REVIEW - LA ROCHE-POSAY HAUL (YES, ANOTHER ONE)

sigh. I can restrain from spending on almost anything except skincare. Bags? whatevz. Shoes? Eh, I'll think about it. Clothes? nah, I'll probably only wear it once. But I just love new skincare products, particularly when they're from a brand I already know and love. In this blogs short life I've mentioned La Roche-Posay more times than I dare count, but seriously. It's in good reason. Targeted products for the majority of skincare concerns, no frills branding, and very respectable prices given the efficacy of their products. Some of their products are firm favourites, others have shown good results but been swapped out in the name of product comparison, but none of them have truly failed me yet. And with todays package from Escentual landing on my doorstep (thanks mr postman), my adoration has only grown.

Oooooh yeah, that packaging. Clinical minimalistic goodness. I'm slightly upset about ruining the two tone continuity with the Nuxe package, but it's only fair - it was a part of the haul after all.

Let's get the run down, L-R.

• LRP Nutritic Intense Riche. This is my third repurchase of this product, because hot dayum it's AMAZING. It's intensive, soothing, comes in a glass jar (I'm all about those glass jars), and moisturises my skin to perfection overnight. Not too heavy on the skin but so luxurious and creamy when applied, this is the moisturiser my life lacked for so long, and the product that turned me in to a complete slave to LRP. RRP £16.50
• LRP Physiological Cleansing Milk. I've previously mentioned the fact that I've been committed to Clarins' cleansing milk to normal/dry skin for approximately forever, but I'm nearing the end of a bottle and it's pretty pricey stuff for my budget. This LRP is a fantastic alternative - aimed at dry to very dry and sensitive skin types, it cleanses effortlessly, soothes and comforts the skin, and doesn't sting sensitive eyes. It's everything a cleanser should be, and wipes away the residue of my initial oil cleanse no probs. But, I ADORE the smell of the Clarins milk, so much so that it might be enough to lure me back. Soz, LRP. This stuff is on form and both are fantastic for dry/sensitive skin, but Clarins has my heart on this occasion. RRP £12
• LRP Hydraphase Intense Riche. Purchased for use as a day time moisturiser underneath make up, this baby was a very solid purchase. I've previously tried the LRP Hydreane Rich and the Avene Hydrance Optimale - both lovely products, but I find the moisturising quality somewhat short lived, causing my make up to flake after a few hours wear. But even on the first application of the Hydraphase, it felt different - intense and nourishing like the Nuritic, but with a much lighter texture (and a handy pump!). The feeling is long lasting, and hasn't left my face feeling parched after a short while. This baby promises 24hr hydration (unlikely on my whacked out face, but we'll try), and contains hyuralonic acid fragments - great for dehydrated skin due to it's ability to hold mammoth amounts of water. HAPPY SKIN AHOY. RRP £16.50
• LRP Lipikar Baume AP. I purchased this on something of a whim after reading a great review. The Lipikar range is designed with dry, very dry and eczema prone skin types in mind, so it already had my name written all over it. My eczema has decided to re-emerge recently (lolthanks), and while I already have an arsenal of products to keep it fairly under control, I'm always happy expand that. This is a 'lipid replenshing body balm', with anti-irritattion and anti-scratching benefits (itch scratch cycle and all that). Honestly? I'm underwhelmed, and it's the first time I can say that for an LRP product. It does feel incredibly moisturising, due to the shea butter and canola oil, and would be great just for dry skin - but anti-irritation and anti-scratch it is not, which is what I really needed from it. I still love ya LRP, but less of that please. RRP £12.50
• LRP Lipikar Xerand hand repair cream. This was purchased out of interest after my success with the Cicaplast hand cream (which I discussed here), and it's another solid hand cream effort to blow your standard high street offerings out of the water, in my opinion. A more creamy/lotion type texture that the Cicaplast, the Lipikar hand cream is rapidly moisturising but with long lasting effect, and quick to absorb. It's far less rich than the Cicaplast Hands, so I'll probably opt for this as my day-to-day hand cream while my hands are a little calmer - the Cicaplast worked a treat to soothe my very dry, cracked, and infuriatingly itchy hands while they were flaring, so there's another definite repurchase for the future! The Lipikar Xerand would be fantastic for most people and as a means of maintaining silky soft hands, particularly given a) how cheap it is and b) how fast it absorbs, great for thoroughout the day application wherever you may be. RRP £5
• Nuxe Rêve de Miel Lip Balm. I always thought nearly £10 seemed a little steep for a lip balm, so I took advantage of the 1/3 off promotion to see if this really lives up to the hype. It smells gorgeous, I love the glass jar (frosted for bonus points), it feels thick and nourishing without any stickiness, and 15g is a LOT of product for a lip balm - given that a 4.25g tube of Burts Bees lasts me an inifnite amount of time (definitely not because they get lost before I have a chance to finish them...), this pot ought to last for many moons to come. RRP £9.50

