Vichy Cleansing and my daily routine!

Vichy recently launched some new cleansers into their Purete Thermale range which are Purete Thermale Fresh cleansing gel and the rather intriguing sounding Beautifying Cleansing micellar oil. What I have found with Vichy over the last year is that they do seem to have a skincare range for almost every skin type which is amazing and as my skin is classed as oily/combination plus a touch on the dehydrated side then these cleanser should work exceptionally well.

These cleansers have been designed to work on the most sensitive of skins and provide optimum skin comfort. As always with any Vichy skincare these are made with Vichy thermal spa water and is hypo-allergenic, paraben-free and dermatologically tested.

The Fresh Cleansing Gel (RRP £12) is the perfect for that morning shower face wash. It's so light and re-freshing and cleansing the skin very gently to remove any excess sebum production and grime that may have gathered on the skin as you slept. Described as being "The perfect partner for city living, this lightweight gel cleanses deeply and protects cells against pollutants. The foam feels so fresh on the skin, leaving it pampered, clarified and extremely soft". 

The ingredients used are the expert anti-pollution complex Purisoft, which is composed of Amilite Technology to soften the effect of hard water, Glycerin to moisturise, and Moringa to cleanse dust, excess sebum and pollution from the skin. So, when it is used, it does foam lightly as you massage it on the skin and it has a really clean fresh scent which isn't too overpowering. After showering my skin feels really clean, soft and smooth.

For the evening, I have been using The Beautifying Cleansing Micellar Oil (RRP £13.75) as the first part of my double cleansing routine. This is described as being a "Lightweight, effective and non-greasy, this luxurious oil ensures pleasurable make-up removal. Both oily and dry skin types will benefit from its clarifying care as it won’t overload the skin, instead transforming from an oil to a milk on contact with water". 

Within the formula there are 'Micelles' which help to gently remove waterproof make-up, impurities, sebum excess and dead cells with no need for rubbing for the skin. Once the oil comes into contact with water, it turns to a milky formula which you then wash off. I always apply this onto my dry skin and wash off using a warm cloth. The use of Camelia Oil helps to moisturise and smooth skin, while Vitamin E provides antioxidant protection.

I adore both of these products from Vichy and considering I am not a fan of Micellar waters generally, the oil is so nice to use and leaves my skin feeling lovely and soft.

What do you use as your morning and evening cleansers at the moment?

Foreo Luna Mini Skincare Device

Looking after my skin is really important to me which you might have guessed by now. Over the last year, I have been lucky enough to try out a few cleansing brushes, something I really love being able to do. One item I was really excited to try was the Foreo Luna Mini** which is quite unlike anything else I have ever used and the principle idea is one that is so simple, I am left wondering why I hadn't tried it until now.

I have the Magenta coloured Foreo Luna Mini and it is to all intents and purpose a silicone device which has been designed to gently but deeply clean my skin and as I am prone to blemishes, I need something that not only leaves my skin looking healthier and brighter but I also want something that will leave my skin feeling doubly clean. Living here in London, the air isn't as clean as you might expect and some nights I get home and just want to spend hours slapping lotions and potions on to ride my skin of pollutants, dirt and grim. The Foreo has gone almost all the way there to prevent me doing that! 

I have never tried any other of the Luna devices and this one, as the name suggests, is mini versions of the larger device and both of them fit perfectly into the palm of your hand and are easy to grip hold of and it is the perfect size for travelling with because it has its own protective case, which I have kept, and it fits neatly into my weekend bag.

The 'brush' for want of a better description is actually small silicone nodules which feel soft to the touch.  It is those nodules which gently massage and cleanse the skin but they are two sided with one side used for regular cleansing and the other for that much needed deeper clean.  On the top of the brush are small nodules which are really helpful in getting into the smaller crevices of the face such as around the nose to ensure every part can be reached.  There are two different cleansing speeds, one is slightly more intense than the other but astonishingly each one uses up to 8,000 sonic pulses per minute, which sounds absolutely incredible and in all honestly it is.

Foreo recommend that you use the Luna Mini for at least one minute, twice a day.  It is totally waterproof which means it can be used in the shower (hurrah) and even more brilliant is that you never have to replace the brush!  Once changed, using a USB and your computer, it will not need to be charged for at least 300 uses which is yet another impressive statistic and because of its design it is said to be over 35 times more hygienic than your traditional cleansing brushes, which if like me, you sometimes suffer from blemishes, then this will not be another worry for you.

