little white truths

Sohum Vanilla Absolute Hand & Body Lotion and Body Wash

My husband's birthday is in January (on Australia Day), so I often look for gifts for him in the Boxing Day sales. That's indeed what I did for him this year, and one of the things I bought him was this nice-looking little hand-care duo: he'd been asking for something like this for the bathroom, and the black and white packaging worked with the existing colour scheme so I thought why not.

Although I chose these items (which also came with a little candle) based on how they looked and also their price ($19.95 AUD for the lot), I'm happy to say that they're also lovely products so we may well end up buying them again. A happy chance find : )

Sohum claims/product details:

Love the Sohum parade collection? Now you can take it to the shower!
Feel refreshed and divine after showering in these delightful fragrances
'Vanilla Absolute' is the quintessential vanilla with vanilla from Madagascar, almond hearts, Peru balsam and black vanilla pods
The lotion is enriched with shea butter, almond and macadamia nut oils, to nourish the skin and restore moisture and balance
Vegan friendly
Comes with a pump
Made in Melbourne
RRP $24.95 AUD for 300ml, but do shop around

Verdict

I won't go on too much about these because there's not a lot to say about them other than that both my husband and I are really enjoying them and they smell amazeballs.

Both the wash and the lotion smell the same: sweet and potent with vanilla, but not sickly sweet. I can absolutely smell the vanilla bean, and the scent is just gorgeous. I used them again a few minutes ago and I can't stop sniffing my hands.

The wash is a thin and runny gel, and it lathers a little bit but it's not one of those crazy foaming products - perhaps this is why it's super gentle and doesn't strip the skin.

As you may know, I have dry skin and my hands are perhaps the driest parts of my body because I spend half my life washing them after changing nappies, so a gentle hand wash that does the job without irritating my skin is something I look for. This does just that. It cleans but it's not astringent.

The lotion is white and it's also thin and runny, and I worried when I first used it that it wouldn't be hydrating enough for me. It is.

It absorbs beautifully and leaves my dry hands feeling comfortable without leaving a residue. It's not a heavy duty product (I use one of those overnight), but it's perfect for day-use and it does exactly what it needs to do: hydrates but vanishes into the skin, leaving no trace but a beautiful scent.

So in sum, I can't fault these products and both my husband and I want to buy them again. We go through a lot of hand wash and cream in this house, so if something has left a mark, that's saying something.

I would buy these again for the scent alone, but they're also good products. Yes they cost a bit more than we would normally spend on hand/body care, but you can often find them on special and there's a good amount of product in the full size bottles.

Love.

Hello all and welcome to this little 'unboxing' post!

If you're a member of Beautyheaven, you may know that the site occasionally opens up its Beautorium, where you can exchange your points for products and only pay shipping. You can earn points by eg posting reviews or participating in forums on the website.

The Beautorium was open back in April and I chose two products, and in May my package arrived (I'm a bit late with this post, my apologies). As usual, the package contained not only the products I chose, but also some freebies thrown in for me to test.

Let's have a look at what I received.

First, the two items I chose:

L'Oreal Pure Clay Mask, Purify & Mattify

I've heard that the three masks in this range are amazing, and this one in particular. Apparently it's a dupe for one of GlamGlow's masks, but it's said to be even better - plus it's nowhere near as expensive.

It claims to transform the skin in just ten minutes, using three pure clays and eucalyptus. It should penetrate to remove impurities and unclog your pores, clarifying the skin. While it's meant for oily skin (I'm dry), I had to try it after seeing so many rave reviews and I have had a few breakouts lately so something like this won't go astray. Looking forward!

Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm Clear SPF 15

You'd think that with all the lip products I own (many of which I've panned, am currently panning or plan to pan), I would have oodles of dedicated lip balms. I don't. I have one, which is why I used my leftover points on this product.

It apparently comes in a slant tip applicator, provides a satin gloss finish and has a super hydrating formula. It's made with vitamin e, aloe, shea butter and SPF 15, and it should penetrate, moisturise and protect your lips. Just what my dry lips need, that's for sure.

As for the bonus products I received (I didn't pick these):

Blistex Pearl Soft & Silky Balm

Another dedicated lip balm certainly won't go astray, so I was happy to receive this. I used to love Blistex balms but I haven't used one for ages so I'll look forward to seeing how it goes.

I'm not sure about the chunky (rather gimmicky) flip-top packaging so I probably won't throw this in my handbag, but I'll definitely keep it on my desk or bedside. It apparently has a vanilla-plum flavour (yum) and it should moisturise and keep your lips smooth.

Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum

These are described as pure, potent, intensive single dose capsules. They aim to deliver the restorative power of ceramides and essential lipids to help strengthen the skin's barrier against the visible signs of time.

I've already tried these. I expected to love them because they look all fancy sitting there in their single dose capsules, plus when I used the first one I discovered that it contains an oil that feels rich and hydrating (so I'd call it more of an oil than a serum). But unfortunately the product does nothing for me when applied, except add a layer of grease. So the product looks and feels like it would be hydrating, but it's definitely not - or at least not for me. I feel so dry after I use one of these that I've needed to apply them over a hydrating serum, rather than using them as my first layer. Erk. Letdown.

Du'it Tough Hands for Her, Intensive Skin Repair

I received a heavy duty hand cream in my last haul and really liked it, so I'm all for trying another one.

It's apparently an intensive strength formula designed to repair, hydrate and protect rough, calloused and irritated hands. Easily absorbed and enriched with vitamin e and sweet almond milk, it guards against premature skin ageing and helps with skin regeneration for softer, younger looking hands.

I spend half my life washing my hands after changing nappies, so this will definitely be useful.

NS-8 Leg Care Cream

According to the description, this fast absorbing cream intensively moisturises hot, tired and dry skin. It's light and refreshing, and aims to soften and care for very dry feet and legs. It offers a deep penetrating treatment enriched with vitamins to help to prevent rough and cracked skin.

My legs aren't that dry but my feet usually are, so I'll definitely use this as my foot cream once I've finished the one I'm using. Looking forward.

In sum

I can't wait to start using my goodies - the ones I picked especially. Mind you, I do have a few products to finish off before I crack these open, but I hope to get to them soon.

Let me know what you received in your Beautorium haul: I'd love to hear.

Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x

little white truths

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