Nov 19 2014

A Teaser from Facetheory Skincare

Posted on November 19, 2014 by admin

I was recently contacted by Facetheory Skincare to road test their brand new range. New kids on the block, they offer tailored skincare to precisely complement your skin type and lifestyle. You’re invited to take a quick questionnaire with some basic questions about your skin, then they’ll deliver a personalised prescription to your inbox.

On the face of it this is a promising start. I like that they’ll consider your age, sex, any existing skin complaints and your perception of your skin type before making a recommendation. I would like to see the questionnaire probing a little further - more lifestyle questions such as whether you smoke and if there are any environmental hazards to take into account (e.g. whether you have an active outdoor lifestyle or live in an urban area with high pollution) - as this would be something entirely innovative and allow them to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Taking this one step further, in the range are currently 2 toners, 2 cleansers, 1 exfoliator and 4 moisturisers. I realise the brand is in its infancy and further products are almost certainly in the pipeline, but it seems a little premature to suggest they can match such a narrow range exactly to your skin.

Preconceptions aside, I was sent three trial-sized products; a cleanser, exfoliator and moisturiser. This is because, at the time of sending, no full sized products were available. I’m delighted to see that the trial sizes will remain available to buy alongside the full sized ones. This allows you to try-before-you-buy and they’re also perfectly sized for air travel (in light of the existing liquid restrictions).

Unfragranced so are non-gender specific
All moisturisers contain SPF25
None are tested on animals
No PEGS, parabens, perfumes, or sillicates

Interestingly, all the full priced products also come in touch-free airless packaging (basically a pump dispenser). This means Facetheory use less preservatives as their products won’t degrade when coming into contact with your skin. Good idea.

The SPF factor is also a welcome feature but it’s worth noting that a good slather of this of a morning isn’t enough. To safeguard against UVBs it will need re-applying every two hours, or more if you use it too sparingly. Rather a mineral sunblock on top of your moisturiser before applying make-up will better protect your skin (see this one from SkinCeuticals SPF 50) as they sit on top of your skin to reflect the sun’s rays, rather than absorb into it. Be good to see one of these from Facetheory in the future.

So what did I test out?

C1 Signature Cleanser (for combination skin)

This is a “multi-purpose” cleanser said to be mild enough to suit a variety of skin types and common ailments. Active ingredients include:

Avocado - Noted for its soothing properties so great for dry / irritated skin. Can also boost the skin’s collagen content and improve elasticity to fight the signs of aging. Packed full of antioxidants, avocados help to heal sun-damaged skin, and contain both Vitamin C and E to hydrate the epidermal layer of the skin.

Coconut Oil - Good for acne, it soothes and coats your skin, with anti-inflammatory properties. It can also help reduce the risk of microbial infections that may cause breakouts. Also a great source of vitamin K to keep skin looking and feeling healthy.

Silk Protein -Silk protein helps your skin retain moisture leave it feeling silky and soft.

Firstly it’s worth pointing out that the rest of the ingredients are non to low-toxicity and, whilst not certified organic, are some of the mildest available.

It’s a cream wash-off cleanser to be applied to dampened skin which never seem to suit me, but this was surprisingly gentle and removed my stubborn eye-make-up with ease. The consistency is almost mousse-like and it feels as though you’re applying a moisturiser (slightly greasy and very creamy) to wet skin. My skin was left feeling hydrated, calm yet not as fresh as I would have liked. It just doesn’t deliver the clean feeling that a foam or liquid cleanser does, which (if you’re not an acne sufferer) means it feels heavy on your skin.

E1 Exfoliator (for oily skin)

Loved this. This is the real jewel in the crown for Facetheory skincare and I’d happily re-purchase. It has just the right amount of grit, is well lubricated, and leaves you feeling clean, fresh and soft without any redness or soreness.

Salicylic Acid 1% - Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid - or BHA for short. It will help to resurface your skin’s upper layer and at a concentration of only 1% is mild enough to be gentle.

Willow Bark Extract -A cleansing ingredient and an anti-inflammatory that gently unblocks your pores.

It’s the gentlest yet most effective exfoliator I’ve used in a long while. Impurities are removed effectively thanks to a combination of mechanical ingredients such as apricot kernel (which gently remove dead skin cells when massaged into the skin and deliver essential nutrients) and BHAs (which remove dead skin cells by chemical reaction). Meanwhile coconut oil, vegetable glycerin & stearic acid bind the exfoilant ingredients together and make it easy to massage in and wash off.

M3 SuperGel Moisturiser (for oily skin)

Again, this was a real treat. I’m a little confused by the gel label as this is actually a creamy texture which smooths onto the skin well and leaves it hydrated. It can be a little thick to apply and needs plenty of massaging in, but it dries to a matt finish creating the ideal base for make-up.

