Hot Cloth Cleanser

August 2016 Product Empties

- Vicki 2 Comments
August Product Empties 2016

August Product Empties 2016

Lacura Thermal Spring Shower Gel*

Aldi certainly know how to do affordable skincare well! This Thermal Spa Range is nourishing, lightweight and purse friendly. The range includes an eye cream, moisturiser and shower gel and is infused with natural thermal water to soothe and moisturise the skin. I will be repurchasing this next time I am in Aldi & highly recommend checking out the eye cream too.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

This is one of the most gentle cleansers I have used and Its easy to see what it is such a cult favourite with almost every beauty editor & beauty blogger. It removes makeup with ease without leaving your skin feeling dry and the hot cloth helps dislodge dead skin to keep it looking radiant. Its a ritual I look forward too in the evening and the distinctive botanical scent is also calming. This creamy cleanser contains these skin loving ingredients, Eucalyptus Essential Oil, Cocoa Butter, Rosemary Essential Oil/Extract and Chamomile Essential Oil/Extract so very gentle, soothing and antioxidant rich.

CoLab Dry Shampoo in Rio

Yes, this is AS good as everyone says. Its has been developed by blogger Ruth Criley and it is the best dry shampoo I have used, I have tried so many brands. I have the Rio version which smells amazing, it has tropical notes of papaya, pineapple & a heart of cassis. It just does exactly what you need a dry shampoo to do, it absorbs oil without weighing hair down or leaving behind a powdery residue. It has helped me out of many a bad hair day situation and if you are able to get it when its on offer in Superdrug make sure you stock up! You won’t want to try any other dry shampoos after this one.

LUSH Rose Jam Shower Gel 

I’m not sure how this LUSH offering evaded me for so long, this was my very first time trying this and I can say that I am now very much addicted to the scent of this, Rose Jam who knew it could smell so good?! Its quite a thick consistency and it feels incredible and luxurious on the skin, its hydrating and leaves your skin very soft. I need to stock up on this so I never ever run out.

NUXE Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm

I have had this pot for a couple of years and I have found myself reaching for it less and less. For me its more of a Winter product as its quite thick and feels heavy on this lips much like a lip treatment. It comes in a pot which over time does become quite grubby and with it being a couple of years old I though it was time to say goodbye to it. I wouldn’t repurchase this and if I had to recommend a good lip balm it would be the Dr Paw Paw Ointment – its is amazing if you suffer from dry lips.

Shea Moisture Superfruit Complex Shampoo*

I was introduced to this brand earlier in the year and have been really impressed with this range. I ran out of the shampoo before the conditioner because after a few uses I realised how hydrating this SuperFruit range was and if I used too much product it weighted my hair down. So I use the conditioner every other wash and that works really well for me. This range contains some really great ingredients including,

  • Superfruit–a blend of red raspberry, ketones, goji, acai and guava extracts rich in anti-aging antioxidants
  • Marula oil–contains natural plant peptides that help support hair’s elasticity
  • Biotin–nourishes individual strands for thicker, stronger hair
  • Shea butter–deeply moisturises while conditioning hair and scalp

It leaves my hair feeling glossy, less frizzy, hydrated and more manageable. The fact that it doesn’t lather up took little getting used to but my hair feels a lot healthier for using it and SheaMoisture is a brand I highly recommend checking out. Their haircare range is available in Boots and they have an extensive selection for most hair types.

I would repurchase all of the products in this post apart from the NUXE Lip Balm. Let me know if you have tried any of them and if you would repurchase them too.

*PRSample

Current Favourite Cleansers

- Vicki 5 Comments
Four Favourite Cleansers

Four Favourite Cleansers

Clinique Take The Day of Cleansing Balm

I have two balms to talk about in this post & the Clinique one is the first balm cleanser I have ever tried. It has been a love story ever since. This is such a lovely product to take your makeup off with because its so gentle on the skin. I take a 10p sized amount and really massage that into my skin to breakdown the makeup and help loosen all the grime from the day. The balm starts off in a solid form, once you start massaging it in to the skin it turns in to a fluid oil.  I use a warm cloth to remove the product and all my makeup and grime. My skin is left soft and clean, Its a HG product for me.

