Blisume Frangipani Hand and Body Wash Review

More and more products are being touted as two-in-one, hand and body washes are a big part of the trend, but in most cases I find the design does not really work. Blisume has managed to make a lovely natural option that really works. So let’s talk about the Blisume Frangipani Hand and Body Wash.

This is a lovely natural body wash packed with antioxidants like rosehip and is free of sulfates and other chemicals like phthalates. The formula is a light gel that foams up really well, always a nice surprise when using a sulfate-free product.  It makes you feel clean without drying the skin, but it does not leave any residue behind. I have not actually really used it as a hand wash but because the gel is so light it would work really well.

This brings me to one of my favorite things about this product: the design! I love the look of the bottle, it’s chic and classic, but the bright pop of color makes it fun and a bit different. I could totally see this in hotels or spas! The pump is also wonderful, it’s as easy to dispense product on a loofa as it is on your hands. It doesn’t squirt too much product or shoot it out at a weird angle. This is a simple detail but it really makes the product work as both a hand and body wash.

The only thing I didn’t love about this product was the scent. Because I picked the frangipani one, I was expecting something sweet and slightly tropical but it doesn’t smell like that at all. It has kind of a weird citrus scent, it’s not bad but I’m just not a fan of citrus scents in general. Luckily because it’s phthalate-free the scent doesn’t linger. I will be repurchasing this shower gel in the future, just in another scent (probably the vanilla one).

The Blisume Frangipani Hand and Body Wash is available on Nourished Life and the product is actually offered in a variety of scents so I’m sure you’ll find something to your liking. You can also read more about it on their website. 

Tea Tuesday: Stash Green Tea Pomegranate Raspberry with Matcha

It’s the holiday season and along with gingerbread cookies, tea becomes an everyday staple for me. This is why I’m bringing back Tea Tuesday, my collection has grown quite a bit in recent weeks and I want to share the love with you all. I see a lot of green tea and herbal teas in the future for this blog. Let’s start with the Stash Green Tea Pomegranate Raspberry with Matcha.

I rely on fruity green teas a lot because I want to get those antioxidants, but I’m not a fan of plain green tea. This Stash one is the perfect solution for my problem and I love that it contains matcha because it is even better for you than regular green tea. It has a great balance of sweetness and tartness so it is not too fruity, but it completely masks the taste of green tea. It leans more towards raspberry than pomegranate which is what I prefer because I don’t need to add any honey to balance it.

I love Stash’s herbal teas in general, they have flavours that are different from other brands, but I think this is a very unique concept. I feel like this is such an easy way to add a healthy boost of antioxidants to your diet, why not do it if it tastes delicious!

You can find the Stash Green Tea Pomegranate Raspberry with Matcha in most grocery and health food stores as well as on the Stash website. 

Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion

For the past two months, Caudalie has been my go to brand for all things body care. While soaps and shower gels are easy to review I like giving body lotions a longer tryout to really see if they improve my skin. Today I can finally share with you my thoughts on the Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion.

According to Caudalie, this lotion will hydrate and firm your skin with the help of antioxidant grape polyphenol and ginkgo biloba to activate micro-circulation. Texture-wise, this is a light lotion that absorbs quite easily, though I find it stays on the skin a little longer than other ones. As for moisture I think it is pretty decent, but honestly if you have very dry skin you might want to have a look at the Vine Body Butter (here) instead because the lotion offers light hydration.

As you might be able to tell I was not initially blown away, that is until I paid more attention to my legs. See the ginkgo biloba extract is supposed to help give you the appearance of firmer skin because it helps increase micro-circulation which helps with water retention. I was super impressed to see how it really made my legs look firmer and slightly slimmer. With those results I am really interested to try their Contouring Concentrate (here), an oil that focuses on drainage and circulation.  

Now this is a decent body lotion, but there is one thing I really don’t like about it: the scent. This is very heavily fragranced and I am just not a fan of it. Honestly, except for all of the Vigne scents, I don’t really enjoy Caudalie scents. This one has a very strong fragranced natural scent and I thought it was quite overwhelming at first. Now that I am used to it, it’s fine but I would recommend smelling it first if you are sensitive to fragrance.

All in all I love the effects of the Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion, but I cannot say it is my favorite. I think the Contouring Concentrate might be worth looking into if you are looking for a firming product more than you are a moisturizer.

The Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion is available from their website and stores as well as in Sephora. 

Shu Uemura Anti/Oxi Cleansing Oil

I am slowly getting back in the swing of things with the blog and regular posting should (hopefully) go on. My whole reorganisation process also led me to discover I have quite a few products I meant to review ages ago that I still had not gotten around to. It’s shame really, because most are long-time favorites that I kept delaying since putting my excitement into words was difficult. So today I finally bring you a review on my beloved Shu Uemura Anti/Oxi Cleansing Oil, also known as the only cleanser I will ever use. 

I kid you not, this is the most amazing makeup remover I have ever tried and I am currently on my fifth bottle in a row. That kind of commitment to the same cleanser shows how much I love it. This is hands down the best cleansing oil I have ever tried, it has a light non/greasy consistency and it emulsifies and rinses clean super easily. It will leave you with clean, balanced skin that feels soft and moisturize, but there is no oily residue left behind. It also does not irritate my eyes and removes any mascara like a charm. 

I have tried other cleansing oils from various brands and other Shu Uemura offerings, but none compare to this one. More than being a simple makeup remover, it has an undeniable effect on my skin, leaving it brighter and smoother. I think this is due to the great plant extracts it contains like moringa, green tea and gingko leaf. These are all great antioxidant and the moringa extract is particularly good at refining and purifying the skin.

Shu Uemura qualifies this cleanser as an anti-ageing one because the extracts it contains help fight the oxidant effect of pollution, helping it fight against aging stress of the skin. I was honestly shocked to see actual skincare benefits from this, because cleansers never usually leave visible results on my skin. This is a truly outstanding product that lives up to its claims.  

The Shu Uemura Anti/Oxi Cleansing Oil is a star product in my skincare routine and one of those rare products I cannot see myself without. You can find it at any Shu Uemura counters and on their website as well as in Sephora. It comes in both a regular size and a large one so you have good options for both travel and at home. 

Tea Tuesday: Kusmi Green St. Petersburg

I reviewed the Kusmi St. Petersburg tea a few months back and I really liked it. It also made me very curious to try the Green St. Petersburg to see how it would compare and which one I would like best. So for today’s Tea Tuesday I am bringing you my review of Green St. Petersburg by Kusmi.

This green tea version of the blend contains the same notes as the original: bergamot, caramel, red fruits and vanilla. The main difference between the two for me is the taste of the base tea. The green tea is quite strong and the main thing I taste, whereas the original blend with black tea allows for the different notes to be more present. Here the caramel and red fruits are more present but the green tea can be a bit overpowering.

It is still a very pleasant tea to have and the added antioxidants are a great bonus, but I have to say the original St. Petersburg is more flavourful and complex. That being said, I found that a touch of honey really helps tone down the bitterness of the green tea and it nicely brings out the sweetness of the vanilla and red fruits notes.

All in all, I think green tea lovers will probably enjoy this quite a bit and it is a nice way to incorporate more green tea into your diet if you prefer something a bit sweeter. You can find the Kusmi Green St. Petersburg in many health food/tea stores and the Kusmi website ships internationally. 

Innisfree Orchid Enriched Cream

Today I bring you a much overdue review of one of my favorite new skincare item: the Innisfree Orchid Enriched Cream. I am usually more of a lotion or gel-cream kind of girl, but this product is so lovely that I could not resist purchasing the full size after using up my sample.

Basically this is an anti-aging cream that claims to have five different effects to combat visible signs of ageing. The antioxidants in the orchid extract will help smooth wrinkles, firm, brighten and nourish the skin while also tightening your pores. The claims are pretty big, but I found that this cream performs really well.

The cream is a bit rich (hence the name) but it melts into your hands once you warm it up and it applies easily. I have combination skin so, it is a bit much too use in the morning when the weather is warmer because it takes a while to fully penetrate. So right now I only use it at night, but in the winter it was lovely to use in the morning as well. If your skin is on the dryer side, I think you could use it twice a day without any problem. Innisfree offers a gel cream version (here), which would probably be better suited for this season. I am quite tempted to get a jar myself once I finish up other moisturizers.

Now let’s talk about the results I experienced with the Orchid Enriched Cream. I am not at an age where wrinkles are an issue, but the moisturizing and nourishing effects of this cream are so amazing that I am sure they can help minimize the appearance of fine and dehydration lines. I also noticed that my skin looked brighter and felt more plumped in the morning. As for the pore tightening effects, I did not notice any, but the texture of my skin was more refined and any inflammation was soothed.

I was very impressed by this cream, the texture is great and it feels lush when you apply it. The light floral orchid scent is divine, turning my skincare routine in a relaxing spa-like experience. I will for sure try other products from the range (here) and I believe most would enjoy using this product and see positive results.

You can get the Innisfree Orchid Enriched Cream on their website and you can also purchase a sample of it here. 

Tea Tuesday: Kusmi Spearmint Green Tea

Today, I’m back with more Kusmi tea for this edition of Tea Tuesday. I chose to feature the Kusmi Spearmint Green Tea as I felt like this is a great basic tea everyone should have.

Green tea is known for its amazing antioxidant properties and is a beverage we should aim to consume more of everyday. The thing is, not everyone likes the taste of green. I personally find it a bit bitter and it’s not my favorite, which is why a tea blend like this Spearmint Green Tea one is so great: it kind of masks the taste of green tea and it offers added benefits. Mint in general is great to sooth upset stomachs and its refreshing scent can clear your mind and uplift your senses.

In this particular case, the spearmint scent is very strong and I find it super refreshing and invigorating. However it doesn’t taste very strongly of mint which I was a bit disappointed about. The taste is very hard to describe but know that it’s not as bitter as regular green tea and while it doesn’t taste like a typical mint herbal tea; there is a minty aftertaste that feels cooling in your mouth.

At the end of the day, I think the Kusmi Spearmint Green Tea is a nice addition to any collection and you can find it in a variety of size from the Kusmi website and stores that carry the brand.