Review of John Masters Organics Lavender & Rosemary Shampoo
By Joanna E.
Packaging:
The John Masters Organics Lavender & Rosemary Shampoo comes in a dark brown plastic bottle with silver lettering and a very useful ridged cap making it very easy to open with wet hands. The plastic bottle is made from PET 1 plastic which does make it recyclable, but perhaps not in every area. Apparently the bottle is also bio-degradable, but I found that out from the Naturisimo web site
Application:
A very clean aroma of rosemary with undertones of lavender, the John Masters Lavender and Rosemary Shampoo is a bronze colour and not too thick a consistency, making it easy to get out of the bottle. My hair is quite thick and our water is on the hard side, so I did need to use a good teaspoon sized amount of shampoo to make it lather well. I wash my hair each day and after only a couple of days, my hair felt and looked very soft and smooth. The shampoo is very gentle and my hair certainly felt the benefit – seems a lot shinier than usual as well.
Ingredients:
The ingredients of this John Masters product aren’t listed on the travel size bottle, so I checked on the Naturisimo web site, which has a complete list. It is an impressive menu of various oils and extracts, including lavender and rosemary, but also such as horsetail, comfrey and chamomile. The lathering ability comes from decyl glucoside which is kinder to hair. It doesn’t contain the harsher sodium lauryl sulphate, which does mean that this shampoo won’t lather as much, but I found it performed just as well with the gentler lathering.
Results :
After using the John Masters Lavender & Rosemary Shampoo each day for the past week, my hair seems shiny and quite soft. It is a lovely, gentle shampoo and the travel size would last for a good couple of weeks, making it ideal for taking on holiday.
Pros:
Improved condition of hair
Cons:
Would be nice to have the ingredients listed on the travel sized bottle
John Masters Organics Lavender & Rosemary Shampoo (£15.61) and other John Masters Organics products are available at naturisimo.com
Pai Skincare Macadamia & Rose Dry Skin Cream
By Marion P.
The first impression of the packaging of this Pai Skincare product is that it is transparent with a clear view of the contents. On opening the jar the soft smell of rose is immediately a pleasurable experience. The white coloured cream is rich, but not sticky to the touch.
On the first application of the Pai Skincare Macadamia & Rose Dry Skin Cream
to my face I only treated the driest areas, which rapidly absorbed the little I had put on. For a full face and neck application I found that it suited my skin to use small dots of cream over the whole surface and gently pat in with my fingertips. After several days the areas that had previously felt dry and tight were softer and more comfortable, which was the most enjoyable benefit.
Once the dryness was combated I found that I preferred to use a lighter moisturiser during the day, and used this Pai Skincare Macadamia and Rose Dry Skin Cream as a night cream to nourish and moisturise during sleep.
Before using the cream on my face I had tried a test patch on a particularly dry area on my arm. This absorbed quickly and left no greasy residue which may have affected clothing I would be therefore happy to use this Pai Skincare Macadamia and Rose Face Cream on any area of the body [using the manufacturer’s recommendations] that was particularly dry and uncomfortable. Only small quantities are required for effective treatment so it is not extravagant in use.
Pai Skincare Macadamia & Rose Dry Skin Cream (£22.00) and other Pai Skincare products are available at naturisimo.com
Review of Whish Pomegranate Body Shave Cream
By Taryn G.
Packaging
The Whish Pomegranate Body Shave Cream comes in a pink and white cylindrical plastic container, with a pump design which releases the cream. The packaging has the recycle symbol on it.
Application
When I first used the Whish product, I thought the cream was going to be thick and hard to shave with, but in fact it was the other way round. I found it easy and quick to use because none of it evaporated, unlike some brands which do that. It was also easy to wash off any excess cream. The cream was white in colour and felt soft and fluffy to touch but when it came to applying the cream to my legs it was smooth like whipped cream.
Ingredients
They use some organically grown products in the Whish Pomegranate Shave Cream which you can smell when you use the cream, which I love because I know I’m not putting any man made chemicals on skin. The ingredients were put on the outer packaging in English.
Result
After using the Whish Pomegranate shaving cream my legs felt soft, clean and moisturized. When I’ve shaved my lags I always need to put moisturizer on after but with this product I didn’t feel the need to. Over the next few days my legs were still smooth and soft and I didn’t get any irritation unlike some brands I have used. I will definitely buy and use it again.
Pros:
Leaves my legs feeling soft and moisturised
Smells fresh without being over the top
Uses natural/organic ingredients which you can smell
Easy to use pump
Cons:
You can’t open the container to access the pump, so you won’t be able to clean it, if it was to clog.
After the first use, I had to pump it a few time to get the cream out
Whish Pomegranate Body Shave Cream (£16.40) and other Whish products are available at naturisimo.com
Review of Primavera Energizing Body Wash Ginger & Lime
By Barb A.
Packaging
The Primavera Energizing Body Wash Ginger & Lime comes in a regency green plastic tube with an easy to open black flip top lid. There is not any additional cardboard box as Primavera uses less packaging to help preserve the Earth's resources.
Application
I applied the Primavera Ginger & Lime Body Wash onto an exfoliating body mop and massaged onto my body. My senses where immediately awakened with the sharp zingy, zest of ginger and lime. Only a small amount is required as it lathers perfectly and rinsed away easily when I had finished.
Ingredients
100% natural organic and certified natural Primavera personal care, which requires stringent farming and fair trade practises. Ingredients are not tested on animals, totally cruelty free. It feels good to know I am using an ethically sound product which is 100% natural. No harsh chemicals are used which could dry out my skin or damage the environment. I loved the fragrant citrus aurantifolia (lime oil) and zingiber officianale (ginger) root oil.
Results
After using Primavera Ginger and Lime Body Wash my skin feels fresh, smooth and moisturised and I feel re-energised. It is an affordable daily indulgence.
Pros
It is easy to use.
It leaves my skin feeling really cleansed and moisturised.
The fragrance is especially uplifting, extremely refreshing and invigorating.
A great way to start the morning or refresh after a long day.
Cons
I can not identify any cons with this product.
Primavera Energizing Body Wash Ginger & Lime (£10.99) and other Primavera products are available at naturisimo.com
Review of Barefoot Botanicals S.O.S. Face & Body Cream
By Catherine J.
Packaging
The Barefoot Botanicals SOS Face & Body Cream comes in an easy to use attractive looking white tube which is inside a cardboard box with the same detail as the tube and is from a renewable source.
Application
The Barefoot Botanicals SOS Rescue Me Cream was really easy to apply and absorbed easily into my skin without leaving that sticky feel that you sometimes get with intensive moisturizers. It had a lovely aroma which I smelt as soon as I opened the tube and once it was on my skin could still be smelt a few hours later. It wasn’t too heavy for my face and left it feeling really moisturized even when I had been outside all day in the garden.
Ingredients
This Barefoot Botanicals product states on the packaging that there are no chemical nasties and has 100% ethically sourced, plant derived ingredients. Borage Oil, Shea Butter and Evening Primrose Oil are blended with Calendula, Burdock and Mahonia to soothe irritation and rehydrate seriously parched skin.
I was pleased to see that even though it is full of natural ingredients the best before date was in 18 months time, however if you are using it every day it won’t last anywhere near that long!
Results
I am really pleased because after using the Barefoot Botanicals SOS Face and Body Cream for two weeks the improvement in my eczema, particularly the rough red patches on my legs is amazing. My skin is much softer and whilst the rough red patches haven’t gone completely they are definitely much smoother and the redness has completely gone. I don’t like using steroid creams as my eczema isn’t itchy, just unsightly and I have spent a fortune on lots of different creams in the past but none have worked as effectively as this, it really is a miracle in a bottle. I will certainly be buying this in future, it is worth every penny!
Pros:
It has a lovely fragrance.
It has dramatically improved the appearance of my skin and the redness has completely disappeared
Attractive packaging
Cons:
None at all
Barefoot Botanicals SOS Face & Body Cream (£17.57) and other Barefoot Botanicals products are available at naturisimo.com
Review of Green people Aloe Vera Shower Bath
By Janine F.
Packaging
The Travel/Trial Size Green People Aloe Vera Shower Bath comes in a small plastic squeeze tube without ay superfluous extra layers of packaging.
Application
The texture of the Green People Aloe Shower Bath is very smooth and not too thick. It has a light pleasant fragrance. When applied in the shower, it is a pleasure to apply. It felt like massage oil at first, it gently foamed and cleansed. I found that it cleaned thoroughly without drying, leaving the skin on my body feeling very soft not dry, as with most shower gels or greasy like the cream washes. It did not irritate the slightly chapped and extremely dry skin on my hands,
Ingredients
Green people Aloe Vera Shower Gel has none of the harsh chemicals that bother me, parabens, phenoxyethanol, alcohol, or fragrance. The ingredients label is straightforward, shown in Latin and English so that you know what exactly they are. The Aloe Vera powder, lavender oil and olive oil, which soothe and protect sensitive skin, are organically grown.
