Well I think things have finally started to settle down for me now in terms of moving and transitioning back to my old lifestyle back home in Australia, which means that I can finally start to concentrate on blogging again! I have some really exciting upcoming posts in the pipeline (ones that require a bit more time and research) and also a pending trip to Seoul next week which will give me some exciting experiences to share with you all. I am really happy to get back into the swing of things and dedicate a good chunk of time to some more in depth posts (I really enjoy writing these) – something I have sadly been unable to concentrate on as of late (and I am so sorry for as well). On another note, I am happy to also continue on with some of my regular blog series as well and today, I thought I would share with you my Budget September Buys.
Again, I am so sorry that I haven’t been doing these monthly! It’s always been a little difficult doing these sorts of posts when I am in China as there firstly, not a huge selection and also bargain purchases over there might not be so easily accessible to countries outside of China. However being back in Australia has allowed me to have access to regular mail again (YAY!) and also have access to great stores such as Priceline Pharmacy which has a plethora of great budget buys from brands all over the world so will try to post these budget skincare buys every month from now on.
Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Seed Oil
I have recently found myself extremely interested in facial oils and have been using them even more often now in both my morning and evening routines. I have also been conversing about my new found love of oils with a lovely reader by the name of “L” who recently suggested that I try the Trilogy range of face oils due to the fact that there were cost effective, pure and that they basically work. I am so glad she suggested the brand and this oil as I have found the Trilogy Rosehip Seed Oil (just the pure 100% rosehip) has been fantastic for the colder temperatures I have been experiencing back home in Australia. It has been helped to keeping my skin balanced, nourished, soft and hydrated. I have been using this with other oils when my skin was quite dry and flaky to give my skincare that extra “oomph”.
Ingredients:
100% Certified Organic Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Seed Oil
Many of us do know the benefits of Rosehip Seed Oil, but for those who need a refresher, rosehip is rich in fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins and carotenoids. It is an ancient remedy that has been used been used by the ancient Egyptians, Mayans and Native Americans due to its healing qualities. Whilst scientific studies and journals show that the use of rosehip seed oil is inconclusive for benefits on the skin, what the somewhat small studies do show in terms of benefits are promising. In theory, Rosehip Seed Oil is high in nutrients (such as Vitamin C and fatty acids) that should effectively benefit the skin by brightening, evening out skin tone, reducing the signs of fine lines and wrinkles and help with inflammation or damaged skin. Whilst studies may be inconclusive, I know there are a plethora of people all over the world that swear by Rosehip Seed Oil and have documented their own success. For me, I haven’t used this oil enough to see any brightening effects but I have noticed that since using this with my existing skincare, my skin feels quite balanced, moisturised and less inflamed. I have also been mixing this with my W.ANT Skincare Facial Oil and using this on my eczema around my neck and have seen a difference in the effectiveness of the W.ANT Skincare oil (it gives it that extra kick). For those who are just starting to get into oils or wanting to experiment with carrier oils like Rosehip Seed Oil, the Trilogy Skincare Certified Organic Rosehip Seed Oil for 20ml is a fantastic way to begin due to its price point of USD$19 (Amazon), AUD $25 (often found on sale at Priceline) and GBP £17 (at Holland and Barrett) and the quality that Trilogy are renowned for in their cold pressed extraction process of the oil.
Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser
I recently caught up with one of my good friends who had recently been to the US and she came back with a huge bag of goodies for me (I will post this haul soon) including the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser which I find has had differing reviews ranging from rave to ‘meh’. Personally, I have found that this cleanser has been quite a fun cleanser to use as a morning and second cleanser due to its its unique texture and light scent of rose. It leaves my skin feeling clean, fresh and not in anyway drying and I think it is a perfect cleanser for in the morning when you are off in a hurry or as a second cleanser when you just really can’t be bothered having to use a cloth, as this emulsifies well and leaves little to no residue/film. Whilst Glossier does say that this removes all make up, I would have to disagree and say that whilst it does remove some make up, it won’t remove everything. You will most definitely need to cleanse the skin again to make sure everything is off. There are much better alternatives for removing make-up (such as Clinique Take the Day Off Balm) and why I recommend this as a second/morning cleanser.
Ingredients:
Water/Aqua/Eau, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Propanediol, Isohexadecane, Poloxamer 184, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Xylitylglucoside, Betaine, Allantoin, Glycerin, Panthenol, Symphytum Officinale Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Anhydroxylitol, Polysorbate 80, Xylitol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Isopropyl Myristate, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide
Looking at the ingredients, this cleanser is in no way all natural (and it doesn’t claim to be) but it doesn’t contain any SLS, drying alcohols, mineral oil, parabens and other synthetic ingredients or fragrances that can dry or irritate the skin. It does contain Rose water which is apparently quite soothing for the skin and also hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate) which we all know helps to hydrate the skin. For 6 ounces (177ml), USD$18 is quite reasonable as this cleanser is quite fun due to its quirky texture but also the fact it does leave my skin feeling incredibly fresh, clean and hydrated. I absolutely love the feel of the milky jelly texture of this, as once it hits the skin, it immediately feels cooling and soothing and is extremely easy to work with and wash off. It also looks super cute sitting on the bathroom sink! Unfortunately, Glossier is only available in the US, so if you are living in the US you are incredibly luck to have full access to the fun Glossier range by Emily Weiss. Those who reside outside of the US, will have to rely on US friends and family but it is something that is most definitely worth looking into as the whole range actually is a lot of fun and has had some glowing reviews.
Cattier Paris Pink Clay Mask with Aloe Vera
Cattier is a French Pharmacy brand that is a bit more difficult to find in physical stores but due to the internet, most of you should be able to pick one of these up quite easily (I have included links in this post)! This is a brand of clay mask recommended by Caroline Hirons who said that if there is any area of skincare to save on – it would be clay masks and that does ring true if you after a simple dedicated clay formulation to purify and clean your skin. The Cattier Paris Pink Clay mask is recommended for those with a sensitive skin type and does contain skin nourishing aloe vera and shea butter in the formulation as well as French Pink Clay and is 99% made of natural origin. The ingredients are the following:
Kaolin, Aqua, Mentha Piperita Extract*, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter*, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract*, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Lactic Acid.
* Ingredients from Organic Farming
99.3% of total ingredients are natural
10.1% of total ingredients come from Organic Farming
I have found that this mask is a great mask for its price point as it is priced around AUD $10-$15 for a 100ml tube which is huge and definitely will last for quite some time. As the main ingredient in the Cattier Pink Clay mask is kaolin (clay), it will act to soak up any excess sebum and purify the pores as any basic clay mask should. Be wary to not leave this mask on for too long though, as due to its relatively simple formulation it can dry the skin. I personally find this mask a great one to use if you are after a quick detox of the skin as it does work quite well to purify the skin and leave the skin looking and feeling quite clean. It is also a great option for those who feel the need to have a deeper cleanse often due to their climate, weather or skin type as it really quite cost effective. The Cattier Paris Pink Clay Mask with Aloe Vera can be found for USD$11 on Amazon, 4.25 at Birchbox UK and AUD $9 from COSME-DE and $19 from Australian Organic.
Do you have any other great budget buys that you would recommend to a friend? Please feel free to share them in the comments section below!
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