6 Down…6 To Go! BPL’s 6 month Review of the First Half of 2014 – Part 2 : My Top products picks + GIVEAWAY [NOW CLOSED]!

Welcome to the second part of my 6 month review of 2014. In this post I will be highlighting the products that I have tried and tested!

I have had the opportunity to trial some great products over the past 6 months – I have already reviewed some of these in my Spring Beauty Must Haves post – but here are a few extra that have made my ‘top picks’ cut!
 
 
Skincare
 
Cleansers – Leor Face Wash* and Arbonne*
 
We all know that healthy skin starts with clean skin. I have been trialling two cleansers over the past few months.
 
Leor

#brownbeauty British entrepreneur Rachelle Alena Bruce founded the brand Leor in 2012 – a range of facial skincare and bath and body products that are free from parabens, sulphates, artificial colours – like many other brands – but Leor’s USP is that the fragrance of the products can be selected by the customer and is then created by the addition of pure essential oils – how cool is that?
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The fragrances that are available are: Lemon, Lime, Sweet Orange, Vanilla, French Lavender and Ylang Ylang – or if you have sensitive skin you can choose a fragrance free option.
 

Arbonne RE9 Advanced Smoothing Facial Cleanser
 
 
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I was sent a selection of the RE9 collection by Deloris Herbert – an independent Arbonne International consultant based in Leeds.
Arbonne is a premium Swiss brand and I was very impressed with the quality of this range.

Both of these cleansers have a citrus scent (I selected the Sweet Orange fragrance for the Leor product) which is extremely uplifting to use in the morning.

I used my Magnitone Pulsar to cleanse my skin in conjunction with these cleansers.

The Leor cleanser provided a nice foam and was not drying at all – a good, basic cleanser, for everyday use. The fragrance was not overpowering and did not irritate my skin.

The Arbonne cleanser did not foam as well with my brush but it still provided a deep clean. The thicker, creamier consistency would suit drier skin types in need of that extra TLC.
 
Do you want to try Arbonne products? Are you based in the North of England? Connect with Deloris via LinkedIn to find out more!
 
 

Origins Drink Up™ Intensive Overnight Mask*
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I do not suffer from particularly dry skin, but during the summer, my skin can get dehydrated due to the extra heat. I try to keep topped up with water but an extra moisture boost can do no harm, so I couldn’t wait to try this over night mask. I love Origins masks – an old favourite of mine is the Clear Improvement mask – so I had high hope for this product.

This product has the consistency of a thick gel moisturiser and it did absorb into my skin quite readily (does that mean my skin was super dehydrated??), so maybe I will use a tiny bit more next time.
The fragrance is very pleasant thanks to the Apricot Kernel oil and the Plant Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid provide a fusion of moisturising power!
 
How did my skin look and feel in the morning? First things first, there was no residue on my pillow. The product had fully absorbed. My skin felt soft to the touch, especially around some drier patches of skin that I have around the chin area.

I didn’t see an immediate visible difference, but my first impressions of the product are extremely good…look out for more updates on my Instagram page!

Colour
 
Flori Roberts*
 
When I was contacted by the Flori Roberts team to review some products from the range I was taken aback!

Flori Roberts!?!

I knew this brand to be a retro American cosmetic line for the WoC (it was launched in 1965) that was popular in the 80’s…so to hear that it was making a reintroduction to the market was…well…interesting

To be honest, I was somewhat sceptical about how the products would perform but I wanted to give the brand a go.

I was sent the Liquid Foundation for Normal to Oily skin in Nutmeg and a selection of lipsticks and lipglosses.
 
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Although I feel the packaging of the foundation still looks quite dated, I was pleased that the formulation performed brilliantly. The foundation provided an even coverage and dries to give a perfect matte finish. It lasts really well and does not disappear into the skin. I really like it!

The colour cosmetics look far more modern. The slick black packaging of the lipsticks and lip glosses are chic yet contemporary.

I tested the Mineral Shine lipgloss in Magenta and Brick Red and a range of the lipsticks.
I am wearing the lipstick in ‘Black Brandy’ and the ‘Magneta’ Mineral lip gloss in the image below and the colours are deep and vibrant. Highly recommended!

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Bath and Body
 
I have added some new products to my body care repertoire from the Champneys range (from Boots) and new British brand AYO Beauty.
 
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I love the indulgent bodycare section of Boots – I prefer to spend a few more pennies on these body products for they are efficacious and perform…and they are joy to use and I am a SUCKER for pretty packaging!
My go to brand is Soap and Glory but this year I have started to use products from the Champneys range. The spa-inspired products are attractive as they are mineral oil free. My moisture double duo which really hydrates and conditions my skin is the Distant Shores Body Butter and the Citrus Blush Body Oil.

I was sent the AYO Body Polisher* to trial by the founder Susan Benjamin (another #brownbeauty entreprenuer!).
The brand claims to have ‘mood-boosting’ benefits conferred by ingredients such as Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract and Cacoa Extract which boost the b-endorphins (the ‘happy molecules’) in the skin.

The fragrance of the polish is very unique and is certainly inspiriting – the combination of refining Apricot Seed and Ecuadorian Ivory Palm that exfoliate the skin and Kigelia (an extract from the fruit of Kigelia africana tree, which is widespread across Africa, with a long history of use amongst African communities, particularly for its medicinal properties and to treat a wide range of skin ailments), Aloe Vera and Sweet Almond Oil moisturises, conditions and softens.

What new products have you tried this year? Let me know in the comments below!

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

To thanks you for your continued support of my blog! I am giving away two products from one of my new top brands for 2014 – Algenist (read more about the brand here) to one lucky winner to say thank you!

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All you have to do is follow the instructions below!

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 comments for “6 Down…6 To Go! BPL’s 6 month Review of the First Half of 2014 – Part 2 : My Top products picks + GIVEAWAY [NOW CLOSED]!

  1. July 23, 2014 at 2:39 pm

    Great list of brands, hadn’t heard of some of them so adding them to my wish list. Fab giveaway as well xx

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