Glossier Solution: Was it really worth the hype?

You may have seen my post a few weeks ago talking about cult beauty brand, Glossier.

Since my first initial gush, there has been a new product release from the brand, the Solution, £19, glossier.com, an 'exfoliating skin perfecter' that promises to transform your skin into glowing clear beauty in just 4 weeks, and the publication of this post marks 4 weeks since I started using it...

Now as I said in my previous Glossier post, I am a sucker for a hype, and I was well and truly sucked in on the 17th January 2018 when the sudden release of a new Glossier product started being plastered all over my instagram feed. A product that had some of my favourite bloggers and beauty journalists going absolutely mad for it and swearing by it's immense powers.
Not only that, but it's adorable glittery, millennial pink packaging could make even the most basic skincare lover want to post a 'shelfie' due to it's completely irresistible look. Combined with 'before and after' shots of reduced scarring, clearer glowier skin, it was impossible to avoid the social media hype around this product, and I have to admit it was a little overwhelming with everyone telling you you NEEDED something you had never heard of until that day, but the truth is, the hype bombardment worked.
Despite it containing Glycolic acid which I have had a few ups and downs with in the past (read Pixi Glow review for the downs) I was officially convinced that I needed this product.

As someone who has really struggled with my skin in adult life, I was a little desperate to get the results it promised, and I made sure I had this within a few days of it's release (it was launched just days before my birthday and I dropped very obvious hints to my boyfriend) and I could not wait to get this product all over my face.

So how does it work?

Solution is a chemical exfoliator rather than a 'scrub' exfoliator. It uses acids to slough away dead skin to encourage fresh new skin to the surface appearing brighter and softer. Here is where it gets more science-y. Solution contains a particular 10% blend of three acid actives for maximum efficacy: Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA), and Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA)

The AHA is in the form of lactic acid and Glycolic acid, the one I've had a bit of ups and downs with before. AHA's brighten the skin and improve tone and texture.

The BHA is salicylic acid, which reduces redness and reduces spots. I have recently bought this in a pure form from the Ordinary for any breakouts.

Finally, the PHA is Gluconolactone which I have never heard of before but apparently moisturises, conditions and exfoliates.



Before I dropped the big hint to my boyfriend, I got in contact with a couple of people who had been sent the product ahead of the launch to trial it, and had sworn by the results, vouched for its reputation and said yes, the product worked. I even DM'd Beauty Director of ELLE UK Sophie Beresiner (I love her and Joely Walker as the beauty team) to hear her honest thoughts before she published her review. She stood by what she said in her article, and said that she suffered with sensitive skin, but this was gentle enough and her skin had taken quite nicely to it.

With that reputable go ahead, I went for it. After receiving my Glossier solution (TY again Tom), I used it straight away.

The Glossier website says:

AFTER 24 HOURS
Glossier reviewers said "Skin felt cleaner and softer; they felt Solution working right after they applied it."

For this statement, I would agree. My skin definitely felt smoother and the redness in my spots had certainly reduced slightly. I even did a little before and after of my own on my instagram stories because I woke up to dramatically reduced redness. But after 4 weeks, was my skin REALLY going to be as clear and wonderful as everyone said it would be?

Well there were thumbs up from all the beauty gurus right?

Wrong.

A few days after the launch, and also a few days after I'd been using Solution, absolute Queen of the Acids as well as Beauty Blogging Royalty Caroline Hirons wrote her review of the Solution, and I have to admit, it really made me feel guilty about the stuff I'd been using on my face. I won't go into the full post as you can read it here, but she wrote a really black and white review about the product and went into great depth about the ingredients in the Solution and actually how damaging - in their quantities- they could be to the skin, and it made me feel really silly for not properly researching the acidic product I was using on my face.
Caroline Hirons herself used the Solution, and came out in big red, painful itchy spots on her face, and her review caused quite the stir in the beauty world, because she was the first to go against the grain and challenge this product.



At this point, the shine had really been taken off the product, and I felt like a real fool for giving in to a pretty pink bottle with a funky pump, especially as I had given into the hype knowing that some of the acids it contained didn't react too well to my skin in the first place. I am quite stubborn though, and as someone who likes to see things through to the end, I was determined to stick with the solution for the full 4 weeks so I could say I gave the product enough time to do exactly what it said.

And the results?

In all honesty, I feel like you've probably got to this point of this long old post hoping for a huge reveal, but the truth is, I am not sure if this is working for me or not.

