In-Shower Body Conditioners From Lush & Sakare

Ro's Argan Body Conditioner is a great way to get super soft skin all over without adding on another phase to your beauty routine and without having to wait for your moisturiser to be absorbed before getting dressed.

When we condition our hair we apply an intensive moisturiser, let it soak in and then wash away. We're left with hair that feels clean, washed and soft but not greasy. When we apply body moisturiser most of the time it leaves you feeling greasy and is then rubbed off when you put clothes on. What if we could recreate that sultry soft feeling for our bodies as well as our hair?

Lush have come up with an answer by creating a body lotion that can be applied in the shower just as we would use a hair conditioner. Ro's Argan Body Conditioner is rich in cocoa butter, cupuacu butter, almond oil, and the featured ingredient, argan oil, to intensely hydrate your skin. Apply all over after you have used your favourite body wash, leave for a few minutes and then rinse off. Pat yourself dry once out of the shower to make sure that all the moisture is locked in and be careful not to rub it off.

Simple as that! Save time and effort by moisturising in the shower. Once you get out you can dress immediately and get on with your day. You may be questioning whether the results are as good as using a normal body lotion after the shower but for me there is no doubt that the body conditioner leaves your skin just as smooth and hydrated as traditional methods. The rose fragrance of this particular product is rather overpowering and so not for everyone. Personally I am a fan although I know that a large amount of people nowadays prefer fragrance free beauty products.

**If you are looking for an in-shower body conditioner WITHOUT fragrance then try this:

Sakare Enriching Shea Butter is a great, completely natural and fragrance free solution for an in-shower body lotion. If you have sensitive skin or allergies I would advise to stay away from Lush products as they tend to be heavily fragranced. Sakare Shea Butter can be applied in the shower and washed off to reveal beautifully soft skin, even though Sakare advise for it to be applied to dry skin only.

Personally I like to use both of them depending on my mood or where I am going. Sakare is a great everyday cream that can be used for beauty and practical purposes whereas Lush is for when you want to smell extra nice. One thing's for sure though...I'm a converted shower body conditioner now...quick and easy with the same results!

Top Picks: The Two Hand Creams That You Can't Brave Winter Without

It's that time of year again...wrap up warm and make sure that your precious skin is protected from the harsh elements out there. While you can't simply avoid going outside for the whole winter season (I would if I could, trust me), you can take some measures to lessen the damage. Wearing gloves and protective clothing is a no-brainer, but it's not just the cold that is the culprit here. Heating systems can be particularly drying to the skin, especially when constantly changing environment going indoors and outdoors all the time. Like most smart women (and men) during wintertime I make sure to have a trusty hand cream with me at all times to protect against redness, blistering and flakiness.

If you're not sure which hand cream to invest in this year then look no further. These two are my ultimate faves and will not let you down this winter...

Ahava Mineral Hand Cream

Made with dead sea water and so is enriched with all the minerals and goodness that come from the natural wonder. Produced without any harsh ingredients which means that even sensitive hands can use it too. You only need a really small amount of this cream to make your skin all smooth and supple and applying once really will last you all day. Great for protecting against harsh climates but also perfect for repairing hands from the wear and tear of daily life. Subtle but noticeable fragrance.

Sakare Hydrating Hand Cream

What's great about this cream is that it is easily absorbed and non-greasy, so you are able to apply and straightaway continue on with life. Not only does this vitamin E enriched formulation hydrate skin but it actually works to reduce pigmentation. Very clever. Again a minimal amount is required to soften dry, weather cracked hands, meaning that one tube will see you through the winter easily. Definitely a worthwhile investment!

I find that hand cream makes for a great gift if you are unsure what to buy someone. Everyone needs it and it's something we often forget to pick up when shopping. Make sure you give them one of these brands and your present will be a sure success.

Best Product for Gentle Make-Up Removal (Sakare Calming Milk Cleanser)

The name says it all...Calming Milk Cleanser. And calming it certainly is.

