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Posts tagged hands
miamoo travel goodies
1As a sufferer of dry, sensitive skin, I am always on the lookout for delicate skin care products that may be able to help me, so when I discovered miamoo via Twitter I was keen to give them a try.
miamoo is the brainchild of ‘The Apprentice’ runner-up and TV personality Saira Khan, who herself struggles with very dry and sensitive skin. After spending years trying (and failing) to find high street products to suit and soothe her skin, Saira took it upon herself to create a range that eliminated the chemicals that made her condition worse, and miamoo was born.
All miamoo products are formulated especially for those with dry, sensitive skin, and are 98% natural; only using synthetic ingredients when absolutely necessary. As such, miamoo is free from Parabens, Petrochemicals, SLS, Synthetic colours and fragrances, and PEGS, as well as other nasties that can irritate sensitive skin.
I was recently lucky enough to receive a miamoo travel goodies set to try out. The set contains miniature versions of six miamoo products, and a lovely cotton wash cloth which is kind on the skin. One thing that stood out to me about miamoo is the packaging. It’s simple and soft-looking, and also very cute with the little cow drawings, and though it looks like it’s aimed towards children, the products are suitable for any age group. Granted, the miamoo website says the travel set is ideal for mummy-to-be’s hospital bag, and can be used for both mum and baby, but that just shows how gentle the products are! If it’s good enough for baby, it’s good enough for my delicate skin too.
Together, the travel goodies form a 3 step skincare routine that not only moisturises dry skin, but also keeps it clean and clear.
Step 1 – Cleanse
Fresh Locks Shampoo
‘bursting with lavender and geranium’
My thoughts: This shampoo has a sweet, fresh scent which is nice and soothing. It’s also a pleasure to use as, unlike chemical-laden shampoos, it doesn’t cling to the hair. As such, it leaves hair feeling soft, clean and bouncy rather than heavy, and doesn’t make my head itch at all!
Splashy Wash
‘brimming with lemon oil & aloe vera’
My thoughts: The lemon oil in miamoo’s splashy wash gives it an invigorating citrus scent which is ideal for a refreshing morning wake up. It has quite a runny consistency, but it foams up incredibly well and a little goes a very long way! A lot of shower gels make my skin feel tight and dry after use, but this one does the opposite and actually leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturised.
Spritz and Wipe
‘overflowing with lime water & minerals’
My thoughts: spritz and wipe can be used to cleanse away dirt, moisturise the skin, or even just refresh and cool the skin, so it’s a fab little product to carry with you when you’re out and about as it covers all bases. I personally like to use it to remove my make up and it does a pretty good job. It doesn’t have much of a scent, but it does what it says on the bottle which is ultimately what matters.
Step 2 – Moisturise
Huggy Lotion
‘crammed with sweet almond oil & marshmallow extract’
My thoughts: The huggy lotion is my favourite product from the whole set. It’s light and pretty much scentless, but it’s intensely moisturising, and also has a slight cooling effect on sore, sensitive skin. It’s non-greasy and easily absorbed, but seems to create a protective barrier which is just what I need in the harsh winter weather. This one gets five stars from me!
Cheeky Cream
My thoughts: Cheeky cream is another favourite of mine. This one has a thicker consistency than the huggy lotion and perhaps doesn’t massage in as easily, but it has a lovely softening effect and is very gentle. I’m not sure I’d use it in the morning as I found it didn’t make a very good base for make up, but it’s an excellent, rich night-time moisturiser.
Spritz and Wipe
Step 3 – Massage
Baba Oil
‘infused with lavender & sweet almond oil’
My thoughts: Baba oil is another versatile product as it can be used on the skin, but also as a hair treatment. I like to use this one at night as it has a calming lavender scent which helps me to relax before I go to sleep. The oil warms up nicely in the hands and feels amazingly silky on the skin.
This little set would be the perfect way to try out miamoo’s products and see whether they suit your skin, and it would also be great for travel – just throw it in your suitcase and off you go! I’m really impressed with the quality and effectiveness of the products, and am considering buying full-size versions of the huggy lotion and cheeky cream.
miamoo’s travel goodies set costs £15, and can be purchased here. You can also view the rest of the miamoo range here, and if you use the code ‘blog13′ at the checkout, you can get 10% off all products!
