Too Coal for school...

If you dare to watch the US every now and then, perhaps with the help of comedians like Trevor Noah in the 'Today Show', you might find coal being the hot topic of last week's news...Thanks/due to The US president it is probably the negotiations with China this week, something new and conflicting about the POTUS every week, right? Anyway, coal should not become a fuel anymore.

On the bright site, charcoal has never been hotter in skincare. So let's hear it for the positive about some of my skincare finds...

• I have been trying out a couple of Charcoal soaps, and I find the Bamboo Charcoal soap from Funky Soap London to be one of the purest with the best bit of mint inside. As I said in my last posts, my psoriasis had been flaring up like a Australian forest fire in their summer and this has been one of the few soaps my skin could  1. tolerate 2. clean gently and 3. clear up the flare ups partly. Now my skin is a lot healthier, this soap feels amazing in purifying the skin and I love to wash my face with it too, as a part of step 2 of the double cleanse. Funky Soap London sells these big chunks of soap on etsy (here) for €4.00 and shipping is rather reasonable too.
• I think that Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser has been discussed frequently on blogs and the Gram. I agree this is a gorgeous facewash and the warming element makes it feel like it's working even more effectively opening and purifying the pores. Hence, it gets my supporting vote as well.
• I stumbled upon Ecodenta Black whitening Toothpaste after I was looking for a more affordable option for the very hyped Sister & Co Raw Coconut & Activated Charcoal Tooth Whitening. Ecodenta is indeed under a fiver and I already see a whitening effect on a more natural base. Perhaps the ingredient of €30-ish Sister & Co would have been a tad more pure, nevertheless the shipping -carbon waist- would add more polution to the environment. Ecodenta is produced in the Baltic States but Holland & Barrett import it in a larger frequency. Oh heck, the price is better ; )
• The mascara featured has nothing to do with added charcoal but I really liked the look of it, and the brush. This Outdoor Girl mascara has a dryer formula but I use the brush only right now with my other mascara's.
• I bought a couple of travel sized Byredo candles during the christmas season, and Bibliothèque has been one of my favourites because of the bookish, vintage scent. Do not worry you will only smell old books as the violet's will bring in that hopeful scent of young femininity of a girl who hopes her lovelife will be as exhilarating as the romantic novels she is reading.

Charcoal can be effective as a purifying product, and with some additional ingredients they can work in synch with helping your skin to get the desired effect. For example, by adding Tumeric you can also help to calm down inflamed skin, and turmeric would even function as an anti-ager. Personally, I had extremely sensitive skin and charcoal has been one of the few ingredients I could tolerate.

Besides these featured products, I have also tried some other hyped charcoal products. One of them was Freeman Charcoal & Black Sugar Facial Polishing Mask. I found that Freeman version to be so incredibly overfraganced compared to the purer versions featured above, and my facial skin got irritated after using it. Hence, I do not believe every and any charcoal product would be best, so better do your research and use the purer versions when having sensitive skins.

Resolution '14: Better Cleaning the face; the house is a different priority

Do we need yet another resolution? Yes, when it's in the cutest bottle!

Cleaning up is one of the key-elements of healthy skin and I've never really skipped on that. I only wanted to stop using 'the chemical' and leap over to 'the organic side' to see if my flake-prone skin would improve.

Since I had gotten a sample of cultproduct May Lindstrom 'the Clean Dirt' I wanted to explore cleansing grains/clays. May Lindstrom is quite expensive and also quite potent with warming spices and cleansing clays. That is fine on some days, but when skin is sensitive...soothing is a better option.

 The Rose Cleansing Polish has been branded as their most gentle and still effective cleansing scrub:

 

source: FrenchGirlOrganics

This sounds really credible looking at the ingredients such as softening Rose Hip, Hibiscus, Lavender and the ayurvedic wonderpowders such as Neem & Tulsi.

French Girl Organics has gotten a couple of a good reviews on various blogs. And ofcourse I've gotten too enamorated on the cute packaging...

Hence, my new powder habit is a healthy one:

 

I have only used it a couple of times; too little for a full review. However, I will discus it when I have used it more oftenly.

I bought it over on etsy from FrenchGirlCosmetics (here).

Osmia Organics Detox Exfoliating Mask

In my last post I declared my undying admiration for anyone who has the quality of 'great skin' under the 2000-ish pixels of our wonderfully mega-cameras these days:  

[yes, you ms Kruger & your superfood-infused Goopy Gwynneth) 

That will get me discussing my own skin again. Shortly, I peeled and treated my skin from my 20s-acne pot-holed affected skin to a smoother canvas. Hence, not too unhappy about this result. However, larger pores are a hereditary condition and making them tinier & grime-free is a continuous & effortful task of mine. 

Enter OSMIA detox exfoliating mask 

I gotten ridiculously curious about this mask seeing it on my organic-orientated blogger-'sisters' like BeautyByBrittanie, NoMoreDirtyLooks & SeedtoSerum

 But the not-always-organic bloggers have been raving about this mask as well, like on Babble &  Taylor on MyLucidDreams. All of them are proud owners of gorgeous complexion so they must be on to something...

My order arrived in a beautiful Hummingbird * flower decorated box. I loved the personal note & some generous samples! And that for a company that has gotten quite famous already.

The samples consisted of their famous black soap and this gorgeous Calibration Serum.

It is actually an oil but really suitable for combination skin. I've been using it on my t-zone lately, and I really have less pimples/congestions there lately.

However, I'm not reviewing that one today. So let's direct the scope to the ingredients of the Detox Mask:

Chock-full of good & effective natural ingredients...I'm specifically chuffed about the raw manuka honey (an intensive detoxifyer & moisturizer at the same time) & the raw cocoa powder.

The pretty little mixing bowl is a part of their set: how handy:

Uhm, not putting any public face-mask pictures up: I'll save those for facebook but I'd like to show you how the mask looks when added a liquid to your choice: Thin & chocolat-y:

As for liquid of choice: the standard option is water, but I love to mix it with one of my toners or make a water-&-manuka-honey blend and mix it with the powder.

Verdict:

• thin mask which seems to reach the 'dirt' of the pores easier than a thicker mask
• slightly tightening but not drying (de-moisturizing) effect
• dries fast in 2 minutes: so effective for a quicker mask 

• smells delicious with a small hint of chocolate
• clearer & tighter pores afterwards
• my sensitive skin stayed rather calm (no redness etc) afterwards
• price: midrange (when you calculate shipping in) but will last about 3 months with regular (2 a 3 weekly) facials
• love the personal attention to the order & the generous samples to try out

Conclusion: The raves online are justified: this mask preforms well and does what it says.

Availability: on the Osmiaorganics website for $50.00

Using Used Gonna Use

I've been seeing so many tanning people on the beach lately that I positioned my bottles and empties in a similar horizontal position: (ps: not advocating tanning: wear sunscreen & hat!)

Eh ok, like people you do not see the labels (or who they are) so easily when they lie on their bellies, so: 

Used:               I have been using up a couple of skincare items.

a. The Omorovzica Gold Serum has been finished for more than a month ago: I started using it (see here), replaced it for Aurelia serum for a while (which I finished), and emptied this one too. I have to give the word like to it but it isn't love. I feel it firms my skin a bit, but for its price I consider it to be not the miracle product I think it should be. 

b. Bioderma Micellar Water: I gotten this baby size on one of my trips to Paris. Bioderma has a great cult following and I can see  and notice the easiness of this water. Nevertheless, since organic and natural varieties have stepped up the scene I think I prefer them instead. See also the bottle of my gonna use.

c. Akin Refreshing and Soothing Toner with Orange Blossoms: a lot of people suggest that the use of toners is completely unnecessary in skincare.  I believe in the ritual and aromatic powers of a skincare regime. Also, I love the feeling of removing the last trace of creamy or oily cleanser and preparing the skin in an aromatic way for the next step. This is my 2nd bottle being emptied and I love the orange flower in this baby.

Using: 

Armani Cosmetics Eyes to Kill in 04 Pulp Fiction: It has been my first Dutch Armani purchase. Not the one from the brick-'n-mortar store I discussed in the previous post, but an online purchase. I've gotten a velvety Rouge d'Armani 400 as a GWP. It's a longlasting red and I haven't been using it a lot: I am not a vivid red lip wearer but it is lovely to have a smaller size of this colour for if I ever want to splash out on a red lip. Or perhaps my friend who loves these type of lipstick is gonna convince me giving it to her (or steal it).

Pulp Fiction is a cult classic and I do not have to discuss why I bought and like it : )

Gonna Use:

My favourite (organic) micellar water from Melvita: Eau Fraiche Micellair. This is my 2nd bottle and I love how it agrees on my 'delightfully'  choosy skin. I could not buy it from my 1st provider because they suddenly did not want to ship it from the UK but I found another webshop who does. (not mentioning names cough, no really not gonna do).

Used up's...

"Newly used up's, isn't that an oxymoron?" 

I have quite the selection of products:

1. Suti Rejuvenate Face oil;
I often buy skincare on naturissimo and they have some gorgeous sample sizes that I love for travel. I often return to sample sizes of Suti as their samples are quite generous and not too expensive (£2.95 for 4 ml here). I don't know why I haven't gone full-size yet because I repurchase the sample size oftenly.

2. Aurelia Revitalise & Glow serum
It gotten quite the positive reviews in the Vogue UK, had a feature on net-a-porter, but the review that made me buy this was thanks to the glowy Grace from LondonMakeupGirl.  She branded it as the serum close to Nude skincare serum and I loved that one. Also, I often find beautybloggers to be more unbiased than people working at Glossy magazines (etc) and I love a concise review that makes me plunge into buying something unsniffed/untested.
I love this serum and it's quite similar to the fantasticness of Nude Skincare serum. I will rebuy when I finish my Omorovicza Gold Flash Firming Serum.

 3. Phylia de M Clean shampoo
 Oh, my hair-woos story...This shampoo was included in a set that gotten me an extra bottle of my beloved Phylia de M Connect. I am not sure if it really works but it's a fresh and natural shampoo. I do not think I will repurchase as I think that the spray itself is more effective on getting the Fulvic Acid to my roots.

4. Melvita Mousse Nettoyant (cleansing mouse)
I have to update my original review (here) as it has been gentle, but not too effective in cleaning off all of the makeup. I do not use that much makeup but I still had too much on my face when I used my cotton pad with toner.

5. L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary oil for hair
I would only buy it to obtain such an ecstatic gaze as the model has on the promotion photo...hehe.

It was a BOGO deal with another L'oreal and I liked it for pre-oiling my hair before shampooing. I do not think it is as good as Kerastase Elixir Ultime but sometimes I get too frugal about my expensive haircare: this one was so easy to slather on as a pre-conditioner before shampooing (extra protection).
I didn't get the ecstatic look as the model, though, but if it's featured in another BOGO I might repurchase it for it's easiness described above.

Melvita Anti-Pollution Cleansing Mousse

Mmm, good marketing: an Anti-Pollution Cleanser...Especially when most of the inhabitant on this planet live in big, polluted cities.

I had finished the Melvita Micellar Cleansing water and I liked it a lot. I also wanted to replace my latest mousse cleanser after finding the chemical scent a bit too strong (Kanebo Naive).  I remembered liking my more natural Nuxe cleansing mousse and was willing to try another French Natural brand to see if they would be similar-> I went for the Melvita version.

 

Melvita has various stamps upon the box being Cosmetique Bio certified or being an Organic Cosmetic brand. I attach a certain value on this tag, as I find most Organic brands to be friendlier to my (often sensitive) skin. 

The first thing that I noticed that the bottle was quite small. My earlier Melvita Micellar Water was of a 200 ml bottle and my previous Nuxe 3 roses Mousse was a 150 ml. This 50 ml one is a baby.

However, that makes it travel-friendlier and that can be important too. Especially since a Mousse cleanser is impossible to decant into smaller travel bottles, right?

Ingredients:

I think Blackcurrant water, Anise water and Olive extract are the most beneficial ingredients in here. I personally like the Moringa too: I've seen it in a Kerastase Elixir Ultime Moringa here and I know Kerastase does a ton of research before they claim an ingredient to be the most important!

I do not expect a lot of beneficial help from a cleanser, btw. Products that you rinse off do not need a really large dose of superingredients as they do not have the time (or properties) to absorb into the skin. However, some ingredients can help the soothing effect. Funnily, it is exactly the moment you notice this the most when you use a cleanser that has ingredients inside that your skin doesn't agree with.

Melvita Anti-Pollution Mousse is a soft mousse. It feels a bit watery, though, but I had a similar feel with the Nuxe 3 Roses Micellaire Mousse.

• scent: a faint citrus (orangy) that is refreshing at mornings.

