I was initially drawn in by the lovely selection of essential oils that the range uses and the simplicity of the formulas. I also discovered that Maia products don’t contain beeswax – olive wax is used instead – and I was keen to see how effective this alternative ingredient was.

As I’ve tried out a total of seven products from the range, I’m going to do another mega-review, so make yourselves comfy and read on! :)

Satin Cream Balm
Price: £15 for 30g or £7.95 for 15g
Rating:
Link: http://www.maiaskincare.co.uk
Ingredients: Apricot oil, evening primrose, coconut oil, avocado butter, starflower oil, jojoba, calendula oil, olive wax, mowrah butter, Vitamin E, essential oils of lavender, petitgrain, frankincense, neroli, palmarosa, geranium

Initial Impressions: All the Maia products come in lovely dark glass jars with gold text labelling. I didn’t realise how heavy they are and how expensive they feel until I was holding one. They are certainly very nice and look like something you would find on a posh department store counter.

The balm itself is a rich, oily pale yellow cream with the lovely scents subtly standing out and complimenting each other very well.

Application & Results: Initially I was concerned that it may be a little greasy. Although this seems the case as soon as it’s applied, it sinks into the skin very quickly and leaves my skin feeling pleasantly plump and soft. It doesn’t apply so easily if my face is damp, but I’ve found that spritzing with toner afterwards helps it sink in even better and feels really nice too. It’s very, very concentrated, so only the tiniest amount is necessary.

I’ve had a persistent acne mark left over from a brief breakout on my left cheek some weeks ago which finally seems to be fading thanks to this.

Review Conclusion: I particularly like how this product provides a nice balance of moisture without leaving an oil slick on my face and I don’t need to use anything else with it. Being a concentrated balm it’s also going to last me a lot longer than a cream equivalent, so I think it’s very good value for money.

Revival Radiance Clay
Price: £12.95 (35g Clay & 30ml Activation Oil)
Rating:
Link: http://www.maiaskincare.co.uk

Ingredients: Radiance Clay: Kaolin, Kaolinite, Illite (Clays), Goats Milk Powder, Raspberry, Pineapple, Organic Lavender buds, Organic Chamomile petals

Activation Oil: Rice Bran Oil, Hazel Nut Oil, Jojoba Oil, Papaya Oil, Natural Vitamin E

Initial Impressions: The clay is a light powder and also comes in a nice glass jar. The oil is in an accompanying glass bottle. The first thing I noticed when opening the lid was the subtle fruity scent which is really pleasant. Clays tend to be a bit boring in themselves, so it’s nice when they smell good too.

The oil doesn’t have a very noticable scent, but is fresh and clean.

Application & Results: According to the instructions, the clay can be used in a variety of ways – as a mask, or a scrub or a more intensive facial treatment. The first time, I used it as a regular mask with plain water. I must say I really enjoyed using this clay for several reasons. Firstly, I love a proper messy mask and this doesn’t disappoint – it gets nice and “muddy”. Secondly, it tightened up really well making me feel I’d had a very effective detox. Thirdly, it didn’t make my skin feel hot and itchy afterwards like clays sometimes do.

The second time, I used it as a scrub with the activation oil. The oil is thick and makes the clay plump up a bit more than when used with water. It felt very luxurious and makes a nice treat for tired skin.

Review Conclusion: I really like this clay, it’s fun to use and didn’t irritate my skin at all. Although the oil is definitely nice, I prefer using it as a mask with plain old water. Currently the product comes with both the clay and oil together, but it might be handy if the clay could be bought separately as well as I will undoubtably run out of this first.

Skin Boosting Serum
Price: £17.97 for 30ml or £6.97 for 10ml
Rating:
Link: http://www.maiaskincare.co.uk

Ingredients: watermelon seed, passionflower oil, hazelnut oil, squalane, jojoba, starflower oil, Vitamin E, Essential oils of helichrysum, lavender, frankincense, palmarosa, neroli, English chamomile

Initial Impressions: This was the product I was actually most excited about. I was hoping for a cheaper alternative to the Suki serum and I was hoping this would be it.

The serum is available in two forms – a regular pump bottle and a handbag-size rollerball of which I tried the latter. This comes in a stylish glass bottle that neatly matches the rest of the range. The scents of neroli, lavender and palmarosa come through and are pleasant but subtle.

Application & Results: The product goes on just like a roll-on perfume. It glides on smoothly and only a quick stroke is needed to apply a suitable amount.

