MuLondon Organic Rose Foaming Face Wash

The MuLondon Face washes have been on my radar since their launch but seeing as I had a load of cleansers I wanted to use up first I've only recently got round to giving them a go.

There are 3 different cleanser types:

Rose - dry, irritated or sensitive skin types

Lavender - all skin types, including dry and sensitive

Fragrance free - all skin types, especially sensitive

I am rather crazy for rose in skincare so naturally I went for the rose variant. MuLondon uses organic and steam distilled Rose Otto oil (30 roses are used to make one drop of oil). Rose is beautifully healing and soothing for the skin as well as giving the cleanser a wonderful fragrant rose scent.

Along with the Rose Otto, Rosehip extract is used which is a great repairer and helps with scarring and wrinkles as well as rehydrating the skin.

The base of this cleanser is an organic castile soap, free of synthetic detergents (like SLS) so it gently cleanses the skin without stripping it.

I've had a good experience using their Hemp moisturiser, but there was a part of me that was a little hesitant about this cleanser as (a) it is made from castille soap and I've used other cleansers with this as an ingredient and I wasn't particularly keen; and (b) it is foaming. But MuLondon is unlike those others and indeed these doubts were soon case aside after I used this cleanser, it feels unlike any cleanser I've used before.

Once you dispense some of the product in your hands it looks like a light foam but as soon as you start massaging it, it produces a light, creamy lather that feels lovely and soft on the skin, no soapy bubbles!

On the face of it this seems like a simple cleanser, but as I have found with their moisturiser, this still is remarkably effective. It leaves the skin feeling soft and has a little bit of a calming and clarifying effect. Initially it does have a little bit of a squeaky-clean feel once rinsed (which I'm not keen on in particular), but I found that if I've used nourishing products like oils and serums at night or during the day, then once I've cleansed my skin I get less of this sensation, and am left with more of a natural feel.

This makes a great morning cleanser but I think it works even better as part of a double cleanse. In the evenings I've been removing my makeup with organic jojoba oil and a warm washcloth (I always use a separate product to remove makeup) then following up with the MuLondon cleanser and it works a treat.

Ingredients:

Aqua (Water), Potassium Sunflowerate (Saponified Sunflower Oil)*, Potassium Cocoate (Saponified Coconut Oil)*, Glycerin (vegetable, naturally occurring)*, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Citrate (Potassium Salts), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil)*, Rosa Damascena (Rose Otto Essential Oil)*, Rosa Canina (Rosehip Extract)*, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary Extract)*    *Certified Organic Ingredients

The cleansers come in a trial size (50ml) and the full size (150ml).

I purchased this from mulondon.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)

Super Facialist Rose Calming Creamy Cleanser and Miracle Makeover Facial Oil

A line that has quite recently been introduced into Boots is Superfacialist by Una Brennan who is a facial and skincare expert and has been treating clients for the past 17 years.

The line has 3 ranges within it for specific skin concerns:

Rose - to gently cleanse, hydrate and calm

Neroli - Anti-ageing, firming and plumping

Tea Flower - to deep cleanse, balance and mattify

My skin is combination, dehydrated and acne-prone so in the colder months I tend to go for more creamy, nourishing products so went for the Rose products to begin with.

Rose Hydrate Miracle Makeover Facial Oil

Before reading information on this I immediately assumed this was a normal facial oil that you use kind of like a serum. I thought to myself 'I've got quite a few of those in my drawer to use up', so was going to pass on it for the moment until I read reviews (notably Jan's over at Beauty Diarist and also A Model Recommends) that it was made apparent that this is a pre-cleanse oil, so I use this in the evenings as my first cleanse, then follow up with a wash-off cleanser.

I apply several pumps onto dry skin and massage for a few minutes. The oil is quite thick and is a perfect consistency for massaging the skin and does not emulsify so to remove you use cloth/flannel dampened in hot water. As the oil doesn't feel heavy or greasy on the skin, it doesn't leave any residue, only lovely, soft and refreshed skin. It does remove makeup but some more stubborn/waterproof eye-makeup it doesn't quite get it all off so I use a separate product.

