Cindy Joseph Boomstick Trio

review by Sarah Cross

RRP: $76 for the trio; $27 separately. Also available in a lipbalm size for $32 (trio) or $12 (separately)

--What does the promo say?—

“In purchasing this product you have joined me in the pro-age revolution.  It is time for every generation of women to wear their age and features proudly. Boom is for women who want to reveal their genuine beauty with an honest and realistic approach. I find women are most attractive when they are taking a joy in living.  Experiencing pleasure revs up a woman’s circulation bringing colour and sheen to her face. Boomsticks create that same colour, glow and radiance in one easy application. Boomsticks are environmentally conscious. No extra-packaging, no animal testing, no parabens or phthalates, made with safe ingredients.

Initially conceived as a range of cosmetics for the mature woman, the Boomstick Trio, consisting of Boomstick Glo, Boomstick Color and Boomstick Glimmer. can be used by women of any age who want to cultivate a natural look.

[Boomstick Glo is] a clear 100% organic moisturiser! It adds a sensual, dewy glow while nurturing your skin.  Seals moisture in and keeps dryness out. A multi-tasking moisture stick you can apply to the delicate skin around your eyes, all over your face, neck and lips. You can even use it on your cuticles and anywhere you want protection, sheen and moisture.

[Boomstick Color] a multi-tasking stick for all your colour needs! Use it as a lipstick, a blush and an eyeshadow. You can apply it anywhere you want sheer, creamy and believable colour, creating a natural, healthy blush to your skin. Boomstick Color is for every skin tone.

[The Boomstick Glimmer is f]or all over lustre and radiance! Tinted the palest champagne, this Boomstick will add a pearlescent shimmer to eyelids, lips, cheekbones, brow bones, shoulders or wherever you want an extra special glimmer to your skin.” ”  

--Packaging--
As the promo states, there is no superfluous packaging. BOOMSTICKS are simple 8g make-up sticks that you swivel to use, like a lipstick. The containers are chubby and white with the colourful BOOM! logo in pink and red. Each stick has a different coloured label on the top so it can be easily identified. Once you take the lid off the stick there is a clear cap for protection inside.

--Appearance--
The Boomstick Glo (the image on the left in the picture above) is a solid, waxy-looking, honey-coloured stick that leaves moisture, no colour, when applied.

The Boomstick Color (in the middle in the above image) looks quite dark red and has a lovely shimmer. It is initially quite dark on the face when applied. Rubbing in accentuates this redness for a while but, once the skin has calmed down, the result is a natural, healthy blush so be patient! Used as a lipstick, it is the perfect shade to enhance your lips without exaggeration.

The Boomstick Glimmer (in the right in the picture above) is a solid stick with a creamy, shimmery, champagne-coloured appearance. It leaves a beautiful iridescent lustre wherever it is applied.

--Application--
A little goes a long way! For the Boomstick Glo, use sweeping strokes across your face, neck and forehead, including the delicate eye area and then spread using your fingertips.

The Boomstick Color can be smoothed over cheeks, forehead and lips for natural colour. It can also be applied lightly outside the corners of eyes then spread using your fingertips.

The Boomstick Glimmer is applied in the same way as for the other Boomsticks but only on areas that you want highlighted. It does not need to be rubbed in. Gently slide the stick all over the eyelids or simply on brow bones, cheekbones and collar bones. It can also add a shimmer to Boom Color on lips (although this will make some of Boom Color come off on your Glimmer stick). I also like to add a touch on my nose and just above the cupid’s bow on my lips.

--Scent--
The Boomstick Glo has only a slight scent of honey that is not invasive or cloying - reflective of its origins in Hawaii, where it is handmade by beekeepers.

I like the fact that this make-up has no strong scent. Some foundations have strong fragrances that clash with one’s chosen perfume. The Boomstick Color is quite neutral by comparison.  

--Texture and consistency--
The solid stick slides smoothly across the skin, leaving just the right amount of moisture. It is not greasy or sticky despite the slight shimmer. You can apply as much or as little as you like.  Good for lips too. No disappointments here!

--Effects on the skin--
The Boomstick Glo leaves a healthy glow on your skin. Skin feels soft and moisturised after application.  A pleasant day moisturiser, this is not a night cream or a ‘heavy duty’ moisturiser. For those with very dry skin, a thicker moisturiser might be needed at night.  

The Boomstick Color goes on easily, is nicely moisturising, and yet stays on well too. The first time I applied it I went for a bike ride and was immediately struck by how fresh and light my skin felt. It really felt as though my skin was ‘breathing’ and taking the oxygen in. Because it is light and not ‘cover-all’ make-up, it does need re-applying if you are going out in the evening. (But who cares? It’s speedy and fun to do!) It should be noted that BOOM COLOR will not cover flaws or spots, so you may wish to use a concealer or a light foundation underneath. There is no SPF included in this make-up because Cindy Joseph is aware of the controversial nature of ingredients used in sun protection and has decided to leave this to her customers’ own discretion.  

