Review - The Sanctuary 30 Day Thermal Transformation

After doing a post about the science of parabens, I thought I would tell you my thoughts on a few of the paraben free products I have been trying up.  First up we have The Sanctuary's Active Reverse Facial 30 Day Thermal Transformation ... wow, what a mouthful of a name!

A 1 day treatment from the 30 day transformation!

I received this as a sample in a Debenham's order, and I was really looking forward to trying it out. It's a specifically designed two step mask where you first out on the Peptide Transformation Serum, followed by the Thermal Rose Clay Mask.

I really enjoyed using the serum, it was a white cream type texture and the sample provided was adequate to cover my face and neck. It smelled nice, a bit lavendery I thought, and didn't irritate my skin in anyway.

The two step process!

The clay based mask is a rather fetching salmon pink colour, and boy does it get hot when you apply it to the skin, leave on for fifteen minutes and wipe away with a muslin cloth. Due to putting this on my face whilst having a bath, on a summer's day, my face was uncomfortably warm, maybe one to try in the coming colder months then.

The mask did not dry quickly like other clay based masks, and was actually easily removed with the use of a muslin cloth and warm water.

The Sanctuary say in one application my skin will look brighter and tauter. I couldn't say I saw these results, my skin did feel smoother and I didn't get the tight feeling in my skin that I often get after clay based masks. However, I did notice my dry patches around my nose and mouth were more pronounced after use of the product, and there was some patchy redness throughout my face, after using the product for the recommended time.

I did like the mask, but without testing for the full thirty days using every other day I can't comment on the full results. Compared to something like Alpha H Liquid Gold which also acts to boost radiance, by removing the top layer of skin cells, I find this mask much more time consuming and messy, as not all nights can be pamper nights, and turn into more wash and go events, a product like the Alpha H suits my unpredictable lifestyle much more.

I think this may suit those with slightly oilier skin than mine, and probably more mature skin to see the full results. I would give a cautious recommendation of this product for those with sensitive skin, due to the redness that I saw after application. If you have dry skin I'd definitely be applying your normal moisturing cream after using this mask. For the full effects to be seen, you really have to be committed to use the product three times a week, and not on consecutive days.

Please note, due to the mask's action of removing the top layer of skin cells to achieve the radiant effect, always apply a product containing SPF after using this mask.

The product is available here on the Boots website for £27.50.

I don't think this is a rebuy for me at £27.50, but I will certainly be looking into The Sanctuary's serums.

livebathlove,


Laura X

Review - Original Source British Strawberry Shower Gel

Anyone else on a massive Olympics downer? Well, I am and still picking up a load of items that are covered in the Union Jack. On of these was the Original Source's British Strawberry Shower Gel.

Some crazy pop art for you all just because it's Tuesday and I liked it!

This is one of Original Source's special seasonal editions and is great for summer. From the bottle it smells like those giant strawberry sweets that you used to get in Woolie's Pick 'n' Mix (probably showing my age here - 22 for the record). On the skin it does this slightly strange thing and smells sweeter, more like strawberry mixed with desiccated coconut.

As usual with Original Source the gel quality is good with a decent lather, and lasting price at good value. You just have to do a scour of supermarkets and chemists to find the range on offer for a £1 for 250 ml.

For a £1 I really like this shower gel and Original Source, considering they're an everyday brand. To pay a pound, and get a product made in the UK, vegan and scented with natural fragrances. I don't think they can be beat.

Here's what it actually looks like, wouldn't want you to miss it on the supermarket shelves.

If you're a sweet strawberry fan and want to try a decent shower gel on a budget I highly recommend Original Source. Just a shame they don't have body lotions to layer scents with. Good job The Body Shop has an excellent Strawberry Body Butter then!

livebathlove,

Laura X

Review - Soap and Glory, Catch A Wrinkle In Time

What is it?

Soap and Glory's answer to a day moisturiser with "skin re-energizing tri-peptides and wrinkle repair youth boosters."

I should point out that Soap and Glory have recently updated the packaging of this product.

Over the past six months, this has been a bit of a love/hate product for me. I originally found that this really irritated my skin, and resulted in breakouts. However, since I got rid of my old Elemis, cleansing and toning system, (they're in my empties here), my skin has been liking this product.

The Good

Well, it's Soap and Glory so obviously this is going to come with killer packaging, and witty comments in spades. No disappointments there then. It's in one of those standard 50 ml squeezy tubes, nice and simple. I like this style of packaging for hygiene and travel reasons, even if I will have to cut it open to get the last bit out.