Using a rollerball isn’t the easiest way to apply a serum all over the face, so I used it on a few flaky patches and also under my eyes. I have a slight blue tinge there which annoys me and I noticed the first morning after use that this seemed a little less obvious. The skin itself also seemed a bit plumper.

It didn’t do so much for my flaky patches, but that’s probably because they are oily flakes rather than dry ones. I tried it all over my face a couple of times, but I experienced some tiny blotches the day after.

Review Conclusion: This isn’t going to be the replacement I’d intended it to be as I think it may be a little too rich for general use on my face. Also, I’m very happy using the Satin Cream Balm on it’s own. However, I am impressed with the effect it had under my eyes, and it’s not just me speaking – a friend who suffers from dark circles and bags gave it a try and noticed a difference too. 

Really Clever Cleansing Balm
Price: £15.97 for 50g or £5.95 for 15g
Rating:
Link: http://www.maiaskincare.co.uk

Ingredients: Coconut oil, apricot oil, jojoba oil, evening primrose oil, mango butter, olive wax, papaya oil, carrot seed extract, essential oils of rosemary, palmarosa, litsea cubea, Himalayan cedarwood, juniperberry

Initial Impressions: I have a sample pot of this, but it usually comes in one of the lovely glass jars with a spatula. I really love the smell, the essential oils chosen are gorgeous and work extremely well together. The product itself is a solid, but squishy, yellow balm.

Application & Results: I’m not really a user of cleansing balms, in fact this is the first one I’ve ever tried. I liked how it softens and melts as soon as it starts being worked it into the skin and it felt so nice that I didn’t really want to take it off. It wipes away easily enough with a microfibre cloth or a regular flannel, but I did still feel ever-so-slightly like I had something left on my skin.

Review Conclusion: I don’t have any basis for comparison, but it is a very nice product. I’ve given it a neutral three hearts as this is something I personally wouldn’t use on a regular basis, but it could be an enjoyable part of a pampering session and is certainly a good option for those with drier skins (or at least not uber-oily like me).

Omni Balm
Price: £14.97 for 50g or £5.95 for 15g
Rating:
Link: http://www.maiaskincare.co.uk

Ingredients: Rice bran oil, calendula oil, coconut oil, avocado butter, olive wax, evening primrose oil, carrot tissue oil, essential oils of chamomile, helichrysum

Initial Impressions: I have a handbag-size pot of this and it comes in a miniature version of the regular glass jars. The first thing that hit me was the sweet scent, it’s quite strong but not at all unpleasant. The balm looks like an oily yellow cream.

Application & Results: Once applied, I found the balm to be more like a serum as I gently rubbed it in. It’s very silky and though it’s quite oily it feels surprisingly light. I suspect this has something to do with it containing olive wax instead of beeswax and I really like it.

I’ve been using it on the flare-up on my face for a couple of days and I’m pleased to say it hasn’t aggravated the condition. It’s so much nicer than the paraffin-based cream my doctor prescribed me, but seems to be just as effective.

Review Conclusion: I bought the handbag size because I wasn’t sure if I would use this product – emollients, however nice, are usually too rich and heavy for me. I was pleasantly surprised at how suitable this product is for my skin, despite it’s intensive moisturising properties and I will very likely buy a full-size jar when this one runs out.

Christmas Wishes Home Fragrance Oil
Price: £5.95 for 10ml
Rating:
Link: http://www.maiaskincare.co.uk

Ingredients: Pure natural essential oils of Sweet Orange, Cinnamon, Clove Bud and Cypress

Initial Impressions: It’s almost that time of year, so I thought I’d treat myself to this very apt little bottle of fragrance presented in an essential-oil style dropper bottle. A quick sniff reveals the fragrance does indeed smell very festive. Hubby said it reminded him of mince pies and I thought it was like Terry’s Chocolate Orange. :D

Application & Results: I popped some in my oil burner yesterday evening and sat back to relax. The scent is really nice, not too strong and lingers for a little while after the candle goes out.

I’ve gotten the urge to put my tree up now. :D

Review Conclusion: I don’t often buy room fragrances as they can often be tacky and/or too strong, but this is a nice simple mix of oils that work well together. Presumably this will only be available for a limited time, so if you’re interested you might want to order some in quick. :)

Turkish Delight Bath Melts
Price: £3.95 for 8 Melts
Rating:
Link: http://www.maiaskincare.co.uk

Ingredients: cocoa butter, shea butter, sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, coconut oil, polysorbate 20, geranium, kaolinite, lemon, *citral, *citronellol, *geraniol, *limonene, linalool (*found naturally in essential oils)

Initial Impressions: The melts come in a pretty gold giftbox and are wrapped in tissue paper. I opened the box and the gorgeous aroma of geranium instantly rose up to meet me. The melts are a good size and look a bit like sweets and coupled with the amazing smell, I really wanted to eat one. But I didn’t, which was probably a very wise idea.

