Superdrug PhytoDeluxe indulgent day and night cream*

Hiya!

I've been trialling some skincare from Superdrug which was created specially with the needs of 40+ skin in mind. It has ingredients which can be found in skincare products which cost more than £200. And even better - at the time of writing these products are 50% off at Superdrug and come in at £7.45 each!

At just £14.99 (at regular price) each these creams are cruelty free, have handy pump dispensers, and the day cream has SPF15 which is the minimum we should all use on our faces all year round to help avoid sun damage. These creams are a multi-pronged attack on the signs of facial ageing. Let's face it, we will ALL age eventually and we will all wrinkle but there are lots of things we can do to address other issues like dryness and lack of glow. I'll be the first person to say I don't understand the science behind a lot of skin care ingredients, but I do understand results. I've been using both creams for a month to get a feel for what they can do. The claims for these creams are visibly smoother, firmer and more luminous skin.

These PhytoDeluxe products contain platinum and black diamond truffle. Within the platinum is something called a terapeptide, which is an amino acid which basically tells the skin how to act, particularly with regards to the way it heals and rejuvenates itself. Black Diamond Truffle pampers mature skin while effectively counteracting the visible signs of ageing such as fine lines and lack of luminosity.


Indulgent day cream

The day cream absorbs quickly and isn't greasy, but your skin will feel moisturised to the touch when using this hard-working cream. I have no issues whatsoever applying makeup a few seconds after using it.

Indulgent night cream 

The night cream has the addition of shea butter to increase softness and suppleness. It's richer than the day cream, and as our skin does a lot of the work to renew itself at night a richer night cream is always warranted to help restore moisture. If you're a busy person with only time to take care of your skin once a day - make it the evening for the most effect.

So, what results did I see?

The biggest results I saw were in regards to evening out my skin tone. I've always been plagued by high red colour on my face and the most startling result (and one I didn't expect) was that my skintone became so much more even and I have less of a problem with redness now. My skin is also so luminous, slightly plumper and it has a little something I can't quantify - it just glows with health. I didn't really notice any major change to fine lines as I don't really have many - I seem to have gone straight into deep line territory! A question I always ask myself is when trialling new skin care is 'Does my skin look better after using this?' and yes it does. My skin was already in good condition when I started using these creams, and I still noticed a difference.

Glowing skin, no foundation

I've done nothing to my face other than my brows and eyes in the photo (my brows were recently plucked, hence the red marks). No foundation, no highlight, nada!

I would burn rubber getting to a Superdrug store or online to buy these at £7.45 each (as of 14/12/15) as they will give your skin a boost if you're 40 or older. Go, go, go!

Have you tried these creams?

Thanks for reading,
Leah xoxo

*Products supplied for review. Opinions are honest and my own.

Beauty - How I keep milia at bay

Hello loves,

I have a skin care post for you today. I've had milia since I was a small child - they run in the family. Sometimes called milk spots, milia are thought to be caused by too much keratin. Keratin is the key material making up hair, skin and nails. The milia look like whiteheads or yellow heads and they never go completely - I always have some. It's a case of trying to keep them as minimal as possible.

Here's a photo of me from December with some milia circled - the filter I used on Instagram has masked some of them.

I get a lot of them around my eyes and on my cheeks, and up until about a month ago they were getting bigger and bigger as I wasn't vigilant enough. They're a pain in the butt! I use a mixture of chemical and manual exfoliation to get rid of dead skin cells and reveal glowing new skin underneath. Here's what I use to keep them at bay.

Soap & Glory Scrub Your Nose In It £9 here (in new white packaging) 100ml

Formulated with our exclusive, deep-pore detoxing D-CLOGTM MICROMUD Scrub Your Nose In It is super cleansing, clears pore-clogging dead skin cells, soaks up excess oils, stimulates fresh oxygen to your face. T-zone purifying, pore shrinking and refining strategically formulated for oily/combination skin.

I use this a couple of times a week to gently scrub my face. I scrub at any particularly large milia for a few seconds using the glove. Sometimes they dry up and fall off a couple of days later, or they shrink.

Paula's Choice 2% BHA exoliant gel £23.50 here 100ml

Break up with breakouts, clogged pores, and redness for good. This exfoliant removes old skin cells both on the skin’s surface and inside pores using 2% salicylic acid.

• Great for blackheads and acne breakouts
• Smooths wrinkles, reveals younger looking skin

This is a chemical exfoliant - meaning the chemicals help uncover new cells. I use this a couple of times a week, alternating between the GlycoWash. 

Paula's Choice 8% AHA exfoliant gel £23.50 here 100ml

Get your glow on. Apply this leave-on exfoliant once or twice a day. Smooths skin, fades sun damage, and reveals younger-looking skin.

