MyChelle’s products are organised into five steps which, when combined, create the perfect skin care routine – you just have to pick the right products for your skin type!  Step 1 is cleansers, Step 2 masks, peels and scrubs, Step 3 serums, Step 4 mists, and finally, Step 5 creams.  The three products I received, and have now been using for a while, are their Fruit Enzyme Cleanser* from Step 1, Pumpkin Renew Cream* from Step 5, and Fabulous Eye Cream*, also from Step 5.  I haven’t tried any products from Step 2, 3 or 4 so cannot comment on how well the routine works as a whole, so I will share my experience of each product individually.

Fruit Enzyme Cleanser – 61ml – £8.50

MyChelle say: Gentle deep cleanser uncovers remarkably fresh, smooth skin. A special blend of natural multi-fruit Alpha-Hydroxy Acids unclog and purify pores, and increase cellular turnover for a more youthfully refined look. Strengthening and antioxidant Turmeric keeps skin calm and eases signs of irritation, while Fructooligosaccharides from sugar promote and protect skin’s health.

I say: The Fruit Enzyme Cleanser comes in a squeezy bottle with a mess-free click lid, which makes it really easy to control how much of the cleanser you use, meaning there’s no waste.  MyChelle recommend using a dime-size amount to cover the whole face, which in English money is about the same size as a five pence coin.  In my experience that is enough for a good cleanse, so even this 61ml bottle will last a good while.

The cleanser contains a mixture of natural oils and plant extracts, but the one that dominates is orange, so it has a gorgeous sweet orange scent, which happens to be one of my favourite toiletry scents.  It also has a light gel consistency which massages in like a dream, and doesn’t feel greasy at all.  The gel washes off easily with warm water and leaves the skin feeling soft, fresh and incredibly clean, without that tightness you sometimes get from facial cleansers.  I’ve noticed my face has looked a lot clearer since I started using this cleanser and I’ve had far fewer breakouts which is brilliant.

Pumpkin Renew Cream – 35ml – £21.00

MyChelle say: A lightweight, hydrating formula blends antioxidant-rich Pumpkin Seed Oil with reparative Peptides to protect cellular health and maintain hydration. Astaxanthin, from Micro-Algae, neutralizes free radicals while reducing moisture loss. EGF Peptides promote cellular renewal and collagen production. Shea Butter and Vitamin E replenish skin’s lipid barrier to prevent dehydration.

I say: MyChelle’s Pumpkin Renew Cream is not orange in colour as you’d expect, but a pale minty green.  It smells absolutely beautiful – fresh, but with a sweet and spicy note of nutmeg which really stands out.  The formula is light, and in the pot looks a little bit oily which, I’ll admit, worried me slightly at first, but I was relieved to find that it doesn’t leave behind any greasiness on the skin.  Rather, it is absorbed nicely and is incredibly moisturising and softening, and also has a calming, soothing effect on tired or angry skin.

MyChelle’s Pumpkin Renew Cream is suitable for all skin types, including combination skin like mine, and can be used as a day or night cream, so it’s a great little all-rounder.  I’ve been using my pot in the morning as a base for my make up, and it hydrates dry patches and evens out oily patches for a perfect finish.

Fabulous Eye Cream – 15ml – £19.00

MyChelle say: Advanced formula nourishes the delicate eye area while minimizing the look of fine lines. Revolutionary Edelweiss Plant Stem Cells inhibit collagen breakdown and are clinically proven to reduce wrinkle depth by 15% after only twenty days of use. Hyaluronic acid binds moisture within the skin, smoothing and firming the eye area.

I say: Once again, MyChelle’s packaging prevails with this cream and the easy squeeze tube and narrow nozzle make it really easy to control how much cream you use, and you really only need a little bit of this to cover the whole eye area.  The cream itself, like the Pumpkin Renew Cream, is non-greasy and easily absorbed, and gentle enough for the eye area, causing no irritation.  The Fabulous Eye Cream smells different to the other two products (I love how they all have a different scent!), with a delicately sweet, almost floral aroma with hints of coconut, lavender and orange.

