b·liv By Cellnique Skincare Review*

A little while ago I read a post on the lovely Phoebe's blog about her experiences with the b·liv by Cellnique skincare range, in the post she offered her readers the chance to contact the company to receive a free sample - I did so and instead of a sample sachet the company offered to send me a selection of their product to review. I have to admit it wasn't a brand I was familiar with. Popular in the USA and the Far East b.liv is part of the Cellnique's skincare portfolio. Using potent beauty salon  formulations b·liv was developed to be their range for younger skins which is designed to be quick, easy to use and risk free. The products from the b·liv range fall into 4 categories, the blackheads range, the large pores range, the blemish / acne range and the dry range. You can pick products out from each range to deal with you specific concerns and form a full routine so with my combination skin I was sent  4 products from the blackhead, large pore and dry ranges to try. I'm going to do this review a little bit differently to how I normally do them so I hope you'll bear with me. First of all I am going to do a quick review of the 3 main products I used, I am then going to do a full review of the mask I was sent and then finally I am going to talk about how the products have made my skin feel and any differences there may have been over the last 3 weeks or so I've been using them, hope I've made sense, so lets get started x

b·liv by Cellnique Squeaky Clean Beads Cleansing Gel

Part of the blackheads range, Squeaky Clean is b·liv's premier cleanser for most skin conditions but it's specifically designed to remove excess oil and impurities from the skin, making it ideal for me. A salon formulation it includes ingredients such as Green Tea a noted anti-oxident which is great for sensitive skins, Aloe Vera which is super gentle and an anti-inflammatory, and Peppermint extract for oil control and deep cleansing. The Peppermint extract is the one that dominates this wash it has a fabulous minty smell, that really refreshes you without been too strong or overpowering, The product itself comes in super useful pump action dispenser. It dispenses easily and a couple of pumps is ideal for your face and neck.

The wash itself is a green gel which contains tiny exfoliating beads, don't think that because it's an exfoliating wash that it's harsh, it certainly isn't! I used it twice a day pretty much every day for nearly a month , apart from when I was removing make up and I have to say it was very gentle. The beads are very small and smooth, and as you mix the wash with water, all you feel is a very gently scrubbing action, which you seems to be really cleansing and purifying your skin.

For such small beads I found that it rinsed away really easily leaving no traces on your skin. The skin was left feeling super soft, and dare I say it squeaky clean ;), not tight or dry, just soft, smooth and purified. Ideal for cleansing at anytime time of the day I would especially recommend this wash in the morning - the fresh, minty smell gave me a real get up and go as well as making my skin feeling clean, soft and mattified  Squeaky Clean Beads Cleansing Gel retails at around $25 for 130ml which should last easily last you a month or so.

b·liv Shrink and Tighten Large Pores Reducing Serum  

The second product I used in my b·liv routine was the Shrink and Tighten Large Pores Reducing Serum understandably from the large pores range. As I've mentioned many, many times on my blog, twitter, my You Tube etc. etc one of biggest problems with my skin is open and large pores, I really have probably tried everything now so I was delighted to receive this product, and get a chance to try something new.

Shrink and Tighten comes boxed and in a pump action dispenser, which I like, the product is kept clean and germ free. Designed to minimise the pores, calm the skin, and prevent future oil and breakouts, the serum contains ingredients such as Niacinamide, to control oil and to help tighten pores, Salicylic Acid, to exfoliateate and prevent oiliness and breakouts, and multivitamins and collagen to help with skin repair and skin texture.

The serum itself is quite runny in texture, with a slightly cloudy colour. It smells quite fresh and a tiny bit chemically. I used this after cleansing applying a few pumps in circular motion all over my face concentrating particularly on my t-zone and cheeks where more pores are at the worst. The serum has a cooling and ever so slightly tingly feeling on your face which was quite refreshing. It absorbed quickly and left a matte finish. I'll talk more about the overall effect of the whole regime on my skin later along with some close up pics, but I have to say I did notice a little bit of a difference with this, the pores certainly didn't disappear completely, but I didn't really expect them too, but they certainly appeared to be smaller and less obvious. I would definitely like to try this product alongside the rest of the large pore range to see what results using all the products together would bring. The Shrink and Tighten Large Pores Reducing Serum retails at around $49 for 30ml which would easily last you a month or so .

b·liv Quench Me Moisturising Gel

The last two products I was sent were from the dry range. Initially I was apprehensive as I really don't have dry skin but as you will see I had nothing to worry about . Quench Me is probably b·liv's most popular moisturiser. Designed to help your skin keep moisture locked in, again  this product comes boxed and in a pump action bottle.

Containing ingredients such as Squalane and Silk Protein to help retain moisture and repair the skin, and Bearberry which contains anti-oxidents, Quench Me has a light cream gel texture, pale blue in colour with a slightly sweet fresh smell, I used a few pumps onto my face and neck after using the Shrink and Tighten.

It spread easily onto the skin, and absorbed very quickly leaving the skin lightly moisturised and with a slightly matte finish. Since this product was from the dry range I immediately thought it was going to be too much for my combination / oily skin but I needn't have worried the texture was nice, and light and my skin was left comfortable and certainly not greasy after application, I don't think it would be enough for really dry skin but on mine it worked. Quench Me Moisturizing Gel retails at around $32 for 50ml.

I've given the suggested retail prices for the first 3 items but if you would like to try them all b·liv by Cellnique currently sell them in a kit called Large Pores for $87 a substantial saving on buying the products individually - there are also several other kits available containing combination sets of their best selling products

b·liv Leach Me Moisturizing Mask

The final product I was sent was the Leach Me Moisturizing Mask also from the dry range. Normally sold in a pack of 6 I was sent one mask. Designed to brighten and deeply moisturise the skin this is basically a sheet mask, a white fabric/ paper mask which is soaked in a serum containing fruit acids, and moisturising ingredients. The mask comes in a sachet, after cleansing my face I removed the mask from the sachet and the backing sheet, and applied it to my face, as you can see there are spaces, for your eyes, nose and mouth but you still look as though  you could be in Phantom of the Opera - cue spooky picture of me xx

The mask was very wet almost dripping in serum, so the best way to use it was to lie down. It felt very cooling and fresh on the skin, and I actually found the whole experience much more relaxing than say a clay mask. I left the mask on for probably more than the 30 minutes indicated, as there was still so much serum in it. After that time I peeled the sheet off and massaged the excess serum into my face and neck. The picture probably isn't that conclusive but my skin was left very refreshed and very smooth, and I would almost say glowing

This was my first experience of sheet masks and I have to say it was a positive one, I found the experience really relaxing, and my skin was left feeling refreshed and looking much brighter and clearer, and despite the mask being for dry skin, my skin was left glowing but not greasy or oily. My one slight issue was that the mask was probably too wet, in the sachet there was a lot of left over serum so I kept it applied it to my face both in the evening and on the next morning. If you want a proper pamper treatment try these you won't be disappointed. b·liv Leach Me Moisturizing Masks are available in a pack of 6 for $28.

Results and Reflections

I've used the first 3 products for over 3 weeks now and I've used the mask once and in that time I've came to a number of conclusions, and I've seen a number of changes in my skin. First of all pictures -

Before

and After

OK I admit it the pictures don't really show any difference or at least no conclusive difference but in reality I think there have been some changes. First of all my pores, OK they are still visible but they definitely aren't as deep or dark looking. I also think that the texture of my skin in general has improved it feels a lot smoother, and it also appears to be less oily. I also found that the combination of the products made an ideal base for make up,  I didn't need to use a primer and my make stayed on much better, probably down to the super matte surface that the products created.All in all no miracles but good enough results for me  to be impressed.

If you are interested in checking out the b·live by Cellnique range please bear in mind that they are based outside of the UK hence the prices are in $, I know a few people had some issues with customs but I personally didn't have any problems. If you are interested in learning more about the products please check out their website . If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask x

*Press Sample

Kosmea Eighth Wonder Revitalising Facial Serum - A Review For My Pure

As you know I was recently sent a package of goodies to review by the lovely people at My Pure. One of the products was the Kosmea Eighth Wonder Revitalising Facial Serum.
Established in Australia in 1993 Kosmea launched the first 100% pure certified organic Rosehip oil and subsequently went on to establish an entire skin care line based on their organic Rosehip oil.

I must admit I am not the biggest user of serums - I sometimes use one for pore refining or general oil reduction but generally I find that moisturiser is enough for my skin - am I right or am I wrong, should I be using a serum such as this which is suitable for all skin types on a daily basis?- well this product was a new step in my skin care routine. Packaged in an easy to use silver and white pump action dispenser to keep the product air tight, Kosmea claim that this super serum will give "your skin an instant face lift and will increase radiance" Well the ingredients they use certainly suggest this could be the case

The key ingredient in the all Kosmea range is natural organic Rosehip oil. This has been found to have visible regenerative properties. It's rich in Vitamins A and E, and antioxidents, which can all help in the natural exfoliating of the skin, and an general improvement in skin texture producing smoother, brighter skin and it can even minimise the appearance of fine lines, an all round wonder oil for the skin which increasingly appears in lots of skin care products not only in this range :) This serum also includes Hibiscus extract which has also be proven to minimise the appearance of fine lines and Green Tea which is another noted antioxident, which has been said to safeguard healthy skin and prevent premature ageing, and sun damage.

