Spring - Four favourites and a fail - Origins, 4711, Woody's & GeoSkincare

Origins Checks and Balances frothy face wash 150ml – I originally received this as a GWP sample which I paid no attention to and  chucked into the stash of minis which I save for trips. Eventually I put it in the shower to force myself that I’d use it up and it turns out that I really like this. I was looking for a cleanser which I could use during my shower and just rinse off with water as I’m not in the mood for faffing around with face cloths first thing in the morning. Although it’s intended for people with combination skin, it’s fine with my dry skin and doesn’t leave any tight feeling afterwards. Definite repurchase, this has become my favourite morning cleanser in the shower.

Origins Drink Up Intensive 50ml - an overnight mask with a satisfyingly thick consistency which is easily spreadable and a fruity, apricot scent which I wasn’t crazy about at first, but now I’m used to it and even find it soothing to fall asleep to as I now associate this scent with sleepytime. I often use this instead of a night moisturiser. Already repurchased. Twice. The full size is 100ml but a 50ml size is available from their website at half the price so I prefer this size as it means I'm using up a fresh product.

4711 75ml - the only way I could love this any more is if it lasted more than twenty minutes on my skin. It’s inexpensive sure, but having to reapply throughout the day means you get through a bottle quickly. I splash it on my hair and around the neck of my t-shirt to help the fragrance last. I used to only wear this in the summer, but this year I’ve been using it in the cooler weather too and it’s equally as gorgeous. Definite repurchase.

Woody’s Pomade – love this. I picked this up from my favourite place, the clearance counter at TKMaxx for £1. I’d noticed that I’d started to develop small bumps along my hairline and although I didn’t know what was causing them, I suspected the petrolatum ingredients in some of my hair styling products was the cause. This smells green and fresh, a bit like an Aloe Vera gel. The consistency is a thick jelly and it styles hair without leaving it looking greasy, crunchy or sticky. I’ve been using it to give a Just Got Out Of Bed look (I was going to write “Just Been Fucked”, how rude!) and it keeps a casual messy look in place all day. It also rinses out easily the next day. Definite repurchase, highly recommended for short hair styles or people wanting to avoid petroleum in their hair styling products.

GeoSkincare for men skin repair - yes, this is my fail. I used this on my face initially but didn’t like it as it felt greasy and all I could smell of it was the patchouli even though it’s the smallest ingredient. I had to stop using this after a few days as my chin area started to look a bit red and bumpy. So I decided to relegate this to be used up as a body butter, but it triggered a rash all over my legs, arms and neck. It looked like I’d been struck by a bad sunburn. I’ve tested a small patch on my arm since and it came up in a rash within a couple of hours. I have idea what’s causing this rash. Have a look at the ingredients below, does anything look like an allergen to you? I’d used their toner previously and that was very good and I repurchased a couple of times. I would not repurchase this.

Organic botanical infusion, organic cera alba (beeswax), organic theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, organic butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), organic ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, cetearyl wheat straw glycosides and cetearyl alcohol (xyliance), organic macadamia intergrifolia (macadamia) seed oil, organic persea gratissima (avocado) oil, gluconolactone and sodium benzoate (geogard ultra), zanthomonas campestris (xanthan gum), tocopheral (vitamin e), potassium hydroxide, citrus aurantifolia (lime) oil, urtica dioica (nettle) root extract, rosemarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf oil, vitis vinifera (vinanza grape) seed extract, triticum vulgare (wheatgerm) oil, pogostemon cablin (patchouli) oil.

March empties - Neal's Yard Remedies, Renu, i Coloniali, L'Occitane, La Roche-Posay Serozinc, Naked Bodycare, Duchy Collection

  

Duchy Bergamot Lime conditioner – I picked this up at TKMaxx in clearance for £1! I enjoyed using this and the fragrance was stunning. I’d repurchase again but I’m not sure this is still produced or where you’d buy it as I haven’t seen it since. 

I Coloniali shower gel – I wouldn’t purchase again unless it was reformulated, but the signature i Coloniali fragrance they have in their soaps and body products keeps pulling me back. I wish they bottled it and sold it as an EDT, I’d wear nothing else.

Neals Yard Remedies Rose daily moisturiser – I always like to see a bottle cut in two so you can scrape out every last blob. Love Neal's Yard's moisturisers. Would repurchase, but in a different scent.

Neals Yard Remedies Rose facial cleanser 50ml – Product worked well as a cleanser but would not buy again only because prefer cream or oil cleanser.

Neals Yard Remedies eye gel – my favourite eye gel ever.I’ve already repurchased and intend to keep on repurchasing until a better one comes along. Highly recommended.

L’Occitane rose hand cream – I didn’t like this shimmery hand cream at all and this was regulated to night time use only and I burned through it as quickly as I could. Would not repurchase and I must remember to read labels in future!

