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Posts tagged Lotion
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.*
MyChelle Dermaceuticals Skin Care
0Quite a few months ago I was sent three skin care products to try by the vegan, cruelty-free brand MyChelle Dermaceuticals. MyChelle’s tagline is ‘Seeded in science and rooted in nature’, which sums them up perfectly. Their products are all made from nontoxic, natural ingredients, which have been chosen and formulated specifically for their concentration and nutrient levels, which can help the skin look and feel healthier.
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.*
Purity Organic Skincare Facial Wash and Cleansing Lotion
8A few weeks ago I started to experience unsightly breakouts on my face, particularly around my jaw line, and nothing I tried seemed to make them go away. Even the medicated gels that my doctor prescribed did nothing but make my skin feel sore and dry! So, when I received a set of face care products in the post from Purity Organic Skincare I didn’t expect them to do much for me, but two weeks on my skin has improved more than I could have hoped.
Purity Organic Skincare are a British brand who focus on using hard-working and sustainably grown ingredients to create gentle but effective skincare products, which are also affordable, using the tagline ‘Less is more in beauty’. Most of their ingredients are organic, and the brand is officially EcoCert certified, vegetarian and does not support animal testing, so they are all round skin, animal, environment and purse friendly – what more could you ask for?
The two products that I was sent to review are Purity’s Facial Wash and Conditioning Cleansing Lotion, which both come in Purity’s characteristically simple packaging. Here are my experiences of both so far…
Facial Wash – 150ml – RRP £4.99
I use Purity’s Facial Wash every morning whilst in the shower, and it adds a lovely bit of luxury to my morning routine. The wash contains a mixture of natural ingredients, including sweet almond oil for moisturisation and aloe vera to soothe the skin, and is fragrance free so is suitable for sensitive skin, which is excellent news for me! I find that the wash has quite an oily consistency, but if you rub a coin sized amount between your hands before use it warms up and develops into a light foam which is enough to cover your whole face, and feels gorgeously silky when massaged into the skin. Despite the oil, the wash washes off with no trouble and leaves no greasy residue on the skin, and doesn’t go the other way and dry the skin out either. Rather, it leaves the skin feeling refreshed, clean and incredibly soft.
Conditioning Cleansing Lotion Make-Up Remover – 150ml – RRP £4.99
Every evening, before I go to bed, I remove my make-up using Purity’s Conditioning Cleansing Lotion. The cleanser has a creamy texture which acts as a moisturiser and, like the facial wash, has no fragrance. The main ingredients derive from coconut and avocado oil which cool the skin, and were specifically chosen for their abilities to break down make-up and dirt. To use, you just need to massage a small amount of the cleanser onto the face and neck before removing it with a clean cotton pad, and believe me when I say it does its job very well! The cleanser I used to use never fully removed everything from my face, so when applying toner there would still be make-up coming off on the cotton pad, but this gets rid of everything in one go. The only downside is that it can’t be used to remove eye make-up, so I’ve had to continue using my usual one, but I would switch to Purity straight away if they did launch an eye make-up remover!
Combined, these two products have worked miracles on my problem skin. I put the breakouts down to the overuse of scented products packed full of harsh chemicals which irritated my skin, and the gentle but effective ingredients in the facial wash and cleansing lotion have sorted that right out. Though my skin still isn’t perfect, it looks a LOT clearer and feels a lot smoother, which has seriously boosted my confidence.
Purity Organic Skincare’s products are available online and in Superdrug stores across the UK, and are extremely affordable, ranging from £4.99 to £8.99 each. I really can’t recommend the brand highly enough as their products actually work and have sorted my skin out in no time at all – thank you, Purity! I am definitely going to be repurchasing both the facial wash and cleanser, and will be investing in the moisturiser too.
Naomi x
*The Purity Organic Skincare Facial Wash and Conditioning Cleansing Lotion were sent to me by Purity Organic Skincare for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Dirty Works Supreme Cream Body Butter
4Earlier this month I sent off for this sample tube of Dirty Works Supreme Cream Body Butter, via the Dirty Works Facebook page. I have some Dirty Works body wash which is lovely and, as I’ve said before, I adore body butters, so I was really looking forward to trying this out. The sample tube contains a generous 20ml of product, but in Sainsbury’s stores it is sold in a huge 300ml tub, and usually retails for £4.99.
Unlike some dense body butters, this one by Dirty Works has a delicately light consistency, which is very much like a moisturiser, but it still leaves that silky sheen on the skin that you would expect from a body butter. The tube says to ‘massage cream onto damp skin until absorbed’ after showering or bathing, and it really does make damp skin feel beautifully soft, but I’ve discovered that it also makes an amazing hand cream! I’ve been carrying the tube in my work bag all week and using it on my hands a few times a day, and it is really helping with the dryness I’ve been experiencing lately caused by the cold weather – definitely a sign of a good quality lotion that does its job! I put that down to the moisturising properties of the shea butter and almond oil that it contains.
