brightening skincare

Beauty Bay Skincare

- Vicki Leave a comment

I had no idea that Beauty Bay had their own skincare line, so I bought a few things to try out. It is very affordable and although the packaging is quite basic and no frills, the products themselves are very good. It reminds me of brands like The Ordinary with their focus on delivering great products but not wasting money on overpriced packaging, and I like that! Simple packaging but good quality products.

I bought two of their serums, I am always looking for products that help brighten or hydrate skin, so these two were perfect for me to try. They are different consistencies, the brightening serum is a little thicker and has a cloudy appearance to the liquid, whilst the hydrating serum is thinner and is clear in texture. Both serums feel lovely on the skin and wear well under the rest of my skincare.

The Hydrating Serum contains, Hyaluronic Acid and Glycogen (skin hero ingredients) which draws and retains moisture into the skin, minimising the appearance of fine lines and a tight, dehydrated complexion. Giving you that fresh, plump, healthy look. This serum, supports a stronger skin barrier, helping to protect against environmental aggressors. I love products with Hyaluronic Acid in, especially in the colder, dryer months it just gives your skin that extra boost to look really hydrated and my makeup looks so much smoother after I use a product like this.

The Brightening Serum is equally good, I have been using the hydrating serum in the morning and the brightening serum in my evening skincare routine and that is really working well for me. The brightening serum with vitamin C which is an antioxidant that promotes collagen production, that helps to support healthy skin, whilst a brightening peptide works to increase luminosity by boosting skin cell turnover and targeting dullness. So with consistent use, this serum helps brighten, diminish pigmentation and even out skin tone.

This serum has been a welcomed addition to my skincare routine and I like that it leaves my skin feeling smooth and non-tacky and that the product is so affordable, as it all the beauty bay own brand products.

Now on to maybe my favourite of the three products, the Beauty Bay Chamomile and Oat Lipid Cleansing Balm which is a lovely classic balm to oil cleanser that makes light work of removing makeup and the dirt from the day. It has become an absolute staple in my routine, it makes a very good first cleanse as it melts away stubborn makeup. It is effective on makeup but still gentle, no need to rub or scrub just massage into your skin and the product will easily break down your makeup and leave your skin feeling so smooth and soft.

This balm boasts a formula made up of 86% naturally derived ingredients which include, Oat Lipids which are rich in ceramides, which are essential for maintaining the skin’s barrier and retaining moisture. They help to replenish the skin, leaving it nourished and smooth, whilst gently removing impurities and makeup without stripping the skin. It also contains, Chamomile which is well known for its anti-inflammatory and calming properties, making it ideal for soothing irritated or inflamed skin.

Do not let the minimal and no frills packaging put you off trying beauty bay skincare, because the products themselves really are very good. Beauty Bay make it easy to find the right product for you, as they break their products down by skin concern, as use very easy language so you do not get overwhelmed or confused. The quality of ingredients and the focus on affordability is where these products shine, I highly recommend checking them out & adding some products to your routine, specific to your skincare needs.

These products are both vegan and cruelty-free and the packaging is easily recyclable.

Beauty Bay has a great selection of own brand skincare on their website.

 

Tropic Skincare Facial Serums

- Vicki 2 Comments
Tropic Glow Berry Brightening Serum

Tropic Skincare Serums

*Gifted. Tropic Skincare seems to be one of the best kept secrets in the beauty world, they’re a cruelty-free all natural, British beauty brand that produce products of incredible quality and that actually give effective results. I have tried a few of their skincare, body care and makeup releases, and they always exceed expectations. I find myself recommending them to friends and family of all ages, it is skincare that you can really rely on.

So I have been trying out two of their serums, Glow Berry & Rainforest Dew. They’ve been helping hydrate and give my skin back it’s natural healthy glow.

Tropic Skincare Glow Berry Brightening Serum*

I’d say my number one skin concern is dull skin, not all year round, but certainly over the darker, colder months. So having this brightening serum in my skincare routine these past few weeks has been wonderful for combating dark spots, uneven skin tone and giving my skin back its natural glow. This serum has a very fluid consistency, I apply it as part of my evening skincare routine and I keep it in the fridge as instructed by tropic as it keeps the active ingredients at their best.

