I’m definitely going through a good skin phase at the moment (probably just jinxed myself by typing that though). I feel I’ve found a skincare routine that works very well for me and that sticking to it is really paying off. I’m also positive that my hormones must be doing all the right things at the moment as the appearance of my skin is very much effected by the usual hormonal ups and downs that I’m sure all of us experience. I’m also making a concerted effort to drink as much water as possible which definitely gives me more of a glow and helps me look less knackered (I hope). Anyway, I thought I’d share a couple of my current skin heroes with you all.

ESPA Hydrating Cleansing Milk and Floral Spafresh

What I love:

• I’ve never used a cleansing milk before (I’ve always been strictly a face wash kind-of-girl) but this product was used during a facial I had and I was really impressed. It has the texture of a light lotion. I smooth a small amount over my face before rinsing with warm water and a muslin cloth. I really didn’t believe that it would leave my skin feeling thoroughly cleansed but amazingly it does. When I have foundation I need to remove I do a double cleanse (like they would in a facial) but I use a separate eye make-up remover for mascara etc. It’s packed full of skin softening ingredients and you can really smell the rose oil when you apply it (which I love). I can credit this cleanser with completely eliminating the dry patches on my cheeks that had been plaguing me for ages as well as making my complexion much brighter (though the muslin cloth will have played a part here too). The packaging also tells me that the cleansing milk can be used as a light moisturiser but I’ve not tried this.
• The Floral Spafresh is a sort of toner but it’s like none that I’ve ever used before! This doesn’t have an astringent effect at all… there is no horrible alcohol smell which I tend to associate with toners. Instead it seems to act like an additional hydration step, almost locking in the moisturising properties of the cleanser. It’s incredibly calming and smoothing. It also smells amazing. At night I really soak my cotton pad and apply it liberally and allow my skin to drink it up. (The closest I’ve come to a product like this would be LUSH’s Breath of Fresh Air which represents a much cheaper, although not quite as wonderful, alternative) .

What I hate:

• The price. These beauties set me back about £20 each for 200ml bottles and they really didn’t last as long as I’d like! However, from experience I now think the cleansing milk can be used more sparingly than I was when I fist started using it (approx a 20p size amount should do the trick). However, I can’t help wondering if their is a cheaper alternative to the cleansing milk… it seems like such a simple product.
• The Packaging. Although it looks lovely on my bathroom shelf it’s not very practical at all. The big chunky, thick glass bottles don’t have a pump or spray. This can make it difficult to get the right amount of product at times.

Overall I’m impressed with my ESPA experience. I really enjoyed the facial I had and these products delivered good results. If you’re after a luxury natural range I think it’s definitely worth a look.

Loveaudrey xxx