Showing posts with label bath. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bath. Show all posts

Tuesday, 30 June 2015

Kneipp Devil's Claw Back Comfort



Everyone gets a sore back sometimes, I think.  Mine has been distinctly better since I got a standing desk and stopped hunching over a keyboard every day, but years of bad posture and slouching means that I still ache in my shoulders, particularly when I'm stressed.

Kneipp's range of herbal bath products recently expanded to offer relief for these very symptoms - and the results are good, if a little aesthetically odd.  Devil's Claw Herbal Bath is a thick, syrupy blood red liquid - you chuck a capful into a running bath and swish around.  This is where it gets a bit weird - the water goes a deep red colour, not unlike a bath full of blood (if you're macabre) or Ribena (if you're childish).

Weird looking water aside, Devil's Claw Herbal Bath proves itself to be very effective in a topical manner - the rich, warming aroma encourages relaxation, and the anti-inflammatory properties of the Devil's Claw plant help soothe the back (as well as any other tired muscles).  I've not tried the massage oil, for lack of a compliant other half to do the massaging, but I'd thoroughly recommend the Herbal Bath as a relaxing, soothing way to ease achey backs.  Particularly at the price of £10, which gets you 10 baths.  Bargain.

Disclosure:  PR sample

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Thursday, 19 June 2014

Rituals Energy Bubbles


The online description of this bath foam is a bit misleading- it calls the product a cream bath, where actually it's a clear bath foam.  It is, however, a rather lovely bath foam - softly scented with Indian Rose and Himalayan Honey, it gently perfumes the air, then fades away leaving no scent on the skin at all.  As you'd expect from a foam with a SLS base, it's an effective cleanser, but doesn't do much to condition the skin.  It produces plenty of fluffy, long lasting bubbles, perfect if you like a long bath like I do.

The bottle is gigantic - you get 500ml of bath foam, enough to give you plenty of bathing action this summer - and being Rituals, it's beautifully designed, adding a bit of colourful class to any bathroom.  Find it now at Rituals stores and online, where it costs £13.50.

Disclosure: PR sample

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Friday, 20 September 2013

Deep Heat Muscle Rescue Bath Soak


Long, long ago, someone told me I had great posture.  Either they were lying, or my career in computing has ruined it.  I can't help slumping now, and as a result, I get aching shoulders, and the middle of my back spends most of its time tense and sore.

I was curious to try Deep Heat's new Muscle Rescue bath soak as a result.  A long hot bath is a favourite of mine, and I liked the prospect of a long hot bath which helps to relax my back and shoulders.  Unfortunately, whilst the Deep Heat Muscle Rescue does help my muscles to relax, I'm not sure it adds much on top of the effects of a long hot bath.  Granted, the essential oils and minerals do help the bath to feel even more warming, but it's not a significant difference.  At £5.69, it's also quite expensive for what is a fairly basic bath foam.

So, if you like a warming hot bath, this might well enhance your experience, but don't expect miracles.  Find it at Boots now.

Disclosure: PR sample

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating our copyright.

Friday, 10 May 2013

REN Moroccan Rose Otto gets an update



The much-loved Moroccan Rose Otto bathing / bodycare range from REN is getting a packaging update. Breaking slightly from the rest of the REN line, the rosey goods will soon have an intricate geometric pattern on both the outer box and the product packaging itself.



The design is inspired by art from the Moroccan region in which the roses are grown - a handful of valleys where the flowers are hand-picked and locally distilled. Apparently it takes 10,000 rose petals to make a bottle of the Moroccan Rose Otto bath oil. (I now imagine a huge mountain of blossoms being shovelled into an alembic every time I dash a bit of this into the bathtub.)


Here's a comparison showing the new packaging for the shower gel beside my current bottle of the bath oil. As you can see, the silver-embellished rosette design is much more elaborate, although the rose design on the inner flaps of the box has been lost.



Personally I really like the new look, and it seems an appropriate reflection of the product line's runaway cult success to give it a bit of special treatment.

The new packaging isn't on shelves yet but should be soon. There's also a new addition to the line coming in September.

What do you think? An improvement?

Disclosure - new packaging items are PR samples. Bath oil bought by me.

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating our copyright.

Friday, 5 April 2013

Review: Lush Mmmelting Marshmallow Moment


This little pink pastille is one of Lush's Luxury Bath Floats, named because they aim to do more than make the water bubbly or fizzy - they're supposed to add moisturising, luxurious ingredients to the water to condition the skin.

