EMPTIES LATELY: SKINCARE, BODY AND HAIR

Good morning lovelies. It's officially Monday again. Yesterday I decided to de-clutter and started with my huge empties bag. It's been a good few months since my last empties post, so I accumulated quite a bit. Having a good clear-out is good for the soul, so here I come with a massive empties post. Let me know if you like reading them and if I should continue with the series?

SKINCARE

Cleansers & toners:

I've been busy using up in this category with couple of cleansers and tones in the category hitting the pan. 

I enjoyed using No7 Cleansing Balm aimed at super dry to dry skin. It was a cream cleanser despite what it says on the tub, it worked ok but I wasn't blown away. It removed face makeup but I had to go back twice sometimes if I was having a full face day. I won't be re-purchasing as despite a great price, it wasn't something I'd ever go back to using. Not bad, just very average. 

Sadly I'm saying goodbye to Aurelia Miracle Cleanser. This stuff is just incredible. I loved everything, the scent, the balm like cream formula and most importantly it cleansed so well! I have quite a few cleansers on the go right now, but I feel I'll re-purchase this one as it blew me away.

I've used up a pack of B. Pure Sensitive Micellar Cleansing Wipes. I don't use them for cleansing but I used these up for cleansing my hands after makeup application, removing swatches or when I used glitter and needed to clean up the fall out before applying base products. These were actually quite gentle and very soaked so a pretty great facial wipes if you ask me.

I really loved the Ecolab Anti-age Rejuvenating Facial Tonic. I'm super impressed with Ecolab as a brand and shopping with The Natural Skincare was always a pleasure, sadly Justyna is closing down the shop as she's moving back to Poland. The news hit me hard as I'm not only losing a great friend, I'll also miss her amazing shop! I've done a review on this toner so please check it out for more info, but I found the formula of this very soothing on my skin and I would happily re-purchase once I'm out of the toners I'm currently using.

Murad Age Refine Osmolyte Tonic was a deluxe sample and I really enjoyed using it. I took it with me for any overnight stays and it made my skin feel super hydrated after using it. Great little toner and I would happily re-purchase.

I've used up a sample of Pixi by Petra Glow Tonic. I really need to repurchase as I haven't had a full size for a while now. This is a great exfoliating toner and it truly makes a difference to the skin. Great at prepping the skin for overnight chemical peels or other AHA treatments. I'm currently using a Bravura Ginseng Toner and it's a great dupe, but I'll probably go back to Glow Tonic once I'm done.

Face Masks

I've been busy in this department. I love a good face mask and I use it at least 3-4 times a week, so it's no wonder I use them up pretty quickly. 

In sheet masks I've used five of the Garnier Moisture Bomb. It's no wonder this mask featured in my yearly favourites but I really enjoy using it. It helped battle my dehydration and I the whole concept. When you put a sheet mask on, you just put your feet up and just chill for 20-30 mins. It's a great experience. I already have few in my drawer and I'm sure to re-purchase when I'll run out.

In the same category I also used up a couple of Tony Moly Avocado Nutrition Sheet Masks. I'm super impressed with Tony Moly masks and I'll be sure to stock up when I'm back in Spain later on in the year. I really enjoyed using these, they made my skin feel really soft and plumped afterwards :)

However I refuse to pay Cult Beauty prices on these LOL. In Sephora they're only 1.50 Euros and in UK £6.00, so the difference is massive. You can sometimes get these in TKMaxx for £1.99 so I'll have my eyes peeled :)

In TKMaxx I managed to grab these next masks. The Creme Shop Collagen Face Mask was really a hit and miss. In the beginning I really like them but after using it few times, they became average. I just don't see any massive difference after using these, so I rather save my pennies for something else. I won't be re-purchasing.

Lastly Boots Ingredients Sheet Masks are quite new on the market. I only managed to grab a couple of these Rooibos Enenrgising and Revitalising Sheet Masks. I really quite enjoyed using them. The cost is average at £2.50 per pop, they seem to be quite uncomfortable for the first few minutes, but that's only the sign of them working. My face was smooth and plump afterwards but the feeling didn't last too long and I needed to quickly apply the skincare. I'm not sure about these yet, so I'l probably give few more a go to form a final opinion.

