For the last week or so, I have noticed a couple of small dry red patches on my right cheek. This worried me as I suffered with these quite badly several years ago and I’m terrified of it coming back. I was concerned I might be reacting to something in one of the Suki products, so I left out the cleansers for a few days and only used the Blue Chamomile Serum and White Willow toner. This hasn’t really made any difference, though the patches aren’t getting any worse.

About two days after my period finished, two pimples suddenly appeared on my lower right cheek. This was followed by a third one the day after, plus a tiny one right above my upper lip, and then two more on my left cheek. I was really upset as my older acne marks were finally fading and I was looking forward to having blemish-free skin for the first time in years. Naturally I began to panic and desperately looked over all the Suki ingredients fruitlessly hoping to find a clue.

Then it dawned on me and I felt like such an idiot – since around the time all these new problems started, I’ve been feeling under the weather. I had shooting pains in my temple for a couple of days, then a slightly sore throat and most recently a blocked nose. I suspect I have a viral infection and if my body is busy fighting it, it would certainly explain why my skin is suffering.

As soon as I realised this, I made a concerted effort to drink lots of water and I’m continuing to do so. I think it’s making a difference as the existing spots are now drying up and no new ones have formed. I am using the Suki Facial Creme again, but I’ve decided to leave out the Moisture Rich Cleansing Lotion – although it’s nice, I don’t think it’s necessary and I prefer to just use the microfibre cloth at night. 

I will update again when my infection has cleared up and my skin is able to return to its normal state. In the meantime, I will tentatively state that I think I’ve found my acne Holy Grail.

Source: Online Goddess

Acne Update

I decided to take the plunge and buy the anti-inflammatory mini-kit. Needless to say, I was very impressed and promptly purchased several full-size versions.

This is going to be something of a mega-review as I’m going to talk about all six products from this range that I use. So grab yourself a nice cuppa and read on!

Lemongrass Cleanser
a.k.a Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser
Price: £24.95 for 150ml
Rating:
Link: http://www.sukipureskincare.co.uk

Ingredients: Organic rice flour & sugar, pure handmade organic saponified olive oil, natural vitamin c, organic chamomile, lavender, calendula, rose hips, lemongrass & orange, pure vegetable glycerin, sea extracts & pure, premium, steam distilled essential oils.

Initial Impressions: My first thought as I opened the mini-kit box was that this was very generous for a trial-size coming in at 50ml. The product itself looks like a moist sugar-scrub with a very refreshing lemon scent. You have to dip your finger in and scoop the scrub out which isn’t the most hygienic of options, but I’m not sure if this product would work well in a tube. The tub is also made of glass, so you need to be careful handling this in the shower.

Application & Results: There’s a reason this is the most popular product in the line, it is simply wonderful to use. While massaging into wet skin, the scrub dissolves into a foam, leaving skin thoroughly cleansed and exfoliated without any irritation.

Since using this, I have no need to manually exfoliate and oiliness is significantly reduced. After rinsing, my face has a healthy tautness to it (not the uncomfortable kind) and feels nicely prepared for whatever products I wish to apply afterwards.

I initially used this morning and night, but have since adjusted my routine to morning only. Apparently, you can over-use it and some people have reported developing small white bumps as a result of doing so.

Review Conclusion: I would have to agree with the many people who say if they had to choose one Suki product this would be it. It manages to do a stellar job of keeping your face fresh and clean and would be a perfect base cleanser for use with any range of products. It’s also pretty good value – although I’ve bought a full-size version, I’m still using the trial one after a month and am only about one third the way through!

Moisture Rich Cleansing Lotion
Price: £22.50 for 168ml
Rating:
Link: http://www.sukipureskincare.co.uk

Ingredients: infusion of fresh organic sage and thyme in filtered water, organic oat milk, organic sunflower and grapeseed oils infused with organic chamomile, extracts of sage, thyme & rosemary distilled in fermented sugars, kaolin, cocoa butter, lemon, beeswax, pure vegetable glycerine, lecithin, gums arabic and xanthan, & pure, premium, steam distilled essential oils.

Initial Impressions: The lotion is housed in a lovely glass pump bottle and, like the rest of the range, has a waterproof label which is a nice touch. The product itself is light and milky and has a gentle herbal scent.

Application & Results: This is applied just like a regular cleanser. I use three pumps and massage them into my face before rinsing. I use this at night as I find it a slightly faster routine than the Lemongrass Cleanser which I treat as more of a pampering session.

