Rituals Awareness - review

I have kicked off 2011 by purchasing (amongst other things) Ritual's Awareness Intensive Moisturising Day Treatment. I have never used their products before but was really impressed with a few of the samples I received from them.

Rituals

Rituals have adopted an unique and (dare I say it) original branding strategy. By bringing the rituals of a turkish steam bath or the balance of Yin Yang into your own bathroom, you can certainly fall for the appeal  on a cold and wet January. This is exactly the kind of mood and feeling they bring with each of their products.

I was looking for a new face cream and opted for 'Awareness - Intensive Moisturing Day Treatment', which was on sale at £15 instead of £25! The packaging is definitely in line with their simplistic and peaceful ethos - neutral whites and greys on the outer packaging but sadly a more clinical transparent tub for the cream. Although the clinical  look makes me feel like I've bought more than just a cream, it'd be nice to see some of their  ancient and middle east rituals branding incorporated into it.

It's described as a daily treatment which will minimize fine lines and fatigue marks (definitely needed after the Christmas holidays). It contains natural venuceane, kombuchka and the usual uva/uvb filters.

I have never heard of venuceane before but according to a bit of independent medical research venuceane is a chemically created anti-oxidanat derived from a form of bacteria that lives in deep sea thermal vents which has been proven to prevent accelerated ageing - sounds a bit long winded if you ask me but moving on....

Kombucha is a simple hearbal tea consumed in Russia, China and parts of the Middle East and believed to confer longevity with various positive properties - anti-carcinogenic, anti-ageing, aiding digestion and mobility of joints etc.

So far so good but I'm a bit of a sceptic when it comes to these new-age products and their radical claims. I'm definitely one for less chemicals in products I put on my face but in the end it was the cream itself that impressed me. 

Creamy....

It's a perfect consistency - silky without being too oily and wet. A couple of fingertips and you can completely moisturise your face. My face feels fresh and I'm told glowing! All that aside, my favourite thing about it is the scent - it's fresh and very slightly sweet which will linger all day while you wear it.

It's early days though - I can't validate all their claims just yet about its anti-ageing mechanisms or whether my fatigue will no longer show. But what I can say is my skin feels supple and definitely glowing. 

I'm impressed with my first Rituals purchase and I'd definitely consider their others - because of their higher market pricing, it's definitely going to be a treat when I buy anything from them.

4 weeks

As requested, I am going to update this blog after 4 weeks on any further comments etc. 

Have you used any rituals products? If so what are your thoughts?

Veet rule the consumer's world?

Wax strips

Whenever I go to any local superstore or chemist in search of wax strips, one brand that occupies the majority of the shelves is VEET.

VEET is dominates the market in this field and rightly so. The packaging is attractive, girly and makes waxing look a painless task! They have also a variety of products - strips, cream, mousse, and tub and spatula! The products themselves are excellent not just because they work but there are active ingredients such as aloe vera that ensure the skin is still protected despite the abrasive rubbing and stripping. They also smell girly which probably makes the whole experience seem less painful.

My only criticism of the veet products is their price. They stay and remain at the higher end of the pricing metre. But of course, they can 'afford' that discretion because there is no real competition to challenge them to a game of price wars.

Tonight, I was in asda (my local supermarket) and went to pick up the veet facial strips, as per the norm when I noticed a cheaper pack called silkia for half the price. As a result of my musings above, I opted for the cheaper mysterious pack instead.

The packaging is simple with a mid-air shot of a feather creating that silky smooth and more pertinently light painless feel about them.

One of my gripes with the veet strips is the loose strip that lies around whilst you use the first part, which picks up fibres and sticks to you or the floor rendering it useless. Silkia have one patterned strip and the other a plain. The former being folded at the edges whilst u strip away!
The strips contain geranium oil and are also brandished with the logo and directions for peeling and come in a cute plastic wallet! Instead of wipes for after care, they provide a sachet of aloe vera cream which is far more effective than the oily wipes veet provide.

Silkia have really thought about the presentation and practicality of the product which gives it a big thumbs up from me! From a consumer's view, there is nothing wrong with a little competition.

Have you tried silkia or any other wax product - if so what are your thoughts?

Sallysarah x

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

The World of Blogging

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

I have since bit the bullet and joined the world of blogging! I love the blogging world that is currently out there and taking us beauty/makeup/fashion aficionados by storm. I want to join it and live in it.

I recently came across this beautiful poem, on Twitter and thought it apt to post on my first blog

Sally