Simple skincare is a really popular brand at the drugstore and they are well known for their kind ingredients and simple and no harsh ingredients.
I bought this face wash in December 2018 after my Skin Laundry Laser facial. I wanted something gentle with mild ingredients whilst effectively cleansing my face. This face wash is 100% soap-free and formulated with Vitamin B5, Vitamin E and triple purified water. It provides hydration, removes excess dirt, oil and makeup.
Experience
This became my daily morning face wash, using a fair amount in the morning washing my face with my hands. This face wash has no particular scent and produces a little to no lather. I also used with a few times with my Spin brush and it produced a lot of lather.
I didn’t like this cleanser as I started to notice it wasn’t doing an effective job at cleansing my face. I used the Simple face wash as a morning cleanser, after toner I would notice the cotton pads were dirty even though I had just washed my face. I did a mini-experiment by using a different cleanser (Murad AHA BHA exfoliating face wash) then using the same toner afterwards. The cotton pads after the Murad cleanser look ‘cleaner’ than after the Simple cleanser, the cotton pad on the right has picked up more fluff/lint from my face towel. It didn’t pick up any dirt like the simple side. I used the 60 sec method for both cleansers.
Verdict
I stopped using this cleanser because it wasn’t effective enough at cleansing. I thought I liked it before because it was gentle and as I was using a mist toner I did not notice how much dirt was still left on my face. I have now switched to the Murad cleanser which is amazing( full review coming soon)
Simple skincare is one of my fav drugstore brands, their Light Replenishing Moisturiser was the very moisturiser I bought! Recently, they have added a lot of products to their arsenal and one of those is the Hydrating Cleansing oil. I got the oil in one of the You Beauty Box some time back. (Read my review of one of their boxes here)
The Simple Hydrating Cleansing Oil is made with pure grapeseed oil as well vitamins A & E. The oil has been formulated for sensitive skin but suitable for all skin types as well. Simple promises this product will gently remove your makeup and leave your skin hydrated and soft with no greasy residue.
Experience
I haven’t been the biggest fan of cleansing oils although there a few I have enjoyed using. This one of Simple is very nice and dare I say my fav one so far! I found it very simple to use- just massage over makeup and rinse with water!
I am very impressed with the effectiveness of the product. It very easily breaks down face makeup like foundation and powder and it’s a breeze for mascara even waterproof ones. The first rinse actually takes off a lot of makeup and depending on how much I’m wearing I can skip a second rinse (but I always go in with it anyway). After rinsing, my skin feels hydrated with no oily/greasy residue. It also works well with wiping your face with a warm face towel instead of rinsing. The oil doesn’t clog pores either.
The oil doesn’t leave makeup residue either, after washing with my Vanity Planet SPS Face brush, there isn’t a lot of residue on the brush which I am very impressed about! They recommend you use 2-3 drops for your entire face but I found this wasn’t enough so I used a lot more than that.
Verdict– if you love cleansing oils, you definitely have to pick this one up from Simple! It simply works! (See what I did there?) And I really love that it doesn’t leave an oily feeling behind and gets off all your makeup!
A good skincare regime will help you put your best face forward- healthy, radiant and well moisturised! Prepping your skin before makeup does a lot to ensure your makeup looks its best, no matter how many high end products you use!
Don’t fall for the hype! Your skin care products do not have to cost an arm or a leg. I have found as long as you have a good routine (cleanse, treat, protect and moisturise) you can get away with using drugstore stores which can give you the same or dare I say better results! Research is key when trying out skincare products, whether it’s a well-known brand or not, make sure you read as many reviews as possible or speak to a professional. For optimal results, make sure you are buying products for your skin type e.g. only buying products for normal/combo skin types if that’s your type.
I have for you 16 great skincare products under £5! That’s 16 products covering a lot of categories like creams, makeup removers and treatments. I have included all the products I have used and you will have reviews in my review index, so much sure you check them out!
