Summer Skincare Wishlist

My actual wish list is much larger than the couple of items pictured above, but these would be a nice start! 

My skin has been feeling dehydrated which is very different to the oily skin I was used to and grew up with. It can get tight, a bit red, dry and uncomfortable so I'm on the lookout for gentle exfoliants, non-drying cleansers and lightweight moisturisers.

Farm Stay Dermacube Probiotics Therapy Toner: with salicylic and glycolic acids, as well as vitamins, and fermented complex to hydrate, brighten and reduce fine lines.

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Time Reverse Eye Cream: a nourishing eye cream with macadamia oil and shea butter, plus ceramides, peptides and centella asiatica, for softer a and smoother undereye. Oh and an adorable metallic box that I would definitely repurpose for stationery ha!

Garnier Micellar Gel Face Wash Sensitive Skin: with a very similar formula to the Cetaphil cleanser for oily skin, this fragrance free gentle cleanser contains glycerin to avoid drying out the skin.

RNW DER. CONCENTRATE Ceramide Plus: a serum with niacinamide, oat extract, 5 types of ceramides and 8 types of peptides for smoother, softer skin.

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glow Serum: after using the Booster version of this product, I'm looking for something a bit more moisturising and this prebiotic serum has a lotion consistency that sounds great. With Pentavitin (or Saccharide Isomerate) to moisturise the skin.

blanc doux Prebiotic-Cera Liquid: contains mango seed butter, glycerin, 5 types of ceramides, prebiotics and soothing dandelion and frankincense in a lightweight moisturising toner formula.

B. Pure Micellar Oil: an oil-to-milk cleanser with vitamin C and E to help dissolve mineral sunscreen at the end of the day and provide gentle exfoliation.

Have you tried any of these products?

xo

Summer Skincare Routine 2021

Haven't done a skincare routine post in ages (over 4 years if you are curious) and I feel like it is a good thing to have my routine documented as it gives me insight on what products are working for me if I ever need to go back to something I know will be good for my skin. It is also nice to look back and remember what my routine was like and see the evolution of my product preferences. 

At the moment I'm at a point where I want products to be effective but gentle, moisturising and lightweight at the same time, as I feel that a gentle approach can be so beneficial for problem skin and sometimes breakouts can be caused by a damaged skin barrier and dryness, which harsh products and exfoliants can provoke, so currently working towards a more eastern-style approach to my skincare routine. 

Morning routine:

Garnier Organic Lemongrass Detox Gel Wash: a gentle cleanser with glycerin that leaves my skin soft (full review here).

HaruHaru WONDER Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner: it hydrates, helps the following products to apply more easily and is high in antioxidants (full review here).

Naturally Radiant Glow Skin Perfecting Booster: a redness soothing, microbiome balancing serum that also moisturises the skin (full review here).

SNP mini Eye & Facial Nourishing Cream: a lightweight moisturiser with niacinamide, ceramide and peptides for softer, soothed skin (full review here).

Simple Protecting Moisture Cream SPF 30: moisturises well and uses a mix of chemical and mineral filters. Sadly this is now discontinued but I've got their new vitamin C version as a backup. 

Night routine:

I have been using the same cleanser, toner, eye cream and serum (not pictured) morning and night, however I switch it up for a moisturiser and added an extra serum.

KLAVUU The Origin Deep Ocean Gel Comforter: a lightweight hydrating gel with glycerin, panthenol and seaweed extracts in a giant 70ml pot (full review here).

The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5: a hydrating serum with soothing panthenol to lightly moisturise the skin. I apply it last to avoid any redness or stinging (full review here).

Extras:

Garnier Micellar Rose Water: if I've been wearing makeup or need to pre-cleanse to remove mineral sunscreen I will use this (full review here).

Botanical Lab Pumpkin & Papaya Enzyme Daily Exfoliator: once a week I will use this toner to exfoliate my skin. Haven't fully reviewed it yet but I am really liking it so far after only 3 uses!

The Inkey List Retinol Serum: twice a week I will apply this serum all over my face after cleansing and under the Naturally Radiant Glow Serum and Klavuu moisturiser. Haven't reviewed it in full as it can take a while to see results. 

Cien Tropical Summer Mango Face Mask: a fruit enzyme brightening and smoothing mask that I've been using once a week (full review here).

Sanctuary Spa Charcoal Detox Mask: a warming clay mask that doesn't dry out the skin. I have been using it once a week (full review here).

Do you currently use any of these products?

xo

All Used Up #10

Welcome to another edition of All Used Up! With 50% shower products as I like to use different ones each day to change it up ha.

Elysium Spa Dead Sea Salt Bath & Shower Gel: I really love the fresh citrus scent of this product, it cleanses my skin well without leaving any residue or build up, plus the glycerin makes my skin very soft and supple. As well as Sea Salt it also contains Magnesium Sulphate or Epsom Salts which I enjoy using. I got this for Christmas but it is super affordable and I'll definitely get some more.

Nivea Shower Mousse in Frozen Berry: It produced a nice-consistency mousse, gently cleansed and moisturised the skin leaving it soft thanks to glycerin, hydrolized silk and castor oil. It has a sweet, powdery fragrance and I like that it could also be used for shaving. I believe this product has now been discontinued now but there are other shower mousse options available.

Dove Pomegranate & Hibiscus Tea Body Wash: a very creamy shower product that lightly cleanses and softens the skin. I like Dove products but I feel like they do leave a build up of product on the skin with continuous use, which is why I like to alternate with other brands. I liked the fruity scent that reminds me of berry yogurt. 

Garnier Moisture Bomb Multi Protecting Hydrating Mist: Suitable for dehydrated skin with moisturising glycerin, antioxidant vitamin C and pomegranate, and hyaluronic acid. It is a great product to use on the go or to reapply sunscreen over makeup. Sometimes it takes me ages to finish a product and I think this one has also been discontinued but Garnier have come out with a dupe for the La Roche-Posay SPF Face Mist. 

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser: a very gentle, skin softening cleanser. I think this is ideal for oily or combination skin and for summer mornings as you don't go to bed with thick moisturisers which might be a bit hard to wash off using this cleanser as it is quite mild. Did not irritate my skin thanks to its soothing Aloe, Cucumber and Rose Extracts, and left my skin very soft because of Soybean, Sunflower and Borage seed oils. It is suitable for all skin types and can be used on face and eyes. I would definitely have it again.

Lacura ProRevive Hand Cream: it is a light but moisturising hand cream as it contains Glycerin, Soybean Oil, Beeswax and Vitamin E. I love that it has both UVB and UVA filters which protects from burning and ageing, it also forms a protective film that prevented my hands from drying out when washing them. The tube contains a whopping 125 ml which has lasted me ages. I believe it might be a dupe for the Dove Pro Age Hand Cream. I received this as a gift one Christmas as well and it is from Aldi so it will be affordable and I would definitely buy this. 

Have you tried any of these products?

xo

Get £5 Off the New MAC Magic Extension Mascara

DHC Lip Cream & 15% Off YesStyle Discount Code

As part of the J-Beauty collaboration with YesStyle I received a variety of Japanese beauty products, including the DHC Lip Cream. (See the full J-Beauty post with all items and a video.)

I had my eye on this product since I stumbled upon it while browsing the Superdrug website, so I was very lucky to be selected for this collaboration as I got to try it for free.

The DHC Lip Cream is a very nourishing lip balm that can be used on its own or also under lipstick or over for added gloss.

The product is very moisturising and creamy, it just glides on the lips like butter and smoothes out any dryness and leaves lips very soft. This is due to the use of excellent moisturising ingredients such as Lanolin, Beeswax, Squalane and Olive Oil. It also contains soothing Aloe Vera and is unscented, so would be suitable for sensitive skin as well.

I like to use it before bed and when I wake up in the morning my lips feel soft, smooth and nourished. I knew I would not be disappointed in the performance of this product as soon as I read that it contained Lanolin.

If you suffer from dry, chapped lips and would like a product to help with that, are looking for a night lip treatment or a deeply moisturising product for winter then you definitely need to try the DHC Lip Cream.

There's also DHC tinted lip formulas that I would love to try soon ;D

Find the DHC Lip Cream on YesStyle, Look Fantastic, Feel Unique, Escentual and Superdrug.

xo

PS. To celebrate YesStyle's 15th Anniversary IGSilver, you can get up to 20% off your next order, just register on YesStyle, follow their Instagram, and enter your username in the "My Account" section. After that you will receive an email with a no-minimum spend 15% off discount code, which you can use in conjunction with my code NAV2019 for extra money off.

HaruHaru Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner

A couple of weeks ago I received the HaruHaru WONDER Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner to try and review. 

The Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner contains 2,000ppm (or 0.2%) fermented Korean black rice extract to intensely moisturise and nourish the skin, and  to prevent signs of aging by restoring skin elasticity. It also features Hyaluronic Acid to boost hydration, Scutellaria Baicalensis (or baicalin) root extract to improve the texture of skin, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum to strengthen skin barrier and beta-glucan to enhance skin regeneration.

It also contains moisturising Betaine, Glycerin and Propanediol; Bamboo Shoot extract for its antioxidant properties, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract another antioxidant and antibacterial, along with antibacterial Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract and antimicrobial Pulsatilla Koreana Extract. The last 3 are a natural preservative in the formula also known as EURO-NApre. 

This is the original version of the toner, which does contain fragrance (a newer fragrance free version is also available since June), and even though it is the last ingredient in the list the Lavender scent is quite strong, though it does not linger and fades within a few seconds. 

The Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner can be applied directly onto the skin with bare hands, using a cotton pad, left on soaked cotton pads as a mask, or used as a mist. I have been using it solely as a toner, applying it after cleansing and before any serums or moisturisers. 

At the start I might have been using too much as it took too long to absorb into the skin, however once I reduced the amount and went from 7 drops to about 5 it felt like a more appropriate amount to use. 

The texture is very lightweight and almost like water, but it does feel hydrating on the skin which is probably due to the glycerin. When applied tiny droplets of suspended product can be seen on the skin and it has almost a dry oil feel, which is lightly slippery and moisturising but not greasy.

Using the HaruHaru Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner makes any subsequent products easier to spread over the skin.

Besides hydration, I believe it is ever so slightly helping fade some pigmentation I have on my cheekbone. I'm not entirely sure if there has been any elasticity or texture improvement, and about the antioxidant effects can't comment either as they would have more long term benefits than any immediately visible results.

All in all, it is a nice lightweight toner that can hydrate the skin and improve application of other skincare products while having antioxidant benefits, so if you are looking for a product that can do these things then I would definitely recommend it. 

The HaruHaru WONDER Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner is currently 9.9% off and the 150 ml version is 24% off on YesStyle, plus you can get an extra discount on your order if you use the code NAV2019.

Have you tried any HaruHaru WONDER products?

xo

New In: May & June 2021

Naturally Radiant Glow Skin Perfecting Booster

A couple of months ago I noticed the new Naturally Radiant Glow range in Superdrug and after reading more about the products I decided to try their Prebiotic Booster Serum.

The Naturally Radiant Glow Skin Perfecting Booster contains a prebiotic complex to balance the skin's microbiome, calm and help to reduce the appearance of irritation and blemishes. It is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive.

It contains Saccharide Isomerate and Glycerin to hydrate, Anti-inflammatory Bisabolol, Soothing Sea Water, Antibacterial Coconut Extract, Antimicrobial Lactobacillus Ferment, Antioxidant Citric Acid and Healing Chlorella Vulgaris Extract.

The serum has a milky consistency that lightly moisturises the skin without feeling greasy and upon application it seems to calm down any redness on my skin. I feel like it has been helping control breakouts as I haven't had many and haven't really used many other spot targeting treatments. 

This product does have a light coconut fragrance as a nod to the vegan coconut yogurt in the formula, however the scent doesn't linger nor bother me at all. 

I quite like the pink theme and the iridescent details on the packaging. The product is easy to dispense, however the bottle is longer than usual so I'm expecting for it to be difficult to pick up the serum from the bottom with the standard-sized dropper. 

In summary, it is a reasonably priced product that helps reduce redness and breakouts without drying the skin and actually moisturising it, so I will probably repurchase and would recommend it if you are looking for a product with that description. 

Find the Naturally Radiant Glow Skin Perfecting Booster in Superdrug.

Have you tried anything from the Naturally Radiant Glow range?

xo

SNP Minis: Moisture Petal Toner and Eye & Facial Nourishing Cream

A couple of months ago I treated myself to a couple of skincare items, including 2 of the SNP Minis: the Moisture Petal Toner and the Eye & Face Nourishing Cream. After using them for a weeks now I want to write about them in case you have been wondering about this brand.

The Moisture Petal Toner contains 5 types of hyaluronic acid, and many soothing ingredients like Arginine, Allantoin, Chamomile, Ceramide and Centella Asiatica.

The texture is light but not watery or runny and upon application it makes skin more hydrated and I believe it helps make lines less noticeable, as I noticed an instant improvement on my neck (which has never really bothered me because it has looked as it does for as long as I can remember), which I believe is due to the hyaluronic acid's ability to plump the skin. 

I really like the rose scent of this toner and it also contains some tiny petals which I wasn't sure about what to do with them and it actually scared me when I saw something pink coming out amongst the nearly clear liquid haha.

As I've learned more about hyaluronic acid, I've realised it can actually dry out the skin so from now on I will try to avoid it and for that reason only I would not repurchase this toner.

The Eye & Facial Nourishing Cream is a lightweight moisturiser with Niacinamide, Mango Seed Butter, Beeswax, Petrolatum, Arginine, Panthenol, Allantoin, Adenosine, Beta Glucan, Ceramide, Hyaluronic Acid, Centella Asiatica and 4 types of peptides. 

I really like the texture of this cream and have used it all over the face and on the eye area as well. I love the fact that it contains soothing amino acids and anti ageing peptides, and even though it contains a couple of occlusive ingredients it is never heavy-feeling on my oily/combination skin,

I would definitely repurchase this product as it is great value for money (especially if you only use it as an eye cream) and features some amazing ingredients. Hopefully they will make a hyaluronic acid free version, which would make it even better in my opinion. 

Both of the products I got are from the SNP mini range and come in 25 ml pouches which are ideal for travel or if you want to try something new but don't want to commit to a full size product. Unfortunately they don't come in bigger sizes but I wouldn't mind repurchasing in this size. 

Find the Moisture Petal Toner and Eye & Facial Nourishing Cream at Superdrug.

Have you tried any SNP products?

xo