The Acne Series: Guest Review 3 of Aphelia Cosmetology

I was lucky enough to get three acne skincare packs from Aphelia Cosmetology for guest reviewers with acne to trial for me. I think that this is important because the treatment of acne is such a personalised journey that it is good to hear about the results of the skincare from a variety of people.

In the third review of this series, Nalini from The Made Up Maiden has reviewed this acne set for me. Nalini is 30 and has troublesome skin. She has tried many products to fix it without a lot of luck.

Here is Nalini's review:

I've always thought the journey to clear skin can be quite a complicated one. There are just so many things that affect the condition of your skin; genetics, skincare, diet, hormones, weather, stress...the list is endless.

In my case, both parents had acne when they were younger, and I had hopes that my acne would fade once I left my teens. My skin isn't completely horrendous, but I do have some minimal scarring on my cheeks (which goes away after a little while), and the odd large pimple on my chin during those hormonal times, which goes away after a while but is still really frustrating when it happens! I'm 30 years old, so it looks like these problems are here to stay. I have contemplated taking hormonal pills or medication aimed at reducing acne, but decided that the possible side effects haven't really been worth the benefit.

As a result, I was really keen to explore the Aphelia Cosmetology range and see if it lives up to the promise of helping with acne troubled skin. I would classify my skin as combination, the t-zone gets a little oily towards midday, while the rest of my skin is pretty much classified as 'normal'. I received the following items.

Master Cleanse Deep Cleanse Fluid:

This was the foaming cleanser that I used morning and night. It's packaged in a slimline silver tube that you pump to get the cleanser out. Like all foaming cleansers, you only need a tiny amount for your entire face. All you need to do is dispense into wet hands, rub together, and gently apply in circular motions. I felt that it was quite good at cleaning my face and my skin didn't feel dry or tight afterwards. It's also unscented, which is good because certain scents can really put me off using a product.

Classic Skin Purifier Cleansing Oil:

This is the cleansing oil that is packaged with the treatment essence. I didn't mind this product too much, it's basically unscented and you apply it by dispensing a couple of pumps into your hands, apply all over your face, then damped your hands and massage to emulsify. I felt that this did a fair job of cleansing my makeup off, but I did feel that it didn't quite work as well as my much beloved Shu Uemura cleansing oil. I ordinarily double cleanse at night, once using the cleansing oil, and then follow up using the deep cleanse foaming fluid. Using this left my skin feeling quite supple and clean. What I liked most about this is it's packaged in a clear tube, which is very handy at estimating how much you have left before you need to repurchase.

Acne treatment 12+5 essence:

This is basically the star item in the range, as it's supposed to target the blemishes. I was initially a little put off by this. It's packaged in a pump-action, slimline tube, with the essence being a yellow, clear liquid with a very strong scent. I'm hard pressed to define it but I would say that it's quite herbal. It does fade a little while after application but it did take me a while to get accustomed to the scent. You're supposed to put this on after you've cleansed and dried your face, concentrating on blemishes before spreading the remaining product over the rest of your face.

Overall, I must say that I did notice a change in my skin. It's much clearer than it used to be and I don't get breakouts as often as I did. However, as I mentioned in my introduction, there are many factors that could have contributed to this, so I'm not really sure if it's because of regular use of these products.

I do like the range though and I would probably repurchase the deep cleanse fluid and the essence, the only downside is I find the essence a little expensive at $49 a bottle. It does come packaged in a set with the cleansing oil, which retails at $49.95 (making it much more affordable to get the set), but I happen to like the foaming cleanser more than I like the oil. This leads to me to believe that paying $49 for just the essence alone isn't quite justified.

Thanks for your detailed review, Nalini.

If you missed the two other reviews in this series, you can find them here and here.

If you would like to try Aphelia Cosmetology to see if it can fix your acne then you are in luck. I am giving away an entire set of the products that you have seen reviewed here. I will have the link to that giveaway up this afternoon.


What has been your acne Holy Grail products?


All opinions are my own or Nalini's own and we received no remuneration for this post. The products were provided to Nalini for her consideration.

The Acne Series: Guest Review 2 of Aphelia Cosmetology

The other day I brought you a guest review of the Oasis Acne range from Aphelia Cosmetology. I have mentioned before, but the journey to perfect skin for acne sufferers is often not clear cut and what works for one person many not work for another. Therefore, for the Aphelia Cosmetology acne range I have recruited three different acne sufferers to trial it.

The second reviewer I have is Jenny. Jenny is 20 and has bad acne on her forehead. Here is her review:

I spent the majority of my teenage years not appreciating that I had nice clear skin and I never felt the need to wear makeup since I had nothing to cover up anyway. I only ever got the odd spot or two and that was pretty rare as I can’t remember even one time when I might’ve freaked out over a breakout.

When I reached year 12 in high school, I started to get lots and lots of break outs and it was all concentrated on my forehead. I can even tell you how it started as it literally started overnight with little pimples on my forehead which grew and grew and I soon had a breakout on my forehead which has never cleared in the last 3 years.

My breakouts are consistent and never go away. I always have a small amount of pimples on my forehead and I get some pretty nasty big ones during that time of the month. They tend to stay around for about a week but the little ones pop up as the old ones go away. My acne has also spread to both my cheeks (although the left cheek is significantly clearer than the right) and occasionally I also get pimples under my bottom lip and above my top lip near my nose.

You’ll see in my photos later, that I scar very easily. Some of the pimples that I got during the trial turned into red dots that stay red for weeks. I still have the scars today! It had nothing to do with the products and everything to do with the way my skin is as it happens regardless of the products that I use.

I’ve tried everything at least once from not using cleanser at all (just water), not wearing makeup, using natural products and using different brands like Nivea, Garnier, Biotherm, Khiels, Estée Lauder and Clinique. Nothing has even come close to clearing up my skin, let alone reducing the amount of pimples. I put my hand up for trying out these products when Sarah gave out a call for people to trial the products as I thought that it couldn’t hurt to change up my skincare regime again, especially since it wasn’t working anyway.

