Review: Neutrogena Pure Glow Home Microdermabrasion System - Home Kit

 

As some of you will know from my Project: Face Sudocrem Facemask post, I used to be blessed with amazing skin. However, life and acne and my previous ignorance to having a good skincare routine got in the way and ruined it. Waah. Due to this, I’m always on the lookout for things that will help get rid of scars and blemishes and prevent them from appearing in the future. 

I’m a complete Groupon NUT and although there are always deals for microdermabrasion procedures, I was a little dubious as I was under the misconception it would hurt. Queue Neutrogena Pure Glow Home Microdermabrasion System – mouthful and a half!

 

What Neutrogena say: Reveal your skin's healthy, radiant glow with the Neutrogena PureGlow MicroDermabrasion System. Cosmetic professional level microdermabrasion effects from the comfort of your own home with clinically proven skin benefits in just four weeks. The system has three components, which work in unison to create dramatic effects on the skin's texture and glow. From day one, it enhances surface cell turnover for smoother, softer skin. From the end of the first week, it boosts skin clarity for visibly brighter skin that glows with health. From the fourth week, it diminishes the appearance of pores and fine lines. 

What I say: When I first used the system I may have gone a bit mad with it and applied it with a lot more pressure that I should have. Whilst the formula is very gritty (it has the same texture of blended caster sugar and butter when you make a cake!), it almost feels exactly the same as exfoliating. However, the results make exfoliating look like child’s play. After the first time my skin instantly looked brighter and felt so smooth.

After using it 3-4times a week for a few weeks, my blemishes and scars have reduced quite dramatically and my skin is definitely looking a lot more radiant. Now I’m not going to put it all down to the Pure Glow system, I’m sure it’s a combination of my improved skincare regime and using this system regularly. 

My only issues with it are that after I use it I find that it does take a fair amount of rinsing to get the crystals off completely, which is doubly annoying since there’s a slight residue left behind that the crystals somewhat cling to! And also the fact that some of the crystal cream works its way to the edge of the foam head whilst you’re using it, so you have to make sure you wipe the edge every 30 seconds or so. The results of the system really outweigh these minor downsides though, so I’ll take the good with the bad!

 You can currently buy this in Boots for £25.52, however I managed to get mine on eBay – a steal at £12 with free P&P.

Collective Haul ...

Warning: Picture heavy post!

Went into Boots last week and they seem to have everything on offer – 3 for 2! – So thought it’d be a crime not to pick some stuff up.

I did get a lot more than what’s here but everything else for a beauty box for the boy, since he’s jealous of all of mine! Haha

Tresemme Split End Sealing Serum

Fade Out Original Moisturising Cream

Fade Out Nourishing Night Cream

Fade Out Anti Shadow Brightening Eye Cream

St Ives Apricot Scrub

White Glo Toothpaste (x3)

Tresemme Split End Sealing Serum

I chemically straighten my hair every six weeks, which ends up leaving it dry and brittle and murdering my ends. I’ve been looking for something like this to help me tame them.

Fade Out Original Moisturising Cream | Fade Out Nourishing Night Cream | Face Out Anti Shadow Brightening Eye Cream

I actually read about these creams on Lea’s blog here. The reviews generally seem pretty decent too. My Clarins Day & Night creams are running low and I can’t afford to spend £80 on two moisturisers so decided to grab these for Project: Face. 

They stink and tingle when you apply them (sting, if you’ve applied too much), but I’ll do a full review once I’ve given them a few weeks. These were on offer as well, so I saved myself £10!

St Ives Apricot Scrub

I was lucky enough to get sent a sample of this about a month ago and have been addicted ever since. Scrubs never seem to be ‘scrubby’ enough for me but this one really exfoliates.

White Glo Toothpaste

Since getting this in the last Carmine box (RIP!) I’ve been truly addicted. I went out and bought it as soon as my sample ran out, but found that once that had run out and I switched back to a normal toothpaste for a few days, the ‘wow’ factor had gone and my teeth were really dull again. I got the tea and coffee drinkers formula to try out too, hopefully this will prolong the whiteness if I run out again.

It’s not the cheapest toothpaste at £4 a tube, but with a toothbrush and floss sticks in every pack and visibly whiter teeth, you can’t go wrong! And 3 for 2? I’m sold.

I’ve read a few posts about the Lush Lip Scrubs recently, and as the boy was going shopping I asked (read: begged) him to pick one up for me.

I asked for the bubblegum flavour, as I’m a bit funny with mint sometimes. Smells and tastes amazing, although the aftertaste is a little weird but I think that’s because of the oils.

I’ll spare you the full review, since everyone has been there, done it, and got the tee!

As I mentioned before, I chemically straighten my hair every six weeks and last week I was waaay overdue. I rushed out to get one, admittedly wearing a hat to hide my Medusa mane and some very scruffy clothes, and stumbled across a Sleek counter in the hair shop …

I don’t own any Sleek items, but a lot of the ladies over on BBS rave about the Sleek Rose Gold blush so when I saw the counter I had to have a look!

I only bought two things – watching the pennies! :( The Rose Gold looked a little too ‘rich’ for me.

First up is a blush in Pomegranate. It’s a lovely, deep pink and compliments my skin tone well. But it’s very pigmented so I have to be careful with how I apply it otherwise I look like a clown.

The second thing I bought was the sleek brow pencil in brown. Black pencils make my brows look too heavy, so this brown one fills them in nicely and keeps them natural looking.

So that’s it. Time to tighten the purse strings for a while!

Have you tried any of these products before?

Beauty Secret: Sudocrem Face Mask

Project: Face.

Okay, I know it sounds weird. Before last week I’d never had even thought about putting Sudocrem on my face, but …

From time to time for no specific reason my face breaks out, and I’m one of those awful people who has to pick my spots. Annoyed by a few craters growing on my face I looked around the house for something to put on them and came across the Sudocrem.

I’d always thought of Sudocrem as a remedy for sores, rashes and minor irritations, but it can actually be used on acne too. I don’t have acne anymore but I figured it’d still be good for my spots.

After my shower I cleansed and toned and then applied the Sudocrem.

Eugh, please excuse my fluffy, blow-dried hair!

It’s important not to use too much as a little goes a very long way, and massage it in as much as you can.

The Boy laughed at me because I looked like Casper ...

... but I had the last laugh as when I woke up the Sudocreme had completely absorbed, my face was really smooth and all of my spots had dried out.

I exfoliated to get rid of any residue and my craters had turned into small pimples. Win!

I wouldn’t recommend doing this more than once or twice a week, otherwise your skin will get too used to it. But it’s perfect for all skin types though, and a big tub for £3? Perfection.

Anyone willing to give this a go? :)

Beauty Review: Renu Radiant Skin Peel by Monu Skincare

Project: FACE

This rather attractive picture of me was taken about 4 or 5 years ago and the only makeup I was wearing was lip balm. I had a very basic skincare routine – I didn’t do anything special, I just didn’t use soap on my face – yet my skin looked amazing.

Fast forward to now and my skin is a mess. I’ll admit that this isn’t the worst it has been, but it’s not the best either. Acne scars, blemishes, dark circles and the occasional group of whiteheads have sent my skin into a scary demise so I’m trying my hardest to find products and procedures (non-invasive) that’ll help restore my former skin glory.

SO …

A couple of weeks ago I was intrigued by Latest in Beauty’s Little Beauty Box. For those that don’t know what it is, it’s a mini beauty box where you can pick three different samples every month for just £1.50 P&P.

Upset by the demise of my favourite beauty box, Carmine (RIP, you’ll never be forgotten!) I decided to try some samples.

In my Little Beauty Box was:

Floris Sirena EDP – 2ml vial

Lavera My Age Concentrated Lifting Serum – 4 x 0.5ml sachets

Renu Radiant Skin Peel – 5ml tube

Perfume = Amazing! But the full size is £99 for 100ml, so the sample is the closest I’ll be getting to that! Haha

I’ll probably give the Lavera to my mum, as I’m not that into using anti-ageing products.

But I have used the Renu Radiant Skin Peel, so here’s my review …

What they say:

Powerful fruit enzymes reveal instantly radiant skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and pores. Papaya Enzymes gently polish away dulling dead skin.

Skin feels rejuvenated and renewed, this product also enables deeper penetration of the ingredients from other products as dead skin cells are removed from the skin's surface.

What I say:

I was really excited to try this product. I love products that are slightly abrasive and strip your dead skin. I heard that this product felt slightly tingly, due to the fruit enzymes breaking down the dead layer.

It smells lovely, quite citrusy and it has a very creamy texture. It felt more like a thick moisturiser than a peel.

After 10 minutes. Lost it's opacity a bit. Didn't have full coverage to start with, but it wasn't so patchy.

The directions are to massage into clean skin and leave for 5-10minutes, then remove with lukewarm water and cotton wool. My skin is far from sensitive so I left it on for about 15minutes before removing it.

When I first removed it there was a bit of an anti-climax. Yeah so my skin was a bit smoother, but nothing to write home about. I skipped my toner, moisturised and went to bed.

But when I woke up my skin looked a bit different. Alas, my old face wasn’t looking back at me but there was no dry, dead skin. I have this pesky, dry patch on my chin that’s always giving me trouble and for the first time in ages it was gone.

Now I’m not hailing this product as a miracle product and I’m sure there are more out there that would yield better results, but this honestly did impress me. Not sure what it'd do for the 'mature skin' it's marketed at, but hey ...

At £32.50 for 100ml it’s not the cheapest product, but I’m sure it’d last quite a while as you’re only supposed to use once or twice a week and my 5ml sample was more than enough for one application.

However, Brand Alley is currently selling this product for £14 (less than half price!) so grab it while you can!

Have you tried any facial peels?