Review: Fake Bake | Skin D-Luxe Dream Skin Cleansing Melt | Beauty At Home

Fake Bake - Beauty at Home - Skin D-Luxe Dream Skin Cleansing Melt - £17.50

A few months ago I attended the launch of Fake Bake's Beauty at Home range, which was full of new make up, body and skin care products. Subsequent to the event, I reviewed a body scrub from the new line which I adored. This is the next product that I trialed and unfortunately it hasn't won me over like the scrub did.

The Skin D-Luxe Dream Skin Cleansing Melt* (longest name ever) lives at my boyfriends house as my cleanser to use when I stay over. The three main (and only) ingredients listed in this product are Tamanu Oil to heal scarring and promote new tissue growth, Moring Seed Oil to nourish and moisturise and finally Palmitoyl Tripeptide 38 to stimulate cell renewal. It makes me wary that the other ingredients aren't listed as I am sure there must be a high content of mineral oil, purely because the feeling left on my skin is not at all pleasant. It feels very heavy and cloying rather than soft and moisturised, almost like a film has been left on your face that can't be removed with a wash cloth. For comparison, the Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm has Moringa Seed Oil in also and this does not leave me with this feeling at all.

The balm does melt into an oil quite easily, but it isn't silky smooth like others I've tried, both budget and high end. By applying to dry skin and then adding warm water, you turn it into more of a milk. This also is not very effect at removing make up, particularly round the eyes, even after double cleansing. 

The only positive I can really say about the cleansing balm is its smell and packaging, but unfortunately it fell short in many areas. For the price, I think it is really disappointing and you can get much better balms for much cheaper, for example The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Balm (read my review here).

This may be better suited for drier skins, but overall I would not recommend it. The body range though is wonderful, so it would be worth checking that out instead.

Have you tried any products from Fake Bake Beauty at Home?

Review: La Roche-Posay | Serozinc |

You might have seen this product do the rounds on French pharmacie posts/videos in the beauty community. Many bloggers including the skincare guru Caroline Hirons have championed this product to be an amazing toner which 'gives something back' by hydrating after an exfoliating toner and supposedly preventing breakouts due to the ingredient zinc sulfate which is a hydrating compound.

I picked up two bottles of Serozinc when I went to Paris earlier in the year (after dragging Matt around nearly every Pharmacie we saw) and couldn't wait to try it. I'm now onto my second bottle so you can tell it lasts a really long time.

I use this both morning and evening after a toner I've used for a specific problem e.g. The Body Shop's tea tree toner for blemishes or an exfoliating toner in the evening. The spray provides a lovely fine mist and it is very refreshing to use. In terms of hydration and blemish prevention I'm not sure how effective it is but I do find that when I have active break outs it helps to soothe and calm my skin and it has helped me to transition into the colder months. While in Morocco I kept this in the fridge in our hotel room to keep it extra cool and refreshing and found it great for soothing any sunburn on my body or face.

The only place you can really get your hands on Serozinc is via Ebay in the UK unfortunately and even then it can be really overpriced. I do enjoy this product as a staple in my routine but considering how hard it is to get hold of and the fact I haven't noticed any dramatic difference in my skin I would say it isn't a necessity. If you are in a country where you can buy it then I would say give it a go but  I think there are many other facial mists that do a similar job and are far easier to get hold of at the moment.

Have you tried Serozinc before? What is your favourite La Roche-Posay product? xxx

UPDATE: Since this post went live I went to an event for La Roche Posay where they revealed that Serozinc is now available in the UK via Feel Unique! Go go go!!

Review: Liz Earle | Instant Boost Skin Tonic |

Liz Earle - Instant Boost Skin Tonic - 200 ml - £13.25

It's no secret that I love this Boots Botanics toner, but after finishing up my second bottle the beauty blogger in me wanted to try something new. After falling in love with Cleanse and Polish around two years ago I decided that Liz Earle would be a great brand to delve back into and popped down to John Lewis to replenish my stocks of C+P along with a bottle of the Instant Boost Skin Tonic.

The packaging is superb for traveling as it features a nifty screw top, but I kind of wish I had gotten the spray bottle option as they are my favourite way to apply a toner. I use this as my morning toner by pouring the liquid onto a cotton pad and sweeping over my face after washing with Origins Zero Oil face wash and prior to a day time serum.  Like all Liz Earle products it includes lots of naturally active ingredients - in this particular product there is organic aloe vera, calendula, rose-scented geranium, cucumber and natural vitamin E. 