Phew, review DONE. I can't recommend LRP products enough - obviously I sway more to the dry/very dry and dehydrated side of things, but they have top quality and very highly rated products for oily, acne prone, redness prone and aging skin types also, so take a gander. Saying that.. I'm getting cold feet. I LOVE LRP, but I'm a total sucker for new skincare! After falling for the Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Fluid sample in this months Birchbox, I'm feeling a bit of a Caudalie thang coming on. Better get saving first..

Escentual's 1/3 off French Pharmacy promotion ends on 30th June, so get cracking for great products with a fair chunk of money off the RRP!

BIRCHBOX JUNE 2014 - THE ONE BOX TO RULE THEM ALL

Yeah, so I signed up for the Beauty Blender. I know nothing's guaranteed in terms of which items you'll get, but given that I also found a £5 discount voucher bringing the whole box to £7.95 with P&P, it wasn't going to be the end of the world if I didn't open up that box and find that oh-so coveted pink sponge inside.

BUT IT'S OKAY

There she be, gently nestled in her den.

I've liked the concept of beauty boxes for some time, but they just always seemed so hit and miss that I didn't want to waste the little money to my name on something that could be full of junk. However, the products on offer this month were just too good to pass up, so I bit the beauty box bullet - good choice, me.

Obviously the Beauty Blender was the big item for this months Birchbox - with a full retail price of £26 (blender + cleaning soap), I dare say it's a downright (albeit not guaranteed) bargain. However, the blender is far from the only great item available this month. 

This box is strong, yo. The only item I'm not mad about is the Naobay body lotion - but it's not bad, just very nondescript. Like most body lotions to me, really. Plus it has a smell that screams medicinal-meets-spice rack to me, which isn't exactly my #1 choice of scents. That minor downer aside, LOOK AT THEM GOODIES

• Caudalie Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Fluid. Admittedly, the name of this product alone gave me no freakin' clue as to what it actually was, but a little read up lead me to the assumption that it's along the same lines as the Clarins Flash Beauty Balm, which I LOVE. It claims to boost radiance, even out the complexion, reduce dark spots and offer hydration. It can also be used as a primer, or alone without makeup. So yes - Clarins FBB to a tee! I don't often go without foundation or a BB cream, but this did make my skin look fresh, even, and with a lovely sort of 'just cleansed' glow. I'm intrigued to try out its capabilities as a primer too, since I'm on the look out for a new one!
• OPI Nail polish from the Brazil Collection. What can I say? FREE OPI! I'm a nail polish junkie and even though yellow wouldn't usually be my first choice, it's a great summer colour and it's nice to have something that isn't particularly similar to any other polishes I own. Plus the OPI minis are a brilliant size for travelling!
• theBalm How 'Bout Them Apples? palette sample - shade 'Pie'. AHHHH MORE ADORABLE TINY GOODIES! Nothing puts me in full blown girl mode like a miniature cosmetic - and as a bonus to being adorable, it's actually a great product. I've been wanting to try a cream blush for a while but I find choosing blushes to be a strangely difficult affair, so having one chosen for me is a bonus in itself. Gloriously creamy and pigmented, a little of this goes a long way! This (and the full size palette) are suitable for use on cheeks and lips, though I've only tried it on the former so far. I'm in love though, and definitely considering picking up the full size version already!
• Birchbox 'Brazil Inspired Keyring'. Yeah, not many ways to describe this, but I'm a sucker for a keyring and this baby's going straight on my keys.. when I find them. Currently missing for 12 hours. WHOOPS

This is a fantastic little kit and a total steal for the £7.95 I paid. I would've reeeeeeeeeeeally liked to give the Caudalie Divine Oil a go as well, but I'm chuffed with the alternatives at least. I was initially going to just get the one box but I think I'll hold out for next months to see how it compares - though it has a huge likelihood of being quite a disappointment compared to this I think!

