Review: The Body Shop Drops of Youth - Youth Essence Lotion

If you're a long term reader you will know how much we absolutely love The Body Shop Drops of Youth Range.

We've previously written about the range in general here and also the Youth Liquid Peel. Recently I saw the Youth Essence Lotion and couldn't resist picking it up in the recent winter deals.

The Body Shop Drops of Youth Range

Hey All

This is a post I've been meaning to write for a while, I first purchased items from this range almost a year ago. Prior to going Cruelty Free last year The Body Shop wasn't massively on my radar with the exception of the body butters. I've since realised I've been missing out on some amazing skincare!

Kiehls Nightly Refining Micro Peel Concentrate

Hello all!

I'm back with another Kiehls review today, this time it's a fairly new product called the 'Nightly Refining Micro Peel Concentrate'

I picked this up at the same time as my other purchases - the Midnight Recovery Concentrate, Daily Reviving Concentrate and the Creamy Eye Treatment - but it has taken a little longer for me to post about. Let me explain to you what it is.

Top 10 Products I Miss

Hello!

Today's post is a bit of a nostalgic one, I've been doing really well at saving money and using up my stash. I honestly have been doing so well at not buying things I feel like I might be ill!
It's been such a long time that I haven't bought anything essential that I was looking back and thinking of all the products that I would buy if I could....here's my Top 10 products that I miss:

Aura Manuka Honey Mask

Love this, need to repurchase to save my skin!

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser

Need to repurchase this too, this lovely cleanser not only makes my skin feel super clean but also it exfoliates my skin without any abrasiveness and leaves it feeling tip top.

Lush Ocean Salt Scrub

This is not only a facial scrub but also a body scrub, it smells DIVINE and to be honest just sniffing it is great but I felt like this wasn't rough on my skin at all. Not only that but the fact it is made up with completely natural ingredients just makes it that much better.

Viper Venom Wrinkle Fix

Me and M both love this serum - it sinks in super quick and doesn't leave a greasy residue. Not only this but I SWEAR my skin looked so much better after using this and my little wrinkles were much improved.

Origins Make A Difference Cream

Another favourite of mine, this rejuvenating treatment just seem to get rid of all spots, soothe dry skin and generally make my skin appear a lot healthier and happier. I try and buy Origins products in sets so that I can try out new things that they have brought out, I've only thought one of them was a bit hit and miss so it has always been worth it!

Benefit They're Real Mascara

This is quite possibly the best mascara, it manages to separate curl and volumise my seemingly poker straight lashes and although I begrudge paying out for it, it really is worth every penny! There's nothing like the brush to separate out every lash and give the full fan effect.

Macadamia Hair Repair Masque

For day to day, my hair is happy with Aussie 3 Minute Miracle - but this makes my hair feel like silk and it goes super shiny and manageable. It just makes life so much easier when your hair plays ball!

Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil

All of these seem to be skincare don't they?? Can we tell I maybe have an obsession....
I loved this oil, it was a dry kind of oil so absorbed right into my skin and didn't leave a greasy layer at all. I'd love to try the dry/combination skin version now that I'm a bit older and my skin needs more hydration than before.

Aesop Parsley Seed Serum

Sadly this was only a little bottle of serum that came in a Selfridge's Beauty Box a few years ago, I put off using it as I wasn't convinced but as soon as I began it was magical - I really want to save up and go for a spree in Selfridge's Beauty Hall again and this would be number one on the list!

Lush Solid Serum Full of Grace

A recent addition to my product experience. I picked it up in store and my hands felt amazing, I knew if my hands felt that good then my face would feel even more amazing! And I was right.
My skin feels like it's being fed every time I use it, it's a winner and it's made of lovely natural ingredients too, I have to confess I have actually picked one up since I wrote this post!

What's your favourite product that you miss? Do you like any of the products that I miss?

I should probably branch out from being so skincare obsessed....!

