Budget Week - Day 4

So I'm thinking this could maybe become a regular fixture - mini-reviews of the products I show in Instagram - thoughts? It won't take the place of anything else - it'll be in addition to the other usual stuff. Let me know what you think. :)

Anyway, without further ado:

Una Brennan Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil - £10.99 - formerly known as 'the good product with the packaging from hell'. This is a great cleansing oil, it removes all of my makeup, doesn't leave any residue and doesn't sting my eyes. It is only hindered by the fact that it is a runny oil, in an open-neck bottle. No pump. The new ones at least have a snap cap but still, you have to pour this into the palm of your hand, put it down and get most of it on your face before it dribbles down your forearm like a cold lolly on a hot day. Other than that it's great. *stabby*

Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion - see previous post

Nuxe Gentle Toning Lotion - £14.00 for 200ml - this is a perfectly lovely and affordable toner for all skin types. As an aside, it has one of the worst 'ingredients' pages that I think I've seen on a website. I'm not joking. Check it for yourself. What's the point? Taking none of that into consideration because it's hardly reflective of the actual product, which is why we are here, have a look at this the next time you see it instore. You may like.

Soap & Glory Make Yourself Youthful Serum - £16.00 for 46ml - A great price for a serum containing a lot of ingredients found in much more expensive  products, albeit maybe at lower %'s as they are near the end of the inci list. Feels good on teh skin, and does give an immediate plumpness to the skin. A good budget buy.

Organic Surge Extra Care Replenishing Facial Oil - £23.50 for 30ml - taken from Organic Surge's more premium line 'Extra Care', this smells and acts very similar to a lot of other high-end oils but it does have a slightly 'gritty' feel that the more expensive oils don't. If you're an oil addict you'll know what I mean. It's a good oil, just not great.

Organic Surge Overnight Sensation Night Cream - £12.95 for 50ml - this, from Organic Surge's original line, is much more like it. Completely worth checking out if you're in the market for a night cream, as promised on the box, this does make you wake up with refreshed skin.

Budget Week - Day 3

Bit of a hotch-potch today, contains good and disappointing ones...

Bio-Essence Miracle Bio Water - £16.00 - weird one this. I personally found it wasn't great for waterproof mascara - but my friends tell me otherwise, however, it was perfectly acceptable for lips/other..
It is lovely and cooling on the skin though, and I imagine a sensitised skin would appreciate it.

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleaning Butter - £12.00 - I've spoken about this many a time, In essence, a great affordable balm cleanser that annihilates makeup and leaves the skin soft and refreshed with no sticky residue or tight feeling.

Merumaya Exfoliating Toner - sample - I don't know what I can say about this as I have no information on it! This is literally a lab sample and part of the brand's testing so I don't know what's in it or how much it will be.. what I can say is that it is totally non-stinging (is that even a phrase?), exfoliates gently and softly and leaves the skin comfortable. As for everything else, watch this space!

Caudalie Grape Water - £6-£10 - leftovers from the grape harvest, sprays in a fine mist, softer that normal water and feels like it absorbs more efficiently.

Vichy Liftactiv Serum 10 Eyes & Lashes - £24.50 for 15ml - see yesterday's post 

Merumaya Iconic Youth Serum - £35.50 for 30ml - this is over my intended limit of £25 - £30 for serums but I thought it was worth mentioning as I am always asked about appropriate ones for oily/acne skins. Whilst this is not particularly aimed at those skin types, it's certainly one worth checking out if you are a woman of a certain age with adult acne (I feel your pain, been there), if you're just a person with problematic skin or if you want a product that contains a lot of the same ingredients as serums that are 5 times the price...

Superfacialist Rose Peaceful Skin Night Cream - £16.00 for 50ml - a frankly bargainous £16.00, this is great for all skin types including combination. It contains shea butter, but it's not heavy/cloying at all. The only thing I would say, is try and check the smell before you purchase. To me, this is proper, old lady rose. It doesn't linger, and you do wake up looking refreshed with a glow, but it is strong on application.

That was Summer.....

Probably the best summer fragrance....

US shopping resulted in very few finds. Sorry girls! This one wasn't altogether heinous. 

The Promised Land

Real Techniques making an appearance in Grand Central - yes, I got stared at....

Fresh make-it-at-the-table guacamole 

Love New London Pharmacy in Chelsea

I love NYC.

Made this happy purchase....

C O Bigelow - bliss!

Lovely cleanser - unfortunately impossible to use - make a pump please!

Had the teeth whitened - and scared small children.

Tried to relax on hols. Tried.

Saved my face with Clarins....

And did the Perricone 3 Day Diet to kick-start healthier living after the summer excesses....

The face that says 'What? So I love ravioli - WHAT?'

Enjoying post-hols skin - while it lasted!

Beautiful new Jo Malone fragrance

A present from my brother. I love you too.

Assouline - my favourite bookstore.

The kids watching Nana put her make-up on... :)

Mum's 'regular' make-up. *eyebrow*

Stolen by Mum who was obsessed after one use.

My Mum is the only person I know that can grow grapes up North. 

Sorry I just had to. Source unknown - but I love it.

We said Happy Birthday to this chap....

We said Goodbye to Amica

We said Hello to a new addition in the family (she's not mine!)

And I went back to work - let the testing begin....

I hope you all had a wonderful Summer - I don't know about you but I'm looking forward to Autumn.

A nice combination. Una Brennan Rose Hydrate Oil and Aurelia Miracle Cleanser

So I'm using the Una Brennan Superfacialist Rose Hydrate Miracle Makeover Facial Oil (!!) pretty much every evening. What's not clear with her two oils, despite the inordinately overlong name, is that they are designed as a pre-cleanse. I've been asked if they are suitable as a facial oil - I can't see any reason why not - although I only use it as pre-cleanse. I prefer my treatment facial oils to be slightly thicker - better massage.

It's a strange one the Una Brennan range, I suspect the line is a joint venture with Boots - it's still the only place you can buy it and there is little from Una herself directly online. No website, just reviews from mags/blogs. Having said that - it's a good priced range and the products are for the most part, good.

This oil is great for loosening all makeup before your actual cleanse. 

The Aurelia Miracle Cleanse is a really good follow up cleanser. It has the smell and kick of Cleanse & Polish but leaves the skin much softer and hydrated. It's the product I've used the most whilst trialing Aurelia and I previously reviewed it here.

A lovely twosome.

Stop the press: I was just sent this link by a lovely reader: http://www.superfacialist.co.uk/ Apologies Una!

Una Brennan is available here.

Aurelia is available here.

*press samples, no affiliates, not clients! :)