100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Asda Kind & Gentle Facial Toner

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Asda Kind & Gentle Facial Toner for sensitive skin.

This toner is free from alcohol, fragrance and colourants. It contains pro-vitamin B5 and aloe vera, and it promises to help tighten pores.

I’ve been using this toner for a while (the bottle is almost empty) – initially every morning after the shower, then just as the last step of my cleansing routine when I remove my make-up.

The reason I reduced the use of this toner to 2-3 times a week only is that I noticed my skin getting mildly irritated around my eyes when I use this toner for a few days in a row.

However, there are no issues at all when I use this toner once every 2-3 days to remove the last traces of make-up and cleanser before I apply my night cream.

I don’t like the scent of the toner. Since it’s fragrance-free, it smells like the sum of its ingredients. And it doesn’t smell good. Personally, I would have preferred a fragranced toner. I appreciate some people are sensitive to fragrances, and maybe they can appreciate this toner more.

Still, the toner just isn’t for me – because of its odd scent and also because I would not be able to use it every day as it caused mild irritation. I always stopped using it when I noticed the first signs of skin irritation. I will finish this toner, but I wouldn’t buy it again.

If you’re interested, Asda Kind & Gentle Facial Toner is available as 200ml for £1. This toner carries The Vegan Society‘s logo, and this means that the toner is certified vegan & cruelty-free.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

L’Oréal Fine Flowers Milk With Rose & Jasmine For Dry & Sensitive Skin

Hi there! Today’s post is about this L’Oréal Fine Flowers Milk With Rose & Jasmine For Dry & Sensitive Skin.

I have been using this product on and off for a while – it’s only half-full by now. I think this is a really good makeup remover. Let me tell you why.

I want to mention the bottle and the top first. This bottle top can be sealed in an instant so you can transport the bottle if needed without making a mess. I have found that lots of other pump bottles either don’t have this mechanism or it can’t be relied on to work. So thank you, L’Oréal!

I like the fresh floral scent of this cleanser. It’s really subtle and definitely pleasant. The cleanser has the standard semi-runny formula. It dissolves makeup quickly and easily, and I’m happy to report that it doesn’t irritate my skin at all.

I don’t need to double-cleanse when I use this cleanser as it’s really effective. I’ve used it with a cotton wool pad but also with a shammy and a hot cloth, and it works well, regardless of how I’ve used it. There is hardly any visible makeup residue in the cotton pad when I use a toner right after this cleanser.

I am more than happy to continue using this cleanser, and based on my experience I’d recommend it.

If you’re interested, L’Oréal Fine Flowers Milk With Rose & Jasmine For Dry & Sensitive Skin is available as a big 400ml bottle. I paid £3.50 (special offer, Sainsbury’s).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Garnier Organic Thyme Purifying Perfecting Toner

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Garnier Organic Thyme Purifying Perfecting Toner for combination to oily skin which I started to use a few weeks ago.

This toner is recommended for daily use. It promises to purify and to mattify the skin, to make pores appear tightened, and to make the skin texture appear more refined. OK then!

When I started to use this toner, I found it rather harsh. It’s definitely not the type of toner that you want to use around your eyes to remove the last few traces of make-up that your cleanser and cloth didn’t catch.

Fortunately, I didn’t use it around my eyes. The strong scent and the borderline scary feel of the toner on my forehead were enough of a warning.

What does the toner do? Good question. I have very dry and moody skin, and the only thing I’ve noticed is that this toner makes my skin feel very dry for a few minutes – and then my skin starts to produce more oil than ever.

I can’t speak for people with oily skin types, but I would find that counterproductive.

Well, I will use up this toner but I won’t buy it again.

First of all, it has a strong chemical smell. It says the fragrance is 100% natural –  which is a good thing, I guess. But it doesn’t smell good. And it’s not a subtle fragrance either. It’s also not the most suitable product for my skin type. Granted, I’m not the customer this product is aimed at, but it shouldn’t feel so wrong to use it. I would definitely recommend a patch test* if you have sensitive skin. Whilst I haven’t had any bad reaction to this toner, I can see the possibility that it might be a bit too strong for some people with sensitive skin.

If you’re interested, Garnier Organic Thyme Purifying Perfecting Toner is available as 150ml for £5.99. I paid £3.99 (Save 1/3 at Boots).

*You should always to a patch test for any new product you use. Always check the ingredients to make sure a product is safe for you. If it is (based on the ingredients), then do a patch test.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Garnier Organic Lemongrass Fresh Detox Gel Wash

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Garnier Organic Lemongrass Fresh Detox Gel Wash with organic lemongrass essential oil, organic cornflower water, botanical glycerin and with a fragrance of natural origin.

I’ve been using this face wash for a few weeks now, and I like it – but I don’t love it. The fragrance may be natural, but it’s not the most pleasant fragrance. It’s kind of harsh.

I’ve noticed that this face wash gives my skin a bit of redness if I use it twice a day. But there are no issues at all if I stick to using this face wash in the morning only.

I would say that the face wash cleanses my face reasonably well. It’s not the best face wash ever, but much better than Nivea’s blue face wash and other such random products.

I will continue to use this face wash. I might buy it again – but I’m not sure at this point. But I’ll know by the time this bottle is empty.

What else is good? According to Garnier, the bottle is made from 100% recycled plastic, and the formula of the face wash is vegan and organic!

If you’re interested, Garnier Organic Lemongrass Fresh Detox Gel Wash is available as 150ml for £5.99. I paid £3.99 (save 1/3 offer).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

2022 Favourites (Skin Care, Hair Care, Eyes, Lips, Fragrances)

Hi there! Today’s post is about my favourite products in 2022. Only the best of the best! Let’s take a look!

Scinic Sparkling Pore Toner

This is one of the best toners I’ve ever used. 😍

Agent Provocateur Fatale Intense Eau De Parfum

Fatale Intense is like a lighter version of Thierry Mugler’s Angel. 😇

Jil Sander Simply Elixir Eau De Parfum & Rich Body Cream

Simply Elixir was a very successful blind buy. It’s like a lady’s version of Dior Fahrenheit! 🌡

Oriflame Mirage Eau De Parfum

Mirage is one of the most beautiful and unique fragrance I’ve ever had the pleasure of smelling. It’s the Moira Rose of fragrances. 😍

Yves Saint Laurent Elle Limited Edition 2011, Yves Saint Laurent Elle Limited Edition 2012

I love YSL’s limited editions of Elle! 🗼

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Moisturising Facial Oil

Superdrug’s Naturally Radiant Facial Oil is a skin care super hero! 💗

Pantene Pro-V Miracles Grow Strong Biotin + Bamboo Shampoo & Conditioner

These Pantene hair care products are some of my all-time favourite shampoo and conditioner combos. 😍

Antonio Banderas Her Secret Temptation Eau De Toilette

Her Secret Temptation is another amazing Antonio Banderas fragrance. Wow! 💗

Boots Live + Be Woodland Whisper Whipped Body Cream

This whipped body cream is one of the best body moisturisers I’ve used over the past year (or more). Insanely beautiful fragrance, perfect formula. 😍

Marks & Spencer Lip Balm
Prada Infusion De Fleur D’Oranger Eau De Parfum

This M&S lip balm is one of the best lip products I’ve ever used. Incredible stuff. 😍
Prada’s orange flower fragrance is my favourite Prada fragrance. I hope they’ll relaunch it so I can repurchase this gem! 💗

