(image/info from www.ayura.co.jp)
Ayura will release a limited-edition 15th Anniversary Memories Coffret in Japan on March 5th. (The pre-ordering started on February 5th.) The coffret includes:
– Meditation Bath α (700ml, limited-edition size)
– Aromatic Body Powder
– Meditation Oil
– Meditation Body Serum (50ml, limited-edition size)
– Ayura Orgel
Meditation Bath α and Meditation Body Serum are available as regular items, whereas the other items are only available in this coffret. The orgel plays Debussy’s Clair de Lune. (You can listen to the actual rendition from the Ayura Orgel on Ayura’s website.)
I adore Ayura’s hair and body products. Meditation Oil was available in one of the sets some years ago. It is a very lightweight body oil that absorbs well and is beautifully scented. I occasionally add a couple of drops of the oil in the hand cream I use to make the cream even more nourishing.
Meanwhile, Meditation Bath α has been Ayura’s best-selling product, and it is by far the best bath product I have ever used. The clear bath essence turns into a milky lotion in the bath and has one of the most gorgeous scents I have ever come across. The mildly minty scent with a hint of oriental herbs is fresh, uplifting, and calming all at the same time.
Related posts:
Loving Japanese Cosmetics (1 of 7): Ayura
Ayura Spring 2010 Collection
My Beauty Weakness: Cute Cuticle Oils
by PJ on Friday, February 12, 2010
in bodycare
(images from Korres)
Last December, I reviewed the Materia Herba skincare range from Korres. Today, I am focusing on two of the three products from the brand’s new Japanese Rose bodycare range.
Japanese Rose Showergel has a liquidy (but not watery) consistency and is very easy to dispense. It foams very well with a relatively small amount and the lather is pleasantly dense. It doesn’t dry out the skin and it
leaves the skin gently conditioned.
The scent of the product is not a typical rose scent. There is a hint of rose, but I actually find the scent to be gently warm and milky. It should be an enjoyable scent for both summer and winter.
The product does not contain silicones or parabens. It contains a small amount of benzyl alcohol but I don’t find the product to be irritating.
Japanese Rose Body Butter is lighter than most of the other body butters I have come across. It is essentially a dense body lotion with a creamy texture. It comes with a pump dispenser.
Some of the main moisturizing ingredients in this product are cetearyl alcohol, sweet almond oil, glycerin, coco caprylate/caprate, dicaprylyl carbonate, sunflower seed oil, squalane, shea butter, and avocado oil.
The product leaves a delicate sheen on the skin but it doesn’t feel sticky. It hydrates the skin well and the moisture is long-lasting. (It has the same fragrance as that of the Showergel.)
The product does not contain silicones or parabens. It contains alcohol and benzyl alcohol (which are not major ingredients) but it does not cause irritation on my skin.
The Japanese Rose range also includes Body Milk.
(The products featured in this review are provided by Korres.)
Related posts:
Imperial Leather Skin Bliss Shower Lotion
Neutrogena Deep Moisture Range
Dove Body Butters
by PJ on Thursday, January 14, 2010
in bodycare
(images from Neutrogena)
According to the BBC, the UK has been seeing its worst cold spell in the last 20 years. The cold weather, the drying heating, and the sudden changes between indoor/outdoor temperatures can be quite testing for the skin, which can be easily neglected while we are concerned about other parts of our lives affected by the weather. Today I am highlighting two body moisturizers that could be helpful for the skin during this time of year.
Neutrogena Deep Moisture Body Lotion Sensitive has a rich lotion consistency. It doesn’t spread as easily as some of the other body lotions that I have tried, but it is absorbed pleasantly easily. The skin feels silky and the moisture is long-lasting. It doesn’t leave the skin sticky or slippery.
Some of the main moisturizing ingredients are glycerin, isononyl isononanoate, cetearyl alcohol, paraffinum liquidum, cetyl alcohol, anhydroxylitol, xylitylglucoside, xylitol, and glyceryl stearate.
This product is fragrance free.