The skin re-energizing tri-peptides have definitely been doing something. My mother asked only the other day if I was wearing make up, I was in fact only using this moisturiser. (Although I'd like to point out I don't currently wear foundation or tinted moisturiser as I prefer to let my skin breathe. It does give a slightly shiny look to the skin, which I don't mind but oilier skins may prefer to skip.

Although the consistency is quite light and easy to rub in, in my opinion a good formula for day wear. 

I also have to mention this moisturiser smells incredible, I prefer it to the Original Pink scent. If you've ever had Orange Matchmakers, they come out around Christmas time, it's just like that, or a more orangey Terry's chocolate orange.

The Bad

This still does irritate my skin slightly, and I have now tried it with a few other cleansers. It could well be both the aroma and the parfum that has been added to this product.

Topping up on my slightly drier areas around the tip of my nose and mouth with a slightly heavier product was also essential as this areas did seem to be left quite dry. 

I also have fine lines, and have been using this constantly for about a month, I can sadly say I've seen no improvements from the "wrinkle repair youth boosters."I did get the radiance going on though, I'll take 50% of a products claims on this occasiom.

The Damn Right Ugly

I always think it's important to mention whether a product is paraben free, as many are trying to avoid, if you don't want parabens this baby has them.

Another bug bear I'm sorry, but this is a pet peeve when products do this, but in the words of Soap and Glory (in bold):

• Don't smoke - NO I agree this is bad for your skin.
• Don't drink - I'm going to presume this refers to alcohol and not water, fair alcohol dehydrates your skin.
• Don't sleep deprive it - Not always easy Soap and Glory, but yes that helps, agreed.
• Don't sun it to death - Okay, Soap and Glory we all need a bit of sun, got to get some Vitamin D, fair, but if you don't want us to get sun damaged, why can't we get some SPF in our moisturisers. Busy lifestyles mean I only want to use one cream on my face in the morning before I rush out of the door. If Johnson and Johnson can include SPF 15 in a day cream that's around £4, I don't see why this one couldn't, I'd even pay a pound or two more for the privilege.

Sorry, rant over, I don't mind advice, I'd just like it if the company would help us all a little in this quest.

Overall

I'm still enjoying using this and would probably have repurchased if it had SPF. If this doesn't bother you and you have normal to combination (but not too oily) I'd recommend this for you. For those who are sensitive the fragrances do aggravate my skin a little, and I don't have the most sensitive of skin by any stretch.

I think you could do a lot worse for £11 for a day cream and is now in all new packaging, and even when it was causing me breakouts it made a lovely hand cream, if an expensive one.

Find it here at  Boots online.

I'd definitely be interested in picking up some more Soap and Glory skincare, The Fab Pore is on my list, but I'm definitely welcome to other suggestions.

livebathlove,

Laura X

Review - Yankee Candle Island Spa

Meet Island Spa my first small Yankee Candle jar. I find this at a bargain price of £4 in Clintons during a sale instead of the usual £8 and I've thoroughly enjoyed burning it.

The wax itself is a lovely sea green like colour, which the candle retains even after burning. The green colour itself I find to be very relaxing and soothing - perfect for your own spa treatment.

The wick itself is easy to light and doesn't produce much smoke. The candle burns smoothly and evenly, and unlike many of my cheaper candles has not tunneled at all. The candle claims to last for around 25-40 hours, I burn it 2-3 hours at a time and have found it to be about two thirds of the way down after around 12 hours burn time.

Yankee Candle - Island Spa

Scent

The scent itself compromises of mandarin and lemon verbena. I love citrus and this is what originally drew me to the Island Spa range, however the citrus with the freshness of the verbena does mean it leans towards a lemon cleaning product. I really like burning this candle, particularly when I'm working, I find it a particularly calm and refreshing scent. Recommended.

Treatments to Combine This With

I think this candle would be really wonderful for a spa evening, and is definitely a bathroom scent. I'd layer this with a bath of something with a citrus or herbal vibe, or one of those evenings when you want to forget all your troubles, and the thought that you still have to hit the early morning commute at 7.30 am.

Strangely the strong herbal scent always reminds me to get my specialist skincare treatment and my Body Shop Peppermint foot range to give myself the full body overhaul.

Advantages

• Good quality wax with no tunneling.
• Scent lasts throughout, a clean citrus that does not overpower the room.
• Pretty and practical packaging.
• Wick is easy to light and trim.
• Small jars good for travel, can fit in a hand, so don't take up too much worktop space.
• Yankee are widely available online and in stores including Debenhams.

Disadvantages

• May not be to everyone's tastes as the citrus is a bit 'Pledgey'.
• Expensive, although I have yet to find a cheaper candle range that burns so evenly with good throw, so I am happy to pay more.
• Although widely available can be hard to find a specific scent.

livebathlove,

Laura X