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Review: Argentum Apothecary La Potion Infinite


ARgENTUM ~ la potion infinie


I was recently lucky enough to try the luxurious La Potion Infinite by Argentum Apothecary.
Argentum Apothecary are a company that have spent many years researching anti-ageing ingredients to create this super-luxe anti-ageing potion. For a skincare line to only consist of one product, to me, means they have perfected that one product.

What sets this anti-ageing cream apart from others is the inclusion of two remarkable ingredients; silver hydrosol and DNA HP. Silver hydrosol has a refining and purifying effect on skin due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. Silver hydrosol also claims to have the ability to regenerate skin tissue and fight free radicals.  I personally have noticed benefits in using skincare products infused with silver hydrosol, particularly in regards to my acne. The other ingredient, DNA HP, is a natural marine sourced ingredient that works by trapping a toxic free radical called hydroxyl. Hydroxyl is reactive to collagen and elastin, causing oxidation and degradation, which causes visible ageing. DNA HP can also penetrate cutaneous intercellular space, promoting and increasing water hydration.

I am definitely impressed with the results I have noticed during the time period of two weeks nightly use.  I am in my twenties, so although I don't have any deep set wrinkles yet, I do have some visible sun damage already due to my negligence in applying sunscreen in my early teen sun worshipping days. I was curious to see if it could make any difference to the fine lines on my forehead, or under my eyes due to sun damage, but I was most excited to see if it would help my seemingly never-ending battle with acne. I noticed that my skin reacted well to the cream, as when I woke up in the morning I noticed my fine lines looked softer, and my acne less irritated and inflamed. I love the silky-soft feel of the cream going on, and the matte finish it provides. It is rare to find a natural moisturiser that provides a shine-free finish. I am curious to see what the long-term benefits would be.

I was so impressed with this cream that I am biting the bullet and saving up the $245 to buy myself the full-size.
Are you hesitant about outlaying such a large amount of money on La Potion Infinite? If so, you should know that it can also be used under your eyes, and your neck too. When you consider that you only need this one product, and won't need to buy multiple moisturisers, face/neck serums, oils, or eye creams, then you might be amazed to find you are actually spending less. And saving plenty of time as well!

Ingredients: Colloidal Silver (Hydrosol), Cetearyl Alcohol (Coconut Oil Wax), Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides (Palm Oil), Dicaprylyl Carbonate (Vegetal Origin), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil (Sweet Almond Oil), Glycerin (from Karanja Tree), Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil (Argan Oil), Butyrospermum Parkii Butter (Shea Butter), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (from Coconut Oil), Aqua, Cetearyl Glucoside (Sugar and Coconut Extract), Caffeine, Sodium DNA (DNA HP), Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate (from Vegetal Oil), Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil (Sunflower Oil), Xanthan Gum (Vegetal Origin), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract (Aloe Vera Extract), Parfum (Essential Oils), Potassium Sorbate (Soil Association / Ecocert Preservative), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Sodium Benzoate (Soil Association / Ecocert Preservative), Citric Acid (Vegetal Origin), Limonene (Essential Oils), Linalool (Essential Oils), Eugenol (Essential Oils)


*Sample gratefully provided for review purposes, but as always, opinions are my own.*

Review: Flight Skincare


Flight Skincare is a family-owned Australian business in picturesque Gracetown, WA, which creates amazing infusions that really help create healthier, glowing skin.
I was recently fortunate enough to be sent some samples of Flight Skincare products by the lovely owner, Kym. I have been eyeing several of Flight's products for many months and was so excited for the opportunity to try them out. My thoughts are below...


Sheer Luxury Milk Cleanser
I was blown away by this cleanser. I am generally not a fan of milk/cream cleansers as they always seem to leave residue and aren't very effective at removing makeup. This cleanser certainly changed my mind. It has a very light fragrance and thin consistency, and removes makeup and sunscreen with ease. Also, no residue! It contains so many hydrating ingredients- shea nut butter, macadamia oil and camellia oil to name a few, and two of my favourite skincare ingredients; honey and white willow bark. I was initially worried that the inclusion of coconut oil would cause my skin to break out, as it normally does, but I am happy to report that this cleanser has actually helped keep my skin clear. As I massage it into my skin I notice it seems to pull any gunk out of my skin, similar to an oil cleanser but gentler. This is a definite purchase for me once I use up a few of my other cleansers.

Ingredients: Water(Aqua), Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate – natural emulsifier from olives. Citrus aurantium (Orange) Water Vegetable Glycerine, Decyl Glucoside- natural fatty alcohol derived from coconuts. Macadamia integrifolia ( Macadamia) Oil *Camellia oleifera(Camellia) Oil *Butyrospermum parkii (Shea Nut Butter) *Simmonsis chinensis (Jojoba) Oil Cocos nucifera (Coconut) Oil *Organic Honey *Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice *Salix Alba (White Willow Bark) Extract Santalum acuminatum (Quandong) Seed Extract Parfum-  a organic preservative, naticide is a broad-spectrum anti-microbial vegetable based fragrance. Sorbitol-  is an alcohol that occurs naturally in fruits and berries. Persea americana (Avocado) Oil * Goats Milk PowderTocopherols (Vitamin E) Sclerocarya birrea (Marula) Oil *Xanthan Gum Carrageenan Extract – seaweed gum Citrus aurantium (Orange) OilCitrus aurantifolia (Lime) Oil Cananga odorata (Ylang,Ylang) Oil **Certified Organic Ingredients

Silk Protein Hydrating Day Cream
I admit that I have always been terrible at using a moisturiser underneath my daily sunscreen, and as a result, my skin is not as happy as it should be and dehydration lines are starting to increase on my forehead and around my eyes. I believe that everyone should pair a moisturiser with a zinc-based sunscreen, as zinc is notorious for being drying. Flight's day cream is luxurious and hydrating, and it appears to plump my skin, making my dehydration lines less noticeable. It contains ginseng, to stimulate cell growth, silk peptides to hold moisture in, and papaya which is antibacterial and full of antioxidants. The cream carries a faint scent of beautiful palmarosa and geranium, which I love. I would highly recommend this moisturiser to everyone.

Ingredients: Water(Aqua), Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate Aloe barbadensis Leaf Gel *Vegetable Glycerine Macadamia integrifolia (Macadamia) Oil *Acanthopanax senticosus (Siberian Ginseng) Root Extract * Rubus idaeus (Raspberry ) Seed Oil Althea officinalis, (Marshmallow) Root Extract *Camellia oleifera (Camellia) Oil *Butyrospermum parkii (Shea Butter) * Simmonsis chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Camelia synensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract *Carica Papaya (Papaya) Extract * Cocos nucifera(Coconut) Oil * Organic Honey * Aloe barbadensis Leaf Juice* Parfum Sorbitol Persea Americana (Avocado) Oil *Hydrolised Silk (Silk Peptide) - natural silk fibres, consists of 18 amino acids(building blocks of protein and holds moisture in skin)Tocopherols (Vitamin E), Sclerocarya birrea (Marula) Oil *Xanthan Gum Carrageenan Extract Aniba rosaeodora (Rosewood ) Oil Cymbopogon martini var (Palmarosa) Oil Pelargonium roseum (Geranium)Oil Santalum spicatum (Sandalwood) Oil *Certified Organic Ingredients

Nourishing Night Cream
I never honestly thought I would find a moisturiser to rival my beloved Lily Loves Pearl, but the day has come. This moisturiser is hydrating, and seems to lightly tighten the skin, which is likely due to the amazing anti-ageing ingredients it boasts. It leaves a matte finish, which is great for those that are 'over' the oily residue that some moisturisers can leave. It contains marine collagen and olive leaf; which penetrate deeply into the skin, repairing connective tissue, watermelon seed; which is hydrating and rich in omega 6 + 9 and lycopene, and one of my favourite anti-ageing ingredients; coq10, which helps protect skin cells from damage. One thing I have noticed when using this moisturiser is that sometimes my face can be temporarily a little flushed after using. I think this is a great thing as I have only experienced this happen in one other product before (a face oil), and my skin responded fantastically to the increased blood flow that flushing causes, leading to increased healing and anti-ageing effects. I love this moisturiser and will definitely purchase in the future.

Ingredients: Water (Aqua)Cetearyl Olivate Sorbitan Olivate Lavandula angustifolia(Lavender) Water * Vegetable Glycerine Simmonsis chinensis(Jojoba) Oil Camellia oleifera(Camellia) Oil *Marine Collegan Citrullus vulgaris(Watermelon) seed oil phospholipidids & sphingolipids (Ceramide Complex)Vaccinium macrocarpon(Cranberry) Seed Oil Squalene - natural component of human sebum found in rice bran, wheat germ & olive oil. Aspalathus linearis(Rooibos) Extract Actinidia chinensis (Kiwi) Extract *Olea europaea(Olive Leaf) Extract *Butyrospermumparkii (Shea Nut Butter) *Mangifera indica (Mango) Butter Organic (Honey) *Oryza sativa (Rice protein) Vitamin B5 Coenzyme Q10 (COQ10)- Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10 is a vitamin-like compound that is present in all cells. It occurs naturally in the body Malpighia glabra (Acerola) Extract Tocopherols (Vitamin E) Zanthomonas campestris (Xanthan Gum) Poria Cocos(Sclerotium Gum) Parfum Albizia julibrissin Durazz (Mimosa) Oil *Certified Organic Ingredients

I have loved trying out these products by Flight, and it has only heightened my curiosity and lust over their products. I particularly love the look of the Lifting Eye Cream and the Eternal Anti-aging Serum, and hope to try them in the future.

If you are interested in buying any of these products, visit the Flight Skincare website.

*Samples generously provided, however, as always, opinions are my own.

3 Great Natural SPF options for face

As a product junkie, one of my greatest obsessions is scouring the internet for new sunscreens. My wishlist seems to continually grow, but I have had the fortune to try some great SPF face products and have shared my thoughts on three below. Do you have a 'holy grail' sunscreen? Let me know in the comments!

 
Mukti Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 15
If you are looking for a shine-free protective moisturiser, look no further. This one has moisturising ingredients and doesn't give that oil slick appearance or contain coconut oil like so many natural sunscreens do. It is tinted, but I would consider the colour more of a deterrence against the white cast that zinc can cause, and not a coverage for acne, marks or blemishes. In fact, Mukti consider it a unisex product, so even males can take advantage of this one! I still need to wear mineral makeup over the top of this to cover redness and acne, but I feel like it kind of 'blurs' any imperfections, making it perfect for underneath makeup. I haven't found this to make my dry but acne-prone skin breakout, which is great. It has a lovely musk smell to it, and it comes in two shades (one perfect for the pale people like me out there). The only thing is that I wish it came in an SPF 30.
$49.95 for 50ml FAIR SKIN/ MEDIUM SKIN

 
Moogoo SPF 15 Anti Ageing Face Cream
This is my most recent SPF find. It is an off-white colour, thanks to the red raspberry seed oil, which is great as it prevents the white cast that zinc oxide causes. I spread this thick cream in a generous layer all over my skin. The first time I used it I was worried as my skin looked super oily but I left it to absorb for a few minutes, and went back to the mirror to find that the shininess had dissipated, leaving only glowing skin behind. It is hydrating for a zinc cream, and has lots of skin loving ingredients such as Vitamin C and ECGC (green tea extract). I feel that over time my skin is improving with this cream, as it gives my skin much needed moisture without provoking my acne. I also wish that this came in a higher SPF, but I know that that would compromise the texture and performance.
$34.90 for 75gm

 
John Masters SPF 30 Natural Mineral Sunscreen
John Masters was my first foray into natural suncare, and I fell in love with it for days at the beach where I needed a high SPF to protect my skin from the harsh Australian sun. It gives the perfect glowy skin appearance when you are confident going bare-face during outdoor activities. It also has a stellar ingredient list, but skincare purists should know that it does contain titanium dioxide. Unfortunately, it doesn't offer the best finish underneath makeup, which prevented me from using it at Uni or in town. It can make mineral foundation look cakey, and I prefer a more matte finish when I am wearing makeup. If you are not extremely pale-faced like I am, you may notice that it can leave a slight white/purple tinge due to the mineral sunblock ingredients. Although it boasts hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, calendula and shea butter, I recommend anyone using a high zinc content sunscreen to apply moisturiser underneath to prevent dryness and flaking.
$32 for 2oz

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I hope these reviews are useful in helping you decide on a new natural sunscreen.

To summarise:
Mukti is great for a shine-free finish underneath makeup,
Moogoo is great for days when you will be getting minimal sun exposure, and want healthy hydrated skin, AND
John Masters SPF 30 is great for a day at the beach, or any time you need high protection.