Exfoliators + Some random bits

Hello my lovelies!

Since using Hot Cloth Cleansers with muslin cloths I have ditched typical gritty scrubs. I found that muslin cloth very gently removes dead skin cells on a daily basis and I just don’t need any more scrubbing. To be honest I always found them not fully effective anyway. 

I still suffer from blackheads, occasional spots and opened pores. That’s where deep pore cleansers come into play. I swear that thanks to these three products blackhead population on my face reduced by 90%. I call them exfoliators because they dissolve all dirt stuck into the pores and leave the skin silky smooth.

Soap & Glory No Clogs Allowed - I massage it into my skin for a couple of minutes. It creates lovely warmth I find amazingly relaxing, especially during the cold days. Leave it on the skin for about 5 minutes and rinse/ sponge off. Reduction of blackheads is noticeable straight away. Pores are tightened, skin feels fresh and clean. This product is amazing if you need a fast skin pick me up before a big day or night.

Soap & Glory Fab Pore – not as amazing results as No Clogs Allowed. This one is more of a long term commitment. Use it regularly twice a week and you will see the difference in your skin. I apply it on my nose and chin when I need that extra cleanliness.

Alpha Hydrox AHA Soufflé 12% Glycolic Acid – I was a bit apprehensive prior to buying it as you do need to be careful when using it. You must use an SPF 15 or higher during the day while using Glycolic Acid. I used it every day for about a week and now I’m using it once a week. My skin has never looked and felt better! I recommended this product to many of my friends and every single one of them is happy with the results. This stuff gets deeply into the pores and dissolves everything that shouldn’t be sitting in there. One thing to remember is that if you suffer from a lot of broken capillaries they will show up more. Because Glycolic Acid removes all the dirt from inside of the skin, new layers of the skin are more visible and broken capillaries with them.  I bought mine on ebay as it's not available in the UK.

I have got two more posts about skincare for you peeps. Hope it’s not too boring?

Other stuff:

* I have found this amazing video on how to remove glitter nail polish! If you’re like me and it takes you too much time, too much frustration and too many cotton pads then try the method from the video. I have and saved myself a lot of hustle.

* Does anyone watch “Play it Straight” on E4? It’s brilliant! Alan Carr is responsible for ¾ of fun factor there. Oh! And two guys dressed in Spanish Outfits playing the guitar and singing – priceless.

* I downloaded ‘Angry Birds’ on my phone on Sunday and haven’t stopped playing it till last night. I am addicted. Who came up with this brilliant idea?! Smashing homes of pigs with birds?! Love it!


Sylwia X

Moisturizers + Look Of The Day

Fourth post in my 7 days of skincare is all about moisturizers! Now that our skin is squeaky clean it is ready for some moisture. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got dry, oily or combination skin. You still need to moisturize. Just like I mentioned in my first skincare post that there are many factors responsible for our skin condition. This means it changes throughout the seasons and needs different care.

To find out what your skin type is you need to observe it. I found this simple test that you can take to determine what your skin type is. Also, do not try a few new products at once. Introduce one new product into your routine and check your skin daily for improvements/worsening. If the product doesn’t do anything then ditch it! There isn’t any other way but try something to find out if it’s working in our favour. 

So this is what my skin is like and what I use:

Winter – this year has been very mild in the UK. I don’t have any major dryness going on but I do need to use something ‘heavier’ than normal. During the night our whole body rests and so is our skin. It relaxes and does not have to face any challenges like wind or low temperature. It is time for a nice moisture boost :) For that purpose I am using Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturizer. I wake up each morning with super soft skin without that heavy, oily feeling.
For daytime I have chosen La Roche-Posay Anti-Redness Rosaliac. My face looks like I have been slapped a few times when it meets very low or very high temperatures. This moisturizer has been very good at keeping that redness at bay. It has a green tint to it which neutralizes the redness and calming effect on the skin.

Summer – that time of the year my skin becomes oily on the T zone. Last year I have been using Bioderma Anti-Shine fluid in the mornings. I found it really stops the shine coming through. Some mattifying creams can dry your skin out so look for one that also moisturizes.