Whilst I have had red, painful spots on my face, this is pretty common for me, especially for one of those 4 weeks (yes, I am referencing a period) so I can't say it is due to the Solution or not.

In short, Glossier says:

AFTER 1 WEEK

Reviewers said Skin looked smoother, brighter, and clearer.

AFTER 2 WEEKS

Pores looked smaller and skin looked glowy.

AFTER 3 WEEKS

Solution unclogged pores and reduced the appearance of redness; skin looked more even.

AFTER 4 WEEKS

7 out of 10 people said skin looked transformed.

3 out of 4 people said this was the solution they were looking for.

In short, for me personally, my skin has not been transformed. It's probably just as bad as it was before, with old spots calming down leaving new red marks in time for new red spots to appear. I feel as though this cycle is going to keep happening and before I find a 'solution', I need to actually the tackle the cause of my acne which could be down to stress, diet and a number of other things.

I have stopped using this for a couple of days and found my skin has calmed down and my spots have not been so red. Personally, I feel as though this product would work perfectly as a post acne treatment to help clear up the last few blemishes and keep pimples at bay, however as a direct acne target, I feel as though it just isn't it.

For me, I have always had fairly sensitive skin, and when I was really interested in researching the ingredients going into my skin, I found using natural and paraben free products worked really well for me, and is when my skin was at it's best. I am not saying the solution is good or bad, I'm just saying that maybe I need to stop being so lazy and actually research the products I am putting onto my skin before jumping on a product bandwagon. The eratic and imbalanced place my skin is as at the moment isn't the best time for me to experiment with new skincare, especially something as strong as acids.

I apologise if you have got to the end of this post looking for an affirmation on whether or not you should purchase this product, so I hope you don't feel as though you have wasted your time reading this post, however I will always review honestly and at this moment in time, I feel as though this product isn't going to help my skin get to it's full potential.

What I do hope though, is that I have left you with enough information and sources for you to research yourself and make your own decisions. I'd really love to hear of anyone else's experiences with this product and what their thoughts on it are.

If you are still unsure, another helpful blog review I found is from WhatLucyLoves and you can read that here.

To review the product with its full ingredient list, go to the Glossier website here, and please do read my review of all the other lovely Glossier products I have tried because they really are great!

I still love you Glossier!

Glossier Skincare and Makeup Review

If you are into your beauty and you haven't heard of Glossier, then you must have been living under a rock which has no access to any beauty news whatsoever. New York based company Glossier is a beauty brand made by Emily Weiss founder and CEO at online beauty publication Into The Gloss.

The biggest thing to happen to UK Glossier fans in 2017 was the news that the brand would finally be shipped to the UK and it was huge! As a bit of a sucker for a craze, I was right on board as the desirable millennial pink packaging and endless positive reviews made it very hard for me to avoid.

The products are not high street prices but still affordable, and the general mantra of the brand is 'skin first, makeup second'. The products are mainly skincare and body care based, but they have a few little makeup bits that give you the 'no make up makeup' look, with rumours of a new makeup product which was debuted on Beyonce for the 2018 Grammys.

When I think of Glossier , I think dewy, healthy, universal and minimal.

So with out further ado, here is my Glossier haul and my thoughts on each product.

As you would with your routine, I am going to be starting with basic skincare which includes the cult favourite Milky Jelly Cleanser, £15, glossier.com and Priming Moisturizer, £18, glossier.com.

I actually bought this in the Skin Essentials Starter Pack, £35, glossier.com which includes this duo as well as the Balm Dot Com, £10, glossier.com which gives you a saving of £8.

Although the milky jelly cleanser is an absolute hero product in the beauty world, this was probably the product I was most apprehensive to try. As I have drier skin, I find gel like cleansers always leave my skin feeling a little parched and give me that tight face feeling afterwards.

The smell and consistency remind me of the Ren Gel Rose cleanser I have used in the past, except Glossier have replaced one quarter of this products water content with soothing rosewater and boy, you can tell!

I remember being told that rose is good for redness due to it's soothing properties, and this cleanser is so gentle it can even be used around the eyes to remove stubborn eye makeup.

I have only been using this cleanser for a couple of weeks but I really love it and I can see why it has  it's hero product status. It removes makeup with no problems and it's oily/gel feel leaves my skin feeling nourished but not too balmy like some cleansers do.

The latter part to my skincare routine has been taken up by this moisturiser, which aims to be a build-able perfect makeup base. I can definitely vouch for the priming  aspect, as the cream sinks in and leaves the skin feeling as though it has been primed with a separate product. 

This moistuiser says it will blur imperfections and reduce redness so it leaves you needing minimal makeup to cover it up.

Whilst I haven't been confident enough to go completely makeup free, I hope with continued use it will leave me with the perfect canvas! There is a Glossier skin tint which I am yet to try which is a lightweight tinted skin product that goes on seamlessly after this moisturiser so hopefully I will give that a try next!

Finally from the skincare starter pack, is the balm dot com which has been my skin saviour this winter. This multipurpose balm can be used in just about any way you please. For me, this has been my standard lip balm which has healed sore cracked lips in a day, but the typical 'Glossier Girl' would use this on the eyelids and as a dewy highlighter to give that ultimate hydrated look.

The balm dot com comes in a number of flavours and tints, including the highly  popular 'birthday' shade which has a glittery packaging and a subtle shimmer. I went for the original as I always like to start with the basic core products when I start playing with a new brand.

Next is makeup, and again I went for the Makeup Set: Phase 2, £35, glossier.com which allows you to build your makeup kit according to you complexion. The kit contains - yes another cult icon - Boy Brow, £14, glossier.com , Stretch Concealer, £15, glossier.com and Generation G Sheer Matte Goodness, £14, glossier.com. 

Again, another product I was apprehensive to try was the stretch concealer, and this was purely down to the name of the product. I often use a concealer under my eyes to cover dark circles, but the name 'stretch' made me think it would be quite a dry formula which I'd have to drag across my skin and give me life-long wrinkles.

However this product is quite the opposite, and I'd probably go as far to say that this is my favourite Glossier product of the lot I have tried. This concealer melts into the skin and has great coverage but with no lines or any evidence that there was even product there. Whilst some concealers can dry and make the blemished area look a little worse, this is like a second skin and glides on like an oil making it one of my all time favourite concealers.

I am shade light which matches my complexion to a tee.

Next is probably my close second favourite product from Glossier, and this is Boy Brow. Again, there has been so much hype around this product and I honestly thought that there was only so much a product could do for your brows, so I bought this with the thought that this would be over-hyped.

Once again, Glossier proved me completely wrong because this brow gel does unreal things to my brows. The name couldn't be more apt, as the final result of this product is boys brows. I'm talking big, bold slightly unruly Cara Delevigne brows and I totally love the final effect.

I love to fill in my brows and then use this to brush up the hairs and add the va-va-voom. A few people have actually commented and said "wow your brows are a little wild", but I actually really love the look, and think the bolder the brow the better.

Lastly from the set, is the generation G sheer balm in the shade 'crush', and this is a vibrant pinky/ berry colour that adds an almost natural looking tint to the lips. It is really balmy and comfortable to wear and I love it for just a day to day natural but kind of made an effort look.

Laslty from my makeup collection, is Cloud Paint, £15, glossier.com, a dewy cheek colour which adds a natural touch of colour to the skin. I wen for the shade puff which may be a little too pink for my complexion, but I love using this on bare skin to warm up the face, and I also use it as a tinted lip colour. 

What I love about Glossier is that it has no rules. You can use what you want, where you want and it adds to the busy NYC cool girl chic that the brand represent.

Last but my no means least is the fragrance Glossier You, £45, glossier.com which I heard so many good things about I couldn't resist popping it in my shopping cart at the end of my *very* luxurious spree.

What drew me to the fragrance was the comparison to Molecule 01 which I have written about before, and would say is one of my favourite perfumes. Like the molecule perfume, it is meant to smell different on everyone and therefore becoming, 'You'... get the name now? Musk, Ambrox and Ambrette are the main notes, which are very similar to the molecule fragrances, but it smells more powdery and 'prettier', which is added by the pink pepper and iris root. 

It wasn't the smell I was expecting from Glossier but it is really lovely!

My only problems with this fragrance is the size, as for some reason I thought this would be a lot bigger and also it isn't hugely long lasting. I would say this lasts for about 4 hours and then is gone.

Considering they are not a fragrance brand though, this is really pretty and I am definitely a huge fan.

I have only scratched the surface with Glossier, but I am really excited to try more.

I have also recently added the Body Hero shower gel and body cream to my daily routine as well as the hugely exciting 'Solution' which recently launched, which promises to give you bare faced skin excellence in just 4 weeks! I will be testing the results of those products and be back to report so make sure you don't miss out!