Naomi x
*This miamoo travel goodies set was sent to me by miamoo for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
STEAMCREAM for Face, Body & Hands
1There are probably thousands of STEAMCREAM reviews floating around in the blogosphere, but for what it’s worth, I thought I’d add my tuppence worth to the mix today.
So first, a bit of background. STEAMCREAM is a multi-purpose cream for the face, body and hands, and is produced in a unique process using steam (rather than emulsification), to create a lightweight but moisturising lotion. It contains natural, high-quality ingredients, including oatmeal, orange flower water, lavender oil, organic jojoba oil, cocoa butter and essentials oils such as rose, and is 100% vegan and handmade.
I hate to admit it, but one of the first things that attracted me to STEAMCREAM was the packaging. The cream comes in a 75g, eco-friendly aluminium tin, which is the perfect size to take with you when out and about or travelling, and each one is decorated with a different gorgeous design. The tins are just so eye-catching and pretty, and I can see how you could get addicted to collecting them! My particular design is a limited edition called ‘Buttons by Lisa Milroy’, and though it wouldn’t be my first choice (it’s a bit too understated for my liking), I still really like it. There are so many to choose from, but some of my favourites from the STEAMCREAM Design Gallery have to be Light From Space, She, and Cosmos.
I’ve seen some bloggers say that they don’t like the smell of STEAMCREAM, but I think it smells absolutely beautiful. It’s quite earthy due to the natural ingredients, but the sweetness of the lavender and rose really shine through. Overall it’s a nice relaxing scent, and I like to use the cream before I go to bed as the lavender is soothing and helps me sleep.
Now, the important bit. STEAMCREAM has a light and loose consistency that is very gentle on the skin. I find it pleasant to use as it massages in well, is non-greasy and absorbs nicely, and it leaves my skin feeling cool and refreshed. I’m sort of in two minds about its effectiveness though. It makes the skin on my face and body feel soft and smooth, but it’s nowhere near intensive enough to help the dry skin on my hands. I do suffer quite a bit with it in the winter, so perhaps it will do my hands more good in the summer, when the dry skin eases off.
All in all, STEAMCREAM is a fab little handbag essential. It’s versatile, smells great, feels nice and looks amazing, and gets a thumbs up from me! STEAMCREAM retails for £12.95 with free worldwide delivery, and can be purchased here.
Naomi x
*This STEAMCREAM was sent to me by STEAMCREAM for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Swap & Save with Aldi – Lacura Skincare
1Not so long ago the lovely folks from Aldi’s Health and Beauty team set me a challenge – to Swap & Save with Aldi. I am currently saving for a deposit on a house, which means I have far less disposable cash to spend on beauty products, so I was more than happy to accept Aldi’s challenge! I received three skincare products to try out in place of my usual lot, all from the Lacura range; their Aqua-Complete Moisturiser, Aqua-Complete Multi Intensive Serum, and a large tube of Nourishing Hand Cream.
Here’s what Aldi have to say about the Lacura range:
Lacura products are carefully formulated with the finest ingredients to provide the perfect daily skincare routine. You can trust Lacura to gently care for your skin as each product is dermatologically tested.
I’ve been using all three products for over a month now, which I feel is enough time to comment on their effectiveness, so here are my thoughts on each.
Aqua-Complete Moisturiser for Normal Skin – 50ml – £1.99
With Hyaluronic Acid Complex, Hydrating Minerals and Provitamin B5.
Aldi’s Lacura Aqua-Complete Moisturiser has become my staple facial moisturiser for my morning routine. It has a lovely fresh scent and a light gel consistency, and I find that it creates an even base for make up, that keeps it in place all day. It’s actually quite similar to Nivea’s Express Hydration Primer.
When I first started to use the cream it seemed slightly greasier than what I’m used to, which worried me as my T Zone can get quite oily. However, it absorbs quite nicely and leaves my skin looking and feeling healthy and dewy, rather than shiny.
It has also been a great help to my skin throughout the winter months. I often get dry cheeks during the cold weather, but the moisturiser has kept that at bay this year, and as the packaging states it ‘provides long lasting all day moisture’. I’m interested to see how it will work with my skin in the summer now, as it has an SPF of 6 so will provide some protection from the sun.
