Review: Spa Magik Organiks cleansing balm

The “Spa Magic Organiks Wrinkle Therapy Moisture Melt Cleansing Balm” to give its full title, is the most recent cleanser I have tried. Of late I have been using more oil or cream cleansers but I decided to go back to using a balm cleanser because I like the way they remove makeup. My feelings regarding this balm cleanser can best be described as mixed…

First Impressions

I was looking for a cleansing balm which would remove makeup and provide the first step of my usual double cleanse. As I wanted this product mainly for removing makeup I went for this pretty cost effective option, I was also interested in it because of its organicc claims. I purchased mine from LookFantastic.com one of my usual haunts for skincare and beauty products, where it is listed at £14.95.

After receiving the product my first thought was that it smells really pleasant and fresh. Upon first use I noticed the texture of the balm is quite unusual. Where most cleansing balms are fairly solid when in their container and then quickly melt upon contact with this skin but the Spa Magik balm is very soft and the consistency is almost like a soft balm/ gel hybrid.  It has quite a silky texture when melted on the skin which I enjoy, I hate balms that you really have to work at spreading around the face.

Cleansing ability 

I find this removes makeup as well as any other cleansing balm/oil I hvae used and it leaves the skin feeling soft but refreshed. I have also enjoyed using this cleanser in the morning, I find that it emulsifies and so does not leave a heavy residue like feeling on the skin as some cleansers can. The only fault I have found with this  product is that it really stings if it gets in the eyes. I discovered this when attempting to remove heavy eye makeup with the balm, I have never had this issue with any other cleansing creams/oils etc. I found the eye stinging qualities of the cleansing balm really disappointing as I had intended to use this mainly for makeup removal, in future I will avoid using this in the eye area and use an alternative product, perhaps micellar water. I may try this product for eye makeup removal again but rubbing the product around the eyes less vigorously; which was probably the cause of it entering my eyes in the first place, a bish bash bosh approach to makeup removal is not the way to go with this product it seems.

Ingredients 

Dead Sea Salt (Maris Sal)*, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Cedrus Atlantica (Cedarwood) Bark Oil, Pogostomon Cablin (Patchouli) Oil, Myroxylon Pereirae (Balsam Peru) Oil, Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil, Cinnamomum Cassia Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum (Cardamon) Seed Oil, Fragrance (Parfum), Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Opuntia Streptacantha (Cactus) Stem Extract & Glycerin & Phenoxyethanol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Limonene. *100% natural salts including 7 Active Dead Sea Minerals: Magnesium (Anti-Stress), Potassium (Purifying), Sodium (Hydrating), Calcium (Anti-Ageing), Iodine (Detoxifying), Sulphur (Healing) and Bromides (Relaxing).

 

Overall thoughts

I am finding this cleanser effective enough as a first cleanse of the day or as part of an evening double cleanse (aside from the eye stinging issue). It comes in a generously sized pot (100ml) which I am sure will last me some time so it must be argued this is quite a cost effective item, but would I buy it again? Probably not. It just doesn’t quite cut it for me and although I will continue to use this I just feel it could have been better and I almost wish I had spent that little bit more and got Clinique’s “Take the day off” balm which I have been wanting to try for a while.

Alternatives

Some other cleansing balms in a similar price range which I have preferred to Spa Magik’s offering are:

• The Body Shop – Camomile  Sumptuous Cleansing Butter (£10 for 90ml)
• Lush – Ultrabland (£12.95 for 100ml)

 

Thanks for reading,

Minty x

Black Seed Oil

I was recently told about Black Seed Oil and how beneficial it can be for the skin. Having learned about this oil and its potential benefits and after reading reviews I ordered a bottle of the oil from Amazon and have been using it for a couple of weeks. Below is a summary of my findings.

What is Black Seed oil? 

Black Seed Oil is produced from the Nigella Sativa plant, often referred to as black cumin. The oil is associated with several health benefits and is also known to be beneficial for the skin and can boost hair growth and shine. Some take Black Seed Oil orally however I have been using it for my eczema and so have applied the oil topically.

