Illamasqua Cream Pigment in 'Androgen'

I bought this back in July because I really wanted a good-quality cream blusher, after using some cheaper products which left me disheartened. Illamasqua had a sale on at the time, and after picking up some bits (including this concealer and these lipglosses) I decided to go with Cream Pigment in 'Androgen'. It seemed to fit the bill perfectly, and I have a great relationship with Illamasqua products so I hoped the product would be as fantastic as I expected it to be!


I am so sorry for the fingerprints you can see, just after I had opened it and before I had chance to photograph it, my mum had taken it and was using it on her cheeks before she went to work! Naughty mummy.

'Androgen' is a matte bright coral shade. It does look a bit bright and scary in the pan, but it really is such a practical, workable shade that could work with any makeup look. Even if I'm having a no makeup day but want to look less dead, a touch of this on the apples of my cheeks gives me a super-natural glow.
When using this product, I literally need the tiniest bit to get maximum impact. With other cream blushes, sometimes you have to reapply and reapply to get even a sheer finish, but with this cream pigment the quality and pigmentation is just so fantastic that I literally need the smallest amount to get the desired effect.
It is better applied and blended with the fingers, I have tried using it with a brush and it doesn't really work. The texture is quite hard and you need to warm the product in the pan with your fingers to really get the best out of it.
It is easily blendable so you can really sheer it out. On the other hand, because the pigment is so amazing you can really build it up to get that super-bright pink!
Because it is a cream pigment, it is one of those handy multi-purpose products! The pigment can be used anywhere on your face, including lips. I have used it on my lips, and it gives a nice matte finish and it glides on really well, but I have found it to be a bit on the dry side, and as a lip product, it's a bit too pink for my liking.

I love the packaging. It's plastic, which is really practical, especially if you're carrying it around in your handbag all day.
The design is so understated, you've got the gorgeous motif on the lid and the brand name on the side and that's it. I think the whole package looks so professional.

I got mine for £15.30 as opposed to the RRP of £17, since I get a 'loyalty discount' (you get this discount from when you place your third Illamasqua order.).! I appreciate that to some this might be a little bit steep for a blush, but I am more than happy paying that price because it is amazing.
You do only get 8g worth of product for that price, BUT I have had mine since July, and I have literally only scratched the surface, even though it being probably my most used cheek product! I think this makes it incredible value for money.

I think this multitasking little wonder is worth every single little bit of it's price. And when I run out, I will most definitely repurchase. It has become the cheek product that I cannot live without!
My mum is now an Illamasqua convert! She had been on the lookout for a new cream blush ever since they discontinued her favourite, and after using a No7 one (she hated it), and then using the cream pigment she just totally had to have one of her own!

Have any of you tried the other Cream Pigment shades? I'm so tempted by Mould and Hollow!

My Illamasqua mini-haul.

I just thought I'd share a very exciting package with you, since I was over the moon to receive it and wanted to share my happiness!
I love Illamasqua. They are so unique and different, and produce products of amazing quality that I struggle to find anywhere else.
Despite being very different and producing some eye-popping products, they also produce high-class products which can be used on an everyday basis. I have reviewed one of their products in the past, a Powder Blush in 'Tremble' that I have used every day without fail since I bought it, so it's no surprise that I have hit the pan!
They currently have a fantastic sale on right now, but things are going fast, so I'd hurry if you're thinking to purchase something! It might be gone tomorrow!

This is the Light Foundation in shade 210. I'm looking forward to trying this. I have high hopes - I haven't found any foundations in the history of ever that have suited my skin, so I have my fingers, toes, arms and legs crossed that I strike gold with this one! I actually haven't been matched for this foundation, so I took an educated guess! A bit risky, but I think it's going to be alright, I have some Skin Base in quite a pale white shade to pale it out slightly if it goes on too dark, so it's not a complete disaster.

This is a Cream Pigment in 'Androgen'. It's the thing I was most excited about receiving, since I have heard to many good things about Illamasqua's Cream Pigments!
I apologise for the finger-marks in the photo, as soon as I opened the parcel my mum delves her hand in and uses it whilst doing her makeup for work! The cheek of it! It did look absolutely wonderful on her though, and she's begged me to buy her one.

