Una Brennan Superfacialist Rose Products: At Home Facial

Anybody who follows me on Twitter will have had to put-up with my somewhat irrational excitement over the news that I’m now allowed to introduce certain products into my skincare routine thanks to the fact that my spots are considerably reduced and I no longer suffer from infected spots.  I still have to be very selective about products I introduce and they can only be complimentary treatment type products, so nothing that needs to be used daily.

Therefore, this means I’m allowed to use masks again and I can’t tell you just how much I have missed the indulgence of a bit of at home pampering.  The Jan Marini products are absolutely wonderful and very effective, but they’re also very clinical and don’t pander to that pampering element that I love so much in skincare, so to find out that I can use masks again was extremely pleasing and I immediately started working out what masks I would use.  Within minutes I had decided the first one I wanted to try was one from Una Brennan as I’ve been lusting after her products for a while, and coincidentally, a couple of days after I purchased her Rose Intense Moisture Mask, the oil and cleanser from the same range landed on my doorstep, so I took this as a sign that I needed a night of good ol’ fashioned, indulgent pampering.

I would say my skin is leaning towards normal at the moment with the occasional breakout.  However, it has been showing signs of pretty severe dehydration; no flakiness or dryness, but it just feels a little tight and looks a tad crepey if I play around with it, as you do.  The Superfacialist Rose collection is designed to rehydrate skin so I figured it was a perfect starting block for my new skincare freedom.

The Rose range contains two products for cleansing to allow and encourage double-cleansing which is one of the things I’ve missed doing as I’m a firm believer in thoroughly cleansed skin.  I absolutely love oil cleansers so it was almost impossible to explain just how happy I was to start using an oil cleanser again, albeit only as a pampering treat.  This is a beautiful, rich, gentle and clarifying oil with a delicate rose scent that you warm in your hands and work over your face.  If you’ve never oil-cleansed then this is a great product to start with, as it’s a really rich oil but it doesn’t feel greasy and washes away without leaving a film. I implore you to spend a couple of minutes massaging your skin with this as you’ll wonder why you didn’t delve into oil cleansing sooner.

This is another rich product that doesn’t feel like it’s chocked full of pore-clogging grease and instead feels gentle and soothing.  I’ve mentioned many times that I’m not one to get particularly excited about facial washes (although I will say that the Jan Marini one is exceptional; however it contains a pretty strong dose of Glycolic Acid so inevitably it’s going to pack a punch) and this one is no exception, but it is a good-quality and well formulated cleanser that will leave skin feeling hydrated, cleansed and clean without that horrid stripped feeling that a lot of wash-off cleansers leave.  I used this after the oil and with the Clarisonic to give my skin a really deep clean before applying the mask.

I’ve always been a big fan of moisture masks as regardless of your skin type, every skin needs a moisture boost now and then (especially spot-prone types as we’re the ones using all the drying ingredients) so I’ve amassed quite a collection over the years.  This one feels very indulgent and cooling and again doesn’t swamp your skin, so you end up feeling like your skin is free to take what it wants from the mask.  This is also one you only need to leave on for five minutes and it does seem to perform quickly, as I wouldn’t say there was any difference between how much was left on the skin surface after 5 minutes to how much remained after 10 minutes.  This is a really good choice for those who have dehydrated rather than dry skin as it left skin feeling very smooth and softened, although I’m not sure if it would be rich enough for dryer skin types.

If I had to pick one product to recommend from the above three then I’d say go for the facial oil as it’s the sort of product that will easily integrate into any existing skincare routine you may already have in place, and I would imagine would suit most skin types.  These three products combined made for beautifully smooth, plump and moisturised skin that felt pampered and taken care of.  I have to be strict with myself and not go overboard on new skincare, but I’m really craving the indulgence and simplicity of this routine again, so it’s safe to say this mini-facial will be my go-to whenever my skin is feeling in need of a moisture boost.

All products are available now from Boots, and they’ve got various specials on meaning you can save anything from £2 to £5 depending on the product.