If your nightly make-up removal ritual is to rub a cleansing wipe over your face until it feels clean and then head straight to bed then you should reconsider! Face wipes are not only full of chemicals and other nasty stuff that you don't want to be rubbing into your pores but are also extremely dehydrating. Studies have shown that they don't actually fully remove all traces of make up but just spread them all over your face. Sleeping with traces of make up on your face can lead to irritation, dehydration, and even blemish outbreaks. The rubbing action which is required when using these wipes for make up removal can also be damaging to skin, and even increase signs of ageing.

Many people underestimate the power of a good, gentle cleanser as they are caught up in more fancy products like serums and masks. The truth is that if you have a steady skincare regime in place with quality products you won't need anything else to make your skin look it's best.

Personally I follow the Sakare skincare regime of cleansing, toning and moisturising morning and night. If you don't wish to enter into a regime with 3 stages every morning and night please consider to adopt cleansing, even if just for the purpose of make up removal.

Sakare Calming Milk Cleanser is completely natural and so can be used by any skin type, no matter how sensitive. It's calming due to the unique combination of chamomile, rose water extract, and vitamin E, and will leave your skin feeling 100% clean and even moisturised.

To use simply massage all over your face and remove with a cotton pad or damp cloth. I like to repeat twice: once to remove my make up and a second just to pamper my skin. If you really wish to treat yourself then place a cloth in hot water, ring out the water then place it over your face. The steam will open up your pores and sweat impurities out.

Since using the Sakare cleanser I can't go back to face wipes as I now realise how damaging it is to your precious skin. You only get one face so treat it well and it will last you!

Beauty Product Reviews: Sakare Luxuriating Body Butter vs Tom Ford Private Blend Body Moisturiser

Two of the biggest names in the luxury beauty world right now: Tom Ford and Sakare. What happens when you take a similar product from each brand and compare them? Who do you think will come out on top? Read on to find out....

'Neroli Portofino' Private Blend Moisturiser from Tom Ford 

This fashion world giant is also making a huge impact on the beauty world. Everyone knows that they have the most amazing range of lipstick shades, but what about their other beauty products? I invested in their body moisturiser to find out.

Extremely creamy, this product will do what it sets out to do: moisturise your skin. The mixture of olive fruit oil, grapeseed oil and date seed extract soften the skin with a lasting effect. Not one for using in a hurry as the cream does take a while to be absorbed by the skin, but once it does you will feel a million dollars.

The product is infused with the fragrance 'Neroli Portofino' which has notes of bergamont, lemon, mandarin, lavender, and rosemary. Personally I liked the fragrance but I'm not sure that it will be everyone's cup of tea, and it's not so discreet either. Sensitive skin sufferers might find the amount of fragrance irritating to the skin. One thing I loved about this lotion is the look of the bottle: sophisticated yet up to date like all Tom Ford products.

Sakare Luxuriating Body Butter

Sakare are another company which don't fail on the presentation front, all of their products reflect the quality and luxury of the ingredients themselves, especially this body butter. The gold and brown colours used on the labelling and packaging are the exact colours used to decorate the stores themselves, and there is a nice consistency to that.

Now for the product itself, arguably one of the Sakare best sellers it's not easy to surpass. The cream is extremely rich, full of minerals, anti-oxidants, and vitamins, you really feel that you are feeding your skin something healthy. And the results can be noticed straight away...I experienced a healthy glow that earned me a few compliments and prolonged my summer holiday tan.

The thing that I love most about this product is that it is absorbed into the skin much quicker than other lotions, enabling you to apply even in the morning before running out of the door. Very lightly fragranced and so is suitable for those with sensitive skin or people who are looking for something more subtle.  

Personal Verdict - It's difficult to choose between these two as they are both of such high quality from renowned luxury brands. Sakare is great for everyday use as it is absorbed quickly and has a subtle fragrance, whereas Tom Ford is more fitting for when you have time to spend getting ready for say an evening event and also want to make more of an impact with a stronger fragrance.

Who's your all-time favourite luxury beauty brand? What other high class body lotions would you recommend that I try? Have you tried these products and have something else to add? Would love to hear all feedback!!

Reveal an Amazing Complexion with this Peeling Mask from Sakare

I used to swear by Lancome's Hydra Intense Masque until I discovered this gem of a beauty treatment. I am not over exaggerating when I say that it can literally reveal a completely new complexion that you didn't even know you had.

Amazing cleansing properties will extract impurities and pore refining qualities will reveal a flawless complexion. It left my skin feeling extremely clean but not dry in any way, as a mixture of oils (kendi, grape-seed, and calendula) provide perfect hydration.

Great for young skin which needs balancing but also perfect for older skin as the Regenerating Peeling mask also possesses anti ageing properties! How can that be? You may ask. Well all these exclusive oils provide a firmness and elasticity boost to the skin, encouraging a youthful appearance.

Basically everything you could want from a mask: anti ageing, moisturising, and deep cleansing. Oh and it only takes 2 minutes to get to work before it needs to be washed off. Perfect for busy people who wish to give their complexion a boost now and then (I recommend using once-twice a week).

Rinse off with water to reveal your new, rejuvenated complexion that I promise will look just that bit younger, healthier, and happier :)

London Summer Day Trips and New Sakare Products!

The sun has kindly graced us with it's presence and in London this means only one thing...day trips! The British mentality of having stay out and squeeze every last drop of the pleasant weather never seems to wear off.

This weekend I spent all my time picnicing in the park, boozing in the beer garden, going on a long walk along the Southbank and of course shopping on Bond Street (mainly window shopping unfortunately).

The perfect end to a perfect weekend was taking home with me a new Sakare beauty product which I had not yet tried. After a few too many hours sunbathing without any sun protection (don't follow in my footsteps) I had a few red patches which were instantly noticeable to the sales assistant. She said that there is a good chance my skin will simply peel off and that I need something to help take care of the skin as much as possible. She gave me the ENRICHING SHEA BUTTER to try.

I'm not claiming that any product can reverse the harmful damage of the sun, and the sales assistant made sure to remind me of that, but she did say that this cream would moisturise and give a layer of protection to the skin, hopefully stopping it from peeling off.

I have to say that it definitely eased the stinging when I applied it that night but it was sightly difficult to rub in as it is so thick. This product is not watered down or filled with added perfume and chemicals. It's pure shea butter and so does wonders for the skin. 

The next morning I noticed that the redness had slightly been reduced and my skin was much less sensitive or stingy to the touch. The best thing was that the thickness of the cream had acted as a sort of barrier for my delicate skin overnight. If I hadn't applied the cream I firmly believe that my skin would have been peeling off due to damage and the wear and tear of rolling around in bed. Over the next few days I will continue use to see if my skin keeps up this speed of recovery.

Please be careful in the sun! Just because there is a product which acts as a sunburn remedy doesn't mean that it's ok to burn yourself! This product would  also be amazing for sufferers of dry skin and for those problem areas which everyone has (chapped heels, lips, elbows etc). Not so practical for full body usage, but great for a quick recovery when skin is in need!

How to Get Over Summer Holiday Nostalgia - Hint (Sakare Shopping Spree)!

So sadly summer (if you are in the UK) is already coming to an end and that nostalgia for our sunny overseas ventures is starting to creep in. I have discovered a great remedy for these depressive feelings...go shopping!

First stop I headed to my beloved Bond Street where I knew that there must be some product from Sakare that I hadn't tried yet. I asked the sales assistant to show me something impressive and unique to the Sakare brand and she pulled out the Botanox Face Mask.

I've heard a lot about the Botanox range and how amazing it is supposed to be for anti-ageing purposes although I've never tried it as I love the regular Sakare anti-ageing range. She explained to me that Botanox really is an alternative to surgery and that it's only for those who are serious about achieving a significantly more youthful appearance. Sounded a bit strange to me...how can anything that you rub into your skin get results which are comparable to actual surgery?

If there's any brand out there that I believe can do it it's Sakare. So I decided to give it a go.

After applying a smooth layer over my face I waited around five minutes until I could feel the warming sensation of the ingredients getting to work, before rinsing off with water. I have been using it once a week but you could use it more frequently if desired.

I'm literally stunned at the results...all wrinkles and lines have been significantly diminished, it's like 10 years has suddenly come off my face! Supple, smooth, and healthy...my complexion is more even and I simply look and feel more youthful.

What more could any woman possibly want? Seriously. This is a miracle mask that has some state of the art science behind it. The only anti ageing treatment I will use from now on.

It may be grey outside but I promise you will feel a bit better if you treat your skin to some top class products.