La Roche Posay Serozinc Spray

Finally this product is available for purchase in the UK. I used to purchase this product on Amazon or in Paris when we went there for a holiday. Serozinc is a zinc sulphate toner it helps to clean and smooth the skin and keeps the oil from your skin under control.

This product could be used as a spray for your face but usually in winter I would spray it onto a cotton pad and wipe my face with it, but in summer months when it's hot it's very good to spray it straight on the face as it's very refreshing and wakes you up in the morning. It's a hypoallergenic toner for oily, blemish and acne prone skin I don't use this product very often because I've already passed the acne stage in my life but on special days of the month I use this product to get rid of my blemishes. I have combination skin so this spray helps me keep my oil under control but my kids use the spray every day and it helps them a lot, to get rid of the blemishes and redness on their faces.

The ingredients are water, sodium chloride and zinc sulfate and it works like a toner to help oily or blemish-prone skin, but it can also be used on any sort of irritation, from soothing a razor burn to other skin conditions.

 

It's a really good product and I'm very happy that it is now available in the UK and could be purchased at anytime. You can purchase this product from: http://www.escentual.com/la-roche-posay/larocheposay123/ for £8.50

Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser

The hot cloth cleanser is the most used product in my make up removing arsenal. In my opinion its one of the best products to remove make up and cleanse the skin. Its my must have cleanser, most evenings I use this product on my skin and it looks and feels clean, bright and soft.

The Liz Earle cleanse and polish hot cloth cleanser is made from all natural products and the main ingredients are: eucalyptus oil, coconut butter and rosemary. The product smells very herbal.

The cleanser comes in a tall cylindrical bottle, which has a pump, which is very helpful as well because the cleanser is quite thick and you only need one full pump to remove the make up. The make up just melts off my face with this product, it’s so quick and easy to use! When you first purchase this product it comes with two muslin cloths, it is very easy and fast to use. I usually use 1-1.5 pumps depending on how much make up I have on, but usually one is enough.  Once you have pumped the cleanser into your hand rub your hands together so its on both hands and then gently massage it all over your face first, then put some on your eyes to remove all eye make up. You do this last to make sure your eye make up doesn’t end up all over your face. I just gently rub my eyes to remove the make up and even waterproof mascara melts away with this cleanser. Then just wet the cloth under warm/hot water and wring it out. Once you’ve done that you begin to polish your face with the cloth making sure you’re using it with circular motions, then I’ll rinse the cloth and wipe my eyes.

The cloth provides a gentle exfoliation to the skin and removes all make up along with cleaning my face and eyes. I usually rinse the cloth under hot water to remove the make up and cleanser from it, and then once a week I would wash it in the washing machine.

This product is very good and when using it on the eyes it doesn’t sting or burn them or make them red, which is very good for people with sensitive eyes.  The original cleanse and polish hot cloth cleanser is a multi award winning products. You can purchase this product for £14 at: http://www.boots.com/en/Liz-Earle-Cleanse-Polish-Hot-Cloth-Cleanser-100ml_1546298/

Dior Addict It-Lash Mascara

I read a lot of reviews and opinions on these mascaras and they have a lot of divided views, some people absolutely love them and would repurchase and try other colours and other people don’t like it at all.

I like this mascara very much, the mascara comes in 5 different colours; hot pink, black, blue, violet and purple. So far I have only tried three and I love the blue and purple mascara, but I'm not a big fan of the hot pink one. It comes in beautiful packaging like all Dior addict products. The brush on the wand is large and it’s kind of rubber looking with short bristles, which help to lengthen, separate and curl each lash. For a colour mascara this mascara is amazing it stays on for at least 8 hours and keeps the colour on as well as holding the volume. The mascara doesn’t fall out at all but at the same time it is easily removed with just warm water or any other make up removing products, I usually use Marcella water to remove my mascara.

