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Press and Blog Reviews, Articles

Gisèle featured in 25th Anniversary

issue of Elle!

Press Reviews

The magazines and newspapers below were kind enough to put Mir to the test rather than simply churning out press releases.

Mir is a sought-after collection of botanical skincare offering rival delights to the latest organic beauty trends.  Wonderfully cooling on the skin, these water-based goodies are a real treat.  The Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser has a gentle baby-soft fragrance and contains jojoba beads that purify and cleanse.  Soothing extracts of rosewater and chamomile refresh even the most delicate of skins. Cosmopolitan

Tried and tested facial cleansers: here's our pick of the best!  Mir Cleansing Gel for face and eyes: a nice, unfussy product with no perfumes or fancy packaging, thick creamy and easy to apply. It didn't aggravate sensitive areas or make my skin feel taut or dry.  Definitely one for those prone to flare-ups 9/10.  Natural Health

Mir Argan Beauty Oil - one of the 10 best beauty oils. Independent

Luxuriously simple sensitive skin care.  Beauty & the Dirt

For younger skin all over try Mir Argan Beauty Oil..high in vitamin E, skin-nourishing Omega 6 and anti-inflammatory plant sterols to calm redness.  Bella

Mir Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser - one of the 5 best cleansers and the best cleanser for sensitive skin. Natural Health & Beauty

Look Better By Morning - an article featuring Mir Argan Beauty Oil - appeared in Red Magazine

Blog Reviews and mentions

Many thanks to these wonderful beauty bloggers   who took the time and trouble to give Mir a thorough testing and lengthy, detailed write up.

These are mainly extracts, please click on the headings to read the full articles.

London MakeUp Girl 8 June 2011

Gisele Mir is one of those friends that is a bit annoying because you know she's right, but you don't want to admit that she's right. She will quite often throw her metaphorical hands up in horror on Twitter at skincare brands that use exotic ingredients and charge an arm and a leg for them, and we've had some pretty frank exchanges of views in the past because I'm someone who would happily buy that sort of skincare.

I finally bit the bullet and ordered the Mir Cleansing Gel and Skin Silk Lotion in desperation because I'd really riled my skin up. I'd used a trial kit of products including AHAs and some quite strong essential oils, and my skin had thanked me by developing dry patches on my chin and cheeks and red raised bumps on my forehead (a sure sign that skincare is irritating my skin).

Mir's skincare ethos is very much based around the principle of 'First, do no harm.' This means she has formulated her products to avoid potential irritants and pore-clogging ingredients from her line, and not just the usual suspects like mineral oil and artificial fragrances; she also leaves out essential oils and certain heavy vegetable oils which she believes can congest the skin.

I've used these every night since I received my order in April. I experienced relief almost immediately, with the rash going away within 48 hours and the dry patches resolved within a week. My skin has been soft and well-behaved for the month and more I've been using it, with no random spots or dry bits. There are no collagen-building-magic-pixies in the formulas, but they respect and support the natural balance of  the skin.

The Cleansing Gel is a non-foaming gel cleanser. It feels very cooling on the skin, and leaves skin feeling clean but not stripped. It takes off very light eye make up, but if I'm wearing any mascara I do need to use a separate eye make up remover. I rarely wear foundation, but I applied some to see if the Cleansing Gel could remove it and found I needed to use a muslin cloth in conjunction with the Cleansing Gel to remove foundation completely. [Note from GM: our Skin Refresher removes eye MU and can be used as a pre-cleanser and toner.]

The Skin Silk Lotion is a rich lotion texture that absorbs quickly and leaves the skin feeling comfortable but not greasy. An extremely dry skin might need to cocktail this moisturiser with a couple of drops of the pure Argan Oil in the line, but it is sufficient on its own for my normal to dry skin in Spring and Summer.

This week I have mostly been loving ...

26 May 2011 (A review comparing Mir Argan Beauty Oil with a Sanctuary Facial Oil.)

[The Mir] Argan oil is a lighter oil and did seem to soak in very much more quickly […] it is my preference in the morning under my moisturiser as my skin just mops this up.

The Sanctuary oil is more fragranced than the Mir pure Argan and if you are a very sensitive soul this might warrant bearing in mind.  My skin has relished both.  I use a couple of drops of whichever is closest to hand morning and evening, after cleansing and before moisturizer – it is an option to add a couple of drops of oil to your moisturizer but my skin seemed happiest when I applied the oil direct.  My skin feels nourished and plumped up and once it got over a major hormone induced blip recently has had a much more even tone and less visible redness. 

I am rather partial to a good exfoliate before bed and again the oil has been lovely smoothed into my buffed face, on the nights I have exfoliated I have been a bit more liberal with the oil and applied it more as a mask rather than a base for a night cream – the Sanctuary oil may be better for overnight as it is more heavy weight.  It is lovely for a pre-sleep facial massage too as it gives nice slip and the fragrance is soothing. The pure [Mir] Argan is my preference in the morning under my moisturiser as my skin just mops this up.

