PR / UNPAID AD - Tackling That Tache - Facial Hair Removal By Jolen*

I can pretty much guarantee that this won't be the prettiest blog post on your feed today, and I can also guarantee that it probably won't be at the top of your mental to read list, but life and beauty isn't all about pretty pictures and beautiful insta worthy products.

Ever since puberty kicked in with a growth spurt something else started to grow as well, and no even though they did indeed grow, I don't mean my boobs, I actually mean my hair, and sadly not the hair on m head!

As my grandma used to say, and my mam continues to say, you can't have hair on your head and not have it anywhere else! Body hair was never really too much of a problem for me, I just shaved it, creamed it, waxed it, or epilated it away, but my facial hair was a whole different gravy!

From the minute it started to grow it was dark and thick, and it was really obvious against my pale skin. The first thing that I ever tried was facial bleach and whilst it helped to disguise the hairs, it didn't get rid of them, so I moved to other things trying everything from tweezing, to various forms of electronic removal methods, to facial and body hair removal creams, and even epilating before finally settling on regular waxing treatments, which at last seemed to the get the little wires under control, at least in the short term!

As I've said before I'm pretty happy with the products that I've been using, but I was recently given the chance to try a couple of products from facial hair specialist, Jolen.

Like so many others my very first foray into facial hair management was with Jolen's famous Creme Bleach. With over 150 years of experience in helping people deal with their facial hair, it wasn't really that surprising that my mam who had already been using the product for years, bought me my first pot, and with those two little pots, my facial hair journey had officially begun!

As I say as time progressed I gradually moved onto other methods, and whilst Jolen have remained true to their Creme Bleach roots, they've moved on to, and have expanded their facial hair range to include two new products, a Facial Hair Remover Kit, and Face Wax Strips, and I was very kindly sent out a few packets to try,

Jolen Facial Hair Remover Kit*

Perhaps on the of the most popular methods for removing excess hair, hair removal creams are pretty simple to use, they can be a bit messy and smelly, but you just pop the cream on, leave it on for a few minutes, then you rinse it off, and voila hair be gone! 

Obviously you should always patch test any product that you use, but it goes without saying that the skin on the face can be a little bit more sensitive, and that can be one of the reasons that people often shy away from facial hair removal creams. If you've been a bit wary of creams in the past though Jolen have included something that might change your opinion, and ally some of your fears.

As well as full instructions the box contains a 19g tube of hair removal cream, and a 1.9g stick of Skin Guarding Balm, which contains beeswax, apricot kernel oil, aloe vera, cucumber extract, chamomile flower extract, safflower oil, and coconut oil, and is designed to be used before and after hair removal, to both protect, and nourish the skin.

Starting off with clean, dry skin, you apply a thin layer of Skin Guarding Balm to the areas that you are going to treat, before massaging it into the skin in circular motions, for around 20 seconds. It comes in a twist up style bullet so it's really easy to apply it has a balm like texture, and little to no scent, and it almost seemed to melt on contact with the skin.

After you've applied the Skin Guarding Balm, it's then time to apply the hair removal cream itself. The angled tip of the tube made it really easy to apply without a spatula, but you could of course use a spatula or even your fingers to apply an even layer of cream

Before 

On Application - Skin Guarding Balm

The white cream was of a good thickness so it didn't slip or drip. Unusually for hair removal cream it had quite a pleasant scent with only a small hint of ammonia. It initially felt quite cool on the skin but as time progressed the area did feel a little bit warmer, but there was no burning, tingling or stinging.

On Application - Hair Removal Cream

The instructions advise to leave it for between 5 and 8 minutes. I checked it by removing a little bit after 5 minutes but the hairs were still holding firm, so I ended up leaving it for the full 8 minutes. I actually used a spatula to remove the excess before washing the rest off with a muslin cloth and lukewarm water, before applying a little bit more Skin Guarding Balm.

After 

I'm going to be honest with you, I gave up using facial hair removal creams quite a while ago now. My upper lip hair especially was just too thick and dark to remove it effectively, so much so in fact that I actively switched to using body hair removal creams on my face (I know! I know!), and I only switched to waxing because I was having to leave it for longer and longer, and my skin was starting to get irritated.

