Holiday washbag (Part 2)

This is where the majority of my super sneaky downsizing has come in handy:

The skincare section

First up is the gorgeous Stephanie Johnson case I’m taking it all in. I got it in the Space NK sale at Christmas (I was the person logging on on Christmas day like a madwoman to get all the bargains.) I have to say, lovely as it is, it’s more a weekend case than a week-away case, but no matter. It’s beautiful and that’s enough for me.

Taking up a lot of room: Cotton wool pads/washcloths: because you can’t bank on there being ones you would actually use at your destination.

Going top L-R

closeup

1. Sisley face mask samples (enough for a couple of applications, I reckon)
2. Fish Oil capsules
3. Crest Whitestripes professional effects 30 minute teeth whitening strips. I think they’re basically outlawed in the UK, but they work incredibly well.
4. Samples of Aesop Fabulous Face oil (reviewed here) -enough for a week.
5. Samples of Aesop Parsley seed eye cream and eye serum. Bit of an unknown quantity as this will be the first time I’ve used them, but if my face falls off as a result, at least I’ll be abroad.
6. Needle and Cotton/nail scissors. Because I’m turning into my mother. (Note to self: remember some safety pins…)
7. OGX shampoo miniatures. I’m a complete slut random shopper when it comes to hair products -I don’t use the same ones twice as I can never really see a difference. But these smell gorgeous so they will do. Plus the bottles are so cute.
8. OGX weightless hair oil. Heh, right. see above.
9. Cowshed Gorgeous cow mini bath and shower gel. (Reviewed here.) Because although we are going to a perfectly beautiful hotel, my experience of Mediterranean hotels means that the complimentary toiletries will be one step up from Fairy Liquid.
10. Garnier mini Micellar water, decanted Pixi Glow tonic, a tiny Murad hydrating toner spray (thank you Ebay!), a tiny Emma Hardie Moringa cleanser, a tiny Ole Henrickson truth serum collagen booster, some Espa moisturisers, Ole Henrickson’s Nurture me moisturiser because I have a panic attack if I’m separated from it, Superdrug’s Naturally radiant 2-in-1 serum and moisturiser which is seriously good and under a fiver, a little REN beauty flash sample (I think I may be going a bit OTT on the radiance side of things), sudocrem, deoderant and anti-bac gel.

I think I’ve got just about everything covered. What do you think? Anything I’ve missed out?

Disclaimer: All purchases.

Sisley Black Rose Precious Face oil Review

 I have had a few samples of Sisley’s Black Rose Cream mask over the last few months (I think the poor woman in Liberty is sick of my sad little begging face appearing regularly at the counter) and whilst I do absolutely love it and its miraculous plumping and smoothing properties, the one thing I am not on board with is its consistency, which for me is too sticky. It also seems to take an age to sink in. (I could of course just be using too much of it?) And that is what has stayed my hand in the past when I’ve considered buying it. Because although I loved the results, I didn’t enjoy the process.

I’m not sure what propelled me the day I bought the Face Oil (from the delightful lady in Liberty -I owed her that much; plus, you know, points). My skin had been feeling particularly winter stressed: grey, wind whipped, chapped and thin and needed some nourishment. I hadn’t been using an oil for a couple of weeks, relying more on heavier night creams. And I hadn’t actually been thinking about the Black Rose oil at all, even as I automatically gravitated to the counter and tried some on my hand. It was probably the two glasses of Pinot I’d had at lunchtime to be honest, but after a little chat during which she assured me that my Rosacea would absolutely adore this oil, I took her at her word and ponied up.

I mean, it’s Sisley – of course it’s expensive. But even so, I gulped as I handed over my card.

(*think of the points!*)

 

expensive box of goodness

Oh My Goodness, but this stuff is amazing. It’s a dry, clear oil ( didn’t take a photo of that because, well, it’s a dry, clear oil…) that smells entirely and lushly of roses.

 

       Lush, lush, lush…

Beautiful, luxurious packaging, as you would expect – the glass bottle feels weighty and the shape is monumentally satisfying in the hand, like a paperweight.

 Gorgeous

                               

I went in with the oil on cleansed and toned skin, and used about five drops – the pipette is fairly accurate at dropping small doses- I spread it lightly around the palms of my hands and then started to press it into my skin, my whole face apart from my eyes. The consistency is dry and sinks in pretty much instantaneously. I’ve never really liked dry body oils, but somehow on my face this just works, leaving skin plumped and even toned with no tacky or sticky residue. Within five minutes my skin looked positively radiant – the thin tissue- papery sensation I often get in winter had disappeared and I looked like I had had a good eight hours sleep. Instantly. It’s Witchcraft, I tell ye!

Serum and moisturiser can go on top, but in all honesty, this restored the equilibrium of my skin so perfectly that after a ten minute period to make sure it had sunk in as much as it was going to ( and it is invisible to my eye), I just slung my normal make up on top. And my skin stayed perfectly hydrated all day with no oily patches.

Ingredient list

 

I used it religiously for a week before I noticed a definite tailing off in effectiveness – or maybe I was so dazzled by my new skin that I was expecting it to look increasingly great every day until my face was effectively a supernova, too bright for mortals to look upon. In terms of rescuing my skin from a scaly dry episode, I don’t think I have ever used anything as effective as this oil, but now I’m using it only when I’m hungover  my skin needs a supercharged injection of luminosity. Which is going to make the eye wateringly expense a little easier to bear.

I use it as a night time treatment under moisturiser, and on hungover days, after cleansing on its own with maybe a dab of Beauty flash balm on top for insurance. I simply wouldn’t be without it. It’s that good.

Sisley Black Rose Precious Facial Oil is £136 and can be bought all over the place, but especially here.

 

Disclaimer: Purchase.