Pretty. Winter Skin.

I am sure you all know about my troubles with super oily skin and how frustrated I am by products that claim to help but don't really do anything. I am always on the look out for great products, be it makeup or skin care, that will control my shine and help my makeup last longer. I've always tried new products but never really paid attention to what they actually did for my skin, which is a fairly silly thing! I was lucky enough to be able to try some products from Avene for the last month, and I started paying attention. Lucky I did, because the results were pretty freaken awesome. I was given a whole range of products, four of which really stood out to me. I will do a whole post on the fourth, but the other three were:

1. Cleanance soapless gel cleanser
2. Cleanance anti shine emulsion
3. Cleanance K exfoliating lotion

Firstly, the gel cleanser is lovely. You hardly need to use any, I am talking less than a pea sized amount, to really cleanse the skin. The texture is great, it doesn't get too foamy, and I have noticed a real difference in breakouts and blackheads in the month or so I have been using it. 

I really can't decide which product I like most, the anti shine emulsion or the Cleanance K, because they are both pretty darn amazing. I have never been a big user of primers, but I have been treating the anti shine emulsion as one and it is working so well at preventing that slick of grease that usually builds up on my skin as the day wears on. I am not saying it stops it completely, nothing ever really will I am sure, but it lets me get through about 8 hours without having to worry about my grease ball head or redoing my makeup. I have been using two pea sized amounts of this and smoothing it onto my skin, allowing it to dry and then applying my Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation. It has a similar texture when dry to the Este Lauder mattifying primer, though is a touch less 'powdery' which I like. 

The Cleanance K product has low levels of AHA and BHA (all those exfoliating acids) so is designed to remove dead skin cells, reduce the appearance of blackheads and absorb excess sebum. It also doubles as a moisturiser which is handy. I have been using this every night after removing my makeup and after about 2 weeks I noticed that rather than reducing my blackheads, it had made them much, much, much easier to remove. I have very stubborn blackheads on my nose that not even Pro Activ helps remove, so this little tube has been very useful. 

Overall I am pretty impressed with these products and will definitely be purchasing at least the 2 lotions when my little stash runs out. My only nit pick has to be that most of Avene's products contain mineral oil, which honestly just bugs me. I think these products could be just as great without it, and it probably won't stop be buying them, but it is frustrating that it is so difficult to find great skin care that doesn't contain petroleum by products. 

Have you tried any Avene products? How do you feel about mineral oil in cosmetics?

xx Samantha Alice 

Disclaimer: I received these products for consideration, but was not paid in anyway for this review or my positive remarks.

Pretty. March Glossy Box

I know, I know, it's April, so why am I just posting this now? Well to begin with I felt that the March Glossy Box here in Australia arrived a bit late in the month, and lastly, when it did arrive it turned out mine had a product  that I had already been sent before. I emailed Glossy Box and they told me they would send out a replacement product so I decided to wait for that to arrive before trying and reviewing the products.