Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream Review

This has become one of my favourite hand creams very quickly, I've used up around 3 full sized and 2 deluxe sample sized hand creams of this so far. Depicted is a deluxe sample size which is almost finished. I always cut open the tube to make sure I don't throw away any product.

It costs £21 for 100ml which is costly in comparison to other hand creams which may cost around £10 for 100ml, but this is a luxury product. It is available online and at Clarins counters.

It has a delicate scent which isn't very strong nor very floral, I'm awful at describing scents so you'll have to go and take a whiff yourselves in store but it's definitely a good one. I can't stand very potent scents as they make me feel nauseous and this doesn't do that.

The packaging is minimalist and simple, the 100ml is a good size to throw into your handbag, keep at your desk, have in your car etc. It's not huge but it is larger than other hand creams.

The product itself is a white cream, not very thick like a balm but not so thin to be a lotion, it sinks in quickly and is a pleasure to use. As for the claims, yes it does soften hands, I don't have any age spots so cannot confirm or deny that it minimises them; I do agree that it strengthens nails.

I think it would be suitable for all skins, I suffer from very dry hands in the Winter and especially when I have to wash them all the time and this does help to moisturise them and make them feel a bit better. I have started to get rough dry patches too, for which I combine this and a balm and it works pretty well.

I would repurchase this even though it is so expensive, I have many hand creams to use up already so will be concentrating on those, as well as another tube of this. It is most definitely a luxury product and you could save it to only use at night before bed or whenever you prefer to get the most out of it.

Which are your favourite hand creams?

Empties // July 2013

I love writing these posts because it gives me a sense of accomplishment, however small, of finishing some of the far too high pile of beauty products I have.

I managed quite a few this month and can't wait to use up more next month!

Dr Brandt Lineless Eye Cream - I really liked using this, I received this sample as part of a birthday gift about two years ago and it really lasted a very long time, (I don't use eye cream every day even though I should!) I would repurchase.

Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover - I like this, it's a biphase makeup remover and works well. I already have a large size and would repurchase.

Bioeffect EGF Serum - I know many bloggers rave about how amazing this is but apart from making my skin incredibly soft in the morning I don't think it did much. The sample was tiny though and I'm still quite young so maybe that's why I didn't see an effect? I wouldn't repurchase.

Coola Mineral Tinted Sunscreen SPF20 - I hated this unfortunately, I think because of the tint, me and tinted sunscreens don't go together. Would not repurchase.

Abahna White Grapefruit & May Chang Bath and Shower Gel - I'm glad this was used up as I've had it for so long, I wouldn't repurchase as it didn't lather up that well and the scent wasn't for me.

Nivea Pearl Beauty Anti- Perspirant Deodorant - a basic deodorant, probably would repurchase.

Boots Conditioning Nail Polish Remover - this is ok if you have pretty strong, resistant to anything nails, after using this I found my nails started peeling so I wouldn't repurchase.

The Body Shop Strawberry Body Polish - I love this stuff! The little grains exfoliate, it lathers up and smells just like stawberries. Can be a little overwhelming at first but settles down quickly. I have two more waiting to be used.

No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes - I have around 10 of these thanks to the No7 vouchers that seem to always be around and I like the wipes, they stay hydrated for a very long time and I use them for pretty much anything. Good for sensitive eyes too.

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes Dry Skin Mask - I really liked this, very hydrating for the skin, best used in Winter though I think unless you suffer with dry skin all year round. Would repurchase.

Yves Rocher 24H Comfort Nourishing Cream for Dry/Very dry Skin - This was a great night moisturiser, it absorbed very quickly and was very hydrating. I'm not sure whether I'd repurchase though because I don't have dry skin all year round. I'd also like to be able to purchase in a store, I've only found it online.

Bliss Best of Skintentions Daily Moisturiser SPF15/PA++ - This also took ages to use up and I have another to finish. It was great for everyday sun protection and moisturised well after cleansing, I don't think I'd repurchase for a third time though.

Nivea Smooth Nourishing Hand Cream - Love this hand cream, would definitely repurchase.

No7 Cleanse & Care Eye Make-up Remover - I'm fed up of using this eye makeup remover, I think it's too oily for my liking and I don't really like the old packaging. I have about two more to use up thanks to the No7 vouchers, if this didn't go down by £5 I wouldn't buy it at all. I'd say it's pretty average.

What are your empties for this month? Link your posts below!

