Sarah Chapman Overnight Exfoliating Booster and Overnight Facial

Whilst I don't profess to have any qualifications in talking about skincare products I do take a very keen interest in what I put on my skin-especially since my skin went all kinds of loopy after my cancer surgery last year.  I talked about my new delightful hormonal adult acne a couple of months ago but I seem to have hit on a combination that is working for me in keeping my skin calm, clear and happy.  I dread publicly saying that my skin is fine because it always seems to bite me on the arse and the next day my skin breaks out horrendously!  But right now as I type this, my skin is the best it has been in ages.  There will be a few more skincare raves coming your way soon.

I'm talking about two Sarah Chapman products today-both of which I bought from Space NK.  I initially bought the Overnight Facial oil but then after I saw the reviews of the Overnight Exfoliating Booster on Space NK I was intrigued enough to buy it.

So if you're new here I am 35 and my skin type is oily/combination, I live in air con and humidity (Dubai), my jawline and chin are now prone to breakouts but generally I don't get spots elsewhere.  My skin cannot tolerate cocoa butter and I am wary of lavender oil.  It also doesn't like me eating yoghurt but is fine with any other dairy.  It likes Vitamin C, Salicylic Acid, loves Retinol and can tolerate small amounts of Lactic and Glycolic acid.  I have lots of little acne scars too but they cover easily with make up.  My skin is also very used to AHA and BHA's so I rarely get the 'tingle' you get if you're a new user.

I'm giving you this 'skin background' because these products aren't cheap and I personally would want to read a detailed and honest review before I spent my hard earned cash on something so pricey.

Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial

This is a 'much raved about by bloggers' facial oil and whilst when I used it first I liked it I wouldn't say I loved it.  It's an oil which I totally embrace even though I have oily skin-I saw wonders in my skin when I used the Clarins Lotus Facial Oil.  (Caroline Hirons also talks about oil on oily skin here) 

Some of the claims:

"The essence of a Skinesis facial in a bottle, this famed multi-award winning power potion combines concentrated cosmeceutical actives and exotic essential oils to leave skin plump, dewy and rejuvenated.

This silky elixir firms, boosts collagen production, enhances radiance and prolongs cell life while you sleep. This sophisticated serum-oil has an easily absorbed silky cashmere texture which leaves skin soft, smooth and plump by morning.

A potent cocktail of antioxidants, vitamins, Renovage™, omega oils, Dermaxyl™ peptide and flower extracts combine with Skinesis’ skin brightening complex to firm and revitalize the skin. Added Abyssinian, Meadowfoam seed oil and hemp seed oil are all rich in anti-inflammatory omegas and essential fatty acids to help calm stressed skin. Cocoon yourself with the much loved exotic infusion of Overnight Facial’s soothing essential oil blend of jasmine, frangipani, rose and tuberose. Slip into a deep sleep every night while this delicious serum delivers a signature Skinesis post facial glow.

RESULTS:
- Repairs and neutralises daily environmental damage
- Lifts, firms and plumps
- Boosts collagen production
- Smoothes lines and uneven texture
- Rejuvenates the skin leaving it radiant, brighter and with a more even skin tone
- Refines the look of the skin
- Calms stressed, irritated skin

HIGH PERFORMANCE ACTIVES:
Vitamin A, VCIP Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Lipobrite®HCA-4, Coenzyme Q10, Renovage™, Dermaxyl™ Oligopeptide, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Abyssinian Oil, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Hemp Seed Oil, Melon Oil, Baobab Oil, Jojoba, Jasmine, Rose "

When I was using just the oil in the final step of my evening skincare routine (after double toning) I would agree that my skin was looking calmer and less irritated, it didn't make me break out despite the high levels of essential oils (some people are sensitive to them, some aren't) and that my skin looked plumper and glowing in the morning.  I am reliably informed this smells amazing but as someone who suffers with Anosmia I can't detect any scent at all.  Also, in case you're not aware, Vitamin A is a Retinol which my skin likes a lot, especially when it starts breaking out and really seems to help.

So I thought it was a nice facial oil but nothing outstanding.

Then I bought the Overnight Exfoliating Booster.....

When I read the outer packaging it actually recommends using this before the Overnight Facial so I thought 'right I will use this immediately'.  From day one my skin looked better.  And better and better using this combo.

Again, first the claims:

A night time detoxifying exfoliant serum which targets blocked pores, uneven skin tone, blemishes and wrinkles, without the need for stressing the skin with physical scrubbing.

This booster resurfaces and supercharges your night time skin care routine. Sarah Chapman Skinesis Overnight Exfoliating Booster contains a potent cocktail of non-abrasive skin resurfacers that gently exfoliate the skin whilst you sleep to accelerate natural skin renewal and address uneven skin tone.

This serum helps to prevent clogged pores, eliminates dead surface cells and limits pore distortion and blemishes, resulting in smoother, more radiant skin.

Inspired by Sarah Chapman’s specialist resurfacing clinic treatments, the booster is non-glycolic and incredibly brightening with ingredients to keep pores clean and skin decongested.

RESULTS:
- Skin appears clearer.
- Pores are decongested and appear tighter and smaller.
- Skin looks more radiant.
- Wrinkles are minimised and skin looks smoother.
- Skin texture is smoother.

HIGH PERFORMANCE ACTIVES:
Lactic Acid, Willow Bark, Retinol, Exfolactive EL®, P Refinyl®, Glycorepair®.

