The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream

In the past I have used several products from The Body Shop's Vitamin E range, although never the moisturiser so I was interested to see how I fared with this as I feel a bit more willing to experiment as my skin has improved on the acne front these past few months.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream is part of their range of skin products containing vitamins to help 'hydrate and protect' the skin and 'leave it soft and healthy-looking'.

The texture of the cream feels light and absorbs quickly so at first I wasn't exactly hopeful that this would provide adequate hydration as in the colder months I normally lean towards moisturisers for normal to dry or sensitive skin as even though I'm a little combo, I'm also dehydrated and apart from my t-zone, the rest of my face can feel a little dry in this changeable weather.

To my surprise this provides just the right amount of hydration without feeling I have much on my skin and I find that it works well when layering with other products as the formula is light.

Overall a good moisturiser, but it does leave me craving a little something extra in my skincare as now I'm in my late 20's (approaching 30 in July!) I have been taking a few more preventative measures skincare wise.

Ingredients:

Aqua (Solvent/Diluent), Isopropyl Palmitate (Emollient), Sorbitol (Humectant), Lanolin (Emollient), Glyceryl Stearate (Emulsifier), Cetyl Esters (Emollient), Steareth-2 (Emulsifier), PEG-100 Stearate (Surfactant), Ceresin (Stabiliser), Triethanolamine (pH Adjuster), Tocopheryl Acetate (Antioxidant), Steareth-20 (Emulsifier), Carbomer (Viscosity Modifier), Methylparaben (Preservative), Parfum (Fragrance), Benzyl Benzoate (Solvent), Butylparaben (Preservative), Ethylparaben (Preservative), Hydroxycitronellal (Fragrance Ingredient), Isobutylparaben (Preservative), Propylparaben (Preservative), Limonene (Fragrance Ingredient), Geraniol (Fragrance Ingredient), Linalool (Fragrance Ingredient), Citronellol (Fragrance Ingredient), Cinnamyl Alcohol (Fragrance Ingredient), Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone (Fragrance Ingredient), CI 14700 (Colour).

*PR sample*

MuLondon Organic Hemp Moisturiser Review

Happy New Year everyone! I thought I'd start off 2013 with a product that I come across last year that has been something of a skin rescue and that is MuLondon's Organic Hemp moisturiser.

This little pot of wonder has been sitting in my drawer for a while, reserved more for skincare emergencies such as random patches of inflammation/smaller spots but over the past month I have been using it much more consistently so feel that I can give it proper consideration.

MuLondon is a vegan, cruelty-free skincare range which uses natural and organic ingredients without any preservatives or fragrance (the products have scent from the essential oils that are used). The moisturisers for example do not have any water in them and are concentrated formulas that are deceptively effective at tackling skin issues.

As my skin is combination, acne-prone and dehydrated, I opted for the Organic Hemp moisturiser as my first foray into the brand as this also has rosemary extract and vetivert oil to help with acne and balance the skin. The moisturisers come in two sizes - 60ml and 30ml. I have the 30ml which is £9, so they are really very reasonably priced for the quality of the formulas.

The base of this moisturiser is shea butter so it has quite a solid feel to it and you take about a pea-sized amount and warm it in your hands and massage into the skin. As the product is being warmed, it can initially feel a little bit oily, but once massaged in, this disappears to a natural skin finish. You really only need a tiny amount so it's only if you've taken too much that it might leave shine/oiliness on the skin.

I've used this both as a day cream and a night cream and for me they work well. As a day cream this works fine underneath my makeup and at night this offers welcome relief and restorative qualities as it seems to heal and soothe patches of inflammation like acne or dry areas without overwhelming the skin. When I'm at home and sometimes sans anything on my face, my skin seems to be more balanced and I feel that this moisturiser contributes to this overall calmness of my skin.

The scent is also lovely, the Black Spruce, Vetivert and Cedar Wood essential oils give the cream a woody scent, but in a light and clean way that is not overpowering and adds a hint of facial-esque therapy.

It does feel very different to moisturisers I've used before as the texture is quite unique, but I have gotten used to it and this is just as effective.

Ingredients

Vitellaria Paradoxa (Shea Butter)*, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp Seed Oil)*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil)*, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary Extract)*, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp Essential Oil), Picea Mariana (Black Spruce Essential Oil), Vetiveria Zizanoides (Vetivert Essential Oil)*, Cedrus Atlantica (Cedar Wood Essential Oil)*

*Certified Organic Ingredients

MuLondon can be found online at www.mulondon.com (not an affililate link)

DeVita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+ Review

I finished up my last sunscreen which was the Dermaquest ZinClear SPF30 about a month ago, and being a skincare junkie I naturally had another product waiting in the wings which was DeVita's Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+.