This is a Cream Blush in 'Brazen'. It is a very bright and bold shade, but I'm looking forward to using it! Surely it won't look too awful, and it was cheap and the only usable cream blush shade in the sale, so I couldn't pass it off!

This is a Powder Foundation in shade 210. I'm currently using a No7 Translucent Powder, which is fine at mattifying, but lacks coverage. Again, I didn't get matched, but took an educated guess so I don't think I've gone too far wrong!

I will do an individual review on each product soon enough once I get enough use out of each one, but I just couldn't wait to show people what I bought! It was like Christmas had came early!

Kiehls 'UV Protect' SPF 50.

One thing you should know about me is that I'm completely batty about SPF. It's the one skincare thing I am massively enthusiastic about, and I will talk to you for hours about sun-cream and why I love high SPFs and why it's good for your skin and why you should wear one everyday and don't you know the sun is dangerous, blah blah blah.
I won't get on my soapbox regarding sun-damage (I'll let these guys do it for me) but I know that sun-protection is a vital part of my skincare routine every day, and it should be part of yours. And if it isn't, then why the hell not?! Especially now the sun is finally showing it's face and it's the time of year for not wearing very much.

Now, I got this back in February, so this post has been a long time a'comin! Before, I had had my eye on the Kiehls 'Ultra Light Daily Moisturiser' SPF 50 for ages, and was just waiting for the email announcing 'free shipping' before I could buy it online.
However, I was in Cardiff for the 14th and 15th of this month for Craig's interview at Cardiff University (fingers crossed he gets in), and whilst wandering around the city I found myself in John Lewis', and spotted a Kiehls counter. Just imagine my glee!
So after a wee bit of browsing the counter I found the cream I had my eye on, and I also found another suncream, which was the Kiehls 'UV Protect' SPF 50. The 60ml tube of the 'Ultra Light Daily Moisturiser' cost £30 (I'm not sure why it says £31 on the Kiehls' website, because the girl confidently told me it was £30), and a 160ml tube of the 'UV Protect' cost £19.

Now, as far as I'm aware, the only difference is the fact that the latter is marketed as a sun cream rather than a regular facial cream, whereas the former is marketed more as a daily face moisturiser rather than as a suncream.
The woman behind the counter did say that the 'UV Protect' is a little heavier on the skin, and may not be suitable for oilier skins. However, since I haven't got a money tree growing in my back garden, I opted for the 'UV Protect', thinking it would be fine.

I am really disappointed to be honest. I won't blame the product at all because it's not marketed as a face cream you can use day to day, and this is how I used it. It is marketed as a suncream to wear when you're in the sun in Jamiaca. Not England for pottering around town.

It is a heavy suncream, and when applied in the morning, by midday I was looking shiny and greasy and felt very sticky. Not a good look on anyone. It also leaves a sort of white cast over the skin, which made me look a little paler than I naturally am. Again, it would be fine if I was in Jamaica (if I say it enough it will happen!) and was lying around in the sun all day, but it wasn't really appropriate for wearing on my face as of February!
It did cost more than I would normally spend on a suncream, and I didn't really notice anything different. It wasn't spectacularly different from brands like Soltan, La Roche Posay, Ultrasun etc. However, I did like the fact it was more of a moisturising sunscreen, and with my sometimes peeling skin, I felt this would be a benefit. However, if anything it just made the suncream a lot heavier, which outweighed the positive of it being moisturising!

Overall, I am not a fan of this. It is too heavy and sticky upon the skin to be used daily on the face. Again, on holiday it would be great, but not for the rare sunshine that England experiences.

The search for the best suncream ever continues...

Boots' 'Smith's Cremolia'.

Lets start off by saying I have never heard of this product before. I only noticed it when I popped into Boots to buy some much-needed Aquaphor since my skin has been playing up a lot recently. There was only one tube, and it was in the wrong place (on top of some other products) and I tried to find some more on the shelves, and then my eye came across a little interesting tub of what looked like Vaseline.
As you can see from the front of the tub, it states that it "softens and conditions hands and skin", and with a claim like that I could not refuse to buy it. To be honest, I bought it because I was just so fascinated by a little tub of cream with the oddest name, and priced at £1.29 for 110ml, it would be stupid not to buy it and try it out!

