Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Fast Absorbing Hand Cream

I cannot live without hand cream. My hands are extremely dry and at times itchy (which isn't great when my dry skin flakes off whenever i scratch). That's all before I go near water or heat.

Over the years I have made my way through so many different hand creams and never really found one that I was willing to repurchase again. I HATE my hands feeling greasy after using hand cream and yet that's how a majority of hand creams leave your hands, which leaves you unable to do pretty much EVERYTHING for quite some time. Any cream I tried was either too greasy but moisturising or non greasy but really did nothing to moisturise my parched skin.

I bought "Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Fast Absorbing Hand Cream" on a whim one day while in a local chemist. I only noticed it as it was well advertised as being on sale, otherwise i think i would have by passed it once again. I bought it not expecting much and I must say i was pleasantly surprised by how great it was.

It states on the back that "the convenient pump format is ideal for home or work with an appropriate amount of hand cream for each use". One pump gives out quite a bit of product to cover both hands. my hands feel soft, moisturised and NOT greasy. The bottle, which is 150ml, has lasted quite a long time and the pump is so handy so as to not use to much and waste the product.

Overall, I am very happy with this hand cream and have already repurchased two more bottles, one with a pump for my desk at home and the other a small travel size for my bag. I am very happy with this hand cream and so are my very soft, moisturised hands.

Argania Organic Moroccan Argan Hair Oil

Recently, hair oil has become the must have hair care product. they promise to nourish and smooth hair, banish frizz, create brilliant shine, detangle and condition and protect for heat styling. When I first heard of the benefits of using hair oil I shook my head in disbelief. When I seen the average price per bottle, I shook my head some more.

However, I still wanted to try these "miracle" oils but the price always put me off. Then I found this little beauty sitting on the shelf in Boots at a fraction of the price (€20/£15 for 100ml) so decided to give it a try.

The benefits of Argania Organic Moroccan Argan Hair Oil are as follows:

• Antioxidant rich protection for all hair types.
• Eliminates frizz between washes.
• Gives hair instant lustre and body without leaving an oily residue.
• Protects and assists in extending the life of hair colour.
• Restores and rejuvenates damaged hair.
• Great for detangling wet hair when combing.
• Soothing and conditioning for the scalp.
• Provides heat protection during styling and reduces blow drying time. 

Sounds wonderful but does it live up to the hype and more importantly does it give the more expensive oils a run for its money?

I tried the product after a shower on wet hair, I put a small amount in the ends of my hair and proceeded to blow dry my hair as usual. I have naturally curly hair but tend to blow dry it straight as I get fed up with how frizzy it can get. 

After I blow dried my hair I noticed my hair was very smooth and soft with a wonderful healthy shine with no frizz. I was utterly amazed as I had convinced myself there was no way any product could promise so much and actually do all that it promised (especially after one use) but it did. 

I would advise anyone using such oils in their hair to take a "less is more" approach as to much can leave your hair heavy and dead looking and at times quite greasy, and whatever you do DO NOT use near your roots or you will be re-washing your hair. 

Overall, I love it. This has fast become my new favourite hair product. Personally I think it is well worth the money as a little goes a long way. I have this bottle about 3 months and there is still half a bottle to get through. 

Next time your in boots make the investment...your hair will thank you for it.

Clinique 3-Step Skin Care

I began using Clinique when i was about 18 years old (my mother ruined me with expensive products at an early age) I suffered with acne at the time but also with terribly dry skin. Most products on the market for acne prone skin are designed for oily or combination skin which made my skin even more dry.

So on a visit to a Clinique counter and a quick skin analysis I was directed to the 3 step skin care regime.

STEP 1: Liquid Facial Soap (Mild)

I loved using this cleanser. It glides onto the face and lathers up well. It never irritated my eyes which alot of cleansers are prone to do as I often get them into my eyes. It has no smell what so ever which is a plus for me as I really don't like facial products to have any sort of smell of them (strange, I know). It also lasted a long time as one pump was more than enough to cover the whole face to feel like my face was adequately cleansed.

STEP 2: Clarifying Lotion 2

The controversial toner. Loved by many and hated by many. Some find it a great product with great benefits and others find it terrible for their skin due to the amount of alcohol in it. At the time I started using this product I had no idea it even had alcohol in it so I proceeded to use it blind as they say. Initially, I loved it my skin felt soft, smooth, glowing and looked very healthy. However I still had acne. When I say acne I mean REALLY REALLY bad acne. Not just on the skin but also under the skin. I took a visit to a dermatologist recently who told me that someone with acne should NEVER use products with alcohol in them. So i stopped using this product and just used the other two and I must say my skin has improved. I don't have nearly as many spots (although i do still have some). If you don't not suffer with acne or any skin complaints which are irritated by alcohol, I strongly recommend this toner as it really does do what it promises.

STEP 3: Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion

The last in the 3 step routine is the moisturiser. I really enjoy using this product. It is so light and non greasy and yet it leaves my skin very soft and moisturised with a slight glow. The product lasted a long time as very little is need to get the job done. As I mentioned above I have very dry skin but I never felt like I could do with more moisture while using this product. I must say I love this moisturiser, its no surprise it has won so many awards over the years.

These three products do work extremely well together. When I stopped using the toner and just used the cleanser and moisturiser my face didn't feel as good. The moisturiser took a bit longer to sink into the skin. If you have no problems with alcohol products I really do recommend these products. I have since passed the toner on to my mother who has since purchased all three and LOVES using them on her face. These products really do what they say they will do so you get what you pay for in my opinion. If i didn't have such bad acne I would definitely still be using all three products.