KORE Skincare - An Introduction And Review

Hello Lovelies,

I'm sure you'll be aware by now that I'm a bit of a lot of a skincare geek, my interest in skin care started after me having major issues with my own skin a few years ago, I started to research and try new brands and products and quickly became really interested and I still have a real passion for it.

I have recently been trying out some products from an Australian skincare brand KORE, a brand that up until recently I hadn't heard of, but like I said I love to research and try new products and brands so this was a perfect opportunity for me to do both.

KORE skincare as I said are an Australian skincare brand, they focus on producing superior natural skincare products using their trademarked 'Kore Complex' plus natural ingredients and AHA's found in fruit and vegetable extracts, all their products are paraben free and are developed without any form of animal testing.

KORE Skincare Luxury Starter Travel Pack* 

I received the KORE luxury starter travel pack which contained 7 products, Foaming Cleanser, Pearl Optimal Repair Cream, Pearl Gentle Exfoliator, Restorative Day Cream, Pearl Intensive Serum, Repairing Eye Cream and Pearl Revitalising Toner. 

The Products

Foaming Cleanser - I don't usually use a foaming cleanser as I find them drying and already having really dry skin they don't work for me but I didn't find that with this one, it is more of a milk than a soapy type foaming cleanser, I added a little to my hand, mixed with water then applied all over my face and wiped away with a face cloth. When mixed with water the cleanser was a milky type consistency and applied well and was easy to remove, my skin was left feeling smooth and clean. In the booklet I received with my pack it does say the cleanser can be used to removed make up but I don't like to use my cleanser as a make up remover I take my make up off before I cleanse so I can't comment on that I'm afraid.

Repairing Eye Cream - This was one of my favourite products in the pack, it sank into my skin with ease and felt instantly hydrating, the serum definitely lives up to it's claims of being "designed to tone and hydrate" it was very hydrating and felt lovely, I only needed to use a small amount too, a little goes a long way.

Pearl Intensive Serum - I love a good serum and this one didn't disappoint, it sank into my extremely dehydrated skin with ease, containing hyaluronic acid it is perfect for dehydration but is also designed to combat signs of premature ageing too something a lady of my age certainly needs help with! 

Pearl Revitalising Toner - Again one of my favourites from the pack I really liked this toner, I used it by spritzing onto a cotton pad and sweeping all over my face, it contains AHA's so gently exfoliates but also contains Aloe Vera so it is soothing at the same time, I loved to use the toner in a morning as it felt cooling on the skin and left my skin feeling fresh and me feeling awake, it is a lovely product. 

Pearl Gentle Exfoliator - I haven't used a granular exfoliator for a long time, probably around 2 years now, I much prefer using an acid toner for exfoliation but I did find it quite nice to use, again as with all the products I tried, a little went a long way. It didn't feel overly abrasive on my skin or harsh at all and my skin was left feeling smooth. 

Pearl Optimal Repair Cream - I used this as my night time moisturiser but it can be used as both a day and night cream, it is a rich hydrating repair cream that moisturises and hydrates the skin, it is gentle but powerful and left my skin feeling very soft, hydrated and moisturised. 

Restorative Day Cream - Less rich than the optimal repair cream, I used this as my morning moisturiser and even though it isn't as rich as the optimal repair cream my skin still felt hydrated and moisturised, it contains vitamin E which helps the skin to feel silky smooth and mine certainly did. 

My Overall Thoughts

I liked all the products in the pack, my stand out favourites were definitely the eye cream and the toner, but I did enjoy using all the products. The products felt premium and were nice to use, I liked that they contained ingredients targeted at premature ageing and firming and brightening the skin, which is something I do look for when buying skincare, all the products were nice to use and a little product went a long way.  I liked that the products don't contain parabens, which is again something I look for and that they aren't developed using animal testing. Overall they are nice products containing great ingredients, I think the products in the pack are more aimed at anti ageing so they may not be for the very young but if you're looking for some anti ageing skincare products KORE may definitely be for you.

The Luxury Starter Travel Pack I received isn't available to purchase on it's own but comes as a free gift when you spend over £100 and is worth £62.00, it's a great little pack and was fabulous as a way for me to try the brand but would also be amazing to take on holiday. 

If you would like try some of the KORE products, you can find them online at the KORE website they also have an FAQ page which you can find here. 

Are you a skincare geek? Do you like trying new brands and products? 

Thank you for reading, much love as always, 

Zoe x

Elegant Touch Professional Cuticle Pusher And Nail Cleaner - Review

Elegant Touch Cuticle Pusher & Nail Cleaner* £9.50

Hello Lovelies, 

It's pretty obvious by now that I love nail products,  polishes are my first love but I do love all nail products too. You may have seen the review I did recently on the May edition of nailbox,  in my nailbox was an Elegant Touch Professional Cuticle Pusher And Nail Cleaner, I have been using wooden orange sticks for months now since losing the cuticle pusher I did have but they're not the best to be honest so I was really pleased to see the cuticle pusher and nail cleaner in the box. 

To be brutally honest before I not got my nailbox to review I probably wouldn't have considered spending £9.50 on a nail tool, but since using it I 100% would re purchase and would definitely recommend it, it is amazing! It does a fantastic job at pushing back my cuticles in no time at all and the nail cleaner is an added bonus and works brilliantly too. 

The first time I used the cuticle pusher and nail cleaner I thought it was fantastic, it is so good, and the rubber handle makes it easy and comfortable to use and non slip and there's a 5 year guarantee too which is brilliant and since using and loving the cuticle pusher and nail cleaner, I also have my eye on the Elegant Touch Cuticle Nipper too now, and if that is as good as the cuticle pusher it will be great.  

I would without a shadow of a doubt recommend the Elegant Touch Professional Cuticle Pusher And Nail Cleaner it is a fantastic product and does the job in no time at all, you get exactly what it says on the tin, it really is a brilliant nail tool and I will most certainly be re purchasing as and when I need to and exploring more of the products in the range. 

If you would like to purchase your own cuticle pusher and nail cleaner you can find it at Look Fantastic (inc free delivery) Feel Unique and Boots priced at £9.50. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always, 

Zoe x

NOTD - China Glaze Shell O

Hello Lovelies, 

Today I have another NOTD post for you, if this is your first time reading a NOTD post and you're wondering what NOTD means it means nail of the day. In my NOTD posts I tell you which polish or polishes I've used in the photographs including top coat and base coat if I've used them and I will give you a mini review of the polish including application and wear time, I feel this is important because it's fine to see a polish you like the look of but knowing someones thoughts on it I feel is  important too.

So today's NOTD is the China Glaze Shell O polish, a gorgeous neon coral shade, it's perfect for summer and I love the colour.

I really like China Glaze polishes for their colour range and different finishes, they do some amazing collections too, but the one thing I don't like about them is they don't last well on my nails, even with my HG top coat the Orly Glosser I am lucky to get 2 days wear time from one of their polishes but I don't let it put me off because I do love the polishes and as I said the range is amazing. 

Shell O is a polish from the On The Shore Sunsational China Glaze collection, I love the collection it's one of my favourites, such amazing summery shades. Shell O is a beautiful colour and one I adore but to achieve the opaque finish in the photographs above I need to use 6 or 7 coats of the polish, each coat dries fairly quickly so it isn't too bad but it is something to think about before purchasing, it doesn't bother me too much because I adore the shade and get so many compliments when I wear it. I also used my Orly Glosser top coat in the photographs above to achieve the amazing shine on my nails.

Despite the amount of coats needed Shell O is a beautiful colour, there's no denying it, it's perfect for summer, looks great on both fingers and toes and I love it, the amount of coats needed doesn't put me off at all because they dry fairly quickly and the results are amazing, it really is a beautiful polish. 

If you would like to try Shell O you can fine it at Nail Polish Direct for £3.95 this includes P&P, I used Nail Polish Direct all the time and they are a fantastic company especially for a nail polish addict like me, you can also find my HG top coat the Orly Glosser top coat on Nail Polish Direct for £11.10 again including P&P, all orders include P&P which is fantastic! 

Have you tried China Glaze? Which is your favourite polish? 

Thank you for reading, much love as always, 

Zoe x

Benefit Porefessional License To Blot Review

Hello Lovelies, 

If you're a regular blog reader or social media lover or both, I'm sure you'll have heard about Benefits new addition to their POREfessional range, Benefit POREfessional License To Blot. Today I'm going to share my thoughts on it. 

What Benefit Say About License To Blot

BLOT on the spot! This instant oil-blotting stick with tiny invisible blotting spheres mattifies shine for up to 6 hours after application.* The specially designed triangular tip targets shiny zones…the sides of your nose, forehead and chin. Oil has finally met its matte!

*instrumental test on 10 panelists 

100% saw continuous mattifying action*
97% said it helps minimize the look of pores*
100% said it absorbs excess surface oil*
*consumer panel survey on 30 women over 7 days

My Thoughts

I have very dry and dehydrated skin so when I received the POREfessional License To Blot I thought it may not be for me because I don't have an oily skin and it is an instant oil blotting stick,  but that said I do have issues with shine control, because of my super dry skin and having to use rich moisturisers and skin care products my skin can often look very shiny so I wondered if it would help with that and also help with my pores which are an issue for me. 

The License To Blot comes in a triangular shaped tube with a wheel at the base so you can twist the product up to use it, the triangular design makes application easy and I did find it super easy to use. I apply the product over my make up before I powder to my forehead and chin where I find I look most shiny and to my nose, the sides of my nose and my cheeks where I feel my pores are visible. 

Benefit POREfessional License To Blot £15.50*

I find the best way for me to use the product is to use a light hand and either apply straight from the tube or use my ring finger and rub it around the top of the product and then dab the product onto the areas I want it, I do have to say my make up does come off onto the product and this is something I don't like so for me using my ring finger is my preferred method when using the product and although my make up does come off onto the product my make up doesn't slide or move when using it which is something I did have concerns about. 

The product is colourless on the skin and did a great job of concealing my pores and banishing the shine from my forehead and chin, I wouldn't say I agreed with the product lasting 6 hours, for me it was more like 4 but it's a nice compact tube and can be easily stored in my handbag should I need to touch up on the go. 

Overall Thoughts

The License To Blot is mostly targeted at oil control but for me it is the ability to conceal my pores I am most impressed with, it did do a great job of eliminating shine but the effect it had on my pores was extremely impressive, I really liked it and think for the amount I need to use the price isn't bad either. 

Obviously I can't speak for oily skins but for me it's a great little product for my pores and shine control. If you would like to try the Benefit License To Blot it is available from the Benefit website, Boots, Debenhams and Feel Unique and is priced at £15.50. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always,

Zoe x