So I bought it alongside some other bits and bobs, and as soon as I got home I cleansed my skin with my Clarisonic and my Korres soaps (I had felt icky all day and was dying to wash my face all day, just in case you're wondering).
The texture of the cream is the weirdest thing ever. It's not a creamy consistency at all. I am actually really sruggling to find words to describe it with. It's like a gel, but remember those little pots of PVA glue you used to get in little school, which was really runny? It's like that, but not as sticky. I guess what I'm trying to say it's quite runny as opposed to a creamy texture which is quite thick.
My skin was in a pretty horrid state (red raw areas of skin, rashes and big sore spots, yum yum!) and I was wondering if it would sting. It didn't, but it did tingle a little bit, but I did expect some sort of reaction because my skin was disgusting. If you have sensitive skin I think it would be fine to use. I don't think there's anything in the product that would irritate your skin.
It is incredibly soothing and cooling upon application, but I suppose that's because it seems to be more of a gel than a cream.
When I applied the product to my skin overnight, I woke up with hydrated skin, although it felt a bit sticky. It has defied the pillow-face activity too, which is an impressive accolade!
It doesn't leave skin looking at all greasy, and as mentioned before, although it feels a tiny bit sticky to the touch, you can't tell you have any sort of cream on your face.

Overall, it's something I will always have on my dresser. It seems like a good staple to add to my skincare routine, and at £1.29 you're not exactly going to go bust buying it (unless you buy a hell of a lot)!

Lierac 'Coherence L.IR Infrared Lifting Cream'.

I got this little sample with my January 2012 Feel Unique box, and was very excited (as I always am when it comes to skincare).
I had never tried anything from Lierac before, or even heard of them, so I was excited and apprehensive about putting the stuff on my face.
I never do any research about an unknown company before trying out a cream, because when I've thoroughly researched a brand before trying the product, I have pre-formed opinions about them. Like, if the cream only retailed at £15 for a full size pot I would think 'this is cheap man, it must be rubbish', and I might 'cloud' my actual experience. All a bit psychological really.
So I never really knew about the brand (any more than what was on the box/leaflet with the product) before writing up this blogpost, but I say I am very impressed with what I've found so far!

So, in the beginning, I was pretty confused by the title. I was thinking 'Infrared properties? In a cream?! How can that even possibly work?'.
The product description on the Lierac website explained it, although rather vaguely, and I really still don't understand if I'm perfectly honest...

The generous and velvety cream, inspired by the techniques of IR laser remodeling, provides visible results firmness and lift.
III collagen accelerating vectors (4%): single vector capable of reprogramming the synthesis of collagen III, guarantor of skin firmness.
Micro-crystals of tourmaline: infrared light source, they promote an immediate withdrawal of collagen fibers and activation of their synthesis.
Extracts of pomegranate seeds: selected for their anti-oxidant and moisturizing.
Moisturizers with shea and vegetable glycerin: a plant association of choice in terms of nutrition, hydration and skin comfort.
Now, because I like to know what's in my creams, and I was pretty sure I had heard tourmaline used in other contexts very far from skincare, I researched. Good old Wikipedia told me that 'Tourmaline is a crystal boron silicate mineral compounded with elements such as aluminium, iron, magnesium, sodium, lithium, or potassium.' I found that pretty interesting, although I'm not really sure how they can be a 'source' of infrared light. Maybe they direct the light that shines on our faces onto the collagen. But then if you use it as a night cream there is no light. This ingredient confuses me, and I don't think Google has the answer. I might have to go ask a scientist (anyone?!).
I have no idea about the 'collagen vectors'. I wasn't going to Google that, since I thought I might be getting in over my head with all the sciency-stuff. And plus, although it matters what is in my cream and what I'm putting on my face, it doesn't matter if it means I have to take a degree in pharmaceuticals/chemistry.
I love Shea butter, it has the most amazing smell and does wonders to my skin, so I was happy to see that included on the ingredients list. Plus I recognised it!

