Premae

Spring 2015 Skin Heroes

April 25, 2015

Now that we’ve had some glorious sunshine at least two weeks in a row and I’ve woken up naturally at 7am every morning thanks to the glorious early sun I feel I can finally say that we are truly in Spring. With that, it’s time to take a peek at some of the all important skin heroes that have been helping me nourish my dried out winter skin

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser – Original

Yes I know I’m a little late to the game with this one, but I’ve had about four samples stashed in my cupboard and started using this just after Christmas when my skin was in appalling condition. When I first saw people raving about this, I thought it was just another fad and people were only in it for the branding. My how wrong was I, and a little annoyed that I hadn’t bust this out of my stash sooner! What an absolute delight to use, honestly. It’s a non greasy facial cleanser that is simply massaged into the skin and then wiped away with a hand hot Muslin cloth or flannel which works just as well. Not only was it gentle on my skin, but it left it feeling hydrated as well so I didn’t have the mad rush from bathroom to bedroom to lather my face in moisturiser before it started to crack and rebel. After about a week of using this, I then began using it a few times a week to try and prolongue it’s use and after going having a bit of a reaction to some other thing’s I was trying, this was wonderful for soothing my sore skin. It also worked wonder’s the day after a gig day, having spent half the day in heavy stage makeup, when I used this the next morning my skin felt as though it could breathe easily and didn’t feel as clogged as it usually does, despite the hours spent the night before removing my makeup.

Be warned however girlies, this product does contain beeswax, therefore it is not suitable for Vegan’s. I’ll be on the hunt for some Vegan alternatives though.

Repurchase: I’d love to if they had an alternate version that didn’t contain beeswax

RRP: Prices start from £6.00

Where can I buy this? Direct from the UK Liz Earle Website

Sanctuary Spa Resurface & Refine Polish

Gemma actually recommended this to me and I can’t remember where I got this sample from, possibly love me beauty but I don’t know. Anyway, this has been my once to twice weekly treat and I’ve loved using it. It’s abrasive enough to make my skin feel fresh and clean, but not so harsh that I end up with a red blotchy face.

Repurchase: Definitely! This is on my shopping list when I’ve run out of my current face wash.

RRP: This retails at around £8-12

Where can I buy this? Debenhams currently stock this for £8.40 for 200ml.

Boots No7 Beautyful Skin Day & Night Cream for Dry/Very Dry Skin

I bought this day cream on whim last year as I wanted to try a new moisturiser that was for dry skin and thicker than my current one. I also needed it to have an spf and since I had some vouchers for Boot’s and had read a few good reviews, I figured I’d give it a try. From the first application of this, to the last where I was desperately trying to scrape every last morsel out of the tub I have absolutely love this. My skin felt so amazing and it really helped to minimise dryness for me without being too greasy. It had the bonus of being thick to apply, but I didn’t look like ‘porezilla’ and as though I’d smothered my face in Vaseline for the rest of the day. So this is actually my second purchase of this cream and it’s SPF15 is perfect for the Spring sun.

Repurchase: This is my second repurchase of this product and there’s no stopping me now!

RRP: £13.50

Where can I buy this? Boots – they have a wide range of creams to suit all skin types so make sure you browse and try.

Boots No7 Protect & Perfect Day & Night Cream

This was bought for me for Christmas and I started using it about 3 weeks ago. Although not as thick and luxurious as it’s dry skin counterpart above, this is remarkably good. Apart from the odd dry patch, my skin has felt hydrated all day and when I wake in the morning after applying the night cream.

Repurchase: This is great but I think I’ll be sticking to the Beautiful Skin Moisturiser in future.

RRP: £24.00

Where can I buy this? Boots, again take a look at their range and make sure you sample.

Olivia Chocolate Coconut Body Butter

I discovered this through The Vegan Kind and I wasn’t too keen on it at first. I thought the smell was a little weird, but it wasn’t until I tried it on my skin that it unveiled a heavinly chocolate coconut scent and I was hooked. This is a very oily body butter though, which is fantastic for my skin but probably not so great if you have greasy skin. It takes a while to absorb because of how oily it is, but the results are so worth hopping around in your pants after applying this post shower. My skin felt soft and was left with a beautifully subtle chocolate coconut scent.

Repurchase: I’ll be trying some of the other scent’s and perhaps some more products from Olivia in the future.

RRP: £5.00

Where can I buy this? Direct from the Olivia Soaps and Balms Website.

Anew Clinical E-Defence

I was using this as a night cream and wasn’t expecting a great deal as I’ve found a lot of Avon moisturisers dry my skin out. Having said that I’ve enjoyed using this so much. It has a real luxurious feel to it and my skin felt rejuvenated and hydrated in the morning. I was definitely surprised at how much I enjoyed using this though.

Repurchase: I think if this is on offer in the future I’ll pick up another to use.

RRP: £20.00

Where can I buy this? Avon either direct from their website or from your local Avon rep.

White Rabbit Toning Eye Cream

I’m really into White Rabbit at the moment, I’ve tried a few of their products after discovering them through The Vegan Kind and I’ve really enjoyed them all. My favourite at the moment though is this toning eye cream. I find it’s gentle around my eye area and helps to keep the skin hydrated. It also doesn’t irritate my eyes which is something I’ve suffered from before with previous eye creams. Being 100% Vegan and natural is also an added bonus.

Repurchase: Definitely going to have a White Rabbit haul soon.

RRP: £8.00

Where can I buy this? Direct from The White Rabbit etsy shop – make sure you check out all their other wonderful products.

Premae Triumph Moisutrising Creme Balm

I really loved using this – I mean really really loved using this! I wish I hadn’t enjoyed it so much because the price is somewhat out of my range at the moment. It’s such a lightweight formula that glides onto the skin and each morning when I used this pot of joy sparingly over my face, it felt absolutely wonderful. My face remained soft and hydrated until bedtime and I can’t even begin to put into words how amazing it felt.

Repurchase: I’d like to, but not at the current price.

RRP: £51

Where can I buy this? From the Premae website.

So there’s the low down on some of my current skin heroes that have seen me through the end of Winter to the beginning of Spring. I’m looking forward to using the rest of these up over the next few weeks to try and repair some of the damage all those nights with the heating on have caused!

What are your current spring heroes? Is there anything you use all year round or do you have a different skin routine depending on the season? I’d love to know in the comments below.

Totally hellbent for SPF moisturisers

Pants

Beauty Boxes, Vegan, Vegetarian

The Vegan Kind Beauty Box February 2015

March 4, 2015

One beauty box I’m keeping my subscription to, is The Vegan Kind Beauty Box. One of my biggest problems is spending hours reading ingredient’s lists and checking out companies when I receive samples from other boxes, just to make sure I can use them. There is none of that with this box as I know everything is already Vegan and it always opens me up to some great new brands!

Let’s take a peek inside this month’s box;

Fresh Therapies – Nourishing Natural Nail Polish Remover Wipes – 55g (RRP £7.50)

What a fantastic idea this is. Ten individually wrapped, nail polish remover wipes. Made with natural ingredients, no toxins and no chemical smell. It’s also suitable for Vegans, Children, Sensitive Skin and Pregnancy. £7.50 is a little pricey I think for only ten sachets, although they do have a 50ml bottle of nail varnish remover available for £8.99 which seems more reasonable. I know that this isn’t something you would use every day for taking off your varnish, but despite the price I think this would be wonderful for travelling. I remember last year cramming a bottle of remover into my bag on the way to Germany, just so I could do my nails on the ferry. Unfortunately said bottle leaked everywhere and I ended up with the tiniest drop left and having to borrow some off Gemma. The nail varnish pots are also great, but again prone to leaking if thrown into you bag. The individual pads are also pretty good the first time you use them, but since they are stored in the same pot I find they dry up really quickly. Since these are individually wrapped, you can just pop one in your bag and go!

Olivia Soaps and Balms – Chocolate and Coconut Body Butter – 50g (RRP £5.00)

I really love how cute the packaging is for this Body Butter. My first impression when I opened the lid and took a sniff though wasn’t amazing. It’s hard to explain but I really didn’t like how it smelt. However, after dipping a finger in I was somewhat surprised to discover that the butter was hard, but melted beautifully under my finger and once applied to the skin, it smelt absolutely gorgeous. It reminds me of a Bounty chocolate bar except perhaps somewhat less edible. The consistency is quite oily once applied, which is great if you have dry skin but probably not as good if you suffer with oily skin. Despite my initial reservations about the smell, I’m looking forward to trying this out after a shower for some extra pampering.

