Clarins Pore Minimizing Serum: Review

 Clarins Pore Minimizing Serum - £22.00 for 30ml

In the quest for flawless looking skin I have recently started trying Clarins Pore Minimizing Serum. The lightweight formula contains a combination of Alpine Willow Herb, Hibiscus Flower extract, Dead Nettle and Soft Wheat Proteins to reduce large pores by repairing skin cells, tightening the walls of the pores and subsequently refining skins texture and firmness. Whilst instantly tightening pores, this product also helps to deliver all day shine control by reducing sebum to create a smooth, matte skin texture alongside a fresh, flawless complexion. 

The light formulation of the serum means that it glides smoothly onto the skin; this, paired with the delicate scent makes the application effortless and enjoyable.

Although this serum has immediate effects, it also works as a treatment for the pores and, therefore, best results are seen after a few weeks use. With this in mind, I have been using this for 3 weeks before writing my review and I have found my skin to be noticeably smoother and the appearance of  pores has been dramatically reduced. 

Pore minimizing products or treatments is not something used by everyone, but it is something that I have started to enjoy using to help give me a more flawless base and improve the look of my make-up-less face. I would recommend this product to anyone who, like me, wants to effectively reduce the size of pores as this is a more longer lasting treatment compared to other products which just mask their appearance.

Do you use pore minimizing products and have any recommendations?

Ali xxx

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

I have seen numerous articles and opinions about this cleanser, on the internet, magazines, from my Mum and other bloggers, yet I was yet to try it out until a couple of weeks ago!

This product has quickly jumped right to the top of my all-time beauty favourites and is now my essential daily cleanser because, to put it simply, it just works! I have had issues with my skin in the past and I can still find it to be really unpredictable, whether it be with blemishes, dry patches or uneven skin tone and since using this I have noticed huge improvements. I also have quite sensitive skin and I don't like to use products on my face which I think will be too harsh and strip my skin so this gentle formula, with naturally active ingredients including eucalyptus, chamomile and cocoa butter, is just what I needed.

There are two stages to the Hot Cloth cleansing process, as you might have guessed from the name, these are cleansing and polishing. The cleansing stage removes all traces of make-up from the face and eyes, and by using the muslin cloths, the polishing stage gently exfoliates to remove dead skin cells and produce clean and radiant skin.

To use, you firstly need to apply the cleanser to dry skin (I find that one pump is enough for me) and massage onto your face and neck in circular motions working from the centre of your face outwards. After rinsing the muslin cloth in hand-hot water and wringing out until the cloth until it is damp, all you need to do is gentle wipe off the cream, using a clean part of the cloth for each part of the face. After a few splashes of cool water and a gently patting with a soft towel, you will be left with the cleanest, softest skin! This may seem to be a lengthy process but it is actually rather quick and simple and I find it quite relaxing, but this may have something to do with the soothing eucalyptus scent of the cleanser, which I love. I also adore the consistency - it's rich and creamy and feels beautifully luxurious to apply.

This Liz Earle cleanser has worked wonders at bringing my skin back to a healthy-looking, blemish-free and moisturised state. I whole-heatedly agree with each claim made by the product, it works perfectly, it is gentle and gives obvious results.  I purchased the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser Starter Kit which includes a 100ml bottle of the cleanser and two muslin cloths, as well as a detailed guide of how to use the cleanser for £14.25 from John Lewis.  The stater kit is great for any first-time buyers like me and comes in a great bag which is perfect for traveling. I think that considering the results I have seen, the price is reasonable and I have really struggled to find one fault! 

What are your skin saviors? 

Handcreams...

 Left: Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula (£2.25 from Superdrug), Right: Soap & Glory Hand Food (£2.50 from Boots)

Dry skin is usually a winter problem for me, but recently, even throughout this beautiful weather I have been suffering from dry and chapped hands! Taking care of my hands and nails is something I have always done, and can be found painting my nails most days - using protective base and top coats as well as cuticle oils. As I was in need of a new hand cream, I decided to try out the Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula and the Soap & Glory Hand Food.

I have used Palmer's Body Butter before and found it to be really moisturizing and great value for money, so when I saw this in Superdrug, I had to give it a try. As with all Palmer's products, this hand cream contains Vitamin E which is what attracted me to buy it to tackle my dry skin. However, I was really disappointed with this product as I found it to be extremely greasy, preventing me to do much after applying even after it was rubbed in thoroughly. I also found the smell a little overpowering for my hands! It was quite moisturising but I only feel that I can apply this at night due to the residue it leaves on my hands.

As I didn't get on with the Palmer's hand cream I decided to buy the Soap and Glory Hand Food as it was on a 3 for 2 offer in Boots and only cost £2.50 for the smaller size, which is perfect for me to try before buying the larger one. I have found this to be great for my skin - It is soaked up by my skin really easily and leaves no greasiness or residue after application. The small is also really subtle but is still fragrant and pretty.

