Eye Cream Chat and Review- Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment With Avocado

When I was younger, I always considered eye-creams the cornerstone of skincare. As I got older, I realised that, in reality, they're less important than I thought. 

A good chemical exfoliation, followed by a great serum will go a lot further than an eye-cream to enhance the condition of your skin. I know some very clever people who are content to just bring their moisturisers and serums up towards their eyes and be done with it. Plus, the best eye creams are crazy expensive and full of anti-aging ingredients, which is not that necessary at my age. 

However, I am a girl who likes an eye cream, for 3 reasons

1. I'm a contact lense wearer- so try as I might, I do pull and tug a tiny bit at my eyes from time to time, which means I want to strengthen the skin as much as I can.

2. In my performing days, I used to grab a makeup removal wipe, and scrub my eyes to get all my makeup and false eyelashes off. I still shudder at the memory. So now I feel like I'm just doing eye-pennance.

3. The skin around my eyes is a bit sensitive- so I can't use my general moisturisers on it.

With all this in mind.... presenting- Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado

In a nutshell

Pros: Gentle, great for sensitive skin, very hydrating. 

Cons: Not many active ingredients- purely a hydrator

Price:  $41 for 14mL

Purpose: Eye cream- apply on the eyes every evening 

Packaging: Little white pot, compact and transportable. 

Re- Purchase? Yes. A good price for an eye cream, and perfect for my purposes. 

Firstly, this is not a product that claims too much. It promises to hydrate and protect, and that it does. From my perspective, that's terrific. Plus, hydrated skin is less likely to get fine lines in the first place.

The hydration comes from avocado oil and shea butter, terrific natural moisturisers. 

If, like me, you're looking for a not-so-expensive, sensitive/gentle eyecream, that helps to hydrate and strengthen the skin around my eyes- this is for you. I found that my eye area wasn't so dry and fragile looking, and felt very healthy and a bit more resilient. 

If you want something with more heavy lifting- to reduce the appearance of lines or remove dark circles, this isn't going to work for you. It's more of a preventative cream than a treatment, so great for the 20 something age group.

The colour is very reminiscent of a ripe avocado, a lovely yellow-ish green. The product has no scent, and comes in an easy to use pot. I've been using my pot since February, and still have a little bit left, which is pretty good value for money! At $41 I think it stacks up well compared to other eye creams- as they do tend to be a big ticket item.

The best part of this product for me, is the fact that it doesn't migrate into eyes. This is something they play up in all advertising of this product, and I can tell you that in my experience, they're absolutely right. I didn't have any migration, irritation or teary moments from stray moisturiser which was a great feature of the product. 

It is a slightly thicker eye cream, which I think is associated with its ability to stay put. I put a bit on my index finger, and, using gentle pressure, slowly massage up and out, along the occipital bone. 

I've seen some practitioners using the middle finger, and gently dabbing, but I like to get a bit of massage going, to encourage blood-flow and discourage dark circles. 

As you can see from my very artistic drawing, I always move up and out, never down, to encourage the skin against the pull of gravity. I'm very light, only ever with one finger, and never dragging or pulling. 

All in all, if you, like me, would like a bit of extra hydration and love for your eye-area, I can thoroughly recommend the Kiehl's Creamy Eye treatment- I love a product that does exactly what it promises, and this is exactly that!

Review- Lush, Angels On Bare Skin Facial Cleanser (plus how to use it without making an utter mess)

Ok so we played around a bit with make-up and nail polish towards the end of this week, but it's Monday now, back to business, back to skincare. 

If you're like me, you might like to use something every now and then that feels like it's physically cleaning your skin. You might also like to eat just guacamole for dinner, but that's another story. 

Once I realised what a microbead was, and why I shouldn't be scrubbing my face with balls of plastic, I was on the look-out for a reasonably priced scrubby cleanser, I heard such good things about the Lush facial scrubs, that I ventured back into their store, for the first time in about ten years, a very good decision. 

Blog, meet Angels on Bare Skin. 

