Late to the Party

Terre Verdi - Acqua Di Rosa Balancing Mist* £17.00 for 100ml * Disclaimer: This product was gifted in exchange for an honest review. Who? Terre Verdi, founded by Sicilian-born Alessandra de Gregorio, make the most beautiful ethically-made products using the finest organic ingredients.  Terre Verdi were one of the earliest UK companies to manufacture COSMOS Organic products, certified by The Soil Association. Products range from 84 - 100% organic and all products are 100% natural. All products are vegan and contain no synthetic ingredients. What is it? Acqua Di Rosa is a pure rose floral water - 100% organic and 100% natural. It comes packaged with the usual Terre Verdi care and beauty. Housed in striking black miron glass, which not only looks stunning on the shelf but also helps to keep the product fresher by protecting the contents from sun damage. I only recently learned that the gold crest on the label is actually the de Gregorio family crest, which is a lovely to...

Consistency is key when establishing a skincare routine. It's always tempting to keep adding and trying new products, but by doing that, you're minimizing the chance of seeing results from consistent use of a product - particularly treatments. I do try and keep my morning routine pretty consistent - but during the warmer months, my skin has different needs and therefore I need to adjust my routine accordingly. Unfortunately, my skin tends to veer towards the oilier side during summer, so I'm not able to use as many oil-based products in my morning routine - which is a bit of a shame, as I do love my oil-based products! Cleanse   Most days I use a simple floral water as a morning cleanser. My current choice is Manuka Floral Water from Naturally Thinking. It's light and fresh with a delicate scent. A couple of times a week I'll opt for a gentle exfoliating cleanser. The Ishtar Skinlights Cleansing Clay is the perfect choice for summer. The cooling clay d...

I've been making a concerted effort to get through some of the products which have been in my stash for the longest. Slowly and steadily!   WR - Will repurchase or have already repurchased. MR - May repurchase at a later date when other products have been used up first. WNR - Will not repurchase. Didn't like or didn't work for me. Or too expensive!   * Andalou Naturals - 1000 Roses Floral Toner MR This was a T.K Maxx find and I really enjoyed using this as a morning cleanser. I did have to decant it into another bottle though as the spray was far too fierce on this. Would repurchase in the future if I saw it at a lower price again.   * CosRX - Low PH Good Morning Gel Cleanser WNR Although this is an iconic cleanser for many, it was just kind of okay for me. It would have been perfect for my teenage son and I would buy him another, if only he'd actually use it!   * Naturally Thinking - Manuka Floral Water WR I actually finished thi...

It's been a while since I shared my morning skincare routine. I try and keep it similar every week, with the exception of alternating which serums and treatments I use daily.     First Step - Cleanse Most days I use a toner as a morning cleanse (or just plain water). Once a week I'll use an exfoliating wash. I'm currently using the Zenon Kition Rosewater. I've been doing this for over a year now and it really helps with sebum control - I now very rarely have to use a face powder or get oily during the day.   Toner and Serums   Depending on what serum or treatment I'm going to use, I may opt for an acid toner - currently Pixi Glow Tonic or a nice hydrating toner - currently The Body Shop Vitamin E Toner . If my skin feels like it needs some extra hydration I'll use a lotion - currently Dr Jart Ceramidin . Then on to a step I take every morning - a serum to address redness/broken capillaries. I've just run out of my all-time favou...

  Skin Care Empties   KEY: WR - Will/have repurchased; MR - Might repurchase at a later date; WNR - Would not repurchase.   Quite a few full sizes finished up in October  - including a couple of leading roles in my skincare routines.   * The Body Shop- Chinese Ginseng and Rice Toner. ( WNR ) This clarifying milky toner seemed promising at first but as time wore on, I noticed that at seemingly random times, it would sting my skin a little. Looking at the ingredients, here's nothing in there that I could see could be a problem for me (as far as I know) so that remains a mystery. Nice and hydrating, but the occasional sting puts me off buying any more.   * Anita Grant - Lemon Floral Water ( WR ) I absolutely loved this floral water and also the brand - I'll definitely be repurchasing this in the future plus I'd like to try more of Anita's products. I used this mostly as a morning cleanse, but, seeing as it comes in a handy spray ...

Recently I had a little consumer-related battle with my 'other self'. I'd like to think that the dominant shopping personality within me is the savvy, money-saving, only-buy-if-you-need-it, wise one. But I think that my shopping history (and every page in this blog) shows that I am constantly fighting the 'buy it - it's pretty' personality that lurks just beneath, popping it's head up just at the wrong time (low on funds, trying to finish something else up, trying to ignore what everyone else has...)   The responsible side of me has a wish-list, it looks for the best deals, it tries to fight FOMO, it weighs up if a product is actually suitable for me, if it will work well, if there's space for it in my current routine.   It's a battle of sensible versus sparkly, basically!   You can see where I'm going with this preamble, can't you? Yes, I bought something because it was so unbelievably pretty and I just wanted it. Right now. ...

Rosewater has long been an item I've kept in my skincare arsenal. In the past I used it for general misting and mixing with clay-type facial masks. But more recently, I've been enjoying using different floral waters more often and for more purposes.   Floral waters (or Hydrosols) are made by distilling fresh flowers, fruits, leaves, herbs and other plants. They are obtained during the same process as essential oil distillation but they are a much gentler alternative to essential oils (which generally cannot be applied directly to skin).   Note: It's very tempting to rush out and buy lots of different floral waters BUT remember that they have a reasonably short shelf-life - maybe as short as 3 months!   My current floral water collection     Rose Water Zenon Kition 100ml for £9.99 BUY HERE My favourite of all the floral waters. It's great for normal, dry, mature, sensitive skin and skin prone to redness. Helps to retain...