Being only 23, I don’t yet have many wrinkles around my eyes, but I’ve been using this almost as a preventative, and it’s doing a great job so far.  After application my eye area feels smooth and firm, without being uncomfortable, and it’s definitely been helping to reduce my morning eye puffiness!

Overall, I’d definitely recommend MyChelle’s products and I’d love to fill the gaps in my routine with more of their offerings.  My skin is really quite sensitive and I often have allergic to reactions to facial cleansers and moisturisers, but I haven’t had any such reaction to MyChelle.  Definitely something to remember if you too suffer from sensitive skin!

You can view MyChelle’s full range here.

My parcel from MyChelle also contained two packets of Pur chewing gum, and since I am a gum addict it was a nice little surprise to receive these.  The gum comes in two flavours – Peppermint and Wintergreen, and is aspartame and sugar-free, so it contains no nasties.  It’s also suitable for vegans, diabetics and those who are gluten and lactose intolerant, so it’s a really inclusive product.  The gum itself has a nice, powerful flavour and tastes and chews just like any other gum, so it doesn’t suffer in that respect, but the flavour doesn’t last as long as I’d like.  Still, for a natural product that pretty much anyone can have, it’s impressive.

Naomi x

*These products were sent to me by MyChelle Dermaceuticals for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

The instructions on the bottle are simple – Use your normal shower product and rinse off, apply the In-Shower Body Moisturiser while still in the shower, rinse off, dry yourself, get dressed and go.  What could possibly go wrong?  As it happens, quite a lot.

NIVEA’s In-Shower Body Moisturiser has a creamy, smooth consistency, massages in nicely and has that typical, fresh NIVEA scent, but that’s where the positives end.  After applying the skin conditioner I rinsed and rinsed, but the moisturiser left a thick, greasy coating on my skin that just wouldn’t budge.  Even after drying myself the residue remained and it felt sticky.  I even tried scraping it with my finger nail and a gloopy, white mess gathered behind it, eurgh!  After leaving such a thick layer on my skin I at least expected the In-Shower Moisturiser to make my dry skin feel softer…  Nope!  I could still feel the dry patches through the grease, which is not a nice feeling.

Overall, I’m disappointed with NIVEA’s In-Shower Body Moisturiser.  I bought my bottle half-price from Superdrug a couple of months ago, but full-price this 400ml bottle costs £5.09, which would be better spent on a good quality, normal moisturiser.  I still use it every now and then if I’m in a real hurry, but I’ve learnt my lesson and I’d much rather take those extra few minutes to moisturise properly, even if it nearly makes me late for the bus!

Have you tried this product?  What do you think of it?

Naomi x

Bionsen’s deodorants contain a blend of skin nourishing Japanese Spa Minerals which are found in the volcanic spas of Japan (known as ‘Onsen’), and the deodorant’s hypoallergenic formula helps to neutralise the body’s bacteria which is responsible for bad odour.  They are also aluminium and paraben free, so are gentle on sensitive skin and, if the claims about cancer causing chemicals are correct, they reduce these risks too.

The deodorants I received from Bionsen are the 50ml Roll-On and the 100ml Pump Spray.  Over the last few days I have given both deodorants a go, and I have been suitably impressed.  Here is what I think of each…

Bionsen Roll-On Deodorant

Bionsen’s roll-on deodorant has a light, fresh scent which isn’t overwhelmingly strong like some deodorants.  The roll-on applies quite wet and feels instantly cooling on the skin, which is lovely after a shaving or a hot shower, but it does take a while to dry.  I admit I got a little impatient the first time I used the deodorant and got dressed before it was completely dry, but it didn’t leave any white marks on my clothes at all.  Overall, the deodorant lasts an incredibly long time.  The fresh scent lingers all day (and I’m talking ALL day, from before work until bedtime), and most importantly, the roll-on causes me no irritation whatsoever.  It’s a winner in my book!