I’ve also been using Aveeno Positively Radiant. It is light but gives a bit of extra moisture during the night time. It does have some shiny particles in it so I am not keen on using it at night. I am still on a look out for a good night time moisturizer for summer. It has to be something that will hydrate but is still light in texture. 

I purchased Clarins Daily Energizer Cream at the airport last year but didn’t use it yet! I will give it go in the spring time to see if it can bring that radiant, fresh glow that skin lacks in the winter.


Outfit and make-up of the day:

Today I wore skirt from Primark I posted about here. I paired it with a simple white top (a bit see thru but oh well!), nude flats and Top Shop Cardigan. I didn’t wear this Cardi for ages. It’s really chunky and it doubles up as a coat on milder days. Please ignore extra shiny tights! I promise they do not look like that in real life :D

Excuse the blurry pic - not sure what's happened.

I used eyeshadow palette from Rimmel 002 Smokey Brun I got as a gift from a lovely friend. It’s got some right up my alley toupe-y, mink-y colours. I created this look following instructions at the back using sponge applicator that came with it and angled shader brush. I wouldn’t think of doing it that way myself. I think it came out lovely. I have to say it did look neater in real life, for some reason my camera always makes it look like the shadow is all over the place.

Sylwia x

Blog Of The Week and Versatile Blogger Award!

Last week was full of awesomeness for my blog.

Lovely Kimmi at What Kimmi did next… featured my blog as her weekly favorite. I am so glad she likes my reviews.  I try my best to make them helpful for you guys. Make sure to have a look at her blog, I love her fashion style.

Another lovely blogger Kristin at Meet me on the Bright Side awarded me Versatile Blogger Award. Thank you so much, sweetie! It makes it feel so good to know someone enjoys reading my rambles and randomness  :).

Here Are The Rules:
You must Thank the person who gave you the award, including a shout out with a link back to their blog.
Share 7 random facts about yourself.
Send the award to 10 other bloggers whose blogs you love and let them know about it.

I am ALL random so here we go:

1. I hate mushrooms
2. My second toe is longer than my first
3. I am a girly girl but do not like pink
4. I finished evening make-up course
5. I come from Poland and moved to the UK when I was 19
6. I have seen every single episode of ‘The Simpsons’
7. I think dogs are cute but I am scared of them

Blogs I award are:

http://onewaytickettogorgeous.blogspot.com/
http://www.ablogfromblackpool.com/
http://athingof-beauty.blogspot.com/
http://www.adventuresinbeauty.com/
http://mytopbeautybuys.blogspot.com/
http://evatsx.blogspot.com/
http://glitterglossandglaze.blogspot.com/
http://www.perfectly-polished-nails.com/
http://www.sofiasjournal.com/
http://lucymloves.blogspot.com/


Sylwia x

Skin Toning, Glittery nails and Figs & Rouge Balm Rave

Purpose of a toner is to remove traces of make-up and residual cleanser. It also freshens up the skin and restores ph level ready for hydration. Lately most dermatologists say toner isn’t necessary and can be skipped. I am considering doing so myself as I am confident my cleanser is very effective and I don’t really see using toner being beneficial to my skin.

However if you want or need to use it then you don’t really need to spend a lot of money on it. I have used high end and low end products and found that they all work the same. One important thing to remember is to make sure it's alcohol-free. Even if you suffer from really oily skin you shouldn’t put alcohol based product on it. It may dry your skin out, skin cells will still produce sebum and you will end up with dry/oily skin at the same time.

I didn’t have a clue that there are few different ways to apply toner. You can actually apply it with your fingers! I found this method strange because most toners are very watery so it would be difficult to press it onto the skin. Another one is to spray it on the skin. I have tried it out but found it a little bit too refreshing if you know what I mean! In the end I settled for spraying the toner onto a cotton pad and then wiping my skin with it. This method is great because you are saving a lot of product when spraying it instead of pouring it on the pad.

This is what I use at the moment. I picked it up in Poland and poured it into a travel spray bottle.

