The Jo Malone Vitamin E Collection

Flying 12 hours usually messes with my skin quite a lot.

The dry air coupled with a long day pre-flight usually means dry, chapped and slightly irritated skin after a long haul flight.

I applied this twice on the flight and got off the plane looking refreshed and I already had my sun protection in check.

Well since I like to hit the ground running on a holiday (no sleeping in!), I’m glad I packed the Jo Malone Vitamin E Moisturising Day Creme in my carry-on. Just a little bit of this rich textured yet light feeling moisturiser is enough to soothe your skin and keep it moisturised for hours.

I applied this twice on the flight and got off the plane looking refreshed and I already had my sun protection in check. Brilliant if you travel frequently or generally have dry skin, I’d avoid using this regularly if you have oily skin though – it’s a bit rich.

Highly recommended – buy it here.

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum

Like a daily vitamin for your face, this high powered vitamin C complex helps smooth out lines and wrinkles and prevents further damage. Loaded with antioxidants to fight off environmental aggressors and moisture-binding ingredients to keep your skin nourished and protected, Truth Serum – Collagen Booster is absorbed instantly and penetrates to the deeper layers of the skin to provide long term results. Sensitive skin prone to irritation will benefit immensely from the calming properties of this oil-free serum.

This lightweight serum is best used during the day, underneath sunscreen if you can. It’s a watery, orange gel (smells good) that holds lots of antioxidants, hyaluronic acid and a good dose of vitamin C for good measure.

It completely drenches the skin in moisture but after a few seconds of massage it sinks in completely. You’re left with supple, well hydrated skin with no hint of shiny/oilyness.

After around 3 weeks of using it, my skin looks brighter (thanks to the vitamin C and antioxidants) but better still, it’s kept any trace of dryness away from my skin all winter. It’s brilliant at hydrating and so counteracts the cold air and central heating that usually leaves skin looking a bit dry and dead during this time of year.

Buy this if you want to kill two birds with one stone.

Powder > Cream!

These are both powder products that, once massaged, turn into extremely light mattifying creams. They really feel like nothing on the skin and added to that they don’t look like regular skincare and aren’t nearly as messy for travel. All those elements together make these two products perfect for those who aren’t huge fans of skincare. If you are into keeping your skin in good shape then you’re in good hands too, these products are formulated well and contain ingredients that leave the skin looking bright and healthy.

On to the reviews!

Illuminating Care Powder

A daily skincare product formulated in a cutting-edge powder texture to illuminate, mattify and perfect skin. It contains high doses of pure and active Vitamin C, recognized in the field of dermatology for its anti-aging and antioxidant power.

Pros

• Contains a decent amount of Vitamin C and peptides to keep the skin bright and plump.

• Feels like nothing on the skin.

• Perfectly mattifying and a tiny bit hydrating – if you have oily skin you’ll love this. You can even apply this over your regular moisturiser as a mattifying and antioxidant boost or just throughout the day if you get shiny.

• Instantly makes skin look instantly smoother thanks to the silconey texture.

Cons

• No sunscreen.

• At £44 the price is a bit steep. You don’t have to use much of this but i’d say it’s definitely more of a luxury product.

• It contains some nice ingredients but nothing groundbreaking. I think the real draw is the fact that it’s a powder.

Perfect Eyes Powder

A daily eye contour care product in the form of a powder to correct all peri-ocular imperfections: dull-looking eyes, under-eye bags, dark circles and fine lines. Enriched with pure Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), recognised in dermatology for its anti-ageing and revitalizing action.

Pros

• Again, it’s a powder so it feels like nothing on the skin.

• Absorbs oil, good if your eye area gets a bit shiny.

• Caffeine and vitamin C help to brighten up the eye area a bit and de-puff.

Cons

• I think this is too mattifying a product to use around the eyes – I found that after a while this started to pull against my eyes when applying and left them looking a bit dry and lined.

• This contains half as much powder as the face product but doesn’t cost half as much. I would recommend skipping this and just using the face powder under your eyes too.

