The new Herbal Essences

As an avid fan of Herbal Essences, I've been using it as long as I can remember, the new version is something I felt worth reviewing. I've used many different shampoos over the years, but I keep finding myself coming back to Herbal Essences. It's cheap, cheerful, smells wonderful and always leaves my hair feeling soft and healthy, what's not to like? I've used more expensive products in the past, not vastly expensive, but mid-range professional products from the likes of Toni and Guy, Trevor Sorbie, Mark Hill and Lee Stafford. Whilst these shampoos seem to work wonders for my hair at first, I soon feel the need to wash my hair again. They all seem to leave a residue in my hair, that to start with I can't feel, but the build-up is more excessive than cheaper alternatives I've used. So I've come to realise that all the fancy ingredients just don't really suit my hair-type.

I mainly used the shampoos for coloured hair, where originally there were three types, the Fruit Fusions range, the Rainforest Flowers range and the traditional Herbal Essences. Now there is just one shampoo for coloured hair which is available in a bright pink bottle (not to be confused with the Seductively Straight range which is the same colour). This one contains acai berry and silk extracts, and to me, smells exactly like the tradional Herbal Essences smell.

Compared to the old version, I don't really think the new Herbal Essences performs any better. I think the purpose behind changing is to make it more simple for the consumer. Rather than have three different shampoos for the same purpose there is now only one. Dazzling Shine is to replace the Moisture Balance shampoo and the Dazzling Shine shampoos that were available in the Fruit Fusions and Rainforest Flowers range. Many of the shampoos have not changed but had the packaging altered; Hello Hydration directly replaces the Deep Nourishment and Shine shampoo with the formulation being exactly the same. Frizz Fighter is the replacement for the Rainforest Flowers Sensuously Smooth, Seductively Straight for Silk n' Shine, Uplifting Volume for Fruit Fusions Citrus Lift, Fresh Balance for the Greasy Roots, Dry Ends range. As well as these replacements, there are also a few new shampoos being introduced to the range including No Flakin' Way which acts as an anti-dandruff shampoo, Breakage Defender and It's a Curl Thing.

So the verdict: the new Herbal Essences have not exactly been improved in terms of their ingredients but the new range makes it more simple to choose one that suits your hair type. It's a clever bit of marketing because I think by providing an alternative to their old range they are able to maintain existing customers, but the introduction of new ranges will bring new customers. I got used to using the Rainforest Flowers range so I will miss this but won't stop using the brand for this reason. The new packaging is also quite appealing. They are now brightly coloured and look good together on the shelf because they fit together. I will continue to use Herbal Essences for the time being and if you're in doubt, visit the website and get yourself a free sample from the new range.

Nivea Natural Beauty review

New from Nivea Visage is the Natural Beauty range which includes Radiance Boosting Daily Scrub. The scrub comes in a 150ml bottle and contains mango milk, cashmere proteins and fine scrub particles. What I particularly like about this scrub over many other facial scrubs I've tried is that the scrub particles are really, really fine so this is a very gentle exfoliator. There are a lot of scrubs out there that you can literally feel scrubbing away the surface of your skin which can be a bit off putting. If you want to use an exfoliator every day, and this one is designed for every day use, it's kinder for the skin to use a gentle exfoliator.
The scrub is recommended for all skin types, and while my skin stype is normal/oily, I feel this is a good cleanser for me. Oily skin can lead to more breakouts, but by using this scrub I am removing the impurities from my skin and (hopefully) reducing the number of breakouts I get. I haven't used this long enough to decide whether it delivers a "radiant complexion", but so far I'm impressed. By exfoliating the skin and removing dead skin cells, this scrub is providing a good cleaning action for my skin.



The purpose of the Natural Beauty range is to promote healthy skin with an even complexion that shouldn't have a need for make-up! At least this is what I can gather from their website:



Having a radiant and even complexion makes you look and feel beautiful. Using a foundation to achieve this look is sometimes disappointing as it can appear unnatural.



I'm happy with this product, the smell is gorgeous, it's very simple to apply and the result is visibily clear skin, however, I don't think I'll be ditching the foundation just yet.

Sweet Kiss by Bourjois

I'm not usually one for buying a lot of lipsticks, and I try not to be one for getting suckered in to fancy packaging. However, I couldn't resist this new lipstick range from Bourjois when I saw it. Attracted partly by the introductory price and partly by the package, I decided to try this because up to now I haven't been disappointed by Bourjois, they offer affordable, good quality, long lasting make-up products.