Face Wash
A staple in your skincare routine to wash away make up residue, dirt etc. a good one will gently cleanse your face without stripping it of its oils. I have tried loads but my top 3 are:
After your morning cleansing, it’s a good idea to follow with a light day cream with SPF to help protect from the sun and provide moisture and hydration underneath your makeup. Try these budget friendly picks
They say night time is when your skin renews itself. A rich night cream is perfect for providing optimal moisture and aiding in that process. Make your beauty sleep go further with these night creams
This is probably one of the most important steps in your skincare regime. I have included wipes in this post but feel free to check out my micellar water post for great drugstore alternative and under £5
2015 is quickly coming to an end! Eek! I thought it would be fun to review some of my best and worst products of 2015! After all, it’s been the best blogging year to date and I tried lots of new products and brands. Some of the categories are funny lol but they are so relatable, I mean how many of us have fallen for the hype of a product? Exactly lol!
This will be in two parts so the post is short and sweet (After all, you have to read your outfits ready for NYE).
Best Product- Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist and MakeUp Forever Ultra HD Foundation!
Not only do these two work perfectly together but the foundation is so light on the light it’s almost as if you are wearing no makeup at all!
Worst Product- Simple Revitalising Eye Roll on
I love the Simple Brand but this eye roll on did nothing for me! Its supposed to reduce bags, dark circles etc and I suffer from them quite badly and it made no difference at all.
I fell for the hype and it was worth it- L.A Girl Pro Concealer and Corrector
I try to stay away from buying hyped up products but I was looking for a cheap and cheerful concealer and decided to give this ago! Yh its totally worth it! I even have a back up on deck smh
I fell for the hype but it was okish- L’Oreal Miss Manga Mascara
To me this wasn’t worth the hype. I do not like the flexible wand at all and I find it picks up way too much product and makes my lashes look clumpy. It’s an ok mascara but I don’t get the hype about it
Best new brand I tried- Bagsy Beauty
I love everything about this brand, its British and they have really cute packaging. The colours are really pigmented too.
Brand I have been stalking for a while and finally got something from it- NYX Cosmetics
Seriously, I have known about NYX for a while but their website is always, ALWAYS out of stock! I found out you can get some of their products on Boots and went straight for the kill. Anyway, I am prepping myself to get some more lol
Other favourite brands that didn’t make the list are
Lush
Sukin
Sleek
Dermalogica
What have you guys been loving this 2015? Which products have you regretted buying? Remember you can find most of the reviews for these products on here, look through my product index for links
Happy New Year people! New Year new blessing and hopefully new products to try!
Watch out for part 2- for the best and worst hair products of 2015!
Hey my loves! I hope you are all good. Welcome to my blog, I hope you enjoy this post and if you do please leave a comment, rate or like and subscribe its free!
Now that all that is out of the way, let’s talk micellar water: what they are and if they are worth your money
What is micellar water and why haven’t I heard of it?!
Lol, I’m not sure why you haven’t heard of it, but micellar water is made up of ‘micelles’ (we are about to get a tinny bit sciencey) which are miniature balls of cleansing molecules that float in water. These balls are attracted to dirt, oil, and makeup and once applied they draw out impurities without any harsh chemicals. They also dissolve makeup which means it is not dragged everywhere on your face!
It’s an easy, quick and effective way of cleansing your skin and removing your makeup. And you don’t need to rinse afterwards (yes you read that right- a girl’s dream!).
Quick, Easy and Effective
Of course I won’t be Sarah Fynn if I wasn’t sceptical about this! Lol, water that can take off my make up in an easy step and no rinse afterwards? Yh right! I swear by my baby wipes which get the job done: it takes a while, but done nevertheless. I heard about Bioderma (Which I still need to try btw) but I didn’t want to start out with that (it’s quite pricey, £12.98 for 500ml, purchase on Amazon). But I saw Superdrug’s version of it (£2.99) and decided to go for it.
I loved it! It was very effective in taking off all my make up! Including mascara without leaving me with panda eyes (don’t we hate that!). I used about 4 small cotton pads for my whole face. The bottle lasted me two weeks because I was over using it lol- hey I liked the smell and how my face felt afterwards.
My current micellar waters. All can be purchased from Superdrug.com
I am still on a quest of trying out more of micellar water. I know Nivea (£4.09, Superdrug) has one and Sukin (£8.12, echemist> http://www.echemist.co.uk/buy-sukin ) has one too. Sukin is Australia’s top natural skincare brand which is now available in the UK! For more info on their products and where to get some of their products please read this post>> http://wp.me/p1uQOd-Eo I was invited to their press breakfast late last month. I received some products at the event, which I haven’t used yet, but a review will be up as soon as I do.
