Anti-aging products � Initial Thoughts!

QVC recently got in touch and asked whether I wanted to test out some of the products from a category in their Customer Beauty Awards and I said yes!  I chose the anti-aging category because now more than ever, I am very into skincare and treating it properly whilst I�m young, to help it age more healthily and gracefully.

I thought I�d give you my initial thoughts on the four products before the live show on QVC tomorrow night where they will be announcing the winner!

Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial � This looks and feels super expensive, with a swanky bottle and pump.  I thought this would be a cream but in actual fact it�s a very pungent oil (it almost smells like men�s musk perfume) to me.  It�s packed with vitamins, omega oils, peptides and more to leave your skin refreshed and radiant.  Despite being an oil, it sinks in nicely leaving no residue.

Alpha H Liquid Gold � This was obviously the product I was most looking forward to trying as it is a firm favourite of a lot of bloggers.  I have been using this on alternate evenings before bed and when I awake my skin looks plump and firm.  My skin is also ridiculously soft after using this, making makeup glide on smoothly!

Decleor Aromessence Iris Rejuvenating Serum - This is the another oil based serum which smells highly of essential oils.  I really like that it�s 100% natural and free from mineral oils and preservatives but it is pricey!  I�ve also heard that essential oils aren�t great for acne-prone skin which mine is, so I might just stick to using this on my neck and d�colletage.

Perricone MD Concentrated Restorative Treatment � This night cream is packed with high levels of Vitamin C which helps promote radiant skin and helps to minimise discolouration (which I do have a slight problem with).  It apparently also helps lessen the appearance of wrinkles.  I�m going to pass this on to Mummy Snooks to try out as I know she loves using thick night creams.

My prediction: I think Alpha H should win here � it�s the most affordable of the bunch and the one with the most obvious and immediate results, however I know the others have a large following too so it�s a tough one!

As I said earlier, the winner will be announced on QVC tomorrow evening at 7pm but I�m planning to give these all a full test (with Mummy Snooks!) and possibly review my favs in greater detail after a few months of testing.

Do you use any anti-aging products?  What�s your favourite?

xxxx

Favourite Products for Eczema & Dry Skin

I have suffered from eczema for as long as I can remember (I even re-call being made to wear gloves in bed so I didn�t itch and ruin my legs whilst I slept).  For the most part, I have just accepted it as an annoyance that makes my skin really unattractive but I�m still always on the look out for products that ease the itching and soothe my skin.

I mostly get eczema on my shoulders, tops of my arms and legs and I find that it flares up when I�m stressed, sad or when the weather changes (I have it quite badly at the moment because the sun has come out and I have lots of work on).  It�s a constant battle as sometimes I hardly even notice myself itching and the dry patches it leaves on my skin aren�t pretty and do make me a little self conscious!

I decided to put together a little collection of creams that I find work really well for my eczema for all those out there that are also suffering!

Kiehls Creme de Corps � This stuff is pricey but with regular use it is perfect for eczema.  This is the body lotion I use when I get out of the bath/shower daily � I give myself a full body moisturize using this and I feel fabulous afterwards.  This can be known to stain white clothes and bedsheets (and tints them a hint of yellow) but I haven�t experienced this.

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baum � My workmate Lucy gave this to me as she knows I suffer with eczema and I adore it.  This is a super thick and creamy lotion which does leave you greasy but has ingredients known to soothe and repair the skin.  I do find that I need to let this sink in properly before I get dressed because it is super greasy at first, but it�s an absolute treat to use.

E45 Intense Recovery Lotion � I have tried countless body creams from the highstreet in my years, many from E45, non of which have ever worked.  This is one of their new lotions however which is specifically aimed at extremely dry skin.  This is perfume free and helps to lock in moisture.  It this leaves my skin feeling moisturized but not overly sticky.

Yu-Be Moisturizing Cream � Yu-Be is a hidden gem in the beauty world.  It�s a bright yellow cream (kind of vaseline consistency but without the mineral oils so it doesn�t block pores) which smells like camphor which I quite like.  Once applied to the skin the smell and colour fade and you are left perfectly moisturized.  This is a fab multiuse product, I have used it on lips, elbows, eczema patches as well as to help heal a new tattoo.  I really like this!

Kiehls Creme de Corps Soy Milk and Honey Whipped Body Butter -  This is pretty much identical to Creme de Corps above except it has a delicious smell (the other is un-fragranced) and is almost a thick version of a body butter.  As this is �whipped�, it has a gorgeous fluffy texture which sinks beautifully into the skin, leaving you feeling soft and smelling great.  Normally products with fragrance tend to irritate my eczema more but this hasn�t so it�s a thumbs up from me.

Coconut Oil (not pictured) � Pure coconut oil is one of the greatest multi-purpose products out there (it can even be used to cook with) but I�ve been using it a lot on my dry patches recently and it does a sublime job.  This oil is hard but melts in your hand so you are left with the most gorgeous smelling silky oil which sinks in perfectly.  I will write a full blog post on this and all of its uses very soon (once I purchase some more � I�m running low)!

Bepanthen (not pictured) � I recently started getting eczema an really terribly dry skin on my face for the first time and it freaked me out! I had to go eye makeup-less for a few days until it calmed down, but I found the only thing that helped my face was Bepanthen.  Originally a nappy rash cream, this thick cream can be used for many purposes.  All the other face creams I tried on the flare-up around my eyes stung incredibly, but this didn�t!  It�s affordable and a beauty of a product!

There we have it � my top picks to help conquer eczema!  I really hope that this post has helped at least one person suffering!  I do find that when it is particularly difficult to get rid off when I�m stressed, regardless of the creams I�m using, but they definitely help to lessen the problem.

What�s your favourite cream for dry skin?

xxxx