Rituals - The Ritual of Sakura Body Cream

This time of year, I suffer terribly with dry skin, yet always have difficulty in finding creams that not only work, but don't leave a greasy after feel. That's where this gorgeous body cream from Rituals comes in. Containing vitamin E and Centella Asiatica, this cream gently soothes skin and instantly softens rough areas, leaving skin soft, smooth and fully moisturised. It soaks in nicely without leaving any greasy residue, and the cherry blossom smell is absolutely delightful and quite relaxing too!
This is one of the best body creams I've ever tried, and my skin absolutely loves it.
Slightly more pricey than some, but it's so luxurious, smells delicious and works really well, so definitely worth it.

Please note, I appreciate that not everyone will agree with me, but these are my personal opinions and I loved it!

Have you tried it yet? What are your thoughts?

Kosmea Daily Facial Exfoliant from My Pure

I received some Kosmea Daily Facial Exfoliant free of charge from My Pure, in return for an honest review. All opinions are based upon my own experience.

I tend to suffer alot of dry patches of skin on my face which often causes me a few problems. First is that when I choose to wear foundation, it always tends to stick to the dry patches and looks hideous. I sought a bit of advice about this problem and was told to use a gentle exfoliator on a daily basis to help get rid of the flaky skin. When I found this product on My Pure, I thought it would be perfect as it states that it's gentle and can be used daily. What's best about this product is that it can also be used as a detoxing mask treatment which simply requires leaving it on the skin for 5 minutes, then rinsing off.

When you remove the lid, don't forget to peel off the small bit of foil which covers the end of the tube or you'll be standing there all day wondering why it won't come out .....a bit like I did myself! This is designed to be used after cleansing and comes out looking a bit like wet sand. You can immediately feel the grittiness of this exfoliator, and I did worry a little as to whether it would feel a bit scratchy on my skin as i can be pretty sensitive. I needn't have worried however as it actually felt quite pleasant and invigorating. I used small circular motions to spread it around my face, paying particular attention to my problem areas where the skin is more flaky which included my cheeks, forehead and around my nose. The smell was a wee bit overpowering but this is something I could definitely overlook. As soon as I rinsed the exfoliator off my skin, I noticed a visible difference and at first sight, couldn't see any troublesome flaky bits! I patted my skin dry and expected redness but again, it was fine and actually felt quite moisturised.

I have been using this daily for a couple of weeks now and have to say that I'm really impressed with the results. My skin feels renewed and fresh as a daisy.

This is definitely one I'd recommend, especially if, like me, you suffer those terrible unsightly dry flaky patches, and what better time to start using it than now as hopefully summer is just round the corner!

Kosmea Daily Exfoliant is available to purchase from My Pure at a cost of £10 for a 20g travel size tube.

GOSH Soft Shower Gel & Moisturizing Body Lotion

I was lucky enough to win both these products from the Christmas Advent competition which was ran on the GOSH Facebook page I wasn't asked to review these products but thought I'd share them with you anyway. All opinions are based upon my own experience.

First, I have to say that I personally love the design and size of these bottles, they really look stylish and make the product easy to dispense. As always, the first thing I did upon opening was to have a sniff and wow, they both smelled gorgeous!! Bath time followed soon after lol

The shower gel contains Aloe Vera which is known for its skin softening properties and was the perfect choice for my dry, winter skin. I squeezed a generous amount onto my scrunchie and began washing. The smell immediately filled my nostrils and was exceptionally pleasant. It slightly reminded me of the Matey bubble bath I used as a child. It's a nice, fresh, delicate smell which I also found very relaxing. The gel lathered up really well and gave me a great all over clean feeling. My skin already felt alot softer than when using my regular shower gel and even after rinsing, the smell lingered on my skin. For a change, I had no tightness and no itching after drying which impressed me no end.

