Review - First Impressions: Michael Todd True Organics Acne Oily Skin Regime

Well hello there,

So last week I told you all about the new skin care regime I have started using and a now a week since I started using it I am here to give you my first impressions!

I purchased the acne/oily skin regime from Michael Todd's True Organics line. It is an American company but they do ship over here to the a UK. I bought the regime when it was discounted at around $70 dollars instead of the usual $131 - though this has been discounted for a while so I suspect you would never actually pay 'full price' for it - plus an additional 20% off - discount code at bottom of page :) so all in all I paid about $60 dollars including shipping. As it is imported import tax is due on it but the company actually pays this for you so you don't have to worry about additional costs!

What I got:

The regime comprises 5 products. 

A charcoal detox deep pore gel cleanser, an organic lemon toner, a kaolin clay facial mask, an antiox serum and a jojoba charcoal scrub. All of which is meant to be a 3-4 months supply.

First impressions:

The first thing I noticed about these products is the smell and colour of everything. The face mask which I used first really does not smell great especially as it's something you are meant to leave on your face for 15 minutes! The other products are no where near as bad but you can definitely smell the Organics coming though!

The toner seems nice, it's a pale liquid in colour with the same consistency as water. You apply it to a cotton pad and wipe over your face. So far this is nice to use but I haven't seen anything that makes it stand out from toners I have used in the past. The one thing I will say about it is that when using it you are meant to use sunscreen of at least factor 15 so maybe this isn't the greatest product to be using during summer or if you have delicate skin. Also since ordering they have switched the toner in the regime from the organic lemon to the blue green algae one - I am pretty disappointed as I had heard good things about the blue green algae toner so pretty gutted I didn't get it. 

The scrub and cleanser seem pretty bog standard to me so for now I am not going to go into too much detail about them. 

Cleanser on the left and scrub on the right. 

The serum is a bit...odd. First it comes in rather large packaging, the instructions state to add two or three drops but it's a large pump so unless you are careful you end up with much much more than that. I find it quite sticky and it doesn't soak in very quickly so it doesn't feel like its's doing much apart from just sitting on the surface of my skin. 

Finally the last product is the mask and I must say I am not a fan. First of all it stinks and is not the sort of thing I really want to put on my face. The second thing is it looks pretty gross. 

Face mask. 

So if you are applying it I would suggest that you make it a time where no one will be swinging by. The last and probably worst issue is that it is a total nightmare to apply. The instructions say apply an even layer over cleansed skin. 

This is my best effort at creating an even layer...

Try as I might it just would not spread evenly - it clumped together so badly that despite a good 10 minutes of trying the above is the best result I could get. There was just no way it was going to happen. Getting it off is also a bit of an ordeal as the product seems to,stick to everything (apart from my face!) Honestly I really dislike this and I am so disappointed in it :(

Others have been raving about this line so much which is what encouraged me to go for it in the first place and I must say that my first impressions are average at best. In terms of the impact it has had on my skin - my skin is a lot oily now than before :(. As I have only been using this for a week I am not yet sure if my skin is just adjusting to the new products, that the products are making my skin worse, or perhaps i just hadn't given enough credit to the products I was using before. Either way I shall continue to use them and find out - check back for future (hopefully more positive) updates. 

Claire

Disclaimer: I bought all these products with my own money and I am not affiliated with any brands mentioned. Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any companies linked. The discount code is just one I found on the Internet and I am not in anyway linked to the code. 

Acne oily skin regime: http://www.michaeltoddtrueorganics.com/index.php/featured-products/acne-control-skincare-regimen.html

Discount code 20%: noacne

My thoughts on: my skin care regimes

Well hello there,

Today's post is all about my thoughts on all the skin care regimes I have used up until now. I am doing this post as I have just bought a regime of skin care products to start a new routine with ( first expressions post coming soon) and thought it would be nice to explain what sort of things I have tried using so far. 

When I was younger I used basically the most stripping overpowering products - think Clean&Clear, Freederm, Clearasil etc basically the average teenage products but I always went for the harshest, acne prone formulas even though I didn't really have acne prone skin believing I was doing the best for my skin. 

I used these for a long time until I realised that my oily skin was actually my main skin concern not acne and that the products I was using obviously weren't helping my oily skin. So after a bit of research I bought the Tea Tree range from the Body Shop. I like to think that using products from the same range work better together as they are complementary to each other (though I don't know how much truth is in this) so decided to buy products from a single range. I ended up with the facial scrub, toner, face wash, exfoliating pads, and the face mask all of which are designed for those who are prone to blemishes, blackheads and oily skin. I started using this and quite soon realised that this range was far too overpowering for my skin, it felt dry but not in an oil controlling way, after using the products my skin would feel tight which is never a good sign especially when it wasn't having any impact on my oily skin. 

