Skintifique Skincare

I'm always on the look out for skincare for my sensitive, temperamental and eczema prone skin which isn't an easy task! Through blogging I've been able to find some amazing brands and products; Luckily I've been able to try another brand specifically for reactive, allergic and sensitive skin, Skintifique.

Skintifique is a French/American skincare brand that focuses on effective products for individuals with reactive or sensitive skin and skin conditions such as eczema, so as I have facial and body eczema, I was excited to give it a go! The products are paraben free, fragrance free, silicon free, sulphate free and the products aren't tested on animals which is amazing.

*Skintifique Cleanser P (€11.82, 200ml)

The cleanser is a pure micellar water that cleanses and removes makeup, pollution and provides instant comfort - it also only contains five ingredients. The micellar water looks and feels like all of the other micellar waters I've tried (and I've tried a lot!). It doesn't irritate my skin which a couple of micellar waters have done. Micellar waters are fantastic, quick and easy cleansers for effective and fuss free makeup removal and this one is no different. It leaves my skin clean, makeup free and while it doesn't remove it quite as well as Bioderma, it's still fantastic! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

*Skintifique Moisturizing Lotion HP (€21.58, 200ml)

Moisturisers are such an important product in my skincare routine as my skin is dry and when I have an eczema flareup, it's becomes incredibly dry so it needs all of the moisture it can get. As well as around my eyes, I also have eczema on my hands which obviously in the colder months becomes much worse and very uncomfortable. I've been using this moisturiser on my hands almost every evening with my moisturising cotton gloves and it definitely been helping to keep my skin smooth, soft and moisturised. I don't use it that much during the day as it is a little heavy and slower to absorb than my other hand creams. It doesn't irritate my skin at all, it leaves my skin comfortable and smooth! Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

Have you heard of this brand? What skincare brands/products are you loving recently?

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Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil

It's officially Autumn and the English weather has finally caught up as it's now gloriously chilly and autumnal *yay*. However, with the colder weather, I need to amp up my skincare and include richer products to help with my dry and temperamental skin. As always the lovely people at Dermalogica have the answer!

I have a new and lovely addition to my October skincare routine, the *Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil (£62, 30ml) which contains Camellia and Tamanu Oil as well as Orchid Flower, Chia Seed Oil, Rice Bran and Sunflower extracts to replenish protective lipids that can be depleted by ageing and environmental stressors. It's free from parabens, artificial fragrances and colours - it's most suitable for normal to dry skin.

Firstly, I have to say that I'm not a fan of the packaging; I think it looks quite medical as all Dermalogica products seem to look and the dispenser isn't great for dispensing an oil as it can be a little messy - I think a pipette dispenser would have been far better!

The oil itself smells amazing, so floral and earthy, I love it! It applies like a dream and leaves my skin smooth, soft and comfortable although I do only use this oil in my evening skincare routine as when used during the day and under makeup, it can be a bit heavy and too oily. The oil doesn't irritate my temperamental, sensitive skin which is fantastic - I find that all of the Dermalogica products I've tried have been great for my sensitive skin. The product came with a leaflet with various DIY facial massage techniques for wrinkles, detoxing and stress which is really useful and something I haven't thought of before! Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

Have you tried anything from Dermalogica? Do you change your skincare during the colder months? 

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Dr Botanicals Moroccan Rose Facial Oil

Before I started blogging I had no idea about skincare, how important it is and how many products there are! Growing up, I had the cleanser and moisturiser from the Boots own cucumber range which I loved and when I was about fifteen my auntie bought me a Liz Earle set and since then I've been hooked. One lesson blogging has taught me is the important of a consistent skincare routine and how amazing serums and facial oils can be.

I was kindly sent the *Dr Botanicals Moroccan Rose Superfood Facial Oil (£66.72, 30ml) to test out and I'm loving it. Dr Botanicals products are vegan certified and 100% of the ingredients are natural. The facial oil contains Vitamin C, Vitamin A and almond oil.

First up, I just want to say how gorgeous the packaging is! I love the pipette dispenser and the packaging design; the scent of the facial oil is also gorgeous. To me the facial oil smells like rose water and turkish delight; the oil has a pink tint to it as well.

I've tried a few facial oils and I love them, this one is a little different, not just because it's a pink colour which somehow makes it nicer to use but it is also absorbs almost the instant it touches the skin - it makes it a little less pampering to use in my opinion but the oil leaves my skin smooth and moisturised without a greasy residue. I do have sensitive skin and this oil didn't irritate my skin but I don't use it on the most sensitive areas anyway. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

Have you tried anything from Dr Botanicals? Do you have a favourite facial oil? 

