Brand Focus | Bravura London

Hi guys,

Now that the EU referendum is done and a lot of people are angry by the result, I decided to ease my mind and talk beauty. This is a lengthy blog post, grab a cuppa and enjoy. 

I decided to completely change my skincare routine and use one brand only to get a better indication as to whether certain products really work. I think I am going to start doing that from now on as you get a feel for the brand but you also have a lot more evidence to back up your claims, especially if you are sharing your views online. So, I decided to check out Bravura London as I had a seen a few posts on Instagram and read a few blog posts with regards to the acids and wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I will give you a rundown of the products and then give you an idea of how I use them.

I knew I needed a cleanser, toner, acid treatment and moisturiser if I was going to do this properly as that’s the products I use the most but after checking out the website, I wanted everything. I calmed myself, remembered I had oily (sometimes dry) and sensitive skin and read through each product carefully to find out which ones would suit me best. I settled on The First Cleanse Oil (£14,50 for 150ml) to remove my makeup and as you`ve probably guessed, it’s an oil cleanser. This is a great first step in cleansing as it helps to cleanse without stripping away your natural oils. I like that it comes with a little pump, making it easy to screw on and leave by your sink for your convenience. I have to say, this is beautiful, one pump is all you need to massage into your skin which removes every trace of makeup. I don’t use waterproof mascara, but I find it hard to believe that this wouldn’t remove it as it removed numerous layers of mascara from my eyes with no problem at all. There is a certain scent to this. I can’t quite put my finger on it but it isn’t over the top. I use this once, remove with a damp face cloth and then use Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean (£8) as a second cleanse. I don’t use this in the morning but I don’t see any reasons stopping you from doing so.

If you like the Pixi Glow Tonic (£18 for 250ml) then you will love the Revitalising Ginseng Toner with Glycolic Acid 5% (£12.40 for 150ml) as they both smell the same and the list of ingredients are almost identical. This toner is ideal for normal to dry and sensitive skins. I have had no problems with this at all and my skin is quite sensitive. I use this after cleansing but before applying acids as it helps to return the skins ph levels back to normal. I have found that my skin loves this toner. It hasn’t felt irritated at all and it helps to remove the last traces of makeup.

Purifying Calendula Toner 13% AHA toner (£12.40 for 150ml) is an exfoliating facial toner which combines the effective exfoliation properties of 10% Glycolic Acid and 3% Lactic Acid with hydrating aloe vera and healing calendula extract. It is an effective facial astringent recommended for normal and normal to oily skin. This helps fight bacteria which in turn helps with breakouts. I normally use this as a morning toner and have had no irritations at all.

I was a little apprehensive about the acid peels to be honest. I have used Alpha H Liquid Gold (£33.50 for 100ml) and obviously the Peter Thomas Roth 10% Glycolic Acid (£25) but something about these scared me, I think it was the term "acid peel". I decided on the 10% Lactic Acid (£9.59 for 30ml) which has the most beautiful rose scent to it. This is a mild AHA which is alcohol free. Apparently, Lactic Acid is the original chemical peel and can be traced back to ancient Egypt. It is an active ingredient in sour milk, remember that from Biology? Anyway, used as an acid peel it helps to dissolve the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together. It helps to increase cell turnover which in turn creates a smoother, more elastic and even toned complexion. This particular acid peel is supposed to help with acne, sun damaged skin, hyperpigmentation, blotchy pigmentation and fine wrinkles.  Although this helps with hyperpigmentation, it won’t help with chloasma, melisma or vitiligo according to Bravura.

I have loved this for my dry patches and acne prone areas so I only focus this on my chin and cheeks as they will get the most from this treatment. What I really bought this for was the fact that I have some scars on my chin from previous blemishes.  I use this after double cleansing and applying the Ginseng toner. After the toner has sank in, roughly 2 minutes or so, I then start applying by using the little dropper. I apply straight onto my skin before smoothing over with my fingers. I work one area at a time and make sure not to put near my eyes or mouth. There is a brush you can buy online to help with the application of the acids but to be honest, my hands are clean when I do this so I prefer that method. The first time I used it, I was a little apprehensive as I thought my skin was going to be red raw or blotchy but I never had any problems at all. There was a slight sting as it was working, but this was honestly fine.

