Lacura // Tropical Essence Booty Balm Review

Lacura // Tropical Essence Booty Balm
RRP £4.99 for 250ml

I bought this from Aldi some time in September 2025.

First Impressions:
I have a feeling this will be a love or hate scent for people. It looks like a Bum Bum cream dupe, but it's not. The scent is unique and nothing like Cheirosa '62 (the signature Sol de Janiero scent). This is more musky and tropical. Incredibly sweet, more like a dessert. The guarana is very strong. I love it. The consistency of the product is buttery and smooth. It spreads and absorbs well without being greasy. It even leaves the scent behind on my bedding which I really enjoy. it's kind of like wearing perfume to bed. The weird part is the sparkles. It's very glittery, you can't visibly see it in the product but I wondered why my skin was shimmering in the light the next morning.

Usage
First use - Beginning November 2025
Last use - 30.12.2025

Would I buy it: If I see it in an Aldi store again, yes.

Overall Impressions:
I saw this discounted to £2.99 as they were clearing out the last of their summer stock and I impulse bought it. I'm glad I did. Sometimes I poo-poo the Aldi beauty products but this one is actually solid. It's a shame my local Aldi doesn't actually have a body moisturiser in stock all year round because this did a standup job. I can usually tell if a body moisturiser is rubbish because the skin on my hips and knees go flaky and itchy but with this everything stayed nice and moisturised. Hopefully this range comes back next year (I also saw this range for summer 2023).

Anatomicals // Scrub Tropicana Coconut Body Scrub Review

Anatomicals // Scrub Tropicana Coconut Body Scrub
RRP £1.50 for 50ml

This is a full size 50ml tube that I received in the August 2019 Birchbox. I believe this was an exclusive, made for Birchbox, product for that month.

First Impressions:

Smells absolutely fantastic. It's slightly heady and oriental with a super sweetness coming through. it doesn't smell at all like coconuts to me though. The granules are very large and I don't feel it does a good job of exfoliating properly to me but I do like how it smells.

Usage
First use - August 2019
Last use - June 2020

Would I buy it: Yes; if you could.

Overall Impressions:

Unfortunately this is no longer sold or made. Anatomicals is such a weird brand; it's like the Ikea of skincare. Some products are super cheap and feel it; others are super cheap and feel great. This is the latter.

I don't think this is the best exoliator in the world but I did enjoy using it; that is when I remembered to use it. Body scrubs are just tone of those products that I always forget about. It was only in the past couple of months now that tan season is upon us that I've truly been feeling the need to exfoliate. I wish they made a shower gel in this scent as it's the best thing about the product.

The Body Shop // Warm Vanilla Body Butter Review

The Body Shop // Warm Vanilla Body Butter
RRP - (No longer sold, Christmas 2019 special)

This is a 200ml tub that I bought from a Body Shop outlet store in June 2020 for £7.50.

First Impressions:

This smells heavenly. I can see why it was a Christmas special. It has this warm, buttery smell that makes me want to curl up by a fire and toast marshmallows. I've not used a Body Shop body butter in over a year now due to having to use up various creams and it's so nice to be using one again. My skin feels amazing and I love the slight greasy feeling it leaves behind. I always shower at night and I love lathering my skin in something that smells nice before going to bed. It's just relaxing to me.

Usage
First use - 18th June 2020
Last use - 12th July 2020

Would I buy it: Yes.

Overall Impressions:

I forgot how quickly I go through Body Shop body butters. This lasted about 25 days which is about right as I used to go through a tub every month. It's been a long time though since I last used a Body Shop body butter and I can honestly say I've missed them. I only ever buy them when I can get them for 50% off as I don't think they're worth £15. Fortunately there is an outlet store near me so I tend to pick up 4/5 in one go of whatever is going super cheap. The pumpkin Spice ones are the only scent I truly hate (I've never been a cinnamon fan).

Even though you do end up going through it ridiculously fast, this is still one of my favourite moisturisers; my skin just feels so soft and I don't have to battle with dry patches anymore. My knees and elbows felt like sandpaper after a month of that Stone Street Soaphouse body cream. I also love the texture; they truly are the best body butters.

Stone Street Soaphouse // Hay Ho! Wholesome Body Cream Review

Stone Street Soaphouse // Hay Ho! Wholesome Body Cream
RRP £24 for 250ml

This is a full size 250ml tub that I bought in the FabFitFun Spring edit sale in April 2020 for $10.80 (including tax).

First Impressions:

This does not smell great...it's like grass. I'm one of the few people in the world it feels like who does not like the smell of grass. It also leaked in the box and the lid is covered in crusty product. It has this weird lip at the top due to the tub design and it makes it a little difficult to scoop product out as it's not really a butter or cream...it has a much thinner consistency; like a lotion. 

Usage

First use - 1st June 2020

Last use - 17th June 2020

8th June 2020 - It's been 7 days and I'm halfway through the tub. 250ml body butters usually last me a month but I've been having to use more than usual because this doesn't leave my skin feeling moisturised. It leaves it feeling kind of dry and crusty. It's not great. I've noticed that my skin drinks up my body oil that I apply afterwards and I've been having to use more of the body oil to keep my skin moisturised.

Would I buy it: No.

Overall Impressions:

I can't believe a 250ml tub of this stuff only lasted me 17 uses. I'm pretty sure I don't normally go through body moisturisers that fast. I'm glad this is finished though as the scent wasn't great. On the side of the tub it says it's inspired by straw...I don't know why anyone would want to smell like straw...strawberries yes. Up next for me is The Body Shop in Warm Vanilla and I'm looking forward to smelling like a dessert after my shower again.

Also, I didn't realise that this is product made in the UK by a British brand; I've never heard of them before the FFF sale. I find it funny that it was exported to LA only to be imported back over.

Overall, I didn't feel like this product did an adequate enough job of keeping my skin moisturised and it's not even that dry right now. The past month has been wet, warm and humid.

Rituals // Ritual of Ayurveda Foaming Shower Gel Review

Rituals // Ritual of Ayurveda Foaming Shower Gel
RRP £8.50 for 200ml

I bought this 200ml bottle from a Rituals store in Manchester for £8.50 (full price) back in October 2019.

First Impressions:

May 3rd 2020 - This is my favourite Rituals scent (followed closely by the Ritual of Holi) and it's just so luxurious and calming. The scent actually makes me feel relaxed in the shower which is strange because it's just a shower.

Usage
First use - 3rd May 2020
Last use - 17th June 2020

15th May 2020 - I don't know if it's just me but it feels like it's getting harder to press the top to get product out. It just seems like I have to really press the top down to get the gel to come out. You would think it would come out as a foam; like shaving cream but it foams upon contact with water. It feels like there isn't enough pressure in the bottle.

Would I buy it: No.

Overall Impressions:

Whereas I enjoyed using this shower gel and initially would have bought it again; I think I'll avoid other foaming gels from Rituals until they drop the squirty top. It just got so annoying towards the end. I would have to hold the bottle sideways and press the bottom against my leg to get enough grip and strength to get the product out onto a sponge. or place the sponge down somewhere and use both hands to keep the bottle steady.

It also didn't really foam to begin with and by the end it just felt like I was buffing myself with the sponge. It didn't leave enough of a scent for my liking. For £8.50 this just isn't worth it as the only good thing is the scent.

Puressential // Slim & Firm Organic Skincare Oil Review

Puressential // Slim & Firm Organic Skincare Oil
RRP £17.90 for 100ml

This is a full size 100ml bottle that I chose as part of a Latest In Beauty box in April 2019.

First Impressions:

Kind of feels like I'm just rubbing jojoba oil with some essential oils into my skin. It's also not quite as thick as jojoba but doesn't leave the skin too greasy.

Usage
First use - April 2019
Last use - 7th June 2020

Would I buy it: Yes.

