Makeup Remover Cloths

 

First time I heard about Makeup Eraser was a few years ago and although I found it very intriguing, I didn’t feel like spending between £15-20 on what looks like fluffy microfiber cloth. And I told myself I also like using cleansers. Makeup Revolution, as usual, came up with their dupe but around £10 was still not tempting enough for me at the time. However, using a lot of masks that I washed of by either muslin cloths or face towel (Wilko are my friends with their 30p a piece price), overexfoliation became a problem for me and not only I reduced how many times a week I use washable masks but I also started to look for a gentler way to remove my makeup and here came a microfiber cloth.

Fortunately, every budget is catered for and you can now buy big cloth in Primark or B&M Store with 3 cloths for £2.50 being the best deal I’ve seen in store.

On the small size, there are options like Magnitone (around £6 per cloth) or Tishu (£4 if you buy 1 but better drak with more) that might be a better option for travelling but if you wear heavy make up, I don’t think they are enough.

They all work well for removing make up with only water so it is really great for travelling and saving the environment. I really do like them, they’re all definitely worth a try and I think my collection will only grow although I am not gonna lie, I do like my cleansing balms and creams.

 

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Manuka Doctor Apiclear Purifying Face Mask

Last year, I used several pieces from Manuka Doctor Apiclear range and I was really impressed, especially by their moisturiser, so it was only a question of time for me, when I would buy the mask. If you don’t know Manuka Doctor, it is a brand from New Zealand that produces cosmetics using multiple benefits if bee produce, especially manuka honey but also propolis, bee venom and royal jelly. Their goods are quite pricey for original retail price but there are always some promotions going, whether on their own site, Amazon or Holland & Barrett, so when I saw it for £11, I grabbed it.

The mask promises to be purifying for blemish prone skin by withdrawing impurities and reducing oil thus making skin feel fresh and appear more even toned and youthful. It doesn’t contain parabens or SLS.

Ingredients:

Water, kaolin, glyceryl stearate, sweet almond oil, cetearyl alcohol, polysorbate 60, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, glycerin, sorbitan stearate, honey, fragrance, grape seed oil, phenoxyethanol, butylene glycol, witch hazel water, ethylhexylglycerin, tocopherol, alcohol denat, citric acid, 1, 2-hexanediol, bee venom, caprylyl glycol, linalool, alpha-isomethyl ionone, butylphenyl methylpropional, hexyl cinnamal, limonene, citronellol.

Although it is a kaolin mask, it feels different than any most kaolin masks that I’d tried before – something between a thick paste and ointment (maybe clay mousse?) which makes me feel like I am using a pharmacy product. Even the light fragrance it has feels like an apothecary product and the feeling continues when I apply it to my face.

As with a typical mask, you apply it after cleansing for about 10-15 minutes. I usually feel a bit of tingle which subsides as the mask is drying. It doesn’t dry hard, more like to a powder layer and when I splash it with water, it is rather easy to wash off in comparison with clay masks.

I used to use it as a spot treatment for my chin when breakouts occured but now I used up my previous clay mask, I use it for the whole face as it has only 6 months after opening.

For me, it is one of those beauty products that work in gentle “kiss it better” way. My skin feels smooth and oils regulated, but in a nice way, not like my skin is tight and sucked out of moisture but I have to admit my serum and moisturiser sink in more quickly. Most of all though, it really calms angry painful breakouts.

I have to say I love this mask and if you find it for a good price and are not allergic to bees, you should definitely give it a try. I would go even as far as saying that this is one of my favourite kaolin masks I’ve tried so far.

 

 

CeraVe in the UK

A  am pretty sure that most of you know by now CetaVe finally entered the UK market in March this year and you can buy their products in Boots. At the moment the selection is somewhat limited to 6 products but I am hoping it will be wider later.

Before they started selling their products in the UK officially, I saw a link on Instagram for people who would like to test their skincare to provide their review. I filled in a form where I stated what type of skin I have and a few weeks later I received their Foaming Cleanser in post that is suitable for normal to oily skin. As all CeraVe products, it is fragrance and SLS free but it contains three essential ceramides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid so everything to keep your skin clean without drying. I was surprised at the amount of foam it made as an SLS free product and I have to say that it works brilliant as a second and morning cleanse. Even though it lathers up well and cleanse the leftover dirt from my face but it leaves it soft like when I apply a watery hydrating toner. If you like a water based cleanser but want the one that not only cleanses well but also leaves your face feeling well, this is it.

Later I got an email whether I would like to try more from the brand as a thank you for my review and I received a generous package with four products. Although all three are targeted to dry skin, I have family members that can use it.

