HANDMADE LAVENDER SCRUB BAR SOAP

Yes you heard it here first. Today I'm reviewing a bar of handmade soap. Made with my own fair hands in the soapy kitchens workshop. I've made this bar soap before. It's a good starting point for the newbie soap maker. It gives a luscious creamy lather with plenty of big bubbles. The more you use, the more it gives. The smell is adorable. Even before use as a dry bar it has a warming fresh scent that will be sure to just make you want to jump into the tub! When I have a fresh batch on the drying rack the whole room smells of fresh lavender. It's beautiful. Probably one of those smells you either love or hate. The thing with handmade soaps are (apart from looking absolutely delicious and standing out from your typical supermarket bar) they don't have any of those nasty ingredients in them. Your skin is always left feeling super soft and refreshed. Using natural products such as essential oils is a sure way to guarantee such beauty in a bar. Although the soap almost certainly melts faster than your typical supermarket bar it's definitely worth it. My bar of lavender contains those all important lavender essential oils and natural lavender foliage to add that soft Scrub feel.  I love the look of handmade soaps. A little rough around the edges, sometimes a little wonky in places. You can't beat that handmade look. Far more interesting that a well formed neat and tidy bar of soap, mass produced and looking very unnatural.  Well this bar does not leave my skin feeling tight or dry and the smell lasts for ages. I feel refreshed and was able to use this bar if soap on my face. Here's to handmade soap!! 10/10 maybe I can post the recipe soon!

L'OREAL PURE CLAY DETOX MASK

I've never been a fan of face masks. To be fair I've not really given them a chance but have used them in the past without positive results.  I have been feeling a little sceptical about this product however I have heard super things about this particular one so I'm giving it a go.
I've chosen the pure clay detox mask that detoxifies and clarifies. With Three pure clays kaolin, montmorillonite and ghassoul and added charcoal this is sure to be a winner. I have used natural clays in my own soaping products and they always give fabulous results.
Beautifully packaged with eye catching shimmery colours it will definitely catch your eye when out shopping. I knew what product I wanted so ordered mine online.
Earlier I tested a small patch on the back of my hand and I have to say it smells amazing. Even after the product is washed off I kept on smelling my hand! The product it's self is shiny and smooth.  Cool to touch I began to put a thin layer over my face avoiding my eyes, and lips. Almost instantly I could feel the mask tightening as it dried. It feels very warming. I can barely smile it's so tight but it's not itchy or anything so that's all good.  Easily washed off with a warm face cloth my skin actually does feel good. Soft and nourished. I applied a small amount of facial moisturiser once dry. I have to say waking up the next morning and my face is not as oily as normal.

However it would be very unfair of me to score this product until I've tried it as per instructions 3 times a week. Do watch this space!! Meanwhile with £2.99 off each mask at the moment... buy yours here!
http://m.boots.com/h5/cat_hub?unCountry=uk&path=%2Fen%2FLOreal%2FSkincare%2FPure-Clay-Facial-Masks%2F

CAPASAL THERAPEUTIC SHAMPOO

Possibly the greatest treatment out there for dry scalp conditions. This shampoo, thick and golden brown in colour left my hair feeling very luxurious. It creates an abundance of thick creamy foam type bubbles. At £7 a bottle it's definitely worth it. I spent years trying to find a suitable shampoo and conditioner to help my scalp. Years of embarrassment, unable to wear dark colour tops through fear of people seeing flakes of skin all over your shoulders.  I wouldn't want to use this every day as its quite strong but definitely does the trick. Maybe once a week. It smells absolutely gorgeous. Reminds me of an old hardware store I once went to. It's a coal tar base so smells like antiseptic tar. Some won't like the smell but for me it's a winner. And I do like to have a little sniff every now and then!! 10/10 a favourite of mine. Find yours here
http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/capasal-therapeutic-shampoo/prd-hqh

MASON & MILLER SOAP

Wow! A little package of beauty! I absolutely adore minature soaps like this with tissue pleated packaging. They remind me of the type of soap bar you may get in a hotel bathroom. A great addition to your soaping collection this little round bar of creamy white soap smells so refreshing. Almost citrus and cream mixed together. It lathers well with a silky soft mixture of bubbles and cream texture. Feels great on the skin and extremely refreshing. It left my facial skin feeling a little tight however nothing that could not be resolved with a little moisturiser. However the rest of my body feels very luxurious and the little Mason & Miller soap bar with its gorgeous packaging has won me over. 8/10 for this one. Can recommend and will be using again.  Buy yours here £6.35 for 50. Wow what a bargain!
http://www.makro.co.uk/mason-miller-pleated-tissue-soap-50x15g.html

FAITH IN NATURE tea tree soap bar

I'm a bit of a lover of Faith in Nature soaps. Some delicious scents, natural smells. Just can't resist!  This gorgeous soap bar comes in clear  plastic packaging just what I love. I like to see my soap products. You can tell alot just by looking at soap you know!
With its typical natural and irresistible smell this perfectly formed soap bar fits perfectly into my hands. A great asset when in the tub! It feels very refreshing on the skin and keeps acne at bay. Super creamy soapy suds and bubbles....my favourite. Giving this one 10/10. Take a look below for purchases and other Faith In Nature products. I can't decide which one to try next. Any recommendations?

