Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm

Today, (for my 50th post!) I thought I'd do a review of one of my new favourite products, the infamous Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm. I'll start by saying, this is the best cleanser I have ever tried and I've been through a lot, probably at least twenty ranging from Simple, Origins, This Works, Good Things, Antipodes, Liz Earle, REN and so on! Although there have been some I thought were nice enough, this is only the second cleanser I've ever really loved and seen a difference with other than the Clarins Melting Gel Cleanser which has since been knocked off the top spot!

Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm, £34 for 100ml

As the title states, this cleanser is a thick balm. The way I use it is putting a 50p sized amount onto the palm of my hand then mixing it with some water so it becomes a cream. I then massage this all over make-up free skin with my hands (I prefer to use Bioderma to remove my makeup) before going over it with a wet muslim cloth. 

I've been using this cleanser for over a month now and I've never been so impressed by a skincare product. Not only does this leave my skin brighter which I always look for in skincare, but it's also dramatically shrunk my pores, reduced my oilyness AND my dry spots. I used to have to powder every half an hour, then the Clarins Lotus Oil got this down to about every 2 hours and now, I literally powder once a day. It's amazing the difference it has made in such a short space of time and how much better my makeup now sits on my face.

I don't rave about skincare a lot compared to how much I've tried so this truly is a testiment to this product. It takes a lot to impress me and if I don't see brightness, a reduction in my oilyness or my pores shrink I will not repurchase something but I 100% would not live without this in my collection now. It's worth every penny not just for it's effects but the smell is also completely heavenly!

Have you tried this cleanser? What's your favourite?

Empties #2

I actually have two lots of empties but I thought I would split it into two parts so this wasn't too rambley! I didn't realise until I returned from home back to uni just how many I had saved up but I have been trying to use things up to declutter so I hope these posts aren't too boring for you! I will say before I start that a lot of these products in my empties are just 'okay' which is the reason I've tried to use them up.

REN Invisible Pores Detox Mask - I haven't tried much from REN but I did really enjoy using this mask. It's a clay consistancy that digs deep into your skin to bring out all your pores and really clear up your skin. The only bad thing I'd say about it is that you don't get a lot for your money at £18/50ml, especially when my Origins mask is £20/100ml works better for my skin. For that reason, I wouldn't repurchase.

Antipodes Juliet Gel Cleanser - This is a nice cleanser but for me it did nothing special to my skin. It did cleanse well and have a nice fruity scent but it didn't feel that luxurious or brightening which is something I look for in a cleanser. For that reason as well as the price of £25 I wouldn't repurchase it as for me it was just average.

First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser - I was so disappointed with this! I have pretty sensitive skin so expected a lot from a cleanser that is formulated for sensitive skin. However, my skin completely reacted to this I even cut out other products to make sure as I was so surprised. This may be okay for someone with dry skin but definitely not one I would recommend for sensitive skin at all.

Origins Drink Up Intensive - This is the one product of this post I would highly recommend for dry/dehydrated skin. This was a saviour for my skin particularly in the summer. For some unknown reason I am completely backwards in that my skin is far oilier in the winter and my lips are dryer in the summer.. weird I know so I used this a lot when my skin felt more dehydrated earlier in the year and then just on my dry forehead over the winter. It has a lovely fruity scent and leaves your skin so soft the next day. 

Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel - Another product I hear so many bloggers/youtubers speak about. I think I must be a fussy blogger as I'm not someone who finds a lot of skincare items that incredible, maybe I just expect too much from products! For me this smelt beautiful but it didn't make a groundbreaking difference for my skin when if I pay quite a bit for a product I expect. When used weekly my skin did feel soft but since I get that from other cheaper products also, I would not repurchase (though I am tempted just for the smell..)

Origins Make A Difference Cream - Okay, this is a controversial one. I have to be honest here and say I really did not like this product, please don't kill me! To me not only did it smell of cigarettes (though I haven't seen anyone else say this so please smell for yourselves) but it didn't do anything for my skin. No reduction of oilyness, no particularly amazing moisturization for dryer areas and I felt it clogged up my pores quite a bit. It also felt pretty greasy and didn't sink in nowhere near as quickly as my Night-a-mins moisturizer. I would definitely recommend that one above this one as I see such a difference when I use it and it smells of oranges which is much nicer!

What do you think of these products? 

2012 Favourites: Skincare

Origins Night-a-Mins Moisturizer - After trying the blogger favourite 'Make A Difference' cream I was left utterly disappointed after finding it didn't do anything  special to my skin other than clog my pores and honestly felt as though it smelt of stale cigarettes, unlike the fruity scent other bloggers had described. This however, is everything I wanted the other one to be and more. I love the orange scent and I love how much it brightens my skin, it's the first moisturizer I've seen a real difference with. This was just a freebie from an Origins order (a generous sample, they are always good for them!) but I would definitely buy this once it runs out.

Origins Eye Doctor - I cannot rave about this eye cream enough. I never thought of all things I would be so in love with this kind of product but it honestly works wonders for dry, sensitive eye areas whilst slightly brightening my undereyes too. I've written a full review of this before here if that's something you're interested in :)

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel - I've said it once and i'll say it again, any product that Adrienne recommends, I instantly seem to fall in love with. This is hands down the best cleanser I've ever tried and I must have tried around 20! It's a product I use and instantly feel it makes a difference which I haven't been able to say about any other cleanser (I'm picky that if I spend money, I want it to do something amazing). Not only does it feel so luxurous starting as a gel, then once massaged an oil and then a milk when it touches water it leaves my skin so soft, smooth and radiant.

Origins Clear Improvement Mask - This has been a lifesaver for my skin since it became slightly oilier over the last couple of months. I don't have a bad word to say about it as it makes my skin soft, less oily and clears out my pores wonderfully.

Caudelie SOS Serum - I've already mentioned this product in my skincare routine, I just find this works great for my very dehydrated and sometimes dry forehead at keeping it hydrated for hours. I put it on in the evening and wake up with much more hydrated skin which makes make up application so much easier. I don't think I'd ever be without this now!

So after another rambley post, this concludes my 2012 favourites! I think my next post will be some empties as I've gotten through loads. Hope you're all well, let me know what your favourites last year were! x