Friday 6 December 2013

Christmas Countdown: Jurlique Hydra Control Body Essentials Gift Set



Today's Christmas Countdown features a gift idea that's ideal for any green goddesses on your festive shopping list... the Jurlique Hydra Control Body Essentials Gift Set.
 
 
 
 
Jurlique Hydra Control Body Essentials Gift Set is presented in a large box with festive red sleeve that reads "The Magic of Natural Beauty" and which slides off to reveal an eco themed (yet far from worthy) gold and cardboard brown box with a pretty winter wreath design.
 
The Gift Set contains a trio of full-sized indulgent body care products from the brand new Hydra Control body care range: Moisture Revive Shower Gel, Perfect Polish Body Scrub and Ultra Rich Body Lotion.
I often find it to be the case with Christmas gift sets that there tends to be one "filler" product which realistically won't be used but each of the products inside the Hydra Control Body Essentials Gift Set lives up to the "essentials" name and is sure to be a welcomed addition to any bathroom.


 
 
As soon as I opened the box, I was hit with the incredible botanical fragrance which instantly gave an impression of luxury and high quality ingredients. Each of the products was wrapped in red tissue paper.
 
 
 
I've been testing out the three products and thought it would be useful to share my thoughts in a mini review, as follows:
 
Jurlique Hydra Control Moisture Revive Shower Gel
The packaging of this really appealed to me thanks to the squared-off edges on the bottle which add an instantly chic appearance. I liked the functionality of the pump dispenser, the fact that I could tell how much product was remaining through the bottle and I found the matte plastic bottle to be both tactile to hold and bathroom friendly (no smashed bottles on my tiles!).
The shower gel has a jelly-like texture and despite being free from SLS (a major plus point because I find SLS drying on my skin), I was able to work Jurlique Hydra Control Moisture Revive Shower Gel into a generous lather. It sounds strange but this was the softest shower gel I've ever used and I loved how gentle it felt. I was interested to note that the second ingredient is Glycerin- a wonder worker on dehydrated skin as it helps to retain moisture. It also contains pure flower extracts with the ingredients list reading like the components of a pretty wild flower spring posy- daisy, rose, honeysuckle and violet, yet it has the same botanical scent as the other products in the trio. I wouldn't say that it was particularly floral nor did I notice the citrus element that tends to be including in "reviving" products.
Hydra Control Moisture Revive Shower Gel is available to buy individually and at £14 for 250ml, I would consider re-purchasing.
 
 
 
Jurlique Hydra Control Perfect Polish Body Scrub
The packaging of the Body Scrub may not be the most lust-worthy but I liked the matte rubberised feel of it and appreciated the functionality of the tube format.
The scrub itself has a gel texture with small, sand-like exfoliating particles made up of pumice, apricot seed powder, olive seed powder and passion flower seed powder (in quantity order per the ingredients list). The scent was pleasant, with botanical notes and I was able to work the scrub into a light lather during use.
 
 
 
Personally, I found that the scrub lacked the satisfyingly abrasive quality that I favour, particularly during winter and I wondered if the reason for including such a gentle scrub in the gift set might be down to the fact that Jurlique is an Australian brand and Christmas falls in the Southern Hemisphere's Summer. It's the type of scrub that I'd veer towards for a couple of weeks in the summer when I want something gentle enough to keep my tan looking fresh without being so effective that I lose the bronzed glow. It reminded me slightly of Hei-Poa's Black Sand Body Scrub thanks to the combination of a gel texture with pumice particles. Having said this, I found that it worked well used as a hand scrub because it was gentle without being drying.
Unlike scrubs which use sugar or salt as the exfoliant, the granules in Jurlique Hydra Control Perfect Polish Body Scrub didn't dissolve and I was left with a messy residue in the shower. However, it didn't leave an oily residue on my skin and thanks to the natural ingredients, my skin wasn't left feeling uncomfortably tight and dry either.
Hydra Control Perfect Polish Body Scrub is the product within the set that I'd be least likely to repurchase individually, particularly given the relatively high price tag of £15 for 150ml.

Jurlique Hydra Control Ultra Rich Body Lotion
Again, I really liked the packaging of this, which mirrors that of the complementary shower gel and I appreciated the functionality of the pump dispenser.
Whilst I wasn't exactly wowed by the Body Scrub, I loved the Hydra Control Ultra Rich Body Lotion. It has the same botanical scent as the other products in the trio, which is grown up and quite simply, smells expensive.
The name "ultra rich body lotion" perfectly captures the product inside- the texture of the product is akin to a rich lotion. It's quickly absorbed into skin as a lotion would be and leaves absolutely no residue (a major plus) yet has the long-lasting, hydrating qualities that you'd expect from something with a thicker texture. My skin was left feeling wonderfully conditioned and delicately scented but with no greasy residue.


Hydra Control Ultra Rich Body Lotion is the most expensive of the trio to purchase alone, at £20 for 250ml- but it's worth it.

The Jurlique Hydra Control Body Essentials Gift Set is exclusively available at Marks & Spencer and costs £35. That's a saving of £14 compared with buying the products individually so essentially you're getting the Shower Gel and beautiful packaging for free!
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