Naked Bodycare Take Care Orange Blossom body wash 250ml - this sulfate-free body wash is one of my favourites, plenty more left in the stash!

Renu face mask – bought on the cheap from the TKMaxx clearance shelf, around £5 or so. It felt pleasant to use, but I didn't see amazing results and I would not repurchase at full price as this retails for £32!

La Roche Posay Serozinc – a product I suspect was introducted to most people through Caroline Hirons’ wonderful blog This is a definite repurchase and I’d recommend to anyone who suffers with razor burn to at least try this product.

February empties - L'Occitane, Weleda, Neal's Yard Remedies, Origins, Naked Bodycare

Take Care Naked Sensitive Skin Bodycare Orange Blossom 250ml body wash – I have a ton of these. This has always been my favourite frangrance of all the Naked body washes, it has not “parfum” or artificial fragrance, just the natural fragrance of neroli essential oil which is one of the most uplifting fragrances and has long been a favourite for both men and women. I guess means that they’ll probably pop up each month in my empties for the rest of the year. And maybe the next…

Weleda Rosemary and Ginger conditioner 250ml– I really liked this, a good silicone free conditioner which I'd buy again but I think Weleda have reformulated and no longer make this.

Phytorelax Lavander Body Lotion 500ml – I picked this up at the TKMaxx clearance shelf for £1. It’s not the most natural product (you can’t see the ingredients on the back label as they’ve been rubbed off with oily hands) but at least it doesn’t have any silicone. I really liked using this at night time as the lavender helps lull me to sleep.

Naked Bodycare Star Flower 250ml body wash – I don’t like it as much as the Orange Blossom, but this is still a good sulphate free body wash which doesn’t dry me out. Plus, I have the body butter to match. I think it’s the patchouli essential oil in here which I’m not a fan of. I have a couple more in the stash as I pick these up whenever they go on offer at Boots and I want to use up my points.

Neal’s Yard Remedies Almond Moisturiser 50ml – this was a good basic day cream, a silicone-free basic moisturiser This is one of NYR’s least expensive creams at £18.75 for 50ml.

Naked Bodycare Star Flower body butter 300ml– found this in one of those bargain beauty shops you can find in shopping centres, it was £1 so I bought three. Not my favourite scent, but satisfyingly thick and just what my dry husk of a body needs in winter.

Origins Checks and Balances face wash – this is a GWP 30ml sample.  Already repurchased as I’ve bought the full size.

Origins Drink Up Intensive overnight mask – another GWP 30ml sample from Origins. Already repurchased. Twice. They had a great GWP offer that week. Don’t judge.

L’Occitane Almond shower oil 2 x 35ml. Love this, but don't love the ingredients. I've purchased the full size 250ml bottle as well as the 500ml refill. I had a voucher. Again, don't judge.

January empties - Neal's Yard Remedies, Naked Bodycare, Korres, 4711 and Unique Nature

Unique organic shampoo and conditioner from the TK Maxx clearance shelf. Herbal scent, easy to rinse out the conditioner. Good for someone who wants all organic, all natural hair products. Would repurchase if I see them again.

The Neal's Yard Remedies Wild Rose beauty balm is expensive at £37 for 50g but this is one of Neal's Yard's star products, often spoken about in magazines and beauty blogs. This is an oil based cleanser which can be used in multiple ways, as a facial cleanser, as a body balm on elbows or feet etc, left on as a mask, or my favourite which is as a pre-shave massage treatment. I thought I’d never get through the tub within the recommended three months, but I used it in as many ways as Neal's Yard suggests and just about managed to get there. Would repurchase, but pricey! Recommended.

Neal's Yard Remedies Aromatic Foaming Soak – I wasn’t a fan of this, the scent of pelargonium often overpowers other scents for me and this bath oil was no exception. I wouldn’t repurchase.

Soft Touch Naked Bodycare Starflower body wash 250ml - one of my favourite body washes, already repurchased. Recommended.

4711 50ml – the only way I could love this any more is if it lasted more than twenty minutes on my skin. It’s inexpensive sure, but having to reapply throughout the day means you get through a bottle quickly. I splash it on my hair and around the neck of my t-shirt to help the fragrance last. I used to only wear this in the summer, but this year I’ve been using it in the cooler weather too and it’s equally as gorgeous. Definite repurchase.

Korres yoghurt face cream 50ml – I suppose it shouldn’t have bought this as it’s intended for oily or combination skin, but I thought it might make a suitably light day cream. It was only alright though. My dry husk of a face requires more hydration than this can deliver, but this could be ideal for an oilier complexion. One bonus was that this light cream leaves a natural looking matt finish. I wouldn’t repurchase, but simply because of my skin type.