I heard raves about this through Skincare Talk and noticed the brand is stocked on iHerb so placed an order along with some supplement bits.

DeVita is a vegan, paraben-free natural skincare and cosmetic brand from Arizona that was created by Cherylanne DeVita after having suffered with chronic cystic acne. They use organic aloe vera as a key 'delivery system' and also have a line of mineral makeup that is infused with aloe.

The Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+ is a mineral based sunscreen using 19% zinc oxide (no nano particles) that has been formulated for skin prone to acne (like mine!) and moisturises the skin as well as providing broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection.

I'm not a fan of sunscreens that feel like typical sunscreens with the slightly tacky/greasy/whiteish look and I'm happy to say that DeVita's offering is absolutely the opposite of this. It feels creamy, light and non-chalky and once applied absorbs quickly into a natural matte finish that is not discernible on the skin, so no whitecast!

Another thing I like about this is the scent, so unlike any other sunscreen, it has a beautiful light vanilla/coconutty scent that adds to the pleasant nature.

From iHerb this was around $20 for 75ml/2.5oz , which I find reasonable as I don't seem to need too much product so I think this should last a while yet.

Ingredients:

Recent Skincare Empties

Currently I've been more focused at getting my skin in order so while I've not completely done a no-buy on makeup, I've have cut down considerably. I think I'm getting through quite a few bits of skincare so here are some of my recent empties:

No7 Beautiful Skin Eye Make-Up Remover
This is something I usually only get with the Boots £5 off vouchers, but I don't know if it's just me but this doesn't seem as good as I once remembered. Sure, it removes makeup well enough (an oil is still my preferred choice), but I find the bi-phase formula separates a bit too quickly, especially as you get halfway through the bottle and you get left with uneven amounts. I do prefer the newly revamped packaging as it's no longer a pump and just a screw-lid so if you need to dip in cotton-buds it's easier than before.

Pai Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser
This is a lovely thick and creamy cleanser that is dense enough to massage over the skin for a few minutes before washing away with a flannel/cloth. If feels very gentle on the skin and leaves it soft, clean and comfortable. It has a pleasant light floral scent that is lovely to wake-up to in the morning. 
I do have acne-prone skin so I usually look for a little more in helping to control this issue so while this is a very good cleanser, I don't think I would repurchase.

Pai Geranium & Thistle Combination Skin Cream
I don't think I've ever used a moisturiser up as quickly as this one as it's been so lovely to use. It has a wonderful creamy, nourishing feel to it yet it is not in any way heavy or greasy and leaves the skin feeling naturally matte and surprisingly helps to control oil and I don't find myself getting as shiny. Some moisturisers for combination skin feel very light or have more gel type textures where as this feels like a proper cream which I prefer. This is definitely up there as one of my favourites.

Ren Max Moisture Concentrate
I was recommended this ages ago while having a facial to help address dehydration so when I had a discount code from Beauty Expert, I thought I'd give it a whirl. The texture of this is a light lotion/serum feel that sinks into the skin quickly without any residue or tackiness and then I use my regular moisturiser on top. While it seems to suit my skin fine, I was rather underwhelmed as I haven't noticed a great deal from using this. I am a fan of Ren and I absolutely adore many of their other products but sadly this is not one of them.

Naturally, I have got a few new skincare items to use (the current Boots 3 for 2 coming in very handy:) so will report on those in due course.

REN Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream Review

Ren has long been one of my favourite brands for skincare, and many of their products I have repurchased quite a few times over the years. The Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream is one of them.

When I was first introduced to Ren, I was recommended the line for sensitive skin which this moisturiser is a part of as at the time my acne-prone skin was quite a mess with dehydration, inflammation and just generally quite unbalanced.

The ingredients in the Hydra-Calm cream really help to combat these issues as it contains arctic blackcurrant seed and arctic seabuckthorn berry oil which contain Omega 3 and 7 to help with the inflammation, Bisabolol to help soothe and reduce redness, and also a 'Global protection complex' with anti-oxidants to help protect against UV damage.

The texture of this is lovely, it feels creamy and smooth but without being oily or greasy and it applies very nicely leaving the skin feeling well hydrated and comfortable without any heaviness. It feels very much like a 'proper' moisturiser and pleasant to use.

When I first started using the Hydra-Calm cream, I had issues with flakiness on my forehead, and this completely got rid of it, and I've not had this problem since. It does have a slight calming effect in that it helps a little with redness too.

