You may recall many post ago Gem and I gave in to the Glamour Beauty Edit 3, one of the main perks of this being the miniature dermalogica UltraCalming starter kit. Well it may have taken a little while but I’ve finally cracked this open and put it to good use! The UltraCalming range is supposed to be well suited to those that suffer from flare ups or inflammation due to sensitivity of their skin – which sounds absolutely perfect for me! In this mini starter kit, you receive a cleanser, a facial mist, a serum and a face mask.

UltraCalming Cleanser

I’ve been very much enjoying my Soap and Glory “Peaches and Clean” facial cleanser for some time now so it was a little hard to push that to one side to try this out. I was very impressed by how fresh my skin felt afterwards and it didn’t seem as dry our angry after I’d washed it. I think I’d have to use this over a much longer period of time though to see if this is a new cleanser for me as it’s quite difficult to judge over a 1-2 week period (I think I can just about managed to squeeze 2 full weeks out of this sample). It’s priced at £26.90 on the dermalogica website and I’m not sure how I feel about splashing out that much cash on a cleanser at the moment and it’s a risk if after three weeks my skin decides that actually it doesn’t like this any more and it’s going to throw a strop (yes this actually happens!) I’m surprised at just how long Soap and Glory has managed to stay in my morning cleansing regime!

UltraCalming relief masque

Like most face masks, this should be applied after cleansing and left for around 10 minutes. I admit I haven’t tried this yet because I’m saving it for a nice pamper day but I’m intrigued as to how this feels when applied and also the end result. The full sized product is priced at £40.10 which is very steep for a face mask and even if this worked wonders I’m not entirely sure I could justify spending that much money on a product that I wouldn’t use as regularly as a moisturiser. When I do crack this out though, I’ll be sure to let you know how it was! You can see this on the dermalogica website here.

UltraCalming mist

I’ve been using this for the past few weeks now, the idea is that you spray your face and neck before applying serum and moisturiser. It’s become part of my morning routine and I am rather enjoying it. I’m going to be sad when I run out if I’m being completely honest. The website describes this as a soothing mist that can quickly calm redness and is used to lock in moisture and prime skin. One of my biggest problems in the morning is after I’ve washed my face, my skin feels really dry and I can usually see it beginning to redden. It’s a bit of a race against the clock to try and slap my moisturiser on as quickly as possible before it dries out any more. This spray however is very lightweight and does seem to calm my skin down during that initial period. It’s not too greasy and absorbs beautifully. I usually leave this for a few minutes before going ahead with the serum which seems to work. At £28.30 for 177ml it’s not quite as extortionate as the face mask and I would probably be inclined to invest in this having tried it. It’s available direct from the website here.

UltraCalming serum concentrate

At first this seemed a little watery, but after a bit of shaking, the consistency thickened a little and was easier to apply. I’ve been using this straight after the mist and I have noticed a huge difference, mostly towards the afternoon of each day. Usually about lunch time I feel like I need to top up my moisturiser or my skin begins to feel tighter, but since using this I’ve been fine up until the evening when I re-cleanse and get down with my evening routine. I’ve had not crazy red patches that have suddenly broken out on me because I’ve dared use a slightly different product and I’ve actually really enjoyed using it. It is currently priced at £52.60 which is very expensive for a serum and is a little off putting. You can view the serum here but although I’ve loved the results of this it definitely is out of my price range.

My only issue with this starter set is that it didn’t come with a moisturiser, which really would have completed it and given me a good all round regime to try out. Although it’s produced some great results, I definitely can not afford to splurge on each item and although dermalogica sell a starter set of minis similar to this for £43.60 it just wont keep me going long enough! I do keep telling myself that I should spend a little more on my facial care but my current regime is serving me well. I may consider buying the UltraCalming mist at some point when my bank balance looks a bit healthier but that may be a long way off given my most recent shopping sprees!

Have you tried any of the dermalogica UltraCalming range? What sort of price would you expect to pay for skincare? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.

Totally -not- hellbent for “sorry I can’t afford your absolutely amazing skin care range”

-Pants