• Hydrates and stimulates collagen production
• Evens out skin tone for a brighter, smoother complexion

This is also a chemical exfoliant. I use the 8% AHA gel once or twice a week before bed after cleansing/toning.

BeautyLab GlycoWash £32 (I think the company no longer exists as of 2016).

A skin refining oil free 5% glycolic foaming gel with triggered release technology that works longer and deeper to remove impurities, unclogging pores refining and cleansing whilst helping to prevent future break-outs. Contains pomegranates enzymes, glycolic and salicylic acid infused microspheres, soothing willow bark and lavender.

This is a chemical exfoliant also. I use this once or twice a week in the mornings after cleansing and toning.

Scrubby glove £1 in most pound shops (for a pair)

AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) are useful for sun damaged skin and BHAs (Beta Hydroxy Acids) are useful for getting rid of blackheads. I did have blackheads on my nose before using the Paula's Choice, and before Fibromyalgia I used to be a lover of the sun, so I've got all my angles covered. If you want to read more in depth about AHAs and BHAs, there's a great article here. 

Since I've been using the Paula's Choice products particularly I've noticed a reduction in redness on my face, and the blackheads have disappeared from my nose. But more than that, I've got a bit of a glow about me.

Have a bonus photo of me with the Soap & Glory on my face. :)

Do you have milia?
Have you tried chemical exfoliation to give you a youthful glow?

Thanks for reading,
Leah xoxo

BeautyLab GlycoWash glycolic acid cleanser

Hello lovelies!

I got this face wash in my You Beauty discovery box in March and really like it. On the BeautyLab website it says:

A skin refining oil free 5% glycolic foaming gel with triggered release technology that works longer and deeper to remove impurities, unclogging pores refining and cleansing whilst helping to prevent future break-outs. Contains pomegranates enzymes, glycolic and salicylic acid infused microspheres, soothing willow bark and lavender.

Glycolic acid is an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) which helps to exfoliate the skin on the surface level which is helpful for ageing, sun damaged and dry skin. Salycitic acid is a BHA (beta hydroxy acid) which is useful for oily, blemished skin and this exfoliates at a deeper level, into the pores. This face wash is a cure all wash which can help with:

• Dull and Congested Skin
• Enlarged Pores
• Ageing Skin
• Uneven Pigmentation
• Sun Damaged Skin
• Acne Prone Skin

The thing I like best about it (other than the gorgeous zingy citrus smell) is how amazing my skin looks afterwards.

Those photos were taken in natural daylight just after using the face wash and before moisturiser. My pores are minimised, my skin looks much younger and it makes my face so soft too. There's also a noticeable reduction in the redness of my face afterwards (so long as I rinse the facewash off VERY gently with a face cloth - my skin is so sensitive that if I'm rough with my skin I resemble a beetroot for the next half hour.)

Because the acids in the wash make you more sensitive to the sun you have to make sure to wear sunscreen afterwards as you will burn more easily. You can only use the wash 2-3 times a week.

It's £32 for 200ml and one small pump (of about the size of a bean) covers my whole face and neck. I'm not sure how much is dispensed in the average pump but I think 200ml should last me quite some time yet. I do think I will purchase one for myself when it runs out as I love the way the smell revives me in the morning and the way it makes my skin feel - I can't stop stroking it on the days I use it.

As I age I'm getting more and more interested in skincare. It has taken me a long time to realise that make up looks better on a smooth canvas, and as such I'd sooner spend more money on skincare than makeup. My eye bags have gone BOO! since I hit 40. Before they were just kidding, now they mean business. ;) Also, I seem to have a big problem with chin spots in the last few months, which I think *might* be down to testosterone increasing in my body as I wax my way towards the menopause. Either that or my specialist was wrong and I DO have PCOS. (He thinks I have the cysts but not the syndrome, but the peach fuzz on my face and chin combined with the spots might be telling me a different story.)

BeautyLab seem to have gone out of business as of 2016.

Thanks for reading!

My current skin care

Hiya!

I thought I'd do a post about what skincare I'm currently using.

This is what I use most often:

Simple cleanser - twice daily
Simple toner - twice daily
Superdrug Vit E moisturiser - mornings after cleansing & toning
Nivea night cream - nightly after cleansing & toning
Paula's Choice exfoliant lotion - 3-4 times a week

Less often:
Lacura facial serum from Aldi - a couple of times a week if I feel extra dry
REN detox mask - fortnightly alternating
REN radiance mask - fortnightly alternating

In the morning I cleanse, tone and moisturise my face. The cleanser removes any make up residue left over from cleansing the night before (it's always the bloody mascara!) and removes all grime. I take my cleanser slightly up into my hairline to get rid of any grot there. I massage it into my face and neck with my finger tips and wipe it off with a large cotton wool pad. The toner cools my skin, refreshes my face and washes away any last traces of cleanser. I use it on a cotton wool pad and wipe it all over my face and neck. I apply moisturiser to my face and neck while my skin is still slightly damp from the toner.  Don't forget your neck! I see many older ladies with beautifully preserved faces and not quite as preserved necks.