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Skincere Skincare

When it comes to skincare, I have always have difficulties finding products that meet all of my requirements - I have dry and sensitive skin which is prone to eczema although I haven't had an eczema flareups for months which is amazing! I also prefer products that are more natural, alcohol free and let's be honest, the pretty packaging is always a bonus!

I was kindly sent some products from the lovely people at Skincere which is a 100% natural skincare. There are five key products in total which are all preservative free, dairy free and alcohol free as well as being hypoallergenic, suitable for vegetarians/vegans and they don't contains parabens.

*Skincere Cream Cleanser (£19.99, 100ml)

Firstly, I have to say how much I love the packaging - the design is just gorgeous and all of the products have a pump dispenser which makes the products so convenient to use.  The cream cleanser does have a really thick creamy texture and it does leave my skin clean, clear and smooth but it isn't anything really special or groundbreaking; however if you have sensitive skin then it's definitely one to try out. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

*Skincere Facial Serum (£19.99, 30ml)

We all know by now how much I love facial serums, they are such a fantastic way of adding moisturise to the skin in a way that doesn't add greasiness to the skin - I use a serum twice a day, every day! This serum has the typical smooth gel like texture that most serums have and it feels so nice on the skin. It absorbs quickly and it doesn't irritate my skin or cause breakouts. Even though it's only a small bottle, a little goes a long way. I can't complain about this serum at all; I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and I love it! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

*Skincere Day Cream (£24.99, 50ml)

 As with the serum, I have been using this day cream constantly since I received it and I do only use it as a day cream because it isn't as hydrating as I need it to be as a night cream - to be honest I need to use a couple of layers of this cream any time I use it because it just isn't as moisturising as my skin needs it to be. However, the cream doesn't irritate my skin and it leaves my skin SO incredibly smooth, soft and moisturised - the perfect base for makeup. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

Overall, I love the packaging and ethos of the brand! I adore the serum and the day cream but the cleanser isn't as impressive, in my opinion anyway. However, I think all three products work well together and it is nice to use a complete set of products that match and compliment each other. If you're going to try anything from the brand then I'd start with the serum and day cream, both products leave my skin so incredibly baby soft, it's amazing!

Have you tried anything from Skincere? 

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Initial Impressions: Eloquence Skincare

Eloquence is one of the newest skincare companies in the UK and they use natural ingredients in their products so they claim that the range is suitable for dry and sensitive skin types. The products are free from artificial perfume, colour and harsh chemicals. Ingredients such as the it skincare ingredient of this year, hyaluronic acid as well as sachi inchi oil, coconut extract and sweet almond oil are included in their products.

I was very kindly sent the *Eloquence Pure Luxury Collection (£99) which contains the entire skincare range in one complete package. The set includes all full sizes of the Nourishing Treatment Oil (£50, 50ml) as well as the Purifying Facial Cleanser (£8, 20ml), Firm & Tone Serum (£20, 20ml), Firming & Moisturising Eye Gel (£26, 15ml) and the Protect & Repair 24 Hour Cream (£21, 20ml). Each product, excluding the oil, is numbered much like the Clinique skincare system so you know the order in which you should use the products which I think would be great for those who aren't used to a complete skincare routine.

- Purifying Facial Cleanser: The cleaner is naturally the first product in the sequence and it has a pump which makes it easier to control how much product you use. The cream has a pearly finish, it doesn't really have a scent and feels smooth/gentle on the skin. I do like this cleanser as it doesn't dry out my skin, it doesn't irritate my eczema on the whole (it did very slightly on occasion) and it left my skin clean and smooth. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

- Firm & Tone Serum: For the past year or so I have been obsessed with serums has they give my dry, sensitive skin a much needed boost of moisturise before I apply my moisturiser. This serum contains coconut oil as well as hyaluronic acid, the latter is amazing for keeping moisture within the skin. The serum has a creamy consistency which is very unusual for a serum as all of the others I've tried have had a very liquid consistency. The cream applies smoothly, it leaves my skin feeling moisturised and looking radiant to an extent; additionally there is no irritation at all. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

- Firming & Moisturising Eye Gel: I sadly haven't been able to test as I have eczema flareups over my eyes so they are almost constantly very sensitive; however my mum has been testing this eye gel for the past few days and she really likes it so she's going to test it out for me - the benefits of having a blogger as a daughter! Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

- Protect & Repair 24 Hour Cream: As with the serum, this product also contains hyaluronic acid which is a fantastic skincare ingredient for those with dry skin as I do. The cream leaves my skin smooth and moisturised, leaving a great base for makeup. However on the very sensitive areas of my skin I did experience very minor irritation which I don't really experience with the other products. Overall rating: ★★★☆☆, 3/5.