So I ditched the Tea Tree range and again sticking with the Body Shop (I love the Body Shop) moved to the Seaweed range designed for combination skin hoping that taking things down a level would help. This range is designed to balance out skin and control excess oil and again I bought all my products from within this range these being: the facial scrub, face wash, toner, face mask, and the pore perfecter treatment. I have been using bits of this range for a long time now and felt it helped a little. I soon stopped using the mask and the pore perfecter as they weren't doing anything for my skin but the others I have continued to use until recently. 

I, like lots of others, have skin care products lying around that just don't get used so these have been gradually incorporated into my skin care regime meaning that it is full of random products. 

Current products used in my skin care regime. 

In the morning I wash my face with the Clean Slate face wash - this was one of the products from a GlossyBox a few months back - it's ok but there is nothing about it that stands out enough to make me purchase a full size version. I then use the Seaweed Toner from the Body Shop - toners are such a love hate thing, you either use them or you don't and for me there is something really satisfying about them so me me a toner in my skin care regime is a must. In the morning instead of a moisturiser I use my La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo and then apply my make up. 

I am one of those people who shower in the evenings as I am the worst morning person and there is no way I would be able to leave my bed sooner to have a shower. So when I get back from work the first thing I do is remove my make up using the Emma Hardie cleansing balm. When I shower before I get in I use the Lush lip scrub and then in the shower I use the Clean Mary cleansing milk. Sometimes I use Clean Mary with my Clarisonic but not always as I don't like to overuse my Clarisonic. Once I am out of the shower I use my toner once again and then moisturise using my Simple light moisturiser and finally a couple of times a week before bed I used the Origins Intensive Overnight Mask. (Check out my previous reviews for my thoughts on some of these products linked at the end of the post). 

However, since my skin care regime has become such a mishmash of various products I thought I would start again using products from one range. After some more research (I can't explain how important research is when considering products to buy) I settle on Michael Todd's True Organics. This company has been doing the rounds for a little bit and is all over the blogs and YouTube channels which some really great comments and reviews so thought it would be worth a try. 

I purchased the Acne-Oily skin full regime containing 5 products, a toner, face mask, cleansing wash, facial scrub and a serum. 

The reason I purchased the Acne-Oily skin regime is that recently I have had quite a lot of break-outs partly to do with my foundation so was looking for something to help with my acne as well!

I will be doing first impressions post later this week so keep checking back to see what I think!

Claire

Disclaimer: I bought all these products with my own money apart from Clean Slate face wash which was in a GlossyBox which I purchased with my own money, I am not affiliated which any brands mentioned. All links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any companies linked. 

Links

Body Shop Tea Tree range:

http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/shop-by-range/tea-tree.aspx

Body Shop Seaweed Range:

http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/shop-by-range/seaweed.aspx

Clean Slate face wash:

http://www.lookfantastic.com/mama-mio-clean-slate-150ml/10556654.html

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo review:

http://kerfuffleclaire.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/review-la-roche-posay-effaclar-duo.html

Emma Hardie cleansing balm review:

http://kerfuffleclaire.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/review-emma-hardie-amazing-face-natural.html

Lush lip scrub review:

http://kerfuffleclaire.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/review-lush-lip-scrub-popcorn.html

Clean Mary:

http://www.asos.com/Soap-Glory/Soap-Glory-Clean-Mary-Cleanser-180ml/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=1553750

Simple light moisturiser:

http://www.superdrug.com/simple-hydrating-light-moisturiser-125ml/invt/949073

Origins overnight mask review:

http://kerfuffleclaire.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/review-origins-drink-up-intensive.html

Review: Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask

Well hello there,

Back again with a quick review of one of my current favourite products! I bought this along side the Origins United State Balancing Tonic (review here: http://kerfuffleclaire.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/origins-united-state-balancing-tonic.html) which I was a bit meh about but as I said then I do love some of Origins other products and this is one of them. 

I have such a love hate relationship with night creams - I love the way they make my skin feel in the morning but hate getting moisturiser all of my pillow, having one side of my face feeling more moisturised than the other because I have had one side smushed into the pillow all night and then sometimes the residue that's left in the morning. 

Thanks now to Origin's Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask it is now firmly a love relationship!

What they say:

Quenches moisture reserves and builds them up to prevent future dehydration helps skin become smoother and more hydrated. Costs £20 for 100ml. 

