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.

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)

Rimmel Caramel Cupcake & Silver Lines NOTD

Rimmel Caramel Cupcake

Today's nail look I've created using Rimmel's Caramel Cupcake and Nail Art - Nail Striping Tape that I received when I bought Selfridges (not-so-lucky) Lucky Bag.

Caramel Cupcake is a lovely nude which is a touch pinky-beige in tone and I think makes a good nude for those with darker skintones. Pic shows two coats and as usual with Rimmel's polishes applies well and dries quite quickly.

With the nail striping tape you get five little rolls in the box - gold, silver, black, red and white, which are each 20 metres long.

The tape is self-adhesive and you need to obviously cut it and I found that applying it first onto the nail then cutting it off the roll with a small pair of eyebrow scissors worked better then if I was trying to hold it next to the nail or guessing how much to cut off first.

It is fine tape so it is a bit tricky to apply at first, I used my craft scalpel to help lift and move the tape into position. Once it's all applied you seal it with a clear topcoat.

It's a nice idea and the effect is lovely even if takes a bit of time and I should imagine that 20 metres should last quite a while.

The nail striping tape can be purchased in Selfridges Beauty Workshop, which is a great addition to their beauty department but was poorly reflected in their recent lucky bag, I'm hoping their next offering is a bit more considered!