I absolutely love this, it is unlike any other facial oil I have used as it is such a sensory experience - it is full of a variety of different oils such as rose, geranium and raspberry that give it such a heavenly and therapeutic scent that it really is like having a facial everytime you use it. It feels like a pro product and definitely a stand-out for me and one I would totally recommend.

Ingredients

Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) seed oil, Persea gratissima (Avocado) oil, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (Sweet almond) oil, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Rubus idaeus (Raspberry) seed oil, Cucumis sativus (Cucumber) seed oil, Pelargonium graveolens (Geranium) oil, Lavandula hybrida (Lavandin) oil, Eugenia caryophyllus (Clove) leaf oil, Pogostemon cablin (Patchouli) oil, Mentha arvensis (Peppermint) herb oil, Rosa damascena (Rose) flower oil, Acacia dealbata (Mimosa) oil, Viola odorata (Violet) leaf oil, Tocopheryl acetate, Calendula officinalis (Marigold) flower oil, Laminaria ochroleuca extract, Beta-carotene, Daucus carota sativa (Carrot) root extract, Daucus carota sativa (Carrot) seed oil, Ascorbyl palmitate, Citral, Citronellol, Eugenol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool.

Rose Hydrate Calming Creamy Cleanser

This is a lovely, thick white creamy cleanser - if you've tried Pai's cleanser it feels similar but Pai's is a bit denser where as this while thick, is a lighter consistency that washes off easily with water (big plus for morning cleansing!). I use as an AM and 2nd PM cleanse and it leaves my skin soft and clean but not stripped and a bit calmer too.

The scent is rose but different to the scent of the oil, more of a slight petal rose fragrance (the oil has a more complex and aromatic scent). Again, a really great product!

Ingredients

Aqua (Water), Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Theobroma cacao (Cocoa) seed butter, Cetearyl alcohol, Cetyl esters, Glycerin, Butyrospermum parkii (Shea butter), Rosa damascena flower water, Sorbitan stearate, Polysorbate 60, Rhus succedanea fruit wax, Phenoxyethanol, Pelargoneum graveolens (Geranium) oil, Parfum (Fragrance), Allantoin, Benzoic acid, Althaea officinalis root extract, Panthenol, Dehydroacetic acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium hydroxide, Salix alba (White willow) bark extract, Polyaminopropyl biguanide, Potassium sorbate, Sodium benzoate, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Eugenol, Geraniol, Butylphenyl methylpropional, Limonene, Linalool, Dipropylene glycol.

Overall I am really impressed with what I have used so far, especially as a lot of the products are under £10 and give the high-end a run for their money. The Calming Creamy Cleanser is £7.99, and the oil is £14.99, although Boots have upto £7 off the range until 29th January 2013.

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.

Dermaquest Daily Enzyme Cleanser Review

Dermaquest is a range found in professional skincare clinics and one I was introduced to when I had the Agera Oxy facial at DestinationSkin several months back.

I purchased the Dermaquest Daily Enzyme Cleanser when I had the facial as I quite liked the sound of enzyme exfoliation so thought I'd give this a go. I finished this bottle towards the end of May and have had time to reflect on it as sometimes I find I don't like something to begin with, but when I'm coming to the end I think actually, I rather liked using that.

This cleanser is a clear gel texture, that has a light lather (it is SLS free) and rinses off easily with water. This has mild exfoliation properties from the enzymes in the pineapple and papaya in the formula. I have acne-prone, combination skin so I was hoping this would help to clarify the skin more gently then a product with AHA/BHAs like Glycolic or Salicyclic Acid as I was using other active elements in my skincare routine so didn't want to bombard it with something else that was too active.

When I initially started using it, I did find it a little drying at first, but nothing uncomfortable but nevertheless I cut back to using it once a day in the mornings and then after a couple of weeks went back to using it twice a day, and that seemed to be fine.

In terms of exfoliation, I think this on it's own was rather mild to slough away my cloggy pores and it didn't do a great deal in terms of helping acne but it didn't aggravate the skin either.

I think this would make a nice cleanser for the summer months when sometimes I tend to crave gel cleansers to help cleanse away the build up of warmer weather skin ickiness, and leave it feeling freshly clean. I quite liked this, but I'm not sure if it's something I'd repurchase as I want to see more results and I have used other products that have been more effective.