On the days I use the exfoliant I do it in this order: cleanse, tone, exfoliate, moisturise. On the days I use the serum I do it in this order: cleanse, tone, serum, moisturise. I'm too lazy to use the exfoliant and serum on the same days.

Once a week I'll use one of the REN facemasks, using the other one the next week.

The single biggest help in my skincare routine over the last 6 months has been the Paula's Choice 2% BHA salicytic acid exfoliant. Before I used a couple of different Soap & Glory exfoliants which have scrubby bits in, and I'd scrub my face way too hard to try to get rid of my milia, which have plagued me since childhood. Salicytic acid is the key ingredient and chemically exfoliates skin without the need to scrub, removing dead skin cells and leaving you radiant. If you're using a scrub which isn't up to the job and using brute force, you might end up with enlarged pores, as I did.

I first heard about the Paula's choice 2% BHA solution on Jo's blog, when she said how good it'd been for her milia. I bought it right away as I was fed up with milia. Now I'm down to 2 biggish milia and a smattering of tiny ones. Before, I had loads all over my cheeks. They came and went, but most of the time I had at least 6 large ones at one time. The two photos below are about a year old.

Now my skin is better in so many ways. Here's a more recent face shot - my skin is glowy and there are less milia.

You can buy the Simple cleanser & toner and the Nivea moisturiser from just about any supermarket or pharmacy in the UK. The Superdrug Vit E cream can be found on here or in Superdrug stores. The Paula's Choice exfoliant can be found here. It's £23 and 6 months later I'm still using my first bottle. It's a bit of an outlay but well worth the money. I got the mini-sized REN masks from a beauty box. The Lacura facial serum can be found in Aldi stores.

Most of these products are affordable - the Simple products are about £3 each, the Vit E Cream is £2.99 and the Lacura serum is about £3.49. It also comes in a mature skin formula which I will try to pick up if it's in stock next time I visit Aldi. The one I have is suitable for people up to 35 years old but my skin is in fairly good condition since I avoid the sun so I can't see it doing me any harm. Only the REN masks and the Paula's Choice items are what I call an 'ouchie' purchase.

The main things I've discovered in the last 6 months I've been taking better care of my face:

• Cleanse, tone and moisturise twice a day if you can, but whatever you do is better than doing nothing. It doesn't matter if you use cheap or expensive brands, as long as you use something and keep at it. (My aunt - who's in her 60s - has been CTM-ing since her teens and looks about 20 years younger and has always used whatever she can afford at the time.)
• NEVER go to bed with your make up on. Next time you cleanse off your make up and the day's grime look at the pad then think about laying around all night with that on your face. I used to do it sometimes. Yuk!
• Avoid face wipes where you can. They're OK for once or twice a week if you're busy, but your skin will thank you if you cleanse, tone and moisturise often. They can be terribly drying.
• Avoid being in the sun excessively. I read recently that about 15 minutes a day of sun exposure without SPF is a good amount of time for us to get our essential Vitamin D, but anything other than that, slap on the sun cream or face products with SPF.
• Drink your water! 
• Booze it up in moderation - dry skin, bloodshot eyes and broken blood vessels are the pay off from too much happy juice.
• If you can, introduce good oils like coconut oil and olive oil into your diet - my skin has been looking more dewy and feeling a lot less dry since I've been doing this.

Thanks for reading!

Organic Surge gentle cleanser rave review

Hello lovelies!

I've used this whole bottle of Organic Surge cleanser now so feel qualified to give it a balanced review. (Edit, does not exist as of 2016).

I bought this in the summer when there was a massive discount on selected Organic Surge products. I'd been keen to buy more products which are definitely not tested on animals (rather than a murky grey area as is the case with a lot of brands who won't fess up one way or the other - grrr!)

It smells....herbal? ...as you'd expect from an organic company. I would say the scent is mild rather than overbearing, and it grew on me as time went on (I was used to fake scents beforehand.) By the time I was halfway through the bottle I really enjoyed the scent, probably because I associated it with a lovely, gentle product which didn't dry out or inflame my sensitive skin at all. It's a quite runny white liquid which doesn't sting my sensitive eyes one bit. It's a massive plus point to be able to get make up off my eyes without ending up with stinging, red eyeballs. It does a wonderful job of cleaning away dirt and make up - even mascara (I don't wear waterproof mascara so can't speak about that) and leaves my skin glowing with health.