With one of my Cult Beauty orders I got a sample of Aesop Parsley Seed Facial Cleansing Mask and it was an incredible experience. My face felt firmer, smoother, pores were cleansed and visibly smaller and I loved the scent. I like the ideology of the company and what they stand for too, so I'll be sure to grab a full size when I'm able to shop again (aaah the spending ban joys). It's firmly on my wishlist!

With the tears in my eyes, I'm saying goodbye to another Glamglow Youth Mud masks. This is by far the best mask I've ever used. It just works. First when applied you get a tingling sensation, sometimes to the point it becomes uncomfortable. Any pain is worth the results though. Skin is clearer, firmer, lines are plumped out. It is like an iron for the face and I'll be re-purchasing it as soon as my spending ban finishes and I use up a little more in my mask collection.

And the final mask is the Lush Oatifix. I actually used up 2 and I'm nearing the end of the 3rd one, since my last empties. I don't go in to Lush without walking out with a pot of this. It's the best smelling and nourishing mask from Lush I've ever used. It's moisturising and soothing and I love applying it after a harsher treatments. I have one on the go now and I'll be re-purchasing too :)

Serums & Moisturisers

Looking at the empties before me, I realise there's something fundamentally wrong with me as I tend to use up a lot more of serums than I do a moisturisers. I love a good serum and I feel they are just more important than the follow up skincare I guess.

Dr Organic Organic Snail Gel Facial Serum was a good one. I really enjoyed using it and use it not only on my face but on my neck and decollate. I feel it made a difference to my skin and my mom also enjoyed using it. I already re-purchased on a whim in Holland and Barrettes. I'll be using it more for my neck and decollate as it's brilliant at firming the area. 

I also used up Nip+Fab Viper Venom Wrinkle Fix. I really liked it and it was a great day serum. It had a gel like formula and sinked in pretty quickly. I won't re-purchase as I found other serum (The Ordinary 'Buffet') I like now but it was not a bad product especially at this price point.

The best for the last, sadly I used up (this very morning booo) Noxi Doxi Enhancing Serum Base. It was by far one of the best morning face serums I've ever used. Light formula sank in quickly and just worked so beautifully under moisturisers and makeup. My face felt hydrated and smooth and I'll truly miss this one. I have a lot of serums waiting a test but I would happily repurchase afterwards.

With great regret I say goodbye to Talika Photo Hydra Day Moisturiser. The formula of this cream-gel was something else entirely. It sank in almost instantly and provided such great base under makeup. It means to protect the skin against environment and it really did that It was one of the best to use on cold and windy days. I never got red if I was wearing this moisturiser. I'll re-purchase at some point for sure.

HAIRCARE 

Maria Nila Luminous Colour Mask will be deeply missed in my haircare routine. I loved how it made my hair silky smooth and for the most incredible sweet scent. It was a spa for my hair and I'd love to get my hands on it again. 

It comes as no surprise I used up an another pot of Lucy Bee Virgin Coconut Oil. I use it for everything, hair, cleansing and even shaving, so it's a all rounder for me. I love using it as a deeply conditioning hair mask and I usually go to sleep with a coating of it on Friday night, then wash my hair Saturday morning. It's truly miraculous treatment and I highly recommend you trying it.

BODYCARE

I love these Ecolab Shower Oils and I'll miss them dearly with The Natural Skincare Shop closing down. These are by far superior to anything I've ever used to cleansed my body. They're silky smith and super hydrating leaving my skin moisturised. All natural and with no SLS or Parabens are just made for luxury shower me time. They don't cost a fortune either, actually are dead cheap considering how long they last.

Intimate care

Sadly intimate care is rarely discussed on beauty forums. I made a switch no no paraben and no sls intimate washes ages ago and it really made a difference. It stopped infections and the drying out of the area causing the itchiness. I loved using Sylveco Sensitive Intimate Wash Gel. t's very gentle and didn't cause any reaction. It's quite small though so I now replaced it with a different one from Vianek. The natural formula is great and I highly recommend you taking the switch.

