Unusually balanced - that's me!!

Unlike most people, I am quite new to the Balance Me range, until this particular product I was yet to actually try something from the range, despite seeing them everywhere.

Radiance Face oil tells you that it will "enhance skins natural lustre" and that it is 100% natural.  I also like that on the back of the box, as shown below you can read the following - "smooth away the years with our highly emollient, 100% natural face oil.  Skin lacking in lustre is enhanced with a rich, replenishing blend of naturally active and smoothing ingredients. Don't be afraid to use this if your skin is prone to congestion as oil on oil is extremely balancing, hydrating and comfortable to wear".

That little blurb on its own answered the question for me as to whether or not having combination skin; leading more to the oily side would work well with this oil.  Never in my life have I used a product like this on my skin, more through fear of expecting to turn into a bottle of vegetable oil and making my skin super shiny, however until you try it I guess you just never know.

Inside the box I was surprised to find how lovely the glass bottle looked, the oil itself is almost orange and reminded me a little bit of some extra virgin olive oil that I have in my cupboard.  This 30ml bottle comes complete with a little pipette that you use to dispense the oil onto your hands. The reason you drop it onto your hands is because your body's natural temperature helps to warm up the oil as the 'directions' show on the side of the box, which again you can see in the picture below. 

I like how clear the directions of use are and that it explains fully how to use this oil to get the full benefits such as massaging in circular motions and words such as toxins, circulation and boost cell renewal all catch the eye and attention as you read.

When you first apply this to your face, I was surprised, infact I was so surprised at how non-greasy it felt.  I had been expecting to find a mini oil slick on the palms of my hands but quite the opposite, as soon as you apply to your face it has absorbed itself in double quick time leaving nothing behind except glowing skin that was silky smooth to the touch. My skin hasn't broken out in any spots, it doesn't irritate my skin nor make it itchy, all of which has slightly surprised me, again having never used oil on combination skin I was waiting for something to go wrong - it didn't.  Usually around the time of my monthly visit I sometimes get one or two spots around my chin which annoy me because I'm not used to having them, using this product they didn't even make an appearance, again another thumbs up from me.

All of the ingredients within this oil are natural and you have no less than 8 base oils which includes:

• Amazonian Buriti Nut, Cameilla and Rosehip Oil all of which work to reduce redness and address uneven skin tones and minimise the visible signs of scarring. 
• Add to that Yarrow, Benzoin and Roman Camomile which work together to create a highly moisturising effect.  
• You will also find Sweet Almond Oil which smells divine and again helps to keep your skin feeling soft, smooth and moisturised and finally there is grape seed oil, again an ingredient that works with the other 7 and again has moisturising properties for the skin.

When I use this oil, I tend to use it first thing in the morning after getting out of the shower and before I go to bed having removed all my make-up and the days dirt and grime and before I add any extra moisturiser even though some days I feel as though my skin is not in need of anything else.  The smell is perhaps the one thing I'm not too keen on, I had hoped the sweet almond oil would be the dominant fragrance within this product but what you get is something quite herb like, and it isn't off-putting in any way and wouldn't stop me from using it.

This product retails at £30 for a 30ml bottle from the Balance Me website which isn't cheap but when you are only using 3 - 4 drops per day, it is certainly going to last quite a while.  I have no hesitations when it comes to recommending this facial oil, I love how it makes my skin feel, I love the pipette application because it is so different to the products I would usually use and makes applying it a little lore fun. A great face oil that does leave your skin feeling soft and smooth to the touch whilst leaving your skin glowing.  For me this would be a definite re-purchase.

Which balance me products do you use?

Have you tried any face oils?

Is it really a Miracle Oil?

When Bio Oil first hit the UK market back in 2002 I remember quite a few of my friends buying it and using it and over the year a lot of my friends who have had children have used it to keep their stretch marks at bay.  I have never had children, but I naturally have a few marks on my body, some of which I more than want to hide from view.

The Bio Oil bottle is encased in a cardboard box which is both white in colour and detailed with a bright orange, almost luminous writing.  You are told on the box that it is for specialist skincare and that helps scars, stretch marks and so on.  Everything you need to know about this product can be found written on the box - everything from what it is, how to use it, what it does and its ingredients are all detailed.  

Opening the box there is a further information leaflet inside which re-iterates what you will have read on the box.  Then comes the Bio Oil bottle -  a clear see through plastic bottle with a white screw on and off lid, your eyes are immediately drawn to the Oil inside the bottle which you can clearly see, a first description of it, I would say it is a slightly orange colour.

