Origins // Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask Review

Origins // Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask
RRP £22 for 75ml

This is a 15ml sample that I received as a sample when I ordered some items from Origins on Black Friday. I've used several more 15ml samples over the past few years though.

First Impressions:
It has a lovely sweet apricot scent. It kind of reminds me of apricot yoghurts. The product itself is thick and creamy and only slightly oily but I don't mind that at night.

Usage

I can't remember the exact details anymore as I was using this on and off in-between the Grown Alchemist night cream. I know that this product doesn't cause me any spots so it was used as a "back-up" inbetween creams to let my skin calm down.

Would I buy it: Yes.

Overall Impressions:

I know this is a mask and it says to use it twice a week but I actually use it every night as a regular night cream and it works better than more expensive products I've tried (like the Grown Alchemist which is £86). I think this sample was the old formula though as the new one uses Avocado & Glacier water. Either that or they couldn't fit all that text on the tiny sample tube...probably that. 

I've used at least 4 of these 15ml tubes now and it's always been great with my skin. I wake up in the morning with visibly softer and plumper skin that feels hydrated. It is slightly greasy but it absorbs fully after about 10 minutes.

I love that this is only £22 for a large 75ml size; if I bought this it would last me a good 6 months which is great because night creams can get expensive. I only have a couple more night products to use up in my stash so one they run out I will be purchasing one of these as I feel it's on par with the Origins Night-A-Mins but that is more expensive and you get less.

Grown Alchemist // Detox Night Cream

Grown Alchemist // Detox Night Cream
RRP £86 for 40ml

This is the full size 40ml product that I received as a 'mystery item' in the FabFitFun Autumn box.

First Impressions

Oh man, was I super hyped up to use this cream. The FFF forum boards go on and on about this brand and I was so excited to have received this as my mystery item as it's a staggering £86. It has quite a strong masculine scent to it that I wasn't expecting; it reminds me of my uncle's aftershave that he's been wearing for the past 25 years.

Usage
First use - November 2019
Last Use - 27th May 2020

I initially started using this in November 2019 but stopped as I felt the strong fragrance was causing me to break out after using a quarter of the tube. I started using it again at the beginning of February 2020 but, started breaking out again so I gave it rest. Another trial period began mid April; by this point I was halfway through the tube.

11th May 2020 - I have about a quarter left to go now and some cuts in the packaging have appeared due to creases, allowing product to seep out and go hard. You'd think for an almost £90 product the packing would be a little sturdier? I'm not impressed that the product left inside the tube is effectively exposed thanks to all these cracks. I've been quite gentle with the tube as well; with how it's acting you'd think I'd been rolling it up like toothpaste. I just want this cream to be over with though; it's not great.

18th May 2020 - I'm almost done. I think there must be another week left? More holes have appeared along the tube now and I'm having to be super delicate otherwise product is just squeezing right out everywhere. My skin has been fine though so I'm certain now that it doesn't cause spots but it still doesn't do anything. It's riding on the back of my hard working Elizabeth Arden booster and Ren Serum. If it weren't for them I would be looking awful right now.

Would I Buy It: No.

Overall Impressions

I finally finished this product after 7 long months. In the end I don't think it caused any irritation to my skin but it didn't seem to do anything else; it was a cream. I suppose my skin was adequately moisturised but that's it. £86 is daylight robbery. You could buy a £5 cream from Asda that would perform in the exact same way. I also started finding this brand in TK Maxx (just before lockdown) and this exact product was selling for £9.99 with no RRP price on it. I'm always wary when products in TK have no RRP; it often means it's an in-house brand.

Grown Alchemist appear a lot in FabFitFun sales and I can say that my money is safe. I will not be purchasing anything from this brand in the future.

Kate Somerville // Goat Milk Moisturising Cream Review

Kate Somerville // Goat Milk Moisturising Cream
RRP £55 for 50ml

This is the full size 50ml jar that I chose in the FabFitFun Winter 2019 box.

