I had bought a couple of 50ml trial size samples from the Elemis range to try and the Balancing Lavender Toner was my star item. So much so that I’ve now bought myself the full size bottle and a few other goodies to boot.

I won’t say too much more about the toner as you can read my initial review here but this is one of the most gentle toners I’ve found. You can clearly see on the cotton wool how well it removes any final traces of dirt and oil however my skin feels soft and smooth after using it without any hint of tightness.

The Balancing Lime Blossom Cleanser I bought in the trial size sample didn’t seem to quite control my blemish prone skin as well as I’d hoped so I’ve decided to give the Melting Cleansing Gel and try which seems a little more like my favourite Botanics Cleansing Balm. I’ve been trying this for a couple of weeks so now so I’ll give this a few more days to see how my skin responds before doing a full review.

These two little face masks were just a couple of free gifts I’ve received along with my other purchases but I do love getting a few little extras! These both will give you at least about 5 applications which I think would give most people a good amount of time to see how much they like a face mask. I bought my Elemis bit’s on line from Gorgeous Shop as the toner and melting cleanser were both £17.46 which was the best discount I could find for Elemis.

I always love the products in The Body Shop and a lot of other ranges seem to model their products on some of the iconic items such the body butters.  As a Christmas present (or birthday or any other time of the year!) I always think The Body Shop performs well as you know straight away the products are good quality.

This year The Body Shop will again be releasing so festive ranges and fragrances which includes Spiced Vanilla, Cranberry Joy and Candid Ginger. I released after I took the picture below that the Spiced Pumpkinrange is actually the autumn range but as I really like it and does have that warming wintry fragrance I thought I would still include it in the post.

So first up is the Spiced Vanilla which is a richer, more wintry version of the original vanilla fragrance. I’m a big fan of the sweet vanilla scent however I think the spiced edge to this product makes it really wearable even for those who don’t tend to like such a sweet fragrance. The body butter itself is the usual rich moisturiser which is easily absorbed. Overall I think this is actually one of my favourite fragrances for the body butter range and I love that with The Body Shop products the fragrance seems to last all day.

Next up is the Cranberry Joy range which has a very fruity fragrance. I’m not keen on products with a citrus edge however as this is cranberry it has a sweeter, berry scent. All the usual products are available in the range which includes a shower gel, body scrub, shimmer lotion and body butter to name a few. 

I’ve included a swatch of the shimmering body lotion as I know most people have probably tried some form of shower gel, body scrub and body butter from The Body Shop however I had never actually tried any of the shimmering body lotion’s before. This lotion has a pearly finish though in the picture I’ve applied it quite heavily to get it to show up. Even when blended it’s still very shimmery so I can see this being saved for Christmas parties and other nights out.

Finally up is the Spiced pumpkin range from the autumn collection though as I mentioned earlier as this has a spicy fragrance I think this would still work as a Christmas present. I’m often a little dubious about spending too much on shower gels but using this one has reminded me why it’s worthwhile. The fragrance isn’t overpowering when you use it but somehow even at the end of the day I can still smell this product on my skin hours after my perfume seems to have disappeared!

For anyone starting to think about Christmas presents I think The Body Shop is well worth a look. The shower gels are both £4, the body scrub is £12.50, the body butters are usually priced at £12.50 and the shimmering body lotion is £8 all avialable from The Body Shop.

*pr sample – views are my own

I have recently been using a cleansing balm for my face which really seemed to suit my skin type however as it’s just run out I couldn’t resist trying a few new products. I’ve been sent a couple of products from the Environ range, a cleanser and facemask which I have been trialling alongside my usual moisturiser.

As I can be prone to problem skin I’ve been sent the B-Active range which contains a range of spot fighting ingredients including tea tree oil and salicylic acid. The Environ brand itself  aims to offer women the most effective skincare science permits which is certainly something I’m willing to try!

The first product is the Sebuwash which is a foaming cleanser designed to cleanse and help decongest the skin. The cleanser lather’s up easily and did leave my skin feeling very clean. My skin can be a little sensitive sometimes when I try something new but these seemed to suit my skin quite well apart from the fact I found my cheeks got a little dry which is a problem I often have with products designed for oily skin.

Initially my skin did flare up initially with a few spots however I think this was just the change of products and the fact it seemed to really give a deep cleanser. After about a week they settled down and my skin remained quite problem free!

The Sebumask when you read the product information is designed to be left  on for about an hour or ideally overnight however I’ve only tended to leave it on for about 10-15minutes like a traditional face mask. I’m not too sure about going to bed with a facemask on! It tingles initially when applied, probably the tea tree oil, which I find reassuring as it does make me feel like the mask is actually working!

Again like the facewash my skin did initially flare up after using the mask however I think this was just all the impurities being drawn out, similar to if you have a facial and they warn you that your skin could flare up. Subsequent times when I used the mask it just left my skin feeling soft, smooth and clear.

Overall I do like the range as it does really help to keep any spots at bay without irritating sensitive skin. The only downside was that on my combination skin it could be a little drying however for oily skin I think this would be perfect.

This year Wilkinson have relaunched the entire Wilko beauty range which includes all the skincare, shaving and bathing products. I think one of the best bits is that most of the range seems to cost £1 or less which is perfect to help me save a few extra pennies. I’ve been sent a few products for the different ranges to try out and let you know what I think.

First up is the bathing range which includes shower gels, shower smoothies, bubble bath and hand wash. I’ve got a tube of the coconut shower cream which is a tiny £1! The fragrance is very coco-nutty with a subtle hint of vanilla. I don’t like spending much on shower gel as often find the cheaper brands are just as good so this range is just up my street! my body seems less fussy about the products I use unlike my face and hair!

The hand cream I can fault either especially for the price if only £0.59. The cream is quite runny and absorbed easily into the hands so I called this more an everyday hand cream rather than an intensive treatment however that makes it perfect to pop it in your hand bag.

I’ve never actually used disposable razors before as I’ve never really understood the difference between a whole disposable razor and just changing the blades. However seeing that Wilkinson offer 4 disposable razors for only £1.47 I can now see the appeal. Unfortunately I didn’t find the razor’s quite as easy to use my normal razor as the angle seemed and little different and the razor itself didn’t seem quite as sturdy.

I wouldn’t be convinced to buy these on a regular basis however if you want something for travelling or have simple forgotten to take your razor away with you then for the price these are worth a look.

The shower smoothies and hand washes from the range also look lovely and at only £1 each I’ll be keeping my eyes open for them.

Suti is a new brand to me and imagine too many others as well. Suti is designed as a luxurious, organic skincare collection which was only launched towards the end of last year. The range uses vitamin rich plant and flower extracts to produce a range of facial oils and balms, cleansers and body butters.

I’ve been sent a few products from the facial collection to try out, the organic facial cleanser, the peppermint water facial toner and the facial oil. I’ve never tried a cleansing balm or facial oil before as I tend to avoid them with my oily skin however this range is meant to help reduce blemishes!

I must admit I still can’t get my head around using a balm which feels oily on the skin to cleanse with however the proof is in the results! The Cleansing Balm has a very refreshing fragrance and applies easily to the skin. You then use the muslin square to gently rub it in and straight away you can see the amount of dirt and makeup being removed from your skin.

The cleansing balm leaves my skin feeling squeaky clean but not at all uncomfortable. It really has helped to keep my blemishes at bay which I think is because it seems to remove the impurities from my skin so well. This has really changed my mind on cleansing balms and I would definitely think about buying it when mine runs out.

The second step of the routine is the Peppermint Water Facial Toner which is meant to help calm irritated, inflamed and blemished complexions. I don’t often use a toner as my cleansing routine can be quite rushed in the mornings and I’m not always convinced about what extra a toner adds to my routine.

This peppermint facial toner can just be sprayed onto the skin and it feels very refreshing. I’ve surprised myself by using this religiously every morning and evening after cleansing and I’m sure it’s helping to make my skin feel more fresh and soothe any blemishes. I’ve also used it to perk up my weary skin towards the end of the day if I’m going out and don’t have time to redo my makeup. .

The Organic Facial Oily was the other product I felt slightly wary of at first with my oily skin however it turns out I had nothing to worry about! A few drops of the oily is enough for my face and it is quickly absorbed into my skin and doesn’t leave an oily finish. The oil includes evening primrose oil, sandalwood and frankincense all of which help to heal and repair the skin. This used with the cleansing balm left my skin so silky and soft!

If you like organic products rich in botanical extracts and essential oils then this range is well worth a look. The range is available online at Suti and the cleansing balm is £26, the toner is£18 and the facial oil is £28.