Good Things Manuka Honey Radiance Mask - A Review

Keeping with the theme of affordable beauty products, another range which I recently discovered on a trawl of my local Boots is Good Things. Given that I currently have no less than 8 cleansers on the go (I know, I know) the only product which I could really justify buying was a face mask.

Now, Good Things appear to have a few different ranges aimed at different skin care needs but given my Kiwi obsession, I opted to plonk the Manuka Honey Radiance Mask  into my basket, not least of all because it smelled AMAZING.

Now for those of you who aren't familiar with the range, Good Things is the brain child of Alice Hart-Davis and the Manuka Honey line is designed to help keep skin clear and hydrated. We're all familiar with the health benefits of Manuka Honey, and my skin at present, is being particularly pesky and needs a kick up the bum. 

What really caught my attention is that despite the very low price point (£5.99 for the Mask), the entire line still manages to be free from Parabens, mineral oil, SLS (as with the Yes to...range I discussed last week) and any other chemical nasties which can aggravate the skin!

Whilst the Radiance Mask is aimed at brightening your skin, it also contains white clay to draw out impurities and clear congested skin whilst the Manuka helps to nourish your skin making this product sound like just the ticket for my skin.

As you can see, the product is a wet clay, you simply slather this onto clean skin and let it work its magic for 10 minutes before rinsing. The clay didn't dry out at all, and I felt a slight tingle whilst this was on my face which I suspect maybe the papaya. What I did notice was the incredible smell, I mean seriously this stuff smells so good I would eat it if I didn't know deep down that it'd taste awful.

On rinsing my skin felt smooth, plump and did appear brighter. On the decongesting side, I suspect it's a little to early to tell, but my skin looked dreadful last weekend, we're talking full on blotchy. It's helped to clear things a little and my skin is slowly but surly starting to clear up, I still have a couple of patches but they're clearing.

All in all, this is a great product given it's super low price point, whilst I'm not sure about the claims to clear the skin, this particular product is clearly aimed at giving a radiant complexion and I certainly can't complain on this front. Once I've cut down on some of my cleansers, I reckon I'll be grabbing a couple more goodies from this line.

Have you tried Good Things? What did you think?

Biore - Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser - A Review

I'm a great lover of clay masks when my skin is playing up, the Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask  is a firm favourite but masks are strictly reserved for the weekend when I can relax and take things easy. As such, I'm always looking to find quick ways to unclog and decongest my skin mid-week without having to sacrifice my limited me-time during the evenings.

I recently spotted the Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser during a trawl for new and exciting products in my local Boots, as it was only £3.33 on offer I thought I'd have nothing to loose. I remember Biore from my younger days when those rather lovely black headed clearing nose strips (please tell me I'm not the only one who used those) were all the rage.

This product has actually been around for a while in the States, (naturally I only know these due to my love affair with Allure Magazine) and it certainly grabbed my interest given that it seemed to be a cleanser version of above mentioned face mask .

This cleanser promises to draw out dirt and impurities leaving your face tingly smooth and pores twice as clear as compared to a normal cleanser. Quite a promise eh? The big question is whether it delivers.

Ok first things first, the tingle, it really does tingle whilst massaging into my skin, it wasn't uncomfortable by any stretch but I would warn, don't get this too close to your eyes, it will sting. The things I do to test products! 

The smell of the product reminded me of menthol so this may explain the tingling sensation!

Next, don't be put off by the rather attractive black colour of the wash, once you're massaging this into the skin it actually turns into a white foam and rinses off clean. The texture is more akin to something I'd expect from a gel cleanser as opposed to what I'd expected from a peek inside the bottle, i.e. something more clay like.

In terms of effectiveness, my face felt refreshed after use without any dryness or tightness which I did anticipate on some level. A lot of skincare aimed at blemished skin can really leave my skin feeling overly dry after use but not this!

Here's a closer look at what you can expect to come out of the bottle!

All in all, even at the full price of £4.99 I think this cleanser is great value, my skin was left feeling fresh and clean post use and I noticed that my misbehaving skin had calmed down even after just three uses in the morning. I can attest to the effectiveness as rather helpfully a large blemish popped up on my left cheek the day before I purchased this and three days later, whilst it was still a little red, it was no longer raised or angry looking!

Have you tried to new Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser yet? What did you think?

 

Champneys - Mediterranean Bliss Shimmering Body Oil - A Review

So the Champneys Spa Indulgence Mediterranean Bliss Shimmering Body Oil (I didn't come up with the super long name) was another find on a recent rummage through my local Boots, albeit this one is not such a new product.

Before I start the review, I feel I should add a little context to why this ended up in my basket and that is my legs. They are ridiculously pale, look very odd in a skirt or shorts and no matter how much I seem to try, they never seem to tan leaving them looking either lobster red from trying or vaguely resembling that which belongs on a chicken. My point being, they make me rather self conscious.

Anyways, when the sun does come out, this undoubtedly means I cannot cover my shame with tights, it's to hot and to sticky thereby meaning it is completely impractical. In a bid to help with my abnormal dislike of my legs, I purchased a couple of products in the hopes that it'll make them look that little bit nicer.

I'd had my eye on something similar from Nuxe, however, given this was only £6.67 on offer in Boots, I thought I'd have nothing to lose!

I appreciate it looks pretty scary in the bottle, something akin to that which my 90's child self would use for a 'glow' but bear with me. Before using, you do need to give this a frikken good shake about to mix the oil and shimmer together.

Now the smell is gorgeous, I suspected the sesame oil element would be somewhat overpowering and nutty, but combined with jojoba, ylang ylang, sandalwood and patchouli oils it's actually incredibly pleasant on the old nose not to mention super nourishing on the pins. Given the budget price tag, I think it smells pretty darn expensive so this pleased me no end.

The shimmer within the oil isn't as in your face as you would lead you to believe, it's actually quite subtle. Don't get me wrong, there is quite clearly shimmer going on here (hence the name of the product) but it's certainly not offensive. I would say the glow it gives my legs is just right, from an onlookers perspective they certainly look healthy, hydrated and well, glowing. I've tried to capture the shimmer in the picture below which you can just about see.

Overall, I think this is a great budget buy and I will definitely repurchase once I've finished the bottle, I obviously cannot compare it to it's Nuxe equivalent as I've never used the shimmer version but there are plenty of reviews online. A little does go a long way so I suspect the bottle will last me most of the summer.

Have you used the Champneys Shimmering Body Oil? How does it compare to others on the market?

Soap & Glory - The Ultimelt - Deep Purifying Hot Cloth Cleanser - A Review

I have a rather large skincare collection, maybe one of these days I'll actually share you with my bathroom side, it's bulging under the weight of shampoos, conditioners, shower gels and around 6 different cleansers. Over Christmas I got my mitts on the Peaches & Clean cleanser from Soap & Glory which I reviewed HERE. Given it's price point, I was pretty frikken impressed. It's worth noting the boffins behind Soap & Glory are also the same boffins behind spa brand Bliss so I wouldn't expect anything less!

As such, during the 1/3 offer in Boots, I grabbed myself a tube of The Ultimelt which is normally only £10 and I thought may be another good alternative to the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser.

As you can see from the box, it's formulated with B5, Sweet Almond Oil, Orange & Lavender Oil as well as Clary Sage and Rose. You can imagine how lovely this smells whilst rubbing it into your skin, slightly medicinal (which is quite reassuring when your skin is misbehaving) whilst the rose and lavender make this wonderfully relaxing to use.

The box also came with it's own cloth so don't worry if you're lacking in this department.

The cream comes out quite thick, however, the second you start to massage this into your skin, it transforms into a balm like texture. I've been massaging this into dry skin at the end of the day to remove my make-up, and massaging my face for a good minute-two minutes before using a hot flannel to remove the product.

It dissolves almost all of my make-up in one go and the cloth obviously helps to rub away every last trace  of dirt (almost like a mini exfoliation) without drying out my skin. Given it's balmy texture, it feels pretty nourishing and I it helps my skin to feel a bit more Ahhhhhhh after a  busy day in the city.

For £10, I think is an absolute steal even at full price and I'll definitely be repurchasing once it's finished.

I'm starting to be a big Soap & Glory Skincare fiend, are there any other products which you think should be on my radar?

Lancome Air De Teint - A Review

As many of you may know, I prefer a more natural look when it comes to my make-up, I cannot be doing with heavy full coverage foundations. But, by the same token, when my skin is misbehaving, I can't deny my love of making it appear more refined than it actually is.

Previously, I have relied on the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua which is a cross between a foundation and tinted moisturiser, however, as of late, it has been making my skin look a wee bit orange. A replacement was needed!

This is where I say hello to the Miracle Air De Teint which I picked up for £29.50 from Boots in the shade 010. I've used a lot of Lancome products in the past, their mascara is wonderful, as is the Bi-Facil (amazing for removing waterproof eye make-up!) so I was quietly confident this would do a pretty good job.

This is marketed as a skin perfecting, blurring foundation which feels incredibly light on the face. In addition, it packs an SPF and promises to give your skin a glow whilst maintaining a matt finish. Heck, all I'll say is Penelope Cruz is fronting the campaign and she looks stunning! Moving onto the review of course.

The foundation is a little strange in that you dispense the product using a pipette, I used 3 drops to do the main part of my face and one drop on my forehead. I simply popped this onto my fingers before pressing my fingers together and, starting from the centre of my face, worked the product into my skin.

This is my skin before I applied the foundation, you can see some blemishes on the side of my face and a wee bit of redness around my nose. At this point I'm wearing nothing else on my skin other than my primer, to give you a clearer idea of how the foundation is on the skin, I made sure my primer had no luminous properties.

This is my skin post-foundation application. As you can see, the redness around my nose is gone and the appearance of the blemishes on my chin is significantly reduced. You can still see the blemishes on my cheek a wee bit but I wouldn't say this is a bad thing.

The appearance of my skin is incredibly natural with the foundation on, whilst you can still see some imperfections (which admittedly, could be easily covered with a touch of concealer) this actually helps to add to the illusion that I'm wearing no make-up. 

Most of the marketing around the product has been on the basis that this will help you to achieve that no make-up  look, and I think it fulfils that 100%. This product will be perfect for the summer and ideal for those looking for something lighter as the weather warms up.

In summary, I would say the following about this foundation:

• Firstly, it really does feel like silk on the skin, when applying, it blends quickly and easily with your fingers, no additional buffing needed! *It's almost akin to the silky feeling you get from the Benefit Porefessional primer*
• It's long lasting - over the course of the day, it didn't settle into any creases or lines
• It does give your skin a matt look, but, still gives the impression of a wonderfully healthy glow. I have no idea how, please don't ask me.
• In all honesty, I forgot I was wearing this, it really was that comfortable on the skin

This is a new favourite in my collection, have you tried Air De Teint? What did you think?

Everyday Make-up Look Featuring Em

Following from my recent haul of Em goodies (which, for the record, turned up in the UK within a week of ordering) I thought it was time to do a wee tutorial showing my lovely readers how I've been incorporating them all into my everyday make-up routine. I apologise in advance for the lack of natural light, my camera battery died and took FOREVER to sort itself out.

Products Used:

 

Em - Chiaroscuro - $24- I used the fair shade as I'm quite pale.

Em - The Great Cover-Up - $17 - Again, I used the shade fair/cool which seems to be a pretty good match.

Em - Waterliner- $18 - I was torn between the Nude and the R'os Gold, ultimately I wanted something to help brighten up my eye area and this certainly does the trick.

Em - Arched Defining Brow Liner - $18 - I'm shade brunette. This is great and is certainly long lasting, I'd recommend this if you're in the market for a new piece of brow based kit.

Em - Lip Gallery Creamy Colour Lipstick - $15 - I am using one of the sheer colours as I'm not particularly brave with my colour choices. This is not only nourishing but provides a good pop of pigmented colour.

Soap & Glory - Thick & Fast Super Volume Mascara - £10 - This does exactly what it says on the tin.

No 7 - Stay Perfect Eye Shadow - £7 - My everyday go to shade is Mink.

Japonesque - Luminous Foundation - £24 - I used shade 03 which is one of the lighter colours available. If you head to John Lewis (for the UK viewers) then they'll happily colour match you.

Japonesque - Velvet Touch Blush - £18 - Again, this is a nice subtle colour which suits me just perfectly.

I hope you enjoyed my first Youtube video, please be sure to subscribe and give me a big thumbs up if you enjoyed it!

Una Brennan - Superfacialist Rose Intense Moisture Mask - A Review

I love a budget beauty buy as much as the next girl, if I can grab a product from my local drugstore which works as well as a product which is twice then price, then you've got one ecstatic girlie on your hands.

I've been reading a lot of praise for the Una Brennan range on the whole lately and I thought it was about time I dipped my toes into the range myself. Being a rose lover, the Rose Intense Moisture Mask  at only £8.99 seemed a great place to start. For those of you not familiar with the range, the Una Brennan products are formulated with natural extracts and a bundle full of scientific know-how. Una herself apparently has around 15 years experience in the business but I suppose that's by the by.

What really grabbed my attention (aside from the peachy price point of course) was that this range is designed to be suitable for even the most sensitive skins. This can be a rarity nowadays with some skincare products leaving with me with beautifully blotchy skin post use making them unsuitable for anything other than weekend use.

Moving swiftly on, the Rose Intense Moisture Mask is a lovely thick cream formulated with Vitamin E, Marshmallow extract and White Willow. It promises to not only hydrate your skin, but also to increase cell turnover (lovely dewy skin ahoy!) and to calm and sooth problem skin. It does have a strong rose smell so if the idea of roses isn't your thing, I'd perhaps avoid this.

