Summer Beauty | Bondi Sands Face Tinted SPF 50+ & Hydra UV Protect SPF 50+ review

It might not feel very warm outside right now, but the UV is already hitting those medium levels here in the UK.  It's time to slap on that sunscreen if you haven't been doing so already! Why not try these two from Bondi Sands?

You may be more familiar with Bondi Sands' excellent self-tanning range (I'm a big fan of their self-tanning foams in particular), however, everyone's favourite Aussie brand also does sunscreen products which makes absolute sense when you think about it! 

Did you also know that Australia has much stricter regulations when it comes to producing sunscreen formulas? Again, this makes a lot of sense given their sunny proximity on the globe, and is perhaps one of the reasons why so many skincare gurus highly recommend using Australian-made sunscreen products.

Both of the Bondi Sands sunscreens below are certified cruelty-free, reef-friendly, fragrance-free, and suitable for sensitive skin types. They are also broad-spectrum sunscreens meaning that they fully protect against both harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Bondi Sands Face SPF 50+ Tinted* (75ml, £8.99)

Facial sunscreens are something that I wear all year round, regardless of how sunny it is outside, and this is mainly because sunscreens are the best form of anti-aging protection. You can use a million different types of expensive serums and fancy face maks, but if you're not wearing sunscreen, you're not properly protecting your skin!

Bondi Sands has a great range of facial sunscreens to choose from and my go-to is their SPF 50+ Tinted version. I personally find most facial sunscreens to be very 'white' for my skin tone, so a tinted version erases this issue and layers so much nicer underneath my foundation/base product. Plus on days when I don't want to wear a full face of makeup, it adds a little colour to my complexion. Not only is this a budget-friendly steal at less than £10, but it blends in easily and feels hydrating too without any stickiness.

Bondi Sands Hydra UV Protect SPF 50+ (150ml, £10.99)

For the body, there's the Hydra UV Protect SPF 50+ which I've recommended countless times to friends and family. Usually, I prefer a classic tropical/coconut-scented sunscreen to use on my body, but this one is a fantastic fragrance-free alternative and comes in really handy if I'm experiencing an eczema flare-up and can't use any scented products. 

It features a 4-hour water-resistant formula with a plant-based hydration complex with ethically sourced algae which is a godsend for dry skin. Once applied to the skin, it sinks in quickly and is invisible, whilst also being non-greasy. A real winner! 

Bondi Sands is available from numerous stockists including Boots where it's currently on a buy one, get one half price offer.

What are your favourite sunscreens?

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Winter Skincare: Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Brighten - Skin Renew Cleansing Oil, Dark Circles Eye Cream & Booster review

Looking for an affordable way to give your Winter Skincare routine a boost? Check out these Vitamin C infused helpers from Super Facialist and banish dull complexions for good!

I don't need to tell any fellow Brits this, but the lack of light that the Northern Hemisphere gets during the winter months can give everything a greyish tinge, including your skin, so you're certainly not alone if you've been feeling that your complexion looks a bit more lacklustre than usual recently.

The good news though is that there's an abundance of Vitamin C infused skincare on the market which can help to brighten and rejuvenate your skin, and when you see the affordable prices from Super Facialist below, these products will brighten your bank balance as well!

I've been testing out the following from Super Facialist's incredibly popular Vitamin C+ Brighten range over the past month, to see what all the hype is about.

Side note: Super Facialist is a cruelty-free brand and although the formulas aren't as natural as some other brands that I feature on here, everything is free from parabens, mineral oils, petrolatum and synthetic colours. 

 Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil* (100ml, £5.50, link)

I love using cleansing oils for removing daily grime and make-up after the end of a long day, so when I saw this award-winning one, I knew I had to try it! Featuring nourishing ingredients such as Sunflower Seed Oil, Olive Fruit Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Raspberry Seed Oil and that all-important brightening Vitamin C, Super Facialist's Skin Renew Cleansing Oil has a gorgeous silky texture which transforms into a milky cleanser when water is added to it.

