Take 3: Pond's Institute Skincare

Pond's Institute is an iconic brand made famous for their simple and affordable beauty products, so it was really exciting to receive a few of their products at the recent event they hosted. My skincare routine has been Pond's-centric for the last few weeks using the three products we got, which included the Cold Cream Cleanser, Green Tea Moisturiser and Eye Contour Cream. Below are my thoughts on each product, in the order I use them in.

Cold Cream Cleanser* // £4.07 //

The cult classic which many of you will recognise from your mum or grandma's dressing table, I've been using it in the pm to cleanse my face. It is a multi-tasker and can be used as a hand cream and hydrating face mask as well as a general cleanser. The consistency is a thick white cream featuring a delicate rose scent which is cooling when massaged in and I normally leave it on for a minute or so to hydrate my skin. I find it effective at taking off face make up but not so great with eye make up. It is recommended to remove the formula with cotton pads but I find it needs a warm muslin cloth or flannel to remove the product properly or you are left with a film on your face which I didn't like too much (I think that is down to the high mineral oil content). My skin is left feeling really smooth but I did find the texture to be a little heavy for my oily/combo skin so I would recommend it for normal to dry skin, although it didn't break me out at all. 

Eye Contour Cream* // £7.99 //

Fragrance free, this light weight cream is delicate enough for the sensitive skin underneath your eyes and great to use both at night and day underneath your make up. The targeted nozzle and squeezy tube makes it easy to control how much product you want to use. The formula is enriched with vitamins A, E and B5 which is meant to improve skin structure and hydration. I found that I could feel my eye contour tighten and firm once the cream was dry which I really liked but I didn't feel as though it gave me loads of hydration. It is also meant to be reduce puffiness although that is something I luckily don't suffer with so can't really comment on.

Natural Beauty Moisturiser* // £5.10 //

This was my favourite of the bunch and a new launch. A slightly pink tinged and fresh scented cream that features green tea antioxidants to nourish the skin, this moisturiser had a light weight formula which sunk in easily. I've been using it morning and night and I like that it provides the moisture I need without feeling heavy and makes a great base for under make up as well as the right amount of nourishment at night. For people with my skin type I would highly recommend this affordable cream as it lasts ages, is cost effective and is an all round great product.

Out of the three products I tried the moisturiser was most definitely my favourite, but there are also other creams being launched which target different areas of concern including mature skin, dry skin, anti-wrinkle and normal-dry skin. Pond's Institute prove that luxury can be done on a budget so I suggest having a perusal at their range next time you are in Boots and giving something new from their range a go.

Have you tried any products from Pond's Institute before? xxx

My Current Skincare Regime

At the moment I'm trailing some new products to mix in with old staples, trying to find the best routine for me. My skin has been a bit up and down recently - blemish prone, scaring and oily some days and really dehydrated the next, it doesn't really know what its supposed to be doing. I'm putting it down to stress and the weather, but while I'm trying to figure it out I've been switching up my skincare to remedy the problems and also try to make my diet more healthy (essays are healthy eating's worst enemy!)

My morning routine is pretty simple. I start by washing my face with Simple's moisturising face wash, which I've had for a while and am trying to use up, followed by Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner that I got for Christmas. It smells lovely but doesn't match up to my favourite Boot's Botanics and I don't think its done much to balance out my skin so far. A full review will be up soon though once I've trailed it a bit further. Then a nice layer of much hyped up La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo to tackle the blemishes is applied as a day serum/moisturiser, followed by a little Neal's Yard Frankincense Hydrating Cream if my skin is feeling really dehydrated. Finally a blob of Clarin's Eye Contour Gel for dark circles and prep the area for make up applied with my ring finger.

The evenings are a bit more complicated but my favourite time for skincare. The majority of my make up is removed with a micellar water and cotton pads, at the moment I'm using one by La Roche Posay. Then the Balancing Lime Blossom Cleanser which came with the matching toner is used to thoroughly cleanse all traces of make up and dirt in conjunction with my new No 7 Cleansing Brush, my first foray into facial brushes. There will be a full review of this at a later date but at the moment my impressions of it are good. After using the aforementioned toner, I mix a few drops of Clarins Lotus Oil in with the Neal's Yard moisturiser for extra hydration. I am in love with this oil and cannot wait to give it a full review! Finally, any blemishes are zapped with Origins Super Spot Remover.

