Pixi Glow Tonic

Pixi by Petra Skincare

- Vicki 4 Comments

Pixi Skincare Treats

I have used Pixi products for almost a decade and have watched them go from strength to strength. They’re a brand that always deliver not only wonderful makeup but their skincare is just as good. I am excited that Pixi is becoming easier to get hold of, gone are the days of having to call their London store for mail order (who remembers having to doing that?) You can now get hold of Pixi on HQ Hair and they carry a really good selection.

Pixi Glow Tonic*

This is such a cult product and was one of the first affordable, effective acid exfoliating toners. I have tried this and repurchased it on many an occasion. Glow Tonic is a toner which is so good for your complexion because it contains these great ingredients

  • 5% Glycolic Acid – Accelerates skin renewal and helps remove dulling skin dead
  • Aloe & Ginseng – Soothes skin
  • Witch Hazel – Will help firm and tone
  • Horse Chestnut – Boots blood flow for that radiant complexion

So this toner will remove dead skin leaving your complexion looking fresh and radiant whilst also soothing, firming and toning. This is quite the toner power house, I have already said how much I like this product in a few previous posts and I still feel the same. I usually use this in the evening and I think its also very good at helping to reduce scars and even out skin tone. This is a bargain and a bottle lasts me ages. Oh and if you’re worried about it being abrasive I’ve never had irritation after using it.

Pixi Glow Tonic and Cleansing Balm

Pixi Nourishing Cleansing Balm*

This is a luxurious feeling balm to oil cleanser and this type of balm cleanser has become really popular over the past couple of years. This is a gentle but effective way of removing your makeup and the grime that builds up on our skin throughout the day, it even removes stubborn eye makeup. You honestly need the tinniest amount of this, i’d say a 10p sized amount is perfect, make sure you take time to work this into your skin and really let the lovely ingredients work their magic,

  • Sweet Almond Oil – gently helps breakdown dirt and makeup and impurities so they don’t clog pores and cause skin to become dull.
  • Shea Butter – leaves skin soft, hydrated and feeling supple
  • Vitamin E – protects skin from environmental aggressors and helps reduce inflammation

You will need to remove this with a hot cloth, or the oil will leave a residue on your face. I love using a hot cloth cleanser, it means I remove all my makeup and my skin feels like I have had a mini facial. This Pixi Cleansing Balm really is nourishing on the skin and its great to see brands brining out such high quality skincare for affordable prices!

I have used the Glow Tonic for a few years now and think its a great product but if you made me pick my favourite I would recommend the Nourishing Cleansing Balm – there is nothing quite like removing your makeup and your skin feeling so clean and soft and this product was a complete pleasure to use. I Highly recommend adding it to your daily routine and a tub will last you months!

*PR Sample

March Empties 2014 Pt2

- Vicki 15 Comments

Empties

Soap & Glory Foam Call Body Wash 500ml for £6.50 – these big bottles last for ages! I really liked using this and will be getting another one. I used it in the bath as I found it great for shaving my legs, very moisturising and is lathers up well too. We all know how sweet and lovely S&G products smell so I won’t go on about that but this was really nice to use & lasted me months.

balance Me Super Toning Body Wash 100ml for £9.00 – I really like this for in the shower as its more luxurious and leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated. I have been through a couple of these and would repurchase it over and over again. Its a perfect uplifting morning shower gel

Merumaya Luxury Face Wash* 100ml for £14.50 – Another wonderful product from Merumaya, this introduced me to the double cleanse and I haven’t looked back. I used this before their Melting Cleansing Balm and it keeps my skin blemish free, clean and looking bright. I have fallen for this brand in a big way as most of you already know.

Pixi Glow Tonic 250ml for £16.00 – I was sad when this ran out as I noticed they have since changed the packaging and I really like the pump on this as you don’t waste any product. The product itself I found to be a very good brightening toner, it worked well for me to clear old blemish scars and keep my skin looking its best. For the price I can’t fault it. I went down to using it a few times a week in the evening and that worked best for me

TRESemme Argan Oil Straightening Spray 250ml for £4.99 – I don’t often use heat on my hair but over the past few months I’ve used this spray when I needed to straighten my hair. I used it on damp hair after applying my hair oil. I’m not 100% sure this was all that effective as I still had quite a few flyaway hairs and this is also meant to control frizz also after a couple of months it didn’t spray very well. Not overly impressed. I wouldn’t buy this again

March Empties

Nivea Express Hydration Primer 50ml for  £3.33 – I was quite surprised at how good this was as both a primer and a moisturiser. I don’t wear makeup on a daily basis so this tub lasted me almost a year, as I only used it when I wore makeup. It’s very hydrating but not greasy, I’ve enjoyed using it and would repurchase it. It is very budget friendly.