Lush Charity Pot Hand and Body Lotion Review

I bought Lush's Charity Pot as an impulse buy at the till while waiting to buy all the various bubble bars I picked up, it cost £6.95 for 95g and is a vegan product. All of the cost aside from VAT goes to the charity displayed on the top of the lid. There are two other sizes, 10g for £1 and 240g for £12.75.

It is a very light, quickly absorbed body lotion, it smells like white chocolate to me mixed in with a floral scent, the scent is quite strong and will last about an hour at least before settling. The only potentially "bad" ingredients on the list are parabens, otherwise it has almond oil, cocoa butter and other lovely moisturising ingredients like ylang ylang oil.

The pot has lasted me quite a while too, at least two weeks with regular use and I have some left. I love the charity side to this, I think it's brilliant that my £5.56 went straight to the named charity and I got a body lotion! Lush most definitely do not test on animals either. I like the simplistic packaging too, also if you collect five of Lush's pots and take them in empty you can get a free fresh face mask.

I would consider repurchasing, but not for the moment as I already have many more body lotions and creams to use up!

Have you tried this? What's your favourite body lotion?

L'Occitane Immortelle Brightening Hand Care SPF20

I picked this up a little while ago at a stand alone L'Occitane store as the "brightening" and SPF20 appealed to me. The product has 75ml of hand cream for £19, and is available online and in their stores from what I can see, there is also an SPF15 version available on feelunique.

This contains chemical sunscreens from what I've managed to decipher and the directions for use are to apply 15 minutes before sun exposure to the back of the hands, I find this instruction to be really strange as I'd need the front of my hands to apply it to the backs... Unless I rubbed it in with the backs of my hands facing each other... They also suggest we use their Shea butter hand cream before using this, I didn't want to spend more so I stuck to just this and thought if required I could always use another hand cream I have at home.

The packaging is quite simple but their are hints of luxury visible too, the bottle shape is certainly very different and I really like that it is, the bottom of the cap is also engraved with the brand's logo. The cream itself is a basic white, quite light yet hydrating cream. I use it as I would a normal hand cream, none of this "backs of hands" stuff.

Here are the claims in shorter versions:

- Smoothes hands (Immortelle flower stimulates collagen production)

- Evens skintone, reduces appearance of age spots (includes Bellis perennis - daisy, which regulates melanin production)

- SPF20 broad spectrum protects against sun damage

There are also figures from testing on 34 women over 4 weeks so I decided to test this product for 4 weeks too. I started using it in early April and now it is early May and this is the only hand cream I have used during the day time, at night I've been using whichever one has been closest to me at the time!

It's very light, easily absorbed and doesn't leave white casts on the hands. It doesn't rub off or cause any stickiness or any other issues but does have a noticeable scent. I am yet to notice any brightness or evening of skintone but I will definitely keep using it as it seems like the best hand cream with sun protection I have found to date. I think I would prefer one with UVA protection included too but I do like this one.

Would I recommend?

Yes, it's a lightweight, travel-friendly, easily absorbed, functional hand cream. The price is a bit high but then it is from a higher end brand.

*L'Occitane are cruelty free from what I've understood from this statement although there is confusion online and they are not listed on BUAV's website*

Carmine Beauty Box - October 2011

If you haven't already heard of Carmine where have you been?! They're the latest beauty box in the UK offering 5 lovely products for all us beauty-crazed women to try. There are 3 different types of subscriptions you can go for, monthly which is £10 plus £2.75 P&P, 6months which is £60 plus £16.50 P&P or 12months which is £110 plus £30.25 P&P resulting in 1 box free! After this box I'm really debating as to whether I should sign up for a year's subscription and save myself some money...

Onto their first ever and my first ever box! I subscribed on Wednesday and had the box with me on Saturday, very impressive.

First a few snaps of the box and packaging:

Then what's inside:

Trind Nail Repair Natural - Full Size 9ml - £12.95

balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream - 30ml sample - £4.35

Caudalie Vinosource Quenching Sorbet-Creme - 10ml sample - £5

theBalm FratBoy Shadow/Blush - Full Size 8.5g - £16

Daniel Sandler Eye Delight in Peach - Full Size 3g - £10.25

Total Value of Box: £48.55

Amount Paid: £12.75

Total Saving: £35.80

First Impressions of Carmine:

They seem to be a very relaxed, friendly and fun brand. I love their wording and descriptions on the website, one even made me not feel so bad for having to pay for P&P. I love that they were able to ship out their boxes so soon after subscribing, it really makes a huge difference to me. Especially as when signing up for previous boxes I've had to wait months to receive them - ridiculous! I look forward to what more Carmine have to offer.

