Bringing my skin into its Comfort Zone

For the last few weeks I have been using these new face day & night creams and am loving them so just wanted to write a quick (rave) review on these products. The brand is called [Comfort Zone]. I wasn’t that familiar with the brand but apparently it’s growing in popularity in the UK and distributes to over 40 countries in the world. [ Comfort Zone ] is a luxury Italian spa brand, developed in 1993 by a team of spa professionals and dermatologists, headed by Italian pharmacist, David Bollati. The [Comfort Zone] is described as “an exclusive space for oneself, a complete product line of beauty treatments and rituals, cosmetics and elements of design to render every moment of one's life a pleasant interlude of well-being.” Their European philosophy of skin care is based on the knowledge that the skin, in its state of maximum balance, affects the mind, creating a marvellous feeling of harmony. [Comfort Zone] acts involving all the senses, with extraordinary effects, through touch, smell, sight, hearing and taste.

First up the 'Sacred Nature Day Cream' which is a nourishing anti-aging rich face cream.
"A rich, concentrated nourishing cream formulated with exclusive natural and organic active ingredients and enveloped in a texture which is soft and easily absorbed. With powerful anti-aging actions and a daily vital defence, it is also the ideal protection for cold climates, ensuring the well-being of the skin." Contains lovely ingredients like organic buriti oil, butterfly bush extract, shea butter and orange distilled water to provide you with skin protection and anti-aging effect all in one.

There are a range of products available in the Sacred Nature skincare line which is all about formulas made from natural and organic active ingredients (natural, ecocert-certificated fragrances; no chemicals, parabenes, silicon or artificial colourings) plus the use of environmentally friendly packaging components.

I love the packaging and wooden chunky lid of this product, and upon opening you are immediately hit with an amazing orange-flower and vanilla fragrance. I have normal skin so I don't usually like any face creams that are too heavy because it just makes my skin oily and shiny. So I was a little apprehensive about this 'rich' cream but it turned out to have a gorgeous silky texture; it completely melted away after a minute of massaging it into my skin. My face felt hydrated for the hours and there was no hint of oily sheen to be seen! I have been impressed with how moisturising this cream is and think this cream would be great for anyone with dry to normal skin and because of its organic and eco-credentials, this is a lovely product for those looking for a natural approach.

Next is the 'Renight Recover cream:
"A soft rich night cream with antioxidant and protective actions for dehydrated, depleted and stressed skins. Contains Goji berry oil, hyaluronic acid and lycopene." The Goji berry is a precious fruit originating in Tibet and which traditionally has miraculous anti-aging attributes.

The texture of this product is so luxurious and creamy and it smells delicious!! I pretty much look forward to taking off my make up off every night now to treat my skin to some pampering and when I wake up in the morning my skin looks fresh, radiant, restored and feels silky smooth! This product would good for all skin types especially sensitive as it protects the skin from external factors.
These products are definitely bringing my skin into its comfort zone, prepping them for tougher times ahead with winter fast approaching! Had you heard of [Comfort Zone] before?

For more information about [Comfort Zone] products, spa's and treatments available visit their website here.

Lucas Papaw Ointment - a handbag must have?

Open the handbag of any Australian or New Zealand girl and I can guarantee you that in pretty much each bag you will find a big red tube. This Australian product has been popular down-under for ages and over the years the hype has slowly spread worldwide. Have you heard of this 'magic' red tube before? Let me tell you about Lucas Papaw Ointment!

Lucas Papaw Ointment is a healing balm made in Australia from a formula created by Dr. TP Lucas over 80 years ago.

"T.P.Lucas, after years of research as a botanist with professional experience, stated in his 1906 handbook that he believed that the papaw was the finest natural medicine yet discovered. He believed that the properties of the papaw tree (Carica Papaya) made it one of the most outstanding trees in the world. Of the thousands of specimens which passed through his hands, that which commanded his closest attention and to which he devoted special study was the papaw Tree. T.P. Lucas documented many cures with remedies made from the papaw tree."
Lucas' Papaw ointment is great to use as a lip balm, but also helps with cuts, insect bites, burns, open wounds, dry and cracked skin and many other small skin irritations.

List of ingredients: Fermented Fresh PawPaw Fruit, Rhus Succedanea Wax, Glycerine, Petrolatum, Canola Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Beeswax, Corn Starch, Potassium Sorbate (0.1 mg/g)

I love this product: it's super moisturising on all dry areas of skin and is amazing on chapped lips. The texture is really nice (a little greasy, like vasaline) and it has a very neutral smell. I feel it's a great 'must have' for a girls handbag because 1) it's a fab lipbalm and 2) it has so many other brilliant healing power uses! Plus a little goes a long way, which means the tube will last you a long time making it pretty good value for money at approximately AUS$5/£5 per tube.

Lucas' Papaw Ointment is widely available at most pharmacies in Australia and New Zealand and available online in other countries. I know Cult Beauty stocks it and they ship worldwide.
Have you tried this product before? xoxo

Living, breathing, being: Pure & Natural...

NIVEA recently launched a brand new skin-care collection combining advanced skin-care expertise with effective natural ingredients to work in perfect harmony with the skin! I was so lucky to get to trail this new NIVEA Pure & Natural Face, Body and Handcare line over the last few weeks to see what my thoughts were :)

The Pure & Natural range basically means that 95% of the ingredients are of natural origin and are enriched with Bio Argan Oil & Bio Aloe Vera plus containing:

♥ No Parabens

♥ No Solicones

♥ No Colourants

♥ No Mineral Oils

The magic for this new range all lies in the lead ingredient of 100% organic Argan Oil. A natural source of Vitamin E, Argan Oil contains three times as much Vitamin E as Olive Oil and is a natural antioxidant. Rich in essential, precious fatty acids it provides effective and natural protection against free radicals whilst proven to create a skin smoothing effect.

