His & Hers: Lush Tea Tree Water

In today's installment of "His & Hers",  we bring you our report of Lush Tea Tree Water. Hope you like it - please do let me know what you think of this concept & if you would like to see more!

HIS:Aroma Very nice mild tea scent, detect a bit of citrus. Found the scent very refreshing.

Usage The bottle indicates that it is effective but gentle on oily and spotty skin. I've used it after long runs and found it extremely refreshing and soothing, especially after keeping the product stored in the fridge! Often times after a run my skin will get a little irritated and blotchy, as was the case today. Approximately 10 minutes after application I noticed my skin appeared more “relaxed”, no more blotches or red irritation. Typically, my skin takes around one hour after a run for my skin to return to its normal state. It also alleviates that uncomfortable gross feeling I sometimes feel after exercise, quite refreshing, I would use the product just for that feeling alone.

Final Verdict This is the first Lush toner I have used and I plan on using this alongside the two other Lush toners we received. I’m thinking I’ll continue to use this after exercise or maybe on long car trips when my skin feels oily, but I’ll be sure to experiment with this toner in different conditions and report back my findings.

HERS: Aroma I agree, this is a nice mild tea tree scent, but I'm not getting the citrus. There are some other tea tree products that are extremely scented, so I am happy that this one is not intrusive and that the scent fades after a few minutes.

Usage So I'm a bit ridiculous and  discovered that I can't handle things being sprayed in my face... I can't explain it - it just makes me flinch! Fortunately you can use this toner with a cotton pad, or by just spraying it into your hands and patting it into your skin. I am practicing not freaking out, because my favorite application of this product is that light, cool mist after it comes out of the fridge!

My skin can break out here and there, especially during summer or when I've changed climates. I do have often have redness in my cheeks as well, and my skin is combination, leaning towards oily in some areas in the summer. Tea Tree Water sounded like the perfect product for conditioning my skin and tightening up my pores. And maybe it's just me, but I do find my skin more even after I've used it.

Final Verdict I was happily surprised by the mild scent, and happy with its current effects on my skin. I've used it a number of days so far and have seen no ill effects on my skin or the boyfriend's! Definitely will continue buying for the times my skin veers oily or when I feel like I need a skin boosting, cooling spray. Tea Tree Water is our second favorite out of all three we received!

This product was sent to me for review. 

Review: Ole Henriksen Nurture Me Cream

In my last post, I showed you my current skincare products, one of which is this awesome cream from Ole Henriksen.

I've been a fan of Ole Henriksen since I discovered the Sugar Glow scrub, which smells delicious and is an effective and gentle exfoliator. Every time I drag my boyfriend into Sephora, we like to sample Ole Henriksen products, and my need for this Nurture Me cream came out of one of those excursions!

I've never been a fan of pots as packaging for creams (it always seems to get under your nails when you stick your finger in!) but at least this pot design is quite sturdy and feels nice. I love the smell, which was initially what excited me about this product. I'm not brilliant at describing scent, but to me it is a bit like orange creamsicle! I also enjoy the light, whipped texture of the cream - it looks like a whipped yogurt in the jar, and it feels quite smooth and comforting going onto my skin.

On the label, it mentions sensitive skin and rosacea, and I thought this might be good for a more even complexion. Here's what Sephora says about it:

What it is formulated to do: This intensively hydrating formula melts into the skin, erasing the discomfort of a taut, dry complexion. Nature's most precious oils, such as wheat germ and primrose, recondition skin back to a more youthful suppleness, while rose mosquette oil repairs. Dimethicone, a silicone fluid, adds smoothness while vitamins A, C, and K infuse strength and vitality.

Let me just say, I love this cream. Initially, it really helped my dehydrated skin retain moisture, and it minimized the redness on my cheeks while not feeling heavy. (While I love Clinique Redness Solutions for making my skin even, it is quite heavy to me and I don't feel like using it except in the coldest winter weather...) The first few days I used Nurture Me, my skin was noticeably more even when I woke up in the morning. And the tightness I experienced in some areas went away!

So, at least for the moment, I love this cream. I don't know how I would feel about it in humid, hot temperatures, but I do think it is great for my skin and potentially wonderful year round! There are a number of other Ole Henriksen products I'd like to try as well. Have you tried Ole Henriksen? What are your favorites?

Suncare Review: Cetaphil Daily Moisturizer with SPF 50

I purchased this moisturizer earlier this year, in hopes that it would be great SPF coverage. I'm always interested in Cetaphil products because of their popularity among people with sensitive or acne-prone skin.  The active ingredients listed on the product are: octinoxate (7.5%), octisalate (5%), octocrylene (7%), oxybenzone (6%), titanium dioxide (5.7%). Sorry if you sensitive to any of these ingredients!

At first, I really liked the packaging, but I sometimes experienced difficulty getting the right amount out of the pump. (As if the pump were stuck or something. However, I press on things very lightly so perhaps its just me!)

Here's a photo of the moisturizer on my hand, then lightly blended. Initially, I really liked this moisturizer - it is light, and not greasy and has a light sunscreen smell which I don't mind. It didn't appear to affect any of my makeup or flashback in photos either. However, after a few weeks of use, I realized this was the culprit in my oily t-zone at the end of the day. (If you look at some photos from February, you can see a slight sheen!)

Here you can see how there is a bit of shine and sparkle even on my hand once I've blended this in. I think this moisturizer is worth a try if you have dry or dull skin - perhaps it may add some radiance! If you are oily however, I would stay away!

I would not repurchase this moisturizer, but my boyfriend is happy to use it and doesn't have any complaints. I may try it again in summer just for SPF protection as well.

What are your favorite products with SPF? Do you think I should do a skincare post?