What are your skincare staples? 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

Delights for Dehydrated Skin

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair // Origins Drink Up Intensive // Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish // Boots Vitamin E eye cream // Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief // Neal's Yard Frankincense Hydrating Cream

A few weeks back, I noticed that no matter how I applied my make up I always ended up looking cakey. Even the most moisturising of my bases were no longer dewy and just weren't sitting right on my skin. I realised that together with being ill, the colder weather and central heating, my skin had become dehydrated. As I have a relatively oily t-zone I would usually shy away from hydrating products, but I have learnt that there is a difference between dry and dehydrated skin. Combating the problem of dehydration can also help to balance out oilyness which is a plus point for me! I had a few products already in my arsenal but picked up a couple more to get me through the colder seasons.

For cleansing, Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish is a great natural choice for all skin types to take off make up and cleanse skin with a creamy formula including cocoa butter to nourish skin. The two part system keeps skin soft and radiant - this is my second bottle and will definitely always have a spare in my stocks. Advanced Night Repair is my serum of choice as it delivers hydration yet sinks in quickly and easily. It has quickly become a holy grail product for me and I alternate it every other night.

Over the top of my serum is a new purchase. My first product from Neals Yard (after hearing Hannah rave about them!) is the Frankincense Hydrating Cream, which I use as my night cream. It is rich and takes a little while to sink but a little goes a long way and I've been impressed so far. For a lighter alternative or as a day cream, I've been using a little pot of Clinique's Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief which I was previously using over the Summer. As it is a gel like consistency it is light yet hydrating and leaves skin smooth and primed for make up.

For an intense boost once a week or so I bought Origins Drink Up Intensive mask - I tried the original formula before and enjoyed it but thought this one would really suit me for winter. It smells amazing and again a little goes a long way. Finally, for my eyes is another new purchase, however this one is more purse friendly! Boots Vitamin E eye cream is my first eye cream in ages and I have been using this morning and night to help my concealer sit better under my eyes. Not the most amazing of creams but definitely not the worst.

That's my round up of what I've been using to treat my skin recently, what products would you suggest for this time of year? xxx

Review: Palmer's Natural Bronze

Palmer's Natural Bronze RRP £5.35 - currently on offer at Superdrug £3.35

Body care products are one of my favourite sections of beauty and I'm always on the look out to find the next best moisturiser/scrub/shower treat. I have relatively normal skin on my body although my legs, especially my shins, tend to get quite dry so normally look for products that have long lasting moisture.

I've tried a few gradual tanners including a Garnier one which I really liked and Johnson's Holiday Skin, but this was a fair few years ago. As it was summer I thought I would try out another formula and  Palmer's is a brand whose products I enjoy. Plus as it is cheap as chips I figured if I wasn't the biggest fan it wouldn't be a massive waste of money.

I really like the pump packaging as it saves on waste of product and mess as well as making it really easy to apply. I also think that you get a lot of product for your money, however as you can't lock the pump it isn't the best for travel. The formula is really creamy and moisturising yet sinks in really easily meaning no waiting around for it to sink in before you get dressed. The smell is pretty strong and sticks around all day so if you aren't a fan of scent then you probably won't like this. Saying that, I personally love the scent as it smells heavily of chocolate, much more so than the other Palmer's products I think, and Matt likes it too which is always a plus :)

Obviously as it is a moisturiser it is a white lotion but you should definitley wash your hands after applying as the colour develops rather rapidly. You can apply this every day for a deeper colour, or as often as you want depending on your preference for colour intensity. I usually apply this every other day to maintain a natural looking colour. I was really impressed with how much colour this product carries as normally you have to use a lot of product for a few days with gradual tanners to see any kind of glow but after one application you can tell a real difference. I think the colour that develops from this is really natural and not at all orange, but if you are very fair it may be a bit too dark to look natural.

You do need a good exfoliator to get rid of all residue of tan as it won't just wash off like other gradual tanners I've tried. In my opinion this is very much more of a tanning product than a moisturiser - I would describe it as a moisturising fake tan if that makes sense!

Overall, I think this is a great product to maintain a natural or fake tan or for every other day use to build up a natural looking colour. As well as giving a great colour pay off it also nourishes my skin, which is the best of both worlds as nourished skin helps to maintain tan. If you are very fair this may not be the best product for you as it isn't the gradual of tanners but for fair through to darker skin tones I think it would be fine.

Have you tried this product? What do you think? xxx

Review: 17 Blemish Balm

       

This is one of the items I received in a recent blog sale (see what else I got here). Although I already owned a BB cream prior to purchasing this, I have been wanting to test out a few different types and brands available to find the best one out there for me i.e. my skin type and coverage-wise because I have been using them a lot more, choosing them for every day wear over foundation. This is the second BB cream I have tried and I think I prefer it to my Garnier one, although I would like to try the new oil free version of this for a better comparison, which was not available when I purchased the original as I got it when they had just come out in the UK. At £6.99 it is 3 pounds cheaper than the Garnier BB cream although you do get 20ml less.

The shade I have is 'Light' and it is a good match for my skin tone. I don't use moisturiser after cleansing and toning in the morning when using a BB cream as my skin is already on the oily side and BB creams are normally very moisturizing anyway. I apply it with my fingers to help it melt into my skin and blend better, and also mix it with my Soap and Glory 'Hocus Focus' (see a review of that here) but I would also like to try it with the real techniques buffing brush. The main concerns with BB creams is that the staying power isn't effective but I have found this product to last all day, although the mattifying effect doesn't and so I do have to touch up with powder, however nowhere near as much as with the Garnier BB cream. The formula of this is a bit thicker than that of the Garnier and therefore gives a thicker coverage, however it is still light enough for my freckles to show through but not my pores! I've tried this both with and without a primer and it works well with both - I don't think using one changes the product. I also really like that it has added SPF 25 to it which I have become more conscious of recently in my face products.

BB Cream rubbed in

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by this product and would purchase it over the original Garnier BB formula, however I will update as to whether I prefer the oil free version! So far, this has been my favourite though. Other BB creams I would like to test out in the future include Clinique's SPF 30, Maybelline Dream Fresh, Ginivera Green Tea and Origins A Perfect World and Vitazing.

What BB creams have you used and would you suggest? Have you tried either of these? xxx

All Used Up

This is my first 'empties' post and they will probably be few and far between as I am rubbish at using my products up and usually just buy more than I need! However, I'm going to try and cut down on the spending so these posts will (hopefully) become more of a regular thing than I am anticipating.

Witch Foaming Face Wash: I bought this ages ago when I was in Home Bargains at uni (an absolute gem of a shop!) as I needed a new face wash and have been using it again recently to get rid of it! There was nothing special that stood out about this and to be honest, it never really made much difference to my skin. As it is a foam, it did feel gentle when I washed my face but I never saw any positive changes to my skin in regards to blemishes, skin tone etc. It was a perfectly  nice face wash but I wouldn't buy it again as it didn't do much for me.

Sally Hansen Nail Polish Remover for Normal Nails: There isn't much to say about a nail varnish remover to be honest! As this was for normal nails I didn't see any amazing effects from using this, but as far as nail polish removers go it was pretty effective.

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Tone-Refreshing Shampoo: This has lasted me a really long time as I don't use it with every wash like it states due to the fact using a toner on your hair often can damage it quite a lot. I liked the smell and the consistency of the formula, but its effects didn't last long after I used it. On the first day my hair was noticeably more vibrant in colour, however this did wear off the next day. I have bought a new purple shampoo in my recent haul (see that post here) which was cheaper so it will be interesting to compare the two. If I don't get on with my most recent version of purple shampoo I will probably repurchase, but I would like to find something a little more effective.

