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.

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!