John Lewis Blogger's Secret Santa: Unwrapped!

Christmas has come early here at Mirror on the Wall!

You may remember me mentioning a few weeks back that I had been invited to take part in a very exciting Secret Santa gift swap this year - arranged for us bloggers by the one and only John Lewis. Now, unless you've been hiding under a rock, you will have undoubtedly seen, or at least heard about their Christmas advert for 2013, The Bear and the Hare. If you haven't, then I strongly suggest you hold on at the end of this post and give it a watch, as it's absolutely adorable!

Anyway, back to the matter at hand.

My John Lewis Blogger's Secret Santa gift - from the lovely Jessica Louise over at Forever Miss Vanity - arrived in two parts, and the first package was ripped eagerly open to reveal a beautifully embroidered red stocking. I was instantly excited, and upon reaching inside I was met with a plethora of Liz Earle goodies - now show me a beauty blogger who wouldn't be thrilled to bits with that! The treats included a full-size tube of the iconic Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, and travel-sizes of the Instant Boost Skin Tonic, Skin Repair Moisturiser, Orange Flower Botanical Body Wash and Nourishing Botanical Body Cream, as well as a couple of muslin cloths to boot. For me, this couldn't have come at a better time, as having recently reverted back to Cleanse and Polish, I had just reached the end of my tube of the limited edition Grapefruit and Patchouli version.

Exclusive to John Lewis, this Liz Earle Jan Constantine Stocking Skincare Giftset is available for £50, and I think that this would make a fantastic stocking-filler for any skincare lover out there.

Next up came the second part of the gift, and for me the most exciting of all. Jessica got it absolutely spot on with this one, and I shrieked with excitement upon tearing open the second box to be met with a beautiful Jo Malone box. I instantly knew that Jessica had been doing her homework, as I have often harped on about just how much I wanted to make a Jo Malone candle mine, and this Mandarin and Lime Basil delight now has pride of place on my living room mantelpiece!

John Lewis has got a range of luxury Jo Malone candles in-store, with the 250g setting you back £39. You can find the larger size of the Jo Malone Lime Basil and Mandarin Deluxe Candle by clicking the link, but I'd definitely recommend having a browse at some of their other scents too!

Personally, I'm absolutely pleased as punch with my Secret Santa gifts, and I hope Jessica is too. I'm so greateful to have been given the opportunity to take part in such a fantastic event and it's really got me into the festive spirit.

Now? It's time for a freshly baked mince pie and a glass of mulled wine.

 

Have you taken part in a Secret Santa this year?

Where will you be doing your Christmas shopping?

xx

Christmas Beauty Wishlist

Real Techniques Core Collection  -  Models Own Mirrorball Glitter Polishes  -  The Bodyshop Shea Gift Set  -  Origins 'A PerfectWorld' Skincare Gift Set  -  L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Extreme Mascara  -  MUA Bronzed Perfection  -  MUA Cream Blush in Blossom  - Liz Earle Line Smoothing Serum  -  Diptyque Philosykos Perfume  -  Models Own Ibiza Mix  -  Mac MSF in 'Whisper of Gilt'  -  MUA Pro Brow kit  -  MUA Undressed Palette  -  Nars 'Make-Up Your Mind' Gift Set  -  Real Techniques Starter Kit  -  Organic Surge Face Wash  -  Mac Face Kit

This time around, I've decided to compile a beauty wishlist solely for beauty, because having been asked what  would like for Christmas once or twice, I am really struggling to narrow it down! So, I have put together all the things I would have liked to receive in an ideal world, though some of these things- like the Diptyque Philosykos perfume, £80 - I would never dream of asking for, and I certainly wouldn't fancy paying that price myself, either!

A lot of these items are things I have been meaning to pick up for ages, but just haven't got round to it - such as the MUA Undressed Palette and the Real Techniques brush sets - quite frankly, beauty essentials no girl should be without.