I admit that I didn’t really look too much into the brand that was offering the products for trial so when I first opened the package that Sarah sent me, I noticed that there was Chinese writing on the side of the boxes. Immediately, my boyfriend and I got a bit freaked out as we know that Chinese products can often smell quite bad. As children, our parents forced us to eat really smelly black medicine and we’re both familiar with Chinese traditional medicines and the awful smell that some of them can have. Luckily, the smell of the Aphelia products wasn’t too bad.

There were 3 products that I was sent to try.

Master Cleanse Deep Cleanse Fluid:

This was the cleanser that I used in the morning and at night. It looks like liquid soap and it also smells like it. To use the cleanser, I put a small amount (literally one or two small pumps) in my hand and then added water to it. When you rub the cleanser and the water together, it foams up and turns white. While I felt like it cleaned my face, I also felt like I was just using plain soap on my face as it really stripped it of the oils. My hands would also feel really dry afterwards. I think that the cleanser would be better suited for people with really oily skin unlike mine which is mostly dry.

Acne treatment 12+5 essence:

This was an essence that I had to use twice a day (morning and night). It’s a clear runny liquid with a strong herbal smell that I put on my face after I washed it. The instructions told me to focus on the blemishes but that the essence needed to be put on the whole face. I wasn’t a fan of it as the smell lingers even when the essence has been absorbed. I found it hard to spread it on my face as it’s so runny that it kind of dripped off my face unless I worked fast. However, I felt that this step was important as the cleanser dried my face out so much.

Classic skin Purifier Cleansing Beauty Oil:

The instructions said that it was good at removing makeup so I used it as a makeup remover each night. It didn’t make sense to use it as a cleanser since I already used the Master Cleanse Deep Cleanse Fluid as my cleanser.

This didn’t have a strong smell but it smelled faintly like the cleanser. It had a light oil consistency to it and I used it by putting it onto cotton wool pads and wiping it over my face. Interestingly, the instructions said that you didn’t have to wash your face afterwards but you could if you felt like it was “merited”. Because I did this step before cleansing, I obviously washed it off each night.

It was good as a makeup remover and I definitely rate it higher than some of the makeup remover wipes that I’ve been using. It did a good job removing everything but I should probably point out that I normally only wear some concealer and eyeliner so I don’t wear heavy makeup.

Overall, I didn’t see a huge change in my breakouts. It did reduce the large ones as I only saw 2-3 in a month. I think that no products will clear my skin and that my acne may be due to my diet or hormones. I think that people who get breakouts because they have oily or congested skin will benefit from this range. I’ve seen other reviews where people have noticed a huge difference and I’m so jealous!

I think that the Classic Skin Purifier Beauty Oil is the stand out product and will suit any one. The cleanser is a bit harsh but good if you’re targeting really oily or congested areas on your face. I think that the smell of the essence really lets it down as I got pretty sick of the unpleasant smell. I’m sure that some people wouldn’t mind as “no pain, no gain” but I personally wouldn’t buy it for myself.

Before forehead photo

After forehead photo

Before (left) and after (right) pictures of the cheek

What are your thoughts on the scent of a product? Does the way a product smells ever stop you from using it?

Just a heads up, after I post the third review of these products I will be giving away a set so keep your eyes out!

All opinions are mine or Jenny's own and we received no remuneration for this post. These products were provided to Jenny for consideration.

The Acne Series: Guest review of the Aphelia Cosmetology Oasis Acne Solution

The next guest review in my acne series that I am going to bring to you is from Andrea and is of the Aphelia Cosmetology skincare range. Andrea is 33 years of age but still suffers from bad acne especially on her forehead and cheeks.

The Aphelia Cosmetology herbal skincare range is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (a little aside - Traditional Chinese Medicine is actually the degree that I wanted to study at uni but I was worried it might limit my job prospects if I didn't like the field so I went for a more broad science degree - Biomedical Science, with the plans on specialising in Tradition Chinese Medicine once I finished. Instead, I fell in love with pathology and went on to do a PhD in wound healing but I still find the field absolutely fascinating). Rather than rely on one 'hero herb' in an otherwise basic formulation, Aphelia Cosmetology uses a precise prescription of herbs to create a formulation that heals and nurtures your skin.

The acne range from Aphelia Cosmetology is truly unique - it is the world’s only acne solution with no Benzoyl Peroxide & Salicylic Acid that has been proven with independent in vitro (this means in a petri dish or in a test tube) tests to inhibit acne bacterium for 6 hours at 99.96% (I have a copy of these studies which I will go through in more detail in another post). This means that the acne range from Aphelia Cosmetology won't produce the side effects that Benzoyl Peroxide & Salicylic Acid may cause such as drying and irritating you skin.

Andrea was provided with the Acne Solution Set (RRP $49.95) which contains the Oasis Acne Solution and the Classic Skin Purifier Cleansing Beauty Oil as well as the Master Cleanse.

Here is Andrea's review:

Aphelia Oasis Acne Solution

For the first time in months, more like years! I had just 1 pimple for the first month, so the product did work for sure in reducing pimples forming. However the one pimple I did get was pretty bad and did take ages to go away even with using it religiously twice a day. Have been using the cleanser and makeup remover in the range too. Don't mind the fragrance of the oil and cleanser but don't care for the fragrance of the acne treatment essence so much. It has a very strong herbal medicinal smell which I do not like much at all. The second month I used it I got a few more pimples. So pretty average at stopping pimples from forming which is good. Wish it actually treated the ones that did occur too. The product itself is like a pale yellow liquid which you apply all over the face. It dries quickly and is a bit drying on the skin. Does not leave it looking oily though and can apply makeup over it without any problems.

Aphelia Master Cleanse Deep Cleanse Fluid

Have been using this a face wash for up to 2 months now. My skin has much less breakouts than normal. Does not lather up too much. My face feels really fresh and clean. It removes all traces of makeup, even eye makeup completely. My skin feels soft, clean and fresh. Does not dry out my skin or leave me with a "tight" feeling. . It has a very faint almost no fragrance and a nice white shimmery colour. Like the white and gold lettering clean classic lines of the bottle. You only need one press of the pump for washing your face so it lasts for a long time too. For all 3 products found a sharp contrast in the very bright green and gold outer pack and the inner actual look of the bottles.

