*Milk; Ren Guerande Salt Exfoliating Body Balm (review)

Product description: A gently exfoliating body balm which removes dead cells and will leave your skin moisturised, renewed and glowing.

How to use: Massage onto dry skin before bathing or showering. Rinse off.

Summer has fiiiinaly arrived here in Holland so in order to make my pasty white skin ready for the sun I bought this Ren 'Guerande Salt Exfoliating Body Balm'.


The product

I never had much luck with the previous body scrubs that I tried. Both of them were oil based salt or sugar srubs and always left me feeling extremely oily and sticky whereas this one rinses completely clean in the shower. No slippery bathroom floor and no sticky legs! The balm gives the salt granules a bit of slip whilst making the skin soft and supple.

As you can see the balm is really thick but not too greasy. I also enjoy the subtle peppermint scent. I don't like heavily scented body products because you apply it on such a large area so it can easily be a bit too overwhelming.

Unlike most salt scrubs, the Ren 'Guerande Salt Exfoliating Body Balm' has very fine granules. The granules in oil based scrubs usually melt because of the oil, but these don't so you can really get a good exfoliation.


The verdict

The reason why I really adore this scrub is because it has helped to smooth out the bumps on my upper arms and legs without leaving my skin feeling dry or irritated. Although I don't use any self-tanner I can imagine that this would be great to use beforehand because it effectively gets rid of any dead skin and creates a great base for the self-tanner to adhere to.

Rating: 5/5





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*Milk; Current favorites & mini reviews

It has been a looong time since I lasted posted a favorites post. I have been sticking to the same products for a while now and rarely experiment with skincare anymore since I have found a routine that really works well for my high maintenance skin. I will do an updated skincare and haircare routine soon, but for now I will show you a few products that I have been enjoying as of late.

Phyto has become my favorite haircare brand as none of their products contain any silicone and they are free of many harmful ingredients. The newest addition to my haircare routine is the 'Subtil Elixir' which is a pre-shampoo oil treatment. The oil smells so good and spreads easily through the hair. After leaving it on for 10 to 20 minutes you can then shampoo, condition and style your hair as usual. The oils really nourishes my hair leaving it very smooth and glossy (but not at all greasy!).

Something that I have repurchased multiple times already is 'Phyto 7', a leave-in conditioner with 7 plant extracts. My mom and I both share this product. She rarely has an opinion about beauty products and everything feels about 'the same' for her, but she says this is great for smoothing her frizzy, unruly hair.


The only makeup product in the bunch is this RMK 'Pressed Powder N' in shade '01'. The compact contains 3 semi-matte shades and one shimmery shade. Together, it gives a very natural pearly finish. The powder is extremely fine and smooth and doesn't look cakey at all. It is a great powder for normal to dry skin, but if you are looking for something to mattify or control oil then this is not the product for you.


Night serums have become quite popular recently. Take for example the Estee Lauder 'Advanced Night Repair' and the Kiehl's 'Midnight Recovery Concentrate'. I have tried a sample of the latter, but wasn't too impressed. The Ren 'Omega 3 Night Repair Serum' however works wonders for my skin! I first tried it in a sample kit and ended up purchasing a full-sized bottle! It plumps up my skin without clogging my pores and leaved my skin looking fresh and radiant the next morning!


I have the most horrendous looking cuticles! They always peel and crack which is so painful. I really wanted to get a cuticle cream instead of an oil because I wanted to use it on the go because I always forget to apply something on my cuticles when I am at home. The only time I remember to do so is when I am on my way to work and have nothing to do so I start to examine my horrible looking finger nails and cuticles. This 'Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream' by Burt's Bees smells great and is very easy to apply. It isn't the most nourishing product out there, but it does the job.

True story: Last weekend I was on a 2 1/3 hour train ride to Antwerp and since the weather has been quite nice the past few days, the other passengers literally REEKED of sweat. I held this little tin up to my nose so I could smell the sweet lemon scent instead of the icky smell of B.O. Taking multi-purpose to a whole other level yo!

Last but certainly not least, the 'Tour Tout Pour Lip Gloss. I reviewed this a while ago so I will not go into too much detail, but this is a great product for plump looking, kissable lips! You can read my full review here!




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*Cookiie; Etsy's DressGreen Smoothing & Reparative Facial Serum (review)

Does the packaging look familiar to you? Almost three years ago, I made my first beauty order on Etsy.com and I loved it (Click here to read about the purchase!). I don't really look on the website there often but when I do, I just can't seem to find something that looked just as promising as DressGreen did. As the cheapskate that I am, the shipping costs always threw me off to buy on Etsy more often as well.

However, the long winter that we had and the stress I have been having due to my hectic life really made my skin very dry and even more sensitive. I was advised the REN Omega 3 Night Repair Serum. The sample I was given really was impressive, but I was hesitant on buying the full sized product (1.7 fl. oz/50 ml) because I wasn't sure if I could finish it all before it goes bad since it's an oil product after all. It just didn't feel right since it isn't that cheap either. And that's where DressGreen comes in: very affordable 1 fl. oz (30 ml) oil serums!


DressGreen has always impressed me with their packaging and three years later, it still is so pretty. The serum came in a ziplock bag, wrapped cutely with their usual wrapping paper and was sent in a bubble wrap envelope.

Product description: This serum is the key to providing important nutrients to your skin, and at the same time helping to smooth and repair damaged areas. The combination of natural oils in this serum works to hydrate and restore the skin, especially around the sensitive eye and neck areas. At the same time, a special combination of essential oils works to soften and improve the tone of your skin, as well as balance oil production. This serum can be used as a daily moisturizer, or as a cleanser to break up and remove old makeup residue and oils that clog the pores. The result is smoother, healthier skin that is revitalized and cleared of impurities. The description is way too long, click here to read the rest.

Price: $8.00(!)

The product

This oil serum is quite thin, very similar to the REN's oil serum. I have enough to apply it on my whole face with just one pump, so a little takes a long time. Depending on your skin type, your skin will either absorb it really fast (dry skin) or a bit slower (normal to combination). I apply it right before bedtime and it will be all absorbed when I wake up, so even though it doesn't absorb that fast it definitely doesn't just sit on my face either. After applying, my skin feels very moisturized and comfortable. According to the very long description on Etsy, this oil serum is filled with all kinds of vitamins and goodness; perfect for when your skin needs a little bit of extra.

I was a little disappointed by the fact that it doesn't smell as good as REN's, because that one smells amazing. It isn't unpleasant though, at least now it's for sure it won't be irritating because of the added fragrance. This product doesn't irritate me at all and doesn't break me out either. My skin does seem to be less dry after using it for a few nights so I am very satisfied with it so far. Pretty good substitute for Ren's oil serum for just 8 bucks I'd say!

The verdict

Definitely worth trying out if your skin has been a bit on the dry or dull side. Especially if you need something that is affordable and will probably take forever to finish! A 4.5 out of 5 because I do miss the apricot smell from REN's and I just wish this one had something similar.

Rating: 4.5/5



Here's an extra picture to show you the sample they added along with my order. DressGreen seems to always add a sample along with the order, which I think every seller should do. I am in no way affiliated with the seller, I only talk this positive because I think that's only fair when they take so much care and love in packaging and customer service. Their webshop is definitely worth taking a look at, so go check them out!





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*Milk; The beauty routine

Despite my lazy nature, I always make sure that I make time to do a pampering session every once in a while. My beauty routine consists of 3 steps; exfoliate, cleanse & hydrate. In this post I will walk you through my routine step-by-step and hopefully it will give you some tricks and ideas for your own pampering session.


Exfoliate

I have sworn off physical exfoliators for a looong time and now I only use the Cure 'Natural Aqua Gel' to exfoliate my skin. The gel is unscented and quite watery so it is easy to massage into the skin. As soon as you start rubbing it in, little flakes of dead skin start to form (Sounds gross, I know, but it is completely pain-free!). What I love about the Cure 'Natural Aqua Gel' is that it never leaves my skin red or irritated after exfoliating.

Cleanse

Mud & clay masks are fantastic for deep cleansing and unclogging pores. I do tend to get a lot of blackheads and whiteheads around my nose and chin area and have found that clay masks are a much more effective (and less painful!) way to remove them than those good old pore strips. Both the Origins 'Clear Improvement' and Aesop 'Primrose Facial Cleansing Mask' perform very well but I'd have to say that I prefer the Aesop one because it dries quicker and is also a bit easier to remove.

The 'Primrose Facial Cleansing Mask' is great for dry/mature skin and if you have oily skin you can opt for the 'Parsley Seed Cleansing Mask'.

Hydrate

My favourite step of all is applying a hydrating mask. I make sure that I always follow up with a hydrating mask after exfoliating and deep cleansing because after these steps, the skin is able to absorb any skincare product more effectively. This is also a great time to bust out those fancy anti-aging treatments.

The Skinceuticals 'Hydrating B5 Masque' contains hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 to effectively restore moisture back into the skin. I love this mask because it does not have an overly complicated ingredients list so it minimizes the changes of irritation. Plus it is also fragrance and paraben-free.

Tip #1 Use a facial steamer or a bowl of hot water to open up your pores before applying facial masks for better absorption.

Extra steps & tips


The last step is optional, but it is a great way to increase blood circulation in the face for a healthy and radiant glow. Increasing the blood circulation also helps to flush away excess water retention and toxins. Remember, NEVER (!!!) massage your skin without applying any kind of oil of cream beforehand as massaging/dragging dry skin may result in sagging and pre-mature wrinkles.

Tip #2 Cut up small pieces of cling film and apply it on top of your facial mask for better absorption; also great for allowing lipbalms to sink in more effectively.

I like to massage my face using The Body Shop face roller with some Haba 'Squalane Oil' starting from my chin rolling upwards following the jawline all the way to the side of the ears- this can help define the jaw by relaxing the jaw muscle and getting rid of water retention. If you don't have a face roller you can also use the knuckles of your index and middle finger.

I admit that I don't do this very often because I am a lazy fart, but everytime after massaging my face, it does look slimmer.





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*Milk; Estelle & Thild Ecorganic Cleansing Gel (review)

Product description: A soothing 100% perfume-free certified organic Cleansing Gel that cleanses efficiently without dehydrating the skin. Developed for sensitive and combination skin. 150ml.

Estelle & Thild is a Swedish skincare brand which uses bio-active oils extracts from the purest and most exclusive organic raw materials. These organic raw material are all free from pesticides and toxic residues. I found this skincare brand at Skins Cosmetics several months ago and was immediately intrigued by its unique philosophy.

As most of you already know, I have been using paraben-free products for nearly two years now and have recently taken one step further by switching to natural and organic skincare products. It was difficult at first since most brand do include chemical ingredients, but luckily consumers are becoming smarter and more aware of the harmful effects of these chemicals. New natural and organic brands are popping up everywhere and it has become really easy to find 'pure' products.


The product

I love the packaging of this product! Yes, it is a little bit bulky but the design is so simple yet cute! It comes with a flip-top instead of a pump, but I find it just as easy to dispense the product.


The cleansing gel has a very light almost runny texture. When you add water, it emulsifies a little bit but it definitely does not lather or foam up.

Tip! A misconception that a lot of people have is that cream cleansers are good for dry skin. Now the word 'cream' is very misleading as it is often associated as being moisturizing. Cream cleansers tend to lather a lot and the more it lathers, the more drying it actually is for the skin.

Now the big question is: is it able to cleanse the skin properly? The answer is no.

It claims to remove make-up and dirt, but frankly, I would not use this as a one-step cleanser. Instead I remove my make-up with 'Bioderma' and follow up with the cleansing gel. This cleanser is probably one of the most simple cleansers that you can find on the market and surprisingly, simple is very hard to find these days. I would say that this is what most people think the 'Purity Made Simple' cleanser by Philosophy is like (but then without sulfate, parabens & colourants #themostironicproductnameever lol).

The cleansing gel alone won't cut it, but when used in conjuction with a cleansing water of cleansing oil it is fantastic.



The verdict

I love the simplicity of this product and the fact that it is truly a gentle cleanser for sensitive skin. I used to never care for cleansers as I never felt any difference to my skin or saw any great results, but this is one of the few cleansers that leaves my skin feeling comfortable after cleansing. Although it is not something worth writing home about, but the ingredients list is just brilliant!

I would highly recommend this cleanser to those with sensitive skin. In fact, I think this cleanser would be great in conjunction with the 'Clarisonic'. A lot of people seem to like to use the 'Purity Made Simple' cleanser by Philosophy with the 'Clarisonic', but just make sure that you use something else to remove your make-up first!

Rating: 5/5

Note: You can find your nearest local & online retailers for Estelle & Thild on their website ( here ).

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