Sign up for your Birchbox at https://birchbox.co.uk/, and don't forget - as with any online purchase, search around for discount codes and save them pennies (..for more goodies! or food, but whatever)!

GETTING TAN READY - SUPERDRUG VITAMIN E BODYCARE

Let's be fair, getting tan ready is boring. Fake tanning is boring. But hell, if I don't just love being that little bit tanned - I'm not talking bronzed goddess business here, but I definitely enjoy the fact that a tan does well to even out my skin tone. Plus, I'm all about that slimming illusion. But after months of hiding under layer upon layer upon layer, my skin is rough. To look at, to feel. All round rough. And unfortunately, no fake tan of any cost is going to avoid looking like a muddy mess without a little handiwork beforehand.

Roll up, our trusted exfoliator and moisturising combo.

When I first really started taking an interest in skin and bodycare products, I went against everything my (empty) bank account suggested would be sensible and became an instant product/brand snob. NO MORE. I certainly still have some higher end favourites, but I'm all about the own brand products too - there's some amazing products out there for next to no money. The vitamin E range is perfect for me and my tragically dry skin, and doesn't break the bank. We're on to a winner..

Superdrug Vitamin E All Over Body Cream is.. well. Explains itself really, doesn't it? A light and easily absorbed but intensely moisturising cream, ideal for slappin' on daily post shower. In addition to the vitamin E and a multi vitamin complex, one of the main components of this products is coconut oil - aka my most favouritest multi purpose wonder product of all time. This cream also has a gorgeous (but not overpowering) scent, and I love the fact that it comes in a tub - it'll make the dregs a lot easier to fish out when I get to the end, and save on wastage. I've been really enjoying using this product, which is unusual - I tend to find body moisturisers very underwhelming and, on a whole, a bit of a chore. They also seem to end up running out very quickly as well, which gets pricey in the long run! However, this little tub of wonder retails at only £2.99 for 475mL, which is nothing short of a bargain in my eyes. As a bonus, the whole vitamin E range is currently buy one get the second half price. NO EXCUSES GUYS.

Daily moisturising is great, but sometimes those rough patches need a little extra assistance to get them budging. Roll up the body scrub brigade! I tend to use scrubs pretty sporadically because as much as I love the feeling of them, they're a bit of a faff and tend to make a spectacular mess of the shower (soz mum).

The Vitamin E Body Scrub has a few advantages for me - firstly, it comes in a tube(!!!!!!!!). I don't understand why anyone thought putting body scrubs in a tub was sensible? Maybe my shower is just pathetic, but the tubs never fit on the shelf, and then it's a bit of a balancing act.. the lid goes flying, the tub follows suit, and it lands on your foot. BAM, broken toe. Not something I've actually experienced (yet), but there's been far too many near misses. Secondly, it's quite densely packed with the actual 'scrubbing' component - ground apricot kernels. It feels suitably rough and refreshing on the skin, but not painful - plus, it seems to wash off the walls of the shower pretty easily. Win win. The body scrub also retails at £2.99, and with the current offer you can pick this pair up for a bank breaking total of £4.50!

So don't feel inclined to rush in to tanning without a little prep before hand - just a couple of products (at a very small expense) is all it takes to get this smoothed over and in perfect condition, ready for that oh-so-desirable streak free tan (sans muddy looking knees). If you still struggle with very resilient dry knees and elbows, popping a bit of body cream on the area just before tanning will help to minimise the absorption in those areas, avoiding those tell tale patches. So in no time at all, you too could be looking like Tan Stewie.

But for the love of god, please - fake it, don't bake it! 

LIPSTICKS TO MAKE YOUR PURSE SING

£1, man. How is it even feasible to sell a lipstick for ONE POUND?!

Not that I'm complaining.

I'm sure everyone has cottoned on to the MUA range by now, but I still continue to be pleasantly surprised by what they have to offer. I'm a BIG fan of their 'Power Brow' brow pencil from their Luxe range, along with their Pro Base fixing spray and their insanely priced £4 eyeshadow palettes. But recently I've become something of a glutton for lip colours, having disregard them for so long (classic case of small lips = NO TO LIP PRODUCTS). I very rarely wear a non-matte lip colours (with the exception of MAC's 'Shy Girl', which is delightfully inoffensive in every way), so when I spotted the new matte shades in the MUA range, I was all over dat. Plus, 3 for 2. What's a girl to do?

MUA matte lipstick in 'Lilac Belle'

MUA matte lipstick in 'Fancy Fawn'

So, rookie error - it's REALLY FREAKIN HOT today and my face has been sweating like nobody's biz. Unfortunately I didn't really consider anything beyond my lips when taking these photos, so.. maybe don't take this as a standard representation of my make up application. Anyway.

I absolutely love these lipsticks, and who the heck wouldn't for £1?! 'Lilac Belle' satisfies my cravings for all things purple with regards to lip products - while I'm (still) besotted with Revlon's 'Shameless' and MAC's 'Heroine', I'd been on the lookout for something a little more subtle and less WHAM IN YO FACE/daytime goth. I really struggled to capture this true to colour, because it teeters between pink and purple, neither really one nor the other. It's subtle, but different. Did I mention it's a pound? It takes a little work to get a good intensity of colour, and admittedly the staying power is what you would except for £1 - but it's all worth it.

'Fancy Fawn' is disturbingly neutral given my usual tastes, but unfortunately a purple lip isn't always appropriate I guess. It's a great shade for me though, and probably verging on 'my lips but better' territory - just enough to finish a look off. I'm really pleased with this colour, and it'll probably be something of a staple for lazy, 'no make-up make-up' days. 

I'm truly impressed with these products - I know it's difficult not to appreciate the MUA products given their price, but the original £1 lipsticks just don't do it for me (in terms of colour or finish - they're just not my jam). The mattes are right up my street though, and their sleek white packaging and deliciously sweet scent (à la MAC) just top off an already great product.

MUA products are available through Superdrug, or online at http://www.muastore.co.uk/

BARGAINS FOR YO FACE, PART 2: ZOEVA BRUSHES

Part 2 of the best kind of hauls, i.e., the ones that are delivered to your front door. THANKS MR POSTMAN.

I've been on the hunt for some new make up brushes for about 6 months now. I've got a good basic collection, composed almost entirely of Real Techniques (which I don't think anyone would deny are brilliant for the price) - but really, their collection is pretty limited beyond basic face and eye brushes. I knew I wanted a blending brush for eyeshadow, and while the MAC 217 is a favourite of make up lovers across the land, it's a little out of my price range for a single brush at £18.

So, the dupe hunt began! I spent a while debating between the Sigma E25 at ~£10.50, the Coastal Scents Pro Blending Brush at ~£6.95, and the Bdellium Tools 776 at ~£7.95. I read all the reviews, all the 217 dupe blog posts, and then after settling for the Bdellium offering I couldn't find it in stock at a good price for the life of me. sigh. But after just giving up the hunt for a couple of weeks, I read a review on brushes from a brand called Zoeva, including the 227 as a supposed dupe for the 217. I'd never heard of them previously, due to being a German company. But boy, am I glad I did find them.

Although Zoeva offer a wide range of make up products, their brushes are their shining star. They offer a fantastic range of 50 individual brushes, and a selection of different sized sets to boot. I actually picked up my purchases from Love Make Up since shipping from Zoeva is pretty pricey and £7.50, but to get the full range of products you'll have to go through Zoeva's official site. So, what did I end up with?

