2012 Favourties... Skin Care and Hair Products

2012 was definitely the year of skin care for me, when I first started blogging I was quite happy with my face wipes and simple face wash that was until I started reading other blogs and learning more about skin types and skin care, so now I am trying out new products to see what is the best match for me, so these are my 2012 favourites of skin care products that I love and will definitely be buying again and again.

Ren Mayblossom T-Zone Control Cleansing Gel
This cleanser leaves my skin feeling really clean and refreshed, but doesn't dry out my skin at all. I've already bought another bottle of this cleanser and have recommended it to friends. (You can see the post here)

Clarins HyrdaQuench Moisturiser
I love this moisturiser it has really improved my skin, especially in the cold months, I have been using it twice a day in the winter, but I think it will be great as a night time moisturiser in the summer. (You can see the post here)

La Roche Posay Hyrdaphase Intense Mask
I use this mask all the time, it leaves my skin lovely and moisturised, I love it and will definitely be buying it again. (You can see the post here)

Decelor Ylang Ylang Balancing Face Oil
I got this on a bit of a whim after a lovely lady at the Decelor counter gave me advice about my skin care, she said that my oily skin was probably being made worse as my skin was unbalanced and that the ylang ylang will balance my skin. It is really expensive but I bought it for half price in Paris and you can get it cheaper on feel unique. I love using this as it smells gorgeous and my skin feels lovely when I use it. (Mentioned in this post here)

Emma Hardie
This has done the rounds on most blogs, I was lucky enough to get a sample size for free to try from Whats in my handbag, I love this cleanser it smells gorgeous and just melts my makeup, leaving my skin lovely and soft. (You can see the post here)

Figs and Rouge Lip Balm
Sorry I forgot to include this in the photo! I really like this lip balm, for me it is just as good as the infamous Nuxe lip balm but half the price! (You can see the post here)

I'm not really that into hair care products, it's not something that has ever really interested me, but at the same time I am obsessed with trying different volume products to find anything that give my hair any sort of boost. These products are the only products that I use again and again, I can't get loads of volume but they do give my hair a bit of extra body and shine.

Aveda Phomollient Styling Foam

Aussie Aussome Volume Shampoo and Conditioner

V05 Miracle Concentrate Elixir with Argan Oil

Elaine

French Skin Care Haul!

 I had heard soo much about french pharmacies before I went to Paris that I couldn't wait to go shopping when I got there, I made a special trip to the City Pharma that Lisa Eldridge always heads for when she was in Paris, it was an amazing pharmacy with loads of different aisles with bargains, so it was quite busy! I had in my head what I was after but when I was there it was hectic so only picked up a couple of things, it was a bit overwhelming how much stuff there was which obviously was all in French! Although Escentual.com is currently running a 1/3 off French Pharmacy beauty brands so I could be tempted to buy a couple more things!

 I headed straight for the Bioderma, a bloggers favourite, I had never tried it before but I was after a decent make up remover as I always double cleanse and at 7 Euros for 500ml I obviously had to get two!! I have enjoyed using it since I got home and haven't reached for face wipes once.

 Decleor Paris Aromessence Ylang Ylang Purifying Serum, this is on sale in the UK for £46 and I got it in Paris for 36 Euros which was around £30!!! I have been using a sample of this and it has made my skin so nice, I never thought that adding oil to my face would actually help my oily/combination skin, but it really has. It is a lot of money to pay but a little goes a long way, and it smells divine!

I had to get this Caudalie Beauty Elixir to see what all the fuss was about, it was about 8 Euros, so at that price I thought I would give it a try, unfortuantley it hasn't traveled well and there seems to be drops of natural oils that have separated from the Elixir so there are little brown drops floating on the top, not the best.

Nuxe Ultra-nourishing Lip Balm with Honey and Precious Oils, this lip balm smells absolutely gorgeous and it actually makes my bag smell really nice when I'm carrying it around. 
The lip balm itself is quite matte so you only need to use a little bit, and you can feel it sinking in and nourishing your lips, I struggle with lip balms sometimes when they just sit on your lips, but I absolutely love this one.

I didn't forget about our followers when I was away... there is a French Pharmacy giveaway coming very very soon!! We wanted to get something to say thank you to everyone that takes the time to read our blog and make comments, it is very much appreciated and so exciting when we see that we have a new follower or someone has made a comment.

Elaine

Skin Care Haul

I've always been a bit lax when it comes to my skin care routine, relying mainly on face wipes which aren't the best, so after obsessively reading Caroline Hirons blog (you can find it here, I strongly recommend it!) I realised it was time to invest more in my skin care.

So I thought I would share some of the products or samples I have bought so far...

I bought 2 packs of 3 face cloths for £1.50 from Primark - I have read on different blogs including Caroline Hirons that face cloths are just as good at cleansing and a much cheaper alternative to muslin cloths.

REN Mayblossom T-Zone Control Cleansing Gel 150ml for £18 - This is more than I would normally pay for a cleanser but I have been using it the last few days and I love it, my skin has been much more balanced and my pores have appeared smaller.

I got some free samples of Elemental Herbology products from Space NK, I haven't tried these yet so I don't know how good they are. Have you tried anything from this brand?

A free sample of Decleor Paris Purifying Serum in Ylang Ylang, a lovely face oil to help balance my combination skin and it smells gorgeous! I have really liked trying out this product, but the full size is very expensive at around £40, so I may treat myself if I come into money somehow!

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Light (Travel Size) 12ml for £12 - I had went to the Smashbox counter to try out their foundations, but they didn't have a tester in my shade and the sales assistant suggested I give the primer a try as it would enhance my current foundation, the full size primer is £27 so I thought I would get the travel size primer to test before I spend that much money on a new product. 

I have downloaded the Make-up Alley app on my phone which is really useful to look for reviews on new products I see when I'm out and about, it's definitely helped me make more informed purchases! If you have a smart phone I would recommend this app or something similar!

Elaine