Am I am Glossier babe yet?

Pixi Glow Tonic

A few years ago, when I was first getting Glossybox and Birchbox, I always remember Pixi being a brand that would pop up occasionally. Fast forward a few years now, and that mint green packaging can be seen everywhere, as it is a largely recognised brand in the beauty world.

Not only this, but one product in particular has even reached cult staple among beauty editors and bloggers, and that product is Glow Tonic.

This product is so exclusive, it can only be bought online, or in Liberty London.

As soon as I hear about anything being a cult favourite, I always jump at the opportunity to find it, because, well, it's got to be good surely?

Thankfully, working up in London, Liberty wasn't too far for me to go to get this product, so I strolled in one day and picked one up out of the large tubs they had displaying them.

For £18, this isn't the cheapest tonic on the market, but it is also not the most expensive, and with ingredients such as Aloe Vera, Ginsing, and a little glycolic acid, I knew I was investing into some ingredients that my skin really loved and thrived off.

Or so I thought.

From day 1 of using the tonic, I was getting the largest spots I've ever had in my life, all over my forehead and between my brows. I thought maybe as it's an exfoliation product, that perhoaps this was the products way of getting my skin to remove impurities? As I thought that, I proceeded to carry on using the tonic twice a day, however the spots were not reducing, and where actually getting really painful, to the point where I though I was getting a headache to find it was just the spots throbbing on my head.

I cut down using it to once a day, but still, the spots wouldn't go, until I finally gave it up to give my skin a rest. For a few weeks, the spots remained but were going down. 

Even though I am mid twenties and have never suffered from acne as a teen, I do think I have developed more problematic skin in my adult life, so I can't blame all my spots on this product, however I never usually break out on my forehead, in fact I break out everywhere else APART from my forehead, so it did seem strange to me that this product was only affecting my head.

A few weeks passed, and I saw the tonic sitting there, and I thought I would give it another try. As I said earlier, the ingredients have been ones that have really helped my skin in the past, such as Ginsing which is the main ingredient in my Origins moisturiser which I would rate as my favourite moisturiser. Aloe vera which has always helped soothe and quench my dehydrated skin and seen me through many a sunburn whilst travelling, and also Glycolic, which is in the Ren Glycolactic mask which has never irritated me before.

Perhaps I had been hormonal the first time round and that is why I broke out so bad? Maybe I didn't persevere with it long enough to see the full benefits? Maybe it was actually another product I was using in conjunction with it?

With all this going through my mind, I wiped on the tonic with real commitment. The smell is so gentle and floral, it reminded me of rose which is such a soothing ingredient, so surely this would be just as gentle? I was using only my basic skincare as my skin had become so horrendous, and I had been dabbling with new skincare so wanted to strip back to what I knew worked for me so I could find the root of the problem.

I cleansed with my trusty Caudalie cleansing milk, and was moisturing with my Green People 24 hour vit fix. Two very natural products that my skin drinks up, and nothing else.

Sure enough, the next day, I woke up to a throbbing pain on my head, and yes you guessed it, I looked in the mirror to find a huge, under the skin spot, pretty much in exactly the same place as before.

I think it is fair to say that this tonic is not for me at all. In fact, this product is the first product to actually give me a noticeably bad reaction. I am really dissapointed about it as I really wanted to love this product. Having sensitive skin, I loved the idea of a gentle exfoliater using fruity enzymes so I didn't have to use a scrub. The ingredients sounded delicious and I also think it just looks like a really luxurious product to have on your dressing table.

There are other products from Pixi that I would really like to try such as the cleansing balm, or even from the glow range the glow mud cleanser and the glow mask. 

Due to my reaction from this product though, I am a little apprehensive.

I would love to know why I had such a bad reaction to this product, as my friend who has very similar skin to myself gets on really well with this product, so she is now the owner of my barely used bottle.

Have you tried this product? If so let me know your thoughts on it, or if you know of a similar product, I'd love to try it out!

Sorry this was a long one!

If you want to read about any of the other products mentioned in this post I have left links to my reviews when you click on them.

Caudalie Vinosource Skincare

As you may know by now, I am a big fan of French brand Caudalie. In the past I have blogged about the various body care products as well as other skin care ranges, however I have noticed that the Vinosource has been popping up a lot on different social media platforms recently which I think is down to the recent repackaging of the Vinosource range which looks beautiful. I still have the old packaging unfortunately as I think the new ombre pinks for the range look so sweet and would look amazing as a collection on your beauty table.