First Impressions

It kind of smells like PVA glue and has a thin, watery consistency more akin to a lotion than a cream. This shouldn't be in a jar to the liquid form and would suit a pump bottle more as it was a little annoying trying to get a good scoop of product.

Usage

I started using this immediately at the beginning of November 2019 when I got the box and it lasted me until the end of January with twice daily use.

Would I Buy It: ...Perhaps....maybe....probably not.

Overall Impressions

I liked this moisturiser, it was fine. There was a point half way through using that I was convinced I was going to buy a full size and that this was my new HG moisturiser however by the time the jar was up, I was glad I hadn't hastily bought another because it's hella expensive and probably not worth the money.

By the end of the jar, I was convinced that it wasn't a holy grail product but just a nice moisturiser that doesn't do well with the harsh winter weather. My skin was glowing and moisturised for about an hour after application but dying for some hydration by the time I got home from work. I think this would make a great summer cream though as it was a perfect primer for heavier foundations.

It didn't make me break out which is great as is advertised for those with sensitive skin, even though it has a truck load of oils in the ingredients. I think if I ever saw this on sale for £25 I would definitely purchase it again but I just don't feel like it's worth £55 when other creams half the price do the exact job (aka the Origins Ginzing).

Ecooking // Night Cream Review

ECooking // Night Cream
RRP £32 for 50ml

This is a 15ml jar that I chose in a Latest In Beauty box in May 2019 (..i think...it was around april/may last year).

First Impressions

I was excited to use this initially and I remember choosing it for one box and then enjoying it so much I chose it for next months box as well as they still had it in stock. It's quite a thick, heavy cream that's more like a butter with a slight patchouli scent.

Usage

One of these 15ml tubs lasts me a good month and a half and I use around a pea size amount. Even though the cream is thick is spreads well and doesn't feel oily but leaves that slight feel of grease on the skin which I don't mind at night.

Would I Buy It: No.

Overall Impressions

I completely finished the first pot and initially enjoyed it and thought it was better than my favourite Origins Night-A-Mins however I then finished that pot, began using other products and didn't get round to this pot until December 2019. My skin was not great in December due to a horrendous diet and little water and I was convinced it was this product (and some others) making me break out in spots so I stopped using it and it was left half empty (as seen in the photo). However, having sorted my diet out in January I decided to finish the rest of the pot starting February because I really hate wasting products.

It did not make me break out which is great however, my skin doesn't look or feel any better than it did. It does feel soft but I don't believe the claim of "helps visibly reduce fine lines" as I would expect my skin to look plumper and more youthful. Which it doesn't. So far, I still haven't found a product that can beat the Origins Night cream.

Origins // High-Potency Night-A-Mins Review

Origins // High-Potency Night-A-Mins
RRP £30 for 50ml

This is a 50ml jar I bought from Feel Unique in July 2019.

First Impressions

This is actually my 2nd jar of Night-A-Mins that I've finished now. It has a lovely citrus/orange peel scent that I just can't get enough of. It reminds me of the old Sunny Delight orange juice. It's quite a thick cream and you don't need much either and it spreads easily across the skin.

Usage

I started using this jar at the beginning of August 2019 and finished it mid December, so it can last a good 4 and half months of daily use. You don't need to use much but I always like to really coat my skin and night and let all that goodness sink in whilst I'm sleeping, so I tended to use a good scoop (about a 5 pence piece).

Would I Buy It: Yes, this was my second purchase.

Overall Impressions

I enjoy using this night cream; it's not my HG product. That belongs solely to the Guerlain Orchidee Imperial but I am nowhere near rich enough to afford that stuff on the regular...or even once every five years (a Guerlain sales assistant once gave me 2 5ml samples of the stuff...they were worth about £30 each).

I've tried both the old formula (that didn't have the AHAs) and I've found this cream to be exactly the same. I didn't notice any exfoliating or differences to my skin in a way that you get with an AHA exfoliator but then again this may have a weaker solution of AHAs.

This is the night cream I use when I'm between trying new products because it's reliable and doesn't cause any breakouts.