Wednesday Beauty Buys- Hyaluronic Acid

Hydraluron Moisture Booster

I have used, as part of my daily skin care routine for a couple of years now, a product that contains hyaluronic acid. I found that out of all the products I have used, this gave the most effect for the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles. I know it is an ongoing debate, but in researching there was nothing to convince me that the benefits were anything but good. So often when making choices about our skin care we have to read what we can and then take a decision. My motto is " Don't throw the baby out with the bath water" . So often we will hear something bad and then never use anything with that ingredient in, often at the expense of missing out on some really good, safe products. 

The product I have been using up until now was by Roc, called Wrinkle Correction and I apply it once a day under my usual moisturiser. If you have sensitive skin or you have not used a product with this in it before it is advisable to patch test an area first and then to introduce it gradually.

However, I had also heard about this product below that can be purchased at Boots and thought I would give it a test and see if a pure hyraluronic acid product was better than the one I was presently using. This again is applied under your usual moisturiser as it provides below surface moisture . It claims to increase elasticity and the skins ability to retain moisture and decreases surface roughness . For the full details check the Boots site  on the link above. 

I must admit the reviews are fantastic on this product. People claiming their skin has never looked better. I have been using it under my dermalogica moisturiser for a couple of weeks now and I am pleasantly pleased. You can feel it being absorbed instantly and the skin tightening immediately Your moisturiser absorbs better and overall your skin looks less tired, tighter and more 'dewy'. That ever elusive quality we look for as we get older!

This isn't an outrageously priced product at £24.99 and although the tube is quite small you only use a small amount each time so it lasts fairly well. I shall continue to use it and may re purchase if it continues to perform at it's present rate.

Hyaluronic acid has been nicknamed by the press as the "key to the fountain of youth" because it has been noted that at least some people who ingest a lot of it in their diets tend to live to ripe old ages.  If you want to read more about it there are a lot of sites with good information on. I found this one hyalogic unbiased and informative.

In conclusion though I am a creature of habit and my instinct tells me I shall probably return to the familiar Roc product as, for me, I feel it gives a more all round moisture boost to my skin.

Toiletry Bags

I love my products as you have probably worked out by now if you visit my blog on a regular basis! Now I don't think I am unusual in that ... most of my women friends would confess to being much the same , whether it be make up, hair products, or just general beautifying ourselves products - we tend to have cupboards full of them! If you add to that being a parent , the amount of toiletries required on a day to day basis goes crazy. Everybody seems to require a different type of shampoo , some have dry skin, some oily , nearly all now require deodorant ( 3 smelly males in the house - no thanks) and their own shower gel. The youngest still needs sudocrem and hydrocortisone for the odd patch of eczema. Toothpaste seems to be different for every age group and I wont even start on me.........

The point I am making is, I have never found a toiletry bag that is large enough, that I like, to carry the items needed to go away on holiday together, even when we decant into smaller bottles. There are of course certain items that come in large bottles that won't decant - hairspray, and if persuaded to use the same product, a one bottle does all shampoo has to be pretty large anyway for a family of 5 for 2 weeks! 

However, I was in town recently and came across a gorgeous range of toiletry bags that come in a variety of shapes and sizes. One caught my eye and I was instantly in love! I snapped it up straight away without hesitation! Just take a look at this beauty ......

They come from a company called Love Hart who also sell a variety of other delicious products too. The detail and finish on this bag is faultless and it's simplicity is perfect. I have yet to use it to go away, but have already tried a variety of products in it and the amount of room is amazing. I am definitely going to buy a few more of the smaller ones as well for make up and smaller items. Do check out their site here to see their full range of products, sizes and prices. They offer free UK delivery on orders over £30 too.

The pattern on the fabric is really inviting in a subtle arrangement of greens and blues.

                                                                              
A beautifully fitted zip that is finished attractively with a striped cotton tie .

I can see myself giving the older children a small bag each for their independent items and taking a large bag for our shared products and first aid items. The complicated lives we lead!

Definitely check them out and let me know what you think!

Love Hart



* This is not a sponsored post.

What's on my bathroom shelf?

Here is another in my series of  'Whats in my...... '    This week is

What's on my Bathroom shelf?

We have a lovely, albeit small ensuite to our bedroom that we created out of the back of an airing cupboard a few years ago. It is amazing what you can do with a small amount of space! I was given free rein with design and colours for this little room . I had the little vanity unit made up by a couple of local firms. One made the cupboard, one the small piece of marble. I got the taps and basin myself and my lovely builder put it all together. It cost half the price doing it this way than it would have done buying one similar that I had seen! I painted it myself in Farrow and Balls Plumbago. The blind is made by Laura Ashley and tiles are all tumbled marble by a seconds tiles shop. Here are some pictures of the finished room!

