My Favourite Exfoliating Toners

Skincare is one of the hardest areas I find to review on Florence and Mary. I am lucky in that I have ‘good skin’ and aside from the minor complaints that come with age and my smoking habit I’m lucky that the products that come through my door work well for me. When you have ‘good skin’ you can often wonder if the product is really working or is it just good genes at play and beyond user experience, textures and packaging niggles that put together ones opinion, it is often that, my opinion and experience I can share with you. That is why I love acid toning because you ‘feel’ the product working. This might be another of those aspects that fools one into believing a product is doing its bit but nonetheless if there’s one product I tend to throw my money behind its acid toners, specifically acid toning pads.

What is acid toning? Well it’s certainly something that I hadn’t come across until I started blogging and I think it’s safe to say Caroline Hirons has brought it to the forefront with most of us using acids in our daily skincare regimes. In short we no longer need harsh abrasive products to exfoliate the skin and instead can use liquids, that contain acids to resurface the skin. And we can use many of these products daily which helps our pricey serums penetrate the skin and go to work under far better conditions working to improve the texture of our skin.

It’s far better to hear ‘exfoliating toners’ than ‘acid toner’ as a layman as exfoliating is a familiar term and whilst acid is too, it’s more of a negative connotation than to benefit skin. That said the world of blogging has broadened our horizons and we’re becoming more knowledge about ‘acids’, simply an ingredient in our skincare products which will make various improvements whether it’s Glycolic for resurfacing or Salicylic for acne. Essentially benefits you will see from exfoliating toners include brightening the complexion, reducing the appearance of pores and tackling pigmentation.

My favourite method of using an exfoliating toner is the pre-soaked pads I’m sharing with you today. It keeps things simple, no worries when I run out of cotton wool, second guessing how much to use or how long a bottle of liquid will last. I also love exfoliating toner as whilst I like to do this as part of my everyday regime regularly readers know that I can be a little slack, especially after a night out. These toning pads are fantastic for instant quick fixes when I have abandoned my lotions and potions for a day or two and when they really earn their points.

Before I dive in and share my thoughts on the individual products a couple of points of note. As I’ve mentioned my skin is normal, good and not sensitive at all, if you have any specific complaints make sure you pay attention to the different strengths available and patch test. I will cleanse using a flannel and the product I reach for will depend on what I’m looking for on that occasion. Sometimes I need a more aggressive exfoliation, others it’s just keeping on top of things. I reach for a hydrating toner following their application, at the moment the Pixi Hydrating Mist mentioned in this post. Make sure you apply SPF when using acid toners, and for this reason I tend to leave them behind when travelling. Whilst I use SPF regularly and certainly on holiday I’m nervous of causing any unnecessary irritation.

First up we have Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Pads which are the affordable option at £12.50 for 60 pads. I even managed to pick these up in Superdrug on offer so keep eyes peeled. Nip+Fab claim these are ‘radiance boosting pads’ and contain glycolic acid to resurface and with hazel to help tone. I find these suit my everyday needs as they don’t pack as much of a punch as my other offerings. If you’re looking for entry level acid toning or suffer from sensitive skin these might be a good place to start. I feel like I want a little more so I’m keen to try the extreme version next.

You can doubt whether acid toning came to the forefront of our minds due to Caroline Hirons but PixiGlow Tonic certainly made waves when Caroline mentioned it on her blog. I too jumped on the hype and was able to order the old style pump bottle from their London store. I don’t know if you can blame my early knowledge of skincare or the faulty pump dispenser but I wasn’t particularly wowed on first use and it actually went off before I was able to use and pass judgement properly. Now I have the Pixi Glow Peel Pads* in my arsenal which are making far more of an impression. Containing 20% Glycolic Acid compared to just under 3% in the aforementioned Nip+Fab version this tick my boxes for packing more of a punch. I can still use these daily without any concerns although at a higher price point, £24 for 60 pads, I like to adopt an every other day approach. I still only get a slight tingle with these but enough of one that I feel it’s going to work.

Really I shouldn’t feature Clearasil Superfruits Refreshing Pads as they are no longer available, but they are worth noting because they are amazing! Caroline once again mentioned these and at the time they were available for a few pounds and their limited availability sucked me in. These are the exfoliating pads I reach for when I’ve been ill, had the hangover that makes me want to abandon ever drinking again, in short when my skin is in a right old mess. Those days when skin looks dull, feels rough to touch this affordable option works a treat. I do find the pads can be a little rough and these are the harsher option but I can literally feel my skin tingly as they go to work and I love it. Clearasil Rapid Action Pads are available but if the mumblings I’ve heard so far are anything to go by they do not match up.

And finally, and what I think were my first purchase is the First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads. This match Pixi in price, well they’re a little cheaper at £22 but let’s not split hairs. These first made waves in the US and it was there I picked up one of the smaller sizes to test out at home. These are another entry level and I pit them with Nip+Fab in strength. I can easily use these regularly without any worries and a slight tingle but if I was picking based on price and punch then Pixi pip the post for me.

Far more exciting is that I’ve managed to get my hands on L’Oreals Revitalift Bright Reveal Peel Pads which are not available in the UK (thank you friends in the US!) and I’m looking forward to putting them to test over the coming weeks. I shall report back.

Are you a fan of acid toning? Share your favourite products in the comments.

*this post contains press samples and affiliate links

Book Review | The Girl In the Red Coat

Eight year old Carmel has always been different - sensitive, distracted, with an heart-stopping tendency to go missing. Her moth Beth, newly single, worries about her daughters strangeness, especially as she is trying to rebuild a life for the two of them on her own.

When she takes Carmel for an outing to a local festival, her worst fear is realised: Carmel disappears into the crowd. Unable to accept the possibility that her daughter might be gone for good, Beth embarks on a mission to find her. Meanwhile, Carmel begins an extraordinary and terrifying journey of her own. But do the real clues to Carmel's disappearance lie in the otherworldly qualities her mother had only begun to guess at? 

I really did not enjoy this book. At all. I only read The Girl in the Red Coat in its entirety because I started a couple of days before I went on holiday and thought I'd persevere knowing it wouldn't come on holiday with me. Then I returned from holiday having not returned it to the library so I thought I'd give it a further try and it was only stubbornness and that post holiday lull that kept me turning pages. And it was very much turning pages I did end up skim reading a lot of it as I just found it so boring.

When I first saw this book turning up in my Amazon recommendations it was the cover that appealed, thinking it was along the lines of The Girl on the Train. When I read further I didn't think that the 'parental' aspect of the story would appeal. Marketing done well it's regular appearance meant I eventually placed an order with the library and into my hands it came.

Whilst I may not be a parent I've still had the panic when one of my niece and nephews disappears from sight even momentarily and it gave a somewhat intriguing storyline that made me think there was plenty to keep turning the page.

I will of course write without any spoilers to the best of my abilities but it's often hard to write a negative review without being a little detailed. My main problem is I felt the story was boring and the strands of the story were never fully explored nor explained. Everything felt implied, simply touched on and then moved over. It also felt repetitive in some details, whilst, and now I'm repeating myself, going into the full details of the story.

The story is told with two voices, mother and daughter although the daughter for an 8 year old, no matter how weird seemed far too mature to relate, even if she was 'strange'. How she came to be abducted is never explained, some characters just simply disappeared, nor explanation of why they were there in the first place. Of course I've mentioned skim reading the book so perhaps I missed vital lines but I don't believe so, I just think they were missing.

Of course the reward for finishing this book would be at best a satisfactory ending. Sadly there was not. It felt rushed, after the drawn out middle of the book then ending appeared to just do that, end. I was sitting there thinking is that it. For the chid abduction element of the story I would hope to feel something more emotive.

I would love to know if you have read this book, it is indeed a best seller and highly spoke of so perhaps its just not to my style. It's clearly not to my liking.

High Street Sun Protection

Unlike my holidays last year I had a smaller range of sun protection to take with to Menorca and put to the test, including two products that were new to me and from less fancy brands. The first is from Soleil Suncare*, Tesco's own brand. I tested out the SPF30 which is an affordable £3.50 and can be thrown into the shopping basket with your milk and eggs.

This isn't a 'luxurious' formula and reminds me of your old and traditional types but it was inoffensive and did the job intended. Despite it's smaller price point it's still dermatologically tested and contains vitamin E, omega oil and green tea to moisturise the skin. More importantly it protects as you want and I didn't burn at all whilst using this. Because of it's slightly thicker formula I preferred to use on my legs, especially if I'd shaved them in the morning. There is a slight white cast that you need to ensure you rub in thoroughly but I can't complain. Ben also used this and I might suggest that this is one you can push into the hands of your gentleman friends who aren't too worried about what products they're using and save the fancy stuff for yourself.

Reimann P20 Once a Day Sun Protection Spray* is an old and familiar favourite that I enjoyed using last year, particularly as it's spray allows you to apply to your back if you haven't a friend to hand. It's major selling point is it's water resistant claims and that it protects for up to 10 hours. I'm always cautious about these claims but it is reassuring if you end up falling asleep in the sun or are spending the day walking around unexpected without a top up to hand. My only complain about this product, aside from a high price point is that it does stain clothing. I had a couple of white items on holiday that unfortunately will not make an appearance on my next holiday,

Of course it's important not to give some extra attention to the face when in the sun, and despite wearing a hat most of the time I wanted to ensure I was covered. On my recent trip I used Solero Facial Anti-Ageing Suncream* in SPF 30. Solero is the suncare brand from Lloyds Pharmacy which has been created to protect against Infrared-A(IR-A), a third of the sun's damaging rays which cause both short and long term damage yet often omitted from other brands products.

Whilst I have used Lloyds Pharmacy products before with success I was slightly dubious about how I would find their suncream. I used this in place of a morning moisturiser and it is certainly thicker than some products and a little heavier on application but it sinks into skin nicely and I was happy with it's appearance. The biggest concern with SPF is always that it can lead to breakouts, especially if it's not washed properly. Despite it being that time of the month during my trip, and when I'm most prone to hormonal breakouts I didn't experience one and this was a week I wasn't double cleansing or acid toning... and yes if I'm honest I'm sure there was a night or two I just reached for a face wipe.

Usually I would leave behind any sun care preferring not to use up valuable luggage allowance but this time I have packed away ready to use on my trip to Italy next month. Happy with the results I'm in no need to replace with alternatives and it's great to know that if I were invited on a last minute trip (if only!) then I could easily nip to my local high street and find products just as good as the more well known or fancier brands.

What sun care do you like to use on holiday?

*this post contains press samples and affiliate links

Pycnogenol Challenge with Holland & Barrett

Whilst I cover skincare frequently on Florence and Mary I am no expert. Of course over the course of testing and trialling products I am able to review on these pages and make recommendations for friends, learning more and more about the ingredients that make up some of our favourite products.

A new ingredient I have recently learned of is Pycnogenol, used in many skincare products such as Clarins Double Serum* but can be taken in supplement form available from Holland & Barrett. I could of course recite all the clinical studies that have been carried out and blind you with science but in short Pycnogenol is 50 times more potent than Vitamin E and 20 times more powerful than Vitamin C and whatever for you choose to take it, it will enhance skin skin elasticity and leave you with healthy glowing skin.

I was asked to take the Pycnogenol supplements whilst using Clarins Double Serum and report back on my findings. There are a number of things I can state from my experience before talking about the products further. Using the serum was easily done. It slotted into my skincare regime easily and worked alongside other products I was testing. It was quite a nice experience to use a product in its entirety before switching to something new and you will see it appear in my monthly empties post.

