Is your skincare routine in need of a Spring shake-up? I've been testing out these four new releases from the likes of Dermalogica, B., Masque Bar & REN over the past month, so here are my thoughts on them!
In a world of constant selfies and photo sharing, it seems as no surprise that almost every brand is coming out with a primer product that promises 'flawless' looking skin. This new Hydrablur one from Dermalogica offers a lightweight, non-greasy cream formula that helps to 'blur' the appearance of the skin, and also minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles. I was expecting a typical silicone gel looking formula to come out of the tube, but surprisingly it was more like a rich moisturiser cream which I definitely preferred. It feels instantly hydrating on the skin and it does deliver a subtle 'blurring' effect that makes your skin look a lot smoother and even than what it is.
The effects are temporary of course, but I loved wearing this underneath liquid foundations (it didn't work so well with mineral foundations as it went a little cakey when I tried but with liquid it looked amazing). Only main downside is that you don't get a lot of product for your money, only a 22ml skinny tube and I found that you had to use quite a lot each time, but if you use it for special occasions only, I think it's worth a cheeky splurge.
B. Refreshed Essence Lotion* (150ml, £6.99, link)
Regular readers will know that I'm a huge fan of B. and it's one of my go-to brands when I'm shopping on a budget. They have some seriously underrated products and I'm hoping that this new Essence Lotion will draw more people to them because it's really good! I haven't used an essence in my skincare routine on a regular basis before but I've seen a noticeable difference since using this.
This one from B. features Allantoin and Algae Extract to smooth, soften and protect the skin, whilst Hyaluronic Acid gives it an intensive hydration kick which is perfect for Winter-worn complexions. I've been using it in the evening after cleansing and toning, and before using a moisturiser to give my skin an extra boost which leaves it looking healthier and more glowy the next day. You can also use it by saturating a plain paper sheet mask and treating yourself to an at-home facial which I need to try! Cruelty-free, suitable for vegans and currently half price in Superdrug.
Having had a good past experience with Masque Bar's Eye Treat Dark Circle Minimizing Patches (see my January Favourites here), I was very excited to try out their new Hydro Gel Eye Patches and they did not disappoint. I actually prefer these as they're much more hydrating and I like the ingredients more too. These have Gold, Adenosine and Snail Extracts to help improve elasticity, brighten dark circles and dimish the signs of aging.
They come loose stacked in a plastic tub and look like gold coloured gel eye patches, but once you take them out with the accompanying spatula, you can see that they're transparent. I leave these on for about half an hour when I'm doing a pamper and they make my undereye area feel super smooth with a lovely cooling effect. They definitely help to de-puff bags in the morning too, but I can't say I've noticed any difference in my dark circles looking any less dark. On the tub, it's recommended that you use these everyday, but I'd personally just whip them out when I had a special occasion or something like that as they're quite expensive.
REN Keep Young And Beautiful Instant Brightening Beauty Shot Eye Lift* (15ml, £30, link)
If you're after a new eye protect to tighten and brighten your peepers, REN's latest release is packed full of clever wrinkle defying ingredients to help lift the slackening of the eyelid, reduce fine lines and improve the shape of the eye contour area. In addition, it has subtle pearlescent light-reflecting pigments to instantly brighten up the undereye area (these work well over and under your regular concealer too without peeling or flaking), and there's a blend of Hyalurons to reduce puffiness.
The thin gel formula feels very light, non-greasy and absorbs quickly. There's an immediate tightening effect and I found that it did help to reduce puffiness and smooth out a few lines that I have underneath my eyes. It does feel quite drying though so I'd recommend pairing it with a hydrating eye cream if you have dry under eyes (like I do) or mature skin as it's not an eye cream in itself, more of an additional quick fixer to be used over the top of your skincare instead.
Do you want to try out any of these?
What new skincare products have you discovered recently?
Love the sound of the Masque bar eye patches - especially if they're for dark circles, as I'm constantly trying to find ways to get rid of mine!
ReplyDeleteDaniella x
http://daniella-r.blogspot.co.uk
They're very good! x
DeleteThe Dermalogica primer sounds amazing but you don't get much ml for your £! If it was cheaper I'd probably give it a go xx
ReplyDeleteRamblings of a Beauty Bird | Beauty Blog
They have been quite stingy with the amount! Something to try if you have a discount code or see it on offer I think xx
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