Review: Oskia Micro Exfoliating Balm

I said yesterday that I don't double-cleanse as a rule, but when I do, I prefer my second cleanse to be a scrubby one.  This Micro Exfoliating Balm from Oskia is just perfect for those "need a deeper cleanse right now" moments.

Oskia products are rich in a sulphurous compound known as MSM, which has lots of skincare benefits for all kinds of skin, particularly sensitive skins, and the Micro Exfoliating Balm also contains  sweet almond oil, rosehip oil, and kukui nut oils, alongside zinc and vitamin E.  As you can imagine from this list, it's very healing, and feels wonderful on the skin,

Opening the jar, you're greeted with a cheerful effervescent scent, reminscent of sherbert fountains, it's lovely!  The balm itself is white and is full of tiny, tiny grains which are barely visible to the naked eye (that'll be the "micro" component then ...).

To use, you scoop out a tiny amount from the jar, emulsify it slightly between your palms, then massage - gently - the resulting grainy oil to your face.  Then, you add a little water to the balm, which will turn it into a milky lotion, and continue massaging into your skin.  Personally, I use the pure balm on the t-zone area, then, once I've added a little water, I move ono massaging the rest of my face, as that usually need far less exfoliation than the t-zone.  Please don't get it in your eyes though.  Remove it either by rinsing or with the facial cloth of your choice.

For a gentle, yet thorough exfoliation, it's hard to beat this little jar of loveliness.  I do think it's a little over-packaged in all honesty - I was disappointed at the size of the jar when I opened the box, I can't deny it -  but I like the fact that the products are as natural as possible, and the entire range is safe to use throughout pregnancy, unlike quite a few more essential-oil based ranges.  I'm not expecting, by the way, but this sort of information is always handy for some of my readers who might be.

Again, following on from yesterday's balm, this is another pricey one at (again) £46 for a 50ml jar, (which should last a good few months, even with regular use) but this is definitely a product - and a company - that gets the Get Lippie seal of approval. 

Fine Print:  PR Sample.


This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.

Review: Omorovicza Thermal Cleaning Balm

I'm slightly in love with balms at the moment.  After I burned my face off with a facemask the other week, I've been giving my face some TLC, so this week, I'm showing you my favourite balm products from my collection.

I'll start off with this little black beauty from Omorovicza.  I've long been fascinated by the idea of the Thermal Cleansing Balm from the Omorovicza range, mainly because it's black admittedly (my inner goth is fascinated), but I've been seeing a few reviews of the range around some of my trusted blogging buddies, so thought it was time to take the plunge.

Based on the mineral healing properties of the thermal spas in Budapest, the thermal cleansing balm gets the unique colour from Hungarian Moor Mud, which is rich in magnesium, contains sweet almond oil to avoid stripping the skin, and is scented - oh most heavenly scented! - with orange blossom.  It's possibly the most luxurious-smelling cleanser I own, and I find myself burying my nose in the jar every time I use it.

To use it, you scrape a small amount from the jar (and a little really does go a long way), emulsify it between your palms, then apply the resulting liquified balm to your face and massage it into your skin, then, using either a damp muslin cloth or a face flannel, remove it, again, whilst massaging your face.  It's not perfect for removing eye makeup, in all honesty, so I'd suggest you use a separate eye-makeup remover.  I love that you can see grains of the mineral-rich mud in the balm when you emulsify it, and the scent really makes this a wondrous cleansing experience.

I find that a single cleanse is sufficient with this (I very rarely double cleanse anyway, I have to say), and my skin is left soft, supple and glowing afterwards, with no dryness or taut-feeling.  It is on the price-y side at £46 a jar, but this will last a very long time, and it's rocketed to the top of my re-purchase list.

 The Fine Print: PR Sample.


This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.

Hot Weather Saviours

What do you mean it's cold out?  Well, I wrote this during the hot weather we had recently, and these products were a godsend.  A godsend, I tell you.  So, there's no harm in leaving this post as it is, there will be hot weather again ... at some point ...

Dove Natural Touch Deodorant with Dead Sea Minerals

Cool-scented with cucumber (rather strongly scented, if truth be known, but it wears off eventually), this does a sterling job of keeping pits fresh through the day.

Suti Peppermint Water

I keep this in the fridge, and it's wonderful for cooling down a flushed face, and it's great for getting summer-sun oiliness under control too.  A must have for me, as I can't use the current beauty blogger rave Caudalie Beauty Elixir owing to sensitivity issues.  I have a few more products from the range to try (and I'm going for a Suti facial too), so look forward to some more in-depth reviews, but Suti is definitely a brand to look out for in the next few months. Take a look at Suti products here.

