Monday, 29 August 2011

Philosophy - "Great skin is in" set

Philosophy make a lot of different products but one of the areas in which they really excel is skincare. Each of their products are available individually but by far the best value is to get one of their skincare sets ('regimes') such as 'Great Skin is in'.

The 'Great Skin is in' set comes with 5 pieces and gives you a complete skincare routine for morning and night.  The sizes of the products are full size meaning one set will last you for a while and doesn't have that 'mini travel set' feel with bottles that don't pour properly and only last a week or so.

The box comes with instructions on when to use each of the products which is realy handy if you're just starting out with skincare and don't know off the top of your head when to apply retinol etc...


Cleanser: Purity made simple cleanser - 8 fl. oz. (237ml) Great non-foaming cleanser that can be used both morning and night.  Removes makeup and doesn't leave the skin with that 'dried out' feeling that a lot of cleansers can.  It works especially well with the Clarisonic Mia; you only need a 10c piece-sized amount.


Day moisturiser: Hope in a jar (in a tube) SPF 25 - 1 fl. oz. (30ml). Not too greasy and won't casue break outs; just be sure to leave it with enough time to 'soak in' to your skin before putting on makeup..  The only fault with this is if you wear it exercising - it will leave a 'yellow film' on your face which isn't great if you're heading out for lunch straight afterwards!



Serum: When Hope is not Enough - 1 fl. oz (30ml).  Fast absorbing, light and non-greasy.  It has a distinctive smell, rather like rosemary or some other strong herb and for this reason the serum is best applied before bed (although it can be worn under makeup during the day).  Its specific purpose it 'facial firming' which it does well, as well as put some moisture back into skin that feels affected by the elements.



Night moisturiser: Hope in a jar - 1 fl. oz. (30ml) Definitely not so thick it leaves you with that pore-clogging feeling.  Leaves your skin feeling refreshed in the morning.  Suitable for day wear too, just without the benefit of a SPF.


Night treatment: Help me (retinol) - 1.05 fl. oz. (30.5g). There's a whole list of benefits for this cream, chiefly the prevention of wrinkles.  If you're prone to break outs this is meant to help too but Lady Cavanagh wouldn't advise wearing it every night as it can sometimes cause them...

This set is available from Skin Store (www.skinstore.com) and is one of Philosophy's larger sets, of which they have about 10 different ones.  If you run out of one item before the others, individual products can also be purchased from Skin Store or StrawberryNet (www.strawberrynet.com)

Sunday, 7 August 2011

Eyeko Haul!

Lady Cavanagh was perusing the Eyeko website a couple of weeks ago and decided purchasing a new 'Fat Balm' was in order.  But it's never just one item is it? And then before you know it you're approaching the 'free shipping threshold' and it seems foolish not to keep selecting items.

So, here we are, a fortnight later and Lady Cavanagh has received her order from Eyeko.


In this order was...
Fat Balm - Frosting: 'Lolly' pink that looks great on the cheeks. If you have a pale complexion it can look quite bright on the lips so perhaps pair with some nude gloss if you want to tone it down.  The scent is like 'tea biscuits' rather than frosting but is a very pleasant smell.
Fat Balm - Cherry: Darker red which can be work lightly for a more casual look or layered up for a nighttime pop of colour.  Smell is like Cherry lollies but not really noticeable when you're wearing it.
Eyeko Cream - Extra Glow: Suitable as a highlighter for cheeks and brow bones, its quite similar to Benefit's 'High Beam' but a thinner consistency.  Leaves a lovely shimmer on the skin.
Graffiti eyeliner pencil - Black (free gift with Ambassador code): Good staying power and a great place to start if you're not familiar with liquid liner and are keen to practice some killer lines across your lids.

Shipping on the Eyeko website advises it may take up to 4 weeks for international orders but Lady Cavanagh's latest order took less than 2 weeks.