Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream

The Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream seems to have quite the cult following and I'll admit that the name alone was enough to make me want to buy it. I'll also admit that I've never really been hugely interested in Korean skincare. I have no idea why really because it's such a huge industry!  Nonetheless I've got a few bits to try at the moment thanks to Gothamista's Box of Wishes from Wishtrend. The box contains products from popular Korean brands Klairs and I'm From which are both skincare brands that specialize in clean/ green ingredients and sensitive skin. The Midnight Blue Calming Cream was the item that made me want to try the box but I'm so far extremely impressed with the other products. I don't think there are any 'filler' products in the box at all- a really great selection! 

Because I'm very much into anything to soothe and/or protect the skin at the moment (see my previous post), the Midnight Blue Calming Cream couldn't have come into my life at a better time. Specially designed for sensitive skin, the cream is full of non-irritating and soothing ingredients including Guaiazalene, which comes from chamomile oil and is what gives the cream its beautiful blue colour. Other ingredients include Argan Oil, Ceramide 3, which helps to strengthen the skin's barrier, and Centella Asiatica Extract. I've recently discovered that Centella Asiatica is an ingredient found in loads of Korean Skincare products; it's a type of plant rich in antioxidants that is used in wound healing and also promotes collagen synthesis, which is quite interesting.

Strictly speaking, the blue cream is designed for oily, acne prone and sensitive skin and its purpose is to calm rather than moisturise. The formula creates a sort of 'barrier' on the skin to protect it as it soothes. The cream is primarily for applying to areas of irritation rather than to cover the whole face, though I don't imagine there would be any issues if you did coat your face in the stuff. I've been dabbing it onto the sides of my nose and around my eyes, which are both areas that have seen a bit of irritation since starting with Retirides. This cream offers instant and lasting relief so I'm very happy to have it in my skincare stash at the moment!
As mentioned, my tube of the Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream came in the Gothamista Box of Wishes but you can find it at most Korean Skincare stores online for around £28 (for the limited edition 60ml tube) or £22 for the 30ml jar. It's also available in the UK from *Skinspace.

*Affiliate Link

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Deep Moisture Balm

I would say I'm kicking myself for not buying Kiehl's Ultra Facial Deep Moisture Balm when it launched a few years ago but truth be told I don't think I really needed it way back then. You see, my skin was what could best be described as 'normal' before baby Tom but as I've said too many times before, since going through a pregnancy, breastfeeding and not really sleeping for two years, my skin has changed. And by changed I mean it's become mega dry. Of course I see the silver lining in this change; that is now I can try out all the lovely rich products I wouldn't have had much use for before. One such product is the Ultra Facial Deep Moisture Balm. 

This is described as a 'hydration blanket for the skin' which I have to agree is a pretty accurate description. Like a turbocharged version of Kiehl's best selling Ultra Facial Lotion, the thick, rich balm forms a sort of barrier on the skin while it's moisturising ingredients get to work. Speaking of which,  the balm contains olive-derived squalane, edelweiss extract , glycerine and antarcticine (a type of marine 'bacteria'). Squalane and antarcticine are moisture retaining ingredients which feature in other products in the Ultra Facial range while the edelweiss extract (edelweiss are famous for their ability to thrive in high altitudes) help strengthen the skin's barrier function.
You may have noticed I made a point of writing that the squalane is olive derived. This is because squalane used to be largely sourced from sharks (ugh!) or sugarcane. Thankfully most large cosmetics companies (including L'Oreal) no longer use shark squalane in their products these days but there are sugarcane- derived products on the market such as the Indeed Labs Squalane Oil. I had issues finding any huge difference between the olive and sugarcane variations other than that olive-derived squalane may be a little thicker than the sugarcane variant. If you're reading this and happen to know the difference please let me know in the comments because I am curious!

