• The Battle of the Cleansers; Cream, Oil, Water, Balm, Paste, Milk •

Ooh I do love a good cleanser, me! I feel like since I was 

15 years old it's been my mission in life to find the 

perfect cleanser - and by jove I've tested many.

So I've thrown together a little 'guide' of different cleanser types, what I think they're good for, which skin they suit the best, which brands I recommend and my personal experiences with the products. By no means is this something to completely go by, as I'm no expert, but I have picked some information up on my quest to find some amazing skincare. I hope this post helps if you're a little stuck when it comes to cleansers - and even if you're not stuck, I hope it gives you some product recommendations! I love switching up my skincare to suit what my skin needs; my skin is combination so can be super oily one day, then as dry as a flip-flop the next day. It's very unpredictable to I always make sure I have a few different cleansing types to hand. Just to reiterate - I'm really not an expert and can only recommend the products that have worked for me and my own personal skin type. Disclaimers over and done with, let's get to the good stuff.

The Creams; Soap & Glory The Ultimelt, Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

Cream cleansers are known for being really gentle on the skin and are great for deeply purifying and cleansing, by getting deep into pores and clearing them of any gunk. They are so gentle that you can use them on a daily basis and are great for skin of every age and every type, and I would probably opt for this type of cleanser if your skin is acne-prone or in need of a really deep clean. Cream cleansers are also great if your skin is sensitive and you don't want to exfoliate or scrub at it, whilst still having the feeling of soft skin.

The ones I've chosen are hot cloth cream cleansers and you can also use them to remove your make up. All you do is massage the product into your skin, wet a muslin cloth with warm water and gently wipe it away. You're left with super soft skin which is in no way irritated, which is great as sometimes skin can take unnecessary batterings! I've tried my fair share of cream cleansers but I have to say that my favourites are the Soap & Glory Ultimelt and Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish; sorry, I couldn't narrow it down to one! The Ultimelt is a really good dupe for the Cleanse & Polish and to be honest I can't notice much of a difference, but they are both really lovely cream cleansers. They feel so smooth, smell fresh and make my skin feel soft to the touch.

The Oil; The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil

Oil-based cleansers are fantastic at removing make up as oils attract other oils and dirt. They're mostly famous for effortlessly removing all forms of waterproof make up (yes, even mascara!) which is why they're preferable to wipes and other forms of make up remover. They're so nourishing and good for the skin, adding moisture back and not stripping the skin at all, so they would be good for all skin types, particularly dry skin types. There is the common misconception that oily skinned-gals can't use oil-based cleansers, which isn't true; cleansing oils are actually great for oily skin as the cleanser attracts human-made sebum and oils, so it will leave your skin feeling really clean.

The Body Shop cleansing oil is wonderful as it's so gentle, smells amazing and makes my skin feel so healthy after use. It's such a quick and easy way of removing make up and I also use it as my second cleanser, too. The way to use it is really quite simple; you take one or two pumps of the oil, massage it into your skin, eye make up, lipstick (etc), then rinse it off using water. The oil then transforms into a milky, silky texture that rinses off really easily. You're left with gorgeously soft skin, which is ready for the rest of your skincare routine. I love this product and I use it in the warmer months; in the winter, I use regular organic coconut oil - oils are basically just so good for your skin!

The Water; Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Micellar waters are so big right now and there is definitely a reason why; they. are. so. easy. The science behind it is that there are little micelles which are basically little magnets that attract all dirt, grime and make up away from the skin and onto a cotton pad. The cleansing waters can be used for sensitive skin and are hypoallergenic, meaning that they won't clog your pores. I would probably opt for something like an cleansing oil over a micellar water if your skin is on the dry side, as micellar cleansers doesn't include moisture like an oil-based cleanser would. Every micellar water I've come across is unscented so it won't irritate the skin, and it's another way to gently cleanse your face. The water can also be used on your eyes and lips, and it doesn't need to be rinsed off, which is a bonus.

I'm really loving this Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water as it's just so effective at what it claims to do. All you do is pour a little of it onto a cotton pad and gently swipe it over your face. Whenever I use it there is no make up left on the cotton pad so I'm confident that it's lifted all traces of everything from my face, which is so reassuring as I can't stand the thought of having make up left on before bed. I always use this cleanser when I'm feeling a little lazy and want a quick skincare routine, and it's absolutely amazing - I definitely recommend it.