All you need to do is smooth an even layer over your skin and leave for a minimum of 5 minutes before rinsing off with warm water and a flannel. 

I've been leaving this on my skin for around 10 minutes before rinsing and following with my usual routine of toner and moisturiser.

Having been using this for several weeks now, I have to say I am impressed. My skin seems calmer with any red patches lessened. In addition, my skin does feel wonderfully moisturised, plumped out and, well, hydrated. This is definitely a product I will be repurchasing, thankfully it's that reasonable in price that I won't have any guilty pangs each and every time I do. I would recommend this to anyone whose skin is in need of some TLC.

Have you tried any of the Una Brennan products? What would you recommend I try next?

Why Some Acids Are Actually Good For Your Skin

I'm sure that if you're anything like me, when you first get into beauty products, the long list of ingredients on the back of skincare products appears a little confusing.

Sure the beauty experts tell you that these ingredients are great for your skin, giving it that youthful glow, helping to plump out any lines and even exfoliating any dead skin cells away but why do they work and what do they actually do?

I thought I could shed some light and introduce you to some of the key acids you'll no doubt find floating around your bathroom and some of my favourite products which feature them.  Whilst the term acid might induce a mild state of shock, these bad boys are often found in your body already or in foods which you consume on a daily basis.

Amino Acids

Everyone knows that collagen gives your skin it's elasticity. As you get older, your levels of collagen will deplete naturally, however products containing amino acids can help to give your skin back its plumpness. Amino Acids are made up of proteins which have the same PH as your skin and play an essential part in your skins structure.  Plus, Amino Acids also make up Keratin which keeps your hair healthy and happy.

My product of choice here is the Organix Brazilian Keratin Therapy Conditioner which you can pick up for £6.99 from Boots.  Not only does it smell wonderful, but if you have fine hair which is prone to breakage like me, this will help strengthen your hair.

Glycolic Acid

This is a natural exfoliator which helps to remove any dead cells that are stubbornly sticking to your skin.  It also helps to de-clog your pores therefore keeping your skin nice and dewy.

Glycolic Acid can be used to even out skin tone and reduce the appearance of scarring left by blemishes.  At first the new skin may appear slightly red but this will fade quickly.  As this is an active ingredient, be sure to moisturise and apply an SPF after using any products which feature this in order to protect your skin.

My product of choice is the REN Micro Polish Cleanser (keep your eyes peeled for my post on this soon) which can be picked up for £20 from Marks & Spencer or SpaceNK.  The Glycolic Acid works with Papaya enzymes to dissolve dead skin cells and refines your skins texture.  I've used this a couple of times now and I've really noticed a difference.

Hyaluronic Acid

This seems to be the current buzz ingredient in the beauty world.  It is renowned for holding 1000 times it's own weight in water.  It is found naturally in your skin, however, as you get older this becomes harder to produce thus leaving your skin dehydrated (dry skin is something different entirely).

As such, products which feature Hyaluronic Acid will keep your skin hydrated and plump not to mention, if applied before your moisturiser, it'll help the water in your moisturiser to stay put.  Think of it as a pillow for your face.

My product of choice has to be the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Recovery Complex II which is £48 and can be picked up from any concession.  I've been using this for a few months now and it really does plump up your skin, as well as leaving it hydrated, glowing and refreshed.  This is one of my essentials!

 

Citric/Fruit Acids

I am sure this will require little explanation, it's often found in fruits high in vitamin C and helps to encourage skin turnover and collagen production as well as being an antioxidant.

I'm certain that you will know antioxidants are a good tool in the battle against free radicals which can contribute to the signs of ageing in your skin.  Much like Glycolic Acid they can be used to minimise the appearance of scars and is a natural exfoliant. 

My product of choice is the Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Toner which can be picked up for £25 from any concession.  I wouldn't use this as an everyday toner given the active ingredients, but is great for some extra exfoliation if you’re looking to help your skin regain its brightness.

 

Salicylic Acid

This helps to open clogged pores, remove excess oil and is even an exfoliator. This is normally used in blemish treatments as it helps to keep pores clear and neutralises bacteria without over drying the skin.

My product of choice is the Murad Time Release Blemish Cleanser which is available from the Murad website for £29. I've saved this product for last as you might notice that it contains Amino Acids, Hyaluronic Acid and Salicylic Acid so it has all of the benefits of the above with the added bonus of fighting any breakouts.  I use this 3/4 times a week and I love the fresh tingling feeling I get while using it, plus I'm safe in the knowledge that it's tackling my blemishes without leaving my skin dehydrated.

I hope you find this useful, let me know if you'd like to see more helpful guides!