Skinz UV White is a range that I've started to notice pretty frequently at any Guardian I visit. Its clean, professional packaging always pulls my attention, and luckily enough, I received a couple of samples from PR to trial!


Skinz UV White Miracle Blackhead Exfoliator (RM20.90 per 40g)
This product is a blackhead, oil seed, and dead skin cell remover. It is very lightweight, and gel-like in consistency. It is also lightly perfumed. I enjoy the smell, but if you are sensitive to smells then please check a tester in store before you buy.

I applied this three times a week for two weeks, and can see a tiny bit of difference in my skin. One major problem that I have is enlarged pores on the sides of my nose - a problem that only made its appearance in humid, hot Malaysia. I've been desperate to find something to clean out those pores and reduce them in size a little, but nothing much, short of an actual extraction facial, has helped.

I found that this particular exfoliator did help with the upkeep of my pores in between facials, which is great as a temporary fix. I would recommend this as part of your skincare routine, because it softens the blocks in your pores and makes them easier to remove once you head in for a facial, but don't count on it as an all-in-one solution. This makes your facialist's life easier, and saves you a little bit of pain as well.


Skinz UV White Perfect White BB Cream (RM 42.90 per 30g)
The texture of this BB cream is perfect if you have oily/combination it has some pretty impressive oil control capabilities. It comes in only one shade, as far as I can tell, and is quite light in colour - I am an NW25 in MAC foundations and this was only a teeny, tiny bit lighter than my actual skin tone. The BB cream itself is quite thick, but blends onto the skin easily enough. I recommend applying this with fingers and taking the time to pat it in and warm the product up between your fingers, because otherwise it can end up sitting on top of the skin and looking a little bit cakey.

I found that it was a little sheer for me - I have acne-prone skin and the scars stay with me for quite some time after the pimples are gone, so I need something with decent coverage so I don't have to spend all day spot-concealing those little suckers. If you have pretty good skin as is, then this would be perfect for you.

This is very much aimed at ladies who love brightening, whitening skincare (with the name UV White, it's easy to tell), so bear that in mind. It contains Sakura Extract and Lip-Vitamin C that help to lighten skin cells, as well as UVA and UVB filters to block damaging UV rays.

Here is a swatch of the BB cream:


As you can see, there is a slight greyish cast to this BB cream, which means that it won't blend well on skins with warm tones, or any skin slightly darker in shade to this BB cream. It is imperative that you sample this before you buy! I definitely recommend this for oily/combination skin tones, with skin that is in good condition overall. If you love a brightening effect and UV protection to boost, then this is perfect for you.

If you know me, you'll know that even though I love beauty, I hate high-maintenance beauty routines. I don't like to apply body lotion after I take a shower or before I go to bed, I don't like having to draw my eyebrows in every single day, and I wish I had naturally curly lashes.

So naturally, when it came to adding another step in my beauty routine, I was hesitant, and a little skeptical as to whether or not I even needed to.

Exfoliating the skin on your body seems like a redundant task. Some of you may be thinking, 'My skin looks fine, why should I fix something that isn't broken?' and I'll be the first to say that I thought the exact same thing!

Here's the thing. Your body sheds dead skin cells each minute, thousands and thousands of them too! These dead skin cells don't just flake away. Instead, they stay on top of your skin, building and building up until they clog your pores and cause rough skin.

Here's what exfoliating your body can do for you:

It helps to prevent body acne.

It clears out your body's hair follicles, so that you can avoid ingrown hairs.

It can help even out your skin tone.

It helps bring your new skin to the surface, so that your skin is soft and smooth.


I tested out three body exfoliators that I had in my beauty cupboard, and here's what I thought:

1. The Body Shop Vanilla Bliss Body Polish
This scrub contains multi-sized scrub particles, and moisturises your body beautifully with Community Fair Trade honey. This is by far the most moisturising scrub of the three. It contains vanilla extract, and smells very strongly of vanilla. If you're a fan of vanilla-scented products, this is the perfect body scrub for you. I, on the other hand, am not a big fan of vanilla, so this isn't my favourite product.

2. Uriage Gentle Total Exfoliant
This scrub is unique in that it was formulated for both the face and body. This is perfect if you have slightly sensitive skin, as it is soap and paraben free. It utilises micro-spheres and botanical AHAs to exfoliate, and has a lovely smell similar to ocean-themed soap scents. This is what I have in my shower stall at the moment, because I absolutely love the scent, and the exfoliating spheres are quite pleasant to use on my skin.

3. L'Occitane Magical Leaves Exfoliating Shower Gel
It's no secret that L'Occitane products are some of my favourites (read about my all-time favourite lavender perfume). The Magical Leaves range was limited edition and is no longer available, but L'Occitane regularly releases new exciting fragrance ranges, with the same moisturising, beautifully-scented properties. If you love being able to select from body scrubs with a wide range of scents, all of which are equally moisturising and smoothing on the skin, then check out your nearest L'Occitane boutique or stockist.

I hope you found this post helpful! I will leave you with this last little tip: If you live in a country with a warm climate, or have oily skin, you need to exfoliate a little more! Oil and sweat helps speed up the accumulation of dead skin cells, so scrub at least 3 times a week. Do not exert too much pressure when you exfoliate - be patient and you will see amazing results!

Happy Hump Day, everyone! I have a little review to share with you all today - this is the Elixia Crystal Derm-Exfoliator - an anti-ageing exfoliator with something called a TPM Delivery Technology.

Elixia is an Australian-owned company, formed after 10 years of research into delivery methods of product into the skin. The brand now produces the only products in Australia to use the patented TPM technology, a unique delivery platform developed from Vitamin-E. TPM has been scientifically proven to improve the absorption of active ingredients into the skin.

Elixia: A new twice-weekly skin resurfacing treatment that buffs and exfoliates to reveal smooth polished skin. The Anti-Ageing Multi Complex Peptide Formula with Micro-Crystals acts like a micro-dermabrasion treatment at home and gives the complexion a fresh, healthy glow. TPM® Delivery Technology – TPM® offers 4 times greater absorption of key ingredients into skin, and as it is Vitamin E, minimises redness or irritation
and soothes skin.
No nasties, including parabens, formaldehydes, sulphates, phthalates, paraffins,
artificial colours and dyes, SLS and SLES’s or DEA’s.

 I use this exfoliator twice a week, and I have used it for just over two weeks now.

Packaging
This scrub comes in a sturdy squeeze-to-dispense tube. It comes sealed, which I really like because it tells you that your product is fresh. Directions for use are printed on the back of the tube instead of on a booklet in the box that you throw away only to realise that you forgot how to apply it the next time you want to use it - big plus because I always throw away that damned booklet.

Product
As you can probably tell from the name of the product, the exfoliating beads in this scrub are micro-crystals. My skin at the moment is very irritable, and I have been resorting to non-physical exfoliators of late, but I have used this without any problems, and I am very happy with the result!

Performance
What stands out about this scrub, in my opinion, is the fact that when I use this, my post-scrub skin is plump and hydrated. With other scrubs, after patting my skin dry, my face always feels smooth in that powdery, baby's bottom kind of way. This scrub makes my skin feel smooth and bouncy, which I think shows its hydrating qualities.

What is most important, in my opinion, is the fact that this exfoliator ensures the added effectiveness of all my other skincare products, because it allows the deeper delivery of those products into my skin. I definitely think that this is a little lot pricey, and though I would prefer it if this was cheaper, I will continue to use this scrub for that reason, because anything that helps all my other products to work is definitely worth it, in my eyes.

This scrub retails for AUD 69.95 per 125ml tube.

This product was provided for review and consideration in accordance with this site's Disclosure Policy.