I’m always on the lookout for new skin products, and having been on the receiving end of an amazing treatment using items from Hebridean brand Ishga a few years ago, I was more than keen to road-test a few bits and pieces at home.
I love take-home spa products, as it gives you the chance to relive that zen spa-like atmosphere – even if it is just for a few moments after a stressful day.
Ishga is derived from the word for ‘water’ in Gaelic. And the brand’s USP is that it makes clever use of what is found in abundance in the beautiful Hebridean waters – seaweed.
This potent algae has been used for centuries, boasting natural healing and therapeutic properties with a balanced combination of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, amino acids, and anti-ageing anti-oxidants.
I’m a massive Liz Earle fan often using the famous cleanse and polish duo – so what would I make of Ishga’s own Active Cleansing Lotion (£31 for 100ml)?
My initial thoughts were the lotion was thinner and less rich than I was expecting, but I have to admit I was impressed with how thoroughly it cleansed my skin, quickly removing my makeup with a few sweeps of a cloth.
Blending a mix of seaweed extract with Hebridean spring water, cocoa butter and jojoba oil, with lemon rind and bergamot orange oil, the result is a gentle but pleasant cleanser, which works a treat. I also liked the fact it’s suitable for all skin types, as my own combination skin can swing from oily one day to dry-as-a-bone the next.
While Ishga’s at-home products aren’t the cheapest skincare around, what you’ll get is a lovely spa-quality product. And I’d be confident the cleanser and toner would last a good few months, with only a small amount of both needed to achieve beautiful cleansed skin.
Packaged in pretty purple and silver casings, they’re also rather easy on the eye, making the items ideal for a gift for someone special.
Did someone mention Mother’s Day?!
Words By Gill Harvey