- Nourishing Treatment Oil: This is a multi-use oil as it can be used on the skin, hair and nails. I have been using it on the ends of my hair as it adds a slight amount of sheen so it doesn't leave my hair looking greasy at all and it helps tame flyaways. I've also used it in my hands and nails as it makes my skin so smooth and soft! This is definitely my favourite product from the range. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5!

Overall, I have to be honest about my initial impressions of these products and say that there are a couple of negative points, in my opinion, for example I am not a massive fan of the overall look of the packaging and a couple of the products did cause a slight amount of irritation on the extra sensitive areas of my face. I think if you have normal, dry, very dry or slightly sensitive skin then these products would work well. Keep in mind that this is just an initial impressions post and I will have a full review of some of these products in the new year. I have been loving using the serum and especially the oil, both of which I would highly recommend from my experience of the products so far.

Eloquence have now reduced their introductory prices and they have a special offer of 20% off each individual product until the end of January with code: JANUARYEQ

Have you tried anything from Eloquence skincare? If so what do you think of the products?

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Caudalie Detox Mask ft. Naturisimo

While spring cleaning my makeup and skincare collection a couple of weeks ago, I decided that I wanted to start using more natural/green/eco brands as the natural brands are the ones I gravitate towards more in my current collection such as Caudalie, Elemental Herbology, REN, Jurlique and Burts Bees, Avene and The Body Shop products, to an extent. So when the lovely people at Naturisimo sent me this amazing packaging I was so excited! 

I happily received the *Caudalie Instant Detox Mask (£22, 75ml) which is one of the new face masks brought out by Caudalie. I love the Caudalie products I have tried over the years such as the Vinosource SOS serum as well as their Caviar Cabernet Scrub and delightfully fresh eau de toilettes. However, I haven't tried any of their masks until now but I always have high hopes for Caudalie skincare; their products contain natural active ingredients free from parabens, mineral oils and they are cruelty free in Europe. Firstly, I love the packaging, it looks very luxe, natural and spa like and the lid is actually made of wood. 

The mask is a deep salmon pink shade, it feels clay like and it smells so nice - very natural and herbal almost. As the mask is so thick and smooth, it applies quickly, easily and it doesn't create a mess! I only apply it to my t-zone as those are the areas that for me can become congested and in need of a good detox every once in a while. The mask does harden on the skin as it dries which reminds me of old school days with clay/mud masks but it doesn't feel uncomfortable. As the pink mask dries, small holes/circles appear where my pores are so I assume the mask is cleaning out the pores or is being absorbed and it is nice to actually see and feel a face mask doing something unlike my other masks which are very creamy. 

After 10 minutes, I use the Caudalie Beauty Elixir or the Jurlique Balancing Mist on cotton pads to remove the mask. My skin is left super clean feeling and smooth but not stripped or dry. I feel as though the mask shrunk my smaller pores massively and my pores overall did look a lot less noticeable which is fantastic as they can be rather massive! Overall, I love the mask and I think it will last a long time for me as a little goes a long way and I do only need to use it on my t-zone. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

After removing the face mask, I have been using samples from Dr Jackson skincare. I have the *Dr Jackson 03 Face Oil, it is a sample and it comes in a rollerball bottle which I love as it is so easy to apply the facial oil as they can be a little messy and it means I don't apply too much - I want all of my facial oils to come in rollerball bottles now! The oil itself smells heavenly, it isn't too oily on my dry, sensitive skin and it doesn't irritate my skin. I have been using it in my evening skincare routine everyday since I received it and I love it although I personally wouldn't use it under makeup. 

I also received a sample of the *Dr Jackson 01 Skin Cream - Day Cream which contains Kigelia traditionally used to treat eczema and other skin irritations so it is perfect for me. The cream is nourishing, moisturising, smoothing and again it doesn't irritate my skin. The cream I love the most though is the *Dr Jackson 02 Skin Cream - Night Cream which really moisturises my skin, it smells so good and I love the sample/full size packaging! Overall, I am very impressed with the Dr Jackson samples I have, I would definitely look into their range in the future though it is pretty pricy! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5!

Have you tried the new Caudalie masks? Have you tried anything from Dr Jackson? What are your favourite natural/eco/green beauty brands? 

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