REVIEW: DOVE Purely Pampering Nourishing Body Oil Shea Butter & Warm Vanilla

Dove Purely Pampering Nourishing Body Oil

Like a moth to a really hot scalding lightbulb, the second I see something I don't recognise on the shelves of boots or superdrug, I bound over and decide I cannot live without it for a second longer. Yesterday I came across this and as i've run out of my usual body oil from asda, I decided to give myself a little bit of summer shimmer. I've been slapping on some cheap fake tans of recent, so I have a tiny bit of colour to my skin (trust me, it's truly pathetic compared to everyone else on the streets) so I thought I might look a little better with some sheen, as for some reason, despite all the moisturising I do, my skin is always dry. So. Yes. Lets talk oil etc.

They say....

The light shimmer formula and deliciously long lasting scent gives you an irresistible glow which you’ll be desperate to show off.

Shea butter is rich in essential fatty acids (Linoleic acid) which are known to soothe and nourish the skin, helping it to repair itself.

In addition to this, it contains Sunflower seed oil to improve skin hydration by improving the quality of your skin. The nurturing ingredients mean that your skin receives long lasting care, leaving it looking and feeling beautifully soft.

I say....

I like it! It smells delicious, like a lovely biscuit, and it lives up to it's non greasy claims. Okay, it takes a little while to soak in, it's not a 'dry oil' so don't expect to slap it on and it evaporate in seconds, but its a very small amount of time, and it does give the skin a beautiful golden sheen, without looking like you're doused in baby oil a la Jodie Marsh. Your skin will feel nourished, smell gorgeous, and moisturised and comfortable. There's nothing negative I can say about this particularly. It's reasonably priced, works well and gives you a healthy glow. Lovely!

My glowy oiled arm. Smelling like summer and biscuits.

You can pick this up at Boots for £8.99

REVIEW: Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser - DRY SKIN

Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser

I am lazy. Really really lazy. SO lazy in fact, that until finding the wonder of spray moisturisers and oils, I just didn't bother, and suffered with itchy flakey miserable legs. I also can't bear rubbing anything into myself, since I gained weight it's just NOT a lovely feeling, seeing a reverberation that lasts way after you stopped rubbing. Woe is me.

Anyway, I saw this in Superdrug recently and saw that is was virtually zero effort. Get in the shower, wash, rub this all over yourself, rinse, and your skin will be soft, supple, and glowy. How can you complain at that? Not having to get dressed over clammy creamy skin that takes ages to soak in, it's invaluable to me, because I live in a state of almost constant lateness, so I need to do stuff quick as possible, and this, this helps A LOT. 

There's not much more to say, it gives you a super boost of moisture, does exactly what it says it'll do, and I can't find anything bad about it, except you can't use it in the bath. 

You can purchase this at Superdrug and other chemists for £5.09

Review - Decleor Ylang Ylang Purifying Oil and Aroma Purete Shine Control Oxygenating Fluid

Dear ladies and y'know, gentlemen, etc. May I present to you my answer to a long miserable battle with my skin.

First up. Let me tell you about my skin. It's blotchy, uneven, red, sensitive, super oily in the t zone and I have crater like pores. I have, for many years, battled to keep on my make up throughout a day, and it got to the point that I was covered in a virtual rash of tiny whiteheads. I did not enjoy it. Ok, it's not a terrible cross to bear, my poor brother had acne so bad his face at one point was just a a weeping, scaly infected mess. I know i'm not unlucky in comparison to some, but my face isn't a great one as it is, so when I wear make up, I like it to improve things for the time I need it to.

Skincare isn't something I have ever understood, but I started researching and trying recommendations, and frankly, my skin has never looked better in the last ten years. Step forward Decleor!

Decleor Ylang Ylang Purifying Oil. Sitting pretty. 

So, you may or may not have, depending on how much of a a beauty obsessive you are, heard of the recent surge of interest and usage in oils on skin. I have used the Shu Uemura balancing cleansing oil for a couple of years, courtesy of a venue in central london i've relations with getting tons of it for free, which was nice, but the idea of moisturising my face with oil, after so many years of searching for 'oil free' products. It sounded stupidity.

It's not though. It's genius.

Basically what I discovered about my oily skin was that if I fed it oil, it stopped producing oil. The reason it produces oil is that it's thirsty, but the plugged up with sebum pores weren't getting moisture, because they were plugged up with too much oil production (are you following this? I hope so), so the moisture I was trying to give it wasn't soaking in properly, but if I decided to use a water based foundation, my skin would drink up all the moisture in it out of desperation, leaving me patchy AND oily. What a disaster.

No more my friends. No more. This post isn't my skin routine, I can cover that later, but what I will say is that if you cleanse the crap out of those pores with a hot cloth cleanser, my recent preference has been to use Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean 4 in 1 Deep Cleansing Milk which is AWESOME. I'll give it a lovely review asap. Then after my face is squeaky clean and my pores declogged, I apply the Decleor oil and smooth it over my skin. This is what Decleor has to say about it.....

"A naturally powered Super Serum containing both Essential Oils and Plant Oils specially formulated for the daily care of oily and combination skin. The Essential Oils purify the epidermis, reducing excess sebum and closing the pores."

And it does exactly what it says. 

 Following it, if for daywear, with the Aroma Purete Shine Control Oxygenating Fluid....

Decleor Aroma Purete Shine Control Oxygenating Fluid. 

Now. I would review these two separately, but frankly, they need each other. These two are meant to be together and together, they create the perfect results. 

Basically the oil soaks into your face almost immediately, nourishing and cleansing your skin, and tricking it into thinking it's got enough oil produced already, so no need to create more, whilst helping clear out your tricky pores. Once you smooth this over the oil, it mattifies, but doesn't cause any dryness. Your skin feels hydrated, comfortable, and your pores look refined. This is what Decleor have to say....

"The Oxygenating Complex within the Shine Control Oxygenating Fluid helps skin to breathe by increasing the consumption of oxygen, therefore improving cellular activity and helping combat lifeless skin. Skin is permanently matified yet hydrated, the texture of the skin is refined and the complexion fresh."

I have tried many many mattifying moisturisers, and this is completely different to any experience i've had before. Unlike others, where my skin would appear dull, and burn slightly around the nose where the mattifying agents were going into overdrive, this just feels fresh and comfortable. My skin feels, well, normal, and that feeling lasts all day! 

These two products have worked like a dream for me. An absolute dream. I'd love to be able to try the Aroma Night Ylang Ylang - Purifying Night Balm as well to complete the treatment set, but these products are pricey even at a discounted price, so right now i'm making do with applying the oil at night before a hydrating night cream. The only mornings I wake up dissatisfied with my skin is when I haven't bothered cleansing and shoved the oil on a lazy drunken face. Then the oil cannot soak in and do it's work and just sits. Thats no ones fault but my own though! 

If you want the cure to your oily woes too, you can purchase both products through the official Decleor website with the moisturiser retailing at £24 and the oil retailing at £44 for 15ml.

However, if you are willing to wait, the bargainous Cheap Smells occasionally stocks both for a pretty cheap price. It's just a case of hoping they'll get some in as the stock does tend to sell very quickly. 

I shall be reviewing and explaining my cleansing routine too. Hope this helps someone out there with the same skin woes as I!