Valjean Labs Replenish Hydration Gel

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Valjean Labs Replenish Hydration Gel. This gel moisturiser contains titanium dioxide, collagen, sea fennel and marine algae extracts, as well as sodium hyaluronate. It’s an easy-to-use moisturiser; simply apply it after you’ve cleansed your face.

I’ve been using this gel moisturiser since some time in November. I use it most nights. Why do I use it at night time? Unfortunately, this gel moisturiser and my foundation (Max Factor Pan Stik or Max Factor Face Finity) don’t get along, so I can only use it if I don’t intend to wear make-up.

Having said this, I’m actually very happy with the “workaround” because this gel moisturiser is very hydrating, it lets me wake up to a refreshed looking face even if I only get 4 hours of sleep, I can slather on A LOT and it will still absorb, and the subtle fragrance (which reminds me of baby food) never fails to put a smile on my face.

All in all, I like this gel moisturiser, and I would recommend it. If you’re interested, Valjean Labs Replenish Hydration Gel is available as 100ml. I paid £6 (TK Maxx).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Valjean Labs Restore Facial Serum

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Valjean Labs Restore Facial Serum with Niacinamide and Zinc.

This serum promises to purify and to calm stressed and blemish-prone skin.

You’re supposed to use a few drops of serum – on its own or under moisturiser.

I use this serum twice a day – right after I’ve cleansed my face. I use it in combination with a face mist. I like to use serums and oils with face mist as the mist “stretches” the serum or oil (i.e. heavy oils become easier to use), and the oil or serum can “lock in” some extra hydration.

I’ve been using this product for about 4 few weeks now, and I think it’s alright. It’s not moisturising enough to be used on its own, but that’s OK for me since I use other products with it.

And I would agree that the serum has a calming effect. It’s exactly what I need at the moment since my skin has been rather awful lately (work is… incredibly stressful right now).

Valjean Labs Restore Facial Serum is available as 54ml. I paid £6 (TK Maxx). Considering the low price and the decent quality, I’d recommend this product.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Valjean Labs Glow Face Mask

Hi there! Today’s post is about Valjean Labs‘ Glow Face Mask with vitamin C and magnesium. This mask promises to brighten skin and to even out skin tone.

This mask is easy to use. Cleanse your face, place the sheet mask on your face, leave it on for 20 minutes (I always leave sheet masks on until they’re dry) and relax. Then take it off and massage the remaining essence into your skin.

I’ve now used 2 of these masks, and I think they’re pretty awesome. Since Valjean Labs’ Hydrate masks weren’t great, I didn’t expect these Glow masks to be much better. But I couldn’t have been more wrong!

These masks do what they claim to do. I used 2 Glow masks on 2 consecutive days, and I’m happy to confirm that they made my skin tone look brighter and more even. In addition, these masks left my skin feeling great. The essence is rich, but it’s not sticky and it doesn’t feel uncomfortable. It really feels great on my skin.

Based on my experience, I’m happy to recommend these masks! Valjean Labs’ Glow Face Mask is available as a set of 5 masks. I paid £4.99 (TK Maxx).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Valjean Labs Hydrate Face Mask

Hi there! Today’s post is about Valjean Labs’ Hydrate Face Mask with Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin B5. This face mask promises to plump up skin, and to improve skin’s elasticity.

This mask works like any other sheet mask. You’re supposed to… cleanse your face, place the mask on your face, leave it on for about 20 minutes, then remove it and massage the remaining essence into your skin.

I’ve already used 2 of these masks, and I have to say that I’m not impressed. I found that the mask doesn’t hydrate my skin, but that it makes my skin feel sticky. And this makes my skin feel uncomfortable to the point that it feels like something is pulling at my skin.

Whilst I can report that the mask did plump up my skin and smooth out the lines on my forehead, this effect was very short-lived (20 minutes). I’m not impressed.

A look at the ingredients showed that the essence contains a number of botanical extracts, and this is great. However, it also revealed that sodium hyaluronate was listed near the end of the ingredients list and only after parfum, so there can’t be much of it in this mask. Overall, I’m disappointed with this mask. I won’t recommend it, and I’ll take the remaining masks from the set into work, and whoever wants them can have them. If you’re looking for a hydrating face mask, I recommend Nature Love’s Hyaluronic Face Mask.