Since using the Luna Mini I have used both creme based and foaming cleanser and it works well with either, though my person preference is a foaming cleanser and I always use the Mini as the second part of my double cleanse, with the first part usually involving a balm cleanser, something which I don't think does work well with the device.

Now I have this device I can't imagine anything else living up to how good it is. My skin really likes it but what I like the most is that feeling of totally clean skin after using, especially after a day of travelling around the capital on public transport.

The Foreo Luna Mini retails at £99 and can be found online from Boots, Feel Unique and Amazon, as well as in store in Selfridges and Harvey Nichols and it is available in an array of different colours.

Have you tried a Luna device before?

So Simple, So Smooth, So Fab!

I have always had a fairly good skincare regime; it was on some advice of my Grandma when I was quite young who said I should always take care of my skin.  For years I stuck to using Johnson’s Baby Lotion, a smell I adore and a product that isn't overly expensive.  I have always cleansed and exfoliated but never quite found the best Toner and the former two never quite the product that I could swear I would always use and never buy anything else, I have over the years chopped and changed.

When I was asked if I would like to try something from the Simple Skincare range I jumped at the chance.  I had never used anything from this brand before but had heard a few friends mention how good it was and such great value.  A week or so later a package duly arrived and inside I was greeted with three products:

• Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes
• Simple Kind to Skin revitalizing eye roll-on
• Simply Kind to Skin Replenishing 12 hour moisture Cream

I am going to start with the Cleansing Facial Wipes and review the other two separately.

Over the years I have had a love hate relationship with facial wipes, they have either left my skin feeling too dry or they haven’t removed all the make-up they have claimed they will but as a product they could be so convenient and less time-consuming than the task needed to be.  So for the last few years I haven’t bothered using them, instead I have used other products in their place and been satisfied.  Simple say “Our Cleansing Facial Wipes refresh and nourish your skin plus remove waterproof mascara. Our wipes contain a perfect blend of our purest possible skin loving ingredients with an added vitamin” and then it is good to note that these wipes is that they claim to have:

• 1 ADDED VITAMIN  - PRO-VITAMIN B5 known to help restore, soften and smooth 
• NO ALCOHOL, NO OIL 
• NON DRYING and NO GREASY residue 
• NO DYES
• NO ARTIFICIAL PERFUMES
• NO HARSH IRRITANTS to upset skin 

Excellent news and as you remove them from the packet really easily, is how soft the wipe actually is, it isn't wringing wet through either which I have found with similar products and this I liked from the start.  There is no chemical aroma smell which again gets the thumbs up from me and as you use them on your face, they are so soft you could almost be using a piece of Muslin cloth to clean your face.  The first time I used these wipes, I have to admit I was a little bit shocked.  Its like the first time you get a Dyson Hoover and clean your carpet only to suddenly feel like a total tramp because of all the dirt and dust it picks up, despite the fact you hoover three times a day.  Imagine what came off my face onto this wipe the first time I used one, it was seriously gross and I almost considered not using the wipes again incase it was some kind of trick, but my skin felt so soft and smooth after using them and my face felt clean.  These wipes are designed to gently cleanse your face and I was impressed to find that they are really effective at removing all traces of make-up and even my mascara which is BeneFit ‘They’re Real’ which can be a nightmare to remove, was gone.  Add to that how soothing they are to your skin when applied, delightful.

These wipes also no not irritate my eyes  or make them itchy, they don’t cause any reactions with my skin and as I sometimes wear contact lenses, I was impressed to find that these wipes are suitable for those of us who wear them.  So these wipes are kind enough to be used on sensitive skin because they are hypoallergenic and powerful enough to remove my BeneFit mascara,  what more could you want?  Well, these wipes do completely remove dirt, make-up, and oils which for me is quite important as I can, during a certain time of the month, suffer with a shiny face and I always look for products which can control it, no need to anymore, these wipes are brilliant at removing excess oil from my skin without stripping it of moisture.

These wipes come with 25 wipes within the packet and cost £3 in my local Tesco from where I have bought another packet because I am so impressed with them.  I love these wipes because they leave my skin feeling smooth and hyrdated rather than dry and irritated and the best feeling of all is having fresh, clean skin.

** Further information **

These wipes are:

•  Dermatologist tested 
• Ophthalmologist tested 
• Safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers 
• Hypoallergenic 
• Non-comedogenic

And further information on the range can be found here: http://www.simpleskincare.com/our-products/wipes/cleansing-facial-wipes