost £85 for a 30ml bottle!

Colors by Llarowe Nail Polish in Falsetto Child

'Is it black, blue or green, I will let you decide? A black holographic polish that changes with lighting and hand position.'

This is literally one of the prettiest and best done black holographic polishes I have seen on the net. Usually the black really drains out the holographic tones, however from what I can gather this polish is just amazing. Can’t wait to get my hands on it!

Cirque Colors Nail Polish in Concord

‘A royal purple with a rainbow holographic finish.’

Concord is a fabulous cool-toned purple metallic with a linear holographic effect. I usually don’t go for bright purple, however this colour is amazing. Plus, Cirque is one of my go too nail polish brands for holographic nail polish, therefore I know I will love it!

Essie Leave No Trace Glitter Remover

‘Sparkle all night but make sure to leave no trace. Apply a pea size amount onto nails and allow product to sit for up to 30 seconds. Gently massage entire nail surface to break up glitter particles. With cotton pad, wipe and clean nail.’

Now I love glitter and holographic nail polish, however when it comes to removing them it’s a whole different level of hatred. It takes so long to just do one little fingernail! I haven’t been able to find many reviews on this, so I’m guessing its rather new, however the few I have read it sounds amazing makes removal so easy and quick. What more could a glitter and holographic nail polish addict ask for!

Essie Gel Setter Top Coat

‘Jet setters need solid, go-getter shine that works as hard as they do. Essie’s’ gel setter tops any of your favorite Essie colors with all the cushy, rock-hard shine of a gel, in a foolproof formula for at home manis and pedis.’

I am always looking for a new topcoat. Just like everyone else I’m looking for the perfect last all week with minimal wear wonder topcoat, but I doubt that’s going to happen anytime soon. Anyway, this is a new topcoat by Essie, and I’m really intrigued to try it. Obviously something made Essie (who are usually first to do most things) draw out their gel topcoat release, especially as so many other nail brands have already released theirs. Can’t wait to try it!

Dior Addict Gloss in Tiara

‘The magical touch of fashion and shine. Dior Addict Gloss is a declaration of love for fashion, an electrifying whirlwind of sheer glossy colours that light up the lips with shimmering, pure or pearly mirror shine. Use alone for spectacular shine and a veil of colour, or in touches over lipstick for added shine in the center of lips.’

I love glitter and I love Dior. Therefore it’s not surprising that I totally adore the limited edition Tiara lip-gloss by Dior. I tried it the other day, and it is so pretty. It doesn’t feel gritty like most glitter lip-glosses, and it adds a slight plump to the lips. Overall its so pretty and can be worn on its own and even over your favorite lipstick you add a sparkle. Not going to be long before this comes home with me!

Night Detox.

Vichy -

Normaderm Night Detox

Upon awakening blemishes appear reduced, pores look less visible, complexion is radiant and skin feels clean and purified.

Those with oily, blemish prone skin suffer from an over production of sebum during the night. By morning, the skin can feel dirty and dull with additional blemishes. New Normaderm Night Detox targets the skin overnight by helping to control the production of sebum while purifying the skin.

Upon awakening:

•   Sebum production is controlled

•   Imperfections appear reduced

•   Pores tightened

•   Radiant complexion

•   Even skin texture

•   Skin feels clean & fresh

Powerful formula, yet kind to the skin, the texture is light and non-greasy leaving the skin with a clean fresh sensation.

Idealist.

Estee Lauder –

Idealist Pore Minimising Skin Refinisher

“Dramatically refinish skin's appearance and texture. See more clarity, smoothness and luminosity as it helps your skin get rid of dry, dulling, flaky surface skin cells. See more highly refined, virtually poreless skin. Enjoy our most dramatic skin resurfacing benefits faster, more efficiently than ever before. Refines the look of uneven skin texture, flakiness and roughness. Pores appear 1/3 smaller - instantly. See more clarity, smoothness and luminosity. More highly refined, virtually poreless skin. Smooth on Idealist and instantly enjoy that soft, seamless, silky feeling you love. Includes 3 times more Glucosamine than original Idealist. Pore Diminishing Technology significantly shrinks the look of enlarged pores. Gentle-acting Chestnut Extract helps your skin get rid of dry, dulling, flaky skin surface-cells. It's as if you're seeing the skin you were born with, all over again: Virtually poreless and unbelievably soft and smooth. Skin looks incredibly clear and even-toned.”

-       Estee Lauder

Deep Cleansing.

Liz Earle –

Deep Cleansing Mask

‘This highly concentrated clay and manuka honey mask helps draw out impurities and excess oil to leave oily, combination and problem-prone skin balanced, calm and clear. Naturally active ingredients include green clay to draw out impurities, soothing manuka honey and propolis and rose- scented geranium to help tone and balance.’

I really love this Liz Earle Deep Cleansing Mask, targeted for oily, combination and spot prone skin; it has certainly been doing the trick. The mask deep cleanses the skin and helps to eliminate oiliness and impurities in the skin. The key ingredients within the mask assist cleaning and clearing the skin, with clay to help absorb oil in the skin and with the potent smelling manuka honey, that for me is rather strong, never the less it makes your skin feel incredible.

To use I simply cleanse my skin like normal, then applying the mask, which I leave on for about 10 minutes. I then wash off the mask with the provided sponges, which are a great add on. I like using the sponges as there much softer texture on the skin to slowly remove the mask with, plus they seem to remove the mask much easier and quicker then using a muslin cloth. 

When the mask is on your face it dries fairly quick but doesn't go crumbly or really tight like some clay masks I have used. After removal my skin feels soft, refreshed, oil-free and not tight or overly dry. I use this mask once a week along with my usual skin care routine. However, if my skins feeling really stressed or congested, then mid week I just apply this to my t-zone and the Liz Earle Intensive Nourishing Mask to my cheeks, which is where I tend to need a lot of hydration!

