Monday 20 April 2009

#92 Shelf Life

Here's a wee glimpse at the goods & bads in the bathroom at the moment:

1) Still loving Saaf. The rich cleanser & purifying oil combo has worked wonders on a dry-patch-prone forehead and after an epic hormonal chin breakout last week the complexion is settling into a soft, clear and happy place... think I might be in this for the long term... readers have been asking about where this can be purchased, so voila: www.saafpureskincare.com

2) JR Watkins Natural Lemon Shea Butter Body Cream. This one is bound to invoke a very 'Marmite' reaction i.e. you'll either LOVE it or LOATHE it. The fact is, it leaves you smelling like a butter-iced cupcake (well, there are worse things in the world), but it's the natural formula and effective moisturising ability that gets my vote. Unlike other premium products (which have a far less friendly ingredients list) that cloy and turn sticky, this one sinks straight in, so you won't get that horrible, 'stuck to the tube door' feeling. As far as this one's concerned, sugar and spice is niiiiice.

3) Yes to Carrots Lipbalm. I've found that some all natural lipbalms don't do much in the way of moisturising - they just sit ON the lips leaving an oily film that never penetrates or sufficiently softens flaky patches - and have had this problem with both Balance Me Hydrating Rose Otto & Shea Butter Salve and Balm Balm 100% Organic Lip Balm. Yes to Carrots is another matter entirely. The balm has a creamy feel and stays put for far longer than most. Another bonus is that it also comes in watermelon which smells like those sugary, watermelon wedge sweeties you can get at Pick n Mix stations. Big smile.

4) Paul Labreque Restorative Hair Wash. I wish to god I'd found this sooner: quite simply, it's the best repairing shampoo I've ever tried and leaves my hair feeling resilient, full and soft every time, which is no mean feat considering that I've had two chemical straightening treatments, recent colour and haven't had a trim in 4 months (which I am rectifying today, courtesy of superlative scissor sister, Zoe Irwin). When strands are cracking up pair with his Lemongrass Repair Condition - a hot oil that redeems the most ravaged ends. The only thing to be wary of is that the shampoo can begin to leave a bit of a residue on the scalp so be sure to pair it with a good, stimulating massage when rinsing or swap in with a scalp purifying wash every other week: Kérastase Biotic Bain Bio-Recharge Shampoo is another favourite.

5) Elemis Tri Enzyme Resurfacing Gel Mask. Following my aforementioned chin eruptions, the dastardly pimples left a series of dark splotches in their wake - not what you want prior to a TV meeting with a bunch of pernickety producers. SO, I raided the storeroom and came up with this, which I layered on - very generously over the patchy bits and less so over other areas - and left on for ten minutes. Then I rinsed and packed on a thick layer of Dermalogica Multi-Vitamin Power Recovery Masque, which I left on for twenty minutes. The difference that night was marked - patches were significantly lighter and entirely smooth (which made concealing easy as pie), and my skin took on an even tone that did not require foundation for several days. As far as SOS solutions go, this is one I'll be sure to return to whenever I'm readying my face for its close-up...

2 comments:

MissMtheBeekeeper said...

Which saaf cleanser do you use? You have sold it to me!!

Miss Malcontent said...

It's called the Organic Pure Face Cleanser. GIve your skin a few weeks to adjust and do let me know how you get on!

Best,

Miss MC