So...is Hand Food the most astonishing hand cream ever? It is definitely a contender - the cheap price, great texture and moisturising effects all work together to create a great product!

What product is your hand cream savior?

Estée Lauder Advancer Night Repair / Concentrate

 Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex (£54 for 50 ml) and Advanced Night Repair Concentrate Recovery Boosting Treatment (£70 for 30ml)

The award winning Advanced Night Repair is one of Estée Lauder's prized products and this skincare gem has been passed down to me from my Mum who swears by it! I am definitely one who enjoys a good night-time skincare routine and this is a product I can see myself using for a long time.

The Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex helps reduce the appearance the visible signs of aging, especially lines and uneven skin tone.  It also provides continuous hydration by creating the optimal environment for skin renewal with its key ingredient, Hyaluronic Acid. As it reduces skin redness, I find it excellent for reducing the appearance of any blemishes and my skin looks much more radiant in the morning. I apply this as part of my evening skincare routine, smoothing a few drops onto clean skin over my face and neck. I absolutely love this product, I find that it melts into the skin and the formulation is lovely to apply. It leaves my skin feeling gorgeous and more importantly keeps the signs of aging at bay. I would definitely recommend anyone to add this product into their skincare routine - you won't look back!

If you feel like your skin is in need of an extra boost then the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrate Recovery Boosting Treatment is for you! This product is an intensive boosting serum claiming to help the skin repair the signs of past damage. It is formulated with 5 times the concentration of the normal Advanced Night Repair serum and immediately relieves skin redness and rebuilds the skins moisture barrier. This product is meant to be used in addition to your regular skincare routine every 3-4 months. When used, you should apply 2 full droppers over clean skin for a total of 21 days, followed by your usual moisturiser. This product can also work wonders after excess sun exposure which is perfect for the upcoming months! Having said that, this is on the pricey end of the spectrum, at £70 for 30ml, but as it is a concentrate is does last that bit longer. I am currently in the middle of my first use and I have found my skin to be improving but I am still unsure whether it is worth the money considering the wonderful effects of the Advanced Night Repair and may be a little unnecessary for me.

What do you think of the Advanced Night Repair? Are there any other great face serums?

Dr. Nick Lowe Skin Care Range

From left to right: Cooling Menthol Facial Scrub (£11.22), Hydrating Foaming Cleanser (£10.20), Purifying Foaming Cleanser (£10.16), Sebum Control Clenser (£10.20) and Oil Control Day Cream (£15.31).  All of these products are available from boots, or the Dr. Nick Lowe website here. 

Oil Control Day Cream (Anti-Blemish)

 Cooling Menthol Facial Scrub (Anti-Age)

Hydrating Foaming Cleanser (Anti-Aging), Purifying Foaming Cleanser (Anti-Blemish)

 Sebum Control Cleanser (Anti-Blemish)

I have become quite skin care obsessed at the moment and found a brand which works wonders with my skin so I thought I would share this with everyone!

Hydrating Foaming Cleanser: This is a gorgeous face wash, and it is the one I tend to use on a day-to-day basis. It has a really light foaming consistency which cleanses my skin beautifully whilst keeping it moisturised at the same time! I find it easily takes away any left-over make-up and is such a lovely product to use on my face. I find it brightens and refines my skin tone, leaving me blemish free! Some of the major-up sides to this product are that it contains plant derived exfoliators to gently refine skin, alongside vitamins A, C and E and it has an allergen free fragrance. In my opinion you can never start too early with anti-aging products and this is from the anti-age range which is great to keep the wrinkles at bay! I sometimes suffer from sensitive skin and this is so gentle on my face that I would recommend it for lots of different skin types as a daily face wash to use morning and night.

Cooling Menthol Facial Scrub: This product is also from the anti-age range. I use this once a week because as much as I find it is a nice addition to my skin care routine, I also find that exfoliating too often is a bit harsh on my skin. This product helps to improve my complexion, leaving it softer, brighter and more radiant. It is menthol scented which I find really cooling on my skin - hence the name! It is of quite a creamy consistency and contains gentle micro beads to smooth and exfoliate the skin. I also find this is great to use to get rid of any existing skin blemishes or to prevent any new ones from arising. It also contains pomegranate and raspberry to help protect against damaging free radicals. What more could you want from an exfoliator!

Purifying Foaming Cleanser: This cleanser is really similar to the hydrating foaming cleanser, but comes from the anti-blemish range instead of the anti-age range. It has anti-bacterial qualities which help to clean pores and impurities on the skin. This cleanser leaves my skin feeling beautifully cleansed, refreshed and my complexion much brighter. It contains Salicylic Acid which is aimed at targeting blemish prone skin, Willow Bark for its anti-bacterial properties and Arnica to help soothe and reduce skin inflammation caused by blemishes. I often switch between the two cleansers as my daily face washes, depending on how my skin is and how many blemishes I have as my skin can be quite unpredictable!

Sebum Control Cleanser: With similar ingredients as the purifying foaming cleanser, this product is just as effective at controlling spot prone skin. This is a one-step, alcohol free anti-bacterial cleanser aimed at refining, purifying and cleansing pores whilst maintaining the skins moisture. This product is really easy to use, you just apply with a cotton pad and wipe over the oily parts of the face.

Oil Control Day Cream: I apply this cream in the morning, but you can use it at night too. It is has a really light formula as you can see from the picture and is easily absorbed into the skin. It is a really lovely daily moisturiser and helps fight blemishes too!

I hope you have found this post useful - I know it is a lot of  text but I really would recommend you to try these products and the Dr. Nick Lowe skin care range. I do think skin care is a personal choice as so many people are different but it worked for me so it might be worth a try! I was introduced to this by my Mum who loves it too and I don't plan on switching products any time soon. Each product has a really light fragrance and apply really smoothly to my face. As I said before, I have quite sensitive skin and these have worked really well on my face. I also think that for the price they are such good value for money and there is something for everyone throughout the ranges!

Does anyone have any skin care recommendations? Or have you tried this range - what do you think?

My Favourite Highstreet Primers

Left: Rimmel Fix and Perfect

Right: L'oreal Studio Effects

Applying a good primer is the first step in my daily make-up routine and I find it so important to give a good base to apply my foundation. My ideal primer is one that can smooth the appearance of my pores, increase the staying power of my foundation and give a soft polished finish.

Initially, I was surprised at the size of the L'oreal Studio Effects soothing resurfacing primer, and for the large price tag of £14.29 for a small 15ml I didn't think I was getting much for my money. Having said that, a little of this product goes a long way! I find I only need a small amount to cover the necessary areas of my face - I usually apply this on my T-Zone, and on the top of my cheeks where I have a few larger pores. The consistency of this product is really different to a lot of other primers, including the Rimmel Fix and Perfect, but I love it. As you can see from the picture, the L'oreal product is much less liquid, and has more of a mousse consistency whereas the Rimmel one is more like a daily moisturizer. It makes my skin feel velvety and soft, and gives a perfect base to apply foundation. L'oreal say "the combination of soft, light powders gives a matte look and a silky finish" and I would definitely agree! It really does make my make up last all day and the matte finish means I don't have to use a powder which is great.

The Rimmer Fix and Perfect primer is priced at a more affordable £6.99 and is double the amount of product than L'oreal. Rimmel state that this primer gives 5 in 1 results as it smoothes, resurfaces, brightens, mattifies and protects the skin. I find that it does help my foundation last that little bit longer, but compared to the L'oreal primer, it doesn't minimise my pores and it doesn't give much of a matte or brighter finish. On the plus side, it is quite light-weight and feels a lot more mousturising than the L'oreal studio effects primer.

I would recommend Rimmel if you are looking for a cheaper primer because for the money you can't really go wrong! If you are looking to reduce the appearance of pores I would go for the L'oreal primer as I find the effects similar to Benefit Porefessional and it does work wonders. I also think that for the price it is a perfect mid range primer and I agree with all of the claims made by the product, which can't be said for Rimmel. I am currently switching between these products, both prolong the wear of my foundation, but on the days I feel I need a bit of added moisturizer, I go for the Rimmel primer and when I want to minimise my pores and provide a perfect smooth foundation base I go for the L'oreal.

What primer do you use? Are there any other good highstreet primers that you would recommend?

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

This is not a brand I usually go for or a product I would usually buy, however, I have found my skin to be quite dry recently and wanted to try something different to a normal moisturizer. I also have a few discoloration marks on my skin and I was recommended this to help reduce their appearance.

I found that the morning after I applied this, my skin was left really moisturized, soft and supple. There was no oily residue left and my face didn't look at all greasy. I think that skin 'radiance' is a hard thing to measure but I did find that my complexion looked much less tired and the texture was brilliant. The best thing about the effects of this product, is that I found it to even out my skin tone in such a short amount of time!

To apply this product, you add 2-3 drops into your hand and press it into your face, without rubbing it in, as it is quite easily absorbed to the skin.

I was slightly worried about using this product as I always thought that oily products would make me break out in spots, however, after using this for a while I haven't had any trouble. As a serum, I don't find it to oily and it is quite lightweight on the skin. The scent is quite a soft lavender which I find to be quite soothing and really lovely to apply before bed.

One of the up-sides of this serum is that it is made from 99.8% naturally derived ingredients including Squalane, Evening Primrose, and a blend of essential oils. Squalane is known to help improve the smoothness of the skin and reduce lines, while Evening Primrose helps to reduce eczema, psoriasis, and acne.

I wouldn'y say that this is a 'must-have' product but I would recommend it if you are looking for an overnight serum to improve the radiance and hydration of your skin and even out your skin tone. At £36 for 30ml it is quite expensive, but it does what it says and is a lovely product.

Does anyone have any other product recommendations for the skin - I love hearing about new things!