Creme De La Mer - Renewal Oil & Hand Treatment

Hi guys! I hope you are well and having a great week so far. Today I have some very exciting products to share with you. I was extremely fortunate enough to receive some Creme De La Mer products recently so I thought I would do a review of them. The two products I'll be showing are: The Renewal Oil (RRP £155 for 30ml, available online here) and The Hand Treatment (RRP £70 for 100ml, available online here). 

The Renewal Oil - You might be aware that I am a huge advocate of facial oils. I have been using them religiously and non stop over the course of 7 years and have seen even the darkest spots and acne scars disappear because of them. It was no surprise I would love this product which is multi-usage (I use this on my face, decolletage, cuticles, hair etc) that envelops skin into nourishment to enhance its natural glow. It softens emerging lines and helps combat skin dehydration for a beautiful glow. A little tip I learned with this product is that you have to "Shake it to wake it". 'It', referring to the miracle broth, which sits at the bottom of the bottle, and the oil on top, so shaking helps to homogenise the product. This oil is perfect for people who want instant hydration but don't like to feel and look too greasy as it is definitely a light-weight dry oil.

The Hand Treatment - I have been using this hand cream for months actually but only now have my own. Well over due as this is the best hand cream I've ever used. It is silky, soothing and nourishing, that creates an emollient barrier to lock moisture in. I do find this cream a little too heavy for day use but is absolutely perfect before bed for an overnight treatment. I have suffered from cracked knuckles for years from boxing and this is the only product that has actually softened them and made the appearance much more hydrated!

What products by Creme De La Mer have you tried? I can't wait to try more products from this gorgeous brand! Thanks so much for reading and have a great week ahead.

Current Skincare Routine

Hello everyone! Today I have my current skincare routine to share with you. Since moving to London and experiencing the colder climate I've had to trial a few new products to find what works best for me. I'm happy to say I rarely get any blemishes (even around my period) and I do honestly think these products play an important role in that factor! I'll show you which products I use, and when I use them for maximum results. Let's jump right in.

Got a bit carried away on Photoshop. :)

Daily (AM): Simple Kind To Skin Refreshing Facial Wash Gel (RRP £3.39 for 150ml)

This facial wash gel is very simple (as the brand name suggests). It's not outstanding, it doesn't do anything dramatically different for me to be obsessed with it, but it does the job.. and it also helps to wake me up in the morning. It's a cooling gel and makes my skin very soft afterwards, but I will be on the hunt for a new morning cleanser so this section may change soon. It's seriously affordable though and works perfectly after a sweaty gym session.

Daily (PM): Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm (RRP £22 for 125ml)

This balm is incredible. I knew I would love it from the moment I saw it because I love anything to do with balms, oils, or in this case, a balm that turns into an oil! It is lightweight, fragrance-free and removes make-up and dirt very effectively. I use about a 50p size amount and warm it up in my fingers and massage it all over. It has become a holy grail, can't live without product for me and I love it!

Daily (AM & PM): Darphin Revitalizing Oil (RRP £25.00 for 50ml)

I have only recently been introduced to Darphin (since I started working for ELC) and I'm so glad I've had the opportunity to try it. I was lucky enough to receive a 2 hour Darphin facial the other week and it was blissful! Back on track though, this Revitalizing oil is so amazing. It is a multi-usage, dry oil that can be used on your face, hair, body and nails (suitable for all skin types). I use this product on my clients' nails daily, and I use it on my face morning and night as my moisturiser. I have been using facial oils for years and believe it is the key to dewy, soft, youthful skin and this revitalising oil is no exception. It smells wonderfully of Rosewood, Jasmine and Lavender.

Weekly: Origins Clear Improvements Active Charcoal Mask (RRP £23 for 100ml) + Origins Original Skin Retexturising Mask (RRP £23 for 100ml

I use these two masks together, using the two on different areas of my face that have different issues. I use the active charcoal mask on my chin and jawline (where I seem to break out occasionally and have congestion) and I use the Original Skin everywhere else (particularly focusing on my nose and cheeks). I ride to work everyday, and the pollution in the air is a lot more noticeable here in London, wreaking havoc on my skin! These two masks have helped a lot with decongestion and I particularly love the Original Skin Retexturising Mask with Rose Clay because it contains Jojoba beads which gives your skin a gentle exfoliation when you remove it! Overall, my skin appears brighter, cleaner and smoother than ever!

Let me know if you've tried any of these products in the comments below! Thanks so much for reading and have a great evening!

My Skincare Routine

Hi lovelies! Today I have a skincare routine post to share with you. Since the colder months my skincare has been amped up and my skin is looking pretty good these days (minus the occasional hormonal blemish here and there). My skincare is pretty basic. I don't go too crazy with different products and methods to apply them but my general routine is as follows.

Every morning, in the shower I will use the Goodness Every Week Face Scrub (RRP $12.95) (which I find gentle enough for daily use). It's a really nice chia seed oil based scrub that gently exfoliates dead skin cells. Once I'm out of the shower I will put on a small amount of the Goodness Chia Seed Oil Every Morning Moisturiser (RRP $16.95), particularly around my chin area (which is my driest area on my face) and then once that has fully dried, I will use 2-3 drops of the Goodness Chia Seed Facial Oil (RRP $19.95) all over my face for extra hydration. This combination of the moisturiser (which is the first moisturiser I've used where I could definitely get away with just using it alone and feel hydrated, plus it smells like watermelon) and the Chia Seed Oil (instant hydration and glowy skin = win!) has dramatically reduced my chin redness and greatly helped the overall look in my skin's texture and appearance. Goodness is available from Chemist Warehouse, Priceline and selected Woolworths.

In the evening I use the Sanctuary Spa Ultimate Facial Cleansing Oil (RRP $19.95, online here), especially if I've worn makeup that day for super soft, clean skin. Once I have rinsed it off and pat my face dry, I repeat my morning routine of the facial moisturiser and facial oil combination. Once or twice a week, after I have cleansed my face, I will apply a face mask. I've been absolutely loving these two face masks together as I can put the Deep Pore Clearing Mud Mask by Red Earth (RRP $35.00, online here) all over my face, and I will use the Melt-Away Mask by Thalgo for Dry/Very Dry Skin (RRP $61.00, online here) just on my chin and around my nose and it perfectly cleans and hydrates parts of my face that need it most. They both effectively deep clean and hydrate perfectly and do exactly what good specifically targeted face masks should do! My skin is giving me a great big kiss!

Current Skincare & Haircare Favourites

Hey guys! Today I want to show you some new skincare and haircare products I have been using over the past few months and that have now become quite regular in my routine.

I have never used the brand People for Plants until about a month ago and I am so in love with their range now! Their Cleanser & Makeup Remover (RRP $24.95) is such a nice, creamy and hydrating cleanser that removes make up very easily. It has white tea, aloe and witch hazel properties to help give a gentle but thorough clean. Plus it smells like lavender! Another product I just started using is their Body Scrub (RRP $19.95) which is a scrub full of papaya, quillaja and apricot properties that gives your skin a vitamin boost and helps to gently remove and slough off dead skin cells all over the body. The scent is citrus-y. Lastly from this brand is the Organic Lip Balm (RRP $9.95) in the flavour vanilla and cocoa butter. Holy moly. . .this lip balm is seriously the best I've ever used. I love super hydrating and moisturising lip balms that I feel working instantly. Besides Carmex (or Blistex with menthol) I haven't found a non menthol lip balm that works like they do, until now. This lip balm is so so good. I use it all the time and it gives my lips a really healthy glow as well as restoring and smoothing out any dry, chapped skin. It is quite oily (sunflower seed oil being the highest ingredient on the list) but it works so well and my boyfriend said it smells like cake batter. . . winning! People for Plants are available online here.

I've heard of so many great things about Jojoba oil and finally got my hands on some of the Jojoba Company products. I've been using the Jojoba Bead & Bamboo Facial Exfoliant (RRP $39.95) for weeks now and love the way it makes my skin feel after using it. It has helped my blemishes diminish and even out my skin tone. It doubles as a face mask as well but I usually just clean my face with it at the end of the day. It smells like butter with bamboo essence. The 100% Natural Australian Jojoba Oil (RRP $29.95) is very different to what i'm used to. I'm no stranger to face oils (using rosehip oil for so many years now) but the texture and feel of this oil surprised me. It is really loose and oily. It has a similar consistency to water rather than rosehip oil which has a thicker consistency. I have been using jojoba oil over my rosehip oil, by applying 5 drops of rosehop oil and waiting for it to absorb and then applying 1 pump of jojoba oil after. It has helped my skin stay moist, look dewy, and heal my blemishes more quickly. The only thing I don't like about this product is the smell. It's nothing too strong to deter me from using it though. This product can also be used on your body, hair and nails too! Multi tasking products are such great value! The Jojoba Company stockists can be found online here for your nearest supplier.

The latest collection by Schwarzkopf is the Essence Ultime range which was developed with the help of supermodel Claudia Schiffer. I got to try out the new Omega Repair Intensive Hair Mask (RRP $14.99) which helps rebuild and control split ends, infused with omega oil. I didn't notice any significant changes using this mask but hair was very soft and smelt amazing after each use.This can be found a Priceline and other selected pharmacies nationally.

Have you tried any of these products? I'd love to know what your favourite products currently are!

Sanctuary Spa Facial Oil & Detox Mask

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Hey guys!! Today I have two products by Sanctuary Spa Covent Garden to show you; the Lipid Recovery Facial Oil* and the Deep Cleanse 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask*. I am seriously loving this brand, it has got to be my new favourite skincare line now! They are available at Priceline and at the moment the entire range has 20% off the marked price!

Lipid Recovery Facial Oil* (RRP $34.99) is a concentrated 5-lipid complex to tone, nourish and rejuvenate skin. It claims to visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles and makes skin noticeably brighter and more radiant in 4 weeks. This product contains 98% organic ingredients. Whenever I apply a facial oil to my skin I ensure I really massage it in for a good 5 minutes to help my skin's circulation and lymphatic flow kick start. I apply this all over my face (including eyebrows and eyelids) and all down my neck and decolletage. It is a wonderful product and I have been using it more than my rosehip oil (which is saying something since I have been using it for over 4 years now!). It has the most loveliest scent of lavender and bitter orange. I will definitely be repurchasing this product once i've finished it!

30 seconds after being rubbed in.

5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask* (RRP $19.99) is a warming charcoal treatment for perfectly clean and purified skin. I have been using this every second day and have noticed my skin looking quite balanced and has stopped some breakouts from arising. It is quite a thick mask and needs to be applied on damp skin but make sure your fingers are dry otherwise it's a bit hard to spread. I love the warming sensation but I really do not like the smell of this stuff! It smells like charcoal trying to be covered by a sweet almond scent.. It's not unbearable, but it's not very appealing especially when it goes so close to your nose! I do like this product, besides the smell, but I would not purchase again.

So what do you think of these products? Have you tried any Sanctuary products yet? I absolutely love them! Thanks for reading and have a lovely day!