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  • Beauty Kitchen’s Hydration Hero Face Mist

    Why do I love skincare? It’s about making the most of what you have and trying to take care of it. You can go as deep and complex or as basic as you want. But all of us on some level will use skincare on a daily basis. I’ve tried lots of different products before, but one that hasn’t been on my radar has been a facial mist. I purchased Hydration Hero Face Mist from Beauty Kitchen earlier this year when it was on a special promotion. Current price £12.50 for 100ml.

    Beauty Kitchen’s Hydration Hero Mist

    Why did I buy this? I was introduced to this brand a few years ago by a friend when she gifted me a night time face mask. I was so impressed by it I’ve kept my eye on their products ever since. When they had a sale earlier this year, I bought this because it sounded like a useful product. Easy and quick to use, slot into my everyday routine and would give my skin instant relief if and when needed.

    What does this supposed to do? This mist is designed to give the skin immediate moisture when applied. After one spritz, skin should look and feel brighter and happier.

    Packaging. The mist comes in a darkened glass bottle with a spray dispenser top. The fact it’s darkened glass speaks volumes to me. Normally this is how products with some form of essential oils or other ingredients are contained that need to be protected from the light, so it doesn’t degrade. Labelling is quite earthy in look with its green colouring and plant like shapes. This matches the tall rectangular box this mist comes in.

    Fragrance. I detect an energising zestiness to this mist so definitely some form of citrus is in it. A little floral is in there too. Overall, it has a botanical smell to this but it’s not overpowering and perfectly balanced. Don’t worry if you hate the smell of flowers or should I say florals, like I do, this is more aromatherapy based and lovely!

    Ingredients. These include water, glycerin, Abyssinian Oil, Rose Absolute and various other aromatherapy oils. Beauty Kitchen’s ethos is about formulating beauty products using natural and effective ingredients.

    How to use. Shake, spray six inches away from face then using hands pat onto skin.

    In use. I used this as suggested on the packaging. Honestly, I expected a mist of fragranced water. That isn’t what I got. Liquid and water like yes it was. When I patted the excess into my skin only then could I tell this was something else. Rather than it being just water, I could feel there was some form of oil in it. It wasn’t greasy but light and moisturising. It’s something I’ve never experienced texture wise before.

    The scent was so enjoyable to take in, and despite being a little stuffy in the nose because of hay fever, this provided some light relief.

    Skin after use. I didn’t expect massive miracles from using this. That’s not what it’s supposed to do. The reason why I started using this product was hoping to get instant relief from my skin feeling tired, uncomfortable and dry. And what this did was exactly what I hoped for! A few spritz provided a light layer of hydration and protection which for my skin perked it up. And the fragrance really helped to kick start my senses and relax and invigorate me all at the same time ( depending on what time of day I used this ). My skin didn’t look greasy but it looked slightly less dull.

    When do I use this mist? Mainly before wearing a mask for work. This gives my skin another layer of hydration. After wearing a mask, for obvious reasons! This crazy every changing weather means I grab this often. Warm and sunny, cold and windy. Neither is helping my face feel normal, and this is quick and easy to use while experiencing these extremes. Those moments when I know I’m not going to wash and cleanse my face for a few hours, but it needs something to keep it going before then, is when this comes out. Basically, anytime I feel my skin is flagging, I spray and go!

    Negatives? I think I may have a funky spray top because the mist I’m getting hasn’t been very fine or directed properly. This means I’ve used more of this than I know I should have. Annoying, but these things can happen and doesn’t take away what’s in the bottle. EDIT. Definitely was a faulty spray top. I bought two of these mists, swapped over the the spray top with number 2 and this is now spraying like a dream! Lovely, fine mist which is covering the face with two pumps!

    Recommended? Genuinely, I didn’t think a facial mist was something that needed to be used or bought, and technically it isn’t. It’s not an essential item in a skincare routine like a cleanser or a moisturiser is, so at one point I did think it’s pretty pointless. But that isn’t my opinion anymore! A good quality facial mist in my opinion can be helpful to the skin, and also for other senses too. This ticked the senses box. The texture was a delight and I loved it on the skin as it gave it an immediate hydration kick. The fragrance was mood boosting which is always a good thing. I LOVE this product! And totally recommend this and would buy this again and again.

    £12.50 may seem a lot price wise, but this should last a good amount of time considering it’s 100ml. It’s not something you will use constantly so this wouldn’t disappear anytime soon. And the ingredients are well thought out and good quality. If you want to purchase the product you never you knew you needed in your life, head towards their website here to get your new skin best friend.

  • Soul Energy Honey Wax Melts

    I was hoping 2021 would be the year of less shopping for me, but that hasn’t quite worked out! I may not visit physical shops as much as I have in the past (for obvious reasons), but that hasn’t stopped the internet calling! A few months ago I made a purchase from a company called Soul Energy, that consisted of bath bombs, bath dusts and wax melts. The first item I tried from my order was their Honey wax melts. These came in a pair, and normally cost £2.50 ( I bought mine when they were discounted because of a special offer).

