What's in my Handbag? Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm

Whats in my handbag is a great website that I was made aware of a couple of months ago when a lot of bloggers were posting and tweeting links where you could apply for free products. 

The website itself is members only but it is really easy to join all you need is an email address, it allows it's members to upload pictures of whats in their bags and has loads of interviews with celebrities and of course pictures of what they have in their bags. They also have pop-up try and buys which is what has caught everyone's attention, they have pop-up offers where you can get products at discounted prices or free 'trys' where you can apply to receive trial size products. I go on the website quite often and always apply for the 'trys' but I don't have much luck and there a limited numbers so I often apply and forget all about it... that was until the other day when I came home to this very lovely delivery!

I had been lucky enough to receive the 15ml trial size of the Emma Hardie Amazing Face natural lift and sculpt moringa cleansing balm, I can't even tell you how much I squealed with delight when I opened the box, Rachel and I have been lusting after this ever since we became obsessed with Caroline Hirons blog where she raves about this product. Caroline Hirons has also been featured on the website a couple of times if you want to find out a bit more information about her and the products she uses.

I can't wait to try this out and will be letting you know my thoughts. 

Will you be checking out What's in my handbag?

Elaine

Botanics Shine Away Ionic Mask Review

I've always liked the Botanics range from Boots, in particular their eye make up remover, but I had heard so-so things about them since they underwent their rebranding from other bloggers and other review sites, a lot of people felt they had changed the formula of the products and it no longer worked for them but also a lot of people love the new products, so it's difficult to judge on reviews alone.
I had never used a face mask from Botanics before so I was happy to give this a try, I had enough points on my advantage card so I thought I would treat myself, luckily Botanics products were on offer with 1/3 off the usual price, so I got this for £4.66, normally costing £6.99 for 100ml, so still quite reasonable.

Botanics say: 'This mineral-rich ionic mask absorbs excess oil and detoxifies skin. The oceanic clay exhibits a negative electrical charge, which helps to draw out deep-rooted impurities without overdrying. Skin is left clearer, softer and smoother.
Willowbark is nature's champion clarifier. Excess sebum, pollution and old skin cells can clog up pores, resulting in shine and blemishes. The bark of the willow tree is a natural source of salicylic acid which helps to refine skin texture and actively target imperfections.'

You apply a generous amount of the clay to cleansed skin, the directions say to leave for 10 minutes but I actually left this for about 15-20 minutes until I knew all of the mask had dried, which is when it changes colour and it becomes quite tight on your skin. 

When the mask had dried I found that in areas where my pores are quite large the clay had little dimples like the clay had sunk into them which was a bit strange but hopefully means it was working deep into my pores.

The instructions say to wipe the excess off with a tissue and then rinse with water, but I found that I needed to wash it off with warm water and use a flannel to ensure I washed all of the clay off, I used toner afterwards to make sure my skin was clean, as it's a black/green clay it is a bit messy but it is easily washed away and doesn't stain.

Pros

• After using the face mask my skin felt very clean and refreshed, which was perfect after a very busy day at work.
• This might sound strange but I like a face mask where you can feel it doing something, even if it's only getting tighter when it dries.
• Price, it's pretty reasonable at £6.99 for 100ml.
• I like the new Botanics packaging, I think it looks more modern which will appeal to a wider range of people.

Cons

• The second time I used this, the product inside had gone a bit watery, so when I opened it black water went everywhere, I had to shake the tube to get the clay to the bottom, so be warned as it doesn't advise on the packaging to shake before use.
• As it's a clay mask it can get a bit messy so you would definitely need to apply this in a bathroom or somewhere with a sink nearby.
• I can't say that the texture of my skin had been refined in any way, although it did leave my skin feeling soft.
• The mask is suitable for all skin types but as it was quite tight I didn't apply this near the edges of my face which is a bit dry, so I'm not sure how good this would be if you had dry skin.

Would I repurchase?

As this was just an OK face mask I probably won't as I would like to experiment with other brands.

What face masks would you recommend?

Don't forget to enter our Nuxe Travel Kit giveaway here. Good Luck!

Elaine

REN Mayblossom T-Zone Control Cleansing Gel Review

www.renskincare.com

REN are a brand that I hadn't really heard much about until they gave away a starter kit with Red magazine a few months ago, since then I have heard on other blogs about how much of a good brand they are. REN products do not contain parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, petrolatum, synthetic fragrance, synthetic colours, T.E.A, D.E.A, Glycols, silicones, and PEGS, I'm not going to lie I don't know what a few of those are but they don't sound good, so I was pleased to know that their products don't contain ingredients that would be harmful to my skin.

When I was on the hunt for a new cleanser I had a look through the clinics on Caroline Hiron's blog and she had suggested REN to others as an alternative to other very expensive brands, I always look up reviews on other blogs and through Make up Alley before buying new products and the REN cleansers had great reviews, so I bought the Mayblossom Cleansing Gel from their range for combination skin.

 REN say that the cleanser is  'A balancing, antibacterial facial cleansing gel for skin that is prone to oiliness and breakouts, particularly in the T-zone.'
Results from using the cleanser are:

• Removes dirt and dissolves excess sebum
• Unclogs pores
• Reduces the appearance of pore size
• Antimicrobial and antibacterial

I have been using this cleanser morning and night everyday since I purchased it, and I absolutely love it, I have noticed a huge difference in the appearance and feel of my skin. My skin feels much softer and smoother after using this, and my pores do appear smaller and less noticeable.

I have been using a flannel in warm water to remove the cleanser as an alternative to muslin cloths as they are much cheaper (pack of 3 for £4 in Primark) and they do the same job, so I can be sure that my skin is completely cleansed and being gently exfoliated at the same time.

Pros

• This cleanser has made my skin feel much softer and smoother, which lasts all day, I can tell my skin is much softer even through my foundation.
• I used my old Simple face wash as a last resort when I couldn't find this when I was in the shower the other day and I realised how harsh the simple face wash was in comparison to the REN cleanser. With REN my skin feels really clean, almost squeaky clean, but not tight or stripped of moisture, it feels really gentle on my skin.
• My pores do appear to be smaller and less noticeable (even if it was only me who noticed them in the first place), which is a miracle.
• The Mayblossom scent is gorgeous, it is quite strong but not overpowering, if you are funny with scented skin care I would recommend you test this on the back of your hand and see how you feel about it throughout the day.
• Price - I was wary at first at the price, £17 for 150ml, it's a lot more than my usual face wash at £2.49, but compared to Liz Earle Cleanse which is £12.75 for 100ml, you are getting more product for your money. You can also use the product sparingly so I'm hoping this will last me a while.

Cons

• I find that this doesn't really remove all my eye make up, so I do have to use an eye make up remover along side it. I have been using my Bioderma to remove my eye make up and as a pre-cleanse before I use the cleanser. I always double cleanse to make sure I remove all my make up especially if I use a product which contains SPF. I don't mind having to use an eye make up remover as I do love Bioderma but it may bother some people.
• This isn't that much of a con as I do love the pump packaging, but you do have to be careful when you first use it, if you press the pump all the way down you get a lot more product than you probably need, so I only press it half way down so I get the right amount and don't waste too much.

Would I repurchase?

Yes definitely, I would recommend this to anyone. The quality of this cleanser really makes me want to try out other REN products.

Have you tried REN products? What did you think?

Check out our Nuxe Travel Kit giveaway here. Good Luck!

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

What I'm taking to Paris!

I'm going to Paris today (Yay), it's my only holiday this year and I have been looking forward to it for months! If you follow us on twitter you will know that I had a bit of a panic as my boyfriend couldn't find his passport the other day but we finally found it, think Rachel thought she was going to get a freebie holiday!

So I thought I would share with you what make-up and toiletries I am taking, I love reading what other people take on holiday, mainly as I am quite nosey!

Garnier BB Cream for Combination/Oily Skin (You can see a review here)

L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Extra Black

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

Avon Super Shock Gel Eyeliner Black

Collection (2000) Extreme Felt Tip Eyeliner (I know it might seem strange that I'm taking two eyeliners but I use the Avon one for my water line)

Benefit Thrrrob Blusher (You can see a review here)

L'Oreal Chrome Shine Eyeshadow in Beige Shimmer - Swatch below

Soap & Glory Kick Ass Concealer in Light

BM Beauty HD powder

Garnier Eye Roll on

Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti

L'Oreal Rouge Caresse in Dating Coral

Kate Rimmel Lipstick in 16

Lipstick swatches are below

'Eco Tools' brush - this was part of a set I bought on ebay claiming to be real eco tools but they are fake (I compared to Rachel's real Eco Tools brushes) but at only £5 I knew it was going to be highly likely they were fake, which is fine as they are actually pretty good brushes but they aren't going to be as soft as the originals, but they come in handy!

L'Oreal Chrome Shine Eye Shadow in Beige Shimmer

I love these range of shadows I have quite a few, this shade is great for a day time or evening look.

Swatches Bottom to Top - Rimmel 16, L'Oreal Dating Coral & Revlon Tutti Frutti

These 3 are some of my favourite lipsticks right now, I think I will more than likely wear the L'Oreal lipstick during the day as it is the most moisturising and a nice subtle shade, and tutti frutti and 16 during the evening for a more bold look, I want to get my wear out of the Rimmel lipstick as I think it's definitely more of a summer colour, and summer has officially ended!!

DKNY Juicy be delicious perfume

Soltan Spf 15

Aveda Pure Abundance Style Prep Spray

Figs and Rouge Lip Balm (you can see a review here)

Olay Day Fluid for normal/oily skin

Tresemme 24 hour body shampoo and conditioner

Sure Maximum Protection Deodorant (wouldn't normally include this in the photo, but bloggers have been raving about this, I have only just bought it so will be testing it out on holiday)

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Tropical

FAB cleanser

I can not wait to go french pharmacy shopping, I have never been shopping in Paris before but I have heard the pharmacies in Paris are amazing for skin care, so I have been watching loads of youtube videos to see what I should be looking out for! Some of the best have been by Essie-Button and Lisa Eldridge, and if you already love french skin care Caroline Hirons is having a huge french skin care giveaway on her blog!

I might even buy some things for a giveaway myself...

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