La Roche-Posay Anthelios

A few nights ago I was lucky enough to be invited to a La Roche-Posay event at the most amazing hotel I have been in for many year, Number 16, to see and swatch the Anthelios range.

Anthelios is a complete suncare range for sun sensitive skin which is suitable for adults and children, it provides high sun protection for sensitive skin by offering:

• high protection against not only UVB rays but also provides protection against UVA rays, which together are responsible for 80% of the signs of premature ageing.
• minimalist formulas (fragrance-free, no parabens, non-comedogenic, tested under dermatological supervision).
• specially formulated textures to suit all skin types and skin concerns.

There are four different sections of suncare range such as Face, Body, Children and then Aftersun/self-tanning and within each range there is a product to suit every need.  For example, I will never ever pop into Boots, buy some suncream and put it on my face, I hate it, I dont like how it makes my face feel all heavy with every pore becoming blocked leading to a break out, so I always will look for a product that is designed for the face and voila La Roche-Posay have done just that with this cute little fellow:

This little fellow which is a rather funky shape costs £16.50 for 100ml in Boots and is so lightweight when it is on your skin, you hardly know it is there and ever since I got my hands on it, I have been wearing it daily.  It has an SPF50+ and is a dream to apply.

As mentioned, some of the other products from the range include products which are designed for dry skin, oily skin and combination skin and each one is labelled differently. There is also the option of choosing a lotion or an oil, again with an SPF50 and all promise to leave no white marks, be ultra light, be invisible and non-sticky.

The one item that did catch my attention was the Cream Compact which is described as follows:

New, clinically-proven Anthelios XL Cream Compact SPF50+ melts into the skin for a smooth, even complexion. A great alternative to foundation, it offers natural, matt coverage all day in the sun and very high protection against UVB rays. It also provides protection against UVA rays, even for sensitive skin and is:

• PURIFIED MINERAL PIGMENTS GIVE A NATURAL EVEN COVERAGE
• AVAILABLE IN 2 SHADES
• WATER RESISTANT
• WON'T CLOG PORES
• NO PERFUME OR PARABENS
• SUITABLE FOR SENSITIVE SKIN

I really enjoyed this event and was also able to have my skin scanned for sun damage in this rather funky booth and quite nerve-wracking it was to think someone can tell that for years I didnt wear suncream but I was surprised to hear that my skin is really really moisturised and in excellent condition with no excess lines or wrinkles and that the one issue which stood out was the need for moisture under the eyes - so I intend to find a product to sort that out.

Thank you La Roche-Posay for the opportunity to try your products and also for this wonderfulo gift bag

Do you use sun cream? Do you buy specific products for your face?

Balance Me BB Natural Perfection SPF 25

I am yet to find my Holy Grail BB Cream, I have tried 3 or 4 and they were alright, but would I repurchase them, I am not too sure. When this box from Balance Me dropped through my letterbox I was quite excited when I saw what was inside. Allow me to introduce you to their very own BB Cream*, a product which sold out as soon as it became available and one I have been itching to get my paws on. I am a huge fan of the Balance Me range and I first came across the BB Cream when I got a sneak preview at the Debenhams beauty event that I was lucky to attend and which you can read about HERE.

The Balance Me BB Natural Perfection SPF 25 to give it, its proper title is described as being

"A high-tech formula designed to create a naturally active daily skin perfector that leaves skin radiant and glowing, thanks to our sophisticated mineral-based tint. To support the structure of your skin and to smooth away signs of daily wear and tear, our SPF 25 BB cream contains an innovative natural titanium dioxide-based sun filter to block out both UVA and UVB rays. Our hand-picked ingredients were chosen to both enhance the activity of our sun filter and boost complexions. We’ve blended Abyssinian and rosehip oils with anti-oxidant rich, collagen and elastin-boosting blackberry leaf extract to help firm and smooth the surface of the skin; the purest grade of hyaluronic acid to help plump and bind in moisture; spruce knot, lotus flower and violet seed extracts to help calm any redness to give you a beautifully even skin tone"

Now I am more than impressed that it has an SPF 25, the one thing I want from and in my products these days is an SPF and something around 20-25 is perfect for my face. What's more with this BB Cream is that it has, what is referred to as a five-fold action to nurture and enhance your skin and they are:

1. Prime
2. Moisturise
3. Smooth skin
4. Protect with an SPF of 25
5. Deeply hydrate

Now this cream smells incredible, as soon as you squeeze some onto your hand all of those essential oils rushing to your senses making them coming alive and it smells absolutely wonderful.

When it comes to application, it couldn't be simpler.  It can be applied directly onto your freshly cleansed skin or over a moisturiser and using your fingertips, you simply blend it to give that natural, radiant and dewy glow.  What i love about this product is that the coverage is lovely and light, it doesn't make me look orange and it does make my skin feel lovely and nourished specially given that it contains high grade natural hyaluronic acid which we know is brilliant for our skin, camellia and jojoba oils which help with moisturising your skin, rosehip oil to help calm and then Abyssian oil for smoothing and anti-ageing, add that to the SPF 25 and your skin is getting some serious protection and TLC.

I use this BB cream daily with Benefit Hello Flawless over the top and my make-up lasts all day, so on a normal working day that can be anything from 8-10 hours depending on how busy I am, again I found the staying power quite impressive.

This product hit the shelves in November and a 40ml tube retails for £26 which you can see HERE and since this product came through my letterbox I have worn it almost everyday, it is just brilliant and it leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth and moisturised not to mention looking lovely.

Have you tried this product? Would you like to try it?