Created especially for oily skin, it’s designed to not to cause further congestion by sitting in your pores. It certainly delivered on this score and problem areas (the creases at the sides of my nose, my chin, and between my eyebrows) are less shiny.

Aloe Vera - lightly moisturising with antibacterial properties to help provide a deep clean for your skin. Also protects the skin from UV damage and is an anti-inflammatory, helping to relax any spots or redness.

Argan Oil - A very welcome hero ingredient. For more information, refer to my previous article here.

Passion Fruit - Boasts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to reduce redness and remove toxins.

Zinc Oxide - mild broad-spectrum sunblock to protect you from UVA and UVB rays.

If you want to try this out for yourself, head over to Facetheory.com, take the questionnaire then try their 10ml samples to see if it works for you. You can read plenty more reviews on Facebook and Twitter.

Nov 16 2014

Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze Gradual Tanner

Posted on November 16, 2014 by admin

YES thank you Melissa Carter - finally a gradual tanning lotion that doesn’t smell of embalming fluid

High street tanners are an absolute minefield. Yet for those of those that think sunbeds are for the stupid, and spray tans are too OTT, it’s our only choice. So we buy tanner after tanner and spray, rub and smooth them onto our skin making our bathrooms reak like a mini mortuary. The next day we’ll wake up to streaks and layer up on bracelets and bangles to cover our mistakes.

It’s not much to ask to find a fake tan that smells good, keeps us relatively soft-skinned, and doesn’t make us look like we’ve fallen asleep in the sun on our front. All we really want is even coverage that doesn’t make other people on the tube have breathe through their mouths.

Well Founder & Creator of Cocoa Brown, Melissa Carter has done just that. She’s created a tanning range that carries a pleasant floral scent and is getting storming press in Ireland and glowing testimonials from celebrities such as Rosanna Davison, Pippa O’Connor and Karen Koster. Okay, these may not be big names here in the UK but they’ve graced the covers of some of the biggest Irish beauty publications on the market.

So what makes it so good?

Well it’s not rocket science. It’s a range of tanning products that are inexpensive, long-lasting, smell great and are pumped full of (albeit mostly synthetic) ingredients that are hydrating and nourishing. Why the likes of L’Oreal and Garnier couldn’t pull this off sooner is anyone’s guess. But they didn’t, and now Cocoa Brown have won themselves another advocate - me.

Tough Stuff 3 in 1 Body Scrub

It’s gritty, it smells of berries, it exfoliates. It’s also won awards and costs a tiny £5.99 from Superdrug. What more do you need?

The 3 in 1 claim is a little ambiguous. They’re aren’t 3 benefits as such, rather it prepares your skin for tanning by lifting off any old remnants and creates a clean slate for slathering on the new one. But who cares? It’s by far one of the toughest body scrubs I’ve come across.

For knees, elbows, feet and other tough skin, using it bi-weekly will wipe away dead skin and leave it far softer than before. It’s also effective on dry skin if you get in a fight with a toddler and a marker pen which deserves a standing ovation from any parent.

I’m not alone in thinking this is a bit special either - this body scrub sold 4 months worth of stock in just 2 weeks when it first hit the market. They’ve now sensibly created a 200ml tube available from Primark, Superdrug, Lloyds Pharmacy and FeelUnique.com. I’m unlikely to use another body scrub ever.

Gentle Bronze Gradual Tanner

Gentle Bronze launched in March 2014, after a whirlwind 2013 in which Cocoa Brown achieved huge success; sealing deals with major retailers such as Boots, Superdrug, Primark and Tesco. Prior to this, their flagship 1 hour tan mousse went head to head with its highstreet competitors and literally wiped the floor with them. But for some of us, mitting up, applying a mousse then showering is a bit of a faff. This is where the gradual tanner comes in.

This can be applied everyday and gradually builds your tan to a beautiful bronze shade. How does it differ to the likes of Dove’s Summer Glow, Garnier’s Summer Body and L’Oreal’s Sublime Bronze I hear you ask? Well it smells good and there’s not a hint of orange.

***

Ingredients

Okay, it doesn’t have Vita Liberata’s organic base ingredients, or St Tropez’s aloe vera infusion - and there are a few dubious ingredients to make the hardcore skincare buffs wrinkle their noses:

Isopropyl Myristate: synthetic oil is often added to beauty products to give them a slicker, sheer feel rather than an oily one. Has been linked to skin irritation.

Dihydroxyacetone: derived from sugar beets or cane sugar, this is the key active ingredient for self-tanners. The skin-browning effect is the result of a nontoxic chemical reaction between DHA and the amino acids which are part of the keratinous layer of the skin’s surface, much like the browning effect in food caramelization. Although there has been studies to show low levels of irritation, Cocoa Brown insist their DHAs are vegetable derived and mild.