Ingredients:

Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Cetearyl Ethyhexanoate, Myristyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Cetearyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Triheptanoin, Oryzanol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Oil, Bisabolol, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Cassia Alata Leaf Extract, Pueraria Lobata (Kudzu) Symbiozome Extract, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Cinnamomum Camphora Linalloliferum (Ho Wood) Leaf Oil, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Oil, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool, Tocopherol.

This is £27 for 50ml which I think is very reasonable for the quality, and I find that this usually lasts me around 4-5 months (I only use in the mornings), as you don't need too much and also the airtight pump dispenser allows for good control and less product wastage.

Murad Anti-Aging Acne Skincare Review

Back towards the end of February, I attended an event where we were introduced to the new Murad Anti-Aging Acne range. In the past I have used several products from their existing Anti-Blemish line, so was interested to see how this new range faired as it's designed in particular for adult acne but also addresses fine lines and wrinkles.

The range features 'an advanced Multi-Active Acne Fighting System designed to reduce existing blemishes while preventing new blemishes from forming. Products include Kombucha Collagen Defense™, a proprietary formula which includes Lipid filling and Anti-Glycation agents, Hyaluronic filling spheres, Glucosamine and a unique blend of Amino Acids, which stimulates collagen production while significantly diminishing its breakdown. Silver, a natural antibacterial, eliminates bacteria that have invaded the skin's environment; and encapsulated Salicyclic Acid technology provides hours of sustained treatment'.

All sounds promising, so here's how I got on.

Time Release Acne Cleanser
This is rinse-off cleanser in the form of an unusual whiteish gel, as it looks a little bit like a balm/gel hybrid but acts like a gel. Comes in a standard flip-top tube with a generous 200ml which will last me a good while - the cleanser in the regular anti-blemish line lasted me about 6 months and I think this will be a similar time as I had hardly used much in one month (I used it AM and PM). This feels very gentle and as it has a very mild (almost non-existent) lather, it doesn't leave my skin dry at all.  This 'features encapsulated Salicylic Acid Technology,  the cleanser sustaining wash off by depositing Salicylic Acid with gentle release over time'. I am a bit dubious about this claim as it is hard to tell if it's done anything of the sort.  While it is quite pleasant and gentle to use and leaves my skin feeling clean, I can't really see if it's done much to my skin.

A big dollop, and a little spread out

Murad Time Release Acne Cleanser Ingredients

Anti-Aging Moisturiser SPF 20 PA++
A pleasant, light cream formula that is easily absorbed and doesn't leave any residue. It is off-white in colour but leaves no visible trace as it absorbs well. I like that it has the added sun protection with the UVA as well and still feels very much like a 'normal' moisturiser so I feel happy using this and I have been reaching for this quite often these past few months. I find it helped a little with oil control when the weather was colder but now that it is hotter it doesn't offer enough although I haven't ever come across a product that keeps my face shine-free all day anyway. I quite like the packaging with this one as it has a pointed nozzle to control the amount well. It does a good job of keeping my skin soft, supple and nourished although I haven't seen any extra benefits from using this. The added sun protection is a plus as I don't need to use a separate product.

Murad Anti-Aging Moisturiser Ingredients

Acne and Wrinkle Reducer

This is the standout product in the range for me as I actually noticed a difference when using it. I had a few large red bumpy spots when I first started using this and it has helped to flatten them and minimised the chance of possible scarring which I easily get with these types of spots. This has a gel texture that is quite easy to spread but doesn't leave a sticky residue or film over the skin so it can be used underneath a moisturiser. I only used a small amount at night everyday (on it's own and no moisturiser) and found that considering the effectiveness, it did not dry my face one bit, I didn't wake up with any flakiness etc. I find it doesn't work on every type of spot, for me it seems to be the redder, bumpy, bigger ones it helps out more which is fine by me as these are the most annoying ones that seem to hang around forever but this stops them in their tracks! This doesn't prevent me getting spots as after about 3 weeks I did get quite a horrible breakout and I don't think it was caused by a product but to be sure I did stop using this and then came back to it and have found that my skin is fine so this is helping my post-breakout skin to recover better.

I am 27 and do not have any deep wrinkles, only a few fine lines across my forehead and around the side of my mouth so I cannot really say how it would work for more serious lines but for mine it did help to soften their appearance and overall refine the look of the skin so it feels smoother. I think it also helped a little bit to soften the appearance of some past acne scars I had.

