Erborian Black Cleansing Oil

Erborian is a brand that just intrigues and excites me, I adore it and so does my skin. The Erborian skincare brand, its name derived from 'Herbs of the Orient', was born back in 2007 when two women, both experts in the demanding world of cosmetics happened to meet. Blending the power of Korean textures and ingredients with French sensoriality and know-how, there is a whole host of new products hitting stores and I have a few of them to share with you.

The product that grabbed my attention as soon as I saw it was the Black Cleansing Oil. Korean women see Charcoal as the ultimate do-it-all ingredient and over the last 18 months, it has become an ingredient that has appeared in a lot of beauty products. In food and pharmaceutical products it is known for detoxifying the body by absorbing toxins, it can be taken regularly to purify the air by neutralising odours and in cosmetics, it is renowned for being incredibly tough on excess sebum and for those of us who have combination/oily skin, it is just an amazing ingredient. 

Binchotan is a type of charcoal which is made from evergreen oak wood and once it is carbonised, charcoal is known for its detoxifying, purifying and mattifying properties and thanks to its miraculous absorption capacity, it is amazing within skincare.

So the Black Cleansing Oil is as you might see from the photographs black and it is unlike any other cleansing oil that I have used. Not only is it black in colour, I had expected it to be quite thick and gloopy, but it isn't at all. It has a real silky texture which when it comes into contact with water transforms into a light emulsion, it is here that the complex of 7 herbs and the presence of charcoal do their thing.  On the skin it is incredibly gentle and as a first cleanse it is just incredible at removing EVERYTHIING - make up, dirt and grime it just washes off and it also rids the skin of its impurities and excess sebum.

Whenever I cleanse, I am a double cleanse kind of girl and after using this as the first cleanse my skin is soft, smooth and feels so so clean and as though it can breathe. Nourished and supple to the touch, I love how well it works, how much my skin and I love it. I cannot rave about it enough.  If you need a new cleanser then this is it, if only to kill your curiosity as to how good it might be!

Priced at £24 for a 190ml it is one to watch out for right here.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

skinChemists Bee Venom facial Serum

I love products which are a little bit different, slightly kooky and maybe a bit strange, so when the skinChemists Bee Venom Facial Serum landed, I was quick to open it and give it a try, more through wonder as to whether or not it would live up to its claims. I do love a good serum and always have one as part of my skincare regime.  This one at £135 most definitely fits into the luxurious category but I was intrigued to see how well it worked.

Advanced Bee Venom Serum has been specially made with the aim of plumping, firming and hydrating the skin while increasing collagen production within the skin for younger looking skin. I am no stranger to products with Bee Venom in them, but be warned that if you do have an allergy to bee's then this is not a product for you. 

Now my skin absolutely loves this serum, seriously drinks it up and it is an almost instant change in how your skin looks and it is all thanks to the amazing ingredients with which it contains. Obviously there is Bee Venom which works to plump and firm the skin whilst stimulating collagen production, Manuka Honey which deeply nourishes and moisturises the skin and helps to improve the texture, Hyaluronic Acid which as we all know helps the skin maintain moisture, Tegocosmo C250 which helps to blur those age spots and imperfections and then if that isn't enough you will find some natural plant extracts which include watercress, nettle and horsetail which come together to help clean your pores and regulate your sebum production - phew!  

On the skin, the serum is incredibly light and as soon as you apply it, it disappears into the skin without leaving a trace that it was ever there. The only thing left is a slight floral fragrance which whilst I wasn't expecting it, was actually rather nice.  Notably, my skin did feel softer and firmer after use and there was no stinging sensation and nor did it burn or tingle. So what is the point of the bee venom? As our skin ages, collagen production decreases and eventually begins to lose elasticity, it is at this point the formation of wrinkles and further signs of ageing become apparent. Bee Venom tricks your skin into thinking you've been stung by bees and this encourages blood flow to that area, plumping the dermal layers and smoothing out fine lines. Despite being in my 30's I am yet to see wrinkles, but I do love how smooth my skin feels after use.

So it is a bit of a big hit with me, I can't help but love this serum and I love how it makes my skin feel. No needles, no fillers and no Botox, instead a bit of Bee Venom and it makes a great base for makeup too.

At £135 many of you will no doubt say it is totally out of your price range but I have very kindly been given a code from the lovely people at skinChemists so that if you do decide to purchase it, then you can do so for just £19.99  by using the code BQUEENBLOG and the offer is valid until the end of March.

skinChemists do not harm any animals. The bee venom used within this product comes from a sustainable source and no bees are harmed.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise