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Showing posts with label body. Show all posts
Showing posts with label body. Show all posts
Tuesday, 5 April 2016
Garnier Ultimate Blends Honey Treasures Restoring Lotion & Body Butter
Garnier have followed up on the Ultimate Blends haircare range with a matching offering for body. Ultimate Blends Body comes in four varieties - Delicate Oat, for dry and sensitive skin; Marvellous Oils, for normal skin; Mythic Olive, for dry skin; and Honey Treasures, also for dry skin. Honey Treasures comes in two forms - a lotion and a body butter, allowing to tailor the richness of the cream to how much moisture you need. The other varieties typically have two options too - Delicate Oat gives you a lotion and a balm (which can be used on the face too), and Mythic Olive has a dry oil as well as the lotion. The Marvellous Oils variety, which is for normal skin, comes only in lotion form.
I've been using Honey Treasures for a few weeks now, as has my husband, who has dry skin and suffers from keratosis pilaris. Fortuitously, I've recently had a pretty large tattoo on my lower calf which has needed a lot of moisure as it heals, which has given me a great opportunity to test just how hydrating the Honey Treasures body butter is. And indeed - it's incredibly rich, so thick you have to dig out a lump of it from the jar, and despite that thickness it's easily spreadable across the skin once it warms in your hands. The lotion is also rich, albeit less solid and even more easily spreadable.
The moisture packed into my skin by the Honey Treasure products is impressive, and after a few minutes sinks in to leave skin feeling smooth and uncoated - one of my biggest body lotion bugbears (and the reason I rarely used it before I started getting tattoos) is that whilst skin feels hydrated, it can also feel coated or sticky. There's none of that feeling with the Honey Treasure products provided you wait five to ten minutes after application. Similarly, the slightly floral, slightly honey-sweet scent dissipates within five minutes after application - I've not found it to clash with my perfume at all, thankfully.
For a reasonably priced skincare range, I'm impressed - I'll definitely be repurchasing the body butter. You can find Garnier's new Ultimate Blends Body products, and the Honey Treasures range specifically, at Boots.
Disclosure: PR samples
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.
Monday, 15 February 2016
A journey in ear piercings
About eight months ago I saw a photo on Instagram of a beautiful sparkly crescent nestled in the outer edge of someone's ear. Up until then, I'd thought that body piercing involved rather a lot of basic steel barbells, and when I discovered that there were some rather beautiful, feminine and sparkly pieces available, I took the plunge. My first interesting piercing (both my lobe piercings are pretty 'normal') was a seven-jewel crescent made by a company called Anatometal, positioned in the top outer edge of my ear. This position is called a helix piercing, and yes, it did hurt - but very fleetingly. The piercer described it as being like being punched in the side of the head - a quick impact, followed by a spreading heat. That was totally true. Healing was a bit of a nightmare - I sleep on my side, and I sleep usually on this side, so every night I went to sleep on slightly tender ear. It took probably five to six months before it healed completely and I could sleep on it without tenderness.
As so many people say, piercing is a bit addictive and it wasn't long til I got another one, this time a conch piercing, on the inside of the ear where the ring is in the picture above. I had the piercing with a simple stud, waited for it to heal, and then replaced it with the ring. Healing on my conch was very easy - it didn't really get squished when I slept, and it healed in about a month. When I changed the stud for the ring, I got my tragus pierced too - that's the flappy bit closest to your face. It hurt much more than any of my other piercings, largely because the cartilage is so thick there. It's taking its time to heal, too, mostly because I keep using in-ear headphones, which disturb the piercing. Eventually, I changed out the ring in my conch to a small 5-stone crescent - the ring kept twisting round and I got annoyed with having to rearrange it all the time.
Then, I had a conch piercing on my other ear, bringing one side up to two crescents in one ear. Super sparkly.
And most recently, I had two new lobe piercings, with three-stone Mickey Mouse clusters, which add even more bling. My ears are now a mix of lots of sparkle, and some opals, and I love them - I've got one bit of space at the top of my right ear, which I might fill in sometime soon. Because the appeal of having colourful, sparkly ears beyond what you can put in your lobes is just too strong to stop. Although, at five piercings per ear right now, I think it might soon be time to consider them done!
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.
