DHC REVITALIZING MOISTURE STRIPS: MOUTH

Hi my loves. I hope you have been enjoying the weekend and are having a relaxing Sunday so far. Today I have a review for you of an unusual product that was sent to me for free to test out for you.

DHC REVITALIZING MOISTURE STRIPS: MOUTH

These gel strip moisture masks are designed to target the lines that appear with age around your mouth. 

Within the pack are 6 individual packets with 2 strips each for the areas above and below your lip.

Application:

After cleansing and toning peel the strips from the backing and place the sticky side to your dry skin. The thinner strip at the top and the thicker strip at the bottom as shown in the photo above. Mine met at each side as you can see in my Instagram photo from yesterday @vickyayles

Leave them on for 20-30 mins or up to 2 hours for more conditioning. Gently peel off. Use 1-2 times per week.

When first applied they felt very refreshing and cooling which did lessen throughout the 30 mins I wore them. As I appeared from the bathroom my boyfriend cracked up and so did I. You do look strange with them on. I had to sit alone for 30 mins trying not to laugh as they did manoeuvre around a bit when I did. I don't think I could wear them for 2 hours as you can't talk, drink or eat which is no good for pamper nights with the girls either. They did not feel sticky or leave any residue on the skin. They do not have any liquid excess to them.

They did feel very hydrating and yes the skin around my mouth felt smooth, a little plumped and firm, but not tight. It was like new younger skin so I guess the anti-ageing purpose of this product does work. Compared to the rest of my face this area did look slightly more brightened, but not like I was wearing a white moustache and a beard so don't worry.

I don't have lots of lines around my mouth at the moment. I do have some if I screw my mouth up obviously, but that's not a pose I like to do that often, ha ha. If you smoke, already have lines around your mouth or think that this product is something that you would like to try anyway to hopefully prevent, lessen or delay their appearance then I would say give these a try.

As these seemed a little large for my mouth preventing me from talking, drinking and eating perhaps cutting them towards the outer parts before application to give me more freedom of movement would work better. Really those restrictions are the only bad thing I have to say about this product as they do work for me as in they smoothed and evened out my skin while brightening and making it more youthful in appearance and feeling.

This product launched on the 1st of July available at DHCUK.CO.UK, BeautyMART, Selfridges, Fenwick of Bond Street, Bentalls and John Bell & Croyden.

Is this the type of product that interests you? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

DHC Revitalizing Moisture Strips: Eyes

Hi there sweeties. I hope you are having a fab sunny day even if you are just gazing at the sunshine through an office window. Today I have a review post for you.

DHC Revitalizing Moisture Strips: Eyes ~ £6.95 for 6 applications

These soft gel eye masks already have celebrity fans. Their purpose is to refresh, hydrate, brighten and firm the delicate under eye area while minimising puffiness and dark circles. Suitable for all skin types these are so easy to use. After cleansing and toning remove each strip from it's backing and place the moisture side against the skin of your under eye area, pressing gently to assure contact with the skin. These are rather wide, but they did sculpt around my eyes where needed. Do not place too high as you don't want any product making contact and possibly irritating your eyes. Leave on for 20-30 mins or even overnight when needed for maximum conditioning benefit. 

My thoughts:

I wore them for 30 mins. I don't really suffer with dark circles and I have been using another product recently which has reduced my puffy eyes so much. I did however feel that I reaped the benefits of feeling refreshed and looking more awake as they do brighten the skin. I think this is down to the deeply moisturising properties these strips have. You can feel the ingredients being soaked up into the under eye area. Very hydrating indeed. My skin felt firmer under the eyes too. Not taut like it had a pulling sensation just like the skin had smoothed out and flattened so for those with under eye puffing I would say give these a go for sure. To remove these did not tug on the skin at all which is perfect as the under eye area needs to be handled with care. Simply peel away and you are done. These are a lovely pampering treat that I will be sure to use again. I think the price is perfect too as with 6 applications in each pack that's a little over £1 with every use. 

Thanks so much to Freedom PR for sending these over to me for free to try.

Let me know your favourite DHC products as well as other moisture eye strips from other brands with reasons why in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

Crystal Clear Anti-Ageing Skincare Available Now At Your Beauty M&S

Hi once again today lovelies. This evening I wanted to pop up this post to remind you of some skincare that I would highly recommend which is now available at Marks & Spencer.

Crystal Clear Skincare introduced me to their Lift Away The Years magical wand at their #liftawaytheyears event back in February. You can see product information and my initial impressions in that post. I also have a follow up review post here.

MD of Crystal Clear Skincare Sharon Hilditch MBE has educated me to realise that skincare does not just have to be about creams, lotions and scrubs. Sometimes tools are what is needed to change and improve our appearance. I find the Lift Away The Years wand uplifting and relaxing at the same time. My skin never feels the same without it.

Although I can not seem to find the Lift Away The Years wand on the M&S website I believe the wand is available for £60 at M&S. It appears to come with a 30ml tube of serum moisturiser also.

If you can not purchase these products from an M&S Beauty Store you can purchase the wand directly from Crystal Clear through this link which has the wand and serum moisturiser available for £59.99. This link also includes a demonstration of the product.

Is this innovative skincare product something that interests you? Have you tried it already? If yes, let me know your thoughts below.

Image not my own.

Love to you all

Crystal Clear Skincare Follow Up Review

Hi Everyone. I hope you have all been having a great weekend. Today I have a follow up review for you of products from Crystal Clear Skincare. Here is my initial post where I attended the #liftawaytheyears event, link.

I am going to talk about each product that I received at the event for free and have been thoroughly testing out.

Far Left: Wipe Away The Years Anti-Ageing Cleansing Milk, £27.00 for 200ml

Rather than massaging into skin and wiping any excess off with a cotton pad I squeezed two pumps onto a cotton pad and wiped it around the contours of my face and neck to cleanse. As it says to avoid contact with the eyes I used a face wipe to cleanse around that area. I do love the scent of this product and it was nice to use, but I do think it's a bit pricey as other cleansing lotions like this have worked just as well for me at a cheaper price. I did not clean the bottles before taking this photo as I wanted you to see that for some unknown reason it gets a bit gunky at the top. This may be from the moisture in my bathroom so it may not happen if you keep it in your bedroom? I think this is a good size, but I think different size options would be better as travellers may find this too large to pack.

2nd From Left: Stay Young Intense Anti-Ageing Serum Moisturiser, 30ml Comes With The Wand

This was a lotion formula that was meant to be squeezed into the wand (far right) and massaged into the face and neck. This felt really nice on my skin even without the wand. I would say this 30ml tube lasted about 1 month when used twice a day.

2nd From Right: Intense Anti-Ageing Serum, £60.00 for 50ml

Again I did not clean the top to show you that it gets a little gunky too. I used this both with the wand and without. This has a serum gel consistency. I really like how this feels on my skin. It feels like a treat :) The bottle is a bit dense and a little hefty which I think is not necessary. I prefer this to the moisturiser version that comes with the wand, but they are both really nice to use.

Far Right: Lift Away The Years Wand, £59.99 Comes With 30ml Anti-Ageing Serum Moisturiser

I do really like this device. I did try both the serum and serum moisturiser with this by squeezing product into the top of the wand, screwing it back on and manoeuvring it around my face and neck to work the product into my skin. I did not find that the product came out evenly from the roller ball though even when I added more product than was recommended so I decided to use it in my own way and I much prefer it. After cleansing I apply the serum to my face and neck with my hands not rubbing in, but spreading over. I then start from the bottom of my neck and work the wand upwards over my chin. I then work around the contours of my face applying pressure to make my muscles work and add definition where I want. I sculpt my cheekbones and slim my face by working from under the cheekbones out towards my ear. I then work towards my nose on the other side of my cheekbones. I gently, but firmly work from under the inner of the eyes pulling up and out towards my temples. I then work from the centre of my forehead out towards my temples and repeat all of this on the other side of my face. I repeat these movements on each area a few times and hold when pulling upwards for a couple of seconds as muscle has memory and this helps the definition to be more prominent. I repeat the whole process twice. I finish off with a massage to each temple for a few seconds as I find it relaxing. I do this by slowly circling the area. I follow this process morning and night. 

I would definitely say that the lift away the years wand is a valuable tool to have as a part of your skin care routine for any age to aid in maintaining youthful skin, uplifting the face and neck. I notice the difference mostly in my cheekbone area. My skin feels more plumped and defined. I do really enjoy using the serum, but I will try using this wand with other serums and moisturisers too. 

Overall I am very impressed that by using this simple tool twice a day for as little as 2 minutes at a time my skin looks more uplifted and I enjoy using it as it's a pampering massage that I can give to myself whenever I want. I really like the serum too, but I think the price tag is a bit high so I will look for alternatives once mine is all used up.

Have you tried any Crystal Clear products or treatments? Which ones do you like/dislike and why? Let me know in the comments below.

Love to you all

Facial Skincare: Balance Me And Soap & Glory

Hello lovelies. I hope you are doing great as always. Today I wanted to do a mini review of two facial skincare products I have tried out recently. 

Left: balance Me. daily essentials cleanse and smooth face balm, £4.00 for 15ml or £20.00 for 125ml

I received this product in my April JolieBox last year where you can see my first impressions. This product is aimed at normal to dry/sensitive skins. I have used this with and without a muslin cloth in the shower. I do love the scent of it. It's very natural and soothing. There are fine granules of oatmeal in it, so nothing harsh at all. This is a 100% natural oil-based cleansing balm. It feels nice to apply and I think sensitive skins may appreciate this because it feels comfortable on the skin. I would however say that it comes out average in the cleansing balms I have tried out so far. It has lasted for many uses though.

Right: Soap & Glory Make Yourself Youthful Rejuvenating Face Serum, £16.00 for 46ml or $28.99

I am a fan already of Soap & Glory products so I thought why not give this serum a try. This product is an Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible Award Winner. It is said to help re-energise tired skin, smooth surface imperfections, refine pores, recalibrate uneven skin tone, brighten, tone and tighten, while acting as a light-medium nightly moisturiser.

I like the pump design of this product as just enough serum is dispensed out and the packaging itself I find very appealing as it looks youthful like the product portrays itself to be. This bottle has lasted ages and I do like how it feels on my skin, but then I like the texture of pretty much all serums. It's creamy and smooth and feels light. It does give my skin a nice glow, but once my make-up is applied that gets covered up so I only really get the benefit of that when I am at home with no make-up on. Because of it's brightening effect it does make me feel glowy and rejuvenated, if not a little more youthful. It does feel smooth on my skin however I wouldn't say it smooths over imperfections. My skin tone and pores do not look dramatically different and I don't feel any toning or tightening effect. Again I think this is a nice product as in it's an average out of the face serums I have tested. 

What are your favourite facial skincare products? Any from balance Me. or Soap & Glory? Let me know in the comments below.

Love to you all

 

Crystal Clear Skincare Lift Away The Years Event

All Beauty Addicts out there you need to read this post. On Friday Evening I attended the Crystal Clear Skincare #liftawaytheyears event at the Soho Hotel in London. When I arrived I was greeted by the lovely Nafisa who took a quick snap of me and then introduced me to the MD of Crystal Clear International Sharon Hilditch MBE. She is stunning and a truly lovely person. Sharon was already talking to the gorgeous Gulnit MUA and blogger who I have met at an event once before. She creates amazing looks. You should definitely check out her website here. The three of us chatted for a bit while I sipped on a fantastic fruity beverage. 

 

 

The fruity drinks were gone and new drinks were being poured by the time I took this photo. There were also waitresses floating around with canapes.

Sharon has such amazing skin and she looks so youthful so it looks like this lady knows something I need to know about skincare.

Sharon sharing her knowledge and experience

 Then the demonstration video began followed by Sharon talking about Crystal Clear Skincare and introducing the Lift Away The Years Magic Wand. 

The video showed a small amount of the Intense Anti-Ageing Serum ~ £60 for 50ml being pumped into the head of the oscillating applicator. The rollerball pen (wand) was turned on to make it vibrate and rotate. It was then pressed against the skin and massaged in. It was worked over various areas of the whole face including eyes, brows, jaw line and cheeks in short strokes to follow the contours. It can also be used in circular motions from the bottom of the neck upwards. If you have problem areas like hooded eyes, not defined enough cheekbones or sagging jowls for example you can concentrate more on those areas it's really just up to you. I have to say the girl in the video had this applied to one side of her face and you could see the difference, but she was young and not exactly sagging so I wanted to see more.

Sharon and some of the PR girls then came around with the wands and tested them on various people at the event. I could not try it on my face at the time as mine was too sensitive and dry from a skincare product I had used a couple of days before and I knew I should wait a few days before trying it on my face, but I did feel it on my hand and the serum felt very smooth. Sharon told me that the wand and serum are also great for puffy eye bags as it works to drain away the excess fluid and reduce puffiness.

Sharon applying the product to Gulnit who already has amazing cheekbones, but I could definitely see more definition when it was applied to just one side of Gulnit's face to compare. Gulnit said that she could feel it working the muscles in her face. Not in an uncomfortable way just that the areas worked on felt more taut. The pressure is meant to feel relaxing as it's essentially a facial massage that you can give yourself twice a day in very little time.

 Sharon has been working on developing this anti-ageing appliance for the past two years and here are it's claims:

'revolutionary new skincare'

'clinically proven to increase skin firmness and reduce wrinkles from first use'

'innovative way of applying moisturiser'

'visible firming and lifting effect'

'plumps fine lines & wrinkles from within'

This device works in two ways. The vibration helps the facial muscles to contract, stimulating blood flow within the skin. This tones the face, restoring the contours and firming up any loose or flabby bits. The intense serum inside the wand plumps fine lines and wrinkles from within and leaves your skin feeling super hydrated. The applicator also improves the absorption of the product so that your skin will fully benefit from your moisturiser.

Priced at £79.99, this includes Crystal Clear Intense Anti-Ageing Serum (30ml) the wand is available from February 2013. Enter your email address in this link to find out when exactly it goes on sale.

Crystal Clear Skincare are most well known for there microdermabrasion salon treatments, but they also provide products for all of these skin concerns:

ACNE  

CELLULITE

WRINKLES

UNEVEN SKIN TONE  

DARK CIRCLES AND PUFFY EYES  

SUN PROTECTION  

AGEING SKIN  

AGE SPOTS  

DULL TIRED SKIN  

SAGGING SKIN  

PIGMENTATION

 

 On leaving the event I received one of these goodie bags. Here is what was inside.

Wipe Away The Years Anti-Ageing Cleansing Milk, £27.00 for 200ml

 Can be used on all skin types. Use morning and evening prior to using the wand. Massage a small amount into skin in circular motions, then wipe away with a cotton pad. This has a pump design. I squeezed some onto my hand and rubbed it in. It absorbed within seconds leaving no excess product so I wouldn't use a cotton pad to remove anything if I had massaged it onto my face/neck. If I were to use a cotton pad I think I would apply it directly to the pad and manoeuvre it around my skin that way to cleanse. I love the scent of the essential oils in this product.

Intense Anti-Ageing Serum, £60 for 50ml

 This product is for skin that needs more than just a normal moisturiser. Apply two pumps to the palm of your hand. Massage into the face and neck in an upward and outward direction after using the above cleanser. This product also has a pump bottle design. The product is of a gel like consistency that is not sticky, just smooth.

Top: Lift Away The Years Wand, £79.99 (includes 30ml of the Intense Anti-Ageing Serum)

For better results than just massaging the Intense Anti-Ageing Serum into your skin with your fingers use the wand for just 1-2 minutes morning and night as part of your skincare routine after cleansing.

Bottom: 3 x 30ml Intense Anti-Ageing Serum Moisturiser

I don't think I'm going to run out any time soon :)

I promise to give this skincare routine a thorough test and let you know how I get on with it. I am very impressed so far and couldn't be happier that I attended this event.

Thank you so much Claire for inviting me along. This is the most impressive skincare product I have seen in a long time if not ever.

I wouldn't normally spend this much on skincare for myself, but once you buy the wand it doesn't need replacing and such a small amount of serum is needed that I think that will go a long way.

Crystal Clear Skincare is skincare that I have never used before so if you have can you tell me your recommended or even disliked products with reasons in the comments below. If you attended the event were you impressed?



Love to you all