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- In place of AM cleansing - If you have thoroughly removed all makeup the night before there isn't much benefit to washing your skin in the morning other than removing excess oil. So my favourite lazy but adequate way to gently sweep away any skin debris and wake up sleepy skin is to sprinkle the skin tonic onto one of Liz Earle's silky soft reusable facial pads and lightly wipe over the t-zone and eyes.
- After cleansing - This would be the most obvious way to use a toner; after cleansing and before the rest of your evening skincare. I personally love to use the skin tonic in this way as I'm someone that puts the feeling of removing makeup on par with whipping off my bra at the end of the day. So that feeling of clean, refreshed skin after using the skin tonic is just blissful to me. Also using Instant Boost Skin Tonic straight after cleansing ensures no cleanser residue is left on the skin to block pores.
- As a spritz in summer - Instant Boost Skin Tonic sprinkled on a reusable facial pad is pretty refreshing however decanting a little into a travel spray bottle and keeping it in the fridge to use on hot days is a whole other experience. Using micellar water or splashing your face with water may be tempting when your skin is feeling hot or parched but it can leave it feeling drier so using this skin tonic simply solves this and makes the skin feel much cooler.
- DIY hydrating cool mask - Whether you have spent too long in the sun or your skin is simply feeling tired and dehydrated a cooling sheet mask of Instant Boost Skin Tonic will have you feeling refreshed and soothed in under 5 minutes. While you can buy compressed cotton sheet masks to soak in a little skin tonic I much prefer re-using an old muslin cloth (cutting out holes for the eyes, nose and month is optional as the material is light and breathable) and once soaked and rung out place onto the face or chest for instant relief. If you are a fan of Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic I urge you to try it in this way - there will be no going back to regular sheet masks!
AD - This post is in conjunction with Boots UK but all thoughts are my own.
With the days getting longer and mornings becoming lighter, it can only mean one thing - Spring is upon us. And with a change of season, inevitably comes a change of wardrobe, but what about skincare? Do you actively change up your skincare routine for the shift to hopefully warmer, sunnier weather? For some, this may be a simple change to a higher factor facial sun cream but a simple refresh of your entire skincare routine can be what it takes to dust off the cobwebs to hydrated glowing skin.
While your skin may require lighter products in the warmer months of the year it can also need more hydration and thankfully I've come across just the product! Along with a perfect no-shine factor 50 sun cream that truly cannot be felt on the skin as well as possibly the best moisturiser I believe all skin types will love.
Carry on reading if you are ready for a Spring skincare routine shake-up that your skin will thank you for!
AD - This is a paid blog post however all thoughts and opinions are my own.
When it comes to skincare you could say I’m a bit of a fan. My passion for skincare started over a decade ago when I ditched the face wipes and discovered how transformative double cleansing can be for the skin.
One of the first really effective cleansers I ever tried was, you guessed it, Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, in fact, thanks to blogging and a quick search I know that was over 11 years ago! Since then I’m never without Cleanse & Polish in my bathroom cabinet, be it the original or a limited edition scent which I always enjoy.
As Liz Earle is currently celebrating the cult Hot Cloth Cleanser with an amazing 25% discount off the entire range (right here) I thought it was time I took a deep dive into the scents Cleanse & Polish now have to offer to discover not only new favourites but to serve as a kind of guide to which cleanser scent you may favour.
Why is Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish a Cult Classic?
With over 130 awards (and counting!) it's safe to say the Cleanse & Polish is loved by the beauty industry. For me and many others, it's a true skincare staple and often one of the first seriously good cleansers we tried.
Created over 25 years ago, the iconic Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser is one of the best ways to show your skin some love. The rich cream formula not only feels luxurious as it melts away even the most stubborn waterproof makeup but with the additional muslin cloth, exfoliates away dead skin cells and excess grime, leaving the skin clean, hydrated and exfoliated - all in one step.
Cleanse & Polish is also a joy to use. I find myself using it more as a 2nd cleansing product in the evening as it simply feels soothing to the skin and whichever scent I use the formula never fails to make my skin feel fresh and perfectly clean.
Click here to get 25% off Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish!
Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser Scent Range
Over the years Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser has grown from the original scent to include countless limited-edition versions and new scents. While I used the original version for years I've always loved buying a limited edition pump or tube as it makes using this cream cleanser even nicer. Discover the full scent range along with my thoughts below!
The Original
The main noticeable scent in the Original Cleanse & Polish Cleanser is eucalyptus which is strong, energising and zingy. For me, this has a fresh menthol scent that leaves the face feeling fresh and awake. This is really nice if you love your skin to feel extra clean and fresh. A good staple to use both morning and night for this reason.
Bergamot & Juniper
If you are looking for a fresh Spring type scent from your cleanser then look no further than this. I instantly get the smell of bergamot with this which is light, fresh and grassy. Simply really uplifting and pleasant.
Rose & Lavender: Relaxing Edition
It's not often you come across a lavender-scented cleanser, which is a shame as lavender not only is a lovely ingredient in skincare but smells wonderfully relaxing when used in the evening. So as you can expect this smells soothing and relaxing. The rose in this is subtle but it brings down the natural lavender aroma to make it calming and while it’s still a powerful scent it feels perfect for an evening routine. A truly lovely scent.
Patchouli & Vetiver
If you are looking for a fresh but natural scent then this is the one for you. I’ll be honest, I’m not sure what patchouli smells like but can say this has a fresh cut meadow type aroma. Think freshly cut grass and wild meadow flowers. In fact, this aroma transported me back to a few coastal summer holidays. Again, another cleanser that's perfect for spring and into summer. One to use in the morning to feel awake and fresh.
Bourbon Vanilla & Clove Bud
I had a feeling I would love this scent just by the sound of bourbon vanilla. If I’m being totally honest this is what a lot of women would want a male fragrance to smell like. It’s rich, addictive and sexy without being overpowering. The clove bud combined with the smokey warm vanilla scent is simply perfect. This easily could be a unisex product that you share with your spouse/partner. I’m in love! If Liz Earle created a body care range in this scent I would be the first to buy it. Just dreamy!
Grapefruit & Patchouli
This is a similar scent to Patchouli & Vetiver, with a slight zing from the grapefruit. Again a very fresh, uplifting scent that instantly takes me to spring. The grapefruit and patchouli together almost brings me back to the original scent with eucalyptus, but a toned-down fresher version. While this isn’t my favourite it’s still a lovely fresh scent.
Natural Neroli
Out of all the scents in the Cleanse & Polish range, I think this one surprised me the most as it’s such a unique scent that has a luxurious fragrance-like quality to it. Natural Neroli has bitter orange and green notes for me, that gives strong Mediterranean vibes. While subtle there is a sharpness to it with the citrus note which I really love. Again, this is a scent I could see translating well into a body cream or fragrance as it’s just so fresh and addictive to smell. This is without a doubt the cleanser I’d pick up most in summer, both evening and night.
If you love the sound of any of these scents, remember there's currently 25% off Cleanse & Polish range until midnight on the 23rd December. Following this, you can find 20% off in the Liz Earle Winter sale until 5th January - all with free delivery!
Fee xo.
AD - This is a paid blog post however all thoughts and opinions are my own.
When it comes to skincare I like to keep it simple and truly believe most skin types can benefit from a paired back routine that works for their skin. This is why I was interested to try out the new Liz Earle Pro-Biotic Balancing range that works on all skin types and consists of only three products, a milk cleanser, day cream and night cream.
Liz Earle has always taken a simple yet effective approach to skincare, which is evident in cult classics such as the Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser and Eyebright Soothing Eye Cleanser. But their step into Probiotic skincare is something new and exciting!
Before getting into the range and my own thoughts on it (spoiler: the collection of three products has been so good for my skin!), it's important to understand the role of probiotics on the skin and why they can help a whole range of skincare issues, along with being suitable for all skin types.
This is paid for advertisement with Very.co.uk
With Autumn soon upon us now feels the right time to reassess my skincare routine; switching up products for new ones to better suit my skin needs as the weather turns colder.
