Beauty Product Reviews | Page 3

A skin renewing body wash that leaves skin clean, healthy and glowing!

I am fond of this awesome, 'no frills' body wash that delivers prompt, efficient results. The creamy formulation comes perfumed with the same fragrance that is familiar throughout this range, infused with the signature sweet, fruity scent that may or may not appeal to the wider audience. I am personally not a fan of the scent, and it is the only negative point that I have focused on during my feedback on this whole range. It is slightly disappointing, especially when it comes to this body wash, because a body wash is one of the few beauty or skin care products that I actually ‘like’ to be nicely scented. The yummier the scent the more enticed I am to get into that shower and scrub all of my cares away. However, this scent just doesn’t have me racing to have a shower, because it is not a particularly attractive scent for me, and because of this I doubt that I would purchase this body wash again in the future, which is a shame as it is a rather marvelous body wash, that features loads of benefits.

Presented in a large plastic bottle with a flip top lid, this handy packaging fits perfectly into my shower recess for easy accessibility when it’s required. The wash itself is of a thick creamy consistency, however because it is not loaded with harsh chemicals and irritating sulphates, it doesn’t work up into a rich, frothy, bubbly lather, like its non-natural cousins. Because of this, I find I need to use a significant amount of product, probably the size of a 20 cent coin or even more, to sufficiently clean my whole body. I find this works much better if I apply it to my shower puff, as it helps the formulation to slightly foam and work into a slight, mild lather that efficiently cleanses my body thoroughly. The addition of natural exfoliating beads, and plant basedl exfoliating ingredients, that are completely non-abrasive, ensures that my skin is constantly super soft and smooth without having to succumb to any annoying, scratchy sensations that often accompany regular manual exfoliating products, which tend to cause my sensitive skin to become angry, inflamed and red raw. Thanks to this formulation, my skin can still advantage from the removal of dead or dulling skin cells, and unclogged pores to reveal new skin underneath, which is not only smoother, its also more even in tone, and much brighter in appearance. This leaves my body skin glowing with a new-found radiance of natural, healthy looking skin. An additional benefit is it also isn’t as susceptible to ingrown hairs along with that irritable, itchy aggravation that I experience after shaving when the hairs start growing back through and they have trouble cutting through, as the hair follicle is blocked. By targeting my skin daily with a body exfoliating product, this blockage is prevented and therefore all of the dilemmas normally associated with shaving my sensitive skin are totally diminished.

This non-drying all over body wash penetrates my skin to provide a deep pore cleanse, that adequately hydrates and nourishes, with no evidence of drying, even in those sometimes scaly area's behind the elbows and on the knees. Only producing long term results in a short space of time to unearth a completely renewed, rejuvenated body that glows pure radiance. This is the ideal solution to younger, healthier more illuminated body skin, right down to the bottom of my toes.

It works while I sleep to deliver a brighter, healthier, more youthful appearance.

This night cream features the signature sweet and fruity fragrance that is typical throughout the entire Radiance range. I am not fond of the scent unfortunately and it seems to be far more noticeably prominent in the night cream when I first apply it to my face, compared to some of the other products in this line-up. While I am not impressed with the scent, I have continued using this night cream as I wanted to fully experience the benefits of all the botanical ingredients, along with vitamins, minerals and the hero ingredient in the range, royal jelly, to see if it would make my skin more radiant, as per its claims.

The night cream comes in a larger sized glass pot/tub, similar to the eye cream in the same range, but naturally with more of the actual product on board. I am not a fan of tubs or pots in this day and age, and don't understand why they still need to be used, as I would prefer my moisturisers to be presented in more hygienic packaging, where you don’t need to constantly double dip and create the possibility germs spreading or contamination of the product. However that aside, I found the cream itself to be of a thick, buter-like, creamy consistency, that was ultra rich and fairly heavy in texture on my oily skin. I don’t mind using products that are a bit richer or take longer to soak into my skin overnight, as it doesn’t really matter if my skin looks a bit shiny when I am sleeping, as long as it is benefiting from the goodness of the ingredients, I can live with the shine. The cream itself feels super soothing and cooling on my skin, while it nourishes my face and neck, allowing the powerful ingredients to penetrate within and get working during the night shift, all while I am catching my much needed Zzz’s. When I wake in the morning, I can still feel the cream on my face, it is a slight bit oily but nothing extreme, yet I can notice that the texture is much softer and smoother, while my skin tone looks so incredibly even, with no evident signs of the usual flushing and redness I tend to experience. Any of the excess residue from the night cream comes straight off with my morning cleanse, so it isn’t cause for concern.