I think I’ll be adding this one to my repurchase list, and I may even give the Lacura RENEW Night Cream a go too!
Aqua-Complete Multi Intensive Serum for Normal Skin – 50ml – £3.49
With Hyaluronic Acid and Amino Acid Complex, Glacier Water and Aloe Vera.
I’m fairly new to using serums and hadn’t been wowed by any I’d tried… until this one. At £3.49 the Lacura Aqua-Complete Multi Intensive Serum is the most expensive product of the bunch, but it’s still amazingly affordable. I mean, where else can you buy a good face serum for less than a fiver?! The serum is aimed at people aged between 20-35, so it’s perfect for my 24 years, and is supposed to make the skin appear ‘more radiant and youthful’.
The serum itself has a strange formula. It looks light, but feels rich, and it transforms into the silkiest, smoothest layer on the skin, and is quickly absorbed. It really is an absolute pleasure to use, and feels comfortable, leaving your skin visibly smoother and plumper. In that respect, it definitely gives a more ‘youthful’ appearance.
I have combination skin, so I was slightly dubious about trying a serum made for normal skin, but it actually seemed to create a balance; moisturising the dry areas whilst mattifying the oily areas. Two pumps of product is all it takes to cover the whole of my face, neck and chest as well. I think I’ll be repurchasing this one.
Nourishing Hand Cream – 75ml – £0.75
With Beeswax and Glycerine.
I suffer from very dry hands in the winter, and it has taken me a long, long time (literally years) to find a product that actually helps, so I was a bit reluctant to give it up for this. Aldi’s Nourishing Hand Cream is a basic beeswax and glycerine lotion, but it’s surprisingly silky, and not in the slightest bit greasy.
The cream absorbs nicely, and is quite softening, but it just isn’t intensive enough for my skin. Having said that, at 75p I’m still quite impressed, and I’d perhaps use it more as a summer hand cream when my hands aren’t as dry. I’d definitely recommend it if you have skin that isn’t overly troublesome though.
Overall, I think I’ve been convinced to Swap & Save with Aldi when it comes to facial moisturisers and serum, but unfortunately the dry skin on my hands means I need something a little bit more intensive at the minute than the Lacura hand cream.
If you want to check out the Lacura skincare range for yourself, you can visit Aldi’s website here, or visit your local store!
Naomi x
*These Lacura Skincare products were sent to me by Aldi for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Beauty Stocking Fillers for £5 and Under
4
8 years
This year seems to have gone incredibly fast, and Christmas is almost upon us. I’m sure by now we are all well into our Christmas shopping (I’ve been extremely organised this year and only have a couple of bits left to get!), but I thought I’d put together a few festive themed posts over the next week or two to help with that last-minute rush. I have spent a while lately trawling the shops and internet for stocking filler ideas, so today’s post features my pick of the best beauty stocking fillers for £5 and under.
Clockwise from Top Left:
Orly Nail Polish £3.99 from Fragrance Direct / Lacura Aqua Moisture Cream £1.99 from ALDI / SuperDrama Mascara £5.00 (was £10.00) from Avon / Halo Futuristic Nail Glitter £4.50 from ASOS / Denman Small Styling Brush £4.99 from Fragrance Direct / Ginger Sparkle Hand Cream £4.00 from The Body Shop / Momiji Mini Gift Set £5.00 from M&S / 3 in 1 Nail Art Pearl Gem Pen £4.50 from Claire’s / MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer £3.00 from MUA / MUA Luxe Glitter Palette £4.00 from MUA / Montagne Jeunesse Strawberry Souffle Face Mask £0.99 from New Look / Snow Fairy Shower Gel £3.50 for 100g from LUSH / Metal Eyelash Curler £3.25 from John Lewis
I hope you all find this edit helpful! If you have any £5 or under stocking filler ideas to add, please comment below as I’d love to see what you’ve come across.
Check back soon for my next Christmas post, featuring Spend and Save Christmas Gift ideas.
Happy Shopping!
