Caudalie Vinosource SOS Creme Hydration Intense Moisturising Cream and SOS Thirst Quenching Serum

One brand who knows how to grab your attention with their products is Caudalie and their latest release Vinosource SOS Creme Hydration Intense Moisturising Cream (£25 here*) arrived just as I had run out of my previous Caudalie product.  The Caudalie Beauty Elixir is one of my all time favourite products from the brand and is great for refreshing and moisturising the skin, so I had high hopes.

When it comes to moisturising creams for the face, in the warmer months, I really don't want to be using something that is really thick in texture, I prefer something to be more of a fluid so it doesn't make my skin feel greasy or sticky.  Caudalie describes the Vinosource SOS Intense Moisturising Cream as being a fresh and velvety cream continuously moisturises and soothes even the most sensitive skin. 

Suitable for those with normal to dry skin, can be used as your day or night moisturiser and 97% ingredients of natural origin, whilst being PEG and silicone free, so you don't get horrid greasy film feeling being left on the skin when you use this cream and because of the ingredients used, it has a fresh and subtle plant-based fragrance, which I really, really like.  Packaged inside a beautiful pink frosted glass jar, is what I can best describe as being a thick, rich cream, essentially everything I said I didn't want on my skin during the Summer months - BUT - this cream comes into contact with the skin, it absorbs much quicker than I had expected it too, super quick in fact and because it is Caudalie, it instantly hydrates, moisturises and plumps the skin and what I love is that my skin feel hydrated all day, not just for an hour or two after being applied.

There are five key ingredients within this cream which includes:

• Borage Oils - Rich in Omega 6 and helps to improves the suppleness and elasticity of the skin,
• Vinolevure - This is an extract from Wine yeast and it helps to deeply moisturise the skin,
• Olive Squalene - Extract from Olives and is incredibly moisturising but non-greasy,
• Organic Grape Water - A Caudalie staple when it comes to ingredients and one which is both moisturising and soothing for the skin
• Polyphenols - Known for their antioxidant and anti-wrinkle properties

Having been enjoying the sun a lot recently and spending as much time as I can outside, despite my skin being protected, I do want to stop my skin from becoming too dry and this cream does just that, plus if you apply a thicker layer before bed, it makes for a great sleep mask.

To complete the moisturising routine, the addition of the Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching Serum (£29 here*) is a real treat. Described as being a rich in hydrating and soothing organic grape water, this serum is great for anyone who has slightly dry skin because it helps to restore the skin's natural moisture balance and leave it feeling soft and supple.

Packed with moisture and hydrating ingredients, the serum replicates everything included in the Intense cream above but has the addition of Hyaluronic Acid, which, if you are an avid beauty blogger, beauty lover or take a keen interest in what it is you are putting on your skin, then you will know that it is one of the best products for moisturising because it can hold up to one thousand times its own weight in water molecules. 

As it is Infused with citrus notes of mandarin blossom, lemon tree leaves, cucumber water and fresh mint, the scent is just absolutely divine and when applied to the skin, it brings about an instant feeling of refreshment and because it has an ultra-light aqueous texture, the serum absorbs quickly into the skin.

If you have dry and dehydrated skin, then together these products are an absolute treat, if you want to give your skin a little TLC, then again, that box is ticked with either or both of these products.

Do you have a favourite Caudalie product?

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

Amo Ferragamo Flowerful by Salvatore Ferragamo

If ever there was a pretty perfume bottle, it is Amo Ferragamo Flowerful by Salvatore Ferragamo. Described as being an exuberant flacon featuring a sculptural flower-shaped disk, inspired by the classic Ferragamo design of Flower heel, the bottle shines with fluorescent colours which really come to life when captured in sunlight and you can see the rainbow-like colours dancing across the bottle.

Choosing a fragrance is something I do, depending on my mood. I have a small collection of my absolute must-have fragrances that I wear all year round regardless of the weather, I have one or two which are more winter than summer and some that are more summer than any other season. I like a mixture of florals, fruits and fruity florals and just every now and again, something a little bit out of my comfort zone.