Much like a change of wardrobe to suit a new season I truly believe our skin requires the same attention to detail. I personally find my own skin, which is on the oily side during summer, becomes dehydrated without a solid skincare routine in place. Below you will find exactly how I’ve been tailoring my skincare routine for the upcoming weather with the help of some wonderful season-appropriate skincare products from Very, along with some practical tips on how you can keep skin changes due to the colder weather at bay.
I often think the true measure of a good beauty product is if you continuously repurchase it. It’s a little harder with makeup products as they often take years to even ‘hit pan’ with, let alone fully use up. But with skincare, if you are using them daily, there’s the chance you may repurchase them several times within a year.
This is why I thought it was worth sharing the skincare products I cannot be without and repurchase without fail.
Unfortunately, there are a few categories I can’t cover such as face masks and cleansers as I have quite a wide range of choices so I like to rotate them, meaning it’s very rare I will come to the end of a product. However, there are still a lot of products I don’t own a bathroom cabinets worth of that I get through pretty regularly, for example, daily moisturiser and makeup remover.
These to me as the most solid product recommendations I can give as they have stood the test of time and as long as they are a fit for your own skin types I don’t see why you wouldn’t love them just as much! I really hope you find some gems here especially as most products here are on a budget and can be easily picked up.
For the past year, if and when I could get away with it, my everyday makeup consisted of a dab of concealer and a swipe of lipstick. The reality was there wasn't a lot of point in me wearing makeup for a few reasons - working from home, 50% of my face was frequently covered by a face mask and the small fact of having a nonexistent social life. I’m sure you can relate!
Oh, and the one time I used Zoom it was for a physiotherapy video call - worthy of going full glam, I think not.
And while the ongoing 'situation' (the one I'm trying not to refer to) hasn't greatly changed, I think quite a lot of us are now getting back to a semi-normal way of living. Especially when it comes to being around others for more than 30-minutes while doing the weekly food shop.
This has meant I’ve begrudgingly started to wear more makeup. At first, it felt alien, I forgot how to apply a steady line of liquid eyeliner and there have been a few occasions I've been overzealous with bronzer and foundation that I've had to wipe it off and start all over again... I wish I was joking!
But then something happened, I began to enjoy applying and wearing makeup again - woohoo! The old me was back! Okay, that's a tad dramatic, but life feeling indifferent to makeup wasn't for me. It just felt a little bland.
So of course once I got the bug there was no stopping me. Yes, I could have simply re-discovered old favourites but I wanted new fresh feeling products to try out to quench my thirst for makeup again. This is where the post starts and I stop telling you the most obvious and tedious story you've ever had to read.
Cue the makeup brands I've loved buying from and using in the past six months that have contributed to the reason I returned to beauty blogging.
RELATED POST: Why I Returned to Blogging
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While it would be easy to drop a list of skin care products into a blog post and tell you how amazingly well they worked for me and therefore you should maybe give them a try, the reality is we are all becoming more savvy spenders by the day.
From using up products we own before buying more, to no-spend goals and of course opting for skincare dupes to save a little hard-earned money; I think it's safe to say the days of makeup and skincare hauls are over.
So with this very much in mind, I wanted to share one of the hottest skincare tips with you that really is foolproof for all skincare type and doesn't cost a dime!
Aldi is fast becoming my go-to for new makeup and skincare. It rivals quite a few larger beauty brands and it's very budget-friendly!
So I thought I'd talk through the newest Lacura launches as they have just dropped a new all-vegan range with prices starting from £1.99.
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Today I want to talk about dry, sensitive skin, as this is maybe one of the most challenging skin types to control. Both having their own unique needs and concerns that need addressing in order to have healthy, balanced skin.
With a little know-how and the right products on your side, you can care for your dry, sensitive skin, hence how this blog post came to be. Below you will find 10 things everyone with this skin type should know with little tips and tricks here and there.
By the time you get into your 30s you may be seeing a very different set of 'issues' to the previous decade. From sunspots to fine lines and even a shift in skin texture and skin type. And without sounding too much like a Debbie Downer, the skin simply doesn't repair itself as quickly or as effectively past a certain age.