The body butter isn’t too strongly scented, but it has a pleasantly sweet scent to it which isn’t overwhelming, but leaves your skin smelling fresh and clean. It goes quite a long way too. A large pea-sized amount is plenty enough for the backs of both hands, and though I’ve been using this little tube all week (and sharing it with my sister too) it still feels almost full.
I am suitably impressed with Dirty Works’ Supreme Clean Body Butter and I will definitely be buying a full-sized tub. In fact, and this is a heads up so take note, Sainsbury’s are currently selling all Dirty Works products at half price so a 300ml tub is only £2.49 at the minute! I really, really hope I manage to get to a Sainsbury’s within the next few days before the offer ends. I may pick up some other products to try too!
Have you tried any Dirty Works products before?
Naomi x
Chocolate Treat Week: Skin, Bath and Body
24
9 years
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.*
Alison Claire Remarkable Shower Gel and Body Lotion
5I recently received not one but two generously sized samples from Alison Claire‘s Remarkable range of bio-natural beauty products. Alison Claire’s company was created in order to combat the use of artificial chemicals in beauty products which can damage and irritate the skin. As such, all of Alison Claire’s products are free of all four ‘big nasties’ – sulphates, parabens, phenoxyethanol and PEGs. Instead, everything contains only raw, naturally sourced ingredients, meaning they are suitable for sensitive skin, and are prepared and blended by hand to ensure that all of their products meet their high standards.
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
I’m Back, but am I Burnt? Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration
2Hello everyone!
After four days of camping near the beautiful moors of Dartmoor I am finally back in the shire. I had a great time on my little trip with my dad and sister – I’ve been camping every year since I was born and I really love being close to nature and away from all the stresses of the city. We spent a good portion of the holiday hiking on the moors. We found a couple of stone circles and saw lots of wild horses, and of course some stunning views…
We also spent a day in the beautiful little Cornish town of Boscastle, browsing the shops and sitting on the cliffs overlooking the sea (which was very, very blue). And, as you do, we ate a lot of decadent meals – not good for the diet but great for the soul 
Whilst I was camping it was really hot and sunny – quite unexpected after two months of rain! I’ll admit, I hadn’t really thought about buying sun lotion this year because of all the rubbish weather, but I recently received a free sample bottle of Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration lotion in the post. So, before I set off, I chucked it in my suitcase to use if it was sunny… and as I said, it was.
On first impressions I love the look of this lotion. The flower design on the bottle is pretty and the lotion itself looks different to the boring white stuff you usually see on shelves. If you look closely, you can see that the lotion in the bottle is white, swirled with orange. These orange swirls are the ‘hydrating ribbons’ that the packaging boasts, which are supposed to provide twelve-hour moisturisation. When you squeeze the bottle the lotion comes out easily and the colours mix into a paler orange shade, as you can see below.
So… does this lotion protect AND moisturise? In a word, yes! The lotion is a wonderful consistency – not too runny and not too thick, so it rubs in with ease. I noticed that it was absorbed very quickly so it didn’t leave any streaky white marks and didn’t rub off on my clothing. The lotion has an SPF of 15, so I applied this several times a day to ensure that I was protected at all times. I usually use SPF 25 or 30, so this did need more regular application, but it’s so lovely to apply it didn’t matter too much. As you would expect, I didn’t burn whilst using this, not one little bit. I did get a slight tan on my arms and chest though, but I’m not complaining. But now for the real test, the hydration factor! I didn’t use any other moisturiser whilst I was camping, which for me is unusual as I suffer from fairly dry skin. However, the Silk Hydration did just the job My skin felt so soft all day and night, even after a shower, and I didn’t suffer with any dryness. I really wish you could buy the moisturising aspect of this on its own to use all year round because it really is impressive.
The absolute best thing about this lotion though is its scent. It smells so light and fresh… Slightly fruity but also floral, with a strong creamy overtone of sweet coconut. The scent lingered on my skin all day, and I couldn’t stop sniffing my arm! Haha.
I would highly recommend this lotion to anybody, especially if you suffer from dry skin and want something hydrating as well as protecting. I’ve seen it around in lots of shops, including ASDA and Boots so it’s very easy to find, and it has an RRP of £14.99 for 180ml, meaning this 59ml sample bottle is worth about £4.99. It may be slightly more pricey than other high street sun lotions, but I think the quality of the product reflects the price. I for one would definitely invest in a bigger bottle.
Have you tried Hawaiian Tropic’s Silk Hydration sun lotion?
