A Few Recent Summer Skincare Changes

Its that time of year again when my skin begins to completely reject my Winter skin routine and demands a fresh start for Summer. Not to mention the fact that Summer skincare is an entirely different kettle of fish to Winter with a whole different set of considerations. Add to that my 2014 switch to Veganism and a commitment to cruelty free products and you get a serious 'Alice in Wonderland' type of scenario. I thought I'd post a few of my recent skincare changes to prep my skin for the warmer months ahead. My skin has been a little unruly of late and can't seem to decide whether it wants to break out or shrivel up so I doubt these will be my only purchases this Summer, but here's the story so far...

Oqibo Purifying Cleanser and Toner* - oqibo.co.uk 

A completely new brand to me, Oqibo were kind enough to send me a huge bottle of their Purifying Cleanser and Toner earlier in the year. I was promised cruelty free and no animal ingredients so I can use this product with absolute confidence. I'll probably do a more in-depth review after I've been using it for a little while longer but this is a lovely, freshening product and does a great job of getting rid of dirt and oil. It's designed to regulate and balance the skin, which is great news for combination girlies like me. It has quite a strong scent of mint and leaves my skin feeling clean and refreshed. 

DHC Pore Lotion - dhcuk.co.uk

I'm a huge fan of DHC. I emailed the Japanese-based brand to confirm a few ingredients with them recently and was delighted to discover that none of their ingredients are animal derived so now I adore them even more! I've been particularly enjoying their pore range of products lately as they're really gentle, alcohol free  and are really good for clarifying and minimising pores and creating a smooth canvas for makeup. I use this as I would a toner in between cleansing and moisturising (I also have their Pore Milk which is a lovely, light moisturiser for daytime). 

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Renewing Night Cream - superdrug.com

It seems that even my beloved Origins Night-a-Mins isn't good enough for my face lately so I'm having a rest from it. I was scratching my head trying to find an affordable, cruelty free substitute (I'm truly skint) and I spotted this in Superdrug and thought it would be well worth a try for £5.99. This cream smells so good! I can't stop sniffing it. It is infused with extracts of kiwi and mulberry with sugar beet and other fruit acids to nourish and resurface skin overnight. For the price I've been very impressed. My skin definitely feels smoother and softer upon waking. 

Organic Surge Blissful Daily Moisturiser - organicsurge.com

I've been using this for a little while as a light daytime moisturiser for my combination skin. I suspect I will need something more intensive with SPF as we continue on into Summer but this really has been lovely. Extremely gentle and perfect for normal/combination skin types. It keeps my skin hydrated whilst also keeping oilier areas at bay and sits well under makeup. I also love how it absorbs so quickly. Organic Surge, like Superdrug, are 100% committed to no animal testing and no animal ingredients.

Amie Pure & Natural Beauty 'Spring Clean' Clay Mask - amieskincare.com

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Amie Skincare products!! They've been a favourite for a couple of years now and I've tried most of their products. What I particularly love about them are their natural ingredients and Leaping Bunny certification which means no animal testing and virtually no animal ingredients (except beeswax, which it turns out this product does actually contain - serves me right for assuming - but most of their products are 100% Vegan friendly). This is an old favourite of mine from way back and I've started using it again once a week to purge my skin of any excess oiliness for a really deep clean. It has an gorgeous fresh lime/mint scent and an added bonus of making me closely resemble a White Walker for 10mins a week... HA!!

Those are a handful of my recent skincare switch ups. It's felt a little like I'm fighting a losing battle with my skin recently as it's been so unpredictable. I thought vegans were supposed to have perfect skin?!?! To be fair I was a little neglectful with my skincare routine whilst I was battling my way through exams so that might have something to do with it. Time to get back on it and treat my face right! 

What are your skin saviours?? Do you switch up your routine when the weather gets warmer?? What are your recommendations for Summer skincare??

My Top 3: Cleansers

Good evening beauty seekers!

Trying to keep on top of my blog after a couple of mental weeks which kept me away temporarily. This is my second post of the week and i wanted to talk about skincare. I've got a couple of skincare posts coming up very soon as I have been trying out some new products, but today I want to tell you about a couple of the cleansing products I keep going back to again and again and that I really do rate. I have a fair few cleansers in my stash but these three products (in no particular order) are definitely the ones I rely on the most, and all for different reasons. I don't always tend to use the same product every day, nor do I have the same routine for morning and night and tend to use these products to complement each other or by what I feel my skin needs most.

Elemis Balancing Lime Blossom Cleanser*

This is my go to product if my combination skin is feeling particularly oily or in need of a purge. I received this as a duo with the Elemis Lavender Toner and together they really help to balance out my skin if I'm feeling particularly shiny. Usually if I use this I will use it in the morning before I put on my makeup or as a double cleanse after using my DHC Oil Cleanser (more on that to follow). You only need one or two small pumps to do a whole face (look how much I have left!!) so I find it great value for money too. I love the scent of this product and it never fails to make my skin feel fresh and completely clean as well as smooth and shine-free. 

Loreal Skin Perfection: 3in1 Purifying Micellar Solution 

I was so late to the party with micellar waters, it's not even funny. I've never even been within spitting distance of a bottle of Bioderma. In fact, I only have this due to an emergency purchase whilst away at uni after forgetting to bring a cleanser with me. I spotted this in Superdrug on offer at £2.99 and decided to see what all the fuss was about. I really like this product. It's just really quick and convenient to use and very handy when I'm having a really lazy day, short of time or haven't worn any makeup and just need  a refresh. I do a 'wax-on, wax-off' with this using a couple of large cotton pads. It does come out of the bottle VERY quickly which I find a bit wasteful and I don't find it to be the most effective against heavy eye makeup but those are my only grumbles. I find it extremely effective for what I want to use it for. This is the one I take with me when I travel as it's so convenient and quick. I also like that it is easy to and inexpensive to pick up on the go if I ever run out.

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil*

I was so sceptical of this product when I got it home from a recent event, but it has completely won me over. This is the most amazing product for removing makeup and makes my skin feel so clean and soft. The softness comes from the olive oil and vitamin E extracts in the cleanser. I use this when I want to thoroughly cleanse after wearing a full face of makeup (by full face I mean like after a night out where I've really gone to town on my eyes and lips). Like the Elemis cleanser I only need one or two pumps which I rub over my face with my hands before splashing it with water to produce a milky cleanser which i can then massage into my face and wipe off with a damp cloth. I usually follow this with the Elemis Lime Blossom so that I know that everything has come off. It's well worth a try on any skin type.

So those are my current go-to cleansing products. I have other cleansers that I also like to use, although not as regularly as any of the above. Most notably the Una Brennan Neuroli Firming cleanser and also, more recently, the PerriconeMD Nutritive Cleanser which I have yet to try because I'm scared of it running out and me not being able to afford to repurchase it haha.

What are your essential cleansing products??

Elemis Balance & Purify Cleansing Duo: Review

Good morning my lovelies!!

Thought i'd bring you some skincare loveliness today in the form of Elemis Balance & Purify Cleanser and Toner*. I mentioned these briefly in my Skincare routine post back in January (Here) when i had only been using them for a short while, but i wanted to wait until i'd given them a fair run before i made a full review of the products. Today, however, is their day to shine!! 

The Balance and Purify Cleansing Duo consists of their Balancing Lime Blosson Cleanser teamed with their Lavender Toner. Together they aim to balance any oily areas and even out the surface of the skin whilst soothing and protecting. I must say i was very excited when i was contacted about these products. As i said in my earlier post, i was gasping for an excuse to explore new skincare options and refine my cleansing routine but wasn't really sure where to start.

Elemis Balancing Lime Blossom Cleanser (200ml)

The first thing that hit me about this cleanser is the fragrance. I absolutely bloody ADORE it! It's a very fresh scent which manages to be comforting at the same time and i think i must have spent at least 5mins sniffing it before it even got on my face. Anyhoo, we're not reviewing perfume today so i'll get on with it....

This cleanser contains a patented Tri-Enzyme formula which helps protect against any environmental damage whilst soothing, smoothing and balancing weary skin. It also has resurfacing properties but without being in any way abrasive to the skin. Its texture is on the thicker side of milky and applies effortlessly to the face and neck (i find i only need a couple of pumps to get a sufficient amount). After massaging the product into the face and neck with my fingers i usually dampen a face cloth with warm water and wipe off any excess then pat dry before following with....

Balancing Lavender Toner (200ml)

Personally i really love the scent of Lavender and this product has that in abundance but, realistically, the fragrance of this toner won't be for everyone. It is VERY grown up and may possibly be a little on the strong side for some. It doesn't linger on the skin after using the product though. The High Alpine Lavender in this product aims to maintain the skin's natural Ph balance, while effectively clarifying. In short it's GREAT for combination skins like mine and is also recommended for oilier or teenage skins. Despite it's strong scent, the product is in no way harsh and leaves my skin feeling fresh without a hint of oiliness around the t-zone.

I find 2 or 3 short squirts of this to be enough, which i then rub in a little with my fingers just to make sure it's got everywhere. It feels extremely fresh and great for use in the morning to wake me up (which is no easy task, let me tell you, so i need all the help i can get). 

My Verdict???

I'm no expert on skincare by any means. I'm not exactly sure how healthy skin is SUPPOSED to feel but i can tell you when my skin feels 'happy' as such and it seems to approve of these products. Even before i finish with my moisturiser it leaves my skin feeling so smooth and even without any tightness. This makes for a great canvas for my makeup. I prefer the cleanser to the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, which i was never sure if it was working properly or not, but this one leaves me with no doubt that my skin is clean and healthy. I actually look forward to using the products and (touch wood) i'm keeping up the routine quite religiously. I'm currently doing research on a moisturiser to complete the set so if you have any Elemis recommendations i'm all ears!

The duo retails for £21 (the toner is actually FREE so you only pay for the cleanser), which i find to be amazing value for money as each bottle is a whopping 200ml and you don't need a lot. I've been using them for almost 6wks and am only just over a quarter of the way through the cleanser. 

You can buy this, and other great value duo packs from Elemis at 

Time To Spa (Link)

Debenhams (Link)

Feel Unique (Link)

And other online stockists as well as in Elemis department store concessions and Spa retailers.

Do you rate Elemis products?? Which can't you live without?? Alternatively, what are YOUR skincare hero products??