Dr Hauschka Play of Light

This is my last post for Dr Hauschka for a while so it’s a bit of a double whammy.

Lipstick has been a no-no for me for many years, my lips are pretty thin and when I wear it I feel (possibly look) like a cross between a child trying lipstick on and an old granny painting bright lipstick on her non-existent lips. I have no confidence in even experimenting with it and (probably because I will only pay a minimal prices for a rubbish lipstick due to my knowing that it will only be used once or twice) when I have experimented I end up with it on my teeth and everything, I really am a kid or that dinner lady who always had lipstick on her teeth, remember her?

When I met up with the Dr Hauschka ladies they introduced me to lots of new and different lipsticks and to be honest I was terrified! I could handle the spa treatments, skincare products and nail varnishes but with lipstick I am out of my depth! In Conclusion to this I have decided to give the lipsticks a try and see what all the fuss is about, on this occasion I shall be trying out the latest and limited edition lipstick for Autumn/ winter 2013/14 Play of Light collection from Dr Hauschka.

I have been given one of the cool shades No 11 Astonishing Pink to try out, the Novum Lipsticks are sheer and glossy yet buildable so you can wear them as subtle glimpse of colour or build them up for a more vivid and dramatic look. I shall go for the subtle colour of one layer of lipstick on this occasion, being a lipstick novice and will attempt to build up the colour on future applications!

As with all Dr Hauschka products these new lipsticks not only enhance your looks but also actively care for your lips using medicinal herbs and fine argan oil to nourish your lips and I have to say this feels like the best lip balm ever!!  I have problems with lip balms and lipsticks that have caused irritation and dryness, I am allergic to loads of products and I am pleased to say, I do not appear to be allergic to any Dr Hauschka products so it’s a win win for me! My lips feel really soft and almost fuller which has confused me.  After taking a few photographs of myself wearing the lipstick I realise that the Astonishing Pink Lipstick matches my hair, I couldn’t have been given a better shade to try out, could I? Dr Hauschka promote that the new lipsticks colour will adapt to your individual skin tone and combine with the natural hue of your lips to create your own personal shade for you, which to me says anyone can wear any colour and I actually think this particular shade suits me! I like it that it is glossy and that you can build it up to a more vivid colour. 

Dr Hauschka also recommend wearing  the No 11 Astonishing Pink shade with black liquid liner for a more dramatic look, not one to shy away from a dramatic look,  I shall be wearing this look to work tomorrow. Watch this space!!

 For my second product review  I shall be using the Dr Hauschka  Rejuvenating Face Mask, which was used during my Dr Hauschka facial with the lovely Alex at the Dr Hauschka  flagship counter at Harvey Nichols, Bristol, see the review here http://no-debutante.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/my-dr-hauschka-facial-experience.html

On this occasion I shall be leaving the mask on overnight for a deep cleanse, this also seems a bit out of my comfort zone to leave a face mask on all night, so I will let you know how I get on! I shall cleanse and tone my face using the  Dr Hauschka Cleansing Cream and Clarifying Toner which I have been using day and night and have been very happy with since my post on the products  - find the post here http://no-debutante.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/my-new-favourite-cleansing-routine.html 

 I shall apply the face mask by gently patting it onto the skin and will remove it with a warm damp cloth in the morning! Dr Hauschka only recommend using this product once or twice a week so I am not sure that you should use the Rejuvenating Face mask as an over night deep cleanser too often!

After applying the face mask I could feel the product on my face but it was not visible like a usual face mask. It has a lemon scent and feels quite refreshing and clean but moisturising, and it hasn't made my skin feel taught. I am happy to leave this product on over night.

 The result the following morning….My skin didn’t feel taught, in fact it felt pretty well moisturised and soft and was actually glowing, it felt great! After I had removed the product I applied the award winning Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream and popped on the lip balm like Astonishing Pink Novum Lipstick and was ready to roll! 

I am becoming a  big Dr Hauschka fan, now go and get yours!!

Thanks for following.

ND xx

My new favourite cleansing routine using Dr Hauschka Cleansing Cream and Clarifying Toner!

I was lucky enough to meet up with the ladies from Dr Hauschka recently who adorned me with lots of amazing products to try out and promote. I thought I would start with the Dr Hauschka goodie bag I received from the lovely Alex at the Harvey Nicholls flagship store, here in Bristol and then work my way through the products when I can.

I have chosen to try out the first products after a very busy day at work which continued into my home life so I needed some pampering! After battling with the usual kids’ bedtime mayhem, Phil went off to band practise leaving me to get started on the pampering.

All of the products that I am talking about today are new to me and I really must encourage myself and others out there to use your cosmetic products and gifts, I know lots of people that seem to save them for a special occasion?? This is total madness!! Let’s crack on and make good use of these products!

I have been using the Dr Hauschka Lemon Bath Oil every morning and evening for about a month now. I pop a few drops into warm water in my bathroom sink and using face cloth (or flannel as it’s commonly known in the UK!) I cleanse my skin by gently pressing the face cloth onto my face and the mix of the warm water and the lemon scent is really relaxing and smells amazing! Apparently I need to try the Lavender Bath Oil for night time but I shall await my next visit to the Dr Hauschka counter for more of these Bath Oil treats! Since using the Lemon Bath Oil, I have noticed my skin has  a bit of a glow to it and there are no dry patches on my skin at all! I found out that too much bath oil plus a night time moisturiser is too heavy and made my skin a bit oily but Dr Hauschka do recommend, to my surprise, that night time moisturisers prevent the skin from breathing, so I have held back on the amount of moisturiser used but couldn’t quite let it go altogether. Overall I love the Lemon Bath Oil as a product so far but I am interested to find out how my skin copes with the harsh British Winter and if the Dr Hauschka products can keep my dry skin and eczema at bay, only time will tell! I have just started using the award winning (People’s Hero list winner 2013) Rose Day Cream in the morning after cleansing with the Lemon Bath Oil, I love the smell of this product and it is a great moisturiser and is light but you can feel it working on your skin, I only have a sample of this product and want more already!!! 

Today I am trying out a new cleansing and toning regime using Dr Hauschka Cleansing Cream (number two in their People’s Hero list from 2013! Being pipped to the post by the Rose day Cream) You can use the Cleansing Cream both mornings and evenings and offers deep cleansing and is a gentle exfoliant, it contains herbal extracts that activate the skins natural cleansing and I shall be using the product alongside the Dr H Clarifying Toner as tonight’s skin care routine.

You need to remove your make up, I just used some warm water and the face cloth, I do not wear layers of make up so It is quite easy for me to remove but harsh scrubbing is not recommended! You cannot use the Cleanser and Toner on your eyes so you can remove any eye make the usual way. Can I just say having your hair up in a high victory roll is perfect for face cleansing and watch out, you are about to see a photograph of me with no make-up! Sorry!

I dabbed half an inch of the Cleansing Cream, which has the appearance of a facial scrub but there shall be no scrubbing here, onto damp skin and I gently patted the product onto the skin, it has a fresh feeling to it and I could feel my skin getting a little taught so added a drop more water. I worked this into the skin and then removed it with warm water by hand and as recommended I splashed cool water onto my face which was really refreshing.  My face is now feeling a little polished and cleansed so I complete the process using the Dr Haushcka Clarifying Toner, there is a mild scent of witch hazel that reminds me of being a little kid, in a good way, the toner helps to remove the appearance of oily skin, blemishes and open pores and is again very refreshing, my skin feels really clean!!  I dabbed the toner onto my dewy skin using a few drops until I felt the product was evenly spread out and I have not added a moisturiser,  which is alien to me! I’m not sure how my skin can cope without extra moisture but I shall do as Dr Hauschka do and see how my skin feels and looks in the morning! I am going to continue to use this product for a week or so (or until my samples run out) there may be a conclusion post in the near future, so watch this space! 

The Conclusion
Although I was a bit concerned about the no moisturiser thing, my skin felt soft and not taught or sore like I was expecting the following morning and I used the same products again followed by the Rose Day Cream. My skin felt fresh, cleansed and I could even smell the Rose Cream and Witch hazel on my skin when I was on the bus for the morning commute to work which was very pleasant! Shall I be using the product again? Yes, tonight, I am actually looking forward to using it again, which confuses me, I don't usually look forward to removing my make up! 

I shall be attempting to write a product post once a week but in the meantime why don’t you get yourselves down to your nearest Dr Hauschka counter and get yourself a facial?? Remember for UK customers you can get yourself a facial for £25 which is redeemable against any products you buy, so if like me, you get a liking for Dr Haushcka products, when you pop in to buy your much needed product you might get a free facial out of it! That is what I shall be doing when I go and get my wish list Lavender Bath Oil!! Free facial? Yes please!

Thanks for following me and for all your lovely comments! The next post shall be a much needed catch up with my personal style pics, followed by a post on the first of my  Autumn Winter 2013/14 favourite collections, I am finally going to allow Autumn to arrive but only in the name of fashion!! 

ND xx

My Dr Hauschka Facial Experience!

