The Best of 2017 // Skincare

It's basically February but apparently I'm still stuck in 2017? It is late, but I'm finally rounding out my 2017 favourites with my favourite skin care products. Check out my makeup faves here! I haven't done an updated skincare routine in a long while, so think of this post as products I've been using recently, as well as my favourites!

In the Spotlight // Lush

Lush products have been a mainstay in my collection for years now, whether it be their body or skincare products! Their products are fun - and effective - and I love the ethos behind the brand. They're all about fighting animal cruelty, their packaging uses recycled plastics (and they have a great recycling packaging program where you can get a free face mask if you bring in your empty packaging) and they are handmade and use a lot of great ingredients. Among many other reasons, they're just a really great brand altogether and their employees are helpful and energetically bubbly (which can sometimes be overbearing, but hey, it's their job!). They have such a huge range of products and while I haven't tried all of them (not even close!), I do think I've tried enough to write up a brand spotlight post! I actually mention them quite a lot on my blog - mostly in empties posts - but haven't ever really devoted whole posts to them! Sidenote - this is my 400th post! Wowheee! 

Biology for the Body

I'm always on the lookout for burgeoning Australian brands to try, so I was super excited when I was introduced to some products from Biology, an Australian-made brand that utilises natural ingredients for clean formulas, are cruelty free and environmentally friendly. They have a range of hair, body and spa products with ranges for sensitive skin, as well as ones that utilise aromatic essential oils for a therapeutic, spa-like experience. I was very kindly sent their Ultra Hydrate Body Butter* and Skin Smoothing Body Buff*, and they've pleasantly surprised me indeed.

In the Spotlight // Kelapa Organics

Ah...remember coconut oil? The miracle product that had everyone slathering it all over their bodies and swilling it in their mouths? Turns out, it actually is good for something - skincare! It just won't solve all of your problems ;) . Not too long ago, Kelapa Organics popped up on my radar; a Melbourne-born brand that is 100% natural, uses organic ingredients, is cruelty free and has environmentally friendly packaging. Their hero ingredient is, of course, coconut oil which explains their name 'Kelapa' which means coconut in Indonesian, as Tannya very helpfully pointed out! They very generously gifted me three products to try out; the Cream Cleanser, Face Oil and Night Cream which I have been using for the past few months and am here to share my thoughts on!

In The Spotlight // Antipodes

On the scene of green beauty brands, Antipodes is well at the forefront. They're a brand I constantly want to try more from and from trying a few of their products over the past couple of years, I definitely have some favourites! More recently though, I was sent a few of their hero products, as well as a new serum. My skincare routine for the past month or so has been Antipodes-heavy, but I have to say, my skin is looking pretty good! Keep reading for a round-up of mini reviews on the Antipodes products I have.

In the Spotlight // La Roche-Posay

La Roche-Posay is definitely up there with some of my favourite skincare brands. Since they've been easily accessible in Priceline for a while, I've slowly been accumulating many of their products and thought now was a good time to write up a brand spotlight on them! As a French skincare brand, they not only target sensitive skins, but also have many ranges suited for different skin types such as acne-prone, dry, those who suffer from redness and eczema, and more. A few of the products pictured I haven't yet tried, but threw them into the photo for effect, of course ;)

Elemis Skincare

Elemis is not a brand I hear a lot about, but one I've always been curious about! They are a leading luxury skincare brand from the UK that offer an array of skin and body products. I was so excited to see that they had a display set up at Obsession 2015 and the two lovely Elemis gals gave a few demos of some of their key products, all of which felt amazing! Our hands were extremely soft afterward ;) In our goodie bag, they kindly included four deluxe sized samples for us to try; the Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash*, Papaya Enzyme Peel*, Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules* and Pro-Collagen Marine Cream*. I've been using these products for the last couple of weeks, and am ready to report back!

Mauboy Approved

As you guys may or may not know, I am very much a fan of the Australian, all-natural brand Vanessa Megan, so it shouldn't have been a surprise to hear that homegrown talent Jessica Mauboy swears by a few of their products too! I was kindly sent a few of Jess' faves to try, and here are my thoughts on them!

Jergens in Australia

As I'm sure you've already heard, Jergens has made its way down under! It's really exciting to see such a popular brand in the US land on our shores. I can only hope more foreign brands will make their way over! One of their more famous products, Jergens Natural Glow* is one I've heard many raves about from our American sisters. When offered the opportunity to try it, I couldn't say no! I was also sent the Original Beauty Lotion* which I was also keen to try.