Garnier Pure Facial Moisturiser: This product also lasted me ages, even when using morning and night. I used to use it in conjunction with the face scrub and toner and found it effective with that, but after they ran out, it showed me the moisturiser wasn't that much of a miracle product. It claims to 'treat imperfections while leaving the skin smooth', however I don't think it did much for blemishes or oil control and actually left my skin feeling a bit tacky. I have since bought the Clean and Clear oil free moisturiser and I already prefer it (expect a blog post on that soon). Overall, there was no noticeable benefits from using this product and I wouldn't repurchase. I would rather pay more money for a really enjoyable moisturiser than less for a sub-standard one.

Have you used any of your products? What are your thoughts on them? Are there any products you would recommend to use instead of these? xxx

Holiday Heroes

Summer is upon us...or maybe not if British weather is anything to go by! Therefore, many of us seem to be jetting away to exotic far away places in order to enjoy some hot weather and a bit of sun. As you will all know from previous posts, I have just had a wonderful week away in Turkey and thought I would share some of heroic products I took on holiday that saved and protected my skin and hair. I am quite fair and have highlighted hair, so products that really help maintain the condition of both my skin and hair as well as protect it are really important to me.

L'Oreal expert Soar Sublime UV Protect Spray: I am in loooove with this product! I am so glad I invested in this as bleaching my hair means I have to take so much care to keep the shine and colour vibrant as well as maintain the softness and condition of my hair. Luckily, this product seems to do all of these jobs at once! It coats the hair in a 'light protective film' and left my hair feeling so soft and shiny, while still feeling like I hadn't got any product in at all. I used it on dry hair before I went out in the sun and then every time I came out the pool or felt I needed to use some more. It also has a beautiful summer scent of peaches - all around this is a must have if you have coloured hair and are going somewhere sunny! 

Sudocrem: This may seem a bit of a weird one and not essentially a 'beauty' item, however I think it is a bit of an unsung hero! It really helped with some sunburn by moisturising it effectively and healing it much quicker than with just a bit of aftersun. It is also good for if you get a few pesky blemishes that you want to banish!

Clinique Moisture Surge: I really love Clinique skin care but naturally have quite oily skin, so when I received this as part of a gift I didn't think I would get much use out of it apart from maybe winter when skin can get a bit dry. However, this was really great on  holiday when I got a bit sunburnt on my nose and forehead and this helped to stop it feeling tight and sore, as well as stave off the flakyness!

Aussie Miracle Colour Insurance Leave in Conditioner: Again, i loooove this product!! I normally use this in my standard hair routine on towel dried hair after washing, mainly because of the gorgeous scent of peaches (again! You can tell the scent of a product is a big deal to me!) However, I noticed it made a real difference on holiday because I was spritzing it on when I was in the sun on my wet hair every time after the pool. I think because I was using it a lot more than I normally would, my hair has become noticeably softer. To be honest my hair is in pretty good condition anyway considering I bleach it, but normally after shampooing I can feel it needs the conditioner. However, after using this every day it has left my hair feeling really nourished even after shampooing and so I think it is making a real difference to the quality of my hair. Overall, I think its just a really good product and will continue to use this every day to see if it lives up to what I've claimed!

L'Oreal expert Solar Sublime Aftersun Shampoo: This shampoo was amazing and I am so pleased I bought it! Again it had the peachy holiday smell (can you see a theme?!) and it made my hair soft and nourished. This product had it all really, the scent, the UV protection and I loved the fact it was formulated to get out salt and chlorine completely while still nourishing my hair so I felt like it was really clean without it being stripped. A definite must for holiday, especially because it was in a smaller bottle for travelling too.

Garnier Intensive 7 days Replenishing Lotion: This product was actually used after my holiday as I took a travel sized moisturiser with me to Turkey. I really love this for summer as it is light weight but really moisturising at the same time, so I didn't need a heavy body butter like I do in the winter as I get dry skin, especially on my legs. I also really like the scent, but I would like to try the one for very dry skin to see if it is an even better match for me.

L'Oreal Elvive Colour Protect Caring Conditioner: Another product from L'Oreal! This is my normal conditioner I use the majority of time I wash my hair and I really like it in conjunction with the shampoo to prolong my colour and I love the added UVA/B filters. I won't go into too much detail as I have already reviewed the shampoo which you can read here.

Have you used any of these products and what do you think of them? Are there any others you would recommend? xxx