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As autumn comes into play, it’s usually a time where my skin gets more breakouts and I turn so pale I may as well be transparent! A change in climate and factors such as excess central heating, can all lead to sallow, tired and dehydrated skin. I’m always lucky enough to be exposed to some rather amazing products, and this week hasn’t been an exception to that. I love nothing more than a pamper session to give myself a bit of a boost, and these products I discovered, do just that.
Per-fe´kt – Eye Perfection Gel
Leading a hectic life and seeing sleep as a luxury is often what causes me to develop puffiness under my eyes. I have tried a vast amount of lotions and potions, even colour correcting concealers, and nothing has ever come as close as this product has.
Firstly, the formulation is very well considered: it contains alpha lipoic acid, vitamins A and E, and cucumber extract. All are ingredients that aid in soothing this extremely sensitive area of skin, reducing fine lines and enriching the skin to give a much-needed boost of hydration.
The product itself is clear in colour and feels more like a primer than a moisture-based product.
Having said that it glides on well, gives great coverage with even a small amount, and is silky smooth to the touch. An added bonus I found was that it had a matte effect under my eyes, thus detracting any attention away from the darkness. It also helped my concealer hold with a lot more staying power throughout the day.
I would say that this could be used in place of a primer for this area of the face as the benefits are considerably greater than an oil-based primer. Apply to the skin after cleansing and toning by squeezing a small amount onto the tip of the cleverly designed tube. Then just glide across the under eye and use your ring finger, to gently pat into the skin.
Per-fe´kt – Skin Perfection Gel
Another gel-based formula, this translucent skin perfector aims to prime, control shine, minimize pores and reduce redness to name but a few of the benefits. A generous 30ml tube can easily go a long way if applied correctly. I tend to coat my fingertips and gently pat over the skin, which is also the recommended way on the Per-fe´kt technique tips.
This is not a moisturiser; therefore, you will still need to moisturise before applying the skin perfection gel. It’s important not to rub the product into the skin as this can lead to displacement of product and clogging of pores.
The lack of scent is ideal for those prone to sensitive skin, as highly perfumed products can aggravate the face and create blotchiness. It’s not every day I wear make-up, as I like my skin to breathe, so I used this as a replacement.
With the list of benefits, I confidently applied the Skin Perfection Gel, in the hope I would experience all the benefits at once. My skin felt smoother and plumper, and the gel decreased the often red areas of skin around my nose – areas that are due to combination skin.
To say it’s only, a gel I felt really comfortable with how my skin looked, and you could very easily pat over a mineralise powder if you wanted the safety blanket of some make-up coverage. Just be sure to swipe on and not buff it in, or you could lose the gel product.
Luxsit Organic Care – Balance facial peeling
Now this product was a treat – from the rich, creamy ingredients to the delicate floral scent. Luxsit has a penchant for everyday luxury, which they believe we can enjoy with a clear conscience. The basis for this is largely down to their careful work to use plant extracts – taken from Nordic flora – to create most of their products. This is totally natural and contains almond and jojoba working together in harmony, giving a truly exquisite face scrub/peel.
All of the Luxsit ingredients are bio-degradable and help to ease our conscience by not harming the environment. A good measure of the authenticity is down to the shelf life of the product. This one in particular has a 6-month expiry from opening, which cements my confidence in their natural ingredients. Some commercially bought fad products have a 12-month or longer shelf life, which just shows you that they are more likely to be full of chemicals to keep the longevity.
The formula is light, creamy and pinkish in colour, and should be applied to clean skin. To allow it to achieve the desired results, leave it on the skin for a few minutes (an ideal time to throw some cucumber slices onto those eyes) and then massage off in circular motions using lukewarm water. Gently pat the skin dry and proceed to use a nice airy moisturiser, such as my next featured item.
Luxsit Organic Care – Revitalize Facial Cream
Blackberry leaf extract and blackcurrant oil infused this lighter-than-water face cream. I was pleasantly surprised by just how light the cream is and how quickly it absorbed into my clearly parched skin.
The smell is so hypnotic I also decided to use this as a daily hand cream, purely so I could enjoy the smell all day.
Now I don’t like to admit this, but reaching the tender age of 28 I do have the odd fine line which needs dealing with. I usually measure how good a product is by how well it plumps out my skin, and this did just the thing. My skin felt fresh and invigorated, and surprisingly gave me a dewy glow. All imperative when you want to achieve a natural and youthful glow.
As with the face peel above, this also has a 6-month expiry once opened, which once again shows the authenticity of its natural ingredients.
I would say that this is the perfect moisturiser to use for all ages, but more so for skin in the very early stages of maturing, such as late 20s to early 30s, where you don’t necessarily want a thick, hydrating cream. This does an excellent job of aiding the skin as a base before makeup application and works to maintain the skin’s natural elasticity.
Madame LA LA Tan- Self Tan Mousse
Now this was one product I couldn’t wait to try, purely because I often walk around looking like an extra from Twilight with my near to transparent skin tone. Even we pales need a bit of colour now and again, which is where Madame LA LA Tan comes into the equation.
My two bugbears, when it comes to self-tan, are the dreaded smell and the feeling of clogged pores while it develops. This tan is a welcome break from such displeasures, with its super whipped mousse that provides a light coverage. There isn’t an overbearing smell to this product, and I love that the formula is coloured, which allows you to see where you are getting coverage.
If applied correctly, and if care is paid to the upkeep, then this tan can last for up to 10 days. The innovative colour-customising technology means the product looks natural by working with your skin tone. Finally, a product that won’t make me look like I’ve nose-dived into a bag of Cheetos!
I ensured that I exfoliated well before application and moisturised areas prone to dry skin – and, most importantly, my cuticles – to allow the product to stay light and not create patchy results. Within 3 hours I had developed a sunkissed glow, and an added bonus was how fast it actually dried – taking all of 3 minute in my case. When time is of the essence, I can’t really afford to be stood flapping my arms around like I’m about to take off, so this express absorption time was a massive help.
The tan comes in two colours and the one I used (Light) is engineered for lighter skin tones to gain a light to medium tan, which is in keeping with how my skin would naturally tan.
The full developing time is 10 hours, so I would suggest applying before bed and washing off in the morning. This also gives the product time to enrich your skin with its many active ingredients such as aloe, green tea, coco water and vitamin E to name but a few.
Since using this tan, I have discovered that the ultimate accessory to any outfit is a beautiful sunkissed tan. I am thrilled beyond words at how amazing this tan is, and it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest at the devoted following it has.
All of the products featured culminated in a very decadent weekend, spent pampering and preening, not something I often get to lavish much time on. I highly recommend each and every item and further details can be found by visiting the following perfektbeauty.com, luxsit.se and madamelala.com.