Naomi x
Skin Care Routine for Dry Hands
9In the past I have blogged about several fantastic hand creams which have done a good job at softening my skin. However, for some reason, this winter has been particularly harsh on my hands which has left me with sore, dry patches which got so bad my hands actually started bleeding, and none of the creams I’d previously used were good enough to fix it! I tried everything from high street dry skin hand creams, E45 and Sudocrem to natural eczema remedies, but nothing worked, so in an effort to sort it out once and for all I went to see my GP for advice. I was expecting him to give me something chemically and horrible on prescription, but instead he suggested a rather different remedy which is now a big part of my every day skin care routine.
This might sound strange, but my GP told me to stop using soap (both bar and liquid) when I wash my hands, and to use Emulsifying Ointment instead. Both water and soap can dry skin out, but Emulsifying Ointment is a mixture of paraffin oils, which form a protective layer over the skin when used, helping to keep moisture in.
I have been using Emulsifying Ointment at home, instead of soap, for a couple of weeks now, and I am really noticing a difference. Before, I had really painful, cracked skin between my fingers, so I have been concentrating on massaging the ointment in to these areas, and they are almost completely better now. I haven’t been using this every time I wash my hands, as at other people’s houses and in public toilets it isn’t always possible, so they probably haven’t healed as quick as they could have, but I plan on buying another tub to carry with me at all times which should help! The 100g tub above cost me a couple of pounds from my local pharmacy, but I’ve since seen a 500g tub for around the same price, so it really isn’t that expensive.
Throughout the day I continue to use unscented, dry skin hand creams as usual, and wear gloves when I’m outside to avoid damage from the cold wind, but the next major stage in my skin care routine for dry hands comes at night, before I go to bed. My GP advised me to use Vaseline to help soften my skin, but I have found something else which works a treat – Olive Oil!
The little bottle of Olive Oil pictured above came from the pharmacy department in Boots, and cost me £1.99. I’ve tried to find out whether it’s the same as Olive Oil used for cooking, but there are no clear answers online, so I thought I’d play it safe and buy one which said it was good for softening skin. I’m pretty sure you can’t use Extra Virgin though! Every night before I go to bed, I rub a small amount of this into my hands (about a 5p coin sized amount per hand), focusing on the backs and in between my fingers which are the worst affected areas. Then, I get my MJ groove on and don a pair of cotton moisturising gloves, which help with the absorption of the oil, and prevent messy bed linen! I got mine from the pound shop, two pairs for £1.
Admittedly, I usually wake up in the morning sans gloves, but by that point the oil has done its job. Though the oil is far too greasy to use throughout the day as a moisturiser, it is working well as a nightly intense treatment and, along with the Emulsifying Ointment, it has made a clear difference to my skin. I am now (almost) dry skin-free, my hands no longer crack and bleed, and I just have a few rough patches on my knuckles to shift. An incredible result from a simple routine!
In sum, all you need to do is…
- Use Emulsifying Ointment instead of soap when you wash your hands.
- Moisturise with an unscented dry skin hand cream throughout the day.
- Wear gloves when out and about to avoid damage from the cold wind.
- Use olive oil and moisturising gloves at night.
Will you be trying this routine for yourself?
Naomi x
OilArganic Multi-Use Moisturising Dry Oil
5Back in August I reviewed TanOrganic’s Sunless Tan, and was incredibly impressed by how natural and subtle the light brown false tan looked on my skin. In that post I mentioned that TanOrganic also sold a skin oil to compliment the Sunless Tan, which I was very keen to try, so today I will be reviewing just that – TanOrganic’s OilArganic Multi-Use Moisturising Dry Oil.
TanOrganic are an Irish company and all of their products contain 100% natural and organic ingredients, and they are vegetarian friendly and BUAV approved. To continue their ethical ethos, TanOrganic also use glass packaging rather than plastic, which just so happens to make their products look a lot classier than most too.
OilArganic is a dry oil spray which contains nine different plant oils, all of which were carefully chosen to benefit the skin with their moisturising, restoring and soothing properties. These oils are: Argain, Borage, Rosehip, Macadamia, Orange Peel, Avocado, Jojoba Seed, Hemp Seed and Sweet Almond.
The oil itself smells absolutely beautiful. It has a very strong scent of orange, which has a sweet undertone of what smells like honey, but since there’s no honey in it, the sweetness must actually come from the rose and almond oil.