Aphelia Classic Skin Purifier Cleansing Beauty Oil

I used this for removing makeup with a cotton pad. Like the look of the bottle and the easy dispense pump pack. SO no wastage or mess. Has a delightful light oriental/floral fragrance. Its useful when I have worn heavy eye makeup to get the makeup off as gently as possible. I do use it for cleansing my skin too. It does not lather up, it emulsifies with a few drops of water to cleanse your face. Again left my skin feeling incredibly soft and clean. Perfect for dry skin types and for use in winter. I thought it would be hard to remove as it was an oil based product, but it washed off very easily after cleansing.

Thanks Andrea.

The Aphelia Cosmetology range can be bought online.

I actually have two more guest reviews coming up for this range so it will be great to hear how it works on a variety of skin types.


What have you found to be your solution to your acne woes? Does your current acne range dry out your skin?


I received no remuneration for this post and all opinions are my (or Andrea's) own. The Aphelia range was provided to Andrea for consideration. 

The acne series: a teen's perspective of the Teen Aspect Kit

As anyone who has suffered from acne knows, it can affect any age and not one treatment will cure everyone so I have been trying to get a range of reviewers to try a variety of solutions in the hope that you will find your solution. Today's guest reviewer is Brook. Brooke  is 12 1/2 years and has pimply skin on her forehead, chin and both cheeks.   She has very oily skin from hormonal changes and has been suffering regular bouts of lots of pimples for the last 6 months or so. I had Brook trial the Teen Aspect Kit for me. 

According to Aspect, Teen Aspect is:

A simple, uncomplicated skin care range designed with the busy teenager in mind. Teen Aspect is suitable for pre-teens and teenagers who want a quick and easy-to-use skin care regime. Free of the typical nasties, it will not irritate, dry out or clog the skin.

Teen Aspect Kit

The ideal way to try out the Teen Aspect range for only $59.95!  The Teen Aspect Starter Kit is the ideal start to clean, clear skin. The Teen Aspect Starter Kit contains:

• Teen Aspect Cleanser
• Teen Aspect Toner
• Teen Aspect Facial Lotion
• Teen Aspect Stop Spot Travel Stick

Here is Brook's review:

Teen Aspect Cleanser – “The smell is lemony and refreshing.  After I used it my face felt clean.  It was gentle on my skin.  The container is easy to pump out the cleanser and it goes all bubbly when I rubbed it on my face.  I only need to use one squirt for the whole of my face and it worked well.”

 Teen Aspect Toner – “The toner was my favourite because when I wiped my skin with it felt fresh, although after it my skin felt dry and that’s why I used the Teen Aspect Facial Lotion after it.  It smells very strong and lemony.”

 Teen Aspect Facial Lotion – “The Facial Lotion made my face feel moisturised and took away the ‘dryness’ of the toner.  It smells like the cleanser – the lemony smell.  This also came in a pump pack like the cleanser and toner. “

 Teen Aspect Stop Spot – “The Stop Spot was good to put on pimples that needed to be treated and it helped get rid of them.  It smells lemony too – which is nice because it was very refreshing in the morning and before I went to bed.  The Stop Spot is a liquid and I squirted a tiny bit onto my finger and put it onto my pimples.  My older sister tried to use it (without asking!) and applied Stop Spot straight to her face which doesn’t work because it ran down her cheek.”

 “All the products have the black , white and silver design which I liked and I like how it came in a set and looks really good together.  I did find my skin cleared up a bit when I used it all the time – both day and night.  When I stopped using it (because I got a bit forgetful) I noticed my pimples tried to come back.  I want to keep using this Teen Aspect range.”

Before using the Teen Aspect Kit 

After using the Teen Aspect Kit

Sigh...doesn't Brook have gorgeous skin!

The photo's speak for themselves. Brook's skin seems to have really settled down. As she is just entering her teenage years I wouldn't expect her to be completely pimple free but this kit is really keeping the majority of them at bay.

The Teen Aspect Kit can be bought from selected clinics for $59.95. For your nearest stockist call 1800 648 851.

Have you found the solution to your acne woes yet?

See here for other posts in The Acne Series.

All opinions are Brook's own and neither Brook nor myself received any remuneration for this post. Brook was provided with the Teen Aspect Kit for consideration.

The acne series: Guest review of Fixaderm

Got itchy skin? Sunburnt? Pimple brewing? Insect bite driving you mad? Fixaderm® can help give instant relief. Keep Fixaderm® handy in your First Aid kit or bathroom cabinet ready for everyday use.

This was on the press release that I received about Fixaderm and so I thought that it could be another interesting addition to The Acne Series. Sophie (from the blog Sophie's Maze), who is 28 and gets hormonal acne along her chin had contacted me about trialing acne products. She needed something gentle for her skin as she was finding that harsh products really dried it out. I thought that this might be a good solution for her.

More from the company: Necessity Fixaderm® is a 100% natural First Aid and skin repair product made from the finest quality essential and plant oils. The blend of 11 oils has been tested and refined over several years, resulting in a unique formula that may help alleviate skin discomfort, help prevent infection and help promote healing. Fixaderm® is completely free from chemicals and has a wide range of applications including; natural First Aid for cuts, abrasions, minor burns, fungal infections, insect bites and stings. It has also been demonstrated as an effective treatment for pimples, scarring, and stretch marks.


And now to Sophie's review:

Review for Necessity Fixaderm Skin Repair

Fixaderm is marketed as a skin repair oil containing the following key therapeutic oils:

• Calendula
• Lavender
• Patchouli (Progostermon Cablin)
• Rosehip oil (Rosa Eglanteria)
• Tea tree oil (Melaleuca)

These oils are used to treat an array of ailments ranging from burns, cuts, fungal infections, eczema, scarring, warts, sunburn and acne. I was interested in trialing Fixaderm to help treat persistent acne on the jawline and random congestion on the remainder of my face. My skin is combination and extremely sensitive. As such I struggle to use traditional acne remedies such as Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic Acid. I have used tea tree oil for years to treat individual spots and have found it reasonably effective with minimal side effects. The concept of Fixaderm is intriguing to contain tea tree oil along with some other oils known for their calming and healing properties.

