Speed Review: Bodhi & Birch Mint The Bath & Shower Therapy

Anyone who knows me well can attest to the fact that I'm far from a morning person. As such, I'm always on the lookout for invigorating products to make my morning that little bit more bearable and it's for this reason that Bodhi & Birch Mint The Bath & Shower Therapy appealed to me. 

Bodhi & Birch describe the bath & shower gel as containing a revitalising fusion of peppermint, spearmint, eucalyptus, sweet marjoram and opulent frankincense to rejuvenate body and mind. 

My first impression was one of luxury thanks to the outer box which the product is presented in. I like that it's highlighted as a "refreshing" product for the aforementioned reasons. The plastic bottle itself looks chic and has a unisex design. I liked that it was transparent so that I could tell how much was remaining and appreciated the functionality of the pump dispenser, although its worth noting that I needed to use a few pumps to dispense my desired amount. 

Bodhi & Birch Mint The Bath & Shower Therapy is a thick golden gel which I was able to work into a lather easily. As the name suggests, mint is the predominant fragrance but it's a sophisticated scent with a depth to it, including a slight sweetness which isn't at all sickly or synthetic. I enjoyed the fragrance and would agree that it is refreshing and revitalising. I wasn't able to detect it on my skin following use. 

After my shower, my skin was left feeling clean but not stripped or tight. 

At £18 for 200ml, this is undeniably expensive but a pleasant treat. I'd like to see Bodhi & Birch Mint The Bath & Shower Therapy presented in a slightly larger bottle to represent better value for money but overall, I enjoyed using it and feel that it delivers on the claims. 

Speed Review: Argan+ Shea Collagen Rich Body Wash

The Argan+ range tends to grab my attention when I'm grocery shopping as it's stocked in my local supermarket and I usually use the special offers as an opportunity to try something from the range. I've recently been using the Argan+ Shea Collagen Rich Body Wash which is described by the company as nurturing and cleansing for dry skin.

The company say that it will envelop your skin and indulge your senses, combining a nourishing blend of Shea Butter and Coconut Oil to help moisturise dry skin. They state that Argan+ Shea Collagen Rich Body Wash is enriched with Collagen (as the name suggests) to help revitalise, along with scientifically proven ingredients to increase skin hydration for 12 hours, together with the unique Argan+ Synergy blend of oils (including Moroccan Argan Oil, Baobab Oil, Kukui Oil, Moringa Oil and Sacha Inchi Oil).

On first impressions, I liked the tube packaging which is functional albeit not the most luxurious in terms of appearance- it's clear that it's a wallet friendly brand.

Argan+ Shea Collagen Rich Body Wash has a pearlised gel cream texture which wasn't to my liking as I felt that it gave a cheap impression. It produced a generous lather but I felt as though I went through the tube fairly quickly so I'd recommend using with a bath puff to make it last longer. The scent is warming and comforting but again, there was something about it that I found cheap and synthetic (although perhaps that was psychological as a result of my impression of the texture!). That said, I couldn't detect the scent on my skin following use and didn't feel that it interfered with other fragrance.

Despite the claims, I didn't notice that my skin felt particularly nourished following use and I still needed to moisturise.

Argan+ Shea Collagen Rich Body Wash did the job of cleansing my body but overall, I didn't particularly enjoy the usage and was disappointed that it wasn't a more indulgent product. I don't feel that it is worth the price tag of £4.95 for 200ml and won't repurchase.

Speed Review: John Frieda Beach Blonde Kelp Help Deep Conditioning Masque

I love treating my tresses to a pampering hair mask once a week so even though I don't have blonde hair, this deep conditioning masque appealed to me, particularly because I love the idea of kelp as a key ingredient.

It's no secret that I'm not a fan of tub packaging so I'd have preferred the convenience of a tube but otherwise, I feel the presentation is well executed. I love the branding, which is well thought out with the "sea" theme. From the name of the product and Beach Blondes range, the inclusion of kelp as a key ingredient, the use of aquamarine colour on the packaging and even the fresh, oceanic fragrance- this is branding done well.

The directions were clear and easy to follow and I liked that the mask gets to work in under five minutes.

I really enjoyed the usage of this mask. I found the aforementioned oceanic fragrance to be very pleasant. It's quite refreshing with a hint of mint. The cream texture was easy to work through my hair and equally, was relatively easy to rinse out.

Following use, my hair looked impressively soft, smooth and shiny. It was manageable but my fine hair wasn't weighed down. It simply looked healthy. The scent didn't really linger but I did note that my hair smelt fresh and clean.

One point to note is that John Frieda Kelp Help Deep Conditioning Masque contains quite a high concentration of silicones so if you prefer to avoid these then this mask won't be for you.

Overall, I liked this mask and feels that it represents good value for money at £6.29 for 150ml.