Salvatore Ferragamo Amo Flowerful perfume for women is purely feminine. The Amo Flowerful woman is a luminous blossom of splendid sensuality. Optimistic by nature, she believes in what she does. A contagious explosion of joy, dynamism and irresistible charm. Amo Flowerful women’s fragrance is a tribute to the spontaneity of the Ferragamo woman. Beautiful and unpredictable as only blossoming flowers can be. It is an exuberant, fresh fragrance expressing the pure joy of living infused by a contagious optimism and sparkling energy.

As well as having a beautiful looking bottle, this fragrance really surprised me with its scent, having seen Vanilla Orchid as a base note, I fully expected to hate it and find it overly icky and headache-inducing, it was not (thankfully.  The fragrance opens with notes of Italian Bitter Accord, Blackcurrant and Yuzu Flower, so it has quite the citrusy scent to start off with and as it dries down, the heart notes of Plum Blossom, Jasmine and Pink Peony take hold of the citrus and they intertwine to become a beautiful scent almost masks the base notes of Vanilla Orchid, Blonde Woods and Musk, which I like because, for me, those base notes are not something I look for in a fragrance, but within Flowerful it does bring about a delicate sweetness.

A fragrance has to have longevity on my skin to remain within my stash and this one ticks that box, I get good 5-6 hours to wear time before I need to re-apply, something that has become infinitely easier thanks to my Travelo that is always in my handbag (I have three in total, all with different fragrances in) so I can top up when I need too.

Amo Ferragamo Flowerful fragrance is available as a 30, 50 and 100 ml of Eau de Parfum and it ranges in price from £35 up to £79.50 which you can see from The Fragrance Shop and Escentual.

Do you have a favourite fragrance for the Summer?

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

Temple Spa Life Defence SPF30 Protecting Moisturiser

As soon as the sun shines, the conversation quickly switches to SPF protection and stores are full to the brim of brands promising to protect you from everything there is to protect you from, but as we all know, we should be wearing sun protection every single day of the year regardless of how hot it is, or even if it is raining, that skin which is exposed should be protected. I openly admit I was the worst when it came to applying sunscreen of any kind, I could never stand the thick, white almost toothpaste-like texture on my skin, now, brands have put a lot of money and research into their products and there has been a huge change and we are spoilt for choice.

I absolutely love Temple Spa products, their Cleansing Melt is one of my favourite products. I was kindly sent the new Temple Spa Life Defence SPF30 Protecting Moisturiser to try, and I’ve been testing it over the last few weeks and it is described as being a:

Feather-light daily moisturiser with a broad-spectrum SPF 30 and blue light protection to help protect against the environment, sun, wind, pollution, aircon, heating & digital screens.

Life Defence SPF30 Protecting Moisturiser from Temple Spa has been designed for use on clean skin or over your moisturiser and can be re-applied when out and about for long periods of exposure to the elements.  There is always quite a lot to factor in when it comes to protecting your skin, ultimately, I am not too sure I believe we can protect it from absolutely everything, but I am willing to do whatever I can to ensure I get the absolute best protection I can. For me, I started with the basics and that was knowing the difference between UVA and UVB. UVA light accounts for about 95% of the UV light that reaches our skin and are around every single day of the year, whether or not it is hot - as long as there is daylight, there is UVA light. UVA light can also penetrate glass, so sitting by the window or being in the car can also cause damage to your skin. UVA rays are the ones which penetrate deeply into the skin causing havoc within all levels of the epidermis and can result in premature ageing of the skin as well as deep lines and wrinkles.  UVB rays are the ones which you might associate mostly with tanning, sunburn and other discolourations to the skin and when purchasing your suncream, the SPF rating measures UVB rays.  For the record - wearing an SPF does not stop you from 'tanning', one of the comments I see bounded around quite a lot!

So when it comes to wearing an SPF on my face, I have said in quite a few posts now that I really do not like overly thick creams that leave your skin feeling as though it is caked in lard, I prefer something that has more of a fluid-like texture to it.  This moisturiser, which is white in colour, has a lightweight lotion texture to it and because the tube is squeezy, you literally need a small amount to cover your face, neck and decolletage. On the skin, it absorbs really quickly and I love that there is no whit trace left behind. I have also found it doesn't affect my makeup, it doesn't leave my skin looking sweaty or greasy.  