I also used up a tub of Sass Intimate Purifying Cleanser. The formula was similar to Sylveco, although less natural. Also the tub wasn't very handy as the gel was really watery and I ended up wasting the product. It's also twice the price of Sylveco and Vianek so I won't be re-purchasing.

Not technically an intimate care but for all the ladies out there suffering fro painful periods, this is one of the best things to ever happen to me. I suffer quite badly for the first 24-48 hours and Wilko Self-Adhesive Feminine Heat Pads have been miracle workers. It's only a pound or so and you get two pads. When the pain hits, you place a pad on your on material like your knickers or pjs, whatever you're wearing and most importantly pain is. I suffer badly with lover ab pains so I just place it on the inner of the top front of my boxers and let it work. First you'll feel the cooling sensation then within few minutes it'll warm up providing such a relief. Best pound I've ever spent.

Thank You For Reading,

Love

Let's Be Friends:

A YEAR IN FAVOURITES: CARING FOR FACE, BODY & HAIR IN 2016

It took a lot of thinking to reduce the list of skincare favourites to something I'm actually able to write in a day or so. It took a whole day of thinking, sweating and making hard choices. Below you have a list of best of the best. Products that amazed me in 2016 and I loved them too much to pass on a mention in a yearly faves. Can you believe this is already my second yearly best kinda post? How quickly that went!

Cleansing:

As a self proclaimed cleansing buff I had to think really hard about this category but two products made the cut and I truly loved them. Superfacialist by Una Brennan Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil is a drugstore fave. So easily accessible in Boots it doesn't break the bank and is constantly on offer so you're able to grab it below £10! This is the best smelling cleansing oil ever. I love citrus scents and this one smashes it all. It's also super gentle, removes all makeup including eye makeup, which is a must. On contact with water it changes to a lovely milky formula that washes off easily. I branded it a radiance in a bottle because it leaves my skin so glowing and hydrated! Perfect first cleanse.

For my second cleanse I tried so many balms last year but I must award Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm (-15% off your first order at Fabled by Marie Claire) the title as it's truly surprised. The gel formula that changes to oil on contact with skin, has a very delicate and pleasant scent and makes the second cleanse a true pleasure. It won't break the bank either, with full size being below £20! It washes off easily and I like to remove it with a warm cleansing cloth.

Cleansing accessories:

These two beauties haven't come to my routine till late in the year but have wowed me enough to include them in yearly faves. Konjac Sponge Pink Clay has been a fave of mine for months now and works so beautifully with both cleansers mentioned above. It's a hard sponge that changes to it's true form when soaked for few minutes in warm water. I love using it as I feel it gives my skin a more throughout cleanse. It's easy to wash off too! I got Foreo Luna Play early in my Selfridges Advent Calendar and have used it non stop ever since. It truly makes the difference. I was shocked how quickly it made a difference to my bumpy clogged pores skin. I have gotten rid of most the bumps on my skin and haven't suffered with many breakouts, especially around chin area since I got it. It provides a deep cleanse and I feel my skin is thankful for it. I use it 1-2 daily, definitely in the evening and sometimes in the morning, although I prefer the Konjac Sponge in the morning as it wakes me up more, if that makes any sense.

Toners:

This was an easy one really. Sylveco Moisturising Hibiscus Toner has been a true pleasure to use. I loved other toners in the year but this one will be repurchased before it's even finished. It is so gentle and soothing, my delicate skin loves it so much. It is a toner, not a miracle product, so as long as it leaves my skin soothed and comfortable, I'm good with that. The all natural ingredients are amazing and no alcohol in the list makes for it to be non drying and super gentle. True gem.

Serums:

I never skip this step and there were two serums that really made a difference in my skin texture, moisture levels and firmness. Resibo Smoothing Serum was branded by a friend of mine as a botox in the bottle and how right she was. Having used it for months now, always in the evening, I can see how much difference this serum has made. I now wake up to a smoother, moisturised skin. Bye dehydration lines, I actually see the results. I had quite bad lines on my forehead and now I barely see them anymore. It's worth any money and the price tag is pretty decent at £25!

