Product Review: Lush Ocean Salt Facial Scrub

I'm normally one for chemical, as opposed to physical, exfoliants but in the name of research, I decided to give this pot, sent to me from Lush, a go.

It's recommended for daily use on oily skin or once weekly use on dry (my skin type). I had a look on their website, which is filled with glowing reviews for this product so I had high expectations.

It's presented in one of their signature black tubs- these do the job but I do feel that the packaging is in need of a revamp, it simply doesn't sell itself compared with the bright colours of the bath bombs & soaps in store.

There are definately pros & cons to this product. The citrus scent is mild & uplifting, making it ideal for morning use and I really liked the creamy formula which the granules are suspended in. However, the salt grains are very abrasive and I was worried for my sensitive skin- they seemed to be scratching the surface and I did have reddened areas, despite not having used much force. Seriously Lush, what's with the abrasiveness?! (see Brimstone review) Admittedly, my skin felt deeply cleaned following use with no visible dry patches and was perfectly prepped for me to apply a mask afterwards. It's also not as messy as I envisaged, however, due to the abrasiveness this is one which I won't be using again. Not for me I'm afraid.

£11.20 for 250g at http://www.lush.co.uk/

Product Review: The Body Shop Spa Wisdom Polynesia Monoi Body Balm

Like many, I've long been a fan of The Body Shop's thick, nourishing body butters and have a number of different scents in my bathroom kit so when I was sent a tub of their new Spa Wisdom Monoi Body Balm to try, I had high expectations. Admittedly this is a balm, rather than their regular butters although I failed to see the distinction. The packaging and thick formula are both pretty similar.

I love love love monoi- a distinctively scented oil which is produced by infusing Tahitian gardenia flowers (Tiare) with wax-like coconut oil. It comes in many guises- pure monoi is solid at room temperature and must be melted in hot water before application. It's wonderfully soothing and softening to dehydrated skin.

The Body Shop's Monoi Balm maintains a distinctive, tropical scent although as is my bugbear with many of their products, the ingredients list is longer and more complex than is necessary.
This isn't a bad product- it certainly moisturises the skin thoroughly and leaves it with a tempting fragrance (in fact, personally, I found this overwhelming for my taste) but there's just something about it that I couldn't fall in love with. Give me Elemis Exotic Frangipani Monoi Moisture Melt any day...


£12 for 200ml at http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/

This Week I'm Loving...

Daniel Galvin Junior Crowning Glory Anti-Frizz Gloss Serum, £4.99 for 50ml



For the longest while, I've been using what I suspect to be the country's bestselling hair serum, John Frida's cult Frizz Ease. I was sent a bottle of this to trial and although I don't normally enjoy testing hair products (9 times out of 10 I'll pass them onto trusted friends & family to review), this came from one of my favourite PRs so I made an exception.



My first impression was that the bottle was fun with a young, Brit rock & roll vibe which appealed to me. Unlike FrizzEase, the pump bottle has a cap to avoid mess, rather than a twist on/off function so it already scored points from me, being a frequent traveller. On the downside, the bottle isn't transparent so it's difficult to tell how much is remaining. So far, I've been trialling this for a good 3 months and it's still going strong. In my opinion, this makes the fair price even better!



I prefer to use natural or organic products where possible and one of the areas where this is most difficult is haircare so I was thrilled to discover that this contains certified organic ingredients and has been recognised by the Natural Health Beauty Awards. The serum is much more lightweight than my usual brand, yet still effective at taming frizz. It has a delicate melon scent (it contains cucumber and melon extracts) which is refreshing and didn't irritate my sensitive scalp.



Overall, I'm impressed- it takes a lot to sway me from my tried & trusted favourites but this has pushed FrizzEase off the shelf.



http://www.danielgalvinjunior.co.uk/

Product Review: Eve Lom Rescue Mask

I was sent a tube of Eve Lom's Rescue Mask to trial. I've long been a fan of their cult cleanser but had never before tried the mask.

