The Best Facial Cleansers Edit

So, I was trying to rearrange my bathroom and took a look at my cleanser sections and I thought it would be helpful to do a mini round up of all of them especially for the sake of the ones that never had a review of their own. Most of them already have full reviews on this blog anyway and I will attach links to them so you can have a read if you want a full in-depth review.  I know what you are thinking; "why on earth does she have 6 cleansers?". Two are empty, one is going to be binned this weekend and I am left with three cleansers which is not too bad IMO. Let's dive in, shall we?

Estee Lauder Multi Action Gelee Cleanser

This is one of the recent ones  I purchased and i really like it. To be honest, this is the first High End cleanser I have purchased and I love it (review will be up soon). It has combined cleanser and exfoliating properties which endears it to my heart. It feels like a scrub but you can only subtly feel the minute particles , in fact, you can't really but you know they are there and it smells wonderful and luxurious. In terms of its cleansing action, it takes off your makeup and cleanses your skin effectively while gently exfoliating. It's not abrasive and does not leave your skin tight after use. It's a real winner with the exception of its cost.

Lancome Gel Eclat Clarifying Cleanser

I have already reviewed this here and I loved it then and I still do although I reserve it for weekends or when I need to pamper my skin. It has a thick consistency and hugs your skin while working on it. It rinses off really well and I remember saying it does not make your skin tight after use in my previous review but I think it may just ever so slightly  tighten and dry your skin out a little . I realised this after I tested other cleansers and I was able to compare. I got this for free when I purchased some nail polishes from Lancome. I know, I know, Lancome is always so bloody generous.

Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions Foam Cleanser

This has already been reviewed here and I believe Foam cleansers are not particularly suited to my skin type. I bought it because its Salicylic Acid content was very good for the acne I had at the time but now that there are under control, I don't really use it as much but it's almost finished anyway.

SK:N Vitamin Rich Cleanser for Oily Skin (£11)

This is not particularly high end and it's not drug store either but it sits comfortably between both ends. I have reviewed this here already but I love it. I think it has to be my favourite cleanser because it ticks all the boxes for me. Its active ingredient is Glycolic Acid which helps with exfoliating the skin and clearing dark blemishes especially from Post Inflammatory Hyper Pigmentation (PIH) as I have.

Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser (£4.99)
I have just recently reviewed this on here so I would just link it here. I really like this cleanser but I find it hard to completely classify it as a very good cleanser. It removes my makeup effectively and using the muslin cloth (run under hot water) opens up my pores and really feels good. I think it can be used both as a makeup remover and a cleanser afterwards due to its Vitamin E content. I mainly use it as makeup remover but I guess a few others use it as a cleanser which is why it is making an appearance here.  I really like it and it is very affordable. 

Garnier Pure Active Cleansing Gel with Saliycylic Acid (£3.99)

This must have been one of the first cleansers purchased because I wanted something with Salicylic Acid for my acne ridden face (gross I know!!). I think it must have menthol as one of its ingredient because it has that painful cooling effect which is not very pleasant. Being a gel form makes it really easy to use and I quite like the packaging which has a pump. However, I think this product has reached its full life span and is ready to be binned. I actually think I may have purchased this more than once and I think it is a good drug store cleansing gel sans the menthol effect. Hope you enjoyed this little round up and see you in my next post..x

Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser Review

I am somehow late on this whole Hot Cloth Cleanser shenanigans which has been making its round on the blogger and beauty world and the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser  has been quite popular here in the UK. Superdrug released their own version sometime last year (I think) and I only decided to try it last month even though I had spied it on a few occasions.

Packaging

The packaging is pretty basic but quite colorful and attractive I would say given the cost. Inside you would find the product itself and a muslin cloth and you get 200 ml worth of product. There is not much to the packaging really but its good to know what the tube looks quite solid and the flip lid is really good and easy to handle.

Formula

From the name, you can deduce that its main ingredient is Vitamin E which is very good for the skin and aids in cell renewal in addition to a host of other skin benefits. Superdrug says that the Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser is enriched with naturally sourced Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects the skin from against  the harmful free radicals in the environment. In addition, it also contains Vitamins A, B, H, F combined with Horse Chestnut Extract which all have skin benefits especially around protection and cell renewal.

How I use it?