What attracted me personally to this serum is that it was exfoliating but it was non-glycolic.  Don't get me wrong I still love a bit of Glycolic acid in my routine (and I am currently using the Elemis TriEnzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash AND the Pixi Glow tonic (both reviewed previously here) but I think at the moment my skin responds better to BHA's like Salicylic and Lactic Acid and the main ingredient of this serum is Lactic Acid.

Firstly, I dislike the way the product dispenses-it comes with a pipette but the serum is quite thick and the pipette doesn't seem to pick up enough product which is annoying.  I use between 1/3rd and 1/2 a pipette's worth after my double tone and then follow up with the Overnight Facial Oil.

The first thing I noticed is this is a very 'dry' serum and it sinks into my skin immediately leaving no residue.  I only wait about a minute before applying oil on top.  When I wake up the next day my skin just looks so clear and healthy-it really seems to stop any spots in the tracks and I have noticed a marked difference in my old acne red scars-especially on my chin.  My pores around the bottom of my nose also look smaller.

I get no tingling at all with this product and I do think it is more on the gentle side and even though the recommended use is 2-3 times a week I find myself using it almost every day,   My skin is clearer and smoother and I love love it.

So final verdict (and I know this was a long one so thanks for sticking with me)-I adore the Overnight Exfoliating Booster and I like the Overnight Facial.  I feel like the Overnight Exfoliating Booster made an immediate, positive, visible difference to my skin which made me more confident because my skin was better.

I've noticed on the Sarah Chapman website that you can also mix the Overnight Exfoliating Booster with masks and moisturisers for an extra boost.

The Overnight Facial retails at £48 for 15ml (although you can buy a 5ml tester size from the Sarab Chapman website) and the Overnight Exfoliating Booster is £58 for 30ml (and again a smaller tester 5ml size can be bought from the website)

You can also read my thoughts on the Sarah Chapman Rapid Radiance Cleanse here.

Have you tried anything from Sarah Chapman?  Thoughts?

Sarah Chapman Skinesis Rapid Radiance Cleanse

I've been using the Sarah Chapman Skinesis Rapid Radiance Cleanse now for over a month now so I thought I would share my thoughts.  There are currently two Sarah Chapman products in my skincare routine-this cleanser in my morning routine and the Overnight Facial in my evening routine.

I've been using the cleanser as my morning cleanse in the shower-I apply to dry skin, massage in and then rinse clean.  It has a clay base but feels very light on the skin when massaged in and seems to 'absorb' into the skin as you massage.  It rinses clean without a flannel leaving no residue.

If you have read my hormonal acne post from a few weeks back you'll know I have actively been researching products containing salicylic acid and retinol to improve my skin and my skin has improved dramatically.  I also know my skin responds well to Vitamin C and struggles to tolerate 'butters' (shea, cocoa etc)

This formula contains Vitamin C, lactic and salicylic acid to help to unclog and detoxify pores and contains neroli, bergamot, geranium and petitgrain essential oils to add radiance to the skin.   I feel like my skin has been consistently more well behaved whilst I have been using this cleanser along with all the other skincare I am currently using plus the fish oil I am taking.  It is also recommended to use this cleanser as a 2 minute brightening mask which I do probably twice a week.

The one downside seems to be that I feel like I have to use a lot each morning-I use about 8 pumps each day as the dispenser only dispenses a tiny amount.  But unless I use this much I don't feel I have enough product to thoroughly cleanse my face.  This is definitely a morning cleanser-it isn't heavy duty enough to remove make up and it's ingredients are designed to treat the skin rather than clean the skin. 

I would repurchase this cleanser though-my skin seems to be benefiting from the gentle clay base and the cocktail of acids and vitamins.  The fuss free application in the morning is a plus too given that I normally stumble into the shower half asleep every morning!

I purchased mine from Space NK where it retails for £29.

Have you any Sarah Chapman recommendations?

Space NK splurge

A couple of weeks ago I placed a little online order with Space NK which is absolutely one of my favourite places to shop in London and here's what landed on my desk in Dubai a few days later!

I have already blogged about the 2 b-eau-tiful limited edition palettes Soulshine and Realm of the Senses here but I also picked up this stunning coral blush Torrid which is a daytime version of their cult shade 'Orgasm'.  It seems I am on a mission to own every Nars blush known to man and I am getting there-I  love every single one I currently own.

The Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial was a purchase on a whim having never tried anything from the brand before.  £45 for 15 ml is shockingly expensive though so I hope it delivers on it's promise of lifting, firming and smoothing out uneven skintones with it's cocktail of vitamins.  It has excellent reviews on the Space NK website.

Finally I caved and purchased the large size Laura Mercier custom artist portfolio.  I saw it on my friend Vanessa from The Other VW's blog and wanted it immediately.  This hard case is perfect for me as I travel frequently and hopefully it will stop me overpacking.  Planning to use this for the first time when I fly home to the UK this week for a holiday-am actually weirdly excited about getting to play with it!  I especially love the fact the case is magnetic and that the pouches are held in place magnetically.  It's really cleverly designed with lots of space for all my bits and pieces!

Can't wait to shop actually in-store this week in London.  I'll be hitting up the Hans Crescent store opposite Harrods as my London office is right next door and I think it's the best Space NK in London!