The packaging of Fixaderm is the same as most essential oils, in a small amber bottle with a dropper top and a screw on lid. The dropper is good and it’s easy to dispense the product drop by drop. The actual oil is very liquidy and almost clear in colour. The smell is very herbal and the tea tree oil is definitely the dominant scent.

Results:

• ·         Acne – I initially tried using this as a spot treatment. Thankfully it didn’t irritate my skin but much to my surprise it actually made my spots worse. The texture of the product is quite greasy and maybe this is the reason it exacerbated the spots. I do find neat tea tree oil better for this purpose.
• ·         Scarring – I next tried applying this on broader areas of acne scarring. I only needed 1 drop to cover half my jawline, I little goes a long way! It feels quite greasy going on but sinks in after 5-10 minutes. I was pleasantly surprised by the non-greasy feel after it had soaked in. It moisturizes well but after 3 weeks of application I didn’t notice any accelerated healing of scars. I do usually use a vitamin C serum in the mornings and I think that is far more effective at fading scars.

• ·         Hands – Now I absolutely ADORE this oil for moisturizing my cuticles and around my nails. I was travelling overseas recently and the flight combined with the cold English weather meant my skin went haywire. My hands were the most effected. I had the worst hangnails ever. Like I am talking multiple skin peeling things around each nail. It was painful and unsightly. I started rubbing Fixaderm around my nails much like you would a cuticle cream each night and my skin was back to normal in a few days. Continually applying Fixaderm prevented the same thing from happening on the return home.
• ·         Dry skin – I also get really dry elbows and knees. A couple of drops of Fixaderm really helps relieved the chapped skin.

Overall I think Fixaderm is an interesting product that has many potential uses. It helps that I also love the smell of the oil and find it relaxing. Personally, I like it as an antibacterial cuticle oil. I wish it had worked wonders on my acne but it wasn’t the case. However, I am more than happy to keep a bottle around to help prevent and repair damage around my nails. And who knows what other uses I will find for this multipurpose oil?! 

All opinions are Sophie's own and she received no remuneration for this post. This product was provided to Sophie for consideration.

Do you have acne? Guest reviewers required

Do you suffer from acne? If so, you might actually be in luck! I am after a couple more guest reviewers to trial some acne ranges for me. To be my acne guest reviewer you must:

• be willing to take before and after photos. However, they don't have to be of your whole face. Have a look at this review for an excellent example - you can clearly see how the acne has changed between photos but the person remained anonymous - I am perfectly happy for you to do similar (and I can help with the cropping if need be)
• have at least moderate acne - not just one or two pimples but problematic skin that is bothering you
• be willing to stick to the routine provided and preferably not use any other skincare products (sunscreen and makeup are fine).
• be Australian based.

I need three reviewers in total. The age of two of the reviewers doesn't matter but I specifically need a teenager for one of the reviews.

If you are interested please either comment below or send me an email.

The acne series: Guest review of Dermalogica

In the third post of my series of guest reviews on acne treatment ranges, I recruited Bianca to trial some Dermalogica products. This is Bianca's review:

I have had the pleasure of trialling some Dermalogica products as a part of an acne trial for about a month so far. Thanks to Sarah and Dermalogica for this opportunity. Here is what I received and how I used them:

• Dermalogica oil control lotion (used in the morning after washing face with the microfoliant) RRP $64.00 50ml
• Dermalogica overnight clearing gel (used at night time before bed and after washing face with the microfoliant) RRP $60.50 59ml 
• Dermalogica daily microfoliant deluxe sample (used both day and night replacing my normal cleanser)

Before I get into what I think about the products I will give a quick run-down of my skin type and concerns. I am in my early 20s and still suffer from acne, it is no fun and I have tried so many acne-targeted products and had much trial and error over the years. It’s sad to say but one person’s acne miracle is often another’s biggest downfall.

I suffer from breakouts mainly around my mouth and on my chin (not a good look at all) and often have hidden pimples on my forehead. During the day, oil builds up on my skin contributing to my breakouts and I often do not feel comfortable in my own skin unless I wear makeup to cover my acne scarring.

So as for the results of using this range I cannot say too much unfortunately. I wanted this to be the one thing I would repurchase again and again as I have heard so many great things about the Dermalogica products.

When I first started using these products I still experienced the same amount of (if not more) breakouts and new pimples and I have only started to see a small difference now. But unfortunately I honestly believe that if I noticed a difference it was because I have just finished my uni exams and started holidays. Stress is a major factor that plays a role in the number of pimples I get and right now my stress and pimples have died down.

What I thought about the products:

Oil control lotion: very lightweight formula but consequently that leads to it being quite runny. My skin usually is very dry after cleansing and so this didn’t put enough moisture back into my skin so I had to apply two coats waiting for the first to dry before reapplying. But in saying that it dries very fast, is easy to smooth over the skin and helps control oil throughout the day. However, I do not think it has an SPF which is a must for me as I have very fair skin.

Overnight clearing gel: a little goes a long way and this smooths over the skin very easy, although as I mentioned before I do have very dry skin after I was my face and I was not too sure when to apply this product as it recommends after cleansing and just before bed.

Daily Microfoliant: this unique powder formulation has been impressing the beauty world for a while now and I had no idea what was so good about it until I got to try it out myself. It’s a lovely soft formula that is very gentle on the skin. The water activates the rice-based powder and gets to work gently removing skin cells and penetrating the skin for a very thorough cleaning. As I said I was using it both night and day as it is really that gentle. A little bit of the powder will go a long way when mixed with water but it took me at least a week to get it right as I kept pouring too little or too much. The only thing I would have preferred was if the lid of a twist to open (like a salt lid) as in the shower it can get slippery when having to unscrew the lid and then worry if you are going to drop it. I would consider repurchasing this product.

