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13 April 2017

Review: The Body Shop Liquid Peels

Recently I did a blog post on the L'Oreal Pure Clay Masks which were quite hyped about. Another product, or, set of products, that was talked about a lot is the liquid peels from The Body Shop. I bought both the Youth Liquid Peel and the Vitamin C Glow-revealing Liquid Peel.


I'm going to review the two products together as I really can't seem to see the difference between the two in terms of how they work. The Drops of Youth range contains three plant stem cells and is aimed at creating youthful skin. The Vitamin C range is aimed at glowing and brightened skin as it contains, you guessed it, Vitamin C. Both products come in pump bottles and the consistency of both is a watery gel. 


To apply it you dispense two pumps into the palm of your hand and apply it to clean, dry skin. You massage it into your skin for 20 seconds and then rinse it off with warm water. Here is where things get tricky... Firstly, I find that two pumps aren't really enough for my skin, it feels like there's not enough product on my face. Secondly, my fingers feel weird when I massage the product in. Sort of like I have glue on my fingers that I can't get off. 

From what I've gathered from other people who've used this is that after the 20 seconds the dead skin on your face starts to "pill" and create little white pieces of...I don't know what. So I would think that the less pilling you have the better shape your skin is in? When I used both these products I only got a few white pilling...things, but getting it off my skin was a nightmare. I couldn't just "rinse it off with warm water" - I had to scrub my face with a face cloth and even then there were still small pieces stuck to my cheeks. Granted, my skin did get a good exfoliation but that's not the aim of the product: the aim of the product is to provide a chemical exfoliation, not a physical one. 

My skin did look clearer and was super soft, but I can't say with certainty if it was solely due to the liquid peels or if it was a combination of the liquid peels and the scrubbing. The Drops of Youth liquid peel is R225 and I know the Vitamin C liquid peel is R10-R20 cheaper, although the prices seem to have gone up. I would recommend only buying one of the two and wait for a 30% off promotion.

Have you ever used this? What did you think? Did you also struggle to remove it? Let me know in the comments section!

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo

10 April 2017

First Impressions: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Range

I recently won the entire Neutrogena Hydro Boost range in a competition on Candice-Lee's blog In My Bag and I thought I'd share with you my first impressions on the range. As the name suggests, I haven't given everything a proper go, but I have used everything once or twice.



Hydro Boost Cleanser - Micellar Water

I love micellar waters, it's the only makeup remover I use. That being said, I've used a couple that have either stung my eyes or have been as ineffective as normal water would be to remove makeup. I was therefore a bit hesitant to try this micellar water, but I can honestly say that it is a fantastic product. It's gentle yet very effective - it doesn't sting my eyes, yet it removes my makeup with ease. Mascara was a bit of a problem, but I won't say that that is a problem unique to this particular micellar water. It has a light and fresh scent and afterwards my skin was left hydrated and not parched like with some other micellar waters.

Hydro Boost Cleanser - Water gel

I was yet again hesitant to use this product as I've had the experience in the past where gel cleansers have left my skin dry and tight, and sometimes even itchy. I was thus pleasantly surprised when this cleanser created a gentle, fresh-smelling foam that cleansed my skin and hydrated it at the same time. My skin felt clean and comfortable and I could extend the time between cleansing and toning compared to other gel cleansers. I've also had no breakouts from this.

Hydro Boost Cleanser - Facial Wipes

There is a love/hate relationship in the blogging community with regards to facial wipes. Half of the community seems to love using it and the other half hates it. It was Caroline Hirons who said wipes should only be used for the 3 F's: festivals, flights, and fannies. The only time I use wipes is when we are away on holiday and even then I still pack in a small bottle of micellar water. I would never just use a facial wipe and then go to bed, but, a facial wipe is better than nothing (at least you're attempting to clean your face!). These wipes are soft and non-scratchy (I hate scratchy wipes!) and are saturated in product (I hate dry wipes even more!). It has the same Hydro Boost smell as the other products and I have to say, they feel very nice on the skin. When testing out the range I'll use the micellar water to remove my eye makeup and then run the cotton rounds over the rest of my face before going in with a wipe. They're quite pricey, but I would say that they are otherwise on par with the Garnier Micellar Water Wipes.

Hydro Boost Water Gel





From what I've heard so far, these moisturisers are the star(s) of the show. There is a gel-cream for dry skins and a water gel for the rest of the spectrum. I will be giving the gel-cream to my mom as her skin is very dry and I think this will be perfect for her. I've tried the water gel and I really like it so far. The texture is very light and it reminds me of Clinique Moisture Surge. The scent is very light and I don't think it will be an issue for people with sensitive skins. My skin felt nicely hydrated and not greasy, but I will have to try it some more to form a fair opinion.

Have you tried any of these products? Is there a product that you want me to do an in-depth review on? Let me know in the comment section.

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo


06 April 2017

Review: L'Oreal Pure Clay Face Masks

The last time I heard this much hype about face masks was when the news broke that GlamGlow was available locally. And I still think there was more hype about these L'Oreal masks! When the first person saw it at Clicks I think there was a small stampede (that would explain why my local Clicks's shelves were kind of empty). Obviously I bought all three because, (1) what kind of a blogger would I be if I didn't test everything out for my readers, and (2) I am a face mask junkie.




There are three masks in the range: a detox mask (black), a glow mask (red), and a purity mask (green). All three are clay masks, but each one has a different goal (as you can derive from the names). They come in heavy glass jars and each mask is said to last you 10 applications. I have used the detox mask about six times and I'm almost through the jar (I am heavy-handed and always apply a thick layer of mask).

All three masks contain three clays: Kaolin (for absorbing impurities and excess sebum), Montmorillonite (for helping eliminate imperfections), and Ghassoul (for clarifying the complexion). Each of the three masks contains an extra, different, ingredient: the detox mask contains charcoal (to detox and clarify the skin), the glow mask contains red algae extract (to brighten and exfoliate the skin), and the purity mask contains Eucalyptus (to purify and mattify the skin).

The masks are very smooth and creamy and feel very cool on the skin. The glow mask is the only one that has a slightly gritty texture, but is still creamy. I use a plastic spatula to scoop out the product from the jar so that I don't contaminate it with my fingers. The masks spread easily and they dry down, yet don't leave you feeling too tight and dry. Washing it off is also somewhat easier than other clay masks (I don't know why, but I'm grateful). Another thing I love about these masks is that they don't dry out my skin. Some clay masks leave my skin beautifully clean, but so dry and tight. These masks don't do that, at all. I would still highly, highly recommend following the mask with a hydrating mask, a facial oil, or a moisturiser, but that's just to ensure that the skin is amply hydrated. You need to replenish what the clay mask took away, so to speak.

Each mask smells slightly different, but in a good way. They smell like clean laundry and soap (just trust me on this). I have to say, I honestly love all three masks, but if I have to choose only one, I'd have to choose the black detox mask. I adore charcoal masks and this is the closest that I've gotten to the Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal mask.



I even used two of the masks (the detox and the glow) on the husband and he said that he didn't find the masks to be drying, and that his skin felt really smooth and clean afterwards. It was also really easy to remove with warm water.

You can get these masks for R150 each at Clicks (Clicks are running a 3-for-2 promotion until 11 April), or for R130 from Dischem. If you love clay face masks you won't go wrong with buying all three, but if you only want to buy one, I suggest the detox mask. 

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo

03 April 2017

Monthly Favourites: March

In the blink of an eye the first quarter of the year is gone, can you believe it? This month flew by and it's time for another monthly favourites. There aren't a lot of new products this month as I've been testing out a lot of new things. I'm also still loving last month's products, so I didn't want to include them again.

I bought all three of the L'Oreal Pure Clay face masks (thank goodness for 3-for-2 specials!) and the black detox mask with charcoal is my favourite. It's creamy and cool and leaves my skin feeling clean without feeling dry and tight. Check back in on Thursday when my L'Oreal Pure Clay post will be up!

Another skincare goodie I couldn't live without this past month is The Body Shop's Skin Defence Multi-protection Essence which is a very fancy name for a facial sunscreen. I am the worst with sunscreen - the only time I apply it is when I know I'll be in the sun for the whole day, oops. However, this product changed everything: I now apply this to my skin every single morning after applying my moisturiser. It contains SPF 50 PA++++ and they state that you are protected against UVA and UVB (the more +'s the more UVA protection), as well as containing anti-oxidants. The light, white cream doesn't leave you with a greasy white film on your skin and it sinks in just as well as a normal moisturiser would. It's suitable for sensitive skins and is non-comedogenic, which means it won't clog your pores (which I can attest to). 


I am having quite the L.A. Girl love affair. I pretty much love everything that I own from them and this post is no different. I adore both the strobing powders (you can read my review here) and have been using them non-stop this past month. I've also been enjoying using their Pro Powder translucent loose powder to set my makeup. The only gripe that I have with this (and other loose powders) is that it goes. absolutely. everywhere. It feels like I'm wiping off my vanity table on a daily basis!

In the lippie department I'm still loving the essence XXXL nude lipgloss in the shade "08 Soft Almond". It's a great everyday colour and it isn't sticky or gloopy. It's been living in my handbag and I can see myself using it for a long time. It's also been featured in my "Top 5 Current Favourite Lippies" blog post here.

Have you used any of these products? What made the cut this month in your "monthly favourites"? Let me know in the comment section!

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo