Last week a fantastic parcel arrived and I was very excited to give one of them a try (The others in the box were Xmas Presents for a special lady I know) . In the past I tend to have used hand wash instead of soaps due to the fact that soap bars dry my hands terribly . The ones I have tried tend to be gorgeous aromas of lilly , rose or some other sort of flower and they are usually a cream wash but this time I wanted to give a fresh citrus scent a go. Product description- A sulfate-free hand wash formulated with Organic Sicilian Lemon Oil known for its antibacterial properties and its fresh, uplifting fragrance. Gentle cleansing agents derived from Corn, Coconut and Oat respect the skin and help prevent dryness. Ingredients- Aqua (Water), Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Citrus Medica Limonum (lemon) Peel Oil, Lactic Acid, Panthenol, Citral, Ethylhexylglycerin. Cost- 300ml - £15.00 My thoughts on this product-
I have to begin by saying how much I love the uplifting fragrance of the hand wash. The citrus lemony scent is so invigorating it opened my senses and left me feeling fresh and clean. The bottle is easy to use, with a one hand pumping action , you only need one short burst of the hand wash to get a fantastic lather which fills your hands with soft , conditioning bubbles . Having this hand wash is a fantastic sink essential for me ( I would also love to own a small handy tube for my out and about travels) , the creamy lather leaves my skin feeling clean and soft afterwards and there was no sign of drying out the skin which is always fantastic considering my hands are always in water during the day at some point. I do feel the price is a little high for my usual hand wash but it most definitely is a skin treat that I would not resist buying if ever I did come across a bargain offer in the near future.
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For many years, E45 has been a cream that both the children and us adults have used to treat dry, irritated and upset skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. It was only two weeks a go that my daughter came in from her usual school trip to the swimming baths and had a quite angry looking rash on her arm which caused her some aggravation. My daughter has never suffered with skin conditions such as eczema but the chlorine in the swimming baths and the fact that her body is changing due to hormone levels flared up a very sore looking rash which had to be dealt with sooner rather than later. We have always had an endless supply of E45 in our home , from the huge bottles to the small handy tubes that can be carried around in my hand bag and so I grabbed another tube when we were out at our local Superdrug to keep topped up and handed it to my daughter so she could have her own little handy tube to. Her very sore arm seemed to clear up within two days and she is now happy once again till Friday I suspect when she returns but least she will have her cream if it unfortunately happens again. Last week I received the new range and this time it was the E4 hand care line . E45's new hand care range have three different products available and all have their own uses.
So as you can already guess by now this formula is perfect for those who have dry skin . What do they have to say about their hand creams- Colder weather doesn’t have to mean dry hands and E45’s new range of moisturising hand creams provide a range of ways to help nourish and restore the dry skin, leaving your hands feeling soft, supple and beautiful.
I have two of the creams to share with you today .
Both creams are going to be used in our home , the Intense recovery will be forced onto my husband to works daily with his hands in chemicals working on vehicles day in and day out and so softening up those rough hands especially when the cold weather tends to make them worse is definitely something he is in need of . The other hand cream , Protect and Repair is my perfect nightly regime partner so I will be and have had for the past week , keep this on my bedside unit and have been using this routinely each night. Repair and Protect - Cost- £3.99 What they say about the cream- Find the goodness of E45 lotions in this overnight hand cream.
Ingredients Aqua, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, Sodium Gluconate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-40 Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethylimidazolidinone Rice Starch, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annus Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Polyquaternium-51 My thoughts- Just like any other E45 cream this, although specially for the hands , is perfect for overnight but also perfect for during the colder weathers due to its protection formula. This thick cream is almost like a protection barrier cream which I have to say is exactly what my daughter has been using it for this past two weeks due to an allergy she has developed during her school swimming lessons. Since using this she has not only gave her skin a lovely nourished look but it has been a fantastic barrier to stop the chlorine getting onto her skin and also reducing the rash which had appeared due to the chlorine allergy beforehand . Intense recovery - Cost- £3.99 What they say about the cream- Find the goodness of E45 lotions in this overnight hand cream.