Overall, so far so good! It’s really helped to clear my pores and the odd spot that appeared. I do however have to warn, because it de-congests and clears your pores, there may be a slight chance of this mask fetching you out in a few spots after usage. However, this is purely down to the fact that it’s removing all the toxins and dirt from within your skin/pores. This has happened to me once or twice when I first used it, but they healed crazy quickly!

Naturally Active.

Not long ago I wrote a review about Liz Earle’s very handy skincare Try-Me-Kit. I was that impressed with the results that I actually asked for the full sized range for Christmas. As I’ve been using it for a few months now, I thought I would give you an up to date in-depth review about the products. I’m going to focus mainly on her moisturiser and mask, however I will include a little review about her Cleanse & Polish cleanser and her toner. The main reason I didn’t want to write loads about her cleanser and toner is purely because there are that many reviews available that we all just start to say the same thing. Furthermore, I would rather let you all know about the two products that don’t get as much hype as they deserve!

So lets begin…

Cleanse, Polish, Boost, Repair and Brighten.

Liz Earle Skin Care –

Try-Me Kit 

Liz Earle is a brand I hear a lot of rave reviews from when it comes to skin care, however it wasn’t one which was easily available until recently, when they opened a stand in my local Boots. My sister was the first to try it out a couple of months ago, and she’s done nothing but say brilliant things about it, and we have pretty similar skin type. Therefore, I thought I would give it a try and see what happened. Unlike most brands Liz Earle sells ‘Try-Me Kits’ for each skin types, the little bag contains travel size products which allows you to try out the whole skin care routine without having to buy each full sized product…which I think is incredible! I chose the Normal/Combination skin type kit, and it contains everything I need to achieve healthy-looking, beautiful skin. The 3 daily essentials claim to deliver outstanding results whilst the fast-acting Brightening Treatment Mask instantly reveals radiance.

Pure Transformation.

bareMinerals -

Pure Transformation Night Treatment  

Recently I have been on a massive bareMinerals mission. For some reason right now their products just seem to be doing my skin a lot of good. Therefore I thought I would give something from their skin care line a go, aimed at reducing pores (my main nemesis) I decided to try this night treatment…its beyond amazing.

Overnight Serum-in-Oil.

The Body Shop -

Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-Oil

When it comes to night creams, or any other night products I get rather worried. It tends to be the one thing that repeatedly upsets my skin, most night creams are overly too thick, therefore block my pores. Therefore when I saw this in The Body Shop I was intrigued. The sales assistant explained how to use it, what it was for, and basically did a good job of making me really want to try it. So, what does it do and does it work…

Honey & Oats.

The Body Shop -

Honey & Oat 3 in 1 Scrub Mask

I’m always on the hunt for the perfect mask, one that doesn’t irritate or overly dry out my sensitive skin, however that helps revive and really cleanse my skin. The Body Shop is definitely my go to place for skin care, I really like their products, and even though some haven’t been my favourite products I can always rely on them not totally stressing my skin out to the point of no return. I picked this mask up because I wanted to try something new that would help exfoliate my skin whilst help with my large open pores, and the consultant said this would be best for that, without over powering my skin.

Clear Difference Part 2.

Estee Lauder -

Clear Difference Advanced Blemish Serum & Targeted Blemish Treatment

When I bought their Clear Difference BB Crème they gave me a sample of their connected serum. I could tell just from using it a few weeks a slight difference in the amount of blemishes I was getting whilst using it, and they also seemed to heal a lot quicker. Therefore the next time I went passed an Estee Lauder counter I made sure to get a bottle. The box highlights it aims to ‘target, treat and reduces the look of blemishes effectively, yet gently with the proven power of salicylic acid, plus potent anti-irritants and skin purifying ingredients. Helps prevent the severity and frequency of future breakouts with continued use.’ I can’t explain how much I love this serum, it leaves the skin feeling fresh and glowing, and helps keep my skin clear. It is a bit on the pricey side, however I believe if something works, then it’s worth spending that little bit more on. I currently use it every night before my moisturiser and after I have cleansed, I was going to try it at night too during the times when I have quite a few spots, however I worry about it overly drying out my skin, so for now I think I’m just going to use it in the morning.

Whilst buying this, the consultant talked me into buying the Targeted Blemish Treatment. I had currently run out of the spot treatment I was using and therefore thought I would give it a go. Now. The product aims to ‘target and penetrate fast to rapidly reduce the size of blemishes while minimizing redness and irritation.’ This is something I can really say if it’s good or bad because I’m somewhat in the middle. I don’t really know if it does work spectacularly fast but it gets the job done, maybe just as fast as other blemish treatments on the market. However, the main downside to this treatment product, and the reason I no doubt wont buy it again is because it costs £25, however you only get 4ml of product which is tiny. 

If you compare this with a number of other similar products;

Origins Super Spot Remover, which is £15 for 10ml

Cliniques Anti-Blemish Solutions Clearing Gel, which is £14 for 15ml

Soap and Glory Dr Spot, which is £8 for 15ml

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, which is £14.50 for 29ml

As you can see, to me charging £25 for only 4ml is shocking. Another problem I have is with the very cool looking, but annoying applicator. You have to click the cartage to release just the right amount of product, then you role it onto the spot. However, product dries underneath the roller, and that’s product both wasted and lost.

Overall, I love everything about the Clear Difference Serum, its amazing and works so well. However for me the Targeted Blemish Treatment is a bit of a let down and ridiculously expensive, I don’t think ill be repurchasing it when it runs out.

Does anyone know any great Blemish Treatments that work really well?