New Video: Current Skincare Routine

Hi lovelies, I'm back with my second Youtube video after a few disasters with making it! I actually originally filmed this last week, but it was too long and therefore rejected by Youtube - proof if ever I needed any that I can talk for England! Anyway, being the inexperienced video editor that I am, instead of managing to cut out the bits I didn't want I only succeeded in butchering it, and it's taken until today for me to find some daylight and some free time at home in order to try again! In fact, it took me another three attempts today - the first time the radio started blasting halfway through, and the second my laptop ran out of battery! Clearly not my day for filming, but we got there in the end! :)

I'm aware that some of you might possibly be interested in hearing about my skincare routine but won't fancy watching the video. Well, if that's you then please don't feel left out, as I will be doing a blog post about the very same on Monday. I was going to include some info about the products now, but as you can imagine, having made three attempts at producing this video, I now need a little break from talking about them!

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend so far, possibly doing a bit of Christmas shopping and getting into the spirit of things. Some say it's too early. I am not one of them.

Whatever you're doing lovelies, enjoy yourselves!

xx

Spirit of Beauty Dancing Orchid Skin Balancing Moisturiser

The Spirit of Beauty Dancing Orchid Skin Balancing Moisturiser was yet another of the skincare  goodies I was lucky enough to receive as part of a giveaway prize from the fantastic Product Pixie a couple of months ago. You might be bored of me mentioning that each time I review one of the products included in that haul, but I do feel that it's relevant, particularly in this case, as at a whopping £31.95 for 50ml, this is not something I was ever likely to have purchased myself. After mentioning last week that I found the Pai Camellia and Rose cleanser ( review here) pretty pricey at £25 for 100ml, and saying that I wasn't likely to be repurchasing despite my love for it, I think we can safely say that today's product well and truly blows that out of the water. 

The Dancing Orchid Moisturiser comes in a sturdy, frosted glass bottle with a pump dispenser, and would look pretty sitting on anyone's bathroom shelf. Personally, I always feel that products are more sophisticated if they are packaged in glass- rightly or wrongly - so I already liked the look of this when I opened the box. I am always happy to see a bottle with a pump, too, as I just find them much easier to use (unless it's one of those that tries to dispense the entire contents of the bottle into your palm with just one push!).

 Lotus and Dancing Orchid Essences are, apparently said to 'revitalise, boost vitality and nurture a sense of confidence, beauty and grace', which, while sounding very lovely, are not things I would expect  from a skincare product!  Containing  Jasmine, Rose and Geranium oils, too soothe and rehydrate the skin, it did sound as though using it would be a pleasant experience - I love using products with calming, relaxing scents, as I need all the help in that area that I can get, especially before bed.

The moisturiser itself is quite liquid in consistency. It's smooth, but a little bit watery, and a couple of pumps will dispense a sufficient amount of product for both your face and neck. 

Now, Spirit of Beauty recommend popping some into your palms and rubbing them together to warm the product, before sweeping over the skin using circular motions, but you can just as easily pop some on as you normally would if you're in a bit of a hurry. It soaks into the skin quite quickly and leaves it feeling nice and soft, though not overly so. Given that it doesn't contain any SPF, this can be used both morning and night, and also throughout the day as needed. Be aware though, that this does not contain any active  anti-ageing ingredients, so if that's what you're after then this is not the one for you.

This is designed for combination skin in particular, claiming to balance your oily and dry areas. Well, I don't particularly have dry skin, but I do get the occasional flaky patch on my nose,  and I don't find this cream to be rich enough to deal with those. However, my t-zone does seem pretty satisfied with it, and it certainly doesn't break me out, so it's a nice product if you don't have any extreme skin issues.

I do love that this moisturiser contains lots of natural goodies, and it does smell rather pleasant. But do I think it's worth the £31.95 price tag? No.  I have enjoyed using it so far, but I can't honestly say that I have found it any better than any of the other moisturisers I have tried. It's a good everyday product to have around, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it - for me to repurchase something at that price, it would have to be pretty special. 

I would like to point out, however, that not everything in the Spirit of Beauty skincare range is quite so extortionately priced - they have a lovely selection of facial spritzes for around £18-£19, and cleansers come in at around £20. I do think they are a really nice brand, and I like the concept of their products, so if you are someone who is happy to splurge then do head over to NutriBeauty and check them out. If, like me, you are a fan of organic skincare then this is the site for you, as you will find a selection of fantastic brands, many of which consist of  natural or naturally derived products where possible. Lovely!

Have you ever tried anything from Spirit of Beauty? What did you think?

xx

Skincare Haul (Giveaway Win)

 (L-R)  Natural Empathy Beautifully British Luxury Hand and Body Lotion,  Pai Camelia and Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, Suti Peppermint Water Organic Facial Toner, Spirit of Beauty Dancing Orchid Skin Balancing Moisturiser.

 (L-R) Viridian Ultimate Beauty Complex, Deborah Mitchell Heaven Bee Venom Mask

I was recently lucky enough to win a fantastic skincare giveaway held by the lovely Product Pixie (go and check out her beautiful blog by clicking on the link if you haven't already). The prize was a selection of six top British products from Nutribeauty, all full-size, and I was thrilled to bits to receive them in the post, especially since I had just run out of my beloved Liz Earle skincare products and was in the mood to try something new. I'll always go back to Liz, but being a beauty blogger, I do feel the urge to experiment from time to time, and it's just as well I do as it's the only way to find wonderful new products.

I received: 

• Natural Empathy Beautifully British Luxury Hand and Body Lotion,
•  Pai Camellia and Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser 
• Suti Peppermint Water Organic Facial Toner  
• Spirit of Beauty Dancing Orchid Skin Balancing Moisturiser
• Viridian Ultimate Beauty Complex 
• Deborah Mitchell Heaven Bee Venom Mask

So, as you can see, I've got pretty much everything I need to take care of my skin. 

The Pai Cleanser is quite similar to Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish in that you apply it to your skin and then 'polish' it off, using a warm, damp muslin cloth, so I instantly loved the idea of this product. I have used it a few times now and am really enjoying it, so keep your eyes peeled (yuck, I hate that expression) for a full review in the near future. 

The Suti facial toner is another product that has instantly won favour with me. It comes in a spray bottle, ready to spritz over your face after cleansing, or throughout the day as a refresher where needed. The peppermint scent is really invigorating, but I also find it really relaxing to use before bed.

The product I am the most excited  (and also a little bit scared) about using is definitely the Deborah Mitchell Heaven Bee Venom Mask, of which Camilla  Parker-Bowles (do we still call her that?) is supposedly a huge fan. Now, I'm not exactly eager to replicate Camilla's look, but this mask is, apparently, nature's answer to botox. It contains a tiny amount of bee venom, which when applied to the skin sets off a reaction that causes the skin to regenerate and repair itself, presumably under the impression that it has been stung. I can't say I'm hugely enthralled by the prospect of allowing venom anywhere near my skin, nor am I of an age at which I might require botox (and even if I was, I doubt I would be having any), but I am definitely going to be trying this product out regardless - the amount of venom it contains is very small and therefore safe, and who doesn't need a bit of help in the anti-aging department, whatever their age?

I shall be reviewing all of these products in full just as soon as I feel that I have trialled them for a sufficient amount of time, so if you are interested in trying any of them out then do pop back and have a look.

Have you tried any of these products?

What are your favourite skincare products and brands at the moment?

xx