The home of all things pretty
According to Una Brennan, infamous facialist, deep cleansing is the foundation of good skin. However the double cleansing method is the cornerstone of the perfect skin care regime – promoting healthy, balanced and properly cleansed skin.I’ll be honest, for me cleansing has mostly been about taking make-up off. In the last year or so I have developed a new obsession with cleansing Read more…
I have been experimenting with a few different cleanser over the past few weeks. One I particularly liked is VOYA Cast Away Anti-Aging Facial Wash.
Before I get started I should point out that I’m a fan of wash-off cleansers. They fit in with my lifestyle. The fact that I’m usually falling into bed exhausted these days means I need a make-up remover that takes 20 seconds max. Cleansing isn’t something I luxuriate over any more. That being said I do like a bit of luxury, especially since I’m short on time. Some people loathe wash-off products. I think this is often down to skin type – these types of products are often drying. Not this one.
It’s lovely to find a wash-off product that offers anti-aging properties too. This bad boy is made from natural cleansing ingedients and VOYA’s hand harvested algae. It removes make-up, grease and apparently pollutants – although I can’t testify to that one. It washes everything off quickly and left my skin feeling soft, without a hint of dryness.For extra exfoliation I use a muslin cloth to remove the wash.
Skin sensitivity has been an issue for me lately and I often find myself reaching for the same gentle products – namely from Origins or VOYA. More on Origins tomorrow.
Cast Away costs €26 for 125ml from voya.ie or Avoca. Their products are also on sale around Ireland – you can check their website for a full stocklist.
What are your thoughts on wash-off cleansers?
I’m going through a bit of a cleanser addiction lately. I love trying new cleansers. Maybe it’s because my skin rarely reacts to cleanser, moisturiser testing on the other hand can be treacherous :)
This week I have been using Nutriganics Softening Cleansing Gel from The Body Shop. It’s a little different to the cleansers I have tried before, it’s a gel to oil formulation.
Essentially this product melts off make-up and removes impurities. ‘Melts’ is the appropriate word since it looks like a gel but then transforms into a luscious oil once it hits the skin. It feels rich and luxurious. Products like this make me look forward to make-up removal, instead of it being a chore.
You get 100ml / 3.3 FL OZ in the tube which is a decent amount. I don’t seem to use a lot during cleansing and one application is enough to melt my make-up off. I tend to use my eye make-up remover first and then follow with this cleanser on dry skin, massaging it in and removing with a warm muslin cloth.
It’s not a million miles from Voya Totally Balmy and much cheaper at €13.60. It’s really good for skin showing the first signs of ageing or skin that is dry. That being said, it didn’t break me out or cause any spots on my oilier areas.
Nutriganics is also certified by Ecocert and is made with comunity trade ingredients where possible. I approve.
Love!
You all know that I tend to faff around with different skincare brands, all in the name of blogging, of course :) I first came across Voya last year when they launched a Seaweed based anti-ageing toner, which I loved.
I have since moved on to their Totally Balmy Cleanser. I have become quite the fan.
My thoughts
Two words – pure luxury! It’s made using organic seaweed, well, we do have an awful lot of it in Ireland. I’m glad someone is putting it to good use.
It smells divine, feels divine, looks divine. As you can probably tell, I’m a fan :)
It’s quite thick when you apply it first, then as it comes into contact with the heat of your skin, it just melts. That means it also melts off the make-up on your skin too, which I love.
It comes with a muslin cloth, which I think is essential when using balms like this. Otherwise, you could end up with residue issues.
If you have parched, dry skin you will most likely adore this as much as me. The downside is the price. It is definitely a splurge at €40. It is luxurious though and feels like a treat. I might reserve my purchase for dry skin season.
Best of all – tis’ made in Sligo :)
Muslin Cloths
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the aul’ muslin cloth. I go through quite a few every year and I wouldn’t have it any other way. They’re kinder than cotton wool and more effective than wipes. They slough away dead skin cells and stimulate circulation. What more could I want. After a few uses I pop mine into a white wash and they come out as good as new.
Voya now sell Organic Muslin Cloths which cost €12 for a pack of three. They arrive in a drawstring bag which is handy.
I found Voya online here or their Irish seaweed skincare products are available from spas around Ireland (listed on their website).
Can’t wait to try more of their products. I love supporting Irish business, no better time for it, but I would love this cleanser regardless!
What do you think of cleansing balms?
I have meaning to record a video on skincare for dry, sensitive skin for ages. I have always had combination skin but this Winter I became a member of the dehydrated, thin skin club.. woo hoo (dripping with sarcasm).
I have finally found a routine that has calmed my irritated parts, toned down the acne and most of all hydrates my parched skin. Here is the video.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkwG-SmfP1s
What skin issues have been plaguing you this Winter?
You know by know that I’m a fan of the Yes to Carrots cleanser (click here to see said undying love). I was thinking about buying some products form the Yes to Tomatoes range which is for combination skin and the Yes to Cucumber cleanser range also appeals to be as I have sensitive skin at the moment. Any recommendations you have would be well received, you know best :)
Whilst I was pondering on which products to get I heard that Yes to Carrots are launching a new anti-ageing range called Yes to Blueberries.. wow, how many times have I said the word ‘yes’ already! I was given the Smoothing Daily Cleanser to try out. It’s made with apple and lemon peel and is paraben free like all of their products are.