The mask is presented in Eve Lom's signature minimalist packaging. There is a larger size, in a tub, available but personally, I was pleased to be sent the tube to try. It means that the mask is easier to dispense with no mess and seems more hygenic also.

For a clay-based mask, it's actually quite a fluid formula- a pleasure to apply smoothly over the face, unlike very thick masks which I've had difficulty working with before. There is a strong medicinal scent of camphor and I found that it tingled slightly upon application- nothing uncomfortable, more of a reminder that it's working it's magic!

I found 20mins to be a long time to sit with a mask on, although it does start to set after a while so it's easy to move about & carry on with chores if you're a fidget, like me!

Be warned: Removal is messy- you need to rub off with upward movements (by this time the mask has set so it flakes off) and then remove any remainder with a muslin cloth (not provided but luckily I've bought the cleanser enough times to have a healthy stockpile of these).

£28 seems expensive for a clay-based mask when you can buy much cheaper versions but once trialled, I'd happily spend this as the mask delivers such impressive results. I occasionally suffer from sensitive skin, with red blotchiness as well as recently having had a hormonal breakout. The mask immediately balances, removing redness. I don't have oily skin, which clay-based masks tend to be targeted at but I didn't find that this had a drying effect as it also contains soothing honey and almond extract and what's more, after a week, I still hadn't suffered any breakouts as a result of the detox action of the product. My other products were absorbed better- not surprising as the mask boasts exfoliating actions. Apparently, it can also be used as an emergency morning-after treatment under the eyes although I haven't trialled this aspect as yet so can't comment.

All I can say is that this does what it is- great rescue product to have on standby...Recommended.

£28 for 50ml at http://www.evelom.com/

Product Review: Lush Turkish Delight Body Polish

This week I've been testing Lush's new Turkish Delight Body Polish.

Now, before you begin to think that this Blog is sponsored by Lush, let me explain. When Lush first launched, I enjoyed the novelty value of the brand with it's bright colours and pick 'n' mix style layout making it a beauty lover's dream. However, I soon became disillusioned with the brand, feeling that there wasn't much for me- I take showers, not baths and use shower gel, not soap. In the past year, I've rediscovered the brand and realised that there's far more to it than that. In fact, the products are excellent value and in the majority of cases, really work. I love that they are responsible in terms of minimal packaging and supportive of charities, although I feel that they still have a long way to go before they can brand themselves "natural".

So, anyway... back to the product. When I first opened the pot, I have to admit that I was disappointed. The name suggests that this is a gentle body scrub but it is in fact, a thick shower cream. Once I'd realligned my expectations, I thought the following:

The scent is strong, of old-fashioned rose products. Personally, I liked it but I'm not sure that the slightly musty fragrance would appeal to everyone.

The tub style packaging wouldn't be my first choice for a shower product but is suited to the thick formula... we'll have to wait & see how easy it is to dispense once more of the product is used up.

One of the customer reviews on Lush's site suggested that this was a good alternative to a shaving cream & of course, curiosity got the better of me. I have to agree- it is excellent for this purpose.

The cream is highly nourishing to skin- when followed with a rich body cream, skin feels incredibly soft.

I think £15 is pretty pricey for this product & had I not been sent a free sample, I'm not sure I'd be willing to spend that. I'll be using it with exfoliating gloves to make it go further & add extra benefits.

However, having tried there's just SOMETHING about this product which I really like.

www.lush.co.uk

This Week I'm Loving...

Lush Fairtrade Foot Lotion, £7.95 for 225g at http://www.lush.co.uk/

Presented in a weighty tub, this bubblegum pink lotion is minty fresh and easily absorbed. Many foot creams claim to be revitalising but this one really does the job- perfect for perking up tired feet after hours in heels. It contains almond oil so offers much-needed super conditioning benefits ahead of flip flop season. What's more, the results are almost immediate. Every ingredient in this lightweight lotion which can be fairtrade, is so you know that you're not walking over others in the quest for tip top toes.

Pink & with a choc-mint scent... what more could a girl want?! LOVE THIS.

Skincare Review

Here's a speed review of five skincare products (in no particular order) I've trialled and my thoughts.