The moisturizing body lotion contains Argan Oil & Vitamin B3 to give the ultimate in hydration. I poured a small amount in my hands and massaged it into my legs & body. Again, the smell was unbelievably pleasant .....I could have sniffed this all day! The lotion applied well and didn't leave any greasy residue. It softened my skin beautifully and even managed to target my driest areas ie knees and elbows. The first day I used it, 3 friends separately asked me what perfume I was wearing and were gob-smacked when I told them it was just my new moisturiser! My youngest daughter waited till the end of the day and asked what I'd been wearing as every time I wafted past her, she got a lovely whiff. As soon as I showed her what it was, she decided to have herself a bath just to borrow some!

Both of these products were absolutely amazing and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend either of them, especially if you suffer from dry skin which is in need of a little TLC ....and of course, you'll smell absolutely gorgeous!

Alva Sanddorn Skin Oil from My Pure

I recently received some Alva Sanddorn Skin Oil from My Pure free of charge, in return for an honest review.

I decided to try this oil as my skin is still stuck in Winter mode and is also in dire need of a moisture boost. Alva Sanddorn Skin Oil claims to have so many great benefits that I simply couldn't resist!

According to the My Pure website, this skin oil is the 'perfect intensive care for stressed skin' and that the 'rich oil increases the amount of moisture retained, firms, protects against damaging environmental factors , and promotes natural regeneration - especially after sunbathing. Additionally, it helps to promote a deeper, longer lasting suntan'.
As well as all that, it also:
- can be used by pregnant women as a massage oil to help prevent stretch marks
- helps to lessen the visible impact of already formed stretch marks, scars and blemishes
- works as a soothing shaving oil for men and women and
- is a perfect substitute for liquid paraffin-based oils which are often used on babies' skin

So as you can see, there are many benefits contained in this one small bottle!

Once the lid has been unscrewed, you'll find a small hole which helps regulate the amount of oil being released  .....I was really pleased about this as I have an uncanny tendency to always smother myself in waaay too much product!

I mainly used this as a morning and evening moisturiser as it's my face which is the most problematic for me. I applied it onto clean, slightly damp skin as per the instructions. Immediately, I was free from any tingling or tightness and even my usual 'just washed' redness subsided within a few seconds of application. I tend to have quite a few dry areas of skin which I find difficult to keep suitably moisturised, however, this skin oil managed to not only help make them appear less visible, but after 1 week of using twice daily, has completely eradicated them!! For the first time in years I am able to apply foundation without having unsightly dry patches here and there, which in turn has helped increase my confidence ...HOORAY!!

Due to the gorgeous few days of sunshine we've had recently, I managed to get myself into the garden and yes, you've guessed it, I got sunburnt!! My face suffered the worst, but thankfully, I reached straight for my skin oil and applied immediately. It soothed and de-stressed my skin on contact and I'm pleased to say that the redness didn't last long and in it's place, I have a nice golden tan.

Despite using this twice daily for almost 2 weeks, I have barely touched the bottle! As long as skin is slightly damp, it only takes a small amount to gain really good coverage. I've also noticed that some of my finer lines have paled into insignificance .....I can only assume that it's due to the skin oil. I really do recommend this product, not only because it's totally natural, but it really does work.
WORD OF WARNING: This oil is rich orange in colour and may cause staining so please be careful!

Alva Sanddorn Skin Oil comes in either a small 5ml bottle (which is what I received) at a cost of £5.50 or a large 100ml bottle at a cost of £19.75 and are both available from My Pure.

Revlon® Pedi-EXPERT™ Pedicure

I was fortunate enough to win this on Twitter and i have to say it is absolutely brilliant! It's a similar idea to the Pedi Egg, but this comes with a lifetime guarantee rather than being able to buy replacement blades.

As you can see from the pics, it comes in a handy, easy to hold little tub, which stores the nail file and the clippers - very handy, and it has 2 sections. One of these contains 190 micro-files which removes hard, callused skin and the other, a stainless steel finishing file to guarantee feet are left smooth and free from roughness. As an added bonus, you also receive some excellent nail clippers to keep those toe nails in tip top condition and a standard nail file.

I would strongly recommend this to anyone who suffers from dry, cracked heels etc as it is safe and easy to use - all dry skin which is removed is contained within the pedi expert so you just empty when finished and wash with warm, soapy water.......make sure you dry it thoroughly afterwards though!

Top marks to Revlon for this, i think it's fab!