What I think:

Firstly the packaging is lovey - nice and simple. Second this stuff smells amazing! To apply you just massage onto cleansed skin before you head to bed - the instructions to say to tissue off an excess but I prefer you use a small amount and then more as required than waste some by creating excess. It soaks in really quickly which is one of the main reasons I love it - no more product all over the pillow! I was slightly concerned at first that using it on really oily skin might cause problems but this has just been an all round winner for me - think this would also work wonders for those with dry skin. My skin feels smooth, soft and hydrated in the morning so just what it claims to and you can't really ask for more than that! You are meant to use it twice a week or as desired so this isn't meant to be an everyday night cream really. 

Pros:

Soaks in really quickly

Looks great

Smells amazing!

Skin feels smooth and hydrated

Perfect for all skin types

Cons:

Sightly expensive

The big decision:

Will I be purchasing this again? A bit fat YES! This is by far the best night cream I have used even if it is only meant to be used just twice a week! I will still continue my hunt for a night cream that can be used more regularly but for me this is the best intensive mask night cream I have used and will duly continue to use it. It is a tad on the expensive side at £20 but as you aren't using it everyday it lasts for ages and for me it's totally worth the money!

Claire

Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money and I am not affiliated with any brands mentioned. Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any companies linked!

http://www.origins.co.uk/product/3857/11647/Skincare/Category/Masks/Drink-Up-Intensive/Overnight-mask-to-quench-skins-thirst/index.tmpl

Review: Lush Lip Scrub Popcorn

Well hello everyone!

Today I am going to be looking at another product I have been using for a little bit. 

It's one of Lush's lip scrubs, they come in three 'flavours' bubblegum, mint julips, and popcorn for £5.25 for 25g. 

The reason for me buying this is that I have a terrible habit of biting my lips, it's one of those things that I have always done (my sister does it too) and it's an infinite circle of biting and making my lips uneven and then biting more as my lips felt uneven.  In order to try and stop myself doing this as I know it is really bad for me, I got this scrub hoping that if my lips were smooth it would remove one of the main temptations for biting them.  

What they say:

The ingredients create a perfect mix to leave your lips smooth and moisturised once you have buffed them to perfection. 

What I think:

I really like this, at first I was unsure about the flavour, it came off as tasting just salty but once you get used to that it's great. I use it before I shower and just take a small amount out and rub it into my lips then as it is edible I lick it all off. My lips are left smooth and looking fab, creating a great base for any lip products I use during the day. 

Pros:

Works great

Tastes really good

Perfect for scrubbing any dry skin away before applying lip products

Cons:

It is a tad on the expensive side for what it is

I find that you can't leave it in the bathroom as the damp air can get into the container

You can make a bit of a mess as the grains tend to fall off when you are rubbing them into your lips

The big decision:

Would I buy this again? Yes, absolutely. I find it one of those addictive products that once you have felt how soft and smooth it make your lips feel you are never going to want your lips to feel different again! I might be tempted to dry one of the other flavours next though. 

How do you feel about lip scrubs?

Claire

Disclaimer: I bought this product with my own money and am not affiliated with any brand mentioned. Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any brands linked. 

Popcorn scrub: https://www.lush.co.uk/product/6080/Popcorn-Lip-Scrub

Review: Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm

Well hello there,

Today I am going to review a product I have been using for a good month or so. It's Emma Hardie's Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm (phew! Bit of a mouthful). 

What they say:

Skin is cleansed and moisturised whilst minimising the appearance of open pores. Revitalising and calming. Can also be used as a rescue balm or a soothing mask. 

 

It comes in a glass tub, which I must say looks rather good in my bathroom and costs a hefty £34 for 100ml. The directions say you take the balm and mix it with some water in the palm of your hand and then mix until it turns into a milk. You then apply to your face and gently rub to remove all make up, dirt and excess oil, you then take one of Emma Hardie's Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Dual Action professional Cleansing Cloths (again bit of a mouthful), dampen it with warm water and then gently remove the balm.

The cloths are sold separately in packs of three for £10 (or £8 at feelunique) and come rather cutely wrapped!

The cloths are dual action as they have a slightly rough side for exfoliating and then a soft side for the areas which need a slightly more gentle touch. 

They also have a rather handy loop so after you have washed them they are easy to hang up to dry (it really is the little things!). 

So...what I think:

I think this is a great cleanser, it gets rid of all my make up really easily and I have noticed the difference when using my Clarisonic later. I wear MAC Prolongwear foundation which is super difficult to remove, usually even after cleansing my Clarisonic brush would still be stained with foundation that was let on my skin, but since starting to use this cleansing balm my Clarisonic brush still looks brand new!

