Reviews: Boots Vitamin E Skin Care Range

You'll all know by now that I love a bargain - and, generally speaking, Boots own brand ranges are the perfect balance of high quality/low cost. The Vitamin E range has become a regular in my skin care routine - currently I'm using the night cream, eye cream and toner. I've also been using the facial oil, but as far as I can tell this has now been discontinued.

Vitamin E, when used in skin care, is known for it's antioxidant and anti-ageing benefits, for aiding in sun protection and for it's hydrating properties - making it ideal for dry and mature skin types. This range, however, is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin (although, not having sensitive skin myself, I'm having to take their word for it!).

The toner is very gentle and is marketed as a hydrating product - a big change if you're used to high alcohol astringents, like me. However, I didn't really feel like this product did much for me. Even worse, I've been getting a lot of breakouts lately, and this toner could be the cause (I've got it narrowed down to either the toner or the oil - I stopped using the oil a couple of weeks ago but I've not seen much improvement).

Another thing to mention is that the products in this range have a somewhat light, almost floral fragrance. A lot of people have said they love it, but I'm personally not a fan and, for some reason, I really hate it in the toner. So if you dislike scented products, you might want to skip this range.

Boots Vitamin E Toner is available for £2.54.

The eye cream is by far my favourite of this line. It has a light but nourishing, non-greasy formula with SPF 15 - making it perfect for day wear. This claims to help with fine lines, dark circles and puffiness, it even claims to visibly reduce them within 4 weeks. Personally, I can't say that I've seen any long-term results and I don't think it does much for puffy eyes. This does seem to have some light-reflecting elements though, and maybe even a slight pinkish tint, which instantly conceals shadows under eyes - and makes it an instant favourite for me. Be careful when applying this - it's all too easy to squeeze out a dab too much.

Boots Vitamin E SPF15 Eye Cream is available for £2.54.

The night cream is just lovely - it's actually the first night cream I've ever used, being utterly paranoid a night cream would be too heavy for my oily/combination skin. So wrong! This cream is heavy enough to work as a great evening moisturiser, but light enough that it doesn't feel heavy or greasy on your skin. I find this leaves me with brighter, more radiant skin - immediately after application and when I wake up in the morning. Absolutely fantastic for dull, dehydrated skin.

Boots Vitamin E Night Cream is available for £3.05.





This is by no means the full list of products - also available in the range are face wash, day moisturisers, face wipes, hand cream, cleansers and body butter. Of course, all are available from Boots!

Review: Garnier Caffeine 2-in-1 Tinted Eye Roll On

Continuing the theme of products I can't believe I haven't reviewed yet - Garnier's famous anti-dark circles tinted eye roller. This has been a staple in my make up bag for months and has lasted so long I don't know what I'll do when it finally runs out!

My absolute favourite thing about this product is the metal roller ball applicator - it cools and refreshes the under eye area, an absolute lifesaver for tired eyes. However, I'm placing this firmly in the 'make up' rather than 'skin care' category. This is often marketed as a skin care product and I strongly disagree - this is essentially a liquid concealer, with some nice ingredients. This is not going to do anything for your dark circles in the long term.

I bought this in the 'Fair' shade. Boots' website tells me there are now four colours available, including an Extra Fair, but Fair was the lightest I could find at the time and unfortunately is not quite light enough for my skin, having a bit of an orange tint. It provides medium to full coverage and illuminates the eyes beautifully. Downside - I have noticed this occasionally sinking into the fine lines around my eyes, which I definitely do not want highlighted! This isn't glaring obvious for a few tiny lines, but I dread to think of the effect on deeper wrinkles or crow's feet.

Garnier Caffeine Anti-Dark Circles 2-in-1 Eye Roll On is available from Boots for £10.20.

Review: Soap & Glory Hand Food

A good hand cream is an absolute essential for me - I have extremely dry, flaking (hard working!) hands. I wash and sanitise my hands regularly and work with some very harsh chemicals which - as some of you will know all too well - leaves skin dry and damaged. I've tried too many hand creams to keep count of and you can always find a tube of something in my handbag - for the last few months it's been Soap & Glory's Hand Food.

First off, like many Soap & Glory products, this is scented with their Original Pink fragrance which smells just lovely, the first few times I used it I couldn't stop sniffing my hands afterwards - which earned me a few odd looks! This also markets itself as non-greasy - I've found this to be true but only if you use exactly the right amount. Too little and your hands are still dry, just a pinch too much and they're noticeably greasy.

But does this actually provide enough moisture for dry hands? If you've got normal to mildly dry skin, I think this will work for you. For extremely dry skin, like mine, try something else. I really wanted to love this cream, and it did provide decent hydration when first applied, but it faded fast. About an hour after application my hands were dry and tight again. Despite using this several times a day, every day, for several months, my hands are in no better condition. Overall, very disappointing!

I've spoken to a lot of people who have used this and loved it, so if you're still curious and in need of a good hand moisturiser, give it a go - at just a fiver, it's cheap enough to be guilt-free (and it does smell delish).

Soap & Glory Hand Food is available from Boots for £5.00.

Review: Naked Bounce Curl Defining Shampoo

I have very dry, naturally curly hair - I bought this shampoo to counteract all the heavy, moisturising conditioners that had been weighing my hair down and leaving me with some odd looking waves. Plus, I was intrigued by the brand - Naked pride themselves on being natural and ethical. Their products are completely paraben free, SLS free and petrochemical free, are never tested on animals, their bottles are made from 50 - 100% recycled plastic and most products are vegan friendly.

The first thing that hit me when using this shampoo was the divine scent - a very clean smell, it reminded me of fresh summer air and the beach. I would repurchase for the scent alone! As you may expect with a 'natural' shampoo, it took a lot of work to lather. For a good clean I make sure my hair is dripping wet and use a little more product than I usually would.

The end result was wonderfully defined curls with a bit of bounce - so this definitely does what it says on the tin (or bottle). I'm not sure if this was really hydrating enough for my dry hair, so I would probably recommend this more for normal hair. However, if you have dry, curly hair and want a natural shampoo, this isn't overly drying, so give it a whirl and see what it does for you.

Naked Bounce Curl Defining Shampoo is available from Boots for £4.07.

Review: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

You've probably all seen the advert for this foundation (with Rimmel model Kate Moss looking utterly flawless and making me want to buy the whole Rimmel cosmetics range!) - it makes some pretty amazing claims, so of course I had to try it out for myself!

The claims: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation promises "beauty sleep in a bottle" - giving you wide awake, illuminated, flawless skin. It also claims to minimise signs of premature aging and to last up to 10 hours. Big promises! So here's my before and after photos:

 

Before

After

I have to say, I was really impressed by this foundation! It gives great coverage (I had a few angry, red spots around my chin/jaw area and this covered them perfectly) and my skin looked warmer and brighter, and my skin tone more even. I'm always weary of foundation that promises a 'radiant glow' - this almost always translates to 'oil slick' - but that wasn't the case with this. Yes, there's some shine, but it really does look like a glow rather than grease. However - this has glitter/shimmer in it. Why?! I don't know anyone who actually wears glitter all over their face. This is a major annoyance for me, but at least when applied to the face it's very subtle and almost unnoticable.

This lasted okay for me, though not quite the quoted 10 hours - it started to wearing off after 5-6 hours. I also noticed around this time that it had sunk into a few dry patches, leaving that dreaded orange tinted flaking - not so perfect.

Wake Me Up Foundation is available in 6 shades (in the photos I'm wearing Soft Beige - surprisingly flattering on my paler than pale skin) online and in-store from Boots - currently on sale at £5.99, but RRP is £8.99. Let me know if you try it!

Beauty Trends To Wear This Valentine's Day

If you're searching for the perfect look for that big date this Valentine's Day, this is for you: my rundown of the hottest, freshest looks for 2012, straight from the runway. Feminine, flirty looks have been a big hit this season and what better day to try it out than Valentine's Day?

Dewy skin

 Alberta Ferreti

Glowing, dewy and even wet look skin has been a big hit on the runway - so moisturise well and skip the powder. Achieve this look using pearly highlighters and a tinted moisturiser - try Benefit's High Beam  for sculpted supermodel skin.

Tip: No tinted moisturiser? No problem. Mix your usual moisturiser and foundation together in your palm for a customised skin glow.

Red statement lips

Jason Wu

From dark, sultry reds to daring orange hues - whatever the shade, bold, red lips are back. There was a huge range of styles on the catwalks, but statement matte lips were among the most impressive.

Tip: Lip tints and stains are great for this look as they allow you to build up colour, blot and blend to a long lasting matte finish.

Nude nails

 Versace

This season we're taking a break from loud, intricate nail art and going back to basics - nude polish tones supply your nails with a touch of sophisticated glamour. This style looks gorgeous with shorter, natural, rounded nails.

 Tip: For those of you with very pale skin and/or poor circulation, choose a polish with peachy tones for a healthier, brightening look.

The kitten flick

  Valentino

Make up artists have been pretty liberal with the eyeliner in recent months - the kitten flick is a more subtle look than the traditional cat eye, with a thin line starting from the center of the eye.

Tip: For a clean, smudge-free line, ditch the kohl and use liquid or gel eyeliner.

Babydoll lashes

Betsey Johnson

Full, fluttering lashes are perfect for Valentine's Day and are right on trend - get the look with a rich black volumising mascara (NYX Doll Eye Mascara works great for this style) or fake it with strip lashes.

Tip: For super customised beautiful lashes, try individual extensions - many salons offer these for a professional application, or, if you've got a steady hand, do it yourself with Eylure.

What trends will you be wearing this Valentine's Day?

Review: Sanctuary Spa 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask

We all need a bit of pampering every now and then, and if you can't make it to the world famous Sanctuary Spa in Covent Garden, I highly recommend their range of indulgent products, available from Boots stores nationwide. My current favourite is the 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask - a great winter warmer for oily/combination skin.

The key ingredient in this mask is kaolin clay - if you have oily skin this is great for you, it absorbs excess oil and is fantastic for battling spots. I used to struggle a lot with breakouts and although my skin is in much better condition these days, I still get zits popping up here and there. When I see a bad breakout coming on, I treat myself to an at-home mini facial using this mask and it keeps them at bay. My skin sometimes feels a little dry or tight after using it - although it's nowhere near as drying as some products on the market - but using a good moisturiser afterwards sorts that out easily.

Of course, my favourite part of this mask is the thermal action - it gently heats up as you apply it, which is just a wonderful skin treat for chilly winter nights! The heat, unfortunately, doesn't last very long, but it's still has a lovely, luxurious feel.

Sanctuary Spa's 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask is available from Boots for £10.20.