Moisturising Cream is a big tub weighing 454 g like most of those creams for dry skin and again, it contains 3 essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid and it has MVE delivery technology that is supposed to release hydration throughout the whole day. It is rich, but doesn’t feel greasy or overly heavy. My younger daughter suffers from dermatitis/eczema and after trying a few products unsuccessfully, we pretty much stuck with the same baby cream since she was a baby. She was very excited to try a new cream and she liked that it’s in the tub as pumping it or squeezing a thick cream from a tube is difficult for a 7-year old. The cream hydrating her well, she didn’t get any dry patches and when I asked her after two weeks of use how she compares the new cream to the old one, she said she likes it more because she doesn’t feel itchy anymore and I really noticed it is true but I just wanted to hear her own opinion. So for me as a mother, this one is a winner and I will be repurchasing for my daughter instead of our old brand and I also keep the Moisturising lotion for her as it also works well just a bit lighter.

Reparative Hand Cream is again richer hand cream and upon the application it feels like one of those creams that is not  greasy but leave a kind of barrier film on the skin. However, within 5 minutes I realise it is fully absorbed. I would recommend it to the people who need intense moisturisation during the day but don’t have time to wait long till their hand cream fully absorbs.

I haven’t tried Facial Moisturising Lotion as I wanted to keep it for winter just to see whether it would work for me better but I read some people didn’t have problem with it despite having combination skin. In the end, my 10 year old asked me to give it to her for her school trip to Spain and she mentioned just casually that the cream is good because it keeps her skin soft and she had less “pimples” (She doesn’t have full acne yet, but has a few bumps around her nose). As a gold standard for CeraVe, it is formulated with 3 essential ceramides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, it is fragrance free and non-comedogenic and it has SPF25 which is quite reasonable.

I am really grateful for the opportunity to try these products and I am very happy they worked so well for my family.

PS: This is not a sponsored post but I did receive the products for free. I wrote it because I think CeraVe is a brand really worth a try without breaking the bank.

Holler and Glow Purrfect Pedi

We all know that beauty industry is big at the moment and if you’re on the budget or not, because of many handy things they sell, Primark is a great place to check. I was shopping travel toiletries for my daughter’s school trip when this foot mask caught my eye.

I read many reviews about those mask that make your feet shedding skin like a snake. I was hesitant because let’s be honest – it grossed me out. But the idea of having baby feet for summer got better of me and for £4 which is one of the lowest prices I saw for this type of mask, I decided to put it in my basket.

It contains AHAs to remove calluses and rough skin but straight at the front it says to use only as directed.

Ingredients:

Aqua, alcohol denat, butylene glycol, glycolic acid, propylene glycol, urea, isopropyl alcohol, portulaca oleracea extract, lactic acid, algae extract, paeonia suffruticosa root extract, laminaria japonica extract, betaine, salicylic acid, anthemis nobilis flower extract, salvia officinalis extract, camellia sinensis leaf extract, melissa officinalis leaf extract, acer saccharum extract, triticum vulgare seed extract, hydroxypropylcellulose, PEG60 hydrogenated castor oil, saccharum officinarum extract, phenoxyethanol, coptis japonica root extract, sophora angustifolia root extract, glycine sója seed extract, angelica gigas root extract, phellinus linteus extract, porphyra yezoensis extract, chrysanthemum indicum flower extract, rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract, asphalathus linearis leaf extract, coix lacryma-jobi ma-yuen seed extract, oryza sativa leaf/stem extract, phaseolus radiatus seed extract, ganoderma lucidum stem extract, rheum palmatum root extract, parfum, chlorphenesin, menthol, disodium edta.

Not that I would be a leopard print kind of person but I did like that the mask socks have blue/black/pink leopard print design like the illustration on the sachet. You need to cut off the top of the socks to slip your feet in and secure with a tab around ankles. The liquid smells like vinegar mixed with mint. Minimum you should leave it on is 60 minutes, maximum is 90. After that, you wash your feet and hands thoroughly and then the dead skin should start to peel away within 6-10 days. Despite the dryness you feel during that period, you should resist applying a moisturising cream.

On day 6 I noticed some dry, rough patches on my heels but nothing else happened not to talk about peeling and shedding skin like a snake, it basically only made my feet drier. So I can say that this mask is absolutely false economy and completely failed to deliver on its promised.

 

May 2018 Empties

Month of May finished and I am bringing my empties again and once again, first two weeks I didn’t get many products empty but after that it was filling well. Despite that, I also included 6 products that have one or two uses left as I didn’t want to keep them till the end of the next month.

