Freemans Charcoal & Black Sugar Polishing Face Mask

Face masks, I'm yet to find one that didn't have a positive effect on my skin so it pretty much comes down to a few things when I decide whether it’s one I'd pick up and try again. Many moons ago, actually in May time Freemans sent me their Charcoal & Black Sugar Polishing Face Mask to try and try it did.

So what are the factors do I take into consideration?

• How much mess it makes when applying
• Cost
• How smooth my skin feels after
• Does my face look more radiant

This is what they say about the face mask over at the Freemans website here:

‘Pollution…debris…it's a wonder skin can breathe! This unique mask and scrub works double time to detox skin. First, naturally purifying Activated Charcoal helps absorb oil and impurities without over-drying. Then, Black Sugar helps exfoliate away dulling skin cells for softness and clarity. Perfect for all skin types.’

With that in mind I couldn't wait to slap this stuff on and give it a try. The sachet I received from the company to test out stated that it was good for three applications - that might be for normal folk but I have a huge face. The sachet eeked out two applications - this could be because I like masks to have obviously covered my face bit also the fact that this is fiddly to apply.

On opening the first flashback I had was of the old school Blackjack sweets - the sugar in the mask blended with the charcoal and oils leaving this looking like a gloopy and tarry mess.

While sweet smelling I followed all the instructions and even though I continually cursed as I stood on a towel trying to catch the bits falling off my face I finally managed to get it on and then left it for a good ten minutes.

Washing off was a breeze and then all that faffing seemed to become worthwhile. It was like I was looking at different person in the mirror - my face was visibly far more radiant, glowing in fact. To the touch my cheeks felt plump and smooth. The oils had been absorbed and my forehead was as smooth as sheet ice - perfect.

Yes it's a faff to apply but this product is not to be underestimated, it is a little cracker that smoothens the skin, leaves your face feeling and looking great, and best of all, you can pick up a 175ml tube for under $5. The sugar in the mask acts as a fantastic exfoliator and after using there was no need for a moisturiser - there was no drying effect, in part to the oils making this one that I will be using again. 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Like what you see? You can keep up to date and follow Beautykinguk.co.uk using the various social media below:

Instagram

Pinterest

Google+

Bloglovin

Facebook 

View Post

Soap & Glory Face Soap and Clarity

My daily cleansing routine has expanded in recent years. Over the last twelve months in particular since starting to write this blog and discovering a whole host of new lotions and potions to smear on my face in the hope of reversing years of abuse. Today I commit my thoughts on Soap & Glory Face Soap and Clarity, a three in one daily detox vitamin C facial wash.

While looking to write this post up I looked to see how much this costs as it was one of those products that just appeared in the bathroom. I couldn’t find it on sale anywhere, but there is a Face Soap and Clarity by Soap & Glory available here for £8 for 150ml. 

I have been using the Superfruit Plum face soap and to be honest it’s probably one of the most disappointing products I’ve tried in a long time. The packaging is far too busy with too much information being thrown out. It took me a while to find out what ‘flavour’ the face soap was and to a bloke with some colour blindness it helps to have dark writing on a light background. I had to squint, tilt my head to the side and wait for the wind to blow in the right direction to read some of the useless blurb on the tube.

This may possibly be the shortest post I ever write as I’m struggling to come up with redeeming features of this product. For me, it is overly feminine (to be fair it is probably aimed at women), doesn’t lather up that brilliantly and has a drying effect on my skin after using, so much so that I have to double the amount that I moisturise.

The fragrance considering that it is suppose to be ‘Superfruit Plum’ comes across as far too synthetic and I had to sniff away at my hand when writing this for a good ten minutes to detect any hints of plum. It’s bland, and unlike other Soap & Glory products is not distinctive in the slightest. I believe this is the face soap where I may have taken my life into my own hands and made this comment to the missus when she used this "you smell of old damp dog, what have you washed your face with?" - yes, I can be a real charmer.

Yes it washes off the grime but I don’t like the fragrance and I find that the micro-beads used to exfoliate the face are few and far between and feel more like grit than a gentle way of removing grime, impurities and dead skin (eurgh). 

After using my skin didn’t have any noticeable ‘glow’ and while my face did feel smooth this could be more down to the fact that I had to moisturise so much I think my face lost the ability to absorb any more! 

It’s a shame that this isn’t up to much, after all I had high hopes for the face soap after trying Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub (so lovely and sweet that you want to eat it!). It appears that this may have been limited edition and for me it can stay that way. It costs a reasonable amount but for me the results were poor.

Ladies and gents, steer well clear.

NOT RECOMMENDED  

You can keep up to date and follow Beautykinguk.co.uk using the various social media below:

Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Google+
Bloglovin

View Post

Mazorin Wash Trade Face Scrub

I have been so impressed with the contents of my Limited Edition Birchbox for Men that there are a few products that have taken a pounding since it arrived just over ten days ago. The Richer Poorer socks were by far the best I’ve ever had on my feet, but the wow factor has been reserved for Mazorin Wash Trade Face Scrub.

A 150ml tube of the face scrub adorned my Birchbox, and once again, to my shame it was a brand I hadn’t had the chance to try……until now.

I have to say, that at £15 for a 150ml tube it sits well and truly above the prices I usually pay for a face scrub. Casting my mind back I think I was slightly stunned by the £8 cost of the Ted Baker Grooming Room equivalent. At nearly double the price this has to do something special to warrant any value for money brownie points.

This is what the Birchbox website has to say about the face scrub:

‘Get that flawless ‘I woke up like this’ complexion thanks to this gentle yet effective face scrub from Mazorin. Specifically designed with men’s needs in mind it lifts away impurities with a blend of bamboo and maracuia powder while white willow extract keeps grime at bay thanks to its antibacterial protection for a crystal clear complexion.’

The Mazorin site goes into a little bit more details as to what the ingredients will do:

‘For flawless skin, free of blemish and impurities:

The Bamboo & Maracuja powder exfoliates dead skin cell and unclogs pores;
The active ingredients help prevent blackheads and ingrown hair;
The gentle formulation leaves your skin hydrated and deeply cleansed;
Suitable for all skin types but fantastic for people with sensitive skin.’

The first time I used this I completely forgot to shake it and I ended up giving the tube a confused look as a watery liquid drained out over my palm. Yes, I can be that simple at times and yes, it took me a few minutes to figure out that I needed to shake the contents.

Second time lucky and after rinsing my face off in the shower I squeezed out a pea sized amount and started to massage it into my face. After shaking the texture was firm and the micro-beads from the bamboo are visible to the eye and really noticeable to the touch. Just rubbing between your fingertips will leave a strange sensation, you can feel it exfoliating and getting warmer. For me I found just how gentle the ingredients and texture were when applying to my face really pleasant.

A breeze to rinse off the results are almost instantaneous and even before drying I could tell that my pores had been opened and my face cleansed really well. My face wasn’t as tight and it had a healthy glow, something of a rare occurrence for me. After drying my face off and before moisturising my face received the prod test - the skin was soft and smooth.

As a bonus, since I started using this I’ve found that shaving is easier - less ingrown hairs and my stubble does seem softer. Result!

Finally, throw in the fact that this smells so fresh and clean, it reminds me of Nivea Cream and you have a winner on your hands! 

Despite the price I am delighted with the Mazorin Wash Trade Face Scrub. It is going to last for an absolute age as only a tiny amount is needed, even for a face as large as mine. After using this on my face and being impressed with how gentle it was I used it on my very recent tattoo to clear off the dead skin and ink. Once again, results were impressive. 

With no parabens you should take the time to look more closely at Mazorin Wash Trade Face Scrub. 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

You can keep up to date and follow Beautykinguk.co.uk using the various social media below:

Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Google+
Bloglovin

View Post

Scaramouche & Fandago ‘FS’ Face Scrub

Scaramouche, Scaramouche will you do the fandango……well, erm yes I will as I’m going to be taking Scaramouche & Fandago ‘FS’ Face Scrub through its paces.

I’ve been meaning to write this up for a loooooooong time……so long in fact that this tube came in the male beauty box from Selfridges&Co back before Fathers Day in June.



I’ve already reviewed the Scaramouche & Fandago ‘Hy’ Hydrator and to be frank I loved it, but this baby had the unenviable task of coming on holiday with me to Majorca and being my exfoliator not just after spending my entire days in the sun with little sun protection, but also while immersed in salt water as I fished in the river to the side of our hotel.

Normally I take a very gentle exfoliator on holiday with me to ensure I don’t aggravate any potential burn after first day overexposure or indeed rub any tan off (yes, I do still believe what my parents told me as a kid).

In this case it was a toss up between Ted Baker and Scaramouche & Fandago. Scaramouche & Fandago ‘FS’ Face Scrub  won.

Needless to say I baked, and baked and baked (mainly out of tan envy with my beautiful sisters) and was a touch sore.

Scaramouche & Fandago ‘FS’ Face Scrub while it has the texture of sandpaper, looks, erm……white-ish in colour and to be blunt did the trick as part of a wider facial regime.

