Treat Your Skin to a Cleansing Balm

Tags

almond oil, apricot powder, balm, baobab oil, blackcurrant seed, blue tansy, clean, cleanse, cleanser, cleansing, cleansing balm, creamy, cruelty free, elasticity, excess oil, exfoliate, eyebrows, eyelashes, face, fragrance free, gentle, hydrate, lecithin, limited edition, liquid lipsticks, makeup, nourishing, oil, pollutants, regenerating, Sea buckthorn oil, skin, skin cells, soothing, soybeans, sunscreen, texture, upcycle, vegan-friendly, water, Waterproof mascara

Photo by August de Richelieu

Cleaning balms, which typically have a creamier texture and are often oil-based, are a great alternative to conventional cleansers. They can thoroughly clean your pores while still retaining enough moisture to leave your skin feeling soft and smooth. Most cleansing balms are suitable for all skin types, however, those with dry or sensitive skin will particularly benefit from them. They are also perfect for problem skin due to their capacity to enter the pores and extract sebum. Here are five of our favourite cleansing balms for your consideration:

Elemis Pro-Collagen Naked Cleansing Balm

This cleansing balm from Elemis is a limited-edition, fragrance-free version of their bestselling cleansing balm that melts away makeup and impurities for a glowing complexion. The mineral oil-free product moisturises like a cleansing milk, dissolves makeup with ease like a cleansing oil, and nourishes the skin like a balm. Without hurting the eyes or dehydrating the face, it effectively removes waterproof mascara and liquid lipsticks and helps to smooth the look of fine lines and wrinkles to reveal a glowing and youthful-looking complexion.

Dermalogica Precleanse Balm

Dermalogica Precleanse Balm is a deep-cleansing balm-to-oil cleanser that melts into the skin and gently removes excess oil, sunscreen, makeup and pollutants from the skin. Suitable for all skin types, this balm focuses on stripping away cosmetics, dirt and other build-up without damaging the skin’s natural barrier. It contains an invigorating combination of essential oils that refreshes the senses and helps deliver the state of cleanliness that is traditionally experienced in the professional treatment room.

REN Clean Skincare Rosa Centifolia No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm

This rose-infused cleansing balm from REN Clean Skincare is gentle yet powerful, helping to melt away the toughest of make-up and daily grime, while almond oil cleanses, nourishes and moisturises the skin. The deeply hydrating formula leaves skin feeling cleansed, refreshed and nourished and even contains lecithin from soybeans, which nourishes and conditions the eyelashes and brows.

UpCircle Cleansing Face Balm with Apricot Powder

UpCircle Cleansing Face Balm with Apricot Powder is a daily cleansing balm that will melt away makeup, pollution and impurities. It’s gentle enough to be used every day, unlike some exfoliating cleansers, as well as being cruelty free, vegan-friendly and free from palm oil. This award winning cleanser also contains skin calming ingredients blackcurrant seed, blue tansy and sea buckthorn oils.

Evolve Organic Beauty Gentle Cleansing Melt

This opulent cleansing balm from Evolve Organic Beauty contains organic baobab oil, which is hydrating and soothing. Natural sugar extracts are blended with water to create a creamy milk that rinses clean and leaves skin feeling nourished, soothed, and clean. Baobab Oil also contains high levels of protein and Vitamin A, nourishes, improves skin elasticity, and helps to regenerate new skin cells and promote healing.

How to Perfect Your Problematic Pores

Tags

AHAs, antioxidants, blackheads, blemishes, botanical, clarity, cleansing, collagen, corn granules, cruelty free, cucumber extract, dead skin, debris, decongest, elastin, enlarged, essential oils, excess oil, folk medicine, geranium, green tea, kaolin clay, lavender oil, lightweight, Matricaria flower extract, minimising, natural, natural clay, oil production, petitgrain, Pore, pores, reduce shine, skin cells, soothing, spearmint, spirulina extract, tighten, Vegan, visible, Witchhazel

Photo by MART PRODUCTION

In this modern age of blurring primers and photo filters, it’s easy to believe that the people you see online have skin which is completely devoid of pores. Therefore it’s no surprise that research has shown that almost HALF of women wish they could change the size of their pores. As your pore size is mostly a result of your genetics, you can’t permanently shrink them. However, you can minimise their appearance by keeping them clear of oil and debris and boosting your skin’s collagen and elastin. With this in mind, here are five products which will help you to achieve the pores of your dreams:

REN Clean Skincare Clarimatte Invisible Pores Detox Mask

As the name so expertly suggests, this thick, clay-based mask helps to detox the skin and make your pores less visible. Using purifying clay, it helps to draw out impurities, leaving skin deeply clean and hydrated, with a smoother and more refined texture. The vegan, cruelty free formula contains kaolin clay to absorb excess oil, spirulina extract which nourishes the skin and lavender oil for a fragrant and refreshing finish. 

Aromatherapy Associates Mattifying Purifying Facial Scrub

Skin which is oily often seems to go hand in hand with more visible pores, which is why Aromatherapy Associates created this mattifying, purifying facial scrub. It is designed to draw out and eliminate dead skin-clogging cells, using corn granules to gently buff away unwanted cells while natural clay draws impurities from deeper within pores. It also contains rebalancing essential oils of geranium and petitgrain to tighten and reduce shine, making it ideal for over-oily or combination skin. 

Dermalogica Micro Pore Mist

When it comes to minimising the appearance of pores, niacinamide is a hero. By controlling and lowering sebum, niacinamide prevents pores from getting caught with excess oil and dirt, thereby preventing them from stretching, and invariably leading to smaller pores, and that’s what you’ll find in this mist from Dermalogica. In addition, you’ll find cucumber extract, which refreshes the senses for a cool pick-me-up, as well as witch hazel, green tea and matricaria flower extracts, which all provide antioxidant benefits. 

Elemis Clarifying Serum

If your skin is prone to blemishes and blackheads, visible pores are often right there alongside them. Elemis Clarifying Serum is a lightweight, soothing serum clinically proven to reduce the appearance of blemishes, visible pores and blackheads in just 2 weeks. The magic ingredient here is boldo leaf extract, which has been used worldwide in folk medicine to help purify the skin. This botanical ingredient has been shown to visibly improve the appearance of pores and helps improve skin clarity for more even looking skin.

Medik8 Pore Minimising Tonic

The final product on our list, but by NO means the least effective, does exactly what it says on the bottle! Medik8 Pore Minimising Tonic is a purifying post-cleanse solution that works to keep pores clear and minimised over time. It utilises AHAs to control oil production and decongest the skin, allowing pores to shrink back to their original size. With a natural spearmint fragrance, the twice-daily tonic is a long-lasting solution to enlarged pores, leaving your skin looking smoother and more refined.

Five Products to Give You Brighter Eyes

Tags

arjun tree extract, Blue light, brightening, Coco seed peptides, Concealer, crows feet, cruelty free, dark circles, dark under eyes, dehydration, delicate, dunaliella salina (micro-algae) extract, elasticity, eye, eye area, Eyes, fatigue, Finelines, Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, hydrating, hydration, light reflecting, mineral pigments, multifunctional coma mango butter, natural extract, papain enzyme (from papaya), Persian Silk Tree extract, poria mushroom, puffiness, salvia hispanica (chia seed) oil, serum, sleep, tighten, tired, tired eyes, tremella mushroom, Vegan, visibly brighter, Vitamin C, wrinkles

Photo by Matheus Bertelli

Whether you are plagued by chronic raccoon eyes or you’ve just had a rough week, there is more you can do to refresh your face than just layering on brightening concealer. The causes of dark under eyes are numerous and varied and that means that different products may or may not work for you. With this in mind, we’ve curated five of the best products for helping you to brighten your eye area:

This Works Morning Expert Open Eyes

This potent eye cream from This Works draws on a number of different botanicals to create an instant antidote to tired eyes upon waking. It contains natural extracts of giant kelp to tighten the look of skin, Persian silk tree extract to help reduce the appearance of dark circles and cocoa seed peptides to limit the effects of blue light on the skin’s appearance. You only need a tiny amount for each application and storing it in the fridge helps to give it an extra whack of power. 

Medik8 Illuminating Eye Balm

This illuminating eye balm from Medik8 concentrates on giving intense hydration to the delicate eye area. It contains multi-weight hyaluronic acid and glycerin so that true moisture is drawn into the eye area, smoothing the appearance of fine, dehydration lines. The formula targets dark circles and signs of fatigue, while the light reflecting mineral pigments help to boost the appearance of tired looking eyes, resulting in a visibly brighter tone.

Dermalogica Biolumin-C Eye Serum

Vitamin C is a fantastic ingredient for boosting brightness and this eye serum from Dermalogica is supercharged with it! As well as a potent vitamin C complex, it contains arjun tree extract, tremella mushroom, dunaliella salina (micro-algae) extract, poria mushroom, papain enzyme (from papaya) and salvia hispanica (chia seed) oil which combine to visibly brighten, hydrate and tighten the eye area. 

Murad Renewing Eye Cream

This multi-functional eye cream from Murad performs a number of different actions to improve the appearance of the eye area. Advanced peptides and retinol visibly minimise fine lines and wrinkles as mango butter increases elasticity, while the Eye Brightening Complex reduces the appearance of dark circles and puffiness for brighter, younger-looking eyes. As well as targeting the signs of ageing which are already visible it bolsters the skin to prevent future ageing. 

REN Clean Skincare Keep Young And Beautiful Instant Brightening Beauty Shot Eye Lift

The name of this product really does say it all! REN Clean Skincare Keep Young And Beautiful Instant Brightening Beauty Shot Eye Lift is a lightweight serum which packs a heavyweight punch with it’s brightening and anti-ageing properties. The vegan, cruelty-free formula promises to reduce dark circles, minimise crows feet, hydrates the eye contour, lifts the skin and smoothes the whole eye area instantly. It can be reapplied throughout the day, even over your make-up, to tighten the eye area and regular use will drastically reduce the appearance of fine lines and crow’s feet. 

Fighting Back Against the Mask-Related Acne

Tags

acne, acne treatment, anti ageing, anti wrinkle, antioxidants, azelaic acid, beauty, blemish, clarifying, clear skin, COVID, cruelty free, dermalogica, Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash, Elemis S.O.S. Emergency Cream, face, face mask, facial, flawless skin, glowing skin, glycolic acid, healing, intensive, lockdown, make up, mask, masks, Murad, Murad Outsmart Blemish Clarifying Treatment, natural skincare, pigmentation, plant extracts, Salicylic Acid, skin, skin goals, skin problems, skincare, skincare routine, skincare treatments

Photo by Pille R. Priske on Unsplash

Whether you’re someone who is still fastidiously wearing masks when out and about or you’ve given up now that restrictions have been relaxed, there are still a lot of people battling the effects that masks had on their skin. Mask-related acne became such an issue during lockdown that it was given its own portmanteau – mas-cne! Some postulated that the spots were caused by re-wearing cloth masks without washing them between uses, while others felt it was simply an effect of your skin being less able to breathe under a mask. Either way, dealing with mas-cne requires a certain set of products – here are five of the best:

Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash

One of the most effective ways to deal with acne is by using a cleanser with targeted ingredients, like this one from Dermalogica. It contains natural extracts of balm mint, eucalyptus and tea tree help eliminate breakout-causing bacteria and congestion as menthol and camphor help cool inflammation. It sloughs away excess oils and dead skin cells which block pores and contribute to acne and helps to prevent future breakouts. 

Murad Outsmart Blemish Clarifying Treatment

This gel serum from Murad contains a Penta-Acid Technology comprised of salicylic, lysophosphatidic, hydroxydecanoic, sebacic and glycolic acids which combine to clear skin of blemish-causing bacteria, oiliness and blackheads while minimising dryness and irritation. It can be applied directly to blemishes and is clinically proven to visibly reduce blemishes within 7 days. 

Elemis S.O.S. Emergency Cream

This intensive, healing moisturiser from Elemis is designed to give sensitised, weathered skin a deep infusion of moisture and contains myrrh essential oil, which has regenerating, anti-inflammatory and anti-itching properties, making it invaluable in products which help relieve acne. Added lavender oil helps to enhance healing and can also help to reduce the chance of scarring. 

