Category: Skincare

I should know better, but I’ve been neglecting a few areas of my skincare routine recently. One is using a facial exfoliator, the other is using a mask. No particular reason for this except being lazy! But I decided to rectify this and try a mask that I’ve had in my collection but never tried, called Night Night Soothing Face Mask from Nails Inc.

Thought they did nail polish? I’ve known of Nails Inc because of their polishes and nail treatments. But over the last few years they’ve expanded into skin care products. This was the reason why I bought this mask, out of curiosity. I’ve used their polishes before, nice range of colours and effects….but skin care? And this being half price at the time of purchase convinced me more to play guinea pig and buy it.

What is this mask supposed to do? This mask is designed to be used over night, and gives the skin a fresher appearance. Helping it to recover from the stresses and pollutants it comes across during the day.

Packaging. The mask comes in a little pot which in itself sits in a card board sleeve. The pot needs to have its lid pulled back to get to the product ( think of the sauces you get from certain takeaways and that’s pretty much the same type of packaging ).

Consistency. This reminded me very much of a gel type serum. White in colour, quite thick but the texture had an almost waxiness to it.

Scent. Delicate but a beautiful clean, floral with a slight sweetness to it. This smelt more like a body lotion than a facial product but I found it so enjoyable to smell.

How to apply. Onto clean skin, massage a thin layer of mask over the face ( avoid eye area ). Leave on over night and cleanse as usual the following morning.

In use. You get 10 ml of product which is one application. I felt that was a lot of mask to put on my face so used only one third. This was enough to give me a thin layer over my face and neck. Easy to apply and very quick and clear with no colour on the skin. It felt as if I had applied a night cream onto the face because of it’s texture. To look at my skin it was obvious something was on it because there was a slight shine to it but didn’t look oily. The scent from the mask wasn’t obvious and perfect strength while on.

The morning after the night before. My skin didn’t dramatically change when I woke up. But I did expect the mask to have sunk in, which surprisingly it didn’t…well not totally anyway. My face still felt as if there was something on it as I felt a light waxiness to it, although not as much as when this was first applied. My skin wasn’t matt in look, it looked like I had face cream on it. Didn’t feel dry, felt very nourished and treated.

Washed off. I cleansed my face as usual. Again, no massive change to my skin look wise but it did indeed look and feel more rested which was what I wanted. Not dry but hydrated, and ready to start my morning skin care routine.

Any surprises? I expected this to sink in after a few minutes which it didn’t. After accidentally touching my face a couple of hours after applying this, I found the feel of the mask still there. The remainder of the mask I thought would be left on my pillow yet all it left was a feeling of protection ON my skin and not anywhere else!

Who would this be good for? This mask is designed for all skin types but for me the skin that would benefit from this more is the dry type. Dry naturally, or dried out due to extreme weather ( heat/cold ). If I was lucky enough to go on holiday abroad this year this would be slipped into my suitcase for sure!

Recommended? 100%! Affordable, easy and quick to use and does what its supposed to do which is to give your skin the rest it needs from the day before. Great scent, provides protection and hydration, what more can you ask for? Perfect mask for the lazy skin care lover. Get your mask directly from Nails Inc here which is still at a sale price of £3.00 ( at time or writing post ).

This is that time of the year when I spend money not on myself but on school uniforms. The cost of my son’s Year 7’s high school uniform is making me weep! But enough of the parent pity party, it just means being more resourceful in regards to what I treat myself to. And resourceful is me digging into my stash of untouched skincare as my last moisturiser has run out. So I opted to use Naturally Radiant 2 in 1 Moisturiser and Serum from Superdrug.

Why did I purchase this? I originally bought this with other items from the range ages ago. They’re easy to pick up ( from a Superdrug store, click and collect or online delivery ), the range is quite extensive and not expensive at all. And the best bit is they’re regularly on some form of half price offer or buy one get one free which makes even better value.

What is this designed to do? Its purpose is to give the skin its natural radiance back and even out skin tone, within a 2 in 1 product that provides hydration and treatment.

Packaging. 50ml of this moisturiser/ serum comes in a pump action bottle. Like the rest of the brand because of its colouring ( pale mint green ) and simplistic labeling, the appearance fits in well within the ‘ natural ‘ skincare type niche.

