OSKIA Citylife I-Zone Balm

Earlier this month I reviewed the June edition of Mintd Box, a beauty box which consists of 4/5 products curated from luxury beauty brands and when I say luxury, I mean luxury! One of the standouts for me from that box has been the Citylife I-Zone Balm from Oskia. Oskia only launched back in 2009 and has already been a winner of over 110 international product and brand awards including which includes Best British Brand and Best Natural Brand. I came to know the brand via their Renaissance Mask, which I happen to also adore.

The Citylife I-Zone Balm is described as being a soothing lip and eye balm, it is formulated to defend your delicate features from the harmful effects of indoor and outdoor pollutants, such as airborne metals, smog and smoke. So living in London, I am sure all of these things live on my skin, I travel around on public transport and I walk down some of the most polluted streets in the capital. I also know that having spent an entire day in the City Centre, I get home, double cleanse my face and the sheer amount of 'stuff' that washes off is absolutely grim. To that end, I am all for using products that can and will protect my skin.

Enriched with avocado oil, vitamins A and E you will also find some ingredients which are referred to as being 'Key Actives' and they include:

• RETINOL - improves the appearance of sun damaged, dry and mature skin to reveal soft, supple texture.
• ASTAXANTHIN - a really powerful antioxidant that is 6,000 times more potent than Vitamin C. It protects throughout the dermal layers from free radical damage, responsible for the ageing process, and sun’s damaging UV rays while also improving elasticity.
• WHITE LUPIN SEED - (Collangeneer) is a patented active that boosts Collagen I synthesis and the formation and quality of the collagen matrix to firm and improve elasticity for improved facial contour. 
• MSM - reduces inflammation, boosts the power of Glutathione and increases the production of pheomelanin, the type of melanin that is found in fair-skinned people, relative to eumelanin, the darker type of melanin, to reduce pigmentation. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory and calms breakouts.
• MICA - reflects light to enliven skin.

What I like about this balm is that it is clever, its ingredients actually do something useful and it is easy to apply.  All of those ingredients mentioned above come together to work to deflect pollution from the delicate eye and lip area. I don't think I have ever come across or used a product that has been designed to be used on both of those areas and given how delicate both areas are, I am happy to put it to use.

As a reminder of what this balm does, it:

• Protects the delicate eye & lip areas from the effects of day-to-day pollution and free radical exposure.
• Plumps, firms, contours and lifts.
• Nourishes and hydrates.
• Reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and sun damage.
• Can also be used under makeup or highlights the eyes & lips on its own.

On the skin, it is light and non-greasy and it absorbs really quickly which is also a thumbs up from me. I am intrigued as to what difference this will make to my skin and it is a product I will keep using. You can find the Oskia Citylife I-Zone Balm for £55 here via Cult Beauty.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

Ouai Memory Mist

Not too long ago Ouai's Dry Foam was the hottest product to be had out there and in fairness, it is blooming good! But just when I didn't think it could get any better, in walks the Memory Mist and basically you just need it in your life.  Translated to mean Yes, Ouai was created by hairstylist Jen Atkin, the lady who is very much responsible for maintaining the manes of Klan Kardashian, Gigi Hadid and Gwen Stefani to name just a few, a range of products has been developed and if it is good enough for them, well it is good enough for me.

Referred as ' Your own personal hairstylist in a can' it is said that lazy girls can rejoice at this marvel of a product, why? Read on.  In this heat, the last thing I want to be doing is standing with a hairdryer, hair straighteners or anything that creates even more heat.  I want my hair to stay as I've styled, not just on the day that I have done it, but the following day and even the day after that too. 

Memory Mist is packed with plant extracts and Panthenol and delivers an intense hit of hydration to every single strand of hair instantly and cumulatively throughout the day, while Glycerin cleverly sheathes the hair shaft for that shampoo ad-worthy shine. But it doesn't stop there, it is the clever memory polymers that turn this weightless mist into an incredible product. It is these Memory Polymers that memorise and lock in your hair’s shape and texture after styling whilst the inclusion of Prickly Pear Extract tames frizz and adds shine and thermal polymers work to condition and protect hair from heat styling up to 450 degrees and also boasts UV protection too. It is at this point that you realise that Memory Mist is not in any way like a hairspray, for one there is no sticky, tacky residue clinging to your hair, it doesn't add a crunch, it doesn't have a chemical scent and it doesn't flake off your hair in the heat. For me, it is closer to a priming spray but with one huge difference - it keeps my hair I've styled it, no need to keep grabbing the straighteners or curling brush and it does it all without even thinking about it.

