Sorry Balance Me, You Are Just Not For Me

And believe me, I've tried...

Over the past few months I have collection numerous samples of Balance Me products after seeing other beauty bloggers talk about how they like this range of natural skin care. I got balancing face moisturiser in my Latest In Beauty Editor's box. Being stuck one night after losing my regular moisturiser I dug into my sample bag and grab this.

After the normal cleanse I put this one, the smell was Rosy (and this is for someone who likes rose as a scent). It just seemed to sit on my skin and leave a film on it, now considering I have combination skin I found it strange that my dryer parts didn't drink this up as normal. I tried this a few times to see if  it was a one off and every time it was the same - In the bin that went.

The next I tried was radiance face mask which I cannot remember where this came from except it was in my sample bag. I really like a good mask one that general gives the skin a good clear out. This was good, it has exfoliation crushed walnut shells and sebum wiping kaolin. To me it didn't have that wow factor to it, I feel that the mask wasn't thick enough to cover and so I didn't feel 'clean' as normal. I did however, finish the whole sample tube.

And lastly, I got the Rose Otto lip balm in the Glamour magazine offer last year. I really like a lip balm, I have a small bag of them (but never have one on me when I need one) so i was excited to add another one to it. I hated this, I tried and failed to try this 6 times. I dislike the smell, to me it's not of delicate roses but of the main ingredient - Lanolin. For also this ingredient also makes it taste disgusting, and as soon as I put it on I am wiping it off. This is now in the bin.

 

So Balance Me I'm leaving you to your fan base, but for me it wasn't meant to be.

LatestInBeauty's Editor Box July

Introducing this months LatestInBeauty's editors box and what a beauty it is! We have two full sized products, a handbag sized, and miniatures for £14.95 including P&P that is valued at £43. I loved my last YOU box (read about my gushing here), and was pumping they're twitter feed for when they was revealing the next one. LIB's customer service has been brilliant, at moment I'm at least tweeting them once a week about something and unlike some companies answer back to the point of having long conversations!

The two full sized products are the Love Your Skin Cleanse and Smooth Exfoliating face wash and Mavala Liberty Nail varnish. Love Your Skin has just launched their website of products and have been finalists in the Elle Beauty Awards 2012. The Wash is a light exfoliate that can be used everyday and the scent is a soft floral wood. It contains two scrubbing actions small beads and the Willow Bark that has salicylic acid that gently exfoliates. I adore this after two uses!

Second Full sized is the Mavata nail varnish in Liberty - a creme peachy nude. It's a 5ml size that the company specialises in, a glossy professional finish that evens out easily.

Baltise Dry Shampoo in Cherry is a prefect handbag sized dry shampoo. It is a new addiction to the range of emergency hair refreshers that has a girly sweet scent of cherries that suits the sun (when it's out!). I'm throwing this one into my handbag for on the go.

The miniatures: Melvita Micellar Water - a rose scent cleansing water with a soft scent of rose that isn't over powering like other rose scented products. Have tried their moisture lotion from the previous YOU box and have liked it so far. Weleda Firming Serum and Night Cream is from their hero range of products that has won the CEW Eco Beauty award, I haven't used this brand before so this will be a perfect opportunity to. And finally, Balance Me Radiance Face Mask, I'm hoping that this will change my mixed views on the range as well as give my skin some TLC that it needs.

There are some still available here

A good mixture this time, however I'm already drooling over the next box due out on Sunday: Another YOU inspired box that I've already been told that there is going to be OPI (full size), Alfresco, Garnier, L'Oreal, StriVectin, Jurlique and many more. In total there's going to 12 items for £9.95 + £2.95 P&P, but it is limited to 2,000 boxes! People who are already on the mailing list will get a preview of the box on Friday, if you are not on the mailing list rush over to here and get yourself on there ASAP.

H2Oh Yeah!

A hashtag discussion was going on on Monday regarding beauty tips, and of course I shared mine,

" @unevenlemming :#beautytip: The easiest & most repeated but never followed, drink more water! Keep a bottle with you so you can track of it. It does show!". I was never much of a water drinker being on a shop floor for 8 hours a day there was never really a chance to grab a glass of water. Now, I'm in office work and have a bottle on my desk I've noticed a huge difference in the plumpness and brightness of my skin. I wanted to look a little more in depth on why this really cheap beauty (and health) aid really does help.

The human body is made up 55 to 75% of water (depending on the size of person), and around 80% of people on a day-to-day basis are not getting enough water to hydrate they're body. So why start the habit of sipping the wet stuff?

Fend off hungry prangs

Most people feel that they're hungry prangs is because they are hungry when it is actually your body saying that it is thirsty. We start to feel the effects of dehydration (headaches, dizziness, and fatigue) when it can almost be too late, by getting into a habit of sipping regularly throughout the day can prevent this from happening and can be a factor towards weight loss as you are hydrating the body rather than feeding it when it doesn't need it. One of the best tips I've read is to drink a glass of water wait 20 Min's if still hungry then eat.

Cheapest Anti-ageing Product, Ever!

I noticed after spending a week on the wet stuff is that my skin looked a lot more clearer, in my early thirties I still get the odd spot and during this time I was braking out constantly. I hadn't changed my skincare routine a lot apart from being little more strict about it. What water does is support in the clearing of waste products out of the body, replenishing the lost liquid from this process, as well as act as a inner moisturiser. Look at the ingredients on most of your skin care products, the first (which means it contains the most of) ingredient is aqua or water to you and me.

It fights nasty bugs

Being dehydrated can also open up your body to infections because your body is focusing on supporting everyday function rather than fighting any baddies that can attack the body. We've mentioned that it flushes toxins out of the system where the kidneys and urine system are a key part. Water can help and prevent painful infections in this organs. When you have colds it can clear out airways for better breathing, so that is why your mother nags you to drink fluids every time you get sick.

Keeps you going harder and longer

Being rightful hydrated means that your concentration levels are higher, but also your body works better. For example, your muscles are around 75% water, your bones are about 22% and your blood is around 83%. Not that including the brain that is 85% water, that is a lot of high numbers that the water you do intake needs to reach!

Looks after your heart

When you are dehydrated your blood thickens, so the heart works harder to pump the blood around the body which puts more strain. Drinking more than 5 glasses a day can cut the risk of a heart attack by 41%.

So how to get into the water habit? I started by putting a bottle of water at my desk and sip during the day. I also drink a lot of tea, but try to cut back in the caffeine as this can also dehydrate as well as make you wee more. Talking about wee, if it's a pale straw colour already you have very little to worry about, if it's darker and cloudy then you need to boost your intake.

Grab a glass when get up as your body will be needing to replace water it's lost over the nighttime, give it squeeze of lemon and you also be having a clean out boost. Check for vegetables that have a higher water content like lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, carrots and watermelon that not only count towards the water total but also towards your five-a-day - Multi tasking at it's best!

LatestinBeauty.com YOU Skincare Box

Oh My ....

This is a conintuation of my entry from last week (Part one: My First Order with Latestinbeauty.com), As I mentioned at the end I ordered the limited edition YOU skincare set and was awaiting it's arrival.

First of all a bit on latestinbeauty.com, so far I have been really impressed with them. They sent a mail the day before the offer to say what it was and as well as what is in the box. When my box arrived today I found that everything is suited to what I delcared in my skin profile (dry, and ahem, getting a little older). Loved everything instantly, so prepared to feel a little bit of envy:

L'Occitane Angelica Hydration Cream (15ml)

New to the brand, promises to reinforce skin hydration so skin can look more plumper and radiant. Smells a delicate fresh scent, with a cream finish that sinks in quickly and without residue. Hvae used this now for 3 days and I'm already looking at investing in it, for a full size it is £29.00 and I really love the smell. It uses Angelica oil and water (a by-product of the extraction process), has a fresh herby scent, which has stress relief and reviving properties.

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concertrate (4ml)

Small droplet brown bottle that is used at night time under moisturiser (I'm thinking Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair). Loving the sound of the ingrediants: Evening Primrose Oil, Lavender oil, Fatty Acids = The perfect skin support. The sample looks tiny, after reading instructions you need 3 drops patted into the skin before moisturier, when I woke up skin looks more even tone (no red patches) and looked plumped as well as feeling very soft. £36.00 for a full size, that has the promise of lasting a long time.

Melvita Moisturizing Rose Nectar (15ml)

The first of my two rose scented products, "sheer" cream for use during the daytime. First ingrediant on the list Rosa Damascena water (there is also the oil), I like that fact it gives the latin name of the roses that they use in the product. The aromatherapist in me is dribbling over the oils and shea butter, sunk in beautifully and felt soft for most of the day. Rose oil is a natural anti-inflammarty and anti-depressant, and has a sweet-mellow fragrance of english rose gardens. £26.00 for a full size.

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser (30ml)

This is the brand created by Dr. Murad and I am very interested about him after trading his background in the skin care industry in trade magazines. Promises a smoother and softer skin, has no scent and scrub feels like it won't irritate the skin. I found this was leaving my skin scrubbed with feeling like I was aking it raw. It has fruits acids inside it as well as exfoliation beads so you get a double hit. At £34.00 it's a little higher than what I would normally pay for a scrub, however only a pea size amount is needed.

Etat Pur Micellar Cleansing Water (190ml and full size)

New company to the market that claims that it uses as many natural prodcuts as possible. Light weight cleansing water that was put up against my everyday make up. It was good but my non waterproof mascara took a little longer to remove with no irritation. Used it for nearly a week now and used very little of the 190ml bottle, and the price is very good at £6.40

Balance Me Moisture-rich Face Cream (10ml)

My second rose scented product, contains Rosehip oil, Jojoba oil (rich in fatty acids), Cloudberry oil, and shea butters. Sinks in easily with rose scent that settles down to a soft floral scent. Feels much more of a thick lotion rather than a cream, is more suited for skin that is still dry but doens't want to use something that isn't too thick on the skin.

This box had input from the ladies at The Beauty Bible, which is one of the go to places for inpartical advice and reviews on products that have been going for many many years now. They believe is natural products (but so test others), and do entensive testing of prodcuts to bring the best in their publications. They are weekly guest columists of YOU magazize that comes with the Mail on Sunday.

 I've now given this about a week, my skin has vastly improved. Now, instead of wearing a foundation it's improved so much that I've now gone onto a moitursing tint. I'm very happy with this box, everything I have used, my only gripe would that there are two products with the same main ingrediants. I very much look forward to the next box!