• Cleansing: Soft but effective. In terms of hydratation I almost do not have to use moisturizer afterwards, but with the heating & cold weather I still need some.

• Anti-pollution/Deep Cleansing? I had been experiencing more blackheads lately. The mousse does not remove blackheads by itself, only deep cleansing by peels/extraction/steam/masks will do, but after a deep cleanse I feel that there are fewer blackheads appearing when I use this mousse. 
• Softening/Anti Ageing/Brightening? I bought this as a softer alternative for the Kose Naive or an alternative to my earlier Nuxe 3 Roses miscelaire and in both cases it is a softer cleanser that feels gentle on the skin. The cleanser does not claim to target anti-ageing or brightening, but includes ingredients such like blackcurrant has a high vitamine C level (brightening & anti-ageing) and anise (brightening).

CONCLUSION:
 Small but effective in cleansing the skin in a soft but effective way.

Availability:
On Melvita.com or  Naturisimo.com

Using, Used, Gonna Use...

Gosh, I am posting this feature a lot lately, ain't I? At least I am using up some tingies and reach for some lonely-n-unused items in my cupboard too to try.

In similar order:

• Using: Phylia [de M] Connect: 

Elaborate post over here. I'm currently on their second bottle, and the hair is getting more *OOMF*.

• Used: Nuxe Eau de Mousse Micellaire

More elaborate post over here. I described this one scented as a masculine rose, and at a certain moment I got a bit over the scent. I like the mousse way of cleansing, which I knew before of Kose Sophymo Airy Whip. However, I can descibe the way Nuxe Micellaire foams as a "hesitating mousse" which is moussy but a bit watery too. I love that it's semi-natural and the initial dryness I experienced gotten better after my skin got used to this method.
Key line: I might repurchase, but it's not a favourite due to it's fragance.

• Gonna Use: Sholl footcream for harder skin

My winter feet have been into socks a lot and they gotten a bit...*undainty*. This cream hopefully will make them softer and daintier for that moment that spring arrives and the sandals can be put on again.

Borghese Fango Soap

I got this phrase "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" connected to old-fashioned soap, but the initial reason I bought this piece of soap was for the gift with purchase.

 It's just one of those moments the GWP draws you in (a generous set of 4 mud-masks): I already have this gorgeously frangant Portuguese Claus Porto soap, so why would I be tempted by the Italian Fango?

Well, this soap captured me for its properties and the idea of the mud/spa treatment, especially on the "absorbing action [that] helps to remove impurities and unclog pores":

The french description got overlighted, but you can read it in English and Italian

The ingredients:

A simple list with ingredients minimises the chances on senstivity issues. The Fuller's Earth is the main worker in this soap for the part that helps to draw out impurities.

When you open the package you get a beautiful green soap that already smells spa-like: slightly minty and a hint of algs or muds...

This is one of the soaps I feel best about using after exercise: It has that minty freshness and I love the idea of drawing the extra impurities out.

The packaging tells that you can use it on the face, and I do that every now and then when I feel that my skin could benefit from the Fuller's earth and other Fango-based properties. I don't think it dries out the skin on my face (or not anything more than the Nuxe 3 Micellaire mousse I described over here). I don't use it as my main makeup cleanser because for that I need a different arsenal, but if my skin is relatively clean it helps to remove sweat or some superficial dust.

I think it somewhat clears up impurities, but the best result on the face (and body) is when you combine this soap with one of their masks (that I got with the GWP)...that quite draws some yuckies out.

I bought my soap on cultbeauty over here and you can read some more sophisticated claims/properties over there too.

Of Mousse & Women: Nuxe 3 roses Micellaire Foam Cleanser

A couple of weeks ago I finished up my Kose Softymo Airy Whip

It was not my main cleanser, and I think I had it for about one and a half year. I alternated this cleanser between all the other varieties that I have: the balms, the oils, the cleansing waters etc.

I liked cleaning with this moussy stuff but it has the ability to make dry/dehydrated skin somewhat dryer.

However, I started to miss the feeling of cleaning with a fun foam and some days I really have oilier skin that needs more effective cleansing.

So I bought myself a new foam: The Nuxe 3 Roses Micellar Foam: First, because of the promise of Damascena Rose Petal Floral waterr; also and the fact it got a glowing review from two women with gorgeous skin on Rich/Succesful/Beautiful website Intothegloss (here).