I have written about this range before but I thought I would do a little updated version.

The Vinosource range is for dehydrated skin. Its Polyphenols are the most powerful antioxidants in the world, and the grape water is instantly hydrating. The scent is sweet and the products are light, perfect now we are coming into summer and the weather is heating up.

I have used a majority of the products from the range, excluding the moistirsing midnight recovery oil which retails at £26.00 is on my wish list!

The 'S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum' is designed to go right down to the deeper layers of skin, and to hydrate them so they're healthy and plump for when they reach the skins surface. This serum absorbs so quickly and leaves your skin feeling really soft, and a perfect, plump base for your moisturiser and makeup. The serum is only £29.00 which is amazing value for such a beautiful product.

The 'Moisturising Sorbet' which retails at  £23.00, has calming chamomile, and again, absorbs really quickly into the skin. The smell is beautiful and a little goes a long way. I love that it is called a sorbet, as it makes you think of a mouth watering exotic dessert in the summer. Saying this, the sorbet is perfect for me during the summer but I find in the winter I prefer something thicker. This is where the option of the 'Moisture Recovery Cream' from the range would do a better job, and even the 'Intense Moisture Rescue Cream' for particularly dry skin.

To really complete the collection, I have also been using the 'S.O.S Morning Eye Rescue', which is a beautifully light and cooling eye cream that hydrates the delicate skin under the eye. Again, the smell of this is lovely, and the light consistency doesn't block the pores under your eyes, and leaves you feeling refreshed and ready for your day. As it's hydrating, it also plumps the skin and reduces the look of dark circles.

If you are wanting to try a natural skincare range then my first suggestion would always be Caudalie. It is such a beautiful brand and every single product excites me.

Coco Butter Moisturiser

Hi everyone, I've been meaning to do this post for a while but still haven't got round to doing so! Anyway, whilst in the beautiful Peru, we went to a chocolate museum that taught us all about how chocolate was made. If you want to read more about that day, you can read my other blog that describes myself and my boyfriends trip away, and the Coco museum features here.

At the end of the tour, my eyes were instantly drawn to the little skin care shelf, which had many different products using the cocoa butter that is part of the chocolate making process. I took far too long deciding which one product I wanted to buy. As I'm travelling, I couldn't buy lots even though I wanted too! I tried the testers of the body lotions and lip balms, I contemplated getting the shampoo and conditioner, but in the end, I thought I couldn't go wrong with a day cream. This was only cheap as it was Peruvian prices, and the little tub is perfect travel size.

Cocoa butter, as your probably know is quite thick, so it has been perfect for the colder parts of New Zealand I've been travelling, as it gives a thicker finish meaning less damage is caused to the skin. It is really soothing, and actually absorbs really well into the skin despite its thickness. The main benefit though is the smell! Everyone in the room can tell when I put it on, as it has such a milky chocolate smell to it. This may turn some people off, but it doesn't last and isn't overpowering, but more comforting! It may not be a moisturiser I use in the day now I'm in Australia, as I'll probably want something lighter, but it's great for dry patches of skin or even as a night cream when some TLC is needed.

I love finding products that are hand made and that you can't find on the shelves of regular shops. Finding skincare in a chocolate museum was certainly the last place I expected to find my next moisturiser!

Virgin Coconut Oil

Sorry it's been a long time since a post! I've finally finished the South America leg to my trip, and have been having a nice relax in Fiji before I start another hectic trip around New Zealand.

Whilst in Fiji, I was wandering an island where I came across a local lady selling handmade necklaces and bracelets. Along with this, she was selling bottles of pure coconut oil which she had prepared herself. Obviously in Fiji, coconuts are very easy to come by so preparing the oil is very easy. 

Pure Virgin coconut oil can be fairly expensive in the UK, so when she said it was 50 Fijian dollars, which is about £16 I was tempted to buy some. When I realised I'd misheard and she was selling it for 15 Fijian dollars, I could have kissed her and bought 12. I decided one was enough though, and walked of very smug that I got it for just £5.

She explained that some oil is for cooking with and then the rest is left in the sun for 8 hours so it can be at its best, and then that's that! No chemicals or preservatives, just pure natural coconut oil.