OilArganic is described as being ‘multi-use’, and it really is an all-round miracle in a bottle! The bottle states that it can be used on the face, body, hair, nails, scars & stretch marks, but it can also be added to the bath for a relaxing, moisturising pamper session, or used after applying TanOrganic Sunless Tan to help prolong the tan and ensure even fading. I haven’t yet used the oil in all of the above ways, but I’ve tried it on my body, nails and hair and can definitely vouch for its versatility!
The oil is applied using a basic pump spray, however, the oil tends to come out in a stream rather than a fine spray, so if you aim wrongly it can make a bit of a mess. In the bottle, the oil has a slight yellow tinge to it, but once on the skin it looks completely clear. It is also quickly and easily absorbed, so it doesn’t take much massaging in.
On the skin and nails, OilArganic has a brilliant moisturising effect. It soothes and smooths any dry patches, and leaves your skin feeling lovely and silky for the whole day. When I used this on my nails I focused on my cuticles, massaging them gently, and was amazed to find that they were instantly left softened. After a few days of use, I found it a lot easier than usual to push my cuticles back, and they are already looking and feeling a LOT healthier.
I have used the oil on my hair several times too, both when wet and dry. When wet, I rubbed a coin sized amount of oil into my hands before running them through my hair and blow drying as usual. This gave my hair a gorgeous sleek, shiny appearance, without leaving behind any greasy residue. On dry hair, it is fab for sprucing up lank hair by ruffling a small spray of oil into the roots.
Overall, I am really impressed with OilArganic. It’s an amazingly high quality oil, does exactly what it says on the bottle and is made all the better for being so versatile. It smells great too, which is always a bonus as some skin and hair oils can smell quite disgusting. I’m keen to try OilArganic on my scars, as well as after applying TanOrganic, so expect another post about this when I’ve done so!
OilArganic is available to buy via the TanOrganic online shop, and costs €24.99/£20.26/$32.61 for a 100ml bottle, and it’s worth every penny.
Naomi x
*I was gifted this bottle of OilArganic by TanOrganic for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
PURE Papaya Ointment
3When I was a child I suffered with mild eczema. It slowly diminished, but as an adult I still have sensitive skin which is prone to developing dry areas. As a result, looking after my skin is very important to me and I am constantly on the look out for new skincare products which may be suited to my troublesome skin. One such product that I recently discovered is the cult beauty classic, Papaya (or pawpaw) Ointment.
PURE’s Papaya Ointment has become a must-have in Australia, where it originates from, and is becoming increasingly popular in the UK and Europe because of its skin healing properties. The science behind the sauce is this… The papaya fruit which this ointment contains is extremely rich in nutrients, and due to its anti-inflammatory properties has been used throughout Australian history to treat skin complaints. The skin’s pH naturally sits at a lightly acidic 5.5 (known as the skin’s acid mantle), but this can be made more alkaline by shower gels and soaps, which in turn can irritate the skin. Papaya ointment helps to hydrate the skin and bring the pH level back down to an appropriate level, using the probiotics that are used to ferment the papaya before it is made into ointment.
PURE Papaya Ointment is petrochemical-free and contains only natural ingredients, so there’s nothing nasty and chemically in it to cause any irritation. All the ingredients are carefully chosen for their beneficial properties too. For instance, Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil and Macadamia Oil are intensely moisturising and nourishing, Calendula is anti-fungal which helps to prevent some skin diseases, Vitamin E helps to heal and protect the skin and Beeswax is insoluble in water so forms a protective barrier on the skin.
Because of its healing properties and because it is so nourishing, PURE Papaya Ointment has an endless list of uses. I have been using it for weeks now, and I have found it to be invaluably versatile. The backs of my hands are naturally very dry, which is only made worse by hot showers and using cleaning products, which often cause the skin to crack. Using the ointment as a moisturiser has softened the skin on my hands and has stopped them chapping, which I am so, so happy about. I’ve also been massaging it into my cuticles on a regular basis to condition them, which has made my nails look a lot better. I used it to calm an insect bite last week too, and as a lip balm when I accidentally bit my lip and made it sore.
PURE also state that the ointment can be used to soothe nappy rash, sun burn or weather-irritated skin, to moisten sore nipples caused by breastfeeding, to soften calluses, as skin protection by runners or hill-walkers, to soothe skin after shaving or epilating, as a natural hair styling wax and much more. The product is also very popular with make up artists, who use it as a base for make up and on the lips of models as, because it doesn’t contain petroleum jelly, it doesn’t melt or sweat under hot lights.
Papaya Ointment has a slight yellow tinge to it, and a naturally sweet scent which is nutty and delicate, and really quite pleasant. As you massage the ointment into your skin, it initially seems quite greasy but don’t worry – it is quickly absorbed leaving no unwanted residue or shine. Its softening effects are long-lasting and even survive getting wet due to the beeswax. You only need a small amount as well… The swatch photo above shows a blob of ointment less than 1cm wide, and that is enough to moisturise both hands. On my lips I used about half the amount seen above, and on insect bites and cuticles I used a very tiny amount.
PURE sell three different sized containers of Papaya Ointment, which can also be bought in bundles. The 25g squeezy tube pictured costs £9.99 and is the perfect size to carry with you in your handbag. For £19.99 you can get a large 100g tube, or for £35.99 there’s a 200g jar of ointment available, both of which are a great size for the bathroom cabinet or for use by make up artists. If you want to try PURE Papaya Ointment for yourself, visit the PURE Papaya website here. After featuring in their Must Haves Beauty Kit, PURE recently teamed up with BeTrousse to offer a 20% discount on their products. If you would like to take advantage of the discount, the code to use at the checkout is ‘Betrousse20′. This will get you 20% off, and P+P to the UK and Europe is free so you won’t be stung by postage costs.
Thanks for reading! Have you tried PURE Papaya Ointment yet?
Naomi x
*I was sent this sample of PURE Papaya Ointment by PURE for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own. Some affiliate links have been used.*
BeTrousse Must Haves GIVEAWAY
23
9 years
To celebrate their launch in the UK, BeTrousse have kindly donated one of their Must Haves beauty kits for me to give to one lucky winner! If you want to read my review of the box, you can do so here. The box contains five full-size beauty products worth a total of £131, including Pure Papaya Ointment, LPG Aqueous Cellulite Detox Serum, OceAnge Anti-Age Caviar Night Cream, Ostraly Moisturising Tea Tree Oil Cream and Bacti Control Instant Antibacterial Sanitizer.
The Must Haves kit is a really great box and gives you the opportunity to try international high-end brands that you may not have heard of. If you would like to enter to win the box, you must do the following…
- Follow Bewitchery, either as an email subscriber or WordPress follower.
- ‘Like’ BeTrousse on Facebook here.
- ‘Like’ Bewitchery on Facebook here.
And that’s it! Once you’ve entered, comment below with your Facebook name and an email address to contact you on if you win. This giveaway is open to old and new followers within the UK only (apologies to my international followers!) All entrants must be aged over 18. The giveaway is open for two weeks, and will close at 11:59pm (GMT) on Friday 17th August. The winner will be chosen at random and contacted the next day. You will be required to provide your address within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen. Your address will then be passed on to BeTrousse who will post your prize.
Good Luck!
Naomi xx
BeTrousse – The Must Haves
9
9 years
Last week I received my second BeTrousse Box – The Must Haves Box. For those that aren’t yet familiar with BeTrousse, I wrote a detailed post about the concept here, but in short BeTrousse are the only company currently offering beauty boxes containing five or more FULL-SIZE products in the UK. Their boxes, or kits, are not available on subscription, but can be bought individually whenever you want them. Each box is sold at a bargain price as well… The Must Haves Box costs just £19 but is worth £131.
So, want to know what’s in The Must Haves Box? Well, here it is!
The box contains five full-size products from five different brands. Each item is some kind of cream, serum or gel, but they all have very different uses. I have tried all five products so I will let you know what I think of them so far. The point of BeTrousse is to fully experience a full-size product at a bargain price before you choose to invest in it again, so though I can’t comment on the long-term effects of each item, I can still let you know what each is like on first impressions! I will do full reviews of the items that I like at a later date.
