Beauty Spotlight: Desert Island with Visionary Beauty

So its now my turn to be stranded on a desert island, how rude!
I of course brought my husband and little boy (I didn't read any small print about not being allowed guests).
Trying to take just 12 items was difficult and I did have a moment where the idea of cello-taping products together and putting them into some box system thus making them count as 1 item seemed a genius way forward.
Luckily my boy and husband bought the brushes, hair/body care and perfume etc so that I could concentrate on skincare and makeup......

For skincare I would choose, Pai Camellia & Rose Hydrating Cleanser and Chamomile & Rosehip Sensitive Skin Cream. I think these are now my most re-bought skincare items, the range is just superior for being effective and not causing irritation/acne.

For eye cream I would go with Omorovicza Gold Eye Lift cream, I am going to be buying my second one very soon, as its the best eye cream I have found to hydrate and reduce lines and puffiness.
Onto makeup; my eyeshadow needs would be covered by two Rouge Bunny Rouge palettes; you just can't fault the creamy,buttery texture and great pigment.

Swatched L-R: Unforgettable Oriole, Bohemian Waxwing*, Umber Firefinch, Delicate Hummingbird,Snowy Egret and Eclipse Eagle.

Blusher would have to be a nude, wear with anything, shade and then a brightening peachy/pink shade, so my picks are Rouge Bunny Rouge Delicata and By Terry Torrid Peach.

For mascara, one of my favourites is By Terry Terrybly mascara as it lengthens, gives lift and does not clump.

I found lipstick to be the most tricky, so have gone with the two shades I am using most at the moment, for my pink nude I'd go for Burberry Field Rose lip mist and for my peachy tone By Terry Rouge Terrybly Love Me Tender.

Swatched L-R: Love Me Tender, Field Rose, Delicata and Torrid Peach.

In terms of base it has to be Omorovicza Complexion Perfector BB SPF 20, I'm on my third bottle, this is simply the best base product I have ever used.

I have not found the perfect under eye concealer yet for coverage so I'll pick Burberry Beauty Sheer Concealer as that is the one I am currently using.

(*I bought all these myself apart from the refill of Bohemian Waxwing)

So there we have it, it was rather fortuitous that just a few weeks later my husband was able to craft a boat out of trees and coconuts and we were able to return home (I mean how was I going to survive with just two lipsticks...really....)

As I work my way through the Pai range...

Pai are probably my most re-bought skincare line. The products suit my sensitive skin and as such they have become fail safe items that I always seem to return to and I always feel confident trying other products from the range.

The Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil (£20) is geared towards all skintypes. The oil is meant to improve skin firmness and elasticity and help improve the appearance of scars, sun damage and fine lines. Its a very concentrated fruit hip oil and the high levels of Trans Retinoic Acid convert to Vitamin A to help the skin heal.

I need about 3/4 drops to cover my face, though it doesn't run down your face like a lot of oils, you can very much feel it to the touch so I don't feel like it completely adsorbs. It makes my skin feel smoother and overtime general redness decreased slightly, however where I find this work best for me is as a cystic healer.  I detest cystic spots; they hurt, feel really itchy, scream at people to stare at them as they protrude from the skin, and for me they take months or years to heal. As someone with acne prone and sensitive skin I should stick with what works, but of course I get tempted by new things and unfortunately sometimes I get break outs and sometimes they are cystic.
Using this oil everyday over a cystic really took down the itchiness and pain, calmed the area and the healing time was the quickest I've ever had. So for me I'll always keep one of these handy for this reason alone. It should be noted that on the packaging they advise not using this oil on acne prone skin, so you may have a different experience than me.


The avocado and Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream (£19) which I reviewed back in 2009 but the formula feels different now,  has a thicker consistency compared to their sensitive or combination day creams.

It applies really smooth and doesn't ball up when you rub it in. Its very hydrating, the skin is left soft with any dry areas gone. However, although I don't feel that it leaves my dry skin greasy, I can really feel this on the skin so  I think its a tad too heavy for me, and though its recommend for dry skin (which I have) I think its one for those with very dry skin. The chamomile Rosehip Sensitive Skin cream  remains my favourite moisturiser from Pai  (I'm on my third bottle of it)


The Rice Plant & Rosemary BioAffinity Toner (£30) contains pure 'living waters' extracted directly from the plant.

This toner is meant to calm, rebalance and decongest combination and sensitive skin.  It doesn't leave my skin really moisturised like the Lotus & Orange Blossom toner, so I tend to use this for the warmer months.I don't get any irritation from this and it does feel calming and refreshing on the skin. Though its not something I necessarily felt I needed, going a few weeks not using it I did notice my skin was more congested and just looked more uneven in tone. I do really like the Pai toners but I still think they are overpriced for the size you get (50ml)


I bought all these from paiskincare.com

Winter skin comforts from Pai

My skin really does not like the winter. The coldness coupled with the increase of central heating has a very drying effect on my already dry skin, redness that I am prone to goes up a notch and my skin often feels chapped. Unfortunately I cannot lather on rich, heavy products as they result in breakouts.
Two products that I have found really helpful are the Pai Camellia & Rose gentle hydrating cleanser (£25) and Bergamot Orange Organic Lip Balm (£7).
I have mentioned both these before in 2009, so wanted to give them a re-mention as their packaging has since changed and the formulas feel different.
The cleanser sits in-between a cream and lotion consistency, though it does not feel cloying or heavy. It spreads nicely over the skin and leaves skin soft yet without a residue. Its extremely efficient at removing makeup (I get none left on a pad when I do a toner sweep) and I also find its really good at removing mascara (without stinging the eyes). It causes me no irritation/breakouts, this along with my Elemental Herbology are my favourite cleansers for these colder months, really soothing on parched and sore skin.