The Ordinary "Buffet" Multi Technology Peptide Serum (POST)and the whole brand has been the skincare discovery of 2016. If you don't know it already, The Ordinary launched under Daciem skincare and produces serums and acids at the most incredible prices. At the point of my order, 'Buffet' was their most expensive serum and it didn't even break £15! I'm amazed by this serum and it became a staple in my morning routine. I'm really in to multi serums now so I'm looking forward to discovering more of their serums in 2017. Back to the 'Buffet' itself. It's a highly concentrated multi peptyde serum aimed at all anti-ageing benefits. It firms, moisturises and creates a perfect base for a moisturiser. I loved using it in the morning but also in the evening, together with Resibo serum. It made all the difference to my skin and I get so many compliments lately at how radiant it is, when I'm not wearing makeup.

Facial Oils:

I've discovered facial oils last year and have really been in to mixing my own plant and seed oils to create a perfect mixture. Last year I stepped up the game when The Body Shop Oils Of Life Intensely Revitalising Facial Oil series launched. I received samples of the oil and fell in love with it instantly. It gives my skin an amazing hydration and also helped diminish dehydration, really my whole routine has. It's not the cheapest but I bought full size the moment the sample ended. I don't use it every day now, as I just don't need it. My skin feels more normal than dry these days. I use it every other day in the evening before my moisturiser. I also used a drop in some of my 'drier' foundations and worked great at giving the finish the radiance I love. You only need a little and 4 drops are more enough for neck and the face.

I also fell in love with OlVita Rosehip Seed Oil* which was kindly sent to me for testing by The Natural Skincare shop, which I'm obsessed with! Having read upon all the beauty benefits I put it to test instantly. It's truly remarkable but this oil helped my Mom's sun spots to become less noticeable. It helps with any scarring, sun damage. It gives the level of moisture dry and mature skin needs and at the same time firms and soothes the skin. I loved using it and again you only ever need a little. I find 3 drops enough to cover the face and the neck.

Moisturisers:

I'm not very quick at finishing up the moisturisers but I really use them, I promise. I just find I prefer using a light hand when it comes to application. I always tap  my moisturisers in, instead of massaging them in too. I must admit, I don't have a favourite evening moisturiser. I use a couple and I like them but I find my serums and oils work best. Daytime moisturisers however! I loved quite a few. I'm sad to let go of my absolute fave Talika Photo Hydra Day Cream. I've got it in a beauty box and I used it religiously. It was by far one of the best daily moisturisers. Makeup went on it nicely, it gave my skin much needed moisture but wasn't overly oily either. It sank in within seconds too.

Only when I finished Talika, I really got into Body Shop Oils Of Life Intensely Revitalising Cream. This cream is a miracle worker. It moisturises so deeply, sinks in quickly and provides a well prepared base for makeup. I rarely get in to more than one cream at a time, I will test some but then go back to finishing one up. I'm half way through this one and I'll be super sad to see it go. It's super creamy but not too rich, you could probably use it for the evening too, but I just adore it for daytime and I'm almost saving it up as I fell my oils and serums are enough for my skin in the evening.

I couldn't not mention the Créme De La Mer. I got a sample during Ask Alex x La Mer session I went to in Selfridges and just fell in love. Yes it it the best damn moisturiser in town and I can't believe it. When I first tried it I was so dissapinted as the texture reminded me of those super rich old style Nivea creams and let's face it, I was not impressed. However, what it does to my face is truly remarkable. Within seconds my complexion becomes radiant, healthy. It awakens the skin as no other and I also enjoyed using it at night. I use it every blue moon as I really don't fancy spending £110 on a full size but I know it'll happen. When I'm done with multiple creams I have waiting in the queue, I will buy it, because it is simply the best. Damn you La Mer and Alex for introducing me to it!