Revlon Custom Eyes 020 Naturally Glamorous

I love this eye palette so much! The quality of the eyeshadows is insane! 😍

Lancôme Hypnôse

Hypnôse is a cult classic and an incredibly beautiful fragrance. I love it! 💗

Ekél Natural Clean Peeling Gel Rice Bran

This is Ekél’s best peeling gel. Awesome stuff! 💗

MakeUp Revolution Redemption Palette Romantic Smoked

Wow, what an eye palette! This one was a wonderful surprise! 😍

Marks & Spencer Spiced Bergamot Eau De Toilette

M&S did an amazing job with this budget Light Blue-style fragrance. No, it’s not a dupe for Light Blue, but it’s the same type of fresh and summery citrus fragrance. 😍

Giorgio Armani Armani Code Summer Eau Fraîche
Nip + Fab Renew Retinol Fix Tonic Extreme

Armani Code Summer was a wonderful summer surprise. 🌞
Nip + Fab’s retinol toner is simply magical. 😍

Aussie Mega Shampoo & Conditioner

Aussie Mega is truly mega! An all-time favourite hair care combo. 💗

Yves Rocher Un Matin Au Jardin Cerisier En Fleurs Eau De Toilette
Salvador Dali Dalissime Eau De Toilette

Yves Rocher’s Cerisier En Fleurs fragrance was another lovely summer surprise. 🌞
Dalissime is one of my all-time favourite fragrances. I’ve been buying it since the 90s! 😍

Olay Regenerist 3 Point Super Age-Defying Cream

This Olay moisturiser is simply stellar! I love it! 💗

Botanical Lab Neem Leaf + Salicylic Acid Anti-Blemish Gentle Face Wash
Neutrogena Clear & Soothe Toning Mist With Turmeric

This Botanical Lab face wash is one of the best face washes I’ve ever used. 😍
Neutrogena’s face mist with turmeric is a new skin care favourite. 💗

Ramer Sponges Cleansing Shammy For Sensitive Skin

This Shammy by Ramer Sponges is one of the best things I’ve ever bought. It’s that good that I bought 6 more already. These should last me for a long time – but I would always stock up on these. 💗

Marks & Spencer Water Jasmine Eau De Toilette

This fragrance is one of my favourites. It’similar to Light Blue (no, they’re not the same), and it’s refreshing and has this happy aura… I love it! 😍

Superdrug Revive Hair Care Collagen Shampoo & Conditioner

Superdrug did a fabulous job with these brilliant vegan collagen hair care products. 😍

Nuxe Rêve de Miel Eau Savoureuse Parfumante / Delectable Fragrant Water
Poundland #6 Vit C Toner

Rêve de Miel is one of my new favourite fragrances. I wish I had tried it sooner! 💗
Poundland’s Vit C Toner is an amazing skin care product. I love using it. 😍

Superdrug Extracts Banana 3 In 1 Hair Mask

Another amazing surprise find – I’m still enjoying this banana hair mask from Superdrug. 💗

Olay Anti-Wrinkle Firm & Lift Day Cream With SPF 15

Olay products have served me so well over the years, and this lovely face cream is no exception. I love it! 💗

I Love… Chocolate Truffle Nourishing Body Butter
Kenzo Amour Eau De Parfum

OMG, this Chocolate Truffle Body Butter is out of this world. LOVE! 😍
And what can I say about Kenzo Amour? It’s one of the most beautiful fragrances ever. 11 stars don’t do it justice. 💗

And this is it for the year! I hope you love some of these awesome products too – and if you don’t know them, I hope you’ll give them a try. Thanks for stopping by again today. Have a happy and healthy 2023! 🥳🥳🥳

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glow Gentle Cleansing Milk

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glow Gentle Cleansing Milk.

The Naturally Radiant Glow range intends to rebalance the skin and to minimise blemishes and signs of irritation for a calmer, soothed and more healthy looking complexion.

This cleansing milk contains vegan coconut yoghurt and a prebiotic complex which promises to help maintain the skin’s natural microbiome.

How do you use it? Use it as you’d use any other cleansing milk or cleansing cream. Squeeze a bit of product onto a cotton pad, and use it to dissolve and remove your make-up. Then use a toner after and follow with your regular skin care routine.