My experience of using the oil 

Having been told this oil works ‘like a miracle’ when I first used it I decided to take photos to measure the effects of the oil on an eczema flare up on my wrist. I applied the oil over the affected area before going to bed; the next day I was amazed at the result. I was genuinely surprised about how effective the oil had been overnight and the results were clear to see from the before and after photos I had taken (see below). As I purchased a bottle of Black Seed Oil that was intended to be taken orally the oil is not the easiest to dispense given the design of the bottle. I think if placed in a dropper bottle the oil would be more convenient to apply.

The oil is of a golden colour and does not have a particularly strong smell. My only issue with using Black Seed Oil is that when applied to an eczema flare up it did cause a slight itching sensation but this soon passed after ten minutes or so. I feel that this initial discomfort is worth it considering the benefits I have seen from using the oil. As well as helping to heal my eczema the Black seed oil was very good at reducing redness.  Overall I have had a positive experience of using Black Seed oil and have found it to be beneficial for my eczema would recommend it to others suffering with eczema, after an initial patch test of course.

Minty x

Before

After

Childs Farm Baby Moisturiser: Miracle or Myth?

Many of you may have seen an article or two in newspapers and online hailing the Childs Farm Baby moisturiser as an eczema curing miracle. I myself read such an article in late June and as I happened to pop into a Boots store later that day I decided to give the moisturiser a try myself. When I picked up my bottle I noticed that the product was almost out of stock. It is now several weeks since I bought the moisturiser but last week during my trip to York I noticed that the larger Boots store there was still out of stock of the moisturiser, and completely out of stock on the Boots website.  Some have even began selling the moisturiser on eBay at up to three times the original store price, obviously seeking to make a profit from the lack of availability and from those desperate to try and relieve their skin conditions. But is this moisturiser worthy of all the attention it has been receiving?

One of the first things I noticed about the moisturiser is that the packaging is a nightmare to get into, it took a while for me to be able to get the pump into action. However once I managed to get the product dispensing I had no problems with the packaging thereafter. The texture of the moisturiser is light and it feels almost gel like in a way, you can tell that it is water based. This I quite liked as it meant that the moisturiser was non greasy, often I find that heavy, greasy products can exacerbate itching. At the time of my purchasing this I was experiencing an eczema flare up especially around my neck and shoulders so had high hopes of the Childs Farm product having seen the glowing reviews it had been receiving.

Unfortunately the moisturiser did not agree with my skin. It made my skin feel irritated especially around the more delicate skin on my neck. I can best describe the sensation as like having prickly heat which affected my neck, shoulders and back making getting to sleep difficult. After a couple of days I established that it must be the moisturiser irritating my skin as I never have a similar skin sensation even when my eczema is at its worst. I noticed that the moisturiser is fragranced which I was slightly sceptical of but my skin is not so sensitive that it is irritated by mild fragrance. However I do question the need for the product to be even ‘very mildly fragranced’ as the packaging states, especially as the product is produced to be used on the delicate skin of babies and boasts of being made from 98% naturally derived ingredients.  Overall I would say that despite high hopes I was left disappointed by this cream and my skin was left more irritated than before. I was surprised by this especially as my skin, despite my eczema, is not particularly sensitive but mostly because of the positive reviews and claims I had seen.

I would advise anyone wishing to try the moisturiser to try it by all means if they wish to do so, but to be wary of the claims and to be especially cautious if you have particularly sensitive skin.  In my experience this product was not by any means a miracle eczema cure. Personally I will be sticking to using Aveeno, I find that if I use Aveeno daily my skin begins to calm down, I have often regretted taking a break from Aveeno whilst I try an alternative moisturiser; especially in the case of my unfortunate trial of the Childs Farm moisturiser. Ultimately I fear the Childs Farm moisturiser may be yet another case of a product that works wonders for some but only serves to make matters worse for others. If you have tried this moisturiser or want me to be a Guinea pig for any others please don’t hesitate to get in contact!

Minty x

Nut Free Finds: Protein bars

Anyone with a tree nut or peanut allergy who has tried to hunt down nut safe protein bars will know it can be quite a challenge. Having scoured the shelves of supermarkets and health food shops only to discover protein bars laden with nuts or carrying the infamous ‘may contain nuts’ labelling I decided to take my search online. As it turns out there are several nut free protein bars in existence such as Avalanche and INBar, unfortunately these are from the US and I didn’t want to have to have them shipped over to the UK. Eventually my quest to find nut safe protein bars proved fruitful when I stumbled upon GetBuzzing, a UK based producer of Protein bars and nut free flapjacks.  In my ‘ooh nut free!’ excitement I went slightly overboard and ordered a box of  12 Mint Chocolate protein bars (heavenly), a box of 3 Cherry protein bars, 6 banana flapjacks and a box of 6 half sized bars in a sampling pack which allowed me to try every flavour of protein/flapjack bar GetBuzzing produces. By ordering 27 bars I had also pushed over the free delivery threshold, a favourite trick of my stingy student self, happy days.

My favourite product is probably the Mint Chocolate protein bar, the best way of describing it is if Rice Krispy Squares bars came in a mint chocolate edition. I usually have the protein bars after a work out such as a run or a HIIT session. The cherry protein bar is also really good and I love the banana flapjack, it’s great as a snack especially if I am having to dash out of the house without time for breakfast.  I think the most interesting flapjack I received in the sampling pack was the ‘WowButter’ bar, essentially a nut-safe peanut butter spoof flapjack. I have tried WowButter in the past and according to those who have tried genuine peanut butter without risk of death WowButter tastes like the real deal. Personally I wasn’t a fan of the stuff; perhaps my inner peanut dodger crying out against a product eerily similar to real peanut butter. However in flapjack format I actually found myself enjoying the WowButter, strange. I have to say my favourite flapjack was a mixed berry one which came in the sampling selection, I rather regretted not ordering some full size editions but I’m sure I will in the future. I enjoyed all the varieties of flapjacks I ordered, apart from the Date and Seed bar which I let Mother dear try in my stead not being a fan of dates myself, she approved and so it would appear all of the GetBuzzing bars are a hit in our household.

Would I purchase these bars again? Yes, but it would be great if they were to become available at a wider range of stockists. Apparently GetBuzzing bars are stocked at Waitrose but sadly there isn’t one near me so I ordered directly from their website (www.getbuzzing.co.uk) which was simple and easily navigable. Overall I have really enjoyed tucking into the GetBuzzing bars but will of course continue my search for other nut safe protein and flapjack etc bars.  If you know of any such nut free products please do get in touch, I’m always on the lookout for nut safe products to enjoy!  (I should note this post is in no way associated with GetBuzzing, just in case my glowing praise comes across as dubious in any way. I am merely a happy customer glad to have finally found a good nut safe protein bar!)

In the past I have made my own flapjack/ protein bars which I did enjoy and will have to try making again. I made these using ingredients such as oats, honey, dates, and chia seeds amongst other things. If I manage to perfect a recipe I will be sure to share it on here!

Thanks for reading,

Minty x

Summer skincare staples

Here are my current facial skincare staples that are getting me through the summer, although at times it has seemed rather autumnal here.  I haven’t included cleansers here, I’ll save those for another post!

Some background info on my skin. During the Autumn/ Winter of last year I was really struggling with my skin. I was applying multiple layers of moisturisers and serums to my face, trying all sorts of lotions and potions to save my skin. No matter how much moisturiser I slapped on I would awake the next day with skin still red, sore and flaking. However since stripping down my skincare routine and putting more emphasis on (gentle) exfoliation I’ve had a lot less bother from my skin, hurrah!

I now double cleanse using oil or cream cleansers, no foaming cleansers, and my skin is doing much better without any foaming action. To remove makeup I like to use jojoba oil, it’s very gentle on the skin and I find it a quick and efficient way of removing makeup. If I feel the need to exfoliate my face I have found the best thing to use is a face cloth. If you have sensitive skin or eczema like me please stay away from exfoliating scrubs for the face! In the past I have used face scrubs and found that they only did half the job, rough skin remained and the rest was left red and sore leading to a vicious cycle of sore and flaky skin. A facecloth is all you need, if only I had realised this sooner,sigh.

And so to the main event, the post cleanse routine. To tone I have been using the cult toner that is ‘Glow Tonic’ by Pixi. At first I wasn’t really sure this was doing much for me but with continued use I have grown to love this product and find it leaves my skin smooth and flake free. This does have a bit of a zing to it when you first start using it but I can’t say I notice any unpleasant sensation on the skin anymore. If I have any eczema on my face, which is occasionally a problem for me, I avoid using this toner until the eczema has cleared and in the meantime use a gentler toner such as Lush’s Eau Roma water toner spray.

After toning I use The Ordinary Hyaluronic acid + B5. I’ts cheap and cheerful and gets the job done, I’m on my second bottle and will be repurchasing again soon by the looks of things.  If my skin is feeling a bit sorry for itself I would then use the Dr. Jart Ceramidin liquid which has a light fresh smell and glides with ease across the face. Then onto the Ceramidin cream which can best be described as a cream version of the liquid. It’s a nice light cream which is great in the summer months and I find it’s been helping my irritable skin a lot. This is a great cream to turn to if your skin is easily irritated like mine.

Then to take care of the windows to the soul, the eyes. My favourite eye product which I have used for a couple of years now is the Antipodes kiwi Seed Oil eye cream. It has a nice consistency and ticks all the boxes in what I look for in an eye cream, leaving the eye area smooth and calmed.  The eye cream also comes in a 30ml jar, larger than a lot of eye creams out there which is a bonus for a stingy student like me, tee-hee.  The Liz Earle Eyebright lotion is a recent purchase, having read the amazing reviews and hearing its reputation for being a miracle worker in hay fever season I have decided to give it a go. I usually apply this in a morning after cleansing or whenever my eyes are feeling irritated. Keeping the bottle in the fridge makes it extra soothing on the eyes which I enjoy.  I will write again about this product when I have formed more of an opinion on it.

The lip balm I’m using at the moment is a peppermint balm from Beauty by Earth which so far I am loving. I have yet to test it in extreme winter conditions but it’s doing very nicely at the moment. I received the lip balm in a subscription box aimed specifically at those with sensitive or Atopic skin, a review on this to follow.  Aside from my face SPF (Ultrasun face spf30) which I have woefully neglected to feature in this post, these are the majority of the products which are currently getting me and my easily agitated skin through the summer. I fear I may have rambled a bit here, but if you bear with this blogging novice is sure to improve.

Thank you for reading,

Minty x

Welcome!

I’m Minty, a student based in Cumbria/ Yorkshire. I love music, food, skincare, the occasional ‘Treat yo self’ day, and the outdoors (especially being by the sea). I’ve decided to start writing a blog about my experiences with food and skincare. I have eczema and a peanut allergy, both of which provide several challenges. I have tried and tested hundreds of skincare products; some excellent, some irritating, so I’ve decided to share my experiences with various products in the hope that I might be of some use to fellow skin sufferers out there.

In a world that’s increasingly catering for those with allergies and intolerance’s to ingredients such as Gluten and Dairy  it feels increasingly like those of us with nut and peanut allergies are being a little left behind with “Gluten free!….may contain nuts and peanuts” being a familiar food label feature.  It can be difficult to find nut safe food and I myself have had many frustrating trips around the supermarket putting products back on the shelf with dismay having read their labels to find a pesky ‘may contain nuts’.  In light of this I’m hoping to share with you some of my ‘nut safe’ favourites and maybe even some recipes for nut free alternatives to commonly unsafe foods.  If you have any questions about living with an allergy, such as travelling abroad with a nut allergy please don’t hesitate to ask, I’ll try my best to answer any questions!