Squeeky Clean Beauty

Squeeky Clean is a brand new beauty range which is said to leave you fruity fresh and full of zest. Available in Poundland, this collection of products comprises of:

• Scrubaholic Face Scrub
• Pore Wow Wow Face Mask
• Daisy Fresh Shower Detox
• Body Better Body Lotion
• Super Strong Nail and Cutie Cream
• Glow Stopper Instant Tan Matte
• Saint or Shimmer Lotion

I was kindly sent The Scrubaholic Face Scrub and the Pore Wow Wow Face Mask which arrive in these very cute and very pink tube and tub.

The Scrubaholic Face Scrub which is on a 250ml tube (£1) and is described as follows:

"In need of a skin perfecting pick-me-up? No need to rough it, buff it with Squeeky Clean scrubaholic face scrub. This polishing facia scrub gently exfoliates and sweeps away everyday impurities to leave skin feeling bright, fresh and renewed."

The formula is quite a thick texture, more like a moisturising cream than a scrub, but as soon as you start to massage it into the skin, the exfoliating particles are definitely present and you can feel them working on your skin to remove dead and dry skin.  Fragrance wise it is definitely fruity and is Raspberry Scented, not too overly sweet and it does linger slightly on the skin after using.  I have never used this on my face, but have used it on my shins which is where I tend to suffer with dry skin and it does an average job of removing that skin and it does leave the skin silky smooth.  For £1 it is better than I expected.

Pore Wow Wow Facemask is in a 100ml tub (£1) and it has a screw on and off lid.  It is described as:

"Get fresh faced and fancy free with this pore refining wonder mask. Smooth onto skin and massage in gently, focusing on problem areas where needed. Enjoy as a fast acting 5 minute facial or leave on for longer for a deep cleansing detox."

Inside the tub, the mask is white in colour and again is quite a thick texture but it the application is an absolute dream as it glides on to the skin.  Once applied, you leave it on the skin for just 5 minutes before removing using warm water. I personally didn't find that it did anything for my pores, but it did leave my skin feeling quite smooth to the touch and again for £1 it is a pleasant surprise.

The Squeeky Clean range has been something of a surprise and again I am guilty of assuming that a price tag of £1 would mean it would not be any good, but actually they are both did a pretty good job and not one I could complain about.

Have you tried this range?

Dirty Works Cucumber Eye Pads

After long hard day at work or as part of your pampering session, Dirty Works has the perfect product to be included in that wind down/relaxation time - Cucumber Eye Pads.

Tired eyes? Long day? We have the perfect answer! With cooling Cucumber Extract and soothing Aloe Vera, these pre-moistened eye pads are the ultimate remedy to relieve and rejuvenate those peepers that have fallen victim to puffiness and dark circles.

What we have inside the box are 10 pairs of eye pads which are designed to look like cucumbers.  Infused with cooling cucumber extract and soothing Aloe Vera which makes them perfect for when your eyes are feeling irritated, looking puffy or red or when you're suffering from dark circles and there is no need to raid the fridge in the hope you have a Cucumber lurking around which you then have to slice before finally being able to lie back and relax. Instead, I pop one of these sachets into the fridge for an hour before I want to use them to ensure they are extra cool.

Then to use, you must ensure that the eye area is free from any traces of make-up. Remove contact lenses before use. Place a pad on each closed eye for 2-5 minutes or usually in my case 10-15 depending on which facemask I am also using at that time. Once they have been used you simply dispose them.

I absolutely love using these Cucumber Eye Pads, they are most definitely cooling and soothing on the eyes and are just divine.

Priced at just £4 Dirty Works products are available from Sainsburys online and they are absolute value for money.

Smartsun UV indicator wristbands

Summer is on the horizon (looks hopeful) and whilst we are all looking forward to the much warmer weather or may even be lucky enough to have booked a Summer holiday to somewhere nice and exotic, taking care of our skin is paramount, not that you should just be using SPF when it is sunny.  I have really pale skin and don't tan that well, so when I am out in the sun, I always ensure my head is covered during peak times and if I am walking around, especially on holiday, having been in the pool or sea, I ensure that I am covered up, usually in a Kaftan which I find comfortable to wear.

Cancer Research statistics show that rates of skin cancer are increasing faster than any other cancer in the UK, and it is now the second most common cancer in young adults aged 15-34, with 6 in 10 of people who die from malignant melanoma being under 75 years old. Although the risk of developing skin cancer is dependent on many factors including age and genetics, UV radiation is the main risk factor for skin cancers cases – with 86% of diagnosed cases linked to back to this. So if a £1 wristband can make you stop, think and be more careful then it is something we should all be investing in right?

Smartsun have invented a wristband is a really simple idea which acts as a reminder to re-apply your sun cream or that you have been in the sun for too long by changing colour. I am sure some of you will remember those hypercolour tshirts back in the 90's which used to change colour when you got a bit hot and sweaty (whoever though they were a good idea?). Well the wristband works in a similar way. 

The wristband works by measuring the amount of UV radiation you have been exposed to and will change colour accordingly. Each band is one wear only, and starts out as yellow, changing to beige and pink to alert you when it is time to top up on sun lotion, or when it is time to avoid the sun for the rest of the day.

The bands are also tailored to different skin types to reflect the different tolerance levels that people have to the sun. For example, a band for someone with fair hair and light skin will change colour quicker than a band for someone with dark hair and dark skin.