In addition to my already dry skin, I've been 'experimenting' with some Retirides (a Retinoid product) that I picked up in Spain a few months ago which is resulting in a bit of uncomfortable flaking and peeling in some areas and I've found this balm to be very helpful in keeping this at bay. When my skin balances out a bit I'll probably mainly reach for the balm at night as a treatment while I sleep but for now I'm happily smoothing it on morning, noon and night as and when I feel like it. If you don't have dry to very dry skin/are not about to go on some kind of arctic trek, this product might not suit you. It is very thick and as mentioned, it doesn't absorb quickly at all (which I personally love in cold weather particularly) and forms a sort of barrier on the skin. It just feels comfortable and cocooning and soothing and I feel like my face is in safe hands when I've got it on. Due to the thick consistency of the balm, you really don't need much product to sufficiently cover the face so you could expect it to see you through the Winter and then some. You can find Kiehl's Ultra Facial Deep Moisture Balm anywhere that stocks Kiehl's but I bought mine from Escentual for £24.50

Space NK Black Friday Event!

My love for Space NK is currently going strong -have you seen their latest drops?- and today for Black Friday they've got an amazing deal, which I don't think they've actually done before! From today until Monday, you will receive a free full sized product when you spend £50, £100 or £150. 

Each spending threshold features a selection of different products to choose from- in other words, if you spend £50, you can choose a free product from a selection, spend £100 and you choose from a different selection, spend £150 and choose a free full sized product from yet another selection.
The free full sized products are from covetable brands including Sunday Riley, Herbivore, Omorovicza and REN and I imagine that the higher the spend, the more luxurious the item! A great chance to do a bit of Christmas shopping and nab a freebie for yourself really! 

You can take advantage of the offer by clicking over now to Space NK

Zelens Z-22 Absolute Face Oil

I've been enjoying trying out a few bits and pieces from the Zelens skincare range recently. It's founder, Dr Marko Lens comes across as very passionate and also very matter-of-fact so I feel like it's a real 'all killer, no filler' beauty brand which can be very refreshing and definitely piqued my interest as a skincare lover. I actually first discovered the brand around 10 years ago when I was working for a magazine on the Gold Coast - I remember going to the launch at Mecca Cosmetica and we got to play with all the products which seemed very ahead of the game and full of promise at the time. Of course this was before I was obsessed with cleansers and serums so in hindsight I wish I'd asked a lot more questions!

I pretty much want to get everything from Zelens on my face at some point but I'm being sensible(ish) and pacing myself (sort of) by sticking to a couple of products. I'll start here with one I've had on the go for the last couple of months - the Z-22 Absolute Facial Oil.
Since I had a baby, and I often wake up with a tight feeling, dry face, facial oils have been my number one, must have beauty product. I use one at least once a day, and while I appreciate the simplicity of a great quality rosehip or argan oil, Z-22 got my attention because it's a blend of A LOT of oils - in fact it contains 22, hence the name.

Incredibly light and multi-purpose, Z-22 was designed to replenish and plump up the skin, restore elasticity and even out tone and texture and leave skin looking and feeling more youthful and radiant. Like every other product, this oil is not in fact the fountain of youth, but it is a pleasure to use and I'm sure it's helping to make me and my skin look and feel more hydrated and comfortable than before, which is always a plus.
As mentioned, Zelens Z-22 is a blend of 22 precious oils including:

• Perilla (Shiso) Oil - omega-rich and antioxidant. The richest plant-source on omega 3 available
• Rice Bran Oil - soothes and hydrates
• Squalene - derived from Mediterranean olives, not sharks
• Camellia Oil -  rich in omega 9 
• Rosehip Oil - contains a vast range of vitamins including A, C and E
• Grapeseed Oil - rich in omega 6
• Bergamot Orange Oil - antiseptic, cooling refreshing
• Lemon Oil - toning, tightening and antibacterial
• Petitgrain Oil - antiseptic and great for blemishes
• Litsea Cubeba Oil (May Chang) - antibacterial, antiseptic and calming
• Orange Oil - refreshing, antiseptic and contains powerful antioxidants
• Lemongrass Oil - antiseptic, antibacterial and toning
• Cardamom Oil - refreshing and toning
• Lavender Oil - antiseptic, antibacterial and toning
• Rosemary Oil - antiseptic, antibacterial and stimulates circulation
• Maritime Pine Oil - antioxidant, antibacterial and antiseptic
• Geranium Oil - balancing, antioxidant and antiseptic
• Rose Oil - calming, soothing and antibacterial
• Green Tea Oil - rich in polyphenols, green tea oil is antioxidant and has shown to inhibit collagen break-down
• Jasmine Oil - moisturing and soothing with antioxidant and antiseptic properties
• Labdanum Oil (Rock Rose) - toning and tightening
• Basil Oil - refreshing with antibacterial, toning and antiseptic properties

It's safe to say that if you are sensitive to essential oils, this will not suit you but if like me you can tolerate them, you'll probably appreciate the blend. Interestingly, for a product that contains such a plethora of different oils, it doesn't actually smell of much. To me, it smells a little bit citrusy with a hint of the Shiso (which I really like) which is the signature scent of most Zelens products. Overall, it certainly doesn't have an overpowering nor offensive smell so would suit you if you're not a fan of heavily fragranced skincare.

Z-22 is designed to be applied to cleansed skin - I mainly use it like a serum before moisturiser - and can be mixed with serums/ moisturisers to boost the effects. I can't find information on the kind of skin type that this oil is aimed at, so I'd say it's suitable for virtually anyone, whether that's dry and dehydrated or combination or oily.

Zelens is a high-end brand so the Z-22 Absolute Face Oil doesn't come cheap at £70 for 30ml but I think it's a great introduction to the range. I'm now itching to try the Power-D Treatment Drops because I can't seem to find anything similar and it seems to be quite a unique product! You can find Zelens at Look Fantastic, Feel Unique, Beauty Bay, John Lewis, Selfridges and Zelens.

Nourish London Vegan and Organic Christmas Gifts

I love browsing skincare Christmas gift sets - they're often really good value so it's the perfect time of year to grab a little gift for yourself as an introduction to a brand you've had your eye on, or stock up on some favourites. I've been acquainted with Nourish London for a few years now and their 2018 Christmas sets are particularly lovely. If you're new to Nourish, they are a London based vegan and organic brand that produce results-driven skincare products to protect, support and stimulate the skin's natural processes. Nourish focus on high quality, plant based and superfood ingredients and their products are fragranced with pure essential oils, making them as raw and natural as possible. They really are a lovely brand, and I've enjoyed every product of theirs that I've tried so far, so I'm loving their release of Christmas sets this year. The brand has released four Christmas sets ranging in price from £15 to £60, so you can experience a taste of the brand yourself or buy for someone special, no matter what your budget.

Nourish London Radiance Duet £15

Featuring 5ml each of the Firming Radiance Facial Oil and the Illuminating Face Shimmer, the Radiance Duo is an ideal stocking filler or secret santa gift for the beauty lover in your life. I've tried both products before and particularly like the face shimmer which is a beautiful, bedazzling liquid perfect for adding some festive cheer to your complexion at Christmas and all year round. The duo is presented in a kitsch little reusable tin, which is a very nice touch.

Nourish London Essential Travel Collection £25

An affordable introduction to the brand, this little selection of products is presented in a handy washbag, and as the name suggests, is great for travel as the four included products are under 100ml. The kit includes the Kale 3D Cleanse, which is a luxurious anti-pollution cleanser that changes colour as it works, the Protect Replenishing Peptide Serum which is rich in hydrating ingredients to keep the skin plumped and moisturised, the Probiotic Multi-Mineral Repair Mask to nourish and repair the skin and the Radiance Facial Oil.

Nourish London Radiance Beauty Collection £30

This little set is a great compilation of products with a strong focus on hydration; perfect for Christmas time really. The collection features the Anti-Ageing Peptide Serum 15ml which includes hyaluronic acid, tripeptides,argan and kale, Argan Skin Renew Moisturiser 15ml which boosts hydration and collagen production, Radiance Firming Facial Oil 5ml and the Illuminating Face Shimmer 5ml to round things off nicely.

Nourish London Luxury Argan Beauty Collection £60

The luxury collection features a mixture of full sized and travel sized products and includes everything you need for a full routine so you (or the lucky gift recipient) can fully immerse themselves in the Nourish brand. The generous selection includes the omega-rich Skin Renew Cleanser 30ml which lists argan, jojoba, borage and the brand's own unique kale extract in the ingredients to help replenish the skin's natural oils and fight the effects of pollution. The Argan Anti-Ageing Peptide Serum 30ml and Argan Skin Renew Moisturiser 50ml complete the routine while the Radiance Facial Oil 5ml and Illuminating Face Shimmer 15ml add a little something extra.

The sets and the rest of the Nourish London range (which is well worth a look) are all available online at nourishskinrange.com