Some may have noticed that things became a little quiet and haphazard on Florence and Mary the past two weeks. Unfortunately I have been unwell with flu which completely wiped me out and left me unable to do anything blog related, I couldn't even muster the energy for a Tweet. Thankfully I'm now feeling fighting fit so it's time for some catching up to do, starting with some skincare empties.
I raved about the First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads in both my May Favourites and my holiday skincare regime posts. I really enjoyed using these pads and found them quick and easy to use whilst actually feeling their effects working as well as seeing it. I was keen to repurchase immediately after noticing that the stack of pre-soaked pads were dwindling but decided to give the Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Pads a try when they were on offer. I plan to do a comparison post of the two shortly so I won't go into too much detail but thus far the Nip+Fab pads are falling a little short.
I have no idea where this Decleor serum came from or why I decided to throw a small size into my routine, maybe during my travels. I do know that I enjoyed using it. Decleor products remind me of old school, traditional beauty. When I was into beauty and skincare in simple terms and before I entered into the whole beauty blogging arena. The scent of this serum takes me back to mini breaks with friends where we treated ourselves to pricey facials and there was something very comforting about using this as part of my evening regime. It's a thick oil with a heavy scent that will not be too everyones tastes but as mentioned for me it put me right into relaxation mode which is just what I want of an evening. It was certainly oily but not unpleasantly so and felt like it was going to work on my skin and was a lifesaver when skin was particularly dehydrated or dull. I would definitely look to repurchase in full size despite it's hefty price tag.
I love Vichy serums but I appear to go through them like water. Maybe not so surprising since Vichy Aqualia Thermal Dynamic Serum is of a watery nature due to Vichy Thermal Spa Water in this product and said to keep continuously hydrated.
My skin is often dehydrated due to smoking, my lack of water intake (why are 8 glasses of wine easier to drink that 8 glasses of water?) and various other elements but I found that this serum would battle against these well and skin would look as if I was living a completely clean healthy lifestyle.
I'm currently trying another similar hydrating serum so I'm keep to see how it fares against Vichy a brand I can always rely on.
Another serum in my stash and one that is New Zealands best seller. As oils and serums go this was another that I preferred for nighttime as I preferred allowing it too sink into the skin and go to work whereas mornings are more of a rushed affair. My skins appearance in the morning was definitely brighter. You can read more in my review here.
A dry skin saviour and a handy size for travel it's a perfect night time treat. A light oil that offers hydration and makes skin looks brighter come morning. I'd definitely repurchase this in a full size for my Winter skincare regime or when skin needs some extra attention. Definitely worth trying if you have dry skin. You may enjoy my other post on Facial Oil Favourites.
Cleansing balms are pretty much a staple in blogger skincare regimes but I must confess my experiences are limited and I've yet to feel it necessary to explore them in great detail. My mum loves Elemis and when I spotted the Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm in her cupboard I asked to give it a try. I would argue this is very familar balm texture and it wasn't exactly pleasant to use. There was quite a waxy scent to the balm and I didn't enjoy the process of scooping from the tub and applying on to my skin. I also feel like I'm tugging at my skin rather than massaging due to it's thick texture. These little niggles aside it was a good product and certainly ensured any make up was removed from skin and there was no dryness to speak of after it's use and skin enjoyed the effects of using it. Whilst I wouldn't necessarily repurchase where I to see it on offer and/or needed a cleansing balm in my routine I wouldn't be against reusing.
I can't get excited about eye creams despite my eyes being my 'problem area' with dark circles and the fine lines associated with being the wrong side of 30. Of course I use them regularly and I don't see them getting worse so it stands to reason the creams I'm using are doing their work.
Hydrating Rhealba Oat seedling extract makes this the perfect eye cream for mornings, especially after my much mentioned late nights.
As mentioned in my holiday skincare regime this eye cream is never ending. I long became bored of using it but stubbornness and intrigue at how long it would actually last meant I kept using it. If you're looking for an eye cream that is cost effective this is the one. Finances aside this is a product that stakes its claims on results rather than fancy packaging. Scientific in its investigations with a no no-nonsense approach this is an eye cream that works for me. Tackling eye wrinkles (check!) and crows feet it's a great formula for use day or night.
Ole Henriksen Cleaning Cloths are something of a blogging favourite. Despite jumping on the bandwagon I've not been overally impressed. Despite lazy attitudes to skincare in the past I've never been one for facial wipes. Yes they've had and still can have a place for late nights or short breaks but I'd rather go in with a simple facial wash that takes little more than time than using a wipe with better results.
So back to Ole Henriksen and the Grease Relief Cleansing Cloths. I picked this pack with botanical AHAs and Eucalptus to exfoliate, clarify and refine pores (in addition to the popular Clean Truth version) thinking they would be ideal for those aforementioned evenings when I didn't want to go into a full regime. Unfortunately the cloths are harsh due to their textured material and just too bumpy that I really felt like I was stripping my skin. Lack of enjoyment at using them meant they have actually dried up before I was able to use the pack in it's entirety.
What skincare favourites have you used up recently?
