Clinique Even Better Makeup

I used to wear the old version of Rimmel's "25 hour Foundation", but the new one just doesn’t cut it – it makes my skin feel clogged and goes all powdery after a few hours. I’ve found it really difficult to find a decent foundation after getting eczema around my eyes – it’s now under control, but I still have to be careful to prevent it from coming back, so I went to a few makeup stands in Debenhams and Boots to see what was around. I ended up at Clinique, where a lovely saleslady gave me a little jar sample of “Even Better Makeup”...

Lush "Porridge" Soap

I really wanted to like this soap, but it seriously dried out my skin. I avoided using the bar directly on my body ‘cause I knew the scrubby oats would irritate me; however because it’s marketed as a soap for easily irritated skin, I decided on a whim to try it.

Philosophy "Hope in a Jar" Moisturiser

This really didn't do it for me at all. I got a sample size of this product (15mls), and never in a million years would I consider purchasing the large version – which is way overpriced at around £30. I’ve had better results from Lush moisturisers, and even Aveeno (which is a fraction of the price).

Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter

I bought this after reading an article about how busy mums discovered this product’s “magical” abilities after trying it on their faces. There had been reports of “anti-aging”, so I thought I’d give it a try as it was inexpensive and relatively easy to find.

Lush "Angels on Bare Skin" Cleanser

  

This is a lovely cleanser, made from natural ingredients (and it’s Lush, so you know it’s not tested on animals). The consistency, at first, was a little alien to me – fresh and crumbly, not gloopy and runny like most scrubs or foaming cleansers. I put this down to the fact that it’s all natural and has no preservatives (which also explains the 3 month shelf life).  The smell is also strange at first – but definitely something you can grow to love (think earthy/lavendery).

I bought this when my skin was very sore and upset, with angry spots on my cheeks and some nasty dry patches. After a few days of using it morning and night (along with Ultrabland to remove my makeup) my skin calmed down and I fell in love. I now use it every morning and I’m surprised at how gentle and effective it is. Until I discovered this little gem, I was struggling to find a balanced cleanser which gave a good, thorough clean without hurting my skin. I find my skin looks especially soothed and radiant after using this.

The only downsides to this are the packaging (typical Lush pot) which often allows water to leak in and dilute the product – most people find this very off-putting, and while I can see that it is a flaw, I actually rather like it as it loosens up the product and makes it easier to use. And also the shelf life (around 3 months). I do find it hard to use up the entire tub in this amount of time, even using it morning and night.

Consistency: Grainy and unusual. Lovely for exfoliation.
Sensitive Skin Suitability: 4.5/5
Price: £6.25 for a tub (100g)
Rating: 9/10