Alvarez Gomez Aqua de Colonia Concentrada

A staple of the summer holidays I had in Spain as a youth, this is the Spanish version of ubiquitous 4711.  I find it a little more citrussy then the orange-blossom heavy 4711, and it has a hint of grapefruit too, so it's a little more refreshing, and is perfect for splashing on all over in hot weather.  Try soaking a handkerchief in it and using this to wipe your feet, instant cooling and refeshing - and cleaning! - power.  It's new to the UK, but Carter and Bond have the full range, I'll be picking up the matching deodorant and shower gel (and probably candle too, knowing me) soon.

Optrex Spray for Tired & Uncomfortable Eyes


If you wear contact lenses in hot weather, you'll find them being a bit dryer than usual, (particularly if you're a hay-fever suffer) this is a great spray for a bit of a pick me up in front of the computer.  Easier to use than traditional eye-drops, this new spray is infused with vitamin B5, so it has skincare benefits too.  Best bit?  You won't ruin your eyemakeup.

And finally, on the far right there, is a package of Halo Deodorising Wipes.  I don't know about you, but I can't be bothered carrying a deodorant around with me, so these are really handy for a quick clean up when you're headed out after work or something.


What products do you swear by in the heat?
  
The Fine Print: A mixture of PR samples and purchases, and stuff that's been hiding in handbags for months and months and months.
 
This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.

Timothy Han Candles, and how to look after them.

I love a good candle, and I'm always on the lookout for new ones (I can see about 20 candles from where I sit whilst I'm writing this!), so was delighted when I found out about Timothy Han.  Having grown up in Canada, and having spent time working with John Galliano, Han is a very interesting man, and his commitment to sustainable luxury is definitely to be applauded. 

Han's  candles are vegetable-based, made from soy wax entirely without petrochemicals, they have lead-free cotton wicks, and are fragranced with 100% essential oils.

They have a slightly creamy, rather than pure white, wax, and burn evenly and smoothly without leaving massive soot deposits.  The scent I have, Oakmoss and Vetiver is about as far away from a "traditional aromatherapy" fragrance as you can imagine, being deep, dark, and both earthy and grassy, it's definitely a world away from a lot of candle fragrances!  The candles have a burn time of 50 hours, and come housed in these gorgeous duck-egg blue glass holders.

The way to keep your candles lasting through the full burn time, is to look after them.  Here are a few hints:

When you first burn a candle always ensure that the top layer of wax melts entirely, this will take a couple of hours usually, so be prepared to make your first burn a long burn. 

Make sure you keep your wicks trimmed - they should be around 5mm high.  Too long a wick will lead to a very soot-y flame, and make your candle burn faster.   You can use a wick tripper for this (which will collect debris) but you can also use nail scissors.  Always trim your wicks when candles are cold.

Don't blow out your candles, this can dislodge the wick, spray wax and soot over your surfaces, it'll also cause smoke, which will take over the scent of the candle you were burning in the first place. Dip the burning wick into the pool of melted wax around the burning wick instead. You can buy what're called "wick dippers", but you can use anything (except fingers) to dip the wick into the wax.  I use a metal skewer I keep handy.

Keep your candles out of drafts, and always a few centimetres apart, otherwise they'll burn unevenly.  I don't need to mention the need to keep them on a heatproof surface, do I?

Finally, keep your candles CLEAN.  Dust them, and, if the containers get a bit sooty, then clean them!  The best candles don't produce a lot of soot, so if your containers are black around the rims (and worse - down the sides), it means that either you keep your wicks too long, or you've been burning your candles for too long in one go.  Take a look at your wicks, are they blooming out a bit like mushrooms? Then trim your wick down to half a centimetre, and try not to burn your candle for too long after the top layer of wax has melted.  Your candles will last longer if you do, and you won't have soot marks up your walls.

Timothy Han candles are available from the Timothy Han Website, and cost £38 for a candle that will last you for several months.

The Fine Print: PR Sample  - all tips, however, are my own, not from Timothy Han.
 
This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.

Party nails with OPI and Filthy Gorgeous

Sometimes, you just want to sparkle … this is two coats of OPI Lucerne-tenly Look Marvellous, topped off with a coat of Prism by Filthy Gorgeous.





Whaddya reckon?