Other than the overbearing scent, which does fade out after a while, this night crème is really targeting all of my skin concerns head on. After just a few weeks, I am already beginning to notice that my skin is plumper and firmer, which seems to disguise any fine lines leaving my skin with a natural, youthful glow. My skin tone has improved dramatically, that being the most obvious change noticeable to my naked eye, as well as the decrease of excess oil production, resulting in less congestion and fewer breakouts. Overall my complexion looks like it has been rejuvenated and as a result now looks brighter, healthier and more youthful.

A botanical serum that delivers goodness to the skin for a boost of radiance.

This is one of my favourite products in the Radiance range. While it vaguely has the signature fruity scent that is featured in almost every product in the range, this serum has a very subtle or almost no scent at all, which is one of the reasons it has fast-tracked to the top of my favourite Burt’s Bees products list. It is an infusion of herbal, botanical goodness, providing a boost of radiance to my skin, by delivering essential vitamins, minerals and natural plant based ingredients, along with royal jelly, the key ingredient, to make my skin look and feel totally revived and renewed.

Presented in a glass dropper-style bottle, I need only 3 small droplets of this powerful liquid to successfully treat and repair my whole face and neck region. I use the dropper to place the solution into the palm of my hand, which I then distribute over my face by gently pressing and smoothing onto my skin. It is super lightweight and totally oil free, unlike many of the other rich, greasy serums I have previously tried. This is so incredibly airy and non-sticky that I can use it day or night without it interfering with any of my makeup or skin care products. It actually compliments my skin care regime nicely and leaves my skin feeling like brand new. I don’t feel any uncomfortable sensation, including irritation or stinging and burning, which can often be associated with other serums, this is formula is designed for pure comfort; I don’t even feel like I am using a serum at all.

While the instant rejuvenating effect is enough to excite, the results that I have encountered after just a few weeks of being introduced to this wonder serum is something to shout about. My skin looks and feels so smooth and soft to touch, with a more even tone and far less facial redness. My oily skin has balanced out with less oil production, meaning less congestion and breakouts. Instead, my skin is plumper, firmer, and brighter overall, while my complexion is healthier and more youthful in appearance.

A great disguise for the tell-tale signs of too many late nights ;)

This delicate, lightweight treatment eye cream features the signature fruity scent that is prominent throughout this Radiance range. It’s not my favourite smell, and as I have mentioned when discussing the other products, this is probably the biggest issue for me, as I prefer products without too much fragrance. However, I do believe it’s a scent that would be somewhat appealing to certain audiences. The scent in this eye cream, though, is so soft and gentle that it is barely noticeable, so it isn’t overpowering and lurks on the skin, like other heavily perfumed skin care products.

The eye cream, housed in a smallish, glass, pot/tub with a screw on/off lid,and while it might look small, I only needed the tiniest amount of the cream on my index finger, which I then dot along my orbital bone and around the eye area, before gently smoothing into my skin. It absorbs quickly with no tacky residue, leaving my eye area nourished and well hydrated, while ever so slightly plumping the skin to mask the appearance of any fine lines. After having used this eye treatment for the last few weeks I have noticed that the skin around my eye area is noticeable brighter and the skin is smoother in texture and softer to touch.

It helps to give my eye’s that wide-awake effect, making it the perfect ‘pick me up’ after one too many late nights. A quick application of this eye cream of a morning and I look and feel instantly rejuvenated all because my eyes are not showing obvious signs of fatigue. Thanks to the new found radiant, much healthier skin around my eye area, I have found these changes have contributed to my whole face looking more youthful looking.

A lightweight, nourishing moisturiser that provides an all over healthy glow :)

I really like this moisturiser and that is something coming from this oily skin person who always has nothing bar major dilemma's when it comes to finding a suitable daily moisturiser that is not too rich and heavy for my oily skin type. Infused with the typical sweet, fruity fragrance that is prominent throughout all of the products in the Radiance range, I was thankful to note the moisturiser has only a delicate, subtle hint of this fragrance and after the initial application it soon fades into the background. This is a bonus, as I personally would rather not use highly perfumed skin care, where the scent hangs onto my skin for hours, being too overbearing, which can induce the onset of a headache. The scent is actually the only thing I don’t like about this moisturiser and the other products in this Radiance range, but because its so mild and it does deplete, I can live with it. Especially when I consider that pro’s definitely outweigh the one and only con in this case.

Presented in a classy glass pump bottle, the lightweight, ultra delicate, cream absorbs super fast with no greasy residue and doesn’t leave my skin feeling suffocated or coated in an invisible film that always causes me to sweat, spelling the start of a disaster if I am wearing makeup. This airy formula creates the perfect base for my foundation and makeup application as it provides a completely matte canvas to work with, and the best part is that it stays shine- free all day too. I give top marks to this moisturiser, due to its protecting properties, guarding my skin against future assault from the damaging UV rays. By safeguarding my skin with a physical barrier that has effectively kept me from being sunburned when I have have spent time outdoors. The added benefit of the SPF 15, which is not much less compared to an SPF 30+ in terms of the amount of protection it offers, is in my opinion the best weapon in the fight against ageing skin and is a ‘must have’ feature in any daytime moisturiser I opt to use. The fact that it offers decent sun protection in a formula that doesn’t resemble a regular sunscreen is a huge bonus. There is nothing worse than a thick, heavy sun protection cream that leaves a streaky, white, ghostlike cast on the skin and feels all greasy to touch. I can vouch that this sun shield is nothing even remotely like a typical formula.

It is a highly nourishing moisturiser that keeps my skin from dehydrating, without being too rich that I feel like I have just jumped out of a deep fryer; covered in a layer of oil. Instead, It leaves my skin feeling softer in texture, more even in tone and looking healthier, brighter and more youthful overall in appearance.

A fruity cleanser that provides an instant 'pick me up' for a brighter day!

This is a very refreshing, fruity scented cleanser, the identical scent that is featured throughout the entire range, which is the type of scent that may appeal to some people; however, it wasn’t particularly my cup of tea, as I found it to be just too sweet and slightly overbearing. but that is just me and my preferences. The scent was actually rather mild in the cleanser, in comparison to some of the other products, but still prominent enough to recognise it as the signature fragrance in this Radiance range. Other than the hiccup with the smell, I was actually more than impressed with the results I achieved after using the cleanser faithfully for the last few weeks.

Presented in a pump style bottle I found that one pump dispensed more than enough product to completely clean my whole face, neck and décolleté. Any more than just one single pump, would just contribute to unnecessary wastage. So, if you want to get the most out of this cleanser, just stick with the one, small pump as it really is plenty. The cleanser formulation was non-foaming, therefore I just massaged the creamy liquid-like solution onto my skin and found that not only did it thoroughly clean my face, it also left my face feeling extremely refreshed and softer and smoother in texture. It effectively gets rid of dirt and impurities without stripping the natural oils, which is important for someone like me, blessed with oily skin, because if it gets stripped it ends up producing more oil to compensate, a lesson that I have learned can have devastating effects and instantly undo all your hard work caring for your skin. Instead, its totally non-drying, but still manages to keep my skin balanced, providing adequate hydration to keep my skin normalised. I have noticed that since using this Radiance skin care range, my skin not producing anywhere near as much oil anymore, which means 'YAY' less frequent daily 'shiny face' dilemmas.

The cleanser has proven to me that it is effective at getting rid of my stubborn makeup and all the daily grime that builds up on my skin, yet I still actually prefer using this cleanser first thing in the morning. It is ideal as my AM cleanser as it is uplifting to my senses and leaves me feeling revived, refreshed and ready to start the day ahead, all the while knowing my skin has had its boost of vitamins and botanical ingredients that contribute to me constantly sporting a healthy, all over radiant glow.

