Cindy Joseph BOOM Nectar

RRP: 1oz – $54


--Ingredients--
Organic jojoba oil, organic witch hazel extract, organic rosehip seed oil, organic avocado oil, organic extra virgin olive oil, organic hemp seed oil, organic rose hydrosol, organic propolis extract, chaga mushroom extract, Hawaiian beeswax, organic lemon essential oil, organic orange essential oil, organic ylang ylang essential oil, camu camu extract, purified Hawaiian water, royal jelly

--What does the promo say?—

“Our most advanced Pro-age moisturiser ever! One drop of BOOM NECTAR delivers the rich vitamins and nutrients your skin needs to look and feel healthier than ever. Made from the purest ingredients, this deep-hydrating skin serum soothes, nurtures, and heals faster than any other moisturiser. BOOM NECTAR quickly softens and repairs even your most sensitive skin back to its healthy, radiant glow. Apply one drop to treat dryness, redness, blemishes and damaged skin cells. Heals dry skin faster than creams or lotions. The secret behind our new serum is in its liquid formula. Different from BOOM SILK or BOOMSTICK Glo, the lightweight Nectar quickly travels to the deepest layers of your skin to deliver the total hydration you crave."

--Packaging--
BOOM NECTAR is sold in a tinted dropper bottle.  The label is white with the distinctive pink and honey-coloured BOOM logo.  When I read the list of ingredients and their properties, I thought, “WOW! This HAS to be good for my face! How can one small bottle contain so much?” There is a slight design fault, however, which can affect application (see below).

--Application--
BOOM NECTAR should be applied directly to your skin morning and night or any time after cleansing. Allow your skin to soak it in for a few minutes, before applying your Boom Silk or Boom Cotton for added hydrating moisture all day or night. You need to shake the bottle well before use and apply sparingly to your face after it has been cleansed: just a few drops to your face and neck and under your eyes. Gently dab it on and then rub in using small circular movements until it is absorbed.  A little care is needed as the thick serum clings to the outer surface of the dropper initially, especially when the bottle is full. I found myself scraping precious blobs of it off my bathroom surface to apply to my face. Once I got wise to this ‘design fault’ I made sure I kept the dropper close to the bottle when extracting the small amount needed.

--Appearance--
A thick, quite viscous substance; it is a bright yellow colour.

--Scent—

Like all BOOM products (bar BOOM MASK – see previous review), BOOM NECTAR has only a very faint scent. It smells stronger in the bottle, but this soon fades on your skin - though the fruits and beeswax are the most dominant scents.

--Texture and consistency--
A thick, viscous substance with a uniform consistency that feels silky on application. As with all BOOM products, a little goes a long way.  (An important factor as far as I was concerned, considering its price.)

--Effects on the skin—

Immediately cooling and calming, it left my skin looking radiant, glowing….and quite shiny. It moisturises deeply and any wrinkles quickly diminish to the point of disappearing. I’m not usually keen on the look of my face without make-up (even if I only use BOOM’s light make-up sticks), but I actually liked how my face looked for going to bed.  I do not have problems such as acne or eczema so could not test the benefits of the product for these problems. However, I do have slightly red skin and some tiny broken veins on my cheeks and felt that continued use over a few months did diminish these somewhat. I would need to test for even longer to see if BOOM NECTAR could clear rosacea in a lasting and permanent manner. For me, a good test for any moisturiser is how it makes my hands look. I have always had quite dry hands with marked lines even as a young woman.  They looked old even when I wasn’t! I can honestly say that applying BOOM NECTAR made them look years younger…so definitely a result there.   If it does the same to my face, then it’s a real winner!