As a final note I am going to continue using these but do not think I would repurchase the lotion or the gel as the products are quite expensive for a uni student like myself and if I was paying that much for something I would expect to see instant results. But this is just me, I do believe products are different on each person’s skin so if you get a chance to try these out for yourself then I would highly recommend it.

Thanks for your honest review, Bianca!

Have your tried Dermalogica for your acne? Was it your miracle treatment or your downfall?

All opinions stated in this blog are my own (or in this case are Bianca's). I have no affiliation with Dermalogica and received no remuneration for these comments. These products were provided to Bianca for her consideration.

The acne series: Guest review of Jurlique

It has taken me a while to get around to continuing the acne series that I started last year (due to my pregnancy related hiatus) but better late than never! Here is the second of my series of guest reviews on acne treatment ranges. I recruited Julie from Me, My Best and I to trial some Jurlique products as she has often mentioned her problematic skin on her blog plus after embarking on Natural November she has mostly stuck with natural skincare so this seemed like it could be the perfect range for her to trial. Here is Julie's review:

Popping my Jurlique cherry

So I'm a little ashamed to admit it has taken me so long to get around to trying Jurlique. Australian, natural, globally loved and celebrity accolades? I'm not sure why I snubbed them for so long.

My only experience was for some reason when I used to pinch a pump or two of the Herbal Recovery Gel from a tester in Duty Free mid a long haul flight change and slather it on my face to pep my skin up and mitigate dull skin arrival. Why? Not sure but I've done at on a few flights now and it's part of the random ritual!,

So I was lucky enough thanks to Sarah from Science of Beauty to get my paws on a myriad of the range to test out - no more sneaky Duty Free fly by pumps required.

And what can I say? I’m rather impressed. Overall I've found these products rich, and for the most part concentrated and a really fragrant therapeutic experience.

My favs;

Purifying Cleansing Gel
Lasts an age - I've been using daily in the morning since before Christmas (written as of April) and am not even half way through the pump bottle yet. One teeny pump ( I am partial to  a good pump action) of this tropical and zesty grapefruity and slightly herbal smelling gel, lathers up a treat (naturally sans SLS) for a really clean, refreshed morning face without any tightness. Works even more beautifully with a Clarisonic Mia. Not too foamy but just right.  Anything citrusy in the morning gets a get up and go tick from me plus the fact the bottle seems to go on and on forever gets one more. This also contains soothing rose and calendula, antioxidants green tea and surprise ingredient turmeric. This gel manages to clean and balance without being harsh, ideal in my mind for troubled skin. I do need to call out it does contain some PEGs so not as pure as they make out.....

Lemon-Lime Hydrating Essence
Ok - this could be deemed an entirely unnecessary skincare item and not one I ever would have bought into or bought myself BUT I am now officially hooked. It is a pre-cleanse booster. Quite a unique little product you don't see in many brands and one that lends a DIY spa feel.

You basically add a few drops to a basin of warm water, which seriously amplifies the lemon and limey sensory hit then you use a washer to compress the aromatic water onto your skin - the oils apparently soften and rebalance and pave the way for a better cleanse. I do more deep breathing when compressing and the combo of the aroma and the therapeutic breaths shake off my day and get me relaxed for winding down.

Mentally I adore this ritual and am totally sold on this addition to my skincare routine in the evening. I even save the water to rinse my face post cleanse to get all the skin benefits. My skin has been remarkably balanced with virtually no breakouts since the start of this year. A contributor? Perhaps. Regardless I enjoy it too much now to stop. Sodashi apparently do something similar, I am vowing to try theirs. Arguably you could with a little aromatherapy know how concoct your own version of this. Jurlique carry different blends for different skin types so more to explore.

Herbal Recovery Gel
This is quite a unique little product and another concentrated little goer - again after using two small squirts daily I'm still  only half way through the pump bottle since opening in Dec/Jan (as at April). Neither rich like a serum nor emoliating like a moisturiser. It's a funny little product that just kinda works. I use it in the morning after washing but before moisturiser. You pat this moist dewy gel into skin - its light and fresh but turns a little tacky and sticky before sinking into skin a few minutes later, it makes skin feel plump and fresh but I still crave a moisturiser on top of it. It is orange peel zesty with a rosy floral water sweetness underneath again why I enjoy using in the morning. I can't be sure of any skin condition changes to report but  I enjoy how it feels and smells and makes me feel every morning and look after I’ve patted it on and I am most attached to the ritual of it. My skin is behaving so well right now - this could play a role in that but I'm unsure what or how but it just feels good and right and an extra hydrating boost never hurt anyone did it? (That is a negative ghost writers ! )

Citrus Purifying Mist
Ok two gripes - a glass bottle that is teeny for the price ($24 for 30mls) I am a firm believer that face spritzers should not be overly pricey and should last the distance of a matching cleanser. This teeny bottle failed on both counts. However it redeems itself with it’s fabulous functioning spritzer nozzle - fine and misty yet powerful and covers good surface area with one refreshing little zingy pump. More citrusy zestiness here, even more lemony than the cleansing gel with lemon balm and more grapefruit extract plus aloe and vitamins A, C and E. I love the mist action so much I have been decanting Mukti's Refreshing Floral toner into the empty bottle as it came from a leaky nozzle sub-par spritzer. Not the best value for money as a facial spritz can only do so much but rather enjoyable regardless. They should consider selling cheaper refill options for their beautiful glass bottles.

Clarifying Day Care Lotion
It's light, tick, smells great, tick, dispenses via pump, tick and offers again a delicate and creamy citrusy scent, tick, tick but why me no likey muchymuchy? Don't get me wrong it's fine but fine is just that. Again the glass bottle bums me with its precious heaviness and there is no SPF so I never use during the day then it doesn't seem rich enough at night.  Don't get me wrong it's good for more oilier days as is easily absorbed despite being nourishing with evening primrose, macadamia, jojoba and avocado oils and feels good on skin but I just don't reach for it very much at all. I'm a fussy mare with day creams - they need to have serious bells and whistles to float my boat.