L xxx

Nip and Fab: No Needle Fix Serum

Hey All

Another joint post from us. After I found a great deal on Nip and Fab products in Debenhams last year L and I have been hooked and loved most of them. This is a product from the original haul but it's taken me a while to use it as I forgot about it in my stash.

We are both skincare fans and we're hoping that in the long run all the money we spend on skincare will be worth it and that ultimately prevention will be better than cure. As our skin at the moment is ok wrinkle wise (we're both starting to occasionally notice the fine lines on the forehead!) I find it hard in some ways to review skincare.

For me anything that leaves my skin feeling hydrated without greasy and sinks into the skin is usually a hit with me.

We got the No Needle Fix serum in a set as it was even cheaper that way. We'll be reviewing Frown Fix soon but it wasn't one we enjoyed so we wouldn't recommend the set. We love serums. At a Neal's Yard Remedy event we were told the importance of serum and it's stuck with me ever since. Moisturisers moisturise the layer of skin on the surface and serums work on skin cells below the surface.

As I have combination skin I love serums as they help replace some of the moisture my skin needs without making it greasy.

The Nip and Fab No Needle Fix serum has a light gel texture that easily sinks into the skin. I find I need more of this product than I normally need with a serum but my skin loves it and so far it's lasting well. Above you can see some of the key ingredients which help to improve the skins texture.

Since using this morning and night my skin has stayed clearer. It easily sinks into my skin and doesn't leave my skins feeling moisturised but not greasy. After a few weeks of using it my skin has been left feeling plump and healthy. It just looks better. One thing we love about Nip and Fab is the affordability. For this reason I think this will definitely be a repurchase and as L has tried other serums I'll be asking her recommendations and mixing it up. This has been a favourite serum so far.

M xxx

I have to agree with M that I love the serums that hydrate my skin without feeling heavy or greasy on my skin, the last thing I need is more grease!
Serums are really important to hydrate the skin at its lowest levels as moisturisers don't reach that far down. I've noticed a massive improvement in my skin since I've started using a serum and its my second most important product after a cleanser.

Using this serum both morning and night has hydrated my skin but not left a greasy layer on it, nor has it reacted and caused breakouts. For £14.95 this serum does a really good job, but I have found that the Dragon's Blood serum (review here) was better for my skin.

This product had a good effect on my skin but I just felt that the other serum was better. I'd repurchase this if the Dragon's Blood serum was sold out in shops, but if I had the choice of the two I'd pick the other.
This serum is quite thick, and sometimes it doesn't absorb as fast into my skin as some other thinner serums, and that's probably the only thing I can pinpoint that might be a downside to this product as it really does exactly what it should.

Have you tried many products from Nip and Fab?

I think between us we have tried almost everything! 

Do you have a favourite range or product from them?

I can recommend the Viper Venom, Glycolic and Dragon's Blood ranges, I've not met a product I didn't like from them!

L xxx

Lush Full of Grace Solid Serum

Good  morning!

Ever since we went to the Lush Spring and Mother's Day event at the beginning of the month (link here) I've been slathering this serum on my face.

Full of Grace is a solid serum, which at first confused and intrigued me, and then I tried it and it was love at first feel.

The serum contains murumuru butter, calamine powder, rose petal infusion, almond oil, rose oil and portobello mushrooms meaning its safe enough for even the most sensitive skins. This serum protects and calms the skin and controls greasiness so the serum can be used in the morning and evening without fear of getting a shiny face halfway through the day.

The solid serum is similar in shape and size to a massage bar but without the lumpy bits. I've been warming this in my hands after cleansing and then massaging it into my face and neck.

First things, it smells amazing. I'm not a lover of strong smells particularly sweet ones - they can actually give me a headache and make me feel sick. But even though this smells strongly of rose I really like it, it doesn't linger too long so that it is overpowering.

Secondly, my skin drinks this up so fast and feels super hydrated afterwards. Sometimes when I get in from work and take my make up off I apply a second layer of this as my skin just seems to love it. I often then don't apply a moisturiser too it depends how my skin feels as I don't want to overload it but it hasn't reacted in any negative ways.