Bionsen Pump Spray Deodorant

As I mentioned earlier, I can’t use aerosol sprays due to my asthma, so when I first saw Bionsen’s pump spray I was incredibly pleased to have an alternative to my usual roll-on!  And indeed, it doesn’t trigger my asthma at all.  Like the roll-on, the pump spray is extremely cooling, and has a light, fresh scent which lasts all day.  The spray cap is moveable, so it’s easy to angle the bottle in the right direction, and I find that two sprays of deodorant on each armpit is plenty enough for long-lasting protection.  The spray dries a lot quicker than the roll-on too, so if you’re looking for a deodorant that’s suited to a busy lifestyle then this one’s for you.

Bionsen’s Japanese Spa Minerals roll-on and pump spray give everything I could want from a deodorant.  They smell nice, they’re free from nasty chemicals, they last a long time and they don’t irritate my sensitive skin.  They’re really affordable too!  The roll-on retails for £2.35, and the pump spray is £2.75, which is the same (if not cheaper) than most high street deodorants.  If roll-ons and sprays aren’t your thing though, Bionsen also do a deodorant stick, aerosol spray and Deo Total Body crystals, so there’s something for everybody.  The range was launched last month in Morrisons supermarkets, so if you want to try them for yourself they’re very easy to get hold of, and I highly recommend you do!

Naomi x

How to Enter

To be in with a chance of winning one of THREE TanOrganic TryMe Sets, you must be following this blog via WordPress or email (I will check) and you must leave a comment below!  This will earn you one entry.  You can also earn an extra entry for each of the following…

• Follow Bewitchery on Twitter.
• Follow TanOrganic on Twitter.
• Like Bewitchery on Facebook.
• Like TanOrganic on Facebook.
• Tweet about the giveaway saying ‘For a chance to win a @TanOrganic TryMe set, enter @Bewitchery_’s giveaway’, with a link to this post.

And you can earn four extra entries if you reblog this post!  That’s a possible ten entries in total

The giveaway is open internationally, to anyone aged 18 or over, and will run for three weeks, ending at midnight (GMT) on the 8th of February.  Winners will be chosen at random and notified via email on the 9th of February, and will be expected to provide their postal address within 24 hours.  If no contact is received within this time, I reserve the right to choose another winner.

Good Luck!

Naomi x

I’ve seen Philosophy featured on many blogs in the past, and their products seem to be very popular in the world of beauty, and after trying these two foot treats I can see why.  The set contains a 120ml tube of Footnotes, an energizing foot scrub, and a 93g tube of Soul Owner, an exfoliating foot cream.  I’ve always loved Philosophy’s simple packaging and quirky product names, and these two have both.  The products are intended to be used one after the other, starting with Footnotes and finishing with Soul Owner.

Footnotes is a lovely mint green shade, and has an intense but refreshing scent of lavender and eucalyptus.  The scrub works best when applied to dry feet, and I find a generous 10p coin-sized amount is plenty enough for one foot.  Footnotes has a gel-like consistency and is packed full of micro granules of pumice, which are very fine, so no amount of rubbing makes your skin sore, as can happen with chunkier, lower quality exfoliators.   The tube suggests that the scrub can be used with a pumice stone, but I prefer to massage it in with my hands, in a circular motion, focusing on any rough patches.  The balls and heels of my feet are quite dry, and the exfoliating properties of this scrub have really helped to smooth these areas, softening them nicely so they’re almost back to normal after just a few uses – an impressive result!  After you’ve finished scrubbing, whatever’s left on your feet should be washed off thoroughly with warm water.  The eucalyptus content in Footnotes makes your feet feel cooled and very clean after use, and the effect lasts for a long time.

The next stage in Philosophy’s foot pamper session is to apply a liberal amount of Soul Owner to your entire foot area.  Like Footnotes, Soul Owner is enriched with eucalyptus essential oil, so the two complement each other to give maximum tingly freshness with minimum effort.  My feet always feel so awake and alive after using this set!  Despite being labelled as an ‘exfoliating foot cream’, the cream itself isn’t rough or gritty, but is richly creamy and smooth.  The exfoliating properties actually come from glycolic and salicylic acids, which help to reduce rough soles.  The cream massages in extremely quickly, leaving behind no greasy residue, making your skin feel intensely moisturised and happy.

The results that this Philosophy 2 Piece Foot Pampering Set give are impressive.  All it takes is a few minutes to instantly refresh, soften and smooth tired feet.

The set is available to buy here from QVC UK, and costs £22.25.  QVC also stock a wide range of other Philosophy and Skincare products, so why not see what else they have to offer, too!

Have you ever tried anything by Philosophy?

Naomi x

*This Philosophy 2 Piece Foot Pampering Set was sent to me by QVC for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

I was recently very kindly sent a box full of Bubbles & Butters products to review, and after a couple of weeks of bubbly, buttery pampering, I am ready to share my thoughts on the range!

The products I received were…

Scream If You Wanna Go Strawberry Bath Bubbles

Crazy For Chocolate Shower Bubbles

Scream If You Wanna Go Strawberry Lip Butter

Crazy For Chocolate Body Butter

I really love Bubbles & Butters bright and quirky packaging – it’s modern and eye-catching, and would definitely stand out on any shelf!  The shower bubbles come in a classic, large squeezy tube, the bath bubbles and body butter both come in chunky screw top tubs, and the lip balm has a clickable lid and looks like a miniature version of the bath bubbles.  The bright colours and scent names are just so fun as well, and bring to mind spontaneous, carefree summer days – just what we all need reminding of during the cold winter months!

Here’s what I think of each product…

Scream If You Wanna Go Strawberry Bath Bubbles

Scream If You Wanna Go Strawberry Bath Bubbles is a gorgeous bright red and has a very strong strawberry scent.  In fact, it smells just like a strawberry ice lolly, and looks a bit like a melted one too!  At first I didn’t think the packaging was practical for a bubble bath, but it’s actually quite easy to control how much bubble bath you pour, and it doesn’t make a mess of the tub.  I find it is best to add a fairly generous glug of the bath bubbles to the bath water a few minutes before turning the tap off, as the bubbles foam up really well, extremely quickly.  The bubbles give the water a delicate pink tinge, and the strawberry scent lingers in the air too, which is lovely.  The bath bubbles have a wonderful moisturising effect on the skin, which softens without leaving a horrible soapy layer behind like some bubble baths do.  Overall, Scream If You Wanna Go Strawberry Bath Bubbles is a great example of a quality bubble bath, and at £6.00 for 450ml it’s a nice little treat for you and your skin.

Crazy For Chocolate Shower Bubbles

The Crazy For Chocolate Shower Bubbles is my favourite Bubbles & Butters product out of the ones I have tried, and I have used it almost every day since I received it.  It isn’t brown like you’d expect, but a clean-looking white shade, and has a rich, sweet scent of cocoa.  The gel is very creamy and lathers into masses of moisturising bubbles quicker than any other shower gel I have ever used!  Because of its impressive lathering abilities, a little goes a long way with these bubbles, so a £2 coin size is enough for your whole body.  After using Crazy For Chocolate Shower Bubbles, I always find that I can smell the chocolate scent on my skin for a long time, and if I use it in the bath with the Strawberry Bath Bubbles the scent layers to form chocolatey, strawberry goodness!  The Shower Bubbles cost £4.00 for 250ml – I feel are purchase coming on!

