Liz Earle Skin Repair Mosituriser - Normal/Combination

One word that sends a shudder down my spine is 'moisturiser'. Previous experiences have left me a little wary of all moisturisers. I've always feared that a moisturiser would leave my already oily skin even oilier, I've not had much luck with oil-free moisturisers either.

After stumbling on to the Liz Earle website I ended up having a browse through the various types of moisturisers. I was intrigued at the different types available, none claiming to be oil-free yet suitable for oily skin. I bravely added to my shopping basket and paid for it. Inside I was praying that I hadn't wasted my money again on another product not suitable for me.

So, four weeks later, do I regret it? Definitely not!

Although my skin is oily, I had also been suffering with dry patches so was advised to use the Normal/Combination moisturiser, the other types available include Combination/Oily, Combination/Oily Light and Dry/Sensitive.

The Normal/Combination version worked well for me, when applied the dry patches on my cheeks immediately disappeared but surprisingly I remained oil-free for exactly the same time as I would without wearing any moisturiser at all. Within the next few days I also noticed an improvement in my dry patches as they gradually began to disappear, by the end of week two they had completely disappeared.

Despite nourishing and moisturising my skin this did not overload, it actually helped to regulate my skins oil production as my skin was less oily during the night.

If you thought this product sounds pretty amazing then wait till you hear this. This moisturiser is packed full with organic, gentle, calming and active-skin conditioning ingredients - which explain why I saw an improvement in my pigmentation on my cheeks and also blemishes. Scars which I have had for years were dramatically reduced something I wasn't expecting! Here are some of the beneficial ingredients, "Rich in natural actives, including borage oil (a rich source of the essential fatty acid GLA) and natural antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin E to replace lost moisturise and help protect against dryness. Naturally active ingredients include borage and avocado oils to moisturise and smooth."

There is no added fragrance to this product; the medicinal smell is purely there because of the organic products. To me, the medicinal smell makes me remember how healthy and beneficial it is for me. Some of you may dislike the smell, but even so, it does not linger on the skin. Simply massage it onto your face and neck, wait a minute and this will have sunk into your skin leaving no residue as it's fairly light (although it doesn't look it in the jar).

As for packaging, it's simple yet practical. Plus, it's in a fairly pretty colour.

All these benefits come at a price of £18.75 (for a 50ml jar). Admittedly I have never paid that much for a moisturiser before but this shouldn't need replacing too often. Plus, having used this product along with the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish I can definitely see why this company are so highly recommended. I think the company show how natural, active-ingredients are better for your skin.

Which moisturisers do you use? What is your price limit for a moisturiser?

Hope you're all enjoying the sun!

xox



Clarins UV Plus Day Screen High Protection SPF40

One phobia that impacts my life every day is the fear of ageing, I know I'm vain. This is why I religiously put sun protection on my skin every day that I leave my house, no matter the season. Sun protection is the first line of defence against skin ageing, I always remember that sun damage is irreversible; I don't just use sun protection for my vanity. I am very aware that I have severely damaged my skin in the past from burning, which I why I now use sun protection to avoid and future damage.

When searching the various high-street shops I found it incredibly hard to find an oil free sun cream that had an SPF higher than 30, that was until I stumbled across this product - Clarins UV Plus Day Screen High Protection SPF40.

The product claims to be an ultimate natural, non-chemical day screen. This day screen has anti-UV and anti-pollution protection 100% micro dispersed mineral filters that guarantees optimal tolerance for even delicate skin. While this sounds very technical, it basically means that this product should be very good!

The main ingredient in the Clarins UV Plus Day Screen High Protection SPF40 is titanium dioxide, a natural mineral sunscreen that protects skin from UVA and UVB radiation and is considered to have no risk of skin irritation.

Other ingredients include thermus thermophillus ferment which has antioxidant properties against UV damage and maintains a skin barrier. Also included is tocopheryl acetate and camellia sinensis leaf extract these protect the skin against pollution and free radicals.

Unfortunately it does contain a handful of skin irritant ingredients such as alcohol, fragrance and sodium lauryl sulfate, however even with my sensitive skin I have no suffered from any irritations or reactions. 

There are two versions of this product available, a tinted version which is rose pink in colour (this is the one I purchased) and a non-tinted version which applies transparent. Both do exactly the same job, however the one I bought has pinkish sheer tone which helps to reduce the redness in my skin and reduce the appearance of blemishes - not dramatically, but slightly. Plus, it didn't bring me out in spots because it is so lightweight.

(Swatched)

(Blended)

There is no fancy application with this sun protection. Firstly, shake the bottle to ensure all the ingredients are mixed together. Then apply with light pressing motions starting in the middle of the face and then moving outwards. After, quickly smooth on with your fingertips. I like how this can be applied around the eye contour, but careful not to get it in your eyes. The mineral finish of this make-up leaves it unrecognisable on the skin; there is no sheen or dewy finish. It looks just like your natural skin!

If there is maybe one flaw with this product it is the packaging, specifically the nozzle. You will need to be careful as you can end up getting a lot more product than you wanted because it is a liquid. I've started using a few small amounts rather than one large amount of product, that way I don't waste it. Some of you may also be put off by the fragrance from this product, to me it smells like marzipan, once applied to the skin you can't smell it. 

Admittedly this isn't cheap, a 50ml bottle retails at £30. But, I have yet to find sun protection that I like as much as this!