How to use. Skin should be clean and cleansed before applying. 2 to 3 pumps of product applied to face and neck using circular motions every morning.

Texture. This reminds me of moisturising gels a little bit. Not totally opaque and white, as it has a slight sheerness to it. Its very light in texture so definitely looks like a cross between a face cream and a serum ( but more cream than serum ).

Scent. Identical to the other products I’ve tried in this range. Its quite fresh and clean, but has a subtle flowery and sweetness to it but still comes across very fresh and clean in scent. Its very pleasant, not strong and quite enjoyable to smell.

On the skin. When applied onto the skin, you really don’t need much. Easy and quick to apply and it sinks in immediately. This is one of those products that feels very light on the skin and not heavy at all. I love textures such as balms, oils and quite rich products, and sometimes you feel and see it on the skin but you don’t with this. It doesn’t feel as if its there but you know you’ve obviously applied something, as the skin does feel as if its had a ‘ something ‘ on it. And to look at my skin it looked matt but not dry nor did it feel tight.

No massive changes have happened with my skin after using this for a week. But bare in mind I didn’t use this to get rid of lines, wrinkles, or anything specific. I just wanted a moisturiser! Did it even out skin tone? Nope. Not a problem I suffer from right now. Did it give me any radiance? Well not really as my skin hasn’t looked too sallow amazingly.

Recommended? This is a good product for a few different people, in my opinion:

1. Younger people ( teens to 30 ) who don’t have particular concerns with their skin and want a good quality product that’s easy and quick to apply.
2. Men. They want to use skincare but need something that sinks in quickly and no messing about with numerous products.
3. Budget. You’re on a budget and you don’t want to buy a face cream and a serum and overall don’t want to spend lots of money but don’t want something rubbish either.
4. Multi purpose needed and time starved. Pretty much as above but you are one of those people who has literally 5 mins in the morning to get dressed and out of the door AND sort your face out. Win win!
5. Summer. In the UK we had some insane heat awhile ago. I had to wipe of my sweat moustache with my santised hand many times. This would have been a good product to use due to its lightness and less likelihood of melting away.

Would I use this again? I would. For what it is, its a good moisturiser. And at certain times this would be very handy as mentioned in warmer weather. But I prefer to apply a separate serum and facial cream so I can tailor make what my skin needs. So I would happily use what I currently have and may buy this for holiday use, but for me this wouldn’t be a regular purchase.

If this sound like an ideal skin care product for you, visit Superdrug’s site here. *At time of writing this post, this product is £3.48, half price from £6.99!

I’m finding myself spending less on beauty products so far this year than last year. The current climate we are in doesn’t help, but before the madness of 2020 kicked in I already placed myself on a sort of beauty product buying ban. Why? Well…when you get into the habit of buying lots of ‘stuff’ regularly and not getting a chance to use them, they add up! And by the time you know it you honestly have no idea what you have and can open your own shop full of products. So being the newly frugal person I am I’m continuing to dig into my product treasure chest as I recently needed ( well my face did! ) a treatment mask . I pulled out Superdrug’s Tumeric Revitalising Clay Mask that I got last year as a gift from one of my good friends.

What does this mask supposed to do? Draws out impurities and extra oil from the skin, and makes it feel and appear smoother.

Apperance and texture. Lets start off with the colour….I haven’t seen a colour like this since my kids were babies! Can’t deny it its not attractive or appealing and looks a little like poo. It has a slight orangy tint to it which I would love to say reminds me of a good curry but it doesn’t. I didn’t expect the colour to be beautiful but I think the combo of turmeric, clay and shea butter doesn’t produce a visually appealing mask love child. Texture is smooth and quite thick and what you would expect from a mask containing clay. Easy to apply though and because of its consistency none was wasted and stayed firmly on skin.

Scent. Definitely has a turmeric scent to it but not too strong but its there! I felt there was a slight citrus element to it which gave it a zing and slight freshness.

How to apply. I pretty much followed instructions which is apply to clean skin avoiding the eye area and leave on till dry for 10-25mins, then rinse off with warm water.