The product absorbs into the skin very quickly and feels very moisturising – it’s quite tempting to not rinse it off. I find it’s just as effective as the Lemongrass Cleanser at giving that ultra-clean feeling but doesn’t feel quite as luxurious to use.

Review Conclusion: This is a lovely cleanser which I feel is often overlooked for it’s more popular companion. I think the two actually complement each other extremely well and make a lovely morning/night routine if you can afford both. Of course, it does mean both products will last twice as long if you do.

Transformative Facial Clay
Price: £37.00 for 50ml
Rating:
Link: http://www.sukipureskincare.co.uk

Ingredients: Infusion of organic rose petals, kaolin, rice starch, standardized extracts of white willow, chamomile, green tea and grapeseed, witch hazel distillate, pure vegetable glycerin, organic food grade aloe, distilled tincture of organic rose hips, calendula & green tea in fermented sugar, organic oat milk, seaweed extract, food grade xanthan gum, zinc, and pure, premium steam distilled essential oils. Vegan.

Initial Impressions: I must confess, my first thought was “£37 for this tiny bottle!”. Yes, it’s definitely pricey. Thankfully I got mine in a sale for 70% off. Anyway, after the initial price shock, I had a look at the product itself. It comes in a stylish little pump bottle and the clay actually looks like a light moisturising cream.

Application & Results: This is one of the loveliest clays I’ve ever had the pleasure to use. It glides on just like a moisturiser at first, but once applied it starts to dry up and tighten the skin just like a regular clay. It’s practically invisible too, so you can wander around the house without anybody noticing.

After 5-10 minutes, it reaches maximum tightness and you can either rinse it off or let it work it’s magic for a little bit longer. Interestingly, there is no suggestion to remove the mask before toxins are re-absorbed into your skin, in fact it is recommended to use overnight on problem areas.

Additionally, for stubborn problem skin, the clay can be used as a regular daily cleanser. I would be interested in trying this out someday, but the cost factor is a bit of an obstacle.

Review Conclusion: I’m in mixed minds about this product. It’s a pleasure to use and I love that you can leave it on for as long as you like without penalty. I also love that it can double-up as a cleanser. Ultimately though, the high cost is a huge deterrent for me, I can’t honestly say that this is worth almost £40 a pop hence the four heart rating. I think I’ll be sticking to my plain green clay pack when this runs out.

White Willow Toner
a.k.a Concentrated Balancing Toner
Price: £24.50 for 168ml
Rating:
Link: http://www.sukipureskincare.co.uk

Ingredients: organic rose petal, chamomile, calendula and tea tree infused in purified, filtered water, standardized white willow and chamomile extracts, distilled extract of white willow & chamomile extracts, white willow bark extracts distilled in fermented sugars, chamomile, and rose, witch hazel distillate, pure organic food grade aloe vera, natural vitamin liposomes c and retinol, seaweed extracts, and pure premium steam distilled essential oils. Vegan.

Initial Impressions: Like the cleansing lotion, this comes in a lovely glass bottle, albeit with a spray this time. I absolutely love the smell of this toner (I think it’s the rose coming faintly through the other extracts) and it has a cloudy, milky look to it.

Application & Results: I’m honestly not sure if this product really does anything for my skin, but I really love using it. I would love to use it more often than twice a day but, as with toners generally, it seems to get used up extremely quickly.

Generally I use three sprays directly on my face. I’ve tried popping some on a cotton wool ball, but this seems to use it up even quicker and it doesn’t seem like my face gets as much. I guess that’s the ball absorbing most of it.

Review Conclusion: This is one of those products that I really love but wonder if it’s actually necessary. If I could afford to use it more often, I’m sure I would appreciate it even more. However, when I’ve run out, I’m going to switch back to a cheaper toner and see if there’s any noticable difference. Hence four hearts for this one also, at least for now.

Velvet Facial Creme
a.k.a Balancing Day Lotion
Price: £26.50 for 50ml
Rating:
Link: http://www.sukipureskincare.co.uk

Ingredients: infusion of organic chamomile, calendula & rose in filtered water, organic jojoba, rice germ, borage, hazelnut, grapeseed & sunflower oils, standardized white willow extract, organic fermented rose, calendula, comfrey distilled extracts, natural vitamin c and retinol liposomes, organic shea butter, beeswax, organic food grade aloe, organic food grade lecithin, gums arabic and food grade xanthan, pure wasabi extract, cetearyl alcohol, and pure premium steam distilled essential oils.

