What Laura Wants - Yet Another Beauty Hit List

It's been a while since I did an edit of bits and pieces which are currently on my beauty radar so for old times sake, here's a quick idea of what I'm holding out for.

First up at number 1) we have Omorovicza which is a Hungarian skincare brand which I've fancied trying for a while. Trouble is this line, with its mineral packed water and hi-tech skincare wizardry doesn't come cheap hence why I'm reluctant to simply splurge in one go. Lucky for me, there are various try me style kits on the market, the one I've pictured is full of travel sizes, however, Cult Beauty have a fabulous 6-piece try me set for only £42 which includes the iconic Queen of Hungary Mist and Thermal Cleansing Balm which you can pick up HERE.

Next at number 2) is another item from the new Nails Inc range, namely a collaboration with Alexa Chung. The Alexa Lace features different sized red particles which, when applied over just the right colour (I reckon a nude or white would look fabulous) will give the illusion of lace. If you fancy a bottle yourself, it's £15 and you can grab it HERE.

Right, we're half way home now and at number 3) it's the Body Shop Honey Bronzer in shade 01, the lightest they come. I've never quite been brave enough to play around with bronzer, but this shade is so light, it looks as though it would be tough to make a mistake. As it's a matt finish it won't sink into pores so fingers crossed, it's ideal for beginners. If you fancy messing up the beautiful honey comb pattern, you can find it HERE, a bargain at only £13. 

I'm going through a lip product phase, so of course, at number 4) it's the newest addition to Charlotte Tilbury line, the Matt Revolution Lipsticks. The shades Amazing Grace and Sexy Sienna look absolutely stunning and right up my street in terms of a more natural lipstick look. In the UK, you can see them in the flesh in Selfridges and get swatching to see which shades take your fancy, failing that, you can grab them for £23 HERE.

I've made no secret of my love for Philosophy, all of their products smell amazing and I imagine that this collection at number 5) would not disappoint. As we're heading into fall, I've started craving autumnal fragrances, namely cinnamon spice and all things nice. I don't think this collection is available here in the UK, but I'm keeping my peepers peeled just in case.

Finally, at number 6) it's the Rodial Dragon's Blood Night Cream. As it's packed full of hyaluronic acid it'll plump up your skin and keep your skin looking hydrated as the temperature drops. At £58 it's certainly not cheap, but I'm yet to find a Rodial product which doesn't float my boat so I suspect this will be well worth the investment. You find it in SpaceNK HERE.

What's on your beauty hit list right now?

Rodial Stem Cell Discovery Kit - A Review

I've made no secret of my love of the Stem Cell Super-Food Cleanser from Rodial. Given I was so impressed, naturally I was keen to get my mitts on more of the range to see if the rest of the products could live up to my expectations.

I recently spotted this Stem Cell Discovery Kit for the bargain price of £21.36 on QVC and instantly jumped at the opportunity. It includes all of the Super Food skincare products which are currently on offer, namely a cleanser, a balm, a facial oil and a day cream all of which have the beautiful rose smell which I've come to love. In addition, a discovery kit offers you the opportunity to get to grips with the products without splashing the cash on the full sizes.

Firstly, this kit is incredible value for money. The sizes are generous enough that they will last you at least a month thus meaning you have more than enough opportunity to ensure they are right for your skin.

Next, let's have a proper run through of what you get shall we?

• Rodial Stem Cell Super-Food Cleanser - 50ml. I have harped on about this cleanser so much it's scary! As a quick recap, it's packed full of coconut oil, cocoa butter and rose hip seed oil (thus giving it the rose smell) which works to remove dirt, grime and make-up whilst softening and hydrating your skin. For a full review please click HERE. The full size pot is 200ml and costs £30 making this product alone worth £7.50.

• Rodial Stem Cell Super-Food Facial Oil - 10ml. This facial oil is packed with vitamins A, B5, C and E which work together to nourish and hydrate the skin. This oil also helps with environmental stresses, a bonus when you're living in London as the pollution can really take it's toll on your skin leaving things looking a little grey. I've been using three drops of this on my face after toning in the evenings before using my usual moisturiser or the balm which is included in the kit (much like when using the Decleor oil/balm combination if that's how you roll). I have to say it leaves my skin feeling soft and looking dewy before I head to bed. When I wake up, it certainly looked a littler perkier than usual making this a keeper! The full size bottle is £60 for 30ml so the discovery size is worth £20.

