REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask

REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask - 50ml - £30.00*

Now, I'm sure we would all like skin which is a little more radiant and I for one am no exception. I've always suffered with skin that is a little on the lacklustre side, to say the least. So when REN came along with this little gem, I knew I needed to give it a try. The Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask* certainly packs a punch! It's full of bio extracts - fruit acids and various acids, to be exact - which act as chemical exfoliants to slough away dead skin cells and leave skin feeling renewed and more radiant. It also claims to even out skin tone - what more could you want?

The mask itself has been likened to the consistency of jam, and I can't argue with that. It's sticky, translucent orange and does smell slightly sweet. The important thing here is not the mask's resemblance to jam, however, but its ability to live up to its ambitious claims. Does it ramp up my skin's radiance? In a word, yes. I can feel a slight tingle when I apply this to my skin, which I personally really like. For a skincare product, it's unlikely to see instant results but with this mask, I do notice that my skin looks perked up and more even immediately after using the mask. I've been using this for the past few months every week or two, and I can definitely say that my skin is more even and if I ever need a little glow boost before a special event, this is the mask that I crack out for the occasion.

I find myself using at least 1-2 pumps to cover my entire face, so I can see myself running out sooner than I'd like. But it's definitely worth the investment! At £30 for 50ml, it isn't the cheapest of products out there but as I always say, skincare should be an investment and that's something that I'll always stick by. For reference, my skin is combination/oily, prone to breakouts with sensitivity around the nose and cheeks. REN do warn that customers with sensitive skin should approach this product with caution, however it didn't flare up my sensitive areas at all.

If you're after a face mask which actually delivers on its promises, this is the one for you. Have you tried any other REN products that you'd recommend? What's your go-to product for ramping up the radiance?

November Empties

Happy December, everyone! I know it's clichéd to say this, but how fast is this year going?! Christmas is looming and I'm trying to get through as many products as I can to make room for new things this month. I'm really rubbish at finishing products, I've lost count of the amount of half-used products lying around my flat. I think I get bored too easily and always want to try something new, unless I really really love something!

This month, I've gotten through 7 products which is really good for me! First up is a sample of LUSH Ro's Argan Body Conditioner*. It has the same concept of hair conditioner, you apply it to clean, wet skin and then rinse off. I've never come across a product like this before, but I have to say I am in love. This has the most divine scent, and that's coming from the girl who hates rose-scented things! It's a gorgeous sweet, rose scent and most importantly, it does its job and it does its job damn well. I got 2 uses out of my sample, and I am definitely buying the full-size tub ASAP.

Next is LUSH American Cream Conditioner. I won this back in September at a LUSH event, and it took me ages to use it up. It's marketed as a double strength conditioner, but I still felt like my ends needed that little bit extra moisture. It smells bloody gorgeous, but I don't think I'll repurchase because it just didn't have that 'wow' factor for me.

To round off my LUSH empties, I also managed to use up a fresh face mask this month called Cosmetic Warrior. This is packed full of fresh garlic and antiseptic tea tree oil, and is a more potent version of the popular Cupcake. It's basically Cupcake's big sister, perfect for battling breakouts and troublesome skin. I'm on the fence with this one, the smell was a massive turn-off for me and I don't feel like it did great things to my skin. It felt a little drying, but my normally oily skin has been a bit weird with the weather recently so that might not be the face mask's fault! I won't repurchase it any time soon because there are lots of other face masks I want to try, but I may well try it again in the future.

Much to my disappointment, my lovely wee bottle of The Body Shop Vanilla EDT ran out this month. I bloody love this scent, it's the perfect pure vanilla fragrance that lingers all day. And it's been discontinued. So I'm not a happy bunny, but luckily I do have a back-up bottle that I'll be using very sparingly now! If anyone has any suggestions for something which is similar to this, please let me know!

I finally finished up my État Pur Micellar Water which I received months ago in a Latest in Beauty box. I liked this when I was going through a cleansing water phase, but I now use an oil-based balm cleanser which I much prefer in the colder months. I probably would repurchase this because it really does its job, but I prefer it more in the warmer seasons.

Finally, a couple of make-up items! I finished up the much raved about Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, and I have already bought a back-up to replace it because it is probably the best concealer I have tried and for its £4-something price tag, well, it'd be rude not to. I also used up my MAC Eye Brows in Lingering which was a good eyebrow pencil, but I have been using a cheaper alternative which I'm getting along fine with, so I don't think I'll repurchase.

So, those are my November empties! I'm now on a mission to use up more products before I buy new ones, but we'll see how long that lasts...

xoxo