Initial Impressions: This comes in the same pump bottle as the Facial Clay. It looks like a regular light moisturiser.

Application & Results: The first time I tried this, I don’t think I was particularly impressed – I was intending to use the Blue Chamomile Serum instead. However, after using it a few times as my day moisturiser I realised I really liked it. It sinks in extremely fast and prevents oiliness from recurring for several hours. My face had a pleasant matt sheen to it and smelled ever so slightly of green tea.

After a couple of weeks, as suggested by Suki, I decided to mix this with the Serum and use it 2x daily. I squirt one pump of each into my palm, rub my hands together and then apply to my face. This combination brings out the best aspects of both products for me.

Review Conclusion: I adore this product now and I’m so glad I decided to stick with it. It is quite pricey, but you really only need a small amount for each use and I can see it lasting me several months, especially as I’m using it in conjunction with the Serum.

Blue Chamomile Serum
a.k.a Pure Facial Moisture – Balancing
Price: £25.00 for 22ml
Rating:
Link: http://www.sukipureskincare.co.uk

Ingredients: organic jojoba, grapeseed & sunflower oils infused with organic chamomile, organic echinacea, borage, evening primrose & rose hips oil, rice germ & hazelnut oils, blue chamomile & echinacea oils, organic mixed tocopherols & pure, steam distilled essential oils. Vegan

Initial Impressions: The product comes in a tall, thin glass pump bottle which actually seems quite large considering it’s only 22ml. The Serum itself is yellow with a light, oily consistency.

Application & Results: This was one of the products that I first tried in a sample sachet about a year ago. I remember disliking the smell and didn’t think it did anything for me. I guess this is another one of those products that you really need to try for a week or so to see the benefits, which is why I strongly recommend buying a mini-kit first.

I started off using this at night as it’s oily and I thought it would make me look greasy. I was very wrong about that – the oil absorbs into the skin very quickly and left my face feeling baby soft with a fresh plumpness that I’ve not experienced since I was a child. After reading up on the best way to maximise the effectiveness of Suki products, I switched to mixing it with the Velvet Facial Creme as mentioned above.

I never imagined I could put an oily serum on my oily face and remain oil-free throughout the day. It doesn’t encourage acne breakouts either and I have no more blemishes. The Velvet Creme balances it out nicely, I think it might be slightly too oily if used on it’s own during the day.

Review Conclusion: I love this even more than the Velvet Creme. Together they work in wonderful harmony and I can’t see how any other products could possibly work better for me. My skin feels the youngest and healthiest it has ever been as an adult.

As always, I’d love to hear any reader opinions/experiences on these products. Also if I can answer any questions about the ones reviewed here I’ll be happy to do so. Just pop your message in the comment box below. :)

Source: Online Goddess

Review: Suki Pure Skincare Range

Now as far as I’m aware, these are bog standard cloths designed for cleaning your car. Basically, they are made up of microscopic fibres that capture dirt and grease without damaging the surface they are being used on. I discovered that there are several different formulations, the most common being an 80% polyester 20% polyamide mix which is what mine are comprised of.

It seems that many people find microfibre cloths work very effectively using just water. However, I recently invested in a pricey natural cleanser so I wanted to utilise that as well. My routine now involves application of said cleanser then I soak the cloth in water, squeeze out all the excess and wipe the cleanser off in small circular motions. I have found this to work very well, with no trace of cleanser left on my skin afterwards.

But onto the really important stuff – has it made any difference to my acne? I have to answer that question with a resounding yes! I have had maybe two tiny pimples since I started using it and no blackheads! The light exfoliating action of this cloth seems to be successfully removing whatever it is that clogs up my pores before they have any visible impact. I’m very interested in seeing how it deals with my hormonal acne when that time of the month comes around and will update this post accordingly.

For those that use the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM), these cloths are apparently wonderful for removing final traces of oil. I really wish I had known this when I was using the OCM as it might have made quite a difference for me.

The cloth is also very gentle on my sensitive skin. You might think it would be very harsh if it’s exfoliating so thoroughly, but it’s actually very soft with a slight sticky grip that doesn’t pull at the skin.

These cloths can last several months with daily use, but I wouldn’t mind having to replace them more often due to the low cost. Do be careful not to wash/dry them with other fabrics though – they have a tendency to pick up lint and coloured ones will also run very easily. The best method of care is to simply soak them in water, squeeze the excess out and allow to dry naturally. If necessary, use a gentle detergent, but never apply fabric softener which will clog the fibres.

