My Top 10 Favourite Products: The Top 10 Award

I have mixed feelings about blogging awards. I feel like a bit of a dork proclaiming that I have 'won' an award but then they are always a lot of fun to participate in. When Moxie from Moxie Reviews told me she had nominated me for the Top 10 award, at first I wasn't sure what to do. Do I just ignore it? Do I do it? The rules of the Top 10 award are that you link back to the person who nominated you, then you list your Top 10 favourite products and nominate 10 other bloggers who will then list their top 10 favourite products. As I love talking about products, and I also love sharing link love I decided that the Top 10 award would be fun...so here I go!

Firstly, thanks to Moxie from Moxie Reviews for nominating me. Moxie reviews organic and natural makeup, cosmetics and hair products from companies that do not test on animals. Her reviews are refreshingly honest and well worth checking out.

My Top 10 Favourite Products (at this point in time...ask me in a month and the list may be very different!). If I have previously reviewed these products then I have included the link to the article if you would like more details.


1. BIOeffect EGF Serum

I have read the about the science behind this serum and it really blows me away. On paper the serum should work. EGF is a growth factor that stimulates skin cells to divide and multiply, thereby filling out fine lines. Independent clinical trials have shown that it does in fact work - after 30 days there was a clear reduction in wrinkles. I have been trialling this myself for about 4 weeks and have definitely noticed a reduction in lines on my forehead. So far the lines around my eyes have not budged but they might actually be sleep deprivation lines (I have a toddler!). My skin is definitely looking more hydrated as well.

2. Jurlique Herbal Recovery Gel

I have been using this product on and off fr the last 10 years. I love it, although I might be hitting the age where I need to move on to the Purely Age Defying Serum. This is a really light gel serum that smells amazing - kind of herbal, kind of floral. I tend to use it of an evening and find that my skin looks so hydrated in the morning. It really seems to make my skin happy! 

 

3. Estee Lauder Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator

This creates magic for my complexion. It really gives the illusion that my complexion is flawless. It also works at reducing pigmentation - I have seen a slight reduction in my pigmented patches. There is no longer such a stark line between the pigmented and non pigmented skin. But for me, it is the evening effect the light diffusing particles have on my skin tone that I love the most.

4. MAC Paint Pot

Somehow, the MAC Paint Pot craze had completely passed me by. It wasn't until I was reading a forum and saw a makeup artist recommending that the MAC Bare Study Paint Pot be used as a primer, that the Paint Pots entered my radar. So, when I got the opportunity to go to the Estee Lauder staff store, this was on the top of my purchase list. I didn't manage to get Bare Study, instead I got Vintage Selection. This one looks a bit darker than Bare Study but is still quite light on the eye. It is very shimmery, which I LOVE. It goes on so creamy and soft then dries to become the perfect canvas to apply eyeshadow over.

5. Penhaligon's Ellenisia Perfume

I love florals and this is one of the most gorgeous perfumes I have ever smelt. It is rose with white flowers (gardenia and jasmine) and then a bit of a musky dry down. It makes me feel so feminine and happy when I wear it and I have never found another perfume that is even remotely similar - it is very unique.

6. Rodial Glamoxy Snake Mask

I used to think that peel off masks were kind of crap. This mask completely changed my opinion. It brightened my skin and left it glowing. It also yanked out the blackheads on my nose. This is now my go to mask to use before I go out.

7. Jurlique Rosewater Balancng Mist

I don't do toners - don't really see the point of them. I make the exception for this mist. It is heavenly. Smells exactly like a field of red roses. It is very calming and hydrating for my skin plus it is incredibly calming for my phsyche as well. As I inhale this mist I feel a sense of serenity descend over me. Amazing stuff!


8. Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Youth Creme

This is another product in which the science really blew me away. This creme contains the Youth Molecule which slows down cell turnover. The theory is if you can slow down cell divisions and turnover you can prolong how long your skin looks young for. The creme felt luxurious to use, it sunk straight into my skin and really left it looking amazing.

