Crystal Clear No Shine Serum Review

Following my review of the Crystal Clear Deep Cleanse Gel, I now have another goodie from the same brand to tell you about. The No Shine Serum is a light serum aimed at oily and spot prone skin. My skin is more normal to combination, but I've been using this in the mornings on my T-Zone only, as this is the area of my face where I get quite a bit of shine from time to time.

The serum is light, but creamy and sinks into the skin immediately, leaving it feeling beautifully refreshed. It also has a zingy citrus smell, which I just adore in any beauty product and is particularly great as a pick-me-up in the mornings.
While I struggled to come to grips with the Deep Cleanse Gel at first, this is a whole different story. My skin loves this stuff. I've used it on my cheeks a few times and while I didn't get any obvious skin benefits from using it, it didn't dry them out either, like some products aimed at oily skin can.
On my T-Zone, however, it's doing an amazing job. Just like it promises on the packet, it keeps oil and shine at bay, which means that my make-up lasts much longer during the day. And instead of just sliding off my face in the afternoon, I just get this sort of dewy look whenever I use this serum - shiny, but in a very, very good way. As for impurities, I don't really get that many, but I have noticed a bit of an improvement where I sometimes get hormonal breakouts at "that time of the month".

The price may be a bit of an issue for some. At £42 for 50ml it doesn't come in cheap, but then most serums wouldn't. 50ml will last for quite a while, as you only really need to use this in the mornings.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this serum to any skin type that gets shiny in places, but particularly for oily skin and those suffering from acne, this is a god send.
Pretty impressive!

Crystal Clear Deep Cleanse Gel Review

Crystal Clear is not a brand I was familiar with up until when they contacted me at the beginning of the year. Ever since, some of their products and skin care treatments have been popping up here and there, which piqued my interest in this brand - especially after I saw them featured in Elle, which I still consider my holy bible for anything fashion and beauty related.
I've got two products by Crystal Clear to review for those of you who are just as intrigued as me, but want to get an opinion on how their products work before you splash the cash. First up is the Deep Cleanse Gel.

It's been a while since I used a gel cleanser - I've somehow grown accustomed to the gentle effectiveness of a cream, foam or balm cleanser, so this had a lot to live up to.

The gel comes out clear and is to be massaged into damp skin, where you let it froth up and do its magic before rinsing it off again. It has a gorgeous citrus scent which is particularly welcome in the morning when it just gives me a nice little invigorating buzz every time I get a whiff.

As for its effectiveness, the hint with this product is really in the name. DEEP cleanse gel, boy they really mean it. It does state in the product description that it doesn't just cleanse, but it exfoliates as well. After using it, my face felt literally squeaky clean. My skin didn't burn, but I did get quite  the tightening sensation and any moisturiser and serum I applied afterwards sank in extremely quickly.

At first, my skin didn't like it. As a matter of fact, I broke out after the first few applications and was about to put it aside and switch to a milder cleanser - but I stuck with it, hoping that my skin was simply going through this "purging stage" some deep cleansing products and devices can bring on.

Turns out I was right. After a week those breakouts started clearing up - and so did everything else, revealing bright, radiant skin, which allowed me to step back from the heavy foundations.

I really do believe that cleansing is the single most important step in a skincare regimen. My skin can tolerate most creams and serums and doesn't really discriminate between budget and high end creams. But as soon as I change cleansers it shows immediately on my face.

With balms and creams I'm quite used to a soft, fuzzy, slightly plumping effect on my skin (sorry if that makes no sense to you at all), while this gel works in a completely different way. My skin seemed brighter and tighter, a bit as if a spot light was turned on it at all times - almost clinically clean.

Personally, I cannot make my mind up which effect I prefer, but if you struggle with problem skin, oily skin or breakouts, then I would definitely recommend this to you. I can honestly say I've never used a cleanser that was more thorough than this. And don't be discouraged if at first your skin rebels, just like mine did. Stick with it and you'll soon reap the benefits. As for dry and sensitive skin types, I'm a bit on the fence. You'd definitely have to follow up your cleanse with some very rich and moisturising products - maybe ask for a sample before you try to see how your skin reacts.

The Deep Cleanse Gel retails at £27 for 200ml