Speed Review: Lush Sleepy Body Lotion

There's something comforting about Lush products which makes me particularly keen to reach for them in the cooler autumnal months. Case in point.. their new Sleepy Body Lotion. 

Lush Sleepy Body Lotion is made with an oatmeal infusion, creamy Fair Trade organic cocoa butter, calming lavender flower and comforting sweet tonka absolute. 

First, let's talk about the packaging. Basically, I hate almost everything about it. The Lush black tubs are ugly and I don't find tub packaging to be particularly functional or hygienic. That said, I appreciate the ecological message which is the Lush focus when it comes to packaging. 

Lush Sleepy Body Lotion has a lilac tinge and a comforting, powdery scent which made me feel like I was being enveloped in a cozy blanket. It lingers delicately on the skin following use, making this the ideal choice for evening use (I feel that it would interfere with perfume).

Despite having a lotion texture, it wasn't the most instantly absorbed product. That said, I loved that it didn't leave a greasy residue. Following use, I could still feel the product on my skin but it felt like a protective layer that was locking in moisture, rather than being sticky or uncomfortable. Skin was left feeling soft, smooth and hydrated. 

At £13.95 for 215g, I do feel that this is slightly overpriced but the fact that a little goes a long way does help to justify the price. It's a lovely product which I'll be reaching for time and time again as the temperatures drop.

Speed Review: Radox Feel Revived Shower Gel (with mandarin & lemongrass)

I'm never wowed by Radox shower gels but they do the job and are often on offer. In fact, that's the very reason why I picked up the subject of today's review, Radox Feel Revived Shower Gel with mandarin & lemongrass, as it was for sale in my local Boots for just £1.

Whilst the packaging reflects the affordable price tag, it is nonetheless functional with a plastic squeezy bottle & flip top lid. It was fairly easy to control how much product was dispensed, thereby reducing wastage. I like that the transparent bottle makes it easy to see how much product is remaining and what's more, I like the detail of being able to lift the top if you prefer to hook the product up in the shower rather than simply standing it on its base.

The thick, orange coloured gel reflects the uplifting claims. Given that Radox Feel Revived Shower Gel contains SLS (which I'd expect given the price), it was unsurprising that it produced a generous lather. I can find this to be drying on the skin but it's a compromise that is offset by the affordable price tag. Besides, I generally tend to need to moisturise my body at this time of year regardless of the type of shower gel I use.

I wasn't able to detect lemongrass notes but what really hit me in terms of the scent was how similar this is to The Body Shop's Satsuma fragrance- if you're a fan of that, you'll like this. It's a pleasant, zesty citrus fragrance but I can't say that I felt any aromatherapy benefits in terms of feeling revived. I was unable to detect the scent on my skin following use.

Overall, Radox Feel Revived Shower Gel isn't a bad shower gel. It does the job and for the price, it's hard to go wrong.

Speed Review: Christophe Robin Clarifying Shampoo with Camomile and Cornflower

Regular readers may be wondering where I've been and the reason for my silence. If you don't follow me on Twitter or Instagram (Skindeepblogger) then you may have missed the news that I've been busily working on a new lifestyle online magazine, Livingologie. Livingologie is dedicated to the art of living well and comprises fashion, health & fitness, food, home, social, travel and love sections, along with (of course) beauty. It's far more editorial in feel than my blog so please feel free to check it out if that's something of interest. I really feel that it offers something for everyone and has been a real labour of love. The only downside is that there are only so many hours in the day and working on that, along with my day job as a writer, has meant that Skin Deep has had to take a bit of a back-seat. I have missed working on the blog, which will always be focussed on providing honest, no-holds-barred reviews. I'm going to try to ease myself back into blogging gently, with a weekly review as a minimum & see how I manage my time from there. I'd love to hear your thoughts. For now, let's progress to today's Speed Review which is of Christophe Robin's Clarifying Shampoo with Camomile and Cornflower.

Christophe Robin isn't a brand with which I'm overly familiar but I was recently sent a selection of hair care products from the PR and decided to incorporate the Clarifying Shampoo with Camomile and Cornflower into my Sunday pampering routine, which always includes a detox shampoo followed by a hair mask.

My first impression was that it was a luxury brand. The packaging is minimalist but chic and I was happy to have it on display in my bathroom. As a brunette, I was slightly concerned that the Clarifying Shampoo was described as a "progressive lightening treatment for natural, coloured or highlighted hair" but there is a brand synergy there owing to Christophe Robin's reputation as an expert hair colourist. The directions were clear and easy to follow and I also appreciated that the label highlighted that the shampoo is free from "nasties" such as parabens, silicones and SLS. I liked that the transparent plastic bottle enabled me to tell how much product was remaining but I'd have preferred the convenience of a flip top lid over the screw top.

In terms of usage, a little of the clear, relatively liquid gel goes a long way. I was impressed at the generous lather which the SLS-free formula produces. It has a fresh, clean and inoffensive scent which rather reminded me of the scent of bar soap! It didn't linger in my hair once rinsed. As a shampoo, it was inherently easy to rinse out.

I felt that Christophe Robin Clarifying Shampoo with Camomile and Cornflower worked effectively to remove build up without irritating my sensitive scalp. At £25 for 250ml, Christophe Robin Clarifying Shampoo with Camomile and Cornflower is undeniably expensive and clearly a luxury product. I enjoyed using it and if you can justify the price, it's worth a look particularly owing to the quality of the ingredients.