Beauty

Montagne Jeunesse; Black Seaweed Peel Off Masque

I bought this mask completely randomly from Asda as a little treat. I rarely come back from any supermarket without at least one of the following; a cushion, a candle, make up or skin products. My husband thinks I have a serious addiction and should seek help. I think he should put up and shut up...if a little luxury keeps my little world in balance, what's the harm I ask? Ok, I'll admit, coming back with only these things and no food or milk for our baby is bordering on problematic, but enough about that :)...

...I decided to try this particular mask as I tend to favour masks that you can see. Now, what I mean by that is non transparent or clear. I like to be able to see a big gloopy mess working it's magic, this is probably why I love LUSH products so much. I saw this and thought, it doesn't really get more visual than 'black seaweed'. So into the trolley it went...along with a candle. Or two. Ok, three.

Now, I am definately no skin expert. If you are looking for specific advice about skincare and the whole jungle that is parabens and collagens and hyaluronic acids and blah blah blah stuff, head over and check out Caroline Hirons blog. I have recently discovered this lady and can honestly say...the woman knows her shit and her no-nonsense approach is excellent. What I am getting at is - I will try most things once, and I likes what I likes. I usually try to squeeze all of a mask onto the back of one hand before applying. The consistency of the mask was quite runny, which made it a little difficult to apply without getting it somewhere you don't want it - down your front, in the sink, on the floor. There is plenty to go around though so losing a little bit was no problem. In fact, I reckon you could get two uses out of the packet if you really wanted to. Thrifty endevours.

I managed to get it on, it looked like this...

It did not have a strong smell. Some may disagree but I didn't find it particularly overwhelming, and certainly not unpleasant. I am guilty of always leaving masks on for too long. I like to leave them on in the bath and remove them not long before I get out. On this particular occasion, it is perhaps because I left it on too long that I ended up unsatisfied with it. The mask never seemed to 'set' and was a little gluey, even after 40 minutes. I like my baths quite hot and maybe the steam affected the drying of the mask. I'm not sure. It felt quite nice whilst it was on, but to be honest, I forgot it was there. Some people might like that quality in a mask, but I am not one of them. I want to feel it's doing something, and unfortunately this one did not hit the mark. When I came to take it off, it didn't really peel off as the name would suggest it would. I had to scrape it of with an exfoliating pad and my bare hands and nails which I really didn't enjoy. Clawing at my face after a relaxing bath is not really desirable.

After I finally got it off, it actually left my skin quite soft, and not tight at all which some masks tend to do. It hadn't appeared to do anything miraculous to my face, but nor had it done anything negative. It left me looking like this...

Forgive my giant face! So in conclusion, this mask isn't the greatest thing I have ever slathered on my mug but it's not offensive. It came in at £1 so it didn't break the bank. I wouldn't buy it again but it did no harm to my skin. I just think it's not for me and I lean more towards clay masks or citrus type masks. Somebody else might love it though!

Thanks for reading. Let me know if you have tried this and what you think. Or let me know any recommendations you think I might like.

Take care,

Katie x

Liz Earle ‘Cleanse and Polish’

Under normal circumstances, my skin is reasonably clear. Fairly dry with the occasional blemish. I would describe my complexion as ‘ruddy’, like a little farmhand from a Dickens novel.  In the heat I go red, not gloriously and deliciously tanned as I would like. In the cold I go red and blotchy and sometimes I get breakouts around the time my period is due.

From around 6 weeks pregnant, the skin on my face went crazy! I had strange dry patches, spots on my cheeks and a slightly greasy nose. Changes in skin during pregnancy are completely normal due to all the hormonal changes going on inside your body but whilst it may be normal, it doesn’t stop you looking and feeling like a bag of crap (for want of a better word). And if you’ve felt anything like I did during the first 12ish weeks of pregnancy, your skin going doo-lally does not help matters. So I have been looking for products to balance my skin and just generally make me feel a bit fresher. Cue this little tube of loveliness...

I have been wanting to try this product for a while now. I can’t remember specifically who recommended it but I think it may have been one of the few YouTubers I subscribe to. Previously, I had been using the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm. Now, there was (and still is) so much hype surrounding the EH. Although I don’t like to think of myself as a bandwagon type girl, I do like to know what’s out there and what it’s about. I have to say, I did enjoy using the Amazing Face, but due to its mega expensive price tag, I used it very sparingly. I was pretty sad to get to the bottom of the tub. I know that many beauty bloggers would not use the term ‘mega expensive’ to describe this as there are many other products that are way more expensive, and for the price and quality, it is cheap compared to other things. But I am above all else, a realist and I know that your average lady does not have a spare £40 to spend on skincare, but if you do…I would recommend it…or if you have a birthday or the like coming up and can ask for something like this.

But on to the Liz Earle…

I haven’t actually finished using this, I still have at least half of it left. I wanted to begin a review though, as I am sure I will feel the same about it when it is finished. So far, I have really enjoyed this product. At around £14 for 100ml, although still pricey, it wont break the bank. It has a pump which I like as it isn’t too fiddly and you don’t waste it by getting it everywhere or spilling it when you knock it over with your expanding belly (ahem).

It has a smooth consistency that thickens slightly as you work it into the skin. It is gentle on the skin, it does not sting or have an overwhelming scent. It smells like peppermint which is pleasant. I have a funny relationship with smell, which I will write about in a pregnancy related memoir at another time, suffice to say I had a strong sense of smell, and the smallest odor could turn me on or make me gag. This product smells and feels very refreshing. After rinsing the product off with a muslin cloth (or flannel, as I use) if you splash your face with cold water, it honestly leaves you feeling clean and refreshed, ready to face the day or climb into bed!

I have been using the product in the morning and at night, it is suitable for both. I follow up by using a decent moisturizer. My skin has always been dry so this is a vital step for me. I have been using The Body Shop Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream which I will happily review if anybody would like.

So to sum up, I would recommend this product. The only negative I have to report is that it can be tricky to get hold of. I was looking for it for a good few weeks before eventually buying it on eBay. Not all Boots stock it, and as I am pretty stingy with money (largely due to me not having a great deal) I do not want to fork out on the Liz Earle website for p&p. But if it were readily available in my local Boots, I think it would  have the potential to become a firm favourite of mine! I would love to try out some different Liz Earle products and will be keeping my eyes peeled for any offers.

I hope you have enjoyed this review. Please let me know in the comments if you have tried this or any other Liz Earle products. Or just let me know what you are using at the minute!

Take care,

Katie x