Warning: this post is quite long but worth it, I promise!
Beauty Rituals: The first set of products that I've been trying out are the Beauty Rituals range where each skincare step is clearly marked out & easy enough to understand for any skincare beginners out there. Skincare has become such an important part of my daily routine and because of this I really do take the time to make sure I'm doing the good old cleanse, tone and moisturise, especially in the evenings when there's a full face of makeup to remove too. Nspa has divided its skincare products into 4 easy steps: cleanse, exfoliate, treat & moisturise. I've been loving trying steps 1-3 and have been finishing up with my regular moisturiser although I'm now very interested in trying out the Nspa Brightening Day Cream with SPF 15! Here's my thoughts on each of the products..
For step 1, I've been loving the Melting Cleansing Gel* (£6 for 125ml) for removing my makeup in the evening and also as a refreshing pick-me-up for my skin in the morning. I was definitely more of a creamy cleanser fan beforehand but now I can see myself moving towards the world of gel cleansers as this one has been so easy to use and great for really giving my skin a good clean. The gel cleanser is applied and massaged into dry skin which allows the Grapeseed & Oil of Neroli formula to literally melt away your makeup and any other unwanted dirt. Once you have massaged the product into the skin you simply wet your hands and massage your face once again, with the cleanser turning into a more creamy consistency which makes it so easy to rinse off. I've been really impressed with just how clean the cleanser has left my skin feeling, and because of the gentle formula I haven't had to worry about it drying out my (already dry) skin. Just a quick note: this cleanser shouldn't be going into your eyes so I'd recommend using a liquid or cream eye makeup remover beforehand. I use either Bioderma or the L'Oreal Micellar Solution and they both do the job well.
Next up is step 2 and the Hot Cloth Polish* (£7 for 150ml). Now it's no secret that I'm a massive fan of the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser and have been meaning to repurchase it for quite a while now, so when I saw this more budget friendly version in my blogger bag I was over the moon. Hot cloth cleansers are great for gently exfoliating the skin & leaving your face feeling squeaky clean, and with me becoming a recent fan of double cleansing this extra step is very welcome. Application is very simple as you just massage the cream into dry skin and make sure you're covered from neck to forehead. Next comes the hot cloth part, with a muslin cloth being soaked in hot water and and then used to wipe away the product. A muslin cloth wasn't included with this sample but I had a trusty Liz Earle cloth that was ready for the job. My skin was left feeling so smooth after using this product and when it comes to a comparison between this and the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser, I'd say this offering from Nspa is just as luxurious as LE and half the price which makes it a great budget buy.
Lastly comes step 3 and the Illuminating Beauty Serum* (£7 for 50ml). This serum has been described as "sleep in a bottle" as it's designed to brighten up your skin in the morning and fool people into thinking you've slept for a good 12 hours. I've been using the serum before applying my makeup in the morning and I have to say I'm so glad to have this in my life now as it really does a good job of waking up my dull looking skin in the morning. The serum absorbs into the skin pretty quick which is handy for those mornings when you're in a rush (apparently most mornings for me..) and what's even better is that it leaves your skin feeling so soft and smooth afterwards. What's different about this serum is that it contains small glitter particles which are there to do the illuminating and I'm happy to report back that they don't leave your face looking like a disco-ball, especially after a full face of makeup has been applied on top. This illuminating serum is a very welcome addition to my skincare rountine in the morning and I can see this 50ml tube lasting quite a while as a little product goes a long way.
Bathing Rituals After raving so much about the skincare range, it's time to move on to the bodycare! Once again Nspa have divided the range into easy to follow steps, with the 3 steps being: cleanse, exfoliate & moisturise. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not very consistent with bodycare as you're lucky if I remember to use a scrub in the shower and then moisturise afterwards, but these 3 products have been helping me get back into a good routine when it comes to looking after my body. All 3 products included in the bag are from the Jojoba and White Jasmine range and all I need to say is WOW these products smell good. Here's how I got on with each product..
Step 1 is all about a good clean and for this I had the Jojoba and White Jasmine Moisturising Shower and Body Wash* (£2.45 for 225ml). I had been a faithful user of the Soap & Glory Clean On Me shower gel but it was about time I tried something else, with this body wash being a lovely change. Rose hip oil seems to be taking the blogging world by storm right now because of the difference it makes to the elasticity and overall appearance of skin, and would you believe it, this little gem includes both rose hip & jojoba oils. As with other body washes, all you need to do is slather it all over yourself in the shower or bath and then rinse off. What I love about this body wash is that it lathers up so easily which means you don't need to use very much product to cover your whole body and afterwards I noticed that my skin was feeling and looking so much nicer, especially on my legs and arms which need a bit more attention.
Moving on to step 2 and the Jojoba and White Jasmine Body Polish* (£2.95 for 225ml). Now I've had some experience with body scrubs and polishes but they have always been more on the rough and bitty side, and sometimes I worried that it was a bit too much for my skin to take. Not to mention the state it left the bath in, but that's a completely different story. This body polish is great as it it's a lot more fine and less abrasive on the skin, with pieces of walnut shell being used to gently buff away any dead skin. What your left with is soft and smooth skin that also smells absolutely delicious, score!
Finally we come to step 3 and the Jojoba and White Jasmine Body Lotion* (£3.95 for 250ml). This is the step I'm usually too lazy for as body butters and lotions tend to take quite a while to absorb into the skin which means you're left feeling greasy and unable to do very much. Enter this body lotion from Nspa that is so lightweight that it sinks into the skin in no time at all. Once again this lotion contains rose hip & jojoba oils, as well as shea butter which leaves your skin feeling so hydrated and in tip top condition. This is an important step after using a body scrub as you really don't want to dry your skin out, and I promise that I've learned my lesson and won't be lazy from now on! The mix of jojoba, white jasmine and sandalwood means that you're left smelling lovely and it's the smell that really does make me think I'm at a spa.
If any of you have made it to the end of this post then I would give you a gold star as it's a fair bit of reading this time, sorry! I've been so impressed with everything that was in this blogger bag and for that reason I felt as though I could go on and on and on about how much I love it all. This budget friendly brand has turned my bathroom into a spa and for that I couldn't be happier as we all need a good pamper every now and again! You can find Nspa products on their website and also instore & online at ASDA. ASDA are also offering a number of deals on Nspa products right now so I'd really recommend checking that out!
