Sand & Sky Oil Control Clearing Moisturiser

 

As I hit my late thirties *sob*, I imagined myself on a never ending quest to find awesome anti-ageing skincare products to help in the fight against inevitable ageing skin.

 And to an extent that’s true. What I didn’t expect was to STILL be battling my oily, acne prone skin.

 Turns out when you leave your teens you’re not just suddenly blessed with a clear, flawless complexion. Its a bit of a bummer!

 

 BUT, there are solutions out there to help and the new Sand & Sky Oil Control Clearing Moisturiser is one.

 You may already be familiar with the brand thanks to its now iconic Australian Pink Clay mask, but the brand has now branched out and has a whole host of skincare loving goodies at your disposal.

 Presented in a soft green vessel with pump dispenser you’ll find their new oil control daily moisturiser.

 This lightweight, fragrance-free lotion has been created to help balance an oily complexion while calming inflammation, soothing inflamed pores, reinforces good bacteria and delivers essential long-lasting hydration without flooding or clogging your skin.

 

  Boasting a host of potent Australian botanicals, the pH-balanced formula is rich in antioxidant Vitamin C and E which help to heal wounds, acne, cuts and inflamed areas of skin while moisturising to soothe and hydrate skin for a more supple feel.

Suitable primarily for oily prone skin but gentle enough for use on sensitive, it contains natural prebiotics to promote a level of healthy bacteria which balances your skins microbiome, strengthening your skins barrier to fight against inflammation and external aggressors.

 As you may expect within a skincare product for acne prone complexions you’ll find a 1% dose of the beta hydroxy acid Salicylic Acid.

 Oil soluble, this nifty little element helps to reduce swelling and redness and penetrates clogged pores to gently exfoliate from within resulting in clearer skin.

 

 

 Humorously named ‘Australian Old Man Weed’ is an ingredient naturally high in thymol, a natural biotic and anti-inflammatory containing 5 antimicrobial, antioxidant flavonoids helps to deeply soothe irritated skin.

  Bolstered by a prebiotic sugar extract from the chicory root, Biolin helps to support a balanced skin microbiome and works to reduce redness and calm sensitised skin.

 Meanwhile, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) works to strengthen your skins barrier, reduces redness and creates a more even skintone.

 

 

 Its an impressive list of ingredients, but does it work?

Well actually, yes!

Once dispensed you’ll find that the moisturiser features the textures of a lightweight lotion, however once gently massaged into your skin it transforms from a soft white hue to a clear, serum-like texture.

Free from skin-irritating fragrances, the moisturiser feels beautifully silky and soft. Lightweight yet deeply hydrating, it is a tale of two halves.

 I totally get the mentality of trying to ‘dry’ out your skin when experiencing a breakout but actually that’s one of the worst things you can do that can seriously hinder your skins ability to heal, after all hydrated skin is healthy skin and this moisturiser manages to balance this perfectly.

 

 Upon application skin feels instantly soft and supple without any hint of greasiness or excess shine.

 It didn’t cause irritation or stinging to broken skin and much to my surprise helped to control my oily t-zone throughout the day.

 It gets a big thumbs up from me because as someone who also suffers with sensitive skin it can be hard to find the right combination of effective treatments with gentle products, but Sand & Sky have nailed it.

 Sand & Sky’s Oil Control Clearing Moisturiser is available now and costs £34.90 for 50ml.

REN ClearCalm Non-Drying Spot Treatment

I had hoped that as I approached my mid thirties (sob) that bad skin would become a thing of the past.

After all, spots and blemishes are just something that teens have to deal with right?

WRONG.

Every single month, without fail, I’ll develop a small amount of pimples on my chin and it matter not what I do, how I cleanse, what products I use or even what I eat, as sure as the sun rises they’ll appear and do you know what, I still don’t know how to get rid of them quickly.

For years and years I’ve been mistreating my skin, thinking that applying harsh, stinging treatments and strong astringents will somehow manage to make them disappear in an instant.

The reality is that I was left with sore, burnt, flaky skin around the spot. And the spot was still there but now it looked twice as angry and twice as noticeable.

Sigh.

If only REN Skincare’s ClearCalm Non-Drying Spot Treatment  had been invented back in the day.

This gentle, targeted and as the name may suggest, non drying treatment works to reduce and clear blemishes without drying out your skin.

Hallelujah!

Formulated with willow bark, this naturally derived precursor to salicylic acid helps to clear your spots without irritating your skin. 

A Maritime Pine and Thyme Complex soothes your skin, aiding recovery and reducing the risks of scarring , Xylitol from corn and wheat helps to keep the surrounding skin healthy and hydrated and a Prebiotic Chlorella Extract supports your skins natural microbiome and rebalances healthy bacteria.

Impressive I’m sure you’ll agree.

The product itself is almost a gel-serum in texture and has a very faint, botanical scent.

Lightweight and soft in texture it is designed to be applied directly to your spots.

Unlike many traditional spot treatments which can sting on application you’ll be pleased to hear that no such reaction occurred here. In fact, my red angry skin actually felt soothed, cool and more calm after it had been applied.

Unlike some treatments which sit on top of the skin making make up application impossible, this gel-serum sinks into the skin and once dried it disappears entirely, allowing you to conceal the area should you desire.

After using the product twice daily, even after just 24 hours I could see a reduction in size, swelling and redness.

Better still, the skin around the spot hadn’t been aggravated at all so my skin was able to repair and heal without any additional irritation.

I’m so impressed by this little wonder tube and urge all of you to invest in it. 

Perfect for the occasional breakout, sensitive skin or regular breakouts it is super gentle, calming and soothing- just what your skin needs when it is angry and irritated.

REN’s Clear Calm Non-Drying Spot Treatment is available now and costs £20.

Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator

 Supercharge your summer skin with Clinique’s Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator.

This deliciously refreshing oil-free gel-cream offers deep, long lasting moisturisation without the associated common side effects of deeply hydrating formulas such as cloying or heaviness.

 

Light, airy and breezy, the delicate hydrator is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive thanks to its fragrance-free, oil-free and alcohol-free formula.

Cooling, silky and featherlight, oily skinned beauties (like me) will just adore its skin quenching, non greasy texture.

Presented within recyclable glass jars and uses PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastic lids, this moisturiser not only cares for your skin but for our environment too which I love.

 

It will probably come as little surprise to skincare lovers that one of the key hero ingredients within this beauty is Hyaluronic acid.

Working as a moisture-binder, Hyaluronic acid helps to create a ‘moisture reservoir’ within your skin, retaining moisture to help visibly plump your skin from within.

That’s not all though as it has combined the super moisture-locking powers of hyaluronic acid with something called Aloe Bioferment.

 

Derived from the humble aloe vera, the plant undergoes a fermentation process that breaks apart larger molecules into smaller ones, which makes them more easily absorbed into the layers of your skin.

This activated aloe water combined with certified organic aloe extract powder further helps your skin to retain the much needed moisture it craves.

Enriched with skin brightening Vitamin C and soothing Vitamin E, it effortlessly soothes, calms and quenches dry, parched skin.

 

Silky and soft in texture, the gel-cream hybrid combines the richness of a cream with the weightlessness of a gel for a decadent, refreshing and reviving skincare experience.

Skin is left feeling instantly softer, more supple and plumped, resulting in a reduction of the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for a healthy, radiant looking complexion.

What’s more, you can use this multitasking little jar of joy for more than one purpose, oh yes.

 

If your skin is really suffering and in need of a moisture rich pick-me-up, slather a generous layer of the moisturiser onto your skin and leave for 5 minutes for a wonderfully restorative moisture mask.

Looking to create a natural looking highlighting effect to your skin, simply dap a little sparingly across your cheekbones for a subtle sheen.

Are your cuticles looking and feeling dry and damaged? Simply pop a little of this hero product on for softer, happy hands.

 

Gentle, luxurious and long lasting, this elegant moisturiser should be a staple in everyone’s skincare regime.

Clinique’s Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator is available now and is currently on offer priced at £29 for 50ml down from £39 so grab yours while you can at this bargain price!