It is easy to deduce that it is a cleanser which can remove dirt and makeup from your skin while providing a gentle exfoliation. It has a white creamy consistency which feels very good when it hits the skin; it kind of reminds me of Pond's Cold Cream.  I use this straight after using my makeup wipes or micellar water and cotton pad. I do this first step because I hate the idea of swishing around makeup on my face without removing the greasy bit first (gross sounding I am aware!). After the wipes, my face is considerably damp and I apply a dollop of this cleanser on my face and massage it in circular motions. I let it sit for a few minutes and let some hand-hot water run on on the muslin cloth. I wring the muslin cloth of excess water and use it to remove the cleanser which comes off really easily. It just melts away in the most pleasant and seamless way. I splash my face with some cold water to close the pores and that's it sorted.

Cost

It retails for about £4.99 in Superdrug but I spied it on offer for about £3 or less recently after I had purchased this already. I had £2 on my Superdrug Beauty Card (find out how these beauty cards work here) so I used it as a part payment for this and I think I only paid about £3 for this eventually which is a good bargain for the quality of product you get.

Results/Personal Thoughts
I really like this cleanser but more as a makeup remover. It is effective in removing my makeup and I am sure it would give good results even if I did not do the pre-cleanse with the wipes. The muslin cloth is really easy to wash and dry as expected although I was a little apprehensive about using same cloth over and over again but when you wash it (daily and after every use), it's like brand new. I like the feel of the hot muslin cloth on my face because it helps open up my pores and it just feels so refreshing especially after a long day at work. I just don't think it is an effective cleanser in respect to exfoliating. I prefer a gel cleanser for that especially one I can use with my Boots No 7 Cleansing brush (featured here) and many a time, I have gone back with my gel cleanser for some exfoliation and deep cleansing  after using the Vitamin E hot cloth cleanser . I think it's a great makeup remover for all skin types and the added vitamins especially Vitamin E makes it a great choice if you have dry or dehydrated skin...that's it folks...see you in my next post...x

Simple Skincare Range- Brand Focus

Hi My Lovelies,

I hope your week has been fab so far. So, i thought i should start a little series on Beauty Brand Focus. Whether i would keep up with the series, time will tell but i guess it's best to start and see how it goes. I would also love to hear your feedback to know if it's something you would like to see more often. I really want to be more interactive with you all this year so i would welcome any comments in the comments section or you can drop me a line on my email liv@fashstyleliv.com. Now to the review...

Simple Skincare Brand

Simple Skincare is one brand i have been fascinated with a little while ago because they seem to be very simple (no pun intended) and effective. There was a time Simple Skincare was all over the Blogging world and YouTube and i think it's still popular although there are other newer brands in the market. One thing that makes Simple Skincare stand out, according to their website, is their belief that simple, healthy looking skin is something all women, even those with sensitive skin, should enjoy consistently. Their philosophy is stems from using only the purest skin-loving ingredients with no added perfume or colour and they have remained steadfast since 1960. Check out their website for their story. For me, I have tried a few products from their range and I would be sharing insights (and mini reviews) of how i got on with these products...let's get started...



Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Wipes
This is one of the Holy Grail (HG) products among many bloggers far and wide. The Simple Cleansing Wipes upped the game for many beauty and skincare brands in the sector because they do the job and really well. There are different variations of the Cleansing Wipes but i prefer the Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Wipes. It feels so refreshing against my skin and it has the right consistency of moisture for my face. It is not too wet and not too dry-it's just right. It removes all my visible makeup really well. i say visible because i know after wearing a full face of makeup for a couple of hours, some may be entrapped beneath the skin which is not visible to the eye which is why we do the second cleansing. It is a little more pricey than other wipes but it is worth it and more. Most times, it's actually on offer which is the best time to stock up.





Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Antiperspirant
After being impressed with some other Simple products i had tried, I decided to try the Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Antiperspirant. I am not impressed with it. I am not saying it's bad or anything but it's not my favourite. It does its job pretty well and it has no scent whatsoever as the philosophy means they do not use any added scents. To be honest, I would have preferred that. I am a sweet scents girl and where many people prefer not to have fragrance, i very much welcome it. It has not irritated my skin or anything but it's just too basic for me.





Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner
I really like this toner because it is as simple and effective as can be. It does not contain alcohol but rather it contains Pro Vitamin B5, Chamomile, Witch Hazel and Allantoin which are all very soothing to the skin and keeps it refreshed. I am not sure what other effects for the skin but it does help the skin feel very refreshed. To the best of my knowledge, i don't think it falls into the category of exfoliating toners but it is suitable for sensitive skin and I use it when my skin is at its best. Due to its lack of Salicylic Acid, i don't think it has any fast acting effect on my acne but its Witch Hazel content helps with inflammation and redness. What's not to love about it plus it falls under the really cheap and cheerful price range.