On the skin. It didn’t take too long for my facial expressions to become frozen after this had been applied as it does dry out quickly and you feel it. Not in an uncomfortable way but expect it!

Removal. I used a damp, warm muslin cloth to get this off and it did the trick. I followed it with warm water to make sure all residue was gone and it had.

After use. My skin felt and looked a little smoother, a little more rested and I felt it was fresher. I checked my skin the following day and felt I could see the same results which made me feel very happy!

Top tip. I got three uses out of this one sachet! I found the first time I used this a third of it was plenty when applied to face and neck. And because my skin was quite angry and confused at the time, I didn’t think I would get the best results so gave it a few days later to try it again and used the same amount. My skin seemed to be much more receptive this time, and I found I still had more mask to use so saved it. With it being clay based, where the packet originally opened I could see the start of the mask had dried up. So I simply cut and opened it from the bottom and the mask was absolutely fine to use.

Recommended? This is a great and affordable mask which if you want to have your own little spa like treatment at home will help! Don’t be put off by the colour and the scent isn’t overwhelming. It left my skin in better condition than what it was prior to using it. And the fact I got to use this more than once was a win win! 99p per sachet and regularly on a 3 for 2 deal which makes it great value. * With everything that is going on with store closures, click and collect and online deliveries its best to check what the current situation is with Superdrug if you want this product or anything else from there. Visit the site here, and possibly bookmark this product to purchase at a better time for you if not right now. xxx

Skincare is very important to me. I guess it has been for many years and started when I had a more disposable income ( teen with no bills ) than what I have now ( much older and poor! ). Now I’m older and no longer a teen ( damn I’m not even in my 30’s anymore! ) skincare seems to be a necessity rather than a luxury. So I try to follow a simple but effective facial care routine to try and keep on top of myself. My current facial exfoliator of choice is Naturally Radiant Brightening Micro Polish by Superdrug.

Why this one? I’ve used other products from this range before and enjoyed them. But before actually trying these products out I found them to be easy to get hold of ( either pop into my local store or online with small spend required for free home delivery ), good extensive range and very affordable thanks to them being on offer very regularly. Last time I bought this it was half price ( £2.99 ) which meant I could pretty much buy a whole skincare routine from face wash to moisturiser, for around £12.00.

What does this do? This is supposed to leave skin clearer, smoother and even out skin tone thanks to its exfoliating action. Basically a face scrub which contains ingredients that are good for the skin while trying to leave out the nasties.

Packaging. All the range is coloured the same and regardless of whether products are in tubes ( this one is and contains 75g of product), pots or anything else, they all have a sense of being a part a range because of how they look and are completely unformed. And colouring makes you think of it being natural as its mid green in colour and quite simple in appearance.

Texture/Consistency. This comes out like a clear thick gel that you would expect from a face wash, but possibly a little thicker and not as loose and runny. When you look closely you will see tiny grains within this product which are blueberry seeds.

Scent. Like other products in the range this is clean, fresh, a slightly sweet and subtle fruity plant based smell but all quite delicate and not overpowering. In a strange but good way, this is quite a neutral scent.

How to use. Use once or twice a week. Massage over wet or dry skin using circular movements. Add a small amount of water to create a foam then rinse off. I pretty much used this the same way but on damp skin while in the shower, over my face and neck. Rinsed off and face dried with a muslin cloth. I use this twice a week then I use a face mask straight after.

In use. I didn’t need to use much of this. Enough to cover a finger tip was enough to work over my slightly damp face and neck area. I could feel the grains which seemed so small but with movement you could feel their sweeping and resurfacing action. Adding a little water meant that this scrub lightly foamed and gave an almost 2in1 product alternating between a scrub and a face wash which I really enjoyed.

Skin after use. My face felt and looked soft, clean fresh and matt. I felt the scrub was very gentle on the skin but still very effective. Perfect way to get my skin ready for any additional treatments I wanted to follow on with.