Ingredients- Aqua, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Prunus AmygdalusDulcis Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, BHT My thoughts- For me this is the thicker of the two creams and I only need a little of it to get a lovely soft coverage finish on my skin. The intense recovery really does leave your skin feeling the smoothest ever instantly and the light texture soothes the skin making it feel relieved of any tightness or dry snagging. This is the one I will be giving to my husband to so to soften his rough hard skinned hands as you can see how lovely it has has nourished my dry hands with only one use. E45 creams can be bought from Boots.com but if you need to find out more about their products then please go over to the E45 website .
All in all , both of the creams impressed me but for me being a mum who has my hands in water most of the day , the repair and protect is the winner , not as thick as the intense recovery which is what I would normally go for but works fantastically on my very dry , thirsty skin . Have you given the new E45 hand creams a try yet, will you ? Let me know! About Gilchrist & Soames - For me, my first experience of this brand was back in September when my husband and I shared a weekend away in a beautiful hotel for our Anniversary . The hotel was splendid and we were provided with some overnight essentials courtesy of the hotel. For over thirty years, Gilchrist & Soames have supplied fine products to some of the biggest and best hotels , spas and resorts throughout the world . Gilchrist & Soames is based in Indianapolis, Indiana and Peterborough, England. The company is wholly-owned by Swander Pace Capital, San Francisco and label it on their products with pride. Their products give a sense of luxury and the aromas are close to nature as can possibly be while the textures are as soft as home itself. Gilchrist & Soames are affordable and they have a vast range of hair, body and soaps , catering for all skin types . The brand pride themselves on measuring and reducing their carbon footprint to studying their ingredients impact on soil and water to creating more recyclable and less wasteful packaging, they vow to talk the talk and walk gently. The thing I love about this brand is the affordability and natural ingredients within the products. Their products always make me feel that little bit more pampered than with drugstore brands. After sharing my thoughts on the London Jet set travel pack from Gilchrist & Soames last month I was delighted to hear from a lovely lady asking me if they could send me another set to review . This time they wanted to share with me their Essentiel Elements Jet Set Travel Pack, very similar but this time it is a Rosemary aroma that is embedded into this set. Essentiels Elements Jet set Travel Pack Cost- £10.00 Gilchrist & Soames' famous toiletries are now packable and security-friendly. We're now offering you downsized versions of our prized potions with the Jet Set™ Travel Pack. The TSA-approved, 45ml portions - including the popular Essentiel Elements Wake-Up Rosemary shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion - are stored in a clear, waterproof tote that breezes through security for a no-stress travel experience.
My thoughts on this Essentiel Elements Ttravel Set- First impressions are something that is a make or break in the buying for me. The first travel set I tried had a clean and luxurious look to it with its clear bottles , bold black lids and white labelling but this time the packaging seems to be a little more natural looking to me. It gives me the impression they are going for a natural , low carbon footprint with its recycled brown coloured bottle , hardened ,silver foil type lid and still the white label yet it has a little darker shading to it with a bolder print. They both come in a clear waterproof wash bags which makes it great for travelling and the sets seem to cover the essential needs for an overnight stay except the toothbrush and toothpaste which you should know to pack anyway. For me, I prefer the London Jet Set Look , like I said, it seems to scream luxury , clean and crisp and I specifically love the printing of the brands name on top of each lid, but from an all natural , eco friendly follower, this is the perfect cuteness for taking away with you, knowing this is doing its best to ''Walk gently'' with nature as they say . So lets take a closer look at the products themselves..... The size of the products are the same as the previous travel set and this ensures me that the amount is ideal for those weekend breaks away although a little unsure as to why we have two saddle soaps in the set. I think only one is suffice. Shampoo & Conditioner- If you do not like the strong scent of Rosemary then this is something you may want to stay clear from. I get a very strong scent of peppermint when opening the bottle and it stays poignant after washing and drying the hair for a while. For me a refreshing shampoo is just what I was in need of after a busy shopping weekend and it woke me up using it. The