Overall Impressions:

At first I didn't really care for it but I also used it infrequently. It's one of those products where you just forget to use it. I eventually put it next to my body moisturiser so I wouldn't forget (sometimes I still did) and started using it daily around November 2019. I didn't use it all over my body but on my butt (as it's supposed to be 'firming'), my knees and elbows. I noticed it really helped keep my skin soft and flake free throughout the dry winter months. 

The cap it has is super annoying and barely allows any product to come through so I eventually started decanting it into a 15ml pump bottle that used to be a serum. When I did thta I started going through the oil a lot faster. I would apply it to my feet as well after using a foot scrub and I would wake up with wonderfully soft feet.

I think this has become one of my favourite body products to use and I was sad to run out. I have a few other body oils to get through but I can't be doing without an oil in my routine now. I don't think this is too expensive as good jojoba can set you back at least £10 for 50ml so I don't consider this to be an outrageous price. It also lasts a long time, even with frequent use I would say the bottle would last a good 6 months.

Madara // Daily Defence Ultra Rich Balm Review

Madara // Daily Defence Ultra Rich Balm
RRP £16.50 for 60ml

This is a full size 60ml tube that I chose as part of my Latest In Beauty box in July 2019.

First Impressions:

It has a lovely sweet scent and a rich, almost buttery-like texture. It felt hydrating; like when you're really thirsty and you finally drink some water.

Usage
First use - October 2019
Last use - December 2019

Would I buy it: No.

Overall Impressions:

I initially thought this was going to be a great product but by the end of the tube I was disappointed. That initial hit of hydration that you feel doesn't last very long. I stopped using it on my lips because I noticed they were starting to feel more chapped throughout the day; the same happened with my hands. I would apply and then 30 minutes later my they felt like paper. It's a shame because it smells and feels wonderful as well as being an organic vegan product in packaging that's made more responsible than most products.

I tend to quite like Madara products but this one fell short for me. I used it at work where the air is always hot and dry and it just couldn't cope. It's really funny as on their website they state that to test the effectiveness; the Madara team went to Lappland and used this cream. They said it protected their skin, lips and hands from the cold winds...I doubt that they didn't use anything else other than this cream.

The Botanica Lab // Collagen & Hemp Oil Body Lotion Review

The Botanica Lab // Collagen & Hemp Oil Body Lotion
RRP £4.99 for 739ml

This is 739ml bottle that I bought from TK Maxx for £4.99.

First Impressions:

The scent is not what I was expecting; it's way more lavender than vanilla and quite bitter. I was hoping it would be smooth and sweet. As a lotion it's cheap and cheerful. It takes a while to absorb and your skin kind of feels a bit dry after application.

Usage
First use - October 2019
Last use - January 2020

Would I buy it: No.

Overall Impressions:

After some research it appears that this is probably one of TK Maxx's "in-house" brands as I can't find it anywhere on the internet. There is a Botanical Lab sold in superdrug and a cuisine website called Botanica Lab but nothing on google about this product. It's clearly something you can only buy in stores.

I ended up buying this one because at the time I was in a bit of a bind and I needed a body lotion that would last me a good 3/4 months that didn't cost over a fiver. For that price point I wasn't expecting miracles and ended up purchasing this one due to it's hefty 739ml size. I managed to completely finish it as I don't like wasting products anymore but I wouldn't buy it again (or anything else from this 'range'). It left my skin feeling dry even though it wasn't really all that dry. I think crunchy might be a better word to use. Like when you're hair is crunchy and you need to scrunch the product to get it feeling soft again...only I can't scrunch my skin.

I was deliberately using more than I needed as well so I would go through it faster. I'm always wary of buying TK Maxx brands because of the cheap ingredients and whereas this didn't cause any negative effects it didn't wow me. It was adequate is the best thing I can say about it.

Hollister // Pacific Beach Black Currant + Vanilla Exfoliating Body Wash Review

Hollister // Pacific Beach Black Currant + Vanilla Exfoliating Body Wash
RRP £13 for 266ml

I bought this from a Hollister in Birmingham on Black Friday 2019 for £3.90 (never again will I go to Birmingham on Black Friday).