Well the history of their ingredients seems to back up their claims but what did I think? Well we'll start at the beginning the packaging was good I love pump action dispensers - they keeps the product airtight which is so important which ingredients as pure as these. The pump action dispenser worked well but I have to say there was a tendency to dispense too much product at once - it has a lotion type texture
which you can see here


It felt light on the skin and spread easily and absorbed to a pretty matte non-sticky finish

Kosmea advise you use this product twice a day under moisturiser during the day and on it own at night. I have combination skin, with oily tendencies so I found I didn't actually need to use alongside moisturiser during the day - On my skin I felt provided enough moisture on its own - I like the matte finish it gave to my skin and I felt it made it an ideal base for both liquid and mineral foundations :)
The one issue I think people may possibly have with this serum is the smell - I personally liked it - I've grown up with Rose Geranium plants in my house so I am quite used to the smell - it's a herbal/ floral scent which I think some people could find a bit over powering - it does have a tendency to linger on the skin for some time, so much so that Mummy LouLou asked what I'd been doing with her plants in the conservatory

What did it do to my skin ?- Well although Kosmea claim this is for all skin types I actually think it would perform better on a drier, more mature skin as oppose to mine which is still prone to oiliness. Despite that I did see a bit of a change in my skin over the fortnight I've been using this - my skin texture seems to have slightly improved, it seems more even and my dry parts aren't quite as dry, and my skin generally seems a little clearer. I'm not a 100% sure it's more radiant though and my annoying fine lines are still there but maybe using it for a bit longer will change that.
I have to say I probably wouldn't buy this again at least at this moment in time - as I say I think it would probably be better suited to a drier or more mature skin, which actually has more ageing and radiance issues. Another thing that would prevent me buying at this moment in time is the price point - this is not a cheap product - obviously down to the quality of the ingredients and so on, it's very much an investment product which focuses on specific problems which aren't really a concern for me at this time. The Kosmea Eighth Wonder Revitalising Facial Serum is available in two sizes the 20ml (which I was sent) is £25 and the 50ml is £49.99 - both are available from My Pure

(As you know I was sent this product by My Pure for review purposes. This hasn't affected my review in any way this is my opinion and mine alone)

Blogging For My Pure

Like a number of other bloggers I was recently accepted to do some reviews and blogging for My Pure. I thought I'd just do you a quick post explaining more about what I'm going to be doing and what you can expect to see on my blog - just for transparency and to make sure I am being 100% honest with you I guess :)
For those of you haven't heard of them My Pure is a UK based site that specialises in hard to find natural skin, hair, and body care products. I was thrilled to be accepted on to their bloggers panel - I've recently started looking at the ingredients in my products and to say I've been concerned at some of them is an understatement so I am looking forward to trying some new and interesting natural brands. As part of their blogger panel I will be reviewing around three products a month for you - as per usual despite the fact that I am been sent items I can promise I will give you an honest opinion. be it good or bad which is exactly what My Pure have asked for :)
As I said earlier a number of bloggers are going to be doing the same thing - I am lead to believe that the first few parcels we all get will contain the same items but after that we will be getting products tailored to our own skin and hair types. I know a few bloggers have had some concerns about the fact that in the early stages we will all be receiving the same products and there is therefore a risk of overkill or blogger boredom. Whilst I can understand this view (I understand how annoying it is to get 20 different posts in your feed about the same product) Hopefully this won't be an issue I can imagine our reviews will all be slightly different depending on our own experiences with the products and our different ages, hair and skin types,so fingers crossed you won't be reading the same thing too many times, and as with all things on my blog if you don't want to read or your not interested in a post that's fine by me, move on and hopefully you'll enjoy the next post better.
Anyways I am thrilled to be taking part and I received my first parcel on Saturday morning and I have to say it made a lovely surprise on a day of surprises!

Wrapped in lovely tissue paper and recyclable cereal noodles (aren't these so much better than polystyrene) I received two skin care products - the A'kin Pure Rose Hydrating Facial Mist, and the Kosmea Eighth Wonder Revitalising Facial Serum and a haircare product - Lovea's Moroccan Argan Brilliance Shine Shampoo. I'll obviously give you more details on the products when I come to do my reviews but just from reading the ingredients labels and a bit of a blurb on the packaging this is exactly the sort of thing I've been looking to try - paraben, and sulphate, etc. free (look up parabens sometime if your curious). I'll hopefully be integrating these reviews in to my regular postings over the next next few weeks (we have been set a deadline of 7th June to posts our reviews) so hopefully you won't get millions of reviews from different bloggers coming up in your feed at once :) Anyways don't forget to keep an eye out for the posts if natural products are your bag hopefully it will be worth a read xx