One of Bio Oils key ingredients is called 'PurCellin Oil' which is easily absorbed into the skin and this particular ingredient is said to help with : 

Dehydrated Skin: Helps replenish the skin’s natural oils, stripped away by factors such as extreme weather, water with high chemical content, frequent bathing and the drying effects of central heating and air-conditioning



Weight Related Stretch Marks:  Helps prevent formation of stretch marks during periods of rapid weight gain or loss and helps to improve the appearance of existing stretch marks



Uneven Skin Tone: Helps improve appearance of uneven skin tone caused by hormonal fluctuations, skin lighteners or excessive sun exposure



Ageing Skin: Helps smooth and tone ageing, sagging and wrinkled skin on both the face and body, including skin over exposed to UV light. Plus ideal for age spots and softening cuticles



Daily Moisturiser: Helps moisturise the skin and can be used in conjunction with other skincare products as part of your everyday skincare routine. Built into a daily skin care routine, Bio-Oil can be applied all over the body, including the face, on its own or underneath a daily moisturizer, or as a night treatment. Great for dry patches such as dry elbows, heels and anywhere else that needs some TLC
• Scars:  Improves appearance of new and old scars whether from surgery, accidents, burns, insect bites, scratches and chickenpox.

You can see more information on Bio-Oil and all of its claims here - http://www.bio-oilprofessional.co.uk/

Bio oil is designed to help improve the appearance of scars and stretch marks, help with uneven skin tone and hydrate aging skin, whilst combating fine lines and wrinkles. Bio oil is made without harming animals and contains an ingredient called PurCellin Oil, it is toxicological safe and can be used by pregnant women. Other ingredients within this product include:

Vitamin A – helps improve the skin’s elasticity, texture and tone
• Vitamin E – helps increases the moisture content of the epidermis, thereby making the skin softer, smoother and more supple. Vitamin E also assists in the maintenance of healthy-looking skin
• Calendula Oil – has the ability to clarify and stimulates the growth of new skin cells
• Lavender Oil – known for calming and soothing benefits
• Rosemary Oil – helps to invigorate and it has a mild antiseptic capabilities and thus eases congestion, puffiness and swelling of the skin
• Chamomile Oil – has a calming and soothing effect and is particularly beneficial for sensitive skin

Further details on the rest of the ingredients can be found on the Bio Oil homepage which you can find HERE

As this oil has quite a thin consistency, you might need to be careful when dispensing it, though the bottle has its own inbuilt dispenser to help with applying it, but I tend to use it by pouring some into the palm of my hands and then rubbing my palms together before applying to the skin.  When you apply this oil to the skin, it wont come as a surprise to find that it is greasy, but only for those few seconds it remains on your skin without being massaged in, the second you begin to massage your skin it disappears immediately and all it leaves behind is a lovely rose and lavender scent on your skin.

I have a few scars on my body from injuries, one which really makes me feel self conscious was on my foot.  When I was 10 years old I managed to put a gardening fork through my foot (yes I did) and then pulled it out again.  I am sure you can imagine the damage it caused and over the years this scar has been something I have been embarrassed by, so this was my main ‘attack’ area with Bio Oil, the other being a scar on my wrist from an iron.  So since the beginning of February, I have used Bio Oil, as instructed on many scars across my body, but mainly on these two and I am amazed by what I have found.  Below is a photo of my ironing injury, as you can see there is a slight outline of what was once there, usually I have my watch covering the majority of the scar, so there are no other photos of it, but the difference for me is amazing.  The scar on my foot is much older than the one on my wrist and again there has been a noticeable improvement in how the scar looks, it has faded a lot and again for me this is brilliant.  

Bio Oil does advise that you should use this oil for a minimum of 3 months and whilst for me we are almost at the 6 week stage, half way there, the changes are really significant. I am beginning to feel much more at ease and I know that it cannot remove these permanent scars, but it has made living with them much easier.

For me, this has been a brilliant oil  and with its many uses, it is something I think everyone should try, if they haven’t done so already and probably something someone should have in their home somewhere for when they need that little extra bit of TLC or want to try it for themselves.  It is available in three different sizes:

• 60ml rsp £8.95
• 125ml rsp £14.95
• 200ml rsp £19.95

And you will find it in a whole host of stores, such as -  Boots, Superdrug, Tesco, Asda, Lloyds Pharmacy, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose, Savers, Wilkinsons, and many independent pharmacies nationwide.   Bio Oil also have a Facebook page which you can find here -https://www.facebook.com/biooiluk

Finally Bio-Oil is preservative-free and is not tested on animals. 

Have you ever used Bio-Oil?  What did you think to it?