November Addictions - Skin Doctors T-Zone Range

This month my skin went absolutely crazy for some reason. I'm really not sure why as I was using the same products for ages but my skin just decided to do a complete backflip from the nice and clear state it was in to being constantly covered in pimples and greasy as all hell.

So, I was so very grateful when at the beginning of the month I was asked to trial the new Skin Doctors T-Zone range by Beautyheaven as this trial definitely came at exactly the right time for me and I have been absolutely loving these products ever since receiving them.

The Skin Doctors T-Zone range consists of the Oil Control Cleanser, the No More Oil cream and the No More Pores night cream.

1) Oil Control Cleanser - This cleanser is the first step in the routine and is a paraben-free cleansing and balancing gel that deeply purifies pores and clears oily and combination skin to give you a perfect matte complexion. I really like this cleanser as it makes my skin feel super clean without any dryness or tight feeling which is something you'd expect from a product like this. It doesn't irritate my sometimes sensitive skin at all and is a very light gel which is easy to lather onto the face. This is probably my favourite product to use in the range.

(Oil Control Cleanser)

2) No More Oil cream - This is a dual action cream designed to help control oil production to reduce shine and to absorb excess oil to leave your skin flawless, matte and beautiful. I've been applying this cream every morning and night and it glides on nicely and absorbs into the skin really fast. I have actually noticed that my skin does seem to be a little less oilier than before and in this hot weather we have been having lately that is a miracle in itself. My makeup has even been lasting longer when using this too and I've found that it means I can skip the use of a primer most of the time if I don't feel like using one.

3) No More Pores Night Treatment - This cream is to help refine, unclog, shrink and tighten pores so your skin looks smooth, matte, even and flawless. The dual action formula firstly removes excess oil that causes enlarged pores and secondly helps to reduce pore size. This cream is to be applied at night after cleansing and prior to using the No More Oil cream and at first I was using it every night but then scaled it back to using it only every second night as I found that it was stinging my skin a little if used every night. Even without using the cream every night I have still noticed a definite reduction in the size of the pores on my cheeks and nose which were always quite large and I don't get anymore irritation with only using it every second night as well. On the in between nights I just use my regular night cream instead and still apply the No More Oil cream over the top of that.

(No More Pores Night Treatment)

 

Overall this is a great range to use if you have an oily t-zone and enlarged pores as there are definately noticeable effects after using it on a constant basis for a few weeks. I've always had a problem with my t-zone but then have dry areas on other parts of my face so it has been nice to feel like my skin has been a bit more even and normal for a change.

 

I would consider this a much nicer and less harsh alternative to the Proactiv range which I tried once a few years ago and honestly felt like I was immersing my face in acid every time I used it.

 

So that's what I have been loving this month.

 

What products have you been addicted to this month?

 

Michelle xx

Jojoba Oil - The best thing for my skin since sliced bread!

Well ok, my skin doesn't actually eat sliced bread but you get the gist. I have recently discovered the unbelievable benefits of using Jojoba Oil on my skin and I have to say that I can't believe it took me this long!

I'd been debating getting myself some for quite some time but just never took the plunge because I can have quite oily skin on certain areas of my face sometimes and I still can't get my head around using oil to treat oil.

Anyhoo, my dilemma was solved when Tegan at Tegania's Thoughts held a giveaway a couple of months ago to win some Ecolife Jojoba Oil and I amazingly won! You can't understand how excited I was. I never win anything!

So when my little bottle of goodness arrived in the mail I couldn't wait to try it out and see what it would do for my sensitive and oily, but eczema prone, skin.

Since receiving it I have been using it at night after my shower on cleansed skin every second day or so before I apply my usual night cream. I am now extremely proud to say that my skin is seriously in THE BEST condition that it has ever been in my entire 33 years on this earth. I haven't had any of my usual dry spots around my nose and eyes and my pores have literally been shrinking in front of my eyes.

And the best thing? My skin has never felt so smooth. It's like I've exfoliated every night even though I haven't. It's amazing!

After having so much success with the skin on my face I then decided to try out some other uses for this miraculous oil. I've since discovered that it is great for when I have an irritated scalp which happens now and then if I try a different shampoo or conditioner, it's awesome as a de-frizzing oil on the ends of my hair, it makes a great soothing additive to a bath and also soothes any eczema flare ups that happen anywhere on my body.

I have to admit how amazed I am still at how this oil sinks into my skin so well without leaving any oily traces. I'd heard it a million times before but just had to experience it myself before I really believed it.

Are there any other uses for this great oil that I should know about?

I hope everyone is having a great week!

Michellexx

Disappointment of the Month

I don't normally like to do posts like this but I felt like was doing the public a disservice if I didn't in this instance.

Everyone, I hereby give you the biggest disappointment I have come across in quite a while:

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula - Daily Calming Lotion

Last month when we were away in Port Macquarie I forgot to take extra moisturiser due to my current one at the time getting quite low and of course, as fate would have it I run out. Due to the sun, wind and sand I was having a couple of particularly bad skin days so I ran to the local shopping centre and picked up the first thing in Target that looked suitable to stop my agony.

Big mistake!

This supposed 'Calming Lotion' has the wonderful tendency to irritates my skin even more and any itchy, red patches that I may have just seem to get even more itchy and actually seem to burn after I apply this.

On top of that, it smells absolutely hideous!!! I don't know about you but every other Palmer's product I have ever used (and there have been a great many) has always had that trademark cocoa butter scent which is actually quite lovely. Well, this has a stale beer kind of smell which I think is very unpleasant and not a scent that I like to apply to my poor skin.

To give you an indication of how bad this cream actually smells, here is a snippet of a conversation my husband and I had when we went to bed last night:

Hubby: 'What is that you're putting on, it smells rank, doesn't that Palmer's stuff normally smell really nice?'
Me: 'Yeah, it's certainly not the best one I've ever used, but I got it when I was desperate when we were away at Port so am just trying to use it up.'
Hubby: 'Please, for the sake of our marriage, don't ever use that cream again!'

This was no joke, and for my hubby, who is usually completely oblivious to almost everything, noticed how bad this cream smells, it's bad!

Please Palmer's, change the formula of this cream or at least make it unscented. It's not fit for public sale in it's current form.

Has anyone else tried this lotion? Did I just get a dud bottle? Have you ever been as disappointed in a product like this before?

Michelle xx

The Body Shop Milk Bath - Blissfully Simple

It's no secret that I have awfully dry, itchy, sensitive skin and this time of year literally can bring tears to my eyes some days if I haven't moisturised enough or if I've spent too much time in air conditioning or heating.

I was having a particularly bad couple of days a little while ago and hubby was out and about feeling sorry for me and decided to try and get me something that would offer a bit of relief. To my surprise he actually went into The Body Shop (all on his own!), spoke to the sales assistant and promptly was given a 'milk bath' for his hands so she could talk him into seeing how lovely this product was. Of course he ended up buying it and came home a very happy chappy thinking he'd done good.

I'm still laughing inside as to how funny this would have been and how sweet he was to go through this, but I digress.

What I do want to talk about is how gorgeous this simple little product is. I was a bit sceptical at first as I have tried a miriad of bath products over the years that claimed to soothe itchy skin without much success, but The Body Shop's Milk Bath really, really works!

It's a fine, white powder of which you only need about a tablespoon of for each use. I put it into the bath while the water is running to dissolve it and it makes the bath water look slightly milky (funny that) and even makes some bubbles much to my secret childish delight.

It's got a beautiful, light scent that just relaxes me like nothing else and the most important part is that it leaves my skin feeling soothed and itch free after a good soak. This is seriously a miracle product for dry, sensitive skin.

This is a product that I probably wouldn't have looked twice at myself if I was out shopping, but I'm so impressed with it and am so pleased that hubby found it as I will be buying this again and again.

I've now gained a new appreciation for The Body Shop and will be seeing what other new gems they have now. I used to live on their products when I was a teenager but moved on for some reason. Now I may just have to reconsider going back.

Have you been surprised by any new products lately?

Michelle xx