I've been using this every day twice a day since I bought it at the beginning of the month and I absolutely love it, there isn't enough praise I can give it.
My skin can be so dehydrated sometimes that I found it was hard to do anything about but this solid serum is AMAZING! 

This serum comes in 20g bars which cost £8.25. I think this would last about 6 weeks with use twice a day, maybe longer. I'm going on the fact that I've used under half of it in 2 weeks. I'd say this was great value for money considering most serums cost so much more than £8 and this is composed of 100% natural ingredients. 

I'm now really annoyed with myself for not buying this sooner and I will DEFINITELY be going back for more. I'll need to use up some of my stash first but I know for sure this is perfect for my skin and my bank balance.

What else do you like from Lush? What else would you recommend?

My favourites so far apart from this is the Mask of Magnaminty and Ocean Salt Scrub.

L xxx

Nip and Fab Dragon's Blood Plumping Serum

I cannot BELIEVE there is only two weeks until Christmas Eve!
TWO WEEKS!!!

It's definitely getting to be a lot more Christmassy and festive now; I cannot wait for Christmas Day to come along with all of the food and festivities.

That aside I'm sure everyone has noticed that Nip and Fab have a fabulous new range out, this one dedicated to Dragon's Blood. This comes from a plant and has been used over many years for a variety of medicinal uses. I've really been enjoying using the Cleansing Pads from the same range and the serum was next on my list.

I picked this up during an introductory offer and then went back and picked up another. No wonder I'm in so much debt....!

The plumping serum is lightweight and sinks into my skin so quickly. My skin feels hydrated but not overloaded and I'm left with a lovely plump feeling like my skin has just had a facial.

I've mentioned many times before how I like Nip and Fab products and how the ranges are colour coded. This colour might be my favourite so far and the range is yet to disappoint me. I haven't picked up the mask yet but once I've used up other hydrating masks I will have to check it out as I've been impressed with the hydration of these products so far.

The pump is really sturdy and dispenses enough for half of my face and neck so 2 pumps is normally ideal. Another thing I like about this is that it is a 50ml bottle and this can mean it can be super expensive, most bottles can be 30ml meaning you don't get much for your money. This one however is £19.95 for the 50ml bottle and is a pretty good price considering what it contains. It has been on offer recently in a range of stores so keep your eye out as I got it for £13 which is even better!

I've never met a product from Nip and Fab that I haven't liked but the Dragon's Blood range seems to be pretty good to me and I'd recommend all that I've tried so far.

Have you tried any of the Dragon's Blood range? Are you a fan of Hyaluronic acid?

L xxx

Nip and Fab: Viper Venom Wrinkle Fix

Hey All

I'm currently sat in bed in massive amounts of pain after completing the Cardiff Half this morning so thought I'd share with you something L and I are currently loving while the other half slowly potters around tidying. A cheeky Chinese is on the way soon.

When I was browsing debenhams the other day I spied a lot of Nip + Fab stuff massively reduced. Que me immediately ringing L and seeing if she wanted some too. Most of it worked out about 75% off. So far from all we've tried we are big fans!

We are both skincare fans and have always tried to have a proper skincare regime and believe that prevention is better than cure. A serum is something I've been bad at using but been trying to recently after we went to a Neal's Yard Remedy evening and it was mentioned that serums are good to use pre moisturiser as they penetrate the skin and moisturise the under layers.

As you can see from the box the claims it offers. It claims to blur wrinkles and contain viper venom to help minimize the look of them. As my wrinkles are pretty non existent I can't comment on if the serum is helping them.

It's a clear gel like formula that sinks into the skin and leaves it feeling non greasy. My skin has approved of using this as of late and it hasn't broken me out in spots. My skin feels smoother and more hydrated from adding it too my routine.

It's also lasting pretty well. A little goes a long way! The viper venom and bee sting things always intrigued me with their claims of plumping abilities. I'm really glad I tried this one and will be repurchasing at full price!