Tuesday, 19 January 2016
Surprising: Original Astral & Astral Soft
When I first tried out the original Astral cream, I had a preconception that it'd be like Nivea creme - thick, heavy, intensely moisturising, and a bugger to rub in to the skin. Not so - the original Astral has a completely different texture which is lighter, more airy, and less work altogether. Astral Soft is a lighter still version, less hydrating but even more spreadable, which comes in a tube format - I liked it less than the cream, but I suspect those looking for more portable moisture will prefer the tube format to lugging around a heavy pot.
I'm not sure I'd use either Astral Soft or Original Astral on my face, but for body, the original cream is excellent - the light, almost whipped texture makes it easy to smooth it over the skin, and I've found it particularly effective on my legs post-shave. A little goes a long way, but really, when a 500ml tub costs a mere £8, you don't really need to worry too much about the cost. Overall, count me pleasantly surprised.
Disclosure: PR samples
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.
Labels:
astral,
body,
moisturiser
Sunday, 19 July 2015
Like covering yourself in edible holiday: Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Coconut Rapid Moisture Spray Lotion
This particular sample has been languishing in my cupboard for a few weeks, and I'm pretty glad I've finally brought it out into the sunshine. Spray moisturisers are nothing new; this one, from Palmer's, is the first attempt at a spray moisturiser from a brand known for it's heavy duty skin softening concoctions.
Being a lazy, lazy person, my wish is for a moisturiser I can spritz on and then forget about - I'm too lazy really even to rub it in. And this one, it fits my wishes - but at a price. The nozzle disperses a superfine mist of lotion which is definitely light enough to spritz on and go.... if you want to spend ten minutes cleaning up your bathroom afterwards. So fine is the mist that it gets bloody everywhere, leading to a hasty clean, as I've caused my husband to slip in the shower more than once through lazy moisturising efforts. Spray a little closer and you get a little pooling on the skin, which definitely requires to you rub, but not to scrub (boom boom!).
Moisture wise, this stuff is, like, seriously hydrating - my skin felt soft and silky after use, and remained so throughout the day. The real draw for me, though, is the scent - it's cocoa buttery, coconutty, slightly chocolatey and smells like holidays and sunshine and yummy things. I smelled like a yummy thing afterwards too. And my clothes did too, because I put them on too fast. Oops, but not a bad oops.
At £4.99, this spray lotion is definitely worth a try - particularly if you like smelling like holidays, and either enjoy cleaning or don't mind a bit of rubbing in. Find it at Boots.
Disclosure: PR sample
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.
Labels:
body,
lazy,
moisturiser
Wednesday, 20 August 2014
Soap & Glory Orangeasm
Soap and Glory have released a new mini-collection themed around a fruity, cheeky new scent - and it's called Orangeasm. I'm not quite sure why Soap and Glory have decided that notes of green mandarin, Sicilian lemon and sweet orange peel are comparable to orgasms, but hey, this is Soap and Glory, and they can always be relied upon for a bit of irreverent fun.
Anyway, the products in the range include a body wash, body butter, and super tonic, which is a light fragrance mist. I've been using the body wash and super tonic for the past couple of weeks, and I've been impressed by the body wash - it foams up plentifully but doesn't feel drying at all on the skin, thanks in part to the use of Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, a more gentle cleansing agent than the traditional SLS included in most body washes. The scent is glorious - bright, zesty and bursting with citrus, it's very, very energising indeed. Not bad for just £6.50 for a giant 500ml bottle.
I've been less impressed by the Super Tonic - I like my fragrance to stay on my skin for as long as possible, and the tonic seems to fade within the hour. The scent is simple, but nice enough if you like citrus - it's very orangey, and I can't really detect many other notes in the mix. If you love the scent and are prepared to reapply every couple of hours, Super Tonic may work for you, but it's just too simplistic and fades too fast for me. At least it doesn't break the bank at £12 for 100ml.
Disclosure: PR samples
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.
Labels:
body,
fragrance,
soap and glory
Tuesday, 8 July 2014
Rituals Indian Summer Collection
Last week, I wrote about the Rituals Lotus Secret candle, which is part of Rituals' limited edition Indian Summer collection. In addition to the candle, the range also contains three bodycare products - Flower Shower foam, £8.50; Lotus Shimmer body cream, £18, and Summer Bliss shower oil, £8.50.
Thursday, 5 June 2014
Quick Pick: Radox Passionfruit Splash and Mango Mayhem Shower Gels
Radox have extended their Fresh & Fruity shower gel range to include two new tropical scents - Passionfruit Splash and Mango Mayhem. Like the original coconut, cherry and berry versions, these are bursting with fresh, zesty fragrance which smells sweet and invigorating, but without that artificial saccharine note fruity shower gels often have. The Mango Mayhem is my favourite of the two - it's bright and juicy and puts me in the right mindset for summer. Even better, they only cost £2.15 each.