When I start getting low on cleanser, I’m going to try the water-only method and see if this is as effective. By all accounts, it may work even better, but I don’t want to waste the products I’ve already bought.

I would heartily recommend giving one of these amazing cloths a try. Like any product, they don’t work for everyone but they are so cheap it’s really worth a try. Don’t worry that all the marketing says they’re for cars and other hard surfaces – it’s not what they’re used on, but how they work that matters. Many companies offer microfibre cloths especially for the face and body, but they are essentially the same thing. The only difference is that you will pay considerably more.

I’d love to hear readers thoughts and experiences (positive and negative) so please pop a note in the comment box if you have anything to say. :)

Source: Online Goddess

Microfibre Cloths – A Cheap Acne Remedy?

The heat is affecting my hair too. Though the vinegar rinse is successfully keeping dandruff to a minimum, my hair is greasy and limp within hours of washing. I don’t really want to wash it every day, but I’m not sure what else I can do. Any tips from readers familiar with this predicament would be greatly appreciated.

My acne is slowly improving. I think my body is finally getting used to being back on the pill – it’s taken about 6 weeks. The old acne marks are taking their time fading however, so I’m having to wear make-up whenever I go out and this frustrates me somewhat. The good news is that it hasn’t messed up my periods though (a common complaint from users with this particular pill), I started my last one bang on time.

I shall trudge on as always. And hope for a cool day sometime very soon.

Source: Online Goddess

Hot Weather = Horrible Skin!

Well I expected to have a few issues with my skin and that’s certainly what I got. In fact, I’ve been experiencing the whole range of typical PMT symptoms – increased acne, overly flaky scalp, a very short temper and incredibly tender boobs.

To counter the skin problems, I’ve been using plenty of apple cider vinegar in my hair and face care routines.  Even so, I’m noticing greasiness returning after only a few hours. Not a lot I can do about my temper, other than try to bite my tongue before I say things and for the last concern I just have to make sure I’m wearing my most comfortable bras. :D

Generally, I’ve been trying not to worry about all this. I’m adding a new hormone into my body and it’s understandable that I’m going to have some balancing issues for a few weeks. But two days ago, something happened (which may be totally unrelated) that made me freak out a bit. I had a tiny little whitehead appear just under my lip and upon gently squeezing it, an enormous purple bruise suddenly appeared right underneath!

I can only assume the spot I squeezed was close to a capillary or something. I have never ever had bruises on my face and it was quite upsetting to see this prominent blotch on my chin. Applying a liberal amount of concealer didn’t manage to cover it either, so I skulked around indoors all day with no intention of being seen by anyone.

Thankfully, it’s already started to fade, but it’s certainly made me think twice about popping any more spots. Which I guess can only be a good thing really. :D

So, I shall continue to hang in there and hope my body adjusts to the mini-pill soon. Wish me luck!

Source: Online Goddess

Back On The Pill – Oh What Fun!

On the day itself, I discovered why I’d had the breakout (and why I’d been cranky for a few days) – my period started. It couldn’t have waited one more day, oh no, it had to come about three days early this month. I tend to get nasty stomach cramps, plus the usual discomfort for the first few days, so it wasn’t much fun driving around and putting on a happy face for my relatives.

On the plus side, my mum liked the two moisturisers I gave her and the big box of Milk Tray. :D

Source: Online Goddess

Hormonal Flare-Ups And Dreadful Timing

I’ve also adjusted my stretchmark routine. Basically, I was getting annoyed at how greasy the Monoi Oil and the Whipped Butter were leaving my legs, so I’m solely using the Camellia and Copaiba Oil for that as well. There’s been no obvious improvement in my stretchmarks, but it’s only been a few days and the general opinion is that it takes months of daily use before scars are visibly reduced. I’m not really bothered by how long it takes, I just wish I knew for certain that it will work for me. Nothing is more disheartening than spending a lot of time and money on something only to find it didn’t do any good.

Oh, one final thing. I’m sad to say that I won’t be using the Whipped Butter in my hair either. I used a tiny amount yesterday and, though it did leave my hair luxuriously soft and smoothed out my split ends (briefly), it also left an oily sheen and needed washing again within a couple of hours.   

Source: Online Goddess

No More Greasy Oils For Me