Scream If You Wanna Go Strawberry Lip Butter

This lovely little lip butter is the perfect size for your pocket, make up bag or handbag.  It is a delicate pink colour and smells just like McDonald’s strawberry milkshake – yum!  I’m a sucker for lip balms and this is a great one.  It doesn’t leave any colour on the lips, but it does make them shine and, most importantly, it smooths and softens your lips whilst also protecting them from the elements.  Luckily, it isn’t waxy or greasy, so it doesn’t make your lips feel horrible.  Bubbles & Butters Lip Butters cost £2.00 for 4 grams.

Crazy For Chocolate Body Butter

Last but not least, Crazy For Chocolate Body Butter.  As I’ve mentioned before, I am quite the hoarder of body butters so I know what makes a good one, and this most definitely is.  It is whipped to creamy perfection and smells richly of chocolate, just like the Shower Bubbles, so they compliment each other really well.  The butter massages in evenly and quickly, leaving no greasy residue behind, whilst locking in oodles of moisture which lasts all day through.  In sum – I love it!  All of the Body Butters in the range sell for a fantastic £6.00 for 275ml.

Every skin treat in the Bubbles & Butters range is top-notch – they look great, smell good enough to eat (I don’t advise you do, though) and, most importantly, they do their job and they do it well!  I love how affordable each product is, and they really are brilliant value for money.  Overall, Bubbles & Butters are a breath of fresh air in a sometimes rather dull area of beauty, and I can’t wait to try their new vanilla scent when it is launched!  If you’d like to know more about Bubbles & Butters, you can visit their website here.  Their products are currently not available from the website, but they are opening an online shop very soon, so keep an eye out!  However, you can find Bubbles & Butters in some large Tesco stores, or online at The Bath and Body Shop.

Which Bubbles & Butters product would you most like to try?

Naomi x

In my first Chocolate Treat Week post I will be sharing with you the very best chocolate scented skin care, bath and body products that I have been using lately.  Whenever I have the house to myself of an evening I like nothing better than to run myself a relaxing bath and treat myself with an indulgent beauty regime, and the following four items are the perfect products for a chocolate themed pamper session.

Bathe with… Handmade Soaps Chocolate Bath Treats

I recently discovered a fab little company called Handmade Soaps, who stock and sell a large range of soaps, bath bombs, bath melts and gift sets, all of which are very appealing to the eye as well as the nose.  Among their range they have quite a few wonderful chocolate scented bombs, melts and sets.  The chocolate products pictured above are (clockwise from the top): Chocoholics Gift Set, Fruity Creamy Bath Bar, Chocolate Bath Meltz, Sink the Pink Bath Bomb, Very Berry Bath Creamer, Love Cloud Bath Creamer and Chocolate Ballotin Gift Set.

I have a lot of bath products from Handmade Soaps so I haven’t tried all of them yet, but my favourite so far has to be the Chocolate Bath Meltz, which costs £2 for one melt.  As you can see, it looks absolutely lovely – almost like a fancy chocolate truffle, especially with the cute little chocolate heart sitting on top!  The melt combines Cocoa and Arabica Coffee to give it its rich chocolatey aroma and colour, and also contains Lavender and Ylang Ylang essential oils for added relaxation.  I used this melt over the weekend and it really is glorious.  I popped it into the water just before the bath was full and then got straight in.  I recommend doing this as it’s when the melt fizzes that you are met with its beautiful scent.  Unlike some bath products that I’ve tried, this one doesn’t fizz too violently so you don’t get bombarded by the bomb whilst you’re trying to relax.  In fact, I actually found it quite therapeutic watching it spin in the water!  My favourite thing about the Chocolate Bath Meltz is how intensely moisturising it is.  I really wasn’t expecting such a dainty melt to have much effect on my skin, but it made my skin feel creamy and smooth even when I was still in the water, which resulted in long-lasting softness – impressive!

Handmade Soaps pride themselves on their customer service so if you decide to order anything from them you won’t be disappointed!  They deliver their items quickly and they even have a ‘remarkable wrapping’ policy so everything you receive will be as beautifully wrapped as possible.  Everything they sell is already reasonably priced, but Handmade Soaps have been kind enough to give me a special discount code to share with you so that you can get 10% off everything you order!  The code is ‘bewitchery10‘ – just enter it at the checkout to get your 10% discount.