Recommended? Y-e-s. This is an affordable facial scrub that works! Easy to use and fast, so for those time starved but want to include this type of product in their routine this isn’t a problem. Its a great product for any age to use who want to look after their skin and although my daughter isn’t a teen yet, I can see this being a good one for her to start on because of its size, ingredients and cost. **At the time of writing this post ( 29.01.2020 ) this product hasn’t been available on the website and possibly could be discontinued. Definitely worth checking for this in a physical store to see if it’s still available. The range currently is half price.**

I think I’m going through a mid life crisis. I’m contemplating everything in my life right now and one area is my appearance. I don’t need to look glamorous to go to work and I couldn’t be bothered anyway. But surely I need to look alive? Do I really look that rough in the morning with my face and skin so lifeless? We all go through this stage of trying to stop letting over selves go, and for me that one area is my face! Not wanting to spend a fortune I decided to start looking at replacing my cleansing routine, and stumbled across Superdrug’s Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser.

Why did I chose this? First things first you need clean skin. My usual facial cleansing routine consists of a facial wash which if I’m honest is my quick, lazy, few seconds splash splash action in the morning and at night, and I just didn’t think it was thorough enough. Hot cloth cleansers on the whole are thorough due to how you use them. I know this as I’ve used a few before. And I’ve always loved their texture so this product seemed perfect. When I was on the hunt for this type of cleanser I found this half price, which made it very affordable.

What’s a hot cloth cleanser? You rub the cleanser into the face and then you wipe it away with a damp warm cloth.

What does Naturally Radiant Cleanser supposed to do? Cleans the skin, gets rid of make up, impurities and generally grime. It has a mild exfoliating action due to using a muslin cloth with it so helps to give skin a clean, fresh and smoother look and feel. Aimed towards normal to dry skin types.

Packaging. I couldn’t help but notice this in store. Neutral in appearance, pale green in colouring so gives you the ‘ its good for your skin ‘ vibe, with the undertone of it being somewhat natural. Comes in a plastic tube which is boxed, and houses 150ml of product.

How to use. Very simple. Wet the face and rub some of this cleanser onto the face and neck and as suggested on the packaging use a circular motion. Use a muslin cloth that has been placed in hand hot water and ringed out, and use to wipe off product off the face.

Does it come with anything? Massive surprise it actually comes with the muslin cloth! I say surprised as I didn’t think it would be included but means you need nothing else to use it and can use it straight away. To be fair it clearly states on the box it comes with it but I totally bypassed that information.

Texture. What I expected. Thicker than a typical lotion but more like a rich cream. White in colouring, and when you squeeze it out it holds it shape. So quite thick but not solid.

Scent. Not strong which is good. But clean, fresh with a slight berry/citrus tone to it. Delightful, unexpected but very nice.

In use. I used a decent amount, enough to cover two of my finger tips ( way too much by the way ). This was gently rubbed it into my face for at least a good 3 minutes. It didn’t sink into my skin and it felt very pleasurable to use. I took this over my eyes ( I am a dare devil ) but it didn’t cause irritation despite suffering from sore eyes thanks to hay fever. Taking this off with my the warm and damp muslin cloth, was swift, easy and left no residue. One thing I can’t comment on is how well this removes make up whether its minimal or heavy as I don’t wear make up. What I do use is an eyebrow pencil, and I spent a few extra seconds rubbing gently over my brows to make sure they come off and they did.

Appearance and feel of skin afterwards. My skin looked super clean, fresh and looked and felt a little smoother compared to before use, and this was after one application. It didn’t feel dry and didn’t look it, but a touch tight. And this is only down to how clean it made my skin. I don’t actually think my face has been this clean at cleansing stage for quite some time and obviously really needed it.

Recommended? This product reminded me why I originally loved hot cloth cleansers. This delivered exactly what it promised to do, cleansed and smoothed my skin. Easy to use, great texture, lovely scent and left my skin feeling and looking fresher. Didn’t dry it out and prepped my skin ready for its next stage. And added bonus is it didn’t cause any issues with my eyes.

And the cost of this beautiful product? Currently HALF PRICE from Superdrug at £2.89. For 150ml this is a steal. Use the right amount, enough to cover the face rather than the body like I first did, this product should last a good 3 months used morning and night. The gift of good skin couldn’t come any cheaper! Grab your bargain cleanser here now.

*Please note…at the time of writing this post this product was half price. This offer may now have ended.*