Premae Skincare – Mild Dermabrasion Face & Body Scrub – 20ml (RRP £5.00)

Made with Italian Olive granules, this can be used as a body or face scrub. I actually used this on my face this morning to text it out and it’s quite nice. It’s very mild on the skin and not something I would usually choose to use in terms of exfoliation, but it felt nice to apply – almost as though I was applying an exfoliating moisturiser. It doesn’t lather but wiped off beautifully with a face cloth. Although this says to use once or twice a week, I’m not sure I could use it instead of my usual face scrub. My dry skin needs something a little tougher but it’s great for a mid week pick me up.

White Rabbit Skincare – Comfort Cleansing Balm – 50ml (RRP £7.50)

The cosmetics gods must have heard me when I said I wanted to try more from White Rabbit Skincare since I also received a sample in this month’s #TVK16 which you can read about here. This cleansing balm can be massaged into dry skin before removing with a hand hot damp cloth. This reminds me a little bit of The Body Shop Chamomile cleansing butter. The smell is amazing and has a beautiful eucalyptus and lavender fragrance, which I adore. Once wiped off, it does leave the skin feeling pretty great I have to say.

Hedgerow Herbals – Bath Bags – 3x 10g (RRP £4.50)

These are essentially giant teabags for the bath. I actually don’t think I’ve ever come across anything like this before, but since I hate baths, I don’t ever buy bath products. These smell delightful though and have filled the whole TVK Beauty Box with such a calming aroma. I’m deeply saddened that I won’t be using them myself, but my general trick with bath treats is to force my partner to have a bath so I can sit on the toilet seat and enjoy them from afar. My favourite thing about these bags is that they are made from wild-crafted ingredients and each bag is bio degradable which means they can be composted.

I’ve really enjoyed the range of body related products in this box, so much so in fact that I hadn’t even noticed there weren’t any makeup items. Another great thing about The Vegan Kind Beauty Box is that it’s quarterly, so I don’t feel overwhelmed with products every month, it’s more than affordable and I’m more excited when I anticipate it’s arrival. I know they had put some feelers out as to whether people would like the service to become monthly and I always thought that I’d prefer a monthly box, but I’m really enjoying my guilt free spending with the 3 monthly boxes.

Have you signed up to The Vegan Kind Beauty box? What are you thought’s on the box potentially moving to a monthly service? I’d love to hear your comments down below.

Totally hellbent for guilty and cruelty free purchases

Pants

Vegan, Vegetarian

The Vegan Kind #TVK12 October Box Review

October 19, 2014

I have a slight confession to make in that I actually received this box about a week and a half ago and I’m afraid that I can’t keep using the “puppy” as a good enough excuse for not blogging more frequently! (Although that is totally the truth) I’ve had a busy month so far in terms of work which is great, but unfortunately this means a few late nights and my inability to want to sit in front of the computer for a minute longer once I’m done, favoring sitting in bed with an early grey and a biscuit. Still, it’s the weekend and I’m so enthused by this month’s box that I have to get this blog out so I devour whats left of the contents!

It’s hard to believe that this is the 12th box and The Vegan Kind have corrected me in saying their official birthday is actually November, but this is still my favorite monthly box and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Each month I receive delicious Vegan treats and a lifestyle extra and not to mention the 10p donation to a good animal charity from each box. This month’s is the Manchester and Cheshire dogs home which is a very worthy cause and I’d already donated a little something a few months ago after the horrific tragedy. So here’s to the twelfth box and many many more and since next month is apparently the official birthday, I hope they have something special planned!

#TVK12:

Angelic Gluten Free Double Chocolate Cookies – 125g (RRP £2.60)

What’s that you say? Reduced fat, gluten free, dairy free, wheat free and 75 calories per cookie? YES!!! I’ll admit, after I took my photos (which were pretty rushed due to the bad weather/lighting/work commitments and my inability to contain my hunger) I indulged in one of these. Now we aren’t talking a Millies scrumptiously gooey, warm cookie here, but my gods this is pretty darn good. I would have no qualms eating these for the rest of eternity and by passing all other cookies if I had to. I’ve also been following weight watchers the past four weeks (preemptive Christmas strategy is probably something to do with that too) and I can confirm that each cookie is only 2 Pro Points for those that are interested.

You can get down with some guilt free face stuffing cookies here.

Howdah Onion Bhajis – 100g (RRP £2.39)

Another delicious snack on this month’s menu are these “Onion Bhaji” snacks. Packing quite a punch with each bite, they are a wonderful bit of savory style nom when you are in the mood for … well … “something”. My only downside is the pretty high calories and fat content per 25g serving. (3 Pro Points per 25g serving) so not a packet to devour all in one go and definitely one to measure out in the kitchen instead of taking the whole thing with you.

Check out their range here.

Premae Skincare Triumph Creme Balm – 10ml sample (RRP £33.66)

I am a fan of no nonsense moisturisers, so a cruelty free moisturiser is right up my street. With added anti-ageing Vitamin A, C and K, I couldn’t ask for more. The sample is a pretty decent size too although I’m not sure I would spend £51 on the full size 15ml version. It feels quite luxurious on the skin and I didn’t react to it at all which is a good thing, so I guess I’ll see how it holds when used on a regular basis.

For more of the premae skin care range, visit their website.

Landgarten Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Raspberries – 90g (RRP £1.99)

I’ve tried some of Landgarten products before – chocolate covered soya beans to be exact and they were very scrummy. I’m therefore holding high hopes for these chocolate covered raspberries. Another snack bound for a workout day but exciting none the less!

To see their yummy chocolate covered treats, visit their site here.

Nom Organic Oat Bar – 52g (RRP £1.49)

This seems a perfect breakfast substitute (pre gym of course again due to the high calories!). Being vegan, organic and having a low GI I’m going to enjoy nibbling on this before a intensive workout – although I may indulge in only half of the bar! You can pick these up in a few places including Ocado so I’m bound to see these around.

As always with each month’s box, you get a recipe card for your beautiful Vegan Kind ring binder which you now receive on month 6 of your subscription. This month is from Little Miss Meat Free and is a scrumptious looking Ombre Vanilla Dream Cake – definitely something I’ll be making nearer the festive season.

Glossybox October 2013 – Dark Romance

October 14, 2013

When the preview pictures of the theme for the October Glossybox went up, I was so, so excited – Dark Romance – all thoughts of smoky eyes and deep reds and purples, but the actual box seems to bear little in way of the theme and I have to say is my least favourite since subscribing.

Katy Perry Killer Queen EDP

The first thing I noticed was the perfume sample that I already received in the Sept/Oct Miss Glossybox. I can only assume there are a great number of people like myself who subscribe to both and feel a bit cheated getting the same product twice.

1.5ml sample

50ml for £29.00 from Superdrug

Monu Illuminating Primer

I love a good primer, and this one comes highly recommended. The sample is a decent 20ml size so will get plenty of use out of it at least. I just find it hard to get super-excited about primers, perhaps this will amaze me and i’ll bite my words but it’s a bit…boring?

20ml sample

50ml for £24.95 from Monu

Premae Multi-vit Smoothie Serum

Again, I find it pretty hard to get excited about skin-care. I do like that this is allergen free and clearly marked as being vegan but it just doesn’t strike me as a WOW product.

20ml sample

50ml for £33.50 from Premae

Me Me Me Cherub’s Blush Lip & Cheek Tint

This is the only product you could even remotely tie into the “Dark Romance” theme. It’s the third or fourth Me Me Me product I’ve received in a Glossybox, and probably my least favourite. I tried a little on my cheeks and it stained where I applied before I had time to rub it in leaving me with little red stripes on my cheeks. As a lip stain it was far too watery. I’ll be sticking to my Benetint.

Full size product

12ml for £5.50 from MeMeMe

Vita Liberata Latte Illuminating Skin Finish

Definitely the worst thing I’ve ever got in a beauty box. I don’t use tanning products EVER AT ALL EVER EVER EVER and even if I did I would be disappointed at the two little sachets. I also don’t think tanned glimmering latte skin could be further away from “Dark Romance” if it tried.

2 x 3ml samples

30ml for £29.99 from Vita Liberata

Lots of people have expressed their disappointment at both the lack of adherence to the theme and the products themselves, so here’s hoping Glossybox pull something amazing out for next month to make up for it!

You can order a Glossybox here for £10 (+ P&P) per monthly box.

Totally hellbent for “oh it will be better next time”

– Gem