Will I buy again?  Absolutely. I have to say I love the convenience of being able to nip into Boots to pick up the Sanctuary oil so it will probably win out but I think the Mir is actually better for your skin, not least because it is so easily absorbed.

British Beauty Blogger 23 March 2011 (see also 14 January 2010 below)

Argan Oil: is it the big, fat beauty fudge?

To be honest, if all the brands that are using Argan oil as an ingredient were using it in a meaningful capacity, there would be no Argan oil left in the world. Personally, I only use pure 100% Argan oil bought from reputable sources such as Mir Skincare or Melvita, but it is starting to really bug me the number of brands that are using the Argan trend to cash in and only using it in tiny quantities, that in my view, can't really bring anything much to the party.

Primp and Preen 14 January 2011

My skin seriously loves these products and it's been difficult going back to other, quite frankly inferior, products as my skin has really enjoyed the Mir range. (This is a very detailed review of our Trial Packs and, as with all the blog reviews here, highly recommended for those who are new to Mir.)

Get Lippie My Picks of 2010 4 January 2011

You might also want to have a look at Mir Skincare, which is formulated for sensitive skin, and is a bit of a marvel, in particular I loved the (vegan-friendly) Argan Oil, which I'll shortly be placing a replacement order for.

Found, Beautiful - A beauty editor's box of delights 15 October 2010
Mir Skin Care was founded by former lawyer Gisele Mir, a woman who is so passionate about skin care for sensitive skin (including her own) that she retrained as a cosmetic scientist and developed this botanical range herself.
Just because an ingredient is natural (or organic) doesn’t mean it is gentle, and ingredients that sound good enough to eat are not necessarily best for your skin. With this in mind, Mir excludes more than 200 substances from its range and instead advocates balanced less-is-more skin care.  This then is not the range for anyone looking for bling or air brushed celebrity endorsements.  If, however, you don’t buy anything without first double-checking the ingredients list then Mir is your way to go.
PS loved the Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser (£22) for rinsing off so quickly –and combining two skincare tasks in one.

Splodz Blogz: 7 June 2010

Overall this is a lovely range of products made with natural ingredients that seemed very kind to my skin.

Make-Up by Katy: 4 May 2010

For those regular readers of my blog, you will already know of the epic struggle I have with my skin. Oily, huge pores and not just on my t-zone. I'm oily almost everywhere. Along with skin that has pores like the surface of the moon comes congestion.So after a conversation with the fantabulous Gisele at Mir Skincare I decided it was time for a change.
I thought I was doing all I could for my skin, using oil free moisturisers, light, non drying cleansers, hydrating serums and decongesting balms but it turns out I probably wasn't. Please read this section here where Gisele lists all the ingredients that she leaves out of her skincare. That's what has made me love this line, it's not about what's IN the products, more about what's NOT…. I'm very happy with my Mir and am sticking to it for the meanwhile.

I hope this has been helpful. Please, go to the website and read what Gisele has to say. She talks a whole lotta sense and I cannot do it justice.

Product Placement: The Blog: 27 April 2010

Gisele has a really interesting philosophy. “Just because a product is organic, sounds good enough to eat or is used by a myriad of celebrities is no indication that it is good for your skin”, she says. Sounds scarily like good sense.

Her products have been formulated for people with sensitive and blemish-prone skin – but at the same time are suitable for all, excluding as they do many of the irritant or pore-clogging ingredients that other natural, sensitive, organic and specialist niche ranges include. I particularly liked the Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser (£22.00) and the Skin Silk Lotion (£33.00), which contains Moroccan argan oil.

Adele Mitchell's Blog: 8 April 2010

Mir is skincare for sensitive skins or those who want products that provide the best long-term options for the health of their skin. As is says on the brand’s strap line, these are cosmetics with integrity.

I found former lawyer Gisele Mir via Twitter. This is a woman who is so passionate about skin care for sensitive skin (including her own) that she retrained as a cosmetic scientist and developed this botanical range herself. I love the ‘look beyond the label’ common sense that Mir brings to the beauty table.

PS loved the Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser (£22) for rinsing off so quickly – and combining two skincare tasks in one.

BigFashionista's Blog: 1 April 2010

After speaking to Gisele on Twitter I feel like I have got to know the woman behind the company and trust me, here is a woman who CARES about skincare.

I trialled the gentle exfoliating cleanser for a week, seeing an immense improvement in my skin almost immediately just with the one product.
And after speaking to Gisele she very kindly sent me Trial pack B to try out the whole range so that I can let you know the results.

In a word-FANTASTIC.

The trial packs of Mir products are an excellent way to try the products before you buy full size bottles, and believe me, once you start using these products you will definitely be going back for more.

Trial pack B contains, Gentle Cleanser, Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, Argan Oil, Moisturising Lotion, Skin Refresher, and Skin Silk Lotion.
Each and every one of these items is multi use. The Argan oil can be used on Nails, hair and can be added to the other products to enrich them, leaving your skin feeling luxurious and soft without feeling greasy. The Skin Silk Lotion doubles as an eye cream.

I could praise Mir Skin Care all day, but the way best to explain it to you is to say this. I have worn foundation for years, And in this last week, have gone bare faced every day as I finally have the confidence in my clear skin to do so.

So if you are looking to overhaul your skin routine take a look at Mir and if you are on twitter search out @mirskincare she is a lovely, lovely lady who not only believes in her excellent products but gives great skincare advice and will answer any follow up questions you may have.

Hangups and Handbags: 25 March 2010

We met Gisele through Twitter and were completely blown away by how much she had accomplished, what an extraordinary woman. Here is her story [see About Us page for details].

Mizz Worthy's Stuff : 17 February 2010

I was recently sent a sample pack from MIR for review and testing purposes. The samples lasted about two weeks - just about the right time to form an opinion, and work out how well the products work for my skin.

I was sent the pack for normal/dry skin, after having a chat on twitter with Gisele, the founder of the company.

The MIR range was formulated by Gisele, following her frustration with a lack of products on the market which worked for her sensitive, blemish-prone skin. Gisele worked in law originally, but then decided to use her obsession with skincare and skincare ingredients to gain qualifications in both cosmetic science and makeup artistry...

In short this lady know her stuff, and the website contains lots of tips for all skin types - well worth a look if you are into natural skincare too! 

The basic premise behind the range is that all "skintypes" that we are grouped into by the cosmetics industry (dry, oily, combination, normal, etc), can have sensitivity, which can manifest in a number of ways. MIR is designed in a way which I feel encourages the user to learn to treat their skin in a more instinctive manner, rather than a prescriptive manner...

Most of the products in the range are multipurpose, making them great for people who feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of products on the skincare market right now.  For example, the cleansing gel can also be used as a mask, the skin refresher can be used as a makeup remover, toner, and is even gentle enough to use as an eye makeup remover.

I have noticed the absence of SPF in the range - this is due to Gisele's personal experience of sensitivity to most manufactured sun protection - this is one aspect of the range she encourages users to add.

I really enjoyed using this range...my skin seemed to feel a lot calmer and less sensitive. ..I loved it.

British Beauty Blogger: 14 January 2010

In an absolute first for me, I was sent some product from a Twitter friend...@MirSkinCare. Mir focuses on using botanicals to create a gentle, kind to skin range that is effective and non irritating.

Given that almost nobody's skin is playing nicely thanks to Christmas followed by Polar snap, I felt I could do with a perk up.

The range is completely fuss free, and impressively the formulas are all quite loose, so no thick smears of heavy cream.

I always like 'trial packs' where you can get a really good idea of the products and whether they suits your skin well before making a heavy outlay - I think it's fair play, really. The Trial Pack costs £14 and products contain ingredients such as Marshmallow Extract and White Tea.

I gave myself a little facial using Cleansing Gel followed by Cleansing Exfoliator - the second of which make my skin feel very soft and super-clean. I took it off with Skin Refresher (although you are supposed to wash it off with luke warm water), and then followed on with Argan Oil - light, easy to massage in and finished with moisturising Skin Silk Lotion.

Everything was lovely - I have to say my skin felt gorgeous afterwards (and still does today), and it's substantially cheaper to treat yourself to a home facial this way than to step out to a salon. All in all, I was impressed - especially with the cleansers which are so easy to take off - no scrubbing or rubbing required - just a couple of splashes of water. Mir definitely gets the BBB seal of approval.

News and Offers

Cleansing Gel is back in stock!

Order from the Cleansing Gel page or Shopping Basket. Thank you for your patience.

Skin care tips and special offers, other than those shown below, are sent out to Facebook fans and Mir mailing list subscribers.

Liquid Silk Gentle Gel: A softly foaming, honey-textured gel with soothing marshmallow extract, organic Persian rosewater, Vitamin E and glucose based cleansers.  Free from fragrance, essential oils, soap, sulphates, parabens. For body and face and gentle enough to be used on a baby's face, special introductory offers on trial bottles.

Mir Mask:  Make a deeply cleansing, intensely soothing mask with Pure Rhassoul Powder and Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser. £9.50 for 100 grams.

Argan Beauty Oil  This is the finest quality, pure, organic, cosmetic grade argan oil available, sourced direct from our Moroccan supplier.  Mir Argan Beauty Oil is also a wonderful treat for hair, leaving it soft, silky and bouncy. Purchase two bottles and save £5.50.

All products paraben free

Since April 2011 all products have been paraben free.

Customers in 38 countries!

UK, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Guam, Holland, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, USA.

This is mainly through word of mouth, beauty board and blog reviews, so a huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed or recommended us.  It's quite a thrill to think of all those Mir bottles all over the globe.

Mir in the News

Come September, the world's pre-eminent folk in anti-ageing will gather at the Royal Society of Medicine for the third International Anti-Ageing Conference. Britons' annual spend on anti-ageing products is approaching £1bn. But cosmetic scientist Gisèle Mir has put a spanner in the works by claiming that 'many anti-ageing creams accelerate ageing rather than prevent it.'

John Hinds - Observer