Medik8 Blemish SOS

This rapid action treatment gel from Murad is designed to be applied directly to blemishes and remains invisible once applied, unlike some spot treatments which leave an unsightly film. It’s enriched with azelaic acid to fight blemish-causing bacteria and dioic acid to help control oil production within the skin and can be used under make up or on its own for fast-acting, spot-busting powers. 

Jan Marini Bioglycolic Bioclear Lotion

Bioglycolic Bioclear Lotion is a multi-purpose product from Jan Marini which contains glycolic, salicylic and azelaic acid and is designed to treat not just acne, but also pigmentation, rosacea and fine lines and wrinkles. As well as utilising the three acids which are amazing for the skin, the lotion is packed with antioxidants and natural plant extracts which repair and refine the complexion for softer, smoother, more luminous and hydrated looking skin.

Five Products to Help Soothe Anxiety

Tags

alcohol, alleviate, anti-viral, antibacterial, anxiety, aromatherapy, bath, bathing, bergamot oil, boost, Clary Sage, COVID-19, cruelty free, depression, Frankincense, geranium, hand cleanser, harmonise, lemongrass, linden blossom, lockdown, lotus flower, luxurious, mental health, moisturised, natural ingredients, oils, olfactory, pandemic, Public Health England, rebalance, Relax, rescue breaths, ritual, rose flower water, Sandalwood, scented candles, senses, soak, soothe, stress, therapeutic, Vegan, Vetivert, warm, ylang ylang

Photo by Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash

A recent study in the British Journal of Clinical Psychology has revealed that levels of anxiety are at an all time high within the UK’s population. In fact, the prevalence of anxiety has increased by a whopping 27.88% since the first lockdown, taking mental health-related issues to the forefront of many people’s minds. Self care is an incredibly important part of maintaining good mental health, so with this in mind, we’ve curated a list of five key products which can help to alleviate anxiety. 

Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Bath and Shower Oil

Soaking in a warm bath is a great way to help you to relax and to quieten down the anxiety that is swimming around your head at the end of a long day. This bath and shower oil from Aromatherapy Associates has been formulated to create a luxurious bathing experience and contains clary sage which is known to soothe anxiety, sandalwood which is said to ground your emotions and geranium which is able to help to rebalance your mind.

Evolve Organic Beauty Keep Calm and Spray On

If your anxiety is health related, due to the effects of living through a pandemic, then this product will have a doubly good effect for you. Keep Calm And Spray On from Evolve Organic Beauty is a spray-on hand cleanser which contains 70% alcohol. This is a full 10% above the minimum amount recommended by Public Health England to kill the COVID-19 virus, so you know that you’ll be well protected, health wise. It also contains bergamot oil which has been found to help relieve anxiety, improve modes and also holds anti-viral properties.

Hayo’u Scented Candle

The olfactory sense is perhaps one of the most powerful when it comes to helping temper our emotions, which is why scented candles can be a great ally when anxiety is taking hold. This scented candle from Hayo’u contains an indulgent blend of lotus flower, frankincense, lemongrass and ylang ylang oils, which help to reduce stress and anxiety, as well as relaxing your nervous system and boosting your mood. It’s also recommended that you practice a rescue breath ritual while the candle is burning to really increase the effects of the blend of fragrances.

Bloom and Blossom All Night Long Calming Sleep Spray

Suffering with anxiety can play havoc with your sleep cycle, making it difficult to fall asleep and leaving you feeling unrested once you wake up. Bloom And Blossom have created this All Night Long Calming Sleep Spray which is made from 99% natural ingredients and helps you to reduce anxiety and drift off into a deep sleep. It is made in the UK, it’s 100% vegan and cruelty free and contains frankincense, rose flower water and linden blossom, which all help to reduce stress. 

This Works Deep Sleep Bath Soak

When using aromatherapy to alleviate anxiety, alternating between fragrance blends can help your body to remain receptive to the different smells. This Deep Sleep Bath Soak from This Works is intended to melt away your anxiety, harmonise your mind and body and leave you feeling moisturised, relaxed and ready for sleep. Lavender, chamomile and vetivert are the main therapeutic fragrances within this product, which is also 100% natural, vegan, and cruelty free.