There probably aren't any other beauty products that went through as drastic changes over time as toners. A product loaded with alcohol, camphor, ammonia, sage, menthol and salt that was used for 'making the skin elastic', 'strengthening and whitening the skin' while 'soothing the terrible nerves' later evolved into Helena Rubinstein's Astringent Wash, a water, menthol, zinc sulphate and perfume concoction. Do you still remember the alcohol-laden 'cooling', 'refreshing' product of our youth (over 35s) to 'close the pores' (as if!) and 'take off the remains of your makeup' (let's not even go there!) in the '80s? All these notions sound ridiculous now if you're at least a bit au fait with skin care. However, surprisingly enough, there is still a huge section of the public that still believes these beauty myths.
A decade or so later toners have grown into a luxurious addition to our skincare routine and now they act as hydration boosters or an AHA/BHA exfoliators.
I am big on acid toning and have been for years but I have been quite lazy using hydrating toners. When I saw Fresh coming out with the Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner I thought THAT is something I would love to use but I always shied away from the hefty £34 ($44) price tag. The gel formula infused with rose petals seemed very appealing, I always kept flirting with the idea of splashing out on one bottle. Fast forward a good few months and I got the news that Bodyshop is launching their dupe for the Fresh toner. I was delighted. I'm already obsessed with their British Rose mask, I instantly knew this was for me and I was right. Here are the details:
What it is: a gel hydrating toner, rose petals are suspended in a light golden coloured gel formula.
Who it is for: all skin types that need hydration.
Packaging: clear plastic bottle, shows up the product perfectly, looks pretty on bathroom shelves.
How to use it: after cleansing, according to the website you should soak a cotton pad with the product and 'cleanse' the skin.
How it worked for me: the toner has been mostly part of my evening routine and on some mornings when I felt I needed a pick-me-up. The consistency of the formula is just right, not too runny, it is easy to handle. I went against the company recommendation so instead
of using a cotton pad (it felt like a wase of product) I was squeezing some into my hand and gently patted it on
the skin. On application it instantly felt cooling, soothing, smoothing and my skin felt
plump.
The fresh rose scent is a lovely addition to the luxurious feel of using it. I have found this working really well after sun exposure or after acid toners, AHA/BHA treatments to sooth the skin.
Ingredient-wise* the Fresh toner wins, obviously, but that doesn't mean the Bodyshop counterpart is not a great product. It's a lovely sensorial experience: it looks great, smells great and feels great on the skin. It works for me so without a doubt this will remain in my beauty stash.
Value for money: great - you get 250ml for £9.50.
Next up on my list to try from the Bodyshop? The Chinese Ginseng & Rice Clarifying Milky Toner. I love the mask and this sounds intriguing.
*Ingredients:
Bodyshop British Rose Petal-Soft Toner:
Aqua/Water/Eau, Propanediol, Methyl Gluceth-20, PPG-26-Buteth-26,
Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol,
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum/Fragrance,
Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Rosa Gallica Flower Powder,
Panthenol, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylpropanediol, Trisodium
Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Rose Extract, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate,
Trideceth-6, Benzyl Salicylate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder,
Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone,
Linalool, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate.
Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner : Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Rosa Centifolia
Flower, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract,
Angelica Keiskei Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate,
PEG-150, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium
Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, BHT, Parfum (Fragrance),
Phenoxyethanol, Citronellol, Geraniol
Not a week goes by without a new mask hitting the beauty shelves of the country but as a self-confessed mask-junkie, I'm not complaining. I'm always happy to try all of them for the greater good of sharing the results with you! The Bodyshop's superfood masks have been a firm favourite of mine since they've been launched this time last year (the British Rose and the Chinese Ginseng and Rice ones are brilliant!)so I was excited to see a new addition to the range. I was very curious how it will work since I haven't tried any pollution clearing masks before.
What it is:
The masking formula contains matcha green tea from Kakegawa, Japan, Dandelion Extract, Community Trade Aloe Vera from Mexico. It promises to purify, exfoliate and help to lift the build-up of city pollutants, everyday impurities.
Matcha tea (a special type of green tea - pulverized green tea leaves - that is grown and produced in Japan) is a fabulous detox for the skin, an antioxidant powerhouse that has anti-inflammatory properties (reduces the redness associated such as rosacea and even acne), it keeps your complexion fresh and healthy (exfoliates and lifts off dead skin cells from the surface of the skin)and is fantastic for improving the signs of ageing (stimulates elastin production to add volume to the skin, protects the skin against free radicals that cause sun damage, age spots, dry skin, and yes, wrinkles). It has benefits for all skin types since it is gentle and great for those who struggle with breakouts and oily skin too.
Dandelion Extract is a potent antioxidant as well (who knew?), the added Aloe Vera helps with soothing and moisturizing the skin.
Environmental pollution can tremendously age our skin (it causes dryness, pigmentation, inflammation, fine lines, etc.)but these brilliant active ingredients are all working on neutralizing free radicals that cause the damage.
Added bonus: The Japanese Match Tea mask is 100% vegan and doesn't contain silicones, mineral oil or paraffin.
The packaging: dark coloured heavy glass jar, the product is well protected, looks good on bathroom shelves but not travel-friendly.
