Bomb Cosmetics Countdown To Christmas Advent Calendar Gift Pack

RRP: £19.99 (and in case you feel like buying now and opening all the doors at once...or just keeping it for next year...currently reduced to £9.99)

--What does the promo say?--
“Bomb Cosmetics uses only the finest natural ingredients in an indulgent range of
handmade bath treats, body scrubs, essential oils and gift packs. The Power of Essential Oils – These little gifts from Mother Nature are found in each and every one of our products and are extracted from plants, flowers and fruit. They have to power to soothe the soul and are chock full of magic to heighten, change or enhance your mood. We use natural ingredients wherever possible. That’s right, we are changing all our glitters to a bio-degradable version made from plants and we don’t use microbeads either. We believe that neither animals, humans or the environment should suffer for our luxuries. We pride ourselves on making products that not only smell and feel wonderful on your skin, but also look beautiful too and made completely by hand thanks to our team of over 250 Bomb-er Lomb-ers! Moulded, mixed, rolled and piped entirely by hand, our gorgeous crafters ensure that each and every product is unique, but ultimately perfect in its own little way. (Just like you, you cheeky little Bombshell!). We even hand draw the designs on the gift wrap and the decorations on the blasters! We NEVER have and NEVER will test any of our finished products or ingredients on animals, nor do we employ a third party to do so on our behalf. As much as we’d love to extend our Bomb family past the 72 countries we already supply to, we simply refuse to add any country to this list that requires animal testing to be done by law. All of our soaps, candles and potted and bottled products are suitable for vegans, as well as a load of Blasters, Creamers and Mallows. Look out for the vegan symbol on our website.”

-- Packaging —
I treated myself to this Advent calendar on December 1st and, so far, I have not been disappointed. The packaging is fun – I chose the blue reindeer version rather than the pink one as I wanted to share it with my man. I know men can ‘do’ pink, but my husband prefers blue and it looks better in my green bathroom. The calendar is quite ‘thick’, meaning that you get a decent sized sample of a different product each time. Most of them virtually fill the space provided (3.5cms x 4cms – products around 1.5cms thick).

--Appearance--
The blasters in the calendar are small hearts and dense rectangles which fizz away (some into glitter) in the bath water (which sadly does not always remain on the skin). All products are lovely colours, with beautiful swirls in the soaps. Some mallows and creamers are embellished with small flowers, stars, or glitter. All in all, the presentation is colourful and fun.

--Scent--
The calendar creates wonderful fragrances in the bathroom as a different door is opened each day. The bath bombs it contains are full of Christmassy scents that smell authentic, natural, and in some cases, fabulously fruity. The tags on Blogger are limited to 200 characters (and a maximum of 20 tags!), so I couldn't put them all in, but they also include clary, citrus fruits, coconut, geranium, safflower, marjoram, carrageenan, and others. As good as the market leader easily.

--Texture and consistency--
Bath blasters leave no foam or bubbles, so if you want that, you will be disappointed.

--Effects on the skin--
The creamer from the calendar was magnificently smooth.

--Value for money--
Excellent value; would buy again.

perfect partners
Mistletoe Kiss Candle, £7.99
My Favourite Things Bath Blaster, £2.99
Holly Soaks Gift Pack, £17.99

by Sarah Cross

Crabtree and Evelyn Gardeners Ultra-Moisturising Hand Therapy

RRP: from £6 for 25g

--What does the promo say?--
"After a long day of handling thorny situations, our Gardeners Hand Therapy is just the help you need. Containing a blend of nutrient-rich shea butter, moisturising glyercin, deodorising clover and soothing bisabolo from camomile our hand therapy will help nourish and condition work-roughened hands.

• Shea butter rich formula
• Soothes
• Conditions
• Restores softness
• New durable polylaminate tube"

--Packaging--

The brown tube is new and different, and echoes the earthiness of the 'gardeners' concept. The octagonal screw-top lid, however, is a bit sharp on the corners and therefore not very nice to undo, especially when tightly screwed on. The range of packaging sizes (25g all the way up to 250ml) is a good move, however, meaning that you're well-equipped whether on the move or in your normal bathroom at home.

--Application--

Rub into dry hands whenever needed. 

--Appearance--

White, but leaves no visible residue on the skin.

--Scent--

Simply gorgeous: the herbal elements, such as the rosemary, sage and thyme, are particularly evident, meaning that the scent can be enjoyed by all as it isn't overpoweringly floral or sweet. Again, very in keeping with the 'gardeners' theme too.

--Texture and consistency--

Smooth, while still being luxuriously thick, and sinks into skin quickly. No stickiness at all.

--Effects on the skin--

Hands feel instantly smoother and soothed. 

--Value for money--

The range of available sizes means there's something for every budget (I was sent the smallest version by Crabtree and Evelyn's PR - perfect for my handbag!), and the pleasing scent and clear smoothing effects are undeniable. However, it would be very much appreciated if Crabtree and Evelyn were to remove palm oil from their products as soon as possible, as the deleterious environmental effects associated with this ingredient are well-documented, and its usage is completely unnecessary in a product that already is jam-packed with luscious essential oils.

perfect partners

Nail and Cuticle Therapy, £10

Hand Recovery Scrub, from £5

Hand Wash, £15

Hand Scrub with Pumice, £13

60 Second Fix Kit for Hands, from £10

Deluxe Gift Set, £50