MY TOP 3 FACIAL WATERS {JULY 2019}

Facial water sprays, whether they're sourced from deep within Volcanic mountains, Thermal Springs or from the skin of a grape, I love them all.They've been around for decades, so they're nothing new. Once seen as a "nice to have" kind of product, they're now seen as a "must have" inclusion in your beauty regime and I've included one in mine for routine for years.

These handy cans of natural, soothing water can be used to tone,refresh, hydrate, cool and even help to set make-up. They can be spritzed on the most sensitive of skins and can be used by the whole family.

Most of the brands below offer a variety of sizes ranging from 50ml to 400ml and the travel sizes are great for the hand or gym bag.

Having put so many to the test, in my opinion, the French do produce the best, here are my Top 3 and whilst there are several others, I was truly unable to find any bad ones, 
I have kept my list to strictly three only. They all do basically the same thing and I have chosen these particular three as they each offer something slightly more specific depending on my needs.

I have also added the Pink Links below so you can read my full reviews on each
facial water spray.
(prices and stockist info may have changed since my original reviews were posted)

1.

AVÉNE
Thermal Spring Water

This is no.1 on my list for a very good reason and whilst it does all that it's suppose to do in terms of hydrating, refreshing and cooling the skin, the AVÉNE Thermal Water comes out tops when you are looking to soothe and calm a sensitive or intolerant skin and it does so instantly. 
I cannot tell you how many large cans of the Avéne Thermal Water I have gone through and I will continue to, until I find a product that can out perform this one.

To read my full review

2.

VICHY
Thermal Mineralising Water

Vichy thermal Mineralizing Water, born in the French volcanoes and charged with 15 rare minerals is proven to strengthen skin against aggressions such as UV, pollution and stress. Vichy thermal Mineralizing Water is at the base of all Vichy formulations.

This is my favourite one to both keep in the fridge and travel with, as I find the spray to be slightly more forceful than the others and its so refreshing on those hot travel days.

To read my full review

3.

CAUDALIE
Grape Water

Caudalie is my new found French skincare brand and I'm so enjoying the history and ethos and of course their wonderful products.
To read more Caudalie Reviews

As the name suggests this water is made from grapes and is 100% natural and organic. 
If you are looking for a water spray that focuses more on moisturisation, then Caudalie is the one for you.It does leave a soft layer of moisture behind on the skin, once the water has dried down, which you don't experience with the other waters that I have used.

To read my full review

KIEHL'S NIGHTLY REFINING MICRO-PEEL CONCENTRATE {MINI REVIEW}

I have mentioned this so many times on my blog that I must sound like a stuck record, but exfoliation is the key to a good skin and I don't mean exfoliating once in a while, I mean religiously once a week, every week of every year. 
It's the most instantly rewarding skincare product that you can invest in.

I have used exfoliators religiously since I was around 21years of age and whilst other steps in my skincare regime may have come and gone over the years my weekly smoothing, brightening scrub/peel/exfoliator has always remained a constant.

To be fair I have only been using a sample of the, 

KIEHLS NIGHTLY REFINING MICRO-PEEL CONCENTRATE 

which I know isn't ideal, but as I say in the title, it's a Mini Review.

I managed to squeeze two applications out of the sample.

Over the years I have had rather a love/hate relationship with Kiehl's products

I either absolutely love a product or literally hate it, so much so, that I haven't had such a relationship with a skincare brand like it before and don't forget I've had a lifetime career in beauty.

I have tried previously their kiehl's Over-Night Biological Peel and I didn't enjoy it, yet I have bought on several occasions their Kiehl's Epidermal Re-Texturizing Dermabrasion , which I can highly recommend, as it's a great product and one that I love. However lets put that aside and see if this product falls into the 

"Love or Hate" category.

This nightly micro-peel concentrate helps to refine the feel of rough texture and reveal newly radiant, refreshed skin and who doesn't want a more refined, radiant refreshed skin.

Yes this potent yet gentle chemical facial peel effectively exfoliates while you sleep.

