Ali Mac Skincare - Winter Skin Saviours

I came across the Ali Mac Skincare range some time back which seems setting the blogosphere alight with great reviews, so of course as a bit of a skincare obsessive I was very eager to try out some of the line for myself to see how it fares.

Alison McIntosh, the founder and creator of Ali Mac Skincare set about to develop a range of wholesome, natural and ethically produced products both free from synthetic and unethical ingredients.

Ali Mac believe that we should all be more aware of the sheer amount of harmful ingredients that skincare products contain and that we should take a more natural approach to our skin.

First up is the Chamomile Hydrating Face Mist.

"Tone & Hydrate with this refreshing blend of chamomile, organic mandarin and soothing calendula extract for a fresh, radiant complexion."

The face mist comes in a large brown tinted bottle with your standard spray nozzle.  Most of the Ali Mac range comes in brown class jars and containers - for those of you who might be wondering, the reasoning behind this is that brown glass absorbs the most ultraviolet radiation, so it offers the best protection from potentially damaging light, thus preserving the shelf life of your products for longer :)

This comes in a 150ml size

I've been using this twice daily after cleansing morning and evening and I've also been spritzing myself with it when I feel I need a bit of a boost as I find it really refreshes you and it keeps your skin hydrated throughout the day. I've also been using it as a "setting mist" after I've applied my makeup in place of my usual MAC Fix+ Rose to prevent makeup looking heavy or cakey.

I personally love the smell of this - this is going to sound horridly cliched, but it's like a nice summer breeze - such a pleasant anti-dote to the awful weather we're currently having. 

This is great for calming rosacea, sensitive or easily irritated skin - it will help tone down redness whilst soothing and hydrating the skin. I was a little surprised to see Alcohol listed as the second ingredient in this, however I haven't experienced any sensitivity whilst using this, it's very mild.

Next is the Rose Anti-Oxidant Face Serum. Oh how I love serums! When you have seriously dehydrated and dry skin, serums will become your new BFF so I was looking forward to trying this out.

"An intensive treatment serum: the synergy of precious oils; high in GLA (Gamma Linoleic Acids) contained in our serum packs a powerful punch to restore and regenerate your skins tissues; helping to reduce fine lines & wrinkles"

First impressions were good - it's beautifully scented with Damascus Rose oil which is one of my favourite scents (I'm a big lover of most Rose-based perfumes and love using Rose Water as a toner) so I knew this was going to be a hit before I even properly tried it.

This comes in a 30ml brown glass bottle complete with pipette which lets you control each drop of the serum so you needn't worry about using too much or wasting any.

I found using just two drops of this serum to be more than sufficient for my needs, however if your skin is seriously stressed and drier than the Sahara you could try adding 3/4 drops for an ultra-nourishing treatment.

I've been using this straight after cleansing and waiting for it to settle in before applying and moisturiser. If you have a particular moisturiser you love, you could also add a few drops of this to your moisturiser and mixing it in before applying to your face to give your moisturiser an extra hydration boost to give your skin that little bit more TLC and protection during this harsh winter weather.

If you're a fan of Trilogy's now infamous Rosehip oil,  you'll LOVE this! I've been using rosehip oil fairly religiously for the past 2 years or so, however I've now been converted to this, especially for the winter months.

I received two unexpected samples which was a really nice touch and I was delighted to see that I was sent the Chamomile Cleansing Melt and Chamomile Face Polish

Left to Right: Chamomile Cleansing Melt, Chamomile Face Polish

I'm a HUGE fan of cleansing balms in general - they don't strip your skin of any essential oils, they're fantastic for dry skin and better yet, this one doesn't contain any mineral oils.

Enriched with shea butter and argan oil it instantly feels nourishing and rich and makes a breeze of removing makeup thanks to it's incorporated sunflower seed oil. My skin just loves creamy cleansing balms such as this - begone the days of yore of harsh foaming cleansing agents which left my skin feeling dry and tight. Taking off the days daily grime and dirt is a pleasure with this beauty - my only gripe is that I used it up in 5 days!

This works great in combination with a muslin cloth soaked in warm water. You can use the cloth to gently exfoliate and buff your skin for a really smooth finish.

If you need something a little more fast acting however, the Chamomile Face Polish contains natural sugar to gently slough away any dead skin and cells to leave your skin feeling, well polished. The fine nature of the granules means that this can be used even on the most sensitive of skins also. This like the Cleansing Melt also contains shea butter and sunflower seed oil so it feels pleasant on the skin and doesn't strip it of essential oils and fatty acids. 

I've been guilty in the past of being far too enthusiastic of the ol' exfoliators in vain attempt to conquer and banish all signs of dry patches and flakiness, however I've since learned that I need to be gentle and take it easy on my skin as it is prone to redness and sensitivity so I have somewhat a love/hate relationship with exfoliators in general, however I really got on well with this and I could see myself purchasing a full size version of this in the near future.

I'm adding the Ali Mac Rose Anti-Oxidant Face Serum and Chamomile Hydrating Face Mist to my list of Winter Skin SOS Saviours this year - I've been using them in conjunction with the Kerstin Florian Correcting Rescue Creme and my skin is definitely looking happier and healthier since I started this routine.

Pricing & Availability:

Rose Anti-Oxidant Face Serum - €41.95

Chamomile Hydrating Face Mist - €22.95

Rose & Camellia Face Polish - €22.95

Chamomile Cleansing Melt - €22.95

http://www.alimacskincare.com

Yuletide Treats from YON-KA

If you're a regular reader you'll know that I have a lot of love for YON-KA - the French luxury skincare brand really delivers on quality and it's a personal favourite of mine when it comes to keeping your skin in check over the winter months due to the brands hard working yet gentle on your skin formulas which are made from 90% natural ingredients.

I normally stock up on skincare during the winter months in the run up to Christmas as there's normally great value to be had with the various gift set offerings - usually making a saving on the RRP.

When I came across YON-KA's 2013 Christmas offerings I thought they were too good to pass up and wanted to share them with you all. The range features three beauty clutches containing products which target hydration, vitality and body softness.

The Hydration and Vitality clutches contain two full size products 

and one miniature whereas the Softness clutch contains two full

products.

Absolute Hydration

The Hydration set contains the brands three most hydrating and comforting products, namely Creme 28 a day cream, Hydralia an intensely hydrating and hardworking serum and Masque No. 1 which is a personal favourite of mine - see review here

Next on my wish list is;

Absolute Vitality

These products are designed to be radiance boosting - which

sounds like they might be the perfect pick-me-up after one too 

many mince  pies and glasses of mulled wine. This set contains 

 Pamplemousse (Which happens to be one of my favourite words

 - Pamplemousse, I could say it all day!) which is apparently a 

celeb-fav day moisturiser. You'll also find night cream Phyto 58

and last but not least, my hero product Masque No. 1

Last up to complete the trio is;

Absolute Softness

This is one for the body care lovers out there! All that rich food, late night partying and central heating doesn't do your skin any favours, however this looks to remedy this as it contains Lait Corps a velvety hydrating body milk along with Nutri-Protect, a 3-in-1 repairing hand cream, so there'll be no excuses for chapped and dry hands with this in your handbag!

I think these a lovely, well rounded selection of some of YON-KA's best loved products all wrapped up in a cute clutch. I think Mammy Morte be in line to get one of these as it was her who initally introduced me to the brand back in my teens when I frosted white eyeshadow and glitter was the height of glamour and sophistication - oh the shame.

Pricing and Availability;

Absolute Hydration Set - £80 / €95

Absolute Vitality Set - £78 / €93

Absolute Softness Set - £52 / €62
YON-KA Shop
Renaissance Skincare



Are any of these sets calling to you the way they are me yet? :)

Betrousse - Absolutely Fabulous, Darling

Well sweeties (I'm channeling Eddie here!) I'm back again with a brand spanking new Betrousse box today.

The latest Betrousse edition is called "Absolutely Fabulous" (I wonder if they've been catching up on some Ab-Fab re-runs?)

Yon-Ka Hydra No. 1 Range - Give Your Skin An Extra Boost This Winter

What do Angelina Jolie, Victoria Beckham, Sienna Miller and 

Beyonce all have in common? They all use Yon-Ka!

Now I've been a fan of Yon-Ka for many years now (thanks to my good ol' Mom for introducing me to the brand back in the day!) but I didn't realise that they had such a celeb following til fairly recently, so it was with great gusto and glee that I started trialing their Hydra No. 1 Serum and Masque No. 1 - anything that's good for Beyonce, Angelina et al is good enough for me!

Friday Fragrance: Elizabeth Arden Untold & GWP

After Makeup, my second passion is most definitely perfume. I spend far too much on the stuff and have too many bottles that I'll probably never end up finishing up, so I really shouldn't have splashed out on yet another fragrance but I couldn't possibly resist when a lovely sales assistant aroused my olfactory senses with a splash of the latest launch by Elizabeth Arden, Untold.

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Range - Review

I used to have pretty fuss-free, long straight hair which was low maintenance and didn't need to be to be straightened or blow dried to keep it straight and shiny  - OK, we may not be talking poker straight, but it was sufficient enough for me anyhow - but then cue a disastrous trip to a hair salon and woe betide my hair.

I went in asking for a dip-dye look with my hair dyed blue black and the ends a hot pink; I left the salon with ginger/orange balyage highlights running the length of my hair. Since then, I've definitely noticed the bleaching to have had a detrimental effect on my hair. Welcome to knotsville (it's no fun I tells ya!) and frizz central. :(

Yon-Ka Hydralia Hydrating Concentrate

With winter in full swing and the icy temperatures outside, no doubt many of you will find that your skin is suffering due to indoor heating, which though keeps us nice and toasty inside, it can also play havoc with your skin, zapping it of all of it's moisture content, acting as an exterior humectant.

Ok, I'll be the first one to say it, I have dry skin. Seriously dry skin. Think sponge. As soon as I slap on some moisturiser or foundation you can almost hear the "squelch" as my skin soaks up all the emollient and moisturising properties out of whatever lotion or potion I'm using so I'm always on the look out for The Next Big Thing when it comes to facial oils and moisturisers, which brings me now to Yon-Ka's Hydrating Concentrate from the Hydralia series.