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The
Beauty Book...
a comprehensive guide to all the best products
on the market...
| Banana Boat
Aloe Vera Gel
Made with extract of pure, cooling Aloe Vera the easily absorbed gel is an absolute must for damaged skin whatever your skin type. It’s absolutely fantastic at cooling and quickly soothing either sun burnt or wind burnt skin and helps to repair weather – damage instantly. Aloe Vera is universally recognized as an excellent way to treat minor burns cuts, scrapes and mild rashes and we think this particular brand is the best we’ve used. Apply sparingly in thin layers as often as needed over the affected areas, a really handy product to keep in year round and costing around £5 for quite a large pump dispenser bottle it is available at Boots and other chemists.
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| Liz Earle
Energising Body Scrub
This gorgeous – smelling scrub really is fantastically uplifting, especially when used first thing in the morning. Part of Liz’s fabulous ‘energising’ range this scrub is invigorating without being too harsh – it is suitable for all but the most sensitive of skins (who shouldn’t scrub at all). Ground olive stones exfoliate and remove dead skin cells whilst the essential oils of sweet orange, grapefruit, geranium, peppermint and rosemary really lift the spirits whilst softening the skin. The damask rose flower water that Liz’s range often contains here too and adds a truly wonderful aroma when blended with the lovely patchouli fragrance that’s also here.
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| Liz Earle
Energising Body Wash
For a gentle and kind-to-the-skin body wash, this formula is certainly powerful on aroma. Fantastic damask rose, grapefruit and peppermint oil are just a few of the medley of fragrances that hit you as soon as you use this product. The cleansing action comes from pure plant extracts that will not strip the skin with natural vitamin E to smooth and protect. Liz’s products do not contain sodium laureth sulphates. Known to cause itching and irritation for some, so are really gentle on even sensitive skins. Many sensitive skin-wash products are a little short on aroma and although kind to the skin they can be a little ‘boring’ to use. Liz’s products, and this one especially, are never that. The geranium oil has an uplifting fragrance and helps to eliminate toxins from the skin whilst the patchouli oil is reviving and stimulating and can improve circulation whilst adding a sensual, spicy aroma. With pine oil to invigorate and sweet orange to improve skin tone this body wash is great for both males and females and will wake-up even the most sluggish circulations when used regularly.
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| Liz Earle
Hip & Thigh Gel
Of all the products we feature this product always comes out top for its aroma! Of course it’s excellent at its job, but the fragrance is extremely sensual and provocative with extracts of patchouli, horse chestnut and other pure essential oils. Its active ingredients include stimulating ginkgo biloba, ivy and butchers broom with essence of damask rose water all blended into a wonderfully invigorating gel. Massage the gel firmly over the skin after a bath or shower using strokes towards the heart, concentrating on any area that needs firming, including stomach, upper arms and inner thighs. The gel can relieve signs of puffiness when massaged gently over the area and is particularly good for areas suffering from fluid retention. Can be used alone or under a body lotion for those with a drier skin, its best used in the morning to help with circulation.
• Pregnant women may want to consult their GP before using products containing essential oils.
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| Clarins
Moisture-Rich Body Lotion
There are many products in the Clarins range that could feature here, but we have selected the Moisture-Rich Body Lotion as amongst our favourites, it has that distinctly ‘Clarins’ aroma and is so soothing and light to the touch.
It seems to absorb within minutes but still leaves the skin with a soft glow, and used morning and/or evening will leave your skin ‘softer, firmer and more supple’. It certainly has made my skin feel cared for and it is recommended for anyone with dry or very dry skin. Clarins is available in larger department stores such as Debenhams and Boots where their consultants can take you through their range to get you the best possible skincare.
Prices start at around £20 and a great time to shop is when they are on ‘gift’ as they say, which means when we buy products they usually have a great giveaway to go with it.
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| L’Occitane
Olive Body Milk
Our personal all time favourite body lotion, this fabulous product is a must have for anyone who wants beautifully soft skin! Although in lotion form, it really moisturizes even very dry skin and yet is light enough to use on a combination or oily skin due to the properties of the olive. It has a really warm, Mediterranean aroma that oozes comfort and is rich in AOC olive oil from Les Baux in the Provence region. The olive fruit oil is particularly good for really softening the skin and its anti-oxidant properties can guard against the signs of premature ageing. It’s herby, citrus and cedar fragrance is particularly comforting after an evening bath and its moisturizing and softening effects are long lasting and noticeable from the first application. Great for regenerating a tired or dull-looking skin this really is an all-round performer!
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| L’Occitane
Olive Shower Cream
One of our all time favorite shower/bath cleansers this gorgeous cream is enriched with AOC olive oil, olive water and gentle cleansing agents and really leaves the skin feeling smooth as silk. It has a smooth, creamy texture with a wonderful Mediterranean fragrance and is suitable for all skin types. Absolutely fabulous for anyone who usually suffers itching or dryness after a bath or shower and even better when followed with the body lotion in the same range.
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| L’Occitane
Organic Soap with Olive Leaves and Tomato
This attractive looking soap would grace anyone’s shower tray but its more than just good looking. This soap gently exfoliates the body skin as you wash yet is gentle enough to use every day. The olive leaves cleanse the skin yet do not strip it of moisture. If you really haven’t time or can’t be bothered with messy scrubs this soap is perfect to use in the shower to cleanse and exfoliate all in one.
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| Sanctuary
Sanctuary Body Scrub
The Sanctuary is London’s most famous day spa and specializes in the most indulgent treatments for the whole body. They have products to buff, polish, moisturize and soothe that are now available on the High Street.
Sanctuary’s Body Scrub gives a gentle polish to the skin, with natural pumice it goes to work on smoothing the body whilst the patchouli scent fills the bathroom and invigorates the senses. It also contains orange oil so it can be used daily without the skin drying out.
Finish the Sanctuary Body Lotion or if you prefer they also do a fabulous Body Moisture
Spray with sweet Almond and Jojoba oils for real baby soft skin.
Once you have started on this range, you’ll just want to try more and more. The Body
Scrub is around £6 and is available through Sanctuary.co.uk or on the high street it is exclusive to Boots.
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| L’Occitane
Shea Butter Extra Gentle Cold Cream Soap
This delicate soap has a vegetal cleansing base so is perfect for daily use on dry or sensitive skins. It’s enriched with shea butter and cold cream and will not strip the skin and can even be used on the face if you’re a soap and water lady. This really is a family soap as it’s not strongly fragranced and is gentle enough for babies and children leaving the skin clean yet beautifully soft.
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| Boots
Soap & Glory Butter Up
From the wonderful Soap and Glory range only at Boots, this gorgeous body butter is packed full of great, softening ingredients. With shea butter, cocoa butter, almond oil and aloe vera this rich cream will soothe even very dry skins. Although quite thick in texture it does smooth into the skin quite quickly and gives a lovely sheen without being greasy. All of this range has a superb aroma that won’t clash with your perfume but leaves the skin delicately fragranced. Fantastic if you’re a leg shaver and great for the dry décolleté area.
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| Boots
Soap and Glory Flake Away
This handy little tub contains a great exfoliator which is really suitable for small patch areas. Elbows and knees, even feet will benefit from this exfoliator – it does have quite large sugar particles, which may be slightly too harsh for delicate skin areas but its fantastic for rough, dry thicker skin areas. It does contain shea butter to soften and smells divine with its peach seed extracts. Great at reviving dull skin around heels and ankles and smoothing goose bumps on knees.
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| L’Occitane
Sweet Almond Liquid Soap
This is a detergent – free cleanser so is suitable for all skin types and especially those prone to dryness or itching and can be used on those with delicate or sensitive skins. In a hygienic pump dispenser it contains nourishing Shea butter and soothing Aloe-Vera so will not strip the skins natural oils. Available in several fragrances the Sweet Almond is the most delicate and universal and therefore suitable for the whole family. The soap can be used for hand washing or all over the body in the bath or shower. It is even gentle enough to use as a shampoo.
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| Treacle Moon
Treacle Moon – That Raspberry Kiss – Body Scrub
As the title suggests this is a body scrub with Raspberries in mind, so much so that the packaging carries this warning: Please do not eat this product… it’s for you skin.
There is simply a flavour explosion that you can almost taste when this product hits your skin, it’s vibrant colour is certainly matched by it’s invigorating aroma. The scrub is just coarse enough to give your skin a work out, leaving it fresh and thoroughly cleansed. A product you’ll look forward to using again and again. And if Raspberries are not your favourite, you could try That Vanilla Moment, this has real echoes of Cornish Ice-cream, all that’s missing is the Flake!
These were great little finds in the supermarket and retailed at under £2 each. Treacle Moon is based in the UK and these products were not tested on animals. Most suitable for a younger skin or skin that is not highly sensitive or overly dry, it’s perfect to wake up a sluggish circulation. Start from the ankles and work upwards towards the neck whilst in the shower or bath-use gentle massage motions and don’t over scrub. Delightful!
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| L’Occitane
Verbena Shower Gel
A L’Occitane best seller as this shower gel is suitable for family use. Its bright citrus aroma suits both male and female - with its Corsican verbena extract and lemon oil it’s a wonderfully invigorating first-thing-in-the-morning shower gel. Fresh and fruity it contains grape fruit extract to really awaken the senses yet without the ‘sharp’ notes that can make citrus gels overpowering. This gel is also a favourite with children as they love the lemon fragrance and is suitable on most skins, except for those who are highly sensitive.
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