Sesderma Abradermol Microdermabrasion Cream

(Gifted item) It's been a very long time since I've used a fine 'scrubby' product like this on my face and while I generally prefer to use exfoliating acids in my everyday routine, a bit of physical exfoliatian can be so satisfying. The Abradermol Microdermabrasion Cream from Spanish brand Sesderma got my attention because I've tried something similar in the past and I really enjoyed the results so wanted to see if my skin still appreciated a proper physical scrub.

Aluminium Oxide Crystals provide the exfoliation in the cream formula. These crystals are the same product used in many professional Microdermabrasion treatments in which they are 'sprayed' onto the skin to exfoliate and encourage cell renewal. In this case, the crystals are suspended in a cream with Shea Butter and Niacinamide and they do their thing via manual exfoliation. Shea Butter is included to moisturise, protect and regenerate the skin while Niacinamide moisturises, prevents water loss and improves the barrier function of the skin as well as working to prevent irritation; a great addition to a product containing Aluminium Oxide Crystals which are pretty harsh by their nature.

The fine, gritty cream is designed to be gently massaged over a clean, moist face in circular motions (avoiding the eye area and lips) before rinsing it away with water. The result is incredibly smooth skin with a noticeable glow, which is right up my street! The cream can also be used on the body, just go easy with this stuff on any 'delicate' areas.
I found that Abradermol also preps the skin beautifully to receive serums and moisturisers (I don't use active skincare products immediately after using this) and they seem to absorb into the skin more quickly. It really is quite similar to that smooth, gorgeous skin feeling you're left with after an excellent facial.
If you're keen to try Sesderma Abradermol Microdermabrasion Cream for yourself, it retails for £18.20 in the UK at Sesderma.

Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar Reveal #19

Today on Saturday the 19th we've got a tube of Facial Refining Polisher from Hungarian skincare brand Omorovicza. Containing natural pumice, the granular exfoliator is enriched with Marine Micro Algae, Hungarian Moor Mud and Fruit Acids. I'm looking forward to having a good scrub with this.
The full sized 100ml tube is £65 at Liberty.

Oskia Micro Exfoliating Balm review

As much as I love acid exfoliating, I'm still an avid user of granular exfoliators for that super smooth, clean feeling. I especially love granular exfoliators when they smell good, look good and do what they say they will. Enter Oskia Micro Exfoliating Balm.

This luxury exfoliator gets use about twice a week (sometimes more if I can't resist it) and is a product I can confidently say I will be repurchasing because it's simply too good.

The grainy bits in the Oskia exfoliating balm are MSM and Silica micro granules that buff and polish the skin and unclog pores. MSM (known as the beauty mineral) is a form of sulphur that is said to aid in stress relief and reduce inflammation. The addition of MSM as an exfoliatior is fantastic not only because of its stand alone beauty benefits but also because it dissolves in contact with water, adding an extra special element to the exfoliating balm.

The balm contains a nourishing combination of Sweet Almond, Sesame Seed and Kukui Nut oils as well as Oskia's special Zinc-Glycine complex to soothe, heal and reduce redness. 

The exfoliating balm is applied to dry skin and transforms into a milky consistency on contact with water, making it really simple to use and remove.

To me, the balm has quite a refreshing, almost minty scent that I'm rather fond of and the weighty glass packaging gives the balm a real luxury look and feel.

The real kicker with Oskia's Micro Exfoliating Balm is how it makes my skin feel, which is best described as like I've just had a very quick yet thorough facial. My skin is left smooth, clean yet nourished and poised for my serum and moisturiser. Despite the fact that this is such an effective exfoliating product, it's impressively gentle. Even though I don't have particularly sensitive skin myself, I have read numerous reviews from people who do who have been completely wowed by the fact that this didn't irritate in the slightest.

It really is a gorgeous product and I'd say it's earned its £49.50 price tag and then some. The only downside for me is that I now want to try everything from Oskia.
Oskia Micro Exfoliating Balm is available at a range of retailers including Space NK and Look Fantastic.

Sk:n Exfoliating Cleanser

When it comes to my skincare routine, exfoliating is probably my favourite step. There's just nothing quite like the feeling of sloughing away dead skin and prepping it to be smooth and ready to really absorb whatever serum/oil/moisturiser I'm currently obsessing over.

Sk:n Clinics has cleverly combined cleansing and exfoliating to create one simple product to eliminate the need for two separate products.

The exfoliating cleanser is deceptively smooth and creamy - at first glance it just looks like an innocent rich cleanser. In reality though, the cleanser sneakily exfoliates as you cleanse, thanks to the addition of two of my fave skincare ingredients- Glycolic acid and glycerine. If you're familiar with acid toning and exfoliants, you'll already know that Glycolic acid is an extremely effective ingredient found in many anti aging lotions and potions these days. In essence, it melts away dead skin cells and eliminates the need for those granular exfoliating scrubs so many of us grew up with (and occasionally still reach for when feeling extra grimey). Glycerine moisturises the skin while the Glycolic acid does its thing, so skin is left feeling super soft and hydrated.

The Sk:n Clinics Exfoliating Cleanser does create a slight tingling sensation, which I rather enjoy because I like to 'feel' glycolic acid working away. The creamy consistency and hydrating ingredients make it perfect for this time of year, if like me your skin gets a bit dry and tight in the cooler months- I'm definitely reaching for the cleanser more now than I was during summer.

