REN Clean Skincare EverCalm Redness Relief Serum

One of my absolute favourite brands is REN Clean Skincare and every time they release a new product, you just know it is going to be fabulous, I am yet to find something I really dislike or even am on the fence over and have, in recent years repurchased over and over again the REN Magnesium Booster Bath Salts, The EverCalm Overnight Recovery Balm and the Anti-Fatigue Bath Oil which I adore.  Today however, sees the release of the EverCalm Redness Relief Serum, which has been a bit of a buzz all over social media and it is a product I have had for sometime now, but wanted to try it out before sharing my thoughts.

I was first introduced to the EverCalm range over 5 years ago with the Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask, which my skin still needs from time to time, the EverCalm range is described as being soothing skincare for sensitive and sensitised skin and it is completely free from known allergens and potentially detrimental ingredients.  Anyone can suffer with sensitive or sensitised skin, even if you are not prone to breakouts, don't have a pre-existing skin condition or don't suffer with reactions to certain ingredients, but when your skin does act up, there are signs to look out for such as:

• Redness
• Dryness
• Itchiness
• Flaking
• Discomfort
• Tightness
• Burning sensation

Whilst being alert for any of these problems and concerns, REN has released their new EverCalm Redness Relief Serum which helps manage the issues mention.  Described as being a 'Fast-acting Serum, clinically proven to visibly reduce redness after 30 minutes with continued improvement and sustained relief all day', which if like me you used a clay face mask and your skin did not thank you for, this serum is an absolute must have!

This serum uses a unique formula which is proven to strengthen skin's moisture barrier and help protect from pollution. Velvety smooth on the skin when applied, it uses bioactives such as White Mushroom Extract which helps comfort, calm, reduce the appearance of redness and alleviate the signs of sensitivity and REN's new Defence Complex, Beta-carotene & Biosaccharide which helps to combat potentially sensitising free radicals from environmental pollution.

REN never makes claims they cannot stand by when it comes to their products and this Redness Relief Serum has been tested. In a recent consumer study evaluation of 100 men and women, 76% said their skin appeared less red immediately after use; 83% said their skin appeared less red after 8 hours and 87% said their skin appeared less red after 24 hours.  I recently trialled a new skincare mask, it sounded absolutely wonderful from the description, but I should have read the list of ingredients a little better because it contained Kaolin Clay and my skin does not like it as an ingredient and I immediately felt a burning sensation on my cheeks and had to remove the mask very quickly. 

To use, the advice is to simply spread a hazelnut-sized amount between hands and press over clean skin till absorbed, starting with those areas of high sensitivity and then working outwards. The pressing motion helps reduce friction compared to massaging should your skin feel sensitive to the touch and better still, if your serum lives in the fridge like mine, then it feels ever better being applied to the skin.

On my skin, after using the facemask, it was an absolute delight to use. Usually I would be grabbing some Aloe Vera or even the Calamine Lotion to soothe my skin, but was able to use this serum and it did calm my skin right down and the redness did subside much quicker than I was expecting, plus it wasn't noticeable when wearing a tinted serum, when usually I am glowing like a Belisha Beacon after trying anything clay related.

The REN Clean Skincare EverCalm Redness Relief Serum is priced at £45 for 30ml and it is worth every single penny and more in my view!

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

Aldi hair mask - is it a dupe?

I have shared a lot of the Aldi Lacura range on my blog and in recent months, more and more people message me and ask if I have tried this or have I tried that. The last product I shared was the Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm dupe, which I liked but didn’t love. Today is the turn of the Lacura Hair mask, some say it’s a dupe of the Coco and Eve Like A Virgin Mask - it isn’t a mask I have tried, but a good friend of mine swears they are pretty similar!

Aldi’s Lacura Hair Mask is priced at just £4.99, though I managed to grab it for just £1.99 in store and when compared to the Cocoa and Eve mask I previously mentioned, which costs £32.90, it isn’t hard to see why this Aldi hair mask is a constant sell out everytime it comes back into stock - which it has done between my purchasing it and writing my review.

The Aldi Lacura mask comes packaged in a floral box and inside the tub is bright pink, the Coco and Eve mask is sold in a similar looking tub but with a lighter pink base and green lid - so not quite the dupe at this stage. The one thing Aldi does well is similarities, you can usually tell what the product is there to dupe by looking at it, with this, it is not the case. However, when it comes to ingredients both feature coconut and fig on their list and both are designed to nourish dry, struggling hair which is in need of some TLC.

Aldi describes the mask as the ‘perfect addition to your beauty regime.’ For me, any hair care routine needs a hair mask. I try and apply one at least once a week!

Transform your hair with a Lacura Hair Mask,’ they write. ‘Deep treat your hair 2-3 times a week with this nourishing hair mask. You’ll be left feeling refreshed, revitalised and most importantly relaxed.

This mask is said to be a 5-in-1 mask that works to revive, restore, repair, tame, and deeply conditions as well as working to target frizz and help the appearance of split ends. Now this is quite the claim. Vegan and cruelty-free, this is a hair mask which smells absolutely delightful and reminds me of holidays, it is quite thick and luxurious, so it is a case of a little goes a long way and it is easy to use.

The Lacura Hair Mask states that you should apply a generous amount of the product to damp hair after washing it and then leaving it on your hair for up to ten minutes before rinsing it out with warm water. As an extra treat, you can also leave the hair mask in overnight if your hair is extra damaged and this gives you a deeper treatment for your hair, which you rinse out the following morning. My hair hasn’t seen a salon for the longest time I can remember, my local salon where I went regularly doesn’t have the same appeal since my stylist left the U.K. to go back to New Zealand, so whilst I decide what to do with my hair, I need all the help I can get because it is very unruly with a life of it’s own, not to mention that it is also half way down my back when usually it sits comfortably on and around my shoulders!

