Exfoliating

Five products under £5

- Vicki 16 Comments

Five products under £5

Bath & Body Works Hand Sanitisers – I know these are quite hard to get hold of in the UK & I tend to stock up if I go to America or if anyone I know goes on holiday there I ask them to get a shed load of them because they’re 5 for $5 (bargain). I was down to my last bottle & there is no USA trip on the horizon so I bit the bullet & took to eBay, there are quite a few UK based sellers & although you won’t get them for anywhere near as cheap as US prices, they’re still so fun to have. I bought three sweet scents & I’m so pleased with them all. So if you’re looking to order a couple I bought mine from this

Collection Eyes Uncovered Eyeshadow Palette £3.99 – I just can’t say enough good things about these Collection Palettes you get 6 great quality eyeshadows in each palette & there are 3 palettes to pick from. I have 2 out of the 3 but the Nude Bronze is the one I have been using the most, if you love gold, bronzy shimmers then this is the one for you. This Nude Bronze palette is beautiful and for an affordable brand the colours are pigmented and very good quality. All the shadows in this palette have some shimmer in them, so if you want a more matte palette then the Nude Palette might be the one for you. I have used this palette so much since I got my hands on it. If you haven’t checked these out you really should!

MUA Sweet Sheen Lipbalms* £2 – These were released as part of their Spring / Summer 2015 collection there are 6 pretty shades available and these 2 colours are my current favourites. They give your lips a light wash of colour and feel hydrating and comfortable. These are handy to have in your handbag for applying a pinch of colour on the go. All 6 shades are perfect for the warm weather & look glossy and pretty on the lips. I have been alternating between these two colour this month and love them both.

Essence Gel Waterproof Eyeliner £2.30 – I wasn’t too fussed at first that these were waterproof, I initially loved how creamy, soft and pigmented they are. They glide on without any tugging and the colour is even and looks vibrant. If you want to smudge these out to create a smokey eye then you best be quick because after a few minutes the colour isn’t going anywhere. This liner will last all day on your lids & looks as fab after 8 hours as it did when you first applied it. There is no need for a pencil sharpener (they’re so 1999, these are twist up). Now on to it being waterproof, yes it might be a pain to remove but it means your liner won’t smudge, transfer or end up halfway down your face & if you need a liner for your summer holiday then this is a really affordable option. They come in 6 colour options & I have brown & black but if you’re looking for something more colourful then you can get blue, green & purple.

Origins Facial Brush* £5 – First off can we address how cute this is! Also it is so very soft, the bristles are not abrasive at all so if you’re worried about it being damaging or a little harsh on your skin it really isn’t. This manual hand held facial brush is perfect for gently exfoliating your skin, I have been using it mostly on my nose & chin & its the perfect size brush for those areas. You use it with a cleanser & I have been using the Origins White Tea Cleanser, this brush helps buff away the dead skin & build up of the days grime & dirt to reveal glowing healthy skin. Its so lightweight & compact that it would be ideal to take away with you on holiday & for £5 I think its a bargain. This gets two thumbs up from me, I love it.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

Current Favourite Cleansers

- Vicki 8 Comments

Cleansers

nspa Melting Cleaning Gel £6 for 125ml *

This is the first product I’ve tried from nspa & let me tell you it did not disappoint, in fact its fast becoming one of my favourite cleansers. I am a big fan of gel cleansers and I love how smooth, hydrated and clean they leave my skin. This one from nspa is available in ASDA so it is very affordable and readily available. Its packed full of skincare benefits and its suitable for all skin types.

It is a two phase cleanser which means it starts off as a gel which you apply to dry skin and massage in to breakdown your makeup / dirt and pollutants from the day. You will need such a small amount of this as once you begin massaging it in it turns in to an oil and a little goes a very long way. Once you have massaged it in, I like to do this for about a minute or two, you then rinse it off with warm water & I like to use a face cloth. The gel turns in to a cleansing milk when you apply the water and you will find this leaves your skin very soft, not stripped or tight but smooth and nourished. It has:-

  • Grapeseed Oil to breakdown makeup & dirt
  • Vitamin E which is a good antioxidant which that repairs and protects your skin
  • Avocado, Apricot and Neroli Oils – Which nourish and rejuvenate your skin
  • Ginseng which brightens your complexion and helps fight the signs of ageing

I really like this cleanser and can’t believe how fresh and glowing my skin has been since I started using it. It is also very hydrating and my skin feels very plump and smooth after using it. If you have an ASDA near you, go & buy yourself a tube! You will thank me for it, I promise you that!