Verdict
I really do like the Simple Skin Care Range especially the cleansing wipes which i think are the best for first stage makeup removal. I love how it does not irritate the skin but does its job well. I have not tried all their other products but i hear their moisturisers are really good. It's a brand i like and I would always be happy to pick up their products because they are good quality, widely available and affordable. I hope you have enjoyed this post and let me know in the comments section " what is your favourite Simple Skin Care product?  toodles..xx

Gamila Secret Cleansing Bar Initial Review

Hey lovelies,
I hope everyone has been having a lovely week. So, I have been on the quest for healthy and blemish free skin for a while now. I have decided to add a new page to my blog which would be a Skin Care series just to formalise my quest. I suggest you check out my previous blog post here which lets you know what kind of skin I have and a few products I have tried. You can also check out my review of the Gamila Secret Face Oil here.

Before now, I had never heard about Gamila Secret Cleansing Bars. I went into House of Fraser in Oxford Circus some time last month to have a little window shopping. I was about to leave when a cheerful sales lady asked if I would be willing to try out the Gamila Secret brand which was unknown to me. Normally, I would politely decline but she was really nice and sweet so I decided to give it a try and keep an open mind. The brand is called Gamila Secret which has been around for a little while and is popular amongst stars like Madonna, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake and a host of others.

                                                                      http://www.gamilasecret.com/

 I didn't know this though until later when I decided to check the internet. The sales lady was so nice and she kindly gave me a Free Travel Pouch and Sample of the Hand Cream. This is an initial review as I have only used this for a week and half now. To the review of this amazing bar, let's get started, shall we?

Background
Gamila Secret was created by Gamila Hiar who has put in about 40 years of research to produce this amazement of a soap. Gamila Hiar is of Druze Origin and lives in Galilee, Israel. She had always been around herbs and natural oils growing up as a young lady and was passionate about producing a perfect all in one skin care bar which would cater to a host of skin requirements. Gamila Secret Cleansing Bars are made up of 100% natural products right down to the production of all the packaging. They are 100% handmade and one cleansing bar takes about 3-6 months to obtain the final product. If you are interested in more information about the history or background of Gamila Secret, you can head off to their Facebook Page  for all info.

                                                                                                            http://www.gamilasecret.com/

Composition
All Gamila Secret Cleansing Bars are made up of at least 15 different hand picked wild herbs which make up the "secret" of Gamila Secret Cleansing Bar. A few of these wild herbs include Roman Nettle, Lavender, Chamomile, Rosemary, Vervain, Sage, Rue and Pistachio which are bound in a base of Shea butter and a mixture of  a minimum of 80% pure Virgin Vegetable Oils which include Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Laurel Oil, Sweet Almond Oil and Grape Seed Oil. The soap is handmade which includes at least 40 hours cooking process with each herb added at the appropriate time for optimal extraction of its active ingredients and a period of 4 to 6 months for drying, stamping and curving the edges. A lot of love and utmost care has been put into just one piece of cleansing bar which justifies the price which I will come to later. Keep reading :-)

                 
Variants:

Depending on what kind of skin you have, Gamila Secret has at least one variant to cater for either Normal, Dry, Oily or Combination Skin. It comes in ten variants which are made with special herbs that caters to each kind of skin and these variants include:

• All Skin Types: Original and Wild Rose(Premium Line)
• Dry Skin: Lavender Heaven and Creamy Vanilla
• Combination Skin: Jasmine Comfort, Reviving Rosemary and Soothing Geranium
• Combination to Oily Skin: Spearmint Sparkle, Miracle Mentha and Lively Lemon grass

I chose the Lively Lemongrass as advised by the sales lady since I have oily skin around my T zones and combination skin in other areas of my face.

Packaging:
I absolutely love the packaging. It is not fancy but it is so well put together and everything used is 100% handmade. You can feel the love through the packaging. All the products come in proper boxes which have information of the product, its use and how to take care of it. It is one package I will actually keep just because I love how original it looks and I know I am protecting our environment as well. The Travel Pouch (which was a free gift to me) is made of 100% cotton and jute(I think).

Application:
It is pretty simple and straightforward to use. I simply take off my make up with wipes and dampen my face with some warm water. Next, I run some warm water and rub the soap between my fingers in order to activate the "live ingredients" as instructed. I massage it for about 20-30 seconds until I have a slimy and foamy lather. 