Yes to Blueberries Smoothing Daily Cleanser
I’m not entirely sure how suitable this one is for my skin type. I may have a friend put it to the test for me as most anti-ageing products are too rich for my skin – I end up with a face full of spots. I have to say though that it smells great; more like essential oil and not a hint of blueberries. I was also expecting to see some blue product which would have been a little off-putting for me personally – but no, it’s white.
Here is a little look at the entire Yes to Blueberries range….
It will be on sale in Ireland early next year in the usual pharmacies.
When I start to worry less about spots and more about wrinkles I’m glad that there are natural, paraben free products out there to choose from.
What are your thoughts on Yes to Carrots as a brand? Have you tried any of their products?
Whilst cleaning out the press under my bathroom sink last week I found a tonne of unloved products. At the very back I found Olay Daily Facials Clarity Daily Scrub.
I bought this last year used it a handful of times and moved on, the usual story. In the interest of clearing out the press I decided to use it up.
I have been using it for nine days now and I have to admit, I like it.
It contains tiny little beads, so tiny and so few that I’m not sure how exfoliating this product is. This doesn’t bother me since I have been using it as a cleanser morning and evening. I follow with Liz Earl toner and Origins Mega Mushroom Serum (video review coming soon on this one!).
My skin has been quite sensitive lately so I was expecting a little irritation. Not so. My skin feels soft. I actually look forward to using it before bed.
The only thing that puts me off is the colour, it’s blue!
The scrub contains green tea, aloe vera and salicylic acid which makes this a good option for those of use who suffer from spots.
As much as I’m enjoying using the wash I’m not sure if I would repurchase. We’ll see! It costs around £4.50 / €6 for 150ml’s.
What are your thoughts on Olay products? Are there any that you recommend?
I bought myself a new cleanser from my local chemist last week – Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Visibly Clear Facial Wash. I have seen the advertisements for this product on bus stops around Dublin and the pinkness always catches my eye. I also love Grapefruit scented products, more grapefruit essential oil rather than sugary citrus.
I love anything that smells refreshing and this wash is refreshing to the max. Texture wise it’s the same as most cleansing washes. I pump some into the palm of my hand, add a little water, lather and rub into all over my face. I then rinse well to ensure so residue remains.
I have quite reactive skin at the moment but I had no irritation as of yet. This may change with continues use in which case I will update this post. Otherwise you can assume that I’m still irritation free.
I had a little breakout on my chin and along the side of my nose. The morning after my first night of use the little red bumps had dried a little and come to a head (ick but productive!) and within 3 days my breakout was clear. I do have to point out that this while this product would be great for girls with combination/oily skin that get some breakouts it probably will do very little for acne. It’s not an acne treatment so I wouldn’t expect much in that sense.
I would happily repurchase this in the future, especially since I can’t find my Vichy Essentuals Facial Cleansing Wash anywhere! I bought it for €4 which was quite surprising as I expected it to be about €6 or €7.
What are your favourite Neutrogena products?
As a teenager I relied heavily on Vichy products but in the last few years I have gone cold on them. Lukewarm might be more appropriate.
Well consider me warmed up!
I have been using their Essentielles Facial Cleansing Wash and I am in love – the kind that never dies (or at least until I find something amazing!). I haven’t felt this emphatic about a product since Nars Sheer Glow Foundation so forgive my love rant.
According to the box the wash is enriched with Rose Gallica which apparently soothes and protects. I can’t vouch for that but I can tell you what ingredient makes this wash stand out from others I have tried – Glycerin! Glycerin is a common ingredient in skin care products but appears to be in abundance in this wash.
When I first applied it I thought it felt too thick. I also assumed that this thickness would some how bring on a cataclysmic breakout. Wrong. Basically you massage it in and lather it up like any other wash. The magic comes after the washing off! Your skin feels tight for about 30 seconds (don’t be alarmed it’s not true tightness associated with dryness). After that time your skin is literally squeaky clean, yes, actually squeaky! The initial tightness is something you may have felt if your use handmade soap (supermarket soap manufacturers remove the glycerin so they can re-use it, that’s why imperial leather etc is so drying). It’s actually from the air hitting the glycerin on the skin. Not only is it a barrier but because of it’s make up it attracts and contains moisture.
If you haven’t guessed already – I truly heart Glycerin :)
This is one of those products that I can see people either hating or loving. I’m not sure how well this would work on dry skin to be honest. I only know that it works a treat on my combination skin.
The price is also a little surprising – €4.90 in my local pharmacy. That is less than one would usually expect to pat for a Vichy product. This just means that I need to buy 4. You know in case of disaster, emergency etc.,
There are more products in the range but I haven’t tried them yet. After my experience with the cleanser I will happily explore the rest of the line.
What are your thoughts on Vichy? Do you approve of facial cleansing washes in general?
*Don’t forget – Click here to enter my MAC Stereo Rose giveaway
Recent Comments