Soap and Glory Cloud of Dreams Whipped Night Cream

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 It's been a while since I've bought facial skincare from Soap and Glory. Probably years actually! I once had a bottle of the Peaches and Clean cleanser (quite nice if memory serves) and the infamous Glow Job tinted moisturiser with the little spheres of pigment that burst on application and adapt to your skin tone. I think my last purchase before now was actually the Night and Flight Moisture Miracle cream - you can read the review for that here.

Cloud of Dreams is a relatively new moisturiser but the smell of it is incredibly nostalgic - it's that sort of sweet, citrus-leaning scent that many Soap and Glory products have and I'm pretty sure Glow Job smelled exactly the same. It really took me back in time for a moment- I love how fragrance can have that effect.

Housed in an airless pump with a hygienic press down lid, the moisturiser dispenses out of the top in a cloud (flower?) for a nice touch. The whipped formula is so light it's almost soufflé-like, and, if I'm perfectly honest, feels like an absolute pleasure to apply.

Designed for normal and/or dry skin types, the night cream is spiked with hydrating Hyaluronic Acid, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter and Coconut Oil.

It also features humectant Glycerin (third ingredient after water and emollient Myristal Myristate, a fatty acid that comes from coconut and palm kernel oils).

With humectant and emollient Vitamin B5 acts as an anti-inflammatory while Ceramides lock in moisture.

The instructions say to use a 'grape sized' amount of product but I use probably about half that- just a quick press of the pump dispenses the right amount for me and it's definitely not quite grape-sized.

The cloud-like cream absorbs fairly quickly and leaves skin feeling soft and smooth to the touch almost immediately. There's no greasy feeling or worry about the product transferring onto pillows while I snooze either, just the result of waking up with comfortable skin with a slight glow.

You can find Soap and Glory Cloud of Dreams Whipped Night Cream at Boots for £14, where it's often on special or part of some kind of promotion. 

ARK Skincare Age Defend Night Treatment

(Gifted Item) I'm yet to try an ARK skincare product that I don't get on with, so I was naturally excited to try their latest launch. The latest additions to the skincare brand are two creams - the Age Defy Repairing Night Treatment and Age Defend Regenerating Night Treatment.
The Age Defend range is specifically for people in their 30s and 40s while Age Defy is for 50 + so I've been trying out the Age Defend treatment.

Our skin is best at healing and repairing itself while we sleep, so the active ingredients in the formula were specially selected to help this natural process along. 

The cream features a cocktail of soothing, hydrating and collagen boosting ingredients including Rovisome Q10, Kiwi Seed Oil, Passion Seed Oil, Cordarom Blue Lotus, Vitamin E, Vitamin A Palmitate and Shea Butter. 

These ingredients also work to relieve dryness, increase elasticity and protect the skin - perfect if your face is a little sensitized or stressed. In addition, the treatment includes radiance promoting and anti-fatigue ingredients to reduce the appearance of dark circles, under eye bags and general dullness.

Nighttime skin care products are, and always have been, my favourite to apply. I just think there's something incredibly therapeutic about massaging lovely potions into my face before hitting the hay. I personally love rich creams, serums and oils and enjoy the 'heaviness' often associated with PM skin care. 

I was therefore fully prepared for the Age Defend Night Treatment to be quite rich and heavy...but it's actually not. Rich, yes. But heavy? No. At first pump, because the cream is quite thick, I did briefly wonder how on earth this stuff was going to absorb.
But after massaging it onto my face for a bit, it just sort of suddenly sunk in, leaving a velvety, sort of plumped up feeling (lovely) and glowing look. In other words, it absorbs into the skin unexpectedly well, so if you prefer your skin care to feel light, yet present, you should get on with this. Hopefully that makes some kind of sense! The night treatment also smells really good. It's got a natural, sort of herbal scent that I find to be quite soothing- perfect for an overnight product.

I've used the Age Defend Regenerating Night Treatment most nights for nearly three weeks and I would confidently recommend it to virtually anyone who has skin. It feels a little bit indulgent to use, absorbs nicely and, so far, has made my face feel more hydrated and comfortable than it has in a long time.

