Elemis 'Papaya Enzyme Peel'.

I had heard so many good things about the 'Papaya Enzyme Peel', from magazines giving it countless accolades, dermatologist/expert recommendations and all-important beauty blogs, so it was only a matter of time before I would actually get my grubby mitts on it.

On the back of my tube, Elemis explains that 'this smooth cream peel contains an exotic cocktail of natural fruit enzymes from African Papaya and Far Eastern Pineapple that helps to gently exfoliate and purify tired or sensitive skin. Enriched with extracts of Bladderwrack, Sunflower, Porphyridium and Vitamin E to help remineralise and condition the skin, whilst providing Anti-Oxidant and free-radical protection'.
Basically, the 'Papaya Enzyme Peel' is a chemical exfoliator which uses fruit acids to do the exfoliating business!

It is alike the Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash in the fact that it took a while for me to actually notice a difference. I'm the sort of person who expects results immediately, and am not patient. But instead of getting grumpy with the lack of results, I kept on using it, and over the period of two months I have noticed that my skin looks more radiant, more smooth and much more refined.
I do think it helps that my skin-care routine is aimed at refining, preventing and correcting, so my skin is generally quite good anyway at the moment, but this is definitely a gem which I couldn't be without.

It comes out of the tube as a cream (which smells so good you almost want to eat it), which you apply onto cleansed skin. You leave it on the skin for approximately 10-15 minutes, and then you remove it with a lukewarm water. Normally, I use mine before bed, and just leave it on the skin until it completely sinks in, and then I'll remove it and get on with the rest of my night-time skincare routine. Or sometimes if I'm being completely lazy I'll leave it on for the whole night. But this leaves my skin looking so bright and amazingly radiant in the morning, so maybe it does pay to be a lazybones!
I love how simple to use this is: just apply a thin layer to cleansed skin, with no massaging, no complicated mixing or whatever, and relax! Plus, it leaves even overly-sensitive (due to Retin-A) skin soft, plumped and dewy without a hot, sore, red face that some face masks can leave me with, making it a great pre-event facial treatment!

The packaging is very simple and wonderfully practical, but I think simplicity can be beautiful, which is definitely the case here. It is in a silver plastic tube, with a silver plastic screw-on lid, with the brand logo on and the necessary information printed on.
The fact that the product is in a plastic tube makes it travel-friendly.

I actually paid £22.08 for my 50ml bottle, compared to a RRP of £28.60. There was some sort of Elemis discount on Feel Unique, so I thought I would take the bait and get this and the Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash for cheaper than normal!
I know it is quite expensive for an exfoliator, and being a poor student I should probably be a bit more sensible (hey, I can live off cheap tins of sardines for another month), but I still think that this product (and several others) has certainly given my skin a very youthful, radiant, more refined appearance, and for this reason (and the reasons above!) I would definitely repurchase, because it's a mask I enjoy using, and most importantly, it produces noticeable results!

Are there any other Elemis products I should consider using?

Pamper sesh/Mini-facial.

Once a week I like to treat myself to a little facial, so to speak. No, I don't go out and get it done professionally, I do it by myself on myself, in the comfort of my own room. Perfectamundo.

It is one of the most pampering things you could do and your skin will love you for it, and you don't really need fancy expensive products or equipment. For example, stage 1 is cleansing. Any cleanser would do, depending on your skin type. Stage 2 is a repeat, so essentially a double cleanse, and you could use the same cleanser as before or go for a different one if you fancy. I find that my oily congested skin appreciates a double cleanse and I find this really effective at leaving skin prepped and primed. If you don't want to double-cleanse or don't feel your skin needs it - don't. I only do it because I definitely need to! Stage 3 is exfoliation. Any exfoliator will do, just make sure that the exfoliating matierial within the product isn't natural - peach kernels or nut shells aren't naturally round and therefore can scratch the skin, which isn't good. Man-made beads or crystals in exfoliating products are better because they can be refined down and rounded so they have a less harsh effect on the skin but are still effective. Step 4 can be carried out over a bowl of water. You don't have to own a steamer! Step 5 can be carried out again with a preferred cleanser. Stage 6 can be carried out with any mask you like - hydrating, chemically exfoliating, cleansing, whatever you want!. For stage 7, use your favourite moisturiser, and hey presto.
Everyone does their own facial differently, but mine is through trial and error, and this method and these products work for me!

I have written out what I normally do once a week facial-wise. Sometimes I skip out a stage if I'm feeling pushed for time, but normally I don't feel like I'm doing my skin justice unless I do the whole caboodle!

1) If I have a full face of makeup (which is rare), I take it all off with a baby wipe first and then I cleanse my face with the Neutrogena 'Visibly Clear 2 in 1' face wash to remove all the impurities and oil from my skin, leaving skin already feeling fresh and so clean.
2) I cleanse my face again with my Clarisonic and a foaming face wash (I am loving Neutrogena's 'Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash'), and then follow with Boots' Botanics 'All Bright Cleansing Toner', just to ensure I have cleaned every last trace of grime from my skin.
3) I follow the double-cleanse with micro-dermabraison courtesy of No7's 'Total Renewal Micro-dermabraision Exfoliator'. This is hands down the best exfoliator I have ever used. I haven't yet found one to beat it (yet). It removes all the dead skin cells, revealing new skin, ensuring all my products are ready to be absorbed well!
4) Then I steam my face with my own steamer - I've had it 6 years and it's still going strong! I add Boot's own 'Glycerin and Rosewater' or tea tree to the water. It really depends how my skin is feeling, if it's a wee bit sensitive I opt for the rose water, if I have a massively huge breakout I opt for the tea-tree essence just to clear out my congested pores.
5) Then I cleanse with a foaming cleanser, to make sure I have removed all the micro-dermabraison crystals from my skin.
6) I then apply a mask; this could either be the Neutrogena 'Visibly Clear 2 in 1' used as a mask (I love those multi-purpose products I do) or the Elemis 'Papaya Enzyme Peel'. I normally alternate but if skin is feeling congested, I will plump for the Neutrogena mask above the Elemis one, and if skin is looking dull and lifeless, I'll opt for the latter!
7) I then apply Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum, followed by a nice big sticky layer of Eucerin's 'Aquaphor' to ensure my skin is moisturised like hell - and I'm done!

I do think it is important not only for the skin, but also for the mind to completely de-stress and focus on yourself - I don't have much 'me-time' at the moment so this is the one selfish thing I revel in.

Skincare Wishlist: July

I haven't done one of these in months. However, since breaking up from university just over a month ago, I have been doing on average 30 hour weeks at my normally part-time job, so when I get paid on Friday I'll feel super-rich! This post should be titled 'What Catt intends to spend her money on', instead of 'Skincare Wishlist'! But then again, the former isn't quite so catchy!
So here is a list of products that after some research, I would very much like to purchase...


L-RLiquid Gold with Glycolic Acid, Alpha H £31 and Liquid Gold Smoothing and Perfecting Mask, Alpha H £46.

This month I'm hoping to get my acne cleared up completely, but I know that this is going to leave some redness, uneven texture, enlarged pores and possibly even scars. In the meantime, I still have to deal with the pesky spots and pimples, and am trying to find products which will help!
I have heard so much about this brand in regards to their dedication to acne-prone skins and the after-effects of acne, and these products in particular really excite me, since the first tackles enlarged pores (tick), and produces a more clearer and a more even skintone, whilst the latter exfoliates, freshens, clarifies, brightens the skin. All wonderful, and I have seen some before and after photographs on a particular blog which definitely shows improvement in skin texture after using a whole array of Alpha-H products. Her skin looks so radiant and glowing. And for that and all the reasons listed, these products must be mine soon!





Masque Crème aux Résines Tropicales, Sisley £60 (from John Lewis, with a 10% off offer).

I have been itching to try Sisley's skincare range, ever since I posted a post similar to this one with the Sisley 'All Day, All Year' face cream. I still haven't bought this product due to it's extortionate price (a poor university student can't really justify £199, sorry). The price of this product is quite high as well, it is only £60, but it's only a 60ml tube. But that doesn't stop every part of my body yearning to get my hands on it!
This facial mask aims to mattify the skin, eliminate excess sebum, minimise the untimely appearance of blemishes and blackheads and tighten skin pores. These are all my problems areas, so that is why this mask is so appealing!
It contains all sorts of fancy ingredients, including: tropical resins (to help balance and purify), plantain (which purifies and softens), zinc (which also purifies and regulates sebum production), and rosemary (which tones and stimulates the skin).
What I like about this mask is that you can use it as a regular mask (put on face, wash off face), but you can also leave it on overnight!
WANTSIE!

Blemish and Age Defense Serum, SkinCeuticals £75.

I hear so many fantastic things about SkinCeuticals all the time, and it's a wonder why I haven't bought anything from them yet! I need to get my backside into gear.
I pulled the following quote from the SkinCeuticals website, since it makes it easier for you to understand why I need this in my life!

'Clinical studies on products from the Blemish + Age range showed significant improvements in inflammatory and non-inflammatory blemishes, fine lines, and uneven skin tone, while displaying exceptional tolerance and lack of side effects. Blemish + Age Defense is a highly tolerable, efficient treatment for aging, blemish-prone skin.'
Need I say more?! Considering I am a blemish-prone person and am super freaked out about ageing whilst sometimes suffering from intolerant skin, I think I definitely need this in my beauty routine!

betaCleanse, Medik8 £22.

I know well of the Medik8, since I have been eyeing up their Dermaroller ever since I posted about it earlier this year (it's still on my wishlist).
I know their a brand that focus on scientific research (much like SkinCeuticals) regarding dermatological treatments, and I have a great deal of respect for something that's founded on research and clinical trials etc.
And since I am struggling with acne, I have been eyeing up this beauty. Containing powerful and well known anti-acne ingredients like salicylic acid, niacinamide and tea-tree, I am expecting great things from this product! Also, the product is paraben-free, SLS-free, and perfume-free.

Karin Herzog's 'Gel Glyco-Rose'

About the time of the Royal Wedding, a couple of articles (this one and this one) popped up on Elle.com, which mentioned that Kate was using Karin Herzog's products and visiting the spa for facials to make her even more beautiful ahead of her big day.
Now, me being a complete sucker for buying anything the celebrities use (I'm on a hunt for a Cetaphil face cleanser after hearing Scarlett Johansson uses it!), I thought I'd look into it.

So I forked out the money (£30.75 to be exact) and bought this product, which is unlike anything I've used before. I'm not really a face-mask person, although I should be. Too much faff!
On the website it did explain that due to the massive global demand for the brand's products, it would take about three weeks to arrive. When it finally came I was desperate to use it!

This product has loads of alleged benefits, some of which I'll rattle through here, but for a more descriptive outline of the product, you can find it here. It apparently prevents oxidation from free-radicals, stimulates collagen production and helps improve acne scarring. Anything which helps neutralise those pesky free-radz is a winner in my book! They totally freak me out.

It's designed as a sort of face mask, which I have used it as all the times I've used the products.
It is quite thick and gloopy, and looking at the gel it reminds me of really thick cough syrup.
You apply 2-3 drops onto your face and neck, leave it for 10 minutes and then remove with a warm wet cloth.
It goes on quite sticky and wet, and does seem still a teeny bit sticky and wet after the ten minutes, but when you wipe the product off, your skin feels dead soft, moisturised, clean and fresh. Winning!
The fragrance is something I'd describe as something between rose and lavender, and for some people I can imagine it being a little overpowering. But I love it, makes me feel dead girly when putting it on my face :)

However, on the product application section on the website you can leave it on and put cream on top, if you worry about things like facial scarring.
To be honest I haven't used it like that on my face, but I have (just this minute) put some on the back of my hand for a photo, and in about twenty minutes it has sunk into my skin, leaving no residue but the lovely lavender/rose fragrance. So I might just try that soon...
It does say on the website you have to leave it 30 minutes before you apply your cream over the top, so I assume that's the amount of time it takes to sink into your skin.

If I'm honest, my skin loves this product.
Especially when I'm using my medication, it calms and soothes my poor red skin. Skin definitely feels moisturised after using it, and although I haven't noticed any anti-ageing properties yet (I'm only 20, what am I expecting?!), I'm sure it's well needed nourishment, which is especially needed what with the freezing weather we have at the moment!
Even better, the little 30 ml bottle has lasted me for ages; since the Royal Wedding (you do the maths!).

I don't know if I would re-purchase, purely for the fact I wanna try more face masks out there, since they really seem to be the 'in thing' in skincare at the moment!
But if I was ever in doubt I would definitely revert back to this old favourite!