Holistic Green Beauty Chocolate Cleansing Balm & Orchid Cellular Repair Oil Reivew

I have a review for you today of two products that are literally the best things I have ever put on my face. As you will no doubt have noticed it has been a whilst since I have posted anything on the blog but I simply had to write about these two skincare products.
  

If you haven’t heard, Holistic Green Beauty “HGB” is a new British skincare brand created in 2015 by Danny Stoke and his partner Scott Bentley. I have known Danny for a while now and know that his knowledge of skincare is extensive after many a late night chat on Twitter about the latest crazes in the skincare world. He together with his partner have looked to create a skincare line that contains the highest quality ingredients money can buy and pool these together in formulas that quite simply work. There are no marketing gimmicks, no big budget advertising campaigns, just trust that the products will speak for themselves and by goodness do they! Already featured in Vogue, HGB is flying off the shelves quicker than Danny and Scott can make a fresh micro-batch and quite rightly so. The brand and ethos is very reminiscent of the US skincare goddess May Lindstrom and I feel we may finally have our own representation in the UK that really brings in some strong competition.
Danny was kind enough to send me two products from the range to try. I was so excited and proud when these products arrived at my front door. Danny sent me two of what have become the most popular items in the range being the Chocolate Cleansing Balm and Orchid Cellular Protection Oil. No soon as I had opened the packaging I went straight up to the bathroom to give them a spin! Both the cleansing balm and oils are packaged in violet glass to ensure the ingredients are as potent as possible when you use them. As an added bonus they also look fabulous on your bathroom shelf!
I carefully opened the Chocolate Cleansing Balm glass lid and was greeted by the most sumptuous divine smelling whipped butter. The product smells beautifully of chocolate thanks to the raw cacao and has underlying tones of vanilla. I used the provided spatula to scoop out some product and proceeded to melt the product in my hands. The texture of this product is nothing like I have tried before. It contains no waxes and so melts instantly on contact with body heat, releasing the aromas as you work between your palms, quickly becoming a gorgeous oil. On applying to your face it’s potent anti-oxidant ingredients pack their punch and get to work. The balm contains high quantities of green tea, Acai Berry and Rosehip oil high up on the inci list. These are very expensive ingredients that will do your skin so much good and there is clearly no scrimping when it comes to formulating. Infused with oils to help regulate the skins oil production the balm beautifully hydrates the skin with its exotic butters. I gently emulsified the balm under Danny’s recommended instructions and worked into my skin for a good few minutes enjoying a bit of ‘me’ time.  

 I then used the organic muslin cloth provided and gently removed the chocolate milk from my skin effortlessly. My skin was left beautifully soft and calm. I have had similar results from a 1 hour facial so was amazed at how quickly this product had made a difference. Fast forward a month and I have used the entire pot and have to say this will be a staple in my skincare routine from now on together with May Lindstrom’s The Honey Mud. 
Following on from the cleanser i applied 5 drops of the Orchid Cellular Protection Oil. This really is the Rolls-Royce of anti -ageing oils in my opinion. The oil contains an array of known and some more exotic oils to help protect the skin against free radical damage and regenerate skin cells including Argan oil Ximenia (I had to look it up to!), Marula, Chia Seed, Baobab and Calendula. All come together to form the most equisite and sophisticated oil. Using 5 drops every other evening and massaging into my face brings my skin back to life. The oil is easily absorbed and is hands down the oil that has had the biggest effect on my skin in such a short space of time.

  

I am so impressed with how passionate HGB have been about using high quantities of high quality ingredients – it is such a rarity in an industry where many big players will favour bottom line over the quality of their products where as I sense HGB’s ethos is the exact opposite. 

If you are in the market for a new skincare product I suggest you look no further than HGB. You won’t be disappointed. Whilst I known Danny, this post is in no way sponsored and all opinions are my own. I can’t wait to see the blogoshpere explode over these products – it’s future success it well and truly deserved. 
You can buy your Cleansing Balm (£45) and Orchid Cellular Repair Oil (20ml @ £72) here:
http://www.holisticgreenbeauty.com

REN Vita Mineral Omega 3 Optimum Skin Serum Oil Review

Somewhat of a slightly different offering today at Nu|sk|n. As you will know from my previous posts, I have a very oily T-zone and have found that the best way to keep the oil slick under control is bizarrely to use a facial oil. A good facial oil can not only deliver a huge number of benefits to your skin in terms of skin health, but can also help it find its own balance and natural rhythm.