Dove Shape Up Firming Body Cream 250ml for £3.99- It took me ages to use this up as I really didn’t like it. It was very sticky and I could feel it on my skin hours after applying it. I don’t think it helped firm my skin in any way. Not a nice body lotion at all.

No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream 40ml for £13.50 – By accident I got the Normal / Dry skin formula & I have quite an oily t zone but I have to say this still worked well on me. I love the coverage and the finish of this. It isn’t too sheer and it gives a very nice glow to the skin. Its one of my favourite bases, especially on those day’s when I only want a touch of coverage. This makes me look alive & evens out my complexion. I really like it. Whenever I have a No7 voucher I stock up on these.

Moroccan Oil Extra Volume Shampoo (travel size)* 70ml for £6.85-  I used up the conditioner from this set too but seem to have thrown it away. I preferred the shampoo on its own as when I used the conditioner too my hair felt weighed down. The shampoo did give me volume from the roots and my curls looked bouncy and healthy. This was a lovely shampoo but not sure I would repurchase. I think almost £7 is expensive for such a small bottle.

Clarins Lotus Facial Oil Treatment 30ml for £32.00 – I have to say I shed a tear when I used the last drop of this, it has been one of my favourite skin care discoveries for a long time. It really helped with my combination skin, my t zone was less oily and my stubborn blemishes cleared up much faster when I used this at night. It is such a hydrating and balancing oil. When I get the money I will be repurchasing it & hope I can do so before my skin misses it. So if you suffer from oily skin I highly recommend adding this to your skincare regime

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.

Skincare Edit

- Vicki 8 Comments

Skincare Edit

I adore skincare, I love discovering new products and I’m trying to find a routine that works for me. I’ve been stressed for a good 18 months now and it’s taken its toll on my skin so I’ve been trying to use products that look after my skin and that give it nourishment and help it to combat this stress. The products I’m talking about today are just a cross-section of what I have been enjoying lately and what I use on a regular basis.

Sanctuary Spa Intensive Heel Balm – I’m someone who gets really dry heels and I like to have soft sandal ready feet. Not that we get much opportunity to wear summer footwear in the UK, but we all want to have nice feet right! This heel balm is lovely, if you spend a little time to massage it in at night you will wake up with soft smooth feet. It isn’t greasy and is extremely hydrating. I like it a lot more than the Soap & Glory Heel Genius, as I find that too greasy.

Caudalie Lip Conditioner – This is so nice to put on when travelling as its very moisturising. I used it on a long haul flight and my lips didn’t dry out at all. It doesn’t have SPF so I wouldn’t recommend using it during the day, but as a pampering lip conditioner it’s really good.

balance Me Pure Skin Face Wash* – I’ve been using this for about 6 weeks and I love it. Its good at removing every last trace of makeup at the end of the day. I use it with warm face cloth and I find it calming and soothing for my skin. It is very gentle.

Skincare Edit

Pixi Glow Tonic – I bought this bottle in April after reading a review from Caroline Hirons and I’ve used it everyday since I bought it. It leaves my skin feeling so clean and I swear it’s helping with my acne scaring. It’s alcohol free and doesn’t try out the skin or leave it feeling tight. My skin is very sensitive and on the slightly older side and this works well for me. I highly recommend it if your skin is looking a little dull.

Aesop Parsley Seed Serum – Anyone that has read my blog for a while will know that I would sell my soul for a bottle of this. It is my number one go to serum. I use it at night when my skin is feeling sensitive. It is so soothing and hydrating. This bottle (which i adore) has lasted me well over a year. It’s an investment you wont be disappointed you made. It is Aloe Vera based and has a great range of botanical extracts which are perfect for sensitive skin and skin that’s in need of nourishment. This serum doesn’t sit on top of the skin it is absorbed so fast and feels amazing. I think I’m its number 1 fan.

Aesop Parsley Seed Serum

Aesop Parsley Seed Anti Oxidant Eye Serum – After falling in love with the face serum I just had to try the eye serum from the Parsley Seed range. I have this sat on my desk and I use it when my eyes are feeling tired or when I’ve been sat at the computer for a long time. It contains a high concentration of anti oxidants that are easily absorbed. The under eye area is so sensitive and gets dehydrated very quickly this serum combats that and is silicon free. I do like it but my heart belongs to the face serum.