Disclosure: PR sample
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.
Sunday, 22 December 2013
Lovely: Elemis Frangipani Monoi Salt Glow
By all accounts, this Elemis body scrub is a bit of a cult favourite, and having tried it I can certainly see why. I had a lovely bath the other night, finished off with a thorough scrub using this Fragipani Monoi Salt Glow scrub on damp skin, and I was left with amazingly soft skin.
It's a salt based scrub (which means it'll sting if you have any little cuts) with tiny flower petals suspended in it, and it smells divine - warm and floral, with a richness to it from the monoi. The jar looks really smart in the bathroom, too - the metal catch keeps the jar firmly shut, and the simple white packaging looks very sleek.
At £36.50, this is an expensive scrub, and although you get a good amount of it in the oversize 480g jar it's still an indulgence. Find it now at Time to Spa, the official Elemis stockist, or at Gorgeous Shop, where it's reduced to £29.20.
Disclosure: PR sample
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.
Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Bare Minerals READY Face and Body Luminizer
Bare Minerals have a pretty comprehensive Christmas collection this year, including this whopping great big box, which contains a pressed READY luminising powder, split into three shase, and a big, soft brush.
I'm not sure why Bare Minerals have chosen to use such a large box - it could easily be smaller given the product inside. It does have an element of "oooh, lovely big box of makeup" followed by "oh, a compact and a brush".
It is a nice compact and brush, though - the luminising powder is presented in an oversized, patterned compact with a nice big mirror, and the brush is super soft and big enough to easily add a glow to the collarbones, cheekbones, and shoulders alike.
Inside, the powder is split into three colourways - a bronze, pale pink, and soft pale gold. My swatches of all three turned out very light - I'm not convinced you could build that pink up into a blush, unless you like your blush very, very shimmering indeed.
Swirled together with the mega brush, though, the three colours create a soft, candlelit luminescence which is very pretty applied sparingly to the cheekbones, and applied liberally to the body. Personally, I don't usually bother with any kind of makeup on my body, but if you're fond of adding shimmer, this might well be up your street. Find it at the Bare Minerals site now, where it costs £35.
Disclosure: PR sample
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.
Labels:
bare minerals,
body,
christmas
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
OMGGLITTER: Urban Decay Naked Illuminated Shimmering Powder
The final piece of Urban Decay's Christmas puzzle, which contains two eyeliner sets, and two eyeshadow palettes, this shimmer powder is described as a "soft, glowing beige powder".
It comes in a very pretty compact with a sparkling beige top and tea-coloured flower motifs. There's a mirror in the top, and underneath the powder, there's a mini fan brush to application.
The domed powder is quite big - it's clearly something designed to be used for body as well as face. Looking at it, it's a soft, pale champagne coloured powder, with shimmer. But... the shimmer you can see on the pan isn't the whole story. When you apply it....
OMGGLITTER.
The sparkles in this powder are fairly big, and instead of a subtle highlighting sheen, you get a distinctly glittery effect. I also found that the glitter particles are pretty fine, and seemed to migrate easily onto my clothes, into my hair.... even onto my cat*.
So, if you're looking for a subtle highlighter to give you that lovely sheen on your cheekbones, collarbone, etc - stay well away. If you like looking more like a discoball, or if you have a party to go to, this might well float your boat. Find it now at Debenhams where it will cost you £20.
Disclosure: PR sample
* Might be exaggerating a little here.
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.
Labels:
body,
glitter,
highlighters,
urban decay
Friday, 11 October 2013
Benefit Bathina Misting Body Oil
This new Bathina product from Benefit is rather strangely emblazoned with the slogan "soft to touch, hard to get". It's a dry oil body spray, which makes your skin soft, although it doesn't make you somewhat unattainable without any effort on your part.
Anyway, strange slogans aside, I can't help but think this'd make a lovely luxurious Christmas gift for the Bene-fan in your life - at £26.50 it's a spendy body moisturiser, but the packaging is super cute and the product itself adds a light veil of hydration and a soft, powdery scent. The scent is similar to the one in the Bathina body balm.
Find it from November at the usual Benefit stockists.
Disclosure: PR sample
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.
