St. Ives Naturally Clear Apricot Scrub

St. Ives Apricot Scrub - £4.29*

St. Ives Apricot Scrub* was one of the first skincare products I ever purchased when I was a teenager so I was excited when I was offered the chance to review one of their new look scrubs. As the UK's number one scrub brand, St. Ives promises healthier looking, glowing skin in seven days by gently exfoliating the skin with 100% natural exfoliants and extracts. Exfoliating is an important part of your skincare routine, resulting in brighter and softer skin and I usually do this about 3 times a week.

The Scrub comes in four different formulations; Invigorating for normal skin, Gentle for sensitive skin, Blemish Fighting for oily/blemish prone skin and Renew and Firm to restore the skins youthfulness. I've been having a lot of breakouts recently so I decided to go for the Naturally Clear, blemish fighting scrub.

The blemish fighting scrub gently and effectively lifts away surface oils and dirt to prevent blackheads and blemishes. It's oil free and contains salicylic acid an essential ingredient to stop those breakouts! It has a gorgeous apricot scent which isn't overpowering and always makes my skin feel refreshed and clean in the morning. You can feel the exfoliating beads getting right into your pores and the creamy formula leaves your skin feeling soft. I sometimes feel exfoliaters can be quite harsh on my skin but I can use this in the morning as well as at night as it's really gentle and doesn't leave my skin looking red. I've using this 3 to 4 times a week (as recommend) for about 5 weeks now and have definitely noticed a difference in my skin. I still get the occasional spot (who doesn't?) but my pores seem less visible and I haven't had as many blackheads around my t-zone.

After all these years, St. Ives Apricot Scrub is still a winner. I've really enjoyed using this scrub in my weekly skincare routine and can see myself repurchasing it in the future. Such a great product for under a fiver! What do you think, have you used it before?

HyrdoPeptide Instant Peptide Miracle Mask

Ever since I started blogging and taking care of my skin, face masks have became a staple in my weekly skincare routine so I was intrigued to try out the HydroPeptide Instant Peptide Miracle Mask*. I hadn't heard much about HydroPeptide, an award winning anti-ageing skincare range that uses peptides and stem cell technology to help your skin look smoother, brighter and younger but once I read up on it, it sounded like something I'd be willing to try. If you're interested in knowing exactly how it works, you can read more here. 

The product that caught my eye was the mask which claims to exfoliate, rejuvenate, hydrate, firm and brighten your skin and contains collagen plumping peptides, enzymes and antioxidants. The mask gives you both the benefits of a gel mask for hydration and a clay mask for pore cleansing - no need for two separate masks in your routine! The enzymes accelerate the skins natural shedding process and stimulates skin cell renewal which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (I know it all sounds very technical).

I've been using this as part of my skincare routine twice a week for about a month now which is the recommended time for you to be able to notice a difference to your skin. I apply a thin layer of the mask, leave it for about 10 minutes then wipe it off using a muslin cloth (you don't have to do this, I just prefer it). Now I don't have any wrinkles at all yet (it is called ANTI-ageing after all) but do have a few fine lines around my eyes and on my forehead. After using this I can definitely see a difference and my skin looks plumper and smoother. The thing that I noticed instantly after taking it off was that my skin looked fresher and brighter but it did take a couple of weeks for me to notice the lines fading. I am really happy with the results I got from this mask, it's left me with firm and glowing skin!

I have even done a bit of research and not seen one bad review on these product and the good thing is that it's suitable for all skin types, even sensitive! I'm always a bit skeptical about anti-ageing products but this one really does seem to work and I'll be using it until the tub is completely empty. Did I mention it's cruelty free? So if you're wanting to stop the ageing process or get rid of a few fine lines and wrinkles I definitely recommend having a look at the HydroPeptide products. The mask costs £30 which is roughly what I'd may for a really good mask anyway and you can buy it online at Beauty Time Therapies.

Have you tried any of the HydroPeptide products?

*PR Sample

REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask

I know what you're thinking, yet another post on the REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask but as this has fast became the favourite part of my skincare routine I just had to write about it. I've stepped up my skincare routine drastically in the past couple of months (for years I only used face wipes and a cheap moisturiser, I'm sorry) and masks have become a big part of it. When my sister was in New York she very kindly picked me up the REN mask as I'd been going on about it ever since I read a couple of rave reviews and it's been one of my go to masks the past month along with the Origins Clear Improvements one.

The Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask is an exfoliating mask made up of Glycolic, Lactic, Citric and Tartaric acids and contains extracts of passion fruit, grape, pineapple and lemon. It removes dead skin cells to renew the complexion, improves skin tone and reduces the appearance of fine lines while combating congestion, blackheads and blemishes for healthier, more radiant looking skin.