Also remember to apply moisturizer while the toner still feels a bit wet on your skin. That way you are locking the moisture in. Leaving toner on the skin to fully dry can actually dry your skin out (it has happened to me). Like I mentioned before though, I have not really experienced this extra moisture boost on myself so this is a theory.

Any thoughts on this? Have any of you guys noticed benefits from using toner? Should I skip it or keep using it? I would love to hear your opinions x


Glitter nails:

Like I mentioned yesterday I have painted my nails with glitter. I am not sure if I like it. Originally I was going to use China glaze ‘Like it Haute’ as a first layer and top it up with Essie ‘Set In Stones’. Just like I did with Avon 'Rave' and Essie ’A Cut Above’ - click here to have a look :). But then I started to feel a bit creative and added rhinestones to it and sprinkled Gosh Nail Glitter 'Grey Moonstone' on top. I did that on my ring finger’s nail. It looked REALLY bling so I thought I will keep the rest fairly simple. That’s when my creativity has stopped. I did not know what to do! In the end I used clear nail polish and applied Gosh Nail glitter (messily). I got a compliment on my nails from a lady in the shop so I guess it looks good… but I feel it's just too much. What do you peeps think? Do you like it or is it something appropriate only for a night out?

Typicaly I touched my index finger's nail before it dried and it looks extra messy.

Figs & Rouge Balm Sweet Geranium:

I received this all-purpose balm in Feel Unique December box and been loving it since. I use it mostly on my lips and cuticles. It has a lovely scent, very moisturizing and gives a pretty sheen to the lips. I will be buying again for sure as it is only £3.49 8ml or £4.99 17ml and free delivery at feelunique.com.

Also:

Just wanted to let you all know that if you click on purple-y highlighted words in my posts it will take you to a website where you can buy a product or to a post where I mentioned/reviewed it. I am not affiliated with any of these brands, just trying to make it nice and neat for you, my lovelies :)


Have a great day / or night if you're in the UK :)

Sylwia x

Skin Cleansing + Mini Nail Polish Haul

I consider cleansing being something totally different than make-up removing. It should be a process which gets rid of all dirt, sebum, and dead skin cells from our pores. Like with any other thing there are many ways to cleanse. Some people swear by Clarisonic but at £120 price I can’t risk “try it out and see if it’s any good” experiment. According to many specialists Hot Cloth Cleansing is a second best alternative to Clarisonic. And that is my chosen method.

Currently I own three Hot Cloth Cleansers. Obviously I don’t need them all (one at a time is just fine) but I couldn’t wait for one to finish to buy and try another one :) Another reason for having all three at the same time was to give you a good review/comparison. I have been meaning to do so but when it came to thinking about differences between them I didn’t really notice many.
I enjoy the scent in all of these products, each different but all subtle and relaxing. Consistency varies, some being a bit thicker than the others but all have that nice soft, creamy feel to it and are easy to spread on the face.

Superdrug Vitamin E Cleanser £3.99 200ml
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish £12.25 100ml
Soap&Glory Fab Pore £10 100ml

Even thou all of the above came with a muslin cloth,  I do recommend getting a few more separately. You can only use a muslin cloth once or twice before bacteria starts to live on it. I myself bought pack of 10 on ebay but Liz Earle sells them too.

The idea is to spread the cleanser on your face, eyes and neck after removing make-up and gently rub it in for about a minute. Rinse the cloth in hot water, wring it out and polish off (again, gently!) the cream. Then splash your face with cool water to close the pores.

I love this cleansing method and condition of my skin improved since using it. Muslin cloth removes dead skin cells so I don't feel the need to exfoliate. Remember that our skin is working full time producing sebum and new skin cells. We can’t treat it well for a week, see good results and expect it to stay looking like that forever. It needs constant attention if we want it to behave good :)

What I just described is my night time cleansing routine. I don’t do it in the morning as I don’t feel my skin needs it. Unless you’ve got very oily skin you probably don’t need it either.
Just use something delicate (I currently use Cetaphil)to freshen up the skin and wash off oil produced by the skin during the night.


