YÜLI Panacea Elixir Review

YÜLI is a natural skincare brand from the USA I came across last year and it stood out to me as the products are high performance yet use clean, high quality and pure grade ingredients in an innovative and advanced way. The products are created in small batches in YÜLI's lab located on their farm and this attention to every detail creates a line that is highly potent and effective. 

Clean brands have come a long way in recent years, there are some exciting brands emerging that are challenging the natural skincare arena and YÜLI to me is definitely amongst those brands that are doing things differently. The aesthetic is minimalist (which I love) and it means business!

I placed an order for two of their products, the Panacea Elixir and the Cell Perfecto PM (review of this to come).

The Panacea Elixir is a toner for normal to combination, oily and blemish-prone skin. The base of the elixir is crafted from 'organic and wild-crafted botanical hydrosols and flower water that contain living nutrients and are incredibly active'.

YÜLI describe this toner as a 'multitasking toner that rebalances skin, refines skin texture, primes skin's delivery system for corrective regeneration, delivers intense lasting hydration, and decongests skin of excess sebum, toxins, & waste. Made from the finest botanicals collected from around the world, this toner truly is a cure-all!'

With the promising sounding description and ingredients I had high expectations for this product, but unfortunately was left feeling a little disappointed as this for me was a bit underwhelming. It is nice for a toner, feels gentle, hydrating but I was expecting a little something extra, to take it from the realms of ordinary to something I want to absolutely rave about. I haven't found a great many toners that I really get the urge to repurchase (Caudalie Beauty Elixir, Trilogy Hydrating Mist and Liz Earle Skin Tonic are amongst my repurchased toner list).

It comes in a handy spray bottle and 3 different sizes - 10ml trial ($12), 50ml ($36) and 100ml ($68).

Ingredients:

D-Aloe barbadenis, R. damascena (Rose) hydrolat*, H. italicum (Helichrysum) hydrolat*, L. angustifolia (Lavender) hydrolat*, H. virginiana (Witch Hazel) hydrolat^^, A. millefolium (Yarrow) hydrolat^^, frequency enhanced water, C. sativus (Cucumber) extract, N. officinale (Watercress) extract*,Papaya Enzymes, Trace minerals complex, Colloidal silver

* Organic
^^ Wildcrafted

Despite my slight disappointment with this toner, I am still curious to try their other 2 variants (Cocoon and Metamorphic).

I bought this directly from the US site (so was stung by customs and Royal Mail handling fee), but YÜLI is also available from amazingy.com which ships from Germany.

www.yuliskincare.com

Skin & Body Care Supplies from Naturally Thinking

A while back when I wanted to purchase Jojoba oil and some empty bottles to decant skin and body products into, I came across Naturally Thinking, an essential oil, aromatherapy and spa bodycare product site that stocks a wide range of oils, cosmetic bases, packaging and ready-made skin and body products. There is a lot of information on the site, as well as thorough details on the product pages of base components, origins etc so it's a great place if you're looking to concoct your own creations.

What I love about this site is that many of the oils and base products come in different size options and at reasonable prices so it works out quite cost effective, especially if you are buying the large sizes.  Here's what I purchased:

Rose Pure Organic Floral Water

I adore rose products so I bought this to mix with powder based masks and to use as an all round toner and refresher. Naturally Thinking source the roses from the Bulgarian Valley of the Roses, and is 100% pure with no preservatives or alcohol added.  This is the 1 litre size which was £10, which I think is a bargain.

SLS Free Shower Gel

This is one of the bodycare bases and is a simple mild shower gel that you can add your own essential oils to suit your mood. Again this is the 1 litre size and was £10.

Naturally Thinking also have a huge array of packaging, from glass, aluminium and plastic bottles and jars to foamer bottles and different closures from only a few pence. It's worth noting that you have to purchase the lids/caps/atomisers separately as there are different options for each bottle/jar. 

I bought a little plastic atomiser spray bottle to decant the rose water for spritzing on the go and a larger aluminium one to keep around the house.

There's no minimum order but there is a postage charge for delivery which is £3.95 for mainland UK (free over £80) although if you're local you can collect for free from their stores. They offer shipping to outside of the UK as well.

