Hi All!

Last week we heard thoughts on Neelofer's journey with Solo Skin London. This week we bring to you Zareena's story on her skincare journey! I always say to my children... Mother's know best...but after reading this I have realised maybe we don't know best. Read more to find out more.

My name is Zareena, I am 45 years old.

When I was in my youth I never really looked after my skin, it was always about makeup and waxing! (If you're south Asian you'll know about excessive hair- can delve into that another day! )

If you were anything like me I just used to use my mums or sisters moisturisers.

Let me paint you a picture...

My mother used to use a cream called tibet cream, or if she really wanted to treat herself it was oil of ulay, however, a daily moisturiser for her was baby lotion!

We grew up watching my mums skincare routine which consisted of washing your face with soap & water, then rub it dry (not pat) with a towel, and then you can put some moisturiser on.

The idea was there right from the beginning however, no one checked for ingredients or even if they were alcohol free let alone checking for skin type.

The cleaning (soap and water),rubbing with towel (exfoliate) and moisturiser were there from the beginning, but it was not the best way to do it!

I had oily skin growing up, however, it's become very dry as I've got older.

My mums dry /patchy skin recommendations were to put some oil on your face.

The oil recommendations were good old mustard oil, some coconut oil, or even almond oil. I always thought my mum was a skincare specialist, and after using heavy oils on my skin I would have blocked pores, and my skin felt heavy. However, we all grow up thinking that it's our mother, and that she knows best... Really mom?!

I never really suffered from acne or any pigmentation on my skin, as I was growing up. But as I've got older, and I've had my children, that's a different story. My skin is very different. It's very dry, it has pigmentation but I'm more concerned about my under eye pigmentation.

To be honest, when I came across the Solo skin London website. I thought it was just another oil which will be the same as almond, coconut, or even mustard oil. After hearing amazing things about it I took the plunge and bought a sample size.

The first time I used the oil I put it on at night after my moisturiser before bedtime, it was soaked up by my skin and there wasn't a visible shiny layer.

I was pleasantly surprised at how absorbent it was.

When I woke up the following morning my skin didn't feel tight (like it usually does) and It felt like a million dollars!! (Ker-ching!)

You have a lot of companies that want you to buy their products only to make money, and again they do nothing for your skin.

As I studied on about what the ingredients were in the oil there was nothing but pure, organic ingredients. These are listed below with a short explanation of how it helps our skin.

Olive Squalane: Helps moisturise the skin, it is similar to skin's natural oil (Sebum). It also protects against moisture loss, perfect ingredient for dry skin! White Poppy Seed Oil: Improves firmess, deeply nourishes and moisturises the skin. Doesn't clog pores, helps balance Sebum production. Meadowfoam Seed Oil: Helps lock in moisture and prevents water loss through the skin. Helps nourish the outer layer of the skin, perfect for those who suffer from dry skin. Broccoli Seed Oil: Acts as a barrier protecting you from environmental stresses. Helps keep the skin looking plump, firm and hydrated. Broccoli seed oil is also known for its great anti-ageing benefits such as its high in antioxidants like Vitamin A. It is high in Omega-6 which are soothing fatty acids. These nutrients deliver hydration whilst calming inflammatory skin conditions like acne and eczema. Essential Oils: which are not added to the fragrance free version of the oil.

Now, all these ingredients are luxury ingredients, and they help your skin in different ways. So, if you have oily skin, these ingredients control your oils, and if you have dry skin. It gives you moisture, which any good oil should actually do and also, it doesn't clog your pores like my mustard oil used to do!

This oil actually helps with pigmentation, dark circles, and any eczema, or rashes that you have on your skin. I actually first started to use the oil which had the essential oils in but now I bought the fragrance free one is that has no essential oils.

I have reacted with many other products in the past, this version of the oil (fragrance free) has actually helping the healing journey of my skin.

I also use it as a primer for makeup. It's not just a night, oil, I even use it during the day, as it's winter your skin gets very very dry. It's a luxury oil that gives your skin that moisture that you need throughout the day & night.

I tried this oil for a month or so before I joined the affiliate programme because I won't join programmes of products that I don't believe in. And, oh my god I was actually blown away because firstly, the smell of this oil is absolutely amazing. (The fragranced version), however, just because there's a fragrance free version it doesn't take away any of the goodness in the oil. They both feel exactly the same on your skin, the fragrance free one is just better for you if you have sensitive skin, acne prone, or rashes / eczema on your skin.

Lastly, when you purchase skincare products from large companies, the ingredients that have all the goodness in are saturated so much that only a small percentage is actually in the product. It's a cheaper way to keep the production line going.

My love story with Solo skin London started with a luxury oil that has helped my confidence in myself as my skin feels great. The are other products that have been launched, however, I felt that I needed to write about the oil on it's own as it deserves it's own platform, because it's so worth it!

Thank you so much Zareena or sharing your knowledge on ingredients, your story about your skincare routine and even taking the time out to write such an amazing blog post!! You can follow Zareena on Instagram where she talks more in depth about her daily skincare routine!