Physiogel Calming Relief Lotion & Cream Review

If you suffer from eczema or constantly seem to contract allergies, it can be a bit of a nightmare to find a moisturiser that doesn’t irritate your skin. Thankfully, Physiogel is now available in Australia! For years I’ve heard how great this brand is for sensitive and allergy prone skin, and had eagerly awaited its arrival on our shores after reading so many great reviews.

Physiogel have released two ranges: ‘calming’ and ‘sensitive’ relief, which are both available in lotion and cream form. So far, I’ve only tried the calming relief lotion and cream. Both are virtually identical, with the cream being a bit heavier and catering for those with dryer skin.

What I really love about the lotion is that it’s light-weight and absorbs really fast. It doesn’t suffocate the skin. The cream absorbs just as fast, but can feel heavy on the skin in hot weather.  They’re both unscented, non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, and PH balanced, and I find the calming relief helps relieve the unbearable itchiness that usually accompanies freshly shaved legs and allergy ridden skin. I also have quite a ‘picky’ chest, which disagrees with a lot of moisturisers, and regularly breaks out. The lotion, thankfully, hasn’t hurt the skin on my chest at all. Success! The best part though, is that it keeps the skin feeling soft and moisturised for hours.

Seriously, I have nothing bad to say about this range. Doesn’t break me out? Check. Doesn’t irritate my skin? Check. Relieves itchiness? Check. Yup, I am drawing a blank here. Not only are these products incredibly affordable, a little goes a long way, and they last for some time. I’ve been using the 400ml pump bottle religiously for four months now and have only used up 1/3 so far. As you can see, I’ve already repurchased this a few times, and thanks to the Priceline skincare sale, I now have reserves for my reserves (yes, I love it that much). If you can get your hands on it, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Iope Essential Facial Oil Review

Iope Essential Facial Oil 30mls

Out of all the products I received in the Iope Super Memebox, this was the product I was most excited to try (I have a thing for facial oils, let’s just leave it at that). The Essential Facial Oil is a lightweight formulation designed to deliver deep nourishment and hydration to the skin.

Ingredients: caprylic capric triglyceride sucrose polycottonseedate, argan oil, macadamia oil, castor oil, dicaprylyl ether, oleic / linoleic/ linolenic polyglycerides, fragrance (check cosdna link here)

This is oil is packed with heaps of essential fatty acids from coconut, argan, and macadamia oils which help soften and repair damaged and uneven skin. And let’s not forget about all those anti-aging properties these oils carry. It’s a nice product to start with for younger users to help prevent and delay the signs of aging. I believe castor oil is the only ingredient that may cause irritation for some, but so far I haven’t experienced any problems.

The texture of this oil is surprisingly silky, and doesn’t feel thick and heavy at all. It does take a while to absorb, but if you only use this in the evening it shouldn’t be a problem. It also has a heavy lavender scent. It’s very calming and relaxing, identical to the scent of the Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate. Not a bad thing at all. When I use this, every morning I wake up with a really lovely glow. The skin feels plumper, the fine lines around my eyes and mouth are reduced, and my skin tone looks even. I haven’t suffered from any severe breakouts since I started using this, even when I did get a few pimples, it helped heal them much faster.

I’ve been using this oil for 6 months now, and I’ve only just passed the halfway mark. A little goes a long way with this one, and it’s definitely a product I think I’ll repurchase in the future. However, I have noticed some huge price differences. It’s usually price around $15 to $20. I have seen it as low as $12 on some sites, but I have also seen it as high as $115 on another (I bet you can guess which shameless website that is). Really guys?! In their defense, it definitely doesn’t feel like a $20 product. With the sleek, glass packaging and the results this oil gives, it definitely feels a lot more upmarket.

Bourjois Flower Perfection Foundation Review

Bourjois Flower Perfection Foundation in No.52 Vanilla

I can’t believe after all these years I haven't even posted a review on one of my favourite foundations. This is the foundation that gets me through the long, hot months. Bourjois Flower Perfection is a high coverage, matte foundation great for oily, acne prone skin.

