Nude Cleansing Facial Oil Review

With a nourishing formula, Nude’s Cleansing Facial Oil is perfect for dry to combination skin. Together omega 3, which gives skin a moisture boost and improves texture, and vitamin E condition and protect skin.

Warm the oil up in your hands and then massage it into dry skin, including around your eyes, then add some warm water but continue to massage the cleanser into your skin. The formula should foam ever so slightly and change to more of an off-white colour.

The key part of this beauty product is that it encourages you to really massage the oil into your skin giving you a much deeper cleanse. Once you’ve rinsed your face and towel dried it, you’ll notice instantly that while it feels fresh and lean, it also feels soft and smooth. Plus you’re make-up has been removed too.

Jasmine and gardenia extracts give the cleanser a soothing fragrance making it a great pre-bedtime beauty ritual.

While the price does feel expensive for an everyday skincare product, you’ll be surprised at how little you actually need to use for your face and neck.

Nude Cleansing Facial Oil is £24 and available from Nudeskincare.com.

Rating: 8/10 – This is a great cleanser, especially if your skin is really dry and sore. Although I’m not sure it’s the perfect cleanser for all skin types as they suggest.

Topshop Sisters Of The New Moon Crystal Lipstick Review

Topshop has definitely put the fun back into make-up with the SS12 Sisters of the New Moon collection, most namely the lipstick in Crystal shade. To look at, the lipstick looks like it might belong to Barbie with the bubblegum pink flecked with glitter. However once it’s on lips the finish is wearable with a gorgeous shimmer and hint of pink.

As ever with lipsticks you will need to reapply this one throughout the day and evening, but it’s a fun colour with quirky packaging, making Topshop’s lipstick perfect for the summer and setting off your sun kissed glow. It’s selling out, so you’ll need to be fast though!

Topshop’s Sisters of the New Moon Lipstick in Crystal is £9 and available from Topshop.com.

Rating: 8/10 – Yes you’ll need to give lips a swipe of lip balms after wearing this lipstick and it doesn’t last all day, but it’s a fun lipstick in a shimmery shade! If you can get your hands on it’s definitely worth buying!

Olay Essentials Complete Care Day Lotion Review

Its light, moisturising and subtly scented, Olay’s new Essentials Complete Care Day Lotion is a great budget moisturiser. With an SPF30 it also offers higher sun protection than most of the premium beauty brands too.

The lotion soaks in quickly without leaving a sticky or greasy feeling behind and skin feels soft and moisturised throughout the day. Vitamin B3, B5 and E make sure skin gets the necessary nutrients and protection.

While you will need to use at least two pumps to cover your face and neck area fully, the lower price and overall quality make this a good value for money moisturiser.

Olay’s Essentials Complete Care Day Lotion is £10.29 available from Boots.com.

Rating: 10/10 – The perfect day cream for summer with the protection and price tag to keep your skin and purse happy.

Dolce and Gabbana Perfect Finish Concealer Pen Review

Dolce & Gabbana’s Perfect Finish Concealer Pen is as luxurious as a concealer can get packaging wise and the formula isn’t far off.

The soft brush tip makes it easy to apply and the consistency is silky allowing you to use your finger to blend. The formula dries within seconds and has a discreet, matte finish to disguise dark circles.

Concentrate on the area below the inner corner of your eye and try adding a touch of concealer to the sides of your nose where it meets your eye socket at the narrowest part – you’ll be surprised at how much brighter and wider your eyes look!

Make sure you use your eye cream before the Dolce & Gabbana concealer though otherwise the finish can look a little chalky. 

Dolce and Gabbana’s Perfect Finish Concealer Pen is £24 and available exclusively from Harrods.com.

Rating: 5/10 – It’s tough to give this beauty product too high a rating as it is competing with the original, YSL’s Touche Eclat, which is only £2 more and comes in seven more shades. 

Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen Review

Soft gel liners are rarely smudge-proof and Pixi’s Endless Silky Eye Pen is no exception. While the smudging is disappointing, the softness of the eyeliner does come in handy and makes it easy to apply – it literally glides on to your eyelids.

If you’re a smoky eye fan the softer texture is without a doubt a bonus as you can use your finger or a brush to blend, however the eyeliner doesn’t smudge too much, so you can still frame and define your eyes.

While it might smudge, the formula is relatively waterproof and will make your eye make-up remover prove its worth.

For less than a tenner, Pixi’s Endless Silky Eye Pens are definitely worth trying out as they have impressively intense shades. In fact, they’re definitely one of the better gel eyeliners in this price bracket, especially if you enjoy experimenting with different shades.