Skincare

Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheet Chamomile was a nice standard sheet mask that doesn’t cost a fortune. It was decently moisturising and had some centella asiatica between the first ingredients but it also contains alcohol, PEGs and fragrance.

Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheet Rose same as previously, the sheet is a great fit with just the right amount of essence that nicely moisturising and has a light rose fragrance. It left greasy residue so I used only serum after this and didn’t do the night cream.

Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheet Tea Tree was the most favourite from the bunch so far as I love tea tree and how it feels on my skin although this one is a more gentle version. And it also smells like tea tree.

Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheet Olive had milky essence that seemed more pleasant and less sticky than other masks from the range although it still took a while to sink in. It also had nice light fragrance, something like when you cut a fresh red apple.

Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheet Aloe Vera was clear essence but at the end it felt the same as the other masks from the brand.

Origins High-Potency Night-a-Mins mineral-enriched renewal cream is something I am sad to have finished as I don’t have the budget to buy it again at the moment. As I mentioned in my latest favourites post, at first I wasn’t sure about this cream because it felt a bit heavy upon the application on my oily skin but in the morning, I always woke up like I had my beauty sleep – no greasy skin, only smooth radiant face. I think have never be so impressed with a nightcream before. And did I mention I am addicted to the orange zest/wood fragrance it has?

Bio-Essence 24k Bio-Gold Skin Radiance Night Cleanser is an SLS face wash and also it cleanses all the leftover gunk from my face well and doesn’t feel harsh to me, I think is more suited to oily skin because other skin types might get feeling a bit stripped after using this facial wash regularly.

Bio-Essence 24k Bio-Gold Skin Awakening Day Cleanser is an Asian facial wash that I usually know. It creates nice thick creamy lather thanks to fatty acids it contains and as dar as I know, it doesn’t have SLS in it. This is really facial wash I would recommend to try. The one disadvantage it has is that because of those fatty acids it solidifies in cold and when you use it in winter, you to press hard to get it out of tube.

Burt’s Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream is your perfect gentle cleanser for summer. It is a bit like skincare version of fruit Hall’s – first you feel gentle fruitiness and then the cool menthol hits. Of course, because of that menthol you have to make sure it doesn’t get anywhere near eyes.

Guerisson 9-Complex Horse Oil Essence is a great gel-like essence that gives great hydration without leaving any greasiness. I wouldn’t mind having it again.

Nuxe Aroma-perfection Skin-perfecting purifying lotion is a toner with florentine iris and rosemary floral water that is supposed to tighten pores and mattify. I was worried it would be like the harsh Garnier toner I used before but fortunately, probably because alcohol is close the end of INCI, it didn’t feel harsh and was actually a lovely toner that help with sebum regulation but my skin didn’t feel like robbed of moisture.

Sukin Anti-Pollution facial masque with oil balancing charcoal was another brilliant clay mask from the brand for pore cleansing. Good if you don’t like clay mask sucking all the moisture thanks to some oils like rosehip, coconut, avocado etc.

I forgot to put these two in May empties family picture

Bodycare

Yves Rocher Les Plaisirs Nature Blackberry eau de toilette was a bit of revisit for me as I used a lot from this YR in my teens. Unfortunately, this particular scent smelled more like children’s cough medicine but still okay for an everyday use and as it didn’t last long and was in handbag friendly 20 ml size, it was also easy to use up. I think the whole range was revamped with new fragrance combinations and this fragrance didn’t make it back.

Yves Rocher Les Plaisirs Nature Blackberry shower gel and body lotion were in theory the same fragrance but I like these better than the EdT. Shower gel was SLS based but didn’t feel stripping or drying and lotion felt light which I like but it might not be enough for people with drier skin. What I didn’t like much is that it contained three types of paraben.

Yves Rocher Candied Orange & Cinnamon is from limited Christmas 2016 edition and again, I love the scent and I definitely find it more moisturising than the typical although lovely smelling TBS handcream.

Clinique Aromatics in White was a great handbag format miniature. I liked it but not enough to repurchase.

Holler and Glow Purrfect Pedi foot peel is one of those foot masks that cause your old skin on feet to peel of. I don’t want to write too much as I have a separate review about it coming.

Elsa’s Natural Deodorant Sensitive Aloe Vera & Green Tea was a scent free deodorant stick that worked great at preventing odour and stickiness.

Oriflame Tender Care Protection Balm is one of those petrolatum based balné which worked great as a night mask for hands and feet and other dry places but if I didn’t get it as a gift, I wouldn’t have bought by myself.

Yves Rocher Blackberry silky lotion is probably the last that I bought from the range as it contains silicone and a few parabens, also fragrance is again like children’s medicine.