A reliable, efficient product that I can trust will meet my needs perfectly every time.

I would like to thank the team at The Word of Mouth Company for the generous opportunity to trial and experience the CLAIROL Nice n Easy Colour Blend Foam, which I received in the shade of #7 Dark Blonde. I am a regular DIY hair colour girl, who has been using permanent hair colour kits at home for close to 20 years. I prefer buying these kits and dying my own locks, rather than going to the salon for a professional colour, being more affordable to suit my budget, after economic factors forced the change, when regular salon colours just became too much maintenance. Over the years, I have learned that I can achieve great results colouring my tresses in the comfort of my own home 

A bit of history: For as many years as I can remember, I chose to be a brunette and black was my colour of choice, however, for the last 12 months I have been trying to grow it out (the only effective way to properly remove black hair colour) and revert to a shade closer to my own natural hue. I was born a blonde, but as I got into my teenage years, my locks started getting darker and all of a sudden, I was blessed as a dirty blonde, also referred to as ‘bronde’ (a mix of brown and blonde). Not thrilled at losing my golden mane, I introduced regular hair dyes into my lifestyle. Anyway, now aiming for a dark blonde hue, in preference to the natural ‘bronde’ look, was a dramatic change from the jet-black hair I sported for so many years, also required time, dedication and plenty of patience to achieve. I was graduating the colour of the roots as they would grow out, beginning with a dark brown, then progressing to a medium and light brown and finally to the dark blonde. During this evolvement, I was also regularly having the black ends snipped off every 8 weeks or so. As of the commencement of this trial, I have had the majority of the black removed and its only noticeable right on the tips of my locks, which will finally get the chop for good, when I have my next haircut. It has been a couple of months since I last dyed my hair, so I have extremely noticeable roots a couple of inches long, paired with ugly brassy/yellow looking lengths, not a good look!! I am also 37 years old and am a mum of two children aged four and three. Since having kids, over the last couple of years I have begun to notice a few stray grey hairs appearing, (I am sure my kids are slowly sending me grey, ha-ha) EEK! Therefore, I like to ensure that I select a hair dye product that thoroughly covers those pesky/embarrassing greys. Luckily, the Nice n Easy Colour Blend Foam claims to provide 100% grey coverage. I am excited!! My experience: The Nice n Easy Colour Blend Foam kit is a 5-piece set, featuring everything I need to colour my own hair. It includes two bottles of solution (Tint and Developer), Foamer Cap, Gloves and a sachet of Conditioning Gloss. The preparation was super easy, simply mix the two bottles together, shake and replace the existing cap with the unique Foamer Cap (something I have never seen in the various other brands I have previously used). Making sure I had the gloves on to avoid staining my hands, I initially went to work, distributing the solution through the roots of my dry hair, before working it down to the lengths. The formula itself was not particularly foamy, which was my only let down, because I had the idea in my mind that it would be of a mousse like texture. Instead it was slightly runny, more like froth than foam, which lead me to believe that possibly I had not shaken the bottle for long enough when I was preparing the solution? Even though it was more fluid like, it was still simple to massage into my mane, just as I would, if I were washing with shampoo. There was ample solution to entirely saturate my hair (which, I should mention, falls below my shoulders in length, but it is baby fine, so I would think it’s probably the ideal amount of product for someone with thicker hair). I ended up discarding about a quarter of the bottle, as I already had adequately covered all of my locks with hair dye.

The scent of the Nice n Easy Colour Blend Foam was not as overbearing as many other formulations I have tried, although, in my opinion, I would describe the scent as a beer-infused aroma, ha-ha, as it was distinctly a yeast-like scent, which I thought was unusual and unlike the ammonia/peroxide type fragrance that normally accompanies permanent hair colours. While I can’t claim that I was overly fond of the fragrance, it was certainly more appealing than other hair dye formulas, which tend to constantly give me headaches, make my eyes water and leave my nose running. Not only was the scent mild in comparison to the various competitors’ brands on the market, the actual solution is gentler as well. I suffer from a sensitive scalp and on occasions, some of these products cause my scalp to start stinging and burning, so much so that I end up having to wash it off, before it even has time to run its due course. I can vouch that I didn’t experience any irritation using this product, so my scalp didn’t become red and angry, leaving my comfortable during the 25 minutes I waited for the solution to work its magic and the development process to elapse.

