My Skinfluencers
Four Weeks, One Brand
Honest reviews by real people.
I could not be more excited about this monthly series. This is about you the community, giving genuine reviews on skincare. Every month, I will pick four of you to test out the product ranges I am sent. I only have one face - obvs - so I can't test every product. I also wanted to see how products can help different dilemmas. So I'll always pick testers from a variety of ages, ethnicity and skin types. Everything you read below is written by my wonderful team of testers. The reviews are all slightly different lengths and styles. I love that as it showcases their individual personalities. I haven't edited or adapted the pics they sent me in any way. I really hope that this gives you a real insight into a number of different brands. Please do comment below and let me know your thoughts.
Over to my Skinfluencers.
Jade Myhill
Age 33
Mum of three
Full time Nurse (THANK YOU)
Blotchy, dry sensitive skin
Testing the Lernberger Stafsing range
About the brand by the brand
A Swedish company founded by Patrik Lernberger and Mattias Stafsing. The products are unique and made from their own recipes. They are developed to give you pure, simple products with ingredients that are good for you. Cruelty free and vegan.
Products sent to Jade
The brand says:
A foaming gel cleanser that gently and effectively removes makeup, dirt and impurities whilst maintaining the skin's balance.
Jade says:
"Amazing, my face felt so clean after I used it. I felt that it instantly calmed my skin and did not leave it feeling dry or tight afterwards. I did use it as my second cleanse in the evening as it didn’t quite lift off my mascara as I hoped, still a really nice cleanser though."
The brand says:
A triple action plumping serum that will moisturise, soften and repair.
Jade says:
"My face felt instantly hydrated after I used this. I didn’t need much of the product but it did run out before the 4 weeks were up and I only used 2 pumps twice a day. Really nice serum however, when I did have to stop using i didn’t see or feel any difference in my overall skin hydration."
The brand says:
This is a weightless formula that combines moisturising ingredients with antioxidants to smooth, soften and protect.
Jade says:
"This was a really fresh, hydrating day cream. My skin instantly felt and looked hydrated and even after a 12 hour shift I did not have any red/dry areas. I didn't need any type of primer before applying makeup as this cream was a perfect base."
The brand says:
This works overnight to moisturise deeply and boost natural collagen production leaving your skin softer, smoother and revitalised.
Jade says:
"This cream was thick but not too heavy when I applied it, it instantly soothed and calmed my skin. Having all the key ingredients in one really nice cream made a huge difference as I wasn’t applying them all individually. In the morning my skin was noticeably plumper, healthier looking and felt so soft."
The brand says:
This is a high-performing complex of acids to instantly reduce pore size and dissolve impurities to reveal radiant skin.
Jade says:
"I used this mask as directed, but did not get the usual tingle that you get with bha/gycoloc acid and as described on the bottle, this made me feel as though it was not doing its job. It didn’t leave me red or sore though and was not irritating on my skin. My skin did look fresh the next morning but it was probably the only product that I could have done without."
Jade's After Pic 4 Weeks Later
Jade's Final Thoughts
"In general this range was amazing. I can personally see a difference in my skin and everyone keeps asking me what I’m using! It hasn't made me break out in spots or red blotches. It’s everything that I would normally use packed into the day/night creams and they feel luxurious. My skin feels incredibly soft and plump to touch. I have already re-ordered the night cream as I would not want to be without this now. The night cream is my new holy grail! My skin finally looks and feels like ‘normal’ skin and I am so happy!
Lisa's Thoughts
OMG Jade's review has made me so bloody happy. And from the before and after pics it's clear that her skin is now less red and more hydrated. Fantastic.
Anna-Marie Hopewell
Age 42
Ex freelance journalist. Was forced to give up work due to illness.
Skin is dry due to meds. She also suffers from dark circles due to chronic fatigue.
Testing Weleda
About the brand by the brand
Weleda is a brand committed to the wellbeing of our planet, people and the environment. All their products are sustainable and 100% natural.
