And by "the shit" I obviously mean "fabulous". I thought I'd start my new baby blog off with a product review. Because I am a poor uni student (who is also saving for a Europe trip this coming June...so maybe not so poor?), I figured that the best place to start was with tried and tested, close to my heart, products.

I started off my Aesop collection with the Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Serum, as I was after some liquidy goodness, which wasn't an out-right oil. Yep, I just don't do oil serums. I love an oil based product to get my make-up off and to cleanse my face, but as I tend to wipe most of it off with a muslin cloth, I don't experience that oil-sitting-on-top-of-you-skin feeling. I know Rosehip oil is fabulous for your skin, but I personally prefer a less oily serum.

But back to Aesop... After popping into my local store and grabbing some samples of various serums and oils, this one came up trumps. It is light and it soaks into my skin well. Initially there can be a bit of stickiness, but I don't see that as an issue, as I am usually layering a face-cream on top of it, so I feel like the moisturiser has something to stick to.

This product is apparently designed for sensitive skin (which I definitely have). My skin tends to turn red at anything, so whilst I do turn a bit pink on application of this, all quickly settles down, without inflammation or long term redness.

Overall, I find this to be a very good daily serum. It is chock-full of anti-oxidants (more so than my tea and biscuit filled diet) and I use it most nights, after cleansing and before moisturising (I use Hydraluron in the mornings). At $69 (AUD) per bottle (100ml), it isn't cheap, but then again, it isn't the most expensive thing out there. Besides, I've had this bottle for months, and after daily use I still haven't reached half way. As for the Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque, well, that is fabulous too. I hadn't used a good clay masque is ages, so when my kindly friends gave this to my for my birthday in January, I was well pleased. As you can see, it has been loved.

The instructions say to use twice-weekly, but lately I've been a little slap-happy with this beauty. Either applied all over the face or just in the areas which have been experiencing little break outs and bumps (chin and forehead), this masque dries nicely, without really setting hard, so I tend to leave it for around 15-20 minutes (usually spending that time watching beauty videos on the 'Tube). Once washed away, my skin feels nice and deeply cleaned, but without feeling tight or moisture-less.

The price for the masque is $39. I really don't think Aesop prices are too bad. Sure, you pay for the LOVELY packaging, but considering it is made in Australia (sadly very little is anymore) and is full of natural good ingredients, it is worth it. Plus, Aesop are great with the samples, so I always feel like I come away with more stuff to try (but with no pressure to buy). Win-win!

Both products are definitely staples in my skin care routine, and I feel that they will be so for years to come.

Posted by clare at 19:15
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