Murad Acne and Wrinkle Reducer Ingredients

All the products have a sage, tea tree and geranium scent which is quite refreshing and not strong, although not much of a deviation from some other acne ranges. 

Overall I didn't find the range harsh in any way and it has been quite pleasant to use, but it is the Acne and Wrinkle Reducer that impressed me out of the three products.


Disclosure: Products were provided without charge at the event

Ren ClearCalm 3 Update

Finished!

It's been about 2 and a half months now since I started using Ren's ClearCalm 3 range (4 week review here), so thought I'd do an update.

Since my last review I have finished up my bottle of the Anti-Blemish Clay Cleanser, I used it every morning and most evenings so it lasted about 2 months. This has been pleasant to use and I like that it can be rinsed off clean with water rather then using a cloth (this is one thing I like in particular with Ren's cleansers).
I wasn't blown away initially with this, but after getting through my bottle of this I have come to rather like it as when washed off it helps a bit to make skin calmer and softer.

This *almost* equals one of my favourite cleansers which is Ren's Hydra-Calm one but the only thing that holds it back is the scent, while not at all unpleasant in anyway, I really love the scent of Hydra-Calm as I find it very comforting where as this doesn't grab me. To me scent is just as important as the performance, often I am drawn back to repurchasing products because not only were they effective, but I remember the smells and think how much I loved using them. I would still repurchase this at some point (I have some other cleansers on my 'to try' list though:).

The Anti-Blemish Day Fluid I continued to use up until 3 weeks ago when I wanted to see how I would fare without it so I tried using something else but unfortunately that didn't seem to agree with me so I am back to using this.
It works well under makeup and now that the weather is colder, this seems to be holding up well in the hydration stakes and I still have a lot left - about 3/4 in the bottle.

The Anti-Blemish Treatment Mask I use now once a week rather then twice as I have about 1/4 left and don't want to run out so quickly. My opinion of this hasn't changed from before - it's still a fab purifying mask and I would repurchase.

About 2 weeks ago I got a couple of large spots from what I think was experimenting with other primers/foundations/sunscreens (this was when I was not using the day fluid), so I went back to using my prescribed topical Duac gel for acne at night and I couldn't use the Replenishing Night Serum when using the Duac. In the few extra weeks I did use it I didn't see anything different to my last review.

What I have noticed is that before when I used my Duac gel to control my acne, it could be a little drying, especially around the mouth area so I could on occasion get slight flakiness. But when I use the ClearCalm 3 range I no longer get the dryness from the Duac gel and that is probably where this range helps me the most is with the texture and balancing of my skin as to be honest the visible differences are not huge, but when I feel my skin it does feel smoother and softer like it seems to help get rid of the flakiness and dead skin.
This doesn't make me want to throw out my exfoliator though as I love a good scrub, but I like the general feel of my skin and it makes applying makeup much nicer as I have a better canvas to work with.

Overall this range doesn't prevent me from getting spots, but I like what it does for the condition of my skin so I would add it to my favourites (the jury is out on the night serum for now:).

All products purchased by me and this is my own experience with the range. 
Everyone is different.

Ren ClearCalm 3 Anti-Blemish Skincare: 4 Weeks In

Acne. Blemishes. Spots. Zits. Break-outs. Whatever you like to call it, my skin has been plagued by this pesky condition since my teens. While it has settled down considerably now I am in my late twenties, I still get smaller spots every now and then and I have been left with scarring, redness and uneven skintone from previous break-outs.
So when I discovered that my fave skincare brand Ren were coming out with an anti-blemish range, I naturally was very excited. Ren's new ClearCalm 3 range is designed to combat the 3 key causes of breakouts and blemishes: excess sebum, build up of dead skin cells, blemish-causing bacteria and it does this without harshness.
This launched on 1st September, but Selfridges had this a couple of weeks earlier so I bought the range which consists of an Anti-blemish Clay Cleanser (£18), Anti-blemish Day Fluid (£24), Replenishing Night Serum (£20) and Anti-blemish Treatment Mask (£28).

The Box info (has a good breakdown of key ingredients and benefits):

The blurb (can be enlarged)
L-R: mask, cleanser, day fluid, night serum

Ingredients (can be enlarged)
L-R: mask, cleanser, day fluid, night serum  

My skin for reference apart from being blemish-prone is combination - I have an oily T-zone and my cheeks are slightly drier.
I have been using the ClearCalm 3 range for almost 4 weeks now so these are my initial thoughts.

