Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm (£21)

On my quest for affordable yet effective skincare I’ve come across Clinique’s Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm.  Cleansing balms are having a moment after the Emma Hardie balm cleanser became a hit with bloggers and skincare fanatics alike last year.  It may be worth its hefty price tag but I wanted to try a more purse friendly balm first so opted for Clinique’s offering.  Am I impressed?  I can confirm I am!

With an ingredient list filled with nothing but good things for your skin, as well as it being 100% fragrance free, this balm should suit all/most skin types without any irritation or issues.  I have combination skin and often get blemishes on my chin area but I’ve been getting along with this just fine.  Each evening before bed I warm a small amount of the balm between my fingertips before massaging it into the rest of my face, then wash it off with a clean flannel.  It does remove eye makeup well but I prefer to take mine off separately before concentrating the balm on my face. 

I love how squeaky clean and soft my skin feels after using this.  It’s smooth, fresh and feels ready to soak in the rest of the products which follow in my skincare routine.  The balm doesn’t leave behind any sort of greasy residue which is really good considering it’s effectively an oil once it melts onto your skin.  Initially I found it a little difficult to get the balm out of the pot as it was so solid and hard but it’s really easy to do now the tub sits at room temperature in my bathroom.

A little goes a long way with this product so don’t worry about the price tag (which I think is rather reasonable anyway!).  I’ve been using this at least once, maybe twice, a day for three months and have barely used a quarter of the tub, which I think is fab value for money.  I’m really pleased I tried this before splashing out on the Emma Hardy version as I don’t think I need to buy it (for now anyway - I can’t make any promises!)  If you’re looking at balm cleansers, or even just cleansers in general, this is definitely worth a try!

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Indeed Labs Pepta-bright & Hydraluron

Indeed Labs Pepta-bright (£29.99)

Indeed Labs Hydraluron (£24.99)

Forget Brangelina, I have for you today a brand new power couple that I just can’t get enough of.  Brought to you by Canadian company Indeed Labs, I introduce to you Pepta-bright and Hydraluron.  Recommended by number one skin guru Caroline Hirons, these two products should be at the top of any skincare lover’s wish list.  If you haven’t heard of Caroline Hirons, and I must admit that I only discovered her a few months ago, then this video she filmed with the Pixiwoo sisters is a great introduction to her and her facial favourites.  I’m obsessed with her and her blog Beauty Mouth and the minute so expect many a Hirons reference in my upcoming blog posts.

Pepta-bright is a cream type serum designed to reduce the appearance of dark spots and skin imperfections on your face.  I suffer a lot from scarring and find whenever I have a pimple it takes ages for the mark it leaves to fade away.  In fact, I still have scars from spots I had years ago despite teenage acne being something I’d rather forget thank you.  I’ve been using the serum under my moisturiser for a good few weeks now and have definitely seen an improvement.  My skin looks a lot clearer and those dark marks are slowly but surely going away.

Now where do I start with Hydraluron?  I have so many good things to say about this product.  Again it’s another serum but this time a clear gel which soaks straight into your skin when applied.  It’s packed full of hyaluronic acid which despite sounding quite scary is actually found in the body naturally so is nothing but good for you.  It has hydrating agents which literally take one look at dry skin, then smother it in goodness.  I’ve been using this on my face both morning and night before applying my moisturiser and my skin has never felt so hydrated.  I usually struggle with dry/combination skin but this product has changed all of that.  I find the sensation very strange when I first apply the serum.  It sinks in so fast that my face feels a little tight, almost as if the skin has drank up all of the product.  I’ve heard some people say it stings them a little but I’ve only found it to do so if my skin is broken or open due to a nasty spot.  It’s a big claim to make but I think this is my favourite skincare product to date.

The two products can be used together, Pepta-bright first, then Hydraluron and then your favourite moisturiser but I do think they work equally well used alone.  If I had to pick a favourite it would have to be Hydraulon.  It’s a miracle worker!  It’s Caroline’s favourite too hence the reason it’s sold out online at Boots!  That girl could sell sand to the Egyptians.

Both of these little beauties retail at £29.99 for Pepta-bright and £24.99 for Hydraluron which is a very good price I think.  However, the exciting part is that Boots have up to a third off Indeed Labs products at the moment meaning Pepta-bright is down to £19.99 and Hydraluron an amazing £16.99!!!  I’m ecstatic!  Like I said, it’s sold out online but I will be scouring every Boots in the North East this weekend to make sure I stock up and at that price, I suggest you do too!  Fight you for the last one!

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