Review: Pond's Cold Cream

Last month I attended a Pond’s event at the Dorchester Hotel with Ayshe from Discovering Beauty & Grace from AllThatSlap.

At the event we got to see the new Pond’s range and also speak with the few face of the brand, the gorgeous Laura Whitmore. Isn’t she positively stunning?!

Now I’ve never used Pond’s before, I’d always asscociated it with mature skin, as it’s something my mum always used when I was growing up. The brand has recently undergone a complete rebrand though, and with Laura as the new face they’re obviously trying to reach out to a new market.

The soft pink packaging is very feminine and appeals to all ages, although it’s still something I’d picture on my granny’s dressing table! It definitely still has an old-fashioned air about it, but I guess it’s had somewhat of a facelift.

At the event we were given hand massages with the Pond’s Cold Cream* and I instantly fell in love. It’s a multiuse product so it’s right up my street.

Pond’s claim that their cold cream is “the ultimate party girl essential”. It can be used as a makeup remover, cleanser and also a hydrating facemask so it’s definitely worth a space on your shelf.

It contains mineral oil so I think it’d be a little too heavy for my acne-prone skin but I find that it makes the most amazing hand masque. Slather it on thick; apply some cotton gloves and head firmly into the land of nod. In the morning prepare to be amazed.

When I did this, my hands were super soft and felt so nourished. I keep saying it but with winter coming already here we really need to break out those essentials to keep our skin looking gorgeous, and at just £4.07 (RRP) you really can’t go wrong with this.

Pond’s claim that the cold cream is suitable for all skin types but I think that it’s probably best for dry skin if you’re going to use it on your face. But at £4 I’d definitely purchase again just to use a few times a week as a hand masque.

The Pond’s collection, including the Cold Cream, is available nationwide in Boots, Tesco, Superdrug and Lloyds Pharmacy.

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REN Haul & Freebie Offer

Those subbed to WIMH* might remember an email they sent out a while back, with a special offer from REN. Now most ‘special offers’ find their way into the trash folder, but this was a good’un.

Valid on any REN purchase, new customers were entitled to a free Six of the Best set worth £20, 10% discount and four free samples. Bargain right?!

At the time I managed to resist the offer and trashed the email – I’m trying to save! But after reading a post by Jo from Beauty and the Books I just had to get my hands on something.

I’m a big fan of their Glycolactic Mask but at £30 it’s not exactly budget friendly. Instead I opted for their Kit for Blemish Prone Skin. By the time I was ready to check out the kit was out of stock(!), so I got the Kit for Combination Skin instead, which was cheaper than the former at only £12.

The Kit for Combination Skin contains:

Mayblossom T-Zone Cleansing Gel – 25ml

T-Zone Balancing Fluid – 15ml

Invisible Pores Detox Mask – 15ml

I missed out on the offer of four free samples and only got two, but free is free so I can’t really complain! I got myself a sample of the Glycolatic Mask (a favourite of mine anyway!) and an extra Invisible Pores Detox Mask.

The Six of the Best box was added at checkout and contained:

Mayblossom T-Zone Cleansing Gel – 25ml

Jojoba Microbead Purifying Facial Polish – 25ml

Omega 3 Overnight Repair Serum  - 10ml

Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask – 15ml

Frankincense Revitalising Night Cream – 15ml

Active 7 Radiant Eye Gel – 3ml

This lot should cost me £32 but I paid just £10.80 (plus £3 P&P). Not bad, eh?

I’ve checked on the website and the offer is still on so make sure you get over to the REN online shop and pick up your free Six of the Best set and samples!

If you use the code ‘RENHANDBAG’ at the checkout, your Six of the Best set will be automagically added to your basket, along with your 10% discount. No minimum spend required. New customers only.

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*This post contains a referral link.

Review: Etat Pur Micellar Cleansing Water

Etat Pur Micallar Cleansing Water is probably one of the most gentle makeup removers I’ve ever used. I wear a medium to full coverage foundation everyday so finding something that removes my makeup without upsetting my skin is a difficult feat.

Micallar waters are still a very new concept to me – up until a few months ago I had an awful skincare regime and removed my makeup with just a wipe every night. So when I saw that this baby was going to be featured in a Latest in Beauty box I knew I had to buy it.

For those unfamiliar with micallar waters, they’re cleansers made up of micelles. Micelles are tiny clusters of oil molecules suspended in soft water. The amazing thing about them is that they pretty much eat makeup and dirt, instead of smearing it all over your face like conventional makeup removers. They’re also just like water, so don’t be scared off by my mention of the O word – oil.

Now I’ve never used this alone, I double cleanse at night so this is always the second step. But I rely on this cleansing water to remove the last bits of makeup that my foaming cleanser doesn’t. And it does the job perfectly. Waterproof mascara, waterproof tints, stubborn eyeliner – you’re no match!

Bottom line: No breakouts, no residue, no harsh smells, no stinging. It sounds too good to be true right? Wrong. It’s heaven in a bottle. In fact, I actually don’t have anything bad to say about it.

You can buy Etat Pur Micallar Cleansing Water direct from the Etat Pur website, priced at £6.40/200ml.

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Review: Purely Natural Skin Acne Treatment - Acne Cleanser & Mask

Before I start this review I just want to make it clear that I don’t have acne. I used to have it when I was a teenager but now I have oily, blemish-prone skin. I do however have hormonal problems that cause breakouts from time to time that seem almost resistant to any products I put on them.

For the last couple of weeks I’ve been using the Purely Natural Skin Acne Treatment* religiously. The treatment consists of a cleanser and mask, to be used daily and weekly respectively.

The products are exactly what they say on the tin – natural. A gentleman called Dean who suffered with severe acne for several years founded Purely Natural Skin. With a few lifestyle changes and the help of the Acne Cleanser he was able to get rid of his acne problems.

The Cleanser
  

The cleanser arrived in a solid ball and smelled exactly like lemon curd. The ground almonds and essential oils make it very crumbly, like a loose biscuit mixture. I’m also guessing that they’re what give it a relatively short shelf life.

I really love this cleanser. It makes my face feel fresh and clean, which is strange for me as I always need something quite scrubby to really get that fresh feeling after cleansing.

I usually break off a piece of the cleanser, mix it with a few drops of water into a paste and smooth it over my face and neck. The cleanser emulsifies when you add water, and turns into a milky, almondy paste.

My only real issue with this cleanser is that due to the tub and it’s crumbly form it’s not the ideal shower companion. I found myself having to break a piece off before getting into the shower, which can be a little annoying. I also found it difficult to fit into my skincare regime at night, as it’s not the greatest cleanser to use to remove makeup.

The Mask
  

The mask is my favourite mask, ever. When it first arrived and I opened the tub to be greeted by a powder, I did find it a bit strange. And admittedly, the first time I used it I wasn’t really pleased that I pretty much had to make the mask. However, the results are amazing and worth a couple of minutes of DIY.

I use a small plastic Tupperware bowl and the end of a makeup brush to mix the powder with some water to make the mask. The first couple of times it was difficult to work out the best water:powder ratio, but you quickly get the hang of it.

The mixture starts to dry when applied to the face, and as it’s drying it also starts to shrink. The shrinking feeling makes the mask very tight – no eating or drinking while it’s on, it’s like a vice! It also feels like it’s ‘sucking’ your face, for want of a better word haha.

I rub the dried mask off after about 20 minutes, splash my face with water and remove the residue with a damp muslin cloth.

The mask leaves my face feeling fresh and my pores feel very much unclogged. It’s great if you’ve got oily skin, as it feels as though the mask absorbs the oil. It makes my spots a lot less angry and if I use it at night, they significantly reduce in size when I wake up.

The first ingredient is oats (avena sativa) which gives the mask an unfortunate porridge scent, but it’s a small price to pay when you see the results.

Bottom line: The cleanser is great and it’s firmly in my skincare regime. The mask is a definite must-have and I’ll be buying another one when this runs out. For the quality of the product, the price is fantastic. I’m not a huge fan of the packaging (I’m a sucker for something pretty!) but it’s a minor gripe.

The Acne treatment is available from the Purely Natural Skin website, priced at £13.95. 
The treatment now includes a muslin cloth too.

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*This treatment was provided free of charge for review. As always, whether negative or positive, my review is completely honest. 
I have not been compensated for writing this.