I love twisting the pot open and really breathing in the scent before I use it. The smell reminds me of chalk, baby powder, and fresh laundry hanging on a line. The consistency is lovely and thick. If you hold it upside down with the lid off it won’t come out! As a scrub the grains are nice and chunky with rough edges to give a good consistent exfoliation session but it’s gentle enough to use several times a week. As a mask is really absorbs oil and sebum because Kaolin Clay is the second ingredient. If you have dry skin avoid this mask – it will just dry it out even further. I prefer to use this in the morning to wake my face up. I like to give it a good buff then leave it on while I do my other scrubby bits in the shower and then wash it off after 10 minutes. It rinses fairly clean but I always like to use a toner afterwards to clean up any residue.

This is one of the few products that I can use all year round as it suits my seasonal changing skin. It also works well on my neck, elbows, and other rough dry bits. I really love using this on my tired, puffy summertime feet. The scrubbing grains really feel good on the tops of my feet and the blue corn powder makes the soles of my feet feel clean and deodorised.

This is available at The Body Shop!

Let’s face it, Ocean Salt doesn’t really need a review does it? I think we all know how great it is. This really is the ultimate 3 in 1 product that cleanses, exfoliates, and tones. This is all with the help of sea salt, vodka, lime, and grapefruit juices. Many skincare products claim to be multi-functioning but Ocean Salt is one of the few that gets it spot on. One of life’s great pleasures is waking up in the morning knowing that you have a fresh pot waiting for you in the shower. It’s even better if you’ve put your Ocean Salt in the fridge the night before. There is usually a fight between me and James as to who is going to use the new pot first. I usually try to hide it from him because when he goes to use it, he scoops loads out like a bulldozer and doesn’t leave me any of the salty blue bits that are at the top.

James uses it to lift the hairs on his face before he shaves and I love kissing him afterwards because his face smells gorgeous. I love using the big crunchy bits of salt on my neck and decolletage. My friend Christine uses it for the breakouts on her back. Of course James and I also argue who is going to use the last bit too. This is why it is essential that we always buy the bigger pot or else it would be handbags at dawn!

This is available at Lush Cosmetics!

I think the heat from a warming mineral products can be quite comforting which is the reason I wanted to try this out. The scrub is quite thick so you really have to squeeze the tube to get it out. I couldn’t place the scent of this at first, it reminded me of blackberry and apple cordial. After using it for several days running I decided it smelled more like sugary strawberries. I used this in shower and made the mistake of rubbing it in my hand before I put it on my face. The heat doesn’t last very long so by the time I got it on my face there wasn’t any warmth. I’ve realised the best way to use this scrub is to just squeeze it in my hand and slap it on my face straight away instead of mixing it around first.

This is a very gentle scrub so it won’t scratch your face and the scrub grains disintegrate into a creamy white paste. It does rinse well but I always like to use toner when I’ve put something creamy on my face to get clean up any residue. I think this scrub is okay for normal/oily skin types but I don’t think you will notice a huge difference to your complexion unless you use it several times a week. I wasn’t impressed with this at first but it grew on me the more I used it. My only complaint is that I wish the heat would last longer.

This is available at Superdrug!

James – I’ve never heard of Aesop before until Annabella literally shoved this under my nose to smell it. It’s difficult to describe what this smells like but it has a medicinal scent to it. I don’t mind, it doesn’t stink or smell awful. After much pestering from Annabella I finally gave this scrub a go. Now this I like! After my disappointment with the Molton Brown Jade Face Exfoliator I was pleasantly surprised by this. What I like about it is even though it isn’t a rough as some other scrubs it doesn’t leave your skin stripped or dry. It still feels nice after you wash it off. I didn’t think the little grains would do much scrubbing but it does do a good job. My only complaint though is I nearly fainted when Annabella told me how much it costs!

Annabella – I hate Aesop! When I say hate I mean I hate the fact they have now got me hooked on their skincare. This is only the second thing I’ve tried from their extensive range but I love it. I love the medicinal smell and like James says this makes your skin feel good after you wash it off. The exfoliation grains are made up of crushed quartz (yes as in the mineral) and it it’s suspended in a creamy formulation that doesn’t foam. The quartz grains are very tiny but there are many per square centimeter. Remember this is very important in Skin Scrubs land. I hate any product that calls itself a scrub when there is more gel/cream than scrubbing grains. I found this is also really good for exfoliating my neck, I sometimes get the odd break out there so this should keep them at bay. My only moan like James is the price. This is £26 at Beauty Expert. Will the price stop me from using Aesop? No unfortunately not!

This is available at Mankind!

I’ve used Neutrogena off and on for over 15 years now sometimes their stuff is great other times it’s not. I was quite looking forward to using this scrub, I knew it wasn’t going to be like using Aesop but I did think it would be a pleasant experience. Boy was I wrong! James tried it first, came out of the bathroom and shook his head. He mumbled something about it being useless and that there weren’t any scrubbing grains. I did the hand over the ears not listening la la la thing and went off to wash my face. Firstly, when you open that cap the grapefruit smell is really zingy and refreshing. I squirted a blob in my hand added a bit of water and rubbed it round my face only to feel no micro-beads as promised. It doesn’t even lather up it just turns white and stays in gel form. I washed my face quite vigorously to see if the beads would get into action and that didn’t happend either. The lovely pink grapefruit scent slowly turned into a very fake almost chlorine like smell so I couldn’t wait to get this off my face. The most annoying thing was that my skin didn’t even feel clean. I used my Aesop toner afterwards to see if there would be any dirt on the pad and sure enough there was! What a shame I was looking forward to singing it’s praises but sadly I cannot. Meh!

Molton Brown Jade Face Exfoliator

James – Annabella got me into Molton Brown. I don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing considering the price but it is quality stuff and I do enjoy using it. She came home with this exfoliator for me to try, but I know she had ulterior motives to nab it for herself.

I have quite a thick beard and I don’t get five o’clock shadow – I get eleven o’clock shadow! Annabella suggested I use this to exfoliate the dead skin and help lift the hairs of my beard before I shave. It sounded like logical advice to me so I gave it a go. I was greeted by Annabella when I walked out of the bathroom, she had the look of an excited puppy waiting for a treat. I really think she wanted me love it, but I have to say it didn’t do anything for me. Don’t get me wrong it is a quality product but I was expecting the scrub to be a bit rougher. I think this would suit men who have sensitive skin and can’t use anything too harsh. I’m lucky that I don’t get too much razor burn like other men, so I can use something less gentle.

Annabella – Of course I was disappointed that James didn’t like this and yes, I had always intended to use it myself!  James is right, this is a very gentle scrub that has quite small bits of ground jade stone suspended in creamy pistachio butter. The smell is quite neutral – not too blokey. In my fantasy land mind I was expecting to squeeze the  tube to see chunky bits of bright green jade stone suspended in a emerald coloured gel. I was disappointed on that front but that’s not MB’s fault. I agree it’s not as rough as I would want but I don’t think James nor I were in the minds of Molton Brown when they made it. I will use this in winter and when I close my eyes I will pretend that I’m washing my face with little jade gemstones.

Molton Brown Deep Clean Mineral Ions Facewash

James – I don’t think I had the heart to tell Annabella that I don’t really like face wash, but when she gets that excited look in her eye about a new product to try it’s best not to argue. I used this all week just to be sure I could give an honest opinion. In a similar vein to the Jade Face Exfoliator, I didn’t really get much out of this. I think I would prefer if I had a facewash that had exfoliating or ‘scrubby’ bits as Annabella calls them. I don’t think most men like to have lots of different products to use when they are getting ready in the morning. I know most girls (especially Annabella) like to have an array of stuff to choose from when they are in the shower.

Annabella – I guess James still has a long way to go before he understands the necessity of having lots of stuff. I love this face wash. It has a lovely scent that reminds me of grass (lawn – not the other stuff) it’s gentle and refreshing. I’m quite happy to put this in my regular rotation of face washes. I think I’m able to use this as I have oily skin similar to men’s but thankfully not the beard! Because Molton Brown products are high quality it’s very concetrated so all you need is a 20p size amount to wash your face so this will last a long time.

I arrived back in the UK on 28th May worse for wear. I had a great holiday but between travelling in Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Hawaii my skin isn’t at it’s best. Between 6 flights lasting 5 to 10 hours each in less than 3 weeks it’s not surprising. Recycled cabin air, air conditioning and changing climates are for hardened flight attendants, not me.

This scrub is hardcore. I was shocked at how rough it is and how it scrapped all the dead dull skin off my face. I’ve even used it on my elbows and a few other dry patches. This could easily be used as a body scrub and I’ve seen other reviews saying the same. This also gave my skin a plumping/firming affect that lasts all day. You only need about a 20p size dollop to cover your entire face. The green apple fragrance is subtle and doesn’t over power you. It is recommended that you leave two days between using this as it is quite powerful. This is a excellent pre-mask treatment and really helps your other products like moisturisers and serums absorb better. If you love extreme face scrubs then this is for you! People with acne and really sensitive skin probably shouldn’t use this as I would imagine it would aggravate these skin conditions further.
This is available at Ulta Beauty!

Let’s face it I think the reason most of us have bought this face wash is that it contains the ‘scrublet’. That was my motivation to buy it as I saw it advertised on an American beauty website. I was pleasantly surprised to find it on sale at Boots. The American version is called Go 360° Clean Deep Facial Cleanser. The scrublet that is included in their version looks bigger with an elliptical shape. So when I bought our version I already felt jipped!

Having used the cleanser with and without the scrublet for over a week I’ve come to one conclusion. L’oreal didn’t really spend much time developing this face wash. I’m sure someone thought of the lovely squidgy scrublet and then had to think of what product it was going to go with. You know what is coming next. Love the scrublet, not bothered about the cleanser. It reminds me of Fairy Liquid. My skin is oily, sensitive, and becomes blotchy for no reason other than to annoy me. This just made my skin feel tight and dry which is not what I wanted. I think the scrublet is a great cleansing tool as it is soft rubber and is easy to clean. I also like the fact it has a suction cup on the back of so I can stick it on the wall and it doesn’t get lost. So nuls points for the cleanser, top marks for the scrublet!

As the beauty market grows evermore crowded with products and devices, it’s difficult to know which are worth the money. When I bought my Zeno Acne Treatment device several years ago for £99 most people thought I was crazy but it works. However I was able to watch ‘real’ people reviewing it on YouTube before I made the decision to buy it. As much as you want to believe manufacturing testimonials, it is difficult unless you watch somebody genuine using the product.

Clarisonic Plus is available at Beauty Expert and Feelunique

My lovely friend Rebecca from Beauty Gala has been kind enough to let me post her video review of the Clarisonic. Her review is for the Clarisonic Mia which is not available in the UK at the moment, but the principle is the same. The Clarisonic is rechargeable, and you can use your own cleanser with it. The Clarisonic Plus package contains Cordless Clarisonic Plus with 3 speeds, charging cradle, Sensitive brush head, Body brush head, Gentle Hydro Cleanser 30ml, Refreshing Gel Cleanser 30ml, Nourishing Care Cleanser 30ml, Refreshing Skin Polish 60ml. You can also purchase brush heads for Delicate and Normal skins. Over to you Rebecca!

While the statement above would have been true say 15 years ago it no longer applies. Sometime in the late 90′s guys started nicking our moisturiser and face scrub and the beauty industry woke up and took notice. Now the guys have just as much stuff as we do with new products coming to the market almost daily. But I have to wonder, if they used our stuff all those years ago why can’t we use theirs? I realise that men’s skin is different to ours in many ways, but what’s the harm in ‘borrowing’ his bottles and tubes?

1. Molton Brown Ultra Light Bai Ji Hydrator – My boyfriend James uses this Molton Brown bestseller on regular basis and it shows. His skin is always supple and velvety smooth. I was impressed with this moisturiser on my own skin because it sinks right in and doesn’t leave a greasy film. It really is ‘ultra light’ and would make a great base for makeup. This product is available at Molton Brown and Mankind.

2. Zirh Aloe Facial Scrub – This is one of those products that you don’t need a lot of and the smell is gorgeous like springtime. The scrub is suspended in a low foaming gel so it doesn’t strip your skin. I’ve been using this in the evening to wash my face and it takes the day off perfectly. This is available at Mankind and Lookmantastic.

3. Nickel Super Clean body scrub – This comes in a cute bottle resembling a petrol canister. It has a typical musky fragrance but don’t let that put you off. I was expecting this scrub to be more robust if I’m honest, however the smaller grains do an excellent job at exfoliation. Great for sensitive skins. This is available at Mankind.