Are any of you worried about ageing too?

xox



Bobbi Brown Oil Free Even Finish Compact

Bobbi Brown is renowned for her extensive range of foundations, which cover a vast amount of skin tones. Therefore, I thought it was only right that on my quest to finding the perfect foundation I should try the award winning Bobbi Brown range.

Having wasted hundreds of pounds on money purchasing foundations which have not suited my oily skin, I checked out the website to find a foundation guide. The foundation guide showed a range of foundations and which skin type they were best suited for, this reassured me that I wasn't wasting my money!

It is claimed that this foundation is a "Portable oil-free compact foundation is great for normal to oily and oily skin types on the go. Easily blendable for long lasting true colour with full coverage. Comes with a compact sponge for easy application".

This seemed like my ideal foundation and to a certain extent it is, however there are some drawbacks to the product.

An attraction to the entire Bobbi Brown range is the many shades available, ranging from incredibly pale (Alabaster, which is me) to the darkest dark. This means there should be a foundation shade to suit your skin tone. The range is primarily for women with yellow skin tones; however, I found that even with the red tone present in my skin it still looked very natural.

Alabaster, the shade which I am was unavailable so I decided to go up a shade to Porcelain which makes my skin look warmer. Although this is not my natural shade, it still looked natural on my skin and did not leave me looking orange.

Designed with ease this compact is perfect for putting in your handbag and taking with you wherever you go. However, some of you may dislike how large the compact is, it wasn't a problem for me as it signified the large amount of product I was getting. The clever design means you have the foundation and applicator all in one place, as well as the handy large mirror. The sponge applicator is hidden underneath the foundation pallet; you just lift the pallet up to access the sponge.

This foundation has a very unique texture to it, but one which I prefer over any foundation that I have tried before. It's creamy, highly pigmented and leaves a matte flawless finish. This covered my dark circles, red cheeks, spots and blemished skin with ease. No trace of any imperfections at all!

Although the sponge is provided, I prefer to put this product on with a foundation brush as it creates a more flawless look. Plus, you can create your desired coverage by simply applying thin layers on to the skin.

I've yet to experience a foundation that is as long lasting as this one. I wore this for 14 hours the other day, usually my skin would have turned into an oily mess, but there was only a small amount of shine which looked more dewy than oily. Plus, I've not had any breakouts whilst using this foundation, which is brilliant seeing as I wear full coverage. The only problem I have with this foundation is that I need to wear a good primer otherwise the foundation sits in my open pores.

Admittedly, this isn't cheap as it retails at £31.00, but you do get a lot of product for your money as it goes such a long way and you need very little to get a full coverage.

I've now converted to the Bobbi Brown range and will definitely be trying some more products out.

What's the best foundation you've ever tried?

xox



Liz Earle: Cleanse and Polish

If an award was available for the most talked about product in the beauty industry then it would have to go to Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish. Although, as there are hundreds of reviews available I'm sure this comes as no surprise, so I decided to listen to the masses and trial this product.

The Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser is the only cleanser available from the Liz Earle brand they say, "This formulation is the ultimate in concentrated yet gentle cleansing power and works on every age and skin type. Our plant based cleanser has a two-phase action, phase one is the cleansing. Free from mineral oil, it has a rich and creamy texture and swiftly removes all traces of face and eye make up even stubborn mascara. Phase two is the polishing. Polish off the cream using the pure muslin cloth to gently dislodge dead skin cells and help reveal clean, soft and radiant skin. Naturally active ingredients include eucalyptus and cocoa butter for smoother clearer skin."

The design of the bottle ensures that there is no mess, plus there means there is no need to squeeze the tube to an inch of your life once you reach the bottom of a tube. You only need two pumps of this cleanser to remove all your make-up. You simply apply the cleanser to a dry face, you can be wearing a complete face of make-up so there is no need to use face wipes. I found this hard to adjust to as I'm so use to wetting my face first and then applying a cleanser, but I actually now prefer this method as it saves me from having to dry the bathroom up because I've gotten water everywhere!

Once you have applied the creamy cleanser all over your face, neck and décolleté, you simply run your muslin cloth (which is provided with the cleanser) under warm water and use this to remove your make-up and cleanser. Another beneficial factor to using this cleanser is that the muslin cloth also works as an exfoliator and therefore leaves your skin more radiant, refreshed and revitalised.

The cleanser has a healthy yet gorgeous smell to it because it is only formulated with natural ingredients. The fragrance is not overpowering and does not last on the skin; it does have a calming effect on the skin as well as yourself.

I purchased the 100ml bottle, about six months ago and I have just finished the bottle, and I used two pumps every morning and evening. I made the investment of £12.75 not expecting it to make any difference to my skin; however this has dramatically improved the appearance and condition of my skin.

As soon as I became a teenager my skin took a turn for the worse, my skin became incredibly oily, spotty, red and even had uneven skin tone. I was sceptical about whether this product could improve my skin, but much to my amazement it has. This cleanser has helped the improve the appearance of scarring from spots making them almost disappear, reduced the redness and my skin started to co-operate instead of turning into one bit oil slick which has stopped me from developing spots (apart from the occasional hormonal one).

The Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanse and Polish dramatically changed my skin; it looked healthier and hydrated, something I have never witnessed from another cleanser. This may not be the cheapest cleanser but it's worth purchasing. I've been converted, I'm sure many of you will be to.

Have any of you seen improvements in your skin from using this?

xox