Exfoliate with…  Betty Buff ‘Scrummy Choco’ Sugar Scrub

As I’ve mentioned in several of my previous posts, Betty Buff‘s Sugar Scrubs are my absolute favourite go-to exfoliators.  All of Betty Buff’s scrubs are high-quality and handmade to vintage recipes.  They contain no parabens or artificial colours and fragrances either, so are excellent for use on sensitive skin like mine. 

As well as containing granulated sugar, Evening Primrose Oil, honey and glycerine, ‘Scrummy Choco‘ is made with 100% cocoa which gives it an incredible scent.  As Betty Buff says, it really does smell ‘good enough to eat’ (but please don’t!), almost like a chocolate brownie or uncooked cake mix…  It honestly made my mouth water when I first smelt it!

I have been using this for a while now and the effects are very noticeable.  The cocoa makes the scrub delicately moisturising, and always leaves my skin feeling silky smooth, and my dry patches caused by the drying summer weather have all vanished!  Due to the rich colour of the scrub it also leaves a light brown sheen on the skin, which sounds odd but actually looks great, especially if you already have a tan you want to accentuate.

Betty Buff ‘Scrummy Choco’ Sugar Scrub comes in three different sizes.  The size pictured is the 150ml version, which costs £6.50, but there’s also a 250ml tub available for £8.00 and a 100ml sampler for £4.00.  A little goes a long way with Betty’s scrubs so each size is fantastic value for money.  If you’d like to try it for yourself, which I highly recommend you do, you can purchase it here.

Moisturise with… Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Rich Feeling Lotion

Vaseline’s Cocoa Radiant Rich Feeling Lotion is ideal for those who aren’t too keen on beauty products with a strong chocolatey aroma or appearance.  The lotion is pale in colour and delicately scented with cocoa beans so it isn’t overpowering, and it also has a very delicate formula.

Cocoa Radiant is rich like a body butter, but also lovely and light so it doesn’t feel heavy on the skin.  It absorbs quickly without being greasy, rather, it leaves behind a soft creaminess which makes skin feel healthy and supple.  I like to use this after exfoliating and also after shaving as it is protective so prevents any drying or soreness.  What I love most about this lotion is how long the scent lingers…  After a day of wear I can always still smell a sweet tinge of cocoa on my skin which is nicely comforting.

Vaseline’s Cocoa Radiant is currently on offer for £2.63 in Superdrug for a 400ml bottle, which is a massive bargain for such a quality product so grab it cheap while you still can!

Cleanse with… Montagne Jeunesse Hot Chocolate Self Heating Face Mask

After a relaxing bath and moisturising session, a face mask is the perfect way to finish an evening of pampering.  Now that Autumn is here and the weather is getting colder, it’s time to step away from the cooling masks and use something a bit more seasonal…  So, what’s better than a self heating mask?  Montagne Jeunesse’s Hot Chocolate Self Heating Face Mask is currently top of my face mask list as everything about it is luscious and screams ‘me time’!

I used this mask last night and couldn’t get enough of it.  The formula is fairly thick, basically like melted chocolate, so it is a little bit difficult to apply but it is well worth the effort.  As soon as it touches your skin it heats up to a comfortable temperature which feels incredible and helps to soothe tired skin and muscles.

The mask is scented with cocoa and orange – a winning combination in my eyes (and nose).  The orange cuts through the sweetness of the chocolate to give a decadent scent which makes for a delicious fifteen minutes of wear, and a good few hours of gorgeous smelling skin.

The mask stays wet and doesn’t dry like a conventional clay mask so it is quite easy to wash off, but its deep colour can make a mess so make sure you use an old towel!  Like all of Montagne Jeunesse’s products, their Hot Chocolate mask is vegetarian and natural, and it contains orange oil which is refreshingly moisturising.  As such, the mask is extremely nourishing to the point that you don’t need to use any moisturiser after wearing it.