In a nutshell

Pros: Feels scrubby, lovely aromatic ingredients, gently on skin. 

Cons: A bit of a process to use 

Price:  $42.37 for 250 grams

Purpose: Scrubby cleaner, use once a day, or once every couple of days. 

Packaging: Like the lush pot, easy to open and use. 

Re- Purchase? Yes. The gorgeous scent and skin feel is worth the extra effort.

This cleanser uses ground almonds to scrub your skin, so you'll get that lovely feeling of exfolliating, without damaging the environment, or stripping too much skin off your face. The almonds are in good company with kaolin clay, which will draw impurities out of your skin and soak up excess oils.

But my personal favourite part? The aromatics. There's a (gentle, soothing) party going on in that pot, with lavender, rose and blue chamomile, mmmmmmm. 

There is a drawback though, this isn't the easiest product you'll ever use. For me, the hassle is exceeded by the therapeutic scent and the softness of my skin after use, but it isn't a cleanser to use when you're in a rush. If this product was a boyfriend, it would be a handsome funny one, who is terribly messy. You love him anyway, but that doesn't mean you don't wish he was a little easier to live with! 

Luckily, after a few uses, I've managed to fine tune my technique a bit, and I'm much less likely to end up with almond meal in my hair. So, if you're going to buy this product, let me save you the mess. 

Firstly, Lush suggests you take a pinch off, I take a bit more than that, because I live large. 

The idea is to add a bit of water to make a cleansing milky substance, this is where I deviate a bit more from the Lush directions. I find if I get things too liquidy, it's hard to transfer the scrub from hands to face, and feel like you're getting product in the right areas. 

Instead, I make a very thick paste, like the one you can see below, using only a few drops of water. 

I can then smear that thicker paste over my cheeks, nose and forehead to make sure I'm getting product right around the areas that need to be clean (and avoiding my eyes as much as possible - because those little almond granules love to stick in my lashes!) 

Once I've done that, I massage and scrub a bit more with wet hands, which makes things more milky, but I think spreading the product as a paste first helps me have more control. 

Finally, I place a very hot cloth over my face, and inhale the lavender loveliness, before cleaning all the scrub off.

Low maintenance it is not, but for me, totally worth it, and your skin will feel lovely and baby-soft while you drift into gently scented dreams.

What's in my basket? Springtime Skincare Favourites

Happy Monday! Hopefully someone is out enjoying the sunshine, even if I'm not. You might remember way-way back when, I posted my solution to organised skincare- a basket. 

The other day while I was reorganising things/playing a game of 'product tetris' I decided to lay everything out, and elaborate a bit more on what is currently in my skincare basket. 

These are things I use daily, or at least regularly enough to warrant promotion out of the cabinet to the basket.  I like to think each serves a different (and justifiable) purpose to warrant their spot in the basket, which I'll detail down below. I'll link where I've done reviews- but doing this has reminded me I need to do a lot more! (REN serums and acid exfoliants to come soon!) 

Just realised- my headbands made the first photo (top left) they're for....uh... keeping the hair off your face. Extremely high-tech. 

First little group is things for getting my face nice and clean. I've got....

The Gentle, Softening One- The Body Shop- Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter 

The Scrubby One- Lush- Angels on Bare Skin Facial Cleanser 

Hardcore Acid Exfoliant (once weekly at most)- Dr Dennis Gross- Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel

More Gentle Acids (twice weekly)- Go To Skincare- Exfoliating Swipeys

Heavy Eye Makeup/Lipstick Remover- Bioderma 

(I've also got a big pump-pack of Sukin Sensitive Cleanser which is my all purpose cleanser)

On to the serums. I possibly have a few too many of these, but they all do something a bit different! Plus, as the most active, concentrated element of my routine, I figure they're worth splurging on. 

The Super Luxe Serum- REN Rose Synergy O12 Restoring Facial Serum

Economical Night Serum- Sukin Purely Ageless Intensive Firming Serum 

Anti-Aging Serum- Olay Regenerist Night Resurfacing Elixir

Splurge-ish Daily Serum- REN Radiance Perfecting Serum

Economical Daily Serum-  Rosehip Plus Rosehip Oil- this is the one I meant to take to Port Douglas, as replacement for my A'Kin one. 

