h2o+ bath aquatics natural spring shampoo

I received a deluxe sample of this shampoo in the February edition of BB5.  Other than being a devoted fan of their Mariel fragrance all throughout high school and most of my university years, I haven’t had an opportunity to give H2O+ products a try, so I’m quite happy to see various products from their bath/skincare line show up in my last few BB5 deliveries.

The Bath Aquatics natural spring shampoo is formulated specifically for fine hair, which I was happy to discover.  Most drugstore and salon shampoos have proven to be too heavy for my hair, leaving it (especially my bangs) limp and slightly greasy looking even immediately after washing.  This version contains Iceland moss, watercress and pro-vitamin B.  Although the website says the fragrance contains hints of water lilies, fresh-cut greens, lemon, mint and jasmine, the shampoo just has a nice, clean scent to me.

What I loved about this shampoo was how it seemed to rinse cleanly out of my hair without making it feel dry or knotty afterward.  A little bit of the product goes a long way, as it foams up nicely with water.  I’ve been using my [size] sample for over a week and haven’t reached the halfway mark yet.  I did not feel the need to use conditioner or detangling spray to comb through my hair afterward.  Even without blow drying, my hair did not look or feel greasy once it had completely air-dried. 

Verdict: A bit on the pricey side, but I can see myself alternating this one with my other hair-thickening shampoos.  Definitely a strong candidate on the full-size purchase list.  ~250mL bottle, US$14   

h2o+ spa sea salt body wash

A sample of this product came in the March edition of BB5.  Since I’m making a conscious effort to use up some of the sample sizes in my stash before buying any new full-sized products, I decided to start on this one (plus, I thought it would be a nice complement to the H20+ shampoo I was also trying out).

According to H2O+’s website, the body wash contains European sea salts, red marine algae, Japanese green tea and pro-vitamin B.  The product feels like a typical body wash – not too thick nor thin – and it lathers up nicely.  The smell of the body wash took me by surprise.  I knew the product contained sea salt, but I wasn’t quite expecting the scent of the body wash to be so sharp.  It definitely reminded me of body scrub treatments that I have had in the past.  The scent doesn’t seem to linger after the product is rinsed off, but the sharpness of it takes away from the whole bath/shower experience for me.

Otherwise, the body wash was decent – there were days where I doubled up on showers and the body wash did not leave my skin feeling tight or dry.  However, I would say that this is pretty standard compared to other body washes (including drugstore brands) that I have used in the past. 

Verdict: The scent was a little off-putting and the product itself was really nothing special – I will not be purchasing this in the future.  ~60mL travel sized-tube, US$5 [note: no full-sized version appeared to be available on H2O+’s US website at the time this was posted].  

beauty box 5 - april 2013

This month's BB5 box arrived just over 2 weeks after shipping, which is an improvement over last month.  

Here is what I received in this month's BB5 box (amounts listed are the sample values based on full-size retail value and are listed in USD):

1. La Fresh instant body soother wipes. 2 wipes, $0.83

2. Brazen Cosmetics eyeshadow in Birthday Suit. 0.18oz (assumed full size received), $7.49

3. Minxxette brush hanger. Small, $4.69

4. Jean Pierre Cosmetics oil absorbing tissues. 50 sheets, $1.99

5. Model Co illusion lip pencil. Full size, $20

The total value of this month's box was $35.  With the exception of the brush hanger (which I likely won't get much use out of) and the Brazen eyeshadow (loose powders are messy and I already received one in last month's box), I'm pretty happy with the products offered. 

Product reviews on the above to follow. 

kiehl's ultimate thickening shampoo

I am always (and I do mean always) in the market for a product that will (i) prevent or at least minimize some of the seasonal shedding that I go through or (ii) make my hair appear a little fuller.  Kiehl’s products have a pretty good reputation based on user reviews floating around on the Internet, so I decided to give the hair thickening shampoo a try.

According to Kiehl’s website, the shampoo is "infused with a blend of thickening polymers, naturally-derived proteins and an Omega-6 essential fatty acid derivative to fortify and texturize thinning hair. Combined with these is a blend of nurturing Vitamin E and Rosemary, Peppermint, and Cedarwood essential oils (for a stimulating sensation on scalp), to create a gentle formula that helps reinforce hair strands for a noticeably thicker, healthy-looking appearance and improved scalp coverage."

The product is white and creamy, with a peppermint scent.  Because of the scent, I half-expected to feel a little tingly when applied, which turned out not to be the case.  The shampoo rinses off clean and does not leave much of a lingering scent.  

In terms of thickness – did it work for me?  When I take the time to blow-dry my hair properly after using the shampoo, it does seem to add a little bit of extra oomph to my hair and definitely cuts down on the static that normally strikes in winter weather.  However, if I don’t blow-dry (which is the case on most days), there is no noticeable thickness in appearance or by touch. 

Verdict: Provided it’s used consistently (I typically alternate this with a couple other shampoos) and you actually take the time to properly style your hair, this product can have an amplifying effect on hair.   I am currently on my second bottle of this product so I clearly like it enough to have repurchased it! ~8oz bottle, C$25

yves rocher 3 minutes fresh mask with lemon zest

This was one of the things I picked up in my February Yves Rocher purchase.  Yves Rocher frequently offers its products at low, low prices, which makes it very hard to resist buying them.  This little baby only rang in at C$3.99.  (Note: I’ve since had to unsubscribe from the company’s mailing list because the product offers it kept sending me were gradually chipping away at my willpower.)

The “3 Minute” aspect was what appealed to me.  Of late, since I zonk out shortly after dinner on weeknights, I was looking for something that I could slap on and wash off quickly.  This mask is a translucent yellow gel that squeezes easily out of the tube.  I typically end up applying about 1-1.5 tablespoons’ worth to my face for coverage.  It has a pleasant lemon scent – not like dishwasher or laundry detergent, but fresh.  The gel does not dry up in 3 minutes, although I suppose it would if a much thinner layer of the mask was applied.  The only minor downside is that the product doesn’t rinse out that well at the sink (it could, but I would be hunched over my sink for about 5 minutes to do it); however, it rinses off in the shower in a snap, which is a concession that I would be willing to make.

After rinsing the product, my skin feels a little tighter (in a good way) and seems to “glow” a bit more.  I usually follow up with a little toner and moisturizer before hopping into bed.  I’ve used the mask about three times over the past month and a half and my skin has felt good immediately after using it.  The mask provides a nice pick-me-up after a long and/or tiring day. 

Verdict: Yves Rocher offers a number of other facial masks in their product lineup that I wouldn’t mind trying.  However, based on the positive experience I’ve had with this particular one, I would purchase this again in the future (especially if it’s still $3.99!).  ~50ml tube, C$3.99  

 

clinique vitamin c lip smoothie

I feel like I’ve written an overabundance of reviews on Clinique products, but I blame it on the gifts with purchase I’ve accumulated over the years.  The Clinique lip smoothie in came in a GWP from early 2012.  I had tried a lip gloss in similar packaging (twisting the tube to release gloss through a brush applicator) by a different brand in the past and was not very impressed with the mechanics of the design, so I was a little wary of how the Clinique version would compare.

One of the issues with this type of applicator is that the amount of product that actually gets released is quite hard to control.  This is likely due to the fact that there is a significant delay (about 10 seconds, which in makeup time can be a lot, especially when my daily makeup application typically takes about 45 seconds).  In moments of impatience, I will give the tube a couple more twists, hoping to hurry the product along, which inevitably leads to a huge glob of gloss (much more than would be required for a single application) to eventually be dispensed.

Another issue with this type of applicator is that it does not travel well.  Throwing the gloss in my purse does not seem to be a great idea, as gravity causes the gloss to slowly leech out this way or that, resulting in a goopy mess the next time you take the cap off the product to use.

The packaging seems to be the product’s downfall, which is unfortunate, because the gloss itself is actually pretty good.  The gloss does not contain any scent or flavor.  It is moderately pigmented, so it provides a sheer-to-opaque wash of colour that doesn’t overwhelm.  The colour has moderate staying power – a faint tinge of the colour was left after my morning coffee.  While the gloss is slick, it doesn’t have that bubblegum-pop vinyl shine, which I appreciate.  

A quick look on the Clinique US site shows the lip smoothie is no longer among the brand’s lip offerings.  However, this product still seems to be readily available on ebay, for anyone who is interested.

Verdict: The applicator just does not work for me.  I like being able to toss a product in my purse and not have to worry about it making a mess the next time I reach for it.  I will not be making a purchase of this product in the future (even if it’s only $5 off ebay).  

benefit moisturize moisture prep toning lotion

This “deluxe sample” came in one of my Luxe Boxes back when I was a subscriber.  Given the travel-sized portion, I had always meant to save it for a vacation, but when it came down to packing, the clunky (but attractive) glass bottle never made it into my cosmetic bag.  Since I recently finished the Clinique clarifying lotion sample I had, I decided to switch over to this version.

I knew nothing about this product prior to using it, so imagine my surprise when I tried to pour some onto a cotton pad and out came this clearish, lotion-like substance.  Unlike other liquid toners, which are meant to remove lasting traces of cleanser and/or impurities and restore the skin’s pH balance, this version is supposed to prep skin for moisturizer.  I’m not crazy about the texture of the product – it’s slimy/gooey when applied, but it does absorb into skin pretty quickly.   

According to Benefit's website, the toning lotion contains vitamin E acetate, natural oat & meadowsweet, aloe leaf and yeast extract, all of which are meant to clarify/purify and sooth skin. 

After using this for about a week, I haven’t really noticed much of an improvement in the overall moisture content and elasticity of my skin – the Skoah face kream I’ve been using has taken care of most of the dry patches, so there were no other problem areas to improve.  

Verdict: When I want a “toning lotion”, what I really want is a proper toner, not an additional moisturizer.  I did not like this product enough to add yet another step to my nighttime cleansing routine, so this will be a no for repurchasing.  ~6fl oz bottle, US$30