Yves Rocher fresh shower gel with organic aloe vera was again a great shower gel with non perfumy aloe scent and rich foam. I would repurchase but same as with Jardins du Monde, they discontinued it 😕

Yves Rocher Organic Oats shower gel was lovely gentle body wash that didn’t cause problems even to my younger daughter but as far as I know, it was discontinued.

Yves Rocher Candied Orange & Almond hand cream was again from Christmas 2016 limited edition and although it did moisturised hands very well, I was disappointed with the fragrance – I could smell the almond but there was nothing special about it.

Haircare

Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance is a conditioning spray that I featured in my latest favourites. It really helped with detangling my and my daughters’ hair and left it smelling lovely for the rest of the day.

Natural World Macadamia Oil Ultra Nourishing Hair Mask. As a cheaper mask it has a consistency of similar to a rich conditioner but works well for me, although have to use a lot and longer for my daughters. Would repurchase every time I need to buy a hair mask before payday.

Yves Rocher Nutri-silky conditioner with oat extract is great thick conditioner for dry hair that is silicone, colourant and paraben free. I would put it in my basket when I place an order with Yves Rocher.

Klorane Ultra-Gentle shampoo with oatmilk was the first purchase from the brand and I bought it mostly to use on my younger daughter but me and my older daughter also used it occasionally. I was surprised at how much foam it created for a gentle shampoo but fortunately it didn’t dry the hair and scalp much, neither it smelled of perfumes heavily and my daughter didn’t get any dermatitis ‘cap’ from  it so I wouldn’t mind buying again although I would prefer SLS free.

Batiste Pretty & Opulent Oriental dry shampoo was okay but I think I prefered Colab because it didn’t leave as much of the white residue as Batiste.

Make Up

L’Oréal Volume Million Lashes is good old L’Oréal mascara that volumises and curls up, usable for both upper and lower lashes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last over 6 hours, especially in warmer weather so I tried to use it up now. I received a few of them as a gift and hopefully this is the last one in my stash. Although I like how it makes my lashes look, in the evening it melts and makes me look like a little sad panda.

L’Oréal Nude Magique Cushion. When they released it, everybody went crazy about so I bought it as well when it was on offer. However, when I tried it last summer, I hated it – it made my oily skin even oilier, gave almost no coverage. Fortunately, I revisited this winter and I really liked it as I don’t have so many breakouts in winter and my skin is at times almost normal. What I like about it is that it makes my skin radiant so I don’t feel like I need to use a highlighter.

Avon eyeliner pencil – I don’t know the name because all the writing is gone and I couldn’t find it on Avon’s website anymore AND I wouldn’t be surprised if it was discontinued as it is rather hard and even when it was new felt quite dry and flat shape it has was difficult to use around the eye. I barely used it and now after a few years of just hanging in my makeup bag, it is high time we parted our ways forever.

Freedom Pro Eye Primer wasn’t very good, although I got better colour payoff but it all melted into my crease long before the day was over.

The Body Shop Born Lippy Satsuma Shimmer was a great moisturising lip shimmer and the scent of satsuma lasted quite well just under the nose which I also loved. Another product I wouldn’t mind having again (I think I should have unopen raspberry version somewhere).

Freedom Pro Glow Purr was the perfect blush/bronzer shade and I actually got some complains from my coworkers when I wore this blush. And I loved it too. Unfortunately it finished rather quickly (it usually takes me ages to finish a blush) as I dropped it quite a few times. I would like to try now the original version from Too Faced.

This or That Challenge

Lovely Menta from Life of Menta tagged me in her This and That challenge last week. I usually don’t do challenges or tags but this one was easy enough and not intimidating that I am doing it now (still took me over a week 😄).

Shower in the morning or in the evening? 

I am definitely an evening shower/bath person as I need to wash off the dirt of the day otherwise I can’t sleep properly, I feel sticky and disgusting. Another reason is that in winter is bad enough to come out of nice warm bed, not to even have a shower plus that would also be a time I would have to wake up earlier in the morning. No, thank you!

City center or close to nature?

This one is difficult for me as I lived both in the country and now in the city and both have pros and cons. When I lived with my parents in the country, I liked big garden, having own fruit and veg and marvellous hilly views all around (we lived in the valley), you knew all your neighbours and everybody greeted everybody but most of all, I loved the scent of spring – you could literally smell it in the air. You definitely can’t do that in London.

What I didn’t like though was that I had to commute with 6 am train (which meant waking up at 5 am) since I was 14, travel for any other than basic shopping, all errands and when went out with friends on a Friday night, always had to watch time for the last train/bus or arrange somewhere to sleep.

Brights colors or neutrals?

I am definitely a neutrals person, I like understated but put together look.

Weird or stupid?

I don’t mind being weird as being weird is just a relative term depending what people around you consider normal but I think we can all agree being looked at or made like stupid is something nobody likes.

Spring or autumn?

Although I love the colours and a certain melancholy of autumn, spring is my favourite season. Nature is waking up, all shades of green growing, blossoms everywhere, sun is shining and it makes me feel optimistic and energetic.

Mint or cinnamon?

This depends where it is. I like cooling mint (and everything really) in my summer skincare and I also like fresh mint tea or infused water but if you give me a choice between cinnamon buns/cookies/apple pie or mint chocolate, it’s cinnamon for me.

Planned or spontaneous?

Again, this depends. Of course, you need to have some plan, especially as you get older and have more responsibilities, on the other hand, life brings unexpected opportunities and possibilities.

A movie at home or at the movie theater?

Of course, being comfy at home on your couch in your jammas with your loved ones comes even cheaper but once in a while looking at the big screen whith great sound while eating overpriced hotdog or popcorn is just what you need to make you feel better.

Espresso or latte?

Latte. Just can’t have my coffee black and I cannot be without coffee.

Asking questions or answering questions?

That depends who I am with and what questions I am asked.

Hugs or kisses? (I would really choose both of these!) 

People who I give kisses to, I definitely give hugs but not everybody I give hugs to would get kisses. I’d probably choose hugs because sometimes a hug from a friend makes you feel better but I definitely don’t fancy kissing all my friends.

Spicy or mild food?

Spicy. Of course, there are foods I like simple and enjoy the taste of ingredients but I generally hate bland food.

Leather or lace?

I would say lace for underwear but give me a biker jacket and boots anytime.

Overdressed or underdressed?

As someone once said “You can never be overeducated or overdressed” and I agree.

Adventure or comfort? 

I need some stability and definitely like my comfort but even a little adventure once on a while makes life worth living.

TV-series or movies?

Movies, if series get like neverending, I loose interest.

Rock or country music?

Rock.

Red or white wine?

Although my dad used to make the best red wine when he owned his little vineyard, fresh and fruity white would be my first choice.

Working alone or in a team?

I like both. There are things that I like doing myself but when you  work with a great team of people, magic happens and you don’t feel like you’re on your own. Plus everybody has their strengths and different experience so it’s also a great opportunity to learn.

Swimming or sunbathing?

Hate sunbathing, I don’t do it.

Fast food or sit-down restaurant?

Sit-down restaurant – just the whole experience is better.

Matched or mismatched socks?

Never wore mismatched socks.

Dancing or singing?

Both.

Phone or the internet?

Internet, I am not a person who talks ages on her phone. And I rather send messages or meet in person with a friend.

I don’t nominate anyone but if you like the questions, feel free to make it your own challenge.

 

Dear Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream

I think everybody who knows a bit about Asian or Korean skincare heard about Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream that is supposed to be intensively soothing for skin. As it has good reviews and is suitable for all skin types, it didn’t take long for this blue gem to get on my wishlist. After almost a year of keeping talking myself out of buying “another moisturiser”, I finally  bought it.

It comes in dark glass jar with 30 ml of forget me not blue cream with clear plastic spatula. You might object on the amount but as this is more of a spot treatment than regular moisturiser, I would say it is a standard size.

I bought it mostly because of my breakouts and painful cysts and as it happened, a week after I got the cream, I broke out on jawline and it was pretty painful. I have to say, the moment I applied it on my painful cysts, I didn’t feel the pain anymore and I couldn’t wait for morning to see, if they get overall better.

Unfortunately, they didn’t, or if, just as they would without the cream. On the other hand, as I didn’t feel much like I want to pick on my spots (we all know we’re not supposed to do that but I am sure the majority do it once those buggers come), so after a few days the cysts healed without spreading more. So although it will not prevent you from having breakouts or doesn’t heal them overnight, it does help at managing bad situation before making it worse and longer lasting.

Another use it is recommended is sunburn. I thought I wouldn’t get to try this till summer but with the spell of hot weather a few weeks ago and me working in a school playground, I got a bit of a red patch on the back of my shoulders where I didn’t spread my sunlotion properly. Although, it doesn’t have that cooling effect most after sun products give you, it did again give me nice sensation of normal skin and I couldn’t see or feel any more redness the next day.

Overall, I am quite happy with this product. I am not gonna lie, it is not something that is necessary on daily basis and I think using it as a moisturiser would be a bit wasteful and for drier skin not enough to moisturise properly but it is a nice addition to have for little emergencies like after overexfoliation, painful cysts, sunburn and other occasions when skin feels a bit compromised.