As such, I have been avidly trying out new facial oils over the course of the past year to find one that really suits my oily yet often dry skin. I was recently contacted by REN and asked to try their new Vita Mineral Omega 3 Optimum Skin Serum Oil (bit of a mouthful there!). The key thing that I was really intrigued by was the use of the term ‘serum oil’. This isn’t an oil. It isn’t a serum – its confidently sits on the fence somewhere in the middle. Confused? I was to. Read on.

REN claims that the oil is “a transforming oil that strengthens the skin’s vital lipid barrier and re-energizes skin cell activity to dramatically improve moisture levels, boosts overall skin health and vitality while reducing the signs of wrinkles, premature ageing and sensitivity”. All sounds rather lovely doesn’t it?! After my visit to Samsara Skin Clinic in September, I have been trying to improve the strength of my skin and reduce its sensitivity through a combination of nurturing balms and oils so this was an ideal product for me to experiment with.

The first point I will make is that this product costs £23 for 30ml. As such when compared to many facial oils on the market this really does seem to be good value for money considering its size. I have been avidly testing this for around 3 months now (with the odd break here and there) and still have over half the pump remaining. Now…onto the results…

On application the oil/serum feels extremely lightweight and has a non-greasy texture. There is a slight citrusy scent however there is a clear omega oil undertone (if any of you take flax seed or fish oils you will know where I coming from). The scent is very faint – only just noticeable in-fact. I work one pump into the palms of my hands of an evening and pat gently into the skin. I don’t tend to apply anything on top of this unless my skin is feeling particularly in need of an extra boost.

Overall I found that the did make my skin noticeably fuller and plumper on a morning. The results didn’t ‘wash off’ as you tend to find with some products – you wake up with a lovely glow only to find your normal complexion re-appear after a quick wipe with a flannel! The results of this product continued to build through use and have really helped my skin through some rough patches over the colder months. It also gone some way to help balance my oiliness and with a combination of other products I am now able to stay shine free for most of the working day.

The ingredients are as follows:

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Camelina Sativa Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Phaeodactylum Tricornotum Extract, Bisabolol, Parfum (Fragrance), Linalool, Limonene, Tocopherol

If you are looking for a facial treatment that is pure indulgence and a pamper treat, then I wouldn’t say this oil is for you. This product is purely functional and has no frills about it. It contains only the ingredients it needs to do the job it claims – surprisingly a rather rare trait to find in beauty products these days and very refreshing!

This is certainly something I would recommend to those with sensitive skins that really just need to focus on building strength back in their skin before looking to more pampering products. I know I will certainly be purchasing once this pump runs out!

You can find out more and purchase your own serum oil here:

http://www.renskincare.com/p/3707/Omega+3+Optimum+Skin+Serum+Oil

* PR Sample. No affiliation. Opinions expresses are my own

The London Oil Company Sweet Cheeks Facial Oil Review

Hold your horses…I think I’ve found the perfect daytime facial oil for combination and oily skin – and I would not make that claim lightly.

As part of my quest to make my skincare routine that bit more natural and skin friendly, I have found that my skin absolutely loves balms and oils. However, a daywear facial oil for a combination skin that doesn’t make your skin look greasy is hard to come by (trust me – I’ve searched and searched).

The London Oil Company kindly offered to send me a couple of their products to try out. The London Oil Company is an artisan business based in London’s Primrose Hill. All their products are hand blended in small batches; offering a small range of skincare, body and home products.

I was sent a bottle of the Sweet Cheeks facial oil to review as pictured above. The oil is a golden orange colour and is quite thin in consistency. It’s ingredients are as follows:

Ingredients: Organic Unrefined Avocado Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Organic Rosehip Seed Oil, Sea Buckthorn Oil, Organic Unrefined Jojoba Oil, Coffee Essential Oil.