    Soul Energy’s Honey Wax Melts

    Why did I buy these? These looked sooo cute on line! I love pretty wax and I can’t deny that weakness. I also thought honey isn’t something I tend to purchase in wax form, so was intrigued to find out how well it translated as a fragrance.

    Packaging. Nothing fancy, simple but practical. These two wax melts came in a clear plastic little sleeve. Company logo on front, ingredients on the back.

    Appearance. These are two little stunners! Both hexagon in shape, a little bigger than a 50p coin and both a beautiful golden yellow colouring. One has a honeycomb like pattern on the top, whereas the other has a bee shape embossed into it. Both have a generous but not overdone sprinkle of chunky glitter. Some copper coloured, others iridescent with all mimicking the actual shape of the wax melts. The attention to detail here is superb!

    Fragrance. An absolute delight! I don’t mind the scent of honey but I don’t love it either. I find that it can be too sweet and very synthetic. These wax melts definitely did not smell like this! These have a beautiful blend of sweet, uplifting honey, a touch of floral and a powdery element in there somewhere. A very grown up, classy and full bodied version of honey which took me by surprise.

    In melt. I would say these are the perfect size to put into a warmer, so I opted to use one in the kitchen. It was almost hypnotic seeing this already beautiful looking wax become more and more liquid, turning into a golden wax pool. The fragrance wasn’t there immediately, it slowly developed and became more and more noticeable as the wax warmed through.

    Strength & Longevity. Strength wise I would say this is a medium. Would this be more if I added in both wax melts? No idea. You would think the answer is yes but believe it or not adding too much wax can actually do the opposite. So a potential waste and not a true reflection on strength. But the strength of this was spot on because this shouldn’t be a powerhouse wax! The quality of this fragrance means it really shines through, and should add to a room not destroy it. Longevity very good. I melted one wax melt over 2 days at around 8 hours and the scent and strength remained constant.

    Recommended? Oh my goodness yes! These are just the sweetest looking wax melts that reflect their scent perfectly! Visually very easy on the eye. Just the right amount of wax per melt per use. The fragrance is superb and very clever, which lasted well and at the perfect strength. These I would quite happily repeat purchase and melt time and time again!

    Sad face right now. If you want to order this, at the time of writing this post, these little gems are officially sold out! BUT keep this bookmarked and by the grace of God these will be back in stock asap here!

  • Maui Moisture Vanilla Bean Hair Butter

    Does anyone else have a wish list of products and/or brands they want to purchase? I know I do! I get excited seeing things I’m dying to try out when they are affordable and at good prices. Who doesn’t love a bargain? Maui Moisture has definitely been on my to buy radar over the last year or so. But at £8.99 per product it isn’t something I’ve entertained and bought. But since some of their hair and body care range has been only £1.99 at Home Bargains, this price has been much more agreeable in my mind and budget. So over the last few weeks I’ve picked up different items including their Vanilla Hair Butter.

    Maui Moisture Vanilla Hair Butter

    Why did I buy this? I have LOTS of bath, body and skincare products, but not much in the form of haircare. I knew my hair supplies were running low and I needed some form of hair treatment and this was priced so well. AND vanilla bean? After giving this a cheeky sniff it was a must as vanilla is one of my all time favourite scents in everything.

    What is Vanilla Bean Hair Butter? It’s basically a hair mask. You can either use this as a deep treatment by leaving it in the hair for a few minutes and rinsing out, or as a leave in conditioner.

    What hair type is this for? Designed for frizzy and unruly hair which will include Afro Caribbean hair. I’ve seen this brand sit in sections dedicated to this hair type in various stores, which was a massive reason I wanted to try them out.

    What is this supposed to do? This mask is supposed to deep condition hair. Help to control frizz, make it more manageable and therefore easy to detangle.

    Packaging. 340g of hair mask is housed in a screw top lidded tub. Textured labelling, neutral in colouring e.g browns, gold and beiges. With all relevant information visible, including what this product DOES NOT contain e.g mineral oils, parabens etc.

    I adore how the whole of this brand is packaged and labelled as it gives off the vibe of being quite wholesome in a natural, tropical, down to earth kind of way. It stands out for me every time!

    Scent. Absolutely glorious! I am a vanilla addict so anything with this fragrance immediately wins me over. Sweet, slightly floral and undeniably vanilla. Can’t go wrong, and not overpowering either.

    Texture & Consistency. A lovely rich looking pot of goodness. It looks very thick like a body butter. But when I took some out although it was thick, it wasn’t solid. I find hair masks/treatments I normally use are very much like this. And leave in conditioners the same or at least similar. This didn’t have a waxy texture to it, more thick body lotion like to touch.

    How did I use this? Funnily enough I assumed this was just a mask at time of purchase. But it was only when I got home and read the label I found you could use it as a leave in. A leave in conditioner was something I had very little left of, so opted to use it purely in this way rather than as a mask.

    I washed and conditioned my hair. While wet I combed it through and created large sections. I applied a generous amount to each of these sections, and within each created smaller sections and made 2 stranded twists. If any section felt as if it was drying out, I sprayed it with some water, and added a little extra Hair Butter onto it. Once all hair was twisted, I made sure my scalp was oiled and it was completed.