I’ve been using this product on and off for a few weeks now, and I think it’s quite good. I like the faint yoghurty scent – nice, clean, fresh.

I’m happy to report that this cleansing milk doesn’t smell overly coconutty. This is great because I’m not a fan of coconut flavours and scents.

This cleansing milk also does a reasonable job removing make-up. Granted, I’m not making the biggest effort with eye make-up at the moment, and I mainly wear foundation and lipstick, but this cleansing milk gets rid of almost all traces of make-up. I tried a few different toners to see how much leftover product they’d catch – and it’s always just a hint of beige.

I will continue to use this product, and I would recommend it (as always – just make sure you’re not allergic to any of the ingredients). If you’re interested, Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glow Gentle Cleansing Milk is available as 150ml. The price has recently gone up from £6.99 to £7.99. I paid £3.49 (half price offer before the price went up). Keep your eyes peeled for the very frequent Better Than Half Price and Buy One Get One Free promotions on the Naturally Radiant range. Oh, one more thing, this product is vegan and cruelty-free (it carries The Leaping Bunny logo). 😍

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Botanical Lab Neem Leaf + Salicylic Acid Anti-Blemish Gentle Face Wash

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Botanical Lab Neem Leaf + Salicylic Acid Anti-Blemish Gentle Face Wash.

This face wash promises to cleanse the skin effectively and to remove impurities and make-up. It’s aimed at people with oily or blemish-prone skin as it’s meant to help reduce breakouts. The formula also contains allantoin and aloe vera which are said to help soothe and hydrate the skin.

I’ve only started to use this face wash about 3 weeks ago, but within 2 days I already knew that it’s so much better than any other in-the-shower facial cleanser I’ve used for a long time. It’s absolutely amazing at removing make-up residue! Alright, let me tell you about my evening routine.

In the evening, I usually use a cleansing cream type of product to dissolve and remove most of my make-up. Immediately after that, I take a shower, and I use a regular face wash to cleanse my face, to remove what’s left of my make-up, and to get rid of the cleansing cream residue.

The final step of my cleansing routine is going over my face with a cotton wool pad drenched in toner – which usually catches quite a bit of beige and grey.

Since I’ve been using this face wash, the toner-drenched cotton wool pad remains almost perfectly clean. I tried 4 different toners, and the results is the same with every single one of them. Using this face wash twice a day has made a huge difference to how clean and clear my face looks and feels. It’s incredible considering this is such a gentle product.

Based on my experience, I’d recommend this face wash to everyone, even people with dry or moody skin types (my skin is very dry and unpredictably moody). But as always, just make sure you’re not allergic to any of the ingredients and do a patch test before use.

If you’re interested, Botanical Lab Neem Leaf + Salicylic Acid Anti-Blemish Gentle Face Wash is available as 150ml for £4. I paid £2 (special offer with Tesco Clubcard). Oh, and according to the manufacturer, this product is vegan! 😍

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Cellio It’s True Pomegranate Deep Cleansing + Massage Cream

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Cellio It’s True Pomegranate Deep Cleansing + Massage Cream. This product is a cleansing cream with a fancier name. There is one difference though! Most cleansing creams (or milks) don’t need to be rinsed off as long as you use a toner right after. However, this one specifically states that it should be washed off.

With respect to its formula, this product is a thick cream. It’s reminiscent of body butter. I started to use this product about 2 weeks ago. I use it to remove my make-up with a cotton pad at the end of the work day and right before I take my evening shower. This way I can wash off the product as instructed.

I think this product dissolves and removes make-up (including eye make-up) reasonably well and without causing me any discomfort, but it’s nothing special. Right after I’ve gone over my face with this product, I’ll jump in the shower, and I’ll use a bit of face wash to get rid of the cleansing cream residue. Despite this, my current toner still catches quite a bit of beige when I use it right after I’m out of the shower.

I will use up this product, but I wouldn’t repurchase it. Having said this, I’m still happy that I got to try another Korean skin care product! If you’re interested, Cellio It’s True Pomegranate Deep Cleansing + Massage Cream is available as 300ml. I paid £6 (TK Maxx).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Boots Glow Banana Toner

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Boots Glow Banana Toner which I’ve been using once to twice a day for the past 3 weeks.

This toner claims to refine the pores and to make the skin appear smoother.

This toner contains niacinamide which is listed as the third ingredient on the back of the bottle. Unfortunately, Boots doesn’t state the percentage.

Alrighty, how’s the toner? Well, it does have a beautiful foamy banana fragrance. However, this toner isn’t the best one for my skin type.

Whilst I like that this toner leaves my skin feeling velvety soft, I don’t find it cleansing enough. Within 2-3 days of starting this toner, I noticed considerably more impurities.

I haven’t started to use any other new products for well over a month, I haven’t taken any new medication, and I also haven’t eaten a lot of junk food. What other explanation could there be? I’ve also noticed that my dark patches (melasma) have become a lot more visible over the past 2 weeks. The only difference in my skin care routine is this toner.

I will continue to use this toner after I’ve cleansed my face in the evening. It’s super gentle, so I’m happy to use it around my entire face – the eye area included – to remove the last traces of make-up. However, as part of my morning routine, I’ll go back to using a vitamin C or glycolic acid toner.

I won’t buy this toner again, but I might try other products from this collection. If you’re interested, Boots Glow Banana Toner is available as 100ml for £4. Boots sometimes runs 3 for 2 promotions across their Glow and Ingredients ranges, so if you’re on a budget, you can try an extra product for free. On another note, on the back of the bottle it says that this toner is vegan and cruelty-free. This is great!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Nip + Fab Renew Retinol Fix Tonic Extreme

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Nip + Fab Renew Retinol Fix Tonic Extreme.

This is a toner that promises visible anti-ageing results – but it doesn’t say how long it would take for you to see any results. 🤷‍♀️

The toner contains retinol which is known for its skin rejuvenation properties, an amino acid derivative to improve skin clarity and to even out the skin tone, and panthenol to deeply hydrate the skin.

You’re supposed to use this toner 2-3 times per week (evenings only) on your face and neck. The toner comes with a few warnings: Overuse can lead to dry skin or skin irritation, don’t use the toner on irritated skin, and consult your doctor before use if you’re pregnant! 😮

Wow, this sounds exciting and scary at the same time!

I’ve been using this toner once every 5-6 days for almost a year (10 months?), and I can safely say that it’s one of my favourite beauty products ever. I’m also still on my first bottle! 😍

Alrighty, let’s start with what I’ve learned… I couldn’t use this toner 2-3 times per week. It will irritate my skin, especially the skin around the eyes, quite a bit. How do I know? Because I tried to use it once every 3 days – but this was too frequent for me.

Then I tried to use this toner once every 4 days. Still not it. Then I went on to using it once every 5 days – this works well, and this is what I stick to. Occasionally, I give my skin an extra day, and that’s usually when I have to be outside the next day. That’s because retinol treatments and sunlight are not meant to go together.

What’s the toner like? It’s a clear toner, and it smells OK. I can’t describe the scent, but it’s definitely nothing natural. It does smell like “product”, but it’s not bad or unpleasant at all.

Onto more important things now! This toner feels amazing on my skin. I love using it. I can feel a bit of a pleasant tingle every time I use it. The toner feels very cleansing, and I can feel that it penetrates my skin to work its magic. I love it! I also love how quickly I can see results. Within minutes of using this toner, my skin looks more even in tone and texture. Amazing!

I know that, with all the different products I use, it’s sometimes not easy to tell which product does what, but having used this toner for almost a year, I know what it does, and I know that it helps me look refreshed and youthful.

If you’re interested, Nip + Fab Renew Retinol Fix Tonic Extreme is available as 100ml for £24.95. I paid £10 (TK Maxx).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