Danielle's Beauty Blog

Thursday, 11 May 2017

Skincare Review | Nivea Cellular Radiance Range

Nivea features regularly on my blog but apart from their lotion which I use as a first cleanse most nights and their Daily Essentials eye makeup remover, I haven’t used much else of their skincare recently so I was excited when these arrived for me to test out!

Very briefly (because science is not my strong point) dark spots are caused by the overproduction of melanin and his happens deep within skin cells by an enzyme called Tyrosinase. After years of clinical study, scientists at Beiersdorf (the company behind Nivea) have found that an active ingredient called Lumicinol works to counteract Tyrosinase and with continued use, melanin production is slowed down and pigmentation marks are visibly reduced. Nivea’s Cellular Radiance range is formulated with Lumicinol to even skin tone as well as Magnolia Extract which helps improve cell surface renewal.

You’ll all know by now that pigmentation and residual marks left over from break outs are bugbears of mine as well as dull skin so I had high hopes for this range and I wasn’t disappointed!

Nivea cellular radiance illuminating day cream review

Nivea Cellular Radiance Illuminating Day Cream SPF 15* RRP £15.99

When I first opened this pot I thought the cream might be too thick for me for day time use but I was so wrong. This absorbs quickly on my skin and isn’t greasy at all but it’s not flat matte either which is perfect for my oily/combination skin! It definitely does what it says and gives a luminous look to my skin feeling very hydrating throughout the day and working really well to smooth over my skin and make it look a lot more even overall. It also has SPF 15 to help protect skin from sun induced premature ageing which I’m always glad to see in a day time moisturiser as I’m not the most diligent with SPF!

It’s probably the product that has impressed me the most because when I use a certain three cult foundations I hate and have been in my Disappointing Products draft for months I actually like them! I can’t get over how well this works as a moisturiser/primer with the foundations – I have tried everything in my stash with them and this is the only thing that actually keeps them matte and makes them long lasting while not showing off fine lines!

With continued use, this promises to reveal a beautiful youthful glow; visibly reduce wrinkles and improve the skins appearance; support an even skin tone; improve firmness and surface cell renewal; and leave skin feeling smooth and silky and I am starting to see the benefits of all these already so can’t wait to continue using this!

Nivea cellular radiance skin perfecting fluid review

Nivea Cellular Radiance Skin-Perfecting Fluid SPF 15* RRP £15.99

This is marginally lighter than the day cream but still not as light as I was expecting as it’s called a fluid. Like the Illuminating Day Cream, this contains SPF 15 UVA and UVB protection but this can be used alone or over the moisturiser. I prefer to use it alone just like I would a moisturiser but this contains something a little extra in its skin-adaptive pigments to even out skin tone.

Nivea cellular radiance skin perfecting fluid review boots

Nivea cellular radiance skin perfecting fluid review swatch

The only other experience I have with a product like this is the Origins Vitazing which I find doesn’t blend well on my skin and can sometimes gather in my eyebrows. This on the other hand blends quickly and evenly across my face giving a subtle tint and evening out imperfections leaving a beautiful glow like the day cream. Personally this is not enough coverage for me to use on its own so I always apply makeup over the top and again have been impressed with it as a base! It helps my foundations last longer and my skin looks fresh all day long. I can imagine anyone who likes minimal makeup would like this on its own!

Nivea cellular radiance skin evening night essence review

Nivea Cellular Radiance Skin Evening Night Essence* RRP £15.99

Another product where the name confused me slightly, I don’t have much experience with Essences but the ones I’ve read about seem to be liquid and this is a cream. My confusion aside, this has been a lovely addition to my night time routine. This is a lightweight concentrated cream though still feels hydrating enough for me for bedtime and it’s advised to apply a small amount every evening on cleansed face, neck and décolleté.

Nivea cellular radiance skin evening night essence review swatch

Like the daytime products this contains Luminicol and Magnolia Extract which work overnight to minimise the appearance of discolouration, improve firmness and visibly reduce wrinkles. I notice my skin feels and looks plumper the next morning and my fines lines are definitely reduced and stubborn pigment patches are a lot lighter giving my skin more radiance about it!

Overall, I have been so impressed with this range over the six weeks since I got it and though I can’t say much for their effects on deeper wrinkles, they are making the fine lines on my forehead much less pronounced and helping with my pigmentation issues. All products come boxed and have very light fresh scents and the Nivea Cellular Radiance range is available exclusively from Boots and is currently on 3 for 2!

Have you tried this range before? Whats you favourite Nivea product?

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here.

Danielle xx

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Product Empties #18

I finally feel like I am back on track with my empties now that I split my last batch up though I’m not sure how long it’s going to last because at the end of the month I’m moving to Canada! Eeek, it’s all happening a bit fast and I’ll definitely get another one done before I go but after that I’m really not sure what’s going to happen! I have a lot of blog posts photographed and I plan to write them up and schedule them before I go but I just don’t know how much time I’ll have when I go away and I won’t be putting myself under any pressure! Anyway, I might be home after two weeks if I’m homesick so let’s get straight into this months empties because it’s a long one as usual!

Bodycare

Nivea Waterlily and Oil Shower Gel

This smells amazing and feels so moisturising! I’ve went through loads of these as they’re so affordable and when my mum took this with her when she went away for the weekend last month I made her bring it back for my empties! Will repurchase!

Bondi Sands Self Tanning Lotion Dark

One of my favourite fake tans, I wrote about this in my Tanning 101 post. It’s a beautiful dark lotion that applies streak free and gives a perfect dark tan. It also lasts all week, wears off slowly and evenly and the bottle lasted ages! Will repurchase once I get through a few others tans!

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturising Body Oil

I mentioned this briefly in last week’s Rediscovering Palmer's post but I used it nonstop last summer on my legs and it left them feeling silky soft like it says on the bottle! It then got put in a box while our bathroom got redone and I found it again a few weeks ago so used the little bit remaining in the bath and my skin felt amazing after! This is so affordable too so I will definitely be picking this up again in the Summer!

Grown Alchemist Pearl, Peppermint and Ylang Ylang Body Exfoliant

The scent of this is really fresh and invigorating but it’s not my favourite scrub, it’s a little watery and I don’t love the packaging for a scrub either. I got this in the sale but I probably wouldn’t repurchase, I’ll stick to their moisturisers which I love!

Soap and Glory The Righteous Butter

I won’t say too much about this because it’s in nearly every one of my empties posts but you all know I love it! The scent is long lasting, it sinks in quickly to my skin and it feels super moisturising. Already have a backup and using!

Soap and Glory Scrub ‘em and Leave ‘em Body Buff

I really like the scent of this but I do have my S&G favourites and generally stick to them so I was just using this to use it up! It did feel moisturising though as there is oil in it but Pulp Friction is and always will be my favourite scrub so I wouldn’t repurchase this!

Soap and Glory Smoothie Star Body Buttercream

Another one I was just trying to use up – I don’t love the scent of this but like the Righteous Butter is feels really nourishing. Won’t repurchase.

Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel

Yes it’s May and I’m still using up Snow Fairy! I love this scent all year round though not just Christmas and a little bottle lasts me ages! I already have a few backups of this and will always repurchase!

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

I was glad to get this finished up – I think I got it in a set but I’m just not wowed by it for the price. The scent is a bit blah and I used this on the backs of my arms where it did do a good job of smoothing the bumps I get but no better that the much more affordable Nivea Soft cream so I will not repurchase.

MIO The Activist Firming Active Body Oil

I won this in a giveaway ages ago and along with the next product is just one of these products I forgot about. This has a lovely citrus/orange scent and feels quite thick for an oil and my skin always felt really nourished after using it. I didn’t notice much firming but to be honest it would be so long in between me using it I don’t blame it! Probably won’t repurchase.

Roques O'Neil Therapie Cherish Skin Repair Serum

Another beautiful oil and with this one I really did feel like I was in a spa, it almost felt like it heated up when I rubbed it in and I loved the scent, it’s so rich! The full size is quite expensive though and because it’s an “extra” in my routine I probably won’t repurchase!

Skincare

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm

One of my favourite cleansers ever, I have gone through countless of these! I usually buy the set of three when it’s on offer as it seems to be the best deal and I just love how this feels on my skin and how good it is at removing makeup. It’s expensive but worth it in my opinion and I already have a backup!

NIOD Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex

I’m not sure I ever mentioned this in a post but I love it and probably don’t give products like this enough credit! It’s one of the best hyaluronic acids I’ve used, has a really light scent and sinks into my skin quickly. I noticed a lot less dry patches when using this and I have a backup already that I got in a Christmas deal!

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask

Another favourite that has bitten the dust, I got this in an Origins Face mask set ages ago and used this probably once or twice a week. I love the scent and I would just pile this onto my face when I wanted extra overnight hydration. I always wake up with plumper skin after using this and I already have a mini waiting to go!

Dr. Levy Intense Stem Cell Booster Serum

This is a little sample I got from a Cult Beauty GWP and I can’t say too much about its effects because I went through it quite quickly but it felt beautiful on the skin, it’s one of those jelly/slippery like textures but it sinks in quickly and left my skin feeling really soft. On the expensive side of things though so I won’t be repurchasing!

Real Essential Collagen Sheet Mask

I’m so bad at reviewing sheet masks because it’s usually ages since I actually had it on my face but I did like this one and my skin felt smooth and supple after use. I added this to my basket so I could get free delivery on BeautyBay and would do the same if I needed a few extra pounds to reach the threshold!

Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel

I got a few of these in my Latest in Beauty box and though I’ve only used one set so far I enjoyed it. I think it’s handy having individually wrapped wipes and though it wasn’t as strong as I was expecting my skin felt smoother and looked more even overall after use so I would consider a repurchase in the future.

Haircare

OUAI Repair Shampoo*

I absolutely loved this shampoo! Everything from the scent to the packaging to how it made the ends of my hair feel was perfect! I have a whole review on therange here and have since repurchased the Volume range but I prefer the Repair so will buy that in the future!

L’Oréal Everstrong Fortifying and Vitality Shampoo

This has been sitting in my bathroom for longer than I care to admit but you can see I’ve been making progress with my haircare empties! This is from L’Oréal’s no sulphates range though it still lathers up nicely for me and the scent is quite minty and feels good when I’m rubbing into my scalp! It also leaves my end feeling super soft so I would repurchase in the future.

Klorane Ultra Gentle Shampoo* and Conditioner with Oat Milk*

Klorane is another haircare discovery for me too and I originally talked about these two here! Like the name says, this range is very gentle and safe to use on all the family. The shampoo doesn’t lather up much on the first wash but does on the second and leave my hair feeling really clean and not stripped at all and the conditioner is amazing on my tangled hair to the point where I can now actually get a brush through it without having to rip hair out!

Khairpep Hair Repair Masque* and Serum*

Like my body oils, these two were put in a pot and forgotten about after I reviewed them originally unfortunately! I recently dug them out and finished them up and was again impressed on how well they work on my split ends! The masque in particular is brilliant and I notice less breakage when I used it! The full size is on the expensive side of things but I would consider a repurchase if my hair was coloured and not in as good condition as it is at the minute!

Makeup

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Chocolate

Another Cult Beauty GWP item, I finally got to try this infamous brow pencil in mini form and really liked it! Chocolate is on the warm side of things but I made it work and the pencil itself has a lovely formula though I wouldn’t say it’s any better than S&G Archery or the NYX Micro Brow Pencil so I won’t be repurchasing straight away but will possibly in the future!

soap and glory original pink perfume review

Micellaneous

Soap and Glory Original Pink Eau de Toilette

One of my favourite perfumes and so affordable too! It was actually a shock to me that it finished because I thought I had more left and that’s probably the only negative to this perfume – you can’t see what level is left! I love the scent though it’s not the longest lasting of perfumes, probably because it’s an eau de toilette but I will repurchase!

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here.

Congratulations if you made it to the end of that! Let me know if you see any of your favourites here!

Danielle xx

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Rediscovering Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula

I think at some point or another everyone has had a bottle or a tub of Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula in some form in their collection. I know I certainly have so when I was recently contacted to see if I wanted to try a few products I couldn’t wait to rediscover the brand!

One of Palmer’s most well-known products to me is their Natural Bronze Instant Self Tanner* RRP £8.99. I went through a few bottles of the gradual version back in the day when I first got into fake tanning but then moved onto darker lotions so I was excited to see how this compared. First off, the scent of all Palmer’s products is instantly recognisable to me and so nostalgic for all the right reasons!

Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Natural Bronze Instant self tanner review swatch

The first thing I noticed about the self-tanner when I pumped it out was that it has a tint to it which is always helpful! I pop some on a mitt and rub into my skin and then leave overnight – I don’t fully understand why this is called instant because I would expect something darker if it was but overnight this develops into the most beautiful natural looking tan! I personally prefer a darker tan so I will use this two nights in a row and the colour I am left with is perfect for me! It’s a medium tan that’s beautifully even and streak free and lasts all week! As it’s so moisturising it doesn’t dry out my skin at all and it doesn’t look patchy or mottled towards the end of its wear. I’m so impressed with this and it’s all I’ve been wearing since I got it! If you want a moisturising, long-lasting, easily buildable natural tan then you need this in your life!

I’ve included a few unedited photos of my arm without tan, with one overnight layer and finally with two overnight layers in case you want an idea of the shade it can be built up to!

Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Natural Bronze Instant self tanner review

Next up is the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil* RRP £9.99 which I have seen crop up on Shireen’s blog a few times now so my interest had already been piqued! This promises to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots, uneven skin tone and ageing skin with my main concerns being fine lines, pigmentation and uneven skin. The oil contains a blend of ten oils (sweet almond, sesame, coconut, macadamia nut, apricot, grapeseed, argan, rosehip, camelina and sunflower oils) to moisturise and smooth the skin, Retinol and Vitamin C to help improve and brighten skin tone and texture and Cocoa Butter so soften and even skin tone. It has a rosehip fragrance and if you’ve read my blog any length of time you’ll know I absolutely love Rosehip oil so I had very high hopes for this and I have not been left disappointed!

Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil review

Although it’s an oil, it feels lightweight and absorbs quickly into my skin and I love it as the last step in my nightly routine as it’s so moisturising. In the morning my skin feels softer, smoother and my fine lines on my forehead aren’t as pronounced – yay! My skin looks plumper and feels firmer and I’ve noticed my last batch of hormonal acne and residual marks along my jawline healing and fading a lot more quickly with the use of this oil so I will definitely be keeping an eye on that over the next few months!

As there is retinol in this oil it’s recommended to always wear SPF as skin may be more sensitive so bear that in mind and the oil is also hypoalleragenic, non-comedogenic, paraben free, and dermatologist tested. The only negative I can think to say about this is that I find the bottle a little messy and I have it sitting on a piece of tissue paper as no matter how careful I am with it oil somehow always manages to drip down the bottle or get on the tip of the dropper! A small price to pay though for such a wonderful product and I’ve spent £30+ on facial oils before and not seen results with much longer use!

Lastly, I have the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Eventone Suncare SPF 30* RRP £9.99 and unfortunately I haven’t had the opportunity to fully test this just yet as I haven’t had the weather! Needless to say, this will be a staple for me over the summer when I finally get something booked but first impressions of the product itself are good. It’s a sheer spray with no white cast and as with all Palmer’s products it feels super moisturising. The spray comes out as a really fine mist that covers a large area of skin at a time – why have I never used one like this before? Standard sprays take ages and always seem to clog up as they get to the end but I can’t see that happening with this!

It’s formulated to leave a glowing radiant finish on the skin and I can imagine in the sun this will glisten beautifully! It transfers a little but this isn’t something I would mind if I was lying out in the sun! It does smell quite chemically when you first spray though when it settles in is isn’t strong As part of the Eventone range it’s made to prevent the formation of dark spots, uneven skin tone and premature ageing which is exactly what I look for. It’s also waterproof and it’s recommended that you apply 15 minutes before sun exposure and to reapply at least every two hours. As well as SPF 30, it also comes in SPF 50 and talking about it is making me want to go on holiday right now!

So, that’s my rediscovery of Palmer’s and boy am I impressed! As well as these products I’ve just finished their moisturising body oil which had been lost since we got the bathroom done so that will be in my empties next week!

Palmer’s is available from Boots, Superdrug, Feel Unique and most major retailers!

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here.

Danielle xx

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A Try Not to Buy Haul #3

I toyed with just calling this post a collective haul but technically I am still on my version of a spending ban even though it didn’t go so well last month! Anyway, here is what I tried and failed not to buy!

I got an email from House of Fraser a few weeks ago with their current promotions and 10% off CT is too good to pass up! Especially when you can nab a student discount code too and get a further 10% off so I took the opportunity to buy two things I’ve had on my wishlist for the longest time! Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow isn’t completely brand new to me as I do have a mini version of it in my Instant Look in a Palette but you’ll know from this post how much I love those two shades and how I don’t really rate the blushers and eyeshadows in the palette. Although I haven’t hit pan on that palette yet, I didn’t think I would get a better offer than this so I snapped it up and I’m so glad I did!

I also picked up the Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt Brush, another item that I’ve had on my wishlist for the longest time and come close to buying but couldn’t quite justify it. I’m such a sucker for money off promotions aren’t I? Again I’m so glad I have this in my brush pot now, I have nothing like it, everything else is a lot bigger or not as tapered and this is a match made in heaven with Bronze and Glow! I might do a separate post on these two because I love them so much!

skincare haul mario badescu shiseido body shop

I made a mini Feel Unique order when they had 15% off and bought the Shiseido Ibuki Softening Concentrate as I loved the last Shiseido mini I had and read a good review of this on Naya’s blog as well as seeing Simone talking about it in her Instagram stories! I haven’t used this much yet as I’m testing a few other skincare items but I love the scent and it’s a very watery formula that is supposed to deliver moisture to the skin and leave it with a softer, smoother feel! I’ve enjoyed it the few times I’ve used it so I’m sure it will pop up again soon!

I bought The Body Shop Skin Defence Multi-Protection Essence SPF 50 last month when The Body Shop had their 40% offer on because I thought I had heard good reviews and I liked how lightweight it sounded. I’ve taken an instant dislike to it though because it smells like raw vodka when I’m rubbing it on my face so I’ve literally used it twice! I’ll try it again before deciding whether to pass on to my mum or not!

Beauty Bay was my next stop and with the introduction of a few new highlighters to my collection, I wanted to add a new brush! Ideally I would have got the Real Techniques fan brush because I have a feeling it would be a good size for my face and looks duo fibre so I could easily build intensity. However, it’s only available in a set and I already have the other two brushes. Instead I bought the Zoeva 137 Petite Fan Brush because I thought that though it looked a little smaller that the RT and I could work with it. How wrong I was, this is a lash separating brush which works fine when you have no mascara in but when you do it’s not strong enough to brush through! Waste of money!

To get the free delivery I also bought the Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea as my Aloe Herbs and Rosewater one is almost out and whats one more facial mist in my collection. So far I’m loving this, its hydrating and calming and smells like my Gerard Cosmetics Green Tea setting spray!

Cult Beauty then did 15% off and I of course could not pass this up as they never seem to do them so again I went and had a look at my account wishlist and added a few things. I’ve heard good things about the Yu Ling Jade Medium Facial Roller and even though it’s expensive, curiosity got the better of me. My skin can be quite congested at times around my chin and I get hormonal breakouts on my jawline so I’m hoping this has a positive effect! I’ve using this most nights since getting and it’s a nice step in my routine, I usually spray a mist and then start rolling in an upwards motion and it’s very relaxing and refreshing. Will get back to you if it calms my skin down anymore!

After my disaster with the Zoeva brush I picked up this Morphe M310 Large Soft Fan Brush and I’m loving it! I toyed with getting the Zoeva Luxe Fan Brush but it wasn’t included in the offer so Morphe won out! This one is a little stiffer than my other Morphe fan brush and its puts the perfect amount of highlighter on my face every time.

charlotte tilbury bronze and glow becca flowerchild

Lastly, I got myself the Becca Mineral Blush in Flowerchild which wasn’t actually on my list and I can’t quite remember why I decided to get it but I am so glad I did! This along with CT Bronze and Glow have been the only products gracing my cheeks this week and I love it! The packaging is gorgeous and the blush itself is a beautiful peachy pink with subtle highlights and it’s really easily buildable. The formula is so smooth and I’m already looking at their other shades even though I shouldn’t!

There we have it, a very unsuccessful try not to buy challenge for me this month but one that’s made me feel great all the same! I feel like a junkie getting that next hit but I think I should be OK for a while now!

If you like this post you might also like installments 1 and 2! Let me know what you’ve been hauling lately or if you have tried anything I mentioned!

Danielle xx

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Danielle's Beauty Blog

Thursday, 11 May 2017

Skincare Review | Nivea Cellular Radiance Range

Monday, 8 May 2017

Product Empties #18

Thursday, 4 May 2017

Rediscovering Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula

Monday, 1 May 2017

A Try Not to Buy Haul #3