The second acid peel I bought was the 2% Salicylic Acid (£9.59 for 30ml) which is a Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) meaning it can penetrate deeper into the oil glands causing exfoliation.  We all know about Salicylic acid by now but for those who dont, it is a very effective ingredient for treating acne. It is stronger than other acids and is the key ingredients to restoring purity and clarity to the skin. It is perfect for blackheads, bumps under the skin (trapped oil), enlarged pores, congested skin, wrinkles, acne and oily skin. I have enjoyed using this, I have noticed the texture of my skin changing due to it helping with the trapped oil under my skin. I apply the same as I would the Lactic Acid but leave for 2 minutes rather than 5.

The moisturising stage is my favourite. Once I have treated my skin, I like to infuse it with much needed hydration so after acid peels I use the Azulene Moisturiser (£9.90 for 50ml) which is a light moisturiser with healing properties. I find this works for me as its perfect for sensitive and oily skin. According to Bravura, it is ideal for problem skin, in particular non sensitive Rosacea. This beautiful blue tinted moisturiser is excellent for soothing my skin after an acid peel, I haven’t had any breakouts with it at all and I find it seeps into my skin very quickly. This is an absolute winner, it’s not rich, not greasy and is fragrance free. Please keep in mind, this is not suitable for very dry, cracked or flaky skin.

I also picked up the Collagen Moisturiser (£10.79 for 50ml) to use as a day cream. It feels very luxurious and is thicker than the Azulene moisturiser so only a small amount will suffice. This is crammed with all kinds of anti-aging ingredients including Ginseng Extract, Allantoin, Aloe Vera Gel, Avocado Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Sesame Oil, Avocado Butter and Olive Butter all protect the skin from moisture loss and provide nourishment and essential fatty acids for skin health. I normally find that butter based moisturisers break me out, but I honestly haven’t noticed anything from using this.

I am only human, so I do tend to still get the occasional hormonal breakout, but I have to admit that I haven’t had the usual large cysts on my jawline nor have I broke out every time I have had a period like I normally do, so maybe I am onto a winner with these products.  

AM Routine

7 Days Per Week

Cleanse

Purifying Calendula Toner 13% AHA toner

Collagen Moisturiser

PM Routine

Sunday

Double Cleanse

Revitalising Ginseng Toner with Glycolic Acid 5% (leave for 2 minutes)

Lactic Acid (Leave for 5 minutes)

Azulene Moisturiser

Monday

Double Cleanse

Revitalising Ginseng Toner with Glycolic Acid 5% (leave for 2 minutes)

Azulene Moisturiser

Tuesday

Double Cleanse

Revitalising Ginseng Toner with Glycolic Acid 5% (leave for 2 minutes)

Salicylic Acid (Leave for 2 minutes)

Azulene Moisturiser

Wednesday

Double Cleanse

Revitalising Ginseng Toner with Glycolic Acid 5% (leave for 2 minutes)

Azulene Moisturiser

I follow this pattern every day but every time I have used any acid again, I have added another minute onto the total time on my skin. I have stuck at 10 minutes for Lactic Acid and 7 minutes for Salicylic Acid as I find this is as much as my skin needs and wants. I have honestly loved this new skincare routine, the products have worked amazingly. My skin looks gorgeous. I obviously have the odd breakout, but as I said previously, that’s mostly due to aunt flow being in town rather than a bad reaction.

I honestly love these products, I love the beautifully designed coloured glass the products come in and I love that they actually work. If you are thinking of buying anything from Bravura and don’t know where to start or are a bit scared of them, then go to the website and get some skincare advise for your skin type or contact the team directly, they will be able to help you out no problem. Obviously with the acid peels, you aren’t allowed to use certain ingredients afterwards but this is all listed on the leaflet which is sent out with delivery, but again, you can check online to find more information.

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