Upon rinsing the product out of my hair, which came out with ease very quickly, using warm water, I initially found my hair was feeling extremely dry. This is normally the case when I use hair dyes, but what set the Nice n Easy Colour Blend Foam apart from its competitors, was that for the first time ever, I only had a few stray hairs falling out, instead of heaps of strands that always wind up in the drain of my shower recess. So, once again this product comes up trumps for being far more gentle to my hair than any other product. Next, I applied the Conditioning Gloss that instantly infused the room with a gorgeous fruity, coconut, fragrance that just screamed ‘paradise on a tropical island’ and this was ever so welcoming after smelling like a brewery for the past 25 minutes, LOL ;) OMG I want to know if this Conditioning Gloss is sold separately, I absolutely LOVE it.  The conditioner was a breeze to apply, with the rich, creamy formula and the butter-like texture, felt like pure bliss when I massaged it into my scalp and finger-combed it through to the ends. The instructions suggest leaving the conditioner on for 2 minutes, but I left it on for about 5 as I was really enjoying the uplifting scent, which stimulated my senses whiles it was getting to work nourishing and rejuvenating my locks. Warm water thoroughly rinsed all the conditioner from my hair and with what was just like the wave of a wand, my hair was transformed from dry and knotty to super, silky soft and tangle-free, before I even thought about physically combing my damp locks. The conditioner didn’t coat my strands or leave any greasy residue behind to contribute to more oil production, which is the last thing I need, as I already have naturally oily hair. Instead, it was ultra lightweight and didn’t weigh down my tresses, as many heavy conditioners do that always leave my fine hair looking limp, lank and lifeless.

I wrapped my hair straight in a towel and allowed it to dry naturally, as I am not a big fan of heat styling, which I believe can be damaging if done too frequently. During this time, I was pleased to discover that any stains that were previously visible on my skin around the hairline and ears in particularly, were totally gone!! I forgot all about those stains when rinsing the dye from my hair in the shower. I would normally need to pay special attention to the stains, rubbing and scrubbing away overtime until my skin gets red raw, before they even look like budging. Sometimes, even that is unsuccessful and I need to pull out all stops, trying anything and everything from alcohol to nail polish remover, to get the annoying stains to come OFF!! It’s amazing that the stains that blessed my skin, when using the Nice n Easy Colour Blend Foam, simply rinsed straight off, with no extra effort involved! That alone, is a huge bonus, because there is nothing worse than sporting newly coloured hair, and then advertising the fact, you did it yourself, thanks to the stains on your skin, EEK! When my hair finally dried, I loved the outcome. My tresses were noticeably lighter and even, with a consistent looking colour all over. The horrid brassy/yellow looking lengths had toned down, featuring plenty of natural depth, thanks to slightly lighter, ashy highlights in the top layers, beautiful warm golden tones and lowlights to create a textured ribbon effect. That teamed with my still dark ends, presented like the latest ‘bayliage’ craze, a style that you would expect to pay top dollar for in a salon, and I personally doubt that a professional colourist could have done a better job, LOL ;) It’s shimmery and glossy throughout with natural shadings, looking and feeling not only super shiny, but incredibly healthy too. Not to mention, that after my microscopic inspection, I was thrilled that any grey hairs were indeed, 100% covered.

My final thoughts: Overall, I am very happy with how my hair now looks, thanks to my experience with the CLAIROL Nice n Easy Colour Blend Foam, which imparts impressive, effective results that are very natural and complimentary to my skin tone. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone who wants a effortless DIY at home permanent hair dye that is comparable, if not better than a salon quality colour, guaranteed to hide those unwanted greys and deliver an intense, vibrant, highly pigmented finish in a gentle formula, suitable for those who normally experience sensitivity when colouring their hair. I know that when I am due to re-colour my tresses, I will not be mucking around deciding on which product will provide the best results. I will zone straight in on CLAIROL Nice n Easy Colour Blend, a reliable, efficient product that I can trust will meet my needs perfectly every time. .