First Impressions and Thoughts on the Beauty Box:

I really love this box, I found the contents to be quite similar to Feel Unique's beauty box this month, but I love it. The bright colours and the large black box are great, however I did have a hard time getting the box open because it is so secure. The lid covers the entire depth of the box and not just the top portion so it was a bit annoying getting it open! The box itself is larger and much more rectangular than any other beauty box I've mentioned on here. There's also a very helpful leaflet explaining the products and codes for money off and discounts too.

Now I'll let you know of my thoughts on the contents of the box individually. The Daniel Sandler loose eyeshadow looks amazing, I'm not an overall fan of loose eyeshadows because anything loose in my opinion will be messy, I do however ignore that when reviewing or using something unless it makes a significant mess. I haven't yet used the eyeshadow but I love the colour, very versatile, I'd personally use it as an overall base colour or for highlighting specific areas, and depending on the texture even my face. I was very happy to see a Caudalie cream in here because I'm a huge fan of French brands, I'm sure I'll love this cream too. The balanceMe hand cream is a lovely treat, I love the size and the bright packaging, it's also made up of 98.8% of natural origin ingredients and is definitely cruelty-free. I'm glad that the Trind nail repair was included because overall in the colder seasons I find that nails aren't as strong, although I put that lightly because fortunately my nails aren't so bad overall. It looks like a great treatment and is yet another full sized product included this month. Finally theBalm's gorgeous blush/eyeshadow, this is also a full sized product and a release that is very difficult to get hold of in the UK as of yet. It was released for Summer 2011 and looks beautiful, it is a peachy-pink blush perfect for all year round.

I'm very very happy with Carmine's first box and I cannot wait for future boxes. I do believe that I'm very close to deciding which boxes to keep and which to unsubscribe from. I'd like to add a huge thank you to Carmine for bringing back my belief in amazing customer service and quality of service. Not to mention value! Overall based on my first impressions and thoughts this box gets a 9.5/10! The 0.5 less because I couldn't get the box open for ages!

What do you think of Carmine's Beauty Box? Will you be signing up?


If you'd like to sign up simply click below:
Sign me up now!

Feel Unique Beauty Box - October 2011

I received my first ever Feel Unique Beauty Box on Friday and I loved it so much I honestly didn't want to share it with anyone! Feel Unique is £9.95 per month and the box and its contents are amazing.

TIGI Catwalk Sleek Mystique Straight Collection Blow Out Balm - Full Size 90ml - £10.35

Crabtree & Evelyn India Hicks Island Living Spider Lily Ultra-Moisturising Hand Therapy - 25g Sample - £3.50

Caudalie Vinexpert Radiance Day Fluid SPF10 - 10ml sample - £10.20

Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash - 60ml - £5.60

Orly Nail Lacquer in Green With Envy - 5.3ml - £5

Burberry Body Perfume - 1.5ml sample - £1.38

Total Value of Box: £36.03

Amount Paid: £9.95

Total Saving: £26.08

The Feel Unique box itself is a small compact slide-out sleek black box which I love. The contents are from luxury brands and are of deluxe sizes. I love this box! To be honest I'm very grateful for the TIGI Styling Balm but I have no idea how to use it because I don't own a blow-dryer...maybe I should get one at some point...let me know what you think! The Crabtree & Evelyn hand cream is a wonderful addition as I've been wanting to try their products for ages and still haven't. Caudalie is a French brand and I have a bit of an amour for them, also very high-end, I love the sample sizes because I can take them away with me when I travel, this fluid also has an SPF of 10 which is always helpful. Unfortunately my heart sank a little when I saw the Bliss Face Wash because I already have 2 exact bottles, but I hope it's good, so I can use them all up! I love the Orly nail lacquer, and the shade is lovely but not one I myself would associate as a pre-Winter warmer, as the theme of this box is. Finally I really liked the addition of a fragrance sample, I have so many I don't think I'll ever need to buy a perfume bottle! I liked the fragrance of the Burberry Body, although I do feel I should wear it a little more before deciding definitely.

I was very happy with this box and am proud to present it with a 10/10 based on my first impressions and thoughts. I see no flaws in this box, the packaging, the price or the delivery. I'm considering going for the 12 month subscription but again, I have to yet decide which beauty boxes to unsubscribe from!