Ingredients:

Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit ) Peel Oil, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) 

It is slightly pricer at £27, but it is a 236ml size which lasted a good 3 months.

I bought this from DestinationSkin.

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.

My Favourite Cleansing Oil

This past year or so I have been exploring cleansing balms, and while I've used some lovely ones (notably Emma Hardie) and am continuing to explore what's out there, my heart belongs to the cleansing oil, and for me the best one I've used so far is Origins Clean Energy. I am on my 4th bottle of this oil, so I felt it needed a much deserved rave!

I have tried quite a few other brands (Shu, MAC, Nude, DHC, Dermalogica) but Origins beats all these as I find it to be very gentle (even around eyes) yet incredibly effective at removing everything easily with no panda eyes. It is packed full of different oils (and no mineral oil!) and has a wonderful subtle sweet citrus scent that feels uplifting and refreshing. It doesn't require a cloth to remove and rinses easily with water leaving my combo/acne skin feeling very clean and not dry. It also has a slight clarifying effect on the skin as well so a few minutes massaging into the skin helps to draw out impurities.

I think this is one of the most reasonably priced cleansing oils at £17 for 200ml and it lasts me about 4 months (I use it mostly in the evenings). The only negative is that the bottle doesn't come with a pump but I did buy one separately from Origins ages ago and I think it was £1.

I am tempted to try making my own easy rinse cleansing oil, but at the moment, I am content in using Origin's pre-made concoction!

Ingredients:

Pukka Ayurveda Gentle Cleanser Review

Pukka Ayurveda skincare launched recently and as I have used a few other Pukka Herb products and have a lot of respect for the brand, I hastily bought a couple of bits (this was before I started my no-buy!)

The range uses Ayurveda as a inspiration and contains a varied range of natural ingredients such as rose water, green tea, amla and neem to help refresh, replenish and balance the skin.

Being a cleanser nut, the first product I bought was the Gentle Cleanser. This is a light density cream and has a herbal, slight clay sort of scent, definitely reflective of the 92.9% organic ingredients. Even though I have used many natural ranges and don't mind at all earthy, herbal fragranced products, there was something about this scent I wasn't really keen on to begin with but I got used to it after a while. Looking at the box it says it is lightly fragranced with rosewater but my nose doesn't seem to pick this up!

In terms of performance it is great for massaging in and requires little effort to rinse clean with water. The cream texture makes for a very gentle feeling cleanser and doesn't dry the skin either. Several uses later I did notice a slight clarifying effect although I feel like I need a little bit extra to help with my acne-prone skin.

This is a 50ml size which is a bit smaller then other cleansers on the market, but I think it's quite reasonably priced at £11.

Ingredients:

Aqua, Cannabis sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil*, Rosa damascena (Rose) Flower Water*, Butyrospermum parkii (Shea Butter)*, Theobroma cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*, Glycerin*, Glyceryl Stearate‡, Sucrose Stearate‡, Coco-Glucoside‡, Ricinis communis (Castor) Seed Oil*, Olea europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Camellia sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract*, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Aloe barbadensis (Aloe vera) Leaf Juice Powder*, Quillaja saponaria (Soap Tree Bark)*, Emblica officinalis (Amla) Fruit 100:1 Extract*, Hydrocotyle asiatica (Gotu Kola) Leaf 120:1 Extract*, Curcuma longa (Turmeric) Root 20:1 Extract*, Rubia cordifolia (Manjishtha) Root 70:1 Extract*, Azadirachta indica (Neem) Leaf 50:1 Extract*, Coconut Alcohol‡, Tocopherol‡, Xanthan Gum‡, Lactic Acid‡, Dehydroacetic Acid() , Benzyl Alcohol() , Citric Acid‡

* Organic (Organic content: 92.9%)
† Naturally occurs in essential oils
‡ Derived from plants
() Nature identical preservative system approved by Organic Standards

The other item I purchased was the Nourishing Brightener which I haven't put through it's paces yet but looks to be an interesting product as it has ground powders such as almond and bilberry to exfoliate.   

I bought these online at www.pukkaherbs.com/skincare/ although I've spotted the range at Wholefoods and the Nutricentre.

Cleanser Empties - Alpha-H & Snowberry

I am on a serious skincare no-buy at the moment, I cannot buy an item unless I have used up all the ones I have, so until I finish all my cleansers, I'm not buying another one (as I am writing this a MuLondon newsletter has arrived in my inbox to inform me of the launch of their new foaming facials cleansers, and I have to resist the urge to not put in an order, but boy do they sound lovely).

Just for reference I have combination/dehydrated/acne-prone skin with acne-scarring and am 28 (so use more preventative/fixing acne devastation skincare).

I have used up 2 cleansers so far - Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser and Snowberry Instant Deep Cleanser.

Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser

I have always been curious about Alpha-H products and bought a set from QVC a while back which this cleanser was a part of. While I haven't really been taken so much with the other products (I don't quite understand the fuss with Liquid Gold), the Balancing Cleanser is not bad.

This is a slightly runny white cream that is easily rinsed off with water. It does a good job of removing makeup and leaves the skin feeling clean but not stripped. I think this helped a tiny bit with skin clarity but unfortunately I found it slightly irritating around my eye area. Overall it is a solid cleanser but I am not likely to repurchase.

Ingredients:

Aqua, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetyl Alcohol, Lauryl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Methylparaben, Sodium Hydroxymethyl Glycinate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid, Parfum.

Snowberry Instant Deep Cleanser

This is quite an unusual looking cleanser as it's a bright orange colour with an slightly oily-serum thin cream like texture. This does allow for the product to be massaged well into the skin and it rinses off very cleanly with water so with all these elements it offers quite a unique cleansing experience. Packed full of natural oils and extracts (some more unusual then others - I didn't know a Cloudberry even existed).

It does a very thorough job of cleansing, leaving the skin clear and pores feeling less 'cloggy'. I hadn't noticed how much this was the case until I finished it up. The saying 'you don't know what you have until it's gone' rings true for this cleanser.

Having said that it's not a repurchase as it is the most expensive cleanser I've ever bought at £46 for 50ml. While it lasted much longer then I thought it would (about 3 months, mostly using in the morning as you only need 1-2 pumps for the face), it doesn't quite beat the Ren ClearCalm cleanser for me.

Ingredients:

Melia azadirachta linn (Neem) seed oil, Plukenetia volubilis (Inca Inchi) seed oil, Macadamia Ternifolia seed oil, Olive Oil Squalene, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Passiflora edulis (Passion flower) seed oil, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Candida Bombiola extract & Glucose & Methyl Rapeseed Ferment, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides & Cymbium grandiforum flower extract, Asboryl Tetraisopalmitate, Rubis chamaemorus (Cloudberry) seed oil, Echium plantagineum oil, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) flower extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Gluten extract, Polydecene & Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) extract, Coleus Forskohili (Coleus) oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis leaf extract, Lycopene extract.

Bioderma alternative from UNE - 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Water

UNE 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Water

When I saw this in Superdrug, my eyes lit up (I am suddenly reminded of the old Perle Du Lait yogurt ad), as a micellar cleansing water in a drugstore over here is quite a rarity.

UNE have several new additions to their range and the Radiance Refresh - Night & Day 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Water - Face & Eyes is one of their latest offerings. It comes a very minimal sleek bottle with a twist top lid that reveals a hole. The product itself feels very light (like water:) and refreshing, with a very mild soft scent that has a very subtle sweet citrus hint to it.

I use this mainly as an eye-makeup remover; it removes heavy eye makeup well but feels very gentle on the eyes so I don't get any irritation at all from this. I have used this on the face too and it does get everything off but I prefer to use a wash-off cleanser, otherwise I would get through this lightning quick as you do end up using more and personally an oil/balm feels more thorough. This doesn't leave any residue or make my skin feel dry so it's definitely a product that I would repurchase.

I like that UNE state the percentages of natural and organic ingredients clearly on the packaging with 99.3% of the total ingredients from natural origin and 5.5% of the total ingredients from organic farming. This product is also certified by Ecocert.

Ingredients:
Aqua (Water), Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract*, Glycerin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sodium Benzoate, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Decyl Glucoside, Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Phytate, Alcohol, Maltodextrin, Moringa Pterygosperma Seed Extract, Citric Acid, 1OUSV001-1.
*Ingredients from Organic farming

There is 150ml of product for £7.99. I bought this from Superdrug.

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

Cleansers: Quickish Reviews

Cleansers are one of my favourite items of skincare - I just love the whole ritual and the feeling of fresh, clean skin. I wish I could keep that feeling the whole day! I liken them to a bit like breakfast (which is my favourite meal of the day) as they're both important starts to my daily routine.

I am getting nearer to finishing several cleansers (but haven't been using these all at once! This is more over the space of about 6 months or so) so thought I'd do a quickish review of each. (Just for reference I have combo/acne skin, and this is just how the products worked for me) :

Caudalie Cleansing Water

I bought this in the hopes of it being like Bioderma's Sensibio/Crealine cleansing water. This doesn't quite match the makeup removal powers of Bioderma but it does a reasonable job although some of my more stubborn mascaras definitely need a balm/oil cleanser. I mostly use this for eye makeup removal rather then the whole face as I need a lot to get rid of all my makeup and would get through it very quickly. It feels very gentle and has a lovely soft and subtle cucumber and mild mint scent. Overall I think it's better for more lighter makeup removal.

Evolve Daily Detox Facial Wash

This was a bit of a surprise as it is a runny gel texture that has a mild lather and overall just feels gentle and nothing particularly special. But after using it for a while I noticed that this unassuming cleanser really does make the face feel very clean and soft without stripping it. I do think it helps a bit in keeping the skin clearer as well. The only slight negative I have noticed is that it doesn't work as well for my skin if I use this when I am using my topical acne gel (Duac) as it makes my skin feel a little drier. It has a mild aloe vera type scent that feels quite refreshing. I usually go for gel cleansers in the summer months, but this has been pleasant to use at the moment as well.

Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser

I started using this before Ren's ClearCalm 3 range but I didn't return to it as even though it does an ok job of cleansing it doesn't do really anything beyond this for me. It's not a product that makes me look forward to the whole cleansing ritual as it feels a bit average. This may be good for someone who doesn't have as problematic a skin as mine but is not for me I'm afraid.

Les Fleurs des Bach Cleansing Milk (Anti-Stress)

Wipe-off cleansing milks are not a formula I generally tend to go for, I feel like I am wasting the product as I have to use a lot to remove anything. The reasons I got this were that it was on sale and also I quite liked how calming and soothing it sounded. This is another surprise like as it has a beautiful scent that doesn't smell strongly of lavender as I initially thought it might (I had used the shower gel which did have more of a lavender scent to it). It feels quite nourishing but not in a way that is overpowering for my skin. It is quite effective for makeup removal but as I wear quite a bit around my eyes, it doesn't get every last scrap off as thoroughly as an oil/balm would. The packaging is a lovely classical style dark glass bottle with a convenient pump. It think it is a little bit pricey for a cream cleanser as at full price this is about £20 - I don't use this often but it didn't take me very long to get through half the bottle.

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleanser
I had read about this cleanser on the lovely blogs London Makeup Girl and Make-Up By Katy and was intrigued so tested this out in SpaceNK and quite liked the texture and general feel. It is a wonderful soft balm that is easy to scoop a little of and massage onto the skin. A few balms I have tried in the past have felt a bit waxy/greasy and do not remove very easily even with a muslin cloth but this removes well as it emulsifies into a creamy milk when mixed with a little water. I have been using this only in the evenings to remove makeup and while I necessarily don't think I need to double-cleanse (as it does thoroughly remove everything), I do on most days anyway out of habit just to make sure I have really got everything off. This lasts a good while as it spreads well over the skin so I only use a little at a time. I have been using this for almost 4 months and I still have about 1/3 left. It is very gentle around the eyes and doesn't irritate and overall makes my skin feel clean, soft and nourished. This is comforting in the colder months and good for drier/flaky patches as the cleanser used with a cloth really helps to smooth the skin and get rid of any dryness. 


All purchased by me 

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