Murad Vita C Triple Exfoliating Facial

As soon as Murad launched their Vita C Triple Exfoliating Facial, I could not wait to try it. I am an absolute fan of the brand and the description of this product just grabbed me. In times of lockdown, not being able to have a single beauty treatment, the basics of a hair cut (which I still haven't done) not happening at all, so when something is described as being a facial that delivers results similar to a spa-like microdermabrasion treatment - I need it!

As you can see, I was kindly gifted my very own at-home facial kit which was accompanied by a QR Code to start a Murad Spa Playlist to complete the process, which I absolutely did enjoy doing by the way.

I am a huge fan of exfoliating products which are both manual and chemical scrubs and my skin seems not to mind which one I use, one of my favourite Murad products happens to be the Resurgence Replenishing Multi-Acid Peel which my skin also loves.  Having combination/oily skin, I try to ensure I use a scrub at least twice a week, which I have always been advised to do for as long as I can remember.  Having had a few weeks of feeling absolutely horrendous, I really wasn't on top of my skincare routine and my skin was really dry, it looked dull and whilst I am lucky enough to not suffer from breakouts, but the dryness can make my skin feel sore.  So I used the Murad Vits C Triple Exfoliating Facial, which was so incredibly effective after just one use, I have bought another tube as a back up!

Following the instructions which came with the Murad Vita C Triple Exfoliating Facial, I gently cleansed my skin using a balm cleanser and then, as my skin was still wet, I applied the mask immediately. As the mask comes out of the tube, it is a brilliant bright orange colour and as you massage it onto the skin, it turns white, when it does change colour, Murad state that this indicates even application and sufficient physical exfoliation. At this point, you are tasked to leave it on your skin for up to 10 minutes and then once that time is up, grab your mitt to remove the mask using sweeping motions, then rinse your skin and gently pat dry. On the skin, the formula is just divine, it isn't overly abrasive like I was expecting it to be, though you can feel the small Micro-mineral exfoliants who are tasked with removing those dead surface cells to reveal dramatically smooth skin, which is incredibly soft to the touch.

This product, as you might have guessed is packed with a combination of three exfoliants and gold-stabilised Vitamin C to create that Vita-C Complex as follows:

• Physical – micro-mineral exfoliants mentioned above and their job is to remove dead surface cells to smooth skin
• Enzymatic – using high-performing enzymes to dissolve oil, debris and dulling dead cells to reveal fresh, radiant skin.
• Chemical – Glycolic, Lactic (AHAs) and Salicylic Acid (BHA) which work to exfoliate, brighten and to purify pores.

Vita-C Complex

• Pure L-Ascorbic Acid in a Gold Stabilised delivery system which ensures the stability and potency of Vitamin C to brighten skin. (55% higher antioxidant defence than traditional Vit C)
• Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) – This is a highly bioavailable and potent Vitamin C derivative with excellent skin absorption
• Glutathione – This recycles Vitamin C which un turn works to extend its benefits in the skin.

Putting all of those together, you have quite the product and one which doesn't sting, irritate or aggravate my skin. Instead, I have skin which is no longer dull, it isn't dry and nor is it lacking in anything.

I have been using this Murad Vita C Triple Exfoliating Facial for well over a month now and I liked it from the first use, through to the second, third and I just love how it leaves my skin every single time I use it. The results are pretty much instant, as soon as you rinse your skin afterwards, there is a notable change in the texture of your skin, the softness is like nothing I have had with other products.  I also love that it doesn't strip my skin of moisture or leave it feeling taut and tight after using.  

Whether your skin is dry, combination, balanced or oily, you can use this Murad Vita C Triple Exfoliating Facial and of course, the fun part when it changes from being orange to white is the easiest instruction to ever have in terms of no more scrubbing required, consider that job complete. 

Priced at £67, whilst it is on the pricier side of the spectrum, it is worth every single penny and you can find it via Murad*, Lookfantastic* and Cult Beauty*.

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

Lookfantastic Wanderlust Edition Beauty Bag July 2021

The July offering from Lookfantastic has arrived and Ias with the June Box, I absolutely love it. As restrictions come to an end and Summer is (hopefully) on the way, the theme of the month is a travel one and instead of a box, there is an incredibly handy travel bag full of products we all might need for those vacations and staycations.

Inside the really cute cream bag travel bag, which has a see-through top section so you can see just what is inside and with a really well made zip and a handle to make it easy to carry.  Inside the bag you will find 6 products.

First up is the full sized Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick worth £7.99, which is infused with a LiquiSilk formula which is designed to seal in both pigment and softness for a long-lasting lip look.

I have the shade 255 Rosewine in my bag this month and the unedited swatch shown above it is such a beautiful, wearable every day shade. There is also a tip from  Lookfantastic in the accompanying magazine to dab some of the lipstick onto the cheeks to double up as a matching cream blush, a trend a lot of people seem to replicate currently.

The next product from the Lookfantastic Wanderlust Edition Beauty Bag is a deluxe travel sized sample of the Illamasqua Beyond Liquid Highlighter in the shade OMG and it comes packaged in a 2ml tube.

As you can see from the unedited swatch above, this  a an incredibly pigmented liquid highlighter and you need just a tiny amount! Ideal for being applied to naked skin, mixed in with your foundation or BB cream, or if desired, it can also be layered over the top of your makeup look to those high points of the face for an additional Champagne glowy finish.

The third product from the bag is from Starskin with the VIP 7-Second Luxury All Day Mask worth £1.80.

When I saw this product I had no idea what it was or could be, but it is described as being a miracle seven step skincare regime in one handy pad! It combines Starskin’s famous 7-Second Morning and Overnight Masks and is said to be a double-sided cleansing pad and it includes ingredients such as Niacinimide, Glycerin, Grapeseed Extract and Berry Seed Extract which works to hydrate and refresh the complexion all-in-one.

The next product comes from Elemis with their Superfood AHA Glow Cleansing Butter 20ml / 0.6 fl.oz and it’s a product I’ve been wanting to try for some time.

This Elemis priming moisturiser is said to give you a smooth, radiant complexion of your dreams. Blended with nourishing ingredients such as Kombucha, Ginger and Green Tea Seed Oil, it is perfect for use when your skin’s looking dull and lacklustre, the luxurious butter provides a brightening boost with chemical exfoliation and clarifying ingredients mentioned.

The fifth product within this month’s edit from Grow Gorgeous with their Defence Anti-pollution Leave-in Spray which is 60ml and worth £6.

This protective hair mist is designed to shield your hair from heat damage, colour fade and external aggressors. Vegan-friendly and formulated without para end, supplanted or silicones, it is said to be especially heat for greasy hair that is prone to product build up. It uses Green Tea Extracts, Sunflower Extracts and Vitamin B5 and should be used on towel-dried hair

The final item from this months Lookfantastic Wanderlust Edition Beauty Bag is from MineTan with their Cucumber Hydrating Face and Body Tan Mist 30ml.

This refreshing face and body spray, which acts as a gradual tanner to give you that glowy look this summer. With its lightweight formula which is said to instantly absorb and doesn’t have that fake tan scent. It uses Cucumber, Citric Acid, Jojoba Oil and Macadamia Seed oil and should be applied with the bottle being held 15cm from the face and body.

I really like this edit, I love that so much thought has gone into the theme and how that theme is delivered with the inclusion of the cream travel bag. Each one of the products would be perfect for packing for that vacaystaycay that you might have booked or are hoping to have booked!

If you like the look of this edit, it does on sale from July 1st here and as Lookfantastic Beauty Box is a monthly subscription service* membership starts at £15 per month. There is also further membership offers of signing up for a 3, 6 or 12 month subscription to save money.

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

The Body Shop Easy In-Store Refill Stations

The Body Shop is on a mission to not only scrub up your body, but to also scrub up the world and to do that they want you to play your part to clean up your act and clean up the planet and to make life a little easier, they have brought in new easy in-store refill stations. That refill revolution starts now!