It has a pump-dispensor that works when you pump it: it's not as automatic as the fluff that gets from the Kose Softymo, but this one distributes smaller portions that are just enough for the face.

Ingredients:

a mixture of naturals & some non-natural additives.But without Parabens!

Verdict after four uses:

• scent: 

the roses got me in the first place so I wonder how the fragance would be.  I would describe the rose as a masculine rose, somewhat a similar idea that Le Labo Rose 31 is often described (here). I like roses when they are most natural (as an essential oil) or slightly androgyn so this is ok with me. However, it surpised me a bit.

• Cleansing:

Not as soft when applying as the Kose Softymo and somewhat a dryer mousse (if I can call it like that). The afterfeeling is clean, but almost too clean. I have to follow up with a softening tonic, and a rather moisturizing cream to make up for that.

• Softening/Anti Ageing/Brightening/Deep Cleansing?

I have only used it four times to give out a thorough review. But as said earlier, I like the scent and the fact it is rather natural. Right now I do not mind following up with extra moisture, because most of my creams/lotions take care of that anyway.

Availability:
I bought mine at newfarma.be, for UK people it is also availabe at marks&Spencer, the US have it on skinstore.com and I also saw it on sasa.com.

Kind of funny to see how a French drugstore brand has gone international and mainstream these days (see availability)

Something old, something new, something finished...

Reading about the new upsurge of Asian skincare & makeup on the market makes me a bit nostalgic about my beginning days of the blog. Ok, it also has a bit of "been there, already tried that/have the product" when I read the articles about the 'newest' essences, fibre mascaras, etc. But let's not be snobby and look at an old favourite that is one of my first ventures on the Asian cosmetic market!

1. Something Old: The Majolica Majorca Automatic Eyeliner pen in BL 777.

Ofcourse, I found the recommendation of this gem on makeupalley by one of the first Europe girl in the field Fleckenschnitte (from Lotuspalace blog)! You can see her review over here!

 

I know there is some rule to chuck away your makeup after a couple of years but I haven't been using it a lot lately and I wanted to try out how good the texture would still hold. It's a close up so don't be fooled but it's still reasonable! Ok, we are used to more advanced textures these days but I still loooooove the multidimention-ness of the colour.

2. Something new: Tom Ford Lipstick in 17 Violet Fatale

 
I have been reading various reviews and noticed that it's not the most perfect texture for it's price. I still ordered it from Belgian niche-shop Parfuma because I was simply smitten by the beautiful pink/purple colour.

And yes, I managed to open its packaging! It is even featured on the non-chosen banner as you can see partly over here:

It's a bit dryer than some lipsticks but I adore the colour.

3. Something finished: Vichy Solucion Micellaire

 This was the last bit left, which I already used up.

Similar to the likes of cleansing waters such as Bioderma & NARS I found this one to be really effective and refreshing. My only dislike was a bit of a chemical smell after using it. Something easily removed by another tone. It doesn't remove sturdy eyemakeup that well, but most people reading this blog know what Asian mascaras can be like.

Cleansing Balms: reviewing Emma Hardie, Liz Earle & Eve Lom

Cleansing balms have been on the stage for quite a while. Perhaps more popular in the UK than elsewhere, but they start to reach a more international crowd thanks to bloggers review and international web-shopping.

As I normally veer towards Asian cosmetics, I am already familiar with cleansing oils. Most of my Asian readers and quite some Western readers already know that something that sounds far away from a cleansing device, (oil???), can be one of the better ways to remove makeup and respecting a dryer/sensitive skin.

Reading about cleansing balms, I kind of got a similar expectation, only hightened by the fact that

• cleansing balms are perfect for a small, pre-skincare massage, thus I expected an improvement in skintone
• even a more softer way of removing makeup than cleansing oils, and better suited for dryer (skin with dry patches) or dehydrated skin.

So, in a shorter times, thanks to some curiosity (Liz Earle), online deals (Emma Hardie freebie) and the friendliness of a niche shop-assistant providing me a freebie of Eve Lom, I had 3 types of cleansing balms to compare.

Funny that all these cleansing balms have women's names...I like that a lot...it makes it more personal...

Let's go for their full names, featuring the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm & Eve Lom Cleanser (hurray, a shorter name)

Cleansing Balms: Liz Earle, Emma Hardie & Eve Lom

I don't want to repeat too much on what most beauty-afficionados already know, nor do I want to leave out things.