After three days of baking and moisturising at least three times I day my skin was becoming slightly flaky around the top of my forehead. As everything else browned and tanned, this bit stubbornly kept peeling for the few week. 

The aroma is so fresh and clean, and as soon as it is applied to the fingers you can feel the micro-beads and boy they are abrasive. It’s like miniature there are tiny little rough balls that scrub away at your skin. 

While the beads are abrasive, they are also so very much and isn’t irritate my face even though I was doing my best to impersonate a lobster. After rubbing it around my face it spread brilliantly and on rinsing I was slightly appalled by the dark residue in the bowl. Either it was removing lots of muck, grime and general filth from my face or it was rubbing off my tan - panic.

The panic was unfounded - this complimented by facial regime over my holidays and has become a firm favourite in my books when it comes to a cost effective exfoliator.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

You can keep up to date and follow Beautykinguk.co.uk using the various social media below:

Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Google+
Bloglovin

View Post

Simple Exfoliating Body Wash

When it comes to my cleansing and exfoliating regime my face is not the only part of my body that receives large amounts of attention on a daily basis (stop vomiting at the back those with crude minds). 

To say that I find cleanliness next to godliness is generally a massive understatement. 

There is no point in paying meticulous attention to the visible areas of the body whilst leaving the areas covered by clothes in a battered and abused state. That is why I use an array of lotions and potions, one of which is Simple Exfoliating Body Wash.

A 250ml bottle of the Simple exfoliator sells in most supermarkets and large chemists for only £2.10 and this I believe represents exceptional value for money considering the results, length of time a bottle lasts for and the fact that as it is not perfumed.

This can be used by everyone, even those with super sensitive skin. Easy to spot due to the light orange colouring (it doesn’t containing and artificial colourings) my first impressions when picking it up were that it looked like it contained little brown flecks which on closer inspection of the ingredients turns out to be natural Loofah.

The exfoliator claims that due to being specially formulated with natural ingredients and essential oils it will leave your skin feeling revitalised, smooth and softened with the natural balance of your skin being restored to improve skin tone and stimulate circulation. In this case the main essential oil is Chamomile which soothes and softens.

I rarely believe anything I read and had I bought this based upon the claims I would have been sorely disappointed, however as it was more of a punt than any scientific purchase the results and quality of the product are on a par with far more expensive exfoliators available.

If you will pardon the pun, the exfoliator is ‘simple’ to dispense and to completely cover my body a blob of around 2cm in diameter is all that is required. As it is dispensed onto the hands it honestly doesn’t feel like an exfoliator as it is quite thick and the bits used to exfoliate can’t be felt at all until you start to massage it into the skin. 

The thick consistency makes the exfoliator very easy to apply and as it is spread over the body becoming thinner it is then that the bits start to become evident. Once the bits within the exfoliator can be felt whilst massaging it into the skin it starts to lather up beautifully, but instead of having the same effect as a soap or normal shower gel, the lather is neither rich or long lasting and as soon as the massaging stops the lather fades very quickly.

Unlike my usual exfoliators Simple is not as abrasive and the bits seem to caress my skin rather than act as a mild form of sandpaper. 

The first time I used the product I didn’t think that it would have the same effect as the more expensive brands just because there wasn’t a mild scraping sensation when using it. 

The product is washed off with ease and leaves no residue at all. There is nothing worse than drying off, getting dressed and then finding bits of exfoliator stuck to your skin. Thankfully this is not a problem with Simple Exfoliating Body Wash.

As far as results are concerned for the price paid for this product I was amazed. 

As soon as the exfoliator is washed off my skin was left with something of a glow and it was incredibly smooth to the touch. After drying off the smooth feeling remained and it did feel much softer for around half an hour before it just felt how it does when using any other shower gel. 

After around an hour the glow seemed to go, with hindsight the glow had probably more to do with the hot shower rather than the product however it had left me clean, with smooth skin and it was obvious that the dead skin I had noticed on my arms had been removed.

To summarise, I am very pleased with Simple Exfoliating Body Wash, it is cheap, gentle, cleans really well and has some benefits for my skin. However, it isn’t as good as more expensive exfoliators I’ve used. 

I now prefer to use this product as a daily shower gel due to the affordable price in comparison to other shower gels because it is so gentle, however I still keep some of the other higher end exfoliating products for when I really do need to sandpaper off some patchy skin. 

If you are looking for a cheap no nonsense exfoliator I have no problems in recommending.

RECOMMENDED

View Post