Review: Philosophy Purity Made Simple 3-in-1 Cleanser*

What?

This is a creamy cleanser that is said to not only cleanse your face but also take the place of your make-up remover and toner.  

Philosophy Says:

“our award-winning daily facial skin cleanser is formulated to gently cleanse, tone and melt away all face and eye makeup in one simple step, while lightly hydrating the skin.

features & benefits

deep cleans pores and eliminates makeup build-up

natural oil extracts help condition skin

fragrance-free formula”

The only negative that I can bring up, which for me isn't really a big negative, are the ingredients of this cleanser.  With it being call "Purity Made Simple", you'd assume that it wouldn't include some of the ingredients that many (including me) have come to know aren't great, but it does :S I am not actually sold on "all natural" products as some natural products, that often contain plant extracts, can be irritating on the skin. My skin doesn't react well to some product that don't contain any harmful ingredients and yet loves this Philosophy cleanser.

Philosophy says their philosophy (hehe) is that:

"philosophy products are formulated with scientifically-proven, medically-accepted ingredients and technologies, overseen by a contingent of doctors and scientists for proven results. philosophy believes science gives us better skin, inspiration gives us better days.we believe in miracles and the beauty in everyone. "

When?

I received this cleanser for review just about a week ago. The website adorebeauty.com.au asked me to review this as one of 5 reviewers after I entered a competition and won! They asked that it be reviewed within two weeks of winning. I would usually like to spend a bit more time before reviewing a product like a cleanser but was certainly able to give you my honest first impressions of this product.

Who?

I have oily to combination skin that is sensitive, reactionary and acne prone. I am dry to normal on my cheeks and oil down my t-zone including my chin. I mostly get blemishes on my chin.

Why?

I asked to review this product for a few reasons and will share some of them with you. The biggest reason for me was my Clarisonic. I purchased my Clarisonic Mia from adorebeauty.com.au about 3 months ago (you can see my review here). I love the results I get when using this amazing tool, but I have yet to find the right cleanser to use with it. I have read countless blogs and seen countless videos that suggest Purity Made Simple as a perfect cleanser to use with the Clarisonic. I have been anxious to try this cleanser after trying many cleansers with the Clarisonic. With my problem skin I needed to find a cleanser that has everything my skin needs while working well with this tool. The challenge is to find a cleanser that foams, but not so much that its uncomfortable.

Where?

As I mentioned briefly above, I got this cleanser from Adorebeauty.com.au. This website is absolutely fabulous. I don’t say this because I was sent this product, but even raved about this website before I even heard from the company (you can see my first post about the website here). I love this website for the wonderful brands that they have, how easy it is to use and the wealth of information they give on every product. If you want any more information on any product, you can leave a question on the forum or chat to them live during the day. It really does take up a lot of my time when I end up on the site, I could (and do) spend hours looking through the many skincare, hair care and make-up they have. You can learn a lot more about this cleanser and pricing from the Adore Beauty website by clicking here. 

How?

This product works by first splashing your face with some water. It is said to remove your make up, cleanse and tone. Now I have a pet-peeve about removing my make-up with just a cleanser. Also with the Clarisonic, I like for it to really get to work to clean out my skin and not just focus on the makeup on top. So I usually remove my make-up with a wipe or a cleansing water first, then with a wet face I put a little bit of the Purity Made Simple Cleanser on the brush head of my Clarisonic. I then apply the brush head to my face, press the button and work around my face the way Clarisonic suggests for one minute.  I then splash away any excess and pat my face dry before heading on to the rest of my skin care routine.

So Here’s What I thought:

I love this cleanser! It has a creamy consistency that is very gentle. In the evenings, I use it mostly with my Clarisonic and think it is absolutely ideal, foaming up just enough. I have tried SO many cleansers with my Clarisonic and this one works leaps and bounds better then any other I’ve tried.  In the mornings, I use it just with my hands (as to not over use the Clarisonic on my face which can cause various issues) and find it still works really well. After using it my face feels hydrated, very clean and soft to touch. Many cleansers make me feel like I want to put moisturiser on quickly, to rid my face of that tight feeling I sometimes get after cleansing, this cleanser doesn’t make my face feel tight at all. I love this cleanser and can see me re-purchasing many times in the future.