 

The benefits of coconut oil are endless. After spilling a majority of it on the floor (which I knew I'd do) I put it in my hair and all over my body. It's great for skin that's been in the sun all day, and also for hair that's been frazzled and gone crispy  by the sea like mine has been. Leaving it in your hair can make it look greasy, so I find putting it in for 20 minutes before washing your hair will give it an intense condition, without the greasy look afterwards. I've used it as a body moisturiser which absorbs quickly, and even used some for cooking when Cooking oil hasn't been available

 I love this stuff and am so happy I picked some up! If you can get a hold of it then do because the smell is incredible, and you can use it for pretty much anything! Will check in again soon! Thank you for your patience 

Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser

This product review has no need for any introduction, as Liz Earle is probably best well known for its cult product, the hot cloth cleanser. It is so huge in the beauty world, and it sells so quickly in the place where I work, and I can guarantee you will know somebody who has used it. I was very kindly given a sample of the product so have finally taken to plunge to see what all the fuss is about.

Contrary to what I first thought, the actual cleanser itself, does not contain any exfoliant in it at all. The 'polish' component of the product, is the muslin cloth that comes with it. The cream cleanser contains rosemary, chamomile, cocoa butters and eucalyptus essential oil, which really gives the product it's strong plant-y scent. The ingrediants are all very calming and hydrating.

The product is applied to dry skin, and can be used to remove makeup, including eye makeup. The hot cloth is then rinsed out and applied to the face. By placing the hot cloth on the face, the pores open and the product really goes into the skin, helping cleanse and calm. You then buff off the product with the cloth which creates the polishing effect. The cloth is so gentle and muslin is commonly used on babies skin so it can be used daily and won't cause damage to the skin. 

I found my skin felt really soft after using this. The dryness around my nose I suffer with was noticeably improved. I became slightly spotty to start but I think it was due to the hot cloth bringing all the impurities to the surface after deeply cleaning. It is also common to see breakouts when you change your skin care as it's your skin just getting used to it!

Overall, I can really see what the hype is about. Liz Earle is a natural brand but some products DO contain parabens, but the hot cloth cleanser is not one of them. I have a lot of friends who swear by the hot cloth cleanser, and I think it has improved my skin too. The process of wetting and drying and using a cloth in the routine can be off putting for people who just like to quickly wash their face, but the extra care is a pay off!

Clinique Makeup Remover

Although they are such a huge company, I have shamefully never used any Clinique products. I have eventually jumped on the chubby stick bandwagon which I will do a review of that another time, but when I purchased my chubby stick, I was given a free gift with a few bits in.

One of them was this makeup remover, pictured above. I have always steered clear of these sorts of makeup removers after a terrible experience, burning my eyes out with some Lancome product when I was about 16. This makeup remover is absolutely amazing though, and I would recommend it to absoluetly everyone! I still use a cleanser to take of my makeup in the shower, but this is just perfect at wiping of the excess bits away afterwards.

Clinique is famous for being great for sensitive skins, as it is allergy tested and perfume free. The formula is largely made up from oil, which is great for melting away makeup. You have to shake the product to mix it altogether and it works so well.

The remover has won plenty of awards including the best eye makeup remover in 2011 from SHE magazine. For £17.00, I think this is such a bargain, as it removes lipstick also, and leaves the skin feeling comfortably smooth and clean. This is an item I will certainly be replenishing.


*since writing this post, I had to stop using the eye makeup remover due to it causing slight dry redness under my eyes. It's such a shame because I really loved how well this product worked, but I think I will have to use it occasionally rather than daily. If you do suffer from sensitive eyes, or delicate skin, I would not suggest this product. *

This Works Skin Care

A few months ago, a representative for 'This Works' came into the shop I work in to give us some product training and to give us a bit of information about the brand. As a little gift, she gave me the 'Perfect Skin Super Moisture' to say thank you for listening, and to let me have a go of the products. I was running out of cleanser at the time, so I thought I would buy their 'gentle cleanser', so I had a proper experience of the brand.

The brand was created in 2003 by Kathy Phillips, who spent seven years at Vogue as Health and Beauty Director. She saw so many brands go into the magazine but wanted to create something herself, that was modern and natural. The brand has a panel of 50 women who test each product before it comes out, and they will not launch the product until all 50 women agree, 'This Works'. As a natural brand it contains no parabens, sulphates or synthetics, and uses organic plants for their products.