Unlike a lot of cleansers it doesn't leave your skin really tight afterwards but nice smooth and moisturised. The balm is lovely, it smells great and you only need a small amount so a little does go a long way. It comes out a yellowy/cream colour but when mixed with water turns a white milky colour. 

I have 't noticed any difference in pore size but really like the cloths, the exfoliating side works really well for getting the days gunk and grime off my skin!

Pros:

Works well - gets rid of all make up, dirt and grime superbly. 

Smells and looks great. 

I love these cloths, they are great multi purpose cloths and I can see myself using them for a long time. 

You only need a small amount so it lasts for a long time. 

Cons:

Is expensive £34 for a 100ml is a rather large price tag, especially when you consider the extra £10 for the cloths on top. 

The tub does not travel well, I tried to take it away with me once and cracked the glass on the lid (which you can probably see in some of the photos) so unless you out some balm in another container I recommend you leave it at home. 

The big decision:

Ultimately would I buy this again?

Yes and no. I am around halfway though the tub now but have decided when it runs out not to buy a new one (at least not straight away). I have a couple of others I want to try out and I think one of the greatest strengths of this actually is the cloths. I want to experiment with using the cloths with other cleansers as if I find using them with other products works well I will struggle to justify spending £34 on another tub. It is however, lovely if you do want to splurge or just treat yourself!

What's your favourite splurge item?

Claire

Cleansing balm: http://www.feelunique.com/p/Emma-Hardie-Amazing-Face-Natural-Lift-and-Sculpt-Moringa-Cleansing-Balm-100ml

Cloths: http://www.feelunique.com/p/Emma-Hardie-Amazing-Face-Dual-Action-Professional-Cleansing-Cloths-x3

Disclaimer: I bought these products with my own money and I am not affiliated with any of the brand mentioned. 

Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with an companies linked. 

Review: OC Eight

Well hello there,

Up until now it seems all my reviews have been something I haven't been completely bowled over by but this product is the absolute exception!

OC Eight is a mattifying gel that you use before makeup in order to control oil though out the day. The idea is that the gel contains small particles which are able to absorb oil as it is produced throughout the day. The gel is meant to give 8 hours of shine free wear and it doesn't last that long for me but this is mainly due to my skin being far more oily than most!

I started using this product when I was 15 or 16 after tremendous amounts of research, at the time in America it was listed as a prescription product from dermatologists (though this isn't the case any more) and it was this that was the main reason for me trying it initially. I thought if it was strong enough to be available on prescription then it might stand a chance against my skin!

It is a creamy gel, thicker than a moisturiser and quite similar to a primer in texture. You smooth it onto your skin in small circles before applying your make up but after any moisturiser (or in my case La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo) and wait for it to dry before applying any foundation and the rest of your make up as usual. It dries fairly quickly but if you are a bit too keen sometimes it can make your foundation go a bit patchy or cause white marks to appear. 

I must say I LOVE this product. It is the only product I have ever used that I will without fail always continue to repurchase. Since first buying it at 15/16 there has not been a day when I have applied make up without using this first. It is the only product that has ever really made a difference to my oily skin, although it might not seem a lot to most people having a product that keeps your skin vaguely matte for up to 4 or 5 hours depending on what foundation I am using as opposed to my make up looking a mess after 30-45 minutes without is a huge achievement in my book. I usually apply it around 8am in the morning and notice by around half one/half two my face is beginning to shine. As I said it doesn't seem a lot but considering then difference when I don't use it last until after lunch is pretty remarkable!

This product doesn't seem to be that we'll known in the beauty world (as far as I know) so I really wanted to say how much it has changed my skin! It's priced from between £8-£10 depending on where you get it though I find you can get it in multipacks of 3 tubes for about £22-£25 making it a little cheaper. There aren't that many places that seem to stock it - online pharmacies are usually the place I find it!

There we have it - a product I am pretty convinced I shall continue to use and repurchase as long as it's still available to buy!

What do you use to keep your make up looking fresh?

Claire

OC Eight: http://www.expresschemist.co.uk/category_1991_oceight.html

Disclaimer: I purchased this product with my own money and I am not affiliated with any brands mentioned. 

Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any companies linked or mentioned. 

Review: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo

Well hello there,

Today I just doing a quick review on one of the products I mentioned in my skin story post. AfterI have  cleansed and toned my skin in the morning La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo is the first thing I put on my skin. I use it instead of a moisturiser in the morning as using any moisturiser on my oily skin makes it so much worse. 

