skin chemists

When Skin Chemists got in touch and said they wanted to send me a different kind of Valentines gift I was intrigued. Now I’m not a big fan of Valentines Day (I blogged about it here) but I am a big fan of beauty products and last year was very impressed with the Skin Chemists Snail Serum I reviewed (see the non slimy results here) so was excited to find out what treat I would receive.

Skin Chemists’ idea is to gift (or self-gift) a rose-themed beauty product rather than a bouquet of roses this Valentines Day because lets be honest, however beautiful they can be, bouquets of roses at Valentines are such a waste of money. I personally would always rather have something that will last more than a few days and more importantly something I actually want. So I’m definitely ready to break with tradition this February, are you?

PS If you’re single and thinking “Urgh, great a blog about gifts for Valentines day” I think February is always a great month to buy yourself a few beauty treats regardless…its still a bit cold and miserable plus your skin is recovering from winter and needs all the TLC it can get. So embrace the self-gifting (I know I do!!!)

I tested the Rose Quartz Age Defence Youth Facial Oil* and according to Skin Chemists, the oil is infused with a blend of hydrating, nourishing and protecting actives. These provide essential vitamins and minerals for the skin to leave the complexion illuminated, hydrated and refined.

The main active ingredients in the formulation are:
1) Rose Otto Oil to help restore moisture balance in the skin. Its anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant properties aim to repair and protect the skin, whilst firming and toning.
2) Vitamin E to reduce skin damage, whilst protecting against daily damage.
3) Almond Oil to provide deep hydration and nourishment, brightening and renewing the appearance of the skin.

So does it do what it claims – to smooth, illuminate and refine…?

The first thing I noticed, from the first day I starting using it was how soft my skin felt afterwards. The oil itself is very light and doesn’t make your skin feel sticky or oily plus it smells divine! The rose oil ingredient creates a lovely light floral aroma that makes you feel great even on the most miserable of days. Plus I had no break-outs while using it and considering I used it quite liberally over my whole face I think thats great as the fact it was an oil did worry me a little before I started using it.

By week two I felt my skin was looking dewy and definitely had a healthy glow to it which I loved. I didn’t see a huge difference in my fine lines but to be honest I’m lucky as I dont have a lot and this would probably be more obvious after a longer usage time. It definitely felt luxurious to use though and I got into the habit to using it before bed and it made me feel quite pampered which was lovely. All in all I liked the product – it is easy to use with its pipette style dispenser, comes in premium glass packaging (plus a lovely bright pink box!), made my skin super soft to the touch and smells just lovely. Suitable for all skin types, I think the oil would be a lovely treat for your skin this February.

During February Skin Chemists are having a Rose Quartz month with lots of promotional offers on the entire range. This product usually has a RRP of £99 but during February is reduced to £24.99 – to shop it click here.
And it gets better! My followers can receive an additional 20% off by using the discount code BLUESKYBLOG making the product only £19.99! The code is valid until the end of February so now is the time to treat yourself (or get someone else to!)

*I was gifted this product but all views stated are my own. For more information please see my disclaimer section.

Those who know me know I love to try new beauty products. Part of my blog tagline is ‘here to prove you can be 40 and still look great’ but that takes work…and great beauty products!

I had heard quite a bit about certain ‘wonder products’ that had originally come from Korean beauty ideas so when Skin Chemists sent me their Advanced Snail Eye Serum* I was pretty excited!

“Snail?!?” I hear you say. Yes, this eye serum has snail secretions in it! Never one to back down from trying something that could make me look younger I dived straight in.

So firstly what does Skin Chemists say about this wonder product?

“Our Advanced Snail Serum works to actively lift, tighten and repair the skin for a younger, more flawless complexion. Snail Secretion, derived from the natural defensive liquid secreted by snails aims to delay premature ageing of the skin, whilst reducing visible age spots and providing protection from free radical damage. Osilift, a natural sugar from purified oat extracts, aims to instantly lift and tighten the skin to reduce the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles. Hyaluronic Acid aims to rejuvenate the skin by boosting natural hyaluronic acid levels found within the layers of the skin, to plump and hydrate. Starflower Oil, rich in essential fatty acirds, provides lipid nutrients, which aim to effectively replenish skin tissues in order to slow the natural ageing process.”

Ok sounds interesting…so what did I think?

Firstly the product looks great. It is in an easy to use pump action bottle that delivers just the right amount of serum for use.

Secondly, it smells divine. It goes on easily and leaves no residue which is great as it means you can put make up over it if you use it in the morning (the instructions suggest morning and night applications for best results).

The instructions said to apply using your ring finger for a very light application but I just very gently applied it around my eyes using my index finger concentrating on the lower area (where those pesky bags/shadows are). As you can see from the photo below I have noticable shadows below my eyes without make-up.

And after about 2/3 weeks of use? Well the first thing I noticed was my under-eyes are looking brighter and plumper.

Its always hard to show differences in photos due to differences in light etc but I definitely can see a difference. The hollows of my eyes look less and the skin seems more luminous. I dont have a lot of lines on my face yet so can’t comment on if it helps fine lines but the few I have havent got any worse and I can imagine this product would keep it that way.

And finally – would I recommend?

Yes I would. This is a premium product with a price tag to match but it does make a noticable difference. I used it regularly morning and night and I have definitely used less concealer since. A little goes a long way and I am looking forward to trying more of Skin Chemists wonder products.

Find the full range of Skin Chemists products here.

*This was a gifted item. For my disclosure statement please see here.