Disappointing products #9

The following products just didn't work for me but we all have skin that responds differently to others when we're trying out different products, so these are just my own experiences. I have combination and sensitive skin on my face and the rest of my body is sensitive too.

Boots Botanicals Micellar 3 in 1 Cleansing Solution All Bright  
Initially I was hesitant to try this because of the 'All Bright' brightening effect of the hibiscus AHAs. AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) clear away old, dull skin cells revealing glowing skin underneath. However general skincare advice for sensitive skin is to avoid AHAs and BHAs as they can be harsh and damage the skin barrier which is already thinner than those with normal skin. But the concentration of AHAs in this product is low and is mild on the skin, way more gentle than something like Pixi Glow Tonic. It did have a warming effect on my skin but it didn't feel uncomfortable or that it was burning my skin. Since it contains AHAs it will make your skin more sensitive to the sun so it's recommended to apply SPF (moisturiser or sun cream) during use and for one week afterwards.

I'm not a big fan of micellar waters in general because you just end up soaking more and more cotton pads and it doesn't feel that effective. But I felt that this was the one! I fell in love with this product because it felt like what a micellar water should be: it only took two pads to clean the skin, it didn't leave a film on the skin and my skin felt really clean because it was excellent at removing all traces of make up. Plus it has a mild, inoffensive scent.

So where did it go wrong? Well after about 6 weeks I started to develop a red patch on my cheek along with a spot that just wouldn't go. It was immune to witch hazel, niacinamide and salcylic acid. Eventually it went after 7-8 weeks of constant application of tea tree oil. During this time I cut out different products in my routine in order to find the culprit. When I switched cleansers it went but when I started using this micellar water to remove my makeup again I found that I got a red patch and a spot that refused to go away on the other cheek. Again 7-8 weeks later the spot finally went. So if your skin is sensitive or acne prone I would avoid this.

The Body Shop Pina Colanda Body Butter
I really, really wanted to like this because the smell is heavenly! It's smells of pineapple and coconut. It does a good job of moisturising but unfortunately it makes me itch. I'm brokenhearted as I love this the smell of this so much. It's also the first Body Shop body butter I've had this reaction to, I've tried coconut, strawberry, mango, olive, shea butter, Vineyard peach and blueberry in the past and have been fine. I think I'm going to try the Virgin Mojito instead to get that exotic summer scent.

Freedom Pro-Studio Strobe Cream Highlighter. 
Once you applied this it sinks into the skin and the highlight effect pretty much disappears. You can see my full review here 

Boots Fragrance Free Eye Makeup Remover Pads
I used these when I had to pack an overnight bag and didn't want to take a bottle of makeup remover. These pads are in a small pot that is great for travel. However they are incredibly greasy and therefore messy to use. They do remove waterproof eyeliner and mascara but it's not a pleasant experience using these because you end up spreading grease everywhere.

Marks & Spencer Sun Smart Sensitive Moisture Protect Sun Lotion  SPF50
Despite having sensitive skin I've always been fine using any old sunscreen. Usually I just pop into Boots and grab any ones on offer at the time. I got this in a beauty box and was happy that I didn't need to buy any sunscreen for this summer. However after I applied this to my arms I ended up with a red bumpy rash all over them. Thank god I didn't apply this everywhere. After a week or so it cleared up. In the past I've stuck to well known brands rather than store branded ones and although this might just be a one off, I'll probably stick to the big branded names that haven't caused any reactions in the past. So if you have sensitive skin be wary of this.

Disappointing Beauty Products #7

When trying out beauty products there are always going to be some that you don't get on with but for others it's their holy grail. These are just my experiences if you use any of these products and love them then don't stop.

Sanctuary Spa Ultimate Salt Body Scrub 
I really wanted to like this body scrub especially as it has jojoba oil- a scent I love, as well as coconut and almond oil which are famous for their moisturising properties. The salt is anti-septic as well as being good for exfoliation. However after doing a patch test on my leg I found that it made my skin itch and look irritated which was a shame. I'm glad it was only a sample size and that I didn't buy the big jar (though it would look pretty in the bathroom.)

Marks and Spencers Island Escape Sea salt and Bergamot  EDT
This was in M&S's beauty box. While the bottle is really pretty and summery, tinted yellow for the sand and blue for the sea,  I really didn't like the scent. There is only a touch of musk, but to me this smells like men's aftershave- like toned down Lynx- yuk! On M&S's website there are lots of people raving about this but it did not appeal to me at all.

Laura Mercier Translucent Pressed Powder 
I liked this translucent powder because the colour is an off white cream shade, which meant that it didn't look ashy on my olive tanned skin. However whenever I use this on my forehead I end up with more spots for some reason.

L'Occitane Repairing Shampoo For Dry and Damaged Hair
L'Occitane's shampoo promises silky hair that shines and to repair dry and damaged hair. It has five essential oils (angelica, lavender, geranium, sweet orange and ylang ylang) together with plant derived amino acids they form an anti-breakage complex which helps to repair and smooth the hair fibers. It is silicon free and has a herbal smell due to the essential oils, rather like Neal's Yard products, but on application it smelt like aniseed to me, a scent I hate. The smell does disappear after washing your hair. However immediately after the first wash my hair looked really frizzy on the top of my head and the next day although it was clean it looked stringy and oily despite not actually being oily. My hair looked a little shinier but I don't know if it repaired any damage because my hair didn't really feel nourished. This was a sample, the full size is £17 for 300ml and I felt that there are much cheaper shampoos out there that do a much better job.

Merumuya Melting Cleansing Balm
This has so many good reviews and I felt that it cleaned my skin so well. Unfortunately the next day this gave me spots and the red patches on my face had got even bigger! You can see my full review here.

Primark Egg Makeup Sponge 
This sponge is very firm compared to the Real Techniques sponge and doesn't really increase in size when it's wet. While I found the pointed end useful to apply foundation around the eyes I found that
bouncing it/stippling seemed to darken foundation and sometimes remove it. I didn't really enjoy using this despite all the positive reviews and I found it harder to clean compared to the Real Techniques one.

Marks and Spencer's Wanderlust Limited Collection Blusher Review

I saw this on a beauty blog and had to have it. I had to order this online as the ones in store were all spoiled. It's no longer on Marks and Spencers' website but you may be able to find them in store. Currently they have a 3 for 2 on selected items and a 50% off sale on other items. The full price of this blusher  is £6.

I haven't tried any of Marks and Spencers make up before but the packaging on Limited's Wanderlust collection are so pretty.The box is gorgeous and it's a two toned blusher- a pinky-peach background and the darker purple  deer, applied together the blusher is a bright purple pink colour.

I don't have such a colour in my collection so thought that this would be a good shade to try.
The only problem is each time you use it you erode/smudge the deer picture however it's purpose is to be used as a blusher after all...