FOM Antioxidant Facial Mask.

I love a good face mask, especially if it is a multi-purpose one. The Antioxidant Facial Mask by FOM fits the bill perfectly. FOM London skincare are a relatively new brand, that aim to bridge the gap between science and skincare. Their products are free from parabens, mineral oils, artificial colours and fragrances and are not tested on our animal friends. I have tried quite a few of their products and am impressed by the quality of them.

 

The Antioxidant Facial Mask comes in a generous 50g jar, making it very good value for money. The mask itself is a very fine powder. It has a faint herbal smell to it. The ingredients list is relatively simple, dead sea mud, chamomile, lavender, vitamin C, rosehip and olive leaf. Full ingredients are disclosed on the website and can be seen in the link above.

 

 A teaspoon of the powder is all that is needed per application, you simply need to add a little liquid to make a paste. I really like these kind of masks, as they literally become the starting point for endless combinations. Anything from toner, to facial oil, honey to yoghurt can be used, depending on your mood or need. It is suitable for all skin types.

 

The mask can either be used as a scrub, by leaving on for a few minutes, or as a mask by leaving on for 10-15minutes. Either way, I have found this to be very gentle and effective. Fom do warn that there may be some tingling whilst using the mask, or a little redness after, but I have experienced neither of these. I can't say that I have noticed a reduction in fine lines, but it definitely boosts my skin's overall appearance. It always looks brighter and feels much softer each time I use this. I would happily buy this again.

 

 

Hairy Jayne Hair Perfume

I have dipped in and out of the You Beauty Discovery Boxes for a while, depending on whether there is anything that catches my eye. July's selection did indeed catch my eye because of the inclusion of Hairy Jayne's Hair Perfume. Having seen this feature on a few blogs, I was really keen to try this for myself. Full ingredients can also be found by clicking the link.

 

Hairy Jayne has a small range of shampoo, conditioner, treatment oil and hair perfume. Her mission is simple, to use naturally derived ingredients to make women feel good about their hair.

 

There are three hair perfumes to choose from; floral, citrus and musk. They are designed to freshen up hair between washes as well as offering heat protection, adding shine and smoothing flyaways. The Hair Perfumes are available in two sizes; 50 and 100ml.

 

The one I have is citrus, and it smells gorgeous. It reminds me of sherbet lemons. The fragrance comes from a combination of grapefruit, may chang and jasmine. Although the fragrance doesn't last all day, it is noticeable for a good few hours. It is noticeable enough for him indoors to ask what I have used on my hair, but without being overpowering.

 

As I have said before, my hair is long and fine. I haven't yet managed to find a product which allows me to get away with washing my hair daily and  the hair perfume doesn't change that for me. This is a very light spray, so it doesn't weigh my hair down. I tend to use it, after I have washed my hair and it is still wet. More often than not I let my hair dry naturally, as straighteners are far too much like hard work for everyday use. I have used this a couple of times through the day, and there is no product build up. Even using it is this way it still doesn't weigh my hair down which I am pleased about. A little goes a long way, making them good value for money.

 

The hair perfume certainly helps detangle my hair, and leaves it looking healthier and smoother. I have also used it on my daughter's hair to help deal with the tangles and it works a treat. I would love to know how an earth she manages to get it so knotted. I can't really comment on the heat protection as I don't use heat often enough to be able to tell the difference.

 

Overall I have really enjoyed using the Hair Perfume, and would certainly buy this again. I am curious about the other fragrances and so am very tempted by the perfume set. I would love to see a dry shampoo join the range too.

Botanicals Rose & Camellia Cleansing Melt.

I have quite the obsession with cleansing balms. I think they are probably my most hoarded beauty product. I have had Botanicals Rose & Camellia Cleansing Melt in my stash for a while, so my review is long over due.

 

Botanicals are a brand that I have a huge amount of respect for. Their aim is simple, to produce products as close to nature as possible, and they do this very well indeed. I always feel that they make very high quality products at very affordable prices. There is always the peace of mind that Botanicals are certified by the Soil Association. 

 

Rose & Camellia Cleansing Melt has a slightly softer texture than many balms. It has a rich and concentrated formula, despite it's simple ingredient list. Botanicals use a base of shea butter, virgin coconut oil, which makes it feel so luxurious. The full ingredients list is on the website, and you can read that here. A pea sized amount really is all that is needed as a little goes such a long way. It melts easily on contact with the skin, but doesn't become so fluid that it gets everywhere. I love spending a few moments massaging this into my skin and then using a hot flannel to take it off.

 

 The cleansing melt suits my dry skin type perfectly, for those with combination or oilier skin types there is a Mandarin & Chamomile version too. It dissolves and gently lifts makeup and just leaves my skin bright and healthy looking. My skin feels thoroughly nourished after using this. What more could a girl ask for?

 

I absolutely love the Rose & Camellia Cleansing Melt and can't recommend it highly enough, I will be very sad when I finish my jar. The facial serum is wonderful too and is also on my wish list.

Empties July 2015

July seemed to vanish in the blink of an eye, as did our family holiday. Another month where I don't seem to have used up very much. 

Bodhi & Birch Bath and Shower Therapy is always a pleasure to use. I still have quite a few bottles that I have bought in sales before the rebrand. Ylang Ylang Insensa is definitely one of my favourites. I find it very calming. I will definitely repurchase this in the future.

 

John Masters Organics Orange & Ginseng Exfoliating Bar was lovely to use. Surprisingly the kids really liked this too and it was used much quicker than I would have liked. I want to try the lavender and rose geranium next.

 

I loved my sample of Aromatherapy Associates Renewing Rose Body Wash but it is more than I want to pay. I am hoping that this will be in one of the Christmas sets as it is definitely a wish list product.

Pinks Boutique Organic Rose Crystal Bath Soak obviously the sample was only enough for one bath, but nevertheless I enjoyed it. I have quite a few bath products to use, but want to try more from Pinks Boutique.

 

Living Nature Balancing Conditioner I am afraid this did nothing for my hair and I ended up using it to shave my legs with. I wont be buying the full size.

 

Inner Soul Organics Romance Me Skin Oil I absolutely loved this. It left my skin baby soft and smells divine. I have another sample in my stash, so don't need to repurchase just yet.

 

Kneipp's Herbal Baths are a pleasure to use. I bought the set to try more from the range. Annoyingly the kids also really liked these too. I will be buying a full size in the near future. 

 

Skin & Tonic Gentle Scrub. This has lasted me ages, I enjoyed using it as both a scrub and as a face mask. It always makes my skin look brighter and leaves it nice and soft. Skin & Tonic have fast become one of my favourite brands. I have already bought the full size.

Love Lula Beauty Box August 2015

I wasn't really expecting my Love Lula Beauty Box to come until next week, so was pleasantly surprised to receive it earlier than they have been arriving. All the product from the box can be purchased on the Love Lula website. 

Although I am familiar with Lovea, I don't think I have ever tried any of their products.  The Purifying Mask (full size) contains pink clay and is suitable for sensitive skin. I am looking forward to trying this out. 

We received a sample of the John Masters Organics geranium & grapefruit body wash in last months box, so it will be nice to try the matching body milk alongside it. This does smell lovely, and John Masters products are always such good quality. The Lip Calm is lovely too, it has a gorgeous citrus fragrance. However I have a stockpile of lip balms , and quite a number of these have come from Love Lula.

The third full sized product is BalmBalm's Frankincense Light Facial Oil. This is the third month running I have received a BalmBalm product. Having said that, I am actually really looking forward to trying this. I love the cleanser from the Frankincense range and have had my eye on the facial oil for quite some time. Much as I love the brand, (I used my discount last month to stock up on the floral water and All Over Balm) I think 3 months running is a bit much.

The final sample is Ren's Instant Firming Beauty Choice. I have to say I am still disappointed that Ren has been bought by Unilever. I haven't tried this before, but I am sure this has been in a previous box when I have had a break from unsubscribing.

 

Overall I think this is a really good value for money box, and I will get a lot of use from the products. However, as I said last month, I would like to see some other brands rather than the same ones time and time. At this point I am unsure whether I will continue with my subscription.

The Body Deli Solar Day Cream.

Protection from sun damage is something I take very seriously. I find a lot of sun creams to be heavy and greasy and tend to break me out. The other thing I really struggle with is finding something I can use before I run which doesn't make me feel like I am over heating.

 

 One of the samples I was most excited to receive in my S/S sampler box from abeautifulworld was the Solar Day Cream by The Body Deli, which has an equivalent to SPF 15.  This promises to offer the perfect solution.

 

Solar Day Cream is a light facial moisturiser which uses micronized titanium and zinc oxides as it's base for sun protection. It contains Sunflower, Jojoba and Virgin Coconut oil, as well as Squalane, Aloe Vera and antioxidants. It has a lovely warm fragrance thanks to the essential oils of Roman Chamomile, Blood Orange, Ylang Ylang and Rosemary.

 

My first observation of the product is that it doesn't tell you how much product is needed to be applied to ensure appropriate protection. If I am being really picky I would question the need for the Blood Orange in a product for sun protection due to citrus oils having a photosensitive effect. Whilst the essential oils are one of the last ingredients and assuming that they are of a low concentration, I would still be wary of this. You can find the full ingredients list here

 

In terms of application, it has a light formula. It definitely feels more like a facial moisturiser rather than a sunscreen. My sample in the pot feels a little too fluid, and it is easy to spill if I am not being careful. The full size is a bottle with an airless pump, which I think is much better. It absorbs well and doesn't leave any chalky cast that is associated with a sun protection product. I find that I can run after wearing it without that horrible feeling of over heating, but it still breaks me out. I have given it several attempts and each time I have introduced it again, I have the same problem.

 

This obviously won't be a repurchase for me, but it is something I can tick off my to try list. The search for my perfect sun protection continues....