Pai Geranium & Thistle moisturiser

I had planned to incorporate this into another post on my daily skincare routine, but as a few of you were interested in Pai’s buy one get one half price offer, which ends tonight (!!!) I decided to do it early.

Sorry that I didn’t photograph the bottle before I started using it… but at least you can see that it’s been well tested!

I’d wanted to try Pai skincare for quite a while. I first heard about it on twitter and through other bloggers who found it really helpful when their skin was feeling particularly sensitive. Pai contacted me after I posted about my skin flaring up a bit and gave me some excellent advice about my own skincare routine…. which I’ll do a separate post about another day. They later offered me the chance to try one of their moisturisers and I’ve been hooked ever since.

If you’re not familiar with the brand, the main thing you need to know is that Pai are experts on sensitive skin - so every product is suitable for sensitive and allergy-prone skin. My skin isn’t normally particularly sensitive, but I’m more than happy to use products that I know won’t irritate it!

‘We carefully select ingredients with proven remedial and skin soothing properties and keep our products free from irritating chemicals and alcohol.’

The product comes in a chunky, slim glass bottle with a pump mechanism - my favourite as it’s the most hygenic in my opinion - and even better, this one locks really easily so it’s perfect for travel.

But what I love most of all about this moisturiser is that it’s so completely pure.

‘Sensitive skin requires ultra-pure ingredients packed full of high-performance actives. That's why we only use concentrated and premium-grade certified organic botanical extracts that support the skin's natural functions. Our quest for product purity means we never use synthetics, alcohol denat, parabens, phenoxyethanol or other skin irritants.’

Pai moisturisers are free from:

All synthetic and natural Parabens
Alcohol (dries & irritates skin)
Skin irritants including Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Formaldehyde (incl. Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate)
Beeswax (comedogenic & pore blocking)

After an in-depth consultation, Sarah Brown, founder of Pai, decided that Geranium & Thistle for combination skin would be the most suitable for me. My skin is actually normal to dry, but can be prone to congestion and enlarged pores in the T-zone (nice!). This cream is designed to clear and re-balance congested or combination skin.

This product feels like a little layer of velvet on my face. Unusually for an organic product it is mattifying. The first time I used it I was quite shocked… it almost looked as if I had applied a light dusting of powder on my face! My skin wasn’t dry - it just looked like it was in soft focus - always a bonus! The addition of Jojoba works to clear congested pores while high levels of GLA in Borage oil keep skin soft and supple.

‘Packed full of Essential Fatty Acids and a host of natural-active skin soothers, this moisturiser rebalances the skin and evens out skin tone.’

It absorbs quickly, feels lovely on the skin, creates a matt finish and a perfect base for make up. I feel no need for an additional primer when I use this. Now that my skin has settled I feel that I may need a little extra moisture for the winter and have my eye on Pai’s Rosehip and bioregenerate fruit & seed oil blend to use with the moisturiser.

Normally I’d say that every skin is different and while Pai moisturiser has worked for me it may not suit you, but this is one rare occasion on which I’d be shocked if anyone tried this product and wasn’t happy with it. I’d 100% recommend it to my friends - and that includes you!

Pai moisturisers range in price from £19-26 and are available in four formulas for different skin types. If you purchase before midnight GMT tonight (13 Nov 2011) you can avail of the buy one get one half price offer!

Irish readers, Sarah Brown of Pai will be in Dublin next week, 17-18 November - check out the venues on her blog at paiskincare.com