A trio of my favourite cleansers

Nip & Fab Deep Cleansing Fix £7.95 for 300ml

Both my mum & I have been using this cleanser and calling each other the next day to declare how much we both love it! This is a big old pot of product & it will last you for months! I do have to admit its not the most hygienic way to package a face cleanser as you have to scoop the product out but because I love it so much I am willing to over look that!

This product is a multi use 6 in 1 product and can be used in the following ways,

  • Removes make up
  • Deeply cleanses
  • Use as a 10 minute mini mask
  • Apply directly to blemishes for a treatment
  • Leave on overnight for a more hydrating mask
  • Exfoliating when used with a face cloth

I have used it in 5 out of the 6 ways, I tend not to suffer from blemishes so I’ve had no reason to test that out but all the other ways to use this Deep Cleansing Fix have worked a treat. I would say that I prefer to leave it on as more of a face mask for about 10 – 20 minutes than sleeping in it overnight. Just because I love my night time skincare routine & that works well for me so I enjoy this more as a relaxing mask.

This is quite a thick cream but it is easy to massage in to the skin as a cleanser or smooth over the skin as a mask. It contains Sweet almond oil which nourishes and smoothes whilst the Tea tree oil cleanses pores. So your skin will feel clean and look bright. I just love it and the fact that its a multi use product is even better. For the price this is a cleanser you should have in your arsenal for those days when you’re skin feels decongested, dull or you need some thing that packs a punch to help those blemishes heal quicker. Did I mention how huge this tub is?! 300ml is bigger than most body products so this tub will be with you for a very long time. Which is good news for the bank balance.

ESPA Optimal Skin ProCleanser £30.00 for 100ml

This is the latest release from luxury brand ESPA and is also a multi use cleanser. This is a Tri-Phase Cleanser which means it is a gel cleaner, exfoliator and a mask all in one. This is aimed at all ages and all skin types so if you love luxurious skincare then this is the product for you. I have raved about the ESPA Optimal ProSerum many times on this blog and this is like the sister product.

This is a very gentle cleanser and is also packed full of skincare benefits,

  • Moringa seed extract cleanses and removes make-up
  • Jojoba spheres gently exfoliate and melt to leave your skin clear, nourished and smooth
  • Pumpkin enzymes gently dissolve dull cells, revealing a beautiful, radiant, healthy glow

It comes out as a white gel with tiny exfoliating spheres which when massaged into your skin melt away, they are so gentle and not in the least bit abrasive. I smooth this on to dry skin & leave it for at least 10 minutes then rinse with warm water and a face cloth. This leaves my skin incredibly soft and so hydrated, its feels like it has a moisturiser in there too. It is very luxurious and my skin always looks bright and healthy the next day. I use this as my second cleanse and not to remove my makeup as it is quite a high end cleanser and I prefer to use it as a treat. I leave it on my skin for a about 10 minutes to let the ingredients work their magic. It always feels like such a waste to wash it off straight away.

If you do like to use high end skincare, then you will adore using this new Optimal ProCleanser from ESPA and your skin will love you for it. I also know that a lot of people are on a budget & prefer to spend a more affordable amount on a cleanser & either of the other two I have mentioned in this post will give you nourished, cleansed and fresh looking skin. So you can take your pick, they’re all great at cleansing and I have enjoyed using them all.

Let me know what your current favourite cleansers are & if you have tried any of the three mentioned in todays post.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser – Rave

- Vicki 9 Comments

This is quite the miracle in a tube, it’s becoming my favourite exfoliator and I can’t remember where is came from. I’m sure it came in a Beauty Box but I’m not too sure either way I know I paid for it & I’m love using it.

I’ve really sensitive skin especially on my cheeks and so I’m often weary of using an exfoliator as a lot of them are just to harsh for my skin. Now I have found one that works well for me – the Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. It’s really good for giving your skin a deep clean without leaving it stripped of its moisture and it’s not too abrasive. I had no irritation after using this and for someone with sensitive skin thats quite something.

It feels like a polish – it’s a very gentle (for an exfoliator) and is great if you suffer from clogged pores and dull skin. It helps wake it up and make it feel lovely and smooth. I look forward to trying a few more products from the Murad range. Have you tried anything from this company. What would you recommend?

I don’t use it more than twice a week just as my skin doesn’t like to be exfoliated too much. I also had to check what AHA & BHA were (bad beauty blogger) & this is what i found,

AHAs are preferred for sun-damaged and dry skin because they exfoliate on the surface of skin and have the added benefit of also improving moisture content

BHA is preferred for oily, acne-prone skin and for treating blackheads and white bumps

If you’re looking for a new exfoliator that’s gentle on sensitive skin then I cant recommend this enough. It costs £34 for 200ml and that will last you so long.