9. Nivea Light Feel Daily Face Veil

This is a cheapie (its only $10.99) but a beauty. It is a really light sunscreen. It absorbs straight in, is non greasy and is a real pleasure to wear. This makes wearing sunscreen easy. I keep a bottle in my handbag, one in the bathroom, I had one on my desk at work so I was always protected.


10. Estée Lauder DayWear Sheer Tint Moisturiser

I wear this moisturiser in combination with the Idealist Even Skintoneskintone so the effect is extremely complimentary. I don't really like to wear foundation and so have found that this is an excellent compomise. You really can't tell that I am wearing it - it just looks like I have perfect skin!

Bloggers The following bloggers are incredibly passionate about what they write about, whether that be skincare, makeup, haircare or eyeshadow. I have nominated them because I am busting to know what their top 10 favourite products are. If you haven't discovered these blogs yet, I really urge you to go and have a look! Bloggers, if you have already done one of these awards before, please post the link to your Top 10 post in the comments below.

1. Yeah, yeah, ragger, ragger...
2. Makeup and Macaroons
3. The Beauty of Red Roses
4. Keeping up with me
5. Ritualeyes
6. 1000fragrances
7. The Best Beauty Blog
8. Things I Love
9. Me, my best and I
10. All the pretty faces

If I haven't tagged you but you would love to participate, then please tag yourself and mention in the comments that you are doing the Top 10 award for the rest of us to come and check out!

Have you entered my latest BIOeffect giveaway? Here's the link if you haven't checked it out yet.

The most fragrantly fragrant products of the bunch

Fragrance is incredibly important to me in beauty products - in fact it is almost important as efficacy. If a product doesn't smell nice I just can't seem to bring myself to use it, no matter how good it is. Then there are others, that on first sniff are nothing special, but somehow they draw me in. Either they evoke a memory that makes me feel warm and fuzzy or they smell so intriguing that I can't stop sniffing them, until suddenly I am quite obsessed.

Therefore, I thought that I would dedicate a post to my all time favourite smelling products.

Moisturiser: Lush Afterlife

I discovered this by accident when it was on the way out in Australia. Lush were running a post Christmas promotion - spend $50 in store and choose any Lush product for free. I chose this. I used it that night and loved it so much that I went back in store the next day, spent another $50 and got another Afterlife. It smells amazing - kind of a creamy vanilla and orchid flower concoction. It was quite unique on my skin as well. Whilst my skin felt quite greasy to touch, after application, it looked completely matte. And my skin really did love it - it drank it up leaving it looking so uniform in tone. I actually got a few compliments that my skin was looking glowing, when I was wearing this moisturiser. It came back to Australia again, but unfortunately its reappearance was short lived so I have to satisfy my Afterlife cravings when someone visits the UK and picks it up for me.

Cleanser: Pod Puraceuticals Liquid Detox
This is a gorgeous gel cleanser that has a fairly strong floral fragrance. The main floral note I detect is ylang ylang. It is non drying as it does not contain sulfates which can strip and dry out the skin. It lathers up well and cleanses very effectively. It is also very gentle. The company claims that it helps dramatically reduce blackheads, blemishes, hormonal bumps, and sun-damage. To be perfectly honest, I can't say that I noticed an improvement on my blackheads. I think that it would be great for keeping them at bay and preventing new ones from forming but once they are there, no cleanser I have used has been effective in removing them. Extraction is the only real option. But other than that, this cleanser is a real pleasure to use and I look forward to using it each morning.


Toner - Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist
This was the first Jurlique product that I ever tried and is what got me hooked on the brand. This smells exactly like a massive bunch of red roses. The smell is amazing. I honestly feel quite euphoric each time I inhale it. I find it so calming, both emotionally and to the skin. I used to work in a hospital so was stuck in air conditioning all day so I would keep a bottle of this on my desk and each time I sat down to my computer would give myself a couple of spritzes. It kept my skin feeling hydrated - it didn't look so wrinkly and tired by the end of the day. It also helped to rid my world of hospital skin, if only for a few seconds at a time!