This SLS and alcohol-free Cleansing Oil did an excellent job of removing all traces of impurities and make-up, including long-lasting liquid foundation, though it's important to note that this shouldn't be used to remove eye makeup such as mascara (I'd recommend using a separate micellar water for that job and then going in with this afterwards to use over the rest of your face). My skin felt soft, hydrated and thoroughly clean after rinsing with a flannel and I love the fresh citrusy scent. Available in two sizes, the handy 100ml bottle pictured above is great for travelling with and a good way to try it before purchasing the larger 200ml bottle.

Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Brighten Dark Circles Eye Cream* (15ml, £14, link)

As someone who has hereditary dark circles, there's little that you can do to change them as it's all down to winning the genetics lottery, unfortunately, but some targeted brightening eye creams can make them look a little less severe which is how I would describe Super Facialist's offering. 

This fragrance-free Eye Cream has Vitamin C, Caffeine, a Peptide complex and 'light diffusers' to help brighten up the undereye area, but after using it morning and night for four weeks, I can only say that I've noticed a slight difference. That said, it's great for smoothing out fine lines and provides a good base for applying concealer, so if you're looking for an affordable eye cream that does those, definitely try it. Just don't expect any miracles on the dark circles front.

Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Brighten Booster* (15ml, £18, link)

One of the newest releases from Super Facialist is their Vitamin C+ Brighten Booster, a supercharged serum that combines 1% Vitamin C, a naturally derived pro-collagen Vitamin C active and Allantoin, which all work together to deliver some serious glow to dull skin.

The fragrance-free and vegan-friendly formula has been designed to 'boost' your day or night moisturiser (from any brand), by simply adding 2-3 drops directly to the cream and then applying it as usual. This is a particularly useful product for any skincare fan who is on a budget, or for anyone to use during the darker Winter months to give their complexion a brightening helping hand.

I've really enjoyed using this and have tested it out with a couple of different moisturisers, all of which the Booster has worked and blended well with. A little goes a long way and you should see a noticeable difference within a fortnight of applying it on a daily basis.

Shop the full Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Brighten range at your nearest Boots store or online at superfacialist.co.uk

Have you tried anything from Super Facialist?

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New In Beauty: Alex Steinherr X Primark Skincare review

Launched last month, Alex Steinherr's collaboration with Primark has caused a big buzz in both skincare guru circles and amongst budget-conscious beauty shoppers. But is it any good and which products are worth trying?

Alex Steinherr is a well-known beauty journalist, and many of you will know her from her former job as Glamour's Beauty Editor. She has amassed over 184k followers on Instagram alone, and I had the pleasure of meeting her at a blogger event a few years ago (she was so nice!). This woman loves her skincare and even back then, lots of people were talking about whether she was going to bring out any of her own products in the future.

Well, after two years of research and development, Alex has created a skincare range with Primark which I must admit surprised me, as she's better known for creating sponsored ads for luxury brands such as La Mer and Elizabeth Arden. Although it seems like a strange fit at first, Alex wanted to create a high street skincare range which was affordable and accessible to everyone. In addition, all of the products are fragrance-free, cruelty-free and don't contain any animal derived ingredients, so they're suitable for vegans to use as well - nice one Alex!

The 20 piece skincare collection features some of Alex's favourite active ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid, Squalene and Niacinamide, and instead of focusing on traditional skin types, the collab is split into five different ranges based on your skin's 'needs' instead, such as Maximum Moisture, Pore Balance, and Plump & Glow etc. This allows you to mix and match everything to create your own skincare routine and with prices starting from £3, with nothing over a fiver, I was keen to see what they were like. I managed to get my hands on five products to try out, so here are my thoughts.