Friday, 23 August 2013
Fragrant showering: Aromatherapy Associates Relax Body Wash
AromAssoc's glorious Deep fragrance now comes in a body wash - great news for those who prefer a quick refreshing shower to a languorous long bath. This pump-action shower gel has slightly different notes to the Deep Relax bath and shower oil - it contains lavender, petitgrain and vetivert, whereas the oil has vetivert, chamomile and sandalwood oils.
It's a light, fresh gel with a pleasant degree of lather. There are no parabens, sodium laureth sulphate or mineral oils, in keeping with the brand's natural credentials. I was expecting to be smacked in the chops with a powerful fragrance like the bath oil, but this is relatively delicately scented. I think I would have preferred something more intense, but if you like your scents light, this is good.
The packaging features AromAssoc's new logo, which shows three blossoms with stalks crossed in a triangle or "A". At first glance I thought these were feather dusters, but of course flowers makes more sense.
This costs £24 for 200ml - not cheap, but if you know someone who loves the smell, it would make a lovely indulgent gift.
Here's the product page on Aromatherapy Associates' website
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating our copyright.
Labels:
aromatherapy associates,
body,
shower
Thursday, 1 August 2013
Paula's Choice Resist Weightless Body Treatment
If you suffer from keratosis pilaris, this product could well be what you've been looking for. It's an exfoliator that uses salicylic acid, rather than scrubby particles, to clear blockages from the pores and make skin smooth.
(Background: Keratosis pilaris is a very common skin condition causing little bumps on the outer arms and sometimes the thighs too. Something like 1 in 3 people in the UK have it. I've had this since my teens, and have usually attempted to treat it using scrubs and exfoliating gloves, puffs etc.)
Paula's Choice is a skincare range that focuses on problem-solving and results. The brand is originally from the US and is the brainchild of skincare consumer champion Paula Begoun. The ingredients and formulae are based on skincare research and have a reputation for doing what they say on the tin.
My experience with Resist Weightless Body Treatment has been very positive. It's a very lightweight cream that applies like the sheerest of body lotions and dries almost immediately to leave a smooth finish. It smells faintly fruity.
What's most impressive is that it does really seem to work at clearing pores. I am now 3 weeks into using it after each daily bath. My arms are smoother without the need for frantic scrubbing, and there's no irritation or redness involved.
It's packaged in a satisfyingly chunky squeezy tube with a grey, lightly-metallic finish. You get 210ml for £23, so while it's not very cheap, there's enough here to keep you going for at least a month.
That price-to-use ratio is very important, because - crucial point - keratosis pilaris can't be permanently cured, by this or by any other treatment. You need to keep applying it to keep seeing results. Luckily, using this product is a real pleasure (unlike the endless scrubbing activity I was doing previously). Definite re-purchase.
You can buy it online at the Paula's Choice website
Disclosure - PR sample
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating our copyright.
Labels:
body,
exfoliants,
keratosis pilaris,
treatments
Tuesday, 9 July 2013
Review: & Other Stories Rose Revival Body Scrub and Body Wash
My mini-spree at & Other Stories included two of their colour eyeshadows, and two of their bath and body products - Rose Revival Body Scrub and Body Wash. I was attracted to them thanks to their simple, pretty packaging, and because of the number of different scent variations available - there's Rose Revival, Morrocan Tea, Shinjuku Bloom, Pink Bouquet, Lemon Daydream, Couture Carnival, Frozen Verbena, Fig Fiction, and Equatorial Dreams. Plenty for even the most determined scrub user to work through.
Anyway, back to Rose Revival - the packaging describes the scent as "pressed pink rose petals in an old cedar chest". There are also notes of green pear and magnolia in the mix, which prevents it from being a straight-up rose scent, giving it a little freshness and depth as well.
The body wash is a bit of a let down for me - it doesn't foam a lot, even with a body puff. But the body scrub is a thing of glory - it has an unusual jelly texture which prevents it from disintegrating immediately in the shower, and helping it to spread easily across the skin. As it's sugar based, it polishes the skin well without being too abrasive. Love it.
The Body Wash is £5, and the Body Scrub is £7 - and I'd definitely recommend the scrub, its one of the nicest things I've used for the price recently. I've got my beady eye on Fig Fiction next.
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating our copyright.
Labels:
& other stories,
body,
review,
scrubs
Thursday, 20 June 2013
Adorable Tiny GWP Alert: Nuxe Huile Prodigeuse
My purchase of a new Nuxe cleanser last week concluded with the addition of an unexpected and very welcome GWP. This tiny little bottle of Huile Prodigieuse was added to my shopping bag at Clan Pharmacy, an independent chemist in Islington. It's 10ml, which is just big enough to try out the glorious cult HP, or to take on a short break if you fancy a bit of luxurious moisturisation on, say, a business trip to Bournemouth.
I'm not sure how widely these GWPs are distributed or if there's any rationale for handing them out, but I have spotted one or two on eBay, in case you're keen to get a dinky HP but haven't struck lucky while shopping.
I lined it up next to my full-size bottle of Huile Prodigieuse for the purposes of a) scale and b) that Russian-doll-like urge that grips all women when they are presented with multiple matching pretty things. (If only I had a 50ml bottle to complete the set.)
Unlike the big one, it doesn't include a spray mechanism, but instead has a screw cap.
Disclosure: the full-size Huile Prodigeuse is a PR sample
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating our copyright.
Labels:
body,
gifts,
gwp,
miniatures,
nuxe
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.
Sunday, 5 May 2013
Quick Pick: Dove Purely Pampering Range
Since these new Dove Purely Pampering goodies landed on my doormat, they've become a firm favourite, not just with me, but with my husband too. The range includes Body Wash, Nourishing Lotion, and Body Cream, all in three different scents - Shea Butter and Warm Vanilla (wonder what Cold Vanilla smells like), Coconut and Jasmine, and Almond Cream with Hibiscus.
Whilst all of the scents are subtly lovely, giving a hint of fragrance which doesn't hang around the skin, the biggest lure of the range is the moisturising properties in each product. I'm not usually a fan of body butter, as it generally takes too long to sink into my skin, but the Body Cream is both thick and easily absorbed, and disappears leaving no residue on the skin. The Nourishing Lotion is a similarly quick-absorbing light lotion, and the Body Wash gives plenty of creamy lather which doesn't dry the skin out.
The Body Washes cost a mere £2.40, and the moisturisers cost £4.99. Which is pretty damn cheap, particularly given the lovely soft scents, which have none of the synthetic edge mass market body products can sometimes be lumbered with. All in all, they're a pretty good deal. Find them at Boots, Superdrug and other high street retailers now.
This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating our copyright.
Labels:
body,
dove,
moisturiser,
shower
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, 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.
Saturday, 25 August 2012
Paintbox Soapworks: Dead Leaves on the Dirty Ground Sorbetto and The Immaculate Confection Slip
These products are my first foray into Paintbox Soapworks. For those of you not in the know, the company make artisan soaps, scrubs, lotions and potions in a variety of interesting scents, sold via handmade goods powerhouse Etsy. Sorbetto is an emulsifying sugar scrub, and Slip is a hand and body lotion.
I chose to pick up the Sorbetto in Dead Leaves on the Dirty Ground, described as "the quiet, introspective side of fall", with notes of "woodsmoke, rustling leaves & the dark chill of an autumn night." It's a little more patchouli heavy than I'd imagined - perhaps a little too much for my own liking - but otherwise, the description is bang on - it's highly evocative of that rich, earthy scent you get during the autumn in woodlands. The scrub itself is rather lovely, and gentle enough to use reasonably frequently - the emulsifying action means that it's not massively intensive. The scent is gloriously intense in the shower, but doesn't linger on the skin after use.
The Immaculate Confection is a gloriously sweet fragrance with notes of chocolate, vanilla, honeycomb, and all things delicious. The scent makes me a little hungry, and I almost want to eat my own arm when it's coated in this stuff. I'm not normally one for body lotion - I hate having even slightly tacky or coated feeling limbs - but this one is a keeper. It's light, wonderfully slippy, and sinks in very quickly, leaving absolutely no residue on the skin whatsoever. The scent lingers on the skin for a good couple of hours before it fades.
Unfortunately, Paintbox Soapworks don't have these two specific products in stock any more - such is the nature of a small supplier producing small batches - but I'd highly recommend the texture of Slip, and whilst I've not been bowled over by Sorbetto, I do think it's a nice, gentle scrub I'd happily use again. Prices are around £6.50 for Sorbetto, and £5.20 for Slip - definitely not cheap, but given the interestingly different fragrances and the fact that you're supporting a small business, they're prices I'm willing to pay.
Find the range at the Paintbox Soapworks Etsy shop. Be warned that shipping is rather expensive, so it's generally worth buying more than one product at a time (like you need an excuse to do that!).
Labels:
body,
paintbox soapworks,
scrubs
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