SPF:

I completely forgot about SPF when I was photographing this post but I can't not mention it. Someone as pale relies on SPF throughout the year to help maintain the level of paleness I came to know and love. I don't hate the sun, far from it, I just know than by protecting my face and body now, I'll thank myself later on in life. I won't go on a SPF rant but I will mention two products I loved last year. You've heard me rave about Eucerin Mattyfing Face SPF50 (SAVE 15% OF YOUR FIRST ORDER AT FEEL UNIQUE HERE!)so many times, it needs no mention really. It is the best damn face SPF I used to date. It makes my suddenly oily in the summer skin, so much better and works great under makeup too. It's not too expensive either plus have a life of 18 months so a good 6 months more than your usual SPF. It's currently sitting in my fridge awaiting better days. For now I'm sticking with SPF in my daytime foundation as long as it's SPF30 and an occasional spritz or two of Bioderma Moisturing Anti-UV Mist SPF30. (SAVE 15% OF YOUR FIRST ORDER AT FEEL UNIQUE HERE!)It's simply the best because there's no other on the market. I really hope someone will invent SPF50 mist for summer 2017 as I need it to happen. It's so easy to use, works under and over makeup and makes a perfect handbag addition. I still have it in my handbag because believe it or not, we do get to have some sun during the day. It works.

Masks & Treatments:

I could go on and on about all the masks I've used in 2016 but those that really stood the test of time are these 4 contenders. I raved about Glamglow Youth Mud (POST) & Glamglow Thirsty Mud (POST) so many times and these are so popular in blogosphere, I'm sure you're sick of hearing about them. I think they just work. In terms of skincare I don't depend on instant results, some products work over time, so seeing instant results and longterm results in one product makes me happy. Youth Mud is simply the best mask I've ever used. It firms, works almost as an iron for the face, smoothes, makes for the radiant complexion. I always over use it as it's not the easiest to apply so I tend to go through these a lot... I'm sad to mention mine's all used up and I can't replace it until April (damn you spending ban!!!). It truly makes me sad, as I loved using it. I use it once a week as a skincare treat, usually on a Friday, which in our household is mommy and me pamper time. We reward ourselves with pamper after a long hard week of work and usually start with Youth Mud before moving on to Thirsty Mud. This one's a miracle worker too. It's the best hydrating mask ever and I love using it after more harsh formulas like Youth Mud or the chemical exfoliators etc. I tend to keep it overnight, as I love the radiant complexion I wake up with after using it.

The mask I discovered more recently and came highly recommended by my lovely friend Nishi, is the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask (POST). I'm so glad I have it in my life. It truly is one of the best exfoliating masks I've used. It's an enzyme and acid based mask, that works so painfully but reveals a smoother complexion. I tend to use it a started mask and follow with something more soothing and ultra moisturising and anti-ageing. Love this stuff and I'm glad I've got it since my Youth Mud's gone!

Lastly I'm giving a shoutout to something super affordable, especially given all the masks mentioned above really aren't. Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask really surprised me. You wouldn't expect a mask from Garnier that costs a quid on offer to truly work but this mask has been a huge help fighting my dehydration. It works by delivering an amount of serum your skin needs for a week (what a silly claim to make) but truly using it once a week works so great. It provides the skin with ultra levels of moisture and I didn't see any negative effects like pore clogging so I'm giving it a huge thumbs up. At this price it's a sin not to give it a go.

Chemical Exfoliators:

I raved about Bravura Lactic Acid 10% infused with Rose* (POST) many times already and it landed in faves once or twice already. I've never used chemical exfoliators at home before and I was so happy when I was sent the whole range to try. What stood out for me was a Lactic Acid. It's quite a condensed formula with it being 10% so it's recommended to start with only few minutes and slowly build up your tolerance. I now prefer to use it as an overnight treatment and it works so beautifully. I use it once or twice a week depending on my skin needs but I really see it making a change in my complexion the morning after. Definitely worth trying, as Bravura is a professional and affordable brand, so it would be rude not to.

In shower:

I rarely speak about body care because I'm super lazy and my routine is super easy and fast. I've mentioned Ecolab Shower Oils before and I stick with my review. I love this natural brand for their ingredient lists and these oils are no different. I love how moisturising they are and how my skin feels after I get out of bath or shower. They last forever too as only a little is needed to lather the whole body, plus the scents are delicate, sweet and very pleasant. This is a joint fave of me and mom, as it allows you to skip the proper body moisturising afterwards and Vaseline Body Sprays work just fine.

I love a good scrub and this Grandma Agafia Body Scrub* was kindly sent to me. I don't know exactly what are the exfoliating bits in it as it's pretty hard to read in Russian after so many years of not praising the language, but it's all natural and mostly organic so I don't have to know. It's super rich and gives a great exfoliation without being to harsh. I fell in love wth it and already emptied one. Thankfully I have two more to go!

Foot care:

Another thing I should probably get better at is using some sort of foot care routine. Again it comes with laziness and I just stick to exfoliating socks once every three months and I discovered Sephora Lavender Foot Masks when i was on holiday in Spain. I came with a few and I find that using it makes my skin of so soft. I'd love to use it once a week but getting it from Sephora here is a drag so I use it once a month instead. I'll definitely stock up when I'm in Sephora next, as these are superb moisturising but also diminish the feeling of tired legs and feet. Brilliant stuff - highly recommend you try it.

Lip Care:

I have fairly dry lips and my love for matte liquid lipstick don't help the situation. I battle dryness all the time, especially in winter. Lanolips 101 Oitment has been my go to this whole year. Forget Carmex and others, this is the one to have. It's basically a nipple cream and has the highest grade of lanolin found in cosmetics. It works brilliantly but it isn't the cheapest.

Haircare:

I tend to be pretty boring in terms of haircare. I use super moisturising formulas as having weist long hair and ombre does not help with the dry ends and general frizziness. My day to day favourite is so cheap and works best as a detangle and leave in moisturiser. Schwarzkopf Gliss Hair Repair Liquid Silk works beautifully on my long hair and helps keeping the tangles at bay. I use it morning and evening before I brush my hair. It doesn't weight the hair either, which is a plus as long hair tend to have too much weight anyway.

I also loved Garnier Ultimate Blends Weightless Nourisher Balm, which I use once a week as deeply nourishing mask. I wash my hair the moment I get in the bath and then apply this to the whole length ad the ends, leaving just the roots. I leave it on for a minimum of 30 mins. It really works wonders. My hair is sleeker and has more shine to it.

Thank You For Reading,

Love

Let's Be Friends:

HUGE AFFORDABLE NATURAL SKINCARE HAUL FEAT. SYLVECO, TOŁPA, OLVITA, VIANEK, RESIBO & BIOLAVEN

I am a self diagnosed skincare addict. Whilst I enjoy high end skincare, I also love discovering new brands and recently it's important to me that my skincare is actually good for my skin long term. I try and introduce natural skincare to my routine as much as possible and recently I did some damage on my favourite online store that specialises in natural and organic products. 

Quick word about the website itself. The Natural Skincare is ran by a lovely Justyna, who's goal is to introduce affordable skincare brands in to UK market. And she knows her stuff! We've met online few months back and I've been obsessed with her store. I now order there exclusively, as there are a lot of amazing brands and products plus it's super affordable too! What I love about the store are the product descriptions, which tell me not only an ingredient list but also suggest what skin types or skin concerns each product is for! If you haven't already visit her page on Facebook now (CLICK HERE) and receive 5% discount code if you like the page! Talk about saving :) Plus enjoy a FREE mask with any purchase over £20.00 and FREE delivery with purchases over £40.00. In my experience the package arrives within 3 days, the products are packed safe and you also get a lot of samples :) 

*Disclaimer: I ordered most of the bits myself, but they are two products I was sent to test. These will be marked with *** for your convenience.*

Back to the haul itself. There were few bits I needed replacing so I'll start with the basic stuff. Ecolab Hawaii Shower Oil replaces my current bath time favourite from the same brand. It's such a great shower oil, it cleanses and moisturises at the same time and both me & mom can't imagine using anything else. Plus this stuff lasts forever, as you only need a tiny bit. I always use a special gel for my intimate needs and this time I'm trying Vianek Intimate Moisturising Gel. I used my my Sylveco one recently and was in desperate need of a new intimate wash. I hope it'll be as good, if not better. I'll probably talk about it in the empties once I'm done with it, so watch this space.