It wasn't therefore too much of a surprise that there was a few hairs and a little bit of stubble remaining. To give this cream its due though it did remove quite a bit of all be it, quite long hair, which you can hopefully see below.

So if you want a completely hair free, smooth upper lip, and you have dark, wiry hair like mine, this particular product probably isn't for you, but if you have had a bad experience with facial hair removal creams in the past, particularly with regard to sensitivity, and you have lighter, or finer har growth, then this product could be something worth trying. I don't know whether it was down to the Skin Guarding Balm, but my upper lip area didn't feel dry or uncomfortable, and as I say I didn't experience any burning or stinging.

I did have a little play with this product though and I tried the hair removal on its own, without using the Skin Guarding Balm, and I actually managed to remove more hair and I ended up with a smoother finish. My skin did feel a touch more sensitive and tingly, but if your skin is stronger and your hair is thicker or darker then maybe skipping the first application of Skin Guarding Balm could be something to try.

The Jolen Facial Hair Remover retails at around £4.99 from Boots.

Hair removal is always a personal thing, and what works for one person, won't necessarily work for another, and so on, so for me it's always worth giving things a try. If you're still not convinced by hair removal creams, and if like me you're a waxer, don't fret, Jolen also do Facial Wax Strips.

Jolen Facial Wax Strips*

There is so much that I love about waxing, that every time I whip those hairs away I always wonder why I didn't start waxing my tache sooner! The finish is smoother, and compared to around a weeks smoothness with hair removal creams, even with my wires I can still get 3 or 4 weeks of smoothness.

The box contains an instruction leaflet and a total of 16 wax strips, which contain smoothing and nourishing chamomile and grape seed oil, and are dermatologically tested, and are suitable for even the most sensitive of skins.

Like with most wax strips, each strip is stuck to another one, so it initially appears as though you only get 8 strips in the box, and your first task is to slowly separate them out. The key thing with wax strips for me is to try and keep them in a warm place, because if they are too cold, it can be quite hard to separate them evenly.

I took the picture below after a period of illness, where I never left the house, so there is about 6 weeks worth of growth here, and hairs as you can see are pretty long and thick!

Before

All you do is apply one strip at a time to the area that you want to treat, rubbing it in the direction of the hair growth before taking a deep breath, holding the skin taut, and pulling the strip in the opposite direction to the hair growth, and then you repeat, repeat and repeat until you're done!

On Application

The strips themselves were nice and sticky and they adhered really well to the hairs and the skin, removing even the roots of the majority of hairs, and leaving very little wax residue in the process.

After I'd waxed my entire upper lip and chin, I washed my face with a tiny bit of tea tree wash, and some water to remove any excess wax, before dabbing the area with very cold water to close the pores and calm the skin.

After 

There are a couple of blood spots but that's not unusual for me and it was hardly surprising when you look at just how much hair I actually removed! My skin felt a touch tender which again is pretty normal for me but as a seasoned self waxer this was a quick and pretty painless experience.

I was so, so impressed with these strips, my upper lip was left feeling really smooth and with no obvious stubble, and they were also really easy to use. There was hardly any excess wax left on my skin and they remove even the longest hairs and even the roots, and as you can see below, from another session they also removed really really short hairs as well.

It might take a bit of practise to get your angles right, and at first you might need a little bit of Dutch courage to pull of that first strip, but there really is no need to go to a salon when it's so cheap and easy to wax your own chin and upper lip with these strips in the comfort of your own home.

I'm officially a convert to these babies and I've already stocked up on another 4 packets to take me through to the summer and beyond! The Jolen Face Wax strips come in a pack of 16 and are available for £1 from Savers, and for a little bit more from other retailers including Ocado and Express Chemists.

As I say this won't be the prettiest post that you'll ever read but it will probably be one of the most real. If you're happy with your facial hair all props to you, but if like me and you just want it gone, there are lots of products and methods out there for you try, including these two products from Jolen. If you have any questions or comments then please let me know x 

*Press Samples

Trimming My Stash - June 2021 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews*

Before I start playing catch up again and posting some other reviews and hauls, I thought that I'd at least try and get my empties posts back on track with my June Trimming My Stash post.
 
