Daily Facial And Body Cleansing With The Magnitone Pulsar* - Warning Long Post!

I guess I should start this post with an apology - I went sent this product towards the end of last year and the intention was to use if for a month and then get a review up in time for Christmas. It wasn't to be though and in someways I'm glad about that. This product isn't the cheapest and the time span has given me the opportunity to give it a full and thorough review.

So what is it ? Well in it's simplest terms it's a daily cleansing brush. There are lots of these on the market now catering for all budgets but the Magnitone Pulsar is different.

What It Does

Designed with Active Electromagnetic Technology it nor only provides around 15,000 rotational oscillations a minute but also has a unique pulsing action to stimulate the skin.

Magitone Pulsar claim that you will see up to 10 amazing benefits to your skin with 7 days of usage

More effective deep cleansing and removal of impurities***

Can help increase collagen level in skin**
Softer, smoother and clearer looking skin tone*
Firmer, tighter feeling skin texture*
Can help diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles*
Noticeable increase in blood circulation to the skin*
Helps reduce appearance of visible pores*
Gentle exfoliation of dry skin for silkier arms and legs
Helps reduce razor rash and irritation after hair removal*
Enhanced moisture and nutrient absorption of your regular skin products (SPF, self-tan, moisturisers)

* 28 day home-use study, SGS Institut Fresenius GmbH 2013
** in-vitro study, Trinity Bioactives 2013
***internal study of Magnitone Pulsar vs hand washing until visibly clean
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What Do You Get? And How Does It Work?

Impressive but what do you get? and how does it work? -  Well inside the box you get the basic hand held unit, a stand and charging adaptor, full instructions and two brush heads.

The main handheld unit comes partly charged. It features an indicator light which flashes when it needs charging up. The unit is fully sealed and cordless so you can use safely in the bathroom and it can even be used in the bath or shower. It comes complete with it's own stand / charging cradle. You can use it to store the unit in the bathroom, and all you need to do is plug the stand into the adaptor provided to wirelessly charge your Magnitone Pulsar.

The brush comes with easy to attach and remove brush heads. The brush head at the top of the picture with the blue ring is the Active Clean Brush. This is your basic daily, facial cleansing brush, ideal for deep cleansing and gentle facial exfoliation.

The slightly larger brush below is the Body Cleanse Brush. The bristles on this brush are slightly firmer, and this brush head can be used in the bath or the shower for general body exfoliation and dry skin removal. Each brush heads comes complete with a ventilated plastic cover to keep it clean. Each brush head lasts about 3 months with regular use. To care for mine I just give them a quick rinse in clean water and leave them to air dry.

The brush itself has a rubberised feel, meaning that it's easy to hold with wet hands.

The brush operates courtesy of just two button, a basic on off switch and a mode selection button.

The brush four distinct massage and cleansing settings. The first setting is Sensitive, this is the setting that you should start off on. It offers a deep cleansing experience but with a more gentle action ideal for delicate and more sensitive skins. I'll say more later but this is my preferred setting. Next up you have the setting that's unique to Magnitone Pulsar - Pulse Lift Massage. This isn't a cleansing setting really and it's a mode that you would use after say the sensitive or deep clean settings. As the name would suggest this mode gives more a massage treatment. Next is the Exfoliate setting, this setting is predominantly for use with the body brush. It's a more vigorous motion that helps smooth and exfoliate the skin.. The final setting is Deep Clean. This is the setting that the majority of people will use of they want to amp up the results of the Magnitone Pulsar and give the skin a good deep clean. This is the mode to use if you want real result.

My Experience

Face

It's recommended that you start off using the unit on the Sensitive setting for the first few days to get used to it and I have to say this is without the setting that suits my skin best.

There are a few ways to use it and for me it depends very much on the cleanser that you use. For more thicker and creamier cleansers I found it easier to wet my face and then apply the cleanser directly to my face before removing it with the damp brush. Where as with more liquid based face washes and cleanser, it worked just as well applying the cleanser directly to the dampened face brush, and then using on my dampened skin.

Once you've worked out the best way for you, you use the brush either on the sensitive or deep clean setting and move it gently in circular motions around your face I normally split it into sections and did both cheeks, then my nose, then my forehead and finally my chin and jawline, taking about a minute or so in total.

