PRODUCT REVIEW // COSMEDIX GLOW BAMBOO BRIGHTENING MASK, PCA SKIN DETOXIFYING MASK AND ASPECT GOLD EXFOLIATING CLAY MASK

PRODUCT REVIEW: HOW TO TRANSFORM BLEMISH PRONE SKIN WITH ASPECT SKINCARE

Unfortunately I have always struggled with temperamental skin, ever since I was a teenager, I have suffered with bad breakouts, and while, as I've gotten older, I have learnt how to deal with it better, mainly through better more targeted skincare, ever so often it still has a bit of a 'hissy fit'. Lately I have had great success getting some bad breakouts under control again, thanks to Aspect Skincare, where I've put a whole skincare regimen to the test.. 

In case you are not familiar with Aspect, let me quickly tell you that it is an Australian brand that makes high-powered skincare products using pure and active ingredients based on medical science. The products are also free from pesticides, parabens and dyes, which is fantastic too!

Here's the products that I've been testing;

Aspect Purastat 5 Cleanser - used AM and PM
Aspect Exfol L 15 Exfoliating Night Serum - used PM
Aspect Extreme C 20 - used AM
Aspect Jungle Brew - used AM and PM
Aspect Stop Spot - used as required
Aspect Sheer Hydration - used AM and PM

Let's start with the cleanser, the Aspect Purastat 5 Cleanser. This is a very gentle foaming cleanser, that also has a slightly exfoliating effect on the skin due to the naturally occurring AHA's including L-lactic acid, bilberry, sugar cane, citric acid, wasabi root, olive leaf extract and white and green tea, all of which helps remove makeup and excess oil and impurities along with dead skin cells to keep the pores clean to prevent breakouts. It also contains 7 botanicals to and antioxidants to help add moisture to the skin, protect and strengthen the skin's natural defences while soothing and calming the skin.

The cleanser comes in a funky pump bottle and it is very concentrated so the tiniest amount is sufficient. It does a great job at removing my makeup (note it is not recommended for use eye makeup remover) - but that said, I do actually prefer to remove my makeup first with a basic makeup remover, and use this one as the second and more intense and in-depth cleanser to really get my skin and pores clean. And I love how it has quickly managed to balance my combination skin, clearly gently buffing away dead skin cells, yet without drying it out, leaving it feeling soft and smooth.

Then there's the Aspect Exfol L15, which is an skin resurfacing and exfoliating night serum that contains AHA's from L-Lactic Acid, Multifruit BSC, and Canadian Willowherb, to gently exfoliate and lift away any accumulation of dead and dull skin cells for a smoother, clearer, brighter and more healthy looking complexion.

This night serum is intended for especially those with impure, congested, dull and thickened skin, and thus perfect for my combination skin prone to breakouts. It is very gentle, and just a few drops before your usual night cream is all it takes for this serum to do its magic, as each morning I not only feel that my skin is a little softer and smoother, I've also found that it has also helped balance my skin out, reducing the oiliness in my skin, as well as my skin seems brighter and more even in its tone too.

The Aspect Extreme C 20 is an oil-soluble vitamin C serum that helps fight the many signs of ageing including texture, wrinkles, slackened skin and uneven skin tone, including redness and pigmentation. The serum contains a mix of vitamin C, corrective botanical extracts, and collagen amino peptides, along with energising extracts such as Canadian willowherb extract and wasabi extract

The actual serum is very light and is best applied in the morning after cleansing and before applying moisturiser, and after just a few uses I could start to se that my skin was starting to look more refined, softer and plumper, clearer and more refreshed and more brighter and glowing too - and even when I apply my makeup on top, my skin looks more dewy and radiant.

Then there's the Aspect Jungle Brew, and I must admit that when I first saw the name of the product, I did smile a little, and making me think of something like a beer brew or something. However instead this oil-free moisturisng serum designed for combination, oily or problematic skin has got its name from the trio of Amazonian extracts, which includes Acai, Andiroba and Copaiba Balsam, that help clarify the skin and regulate oil production, reduce the appearance of visible imperfections leaving the skin clearer, less shiny and simply healthier looking. It also helps detoxify, mattify and soothe the skin thanks to containing an advanced version of Vitamin C called Stay-C 50® that is shown to banish the look of imperfections with better efficiency than traditional chemical treatments, without the harsh side effects such as redness, dryness and irritation, along with botanical extracts, Canadian willow herb extract and wasabi extract that helps soothe and calm the skin.

The serum can be used AM and/or PM before moisturiser, or on its own without a moisturiser for those with particularly oily skin types, personally I've been using it with the Sheer Hydration on top . And I have to say that I am so impressed with this Jungle Brew, it truly is a magical brew, as already after a few days of using it, I could clearly see that my blemishes, including those stubborn ones I'd been fighting forever, were clearly reducing in size, looking less inflamed and healing up, leaving me with a skin that was much clearer and healthier looking, and unlike most other blemish products, without irritating or drying out my skin.

On the pesky spots, I did also use the Aspect Gold Stop Spot, which is a spot treatment designed to quickly and effectively target spots as they appear it contains among others niacinamide, salicylic acid (note that this means that this is not suitable for use for those who are pregnant or lactating!), and lemon tea tee oil and with ethanol, and aims to exfoliate the skin, soothe and mattify and dry out the breakouts without irritating the skin. This bottle is seriously tiny, but while it lacks in size, it still delivers a massive punch, and really does immediately go to fight those stubborn and problematic spots, to the point that I can literally feel and see it working within hours. And while sometimes it takes weeks for large breakouts to clear from my skin, with this little miracle worker, it is dramatically reduced, and again, without making my skin feel irritated, red or make it so dry it peels, as well as I also feel that the usual dark or red mark you usually get post-breakouts, is visibly reduced too. Unlike many other blemish treatments which often have a very strong chemical scent, this one has a lovely fresh citrus scent. My only gripe about this treatment is that that the treatment is a little runny, so you do have to be careful not to waste any product as you drip it out.

Finally, there's the Aspect Sheer Hydration Oil Free Moisturiser, an ultra-light oil-free non-comedogenic moisturiser, suitable for normal through to oily skin types. It helps add intense moisture to the skin, while soothing and mattifying the skin and improving the appearance of lines and wrinkles. That is just music to my ears. At the 'anti-ageing age group' with my breakout prone combination skin, I am always struggling finding anti-ageing products, as often they are simply too rich and heavy for my skin, quickly making my skin look and feel greasy, and make it congested. But this one is nothing short of amazing.

It contains a range of active ingredients from a form of hyaluronic acid to hydrate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 to improve the apperance of lines and wrinkles, Canadian willow herb to soothe, calm and mattify, oil soluble vitamin C to lighten and brighten the skin, and Tocopherol to add antioxidants.

The moisturiser comes in a cool push-down pump jar, that makes it easy and convenient to use, and I also love the gorgeous subtle citrus scent. But more importantly, I love how this light moisturiser absorbs immediately into my skin without any greasiness, leaving it not only silky soft and mattified, it also has the most gorgeous radiant glow, that immediately makes the skin look so much healthier. And after continued use, my love for this moisturiser is only strengthened, as I can see how much it is improving my skin, making it look fresher and plumper too. When I use it at night, I no longer wake in the morning with a skin that is greasy, and used during the day, it makes my makeup look so much better, and stay put so much longer without sliding off my face. I'll be sad when this moisturiser comes to an end, but luckily its quite concentrated and you only need about a pea sized amount for the whole face, so the jar will last quite a while.

Overall I am really impressed and have enjoyed using this skincare regimen from Aspect, as I can clearly both see and feel how these products are working in synergy and have made such a significant improvement to my blemish prone skin, helping clear up existing breakouts and acne, prevent breakouts from occurring in the first place and thereby make my skin look clearer, brighter and simply more glowing and healthy. Highly recommended!!

Aspect Purastat 5 Cleanser - RRP: $66 / 240ml
Aspect Exfol L 15 Exfoliating Serum - RRP: $99 / 30ml
Aspect Extreme C 20 - RRP: $129 / 30ml
Aspect Jungle Brew - RRP: $129 / 30ml
Aspect Stop Spot - RRP: $15.40 / 8ml
Aspect Sheer Hydration - RRP: $84 / 50g 

Available from Adore Beauty, Alive Skin and Hair, Soho Skincare, Skin Matrix, TK Skincare, Timeout Beauty, and select other stockists, check Aspect Skin Online to enquire

* Some products may have been kindly provided for consideration, and have reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

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PRODUCT REVIEW: ASPECT GOLD PROBIOTIC SLEEP MASK

With two little kids, I sadly no longer have as much time for self pampering, so I've been loving the latest influx of so-called sleep masks which work while you sleep, as it is simply the perfect solution for my current lifestyle. So needless to say that when the new Aspect™ Gold Probiotic Sleep Mask landed on my desk, I couldn't wait to try it out. 

The Aspect™ Gold Probiotic Sleep Mask is described as a luxurious hydrating mask that infuses the skin with pro-biotic rich ingredients to immediately comfort and soothe skin in need of moisture and nutrition. It is ideal for impure, dry & dehydrated skin, as it deeply nourishes the skin, while the antioxidants help keep stressed skin calm and balanced. 

The Aspect™ Gold Probiotic Sleep Mask contains among others;

• Aloe Vera to hydrate, soothe and calm 
• Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, a pro-biotic that improves cell turnover while increasing hydration levels 
• Sodium Hyaluronate, a form of hyaluronic acid, which is a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan with exceptional lubricating and hydrating qualities. It can hold 1,000 times its weight in water 
• Milk Protein & Lactose, a skin conditioning & humectant 
• Acai, a potent antioxidant 
• Argan Oil to condition the skin 
• Bifida Ferment Lysate, a pro-biotic known for its superior hydrating and soothing properties 

With my combination skin prone to breakouts, I admit that I was a little cautious about using this mask for the first time, as even though I do sadly fall in the anti-ageing age bracket, at times, products that are very rich, can quickly make my skin feel congested and make it break out.

So in spite of the mask being recommended for use during the night, I wasn't particularly keen on leaving it on over night, so I decided to put I to the test during the day - as soon as I'd put my two little boys down for their nap, I cleansed my skin and applied a small amount of the mask to my face. I then left it on for a few hours (it needs to remain on the skin for a minimum of 20 minutes for the ingredients to infuse into the skin), before I rinsed it off. I admit that I didn't intend to leave it on for that long, but honestly completely forgot that I was wearing it. Yes, my skin was a tad greasy, also because this mask does not dry - but once rinsed off, my skin was left so incredibly soft and smooth, and so glowing, literally like it had a pampering at a salon or the best beauty sleep ever. I also felt like my skin was looking younger, no doubt as the intense hydration was plumping up my tired skin.

I appreciate that this is intended to use PM for a reason, as skin naturally regenerates as we sleep - but for me, it really works popping it on a few hours during the afternoon, or perhaps at night as I relax on the couch. But if you have drier skin, or perhaps skin that is suffering with winter dryness, you'll absolutely love using this mask while you sleep, for a skin that feels and looks amazing in the morning. 

Aspect™ Gold Probiotic Sleep Mask - RRP $55 / 118ml

Available from select stockists, call 1800 648 851 to enquire

* Products have been kindly provided for consideration, and have reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

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PRODUCT REVIEW: ASPECT STARTER KIT

Today I'd like to talk about a beautiful skincare Starter kit from Aspect. This kit was kindly sent to me during the 4.5 months I stayed at the Royal Children's Hospital with our little baby, and my skin was not enjoying the dry hospital environment, constant air conditioning, bleached linen, and needless to say that the stress caused by the seriousness of our son's illness, didn't make matters better! Anyway, while I had the best of intentions of writing about the products during the stay, I simply couldn't concentrate nor find the time to do so, until now..

Aspect is an Australian brand of high-powered skincare that uses pure and active ingredients based on medical science. The products are also free from pesticides, parabens and dyes, which is fantastic too!

The Starter Kit is the perfect way to experience several of the brands products, as it contains 4 deluxe sample products, with enough product to last you a few wees, long enough to get a feel for the products and how your skin responds to them. And it is a great way of trialling several products without the huge outlay of purchasing full sized products which you may not like or that may not agree with your skin.


The kit contains:

• Purastat 5 Cleanser 30ml
• Extreme C 20 Vitamin C Serum 15ml
• Exfol L 15 Exfoliating Serum 15ml
• Phytostat 9 Moisturiser 15g

First up is the Aspect Purastat 5 Cleanser, which is a very gentle, slightly exfoliating, yet foaming cleanser. It contains sugar and coconut extracts, and to thoroughly cleanser the skin, lactic acid milk extract to help keep the skin moisturised, while infusions of wasibi root ferment and willow herb protect the skin and strengthens its natural defences. The cleanser is very concentrated so the tiniest amount is sufficient, and I love how it seems to balance my combination skin, deeply cleansing it and gently buffing away dead skin cells, yet without drying it out, leaving it feeling soft and smooth.

