Upcircle Coffee and Cacao Body Scrub

The Mister and I are huge fans of Upcircle, a brand you might have known as Optiat before they rebranded.  Upcircle has an amazing story to tell as to how the brand came about and if you love a good coffee scrub, then they are a brand you need in your life.

New to the Upcircle family is the Coffee and Cacao Body Scrub (£14.99) which comes packaged inside a tube to keep the ingredients as fresh as they can be. This scrub uses top quality ground Arabica coffee beans which have been sourced from artisan coffee shops. If you have read the story as to how Upcircle was started, then you begin to understand how important these coffee beans are. The ground coffee beans work on the skin as a gentle exfoliator as the caffeine stimulates blood flow and minimises the appearance of cellulite. The high level of antioxidants also helps to minimise the appearance of the signs of ageing, including fine lines and wrinkles.

Alongside the coffee beans and sea salt is a skin superfood extracted from the seed of the African Karite tree, shea butter which is naturally high in Vitamins A, E and essential fatty acids. This scrub is blended with unrefined raw shea butter which works to provide intense moisturisation to the skin post-scrub.  You will also find Coconut Oil, Palmarosa Oil, Lemon Peel Oil, Rosemary Leaf Oil and of course Cacao Extract all packed into this amazing scrub.

This scrub is so gentle on the skin that it is suitable for use both morning and night, with the recommendation being that you use this scrub up to three times a week.  As with any scrub of this nature, it can be a little bit messy but again, not as messy as other products that I have used. To use, again, shake the tube vigorously for a couple of minutes to mix together the ingredients and then apply it to damp skin in circular motions to encourage the ingredients to work on the skin. Once on the skin, allow it to sit there for a few minutes before rining away. When using, it should always be the last step of your bathing routine because the shea butter and coconut oil base will leave your skin feeling hydrated and moisturised and if like me, you love the combination of coffee and chocolate, then not only does this smell good enough to eat, it leaves your skin smelling just incredible too.

Alongside this body scrub, there is an incredible range of products to choose from within the Upcircle range and what I really like is that you can choose your products based upon your skin concerns such as oiliness, redness, dullness or even dry skin to name just as few.  From there you will find bars of soaps, oils, cleansers and other exfoliants as well as pamper kits and bundles. If you love the scent of coffee but with a slight twist then both of these products tick boxes.  They are both sustainable, Vegan and cruelty-free as well as having no SLS, SLEs, parabens, mineral oil, parfum or sulfates.

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

Collosol Eau De Lait - The Cult French Cleanser

Collosol Eau De Lait is one product that comes with a whole lot of hype. Just as it launched, I saw it absolutely everywhere on my social media feed, the rave reviews coming in from all over the globe and I have finally got my hands on this phenomenon, but is it worthy of that hype?

Collosol is said to be one of France's favourite brands and it was created in the 1950s for actresses who wanted something gentle to remove their makeup, since then, Collosol Eau de Lait is said to have remained the secret to French women's glowy skin ever since and it has quite the army of celebrity fans including Thandie Newton, Vanessa Paradis and it is claimed the late Karl Lagerfeld was such a fan, he used a whole bottle every single day. So what is it? Described as being a combination of milk and water, a multitasking product that leaves you feeling totally revitalised in hotter climates and even on a flight. 

This unique, paraben-free formula is a dual, no-rinse cleanser for the face and the body. Described as being a micro-emulsion with the following explanation: 

'the size of the oil particles dispersed in the water is microscopic, this allows it to obtain a very fluid milky texture while being very effective on the skin, without being greasy'. 

It essentially works as both a cleansing milk and micellar water in one and thankfully it doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy or stripped after using and it can be used in a variety of ways.

• Face and neck: apply with a cotton pad for cleansing/ makeup removing.
• Body: dilute a cap into the bathwater to bring softness and comfort to your skin.

I admit to being totally sceptical about this product, especially as it does come with so much hype, but just sometimes there is a reason it is so loved.

Collosol Eau De Lait has the most lovely citrus floral scent which I hadn't originally expected, what I was expecting was something without a scent, so it was a welcome surprise. The key ingredients in Collosol Eau de Lait include PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, vegetable oil, and glycerin.