The wristbands themselves are also waterproof, discreet and reliable and will alert you before you notice any damage to your skin plus they can be worn by people of all ages.  

The Smartsun wristbands are available in packs of 5 priced at £4.99 from www.smartsunuk.co.uk and are available now.

Do you think this is something you need to use? Have you bought some?

The Daily Debrief Cleanser Trial with Debenhams Beauty

When I was asked if I would like to take part in a fun Cleanser Trial, I jumped at the chance. Debenhams is my favourite store and I am a big fan of The Daily Debrief and read it religiously.

The three Cleansers which arrived into my possession are from Ole Henriksen, Trilogy and  Balance Me and all three were products that I had never used before, so I was looking forward to seeing how they worked.

Each cleanser was totally different to use, whether it was the texture, the scent or how it felt on my skin whilst I was using it.

The first one I tried was Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser. I haven't tried many products from this brand so was keen to try it first and I did so for over a week.  The first thing that stood out to me was the scent, whilst I had read about the product, I wasn't quite prepared for how fresh the scent would be.  The actual texture was also a surprise, to see the gel which is quite watery inside the bottle becomes a foam once it has been dispensed. The foam isn't is not at all runny and is easily applied to the skin.  Once in contact with the skin, it is easy to spread and massage as you work it onto and into the skin.

I found that I only needed to use two pumps on my wet face and then I massaged it onto my skin for few minutes before rinsing. As a product it is packed full of anti-ageing ingredients and uses African red tea to strengthen the skin's outer layer which helps to slow down the aging process. Borage seed oil os used for its moisturising properties and it also acts as an astringent and anti-inflammatory. There is also added Vitamin C to stimulate collagen, plus the inclusion of Grapefruit, orange and tangerine extracts which brightens with astringent, antiseptic and aromatic qualities. For me it is the Citrusy scent of the orange and grapefruit which give this product its scent.

This is a soothing, non-drying formula which left my skin feeling clean and fresh and the orange scent was still noticeable. For me this is a something I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a purse friendly cleanser and one I happen to like much more than I expected too.

Trilogy Balancing Gel Cleanser 

This is not a foaming cleanser like you have with Ole Henriksen it instead a gel cleanser, so the texture is much runnier than I had anticipated, I therefore advise only a light squeezing of the tube or you will end up with more than you need.  

Trilogy make use of Witch Hazel and willow bark alongside aloe vera, chamomile and cucumber as ingredients and unsurprisingly this makes for a product with is really soothing and cooling on the skin. The scent however is not quite as you might imagine it to be, instead of being quite heavily scented of Witch Hazel, what you actually get is something quite fruity and very much unexpected and it is due to the inclusion of Elderberry which acts an antibacterial agent.  

Designed to invigorate, refresh and rebalance your complexion this produce is perfect for those of us who have combination/oily skin as it helps balance and tone. I have an oily tzone but dry cheeks, so a product that can help with the balance and tone is one I always looks for.

To use, you only need a small amount and I always ensure I have wiped my face first to remove any surface dirt but always ensure my face is damp, and then I applied this cleanser using my fingertips onto my face and massaged it onto the skin for a few minutes before rinsing off.  After drying my skin, my face felt incredible fresh and clean not to mention really hydrated.

Balance Me Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm.  

Hurrah, this one comes with a cleansing cloth, an item you can never have too many of and if a product states you use should a cloth, then I always try it with a cloth to see how I get on.  (For those of you who fret about germ harbouring, I wash my clothes after every use!)  

This cleansing balm is 100% natural and is Almond oil based with coconut and adds ingredients such as camellia and rosehip oils, oatmeal, coriander, vitamin E, Cloudberry and finally rosemary. Designed for normal, dry or sensitised skin and is gentle enough that it can be used on oily skin.

For a cleansing balm it surprisingly isn't as smooth as you would expect it to be and that is because it has tiny oatmeal particles which you can feel on your skin as you massage the cleanser onto it and they act a gentle exfoliator which I quite like to polish your skin.  Scent wise, it has that Balance Me scent about it, the one which is fresh and fragrant with Rosehip being something I immediately recognised.

The texture of this balm is really thick, so you only need a small amount and I find it is much easier to use if you warm it between your palms first before applying it to your face.  As you massage it onto the skin and those oatmeal particles get to work, it is surprisingly gentle on the skin and it is as though you can feel it working its way through all that dirt and grime that you have attempted to already remove with either a pre-cleanse or a wash.    Then once finished remove the remains of the with the accompanying cloth, which should be wet as it makes the task a whole lot easier. After using the face balm my skin looks and feels not just clean but really clean as well as being very soft and moisturised.                                                   

For me, each of these cleansers are totally different and choosing a preference between them is quite a difficult task because I like different things about each one of them:

Ole Henriksen - I love the fact the gel turns to foam and it has an amazing scent to it and would be a brilliant travel companion

Balance Me - I love the oatmeal particles because they are something I wasn't expecting to find within the balm and they do give your skin a really good polish and it can be used for double cleansing. But for me it is a product I would want to use for a treat or because I feel my skin needs a good clean rather than everyday.

So that leaves the one which I absolutely adored and would not hesitate to repurchase and that is:

Trilogy has a lovely calming and soothing texture and another scent that I love and I find that it works incredibly well with my skin and does go someway to help deal with the oily Tzone without leaving my skin feeling as though it has been stripped of its natural oils.

Have you tried any of these cleansers?