Ceteareth-20: The most controversial one in there, but unnecessarily so. An emollient and emulsifier that gets a fair old bashing from the die-hard organic fans as it can contaminate a product with carcinogens. Generally regarded as low toxicity though.

But! It also has Argania Spinose Kernal Oil - who’s been reading my blog then? Which is an organic hero ingredient with a raft of benefits - I definitely hadn’t expected to see this in here and it’s a very very very welcome surprise.

So what did I think?

Love it. My arms and legs are looking spot on. I’m yet to experience any streakiness and the colour is deep and natural. They’re also lovely and soft as I can pop my usual organic body lotion on top without any cross-contamination. The scent is Cocoa Brown’s signature Tahitian Gardinia Floral scent which is an acquired scent, but it beats the hell out of any of its competitors.

My only gripe is that it can “sit in” the creases of your skin (as you might expect). Although my legs have got away scot-free, my wrists need a good scrub afterwards. This is fine if you aren’t doing your arms, but it can lead to tell-tale lines if you are. I’m hoping Cocoa Brown bring out a mist to reduce this problem. They do have a Lovely Legs wash off spray tan, but an all-over longer-lasting solution would be welcome.

All in all, it’s the best I’ve come across in a long while and at £5.99, it’ll be a regular in my shopping basket. Well done Melissa.

To find out more about the brand and where to buy here in the UK, head to cocoabrown.ie, or say hello on Facebook and Twitter. Their Christmas gifts (below) are also available exclusively at FeelUnique.com

Nov 10 2014

Miss Francis Tutu Baby Pettiskirt Review

Posted on November 10, 2014 by admin

When I first found out I was growing a little girl in my tummy a year ago, I went on a pink offensive. No way was my little girl going to be swamped in baby pink, donning headbands or having her ears pierced. Nope. I was all for dresses, but just couldn’t stand the ice cream sundae, cuter than cute, frills and bows look.

It took all of four days for me to change my mind (not regarding the piercings, this will NEVER happen) and Heidi was in pink as soon as the “welcome to the world” gifts poured through the letterbox). She was just such a lady! The moment the doctors delivered her into my hands, she fluttered those eyelashes and we knew that she’d live up to her pre-birth moniker, Mini Madam.

As fast as pink made an appearance in her drawers, it crept up into her bedding, and then Dexter’s hand-me-down toys didn’t seem quite, well, pink enough. She’s even worn the odd headband and pair of ballet shoes! My whole attitude changed, and I started to really embrace the fact I had a little girl in a house formerly full of boys.

So when Miss Francis offered to send me a tutu skirt - I smiled to myself. Yes I totally would like to review one! As completely over-the-top and princess-like as they are, I couldn’t wait to pop Heidi in one of these to-die-for little numbers!

Here at Miss Francis we are dedicated to making clothes for girls to look lovely and feel good in . Our pettiskirts are perfect for parties, playing, dancing or dressing up, they are ideal for all occasions… Pettiskirts also known as tutus, come in an array of colours and styles. Whether you like pretty pastels, vibrant brights, classic shades or sequins and sparkles there is a tutu for all tastes.

I picked the Ivory one as I imagined I could dress it up with pops of colours elsewhere. It arrived in a beautiful presentation box, so would be perfect for gifting to someone. As soon as I sunk my fingers into all those pretty soft frills and ruffles I was hooked. That’s the most surprising thing of all; just how soft this is. There’s no coarse cheap lacey bits that might chaff or irritate baby, it’s 100% Nylon Chiffon which feel like layers of silk against their delicate skin.

There’s a coordinating silk band gathering all the ruffles which comes together in a bow at the front. This waistband is elasticated to accommodate growth up to 1 year (of course there’s plenty more for older girls of 1-12 years to choose from too). Heidi is 6 months and fits this perfectly - there’s still plenty of room, but the skirt won’t fall down.

I’m just in love with it. It looks adorable in photos, makes her even more irresistible to cuddle (as if that’s even possible) and we love watching her little bum bob up and down in it as she crawls across the carpet.

Unsurprisingly it’s hand wash only in warm water which will be a whole new experience for me - but I’ll have a go when it needs it given this is too special not to. It’s so fluffy and soft I’d hate to think I might ruin it. In fact, Heidi is going nowhere remotely grubby in it - it’s for home only.

Heidi’s tutu is £31.99 which seems fair. If it hadn’t been so soft I’d have balked a little at the price, but the quality is just superior to anything you’ll come across on the high-street. The fact it’ll last a year also means you’ll have something truly special to pluck out of the drawer for those special occasions. This tutu will eventually live in Heidi’s memory box for her to appreciate when she’s older - and maybe hand down to her own daughter (if she’s lucky enough to have one).

To find out more about Miss Francis and all their accessories (including a full range of complementing hair bands and bows) head to MissFrancis.com or there are regular reviews, inspiration and giveaways on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest.