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??

Skincare Saturday: Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins

I felt like talking skincare today and I've been saving this product review for just such an occasion. Towards the end of last year I made the decision to start treating my skin better in 2014, and that meant not to scrimp on products. I had yet to find a night cream that I was really happy with and had heard great things about Origins so I decided to skip off to Selfridges, splash out and pop my cherry! And I came home with this...

Origins High Potency Night-a-Mins - £34 for 50ml origins.co.uk 

I've found that this nasty wind and winter weather has been leaving even my combination skin feeling very dehydrated and, for me, night time is all about putting back in what the day has taken away. It's important for me not to use anything rich or heavy so the oil-free formula of Night-a-Mins, formulated for combination/dry skin sounded perfect. Also, as a new Vegan, I'm making a conscious effort to really investigate ingredients in any new purchases and avoid cruelty wherever possible. Origins ingredients are wonderfully natural and plant based and all their products tested on volunteer panels so I shopped with absolute confidence. 

Review

I wanted a product that would really get to work on my skin during the night. Not only does this product rehydrate like a dream, it also helps to resurface the skin while you sleep. I cannot stress enough how effective it is at doing this! My skin when I wake up now feels so smooth with no hint of dryness. The application is great; the product sinks in straight away and hardly leaves any residue whatsoever with no trace of oil. My skin felt wonderfully matte. I didn't find I needed a lot of product to do a whole face either, which is a bonus for my pocket as the pricetag is a little on the high side for my student budget. I've been using it for over a month and still have loads left. One thing I really love about this product is the scent. It's almost herbal and so relaxing. Great to de-stress and prepare for sleep (for which I need all the help I can get). 

The ultimate proof of the pudding, however, is in the eating and I've had so many comments about how good my skin looks since I've been using this product. It's perfect to compliment my Effaclar Duo[+] (post Here) and, as a result, the surface of my skin feels soft, smooth and oil free in the morning, ready for makeup. I'll definitely be repurchasing Night-a-Mins. I don't mind spending that bit extra on a product that really does the job and this one gets a mighty thumbs up from me. My skin absolutely loves it. I've started 2014 on a skincare high! I'm desperate to also try their Drink-Up Mask and VitaZing during the year ahead (although it might have to wait for my next student loan installment - that's what it's for after all).

What are your ultimate skincare discoveries of 2014 so far?? Do you love Origins products?? What are your recommendations??

Elemis Fresh Skin Mattifying Moisturiser: Review

Back on to the subject of skincare for today my lovelies!! Specifically the matter of combination/oily skin. I had a bit of a nightmare searching for good quality moisturisers that don't make my t-zone light up like a Christmas tree. I recently reviewed the Elemis Balance and Purify Cleansing duo (Here) and, following that, I quizzed the peeps at Elemis as to what moisturiser they would recommend to work in tandem with the cleanser and toner and they recommended this...

Elemis Fresh Skin: Skin Clear Mattifying Moisturiser*

This moisturiser is specifically formulated for oily and blemish prone skin types of which, technically, I am neither. However, I need a moisturiser that will not amplify my shiny t-zone and that will make a great base for my makeup. I like that the active ingredients in this moisturiser are naturally derived and that the formula isn't too heavy. The texture of the product is actually on the thicker side, yet goes on very well and you only need a little bit to do a whole face.

The product comes in a pump top bottle. In fact, one pump tends to give too much product for me so I have to be very gentle with it to avoid wastage. The product has quite a medicated scent which isn't to my taste, but that's really the only thing I don't like so much about it. It is very quickly absorbed once applied and provides a lovely, velvety, smooth result which I can then follow up with a primer. I'm not sure if it's the most effective at refining pores but it does enhance the performance of my BeneFit PoreFessional. I love that it moisturises my dryer areas (this is due to the presence of shea butter) whilst de-shining my nose and forehead. 

The product claims to promote cell renewal, maintain a matte finish for up to 8 hours and drastically reduce redness as well as t-zone shine. I don't have much of an issue with redness but, on the odd occasion that I do, I find this product to be very soothing. My t-zone is definitely less noticeable after using this product and, at £20 for 50ml I'd say it's good value as you only need half a pump or so for each application. If you're on the oilier side I definitely recommend giving it a go! 

Elemis products are available from most major department stores and online from sites including Time To Spa, Feel Unique and QVC. 

HOWEVER, if you act FAST and get in there quickly, you can still get a sample size of this product for FREE in the March issue of Cosmopolitan (UK)

What are your favourite moisturisers for oily skin types?? What do you use to combat the shine factor?? What Elemis products do you rate??