Valjean Labs’ Hydrate Face Mask is available as a set of 5 masks. I paid £4.99 (TK Maxx).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Haul! New Stuff From Garnier, Yves Rocher, Max Factor, Treacle Moon, Valjean Labs & More!

Hi there! Today’s post is about the products I’ve bought over the past month (or so). And here they are!

Pack of 5 gold masks for 99p, pack of 5 blackhead peel-off masks for 99p.
Home Bargains.

Valjean Labs Hydrate & Glow face masks – set of 5 each, £4.99 per set.
TK Maxx.

Poundland #6 Anti-Ageing Derma Serum, Poundland #6 Anti-Ageing Eye Cream, £1 each.
You guessed it – Poundland.

Imperial Leather Polynesian Spa Passion Flower & Almond Milk, Imperial Leather Moisturising Night Blooming Jasmine & Vanilla, 90p each.
Independent bargain store.

Yves Rocher Vanille Blanche White Vanilla Mini Shower (£1), Hand Cream (£1.25), Mini Body Lotion (£1).
Yves Rocher UK.

Yves Rocher Cleansing Milk (£2.80), Yves Rocher Baies Des Merveilles Marvellous Berries Shower (£1.30) & Body Lotion (£2).
Yves Rocher UK.

Yves Rocher Monoï Eau Des Vahinés (free gift with purchase, Yves Rocher), Boots Glycerin & Rosewater Toner (£2.39, Boots), The Art Of Radiance Rose Oil & Collagen (£5, TK Maxx).

Garnier Skin Active Aloe Vera Cleansing Milk & Toner – £1.74 each (half price offer).
Boots.

3 Pan Stiks, shade 25 Fair, £7.99 each but 3 for 2 offer, 2 Boots Tea Tree & With Hazel Peel Off Face Masks, 2 for £1.48.
Boots.

Treacle Moon One Ginger Morning & Marshmallow Hearts. £1.50 each.
Tesco.

Treacle Moon The Raspberry Kiss & The Honeycomb Secret. £1.50 each.
Tesco.

I’m happy with what I’ve bought. However, I’m disappointed Yves Rocher will cease trading in the UK 14 days before Brexshit becomes effective. I understand Yves Rocher’s decision, and I don’t blame them at all. But it’s still sad. 😦

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Major Haul! Yves Saint Laurent, Thierry Mugler, The Crème Shop, Patisserie De Bain, Soap & Glory, Sanctuary Spa, Boots No.7, Valjean Labs & More!

Hi there! Since I’ve been shopping a lot lately, I thought I’d let you know what I got my hands on. It’s mainly stuff from the bargain stores and discounted gift sets from the post-Christmas sale. OK, here’s everything I picked up!

Thierry Mugler Aura gift set –£32.66. Debenhams.

Max & More No. 4 Nude Eyeshadow Palette – £2. I haven’t heard of Max & More, so I looked up the brand… apparently it’s a cruelty-free brand from the Netherlands. Fantastic stuff!

Max & More No. 1 Forest Eyeshadow Palette – £2. I found these palettes at Poundland.

Primark Holler And Glow Nails Before Tails Nail Polish Set – £4.
Patisserie De Bain Raspberry Roulade Hand Cream, Orange Crush Hand Cream – £1 each.
Patisserie De Bain Sweet As Cherry Pie Body Mist – £1.
The Patisserie De Bain products are Poundland finds!

Lisseau Cocoa Body Butter – 80p.
Liseau Vanilla Body Butter – 80p.
These body butters are from Poundstretcher!

YSL Cinéma Eau de Parfum – £31.50 (half price offer, Debenhams).
Malki Dead Sea Natural Sulphur Soap x2, £3.75 each and a 3 for 2 offer, so I am pretty annoyed that Boots forgot the 3rd item – but I have dropped them an email, and I hope they send me the missing Dead Sea soap asap.

The Crème Shop Santa’s List Charcoal Sheet Mask (pack of 5) – £4.99.
The Crème Shop Pumpkin Spice Fusion Sheet Mask (pack of 5) – £4.99.
These masks are from TK Maxx!

The Crème Shop Last Christmas Naughty & Nice Sheet Masks (pack of 6, 3 Naughty and 3 Nice masks) – £5.99.
TK Maxx, again.

The Crème Shop Holiday Cheer & Clear Sheet Masks (pack of 6, 3 Naughty and 3 Nice masks) – £5.99.
Yup, they’re from TK Maxx as well.

Valjean Labs Revive + Renew Day Serum And Sleeping Mask Duo – £9.99.
Another TK Maxx find!

Sanctuary Spa gift set – £7. Boots.

Another Sanctuary Spa gift set. This one contains a shower gel, luxury bath float, body butter and hand cream. These are all full sizes. I’m sorry I haven’t opened this one yet. 1 at a time! This set was £12.50. Boots.

Sanctuary Spa gift set number 3 – £10. Yes, Boots again.

Soap & Glory Clean On Me and Scrub Of Your Life. These came in a gift set with…

… Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter, Hand Food and 2 bath bombs. I am not going to use the bath bombs. They’re glittery. I’ll give them to the first person who wants them. The gift set with all 6 products was £10. Boots.

Creightons Hand Creams – Argan Oil, Cocoa Butter, Manuka Honey. I am not sure how much these were, but I’ll check the next time I swing by Home Bargains.

2 more Patisserie De Bain Hand Creams – these were £1 each. Poundland.

Boots No.7 gift set – this set contains all sorts of goodies. It was £39 (better than half price offer before the sale even started). Boots.

And finally… I bought 2 more George at Asda duvet cover sets. They’re king size, and they were £14 each. I love these designs! However, I need to stop buying duvet cover sets. I bought 6 over the past year, and even though I got rid of all the old (very old, actually) duvet cover sets, I have more than enough now.

*** By the way, please remember not to dispose of unwanted textiles of any kind (clothes, towels, bedding, etc) with your household rubbish. Your local charity shop will gladly accept items in good condition, H&M and other high street stores run textile recycling schemes (H&M accepts clothes and household textiles like towels and bedding), and animal shelters are usually happy to accept towels and duvet covers (but not duvets as they’re difficult to clean and they can’t be recycled). ***

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Haul! Lots Of New Products – Herbal Essences, True Skin, Ekél, Valjean Labs, Sante Naturkosmetik, Skinlab, By Nature, Gliss & More

Hi there! I haven’t done a haul post for quite some time, so here’s what I bought over the past couple of weeks (months even…). 🙂

1 True Skin Hydrating Facial Water – 207ml for £5.99
2 Sante Naturkosmetik Instantly Smoothing Night Cream – 30ml for £4.99
3 Nourish Cooling Toning Mist – 100ml for £3.00
4 Nourish Refining Toning Mist – 100ml for £3.00

5 Skin Assistant Collagen Morning Glow Serum – 59ml for £6.00
6 Skinlab Facial Serum – 30ml for £5.00
7 Spa Cosmetics Rose Serum Oil – 50ml for £6.00
8 Valjean Labs Restore Facial Serum – 54ml for £6.00

9 By Nature Nourishing & Firming Face Mask – Pack of 5 for £5.99
10 Boo Bamboo Bamboo Fibre Charcoal Sheet Mask – Pack of 3 for £4.00
11 Rata & Co. Activated Charcoal & Natural Clay Sheet Face Mask – Pack of 5 for £3

12 Ekél Green Tea Cleansing Cream – 300ml for £4.99
13 Ekél Aloe Cleansing Cream – 300ml for £4.99

14 + 15 Gliss Total Repair Shampoo & Conditioner – £1 each
16 + 17 Nutrafix Keratin Hair Mask & Argan Oil Hair Mask – £1 each

18 Carex Fun Edition Unicorn Magic Shower And Bath – 500ml for £1
19 Imperial Leather Cosmic Unicorn Fantasy Icon Bath Soak – 500ml for £1

20 + 21 Herbal Essences Bio Renew Rosemary & Herbs Shampoo & Conditioner – 400ml for £1.99 each

22 + 23 Enliven Pink Grapefruit & Mango And Papaya Shower Gels – 400ml for 69p each

This is most of what I’ve bought over the past couple of weeks (or months…). It’s quite a lot, but I’ve finished quite a few shower and skin care products, so I deserved to treat myself!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde