Philosophy Spiced Clementine Toddy Gift Set

RRP: £18 (currently £9 in the sale)

--What does the promo say?--
"Share seasonal spirit. Spiced clementine toddy shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath (240 ml.) and body lotion (240 ml.) warm your heart and soul during and after the shower or bath."

--Packaging--
The dotty bow decoration on the box is lovely for a gift (especially for anyone with a January birthday, as you can grab this for half price in the sale at the moment), and the bottles themselves are classic Philosophy: transparent, so you can always see how much is left, with black writing detailing yummy recipes for the foodstuff that inspired the product. The black fliptop plastic lid is stylish, practical and secure.

--Application--
Lather up the 3-in-1 product in the shower, or pour under running water. Clean your hair with it as well if you like before rinsing off. As for the body lotion, rub into slightly damp or dry skin. Easy as pie (well, toddy).

--Appearance--
The bright orange shower gel definitely doesn't stain or even create much colour, foaming to a white/light orange lather. The body lotion is just a creamy colour, leaving no residue on the skin.

--Scent--
I was a little disappointed with the bath and shower product, as it smelled a bit too masculine for me (although I can't find a specific ingredient causing this) and evoked bitter orange peel scents and general alcohol more than spice and the sweetness of orange juice. The body lotion was better for this, meaning you could even share this pack with your better half (you can swipe the body lotion, and he can have the shower gel...how romantic).

--Texture and consistency---
The gel is smooth and quite runny, without being watery or sticky. The body lotion does equally well in this regard, sinking in super-quickly and providing a luxurious experience.

--Effects on skin and hair--
Body skin and hair are left feeling amazingly smooth and soft, with hair feeling volumised and nourished. Definitely a top scorer.

--Value for money--
A little goes a long way with this stuff and you definitely get good results too. Even though it's a pain that you can't buy both products separately, they do represent good value, with this being even truer now that Philosophy's sale is on. Go and get it!

perfect partner
The Microdelivery Peel, £59

Philosophy Hot Buttered Rum Shampoo/Shower Gel/Bubble Bath

RRP: £14 for 480ml

--What does the promo say?--

"Cozy up and share a sweet moment with hot buttered rum shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath, as it cleanses and conditions skin and hair."

--Packaging--

The see-through plastic squeezy bottle lets you see the deep translucent brown colour of the gel in all its glory - the picture above really doesn't do justice to the gel's gorgeous caramel colour. This enables you to always see how much is left, and the real recipe for hot buttered rum printed on the front of the bottle in black lettering is also a bonus. My only criticism would be the distinctly un-ergonomic bottle design: at nearly half a litre, it is quite wide, meaning you can't get your hand all the way round and that this leaves you in danger of dropping the bottle in the shower. A more curved shape would therefore be more helpful.

--Application--

Lather up and massage through hair or onto wet skin. Rinse out/off when done. Have not tested in the bath yet as sadly I don't own one. Should have access to one this Christmas, though, so watch this space.

--Appearance--

Dark brown - just like freshly melted caramel. This doesn't leave any residue on the skin, however - the lather itself is white, in any case.

--Scent--

Does not smell distinctly alcoholic, which in some ways is a shame, as I was expecting something more complex and less sweet. However, I can't really complain about smelling like a freshly-made batch of butterscotch every time I shower (even though the scent sadly doesn't linger long). I'm a big baking fan, so this is still a perfect treat for me, making it a wonderful addition to the autumn and winter months.

--Texture and consistency--

The gel itself is runny but not sticky, with just the right amount of viscosity. The lather that builds up is silky and luxuriant, and washes off easily (but not before you're done). This applies to skin and hair.

--Effects on the skin and hair--

I had reservations about using this on my hair, having had poor results from a Philosophy 3-in-1 product in the past. However, this one does exactly as promised: skin is left smooth and soft, while hair is left clean, shiny and with long-lasting volume. Hair did not get greasy as quickly after using this product either, meaning hair looked good for a full extra day after use.