Book reading update:

I have finished reading “Serial Killers” by Rodney Castleden. You’re probably wondering why on earth I would want to read that?! Well… aside from poor editing it is very interesting book. If you’ve ever been a fun of Crime and Forensics programs on Discovery channel you will enjoy this book. It isn’t gruesome but it describes how serial killers childhood looked like and what triggered them to kill. It is fascinating to read how police managed to catch them or failed to do so.

I have moved on to something lighter now. I bought “Look at me” by Jennifer Egan for just £1 during Amazon’s 7 days of Kindle. Has anyone read this? If yes, any good thoughts?
This is first book I am reading on my kindle and I am amazed. Althou nothing can replace the feel of a real book; Kindle is so much more comfortable to hold. Plus a dictionary option amazes me! Just highlight a word and see what it means! So handy!

Onto the fun stuff:

Yes, I bought more nail polish. It probably wouldn’t be so bad if one of them wasn’t nude! I don’t know what it is but I am always drawn into the nude shades. It probably means I am boring… never mind, I love nude polish all the same. Perhaps the fact that other two are glitter will counteract the nude one :)

Essie Brooch The Subject - the nude one!
Essie Set in Stone - I loved A Cut Above some much I had to get this!
China GLaze Some Like It Haute - Oh so pretty!

This evening I will be glittering my nails - YAY!

Hope you have a great week darlings!

Sylwia x

Make-up removing + blog design

Finally I am blogging! For the last few days my eyes have been in a war state with me. Vision has been getting blurry, headaches from looking at the computer and constantly squinting! Something is wrong so I am going to see an optician soon.

So let's get to it. First post about my skincare routine is about removing make-up before going to sleep. There are lots of ways of doing it and many different products to choose from. Only way of finding out which one works best for you is trying them out. I personally don’t like oil or milk as it feels greasy and it leaves film on my skin that just grosses me out. I like the squeaky clean type of feel :)

Oh! I don’t think I have to stress about the fact that going to bed with your make-up on is a massive NO NO?! We have all done it and probably still do it on the odd occasion. It is best to eliminate this habit completely and if you cannot be bothered to do the proper cleansing routine then at least remove the make-up thoroughly.

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution has become my favorite. It is water based so needs to be used with a cotton pad. This stuff removes every trace of make-up from my eyes and face without irritating the skin. I am talking about black smoky eye, gel eyeliner, eyelash glue etc. without much rubbing. Two or three swipes and everything is gone. Of course you need to use a cotton bud to get to that annoying area between eyelid and eyelashes where bits of make-up always get stuck. But again, two or three swipes and it’s all gone.

Addition: Watch this video of amazing Lisa Eldridge on how to remove your eye make-up. No need for rubbing. Just press the pads onto the lids and wait until make-up will dissolve.

Apologies for the little black hair appearance. Scratchy (the cat) has found my flowery background very comfortable to sleep on.

I am not going to lie and say that each evening I take time to properly cleanse, tone and moisturize my skin. But with Bioderma whole process of removing make-up has become a lot faster and frustration free. I have got no excuse not to spent 2 minutes for removing a whole day’s dirt from my face. So if I skip the other steps at least I know I haven't got any make-up leftovers when I wake up in the morning.

I also use Olay Daily Facial cloths from time to time. I like to take them with me when I travel as they are very light weight and take minimum storage space. Daily Facials remove make-up very good and don’t irritate my skin but I feel they dry it out a bit.


Some other random bits:

I have been messing with the blog design again! It just didn’t seem right no matter what I did :( After a long thinking process and sleepless nights (ok, it wasn’t that bad) I have come to a decision. It must be simple, minimalistic and maybe throw a bit of cuteness into the mix. This is what I like and I feel most comfortable with so I think my blog should reflect that.
What do you guys think? Does it look alright?

Update on Elf Matte Finisher. Full on matte effect kinda rubbed off. Not fully but it became something in between matte and shine. I’d call it sheen/satin finish. I have to say I do like it that way. Also this is sixth day and the polish has only slightly rubbed of the tips of the nails. Pretty good going.



How was your weekend girls? Did you do anything nice/cool/exciting?

Sylwia x

Catrice UltiMate Nudes and ELF Matte Finisher

One more post before my skin care series!
I have used ELF matte finisher I bought for just a £1 for a first time today. I am little bit late on this but hey ho...better late than never :) I have to say it is little bizarre to have matte nails as I am a big fan of super shiny finish. I do like it thou as it is unusual and quirky. I think it will tame down those super dark colors that sometimes aren't appropriate for the day time. I will be using it again with my other polishes for definite.

Catrice 040 Petit Four As Dessert. Lovely nude with a delicate sparkle. Applies nicely and gives ful coverage after a  second coat.

Matte Finisher on top of Petit Four As Dessert. It definitely makes the color to look lighter. I think it looks quite cool thou :) Oh And ELF polishes are free of harmful chemicals like Toluene, Formaldehyde ad DBP!

What do you think peeps? Have any of you tried matte nail look?


Sylwia x

7 days of skin care

Hello my lovelies!

Throughout the years I have tried so many creams, cleansers, serums, masks and everything else you can imagine and so far found a few amazing products that improved the condition of my skin. I am still on a look out for my perfect moisturizer or toner but there are some miracle makers in my bathroom that need to be told about.

Instead of doing a separate review on each of the products I have decided to show you how my skin care routine looks and tell you all about my favorites. My next 7 posts will be all about how I care for my skin and what helped me to improve how it looks and feels. I can’t promise that I will post everyday but I will try not to have to long gaps.

Please keep in mind that we all have different skin types and condition of our skin is determined by many factors. Some things like watching our diet, drinking plenty of water or not smoking we can control. Other things like weather, our age or air pollution we can’t control. It is important to find what is causing our skins bad condition and match our skin routine accordingly. We need to remember to respect our skin and treat it gently.

I will share all of my knowledge and experiences with you guys and hope you will find it interesting and helpful.

Sylwia x

Feel Unique January Beauty Box

Hi everybody!

I am a little bit disappointed with my box this month. I don't mind it being all skin care but what i don't like is that I got two anti-wrinkle products. I have tried Lulu's time bomb I got in November Carmine box and it did not work for me. I don't think my skin needs anti-wrinkle cream as of yet and I don't want to use it just for the sake of it. I am excited to try other products from this "New Year, New You" themed box.

Content:

• Lierac Extreme age-defense firming care - my friend Janet can expect a little gift from me :)
• Lierac wrinkle smoother - this goes to Janet too :)
• GreenPeople Make-up remover and cleanser - it will be good to see if it can beat my Bioderma at removing eye make-up
• Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion - I have got way too many body lotions at the momment but I really liked Caudalie face cream so I'm glad i can try this body lotion
• Phyto Express Conditioner - my hair are in desperate need of some good conditioning and I've heard great things about Phyto
• Dead Sea Magik Salt Scrub - always good to do a bit of scrubbing!
  
  

What do you guys think about this months feel unique box? Any of you are subscribed to some kind of a beauty box?

Dose of randommness:

• I am putting myself on a shopping ban!
• You can expect a lot of reviews and make-up looks, less hauls. I need to use the stuff I have got cause it is getting out of control
• I had an awesome weekend! Me and my friends went for my birthday night out! It was in December but I celebrate it in January cause of the Christmas. It felt sooo good to throw some shapes on the dance floor :)
• Scratchy (my cat) sleeps in weirdest positions possible. He looks like he broke all of his legs and a neck in order to be comfortable :)

MUA Cosmetics haul

Hello sweeties!

Just a quick post to show you what came to me in a parcel yesterday. I have placed an order with Mua website just after Christmas and haven't had any communication from them till the day before yesterday. I am not very happy with their customer service and here's why.  On Tuesday I have emailed them to see if my order is being processed but had no response. On Wednesday about 6pm I received an email saying order has been shipped (stamp on the envelope states Tuesday which is the day when I emailed them the first time). It arrived yesterday with one missing item. I have still been charged for this item and on the invoice that line is highlighted without any explanation. Today I got a response to my original email saying that my order is being processed and will be shipped soon! Clearly they don't know what is going on. I have informed them that parcel has been delivered already and mentioned the missing item. Should I expect another delivery or a refund will be issued? I got no reply...
I am not making a big deal out of it all and I am sure they will sort it out eventually. I just wanted to tell you about my experience because MUA didn’t make a good first impression. Hope yours will be better if you order from MUA website.
This stuff doesn't cost much but still… I think fairly new company like this should be working on their customer services to be top notch.

• Blusher shade 2
• Blusher shade 4
• Heaven & Earth Eyeshadow palette
• Immaculate Collection (this was a free gift worth £8!)
  

Item I didn't receive was trio eyeshadow in shade Innocence. I did not use any of these as of yet. I will off course review them for you guys as soon as I test them out and develop an opinion on the products :)

Have an amazing weekend!

Fearne Cotton From Dusk Til Dawn Eyes

I absolutely adore Fearne Cotton! I was so excited when heard she is collaborating with Boots to create Christmas make-up range. I got lucky because Santa brought me one of her eye shadow palettes last month.

My Experience: Let me start by saying that packaging is super cute and beetles on the eye shadows are adorable. Unfortunately when it comes to an actual product it's not so sweet anymore. Colors are very promising but they are not pigmented enough in my opinion. Two mink shadows are too similar to each other and don't show up on the eyelid as different colors. I think each of these shadows would look lovely on the lid with an addition of a darker color in the crease. But I couldn't really create an eye look using this compact on its own. It is a shame because this little kit has got so much potential.

Darkest shade on the upper lid. Lightest shade in the inner corner.

Pastel Green on the lower lash line.

No primer.

Pictures were taken with a flash so colors are a bit washed out but it's pretty close to a real life look.

Formula: Shadows are soft, creamy and blend easily.

Where to buy: Not sure if still available but Boots

Price: £8

Final score: 5/10 If only they were more pigmented...

Have you tried any of the Fearne's products? What do you think of them?

Movie date Outfit and Make up

Hello my beauties!

Me and my boyfriend went to the cinema today to see "Girl with the dragon tattoo". I really enjoyed the movie and that often doesn't happen if I read the book first. Normally I compare it too much and end up being frustrated that a lot have been missed out. My boyfriend didn't enjoy it as much though. I think for someone who didn't read the book there was not enough tension build up. Things were happening really fast one after another. There was no mystery factor as in the book.
I have waved my hair with GHD's for the first time and I am quite happy with the result. I do have to practice a bit more but it's fairly easy.
Anyhoo... This is what I wore :)

Products used:

• Mac painterly paint pot
• ELF Natural eyeshadow palette
• Sephora eyeliner
• Max factor mascara 2000 calories
• ELF eyebrow kit
• Max factor eyebrow pencil
• Revlon Color Stay Foundation
• NYC translucent powder
• The Balm Frat boy blusher
• ELF mineral lipstick Runway pink
• Sleek Put Polish Bare minimum

Trousers - Zara
Shoes - Daichman
Blouse, belt - Primark
Satchel - Matalan

Have a great Wednesday guys!

ELF Cosmetics Sale Haul

Hello sweeties!

Last weekend I have received a Free Delivery code for ELF website. I obviously took advantage of it and immediately placed an order :)
I was really surprised when post man handed me a parcel with ELF logo on it just yesterday :) So I thought I will share with you what I got. Majority of the items were in the sale so you might still get some of them if you hurry. Brilliant thing with Elf is that once you place your first order you get lots and lots of discount codes on your email. I only order from them when I've got a promo code :)

• Natural Eyeshadow Palette £1.75 sale
• Smoky Eyeshadow Palette £1.75 sale
• Conditioning Lip Balm Mellow Melon £3.50
• Nail Polish Smoky Brown £1 sale
• Nail Polish Cranberry £1 sale
• Matte Finisher Nail Polish £1 sale

I only paid £10 for this lot! I will test everything out and let you know my thoughts.