NEOM Moroccan Blush Rose Hand Cream – This is on my bedside table at the moment and I use it each night before bed. I’m trying to get better at using hand cream and if I have one by my bed I remember to use it. This NEOM one came free with a magazine a while ago and I just love the scent it reminds me of summer.

Skincare

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream* – How amazing and versatile is this stuff! I use it on my lips before I go to bed and I also massage it in to my cuticles. It’s very hydrating and works wonders. I need to buy a tube for my handbag, so I have one on the go too.

Origins Dr Andrew Weil Mega Mushroom Skin Relief Treatment Lotion – I am a huge fan of all the products in the Mega Mushroom range and they worked wonders at helping with my red skin. That has cleared up now but I have still been using the lotion on occasion. I put some on to a cotton pad when I get out the shower and it is very calming in my skin. I love the smell of the Mega Mushroom Range, it smells so botanical grown up.

So that’s a quick run down of a few skin care products I have been using these past few months. Have you tried any of the products I have mentioned? Or do you have a product to recommend that you have been loving?

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

May Favourites

- Vicki 3 Comments

It has been a good few months since I last did my last Favourites Post. I always seem to forget to show love to the products I reach for regularly. I don’t have the largest makeup collection but I try to rotate what I use and have found a few products I have been really enjoying this month.

May Favourites 2013

I bought The Body Shop Coconut Body Mist £7.50 for 100ml whilst I was in Amsterdam last year. I sprayed it in store (for a cheeky freshen up). I ended up loving it and was so impressed at how long the scent lasted with it only being a ody Spray. I’m a huge fan of Coconut scented products and this Coconut Body Spray is lovely I highly recommend it. I want to try a few more from their range like the Vanilla and the Shea one too! They have a great range of these.

Pixi Glow Tonic Toner £16 for 250ml has gone mental these past few weeks. I bought it after reading Caroline Hirons review on her blog and have to say I am 100% on the band wagon with this. I love it. I managed to get a bottle from the Carnaby Street Store in April and have used it almost everyday since. It is great at getting rid of dull skin and making your skin look and feel vibrant. I’m going to be a life long fan of this I can tell. You can see what else I bought in Pixi here.

& Other Stories Fig Fiction Body Lotion £7 – I use Body Lotion everyday as I get such dry skin on both my arms and legs. I go through tubs of the stuff but I do like to have one on the go with a nice scent for a more luxurious feel and this Fig one is amazing. The lotion is so creamy and hydrating and the scent is my new favourite. Since buying this I have fallen in love with all things Fig and I have bought a Fig Candle from TK Maxx and it smells just like my lotion. I noticed that & Other Stories have a whole Fig range and this includes a Fig Body Mist – I need this!!

May Favourite Products

No7 Smoky Rose Eyeshadow Quad – this was free with the purchase of a No7 Mascara last year and I just love it. It is my go to when I travel as all the colours are wearable alone or to create a cute smoky eye & the lightest shade makes a good highlight colour.

MUA Bronzer Shade 3– £1 for 5.7g. This is the bargain of the century. This shade is quite subtle but you can build it up. I am trying to get into bronzing a little more & experimenting with contouring and all that jazz. I’m not the best at it and often I go a little OTT but its all trial and error I guess. But I do rate this bronzer and highly recommend it.

& Other Stories Linen Beige Naquet Eyeshadow £7 for 2.8g – I have been wearing this all over the lid on days I don’t want to wear too much makeup. It’s a really brightening colour and has a shimmer metallic finish to it too. Perfect nude taupe colour.

EOS Lip Balm in Strawberry Sorbet £5.95 – These lipbalms smell so good and are quite fun. I love their sphere packaging this makes them easy to apply. I also have the Summer Fruit one too. I love them both and are hand to have in your bag.

May Favourites

Accessorize Baked Blush in Scandal – £5 for 8g – My particular blush is no longer for sale but they do have a similar one. You get a lot of product for £5 and it is the perfect pink blush colour for summer and with the gold veining it gives you a slight shimmer but nothing too glitzy. It is a soft rosy pink and I have fallen back in love with it. How cute is the packaging on this? It ticks all the boxes for me.

Garnier BB Cream Combination to Oily Skin shade Medium £9.99 for 40ml. This is perfect for me when I have a slight tan as I got the shade medium which is quite dark. I love the finish this gives, it makes your skin look healthy and glowing but not greasy like other BB creams. It also lasts a good 6 – 7 hours on me which is something as I get so Oily through my T Zone that nothing ever lasts as long as they claim. I do powder my T Zone and the helps. This is just so easy to put on when you want a nice even light coverage.

So they’re my May Favourites. I would love to know if you have been using any of these products or if you have written a May Favourites post.