--Value for money--

While the initial outlay seems expensive, remember that you're getting a big bottle of a high-quality 3-in-1 product. I would definitely repurchase - although if you're looking for something with more of an alcoholic tinge to it, the offerings from Alba, Korres and Carolina Herrera all look promising.

perfect partner

Hot Buttered Rum Lip Shine, £10

Philosophy Hope In A Jar

RRP: £34/56.7g

--What does the promo say?--

"Recommended for all skin types, this intensive facial moisturiser contains lactic acid to exfoliate and Beta Glucan to help give skin a healthy glow. The light texture means it's easily absorbed."

--Packaging--

Clean, light and minimalist in design and colour, using black and white to get the product's message across simply. Shame it's all made of plastic; for the price, more is perhaps expected.

--Application--

Smooth on a small amount of the product after cleansing and toning.

--Appearance--

A creamy yellow product that blends invisibly with the skin.

--Scent--

A slightly milky/creamy smell - given the presence of lactic acid, this isn't exactly surprising.

--Texture and consistency--

Creamy and luxurious; glides on and blends in effortlessly.

--Effects on the skin--

Redness is reduced, oiliness is reduced, spots don't seem to last as long, and the cream gives a really nice glow to the skin. Skin is also softened and calmed. Top stuff.

--Value for money--

This product seems to really polarise critics, with users on MakeUpAlley.com giving it as many 5-star reviews as 1-star reviews. One size therefore probably does not really fit all as the company tries to claim, and so my opinion of 'suitable for all skin types' products remains the same; I reckon I just got lucky this time. I also balked at the price when I saw it (THIRTY-FOUR QUID?! ARE YOU HAVING A GIRAFFE?!?!), but consider that if it really is effective on my poor acne-plagued skin (which, so far, it is) then it must be worth paying. The effects are also visible within even a few days of use, meaning that even the most disheartened can take something from it. Would buy again, and would encourage other acne sufferers to give it a go too - a surprise contrast to my disappointing experiences with other Philosophy products.

perfect partners

Miracle Worker Anti-Ageing Moisturiser, £46/56g

The Present Skin Perfector, £22/56.7g

The Great Mystery, £22/141.8g

The Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash, £22/236ml

Hope Springs Eternal Deep Sea Revitalising Mask, £21/142g

Philosophy Amazing Grace Firming Body Emulsion

RRP: £25 for 16 fl.oz

--What does the promo say?--
"Philosophy's Amazing Grace Firming Body Emulsion (473.1g) is a brilliant, body-firming moisturiser! The perfumed, polyphenolic emulsion is a multi-tasking moisturiser that revitalises dry, aged or wrinkled skin with a unique blend of antioxidant vitamins E and C, shea butter, macadamia nuts and olive oils."

--Packaging--
Much like the matching shower gel, it comes in a rounded, hard plastic bottle with a black flip-top cap (though the picture shows a pump-action bottle, so I'm going to assume it's still available in both types of bottle). Nothing difficult about this.

--Application--
Apply liberally to arms, legs, breasts, and stomach...basically anywhere apart from your face that needs it. Rub in to leave a light sheen on skin and leave to sink in.

--Scent--
Slightly cottony; reminiscent of freshly laundered bedsheets. A perfectly acceptable, neutral and pleasant scent that won't interfere with perfume. However, this product presented the same problem that I've had with other Philosophy products: there is no indication anywhere on the packaging of what the scent actually is. Even the ingredients list just says 'fragrance'. Now, don't get me wrong, while the scent does arguably embody the essence of 'grace', that doesn't mean that I don't want to know what the scent actually is. In fact, it concerns me: if Philosophy were using natural scents in their products, surely they would want to say? If this really does contain shea butter, nut oils etc, I'm surprised that they don't want to make more of it on the bottle, rather than just giving it a passing mention in the promotional material.

--Appearance--
A white, smooth lotion.

--Texture/consistency--
Basically perfect: not too runny or thick, definitely not sticky, and seems to sink into the skin quickly.

--How does your skin feel afterwards?--
Pretty smooth, so on the surface of it, it appears to do a good job. However...

--Long-term effects on the skin--
...it apparently doesn't actually work. I've been moisturising my entire body with this stuff for a couple of weeks now and had been thinking that it was doing a fairly good job. But then today I went to have my legs waxed, and the beautician asked me if I used a body lotion on my legs. I said yes, thinking she was going to say that she could tell because my skin was soft, or something. However, she said quite the opposite - that my skin was dry! Great! So at least one skin professional thinks that this stuff does not work...

--Value for money--
Given the above, and given the price of this, I would definitely not buy this again. It's nice enough, but not worth the price tag, and for something that is artificially fragranced (come on, there's really no need for it), doesn't contain an SPF AND apparently doesn't work, I'll be avoiding like the plague. Go for a Lush, Body Shop or Liz Earle body moisturiser instead.

perfect partners
Amazing Grace Shampoo, Bath and Shower Gel, £17.50
Grace Fragrance, £29
Amazing Grace Eau de Parfum, £38
Pure Grace Hot Salt Scrub, £19.50
Pure Grace Shower Cream, £17.50

philosophy amazing grace perfumed shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath

RRP: from £18/$22 for 475ml/16oz

--What does the promo say?--
"amazing grace was selected as one of Oprah's favorite things® for 2005! amazing grace perfumed shampoo and shower gel is philosophy's best selling, uniquely feminine, moisturizing shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath created for the most gracious bodies. Because it is formulated with nourishing milk proteins, it calms even the most sensitive skin and nourishes the driest hair. Clean skin and hair never smelled so amazing.

You need this product if...
# you are looking for a moisturizing shampoo, bath, and shower gel for dry skin and hair
# you want hair that looks and feels terrific
# you like multi-tasking products
# you like a gentle formulation
# you need a moisturizing formula "

--Packaging--
This has a nice design (transparent plastic bottle, with black simple lettering and a black plastic lid), but the plastic is really hard and so it's a real struggle to squeeze the stuff out of the bottle.

--Appearance--
The lotion is a pale, dusky rose pink, with a nacreous shimmer to it, and it's a perfect consistency too - not too runny, not too viscous, not at all lumpy. It lathers nicely too, with a 50p-size piece lathering up all over your body. The lather is white and no visible or tangible residue is left on the body afterwards.

--Scent--
Really, really tricky. Nothing is specified on the bottle label, even in the small print of the ingredients, and there's no discernible overriding scent. My best guess was rose. While the scent (whatever it is) personifies the concept of 'grace' quite well (it's delicate and feminine), I think it's a pretty poor showing to not list any specific scent on the label at all.

--Texture--
Smooth. Oh so very smooth.

--How does it make your skin and hair feel?--
It makes your skin feel very soft, and there's no irritation, but then I do have quite normal/oily skin anyway, so I didn't expect to see much difference anyway as I don't have any body skin problems that need repairing. I must admit I haven't tested it on my hair - partly because I'm currently trialling a new Pantene shampoo (ooh the excitement!) and am expressly forbidden to use any other shampoos concurrently; and partly because I didn't trust it enough to put it on my hair (mainly because my hair is quite sensitive to new products, but the fact that the contents of the shampoo were quite dubious also didn't exactly help). Perhaps when the Pantene trial is up I'll give it a go, but I'm not holding out much hope.

--Longevity--
Certainly the scent doesn't really linger.

--Value for money--
Not fantastic - I wouldn't pay the RRP for this (although one bottle lasts plenty long enough). I just don't think the minimal effects are worth paying for.

perfect partners
amazing grace perfumed daily hair conditioner, £10 for 8oz
amazing grace fragrance, £32 for 60ml
amazing grace firming body emulsion, £27 for 475ml
amazing grace hot tub scrub, £24 for 650g
amazing grace hand cream, £9 for 28.5g
amazing grace foot cream, £18
amazing grace body butter, £22 for 5oz
amazing grace candle, £24 for 10oz

*available from John Lewis, HQ Hair, and www.philosophy.com