It's £5.99 for 200ml (correct at time of posting), has a flip top lid (so handy!) and I would definitely repurchase. 

Have you tried this, or anything else by Organic Surge? What do you cleanse with?

Cruelty free. 

Thanks for reading.

My skincare regime

Hiya pickles!

Up until a few weeks ago I was taking my skin for granted. I've not got too bad skin for a 39 year old, but I wasn't exactly doing much to keep it that way. I have been impressed by Tattooed Tealady's devotion to skincare at relatively tender age and it made me realise I needed to step up my game.

So here's what I'm using:

Bioderma - won in a blog competition. Not CF. Available from sellers such as Escentual from £9.99 in this size (250ml).

Organic Surge cleanser - CF. £5.99 for 200ml. 

Simple toner - CF. Widely available from most supermarkets and chemists. About £2.99 for 200ml.

Paula's choice exfoliant - CF. £23 for 100ml.

Organic Surge moisturiser - CF. £8.99 for 50ml.

Nivea night cream - CF. Widely available from most supermarkets and chemists. About £3.99 for 50ml.

Morning

I only use Bioderma in the morning if I wake up with make up residue on my face. I cleanse, tone, then apply the Paula's Choice exfoliant in circular motions across my face avoiding my eyes and mouth. I leave it on while I clean my teeth (my electric toothbrush has a two minute timer) then wipe it off gently with a damp warm flannel. Then I apply the Organic Surge moisturiser.

Evening

If I wore make up in the day I remove it with Bioderma and cotton wool. Then I cleanse, tone, and use the Nivea night cream.

Tips

There are other things you can do to keep your skin looking healthy.

1. Drink lots of water.
2. Get a sweat on - sweating opens pores and gives you a natural glow. If you can't exercise enough to get your glow on through sickness or disability, steam your face once a week. As long as you clean and moisturise your face ASAP after sweating, you'll reap the benefits.
3. Change your top pillowcases once a week. We sweat a huge amount in bed and dirty pillowcases can lead to facial imperfections. Since I've been doing this I've had far less spots.
4. When you apply products to your face, use gentle circular motions and give your face a massage as you go. It'll improve blood flow and make you look vital and healthy.
5. When you take off make up and cleanser, try to use upward movements. Avoid dragging down on the face wherever possible. Gravity has its own effects on the face as we age so don't give it any help. Jowls look best on bloodhounds, not people. ;)
6. When you dry your face after a bath or shower, dab your face dry rather than rubbing it, and make sure your towel is clean. You wouldn't put dirty underwear back on after a shower so it makes sense to dab your face dry with a fresh towel.

I'll be doing a dedicated post to the Paula's Choice exfoliant soon, as it's already got rid of all the blackheads from my nose.  Since I've been paying more care and attention to my skin I've had NO dry patches at all, my pores have shrunk and my skin just looks better. I took photos of my skin last week (but not before beginning my regime, duh!) and will take some more in another couple of weeks and I will do a post if there's a noticeable difference that you can spot without needing the Hubble telescope (some things just don't translate on camera) but hopefully these changes will!

Do you have a good skincare regime in place? Do you have any skin care tips you want to share?

Thanks for reading.

Superdrug B Micellar Water review

Hello loves!

I bought the B Micellar Water from Superdrug a few weeks ago. I've been hearing about micellar waters for a year or so, but it's only been recently that a reasonably priced one has been launched.

What is micellar water? It cleanses without the need for toner and removes make up, even waterproof mascara. I can't speak for the properties of this micellar water for waterproof make up, as I don't wear it.

Here's what they say about it on the Superdrug website:

Quick and easy 3-in-1 cleanser that dissolves impurities in a single sweep, no water required. Ideal for all skin types even the most sensitive.

B. Pure with this 3-in-1 'super' water. Quick and effective yet extremely gentle.

Cleanses - Removes impurities and makeup.

Tones - Restores pH balance whilst keeping the skin supple.

Refreshes - with cucumber juice extract.

Ophthalmically approved.

Dermatologically approved.

It makes my skin feel really plump and youthful, and it doesn't dry my skin out, which is very rare indeed. I don't use it every day because it's £4.99 for 150ml and I've made quite a dent in it already, so to speak, but it's a lovely treat for my skin a few days a week.

A word to the wise - if you have sensitive eyes like I do, make sure your eyes are firmly shut before you attempt to remove your eye make up or else it'll sting like hell! If there's a way for me to injure myself with a harmless product, you can rest assured I'll find it.

The bottle is very rigid plastic, which does make getting it out a bit of a splashy affair (you can't really squeeze it out, rather you have to tip it up) and it leaves your skin REALLY sticky. You can get it from Superdrug stores and Superdrug online for £4.99.

Have you tried micellar water? Had you heard of it before?

Thanks for reading!