Speed Review: DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

My current favourite cleanser is Deep Cleansing Oil, a no-frills product from Japanese brand, DHC (and their bestselling product worldwide).

I've been raving about DHC Deep Cleansing Oil to quite a few people and inevitably, their response is, "doesn't it leave your skin greasy?" Absolutely not! It's time that people realised that oil treats oily skin. It may go against traditional skincare teachings but I promise that it's true. In simple terms, products which strip the skin of oils may have a short-term effect but the result is that they send the skin into overdrive, thinking that it needs to produce more oil to compensate. Applying oils to oily or combination skin has the opposite effect and skin becomes more balanced as a result.

So, what about DHC Deep Cleansing Oil in particular?
The packaging is minimalist yet functional, with a handy pump dispenser to ensure that there's no wastage. I like that the plastic bottle is transparent so that I can see how much of the golden oil is remaining.

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil has a simple, olive oil base and this is the predominant scent. It's nothing special- not luxurious and spa like- but nor is it offensive.
The oil itself feels pretty heavy but I like that this encourages a massage application. It's quick and easy to use- I simply dispense two pumps' worth into my dry hands and massage onto my dry face before rinsing away with water. Upon contact with water, the oil emulsifies into a lightweight milk and rinses away easily.

My skin is left looking matte and rather than feeling greasy, it's balanced and doesn't feel tight and dry as it can after using some face washes. This effectively removes all of my makeup including eye makeup. Those who are familiar with using cleansing oils will understand what I mean when I say that the only downside of this is the occasional "cloudy eye" effect but its not unbearable.

If you're looking to try a cleansing oil, I highly recommend DHC Deep Cleansing Oil. Not only is it a fantastic product in its own right, it's also affordable, at £9.50 for 70ml (currently on sale at £8 until the end of November).

Speed Review: DHC Mascara Perfect Pro Double Protection

Whilst I appreciate the benefits of "tubing" mascaras, they really freak me out when it comes to removal. So, when I was sent DHC's version, Mascara Perfect Pro Double Protection, I passed it onto a friend to try as she had mentioned she was looking for a good waterproof mascara.

DHC Mascara Perfect Pro Double Protection is a long-wearing mascara which utilises "tubing technology" (i.e. unlike traditional mascaras which "paint" the lashes, tube mascaras create a special polymer "tube" around each lash). This results in no flaking, smearing or smudging. When it comes to removal, you simply splash your face with water and gently pull the tubes off (which freaks me out because it looks as though you are pulling your eyelashes out).

My friend regularly uses waterproof mascara but had never come across a "tube" mascara before, so, what did she think?

This mascara applied very smoothly and provided good definition, separating my lashes. It didn't really create any volume but then it doesn't claim to. It was waterproof and didn't come off at all while swimming or showering, which is unusual. There were no smudges or clumps. I was very impressed.
To remove, you need to pull it off with wet fingers and whilst I liked that I didn't need a separate eye makeup remover, I found that this process took a little while and was a bit of hassle at the end of the day. Apart from that, I had no complaints and will definitely continue to use it, although only on days when I specifically need a waterproof mascara.
At £13, DHC Mascara Perfect Pro Double Protection isn't cheap, however, it offers a more affordable alternative to the cult blinc tubing mascara (RRP £18.50).

Speed Review: Korres Wild Rose Foundation





I quite like Greek brand, Korres and although they're not quite as natural as I feel they make out, I was nonetheless keen to try their Wild Rose Foundation with SPF20 which combines colour coverage with skincare benefits.

 

Korres Wild Rose Foundation is presented in the brand's signature, minimalist packaging. On first impressions the bottle appears quite small but it's a standard 30ml size. It's a dark brown glass bottle and I wondered if this was to prevent oxidisation. I found it a little annoying that you had to peek inside to see how much was remaining. Perhaps the reason for the bottle appearing smaller than most is that there is no handy pump dispenser- you simply have the pour the liquid foundation out which I didn't like as it was difficult to control and as a result, I felt that some of the product was wasted. In fact, the main positive with regards to the packaging is that there's a metal mixing ball inside which made a satisfying rattling noise when the bottle was shaken.

Even though I wear SPF in my skincare everyday, I was impressed to note that Wild Rose Foundation contains SPF20. It also contains silicone (which is unusual for a natural brand) which enables the very liquid formula to blend well. I felt that it would lend itself well to application with a brush. The strong scent may not be to everyone's liking. It's a lightweight formula which doesn't sit heavily on the skin and what's more, it felt hydrating.
I opted for shade WRF1 which had quite yellow undertones, as do most of the shades in the range, from what I understand. A lot of people have complained that Wild Rose Foundation oxidises and discolours during wear and I have to admit that I also noticed this, although I didn't notice the orange tones which some have mentioned. For me, the coverage was too light- I prefer a fuller coverage. Having said this, I did like the finish which was smooth and soft, neither matte nor dewy but simply a lovely, velvet finish. Unfortunately, in spite of the silicone content, I didn't find this very long wearing.
At £20 for 30ml, I felt that it was overpriced (the Bourjois foundations are half the price and better in my opinion) and overall, I wouldn't repurchase it, however, if you're looking for a light coverage foundation to suit yellow undertone skin then this might be worth a look.