The Balm; One Love Organics Skin Saviour Waterless Beauty Balm

Balm cleansers are quite new to me and I don't have much experience of them, but they contain so many skin-loving ingredients that I couldn't not include this type. They are usually thick in texture and transform into a soft balm/oil when heated (rubbed between your fingers or massaged into your skin). I'd say that balm cleansers are suited to every skin type, although they might drag slightly on older skin, so that's something to bear in mind.

I love this beauty balm cleanser from One Love Organics; it's so mild and gentle on the skin and feels so nourishing. It includes mango butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil and many other wonderful ingredients. When brands make the effort to use natural ingredients it makes me want to purchase it even more, as I know that whatever is going on my face is good for me. The texture of this particular cleanser is strange; it's almost grainy, but when warmed, transforms to a thin consistency. The way in which I use this cleanser is by taking a blob of it in-between my fingers, rubbing it together to warm it, massaging into onto my face and using a warm, damp muslin cloth to gently wipe away the make up and grime.

The Paste; LUSH Let the Good Times Roll Facial Cleanser

The texture of this type of cleanser is very strange; it's grainy and thick, and when added to water, can be made into a custom-made cleanser type. Depending on the texture you're looking for, you can make this thick, chunky and scrubby, or you can make it thin and milky. I love having this option as it means I can change my cleanser to suit what my skin needs. I believe that pastes are suited to all skin types because, as I just mentioned, they can be custom-made to suit your skin.

I've written a huuuuge informative (and gushy) post about how much I love the LUSH Let the Good Times Roll Facial Cleanser and you can have a read of it here, but to give you a brief insight into the product, I will just say that it is amazing. You pinch a bit from the tub, mix it with water in the palm of your hand, and massage it into your skin, then rinse it off. It smells incredible - like toffee popcorn - is made from natural ingredients and makes your skin feel soft to the touch and ready for make up application. It scrubs slightly so you get a very gentle exfoliation (depending on how thick and grainy you make it) so it's perfect at gently wiping away dead skin cells every day. Something to bear in mind though; it does not remove make up and is more suited as a second cleanser/a cleanser for when you're not wearing make up. Anyway, check out the post - I go into it in a lot of detail, explain why I love it and why I 100% recommend this product!

The Milk; Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean 3-in-1 Wash Off Deep Purifying Cleanser

Cleansing milks are so wonderful for sensitive skin and are great for skincare beginners. They are gentle and fool-proof, so I think they're suited more towards younger skins and combination skin. I think they're a great way to purify skin really quickly as they don't need much work; I never stand there and massage this product into my skin, I just rub it on and wash it off, and I'm good to go. Great for if you're in a rush/half asleep!

I'm cheating a little with this Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean cleanser as it's technically a cream, but when you add water to it it turns into a milk straight away. The trick with it is to rub a small amount onto your skin and splash water onto it, then start removing it, so the cream becomes a nice milky texture. I've found that this way makes your skin feel a lot cleaner than massaging it in for ages and then using a cloth to remove it. I've been using this for ages now - as you can tell I've nearly finished the bottle - and I really like it. It doesn't remove make up unfortunately (I've tried this and it was a disaster!) but it works well as the second-cleanse, or when you're make up-free.

Have you tried any of these cleansers?

Do you have any recommendations?

Daniela xo

• Beauty haul & mini reviews •

I won't even try to excuse this - I just went shopping in Superdrug & The Body Shop. And I had a darn good time doing so.

I bought these products just over 2 weeks ago and I wanted to try them all before writing this post so I could review them for you. I find these sorts of posts really useful so a combo of a haul and mini reviews seemed like the right thing to do! I popped into The Body Shop first because of the 30% off deal they had one day but the majority of the haul is a Superdrug one. I love everything in this haul apart from one product which was meh, so a pretty successful trip I'd say.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

This is a repurchase for me as I purchased it for the first time a few months ago in this haul and I'm absolutely loving it. It's the first micellar water I've tried so I can't compare it to the Bioderma or L'oreal versions, but this works perfectly at removing my make up and giving my skin a good clean. It removes even the thickest of foundations, waterproof mascara and it removes it so effectively that you don't have to keep going over the same spot on your face. It doesn't dry my skin out or leave any type of layer on my skin after use and it makes me feel squeaky clean. Lately I've been having a few late nights and I haven't been double cleansing, and this does the job with just one cleanse - there's no make up on the cotton pad after I've toned, which is incredible. The only downside to this product is that it claims to have 200 uses and it definitely doesn't as I'm about half way through my other bottle and I don't even use it every night.

The Body Shop Elderflower Unperfumed Eye Gel

I can't say this really does much in terms of moisturising my under eye but it definitely did cool the area. It doesn't smell of anything which is nice, it's a clear gel and the consistency is just like jelly. I received this as a free gift with my purchase and it costs £7, but I wouldn't purchase this. It just doesn't really do a great deal and I feel like it's important to take care of your under eye no matter what age you are, so it's a bit of a dud in my opinion. I honestly think that my current eye cream, which is Vaseline, is so great and I've been using it for years - it moisturises my under eye which makes applying make up in the morning so easy, so I can't see myself straying from this any time soon.

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil

I really like this; it's so effective at removing stubborn make up and it smells gorgeous. It's super gentle which is what my skin needs at the moment and the oil is exactly as described, really silky and soft on the skin. I enjoy using oils on my face to remove make up as my first cleanse, and in the Winter I always use raw coconut oil, so this product is definitely welcome in my Summer skincare routine as coconut oil is a bit heavy for my skin at the moment. I just take a few pumps and massage it into my skin and around my eyes, including lash and brow area, then rinse my face with cold water. It turns into a milky consistency and you just keep rinsing until all of your make up is removed and the water runs clear. My skin feels so moisturised and clean afterwards, it's such a gorgeous product and I really recommend it.

Sleek Makeup Brow Kit Dark

Can we just firstly talk about how cute the tweezers and mini brushes are? LOVE! Now onto the important bits, the brow wax and brow powder. I need to start by saying that I have very dark eyebrows which are almost black and I struggle to find brow products that match my eyebrow shade, so this review will be based on the product instead of the colouring. The wax is a really firm consistency which I haven't experience before and it's really pigmented. It works wonders at holding my brows in place all day and it provides a good layer of colour, whilst keeping the look quite natural. The brow powder is nice too, the same colour as the wax, but as you can imagine doesn't look as natural as the wax does. It too is very pigmented and is a really quick way of filling in brows - it's so easy and doesn't take much effort at all. Theres a rather large mirror which is perfect and the packaging seems very sturdy for a drugstore product. My only wish is that it came in a darker shade - for now, I'll have to stick with my Rimmel Eye Brow Pencil, but I'll use this kit on occasions where I don't have a lot of time.

Sleek Lipstick True Colour in Barely There

This is a massive dupe for one of my high end lipsticks (post coming very soon!) so as soon as I opened it I was excited to find a back up for when my other lipstick runs out. It's a gorgeous peachy-nude colour and the formula is a sheen finish - so so creamy, pigmented and smooth. It's a really nice day-time nude as it doesn't wash out my complexion and is just a tad darker than a true nude, so it looks like I've made a little more effort with my make up. It doesn't wear off or go patchy and honestly the longevity of the product is great. I'm super impressed and I can't believe this is a drugstore product as it really performs like a higher-end lipstick! I don't own much Sleek in my collection and I'm really excited to try out some more of the lip products as the quality is amazing.

L'Oreal Superliner Perfect Slim Black Intense

I've been loving a cat eye recently and I've been really into felt tip liners. From a total gel-liner gal, I've gone completely the opposite way and I feel like I get the best and most precise flick with one of these thin-nibbed pens. The Superliner in particular is so so thin (hence the name) and it makes it so easy to control your liner with minimal mistakes. The colour is jet black and dries to a semi-matte finish, the formula itself is very pigmented and you only need one swipe for it to go on super dark. The lasting power is amazing as it hasn't worn off in the slightest after hours and hours of wear, and I just think this will be a product that I keep on repurchasing.

A healthy mix of make up and skincare in there for you all! I hope these product reviews helped and I really enjoyed buying them all, testing them out and then giving you my honest opinion about each of them. I think these types of posts are more useful than just hauling them as it's all good and well showing you what I bought, but if they're duds, you might end up wasting your money which isn't good!

Have you tried any of these products?

What have you been buying recently?

Daniela

• My saviour of the moment // The Body Shop Deep Sleep Pillow & Body Mist // review •

I'm just not sleeping properly and I hate it. When I start dropping off, I have an idea for a lesson or remember that I have some marking to do, and I'm instantly awake without the ability to drift back to sleep. It was becoming a bit of a nightmare until a few weeks ago when I was rummaging around in my body care storage box. I found this little wonder, The Body Shop Deep Sleep Pillow & Body Mist, and decided to give it another go. I remembered it working for me about a year ago when I was having the same problem, so it was high time I started using it again.