The Body Shop Glazed Apple Shower Gel - 250ml
Avant Skincare Deluxe Hyaluronic Acid Vivifying Face & Eye Night Cream - 50ml
The Body Shop Juicy Pear Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub - 250ml
The Body Shop Juicy Pear Body Yogurt - 200ml
Steve Laurant Total Repair Lip Mask - 1 x 8g Mask
Patchology Mood Mask The Good Fight Clear Skin Sheet Mask - 1 x 20ml Mask
L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water - 200ml
Cussons Carex Moisture Derma Care Antibacterial Hand Wash - 250ml
Elysium Spa Epsom Salts Bath & Shower Gel - Lavender - 300ml
Nair Wax Strips - Face - 12 Wax Strips

Total - 10 Items

After a couple of decent months, June was the standout month of 2021 so far, at least empties wise, and I managed to finish 10 items! No make up yet again (I definitely need to try a little bit harder on that one), but lots of skincare, and body products, a few much loved items, and a few bargain buys.

1. The Body Shop Glazed Apple Shower Gel - 250ml

I'm starting June's list I guess on a bit of a sad note, and unless a miracle happens, I'm saying goodbye to my last product from The Body Shop's Glazed Apple range.

From circa 2014, Glazed Apple is probably my favourite ever festive collection from The Body Shop. With just a slight hint of apple, this had a lovely sweet and sugary fruity scent, reminiscent of candy apples, or even candy floss. I absolutely loved it, it lingered on the skin, and it was one of those fragrances that you could smell all over the house, after you'd used it in the shower.

Whilst I do have a couple of apple and pear based products from different Christmas collections from The Body Shop to use up, I believe that this was the last Glazed Apple product that I has, I'm probably over egging the pudding a bit here but farewell and I'll miss you :(

2. Avant Skincare Deluxe Hyaluronic Acid Vivifying Face & Eye Night Cream - 50ml

When it comes to skincare, I don't always use the same products everyday, I tend to switch it up depending on how my skin feels, what I think it needs, and what I'm trying out at that moment in time.

I normally have a few different moisturisers on the go at once and that's probably why I don't seem to finish them that often. For example at bedtime I tend to alternate between a night cream, a night oil, and a sleep mask, with the occasional application of Alpha H Liquid Gold thrown in for good measure. Lately though my skin has needed a bit of a boost, and this particular product has made a real difference. 

I received this product in the January 2019 edition of Glossybox UK, and you can read a full review of it here. 

I really enjoyed using this moisturiser, I loved the fact that it doubled up as an eye cream, and I loved how smooth and even it left my combination skin, without leaving it oily or greasy or causing breakouts.

I would definitely have considered buying this again but with an RRP of £98 it is just a bit too price prohibitive.

3. The Body Shop Juicy Pear Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub - 250ml

4. The Body Shop Juicy Pear Body Yogurt - 200ml

Next up another product from The Body Shop, and it's the first of two products in this post from the 2019 Juicy Pear festive range.

I do love a good body scrub and I'm a huge fan of The Body Shop's sugar based scrubs. They have just the right amount of scrubbiness, and the sugar dissolves away leaving no mess behind in the bath or the shower.

Made of community trade organic sugar from Paraguay and Italian pear extract, this scrub had a gorgeous sweet, yet tart, fruity pear scent which complemented the next product on June's list perfectly.

Yes, item number 4, is another product from The Body Shop's Juicy Pear range, and this time it's a body moisturiser.

Now I'm sure you are already familiar with The Body Shop body butters but have you heard of their body yogurts? I love my body butters but if I am being honest they do take a little while to sink in. If you're hot or if you're in a rush then body yogurts are the answer to your prayers. Whilst they aren't quite as moisturising as body butters, they have a lovely cooling, cream gel texture that melts almost immediately on contact with the skin. They are really quick to absorb and although they can leave the skin just a touch sticky at first, especially if you use too much, the leave the skin hydrated and beautifully scented.

With the same sweet, tart, fruity pear scent, again this product contains Italian pear extract, as well as community trade organic almond milk from Spain.

Alas like the Glazed Apple range, Juicy Pear is no more, but a little birdie has told me that there will be a pear based scent in the 2021 Christmas range, and I can't wait to see what it smells like, but in the meantime I'll happily use up the remaining products that I have from the Juicy Pear range.

