Speed Review: Lavera Macadamia Passion Body Butter

 

Following on from yesterday's review, today's post looks at another Lavera product but instead of skincare, this time it's a body care product.

As the name suggests, Lavera Macadamia Passion Body Butter contains organic macadamia to smooth and organic passionflower, which is rich in essential fatty acids to keep skin soft, whilst also protecting against moisture loss.

Lavera Macadamia Passion Body Butter is presented in a white tub and whilst I quite liked the aesthetic, I'm not convinced that the rather plain, clinical packaging would appeal to me if I saw it on a shop shelf. I appreciated the inclusion of a "use by" date and the "green" credentials are also clearly marked.

I tend not to like tub packaging as I find it to be both messy & unhygienic. That said, it does lend itself well to body butters. Unlike many body butters which have a solid balm texture, Lavera Macadamia Passion Body Butter has a very thick cream texture, meaning that a little goes a long way. It took quite a bit of effort to work into skin and this was, rather frustratingly, the case even after using a body scrub. Having said that, once it was absorbed into skin I was very pleased to note that there was no greasy residue which is very impressive for a body butter!

I loved the comforting scent in the tub. It's warm and nutty as opposed to fruity or floral. However, I wasn't such a fan of the scent as I applied the body butter onto skin. The warmth of my skin seemed to change the scent & it reminded me of play-dough!

Despite not being the biggest fan of the application, I was impressed with the results. My skin was left feeling soft, smooth and wonderfully conditioned. It will be a good choice as we head into the winter months.
I feel that Lavera Macadamia Passion Body Butter is reasonably priced at £8.95 for 150ml.

Speed Review: Lavera Organic Gentle Foaming Cleanser

 

I tend to shy away from foaming cleansers, for fear that the harsh foaming agents will strip my acne-prone skin and cause it to overproduce oil. However, I decided to give Lavera Organic Gentle Foaming Cleanser a go owing to the natural ingredients.

The packaging isn't the most exciting although the white colour clearly communicates the natural brand message. I'd have preferred a transparent bottle to be able to tell how much product was remaining. The pump dispenser is functional and I appreciated the clear directions.

One pump dispenses a generous amount of product. A very soft, lightweight foam is produced and it's easy to work this into skin. Despite containing organic almond, the cleanser has no discernable scent.

I feel that Lavera Organic Gentle Foaming Cleanser lives up to its name. The cleanser does indeed feel very gentle and I was even able to use it around the delicate eye area, although its worth noting that it wasn't completely effective & I still needed to use a separate eye makeup remover.

It rinsed away easily and I was impressed that my skin didn't feel tight or stripped following use.

I was a little surprised at the price tag of £11.90 for just 50ml but if you have normal skin and are looking for a simple, everyday rinse-off cleanser then it could be worth checking this out.

Speed Review: Korres Wild Rose Exfoliating Cleanser

Despite knowing how popular some of their skincare is, I tend to think of Korres for the body care first & foremost. However, I recently found myself craving a wash-off cleanser so I reached for Korres Wild Rose Exfoliating Cleanser which has been in my "to try" box.

The packaging is in line with the effortlessly cool branding of Korres. Presented in a simple cardboard box, the packaging of the exfoliating cleanser is a matte tube with functional flip top. The design on the packaging makes a feature of the product description but the directions are also clear.

Korres Wild Rose Exfoliating Cleanser has a cream texture with small particles of natural ground rice seeds and cherry stones. Even though the particles don't look especially concentrated within the formula, they feel it when massaging into skin. It doesn't feel harsh but nor is it gently abrasive. This, together with the fact that the particles are from natural ingredients and therefore, irregularly shaped (which can cause damage to the skin's surface) means that I wouldn't recommend this for use by those with active breakouts and also feel that it gives slightly too effective an exfoliation for everyday use.

Those who dislike the scent of rose shouldn't be put off trying this product as I was personally unable to detect it. Korres Wild Rose Exfoliating Cleanser has a pleasant, delicate fragrance and there's something about it (possibly owing to the inclusion of ground rice seeds) which I found rather comforting.

The cleanser doesn't lather but it emulsifies into a milk. As it contains exfoliating particles, it inherently took a little more effort than usual to rinse away. An obvious downside is that it's not suitable for use around the delicate eye area so I had to use a separate eye makeup remover (I prefer the convenience of all-in-one products such as cleansing oils).

Following use, my skin was left feeling soft and smoothed but not tight or stripped. My skin tone noticeably appeared more even.

I was a little surprised to discover the price of Korres Wild Rose Exfoliating Cleanser & feel that it is slightly overpriced at £18 for 150ml as I was expecting something closer to the £10 mark. It's an average product, nothing special, but if you have normal, dry or mature skin & are looking for something new then this may be worth a look.

Speed Review: Neal's Yard Remedies White Tea Facial Mist

Today's review is of one of my favourite facial spritzers, Neal's Yard Remedies White Tea Facial Mist.

The small blue glass bottle is presented in a box, also in the brand's signature blue. The packaging states that the product is 92% organic and also includes a "best before" date, which I appreciated. The bottle may not scream luxury but nor is it offensive. In my opinion, it has an apothecary feel to it. Although the 45ml size is travel friendly, the glass means that it's not practical for this owing to the increased weightiness and potential for breakage.

The directions are clear and I liked that the glass is sufficiently transparent so as to be able to tell how much product remained.

The spritzer delivers a targeted shot of hydration. It's not the finest or most diffused mist but it is refreshing. I liked that it works effectively over makeup and I also felt that it helped to soften my skin.

My favourite aspect of Neal's Yard Remedies White Tea Facial Mist is the soothing botanical scent which incorporates Bach Flower Remedies. It's great for keeping on my desk and spritzing on in times of stress or simply when I want to hydrate and refresh my skin.

At £11.50 for 45ml, I feel that Neal's Yard Remedies White Tea Facial Mist is priced comparably with similar brands. It may not be the most affordable considering the relatively small size but it's such a wonderful product that I feel it's worth every penny. I'd highly recommend Neal's Yard Remedies White Tea Facial Mist.

Speed Review: Madara Protecting Hand Cream

 

Madara isn't a brand with which I'm overly familiar but I've recently been trialling the brand's Eco-Cert certified Protecting Hand Cream, having been sent a sample and wanted to share my thoughts.

On first impressions, I'm not sure that the packaging would appeal to me if I saw it on a shop shelf. The green tube clearly communicates the organic skincare brand message and whilst it's not worthy, it feels slightly outdated. That said, I appreciated the functionality of the tube and also liked the inclusion of a "use by" date on the packaging.

When squeezing the cream out of the tube, the first thing I noticed was the thick texture and this is perhaps unsurprising given that cocoa butter and sunflower seed oil feature in the top three ingredients. The cream felt velvety smooth and whilst it took a little effort to rub in, it quickly sank into my dry skin.

Following use, there was no greasy residue and only a butter almond scent lingered, which I personally liked. My hands felt nourished, soft and smooth. I was impressed that the condition of my hands instantly looked improved.

I'm not convinced by the name "Protecting" Hand Cream as I'd like to see the inclusion of SPF to justify this, however, it is a good option to hydrate and nourish hands particularly as we go into the colder months.

Madara Protecting Hand Cream costs £10 for 75ml.

Speed Review: Lucy's Lotions Vitamin E and Grapefruit Body Butter

I like to support smaller brands when I can so when I heard about Lucy's Lotions, a range of handmade, results driven skincare which is based on the finest quality natural ingredients, I was excited to try out one of the products. I opted for the Body Butter from Range 01- Vitamin E and Grapefruit, which is designed to nurture & hydrate skin.

 

On first impressions, I liked the packaging. The tin has an effortlessly cool appeal and the overall aesthetic clearly communicates that it's a small brand whilst still looking professional.

The body butter is a thick white cream with a slightly whipped texture. It has a delicate citrus scent (personally, I found this to be more of a generic citrus than grapefruit) which is fresh on the skin without being so overpowering as to interfere with other fragrances. The scent comes from a blend of pure essential oils including grapefruit, mandarin and lavender. 

  

Lucy's Lotions Vitamin E and Grapefruit Body Butter contains Vitamins A, B, C and of course, E which is renowned for its antioxidant properties. In addition, it contains shea & cocoa butters along with soothing aloe vera & jojoba oil. As aforementioned, it is designed to nurture & hydrate skin, as well as improving elasticity and helping to reduce the appearance of scars & stretch marks.

The intensely nourishing formula means that a little goes a long way. It took quite a bit of effort to get the body butter to absorb into the skin (& this was the case even after exfoliating) and it's this which would put me off repurchasing as I simply lack the patience!
That said, I loved that once it was absorbed, I couldn't detect the greasy residue which I so often associate with body butters. My skin was left feeling nourished and conditioned.

Lucy's Lotions Vitamin E and Grapefruit Body Butter costs £14 for 150ml.

　

Speed Review: Jurlique Rose Shower Gel

 

Regular readers will know that I'm a big fan of Jurlique's shower gels, with the Moisture Revive Shower Gel winning the Best Body Wash category in the 2014 Skin Deep Beauty Awards. With that in mind, it may not be surprising that today's review of Jurlique's Rose Shower Gel is a rave.

Jurlique Rose Shower Gel is presented in a plastic, semi-opaque bottle which looks chic in the shower. I appreciated the functionality of the pump dispenser & also liked that I was able to see how much product was remaining.

The clear gel produces a surprisingly generous lather, meaning that a little goes a long way. As you'd expect given the name, it has a sweet, floral rose fragrance which those who dislike rose wouldn't be fond of. Personally, I liked it.

At £17 for 300ml, Jurlique Rose Shower Gel is undeniably expensive but it's worth a look if you're looking for a gift idea or simply an indulgent way to treat yourself.