 Alex Steinherr Primark Sleep Spa Sleeping Face Mask* (50ml, £5)

With the weather turning colder, I've been reaching for a lot more moisturising products to use in the evenings, and the Sleep Spa Sleeping Face Mask caught my eager eye. Although it's described as a face mask, think of it more as a hydrating cream/treatment that you leave on overnight. It contains Hyaluronic Acid, Willowherb and Chamomile extract to moisturise and revive tired and stressed skin, but there's also Dimethicone which is higher up in the ingredients list, and I strongly suspect it's this that gives the mask its silky feel on the skin. I also sadly suspect that it may be the cause of a lot of clogged pores that I started to get after using this mask just twice a week, as I generally avoid silicones in my skincare, so if you're the same, you may want to give this one a miss. 

 Alex Steinherr Primark Pore Balance Super Detox Clay Mousse Face Mask* (100ml, £5)

The Pore Balance range is an interesting one that my fellow oily/combo skin ladies will enjoy, and I'm happy to say that I got on with the Super Detox Clay Mousse Face Mask a lot more than the Sleep Mask above. Enriched with Kaolin Clay, Charcoal, Niacinamide and Raspberry Leaf, it promises to purify and balance the skin, whilst also unclogging pores and helping to prevent future breakouts. The pump dispenses a greyish-green coloured mousse that feels much lighter than traditional clay-based masks and was easier to spread onto the skin (2-3 pumps was enough for my whole face). It was fully set within around 20 minutes and wasn't a hassle to remove. My skin felt very clean afterwards with no redness or irritation, though I did notice that it wasn't as powerful at drawing out impurities as some other masks that I use, it still did a great job for this price point.

Alex Steinherr Primark Pollution Solution Daily Skin Starter* (34ml, £5)

Daily Skin Starter from the Pollution Solution range is a primer that contains AHA (Lactic Acid), Peach Flower and Lychee extracts, and these work together to create a brightening, smooth and supple canvas for makeup to adhere to. It also has something called 'an anti-pollution active', but it doesn't go any further to mention what this actually is on the packaging? Anyhow, as a makeup primer it works very well and kept my makeup looking fresher for longer, so if you're in the market for a budget-friendly primer, Daily Skin Starter is definitely one to check out - it's a real bargain at just £5.

Alex Steinherr Primark Plump & Glow Plumping Lip Gloss* (4.3g, £5)

For an enviable pout just like Alex's, the Plump & Glow Plumping Lip Gloss is a quick and easy way to subtly achieve bigger lips. Formulated with key ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid, Cactus Flower and Dragon Fruit extracts, this gloss glides on smoothly and has a gorgeous tinted sheen to it which makes the lips look younger, fuller and juicier! It does have a tingling sensation when you first apply like like most lip glosses of this nature, but I didn't find it irritating or bothersome, and I loved the overall effect.

Alex Steinherr Maximum Moisture Supreme Sheet Mask* (1 mask, £3)

Last but not least, I was very keen to try the Maximum Moisture Supreme Sheet Mask because it's been hyped as the 'jewel' of the whole collection, and is apparently Alex's personal favourite product. The mask features 'a potent blend of humectants that help to increase hydration levels in the skin', which sounds great, but the ingredients are a bit disappointing with silicones cropping up again. There are some good ones though such as Glycerin, Amino Acids, Red Algae and Lotus Flower extracts, and I liked how the mask was completely soaked in essence as some cheaper brands can be on the dry side. My main bugbear though? It just didn't really do anything for me. My skin felt very soft immediately after I removed it and massaged in the rest of the essence, but 30 minutes or so later, it reverted back to its original state and it felt like I hadn't used anything at all. Strange!

Overall thoughts?

From the products I've tried above, I've found some hits and misses, as is often expected from such a large budget-friendly skincare collection. I love the fact that it's cruelty-free, fragrance-free and suitable for vegans, but I was hoping that some of the formulas would have slightly better ingredients for general skin health. However, if you fancy trying out some of the products, everything is cheap as chips so if something doesn't work for you, it's not the end of the world (or your bank balance!). 

