A couple of months ago, I got given a few products & testers to review from Neal's Yard representative, Jodie. I had never heard of them before, which is strange because they're a well known and established brand. After a quick research, I discovered that they're an affordable and ethical brand who are very aware of the nasty chemicals in most products we use, they pride themselves on using organic and eco-friendly ingredients to create the best and most natural skincare range. They also do not test on animals which is probably the best thing about the company.
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| http://www.nealsyardremedies.com/about-us-pages/beliefs/ethics.html |
As I have oily skin - normal skin, my review might not be beneficial to those with different skin types.
The Oily & Combination Skincare Kit:
£15.00
- Cleanser & Toner: The cleanser is the kind of cleanser you use after you wet your face, rather than a cream based cleanser you use with cotton wool. I usually prefer cleansers which don't require water but this was handy for when I was in the shower, the texture's smooth and soapy, so it's not an exfoliater but it's an effective cleanser. I found it strange to use a toner after cleansing my face with water because it already felt squeaky clean, but the toner did feel soothing and didn't dry out my skin too much.
Pros: You can really tell the difference between organic and non-organic products. These didn't dry out my skin like off the shelf brands & smelt very natural and refreshing.
Cons: I didn't really feel the need to use a toner after cleansing my face and washing it off thoroughly with water. I would prefer a cream based cleanser and then use a toner after that.
- Moisturiser: The moisturiser has quite an odd texture, once again, I think it's because it's not clogged up with chemicals and un-natural ingredients. It's an extremely light texture, very watery and when rubbing it in, it feels slimy. But once it's rubbed into your face, it evaporates completely. No oily residue, no shine which suits me because I already have oily skin!
The smell is quite strong and kind of unusual, it isn't unpleasant, it's quite soothing actually because it smells like a variety of herbs and plants straight from nature.
Pros: Fast drying & because it's so watery, you only need to use a tiny bit each time.
Cons: I sometimes felt my face needed a heavier moisturiser if my skin felt dryer than usual
- Face Mask: The face mask has to be one of my favourite products from this review. It's supposed to unclog pores, give a deep cleanse and minimise blemishes. I don't know if it did all that, but i found it to be so refreshing, It made my skin feel extremely soft and extra clean.
My skin has always been sensitive, as a teen I suffered from acne & often got a nasty reaction from any product out of my daily routine (I used simple cleanser & oil free moisturiser). So for years I have stayed away from those 99p face masks which look fun, but I know are full of reaction inducing ingredients. So i'm so pleased to have found this natural & organic face mask which doesn't make my skin come up in a thousand little spots.
Pros: It's a thick clay like texture which makes my skin feel baby soft without drying it out.
Cons: It's messy to apply and take off & it can itch a bit as it's drying.
Testers:
-Wild Rose Beauty Balm (£38 - 50g) : This product interested me because I wasn't certain on what it was for or how it would work better for me. It's a thick & smooth honey like texture, which is oily rather than sticky. They say it can be used as a 'rich cleanser, gentle exfoliant or deeply nourishing balm – to quench areas of dry or dehydrated skin.' So the directions suggested to massage it onto your face and then wipe it off with a damp cloth as an exfoliator or leave it on for a nourishing treatment. Rubbing it on then off felt like a waste of product, although it did make my skin feel soft. But I decided to leave it on over night for that nourishing treatment which resulted in me having a bit of a reaction (small under the skin spots). So as an exfoliator it's brilliant! But it's way too heavy for my skin to use as a moistuiser, it may work wonders on dry skin though!
Pros: It's a soft and effective exfoliator which nourishes skin at the same time, you may not even need to use a moisturiser afterwards.
Cons: Leaving it on my skin as a moistuiser left my skin feeling clogged, it also has an oily texture which you will notice in the sunlight or underneath make-up.
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| Beauty Balm |
Pros: It felt light & rejuvenating.
Cons: It's a whopping £55 for 50g, but it is very highly praised so in my opinion, worth it if you can afford it.
Mini Reviews:
Purifying Palmarosa Mattifier (£31/30ml): I used this product as a primer under my make-up instead of using a moisturiser & it really did help keep my face oil free.
Purifying Palmarosa Facial Polish (£16/100g): This product acts as a scrub & cleanser, I generally prefer buying scrubs rather than normal cleansers because I feel like they benefit my skin a little more. This one gently exfoliated my skin & didn't make my face red or blotchy (which sometimes happens with scrubs.)
Coconut oil :I've always been a fan of coconut oil. I use it for all sorts: Hair mask, eyelash serum & moisturiser. It's so important to pick up a virgin oil, which means it's 100% natural with no added chemicals, just pure coconut oil. You could eat it if you wanted to. Neal's Yard sell an organic virgin coconut oil for £9 / 300g.
Lip Gloss(Bayberry £9.50): I'm not usually a lip gloss fan because they're sticky, not very pigmented and have no real purpose but my Bayberry lip gloss is basically a lip balm! It's so nourishing and slightly pigmented with a little bit of glitter thrown in there. I wear it over lip liner for a subtle rosey look which at the same time cures my dry lips.
- If you're interested in purchasing any of these products, visit Jodie's NYR website:
She also runs a beauty salon in Hawkwell, Essex which offers treatments using the natural and organic products of Neal's Yard Remedies
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