There are some lovely gift sets knocking around at the moment, but that said, I have found the selection quite frustrating when trying to select one I would like. There is always something missing from the set, or something in it that I wouldn't really use - wouldn't it be great if we could choose what went into them for a set price, sort of bespoke Christmas gifts? The Origins 'A Perfect World' set, for example, doesn't contain a night cream, and the Nars sets I looked at that were of  a reasonable price all had lipglosses in them, which are not really my thing (I'm a lipstick girl). The 'Make-Up Your Mind' set was by far the best, containing an Orgasm/Angelika blush duo, Copacabana Multiple and Laguna Bronzing Powder. However, at £55 I do think this is a little steep, and when there are so many other things I've got my eye on, or that could be got with the money, I'm unsure whether or not it's really worth it. Yes, I know these are cult products, but the reason I have never purchased any of the full-size versions until now is because I find Nars really over-priced. £30 for the Laguna/Orgasm bronze/blush duo is just too much.

I hope you've seen something you like on my little list, or that it's perhaps given you a gift idea or two!

Enjoy your weekend lovelies.

xx

October Empties

Apologies about the slightly bleached out photo here. It was extremely sunny when I took these, and despite trying to edit this one in order for the products to be more clearly visible, this is the best I could get it.

Anyway, on to this month's empties.

Benefit Erase Paste in Shade 02 Medium

Finally, after ten months, my trusty little pot of Erase Paste is no more. This was my first time trying this concealer, and it fast became a staple in my daily makeup routine - in fact, I wouldn't leave the house without it. It's quite a thick, salmon-toned paste, and in my case it has been mostly used for concealing the dark under-eye circles which you have all heard me complaining about of late. It does do a pretty good job, better than anything else I'd tried before. But alas, it's still not concealer perfection. I'm seriously starting to doubt if there is actually one in existence that can completely mask dark circles. It does also tend to settle into the expression lines under the eyes.

Would I buy it again? Actually, yes, I would - I'm scared to be without it. But in spite of this, I am keen to try some other concealers, and have actually just bought one from a brand I'd never heard of before, so keep your eyes peeled for a review on that one in the coming weeks, and to find out if it was able to outdo Erase Paste.

Benefit The Porefessional

I got this little treat free with Glamour magazine a few months ago, as I know many of you did. While I have seen mixed reviews, personally, I really like this and have started to incorporate it into my daily makeup routine. I actually don't really use this to disguise my pores - instead, I use it as a primer. I pat some onto my t-zone before applying my foundation, which seems to prolong the wear-time and prevent my makeup from sliding off my face after a couple of hours (I don't generally have oily skin, but my t-zone does play up at times, and could do with a bit of extra help). The Porefessional gives me a nice smooth,  matte surface to work with on those areas, and I have already repurchased another little tube.

I'd just like to point out that if you use The Porefessional in the same way as I do then despite this tube being a tiny 7ml in size, it will actually last you several months! Just use it sparingly.

Percy and Reed Splendidly Silky Moisturising Shampoo

Although we got off to a bumpy start, I actually ended up really liking this shampoo. I did review it on here only a couple of days ago, so rather than repeating myself all over again and boring you silly, you can click here for more information on the product and to find out some more of my thoughts.

Herbalife Skin Activator Day Cream

This has been my daily moisturiser for the past four or five months, and again, I've enjoyed using it. It does make my skin feel nice and soft, but it's not really anything out of the ordinary. It's supposed to prevent the signs of ageing and when used regularly, improve skin firmness, clarity and luminosity, but I really couldn't tell you if that's been the case with me, because I have been trying out so many different skincare products of late! My skin actually has started looking nice and clear and glowing within the past couple of weeks, but given that I've been using this cream for a few months now, I'd say it's more likely to be down to a couple of new face masks I've been using.

I would repurchase, but at the same time I'm happy to try out other products. As a beauty blogger, this is so often the case,so a product has to REALLY impress me to stick around.

Liz Earle Energising Body Wash

Containing the active ingredients Damask rose flower water, sweet orange oil and vitamin E, surprisingly this shower gel has quite a strong, astringent scent. I usually prefer fruity scents in the shower, but this was actually quite invigorating when used as part of my morning shower routine. This is the second bottle I've got through, but not because I purchased either of them - they were both sent to me as free gifts when I was making bulk purchases of some of Liz's other products online.

I don't think I'd repurchase, just because at £11.50 a pop it's a bit pricey for a shower gel. Plus, as I mentioned, I do tend to prefer fruity fragrances. But if I happen to receive one as another free gift next time I'm making a purchase then I will happily use it up.

Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliator

Again, this was a free gift with some Clinique purchases, although I must admit, this was about two years ago! And yes...yes, I have lost the lid. Again.

This product left my skin feeling really polished and smooth, but I probably wouldn't repurchase because there are plenty of other good exfoliators for a fraction of the price.

Can you tell that I'm a bit of a cheapskate when it comes to body products? I don't know why, but while I'm happy to splurge on facial skincare if I see fit, I hate to do so on things like shower gels and scrubs. There are just so many fantastic products and brands available at affordable prices, and in my eyes, they really do do the job just as well, while with facial skincare I believe that you generally get what you pay for.

So, that's it for October Empties. Do let me know if you've tried any of these products and what your thoughts were.

What have you used up this month?

xx

Sunday Sessions: Pamper Party

Mini Facial

You will need:

A facial cleanser

A good exfoliant or thermofoliant

A clarifying face mask (if you have dry skin then you may want to skip this step)

A moisture mask

A flannel/muslin cloth

Numerous cups of tea

Copious amounts of chocolate.

What I use:

1. Pai Camellia and Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser

First, I cleanse my face and neck using gentle, circular motions, remove gently with a muslin cloth, rinse and then pat my skin dry with a towel. If I was just doing my usual morning or evening routine, I'd spend more time gently exfoliating my skin with the cloth by rubbing it gently in (again) circular motions, but as we are going for a full on pampering session here it's not necessary (the second step takes care of that).

2. Dermalogica Multivitamin Thermofoliant

Next, I gently exfoliate my face using - again - the circular motions. I always try not to be too aggressive with this step as I don't want to leave my skin red raw - remember, we are trying to give the skin a treat, not a punishment. I usually exfoliate for 1-2 minutes and then rinse and pat my face dry.

At this stage, it's quite nice to steam the skin, which can be done in a couple of ways. You can either fill your sink or a large bowl with hot water and place a towel over your head, letting the steam permeate your skin and open up your pores, or you can soak a washcloth in hot water, wring it out and place it over your face for a few minutes. If you go for the latter then you may need to replace the cloth a few times to keep it hot, but either way, this is a great way to prepare your skin for the clarifying mask as it will make it easier for it to get into your pores and remove any impurities.

3. Laura Mercier Deep Cleansing Clay Mask OR Nourifusion Multivitamin Clarifying Mask

I tend to alternate between these two masks. I'm not really sure why - it's just because I've got them, really. I do enjoy using both though and think that perhaps each one might bring some slightly different benefit to my skin.

With the Laura Mercier mask, I apply it and leave it for 10-15 minutes, while the Nourifusion one can stay on for up to 20. Both masks will dry within this time, so to remove them I just add water and gently massage my skin. The mask softens and washes away. I normally have to rinse my skin a couple of times afterwards with warm water and grab the muslin cloth to remove any last little bits of residue.

Keep your eyes open for reviews of both of these masks coming up very soon.

4. a) Liz Earle Intensive Nourishing Treatment Mask

Now, at this stage you could really just spritz on some toner and apply a nice luxurious moisturiser (more on that later), but personally I like to give my skin an extra treat by slapping on a moisturising mask. Don't worry, this won't counter the effects of your clarifying mask - the first mask removes excess oiliness and impurities, while your moisturising mask will replenish your skin's moisture, leaving it smooth, supple and soft.

This mask is recommended to be left on for 15 minutes, but I'll be honest with you - when I do this, I don't really feel the effects. What I really like to do is apply a thick layer and then just leave it on. Yep, that's right, I don't rinse it off at all - I go to bed in it, and by the morning, mys kin has absorbed every last bit, leaving it ten times softer than it otherwise would have. Being a cream mask, this won't dry out and leave your skin feeling tight while it's on, but nor will it stay wet and sticky, so there is really no problem with sleeping in it. However, you might not want to sit around with it on your face all evening as it doesn't really mix with eating/drinking, so I usually make sure I do this not long before I go to bed, although on occasion I do remove it after a couple of hours and continue on to step 4b - it's really down to whatever I'm feeling like doing at the time.

OR

4. b) Suti Peppermint Water Organic Facial Toner 

You can spritz this onto you face and gently pat it in to tighten your pores and refresh your skin, and follow it with...

Herbalife Skin Activator

Pop on a nice thick layer to moisturise and hydrate your skin.
If before bed, you will probably want to use a night cream instead.

When I'm having my pamper session earlier in the evening, the next step is usually to get into some comfy loungewear, settle down with a nice big cup of tea and maybe some chocolate and watch some of my favourite Youtubers' latest videos. And catch up on blog reading, of course (I usually have my litttle sessions when I'm on my own so that I can 100% do what I like).  I might also throw a pedicure, some nail painting and maybe some hair masks into the mix, but that's a whole other story - I can't really suggest anything in the way of hair masks as I am still searching for one that has any effect whatsoever on my locks!
Before bed, I often slick some coconut oil or Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream on my lips and apply some foot cream before popping on a pair of socks - I like Sanctuary Moisture Rich Foot Butter at the moment.

What's your idea of a perfect pampering session, and what products do you like to use?


xx

July Favourites

, I can´t BELIEVE it is already the  of July! This year is going ridiculously quickly, and I feel like I haven´t done half of the things I wanted to yet!
Anyway, one thing I have, of course, managed to do, is to buy and to use plenty of beauty products, so without further ado, here are my favourites for this month.

Bach´s Rescue Remedy

I haven´t really mentioned this before on my blog, and I´m not going to go on and on about it here, but for the last year or so I have been suffering from anxiety. It´s not the kind of thing where I feel nervous before a stressful event, or when in a difficult situation - of course, I do feel like that, but this is more of a physical thing where I feel permanently on edge and cannot relax, even when I have no reason to be feeling this way. It´s more a case of my body than my mind (although of course it is probably my mind that is causing it, one way or another), and so this Rescue Remedy, sprayed twice on the tongue whenever I am feeling it, really helps me to relax. It´s not a miracle worker, but knowing that I´ve got it to hand is reassuring. It contains Cherry Plum, Clematis, Rock Rose, Star of Bethlehem and Impatiens, which all have calming properties.

Do any of you study from stress of anxiety? If so, how do you deal with it? I´d love to know if you have any tips!

Caudalie Eau de Beaute Beauty Elixir

I don´t think this one needs much of an introduction, given it´s popularity within the blogosphere. I am quite sure that you will have read at least one post about this before, if not many more!

Anyway, I got my hands on this a couple of weeks ago and have been using it daily ever since. I generally have very good skin, but recently I seemed to have started getting some unexplained breakouts. I´ve found that this stuff has worked wonders in clearing them up, and my skin feels soft and looks radiant after using it. I usually use it after cleansing, morning and night, and find the menthol scent really soothing and invigorating. However, I haven´t had as much success using it as a ´refresher´on my makeup throughout the day, as many people have raved about in their reviews - for me, it doesn´t seem to make much of a difference!

Revlon Photoready Foundation

This has become my daily go-to foundarion and has been a real ´grower´, considering I was on the fence about it in the beginning. I reviewed this product a couple of weeks ago, so if you are interested in reading that then you can find it here.

Liz Earle Intensive Nourishing Treatment Mask

This is a product I´ve had for a while, and which, despite my general love for Liz Earle skincare, I wasn´t too impressed with. It´s a mask which is designed to be applied to the face in a thick layer and left for around fifteen minutes after cleansing, and to be honest, I never really noticed much of a difference in my skin after using it. However, recently, I was in need of a face mask as my skin was asking for some TLC, so I decided to try applying this at night and leaving it on while I slept. Well, I´ve got to say, using it like this has made all the difference. In the morning, there is no residue to rinse off as my skin drinks all the moisture up, and is left feeling lovely and baby soft.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous

I´m going to be reviewing this one later in the week, so I won´t say too much now. But I must say, I absolutely love this shade and have been wearing it almost every day since I got it.

Benefit The Porefessional Primer

I wouldn´t say that I LOVE this or find it amazing, but I have been finding it quite useful when applied to my forehead, which can tend to get a bit oily, as this does a good job of mattifying it and creating a better base for my foundation. I also like to use it on my nose, to hide the obvious pores I have there. But I wouldn´t use this all over my face, as I much prefer a dewy, glowing finish.

Benefit Coralista and Benefit Dallas

I´m going to review both of these soon, so again, I´ll save my chatter for then. But I will say that hey have fast become favourites and go-to products in my daily routine, and when I use Dallas as a contour, together they are the dream combination for me.

So, that´s it for July. I have really been genuinely loving all of these products, and it hasn´t been like some months where it´s hard to choose anything that has really floated my boat. To be fair, it might be because I have ácquired´more products than usual. Not that I´m meant to be on a spending ban or anything. Ahem.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed having a little peek into my makeup bag and the like. Have you tried any of these products? What are your current favourites?

xx

Mini Skincare Haul!

 1. Caudalie Eau Demaquilante Cleansing Water (Micellar solution)

2. Eucerin Dermo Purifier Exfoliator

3. Caudalie Eau De Beaute Beauty Elixir

4. Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel (sample sachet)

5. L 'oreal Paris Pure Zone Peel-off Mask (sachet)

Hey lovelies, how are you all today? I would imagine you're all pretty happy that it's Friday! I know I would be too, but as I've mentioned before, I'm taking my holiday from work, so I have been off all week!

I've purchased and acquired a few new beauty products this week, so I thought I woud share them with you all now, and then write some reviews on them later on when I've had a bit more experience with using them.

So, first of all, I picked up the Caudalie Cleansing Water. I have just finished my big tube of my beloved Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, and while I will definitely be repurchasing, I thought it might be nice to try something a bit different in the meantime. Actually, I wanted to get a cleanser by Caudalie too, but as it wasn't available from the store I purchased the other items from on Ebay, I decided to wait, and use the Micellar solution in conjunction with my travel-size Cleanse and Polish. Then, as I was buying something by Caudalie anyway, I thought I might as well give in and finally purchase the massively hyped Beauty Elixir! It's not so much that I'm behind the times on this one as that I wasn't intending to try it any time soon, as I often find that such raved-about products can't live up to my expectations. But I've got it now, so I shall let you know!

When my bits from Ebay arrived, I found that the seller had kindly popped a sample sachet of Dermalogica's Special Cleansing Gel in with them. I really like Dermalogica, so I was happy to try this, although as it only contains about two applications, I don't really feel that I'm going to have had enough experience with it to review it fully. I think that you really need to try out skincare products for a good couple of weeks - preferably more - before you can possibly start to talk about the effects they have had on your skin, although some products to seem to make an impression straight away, in one way or another.

My skin has been looking a bit dull this week, so I decided to try out this L'oreal Pure Zone Mask, which is designed to be applied only on the T-Zone and dies to form a peel-off layer. I like the fact that my local pharmacy sell this in sachets, as buying large tubs or tubes of face masks can be quite expensive, and it's really nice to have a chance to try before you buy. The mask claims to banish excess oil and to help clear blocked pores, and if you read this my Beauty SOS post this month, you'll know that this is one of the things I've been on the lookout for, as I do tend to suffer from blocked pores on my nose.

Last but not least, I grabbed a Eucerin Dermo-Purifier Exfoliator, as let's face it, we all need to slough away those dead skin cells every now and again. I usually do find that my Cleanse and Polish does a good job of keeping my skin looking bright and fresh, but sometimes it just seems as though it could do with a little extra help, usually in the winter or when I have just been ill.

So that's my little lot! I hope you enjoyed having a nose at my stash and you can expect some reviews on these coming up in the near future.

What are your current favourite skincare products? Have you tried anything by Caudalie, Eucerin, Dermalogica or Liz Earle?

xx

June Empties

Not many empties for you this month, and as you can see, most of the ones I do have are Liz Earle!

Liz Earle Energising Body Wash

At £11.50, this body wash is not something I would usually go for, as I don't like to spend too much on shower gels. I just think that they get used up so quickly that it can become an expensive habit, and there are lots of lower-end ones that smell delicious! However, last time I ordered my Liz Earle skincare from the site, I was kindly sent this as a free gift, and I must admit, I really like it. The naturally active ingredients are Damask Rose flower water, sweet orange oil, pure essential oils and Vitamin E, which made me think that it would smell really sweet and fruity (which would have been fine for me - I love fruity shower products!) but actually, it's got quite a strong, almost menthol scent to it, which is really rather invigorating first thing in the morning. It really does wake you up, which is something I think we could all do with a bit of help with most days!