Application & Results: The box says to add one or two to a bath so I decided to start minimal and popped one in while it was running. It sank to the bottom and started fizzing away, letting the scent out and releasing a film of oil onto the surface of the water. It took several minutes for the melt to completely dissipate and I didn’t need to use a second one. In fact, I reckon I’d be just as happy with only half of one, there seems to be a very generous portion of ingredients stuffed inside.

The bath was quite slippery and the water’s surface was very oily. After thirty minutes relaxing, I was well and truly moisturised and smelled absolutely fantastic! I felt great for the rest of the day and my bathroom still smelled of geranium the following morning.

Review Conclusion: I truly didn’t expect to enjoy these melts as much as I did. I felt incredibly pampered during my bath which led to me feeling completely de-stressed for the rest of the day. At £3.95 for 8, these are an absolute steal. I’m really keen to try the other bath bombs and truffles in the range now. :D  

While I’m writing this, I also want to point out how much I like the Maia website. I’m a real sucker for detail when it comes to knowing what’s inside things and I absolutely love how there is so much information on the individual products. Not just boring old ingredient lists, but key benefits and usage tips all in a clear well-laid out format. There is also a separate ingredients glossary and articles on how best to use natural products, plus a blog with updates on new and upcoming products.

If you nip on over to the website, you’ll find that Maia is also currently offering a 15% discount on your first order when you sign-up for the newsletter. In the meantime, I’m off to rest my weary fingers. :)

Source: Online Goddess

Review: Maia Skin Care Range

In a nutshell, toning isn’t an essential part of a routine. The main purpose is to remove final traces of dirt after cleansing but, unless your face gets incredibly dirty, that seems a bit pointless if you’ve cleansed properly. It’s also claimed that toners close pores after cleansing, but I’m not really sure they do this any better than simply splashing your face with cool water.

All that said however, the decision to use a toner is a personal one. I like how it makes my moisturiser go a bit further when if I apply it when my skin is still damp. I also think toners are great for spritzing onto a tired face throughout the day.

I think it’s important to take a look at what kind of toner you use as well. When you think of toner, an alcohol-based product with a variety of ingredients probably comes to mind. But a toner doesn’t have to be this complicated or harsh. Plain floral waters (or hydrosols) are a lovely alternative resulting from the distillation process of essential oils and are particularly good for people with sensitive skins. You can pick them up pretty cheap too!

I have a variety of toners to hand, which I switch between depending on how my skin is feeling. For regular use, I use a mild astringent to take care of my oiliness. I have a bottle of rosewater which I use for refreshment as needed. Finally, I have an alcohol-free mineral water and aloe based mist which is very soothing on hot, inflamed skin.   

So in conclusion, I personally like to use a toner, if not for the primary reason of being ultra-clean. It’s not a necessity and I don’t think my skin would care if I stopped using one, but it does enhance the use of my moisturiser and keeps me feeling fresh throughout the day.

Source: Online Goddess

Is Toning Really Necessary?

Ingredients: Coconut Fatty Acid Cream Base, Witch Hazel (natural herbal extract), Natural Grain Alcohol, Organic Aloe Vera, Calendula Oil, Mucopolysaccharides; Extracts of Fennel, Hops, Balm Mint, Mistletoe, Camomile, Yarrow, Horsetail, Coltsfoot and Nettle; Inositol, Panthenol (Vitamin B-5), Aubrey’s Preservative (Citrus Seed Extract, Vitamins A, C and E), Amino Acid Complex (Cysteine, Methionine), Balsam Oil, Goa Herb

I’ve used this product as my safety backup for over a year now. Whenever my face is going through troubled times, the gentle formula takes care of my skin while still keeping it moisturised. 

Initial Impressions: I first got to try this product as part of Aubrey’s Travel-A-Go-Go pack which was on special offer. The trial size version came in a little bottle, but the full-size is a more traditional squeezy tube as pictured above. The product itself is a very lightly scented white cream. 