I had read the ingredients list before reading the narrative on the product. As such I had assumed this was a restorative night time oil given the extensively moisturising ingredients of avocado oil, apricot kern and rosehip. To my logic, all three of these oils together would lead to a rather heavy finish and so I first used this on an evening after thoroughly cleansing. The oil contains coffee essential oil and so unsurprisingly smells just like a cup of black coffee. Considering I’ve cut coffee out of my diet, the smell is a welcome addition to my routine! As you can see from the list, this is a very simple and refined oil but still uses some of natures most potent and nutrient dense oils.

To my surprise…the oil sank into my skin within seconds. There was a very very slight sheen to my skin which soon faded to a completely matte finish. A matte finish??? From an oil??

I kid you not. I still don’t understand how but have just come to accept that this is bloody good stuff.

After reading The London Oil Company Website, I discovered that they actually recommend yo use this oil in a morning!

This makes me very happy indeed. Finally – a non greasy facial oil with fantastic ingredients that will deeply nourish and hydrate whilst not leaving the skin oily! Furthermore, the oil contains jojoba oil, an oil that most closely matches to our own sebum. As such when applied, this allows your skin to ‘feel’ hydrated and as such leads to a lower oil production (some studies do disagree with this however I find it works for me). I therefore found my skin stays matte wearing this, together with my Murad Oil Control SPF 15 lotion for THE WHOLE DAY. I use the pipette to place 3 drops on my hand, warm in my palms and apply to my face and neck. I find 3 drops the perfect amount. If I use 4 it can leave my face a little greasy.

With the winter days getting colder, I have not felt any need to apply heavier creams or use products not suited to my oily skin. This really ticks so many boxes for me – I’m just so happy I’ve had the opportunity to try it.

As an added bonus due to the high concentration of the deep amber coloured Sea Buckthorn oil, you will be left with a sunkissed glow after application. I have had many compliments since using this saying I look healthy and fresh faced and can only put it down to this.

Best of all, this is available in a range of sizes starting at £10 for 10ml which means you don’t have to spend a fortune to give it a try. You can get larger sizes up to £30 for 60ml – still cheap compared to many oils.

A well deserved 10/10 from Nu|sk|n blog – love love love.

You can find out more about this product here:

http://www.thelondonoilcompany.co.uk/products/sweet-cheeks

*PR Sample. Views expressed are my own. No affiliation

You Beauty Discovery Box – Balance Me Limited Edition

I hadn’t heard of the You Beauty Discovery box until hmmmm…2 hours ago! I am signed up to A Model Recommends daily email feed whereby on Sunday’s she sets out some musings from the week – some beauty related and some not.

Today her email has a fantastic beauty steal! The new You Beauty Discovery Limited Edition box contains over £100 (ml for ml) of Balance Me Products for – £19.95 with free P&P!! I have just ordered one as this is to good to pass up.

In the box you get:

– Rose Otto Body Wash – 100ml
– Super Moisturising Hand Cream – 50ml
– Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm Cleanser – 40ml
– Moisture Rich Face Cream – 20ml
– Facial Expression Filler – 20ml
– Wonder Eye Cream – 10ml
– Radiance Face Oil – 10ml

You have easily made your money back with just a couple of these. I have tried a few of the above and loved them all!

You also get a £10 voucher for your next full size Balance Me purchase – good stuff!

Just be warned – it will look like you need to pay for the monthly subscription before you buy this box. I just registered my details and when it asked for payment details as part of the registration I went back to the home page, added the limited edition box to my basket and I was away!

You can get yours here:

http://www.youbeautydiscovery.co.uk/limited-edition-box

Own purchase – no affiliation

Spiezia Organics Rose & Vanilla Face Oil Review

I have been a big fan if Spiezia Organics for around a year now. I randomly stumbled upon the company whilst window shopping on an online organic pharmacy.

For me, Spiezia Organics ticks a number of boxes:
– they are based in Cornwall – my favourite place ever and somewhere I hope to live one day
– their ingredients are soil association certified organic
– their products are formed using only blends of herbs, flowers and oils. No nasties or synthetic chemicals.
– there is a real family run feel to this business. They really do try to add a personal touch which is greatly appreciated

Over the course of the past year I have used a number of their products and have to say they are all fab. The balm cleanser in particular is one of my favourites so please do check it out.

