Aromatherapy Associates Face Oil Collection

What is your skin type? Typically I’d categorise mine as being oily/combination in as much as my T- Zone is almost always oily but I sometimes suffer with dry patches on my cheeks and areas on my forehead.

However, that doesn’t mean that my skin is always oily-combination. Our skin is always changing, be-it due to factors such as stress and hormones or environmental factors such as the weather or pollution and when you skin exhibits these changes it is important to adapt your skincare regime accordingly.

While this may sound like a lot of faff (and probably expense) it is actually really important when trying to look after the overall health of your skin.

Aromatherapy Associates understand your skins changing needs and in response to such have created a fabulous and quite frankly, inspired Face Oil Collection (£53).

This cute as collection features all six of the Aromatherapy Associates Face Oils in handy 3ml discovery sizes.

Each oil features a carefully crafted blend of essential oils to help target 6 different sets of skin needs. 

Containing 100% natural ingredients these potent essential oils easily penetrate the layers of your skin to deliver targeted solutions to your skins complaints.

The Collection includes: 

Anti-Ageing Intensive Skin Treatment Oil

Anti-Ageing Fine Line Face Oil

Hydrating Revitalising Face Oil

Hydrating Nourishing Face Oil

Inner Strength Soothing Face Oil

Mattifying Refining Face Oil

As you can see from the extensive list, you have an oil for every complaint!

The Anti-Ageing Intensive Skin Treatment Oil is great for dry areas of skin and for use directly on scarred skin. It contains Rosehip Oil which works as an inti-inflammatory while wheatgerm oil which is rich in Vitamin E aids skin regeneration.

The darkest in colour of all the oils this super rich treatment is slightly too heavy for my skin but smells incredible and would be perfect for skin in need of some real nourishment.

The Anti-Ageing Fine Line Face Oil is designed to plump and boost your skins appearance thanks to its blend of apple and raspberry seed oils which act as anti-oxidants and help with your skins collagen production. 

Lighter in colour and scent it is a gorgeous oil that leaves my skin looking nourished without feeling heavy.

The Hydrating Revitalising Face Oil has been created simply to make your skin glow. Its blend of Rose and Frankincense help to restore your skins vitality, leaving a healthy, glowing complexion.

This a great all-rounder of a face oil that is perfect for most skin types and smells gorgeous too.

The Hydrating Nourishing Face Oil is super nourishing oil (if you hadn’t gathered that from its name!) Rose and Sandalwood work to smooth dry skin while stimulating your circulation, resulting in healthy, soft and beautiful looking skin.

I love the warm woody scent of this oil!

Next up is the Inner Strength Soothing Face Oil. Perfect to help soothe and calm stressed or irritated skin this oil contains camomile to reduce inflammation and Baobab seed oil to encourage cell regeneration.

This has to be my favourite oil because I often suffer skin flare up’s for no apparent reason and when I do I just want something that is going to calm the irritation. This oil does that perfectly.

He lightest in colour of all 6 oils it also possesses the most delicate aroma, gently calming your skin and helping to soften and soothe irritation without causing any additional damage.

Last but by no means least is the Mattifying Refining Face Oil which has been created to help reduce shine as Ylang Ylang helps to balance your skin and Lavender imparts its anti-septic qualities.

Smelling (as you may expect) of beautiful, delicate, relaxing lavender this is my day to day go-to oil of choice.

It allows my skin to be treated to all the benefits of a rich and opulent face oil, without any oily or greasy repercussions!

The 6 piece collections costs £53 which may sound like a lot BUT you actually get £83 worth of facial oils for that.

On top of that each bottle contains enough oil for an entire weeks worth of use which a pretty decent amount of time to road test each one.

The collection is great in several ways.

 It can be bought and used as travel sizes when you’re jet setting but don’t want to take full sized bottles in your suitcase.

Its fab if you are looking to try a facial oil but aren’t sure which one would be best suited to your skin, so it allows you the opportunity to try several before committing to a full size bottle.

It is also perfect to be used in the way I mentioned at the start of my piece- as a capsule of oils that can be swapped and changed depending your skins individual, daily needs.

The Aromatherapy Associates Face Oil Collection is available now and costs £53.

Frances Prescott Tri-Balm

I love a good cleanse and am always on the hunt for fab new cleansers.

When a press release for the new Tri-Balm by Frances Prescott landed in my inbox I knew I had to try it.

This innovative, chic and unique looking cleanser claims to cleanse, exfoliate AND moisturise in one go, hence the ‘tri’ part of its name.

The luxurious balm is essentially a solid stick cleansing balm which melts onto your skin then emulsifies into a milky cleanser once warm water is introduced.

Inspired by the healing powers of nature the balm is cruelty-free and contains no harmful chemicals, parabens, silicones or synthetics.

It does however contain a host of skin loving ingredients to help gently cleanse, condition and nourish your skin.

The balm contains a cocktail of botanical oils enriched with starflower, NorOmega Gold, beeswax and oats to gently melt away your makeup and impurities to effectively cleanse your skin, leaving it feeling soft and clean without a hint of tightness.

Pumpkin enzymes which are high in AHA’s gently exfoliate the skin to reveal brighter, softer, healthier skin and hyaluronic acid, sweet almond oil and Vitamin E work to deeply nourish, hydrate and plump your skin.

If that wasn’t enough, it also contains collagen stimulating ingredients to help promote a healthy, youthful complexion, calendula to soothe irritation and blackcurrant to neutralise free radicals and help to protect your skin.

It all sounds a bit too good to be true doesn’t it.  A 3-in-1 cleanser that does the job of traditionally three separate products.

You can probably see now why I was so eager to try it!

So firstly can I say that I adore the way this has been packaged and marketed. 

Resembling more of a solid deodorant in design and look than a traditional cleansing balm it is eye-catching, distinctive and screams high end luxury.

The balm itself smells beautiful- light, soft and ever-so slightly citrusy which tantalises and awakens your senses!

In terms of application, you can apply the balm straight to your face from the stick which twists up at the bottom to reveal more of the product when required, or (and perhaps slightly more hygienically) you can use clean, dry fingers to remove an appropriate amount of the balm from the stick and then apply to your face.

Light and non-greasy the balm gets to work straight away to break down any residual make up left on the skin, gently and effectively lifting it from your skin.

Once you have massaged it onto your skin for as long as you see fit, simply splash with warm water to emulsify and watch as the balm is transformed into a gentle, milky cleanser.

I LOVE this balm. It is one of the only cleansers I’ve ever used that leaves my skin feeling like its already been moisturised immediately after use, which is incredible really.

It cleanses so deeply yet so gently it doesn’t strip your skin of its natural oils and leaves it feeling wonderfully soft and smooth.

It is a truly gorgeous product and if (like me) you’re a fan of cleansing balms then know that I’m not exaggerating when I say that you NEED to give Tri-Balm a go.

If you’re not sure that a cleansing balm is for you then I’m gonna stick my neck out and say that this is the product that will change your mind. Truly.

Frances Prescott’s Tri-Balm is available now at Liberty London and on their website where it costs £46.

Michael Buble By Invitation Rose Gold

By Invitation Rose Gold is the new fragrance release from cult crooner, Mr Michael Buble!

Speaking of Michael Buble, did I ever tell you about the time when working at FHM Magazine that I left for the day and bumped into a handsome young man who held the doors to reception open for me?

I smiled, thanked him without paying much attention then walked out. 

I’d only taken a few steps when I suddenly realised that I recognised him, so I turned back around to catch another glimpse of him, to help clarify in my mind how I knew him.

It was at that exact moment that I saw him turn around to look back at me too. 

We locked eyes. I smiled, he smiled, I turned back and silently blushed.

I was mortified that he had seen me looking at him and knew that he probably thought I was checking him out, but hey, he’d clearly been checking me out too so fair enough!

As I turned the corner onto a busy Oxford Street and made my way to the tube it suddenly clicked.

That handsome young man was not someone I knew. That handsome young man was only bloody Michael Buble who as it turns out, was visiting Magic FM’s offices for an interview! (Magic! Was in the same building as FHM, ZOO, Kerrang and KISS radio)

So yeah. I inadvertently checked out and got checkout out by Michael Buble. 

Funny old world hey! And now here I am 8 years later reviewing his second fragrance!

By Invitation Rose Gold is a sensual and heady Floral Oriental Gourmand scent, packed full of a host of elegant floral notes delicately off-set by soft, sweet tones.

Housed in the same shaped bottle as the original, this scent is as you would expect, enrobed in the most gorgeous Rose Gold tones.

Simple yet stunning the rose gold of the bottle touches on the playful pink notes of the fragrances.

Designed to resemble an elegant piece of jewellery, the bottle is surrounded by what can only be described as rose gold bracelet, reflecting the precious and beautiful nectar within.

By Invitation Rose Gold is a more complex and heady scent that its predecessor and opens with top radiant notes of magnolia, red fruits and Granit pear.

Heart notes of tender rose and peony blend into perfection with a hint of black plum while base notes of warm cinnamon, creamy vanilla and sweet praline provide a decadent and rich, gourmand experience.

Complex, deep and delicious it is a fabulous addition to Buble’s fragrance collection and in my opinion would be an excellent night-time companion to the original scent.

Michael Buble By Invitation Rose Gold is available now from The Perfume Shop and costs £55 for 100ml.