Tag Archives: anti ageing

Zo Skin Health with Dr SHP Aesthetics

Posted in beauty by

Many of us have ongoing struggling with our skin, whether it be acne, ageing, sun damage or redness. Sometimes the drugstore products just don’t cut it, and results are usually temporary. This is where Zo Skin Health comes in to save the day!

What is Zo Skin Health?

Zo Skin Health is a medical grade skincare range created by world renowned dermatologist Dr Zein Obagi. Zo Skin Health offers a comprehensive range of innovative skincare solutions based on the latest advances in skincare technology to suit every skin type. Zo Skin Health aims to create and maintain healthy skin regardless of your skincare condition, there is a product to solve every issue.

Why is Zo Skin Health Different?

Zo Skin Health is medical grade skincare that contains a higher concentration of active ingredients than those found within drugstore products. Additionally, the products can only be stocked and prescribed by Zo authorised skin professionals, who have extensive skincare knowledge. The formulations of the products are continuously innovated and refined as science progresses, to deliver outstanding results for every patient.

Zo Skin Health with Dr SHP Aesthetics

Dr SHP Aesthetics is an aesthetics company ran by Dr Shazia Parveen in Lichfield, Staffordshire. Dr Parveen specialises in dermal fillers, anti-wrinkle injections and has more recently become a Zo authorised skin professional. Dr Parveen offers expert skincare consultations and is able to tailor your skincare routine to fit your specific concerns. Zo Skin Health is able to target concerns such as –

  • Anti-ageing
  • Skin brightening
  • Acne
  • Redness
  • Rosacea
  • Sun damage
  • Sensitivity
  • Dark circles
  • Eye care

The Products

After an extensive consultation with Dr Parveen she prescribed me the complexion clearing programme, as well as additional products to combat my fine lines. The complexion clearing programme is targeting at treating blemish prone skin, featuring ingredients to minimise surface oil and exfoliate dead skin cells. The range consisted of –

  • Zo Skin Health exfoliating cleanser
  • Zo Skin Health exfoliating polish
  • Zo Skin Health complexion renewal pads
  • Zo Skin Health complexion clearing mask

The exfoliating cleanser has a very gentle exfoliating texture and is very creamy on the skin. It rids the skin of dirt and surface oil, unclogs pores with gentle exfoliation and soothes irritated skin. The product contains jojoba esters which exfoliates and provides hydration, as well as encapsulated vitamin E that acts as an antioxidant. Small quantities of salicylic acid are also found within the product to help unclog pores.

The exfoliating polish is a magnesium crystal based exfoliating product which is to be used 2-3 times a week. The ultra fine magnesium crystals instantly polish the skin removing dead skin cells and help to restore smoother texture. For extra antioxidant effect it also contains vitamin A, C and E.

The complexion clearing masque is a natural clay based mask that purifies the skin and absorbs access oils that lead to breakouts. The mask contains sulphur which actively treats acne by reducing sebum and calming irritation. Kaolin and bentonite within the mask absorb surface oils and help to clean out pores, reducing the appearance of blackheads. The mask also contains glycerine which helps to restore the skins natural barrier function to keep it in top condition.

The complexion renew pads are moistened dual action exfoliating pads which remove dead skin cells and reduce oil to prevent clogged pores. They also act to sooth skin and reduce irritation. They contain glycolic acid which acts as a chemical epidermal exfoliant, salicylic acid which is a beta hydroxy acid that unclogs pores and botanical extracts to help to sooth the skin.

To treat my under eye fine line wrinkles, Dr Parveen also prescribed me the Zo Skin Health intense eye créme. This contains retinol to encourage collagen production as well as skin cell turnover, mica and titanium dioxide which acts as an optical diffuser to reduce the appearance of fine lines, and vitamin E to act as a powerful antioxidant. The product also contains matrixyl 3000, which are peptides that work to promote the skins elasticity and collagen production. MDI complex is also added, which is a marine glycosaminoglycan that restores hydration and inhibits collagen breakdown.

Zo Skin Health have various programmes targeted at different skincare concerns, which can all be altered to your own needs. The products really speak for themselves and contain expert skincare ingredients that are scientifically proven to be effective, providing a comprehensive approach to creating and maintaining healthy skin.

How to Book a Consultation

Dr Parveen from Dr SHP Aesthetics is one of the few Zo authorised skin professionals located within staffordshire, and the only one within Lichfield. To book in a free expert consultation you can contact Dr Parveen directly via the Dr SHP Aesthetics Instagram page @drshpaesthetics. Additionally, Dr Parveen offers trial programmes that are available for people who would like to try out the products without purchasing a full programme. If you are struggling with your skincare I definitely recommend you pay a visit, you certainly won’t regret it!