I was lucky enough to be invited along to a complimentary Dr Hauschka facial at their flagship counter at Harvey Nichols, Bristol. I am no stranger to spa treatments and jumped at the chance of a facial treatment as I love them, I am always interested in how I can perfect my skincare routine as I have been having a battle with my skin since my teens! I guess I am lucky enough not to have many wrinkles for my age (I’m in my late 30s!! How did this happen??) but a combination skin type and an E45 allergy (who is allergic to E45 for god sakes??) I am generally put off using any skin care cleansing products at all. Most recently I have been using Simple face wipes to remove my make-up and a NO.7 moisturiser, that’s it, so I am definitely up for any advice that the Dr Hauschka team could give me.

To be honest, I hadn’t actually heard of Dr Hauschka products previous to the complimentary treatment and I also felt a bit wary about whether they had treatment rooms, or whether would I be put on a pedestal and have the treatment in front of the whole of the Harvey Nics Beauty Dept?? I shouldn’t have worried I found the Dr Hauschka counter easily, right next to some tempting Vivien Westwood jewellery, and was greeted by the softly spoken and lovely Dr Hauschka counter manager and natural skincare expert, Alex who led me through to the Harvey Nichols treatment rooms (result!). The room was softly lit and calming - just what I needed - I was, as usual, in a rush and had already panicked that the treatment would run over and I would be late to pick up the kids, you can see why I really need these pampering treatments! Alex talked me through the products and asked about my skin care routine (or lack of it) and which treatment I would prefer with which products and provided me with a personalised treatment tailor made to my requirements! I got myself settled and ready for the treatment, which I was really looking forward to!

I pretty much start to fall asleep during any facial or massage treatments as soon as I hear trickling water. I had my face wrapped up in very warm, damp muslins and had one put on my neck and shoulders too for a hot neck compress, it already felt amazing and then the smell of lavender hit me! The lavender smell came from the Lavender Bath essential oil that relaxes and soothes your skin, eases tension and calms your mind after a busy day (which I was definitely having!) Alex had added this product to the hot trickling water, it is actually a bath oil but you can cleanse your face with it too. The Cleansing Milk was applied to my mascara smothered eyes using damp cotton wool pads and then the Cleansing Cream with more amazing scents including revitalising chamomile and almond to minimise the appearance of pores followed by the Clarifying Toner which reduces oiliness and blemishes in the skin. The next stage of the facial treatment was the Rejuvenating Face mask that was left on the skin for around ten minutes on this occassion but you can actually leave these masks on overnight for a deep cleanse. The face mask left my skin looking more even and toned with a healthy glow, I also had a lip balm applied and Alex even gave me a hand massage while we waited for the mask to work its magic! Whilst the face mask was gently removed using the warm damp muslins, I had to notice how carefully the skin was treated, I have had some treatments where the skin almost gets a deep tissue massage but I am sure treating your skin on your face gently is the way to go! I was then woken up by the most amazing lemon scent ever and more hot towels on the face, the product used was the Lemon Bath essential oil which is similar to the Lavender Bath oil but has the opposite effects waking you up and stimulating your skin, I loved it so much that I have bought this product and I now use it as part of my daily cleansing routine to wake me up in the morning, I am now considering the lavender Bath oil to send me to sleep at night. I simply pop a few drops of the rather reasonably priced Lemon Bath oil into some warm water and cleanse my face using a face cloth, it really does wake me up and makes my skin feel great, leaving a rosy glow to my usual jaundice yellow complexion! 

The treatment came to an end using a heavier facial moisturiser (my request, I personally like to feel I have moisturiser on my skin but you can choose a product to suit you) Alex gently applied Rose Day Cream which is a Dr Hauschka best seller and then my treatment came to an end, I was left to get ready and to leave at my own pace, so I slowly woke up, got my things together and went to have a chat with Alex about the treatment and the products, she was so helpful and I felt that I really did understand the products and how to use them without having technical jargon thrown at me or being pressured into buying any products. I did get a few freebie samples which I am slowly working my way through so perhaps another Dr Hauschka post will be on the cards very soon. 

 The products themselves are really reasonably priced, I was expecting high prices for a Harvey Nichols beauty counter but this really is not the case.

 I totally recommend any of my local followers to go along and meet the Dr Hauschka team and perhaps get yourself a facial treatment too, there are complimentary facials available. I shall definitely be returning and considering treatments and products as gifts for family and friends. For a real treat visit Alex at the flagship counter at Harvey Nichols Bristol for a 30 minute Dr Hauschka facial Experience for just £25 which is redeemable against any products bought on the day, which can’t be bad! 

Dr Hauschka is an internationally-renowned range, check out the website www.drhauschka.co.uk for your local Dr Hauschka beauty counter and for links to international counters! Go and get yours now!!!

Now, who can I get to buy me that Lavender Bath oil??

Thank you Alex and all at Dr Hauschka for the amazing treatment and introducing me to these great products and if you need me for any more complimentary treatments again, you know where to find me!!

ND xx