In the end I managed a rather restrained order of only 3 brushes. From L-R, they are the #322 Brow Line, the #312 Detail Liner and, the one I set out for, the #227 Soft Definer. 

The 227. It's everything I wanted, really. It's soft, it's fluffy, IT BLENDS! I've yet to see how it holds up to washing, but the outlook is good based on other reviews. Of course, I don't actually own a 217 to compare it to, but I'm more than happy with this little number.

The 312. I bought this to replace the little brushes that come free with the Maybelline gel liner. A freebie they might be, but I actually really like it - though they don't hold up too well to prolonged use and washing. I couldn't really tell from the site just how fine this is, but it's just perfect for my go-to winged liner - a very fine brush with super sturdy bristles. Perfect.

The 322. My old angled brush I'd been using for my brows was getting beyond tatty, so lured in by the curious shape I thought I'd give the 322 a go. At first I was concerned it might be a tad wide, but on use it's perfect for a strong brow, with nicely defined edges and a good arch. You could use it for a more subtle look as well, by just brushing you product upwards through the brow with it. As someone who could forgo all other make up in the name of brow products, I'm pretty chuffed with this.

I'm really impressed with these brushes, which offer great quality and a massive variety at brilliant prices. Oh yeah, the prices! Wait for it y'all; for these 3 brushes I paid a truly bargainous £5.50 each for the 322 and 312, and £5.95 for the 227. So, for less than the price of ONE MAC 217, I got myself three fantastic brushes. Plus, they were cheaper than any of the other dupes I found, and yet the brand is still relatively unheard of. Did I mention all the brushes come in these super handy pouches?

Useful as fuck. My next purchase list is already growing, and I'm now after the 231 Petit Crease brush and the 111 Flawless Cover brush, which I have zero use for but OMFG LOOK AT THOSE CRAY CRAY BRISTLES.

So go forth, and buy Zoeva. There will be no regrets.

BARGAINS FOR YO FACE, PART 1: LA ROCHE-POSAY CICAPLAST

Two lots of goodies arrived at my doorstep today, and I'm pretty effin' pumped about both of them. These are items that have been on my wishlist for some time now, and neither were bank breaking! HOORAY ALL AROUND!

First up, yet more La Roche-Posay goodness. I'm beyond pretending I'm not a slave to all things LRP now.

Isn't there just something so glorious about that blue and white packaging? I really like the simple, somewhat clinical appearance - no frills, just "I work. BUY ME".

I picked these two up from Escentual while they've got their 1/3 off French pharmacy brands promotion, having been eyeing them up for a while. Both are from the Cicaplast range, aimed at "accelerating repair of sensitive irritated or altered skin". As I mentioned in my last post, I'm pretty eczema prone and my hands tend to suffer the most, with the skin being very dry and fragile recently - enter Cicaplast Mains (..hands. It's a hand cream). This is a very thick product with a consistency very similar to that of the Neutrogena concentrated hand creams. It has no fragrance, and it's main active ingredients are niacinamide (vitamin B3, used for its anti inflammatory properties), and glycerin (for moisture). 

Oh man. This stuff. It's completely non-greasy, absorbs faster than any other hand cream I've tried, and leaves your hands feeling like they may as well have been blessed by angels for SO LONG. At the point of writing, I applied it about 2 hours ago and I just cannot. stop. touching. my own hands. Weird. But so so good. It's currently only £4.33 at Escentual and I thoroughly suggest you buy some RIGHT NOW. Buy several. One for every bag you own and more for every room in your house. It's that nice.

The Cicaplast Baume B5 is something I've (somewhat thankfully) not had the chance to try out yet - I bought it with the intention of using it on mild eczema flare ups. It's a multi-purpose balm (though very much the consistency of a cream.. as opposed to the hand cream, which has the consistency of a balm. WHATEVZ) designed to, like the rest of the range, accelerate the recovery of damaged skin, with ingredients like panthenol (an analogue of panthenoic acid, or vitamin B5 - commonly used for moisturising properties in skin and haircare) and a copper/manganese/zinc complex (offering antibacterial, anti inflammatory and wound healing properties). It also contains something called Madecassoside which I'm admittedly not familiar with, but it appears to be anti inflammatory, along with having use in wound healing and promoting collagen synthesis. Win win win.

