How to get Radiant Skin - ESPA Tri-Active Set

One of my biggest concerns has always been my skin. It had never been particularly bad but it has been something which has always affected my confidence. I tried everything and anything to get clear and perfect skin. Not until about 4 years back did I stumble upon ESPA when I began visiting a spa in my city. They use ESPA. Initially I was drawn to their body products and oil but I then road tested the skincare. If I could afford it, I would have the entire range!!

After the Winter and my illnesses my skin took a beating. It was dull and lifeless. I often looked in the mirror when I was at my worst and didn't recognise myself. For Christmas I was over the moon to open a Skin Radiance set. I have used one previous and it is as good as I remembered. The fact that the products are all natural is an even bigger bonus.

As the box states : Tri-Active extracts, some of nature's most potent illuminators distilled for optimal effectiveness in this collection, act together to even skin tone and restore inner vitality.

In the set you get : Refining skin polish, Replenishing face oil, Skin radiance mask and Skin radiance moisturiser. 

The skin polish is the best facial scrub I have ever used. It is so fine and leaves your face so soft and smooth after. It's worth it just for this!

After using the skin polish, you apply the mask. The mask is almost like a serum in its consistency. It is not a clay based mask and you can barely feel it on your skin but it works hard. The mask creates an almost lifting effect and leaves your skin glowing.

Then you follow up by using the oil before bed. It is nice to rub into hands and inhale before pressing into skin. The smell is just divine and so natural. Even if you have blemish prone skin (like mine), do not feel you should stay clear of face oil! This will not make it oily, in fact it will balance your skin out. 

If that's not enough, you also get a skin radiance moisturiser. This is used every morning to help 'rejuvinate, revitalise and renew dull and tired skin'. Let me tell you - it works! 

Skin Radiance Mask and Skin Radiance Moisturiser.

The set should last about 2-3 months which gives your skin intensive help. I have been using it for two weeks now and already my skin is brighter, smoother and radiant. The products are so light too so your skin doesn't feel clogged up. I even went out without make-up today and unlike other times, I felt comfortable doing so. Going without make up is something I never, ever felt comfortable doing but ESPA has changed that for me.

If your skin needs a different kind of boost, check out the ESPA website as there are a number of different Tri-Active skin kits for different skin types. A good friend of mine has become just as obsessed with ESPA after I took her on a spa date to my spa. She said that she has never had so many compliments about her skin.

So, if you feel like your skin needs a skin pick me up then click over to ESPA and have a browse, believe me, you will love it. 

ESPA - Natural Skincare products/ Luxury Spa Products [Website]

*All views are my own. 

Do you have a favourite skin 'pick me up'?

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ESPA Cellular Renewal Enzyme Facial Peel...

I am a bit of a potions and lotions junkie. I will give anything a try and through my early twenties I did - I am the first to admit I have had an ongoing love/hate relationship with my skin. It has never been bad but it has never been as perfect as I wish it could be. Many times I have wanted to not leave the house thinking my skin was just not great. It may sound ridiculous to some but it is something I have always had an insecurity about.

I have used MAC religiously since I was 16 to make my skin 'better' and by that I mean cover it. However, as I have grown older and tried many products I have realised that less is definitely more. Gone are the days of harsh scrubs and strong lotions.

I discovered Clarins about 3 years ago and was converted. If you have never tried it, I would definitely suggest it. It was a great relief to my skin after the years of harsh products and certaintly began to even the skin tone. In the past year I have discovered a new skin saviour however which I want to share with you. 

I have now become a BIG fan of these products. I have shared my thoughts about their body products in a previous post and now I am onto their skin products. They are all so natural and I have not used anything which smells as good as these do. I have also had a number of their facials which I can not recommend enough. So, when my therapist told me about their new enzyme peel I was definitely up for it.

It is no surprise to my readers that I have not been well at all lately and unfortunately my skin was starting to show it. I felt like it was dull and tired. It was definitely in need of a boost. So I booked my appointment.

The facial was 90 minutes in total and began with a steamer and cleansing with the ESPA floral products. As they are aromatic based, before starting you will smell test the different fragrances and I went for the floral - which I usually end up with.Before any further work, my skin was looked at under a special UV lamp. I was pleasantly surprised to hear my skin was actually in good condition.I had the usual dehydration around my eyes but other than that, there was some slight congestion and that was it. 

So as my therapist suspected, it was going to be all about brightening the skin tone. When this was identified there were a number of steps, including the enzyme peel itself. I was started with strength 1 (it goes to 5) as it was my first time with the possibility in the future of going higher. It tingles when it is first applied but the higher strength may sting some skin. Throughout the facial various hot and cold towels were applied and my skin was massaged based on the lymph drainage. One of the final steps was the application of an minty firming and lifting peel. This, in contrast to the warm enzyme peel was nice. Rose quartz were also used to massage the skin to promote calming. 

This was a strange sensation on the skin but lovely after the peel [Source]

I know, this sounds amazing and it was but that was not the only good thing. As my masks were drying I was given a neck, arm and scalp massage. I always carry tension in my neck so this was the icing on the cake.

It didn't come cheap, it was a promotional price of £75 but will be £90 in my spa ($140 approx) once it has been introduced.  I will be needing a set of about 6 (a month between each one) which should see my skin change for the better. The results were seen as soon as the massage was over and today it has felt so amazing. As someone who has had a lot of insecurities with my skin, this is something which I can justify. I know others may think they don't need it - I wish I didn't have to pay but as facials go, this is possibly the best I have had.

If you want to read more, check out reviews in :



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Sleep Couture...

I feel like I have spent quite some time away from my lovely blog lately. Not through wanting to, it was more out of necessity! I have been rather snowed in with work lately as it's nearing the end of a term AND nearly Christmas and in schools this is a very busy time. 

Throughout this stressful time I have had a few things going on with certain parts of my life. It hasn't been bad, it's just been things which have kept my mind whirring away. It's this time that my poor sleeping habits have kicked in. I am finding myself tired all the time as I just can't quieten my mind. I write, I stop work early and exercise but as soon as I go to bed I can't sleep through. 

Last week I attended a Christmas event at the spa I go to. There were a range of different brands there with the Christmas deals. I managed to get a few Christmas presents in but I did some sneaky shopping for myself. After all, we've got treat ourselves once in a while!

After trying many different things to sleep well, I was shown a 'sleep set' by ESPA. In fact, it was actually named Sleep Couture. So straight away it sounded rather nice. The lady then explained the 'ritual' that entailed. I know...sounds like a sacrifice to sleep doesn't it? But it is actually a gorgeous product. It has bath and body oil and soothing candle. The idea is that you have a bath with the oil, light the candle and then use a small amount of body oil. Once the aromatherapy kicks in, it should leave you wanting to sleep. Now I'm a bit of a sucker for products (Hello Clarin's counter in my bedroom!) but have actually had a massage there before using the soothing oil. So I decided what harm could it do?

Zzzzzzzzz........

I tried it on Friday and guess what...I had the best sleep I've had in ages. It was the type of deep sleep that I have been unable to get into lately. I even settled down enough to have dreams. It is rather indulgent but oh so nice.

Do you have any tricks to help you sleep better?