I usually wear it during the day just as a normal mascara with eyeliner and it gives me a pop of colour. I originally just bought the blue one and after using it for a while I purchased the purple one for my daughter and she is really enjoying using it as well and the best part is none of these mascaras are limited edition!!! Which is very good for people who like these products because normally these kinds of products are a part of limited collections. You can buy 4 of the 5 colours at http://www.boots.com/en/DIOR-ADDICT-It-Lash-Mascara_1474345/ for £22 or you could buy all 5 from a Dior boutique in store.

Bourjois Healthy Mix serum gel foundation & Healthy Balance compact powder

I have really been enjoying using these two products fromBourjois for my every day make up.  The Bourjois healthy mix serum comes in a glass bottle with a pump, which is the best thing when using a very liquidy foundation. As it says on the bottle it’s a 16hour wear. I don’t normally wear it for that long so I cannot say it lasts but if you were to use it for 8-10 hours it is perfect in my experience.

This foundation is very liquidy and applies on the skin very smoothly leaving my skin feeling light and it doesn’t feel like I'm wearing anything on my face. From just one coat it gives me pretty good coverage but if I need extra I can just add more layers and it doesn’t look caked on or feel heavy. It feels as though it absorbs into my skin and my face looks like it’s glowing. As it says on the bottle it is a vitamin-rich fruit therapy which is an instant anti-fatigue, so it livens up your face and makes you feel refreshed. Sometimes I don’t even need to use powder but if I do I would use the Bourjois healthy balance compact powder.

The powder is very finely milled and it goes on the skin very well, it doesn’t look like I'm wearing any powder on my face once I’ve applied it. This powder is a 10hour wear of matt finish. It’s a matt finish however it doesn’t make my skin look like a porcelain dolls face so it has a very good finish. It is very silky and smooth and has hydrating properties from the Asian fruit therapy it provides as it says on the packaging. It is an excellent powder, which I have been using for 2 years; I always keep a spare one in my make up drawer because I use it so much. I don’t have any high-end powder in my make up bag any more because this product does an excellent job for more than half the price of the high-end powder.

These two products are very good and I am enjoying using them, I am planning to purchase the Bourjois healthy mix concealer as well to see if its just as good as these two products. You can purchase both these products in Boots or online, the foundation costs £10.99 and can be bought at http://www.boots.com/en/Bourjois-Healthy-Mix-Serum-Gel-foundation_1238033/ and the powder costs £9.99 and can be bought at http://www.boots.com/en/Bourjois-Healthy-Balance-Compact-Powder_1244985/.

Car Essentials kit!

It’s very handy to have some essentials in the car just in case. I always have 2-3 pocket packs of tissues in the car, 1 pack of wet wipes, hand sanitiser, plasters (Band-Aids) because you never know when someone in your car needs a wet wipe or a tissue or when your kids suddenly discover a paper cut and they need a plaster like its an “emergency”, its always really convenient to have a few spare in the car, especially if you have kids.

It’s also a good idea to have a tub of hand cream in the car along with some lip balm. The number one thing that I must have in my car essentials kit is lip balm, because I always have dry lips and I will always use it.  It is also really practical to have some period pads in the car along with some painkillers. I also like to have a small perfume in the kit, as well as make up wipes for emergency mascara issues or smudged eyeliner problems. I also like to keep a small mascara in the car to help fix the mascara issues.

In my little kit of essentials I always have some money because sometimes in the mornings when I take my son to school I often leave my bag at home and spare change is always beneficial.  I also have 2 USB phone cables in case my phone runs out of charge, a notebook and pen is also good to have in the car along with 2 pairs of cheap sunglasses. The sunglasses are really useful in the UK because if you leave in the morning and its really gloomy, by midday the sun could be shining and you will be in need of sunglasses.  Hair bands and dental floss are also handy to have in the kit. 

I keep all this in a small cosmetics bag which fits perfectly in my glove compartment plus I always have an umbrella in the door compartment because its one of the most essential items you need when living in the UK. In my boot I  have a few bottles of water, a first aid kit, some snacks, a warm blanket and a scarf too. Bottles of water and snacks are a must have in the car because if you ever get stuck in traffic you will always have access to a necessity. 