The main aims of this product is that it should refresh, sooth and brighten. I certainly agree it is really refreshing and gentle on the skin while featuring floral notes with a light fresh scent of cucumber. However, I haven't seen much progress in the brightening aspect. 

It is suitable for all skin types which I would agree with as it is non drying due to the lack of alcohol in the ingredients and very gentle, however for those of us who are more oily/combo skinned I would prefer something that does a little more. It is a great product for those who don't have many particular skin concerns but I like my skin care to really feel like it is doing something to actively improve its condition.

If you have normal to dry skin which is pretty well behaved then this would be a fabulous toner but personally I'm looking for something more.

What is your favourite product from Liz Earle? xxx

Review: The Body Shop | Camomile Cleansing Butter |

Camomile Cleansing Butter // 90ml // £12.00

Recently, the Body Shop have been on a roll and released some amazing products, and when I heard about the new Camomile cleansing range I was really excited... is that lame? The range includes an eye make up remover, a waterproof eye and lip remover, the butter and a cleansing oil. I only picked up the cleansing butter as I had run out of cleanser and wanted to try another balm product, but am really interested in testing out the oil too.

The product comes in a decent sized and flat screw top tin which is easy for travel. The easiest way to get the product out is with a little plastic spatula or something similar - mine is from a travel kit from M&S and I also think Muji do something similar. It just makes the process of getting the product out easier, less messy and a lot more hygienic. It took me a while to judge how much to use as I ended up using too much in the beginning -  a little really does go a long way as the product melts so easily into a lovely lightly scented oil. The texture is very slippery, much more than the RMK rose balm I've tried before and the Clarins Pure Melt Gel. I really like this though as I feel like it is properly breaking down my make up and enables me to massage my face lightly without dragging and pulling. In terms of make up removal, even when facing taking off Double Wear or Revlon's Colour Stay this cleanser makes a light job out of it. I find the scent isn't over powering so would be suitable for those with sensitive skin and it leaves my skin feeling cleansed without feeling stripped, soft and smooth. 

Usually I take off the majority of my make up with a micellar water (at the moment one by Vichy, with a review to come soon) and the this cleansing balm after, however you could use the balm as your primary way to cleanse but I would recommend double cleansing if this is your preferenec. It's also best if you remove this cleanser with some form of flannel or muslin cloth to make sure you remove it all properly as it is oil based and therefore can leave a residue on your skin.

I think it's great value for money as the tin is filled right to the top and only a small amount of product is needed to do the job. I look forward to using this in the evenings and it is a great alternative to the popular and more pricey balm cleansers out there. I definitely recommend this for all skin types and can't wait to check out the rest of the range. I also have my eye on the new Honeymania range too.... think it will be on my Christmas list!

Have you tried this cleanser? What do you love from the Body Shop? xxx

Review: Neal's Yard Frankincense Hydrating Cream

Frankincense Hydrating Cream // £24.75 // 50g // All skin types

A while back I posted about my winter skin saviours and the products which are helping to battle my dehyrated skin during these cold months. This moisturiser is one of those products mentioned and now I've used it for a few months its a good time to do a review on it.

I chose this particular moisturiser as I wanted something hydrating yet which was suitable for oily skin types too. After doing some research and reading countless reviews I thought this would be a safe bet as it is formulated for all skin types, is organic, with a supposedly light texture. The packaging is lovely, although some people might find it unhygenic, I love the iconic blue glass pot which personifies Neal's Yard and it isn't too large for travel either.

When I first used this I wasn't bowled over for a number of reasons. Firstly, I wasn't the biggest fan of the Frankincense smell and I found the cream quite heavy and left a slight film on my face therefore only being suitable for use as a night cream. However, I persevered and have grown to like this. I only need a little bit of product to cover my whole face and as you rub it in you can feel the plant oils sinking into your skin. I sometimes use it in the day before make up if my skin is particularly dehydrated to create a smooth base but it is worth noting this moisturiser took a while to sink in before I can apply make up. This has definitely worked to hydrate my skin, but sometimes it can feel a bit too heavy. In regards to fine lines, I can't really comment as I don't have any yet luckily!

Overall, this is a nice cream but I definitely think it is more suited to normal to dry skin types rather than combo/oily. I prefer using this as a night cream as it hydrates my skin over night well but won't be suitable in the day when the weather warms up. 

Have you tried this product before? What do you like from Neal's Yard? xxx