Face Serums - What You Need To Know

A year ago I wouldn't have even considered face serums as a part of my skincare but now they're a vital part of my routine, the first serum that I tried was Estee Lauder Idealist Even Skin tone Illuminator I put this on my face after my moisturizer (you can put it on before moisturizing as well i don't find it makes a huge difference). When I finished up my make up I found that my face seemed to be rid of those horrid dark circles that no matter how much concealer I apply never seem to go away. This particular serum was supposed to be helpful against 'hyperpigmentation' which is when your skin is darker or lighter in parts of your face and this serum evens your skintone out I noticed this considerably when I applied my concealer as i barely had to apply foundation on top of that. 

Estee Lauder Idealist Even Skintone 

Illuminator

Above you can see the Estee Lauder serum which is a luxe gold colour and has a thick, creamy texture it applies easily to your face although if you suffer with oily skin this may not be the right serum for you as it can give your skin a dewy look. The next serum I tried was the Yves Saint Laurent Forever Light Creator Serum as I heard so much buzz about this product and with my new love for face serums I had a feeling this serum was a game changer for skincare. I was given some samples to try it at the YSL counter and i applied this serum as I did the other one this texture was much lighter compared to the other one and was a shimmered pearly colour. This serum seemed to melt into my skin as i applied it which was much preferred to the other one as it seemed to take a bit longer for it to dry. I enjoyed using this serum before i applied my make up on a night out as since it was so light it didn't feel as though I was piling on another product. 

YSL Forever Light Creator Serum

Overall I have found that serums have massively improved my skincare routine as they've helped against hyperpigmentation, spot reduction, red patches and dry skin surely a good face serum is an essential to any make up bag. Estee Lauder Serum 3/5  YSL Serum 5/5

Aveda Exfoliating Shampoo and Thickening Conditioner

I tested out the 'Aveda Invati Exfoliating Shampoo and Thickening Conditioner' as i received samples of them as I'm always welcoming to testing out new hair products my first impression was that the packaging that these were presented in were quite spa-like and seemed to have the 'organic' and inviting colours.

Here are the samples

Surprisingly the texture of the shampoo was a thin liquid and i felt that as i was massaging it into my scalp there seemed to be little foam being created so it was difficult to try and get my hair fully coated in the product. I also felt that the texture was drying on my hair compared to many other shampoo brands that I've used on the other hand the conditioner was a much thicker texture and coated my hair wonderfully. 

Texture of the conditioner

Texture of the shampoo

The product had a more subdued smell to it and smelled of earth spa treatments (if that makes any sense) it wasn't a smell that I would rave about so i was glad that it was less noticeable as i prefer sweeter smelling hair products. After i finished my normal hair routine (and spraying some Aussie leave in conditioner as I was worried that my hair might be on the dryer side after the shampoo) i found that my hair looked (colour-wise) a lot lighter and heavier in weight although it was still in a really good conditioner and as i curled my hair it made my curls stand out much more I think the conditioner is to thank here. 3/5 stars review

Amie Face Mask Review

I received the 'Amie Spring Clean Cooling Clay Mask' in a set of beauty samples and I immediately set out to try this face mask on the night I'd received it as it has been so long since I've had a pampering night to myself. To begin with I cleansed my face free from all make-up then I gently applied the mask to my face avoiding the eye and lip area, the mask smells strongly of peppermint chewing gum and is super refreshing on your skin.

Above is the beauty samples I received

Here you can see the clay texture of the mask

(Excuse my face) Here is the face mask applied

The mask application was really easy and I made sure there was a thick coverage all over my face to get the best benefit and as it claims to be used with over 94% natural ingredients i felt great too although to the image above I'm sure I looked like a mint coloured ghost. It was advised to leave the mask on for ten minutes although i got distracted by Tumblr and so i left it on a little longer, when the mask was dry it was an incredibly smooth surface in places that i had managed to remain still although some cracks were around my jaw from when i couldn't help but talk. I washed the mask off with a muslin cloth and warm water it wasn't the cleanest mask to remove with it being a clay substance but what mask is easy to wash off? Don't give me those adverts where the woman splashes water over her face and it's suddenly gone because any real woman knows that ends in water drenches clothes and stinging eyes. 

The results were worth it as when I had dried my face and felt how soft it was the 10-15 minutes of looking slightly ridiculous were worth it as my skin was a soft as a feather and all the unnecessary oils and red patches were gone, I would give it a 5 star review.