The 'Clean Skin Gentle Cleanser' I bought contains Roship, vitamin A, Frankincense (an anti aging ingredient) and Eucalyptus. I really love this cleanser as it removed makeup really well, including eye makeup. It left my skin really hydrated and I could go to bed without using any moisturiser which I quite like, as I find it a bit heavy when I go to bed. For £19.00 its quite reasonably priced for a high end cleanser, and I really would recommend it due to its luxurious feel. I've had it for a few months now, and there are no signs of it running out anytime soon, although the bottle is white plastic so I can't see what is inside! I'm not great at cleaning my face every day but I enjoy doing it when I use this cleanser.

The 'Perfect Skin Super Moisture' is a daily moisturiser with a built in serum, which means it protects the skin on the outside, and further down. I personally found it a little hard to rub into the skin, and that it absorbed quite quickly before I could get it all over my face. Again, rose is quite a heavy component to the moisturiser with is evening primrose oil, but it also has vitamin C, blackcurrant, walnut and shea butter. The representative gave this product to me as she said it was perfect for my age. It's very hydrating but also has anti ageing properties. The life span on the moisturiser was not as good as the cleanser but it still lasted me a good two months of morning and night application which isn't bad for £22.50.

Both products smell quite strongly of rose which I am not usually keen on as I find it quite a dusty scent, but I have overcome the smell and just have two products I enjoy using. 

Dead Sea Spa

I have been really excited about reviewing this brand, because I absolutely love it! I will give you a little background history on the company before I review the actual products, so you can see why I love them so much.

SO... Dead Sea Spa is a family business which started in 1998, and so is still a relatively young company. It is a company based in Goudhurst in Kent which is close to where I live, so think that could contribute as to why I have a little soft spot for it! The company also claim to be a friendly company which I can vouch for, as the representatives I have dealt with, have always been so funny and lovely, and have a real passion for the products. Dead Sea Spa products are fantastic for problematic skin such as eczema and psoriasis, as well as being a real luxury.

As you may or may not know, the dead sea lies between Israel and Jordan and is 8.6 saltier than the ocean. It attracts tourists from all over the world due to its effects on skin, as you can lie on the water as it is so dense from the salt concentration. Not only that, it is 423 meteres below sea and is therefore the lowest elevation on earth, which is why it contains all the amazing minerals that they put in their products. The Dead Sea Spa believe that the quickest way to put minerals into the body is by doing so through your skin. All the ingredients are natural so by feeding your skin these minerals, you are also helping yourself on the inside. Now the science-y bit is over, I will now tell you my top 3 dead sea spa products!

Number 3 - Cleansing wash/ soap

The cleansers are a easy to use solution for cleansing. I have also given this to my boyfriend to use, and his skin has become visibly clearer and his pores tightened. It is perfect for blackheads and other spot problems, and it is also good to note that it is a unisex brand! It smells really clean and fresh rather than flowery, and leaves skin feeling clean and revitalised! Personally, my skin feels slightly tight after use but it is nothing that my number 1 product can't help.

Number 2 - Salt Brushing

Once you have used this salt brushing, you will never use another body exfoliator. Applied to dry skin, the salt rubs away dead skin and leaves an oily layer that makes you skin feel amazing! It is like you have brand new skin. Again, the smell is fresh and spa like, and feels like a real luxury product. I should note for health and safety though, that as it is an oily product you should be careful when getting out the bath or shower, as it can be a bit slippery! Also not good to use before fake tanning as it is oil based, but otherwise, perfect!

Number 1  - Rich Moisturiser

This moisturiser is my savior. I suffer from slight eczema and a real dryness around my nose in winter, and have real trouble finding products that aren't too thick, but give me optimum moisture. Within a week of using this moisturiser, it had completely cleared up, and I haven't bought another moisturiser since. It is a fresh smelling moisturiser which also doubles up as a great makeup base as well. It absorbs really quickly and leaves your skin with a smooth primer finish. I would recommend this to everyone, and it is also only around £7.00 so really affordable!

The brand has won tons of awards and celebrities like Caprice and Victoria Beckham have praised the products! Not only are these products fantastic, they are so unbelievably affordable! You will have trouble finding something in their brand for more than £30.00. They have a solution for every skin type, and also have a hair care range as well. I will be reviewing more products from this range at a later date! If you like the sound of Dead Sea Spa, or want to have a look into some of their spas, then here is their website

http://www.findershealth.com/

*I was given these products to test by the company, as I was fully trained on their brand and products.