• Rodial Stem Cell Super-Food Glam Balm Multi - 10ml. Ok, now this is a wonder product which can literally be used in pretty much any beauty related way you can think of. You can use it as a night cream (my only use to date if I'm honest), a lip plumper, around the eyes to plump out fine lines, to remove stubborn mascara, as a make-up primer, to tame unruly brows etc, the list really does go on. Anyway, I am digressing, I used this in the evening on top of my moisturiser to give an extra hydration boost and as a bit of treat to my skin. Whilst this product certainly did the job, I'm more of a serum/moisturiser kind of girl. The full size is £35 for 40ml making this worth £8.75.

• Rodial Stem Cell Super-Food Day Cream with SPF 15 - 20ml. This is an illuminating moisturiser with CC technology which reduces any signs of imperfections. It's formulated with fillers which optically enhance your skin tone, and again, work to protect and hydrate your skin. I'll be honest and say this is the only product within the kit which I've not had the chance to try yet because I've got 4 moisturisers on the go already but I have no reason to believe it'll be less than great!. The full size is £42 for 50ml so the discovery size is £16.80.

• Muslin cloth - Obviously this will primarily be used to remove the cleanser but it can also be used to remove the balm if you've used this as a way to remove stubborn eye make-up. 

Everything within the kit does smell of rose so if you're not a rose fan, this may not be for you. Regular readers of my blog may recall that ALL of my perfumes have rose as the base note so this set is of course, right up my street. The Stem Cell Discovery Kit has a total value of over £53 so if you're interested in giving Rodial a go or indeed looking to invest in a good skin care range but you're not sure where to start, then this is an incredible way to go! 

Now excuse me while I dash off and order another set before they all sell out!

Have you used the Stem Cell Super-Food Range yet? What did you think?

January 2014 Birchbox Review

Ok, so maybe I am just expecting to much but I am feeling a little less than enthusiastic about this months offering. I naturally clicked through to see some of the January spoilers and noticed my much loved Rodial and a couple of other bits and pieces which I am keen to try.  Needless to say, I appear to have drawn the short straw again.

I think part of my problem is a colleague in my office receives a beauty box from You Beauty every month which seems to be amazing and comes complete with at least one full size product every month (and is ridiculously cheap to boot). This of course means that I struggle to get quite as excited when I receive my Birchbox complete with teeny samples.

Anyway, this month I received the following goodies:

• Philip Kingsley Moisture Balancing Conditioner - 20ml. Aimed at ladies like myself with very fine hair this product is designed to deliver moisture without weighing the hair down. I'm a big fan of the Elasticizer which has really helped my fine tresses in the past so I have hopes for this.

• Benefit The POREfessional - 7.5ml. A multi-tasking primer which minimises the appearance of pores and fine lines whilst providing an ideal base for your make-up. I'll be honest and say this isn't a product I've used before, I am a massive fan of my Laura Mercier Primer and Gerda Spillman Hydro-Pearls so it'll have a tough job convincing me it's worthy of a spot in my make-up bag.

• Rodial Glamtox Night - 15ml. This is a product packed full of retinol which is designed to fade pigmentation, reduce pore size and help to reduce any fine wrinkles which are starting to appear. I'm excited to try this as at 26, whilst I'm lacking in the blatant wrinkle department, I've started to notice some finer lines appearing around the eyes/lips (although I've been told these are expression lines).

• Vasanti Detox Nutrient-Rich Purifying Facial Cleanser - 20ml. This claims to wash away every last trace of make-up while its nutrient rich formula nourishes skin. It's packed full of omega 3 & 6 fatty acids and grape seed extract to stimulate skin cells and keep your face looking bright and refreshed. As an update, I've been using this for a few days now and whilst it does a good job of cleaning my face, it smells like very basic hand soap. This doesn't really make for an enjoyable cleansing session.

• Premae Anatomy Nutrients Instant Renewal Body Oil - 20ml. Something to be used instead of your usual body butter this body oil claims to detoxify your skin and awaken the senses. I received a sample of the moisturising variety which is designed to help tight muscles and cellulite. This could be helpful given I've finally been able to dive back into a decent exercise routine although I can't say I'm normally the kind of girl to reach for a body oil.

• Itsu Instant Miso Soup - 25g. Those of you familiar with the likes of Wagamama and Miso will have come across this popular soup on many occasions. Incredibly light, it's packed full of amino acids and makes for a quick and easy snack. 

Whilst I appreciate the theme for this months box was small changes which ultimately make a big difference, I think that perhaps I was just setting my sights a little to high here. I've decided that if I'm less than ecstatic with my next box I'll be cancelling my subscription in favour of a You Beauty box instead.

Did you receive this months Birchbox? What did you think?

My Favourite Cleansers - Well For Now Anyways!