Don't think the uses for this stuff are limited to eczema. Reviews have raved about its use for nappy rash, healing burns (but don't apply it to open wounds!), shaving rash, dry lips, spots (given the multitude of anti inflammatory ingredients it contains), insect bites, or just slap it on as a super powered moisturiser. I'm really excited to give this a go.. but would also rather my skin didn't flare up! I may try it out as a day moisturiser out of interest, because there's just so much hype around all the wonderful things this can seemingly do. This is also currently £4.33 at Escentual for 40mL size, and is also available in 100mL.

*UPDATE ALERT!* I tried it as something of a moisturiser overnight and I'm sold. As you rub it in to the skin it changes from a cream texture to that more of a balm, and it feels so soothing without any hint of greasiness. My skin felt much the same in the morning (my LRP Nutritic Intense Riche moisturiser has been doing a damn good job at controlling any hint of dryness), but I did notice a very persistent blemish I've had at the end of my nose (nice) for about 2 weeks had almost completely disappeared! So I suppose that says something good for the anti inflammatory properties of this at least. I've since been liberally applying this to my rather sad, dry elbows, and I'm already eyeing up the 100mL size..

LRP hype DONE. But probably not for long. Next up: make up brushes which I can afford to buy more than one of?! Stay tuned..

LET'S TALK SULPHATES - SLS, ALS, SLES, AND ALL THAT JAZZ.

My interest in all things SLS has recently been pipped again after I noticed my current shampoo (Mark Hill 'Big It Up') was making a fairly alarming amount of my hair fall out, and what was left behind was feeling very dry and straw like (review in brief: bottle of shite, will not repurchase). On a whole, the antithesis of everything one looks for in a shampoo. I've used SLS free shampoos in the past in an effort to maintain red hair with good results. But why bother? What's the bloody point?!

The defendant: Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). Looks a bit like an angry ionic dragon.

Let's start by addressing just a couple of points. SLS DOES NOT CAUSE CANCER AND FOR THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE, SLS AND OTHER SULPHATES ARE NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER. Don't feel any need to rush out and go SLS free if your current shampoo is working for you! The issues with the sulphates affect a minority of people.

But wait. What are the issues?

In a nutshell, SLS is a surfactant; it surrounds molecules of oil and allows them to mix more readily with water, in turn making the oil much easier to wash away. Hooray! Squeaky clean hair! But maybe a little too clean? In addition to ridding you of the grime your hair might have accumulated over the days, SLS can sometimes go a little further and strip the natural oils which keep your hair and scalp healthy - stripping these can leave a scalp dry, flaky and itchy, something which is particularly problematic if, like me, your skin doesn't retain moisture properly anyway due to conditions such as eczema. The results will also vary between shampoos though, depending on which sulphate it contains (the laureth sulphates are generally somewhat more gentle than the lauryl sulphates), and the concentration of sulphate. 

It's no secret that SLS is known to be an irritant to the skin and eyes, but it's important to consider the amount of time it actually spends in contact with your skin. Studies have shown that a 2% concentration of SLS on the skin for 1 hour is sufficient to cause irritation, but come on - who leaves their shampoo on for an hour?! Get real, gang. Although it's very difficult to find data regarding the % of sulphates in shampoos (seriously Google, help me out here), the fact that it is only in contact with the scalp for a relatively short period makes it well tolerated by most - but do be sure to rinse your hair thoroughly!

In short, if you're suffering with a dry scalp and hair, SLS/sulphate free shampoos might be worth a shot. Those of you with coloured hair might also benefit, as in addition to stripping moisture, sulphates can have the same effect on colour. But most importantly, sulphates are not the devil. I get sick to my back teeth reading sensationalist posts across the net about how dreadful this ingredient is ("people clean ENGINES with it! HOW IS THAT SAFE ON YOUR HAIR?!"), and people should know that if their sulphate containing shampoo is working for them - that's just fine! But in the same breath, every scalp is different, and if yours is suffering then maybe SLS or other sulphates aren't for you.

As a side note, despite the focus here being on haircare, SLS does crop up in a multitude of other products, including shower gel and toothpaste. SLS free shower gels can benefit skin in the same way SLS free shampoos can for hair - I personally like the Dr Organics range at Holland and Barrett for their shampoos/conditioners/shower gels/all sorts of other interesting products - the range is huge, so have a browse! With regards to toothpastes however, some studies have suggested that SLS may be involved in recurrent mouth ulcers - the evidence isn't solid, but if it's something that effects you then there would be no harm in trialling an SLS free alternative (again, Dr Organics offer them, along with Euthymol and some of the Sensodyne range).

Wordy post OUT. And here's a man who looks after his locks.

L'OREAL VELVETY-SOFT TONER AND NOT-SO-MIRACULOUS CLEANSING OIL.

I'm a traitor. My much adored coconut oil is currently taking a back seat, because once again I've become a total sucker for OOOH SHINY NEW SKINCARE, and picked up these babies;

Why yes, it's the Miracle Cleansing Oil and Velvety-soft Toner from the L'Oreal Skin Perfection range! You know, just incase you couldn't see that from the picture. Or the post title. I picked the oil up on a whim and the toner on somewhat less of a whim after reading a review which described it as 'hydrating', so obviously I was all over that jazz. I find toners are generally either oh-so-stripping or just.. boring. 

So, what dey all about?

I have to say, I am not disappointed with the toner. I've been using a Clarins offering for some time now due to a continual gifting of it at Christmas and birthdays, but I've never really had any strong feelings about it. It's just plain okay. But this. THIS. 'Velvety' is most definitely the appropriate word, because sweeping this across my face was like.. er.. well, it was soft guys.

Like a baby's butt.
Like the fluffiest of puppies. 
Like actual velvet. 
This is the first time I've been genuinely sold on a toner. GREAT SUCCESS! It also a really lovely scent which is very reminiscent of suncream, which is (oddly) just one of my favourite smells of all time. As a bonus, Boots currently have 1/3 off on select L'Oreal skincare, so this cost me a bank breaking £2.66 (usually £3.99)!

Now, the Miracle Oil. I have significantly fewer feelings about this compared to the toner, but probably only because this doesn't really deliver anything new for me. I've been double cleansing with coconut oil and cleansing milk for some time now, and I'm very much sold on the ease of it (in terms of easily dissolving face grime - 'like dissolves like'), and the benefits it's had to my skin. The only flaw with coconut oil is the fact that it's solid at room temperature (though this probably depends on where in the world your room is, given its low melting point of 24°C), so the fact that this 'ere miracle oil is liquid and dispensed via a pump is pretty convenient. Of course, there are many oils out there that you can purchase and put in a pump dispenser yourself, probably for a vastly lower cost (as a side note, I would high suggest looking in to the oil cleansing method and/or double cleansing with oil, whatever your skin type. They're flexible routines which can suit anything from the super dry to the super oily, and can be incredibly beneficial for problematic skin).

But what's in this biz? Well, mineral oil mostly, AKA liquid paraffin AKA baby oil (minus the fragrance). Opinions are divided over mineral oil - I've read and understood enough of the chemistry to have no objections to putting it on my face however. The next ingredient on the bottle is 'caprylic/capric triglyceride', which is a specific (liquid) fraction of coconut oil. Yay, coconut oil! That's like, my favourite. As for the actual cleansing power of this combination - it's good! It dissolved my makeup effortlessly while leaving my skin feeling all super smooth. But this is nothing different from my usual coconut oil (albeit a slightly more convenient form), so I'll be unlikley to repurchase this - it'll probably be saved for when I'm travelling and lugging my industrial sized tub of oil is a little unreasonable. I picked this up for £5.33 in Boots, and it usually retails at £7.99.

I think I need a skincare no-buy. Alas, Escentual have up to 1/3 off French pharmacy brands for the whole of June, which means I'll very likely be stocking up on some La Roche-Posay and Avene, plus I'd reeeeally like to give the Nuxe Rêve de Miel lip balm a go. SHAME.