Tinted Blemish Cream
Do not buy if you want something that will conceal and kill spots at same time. The concealing element is minimal, perhaps only taking redness down a degree or two. It is ointment like in texture so takes work to blend (which usually rubs away the tint) It is also pretty pink in tone , fine for my skin but probably not for 90% of the population. Having said all that it makes a good soothing and healing antibacterial aid. I do use it. Just not at night like my powerhouses Mario Badescu Drying Lotion or Mukti Sebogel but in the morning, under make-up as a little extra help for masking and healing any breakouts as it is loaded within essential oils for those specific problems.

Purifying Mask
A curious textured product that squirts from a foil tube which is good for travel but I just find the texture so dry and thick. I need to moisten my hands and face to spread it which just dilutes the clay in some parts and leaves thick blobs on others and I feel like the bitty ( but not exfoliating) texture is just going to flake off. The smell is also a little off putting for me - citrusy but not in the fresh way of the rest of the range, instead a strange orange peel smell but like orange peels left in the garbage and with an ashy sort of hint. A weird mask experience but not in the bitty, smelly, but effective way of Kosmea’s Daily Exfoliant. I can't really get my head round this one but in saying that will throw in my bag for a mask when traveling as it is so light and space saving .......

So Jurlique – how was it for me? Juicy with moments of greatness and a few let downs, but overall would go back for seconds ;)

Some real winners and keepers and some I'd leave on the shelf. I applaud you for your concentrated formulas, focussed on natural goodness and for the most-part beautiful scents and functional packaging (lose the glass purleassee) You do leave me wanting to try more though and I would really really like to give one of the salon facials a try, I say they are a totally tantalizing sensory trip.

Thanks Julie for your indepth review. I just needed to add that I did try a Jurlique salon facial last year and it was hands down the best facial that I have ever had!

 Have you tried Jurlique and if so what did you think? Which acne treatments have worked best for you?

All opinions stated in this blog are my own (or in this case are Julie's). I have no affiliation with Jurlique and received no remuneration for these comments. These products were provided to Julie for her consideration.

The acne series: Guest review of Aspect and Dr Aspect

In the first of my series of guest reviews on acne treatment ranges, I recruited Vanessa to trial some Aspect and Aspect Dr products. The products she received were:

Aspect Purastat 5 Cleanser which is described as 'an extraordinary one-of-a-kind cleansing formula that will exceed your expectations and change the way you think about the simple act of cleansing your face forever.'

Aspect Jungle Brew 'Chemical free because problem skin should be nurtured not tortured! If you suffer the misery of spotty, excessively oily or impure skin, you will no doubt have tried a myriad of cosmetic treatments with the hope of finding that magic clear skin solution only to find that the cure was worse than the disease'

Aspect Dr Exfol A Plus Serum 'A potent Vitamin A formula that has superior stability coupled with exceptional cellular renewal activity for clearer, smoother, more evenly coloured, younger looking skin.'

This is Vanessa's review:

My skin is troublesome to say the least. So when the opportunity came up to trial some acne-prone beauty products I jumped at the chance and boy, am I glad that I did! Why? Well, my skin is pimple prone – it always has been. 15-20 years ago I even went to a skin specialist and went on Roaccutane. My skin is stubborn so though this helped after a few months I found that my skin began playing up again after coming off of it. So my skin specialist put me on a second course of Roaccutane. This was great because this second course dried my sebum supply out enough to keep my skin under control – for quite a while at least. 

Enter my thirties: massive hormonal changes because I began a family – childbirth, breastfeeding played a big part in hormonal changes but luckily my skin stayed okay until my very late thirties when it started to get more oily – again!! Enter my fourties: increasingly oily skin for no apparent reason. Maybe the effect of the Roaccutane was finally wearing off!! So I was on the computer searching and signed up to several beauty blogs/website because I thought it sounded silly to head for the skin specialist again for yet another round of Roaccutane. But you know what? I would have been on it again if I hadn’t been invited to trial these truly amazing topical products by Aspect courtesy of The Science of Beauty blog.

So you probably have the picture of what my skin is like by now: pimple-prone, acne-prone, super duper oily t-zone, temperamental both to dairy products in my diet (triggered pimples!!) and also temperamental with hormones from the ‘monthlies’ which are sporadic at the best of times!! Genetically speaking, I got this annoying skin from my mum. Thanks Mum!! I watched her struggle with her pimple-prone skin all her life. So genetics, oiliness, the odd bad habit (like touching my face when I shouldn’t) and probably using the wrong products on my skin have made my skin the way it is. If I have a weak point then my pimple prone skin is my weak point. Everything else is great – it’s just that my skin is the pain and bane of my life.

As you can imagine I’ve tried and used many, many products which claim they’ll help control pimples and improve my oily skin type. (Though I’m dry on my upper cheeks and round my eyes and near my ears at my age now). Some products did help a little – just a little though and it was more for just ‘control’ after the next batch of pimples emerged but I have never, ever used anything as effective, gentle and downright amazing as these Aspect products (which I had never heard of by the way, before this trial).

The Aspect Purastat 5 Cleanser (240ml) slotted easily and simply into my ‘beauty’ routine by quite honestly being the most incredibly gentle yet anti-acne cleanser I have EVER used and I’ve used a couple of very good ones. This lime-scented and lime-coloured cleanser is so beautifully gentle that I can use it all over my face and there is not the least hint of dryness. It doesn’t strip my skin whatsoever. The pump top quality bottle is shaped like an upside-down cone. I’ve been using it for just over a month now and I estimate I’ve used only 40mls of this precious potion which makes it very very economical because it looks like it’s going to last me around 6 months! That works out around $10 a month or around $2.50 a week for the BEST cleanser I’ve ever used for my crazy skin type. It’s effect on my skin is highly cleansing and refreshing as well as calming – somehow it makes my skin feel more resilient against pimples and much, much less pimple prone. I’m honestly completely amazed something like this exists!

The other two Aspect products I received to trial for my pimple prone skin was two serums – one I’ve been using in the morning after cleansing – Jungle Brew (30ml) and the other I’ve been using at night after cleansing – Exfol A Plus Serum (30ml).

These fitted so easily into my normal routine – straight after cleansing and before I applied my moisturiser. In the morning I’d apply a sunscreen moisturiser after the Jungle Brew serum and in the night I’d apply an oil-free basic moisturiser after I applied the Exfol A Plus Serum. They both went onto/into my skin extremely easily – they both felt the same to apply. They are both a thin, slippery, easy-to-spread serum which, with one squirt from the pump pack would cover my entire face and upper neck area (as I was getting very stubborn pimple problems in the last year on my upper neck area too). At night sometimes I would apply the Exfol A Plus Serum without adding any of my nightly oil-free moisturiser on top.

These serums both are soothing, simple and effective. To me it seems like they have a compound effect with the use of the cleanser and so I love using these three products in unison on a daily basis.

These products are working for me like bottles of miracles! I would never have believed anything could help my skin as well as these Aspect products. After a few weeks of use my skin no longer feels pimple prone/acne-prone. It feels somehow stronger against pimples and doesn’t have that awful ‘just about to break out feeling’. Since starting these products my skin has had no further breakouts at all! My skin certainly looks a million miles clearer than what it did before I started using them too. My photos show the results! My face (and neck) is not congested like it was and I haven’t changed anything in my diet/nutrition but I still avoid dairy products. Maybe one day I will be able to eat and drink dairy again with the way these Aspects products are working for me!

I feel completely gob-smacked because I really thought I was going to be heading down the Roaccutane track yet again but after using these Aspect trial products I don’t have to.

I found these products to be very gentle but I did wear a sunscreen everyday as I normally do and I found that generally using moisturiser over the top of the serums, both for day and night, as my preferred way of using these. The night time Exfol A Plus Serum I found stronger than the Jungle Brew and I found that using the Purastat 5 Cleanser I didn’t need to rub at all and I used it for around 30 seconds to 1 minute to cleanse with and then I rinsed it off. I found it easy to rinse off. At night, after wearing make-up and sunscreens I would do a ‘double cleanse’ with it as the instructions say so on the website. This worked exceedingly well for me.

Something very worthy of mentioning is that these products are completely Australian and not tested on animals. It gets even better! They are wonderful cosmeceutical products which are free of all the nasties too – free of parabens, formaldehyde, sodium lauryl sulphate, propylene glycol, mineral oils, petrolatum, artificial colours and fragrances.

These unusual skincare products are truly what I’d call beauty products! Thank you The Science of Beauty and Aspect for allowing me to discover them through this trial. I am completely amazed with them!! They really work for me. I sit here typing this with absolutely no pimples!! I can easily say that they are the best products I have ever used in my entire life!

Before trial

After

After: close up

Aspect is a protected brand not available in department stores or online. For more information on salons that stock the Aspect and Aspect Dr range, check out their website.

Have you found your Holy Grail set of products to fix your problematic skin?

All opinions stated in this blog are my own (or in this case are Vanessa's). I have no affiliation with Aspect or Aspect Dr and received no remuneration for these comments. These products were provided to Vanessa for her consideration.

Do you suffer from acne? Guest reviewer required.

I am looking for someone to guest review some products for my blog. The products aim to treat acne/problematic skin. It would be preferable if you are having a flare up right now to really see how they go.

What is required? I will send you 3 products - a cleanser and 2 treatment products and I would like you to use them for at least a month to see how they go at treating your skin. The products do contain Vitamin A so if you are pregnant or looking to get pregnant it is best that you don't apply. Once you have trialled them for a month I will need you to write a review that I can publish on my blog. I would love it if you included before and after photo's of your skin, to show any progress made by the products.

You do not need to have a blog to apply, but if you do have a blog please don't write about the trial on your blog until after the review has gone up here. After then, you are more than welcome to link to your guest review or if you want to do another update further down the track, feel free to do so.

Australian residents only.

To apply, please send me an email or leave a comment below describing the issues you are having with your skin and I will choose someone by Sunday.

Aren't I a little too old to still be getting pimples?

I am 30 years old, nearly 31, and I have a pimple on my cheek. When I was younger, and I imagined being in my 30's, it was not pimples that I foresaw. The 30's seemed so grown up. That was a time when you bought a house, got married, had babies and did equally scary grown up things. Surely the 30's should be about buying home wares and nappies and such; and not time to still be buying Clearasil. Don't get me wrong, my skin is pretty good. I tend to only get the odd pimple these days, excluding hormonal pimples on the chin. Those I can understand. As long as I have hormones surging through my system I expect that there will be the odd hormonal break out. What I want to know is at what age are my non-hormonal pimples going to bugger off for good?

To answer this question I decided to look at my family. I don't recall either of my Grandmothers, Nonny and Nanna, ever having a pimple. So I guess that means that, at the very least, they will be gone by the time I hit my 60's. But that's still a bloody long time to wait. I also can't recall my mum ever having a pimple. She had me when she was 30, but to be honest, I wouldn't have had a clue what a pimple was until I was at least 10. So does that mean from the age of 40 I can be guaranteed to be free of pimples? That still seems like a while, too long if you ask me. Unfortunately, my little genealogical acne investigation fails when I think back to how my sister's skin has behaved over the years. She is 29 and I think it would be at least 10 years, if not longer, since she last had a pimple. So maybe my skin is a genetic throwback and my question as to the age I will stop getting pimples can't be answered by studying my family.

Pimples generally first appear when puberty strikes as this coincides with a sudden increase in secretion of the skin's natural oil - sebum. The purpose of sebum is to waterproof the skin and keep it protected and hydrated. Pimples occur when sebum and dead skin cells block the pore. Therefore, people with oily skin are more likely to get pimples than those with dry skin. My sister has dry skin explaining her lack of pimples, whereas I my skin is oily so pimples will continue popping up as long as my sebum flow is high.

So, when will my skin start producing less oil? Sebum production decreases with age and in women it decreases substantially after menopause. So that explains why I don't recall ever seeing a pimple on my Grandmothers or Mum. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything more definitive than 'sebum production decreases with age'. So I guess my pimples will get less in the coming years, but who knows when.

