Monu Professional Skincare Hydrating Moisturiser SPF15

As part of June’s Glossybox (a monthly subscription beauty box) I received a sample sized bottle of Monu Professional Skincare Hydrating Moisturiser SPF15. Before trying this product, I had been using the same moisturiser for quite some time so I was looking forward to trying something new. Although I received a sample, a full 50ml sized bottle costs £29.95.

The product comes in a clear plastic bottle with a screw top cap. The bottle does have quite a lot of information printed on it in a light grey colour but it doesn’t look overly messy or too full. The bottle explains that this product is suitable for all skin types, has SPF 15 and that the moisturiser contains Vitamin E and Cassia Alata. There is also a more detailed list of ingredients on the back of the bottle. For a product that costs just under £30, I would have liked for this product to have nicer packaging.

As the bottle is see through, you are able to see the white cream inside. After unscrewing the lid, you can also see that the cream is quite thick and a quick smell which gives off a lovely, fresh citrus scent. The moisturiser looks and smells very appealing and that is without even putting it on my face! Unfortunately, the bottle isn’t very well designed in regards to getting the moisturiser out. While the bottle is full, you can easily give it a squeeze in order for some to pop up out of the top. When the bottle starts to get empty though like mine is now, the moisturiser stays at the bottom and is very hard to squeeze out.

During the summer I tend to get quite dry skin due to walking around in the sun so I really need a good conditioner to stop this from happening. This moisturiser is as thick as it looks in the bottle but when using on your skin, you don’t need to use as much as you may think. A little goes a long way with this one and it absorbs into the skin quite easily. While the thickness of the moisturiser is good in one way, it is not so good in another. After rubbing the moisturiser into my face, I have noticed that my skin is quite sticky/ balmy for a while afterwards. I have had to wait at least 15-20 minutes before applying my foundation which was quite annoying for me.

However, even with a few problems, I do like this moisturiser. After it has completely soaked into my skin, it feels extremely soft and my dry skin was cleared up in no time. I’m not sure if I would purchase a full size bottle though as £30 is a lot for a moisturiser, especially if you are unable to get into the bottom of the bottle. 

Superdrug Apricot Exfoliating Mask

As soon as the weather starts to get remotely nice, my skin gets extremely dry and I find myself having to look after it a lot more than I normally would. Face masks aren’t something I have used too much in the past but this year I decided to try something new. Superdrug often have offers on their face masks so I bought a few to see which I liked best and to see which were best for my skin. This review will be covering the Superdrug Apricot Exfoliating Mask.

Superdrug face masks cost 99p each for a single packet or can often be bought in a 4 for 3 offer.

This particular face mask comes in a lovely, bright orange plastic packet. Along with pictures of apricots, which is the featured ingredient of this scrub, there is also a picture of a woman using the mask. I really like the packaging for this product as it really stands out, looks tempting and is brightly coloured so can easily be seen on a shelf.

The back of the packet gives instructions on how to use this mask and they are as follows: Gently massage mask into a cleansed, dry face using your fingertips, avoiding the lip and eye area. Leave on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with warm water and pat face dry. After washing my face and drying off, I tore open the packet and began to apply to my face. As soon as I put some of the mask on my fingers, I could feel the rough parts which would be exfoliating my skin. This part of the mask is made from crushed walnut shells and apricot seeds which is something I have never heard of being used before. Also, there is a lovely smell of apricot which comes from the Apricot Kernel Oil. I really liked the scent of this product as it was fresh and fruity at the same time.

Unlike in the picture on the packet, this face mask is actually a cream colour and not the orange colour which is shown. This, I don’t mind but it would be nice to get the colour you are expecting it to be. After applying this mask to my whole face, the mask began to set quite quickly which in turn, made my face quite tight. This wasn’t an uncomfortable kind of tight though but the kind you always get with a face mask.

After the recommended 15 minutes, I removed the mask with a warm flannel and it came off my face with ease even with it feeling tight and as though it had set. After removing all of the mask, my skin felt fantastic. There had been a couple of dry patches that were quiet visible before using this and they were pretty much completely gone afterwards. I was so happy with how this mask made my skin feel and for 99p, it was a complete bargain. Also, there was enough left in the packet for another application.

This is definitely one of the better masks from Superdrug and I happily recommend it.

Premae Harmony Moisturising Balm

Every month I look forward to seeing what I’m going to get in my Glossybox, a subscription beauty box. In May’s box, amongst other items, I received a small tub of Premae Harmony Moisturising Crème Balm. This is not a brand I have heard of before nor did I really know what part of the body this product was for. I only received a small 10ml sample whereas the full size product is 30ml and costs a shocking £27.50. Considering that is only three times the size of my sample, I was expecting this crème to work wonders for that kind of price.

The crème comes in a small tub which is extremely basic in design. The sample design is exactly the same as the full size tub. Wrapped around the glass tub is a white label which has on it the name of the product ‘Harmony’ printed in black and with a yellow background. Underneath that is a description of the product as well as stating one of the ingredients. Now, if I was paying full price for this product, I would be extremely disappointed with the packaging. It doesn’t stand out, it doesn’t look overly nice and it definitely doesn’t look expensive.

This moisturising crème is also to be used as a primer, something which I have never used before on my face so I was very unsure about how well it would work. The crème also has ingredients such as lemongrass oil and aloe vera both of which sooth the skin. Unfortunately though, as soon as you unscrew the lid, it becomes clear that this crème does not carry the scents of the ingredients which was a massive shame.  

The crème itself is very thick in texture and due to the small sample size, I began to use it very sparingly. As this is intended as a moisturiser and face primer, I didn’t think the sample would last very long at all. However, even with the thick consistency, the crème goes quite a long way. You only need to use a little bit at a time and it softens up quickly as you begin to apply it to your skin. After applying the crème to my whole face, my skin did feel a little tight but nothing too uncomfortable and this did ease up.

After applying the crème, I then went on with my normal make-up routine and applied foundation. I do usually use a moisturiser beforehand but not one that also acts as a primer. I could definitely see the difference between the two different kinds of products. With this crème, my foundation went on a lot easier and looked a lot nicer. My skin had a flawless finish to it whereas sometimes, I can end up with some patchier bits on my forehead/ between my eyebrows. The crème also helped my foundation to look nicer for a lot longer than it normally does so because of this, I was impressed.

Although I did like this crème, I couldn’t justify paying such a price for it. I would, however, like to try different primers now so I could compare a cheaper one to this.