Alva Natural Skincare

Happy new year to you all! Hope you all had a lovely one. For my first product review I thought what better way to start off than to share with you a product range I have been using for the last few months now and has become a firm favourite with myself and is part of my everyday regime and it's called Alva Natural Skincare.......

Alva natural skincare is a brand of skincare that is-

Not tested in animal and is approved by PETA

Free from parabens

Colourant free

Contains no alcohol

The range is vegan and ecocert approved

And is organic! Which let's face it, is always a really nice bonus if it also does what it claims too!

A little bit of background on my skin to start with.....
I have and have always had (since about the day I turned 13) acneic and oily skin, and just to set all that off super sensitive skin, which can generally go hand in hand with acne (later to find out I had a Rosacea skin type). Back in the day when all that seemed to be available was the usual oil stripping, face drying and skin reddening products which were marketed to teenagers like myself at the time to help with our blemish prone skins. When in actual fact these kind of products were overly drying to a delicate skin type, stripping the skin of essential moisture and therefore making an already oily skin type produce more oil! But obviously as a first time skincare user as a teenager you can be overwhelmed by what's on offer, but fortunately skincare for all users has come a long way in recent years and a lot more sophisticated for even the most novice of users, and helping us get out of that vicious cycle of stripping the skin, producing more oil, and waking up with more spots everyday!

As I have mentioned my background is in beauty therapy, so inevitably have worked with/personally used a variety of skincare that is available on the market. Some of which I have loved more than others but a bit like your everyday shampoo, I get a bit bored with using the exact same skincare everyday year in year out. But for me it has always been a struggle to find something which would cater for both my oily spot prone skin and it's heightened sensitivity. But I have to say I found that balance in the form of a range of skincare called 'Alva natural skincare'. In my desperation to control my fussy skin I found the website for the alva products and was eager to read the claims and to find out if this could be the range to help me. The 'rhassoul' range states that it-

Is suitable for skin of all ages.

Can be used on normal, oily and combination skin types. Is non comeogenic. 

It is beneficial for people who suffer the odd blemish and people who suffer with persistent acne and blackheads due to its main ingredient of volcanic clay. The rhassoul volcanic mineral clay 'hydrates and deposits silica and other valuable trace minerals whilst mopping up dirt particles, heavy metals, toxins and spot-causing bacteria' as stated on the Alva website and as a result it is also a great regime to use if you are a make up wearer or happen to live in a polluted area for its deep cleansing properties. It is also targeted at people who suffer from Rosacea, eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis, and can also be helpful for anyone who suffers from dandruff as it can also be applied to the scalp - who knew!

With having oily break out prone skin I prefer to use something which really feels as though it's giving my skin a good deep cleanse on a daily basis, and not just that feeling you get when you make the effort and take a bit of time into your routine and add in a scrub and a mask for that feeling of a deep cleansed skin.

Before purchasing I wanted to ask a few questions to which I received an email from Nic who works at Alva. He managed to answer all my questions clearly and was very professional and friendly, not to mention the reply was super speedy! And with that I placed my order, excited to try the products out for the first time!

Here is a breakdown of the products I use from the range and my thoughts on them-

Rhassoul Cleansing Milk 100ml £12.80

The first product I'm going to share with you and the first part of my cleansing routine is the Alva cleansing milk. This is a lovely way to remove your make up, the cleanser is purifying and gentle but effective and can be used even to remove your eye make up! Now with all the sensitivities of my skin, I can find it a tricky task to find a product which will remove mascara and not irritate my eyes, and there are only a small handful of eye make up removers that I have personally found suitable for myself for this reason.

I usually start off with massaging the cream around the eyes first, all over the lids, and across the lashes for effective eye make up removal. Then swipe over with a dry cotton wool pad, as I say I have never had a problem with thorough cleansing of the eye area using this product, or have never got the dreaded stingy eyes!

I then do the same for the rest of my face and massage in for a couple of minutes, remove again with cotton wool and then rinse my face with warm water in preparation for the mineral wash creme, which is best applied to a damp skin.

The consistency to me feels like a fairly lightweight cream, a slightly subtler scent than the mineral wash creme and facial tonic but still as pleasant to use. The cleanser is moisturising, but not overly so, but does leave a silky finish to the skin afterwards, making you feel as though your not adding to the issues of a problematic skin. You only need to really do this step to remove your make up of an evening, or like I say if you live or work in a polluted/ built up area, if you are not so much of a make up wearer, this is a nice 'pre cleanse' to gain maximum benefit from products to follow. 

The ingredients are as follows-

Ingredients: Aqua, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Brassica Campstris Oleifera Oil, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Theobroma Cacao Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum (Natural), Algin, Xanthan Gum, Melaleuca Alternifolia Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Leptospermum Scoparium Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Oil, Phytic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Oil, Cymbopogon Nardus Oil, Cananga Odorata Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate

Overall a great way to prepare the skin everyday for the next step of the regime....

Rhassoul Mineral Washcreme 150ml £11.95

This face wash is a silica rich wash and contains Morroccan volcanic mineral clay. I wasn't too sure what to expect from this before using it. However the contents of the wash was slightly runnier than I expected. But the packaging does state to shake well before use, as the mineral clay has a tendency to settle.

The instructions for application are very clear and the only difference to note is if you have a combination skin type and oil is not the main problem for you, just to apply sparingly and remove immediately once massaged in to the skin. If you have an oily and acne prone skin (that's me!) you are able to leave the wash on for a further 1-2 minutes. I actually really like the idea of this as I really feel as though I'm giving my face a really good cleanse every single day. Not to mention the fact that I am an avid make up wearer, so anything that gives that fresh skin feeling after a long day is good in my book! It dries to a light grey colour and I wash off with warm water just as I start to feel it going a bit taught on my face. I feel as though I get the full benefit from the mineral wash creme for my skin type with this extra step of leaving it on the skin, as if you are used to just a lathery consistency in usual cleansers it can be a bit strange at first, but you quickly get used to its consistency.

The scent of the product I also really like - however it may not be to everyones taste. To me it reminds me of some of the products I used to use working in the salons. The kind of smells that you are hit with when you enter into a treatment room. The Lavender definately hits your senses first, but as I like lavender and think of it as being a soothing scent to me it makes it enjoyable to use, but as I say Lavender is not to everyones taste I guess - But think of the good it is doing your skin! 

Taken from the Alva website, the ingredients for the Mineral Washcreme are as follows:

Ingredients: Aqua, Morrocan Lava Clay, Aloe Barbadensis, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water, Phenethyl Alcohol, Citrus Bergamia Oil, Cymbopogon Winterianus Oil, Lavandula Hydrida Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Oil, Canaga Odorata Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Oil, Glyceryl Caprylate, Xanthan Gum, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol, Citronellol

Again, always a bonus to know that all of these ingredients are organic and are free of any of the nasties.

From the very first use, I can definately say my skin looked a lot brighter, my face didn't get at all irritated from using this, (I always feel as though you're stepping into a bit of an unknown when trying out a new skin care product especially for anyone who also has super sensitive skin - I'm sure you will agree!). Not to mention too that my skin did not suffer from any dryness even with it being a clay based product, but this is a misconception as the wash does not strip the skin it purely normalises oil levels, and that sounds good to me!

I should also mention that the packaging itself is very striking with the red and cream branding, and very reasonably priced I would say considering all of its properties and benefits. You can also buy this wash in a multipack for 4 for the price of 3 washes from the Alva website, which is really useful especially if you do like to bulk up buying certain items.

For me it really has worked wonders at controlling my skin and soothing my red face, of course those hormonal breakouts are going to come rain or shine, but if I know I am doing whatever I can to keep my face as clean as it can be then I feel as though I am always making a step in the right direction!

 Clear up Active Facial Tonic 100ml £11.80

The facial tonic is the 3rd step in the regime it is anti bacterial and very refreshing and unlike some toners doesn't leave your skin anything other than feeling squeaky clean and hydrated. In the past I have been deterred from wanting to use a toner as I have felt that some are just a bit too much for my delicate skin and of course this one is alcohol free. The facial tonic compliments the other products perfectly and helps to reduce the likelihood of future breakouts. 

The website states that the facial tonic- 

'delivers the required amount of moisture for skin regeneration and helps prepares the skin before applying either the Rhassoul Balance Cream or Rhassoul Active Cream.' I personally use this step morning and evening.

I should also just mention, that the packaging again is nice and very substantial, it does last me a while and comes in a glass bottle - which personally I really like.

Ingredients for the facial tonic:

Ingredients: Aqua, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis, Maris Sal, Melaleuca Alternifolia Oil, Dipotassium Glycrrhizate, Leptospermum Scoparium Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Oil, Cymbopogon Nardus Oil, Cananga Odorata Oil, Parfum (Natural), Potassium Sorbate

Active cream 75ml £12.80

So the last product to share with you is the moisturiser, called Active cream. There are 2 options for moisturiser as part of the Rhassoul range, but this is the one for my skin type as it best suits an oilier skin type prone to acne. The other one they offer is the 'Balance cream', and this caters for people with a combination skin type.

Again, I can be a bit fussy when it comes to which moisturiser I put on my face, as the last thing anyone wants to look like is an oil slick! But obviously it is very important to use a moisturiser regardless of your skin type, it's just all about getting the right one!

I was surprised to find that when I squeezed out some of the moisturiser to try for the first time, it actually looked a bit thicker than I imagined it would, considering it's for oily skin. However upon massaging it in to my face I found that it absorbed really well and did not leave any shiny residue. The active cream is also a good base to use before any make up application, and I have to say my foundation does glide on using this very smoothly and evenly. A little of this cream really does go a long way to get maximum effect, a 75ml bottle lasts me ages! The scent is also the slightly lighter version of the fragrance which is carried throughout the rest of the Rhassoul range.

The moisturiser contains Tee-Tree and Manuka oil, both ingredients highly regarded for their antiseptic properties and also contains a host of calming ingredients to soothe stressed flared up skin.

Ingredients for the Active Cream:

Ingredients: Aqua, Simmondsia Chinensis Oil, Aloe Barbadensis, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Brassica Oleifera Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cera Alba, Tocopheryl Acetate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Parfum (Natural), Sodium Hyaluronate, Algin, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Bisabolol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Oil, Cymbopogon Winterianus Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Oil, Cananga Odorata Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Oil, Leptospermum Scoparium Oil, Phytic Acid, Potassium Sorbate

I am yet to try the peeling mask or the repair spray as part of the rhassoul skincare range to compliment my current routine,but hope to add this to my skincare collection in the near future!

As a brand alva natural skincare really impressed me and find using this skincare brand a pleasure to use, and for someone who suffers with breakouts am so pleased I have found something that is so good for my skin and have noticed great results from it too!

Have any of you had the same skin care difficulties or have you tried alva natural skincare before? I would love to hear from you and know what you think!

All product sizes and prices are taken from the Alva website, why don't you take a look at there website and see if this range could too help with your problematic skin?

Sarah x