Montagne Jeunesse’s Hot Chocolate Self Heating Mask is available on their website for £1.09 per sachet, but I’ve also seen it in Wilkinson, Asda, Superdrug and Boots.  I only used half a sachet for one application so you could get two uses out of it if you’re lucky, which is always a bonus.

The Last Rolo…

The Last Rolo is where I hand over the last few words of each Chocolate Treat Week blog post to another blogger.  In the run up to Chocolate Treat Week I asked five of my favourite bloggers a couple of questions about their favourite chocolate treats, and today’s answers come from Donah of Sweetjellybean.

Can you recommend any chocolate scented, flavoured or themed beauty/fashion products?

Although I try to not use any products that are chocolate scented (as I’ve had enough of Palmer’s Cocoa Butter when I was pregnant!), these days, I’ve been indulging myself with Leor’s Chocolate Truffle Body Lotion. Surprisingly, this doesn’t smell as strong as Palmer’s but still has that lovely chocolate aroma that isn’t distracting. so yes, I definitely would recommend this to anyone, who can’t stand Palmers’ but still love to indulge themselves in a chocolate-flavoured product.

What is your favourite chocolate treat to eat, and why?

Toffee Crisp! Can’t get enough of this when I was pregnant (a hush-hush since I was not supposed to eat this, so this is my guilty pleasure haha) But I definitely don’t mind having one bar or two every week.

Thanks for reading my first Chocolate Treat Week post – I hope you enjoyed it!  If you did, please come back tomorrow to read all about chocolate hair products.

Naomi x

*I was kindly gifted the Handmade Soap Bath products and the Betty Buff ‘Scrummy Choco’ Sugar Scrub by their respective companies for review purposes.  All thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

For the past few weeks I have been planning something a little bit different for my blog that I hope you will all enjoy.  Starting tomorrow and ending on Friday I will be running a chocolate themed week, called Chocolate Treat Week, and will be sharing my favourite chocolate scented, flavoured, coloured and themed beauty and fashion products.  Each post will cover a different area of fashion and beauty, including skin care, bath and body, hair, make up, nails and clothing and accessories.  I don’t know about you, but I think chocolate is the best kind of treat, so the aim of my posts will be to show you that there are plenty of ways to carry a love of chocolate through to your beauty regime and relax and pamper yourself with a chocolate treat that isn’t the edible kind.

There seems to be a divide when it comes to chocolate beauty products, so everything I recommend has been thoroughly tried and tested and only the best will be featured!  I will talk about a variety of products, some for the hardcore chocoholics among us, and others for those that like to keep it subtle, but I can almost guarantee that there will be something suitable for everyone – even the haters!

I’ll also be including a tutorial or two along the way, and a few chocolatey words from some of my favourite bloggers at the end of each post.

Now that you know what it’s about, I hope you’re all looking forward to Chocolate Treat Week as much as I am!

See you tomorrow,

Naomi x

The two samples I will be reviewing are Alison Claire’s Lemongrass Shower Gel and Rose Geranium Body Lotion.  On first glance the packaging may look basic, but the brand’s clean and simple image really reflects the products inside.  I mean, what matters more?  Frills and bows or, as Alison Claire boasts, ‘pure unadulterated quality’?

Lemongrass Shower Gel

When I first opened the bottle of shower gel I was immediately met with the delicate aroma of refreshing lemon, from the lemongrass and lemon balm that the product contains.  The shower gel doesn’t lather up as much as I’m used to, but it still massages in well so it is worth the sacrifice if it means using less synthetic ingredients.  This is perfect for use in the morning to wake you up as it has witch hazel and white willow bark in it, which makes it nicely invigorating.  I mostly use shower creams through choice as I find gels can be quite drying, but because this is all natural it doesn’t dry your skin out at all.  Rather, it leaves your skin feeling wonderfully clean and refreshed, but also conditioned and soft.