Have you tried this cleanser & what did you think?!

Thanks for reading & please don’t forget to follow my blog!
XOXOX

Rave: Avene Thermal Spring Water

What is it?!

I started using this product after receiving a sample size (50ml RRP $9.95) in the Priceline Skincare Bag.  I have been curious about this brand for a while after hearing about it a lot in the Beauty Blog-o-sphear. It is a French skincare line, which in my experience is a good sign. The French just seem to have gotten it right when it comes to skincare. This brand is known for its gentle, hypo-allergenic and specific care for people with sensitive skin as well as Atopic skin. This product is probably Avene's claim to fame and the 300ml bottle retails for $22.95 (I got mine for $15 off using voucher I got in the skincare bag from Priceline!).

What's good about it?

I tried this out basically just because it was in the skincare bag and lately I've been loving facial sprays. This one came at a really good time too as I randomly had some of the worst skin I've ever had. I had a huge break-out and my skin was so irritated and red and super sensitive! This stuff worked like a dream. It is said to sooth irritated skin and was honestly exactly what my skin needed! I used this constantly for about 4 days and along with a few other things, my skin really calmed down.

But Isn't it just water?

I know that the product is actually just water, but it has been dermatologically tested numerous times to contain a different mineral composition then most spring water. It just feels really soothing and soft on the skin. 

Avene Says: 

Avène Thermal Spring Water has a low mineral content, a neutral pH and a high proportion of precious trace elements including silica. It soothes and refreshes the skin while hydrating it. It works to comfort a range of everyday skin irritations including sunburn, razor burn, facial redness, itching, post-depilatory irritation, eczema and nappy rash. It's recommended to be used after surgery, after laser treatments or on skin that is irritated by prescription medications. As a daily skincare product, it is suitable for toning, whilst travelling, after the gym or just to refresh the skin in the humid summer months.

I totally agree with all of this!! The picture above shows the various ways that you can use it and I like to use it after I cleanse my face, basically as a toner. I spray it on and wait a little bit before gently patting my face with a clean towel. I think that this product would be amazing on a plane to keep you refreshed and hydrated. I also look forward to having it in the summer time to freshen up. 

You can find out more about this product here. I love it and think its really clean and fresh and simple. I've also been using a few other Avene products and have absolutely fallen in love with the range! You can pick this product and take a look at the other exciting products at your local Priceline. 

What do you think about this stuff? Is it just water or is there something more to it?!

Thanks for reading & please follow my blog!

XOXOX

NOTD: Marbled Tri-Coloured Look

Here's what you need:

- Three Colours that you like (that go together)

- A Clear Top Coat

-A white base coat

- Glad Wrap

- Nail Polish Remover

- a cotton pad or q-tip

Step One: Prepare your nails and cover them with a white base coat.

Step Two: Loosen all the caps of the three colours you chose to use. 

Step Three: Drop the three colours randomly onto your nail in "blobs".

Step Four: Cover your nail with the glad wrap & press down on your nail.

Step Five: Remove the glad wrap & wait about one minute.

Step Six: Apply the clear top coat & it will mix the colours a bit more. 

It does make a bit of a mess but its SO easy to do!

Give it a try & let me know how you go!

Thanks for reading & Please don't forget to follow my blog!!

XOXOX

It's What's On The Inside That Counts!

Lately my skin has been in quite a state. I am really not sure what the culprit was but my chin has exploded with blemishes and I've been working hard to rid myself of everything that has come up in the last two weeks. 

I have been using a lot of products since that cater to very sensitive skin as everything else I usually use is so irritating! (More on the new products later). With lots of topical and external treatments doing little to help my skin I have reverted to a more natural remedy. Sometimes when your skin is acting out, it's what's on the inside that counts! In other words, I think my skin is making a cry for help that something is out of balance in my diet. So I have decided to sort out some things that I might be taking for granted.

I did a bit of research on natural ways of dealing with acne and many of the sources said that nutrition and more specifically a lack of specific vitamins. I decided to start taking some basic vitamins to hopefully help with whatever is happening to my face!

The first vitamin I choose was a Mega B. Now I suffer from a sensitivity to acid which causes me to get cankers. If I am not careful I can get to a point where I can't consume any kind of acidity. What usually helps is when I take a whole lot of dairy throughout the day to get rid of my cankers and on top of that vitamin B. It helps to keep my sensitivity to acid away as well! When I take vitamin B regularly, I rarely have any issues with cankers. I haven't been taking my vitamin B so I thought this was my opportunity to try and take it consistently again. Another thing that vitamin B is good for is your skin! It can help to flush out toxins and also help to reduce stress, another huge cause of acne. 

Next I choose Fish Oil. My sister and dad take fish oil tablets all the time and I always knew they were beneficial for various help concerns but never associated them with helping acne. Acne can be the result of your glands producing too much oil. Omega 3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and therefore help to reduce redness and regulate your hormones and reduce stress. It also helps with joints and to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure.

I also picked up a Hair, Skin & Nails Vitamin. I am mostly looking for this to help with my skin, but the inclusion of hair and nails is not a problem for me :) Although this includes a lot of what's found in the Mega B, I picked up this vitamin as it includes a lot of different vitamins that are beneficial too. It's highest ingredient is vitamin A which can lower the production of sebum (the oily bacteria in blemishes). 

So those are the three vitamins that I am trying, but I only started 3 days ago so this certainly isn't a post to tell you how they are working. I am always searching for ways to live a healthier lifestyle. I get lazy and forgetful when I start to improve, so I just need the motivation. Right now my motivation is to better my skin and I just have to cross my fingers that my skin improves and that when it does I don't give up on my vitamin taking! 

Lastly, I have started drinking a lot more water! I know that it helps in my overall health and also my skin's appearance, so I am actively trying to drink more!

Do you have acne problems too? What do you do to combat your blemishes? Do you take any vitamins? Please let me know what you do!

Thanks for reading & Please follow my blog :)

XOXOX

Review: This Works Clean Skin 5-in-1 Cleansing Water

I picked up this cleansing water/makeup remover from asos almost two months ago and thought it was about time I mentioned it in a post! This Works is a really awesome brand that I first saw at David Jones in Sydney where they have a great selection. I think it has such a catchy name so I took a look basically just because it sounded funny! After a closer look I saw that this brand had some pretty great stuff. I didn't end up getting anything as the prices were pretty high and I like to read a bit about skincare before buying. When I saw Fleur from FleurDeForce on youtube raving about this product, I thought it would be a good place to start with this very interesting brand.

The Clean Skin 5-in1 Water is a makeup removal water much like the very popular Bioderma Crealine H20. 

This Works says:

Clean Skin 5-in-1 water cleanser by This Works. Featuring a gentle formula enriched with rosewater, wild water mint and botanical waters, the cleanser helps to remove make-up, decongest and brighten the skin, encouraging a more radiant complexion.

I agree that this cleanser certainly removes makeup really well and I also think it does help to brighten the skin. As far as decongesting, I don't think it helps with acne, although properly removing all the makeup, dirt and oils from your skin will contribute to cleaner skin.

I do find that this product does cause a bit of stinging when used on my eyes. I have super sensitive and reactive skin, so this might not be something that you will experience. I can handle the stinging a bit though as it really effectively removes my pesky waterproof mascara and eyeliner.

I like to use this water with a cotton pad and was using regular round cotton pads but found that it took forever to wipe them over my face and I was using near 5 every time I used this product. After having a bit of a longer look at the cotton pad section of Priceline, I found these oval cottton pads that are much larger and perfect to use with this product. I only use two oval cotton pads with one or two squirts of the water on each.

I love this stuff and although its on the pricey side, I love that feeling of being confident that all my makeup is off my skin, even in the hard to get to places! It smells lovely and is a great product overall. I picked mine up from asos.com as its a bit cheaper then what they ask you to pay in Australia (along with everything else here!).

Have you used this Cleansing Water or any other This Works products?! I would love to hear what other great products they have!