Application & Results: I like to squeeze out a little bit of the cream onto my palm, rub my hands together and apply all over the face. It’s very light and absorbs into the skin almost immediately. Initially, it feels a bit cakey and dry, but this effect disappears within a couple of minutes. There is a faint, warm oaty scent which lingers for a short time after application.

This product is very gentle and doesn’t aggravate any skin issues I might be experiencing. I particularly like to use it when I’m hormonal and other products can be a bit too heavy. My only quibble would be that, despite being an oil-balancing product,  I do sometimes feel oily again a few hours after use especially around my t-zone.

Review Conclusion: This product is an absolute essential in my cabinet, even though I don’t use it all the time. It’s not too expensive and it lasts a really long time. I would heartily recommend it to anyone who has skin on the oilier side and prefers a gentle formulation that is kind to sensitive skin. It also works particularly well with the toner, mask and cleanser in the same range.

Source: Online Goddess

Review: Aubrey Organics Natural Herbal Maintenance Oil Balancing Moisturizer

I shall also be writing about mineral make-up from Purity Cosmetics and adding reviews for products I’ve been using long-term. :)

Source: Online Goddess

Exciting November Updates!

In early October, I posted about a blotchy red rash which had appeared on my right cheek. I attributed this indirectly to a nasty infection which I had at the time (and am still recovering from), however it’s been showing no sign of clearing up. I’ve plastered a variety of natural and non-natural products on it during the day, the most effective being sudocrem and calamine lotion, but they only control the intensity of the redness.

A couple of days ago, I decided to completely stop using the Suki moisturising products and return to my old routine of Aubrey Organics Toner and Oil-Balancing Moisturiser with only my microfibre cloth and water for cleansing. The rash has already calmed down and appears to be getting smaller. 

I’m obviously very disappointed that I’ve encountered this problem with Suki, especially as I’ve bought several full-size products and they don’t come cheap. I’m almost out of the serum, but still have roughly half the velvet creme and the toner left. I did use some of the lemongrass cleanser yesterday and it doesn’t seem to have aggravated the rash, so I’m hoping I can at least continue to use that.

I’m guessing that perhaps the Suki products may be too rich for my skin and/or I’m using them too often. I did cut down from toning/moisturising twice a day to only once, but it made no difference.

Hopefully returning to my old routine will clear this up for good – I’ll keep the blog updated with any news.

Source: Online Goddess

Suki – Not So Good For Me After All?

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?

My period started two days ago, but I’ve only got a couple of the usual hormonal bumps. After the explosion of pimples from the OCM, this is actually heaven – I never thought I’d be saying that! I guess it just goes to show how everything is relative and while I might view my PMT acne as bad sometimes, it could certainly be a lot worse.

Anyway, I’m really sorry to report such a negative outcome. I’m not saying the OCM doesn’t work, I just think I went about it wrong. I still stand by my earlier advice that the right oils can make all the difference – perhaps one day I’ll try again and use the sunflower oil that Kloggers and Helen suggested in a previous post.

Interestingly, I think the Camellia & Copaiba oil I’m using as moisturiser may be doing a bit of OCM on it’s own and perhaps the combination of this and the other oils was simply too much. This is one product I will be sticking with, as I still don’t need to exfoliate, my skin is rarely greasy and it doesn’t aggravate my acne.

Source: Online Goddess

I’m Quitting The OCM

Not only am I oilier, but my skin feels a bit rough too, like I need to exfoliate. My acne isn’t giving up either, although at least the whiteheads are small and I’m not getting the nasty boil-like bumps I tend to suffer from. I’m going to try using my facial cleanser after the OCM just to make sure the oils are definitely being removed – it’s very gentle (and all-natural of course) so it shouldn’t do any harm. I also tried using the Angel Face Scrub yesterday with apple cider vinegar instead of water, but I applied the Camellia & Copaiba oil straight after so I may have negated any positive effect. Will try that again tomorrow I think.

I also bought some Agnus Castus (chasteberry) capsules from Holland & Barratt today. Not sure I should be starting these in the midst of a skin crisis, but they’re supposed to help with hormonal problems and I’d like to get them well into my system before my period starts.  As my acne does seem to be primarily hormonal, I’m hoping they’ll help. I’m trying to increase my water intake too – so far that’s just resulted in lots of trips to the loo!

Apologies for the lack of recent updates BTW. I’ve had speed issues with my ISP all week and dared not use the computer lest I throw the cable modem at the wall in annoyance.

Source: Online Goddess

What On Earth Is Going On With My Skin?