Nip and Fab Dragon's Blood Fix Cleansing Pads

Hey there!

My oh my isn't it getting cold and wintery! I could do with having some gloves on as I'm typing this, my fingers are quite cold. I've successfully made the transition from summer pj's to winter ones and am fully embracing my onesies, slipper socks and dressing gowns again. It's my favourite time of year and i love being snuggly and warm!

After my recent skin care issues (I had an allergic reaction for an unknown reason that lasted a good 2 months) I've been a bit careful with my products. I went back to basics and tried to reintroduce items slowly to see if they were the cause of it but alas I am yet to find what it was.

One product that I was keen to try but had to wait (impatiently) was the Dragon's Blood Fix Cleansing Pads, of which I had heard lots of good things about and wanted in my life.

I was fortunate to buy them when they were on offer so only cost me around £6.60 which I thought was pretty good value for money. The cleansing pads contain hyaluronic acid for additional hydration, salicylic acid to help cleanse pores and dragon's blood for comfort and restoration of skin against environmental factors.

You're probably thinking what the hell is dragon's blood?! Isn't this taking the Game of Thrones obsession a bit too far?!
It's actually from a plant (no dragons were therefore harmed in the making of these products....) called Croton Lechleri and is used in many skincare products as well as for a dye, gastrointestinal medication and as well as a potential cancer drug.

Science lesson aside, the pot contains 60 pads for use twice a day so roughly a months worth from each pot.

I use the cleansing pad after having cleansed my face separately. I would imagine using these to remove make up would be a tad pointless and there's no way you'd get the benefits. I have to say I've used similar products before that were useless and honestly I didn't think these would be up to much.

I was quite surprised to find that i like them and that they seem to have a positive effect on my skin.

My skin has felt more hydrated and therefore plumped up, as well as having a clearer complexion. I'm not sure how much these help pores as I don't really have any to compare the before and after but I would definitely recommend these.

For me, this has been one of those products that I'm not really sure what they do but they've had a positive effect on my facial skin and so I can't really write a bad word about them!

Currently on offer at Boots for £6.60 ish they are normally just under £10. If it's anything to go by I've already bought another pot for the future as I couldn't resist an offer like that!

Have you tried the Dragon's Blood Fix range? What did you think? Have you used similar cleansing pads like these before?

L xxx

Review: Origins Zero Oil Toner

Morning sweet cheeks!

What a cringe way to start a post eh? Ha i couldn't resist, it's the festive spirit taking over.

Are you a fan of toners? I used to be until i read that most contain too much alcohol (when I was about 15) and so I stopped using them. Over the past few years though I still seem to buy them and in all honesty i was a bit baffled, why was I buying them and not using them?!

I picked up the Origins Zero Oil toner when my skin was super oily, which seemingly changed overnight and ever since my skin has had it's oily t-zone but been too dehydrated and temperamental for me to even think about using this toner and so it was confined to the back of my desk drawers.

Recently though my skin has stopped being so sensitive and I still have that oily t-zone so I decided it was time to get it out and give it a go or donate it to someone who could actually use it.

Origins Zero Oil Pore Purifying Toner contains saw palmetto and mint to combat oil production, salicylic acid to aid exfoliation and blocked pores, aloe leaf juice and glycerin to help with redness and a whole load of essential oils.

I apply this in the mornings with a cotton wool pad and concentrate on my t-zone with a quick swipe over the rest of my face.

It feels really cool and refreshing and definitely helps to mattify my skin ready for moisturiser. It doesn't feel like it has stripped my skin like other strong toners have done in the past and I was generally surprised how much I have liked using it and have actually been getting through it rather quickly!

I love that it contains salicylic acid, it's one of my favourite products for skincare because it has never reacted badly with my skin and has so many good effects especially in terms of exfoliation.

I've been surprised at how well this toner has worked and it's changed my opinions on them, maybe some of them really do work!

Which is your favourite toner? Do you use any of the Origins toners?

The Zero Oil toner can be bought online or in store for £18 for 150ml.

L xxx

Review: Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser

Murad have been a brand that we both have heard lots about.

We regularly tweet with them and love reading their quotes from Dr Murad about 'treating yourself like royalty' and in particular their snippets of info about different foods and plants that are great for your skin.

We were recently contacted by them about trying their AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser*.

The website says:

What does it do for you?

Polish away surface oil and locked-in impurities to improve brightness and clarity. Reveal a youthful you!

The Science behind the Results

Salicylic, Lactic and Glycolic Acids – This trio of acids provides clarity, brightness and improves cell-turnover by dissolving dead skin cell build up and revealing a radiant complexion.

Jojoba Beads – Gently polishes, exfoliates and smoothes skin while boosting hydration.

You are supposed to use this cleanser 2/3 times a week as well as your normal cleanser for the acids and exfoliating beads to work and the reviews on their website give it a 4.9/5.

I've been using this constantly for the past 4/5 weeks. I cleanse my skin with my usual cleanser and then use this afterwards 2/3 times a week.
It's so easy to use and the jelly like feel of the cleanser glides onto your skin really easily without irritating it. The beads in the cleanser can only be described as feeling like powder more than an exfoliator, they're so gentle on your skin that you can barely feel any kind of exfoliation or scrubbing like you would have imagined.

I usually apply this to a wet face and then gently massage it in circles. I've found that this is the best way to get the optimum results from the beads and also the acids, which really do seem to dissolve the skin cells without any negative effects to the skin.

I've seen a difference in my skin from using this, and I absolutely love it! This is so gentle but gives me glowing fresh looking skin without any side effects whatsoever.
It has evened out my skin tone, helped to combat some of the scarring on my face from some acne I had before Christmas and helped to keep more blemishes at bay.
When I noticed this and had a fresh load of spots appear, I did use the cleanser on my face for 3/4 days in a row to help and it greatly helped to clear my skin though I wouldn't recommend doing this for long term.

The 200ml tube comes in at a costly £34 which initially I was wary of, but having used it consistently for over a month and knowing there is no difference compared to the picture above, I think this is worth every penny.
I'm massively impressed with the results from this product and would 100% recommend it to anyone looking to improve their skin tone and get a glow.

L xxx

I've tried Murad a few times as I had a few samples of it. I've loved the cleansers I'd previously tried so was excited to try this. I'm a big fan of exfoliators, having naturally oily skin I find exfoliators really help to improve my skin.

This really didn't disappoint. It's not like a facial exfoliator I've tried before. It's almost got a slight jelly texture to it. It buffs into the skin really softly and isn't a rough. The beads in it are small but still feel like your skin is getting a good deep clean. I also love that a little of it goes a long way. It is quite pricey but I've been using it 3 times a week for a month now and there isn't much more gone than the photo shows so you are really going to get your money's worth from this as it'll last a long time.

After use my skin feels smoother and so soft. My spots have improved (except for the odd hormone one) and they seem to heal quicker if I use this when I sense a breakout coming. Having acid based ingredients in it, it really helps improve skin tone. I've noticed an improvement in the skin condition. My cheeks certainly look a lot better. I can't wait to use it more and get even better results.

Once I've worked my way through my stash of cleansers I'll definitely be ordering some more Murad skin care!

Love M

xxx