So without any further ado: Introducing the new NIVEA Natural & Pure Range:

Face Care

♥ NIVEA Pure & Natural Facial Moisturising Day Cream for normal to combination skin

"With optimum doses of moisturising Argan Oil and oh so soothing Chamomile it naturally soothes and softens skin whilst hydrating and nourishing with 24 hour care. Chamomile is known for its protective and anti-inflammatory properties which restores sensitive skin’s natural balance while guarding against irritation."

My views: This cream is available for normal to combination skin & also for dry to sensitive skin. I got the dry & sensitive skin one and found it very soft and refreshing on my face. Not too greasy and felt light but still moisterising. Priced at £5.10 per 50ml.

♥ NIVEA Pure & Natural Facial Cleanser and Facial Toner 

"Used together these fabulous skin cleaners gently wipe away dirt and grime, whilst exotic Moroccan Argan Oil and Aloe Vera replenish and restore skin’s vitality, supporting cell regeneration and helping to protect against free radicals." 

My views: This toner is absolutely my favourite of the range. It really cleanses the skin and leaves it feeling so refreshed without being harsh on your skin. So fresh - I loved it! The lotion is lovely but I have to admit that 'milky' cleansers just aren't really my kind of thing. These are both priced at £3.36. I would definitely re-purchase this toner!

BodyCare

♥ NIVEA Pure & Natural Body Lotion for normal to dry skin 

"Enriched with our key ingredient Argan Oil, a natural source of Vitamin E, it has outstanding antioxidant properties and offers long lasting effective protection with plenty of moisture, leaving bodies everywhere silky smooth to the touch."

My views: Another favourite from this range! With the recent harsh winter weather my skin, especially my legs, has been pretty dry and flaky :( After using this lotion for a few days straight on my legs I noticed a real difference; reduced flakeyness and softer fresh skin! I like how it absorbes into the skin quite quickly as some moisterisers can make your skin quite sticky for a while after applying. The smell is also nice and fresh and not too overpowering which can really put me off some moisturizers. Priced at £3.57.

HandCare

♥ NIVEA Pure & Natural hand Cream
"The creamy formula sinks in immediately yet work intensively to restore the skin’s natural moisturising balance, protecting and nourishing dry hands all day long." 
My views: No major comments needed, just a fab little hand cream for a fab little price of £3.05. Like it promises it leaves your hands smooth but not sticky, it just soaks into the skin!

LipCare

♥ NIVEA Pure & Natural Lip Balm 

"This Lip Balm is overflowing with natural ingredients to intensively care for lips leaving them soft and nourished. Leading with Milk, a cooling and anti-inflammatory agent, and Honey, a hydrating ingredient that increases lips’ essential moisture, the powerful combination binds water to the skin moisturising lips to the max! Plus Shea Butter containing several natural moisturisers that are similar to the moisturisers produced by the skin’s sebaceous glands works with Jojoba Oil which is easily absorbed and protects lips, nature’s finest ingredients leaves lips with a soft supple pout."
My views: Great soft lip balm, a perfect hand bag winter staple to have. The milk & honey touch is lovely but not too overpowering. However, I have always been been a fan of Nivea Lip Balms so wasn't suprised that this one lived up to it's promises :) A bargain at £1.99

The Nivea Pure & Natural line will be available nation wide from the 20th February. 

For more information on this range or stockist details please visit www.nivea.co.uk

*the small print: this is a sponsored post via HandPickedMedia.

Reveal a radiant complexion & not last night’s secrets..

During the holiday party seasons there's one multi-tasking beauty essential that every girl needs: a good make up remover & cleansing cream! I recently received the Pond's Cold Cream Cleanser in my letter box and thought the holiday season would be a perfect time to try it out. 

What they say: "Removing all traces of makeup, even the most stubborn lashings of mascara, Cold Cream Cleanser also deeply cleanses skin to reveal a radiant complexion, and can be used as a nourishing face mask to add some extra moisture to tired, dehydrated skin."

Pond's Cold Cream has been around for centuries & I know many people that swear by it, but I'd never tried it before. I have got to say, I can see why it's so popular. I liked using this product over the holiday season and with the cold harsh winter weather my skin could use the extra moisturising!

♥ How to use this product?
Simply apply product by massaging it onto your skin and then wipe it off using a cotton pad or warm face cloth.

♥ Pro's

Cleanses without drying out your skin. Really liked how soft and hydrated my skin felt afterwards!

Does great job of removing all make-up, even waterproof mascara.

Non greasy & suitable for all skin types

Good price (only £3.99 for 50ml, which will last you ages!)

♥ Con's

Packaging - think it would be better if it wasn't supplied in a pot but maybe a pump option for hygiene reasons.

Normally I use simple makeup wipes to remove my make-up & do find that they are a bit faster and easier to use. But then again, they don't leave your skin feeling as soft and moisturised afterwards...

Oh plus if it's good enough for Kylie Minogue!! (read here)  Then it's definitely good enough for me ;)

Pond’s is available at most drugstores or online at http://www.boots.com/ 

*The small print: PR sample