Hair Care - OK, I couldn't narrow it down so there are 2 sets in this category!
 Moroccan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner: I have to say that I LOVE the whole Moroccan Oil range (well the oil, mask, shampoo and conditioner that I have tried!). It leaves my curls looking so healthy, well defined and shiny. I actually add about 5mls of the oil directly into the shampoo and conditioner, shake to mix it well, then use them as normal. I find that it gives extra nourishment to my hair and means that I don't have to apply the oil every day. When I use the shampoo and conditioner, that has extra oil added, I find that I don't need to add any product to my hair - the curls are naturally defined (though without product can become fluffy in unfriendly weather). Now, this is meant to be an article about fragrance, so what is so good about the Moroccan Oil fragrance? Well, its pretty hard to describe - kind of herbally maybe, but I just love it. It subtly lingers in my hair throughout the day, but it is not the type of fragrance that would clash with any other scents that you are wearing.

 The other hair care products that I just adore the scent of are Lush's Curly Wurly Shampoo (right) and American Cream Conditioner. Curly Wurly smells exactly like a vanilla/coconut custard pudding. It is absolutely delicious smelling, in fact I am drooling a little bit just thinking about it! It does leave my curly hair feeling soft and in great condition but it is a tad annoying to use. It has desiccated coconut throughout it, which I find doesn't completely rinse out. It is not until I do my final comb that I get the last bits of coconut out. American cream is another divine smelling product. It is a triple strength conditioner scented with vanilla and lavender - two fragrances that are just made to go together. On its own, American cream is a little bit too rich for my hair - it leaves it looking limp - but since I love the smell of it so much I mix it 50:50 with Lush's Coolaulin Conditioner which then becomes ideal for my hair. Coolaulin doesn't smell too bad, itself - it smells of coconuts - but it simply isn't as amazing as American Cream, hence why I had to devise a way to make American Cream work for my hair!

 
Body lotion/creme - Nivea Creme as the fragrance of this came as such a pleasant shock to me. I had actually never tried this until earlier this year when Nivea was celebrating their 100th birthday. I thought that if a creme had been around for that long I should probably give it a go, and I am glad that I did! I guess I had always imagined that it would smell like Sorbolene. Wrong. Very wrong! It smells gorgeous - like lily of the valley, very fresh and green floral. I have seen that people describe it as Grandma-ish - and they are not far off as it is a very classic scent. I adore it! It is an extremely thick cream so I only really use it at night, but I use it all over my body. If my face is feeling dehydrated, I'll use it as a night cream a it is very greasy, but I wake up with beautifully soft smooth skin. Otherwise, I'll use it as a hand cream or to banish the scales that keep growing on my legs!

 Hand cream - Jurlique Rose Hand Cream
 This is a delightful hand cream that smells exactly like roses. It absorbs instantly into my skin, leaving my hands soft and smooth. But that is not why I love it so much. This cream came close to saving my life. Sort of. I was in a lecture at uni and the guy next to me kept doing burps that smelt like noodles. It was a 9.00am lecture so that was really too early for noodle burps and they were making me feel quite nauseated. I was terrified that I'd puke in the middle of the lecture. I put my hand over my nose to cover the smell and was greeted by the most gorgeous aroma of roses. I had forgotten that I had put on my Jurlique Rose Hand Cream! I sat there for the rest of the lecture resting my head on my hand so that all I could smell was roses, and not noodle burps. See, it really did nearly save my life. Sort of!

Shower gel - Lush Skinny Dip

Just to be really cruel, I am going to talk about a shower gel that is no longer available - Lush's Skinny Dip. On paper it shouldn't smell nice - white chocolate and cloves is not what I would normally go for when it comes to fragrances. And when I first sniffed it, I didn't know what all the fuss was about. This is a gel that Lush fanatics rave about and beg to be brought back whenever Lush are doing another discon round. On first sniff it is quite herbally, yet also creamy. It is intriguing. Not attractive, yet for some reason you want to smell it again and again. It's like your brain is desperately trying to work out whether it likes it or not. So you sniff and sniff and sniff, and somewhere in all that sniffing you have become hooked by this enchanting and highly unusual shower gel. It is also super creamy and really moisturising so it is an all round treat to use. In the near future I am hoping to invest in some Philosophy shower gels so hopefully I will soon be able to update this with one that is actually available!