I'm still on the search for a perfect moisturiser, but here's what I'm working with at the moment

All Purpose Gentle Night Time- Swisse - Sensitive Vitamin E Face Moisturiser 

Day Time, with some SPF- Aveeno - Positively Radiant Daily Moisturiser

Anti-Aging Night Time-  First Aid Beauty- 5 in 1 Restore Cream Age Delay

General light weight moisturiser for daytime? Still searching! I've just picked up two Lush moisturiser samples, to consider (Imperialis and Celestial)

Finally, things that can't really be categorised and stand by themselves. 

Mask-  Puretopia - Purify and Renew Deep Cleansing Clay Mask

Refreshing Face Spritz- Lemongrass House-  Green Tea Toner

Eye Cream-  Kiehl's- Avocado Eye Treatment- 

And here they all are! More detailed reviews to come, but for now, that's a snapshot of the kind of things I'm loving this Spring, that warrant a prized basket-position. 

The Hunt- A Lovely, Light Moisturiser. Sampling: Lush Imperialis and Celestial, Darphin Hydraskin Light.

It's true, I'm on the hunt. 

I'm looking for a soft, light moisturiser that I can use day or night. Something hydrating, without being too sticky or heavy. Lovely and a bit luxurious, without irritating my skin or breaking the bank

Harder than it seems! I even took to my Twitter for suggestions so that I can leave no stone unturned in this quest. 

To get started, the lovely people at Lush and Mecca have given me some food for thought, in the way of samples. I'm trying two from Lush (Imperialis and Celestial) and from Mecca, Darphin Hydraskin Light

Firstly, the Darphin Hydraskin Light.

As soon as I mentioned the word 'light' to the staff at Mecca, they whisked me towards the Darphin, and I can see why. It's extremely delicate, and leaves only a very soft skin feel, no heaviness or stickiness at all.

I was interested that it actually had quite a strong smell, similar to a fancy sunscreen I suppose, which is unusual in a moisturiser suitable for sensitive skin.  I haven't had any reaction at all to the fragrance and I quite like the scent, as it adds to the luxurious feel of the product. 

The product itself feels extremely light, both to use and on my skin, which makes it easier to use less.

It contains a range of hydrating and antioxidant rich natural ingredients (Butterfly Lavender, Kiwi Fresh Cells), and Hydralonic Acid, the moisturising wonder-kid, designed to help your skin absorb moisture extremely efficiently, basically, this stuff is absolute gold. 

Given these terrific ingredients, I wasn't surprised that my skin felt extremely soft and supple after use. The only downside with the Darphin is the price. Mecca sell it for $68 for 50ml  which is down the splurge-ier end of my budget.

However, given how much I've loved the sample, and am yet to find something I prefer, I might be indulging in a pot of Darphin very soon.

Lush Imperialis

This is Lush's specific moisturiser for sensitive skin. It contains a range of soothing anti-redness ingredients including Lavender Flower and St John's Wort, which are mixed in with deeply hydrating products like Olive Oil and Cocoa and Shea Butters.

As you can see, it's a pinkish moisturiser, which, I promise, looks much better in a Lush pot than in this sample photo. (Also, yep my nails are covered in glitter, more on that Friday)

While it may seem quite heavy in this photo, in reality it is a very light cream. It doesn't sit on the skin or leave a heavy residue, and I experienced no irritation at all.

My only issue with this product was the smell. It gave off an extremely... medicinal odour. I'm not exactly sure of the source- St John's Wort maybe?- but I found it quite strong and not particularly pleasant. 

Given the smell, and the fact that this product followed the Darphin sample, I felt overall that this moisturiser just didn't feel luxurious enough. Admittedly it's not nearly as expensive, but at $33 for 45 grams it still isn't cheap, and I just didn't love or even particularly look forward to using it. 

A good moisturiser for sensitive skin, but not quite right for Goldilocks here. 

I much preferred the scent of Lush Celestial Moisturiser

With vanilla and almond milk, it had a lovely creamy, almost vanilla custard scent, which wasn't very overpowering at all. Also, the colour and consistency of this moisturiser felt slightly more luxurious than the Imperialis. 

It is a heavier moisturiser, and on the skin, I could feel that it was a heavier product, and it sat in a layer on top of my skin if I used too much.

So while I liked the scent and feel when I used Celestial, within a couple of minutes of it on my face, I wasn't thrilled with its heavier texture.

I didn't experience any irritation or breakouts, so I still think this is terrific for sensitive skin, but it's not a completely light-weight moisturiser, and that was one of my criteria. At $27.95 for 45grams, this is a cheaper product. But given the heavier feel, I'll probably search for something a bit lighter within the same price range instead of purchasing.

So my quest continues, to find something I love as much as the Darphin, or just splurge on it. 

While I've got you here, you've probably noticed that all these moisturisers are samples. As a sensitive-skin-type, I couldn't make any significant purchases without giving something a good try out. I have no problem asking for a sample, particularly at stores where they know I'm a good customer, and will return if I'm happy.

Below you can see my catch-all in the bathroom, with  three little sample jars that I was working through at the time, one of which (REN Rose Serum) I fell in love with and purchased almost immediately. 

If you're going to ask for samples, and I think it is a good idea, I've got some basic guidelines to ensure you foster good relationships with the stores and brands you sample from, and get the most out of the experience

Do
- Know what you're looking for- I walked into the stores and specifically outlined my skin issues, and what I needed from a product (and wanted to avoid) to save myself and the sales assistant's time.

- Trust the sale staff- it's a give and take relationship, if you're asking to try their products, you can at least pay attention to what they're saying about them.

- Consistently use the sample. There's no point mixing the sample in to your routine with other samples, because then you can't pinpoint the source of any irritations. When you consistently use a product, you'll quickly work out how it feels and works for your skin, and how you feel about using it.

- Label your samples. Nothing worse than coming home with no clue what you've got in your handbag.

- Return if you're purchasing. Unless there's a serious price differential online, I am very loyal to the stores that let me sample. I think it's only fair, given I wouldn't have brought the product without their assistance, and, over time, I'm able to build good relationships with staff. (Favourite places to buy- Mecca Cosmetica by an absolute country mile, plus Tom Ford and Bobbi Brown have brilliantly trained people. Also encountered great staff at Lush, Kiehls and Aesop )

Don't
- Interrupt another customer. Firsly, it's rude. Secondly, you're asking for a sample, not a blood transfusion, it can wait.

- Disregard the sales people. While it's easy to do a lot of research online, they spend all day with these products and are a terrific resource. Plus, it's quite unreasonable to expect them to cough up samples when you're not willing to engage with their knowledge and abilities.

- Over-do it. I wouldn't take more than two samples in the one visit, it's not reasonable to compare a whole swag of products, plus it starts to seem like you're being a bit dodgy. Equally, I wouldn't take the same sample twice, if you got back for it again, just buy it.

- Be shy about price. There's no point sampling things you can never afford- you'll just break your own heart! Let the sales-person know what price point you're looking at, and don't be afraid to ask how much a specific product is.

- Think you need to buy every sample you use. The idea of sampling is to find what you like. If it didn't work, go back to the store and tell them why, they'll probably be happy to use your review, and steer you towards something more suitable.

Most of all, have fun! There's nothing I love more than chatting about a few products, and coming home with a couple of samples to try. I'd like to thank the lovely people at Lush and Mecca, who made this post, and my quest for the perfect moisturier, possible. 

Have you used a moisturiser that you love? Don't be shy! Let me know via the comments, or connect with me on Twitter- @spackleon 

Holiday Skin Part II- Sunscreen Reviews, Lierac Solaire, La Roche-Posay, Nivea Sun and Natural Instinct

There's nothing like setting off on a trip with a bag full of sunscreen and a head full of optimism that you'll come back with the porcelain skin of a new born babe. Luckily, this trip I didn't do too badly, and, finished up with three go-to favourites, and one unfortunate thumbs-down.