Using the supplements was less easy to get used to. I found that putting them on my desk at work helped as I would take one before lunch but I did forget here and there. I've never been someone to readily take supplements so this was a new experience to me and these aren't something 'cheap' to pick up but if used properly in comparison to the cost of some skincare products or if you're not particularly into your skincare it could easily be an alternative.

Over the month period in which I used these products I was pleased with the results and can still see them paying off. Pycnogenol will even increase the presence of Hyaluronic Acid and Collagen in the skin, which if you read my earlier post about Hydrating Skincare from Pixi you'll know I'm often keen for a boost in those areas. I certainly found that my skin looked better in appearance, more luminous and any lines were less evident.

I often talk about skincare and say it's often hard to say what is and isn't working, and what results would or wouldn't be evident using just a basic regime but I can't deny that despite late nights, exposure to the sun - another benefit of using Pycnogenol is prevention of UV damage - and all the other stresses I put my skin through I've had none of the usual side effects evident. It's interesting to note that as I type this post and have come to the end of the trial I'm finding one or two of the other niggles rearing their head whether it's dry patch or a new line deepening.

I'm keen to explore this trial further, wondering whether I can use the supplements alongside other serums in my skincare cabinet and I'll still see the benefits - I just need to remember to take them regularly!

Do you regularly use skincare supplements or is this a new concept for you?

*this post contains press samples and affiliate links

Book Review | Modern Retro by Caroline Clifton-Mogg

Modern Retro by Caroline Clifton-Mogg* arrived perfectly in the midst of the redesign of my front room and if I needed it confirmed perfectly I was on the right track. For those that have followed me blogging for some time will know that one of the main reasons I started to blog was my desire to live in my own home and decorate it. Back then I was all about shabby chic style and loved nothing more than shopping at boot sales for vintage treasures to decorate my home in, in fact I had read other titles from Caroline Clifton-Mogg during my 'research'. 

I have loved decorating my home over the years, and despite living in rented property I'm allowed something of free reign to decorate as I see fit and friends often marvel at how often I change my home. The problem is I haven't known quite what style is mine. I like modern and sleek, I like country and cluttered, white walls appeal but then I need colour, it's a common joke I like 'themes' but what do you do when you want to mould all of those themes into one home?

As much as I'd love the Pinterest home of dreams it's important to have a home that you enjoy and the most important thing I've found, fits your lifestyle. For me that was 'Modern Retro' or Mid-Century Design. As Caroline describes in her book Modern Retro is about how to work twentieth century design with modern contemporary styles with a little vintage and antique thrown in. 

Throughout the book are inspiration images of real homes which I can only aspire to. I didn't want to immediately spend hundreds on antique furniture so instead went for cheap and cheerful Monty range at Very as something of a tester for the look I was going for. It mixes well with the side table which I took from my parents home, a tradition as it originally came from my mum's parents so it's a great piece I've finally been able to work into my home design.

What one can always take from books of this style is ideas and confidence to put your own into practice. Yes a bright yellow armchair will work with a zebra print rug and more contemporary sofa despite being apprehensive. Using a book rather than a magazine means you have to work your own vision rather than having a pre-made shopping list to head to the store with. Also I find a home interior book can often be more enjoyable than magazines, often just filled with adverts. 

I love reading interiors books at bedtime, often far easier to digest than a regular book that can leave you up all night turning the pages. Modern Retro is filled with easily digestible chapters on every topic from lighting to camper vans so you can read a little or simply pour over the images. 

Where its a particularly room in your home or just one aspect in particularly you're looking to inject some colour or modern style then this book will certainly help with inspiration.

You can take a look at some images I posted on Instagram back in October when my living room was coming together. If you'd like a more detailed home tour let me know.

Are you a fan of home interior books?

*this post contains press samples and affiliate links