--Value for money--
At $54 for 1oz, this is BOOM’s most expensive product. As a result, I decided to treat it as a more precious beauty treatment and used it as a night nourishing serum. The bottle lasted a few months because of this more limited use. Shipping from America needs to be added to the cost some sometimes it is worth placing a bulk order with other BOOM products to increase value for money. International flat rate shipping charge costs $30 and it takes between 7 – 15 working days to arrive. Be sure to select this flat shipping rate option or you may be faced with additional customs charges when your package arrives. I failed to do this on one occasion and was faced with a €26 additional charge (although possibly I had just been lucky on previous occasions as import duties are always a risk when ordering from the US).  My products took eight working days to get from America to my home in the South of France. Nevertheless, it was worth the aggro thanks to the deep moisturisation of the dermis layer from this 100% natural and cruelty-free product.

perfect partners
BOOMSTICK GLO $27

BOOMSTICK COLOR $27

BOOMSTICK GLIMMER $27

(all three available separately or as a trio for $76)

BOOM SILK all-over face and body moisturiser (from $27)

BOOM COTTON shine control moisturiser (from $32)

BOOM MASK rejuvenating, cleansing and moisturising mask (from $42)
BOOM SCRUB, $45
BOOM CLEAN, from $32
BOOM CALM, $44

by Sarah Cross

Carun Active Hemp Face Cream

RRP: £16.99

--What does the promo say?--
"Carun Skin Cream is naturally anti-inflammatory and antibacterial so it is suitable for regular daily use and problematic skin, helping to maintain and restore balance and a healthy appearance.

Carun Skin Cream has been created to help sufferers of acne, rashes or dry skin but it can also be effective on other common ailments such as inflamed or irritated skin, blisters, eczema, psoriasis and itching."

--Packaging--

The squeezy metal tube is practical rather than luxurious, but does the job well, minimising wastage and with clean, unisex deisgn and colour scheme.

--Application--

Apply to clean, dry skin after cleansing. Is light enough to be used in the daytime, while moisturising suitably during the night.

--Appearance--

An off-yellow cream that blends invisibly into skin.

--Scent--

Has a refreshing scent that comes from the rosemary, but which is tempered by the lavender and lemon, which are not really detectable, but prevent it from being overpowering.

--Texture and consistency--

Slightly greasy, and yet blends in quickly, and does not leave a slick layer on the skin.

--Effects on the skin--

My acneic skin was greatly calmed by the use of this product, toning down redness and reducing blemishes.

--Value for money--

At £16.99 this isn't cheap, but it is effective and one tube lasts a good few months, as a little goes a long way. I was sent mine for free (thanks, Carun PR!) but I would purchase with my own money and recommend to others, especially in conjunction with the Active Hemp Soap.

perfect partners

Active Hemp Soap, £4.99

Hemp Ointment, £16.99

Hemp Body Oil, £13.99

Hemp Bath Spa, £19.99

Carun Active Hemp Soap Bar

RRP: £4.99

--What does the promo say?--
"Organic Cannabinoid rich gentle cleansing soap bar.

Naturally effective hypoallergenic skin maintenance and protection.

Naturally Antibacterial, analgesic, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory.

Made from 100% organic oils, Carun soap is an incredibly gentle cleanser, helping to balance and maintain your skins natural PH and moisture levels."

--Packaging--

Packaged in a very environmentally friendly manner, the soap bar comes in a cardboard box with the white, blue and green colour scheme which characterises it as part of the Carun line. 

--Application--

Lather up under running water to create a foam which you can rub over clean dry skin and then rinse off.

--Appearance--

The soap is a creamy light cacao/off yellow colour which lathers into a white foam, leaving no visible residue on the skin. The Carun name and its trefoil logo is carved simply into the bar.

--Scent--

Again a creamy scent with a slightly refreshing zest to it, most likely thanks to the cacao and sea buckthorn.

--Texture and consistency--

The foam is fine yet luxurious.

--Effects on the skin--

The soap effectively rebalances the skin, reducing the amount of sebum production and generally calming the skin's condition, leaving it feeling moisturised.

--Value for money--

At £4.99 this is hardly going to break the bank and it indisputably calms acneic skin down, especially in conjunction with the Active Hemp Face Cream. One bar lasts ages and is not costly to replace. I was sent mine for free, but would buy again.

perfect partners

Active Hemp Face Cream, £16.99

Hemp Ointment, £16.99

Hemp Body Oil, £13.99

Hemp Bath Spa, £19.99

Pure Chimp Natural Cream

RRP: from £9.95

--What does the promo say?--
"We wanted to create a true 100% natural cream because we know the less a product is processed the more benefits you will get. After lots of testing (no animal testing) with wonderful natural ingredients we created a super hero amongst creams.