I think every cleansing balm on the market these days comes with the direction to cleanse the skin with a special cleansing cloth. Often, they are provided by the brand themselves.

Eve Lom is the most cult and perhaps the most popular of the three. But I think that in the UK has Liz Earle on the no. 1 spot. Eve Lom retails for approximately $50 and I think Liz Earle around $20.

Emma Hardle is a newbie on the field, so I will dedicate some special attention on that one.

The travel-size packaging and cloth:

I think the look of the brand's packaging looks a lot like the brands you can buy at beauty salons, such as Decleor, Guinot or Natura Bisse. A clean, white packaging with some gold and blue. Quite fresh and spa-like.

Similar to the cloth they provide: It is a dual-sided cloth:

One side is a softer, cushion-y texture that reminds me of fiber-cloth wipes. The other side is a flatter and somewhat scrub-like, harder texture. Emma Hardie suggests that you can alternate the softer side for the sensitive parts of the face (or when you have sensitive skin in general) and the harder side on the parts you would like to have more exfoliation, such as the T-zone.

Compared to Liz Earle, I prefer this cloth. Liz Earle only provides you with a cloth that has the exfoliating/harder fabric. I have read some complaints about that online, and I can imagine that this dual-sided cloth is more versatile and feels more spa-like.

Back to the 3:

Liz Earle (on the left) comes in a handy pump-tube. Emma Hardie in a pot, and normally Eve Lom comes in a pot as well.

For hygienic reasons I would prefer the Liz Earle.

The texture of the Liz Earle is like a balmy, milky cream.: (see white part out of nozzle):

Emma Hardie and Eve Lom are that buttery balm texture. Emma Hardie a bit thicker than Eve Lom:

On the skin:

I could not help to notice that Eve Lom melts away the fastest, becoming a runny melted butter. Emma Hardie melts a bit, but doesn't become runny. Liz Earle stays the same blob as applied first.

Adding a spritz of water:

All three become a milky substance that makes it easy to massage the makeup of the skin. Eve Lom is perhaps the thinnest of the two.

After wiping away the residue with a cleansing cloth, the skin is cleaned. The Liz Earle and the Emma Hardie have no residue left. Eve Lom still has a bit of buttery layer.

Conclusion:

All three are suitable for cleaning up a heavy dose of makeup or other grime of the skin. The difference is in the feeling, the scent and the overal luxury feeling of cleansing.

Scent:

Liz Earle is the freshest scent with a dash of Eucalyptus. Perhaps good for mornings when you are a bit groggy.
Emma Hardie reminded me of Decleor nightbalms...deliciously scented with heady essential oils, such as Orange, Neroli and Mandarin ,Jasmine, cedarwood and Rose. It really gives out that spa-like, beauty salon experience.
Eve Lom smelled like plain-old petrolium. I don't know if that would be so because it was a decanted sample, but I expect a bit more sustainablity of a nice scent (or neutral scent) when you are such a cult-product for such a price.


Texture/cleansing:

Liz Earle stayed the balmiest on the skin, until the water came in.
Emma Hardie became a bit more liquidy but Eve Lom's texture became a bit too runny.
I prefer when the texture stays put, until I add water. So you can massage and target the area a bit better.The after-feeling of Liz Earle and Emma Hardie are the best. Although I believe that I prefer Liz Earle's scent for when I have sensitivity issues, because the overly heady combination of Emma Hardie lingers a bit too long on the skin.

Luxury factor:

That one goes to Emma Hardie, with Liz Earle as a runner up. She provides superior ingredients in her balm, such as Moringa seed extract, Wild Sea Fennel and Vitamin E and the scent is luxurious as well. The cloth is superior to Liz Earle's.
Also, the fact she includes a whole sheet of massage instructions, has a video online with more massage  techniques and a plethora of ways to become your own beauty therapists ups up the luxury factor.
 Liz Earle still deserves a good runner-up spot for it's fresh eucalyptus scent, the milky cream that stays put on the skin until you emulsify it with water. And I actually prefer the pump above the pot.
I am not a fan of Eve Lom by the sample I received. I would prefer either Emma Hardie or Liz Earle's  based on scent, texture, and cleansing experience.

Price:

Eve Lom is the most expensive for £50.00 for 100 ml. Emma Hardie is still quite hefty for £34.00 for 100 ml. Liz Earle is a £ 13.75 for 100 ml.