One thing I love about Temple Spa is that they include ingredients for a reason, in this case, we have

• Organic Ginseng Root Extract Derived from the roots of the Withania somnifera plant, it is clinically proven to protect against digital pollution – blue, red and green light exposure (from all forms of screens: iPads, phones, computers). These light rays cause additional environmental stress to the mitochondria cells in our skin which play a key role in maintaining healthy skin cells. Additionally, boosted by amino acids and withanolides, the synergetic action of these two phytochemical families supports ginseng’s high level of efficacy and restores the skin’s vitality.
• Rocket Extract Rich in isothiocyanates, which help to counter the effects of free radicals, it also has powerful soothing, anti-redness, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
• Vitamin E An antioxidant ingredient which helps protect cells from damage and environmental pollutants, slowing down the ageing process.
• Glyceryl Stearate A powerful skin-protecting ingredient which forms a barrier on the skin surface, slowing down the loss of water and giving the skin a soft & smooth appearance

I know there is still some scepticism out there with regards to blue light damage and admittedly, I am only just learning more about it, that said, the last time I went to my opticians to have my eyes tested, the recommendation was to have the Blue Light Protective Shield on my glasses, so if she is telling me I need it, then I need it.

Life Defence has been a great addition to my skincare routine, it is suitable for all skin types and whether you are a city dweller, sports lover, the outdoor type, digitally obsessed or even just want to do as much as you can to protect your skin, then this is a really good product to try.  It costs £38 for 50ml and can be purchased from Temple Spa and Harrods. 

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

The Inkey List Salicylic Acid Cleanser and Tumeric Moisturising Cream

I was first introduced to a brand called The Inkey List back in March has a simple aim and that is to break through all of the beauty jargon that we often have to Google to find a definition of and to deliver a straightforward take on the skin care’s most-wanted ingredients and all for the price of a few Costa Coffees. The brand has a core collection of what they call their 20 hero products and they have formulated by a team of experts and scientists, so if you like your Retinols, Salicylic Acid and Hyaluronic Acid, then this range gives you absolutely everything you need to essentially customise your own skincare regime to suit your skin.

We all know brands throw around a lot of terminologies that we don't ever really understand, but what The Inkey List has done is break down all of that jargon and have made it simple to understand as well as teaching you how to pronounce each product phonetically.  

As you can say, today I am sharing my views on the Salicylic Acid Cleanser and the Tumeric Cream Moisturiser. 

If you have oily skin, then Salicylic is your friend, don't be put off by the word 'Acid' because it isn't as scary as it sounds.  Ideal for use in the morning and/or evening, the Salicylic Acid Cleanser (£10.99) is formulated with a zinc compound to help control excess sebum, while allantoin - an anti-irritant, helps to soothe and protect the skin. 

I love a good multi-use product and this Cleanser not only works to remove makeup but it also helps to control excess oil to reduce sebum, it helps reduce the appearance of enlarged pores, blackheads and breakouts as well as promoting a more even skin tone. 

My own skin is combination oily and I often find that I become shiny in an afternoon and this cleanser has been amazing at helping to calm that down as well as really helping to deal with blackheads.  No sign of irritation or any flare-ups.

The second product is the one I was really looking forward to trying.  Turmeric is one of those ingredients that is floated as being a wonder treatment to fix all kind of ailments, including sports injuries, whether it works or not, I have no idea, though making my own paste from Turmeric to help my with the swelling of my ankle was advised.  However, from The Inkey List, we have a Turmeric Moisturising Cream (£7.99). Turmeric if you didn't know is derived from Curcuma and contains amazing anti-inflammatory properties as well as being a fantastic antioxidant.

If you have dry and dehydrated skin, then this is one of the products you should try from The Inkey List. For me, I have dry and dehydrated patches of skin on my cheeks and the middle of my forehead, whilst exfoliation helps, they always manage to creep back to their favourite spots to make me feel self-conscious about my skin. I also have red patches on both of my cheeks too, so the use of Turmeric has helped reduce the redness whilst I have used the cream.

What I love about this cream is just how quickly it sinks into the skin, almost as soon as it comes into contact in fact. Alongside the Turmeric you will also find the hydrating, protective properties of squalane as well as antioxidant, vitamin E.

So far, I have absolutely loved getting to know The Inkey List, it isn't expensive, in fact both of these products together cost less than one of my favourite lip balms!

Have you tried anything from The Inkey List?

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