superdrug – sarah fynn

The Solution Vitamin C Brightening Body Lotion

I was randomly browsing Superdrug one day when I came across the Solution brand. It is a bodycare range with active ingredients that target a range of skincare concerns. The major issue I have is hyperpigmentation so naturally I was very interested in the Vitamin C Brightening Body Lotion & the Retinol Smoothing lotion

The Vitamin C body lotion is made with Vitamin C, A, E and Licorice for instant radiance and glow. They say its 1.76% active ingredients

Experience

I have been using this lotion at night intermittently for a month now and I simply do not LIKE it which is why it’s taking me so long to finish. The main reason why I don’t like this lotion is because it’s full of mica. Mica is that ingredient in products that gives it shimmer so this lotion leaves a shimmery mess on my skin. What makes this worst is that I have to layer the lotion on because it’s not hydrating enough so with every layer, I’m adding more shimmer to my skin. This then leaves a shimmery silver mess that makes my skin look ashy! I’ve tried to take pics but its difficult to capture

Now I love body illuminators and body makeup and I will always use something shimmery on my body when its out BUT I don’t LIKE shimmer in my skincare especially if its promising to brighten because brands think adding mica will make the consumer think it’s working ( after all your skin is shiny!). Mica aside I also haven’t seen any improvements in my skin tone and its just not hydrating enough. These aside, it has a fresh citrusy scent and its very lightweight

Verdict

I really liked the retinol body lotion and saw improvements in my skin tone but the Vitamin C lotion is a huge miss for me. I don’t have dry skin but I do like to feel my skin is hydrated and moisturised and this doesn’t do that for me. I also don’t like the shimmery silver mess it leaves on my skin

I won’t repurchase.

Review Round up: Makeup Setting Sprays

Are you a fan of makeup setting sprays? I am. I love using setting sprays when I do my makeup to lock and extend the wear of it. I also love using it to amplify products like highlighters and eyeshadows and melt the excess powder into the skin.

I tend to gravitate towards dewy and luminous setting sprays because I prefer this finish over a matte look but I have also used matte setting sprays especially when I’m on holiday in a hot country( even so I would layer a matte setting spray over a dewy one lol). I also love layering setting sprays, this is perfectly fine to do.

If you are looking for a new setting spray, here are some I have in my collection

Skindinavia Bridal Makeup Finishing Spray– the original version of this has a cult following but I decided to go with the bridal version because I wanted something with a dewy finish. This setting spray is great and does give a natural dewy finish to the skin. I don’t see what the hype is because I have certainly used better setting sprays that set makeup so that it doesn’t budge. Maybe the original version is better so I still want to try it. It’s a good setting spray its expensive but its ok.

MAC Fix Plus Pink lite– I LOVE the original Fix plus and I’ve been buying it since it was only £12! Fix plus leaves the skin hydrated and dewy without looking oily. It’s a holy grail product for a lot of people because it just works. I love that they have expanded the range to include different finishes and scents. This one has pink shimmer in it, it’s not overpowering and too glittery so I love using this as a ‘topper’ and layering it over other setting sprays when I want my makeup to be extra glowing. I can also use it on my chest for extra glow. There is also a gold and bronze version I want to try. The shimmer settles to the bottom so remember to shake well before using!

Cover Fx Illuminating Setting Spray– so this is my least favourite mist out of the bunch. I love CoverFx so when I saw this setting spray I was really excited to try it. This spray is a glitter mess! It leaves glitter/shimmer everywhere and dries patchy. Even when I shook well before using I found the glitter overpowering. I like luminous setting sprays but I don’t like obvious glitter/shimmer. I now use this on my body when I don’t have time to use my body illuminators, this is quick and easy t mist this and go

B Makeup Setting Spray– this mist is surprisingly good. This gives a matte finish and sets makeup so for me I can only use it during the summer months. I have used this intermittently because of the matte finish but I really like it. I usually layer it under a dewy setting spray. (Gifted)

You will find more setting spray reviews here

What’s your favourite setting spray?

Olay Foaming Cleansing Jelly Review

I saw this in Boots and immediately picked it up. I have a different Olay cleanser I use for travelling which I really love so I wanted to give this one a go as well.

Olay Foaming Cleansing Jelly is for normal skin (there were a few for different skin types) and has Vitamin E & B3, and pro-vitamin B5. This promises to remove makeup and impurities and refreshes the skin without over-drying it.

Experience

I’ve been using the cleanser from the end of January twice a day, as my AM cleanser and my second cleanser in the PM. I haven’t experienced any irritation.

As the name suggests, the Foaming Cleansing Jelly produces a gentle lather, the texture is similar to most face washes on the market. This face wash leaves my skin feeling clean and refreshed but doesn’t leave it dry or tight. It has a scent, it just reminds me of cleaning products but it’s not unpleasant and doesn’t linger. It doesn’t also leave a residue on the skin

Verdict

There isn’t much to say other than this is a good cleanser at a very good price from Olay. It removes dirt, excess makeup and breaks through oils left from my cleansing balms. It’s a great easy to use cleanser. The one I have is for normal skin, I have normal to combination oily skin and it works great with it. I do really like this cleanser and would recommend it.

This is £3.99 at Superdrug

Nip Fab Glycolic Fix Radiance Shot Review

Nip Fab’s Glycolic Fix range is one of the best acid collections in the drugstore. I personally love the Glycolic Fix collection and I have tried many items from it. I have a quick review of the Nip Fab Glycolic Fix Radiance Shot I have had for a while now.

This promises luminosity, smoother skin and reduced pigmentation.

Experience

So I have had this serum for a very long time but I have been using it on and off. I wasn’t frequently using it because I could not see any benefits plus I did not like the fact that it was iridescent. I do not like gimmicky skincare and this serum has a blue tint which turns golden when massaged into the skin (if you don’t mind this then of course go for it). This is a smooth lightweight texture with a strong chemical scent. It sinks into the skin very quickly but I feel like it leaves a very faint shimmer on the skin.

It wasn’t the gimmicks that made me dislike this, I just felt like I didn’t see any benefits using this. They do not state the glycolic content of this serum however after checking the ingredient list, glycolic acid is the 2^nd ingredient. I haven’t seen any difference in my pigmentation and my skin is smooth because I use a 7% AHA toner. The serum adds no hydration to my skin but doesn’t pil with other products.

Verdict

I couldn’t finish the bottle because I disliked the serum so I have thrown it away. In all fairness, I used more than half of the bottle but I couldn’t bring myself to finish it! I have had this for a while, I actually got it when they were doing a £5 sale ages ago. I love glycolic acids but this serum did not benefit my skin. I also don’t appreciate gimmicky skincare but I will use a product if I felt like it was working, this serum didn’t do anything for me so I stopped using it to move unto something else!

check out my Nip Fab brand review which summaries everything I have used from the brand.

Nip Fab Glycolic Fix Radiance Shot is £19.95 on LookFantastic*

*affiliate link used. If you decide to make a purchase through my link, I will earn a small commission which goes towards the upkeep of the blog (and allows me to keep bringing you excellent content) but the price remains the same

Superdrug Vitamin E Moisture Boost Facial Serum review

Vitamin E is a skin care ingredient which is excellent for healing skin and antioxidant protection. Superdrug’s Vitamin E range is one of a kind and they also have a lot of products in the range. Today’s post will be a full review of the Facial Boost serum

Superdrug Vitamin E Moisture Boost Facial Serum has been formulated with fruit acids and betaine to boost skin moisture contact and stimulate skin cell renewal. The serum also has a blend of vitamin A, B, F and H.

Experience

The serum has a lightweight silky texture and is easily absorbed into the skin. It is a lightweight lotion with a pleasant scent which is the same scent as all the other Vitamin E products in this range. The serum doesn’t leave a greasy finish and I experienced no irritation with it. I also really liked the packaging of the serum, it comes in a pump bottle and dispenses a good amount. In addition to Vitamin E, it has also been blended with other skin nourishing ingredients like Betaine which acts as an anti-irritant and humectant to draw moisture into the skin plus other vitamins.

I think this is an excellent budget serum and it’s perfect for use both morning and night, layered underneath a moisturiser or a watery serum. I really like this and it adds hydration to my skin. I use 2 to 3 pumps which I pressed into the skin after using 2 serums. I find that it doesn’t ‘pill’ when combined with other serums/creams.

Verdict

Overall, the Superdrug Vitamin E Moisture Boost Facial Serum is good drugstore serum that is easy to incorporate into any routine. I will recommend it for all skintypes and it can be layered with the other serums in your routine for a quick boost of hydration. The price post of this serum is very budget friendly and it’s almost always on offer in Superdrug. Plus you get a lot for £3.99, its 50ml!

I will be doing a brand review of the Superdrug Vitamin E range soon as I have picked up quite a few products and tried a few products in this range

Superdrug Vitamin E Moisture Boost Facial Serum is £3.99 in Superdrug

Best budget friendly skincare under £20!

Budget skincare or drugstore products sometimes have a bad rep, a lot of people see it as cheap ineffective products that are a waste of money but hold up sis, there’s a lot of expensive ineffective products too( actually a bigger waste of money!). I feel like I am an advocate for budget products, I love finding really good products at amazing prices and when I do I tell the whole world, literally.

I have condensed all my tested & approved drugstore products in this post in each skincare category. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it gives an indication of what’s out there worth trying.

My skin type is oily to combination skin

1^st cleansers & makeup removers

These are great for removing makeup and daily grime and oils from the skin! I have recently started using the NipFab cleansing fix and I am enjoying the creamy rich texture of it! I will have a full review on this soon. I also love micellar water for this step and the B. Pure Micellar Water is great for removing makeup. It also comes in a huge bottle! More micellar water information here

Second cleansers

You don’t need to double cleanse everyday but after removing makeup & SPF it’s essential. I love the Garnier micellar face wash. It can be used as a makeup remover too but I prefer it as a face wash. It’s gentle and effective and doesn’t strip your skin. My favourite drugstore face wash has to be Your Good skin refreshing face wash. Full review here

Toners

Ahh toners! It’s either you love it or hate! I’m in the first category. I split toners into two groups, this first group is non-acid based and mostly your hydration toners suitable for morning routines( can be evening too) I absolutely love the BodyShop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner and the Nip Fab Dragon Fix Cleansing pads( on my 5^th tub of these)

Acid toners

Do you acid tone? I can’t live without my glycolic acid toner! From chemical exfoliation to glowing skin this is a step I will never skip! I only acid tone in the evening and usually switch between these (I have backups of all of these!) I have a post on acids here

Pixi glow tonic 5% AHA– my current toner. The ordinary glycolic toning solution 7%, Nip fab extreme pads 5% AHA, Superdrug Naturally Radiant 5% Glycolic Acid

Serums

Treating any skin issues? Serums are your best-targeted treatments! I have already gushed about The Ordinary’s Niacinamide serum here. It’s a must-have for my skin in the summer! I am also in love with the Salicylic acid 2% from the same brand. My full review is coming. I am loving antioxidants atm especially vitamin C. I have a detailed post on Vitamin C here. My top two recommendations are MAP & Ascorbyl glucoside. Retinol from the drugstore? Yes, and it’s a no-brainer which one I would recommend! It’s the Ordinary’s of course!

Moisturisers & SPF

My tested & approved moisturisers! I love the B confident day cream from B skincare in Superdrug (shh it’s very similar to Murad hydrodynamic cream which is £50+!). The Ordinary Natural Moisturising factors is probably the best low budget moisturiser! It’s non-oily and provides all-day hydration- my full review will be up soon. So I cheated a little, Bee Good plump and firm cream is technically £3.50 over our budget but it’s worth it! Your good skin SPF 30 cream, best budget-friendly SPF moisturiser from the drugstore! (Layer with something else in winter and check out my full review here). Are you tired of me talking about the body shop drops of light essence SPF 50? The 40ml tube racks in at £17!

Face masks

Most of my face masks are budget-friendly and they work great! Among my favourites are The BodyShop Himalayan charcoal face mask which is an exact dupe of the GlamGlow Youth mud and its only £17! I also love the Nip fab glycolic fix extreme sheet mask. This has 2% AHA and is great for travel!

That’s it, guys! My list of recommended skincare products that are effective and budget friendly! I have done this list before but this is the new updated list with new products! I am working on a makeup list too!

Makeup Revolution Conceal and Define Concealer Review

Makeup Revolution has earned its spot as one of the fastest growing drugstore makeup brands. They are mostly known for making more affordable dupes of high-end products. They have a TON of products and it seems like new products come out every month! Last month they released their Conceal & Define Concealers which quickly sold out everything and was hailed as the dupe for Tarte’s popular Tape Shape Concealer. Thier timing was perfect with 18 shades it triumphed over the failure of a launch of the Tarte Tape Shape foundations! Anyway, I picked up some of the concealers and at only £4 I could easily afford 2. So I picked up C13 as a highlight shade and C18 as a contour shade.

What is it?

Lightweight yet full coverage to cover dark circles, blemishes etc. matte finish with no creasing.

Experience & 1st Impressions

The concealers are thick and creamy and with full coverage and a matte finish. These concealers dry quickly so I really had to work quickly to blend them out. The conceal and define concealers blend easily into a matte finish with no patchiness. Because they dry quickly and matte, I could get away with no setting powder (although I have normal to oily skin, my skin is more normal in the colder months) but I went ahead and set them anyway with my Ben Nye Translucent powder in Topaz (best setting powders for WOC talks about some options for us, check it out here)

C13 has a yellow tone and although it’s slightly brighter than my usual highlighting shade (I don’t usually do bright highlight), it’s still a workable shade for me. C14 looked too neutral for my liking and C12 was definately too light for me. I picked up C18 for contouring but honestly I think it’s too dark( how many times can we say that coming from the drugstore!) However because it has a warm undertone it’s still nice for me to contour with and warms up my face. I only use a small amount because it’s full coverage and dark. C17 or even C16 would have also been suitable but I went for C18 just to be on the safe side. They didn’t cease on me girl! They don’t oxidise either and they last all day!

The concealers are packaged beautifully and come with a large doe foot applicator and come with 3.4ml of product. I like the large applicator: it makes for easy application and it comes with the right amount of product so Idon’tt have to keep dipping and taking more product out. Not a lingering scent but it slightly reminds me of paint lol. The shade range is amazing! 18 shades and I hear they plan to increase it to 25 soon (early march) . Some work could be done on undertones for sure e.g. there could be an in between shade between C13 & C14 and more yellow toned concealers so hopefully the expansions addresses come of these.

Verdict- if you are looking for a new concealer please do check this out! It’s cheap effective and comes in a bunch of colours. The hype is definitely worth it! These do not look and feel like a £4 concealer!

Check it out on Tam Beauty and Superdrug

Other Makeup Revolution products I have reviewed

Makeup Revolution Ultra Base Primer

Makeup Revolution Amazing Setting Spray

Superdrug Simply Pure Micellar Water Review

Hey hey guys, I hope all is well! So the festive season is upon us and by now I am sure you have pre pre pre-planned all your outfits and makeup looks-you guys plan your makeup looks too right? Like the eyeshadow and lips combo? It can’t be just me!

Anyhoo, no matter how beat your face is, it HAS to come off at the end of the night, no questions asked! I have been using the Superdrug Simply Pure Micellar Water over the last month to remove my makeup and I thought I would share my thoughts on the product with you! It’s a very easily accessible product and its uber cheap so I am sure you have seen it in Superdrug and wondered if it was any good.

Let’s get started

First things first

Superdrug’s simply pure range is specially developed for sensitive skin and made with no fragrance. If you would remember I reviewed the Simply Pure Hydrating Serum (which was raved about btw £3 wonder serum?). At the time, there was a buy 1 get 1 half price offer so I thought I would try the micellar water too- you guys know how I feel about micellar water.

The Simply Pure Micellar water is made with glycerine and soothex and promises to gently but effective lift impurities. They promise a non-greasy formula and is effective against mascara.

Experience

The micellar water has little to no scent at all and doesn’t leave residue on the skin. I find it quite effective against complexion makeup e.g powders & foundations and removes these with little effort. Against mascaras, I have to put just a tad bit more effort but against liquid lippies, you will struggle a lot. This isn’t a big con for me as I have other micellar waters that also need a bit of effort when it comes to matte liquid lipsticks. It’s not that it won’t remove it. You just have to press a little harder. I find the product really easy to use and since using it, I haven’t had any irritation from it. I think its deep cleansing too as I have little to almost no makeup residue when I go in to wash my face afterwards but then again I use about 4 to 5 large pads to ensure all my makeup it off.

The only con, in my opinion, is the size. I know it’s cheap but the product is only 150ml meaning it won’t last you very long. I don’t wear makeup every day which is why I believe this had lasted a month but I can imagine it lasting about 2 weeks or a little longer if I was using it every single day.

Verdict– this product is almost always on offer (case in point it’s on offer now) so it’s worth trying if you wanted something cheap and cheerful. You could probably get a lot more product for the same price but I would still recommend this as it’s quite a good micellar water.

The Simply Pure Range has just been expanded so check out some of the new products available!

Simply Pure Micellar water is £2.99 at Superdrug. Currently part of a buy 1 get 1 half price offer.

Get busy with other micellar waters I have reviewed. Have I tried your favourite one yet?

No7 micellar water, Boots 3 in 1 micellar water, B pure micellar water,

Catch you later!

NEW! B.Pure Micellar Water Review

The B. Pure range in Superdrug has been busy releasing new products over the last couple of months. Included in that new product collection is the new B. Pure Micellar Water I picked up a few weeks back. You guys know how I feel about micellar water with previous posts here, here and here and one more here lol so you know I had to pick this up! I mean I walk into Superdrug and there it is plus its on buy one get one free offer?!

The new B.Pure Micellar Water is suitable for all skin types including the ‘most sensitive’. It promises to cleanse, tone and refresh the skin and suitable for use around the eye area. But the claim that caught my eyes was the fact that it is a ‘no-rinse formula’

Experience

The new B. Pure Micellar Water comes in a massive 400 ml bottle (there is also a smaller 100ml size) and has a simple cap dispenser. The packaging is a simple clear bottle with the white cap which looks nice.

This micellar water is very good at removing complexion makeup: foundation, powder, blush etc. its also very good with removing eye makeup like mascara and shadows. I do feel like it struggles a little bit with waterproof mascara. It doesn’t say on the bottle if its suitable for waterproof mascara but I found when I have used it for waterproof mascara, it takes a bit longer with a few good swipes. Sometimes I cant be bothered and use a separate eye makeup remover. The formulation is very gentle on the skin and I don’t feel like its stripping my skin of any moisture. I also like using it to cleanse my face even when I have no makeup on.

Regarding the no-rinse formula, I was very excited to test out. So I use about 3 to 4 large pads to take off all my makeup then I wash my face with my Vanity Planet SPS Face brush plus my Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel ( I have just run out 😦 so switched to Simple Face Wash). I notice on my brush, there is a little makeup residue on it. just a small amount.

Verdict– a very good micellar water from the B. Pure range in Superdrug. Is it truly a no-rinse formula? I think if you wore minimal makeup e.g. just concealer & powder you will be fine with not washing your face after. With full on makeup e.g. foundation, concealer powder etc, the micellar water is still great at removing all of it (in fact one large pad with the micellar water takes off a lot of my makeup) but I think to play it safe and still wash your face afterwards just to ensure its all off.

I do really like this micellar water and I would repurchase.

B.Pure Micellar Water is £ 4.49 in Superdrug. I can see it hasn’t made its way online yet but it’s definitely in stores.

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Daily Cleansing Pads Review

It’s no surprise I’m obsessed with acids, I mean I have a post here and here about it and reviews on products which contain them here and here too! I haven’t had the best experience with the Naturally Radiant Collection from Superdrug however when I saw these I just had to give it a shot. I’m talking about the new Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Daily Cleansing Pads which look a lot like the Nip Fab pads.

The Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Daily Cleansing Pads are infused with plant extracts and promise to improve skintone and texture and awaken skin’s natural glow. It’s been formulated with AHA and fruit acid blend as well as aloe, witch hazel and Pro Vitamin B5 to improve skin’s clarity and smoothness of the skin’s surface

Experience

The pads come in a tub container and contains 60 pads. I use two daily, one for my face and another for my neck and chest. The pads are moist but not as moist as I would like them to be. They haven’t dried out since I started using them. Superdrug recommends you use the rough side of the pad 1^st and the smooth side 2^nd. I didn’t know this until now- it says this online and NOT on the container.

I’ve been testing out these pads and I must admit I like them. I use them as the acid toner in my routine, after washing my face and before misting with a water mist. I’m not sure of the acid content as it is not mentioned on the packaging but I assume it’s quite low, maybe 2% or less( I could be wrong). They don’t sting so misting is really optional with these pads.

I have noticed a slight improvement in the texture of my skin but not necessarily an improvement in skin tone or brightness yet. I feel it makes my skin look smoother and pores reduced. It’s also great for catching any last bits of makeup that is still hanging around after washing. They have a pleasant scent.

Verdict

I think these pads are a perfect dupe for the NIP FAB Daily Fix Glycolic Pads. They perform the same way and they are much cheaper than the NIP FAB ones. I will recommend these to anyone looking to start with acids but not sure where to start. I wish they would state the acid content of the pads on the product or online just so I know how much acid I am using. But to be on the safe side I always use SPF anyway.

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The Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Daily Cleansing Pads are £5.99 at Superdrug