Scientia Beauty Plumpex Cell Renewal Youth Serum

Scientia is a brand I have swooned after for a very long time after seeing my social media feed raving about the Peachy Clean Milky Oil Cleanser. So, having been given the chance to try their newest launch, I jumped at the chance. Meet the Plumpex Cell Renewal Youth Serum (£34).

The Plumpex Cell Renewal Youth Serum comes packaged inside in a glass bottle with a pump dispenser to ensure the application is easy and stress-free.

Get younger looking, plumper and more radiant skin with this restorative Cell Renewal Youth Serum, powered by high performing, cell rejuvenating and collagen-boosting actives.

The Scientia Plumpex Cell Renewal Youth Serum Promises to plump, smooth and firm your skin whilst at the same time reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. It also harnesses the power of amino acid peptide, vitamin C, and glycerin to minimise the appearance of wrinkles while improving elasticity and re-hydrating your skin and if that isn't enough the lightweight formula also uses a ceramide complex to cocoon the skin and protect its barrier function from future aggressors.

On my skin, this golden serum is incredibly smooth and lightweight, so the application is an absolute breeze and as advised, I massage 2-3 pumps in very gentle upwards strokes onto my freshly cleansed skin, after using my Caudalie toner.

Fragrance free, you will find the list of ingredients is incredibly impressive and having read a lot of reviews across Instagram on the brands products, the one stand out is the impressive list of ingredients which are used and this serum is no different. 

The key ingredients are:

• Amplified amino-acid peptide solution & Snap-8™ peptide to help smooth fine lines, plump wrinkles, re-define facial contours and firm.
• Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid to tackle visible signs of photo damage and aging
• A ceramide complex improves skin elasticity and barrier function.
• Polyglutamic Acid & Glycerin draw water into the skin, deeply hydrating
• Bakuchiol, a natural ingredient that functions similarly to retinol

Over the last few months, I have added this serum into my daily routine using it both morning and evening and my skin definitely feels much more hydrated and smooth but my redness is also much more calm than it has been, despite having just had a cold and a bout of bacterial conjunctivitis. 

If you are looking to add a new serum to your routine, you won’t be disappointed with the Scientia Beauty Plumpex Cell Renewal Youth Serum.

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

ESPA Optimal Body TriSerum

With summer on its way, I am sure we are doing everything we can to make sure our skin is in its best possible condition - exfoliating, moisturising, cleansing and so on. When I was given the opportunity to try the new ESPA Optimal Body TriSerum I read up about it and couldn't wait for it to arrive.

I can count on one hand the number of products from ESPA that I have used and as a recent convert to facial serums, I hoped that using a body serum would have the same outome with my skin being soft, smooth and incredibly moisturised.

The first thing to comment on is the amazing design of the bottle, rather than being the usual cylinrical shaped glass bottle, this one is long and slim and with some clever designing it takes on an ombre effect at the bottom where you can see the serum inside the bottle.

Described as "advanced nourishment for naturally radiant beautiful skin" and a furthr description tells us that this "product combines the potent power of a serum with the rich nourishment of Omega Oils (3, 6 and 9).  Add to the Triactive forumula which fuses together some of nature's most effective essential oils with marine and plant extracts".  Some of those ingredients include:

• Tumeric Root - this helps even skin tone and pigmentation
• Balloon Plant - to soothe and calm the skin
• Seaweed - which helps to boost firming collagen and elastin

Add to that the inclusion of Jasmine and spearmint oils to name just two of the ten oils found within this serum and I am sure you can imagine just how stunning the scent is, it is one of those scents which reminds you of being in a spa, after a treatment to help relax.

To use this serum, the instructions are to use every evening after a relaxing bath or shower and once your skin is dry, spritz over your entire body as a quick, convenient daily moisturiser.  As soon as the serum comes into contact with the skin, there is a slight cooling feel, probably from the inclusion of the spearmint oil which when you get out of a nice hot shower, does feel exceptionally nice.  As aserum it does  take a few minutes to totally absorb into the skin, but when it has, not only are you left with soft, smooth and an incredibly moisturised feeling, that initial scent has come to life and it lingers for hours on your skin.

I have been using this serum ever since I got it and a well as ensuring my skin is soft, smooth and moisturised, I have found that using it in an evening after showering, it also makes me feel incedibly relaxed.  I could quite happily curl up in bed after applying it to my skin.

A 100ml bottle of this TriSerum costs £38 which you can find HERE on the ESPA website and it is a product that is well worth trying.

Have you tried anything from Espa?

Avène Soothing Hydrating Serum

I was recently lucky enough to be sent the Avène Soothing Hydrating Serum (£17.00) from Escentual.com to try out and I've only been using it every day since I got it and I absolutely love it.  For those of you who are not aware, Avène are a French skincare brand and the Serum comes with the following description:

"Get a highly concentrated boost of repairing and protecting power for your skin with the Avène Soothing Hydrating Serum. This intensely soothing and hydrating formulation is ideal for sensitive skin, or skin that is easily effected by stress, pollution, or irritation. With its high concentration of Avène Thermal Spring Water, the serum works to soothe and heal the skin with each and every application. This soothing sensation has a long-lasting effect thanks to patented lipsomes, which work to diffuse the ingredients gradually into the upper layer of the skin".

This soothing Hydrating Serum doesn't contain any parabens or known skin irritants but does make use of Avène's own Thermal Spring Water which with the addition of Glycerine provides much needed nourishment to your skin, leaving it feeling hydrated, soft and supple.

This is the first product from Avène that I have tried and I have to say I am impressed.  It comes packaged inside a frosted glass bottle which houses a pump dispenser, something that I love to have on products like this because I find them much easier to use and much less wasteful not to mention more hygienic.  That said one pump of the dispenser is enough to cover your entire face and neck.  Then as directed you should apply the serum both morning and evening after cleansing and toning but before moisturising, to give your skin a total moisture boost. Its gentle calming formula is ideal for sensitive skin, or skin which is affected by stress, pollution, or irritation and living in London you can only imagine how much something like this is needed.

The serum itself has a really nice texture, it isn't oily or greasy and is not as thick as my moisturising cream, it is somewhere in the middle of being a cream and gel.  As you apply it to your skin, it absorbs itself on impact and it has a hint of fragrance which I actually really like.  As soon as you have finished you can immediately tell the difference in your skin, mine feels softer, smoother and much more moisturised in appearance not to mention brighter and more dewy in appearance.  Once I add my moisturiser I have found that my make-up literally glides onto my face.

The serum has fit itself quite nicely into my skincare routine and my skin feel much better for it.  This serum is suitable for all skin types, even the most sensitive, and is great for repairing and protecting the skin. It retails for £17, but right now until the end of March you can pick it up for just £14.45 from Escentual.

What are your French Skincare must haves?

Inhibitif Hair Free Deodorant

One thing I hate is hairy armpits, I make no apology for that, I absolutely hate them, on girls and ladies I mean, and I will shave mine every day, even if there is the slightest bit of hair on show.

Then once again I am introduced to Inhibitif, a product that is as part of my life as moisturising cream.  If you haven't read my blog before then you won't have seen any of my reviews on Inhibitif before so you can find a series of blog posts here, here, and the final results you can find HERE.  I have also been using the Face Serum which you can find HERE.

Today, I have the deodorant product to introduce to you.  I am really excited about using this and cannot wait to see the results.  As with the Leg and Face Serum you are advised to use it daily under your arms 8 weeks whereupon which hair growth, density and thickness are visibly reduced, that doesn't mean the hair won't grow back, it simply means it will but at a much slower rate.  Before I used Inhibitif on my legs, I would shave them almost every day, especially in the summer months if I yanked to wear a skirt, now I shave them once every 8-9 days unless I am really paranoid, so for me there has been a dramatic difference, all of which you can read about in the above links.

You are advised not to use this product on peeling or irritated skin and to avoid eye and lip contact.

The deodorant comes in with either a mint fragrance which is the one I have and it smells just like the leg serum or there is a fragrance free option.  I have been using this for a week now and the mint fragrance is actually lovely and as a deodorant I find it keeps me dry and fresh all day long.  You can buy this in Boots or via the official website for £8.99

As for a reduction in hair growth, that I will report back on once the 8 weeks are up.

Have you tried this product or anything like it?  Do you use any products from the Inhibitif range?

Inhibitif Hair-Free face Serum

So today I am introducing to you, what is essentially the next phase in the amazing Inhibitif line up of hair minimising products - The Inhibitif Hair-Free face Serum.  Back in April, I introduced you to Inhibitif which you can find across a series of blog posts here, here, and the final results you can find HERE.

The face serum works in the same way as the original serum in that you use it twice daily on the shaved/waxed/threaded areas for 8 weeks until hair growth, density and thickness are visibly reduced. Apply every other day to maintain results. You are advised not to use this product on peeling or irritated skin and to avoid eye and lip contact.

Now, I am sure I am not alone in admitting that I have some facial hair, not a lot and certainly nothing that I am ashamed of and nor is it that noticeable but some friends of mine who really suffer just might find this a life changing product.

The graphic below gives a quick outline and insight into how Inhibitif works and what you should notice when using it.

How does it work exactly? Here is a quick explanation:

“INHIBITIF targets the hair follicle directly to slow down the apparent growth rate and density of unwanted hair; as a result, many hairs seem to never grow while using INHIBITIF, and many hairs seem to grow to a lesser degree. This action on hair cycle reduces the apparent amount of hairs and impairs overall hair quality, thus drastically minimising the need for hair removal in weeks”.

Again, as with the original Inhibitif you could start to see results in as little as 2 weeks but it will take 8 weeks for maximum effect.  I began using Inhibitif in April this year, I am still using it and am on my second bottle and I still only need to shave my legs every 4-5 days which is phenomenal and using the product is very much a part of my regime as using moisturising creams and face masks.

This Face Serum comes in a 30ml bottle and it has a pipette application to make using it much easy

Inhibitif Fair Free Face Serum costs £19.99 and is available from Boots and the Inhibitif website.  There is also to be a deodorant from Inhibitif which I cannot wait to get my hands on, until then, watch this space when I report back in a few weeks time on how well this serum works.

Have you tried any of the products from Inhibitif?

Inhibitif: The end of being a Shave slave?

The six words that I have been waiting for most of my adult life – ‘The end to shaving and waxing’. One task I simply hate doing is shaving my legs. It is a necessary evil as far as I am concerned and I do it because the alternative is wrong on so many levels. I hate waxing, I cannot and will not wait for the hair on my legs to be long enough to justify the need for it, it is painful, not always 100% effective and costly… shaving is in my opinion just as bad and it can be so expensive by the time you have worked out how much everything costs. 

So anything that I can do to make the whole process cheaper, manageable and stress free, count me in!

Imagine my joy when an email arrives in my inbox to tell me that a product called Inhibitif has been launched nationwide and would I like a sample. What is Inhibitif? Well in short Inhibitif is a breakthrough hair inhibitor that minimizes the need for shaving, waxing and other forms of hair removal in under 8 weeks, thus reducing the look of unwanted hair, unsightly stubbles and ingrown hair. According to Tom Heinar who is the Cosmetic Science Advisor at DECIEM, the brand umbrella behind INHIBITIF,

“INHIBITIF targets the hair follicle directly to slow down the apparent growth rate and density of unwanted hair; as a result, many hairs seem to never grow while using INHIBITIF, and many hairs seem to grow to a lesser degree. This action on hair cycle reduces the apparent amount of hairs and impairs overall hair quality, thus drastically minimising the need for hair removal in weeks”. 

 How good does this product sound? Well as I have a bottle in my hands right now, I am going to put it to the test. You are told to Apply evenly on shaved or waxed body areas twice per day for 2 months or until body hair appears nearly invisible. Then reduce application to 3 times per week to maintain results. Then you should see initial results within 2 weeks and then within 2 months hair should appear finer and finer until the hair removal routine becomes easier and less in frequency. However, I must point out that it is not a depilatory and it is totally pain free.

Just to re-cap, Inhibitif

• Targets unwanted hair in 3 distinct proven ways
• Minimizes the need for hair removal in under 8 weeks
• Reduces the long-term cost of hair removal dramatically
• Is pain-free, risk-free, fast, easy and cost-effective
• Is effective on all skin types, skin colours and hair colours

The serum in the bottle is the colour of apple juice and the bottle itself, is made of glass and has a spritzing applicator to help dispense the serum and I was surprised to find that it actually smells quite menthol and minty, not of the chemical aromas you get with hair removing cream, which is what I was expecting, so that in itself is a relief.

For more information on this product please look at this link HERE and it can also be purchased from Boots by clicking HERE. For a 250ml bottle it will only cost £29.99.

I applied the serum to my legs this morning and will do the same tonight and so on. As you apply to your legs, there is a cooling sensation which is really quite nice and now a few hours after applying, my skin is soft and smooth to the touch. After a few weeks of using this product I will report back with a new post, I hope this works, I am tired of being a shave slave (love that slogan).

Do you think you would use this product? 

Do you think it will work?