Dose of randomness:

• "Girl with the Dragon tattoo" movie was really good! I am glad I have read the book before seeing it thou
• I have got so many ideas for blog posts and so much I would like to show you peeps! Just not enough time :(
• I am like 10 years late on the whole "matte nails" wagon but looking forward to see how it looks
• I have got three scratch cards in front of me right now.... I might be telling you in my next post that I am going to Maldives on a holiday.....NOT

Weleda Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash

I received Weleda Pomegranate Body Wash in my December Carmine box. I have heard a few good things about this brand. Weleda makes all natural, no synthetic anything products for your face, body, hair and teeth. Products are categorized by plant and each of the categories is designed to help with a different skin problem.
Pomegranate seed oil is considered excellent for dry, ageing and stressed skin. Its strong antioxidant properties promote the renewal of cells and regeneration of skin.

What is claims to do: Invigorates with cleansing moisture and nutrient-loaded organic pomegranate seed oil to renew nurtured skin that is soft to the touch. Stimulates senses and brings balance to the body and soul.

Formula: Thick and creamy consistency. Little goes a long way, easily lathers into a thick and soft foam. Strong but not overwhelming scent of pomegranate.

How to use it: It works best with loofah. I tried it with my rubber massaging glove and it does not want to lather much.

My experience: This product is awesome for the winter. It is a pure pleasure to use because of its lovely scent and thick, soft foam it creates. My skin felt soft and smooth after using it. I didn't experience any dryness nor itching during the day. I have put it to the ultimate test and didn't apply any body lotion after having a shower for couple of days. Honestly I can say that my skin did not notice any difference. I'm sure it would make an impact if I carried on not using moisturizer. But for those mornings when there isn't enough time I can skip the moisturizer and be sure I won't itch all day.

Price: £8.95  200ml

Where to buy: feelunique.com, weleda.co.uk

Final score: 9/10 Weleda Body Wash delivers everything that it promises. I consider this one of the best body creams I've ever used. From squeezing it from the tube to the smoothness of my skin after using it. I have taken one point away for the price. Although it is an amazing product I think it's a bit much for a shower cream. I seriously consider checking out other products from Weleda's range.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser Review

There's been quite a lot of interest in Cetaphil products. Brand aims at dry and sensitive skin offering Skin Cleanser and Moisturising Lotion. In the winter my skin becomes dull looking, dry patches and redness appear plus irritation often comes with it all. I have been using Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser for about 2 months and finally got round to give you my honest opinion on it.

What it claims to do: Helps skin retain needed moisture. Leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and healthy. Smoothes and softens as it cleans. Ph balanced for effective and gentle cleansing. Soap free formula removing make-up and other impurities without drying the skin.

Formula: Soap-free, fragrance-free, non-comedogenic. Watery, non-greasy consistency. Pearly white color. It does not lather which is a little bit weird at first but easy to get used to.

How to use it: Apply to the skin and massage gently. Can be used without water: wipe excess with soft tissue or cotton wool. With water: rinse and pat dry with a soft towel.

My experience: It did not remove all traces of make-up even when used after make-up remover. Therefore I have been using it only in the morning. Each time it left my skin looking soft and smooth. I wash it off with water because I find it being more refreshing and clean process. Irritation, red patches or tightness did not appear on my face at any stage of using Cetaphil. It kept my skin from drying out during this "coldness outside/heating inside" time. I am not a person that looks at ingredients in the products and certainly don't know much about them but Cetaphil made me wonder. It seems like 90% of it is made out of alcohol and parabens. As far as I know these aren't good for us. If you watch what you use and your beauty products have to be natural and paraben-free then stay away from this cleanser.

Price: £7-£10 250ml

Where to buy: Boots, your local pharmacy, internet pharmacy.

Final score: 6/10 Gentle and moisturizing but to pricey for what it is. It's not strong enough to remove make-up and ingredients didn't impress me. Could work better for someone with serious skin problems where anything else is irritating or drying.


Have you used any of the Cetaphil products? What was your experience?