Pixi Nourishing Cleansing Balm*

This is another fantastic balm to oil cleanser, you need a little less product and I find if you use too much of the Pixi one its a lot harder to remove the oily residue. If you use just the right amount this is a really nice nourishing cleanser that removes your makeup with very little effort. With these balm cleansers make sure you take the time to massage them in to your skin, I spend a good couple of minutes doing this. This balm contains sweet almond oil, shea butter and vitamin E, so as well as removing makeup & impurities this leaves your skin silky soft, hydrated and soothed. I really couldn’t pick a favourite out of the two but I think the Clinique one is slightly less greasy on the skin but the Pixi one is better if you wear heavy eye makeup.

Makeup Cleansers

Korres 3 in 1 Cleansing Emulsion

This says to use a cotton pad to rub this on to your skin, I like to use my hands and massage the soothing, cooling milky formula on to my skin. I do wash this off and its really good for the days when my skin is irritated or feeling especially dry, the soothing formula helps calm and hydrate. I wouldn’t repurchase this as Its not great at removing makeup, I would only use this in the morning or on days I don’t have makeup on. I much prefer my trusty Liz Earl Clean & Polish.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Grapefruit & Patchouli

I always have a bottle of the original C&P on the go, this is a cleanser that never lets me down. I haven’t used any of their limited edition scents and I’m kicking myself for not getting one sooner. This Grapefruit & Patchouli version smells so fresh, fruity and uplifting, I love to use this in the morning. Cleanse and Polish is a cream cleanser that you apply to dry skin and take off with a warm cloth, its great at removing makeup but I like to use it in the morning because the scent is just perfect to wake me up.

Cleansing Balms

What cleansers are you using in your routine?

REN Rosa Centifolia Hot Cloth Cleanser

- Vicki 8 Comments
REN Hot Cloth Cleanser

I think we are all familiar with the Hot Cloth Cleanser by now, massage on to dry skin & wipe away using a damp warm face cloth. They’ve become very popular in the beauty world and I for one really like using a Hot Cloth Cleanser in the evening, I find them to be relaxing and a great way to remove makeup and wipe away all the grime & dirt from the day. So I was excited to use the REN Rosa Centifolia Hot Cloth Cleanser* which comes with a lovely 100% Cotton face cloth (perfect).

This Hot Cloth Cleanser is a rich two-phase cleanser that purifies, decongests gently exfoliates and removes all make-up. It leaves skin refreshed, radiant, smoothed and replenished without dryness or tightness. The cleanser itself is very creamy and light in texture, I massage it into my skin for a couple of minutes so it can start to break down my makeup and the dead skin cells. I also make sure to take it all across my eyes to loosen my eye makeup. This doesn’t irritate my eyes at all, in fact, this is a very gentle cleanser so don’t be afraid to use it all over your face. It’s gentle enough to be used on all skin types, this has a very mild rose scent but it’s so subtle you hardly know it’s there. 

HC Cleanser

This does a really good job at removing my makeup and leaving my skin feeling clean and smooth, it’s not stripping so you won’t experience that tight drying feeling (that I hate). I had never heard of Vitamin P but this cleanser contains it & a few more nourishing ingredients that help revive, soothe and decongest your skin. Let me know if you’ve heard of Vitamin P. The main bio extracts in this cleanser are

  • Vitamin P from Rosa Centifolia protects the capillary venous system to decongest and soothe
  • Triglycerides from Cocoa Seed Butter improve the skin barrier functions against moisture loss
  • Rosa Damascena from Damask Rose Petals relieves and soothes skin

Since using this my complexion has been looking bright and the redness around my cheeks is reduced, I think because this has such a hydrating and soothing milky texture my skin isn’t getting dried out or irritated, you don’t need to be abrasive when washing it off. Just polish away the product using the cotton face cloth and then splash a little cold water on your face once it’s clean to close your pores.

The packaging of this is really handy too, it comes with a pump which is great for dispensing just the right amount of product (also very hygienic), you can also see how much product you have left as you’re able to see the cleanser through the clear packaging. So no panic when you come to use it & there is none left, you will get plenty of warning. If you like using a Hot Cloth Cleanser then I think you should give this one a go, you will be left with a healthy complexion and skin that’s clean, hydrated and decongested. It gets two thumbs up from me.

This contains no parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, synthetic colours or scents.

REN Rosa Centifolia Hot Cloth Cleanser £16 for 150ml

REN Skincare

I have also been testing out a few samples of the REN V-Cense Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial*, as I only have a couple of sachets to test out I can’t tell you how this performs long term but I had enough for three uses & I’m already excited for this to go on sale so I can get the full size.

