Skin Care Affair Part 2

I first posted this in January. Since then I have tried many new skin care products so I decided to update the post.

I have spent more than 30 years looking for 'the one' and during that time I have had dalliances with budget skin care,  flirted with high end products and I've had a few long term relationships but 'the one' is still eluding me.  Am I too fussy?  Are my expectations too high?  Am I  commitment phobic?  Or am I just a skincare slut?

I was a skin care virgin until I was 15 years old, I remember my first encounter like it was yesterday, the white and blue bottle of Anne French Cleansing Milk seemed so sophisticated and grown up, I thought we would be together forever but our relationship was over within a few months. I then met Johnsons Baby Lotion, we stayed together until I was in my late teens as this removed make up and moisturised.  When I started buying grown up magazines I discovered I could do much better for myself and dumped Johnsons for Clearasil, our breakup was not as painful as the breakout this product caused.

I then moved to Germany for 7 years and had several relationships with products whose names I couldn't pronounce, sadly none of them lasted more than a few months.  I moved back to the UK and got back with Johnsons for a while but again this didn't last, although I must confess we still have the occasional one night stand!!  Then Glamour magazine was launched and changed my life, I discovered Clinique and Clarins and on occasions I was seeing both at the same time, sadly neither of them could truly satisfy me and although I was happy for a while I just couldn't commit myself to either.  I watched the launch of Liz Earle on QVC and thought that's it, that's 'the one', I loved all of the products immediately and we were together for a couple of years, but I was lured away by Decleor and Gatineau, although Cleanse & Polish still pops in and out of my life.

I then trained as a beauty therapist, this was a revelation for me, it opened up a whole new world of relationship opportunities.  The first salon I worked at used Espa products, I was in heaven, this range treated me very well and when I left that salon I was heartbroken at first but then I was introduced to Elemis, I thought I had found my soul mate at last, I thought this is 'the one'. We had 2 very happy years together, then disaster struck, I became an air hostess and my skin care affairs went international!  I had liaisons with Korres, Estee Lauder, Kiehls, Chanel, Molton Brown, Prevage, Ren, Biotherm, and Bliss to name but a few, but I loved and left each and every one of them. I then entered the world of blogging, oh my, I was in skin care heaven, so many products, so little time. I have had encounters with so many brands in the last 6 months and this has fuelled my inability to remain faithful. I have been lucky enough to try some fabulous brands of skin care that otherwise may have slipped under my radar had it not been for my blog. One of the brands that has a special place in my heart is Pai, this brand will always be waiting for me when I have been let down by a product that promises everything and delivers nothing. I am currently in a very intensive relationship with Alpha H, so far it is going very well, although I am beginning to get very distracted by a couple of other suitors that are waiting in the wings to be reviewed.

I got to thinking recently about why I found it impossible to remain faithful, is it because these products fail to deliver, have I got some sort of undiagnosed medical condition or am I just a skin care slut?  I have been really lucky to be blessed with very good skin, the majority of people who do not know my age would guess I am younger than I am, is this because of good genes or because over the years I have always taken good care of my skin, despite my inability to have a monogamous relationship with one brand?  I don't know the answer to this question but I do know that my quest to find 'the one' goes on, so until then I guess I shall continue to be a skin care slut and I'll have a blast with any new brands that find their way into my life.

I would be interested to know if you have found 'the one',  what skincare products can't you live without and have you found one that will be with you forever.

Yes To Cucumbers Face Wipes and Face Mask Review

I really like the 'Yes To....' range of products.  They are perfect if you are just dipping your toe into skin care and ideal if you are doing skin care on a budget.

Now I have to confess I am not a fan of face wipes, even in an emergency I am loathe to use them, so I was hesitant to try the Yes To Cucumbers face wipes.

*Apologies for library pictures, camera malfunction at time of review

Photograph courtesy of Victoria Health

Although, I felt a little better about trying these knowing that they are 96% natural, Paraben, Petroleum and SLS free.  The wipes themselves are nice and thick, so no ripping as you pull one from the packet, they smell nice and fresh and not at all synthetic and actually feel quite gentle on the face.  I needed 2 wipes to remove all of my make up and I was quite surprised that my skin did not feel tingly or tight after use.  Although I am not going to change my mind about face wipes totally, I'm never going to be a fan, I would use these again if I was in a situation where cleanser was not available.  I  used about 10 out of the pack and gave the rest to my daughter, she absolutely loved them and has since replaced her usual wipes with these. 

