More HelloSkin treats

Regular readers of my blog may remember that I reviewed a trio of products from HelloSkin earlier this year. Well I’ve now received a further selection of goodies free to review.

HelloSkin is an online store selling skincare products suitable for those people with psoriasis, eczema, acne and dry skin conditions. The site has been designed so that you can easily shop by need, type or ingredient. Alternatively there is a product finder which is refinable by age group, body part, symptom, need and when to use.

I chose the following three items.
Oilatum Scalp Anti-Dandruff Shampoo also for itchy, flaking scalps – 150ml
Aveeno Daily Moisturising Bath and Shower Oil for dry and sensitive skin – 300ml
EVY Sunscreen Mousse SPF 30 – 150ml

Plus I also received a couple of surprise gifts. How nice!
Relivio Dry Skin Body Lotion – 500ml
Relivio Dry Skin Body Cream – 200ml

The first product I tried was the Oilatum Scalp Anti-Dandruff Shampoo also for itchy, flaking scalps – 150ml. I frequently get a flare up of flaky scalp. Currently retailing at £9.99 for a 150ml bottle, this was a more expensive brand than the Neutrogena T/Gel 2-in-1 Dandruff Shampoo Plus Conditioner that I tested last time. However I would say it was equally effective, no better or no worse, although it didn’t particularly lather up much. With both, I don’t end up scratching my scalp afterwards causing soreness and flakiness like with some less skin-friendly products. On that basis, I continue to prefer the Neutrogena T/Gel product, both on price and on being a combined shampoo and conditioner, which is always my preference. But equally happy with the quality of this product. It does advise you to leave on for 3-5 minutes for best results.

Next up is the EVY Sunscreen Mousse SPF 30 – 150ml. This was a real winner for me, as in a mousse format, it was easy to apply, wasn’t sticky and felt nice on my skin. And best of all, it is long-lasting and I didn’t burn. I’ll certainly be buying this again in the future. Of course, the real test will come when I get an opportunity to try it out in a sand and salt environment, as that is when I usually get very itchy and uncomfortable. It currently retails at £16.95 for 150ml. This is also available in SPF 10, 20 and 50 variants, plus a kids version.

And finally the Aveeno Daily Moisturising Bath and Shower Oil for dry and sensitive skin – 300ml. This smelt nice and worked excellently in the shower on my very dry skin. However I wasn’t convinced. I think this is because I am a shower creme person through and through. I don’t think I want to swap to an oil. For me, oils are reserved for massage. Perhaps I should have opted to try the Aveeno body wash instead. But it does contain oatmeal, which has a high reputation in skincare, so definitely worth a try for those who have a more serious skin condition than myself. This product currently retails at £7.99 for a 300ml bottle.

I will certainly be visiting the HelloSkin website in the future.

Also I have an offer to pass on to my readers – 10% off your next purchase at HelloSkin with discount code: “HELLOCLAIRE”. This offer is valid once per customer.

And I’m hosting a rafflecopter competition to giveaway HelloSkin products to three lucky winners. The first winner drawn will win an EVY Sunscreen Mousse SPF 30 – 150ml. The second winner drawn will win a bottle of Oilatum Scalp Anti-Dandruff Shampoo also for itchy, flaking scalps – 150ml. And the third winner drawn will win a bottle of Aveeno Daily Moisturising Bath and Shower Oil for dry and sensitive skin – 300ml.

a Rafflecopter giveaway – Please click on the link to enter.

And you may see my other giveaways here.

I’d love to hear your top skincare tips.

You can find HelloSkin on social media as follows:-
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram

Disclosure.  This post is a review of products I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

HelloSkin skincare plus giveaway

I was very pleased to be offered the chance to choose a selection of 3 products from HelloSkin free to review. The lady at HelloSkin had seen that I have previously blogged about Flexitol footcare products which is a line they stock.

HelloSkin is an online store selling skincare products suitable for those people with psoriasis, eczema, acne and dry skin conditions. The site has been designed so that you can easily shop by need, type or ingredient. Alternatively there is a product finder which is refinable by age group, body part, symptom, need and when to use.

I initially chose the following three products
DermaTherapy Fitted Sheet
Moisturising Cotton Sleep Socks
Neutrogena T/Gel 2-in-1 Dandruff Shampoo Plus Conditioner

But as my first choice of socks were out of stock at the time, I swapped to
Jasmine 100% Silk Moisturising Socks for dry and cracked skin

The products were dispatched on a next day service and arrived well-packed. I spotted that they also offer a free standard delivery service, which I always appreciate.

So I’ll start with the DermaTherapy Fitted Sheet which is billed as being the first clinically proven Therapeutic Bedding. I chose this in a king size which currently retails for £84.95 but it is also available in single and double sizes. The fabric feels amazingly smooth compared to standard sheets, but to really understand this, you should look at the zoomed in image of the weave. The HelloSkin website focusses on the benefits for those with sensitive skin conditions, but the packaging also indicates that it is ideal for those undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Pity I hadn’t heard about it a few years earlier, as when son1 was diagnosed with leukaemia, I thought I was making the right choice to buy best quality pure Egyptian cotton bedsheets for him.

They also stock duvet covers, pillow case, flat sheets and sleep sacs. I tend to often wake up sweaty in the middle of the night and I found that this sheet is very effective at wicking away heat and moisture. Now I just need the rest of the range, as my ordinary duvet meant I was still sweaty above, although much more comfortable underneath. Significantly more expensive than standard bedding, but definitely worth the investment for those that it helps to a much better night’s sleep in my opinion. It is 50% polyester and 50% polyamide and is so easy to fit on your mattress compared to most sheets. I actually had to double check the packet to make sure I hadn’t accidentally got super-king rather than king size. I washed it on a 60 degree cycle and tumble-dried it on low. It came out almost crease-free, so I didn’t even need to iron. And the packaging indicates that it will withstand washing upto 90 degrees.

Next the socks, which fit size 3-7. I’ve been planning to get a pair of moisturising socks for ages, but had never got round to it. The idea behind moisturising socks is to apply your usual footcare product and then the socks will help the absorption whilst you sleep. I’m loving these. I can definitely say they work. I’ve blogged before about how dry and cracked my feet are, as per image on left. Well I’ve seen a marked improvement in the mornings since I started wearing the socks, as per image on right. At £7.99 for a pair, they are great value in my opinion. Wish I’d got some sooner. Although the socks are silk, they can still be machine washed on a low 30 degree setting, but I chose to hand-wash them.

And finally the shampoo. I frequently get a flare up of flaky scalp and have tried many different brands of anti-dandruff shampoo, but this is the first time, I’ve tried this brand. At the time of testing, I only had a very mild case of dandruff (as per top left image), which I’m happy to say it treated. I do prefer using combined shampoo and conditioner like this rather than two separate products. This shampoo lathered up well and also had a nice fragrance and my hair felt soft and tangle-free afterwards. This was the 125ml size which currently retails for £3.99 and it is also available in a 250ml size. More expensive than most shampoo at the supermarket but competitive with salon brands.

So in summary, I was very happy with all three products and will certainly be using this site in the future.

Also I have an offer to pass on to my readers – 10% off your next purchase at HelloSkin with discount code: “HELLOCLAIRE”. This offer is valid once per customer.

And I’m hosting a rafflecopter competition to giveaway HelloSkin products to three lucky winners. The first winner drawn will win a DermaTherapy fitted sheet in their preferred choice of size. The second winner drawn will win a pair of Jasmine Silk Moisturising Socks. And the third winner drawn will win a bottle of  Neutrogena T/Gel 2-in-1 Dandruff Shampoo Plus Conditioner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway – Please click on the link to enter.

And you may see my other giveaways here.

I’d love to hear your top skincare tips.

You can find HelloSkin on social media as follows:-
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram

Disclosure.  This post is a review of products I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

Simply Washing review and giveaway

In a household with 2 young boys, my washing machine is in use several times a week. For starters, there is muddy sports kit and lunch dropped on their school uniforms. Then when we go out for a pizza, my requests for them to use the napkins are ignored. Instead greasy fingers are wiped down the front of their clothes. Also son1 has an annoying habit of rubbing himself against the length of a brick wall whenever out walking near one, which doesn’t do any favours to his clothes.

So I was very pleased to be offered the chance to review Simply laundry products. How would they fare against my washing challenges? I received a pack of 24 Simply Pure Allergen and Fragrance Free Laundry Soft-tabs and a pack of 24 Simply Sensitive Non-Bio Laundry Soft-tabs for free.

Luckily our family is mostly free of skin conditions or irritations apart from very occasional flare-ups, mostly during the height of the pollen season. But for those of you who this is more key for, both packets are endorsed by the National Eczema Society. Both packets also indicate that they are phosphate free and they endorsed by the Vegan Society since they are not tested on animals.

Now I usually put my detergent directly into the drum, but for the purposes of the review I was advised to put the tab at the back of the drawer. I thought I did this correctly but my first load failed as the tab was still in the drawer after the wash. Instead I had to remove the drawer entirely from its housing in order to put the tab right at the very very back as per the photo below. A bit fiddly really, as fingers can’t reach that area otherwise, but I assume that must be the only area the water reaches in my drawer. I’ll probably stick to my normal practice of popping it directly in the drum in future.

So instead my second load was the real test. This was dirty school clothes and you can see from the before and after shots, that I was pleased with the results using a Simply Sensitive tab. I’ve also been happy with the effectiveness of Simply Pure, which is fairly similar to Simply Sensitive with the addition of also being perfume free.

I have a water purifier fitted, so I don’t normally need to use any fabric conditioner. This proved to still hold true for both products.

These products are available to purchase online from Amazon. The Simply Pure Allergen and Fragrance Free Laundry Soft-tabs currently retail at £14.98 for a pack of 48 and the Simply Sensitive Non-Bio Laundry Soft-tabs at £14.58 for a pack of 48. They are also available to purchase in store from Sainsbury’s and Holland & Barrett’s. You only need one tab per load so that is about 30p per wash. They are also available on Amazon in larger packs of 100 or 200 tabs, which work out cheaper per wash.

I would happily recommend both these products, although they are more expensive than some other brands.

And I’m hosting a rafflecopter competition to giveaway a bulk pack of either 100 Simply Sensitive or Simply Pure laundry soft tabs. courtesy of Simply to one lucky winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway – Please click on the link to enter.

And you may see my other giveaways here.

I’d love to hear your tips for dealing with bad stains or coping with skin conditions.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram

Disclosure.  This post is a review of products I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.