NEW LAUNCHES | DHC

If you haven't yet come across the brand DHC then 'HELLO' you need to. This month there are two amazing new launches and you basically need them. DHC, which stands for "Daigaku Honyaku Center, are a Japans No. 1 direct skincare company and their Cleansing Oil is a product most people are possibly more familiar with. The vision behind DHC is rooted in the beneficial properties of virgin olive oil, Flor de Aceite – the finest quality, extracted from organic Spanish olives. The entire skincare range was founded on the beneficial properties of olive oil. Rich in vitamins and antioxidants, it is a highly effective component in neutralising damaging free radicals. Olive oil also helps balance your skin's moisture. With its unique ability to mix with water, olive oil helps moisturise without clogging pores.

So with THREE amazing new launches in the form of a Q10 Face Mask, the Quick Film Smoother and the Gel Pencil Eyeliner EX it is quite an exciting time.

The Q10 Face Mask is a sheet mask that features antioxidant coenzyme Q10 which is a powerful antioxidant which exists naturally within the body but within this mask, it helps to firm and fight free radicals as well as helping to target fine lines, wrinkles and elasticity loss. With key ingredients such as Vitamin C and E which help to brighten and hydrate, collagen and sodium hyaluronate which help to plump fine lines and wrinkles.

As with any mask that you are using, you should apply to a cleansed face to ensure all that surface dirt and grime is removed and then leave on for up to 20 minutes before removing, once removed press any of the remaining treatment into the skin with simple tapping motions. At £4.50 (here) these masks are worth every penny for that soft, smooth, hydrated and clean feeling skin.

The Gel Pencil Eyeliner EX available in shade black or brown is a product that never seems to be on my list of 'must haves'. I do wear eyeliner occasionally but I have to be in the right frame of mine to attempt to apply it, otherwise, I get annoyed when the application doesn't go quite right.  Whether you like your eyeliner to be barely there or if the old cat eye with perfect wing is for you, DHC have created this non-smudge eyeliner which is as precise as a pencil but has the smoothness of a gel and all I am going to say is that this does not budge one each, even with a hand swatch!  

The colour which is super pigmented stays true to colour and creates a line in just one stroke, so you won't need to sit for hours in front of the mirror going back and forth across your lash line to see a bit of colour.  Designed in a twist up pencil format, so no need for sharpening, these pencils are priced at £9.50 (here) and basically one of each is needed.

The final product to share with you is the Quick Film Smoother and it is described as being a lightweight moisturiser which smooths out the look of wrinkles instantly. It houses some amazing ingredients such as collagen-rich eggshell membrane (ESM) peptides alongside a combination of algae extract which instantly firm the appearance of the skin and support collagen levels. Sodium hyaluronate protects the skin's natural moisture levels and soybean protein complex works over time to protect the skin's natural elasticity. Put them all together and you get a more youthful-looking glow. 

It works great as a primer for your makeup and instead of covering my entire face with the cream, I tend to stick to between my brows, around my eyes and around my lips and sometimes on my cheeks.  I absolutely love this and as a Primer, it is simply amazing, my makeup doesn't slide off point way through the day and because it is so lightweight, I don't feel as though I have anything on my skin.  Priced at £17.50 (here) in the DHC sale so grab it quick, this is a product I adore.

Seriously though if you have never come across DHC products before then you need to give them a look, I have featured so many amazing products on this blog and you can find some of them right here on the DHC Website, where there is a sale!

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Skinceuticals phyto corrective masque

Facemasks are something I look forward to using, along with an eye mask and a hair mask, I mean if you are going to pamper yourself at home, you might as well go all out and slather yourself from head to toe as much as you can.

The latest mask I have loved using is the Skinceuticals Phyto Corrective Masque which is described as being an intensive botanical gel mask to soothe and calm temporary skin reactivity. Perfect if your skin has become inflamed, is aggravated or during times of stress and hormonal issues. For me, my skin changes around that time of the month, often become slightly sensitive and with more often than not little red patches on my cheeks.

The masque is very much gel-like, think back to times of your Youth when your brother might have been using a hair gel to spike his hair and that bright green tub of joy that proudly sat on his bedside table, well the colour very much reminds me of that. Quick thick in texture too, this mask is one of those I find easier to apply with a brush. I use an old make-up brush for the application and it applies really smoothly and evenly.