The mask has quite a gooey texture which feels a bit strange when you first use it but the fruity smell is amazing! I use it about 2 times a week and apply 2-3 pumps all over my face and leave it to work it's magic for 10 minutes (sometimes longer depending on what I'm doing). When it's time to remove it, you just dampen the muslin cloth that also comes in the box and use it to gently wipe of the mask. You might experience a tingling sensation but that's normal with a product like this.

Now for the results...I can honestly say from the first use I noticed a difference, my skin was glowing and feeling super soft. I've been using this for about a month now and my skin is looking the best it has in a long time. It's looking brighter, clearer, my pores aren't as noticeable and I can see a huge difference in my skin tone. I usually suffer from bad redness on my cheeks and nose but since using this it has calmed down a lot and my skin tone is looking much more even. As for the fine lines, I'm not too sure? I don't really have any fine lines.

Overall, I 100% recommend this mask, although it does say to avoid it if you have sensitive skin. At £30 it is a tad expensive but in my opinion it's worth every penny and I'll definitely repurchase it when the time comes. If you fancy trying it you can buy it online here.

Are there any other miracle masks that I need in my life? I really want to try the Aesop Parsley Seed one next!

Summer Holiday Skincare

One of the things I love doing before I go on holiday is shopping for toiletries and this year I went a bit crazy in Boots and Superdrug (and online). I took full advantage of both their 3 for 2's and left with everything I could ever need while I'm in Portugal. My favourite thing about going on holiday is sunbathing and getting a tan and I like to keep my skin looking and feeling good as the sun and sun cream doesn't exactly do wonders for my skin. I thought I'd share a few things I picked up that will keep me looking (hopefully) half decent in the heat.

Garnier Ambre Solaire After Sun: While I was reading Beth's blog I came across this after sun in her May favourites post and loved the sound of it. I always use and after sun on holiday to soothe my skin and hydrate it after hours of lying at the pool/beach trying to get the darkest tan possible. The thing I love about this is that it deepens and prolongs your tan as it contains a subtle self tanning ingredient. I always lust after the Lancaster Tan Maximiser After sun but at a fraction of the price I'm hoping this works just as well. It was on offer in Superdrug and I paid about £3.50 for it.

La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water Spray: I was drawn to this little spray when I was looking for a 3rd item to pick up in Boots 3 for 2. It contains natural anti-oxidants to soothe and soften skin that has been irritated by the sun and also helps prevent skin ageing, perfect for going abroad. I know this will come in handy when I'm lying at the pool and needing something to refresh my skin and cool me down. It's actually on offer on Escentual for £2.33 at the moment - bargain!

Bioderma Photoderm AKN Mat SPF 30: I hate putting sun cream on my face, it always stings my eyes and skin and breaks me out - you can just feel it clogging up your pores! I also use oil on my body and there's no point in buying a big bottle of sun cream just for my face so I searched the internet looking for a face cream with a high SPF. I am so happy I came across this little beauty as it's mattifying formula sounds perfect for a hot climate (no greasy looking face for me this year). It's UVB and UVA protection prevents sunburn and premature ageing while the balancing Fluidactiv complex helps to keep your skin looking clear and prevents spots. What more could you ask for? Again, this is on offer on Escentual and you can pick it up for £9.13 which is pretty decent for this 40ml bottle.

So these are some of the products that I'll be using every day on holiday - less than 2 weeks to go!! I'll also do a post on what's in my holiday makeup bag and some other beauty essentials that I'll be packing. I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Lush Grease Lightning Spot Treatment

I popped into Lush the other week in search for something to sort out my post-holiday skin. All of the junk food/alcohol at Christmas time really took its toll on my skin, I had such bad breakouts and it just looked really dull. I ended up picking up the Cupcake face mask (review to come soon) and then noticed this spot treatment and thought, why not give it a go too?

Grease Lightening is a gel containing witch hazel, tea tree infusion and a few other ingredients designed to tackle spots and blemishes quickly and effectively. This is amazing!! I've been using it for almost two weeks now and every time I get a spot or see one brewing, I dab this on and when I wake up in the morning its almost completely gone. You can apply this little miracle as often as you like, depending on how nasty the spot is. For small spots they are completely gone in a day and for the bigger ones, give it a couple of days. I've never used a spot treatment that works as well as this, I can't recommend it enough!

Grease Lightning costs £5.65 for 45g, which I think is 100% worth the price. You wont need more than one pump as a little goes a long way. If you suffer from breakouts now and again I definitely recommend you give this a go. Have any of you tried this product?