Have you tired any of the viper venom range? I'm loving the Eye Fix.

Love M

xxx

Hello there!

As M has said, we're lovers of skincare (and pretty much every product really!) but prevention of wrinkles and the like is very important to us. Finding the perfect skincare that doesn't break you out but provides enough hydration and helps fight the signs of ageing is pretty exhausting to find. There's so many elements!

This Viper Venom serum instantly drew me in because of the name; I'm always attracted to Venom, Bees, Dragon's blood etc and I cannot wait to try the new range from Nip and Fab with Dragon's Blood in, how freaking cool. I've also heard lots about the Glycolic acid products too so will have to try them once I've worked my way through a few more things.

I always get a bit confused with the random names of the patented products in these but they are pretty cool. Liftonin Xpress smooths the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and Syn-ake is inspired from the venom of the Temple Viper which I assume has a positive effect on skin though it doesn't actually state what it does? Maybe it's the plumping effect.

I love the packaging design, monochrome with an acidic green accent always looks good and perfect for a snake inspired product. The tube is pretty sizeable and will be easy to squeeze out even the last drop.

I've been applying this morning and evening and have noticed a really good hydrating effect on my skin, it drinks it up almost straight away and doesn't leave a greasy residue at all so it's perfect in the morning before a long day and at night. I do find the base requires moisturiser after it as my skin can feel a bit weird otherwise but this isn't an issue for me as this is an additional step before my moisturiser anyway.

The nozzle also makes it easy to dispense the right amount of product and the tube allows you to know how much is left unlike pump style products.

I've been a fan of the results, fingers crossed it is preventing any lines and wrinkles from forming. I'm lucky that i don't have many yet...but I'm sure there are some lurking on my forehead ready to spring out as soon as I forget to apply some hydration!

We've been using this in conjunction with the rollerball Viper Venom Eye Fix which we will also be reviewing soon so check back if you're interested in the full range.


Have you tried many products from Nip and Fab? What's your favourite?

I have SO MUCH on my list!


L xxx

Origins Best Brighteners

Hi all!

I'm sure everyone knows by now but Origins are one of our favourite brands here at CSI and normally when purchasing something from them you can get a few sample size products to try.

Over Christmas when I bought a few things from John Lewis they were giving away miniature sets and so I chose the Best Brighteners set. There were a few on offer but I hadn't used the products in this set so I chose the brighteners.

I love all of the sets that Origins do but the packaging is always really cute and this one is no exception.

This set contains Dr Andrew Weil for Origins Mega Bright Skin Illuminating Cleanser, Skin Tone Correcting Serum and GinZing Eye Cream.

I've got so much love for their serums, they are so absorbent into my skin and leave it feeling so much more hydrated without overloading it at all.
I'd never tried this particular one before but it was really lovely and I would happily buy it in full size if it wasn't so expensive. That's my only problem with the serums from Origins, they're so pricey and although they do really work I just cannot justify it at the moment.

I can't really comment on its skin tone correcting properties due to it only being a 7ml sample but it was super hydrating and was a joy to use.

The cleanser was also a really lovely treat and it has now been moved to my gym bag so that I have a really nice cleanser for whenever I've done a good workout!
It's a thick white cleanser that feels really hydrating on your skin. It doesn't foam but turns to a white milk kind of consistency that make up then dissolves in. It feels really thick and luxurious and worked really well at getting my make up off. I can't say that it was particularly illuminating but my skin felt really clean and was a little brighter after use. I'd definitely buy this in the future as it felt so much of a treat.

The GinZing eye cream is a favourite product of mine and I have previously written about it here.

In short its hydrating, luminating and depuffing which is everything you could want in an eye cream really!

I love getting the opportunity to try products like this, this set was free with some purchases and it has been a great way to try products that I might not have bought otherwise. I now know that the serum is something I would love to purchase in the future (when I'm not poor!)

What's your favourite Origins product? Have you found a new favourite by trialling something that was free?

L xxx

Dr Organic Facial and Eye Serum

Goooooooooooood morning!

