Tag Archives: beauty

Hot on the Highstreet Week 267

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Every summer I compile a list of my favourite summer beauty products. A heat wave is still causing temperatures to soar across Europe, and it is essential to use the appropriate lotions to sooth and protect your skin. Here are my pick of the bunch, great for using at home or on holiday.

Davines

Davines is a family-owned, sustainable haircare brand from Italy now distributed to 70 countries. I have experienced the products in several high-end salons and was impressed with the immediate effects and delicious scent. The Dede range is ideal for daily use, the shampoo and conditioner are both light and softening perfect for breezy summer hair. The hair mist adds moisture without weighing down the hair, I found it was good for my very fine hair.

ESPA

The ESPA Optimal Body Triserum is an indulgent nourishing product to firm and smooth the skin. It has a range of interesting natural ingredients including turmeric root which helps to even skin-tone and pigmentation. I loved the easy-to-use spray function so you can spritz your body all over after a shower. In the heat I found it could be used instead of moisturiser, but in winter you may wish to use it as an addition to give a richer coverage. This product ensures skin stays supple and soft even in the harshest weather conditions.

JurliqueThe natural Jurlique products always make me feel healthy and fresh.  When I am away on beach holidays I can’t bear to clog up my face with heavy products. This Rosewater Balancing Mist is the perfect solution to hydrate and wake-up the skin, just spray over your face in the morning and evening. A lovely product to pair with the spray is the Rose Silk Finishing Powder this light, translucent powder will give a light and natural coverage. I particularly liked that it removed the shine of my skin, and yet you couldn’t notice I was wearing make-up. Both products smell divine with a floral rose scent.

perriconePerricone MD is one of my favourite skincare brands. The products are results driven and the effects on the skin are amazing. For summer the duo of Hypoallergic Gentle Cleanser and Nourishing Moisturiser is good to thoroughly clean and moisterise whilst also brightening and softening the skin. Both products are particularly good for weather-worn dry skin with natural oils like Olive Polyphenols giving essential moisture back and repairing sun damaged skin. The Perricone products are also great for anti-aging thanks to the deep hydration.

KiYoKo

KIYOKO is a new lifestyle brand that represents purity, quality and design. This stylish silver tube of lib balm is 100% natural and is the perfect companion to keep in your bag throughout the summer months. I find even the tiniest amount of the balm intensely hydrates my lips and leaves them soft and silky so they don’t crack.

thalgo

Thalgo uses marine ingredients to create its products. The Hydra Marine 24h cream is a blissfully light daily moisturiser which adds a dewy glow to any skin tone. For an extra boost in summer try the Ocea Sun supplement capsules. These have powerful nutrients that will give the skin a radiant vibrancy in the summer months and replenish vitamins that are lost from sun exposure. I will be taking them religiously on my holiday next month.

Radical

As the name suggests Radical skincare encourages radical results for your skin. After a few uses of the the Hydrating Cleanser and Peptide Antioxidant Serum I noticed dramatic changes to my skin. My skin tone was more even and looked brighter. The serum is specially designed to eradicate or lessen signs of aging, giving greater skin clarity and reducing the number of wrinkles. I find that these two products are the ideal routine for before bed cleansing and moisterising, so that when I wake up my skin looks fresher and brighter despite how sleepy I am!

Hot on the Highstreet Week 264 : Sodashi

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sodashi set

Before even opening the packaging I knew it was my Sodashi treats inside… the natural fragrance of these products was already flavouring the air.

The word Sodashi translates to mean wholeness, purity and radiance, qualities that this brand represents whole-heartedly. Hailing from Australia, Sodashi is an intelligent company with firm morals. All of the products are chemical-free, using therapeutic-grade, ethically-sourced essential oils and plant actives to effectively heal and nurture the skin.

I was lucky enough to experience the luxurious Sodashi facial at Akasha Spa a few weeks ago and fell instantly in love with the healthy and effective products. My face felt and looked radiant for days after the treatment. Ever since this revelatory spa session I have been enamoured with the Sodashi brand, so I was delighted to receive a range of their finest products to trial and try.