5. Steve Laurant Total Repair Lip Mask - 1 x 8g Mask

The next item on the list is something that you've seen quite recently on the blog, the Steve Laurant Total Repair Lip Care Mask, and you can read a full review of it here x 

6. Patchology Mood Mask The Good Fight Clear Skin Sheet Mask - 1 x 20ml Mask

From a lip mask to a face mask, and a sheet mask from a brand called Patchology. If you aren't familiar with them, Patchology are a skin and body care brand that started off initially by developing patches and stick on dressings for the medical profession, before moving on to produce a range of patches, and masks for the body and face as well as some more conventional moisturiser and eye products.

From a subscription box (possibly Pink Parcel) this mask contains a whole host of antibacterial and good for you ingredients including Tea Tree, Willow Bark, Peppermint, amino acids, and allantoin. It is specially designed for younger skin, and skin that is more problematic and blemish prone. Patchology claim that this mask will help to destroy skin clogging bacteria, whilst at the same time soothing inflammation and slowing down oil production.

The sheet mask itself felt very wet, and a touch slimy, and it was coated an almost a clear gel like serum. It was a nice, good quality mask though so it was pretty easy to unfold despite it being so wet. To be honest I was expecting it to have a stronger tea tree or mint scent but instead it had a more subtle almost disinfectant like, slightly herbal scent.

Before

It felt quite cool and wet on application but like most sheet masks it gradually warmed up to body temperature on contact with the skin.

On Application

I left it on for the recommended 10 minutes before peeling it off. There was a lot of excess serum left on my face so it felt very wet. I massaged as much as I could of it into my skin but it still felt pretty wet, and it took a good 10 minutes or so for it to absorb, and even then my skin still felt slightly tacky, and I felt as though I had product on my skin, but overall I think my skin looked cleaner and a touch clearer.

After 

Now apart from the odd hormonal spot, large pores, and an oily t-zone, my skin really isn't that problematic any more, but I tried this mask out around the time that my mum was rushed into hospital - the weather warm, and I was pretty stressed out, so I ended up with a few spots on my chin, my cheeks and on my nose.

To be honest I expected this mask to tingle, and to cause a bit of redness, but bar a tiny bit of barely noticeable extra pinkness, this mask caused no irritation whatsoever, and it may be a coincidence but the spots that I did have definitely seemed to disappear more quickly that usual.

Whilst I'm not sure I would personally buy this mask again, purely because my skin just doesn't really need it at the moment, if you have a more blemish prone skin then this could be something to try.

The Patchology Moodmask The Good Fight Clear Skin Sheet Mask retails at around £5 for 1 x 20ml sheet mask both direct from Patchology and from Cult Beauty.

7. L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water - 200ml

From the moment that I started posting on forums, going on social media, reading blogs and ultimately starting my own blog, I started buying into something called hype! The minute I saw someone raving about a product, or anytime that something new came out, I wanted it! Yes, I am weak, and I am an advertisers dream, or at least I used to be! I honestly have gotten better, I still love trying new products, and I always have a wish list of products that I want to try, but at least now I try and be a bit more discerning, and a bit more selective over what I do buy.

Something that I did buy recently that was hyped up from all corners was the L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water! If you haven't already heard about this stuff, where have you been??

I can't say I really understand the technology that well (have a look at the L'Oreal website for an explanation) but this rinse out liquid conditioner claims to work in just 8 second, and it claims to give you 10 x smoother hair, with a silky touch and a glossy shine.

Designed for dry, frizzy, longer hair (yup, that's me!) you apply it to the lengths of your hair after shampooing, then you leave it for 8 second before rinsing it out and applying your usual condition (tbh I just apply it and then stick my conditioner on top before rinsing it all off at once). For best result you then need to blow dry your hair, and then voila!

I admit I was cynical, it looks and feels like water, all be it lovely fresh, fruity, floral smelling water (the scent of which lingers on your hair even after rinsing) but immediately when you apply it you feel a slight warming sensation, so you know that it is doing something!

So did it make a difference? well despite my cynicism yes, yes it did! My hair looked smoother, less frizzy, a lot shinier and it smelled fantastic! For something that looks so innocuous, and that's so quick, I was so surprised to be able to see the difference. I have seen the odd bad review but for me the hype is justified, and I'm already half way through another bottle, and I've just bought another bottle.