Clinically-demonstrated to help accelerate surface skin cell turnover to reveal fresher, newly radiant skin, while visibly evening skin tone and refining the feel of rough texture over time.

For the first time in a facial skincare product, quinoa husk extract has been formulated into an anti-ageing overnight treatment.

How to Apply:

This product is safe enough for nightly use.
Apply after cleansing & toning and before a concentrated serum. 
Press concentrate into face until absorbed
Follow with your nightly moisturiser.

I was somewhat surprised by the products runny consistency, so care needs to be taken on application and a little does go a long way. 
Whilst it was easy to use and I just used it under my current night cream,
I did find it a little tacky and sticky, so just allow to dry before applying any other products over the top.
I can't say that I noticed any difference with the brightness or radiance, but
I did feel a slight smoothness to my skin, but to be honest, it didn't 
"Rock my Exfoliating World" 
and with a hefty price of R820 this isn't an exfoliating product that I can rave about, so it seems like its another fail from me for this underwhelming peel.
That being said and to be fair to the product, I did only use it twice and I'm sure
with consistent use this product would perhaps perform better.

KIEHL'S 

Nightly 

Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate

30mls

R

820

$
60  

         

LA ROCHE-POSAY THERMAL SPRING WATER {REVIEW}

Facial waters are nothing new and have been around for many years, but in recent times they have become more accessible here in South Africa with the arrival of several european skincare brands whose product range is formulated around its core ingredient 

of thermal healing waters. 

We are far more likely nowadays to include a facial water in our daily beauty regimes than ever before.

I have tried several and I have my firm favourites, but I only recently put the test the

LA ROCHE-POSAY Thermal Spring Water

Sourced in La Roche-Posay, France, this thermal spring water is naturally rich in minerals.
It calms and treats sensitive, irritated or inflamed skin but can also be used to cool and refresh all skin types.

I personally keep a water spray in my fridge throughout summer and you will always find a mini size in my bag during my travels.

It can also be used to set make-up and its safe enough to use on babies.

 Men also found it to have an instant calming effect post-shaving.

Whilst claiming to have a fine mist of micro droplets, I found the spray not to be as fine, as other facial water sprays that I have experienced.

I have my 3 favourite facial water sprays and sadly whilst I enjoyed this one from LRP it didn't have any stand out features that set it apart from any of the others.
(I will be writing a post very soon, My Top 3 Facial Waters, so watch out for that if you're interested to know which ones I highly recommend and why.)

Facial waters can be used in so many ways and several years ago I would have said that this type of product was a "nice to have" whereas now I consider it a "must have"
product in your beauty line-up.

I have reviewed several LA ROCHE-POSAY products most of which I highly recommend
for a sensitive or intolerant skin and as I always say, you don't have to suffer from a sensitive skin to use any products formulated for sensitive skins.

To read my other LA ROCHE-POSAY reviews

To read my other Facial Water Reviews

LA ROCHE-POSAY

THERMAL SPRING WATER

150mls

R
145

£

7

€
6.20

$
12.99

SUNDAY SAMPLE

Being a great advocator of using a weekly peel/exfoliator/scrub I'm always on the hunt for something new, not that this  

   KIEHL'S Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate             

is new, but it's new to me.

This nightly micro-peel concentrate says it will refine the feel of rough texture and reveal newly radiant, refreshed skin and all whilst you sleep.

One of my favourite products from Kiehl's (I have several) just also happens to be a peel and it's their Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion 

To read my full review

(N.B Prices and store locations in this review may have changed)

I will be trying out the Micro-Peel during the coming week, but I doubt that I can 

me getting more than one application, at a push I may get two, so lets see.

QUICKIE PRODUCT REVIEWS {QPR'S} JULY 2019

This hasn't happened before, but I have 3 Hand Cream reviews on my QPR post this month.

Now I do love a good moisturising hand product, whether that comes in the form of a hand cream, lotion or balm. I acknowledge that its one of those products that I've neglected over the years. However,, with age I've realised that I just can't and I find myself reaching more and more to bathe my hands with some moisturising, comforting love.

Personally, I'm sure many are with me on this point, cannot tolerate any creams that leave a greasy film behind on the hands. You know the ones, those that you have to rinse off several minutes after application. Now I don't have exceptionally dry hands and for me the speed of absorption is the key to a good hand cream/balm or lotion.

According to the type of product your hands need, all of the below would make good choices, especially if you're looking to raise your hand cream game without 

breaking the "beauty" bank.

1.

Brand : RITUALS

Product : Ayurveda Smoothing Hand Balm

Indian Rose & Sweet Almond Oil

Price : £9

Size : 70mls

In Europe RITUALS has a strong brand presence, but sadly it's not available here in SA. 

Can you believe that this full size Hand Balm was actually a free gift with a one of the U.K. magazines that I picked up on my last visit. It's the first product that I've tried from RITUALS and I couldn't have picked a better introduction to this brand.

The fragrance of Indian Rose & Sweet Almond Oil immediately won me over, as its divine. 

I love the fragrance so much that more of this collection is in my UK Beauty Shopping List.

It's a beautiful balmy moisturiser that absorbs perfectly and definitely doesn't leave your hands feeling greasy instead they're left feeling soft, comfortable and divinely fragranced and I have to rate this product as my favourite hand balm ever!

Verdict : 10 /10

~~~~~~

2.

Brand : Mineraline

Product : Orange & Pomegranate 

Rich Moisturising Hand Cream

Price : R99

Size : 100mls

This rich hand cream combines the therapeutic benefits of Dead Sea Minerals with the amazing benefits of Pomegranate and Orange Oils. It also contains some of my favourite nourishing ingredients - Shea Butter, Vitamin E and B5, so this hand cream can nourish the driest of hands, whilst retaining the ability to absorb quickly. and the fresh citrusy fragrance is positively delicious.

Verdict : 7/10

~~~~~~

3.

Brand : Bionike

Product : PROXERA 

Nourishing Hand Cream 

Price : R99

Size : 75mls

If you suffer from very dry or even cracked skin on your hands, then this is the hand cream for you, as it's been formulated to moisturise, protect and restore the hydrolipid mantle, and it also softens and soothes the discomfort that cracked skin typically gives.

This fragrance free hand cream, whilst taking longer to absorb, works extremely well on chapped hands as my mum can vouch,unfortunately she suffers terribly, all year round, with dry and cracked skin. 

So this gets a huge thumbs up or should that be a hands up from her.

Verdict : 8/10

Mineraline and Bionike products are available exclusively at all Dischem's countrywide

Dischem

JAMES READ GRADUAL TAN H2O TAN DROPS FACE {REVIEW}

This has been yet another great find from my Marks & Spencer Beauty Advent Calendars 2018 and it's a product that I wouldn't have necessarily gone out of my way to 

buy and try.

Only hearing good things about these tanning products I was happy when the 

JAMES READ GRADUAL TAN H2O TAN DROPS FACE 

showed up behind one of the December doors and best of all it was a full retail 30ml size.

Here are a few words from JAMES READ about his successful brand of 16 years.

"My brand, James Read Tan was built on my completely unique concept; combining the benefits of luxury skincare with a natural golden tan to suit all skin tones. My mission has always been to change the world’s perception of tanning. Orange, sticky, drying, hard to apply, these are all comments of the past. My products are effortless to apply and are all about making your skin not only look amazing but feel amazing too. That's why I'm not afraid to call them outsTANding."

Having never tried any type of self tanner on my face, partly due to me being somewhat 

sceptical of the brands we have available in South Africa and the other reason,

 I didn't want an orange streaky face.

 On further investigation the above just seemed to tick all of my boxes of what I would look for in a gradual face tanning product and I felt confident to try this product from the tanning expert JAMES READ. 

The H2O Tan Drops for the Face form part of the Gradual Tan collection and

as the products' name suggests, these drops are gradual, the formula is water based, and they won’t interfere with your daily skincare, which I was pleased to read, as skincare is after all my main priority.

Containing Water, Aloe Vera and Hyaluronic Acid they have been formulated to work in conjunction with your daily skincare to create a flawless, glowing complexion with no streaks, no clogged pores and no dryness. 