PURE Papaya Ointment – 25g tube – RRP £9.99
The PURE Papaya Ointment is my favourite product in The Must Haves box. The ointment is made in Australia of natural ingredients and is intended to ‘soothe, moisturise [and] protect’ dry, chapped and sore skin all over the body. The tube says it is great for sunburnt lips, cracked nipples, nappy rash, irritations, protecting against harsh weather and promoting skin elasticity. I have been using this on my hands as they get quite dry and it works wonders. One little blob (as seen above) is enough for both hands so the tube will last for ages, and it leaves a soft, protective layer on the skin. The ointment smells quite unusual… slightly nutty and sweet, but it is fairly pleasant. I would definitely consider repurchasing this!
If you want to try this yourself, PURE Papaya are currently offering a 20% discount in conjunction with BeTrousse, with the promotional code ‘Betrousse20′. You just have to enter it at the checkout. Postage is free to the UK and Europe too so it will only cost around £8 in total with the code, which is well worth it. Visit PURE Papaya to grab yourself bargain!
LPG Aqueous Cellulite Detox Serum – 100ml bottle – RRP £41
I have been using this LPG Serum on my thighs and bottom. I don’t really have much cellulite so this isn’t suited to me, but I have a little so I thought I would give it a go. I’ve not seen any visible results yet as I’ve not been using it for long enough, but the serum itself is lovely. It smells nice and fresh, it isn’t greasy and is very light so it glides on like a dream. The serum contains Caffeine, Escine and Algisium C (no, I don’t know what they are either) which are supposed to reactivate circulatory exchanges and reduce water retention, thus reducing aqueous cellulite. I’m not sure I’d repurchase this at this stage, but maybe one day if/when I have more cellulite!
OcéAnge Anti-Age Caviar Night Cream – 1.17fl.oz pot – RRP £60.60
Again, I don’t have much use for anti-ageing cream at the minute, so I have only swatched this. The cream is a pretty shade of pale blue, which I’ve seen in a cream before, and it smells gorgeous. In fact, the smell reminds me a little bit of men’s aftershave but it isn’t overpowering. It has a nice consistency and rubs in well, leaving no greasy residue. OcéAnge contains Caviar and Spirulina protein extracts so I won’t be using it as it isn’t vegetarian, but I will let my mum try it so she can tell me what she thinks! The proteins, when massaged into the face and neck at night, help to blur the look of wrinkles and improve the skin’s flexibility and vitality.
Ostraly Moisturising Tea Tree Oil Cream – 250g tub – £18.80
I have mixed feelings about this moisturiser… It smells very strongly of beautiful tea tree and it massages in well, leaving skin feeling soft all day, but MY GOSH it’s runny! I managed to slosh this all over my bed when I was using it and it was a massive pain to clean up. You can probably tell in the swatch photo that the consistency is quite funny… It looks almost grainy, but it isn’t. I do like this cream but it’s messy so I’m going to have to be very careful when using it. You get a lot in the tub too which is a bonus as it’ll last a while.
Bacti Control Instant Antibacterial Sanitizer – 60ml bottle – £1.30
This handy little hand gel is the perfect size for any handbag. I always like to have antibacterial wipes or gel with me when I’m working or travelling on buses, so I thought this was a nice little addition to the box and it is definitely a ‘Must Have’. I’ve been using this a lot on my hands and though it contains salicylates, which I’m allergic to, it hasn’t irritated my skin at all! At £1.30 this is an absolute bargain and I really hope I can find it in shops so I can repurchase.
So there you have it, my verdict on The Must Haves BeTrousse Box. If you want to buy the box yourself, you can do so here for only £19. Keep an eye out for full reviews of some of these products, and a review of the NEXT BeTrousse Box, coming soon.
Get gorgeous with BeTrousse!
Naomi x
*I was gifted The Must Haves BeTrousse Box by BeTrousse for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own.*
BeTrousse to Yourself!
8By now, we are all used to the concept of the beauty box, that little present to yourself – you pay for a subscription, usually costing around £10 per month, and in return you receive a monthly box containing five or six sample products. If you’re lucky, one of them might even be full-size. But guess what? A new and unique beauty box has just landed in the UK, and this one, in my eyes, is bigger and better than any other. Why? Because unlike other beauty boxes, everything in this one is full-size! I am happy to be one of the first to introduce you to BeTrousse.