Vitamin C – Which we all know is a fantastic ingredient in brightening skincare, it helps with pigmentation, boosts collagen production, protects against free radical damage and helps give your skin a natural radiant glow.

Kangaroo Paw Flower Extract – This plant is endemic to Australia and is incredible at nourishing the skin, tightens and firms skin (which helps to minimise your fine lines) as well as targets the visible signs of ageing. So your skin will look and feel smooth and lifted.

Super berries – A powerful blend of antioxidant-rich strawberry, muntries, riberry (endemic to Australia) and Tasmanian pepperberry extracts give complexions a boost of radiance, help reduce hyperpigmentation and UV related sun damage. Boosting your skin’s radiance and healthy glow.

Tropic Rainforest Dew Hydrating Serum

This is a really lovely nourishing, hydrating and soothing serum, I have found applying this as part of my morning skincare routine works well for me. It helps my skin retain moisture so it stays hydrated and soft throughout the day. I love the dewy effect it gives, it is great under makeup and the dewiness makes my makeup sit so well and look healthy all day long.  Again it is very lightweight, similar in consistency to the Berry Glow serum, 3 drops are usually enough for my face. As with all Tropic products, it is packed full of incredible natural skin loving ingredients,

Plant Peptides – encourage cell renewal, encourage collagen production and improve skin’s elasticity and plumpness.

Evergreen Fern Extract – This is a soothing ingredient, great for calming and reducing redness.

Hyaluronic Acid – This has become such a popular ingredient in skincare over the past few years, it helps skin retain moisture which keeps it plump, hydrated and replenishes tired looking skin.

Matcha Tea Extract -Wonderful at protecting and reducing the effects of free radicals on your skin. As well as being soothing and anti-inflammatory, so this combined with the evergreen fern extract really help calm and sooth.

So if your skin is in need of a serious moisture boost, especially over the Winter months, then I highly recommend this Rainforest Dew Serum.

Tropic Glow Berry Brightening Serum

If you’re looking to include or add a new serum to your skincare routine, these two options are pretty amazing. Glow Berry is ideal if you want to target more dull, fatigued skin and even out skin tone, and the Rainforest Dew is for anyone that is suffering with dry skin or just loves that fresh, glowing look.

*Products in this post were gifted as PR samples, but the review is 100% my own

Monu Skincare

- Vicki Leave a comment
Monu Skincare

Monu Skincare

MONU Moisture Rich Hydrating Mask* £22.50

This is one of those masks which doesn’t set which I do like because they don’t go tight on the skin which can often feel quite drying. This has a thick cream texture and it feels very cool on the skin, I apply a generous layer with a makeup brush and leave it on my skin for at least 15 minutes. I remove it using a warm damp cloth & it leaves my skin looking refreshed and bright. This is a very good mask for the colder months because it contains geranium essential oil which is great at calming the skin and I get very red skin in the colder months so this will help a lot.

MONU Instant Radiance Brightening Boost* £22.50

I have used this product before and liked it. I thought it helped brighten my complexion it is aimed at more Mature Skin or those that have Sun Damage but I think it can be used by people of all ages and It’s an ideal product for people with dull complexion as it leaves your skin instantly smooth and looking radiant. It gives your skin a good boost of Vitamin C to help keep it looking radiant and evens out your skin tone. I also think this wears well under my makeup and helps my skin look radiant all day long. Its nice and lightweight but quite hydrating too. I have enjoyed having this back in my skincare routine.

MONU Hand and Nail Cream* £11.95

This is a very rich formula and I found it a little too thick, it might be better if you like your hand cream to feel more like a treatment or if you used it overnight so you wake up with very soft smooth hands. I like to put my hand cream on throughout the day and this was a little too heavy on my hands. I wasn’t too fond of the scent either, the scent is Lemongrass and Lavender so it is relaxing but I thought it was a little too intense. I did pass this on to my Mum who said she likes it, so every cloud!

MONU Line Smoothing Skin Perfector* £22.50

Oh I really really like this product, it says it is a cream but it feels more like a serum. I like that it feels so lightweight and gives your skin an instant smooth velvety soft appearance. It promises to tackle imperfections to enhance your skins natural appearance, I think it does a great job at making your skin look healthy and glowing. It has soft focus technology and it blurs / smooths imperfections and reflects the light making your skin look wide awake and fresh. I don’t always like my skincare to have a scent but this smells like a luxury spa and that would be the Bergamot and Neroli essential oils, two of my favourite scents.

