Ra Oils - Pure natural oils with a purpose

rå oils were born in Iceland back in 2013 by Mother and Daughter team Elin and Frida when one problem and one career came together to create quite a brand. For years, Frida spent a fortune on both over-the-counter skin care products for acne, and on private dermatologists, as well as suffering two painful rounds of Roaccutane drug treatments. Despite all of this, her acne never went away and the strong drug treatments left her face badly scarred. Elin, a beauty therapist and later an aromatherapist, decided to take the matter into her own hands. She had been reading a lot about the power of oils and was convinced that oils could be the solution to her daughter's problem. 

I was kindly sent two products from the range and I have absolutely loved getting to know them over a good few months and of the two products, I have a clear favourite, it was hard not to just absolutely love it from the very first use.  That product is the Clear Skin Cleasner.

This Cleanser is designed for those who are prone to breakouts or imbalances and it is so gentle it effectively cleans the skin without stripping the skin of its natural oils or dehydrating. It is lightweight and smells absolutely incredible and it is powered by three star ingredients which are:

• Moringa Oil - which not only works wonders for removing blackheads but it also helps to protect your skin against free radicals, it is an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and it is also packed with Vitamin A, C and E.
• Baobab Oil - this oil helps to improve the skin's elasticity as well as helping to heal damaged skin
• Camellia Oil - this oil comes from the same plant which produces tea leaves and it is a great skin conditioning and moisturising oil because of its high Omega 9 content. An oil which is lightweight, it penetrates into the deepest layers of the skin to leave it feeling smooth and supple.  This oil is also non-drying and non-clogging on the skin and contains vitamins, A, B, and E and various minerals.

To use the oil, you need to ensure your skin is wet and then with 2-3 pumps onto the palms of your hands, you apply the oil in circular motions to remove makeup, dirt and grime from your skin.  

What I love about this oil is just how easily it takes the day off and as the first stage of a double cleanse, this is an incredible oil. 

This oil is not only Vegan-friendly, but it is also encased in chic, eco-friendly packaging and I love the minimalist design of the bottle and its label.

The second product is the Skin Rescue Face and Body Oil uses a concoction of 100% pure, high-quality oils and its role is to help rescue dry, itchy, flaky skin.

This oil is designed to be used after cleansing and toning and you need just a few drops for your face, neck and chest.  Again, as with the cleanser above, this oil has some key ingredients and these include:

• Argan Oil - used for its incredible moisturising properties
• Evening Primrose Oil - known for its calming ability
• Vitamin E - for its antioxidant properties
• Myrrh Oil - said to help reduce inflammation

All of these oils come together alongside Chamomile Oil and Safflower Oil which softens and soothes the skin but what grabbed my attention was the promise of this oil swapping redness and irritation for glowing.  I have made no secret about the redness I have on my cheeks, which might be irritating in the sense that it is itching but it does irritate me on a personal level. 

Together these products work incredibly well and even though I don't suffer with breakouts, though am partial to the occasional hormonal pimple, what I do love is the difference the cleanser has made to my sebum levels without stripping my skin and the oil leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft, sometimes I use it on its own and other times, depending on how my skin feels, I apply a few drops to my moisturising cream.

The oil is also Vegan friendly and is not tested on animals.  All packaging is 100% recyclable.

Both of these products and others from the Ra Oil collection can be found on Cult Beauty* and from Ra Oils directly with prices starting from just £15.

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

Flexitol | Effective Foot Care Products

I make no secret of my hatred for feet, so when Flexitol invited me to a Pedicure party, it was the promise of champagne which drew me in.  Despite my hatred towards feet, I do do my best to ensure mine is in good condition, the thought of anyone else having to touch them for any form of treatment just makes my stomach churn.  Anyway, the pedicure party was held at the stunning Townhouse Nail Bar here in London's Fitzrovia and it is a stunning venue with just about everything you can think of for a bit of pampering for your nails.

The Pedicure Party was held in conjunction with Flexitol, a brand which was founded in 1922 by Thornton & Ross and terms such as 'Professional foot care every step of the way', Flexitol continuously researches the latest ingredients and formulation blends and use only the highest quality ingredients; manufactured in state of the art facilities. All of the products from Flexitol contain Urea; described as being a major constituent of the skin's natural moisturising factor, which improves hydration by increasing the water uptake from the dermis. For those whose skin lacks a natural moisturising factor, a product containing Urea can be used to replicate the hydration process. 

• Enhances the skin's ability to retain water
• Reduces water loss from the skin
• Improves the amount of water the skin can hold

I was kindly gifted four products from quite an extensive catalogue of products and I have been using for the last month on my feet and they include:

Moisturising Foot Foam (£8.99) - is my favourite product from the brand so far and it is described as being a fast-acting and intensive treatment for very dry or rough skin.  

What I love about using it is just how convenient it is to use because not only does it dry super quick, it means I don't have to spend longer than necessary touch my feet! 

Heel Balm (£5.09) - said to be medically proven to provide relief from dry, cracked skin on heels and feet. It contains 25% Urea, as well as other skin-nourishing ingredients, designed to deeply penetrate into the skin for intense moisturisation and hydration.  

I don't have any issues with cracked heel skin, but I do often find that if I have worn flip flops for long periods of time, the skin does harden slightly.  So I have used this Heel Balm on my feet and it does have quite a thick texture to it, so once you have applied it, you do need to allow it to fully absorb before you can get up and walk around.

Moisturising Foot Cream (£5.99) - This cream is enriched with Vitamin E and contains 10% Urea.  It is quite a rich cream and it does an incredible job at moisturising and hydrating the skin on your feet.  

It doesn't have quite the thick texture of the heel balm, so it does absorb really easily and as well as using it on your feet, it can also be used to treat dry skin your legs too. 

Cuticle and Nail Cream (£5.29) - this cream helps to repair, condition and protect the cuticles and skin around the finger and toenails.  I hold my hands up and admit that I neglect my toenail cuticles, they are just not something I had given a lot of thought to until my pedicure.  

The cream not only helps overcome the ragged edges associated with dry cuticles but it also helps to restore moisture to the cuticles which in turn keeps them soft and supple. In addition, Flexitol Cuticle and Nail Cream conditions your nails, improving the appearance and promoting healthy nail growth.

Flexitol is available in over 40 countries across the world and here in the UK you can find it in most supermarkets, Boots, Superdrug and other leading pharmacies and prices start at just £5 with Boots currently having a buy one get a second one half price offer HERE.

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

Lancôme Miel En Mousse Cleanser

Lancôme is one of those brands I really feel I should know a lot more about than I do, but I confess to knowing very little and I tend to stick with repurchasing the few products from the brand I love.  The main one being Lancôme Miel En Mousse Cleanser, which was initially gifted to me at a blogger event and I have since repurchased it 3/4 times because I just love it.

Bright orange in colour, this Miel En Mousse Cleanser works to remove all traces of your day - makeup, dirt, grime and all other nasties lurking on the surface of your skin.  It does have a really thick honey-like texture which I absolutely love. Thankfully, it does come out of a pump-action bottle and you need just 2-3 pumps to use it most effectively. 

The directions are that you pump the cleanser directly onto your fingertips and massage on to dry skin, at this point it is definitely worth remembering that this is quite a thick textured cleanser and it does have that honey texture, it does initially feel sticky on the fingers and then on the skin, this quickly disappears as soon as you begin to massage. The honey-like texture comes from the fact it is enriched with Acacia honey which is known for its soothing properties for dry and chapped skin.

Once you have massaged it onto the skin, you need to activate it using lukewarm water and at this stage, the honey texture turns to more of a velvety foam and if you are a fan of the scent of honey, it is at this stage of cleansing that the scent intensifies and it is just so lovely.

After cleaning my face, I always ensure I have a flannel or muslin cloth to hand to remove any excess foam/product from my face.  Then afterwards, I not only have skin which is clean and free from the day's dirt and grime, but also soft, smooth and moisturised.    For me, Miel-En-Mousse is a bit of a hybrid product because not only does it do its job as a cleanser, but it also acts as a moisturiser too.  I find with some foaming cleansers that despite removing all the gunk from my skin, they also manage to leave my skin feeling stripped of absolutely everything and therefore I am reaching for as many products as I can to add moisture back to my skin.

Lancôme Miel En Mousse Cleanser comes in a 200ml bottle and is priced between £19.99 upwards to £24* you get a cleanser which instantly eliminates daily dirt, excess oil and impurities, whilst at the same time removing all types of makeup without drying out or stripping the skin.

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

Caudalie Beauty Elixir has a Summer Makeover

One of my absolute favourite products from Caudale is the Beauty Elixir, a product which I have featured on my blog numerous times and it is also something I have repurchased numerous times. For me2, this Beauty Elixir is something I cannot be without and over the past few weeks when the weather has been rather warm, it has been an absolute lifesaver.

This Summer, Caudalie has given their hero product a little bit of a makeover and not only does it have a 100% natural formula, but it also comes packaged inside a beautiful new bottle.

If you have never heard of Beauty Elixir then you really are missing out. It was created back in 1997 by Mathilde Thomas who discovered the historic 16th-century youth elixir recipe created by the Queen of Hungary. Speaking about Beauty Elixir, Mathilde Thomas said:

The Beauty Elixir is the must-have product to keep in your handbag. This multi-purpose revitalising mist is the essential go-to product for women everywhere.

Having reinterpreted the formulation to use 100% natural ingredients and it is bursting with rare and precious plant extracts. Packed full of amazing ingredients you will find:

• Green Grape - moisturises and helps to boost radiance
• Peppermint Oil - awakens the skin and tones
• Rose Essential Oil - anti-shine and helps to activate the natural glow
• Rosemary Essential Oil - an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory
• Myrrhe Oil - Tones
• Orange Blossom - Hydrates, soothes and tones
• Organic Mint Balm - calming and soothing

Putting all of these ingredients together alongside Benzoin, which helps the skin retain moisture among many other amazing properties you get a product which smoothes fine lines and creases, tightens pores, gives your skin a boost of radiance and moisture as well as helping to calm redness.  As well as all of that, the Beauty Elixir has a whole host of other benefits too and they include the working as a pillow mist and helping to set your makeup.

Once spritzed, all of the fragrance notes come to life and rather than soaking your face and skin through, instead, the mist is a lightweight and it instantly refreshes and on a hot summers day is just ideal for a bit of a cool down and it is wonderfully hydrating too.

This limited edition Beauty Elixir is available in two sizes - the 100ml bottle retails for just £32 and the travel version is just £12 for a 30ml bottle and you can find both of them here via the Caudalie website.

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