You are easily able to control your colour as the high-precision dosage delivers

a buildable, yet controllable tan.

These drops can be added into your daily skincare whether it's your moisturiser, serum and they can even be mixed in with your foundation.You are literally in complete control of creating a "made to measure" face tan and to be honest it couldn't have been easier to use.

They recommend that you add 2-4 drops into your chosen product, mine was my moisturiser, and then you wait for a gradual healthy, glowing tan to appear.

I worked up to 4 drops over a couple of days and I was pleasantly surprised at how

streak free and natural the tan was, no orange in sight.

I personally found that I needed to add a couple of drops to my moisturiser every couple of days, as a top up, once I had the desired depth of colour. You can however use daily if needed.
I also didn't experience any uneven fade with the product, which was another of my concerns.

These drops can be used by all skin types and skin tones.

As with any self tan product you do have to take care to apply evenly and as always wash your hands well after application.

You also do need to be aware that these tanning drops do not contain a sunscreen, so you will need to apply a suitable SPF when exposing your face to the sun.

I was super impressed by how naturally bronzed my skin looked making it a perfect product to use for holidays, special occasions and for me it will be a safe way to obtain a 

healthy bronzed face in summer.

It will also negate me wearing a foundation on those scorching hot, humid days that we experience here in Durban.

This product is definitely worth getting your hands on and if like me,a little

hesitant, then don't be, as the JAMES READ GRADUAL TAN  H2O TAN DROPS 

will take care of your gradual face tanning needs perfectly....

JAMES READ 

GRADUAL TAN 

H2O TAN DROPS 

FACE 

30mls

R

Not available in SA

£

30

$

35

THISWORKS IN TRANSIT CAMERA CLOSE-UP {REVIEW}

This has been yet another skincare brand that I have been introduced to through

one of my Beauty Advent Calendars and a brand that I knew very little about.

This Works was created in 2003 by former Beauty Director of Vogue UK and International journalist, Kathy Phillips, as an antidote to modern life, its impact on skin and well being.

As both yoga teacher and beauty expert, Kathy understood the link between lifestyle and skin health, creating intelligent, targeted solutions that optimise skin performance 24 hours a day, based on the body clock.

The result was and is a collection of high quality, efficacious products that deliver on their promise without using unnecessary chemicals,that work with your natural circadian rhythm to support and maximise skin performance 24 hours a day. This Works was among the pioneer brands to replace sulphates, phalates, GMOs and parabens with cleaner alternatives.

Over the past week I have been trying out their

 in transit camera close-up

which is a unisex multi-tasking product that works as a mask,moisturiser and primer

all-in-one, ideal for a long-lasting make-up finish.

The camera close-up forms part of the in transit range of products which was created with the busy "on the go" person in mind.

Formulated to even, plump and brighten your skin, this product is a mask, moisturiser and a primer all in one that contains a powerful blend of repairing plant oils,Hyaluronic Acid, Argan, Starflower Oils, as well as a boost of caffeine to erase signs of fatigue and make your skin look radiant.

How To Use:

Apply to clean skin, including eye area, and massage gently until absorbed.  

Skin will feel slightly dewy and perfectly prepared for make-up.

I'm not generally a huge fan of multi-tasking products, but I did enjoy using this product

as an individual mask, a moisturiser with no make-up and a primer over my normal moisturiser, but this product really came into its own when used as an all-in one multi-tasking product and as an added bonus it can be used around the eye area.

I found it to be very handy, especially if you're short of time in the mornings and its also great for holidays where skincare products have to be kept to a minimum .

It was moisturising enough for my normal/dry/mature skin, but I would be a little wary if your skin leaned more towards combination/oily, as it may feel a little greasy on the skin.

My make-up generally lasts well and looks fairly radiant, so I can't comment too much on these benefits and whilst I cannot say anything bad about the 

in transit camera close-up

it just didn't wow me enough to part with £32 anytime in the future.

THISWORKS

in transit camera close-up

40mls

R

Not Available in South Africa

£

32

€

40

$

55