The mist smells quite like you'd imagine it to. The camomile adds a certain sweetness to the sleep-inducing spray which is really comforting and relaxing, whilst the essential oils have a multitude of properties which aid restfulness. I tend to spray the product directly onto my bed sheets, my pillows and around the area that my head will rest. The smell lingers for a while after it's sprayed, but if I'm honest, I'm not sure on the longevity of the scent as I'm fast asleep before I can find out. It does say that you can spray it onto your body but I'm a bit scared of that kind of thing, only putting products onto my skin which are made for skin, so this way was never going to work for me. I have read reviews that it works well this way though, so to each their own.

So this product ticks all of the boxes. The scent is lovely and inoffensive, it's easy to use and you only need a few spritz each time, and most importantly, it helps me get to sleep (and stay asleep, for that matter). If you're suffering from this kind of thing, stress-induced or not, I'd recommend giving it a go. It's only £10 and really works for me!

Daniela

• February lusting // March wish list •

February has been the month of lusting - there have been so many product launches and I've read countless amazing reviews whilst thinking to myself "ooh, I must pop that on my shopping list". Last night I decided to see just how much my shopping would cost and it came to nothing short of £406 - at that point, I knew it was never gunna happen. So for this month's lusting post, I have narrowed it down to 6 very special, very beautiful products that I believe are justified in their own way. If you wanted to check out what I was lusting over in January, here's a link to last month's lusting post.

1. Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in Pastel Preppy
Currently £7.99 from asos.com, click here to be directed to the site.
We're fast approaching Spring so I'm starting to think about lighter, pastel-y lip colours. This one seems perfect, a very soft orange, which is a great colour to transition us into the next season. It will come as no surprise that I've included products from Bourjois because I love them as a brand!

2. Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow
Currently £49 from Charlotte Tilbury, click here to be directed to the site.
This is just so beautiful. Everything from the packaging to the product itself is so gorgeous in my eyes. The sculpting powder (left) looks like the perfect contour colour, not to orangey like a bronzer, but not too muddy like some contour powders. I'm a massive fan of highlighters and this champagne-y colour looks like the shade of highlighter that would suit me - I much prefer a champagne highlighter to pink or pearly highlighters when it gets to Spring/Summer.

3. Dove Hair Nourishing Oil Leave in Spray
Currently £3.59 from Boots, click here to be directed to the site.
I'm nearly out of my Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment and I'm on the hunt for something which will give me the same effect, but for a more affordable price. Although I don't mind paying £25 for a hair treatment (especially one that works wonders on my dry ends), I'm always open to trying new products and I've heard great things about the relatively new Dove hair care range.

4. Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream
Currently £9.99 from Boots, click here to be directed to the site.
I ran out of my Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation *sob* a few weeks ago so I need to head out to Boots and buy myself a new base. I'm currently testing a few mineral products from another brand and I'm really enjoying them (a review will be up on this soon!) but I will need a liquid base for days that I want a different sort of finish. As I've said before, Bourjois are one of my most used brands, if not the most used brand in my make up collection, and I always trust their products to deliver. I've heard lots about CC creams and although I do think they're a bit of a fad that will probably die out soon, I wanted to give them a go before I can make a judgement. If I'm honest, I didn't get on too well with any BB creams from any brand, but I'm going into CC creams with an open mind. I'm excited to pick this one up! And for £9.99 for a well respected brand, you can't go far wrong.

5. Marc by Marc Jacobs Rose Goldtone Stainless Steel & Leather Watch in Maroon
Currently £111.11 from Saks Fifth Avenue, click here to be directed to the site.
I'm not sure there's a lot to say about this one...the photo explains it all. It's just absolutely stunning. I'm not usually a watch kind of girl, but I do need to start wearing them for when I'm in the classroom and need to keep an eye on the time, and what better way to ease myself into watch-wearing than with this stunner? It's my birthday on the 16th and I'm hoping to get enough birthday money so I can buy this, but we shall see - watch this space!

6. The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter
Currently £12 from The Body Shop, click here to be directed to the site.
I never went for the whole Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm thing as I just knew that other brands would bring out more affordable alternatives, and sure enough, they did. This is usually the case with high-end products so I always try to be patient and wait for a cheaper option! I usually remove my make up with pure coconut oil, but for a change I thought it would be nice to try something from The Body Shop's new skincare range. I love anything gentle as I try to treat my skin with as much care as possible, whilst trying not to use too many chemicals in the products I expose it to, and this cleansing butter seems to tick all of the boxes.

So there are my six most-wanted products from the month of February. Spring is in sight and I'm feeling really positive about the rest of the year, and I always look forward to a change in season as I can start thinking about mixing up my make-up and skincare to suit the weather.

Do you have any products that you've been lusting over lately?

PS. Don't forget to enter my MAC Giveaway!

Daniela