The way this works is you apply the light green coloured gel to your face & neck then massage a small amount of warm water to activate the Vitamin C and let it get to work brightening your complexion. You leave the product on your skin for 1 minute then you rinse with warm water and that’s when the tiny exfoliating beads get to work by buffing and removing dead skin and help fight the signs of fatigue, boost skins radiance levels and reduce imperfections.

REN say – ‘Discover a high-performance complexion boost that lasts 72 hours with the V-Cense Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial! A transformative gel-rinse that instantly revitalises and visibly rejuvenates the skin. Formulated with water activated Vitamin C, it neutralises ‘urban grey’ in a flash, removes blackheads and dead skin cells to reveal a firm, toned and smooth complexion.’ 

It’s like a facial and a face mask in one and it only takes you one minute – perfect if you’re pushed for time. This has a lovely quite sweet chocolate orange scent with a hint of peppermint (how yummy does that sound). I have used the sachets I was given to try and I loved how instantly smooth and bright my skin looked & that’s after 1 minute. So I imagine after a more long-term use your complexion will look less dull and start to have that healthy glow we all long for. I liked using this in the morning so my skin looked healthy and fresh for the day ahead.

REN Skincare

I think this is going to be a popular addition to the REN range, I mean who doesn’t want quick, no fuss skincare that gives results in just one minute. This V-Cense 1 minute facial isn’t released until later this year, so this is a heads up, I will be treating myself to a bottle & getting onboard with the 1-minute facial.  I don’t know the exact release date of this but it will be £30 for 75ml.

Let me know what your favourite REN product is & if you like the sound of a 1-minute facial.

Products that are marked with a * 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.

February 2014 Empties

- Vicki 12 Comments

Feb Empties

& Other Stories Fig Friction Body Lotion – I am a big Fig fan, I adore the scent and this body lotion was so nice to use. The pump made it easy to get out and it was a rich formula that left my skin soft and smelling so good. I will be buying another one when I’m in London

N07 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser – I already have another one on the go, this is a wonderful cleanser and it works well for my combination skin. It removes my makeup with ease and leaves my skin feeling clean and soft. This 200ml tube lasts me over 2 months. These are a bargain if you have one of the infamous No7 vouchers. That’s when I stock up.

Kiehl’s Centella Skin Calming Facial Cleanser – I use this when I have blemishes or if my skin is feeling sensitive. I suffer from redness on my cheeks and this helps to calm my skin. It lasted me for 8 months and that was using it at least twice a week. It is a great gentle cleanser.

The Body Shop Camomile Waterproof Eye & Lip Makeup Remover – I was expecting this to be wonderful and I wasn’t that bowled over by it. I went through the bottle very quickly and think there’re better eye makeup removers out there.

Nicara Luxury Hand Wash* – This was a very hydrating hand wash, if you suffer from dry or sensitive hands then I highly recommend this. It comes in a glass bottle which feels quite luxurious although frightens me a little with it being handled whilst my hands are wet. I did like the product and would use it again.

Feb Empties

Bath & Body Works Vanilla Cupcake Hand Sanitizer – I just love these, they’re really fun & sweet to have in your handbag and they smell incredible. I have quite a few backups.

Murad Essential C Cleanser – This cleanser has a gel like consistency and I enjoyed using it in the morning as it left my skin looking bright & plump. Its great at keeping skin healthy and looking its best. I will be buying the full size. This was in a Murad set I bought from TK Maxx

Murad Clarifying Cleanser – This is another Murad Cleanser I really like. This isn’t for everyday use, more of a treatment. I use it once a week to help control my excess oil and keep my blemishes at bay. Its good at helping reduce the scars left by old blemishes.

Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm* – This is a HG cleanser. If you read my blog on a regular basis then you know how much I rave about this cleanser. All I have to say is this costs only £14.50 and you will love it. Its gentle but effective at removing makeup, it leaves no greasy residue and it will keep your skin looking bright and glowing. You must try it. I have already repurchased this & will never be without it.

NEOM Moroccan Blush Rose Organic Hand Cream – This is a lovely floral scented hand cream that is perfect for Spring. It will keep your hands moisturised and the scent it quite grown up. Perfect for your handbag

I’m hoping to move house soon, so I’m trying my best to use up products before opening new ones. I am starting to make progress at reducing the copious amount of products I have on the go.