Once on the skin, there is an instant cooling feel, really comforting and soothing much like the feeling of Aloe Vera on Sunburn or Calamine lotion on an itchy rash. The ingredients consist of a unique blend of cucumber, thyme, and olive extracts soothe skin for optimum comfort and are referred to as the 'green botanicals. Then there is the Calming Dipeptide which helps reduce the perception of heat sensitivity and finally Hyaluronic Acid which as well all know is a natural humectant (preserves moisture) capable of holding 1,000 times its own weight in water and the body’s natural hydrator.

I also ensure I have cleansed my face before using any mask, removing that surface dirt and grime is key to ensuring your mask works as well as it can do. Once applied, you leave it on for 10-15 minutes and then remove using a cloth that is slightly damp. Then moisturise after using.  Because this mask is so gentle on the skin it can be used daily particularly during the hot months with sun exposure or after a hot bath, weekly and after some procedures, but always seek guidance first. I have also used this mask after burning my wrist on the oven, I am quite clumsy like that, and it did cool and soothe and no blister formed and I had the smallest of red marks which soon faded.

What I love about this mask is that it is oil free, it hydrates, it is cooling and it does soothe therefore ticking every box that it promises. If you feel your skin needs a little more TLC then you can leave this mask on overnight, but my warning to you is to not sleep on your very best pillows and instead a towel.

This mask is incredible and it is priced between £51 and £56 for 60ml it isn't on the cheap side of face masks, but you do get a product that lives up to its expectations and you can find it here.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

House of Fraser Makeup Wishlist

With my Christmas vouchers from House of Fraser still burning a hole in my pocket and little of the sales offerings capturing my attention, there have been a few items from other blogs that I have been reading that have captured my attention.

Starting with Charlotte Tilbury, a store I have visiting many time in Covent Garden but have always left empty handed having struggled to decide what I would really like to own. However this Charlotte Tilbury Quick and Easy Natural Glowing Look kit which retails at £55 here and contains five products which are classed as being hyper-intelligent, multi-tasking, bestselling, award-winners which have you ready to go in just 5 minutes. 

Another brand I have seen everywhere is from bareMinerals and again whilst I have a Moxie lipgloss and a mascara, there is a whole lot more to discover and this bareMinerals Get Started Complexion Kit which costs just £39 here is said to get you on your way to radiant, healthy-looking skin, using award-winning bareMinerals Foundation and signature complexion essentials such as the Prime Time Foundation Primer and Mineral Veil® Finishing Powder. 

Givenchy Rouge Interdit is a lipstick I have seen everywhere and they are just stunning. Yes lipsticks are something I am obsessed with and they are usually the first item of makeup I decide upon when putting my face on. This particular lipstick is is enriched with precious black rose oil, which caresses lips with softness and moisture whilst ensuring an unparalleled texture. Its creamy and silky feel makes it the perfect lipstick for any occasion. Rose Alibi or Rouge Insomnie both have my name on and at £25 it sounds like an absolute must have. You can see it and the rest of the collection here.

NARS Velvet Shadow Sticks are again products which people rave about and as I have said I am not buying anymore palettes until I have used up the ones I have then shadow sticks are not on my horizon. Oaxaca is described as being a quartz shade but in some of the reviews I have read it has been described as a muted, medium-dark taupe brown and some say it warm, rosy undertones. At £21 here it costs almost as much as some palettes I own, but I am intrigued by it. 

When it comes to bronzers I am a Benefit girl and am never without Hoola, it is like a comfort blanket and I adore it. However, Elizabeth Arden is also a brand I happen to adore and the Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Bronzing Powder has caught my attention with the description alone. Using microlight minerals this powder filled with Minerals, Mica, Sea Water Complex, Aloe and Vitamins A, C and E. Priced at £26 here, it isn't overly expensive and it does come in a cute compact with a mini folding kabuki brush.

So those are the products that have, over the last few weeks, caught my attention. If you do have money and vouchers to spend at House of Fraser there is a great Gift With Purchase offer if you spend £75 or more on beauty online because you can then purchase the All About Skincare Kit for £25 (worth over £85), (excluding delivery charges and any other discount), from Monday 9th January - 25th January 2017 (inclusive). Click here for the Exclusive Skincare Set. 

*this post contains PR samples/AF Links unless indicated otherwise