Thank you so much for reading! What do you think of the box? Will you be joining up?

September Empties - 2011

I really like doing these posts because it makes me feel better about what I've used up! :) For the month of September I have used up a lot of samples and sachets and a few full/travel-sized products.

Starting off with some samples, I used up 2 REN face creams, one for night and the other for the day, I really liked both of these but I don't think they were a perfect match for my combination skin.

I also used up my Tropic Body Smooth Refreshing Polish from my Boudoir Privé box this month quite quickly, I thought this was pretty good, it's like a sugary scrub but once applied to the skin the scrubbing parts seem to melt into the formula, smells strongly of lemons and leaves skin moisturised after use too.

I'm so glad I finally used up this Neutrogena concentrated hand cream, I found it to be extremely moisturising to the skin but didn't love the texture very much after a lot of use, it lasts for donkey's years though. I love the scent of this Ted Baker bodyspray I tend to carry it around with me and spray it all day because it's so lovely!

I've been using The Body Shop's Seaweed Mattifying Moisture Lotion SPF15 for ages, it's a great moisturiser for combination skin although sometimes my skin can get very oily after about 6 hours of having it on, also glad I finished this!

I used up 2 Lush Fresh Face Masks, technically only one because I had to bin the Love Lettuce mask due to mould constantly forming on it. Way before the expiry date and afterwards. The BB Seaweed mask had the same issue but once I took the layer of mould off it didn't reappear, so I wasn't too dissapointed with it. However the Love Lettuce mask was basically throwing away £5.50 for nothing.

The Brilliant Brunette Shampoo and Conditioner travel sized items by John Frieda are amazing and I loved them both, you can read a more in depth review here.

I also finished one of three Dove Intensive conditioners, they came with Marie Claire and I can safely say I loved it and it's a great product for taking away frizz and making my hair feel nourished, unfortunately I threw it into the plastics before I had a chance to take a picture!

Thank you for reading x

Amarya Beauty Box - September 2011

I received my Amarya Beauty Box in the post this morning and I'm quite happy with it - especially with one item. I've also decided to do a comparison post of all the beauty boxes available in the UK every month as I'm now subscribed to all 4. I'll put this post up closer to the end of the month so that I'm able to use the products for a little while. The Amarya Beauty Box costs £10 per month for a selection of organic products and is available from here.

This is my first ever Amarya Beauty Box and here are some pictures showing you the packaging and the items:

The Box and the Amarya logo

I got an Amarya Beauty Cloth Bag!

The smaller box inside...

Leaflet with more information on other products

Beautifully presented information on each product inside the box

The box wrapped

The box when opened

The products inside the box

Finally! The products themselves!

 Lavera Hand Cream - 20ml sample - worth £1.00

REN Active 7 Radiant Eye Gel - 3ml sample - worth £3.60

Dr Hauschka Skincare Samples - 1.5ml each - worth £1.99 and £2.70

Madara Moon Flower Tinting Fluid - 50ml full size - worth £23

Total Value of Box: £32.29

Amount Paid: £10

Total Saving: £22.29

The values/totals calculated are excluding the lovely bag I received! My first impressions of Amarya are as follows:

- They themselves are very polite and helpful.

- The box was on time, so punctual.

- Everything in the box was as promised and more.

First Impressions of the contents of the box and the box itself:

- I wouldn't keep the actual boxes purely because I have no room left for anything in my room, but the quality is fine and very reusable.

- All products are organic and a lot of them cruelty free - huge tick from me.

- The Lavera Handcream smells very fresh albeit natural, and moisturises my hands well, also the full size (75ml) is only £3.75 so if I do fall in love with it, I may repurchase.

- I don't use eye creams/gels very often but probably should so I'm happy I received the REN eye gel.

- The Dr Hauschka skincare I believe was from the regenerating line and therefore anti-aging so I've given those away.

- The Madara Tinting Fluid looks amazing, so luxurious and I was very happy to see it in my box, I can't wait to try it and it's full size!

Based on my first impressions and everything so far I'd like to award this box a 9/10! :)

Review: Boots Amazon Forest "Passion Flower and Cupuacu" Hand and Nail Cream



I bought this as part of a set a few Christmases ago and I still have it because I can't find it anywhere...this saddened me a lot so I set out to research on the internet to find it, and I did! ...in the US...!

