Monday 6 August 2012

Astral Light and Creamy

RRP: £4.28/200ml

--What does the promo say?--
"Astral Light & Creamy, with antioxidant-rich Vitamin E and Soothing Aloe Vera, is an all over moisturiser that hydrates and conditions your skin, leaving it soft and supple. Its light, non-greasy formulation has a gentle fragrance and is ideal for sensitive or ageing skin.
Uncover the Truth… Astral works."

--Packaging--
The light blue and white concept gives a peaceful and responsible feel with the aloe vera leaf design clearly visible without being obtrusive. The screw-top pot is practical and functional, and the fact of it being a pot means it's very easy to get every last bit out at the end of the product's life. It would be nice if it came in a smaller travel size, though.

--Application--
Massage into clean dry skin as needed. Can be used on the face as well as the body. It can be a bit messy to dunk your fingers into a pot, compared with the cleanliness of a tube, but this doesn't impede application in any serious way.

--Appearance--
A thick white cream which is more in fact like a dense mousse (the kind of dense which means Astral couldn't exactly sell this in a spray can). Not very liquid. In short, you get a lot of bang for your buck. This rubs invisibly into skin.

--Scent--
Like baby powder. The aloe vera included in the product is not detectable scent-wise.

--Texture and consistency--
The dense mousse-like texture surprisingly rubs into skin like a dream. Does not have the stiffness of sun cream or the liquid qualities of many other body creams. Feels smooth, soft and light to the touch.

--Effects on the skin--
Does away with dry patches and makes skin feel extraordinarily smooth. The staff at the beauty salon I go to did not mention anything about my legs being dry when I went for a wax the other day (which they did say when I had been using Caudalie body lotion, which is at least three times as expensive) and you can feel the added smoothness all day. Top stuff.

However, I have not yet had a chance to trial this on my face, firstly due to currently trialling another product (which needs at least another week from today before I can properly assess it), and secondly due to me needing to overcome my slight fear that it will be unsuitable for my skin (my oily skin type means it's unfortunately quite sensitive and reactive). In time, my friends, in time. I'm hoping it will turn out to be some sort of multi-use wonder product, but even if it doesn't, I'd probably still buy it (see below).

--Value for money--
Even though I was sent this for free by Astral's PR, I would still buy it with my own money: the results on dry body skin are undeniable and at under a fiver for a not insubstantial pot size, it's recession-busting too and suitable for the whole family (no girly fragrances to scare your husband away!). Super value all year round.

perfect partners
Astral Original All-Over Moisturiser (500ml), £7.99
Astral Original All-Over Moisturiser (200ml), £2.99

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