L-R: Original Beauty Lotion, Natural Glow

Jergens Original Beauty Lotion* (250mL, $6.99)

I am not someone who is fussy with body lotions. As long as it does the job and smells nice enough, I'm a happy chappy. This, unfortunately, did not fit the bill. First of all, the smell is, in my opinion, very unpleasant. It's supposedly infused with "Cherry Almond Essence", but the scent is more reminiscent of that medicinal, cherry scent, but worse because it has a hint of chemical. Now, I'm really not a fan of that particular cherry scent to begin with, so I really quite dislike the scent. Speaking of chemicals, let's take a look at the ingredients. Some sort of alcohol is the third and fourth ingredients. Am I the only one that finds this slightly concerning? I also don't see any typical hydrating ingredients (that I recognise) except for glycerin and lanolin oil (which is quite far down). I think this definitely shows through in the performance of the product. The lotion itself is very light and gel-like. It absorbs quickly and gives instant hydration, the skin does look hydrated and feel soft and smooth (not that much 'glow' though) however I really don't see the long term effects. The next morning my skin will feel dry and I just don't feel like the lotion is hydrating deep down!

Jergens Natural Glow for Fair to Medium Skin tones* (221mL, $14.99)
This was the product I was most excited to try. Now I'm not really into the whole fake tan thing, my natural skin colour is good enough for me! I do, however, have some pretty horrendous sock and shoulder tans which I really wanted to even out! This gradual tanning product gradually builds up colour over several days. It's built into a moisturiser which I find much better than the Original Beauty Lotion. It has a thicker texture and smells a lot nicer - sort of vanilla, musky? I don't find it immensely hydrating but it does the job well. The colour aspect was interesting. I began to notice slight colour after maybe three days, and it gradually gets darker each day you apply it. Now, the colour looks very natural (no orange-ness at all) however it doesn't match my own skintone which is my fault really. My aim was to even out my tan but while the depth was similar, the colour was a bit off. This wouldn't be an issue if you were just using it normally for all over colour! The shade has a bit more of an olivey tone which I do think looks quite natural. The Fair to Medium is the lighter of the two shades, so I didn't get a tonne of depth from it. I do think it would be amazing for lighter girls! If you used it consistently, I really think you would get an amazing all over shade with it. I think once my sock tan etc fades, I'll use it to keep up my slight tan!

So overall, a hit and a miss. Personally, I wouldn't recommend the Original Beauty Lotion, however the Natural Glow is pretty awesome if you're in the market for something like that! Jergens is available at Priceline.

Have you tried anything from Jergens?

*Products sent for consideration.

So Let Me Restart

Dermalogica has always seemed to be a brand I've admired from afar and while I knew about the Clear Start line, I never checked it out. It was mainly because I thought it would be quite expensive, but they actually aren't! The range is aimed at teens and young adults to help with skin concerns such as acne. When offered the opportunity to try a couple of products from the line, having acne-prone skin myself, I couldn't say no!

Top: Matte Moisturiser, Bottom: Overnight Treatment

L-R: Matte Moisturiser, Overnight Treatment

Both products are packaged in lightweight, plastic tubes and fliptop lids which I find quite practical and convenient. Each product has different coloured branding, yet maintains the same clean, minimalistic design which I think is quite cute and effective.

Dermalogica Clear Start Oil Clearing Matte Moisturiser* (60mL, $27.50)

I was both wary and excited to try out this product. When it comes to a 'matte' moisturiser, either it isn't really matte, or it's not moisturising enough. This was no exception and leans more to the former. It doesn't really give off a 'matte' finish (though I do use an oily serum beforehand) however it doesn't dry out the skin at all, or leave it looking/feeling tight/uncomfortable. I do find it quite hydrating, for a day cream that is, and I think it would suit normal - oily skintypes, dryer ones may need something a tad more powerful, but then again it isn't aimed at those skintypes. I find it sits really well beneath makeup and doesn't make my skin feel any oilier or greasier throughout the day. I wouldn't say it's amazing at controlling oil but it works pretty well for my skintype. It has a thin texture that absorbs quite quickly and feels very lightweight. The SPF15 is a nice inclusion but I don't think it's sufficient for outside wear and tear.

Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing Overnight Treatment* (60mL, $23.50)

I think of this treatment product as a serum, similar to La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, which y'all know is an holy grail of mine. I've been using this every night for the past few weeks and must say, it works very similarly. I apply it after serum and before moisturiser. It has a lightweight, gel-like texture that feels like nothing on the skin really. It contains many acne-fighting ingredients such as salicylic acid and tea tree. It's very hard to discern the effects of a product like this. My skin has been pretty well behaved for the past few months and I do attribute some of that to the Effaclar Duo. My skin didn't really change much when I started using the Overnight Treatment, and remained rather clear, any breakouts healed quite quickly and they were mainly hormonal or stress related. I have to say I'm pretty happy with this product but I can't choose between it and the La Roche-Posay!

So overall, my experience with the Clear Start range has been a good one. The Matte Moisturiser is nothing extremely remarkable but it works very well as a day cream and underneath makeup. The Overnight Treatment is the type of product that is a staple in my collection and something that I find really helps keep breakouts at bay! Check the Dermalogica website for your nearest stockists!

(PS. My title is a song lyric, if ya know the song, ILY bae.)

*Products sent for consideration.

Moisture Minis

Antipodes is a brand I've always heard so much about, being certified organic and using all natural ingredients, and one that I've always wanted to try products from. When they released a couple of limited edition mini sets, I knew I had to get my hands on one! They proved to be popular and I managed to snag the Moisture Boost Minis on sale, which features deluxe sized samples of the Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream and the Divine Face Oil.

Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream

The packaging of this is adorable, it's a petite metal tube that holds 15mL of product. I absolutely adore Antipodes' packaging style, and it well reflects the brand's natural ethos. The smell of this moisturiser is INCR-EDIBLE. It's just so delightfully delicious,  vanillary but comforting and almost a bit jasminey? Basically, it's amazing. So much so that when I used it at a sleepover, my friends were like "what is that smell?!" and I was like "ma moisturiser" ;)

Anyways, I've already featured this in a favourites post so y'all know I love it. The texture is quite thick and creamy, but easily rubbed into the skin. I find that it absorbs almost instantly and leaves skin feeling soft but dry to the touch, if that makes sense. It's so deliciously moisturising, but miraculously, sits really well under makeup, never making my skin feel oily or weighed down. A day cream that's lightweight yet uber moisturising? Yes please! I've since finished up the whole tube, and would definitely repurchase in the future!

Antipodes Divine Face Oil

The packaging on this one is equally as adorable. The teeny tiny bottle holds 10mL of product with its own lil' dropper, making it perfect for travel! I did actually take this on my one week trip down to Melbourne and it worked really well. I'll definitely be keeping the bottle and refilling it for travelling. 

As for the oil itself, I'm not sure it really wowed me to be honest! To be fair though, the extreme weather difference of Melbourne really took its toll on my skin! It was extremely dry and exposed to wind a lot of the time. I used this oil every night and occasionally in the morning, and I can't say it really helped my skin that much unfortunately! I was also using a different moisturiser though, so that needs to be taken into account as well. I'm not really a huge fan of the scent, though facial oils never really tend to smell that great! It isn't by any means a bad oil, it did moisturise my skin, sink in well and it didn't leave my face feeling greasy at all, it's just that I have others that perform much better. I haven't had the chance to test it in Brisbane weather conditions, mostly because I'm saving it for travel, but I will definitely report back when I do! 

So overall, one hit and one...miss(ish). There's no denying though that I still really want to try out more of the range! You may still be able to get your hands on the mini sizes at Priceline, but Antipodes is actually 20% off at Priceline at the moment so do take advantage!

Have you tried anything from Antipodes?

Out on a Limb

It's tan time! Lawl jks. But not really, because guiz, I've been experimenting with fake tan. Wot a shocker. I really don't have any desire for fake tan because I'm tan enough for my liking, and diddly damn it seems like SO much effort! I've watched enough useless "Tanning 101s" to know that much. I did, however, want to even out my terrible ombre shirt tan for my formal, so I dug out my sample can of the Le Tan Wash Off instant tan in Bronze. I utilised all the knowledge I had gained from said tanning videos, and went in with some proper skin prep beforehand.