I didn't use the unit on the Pulse Lift Massage setting that often but I generally used after I'd use the brush to cleanse. Making sure my face and the brush were both wet, I concentrated specially on my chin and jawline. The sensation is very different, the name fits the setting and the unit perfectly, you can almost feel it pulsating on the skin, and the you can really feel the increase in circulation that it provides.

Immediately after using the brush I noticed how pink my skin was, not uncomfortably so but it definitely exacerbated my already pink toned skin. My skin can be quite sensitised anyway so after a few uses I decided to change how I used the brush and what I used with it. As I said earlier the brush comes with two types of brush heads but you can also buy another type of brush head for more sensitive or delicate skin.

So I decided to buy a two pack of Sensitive Brush Heads to see how I got on with those. Whilst none of the brush head feel overtly hard or scratchy, the sensitive one feels extra soft. It's plain white and colour and despite the softer feel you still get a good level of cleansing and exfoliation. This brush definitely suited my skin better and it's the only brush that I will use on the Deep Cleanse setting.

It's recommended that you use the brush twice a day but after a week or so I realised that this wasn't for me. I've been using it once a day on a night time either on my bare skin or after I've removed my make up as part of a double cleanse.

So what results did I see? well after the first couple of weeks I have to be honest and say it wasn't great - my okayish skin started to breakout - From just having the odd hormonal spot on my chin I had spots on my forehead, cheeks and on my nose! They do say that this might happen, it's just a result of the new cleansing method pulling out all the gunk and impurities out of your skin so you just need to deal with it. I upped my water intake and took a few more vitamins which I think helped.

After that though the spots cleared up and haven't came back. What has came back though is much clearer and much smoother skin. I've actually had nights where I can't stop stroking my cheeks they feel soooo smooth. Other people have even commented on how much clearer and brighter my skin looks, and I've even being cutting back on the make up going barefaced eek or managing with just a BB cream. Yes the large pores are still there but they don't seem quite as obvious as they were, and the bumpiness of my forehead and chin has definitely reduced.

Body 

I'm going to let you into a secret I hate upper arms! The thought of accidentally touching someones upper arms makes me feel a bit sick, and to be honest I'm not even a fan of my own. Over the last year or so I've noticed that my upper arms are starting to get that rough, plucked chick look - urgh!. So I've looked for solutions and one of the most important things are to moisturise and to exfoliate. 

So this was the first place that I tried using the Magnitone Pulsar, I tried on both the deep clean and the exfoliation settings with equal success again it depends of you shower product how you use it but I preferred to create a lather on my skin first before using the bush under the shower. It wasn't an in your face, scratchy or harsh exfoliation but it still felt as though it was doing something. Immediately afterwards the skin felt really invigorated and much smoother and over time I've noticed a definite improvement in the skin texture.

Personally on my legs I prefer a bit more of a gritty exfoliation but for my arms and upper body, and for after hair removal I think that this does the job perfectly.

Okay this isn't the cheapest product by any means and if you'd asked my a year ago if I needed one in my skin care routine I probably would have said no, but having used it and found a way to use it that suits my skin type I can definitely see me continuing to use as part of my regular routine. All results will vary I guess but I've seen enough of a change to keep using it and to recommend it. The Magnitone Pulsar is available from various retailers including Superdrug, Boots, Look Fantastic and HQ Hair. The recommended retail price is £129.99 but at the moment is on sale for half price in a lot of retailers making it a much more affordable £65. The replacement brush heads are available from the same retailers and retails for around £15.99 for a pack of two. If you have any questions on the Magnitone Pulsar please leave me a comment or check out their official website. 

(*PR Sample)

Foodie Friday On A Saturday - All About Eggs - Nutrition, Recipes And More*

I'm late again - I don't know why I don't just call it Foodie Friday On A Saturday and be done with it lol. Never mind today I'm going to talk about eggs, no not the chocolate ones that we're all lusting after at the moment but the ones in your cakes, fry ups, and pancakes.

I've always loved eggs in there various guises since I was tiny, but probably more so since I became a lacto-ovo vegetarian more than 17 years ago. Eggs are a fabulous source of protein, vitamins and minerals. The average hen's egg contains vitamins including A, D, B2 and  over 56% of our daily allowance of Vitamin B12.

As a vegetarian I'm all for animal welfare and whilst eating eggs can be a little controversial, it is possible to buy more ethically sourced eggs from your local supermarket. I'm lucky 90% of the eggs consumed in my house come courtesy of two of my uncles who both keep their own free range chickens but when I do buy eggs I try to choose wisely.

