Paula's Choice Skincare: The Verdict

Over the years, my skin's been hugely temperamental. From the oily, acne-prone days of my teenage years, to well, the still oily acne-prone days of my late twenties. Here's to beautifully clear skin in my upcoming 30s, eh?

Like it or loathe it, many of us still suffer from pesky blemishes well into our twenties and beyond. And despite what some magazines will tell us, the key isn't always to overload our face with drying skincare products. 

If you're even mildly into skin care, you may know that products designed to dry out the skin (like medicated acne cleansers) tend to only aggravate the problem in the long-term, causing the skin to over-produce oil to compensate for the moisture it's lost.

Thankfully, the people behind Paula's Choice - namely skincare guru Paula Begoun herself - know this only too well, and have devised a skincare regime for oily skin sufferers like myself, which does anything but cause tightness and dry out the skin.

I've heard a lot about the brand over my five+ years as a beauty blogger on this here blog, so I was chuffed when the Paula's Choice team got in touch recently to offer a couple of products for review purposes

A week or so later and Paula's Choice Hydralight Moisture-infusing Lotion, the brand's Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid, and a load of smaller samples dropped through my letterbox.

Now I don't know about you, but I'm always a little bit apprehensive about adding anything new to my skincare routine, because you just never really know how your skin's going to react, do you? But this time, I dived right in and hoped for the best.

I needn't have worried. My skin didn't break out and still hasn't, after a good three or four weeks using the products.

It took me a while to get used to moisturising, because despite my advancing years (I'm 30 in three months) I've probably used moisturiser all of about six times. But the Hydralight lotion is light enough that I hardly know I'm wearing it. I apply it at night, and it's soft, non-sticky consistency doesn't seem to aggravate my skin, and the product sinks in well.

I haven't used it in the daytime, before applying my make-up, but I have been using it religiously - each night before bed - and noticed my foundation glides on that little better in the mornings. I also love its light, herbal scent, too.

A quick glance at the Paula's Choice website revealed I'm not the only one who's a big fan of the product, with 4 star reviews and up all round - head over to the site for a peek.

The Skin Perfecting Liquid, however, took a little more getting used to than the moisturiser. I began by using it in place of a toner, but quickly released it was a bit too much for every day use. It's not that it aggravates the skin by any means, just that it's a little more powerful than other products of its nature.

Described as an 'oily skin exfoliant' over on the website, the product works by exfoliating deep within the pore to fight blemishes and blackheads. On top of that it contains soothing anti-irritants. Of course, as with many other salicylic acid treatments, it strips the skin somewhat, and I wouldn't use it more than twice a week.

That said, I've noticed it's done nothing but brighten up my skin and even reduce the appearance of blemishes and acne marks - something that's been talked about lots over on the site. A successful result in all, I'd say.

Have you tried anything from Paula's Choice? Are you a fan of the brand, too? Let me know by commenting below. 

* These products were sent to me for review consideration.

Dye-ing For a Refresh

Since impulsively taking the plunge to head to the hairdresser's and get my long hair chopped into a short bob, I've been itching to refresh the colour, too.

It was great timing, then, that the folks at Naturtint hair colourants got in touch to see if I fancied giving this all-natural black dye a go.

Since working for an American, UK-based natural health company last year, I've been gradually overhauling my beauty routine to contain mostly organic products. So this was a welcome product. After all, hair dyes are usually far from natural.

This one's available from  Holland and Barratt, and while it is a little more expensive than my usual L'Oreal dye, it's comforting to know the ingredients are organic, and the product contains no ammonia, and no parabens. 

It was great timing, then, that the folks at Naturtint hair colourants got in touch to see if I fancied giving this all-natural black dye a go.

Since working for an American, UK-based natural health company last year, I've been gradually overhauling my beauty routine to contain mostly organic products. So this was a welcome product. After all, hair dyes are usually far from natural.

This one's available from  Holland and Barratt, and while it is a little more expensive than my usual L'Oreal dye, it's comforting to know the ingredients are organic, and the product contains no ammonia, and no parabens. 

The dye is enriched with soya, corn, coconut (great for its moisturising properties, I believe) and what extracts. It all sounds pretty good, but did it actually get the thumbs up from me?

After carrying out the advised sensitivity test, I tried the dye one Sunday evening.

Application

As far as application goes, it was as easy to use as any high street brand. What I did notice, though, as it didn't sting my eyes (despite not applying the product anywhere near my dyes, the fumes always seem to affect my poor peepers), and it smelled a little less 'harsh' than other colourants.

Application was a breeze and after the allotted time (around 25 minutes) I rinsed and dried my hair to reveal silky soft locks and a good all-over ebony colour.

A great result - and in less than an hour, too. This is definitely worth a go if you're looking to use less chemicals on your hair.

Have you tried anything by Naturtint? Will you be giving this dye a go?

* This product was sent to me for review consideration

Recent Empties: February Edition

We're hurtling through 2014, aren't we? How's the new year working out for you?

Since my last empties post in January, I've already accumulated a few more products I've used up the very last dregs of.

Without further ado, then, here's what's been tossed into my empties basket in the last few weeks:

Botanics Microdermabrasion Polish Radiant Youth - If you were to look back at any one of my old empties posts, you'd probably find a Botanics product in each. I love the brand; it's affordable, products are (generally) quite gentle, and they contain mostly natural ingredients, too.

I'd heard good things about this microdermabrasion polish, so popped it into my Boots basket just before Christmas. While this has a nice, subtle fragrance and clearly does its job of revealing a new, fresh layer of skin, it's quite abrasive and not so gentle for everyday use. Worth a go if you're suffering from stubborn marks and scars, but more of a weekly/fortnightly 'treatment' product, really.

CB12 Safe Breath Oral Care Agent* - Now, this is hardly the most glamorous product, but it certainly deserves a place in my bathroom cabinet nonetheless - it was sent to me with a whole host of other products from a very generous PR. CB12 is a mint and menthol product designed to combat bad breath. I've been using it, however, for general maintenance and in place of mouthwash and I'm pretty impressed. It's fresh, tingly and easy to use - the cap features a nifty 'dosage system' to ensure you don't use too much, and this lasted a good month or so of everyday use.

Clarins Cleansing Milk for Combination or Oily Skin - I'm pretty sure this is my first foray into using Clarins products; I picked this up with its corresponding oily skin toner as part of a goodie bag at the Clothes Show in December, and while it's a little creamier in consistency than other cleansers I've tried, it certainly did my skin a few favours. Breakouts were reduced and my face felt soft and supple during use. There's a good amount here, too - the 200ml bottle lasted just over a month of twice daily use.

Covergirl Lashblast Fushion mascara - A gift from a fellow blogger over in Canada, this mascara is yet another triumph from Covergirl. Seriously, if you've yet to try this (or the original Lashblast, which comes in an orange tube), make sure you try and get hold of it. It offers volume and length for 'wow lashes' - give it a go. I'll certainly be stocking up when I'm in the US on holiday this summer.

The original Covergirl Lashblast

The Bakewell Soap Company Luscious Lips Green Apple lip balm* - I'm a big fan of all things natural, so I was chuffed to discover The Bakewell Soap Company recently. The site sells everything from beautifully fragrances soaps, to dinky handbag-sized hand creams. This gorgeously-scented apple lip balm is perfect for popping in your pocket, and it's moisturising without feeling overly greasy. It's also paraben-free which means it gets a huge thumbs up in my book.

What have you been using during February? Any product recommendations? Have you tried any of these items, too?

Products marked with an * have been sent for review consideration

A 'LUSH' Story

I've long been a fan of LUSH, since I first sauntered through its sweet-smelling doors in my early twenties. Fast forward some eight or so years and I've pretty much tried each and every product in its beautifully-fragrant range. Well, almost.

I've got me some huge hair with this, soaked in luxuriously scented baths courtesy of this, and zapped pesky blemishes with this.

So I was intrigued to hear about a brand new book which tells the story of the company that came before LUSH.

The title in question? 'Danger: Cosmetics to Go'. Written by Mira Manga (great name, by the way), it's a must-read for anyone that's even a little bit interested in the company which is helping put a stop to animal cruelty, promoting gay rights, and generally encouraging the use of good, clean and natural products.

Image via Lush.co.uk



It's a company which began some years ago, later (in 2011) sparking the idea for the book.

Looking back at Cosmetics to Go, a brand a ton of make-up fans remember fondly online even today, the publication tells its story in a fun, colourful way. There's images of cool, retro products, a page laying out the company's '10 Rules', pictures of staff from yesteryear, and a whole lot more. In short, it's a LUSH fan's dream.

And, of course, true to the brand's roots, it's printed on recycled paper.

Here's a sneak peek at just one of the book's stunningly vibrant pages:

As a big fan of LUSH myself, I'd have loved to scan Cosmetics to Go's colourful shelves. And, on the whole, the brand's ethos has been carried through to the LUSH range, too.

Here's one of its vibrant offerings ahead of Valentine's Day - the Toucan Love gift box.

Now, I'm not big on lovey dovey gestures; in fact, I hate Valentine's Day. But I certainly wouldn't complain if I received this on February 14.

On picking it up from the post office a week or so ago, I was met with a gorgeously fragrant waft of LUSH goodness when I opened the padded bag it was carefully packaged in.

A fruity, zingy scent greeted my nostrils and I couldn't help myself but tear open the packaging there and then.

And here's what was inside....

Featuring two-heart shaped products - the whimsically titled 'Titsy Totsy' bath ballistic (a favourite of my Mum's), and the 'Close to You' masssage bar, it certainly didn't disappoint.

In fact, now I've shared with you its contents, I think I'm going to do what I've been waiting to do with this package all week - empty its contents into a nice, bubbly bath. Until next time...

Will you be checking out the Cosmetics to Go book? And have you managed to sneak a peek at LUSH's Valentine's range yet, too?

Part of the Clique...

Anyone who knows me will know I'm magazine mad. When I've not got my beak in a good mag, I'm generally pitching features to their commissioning editors, in the hope of one day seeing my words in a women's glossy mag. Freelancing is so very competitive.

So I was chuffed to hear about a brand new (and free!) magazine called Clique. 

Featuring Miranda Kerr on the cover, the first issue was launched in November. Dubbed the 'world's first truly shoppable magazine with extra content and value accessed via an app on your mobile phone', apparently this marks the first time content can be bought and shared, watched or bookmarked, as if the experience was happening online. In short, you can unlock hidden content and benefits and its 'digital handbag' contents can be shared, along with special offers and rewards. Sounds interesting, no?

With my first issue, which dropped through my letter box in November, was this stylish Katie Eary phone case - a nice little touch, eh?

Anyway, hop on over to the Clique website, as the folk behind the new mag have done a far better job of explaining all than I have.

Will you be checking out Clique magazine? 

The magazine was sent to me for review consideration