Rodial Stem Cell Super-Food Cleanser - £22.74 for 200ml 

I've made no secret about my love of this cleanser. It's rich, creamy, super nourishing and effortlessly dissolves dirt, grime and my make-up without so much as breaking a sweat. Over the winter-months this is a good send for hydrating my skin and protecting it from the elements. As a cheeky bonus, it can also be used as an intensive mask, just leave it on your skin for 10 minutes before wiping off the excess. You can find my full review here.

Lancome Gel Eclat - £22 for 125ml.

This is a super gentle cleanser which is suitable for all skin-types, even those with sensitive skin. Every time I use this cleanser, my skin is literally squeaky clean which is actually pretty satisfying when one lives in London. A little goes a long way owing in part to the super fine foam it produces while your massaging the product into your skin. A tube lasted me around 3 months so don't be put off by the price!

Origins Checks & Balances - £18 for 150ml.

This is aimed at those of us with combination skin. It's another multi-tasking wonder in that it keeps oil at bay whilst ensuring that any dry patches are protected and suitably nourished. This cleanser works really well with my Clarisonic owing to it's light foam and always leaves my skin feeling wonderfully refreshed without any tightness.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple - £17.50 for 240ml.

In case you haven't guessed, I have a serious soft spot for multi-tasking products. This little beauty cleanses, tones and removes eye make-up all whilst conditioning your skin. Again, a little goes a long way so a bottle will last and last (I've heard of one person making a bottle last almost a year!). Given its ability to do so many jobs at once, it has a reputation as being the lazy girls cleanser and is certainly what I turn to after a night out on the town to remove the slap.

Emma Hardie Moringa Balm - £32 for 100ml.

Yup, you guessed it, this is another multi-tasking wonder! I use this to remove make-up (even on the sensitive eye area), declog my skin and give it a boost when it's looking a little lacklustre. If my skin is really misbehaving then I'll leave this on my skin for 10 minutes and it really works wonders. It smells amazing and never fails to work its magic.

You may have noticed a slight theme with the above cleansers. Almost all of them are multi-purpose be it removing make-up whilst cleansing my skin or tackling dry spots whilst keeping oil at bay. 

Who has time to source and use numerous different products, life is to short for a one-trick pony in the cleanser department! 

What are some of your favourite cleansers?

Rodial Stem Cell Super-Food Cleanser - Review

I'm having a bit of a cleansing addiction at the moment. I have several currently on the go at once, but I felt like I needed something a bit more akin to my old favourite Liz Earle to help nourish my skin a little more.

This is where my enormous 200ml tub of Rodial Stem Cell Super Food Cleanser comes in.

 

I purchased this little beauty from QVC as it was under £23 which is a massive saving on the usual high street retail price of £30 (with the added bonus of being able to send it back to QVC if it didn't agree with my skin!).

The cleanser certainly seems to work in a similar manner to the Cleanse & Polish from Liz Earle, effectively melting away dirt, grime and in my case, a full days worth of make-up with little more than a quick swipe of the muslin cloth which is included in the box.

The consistency and the amount of product you're required to use is also similar, however where the two seem to differ is both the science behind the product and the scent.

You may have noted this is a stem cell cleanser with the Alp Rose being used to boost your skins vitality and aid with regeneration.  As I am sure you can guess, the predominant smell when using this product is of roses but this isn't harsh enough to put me off using it.

In addition, not only is this packed with anti-oxidants, but Rose Hip Seed Oil, Coconut Oil and Cocoa Butter help melt away dirt and grime whilst at the same time, providing your skin with a lovely nourishing treat.  

You can use this in several ways:

1. Massage a small dollop all over your face (I did use this over my eyes to remove my mascara and there was no irritation; this obviously doesn't automatically mean your skin will be the same so please be careful!) and rinse off with warm water in the shower.
2. As above, but rub off with either the enclosed muslin cloth or alternatively a flannel, the plus here being your skin is getting some light exfoliation.
3. Pop a little on a dry muslin cloth and massage into dry skin for more of an exfoliating treat, then rinse off.

I've used it in all of the above ways and I am loving how soft this leaves my skin feeling.  I've taken to using this three to four times a week in the evenings and really working it into my skin, especially around any dry areas, leaving it for 30 seconds to sink in before rinsing off and toning etc. as normal.  I am already seeing a difference in my skins clarity and it's staying nice and supple despite the chillier climate.

If my review above isn't enough to convince you, then just look around Google for a while as I'm yet to read a bad review.  Given the price point, I am seriously contemplating replacing my Liz Earle cleanser for good. The 200ml pot means this will certainly be floating around my bathroom for a good few months before it needs replacing.

Do you use different cleansers during the colder months to help keep your skin healthy and hydrated?