Beauty Alert: Amazing Face? You got it!

If you still haven't quite opted for a skincare routine that includes full blown deep cleansing let alone double cleansing then I'd suggest you take a step in the right direction with a facial wash such as Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Foaming Cleansing Wash  We all have busy lives but beg for our skin to gleam in good condition, be grime-free and immaculate with little effort.

The foam is made up of essential oils to condition and balance your skin, yes, no feeling of your complexion being stripped dry, plus there are clever fruit enzymes along with the Moringa extracts which gently exfoliate leaving skin brighter, smoother and positively amazing.  Simply disperse a ten pence coin size to the palm of you hand, massage over you face, neck and decollete, then rinse off with warm water.  

Read more about Emma Hardie products on my blog here and get yourself familiar with super cleansing techniques including the dual action cloth; its an essential!

www.emmahardie.com

Rebalancing Beauty Alert: Alpha-H Liquid Gold Anti-Ageing Cleanser

It's very clear I am a fan of Alpha-H, why though?  

They just get it right and focus on our skincare needs rather than develop products they 'think' we need *ahem* like some big companies!

Alpha-H HQ have been beavering away in past months (and years no doubt) with repackaging and a slick re-brand as well as defining the Liquid Gold collection.  If you've not heard about Liquid Gold then get clued up now here.  

It was bound to happen, they were going to entice us with a cleanser so that we could encompass all our Glycolic Acid needs.  I'm am personally going off the term 'Anti-Ageing' which they have used for their Liquid Gold Anti-Ageing Cleanser; I might allow it this time as I regularly see the results from my clients who have become Alpha-H converts, who declare their skin appears more youthful.  Ok, that is a good call but there is nothing wrong with ageing, premature ageing maybe but not ageing.   Anyway, back to this new addition, soon out in the UK, which will, *hand on heart* become a 'cult' product too as it makes perfect sense to have a cleanser with an the Liquid Gold 'overnight facial' to complete and benefit your night-time routine.  

The cleanser itself is of a light creamy lotion, best massaged to dry skin (avoiding eyes) then massaged again with warm water to emulsify to break down the daily dirt and activate ingredients.  Once remove with a warm damp face cloth or carefully rinse one finds skin rebalanced and hydrated with no squeaky dry skin feeling!

Find out more about Alpha-H at www.alpha-h.com 

Going beyond Bioderma!

Hands up who recognises this! 

Yes, many of you 'in the know' have been on the edge of your seats waiting for Bioderma Sensibio H20 to arrive on the shelves of your nearest pharmacy, well now it has at leading Pharmacists nationwide and Dermatologists, including John Bell & Croyden and Escentual.com

I know you are possibly ready to stop right there but hold on, there is much more, in fact very much more to the range, which I have to say, is SO affordable, this beauty above is only £4.50!

And these are not going to break the bank but (left and right) the green range, Sebium will deal with 'break outs' and the Atoderm in the centre tends to driest of dry skins and pink of course is sensitivity.

See! There is more to know, so don't just stop at Make Up Artists' favourite reliable cleanser with the pink lid, go beyond!

2013 Beauty Alert: Merumaya Manual Cleansing Brush

There are many facial cleansing systems on the market these days, some of which appear a bit gimmicky but I must say there are a lot of good ones out there and here's another one,  Merumaya Manual Cleansing Brush that takes us back to basics; there are no speed settings or batteries to bother with, just good old fashioned manual work!
Ideal to use daily as its small kabuki brush of super soft hairs to circulate around your face to lather up with a face wash or to apply your cleanser more evenly. The cleansing brush also works exceptionally well with the Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm to achieve the melting action once water is added to remove daily grime.  Get familiar with this brand now if you haven't already, its another step in the right direction for the beauty industry!

Wash the holiday blues away...

There are companies you just really like because they offer 'no nonsense' skin and bodycare and get to the point; The Konjac Sponge Company is one of those even though I did struggle with the concept at first (read here).

I was happy to purchase the Konjac French Red Clay Sponge for facial cleansing recently from Guru Emporium, as it makes for speedy cleansing in the shower but I hadn't had the pleasure of the NEW Konjac Body Sponge  from Cocktail Cosmetics until recently which I found to be a lovely alternative to body brushing and my vigorous body scrubs therefore leaving my skin super soft and cleansed.

At just under a tenner its money well spent to wash those holiday blues away and start afresh!

Konjac Sponges and more available from Cocktail Cosmetics.

Get Streetwise in 2013!!

New Year, new you! Isn't that what they say?
And time to rethink your hopes and dreams for 2013 including your skincare routine.
By now you know I quite like a brand with a conscience and a method in application (see Emma Hardie for a reminder) which is why I am bowled over, leaping with joy about Orico London, an organic skincare brand to suit us city types who demand 'kind' ingredients which deliver speedy results at affordable prices!  We're asking for more for our money these days, even when it comes to organic produce and Orico have delivered with a range starting from £11 up to £29, remarkable pricing!
I'm yet to try every product in the range, which incidentally covers Baby care and Gift packages too, though I was immediately drawn to the Hydrating Make Up Remover, why?
Its has a balm-like texture so I knew it would leave my skin feeling supple but would it remove all the grime from my daily urban grime?
It did so, effortlessly cleansing away my eye make up, blush and lip colour (a hard to budge bright red) and the method was clear, 'Gently massage a small amount over the face and eyelids with upward, circular strokes...and remove with a damp face cloth.'  And the message I appreciated the most, 'Inhale the relaxing aromatherapy blend...'  The aroma is calming which puts you into a 'zen' state of mind, an ideal message for those of us with busy, active lives.
If you want to start the new year on a 'be good to yourself' path then step into 2013 with Orico London!

Amazonian Soul Soap.

Nope, it's not a rare piece of crystal but a soap by Paraguayan masters of all things organic, natural and fair-trade, Wembe.  These have been on my beauty radar for a few years now and I have been eager for them to skid into the UK market.

For those keen on traditional soaps you may think again when using Wembe, made of the finest Amazonian exotic ingredients and named after one of the locations most well-known plants as they are so gentle and not at all capable of stripping the skin.  The soaps lather up beautifully and act as perfect cleansers for sensitive skin with the bonus of knowing you are benefiting from the blend of scents which detoxify and sooth.

There are plenty in the range to choose from amongst the other reasonably prices Wembe beauty wonders, just click here http://www.beautywall.co.uk/

Happy Happy Cosmetics!!!

Happy Cosmetics are a jolly good bunch who bring some lovely skincare to the UK market.  I've been  testing a few products from the range which is supposed to enhance my happiness with it's "happiness molecule", plant extracts which stimulate the release of beta-endorphins that work directly into the skin.

I'm not sure they go this far but I have certainly found that I would be happy buy more and to keep using Fabulous Cleanser.  This soap-free formula, which cleverly pumps out foam for a gentle cleanse, is a great way to rid skin of daily grime.  On hot, sunny days I like to get home, foam up with water to take off the surface dirt and then perform a deeper cleanse in the evening.

And for that deeper cleansing routine I would include this Blue Lagoon Scrub, a scrub like you've never seen.

 Delicate beads which slough off dead skin gently and you only need a small amount.  A little goes a long way!  Skin is left feeling utterly clean, smooth and black head free!  

Then Wonder Cream,  perfect moisturiser for locking in hydration, though I found I needed quite a lot to get my skin to feel really hydrated all day, therefore, I would apply a small amount, let it sink in, then about 5-10 minutes later, reapply another 10p sized amount and I'd be happy!

The texture is whipped up to a rich cream and smells so good which is always important with skincare and seeing as this is 60 Euros!  The combination of these products are really good though I do think I'd rather alternate these with other brands so they last that bit longer.

These are also available in Fenwicks www.fenwicks.co.uk