The lip balm comes in a screw top container and has a very pleasant citrus scent.
Initially hard, yet on application it seems to almost melt into the skin, it does have quite a bit of slip.
It elevates the dryness and makes the lips feel soft and comfortable. It also does not break me out around the lip line (which I am very prone to with lip balms). A handy little item to have in your handbag.


I bought these from paiskincare.com

Pai Geranium & Thistle Skin Cream & Echium Rejuvenating Eye Cream

Pai skin care is a range designed for those with sensitive and allergy prone skin, the products are certified organic by the Soil Association

Geranium & Thistle Combination Skin Cream (£24 for 30ml):
Although I have dry skin, my skin doesn't always respond well to heavy creams as I am very acne prone/sensitive. This cream is a lightweight to medium lotion consistency and sinks into my skin quickly, it does however provide just enough moisturisation, so this cream has managed to provide the perfect balance.Though I think with this cold weather I'll need to switch to one of my more moisturising creams, I'll certainly be able to use this for the majority of the year.
It makes a good makeup base, feels soothing and does not give me any irritation or break outs.
Ingredients:


Pai Echium Anti-Aging Organic Eye Cream (£24 for 10ml):
This is the most soothing eye cream I have ever tried. I had been trying to find a cheaper eye makeup remover and the result is that I got a lot of eye irritation, dryness and the skin near the sides of my eye had two lines which were actually beginning to crack (yikes), I'd never had this level of eye irritation before but this Pai was my hero product, I could just put it directly on and it felt so soothing and with continuous use the irritation has gone.
For me this moisturises extremely well without giving me those little bumps (which I am extremely prone to) and has made my under eye area look less red/sore.

Ingredients:

I'm extremely pleased with both products, I have since re-bought the eye cream and will re -buy the moisturiser when I run out. I think if you want a no frills but good honest skincare range that does what it says then Pai is worth a try

I bought these from http://www.paiskincare.com/

Pai Lotus & Orange Blossom Toner, Fragonia & Seabuckthorn Hand Therapy Cream

Pai, the organic plant-based skin care company who's products are aimed at those with very sensitive, allergy prone skin have recently added toners to their line up.
Of the two, I bought the Lotus & Orange Blossom BioAffinity (£30) as its meant for dry sensitive skin.
The toner is alcohol free and contains "pure 'living waters' extracted directly from the plant." I've not heard of this concept before, this is what the site says "Plants are naturally rich in a multitude of hydro-soluble compounds. The waters circulating within them absorb important nutrients from the earth, and inherit a unique combination of amino acids, vitamins and trace mineral elements.
Ingredients;
For me I found this soothing, non irritating and very hydrating/moisturising and I skipped using a night cream as I felt the moisture this gave me was adequate. Compared to my other favourite toners (Elemental Herbology and Aromatherapy Associates) this was a lot more moisturising, however I felt the soothing elements were on par with Elemental Herbology. Unfortunately I found the cost high as I went though the 50ml size in little over a month (the other toners I use work out quite a bit cheaper).

The Fragonia & Seabuckthorn Instant Hand Therapy Cream (£16) is nothing short of excellent. It absorbs quickly and doesn't leave hands greasy. It soothes irritation and I never get that burning feeling on sore areas like some creams do.
It hydrates well without having a heavy feel to it.
It contains Pro-Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Omega 3, 6 & 7, Fragonia (anti-inflammatory properties), Sea Buckthorn, Rosehip and Grape Seed extracts
Ingredients;
One of the other things I appreciate about Pai is how they list their ingredients, which includes a plain English version of the scientific name.

I bought these from beautybay.com

Pai Skincare

I have dry, sensitive and hugely acne prone skin. I don’t tend to chop and change skincare anymore, however my acne is now under control due to medication, and whilst I was happy with my current moisturiser, I have always thought my cleanser was a bit too gentle at removing all my makeup. I’d seen Pai mentioned on a few blogs and it did interest me as it's chemical free (no parabens or other synthetic preservatives) and claimed to be suitable for even hyper-sensitive skin.
Instead of buying just one thing (as I seem incapable of doing) I got the Pai Organic Skin Care Starter Kit, with the Camellia & Rose Cleanser and the Avocado & Jojoba Organic Moisturiser for Normal Skin. Delivery was free and really quick and they also sent a free full size bergamot lip balm, which seems to still be a current offer (if you spend over £20)
I’ve waited a while to review the items, as I wanted to be sure they wouldn’t irritate/break me out.
The cleanser is rather thick and has a creamy consistency. It removes all my makeup, including mascara and eyeliner (which surprised me as the only non-oil cleanser that has been able to do this for me was Fresh soy cleanser). It doesn’t irritate or break me out, and does not leave a residue on the skin. My only gripe is it leaves my skin ever so slightly dry. I will be re-buying this when I run out.
The moisturiser I am not so keen on, although it causes no irritation, it feels heavy on and doesn’t seem to absorb on the skin completely. Applying makeup over this type of base means it does not adhere well and ends up a bit patchy. I only use it as a night cream now because of this.
The lip balm, is quite nice, these types of products usually give me little spots on the lip line so I gave up on them but I have no such problems with this one. It moisturises nicely without being really greasy or heavy.

http://www.paiskincare.com/