Anyway back to the review and links at the end. This is an amazingly soft and luxurious handcream although very light in texture. It smells of passion fruit, a smell I happen to love :) a very small amount is needed or you're wasting the product as the excess amount will take a lot of time to soak in and your hands won't need it. I like the packaging as it's very simple and compact, so you can pop it into your handbag/purse and off you go.

I'm not sure why Boots haven't got this in the UK anymore, the whole Amazon Forest range has disappeared but there is a similar range although not as amazing in my opinion...

Link to USA handcream: http://www.target.com/Boots-Amazon-Forest-Passion-Cupuacu/dp/B0015A68N2

It's a much larger and different bottle but hopefully will still be awesome! It's $9.99 at Target.

This is my favourite handcream ever that I have ever tried in my entire life! :) I give it 10/10.

Thank you for reading :)

Top 5 Skincare Winter Essentials

Hi there,

With all the cold and miserable weather, we certainly need richer and more moisturising products than usual, here are my top 5 skincare items for the winter. It is in no particular order.

1) Handcream! - This is most definitely required many times a day by myself and is vital for keeping your hands comfortable, without it they start to feel very tight and dry as the winter takes all the goodness out of them! I like Soap & Glory's Hand Food, £4.75 at Boots

2) Moisturiser -  this is for night and day, a thicker moisturiser to make sure that your face and neck are getting all the moisture they need, preventing tight, dry skin and dull skin. I find my skin gets a lot duller and paler in the winter and am yet to find a moisturiser that fixes that unfortunately, but for the moment I do like Organic Surge Overnight Sensation Night Cream, which has a rich consistency - however I dislike the rosy/flowery smell...£7.99 at Boots

3) Body Moisturiser! - A must! Dry, flaky skin is unattractive and very uncomfortable, I get itchy and yucky when I'm standing next to the radiators trying to keep warm, my favourite at the moment is Strawberry Body Butter, £5-£12.50 at The Body Shop, keeps you moisturised and smelling A-mazing!

4) Lip balm - another vital item to carry around with you, preventing dry cracked lips, my favourite at the moment are the Carmex lip balms, in a handy tube so your hands don't get covered in it, available at many retailers for £2.59 at Boots

5) Lip Scrub - I hadn't ever used lip scrub before and after reccomendations of Lush's I am now addicted to Sweet Lips Lip Scrub for £4.50

And make sure you keep wrapped up warm and take care of yourself in the miserable weather!

Thank you for reading! :)

Review: Hand Food - Soap & Glory Hand Food Hand Cream

YAY for this hand cream! Its smooth, quick-drying, non-sticky formula has certainly won me over! It retails at £4.75 for 125ml or £2.30 for 50ml, and is available at Boots.

You only need a very tiny bit and it is enough for both hands, keeps them moisturised for about 4-6hrs if you don't have much manual work to do otherwise apply frequently. During school days it lasted me about 4hrs without the need to reapply, but I love the smell so much so I used to anyway!

It contains gorgeous macadamia oil which softens and moisturises hands very efficiently, I love the packaging and the strange quotes and general feel about Soap & Glory, I've also read many interviews with the founder of this brand (and of Bliss) - Marcia Kilgore, a very smart woman who regularly gives skincare tips to magazines and so on.

Overall I love this cream and many more Soap & Glory products, I don't feel there is much more to say...In terms of comparisons, I much prefer this hand cream to Neutrogena's that I recently reviewed due to the creamy consistently of this one, the other in comparison is similar to petroleum jelly now! But I do like that hand cream too.

Thank you for reading!

Review: Gel or Cream?...Handcream?

This post is going to be about a confusing handcream, changing texture from a gel to a cream and then disappearing into your hands! The Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Handcream.

The feel of the handcream is that of "Vaseline" (an oily gel-like substance) and once rubbed together between hands changes into a cream. This then disappears very soon after another "rubbing" of hands and the effects are felt long after.

It retails for £3.49, and I got mine by using my advantage card points at Boots so was very happy with my "points purchase"! I must say it's very sad to watch the points go though...

Anyway, I think this handcream is a definite for dry hands as the effect lasts for a very long time, and over about a month I've noticed a softer feel on my hands and a lesser need to use it, however I still do try to use it often so the routine keeps going.

Overall I do think you should try it, and if you don't like it pass it on to one of your friends/family to try, it's a cheap product, works well, if you find you dislike it, move it on!

Thank you for reading my quick review :)