I do like the fact they have carried out clinical trials of the product, which can be seen here. Although, obviously without looking at the original research paper/participants it's hard to see whether these results are significant or valid, but that is going down a very nerdy and research-y route indeed, and I don't want to go there! Bottom line is that they've carried out some trials which produced these results;

85% of 53 women found they had firmer skin
76% of 93 women declared re-tightened features
Fine lines and wrinkles were reduced in 73% of 93 women
95% of 93 women found their skin was more comfortable

However, in these clinical trails, this cream was used twice a day for 56 consecutive days. I haven't been using it quite so regularly, since in the morning I am just using an SPF 50 face cream and at night I either apply my Retin-A or Fucibet or my Darphin cream. In other words I have such a varied routine regarding skin-care that it would be impossible to see any benefit. Plus, a 15ml sample is not going to last me 56 days at two applications a day.

However, what I will say that it definitely feels like a cream that has been carefully put together. It smells absolutely divine, with a kind of fruity scent. It really is nice to find a cream that smells lovely without it being to overpowering and 'in your face'.

It sinks into skin like a dream, leaving skin looking supple and hydrated without leaving a greasy residue. I have an awful habit of sleeping on the side, meaning that my face is always pressed against the pillow. Some creams don't have enough hydrating features to get through this awful habit, and sometimes I can wake up with a face drier than the Sahara. However, this cream passed this test very well, my face was soft, moisturised and my skin still felt like it had the product on.

It is quite a light cream, and wouldn't really call it a heavy cream, meaning that you can use this cream day and night, and find that it is light enough to be used underneath an SPF containing cream during the day. I say this because the cream itself does not contain any SPF whatsoever, and I will not venture outside with at least SPF 30 on. But when used underneath a day cream (I'm just using a Soltan SPF 50 one which I will review late) it doesn't make the skin overly shiny or greasy. It just acts as an extra layer of hydration and protection for the skin.

I also applied it when my skin has been under a barrage of Retin-A applications, when my skin can be very sensitive and (most of the time) stings when I apply a face cream. Upon application, this cream did sting a little bit, so it probably isn't a cream if you are using a retinoid cream, have cracked, flaky or inflamed skin, or have very sensitive skin. However, on days when my skin was fine, it was very soothing upon the skin.
Once you got past the initial sting, it also was very good at providing a long period of hydration (as mentioned above). This was a bonus, because during this horrid phase I put my skin through, my skin tends to soak up any moisture it comes into contact with. This means sometimes, most night creams aren't enough, and after an hour my skin is crying out for another application of cream. However, this did not occur even when my skin was at it's worst, and it lasted all through the night during lots of face/pillow contact. I was very very impressed, especially considering how light this cream is to apply.

This cream retails at for around £66, so it's probably at the top of the price range of creams I would go for. Plus, if a little 15ml sample has lasted me since around the start of January (and I haven't even used half yet!), then a regular 50ml pot would probably last me months!
Plus, you don't really need a lot. I normally find a dot of cream on my forehead, chin and on both my cheeks is a perfectly substantial amount.

Overall I like this cream. I really do. However I would have to use it when my skin isn't quite so sensitive. It soothes and hydrates my (normal) skin really well, and it's around the price I would normally pay for a good face cream. I am not sure whether I would buy it again. In fact, in regards to face cream, I don't think I've ever bought the same jar twice. I always stick to the same serum (Estee Lauder 'Advanced Night Repair) like glue, but never bought the same night cream more than twice. I'm always searching for something better!

But yes, I really like this cream because of all the points above, and from now on Lierac is definitely on my skincare radar.

Darphin's 'Fibrogene Line Response Nourishing Cream'.

Unfortunately I couldn't find a product description of the product on the actual Darphin website but here is the product description of the 'Fibrogene Line Response Nourishing Cream' that was in the little leaflet with the product;

"Nurturing, youth-defending cream, enriched with Omega 3, 6, 9 (Coriander Oil), Oligopeptide, Jojoba Oil and Siegesbeckia extract help correct and deter the appearance of first signs of aging while addressing the specific needs of dry skin.
Helps restore skin's density and repairs its natural barrier to reduce the appearance of first lines and reveal a younger-looking, smoother, plumper skin. Instantly-absorbed formula nourishes dry skin and relieves "tightness" while improving skin's suppleness and resilience, and renewing a youthful radiance. Dermatologist tested."

I also read the overview description of the 'Fibrogene' line, which includes a serum, the cream I've got, and a balm. This is what it said;

"Ideal for dry to very dry skin types particularly vulnerable to visible signs of premature ageing like wrinkles and loss of density. Fibrogene formulas provide comforting nourishment to help renew and revitalize skin's natural lipid balance, promote a smooth, supple, youthfully plump appearance and help defend against the appearance of fine lines and loss of density.
Formulated without parabens, mineral oils or animal-based ingredients. Non-comedogenic. Dermatologist tested."

I was umm-ing and ahh-ing between either this cream or this Lancome cream, and I plumped for this Darphin one, since the Lancome one was out of stock everywhere I looked (bummer). It's DEFINITELY on my 'to-purchase' list though, so watch this space...

So after much deliberation, I paid the £43.20 on Feel Unique and waited for this little gem to come to mummah, and was so very pleased when it did!

Overall, I really love the cream and have been using it every night for every night since I received it (which has been about two weeks). It is the silkiest cream I have ever put on my face, it literally just glides onto the skin.

Also, it doesn't sting my skin during my weekly Retin-A use, which was very pleasing. It must be the fact that it's got no chemicals or nasties in it and that it is very natural-based. I always tend to find really chemically active creams that contain AHA, glycolic acid or other chemicals really hurt me when I'm on my Retin-A binge (hence why the medication states not to use them. Me, listen? Nahh). Regards to this, this cream is a winner in my books!
It sinks in like a dream as well. Sometimes most of the cheaper creams will leave either a) a nasty greasy residue on my face or b) sink in leaving my skin as dry as it was before. This cream provides a very happy medium. It doesn't leave a nasty residue on the skin, but it leaves it feeling intensely moisturised until I wake up in the morning.

The price I thought was quite good, I'm well used to forking out between £40-£60 in the search for the holy grail of face cream. You literally only need four small dots (one for forehead, one for each cheek and one for the chin) to get a good amount of cream, and it spreads over the skin really easily. A little amount provides a hell of a lot of moisturising power, so you don't need to slather it on, and so a little does go a long way

I did suffer with a dry patch on my face and a few spots over the past week, but I have just received a Clarisonic and am probably still in the 'purging phase' so many Clarisonic users speak of, and I have been uber-stressed out with revision and exams (the thought still makes me feel sick and shaky), and also because of this I have been eating pretty erratically and not as healthy as I normally do. So I don't think it's the cream, it's probably these external reasons. However, in light of getting the little dry patches, I read the little leaflet the cream came with and they do a balm version of the cream, which I assume is a little bit more intense. Although having a wee search on Feel Unique has told me that they don't stock the balm, only the 'Fibrogene' serum and the cream (which this post is dedicated too!). Sad face.

Anyway, I use it for more of a night-cream, since I have my Dermalogica cream to use in the morning for the day-time. However, I have put it on my face this morning since my plans have only been to wander round the house, blog and tidy so I don't need the SPF. Although, I actually used this Darphin cream underneath the Dermalogica cream this morning, and it hasn't made my face horribly greasy or anything, it just feels super-duperly moisturised and baby-soft, which is perfect for this nasty windy/rainy/cold January weather.

I can't really say anything about reducing wrinkles, because I am quite un-wrinkled anyway (but I can see them coming, which scares the crap out of me).
So overall, two big thumbs up Darphin, you have given me a lovely lovely lovely cream that is a joy to use, actually works and makes my skin and therefore my soul very happy.
I am very happy with it, and cannot fault it at all. Who knows, this may be the holy grail of face cream I have been looking for!

Me and my acne: Week 5 update.

So this week has been quite, well, more interesting than my other acne updates.
I've also got a few more photographs of my trails and tribulations, because I think it's nice to see what other people are going through, and a paragraph full of words isn't as powerful as when it's accompanied by a photograph.
I do think that most people will be getting sick of my make-up free face, and the fact I look like a complete ming in them! But it's to illustrate a point, so apologies!

If this is the first 'acne update post' of mine you've seen, basically I came off my oral antibiotic (Lymecycline) about 5 weeks ago, which I have been prescribed for the past two years. I am still using a topical medication (Retin-A), and this is just a little journal to see if I can really get on without my oral medication or whether I need to go back on it. Also, I explain what products help and don't help my skin.

So this week I used my Retin-A on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday night because my skin can't seem to shake the spots. This has left my with red, peely skin. I know this is hard to imagine, so I took some pictures (be warned, I look terrible and it isn't flattering at all);



Notice around my hairline you can see the peeling skin on the bottom picture, and around the nose in the top picture. They are small pictures so squint and you might see what I'm on about.

When my skin is like this I feel pretty awful. I have spots and plus I'm peeling like mad, so I'm not feeling at my most attractive. Earlier on the day these above pictures were taken, I applied some Eucerin, but OH MY GOD it stang like hell and brought me out in a reddish-pink rash before I had to leave to go to university.
See below;

However, I was in the bathroom staring despairingly into the mirror (surely other people do that?) when a little white tube caught my eye.
Mummy Clements had suffered from a small patch of psoriasis, and the doctor prescribed her this cream.
So, as a last resort, I plastered it all on my face and no stinging or anything occured. I thought, wow, this is good stuff already. Unlike most creams like this I've encountered before, this one sank right into my skin. I'll do a proper review of the cream on it's own, so keep your eyes peeled.
But this is what my skin looked like this morning...

Absolutely no peeling or redness, although my spots and red marks are still there (sad face). You can't really see because the photo is quite small (bummer) but my skin seems to be in a much better shape than it was 12 hours ago.

So in summary, it's been a bit of a tough week for my poor skin. My spots don't seem to be going, I'm still pressing on with using my Retin-A which is giving me peely and sore skin, I have found a cream which helps with the peeling, but all in all no drastic improvements or worsening.
Sigh.
It's never ending...

Dermalogica's 'Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 30'

I bought this cream months ago, I actually can't remember when. But I have been using it religiously every single day since I bought it so I can safely say it's time to review it!

It is a daily moisturiser with an SPF of 30, which is perfect for this time of year. The higher SPF's are probably not necessary (in theory, however I don't like NOT having SPF 50 on any occasion) in weather like this where the sun rarely gets to poke his yellow face through the clouds, but you know ladies, his cheeky little rays can make their way through cloud cover, which is why I think it is ESSENTIAL that everybody wears something on their face in the day with an SPF. Anyway, back to the subject...

It is moisturising enough so that your skin doesn't dry in this awful weather, yet it doesn't look greasy upon the skin. My skin feels moisturised and hydrated at the end of the day, even after my cycle to the train station, a train ride and a walk to university, and the reverse on the way home! I've really put the cream through it's paces ;).
It leaves a natural glow on my skin, but my skin is oily anyway so the glowy-ness is probably due to that.

It comes out of the tube as a white cream but sinks into the skin like a dream, leaving no white cast and no trace of anything, meaning it's perfect under make-up or tinted moisturiser.
I do like the fact that it's colourless and not tinted, because I think I'm a really weird shade of pinky-white through years of sun avoidance, and so I do find it hard to find foundations and tinted things to actually match my skin tone! So the fact that it's colourless is really good, and if you wanted to apply a foundation or whatever on top you can without looking greasy. I normally use Clinque's 'Super City Block SPF 40' (click here for a full review) and I don't have any issues with layering those two products.

It has a smell, yet I can't really describe what it's like. It's nothing particularly bad, I'm just saying that there definitely is a smell there. They haven't put any artificial colours or fragrances in the little pot of creamy goodness, so the smell isn't due to any nasties.

My 50ml tube has lasted me aaages, so it's definitely an investment. I normally use one pump for my forehead, one pump for both cheeks and a tiny pump for my chin. I like to make sure my whole face is covered with a substantial amount, just to make sure that the cheeky sun rays don't touch my skin! Even though I probably use more than most normal people would use, it still has lasted me ages, and the Dermalogica girls said that 50mls would actually last you about 6 months. I don't know how true this is and whether it was just a sales push, but it does last a long time.

The only things that's kinda negative about the product is that is you have quite raw cracked skin (past experience talking here) it does tend to sting upon application, yet this stinging does subside. So if you do have really dry cracked skin (and mine was really really really dry) I would not go for this, the stinging does feel a bit sore.

Even my Dermalogica tube is feeling Christmassy with it's kyoot little bobble-hat!
Not long now till St. Nick comes down the chimney!