I was running dangerously low on my Ecolab Rejuvenating Face Tonic (POST) so I decided to order some. This time I decided on two new to me tonics. First up Sylveco Hibiscus Face Tonic, which meant to be amazing for dry and sensitive skin. I plan to use it at night or with sheet mask as a treatment. Secondly I picked up Vianek Moisturising Tonic Mist, which I'm going to use for my morning toner needs, as it not only tones but also refreshes due to the mist application. I'm really looking forward tho trying this duo, as I've heard great things!

Both me and mom were running low on skin serums and having spoken to Justyna I decided to try two from the website. First up Resibo Smoothing Face Serum isn't what I call cheap and at £25.00 a bottle I expect great things from it! It came highly recommended as Botox in a bottle and with key ingredients like Marula oil, buriti oil, vitamin C, Stoechiol - butterfly lavender erextract, Lakesis - oil from ''crystal tears'' of Pistacia lentiscus tree, I hope it won't disappoint. The pro ingredient is Lakesis, or an oil of ''crystal tears'' of Pistacia lentiscus tree, cultivated on Greek island of Chois. It reactivates youth proteins - KLOTHO and synthesis of fibres strengthening the skin, which in turn regains its density and looks fuller and firmer. 

I also picked up a brand new serum from Biolaven. Biolaven Anti Wrinkle Serum For Face and Neck. It contains soybean oil, grapeseed oil, argan oil and vegetable squalene which are responsible for its moisturising and smoothing effect, also Vitamin E, which is a natural antioxidant, slows the aging process of the skin and reduces the effects of harmful external factors. I have high hopes as its described to even out the skin tone & support the process of rebuilding collagen and elastin. 

I mentioned to Justyna that my Mom's looking for a good facial oil for mature skin and she kindly sent us Olvita Rosehip Seed Oil*** to try. This is meant for dry, sensitive and mature skin. Super excited to try it and I will be using it alongside mom to see if it works as well as it promises. I love a good facial oil!

I was also kindly gifted Sylveco Birch and Seabuckthorn Face Cream with Botulin*** and I'm super happy about it, as it came highly recommended by my friend and a fellow blogger Anna. She has her Youtube channel and you can find her HERE. Her channel is in Polish and I know many of my readers are so, if you're on a lookout for a niche beauty channel with super honest reviews, check Ania's out! Back to the cream itself.  The main active ingredients - betulin and betulinic acid, derived from birch bark - soothe and regenerate the skin. The cream is enriched with seabuckthorn oil, which contains antioxidants: vitamin C and carotenoids, which are nutritious, healing and protection, support natural cell renewal. The promise is that the cream will help reduce the minor wrinkles, slow down the aging process and improve resistance to harmful external factors. I have high hopes for it as Anna recently compared it to Omorovicza Rejuvenating Night Cream and the difference in price for these two are massive!

Last but not least I've ordered some face masks from a renowned natural skincare brand Tołpa. I haven't seen it available in UK yet, so I was super excited to try them. I ordered four sets and I plan on testing them soon. All the masks contain product for two uses. I ordered Tołpa Green - Regenerating mask for dilated capillaries. I battle deleted capillaries so I'm looking forward to seeing if this mask improves the appearance of my skin. I also got Tołpa Dermo Face - Provivo 35+ - Restoring skin's youth glow-mask - face, neck, decollete and bust. I'm all about that radiance and glow so have high hopes for this mask! Tołpa Dermo Face - Rosacal. Strengthening-soothing bandage-mask - face, neck and decollate is meant to help with skin sensitivity and also reduce redness so it's up my street for sure. Lastly I ordered a Tołpa Dermo Face - Stimular 40+ - Anti-wrinkle firming mask-concentrate - Face, neck, decollete and bust for my mom as she enjoys a good face mask and was intrigued by the promises this product makes. It promises to firm the skin and reduces wrinkles as well as restoring elasticity and flexibility. I will report back on all of the above for sure. It's worth mentioning that all Tołpa skincare comes without artificial colourings (0%), pegs, silicones, paraffin oil, preservatives, parabens and formaldehyde donors!!!

Thank You For Reading,

Love