So if there was ever a time to care about what you put onto your skin it's now! The first step and something that can have a huge impact on how the skin feels, looks and ages is cleansing. Not simply removing makeup before bed but effectively cleansing to keep it clean, hydrated and youthful. Below I have cleanser recommendations for all different skin needs for both morning and evening cleansing ideal for anyone in their 30s and beyond.
This post contains PR samples and affiliate links.
There was a period of time where I truly believed the more you spent on skincare the better your skin would be. Then I realised, while products with good ingredients do help, the main focus should always lay with thoroughly cleansing the skin and having a skincare routine that suits your skin and is maintainable.
This is why I'm now included a lot more budget skincare finds into my routine. I mean, why not! They work, and it saves me money. That's the thing, isn't it? It's amazing finding premium skincare products work wonders but then you realise you are applying them daily and will have to repurchase them over and over if you want to keep your skin looking and feeling as good.
So while I do have a few more pricey skincare favourites in my routine, I'm very much focused on seeking out good budget skincare that doesn't break the bank, and trust me, it's out there! Below I have four amazing skincare products priced at no more than £10 that I've simply been so impressed with lately.
This post contains affiliate links and PR products
With the rise of liquid exfoliators (think the likes of Pixi Glow Tonic & Alpha-H Liquid Gold) there doesn't seem much room for the good old physical exfoliator anymore. But once there was and there's nothing like the physical act of massaging a grainy facial scrub over the skin for instantly smooth and buffed results.
I know while I like the effects of using an AHA-based toner at night, I kind of love the above mentioned instant gratification of a good face scrub but know now what feels like a good scrub and what is a good scrub for the skin are two different things. That's why I wanted to share a range of reliable facial exfoliators all with different 'intensities' that won't tear/damage the skin.
I don't know about you but when summer rolls around I find myself wanting every new beauty launch however much makeup I already own!
But reality says otherwise, which means if I want to add to my already bursting makeup bag I need to seek out high quality but low priced products that I'm sure I will use. Below is just that, a line up of new summer launches that I've already been loving, perfect for a guilt-free spend.
Over the past year the beauty and skincare range that is Lacura at Aldi has gone from strength to strength, expanding both their beauty & skincare ranges and coming out with many an exciting Special Buy that often sells out.
Known for their dupes Aldi launched Lacura Purifying Pink Clay Mask back in September 2018 (£5.99) to rival Sand&Sky Purifying Pink Clay Mask (£39.00), going on to bring out a matching pink clay scrub and pink clay hot cloth cleanser. This is a range you can still pick up in store (it can be hit & miss on stock levels) or buy online (links below) and as I've tried everything I thought it would be good to give an overview! Below you will find out my own thoughts, plus what is worth picking up from the range!
The other day while mentioned Pixi Wakeup Mist in this summer essentials blog post, I realised how much I enjoy a beauty mist. Whether it's glow enhancing, a setting spray, to cool down or even to keep blemishes at bay, I have a lot of mists that I LOVE!
That said a lot of mists don't offer that much so today I thought I would point you in the direction of ones that do deliver on what they say and are the best of the best I've come across so far!
This post contains gifted items and affiliate links.
Ever considered using certain products before bed so they work more efficiently? No, me neither, until I heard that you should apply dry shampoo before going to bed to wake up with grease-free locks come the morning. It makes sense!
But there are more products that work in a similar way, getting to work as you sleep so their job is done on rising, working even better than you had hoped and saving time in the morning. Genius!
Occasional hot days and week-long heat waves are on the horizon and with those kinds of days, I feel different products are necessary. From staple facial high SPF sunscreens to refreshing mists to hydrate throughout the day and of course handbag extras that will tackle midday face shine.
The other day while doing my skincare routine I started wondering about how effective skincare products are. Does clear, smooth skin come from good cleansing and/or can skin care products really deliver that too?
So today I thought I'd ask the question of what is your most effective skin care product?
Only 8 months ago Revolution Skincare launched, since then it’s become a rival for The Ordinary and most inexpensive skincare brands.
From serums to moisturiser the skincare sister brand to Makeup Revolution has been missing one thing - face masks.
Until now that is!