The product that did intrigue me most however was the Rose & Vanilla Facial Oil. Firstly you now know I am mad on face oils. However, this is marketed more as a daytime moisturiser rather than a night time treat. Furthermore, I love anything that smells of vanilla. Combine this with Damask Rose and you really are onto a winner.

Spiezia state that:

Our Organic Rose & Vanilla Face Oil is perfect as a light day moisturiser. It is deeply nourishing and helps to regulate the oil production of your skin to leave it looking gorgeous and healthy.

The formula is based on jojoba oil, which closely matches the sebum of your skin, together with vanilla pods and rose oil to create the perfect scent.

As I’ve said time and time again – the best way to fight oil for those of us with combination skin is using an oil. However using an oil during the day was a new concept to me. Wouldn’t this just make me look shiny? Well, as stated by Speizia above, the base of this oil is Jojoba which easily sinks in and is absorbed by the skin. As such you will not be left looking like you’ve bashed your head against a frying pan!

On opening the beautiful pink bottle – a gorgeous delicate scent of vanilla rises out. To decant, I place my finger on the top of the bottle and tip the bottle upside down. I repeat using 3 other fingers and then begin to massage into the skin. After massaging, I leave this to sink in for 5 minutes. The oil has a very light consistency and does not feel heavy once applied. It has a light straw like colour to it – as to be expected.

After this time, my skin is left moisturised. There is a slight shine, but this continues to fade after about another 10 minutes.

The ingredients to this oil are very straight forward:

Rosa Damascena (Rose) flower extract
Rosa Damascena (Rose) flower oil
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) seed oil
Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) germ oil
Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla) bean extract

I absolutely love it. Its natural, simple, organic and a great way to help control that shine. If you do suffer from oily/combination skin, this is not a product to be afraid of. Using an oil as a daytime moisturiser may seem a little daunting however it does honestly work. You will just need to be a little patient and allow it to be absorbed by your skin. However your patience will pay off!

I do still use a primer to help with my oiliness but have found with prolonged use that I’ve needed to use less and less. I tend to use a cream based moisturiser on those days when my skin just needs that extra hit of moisture.

You can buy your 30ml bottle here for £21.95:

http://www.spieziaorganics.com/spiezia-shop/organic-facial-skin-care-for-her/moisturiser-face-oil.html

*Own purchase. No affiliation

Indeed Labs Hydraluron Review

I’m going to keep this one brief. Mainly because this product has been reviewed to death. 2013 has seen an absolute craze for Hydraluron and has seen it flying off the shelves at Boots.

Hydraluron contains hyaluronic acid – an acid that your body naturally produces and is considered a wonder ingredient as it can hold up to 1,000 times it’s own weight in water. You will find most newer product releases that claim to be hydrating will contain this ingredient as it really is the tamagotchi of its time in the skincare world.

The ingredients in this are:

Water/Aqua/Eau, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract, Carbomer, Butylene Glycol, Disodium Edta, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol

It costs £25 for a 30ml tube so isn’t cheap but claims to rid your dry skin woes. But is it worth it?

In my opinion? No – quite simply.

I have oily/dry skin so I really was hoping that this would help balance out my skin’s water levels and as such reduce my oil production by improving my overall skin hydration.

I have seen zero results from using this.

The texture is a very runny gel which glides onto the skin. It is said to ‘supercharge’ your moisturiser by helping your skin cling onto essential moisture.

My skin is still just as oily and dry using this as it is without. I have read reviews of those people with very dry skin who can’t praise it enough so I think depending on your skin type results will vary.

Oily skinned folk. Beware.

For me, this is a definite no repurchase kinda situation.

You can read up on this a bit more here:

http://m.boots.com/mt/www.boots.com/en/Hydraluron-Moisture-Booster-From-Indeed-Labs-the-people-who-brought-you-Nanoblur_1262210/

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair II Review

Update – I have just been reliably informed that this serum does contain a paraben – something I was not aware of when writing the review. I know this may put some people off but in the interest of full disclosure I wanted to make you aware of this.