First Impressions:

Smells fruity and delicious; very refreshing. It is difficult to get the product out though as it's thick with large granules which I suppose are the exfoliating bits. I used this with a shower puff so I didn't actually feel any exfoliation but it lathered up well and lasted long enough to wash myself thoroughly. 

Usage
First use - End of February 2020
Last use - May 2nd 2020

Would I buy it: No.

Overall Impressions:

This product smells and looks great but it should not have been put in a squeezy tube as I really struggled towards the end of the bottle to get product out. It seems that the closer you get to the end the more it's just the granules left and it's almost impossible to squeeze product out. The amount of times the bottle went flying everywhere was riduculous. I ended up finishing it with product still left just because I couldn't be bother fighting with it anymore.

They do other scents and they all seem to match the body sprays (which I love) but they're all an "exfoliating" body wash which means they just have the same problem. I liked that the formula didn't leave my skin feeling squeaky clean (I hate that feeling, it just means the skin is ultra dry) but clean and soft. I always apply moisturiser after so I can't comment on how the skin feels sometime after showering. 

It was nice to use (and I did nail of the bottle!) but I would not buy this or another body wash from Hollister again unless they remove the exfoliating granules.

Sara Miller // Tuberose, Sandalwood and Vanilla Shower Cream Review

Sara Miller // Tuberose, Sandalwood and Vanilla Shower Cream 
RRP £15 for 300ml (currently discontinued)

This is a 300ml tube that I bought from TK Maxx for £4.99 October 2019.

Usage
First use - Beginning of October 2019
Last use - Beginning of December 2019

Would I buy it: Yes.

First Impressions:

Absolutely heavenly scent. I became so obsessed with this concoction that I immediately bought sandalwood and tuberose essentials oils so I could make a nail oil with this scent. Not only that but the packaging is amazing and it makes my shower look super fancy. I even did nail art inspired by this bottle!

Overall Impressions:

I thought this was a TK Maxx in-house brand but I've seen it pop up in John Lewis so I think it might be a John Lewis exclusive and they sold off a load of stock to TK Maxx as this brand just suddenly popped up over November/December (yes...I go in TK a lot....a lot).  I've since bought the matching hand cream and a lip balm from this brand. Unfortunately I've not seen the shower cream in this scent but in the others (and those one are still for sale on the official site). 

Apart from the scent, which is a beautiful blend of musky sandalwood and sweet vanilla, this shower cream lathers into a thick and creamy foam that feels expensive. Everything about this product feels like it's worth £15  and I don't think that's a crazy price to spend on a proper luxurious product. 

I will definitely continue to buy products from this brand and buy this product if I see it again!

Being by Sanctuary Spa // Salted Caramel & Macadamia Body Butter Review

Being by Sanctuary Spa // Salted Caramel & Macadamia Body Butter
Discontinued

This is a 300ml tub that I bought from TK Maxx in August 2019 for £3.99.

First Impressions

The smell....oh my lord the smell. It's just like the Muller Corner Toffee yogurts. It's amazing and thick and buttery. I just love it.

Usage

A 300ml tub usually lasts me just over a month of daily use.

Would I Buy It: Yes. Whenever I see it in TK Maxx I buy it. I was already on my third tub when I took this photo. On top of that, I've just finished my 2nd tub of the Mango & Chilli one and now I'm using up two of the 300ml body lotion versions on the Mango & Chilli...I really loved this range.

Overall Impressions

I never used to like Sanctuary Spa products; they smell like chemicals to me. There is absolutely no sweetness; Then they brought out the Being range a couple of years ago and the Salted Caramel & Macadamia is amazing; not SDJ Bum Bum amazing...what is? But still close. Then in true fashion they discontinued the entire Being range and I've been hoarding whatever I see in TK Maxx. It's a shame really because the Salted Caramel body spray was also like spraying heaven on yourself.

So this review is late but I guess thats what happens when you only review when the product has been used. I'm so annoyed; I really loved that Being range, it was so much more exciting than everything else they do.

They remind me of the Body Shop Body butter formula which has been my go to body moisturiser for years. It just leaves my skin moisturised for 24 hours with no dry patches. The body shop ones I only buy when I can get them on offer for £7 per tub or less so it now looks like I'm going to have to go back to stalking the body shop for deals or find another moisturiser in the £5-£7 range that's just as good.

Cuccio // Calm + Clean Epsom Salt Hand & Body Wash Review

Cuccio // Calm + Clean Epsom Salt Hand & Body Wash
RRP $39.95 for 236ml

This is a full size bottle that I received in the Winter 2019 FabFitFun box.

First Impressions

Doens't smell as nice as I thought it would and for some reason I thought Epsom salts were like bath salts and this would be slightly exfoliating...This is a hand wash. It's not special at all.

Usage

I started using this at the beginning of December 2019 and finished it near the end of February 2020. So it lasted around 3 months-ish with daily use. As a shower gel I would use two pumps and one as a hand wash.

Would I Buy It: No.

Overall Impressions

This had a bit of controversy surrounding it in the FabFitFun box as you could've received this or some NailsInc hand masks that were only worth $8; quite a price difference. However, the price of this 8oz bottle is very sketchy as the 32oz is only $10 more. That's quite a price per ml markup for the smaller bottle.

This definitely has a very lavender scent to it; no sweetness at all which is a shame because I prefer sweet smelling products. I'd say this was just your average body wash. I felt clean afterwards but it wasn't a joy to use or anything (unlike the SDJ Bum Bum shower gel...that stuff is heaven). I think I preferred it as a hand wash but $40 is a crazy amount of money to spend on hand wash when you go to TK Maxx and get super fancy stuff for a fraction of the price.

Not worth the money. If you can find the 32oz bottle on sale for $5 then go for it but other than that; avoid.

Isle of Paradise // Medium Self-Tanning Water Review

Isle of Paradise // Medium Self-Tanning Water
RRP £18.95 for 288ml

This is a full size bottle that I chose as part of the Latest In Beauty X Sunday Times Box in April 2019.

First Impressions

It looks fancy.

Usage

I used this once in August 2019. I remember doing it at night with a tanning mit and it just got everywhere; maybe I'm just awful at applying spray tan.

Would I Buy It: No.

Overall Impressions

I know this is empty skincare but seeing as how I used this once and never wanted to use it again i thought I would write about it. It's been left in my "tan" drawer for months now and when I was going through my stash for a clear out and I noticed that the product had gone a nice cloudy yellow/green. Not very nice. It kind of looked like a fish tank that had never been cleaned. So I took a couple of photos then promptly threw it away.

I decided to use this last year though when we were having a ridiculous run of beautiful sunny days. I used this after showering (although I hadn't exfoliated) and I thought I applied it evenly. When I woke up the next day my knees and hands were horrific. I applied this with a mit and washed them afterwards but never underestimated the power of fake tan; you will always get tan hands. I'd say it was patchy and not a great tan colour for my olive skin. I thought because it was green and for a medium tan that it would work better than most but it went way too golden and warm for my liking. I never used it again after that.

At this point, I think I might just avoid tanning products until I'm rich enough to afford whoever it is that does Ariana Grande's tan.

Greenfrog Botanic // Natural Body Lotion Sweet Argan Review

Greenfrog Botanic // Natural Body Lotion Sweet Argan 
RRP £13.95 for 500ml

This is a 50ml sample I received in the January 2020 Birchbox.

First Impressions

Wonderful scent with a light silky texture.

Usage

This lasted me 4 uses. It honestly really annoys me when Birchbox gives out 50ml samples of body lotions, especially when the full size is less than £15. I get that the 500ml wouldn't have fit in the box but this sample is worth about a £1 in the grand scheme of things.

Would I Buy It: Yes.

Overall Impressions

Even though the ingredients are quite cheap, I still really liked the product. I didn't want to either, I wanted to hate it because it was such a tiny sample but I can't. I have a few body moisturisers to get through but if I see this on offer I'll definitely buy one as 500ml should last me about 2 months and I tend to spend £7ish a month on body moisturiser so it works out.

After 20 hours my skin wasn't peeling or dry and it did surprisingly well with the elbows and knees; I just wish the scent lingered as it's easily the best part about the whole product. It's got a light, fresh, sweet almond scent that I wish I could bottle for a perfume.

Whenever I go in TK Maxx, I'm on the lookout for this product now (if we can ever go back in TK Maxx...)

Prismologie // Rose Quartz & Rose Comforting Hand & Cuticle Cream Review

Prismologie // Rose Quartz & Rose Comforting Hand & Cuticle Cream
RRP £30 for 75ml

This is a 40ml sample I chose in a Latest In Beauty box in either September 2019 or October....I can't quite remember now.

First Impressions

It's like cheap, generic hand cream that you could get from Home Bargains with a bland rose scent. It takes a while to absorb and leaves a lot of grease on your hands; leaving many greasy fingerprints on the keyboard.

Usage

This 40ml sample size lasted me about 3 weeks at work as I use handcream constantly. I felt myself using this more though as once it finally does absorb, my hands felt dry. As though they were covered in some sort of powdery substance.

Would I Buy It: No. I'm not sure what planet the owners are on either to charge £30 for this overpriced tat.

Overall Impressions

Like the oud foot cream I reviewed earlier, more emphasis seems to have gone on the packaging and curation of a "luxurious" looking product than creating an actual luxurious product that does something. On the website they pretentiously tell you to apply the cream then "cup your hands over your nose and let the calming effects of pink wash over you".

Mate it's a handcream. I want it to moisturise my skin and help prevent wrinkles; not start a new age movement. What are these people thinking?

Prismologie // Sapphire & Oud Relaxing Foot Cream Review

Prismologie // Sapphire & Oud Relaxing Foot Cream
RRP £28 for 75ml

This was a 40ml sample that I received in a Latest In Beauty box a few months ago.

First Impressions

I'm not a big fan of the scent, I prefer sweeter smells and this is earthy and deep. It's definitely more of a masculine scent. The product is also more of a lotion and not very thick. It also takes a while to absorb.

Usage

The 40ml lasted me around three months daily use. I only use it once a day after my shower and I've definitely seen by skin take a nosedive since I stopped using my previous product (Hey Honey Foot Cream). This lotion was not moisturising enough for the winter months and there is a lot of dry skin on my feet now. They just look tired and they don't smell great either.

Would I Buy This Product: No.

Overall Impressions

I've also tried the rose hand cream from this brand and that was exactly the same product but with a different scent. This brand is super expensive for what it is and I've never heard of it before. According to their website they've been in business since 2013 and wanted a brand that infused colour with aromatherapy. It appears that the colour of the packaging is more important to them than anything else and whereas I love some great packaging; the product has to also shine and this foot cream is nowhere near worth £28.

It's great that this product is cruelty free and made in the UK however I'd recommend the Dr Organic Manuka Honey Foot & Heel cream as an alternative. It works infinitely better as a foot cream, smells great and only costs £6.75.

Baija // French Pompon Body Cream in Rose Lychee Review

This was a 25ml sample that I received in my October 2019 Birchbox. 

First Impressions

Very cute packaging, I'm already conjuring up a nail art blog post with this design. I have used one Baija product once before; a salted caramel body scrub from about a year ago. I never used it up entirely and ended up throwing it away as it flew past it's expiry date.

Usage

This is a thick, slightly pink tinted body cream that smells like sickly sweet powdery roses. It's not the best rose smell but it doesn't linger on the body for a long time. As a tiny 25ml sample I didn't get much use out of it. It managed to get one and half uses out of it when moisturising my entire body. 

It was not greasy or sticky but I did not feel that it adequately moisturised my body and after several hours, my skin felt dry. Notably my knees and elbows were definitely drier after using this.

Would I Buy This Product: No. 

Overall Impressions

The full size is £15.90 for only 75ml which is unacceptable for a body cream. For that price it should be a minimum of 200ml to ensure at least a months use. If found heavily discounted this would make a nice hand cream though.