The amount of eggs on display in the supermarket can be quite baffling these days but something to look for is the British Lion Egg mark. This British Lion scheme which launched in 1998 is designed not only to protect consumers but also to protect producers, farmers and the birds themselves. Their code of practise means amongst other things means that the birds are vaccinated against salmonella, and that each egg is fully traceable from farm, to the chicken to the egg. Members of the scheme must also have higher animal welfare standards than are required by law, and standards that match the RSPCA's own Freedom Food principles. All you need to look for is the British Lion logo both on the egg box and printed on the eggs themselves to buy eggs from producers that take part in the scheme.

Throughout this post you can see pictures of just some of the things that I use eggs for, from scrambled eggs on a bagel to serving a soft boiled egg with steamed asparagus, and if you check out my recipe page above you can also find out some of the other recipes in which I use eggs. I've got a couple more suggestions for you here but you can also find lots more recipes on the British Lion Eggs recipes website which includes recipes from chefs including Gizzi Erskine, Paul Merrett and Lesley Waters and from celebrities such as Michelle Keegan and Liz McClarnon.

The first recipe of mine that I'm going to show is something that I first mentioned on the earlier this month. From what I gather Chickpea Dahl Loaf or Curry Loaf is a widely used recipe on the Slimming World plan. I can't find a source for the original but there are various recipes all over the internet for it but this is the simplest one by far x

Chickpea Dahl Or Curry Loaf

1 Packet Curry Savoury Rice

1 Can Chickpea Dahl

4 Eggs

A Few Sprays Of Fry Light

1. Make up the savoury rice as per the packet instructions - I just did mine in the microwave x

2. Put the chickpea dahl in a pan and heat through. I'm using Asda's own here, you can also buy it in Sainsbury and Morrisons. I'm definitely going to try making my own though - I'll keep you posted x

3.Spray a loaf or a muffin tin with Fry Light. I'm using silicone here but a couple of sprays just make it easier to get out. Preheat the oven to about 180 for a fan oven.

4. Then beat your eggs

5. Add your cooked savoury rice and your warmed dahl to a large mixing bowl

Give them a mix together and then add your beaten eggs

and mix till combined.

6.Then pop it into your tin and bake for around 30-40 minutes.

When your loaf is golden and feels firm to the touch it's done

7. You can then leave it in the tin till its completely cold or you can leave it for about 20 minutes, if your serving it warm.

It will crumble a bit but it doesn't really matter. I'm serving it with salad here but you can serve it with veg or chips or even as a snack or in a packed lunch.

This stuff is strangely addictive and only the fact that it's so filling stops me eating the lot :) If you can contain yourself it keeps really well in the fridge for a few days wrapped in cling film x

My next recipe is something that until recently I'd never thought about making myself but why not? Egg Fried Rice is so ridiculously easy to make so I'm almost embarrassed to call this a recipe it's so, so easy. This is the way I like it but you can add what vegetables you like or even prawns, or chicken

Super Easy Egg Fried Rice 

100g Rice (I'm Using Basmati)

50g Frozen Peas (Defrosted)

50g Pepper (Red Or Orange)

2 Spring Onions

1 Clove Garlic

Fry Light Garlic Oil Spray

Soy Sauce

1 Egg

1. Chop up your spring onions, and peppers, and finely chop your garlic.

2. Cook your rice, everyone has their own methods so stick with the one that works for you x 

3. Spray your pan with cooking spray, I'm using the garlic one here for extra flavor you could also use oil if your not watching your weight.

Then add your peppers and garlic and cook over a medium heat.

4. Then add your spring onions and cook for a few minutes (I added a bit more cooking spray)

and then your peas.

Then add a few shakes of soy sauce, and cook till starting to soften

5. Crack your egg into a bowl

6. Drain your cooked rice

and then add to the pan

 Stir in the rice and add another shake of soy sauce

7. Then make a well in the middle and add your beaten egg, 

and start breaking it up and stirring it as it cooks

and then mix it into the rice

9. Add another few shakes of soy sauce to  taste and then serve

I'm serving mine with veggie sausage casserole  but you can serve it with anything you like on it's own even or with sweet n sour or even chilli.

I hope that this post has inspired to try a few more egg recipes and to think a little bit more about the eggs that you buy.  If your interested in egg recipes and you like cookery book keep checking back for a post that will combine the two ;) Thanks for reading and I'd love to know your favourite egg recipes so leave me a comment and let me know x 

(*This Post Was Written On Behalf Of British Lion Eggs - A Form Of Compensation Was Provided And Will Be Featured In A Future Post.)

A Review Of The Kardashian Beauty Touch Tones Gradient Eyeshadow Palette In Silhouette And A Giveaway

I'm going to let you into a little secret, I have never ever watched an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. I'm just not a fan of reality television and  the so called celebrities that it produces. That said it's impossible to not know who the Kardashians et al are, they're everywhere at the moment, putting their name to everything from clothing lines for Dorothy Perkins and Lipsy, to fragrance and now make up.

Every celebrity from A list, to Z list seems to have produced a fragrance, and I have to say I love the original Kim Kardashian fragrance, it's a fab budget dupe from the classic French fragrance Fracas, but when I heard they were producing a make up line I have to be honest and say I wasn't sure.

Well I wasn't sure until I saw some pictures then I fell in love. After Christmas I treated myself to a couple Kardashian Beauty palettes just to try the range out, and I have to say neither disappointed. I'm going to review the Khloe Kardazzle palette in a future post but first up I'm going to review the Kardashian Beauty Touch Tones Gradient Shadow Palette in Silhouette.

Touch Tones Gradients are a range of three different eyeshadow palette, featuring a  number of eyeshadow shades that go from light to dark. The palette I chose, Silhouette contains a combination of greys, silvers and blues.

The palette contains two, matte, nude highlighting shades. The don't show up to well in the swatches but in real life they can be used alongside the other shades to either brighten or highlight, or on their own to give the eyelid a clean fresh look.

The rest of the shades range from light to dark and contain a pale silver grey, a darker silver grey, a mid blue, a darker blue grey and a dark navy blue. The pigmentation on all of these shades is superb, they are in a satin finish but they do all contain a little bit of shimmer so you can get a little bit of fallout.

The last shade in the palette is an intense sparkle shadow which features lots of silver, and white shimmer and glitter. You do get quite a bit of fallout with this shade but it gives a real evening, glamour look to the eyes.

This palette isn't all about heavy smokey eyes though, it's actually surprisingly versatile. Here are 4 different looks that I've created with it - first up a more subtle grey. silver look, perfect for daytime.

This look was created using the lightest highlight shade, and the two palest silver grey shades. I used the highlight on the brow bone, the lighter shade all over the lid and the darker shade in the crease.

Next a more traditional smokey grey, silver eye.

Again I used the lightest highlight shade. I then used the second silver, grey shade all over the lid, before packing a little bit of the darkest grey into the crease. It's a little bit more dramatic but it's still quite subtle. You could of course create a stronger look by using a lot more of the darker shade.

The final looks that I created are about blue, you can't see it too well in some of these pictures but this palette contains two blue based shades x

For this slightly smudgy look I used the darker of the highlight shades. I also used the lighter smokey blue shade all over the lid, with the darker shades smudged along the lash line and in the crease.

I love the smudgy blue look but if you wanted to glam it up and take it even further you can do by adding just a touch of the intense sparkle shadow as I've done here x

I have to say I like this palette way more than I expected too. I'm a bit scared of smokey eyes and dark greys and blues but I really enjoyed playing with this palette. You can use it to produce everything for a subtle grey / silver look to some dark, smokey and super sparkly. I also really enjoyed using the two matte highlight shades. I don't think that I'd ever used a matte shade for a highlight before but I can really see the benefit. It's a lot more subtle than using a shimmery shade, and it really gives a nice bright, clean look to the high.

If your not a fan of fallout this palette probably isn't for you. The shimmer shades are very pigmented and do contain a bit of sparkle so it's inevitable that you do get the odd stray bit of powder and the odd smear. The intense sparkle shadow is also very glittery, and can result in quite a bit of fallout.

These palettes are priced from around £11.95, and as much as I like this one I do think that it's a little bit overpriced, and whilst the product is decent, the packing is quite basic, so I really think you are paying a bit for the Kardashian name. That said I have enjoyed using it and I would definitely consider buying the other 2 Touch Tone palettes if they were reduced or on special offer. The official Kardashian Beauty stockist in the UK is feel unique but you can also find some of the range at HQ Hair and Amazon.

When I bought my palette way back in January I also picked one up to giveaway to one of you guys. So if you'd like to get your hands one , then all you have to do is fill in the form below. This giveaway is open worldwide and will end on Tuesday 1st April 2014.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thanks for reading and good luck x