Showing posts with label Toiletries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toiletries. Show all posts

3/25/2024

Wotnot All Natural Baby Wipes, 70 Count

I use these wipes constantly in my art practice. I'm environmentally conscious, so having wipes that are biodegradable, compostable and made of natural ingredients is important to me, and that's why I bought these wipes in the first place. 
 
I use them to clean my hands from paint. Unlike normal household cleaning wipes, these don't irritate my hands or fingers and remove the paint well. I also use them to wipe excess medium or gesso from my silicone brushes and paint from my nylon brushes I directly use them on my artwork (thick watercolour paper previously gessoed), to blend and smudge colours to create depth. They're also great to wipe out painting mistakes, from tiny unwanted blots to whole painted sections. Also excellent for stencilling off colour as they are not as wet as the usual household wipes and work better. The best part is that these wipes can be washed by hand and reused, plus the fibre they're made of doesn't  break or sheds fibers; that's a money saver and so good for the environment.

3/23/2024

Toni & Guy Strengthplex Bond Repair Hair Mask 285 ml

Tony & Guy have made it again. I have used another mask by the same brand for years now. I had never tried this bond repair mask before, but it has become an instant favourite due to it's creaminess, the fact that a small quantity works wonders on my long wavy dry hair, it untangles my hair beautifully, nourishes it, and my hair looks amazing afterwards. Amazing value for money as well, at least when I purchased it. I will buy it again for sure.

12/13/2023

L'Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Hair Mask, 300 ml

I've used this mask for the first time recently lured by the sale price, by the fact that I usually love L'Oreal hair products, and because I had never tried this before. 
 
This mask smells really nice. It 's a feminine scent, so not as gender neutral as other L'Oreal hair masks scents I've experienced. 
 
Dream Lengths doesn't de-tangle my hair as well as other L'Oreal masks, isn't as nourishing and, most disappointingly, it leaves me with a freezy head if I let my hair dry au naturel. Definitely, not suitable to my wavy tinted thick long hair, which is what the mask is supposed to be designed for. I'll stick to the other masks in the same price range because they do a better job on my hair and cost me the same.

11/25/2023

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water in Oil 400ml

I'm not a fan of the simple version Micellar water, but I'm a fan of this one due to the mix of water and oil. I use it all over my face, on my eyes and lips included. I have a slightly sensitive skin and I've had no signs of irritation in the long time I've been using it. This product removes my makeup wonderfully, water-proof mascara and lipstick included. It is not as good on waterproof mascara as other purpose-made cleaners, but it's still excellent. I have an age, and it works wonderfully on my skin.
 
I don't use the product straight out of the bottle. I shake the bottle and immediately, when the water and the oil are still mixed together, I squeeze a good amount of liquid into a recycled refillable spray bottle that I have from a lenses cleaner product. When I want to use it, I shake the small spray water and, when both liquids are mixed, I spray the product twice onto a makeup cotton pad, and then clean my face with the pad. In this way, the quantity of product I use is minimal, no waste, but it's enough to remove my makeup. As I use it this way, a bottle lasts me ages and it's great value for money.

11/19/2023

GAIA Skin Naturals Bamboo Baby Wipes, 80 Piece

I love Gaia products. They never disappoint me. This is also the case with these sensitive bamboo-based wipes. I don't have children, so I bought these wipes to use in my art practice. I have been using cleaning household wipes, critic acid based, and they are great, but they're not environmentally friendly and are sometimes too harsh on painting surfaces, so I thought I would give these Gaia a try.
 
These bamboo wipes have a lovely soft texture and a sweet creamy scent that I love. They are not too dry or drippy, still wet, so they're perfect for smudging and blending different kinds of media on paper without wiping off the whole thing or destroying the surface. They are also great to use with stencils as they wipe off paint and leave clear marks without leaving watery residue or blotting the paint. They are lovely to clean off residual paint from my painting brushes (both silicone and synthetic bristles) after I have had them submerged in water for a while, or to remove medium or gesso from my silicone brushes easily.

They don't work as well to wipe off almost dry paint completely or remove stubborn dry paint on my hands, table or brushes, though.
 
I love that these wipes are plant-based and environmentally friendly. I bought the small package just to given them a try, but I will definitely buy them again in a large package.

9/17/2023

Colgate Savacol Antiseptic Mouthwash, 300mL, Mint

This is a medicated mouthwash that I use as a treatment when I have gum problems to complement the use of my medicated toothpaste. I buy this brand and product when I cannot get hold of my preferred medicated mouthwash. Although it does the job, the minty flavour is disgusting to me, because it doesn't taste of fresh mint or average mint, it tastes of bitter burnt mint. Also, it leaves my mouth as if a vacuum had gone into it. This is one of the medicated mouthwashes that stains my teeth if used for a while. I know it is a medicated mouthwash, but there are other brands that do the same job and are pleasurable to the palate and don't stain my teeth, so I  stick to the others as much as I can.

Sebamed Roll-On Deo 24hr 50ml

I bought this deodorant as I'm very conscious of the use of aluminum deodorants, due to the latest scientific findings, especially for me as I've been using aluminum deodorants for years, so I thought I'd try something new. I browsed Amazon for an alternative that was cheap and had good reviews and I landed on Sebamed aluminum-free deodorant. 
 
The bottle I got looks a bit roundish, wider and smaller than the one in the product page (see my photo). I love the glass bottle, as it reduces my plastic footprint, and the roll-on system.
 
Although the scent is described as 'lime', ain't sure that what's the smell is. It is kinda of herbal-ish to me, not sure if citrus is a word that I'd use, but it's a kind of unisex scent, not sweet  or light but not strong either. I can't say I love the scent, but it's OK.
 
Before using it, I was concerned about the fact that the lack of aluminum would result in lack of effectiveness, Luckily, I was mistaken. I walk often to/from work, sometimes during warm days, and this deodorant does the job. Ain't sure if it'll work equally good in the heart of Summer. I will update my review if needed then.

8/29/2023

TEK Firm Toothbrush

This is an average toothbrush but one of the few hard-bristles that I could find on Amazon at an affordable price. I don't use hard bristles on my teeth due to my dentist's advice. The product page advertises this as having a in-built special tongue scraper. There is not such a thing and reported this to Amazon. You might consider the curved handle the scraper, but the design of the handle would not allow me to use it as such, and there is no special scrub feature on it or on the top of the brush head. This is a very simple average toothbrush.
 
I bought this brush because the hard-bristles are perfect for cleaning small and difficult-to-reach corners in my kitchen and bathroom, and to clean tiles grout and the dirt around my taps. They are great for that. The handle is medium strength, not the most sturdy I've had, but good enough.

Piksters Interdental Brushes (10 Pack)

My dentist recommended these inter-dental brushes to me as I hate flossing, but I'm pone to gum problems. They are great to use and to clean up the wholes between my teeth; they get out junk that my mouthwash and floss doesn't get out. They're easy to use, and if the right size is chosen, the bristles last quite a bit. I always have a couple in my purse and wallet when I go out for dinner or at work. I clean them with a tissue and then rise them under clean water and put the cap back on.  They last for several uses. They're usually a bit pricey for just 10 pieces, but my dentist can notice when I've been using them or not, and my gums are healthier when I use them. I love the different sizes are coloured coded, as I can chose the right ones for different areas of my mouth. 

Beyond price, the main downside is that it is all plastic, and the handle could easily be made of compressed paper or any bio packaging product. 

8/28/2023

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly Original, 100g

I use Vaseline quite often for different purposes, and none of them is  to care for my lips, which is what most people associate this with. I find Vaseline really great to minimise or treat skin chafing and itchiness due to irritation or skin medical conditions that dry off my skin. My elderly mom used to use it on her legs in winter, as her skin would be super-dry due to heating and a medical condition and really soothed her itchiness. I use it more like a treatment not like a day-to-day cream. I don't use it as hand cream because I've found that it's too 'greasy', but I use it on the top of my hands or around my finger nails if there is  any sort of irritation.
 
Petroleum jelly is the main ingredient of Vaseline. Similar creams by other brands are labelled in fancier ways, focus on the 'dermatologically tested', charge me double. I prefer Vaseline because they're honest about what's in the jar, they're dermatologically tested (tested by my skin too) and the price is always affordable.

Good value for money, as a tiny bit of product goes a long way.
 
I love the new packaging, which looks nicer and more modern than the old jar.

5/07/2023

Nivea Black & White Invisible Fresh Roll-On Deodorant (50ml)

Excellent deodorant. My every-day go to. It has a neutral scent and a liquid-ish consistency that makes spreading easily with the roll-on. I have sensitive skin and I have never had a reaction to this deodorant despite using it every day after shower. It doesn't stain my dark tops at all. Good priced, too.

10/22/2022

The Face Shop Cotton Swabs 3P, 1 count

This package contains three smaller packages with cotton buds. They are a bit shorter than the average ones I usually use (see photo), but they're still good and do the job. The handle is not plastic or flexible but wood and rigid, yet I have no problem using them as the others. Instructions and description at the back are written very faintly with little contrast between the background and the lettering, therefore barely readable even using my phone camera 3x zoom. I find the small packages great k for my impending trip as they come in handy zip mini bags and can be stored anywhere. On the downside the wood part, which is not flexible, tends to halve if a bit of pressure is exerted.

10/16/2022

HASK Argan Oil Deep Conditioner Sachet, 50 g

These sachets are perfect for travelling, as they don't spill, are easy to pack and they have a tear to open the sachet without the need of scissors. I have long wavy hair and this sachet gives me two generous treatments. The texture is very creamy and thick, i.e. buttery not runny, and it is very nourishing. The smell is the classic Hask mandarin scent that I love so much. I leave the treatment for a few minutes on, that is, I don't remove the product just after detangling my hair, and then I wash it out. I tend to use the oil from the same brand as finishing touch once I have towel-dried my hair. The results are excellent re detangling and nourishment of my very dry hair. I'll buy it again.

10/08/2022

John Frieda Detox and Repair Deep Conditioner Masque, 250 ml

I love Frieda's hair masks and this is also the case for this one. It detangles my hair beautifully and my hair looks shiny and healthy afterwards. It has a very pleasant fresh scent, too. However, this is not my fav Frieda's hair mask due to the texture not being as creamy and nourishing as others and to the fact that it takes a bit more of product to detangle my long hair than others. For the rest, very happy with the product. Price is an added bonus.

5/24/2022

St. Ives Facial Scrub Coconut & Coffee, 150ml

This is a good facial scrub that leaves my skin squeaky clean. I love the caramel latte sort of scent, which adds enjoyment to my daily routine. The tube is generous in size and a small dub goes a long way. My only concern is that this scrub is actually quite coarse, despite the coconut added to it, and very hard on my delicate skin. I think it needs more oil in it to make it softer for my skin. For the rest, good value for money.

1/10/2022

NIVEA Black & White Invisible Silky Smooth Roll On Deodorant (50ml)

I actually did the test after shaving my armpits, and this deodorant didn't itch or burn at all. So, it's perfect for sensitive skin. I had problems with other invisible Nivea clear deodorants in the past as, when I use them in summer, I get my armpits irritated, itchy and dark-skinned. But this one, so far, so good. The deodorant doesn't leave any marks on my clothes. The scent is very subtle and won't clash with any perfume or smell after application. Like with any other antiperspirant deodorant I use, this does remove the bad odour but I still perspire a bit.

MOR Boutique Marshmallow Sugar Crystal Body Scrub, 600g

This is a good quality body scrub, luxurious and feminine.

THE GOOD
> The texture is wonderful: not abrasive, it leaves my skin feeling moisturized, supple, fresh and feeling extra clean and soft.
> Lovely feminine scent, a variation of the traditional marshmallow fragrance minus the lemon and orange top notes.
> Packaging is beautiful, elegant and regal, if you want.
> Good amount of product in the jar.
> Value for money.

SO-SO
The scrub it has a bit of sandy dry, despite the oils it is mixed with, the result is that when you pick up a dollop, bits and pieces fall as lumps on the floor. This is also the reason why it doesn't spread as well and evenly as other good-quality scrubs.
> The scent is certainly lovely, but also classic, not contemporary if you know what I mean, and a big pervasive, so it can clash with my perfume. It gets better when the scent settles, though.

12/12/2021

DermaVeen Extra Gentle Shower and Bath Oil, 1L

I have been using this body wash for several years now as I have irritation-prone skin tat gets really itchy with other body washes in summer.

This isn't an oil per se, but an oil-ish body wash mostly made out of paraffin and colloidal oatmeal.I don't use this on a sponge, just directly on my skin. It spreads evenly despite not foaming, and leaves my skin supple and moisturized without any itchiness. I have tried other sensitive-skin washes by the same brand and by other brands and this is the best for my skin.

I love the marzipan-like smell of the product, something that puts off some people. The most important thing is that this is my fav body wash when my skin is showing signs of irritation, rash or itchiness.

The 1L bottle is great value for money, not only because it's does wonders for my skin, but also because it lasts me for months.

I love the fact that the product is vegan and non tested on animals.

1/30/2021

Alba Botanica Hawaiian Sea-Salt Body Scrub

This is a great natural scrub that does a wonderful job at leaving your skin clean, super-soft and supple, smelling of lemon granita. The combination of thick salt and lemony oils make wonders for my dry skin. It is all natural and ethically sourced, so that's a double thumbs up from me. Price is fantastic. Update: the product is no longer sold by Amazon Au but it's imported from the US, and pricing has doubled up since I first posted this review.