Find Alex Steinherr's collection exclusively in selected Primark stores.

Will you be buying Alex's collection?

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Introducing: Guiltless Skin - Rosehip Cleanser, Illume Moisture Serum & Revive Organic Face Oil review

For those who are seeking a simple, but effective, natural skincare routine, Guiltless Skin is a brand that you should definitely be looking into.

Made here in England, all of Guiltless Skin's products are cruelty-free, vegan-friendly and use organic ingredients (certified by the Soil Association) that are sustainable and biodegradable. You won't find any fragrance or essential oils in their range either - everything has been stripped back to create fuss-free formulas that are easy to use and which are also suitable for sensitive skin. 

The packaging reflects this minimalist, practical approach, and whilst Guiltless Skin doesn't have the luxury fanfare of mainstream brands, the sleek glass bottles do have a rather wholesome vibe about them that's refreshingly clean and uncomplicated. After all, it's what's inside that counts the most when it comes to skincare anyway! With this in mind, I was keen to put Guiltless Skin to the test, and have been trying out these three products as part of my evening skincare routine for the past couple of weeks.

Guiltless Skin Rosehip Cleanser* (50ml, £14, link)

Formulated especially for sensitive skin, the Rosehip Cleanser is a very gentle, pH-balanced cleanser that has a light gel consistency which emulsifies when you add water to it. The formula is 100% natural (80% of which is certified organic), and it uses a blend of Glycerin, Rosehip, Camelia and Almond Oils, as well as Lactic Acid, to remove everyday dirt and impurities. I've really enjoyed using this recently as it's perfect for my combination skin now that the weather has turned colder, and it leaves my skin feeling soft, nourished and thoroughly clean, with any redness or irritation significantly calmed down. The pump dispenser is great and a small amount is all you need, making it one of the most cost-effective organic cleansers that I've used in a long time.

Guiltless Skin Illume Moisture Serum* (30ml, £26, link)

Serums are a great way to 'sandwich in' moisture, which is especially important for your skin's health with Winter coming up. The Illume Moisture Serum contains Hyaluronic Acid to plump the skin and keeps that moisture locked in for longer, organic Lingonberry Extract which is rich in antioxidants to help fight against free radicals, and organic Pomegranate Extract to encourage cell turnover and improve elasticity. There's also Lactic Acid and 5% Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) included in the formula which is a powerful anti-inflammatory that can help to reduce redness, smooth out fine lines, reduce the appearance of large pores and strengthen the skin's natural barrier.

This serum is lovely and lightweight, sinking in quickly once massaged into the skin. I use a lot of serums with Hyaluronic Acid in them, and this worked just as well as some of my favourite products from various bigger brands. It layers beautifully underneath the face oil below too, for the perfect evening skincare combo.

Guiltless Skin Revive Organic Face Oil* (30ml, £30, link)

Winner of the Editor's Choice at the Beauty Shortlist Awards earlier this year, Guiltless Skin's Revive Organic Face Oil has been created for mature skin types, but I would say that anyone who wants to benefit from the anti-ageing ingredients will enjoy using this as a daily staple. The 100% natural formula boasts a 'powerhouse of super seed oils' such as Prickly Pear, Pomegranate, Sacha Inchi, Nigella and Perilla, each carefully chosen for their unique properties, as well as their abilities to work together to create a natural anti-aging facial treatment to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve elasticity and soothe redness and irritation.

Although this face oil is fragrance-free like all of the other Guiltless Skin products, it does have a subtle woody scent that's a bit earthy, but this soon dissipates once fully absorbed. Revive certainly lives up to its name as it gives the skin a good moisture boost and helps it to get its natural 'glow' back which is ideal for those who find that their skin looks a bit dull and feels drier during Winter. Like all facial oils, a little goes a long way and I feel that the price point is excellent for this product given that it's 100% organic.

Shop the full range at guiltless-skin.com

Have you tried this brand before?

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