MONU Active Collagen Eye Patches* £26.95

These baffled me at first I’m used to these having the product already on & they adhere to your skin but these were dry & I was like ‘what am I meant to do with these’ but I figured out that you have to dampen them and pop them under your eyes. I got there in the end. I love using eye patches / masks and find them a really effective way of reviving tired eyes and these Monu ones were very good at plumping that area & giving it an instant boost of hydration. I suffer from very dehydrated skin under my eyes and I love having using eye masks a couple of times a week to help keep the skin looking revitalised and smooth. These are individually packaged so you can through a pack in your makeup bag when you fly and they stop you getting off the plane looking like you haven’t slept for a week!

Monu Skin Types Chart & Colour Coding

I think the Skin Perfector along with the Active Collagen Eye Patches are my favourite products from the line up! I was also surprised to see just how extensive the MONU skincare range is they have so many products to suit every skin type. I also like that they have a simple colour coded system so you can see what products / ranges are most suitable for you by the colour.

Let me know if you have tried any MONU products & what you loved and would recommend.

MONU products contain no damaging chemicals, artificial perfumes or synthetic colours and they are 100% cruelty free.

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.

Estée Lauder Even Skintone Illuminator

- Vicki 1 Comment
Estée Lauder Idealist Range

Recently there has been a new serum in my routine & I’ve been quietly declaring my love for it. I thought it was about time I shared it with you. I have been using the Estée Lauder Even Skintone Illuminator* from the Idealist range, this range targets dull, uneven skintones and focuses on giving the skin a fresh illuminating glow whilst evening out pigmentation, redness and smoothing pores. Just what my skin needs, especially with Spring just around the corner.

Estée Lauder Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator

In a nutshell – This serum features exclusive CorrecTone Technology, a comprehensive triple-action complex compromised of highly effective, anti-spot ingredients, powerful antioxidants and soothing anti-irritants to address the signs of an uneven skintone.

This is an oil free serum and has an illuminating pearlescent colour which gives the skin a lovely fresh glow and it does have a slight citrus scent too but noting overpowering and once the serum has been absorbed the scent fades. The serum feels very lightweight and is quickly absorbed without leaving the skin feeling tacky or greasy. You apply this on to clean skin and then follow with the rest of your skincare regime (SPF, moisturiser). I don’t find this serum to be particularly hydrating but it leaves my skin feeling smooth, soft and noticably brighter.

Estée Lauder Idealist Range

I have quite a few old dark acne scars, redness around my nose and quite a few areas where the pigmentation in uneven. This serum not only helps cover them and has an instant brightening effect but also over a period of time help reduce them. I’ve been using this serum for a little over 5 weeks now & have noticed these areas looking brighter, more even and my complexion looks a lot more fresh and bright. I am excited to see if these areas continue to improve over the coming months.

I like how this sits well under my moisturiser, its a non greasy, oil free serum and once applied has a smooth velvety finish. It adds luminosity to the skin but is in no way sparkly or glittery so don’t worry you won’t look like a disco ball (no one needs that).

This Even Skintone Illuminator comes in a distinctive light blue and gold bottle which has a handy pump, its very pretty and the pump dispenses just enough product without wasting any. Unlike the ANR this is a hard robust plastic which I like a lot more. Glass packaging tends to make me nervous & it is near impossible to travel with. This packaging is much more travel friendly.

Estee Lauder Illuminating Serum Swatch

So far I’m impressed with this & would recommend it, if like me you want to brighten your complexion and address any dark spots or redness. As with most Estée Lauder skincare it is quite pricey but one pump of this gives you enough product to use on your face & I like to use it once a day in the morning & 5 weeks on I still have a lot of product left. So a little goes a long way. What I am trying to say is it is worth the price tag!

You can purchase Estee Lauder makeup from Harrods, they have quite an extensive selection. Oh & the best part is it comes beautifully packaged. Let me know if you have any Estee Lauder product suggestions, I am already a fan of the ANR range but would love to try some makeup from them too. So send your suggestions this way.

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.