A few notes to start with,  I'm only reviewing facial sunscreens at this point, I tend to think they're more important as they go on my face, neck and decollete while I just slap more generic product on arms and legs. All of the sunscreens I'm reviewing stopped me from getting burnt, so I'll focus on the other factors (feel, whiteness, packaging etc) than efficacy at being a sunscreen. 

Also, To keep things brief, I'm not going to get into the nitty-gritty on physical v chemical sunscreens, also because Zoe Foster-Blake does a terrific job here. For the record, I tend to use a mix of physical and chemical. I know physical is better and will defer to it when I'm in the sun for a long day, but I find that chemical is much more gentle and compatible with my skin. Essentially, I figure that some sunscreen is better than no sunscreen, although I try to use physical when I can. 

Let's start with the good news, my front line favourite protection. 

In no particular order...

 Lierac Solaire High Protection Fact Cream- sadly discontinued but replaced by this

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Fluid 

Nivea Sun Light Feel Daily Face Veil

Lierac Solaire

I feel a bit silly reviewing this, as it's now discontinued, but I have high hopes that they're just repackaged it, as I really like this sunscreen. 

It's a physical sunscreen, so forms a barrier between rays and your skin. These are the most effective sunscreens, although they can be a bit un-glamorous as they're essentially zinc. For that reason, I'm very careful to double-cleanse thoroughly at the end of the day to take all of the sunscreen off. 

For that reason, it's not surprising that this product is a thicker-cream type sunscreen, however it has a very nice, subtle smell and isn't too heavy, as you can see from my hand modelling. 

After a few swipes, it blends in nicely, although it does leave a bit of a sheen. As a far as physical sunscreens go, this kind of blend-ability puts it up there with the benchmark product (Invisible Zinc)

The old-school tube packaging can be a bit of a draw back as far as mess goes, but it's easy to pack and less likely to leak. Overall, I give this product a solid 8.5/10 with points lost only for the slight residue, and packaging. As I said, discontinued but can still be found here if you're quick! 

La Roche-Posay

Now this is a sunscreen that you barely feel. It's not a physical sunscreen, so no zinc, but as far as chemical sunscreens go, it's absolutely top notch. 

It says a lot that this is my second bottle of this, in as many years. There's nothing I'd rather put on my face, and I've tried a lot of different sunscreens. 

The big selling point to me is the consistency, it's a milk! It's so gentle, watch it run down my hand! I love the feeling of this sunscreen on my skin, and I will always always return to it if a physical sunscreen has made my skin a bit cranky. 

I didn't try very had to blend this, or there'd be a photo of just my hand. Believe me, it blends very easily, to an almost powder-dry finish. This is what it looks like after just one hand swipe. You can see that the centre of the swipe, where my finger probably applied the most pressure, has already become transparent. 

If you're looking for a sunscreen that you can't feel at all- this is your best bet. 

Finally, love the packaging. It's easy to shake, the little nozzle means you don't spurt out too much, and it's small and easy to pack. 9.5/10 only because it's a chemical sunscreen not a physical one. But seriously, I love this sunscreen. It's $28 for 50ml and in my humble opinion, worth every penny. 

Nivea Sun 

Over the past five years, I've bought at least three of these little bottles, to throw in my bag for a last minute quickie sunscreen. Again it's a chemical, not a physical sunscreen, but I still have a lot of time for my old friend Nivea. 

Firstly, the consistency, light feel is the correct way to describe it plus it's a terrific consistency for a lower-priced sunscreen.  (Retails for about $13 for 50ml- although I often see it reduced to $10)  

It does have a slight scent, although I now love the scent as I associate it with being on holiday, quite a clean Nivea-typical smell. It goes on and almost instantly becomes clear- as you can see below. This is a great sunscreen for people who hate 'ghosting' or any kind of white residue. My only quibble is that it can be a little oily/greasy on the skin as it sinks in. I tend to be left with a small film, compared to the completely dry finish I get from La-Roche Posay

Packaging for this product is terrific, a small container with a blue screw off lid. Super unlikely to leak, not going to get messy means I'll happily toss these in my purse. While the slight film means I'm unlikely to use it as a first choice for face, it's a great economical go-to sunscreen, and one I tend to use all over my chest and neck, 8/10. 

Switching pace for a minute, it's time for my sunscreen disappointment

Natural Instinct Micro Mineral Sunscreen

I really wanted to like this one, it's got aloe vera and vitamin E, and is a natural product, and a great price.  (RRP $15.95) Plus I'm trying to apply mineral sunscreens when I can, as deep down I know they're better. But unfortunately from the first application, this didn't really work for me. As you can see, it's a think white paste. 

....Which is a hellava lot of work to rub in. I managed to smear some over my face, but when it came to neck/chest area, I was seriously struggling. This is a heavy duty zinc, as you can see on my hand below. It's quite sticky and difficult to disperse into the skin. 

If you're very concerned about ingredients, Natural Instinct might be the sunscreen for you. I have no doubt that it protects well, but I just couldn't get over the thick, sticky consistency, 4/10 from me.

That's all for my sunscreen instalment, feel free to comment if you've found a good one, as I'm always on the hunt for the sunscreen holy grail- particularly as we head into summer. Until then, here's Jim Gaffigan.

Product Review- A'kin Cellular Radiance Serum

I'm really glad to be starting the review portion of this blog, and just in the nick of time too- as I'm about to run out of this product. The A'kin Cellular Radiance Serum was the first serum I purchased, when I decided to get serious about skincare. 

(from the A'kin website)

I actually intended to purchase a rosehip oil, as I'd never used a serum before, and I knew that was a holy-grail ingredient in natural skincare, that wouldn't be too pricy. 

Typically, once I walked in the door of the pharmacy, all my plans went out the window, and I became overwhelmed by the choices. Australians are spoilt for choice when it comes to quality, organic or natural skincare lines. Did I want plain rosehip? Organic rosehip? Rosehip with antioxidants or straight up?

The A'kin product seemed like a good compromise- as a collection of all the ingredients the others touted, it boasts a whole raft of terrific active ingredients including

- Pomegranate extract

- Rosa Canina (rosehip) extract

- Chamomile extract

- Vitamin E

- Vitamin A 

plus the mysterious Seabuckthorn extract, which I'm yet to research, but it's just the best word to say 'Seabuckthorn', 'Seabuckthorn'

I digress, back to the review.

External

Lots of badges on the packaging to let you know that the product is paraben and sulfate free, Australian owned, does not test on animals and is generally a good person to have around for dinner. Maybe I made the last bit up, but it's clear from the packaging that this product is ethically made, and contains high quality ingredients, which are organic where possible. There's no synthetic fragrance or other nasties so it's suitable for all skin types. 

The active ingredients above show that it's absolutely chock-full of antioxidants, which are the natural skincare power ingredients, they keep the baddies (free radicals) out, and help the goodies (your skin cells) repair faster and generate collagen.  

The product is packaged in a glass vial, which is quite typical of these types of natural serums. It also has that typically un-fragranced 'natural' smell, which I believe is mainly the rosehip oil smell . I don't mind it at all, although my boyfriend initially wasn't a huge fan. 

The bottle contains an eye-dropper for application which, to be honest I find a bit tricky. I tend to suck up a little too much product in the dropper, which is possibly why I've used this product relatively quickly (the bottle has lasted me around 3 months) 

Additionally, the product itself is quite thin, making it quite easy for it to fall from the dropper between your fingers, instead of on your fingertips for application. 

Use

Having whinged about the thin consistency of this product, I'm actually going to also list it as a positive. The product is an oil, but is nice and thin and feels very non-greasy on the skin. This is possibly because it's free of synthetics and mineral oils, so everything sinks into your skin quickly, instead of sitting at the top. 

I quite liked the yellow-ish colour, as it gave me a faint glow. I particularly noticed this when I came back from my holiday with a tan which seemed to look much more prominent if I was wearing the serum. However, if you prefer not to have a gentle yellow glow, this may not be the product for you. 

I experienced absolutely no irritation or reaction to this product, which I was very pleased about, particularly as I took it on holiday with me, and used it on sensitive slightly sunburnt skin. 

Didn't notice any significant changes in my skin, apart from an overall look of 'healthiness' which I was very happy with, I think that to seriously fade scars or change pigmentation, non-natural prescription products are probably more appropriate. 

In a nutshell

Pros: Great antioxidant rich ingredients, ethically made, absorbs nicely into the skin

Cons: Slightly difficult packaging- particularly the eyedropper and thin consistency

Price:  $40 for 23mL

Purpose: Natural, hydrating oil-based serum, full of antioxidants. 

Packaging: Attractive, but somewhat tricky to control usage amount- glass jar and dropper.

Re- Purchase? Yes, a great all-rounder at a good price. 

That awkward question.... (cash money)

It's always the way, you're reading about some terrific new product, reviewed by a lovely blogger, it sounds terrific, and you're just about to open your wallet and achieve the skin of your dreams when...

You want me to spend HOW much on a cleanser?

(source)

I've been there, and so, to avoid awkwardness let's talk money.

Unlike your shoes, sixpack or handbag, skin is always visible, particularly to you, and there is something quite lovely about waking up, looking in the mirror and not wincing.

HOWEVER, unlike the lovely Liz Lemon, I'm not dancing under cash, or washing my face with it.

Which means that, if I spend too much on the one product, I just won't use it.

Instead, I'll walk past it and dream of the day when I can use it. Christmas? My birthday? My wedding day? (by which time it will likely be way past use-by)

As a result of my research, I've started to group my skincare into three categories.  I'll be referring to these categories as I blog, hopefully offering options for each level. You can easily access products in a particular group by clicking on the tags at the top of the page.

Save <$30 These are pharmacy favourites, impulse buys, staples. The kind of thing you can pick up on special and use every day, guilt free, or turf if it's not working for you.

Mid-Range- $30-70 More pricy, these guys can be used daily, but you'll need them to be justifying their price and doing some serious heavy lifting, I'll be putting in some research before buying a Mid-Ranger.

Splurge >$70 This is birthday present stuff, if I splurge on something, I've got to absolutely need-it-can't-live-without-it. Serious research and window shopping will occur before a splurge is made, but sometimes, it's absolutely worth it.

(source)

That's all very interesting, but when should I splurge and when should I save?

I've got a bit of an analogy for what I expect from my skincare.

When I was younger, we used to travel a lot, and wherever we went, my mum would always order the most ambitious thing on the menu. Undoubtedly she'd be disappointed. Meanwhile, my brother had a knack for ordering well, because he didn't expect too much

He once told her, the problem, when he was eating a delicious steak and she was battling with some kind of seafood risotto/glue. She expected too much. We were in a pub, a very long way from the ocean, she should have gone with pub food.

I feel the same way about budget skincare.

If you're not paying much, don't expect too much.

I'll go budget when I'm looking for a great cleanser, moisturiser or a really decent daily SPF. That's a pretty basic requirement, clean gunk off my skin, keep hydrated. I'm happy that a good budget buy can do the job (so long as I read the ingredients etc etc)

It is very hard to find a product that will do heavy-lifting and is also cheap, for example, you're not going to be able to fade scars or deal with complex skin issues on the cheap. These things are quite expensive to research, which can translate to pricier products, for that reason I'm happy to splash out on serums or treatments.

Occasionally there is a miraculous cheap product, but it's a gamble, and just like my mum at the pub, you might be stuck with a dud.

So, if you're still with me after all that, here's the summary. Know what you want your skincare to do, and how much you think that costs, then purchase accordingly.

Does that make sense?