Disclaimer: I was given these products on a promotional basis, however all opinions are genuine and my own.

The Benefits of Rose Water

Posted in beauty by

Since Ancient Egyptian times rose water has been used not only as a drink but for its skin benefits. It’s said that Cleopatra used to bathe in rose water, and still today you can see it’s benefits if regularly used. I’ve used many toners in the past that have rose water as an ingredient, famed for its rejuvenating, soothing and calming properties, but I had yet to use it on its own until I found Erbology Organic Rose Water.

The Erbology Organic Rose Water is made from only the best organic fertile Damask rose petals making it the perfect rose water to use on your skin. I suffer from oily skin that is prone to redness and have found in the past that a lot of toners aimed at my skin type tend to cause my skin to dry out too much. When switching to moisturising toners I found that they broke me out so I could never find a happy in-between! This is when I decided to switch to a more natural product like rose water, hoping that I would see some of the the famed benefits. It is claimed that rose water:

  • Reduces skin redness and puffiness due to its anti-inflammatory properties
  • Helps to sooth skin irritation such as eczema
  • Help prevent acne due to its antiseptic properties
  • Helps to prevent cell damage as it contains antioxidants which are found within rose petals

After using the Erbology Organic Rose Water for 3 weeks every morning and night I found that the redness in my skin reduced and I was able to go to work without feeling the need to wear foundation. My skin felt cleaner after using it, without feeling stripped (due to rose water having a neutral pH 7), and it was gentle enough to retain moisture in my skin without breaking me out in spots! Ditching harsher ingredients for pure rose water was the best switch I made for my skin and I’ve even had compliments on how glowing my skin looks! When you treat your skin correctly the results are bountiful.

Continuing with my use of rose water I’m sure that my skin can only get better, especially that after 3 weeks I’m already seeing fantastic benefits and I will also be experimenting with incorporating it into food, as it is a very popular ingredient in the Middle Eastern cooking. If you have sensitive, acne prone or skin redness then it’s definitely worth trying to incorporate rose water into your beauty regime! The Erbology Organic Rose Water can also be drank or mixed into smoothies; I found it very calming when I drank it before bed and it helped me to fall asleep.

You can purchase the Erbology Organic Rose Water from their website here – Erbology Organic Rose Water, along with a range of other fantastic health products!

Have you tried rose water before?

Laura ♡

Disclaimer: I was gifted this rose water, however all opinions are genuine and my own.

 

The Envy Facial at Dermoperfection UK

Posted in beauty by

Over the festive period whilst we eat, drink and be merry, the partying and over indulgence can really take a toll on our skin. Thinking there’s no way to rescue your skin? Dermoperfection in Birmingham has come to the rescue with the ENVY Facial!

Dermoperfection is a medical aesthetics clinic that opened in early 2019 within Birmingham city centre and is now the first establishment in Birmingham to offer the ENVY facial. If you haven’t heard of the ENVY facial as of yet I’m sure you will be hearing much more about it soon, this celebrity favourite facial helps you achieve the skin of your dreams leaving your skin red carpet ready in under an hour!

How does the ENVY facial work?

Photo credit: Dr Nyla Raja

The ENVY facial, created by ENVY medical cleverly utilises a 3-in-1 skin resurfacing treatment carried out by a patented diamond tip hand held device, which exfoliates and extracts dead skin, blackheads and impurities, whilst infusing your skin with serums all one one step. The ENVY technique allows the serums to fully penetrate your skin, absorbing into the layers where they’re most needed.

The most exciting thing about this treatment is that it’s completely customisable, which the choice of different serums targeted to specific skincare issues. But as many of you know most people have more than one issue with their skin and the founders behind the ENVY facial understood that, creating a device that can infuse two separate serums into the skin to target your different concerns.

Interestingly at the end of the facial you are actually able to see what impurities, dirt and blackheads were removed from your skin. If you book a course of facials you will be able to see that over time your skin will improve with each facial and less impurities will be present in the jar at the end. Not only does the ENVY facial reduce the appearance of wrinkles and plump up the skin, but it also has been shown to be very effective at treating other skin concerns such as acne, hyperpigmentation, rosacea and large pores.

My Experience

Upon entering the clinic I was greeted by Stuart, the friendly and knowledgable owner of Dermoperfection. Stuart showed me to the treatment room where I had my consultation and skin analysis during which it was decided what serums would be best for my skin. The ENVY facial offers 4 different serums to chose from:

  • Pro-Infusion Ultra Hydrating serum
  • Pro-Infusion Vitamin C serum
  • Pro-Infusion Skin Brightening serum
  • Pro-Infusion Pore Clarifying serum

Each facial uses two serums and with Stuart’s advice I decided to opt for the Pro-Infusion Pore Clarifying serum and the Pro-Infusion Vitamin C serum. The pore clarifying serum contains salicylic acid, bakuchiol and Origanum Vulgare leaf oil, which work together to target bacteria, unclog pores, reduce surface redness and prevent future outbreaks. The vitamin C serum contains vitamin C, vitamin E and grape seed extract which work together to help the production of collagen synthesis, protect against free radicals caused by oxidisation from sun exposure and helps the skin to retain moisture by preventing transepidermal water loss.

Next my skin was cleaned, followed by the serums I had chosen then being placed into the ENVY medical dermal infusion device with the facial then taking place shortly after. During the facial you feel a slight scratching sensation and pressure as the device is applied to your face, which is due to the diamond tip exfoliating the dead skin away. It was not painful in the slightest and the pressure applied can be altered so even the most delicate areas of your face such as your under eye area and lips can also be done. The facial itself took under half an hour and I was left with dewy glowing skin! My skin looked radiant and had no redness after, so I was able to leave the clinic and carry on with the rest of my day. However the best results from the facial appear 1-3 days later after the serum has been able to get to work , which is when my skin began to look even more radiant and youthful.

For me the best part of the facial is the jar of ‘junk’ you get at the end of it. This jar contains all the dead skin cells, blackheads and impurities that we’re extracted out of your skin and it really is a shock to see how much grime can be extracted from your face even if you have a brilliant skincare regime! Below is a photograph of my before (left) and after (right) jar.

I’m not sure if it was satisfying or disgusting that I was actually able to see the dead skin and blackheads floating around within the mixture extracted from my face which can be clearly seen in the photograph below.

I believe the ENVY facial is the perfect treatment to get your skin in tip top condition again without having to use invasive techniques. What’s also brilliant is that the ENVY device can be applied to any area of your body, so if your suffering from back acne or maybe want a glowing décolletage then this might be the perfect treatment for you. It’s really exciting that Dermoperfection has become the first clinic in all of Birmingham to start offering this revolutionary treatment and I can’t wait to see what other groundbreaking treatments Stuart and the team will be offering in the future! No other facial technique is able to carry out the 3-in-1 technology and infuse serums deep within the skin like the ENVY facial does. So what are you waiting for, 2020 calls for a new beginning and what better way to start it than having an ENVY facial at Dermoperfection!

Will you be trying you the ENVY facial?

Laura 
♡

Disclaimer: I was gifted this treatment, however all opinions are genuine and my own.

 

Thēmaē Exfoliant Pur Théïshu Review

Posted in beauty by

Being a skincare junkie I can never have enough products, especially my favourite product for achieving perfectly soft and clean skin: exfoliator! I thought I’d tried every exfoliator you can think of until I recently came across a brand called Thēmaē. Thēmaē is an independent French brand that are unique within the skincare market as they combine the pharmaceutical benefits of tea with natural ingredients and spring water to create a pure product that have amazing effects.

The Thēmaē laboratory developed a unique technology where the precious mixed blend of green tea, black tea, white tea and blue tea produced a product with exceptional antioxidant effects. This new technology is the Complexe des 4 Thés. What I love about this company is that they rely on the natural power of biotechnology where formulas of natural ingredients are used in combination to create products suited perfectly for the skin, instead of using the lab-made chemicals found within many other brands.

Not only does Thēmaē produce amazing skincare products but also premium teas that provide an extra dose of polyphenols, one of the most powerful antioxidants in the world; the perfect accompaniment to the antioxidant effects within the products themselves. Surprisingly I also found out that Thēmaē has renowned spa in Paris and exclusive face & body treatments using their products are available at other spas too!

Exfoliant Pur Théïshu

After hearing about Thēmaē I was excited to try to the Exfoliant Pur Théïshu, which is a creamy facial exfoliant. Usually I am reluctant to try exfoliants that aren’t chemical exfoliants as they can be quite abrasive however this wasn’t the case with Exfoliant Pur Théïshu. The exfoliant component used was an very finely ground organic rice powder, micronised so it would be suitable for the most sensitive skin without causing the damaging abrasion associated with many exfoliants. I found that the product also contained other key ingredients to help promote the skins appearance which included:

Complexe des 4 Thés – Thēmaē’s trademark complex of 4 teas, with high concentrations of polyphenols which protect the skin from the effects of free radicals and delay the appearance of signs of ageing.

