Beauty Product Reviews | Page 3

Perfectly clean skin

Since I was introduced to cleansing oils a couple of years ago, I've used them exclusively and this is my favorite one yet. I love that it's full of natural, skin-friendly ingredients and antioxidants like green tea, and my skin always feels refreshed afterwards. I always follow cleansing with an alcohol-free toner, but there's never any residual dirt on the cotton pad because this does such a good job.

If you've never used a cleansing oil, I recommend you try it. There are formulations available for different skin-types, even the most sensitive. When you apply it, take some time to massage it in - the oil really works into pores and it's so satisfying to feel the dirt and gunk rolling out, and it's a nice treat for your facial muscles. Like other cleansing oils, contact with warm water turns this into a milky emulsion that can be rinsed clean.

I've used this daily for 6 months, and there's still 1/3 of the 5oz bottle remaining. I've already bought another bottle because I can't get Boscia products when I'm back in the UK - too many other cleansing oils contain preservatives and mineral oils, so I'll be surprised if I find another oil I like better :)

Get the right color

Everyone says this is amazing, and I believe them - the fact that I haven't got the same take on it suggests that I'm not using it right. Specifically, I'm using the wrong color. The counter girl recommended 'Bisque' for me - my impression was that it was too dark and pink-y, but she seemed certain so I let her talk me into it. Now I'm dissatisfied because instead of correcting my existing dark circles, you can also see the color of the product. Concealer fail :(

When you get this, take your time over the array of shades available. Even though the sales advisors are well-trained, remember that the lighting is far from natural and in the light of day, you know your skin tone best. Check it in different lights to be certain it's the right shade for you, and I'm sure it'll do a great job.

I really wanted to like this - it claims to dry up spots overnight, and I've read about celebrities raving over it for years. In fact, what this does is *bring out* the spot - so if you're trying to get rid of one the night before a big event, you're going to end up with a lovely whitehead instead. Unless you squeeze it, it'll be a couple more nights before you dry it out completely.

Also, note that this goes to work on little spots, not cystic bumps. If like me you're prone to bigger, more painful blemishes, this will semi-bring them out but not get rid of them, resulting in more painful, unsightly skin than ever :(

Refreshing, at best

This doesn't do much for me on its own, and it doesn't do much more when I layer it over the All About Eyes Cream. As Nancy-Lee C. suggested, keeping it in the fridge does make it an extra-soothing treat for tired morning eyes.

Maybe I'm so indifferent towards this because I use another product by Soap and Glory which does what this wants to do, but 100x better - waiting for Beautylish to add S&G so I can review it :)

Skin-saver

My sensitive/combination skin would come out of winter an absolute mess if I didn't use this. I can best describe it as a drink for thirsty skin, just like its name suggests.

When I first got it, my skin was desperate - ravaged by the winter cold and central heating. For the first few days after I started using this, my skin just drank it in and I had to slather it on - because my acne-prone skin is very sensitive, I had no idea how dry my skin was until I started using a product that it could cope with. Since my skin's moisture levels balanced out, I can use the cream very sparingly and it leaves my face smooth and refreshed.

The gel-cream formula is light and non-greasy, and it's oil-free and aloe vera-based so it hasn't broken me out. It's also the perfect in-flight moisturiser - quenching without being heavy. Even at £30/$34 a pot, I'll always have this in my cabinet.

This didn't live up to the hype for me, but it had a lot working against it. My eyes are a particular trouble-zone - very thin skin and hereditary dark circles - and I'd heard so much about this so I guess I was hoping for a miracle.

Note that the description says "diminishes the appearance" - this suggests that the texture of the cream will dispel some shadows, not actually treat the dark circles themselves. I also didn't find it did anything at all for my eye makeup - it didn't create a smooth base or help it stay. Sad to say that for what it does, there are better products in the drugstore :(

Happy nails

I'm a fiend for cuticle conditioners; I've tried a whole lot, and this is the one I keep going back to. My nails are never as healthy as when I'm using this. It's quite greasy, so you only need a little bit on each nail - a tin should last you a long time. It smells exactly as delicious as it sounds, but don't worry biters - I tried it out and I can confirm that it tastes gross ;)

Temporary bright eyes

When this is first applied, it really does give you a nice bright-eyed look. Yellow is a great brightening shade for the eye area, so it does that job well. The main down-side is that as a primer, it's not much good - sure, it creates an even base for any product applied over the top, but it has little staying power. Just a couple of hours and it had melted off.

Overall, I like how it looks but if I use it again, it'll be with a separate primer underneath.

Man, I love the smell of this - it smells like those grape smiley stickers that you used to get when you were a kid, and I'd use it for that reason alone and have my own grape-scented smiley face.

As for its priming powers, it made me sort of shiny rather than bright. Probably to do with my skin type, but I didn't like being "That Gal... who could do with some blotters", so this isn't the primer for me.

What's the big deal?

These were great, until they started going blunt within a couple of months. Apparently you can send them off for sharpening, but I never got round to the hassle of doing so. And then one day, they just stopped working - they wouldn't grab anything at all. There's not a visible gap between the blades, so I'm totally mystified - but there's enough drama in my life without expensive, temperamental tweezers so I'm back to the standard kind that are cheap to replace.