Results
After using the Green People product, although I did find that it was not suitable for use on my face, my husband and I were impressed. I thoroughly recommend it. I haven’t got any irritated, flaky skin or psoriasis. Although it is quite expensive, it is worth the money for such a good product. I will definitely buy it again.
Pros:
It cleans my skin well and is not drying.
It is pleasant smelling but not too strong.
It is excellent for sensitive skin, especially if your skin is a little bit dry.
Cons:
It is a little expensive
The tube could be fiddly to handle in the shower.
Green People Aloe Vera Shower Bath (£9.30) and other Green People products are available at naturisimo.com
Review of Weleda Wild Rose Cleansing Lotion
By Elizabeth O.
A long time fan of the well known Weleda body and dental care lines, I was excited to learn that I would be trialling a Weleda facial skincare product. This excitement soon gave way to scepticism however when the item arrived and I opened it to find a Weleda Wild Rose Cleansing Lotion with claims to gently cleanse and purify the skin. Somewhat perturbed by this as my rather temperamental oily/combination/blemish prone skin was more accustomed to battling harsh cleansers and grainy exfoliates, I began using the product with a far from open mind. Searching for fault where I could I was desperate to dislike this cleanser but actually now find myself to have been converted!
Weleda Rose Cleansing Lotion is a creamy textured cleanser with a somewhat fluid consistency. Requiring only a small amount it smoothes over the skin with ease and rinses away effortlessly though at first it is tempting to use more than is necessary as it produces little to no foam action nor does it feel particularly rich. It has a heavy wild rose fragrance (free of synthetic components), which lingers on the skin slightly and I initially presumed this would be a case of scent over substance but was pleasantly surprised to find my skin appeared lightly moisturised and felt soft and comfortable immediately after use as opposed to taut and dry.
The packaging of this Weleda product is pretty but girly due to its vibrant pink and gold colouring and consists of a glass bottle with screw top lid which comes contained in a box emblazoned with information and a leaflet inside which contains even more.
As I have very reactive skin and tried this product at the height of a break out I was impressed to find that over time it got to work on spots helping to calm and dry mine out gradually. It reduced the unwanted sheen my skin normally adopts by lunchtime and appeared to slightly clarify my overall complexion by the end of my trial sized bottle, giving me a fresher brighter look. Though geared towards more mature and drier skin types, this is a product that is clearly suitable for a range of skin types as my twenty-something year old volatile face seemed to get along with it just fine and relished the reassuringly gentle ingredients which are all natural, free from animal testing and suitable for vegans. As it’s priced within a credit crunch friendly margin it’s definitely worth a try as even I as sceptical as I was at first would consider repurchasing the Weleda Wild Rose Cleanser in the future.
Pros:
Appeared to work well on my oily/combination skin type.
Used sparingly it still provides a thorough cleanse.
Effortless to use.
Cons:
Wild rose scent if adverse to it.
Consistency may take some getting used to.
If you find foaming cleansers desirable this may not be for you
Dispensing mechanism – screw top lid.
Weleda Wild Rose Cleansing Lotion (£7.95) and other Weleda products are available at naturisimo.com
Review of Jurlique Moisture Replenishing Day Cream
By Dorothy R.
Packaging
Jurlique moisture replenishing day cream comes in a recyclable tune inside a recyclable box, with a very pretty flower design.
Application
The first thing you notice when you apply the Jurlique moisture cream is the wonderful floral fragrance. The cream applied very smoothly and easily. It has a very rich texture and leaves the skin feeling soothed and softened. The only down side is that the skin does not absorb it completely and, even after several hours, it leaves a slightly greasy residue on the surface. For that reason, I would probably be more inclined to use it as a night cream, or when my skin is exceptionally dry.
Ingredients
This Jurlique replenishing day cream contains a wide-ranging selection of plant essential oils known for calming and moisturising the skin, including calendula, chamomile, rosehip and avocado. The fragrance is wholly natural, from flower extracts, as are the preservatives. The ingredients are listed by both their Latin and English names. They are almost wholly plant extracts, but the cream does also contain beeswax and honey.
Results
It left skin feeling soft and smooth and smelling wonderful.
Pros:
An excellent moisturiser.
Easy to dispense from the tube, so no wastage.
No artificial additives.
A natural floral scent.
Cons:
The texture of this Jurlique product is a little heavy for day use or for skin which is not very dry.
The scent may be a little strong for some people.
It is not suitable for vegans as it contains beeswax and honey.
Jurlique Moisture Replenishing Day Cream (£26.42) and other Jurlique products are available at naturisimo.com
Review of John Masters Organics Lavender & Rosemary Shampoo