You can buy this product from most larger L'Oreal Paris stockists including Superdrug, Look Fantastic, Boots and Amazon, where it has a recommended retail price of £9.99 but my advice is to shop around because you can usually find it on offer for around £4.99.

8. Cussons Carex Moisture Derma Care Antibacterial Hand Wash - 250ml

The next item on the list isn't the most exciting thing ever but it's an essential. I've talked about this particular product before, but thanks to COVID, its lovely fruity scent, and the fact that it isn't drying, it's something that I will continue to buy and use.

9. Elysium Spa Epsom Salts Bath & Shower Gel - Lavender - 300ml

You should hopefully know by now that I love a bargain, and the final two products on this list are some super cheap beauty buys that I picked up on one of my frequent trips to Poundland.

I'm a member of a few Poundland fan groups on Facebook, and this first product was something that I'd seen recommended quite a few times.

I've talked about it quite a few times on the blog but I have quite an interesting relationship with sleep, I can either sleep for 14 hours straight, or I can experience severe insomnia and not sleep properly for days. As as result I am always on the lookout for things to get me in the right mindset for sleep.

I saw a few good reviews of this, and since I usually respond well to lavender I thought I'd give it a try. It's basically a lavender and epsom salt based shower gel which aims to cleanse, soothe, and relax the body and mind.

Clear in appearance and with a runny gel like consistency, you didn't need a lot to produce a good amount of foam. It had a nice but maybe slightly old fashioned, lavender scent, which whilst not the astringent lavender scent that I usually prefer, was gentle and perfect for getting you in the mood for bedtime. It was really easy to rinse off and whilst I wasn't really expecting that much from it, my skin felt really soft and not at all tight or dry.

For just £1, I was actually really impressed with this product, and it's something that I would definitely consider buying again, and I am also now on the hunt for the elusive Eucalyptus version. As I say you can pick this up for just £1 from various stores including Poundland, B&M, and The Range.

10. Nair Wax Strips - Face - 12 Wax Strips

Like all parents and grandparents my mam has some funny sayings in her repertoire, and one of her favourites and something that she said many times to me when I was younger is "you can't have hair in one place, and not the other", and although it's a touch weird she is actually right. Dark, thick hair on your head, means that you'll usually have dark thick hair everywhere else!

I know it's a social construct, and hair on your face and body is 100% normal, but for me personally the tache has to go. I'll happily grow out my body hair at times, but my upper lip and chin hairs, are just a step too far.

Over the years I've used lots of different products to trim my tache so to speak, including bleaching, epilating and hair removal creams, but I've never really been a facial waxer. I don't know whether it's down to age or changes in my skin but lately even my usual brands of hair removal cream have left my upper lip looking super red and sore, so I came to the conclusion that I needed to try something different.

I don't wax my legs that often anymore (I normally use something that I really should have shared with you ages ago - me bad!), but when I do I just pick up a packet of Nair wax strips in Poundland, so when I saw these facial strips, I thought I'd give them a go, and do you know what? I am super pleased that I did.

For just £1 you get 12 facial wax strips, and they actually work. Wax strips have come such a long way since I first started using them, and for the price these ones are excellent, they stick and they remove even the most stubborn, thick, dark hairs by the root! Yes it stings a but, and your face is left a bit red but instead of having to use creams at least once a week. My dark tache hairs are gone for around 3 weeks, and even better still after using these for nearly 3 months now, they are already getting finer and less bristle like.

I'm now kicking myself and wondering just why I didn't persevere with wax in the beginning. I've learnt my lesson now though and you can buy fancier and more expensive Nair facial wax strips, I'll be sticking to these Poundland beauties!

So that was a bit of an epic one, but they were my June empties, all 10 of them, and as you can see in the side bar --> July was just as successful (post coming soon!), and hopefully I'll end up there or thereabouts in August as well.

If you have any questions on any of the products on June's list, then let me know, and please also let me know if you've spotted the Elysium Spa Epsom Salt Bath & Shower Gel in Eucalyptus on your travels, I can't find it anywhere near me and I am desperate to track it down in a bricks and mortar store.

Thanks as per usual for your support and I will see you soon with another post which will either be a Glossybox catch up, or a beauty review x 

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