As a blogger I travel frequently and often find myself using cheap products whilst staying away from home. The Sodashi ‘Calm Skin Care Kit’ solves all travel beauty dilemmas. A chic grey wash bag contains six miniatures, ready to use wherever you are. Each bottle is 50ml or less so is within hand luggage liquid restrictions. It is a complete skincare pack to calm and revitalise sensitive skin. Individually the products begin to regenerate and revitalise the skin, but it is when they are used together in a dedicated routine that they work wonders and ensure visible changes to the skin. The kit includes a cleanser with sandalwood to clean make-up and dirt from the skin, a Calming Concentrate made from plant essences to exfoliate the skin. The Calming Rose Face Mist then tones and balances the skin before the Calming Skin Boost firms and tones. Finally you add moisture with the Calming Face and Neck Moisteruriser and the Eye and Lip Smoother, both which smell delicious and feel luxurious on the skin.

sodashi clay mask

When your face is really in need of an extra boost, the Gentle Repair White Clay Mask is the perfect product. The White Clay and Neroli stimulate cell renewal while Chamomile and Rose calm the skin. I found it was a lovely Sunday evening treatment, smoothed evenly over my face and left for 15 minutes it relieved tightness and left my face feeling fresh and looking bright. Another occasional product worth investing in is the Enzyme Face Polish which exfoliates and cleanses the skin and gently polishes with finely ground rice. It is best to use twice a week as part of a Sodashi skincare routine.

sodashi polish

I am not one to boast and brag about organic products, but I found the Sodashi range to be truly remarkable, and most importantly effective. The results for my skin have been noticeable on both look and feel, and I can’t wait to try the rest of the range.

More information on the Sodashi brand here.

You can purchase the Sodashi products from Akasha Spa, Piccadilly.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 242: Beauty Detox and Replenish

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January is a miserable month and our skin and hair can really suffer. I have compiled a selection of my favourite New Year products to detox and replenish so you can feel your best even in the coldest month of the year.

Mary Kay TimeWise Microdermabrasion Set £50 – I have tried Microdermabrasion facials before and always found them quite aggressive on my skin. Mary Kay have introduced this do it at home set which energises and nourishes in two easy steps. The first step should be used after cleansing and will gently exfoliate the skin removing dirt from pores and softening the skin texture. Step 2 is a rich serum containing vitamins and anti-oxidants and left my skin feeling luxuriously smooth and plumped.

Perricone MD Chloro Plasma mask £67 – I swear by the Perricone MD products and this revitalising mask is no exception. This innovative product contains blue green algae and watercress to help deep detoxification and purification. After an application my skin felt tighter and the pores were noticably smaller. It is also a great anti-aging product, reducing wrinkles and leaving skin looking supple and smooth. The perfect treatment to use on a Sunday evening in.

Thalgo Les Infus’Oceanes Bio Drainage £7.30 – Sometimes it is a great idea to supplement skincare with other dietary products. This detox infusion helps stimulate the body to release excess water. After Christmas it is the ideal drink to make you feel lighter and brighter. I tried the blackcurrent flavour but it is also available in other fruits.

Mary Kay Skinvigorate Cleansing Brush £35 – I found this handheld, battery-operated cleansing device quite comical when I first used it as I am not used to electrical skincare products. After removing eye make-up apply the cleanser and turn on the Skinvigorate slowly massaging the brush over your face in a circular motion. It is easy to use and truly removes make-up and dirt better than washing by hand, though it is quite an expensive alternative to a flannel. This product made my skin look more radiant immediately and the results continue as you use it repeatedly.

Murad Essential-C Day Moisture £57 – I struggle to find a moisturiser that is rich without clogging my skin. After the stress of moving house this product soothed and relieved my skin leaving it soft and silky, miraculously hydrating after just a few uses. And as an added bonus this product gives SPF 30 protection so will protect your face against the harsh pollution in London.

Yes to Grapefruit 25 Brightening Facial Wipes £3.99 – these are the perfect on-the-go wipes to cleanse and refresh. They are slightly textured so remove excess dirt and remnants of make-up and leave your skin completely clear. Made from 98% natural products and packed full of healthy grapefruit your face will be thankful for the zingy citrus burst.