I’m a hoarder of ‘new’ products. I love trying out new things, and will immediately grab anything of the shelf in Boots if it has a catchy quote, or ‘revolutionary’ on the packaging. However, after feeling a little disappointed every year after purchasing the product tipped to be ‘this year’s hottest beauty buy’, I’ve decided to trial this year’s pick to save you the time and money. I am reviewing quite a few products, so I am going to split them into a few separate posts, however hopefully it will be insightful, helpful and inspiring to those who suffer from the same ‘grab and buy’ syndrome when it comes to brand new ‘seemingly’ revolutionary products.
Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream
Skincare experts Caudalie have re-launched a fantastic new product this year, Premier Cru – a cream already loved by Hollywood A-Listers and beauty gurus alike. In 2010, it was handed out to the stars at the BAFTA’s and has since recruited a large celebrity following, with it’s unique ingredients that claim to banish wrinkles, smooth skin and protect against the environmental factors most linked to skin aging. Yes, yes, we’ve heard this spiel all before – however I genuinely think that their claims do match up to the product itself and have been lucky enough to test it out myself. Although I can’t vouch for the wrinkle busting properties just yet, I can say it provides luxurious results as the rich, lightly scented formula is hydrating, protecting (my skin didn’t dry out or feel heavy all day) and provides a great base for foundation.
After a week of use, my skin did look much brighter and a little more radiant – however I particularly liked the glow it gave under foundation, as usually after a day of wearing coverage, my make-up starts to slide off and look a little dull. I found it worked best when applied in the morning, to your face and neck. For £92.50 (50ml) it certainly isn’t a cheap product, but it is luxurious and worth a try if you are looking for a smoothing, under make-up primer that really does live up to its claims. If it’s good enough for the stars, it’s good enough for me. Revolutionary rating – 8.5/10
I personally, and I’m sure others will agree – don’t have 5 hours to spare to walk around with a mask on my face (especially when it’s not exactly discreet), so I gave it a one hour to work it’s magic!
Jamela Luxurious Gold Crystal Collagen Facial Masks
I will admit, the first time I opened the packaging and pulled out one of the rather sinister looking masks, I did laugh. A lot. With a gold front and just a few small holes for your facial features, it does look a little like something out of a sci fi movie. Despite this however, the masks, which have rejuvenating properties of gold infused in them, in addition to a number of collagen based products (all natural though apparently), are actually pretty easy to use. After cleansing your face with warm water, you simply place the mask on a flat surface with the back facing upward. You tear and remove the end of the packaging, revealing a sticky surface – which you can then apply to your face. Much to my surprise, it’s actually very easy to put into place and once it’s on – it feels a little tingly at first, but then you slowly start to get used to it.
The minimum amount of time they advise you to wear the mask is around 30 minutes, however for optimum results, it advises 5 hours. I personally, and I’m sure others will agree – don’t have 5 hours to spare to walk around with a mask on my face (especially when it’s not exactly discreet), so I gave it a one hour to work it’s magic. The mask doesn’t peel off, but dissolves in hot water, so you have to rinse your face in the shower to remove the mask entirely. This might seem like a nuisance, but I can vouch for the fact it leaves your skin feeling super soft and hydrated. It does feel a bit weird initially, but I definitely noticed my complexion was brighter after just one use. The packaging suggests you use the masks 2-3 times weekly, which to me seems a little excessive considering it’s not exactly a quick 5 minute miracle, however I would definitely recommend it for a ‘me time’ pampering session – as it is quite relaxing. At £37.50 for 5 masks, it’s definitely more on the luxury scale of the market, however it’s definitely worth a try if you want to experiment with an alternative face mask. It’s certainly unique for 2013! Revolutionary rating – 6/10.
The biggest difference was to the ends of my hair, which usually look very dry and frazzled after straightening, however they looked much sleeker, smoother and (almost) freshly cut!
Osmo Effects 3 Day Keratin Straightening Complex
I am a huge fan of Osmo, as they have a fantastic range of hair-care products that smell great, work well and tend not to build up. One of their newest products for 2013 is the 3 Day Keratin Straightening Complex, which claims to work hand in hand with straighteners to lock in sleek, straight locks, protect against heat damage whilst retaining hair moisture. I will admit, I’m not great at protecting my hair before straightening (which is really bad I know), so the fact this is a spray, makes it all the more easier to use – which I get really get into the habit of doing. I really dislike sticky serums that make hair look greasy, so the fact you can spray this in and get a relatively even amount on all sections of your hair is great.
I don’t straighten my hair all that often, and have only done so once recently – so have used this product just the once so far. After towel drying my hair, I divided my hair into sections and spritzed each one with 2 sprays (as evenly as I could). The product advises that it is best to avoid the root area, however I always like to give it a little dose, to add to the shine and finish of the look (so I wouldn’t do this if you hair tends to be very greasy). After combing through, you simply blow dry and straighten your hair afterwards to lock in the product and taa dahh. There you have it. The final result, if I’m completely honest – was far better than I initially expected it to be. The biggest difference was on the ends of my hair, which usually look very dry and frazzled after straightening, however they looked much sleeker, smoother and (almost) freshly cut (which is surprising as my last cut was months and months ago). My hair, having been bleached, tends to look very dry and damaged when straight, as the look accentuates any split ends, however surprisingly – this leave in spray tamed these frazzled ends, and made the look very natural. At just £10.40, it’s a very affordable and effective product that is definitely worth giving a try! Revolutionary rating – 9/10.
Kure Bazaar 2012-13 Nail Laquer Collection
It doesn’t take much to persuade me into buying a new nail polish, especially there’s a brand new ‘unusual’ colour on offer! Kure Baazar’s brand new collection is jam packed with exciting unique shades, ranging from baby pinks and nudes, to cashmere, bronze and plum. I have been lucky enough to try out three gorgeous colours – Hipster, which is a lovely dark duck egg blue, Cappuccino, which is a milky latte colour, and Rouge Flore – the perfect mix of pink and red. Each of the shades were well pigmented, meaning they lasted at least a week without chipping (and for me – who seems to chip my polish the hour it dries, that’s saying something) and looked really beautiful once applied. When trying new colours, you often run the risk of finding that a certain shade looks a little tacky, cheap or odd with your skin-tone, however I found that the shades were all really diverse and looked great on both my skin-tone (which is olivey) and a friends (which is a little paler).
Now, you may be thinking ‘err, why are nail polishes featuring in a revolutionary product review, I buy them all the time – there are nothing new’. However, this collection is the world’s first nail lacquer to combine an eco-natural formula (no nasties) with vibrant, pigmented colour (and each shade reflects a certain style from Paris Fashion Week), meaning that these are safe to use – without compromising on the shade, or the quality. The formula is still ultra shiny, quick-dry and non-chip (as we would expect) but it doesn’t contain the amount of artificial chemicals that the majority of nail polishes on the beauty market currently do contain. At £14.95 a bottle (exclusively from Selfridges) these are definitely in the mid-price/high end beauty market category – but with an amazing array of shades to choose, they are worth treating yourself too! Revolutionary rating – 9/10.