Thanks for reading & Please make my day and follow my blog :D

XOXOX

Rave: Lioele BB Cream

As BB Creams are coming out on the market by the dozen, I thought it was about time I did a review on a product that has been around for a while. 

BB is said to stand for "Blemish Balm or Base", apparently it was named this because of an apparent copyright on the word Blemish! BB Creams have been extremely popular in Asia for many years. Being an all-in-one product used as a moisturiser, primer, foundation and sunblock, these products are so great if you are looking for an easy fresh look. Having lived in South Korea for a year, I know only too well that sun protection is VERY important to the average Korean. You rarely find people in the sun even while at the beach. Everything from long sleeves, hats and even umbrellas are used on the street to keep your skin out of the sun. In turn, many make-up and skin care products are geared to maintaining white skin. After a wonderful vacation to the Philippines, I returned to my office in Korea with what I thought was a great tan! In Canada I would have been greeted by jealous comments. In Korea I had my co-teachers say with distaste "ohhh Laura, Burned face". They didn't agree with the non-red bronzed colour on my face! 

This makes it obvious that a high sunblock that also gives flawless coverage is something quite important to the vast majority of Korean women (and men!). Lioele is a huge South Korean cosmetics company that makes these BB Creams and does a great job at doing so! These two products are both great, although I do have my preference. 

The first is called Beyond The Solution BB Cream. It has more coverage, but is not as moisturising. I wasn't as excited by this product so opted for the smaller 30ml bottle. The down side to this was that it doesn't have sunblock in it. The Triple Beyond Solution BB Cream comes with a SPF30 PA++

The second product is Lioele's Water Drop BB Cream which I got in the 50ml. This product has a lighter coverage but is really moisturising. It has a sunblock of SPF27 PA++ and I always feel good knowing I have the extra protection on. If you are looking for more coverage you can always add another product and use this as a base!

I basically apply this like a moisturiser. I use my fingers (after I clean my hands of course) and really REALLY rub this into my skin and keep rubbing until I basically can't see the cream anymore. The product essentially gives you coverage while allowing your own skin colour to shine through. It is suitable for light to Medium skin tones and I would say its better if you are on the more light side. I have quite fair skin in the winter, but worry come summer time that this might not work for me. As it allows your natural colour to shine through it is a pretty good match for a wide spectrum of people.

I really love both of these BB Creams and think that having been around so long with a huge following in South Korea (where BB Creams make up 13% of cosmetics purchases) they are among the best on the market. You can easily pick these up from www.circlelens.com.au which offers other products other then BB Creams but has cheap and really quick delivery within Australia. 

Have you tired any BB Creams or Lioele?! 

Thanks for reading & Please don't forget to follow my blog!!

XOXOX

Review: Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer

I picked up this little concealer after seeing a review online and thinking that it looked like it was pretty good. It is affordable and effective by what I had read, so when I saw it at Priceline, I thought I'd pick it up.

Maybelline Says:

"Exclusively shaped targeted Micro-Corrector applicator that micro-fills and covers imperfections. Formula with Goji Berry and Haloxyl work to decrease under eye puffiness, erase dark circles and erase fine lines."

I think this product really does live up to a lot of the hype its been getting. I like the light consistency, great coverage and most of all the smooth application. It is very easy to sweep across under the eye and on any imperfections on the face. 

The negative I have with this product is its packaging. I actually think that the idea of a spring loaded product with a liquid makes a lot of sense. You can get a lot more out of the bottle when the packaging does the work for you. Maybe my concealer was a badly made one, but as I have been using this concealer, the plastic has literally split apart and I have to press down on the lid before removing it to get the now cracked plastic to click into place in order for the concealer to move onto the applicator. It is SO annoying that a very easy to use application takes so much time because of the seemingly crappy packaging. 

I commend Maybelline for trying to make this application easy, but the flimsy cheap plastic is a real problem. I really like this product, but because of its horrible packaging, I won't be spending my money on it again! 

Have you tried the Age Rewind line by Maybelline? I hope your concealer or foundation hasn't fallen apart like mine!!!

Thanks for reading & Please follow my blog!

XOXOX