Would I repurchase? Yes, probably, though I wouldn't go to the site specifically for this product. I might be inclined to slip it into my basket next time I pop on to replenish my skincare products, though.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

You all now how much I love this, and you can read my review of Liz Earle skincare in  this post. Cleanse and Polish is my holy grail cleanser and I am extremely upset to have run out before having had the chance to purchase a new one!

Would I repurchase? Absolutely, time and time again.

Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser

Again, I have already reviewed this in the post linked above, so I won't bore you by rehashing all the details about why I love it. It's not exactly big news any more, as it's constantly featuring on other blogs.

But yes, again, I would - and will - repurchase.

Palm Olive Naturals Hydrating Shower Cream

I actually picked this one up in Brazil, so I'm not sure of the exact name of the 'scent' in the UK, but on the bottle, it is fruit and yoghurt. This is literally like washing yourself with strawberries and cream. It smells gorgeous, and is an all time favourite. I love Palm Olive shower gels and creams in general, so it came as no surprise.

Would I repurchase? Definitely.

L'oreal Glam Bronze Duo Sun Powder in Blonde Harmony.

This is actually the best bronzer I have tried in a long time. The compact contains two shades, split down the middle, so that you can blend the perfect colour for your skin tone. It has a matte finish, so it's greate for contouring as well as just for giving a nice, all-over glow without looking like a disco ball. Actually, I must confess that I didn't exactly finish this one by choice - I dropped it on the floor and smashed it! I know, clumsy, clumsy me. It was only a few days after I did the same thing to my Mac Studio Fix, too. It clearly wasn't my week.

But anyway, I scrabbled around and collected all of the remnants I possibly could, and they were soon used up.

Would I repurchase? Yes!

So as you can see, I quite enjoyed all of this month's empties, though there are, of course, plenty more products I have been using, some of which I have not felt so positively about. I haven't finished them yet, but as soon as I do, you will be the first to know my thought!

Sorry about the rubbish photo, and lack thereof - it's been so grey and overcast here for the last couple of days, and my camera just wasn't feeling it. I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on a better one, which is in no way broken! And while we're on the subject, a tripod too. I really want to do some outfit posts, but this is currently proving impossible! Oh well, I will get there eventually!
(Please also excuse the broken Skin Repair Moisturiser lid in the picture - yet ANOTHER thing I dropped on the floor!! I'm a nightmare.)

Hope everyone has had a marvellous week so far!

Liz Earle Intensive Nourishing Treatment Mask

I bought the Liz Earle Intensive Nourishing Treatment Mask along with the Skincare Essentials, which, if you've been reading my previous posts, you will know that I adore.

Actually, it was a while before I felt the need to give this mask a go, as the Hot Cloth cleanser alone has been doing such a good job of keeping my skin looking fresh and healthy, but I wanted to see if this product could work any further wonders.

The instructions say to apply a thick layer of cream over the face and neck and then relax for fifteen minutes or so. Then, like the Hot Cloth cleanser, you use the muslin cloth provided to polish the mask off your skin and then splash with water. The mask is designed to be used after cleansing, and before the Instant Boost Skin Tonic.

This is the first of the Liz Earle products I've tried that I haven't been massively impressed with, mainly because I didn't feel that it made all that much of a difference after having used it. Like the rest of the range, the mask has a pleasant smell, and it also has quite a thick, luxurious texture. I don't have anything bad to say about it, but equally, it's no miracle worker, although perhaps if I was not already using the Skin Essentials range then I would have noticed more of an improvement in my skin.

Hope everyone is enjoying that Friday feeling!

Have you tried any of the Liz Earle masks? If so, what did you think of them?

Liz Earle Skincare Review

Ok, first of all, I'd like to apologise for not having included any photos of my own for this post, and probably the next couple. The reason for this is that my camera has decided to break on me and, as I am currently abroad in Brazil, I'm finding it hard to get my hands on a new charger or battery, one of which seems to be the problem! As soon as I do, I will most definitely be including my own snaps, so I thank you for your patience on that one!

Onwards.