Hope the weather is treating you well today....i love the cold but I'm not a fan of the rain. Fingers crossed it will behave itself today!

Skincare is one of those things that I seem to have tonnes of, the amount of moisturiser and eye cream I have is quite ridiculous, but serums are something I'm always running out of. It's the same with cleansers, I obviously haven't overloaded my stash with these and sometimes find it hard to keep up with purchasing them.

Serums can be expensive so I'm always on the look out for an offer or products that are at a lower price without a compromise on effects.

Dr Organic are a company we have bought from many times before and having seen their products on offer in Holland and Barrett I thought I'd pick up some products and see how they fared.

First up is the Rose Otto Restoring Oil Facial Serum. It contains oil of rose damascena and is rich in polypeptides, phospholipids, antioxidants and omegas 3,6,and 9.

You can read the blurb on the back of the box below but essentially this serum contains a lot of different oils to create a super serum. I like that Dr Organic list their ingredients in their products and this is also on the back of the box:

Not sure I need to mention this but just in case, all Dr organic products are free from parabens, SLS, fragrances, harsh preservatives and artifical colours, this brand is definitely one to watch!

The Rose Otto serum has a list of regenerating and anti aging properties including optimising skin hydration, protecting with anti oxidants, reduces appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improves elasticity and firmness.

The bottle itself is very simple and just like a lot of their other products, in a frosted glass and with sturdy white plastic tops.
This serum is dispensed through the lid, there's a dropper in the lid and you press the button on top to collect and dispense the serum as you please. This took me a little while to figure out as I'd never seen anything like it before....maybe it was a blonde moment? But hopefully this will stop anyone else being confused...!

A lot of Dr Organic products (if not all) are BioActiv and formulated using organically certified and natural extracts. This is great as you know you're getting what you're paying for.

This serum is definitely more of an oil than other products that you'd typically call a serum. for this reason it's harder to 'layer up' products which is what I normally do. My normal routine is to apply a serum and then moisturiser, which I find is more difficult as this is more an oil.

However this serum applies really nicely to the skin. I find i need a few drops for my entire face and neck and this sinks in pretty easily. I prefer to use this in the evenings because using an oil in the morning normally spells trouble for my make up!

This serum is really hydrating and it has helped a lot with my dehydration issues.

This costs £12.29 for the 30ml bottle and is currently still on offer on the H&B website. It's also listed as a customer favourite and has been given 5 stars, obviously everyone agrees that its a great serum!

The Moroccan Argan Oil Instant Tightening Eye Serum was something I'd wanted to buy for a while and the offer gave me the perfect excuse.
I use a lot of eye creams and a serum was something I'd been considering because a serum adds more moisture before a moisturiser and shouldn't cause any problems with overloading my skin. 

My eyes are somewhere that I'd like to keep an eye on so to speak....I have a feeling that my genes will cause my eyes to wrinkle and go 'baggy' before anywhere else so I'm constantly trying to find products to freeze/prevent this.

Again the list of ingredients on the side of the box is reassuring as they're all chemicals that are natural.

The eye serum is a white lotion that dispenses out of a pump, one pump is enough for a generous application for one eye, if you're eye area is small then one pump is enough for both eyes, depends how much you want to slap on really!

I love that it has the anti aging printed in gold, such a sucker for a bit of sparkle ;)

I really love applying this, my eyes are so sensitive especially on weekends which is when I wear my contacts more often and for longer periods and this helps to keep my eyes more hydrated. Especially after lots of eye make up and false lashes!

The skin around my eye area is a lot more hydrated now and at £11.99 from H&B for 30ml I think this is great value and will last a really long time. I've been using mine for 2 months now and only 1/2cm has gone from the top of the bottle.

Another great couple of products from Dr Organic, I cannot wait to try more of theirs especially odd ones like the Snail Gel, can it really be as amazing?! I'm dying to find out!

What do you think of Dr Organic? Have you tried any of their products and have a few favourites?

Let me know!

L xxx