Deep Moisture Comfort Balm sounds like a very thick and butter-like body moisturizer for very dry areas only, but it is actually lightweight enough to be used all over the body. (It is denser than Dove’s Body Silk and lighter than the two Dove body butters I reviewed last November.) As a cream (as opposed to a lotion), it spreads relatively easily and it is absorbed very quickly (almost surprisingly so). The finish is similar to that from Deep Moisture Body Lotion Sensitive. It is non-sticky and leaves the skin silky and nourished.
Some of the main moisturizing ingredients are glycerin, cetyl alcohol, caprylic/capric triglyceride, glyceryl stearate, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), and stearyl alcohol.
The product contains fragrance. (It is the last ingredient on the list.) The scent is quite subtle and comforting.
Overall, both products would be competent enough to be used for winter and they should be suitable for most of the year if you have very dry skin.
Take care, and keep warm!
(The products featured in this article are provided by Neutrogena.)
Related posts:
Neutrogena Everyday Repair Body Lotion
E45 Endless Moisture Range
Elemis Exotic Lime & Ginger Duo
(Dove Body Butter for Extra Dry Skin)
(images from www.dove.co.uk)
(Dove ProAge Rich Body Butter)
Last month I reviewed three of Dove’s body lotions. As we are heading into winter, some of us might need more intense moisture. Today I am highlighting two of Dove’s body butters.
Body Butter for Extra Dry Skin and ProAge Rich Body Butter have very similar formulations. The first ten ingredients of the two products are entirely the same and they are listed in the same order on the ingredient lists. (They are aqua, petrolatum, glycerin, dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, stearic acid, hydrogenated polyisobutene, ethylhexyl cocoate, hydrogenated didecene, and glycol stearate.) The two products also contain cocoa seed butter and shea butter, while ProAge Rich Body Butter contains olive fruit oil.
Both body butters have a rich texture and are very emollient. The ProAge range is promoted as a very intensely nourishing range, and ProAge Rich Body Butter is indeed more emollient than Body Butter for Extra Dry Skin.
Unless you have exceptionally dry skin, body butters are generally for drier areas of the body only. (They can be used alone or on top of your usual body lotion.) I do personally find that both body butters are too emollient to be used all over the body, but they do work well on dry patches. For me, they also work well as hand creams. Overall, both are good choices if you want a very rich body moisturizer.
(ProAge Rich Body Butter has a slightly stronger fragrance. If you are worried about scented body moisturizers clashing with your fragrances, Body Butter for Extra Dry Skin should be a better choice.)
(The products featured in this review are provided by Dove.)
Other items that might work well for you in winter:
Imperial Leather Skin Bliss Shower Lotion
E45 Endless Moisture Range
Garnier Hand Repair
(images from www.dove.co.uk)
Two years ago, I wrote about Dove’s Body Silk (in my Can’t Live Without series), which is one of my favorite body moisturizers. (I am still using it.) Today I am reviewing three of Dove’s other body moisturizers.
The Supreme Silk Beauty Body Lotion (pictured above) is from the same range as the Body Silk, and it feels lighter than the Body Silk. It has a light lotion consistency and it spreads very easily. It is nicely absorbed and hydrates the skin well.
It contains mica, which gives a bit of shimmer to the skin. I don’t usually like body moisturizers that have a “makeup” element, but the shimmer from this product is quite faint and subtle.
The Intensive Lotion for Extra Dry Skin has a light-cream consistency. It is more or less as easily spreadable as the Supreme Silk Beauty Body Lotion. But, after it is absorbed, it feels a lot more emollient on the skin. (It doesn’t feel too heavy or sticky.)
When the Pro.Age Body Cream Oil is dispensed onto the hands, it has a creamy lotion consistency that is not too different from that of many other body moisturizers. But when I spread it onto the skin, I can really feel how richly emollient it is. It may look somewhat runny, but it spreads almost like a thick body butter. It is by far the most emollient of the three.
Paraffinum Liquidum (mineral oil) is third on the ingredient list, which might be one of the reasons why this feels so emollient on the skin.
Among the three, the Supreme Silk Beauty Body Lotion appeals to me the most (although I would prefer a version without mica). It feels the lightest on the skin but it is still very hydrating. (On a related note, it is the only one among these three that doesn’t contain mineral oil.) I think it should suit most people with normal or normal-to-dry skin on the body.
The Intensive Lotion for Extra Dry Skin, I think, is indeed for people with very dry skin. Most people might find it more suitable when the weather is particularly cold and dry. As for the Pro.Age Body Cream Oil, which works more like a body butter, I think it is more ideal for the very dry patches of the body, as it can be too oily to be used all over the body (unless your skin is exceptionally dry).
Next month, I will review Dove’s Body Butter for Extra Dry Skin and Pro.Age Rich Body Butter and I will compare them with the three products reviewed above.
(The products featured in this review are provided by Dove.)
Related posts:
Kanebo Sensai Premier The Body Cream
Jergens Extra Softening Body Moisturzer
Nivea My Silhouette Gel-Cream
by PJ on Saturday, October 24, 2009
in bodycare
(images from
www.parispresents.com/EcoTools_s/36.htm)
.
Last year, I reviewed some of EcoTools’ makeup brushes and I was very impressed by their quality. Today I am reviewing two products from EcoTools‘ new Bath & Body Collection.
Sustainable Softness Body Lotion
The body lotion has a creamy consistency and a soft berry scent. Some of its main moisturizing ingredients are sunflower seed oil, glycerin, shea butter, mango seed butter, cocoa seed butter, jojoba seed oil, and aloe leaf juice. The product does not contain mineral oil, silicones, or parabens.
What I like about this body moisturizer is that it is very nourishing while not being greasy. Also, there doesn’t seem to be any potent skin irritant in this product. Therefore, in terms of what a moisturizer should do and its ingredients, I think it is a successful product. Having said that, I do think the proportions of the ingredients could perhaps be slightly tweaked so that the lotion might create a smoother and silkier finish on the skin. (The finish, while never greasy, could be somewhat filmy.)
This body lotion should suit those with dry or very dry skin.
One Hand Helps the Other Intensive Hand Cream
The hand cream’s consistency is thicker than that of the body lotion reviewed above. Ingredient-wise, the two products are very similar, as the hand cream also contains sunflower seed oil, glycerin, jojoba seed oil, shea butter, mango seed butter, and aloe leaf juice. It doesn’t contain mineral oil, silicones, or parebens, and it has a light citrusy scent.
This is a fairly decent hand moisturizer with a pleasant consistency for hands and nails. It leaves a nice amount of emolliency so the hands feel protected and not greasy. However, sometimes, when my hands are very dry, it seems that the hand cream does not sink in deep enough to rescue the dry patches. Personally, I feel that it would be an even better product if it were more deeply hydrating and had a better skin-softening effect.
(The products featured in this review are provided by EcoTools.)
Related posts:
Johnson’s Baby Softwash
Bobbi Brown Beach Body Lotion
Elemis Exotic Lime & Ginger Duo
(images from www.iswii.net,
info from www.joseishi.net/voce)
Jill Stuart will release a limited-edition Sweetness Collection set for holiday 2009 in Japan on November 6th. The set includes:
– original pouch
– Mix Face Powder Compact
– Jelly Eye Color N
– Jelly Lip Gloss
– Nail Lacquer N
– Emery Board
– Nail Art Sticker
Also, Jill Stuart will release a limited-edition Bath & Body Collection set in Japan on November 20th. The set features:
– Bath & Body Oil 85ml
– Body Cream 50g
– Shower Gel 85ml
– Sugar Body Scrub 100g
– bath puff
– original pouch
Related posts on Jill Stuart:
Mix Blush Compact in 01 Baby Blush
Fall 2009 Collection & 5th Anniversary Jewel Collection
Summer 2009 Collection
by PJ on Wednesday, September 30, 2009
in bodycare
Last year, I reviewed Johnson’s Eye Makeup Remover, Baby Lightoil Spray and Baby Lotion. Today I am featuring Johnson’s Baby Softwash.
Johnson’s Baby Softwash claims to be a gentle body cleanser that leaves the skin perfectly moisturized. Its main cleansing agents are coco-glucoside and sodium laureth sulfate, which are standard detergents used in body cleansers. The inclusion of paraffinum liquidum (mineral oil) makes the product more moisturizing than some of the other body cleansers.