Mmmelting Marshmallow Moment may have a slightly silly name, but bathing with it is actually a rather lovely experience.  It claims to have the same soft, sweet scent as Snow Fairy Shower Gel, but I didn't really detect a particularly noticeable scent when I used it.  Might be something to do with the cold I currently have, but still - this is a subtle bath product, and not one which will fill your whole house with fragrance wafting out from the bathroom.

I chucked mine in the bath whilst it was still running, which resulted in plenty of short-lived bubbles and some incredibly silky feeling water.  After I emerged from a good soak, my skin felt soft and smooth, probably thanks to the almond oil and cocoa butter.

At £3.85, Mmmelting Marshmallow Moment is an expensive treat if you use the entire thing at once - but there's nothing wrong with cutting it into four bits and stretching it out a bit further.  You'll need a knife though, as unlike my favourite Bubble Bars, it's a pretty hard and non-crumbly chunk o'product.

Find Mmmelting Marshmallow Moment now at Lush stores and online via their website.

Tuesday, 19 March 2013

Review: Maddi Alexander Frivolous Bath & Body Oil


I love a good bath oil.  Some of my favourites are by Penhaligon's and Aromatherapy Associates - so I'll quite happily spend a wodge of cash on a high quality bath oil with a glorious scent.  So I was fully expecting to be impressed by Maddi Alexander's Frivolous bath and body oil - it's described as a "sumptuous" fragrance, making use of a variety of uplifting citrus notes such as lemon, bergamot and sweet orange.

And indeed, the scent is rather lovely, albeit nothing particularly unusual - it's a fairly generic, slightly sweet citrus.  As a bath oil, it's nothing special - it's the kind of oil blend that sits atop the bathwater, coating the skin as you bathe, rather than the kind that emulsifies into the water.

So, all in all, a nice enough product.  However, a 100ml bottle costs £30, where a Penhaligon's oil, for comparison, costs £39 for 200ml.  I just don't feel that the price reflects the quality of the product - yes, it has a nice enough scent, but it has a simple oil base and it just doesn't seem special enough to justify the cost.

If you're keen to try it for yourself, you'll find it at the Urban Retreat Beautique.

Disclosure: PR sample

Thursday, 28 February 2013

Quick Pick: Ortigia Zagara Orange Blossom Bath and Shower Gel


I'd not heard of Italian brand Ortigia until I received this rather pretty bottle of bath and shower gel in the post.  Founded in Sicily in 2006 by one of the original founders of Crabtree & Evelyn, the brand is now run out of Florence, using ingredients indigenous to Sicily.  This cheerful orange bath and shower gel makes use of orange blossom, tempered and deepened with a woody, spicy undertone which makes it much more sensuous than your average orange blossom scented product.

At £15, it's undoubtedly an expensive option - the bottle, whilst incredibly stylish, holds a mere 200ml of product.  As it uses a natural glycerin base, it doesn't foam up as excitedly as a product based on SLS, but it's still foamy enough for a bubble bath (albeit without mounds of foam) and effective enough as a shower gel provided you use a puff to help it lather.

If you're interested in a very good looking, lovely smelling treat, you'll find Ortigia's Zagara Orange Blossom Bath and Shower Gel at the Sugarbird Boutique, where it will cost you £15.

Disclosure: PR sample

Monday, 28 January 2013

Review: Miss Patisserie Lemon Twist Mini Bath Bake


Miss Patisserie is a boutique bath company offering treats for the tub which look suspiciously like cake.  I recently received a mini Bath Bake to try out in the Lemon Twist scent, and my first impressions were great.  The bake comes packaged in a sturdy cardboard box to keep it safe in transit, and said cardboard box is prettily decorated - both style and substance here.  There's a definite retro style to the brand, with their bathing pinups and stylised line drawings.


The box opens up to showcase the bake inside, and also provides you with some detail about the scent.  The Lemon Twist flavour is based on lemonade and mango, and is topped with a candied bit of lemon (which I wanted to eat, but didn't).  I couldn't really detect any mango in the scent, but the promised zesty sharpness was definitely there.

Anyway, the premise is that you drop the entire thing into the bath (once you've removed the paper wrapper, of course).  The bottom part is the fizzy bath bomb format we know and love, and the top part is a sugar based exfoliant - after a few moments in the bath the two separate, and you can put the top to one side for later.