Pixi’s Endless Silky Eye Pens are £9.50 each and available from Boots.com.

Rating: 5/10 – Good value for money considering the rich colours, but not necessarily a must-have eyeliner for all ages.

Sanctuary Skin Perfecting BB Cream Review

Yet another BB cream to hit the beauty shelves, but is it as good as the popular Garnier BB cream? The Sanctuary’s Skin Perfecting BB Cream is slightly more expensive and promises to hydrate, illuminate and protect skin.

The ingredients list looks promising with hydrating hyaluronic acid and nourishing grape seed oil on top of several silcas to soak up excess oil and disguise fine lines.

When put to the test, the Sanctuary's BB cream isn’t bad. Although the shade comes out scarily dark, the tone lightens as you apply and does even out skin tone well. The lotion is light and soaks in quickly, and it does contain SPF 15 protection so it's ideal for everyday use.

While it doesn’t provide the same amount of coverage as your foundation and concealer might, the Sanctuary’s BB cream certainly gives your complexion a boost and makes your skin look brighter and healthier.

As with all BB creams though it won’t do the job of your moisturiser, so apply your day cream underneath.

Sanctuary’s Skin Perfecting BB Cream is £14.99 and available from Thesanctuary.co.uk.

Rating: 6.5/10 – There’s definitely enough to like about this beauty product, especially as it’s so light in texture, but it is not revolutionary in its results.

Gazelli Triple Youth Skin Balancing Cleanser Review

Mixing anti-ageing ingredients with a cleanser is a tricky business, but Gazelli, a father and daughter skincare brand from Azerbaijan, has nailed it with their Triple Youth Skin Balancing Cleanser. The secret to their success is the White Healing Oil, which is found in the Naftalan region in Azerbaijan. The oil helps to boost skin cell renewal and nourish skin with its abundance of vitamins and nutrients.

With a creamy, loose consistency, this cleanser is easy to massage into your skin and does lather up slightly once mixed with water. The scent is similar to that of ginger, but is soft enough to make the cleanser smell and feel refreshing.

While your skin doesn’t feel tight after using Gazelli’s cleanser like it might with other anti-ageing products, it does feel as revitalised and most importantly, clean. It is worth noting that lack of tightness after cleansing is a good thing as if your skin does feel tight it can mean that too much natural oil and moisture has been stripped away.

The formula is packed full of essential oils, but it is still safe to use around your eyes without leaving them feeling sore and stinging, and it can be used on any skin type. After rinsing, your face and neck feels fresh, fully cleansed and soft courtesy of the vitamin B and C, which hydrates and nourishes.

Look out for the thoughtful poetry and sayings in scripted on the packaging too.

Gazelli’s Triple Youth Skin Balancing Cleanser is £18 and available exclusively from Urbanretreat.co.uk.

Rating: 10/10 – Perfect for adding a touch of luxury to what can be a very mundane part of your skincare regime!

Caudalie Crushed Cabernet Scrub Review

 

Together the thick consistency and coarse granules provide skin with a thorough exfoliation, even on tough dry patches. With nourishing ingredients like grape-seed oil and juniper oil, Caudalie’s Crushed Cabernet Body Scrub won’t strip your skin of its moisture as it takes away the dead skin.

The essential oils also give the body scrub a refreshing scent, making it feel like a luxury beauty product to use.

Caudalie’s body scrub is more than just an exfoliator though and it targets women concerned with dieting and cellulite with its ‘6 draining and cellulite fighting essential oils’, but does it work?

The thicker consistency encourages you to massage the product into your skin, which in turn will increase your circulation and reduce cellulite, making it an ideal body care product to compliment a detox or diet. On it's own though, it won't tackle cellulite or take inches from your thighs.

Overall this body scrub is high performing and definitely worth splashing out on if you’re looking for an exfoliator that feels like a seriously pampering product with the extra benefit of helping to reduce cellulite slightly.

Caudalie’s Crushed Cabernet Scrub is £21.50 and available from Caudalie.com.

Rating: 6/10 – A little goes a long way due to the coarse texture, so Caudalie's exfoliator will last and does leave skin feeling soft and smooth. 

Weleda Birch Cellulite Oil Review

With a citrusy scent, Weleda’s Birch Cellulite Oil is a breathe of fresh air as far as face oils go. While most natural-based face oils have more of a herby aroma, Weleda’s offers a refreshing and revitalising smell perfect for morning use or if you’re jetting away, it’s ideal for giving skin a moisture boost on the plane.

