The 7 Day Skincare Challenge Round-Up
7 days, 9 new skincare products.
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Brace yourselves people, it's going to be a long one.
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DAY 1: KORA ORGANICS CALMING LAVENDER MIST
The #7DaySkincareChallenge started off with a bang. Or, I should say, with a spritz (of the Kora Organics Calming Lavender Mist). I was impressed from the very beginning and not just because the packaging is absolutely stunning in all of its aqua glory. The organic Lavender Mist gently refreshes the skin and sinks in almost instantly. And when they named it the 'Calming' Lavender Mist, they really were not lying. After just a couple of minutes, I can feel my senses relax thanks to the beautiful lavender fragrance. Needless to say, the Kora Organics Calming Lavender Mist is my latest bedside table beauty favourite.
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DAY 2: MODELCO DOUBLE SIDED FACIAL WIPES
I've been known to use facial wipes on two occasions: the first being during a long haul flight, and the second when I'm just too damn lazy and tired to use a proper cleanser (don't tell me you haven't been there). Come Tuesday night, I was well and truly ready to wipe off the days worth of makeup, have a shower and get a good night's sleep. Now, I'll admit, there are good points and bad points with the ModelCo Double Sided Facial Wipes. While I adore that they only use natural ingredients, unfortunately these just smudged my eye makeup, making me resemble a not-so-cute panda bear. After rubbing and tugging at my eyes with the smooth side, I decided to swap over to my usual Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover, which effortlessly removed the panda from my face (thank goodness).
I will say though, it removed the rest of my makeup and I did enjoy gently exfoliating my skin with the micro beaded side of the ModelCo Facial Wipes. Another great point, one that a lot of brands can't boast, is that the packaging tightly seals with a click of the lid, which means no air could possibly find its way inside and dry out the wipes, making them unusable.
So, would I use them again? Absolutely! I almost always use an eye makeup remover with a couple of cotton pads to remove my eye makeup, so it didn't really bother me that the Facial Wipes weren't effective in that area. I did, however, like that they didn't dry or irritate my sensitive skin, which is a really great plus when it comes to products like these.
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DAY 3: CEDAR + STONE CLAY MASK & ATLANTIS SERUM
Hump Day Wednesday always calls for a pampering face mask to lift my skin and help me pull through the rest of the week with glowing, healthy-looking skin. I'd been looking forward to finally trialling the Cedar + Stone Benotonite Clay Mask for some time and this was the perfect opportunity. As a powder mask, I mixed up my concoction of the Clay Mask, water and a few drops of apple cider vinegar (you can choose whatever skin-loving ingredient tickles your fancy), which turned into a lovely musky pink hue.
I left the mask on to dry for 10-minutes and then rinsed it off with warm water a cloth. While my skin felt smooth and clean, I did have a little redness, which disappeared after about an hour. Chances are that it was the small amount of apple cider vinegar that made my skin react that way, not the mask itself, and I will definitely be using it with just water next time.
To aid my skin post-mask, I pressed the multi-tasking Cedar + Stone Atlantis Serum all over my face and down my next, which felt absolutely heavenly. Not only does it have a beautifully subtle ylang ylang and lavender fragrance, but it added a radiance to my now impurity-free skin. Any excess serum on my hands I rubbed into my cuticles as well, as it's suppose to be an amazing nourish oil too. Yep, the Cedar + Stone Serum is staying in my beauty cupboard.
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DAY 4: NEUTROGENA OIL FREE MOISTURE SPF 15
Despite working from home, I spend time outside everyday, even if it's just enjoying some quality time with Indi The Fur in our backyard (ah, the life of a ragdoll). And even though it's not usually a substantial amount of time, I still make sure my skin is protected from our harsh Aussie sun. That's why I love products like the Neutrogena Oil Free Moisture SPF 15, which provide all the protection you need on a day-to-day basis (provided you're not spending all day outside, that is). A little goes a long way and it provides a decent amount of hydration throughout the day.
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DAY 5: SKINSTITUT ENZYMATIC MICRO PEEL & MOISTURE DEFENCE
While I've fallen head-over-heels for the Skinstitut Multi Active Mist, I haven't actually tried a lot of Skinstitut products (which, by the way, are suppose to be amazing). I love a good peel for my sensitive, blemish prone skin, so I was really excited to try the Skinstitut Enzymatic Micro Peel to prep for the weekend.
I smoothed on a thin film of the Micro Peel over my face and neck, and resorted back to the couch while it worked its magic. And work it did. There was no stinging sensation like you get with most peels; in fact, it felt like a cosy, warm cuddle for my face (no joke). I actually didn't want to wash it off 10-minutes later, but I got up and rinsed it off nonetheless to reveal silky smooth and ultra soft skin. I followed up with the Skinstitut Moisture Defence, a hydrating cream with antioxidants, to further nourish and protect my skin. And damn, did it feel good!
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DAY 6: SWISSE MICELLAR MAKEUP REMOVER
Micellar Water has taken over the market this year and somehow I have managed to avoid the stuff, until now. Since I'm fast running low on my Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover, I figured it was time to find a new alternative until I restock. Introducing the very trendy Swisse Micellar Makeup Remover, which actually smells like cucumber amongst the somewhat harsh chemical fragrance. While it removed my eye makeup easily, unfortunately it swiftly dried out the rest of my skin (which I'm still paying for) thanks to the inclusion of natural ingredient, benzyl alcohol. Usually, in small amounts like this, the alcohol wouldn't have any negative effects on the skin, but since mine is so sensitive and dry, I prefer to avoid the stuff at all costs. Enough said.
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DAY 7: DERMALOGICA GENTLE SOOTHING BOOSTER
Since my skin was feeling dry and sensitive after yesterday's Skincare Challenge, the Dermalogica Gentle Soothing Booster seemed like just the thing I needed. I mixed the clear fluid with my daily moisturiser, the Philosophy Renewed Hope in a Jar Dry and massaged it into my skin as I usually would. I haven't noticed a change in sensitivity yet, nor have a experienced any, but my skin did feel a lot more hydrated than it was earlier. I'm definitely going to continue using it throughout the week to clear up any more sensitivity and dryness, and I have a feeling this is going to be one of those really wonderful winter products (I'll be taking it with me on our next snowboarding trip, that's for sure!).
I hope you enjoyed the latest Beauty Challenge! I'll definitely be doing more soon, but I was thinking we should all get involved and do one together since so many of you are fab beauty bloggers. Let me know if you'd be interested in something like this. x
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