Am I a cleansing balm convert now?

Not really, or perhaps not yet. I feel my skin has become more sensitive these days, and the heavier the cleansing method, the more I feel my skin feels iffy about it. So I still opt for my more liquidy cleansing oils, actually. However, I think I will enjoy these products more when I reach springtime and the sensitivities will lessen.

But if you like to try a cleansing balm for free: keep an eye on my blog because I will include an new, generous travel size Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Moringa cleansing balm in a giveaway soon!!!

Skin & Care talk - Cosmetex Roland Shapy Cleansing Oil & Genie in a Bottle Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Spray

Skincare is sometimes seen as the more dependable and  less colourful variety of cosmetics. You really want it to work and not to irritate your skin, but it is not the most fun experience, compared to buying new colours that you can purchase when buying makeup.

The two products I will do a mini review on today are actually quite colourful to look at in their bottle.

The first bottle is one that I am quite happy about. I ventured on Genie in a Bottle skincare because it looked like a clean and effective skincare line.

Genie in a Bottle Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Spray

I also liked the first song that Christina Aguillera sang...tadaa, for the people that are still quite young, that was 'Genie in a Bottle'. Yeh, I was that sweet, innocent (and dare I say naive) girl that liked her whole first CD.

Christina Aguilera - Genie In A Bottle

So I have not been a fan of her later work, although I think she has been quite inventive in creating new looks and making herself interesting towards the public.

So, does my skin become as dewy and youthful as it was in my 'Genie in a Bottle' era?

Genie in a Bottle Hyaluronic Spray: typical spray bottle

Ha ha, my skin was a lot worse during that time, so I have not intentions to have similar skin. I had acne scars that have cleared up in a certain extend (thanks to religious skincare).

But the lack of beginning lines and the ability to look fresh in the morning (even after a short night) is something that I could use.

Lots of people forget that a large amount of beginning lines are often due to a lack of moisture in the skin. Actually, most people have dehydrated skin, even if they have oily skin.

That is what this spray helps you with. With the added amount of Hyaluronic Acids it is a quick way of adding moisture.

Ok, this is what Sasa has to say about this spray:

description
Genie in a Bottle Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Spray enables a precious reservoir for your skin, creating hydrophilic-lipophilic balanced skin.
 

Benefits:

• Capture: replenishes skin from inside out.
• Bind: prevents moisture loss.
• replenish: vitalize skin.

My opinion:

I do feel that it is more than a tonic or water-based spray. Also, when you spray it on, you can get a bit of a lustrous glow on your face. Sometimes, I use makeup that feels a bit drying, and with this bit of spray it equals out the dryness. For the month I have been using it, I believe my skin is rather hydrated. However, I use a lot of skincare that tries to cancel out dehydration, so I cannot really say that is it 's only due to Genie in a Bottle.

People with combination skin or oily t-zones, just as myself, probably have to watch out when spraying this spray over their nose, because it can leave your nose a bit too shiny. Or you have to blot out the shine afterwards.

The colour of this spray is a neutral, water-type colour. And for the sensitive ones out there: it is scentless too!

Overall, two thumbs up for me! I love this stuff and I will repurchase this when finished. The price is right and it does what the description claims it should do. ( It is  $ 6.70 on Sasa).

Towards my second colourful bottle:

I tried another cleansing oil: This time from Cosmetex Roland. With their message 'for your future skin' and their zesty red bottle I thought I could try this one.

Cosmetex Roland Shapy Cleansing Oil

The bottle has a retangular shape and the usual pump application.

Cosmetex Roland Shapy Cleansing Oil

The cleansing 'oil' that comes out is not similar to the usual variety of Japanese cleansing oils. It smells a bit berry-ish, which is a good thing. However, it is quite sticky!

Cosmetex Roland Shapy Cleansing Oil

I don't mind a new type of texture when cleansing my face, although I have become quite used to the more common variety of Japanese cleansing oils. But it should work and cleanse my face of all makeup. This one does not remove any eye-makeup at all. Or, just a smidge and I have to result to other cleansers to do the rest.

Thumbs down for me on this colourful bottle... 

I purchased it on sasa, but they took it out of their collection They do have a new, mix type of oil-cleanser listed, and that one might work a bit better. 

Battle of the Bottles: Blue wins for today!