Sunday 29 November 2015

Speed Review: Dr Nick Lowe The Secret Is Out Lifting Super Serum



I use a serum as a "booster" step in my daily skincare regime, after cleansing but before moisturising and I've recently been using Dr Nick Lowe The Secret is Out Lifting Super Serum, which is designed to smooth, firm & hydrate skin. 

On first impressions, I liked the packaging. The weighty, frosted glass bottle may not be the most practical for travel but it looked and felt relatively high end. I appreciated the functionality of the pump dispenser, which releases just the right amount of product with no wastage. I also liked that the turquoise bottle was sufficiently transparent to be able to tell how much product was remaining.

Despite containing Acai & Goji berries, these ingredients aren't reflected in the scent. I hated the chemical fragrance and didn't find the serum enjoyable to use for this reason. Having said that, it wasn't noticeable on skin following application. 

The gel texture meant that the serum was easy to smooth onto skin and it absorbed quickly. The texture reminded me of a primer and I wasn't surprised to see silicones on the ingredients list. It worked well under makeup. 

Unfortunately, Dr Nick Lowe The Secret Is Out Lifting Super Serum didn't feel particularly nourishing and for this reason, I'd be unlikely to repurchase. Hydrating benefits are one of the main things I look for when choosing a serum as I feel that this helps to address my dehydrated skin's needs. I'd prefer to use a serum with a milky texture, as I generally find these to be more hydrating. 

Dr Nick Lowe The Secret Is Out Lifting Super Serum costs £25.99 for 30ml.



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Thursday 5 November 2015

Speed Review: Blend Collective Rich Restoring Hand Cream (Unwinding Sandalwood & Frankincense)



Blend Collective is a brand which has always appealed to me, with the cool yet chic packaging which features bold magazine-style font as part of the design, standing out when I've seen the products on shop shelves. As such, when I met with one of the founders of the natural British brand and she gifted me the Rich Restoring Hand Cream in Unwinding Sandalwood & Frankincense, I was excited to try it.

As well as being aesthetically pleasing, the tube packaging is also functional. I liked that, rather than having a screw top or flip lid, the silver cap is simply twisted to open. Admittedly, some people may find this messy but I liked that it avoided wastage. What's more, the 75ml size means that it's travel friendly.

The cream itself has a relatively thick texture and a pale yellow colour. It is easily absorbed, however, it's worth bearing in mind that a little goes a long way. If you use a generous amount, a greasy residue is left albeit only for a short time.

The scent, which lingers on skin, wasn't to my personal liking. The musty, botanical blend which includes sandalwood, frankincense, cedarwood, neroli, clary sage, lavendar and patchouli reminded me of 1970s hippy fragrances. However, the brand does also feature hand creams as part of their Enlivening (Sicilian lemon, lime, May Chang and myrtle) and Balancing (star jasmine, geranium, vetiver, rose and black cherry) ranges.

That said, the blend of ingredients including shea butter, cacoa butter, aloe juice and seabuckthorn oils makes for a nourishing formula which leaves hands feeling hydrated and wonderfully conditioned.

At £15 for 75ml, I feel as though Blend Collective Rich Restoring Hand Cream is ever so slightly overpriced & I wouldn't repurchase but nonetheless, there's something about the brand which continues to appeal to me so I may investigate other products in future.

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Tuesday 3 November 2015

Speed Review: Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash

 

 
Soap & Glory is one of my favourite bodycare brands and I don't think that I'm alone as I'm yet to come across someone who doesn't like the affordable brand. In particular, I adore some of their body scrubs and have previously written a rave review of Sugar Crush Body Scrub (click here to read) so I was excited to try the Body Wash from the same line.
 
The packaging is in keeping with the brand's fun image thanks to the pink colour of the plastic bottle and bold use of font. Despite being pink, the bottle is sufficiently transparent so as to be able to tell how much product remains which I appreciated. I liked the functionality of the pump dispenser.
 
Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash has a creamy texture akin to a very lightweight lotion. I found it relatively easy to work into a generous lather, although a bath puff would help with this.
 
I'm a big fan of the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush fragrance, which is described as sweet lime and sugar, and this was no exception. I found it to be reminiscent of a summer cocktail and whilst it's sweet, it's not sickly. I found it uplifting but wouldn't necessarily say that it's energising. I didn't notice that the scent lingered on my skin following use. Likewise, whilst it's not especially drying, I didn't notice any nourishing benefits to my skin (despite the claims, I didn't really expect to) & I needed to moisturise following use.

I feel that at £6.50 for a generously sized 500ml bottle, Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash offers good value for money and I'd certainly consider repurchasing.
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