All in all, I think this is a fantastic two in one product, especially if you like your skincare to pack a bit of a punch and still be a bit of a pleasure to use.

If you don't know much about Sk:n Clinics, you can find out more about their products here and also check out the range of treatments they offer in their salons here.

Post contains sample

The Glow Getters - Top 5 Skincare Edit

It's no secret that I have a (slightly excessive) fascination with Skincare.
Call it an obsession if you will, but moisturisers, lotions, oils, cleansers, serums, exfoliators and other potions have a special place in my heart/desk/ shower/ floor. Personally, I like to think of looking after my skin as an investment - after all I'm stuck with it for the rest of my life and now that I'm standing at the door of the big 3-0 I'm more inclined than ever to keep it looking healthy and feeling good!
To share some of my favourites, I've put together a little edit of my top 5 skincare picks for glowing, delicious (?), happy skin. These products actually work for me and they've made it onto this post because I saw results! No BS here, just a little run down of old faithfuls and a few new bits I'm loving lately.

Indeed Labs Facial Powdered Exfoliator
A recent purchase, this exfoliating powder hooked me in from all the great reviews on the Boots website and seems to actually deliver. Containing pineapple enzymes, the powder is mixed with water in your palm and foams up to create a slightly clinical scented concoction that fizzes away and leaves skin feeling super squeaky clean and smooth. £18.99 at Boots.

Pixi Glow Tonic

I've had this bottle of Pixi Glow Tonic for a good few months now and go through stages of using it religiously and sporadically. It gives my complexion a super smooth peachy glow directly after use and keeps try bits at bay with long term use. £18 at Cult Beauty.

Soap and Glory Beauty Sleep Accelerator Night & Flight Moisture Miracle
This one is a recent discovery and a bit of a revelation! While I can't comment on long term effects at this point, I can say that I wake up with healthy looking, bright skin after applying this the night before. It feels really, really moisturising and smells gorgeous- kind of like a tropical fruit salad. Love the minimalist packaging too. £13 at Boots.

Clinique Turnaround Daytime Moisturiser
The Clinique Turnaround Daytime Revitalising Moisturiser is a rather new release and delivers lightweight, oil free hydration with a tiny hint of luminous shimmer. I've found it to be a great quick fix on a tired face and leaves the skin lovely and soft. I have Turnaround Daytime in 'Rosy Glow' but it's also available in 'Golden Glow' which would be great for summer. £32 at Boots.

Nourish Rejuvenating Peptide Serum
I had the Nourish Rejuvenating Peptide Serum* very kindly sent to me about 6 weeks ago and have been using it almost every second day. It claims to 'enhance skin's natural luminosity' via light responsive bio-actives and seems to do just that! The peptide serum feels like water on the skin and has a beautiful natural rose scent that I just love - I imagine I will be reaching for this a lot this Spring. £20

So there you have my top 5 glow-inducing skincare bits. What are your go-to glow getters?

Boots Botanics All Bright Skincare

In desperate need of an affordable moisturiser and exfoliator that I would actually enjoy using, I nipped into Boots on my lunch break a few days ago and triumphantly emerged moments later with a jar of Botanics All Bright Hydrating Day Cream and All Bright Purifying Face Scrub.

For me, the selling point of the Botanics range of lotions, scrubs and cleansers is the fact that they contain plant extracts  approved by the one and only Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, which is about ten minutes on the tube from where I live. This shouldn't really excite me, but it does.

Botanics All Bright Hydrating Day Cream

Aimed at normal to dry skin, this muddy- pink cream contains hydrating Hyaluronic Acid - basically another name for Restylane, (which is the stuff that people have injected into their face to smooth lines).

The cream is rich in Hibiscus flower extracts, which leave the skin smoother and brighter thanks to the gentle exfoliating properties of AHA's that occur naturally in the flower.

So far, I'm rather enjoying this hydrating cream. The consistency and colour are a definite change from the usual white hue of moisturisers and the scent is lovely and floral.

Botanics All Bright Purifying Face Scrub

There have been arguments against grainy facial scrubs, with some claiming they do more damage than good as the grains can scratch and tear the delicate facial skin. This could be true (and I do prefer fruit enzyme exfoliators such as Origin's Never a Dull Moment) but there's no denying the fresh, zingy feeling you get after a session with a good scrub!

Designed to be used 2 or 3 times a week, this scrub contains crushed walnut shell and apricot seeds that work in tandem to banish flaky bits of skin and Hibiscus, which takes care of the brightening side. The scrub also contains ultra soothing shea and cocoa butters and sweet almond oil to counteract the gritty bits.

I would compare this to St Ives Apricot Scrub - it basically feels the same, but perhaps a little more gentle and my skin feels kind of 'minty' after using it.

There are also cleansers, hair products, serums, mens products and more in the Boots Botanics range and all products are free of parabens, contain an SPF of 15 and are tested on people, not bunnies! You can have a look at the range online here

At Boots right now, they are offering 1/3 off all Botanics facial skincare so these products cost me under £6 for both :)

Have you tried anything from the Boots Botanics range??