One of my more recent purchases has bee the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair II. This line is one of Estee Lauder’s best selling products and has recently had a bit of a face lift from its predecessor which had a complete cult status across the globe. I am not sure how true this is but apparently a bottle was sold somewhere in the world every 8.5 seconds – pretty impressive huh? (I am sure I have read this on many blogs but don’t take my word for it)

So…what makes it so great? Estee (now we are not on a first name basis) claim:

• Lines and wrinkles look significantly reduced. More than 75% of women felt their skin looked more youthful.*

• Skin feels smoother, hydrated, stronger. 82% of women felt their skin was immediately hydrated.**

• Skin looks younger, radiant, more translucent and even toned. 83% of women felt their skin looked healthier, fresher, more rested.*

• Effective for all ethnicities.

*Consumer testing on 524 women for 4 weeks.

**Consumer testing – so this bit is completely judgmental

Well, it still has the same ingredients on its older sister so nothing has been taken away. For those of you who are a ANR devotee hopefully this will bring you some light relief. I know there are many out there that have used ANR on a daily basis for years and years so to hear the news of ANR II must have been quite a shock.

However it is what has been added which adds more intigue – the product has had a number of ingredients added to help in essence clean the skin from the inside out through a process called Catabolysis Technology (oo err). If you’re anything like me – you’ll have no idea what that mean to. The lovely Ruth however at A Model Recommends hits the nail on the head stating its’ “how fast the skin can renew itself and chuck out, for want of a better word, the crap.”

There is also added hyularonic acid which if you have read my Aveda Intensive Hydrating Masque post – I have discussed the many benefits this has on the skin.

The serum comes in a brown plastic (which is somewhat disappointing as for the price I was expecting glass) bottle with a pipette. It looks the biz and if you are like me and have your skincare on display – its a beautiful addition to any bathroom shelf.

The smell of this is really hard to describe. I want to say clinical but that wouldn’t be fair. Let’s put it this way – it dosen’t smell of roses but smells as though it is going to work and ‘sciencey’. The texture is thicker than an oil but lighter than a gel.

So – does it work?

Yes. In a word. Yes. I have been using this now for around two months. I use this after toning and before applying my night oil and moisturiser of choice. In doing so, I notice that the next morning my skin appears visibly plumped, fine lines are (temporarily) reduced and my skin looks hydrated and healthier. I also find that if I am a bit spotty, using this really helps reduce the redness and heal the spot quicker than normal.

The ingredients in this are:

1.0 oz WATER\AQUA\EAU, BIFIDA FERMENT LYSATE, METHYL GLUCETH-20, PEG-75, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, BIS-PEG-18 METHYL ETHER DIMETHYL SILANE, ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA EXTRACT, TRIPEPTIDE-32, ETHYLHEXYL METHOXYCINNAMATE, LACTOBACILLUS FERMENT, COLA ACUMINATA (KOLA) EXTRACT, RETINYL PALMITATE, PANTETHINE, CAFFEINE, GLYCERETH-26, SODIUM RNA, SQUALANE, OLETH-3 PHOSPHATE, OLETH-3, OLETH-5, BISABOLOL, CHOLETH-24, CETETH-24, HYDROGENATED LECITHIN, ANTHEMIS NOBILIS (CHAMOMILE), SODIUM HYALURONATE, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, LECITHIN, XANTHAN GUM, TEA-CARBOMER, TRISODIUM EDTA, BHT, PHENOXYETHANOL, METHYLPARABEN, BENZYL ALCOHOL, GREEN 5 (CI 61570), YELLOW 5 (CI 19140), RED 4 (CI 14700)

I recognise water. That’s about it.

Would I buy again? I would – however I am on the look out for a more natural alternative but until I find something that works as well I will be buying again.

I purchased mine from Debenhams for £48 for a 30ml bottle. As you may be able to see from the picture, I have used something like 1/3 of the bottle so have a good 4-5 months of it left. Not too bad when you put it like that.

You can get your ANR II here:

http://www.esteelauder.co.uk/product/8241/26959/Product-Catalog/Skincare/Collections/Advanced-Night-Repair/Advanced-Night-Repair/Synchronized-Recovery-Complex-II/index.tmpl

Or – if you’re near a bigger Boots store they also sell it

* Own purchase. No affiliation

Blogs Mentioned

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Pai BioRegenerate Oil Review

I absolutely love a good facial oil. There is something very sumptuous about putting an oil on your face that you know if full of goodness! Facial oils are relatively new to me – I started using them around 6 months ago after researching the best products to use on an oily skin. I as I said in my Balmology cleanser review – the best way to beat oil and normalise your skin is to use – you guessed it – an oil!

Although my skin is oily, I also suffer from dryness and sensitivity. I really needed a product that was going to tackle all bases – hydrating, normalising and strengthening my skin. I first came across Pai maybe a year ago after reading Ruth Crilly’s (A Model Recommends) review of the Pai Camellia and Rose cleanser. It was something I was always very keen to try but for some reason I never made the purchase (something I have since purchased). Then last New Year’s Eve I was lucky enough to win a Pai Geranium and Thistle moisturiser through a Twitter competition. I was absolutely thrilled and felt very lucky. I will write a separate post on this but suffice it to say – it really is a top notch moisturiser if you have the same skin complaints as I do.

When coming to the end of the bottle, I decided to purchase another directly from Pai. At the time they were running a promotion whereby a free Pai BioRegenerate Oil was sent with orders over a certain amount. I had been reading alot about the skin benefits of rosehip oil and such found myself in a win-win situation. The benefits of rosehip oil, amongst others include:

– a great natural skin care moisturiser
– research has indicated that it may have benefits for reducing some scars
– aids in reducing redness associated with facial rosacea
– improves appearance of psoriasis scars
– many acne sufferers find that it can be improve the quality of their skin
– reduces the appearance of premature aging skin as it can reduce wrinkles, crow’s feet and fine lines
– great treatment for dry skin
– good for your after sun skin care regime

The Pai BioRegenerate Oil differs from most other rosehip oils in that it contains oil from both the fruit and seed making the oil very powerful indeed – and most likely more powerful than your standard cold pressed oil.

I would usually at this point insert and ingredients list into my review but on this occasion its quite simple – it contains organic virgin, CO2 extracted rosehip fruit and seed oil and Vitamin E. No nasties, no fillers, no carrier oils – just pure goodness in a bottle! Pai’s oil also has a number of other benefits than a ‘standard’ rosehip oil including

• Unique in containing concentrated “fruit” oil with twice the regenerative sterols and five times the carotenoids of the more commonly used seed oil.

• Deep orange colour (that’s the carotenoids). Pale, thin Rosehip oils are lacking these beneficial antioxidants.

• Volcanically sourced CO2 is used to gently extract the oils while preserving the complete properties of the plant.

•  No cold pressing – this process allows oxidisation of the oil during extraction, giving a short shelf life (just 6 months compared to CO2’s two years) before they turn rancid.

• Gold standard Soil Association certification. Our Rosehips are GM free and grown without pesticides and chemicals.

•  Inclusion of 100% natural Vitamin E (from sunflower) has a dual benefit of reducing the photo-ageing effects of UVA light on the skin and keeping the oil in optimum condition.

i have sandwiched into my evening routine; after cleansing and before my serum of choice. The impact this has had on my skin has been great – I have woken up the next morning with my skin looking much more refined, clear and hydrated. I must admit that the smell of the oil is by no means ‘spa like’, but is not unpleasant either. The texture is what you would expect – I have put a picture to the right to show what it looks like before rubbing into the skin. Although this is an oil – it in no way feels greasy or like it just ‘sits’ on the skin. Within 5 minutes this has completely sunk in

I have noticed a definite improvement in my skin tone since using this product and it has helped balance my face out. My skin is much stronger than it has been for a long time and the redness that I have on my cheeks has slowly begun to fade. I also have a pesky scar on my chin from a bad bout of acne in my teens which have significantly faded. My oiliness hasn’t gone away but that then that is more hormone driven than anything else so I can’t expect miracles – but it has certainly helped which is the main thing.

Whilst on my quest to make my skincare routine simpler and natural, this will certainly be a staple that I will not be switching out.

The bottle is £20 for 30ml which I think is fantastic value for money for such a high quality product. If you have sensitive skin that needs to be strengthened

You can get yours here http://www.paiskincare.com/rosehip-bioregenerate-oil-22

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