Estelle & Thild Violet Firming Lotion

Estelle & Thild Violet Firming Lotion* - £33

I've mentioned Estelle & Thild quite a few times before as I believe that the organic Swedish skincare brand could (and should) become huge in the UK this year. Their Lily Detox Mask is such a brilliant face mask & it even made it into my favourite products of 2013. Impressed by their facial skincare products, I wanted to know if their body range was just as effective. The Violet Body Sculpting range consists of a body scrub, slimming oil & this firming lotion. These products aim to exfoliate, drain & tone your body. I imagine you would probably need to use all three to see maximum results but I've been testing the Violet Firming Lotion for several months now & I've definitely noticed a difference to the overall tone of my skin. This product is designed to lift & tone the skin for a more refined appearance. My skin feels so much smoother since I started using it & it's a little less flabby too.

This body lotion smells absolutely beautiful. It has a light floral scent of violets & roses which lingers on the body for quite a while. The ingredient list is impressive with 99.4% coming from natural origin. It's packed full of moisturising elements including sunflower oil, olive oil, almond oil, aloe vera & vitamin E. It feels very light though so it might not be sufficient for those with really dry skin. The texture isn't the best. The product is a thick white cream and it takes a while for it to absorb into the skin. It feels tacky for about five minutes after application so you have to wait around for it to dry before getting dressed. Personally I prefer body moisturisers that sink in immediately but the effects of this product are worth waiting around for. It uses antioxidants from green tea extract to effectively combat free radical damage whilst caffeine from green coffee evens out the surface texture of your skin & helps to firm it up. Lactic acid is one of my favourite facial acid exfoliants so I was pleased to see it included in this body lotion. It adds to the overall smooth feel this lotion gives to my body & along with regular exfoliation, it has helped to reduce all the bumps on my upper arms.

I think many people are trying to tone up at this time of year. The Violet Body Sculpting range can really help you to achieve a firmer body. These products stimulate the skin for a smoother, tighter feel and the caffeine present helps to fight cellulite at the same time. My bingo wings, mummy tummy & thunder thighs all look slightly better now. Of course you can use all the products in the world & none of them will make any difference if you aren't eating right & exercising regularly. The best time to use this product is after your post-workout shower. Your muscles will be exercised, firming up everything inside your body whilst this stuff works on the skin outside. I think it's so important to treat your body right internally & externally. It's the only way you'll actually see a difference. Miracle slimming products simply don't exist yet but this is definitely a step in the right direction.

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October Favourites

HealGel Eye
It's so easy to forget about using an eye cream because sometimes you can't ever be sure that it's having a positive effect. I think that this is the only eye product that has actually made a lasting visible difference to my under eye area. It's a hydrating gel featuring arnica & hyaluronic acid. It feels very refreshing & manages to effectively reduce puffiness as well as discolouration. It also provides a smooth canvas for my concealer by firming up that whole area. It's great for both day & night so you're definitely getting your money's worth. I'm actually remembering to use an eye product every day without fail now because this really works! Full review here.

Estelle & Thild Lily Detox Mask
I don't really have large pores but I still can't get enough of this face mask! The product is a thick yellow cream that never sets on the face. It uses lactic acid & natural bentonite clay to remove every trace of gunk from your skin. It gets to work in just 5 minutes & it has such a noticeable effect on pores & blemishes. It reduces inflammtion & gives the skin a matte airbrushed appearance. It makes my skin feel so lovely & soft too. Anyone with oily or blemish-prone skin should give this a go. It is fantastic! Estelle & Thild are definitely a skincare brand to keep your eye on. Full review here.

Clarins HydraQuench Lotion SPF 15
I recently finished off my tub of Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Moisturiser. As much as I loved that moisturiser, I felt like trying something new. I use lots of acids on my face so SPF is now an everyday must-have. I decided to go for this Clarins offering and I have to say I really love this moisturiser! The HydraQuench range is ideal for anyone with dehydrated skin. The products feature an exclusive hyaluronic acid complex that replenishes the skin's moisture levels & reduces future moisture loss. There's a different version for every skin type & this one is for people with normal to combination skin. It's a thin white lotion that absorbs very quickly and leaves my face feeling perfectly balanced. It also uses katafray bark, pomegranate extract & alpine willow herb to limit dehydration, tighten pores and regulate shine & sebum production. My makeup sits so nicely on top of this & I no longer need to use Hydraluron because this already contains hyaluronic acid. I've never found a better day moisturiser for combination skin & I thoroughly recommend trying this product.

Vosene Shampoo
I needed a strong clarifying shampoo to help fade my blue hair disaster and this has been working really well for me. It has a slightly odd menthol scent which isn't entirely pleasant but you can't smell it on your hair at all. It uses salicylic acid to cleanse the scalp & hair so it's working to strip the dye as well as excess oils. Therefore you do need a good conditioner afterwards or you'll end up with a dry wreck on your head. I'd recommend this to fade your hair colour rather than a bleach bath though, it's far less damaging.

Organic Surge 2-Minute Moisture Mask
To counteract the effects of the Vosene shampoo I've been relying on this Organic Surge hair mask. This lovely thick mask uses coconut oil & plant extracts to restore the condition of your hair & give it an intense hit of hydration. I love how soft, shiny & silky it makes my hair. Plus it gets to work incredibly quickly. It's about 1000x better than Aussie 3 Minute Miracle, that stuff never did anything for my hair even when it wasn't bleached! My hair loves this mask so it's currently on 'forever repurchase' status. Full review here.

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Estelle & Thild Lily Detox Mask

Estelle & Thild Lily Detox Mask* - £35

If your skin is blighted by large pores then this product is definitely for you. Estelle & Thild is an organic skincare brand from Sweden. The founder, Pernilla Rönnberg, was inspired to develop a natural skincare & body brand because she wanted to create products that were pure enough for her two daughters to use. Estelle & Thild have produced four skincare ranges suitable for various skin types and two body lines. The Lily products are suitable for all skin types and aim to detox the skin whilst adding radiance. This Lily Detox Mask claims to give you dewy fresh skin with finer pores. I love organic skincare products because they really work for my skin and they tend to only feature ingredients that are necessary. Estelle & Thild's products are sourced from the finest quality botanical, organically grown ingredients. That means you're not feeding your skin with parabens, mineral oil, SLS or any other harsh chemicals - only the good stuff!

The mask itself is a thick yellow cream made from natural bentonite clay. It doesn't set or dry on your face like a lot of other clay masks do but it still manages to draw out impurities incredibly well. One of my favourite clay masks is the REN Invisible Pores mask because as it dries you can see the gunk from your pores being absorbed. Even though this Estelle & Thild mask doesn't have that cool visual effect I actually think that it manages to minimise pores a whole lot better. The areas on my face that are most affected by large pores are my chin and around my nose. After using this mask I can barely see the ones around my nose and my chin feels incredibly smooth. It almost makes my pores look like I've just used a silicone primer which is pretty amazing! One of the ingredients in this mask is lactic acid which is something my skin apparently loves. My current cleanser also features lactic acid and it works wonders on blemishes. Concealing blemishes can sometimes be tricky because they are 3D so even the most industrial concealer can't flatten out the bumps. If you have big spots under the skin or inflammation from trying to do your own extractions then this Detox Mask really helps to smooth everything out. I use this mask with a foundation brush to ensure an even application and minimise product wastage. It can be used once or twice a week and you only have to leave it on for 5 minutes. Perfect for when you need good skin, pronto!

I really like how clean & fresh this makes my skin feel. Although it definitely refines my pores better than any other face mask I've tried, it doesn't really live up to it's claim of delivering dewy skin. Infact I think it does quite the opposite. This product leaves my skin looking fairly matte and it absorbs a lot of oil from my T-Zone. It still makes my skin feel soft because it contains things like olive oil & vitamin E but it does a great job of balancing out oil too. In my opinion this mask is a must-have for anyone with oily skin or enlarged pores. Estelle & Thild products are available from the Urban Retreat Beautique.

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