BeTrousse, a French company, put together monthly themed beauty ‘kits’, each containing five full-size beauty products. There are currently three boxes available; ‘The Must Haves‘ (£19), ‘Organic & Natural Beauty‘ (£17) and ‘Spring Beauty‘ (£19). The boxes cost more than the average beauty box, but they are great value money – the products in ‘The Must Haves’ box retail for a whopping £131 in total, for example, saving you £112. BeTrousse boxes aren’t offered via a subscription, you have to buy them individually, so if you don’t like the look of the products you don’t have to gamble your money on the box – simple!
I was recently gifted a box by BeTrousse to review, and was sent the very luxurious ‘Organic & Natural Beauty’ box. I was so excited about receiving it, and after a fairly short wait it arrived on Saturday. As you can see above, the box is quite large, like a shoe box, and rather heavy due to the size of the products, so this one won’t fit through your letter box! When you open the box, you are greeted with pink tissue paper wrap, like this…
And of course, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, here are the contents of the box!
As you’d expect, each product in the ‘Organic & Natural Beauty’ box is made of natural ingredients with no harsh chemicals, and every single one smells divine! I’ve tried all but one of them out, so I’ll tell you a little bit about each. I’ll probably do a proper review of the products that I really like when I’ve used them for a bit longer, as part of the point of a full-size box is to use the items for a while so you can see if they suit you 
Fro Her Aloe and Honey Mist – 75ml – RRP £10.99
This is the only product in the box that isn’t made in France – it’s actually from a company in Cardiff called Evelyn. The mist is intended for use on dry or afro hair, but it can be used on any hair type to help make it softer. The bottle says to spray the mist onto your hair and then brush it through to give a sleek look, which I did, and it works! I tried this out yesterday and my hair looked lovely and shiny for the rest of the day, and it didn’t make my hair greasy. It smells really sweet and lovely and the scent lingered for a long time – I kept catching whiffs of it all afternoon
Forest People Luminous Serum – 14ml – RRP £31
This Forest People Serum contains Borage and Rosehip Oils, and is used on the eyes to minimise puffiness and dark circles, and to contour lip shape. The bottle says to dab a drop of the oil onto the eyelids and under the eyes, and onto the cupid’s bow of the lips. The oil smells great and is very moisturising – I used this on my eyes yesterday and though I didn’t see much difference after one use, it made my skin feel very smooth and refreshed.
Lothantique Bath Salt – 600g – RRP £10
I haven’t yet tried these bath salts but they smell very fruity and have an air of luxury about them. The bottle is absolutely massive and for a French, organic product I’d say this is great value for money. I’m looking forward to pampering myself one evening with these in a relaxing bath!
*UPDATE* I just had a bath using these bath salts and they are looovely. They didn’t irritate my skin at all!
Reve De Provence Organic Bar Soap (Olive Oil and Lavender) – 150g – £4.99
When I first opened my box I was hit with the beautiful smell of lavender, and it was coming from this bar of soap, scented with essential oils. I usually use liquid soap as bars tend to have a drying effect on my skin, but after using this one my hands felt nicely softened. I can only put this down to the natural ingredients that it contains, and I’ll definitely carry on using it! The soap box also proudly states that the product isn’t tested on animals, which makes me very happy indeed.
K Pour Karite Hair Mascara (Dark Brown) – 0.52oz – RRP £12.95
This is the only product in the box that I wasn’t taken by. Hair mascara is a little bit 90s in my eyes, and I think it’s a strange item to put in a beauty box as it’s very specific – not everyone has light roots or grey hairs! I won’t be using the mascara on myself as I have no need for it, but I tried it on my mum as she has dark brown hair which is going grey. I managed to get some photos of how well it works…
Before
After
The colour match isn’t perfect, but it did give fairly good coverage after a quick try at it, and I imagine you could get even better results with a bit of patience. Still, at £12.95 it seems a bit excessive!
Overall, I am smitten with BeTrousse and I can’t wait to see what the next box brings! It feels like a real treat when you open the box up and find five impressive full-size products inside. You benefit from being able to try full-size products at a smidgen of the price as you get to feel the full effect of each one before deciding whether to purchase it again. Will you be buying BeTrousse?
Naomi x
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