Anyway thats all a bit of an aside! So what is on my bathroom shelf? Well I do get the luxury of this window shelf to myself as my husband uses the main bathroom ( he prefers the larger sink!). So..

My products are......

I have a couple of pots from Tesco that look pretty but keep cotton wool and cotton buds to hand. 

These are my cleansers:

Demalogica pre cleanse - a lovely oily pre cleanse that dissolves make up and grime easily and quickly and smells divine. It emulsifies with water and washes off easily. It prepares the skin for cleansing.

Priori Idebenone cleanser - This is an amazing cleanser in a range that you have to introduce to your skin gradually . I have noticed a big difference since using this range, but it is expensive and I do have regular facials with these products too.

Dermalogica daily microfoliant - a sentitive daily scrub - see my review here

These are the ones I use for moisturising:

1. Idebenome daily moisturising cream

2. Dermalogica daily smoothing cream

3. Dermalogica hydrating booster

4.Dermalogica barrier cream

5. Ren eye gel ( free sample)

6. Roc winkle correction with retin ox ( not to be used at the same time at the Idebenome products though!)

7.L'oreal factor 50 suncream for face

I don't use these all every day - my definite every day ones are the idebenome at night and the dermalogica smoothing cream and sun cream in the morning . I add in what else I feel my skin needs.

The rest are self explanatory!

1. Sudocrem - wonderful healing cream

2. Bath House body wash

3. Etat Pur face mask ( from beauty box)

So there you have Whats on my Bathroom Shelf? I do have lots more bits and pieces in my bathroom cabinet of course that I don't use everyday and of course it is always in need of a good tidy out !

"What's in my ......".series.

Since starting my blog , one of the things I read time and time again is that it is important to let people get to know you through your blog. One of the ways I feel I have gained an insight into other people and their lives is through their " whats in my......" series. Maybe I am just a bit nosey, but I love these posts!! So I thought I would start a regular " Whats's in my....." series until I run out of ideas!

What's on my bedside table?

I saw this post on Honey's Mummy and thought I would share whats on mine. Partly because I have been there - with a young baby or child, when all your bedside table has room for is a collection of books to do with babys and baby routines, breast pads and pumps, a monitor, wet wipes, sudacrem, the odd bottle of calpol etc ( remember those days??!)  Now, although my table still has the odd night where it regresses to this state - particularly if my youngest is sick, I do feel I have regained something of my pre baby days. Having had a quick tidy up my bedside table looks like this :

1. A sturdy clock radio with ipod ( set to loud to make sure I get wake up.)

2. Bath House Hand Cream - a birthday present from my husband

3. Lip balm by Island apothecary

4. L'Occitane hydration creme from my June Joilebox.

5. Candle from the White Company

6. Cup of tea

7. Pictures of my children

8. Nail File from Joliebox
9. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair

On the floor next to my bed is more revealing!

I did mention I was a magazine junkie didn't I ?!!Copies of Red, Vogue, Easy Living, Elle and Glamour magazines, a few books on style and fashion and kids discipline, and also usually my ipad for sleepless nights.

What does your bedside table look like now?!

Wednesday Beauty Buys

I have a couple of products that I have tried over the last few weeks that I have not used before, but liked the look of. I like products that don't take themselves too seriously and don't cost the earth so you are free to try them out at not too much cost. They were all from the Soap and Glory range that I got from Boots at a 3 for 2 offer . The first two were a couple of body scrubs/polishes and the third a wrinkle filler ( oh yeah). 

The first is Sugar Crush Body Scrub with smashed brown sugar and sweet lime, almond oil and macadamia grains. This has almost a sticky texture to it, but leaves a lovely moisturised residue . Out of the two, this is a thicker scrub, but I found it gentler on the skin and just as effective.

Sugar Crush Body Scrub

The second is Flake Away with skin smoothing sea salt, grapeseed, and almond oils . It is described as a shea butter, sugar and peach sea powder spa powder polish. This could be used as a polish after Sugar Crush to give a really smooth finish or on it's own. This was definitely the harsher of the two scrubs in  my opinion , but I found something quite self righteous about the feel of those tiny grains rubbing away at those rough areas of skin! Also less of a residue in my opinion. Both scrubs/polishes leave your skin delightfully smooth - worth every penny, especially at the current deal.

Flake Away

The third item is an instant facial line filler called The Full Monty. This is applied to give a reduced look to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and says ( very much tongue in cheek)"features virtual retouching technology!" However, it does smooth out the skin around the eyes in particular and having reached an age where I am ticking that particular box ( see my post Beyond the tick in the box ) that is rather attractive. I did like this product and found it worked , although the temptation is to use too much in which case the small pot will not last long.....

The Full Monty- dab on instant wrinkle filler.

Enjoy!