Product Empties #4 - Bodycare & Haircare (August 2014)

Hello dolls!

I've finally gathered some enthusiasm to write another post! Like I mentioned in my last post, I have really not been in the mood to blog of late, and it has been a real struggle for me to even put a post up, so I thought I would not force myself to write one for the sake of writing one, and just wait until I felt like blogging =) Also, I am moving back home, so I've been extremely busy packing things away, throwing things etc. Anyhow, it's time for another round of empties! I've collected quite a few products to write about, so to prevent this post from being an ultra long one, I've decided to break this up into two posts! Grab yourself a biscuit, a cup of drink and let's jump right into the first part!

Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser (for Dry Skin)

When this first came out, I immediately grabbed a bottle because the concept of a body lotion that can be worn in the shower was just beyond cool. I only had to apply it, rinse it off, and didn't have to step out of the shower (into the cold) to apply my body lotion? I was sold. However, upon first application, I was left rather disappointed. This skin conditioner felt slippery to the touch and applied on the skin like a layer or film covering my body, instead of absorbing into it like I expect a body moisturiser would do. It took really long to rinse this off and after drying myself, my skin felt slightly sticky, which I found odd. I did not find this very hydrating or moisturising and I did not find that it shortened my shower routine- in fact, I had to spend time trying to rinse the slippery feel off my body, and off the shower floor! Overall, it is an interesting concept, but sadly one which I did not really work for me, and I did not enjoy the process of applying and rinsing this off as well, so unfortunately I will not be repurchasing this.

Marks & Spencers Florentyna Shower Creme

I received this as a Christmas gift, and I am so glad I did. This rich shower creme was an absolute pleasure to use. It feels luxurious on the skin, and really softens my skin and leaves it feeling clean. Fragranced with topnotes of gardenia blended with jasmine, lily of the valley, orange blossom and musk undertones, you can only imagine how lovely this smells. Personally, I find the perfume from the same range a bit too strong and floral for my liking, but this shower creme fits perfectly in my books. The floral scent is not overpowering, and it lingers for a short while on the skin after a shower or bath. I like how it moisturises my skin, and I will be keeping a lookout for this in Marks & Spencers, because it is a nice affordable product with a luxurious touch to it.

The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Shower Gel

Among all the scents in Body Shop, Vineyard Peach has got to be my favourite. The sharp, refreshing and uplifting scent (which reminds me of peach sorbet) makes this shower gel a luxury to use on days when I am tired and worn out after a long day at university. The product itself is a light, peach-coloured gel which does not really lather up but still cleans the skin well and leaves my skin feeling soft and thoroughly cleansed. This would be a lovely product to use in the shower during a hot, summer's day!

Treaclemoon That Vanilla Moment Bath & Shower Gel

Firstly, YUM. This shower gel smells like lemon drizzle cake dipped in vanilla cream! I couldn't get enough of the scent. My aunt couldn't stand the scent though as she said it was too sickly sweet for her, and she passed this on to me. So if you do not like sweet scents, this may not be for you. I use this as a shower gel instead of a bath gel, mainly because I don't have a bath tub. Hee! The packaging reminds me of 'philosophy' products, and I am guessing that Treaclemoon has adopted that packaging concept. This baby is a lovely shower gel - it has a slightly runny yet creamy texture and really leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth after usage. I like.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Frizz Remedy Deep Treatment

Infused with aloe vera and Australian Jojoba oil, this deep treatment for frizzy hair is meant to reduce frizz and leave the hair luscious and healthy. I initially used this once or twice a week after shampooing my hair, left it on for 3 minutes (according to the instructions) and then rinsed it off. I like how it left my hair feeling soft and smooth, but I do not think it looked luscious or shiny. This did help tame some of the frizz in my hair though. I did not find it to work well as a deep treatment so I ended up using it as my everyday conditioner, and it worked well that way.What I probably like best about this product is its scent. It has an amazing sweet yet fruity bubblegum scent which never fails to uplift my mood whenever I get a whiff of it. Other than that, I think this works better as a daily hair conditioner for me than a deep treatment.

The Body Shop Banana Shampoo & Conditioner

I love banana scented products, and I can't tell you how hard it is to find such products. When I saw these, I knew I had to have them. Containing fruity banana puree and Community Fair Trade honey, this duo was an absolute pleasure to smell (sounds weird? Haha!). The banana scent does not last long though, sadly. The shampoo promises a super shiny finish and the conditioner promises soft and tangle-free hair. I can't say they lived up to their claims. The shampoo left my hair feeling and looking dry, coarse and very tangled. The conditioner did not really help in getting rid of those tangles, and my hair still felt rough and would be full of tangles after using the conditioner. For products that I was really expecting to love, I can't help but say that these two were a disappointment for me, and I will not be repurchasing.

Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends Split End Protection Intensive Mask

'Split-ends'-free hair is something that I have constantly been trying to achieve (and have not yet achieved, sadly!) and as a result, I try many products catered for this need of mine. This intensive mask claims to leave hair strong against damage and keeps it feelings voluptuously velvety (how my hair feels velvety, I don't know). I apply this once or twice a week to my hair after shampooing. I focus the application on the ends of my hair, and leave it on for 5 minutes as instructed before thoroughly rinsing it off. Although it does not get rid of my split ends, this leaves my hair feeling unbelievably soft, and my hair is tangle-free after using this. I make sure not to apply too much otherwise it can leave my hair feeling weighted down and looking limp. The scent of this hair mask is a lovely sweet floral which lingers on my hair. A lovely product if you are looking for a general hair mask, but probably not the best if you are looking for a hair mask to prevent against split ends.

So that's it for part one of this 'Product Empties' post! Stay tuned for Part 2!

Have you tried any of these products? What products have you recently used up? =D

xx Amanda