L'Oreal Skin Perfection Radiance Revealing Gentle Exfoliator, £4.49 - Boots

I'm ashamed to admit that when it comes to skincare I'm a little bit of a novice.  I wouldn't say I was blessed with amazing skin, it has always been fairly sensitive and a little on the dry side, but I was lucky enough when I was younger to never suffer from acne or bad breakouts so skincare has always took a back seat for me.  As I have gotten older though I feel as though my skin has gotten drier, flakier and dull looking.  I've tried several different exfoliators over the years but have always found them to be too harsh on my sensitive skin but after this winter I was in desperate need of something to rejuvenate my dull looking complexion and battle the dryness.  So I went on the hunt for something that would be gentle on my sensitive skin but that would also get the job done.  I've always liked L'Oreal products and this exfoliator sounded just like what I needed.

As you can see it is a gel like formula that contains tiny little micro-beads to remove dead skin cells and impurities.  I prefer this gel formula to cream formulas as I find them much more hydrating on my skin.  I've used a few cream exfoliators before and they have left my face feeling dry and tight.  Once you start to rub this exfoliator into the skin the gel gently starts to foam up but doesn't turn creamy and the micro-beads are really gentle on the skin.  Once rinsed off, my skin really does feel refreshed and super smooth and after using it for the last month my skin definitely seems a lot brighter and I have seen a huge improvement in my dry patches.  If you have sensitive and dry skin I would definitely recommend this to you as it is really gentle on the skin.  When I first started using it I did get the odd spot on my forehead and chin, but I feel like that is to be expected with any new product and they cleared up within a couple of days and have had no breakouts since.  As this is such a gentle exfoliator it can be used daily but I feel that it has done such a good job that I don't need it daily and have been using it every other day.  It does also state on the back of the bottle that it is proven to remove makeup but as I use it in the morning I'm not really sure how good of a job it does at that.

Lastly I would like to talk about the scent of this product.  Normally I'm not one for scents and try to find something that is fragrance free, but as soon as you pop the lid on this one you are instantly hit with the scent of fresh juicy peaches and I love it!  I don't know if it's the fact that it smells so fresh or the fact that it's such a natural scent compared to products that smell falsely floral or too perfumed, but this scent gives this exfoliator added bonus points for me.

What is your favourite exfoliator to use?

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion, £5.45 - Boots

For as long as I can remember I have always struggled with dry skin, which is why I'm always on the hunt for the perfect moisturiser to combat this problem.  A problem I find a lot harder to tackle in the winter.  We all know the cold winter weather can be harsh on our skin and all those extra layers keeping us warm gives our skin less chance to breathe.  I also find that I drink a lot less water in the winter which also won't help in my mission to keep my skin hydrated and combat the dryness.  So I thought I'd give a new moisturiser a try to keep my skin hydrated over the winter.  

Aveeno is a brand that I've always been aware of but never tried before and whilst I was browsing Boots for a new moisturiser to try, this one caught my eye, mainly the promise that it will moisturise dry skin for 24 hours and I was intrigued by the use colloidal oatmeal.  I've heard that if you add oatmeal to your bath it really helps to soothe and hydrate your skin, now I've never really fancied giving that a try but the addition of it to a moisturiser is something that really appealed to me.  Now I know this isn't really a completely natural formulation but I like the idea of natural ingredients such as colloidal oatmeal, which is a finely milled oatmeal that has been proven to restore the skin's natural barrier and prevent water loss.

The Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion has a nice thick texture but is not too creamy.  I'm not really keen on the thick creamy moisturisers that you have to rub and rub into your skin.  This one soaks into your skin really nicely and leaves it feeling nice and hydrated without leaving it feeling too greasy.  I also like that this moisturiser is fragrance free as I'm not really into fragranced cosmetics or skincare, although this does have a slight oat-y smell to it which doesn't bother me too much as I don't find it overpowering and it doesn't linger for too long.  Although I think this is a great moisturiser and that it really does a great job of moisturising my skin, I don't think it quite meets it's promise of keeping skin moisturised for 24 hours.  It may do on people that don't have quite as dry skin as me, but I do start to feel my skin drying again towards the end of the day.  I think this is a pretty big promise to make though and I still prefer it to a lot of other moisturisers that I have tried previously.  The final thing that this moisturiser promises to do is significantly improve the condition of dry skin in 2 weeks.  I have been using this moisturiser for longer than that now and I have definitely seen an improvement in the condition of my skin and have a lot less dry patches than before.  How significant this improvement has been, the jury is still out.  It is, however, a great moisturiser that I would definitely repurchase.

What is your favourite winter moisturiser?

I recently received a lovely little package from May Beauty containing their Incredible Face Mask.  Having super sensitive and dry skin I was a bit weary to try it but after reading a bit more about it I decided to give it a go.

Included in the package was the Incredible Skin Guide booklet, which is a great and informative little booklet.  It has some information on the causes of blackheads and acne and what results you can expect from the Incredible Face Mask.  It also explains how a change in diet can lead to clearer skin alongside a list of foods that can cause acne and what they can be replaced with to reduce acne.  There are lots of helpful hints and tips in this booklet for people that suffer with acne.  Luckily it's something I've never really suffered from but I'm sure better and clearer skin is something we all strive for so it can be helpful even if acne is not a problem for you.  Then finally at the end of the booklet it has a step by step guide of how to use the mask.

Now onto the mask itself, which promises to rejuvenate skin by removing blackheads, dead skin, oil and particles that clog the pores which can cause acne.  After reading about the mask and seeing that it's main ingredient is deep sea mud I was expecting a thick mud like mask but opened the packet to find a very thick and sticky gel like mask.  I quickly set about to putting the mask all over my face, then using the brush to spread it out evenly being careful to avoid my eyes, eyebrows and lips as suggested in the guide.

As you can see the mask has quite a shiny latex look to it and still looks exactly the same when it has dried.  When I first applied the mask it had quite a cooling effect on my skin, which felt really nice, then as it dried I could feel it tightening on my skin.  It is suggested that you leave the mask on 30-45 minutes to dry and so the first time I used it I left it on for the whole 45 minutes.  Then came the removal.  I am going to be completely honest about this, it was a little eye watering to remove!!  There is no mistaking that pulling this mask off will remove any bit of dead skin or dirt on your face.  It wasn't necessarily painful, the only comparison I can make is when you get an eyebrow wax and you have that moment where you tense slightly and your eyes water slightly... well it's kind of like that.  The only thing I will say is make sure you are careful not to get it on your eyebrows or hair and if you do just wash it off with some warm water.  I have used it several times since that first time and it does become easier to remove and I only left it on for 25-30 minutes, so don't let that put you off as it is worth the results.

Now I don't suffer from acne so I can't say how much of an improvement it makes on that but I do get the odd spots now and then, especially on my chin when I am stressed.  When I first used this mask I had four spots, three on my chin and one on my forehead, and the morning after I had used the Incredible Face Mask they had completely cleared up.  So when it comes to clearing spots I can safely say this mask works and I have been using them once a week for three weeks now and have not had a breakout at all.  Like I said I don't really have spot prone skin but always get the odd few, so to have none is great!  I have also found that my skin is a lot less flaky, especially around my nose area, I've always suffered from dry skin and it still does get dry around my nose and on my forehead but I'm assuming this mask has really helped by removing the dead skin cells as it doesn't get as flaky as it used to.

All in all I am really impressed with this face mask, it's not just your typical face mask that makes your skin feel nice and soft for a few hours, it really has long lasting effects.  If you'd like to give the Incredible Face Mask a try May Beauty are offering my readers 30% off making the test package £13.30 for 5 face masks, the brush and skin guide, all you need to do is click this link.

Now, I was in two minds whether to write this post or not as at Christmas I was sent a lovely little parcel from Primer Spa Shop containing a soap bar, moisturiser and little bag of lavender.  As with most beauty products I like to use them a little while before I write a review so I can get a good idea of how well they work and whether they affect my skin, being the sensitive little skinned soul that I am.  However as I've sat down to write this review their website seems to be no longer available and there has not been much activity on their Facebook or Twitter pages.  However I decided to write my review anyway as I was really pleased with their products and my hope is that they are just taking a little downtime.

The first item I was sent was the Cashmere Caress Spa Soap with Lavender and it was nicely packaged in brown paper and blue string adding to it's rustic and natural feel.  This soap is completely natural and handmade with a selection of butters and oils that are great for your skin.  It even has real pieces of lavender in it giving it a lovely aroma and a slight grittiness to the soap which gives it it's exfoliating properties.  Now I'm never really a fan of soap bars as I find they tend to dry my skin out but this lathers up lovely and feels really moisturising.  Also when mixed with rose water lavender is meant to be a natural treatment for acne, as I don't really suffer from acne just the odd spot here and there I can't really comment on this but it could be a great natural remedy for acne sufferers.

The other product I was sent was the Merino Caress Body and Facial Cream.  Again it is made with all natural ingredients including calendula oil which is great for treating skin conditions such as acne and eczema.  It is a really thick and creamy moisturiser that really softens and smooths the skin.  Like the soap it has a strong lavender scent, so if you're not a fan of lavender this may not be the cream for you, but as lavender is known for aiding sleep and helping to relax and calm you this is a perfect cream for me.  I very often have trouble winding down at night and relaxing enough to sleep so this has become my go to night time moisturiser.  Now I'm not saying it's a miracle worker and makes me sleep like a baby but I have definitely noticed a difference in how relaxed I feel when I get into bed now.  As it is such a thick and creamy moisturiser, applying it at night also really gives it a chance to soak in and properly nourish the skin overnight.

Now I have discovered that they may no longer be trading I will be using both of these products very sparingly as I may not be able repurchase them.  It's sad but this is often the case with small local businesses, which is why I try to support them as much as I can.  I hope to see them back again soon but if not I'd love to hear if you have any similar recommendations for me to try once these run out.