Archives for May 2017

If you feel the need to up your acid toner strength, try the Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Acid 10% Toning Complex

May 5, 2017 Paris B 15 Comments

I unearthed this one day from my stash, and I’d been playing around with it for the past few months. I’m not even sure where or when I got it (because I have a mini-Sephora like that LOL!) but it’s one of those products that are raved all up and down the internet, and you know me. If it’s a highly raved skincare item, I’m all over it!

This is the Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Acid 10% Toning Complex (I’ll call it the Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Acid Toner) and what it is, is a toner. A clarifying toner, they call it. But it is also what is popularly known as an acid toner.

Toners like these contain acids (duh! Usually AHA or BHA) that help to chemically exfoliate skin. Ever since I learnt how good they are for my skin, I’ve used them for a few years now. It really does help, and I don’t even really use a physical exfoliator or scrub anymore.

But this. This is very popular, and I can see why. 10% Glycolic Acid baby! 😀

Can and should Essential Oils be used directly on the skin? I say NO

May 3, 2017 Paris B 22 Comments

I don’t know about you, but I enjoy using essential oils. I know, it’s all very New Age woo-woo. I’m not really that invested in the New Age movement, but I like my essential oils. Always have for years and years. I like them primarily because they smell so good, and well, to a degree, I believe that some oils can work on my temperament better than others. Lavender for one, soothes me and helps me sleep. Peppermint rejuvenates me and makes me feel refreshed.

But I think people have been lulled into a false sense of security when it comes to the use of essential oils, because of the fact that they’ve been around a long time and they are natural. This was brought home to me when I came across a piece of news on Twitter this week.

No, it’s not just any piece of news on Twitter, it was reported in the Independent (UK), which I’d like to believe isn’t fake news 😛

In a nutshell, the lady in the piece of news, applied essential oils directly to her skin, before going for a hot yoga class and then using a tanning bed. She suffered second and third-degree burns on the parts where she applied the essential oils which was attributed to the exposure to UV light. As much as I sympathize with her predicament, I felt that it was also timely for us to remind ourselves, with essential oils enjoying a bit of a renaissance, that essential oils aren’t play things.

I didn’t think a fragrance company would do skincare but the Jo Malone Vitamin E Gel surprised me

May 1, 2017 Paris B 8 Comments

When I say Jo Malone, I dare bet that the first thing that comes to your mind is minimalistic tall square bottles of lovely fragrances, with an ivory label down the front. That’s the first thing to come to my mind, at any rate. I think pretty, light scents, wafting through the air.

I dare bet that skincare would not cross your mind. It never crossed mine!

So about a year ago (goodness, has it been that long?!) when this little jar of Jo Malone Vitamin E Gel landed on my desk, I did a double-take. Oh hello? What is this scorcery?

As it turned out, from browsing the Jo Malone store, I found out that they do do a small, select collection of Vitamin E facial skincare products. Not something that really jumps out at the consumer, nor is it something that you’d really be looking at, if I’m to be honest – their strength is in their fragrance range – but it is there. And if I might be so bold as to say so, this Vitamin E Gel is quite something.

Archives for May 2017

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