N-Spa Beauty range

We both absolutely love the N-Spa Bath and Body range. They stock a range of deliciously lovely body butters, bubble baths and shower gels. Plus at Christmas they tend to release a range of chocolate, toffee and gingerbread scented products. Finally they're more than reasonable priced at around to £2-£3. I usually buy my selection from my local Asda.

Now I've been aware of the beauty range for a while but haven't really given it a go despite looking over the range on a few occasions. Well a few weeks a go, Asda had an offer on with price reductions over the whole range so I thought why not. I picked up the Melting Cleanser and the Illuminating Beauty Serum.
The Melting Cleanser is a gel that once massaged into dry skin and once a little water is added turns into a cleansing milk. I then buff off with a muslin cloth. It removes all traces of makeup and even got rid of my mascara - not bad at all!

The Illuminating Beauty Serum is described as 'sleep in a bottle' as it illuminates tired, dull skin. I'm not sure I'd go that far, but applied after my moisturiser and before my primer it definitely gives my skin a lift in the morning and perks up my whole complexion. I've actually been using this every morning since I picked it up and is definitely one of the better serums I've used.

Got to say it's not a range you'd expect to find in your local supermarket. It has a much more expensive feel to the whole range. Both products I tried definitely had a luxurious feel to them. I've already got a list of a few more of the range to try out.

Priced at,

Melting Cleanser £6 for 125ml
Illuminating Beauty Serum £7 for 50ml

There's currently a 2 for £8 offer on - bargain given the individual prices.

My Current Skincare Routine

Hey,

L did a post back in April on here current skincare routine and I just wanted to do a similar post on mine, you can see L's post here.

I just have to say firstly that my skincare routine is very small compared to L's, she was able to spilt hers out by Daily and weekly I have just grouped mine all together.

I have always had to be careful with my skincare routine, my skin is sensitive, I get breakouts and I also get lots of dry patches (totally combination skin). I have never been fully happy with my routine and I am forever changing parts of it in search of my holy grail products. I have been following my current routine for around 2 months now and it is the happiest I have been for awhile, yet its still not right!

You can see the products the I use below.
Every week night I take off my make-up using Soap & Glory Off Your Face Cleansing Wipes that retail at around £4 in Boots and ASOS. These feature a 3 in 1 formula to cleanse, tone and smooth the skin, they are enriched with chamomile and mint. The smell very fresh when you are using them, and they seem to remove my make-up well.

I am currently using Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Make-up Remover to remove my eye make-up which retails at £3.05 at Boots. If you can remember back to my Battle of the Eye Make-up Remover post I had a lot of them on the go but currently this is my last bottle to use up!! Once this is gone I will not be repurchasing, I will be buying the Bourjois Eye make-up remover as it is my favourite.

I then swipe over my Lush Breath of Fresh Air Toner, which you can see more on here. L is also of fan of this toner, it retails at £3.45 for 250ml. It contains seaweed, carrageenan and aloe vera which help dry skin and ease any dry skin conditions that might flare up. I love using I feel my skin is fresh after use and feels nice and calm.

I then just apply some Clinique Moisture Surge to areas that require it! If I feel a breakout coming on I use either Freederm or Dr Nick Lowe spot gel, again I am looking for something better to use I am tempted by Liz Earle Spot On. I keep having a look at it in my local John Lewis it smells like it would work a treat!

When I wake up I tend to just use Lush Breath of Fresh Air Toner with Clinique Moisturiser, then I apply my make-up.

On a weekly basis or as and when I require it I use a couple of face mask my favourite being Liz Earle Face Brightening mask (post to come shortly) and Montagne Jeunesse Face mask (especially the self heating ones ). Also on a Sunday and Wednesday I like to use Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, now I don't tend to use this everyday as firstly I am lazy and the wipes are quick to use! Secondly my skin like the deep cleanse I get from this but as my skin is sensitive it doesn't seem to appreciate me using it everyday (my dryness flares up on my nose if I use it daily).

So as I said I am happy with my current routine but its not a match made in heaven! I still need to find the prefect serum/moisturiser that helps my dry/flaky nose but doesn't cause a mass amount of breakouts. Clinique moisture surge does help but my nose is still an issue! I was using Cellnique Amino Collagen C Intense Set for a while and I think this was the best my skin and nose had been yet it costs with shipping around $116 I can't justifying paying for it yet....but I may give in!

I also have some other items that I need to try in my routine to see if they help:

• Benefit B.right Radiance Triple Performing Facial Emulsion



• Optimum Swiss Apple Facial Serum (L loves hers)



• Good Things Eye Cream (I don;t tend to use one but I want to start)



• I also have some Proto-col products to try (Toner, Cleanser and Face Gel)

If anyone can recommend some steps I should add to my routine that would be great - especially if you can help my dry nose yet stop breakouts!

Whats in your routine?

Thanks

Current Skincare Regime

Ok so this is my current skincare regime.

Firstly I wanted to say that until I started this blog I never really had a proper skin care regime. I was lucky if I took my makeup off in the evening. Weirdly I never felt that my skin was terrible, however I have noticed a massive improvement in my skin since taking up the current regime - just can't believe I didn't noticed that my skin wasn't in great condition.

Anyway I've split this into my daily and my weekly products.

Daily

Yep I have Primark facial wipes, Germolene and Sudocrem. I'm still not great with a nightly routine, but I usually take my makeup off with Primark Facial Wipes that costs £1.00 for two packs - bargain. They seem to really take it all off for me and fit in perfectly with my lazy routine. I then tone with Lush's Breath of Fresh Air - this is an absolute fav of mine and I've mentioned it quite a few times already. My face never feels tight after using it and just keeps my skin calm.

When I do have break out I tend to just apply a blob of Germolene and Sudocrem. Germolene helps the spot heal quickly and Sudocrem helps with the redness.

I then just apply my Boots Eye Cream and Optimum Swiss Apple Facial Serum. If I feel my skin is a little dry and then apply my Neals Yard Orange Flower Moisturiser, but with summer approaching the serum is working just fine.

In the morning I just quick swipe Lush's Breath of Fresh Air over my face and then moisturise with Neal's Yard Orange Flower Moisturiser and apply Soap and Glory Moisturising Eye Gel.

Weekly

When I have a bit more time - which isn't often, I use my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish which is amazing! Then at least once a week I use St Ives Apricot Scrub and Soap and Glory's The Fab Pore. I can really see a difference in my skin when I've used any of these. It just seems to be at it's best.

So I've now seemed to have gone from a person who was lucky if she took her makeup off once in a week, too someone who has quite a detailed regime.

The Fab Pore...

This is one of my recent purchases, brought in my quest to get rid/minimise my pores (or at least the bigger looking ones!).

This is actually my first ever Soap and Glory Purchase and I have to admit I had very high hopes. I'd read alot of good things about S&G products on various blogs so was really excited to give it a go.

I would say my skin is best described as combination - I have a greasy t-zone, but also suffer from dry skin (which is very bad on my nose) and despite being in my mid-20's I seem to still suffer from regulary break outs.

Now The Fab Pore is described as being a '15 minute facial peel - ideal for greasy, spot prone or problem skin, or for a strategic attack on a misbehaving T-Zone'. Given its description as a 'facial peel', I really wasn't expecting to see little green beads - I was expecting more of a creamy/clearer type of product. However, I was put off. The instructions tell you that you need to massage the product onto your face until the beads dissolve and then you can leave it on for either a quick 5 minute refresher or a 15 minute deep cleaning facial. Its quite nice as you get to have a little face scrub before you leave it to remove all the weekly build up from your face that your daily routine doesn't remove. I've given both ways ago and I think I do prefer to use it as the 15 minute facial then the quick 5 minute refresher - I'm not always great at sticking with a rountine so this was definately a great way for me to use it!.

I've only been using this for a couple of weeks but I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!. My face feels really great after I'd used it and although I haven't noticed any change in the size of my pores, my face doesn't look as greasy and feels great. This is definately something I would get again and can honestly say I can't wait to try some more of the S&G products. Definately a new addiction haha......

I've also been using this along with Pears Soap as part of a new skin care routine and really think its the prefect addition to my new rountine.

Quick Update on the Pears Soap

Day 4 of the Pears Soap Experiment.

Still no dryness!!!

Had a few more blemishes by the time I went to bed last night, but got up again this morning and they'd gone. My skin is still feeling really soft and I swear my pores are still looking smaller (I may have been staring at them abit too much or I may just want to see a result but I honestly think I've seen a difference for the better)

This is amazing, I just hope it continues cos for 64p from Asda (or any supermarket/pharmacy), its such a BARGAIN!

- will keep you updated on progress!!!

L x x

Lunchtime outting to......

I absolutely adore Lush – it all smells so yummy and gorgeous!!!! Being the girlie girl that I am, I always go a little bit crazy when I go in hehe!

I only went along today to try out a few products at lunch with my friend but being the weak willed person that am I, I couldn’t help picking up a few bits – Colour Supplement in Light Yellow and Breath of Fresh Air Toner.

Firstly the Colour Supplement...

I have serious problems finding the right colour of foundation or concealer. I have a tendency to look orangey within about an hour or so of putting even the lightest shade on…….soooo not a good look for work haha! Now the idea is that this can either be mixed with your moisturiser, used as a base on it’s on or used on troublesome areas to cover unsightly blemishes. I really like the texture already - which i would describe as more like a tinted moisturiser than a foundation. It’s nice and light.

I’ll probably try it as a bit of everything and see which way I prefer using it to start with . I’ll review in more detail once I’ve had a good go with it (my sister has also picked this up as a possible solution to her wedding day makeup, so I’ll hopefully get her opinion on the product as well)

I also picked Breath of Fresh Air – Toner

I read this on a number of reviews now and in particular on Makeup Savvy, where Fee appears to be having the same problems as me with her pores. I have high hopes for this product as it does appear to have worked really well for people. Will let you know soon……..

On a complete and utter qirlie moment – OMG Lip scrub made with exfoliating caster sugar yum yum yum! They come in bugglegum, mint and chocolate and almond and chocolate yummy!
They’re completely edible!!!

I gave them all a go and I could get seriously addicted…..slightly concerned about calorie content though haha!

Check them out here

Lx

Pears Soap

Now I’m having a bit of an experiment at the moment with my daily skin routine.

I fully admit that I’m realllllllly lazy when it comes to maintaining a skin routine – having only recently managed to train myself to taking off my makeup at night, cleansing, toning and moisturising. I know shocking!!

I only cleanse and tone occasionally in the mornings - but I do moisturise everyday!

Right now back to the experiment……

After reading a few reviews lately I’ve decided to try using Pears Soap in the evening to take my makeup off and general clean my face. Now, I know what you’re thinking – Soap???…....isn’t that going to dry you out. Well from what I’m read it doesn’t seem to have really caused that problem and at the moment I’m on day 3 of using it and if anything my face is less dry than usual. My skin has a tendency to look quite dry in patches on my nose (well I would say I have combination skin – which is also quite sensitive to certain products) - it’s therefore quite a weird sensation using soap.

However I’ve decided to give this ago as even though I’m in my mid 20’s I still suffer from spots along my jaw and on my chin – and not just at my time of the month, and a lot of people have commented that they have found Pears good at clearing up their spots.

Day 1

Now after using it on Sunday night I did feel as though my face was squeaky clean – which was a bit weird but didn’t really notice anything different to how my face usually feels. I then continued with my usual cleansing and toning routine.

Day 2

Now when I got up I’d noticed that I had broken out in a few tiny spots on my chin – although this weren’t really that noticeable under my makeup. I went home that evening and once again used the soap to take my makeup off before my usual skin routine (I’m currently avoiding my nose area as this is somewhere I get really dry skin and if all goes well elsewhere I’ll start to try it on my nose).

Day 3

I swear my skin looks better today – still no dryness which is amazing!!!!. My pores seem to be smaller as well.


I’m actually really excited to go home and use the soap again tonight – hopefully I’ll still be dryness free hehe!!

I’ll post an update on my experiment next week.

L x

p.s. Has anybody else been using just soap on their face?? How have they found it??