What can I do to slow down my oil flow? Since I couldn't answer the question of when I will stop getting pimples, or even when my skin will start producing less sebum, my next point of research was to find out if there was any way to control my oil flow. I found an article on eHow that said experts recommend you wash your face with soap 3 times a day. I don't believe that this will help. I know if you wash your hair too regularly it becomes more oily as it starts to produce more oil to compensate for what is being stripped. So, I assume the same would be true for the face - the more oil you strip off your face, the more the body then produces to protect itself. At any rate, I can barely manage to squeeze washing my face twice a day into my schedule so a third wash has no chance of happening.

In my research I found the following can reduce sebum production:

• Vitamin A - either topically or through supplements or in the diet can help to reduce sebum production. But this should be avoided if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant as it has been known to cause birth defects.
• The contraceptive pill - as oil production and crazy hormones go hand in hand, the contraceptive pill can help to reduce sebum production as it evens out hormone levels
• Oil cleansers - using harsh cleanser to strip off excess sebum causes the skin to over react and produce even more sebum. Oil cleansers can be very effective as they dissolve the excess oil and gently remove it without stripping the skin.
• Jojoba oil - jojoba oil is the closest match to sebum so applying this discourages the skin from producing more sebum as it recognises that there is already sufficient present.

So, my fellow oily-skinned beauties, it looks like we will still be cursed with pimples throughout our 30's, and even 40's if your production is that high. But there is some good news for us. When out dry-skinned comrades hit menopause they will all be complaining how wrinkly their skin has become. Our skin, however, will have finished its long running stint through puberty and will finally be hitting it's clear-skinned prime!

How to treat hormonal acne

I was lucky enough to sail through my teen years relatively pimple free. Sure, I did have the odd pimple. On one notable occasion, when I was 16 or so, I had a small pimple on the tip of my nose the morning of a party. I thought that if I squeezed it in the morning the redness would be gone by the party and no one would notice it. Instead, it got infected, quadrupled in size and was impossible to hide. I could barely concentrate because it was in my line of vision, sticking up off the end of my nose and I was sure everyone was staring at it (actually I was certain - the 16 year old boys at the party had stopped looking and my chest and were looking at my face!). I learnt a valuable lesson that day, NEVER SQUEEZE PIMPLES (but then, once the pimple healed, I promptly unlearnt my lesson and jumped right back on the squeezing bandwagon)!

So you can imagine my shock when I fell pregnant at 29 that, instead of the gorgeous pregnant glow everyone keeps going on about, I suddenly had a face full of adult acne. Anyone who has experienced adult acne will understand just how difficult it is to find products suitable for their skin. There is a myriad of products designed to treat acne prone teenage skin – some of these great ranges include Clean and Clear, Clearasil and Proactiv Solution. But finding something suitable for older skin was much more difficult.

In the end, after it felt like I had tried every product under the sun, I took myself to the Kit Cosmetics counter to get some advice on how to fix up my skin. It was there that I was introduced to the Mario Badescu and Cosmedicine ranges. So, I continued to use my current cleanser and moisturiser as normal but also added some specialty treatment products to my routine.

 After cleansing in the morning I would apply the Mario Badescu Control Cream to the affected areas, which worked to reduce redness and to sooth the skin to prevent flaking. This isn't necessary only for use in the morning; however, I found that it rubbed in easily and wasn't at all noticeable, so that made it ideal for day time use. I applied my normal moisturiser to the unaffected areas of my face and the Control Cream on inflamed skin (mostly around the chin). According to Mario Badescu, Balsam Peru is the active, soothing botanical ingredient in the Control Cream, that will make a visible difference immediately upon application.

In the evenings, before I went to bed I used Cosmedicine Speedy Recovery Acne Treatment Night time Blemish Powder and Mario Badescu Healing Cream on the blemishes. The Cosmedicine Powder  uses Salicylic Acid, Corn Starch, and Aloe Vera to fight breakouts, prevent redness and irritation, leave you with a far better complexion than you had. The jar contains 15g of the powder and I honestly think that would last you a lifetime as you only put the smallest amount on. It probably isn't too hygienic but I would tip some in the lid, dip my finger in it, and simply rub it over the affected area. If you are more concerned with hygiene than I am, you could always apply it with a Q-Tip. Side note - while I was researching this post it became apparent that the Cosmedicine powder has been discontinued. A few places seem to still have it available so if you think that it might work, you might want to try and get a bottle, whilst you still can.

I would apply the powder after cleansing. I would then brush my teeth, finish my night time beauty chores to give the powder time to work its magic, before applying the Mario Badescu Healing Cream onto the blemishes. This cream contains sulphur which speeds up the healing process. It also contains the Balsam Peru mentioned above.  Its healing properties work immediately on acne prone areas preventing minor pimples from becoming inflamed. I found this cream to be quite lumpy and so difficult to rub in, which is why I didn't like to use it during the day. I would spread it on quite thickly so it could put its super healing powers to good, overnight.

One annoying thing with the two Mario Badescu products was the jar was a little misleading in size. Its one of those ones with a false base so you think you are only half way through when suddenly you hit the bottom. It did have the volume on it - I think it was 27ml, but my brain didn't register how small that was as the jar looks the same size as a 50ml jar.

The addition of these three products to my routine worked wonders on my hormonal acne. It took a couple of weeks but it ended up completely clearing up the blemishes. I did find that if I got lazy and didn’t use the products for a couple of days then my acne would reappear, but I think this was due to the insane amount of hormones surging through my system! Once I used the products again the acne would clear right up. Since I added three new products to my routine at once I can't be entirely sure which one, or whether it was a combination of all three that cleared up the acne. My gut says it was Cosmedicine Powder or possibly the Healing Cream, but I can't be entirely sure. But whatever it was, the next time I get knocked up I am going to make sure that I have each of these products in my possession.

Have you found anything that helped fix your hormonal acne? Are there any other magic powders out there that work like the Cosmedicine one (that I can turn to once my precious supply finally runs out!)?