In conclusion, Micellar water is a great and effective way of removing your makeup. It’s literally the lazy girls dream lol. Still not convinced? Be like me and try with cheaper versions first, before investing in a more pricer one. You are welcome to try any of the above and if you do, please let me know your thoughts!
If you are a master of micellar water lol, let me know which ones are your favourite and I will be sure to check them out
I hope you enjoyed this post! Bye now and I will speak with you soon
Hey family! How you doing *Wendy voice*. I have another UK based product collection for us naturalistas or anyone looking to buy natural products really.
This time we are going through the collection from Almocado, which is created to provide holistic natural hair care solutions made with natural and organic ingredients. The main ingredients in most of the products are sweet almond, known for its softening and protective properties and avocado, known for its excellent nourishing and emollient properties.
The owner, Annette Clark Headly founded the company in 2010 which is now a proud member of untied Kurls. I will provide all the links below.
The full product collection includes skin care (That will be another post), however today we are focusing on their hair care range. They have a few products under different categories, let’s get started
Hair Cleansers
Strands together seaweed shampoo
stands together hibiscus shampoo
Jasmine hibiscus cream shampoo (co wash)
Hair Conditioners
Avocado Honey and Almond leave in
Organic castor oil and coconut crème conditioner
Hair Butters and Salves
Organic hair salve (herbal complex)
seal and shine butter melt
twist and twirl avocado buttercream
Hair moisturisers
Avocado Honey and Almond leave in
avocado honey hibiscus silk spritz
apricot argan and meadow foam milk
Hair styling aids
natural jelly with bamboo extract
twist and twirl avocado buttercream
It is clear the collection has everything you need for a healthy regime! I’m going to try and get some reviews on the YT
What do you guys think? Let me know, if you find some more reviews please link them below. For more information please visit their website >> http://almocado.com/shop/
Hey peeps! Let’s take several steps back from hair care for now, I promise we will get back to it soon! Let’s talk skincare: for those of us that were blessed with other things other than acne/hyperpigmentation/scarring free skin lol, we have to work extra hard in order to keep our skin in tip top condition. But we don’t mind right? Because everyone is beautiful, acne or not and we ae product junkies so it’s cool lol.
So I’m here to share my current and very simple skincare products. I don’t use much because I try to not put too much harsh chemicals on my face (so as not aggravate it lol) and to just let it breathe and do its thang lol. Two of the products I use I could not get a picture of because I need a refill lol.
Let’s get started
So the number one and most important product ever for the skin is water! Drink as much water as possible and reduce your intake of juice/soda etc. I was very sceptical of this but I did a mini experiment to find out if it works or not. Basically when I started taking hairfinity, I knew I had to up my water intake because I found a lot of people were breaking out from it if they didn’t drink enough water. So for 3 months I cut down on any drink that wasn’t water lol and drank 2 litres of water a day! Lol. I mean once in a while I drank juice etc but I always compensated by drinking double the amount of water of whatever I drank LOOOL. Anyway after 6 weeks or so I really began to see a difference in my skin and less to no breakouts! So I really do recommend drinking water and a lot of it. Invest in a 1litre bottle for starters, there are plenty of cute bottles you could get if that’s your main problem 😉
Let’s get to the picture, starting from left to right
The body shop vitamin E face mist, I love this for setting my makeup and for adding moisture. I use it alone on days where I am rushing to work and I know I didn’t moisture my face properly. Quick spritz and I know my face will not be dry. It sort of leaves a dewy finish (if you like that) and smells nice (don’t worry the smell doesn’t linger.) It does a great job of setting makeup and is a great alternative to Mac Fix plus. You can purchase this in any body shop store and its £8.
I know you can’t see this properly but the next products are
Vitamin E facial oil (Small bottle by the Avon care bottle). I used to mix this with my face moisturiser in the winter months. It’s not too greasy and I really like it. Nowadays I use it for a mask (mixed with coconut oil) and leave on for about 3-5 minutes before I scrub my face or wash it. I only do this once a week or whenever I remember. I can’t say if I have noticed a huge difference yet, I only started this last week but it does eliminate the need of adding my moisturiser after I wash my face. I forgot the price but you can get it from Superdrug
Vitamin E SPF 15 daily moisturiser. I love this because it has SPF in it. I am starting to be very particular about this so I was happy to find this and a very low price. It’s a great starting moisturiser if you want something light and a low SPF on a budget. It’s also from Superdrug
Vitamin E leave on mask. To me this is a light moisturiser because it’s like a serum/gel formula and you’re supposed to leave it on and not wash it off. It works and leave my skin moisturised so I am not complaining lol. I use this when my face starts to play up lol and needs some attention. I apply overnight. Also from Superdrug
Pure face wipes I use this for travelling. Small and handy. Johnson’s baby wipes, I used to use this for my makeup before I fell in love with micellar cleansing water lol. I really like my simple one but I use the baby wipes on days where I just use powder on my face.
Avon Care 3 in 1: toner, cleanser and moisturiser. So when I am really lazy and can’t be asked to cleanse and use my toner then follow up with a moisturiser I use this bad boy and boom, 3 birds, 1 stone. It does a great job at the first two but its moisturising properties are very little to almost none. I mean my face is soft and I use a little bit of cream afterwards just in case.
Masks- Montagne Jeunesse runny honey and vanilla peel off mask. I have been wanting to try a peel off mask for a while now. My girl recommended this one to me as she uses it and likes it. It was only 90p from Primark so I thought why not? I have used this and I will be posting about it shortly. Sugar and spice self-heating mask. I got this from Superdrug but I haven’t used it yet. I am planning on using it in the next few days and let you guys know about it
Avon blemish clearing 3 in 1 wash, scrub and mask. I LOVE this. I used it when my face is really playing up and needs some ‘heavy’ duty cleansing. It contains alpha hydroxy acid which is quite strong so I am careful not to use this daily or often. And always always apply SPF after use. It actually says on it to try and limit sun exposure afterwards for about a week. It does a great job and after using I always see a difference in my pores and spots. I highly recommend. I love it so much I have two because I was living in Spain for a while I didn’t take it along so I bought another one whilst I was there lol
Clearasil 2 in 1 anti-blemish wash and mask. This is a ‘lighter’ version of the Avon product and is suitable for daily use. It’s supposed to help reduce marks left from spots but I haven’t noticed a visible difference in them. I like it though to use more often, I keep this in the shower with me for that.
Garnier moisturiser. I got this about two years ago when they released the coloured line of moisturisers targeting different needs. Remember? I don’t like this. I think the orange one is for dry skin, but I found I would apply it and my face would seem ‘wet’ then it will dry off and not leave it moisturised. I love Garnier products so I was a bit disappointed with this one.
Two things I also swear by
My African black soap- I will be doing a whole post about this! But in short- AMAZING
And a mild lemon solution, like a salad dressing lol as a toner- it works!
Share with me your fav skincare products! And what’s your go to product for tackling problems before a big day? Let me know
I wanted to do a post quickly about the products I have purchased and been using this month. It looks like a lot of products but I only bought a handful, the others I got from the events I have been to – these are mostly the sample size products. Most of the makeup I was given too. I will leave links if I have done a review on it or quickly do a mini review if I have used it.
Let’s get started. First I should confess I am a product junkie, so the amount of products should not come as a shock. Personally I don’t think it’s a lot. (Lol). I am going to try and do this top to bottom (lol) and put prices where I remember them
Ultimate organics extra virgin olive oil body whip- top green tub. I love this product! I was drawn to it because of the texture and consistency of it. It’s not runny as a lotion but it’s not ‘hard’ as a cream product either. It’s more like a yoghurt constituency. The smell is good too and the price is £2.19 (if I can remember oh wait the price tag is still on). My only con is it can be a bit greasy.
Silver top white tub (lol, guys you’re in for some amazing descriptions but as long as you get the picture I’m good)- this was part of a set given to me by fashion fair from the Curlvolution event! (Missed out on the event? Check out my event cover by clicking here >> http://wp.me/p1uQOd-ti) It has a lavender scent is which lovely but a bit strong for me so of course my mother grabs it for herself. It is a moisturising body butter
Oil next to body butter on the right- again part of the gift set from fashion fair. It’s the calming lavender moisturising oil. I really like how it feels on my skin. It leaves it silky soft and moisturised without been too oily. I use this on my legs and arms when they are out (nobody wants ashy legs) and also on my heels when am wearing sandals (most embarrassing thing ever- dry heels! Combat this my using an oil regularly on the area maybe 3 days before hand or every day when you’re applying your body moisturiser- ever notice how easy it is to forget that part? This oil works fine so does coconut oil. Shea butter is great too if you have that. Of course make sure you are using your scrubbing stones to get rid of dead skin)
Body shop vitamin E face spray- pink bottle. I LOVE THIS. Moisture boost and sets makeup! I was looking for a makeup setting spray that I could use for travelling so it had to be smaller than my fix plus from Mac (I love this too). I got this after speaking to the shop assistant who recommended the orange vitamin c spray (£10) which gives a dewy finish which was what I was after. However I did not like the scent of that and went ahead with this instead and I am so happy with my choice. I won’t say the finish is dewy but it does get rid of the powder effect (lol) and gives a subtle glow! Well worth the money. I use this alone too or on top of my vitamin E moisturiser (pictured next to the sachet next to the eco styler gel lmao). Grab from body shop for just £8.
Olive oil ecostyler gel- of course every naturalista needs this! I have tried the clear and argan oil versions so it only made sense to get this one! I have this thing and I’m sure a lot of people do, where I have to try all flavours if the product comes in different flavours (is It sad or weird?) I do this a lot with shower gels and chewing gums. I think the price was £2.69 or £2.99 from diva hair and beauty Croydon
Beautiful textures texture manageability system- I got about 5 boxes of this at the Curlvolution event. It is supposed to help you straighten your hair and keep if straight for a while (even after shampooing) before going back to curly. I have already given 2 away and I think I will give the others as well- I am a heat free journey. I am not sure how it works but I read somewhere the ingredients is not the best. But if this is something you want to try out by all means go for it.
Beautiful textures rapid repaid deep conditioner- I have used this before (years back) and recently fell in love with this line again so stay tuned for this review
Clay sachets- rhassoul clay (review here >> http://wp.me/p1uQOd-us) and bentonite clay bought from SheaButter cottage.
Superdrug vitamin E micellar cleansing water (next to clay sachets) – I LOVE THIS. GO BUY NOW lol. Ok so how I got this this. Wendy Williams (how you doing) spoke highly about the simple’s version (skincare brand) and how effective it was taking off ALL her makeup. I was like whattt? You’re on T.V of course it’s a lot more makeup and it was THAT effective? Hm! *walks into Superdrug picks it up* but I’m like let me try a cheaper version in case it does not work. The simple version is not expensive, about £5 but I would have been pissed to spend that on a product and not work. Luckily the Superdrug brand products were on offer- buy one get one ½ price, so I decided to go with that. I bought it on a day I had makeup on so of course I couldn’t wait to get home and try this. It also claims to take of mascara! Hmm! Did it work? YESSSSS. I swear! One cotton pad is enough to take off your mascara! If you know me you know I like to use two to three different mascaras (lol) to get max length and volume. One pad is enough! I use one pad for each eye then use about 3 more for my face! After that I used a baby wipe to double check if all my makeup is gone and yep! Wipe was as clean as I first removed it. Lol. Next day no panda eyes! In short I am repurchasing lol and can’t wait to try other brands! Oh don’t use it to wipe your lips- it tastes horrid
L’Oréal Miss manga mascara- £8.99. It’s okay. It was really hyped up on YouTube but its ok. I have a better mascara from Superdrug for £3 that works wonders! Yes I need to re purchase and will include it in June’s products.
Video on Miss Manga mascara
You be-natural sachet (on top)
Palmer’s shea formula sachets- I didn’t know they had a natural hair care line. I got the moisture shampoo and conditioner and the curls whipped cream.
Fashion fair lipsticks, eye quad and pink blush (All dark brown packaging) given to me at Curlvolution
Phew, coming to the last few, right quickly now
Curls unleashed sample pack in the left corner- contains set it off curl boosting jelly, curl defining crème and moisturizing conditioner
Maybelline’s big lash mascara- oldie but goodie
And finally ApHogee provitamin spray leave in conditioner- I like this. It smells ok and leaves my hair refreshed.
That’s it folks! The end of all the products I bought and used in May. I know it’s June but I have a great excuse- I went traveling and you’re in for a travel update soon! Yay! Leave any comments on any products you have tried or wanting to try- hashtag #sarahfynn #productjunkie! I guess my favourites would be the micellar cleansing water and the Miss Manga mascara.
sarah fynn 
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