How it worked for me: The Japanese Matcha Tea mask sounds delicious as it is but I think so far this is the most 'sensorial' of them all. Opening the jar I was instantly taken by the scent, it is so lovely, fresh, earthy, almost grassy. The formula itself is creamy, easy to apply. The first time I put it on I had this strange, very gentle tingling sensation which scared me a bit first but it turned into more of a cooling and uplifting sensation. Does this even make sense? Is this how it should work? I don't know but this has got to be the most peculiar yet fun first-time mask experience. The longer I left it on, the more pleasant it has become. The mask has a light green colour that changes to almost clear over time. After 10 minutes as I removed it with a sponge the small granules gently exfoliated the skin leaving it fresh and incredibly clean. My skin looked amazing (not red at all despite thinking it might irritate my skin)as a result: bright, glowing, plumped up but it was even better the next day since I used my intense Alpha-H Glycolic moisturiser after the mask, so it must have penetrated better due to the mask.
Did this mask remove all the pollution from my skin? I have absolutely no idea, but it was a great experience and my skin felt fantastic without a doubt after using it so I highly recommend it! If I did a longer Sunday mask routine I would even add the British Rose hydrating mask after this for an extra plumping effect.
Value for money: you get a healthy 75ml for £16 and judging by my previous experience with the superfood masks, it will last a long time.
I am absolutely thrilled I've found yet another brilliant mask from the Bodyshop. I think this could work on most skin types, however, if you know you have sensitive skin, patch test first to be on the safe side.
A while ago I mentioned how the high street is upping its game in masks. It was high time to, and it was worth a wait. Finally, The Body Shop's delightful range of Superfood Masks are out, so there are loads of goodies to try. The launch has 5 masks for different skin concerns, each packed with potent, natural ingredients from all around the world. Here's the full range:
Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask (detoxifies and is 100% vegan)
British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask
(hydrates and is 100% vegan)
Ethiopian Honey Deep Nourishing Mask
(nourishes and is 100% vegetarian)
Chinese Ginseng & Rice Clarifying Polishing Mask
(brightens and is 100% vegetarian)
Amazonian Acai Energising Radiance Mask – (energises and is 100% vegan)
It's interesting to see how The Body Shop is changing over time, especially since they joined L'oreal. There are definitely more and more launches that look and feel high end, and the brand itself is evolving into a real grown-up beauty industry player. While I don't mind the odd chemical help when it comes to skin care, it is aways nice to return to tried and tested natural remedies. These masks are just the ticket.
I opted for two for now, the British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask and the Chinese Ginseng & Rice Clarifying Polishing Mask, but I definitely will try the other three too. They all look so delicious, inviting and good enough to eat after all.
The gorgeous British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask is full of the hydrating goodness of the rose. It's a gel texture that looks appetising as a nice, home-made conserve and smells of a rose garden full of fresh, blooming buds. The consistency is light, it feels refreshing so it's excellent for morning use if you want your makeup to glide on like a dream. While your skin is getting the essential hydration that it needs, you also get the calming, soothing effect of Aloe Vera and the brightening of Rosehip too. On top of that, it is 100% vegan! What's not to love?
The Chinese Ginseng & Rice Clarifying Polishing Mask is lovely exfoliating mask perks up dull, uneven skin in no time. The grains are not too harsh, is smells divine and feels refreshing on the skin. The ginseng promises to tone and revitalise, the rice extract to stimulate the skin while the sesame seed oil to soften and it does exactly that. This is a perfect way to add radiance, to clarify and polish the skin in dire need of a pick me up. This mask is 100% vegetarian. Be a bit cautious with this if you are sensitive, there's a bit of a tingling sensation while the mask is on so either leave it on for 2-3 minutes only instead of the recommended 5-10 minutes or go with one of the nourishing masks just in case.
Once you collected all 5 masks, you can mix and match to multitask which is very much on trend right now. Catering for the skin care savvy, offering different ways of clarifying and nourishing on demand is a smart move and will get a lot of attention. In the world of the beauty blogger/vlogger and a saturated market, this is a much-needed breath of fresh air that keeps the industry alive with good buzz and quality that is behind the hype. Job well-done The Body Shop, this range is British beauty at their finest, can't wait to see what else is in store in the next few seasons!
The full range is available here, £16.00 for each pot.
I am a tad bit late with this, I know, but I couldn't resist anymore and got the shower gel and the body butter from The Body Shop's Pinita Colada range. I am a big fan of The Body Shop ever since my sister bought me a bottle of White Musk in the '90s. Back then in Hungary that was a huge deal. The Body Shop is a big part of the collective beauty consciousness in the UK, and it seems everyone has nostalic story about the brand. The soaps, the shower gels and body butters have always had a constant presence in my bathroom too ever since I moved to the UK. The Body Shop Pinita Colada (note it's Pinita, not Pina, so no rum involved ;)) range launched at the beginning of the summer. Bloggers everywhere went crazy for it. It took a bit of time, but finally I gave in to the catchy positive publicity.
First things first, I have to admit, the scent makes me smile every single time I open the bottle or the pot and I'm not the only one. I cannot believe how much this smells like a good Pina Colada cocktail. Every sniff of the products sends a tiny whiff of summer holiday happiness (preferably at to the Carrebbiean) to your brain. It's all about the coconut, and the pineapple, it is fresh, fruity, tropical, delicious. This range has quicly become a coveted item for this summer and I am not surprised. It looks fun and IS fun to use. The fragrance is quite strong, so if you don't want it to interfere with your perfume, use them in the evening. The textures are great, silky, smooth. The body butter is a bit on the sticky side for me, but I can easily overlook that tiny detail because it smells so good.
Please note: the shower gel is soap free, but contains Sodium Laureth Sulphate, actually, that is the second intgredient, so if you are concerned about chemical foaming agents, this one is not for you.
The whole Pinita Colada range is available here