The Boomstick Glimmer completes the radiant and alive look. Some youtube reviewers who purchased all three sticks have expressed doubts as to whether they will actually use Glimmer on a daily basis but as far as I am concerned, it is the icing on the cake. To me, it is the essential partner to Boom Color.  

--Value for money--
The Boomstick Glo costs $27. This price compares well with other moisturisers on the market.  Shipping from America (fast, efficient and tracked) needs to be added to this. Their international flat rate shipping charge costs $13.95 and they say it takes between 7 – 15 working days to arrive. My sticks took eight working days to get from America to my home in the South of France.

My husband’s words are worth quoting here. He is not a make-up or marketing expert and has no shares in BOOM!  

“It’s all you need.  It lets YOU shine through.”

So, Cindy Joseph’s philosophy about not covering yourself up under loads of heavy make-up but revealing yourself instead, was clearly achieved by the application of these three products. As far as I am concerned, I am a Boomstick convert and the idea of travelling around New Zealand in a camper van next March with just three Boomsticks and a mascara fills me with glee!  

Cindy Joseph’s ‘pro-age’ philosophy was one of my main reasons for wanting to try the Boomstick Trio. I liked the idea of natural beauty, natural colour, glow and radiance and also the fact that you don’t have to ‘put on your face’ because you already have one! Cosmetic companies are obsessed with ANTI-age, and ANTI-wrinkle and Cindy claims that this is ANTI-US! We should celebrate our age, not be ashamed of it. The fact that all you need are three simple sticks to complete your look is also very appealing. Easy to carry with you and great for travel.

I particularly enjoyed her reference in the aforementioned videos to the Japanese art form ‘kintsugi’, where aged things are even more beautiful. That true beauty ‘reflects the whole of life and the process of growth and change’. What a refreshing thought!

--Customer service--

www.boombycindyjoseph.com

info@boombycindyjoseph.com

facebook.com/boombycindyjoseph

Some shoppers can be reluctant to order online and/or to order from overseas, so this is a topic worth covering. Customer service is speedy, efficient and friendly. Any questions by email are responded to quickly. Packages are tracked every step of the way.

The website is very user-friendly and has videos showing how to apply the make-up and explaining the philosophy behind the products. All ingredients are listed. There is a Facebook page and a blog and you can even join the BOOM CLUB to be notified of special offers and discount codes.

Cindy’s videos “Saturdays with Cindy” and her articles on http://blog.boombycindyjoseph.com cover a range of inspiring topics and include tips for covering undereye circles, ageism in our culture and transforming the way you think about age.

--perfect partners--

Boom Silk, face and body moisturiser (from $27)

Boom Cotton, shine control moisturiser (from $32)

Boom Mask, rejuvenating, cleansing and moisturising mask (from $42)
Boom Nectar, $54
Boom Clean, from $32
Boom Scrub, $45
Boom Calm, $44

Rose and Co Rose Petal Salve

RRP: £3.99

--What does the promo say?--
"Our celebrated salve is packaged in a beautiful pink ointment tin and remains our best-selling product. A fabulous lip salve and also helpful for dry patches and rough skin, there seems to be no end to the uses of this magical little balm."

--Packaging--
The delicate pink and black colour scheme of the tin will appeal to girly girls as well as potentially those with a more Gothic side. The line drawings of flowers are creative and beautiful, and add a further sense of whimsy and quirkiness. The tin itself closes securely, while being easy to open when needed.

--Application--
Apply to any area of your body that needs a bit of TLC: lips, elbows, knees, cuticles... Be warned, though: a little goes a long way!

--Appearance--
While the salve initially looks a bit lurid in the tin, as it is a very bright pink, this effect disappears on application, with no staining (or indeed colouration of any kind) occurring.

--Scent--
Matches the rose imagery perfectly, although may be a little sweet for some.

--Texture and consistency--
Soaks into skin beautifully, and is soft without being oily or greasy.

--Effects on the skin--
This balm is non-irritating and will soothe any dry areas of skin with continued use. I would love a body lotion and foot cream so that I could easily harness this magic for the areas of my body that suffer most, over larger areas than this tin is designed for.

--Value for money--
At a mere £3.99 this does an excellent job using natural ingredients, and won't break the bank either. Very few all-purpose beauty balms retail in this budget bracket, so I'd advise hopping to it and getting yourself one ASAP (and at this price you can afford to get one for female friends and family, too!). I was sent mine by Rose & Co's lovely PR, but would definitely splash out my own cash for this handbag-friendly beauty.

perfect partners
Rose Petal Lip Balm, £3.00
Rose Petal Hand Cream, £5.00

Liz Earle Superbalm

RRP: £15 for 30ml

--What does the promo say?--
"Our ‘emergency’ skin salve rescues and soothes skin. Made from pure plant oils and natural waxes plus shea butter, it gently softens and calms dry skin on hands, heels, elbows, lips and helps condition nails and cuticles."