All of these items that are mini versions or travel-kit size are available at supermarkets and pharmacies as well.

Michael Todd- Natural & Organic products.

I have been using Michael Todd products for a while now and I’ve experimented with many of the products on offer. There are some products, which are okay, and some, which are amazing.  The ones, which I have been repurchasing time after time are the Jojoba charcoal facial polish (which is a facial scrub), the Organic lemon toner and the Hyaluronic + C moisturising serum. Originally I bought the products through the US website however now they have a UK website where you can order from and its free delivery if you order products over £50.

The company states that all products are made in the USA using 70-95% of organic ingredients. The products are made from 100% natural Aloe Vera juice and are not water based, so it is really good for all types of skin.

The products ARE FREE from: parabens, triclosan (similar to triclocarban, its an antibacterial and antifungal agent however is controversial as effects on organisms and environmental health are still being investigated), phthalates (they are used as solubulisers, plasticisers or denaturants), sulphates and mineral oils, artificial colour and synthetic fragrances. Most importantly NO TESTING ON ANIMALS!!!!

Jojoba charcoal face polish (facial scrub):

The colour of the scrub is black and the texture is not very harsh on the skin, making it perfectly fine to use everyday without harming your skin. As you can see from the picture it looks quite rough and unappealing however it feels amazing on your skin, so don't be put off!! The scrub absorbs oil from oily skin, the charcoal gets rid of toxins from the skin but it does not dry the skin. It doesn’t dry the skin because it contains Jojoba. Just squeeze a small amount from the tube onto your hand and gently rub on the face for a few seconds, once you’ve gently massaged it all over your face, wash it off with warm water.  As soon as you’ve washed it off you’ll notice that your face looks brighter and fresher after the scrub.  After using the scrub I usually use the toner from Michael Todd called Organic Lemon AHA + DMAE toner.

When you put this toner on your face it actually feels like its doing something to your skin, it gives you a tingling sensation compared with other toners that I’ve used that don’t feel like they do anything besides give off a nice smell.  As it says on the description of the product it supposed to be very beneficial for your skin by brightening your complexion & visibly reducing dark spots, fine lines and wrinkles. The reason why this product is so beneficial is because of the alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), it instantly firms, tones and tightens along with the antioxidant-rich DMAE. This toner is best to use in the morning because its refreshes the skin and wakes you up with its fresh scent.

The other main product, which, I use from Michael Todd, is the Hyaluronic acid + C antioxidant moisturising serum. This serum can be used on its own without moisturiser in the summer whereas in the winter I would use a moisturiser alongside it. First off the serum absorbs very quickly and leaves my skin smooth and silky and it looks hydrated and revitalised.  Antioxidants and vitamin c minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as well as maximising the hydration of your skin. It also protects your skin from environmental stress and reverses UV sun damage. This serum is recommended for normal-combination mature skin.

I have been using these three products for a while and I can see that it does make a huge difference to my skin. My skin feels much smoother and better than before. After experimenting with different products from Michael Todd I would say these three are the best for my skin. The best way to try out Michael Todd products is to start off with the discovery collection in my opinion, as it’s the best way to discover which products will suit your skin.

You can purchase these products through the UK Michael Todd website and they do delivery worldwide as well. The Jojoba charcoal facial scrub costs £13 and can be bought at http://www.michaeltodd.uk/product-type/scrubs-polishes/mtto-jojoba-charcoal-facial-scrub.html, the hyaluronic acid + C moisturising serum costs £30 and can be bought at http://www.michaeltodd.uk/product-type/serums/hyaluronic-acid-vitamin-c-antioxidant-serum.html, and the Lemon AHA & DMAE toner costs £13 and can  be bought at http://www.michaeltodd.uk/product-type/toners/organic-lemon-aha-dmae-toner.html