L'Oreal Pure Clay Exfoliating Scrub Review

As much as I adore luxe skincare, sometimes I love finding an affordable staple that comes from a solid brand even more! I have recently finished this 150ml tube of L'Oreal Pure Clay Exfoliating Scrub which promises to exfoliate, smooth and cleanse the skin. It's targeted towards combination to oily skin, and even though my skin is closer to dry/normal I found it really worked for me at scrubbing as a second cleanse type of product. I did find the 3 pure clays (Kaolin, Montmorillonite & Ghassoul) took some moisture from my skin (as clays should!) but as long as I made sure to moisturise properly post-cleanse it wasn't an issue for me.

I enjoyed the smell of this scrub and it reminded me of having a spa treatment done, luxuriously pampering (which lets be honest, is as close as I'm going to get at the moment!) It's often on sale at Priceline and the full price is only $14.99 anyway, which means it fits into my budget easily, and the tube lasted a really long time so the value was brilliant.

Overall I would repurchase this scrub, and will once I finish up trying out the other L'Oreal face products I bought alongside this one.

-Emma

Triple Threat Facial

Sitting in front of the laptop with an hour or two to spare, it’s often quite nice to treat your skin to a wee bit of pampering. Rather than going for the everyday serum-eye cream-moisturiser routine, I like to plump up my skin every once in a while with what I call the ‘triple threat facial’. No credit can be taken for this by me, as I was completely inspired (as in thispost) by Vivianna Does Makeup (who got the idea from Caroline Hirons, skincare gem) An idea so genius that I can’t believe it hadn’t popped into my head already, I’m now getting a lot more use from more of my face masks and my skin seems to be thankful for it. For the record, my skin is a real mixed bag and has lots of issues, from dry patches and a shiny forehead to hormonal breakouts and general dullness. Choose masks that suit your individual needs, and start achieving better skin!

First things first, the facial begins with a clay-based detoxifying mumma jumma, for which I bring out my mighty Queen Helene Mint Julip mask. Bright green and minty, this clarifies the skin and I like to apply it with a paddle foundation brush for even coverage that doesn’t waste any of the minty goodness. As Anna points out in her post, this digs down deep into pores and cleans them right out, so that the next two steps can work to their full potential without any grime in the way. After leaving Mint Julip on for 30 mins and removing with a damp muslin cloth, step two of this process can begin.

Radiance is the next thing you want to slap on your mug, and at the moment I am using the Guinot Instant Radiance Moisturizing Mask*. Wafts of lavender and rosemary are key features of this greige face treat, and I leave this on for 15-20 minutes before whipping it off with a tissue. I like the look of the REN Glycolatic Radiance Renewal Mask that Anna used and was eyeing it off in Mecca Cosmetica the other day, but I just can’t take the plunge until I’ve used up some other face masks first. I’m trying to be good, you see?

Final step is my favourite, not purely because the long process is drawing to a close but because this mask is my very favourite. The Jojoba Company Botanical Hydrating Face Mask* is clay based and uses a bunch of classic hydrating ingredients to soften and plump up the skin. I love the way it tingles, and that it actually does what it promises to do, and does it well. Using these three dedicated masks in a single evening is a real treat for the skin, and I see it as ensuring I have some brownie points stored up to trade on those days when it threatens to act up on me.

 

 Let me know what face masks you love in the comments below, and if you ever have time for this sort of at-home pampering.

*Marked items were provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

*Interested in the Queen Helene? iHerb stocks it for $3.84 here, and if you use my discount code BEJ649  you can save extra! $10 off every order $40+, or $5 off if order is below $40. Happy shopping!

A Morrocan Spa Experience // Fleur de Lys Medispa

Around this time last year I found myself in Sydney for the first time, getting ready for ABBW with Melissa. We were lucky enough to be invited along to the Fleur de Lys medispa in Woollahra for a complimentary treatment, and we chose to have our hands pampered with a scrub, massage and manicure.

*photo taken from the Fleur de Lys website and is not the property of emmabovarybeauty

The spa offers a wide array of services, most notably their Moroccan Hammam treatment which is based on ancient traditional bathing rituals. I'm not one to get pampered regularly as I tend to do facial masks and body scrubs at home, so when I do treat myself I want the spa to be something really special and luxurious. When I first stepped into Fleur de Lys I was instantly calm, the beautiful stone work and the natural light floods into the main entrance and the friendly staff immediately put me at ease. We were shown around the spa, and let me tell you, the rooms are so nice I could easily spend a whole day their relaxing and soaking up the peaceful vibes.

Now that I'm heading back to Sydney for IMATS and the Beauty Bloggers Utopia, I am hoping to squeeze in a visit to Fleur de Lys and really treat myself to a good body scrub or facial. Chris and I are heading up to Sydney for a week (!) as IMATS falls on the same weekend as the rugby grand final, so we decided to make a week of it!

Being a Sydney newbie, I'd love tips on where to eat, shop and sightsee, so please leave recommendations in the comments below!

How often do you treat yourself to a spa visit?
Will I see you in Sydney on IMATS weekend, Sep 29th-30th?

Fleur de Lys is located at 2A Queen St, Woollahra, really close to the heart of Oxford Street.

*This post is not sponsored, I just think this is a great spa and one worth visiting if you are around Sydney for IMATS like I will be!

 



Glam Beauty Bar-Dr Spiller Event

I was lucky enough to be invited by Jess from HoneyPR to the Dr Spiller event that Glam Beauty Bar held recently. They were launching the new Herbal Activ Peel from Dr Spiller's range, and the event was held at the stunning Glam Beauty Bar in Moonee Ponds.

I took a friend along, and we sipped and snacked on champagne, sandwiches and sushi as we watched the salon fill up with guests. After filling out a skin type sheet I was whisked away to have my skin looked at, and I had the most amaaaazing facial from one of the Glam Beauty Bar girls. She had similar skin problems to me, which she said was why she wanted to be the one doing my skin for the night. She used a stack of products on me, and I must have trusted her because not only did I let her take my makeup off, I had my first extractions done! I thought they would be painful but she was really gentle with me and it was a positive experience. My facial was done by the third girl along, who was the sweetest!

I fell in love with the foundation she used on me before I headed back out into the event, which was the powder from GloMinerals (stocked at Glam Beauty Bar) I think the coverage is great and the application was quick, so when I'm in need of a foundation next this is what I plan on purchasing. The picture below was taken after my facial and extractions, after the application of GloMinerals. I look quite washed out as I normally wear more blush than she applied, but overall I am very happy with this! (I am the chicky on the left, the chicky on the right is my work friend, Elly)

I plan on heading back there for a facial in the future, I think I might have some microdermabrasion done. Glam Beauty Bar is located at 55 Homer Street in Moonee Ponds. The girls are lovely and approachable, I met so many amazing people and had a lot of fun. I would certainly recommend Glam Beauty Bar! Goodie bags were filled with Miss De Jour goodies,Dr Spiller samples and Glam Beauty Bar branded water bottles- tres chic!

The room in which my facial was held

emmabovary xx

(All photo credit goes to the official photographer for the event, I wish my skills were half as good as these shots!)