As I’ve said, this mask does have a luxurious feel to it and it does smell absolutely delightful. I have used it both as a weekly mask and have tried the option of using it overnight and I have to say, it has impressed me. My hair felt softer and smoother to the touch, not as much frizz as I expected to have and it didn’t weight my hair down or leave it feeling greasy - all of which has really impressed me and I can see why it gets the rave reviews it has been getting!

This mask has again currently sold out, but if you see it in the future, it is definitely one to try and it costs less than £5!

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

Cloud 10 Beauty 12 Days of Slay Gift Set Vol. IV Advent Calendar 2021

Following on from the 2020 Cloud 10 Beauty 12 Days of Slay Vol III Beauty Advent Calendar which sold out in under 12 hours, they are back again for 2021 with the Cloud 10 Beauty 12 Days of Slay Gift Set Vol. IV offering.

Packaged inside a navy blue box, the 12 Days of Slay is said to be worth over €310 and whilst there has been no sneak previews as to what we might find inside, if it is anything like previous years, brands such as Alpha-H, Benefit, Stila and Pixi have all featured with everything from makeup and skincare to body care and the 2020 Advent Calendar was priced at £71.

To get your hands on this Advent Calendar from Cloud 10 Beauty, there is a waiting list here to sign up to and as more information is revealed, I will update this post.

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

Bath & Body Works coming to Next?

I am a huge fan of some of the ranges available from Bath & Body Works. It’s quite the phenomenon here in the U.K. because it’s predominately available in the USA and some European destinations, however, if you are desperate to get your hands on products, there is Facebook groups dedicated to selling the merchandise at a price. But could all that change?

Yesterday in a few of the Facebook Groups mentioned above, there was quite the excitement that Bath & Body Works has landed here in the U.K. with none other than Next!   

In recent years, Next has really upped its game in the Beauty department with its regular beauty box launches and they also happen to have some incredible brands within their listings as I discovered yesterday, but I did also find links to Bath & Body Works products! Here is some of what I found!

I am delighted to see the Aromatherapy Range is present, more so that on a closer inspection, my favourite Stress Relief range, which smells incredible and I’ve shared it many times on my blog. There is also hand wash and the famous three wick candles which can sell upwards of £30 if sourcing them online via BBW sellers and I am hopeful we will also see the pocket Anti-bacs which I ordered in bulk just before lockdown because it is just so good and easy to put into your handbag.

So where and what can you find on Next?  

If you want Candles, the three-wick candles are incredibly popular and Next has 22 of them on their site, you will find candles such as Champagne Toast, Dark Kiss, Eucalyptus Mint, Island Day Dream, Fiji White Sands and Rosewater and Ivy to name a few, but some are already out of stock.  They are priced at £24.50, though there is to be a promo applied which entitles you to purchase two for £35!

Some of my favourite products have come from the Bath and Shower range and again on Next, there is an offering of the Aromatherapy Range which I just adore and from there you have Black Chamomile, Eucalyptus Spearmint, Orange Ginger, Lavender Vanilla and Eucalyptus Tea.  They are priced at £11.50 for 295ml and are again on an offer of 3 for 2. Keeping with the Aromatherapy Range is also a selection of bath salts, all of which I have raved about and they are also part of the 3 for 2 offering.

For the Bath & Body Works Shower Gels there is a choice of 16 different ones and it includes A Thousand Wishes, Hello Beautiful, In the Stars, Rose and Peony to name a few and they are priced at £11.50 for 295ml.  The Shower Gels will be on a 3 for 2 promo, so worth keeping an eye out for that to stock up!

Another big seller of the Bath & Body Works products are their Fragrance Mists and Next is offering a selection of 15 different options which includes - A Thousand Wishes, Hello Beautiful, Japanese Cherry Blossom and Gingham.  They are priced at £13.50 for 236ml and will be on a 3 for 2 offer.  With the scent section also comes perfumes and colognes, if that is more your style.

If you are more of a Pillow Mist fan, then from the Aromatherapy range is a choice of three different options - Black Chamomile, Rose Lavender or Lavender Vanilla and they are priced at £13.50 for 156ml.

If it is the Bath & Body Works Gentle Hand Soap that you really want, Next has 9 different ones on their site and they include Cactus Blossom, Champagne Toast, Crisp Morning Air, Eucalyptus Mint, Honolulu Sun, Kitchen Lemon, Mahogany Teakwood, Rosewater & Ivy and Waikiki Beach Coconut.  They are priced at £7.50 for 236ml and it is worth noting that there is t be a promo offer of two for £10, so worth waiting for that!

The final item is the Bath & Body Works Foaming Hand Soap, one of the Facebook Groups favourite types of soaps.  Next has 16 different ones on their site currently and they include: Kitchen Lemon, Japanese Cherry Blossom, Gingham, Warm Vanilla Sugar, Cactus Blossom, Champagne Toast, Eucalyptus Mint, Black Cherry Merlot, Mahogany Teakwood, Crisp Morning Air, French Lavender, Eucalyptus Spearmint, Fiji White Sands, Black Cherry Merlot and Peach Bellini. As with the Gentle Hand Soaps, these ones will also be included within the two for £10 promo offering. They are priced currently at £7.50 for 259ml.

If you are still not sure, there is a small selection of travel sized products on offer too and they can be found here.

I only hope there is more to come from this partnership with Next and Bath & Body Works, I know a lot of people have been hankering after the brand returning to the UK after leaving many moons ago and Next seemed to have managed to do just that! I will update this post with further links as I get them because I have seen other products being shared, but the links aren't currently live.

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