Macadamia virgin organic oil: due to its amazing ability to penetrate the skin this oil not only moisturises and reconstructs, but repairs the the most fragile skin.

Organic water young barley sprout: a concentrate of multi-vitamins and trace elements, helping to maintain vital functions of the skin. It additionally has a high vitamin C concentration which give the skin radiance.

Olive squalene: strengthens the hydrolipidic film of the skin for more comfort and protection.

Results

My first impression of the product was that I couldn’t believe how creamy and moisturising it was. With many exfoliants my skin is left feeling a little dry after but this creamy texture of this product left my skin feeling so smooth that I couldn’t stop touching it! I continued to use the product for a few weeks to see if it really lived up to its claims and was pleasantly surprised. Over the period of time I used it my skins appearance improved looking smoother and my pores looked a lot smaller. The rice powder which is the exfoliant in the product is so small in particle size and fine that it gives you a really gentle exfoliation which is perfect for my skin. Overall, after using this products for a few weeks my skin was glowing! I actually got a few compliments off friends and even my beautician about my skin. The Exfoliant Pur Théïshu will definitely be replacing my usual chemical exfoliant in my skincare routine because I can’t get enough of its moisturising effects. Also recently, reaching the age of 25, I think it’s important to start thinking about preventative measures against the signs of ageing and what better than using Thēmaē products, with their strong antioxidant effects to help prevent it.

If your looking for smoother skin and preventative measures to stop the signs of ageing then I’d definitely recommend Thēmaē’s Exfoliant Pur Théïshu. Being paraben free, using natural and also organic ingredients where possible, in addition to being cruelty free Thēmaē’s products are the perfect addition to your skin care regime, because if anything…your skin deserves it!

The product itself retails for £33 but using code LAURA10 at checkout you can receive 10% off your order at www.themaeuk.co.uk

Have you tried any Thēmaē products?

Laura 
♡

Disclaimer: the product I received was complimentary however all opinions are genuine and my own.

 

Mario Badescu Oil Free Moisturiser Review

Posted in beauty by

Big news – after years of searching for the perfect product for my spot prone oily skin I think I have FINALLY found it! Since a teenager I’ve suffered with hormonal acne breakouts and blackheads, trying nearly every product you can think of to combat them. Whilst some products did seem to work for the spots, I couldn’t find anything that actually managed to get rid of my stubborn blackheads until I discovered the Mario Badescu oil free moisturiser.

The Low Down

The bottle isn’t that large at 59ml, however a little bit goes a long way. The moisturiser is SPF 30, meaning it does have a thick suncream consistency and smell, but it soon dries off once you’ve applied it. I was worried about my skin feeling oily after application but after leaving it a few minutes to absorb fully my skin was left feeling fresh and awake! Some of the main ingredients are:

Glycerin – hydrates your skin and acts as barrier, working well for oily skin types.

St John’s wort – soothes and repairs delicate skin.

Green tea extract – a powerful antioxidant giving protection against environmental pollutants, UV radiation and premature ageing of the skin.

Aloe Vera – hydrates and softens the skin.

The product itself is dispensed through a ‘flip out’ style nozzle applicator, which can actually be a bit of a disadvantage at times, because product gets stuck in the applicator and dries out, meaning that when you squeeze some product out upon next application you get some of the left over hard residue come out.

The Results

Suffering from very oily skin I’ve always been scared of wearing moisturiser daily, as I’ve never really found one that agreed with my skin. However I thought I’d give this one a shot, and for the FIRST time ever used a moisturiser every morning and night for a month. I wasn’t expecting much but the results shocked me. The blackheads which I’ve had for over 15 years and haven’t been able to get rid off had completely disappeared! My skin was glowing and I felt confident for the first time to leave my house makeup free. Not only did it leave my skin spot and blackhead free, but I was also left is super soft glowing skin. The only downside I found to the moisturiser was that if I wore it under makeup then my foundation didn’t last as long. This was a slight inconvenience but it was nothing some blotting paper and a bit of powder couldn’t fix, it was definitely worth it for the results I was getting!

During the month I had university’s exams I became so stressed that I let my skincare regime slip and forgot to apply for moisturiser for a few weeks. Low and behold the dreaded blackheads returned, so you have to be consistent with the moisturiser to make sure they don’t reappear. Overall I can finally say that I’ve found my holy grail product! Although a little pricey at £25 a bottle it’s worth every penny in my opinion. If you want to try it for yourself you can purchase it here.

What’s your holy grail product?

Laura 
♡