A Pharmacognosist Skincare Approach

What is it about Natural Skincare Products that makes me perk up in my seat? After learning in 2012, what I am allergic to and which skincare ingredients should be avoided at all costs; if I prefer to keep my skin rash and dry patch free, 2013 is all about learning what brands stock products that not overly perfumed and fruit sugar intoxicated, which leads me to my newest curiosity Dr Jackson.

Dr Jackson is an Industry Leading Pharmacognosist; with a qualification list that reads like a blurb on a book, who has now launched his very own online store. His Kigelia derived skincare products were previously only sold in Liberty and Harvey Nichols. 

I really wanted to highlight his brand because I love his aim and objective of promoting pharmacognosy (the study of medicines from natural plants) into the cosmetic industry and well as using safe organic ingredient where possible. 

At the moment his product line contains:-

Skin Cream 01 contains Kigelia fruit extract, Baobab Oil, Shea Butter & Marula Seed Oil and has a SPF 20 factor. Skin Cream 1 is a unisex skin cream containing bioactive extracts and is designed to smooth and illuminate the complexion, reduce puffiness and have a firming effect on skin.

Skin Cream 02 contains Kigelia fruit extract, Baobab Oil, Frankincense &Mango Seed oil and seems to be the 0 SPF night time equivalent to the Skin Cream 1.

Face Oil 03 contains Baobob Oil, Marula Oil, Calendula Flower and Arnica Flower Extract, and works as a deep penetrating oil to alleviate dry and damaged skin and improve the skin tone. This face oil contains 2 base ingredients that are known for it’s anti-inflammatory and healing properties, which is good to know if you suffer from exceptionally dry skin or excema.

While these 3 products are designed to work together, I’m more interested in trying out Dr Jackson’s Skin Cream in 01. I know I am not allergic to seed oils or shea butter but I’m not too sure about Kigelia as my allergies tend to flair up with fruit extract. I know this brand is stocked in the Harvey Nichol’s Beauty Mart so I think I’ll pay it a visit after work and take a quick test skin-swatch to see if I react to it. 

  

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New in and only cost £20 aka Beauty Mart Haul

 A bit indecisive over what to call this as buying three products doesn't seem worthy of being called a 'haul'. 

I just wanted to quickly show you what I picked up last week when I visited the Beauty Mart store in Harvey Nichols last week. I did want to add this to a huge Aug/September Haul video I was planning to do but in true procrastinating form, I haven't got round to doing it yet.

I picked up a Revitalising eye strip mask from DHC; a Korean brand, which looked so interesting and  cute, that even if I have no clue what it actually does and if it might cause me eyes to puff up, I HAD to try it out. The miniature B0ioderma Crealin H20 Micelle Solution seems to be a blogger favourite and I know that there is a lot of hype surrounding it but I wasn't sure if it actually worked very well as I have read a few negative reviews but I'm nosey and like to try things out for myself so I grabbed the tiniest amount they had.

I already mentioned last Friday that I got the Revlon Kissable balm Stain in 040 (the orange one) and I was very happy that it was £2 cheaper at the Beauty Mart than at Superdrug, and so far I really love how convenient this is. . . .Don't love the peppermint smell/flavour but I'm not all that fussed

I would love to note down EXACTLY how much everything cost me but the Sales Assistants at the Beauty Mart for some strange reason took off all the price tags on the products and I can't find my receipt but everything cost £20.45 (according to my bank balance) so I'm not really fussed

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Beauty Mart - Great Concept . . . I think

I really can't understand why some brands or companies would insist on inviting bloggers to an event just to ignore them completely when they get there! Really?! I know there is probably a blogger quota to be filled and I should be 'grateful' that I even got invited to come down to the newly launched Beauty Mart at Harvey Nichols. However honestly when I make an hour and a half journey in 25 degrees heat, just to walk around a concession, not having a clue about its concept and not get talked to by anyone except a sales assistant who I had to go up to as I wanted to purchase something I found.

So while I would love to tell you a lot of things behind the Beauty Mart Concept and why it is such a great idea and maybe even what inspired the new concession. . . I can't  . . . so you might want to look to google because I can't write about something I know nothing about, only what I saw.

 Situated on the third floor of Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge  (bust a quick left at the escalators). The Beauty Mart is a lot like your standard beauty counter except it mixes and arranges different brands together in terms of use, so blushes are together, skincare, eyelashes etc etc etc.

Brands of different ethnicities (Korean, French, Australian) can all be found at the Beauty Mart as it stocks a lot of products that aren't available in the Uk (so all you Bioderma lovers, get down to Harvey Nichols).

What I did love about the Beauty Mart is how customers are encouraged to try and play with the different products so it's a lot more comfortable and inviting that going swatch heavy at your local drugstore or counter, plus I really do think that you can get products cheaper there than on the high street as I picked up the Revlon chubby pencil for £6 and Superdrug are selling the same pencil for £7.99 so yaaaaay.

They do still have a few chinks to work out with their till system so if you go down you might have to wait a little longer to pay than normal but I do think that it is really worth checking out, if only for a sneaky discount.

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