ModelCo Replenishing Rose Mist Facial Mist

Prior to purchasing this hydrating toner from ModelCo, I had never tried any products from the brand. I am not a fan of fake tan and this is primarily what I associated with ModelCo, however they actually have quite a broad range of skincare spanning from exfoliating scrubs and cleansers to serums and SPF for face and body that launched back in 2014. Being a major fan of toners, of course this is the first product that I decided to try from the range.

The Replenishing Rose Mist promises to tone, replenish and refresh the skin to eliminate shine, excess oil and minimise the appearance of pores. It is vegan and cruelty-free.

The key role for a toner like this in my skincare routine is to add moisture back to my skin after cleansing, especially, and acid toning. I am not too fussed on the idea of minimising my pores or reducing oil production and more concerned with adding another layer of hydration to prevent dry skin. I definitely don't use a toner like this in the hopes of removing any leftover makeup after cleansing - that's what the double cleanse is for! This is a relatively heavy mist and I think it does the job well of eliminating the tight skin feeling after cleansing and exfoliating. It is not the kind of fine 'setting spray' toner that I would use over the top of makeup, as it is much too heavy and wet (for want of a better word!).

I use three sprays of this to cover forehead and each cheek. Because it is not a fine mist, three sprays leaves your face feeling pretty soaked but I pat it in and it absorbs relatively quickly. Damp skin also seems to absorb the succeeding skincare layers better so I don't mind this too much. My one real issue is that inevitably some of the mist ends up on your lips and ugh, does it taste awful! I have taken to applying a lip balm before spraying this on and sucking my lips in to try to avoid any overspray. I have never experienced such an awful taste with a mist - I mean, it's not made for drinking obviously, but yuck!

In contrast to the taste, this has a lovely rose scent that is actually quite refreshing for rose. It is not a heavy 'grandmother' rose but light and not overpowering or lingering. I have to admit, the tan coloured packaging is not my favourite. I would almost decant it into a nice glass spray bottle to look better on my dressing table (but I know I am just being fussy!).

The base of this mist is water with lots of hydrating ingredients added for good measure, including polysorbate (an emulsifier for hydration), glycerin (an humectant, again for hydration), rose damascena (scent and soothing), plus açai and pomegranate extracts (antioxidant properties). Dehydroacetic acid and benzyl alcohol act as preservatives, and that is the sum total of ingredients. A nice, simple toner to refresh and rehydrate the skin.

Price: $20.00 (ModelCo website) [$0.16/mL]
Rate: hydrating, scent
Hate: packaging, heaviness of mist, taste
Verdict: would not repurchase, simply because I can't stand the taste when there is overspray on to my lips and there are other toners that do the same job without tasting awful (Kosmea Hydrating Rosewater Mist being a fantastic example in the same price range and 100% Pure Jasmine Green Tea Tonique a great one currently part of my daily routine)

Wish List I

I have somehow managed to distil my current wish list down to just five things that I wish were in my skincare collection. Of course, there is a whole lot more than this...always. Nothing makeup related at the moment - probably because there is still way too much skincare that I would like to try.

The asap Platinum Collection contains four deluxe size products and two full size products from their range. The deluxe size products are all serums: super A+ serum, super B complex, super C serum, and the radiance serum. The two full sized products are the ultimate hydration cream and the anti-ageing night cream. I am currently using the super C serum and it is absolutely amazing! My sister gave it to me as she is currently pregnant and I have pretty much used the whole bottle in the two months since she has given it to me. It has really helped to brighten and clear up my skin so it was going to be a definite repurchase for me, but then I came across the Platinum Collection and just thought, I have to try it all! This is currently $175.50 at Adore Beauty, which is a great price considering all of the products are around the $70.00 mark full size so you essentially receive three deluxe sizes for free. I am so keen to see if I enjoy the rest of the asap range as much as the super C serum.

I keep hearing bits and pieces about how awesome the Drunk Elephant range is, so I am definitely wanting to try something from them. After my success with the asap super C serum, the C-Firma Day Serum from Drunk Elephant is number one on my list but I also wouldn't say no to the TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum which is packed with skin resurfacing AHAs and BHAs. These are pricey serums, with the C-Firma Day Serum currently $116.00 at Mecca, so it will probably end up being a 'treat yourself' moment around birthday time.

Leahlani is another brand that I've heard about but have not yet had the opportunity to try. This organic Hawaiian brand is just stunning and all of their serums are on my wish list to be honest. The Champagne Serum is described as "happy hour for your skin" (love it!) and is designed to help combat redness and clear up any scarring in the skin. It is available in Australia from Eve Organics for $46.00, which is a pretty similar price to my current favourite oil serum Face Hero from Go-To Skincare.

Speaking of Go-To Skincare, I am in love with their new silk pillowcases! Because I don't already have sufficient silk pillowcases (three and counting...), I would really love to add this one to my collection. I especially love the embroidery! The Face Case is $65.00 from Go-To Skincare - not a bad price for a silk pillowcase.

The final item(s) on my list is anything (and everything) from The Ordinary. If you have not heard of this brand before, then I'm afraid you may have been living under a rock! I have been stalking this brand for quite a while and they have just released their much hyped foundation which is something I would love to try at some point soon. Apparently there were 25,000 people on the waiting list for the foundation, so I might be waiting for this one for a little while, however I am keen in the meantime to try some of their skincare. They have products including all my favourites: retinol, vitamin C, and hyaluronic acid, and are super affordable ranging between $8.80 to $24.90 per product (yes, that's AUD!). I have also heard amazing things about their customer service so don't feel nervous at all about ordering from their website rather than an Australian stockist. Definitely number one on my wish list is the Advanced Retinoid 2% which I am hoping will match up to my big love Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil.

What is currently on your wish list...and what should I add to mine that you're currently loving?

Swisse Manuka Honey Detoxifying Facial Mask

Everyone knows Swisse for their vitamin range. "Tired? Stressed? You'll feel better on Swisse!" Personally I am a big fan of their Zinc+ which really helps to keep my skin clear when I commit to taking it regularly and has really helped to keep colds at bay so far as the weather starts becoming colder (touch wood!). In terms of their relatively new skincare range though, this charcoal mask is only the second external care product I have tried from them - the first being a deluxe sample of their hydrating toner which I really enjoyed. I picked this one up at the Priceline 40% off skincare sale for an absolute bargain as it has been a while since I've used anything but hydrating masks on my skin.

The Manuka Honey Detoxifying Facial Mask is a naturally absorbent mask that promises to purify and detoxify the skin leaving it feeling smooth and hydrated.

The mask comes packaged in a squat little amber jar and is pale blue-grey in colour (I love the colour of it!), drying down to a whitish grey. The texture is typical gluggy clay and is a little grainy to the touch. It smells a bit medicinal to me (the boy "quite likes it") and not like honey as I was mistakenly hoping! It is really easy to apply and smooth over your face, with no real roughness or exfoliating properties.






























I apply this all over my face after cleansing and leave on for 10 minutes as recommended. No longer otherwise the mask really dries down and tightens on the skin. For someone with dry skin like me, this is taking it too far and leaves the skin feeling badly dehydrated. During the drying down process, the mask really sinks into your pores which makes for interesting viewing in the mirror! I find it relatively easy to remove with a warm damp flannel by rehydrating the mask and then gently wiping off.

Immediately after removing the mask, I find my skin does look brighter and plumper. Any breakouts are brought to the surface and in particular the first time I used the mask, two yucky little bumps on my chin came to a head after the mask. I make sure to rehydrate with a serum or oil and a moisturiser after use because clay really has a drying effect on the skin and I certainly disagree with Swisse's claims that this mask will leave your skin feeling hydrated. Uh, nope! I have been using this about once a week since purchasing and, whilst it has not performed any miracles, it feels great to apply when you're having a bad skin day to help clear up breakouts a bit faster.






























The base of the mask is actually aloe vera gel rather than water, which is probably a good thing given that the mask contains two types of clay, kaolin and white, as well as tapioca starch and charcoal powder as absorbents to help clear oily skin. Glycerin is included to bring some hydration back into the formula. There are plenty of antioxidants in this mask: oat bran extract, manuka honey, and seaweed extract are the main three. Salicylic acid, citric acid and eucalyptus oil are included to aid in clearing the skin. Basalm of Peru oil is included as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, as well as adding a fragrance factor. Xanthan gum and Irish moss are in the formula to help thicken the mask. Dehydroacetic acid and benzyl alcohol are included as preservatives.

Not being a huge clay mask fan, I was happy to see that this one helped with purging my skin of some yuckiness and I am glad to make the effort to use it every once in a while. Hydrating masks are still my one true love though.

Price: $17.99 (Priceline) [$0.26/g]
Rate: texture, efficacy on breakouts
Hate: scent, messy, drying if left for too long (though I haven't met a clay mask that isn't!)
Verdict: probably not a repurchase for me, just because I hardly use clay masks so I'd like to try something new if/when I ever run out of this one

Have you tried this clay mask from Swisse? Are there any masks you would recommend I try next?