Now, lets talk Face Masks.  I'm a bit fussy when it comes to face masks, I can't see the point in using a lovely cleanser, expensive exfoliator and then using an inferior mask.  (I will talk about my favourite face masks in a future post).  

Yes To Cucumbers Calming Facial Mask contains Dead Sea Mud, Organic Cucumbers and Aloe Vera.

Photograph courtesy of Victoria Health

This face mask looks like a typical clay mask, although it smells fresh and feels a lot lighter than some I have used in the past.  I plastered on a thick layer after cleansing and exfoliating and read a few blogs for 15 minutes.  During this time I could feel the mask setting but not to the point where it was really tight and at cracking point.  The mask was very easy to remove with a warm flannel, unlike some mud masks, this had not dried to the point where I had to literally pick it off my skin.  My skin had a lovely pink glow to it and I noticed that the enlarged pores around my nose looked very clean and somewhat smaller, my skin felt really clean and hydrated.  I was quite impressed with this mask and as a budget buy I can't really fault it.

The full range of Yes To Cucumbers range are available at Victoria Health and retailers nationwide.

*PR Sample

Nosh Detox 3 Day Juice Fast Review

When I was asked if I would like to trial a 3 day detox I jumped at the chance.  I have been feeling a bit lack lustre for a while now and contemplating looking at my diet and lifestyle etc.  I work long hours and shifts and this means I usually eat something purchased from a late night garage.  Prior to the job I'm in now I worked as cabin crew, this is when my eating habits really changed, even though I hung my wings up 3 years ago I have never managed to get back into a healthy eating regime and as a result, in 3 years I have put on around 3 stone in weight.

A detox seemed the perfect way to start to get things back on track.

I was very impressed with the way Nosh Detox emailed me several times prior to the Detox beginning, I was sent a client form to complete, I was sent inspiring emails to prepare me for the next 3 days, I was sent an email to inform me that everything I needed for the next 3 days would arrive by courier at 10.00am on Friday.  On Friday at 09.45am the courier arrived with a huge box containing smoothies, tea, tea filters, bath salts, body brush, castor oil, Nux Vom tablets and instructions.

Click Pictures to Enlarge

4 smoothies for the day.  It evens gives you the times to drink the smoothies on the bottles.

A different tea for each day.

A different Sea Salt for each day.

Nux Vom, Castor Oil and a Body Brush

Instructions that apply to each of the 3 days.

Everything you need for your 3 days of your Detox Juice Fast.  The only thing you have to provide is the 3 litres of water that you need to drink each day.

Day 1 was quite easy, the smoothies are very thick and quite filling, the only thing I struggled with was the tea, I just couldn't fall in love with the taste so I only managed a couple of cups.

Day 2 was a different story.  I woke up with a thumping headache and I was starving.  On a daily basis I drink lots and lots of tea and coffee and I think the headache was a possible withdrawal symptom of my body craving caffeine.  I really struggled with the smoothies on day 2, although they all tasted really nice I was craving food and something hot.  My headache lasted all day and I was feeling thoroughly miserable.

Day 3 I woke up minus a headache, I had also had the best night's sleep I'd had in a long time, I felt rested but energised, if that makes sense.  I still wasn't loving the teas but I drank as much as I could.  I managed the smoothies much better on this day and that coupled with the water meant I had no hunger pangs either.

You also continue to get inspiration emails to encourage and support you.

I enjoyed using the body brush and bath salts, there is a different one for each day.  What I didn't enjoy was the Castor Oil, this is something that I haven't come into contact with since I was a child, all I have to say about it is 'yuk'.

So apart from the Tea and Castor Oil the only other thing you need to be aware of if you do this programme is the extra time you spend in the bathroom, all that water and all that fresh juice really does cleanse your system.

I am really impressed with this 3 Day Juice Fast, it was easy to fit in around my normal life, although day 2 was tough I am so glad I stuck with it.  This has really set me up to start a healthy eating regime, I feel motivated and ready to take myself to task and cut out all of the rubbish in my diet.  Over the 3 days I got into the habit of having a smoothie at certain times of the day, I am hoping to now do this with food.  As scales are banned from my house I don't know how much weight I lost, I know I have lost some weight and I certainly don't feel as bloated.

Please pop over to www.noshdetox.com where you can learn all about how and why this company was started and the different programmes that are available.  There are some absolutely fantastic testimonials on there.

*PR Sample