1) Elemis Visible Brilliance- described as a "double action serum which actively brightens and re-energises dull, fatigued and stressed skin". http://www.timetospa.co.uk/ £40 for 30ml

Now, I'm a huge fan of Elemis- it's one of those brands that I get really excited about & I love seeing what they come up with next. I really wanted to give this a fair chance & so trialled it until the bottle was used up but I'm afraid, all I can say is "meh". I simply couldn't fall in love with this (although I did adore the packaging- great idea for dispensing & limits the risk of wastage making it ideal for travel; Vaishaly Patel's range uses the same style). It is easily absorbed but to be honest, if you're going to spend £40 on a product, there are far better serums out there. If you specifically wanted to try something from Elemis, I'd recommend the fabulous Exotics range which truly encompasses the luxurious, pampering values of this British brand.

Which brings me nicely onto...
2) Aesop Parsley Seed Antioxidant Serum- a fantastic choice for those with sensitive skin. The pipette dropper makes it easy to dispense the desired quantity, avoiding wastage, although the bottle (glass so not ideal for travel) size is incredibly generous & lasts absolutely ages! Although the serum is a gel-like formula, it sinks into skin, rather than simply sitting on the surface, immediately improving appearance and hydration levels. A worthwhile purchase!

£33 for 100ml at http://www.beautyexpert.co.uk/

3) Ole Henriksen Herbal Day Creme with SPF 15 (for normal/ combination skin)-hugely popular in the US, I've had the opportunity to trial a few OH products but this is the first one which I've really stuck with and used the entire pot for a fair test. The packaging is sleek, with signature brightly coloured label although the pot style wouldn't be to everyone's taste. I'm a stickler for using SPF on my face, every day, without fail so I loved that this was included in the formula. The scent is quite a herbal one which again, might bother some- it certainly isn't a "nice" fragrance but I didn't find it offensive. Again, not a miracle worker but I did really like how easily absorbed, yet moisturising, I found this product.

£30.65 for 50g (which lasts AGES) at http://www.beautyexpert.co.uk/

4) Amie Skincare Morning Clear Purifying Facial Wash


Amie is a natural skincare range aimed specifically at young skin. Many who have reviewed this range have said that this is precisely the kind of range that they wish had been about when they were young and I have to say, I firmly concur. Banish the alcohol-based Clearisil type brands from your bathroom teenage girls!

I absolutely fell in love with this cleanser. It's gentle, creamy to apply & has a fresh scent. What's more the convenient tube lasts for ages, even when used daily. I liked that it's quick & easy to use- a simple wash on, wash off formula which encourages a regular routine without being confusing. Despite knowing that this range is aimed at teenagers, I was still shocked when I saw the price, it's fantastic value for money and I'd highly recommend it.

£4.95 for 150ml at http://www.amieskincare.com/


5) Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant- As one of the skincare brands hero products, I was looking forward to reviewing this. Its celebrity fans are as numerous as the awards it's won. Presented in the brand's sleek, minimalist packaging, Daily Microfoliant is a fine, granular rice-based powder which you mix with water in wet palms to form a paste. I liked the ritualistic aspect of this and it's easier to use than it sounds- it's fairly obvious how much of the powder to dispense (a little goes a long way), quick to combine & it means that you're applying a fresh paste to your face. The downsides are that the packaging isn't ideal for shower usage (although, in fairness, I'm not sure how else they could present it short of individual sachets!).

It has a distinctive, although not offensive scent.

I feel that the name is slightly inappropriate as for most, daily exfoliating to this degree would be excessive in my opinion. Having said that, it is a gentle exfoliant which doesn't remove every single trace of dry skin so those accustomed to chemical formulas would probably be slightly disappointed. Skin is left with a clean, freshened appearance although texture is not noticably improved in the short-term.

It's not a cheap product but it does the job. Yes, you can buy more reasonable exfoliators which would do an equally good job but if you're a beauty fan, I'd definately say it's worth investing to try this cult product.





£35.10 for 75g at http://www.beautyexpert.co.uk/