Body Scrub - again, I couldn't narrow it down to one scrub - this time I have 3 favourites. They are all so different so it is acceptable to have 3!

Philosophy Amazing Grace Hot Salt Scrub

Wow. This is amazing! A name couldn't be more fitting! The fragrance is a gorgeous perfume fragrance. I don't know how to describe it better other than it is very very feminine, and it smells so stunningly beautiful. It makes me feel happy just to use it. The salts are quite fine so are not to harsh or abrasive and you step out of the shower with the softest feeling skin that is still beautifully fragranced.

Mor Marshmallow Body Scrub
I bought this on a whim at DJ's when it was on sale. I don't usually go for sweet fragrances - I am more of a floral girl. I am glad I made the exception/impulse buy! This is absolutely delicious. It is super sweet, yet not sickly. Its a lovely sweet musky marshmallow fragrance. It comes in a massive tub so you can grab handfuls and massage it into your skin. The fragrances lingers for ages on you skin, and even longer in your shower! I would find myself entering the bathroom, hours later, thinking how amazing it smells. It is a very effective scrub, but as it is made up of sugar, the scrub particles dissolve off easily leaving no annoying residue.

Ajana Lavender, Lemongrass and Tea Tree Body Scrub
I'll be reviewing this in more detail in the coming weeks but I just wanted to throw it into this post as it fits in perfectly! I have a real soft spot for lemongrass. I went to Thailand for my honeymoon and found that a lot of the hotels fragranced their foyers with lemongrass. It is such a clean, refreshing fragrance that is also so uplifting. This scrub doesn't disappoint. When you take the lid off the tub you are immediately hit with a blast of lemongrassy goodness but when you actually use the scrub, the lavender notes come out. It leaves your skin feeling so soft and moisturised afterwards. It is a complete luxury to use.


 Bubble bath - Molton Brown Celestial Maracuja Bathing Nectar
This bubble bath is pure luxury. The fragrance is exotic floral - I guess like the smell of an orchard. It is the consistency of honey - extremely rich and thick, and only a small amount is needed. It doesn't produce a heap of bubbles but it does intensely fragrance the water. The fragrance subtly lingers on your skin afterwards, and it leaves your skin feeling lovely and soft. A matching perfume is available, and it is one that is on my wish list as it is a very unique and sophisticated floral scent. It really made me feel happy when I bathed using this.

Soap - I could probably choose just about any lush soap to make the cut for my favourite fragrance list, but that was the problem - I couldn't narrow it down to just one. So instead I have chosen a lesser know soap, because of the special memories it evokes. The soap I am talking about is Fiesta De Mozi Fig, Cedar & Mistletoe. My sister bought it for me for Christmas as the scent reminded her of Christmas and she knows just how much I love Christmas. On first sniff it is very different - very green, like fresh cut pine trees (hence the association with Christmas). But it also has a sweetness to it. It is very intriguing. You just want to keep sniffing it over and over as it makes you feel so happy, smelling Christmas! I loved it so much I asked my sister to buy me a couple of spares to keep in my sock and undie drawers, to fragrance them as well. After a couple of weeks she hadn't mentioned anything so I assumed she had forgotten. Then I gave birth to my first baby and she brought the soaps to me in hospital. So I used this soap for my first post giving birth shower - which was the most glorious shower of my life (even if the hospital water was set to luke warm!). So each time I smell this, not only does it evoke memories of Christmas, but also of that magical time of having just welcomed my first child into the world.

Perfume - I have about 30 perfumes in my collection so narrowing it down to one was impossible! I have managed to narrow it down to two.

Penhaligon's Ellenisia The exhilarating scent of gardenia and rose combines with intoxicating creamy musk and vanilla. That is the description by the company and it is absolutely spot on. It is the most beautiful delicate creamy floral fragrance. I got a sample of this from DJ's and was instantly smitten so had to rush out and buy a bottle straight away. The scent is truly beautiful and quite unique for a floral. It last for ages. Its top notes are fresh floral and these mellow to the gorgeous creamy floral. Each time I wear this, after spraying it on I sniff it then sigh in happiness. It really does make me feel happy wearing this fragrance.

