Current skincare favourites... November 2015

Here are my skincare favourites for this month which I have been loving!


Dr. Dennis Gross Ferulic Acid + Retinol Brightening Solution

Now I have only been using this serum for just over a week (twice daily) but I’m already enjoying what it’s doing for my skin. This product wasn’t cheap (google it, my husband might be reading this!)  and promises to ‘combat all types of uneven skintone, dark spots resulting from aging and sun damage with proven antioxidants ferulic acid and retinol, hyperpigmentation and hormonal changes with azelaic amino acid and bearberry, and blemish scars with salicylic acid and willowbark’... so course, I have high hopes!

 

The formula is a very thin colourless consistency and has a slight medicinal smell which I don’t mind.  It comes in a 30ml size glass bottle with a separate dropper and also microfibre pads. It is recommended that for specific areas of concern, you should apply the solution with pads on the desired area or use as an all over treatment. I don’t like using the pads as I think they absorb the precious (and expensive!) product and also I prefer to use it all over my face as I have slight patches of pigmentation on my cheeks, forehead as well as freckles next to my eyebrow too . After I apply the serum on my clean face, it is left feeling slightly tacky in the first instance but this soon dries away. I like to wait a couple of minutes for it to fully absorb before apply my moisturiser and any other products.

I am most impressed about that it has done for my ‘laughter lines’ around my mouth. They aren’t really that bad as I am only 27, but I noticed when I wore make up these lines would be exaggerated. After about a week, I have noticed a real difference in that they now seem less prominent and have diminished somewhat in appearance. I think that there is also a similar product especially for the eye area, however, I have been mixing some of this solution in with my eye cream to hopefully get the same results!

As for its claims regards uneven skintone, I think it’s a bit early to determine its effectiveness. Nonetheless, I have seen some fading of a post-spot mark on my right cheek which I have had for ages which is positive and it has brightened my overall complexion to some extent. It’s also worth mentioning that my skin did react mildly at first, after the initial application I did have few little red bumps on my face but my skin soon got used to it and it’s no longer a problem.

I’m looking forward to continuing to use this and hope to a full review on this soon, but for now it’s so far so good!

                                                                                                                                                                 
Palmer’s Skin Therapy Oil

If you follow me on Instagram (@shradhas_skincare) you will see this appear a lot on my page. The Palmers Skin Therapy Oil is aimed at improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks, dry & damaged skin and uneven skin tone.

 

I primarily bought this oil to use on my body as extra nourishment for the winter months. I soon realised it left my skin feeling super soft and supple without any greasiness which I loved. I also noticed that it helped with my stretch marks slightly and other areas on uneven skintone on my body, well as much as a topical product can do anyway!

Unfortunately, in the past I have used Bio Oil on my face (big mistake) and I was left looking greasier then a deep fat fryer and it always caused me to have spots too. But as this oil felt so different, I decided to mix a little with my moisturiser for dewy skin during the day and on its own as an hydrating treatment before bed…I think I use it pretty much every day and my skin adores it.

It is light-weight ‘dry’ oil and has a slight golden colour with the classic Palmer’s cocoa butter scent. It rubs easily into the skin and takes little time to fully absorb. It makes a great facial oil as it contains some beneficial ingredients such as vitamin E , cocoa butter and rosehip, sesame and canola oils, ingredients which are found in many other premium facial oils.

For £7.49 (currently on offer at Boots) for 150ml is a great value for money, multipurpose oil which I would highly recommend for all skin types.

 

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil

As you can probably tell, I am loving oils at the moment! I am a big fan of cleansing with oil, it’s a great way of efficiently but gently cleansing the skin. The Body Shop’s Camomile Cleansing Oil has remained a firm favourite of mine for a long time, it has quite the cult following as it works beautifully at removing make up and is affordable too (compared with high end cleansing oils!). It’s also ideal for those with sensitive skin types.