Rose Geranium Body Lotion

Alison Claire describes the Rose Geranium scent of this body lotion as ‘charmingly fragrant’, and it is exactly that.  It smells earthy, but also subtly sweet and floral and is beautifully relaxing.  The scent lingers on your skin for a good few hours too, and it’s always pleasant when you catch a whiff of it.  I find that it takes a while for the lotion to be completely worked into your skin, but once it’s absorbed it feels intensely moisturising, but not at all greasy.  At first, again because of the white willow, the lotion feels cooling and invigorating, but it soon calms to give long-lasting softness.  It is also enriched with vitamins such as vitamin E and B12, which help to repair damaged or irritated skin.  I have always loved natural moisturisers and this one really is gorgeous!

The two products I received cost £12 each for 200ml full-sized bottles.  This may seem pricey, but if you want high-quality products which are made with care and are gentle on the skin then it is well worth it.  Alison Claire’s range of bio-natural products is quite extensive, too.  As well as shower gels and body lotions you can also buy all-natural hand washes, hand creams, lip balms, shampoos, conditioners, body butters, foot creams and even anti-aging face creams!  There are many different scents available, from vanilla and coconut to apricot or lime, and many more.  If you want to see the range for yourself then visit the Alison Claire website.  I really want to try the Orange and Patchouli Hand Cream – patchouli is one of my favourite scents but it’s so hard to find.

Naomi x

Before I tell you about the Foot Scrub, I thought I’d share a little bit about the company…  Leor were originally established in 2011 as FeelGood Box and only sold gift boxes.  Leor have changed a lot since then however, and now sell a variety of full-size pampering bath and body products, as well as their trademark boxes.  If you want to view their range for yourself, you can do so here.

Now, the Foot Scrub.

When I first received my Leor Foot Scrub I was impressed with its simple yet luxurious-looking packaging and branding.  The tub is a nice size, 120ml in fact, and retails for £8.  When I unscrewed the lid I was met with an icy blue, fairly chunky scrub which looks a lot like a Slush Puppie ice drink!  Not entirely appealing, but not off-putting either.

The scrub contains just four ingredients, all sourced in the UK and all natural: Fine grade epsom salts, grapeseed oil, peppermint essential oil and cranberry extract.  There are no parabens or sulphates in the product whatsoever, and it isn’t tested on animals, making it a guilt-free treat which is extremely kind on the skin.  The peppermint oil is what gives the Foot Scrub its lovely scent.  The scent is very strong and hits you as soon as you unscrew the lid, but it’s not overpowering.

On the back of the tub is a brief explanation on how to use the scrub, and it reads ‘Apply scrub to wet feet and massage to exfoliate.  Rinse.’

When applying the scrub to my feet I used a scoop measuring about an inch across on each foot, which was plenty.  The label on the pot states that it should be used to exfoliate dry skin and calm aching feet, so I put it to the test.  When rubbing in the scrub the peppermint oil had a slight cooling effect on my skin, which did feel lovely on my tired feet (I’d just been swimming so needed something to soothe my muscles).  The salt itself wasn’t too harsh and massaged the soles of my feet nicely, softening the dry bits noticeably without any soreness or irritation.  However, I found the scrub to be far too greasy.  It left a thin layer of oil on my hands when I was applying it which was impossible to wash off, and the same happened to my feet – the salt washed off easily but the oil stayed on my skin.  Yes, the oil left my skin feeling soft and moisturised, but it wasn’t necessarily a pleasant feeling when I was walking around.  Luckily, the greasy feeling wore off after a while, and my feet still feel soft.

Overall, Leor’s Cooling Peppermint Foot Scrub is a nice, good quality product and a quick and easy treat for your feet.  It smells divine and does what it says on the tin as it softens and refreshes your feet, it’s just a shame about the grease!

Which Leor pamper product would you like to try?

Naomi x