Packaged in a hygienic pump bottle, the ARK Age Defend Regenerating Night Treatment retails at £42. You can find it online at ARK.

Clark's Botanicals Retinol Rescue Overnight Cream

(aff links) Clark's Botanicals Retinol Rescue Overnight Cream had been on my wishlist for quite some time. I first tried a sample size that came as part of a Space NK gwp a few years ago and had decided, as I scraped out the very last bit from that tiny pot, that it was a good retinol cream for beginners and one day I was going to need the full size in my life. That day arrived on my birthday in September so I've been the proud owner of my very own jar for a good few weeks now.

It can't have come at a better time really because I am far more inclined to use retinol products in Autumn and Winter than I am in the warmer seasons and this is one of the more pleasurable retinol creams I've used.
This is a really thick, buttery formula that smoothes onto the skin like a dream, smells quite a lot like vanilla ice cream (heavenly) and makes the skin feel instantly plumped and moisturised - an effect that makes it almost wasteful to apply it before bed really!

The rich moisturiser was designed to reduce the appearance of sun damage, fine lines and enlarged pores and features a time release Retinol and high potency Retinol as well as encapsulated Vitamin C. In the formula is Colloidal Oatmeal to soothe and calm, Red Clover Flower Extract, which helps to reduce the appearance of enlarged pores, Vitamin E to moisturise and protect and Jasmine Extract to rebalance, soothe and protect.
The cream has a Glycerin and Shea Butter base and is free from silicones, instead using something called Diheptyl Succinate as an emollient which is derived from Castor Oil. Interestingly, the formula also includes synthetic Beeswax, which makes this a vegan product.
I'm usually quite interested to understand the exact concentration of retinol my skin will be receiving when trying a product like this but I can't seem to find this information, so I'm just enjoying it for what it is to be honest!

To use the Retinol Rescue Overnight Cream, you simply massage it into a clean face before bed, get some sleep, then wake up to a glowing complexion. That's how it works for me anyway.

I have not used this consistently over consecutive nights but rather use it a few times a week and so far, while I haven't seen an improvement in fine lines (yet, I have hope!), I have noticed an improvement in overall texture and brightness, so it's a yes from me.

Overall, I would say that this is a good 'starter' Retinol product, a good Retinol cream for beginners, if  you will. So if you're new to the world of retinoids and don't want something that could potentially peel your face off, this is a good option. It's a total pleasure to use too thanks to the thick texture and delicious scent.

I class Clark's Botanicals Retinol Rescue Overnight Cream as a bit of a luxury item as it comes in at £85 for 50ml. It's a treat, yes, but a treat worth having nonetheless. You can find it at Space NK.

REN Evercalm Overnight Recovery Balm

Skin feeling the chill? If you're in need of a little something extra to soothe your face this Winter, REN have you covered with their Evercalm Overnight Recovery Balm.

First things first, this balm is without a doubt the richest night treatment I've put on my face. It certainly means business and trust me when I say a little goes a very, very long way.

The balm is thick and 'oily' and offers instant relief to tight-feeling, dried out faces; the perfect product for this time of year when it can become bitterly cold and central heating saps moisture from our skin.

The recovery balm was developed to support the natural balance and moisture barrier of the skin all the while alleviating visible signs of dehydration and stress. Specially designed for use at night when the skin is most susceptible to repair and healing, it contains a range of oils including jojoba, sunflower, olive, almond, borage and linseed as well as beta-glucan, which is a moisturising anti-irritant derivative of oats.

Perfect for sensitive skins, the balm treats inflammation and dryness and has a 'balm to oil' texture. In other words, it starts as a balm formula but melts quickly into the skin on application or when warmed between finger tips.

I use the balm as the very last step at night and have found it to be particularly good after retinol use to counteract any drying effects. You really do need the tiniest amount of this- a pea sized amount is probably even too much, to give you some idea, because it is super rich. If I apply slightly more than I need it leaves me looking and feeling very oily and I find it doesn't absorb brilliantly if I overdo it.
Now that I've figured out the amount that works well for me, it's a brilliant overnight treat which my skin has been loving. I've found that it's fantastic for sore nostrils that have seen a lot of tissue-action recently too!

As a parting note, the Overnight Recovery Balm smells like absolutely nothing, which is great on one hand as it will suit virtually everyone but left me missing that little bit of sensory joy that comes with sleepy-scented night products.

REN Evercalm Overnight Recovery Balm is available at any good retailers that stock REN as well as on the REN website for £40.

Dafna's Personal Skincare Nutrition Night Treatment

I love an eco-luxe skincare product and this rich, buttery night treatment really is no exception.
Dafna's Nutrition Night Treatment is one of those products that pretty much ticks every box for me; Natural? Check. Effective? Check. Luxury? Check. Great scent? Check!

Housed in a decadently heavy black glass jar, Nutrition comprises of 21 natural active ingredients including essential oils and botanical extracts and has a subtle yet utterly heavenly scent that perfectly complements the overall vibe of the cream- that is, natural and distinctly luxurious.

Active ingredients include ginseng, propolis, green tea, reishi, and rosewood and vanilla SOIL registered essential oils blended in a rich base of silky shea butter, glycerin, rosa damascena flower water, rosehip seed oil, macadamia seed oil, olive oil, argan oil and jojoba seed oil. The result is a gorgeously thick, almost caramel hued cream that instantly moisturises and sinks into the skin quickly. At first glance, I assumed that Nutrition would leave an oily feeling on my skin- it is super rich after all- but it really doesn't. In fact, to use a cliched phrase I type far too much on this blog, my skin really does drink this up. In other words, it absorbs like a dream. Because the texture is so thick, only a pea-sized amount is needed for my whole face and neck. Nutrition is part of Dafna's DR2 wellness range, which is a collection of products developed to counteract the environmental stressors that come with city living - perfect if you live in London really! The cream is designed to protect the skin from free radicals and strengthen its natural defences, build collagen and elastin, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and hydrate the skin. Nutrition also has aroma-therapeutic benefits and brings a sense of calm and wellbeing when applied. I was surprised by the scent when I first tried it, actually, because it is really quite subtle so not likely to alienate skin care lovers who aren't all that keen on heavily scented products for the face. 
Overall, Nutrition is a truly stunning creation, so it's little wonder that it's quickly gaining cult status.
Dafna's Nutrition Night Treatment recently won a Beauty Shortlist award in the Best Night Cream category and is available at Dafna Skincare and Love Lula where it retails for £75.

Nighttime Skincare- New Additions

There's just something lovely about the pre-bedtime skincare routine isn't there? It's one of the best parts of my evening- having a hot shower, double cleansing my face, exfoliating, toning, then (the best bit!) gently patting in whichever serum or oil I'm loving and topping it off with one of my night creams. All before tucking myself in for my nightly dose of Law and Order.

Bliss.

I've recently added a few new bits to my bedside table that I've been alternating between and think any fellow skincare fanatic needs to know about.

Fresh Sugar Lip Serum Advanced Therapy

Ok, so it's fair to say that I want pretty much everything from Fresh (observe my previous wishlist here) and now that we can order from the brand online in the UK, buying all the things is now a terrifying reality. I had a little sachet sample of the Sugar Lip Serum Advanced Therapy and liked it so much that I went on to buy it. The serum can be used at any time of the day but I like to use it just before I get into bed so I can freely spread it around my lips without fear of judgement. Containing Acmella Flower extract to plump out deep wrinkles and sugar to soothe and moisturise, the serum is touted as an age-defying treatment, but I just like the way it makes my lips feel. I just know this is going to be one of my favourite things come winter.

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil

Every blogger and their dog has an opinion on Luna but so far I'm undecided on just how brilliant this blue oil really is. It's my first retinol product and I do use it most nights. The oil has certainly not done anything bad to my skin but at the same time I haven't noticed a huge difference as yet. I'm also not keen on the 'not for pregnant women' warning on the bottle. That said, I haven't met a Sunday Riley product that I don't like and it's definitely a luxury item and a real pleasure to apply. I also love the scent. And the fact that it's blue. OK, I like it. Case closed.

Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Creme

This is quite a light textured night cream so I actually started using it a couple of months ago when it was still warm. I can't deal with heavy creams in summer, so this was pretty much spot on for what I wanted - hydration and gentle exfoliation without the heaviness that comes with many night time treatments. The *Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Creme features Glycolic, Lactic and Fruit Acids to promote cell turnover for that coveted 'wake up glowing' effect which is balanced nicely with nourishing Primrose Oil and Shea Butter. For me, the shea butter pretty much seems to sit in the background quietly while the acids do their thing, making it a refreshing alternative to really slippery, buttery creams. The night cream sinks into skin almost effortlessly and doesn't leave a film on the skin, which makes me think this would be a good night time option for oilier skin types too.

Nude Skincare Advanced Renewal Overnight Repair Mask

If you want to be strict about things, this is a mask, but it's also perfectly fine to use nightly as a rich cream. It works in the same way as Origins Drink Up in that  it's designed to be left on and absorbs into the skin overnight. The mask is very thick and sort of melts when warmed between your fingers. It contains Shea and Cupuacu butters, so is exceptionally rich and very, very soothing. The most appealing ingredients for me are the fig extracts and honey that may be responsible for the mask's subtle, comforting scent. Delish.

Bottega Verde Honey and Lime Night Cream

I picked up a jar of the Honey and Lime Night Cream from the Bottega Verde store in Alghero recently, mainly because I believe I need any skin care that has honey in it. That, and I had decided that I simply needed to sample some Italian skincare to ensure I had an authentic Sardinian experience. Obviously. While the plastic packaging is nothing to write home about, the actual cream itself is rich, indulgent and perfect for thirsty skin that's had a bit too much sun. Featuring a grape seed oil and Shea butter base, the cream is enriched with honey and lime tree extracts and turned out to double up as a nice after sun treatment for my sunburned thighs. Still not sure how that happened.


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Soap and Glory Beauty Sleep Accelerator - a Night Time Revelation

Let's be frank here. I've become a bit of a skincare snob. I don't know how it happened but I always gravitate towards the slightly pricier options found in the likes of Space NK and Selfridges rather than among the three for two's in Boots. It came as a surprise then when I found myself falling for Soap and Glory Beauty Sleep Accelerator Night and Flight Moisture Miracle (try saying that quickly, I dare you.).

I've already briefly talked about this moisturiser in the Glow Getters post but wanted to go into a bit more depth since I've been getting so much use out of it. 

First of all, I quite like the packaging - the jar is very simple in design and doesn't look overly kitschy or girly, which is a world away from a lot of other S and G products. It's what's inside that counts though right? Right! This cream includes cactus flower, rose hip oil and sweet almond oil on the ingredients list as well as some trademarked additions including 'Peach and GoJuice' which is essentially peach and goji berry extracts that are rich in vitamin A and C and antioxidants, 'Highdration 24H' and 'Oxyginseng' technology.

I'm not huge on these mysterious trademarked ingredients because I like to have some idea of what I'm putting on my face so I checked out the Soap and Glory website and  found that there is a full ingredients list that seems to explain what these fancy pants additions actually mean. So in addition to the peach and goji berry extracts, cactus flower, rose hip and sweet almond oils, there's also orange peel oil, ginseng extract, beeswax, glycerin (which is the second main ingredient after water) and hyaluronic acid which we all know is super plumping and hydrating.

On application, the cream isn't overly thick and absorbs quite quickly, resulting in an instant hydration fix. The scent? This stuff smells so, so good. It has quite a refreshing fruity scent that smells almost good enough to eat.
The top reason I'm loving the Soap and Glory Beauty Sleep Accelerator is down to the way it makes my skin look and feel. I apply it over whatever serum or oil I'm using and wake up with a sort of dewy, fresh complexion without any oil slick factor.
I've only tried it as a night treatment but imagine it would be a great in-flight companion to perk you up during your journey and freshen your face before landing.
The cream will set you back a very reasonable £13 at Boots and in my opinion it's up there with some of my favourite high end skin treats. Have you tried any skincare by Soap and Glory?