The case is a vibrant, shiny purple, with a silver switch on the side. You move the switch down to release the lipstick which is then in a metal silver twist up case. I chose the shade Rouge sur mesure which is a classic red colour. It looks like a brilliant red colour, and if you apply a swatch on your hand and then smudge the colour, you see the pink undertones in the lipstick, so it's not such a dark red colour to wear.

So as someone who doesn't buy a lot of lipstick, this is a very bold colour. I usually focus on eye make-up, and creating ways to make them stand out, but to complete this look I would keep eye make-up very minimal and classic, just some black eyeliner across the top lid and mascara. I think this creates a look that can be adapted for day or night time, it can brighten up an otherwise dull outfit in the day, or bring alive a simple black dress at night.

The colour pay off of this lipstick is fantastic. When using it, I started off with a clear lipliner and used a lip brush to apply the colour rather than applying it directly to my lips. Despite how bright and richly pigmented it is, it's surprisingly easy to use. The lipstick is so moisturising, that it just glides on, feeling very natural. It isn't moisturising in a lipgloss, sticky or wet kind of way, but just feels like you're not wearing anything on your lips at all. For me this is a definite advantage of the lipstick and is why I rate it quite highly. I have found it difficult to find a lipstick that offers pure colour with almost a matte finish without it being too drying on my lips and usually I find moisturising lipsticks too gloss like, not always a look I want to go for. Sweet Kiss however only gives a subtle shine, plus the clever design of the package is something I want to keep reaching this product for!

T'eo

T'eo is a product that has received many mixed reviews from people. It's loved and hated aswell as left many people undecided if it's a deodrant they want to continue using. I bought this deodrant bar with little expectations, even from a brand such as Lush, I didn't expect I could find a "natural" deodrant that actually worked. Using T'eo has left me pleasantly surprised. This is supposed to be the hardest working of all the Lush deodrants available, with tea tree, lemon and juniper as the active ingredients. The scent of this bar is incredibly zesty and fresh, and when applied correctly, leaves you feeling fresh all day.

The main ingredient is sodium bicarbonate which in its powdered form, along with the magnesium carbonate help to absorb odours. The blue appearance underneath is from the wax that's used to hold the bar together. The best way to apply it, so it stays on for a while is to gently dab the bar on your armpit, rather than rub or roll as you do with a conventional deodrant. I've also found that occasionally filing the bar, for example with a nail file produces more powder and is easier to apply. I'm not sure how I'd feel about this product if I had a lifestyle that included a lot of physical activity and exercise. Admittedly I never use for this gym because I don't have that much faith in it and want to avoid an embarrassing situation, and so do from time to time go back to a conventional anti-perspirant.

I'm really very happy with the way this deodrant works on a day to day basis and so will continue to use it as my everyday deodrant. I do feel like its necessary though for a bit of extra help sometimes so I'm not entirely against using an aluminium based deodrant and at least for the most part I'm avoiding putting harsh chemicals in sensitive areas. Another point to add about this product is it's durability. I'm not sure you could carry this bar around with you in your bag, its quite hard and sturdy but the powder does crumble away and I can imagine it crumbling much quicker if it was to get knocked about too much. I use this pretty much only once or twice a day, and only when I'm home, so there's no need to carry it about for me. It's lasted an incredibly long time too so has potentially saved me a little bit of money.

Up the Wooden Hill

An innovative new product from Lush is the "emotibomb". This is pretty much the same concept as a bath bomb but for your shower. Currently there are four different emotibombs, the one I chose to try out is called "Up the Wooden Hill", chosen because I usually shower in the evening and the other emotibombs contained ingredients meant to awaken you whereas this one contains sleep inducing ingredients such as lavendar and camomile.

I'm a huge fan of the Lush bath ballistics and bubble bars so I was expecting great things with this product too. I'm sorry to say that the idea of this product appeals to me much more than the reality. I didn't really know how to use this product, the instructions just say to place it on the floor of your shower and when the water hits the bomb it creates a steam. I put this in my shower at the start, and the scent it created was really lovely, but by the time I'd moved on to shampooing/conditioner/shower gel, I didn't really notice the smell anymore.

In hidsight, I could've used the emotibomb after my other cleaning rituals and I might've enjoyed the fragrance a little longer. But the idea of standing in the shower isn't quite as relaxing as lying in the bath which for me defeated the purpose of the product. The scent is very calming though so I'd consider using it again maybe as a bath bomb so the product doesn't end up washed away within minutes.

Herbalism

I stumbled upon this one accidently, after leaving my Angels on Bare Skin behind at a friend's house. Not being able to live without my miracle facewash I had to buy some more. However when I was inside Lush, like any other time I'm in there I can't help but look at every other item the shop has to offer. I always find the displays enticing, especially when you get to see the items full size before they've been measured and cut down.
This facial cleanser is aimed at oilier and problem skin, moreso than Angels I think. The label states: "Join the cult and achieve beautiful skin. Clean, Control excess oil, prevent breakouts."

Herbalism is quite similar to Angels in the way it appears and the way you use it. Although it's a vibrant green colour, the consistency is much like Angels although not at as sludgy, and more crumbly. Again you just need to take a pea-sized amount, mix it with a drop of water and rub together to form a paste like substance. Herbalism does however have a few obvious differences to Angels. Namely the smell of the products are VERY different. I've noticed some people comment on the smell of Angels not being very pleasant. All I can say is if you don't like it, then you should probably give this a miss because the smell of Herbalism was almost enough to put me off buying the product. I do believe though, that the ingredients that go into Lush products are picked for their individual properties and it's what make them works so well, so I accept that sometimes, they aren't going to smell too pretty.
If you can get past the smell, this is another very effective face wash. It contains Nettle, Rosemary, Rice Vinegar Extract (this is what makes you shudder when you smell it), Rose, Chamomile oil and Sage oil, which work together to absorb excess oil on your face as well as having antiseptic and soothing properties. Weirdly, because I haven't seen this anywhere else, it contains Chlorophyll to "balance and protect the skin".
I don't know if Herbalism will replace Angels for me, but after using it for over a week now I am very happy with the result I get with it. I do have an oily t-zone, especially around the nose area and this is particularly good in helping to clear that. I'm finally growing out of teenage skin though and Angels is a milder way to control any excess oil I do get. After finishing this I will probably go back to Angels and then use Herbalism during the summer months when my skin often plays up a little more than usual. Both products are priced the same so if you've used Angels before but found it's not helped your problem skin, then this is worth giving a try.

Angels On Bare Skin

I've been using Lush products for a few years now and have used a variety of products from their range, from haircare to deodorants, so I thought I could share my experience of using them. Some have been surprisingly good, others, not so. The first product I want to review is one I have used for over a year now, and would definitely recommend to anyone with problem skin.

Apparently the blend of ingredients that go in to making this face wash are based on an ancient medieval recipe. I don't know if that's true, but I know that this works! So what's in it exactly?

Almonds: Almond usually appears in cosmetics as almond oil for its hydrating properties. In this case I'm not sure if it's the oil thats used or actual pieces of almond because this is more of a putty than a cream and the little pieces act as an exfolient. Either way, the face wash always leaves my skin feeling soft and supple.

Rose oil: Probably what makes this a little bit more pricey, rose oil softens the skin. It's also known for its antiseptic and antiviral properties and can help skin conditions such as eczema.

Lavender oil: Similar to rose oil in its antiseptic properties, this is also really good for acne and eczema.

Kaolin: Used to draw out impurities and toxins in the skin, kaolin has excellent absorbent qualities. It's great for oily skin because it removes the excess oil and acts as a remineraliser.

It looks and smells a little weird and at first is really strange to use. If you're used to using liquid facial washes, then this could take some getting used to but if you stick with it, it'll pay off. The best way to use it is to break off a small amount and mix it with warm water so it becomes like a sort of paste. If you're in the shower this is much easier because I usually end up dropping little bits of this everywhere. Sometimes I use a larger amount and apply it more thickly and leave it on my skin for a couple of minutes to act as a deep clean face mask.

A lot of people are put off from this because it's not what they're used to and for me like many others, made my skin worse to begin with. I think this is just your skin detoxifying, and after using it for so long now it's made a great improvement to my skin. The sales person in Lush that introduced me to this recommended it for use on combination/oily skin for use all year round, or on oily skin in the winter and Herbalism in the summertime which is for more problem skin, as skin tends to be more oily then. I've stuck with this one because it's worked for me with no problems. What's also brilliant about it, is it lasts for ages so at £5.14 for 100g is very reasonably priced.