This product is described as a corrective and unclogging product designed to reduce imperfections and purify your pores. It costs £13 in Boots though they usually have good offers and when I got mine it was two for £15 making it effectively £7.50. 

Lots of other bloggers have raved about this product and credit it with totally transforming their skin and all the great reviews were the reason i went out and bought it. Sadly this was not the case for me. The product is nice, is a lovely creamy formula, goes on really well and soaks in really quickly so it's perfect to use before make up. However, I didn't see that much difference in my skin, it did help slightly with my acne but I didn't notice any difference in my pores. I have quite large pores and was hoping that even a small change would make a big difference to my overall skin which just didn't happen. Still I do like this i think the main problem is that the only foundation that I have found helps control my oil also makes me break out so I think this product probably deserves a bit more credit than I am currently giving. 

The main point is that I probably will repurchase this however, I will wait until there is an offer on before I get it again. 

Anyone else tried this?

Claire

http://www.boots.com/en/La-Roche-Posay-Effaclar-Duo-40ml_1002787/

Disclaimer: I bought this product with my own money and am not affiliated with this brand.

 Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any companies linked. 

My skin story

Well hello everyone,

I though I would give you a little background into myself and my skin as I feel this will shape a lot of the products I review and things I talk about and so giving you a little insight into what I am all about will help you much better understand where I am coming from.

The first thing to say is that although I have been into beauty and makeup for a long time it is only the past couple of years where I have really started experimenting and trying lots of new things. I tended to just buy the same things time and time again without giving much thought to what I was buying or how it would affect my skin. But a few years ago I really for the first time noticed just how bad my skin was and from there have been on a quest to try and find anything that would help

My skin type is oily, not just the run of the mill a little oil, but full on oil slick skin. When I am wearing no makeup in a matter of minutes my skin is covered with an oily sheen. Up until recently I was one of those strange cases where although I had really oily skin I didn't really suffer with acne, just the occasional spot or blackhead but through trying out all the different products to try and combat my oily skin I have actually made my skin worse and am still no closer to finding anything that can help.

For my skin I have done or gone through most of the phases and crazes to try and bring my oil to a more manageable level. I have tried everything from not putting anything on my skin so that it naturally balances itself out, to trying to strip away oils and everything in between and so far I have only found products that keep my oil at bay for an extra few hours (which is not great).

I find myself constantly checking in the mirror to make sure my make up hasn't slid off my face and would love to be able to go out for the day without the constant worry of what my makeup is up to.

I use a variety of products currently (all of which I will do full reviews on later), but to give you an idea of what I use of a daily basis: first La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, then OC Eight mattifying gel, MAC Pro Longwear Foundation in NC15, Urban Decay All Nighter makeup setting spray and then Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 003 Peach Glow. This is just the basics and it still doesn't make a huge difference.

I will do a proper post on my skin care and make up routines another day but from this I hope you can get a feel of what sort of things I am looking for in my beauty and makeup purchases.

Phew this has been a bit of a long one but I hope it gives you some insight into what I am about and to all those girls who also struggle with their skin sometimes it's just nice to know you are not alone!

What's your skin type and how do you manage with those not so great skin days?

Catch up soon,
Claire

Origins United State Balancing Tonic - Product Review

Well hello there everyone,

Today I am going to do a little product review on Origins United State Balancing Tonic.

This is essentially a toner designed to united the oily and dry areas of your skin into one perfectly balanced face.

It's designed for combination to oily skin (I have oily skin) and comes in a 150ml bottle all for £17. http://www.origins.co.uk/product/3861/11393/Skincare/Category/Toners/United-State/Balancing-tonic/index.tmpl

The first thing to say is that for me this didn't work. It didn't balance out my skin, didn't make my skin any less oily, and to be honest I didn't actually notice any difference when using it! The actual tonic itself has the same consistency and looks like water but with a very chemical smell, much more than other toners I have used.

The bottle does look cute on your dressing table but it is a real pain, the top screws off entirely and there is no stopper underneath, just the opening meaning that when you try and get some product onto a cotton pad it gets a bit messy. This really deterred me from using the product as I felt that I wasted a lot just by the bottle not being designed very well, this was backed up in that I used this much quicker (around a month) than most other toners I have used which have lasted a good 3 months or so.

I do love other Origins products (reviews to follow) but won't be repurchasing this one.

What do you think?

Claire




Disclaimer: this product as with all the products I review were bought by myself with my own money. Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned.