skin

Kiko Mat Base Corrector Primer – Review

| JustJayBeauty

kikomatprimer

I have an extremely oily t-zone which up until a few weeks ago I’d just given up with. My oiliness is so bad that even when wearing my Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation (anyone who wears this knows how drying the formula is) AND powdering it within an inch of my life, it still gets oily by lunchtime.

I’ve never had any luck with mattifying primers in the past with them either just not working or breaking me out. I do love my Hourglass mineral veil primer for special occasions, but in terms of oil control it does nothing for me. I’d been recommended the Mat Base Corrector primer numerous times over the last year and decided to finally drag myself to Kiko to purchase it. At £8.90 for a 25ml tube it’s extremely affordable so I was really excited at the prospect of being oil free on a budget!

I tested this product on and off for around 3 weeks to be able to give a full, honest review.

Packaging: I really like the packaging for this product. It’s an opaque tube with a very small opening that makes it easy to dispense the correct amount of product. There is no air and light exposure making the formula stable.

Formula: The formula for this primer looks promising for oily skin. It’s water based and doesn’t contain any silicone which has been known to break out blemish prone skin. There are a number of oil controlling actives such as the oily absorbing clay magnesium aluminum silicate, propylene glycol and Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract. It also contains antimicrobial ingredients to prevent break-outs such as phenoxyethanol, butylene glycol and oleanolic acid. It doesn’t contain any fragrance or colourant. Unfortunately I’m not a big fan of alcohol in formulas but considering I only wear foundation two or three days a week I’m okay with using a primer with alcohol in it.

Application: This product comes out as a thick clear gel, when I apply it on my skin it doesn’t glide on and leaves a bit of a tacky finish. I find that I have to spend more time applying foundation on top of this primer as it does make foundation drag and catch.Once the product is on my skin looks completely matte and doesn’t look cakey.

Longevity: By the end of my 12 hour day I’d say my skin is around 50% less shiny compared to using foundation alone and remains oil-free for up to 8 hours. There is no oiliness around my cheeks but there is still some shine on my nose and especially above my eyebrows. I didn’t experience any breakouts when using this product either which is great.

Overall I’m quite pleased with this primer, it’s pretty good for everyday use when it’s not too hot or humid outside and keeps my oil at bay for a maximum 8 hours in the T-zone. I don’t think it’ll hold up in the heat of the Summer for my skin personally so the search continues for a really strong oil controlling primer.

Have you tried this primer before? What were your thoughts? Do you have any recommendations for me? Comment below and let me know.

Jay x

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster – Review

| JustJayBeauty

olehenrksentruthserum

Every time I see the magical words “Vitamin C” in a skin care product my heart jumps in excitement that this just may be the product that gets rid of my hyper-pigmentation.

Hyper-pigmentation for me comes in many unsightly forms. It appears after sun exposure mostly on my nose and forehead causing a patchy appearance in my skin that lasts years, scars that last months after a getting a spot and around my eyes and mouth (not sure why but a lot of darker skinned women  have this).

A very popular serum that I saw floating around the “Bloggersphere” was the Truth Serum Collagen Booster from Danish skincare brand Ole Henriksen. I bought a 15ml bottle from Feel Unique for £18 making it a lot cheaper than some of the high end serums I’ve purchased. Taken from the website:

“Like a daily vitamin for your face, this high powered vitamin C complex helps smooth out lines and wrinkles and prevents further damage. Loaded with antioxidants to fight off environmental aggressors and moisture-binding ingredients to keep your skin nourished and protected, Ole Henriksen truth serum collagen booster® is absorbed instantly and penetrates to the deeper layers of the skin to provide long term results. Sensitive skin prone to irritation will benefit immensely from the calming properties of this oil-free serum.

Ingredients: Ole Henriksen truth serum collagen booster® ingredient benefits:
– Grapefruit and orange extract: Purifying, astringent, brightening.
– Green tea extract: Protects against damage with antioxidants.
– Licorice extract: Evens out skin tone.
– Rosehips extract: Repairs and strengthens with concentrated vitamin C.
– Sodium hyaluronate: Binds moisture to the skin.
– Vitamin C: Calms, heals and strengthens collagen.
– Vitamin E: Heals, restores and nourishes.”

Packaging: Immediately upon receiving the product I was disappointed in the packaging. As this bottle is clear, any antioxidants, including my dear Vitamin C, will not remain stable with light exposure, the pump however is much better than serums that come with droppers.

Formula: This is a water based serum and contains a lot of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Glycerin, Aloe extract, Hyaluronic acid and a bit of Dimethicone, along with many antioxidants. It’s also got Thioctic and Citric Acid making it slightly exfoliating. A massive downfall for this product is the fact that it has lots of irritating fragrance and colourants in the formula.

olehenriksentruthserumingredients

Texture and fragrance: When I pumped the tinted orange product into my palm I was hit by an intense synthetic, sweet, orange fragrance which lingered for a few minutes after applying it onto my skin. The product left my skin feeling very tacky making it unsuitable for daytime use or for use under make-up. Three pumps of this product is enough for the whole face and neck.

olehenriksen

Effects: After the first night of using this product I immediately noticed my skin looked brighter. Over the course of a week I saw my skin looking clearer but by the end of the second week the forbidden happened, I got a massive cystic spot on my left cheek, an area where I NEVER get breakouts. I stopped using the product after this happened to give my skin a break but I was left with an unsightly scar after the spot disappeared. So I began using the product again. My skin tolerated it well until around 3 weeks later I got another massive painful cystic bump on my chin. I stopped using it again. I’ve since begun using the product again for 2 weeks now and I’ve still got that bump on my chin that isn’t going away.

So I’m left in a bit of a sticky situation. On one hand I have noticed an overall brightening effect on my skin, my hyper-pigmentation on my forehead has pretty much faded and I’m getting away with using a lot less foundation in that area but the darkness around my mouth still remains. Unfortunately you can’t use this product around the eyes which is one of my main problem areas so it doesn’t help me in that sense.

On the other hand this product has proven to cause cystic spots on my skin, which are not only painful to the touch but leaves more scars once they calm down. So with that being said, I’m coming to the end of the 15ml bottle and I’m doubtful as to whether I’m going to purchase it again, I just don’t think the painful spots are worth the overall brightening effect that I’m seeing. I’m sure that I can find an alternative Vitamin C product that will give me similar effects, without the nasty side effects.

Have you tried this product before? What were your thoughts? Comment below and let me know!

Until next time…

Jay x

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser – Review

| JustJayBeauty

I remember the first time I used this cleanser and my reaction was literally “Woah”. I had seen it on QVC and was interested to see why it had won so many beauty awards. At the time I was using drug store brand cleasers which always left my combination skin feeling dry, tight and didn’t remove my make up efficiently.

From left to right: Muslin cloth, 200ml cleanser, 50ml travel size cleanser
From left to right: Muslin cloth, 200ml cleanser, 50ml travel size cleanser

The cleanser is free from mineral oil, it has a rich and creamy texture which is almost balmy. The smell has a fresh hint of eucalyptus. Massage this onto dry skin for 1 minute and then polish off the cream using the pure muslin cloth rung in warm water, to gently exfoliate dead skin cells and help reveal make-up free skin.

Creamy balm texture
Creamy balm texture
liz
Removal of various make-up including waterproof mascara and eye liner

I love using this product, it has really made cleansing fun and a treat for my skin. It is no longer left feeling dry or tight but instead moisturised and clean. The only reason that a bit of my MAC waterproof eye liner remained in the picture above is because I applied it just 15 minutes before removal, usually after a full day eye liner comes right off.

The muslin cloth helps to reveal brighter more radiant skin due to the gentle exfoliating action. The cloths have to be machine washed every two days, and eventually become softer when they have to be replaced. You can buy the cloths separately from Liz Earle but they are more economical if you buy them with the cleanser or you can buy them online from other sellers.

WithNature Skincare Pure & Gentle Muslin Face Cloths (Pack of 6)

The product comes in a 200ml tube (£24.75), 100ml pump (£13.25) and 50ml pump (£8.50). A 100ml pump will last one month If you use 1 pump every morning and night. However I find that I only need 1/2 a pump per wash and 1 if I’m wearing a full face of heavy make-up.

This is one of those product I can’t live without and will continue to use as long as I can afford it. I tried to revert back to cheaper cleansers but I just kept coming back to this one because of the positive effects it has had on my skin.

http://uk.lizearle.com/cleanse-tone-moisturise/cleanse-and-polish-hot-cloth-cleanser.html  

Are you a fan of this product? Comment below and let me know your thoughts.

Jay x