BNever Two Hearts Beating as One BNever was Lush's sister company, although I believe they have now shut down. Rather than sell natural skincare like Lush they focused on fragrances and makeup. My sister lived in the UK for 18 months and so brought me home a massive parcel of BNever goodies, including the Two Hearts Beating as One perfume. It pretty much consists of just two notes - rose and jasmine - which happen to be the two most glorious floral notes there are. It is a very strong rich perfume, very elegant and of course very floral. It is the perfume that I wore on my wedding day so now, each time that I smell it, I am reminded of the intense happiness and excitement that I felt on the day. It is a truly joyous perfume, perfectly fitting for a special occasion. I am really hoping that Lush start selling this as I can't image never smelling it again once my bottle runs out. It comes in an old fashion bottle with an atomiser, which looks gorgeous on the dresser but is actually bloody annoying to use as you need both hands to spray it - one to hold the bottle, one to press the atomiser - therefore making it difficult to spray onto your own wrists. But that is the only fault to this amazing concoction!

Well, that's my very long list of favourite smelling products. Have you tried any on this list or have you discovered any that you think that I must try?

My D.I.Y Jurlique facial

I spent last weekend at the Blue Mountains and ended up with two red angry pimples on my cheek. This is highly unusual for me as, these days, I rarely get pimples and if I do they are almost always the hormonal variety on my chin. There is only one plausible explanation as to why I got these pimples. You see, ordinarily I reside in an apartment on a busy highway in Sydney. My theory is that the pollution from the cars on the highway settles on my face forming a protective shield that bacteria cannot penetrate; therefore, no pimples. Then, when I left the security of my pollution laden apartment to the pristine mountain air, my protective shield was lost giving bacteria free reign on my skin. Makes sense, doesn't it. Okay, there is one other possible explanation - I ate like crap, got little sleep and was too lazy to cleanse before bed. Whatever the reason though, I had two angry new residents on my face that I now wanted evicted.

Now, like every woman on Earth (and probably every man as well if they actually gave it a chance), I love facials. But at 8.00pm on a Sunday night, very few beauty salons are open. So my only option was a D.I.Y facial. I had a few Jurlique products from the Jurlique Bloggers event that I was busting to try, plus a few I already owned, so I decided that I would have a nice long bath (with a Lush bath ballistic!) and give myself a D.I.Y Jurlique facial. Before commencing my facial, I did extract the two angry residents (doesn't extract sound so much more professional and clinical than 'popped' or 'squeezed'!)

 I started by cleansing with the Daily Exfoliating Cream. This is a thick paste of oats that gently lifts away dead skin cells. It is incredibly gentle on the skin. It has a bit of a unique scent, almost ever so slightly fermented smelling, mixed with herbs, though interestingly this scent isn't at all offensive. I worked at a gift shop years ago that sold Jurlique products and attended a product training course. In this course we were taught not to rub the Daily Exfoliating Cream onto your skin, but to mix it with a little water to form a paste, then to press this paste into your skin. This lifts away the dead skin cells and debris without harsh exfoliation. So this is exactly how I used my Daily Exfoliating Cream. I did this for about a minute then rinsed it off with water.

Following on from the Daily Exfoliating Cream I then used the Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator*, one of the products given to us at the Jurlique Bloggers event. The Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator is a highly effective fruit-based facial treatment that exfoliates skin with natural enzymes and indigenous Australian extracts of Desert Lime, Quandong and Wattle. This has a watery, gel-like consistency - very similar to the Herbal Recovery Gel, and smells deliciously like citrus and honey. I applied about four pumps to my whole face and left it on for around five minutes. It tingled slightly on application but other than that I didn't feel a thing. I then laid back in the bath, read Body and Soul, and let the Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator work its magic, before rinsing it off with water.

 I then felt that my skin really needed some TLC so I applied the Nurturing Mask. I bought this mask when I was pregnant and suffering terribly from hormonal acne. This is a gentle purifying mask that leaves delicate skin feeling soft, pure and revitalised and is ideal for rebalancing sensitivity. It is a gorgeous silky mask that spreads easily over the skin. It doesn't dry rock hard like other clay based masks but is still somewhat flexible, which is just what sensitive skin needs. The only issue I have with this mask is the fragrance. Whilst I love the fragrance - very floral and herbal - it really stings my eyes. I wear glasses, and usually leave them on whilst I have the mask on, as I like to read as well. I am not sure whether the fragrance wafts up and gets caught under the glasses so directs it into my eyes, or what, but they always end up stinging so much that they water. This hasn't happened to me with any other Jurlique product so it is a bit strange. If I do take my glasses off and lie there with my eyes closed, then the stinging goes away...but I like reading too much to ever do that! The mask had been on for about 10 minutes when I heard the delightful sound of my baby crying. Nothing quite ruins the serenity of a D.I.Y facial than a crying baby, so that spelt the end of my pampering time. I quickly rinsed the mask off with water, then went to attend to the baby when I heard that Hubby was on the job - sweet, a few more precious pampering minutes!

I spritzed my face with the Rosewater Balancing Mist*, which would have to be my all time favourite Jurlique product. It smells amazingly of roses and I find it so calming, both emotionally and to the skin. The mask had left my skin feeling a tiny bit tight and this completely relaxed my skin again, leaving it feeling really hydrated. I find that the Rosewater Balancing Mist is the perfect product to apply just before a moisturiser as it allows the moisturiser to spread more easily and seems to help it absorb better.

I finished off my D.I.Y Jurlique facial by applying the Balancing Day Care Cream*. I know that by this time day was long gone over but I figured that as the cream didn't contain any SPF (I don't like applying SPF at night as 1. there is obviously no need for SPF at night and 2. I worry that it clogs my skin) it wouldn't matter if I used it at night. Jurlique promotes using a very light night cream to allow your skin to repair itself, so this was probably a bit heavier than they would recommend. I used one of Jurlique's Day Care Creams years ago (I can't remember which one) and it was incredibly greasy and oily on my skin. This was not the case with the Balancing Day Care Cream at all. I don't know whether Jurlique have changed the formulation, whether it was in fact a different Day Care Cream that I used, or whether my skin has changed in the years since I last used it but it instantly absorbed into my skin, leaving my skin feeling so soft, smooth and really quite radiant. There was not one hint of greasiness. I was so impressed!

Unfortunately my baby was still crying so it really was time to switch back into Mummy mode. This is why I prefer someone else to give me a facial than a D.I.Y job - at least with a professional facial the only crying you hear is that of the whales on the relaxing music they play - whales crying is a much more pleasant sound than babies crying! But even with the less than relaxing finish, my D.I.Y Jurlique facial did wonders to my skin. It was so smooth, soft and hydrated - and the best bit - by Tuesday the two angry residents had well and truly been evicted.

All opinions stated in this blog are my own. I have no affiliation with Jurlique and received no remuneration for my comments. The products marked with * were provided to me at the Jurlique Bloggers event. Images are courtesy of Julique.

Jurlique: Celebrating Nature, Science and Innovation

Being obsessed with beauty products, I find it hard to stay loyal to one brand as I am always busting to try the latest lotion/serum/crème/mist that is being promoted in the media. However, there are certain brands that I have soft spots for, and do find myself returning to. Jurlique is one such brand. So, I was understandably excited when I got invited to an evening of natural skincare with Jurlique, hosted by Sam McKay, the Managing Director of Australia and Asia, where I got to hear about and experience three of Jurlique’s key ranges – Herbal Recovery, Purely Age-Defying and the new Purely White Skin Brightening range (described in more detail below). Jurlique therapists were present to demonstrate each of these products listed below on the backs of our hands.

Upon entering the room I was reminded exactly what it is about Jurlique that I love so much – the room was filled with the most intoxicating aroma of all of their products. I would have to say that Jurlique have the most beautifully fragranced products on the market. Some find the scents too intense and overwhelming but to me they are really quite divine. In fact, the first Jurlique product I ever tried – the Rosewater Freshener – was what sold me on the brand, and this was on it’s amazing scent alone.

About the company Jurlique is an all Australian skin care company founded in 1985 by Dr. Jurgen Klein and his wife, Ulrike – scientists in chemistry, herbology, homeopathy and alchemy. They sought the purest place on Earth and discovered an ideally suited, unpolluted environment in South Australia where they would farm their own herbs and flowers for Jurlique skin care.

The Herbal Recovery Collection is designed to restore, firm, hydrate and revitalise the skin. Helps to minimise the visible signs of ageing with daily use. The range contains a potent botanical concentrate, infused with a rich blend of herbs and precious plant oils.

·         Herbal Recovery Gel RRP $72/30ml, $159/100ml This is a gorgeously light serum that leaves your skin plumped, hydrated and luminous. It's fragrance, which is intoxicatingly herbal and floral, comes from the natural botanical ingredients.

·         Eye Cream RRP $52/15ml For an eye cream this is incredibly light weight. It melts easily into the skin and is not at all greasy but instead leaves the skin luxuriously soft.

·         Eye Gel RRP $52/15ml This is a really light gel - the consistency of a watery hair gel - that sinks straight into your skin. It is perfect for an afternoon pick me up when your eyes are feeling tired from too many hours spent in front of a computer screen.

·         Night Cream RRP $60/50ml Like the eye cream, this is a very light weight cream. Jurlique do not believe in using heavy oily creams at night - they suggest light weight creams that allow the skin to breathe and repair itself.

·         Night Mist RRP $60/30ml This is a refreshing and hydrating mist that can either be used alone at night as a very light moisturiser or as a toner underneath other products in Herbal Recovery range (or any other Jurlique range, by that matter).

·         Neck Serum RRP $92/30ml This serum claims to tighten the skin on the neck and reduce pigmentation. It has a very strong floral fragrance - which I loved - though I do worry will clash with perfume. One of the lovely Jurlique therapists gave me the following tip: if you get pigmentation on your upper lip that looks like you have a faint moustache, dab the Neck Serum on your upper lip as it helps to fade the pigmentation.

Purely Age-Defying Range features a blend of biodynamic and organic herbs and flowers combined with potent naturally derived ingredients that soften the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and discolourations while helping to renew and strengthen skin. With continued use, Purely Age-Defying brings about a smooth, fresh, luminous complexion. The range doesn't have as an intense smell as other Jurlique products, it is a more delicate floral fragrance.

·         Face Serum RRP $92/30ml This is another beautifully light serum that sinks straight into your skin so smooth out fine lines and tackle pigmentation issue. Unlike serums from other brands, this is not at all oily, greasy or heavy. It's fragrance is a lovely delicate floral.

·         Eye Cream RRP $58/15ml This is a high-performance, deeply hydrating eye cream that is also incredibly light weight. It melts easily into the skin leaving the skin look refreshed with the fine lines minimised.

·         Night Lotion RRP $68/40ml This is a surprisingly light weight cream. As it comes in a tube I was expecting it to be quite thick and rich, but it isn't at all. Jurlique do not believe in using heavy oily creams at night - they suggest light weight creams that allow the skin to breathe and repair itself. This lotion is heavier than the Herbal Recovery Gel, so is good for those who need more moisturisation at night, but is still beautifully light in keeping with Jurlique's philosophy on night creams.

·         Refining Treatment RRP $42/40ml This is a gentle exfoliant containing apricot seed and willow bark, designed to be used once or twice a week to enhance cell renewal while gently minimising the appearance of pores, uneven skin texture, and discolouration. It has a lovely creamy texture with a good exfoliating particle to base ratio making it a very luxurious exfoliant.

 ·         Hand Treatment RRP $55/100ml Your hands are often what reveal your true age. This hand cream treats age spots and lines so that your hands appear as youthful as your face. This cream absorbs instantly leaving your hands silky soft and beautifully fragranced.

·         Sun Lotion SPF30 RRP $70/100ml Finally, Jurlique released a sunscreen! I have loved their products for a long while but have usually restricted their use for night time as the didn't have any SPF. This is a broad spectrum sun lotion, formulated to give extra protection against sun exposure. Suitable for all skin types. It is non greasy and leaves the skin looking matte, rather than shiny, which I love.

Purely White Skin Brightening Collection This is a relatively new range for Jurlique that has some serious science behind it. I will go into the science in another post as it is going to take me most of a page to describe it. For now, I will just describe the products in the range. The claim of this range is that you will have brighter skin in just 4 weeks as it evens out skin tone by fading skin discolourations and dark spots. No surprises, this range also smells amazing thanks to the plethora of natural botanical ingredients.

·         Cleanser RRP $35/100ml I only tested this on my hand but I am already in love and can’t wait to try it on my face. It is extremely thick in texture – one of those cleansers that you have to really squeeze to get out of the tube, but this is fantastic as it means you won’t use too much product. When mixed with water it forms a mousse like consistency, and the more water you add, the more it foams up. It has tiny exfoliating granules in it so you don’t need to use an exfoliant if you are using this cleanser, yet it is gentle enough for daily use. A lot of Jurlique’s products are on the higher end of the price scale but I actually find this cleanser to be very reasonably priced – especially as you only need to use the smallest amount the tube will last a very long time. This one is definitely going on my wish list!

·         Skin Brightening Mist RRP $55/100ml At the event, the Jurlique therapists used this mist to remove the cleanser from my hand but I have to admit I didn’t take note of how it smelt or felt. I absolutely love Jurlique’s Rosewater Freshener so I except that this is quite lovely as well. According to Jurlique it is a lightweight facial mist with VitaBrightKx to help soften skin and restore a youthful glow.

·         Skin Brightening Essence RRP $80/30ml This has a similar consistency to the Herbal Recovery Gel – a very light, non greasy gel that absorbs easily into the skin. It contains Kakadu Plum, the world’s richest natural fruit source of Vitamin C, designed to help reduce the appearance of skin discolourations and even skin tone. Intended to protect against premature skin ageing by increasing moisture content and so minimising the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for a fresher, younger-looking complexion.

 ·         Day Cream RRP $65/40ml I have used Jurlique's Day Care Face Cream before and found it to be super rich and way too oily for my skin so was expecting the same with the Purely White Day Cream but was surprised to find it to be really light weight in texture. Admittedly I only tested this one on my hand so perhaps it will still be too rich for my face but it honestly left my hand feeling so soft without even the slightest hint of greasiness.

·         Night Treatment RRP $70/40ml Like the other Jurlique night creams, this one is also beautifully light. It absorbs straight in leaving the skin feeling silky soft without any trace of greasiness.

Moisturising Hand Sanitiser RRP $10/50ml, $19/175ml. This is another new product Jurlique was show casing at the event. I wish I had this when my son was a newborn. I found it difficult washing my hands after a nappy change as it would mean that I'd have to put him on the floor whilst I did so which would result in tears. So, I started using a hand sanitiser as I could clean my hands whilst he was still on the change table. The hand sanitisers I used were so harsh and drying. This one eliminates 99.9% of germs in as little as 30 seconds after application. Australian Bush Mint, a known natural antibacterial and antimicrobial ingredient, plus Safflower Oleosomes enhance skin’s protective barrier, leaving hands moisturised and silky smooth.

I had a fabulous time at the Jurlique event and learnt a lot about the brand. I hope I have been able to share some new information with you as well. This blog post did not contain much of the science behind the ranges. The reason for this is that Jurlique has not publicised any scientific studies to do with their brand instead, focusing on the natural side of their products. However, things are beginning to change as Jurlique is realising that their customers want natural products that are as scientifically advanced as their high tech counterparts so they are starting to release some of the research from their state-of-the-art research and development laboratories in South Australia. I have some information on the science behind the Purely White range so will do another post on this in the near future and as new information is being made available I will continue to post on it! Until then...

All opinions stated in this blog are my own. I have no affiliation with Jurlique and received no remuneration for my comments. I did receive a pack containing samples of 4 Jurlique products for attending the evening. Images are courtesy of Julique.