The foundation has quite a creamy texture, and goes on very smooth. It also comes with a sponge, but I find this a very redundant feature, the formula dries quickly so you run the risk of caking yourself up if you take too long. Also, a sponge isn't exactly the most hygienic way to apply makeup, so I tend to use my fingers or my real techniques buffing brush. This foundation lasts all day for me, even when I've been running around at work for eight hours; it stays put. It can get a little shiny, nothing a little blotting or powder can't fix, but to be honest, I love the natural glow it gives the skin when it's been on for a while. It also contains SPF15, in the form of titanium dioxide. This doesn't seem like much, but at least they've used a physical UV filter instead of chemical. 

I find that many foundations break me out, this one being the exception. When researching the product I found that it contains hardly any skin or acne irritants (check out the cosDNA rating here). I guess that explains the lack of red bumps I usually find on my face the day after. I highly recommend this for those with oily/acne prone skin who are looking for a high coverage foundation to cover their spots.  This just ticks all the boxes for me, it covers everything, it’s long lasting, doesn't break me out, and it makes my skin look flawless.

I have been really impressed with Bourjois products across the board, and really don't mind paying a little extra for them anymore. I can usually find it at Priceline for around $30, but you can get it cheaper online from Asos and Life & Looks for $15. I've already repurchased this foundation twice, this is my third bottle! That’s how much I love it.

Priceline 40% Off Skincare Haul

As much as I tried to resist the 40% off skincare sale (you know, the usual ‘I don’t need it’ argument), I eventually caved. Unfortunately I caved a little too late, and by the time I went in store a lot of the products I was looking for were sold out! So I ended up braving the slow and gruelling process of ordering online, which, unless you’re really, really desperate, I do not recommend. It took 10 minutes to load the homepage alone, so you can probably imagine how long it took me to finally process the order. But five days later, when the package finally arrived at my doorstep, it all seemed to be worth it. Here’s what I got:

Physiogel Calming Relief Lotion - $11.99

This is a fantastic moisturiser for anyone who suffers from eczema and dry, sensitive skin. I may already have a large pump bottle of this that is nowhere near finished, but it’s one of the only moisturisers that doesn’t sting or irritate my body. With 40% off, it doesn’t hurt to stock up.

Tea Tree Oil - $4.19

Whether it’s used as a spot killer, ingrown hair destroyer, or insect repellent, there’s always room for tea tree oil in my life.

Antipodes Rejoice Light Facial Day Cream - $29.39

Jam-packed with collagen producing ingredients, I thought this ‘light’ facial moisturiser would be a nice addition to my summer regime. I can tell you now, it smells heavenly.

Natio Lip Balm SPF 30+ - $2.97

Natio lip balms are really, really, lovely, but quite expensive for the amount of product you get. 4 grams doesn’t last long for me, but I love how they’ve released one with SPF 30+. Now I have one for daytime and night time! That’s not sad, is it?

Neutrogena Hydro Boost - $14.99

This was one of the products I couldn’t get my hands on in store. I’ve heard some great things about this moisturiser and have been itching to try it for some time now. It looks very similar to the Iope Essential Moisture Relief Cream (minus the heavenly scent). Even though it’s labelled ‘hydro boost’ it seems quite light, but I’m hoping it will help with dehydrated skin.

Moreish Argan Oil - $17.99

I’ve been curious to try Moreish ever since it hit shelves here, and even more curious to try out argan oil for the first time, which, like rose hip oil, is one of those all-in-one organic skincare products.

Antipodes Juliet Brightening Gel Cleanser - $19.79

I have a bit of a thing for brightening products, so when I heard Antipodes had one, which also happens to be organic, I couldn’t resist.

Garniere Make Up Remover - $5.99

Another staple that I needed to stock up on. There’s really nothing much to say about this make up remover. It gets the job done. Quick and easy, with little fuss.

Santuary Spa 5 minute thermal detox mask - $11.99

I think it was the idea of a thermal mask that sold me. I’d never used one before, but thought this would be really nice to use once winter comes around.

So, who’s already preparing for Priceline’s next sale?