--Packaging--
The silver and transparent combination is a successful one, conveying something special without being too glitzy. It's simple, unisex and sophisticated, and the screw-top lid makes it easy to open it when you need it and to close it when you don't. The plastic packaging also means it's light, but the downside of this is that the fact of it not being made of glass and metal means you don't feel that you're holding something luxurious in your hand that carries the weight of every penny paid.

--Application--
Smear onto any area of dry skin that needs attention, from your feet to your lips. The opening to the balm is also of just the right size that you can roll your heels and elbows in it quite comfortably, but for hygiene reasons I wouldn't recommend this unless you're really only going to use the balm on one part of your body (and you're not going to share the Superbalm with others). The only difficulty comes from the fact that the balm is very hard, rather than being softer like Vaseline or like your standard lip balm: it can mean that on larger areas of the body (e.g. feet) you have to be patient as it's not especially spreadable and you have to keep dipping back into the pot.

--Appearance--
A pale, creamy, slightly yellow balm that leaves no visible residue on the skin.

--Texture--
A very hard balm, but it rubs into the skin very easily.

--Scent--
Divine - a bit like tea, though it's difficult to tell where this comes from due to the cornucopia of oils and waxes used in this product (specifically hazelnut, rosehip, avocado, neroli, lavender and camomile oils, and candelilla and carnauba waxes, as well as shea butter, beeswax, vitamin E, and echinacea). The citrusy scent of the neroli is also predominantly detectable.

--Effects on the skin--
Persistently hard and tough skin is made to feel baby-soft and like new. This effect is felt wherever the Superbalm is used on the body, making skin caressable and comfortable, and with irritation being greatly reduced. Wonderful stuff!

--Value for money--
Clearly palpable effects, both short and long term, coupled with highly reasonable pricing, make this not only a perfect personal treat but also a wonderful gift and an indispensable travel essential (anything multi-use is always good). It's also available in tiny 5g jars for under £5 should you want it for sample or travel purposes. Top marks.

perfect partners
Superskin Eye and Lip Treatment, £25/15ml
Superskin Moisturiser, from £11.50/15ml
Superskin Concentrate, from £17.75/10ml
Superskin Body Cream, from £12/50ml

Efasit Intensive Moisture Balm

RRP: £2.99/80ml

--What does the promo say?--
"Active care for active feet. Conditions, softens and gently deodorises over-dry and rough feet. With natural jojoba and rosemary oils and vitamin E. It penetrates deeply to help smooth and soften dry skin and to protect against moisture loss."

--Packaging--
The tube uses a green, yellow and white colour scheme, which makes it look fresh, revitalising and young. Colours are unisex too, though the diagram of a hand massaging a foot makes the body parts look distinctly womanly. The positioning of the diagram, brand name etc is well laid out and the practical white lid allows you to stand the tube up or lie it down as necessary without liquid seeping out. The lid closes securely and the tube is approximately 12cm in height.

--Application--
After rubbing your feet with a pumice stone and/or exfoliator during your bath or shower, apply a few pearl-sized drops of the cream to clean dry feet and massage in. The cream sinks into the feet easily without too much effort.

--Appearance--
The cream is an attractive pale green colour that looks very natural and not a far cry from various aloe vera products. There is no visible residue after using this product.

--Scent--
I couldn't quite put my finger on what it smelt of until I looked again at the list of ingredients. As well as the ingredients already stated, the cream contains menthol and camphor, and it's these that you get a slight whiff of. However, none of the ingredients seem to have an overbearing scent.

--Texture--
The cream is quite stiff but I would prefer this to a runny cream any day. Despite the cream's apparent stiffness it rubs into the feet easily.

--How does your skin feel afterwards?--
Immediately the skin on your heels and the balls of your feet feels smoother.

--Longevity--
The above effects can be felt throughout the day, and this I was impressed with as you can often lose the effects of a cream as you go about your daily business.

--Does it do what it says on the tube?--
Oh yes. I noticed a difference within a day or two of using this product, and my feet were in a pretty sorry state (probably owing to a combination of previous athlete's foot, walking everywhere I go, and having just started pointe work in my ballet classes). Soon my heels and the balls of my feet were smooth again and I'm continuing to use it for preventative care. It also stops your feet from being all stinky, so yay :)

--Value for money--
This product is excellent in terms of value for money. 80ml doesn't sound like much for your £3 (or $6 to our American friends) but you only need a small amount each day to see a significant difference.

perfect partners
Efasit Super Relaxing Leg Lotion, 200ml
Efasit 18-hour deodorant spray

--Available from:--
Available from Boots, and from a variety of online retailers, including:
http://www.mobilispodiatry.com/
http://www.mobilishealthcare.com/
http://www.petersfieldchiropody.com/
http://www.britsuperstore.co.uk/
For other UK stockists, call 0191 370 9466.