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.

Catseye London Mid-Year Launch

One of my favourite companies Catseye London has just launched their new mid-year collection and I have a few of those items to share with you.  If you have read my blog before, you might have seen other reviews I have done, if you haven't seen them, then you can do so HERE and HERE.

Launched back in 2004 with a collection of quirky prints on many fashion and beauty accessories such as home décor,  Wash-bags  Nailcare kits, Cushions, Mugs, Storage boxes, passport holders, travel card holders all of which allow you to stand out from the crowd and your friends, there is even a few things for the men in your lives!

The collection I am sharing with you today are the Kitten on Green Small Bag and The Mr and Mrs Oval Bag.  Both of these items arrived in their own dustbag which is rather impressive, not to mention very useful.

The Mr and Mrs Oval bag which is the most brilliant bright pink colour, features these beautiful black and white bulldogs, just look at how cute they are!  This oval bag is the perfect size for my handbag which allows me to carry all of these amazing products which you can see below.  Measuring H10 W8 D19 cm it won't take up too much room, but what it can carry is clearly important! 

The Kitten on Green small bag is the one which made me go "OMGLOOKATTHISOMGHOWCUTE" yes as a lover of cats (I also like dogs) I couldn't help but fall in love with this beautiful little fur ball, just look at how cute this kitten is!  On a beautiful jade green background, this bag more than catches your eye, it makes you want to stroke it, it is that beautiful.  Its approximate size H14 W20 D7 cm makies it perfect for those weekends or few days away because you can literally fit everything you will need into it. 

What do you think to these bags?  Do you own any of the products from Catseye London?

Sleep aids with Silentnight

For just about as long as I can remember, I have struggled with sleeping and this isn't the first time I have mentioned insomnia on my blog.  In time I have tried quite a few different products to hope they bring about sleep, some have been successful and others have failed.

Silentnight are conducting a Sleep Clinic online to try to help some of the nation's poor sleep sufferers, their research showed that only 25% of all parents are getting a good nights sleep. So having completed a survey and being offered the chance to try out choice of products to review I selected a sleep mask** and a magnesium oil goodnight spray**.

I tried both separately at first and then together and wrote down how I felt. The mask is made by Tempur and it conforms to your body and uses soft velour that is allergen and mite resistant.  As soon as I fitted the mask using the elasticised strap, I was surprised at how soft it felt against my face and skin and how much light it blocks out.  

One of the issues for me is that as soon as it gets light, I wake up and given that the sun has risen by 4.30am most mornings, you can imagine how tired I am come lunch time at work!  I was also skeptical as to whether or not the mask would remain in place all night, it did and I didn't strangle myself with it (one of my fears) and it didn't leave any marks on my face when I did wake up the following morning.  So for me, this did help keep me asleep longer but drifting off remained an issue.

The magnesium oil goodnight spray I also used.  It states the oil can be applied to any area of the body. Apply 5-10 sprays every evening and gently massage into the skin for optimum absorption. 

Apply at least half an hour before retiring. Can be re-applied if sleep is disturbed due to muscle discomfort and it is suitable for anyone from 12 years of age.  This is its description:

Magnesium is an essential element in over 350 bio-chemical reactions within our bodies and many of these involve chemical reactions within the brain, particularly those responsible for sleep patterns. BetterYou Goodnight Spray helps promote a good night's sleep without the morning-after drowsiness.

Magnesium Oil Goodnight Spray is an ideal muscle rub to help maintain normal healthy sleep. The magnesium has been enhanced with the most relaxing essential oils of bergamot, clary sage and chamomile.

When I first applied this, i thought it would be a good idea to apply it to my pressure points as I have done with other products to aid sleep.  I had read that there could be a slight tingling feeling to the skin, well there was and it wasn't too uncomfortable and did subside after a few minutes, but it didn't help me drift off at all.  There was a slight scent to it, nothing overly potent, but one of those scents you would want in a candle which would be relaxing.  

Did it help me drift off to sleep, on its own no, but teamed with the mask I definitely fell asleep much quicker than I would usually done and even now I am still using both products and am falling asleep and staying asleep for a much longer period of time than usual.

I asked around my office for suggestions and tips from people about sleeping well or how they fall asleep and this is their list:

• Go to the gym and have a good work-out for 30-40 mins
• Get plenty of fresh air during the day, instead of eating at the desk, walk to the park
• No electronics half an hour before bed because it keeps your mind alert
• As above with the TV
• Turn your phone off or put it on Airplane mode
• Buy a Black-out blind
• Listen to relaxing music
• Use something Lavender scented before bed

What things do you find help you sleep better? I'd love to hear any tips!

To try out the Silentnight Sleep Clinic yourself, just click here