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.

Anatomicals // Sometimes Love Needs a Hand Rose Hand Cream Review

Anatomicals // Sometimes Love Needs a Hand Rose Hand Cream
RRP £2.49 for 50ml

This is a full size 50ml tube that received in the February 2020 Birchbox.

First Impressions:

This is an adequate hand cream however the second ingredient is Isopropyl Alcohol aka rubbing alcohol which is the main ingredient in hand sanitiser. So you think this product absorbs really fast but it's actually just evaporating. The rose smell is quite strong but not off putting.

Usage

First use - Mid February 2020

Last use - Mid May 2020

I used this on and off over the course of three months. I didn't use it all the time as I found that it would dry my hands out if used consecutively. 

Would I buy it: No.

Overall Impressions:

This brand is weird. It's looks like if Ikea did beauty products but I have a feeling that Ikea beauty products would be much better. This is a cheap hand lotion with cheap ingredients. That said, I feel the £1.75 hand cream from Tesco to be a much better alternative with better ingredients. Sure it didn't have fancy packaging or a nice scent but it didn't contain drying alcohol as the second ingredient. I' glad it's empty and I can move on.

Tesco Beauty. // Conditioning Hand and Nail Cream Review

Tesco Beauty. // Conditioning Hand and Nail Cream
RRP £1.75 for 75ml

This is the full size 75ml tube that I bought from my local Tesco Express for £1.75

First Impressions:

March 27th 2020 - I ran out of hand cream and picked this up until some packages I ordered online arrived. It has a generic chemical/plastic scent that cheap hand creams have and it's borderline greasy. It moisturised my hands though which was the whole point.

Usage
First use - March 27th 2020
Last use - April 20th 2020

Would I buy it: Yes.

Overall Impressions:

In an emergency (which this was, lockdown had just started), this will moisturise your hands. It's a bog standard, no frills product that doesn't promise anything. It wasn't awful though and the scent doesn't last for long and isn't really that strong. I ended up mixing some essential oils into to give spice it up a little. For £1.75 I can't really complain and I'll probably buy another to leave in my car and bags that I don't use all that often.

Crabtree & Evelyn // La Source Overnight Hand Therapy Review

Crabtree & Evelyn // La Source Overnight Hand Therapy 
RRP £19 for 75g (now discontinued)

I bought this 75g tube from TK Maxx around July 2019 for £4.

First Impressions

Not what I was expecting; a strong floral scent and a light lotion texture. When I woke up the morning my hands felt ridiculously dry instead of hydrated. I did not wake up with "smoother, softer, nourished hands" as it promises on the back of the tube.

Usage

This lasted me until December 2019 with irregular use. I just really hated the scent.

Would I Buy It: No. And you can't now because it's discontinued. They've started a new La Source hand cream with different packaging and it's supposed to remind you of the sea? This does not smell like the sea.

Overall Impressions

I think I bought this just because it had that red sticker on it and TK Maxx always gets me with the red and yellow discount stickers. I always forget that Crabtree & Evelyn is supposed to be a "good" brand but it just reminds me of that Bayliss & Harding brand that you see constantly in B&M Bargains. I just don't associate luxury with this brand which is why the price point seems so off to me.

This hand cream though has not convinced me to give this brand a second chance. My hands never once felt moisturised when I was using this; just greasy then dry.

Rituals // The Ritual of Sakura Soothing Hand Balm Review

Rituals // The Ritual of Sakura Soothing Hand Balm
RRP £9.90 for 70ml

I received this 70ml size in a Look Fantastic box sometime last year.

First Impressions

A Rituals scent I actually like! This was the first Rituals product I enjoyed (and have since gone on to enjoy the Ayurveda and Holi ranges). It is quite greasy though and takes a while to absorb but leaves your hands feeling soft.

Usage

I can't remember when I started using this, I've been using it on and off for so long that I was surprised when it eventually ran out.

Would I Buy It: No.

Overall Impressions

It was alright, nowhere near as nice as the Ayurveda range but then nothing is. I found this a little too greasy for my liking as well and constantly felt like my hands were coated in something. it also didn't moisturise or hydrate my cuticles as much as I would like for a £10 product.

Balance Me // Super Moisturising Hand Cream Review

Balance Me // Super Moisturising Hand Cream
RRP £14.50 for 100ml

The empty one is on the right. Both were bought from TK Maxx, the 50ml (right) was £3.99 and I purchased it August 2018. The left was £5.99 for 100ml and purchased a few weeks ago.

First Impressions

I remember when I bought this because it was the last time I did ride the lights in Blackpool. It always takes place in August and I had forgotten my handcream that day, so whilst I was out cycling I nipped in TK Maxx for some. This has quite a thick cream consistency and smells strongly of patchouli. It moisturises well and doesn't take too long to absorb.

Usage

I finally finished using the 50ml size a couple of months ago. That was with irregular use as it was kept in a bag I only used on certain occasions. The 100ml I've taken to work and I'm already half way through it. So I imagine the larger size would last a month and a half with use several times a day. In all honestly I don't like the smell' it's herby and smells like a new age crystal shop. That said, every single time I use this someone comments how amazing it smells so I think it might just be me. The scent is quite strong so keep that in mind if your sensitive.

Would I Buy It: Even though I detest the smell I would definitely continue to buy this. I remember this being £10 full size so it's gone up a bit but I see it quite a bit in TK Maxx. They've also redesigned their packaging so the older batches will probably show up in stores soon.

Overall Impressions

At the moment this is my go to hand cream; it's one of the first creams I've used in a while that doesn't leave my hands feeling dry 30 minutes after application. I use a pea sized amount and my skin is visibly smoother and more youthful. I've used a few products from this brand and I actually quite like it; especially the micellar water and eye cream.

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?