Then, I slather this on my face and gently massage it in with small circular motions. Sometimes, I actually use my small face brush for extra exfoliating action. I leave it on for about 3-5 minutes just because I want to maximise its absorption into my skin. Most times, it actually dries out on my face and then I rinse it off. Once I rinse off, my face feels squeaky clean and soft but a little dry if I leave it without moisturising so I use my toner and moisturiser and I am ready for the day or bed depending on what time of the day.

Usage and Storage
I use this every morning and night and it has been a wonderful experience so far. My skin feels softer  and more radiant which is very good. Many people, including myself, feel uncomfortable using bar soaps for cleansing because leaving the wet soap on a soap dish may breed bacteria which could be introduced to the face and cause some havoc. 

In order to combat this, I suggest you get either get the waterproof Travel Pouch or a Stone Dish which I also bought. The Stone dish is the perfect way to store this soap because the chances of bacteria growing on the stone is very very minimal and it actually dries out the soap completely so it is always dry and fresh; ready to use.

Results
I have seen a couple of people on some reviews saying they suffered some breakouts in the first few weeks of using this soap. I have been lucky so far and I have not experienced any at all to my delight. I think these breakouts may be because they may have been some dirt lurking around under the skin. I have always had quite a good cleansing routine due to my sensitive and acne prone skin so I guess the dirt underneath is minimal so it had no cause to break me out. I have to say I have been absolutely amazed at the results I have got so far. They are not a marked huge difference per say but it is visible to me. My skin feels really soft and radiant in a good way. 

Best of all, my dark acne blemishes are really getting less visible which was the main reason for buying this soap. I love the fact that it is a slow but sure process. Gamila Secret advises its customers to use this soap for at least 28 days to see any significant changes because the human skin takes about 28 days to regenerate and I think that's absolutely fine. Also, clients are advised to keep the use of other skin care products to a minimal which makes sense since some of the ingredients in those skin care products may have a lot of artificial ingredients and preservatives which may interfere with the way Gamila Secret Bar works. I will definitely put up pictures of my face in a before and after style when I have used this cleansing bar for about a month as instructed. For now, hope you enjoy the other pictures of the products.

Cost
This baby is not cheap at all, in fact, it is quite pricey. My Gamila Secret Lively Lemon Grass cost £21.00 but I got it for £18.90 because House of Fraser was having a 10% discount. For a cleansing bar, it may be pricey but I think it is worth every penny because you can see visible results and your skin would definitely thank you for it. 

The Gamila Secret Dish for storing the soap retails for £10 but I got it for £9 which is not too bad because it is a good quality stone soap dish and it makes the soap look exotic in my bathroom and of course helps keep the soap in optimum condition. I was gifted with the Travel Pouch by the nice sales lady :-) but it retails for £6.50 and it is an excellent way for storing the soap when you are out and about like me. 

It has waterproof material inside which dries the soap and prevents it from wetting other items in your bag. I think the whole brand is very practical and well thought out. You can find the Gamila Secret products in store in House of Fraser in UK and on their website if you live elsewhere. I am not sure but I believe they ship internationally.

Cons

• The first will have to be its cost. I know it is handmade and 100% natural but the cost may make it less affordable to everyone especially because it is a cleansing bar. 
• Another con is the fact that you have to either buy the secret dish or find a good way to store a dripping soap to prevent bacteria from proliferating. 
• Also, I think the easiest way to buy it is via the website because it is not readily available in many stores you can walk into. In fact, not all the House of Fraser actually stock it. I got this one from the Oxford Circus branch. 
• Just like any bar soap, the chances of experiencing dryness of the skin is very high so you need to ensure you moisturise adequately. 
• The steps involved in application such as rubbing the soap for at least 30 seconds under warm water to activate the ingredients to form a slimy lather may delay people who are on the go and have no time.

Overall Verdict

I love this soap so much and I am sure you can tell from this post. It is by far one of the best cleansing bars I have ever used. It gives results that you can see and feel. The fact that everything is 100% natural, handmade and organic won me over way before I used it. To be honest, if a product delivers what it says, I don't care how much it costs. I would rather spend a little more on a sure product than save pennies on products that are just a necessary fancy in the bathroom cabinet. This is just my initial review just to introduce this brand and tell you guys how much I love this brand. I will be posting a final review with pictures and results after the 30 days challenge of using it. So, I will keep you posted on this one. Wish me luck in my quest for perfect healthy and blemish free skin. Leave me comments on how you take care of your skin. I would love to read from you guys; it makes my day :-)))...xxx

*DISCLOSURE: I have no material relationship to any brand or person mentioned in this post. All Opinions are mine and the products were bought and paid for by me.