Kosmea Daily Skincare

I love being introduced to new brands, one of the best things about being a blogger is the introduction to brands you might never have heard of, thought of using or have put off using.  Kosmea is an Australian skincare brand which has recently become available in the UK and when I was offered the opportunity to put some of their products to the test I jumped at the chance.  Why? well I liked their ethos for a start which is "skincare as nature intended" which for me intrigued me enough to want to find out more. 

The products are based around the certified healing properties of organic Rosehip Oil which is packed full of essential fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants making it ideal for ideal for dry, scarred, sensitive and sun-damaged skin.  Kosmea products also contain no SLS, mineral oils, petrochemicals and artificial colours or fragrances.

The two products I was sent to try was the replenishing moisturising cream and radiance 24/7 youth boost.

Replenishing Moisture Cream 50ml - £28.95

Described as being "Like a multi-vitamin pill for the skin and the perfect base for make-up" it is suitable for all skin types and contains: Rosehip Oil, Carrot Oil, Shea Butter, Vitamin E, Rose Flower Water, Jojoba Seed Oil, horsetail, nettle and Green Tea just to name a few!

When I first went to use this cream I was surprised to find that it wasn't that perfect white colour I had been so used to using with other moisturising creams, instead it has a slightly yellow tone to it.  The formula is fairly thick in texture and you need just the smallest amount to cover your entire face and neck.  When using this cream you are advised to apply after cleansing and then massage it into your face and neck.

Once applied to the skin, the first thing you notice is the lovely scent.  The kind of scent you find in a spa during a facial, that lovely clean essential oil scent that is really relaxing and leaves you safe in the knowledge the ingredients are doing something nice to your skin, which, in this case they are. The Organic rose hip oil helps to nurture your skin because it hosts skin-protecting antioxidants and essential fatty acids. The carrot oil provides a natural source of Vitamin A which then helps to improve elasticity. Horsetail and nettle extract, for me the two most intriguing ingredients are said to aid in the rebuilding of collagen, helping to plump out those fine lines and wrinkles. Green tea extract, which is an antioxidant protects against the signs of ageing.

So this cream is definitely hydrating.  With all this change in the weather, one minute it is warm, then very warm then raining, my skin becomes a bit of a nightmare and needs a bit of TLC and this cream has been absolutely amazing at keeping my face hydrated.  I am lucky that I am yet to find those fine lines or wrinkles, but what it has done is ease the puffiness under my eyes due to lack of sleep and it has left my skin looking much healthier, much more plumper and my complexion that bit brighter, meaning as one of my colleagues says "OOh you are positively glowing today, what make-up or cream are you slapping on"!

Radiance 24/7 Youth Boost - 20ml £29.95

Described as being a product which "Boost your skins radiance 24/7 with this powerhouse combination of antioxidant rich berry oils". it arrives in this little 20ml glass bottle and excitingly has a pipette to help with distribution. It uses the active ingredients of rose hip oil, seabuckthorn oil, apricot oil, pomegranate oil and camelia oil.

As someone with combination skin which leads towards the oily side, I was always afraid of using facial oils, I assumed quite wrongly that I would be left with an even shinier looking face, when in actual fact, every oil I have tried has done the exact opposite.

Firstly the oil is a bright orange colour, almost the colour of carrots and it has quite a fruity scent to it.  Naturally because this is an oil, its consistency is obviously very runny, but once it is on the skin, it does absorb very well into the skin, and it doesn't leave any oily residue behind.  I have found that just three drops of the oil is plenty to ensure my face has been covered.  So using the pipette, I drop the oil into the palm of my hands, rub them together and apply to my face, as with any cream, massaging the oil into the skin.  

When it comes to using this oil, the instructions advise you to apply 2-3 drops to clean, damp skin morning and night, I have been using this two or three times a week in an evening after I have double cleansed rather than in a morning and once it is on the skin, there is a definitely softness and when I wake up the following morning, my skin is so soft and smooth, I almost don't feel the need to add a moisturiser to my face (but of course I do).

I have become a huge fan of these two products, whenever I feel my skin is in need of a boost and some TLC, these products are the ones I would go too without question. 

Have you tried any products from Kosmea? 

You Beauty Discovery Box - July Edition

For the past few months I have been getting the You Beauty Discovery Box which you can see February,  March,  April,  May and  June with previous box contents.  This month my fifth box has arrived and I have said I am just as impressed.

Whenever it is time to pick the contents of your box, there is always one item that goes really quickly, no matter how early I find myself logging in to select the products I would like to try, I miss the one I want to try most.  That said, I like this months box and this is it.

This months box is themed "You Travel" and it is designed to give me an offer of a range of travel-friendly beauty must-haves - to go! As I have said before, I love is how the box fits through my letterbox, it is packed really delicately and the box really study and it has never looked disheveled.

Within the magazine which comes with the box we given the opportunity to try some of the following products, the idea being you choose two and there will also be two little extra treats, so this month they included:

So yes, there are infact three little extras which are:

Agent Provocateur Fatale perfume sample, everyone knows I am a big fan of these and this one says "Are you ready to flirt with danger? Fatale, the new fragrance from Agent Provocateur, has dark glamour, seduction and a sensual hint of danger".  It is quite floral and fruity at the same time, a scent I would perhaps favour for evening over daytime.

Next comes something for my mister Beautykinguk and that is the New Pro Moisture Shave Cream from Dove.  It is said to have been designed to provide men with a more enjoyable shave experience!

The final extra is the Egyptian Magic all purpose skin cream.  I have been wanting to try this for some time now, it is one of those products on my life of something to get a sample of to see if I like it, well voila I have it.  It is described as being the celebrity favourite all purpose skin balm with super moisturising benefits which combines the healing powers of six natural ingredients and is bursting with antioxidents to nourish and protect the skin.

So now to my choices, this month there was a choice of nine products which included: Tanorganic Self Tan Original, Tanorganic Oil Arganic Body Oil, L'oreal Paris Mega Volume Miss Manga Mascara, L'Occitane en Provence repairing shampoo and conditoner duo, Green People Sun Lotion Tan Accelerator with SPF 15, Dr Bronner All-One Hemp Lavender pure castile soap, Balm Balm Rose Geranium Lip Balm, Archeia Rose Rejuventating Cream, Abahna White Grapefruit & May Change Bath Gel.

This is what I selected:

Starting with Balm Balm Rose Geranium Lip Balm which comes in a cute little pot, it is 100% Organic, Soil Association Certified Multi Purpose Rose Geranium Balm and has a delightfully uplifting, feminine fragrance.

It uses a combination of Shea butter, sunflower, beeswax, jojoba, and calendula rose geranium essential oil, gently melted together to create a solid balm to soothe, moisturise and nourish your lips or anywhere else that might need a little tlc.

Secondly the mascara I think most people are talking about and a product you can never have enough of is the L'Oreal Paris Mega Volume Miss Manga Mascara.  It is described as follows:

Mega Volume Miss Manga features a 360° fleible cone shaped brush for mega volume on top and bottom.

The 360 degree flexible brush enables easy application and mega volume on top, while the conical shape captures the lower lash for mega volume on bottom.

The result…Big Manga eyes.

So for a £6.95 subscription, my box has a value of around £15 which is more than double the value for money and not a bad box.

What do you think to do this? Do you subscribe to these boxes?  What would you have chosen? If you subscribe, link your post below so I can see what you got.