Products sent to Anna Marie:
Anna-Marie's Before Pic with No Makeup
Anne-Marie's First Impression
"I have to be honest - when Lisa asked me to try the Weleda products, I had no idea what to expect. I had heard of the company name, but had no idea about what they produced. Furthermore, my only recollection was knowing they'd been around for a long time - possibly since the 80's? - but that was it. Not too sure about this, Lis..don't fancy wearing my Nanna's face cream!
When my parcel arrives, I'm delighted to find the Weleda Skincare products come in gorgeous, modern packaging - and their labels are pink and white - my fave colour is pink, so this immediately makes them trustworthy to me.
Inside my parcel is Almond Sensitive Skin Body Wash, Gentle Cleansing Foam & Sensitive Skin Face & Hand products. The packaging is unique, no plastic bottles or tubes in sight. All the products come in recyclable boxes. For example, their Almond Sensitive Facial Oil comes in a dark blue glass bottle. It looks great on your countertop and the glass protects the essential oils inside therefore helping them to last longer. The Almond Sensitive Soothing Facial Cream, Soothing Cleansing Lotion and Wild Rose Smoothing Eye Cream all come in thin metal tubes - the type you can roll down to get out every last drop.
I take my time to read all the instruction leaflets inside the boxes. This makes a big difference as it means I understand how each item is supposed to work. I suffer from extremely dry hyper-sensitive skin due to meds I take for a chronic pain condition. I also have periodic breakouts of eczema and scalp psoriasis due to dryness, so I'm really pleased to see the products are all sensitive and fragrance free. They say they actually "help to calm and protect the skin and reduce skin irritation."
Gorgeous pic by www.dalryroseblog.com
Week 1
"The first few days are so far, so good, but by Day 6 my skin starts reacting and I breakout in rash all over my cheeks and forehead. It's not painful but I'm worried if that means I can't continue to use the range!
I decide not to panic. I give my skin a break for 1 day and don't use anything at all and then I start using it again. I cannot believe it, but by the next day my skin has TOTALLY cleared up! The rash has completely disappeared and my skin is clearer than it was before. I put it down to my hyper sensitive skin adjusting itself to my new products and carry on happily."
Week 2
"My skin is so clear, better than its been in years. The creams are hydrating but also very light. I used to apply loads of layers of cream/oil because they never seemed to work for me - but these Weleda products are rich, smooth and cooling. I am using the face creams in conjunction with the Weleda Almond Sensitive Skin Body Wash and Gentle Cleansing Foam. The body wash is silky, no suds but makes you feel really clean once it's washed off. Again there's no fragrance, which takes me a minute to get used to as I'm used to using natural products with aromatic essential oils. So if you're a shower smells person this might not be your cup of tea but I actually grew to like it. The cleansing foam is so so soft -baby soft - and I loved it. You slightly wet the skin, rub it slowly in circles on your cheeks and forehead then rinse or wipe off. I used it morning and night ahead of the Almond Sensitive Soothing Cleansing Lotion. Both together work well to take off your makeup. I wasn't sure if it could handle mascara, but it did and the creamy cleanser made a nice change from my regular micellar water.
Week 3
"My skin is really changing! I am noticing that to my naked eye it's no longer so DULL! I used to have this slightly grey undertone which sounds funny to say with dark skin but yes, it's really a thing! My favourite thing has been to see the dullness begin to disappear, but that was one of my illnesses tell-tale signs. As I explained to Lisa when I signed up to be a Skinfluencer, since I got diagnosed 4 years ago, it's been a challenge to find all natural makeup and skincare products that work well for black skin. For ages I resorted to using just coconut oil all over my face and body, but was feeling like I was missing out on the pampering side of it all. I longed to be able to say "I use ____ night cream" and "I recommend ___ for fine lines". I wanted an easy Day to Night routine like those videos on Vogue's YouTube channel, but I also needed to find products that were; gluten free, paraben free, sulphate free, fragrance free, worked for black skin - oh and didn't cost the Earth itself! Enter = Weleda, apparently making perfect potions since 1921 (says so on the box!) and averaging around £15. Could this be love??"
Anna-Marie's After pic 4 Weeks Later
Anna-Marie's Final Thoughts
"It IS love! Now after many weeks of testing, I can say that I really recommend the products especially if you have super sensitive skin. The body wash and gentle cleansing foaming are both amazing. So soft and yet very effective and no stinging eyes. The face products and hand cream have kept my skin hydrated and I can see a real improvement in my skins texture and complexion. The dullness has reduced and I feel like I have a natural glow even before using my highlighter. I also didn't need to add any other moisturizer as I usually would with dark skin and with the current lockdown, it's a great time to try something new whilst we're all still WFH.
So in conclusion, if like me, you've had skin concerns but been hesitant to give anything a try in case of adverse reactions, I'd say look no further. The Weleda products are formulated brilliantly so as to give your skin just what it needs: cleansing without drying, hydrating without being oily/tacky, and soothing when overly-heated or irritated - all at an affordable price point. Honestly, what not to love?
Lisa's Thoughts
"I'm so pleased that these products worked for Anna-Marie. It's always tricky to find the right skincare when you have hyper-sensitive skin. These Weleda beauties seem to have been the answer."
Tracy Kitching
Age 50
Teaching assistant and nail technician
Normal to dry skin with an oily forehead and nose.
Testing Aurelia
About the brand by the brand
Aurelia Probiotic Skincare is made in Britain, with the purest of BioOrganic ingredients sourced sustainably from around the world. We want our products to make a real difference to women by delivering glowing, balanced skin every day.We push the boundaries of science and nature and have celebrated winning over 100 industry and consumer awards since 2013 for our brand and beautiful products
The products sent to Tracy
Tracy's Before Pic with no makeup
Tracy's First Impressions
Week 1 "All of the products have a lovely smell, the day oil especially has a lovely relaxing aroma. I worried that using the oil would make my oily t zone worse but it actually hasn't. The cleanser is very smooth.I would definitely add an exfoliator into this routine, but the cleanser alone does leave my skin feeling lovely and clean. Moisturiser leaves my skin feeling really hydrated. So far, so good👍"
Week 2
"This week my skin has felt a bit dry. No dry patches to see or feel but it feels like its lacking moisture. Not sure if change from external situations is the cause. The stress because of our current situation plus being outside in the play ground - I'm trying to give kids more space - will impact on my skin. However I will continue with my skin regime."
Week 3
"I'm continuing to follow my beauty regime as per instructions on products. Night oil alone does not give me enough moisture. So I've have added the moisturiser at night too for an extra boost."
Week 4
"Continued using all products. My skin feels really clean from using the cleanser. I quite like the moisturiser but would need to use this day and night. I love the day oil. The smell is very relaxing. Using this then moisturiser is a good combo. I dont really feel the night oil is enough. I much prefer using it with the moisturiser."
Tracy's After Pic 4 Weeks Later
Tracy's Final Thoughts
"I would definitely continue with using the cleanser and the day moisturiser. I really loved them. My skin looks glowing."
Lisa's Thoughts
"Tracy's skin looks lovely. I would always use a night cream and a night oil, so Trace def did the right thing by adding the moisturiser into her evening routine. These products do smell incredible and, from the looks of it, have worked a treat on Tracy's skin."
Neermal Doolub
Age 42
Yoga teacher
Oil skin dark circles
Testing MZ skincare
About the brand by the brand
Created by Dr.Maryam Zamani, a facial aesthetics doctor and surgeon. Dr.Zamani wanted to create a simple, consistent daily skincare routine using ingredients and formulations that will reveal, enhance and protect your skin.
Neermal's First Impressions
Pink Packaging - not really appealing to most boys
Clear on the packaging easy to understand what each product is for
Easy to follow instructions, didn't have to keep going back to them wondering if I was using the product correctly
Konjac Sponge is AMAZING! It's gentle but feels like it cleans my face deeper than my usual clinique face scrub and face wash and is a lot less harsh.
Cleanse and Clarify - smells nice and is gentle on the skin, I'm not sure if it would feel like my skin was clean without using it with the sponge.
Brighten and Perfect - it smells awful (a bit pukey tbh) but it's easy to apply on the face. I like that in comparison to other serums I've used, it doesn't soak into my hands before I can apply it to my face. My face feels brighter after application. My skin definitely felt less oily with this product and it lasted well through the day. Other benefits are that it doesn't mottle in my beard so is easy to apply to the whole face.
Depuff and Define - This isn't easy to apply and would often leave a whitish layer on my skin. Not sure if this is because of my skin colour or if I was applying too much. I always wondered whether it's the actual cream or the tapping and application technique that make the biggest difference around the eye area. Maybe a combination of both?
After 3 days' use, very noticeably, my pores were very open (almost like orange peel), my skin was less oily and the typical deep blackheads on my forehead were opening and easier to release.
Weeks 1-2 of usage, my skin looked noticeably, clearer and brighter and definitely less oily. Less puffiness and dark circles around my eyes.
Weeks 2-4 - Not as noticeable a difference but still happy with the results.
Neermal's After Pic
Neermal's Final Thoughts
Definitely better than products I’ve used previously. My skin definitely feels less oily and is clearer of my usual problem blackheads. I’ve always gone for products that would really ‘feel’ like they were cleaning my face deeply but on reflection I've realised that maybe this wasn't the best match for my skin. Am not sure if after four weeks the cleaning benefits of the sponge have worn off. I’ve been careful to maintain its condition. Even though the eye cream left a whitish layer on my skin, I wouldn’t be against using it but would like to know why this happens. The brighten and perfect is a great product but I detest the smell of it. That said it wouldn’t put me off continuing to use it because the results were so great.
Lisa's Thoughts
Neermal's skin looks smoother, more even and I feel like his dark circles have faded slightly. Loved the comments about the smell. We are so used to products smelling good, that sometimes that can make up believe the product is working when it's not. This proves to me that the bright and perfect must be exceptional, which you would hope for that price!
Joanna Phillips
Age 50
Community project co-ordinator
Normal skin with dark circles
Testing Omorovicza
About the brand by the brand
They have developed and patented the Healing Concentrate™, a unique complex that is able to deliver the therapeutic minerals to the deepest layers of the skin. The magic comes from the thermal baths of Hungary. These are called the 'healing waterside to their unique mix of minerals and trace elements.
The products sent to Jo
Jo's Before Pic with no makeup
Jo's First Impressions
"I've never found anything to help my dark circles so I'm excited to try these.
All the products look and smell lovely. You can tell they are premium by the packaging. I've never really been consistent with my skincare products, so this will be interesting.
Week 1
The products are a real joy to apply. The cleanser removes all makeup and leaves my skin feeling soft. The eye cream smells good, has a light texture and absorbs well. I'd say that the vitamin C cream is my favourite so far. I've seen a slight improvement with the tone of my skin, but no significant changes on the eye area after the first week.
Week 2
I'm really enjoying these products and am starting to notice a difference.
Week 3
I am suitably impressed as time goes on. The results are definitely visible and it’s taught me 1, things you don’t particular enjoy using can be the best things for results and 2, keep going with products and be consistent and the results will come.
Week 4
Wow !! I have continued to use all three products and now I'm seeing major results.
Before and after pic of Jo's eye's
Jo's Final Thoughts
My skin feels transformed. It's much brighter and it's like there's more life in my skin. I can't believe how much my eye bags have reduced. I'm well happy! I will definitely be buying the eye cream and Vitamin C again.
Lisa's Final Thoughts
Dark circles are a big dilemma for many. I can't believe the difference of Jo's. So pleased she stuck to the routine. It was worth it.
So that's the end of this months Skinfluencers journey.
Please comment below and let me know your thoughts.
It's given me a real insight into these products, and I hope it's done the same for you.
We'll have 5 more wonderful people testing next month.
Keep an eye on my instagram to see how to apply.
Love & lipstick,
Lisa x
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