The Extreme C 20 is serum that helps fight the many signs of ageing including wrinkles, slackened skin and uneven skin tone. The serum contains a mix of vitamin C, botanical extracts, and collagen amino peptides. The actual serum is very light and is best applied after cleansing and before applying moisturiser, and after just a few uses I could start to se that my skin was starting to look more refined, plump, refreshed and more brighter and glowing too.

Then there's the Exfol L15, which is an exfoliating night serum containing among others L-Lactic Acid, Multifruit BSC, and Canadian Willowherb. This night serum is intended for especially those with impure, congested, dull and thickened skin, and thus perfect for my combination skin prone to breakouts. It is very gentle, and just a few drops before your usual night cream is all it takes for this serum to gently slough away dead skin cells, while minimising oiliness in the skin, and making way for a skin that is noticeably more even in skin tone with pigmentation appearing less noticeable too.

Finally, the Phytostat 9 Moisturiser is anti-ageing moisturiser suitable for dry menopausal and ageing skin. It can be used both morning and night, and it is very hydrating and nourishing, so with my combination skin I did find it a little too rich for use during the day - not that I felt it made my skin congested or made it break out, I simply found that my makeup didn't last as long when I used this moisturiser during the day, so hence only used it at night time. The moisturiser contains among others olive leaf extract and gingo biloba as well as antioxidants and lipids to nurture and care for the skin, while protecting the skin from external aggressors. And when used at the night, I do find that I wake in the morning to a very soft and smooth skin that has clearly enjoyed the intense moisture

Overall this is a great starter kit and a fantastic way to get familiar with several products from the Aspect range, and trying how the products work in combination. Personally I've really enjoyed using the Purastat 5 Cleanser, the Extreme C 20 Vitamin C Serum and the Exfol L 15 Exfoliating Serum, and definitely feel that I can both see and feel that they make significant different in my skin, making my skin look clearer, brighter and healthier, so I would definitely consider purchasing these again - and then look into a more suitable moisturiser for combination skin types.

Aspect Starter Kit - RRP: $121

Available from Adore Beauty

* Some products may have been kindly provided for consideration, and have reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

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PRODUCT REVIEW: ASPECT SKIN HYDRATING MASK

 Another product that I received in a product care parcel whilst in hospital with our little baby was the Skin Hydrating Mask from Aspect, which was very well received as needless to say that living at the hospital for so long with dry air, didn't do any favours for my skin, which is normally combination, but suddenly turned very dry.

This Aspect Skin Hydrating mask is a mask designed fir dry and stressed skin. Now, I don't have dry skin, rather it is combination with a tendency to break out, however, a long-term stay at a hospital and being in the 24/7 air-conditioning, certainly took its toll on my skin, so hydrating my skin was suddenly a priority, and this mask came in very handy. 

 

The mask contains anti-ageing ingredients including;  

• Grape Extract to give anti-oxidant protection against damaging free radicals.
• Olive Oil, Sunflower Oil, Jojoba Oil and Shea Butter to reinforce the skin and helping to prevent moisture loss and provide the skin with a natural lubricant, keeping it soft and supple
• Green Tea and Echinacea Extracts – A powerful source of soothing antioxidants
• Willowbark and Comfrey Extracts – Natural botanical extracts that help cleanse and detoxify
• Hyaluronic Acid and Glycosaminoglycans – Provide excellent hydration

The mask is best applied to clean skin for 20 minutes before any excess that has not absorbed into the skin is removed. However, if you like and your skin is super-dry, you can also massage in any extra. At the hospital I liked to use it during the night every couple of days, by simply applying a thin layer at night before going to bed, and the next morning I'd wake to incredibly soft and smooth skin. Now at home, I use it weekly, or as required, which as we head towards winter and even my skin gets a little drier, may be a little more frequently. 

 

Overall, while I again do not have dry skin, my combination skin is still enjoying the extra boost of moisture and nutrients, as for days afterwards it is clearly looking healthier and is more glowing and radiant. A must-have for the beauty cabinet!

Aspect Skin Hydrating Mask: RRP: $55 / 118ml

Available from Adore Beauty

 

* Some products may have been kindly provided for consideration, and have reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.
 

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