Bare Minerals Skin care

Having tried the Bare Minerals foundations and Mineral veil kit and loving it, I thought that I would branch out and try the new skin care line.
After watching so many demo's on my favourite channel QVC I hit the red button and ordered the 30 day try me kit.

For £22.74 I got to try out 60ml of the Naturally Luminous Purifying cleanser
30ml of the Purely Nourishing Moisturiser for combination skin and
5ml of the firming eye treatment.

I swatched the creams for you, the top is the moisturiser and bottom you have the eye cream.

For the money the sizes are fantastic and after a months use are still going well.

They say the main ingredient is Rare minerals Active Soil complex, don't worry it looks and smells nothing like soil thank goodness!

Starting with the cleanser, I like it. You get a nice foam that feels luxurious and not synthetic, it cleaned my face really well and I did not break out using it. As the line promises no Synthetic fragrances and no artificial oils I would think it's suitable for all skin types really. 

You only need a teeny bit to do you whole face so I think this 60ml size will see me past my weeks break in July. My pores have been starting to look bigger on my face which I think is due to ageing but after using my face wash they did look smaller to me. With any skin care it is a good testament when people tell you how well you look when you are wearing no make up at all and this is what happened to me after using this.

The moisturiser:

I have changed, recently to anti-ageing moisturisers but I pushed them all a side to give this a go.

After using it for a few weeks I have actually come to the conclusion that for me, this moisturiser is great as a make up primer. It leaves my skin matte, yet still soft and my make up goes on and stays on longer when applied over the top of this. As I am on a lot of medication I need a bit more moisture than this gives me but it gets major thumbs up because of the primer effect.

Eye cream:

I feel at ease using this on my eye lid as well as under my eyes as it feels very gentle to me. I have not noticed my shadows going anywhere but this cream never promised that. I would love to go in to more depth on the eye cream but alas I can't as my H2B has taken and hidden it as he has secretly fallen in love with using it, but for me this shows that it's a great product because he wouldn't bother if it did not work!

All in all I am giving the Bare Minerals a thumbs up! I will be packing it in my bag for my break in Whitby and would recommend anyone to give it a go It is great value.

Sam

x

Elemis heaven

I am still in Elemis heaven and working my way through wonderful products, it's a tough life lol.

Most of the high end eye creams out there are packing so much technology in to their pots that they are also fabulous for the lip area, so there are new creams on the block out there.

Being 26-27 (eeekkk) I don't have wrinkles YET however I am seeing a change in the texture around my eyes and they can become dry and irritable at the drop of a hat. On a good day I can look like I have missed sleep but on a bad day I look like I have went 10 rounds with Ricky Hatton!

This is where Elemis steps in! The very high tech sounding Pro-Intense eye and lip contour cream re-hydrates the dry patches and some how lightens up the circles.

I normally rave about the smell in Elemis products because they are so good but there is no smell here.....and that's what you need in a eye product. Your peepers are very sensitive and should be shown the up most respect.

Now to get all technical on you the buzz on this cream is that it contains stem cells from edelweiss. These stem cells work with the skins natural function at the 'dermal-epidermal junction' level to protect the shape of skin cells, tighten the collagen network and hydrate evenly through out the day.

As you can tell this cream will tackle a whole load of issues and prevent the others.

I can imagine it lasting a long time too as I only need half a pump to do both eyes so 1 pump would do eyes and lips.

I never tend to stay true to a product for too long but I always keep them in reserve as when your skin has a certain problem it is always nice to switch to a product that can get it under control fast, and this product is right there with you to do this.

I am still using this though, a month so far and I can not see my self straying any time soon....it's that good!

At the moment Elemis are giving you a extra bonus from the good of their heart, a full size of the Absolute Eye mask.Working along side the Pro-Intense eye cream or in fact any of the eye creams, the Absolute eye mask helps to brighten the eye area and lightening dark circles whist still moisturising the delicate paper thin skin. The essential oil extracts in this mask are beautiful and include a lot of favourites. Rose and Lavender make an appearance along side mimosa, cornflower and camellia to lend a helping hand in toning and firming the area so again this mask helps with lots of problems and will always have a place in your routine.

I know buying products that say Anti-aging can make you feel like you are adding years on to your age when in fact they do the opposite! Skin specialists say that the optimum age to use these products is 25. Just think that you are pausing rather than rewinding. Elemis is gentle enough to just use them for the great results they give to your skin what ever your age.


Buy at
http://www.qvcuk.com/
http://www.elemis.com/

prices vary

Recently I have started to become addicted to finding the perfect eye cream. I ran out of my old one and my eyes started to really feel it. For some reason I have always been religious about eye creams and I remember trying my first one at 12! I think it has served me well as approaching 30, at what seems to be lightening speed I don't seem to have a sign of any wrinkles coming through.....yet and I hope it stays that way. One thing that I do have to battle though is dark circles. Not just a bit of discolouration but full on circles that on a bad day make me look either really ill or like I have been in a fight and my eyes lost! My search for a concealer to mask this is in its 15th year. I have tried however to help my eyes along with a good eye cream and now I am adding anti aging in to the mix.

There are adverts every where shouting out claims of light reflecting particles and caffeine to wake up and freshen the look of eyes and even the introduction of roller ball applicators.

Over the past few months I have tested quite a few eye creams so I thought that I would share with you my BEST list.

Philosophy Eye believe.

This is a product that works on the eyes and around the lip area. Not only does the tube look cute, which Philosophy products always do, but it delivers anti aging power into even deep wrinkles.

This gel is a hard working peptide gel (Peptides are handy things that help to increase collagen in the skin therefore plumping it up and smoothing out those life lines) that will instantly smooth fine lines and wrinkles whilst still working through out the day. The formula that they have created means that you can also use it around the lip area where lines might have started to appear especially if you are a smoker.

Philosophy also say that this balm like lotion can lighten up under eye circles.

I will admit that I don’t always follow the rules with eye creams in that I don’t just pat it around the eye area I also like to tap a small amount over the eye lids as well as mine can get dry. With this product I had no problem and was able to do so with no stinging and it didn’t make my eyes water. The feeling of this balm is like velvet when applied to the skin and this helped two fold, it allowed more massaging time I'm not saying that it takes ages to sink in it just allows a few more seconds to pamper your eyes, and it creates a great base for eye make up.

Although I was not using this product so much for the anti aging aspects I could still feel a difference to my skin once applied, it felt smoother so I feel that if your are trying to stop those lines this would do the job very well. As for the lightening … I saw a small improvement on the under eye area but for me this is great as some times there can be no difference. I think if you only had mild dark circles this could work a treat!

One last bonus is the tube is a decent size so it will last you a while.

RRP £22.50

LIZ Earle

Another eye cream that I have tried and to be honest has become a permanent feature in my make up draw is Liz Earle daily eye repair.

This lives up to all its claims and promises and at the end of the day is not that expensive for a botanical multi feature eye cream. As usual Liz has packed loads of botanical ingredients in to this little tube, with the main botanical ingredients being Borage oil and Echinacea. The texture of this is a cream but you can actually see the little light reflecting particles in it at it is coming out of the tube. It does not have any smell to it so for people who don’t like strong smelling lotions this one will be fine for you.

The cream goes on smoothly and does not sting. I can see my dark circles get lighter once I have put it on due to the light reflecting particles, as to whether it has made a overall difference I am not that sure to be honest. It certainly moisturises my eyes and I have not suffered from the painful cracked eyelids that can sometimes plague me. The cream does not rub off like some I have tried, some tend to sit on the skin rather than sink in. I find that even with daily usage the cream lasts for quite a while so I don’t mind paying the £13 tag. It also comes with SPF10 so even if you have no wrinkles yet it is a good product to use to protect your eye area from wrinkles actually developing because of the sun.

Now staying with Liz Earle they have brought out a super charged Eye cream for those who are already seeing the wrinkles and lines.

Super Skin eye and lip treatment actually tackles the lines and wrinkles rather than just trying to prevent them. It comes from their permanent Super Skin line that is well known for extra moisture benefits. It is specially formed for the older skins, troubled dry skins or even for you out there who have been beach bunnies and your skin is now not looking as plump as it was. Super skin is a powerful serum that is packed with a potent yet gentle blend of powerful botanics. It is rich in Omega 3 GLA and antioxidants so they will work their magic deep down.

Even though I don’t fit into this category I could not resist giving this a try as I thought if the eye dryness ever came back this sounded like a perfect and tbh more attractive plan than slathering petroleum jelly all over my eyes. It leaves skin so so smooth and it looks more even. I found that I needed less cover up over the top of my lids after using this. With it being a serum it is fab to pat in. You can also use it round the lip area so during winter or summer when skin gets punished or if you are suffering from self consciousness in that area, this is great to pop in your bag and carry round with you. We all know that if you put lip balm round your mouth you would look a bit daft, with this no problem as it sinks in….job done, lipstick on good to go.

RRP £25

Soap and Glory Super eyes

Soap and glory have tackled face care with the same retro cuteness of the bath and body line but don’t go thinking this means any less thought or science has gone in to the end result of their products.

Super eyes comes in the same, instantly recognizable packaging the brand is known for but I tell ya this little pot is some thing else!

Wowza this gel gives immediate results. It is a moisturising gel that packs a punch.

It has Swift lift technology that you will find no where else to tighten the eye area and create a smoother contour, so under your make up the skin looks youthful and smooth. Don’t worry though, you won’t have to give up on moisturised lids for this result as this gel has de-puffing caffeine in it to work at making you look awake along with Aloe Vera to input that all important moisture, there is no point having results if your skin is going to suffer for it.

I gave this to a friend to test for me as she is always complaining about her eye area and was even obsessing over getting Botox!!!!! I was horrified at the thought and have managed to keep her away…..with the help of Super eyes.

The reports she has come back with are glowing…..and I have seen her and she can blink lol and still looks human but a fresher one!

She said that her skin is feeling less slack around her eyes and her make up goes on better and does not drift towards creases. She uses it morning and night and you can see a difference. Her skin is evening out and looks less dry as it is not as moisture thirsty.

She said she will be buying it again and has asked for it for Christmas and the best news is she has forgotten about the B word.

RRP £8

L’Occitane

Shea Butter Ultra Rich Eye Balm is the must have for people who have dryness issues round the eye area. It contains 5% Shea butter so is one of the most moisture packed eye creams out there. This eye cream treats dehydration but because of its whipped texture it sinks into the skin, feels cool and is not hard work to use. You feel relief from any tight feeling whether it be from washing your face if you prefer to use soap or even dryness that can be caused by illness or medication. You only need to use a teeny tiny amount so this pot is going to last ages.

I prefer to use this as my night time eye crème as I know that when I wake up my lids will be soft but for those who need that bit extra use it day and night and it will give you the best nourishment for the eyes. We are told to use night crème well make sure your eyes get taken care of too.

Being a girly girl the pot looks gorgeous on the nightstand as it is glass and has a very French look to it…..but then again it is from a French brand!

RRP £22.50

One little extra one for some one looking for wrinkle filling

Vichy LiftActiv Retinol HA Eyes

This cream is packed with science and has helping hands including Pro-retinol A and Hyaluronic acid.

It has a pressure point applicator to help dispense the correct amount. It is serious stuff and works on 3 types of wrinkles round the eyes, the permanent deeper noticeable grooves that you need to bring out the big guns for. You get all this action within this pot but it is still light weight and helps reflect the light awayd from under eye circles or pigmentation problems.

RRP £20

You can find these products by pointing your mouse at the following links

http://uk.lizearle.com

http://uk.loccitane.com

http://www.boots.com/

and www.QVC.co.uk

It would be great to hear if you try any of these products and what you think or if you think you have another eye product fitting for the halls of fame!

See ya (no pun intended)