While the scent is definitely the first thing that strikes you when you use this beauty product, there are many more benefits. Together the jojoba seed oil, wheat extract and kernel oil give skin some serious moisture.

You only need a very small amount to massage into skin and it will soak in quickly without leaving a greasy finish. Within minutes skin feels refreshed and nourished, and even more impressively, it looks brighter and healthier.

Weleda’s Birch Cellulite Oil is £19.95 for 100ml and available from Weleda.co.uk.

Rating: 10/10 – this is a great oil and you’ll feel and see the results after just one use! Look out for the travel size bottle – it’s great for the plane.

Mii Cosmetics Defining Eye Pencil Review

If you want to master a Bridget Bardot style flick and rock SS12’s feline eye make-up Mii’s Defining Eye Pencil is a must-have beauty product.

The firm pencil eyeliner makes sculpting the perfect flick easy and allows you to draw fine lines as well as thick blocks as your reach the outer corner of your upper eyelid.

As with most eyeliners, Mii’s is prone to smudging slightly once it’s on but you won’t end up with it half way down your cheeks and it doesn’t crumb as you’re applying it.

Overall this is a great beauty product to have in your make-up bag, especially if you want to create a wide-eyed make-up look and should be on your shopping list.

Mii Cosmetic’s Defining Eye Pencil is £8.95 from Miicosmetics.com.

Rating: 7/10 – While it does still smudge slight, for change from a tenner this is still a great value beauty buy.

Aveda Stress Fix Body Lotion Review

Feeling stressed? Aveda’s Stress-Fix Body Lotion might be just the thing to help you relax and unwind. Using eco-cert certified organic ingredients including organic aloe to soothe, organic sunflower oil to soften, and nourish and organic shea butter to moisturise, the body lotion is light in texture, easy to massage into skin and super conditioning.

Alongside the moisturising qualities, Aveda’s Stress-Fix Body Lotion also comes complete with a relaxing aroma and it will come as no surprise that organic lavender is a key ingredient in the scent.

The conditioning formula and soft, unwinding aroma work in perfect harmony and help you de-stress and relax – it’s the perfect product for after a long, hot soak in the bath.

Aveda’s Stress Fix Body Lotion is £27 and available from Aveda.co.uk.

Rating: 7/10 – The use of high quality organic ingredients is reflected in the price. Overall this body lotion is really lovely to use and soaks in quickly, leaving skin feel moisturised but not greasy.  

Rituals Nail Polish Review

It's a fact: Rituals should be renowned for its good quality, high performance nail polishes. The SS12 collection is comprised of pretty shades of pink, from deep Late Night Ruby to bright pops of Rebel Rose. Every colour in the collection is perfect for both fingers and toes, and has a glossy, high-shine finish.

Shades aside, the actual formula is what is most impressive about these nail varnishes. Just one coat will last you for at least three days without chipping and the shade comes out bold enough to pretend that you have painted on two coats. With this in mind, make sure you use a base polish before coating on the colour to make removing the nail polish easier and avoid staining your nails.

Rituals Nail Polishes are £8.90 and available from Rituals.com.

Rating: 9/10 - For less than £10, this is a great nail polish that lasts. Lets hope Rituals brings out more colours! 

Nanoblur Optical Skin Cream Review

Anti-ageing products are big business and often our hopes are raised by a couple of catchy promises on the front of a box together with a wrinkle-free, ageless model, however the actual formula rarely lives up to expectations. It comes as no surprise then that Nanoblur, with the phrase 'immediate correction of the appearance of skin ageing', sent the anti-ageing sceptics into overdrive before the launch last year. Not to mention the idea of visibly reducing the appearance of crows feet within just 40 seconds!

The thick serum-like texture has no scent at all and feels sticky on application. It takes a while to dry but the tightening feel it almost instantaneous. While the instructions suggest using it all over your face on top of foundation, for the best results and without smudging your foundation stick to using it on problem areas - unless you like the frozen-feel all over. Impressively and proving the sceptics wrong, your wrinkles will be dramatically reduced in appearance.

There is one downfall though, you need to rub in the formula straight away, otherwise it can leave a very slight snot-like stain on your face. Although with such incredible results and change from £20, making sure you work quickly is a small price to pay for a younger looking skin in less than 60 seconds.

Nanoblur's Optical Skin Cream is £19.99 and available from Boots.com.

Rating: 7/10 - Great price and the formula is good for problem spots, but it falls short if you want an all-over anti-ageing serum.