TAAJ MAHARANI Crème de la reine Anti-âge absolu

 

by Sarah Cross

RRP: €59/£42.60 for 50ml

--What does the promo say?—

“Crème de la Reine” (The Queen’s cream) contains 40 rare, precious and natural anti-ageing ingredients plus hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin. It contains no silicones. An exceptional face cream, it envelops your skin in a gentle protective veil, leaving a satiny and comfortable finish. Skin is left visibly younger, plumped up and revitalised. Firmness and elasticity are restored, wrinkles are smoothed and the complexion becomes radiant and uniform.

The MAHARANI cream is inspired by the legend of Amrita. The Amrita is the nectar of immortality of the Hindu gods and goddesses. It is said that only the MAHARANIS, queens and wives of the maharajas, held the recipe and poured a few drops into their skin care to preserve their youth. Recommended for mature skin."

--Ingredients--

“Developed in France in partnership with a laboratory in India on the plateaux of the Himalayas, TAAJ beauty products are made from Himalayan spring water and extracts of plants and essential oils whose properties are beneficial to the body.

Himalayan spring water is the company’s star active ingredient. It is particularly pure; its pH of 7.3 respects sensitive skin whilst contributing to enhancing the active ingredients it contains. Its calcium concentration helps to regulate the body’s own pH. Rich in Silicium oxide, a molecule that consolidates the structure of Hyaluronic Acid, Himalayan Spring Water helps to combat ageing skin. The emulsion formed from this spring water and the associated oils is therefore more than a simple excipient and is the solid base for all our skincare products.”

--Company Philosophy—

TAAJ is the first modern French range of beauty products to be inspired by the philosophy of AYURVEDA. It has adapted ancestral principles to the highest standard for international cosmetics. Through its refined galenics and exquisite fragrances, TAAJ offers high quality and effective beauty products to women all over the world.

The website has much information on the ayurvedic philosophy and you can fill in a questionnaire to ascertain your own ayurvedic ‘profile’ to determine your ‘dosha’ (biological humors and psycho-physiological energies described in the Ayurveda) with associated beauty products, lifestyle and food recommendations.

80% of TAAJ products are also certified VEGAN by the Global Vegetarian Certification Services. The rest of the products contain beeswax or honey derivatives, which remain close to the principle of veganism because the beeswax used does not come from ‘domestic’ hives but from wild bee colonies in India.

--Packaging--
TAAJ products are generally in white or transparent boxes/containers with the distinctive TAAJ logo in gold lettering. However, the precious Maharani face cream stands out from the crowd in that it comes in a rich, royal blue box with gold lettering.

I love the fact that the cardboard box contains all the instructions and details of the ingredients printed on the inside, rather than additional folded paper inside the box - representing a saving on packaging. There is also a special card with the legend of ‘Amrita’ printed on it and small colour pictures of all the different ingredients. In a quality product, it was nice to see that so much attention had been paid to the detail of the special ingredients. 

The cream itself is in a cylindrical royal blue pump-action dispenser with gold lettering and has a gold top encased in a clear cap.

Whilst I find this container beautiful, there are two disadvantages. One is that you cannot tell how much you have used; the only way is through the diminishing weight of the container in your hands. (Why don’t the manufacturers leave a thin line section of this type of pump clear at the back so that you can see when you are reaching the bottom?) Secondly, because the tube is hard, you cannot cut it in half, as I do with so many of my beauty products, to scrape out whatever remains of the cream inside once the pump is no longer working. I have often found that I can use products for up to two weeks after the pump no longer works if I can cut the tube open, so I find myself gazing wistfully at this dispenser when I re-cycle it, wondering just how much of that precious cream is still lurking inside.

Only a minor disadvantage, though, as I feel the product benefits from being hermetically sealed in this way.

--Application--

Apply morning and/or evening to freshly cleansed face and neck.

--Appearance--

An opaque white cream that comes out in a small squiggle on your fingertip. The amount dispensed with one pump action is just right for one side of your face and neck. So, two small pumps and you are done!

--Scent—

Hardly surprising, with all these amazing ayurvedic ingredients, that this cream smells totally DIVINE. Aromatherapy in a pot. I would wear this as a perfume.

--Texture and consistency--

Relatively thick and creamy but fluid enough to spread easily over your face. A little goes a long way.

--Effects on the skin—

Blends in easily and leaves the skin silky smooth. Attenuates fine lines. My dry skin loves it.

--Value for money--

Compared to some face creams on the market this is at the top of the range but is, I feel, well worth the money for the quality of the product and the research and care that has gone into producing it. I started using my first tube just after Christmas and I am still using it, morning and night, at the beginning of May.

--perfect partners--

HUILE DELHICIEUSE 100ml 22.40€

EAU MICELLAIRE 500ml 13.20€

EAU MICELLAIRE PEAUX SENSIBLES 500ml 14.50€

LE REGARD DE REINE eye and lip contour cream 44.90€

Lush Coalface Cleanser

RRP: from £4.50/100g

--What does the promo say?--
"Designed for oilier skins, this soap is gentle enough for the face, but don’t stop there, what’s good for the face is great for the body too. Coalface includes liquorice infusion for softening and charcoal which absorbs grease and gently exfoliates the skin. The charcoal in here is made by Jim, in the surrounding woodlands of Dorset, who specially bumps and grinds the charcoal to a very fine grade for us to make it suitable for use on the face."

--Packaging--

Lush are very eco-friendly with their packaging as a rule, and Coalface is no exception: it just comes wrapped in a sheet of paper, which of course is fully recyclable. Coalface itself is basically like a soap bar, so it just dissolves down as you use it.

--Application--

Lather up like a soap in your hands, then rub the lather over your face before rinsing off and proceeding with toner, moisturiser, or whatever else you use (if anything).

--Appearance--

The black colour of the soap and grey colour of the lather makes it both unconventional and unisex, but there is also a bit of silver glitter on there to make it fun. Doesn't leave any visible residue on the hands or face after use.

--Scent--

 The charcoal smell is evident without being overpowering, and the other most noticeable scent is liquorice, making for a unique, slightly sweet, yet definitely unisex combination. The other scents, such as sandalwood, are not obvious at all.

--Texture and consistency--

The hard bar turns into a smooth, yet not creamy lather, and there are also a few small exfoliating particles in the bar, which you could rub over your face for a quick scrub. Overall a pleasant sensory experience.

--Effects on the skin--

This definitely reduced oiliness without drying even on hot days; however, I'm not convinced that I saw that much improvement in my skin even after nearly a month of use. Perhaps more time is needed.

--Value for money--

This product is pleasant to use, reduces oiliness, and is affordable (the £4.50 paid for the 100g is bargainous as this size bar lasts an age). You're also not paying over the odds for packaging. Charcoal soap is also no cheaper anywhere else, and I know this product has helped a lot of people, suggesting that Lush are really offering something new and different here.

perfect partners

Love Lettuce, £5.75

Ocean Salt, from £6.75/100g

Enzymion, £13.50

Grease Lightning, £5.65

Breath of Fresh Air, from £3.75/100g

Witch Anti-Blemish Skin-Clearing Primer

RRP: £6.99

--What does the promo say?--
"Witch's skin clearing primer with natural antibacterial actives prepares the skin for foundation, allowing for smooth and even application whilst creating an invisible shield to help protect your skin from make up which can cause or aggravate spots. It helps calm and soothe the skin, hydrates and draws away excess oils."

--Packaging--

Combining silver and blue, Witch's colour scheme provides something different in the makeup market, and its dinky 30ml size makes it convenient for travel. The lid closes securely, but opens easily when you want it to, and the pump action mechanism means it dispenses the product in realistic quantities. 

--Application--

Just apply a small amount evenly over a clean dry face. Once it's sunk in, you'll be able to go on with the rest of your makeup routine. You don't have to wait long for this to happen, which is nice, and a pea-sized blob is fine, meaning one bottle lasts well.

--Appearance--

A translucent white gel which dries invisibly on the face. This means you could even lend it to oily-skinned boyfriends who are desperate for a bit of respite from the oil slick: even though this is a primer for makeup, it has nothing of the makeup look about it by itself. Skin appears slightly mattified, but perhaps not as much as I would like.

--Scent--

Has a slightly medicated smell, probably from the witch hazel. Disappointingly, even though this product also contains licorice and grapefruit extracts, the smells of these are not even slightly detectable.

--Texture and consistency--

Blends into skin quickly and easily, and is definitely on the velvety side, rather than being greasy or watery, which all makes it very pleasant to use.

--Effects on the skin--

Keeps makeup on the skin well and definitely helps to hydrate while stopping you from looking shiny. However, I did not notice any obvious improvement in my skin condition from using this product :(

--Value for money--
This price point seems a bit expensive; given the status of the brand and the product's overall effect on the skin, I would be more inclined to put it at £5 or below, which would keep it in line with brands like 17 - although saying this, £6.99 is still a good price, especially when combined with 3-for-2 deals in places like Boots, and also when compared to the price of other high street primers on the market these days (primers from a brand like L'Oreal are more like £9.99). Overall I was disappointed by the fact that this didn't improve my skin more, but will still be on the lookout for other medicated primers in future, as one would hope that it's better off to be using one than not.

perfect partners

Anti-Blemish Tinted Moisturiser, £5.99

Anti-Blemish Redness Relief Moisturiser, £6.99

Anti-Blemish Pressed Powder, £4.99