    After use. I felt within a few hours my hair felt and looked as if it had totally absorbed this product. Normally, especially with the amount I use, leave in conditioners stay on my hair for hours and my hair feels a little weighty and still damp. Not only weighty but has a bounce to it. I didn’t get that with this. My twists looked fine, they looked defined. But feeling and looking at my hair, it felt as if there wasn’t much conditioner in it. It felt dry. Not dry as in brittle, just not moist.

    My hair didn’t look wild or unruly. This doesn’t normally happen when I’ve freshly done my hair anyway, so no massive change with control or frizz. As a detangler, I used this in the same way on my daughter’s hair as I did on my own. It seemed to make a small difference running a comb through it after application before twisting it. But nothing incredible or memorable. Her hair really needed a good comb through so combed it before and after putting on the mask.

    Was this for me? I don’t think so. Or at least not for the purpose I used it for. Looking at the range in full, I think this one would have been better just as a mask and nothing more. The amount of conditioning my hair needed I think was more than what this product could deliver as a leave in. Same results I found with my daughter’s hair too. But as a mask? I will have to try it out in that way and see if it’s more effective.

    Maui Moisture Hair Care Products

    Recommended? Difficult one to answer because there is a vast amount of hair types and textures that fall under the frizzy and unruly title. For me, who has full on thick, proper afro hair, as a leave in conditioner? I personally wouldn’t use it for this again or purchase it for that reason. As a mask, as mentioned, I haven’t used it in this way but I think a mask is harder to get wrong. It’s on the hair for a short amount of time and gets washed off already clean hair. So all it should really do is give a temporary pick me up for the hair, like a skincare face mask would do. And once out of the hair, style it accordingly.

    For £1.99 though I think it’s still worth a go. But I would use this as a short term treatment over anything else. Important to note, this range does work very hard not to include certain things such as silicones, mineral oils AND includes high percentages of natural ingredients. THAT in itself should be applauded! The range can be found in many Home Bargains stores ( stock and variety dependant on store and availability ). Or, for the full rrp price, Boots, Superdrug and supermarkets such as ASDA sell the range. * Both Boots and Superdrug have a 1/3 off the Maui range at the time of writing this post.

  • Druid and The Witch’s Mango Fandango Bubble Scoop

    If I could choose one bath product above any other, I think it might have to be a bubble scoop. I’ve only been using these for the last few years but I have to say I absolutely adore them! So was it any surprise I added Mango Fandango Bubble Scoop to my order from Druid and the Witch, at the end of last year? If memory serves correct it cost around £2.00-2.20.

    Druid and the Witch’s Mango Fandango Bubble Scoop

    Why did I order this? A bubble scoop for me is an alternative to something like a bath bomb. These work well on my skin and I have to say they rarely fail me.

    What’s a bubble scoop? A bubble scoop normally provides colour, fragrance and foam in a bath. More importantly, because they tend to contain ingredients such as shea or cocoa butter, they really moisturise the skin while in the bath. So for me, this truly is a treat for the body.

    The look. What I love about bubble scoops is how they look. Almost edible, which obviously they aren’t! Shaped as if this was a scoop of ice cream, doomed on the top although not totally smooth but flat on the bottom. Soft mint green in colour and soft orange running through it.

    Texture. Unlike bath bombs or fizzers, this doesn’t have a chalky feel or residue to it. It does feel quite solid but looks like it could crumble.

    Scent. There’s definitely a tropical mango scent to this, and to me a little hit of citrus. Not too sweet, not too strong and very pleasant.

    In the bath. I threw this under warm running water, and although it remained whole for while, it lightly created colour and foam. The colour was faint in the forms of soft yellow and pale green. As the bath got bigger and bigger, so did the foam. This little bubble scoop created ALOT of foam which was just what I hoped to see.

    Fragrance wise it was there during bath time but not strong. The bath itself was enjoyable, relaxing and the bubbles/foam lasted a decent amount of time. By the time I got out ( I didn’t count but a minimum of 30 minutes later ), there was a small amount left but not much. And the water itself was green tinted.

    On the skin. No irritations! I’ve found recently my skin has been a bit awkward, but this didn’t irritate it at all and it didn’t dry it out. Some bubble scoops can leave a layer of oil or moisture on the skin because of it’s ingredients, but not this one. What I would say is it left my skin feeling and looking normal, so I followed my usual body routine with a lotion.

    Recommended? I am such fan of bubble scoops and so far never had a bad one, so this is recommended! What I loved about this is the foam and amount it created, the water definitely felt more softer because of it’s ingredients and it was so enjoyable. It’s good for people who love bath bombs or fizzers but they want bubbles, and don’t get them with their chosen bath treat. But more importantly, if they find what they’ve been using has been drying out their skin and they need something more hydrating, this is ideal.

    Checking the website there is no current listing for the bubble scoops. But they have been a regular item so keep checking! Everything is handmade, stock levels and what’s available will change. But there are plenty of bath and shower treats available in the meantime, so go visit their Etsy store to check them out! Or visit them on Facebook to keep a track of their latest creations.