I've purchased a couple of times from them now and I've been very happy with the service and quality of the products (their Organic golden, cold-pressed Jojoba oil is gorgeous!) so I'd definitely recommend checking them out.

www.naturallythinking.com

Live Native Exfoliating Earth Cleanser & Essential Mist MSM Toner

Live Native is a unique skincare range that uses raw ingredients to create their products. As the ingredients are harvested and produced without heat, this raw element helps to retain the beneficial properties such as enzymes and nutrients contained within the living ingredients.

They are also free of 'colourings, preservatives, parabens or phthalates, petroleum by-products, synthetic fragrance, alcohol, water, unnatural stabilizers or any of the usual skincare 'nasties'.

Live Native Exfoliating Earth Cleanser

This is a very interesting and unique looking cleanser, as the name suggests it looks very earthy but it's much more than how it appears.

This has a base of Oat Kernel Meal and Rhassoul Clay, the texture reminds me a little of Dr Hauschka's Cleansing Cream although Live Native's feels like a more separated consistency rather than the more paste like quality of the Dr Hauschka (Live Native's also smells way better!).

  

You take a bit and mix with a little water to form a paste then gently massage onto the skin and rinse off. I find that if I try to mix a thicker paste it can get a little messy as cleanser falls off my hands as I go to put it on my face, so if I mix with more water to get a slightly thinner texture, this is easier for me to work with. Messiness aside, the end result is much softer, velvety feeling skin and it lessens the need for a separate exfoliation product. It feels gentle to use daily although I prefer this as an evening cleanse after removing makeup as the scent is quite refreshing and relaxing at the end of the day. 

 

Ingredients:

Oat (Avena Sativa) Kernel Meal*, Rhassoul Clay (Montmorillonite)*/***, Chamomile Macerate in Sunflower oil*, Argan (Argania Spinosa) Kernal Oil*/***, Coconut (Cocos Nucifera) Oil*, MSM (Dimethyl Sulfone) from Pine Trees, Chamomile (Chamomilla Recutita Matricaria) Flower*, Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) Root Powder*, Kelp (Ascophyllum Nodosum)**, Marigold (Calendula Officinalis) Flower Oil*, Vitamin E (natural d-alpha tocopherol), Glyceryl Caprilate, Grapefruit (Citrus Grandis) Seed Extract in vegetable glycerin, Acerola cherry (Malpighia Glabra) Fruit Extract*.

* organic   ** wild harvested   *** Fairtrade

Essential Mist MSM Toner

I am a fan of rose water based toners, I feel they are rather calming and softening on my skin so I was keen to try the Essential Mist MSM Toner as this has rose water as it's base along with MSM which is an organic sulphur extract from the pulp of pine trees that helps to build collagen. Other ingredients include acerola cherry which is an antioxidant, naturally high in vitamin C and essential oils of rose otto, sandalwood and frangipani.

This mist is incredibly fine (as a mist should be!), and is absorbed quite easily into the skin. I use it as a prep before moisturiser or if my skin needs a little bit of a rescue as it's soothing and feels comfortable on my skin.

The smells quite strongly (to my nose anyway) of rose but there is something in this that gives it a little sharpness in a way that if I spray it directly on my skin, it gets in my nose and makes me cough a little. It feels quite potent (or maybe I'm just sensitive to something in it, I don't know!) I think this is just me as my sister has tried this and doesn't experience anything of the sort.
It hasn't stopped me from using it but I apply onto a cotton pad rather than directly on my face.

Ingredients

Rosa damascena (rose) floral water*, Dimethyl sulfone (MSM from pine trees), Malpighia glabra (acerola cherry) fruit extract*, Rosa damascena (rose otto) essential oil*, Santalum austrocaledonicum veill (sandalwood) essential oil*, Plumeria rubra (frangipani) absolute, (*denotes organic) contains the following components of essential oils: citral, citronellol, eugenol, farnesol, geraniol and linalool.

* organic

I bought these from www.livenative.com   (not an affiliate link)

Pai Lotus & Orange Blossom BioAffinity Toner

I've slowly been working my way through the Pai range and finally got round to using their toner mists. Pai have two types - the Rice Plant & Rosemary (for combination/sensitive) and the Lotus & Orange Blossom (for dry/sensitive).

My favourite of the two is the Lotus & Orange Blossom, as for me the Rice Plant & Rosemary, while lovely, I couldn't tell if it had done anything and it doesn't smell as beautiful as the LOB.

I do have acne-prone skin that is a bit combination and a bit dehydrated, but I often tend to ignore labels that say it's for such and such skintype, and go more with the texture and feel on the skin. So with this one I was sold on the orange blossom scent!

Even though this is pricey at £30 for 50ml, I find that it is quite a hydrating formula and makes the skin feel calm, nourished and soft so even if I don't slap on a moisturiser immediately afterwards - (like on a weekend if I'm home all day) my skin still feels comfortable. Also I don't know if it's my imagination, but it seems to give a tiny hydrated radiance/glow to the skin (which may be from the orange blossom as it's supposed to stimulate circulation and give a brightening effect).

Oh and another thing - the mist action is beautifully fine and even - no horrible squirt as I hate it when brands plonk a lovely product into horrible packaging!

Ingredients:

nelumbo nucifera (lotus) root water**, aloe barbadensis leaf juice*, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange blossom) flower water*, glycerin*, populous tremuloides bark extract, leuconostoc root extract

Pai Skincare Offer - Free toner with cleanser purchase

Just thought I'd pop this quick post up as I received a Pai Skincare newsletter today to inform of a fabulous offer on their website running for 5 days (or while stocks last) on their cleanser.

With a purchase of the Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser you get a free BioAffinity Tonic worth £30 (the cleanser is £25, so a great bargain!)

I haven't yet tried their tonics, so I hastily put in an order and picked the Rice Plant & Rosemary one, I've heard good things about this, so looking forward to trying it out.


I am in no way affiliated with Pai, I just like their stuff.

Antipodes Ananda Gentle Toner Review

I love toning mists for supplementing my dehydrated, acne-prone skin and this one by Antipodes is gorgeous.

Antipodes is an organic skincare line from New Zealand that uses botanical ingredients and plant extracts, some of which I've never heard of but sound rather interesting:)

This toner uses Waiwera artesian water which springs up from New Zealand earth that is mineral rich and was voted 'Best in the World' of premium bottle waters. It also includes raspberry extract (strengthens skin and decreases moisture loss), marshmallow extract (to soothe) and mamuku black fern extract (to regenerate). It has a delicate rose scent from the Bulgarian rose oil which also feels quite therapeutic.

Sounds quite impressive and having almost finished up my bottle, I do feel this hydrates my skin and is rather soothing and comforting. What I also like about this is that the spray is a fine, even mist so it doesn't require me using cotton pads or wiping away any excess.

Full Ingredients:

I bought this from Lovelula.com

I Need Toner: Pukka Organic Rosewater Toner

Toner is something I've not used regularly in the past but I've come to the decision that I now need it. Some toners I've tried feel pleasant but haven't appeared to do a great deal so that is probably why my use has been inconsistent, but I think that I've pinpointed a little of what I like.

I find toners with rose in them to be more effective for my skin as they help to calm and soothe it. If my skin is really upset I like pressing the toner into the skin with a cotton pad and taking my time to work it in and repeating this a few times - it's quite relaxing!

I recently picked up an Organic Rosewater toner by Pukka. Pukka is a natural brand that focuses it's line on Ayurveda and has a range of health supplementation/teas as well as topical products for all round well-being.
This toner is a Rosa Damascena steam distilled formula that when spritzed on the skin you get an immediate and quite potent rose scent that feels very therapeutic. It comes in a frosted glass spray bottle with an aluminium lid.

I think for the quality of the rosewater, this is quite reasonably priced at £9.75 for 100ml.
I got this from Nutricentre (which is in some larger Tescos) but Pukka can be found in quite a few health stores and online. I've also recently started using the Pukka Organic Hemp Oil drizzled on food as after reading this post on Pai's Skincare blog, I could do with some of these benefits!