 

The product comes in a 200ml pump bottle and is a colourless light oil. It doesn’t a heavily perfumed scent, it has a subtle chamomile and floral smell to it which I don’t mind. I tend to use it in the evening as my first cleanse to remove my makeup. You don’t need to use a lot, a little goes a long way. I simply rub the oil onto my dry face and massage it in, focusing around my eyes to remove any stubborn eye makeup… I always end up looking like a panda! It does a good job of removing eye makeup, it does require some gentle rubbing for the oil to get to work on breaking down the makeup.  As soon as you add water it creates a milky emulsion which I  thoroughly rinse off.  It leaves my skin feeling very clean with no residue, some reviews have said it does leave a slight residue but I think this depends on how well you take it off. If you want your skin to be extra clean, you could always use a hot flannel to remove the product too. I always do a second cleanse after using this product as it creates the perfect base to use a cleanser more targeted towards specific skin concerns.

I think this cleansing oil is perfect for the colder months as it doesn’t leave my skin dry, tight  or irritated after use, it has just the right amount of nourishing ingredients to keep my skin feeling clean but well balanced. If you are new to oil cleansers, I would definitely give this a try. The Body Shop has 40% off deals on a regular basis so you can pick this up for around £7 (normally £11).

I hope you have enjoyed this post, please feel free to leave your comments below as always!

Xoxo

Review on the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Foaming Cleansing Wash

I’ve been using the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Foaming Cleansing Wash nearly every morning for about 3 months (and there is still a tiny bit left!) so I thought it was time for a review! J. I was using the moringa cleansing balm before this (I have a review on this too!) and whilst I really enjoy using it, it is definitely something to use in the evening when you have that extra time to fully benefit from its amazing formula. At the time it was 25% off at Debenhams and I had a gift voucher too and as loved the cleansing balm, I thought I would give it a try to use as a quick and simple morning cleanser.

The cleanser claims to have the following benefits;

‘Essential oils of Rose, Neroli, Jasmine and Orange help to balance the skin.

A blend of Moringa extracts and Pumpkin fruit enzymes ensure the skin is left thoroughly cleansed, refreshed and lightly exfoliated, revealing smoother, brighter, younger looking skin

A gentle yet effective daily cleanser which brightens, softens and conditions the skin whilst essential oils of Neroli, Bergamot, Sweet Orange and Madarin help to uplift and energise the senses’

The product comes in a 150ml pump bottle and (as the name suggests) has a foam consistency when applied to the skin. It has a lovely light floral scent which is very similar to the moringa cleansing balm and it’s a pleasure to use every morning. I always apply the cleanser to a dry face, as is my rule with all cleansers…products don’t fully get to the skin if it is wet. I massage the light foam onto my skin for about a minute to really absorb the active ingredients. I then simply wash it with water and I only do this because it rinses away easily leaving behind no residue at all. I would highly recommend it for a morning cleanse as I don’t think it would remove makeup effectively enough.

Some mornings, I add a small amount of the ‘Indeed Labs facial powdered exfoliator’ into the cleanser for more of a ‘physical’ exfoliation and this works very nicely, I can’t use the powdered exfoliator on it on as it way too harsh for my skin and I always end up with angry red bumps L! Also, some evenings I mix my cleansing balm with some of the foaming cleanser (as a consultant at Emma Hardie kindly told me on my Instagram page) as the pumpkin enzymes add a mild exfoliation to the balm, which I then remove with a hot flannel.

Now this foaming wash doesn’t get half as much attention (and lack of reviews too!)  as the cleansing balm and I honestly think it its underrated. Having used the cleanser daily for a while now, I have found it does a great job of purifying and also nourishing the skin. I know lots of people have experienced foaming cleaners to be very drying, however, this doesn’t not leave my combination skin tight or stripped of its natural oils. I definitely agree with the claim that it is gentle whilst still being effective and the addition of the essential oils in the formula really maintain hydration and plumpness in my skin. It has gone some way to brighten my skin but I wouldn’t say this is its biggest plus point.. and as for the younger looking skin, I don’t think that any cleanser can make that much difference! All in all, my skin has been left smooth, nicely balanced and generally feeling very happy. It’s a product I can rely on and the days where I am having issues with my skin, it will just do the job without making anything worse.

To sum it up, I think it makes for an ideal and quick morning cleanser, suitable for most skin types and I would recommend it if you have been put off by drying foaming cleansers in the past. Just one point on the price, I believe it retails for £34. It may seem on slightly on the expensive side but it has lasted me ages! It’s definitely worth checking out if it is on offer and it may well be with Christmas only just around the corner! J

Have you tried this cleanser? I would love to hear you thoughts, comments and suggestions!

Xoxo