Starting now, The Body Shop wants refill stations to become mainstream, it isn't a new invention, quite a few brands offered this service before Covid19 and Lockdown, but it is an important service. We have all got used to hearing the terms 'Terracycle', 'Bring it Back' and refill stations add to the importance of enabling you to do as much as you can to help the planet.

It’s a simple switch that saves a whole lot of plastic. Because when you refill, you throw away less – and it starts with one bottle to replace them all. We’re closing the loop on waste and giving you more ways to shop the products you love, without the wasteful packaging. And with our global footprint, each of our small acts can make a big difference. Make the switch to refill and together we could save over 25 tonnes of plastic per year. 

We’re constantly working towards clever ways to empower people and the planet, so have a peep at how we’re sourcing ethically and sustainably, reviewing our packaging and rolling up our sleeves to help clean up our planet.

With an impressive roll-out of over 400 refill stations being launched in stores across the globe, with a further 400 planned in 2022, this is a bid by The Body Shop to help people like you and me to opt out of the need for excess packaging and eliminate waste before the products we purcashe reach our bathroom shelves.  To do this, refills need to be easy and accessible as well as convenient for everyone as far as possible and this is a great start.

Refills from The Body Shop are currently available for 12 best selling products that are used the most - shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and hand washes for the time being though this might change over time. To get involved, all you need to do is get your Aluminium Bottle from one of the participating stores and ask a member of The Body Shop team to fill up your bottle with whatever product you had wanted to purchase and already you have eliminated the use of one plastic bottle in your home and your routine. Just imagine how much good this could do for the planet - The Body Shop estimates that together we could save over 25 tonnes of plastic every year and you personally could save 32 plastic bottles from going to waste each year and switching to refill could also save your bank balance up to £76 per year, especially if you are a regular visitor to The Body Shop like I am for my Ginger Shampoo and Conditioner!  

If you look around your bathroom, your kitchen and even your beauty stash, how many plastic bottles have you got sitting there? Scary isn't it!

I really like the idea that I can take my bottles, which I was kindly gifted, to my local store, which does have a refill station and stock up on my favourite products instead of using plastic. Better still, when my two bottles arrives, they came packaged inside a RePack bag, it might not sound exciting but it is quite a clever idea! The RePack bag is resuable packaging which you simply attached the return address label too, put it in your nearest post box and it is returned to be used time and time again.

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

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Face Primer

The Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Face Primer is a new product into my stash and is one I have seen on my social media feed and is one that I have been intrigued by for some time. Having recently reviewed the Ole Henriksen Lemonade Smoothing Scrub, I wanted to see just how this would fair as a primer as well as skincare, but anything is possible as we know.

The *Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Face Primer is described as being a vitamin C-powered illuminating makeup primer that delivers instant radiance while improving and extending makeup wear. It was inspired by the much loved 'Banana Powder', a makeup artist must-have product.  It can be worn on its own, used as a primer underneath your makeup, mixed in with your foundation or you can also use it on top of your makeup as a highlighter.

It comes packaged inside a bright orange tube which features a white pump and I really like the consistency of this, with its almost gel like formula, it has an incredible banana scent, which whilst subtle, is noticeable. 

When using this Banana Bright Face Primer, you only need a small amount because it really does give that glow and if you use too much, you end up looking like a shiny disco ball v Edward Cullen in Twilight as he shows himself in the sunlight to Bella (if you know, you know)! On the skin, which I apply with a beauty blender, it is really hydrating and doesn't have that dreaded silicone feel to it, definitely more skincare than makeup feeling.  Depending on my mood, I either wear this on its own and have worn it under my tinted moisturiser when my skin has felt particularly dry, so I can avoid anything sticking to my dry areas of skin. 

Having read so many people rave about this primer, I can see why it is so loved and if you want to try a new primer which is everything and a little bit more, this one ticks all of those boxes because it:

• Instantly brightens
• Improves and extends makeup wear
• Blurs imperfections
• Hydrates

Plus it is also Vegan. Ole Henriksen products are back in the UK and the entire collection is now available from Boots! This Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Face Primer is priced at just £28 for 30ml  or £15 for 15ml right here*.

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