Crème de la Mer Refining Facial

RRP: £59 for a 100ml tube

--What does the promo say?--
"This multi-action complex instantly smoothes and boosts skin's brightness and radiance - revealing a fresh new surface. The Refining Facial utilises fermented acidic sea muds to soften skin and gently lift away dry surface cells. As the cream is lightly massaged onto the face, pure diamond powder and polished sea quartz perform as physical exfoliants while smart minerals convert the massage action into energy. Circulation is immediately stimulated and skin is awakened."

--Packaging--
White, with the classic pink and green Crème de la Mer gracing it for company. A stand-alone plastic tube.

--Application--
As I have found, there are two ways with this. The Crème de la Mer website recommends massaging this onto clean, dampened skin before rinsing well and following with a toner. However, you can also use it as a mask by spreading it thinly onto clean dry skin with fingers or a spatula, leaving it on for 15 minutes and then rinsing off.

--Scent--
Lovely and minty - delish!

--Appearance--
In keeping with the scent, it's a beautiful minty green, with the exfoliants dotted visibly in the lotion.

--Texture/consistency--
A luxurious, creamy and slightly stiff lotion that spreads easily onto the face and washes off well.

--How does your skin look and feel afterwards?--
Miraculous. As well as feeling ridiculously smooth (for DAYS after you've done the treatment, not just in the immediate aftermath), skin also looks visibly much better. Pores are clearly tightened and made to appear smaller; complexion and skin tone are evened; face looks powdered and smooth, as if you'd just that moment put on your foundation, concealer and powder.

--Value for money--
Ahem. This is the tricky part. At £59 for 100ml, it's at the cheaper end of Crème de La Mer's product range, where prices frequently exceed double this. It's therefore the only product that I might ever be in with a shout at buying (or at least putting on my Christmas list). However, you only need a ridiculously tiny amount each time (I reckon my minuscule sample pot will do me at least three applications) and it blows other face masks and skin perfectionist products out of the water. If you were thinking of purchasing a serum at £70-odd, say, in the hope of your skin looking better for it, I'd say don't - get this instead. Best. Facemask. Ever.

perfect partners
Crème de La Mer Moisturiser for Normal to Dry Skin, £88 for 30ml
Crème de La Mer The Tonic, £44 for 200ml

Kiehl's Lip Balm #1

RRP: from $6.50/£7/€10
also available in a scented version and as a World Aids Day limited edition

--What does the promo say?--
"Relieves cracked or chapped lips with cotton seed oil and protects them with SPF4 sunscreen. Not tested on animals."

--Packaging--
Finally a Kiehl's package which is travel friendly and not useless! The Kiehl's bottles are notorious for their brittleness and general breakability, but this is a sturdy, no-nonsense white plastic tube with black writing and screw-top lid. All very unisex. The only weakness is the fact that the nozzle is not tapered in any way, meaning that it can be a little rough when dragged over the lips.

--Application--
Just squeeze the tube a little to bring some of the balm to the surface of the nozzle. Rub onto lips, either using your fingers or directly from the nozzle, and you're good to go.

--Scent--
None.

--Appearance--
This is officially the love child of a high octane gloss and a high quality lip balm. Doesn't have any of the usual lip balm opacity or matte appearance, delivering instead a lip-gloss style shine (perhaps not so good if you happen to be male). The balm itself is clear/transparent.

--Texture/consistency--
Soft, smooth and not at all runny or sticky. A class act all the way.

--Does it do what it says it will?--
Incredibly, this is probably the most modest promotional statement I've ever seen on a product. What it doesn't tell you is that this is like the Atrixo of lip care; in other words, nothing short of a miracle. I had slightly chapped and painful dry lips which my Body Shop lip balm was just refusing to sort and which I didn't much fancy taking the Lipscuff to. Two applications of this stuff later, I had totally smooth, non-chapped, non-painful lips again. This condition was maintained even without further applications.

--Value for money--
Need I say more? This is an essential part of any man or woman's essential extreme seasons kit, along with Atrixo's hand cream and Liz Earle's Intensive Moisturiser. To the shops, people!

perfect partners
Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, from $12.50/£11.99/€16
Superbly Efficient Anti-perspirant Deodorant, from $11.50/£10.25/€15

L'Occitane Repairing Serum for Dry and Damaged Hair

RRP: £15.65 for 100ml

--What does the promo say?--
"This leave-on serum smoothes and nourishes hair. It repairs split ends and prevents frizz. The non-greasy formula protects against the damaging effects of environmental stresses and preserves the hair shine. This product is free from: parabens, SLES, silicone, synthetic colorants, formol or formaldehyde, animal ingredients, triclosan, BHA."

--Packaging--
While I only tried this on a sample basis, my sample packet is much the same as the real thing: strangely calming combination of dark orange and dark green, with occasional use of silver to highlight the important bits. The real thing has this same label design adorning a pump-action opaque glass bottle. All very nice to look at and very in keeping with Occitane's usual brand.

--Application--
Unfortunately, because of this, I ran into problems from the very beginning. The sample sachet I have states: "Apply to dry or towel-dry hair. Do not rinse." This, to me, is not enough detail - what do you mean, dry or towel dry? And how much to apply? I went for applying the whole 2ml sachet onto damp/towel dry hair. It's easy to apply beyond this at least - just smooth from root to tip, and leave on.

--Texture/consistency--
Creamy and light on the fingers. However, as time goes on, it unfortunately feels heavier on the hair.

--Appearance--
I was expecting a clear or slightly orange-tinted light oil, but what I got was a rich-looking pale yellow cream. Instead of leaving your hair bouncy, light, and smooth, however, it left my hair bogged down and oily, meaning it was simply impossible for me to wear my hair down and still look nice.

--Overall effects--
It turned my normally straw-like hair ridiculously oily, and even after I'd washed it out the following morning, I saw no positive difference, although at least by washing it I got rid of the oiliness. So, overall effects: no positive effects at all, long or short-term.

--Value for money--
If this is what it does to my hair then I wouldn't pay a penny for it, let alone £15. How frustrating to have a potentially great product ruined by a lack of clear instructions, and to have my hair wrecked by yet another product that apparently only serves to take my hair from one extreme (straw) to the other (oil slick). I suppose that if it works on you, though, this is not a bad price for a product from an otherwise well-reputed brand. If you are only meant to use half the amount I used in one application, then the use of 1ml a day would mean this bottle lasted you 3.5 months, assuming you used it every day. I'm just disappointed that after the positive impression I got from L'Occitane's shower oil, they now need to redeem themselves so much after my experience of this.

perfect partner
Repairing Shampoo for Dry and Damaged Hair, £11.75 for 300ml/£18 for 500ml
Repairing Conditioner for Dry and Damaged Hair, £11.75 for 250ml/£18 for 500ml
Control Mist for Dry and Damaged Hair, £13.20 for 100ml
Repairing Mask for Dry and Damaged Hair, £18.10 for 250ml