Using Memory Mist is just as easy as any other product and it can be used in two ways. Spritz the mist lightly and evenly on to damp hair before blow-drying to lock in that salon-worthy smoothness, or you can use the mist on dry hair before styling with tongs or irons and it gives an amazing sleek finish.

To date, this is the best product I have used from Ouai, it saves me hours of time styling and re-styling my hair, it means I don't have to use heat on my hair every single day to ensure my hair looks how I want it to look and you can find it right HERE for just £25 and it is worth every single penny.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

I am a double cleanser and I always start by using a balm cleanser to remove all the dirt, grime, makeup and anything else lurking on my skin.  Having run out of the two balm cleansers I have been using, I thought it was about time to I gave this Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter from The Body Shop a try.

With a first cleanse it is all about removing absolutely everything on your skin and then the second cleanse then cleans your skin. I live in London which is heavily polluted and anyone who has travelled on the tube will be all too familiar with the issue of blowing your nose and seeing how black the remnants of that tissue is!  So, I always ensure I double cleanse every night. Being one of the best sellers from The Body Shop was the reason I wanted to give it a try and it is described as follows:

Cleanse and nourish your skin with our rich cleansing butter. A luxurious way to remove every last trace of make-up, while purifying, cleansing and refreshing your skin, leaving it soft to the touch.

Not only is it suitable for all skin types, especially sensitive skin it is also suitable for those who wear contact lenses, which I sometimes do, though not too often.

Described as being a butter, this cleanser is everything you might expect it to be from the description alone. It has a really lovely silky texture which is not quite like that if spreading butter on bread, it also smells incredibly fresh too and on the skin, it is so light and airy, it doesn't feel as though you are using anything at all, the only give away being your makeup is suddenly running down your cheeks.

To use, I dip my fingers into the butter and warm it between my palms and then rub it onto my skin, at the same time, I always ensure there is warm water in the skin and a muslin cloth in the skin.  As the butter comes into contact with the skin, it immediately begins to work to remove absolutely everything.  Being a butter, it is slightly runnier than a balm, but it does just as good as a job.  Soothing, moisturising and nourishing, I love the ease of use with this balm and I can see why it is loved and raved about so much.  After using, my skin is soft and smooth and there is no residue, greasiness or tacky feeling to the skin.  Incredibly calming, I've not had any adverse reactions and I absolutely love it, so much so I've got a backup tin already waiting.

Priced at £13 from The BodyShop right here and if you are quick you can grab yourself 35% off using the code 14672!

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

Deciem Abnomaly Petrowhat Lip & Skin Balm Review

Deciem is a brand I adore, it is one of the very first that supported me and my blog and I have really loved watching them grow from the days on Inhibitif - my legs even featured on the brands packaging (here). Now as the brand has expanded and with it comes Niod, Ab Crew, HiF, Grow Gorgeous, The Ordinary, Hylamide, Stemm, Loopha, Chemistry and now Abnomaly.

The first launch from Abnomaly is one you might very well have seen on Instagram and it is Petrowhat Lip & Skin Balms. Described as being a lip and skin ointment with very complicated plant stuff. Unlike similar balms, the formula for Petrowhat is not petroleum based, the clue quite possibly being a bit of a giveaway with the name. Deciem says that unlike waxy and occlusive petrolatum-based formulations that mainly help hold in existing water content, this super-saturated and long-lasting lip and skin balm is filled with a high concentration of skin-identical Amino Acids in a Plant-derived Squalane and Baobab Oil base. Using these ingredients, this formula not only helps in protecting and hydrating but it also helps with repairing dry skin from the moment it's first used. 

Available in four different flavours

• Rio Petrowhat – guava 
• Bali Petrowhat – pineapple 
• Baobab Petrowhat – plain 
• Milk Petrowhat – coconut milk

I have Baobab and Milk and they both do the exact same job. When it comes to their scent, for me Baobab doesn’t really smell of anything at all whereas the Milk version has a very subtle scent of coconut which I absolutely love.

The balm can be used on the lips or anywhere that you have dry skin. What I really like is the that the texture isn't overly thick and leaves your lips feeling as though you have rubbed them across a block of lard, instead, it is a more gel-like texture which turns into an oil balm and instantly soothes and hydrates. I am a bit of a balm addict and anything that is a multi-use product always gets the thumbs up from me.  You can apply these Petrowhat balms to your cuticles, elbows, knees and even heels where the skin is usually at its dryest.

The packaging is super cute and it’s priced really well. Abnomaly Petrowhat Lip & Skin Balm is available HERE for £7 each.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here