All in all I’d say these products are quite nice. The eye powder is pretty average but the face one is fantastic; well worth buying if you have oily skin or don’t like the feel of regular moisturisers on your face. Not only that, you can use it on top of your regular moisturisers to mattify during the day (a job that it’s very good at).

Skeen also do a range of traditional ‘liquid’ products that i’ll be reviewing shortly! You can buy Skeen products here.

Arcona Magic White Ice

I’ve been chatting to a few dermatologists in the know recently, a few of which were raving about the Arcona Magic White Ice hydrating gel. Now I haven’t tried this myself (yet!) but I’ve heard glowing reports from a lot of people and looking at the ingredients list I can see why it works so well – enough for me to happily recommend it to others!

Daily hydrating gel moisturizes deep within the dermis without clogging pores, to protect against environmental damage and leave skin fresh and dewy. Moisturize skin with white cranberry complex, hyaluronic acid and mucopolysaccharides. Neutralize free radicals with proprietary mineral complex of beta-carotene, vitamins B-5, C and E. Clarify skin with anti-microbial totara extract and grapefruit complex.

This can be used as a serum for dry skin or as a mosituriser for normal to oily skin. It’s completely packed full of moisture and potent antioxidants to help hydrate and protect the skin in a base that shouldn’t aggravate even acne prone skin. It’s also anti-bacterial/anti-fungal which helps to control acne. I’ve heard brilliant succes stories of people with acne prone skin that can’t handle regular moisturisers, dehydrated skin and even people with seborrheic dermatitis and eczema!

I’d recommend looking into this if you have sensitive skin, acne prone skin or skin that’s generally dehydrated and a bit dull – something a lot of us have this winter. I’d never heard of this brand before now and i’m excited to try a few bits from it. If you’ve already tried it, let me know in the comments!

Yikes, this update is a bit late (sorry!) but I think that sort of sets the tone for this review. Having started the Imedeen challenge (3 months using the formula) I decided to buy a set for a skincare phobic friend too – just to compare any differences since my skin is pretty well cared-for already. The results weren’t astounding but there was something there…

My friend:

• Skin looked a bit ‘perkier’ – as though it had plumped up a bit.

• Skin seems less dry despite no changes in skincare habits.

Me:

• Not much! I thought I looked a bit healthier in general but that probably the placebo effect of taking pills every day…

Overall: If you’re completely averse to using skincare (for whatever reason) Imedeen for Men seems to help keep your skin looking and feeling better than it would if you weren’t using anything. If you do take care of your skin (even with the basics) chances are you won’t see a difference.

To be honest, I think you might be better off exercising more, eating more fish and taking a high quality supplement every day.

One for oily skin and/or acne prones…

The #1 dermatologist recommended acne-fighting cleanser-Neutrogena® Oil-Free Acne Wash now comes with an uplifting blast of pink grapefruit! With maximum strength Salicylic Acid acne medicine boosted by MicroClear® technology, Neutrogena® Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash powerfully treats and helps prevent breakouts—even blackheads. This unique formula contains 100% naturally derived grapefruit extract plus vitamin C. It eliminates oil and dirt, and rinses clean without over-drying.

I like the regular version of this cleanser and this one is basically the same thing but with a bit of grapefruit in it. The result? Works just as well but smells much better!

What is it? A foaming cleanser formulated with a good amount of Salicylic acid, massaged into skin for 30 seconds to a minute should give it enough time to help clean the skin as well as break down a few clogs. Nothing major but it’ll do more than a regular foaming cleanser.

Who should use it? Anyone with oily, acne-prone skin may want to try this. Word of warning, it can tend to dry skin out so if you have dry, normal or combination skin you may want to avoid this entirely. Remember to use a moisturiser afterwards!

Results? Bright, clean skin! It does a good job at keeping skin clean and should help to control oil for people with oily skin.

Definitely worth checking this one out if you’re oily/very oily, acne-prone and looking for an affordable cleanser! This makes my combination skin a little dry so I don’t use it but it works brilliantly on friends with oily skin. You can buy this at most major drugstores and Boots.

When you’ve got about 10 minutes to shower, shave, dress and get out of the front door, multi-tasking products are a lifesaver. I’m a huge fan of Original Source products for that reason (as you may already know) – they’re cheap (around £2.20), smell great and work well.

