Antipodes Reincarnation Facial Exfoliator

I absolutely love Antipodes as a brand and have featured them quite a few times on my blog (here, here and here) and I have yet to find something I dislike. A brand which hails all the way from New Zealand, Antipodes creator, Elizabeth Barbalich, had a desire to create premium, scientifically validated, organic beauty products. She wanted them to be made from fully sustainable sources that could be used every day plus the packaging features fully recyclable bottles and aluminium tubes, and 100% biodegradable card from sustainable forests.  Today I am sharing the Antipodes Reincarnation Facial Exfoliator.

Exfoliation as we all know if a vital part of any skincare routine and I try to ensure I use an exfoliator at least twice a week as directed to do so by a few experts that I have seen over the past few years.  From Antipodes, we have a product that is described as being a product which nurtures the skin during this innate regeneration process by cleansing, hydrating and balancing.

Suitable for all skin types, Reincarnation Facial Exfoliator has an incredibly luxe creamy formula that is vegetarian-friendly and uses Avocado Oil and Jojoba Beads work together to eliminate dead and dry skin cells whilst Calendula Oil which is known for its healing properties gently nurtures the skin. Also, included is Carrot Seed Extract helps to clear and revitalise the skin's surface.  Reincarnation Facial Exfoliator utilises an exotic blend of Sandalwood, Sweet Orange and Tonka Bean Essential Oils which not only rejuvenate the senses but also leaves the complexion feeling incredibly clean, clear and exceptionally fresh.

It works best when applied to dampened skin and when I use it, I massage it onto my skin in circular motions and then allow it to sit for a few minutes whilst I soak my flannel in warm water and then remove it using circular motions and what I love about this is just how divine it feels on the skin, not overly abrasive but you do notice it does work to remove the dead and dry skin, but it doesn't scratch or irritate because it is also designed to calm and balance the skin too.  

Priced at £21.99 via Lookfantastic (aff link) it is worth every single penny, more so knowing that the box and tube can be recycled!

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Frank Body | The Original Coffee Scrub

 Frank Body is one of the first brands I came across when my love of coffee scrubs started to grow. A company which started back in 2013 has grown considerably and with a range of products now boasting everything for the body, face and

Coconut coffee scrub which smells insanely good offers to Turn your shower into a nudie beach with with this nut-free, natural and smells just like a beach holiday scrub which admittedly comes minus the sand in your pants. Packed in a brown bag, this scrub is insane for removing dead and dry skin. The instructions ask that you use two handfuls, but I have only ever used one per session. Now it is messy but if you prepare beforehand it is much easier. 

As it is designed to scrub the skin, I find it works better if the skin is wet before application, so whether you want to hop in and out of the shower, turn your water on or off or not is entirely down to you. I grab my handful of scrub and place it into an old Lush tub and then add a few drops of water to make it into a paste. Then once in the shower, depending on how my skin is, I either apply the scrub to the parts which need it the most, or I cover my entire body with said scrub. 

As a coffee scrub this naturally smells like freshly brewed coffee with a hint of coconut plus there is some grape seed oil and Vitamin E. Priced at £13.95 for a 200g bag, this scrub is worth every last penny.

If a coffee scrub isn't exciting enough then I have been using three other products from the Frank Body range and they are a lip scrub, a body lotion and a creamy face scrub - I am literally almost like a walking talking cup of your finest Americano!

The Creamy face scrub is incredible and it takes the amazing body scrub and gives it a slight twist to create a face scrub. With this scrub you take a small blob and apply it to your face, again, I prefer a slightly damp face so the scrub has something to stick too. Then as you apply it, ensure that you massage in circular motions to help aid the removal of dirt, grime, dead and dry skin. 

However, before washing it off, the advice is to leave it on your skin for three further minutes and then rinse. The scrub is quite gritty and it uses a combination of amazing ingredients such as White clay which has a long history of detoxifying and removing dead skin cells. Rosehip Oil which brightens dull skin and smoothes over your battle scars. There is also coconut, grapeseed and sweet almond oils which moisturise and hydrate the skin plus Vitamins A, E and D hydrate your skin without blocking pores.  This scrub is priced at £15.95.

The Body Cream promises you'll be the icing on the cake and given how lovely, thick and luxurious the cream is, it is hard to not want to smother yourself in it. 

A delicious blend of Shea and Cocoa Butters which are intensely hydrating alongside coffee seed extract which helps to firm and tone, Pomegranate which feeds your skin to make it stronger & healthier, Green Tea which helps flush out toxins from the skin, helps heal blemishes and soothes the complexion.  If you have ever been a fan of Palmers Cocoa Butter from a tub, then this is a slightly smoother version and it leaves your skin feeling just absolutely incredible.  This cream is priced at £17.95.

Finally the lip duo which consists of a scrub and a balm are design to tackle dry, flaky lips and leave behind smooth soft ones in it place.  

Using a combination of Coffee, coconut, macadamia and grapeseed oils alongside ethically sourced beeswax and raw sugar you get two products which work so incredibly well together and not only does the scrub effectively remove any dry skin, it doesn't scratch and is not overly abrasive.  I tend to use my scrub twice a week to ensure that my lips are not dry, chapped or have any dead skin hanging around and I am a lip balm addict in any case, so it is never without question that I use a lot of it.  This little duo is priced at £12.95.

I have found Frank Body products to be an absolute delight to use and if you love the scent of coffee then this is a match made in heaven for you.  You can find all of these products online via sites such as ASOS.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Artistry Intensive Skincare - Advanced Skin Refinisher

I don't usually get too excited over skincare with fancy names, to me it is all about what it does as opposed to what it is meant to do... Sometimes those notions are few and far between.  When Artisty came into my life, I will admit, I wasn't all that enthused about it, but them I opened the box and my fascination was pricked.  You see the bottle within which the Advanced Skin Refinisher sits, is just stunning, it is something to coo over and ooh and aah it every time you see it.  So it is true, first impressions do count and that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover!

Artistry is a new brand for me, this is the first product I have used from the range and have no previous experience of using it or anything else, so actually it is a little bit more exciting than I have it credit for because this product, titled the Advanced Skin Refinisher is described as being an intensive “Smart Pore Eraser” for instantly softer, more even-textured skin and a progressively more refined look and feel, wow some claim!  

It uses a series of patented non-acid exfoliating ingredients which gently resurface skin’s texture, instantly transforming rough, dull skin into smooth, shine-free perfection. Intensely concentrated botanical extracts penetrate deep within the surface layers of skin, strengthening its natural support, making pores appear significantly diminished. Over 4 weeks of daily usage is said to reduce the size of pores by as much as 62%. Those ingredients are:

• Patented* Oat Extract and NMF Sugars exfoliate the skin’s surface area to unclog pores and smooth away roughness. 
• Anti-oxidant rich Lentil Seed Extract counters the hollowing effect in the wall lining of the pore for a reduced appearance of pores. 
• Java Tea Extract suppresses excess sebum production, down to the core of the pore. 
• Star Fruit Extract reinforces the outside area of the pore’s structure to help reduce slackening, visibly tightening pores for an even texture.

I have used this product for almost 6 weeks now and whilst I haven't as yet seen any dramatic reduction in the size of my pores, because they aren't that visible to begin with, what I have noticed is that my skin feels velvety smooth as soon as it is moisturised into the skin and that effect lasts for an entire day, whether I am wearing make-up or not and let's face it, I've been having a lot of duvet days and make up has not been required, so my skin has really been treated and cared for. As the cream touches the face, it feels every bit as luxurious as you would expect it too, quickly absorbing itself and leaving no trace that it was ever there behind.

The downside however is that a product as that is this good comes with a fairly hefty price tag of £53 which you can find here but it has definitely made a difference and it is something I am going to continue to use.

This product has been both allergy and dermatologist tested. Suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin.