Skincare: probiotic power as seasons change

Probiotics are part of my daily life, but I had never used on my skin. Don’t you just love when you try skincare with an ingredient you never used before for the very first time? This is how I felt since I started using the Liz Earle Pro-Biotic Balancing range (aff link).

Extremely gentle to the skin and fragrance-free, the Balancing Milk Cleanser, Day and Night Cream are perfect for sensitive, reactive and dry skins.

The range contains pre, pro and post-biotic natural ingredients to hydrate as well as boost and strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier. What does this means? Even the most sensitive of skins looks and feels more balanced, clearer, healthier and comfortable.

I found this range is perfect for this time of the year, when weather changes often bring chaos to most skin types, especially sensitive. In my case, the cold, wind and central heating combined to my acne medication mean I can have flaky and sore skin and this range has really helped me.

The main ingredients across the range are chicory, a pre-biotic with skin soothing properties, jojoba oil, a non-clogging, glow promoting oil, one of the most compatible with skin, lunaria oil, nourishing and hydrating, super rich in fatty oils and fermented oats, which create a unique strain of lactobacillus. This particular oat is also super rich in a fibre known to support soothing and improvements on skin appearance.

Biggest surprise? The Pro-Biotic Balancing Milk Cleanser. If you have followed me for a while, you’ll know I love a foamy cleanser and shy away from the milky ones.

Admiteldy, I was ready not to like this one but for my surprise, I love it. It gently cleans the skin without stripping its natural oils and defense barrier and leaves it feeling so soft and comfortable, it has become a morning ritual for me. My boyfriend, who has really sensitive skin tried it and loves it too!

The Pro-Biotic Balancing Day Cream has a firm but fluid consistency. Applies and absorbs extremely well, protecting and re-balacing skin throughout the day, boosting its moisture and maintaining comfort.

The Pro-Biotic Balancing Night Cream is a delightful, richer consistency cream that also applies and absorbs very well. Overnight, it really feels like it soothes, nourishes replenishes skin, which wakes up to soft and supple.

Overall, a winning trio – a brilliant and caring range from Liz Earle, which is no surprise, given how lovely all their products are.

They are also dermatologically tested, suitable for vegans, tubes are 55% recycled, products are made with sustainably sourced naturally active ingredients with Gold level traceability and they are cruelty free (leading bunny certified and all).

The Milk Cleanser (100ml) costs £18 and the Day and Night Creams (50ml), £32 each. At the moment they have 25% off the individual products in the range. And you can get the trio for £57.40, a saving of £24.60 (30%).

With free delivery on orders over £30 (UK) what are you waiting for? You can get the the Liz Earle Pro-Biotic Balancing products on their website (aff link).

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains AFFILLIATE LINKS, as stated by links. It also contains GIFTED samples, as all products were sent to me free of charge, with no obligation to post. Opinions are honest and my own, based on using the products continuously for at 2 weeks.

Just what the Dr ordered

Don’t get me wrong, obviously what’s inside IS what matters the most but who can resist to colourful packaging?

When I saw the Dr Botanicals colourful tubs at an expo some time ago I was instantly drawn to it. Then I found out they are a natural, free from toxins skincare brand that delivers vegan, cruelty free products created with great ingredients, for all skin concerns, I was very much sold.

And I left with a colourful selection to give it a go.

The Pomegranate Superfood Regenerating Sleeping Mask is a treat. I love an overnight mask, especially at this time of the year that temperatures drop, the wind cuts the skin causing extra grievance. Products like this just sit on it helping the overnight regeneration process.

It contains pomegranate, rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, coconut oil to hydrate and soothe, fatty Omega 3 acids to help plump. Honestly, a treat. Applies ad absorbs well as it is not stick or too thick and it has practically zero fragrance so a bliss to wear at night.

I usually pile on top or a lighter moisturiser and/or serum for that extra boost at night and my skin loves it! A bargain at £9.99 for 30ml, also available in bigger sizes and a pretty pink tube.

The Cocoa & Coconut Superfood Reviving Hydrating Mask is also a treat. A very light mask sometimes I forget to remove (!!!), it does give skin that hydration boost, again, great to introduce at this time of the year, when I tweak my skincare regime.

Cocoa butter is a rich skin “smoother” and moisturiser and coconut oil is hydrating and has fatty acids and antioxidants. A lovely 10-minute ritual my skin thanks me for. It costs £9.99 for 30ml.

Finally, their Lemon Superfood All-in-one Rescue Butter which is a multi-tasking wonder as a moisturiser and a treatment.

It contains lemongrass oil which aids healing and have antifungal properties plus coconut, almond, sea buckthorn fruit and grapeseed oils, which together help nourish, moisturise, replenish skin.

A bit richer than the other two, this has a delicious subtle scent of lemongrass and it is great in the drier parts of my face (forehead, hairline, high cheeks) and hands. It costs £15.99 for 60ml.

Overall, their products are affordable and they have lovely gift bundles and different collections: Apothecary, Dr Botanicals and Organic & Botanic.

Some of their serums (from £16) and oils (from £20) are extremely well priced and the range of concerns they address plus ingredients, are impressive.

Check the Dr Botanicals website out – I doubt there won’t be something for you!

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples as products were sent to me free of charge, with no obligation to post. Opinions are honest and my own.

My pick of Beauty Christmas crackers

Christmas crackers enchanted me since my first Christmas in the UK. In Brasil, where I come from, there wasn’t anything like that, and I thought it was great.

When I discovered beauty Christmas crackers, my little heart skipped a beat. How fabulous: a little treat to pick you up before your meal, after you already been to the excitement of opening your gifts.

Here is my pick of Christmas crackers to make you day more beautiful!

dermalogica_xmas_crackerDermalogica, £30 for 3, from Selfridges

One of my go-to beauty brands has a cracker with some of its best-sellers: the precleanse, the gel cleanser and the daily microfoliant. Poses the perfect opportunity to try and fall in love!

ted_baker_xmas_crackerTed Baker, £24 for 3, from Debenhams

Ted Baker beauty surprises you with a mini fragrance or nail colour.

clarins_xmas_crackerClarins, £49 for 6, for Selfridges

A bit pricier, but well worth it, as it is packed with Clarins Classics: Nail Treatment Cream, Miniature Rouge Eclat Lipstick, Miniature Wonder Perfect Mascara, Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream, Beauty Flash Balm and Eau des Jardins Treatment Fragrance.

debenhams_xmas_crackerDebenhams, £4.50 for 3

Super cute in its nutcracker soldier packaging, this won’t break the bank and will bring a treat of lipstick, nail polish or lipgloss.

thisworks_xmas_crackerThis works sleep plus, £12

Ah, how I love this little spray. Give the gift of good sleep, in a cracker. So good it’s sold out on the this works site, but Boots has it still!

jomalone_xmas_crackerJo Malone, £32

Delightful and fragrant, you crack yours to a lime basil & mandarin cologne, a blackberry & bay body & hand wash or nectarine blossom & honey body crème.

nailsinc_xmas_crackerNails Inc, £38

A brilliant selection of six full size new and best seller nail shades, this is perfect for the girls’ Christmas dinner!

steamcream_xmas_crackerSteamcream, £8.95

Classic all-round skincare Steamcream mini-tin inside this silver cracker. Great for vegans!

boots_no7_xmas_crackerBoots No7 Cracker Collection, £16 for 6

With 3 nail colours and 3 BB lips glosses, at this price you can treat all ladies of the house at cracker time!

cowshed_xmas_crackerBullocks by Cowshed, £9, from John Lewis

One for the boys: a male body wash and 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner. Cowshed has a female version too.

moltonbrown_xmas_crackerMolton Brown, £32

With a feminine and a masculine version, these crackers come with a pink pepper hand cream, body lotion and body wash for her and a black peppercorn body wash, body lotion and a Bai Ji Hydrator cream.

margarethdabbs_xmas_crackerMargaret Dabbs, £12

Containing the best seller Nail & Cuticle Serum.

Phew! Hard to pick, but still a couple weeks to go! What’s your favourite? Have you seen any amazing ones I missed?

Happy Christmas!

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