Naomi x
*I won this product in a 10,000 bottle giveaway and this is an honest review. I am in no way affiliated with Hawaiian Tropic or any other companies mentioned*
Vaseline Feet & Legs Stimulating Lotion
3Ladies, I have great news! I have discovered this year’s must have summer product, and this is it – Vaseline Feet & Legs Stimulating Lotion. Now, first thing’s first, the price. Vaseline products of this size (200ml) usually retail for about £4.00 in Superdrug, which is a great price in itself considering the quality, but I have a heads up for my UK readers as this is currently available in Poundland stores for, you guessed it, £1! Trust me when I say it is worth stocking up on this lotion, and this is why…
Firstly, the lotion smells absolutely gorgeous as it contains menthol and eucalyptus, which are definitely the ‘stimulating’ ingredients in this. When you rub it in, your legs feel instantly cooled and slightly tingly which is really refreshing, especially on hot summery days like today and after warm showers! It’d feel wonderful on your skin after a day in the sun as well, I’d imagine.
Another thing I love about this lotion is that it isn’t thick or greasy. When it’s hot, the last thing you want is moisturiser that won’t rub in and that makes you sweat, but this is lovely and light and massages in like a dream, and very quickly at that. This also means that it’s a quick hit – 30 seconds and your done, no waiting for it to dry before putting your clothes on or anything like that! Having said that, your legs are left with a delicate sheen from the lotion which looks wonderful in the sun.
Last but not least, this makes your legs feel amazingly soft. I accidentally forgot to apply this after my shower one morning, but my legs still felt as smooth as they did after moisturising the morning before, which is great as my skin usually feels quite dry after showering.
If you want cool, soft, sexy looking legs this summer, this is definitely the product for you. Not only does it work (and quickly at that) but it’s cheap, which is always a bonus. I have a lot of lotions, and this is my favourite at the minute and I’ll be using it all summer long.
Naomi x
PS. I’m going to my step-brother’s wedding tomorrow so I won’t be posting, but keep an eye out on Wednesday for a post about the outfits/makeup/jewellery that I’ll be wearing!
Garnier Intensive 7days Challenge
1Hi everyone,
Last week I received my free Garnier Intensive 7days Challenge pack in the post and I couldn’t wait to try it out! Each pack contains 7 individual 6ml sachets of Garnier’s new Intensive 7days Softening Lotion…
and two Skin Readers…
The challenge states that before you use any of the sachets, you have to press the sticky part of Skin Reader 1 onto one of your shins for 3 seconds. You are then left with an idea of how dry your skin is by how many white skin cells there are left on the reader. I have to say, there was quite a lot of white on mine (as you will see later), but I wasn’t too shocked or surprised as I know I have fairly dry skin anyway, which is why this challenge is perfect for me!
Once you’ve used the Skin Reader, it is time to start moisturising! Every morning for seven days I used a sachet of the lotion on my legs. There was a very generous amount of product in each sachet to the point that I had enough left over to use on my upper arms too! And that’s saying something because I’m 5’10” so have a lot of leg haha. The sachet says that the lotion contains shea butter so I was expecting it to have that distinctive shea butter smell, but it didn’t. In fact, I found the scent to be fairly unremarkable, and somewhat non-existent! The texture of the lotion was quite greasy, which I don’t usually like in a moisturiser, but it absorbed quickly and easily so I didn’t really mind in the end.
The challenge packaging says that Garnier Intensive 7days ‘leaves skin hydrated, feeling smoother and softer’, so after the 7days I used Skin Reader 2 to see if the product lived up to its word! This was the result…
The Skin Reader on the left is Skin Reader 1, and as you can tell there is a LOT of white skin on the sticky bit. The Skin Reader on the right is number 2, and obviously has far less skin on it that the other one. I know the results look good, but I wasn’t too pleased with them at first as the second reader had a big patch on it which wasn’t sticky, so obviously any loose skin wasn’t going to stick to it! I don’t know whether it was done on purpose, but I think I’ll give Garnier the benefit of the doubt on that one and focus on the bits that were sticky. And well, yes, my skin did seem a lot less dry after the challenge, and felt smoother as a result, which is always good
It’s been a few days now since I completed the challenge and I’d say that the Intensive 7days lotion has DEFINITELY made a big difference. My legs still feel really soft and smooth, even though I’ve not used the lotion for a couple of days. The fact that it has made a long term improvement is the best thing about this in my opinion, as it proves it doesn’t just leave a layer of grease on your skin, but actually gets to the root of the problem. Because of this, I think I am going to invest in a bottle to use throughout the summer to keep my legs looking nice for when I wear dresses and shorts!
Have you completed the 7days Challenge yet? If not and you want a challenge pack, you can find out how to get one here.
Naomi x
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