I have heard a lot of hype about the Liz Earle skincare range over the past few months, what with the awards it has won, and the praise it has received on a couple of my favourite fellow bloggers' pages, and have finally managed to get my hands on some of their products. I must admit, I was a little skeptical at first, not least because I have never managed to locate a skincare range that really seemed to suit my skin. I have naturally pretty good skin, though I do get the odd blemish, as everyone does. But I find that many ranges tend to dry my skin out (yep, even the high-end ones), which is certainly not desirable, and this has often left me feeling like I was better off keeping it simple. However, I loved the sound of the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser and so decided to give it a go along with the Instant Boost Skin Tonic, and the Skin Repair Moisturiser for normal/combination skin.

What Liz Earle says:  Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare is a Great British beauty brand, founded in 1995. We are passionate about all that we do and create products that really work on every skin type by harnessing the potent powers of the finest quality naturally active ingredients. (uk.lizearle.com)

For the record, their website also states that none of the Liz Earle products are tested on animals, nor do they use genetically engineered ingredients. Good to know.

My products arrived just a couple of days after I had placed my order, and were very well packaged, stored neatly in a white cardboard box, and then individually wrapped in tissue paper and secured with Liz Earle stickers. 

I was excited to find that, as well as the three main products I had ordered (along with a mask, which will be featured in a forthcoming post), Liz Earle had kindly included some sample sachets of each shade of their Sheer Skin Tint , travel-size squeezy tube of the Hot Cloth Cleanser, and a full-size bottle of the Energising Bodywash! These were free gifts because of the amount I had spent (over £30, I think. Apologies for not remembering exactly, I will make sure I note it down next time! Anyway, check their site uk.lizearle.com , as they've always got some fab offers on the go).

Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

The Hot Cloth Cleanser, like the other products in this range, comes in simple, pale green packaging, which I think adds visual emphasis to the fact that the brand favour natural ingredients. The bottle has a pump dispenser, which makes it easy to deposit the required amount onto your hands (one to two pumps, depending on your preference). One thing I wasn't crazy about, though, was the fact that, due to the hard, opaque bottle, I would never know when it was about to come to an end!

The concept of the Hot Cloth Cleanser is unique: You massage the cream into dry skin, taking care to do so thoroughly, and then you 'polish' it off with one of the two muslin cloths provided. The cloths must be soaked in hand-hot water to do so, and then you splash your face with cool water to finish.

I must say, I absolutely love this cleanser. It gets off even the toughest of waterproof mascaras and leaves my face feeling completely clean, fresh and soft. Using it in conjunction with the cloth means that you are able to slough away dead skin cells, so essentially, it also serves as an exfoliant, which is great.

Ingredients include cocoa seed butter, chamomile, rosemary and eucalyptus, but I'd say the most prominent of those in terms of scent is eucalyptus.

Instant Boost Skin Tonic

This toner comes in a bottle with a practical 'twist-up' cap, which you basically twist one way to open and the other to close. The idea is that you use this after the cleanser, and is applied by pouring a generous amount onto a cotton wool pad and sweeping over the face and neck. 

This really does have a lovely, gently sweet fragrance, and contains Aloe Vera, Calendula, Rose-scented Geranium and Cucumber, along with natural Vitamin E. It feels cool and refreshing on the skin and for me, again, is a winner. I'm not sure I can comment exactly on what this product as an individual does for my skin, but using the three products together certainly makes for an enjoyable and refreshing session in the morning, and a relaxing one at night.

Skin Repair Moisturiser

Containing Borage and Avocado oil and Echinacea, this is a real feel-good moisturiser. Applied after the Skin Tonic, the cream feels thick and indulgent, and is really easily absorbed. By far my favourite of the three products, I absolutely adore it's scent. I want to describe it as sweet yet refreshing again, but I feel silly repeating the same thing again given the difference in ingredients! But really, I think that the whole range is designed to be a bit of a sensory experience as well as a skincare routine, and the whole lot has a relaxing feel to it.

I don't think I really need to spell out the fact that I absolutely adore these products and feel that I have found my skincare regime for life (well, until I have to start resorting to anti aging products instead, that is!)

I love the packaging, the consistencies of the two 'creams' (cleanser and moisturiser), and of course, the heavenly scents! But most of all, I love the fact that not one of these products leaves my skin feeling dry or tight. The moisturiser doesn't leave an oily feeling on my skin, as so many do. My skin has been really clear and soft to touch since I started this regime and I will be stocking up on more of these treats as soon as the old bank balance allows!

Have you tried any Liz Earle products? What did you think? Would love to hear your thoughts!