Seasonal Favourtie - Jergens Naturals

Sometimes in the flurry of trialing numerous products I forget to write about the ones I use on an every day basis. These staples may not be quite as exciting as the new releases and limited editions that catch my eye, but they are the tried and tested products that I really rely on and can wholeheartedly recommend.

One of these products is the Jergens Naturals range. I go through moisturising cream like nobody's business so as much as I love indulging in premium products it's just not sensible to slather myself in them every day. Jergens Naturals moisturisers have been an absolute must have for me this summer. They are so easy to apply as they soak in quickly and leave no greasy residue, while moisturing well and mainatining hydration throughout the day. Being 94% natural I have also found them to be very soothing (particularly the Aloe version with eucalyptus and cucumber) on both dry and sensitive skin.

My favourite of all the different 'flavours' is definitely the Cocoa Butter. It smells delicious in a sweet, but not overpowering way, and with extracts of cocoa butter, olive oil, oatmeal, avocado, jojoba seed, sunflower seed oil and vitamin E it is luxuriously moisturising without sitting heavily on the skin.

I'm also a fan of the simple packaging - no fiddling with pumps or balancing bottles upside down, the bendable tube and wide opening let you get every last drop of product with no wastage. It's perfect when applying in a hurry, especially if you're like me and after hiding your pale pins under tights for far too long realise that it's time to let them see the sun!

I was first introduced to the Jergens brand while shopping in the US, and subsequently was sent PR sampples to try. I am happy to report that Jergens Naturals are now also widely distributed in UK supermarkets and pharmacies (I have previously purchased them from Tesco's and Boots) so they are easy to get hold of and are often on offer. Currently, I have spotted them in Superdrug here at almost half price, making 200ml just £2.99.

Have you tries the Jergens Naturals range? What are your got to moisturisers?

Dr Jart Beauty Balm

I picked up my first beauty balm completely by accident while travelling in Thailand in 2005. I couldn't tell you the name, or even the brand as unfortunately I can't read Thai, but I thought it was such a great product and was disappointed when I couldn't find anything similar back in the UK. Six years later and the beauty world is all a flutter with BB creams, especially with Garnier launching their own version. Beauty Balms/ Blemish Balms or BB aim to combine a skincare regimen in one tube - they moisturise, protect, correct and cover in one step. I love multi-tasking products that can save time in my morning routine, so a cream that acts as my moisturiser, sunscreen, serum and foundation is definitely something to get excited about!

I had never heard of the Korean brand Dr Jart prior to their press release landing in my inbox, but after a quick browse through their website I was very much looking forward to sampling some of their products. I was sent two BB creams to try and have been testing them out over the last few months.

Dr Jart Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25 (50ml - $32) is made with 50% water to help hydrate the skin and maintain a dewy fresh look throughout the day. The oil-free formula is free of artificial fragrances, colours and is suitable for very sensitive skin. It also contains hyaluronic acid and sea water to increase the moisture content of the skin, as well as aloe and Portulaca Leracea to soothe, calm and banish redness.

The magic really happens when you begin to apply the cream! On first application small droplets of water appear on the surface and then become absorbed as you work the cream into the skin leaving behind a cooling, refreshing sensation. I have never seen a cream that works this way before and was a little perturbed the first time I used it! It does take a little extra effort to blend, but melts into the skin well and sets after a few minutes to leave behind a beautiful glow. It also has great coverage and lasts well on oily skin while still looking natural.

However, my personal favourite of the two is Dr Jart Premium Beauty Balm SPF 45 (40ml - $39). This BB comes with advanced brightening and anti-ageing properties in the form of a biopeptide complex that promotes natural collagen production and adenosine to improve elasticity and firm the skin.

I love the high SPF in this cream and used it as my moisturiser, sun protection and foundation every day while I was on holiday. It gives such beautiful, flawless, natural coverage and lasts well on the skin, even through the heat. Usually creams with high SPF can sit very heavily on the skin and have often caused me to break out, but I have had no such problems with this and was happy to see that it protected my skin and kept it hydrated throughout the day without making it oily.

I also really like the packaging with the 'upside down' pump dispenser that helps to get every last drop of product out. Though I only need one pump to cover my whole face, so I envisage the tube lasting for quite some time. This is definitely my must have product for the summer!

Dr Jart is currently available from Sephora as well as the Dr Jart website. Have you tried any Dr Jart products? Are you a fan of BB creams?

Eucerin AQUAporin Active Review

Eucerin is a brand I'm not too familiar with, but have always seen mentioned in various magazines and recommended by MUAs, so I was interested in trying out some of their products. Having a quick browse through their website I was impressed to see that Eucerin is heavily involved in research, with over 650 international international scientists carrying out dermatological research in their newly opened centre in Hamburg.

Eucerin's new  AQUAporin Active Range was inspired by a Nobel Prize-winning discovery - *aqua porins* are proteins that sit in the cell membrane forming channels that allow water to pass into and out of the cell... no googling there - I knew that Science degree would come in handy one day ;). Therefore, to increase skin's hydration the Eucerin AQUAporin Active range aims to support the skin's aquaporin production.Unlike many other creams targeted at specifically dry skin  this range tries to restore the moisture levels of dehydrated skin. Any 'type' of skin (whether normal, oily, sensitive, or dry) can become dehydrated when faced with the elements!

Havings spent years delving through mountains of scientific papers in order to prove any hypotheses I had I am always keen to see the results of trials. Studies of the Eucerin AQUAporin Active range show that in people aged 19-60 years, half of whom had sensitive skin, there was an immediate and a long-term impact on the skin's moisture content. After the initial 24 hours, more than 90% said there had been an instant and remarkable moisturisation within the skin. After the initial week, more than 96% said their skin was protected from drying out. Three days after the last application, more than 93% felt their skin was still thoroughly moisturised. Sounds pretty compelling, but did it work for me?

As I only had a week to test out the range I decided to split the work load and offer some to a colleague who suffers with dry skin. As I have pretty oily skin that is also sensitive I felt that between the two of us we had most bases covered.

She used the Eucerin AQUAporin ACTIVE  Moisturising Cream Rich (£13.27) for dry and sensitive skin. She was initially worried that it may be a little too thick, but was pleasantly surprised by the light consistency and how easily it absorbed into the skin. The whole range is noncomedogenic and works well as a makeup base as it doesn't 'sit' on the skin. She assured me that she would repurchase as she felt it made her skin much soother and softer and soothed any problematic dry patches. She gave it an 8/10, and only because she felt that the effects didn't last all the way through to the end of a long working day.

Meanwhile I was testing out the Eucerin AQUAporin ACTIVE Moisturising Cream Light for normal to combination skin (£13.27). I liked the smooth and light texture of the cream and thought it worked perfectly in the morning as it sunk in quickly ready for me to apply my makeup almost straight away. The cream has a faint scent that I can only describe as 'clean'. As my skin is naturally quite oily it doesn't often look or feel particularly dehydrated, though at times when I have had my skin analysed it has shown up as a little on the dehydrated side.

As I have just spent the last week on holiday in Turkey I had the perfect opportunity to also test out the Eucerin AQUA Porin Active Moisturising Cream SPF15 (£13.27). This cream is a little heavier, but still relatively light and in no way greasy. I am often wary of creams wih SPF as sometimes they can be too heavy on my skin and even cause blocked pores and blemishes. Luckily, this cream didn't cause me any problems and worked well to shield my skin from the harmful rays, as well as retain moisture.

Overall I have really enjoyed trying out Eucerin's new range and look forward to learning more about this brand in the future. Have you tried any Eucerin products? Do you suffer from dehydrated skin? Are you interested in trying out this new range?

* This is a sponsored review. As always all opinions are my own.*

New Body Butter Duos from The Body Shop

Whether maneuvering bottles to fit on to the bathroom shelf or packing for a long awaited holiday every girlie girl knows multi-purpose products can be a great space and penny saver. I have so many lotions and potions around the house that storage is becoming a little bit of a nightmare - day cream, night cream, a moisturiser that matches my perfume, hand cream, body butters, a lotion for my legs to prevent hair growth, a rich cream that I use overnight for my feet, a moisturiser with a hint of tan... the list goes on, but unfortunately my suitcase can't stretch to accommodate all of these! Never let it be said that we girls are high maintenance ;).

Being a big fan of Body Butters I was therefore excited to see that The Body Shop were launching a new range of Body Butter Duos in sweet pea, vanilla, macadamia and floral acai (£10 each)  - twin pots containing two types of moisturiser: a light cream for where skin needs less hydration and a rich cream for drier areas.

I was kindly sent the Macadamia Duo, which contains Macadamia extract, Community Fair Trade shea butter, cocoa butter, soya oil, brazil nut oil, organic babassu oil and beeswax. Both butters have a deliciously sweet and nutty fragrance that lasts well on the skin. This duo came with me for a week to beautiful Italy and was put through its paces soothing skin after too much sun, swim and a little bit of gym ;). The lighter side (on the right in photo above) was perfect to apply after a shower or as a hand cream - sinking into the skin quickly without leaving any oily residue, while the thicker cream (on the left) was great as an 'after sun', on drier areas such as elbows, knees and feet, on legs after shaving, or just to prolong a tan.

Fantastic idea, and a great space saver in your suitcase, these body butters are perfect to take on holiday, or just to make more room on your bedside table. I already have the sweet pea scent on my shopping list for when the macadamia runs out ;). Have you tried the new body butter duos? What are your favourite multi-purpose products for the Summer? xxx

Witch Anti-blemish Cosmetics

Recently I took part in the ultimate skincare challenge - a fun filled week of activities designed to test Witch's new anti-blemish cosmetic range. I am a long time fan of Witch products, having used their witch hazel oil control foaming face wash religiously throughout my teens, so I was excited to see what their new cosmetics had in store!

As someone who has oily skin will tell you - makeup and oils do not mix too well. I have always had oily/combination sensitive skin, and despite now peeking into my mid twenties (I'm 24.. gasp!) I still have the skin of a spotty teenager - unpredictable! Witch hazel is a fantastic ingredient that has always worked well for me as it is astringent (tightens the skin), hemostatic (reduces blood loss/ inflammation) and contains a range of antioxidants.

The cosmetic range aims to still deliver all the benefits of witch hazel skincare in makeup. I think this is a brilliant idea, especially as there is growing concern over the various ingredients used in cosmetics. If you put effort into your skincare routine, why not extend it into your beauty regime and make sure that all the products you use not only make your skin look good by covering imperfections, but also targeting the problems?

So to thoroughly test the new range we embarked on a week of challenges. On day one we met up for some drinks, nibbles and introductions to our fellow bloggers, the Witch team and of course the range.  We were also colour matched - no surprises there, tinted moisturiser in No.1 light for me! However, I was impressed to see that the translucent pressed powder worked well on all skin tones without casting a white veil.

On the second night the girlies had a shopping experience, to test how the makeup would stand up under bright lights and the pressure of Oxford street's Primark. As I was in Paris for work I wasn't able to witness the madness for myself ;).

On Wednesday night we embarked on the biggest challenge of all - a dance class at Pineapple studios! If our makeup could last an hour of (perfectly) synchronized Gilrs Aloud routines it wouldn't fail us on a night out.

I chose to wear the Skin Clearing Primer under my usual foundation and was happy to see that after more than a little perspiration it was holding up well as the curtain fell ;). Those wearing the tinted moisturiser were impressed how well it had lasted too.

On Thursday we had a jazz filled night at Ronnie Scott’s, in the heart of Soho. The lights were low, the music was loud, but we still managed to fill the room with our makeup chit-chatter.

Friday came all too quickly, and while I was attending my best friend's 25th the girlies were feasting on Byron burgers - I was more than a little jealous! Our pick of the top Witch products in this new line were the primer and the concealer (which is currently residing in my bag).

Of course it wouldn't be much of a challenge if my lovely readers were not able to take part and test the cosmetics for themselves, so in my next post I will be giving away 20 sets (!!!) of products from the new anti-blemish range!

To learn more about Witch's new cosmetic range you can visit their website here. Do have a look at the 'witch challenge' section to see more photos and information about our escapades!

Have you ever tried Witch products? What are your thoughts on anti-blemish makeup? xxx