 Walnut & Cinnamon Body Scrub from Umi at Waitrose and John Lewis- (300ml) £4.85
“turbo-charge life's pleasure quotient whenever you can.”
Packaged in a Kilner-style jar, there’s no denying that this body scrub looks elite. If appearances are a concern, I can assure you, this scrub looks far from cheap and smells exotically enticing, with the warm spicy aroma of cinnamon.
The scrub itself is a cool, jelly suspension that feels coarse without being too abrasive on the skin. It goes a really long way and instantly makes the skin feel polished and radiant. It feels really good on the heels and legs, and you could really work it into problem areas of cellulite to break it down and tone you up.
My skin was left feeling revitalised and blushing after application, and silky smooth to the touch. However I did feel the need to moisturise as some areas like my lower legs felt a little parched.
The warmth of the cinnamon is subtle but effective, stimulating the palate as much as the skin, and I found it really relaxing yet invigorating.
I would recommend this if you have a cold or feel congested, as it soothes the nasal passages without being too medicinal or abrupt whilst sloughing away at your skin to reveal a healthier you.
 Ginger Root & Plum Body Scrub from Umi at Waitrose and John Lewis- (200g) £4.99
This scrub is completely different to the Cinnamon and Walnut body scrub, in texture and effect. It is a dense cream, with a texture just like sugar creamed into butter. When applied to the skin, the Ginger Root and Plum Body Scrub spreads smoothly, and effortlessly, and seems to melt into the skin as you scrub away dead skin cells.
The exfoliation again is nicely coarse without being too abrasive, and feels good all over. After application, the skin is left with a luxurious moisturising coating that makes you feel even more pampered. The only draw back is if you are exfoliating as part of a pre-shaving treatment on your legs, as the balminess will clog your razor up in an instant!
Umi products aim to use a range of natural ingredients from food, plants and flowers to “indulge the body and ease the mind”. As the ingredients suggest, I was expecting a tart and slightly culinary aroma, but the fragrance is surprisingly sweet and alluring. It smells delicious, and I found myself craving warm Victoria Sponge, as I scrubbed myself all over. It’s gentle enough to use on the face, yet tough enough to polish up even dense areas of dry skin like elbows heels and knees.
As with the Cinnamon and Walnut scrub, the packaging for the Ginger Root and Plum Body Scrub is a stylish, squat but hefty glass jar with silver screw-top lid. Not only does it look good, it’d also make a great yet thrifty gift.
 Chocolate Marshmallow Face Mask from Akamuti at www.akamuti.co.uk - 70g for £7.95
Chocolate really is good for you! -This facemask is luxurious verging on ridiculous! Made with Organic fair-trade Cocoa, Marshmallow powder and crushed Madagascan Vanilla beans, it smells absolutely amazing, and yet, instead of leaving me craving chocolate afterwards, I found myself pleasantly sated, and completely guilt free! (Although to be honest, if it wasn’t for the mineral ingredients, I would’ve had a sneaky taste…)
Cocoa is one of the highest natural sources of antioxidants, known to combat the signs of ageing, and protect skin from environmental aggressors like pollution and UV rays. This facemask combines Organic Cupuacu (from the cacao family) to rejuvenate, Pink Rose Clay (also known as Kaolin) to heal and soothe and Organic crushed Madagascan Bourbon Vanilla Beans to uplift and invigorate, leaving the face feeling nourished, restored and pampered.
Sold as a powder, you are left to mix up the mask yourself, which is excellent as you have total control over quantity and consistency, so there is no wastage. You’re also free to add extra ingredients to it, like rosewater or vitamin E oil. I really enjoyed this part, as I felt like an apothecary or witchdoctor, and the aromas were released enticingly as I stirred it all together. It really encouraged me to take time out to pamper myself, and the experience felt fluid and natural, rather than the more processed and forced experience of simply squishing stuff out of a tube or packet.
The mask powder comes in a fully recyclable silver aluminium tin, so it looks flashy and is easy to carry around as well as being kind on the environment. It’s also suitable for vegetarians & vegans.
I really enjoyed sitting in a hot bath with the comforting aromas of molten chocolate rising from my face, it was like a meditation, as I felt It gave me all the uplifting and pampering benefits of chocolate, without me needing to scoff a load! However, I would definitely recommend using a moisturiser after removing the Chocolate Marshmallow facemask, as the clay content leaves the skin feeling a little dry.
Organic Virgin Coconut Oil from Akamuti at www.akamuti.co.uk - £3.95 for 50g, £5.95 for 150g
I used this oil as a light moisturiser after using the Akamuti Chocolate Marshmallow Facemask. It smells wonderful, and when combined with the facemask, smells just like a Bounty, for all you chocoholics out there…
The 100% natural oil is totally free from bleaching agents so retains its entire natural aroma, and is cold pressed from Organic, fair trade coconuts farmed by individual families in the Pacific. The process used ensures the oil is of the highest quality, as it is created within one hour of the nuts being cracked open. It is also supporting and protecting fragile eco-systems and vulnerable communities, and as a result is helping to rebuild the Solomon Island communities destroyed by the April 2007 Tsunami.
Coconut oil strengthens & maintains skin health by reducing chronic skin dryness and aiding the removal of the outer layer of dead skin cells, thus makes the skin smoother. After application my skin not only smelt delicious, but also felt delightfully smooth and soft, the effect of which lasted long after 24 hours. I found it particularly gentle on my face in small quantities, as it moisturised and lubricated the skin surface, without becoming to heavy or greasy. This is due to the coconut oils small molecular structure, which means it is absorbed quickly and effortlessly into the skin.
When kept cool, the oil sets into a creamy white balm that melts like soft ice when smeared on the skin. If warmed, the coconut oil is fluid and light, and can be used as a massage application or as a softening, anti-dandruff, pre-wash conditioning treatment for your hair.
For an additional pampering twist, keep your tin of Organic Virgin Coconut Oil in the fridge, and apply straight after a hot bath, so it cools and tones the skin whilst melting into your pores.
Beauty On A Budget – Moisturisers
Beauty On A Budget: Facial Wipes |