I have tried using this product both on my skin and in the bath as suggested.  On my face, what I look is the instant cooling sensation as the product touches my skin.  It does a really good job of removing makeup, though I still prefer to use an eye makeup remover on my waterproof mascara.  When using it in the bath, I ensured there were a few inches of water in the bath before adding a capful to the water.  As soon as it comes in to contact with the water, it turns milky and the citrus scent comes to life.   

Having used this for some time now, I can see why it comes surrounded by a lot of hype and there is no doubt it absolutely lives up to the claims it makes and given it is so affordable, I am surprised to ever find it in stock.  A 100ml bottle of Collosol costs under £10, a 250ml size retails for £14.50, while the largest bottle of 400ml costs £20.

Have you tried Collosol Eau De Lait?

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

REN Clean Skincare ClearCalm Non-Drying Spot Treatment

I am quite lucky in that I don't get spots. I never had acne as a teenager and I never suffered from breakouts, my only issue is cold sores which I am prone too whenever I am stressed or feeling run down and the odd spot which appears either on my chin or on my forehead during my menstrual cycle, often poking at me from under the skin rather than emerging to make its presence known.

REN skincare is one of my go-to brands when I am feeling a little bit eurgh, their Magnesium Booster Bath Salts which are just incredible.  Anyway, REN has a brand new addition to the ClearCalm range called ClearCalm Non-Drying Spot Treatment (£20).

Again, continuing with their efforts to become zero waste by 2021, the packaging is 100% recyclable, with the cap being made from 100% recycled materials and the tube being made from 50% recycled plastic.

Described as being a skin-loving spot solution specifically designed to be non-drying. This treatment is infused with:

• Willowbark - This naturally derived precursor to salicylic acid helps clear spots without irritation.
• Maritime Pine and Thyme Complex - Soothes skin, while aiding recovery and reducing the potential for scarring.
• Prebiotic Chlorella Extract - Supports the skin microbiome and helps rebalance healthy bacteria.

Working together, they help to reduce redness, spot size and potential scarring as well as being deeply moisturising and helping to rebalance your skin's microbiome, this truly is a skin saviour that won't irritate or aggravate spots.  As if my hormonal spot knew this had arrived to be tested, I tried it out immediately.  The tube comes with a handy nozzle so you can apply directly to your spot(s) without getting the serum everywhere, bright orange in colour, as soon as the serum comes into contact with the skin, it disappears.

There are a few ways to use this serum, as well as being applied direct to the spot(s) in question, you can also add a few drops into your moisturiser, mix and apply all over.

What I like about this serum is that it is, as the name states, non-drying.  One of my issues with many a spot cream is that they do dry out the skin, which for me, never works and if anything I always feel my one spot is angrier than ever before.  So ClearCalm applied to my hormonal friend and within two days not only had it decreased in size, it was no longer sore to the touch and my skin didn't look angry. I am prone to redness on my cheeks, so I have been using this product on my left cheek where the redness is always more pronounced and being honest, it has slightly calmed it down, it hasn't fully disappeared, but then I have only been trying it there for the last two weeks to see what happens, usually I grab a green colour corrector to camouflage instead.

At £20 (here* and here) this is really affordable. The tube contains 15ml of product and because I have only used a little, it will last for quite some time before I would need to purchase a tube.  If you have tried this, I would love to know what you think!

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

Annicke Eau de Parfum Pour Femme by Eight & Bob

I love it when a product has a story to tell and Annicke Eau de Parfum by Eight & Bob has one which captivated me when I was told all about it at a Bloggers Event.

The story starts like this - One night during the winter of 1936, everything changed for Albert Fouquet. Fouquet had travelled to Megève, a meeting place for the European aristocracy, to attend a dinner organised by his friend, Nicolas. Albert was the perfect French gentleman, a passionate traveller with a fascinating pastime: he created perfumes for his own personal use. These perfumes became an object of desire within his social circle, and the perfect gift for Albert’s aristocrat friends on special occasions. That magical night in Megève turned Fouquet’s life upside down: it was Annicke, a young Austrian girl, the daughter of a banker and Hungarian noble. Her extraordinary beauty, innate elegance and irresistible personality made Albert’s heart skip a beat. She was the most amazing woman he had ever met. Their conversation and dancing, together with the warmth from the fireplace on that cold winter night left their imprint in Fouquet’s mind and on his heart, along with the indelible image of Annicke. There was no doubt that he had met the most fascinating woman that any man could ever have imagined. That magical night turned into day, but Albert had to leave for Paris at sunrise. But not before writing a heartfelt letter to Annicke, in which he expressed his ardent desire to see her again as soon as it was possible. Months passed and many letters were exchanged between Albert and Annicke. Their words of love, desire and dreams all inspired Fouquet to create a unique and exquisite perfume, which concentrated all that Annicke meant to him.

A perfume that was as precious as the woman who had captured his heart. When they met again in Vienna, Albert surprised Annicke with his first creation. She was amazed by the scent as were her acquaintances, creating an irresistible interest around the young perfumer. From that moment on, whenever Albert visited his beloved Annicke, he surprised her with a new creation, a new aromatic gem for her growing collection. Fragrances that delighted and fascinated her, always the most exquisite combinations of scents. And now, many years later, Eight & Bob produces the same scents for women who, like Annicke, are captivated by the exclusivity of this unique fragrance collection.

Such a beautiful story behind some quite stunning fragrances and I was kindly gifted this discovery set which features vials of all 6 Annicke fragrances.  

Each fragrance is numbered 1-6 and they are all completely different and unique.

• Annicke 1 is a Floral Woody Musk fragrance and it has top notes are mandarin orange, peony and ivy; middle notes are lily-of-the-valley, jasmine and cyclamen; base notes are driftwood and white musk.  It is a beautiful fragrance and one which you can smell on clothing a day or two after using.  It starts off quite citrusy with a hint of floral before lily-of-the-valley and the musk dominate to make what is a beautiful everyday scent.
• Annicke 2 is an Oriental Floral fragrance and it has top notes of mandarin orange, fig and hazelnut; middle notes are tuberose, immortelle and ylang-ylang; base notes are sandalwood, vanilla and cedar.  Now I am not a fan of vanilla as a scent at all, it leaves me with a headache, but thankfully, within Annicke 2, the vanilla scent isn't at all heavy.  What I love about this fragrance is the fruity notes of the mandarin orange mixing with the floral notes before Sandalwood and Cedar take over to settle the scent.
• Annicke 3 is a Chypre Floral fragrance and it has top notes of bergamot, mandarin orange and red berries; middle notes are gardenia, jasmine and white rose; base notes are meringue, cashmere wood and sandalwood. 
• Annicke 4 sits within the Floral-Woody-Fruity family and it has top notes of blackcurrant buds and nectarine, heart notes of ylang-ylang, rose and jasmine and base notes of patchouli, cashmeran and oakmoss. This is my favourite scent of all 6, I love the fruity notes as they mix with the floral notes, neither overpowering another and as soon as the base notes come into their own, they blend together and create a fragrance I adore.
• Annicke 5 is a Floriental fragrance which has top notes of bergamot, lily-of-the-valley and rum, heart notes of honey, plum and ambre 84 DL and base notes of patchouli, caramel and vanilla leaves.  Another beautiful fragrance, but for me, it is one which gets better and better as it settles on the skin.
• Annicke 6 is another Floriental and this time we have top notes of bergamot, carnation and Sichuan pepper, heart notes of rose, cinnamon and ambre 84 DL and base notes of sandalwood, labdanum and benzoin.  This one for me is my second favourite and it is one of those fragrances that can see you from day to night and still smell as amazing.   The floral notes mixed with the Sichuan Pepper giving it that hint of spice.

Having the chance to try a discovery set such as this one is a great introduction to perfume brands, each 100ml of Annicke is priced at £140 from John Lewis*, Lookfantastic* and Harvey Nichols, so it is a lot of money to pay out for something you might not like after a few uses, by having a sample vial, it gives you the chance to try a fragrance within familiar surroundings to make up your mind.

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