I was surprised to find that the bake didn't immediately ping off around the bath, fizzing like a little rocket.  It was a more subtle effect - and one that I think is due to the fact that the bake contains more moisturising ingredients than your average bath bomb.  I could definitely feel a distinct silkiness to the water, and my skin felt lightly oiled and hydrated when I got out of the tub.

The icing part of the bake is intended to be used as an exfoliant - it fits nicely in the palm of the hand and works well in the bath on damp skin.  It's a pretty harsh, grainy exfoliant, so beware if your skin is sensitive.

Overall, I really enjoyed my bath with Miss Patisserie's Lemon Twist mini bath bake.  The pretty packaging and cake shape made it feel like a real treat, and I enjoyed both the scent whilst I was in the bath, and the condition of my skin afterwards.  At £4.50, it's certainly not an every day indulgence, but as a gift or a special treat, it's a reasonable price to pay for a bath lover.

You'll find Miss Patisserie products at Harvey Nichols, Harrods and Fenwick stores, and online at the Miss Patisserie website.

Disclosure: PR sample

Wednesday, 23 January 2013

Quick Pick: Apivita Body Euphoria


Apivita is a lovely Greek company which creates natural skincare products using bee products and Greek herbs.  They've recently launched into the UK in a major way via the new Marks and Spencer in-store beauty department, which brings together niche beauty brands under one roof.

I recently tried out the Body Euphoria scent of their Shower Gel, Body Scrub and Body Milk.  Body Euphoria makes use of white tea and jasmine, with the white tea providing anti-oxidant protection, and the scent of jasmine promoting a feeling of optimism and euphoria.

The shower gel is fantastic - it contains aloe and mild cleansing agents to leave the skin feeling clean and soft, without stripping away moisture or over cleansing.  It lathers up beautifully with the aid of a bath puff, and a little goes a long way - a small squeeze is enough to cover the whole body with soft, fragrant bubbles.  The body milk is light yet hydrating, absorbing quickly into the skin and leaving it feeling soft and smooth.  This is a very good thing, as I generally can't be bothered with any body lotion which hangs about on the skin.

The body scrub is the stand out product for me.  It contains Dead Sea salts, and provides scrubby goodness via bamboo and olive grains.  I expected it to contain a lot of scrubby bits, as most of the body scrubs I've used recently are heavy on the grains, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it's a cream based scrub with a reasonable but not excessive proportion of grains.  Rubbed over damp skin in the shower, it provides an effective but not too harsh exfoliation and leaves skin feeling amazingly soft and smooth.  The only problem with it was that there was a strange overtone of antiseptic smell alongside the jasmine - I can live with it for the effectiveness of the product, but I'd far rather it wasn't there.

Overall, this is a lovely line of body products, albeit an expensive one, with the shower gel costing £12, the body milk costing £13 and the scrub costing a staggering £22.  Beware, though - these products are strongly scented, and the scent does linger on the skin after using the body milk, so be sure that they'll compliment your fragrance if you're worried about clashing.  I'm quite tempted to try the Body Relax scent next - it's based on honey and vanilla.

Disclosure: PR sample

Sunday, 16 December 2012

Ms Patisserie Bath Bakes


This is not a picture of five delicious cupcakes, waiting for someone to lick the icing off the top of them.  They're actually Bath Bakes by Ms Patisserie, and they're made of a fizzing bath-ballistic style base, with the icing making up a reusable solid exfoliant.

They cost £6.50 each, which is certainly an indulgence, but for the odd bath when you're looking for a bit of a treat, totally reasonable.  I'm going to try to track one down to see how well it performs.  Find out more at the Ms Patisserie website.

Wednesday, 31 October 2012

Review: Mandara Spa Honeymilk Dream Pampering Honey Bath


This bumper bottle of bubbles is Mandara Spa's latest bath treat: Honeymilk Dream.  It's apparently inspired by Hawaii, and contains acacia honey and kukui nut oil which help to "cocoon you in a magical spa where the mind and body will be soothed and enriched".

Unfortunately, I'm not entirely sure I agree.  The scent is a little flat and overly soapy for my liking, and dissipates almost immediately after the thick cream is added to the bath.  I also found that I had to add multiple great big handfuls of the stuff to get a decent pile of bubbles in the tub - and that those bubbles only lasted around half an hour before disappearing into nothing.

I'm feeling a little underwhelmed by this product.  Given that Mandara Spa are made by the same folks that make Elemis, and that Sarah's head over heels about some of their other products, I'm really disappointed that I didn't get a glorious bathing experience with this one.  If you'd like to give it a try yourself, you'll find it nationwide at Sainsbury's, where it costs £12.

Disclosure: PR sample

Friday, 19 October 2012

Quick Pick: Mandara Spa Amber Heaven Moisturising Bath Essence




I'm just coming to the end of a bottle of this, and will absolutely be repurchasing it. Mandara Spa products come from the people who make Elemis, so you know you're in pretty good hands despite the prices being very reasonable. All their products are free of SLS, parabens, mineral oil and all that sort of jiggery pokery, which shows that their formulations are reasonably ahead of the curve. And they have some extremely nice scents.

Amber Heaven is billed as a mix of sandalwood and patchouli, but I actually find it more sweet and delicately spicy than those note names suggest. There's a comforting, starchy sweet rice scent in there too. It bubbles up a treat, and is joined by a variety of other products in the same flavour, including a body wash - essential stuff if like me you favour a bath/shower combo ("bower", or "shath", if you like) and want all your scents to match up.

You can find this in Sainsbury's, where there is currently a 33% off deal on much of the Mandara Spa line. So you get it for £5.33 for 500ml (usually £8)

Disclosure - PR sample

Sunday, 16 September 2012

Arora Bath & Body Products on 3 for 2 at Superdrug


Yesterday I popped into Superdrug to pick up some deodorant.  I swore I wouldn't buy anything else.  I failed.  Superdrug are running a 3 for 2 on their excellent Arora range, and I couldn't help picking up a couple of bath shimmers and a shower nectar.

The bath shimmers I chose were Chocolate Espresso (which smells genuinely of chocolate and coffee, and not in a synthetic way) and Coconut Creme, which is a little saccharine-y, but still lovely.  I chose the shower nectar in Wild Berry, which smells a bit like blackcurrent jelly (and is for my husband, who seems to use almost a whole bottle of shower gel per shower).

At just £3.99 each, the Arora bath and shower products were already a good deal - and even more so on 3 for 2.  Not sure how long the promotion will run for, but if you need to stock up, now's a good time!

Sunday, 26 August 2012

Liberty London Bath & Body Range


Liberty are releasing a new bath and body range, comprising of hand wash, hand lotion, body wash, and body lotion, in typically English scents - lavender, geranium and rose.  They've caught my eye mostly because of their packaging, which incorporates an abstract, floral print which was
designed for Liberty in 1975. It's clean yet pretty, unfussy yet detailed, and would look pretty chic in any bathroom.  Prices start at £18 for the hand wash, which is a reasonably luxe price for a luxe department store.  The range has been created by Liberty's beauty buyers, so it must be of a high level of quality to match with their usual exacting eyes, and all the products are made in Devon.  Lovely stuff - I can see these products making a lovely gift.

Sunday, 5 August 2012

Quick Pick: Weleda mini body wash collection

Weleda have released a collection of 5 miniature body washes to celebrate the brand's 90th anniversary. That's quite a long stint in beauty years, and having tried out the washes I can see why they've stood the test of time. They're rightly named Creamy Body Washes - being both sudsy and moisturising, with a soft, smooth skin feel after drying off.

Natural ingredients are hard at work here - plant oils condition the skin while essential oils provide the fragrance. As a result the scents are gorgeous and very authentic. I really like the Pomegranate, which fills the bathroom with a lusciously fruity aroma. If you're more the floral type, you should definitely try out the Wild Rose.

This set of 5x 20ml washes costs £9.95, and provides a great introduction to the range. Very handy for travel too. You can find the set at weleda.co.uk

Disclosure - PR sample

Wednesday, 25 July 2012

Quick Pick: Blend Collective Unwinding bath and shower oil


Blend Collective is an all-natural brand offering bodycare products in three fragrances, each with its own blend of aromatic essential oils. "Unwinding" is a mix of cedar, frankincense, neroli and patchouli and it's absolutely heavenly. A capful of the oil in a hot bath throws up a positive wall of sensory enjoyment, with the odours of the essential oils mingling in the air.



The oil seems to virtually disappear when it hits the water. There are no visible oily spots on the water's surface, and no residue is left on the skin, although the water does feel softer than usual. I haven't tried this as a shower oil, but would expect it to be similarly light on the skin.


The bottle is glass, with a screw-cap, and the design is quite clean and graphical, making use of interesting fonts and colour blocks. It's a pleasure to behold on the bathroom shelf.

£24.95 buys you 100ml of this from blendcollective.co.uk

Sunday, 8 July 2012

Review: Skin Wisdom Warm Cinnamon & Fig Heavenly Shower & Bath Gel


I get through rather a lot of bath and shower gel - mostly because I love a bath with mountains of bubbles.  I picked up this bottle of Skin Wisdom Day Spa bath and shower gel on a recent trip to Tesco.  Part of a new Day Spa range from the popular Skin Wisdom line, I was drawn to the rich purple/blue bottle and the appeal of cinnamon and fig as a scent.

Admittedly, this might be more of a winter scent than a summer one - it's warm, comforting, and perfect for adding to hot, bone-warming, skin-tingling baths and showers.  The scent is initially quite strong as it's poured into the bath, but it does dissipate rather quickly, leaving the bathroom slightly scented but in no way overpoweringly so.  As a shower gel, it retains the scent as you wash, but doesn't linger on the skin.

Whilst it is indeed a good shower gel, I think it's real strength is as a bubble bath.  A decent squirt produces masses and masses of bubbles, and also makes the bath water super silky.  The bubbles last very well, and my skin feels both clean and soft when I emerge.

At just £4 a bottle, this shower and bath gel is a reasonably priced treat that you can pick up along with your groceries - I'll definitely be trying more from the range.

Monday, 25 June 2012

Quick Pick: Kneipp Herbal Bath


I really, really love bathing.  Showering is fine, it gets you clean, but bathing gets you clean whilst making you feel relaxed and warm, and gives you plenty of time to read un-put-down-able books.  When I have a truly crappy day that leaves me feeling drained, frustrated and super tired, I head straight to the bathroom and have a soak with this Kneipp Herbal Bath in Orange and Linden Blossom.

A capful of orange, viscous liquid poured into a full tub disperses slowly into the water, filling the air with a deeply relaxing and soothing scent based on orange, but with more warmth than zing.  It doesn't really affect the bathwater at all - there are no bubbles, no obvious texture change - but it absolutely does relax a tired mind.

Given the herbal content of Kneipp herbal baths, you're not supposed to spend more than fifteen to twenty minutes in the bath with them - which is fine by me, as that's usually all it takes for the effects of the day to fade away.

Find Kneipp herbal baths at Must Have, where a 100ml bottle (good for 10 baths) will cost you £7.95.

Tuesday, 10 April 2012

Quick Pick: Lush Immaculate Eggception Bath Ballistic


If the Easter weekend has left you feeling a little bit too full of chocolatey treats, consider indulging in one of these Lush Immaculate Eggception bath ballistics as a calorie free alternative to the cut-price goodies you'll probably find at Tesco at the moment.

The slightly tenuous name refers to the miniature chick ballistic that's magically found its way inside the outer egg shell.  I didn't really realise it was a chick at first glance - whilst perfect ballistics might look a little more defined, those that have travelled through the post or in a bag home generally have their edges softened a bit.


Still, I can't help but like the concept.  It's kind of like a Kinder egg for grown ups, albeit one which is enjoyable from shell to contents!  These are limited edition, and you'll find them at Lush stores and online, where they'll cost you £7 each - more than a standard bath ballistic, yes, but you do get 3 baths from the one product.

Disclosure: PR sample

Saturday, 17 March 2012

Crabtree & Evelyn Avocado, Olive Oil and Basil Bath and Shower Gel

I've been really enjoying this shower gel from Crabtree & Evelyn's newest range. I normally associate the ingredients olive oil and avocado with something thick, creamy and nourishing for dry skin, but this is a clear green gel with a light fresh scent. It's very spring-like, and makes me think of fresh air and gardens.

In fact the fragrance also contains lemon and cypress as well as olive blossoms and avocado. Usually lemon really leaps out and dominates far too much on my skin but in this it works well with the other elements of the fragrance.

It's got a good consistency - not too thick or thin - and foams up well in the shower. It's not going to give you a full-on bubble bath but it does add a lovely scent to the water. I've found it leaves my skin feeling soft and my mood refreshed.

There are various other products available in the same scent (as usual with Crabtree & Evelyn, who seem to be all about the layering).

Crabtree & Evelyn Avocado, Olive Oil and Basil Bath and Shower Gel costs £15 for 250ml

Disclosure - PR sample
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