They’ve recently added two products to their range – Black Pepper and Sea Salt Sports Wash and White Clay and Rock Fennel Hair & Body Wash. Check out the details below!

Black Pepper and Sea Salt Sports Wash – I’ve never heard of a ‘Sports Wash’ before but I like the idea of using warming pepper and purifying salt in the shower after a workout…

The black peppercorns work hard to help revitalise your muscles, whilst the natural sea salt ensures you are totally refreshed and ready to go.

White Clay and Rock Fennel Hair & Body Wash – This sounds great, a moisturising hair/body wash should keep your skin from feeling tight post-shower as well as keeping your hair in good shape.

Aromatic Rock Fennel blended with soothing white clay, creates an ideal combination for this Hair & Body Wash, ensuring you feel completely revived every day.

Both are available from an RRP of £2.20 from Boots, Superdrug and all good supermarkets.

You can browse the entire range here, follow Original Source on Twitter here and on Facebook here – worth doing if you want news and free stuff!

This is a sponsored post, written by yours truly!

Laser facials have been proven time and time again to be incredibly effective for your skin – far more than, say, a regular spa facial.

The only problems (for me at least) are inconvenience and cost.

However Philips have targeted both problems with their new skincare system, ReAura – and it looks like a winner?

The Philips ReAura is the first at-home system to use the same technology used in Fraxel laser facials to improve the look of the skin. I’ll be trialling it soon and giving you a detailed breakdown but in the meantime, some facts!

• 93% of the users saw visible improvement in their skin’s appearance (55 users in home use study, photos taken after last treatment)
• Results were after 12 weeks of home-use by 64 users. Results are based on analysis of before and after pictures by independent dermatologists
• Three months after the last treatment, 4 out of 5 users still see an improvement in their skin’s overall appearance.  Result observed by users (8-12 weeks home-use, 67 users)

Interested? It’s available exclusively at SpaceNK.

Here are a few products that have been keeping me looking decent despite maybe 4 hours of a sleep a day.

1. NIA24 Rapid Exfoliating Serum – Like the original, this contains 4% Niacin to heal the skin and keep it bright, calm-looking and prepared for the next day’s shaving. This is a lot runnier than the Skin Strengthening Complex I usually use and the addition of witch hazel keeps ingrowns/breakouts at bay. Review coming soon!

2. Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque - This is a ‘hero product’ from the Dermalogica line and I can see why. It’s a thick, slightly oily, orange cream that doesn’t dry on the skin like a clay mask would. Instead it provides a surge of moisture while the vitamins, retinol and acids help to brighten and perk skin up. Tired skin often looks dry and dehydrated, which generally makes it look worse for wear. 15 minutes with this masque on and you instantly look as though you’ve had a good few hours of sleep. I’ve been using this twice a week before bed.

3. Polaar Icy Magic – This is a fantastic eye roll-on product that puts my previous Garnier staple to shame. Just roll it under your eyes to instantly hydrate and cool the area. It really does feel icy cold under the eyes which is a lifesaver for puffy morning-eyes and as a pick-me-up throughout the day.

4. Olay Regenerist 3-point Serum - Not only is this a good piece of skincare that helps to repair tired skin, the opalescent sheen to the product helps to make skin look illuminated and awake. In short it’s an easy way to fake the look of well rested and well moisturised skin. Used in the morning it just makes you look more alive. Still not liking the smell though.

And that’s it! 4 products that have kept me looking as though I belong in the land of the living – even when I really really feel like I don’t.

Up for review today is the Dermalogica ChromaWhite TRx® – 6 products that aim to help protect and brighten the skin, all in one handy set to take all the work out of selecting them! I’ll only be reviewing 4 products from the range – skipping the cleansers since my set was an older edition.

Before we get into that; let’s discuss the name ChromaWhite for a sec, shall we? There are no products freely available on the market that can actually lighten your skin colour beyond it’s natural tone. The reason being that it’s incredibly dangerous and risky to do so. Most products that promise to brighten skin tone do so by sloughing off years of accumulated sun damage on the skin and taking you back to the skin tone you were born with. That’s the case with the Chromawhite series from Dermalogica. Don’t worry, it won’t Michael Jackson your face but you may be surprised to find just how much brighter your skin looks once your accumulated sun tan and freckles wear off.

As with all skincare sets, there were some so-so products in this series as well as a few brilliant finds. Thankfully you can purchase everything individually too!

Dermalogica Chroma White TRx C-12 Concentrate

Dermalogica Chroma White TRx C-12 Concentrate

Dermalogica C-12 Concentrate is a silky rich, high potency treatment that brightens, helps treat cellular discolouration and improves skin clarity. Velvety silicones absorb quickly to condition skin and help reinforce the barrier lipid layer.

This is a silicone rich serm, quite moisturising and it does a good job at keeping skin calm and happy throughout the day. It also contains oligopeptide-34 to help reduce hyperpigmentation but i’d say the effect of this is mild at best. It’ll be fine if you have light or recent sun damage but if your skin’s in really bad shape this may not be potent enough to do much for you.

ChromaWhite Extreme C

Dermalogica ChromaWhite Extreme C

Dermalogica Extreme C is a unique powder-to-emulsion treatment which delivers a high concentration of Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP) combined with brightening agents and exfoliants to optimise skin clarity. Glides gently over skin or can be blended with your presribed Dermalogica Moisturiser.

Works exactly like the Skeen+ products in that it’s a powder that turns into a cream once it touches the skin. This is a pretty great product, it contains mild exfoliators along with skin brighteners like Niacinamide and Vitamin C (Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate) to help fade specific spots of sun damage. It’s a very small amount but since you’re meant to spot-apply after using a serum, it lasts quite a long time. It faded an old acne scar of mine really well.

Dermalogica Pure Light SPF 30

Dermalogica Pure Light SPF 30

Dermalogica Pure Light SPF 30 is a medium weight daytime moisturiser that conditions and brightens while chemical free sunscreens help defend against pigment inducing UV light. Peptides, Vitamin C and botanical extracts help treat and prevent cellular discolouration while Hyaluronic Acid hydrates, helping to minimise fine lines.

I mentioned this in a speed review and I still love it. In fact it’s now my sunscreen of choice and it’s the only product in this range that i’ve since repurchased. It’s runny, light, slightly hydrating, no white-cast and dries down to a near-matte finish. Really nice texture for normal or combination skin. Not only does it contain a physical SPF of 30, it has a good level of UVA protection and is packed full of antioxidants and skin healing/brightening ingredients like Vitamin C and Niacinamide. Easily one of my favourite sunscreens ever, it protects and repairs at the same time. Wish it came in a larger tube though…

Dermalogica Chroma White Pure Night

Dermalogica Chroma White Pure Night

Dermalogica Pure Night is a nourishing and brightening overnight treatment designed to help minimise surface spots while conditioning and hydrating skin. Use nightly to help treat and prevent cellular discolouration, smooth fine lines and defend against  environmental damage and moisture loss.

This is a nice, hydrating night cream. It acts very much like the C-12 Concentrate mixed with the Vitamin C Powder: it treats discolouration and mildly exfoliates to reveal brighter skin. It’s a very light yet deeply hydrating lotion, really nice as a night cream as it’s not too thick like most. Again, this is quite mild and I don’t see it working on seriously sun damaged skin – it should be more than enough for most people though! Expect to wake up to plump-looking and brighter skin.

Individually, the products vary from average to great but together – the ChromaWhite line works quite well at brightening up dull and sundamaged skin, leaving you more even toned and looking younger. The price is pretty steep but you’re getting 6 full sized products. I just find it hard to fully recommend since it’s so pricey and a couple of the products are quite mild at best. I’d say if you like to buy products all at once and you’re looking to try brightening products for the first time; this is a great place to start.

It doesn’t match the hardcore pigmentation-busting power of lines like Skinceuticals but, as a whole, the ChromaWhite line is well researched and all the products are a pleasure to use. My skin was definitely healthier and calmer with these products, it looked brighter and the niacinamide helps to diminish redness too so skin just looks a lot more even in general. If you had to get one thing from this line, I’d go for the sunscreen!