L-R: Breakfast Scrub, Body Milk

Wash Off sprayed

Wash Off blended (can ya even tell)

Soap & Glory The Breakfast Scrub

One thing I do know about tan, is do not try applying it to dry skin. It'll cling, be obvious and just plain ratchet (I'm guessing). So, as a bit of an excuse, I ventured out to purchase a body scrub. I've been wanting this one for ages but could never justify it. It's already made it into a favourites post, so it was a good purchase indeed! This shiz smells divine. Sugary, maple syrup deliciousness confined in one glorious tub that gives a pretty dang good scrub (yaaaass got tha rhythm and rhymes). I thought that this might be messy to use and the sugar bits would just fall all over the shower floor, but actually the stuff hangs together in a gritty paste, and scrubs the skin really well. My skin feels super soft and smooth after use and prep for dat tan ;)

Decleor Moisturising Body Milk*

After I hop out of the shower, I smother this dang thing all over my bod. It's a really lightweight lotion consistency that doesn't feel heavy or greasy on the skin. Definitely lovely for using in the hot weather, and I think good for applying tan on top. You wouldn't want anything too slippery right? It leaves my skin feeling moisturised indeed. It's also got quite a pleasant uplifting scent.

Le Tan Wash Off Instant Tan in Bronze

So clearly I'm not going for any gradual or lasting tan here. I really just wanted something easy, that was going to be a quick fix for the day. I was originally going to purchase Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs but remembered I had this guy sitting in my cupboard. I got it through a company called Pinch Me which pretty much sends out free samples for people to try and answer questions about. You guys know how much I love free stuff. But anyways, this guy fit the bill perfectly! It might look super dark, but as you can see, it blends really easily into the skin with hands, leaving a tint of colour that isn't streaky at all, and really looks quite natural. I'm lucky that the shade is pretty much on par with my natural skintone (they have two darker shades as well), so I could even out my pale-ass shoulders easily. It lasted through a hot night of dancing and shenanigans and as promised only came off with water and soap. Good stuff! Smells pretty nice too haha!

While delving into tan was a fun experience, I doubt I'll be doing it on any regular basis. Special occasions only really! Can you be bothered with fake tan?

*Product sent for consideration.

Good Enough to Eat

So, that title may be a little deceiving, BUT, a motto of natural skincare brand Vanessa Megan is, "you should never put anything on your skin you wouldn't eat!". The brand's products must have pretty great ingredients right? Right. I have to review a couple of her products; the Rosehip Revitalizing Face Oil* and Peruvian Flower Hand Cream*. 

Peruvian Flower Hand Cream

A little about the brand first, it's pretty great. They are Australian, natural and organic, cruelty free, their packaging is 100% recyclable, and much more. You can read more about them here, but they really are an awesome brand, with their products totally reflecting that. The packaging is simplistic, yet beautiful. The boxes are super informative, not only listing a description of the products and ingredients but also the benefits of key ingredients. Both bottles have handy pumps to easily dispense product, however I do wish the oil came with a dropper, the pump can sometimes squirt product out willy nilly. 

Rosehip Revitalizing Face Oil* (30mL, $29.95)

The first thing that HIT me with this product was the scent. It has a very strong, and I ain't gonna lie, overwhelming scent. It's a rosehip oil blend containing other ingredients of rosemary, lemongrass and vetiver. The scent is undeniably lemongrass, which I'm not really a fan of to begin with. The scent is so strong it almost feels like it's tingling the skin? It's actually not, though it smells like it's tingling...am I even making sense right now? Thankfully once the oil is applied and blended into the skin, the scent dissipates - I don't know if I could handle it otherwise!

The oil itself is quite thick in texture (sorry I forgot to photograph it!) and I usually use one pump mixed with moisturiser. It doesn't leave my skin feeling or looking greasy, but rather very glowy and feeling very hydrated. Not that I really care if I look like a grease-ball though - I only use it at night when I'm moping around the house. Much like a lot of other face oils, it's very hydrating. The ingredients supposedly help with anti-ageing, evening skin tone, skin firmness, minimising pore size and more. I can't testify to many of these claims, though overall I've been really happy with my skin lately! My acne scars are slowly but surely fading and it hasn't been very spotty lately either.

Peruvian Flower Hand & Body Cream* (50mL, $29.95)

This has already made it's way into a monthly favourites post, so y'all know it's good stuff. The texture is almost whipped, though still super creamy. I find one pump of the stuff is just enough to moisturise the hands adequately. It's the right amount to not have super slick hands, therefore sinking and absorbing into the skin quite quickly, leaving them feeling quite nourished. The texture isn't too rich or greasy to begin with, so it doesn't leave much, if any residue on the hands! I've been using it every night, and while I don't have particularly dry hands to begin with, this has definitely left my hands feeling super soft, noticeable even after my first night of use! It should do, considering it contains lovely, hydrating ingredients like shea butter, jojoba oil, coconut oil, aloe vera and vitamin E.

Perhaps the most notable thing about this hand cream though, is its scent. It contains various essential oils that overall, give it quite a unique scent, one that I can't quite pin down. I can definitely detect hints of lavender and a slight citrusy tang. It may not appeal to everyone, however I have grown to really like it. It's not too overpowering, though is very spa like and sophisticated. The essential oils used also have added benefits. Mandarin essential oil is known to banish depression and anxiety, lavender essential oil balances the central nervous system and vanilla oleoresin is calming and known to reduce stress, promote sleep and an uplifting mood. Sounds glorious hey? I'm not sure I can attest to those precisely, but inhaling the scent before bed is definitely calming, and I think I may have even been sleeping better!

Overall, using both of these products has been a pleasure really! They're just so dang lovely. Though I don't see much difference between face oils, the Vanessa Megan one is a good 'un, and the hand cream is just beautiful, even if just for the scent!

*Products sent for consideration. 

Skin Renewal

Recently I was offered the opportunity to try some products from ECO, an all natural brand committed to delivering salon quality products at affordable prices. They offer skincare, haircare and body products. From what I've seen, a rather small selection of their products are available at Target, but are also available to purchase online, so definitely check them out! I opted for the Natural Skincare Hamper of the Renew range so I could get a good idea of ECO's products! It was packaged beautifully BTW, definitely would make a lovely gift! It also includes a 15mL Rosehip oil which I haven't tried yet, but contains your standard 100% organic Rosa Canina oil. Because it's a plastic pump bottle, I reckon it would be great for travelling.

L-R: Cleanser, Toner, Moisturiser

Although the Renew range is labeled as anti-ageing, it doesn't contain any crazy ingredients but rather really aims to help hydrate, soothe and nourish the skin. All three products have the same packaging; slim bottles with a practical pump dispenser.

Renew Cleansing Lotion*

As the name suggests, this is very much a creamy cleanser with a rather thin lotion texture. It feels quite nice on the skin, like any typical cream cleanser. It contains really lovely ingredients like Calendula to help even skintone, Sweet Almond oil to nourish and Vitamins B5 and E to minimise fine lines and wrinkles. I've been using this as my morning time cleanser and I find it works well to refresh my skin, cleansing well without leaving my skin feeling dry or stripped! I have also used it in the evening though to remove makeup by double cleansing and using a washcloth to remove and I found it decently effective. It did remove non waterproof mascara, albeit not excellently. I much prefer thicker/balmier/oilier cleansers for using in the evening, but this is lovely for the morning. It has the slightest scent but nothing offensive or irritating to my skin.

Renew Treatment Toner*

The texture of this toner baffles me. It's unlike your typical watery/liquid, but more so a very thin liquidy gel? It's so hard to explain and quite odd, hopefully you can tell from the above photo! I still apply it using a cotton pad and sort of dot it over the skin and blend in but I feel like you could also apply it with fingers? It feels so weird applying toner with fingers though! Regardless, I think it's a really lovely 'toner'. It absorbs very quickly into the skin, and leaves it feeling soft and slightly hydrated. It contains Cucumber and Rosehip extracts to hydrate and soothe, and Vitamin E to provide powerful antioxidant protection.

Renew Moisture Cream*

This is the one product I'm really not a fan of, mainly because I just don't find it very hydrating, or hydrating enough, even for my combo/oily skin. I can't imagine it being enough for dry/mature skins! It's more of a lotion consistency that is actually very lightweight. As you rub it in, it feels really nice and like it's offering a lot of moisture. But then, it absorbs into the skin very quickly, almost like it's evaporated and leaves my skin feeling rather dry. I definitely noticed a difference in comparison to my other moisturisers. Even when I used this with a facial oil, when I went to bed that night, I could feel that my skin wasn't hydrated enough for my liking. When I use this in the mornings, my skin also tends to feel dry throughout the day under my makeup. Maybe this will be more effective in the warmer months when my skin isn't craving as much moisture but we'll see. Overall I definitely think there are better moisturisers out there.

