Garnier Pure Active Blackhead Cleaning Scrub

Advantages: Does actually work, not harsh on skin, leaves skin feeling clean.

Disadvantages: You have to perservere with it to see results.

I have, and still do a bit, suffered from spots/acne in the past and have tried many different skin care products to try do get rid of it. The one that pretty much eradicated them was a Benzoyl cream from the doctors. Whilst it worked well, I wanted something a bit less harsh on my skin that I could use on a daily basis. I eventually came to this wash, the Garnier Pure Active Blackhead Clearing Scrub.

I started using it about a year ago when I ran out of a different product and this was the one I bought to replace it. I was meant to get the one I normally use, but my local supermarket only had this one. On the front it says "Results from Day 1" and it "Helps to fight spots...". Initially I didn't see any results for the first couple of days but I kept using it. After the first couple of weeks I started to see improvements, my skin started to become clearer and it kept it clean.

I usually apply it in the morning in the shower, but if I go swimming or to the gym I also apply it then. It is a simple face wash that comes out of the bottle as a cream with some small blue beads in. As you rub it into your face, the cream lathers up slightly and these beads are broken down to clean your skin. According to the back of the bottle, the bead and a "well known anti bacterial agent" help to clear the blackhead and fight the appearance of spots. It is also said to include an extract from Blueberries that is meant to reduce the appearance of marks.

Salicyclic acid, usually found in aspirin, is also present in the formulation, which is the anti bacterial agent in this case. "Herbasoothe" is also in the formulation which is extract taken from Blueberries.

As a daily wash, I have found it to be very useful is calming spots and keeping my face clean. Used on a daily basis keeps my skin in order and spots away. I do find that if I don't use it for a couple of days then spots do start to appear again, which means that the product must be working.

It comes in a 150ml plastic squeezable bottle and costs about £3.50. This is about the same as similar products on the market but I personally think it is far superior. One bottle will last me about 4-6 weeks, however I usually use 2 bottles at a time, one for at home and another in my gym bag. I usually buy it from my local Sainsbury's when I go shopping, however I know it can be bought from most good chemists. I would definitely recommend it to anyone with spot prone skin who is willing to persevere a couple of weeks to see noticeable improvements. I am going to give this 5/5 because it has worked really well for me and I think it will work as well for other people too.

It is manufactured by Garnier Skincare.

Summary: Great for those with spot prone skin.

This review may also appear on Ciao and Dooyoo under the username Qroo.

Bye Bye Dry Skin - E45 Cream

Advantages: Low cost, only a small application needed, non-scented.

Disadvantages: None that I could find.

I have bought the tube of E45 cream for the last couple of years now as it comes in handy occasionally. I first bought it after trying some of my sisters when my hands had become quite rough from the cold one winter. With only a small amount used, I found that it had started to make my hands look and feel a lot better. With that great success I went out and bought a tube of my own.

For there 50g tube, I paid about £1.60 from Boots a couple of weeks ago, which compared to the price of it in Asda (~£3), is an absolute bargain. 50g may sound small, but the tube is about 12cm tall and contains a lot of moisturiser. I find that with occasional use a tube will last me about 6 months.

On the back of the tube, it is described as "unperfumed an non-greasy" which is exactly what it is. It contains no fragrances or scents which is great if you don't want people to notice it and once rubbed in, it does not leave that greasy feeling behind like other moisturisers can do. It does take a bit of rubbing in, but once applied it will leave your skin feeling great for quite a while.

It can be used on dry, flaking, chapped or sunburnt skin as well as the following skin conditions: eczema, dermatitis, ichthyosis and some cases of psoriasis. Clearly if it can be used to help some of these serious cases then it must have a lot of scientific research behind the formulation to ensure it works.

I have used it only on dry hands and feet, and in both cases it has worked wonderfully. As I run a reasonable amount, my feet have a habit of becoming dry around my heel and so applying this every now and then helps to supple up the skin and make it a lot more comfortable. On my hands, they occasionally become dry from either the cold or washing them too much but with a small application of this the problem is quickly eradicated and my skin is back to feeling smooth again.

For those interested, the active ingredients are (from label): White Soft Paraffin BP 14.5% w/w, Light Liquid Paraffin Ph Eur 12.6% w/w, Hypo-allergenic Anhydrous Lanolin 1.0% w/w.
It also contains: Glyceryl Monostearate, Citric Acid Monohydrate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Cetostearyl Sulphate, Carbomer, Methyl Hydroxybenzoate, Propyl Hydroxybenzoate, Purified Water.

I've tried other moisturisers in the past, some of which have worked as well, some which haven't, however I have found this to be my favourite due to being non-scented, relatively low cost and it provides great results. If you have not tried this before and are looking for a simple but effective moisturiser for regular or occasional use then this is definitely for you.

Summary: The best moisturiser I have tried!

Review can also be found on Dooyoo and Ciao under the username Qroo