shampoo worked well in lathering through my hair and I did only use half of this so this size bottle was usable for two times for my thick course hair. The hair felt clean but not dry which is what concerned me initially with the peppermint and coupled with the conditioner it left my hair feeling clean and moisturised. On its own I can clearly see that my hair looks clean but looks a little flat, only when I use the conditioner along with it does it show full benefits . My hair gets that added shine and soft feeling wearing them together and considering I need a lot of conditioner in my hair to achieve a half decent finish , this actually worked in my favour using less than my average palm full. The thing I found with the textures of these is the fact that the shampoo has a silky non sticky feel , an average consistency I would say ,whereas the conditioner I had a struggle to release from the bottle itself. It was so thick that I in fact had to get something pointy to poke in side of the bottle to ease it out . The conditioner is less poignant of peppermint than the shampoo which is a little more calming and in my opinion , I would say this is what brought my hair to a less dull and flat look. It conditioned my hair well and left it feeling soft and bouncy. Shower gel- The shower gel is something I really looked forward to trying . I know I usually go for citrus scents (usually my showers consists of a morning blitz to wake me up for the day ahead) but using the previous travel set from Gilchrist & Soames I knew it would be a lovely shower gel to indulge in after that busy hectic day on my feet and I was not wrong. The scent of Rosemary is a little more apparent in this gel than their hair products where it was the peppermint you could smell most and I prefer that it is a little more subtle to my liking (although it still have a very strong aroma of both ingredients) which are lasting on the skin after showering. The lather of this is perfect for those shower puffs, only a tiny amount and their are bubbles delight conditioning and cleaning the skin in all its glory. I love that this does not dry out my skin and the Organic chemical compound - Vitamin E leaves those essential oils where they should be on my skin whilst leaving my skin clean and feeling fabulous. Body Lotion- Usually my skin is always thirsty for a thick body lotion and drinking it in to my skin like it struggles to hydrate itself I go through quite a lot of it. I rarely find a body lotion I like but this is one of the products of this brand I never seem to find fault with. The light feeling soft , creamy texture glides like silk on to my skin and leaves it feeling softer than ever before. This is definitely something I would recommend to those who have thirsty skin but look for a light weighing moisturiser . Saddle Soaps- Like I say , not sure why they add two in this set but I am not complaining as it is a little more for the money where you only got one saddle soap in the London jet set and I am sure you will agree that more is better when it comes to sets of goodies. I am very much a fan of saddle soaps, not much of the name but the fact that they are adorably cute and perfect for those sink hand washes. I admit having stolen a couple from the hotel stays I have had has become a must and it has probably been from the same brand anyway hence why I loved them , well they do say they are complimentary . This saddle soap duo looks a little less creamier than the other in London set but does not fail to achieve the same amazing lather and I now have it sitting on the sink of my quest toilet . My children keep saying to me its the posh soap lol and I tell them it is. _Conclusion-
Travel sets come in handy for me not because I travel a lot but for the fact I like little sets I can put into a waterproof wash bag and take back to my bedroom to hide away from my daughters and eldest son who love nothing more than sneaking my favourite bathroom products. I also think that they are a fantastic opportunity to try new products which would otherwise be put to one side . For me these sets are a perfect little gift for those you care about and if your looking for something bigger then take a peak at their amazing gift sets which I am sure are going to be popular this Christmas. I have my eye on the Premium Spa Therapy Bath Set - £47.00 ,for those who love sea plants and sea water experience in their beauty products and also their Verde Gift Set - £38.50 , which is an abundance of Mediterranean, botanical extracts. For more information on Gilchrist & Soames please check out their Website and also their Twitter and Facebook pages . I have been quite bad with toners, It has only been recently I have really understood the importance of using one and so when I seen that one of my loved brands were bringing one out I took the opportunity to give the Racinne Aqua Blanc Tonic ago , I most certainly added it to my other Racinne collection. Racinne is one of the brands that I have been enjoying a lot of recently since trying their Illuminating cream last year and so having a toner to go with it certainly appealed to me. Description- Ultimate beauty protection toner- With the natural moisturising elements of snow lotus callus and aloe vera extracts, this toner improves skin tissue and the skin's self - renewal cycle. The natural ingredients form a protective layer that further improves dullness revealing fresh luminous skin. Ingredients- Aqua, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, Nelumbo Nucifera Callus Culture Extract, Phenoxyethanol, PEG- 60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Royal Jelly Extract, Pearl Extract, Tromethamine, Alcohol, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, Xanthan Gum, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Sophora Japonica Flower Extract, Fructan, Acetyl Tyrosine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Paeoniasuffruticosa root extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract. Directions- Twice a day, apply a small amount on the cleansed face. For optimal results follow up with Aqua Blanc Concentrate. It can be use to set make-up and refresh stressed skin. Ultimate Aqua Blanc Tonic can be bought from Racinne and costs £18.50. My thoughts on this product-
The first think I notice with this toner is the fact that it is a spray and not an open lid bottle. Sprays always make things a lot easier for me as I hate using cotton balls on my face. Somehow the products seem to dissolve and be wasted and I end up with bits of cotton bud all over my face having to pull it off . The spray is so even at distributing, it only takes two sprays to get a full neck and face cover. Having no waste also means this is going to last a lot longer and save me a few extra pennies . I have had this now for 6 months and it is still going strong with only 3/4 of the bottle used. The rest of the bottle is the standard casing , plain but straight to the point with a description that tells me exactly what it does. My thirsty skin seems to love drinking this up and I find my self regularly giving my face a quick spritz during the hot weather to instantly cool down and hydrate the face. Your face feels amazingly fresh and I have fell in love with this completely. This tonic is the first thing I use after cleaning my face on a morning, it wakes me up and my skin feels and looks refreshed , I also use it when I am not wearing any make up to brighten the look of my face and give i a healthy glow . You just feel more confident wearing nothing more than this tonic so I have to admit I have gone bare for few weeks since wearing it . Over all the product fits my needs. I love how the spray top saves me time and has no need for using cotton buds and the fact this refreshes my face instantly. I have to admit I have seen no difference in the toning side of things but as a refreshing moisture for my face it is fantastic. Have you tried this product, what do you think? Over the summer , my skin had become a little dry due to the sun we had and I thought it was only right that I took out my Katherine Daniels Trial Kit for Dry Skin to resolve the issue. I do get dry skin on my face quite regular , especially around the nose area and forehead and so when I seen the kit and a few great reviews I had come across over on bloglovin, I was pretty sure it would help or maybe I just really wanted to try something new I am not quite sure, either way I just wanted to have the cute little kit in my handy over night bag. In the Trial Kit ,you get- 50ml Essential Cleansing Milk 50ml Essential Toning Lotion 30ml Dry Skin Cream Costs - £32.50 Can be bought from Katherinedanielscosmetics.com How to use-
Lets take a look at each product separately, it is only fair- Essential Cleansing Milk - 50ml Product Description- A light emulsion which transforms into a fluid texture upon contact with the skin. The Essential Cleansing Milk is rich in minerals and trace elements which are vital to skin health. The cleansing milk leaves the skin clean , fresh and radiant, whilst Glycerine improves skin hydration. Ingredients- Aqua (water), Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Parfum (fragrance), Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Chlorphenesin, Maris Aqua (sea water), Chlorphexidine Digluconate, Algae Extract, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, C1 15985 (yellow 6) My thoughts- First of all , this cleansing milk is very thick, certainly milk like but just a tad thicker. For my routine , I prefer a more refreshing citrus like cleanser for my skin to awaken on a morning. To me this feels more of an evening makeup remover . It is perfect for removing dirt and grime on the evenings before going to bed. The formula is very gentle and light and after removing it with a warm flannel, my face is left feeling soft yet not stripped from it's natural benefits. To me the cleansing milk is a little on the watery side , I am not sure this is a good or bad thing as the oils on my skin stop it from soaking in. Due to it not soaking in , it stops a thorough clean but it does keep my skin feeling nourished and soft. Having thirsty skin, sometimes dry at that! I am not sure how the slight natural oils are stopping the cleansing milk bypassing to get the cleanse I desire. Maybe it needs to be a tad thicker in texture. Essential Toning Lotion - 50ml Product Description- An alcohol - free toner enriched with soothing components of Red Seaweed Extract. This toning lotion leaves the skin completely clean, fresh and comfortable. Ingredients- Aqua (water), Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Maris Aqua (sea water), Parfum (freagrance), Chlorphenesin, Magnesium PCA, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Water, Nymphaea Coerulea Flower Water, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Hydrolized Pearl , Maris Sal (sea salt), Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Algae Exract, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Tromethamine, Cucurbita Pepo (pumpkin) Seed Extract, C1 15985 (yellow 6) My thoughts- I am not usually one for wearing toners, I seem to be more a serum kind of girl. However this has taken to me like chocolate to strawberries. The scent is divine, it actually lingers on your skin and I can smell it through out the day. I have found that patting the toner onto the skin other than wiping it on and rubbing it in makes all the difference. The toner soaks into the skin very well and leaves no trace except from the lovely aroma. The toner does not contain alcohol, which I know many other brands do, this makes me feel like my skin is not going to dry my skin out even more . The red seaweed extract gives a soothing feeling to my skin, it feels subtle with no tightness sensation left afterwards. You do not need a lot of this product, the smallest amount goes a very long way which means it will last a long time. I would certainly recommend this toner , my skin is left feeling pampered. Dry Skin Cream - 20ml Product Description - An easily absorbed cream for dry skin. The skin cream defends the skin against the environment as well as boosting collagen and elastin production. It is rich in triglycerides and phytosqualane, natural oil production is re-ignited. Your skin will be soft, supple and rejuvenated. Ingredients- Aqua (water), Caprylic/capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Steareth-2, Squalane, Vitis Vinifera (grape_ Seed oil, Cetearyl Alcohol , Steareth-21, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Maris Aqua (sea water), Sodium PCA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylene Glycol, Parfum (fragrance), Chlorphenesin, Tromethamine, Algae Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Disodium EDTA, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Hydrolized Pearl, Maris Sal (sea salt), Artemia Extract, BHT, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Sorbate, C1-15985 (yellow 6), Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4. Efficiency Test Results for Dry Skin Cream: Reduction of the overall wrinkled surface measured on 81% after 56 days.* Smoothing effect measured on 77% after 56 days. My thoughts- If you have read my previous posts on creams and lotions , you will know how much I love a thick cream. I actually expected this cream to be slightly thin after using the cleansing milk and was very much surprised. The texture felt very smooth and thick , perfect for my thirsty cells. You only need a small amount to get a lovely coverage on your face and neck (don't forget the neck, it is as important as your face ). My face is instantly left feeling soft and moisturised , no dry area is noticed in touch or sight and I absolutely love it. I have to admit , there are some face creams I have hated due to the fact they do not seem thick enough and leave an oily look on my face. In some instances , I have found myself using a body cream to have that luxurious thick creamy coverage to hydrate my skin . This cream however does everything a face cream should. Although the cream is thick , it feels light on my skin and moisturises it perfectly. Out of the whole kit, this is my most impressionable product, I will certainly be purchasing this in the full size . Conclusion- Using a trial kit , I would normally expect very little difference, especially due to having the bottles so small and not getting a good week use out of them.
This kit gives you a good three to four week use and although the price is quite high for a trial kit , it will certainly feel worth it. The Katherine Daniels Cosmetics Trial Kit is definitely a luxury product , suitable for young to old and kind to the skin. I am not very keen on the Cleansing milk, maybe that has something to do with the fact that I am not much of a fan of them anyway , but I do love the toning lotion and the cream. My face feels and looks smoother, cleaner and feels fresher than before with the moisture benefit . Having no alcohol means my face is not left stripped of it's natural goodness and I feel rejuvenated . The kit is ideal if you look for something luxurious and light on your skin. Fell free to let me know if you have tried this brand before or if you are going to be giving it ago. |