The hamper retails for $49 and you can buy the products separately though it's a better deal in the pack. If you are interested in purchasing the pack, you can enter the code SW20 for 20% off the hamper! The code is valid till the 31st of October. Overall I do quite enjoy the ECO products, and I think this is a great way to try out their products. For being all natural and fairly affordable, they're definitely a brand to check out.

*Products sent for consideration.

Smelly Sunday // Moringa

Wow, long time no see Smelly Sunday! I swear it's probably been about a year since my last Smelly Sunday post, but what can I say, my nose hasn't been getting much action lately! Ahaha, anyways, I thought I might revive the series (even if it's only just for one post) to feature some products from The Body Shop, their soap, shower gel and body butter all from the Moringa line.

I actually have no idea what sort of flower the Moringa flower is, but gathering from the picture on the body butter, it's very pretty! At first I was a bit 'eh' on the scent, but it has definitely grown on me, and I now absolutely adore it! It's definitely a delicate floral that is quite reminiscent of Jasmine in my opinion. It's very soft but lush smelling, and as usual, I'm terrible at describing it! Y'all should just go ahead and take a whiff of it. By combining the soap/shower gel and the body butter, the scent really lingers on the skin, into the next day!

Moringa Soap

I may have mentioned once or twice on the blog that a daily staple for me is the Dove Beauty Bar bar soap. Unlike most peeps, I much prefer using bar soap (that is, the Dove one)! Most bar soaps I've tried pale in comparison, they either don't work up a good enough lather on the skin or leave my skin feeling tight, dry  and almost rubbery (you know the feeling, like water running off the skin? SO hard to explain!). This one seemed promising, the lather was good, it smoothed onto the skin and felt soft and moisturising, until I rinsed it off. It left that weird tight feeling on my skin! Not as bad as others, but still, it ain't no Beauty Bar which leaves the skin feeling soft and moisturised.

Moringa Shower Gel

I've tried one other shower gel from The Body Shop and my thoughts are the same; average. They seem like any other shower gel I've tried, they aren't supremely lathering or have superior 'cleaning ability' and they don't leave my skin feeling particularly moisturised either, if anything a bit on the dry side. See, reasons why I always revert to the Beauty Bars! This little mini will come in handy for travelling though.

Moringa Body Butter

I haven't tried a body butter from The Body Shop in a long time, so this was basically new for me! These are probably one of their most famous products, and I now understand the hype! The texture is very thick and heavy, but as you start working it into the skin it really spreads out and absorbs easily into the skin, leaving behind a soft, yet moisturised feel. I thought they may have left my skin feeling sticky or laden with product, but that's not the case at all! However, it's not as intensely moisturising as I thought it would be. I can still feel and smell it the morning after but to really have and sustain hydrated limbs, it needs to be applied everyday! That doesn't tend to happen because I'm too lazy...hah!

A Rosy Outlook

Hey guys! Today I have a review on a product, not necessarily this one, but in general that has garnered a lot of hype in the beauty community, and that is Rose hip oil! The one I'm reviewing today is from Kosmea, it's their Skin Clinic certified organic rose hip oil. 

Lately, rose hip oil has become super popular and in general a more mainstream and easily accessible product. As the name suggests, rosehip oil is the oil extracted from the hip of the rose and it is high in essential fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants. It helps moisturize the skin, fade scars, wrinkles and contains a multitude of other benefits for the skin. The Kosmea Rose hip oil contains Rosa Eglentaria oil, as opposed to Rosa Canina which is generally more common. I believe there is little difference between the two species, if you do know how they are different, let me know in the comments! 

The packaging is quite standard, but nice and practical; it comes in a glass bottle with a pipette/dropper. The only other Rose hip oil I've tried was from Trilogy and I found the oil would seep up from the bottle onto the cap and it wasn't very efficient. The Kosmea one though is much better, I've even travelled with it and it hasn't leaked at all.

The oil itself is quite a vibrant amber shade, different to any other Rose hip oil I've seen. It does leave a tint to the skin, but since I only use it at night I don't really care. Also it absorbs into the skin quite quickly, so it's not too noticeable. Speaking of, I found that it absorbed quicker than the Trilogy which tended to make me look oily without really ever fully feeling like it had sunk in (to the point where my face didn't look shiny). The Kosmea is shiny upon application, but I feel it sinks in really well, and my skin produces its own oils thereafter. 

I apply this at night by mixing 3 drops in with my moisturiser so that it is easier to spread over the skin. It's not that it's 'hard to spread' but I feel like I achieve a more even coverage of the oil when using a cream base. I find that the oil is very hydrating though, more so than if I were to use my moisturiser alone. I have been using this for a decent amount of time (2 months) and can't honestly comment on its effects on my acne scarring. This is due to the fact that I've been using a number of other products that help with fading scars. My current skincare routine (posts of that will be up soon-ish!) has been serving me well, and since using this oil, I've been noticing less breakouts and an overall healthier appearing skin. It is soft, smooth and supple and with this and a combination of other products, I do think it has helped reduce scars and redness - though not to the point of complete disappearance. My skin hasn't had a single dry patch at all!

Though it is one of the more expensive Rose Hip oils on the market at $21.99, I definitely prefer it to the Trilogy rose hip oil and feel it's more effective. Rose hip oil has become a staple in my routine, and I recommend everyone use it as it provides so many benefits - even if you have the oiliest of oily skin! From many bloggers' experiences, it can even help decrease oil production.

Have you tried this Rose hip oil? What's your favourite?

My Knight in shining Armour

Hello humans! Today I am reviewing a skin care product I've been using for, I'd say, a good 8 weeks (or more!). It is the Soap & Glory Night in Shining Armour cream. Having used it religiously in my regime for a good length of time, I have definitely formed my thoughts on it, so let's get into it!

Of course, Soap & Glory's gorgeous vintage-y packaging (though they have since redesigned their look to be more clean...haven't seen all of the new designs but IMO it's much less fun...). The cream is packaged in a rather substantial glass jar. It's quite heavy and a little bit luxurious feeling. It's a light, oyster, duo-chromey pink (?) which is very pretty. Very simple though! 

Now, I'm only 16, and probably not the greatest person to be reviewing this product, as it's main draw is its 'wrinkle-reducing' properties. I don't have any wrinkles, and while it doesn't hurt to prevent them, I am pretty early to the party. What I was looking for in this product though was pretty much a good night cream that would moisturise my skin well, no frills. So, while I can't comment on the ambitious claims on the box regarding wrinkles, I can say that this is a very nice moisturiser. I wouldn't say its 'plumping' but my skin does feel very soft and smooth, never tight or dry. The weather has been a bit cooler (not anymore, it's practically Summer already!) and generally my skin tends to get a bit drier. With the use of this product, there hasn't been a single dry or flakey patch on my skin at all! That is, aside from healing breakouts, but my skin is smooth and feels really hydrated! In comparison to the Origins Drink Up Intensive, neither is really more hydrating than the other, so I would say that this packs a punch in terms of moisture!

The texture of this cream is quite thick, but in my opinion it doesn't feel heavy at all, but it's definitely not lightweight. It sinks into the skin really well and quite quickly and gives an instant boost of moisture. A little goes a long way and it's very spreadable, but I generally use a pea-sized amount (just 'cos). I haven't tried too many night creams, but this one is definitely not suited for use in the day time. I have combination/oily skin and my skin does tend to get a bit oily as the night wears on, but I don't really have a problem with that as I'm just lounging around at home. Considering it's so moisturising, I really wouldn't expect anything less. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for oily-skinned gals, but you could definitely still use it.  

This has an interesting scent though. Generally, Soap & Glory products have amazing scents, but I am glad that this isn't heavily scented as I would be quite weary of putting that all over my face. It doesn't exactly smell like it has been purposely scented with no detectable 'fragrance' fragrance but it does smell, lightly though. Some people may dislike it but I don't find it offensive and it dissipates once it is absorbed.

I hope you guys found my review helpful! Overall, I really like this as a basic moisturiser that really gets my skin hydrated and happy! I don't believe this is available for purchase in Australia (just yet at least) but it's quite easily accessible online. I bought mine from eBay and paid about $28 which is not too bad for 50mL of product. We'll see about those wrinkle claims though ;) haha.

What's your favourite night cream?