The body wash has a creamy lotion texture, and it foams up very well. After it is rinsed off, it leaves the skin conditioned and gently moisturized. I think the mineral oil in the product is likely to be one of the reasons. If you like the squeaky-clean feel after a shower, then this product might not appeal to you.
The product does not contain parabens.
Overall, this is indeed quite a gentle body cleanser that should suit many people (particularly those with dry skin) in colder and drier weather. But people who tend to have acne on the body might want to avoid this product as the occlusive nature of mineral oil might aggravate the issue.
Related posts:
Can’t Live Without: Garnier Hand Cream
Nivea My Silhouette! Gel-Cream
Jergens Extra Softening Body Moisturiser
(image from www.elemis.com)
In August, Elemis released Exotic Lime & Ginger Hand and Body Wash and Hand and Body Lotion. During the launch period, the two products are sold as a limited-edition set that includes an oak stand.
Exotic Lime & Ginger Hand and Body Wash
The body wash has a liquidy gel texture. It doesn’t foam as easily as some of the other shower gels that I have used, but, once it foams up, the lather is quite dense and frothy. It leaves the skin squeaky-clean without drying out the skin, and it doesn’t leave any filmy residue.
Elemis does not use sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in this product. Some of the main cleansing agents in Exotic Lime & Ginger Hand and Body Wash are cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium cocoamphoacetate, and lauryl glucoside.
(According to Paula Begoun, sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) is not a potent skin irritant while sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is. (For more information, please check out this article on Paula Begoun’s website.) SLES is very commonly used in face and body cleansing products while I have very rarely come across skincare products that contain SLS.)
It is delicately fragranced and the lime and ginger scents are pleasant and refreshing. On my skin, the ginger scent is slightly more pronounced.
This product is paraben-free. It contains benzyl alcohol but the small amount of it is unlikely to cause irritation.
Exotic Lime & Ginger Hand and Body Lotion
It has a light lotion texture (which is not watery or runny) and spreads very easily.
The main moisturizing ingredients include sesame seed oil, hexyldecanol (fatty alcohol (emollient)) and shea butter.
It is very nicely absorbed and leaves the skin soft and silky.
Even though it feels light-weight on the skin, the moisture is long-lasting. It has the same fragrance as the Body Wash.
It should be a good body moisturizer for most skin types in summer and fall. It can work as a decent and non-greasy hand lotion but it might not be moisturizing enough for some people.
The product doesn’t contain alcohol, silicones, parabens or mineral oil. The fragrancing agents may cause skin irritation for some people.
Related posts:
Elemis Pro-Collagen Body Serum
Imperial Leather Skin Bliss Shower Lotion
ESPA Detoxifying Salt Scrub
(image from Bobbi Brown)
Beach is one of the fragrance ranges from Bobbi Brown. It includes Shower Gel, Body Oil and Sunscreen Body Spray SPF 15. Today I am reviewing the Body Lotion from the range.
Bobbi Brown Beach Body Lotion is a relatively lightweight body moisturizer. It has a lightly creamy consistency and it is easy to spread. It moisturizes the skin well and doesn’t leave the skin greasy. It keeps the skin soft and the moisture is relatively long-lasting.
Some of its main moisturizing ingredients include aloe leaf juice, jojoba seed oil, sunflower seed oil, olive fruit oil and glycerine. The product also contains green tea leaf extract and vitamin E.
It features the scent from the Beach fragrance, which includes notes of jasmine and mandarin. Even though it is not too heavily scented, for me personally, the scent surprisingly took a bit of getting used to (considering the fact that I do like jasmine and mandarin notes). Perhaps this is because I usually shower in the evening and I find the scent to be slightly too zingy and invigorating for the evening. But it is certainly a fresh and summery scent.
The product is free of alcohol and parabens.
If you like the Beach fragrance, the Beach Body Lotion should be an appealing body moisturizer for spring, summer and fall. It should suit all skin types except very dry skin.
Related posts:
Anna Sui Summer 2009 Hair & Body Collection
Elemis Pro-Collagen Body Serum
Jergens Extra Softening Body Moisturiser
(image/info from www.ayura.co.jp)