I'll start with the Anti-Blemish Clay Cleanser:

Anti-Blemish Clay Cleanser, L - small pump, R- spread out a bit

I was a bit dubious about this as the name had me envisioning rubbing something akin to a clay mask over my face and sucking it dry, but this could not be further from the truth. The texture is not what I had expected from a blemish range as this is a cream (if you've tried Ren's Hydra-Calm cleanser it is a similar texture). Quite a light cream so it is easily spread and massaged into the skin and is rinsed off leaving no residue. It doesn't leave the skin feeling dry, rather more soft and comfortable. The scent is a herbally-fresh sort of scent, I wouldn't say minty or menthol as such, but slightly more herbal (sorry for the rather rubbish description). I started using this first for about a week before the other products to see how this feels and while I like it and there isn't anything wrong with it, I am not blown away. Maybe after using a lot of their other products I have very high expectations. I think it is helping to make the skin appear a bit clearer but I haven't noticed a significant difference with this. I don't use this to remove makeup, I always use a separate cleansing oil or balm as these to me are the most thorough for makeup removal. Overall I find this quite pleasant to use being a cream and I will happily use up the bottle although I not sure if I will repurchase.

The Anti-Blemish Day Fluid:

Anti-Blemish Day Fluid

This was the one product in the range I was the most cautious about - I am used to using creams rather then fluids and the texture of this feels quite different. It is a slightly runny, quite thin liquid (maybe even a bit gel like), that when applied to the skin has an odd combination of feeling rather slippy but matt/silky at the same time. A small amount of this spreads very well over the skin, but when absorbed (which is quick by the way), it is completely matt and natural looking that it is not evident that you have applied anything. I can imagine this lasting quite a long time, as I am nowhere near having used even 1/4 of the bottle. The scent is similar to the cleanser but a bit lighter. I was worried that this would not be moisturising enough for my cheeks, but I haven't experienced any tightness/or dryness from this. I admit that I do crave a slightly more creamy/plumper base for my makeup and with this feeling like virtually nothing on the skin I use a little primer on top (not on the t-zone). I have used without primer and have not had any issue but I do wonder when it comes to the colder months if this will provide enough moisture.

I am pleasantly surprised by this fluid as it does seem to make my t-zone less oily (I still touch-up my powder halfway through the day) and I think it has helped a little with slight redness. As this feels so light I can use sunscreen or primers on top without feeling that I've applied too much to my skin.
I have found gradually that the more I use this, the more I have come to like it as it does make the skin feel soft and hydrated.  


The Replenishing Night Serum:

Replenishing Night Serum

 
This is a cream (the day fluid feels more serum like to me), and is not greasy but light and easily absorbed. The scent to this is very mild that I don't really notice it, but smelling it more closely it as a more softer, milder herbal scent not dissimilar to the cleanser. This claims to calm the skin, reduce redness and pigmentation scars and while I think it has helped a little in calming the skin, I haven't noticed any difference to my scarring or evenness, although I don't really expect a great deal on the these fronts as I haven't used this long enough to see if it really does help. Personally I prefer Ren's Omega 3 Night Repair Serum over this as after using that I really saw a difference in my skin the next morning in that it looked more glowy and clearer and did a good job of healing blemishes too.
This is the one product in the range I am not sure of - while it feels pleasant to use, I don't really see much difference in my skin but I will continue to use it to see if I notice any further improvement over time.

The Anti-Blemish Treatment Mask:

Anti-Blemish Treatment Mask

This new mask is a creamy clay texture with quite a strong refreshing herbally (sort of minty?) scent. It does not dry hard and you are supposed to leave it on for about 15 mins then wash off (although I have left this on for an hour with no problems). It is best used twice a week. When washed off my face feels soft, a bit clearer and my pores seem less visible with no dryness. This has also helped to unclog the pores/bring blackheads to the surface on my t-zone so that they can be extracted more easily. This is my favourite product of the range.

Overall being an anti-blemish range, nothing about it feels harsh, all the products have felt lovely to use and comfortable, and I haven't had any adverse reactions to them. I like that the range says it's for problem skin rather then oily/combination/problem skin as a lot of other brands seem to throw those skin types together. In terms of keeping blemishes at bay, I think that it helps a little - I still get a few smaller spots, but they seem to go away and heal a bit better with this, but it is not a huge difference. Hopefully with continual use I might see more of an improvement. The product I would repurchase is the mask as I was impressed with this, even after the first use. I would possibly repurchase the day fluid as I wasn't expecting to like this, but the more I use it the more I Iike it.

I will continue to use the range, and update after a month or so. 



Disclaimer: All products purchased by myself