https://www.faithinnature.co.uk/products/tea-tree-soap

LILAC BATH CRÈME by Sainsbury

This lush smelling, smooth, silky bath creme will have you surrounded in plentiful of large soft bubbles. The smell reminds me somewhat of my childhood but I can't put my finger on exactly what! Its pleasing though.  Simply pour under a running tap for large fluffy bubbles and a mild comforting smell. Fabulous creamy lilac colour and at only 75p a bottle this bath creme is definitely value for money. Feels quite luxurious on the skin and unlike most bubble bath/creme it does not have a chemical type tang to its smell.  I take a lot of things into consideration when testing out products but this luxurious bottle of bubbles scores a 10/10 for me. Find it at www.sainsburys.com

WRIGHTS COAL TAR SOAP

Love it! Love it! Love it! This is a soap without a doubt is amongst my top choice of bar soap. Just the fresh smell squeezing through the packaging gets me every time.  Orange in colour stamped with the Wright's logo this bar is a must have in my summer collection. It makes the whole bathroom smell beautifully fresh and clean. Wright's coal tar soap leaves my skin feeling so refreshing and cleansed. A traditional bar soap great for skin conditions such as ecxma and acne. Suited to both young and old at 80p a bar in my local supermarket it's a steal. Fabulous creamy lather too. This bar of soap is also one of my favourites for killing stains. Rub a small amount onto the stain and gently swirl and rub with a small nail brush to eliminate any stain. Tried on chocolate, tomato sauce, blood and others. It works every time. This is a must buy bar of soap! 10 out of 10😃 sorry for the upside down pictures. Happy Saturday x

LUX BEAUTY SOAP with moisturiser

I'm writing this post with thanks to Jinny who kindly got in touch and sent me a sample of her favourite soap. LUX BEAUTY SOAP with moisturisers. As I excitedly open the packaging I can already smell the freshness coming from the little box. Stylish and quite stunning packaging.. A neat little cardboard box, white with  gold and black detail. Perfect. A very silky smooth bar of soap smelling very fresh. Slightly reminds me of another well known brand so I am quite excited to see how this lathers up and leaves my skin feeling.
A creamy lather plenty of bubbles, smelling lush. Silky smooth on my skin. This bar left my skin feeling refreshed but my face a little tight. However will score this 7/10 for its fresh smell. Would love to try a larger bar. Thanks to Jinny for sending this bar of soap in. 

AUSSIE MIRACLE MOIST shampoo and conditioner

Lately my hair has been quite dry. I've not been well. To be honest my body has been through hell with heavy periods and anemia. To top it off I've had an operation and possibly have another to come. So unfortunately my hair has suffered. It's become very brittle, dry and thin. I wanted a shampoo and conditioner that was going to be kind to my hair and scalp. Wandering around my local supermarket I walked straight past the cheaper alternatives and on to the more expensive range. I knew this time I needed to spend a bit more. I've used AUSSIES products before so my eyes were drawn especially as in bold blue letters I read MIRACLE MOIST. Great against the cream background on the bottle. Perfect....something to put some Moisture back in my hair and scalp. Made with Australian macadamia nut oil it reads that this shampoo is full of good oils. The instructions and ingredients are clear to read with a non faf bottle lid that easily pops up when pushed. There is nothing worse than spending a fortune on a product only to discover it has a rather awkward lid. Wet showery hands and silly lids do not mix! So back to the AUSSIE MIRACLE MOIST shampoo. It smells beautiful. Not quite as strong as the conditioner but they almost remind me of those fruit salad penny sweets. Yum!
I used a heaped 50 pence piece size of shampoo and after drenching my hair with fresh water I gently massaged it into my hair and scalp. The smell by the way is amazing! I repeated one more shampoo and finished off with the conditioner leaving it in for a minute or two. Once rinsed, dried with a cool hairdryer my hair was left feeling soft and full of life again. From this point on it was very easy to style. No knots just a simple comb and a small pea sized amount of serum and I was on my way. So for a fuss free hair day with salon results, great smell and feel I am giving this shampoo and conditioner 10/10.

BOOTS Coconut & Almond bar SOAP

This morning I am testing BOOTS Coconut & Almond bar soap. Packaged in a neat hand held sized recyclable card box this soap has been in my soaping box for a while now. The packaging is clear and simple with pictures of coconut and an almond on the front. The ingredients list says with extracts of coconut and almond. I can't smell the soap through the packaging but this is mainly due to it having been stored next to a fairly strong bar of soap and that's what I can smell. Opening the box I can feel a smooth creamy bar with BOOTS printed on the front. No mistaking who made this bar. Creamy white in colour and still overpowered by smells from other soaps in my soaping box it is slightly moulded to fit in my hand. After a few minutes of being out of the packaging I can now smell faint hints of coconut. This bar of soap has a somewhat luxurious feel to it but I'm now interested to see what it's like when used. I will be looking at several aspects of the bar. This bar lathers beautifully. Rich creamy and silky lather with plenty of bubbles. Its like rubbing cream onto my skin it feels very luxurious. I can now smell the coconut but no almonds yet. I was able to use this bar if soap on my face it's very mild. Often soaps can be harsh on sensitive skin like the face and leave it feeling tight but not this one. I feel very refreshed all over. I finished off with a light moisturiser all over but I have to say I will be using this bar again. 9/10 BOOTS! Great value and luxurious on the skin.