other benefits of our 100% natural cream
100% Natural = More Nutrients = More Benefits. Hemp oil and wax will help to soothe your skin. Safflower oil will give your skin the essential fatty acids it needs to add a glow. Super high in naturally occurring Vitamin E - good for healing your skin. We use Hemp Seed Wax in our natural cream (a rare ingredient), which allows your skin to breathe & is easily absorbed. A lot of natural creams use beeswax, which just sits on your skin. A nice long shelf life of 18 months. Apply to your face, body, hands, feet or hair. Suitable for ages 3+. In extreme cases can be used alongside steroid creams.
Every single ingredient: hemp seed wax, safflower oil, hemp seed oil, sunflower oil, lavender oil, wheatgerm oil. That is all!"

--Packaging--
The black and white colour scheme and line drawings are reminiscent of other unisex crowd-pleasers, such as Edward Monkton's amusing doodles. The screw-top pot is solid and easy to use, ensuring that you can get every last drop out of the pot.

--Application--
Rub into dry skin anywhere on your body. Depending on your skin it could be a bit rich for your face, but you should be able to use it without problems on your hands, feet, legs, arms, etc.

--Appearance--
A yellowy, thick, slightly grainy cream that nevertheless rubs invisibly into the skin.

--Scent--
The lavender oil is immediately released when rubbed into the skin, fragrancing your body and the room. The other ingredients aren't really detectable.

--Texture and consistency--
While the main ingredients aren't detectable in terms of scent, they come into their own when it comes to moisturization. Despite the cream's slightly grainy texture, it absorbs quickly, and you can really feel the benefits of the sunflower, safflower, hemp and wheatgerm oils.

--Effects on the skin--
Even stubborn skin is moisturised as nature intended. Fab!

--Value for money--
A very reasonably-priced and effective natural product, from a brand whose offerings could easily rival those of Lush. Can't wait to buy more when my sample runs out. Wonderful stuff :)

perfect partners
Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder, £9.95
Organic Spirulina Powder, £9.95
Organic Maca Powder, £9.95
Super Combo, £19.95*

*contains 1 Natural Cream, 1 60g pot of spirulina and 1 60g pot of maca

Green People Vita Min Fix

RRP: £14.95/50ml

--What does the promo say?--

"Voted ‘Best Moisturiser for Dry Skin’ by Natural Health & Beauty magazine. A 24 hour solution for normal, dry and tired skin. An explosion of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Regenerates and nourishes your skin. Promotes production of new skin cells. Delicate, natural scent. This natural skin care product is made without Parabens, Lanolin, ethyl alcohol, artificial perfumes, petrochemicals, phthalates and colourants to bring you the purest moisturiser that nature can offer. Certified with the Organic Food Federation. Suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Also available in a 10ml travel/trial size. This product contains Fairly Traded Ingredients."

 --Packaging--

The white and blue bottle (looks like a pump-action bottle; I wouldn't know, as Green People kindly sent me a sample tube that works more like a lip gloss) tells you everything you need to know without overloading you. 

--Application--

Apply onto clean dry skin after cleansing and toning.

--Appearance--

A white, slightly translucent cream which blends invisibly into skin.

--Scent--

Floral and natural without being overpowering. It also seems slightly fruity, although I don't know what ingredient/s could be giving me this impression. Overall very pleasant.

--Texture and consistency--

Light and non-greasy, rather than intensive; sinks into skin quickly.

--Effects on the skin--

Sadly, I think this made my acne worse, but then again it was clearly never made for my skin type. I can see how it would definitely be better for normal or dry skin and will be passing this on to someone else whose skin type is closer to this for a more accurate assessment.

--Value for money--

It is great to see a genuinely ethical company endorsed by genuinely ethical organisations, such as the Organic Food Federation and the Vegan Society, as opposed to all the other companies out there who think sticking a leaping bunny on the tube (which is linked with BUAV - possibly one of the most questionable "ethical" organisations out there) makes it all OK. Despite my negative experience with this cream, I am not put off trying a Green People product again that might be better suited to my skin type - and I don't think £14.95 is a lot to pay for 50ml of genuinely natural and ethically produced cream.

perfect partners

Eye Cream (night), £8.50/10ml

Fruitful Nights, £14.95/50ml