Diptyque Infused Facial Water

RRP: £35

--What does the promo say?--
"This water, enriched with Damask rose hydrosol, infused with nasturtium and a blend of nine traditional plants and flowers, is also bursting with the vitamins, minerals, and moisturizers skin needs, preparing your face for the next skincare step it so deserves."

--Packaging--
My sample was in a small white tube with the classic black diptyque logo, but the full-size version appears to come in a transparent bottle, which I always prefer as I like to see how much product I have left. Equally, the pump-action mechanism is better for ensuring minimum wastage.

--Application--
Mix with the Radiance Boosting Powder for a perfect cleansing paste, or pump onto a cotton pad for toning post-cleansing. The diptyque website also says you can use it to rinse off your cleanser instead of water, but this seems a bit extravagant to me.

--Appearance--
It appears orange in the bottle, but I didn't actually notice it having any particular colour during usage - either on the cotton pad or on the face. No visible residue remains, at any rate.

--Scent--
Perhaps the rose is most dominant of all the lovely things it contains, but it's nicely balanced with the orange to create a scent that's still bright as well as floral.

--Texture and consistency--
Light, non-grainy, and non-irritating.

--Effects on the skin--
Cleanses effectively in conjunction with the radiance boosting powder or alone after washing your face. Skin feels smooth and moisturised after use, before you've even touched the diptyque moisturiser itself.

--Value for money--
Expensive, but worth it - especially as part of the deluxe face care gift set. Packed full of goodness to improve your skin while simultaneously being a luxurious, fragrant delight. Simply divine.

perfect partners (click the links for reviews!)
Radiance Boosting Powder, £38
Protective Moisturising Lotion, £44
Deluxe Face Care Gift Set, £48

No7 Quick Thinking 4 in 1 Wipes

RRP: £6.50

--What does the promo say?--
"Speedy Skincare with No7 Quick Thinking 4 in 1 Wipes. Be good to your skin, even when you're short of time with these gentle, fragrance-free wipes. Specially created for your busiest days, they sweep away impurities, tone your skin, remove waterproof eye make-up and moisturise, quick as a flash. With pro vitamin B5 to moisturise and soften, plus natural extracts of witch hazel and fennel to clear pores and leave your skin feeling smooth and fresh. Fragrance free and hypo-allergenic. This product is best used in conjunction with any No7 Moisturiser."

--Packaging--
A cool blue, nicely sized rectangular plastic package with a white lid made from hard plastic. The white lid bears the No7 logo and product information in black and gold, so all very simplistic and in keeping with the No7 brand. You then lift the lid and peel back the protective film to reach the face wipes. The lid seems unnecessary: I didn't find it kept the wipes any more moist than usual and I'm sure that given the extra materials used it must drive the price up, so I'm not really too impressed with that.

--Usage--
Take out one wipe from the packet, close the lid, and sweep over your face, neck and eyelids to wipe away impurities and remove makeup. This product claims to cleanse, tone, moisturise and remove makeup simultaneously, so you shouldn't need to do anything else before or after. I'd only recommend moisturising afterwards as the Boots website tells you to if you have really dry skin.

--Scent--
The scent was just really clean and clear. Reminded me of freshly laundered towels.

--How does it feel on the skin?--
The wipes are cool and refreshing and the stuff they're soaked in isn't at all harsh or abrasive.

--Does it do what it says it will?/How does your skin feel afterwards?--
It removes makeup perfectly and you really feel like your face has been cleansed, toned and moisturised. Your face feels clean and smooth and it really gets rid of excess sweat after a workout too. The only thing I didn't notice was any improvement in my skin, which was slightly surprising given the presence of witch hazel in the product.

--Value for money--
While this product was pleasant to use, it's a LOT more than I would normally spend on face wipes. You only get 25 wipes or so in the pack and that's not really very much for the money paid. One good thing this product did was introduce me to the concept of 4-in-1 wipes, and I will definitely be on the lookout for other 4-in-1 wipes that do the same thing just as well for a nicer price.

perfect partners
No7 Smooth and Soothed Gentle Cleanser, £7
No7 Beautifully Balanced Purifying Toner, £7
No7 Intelligent Balance Day Fluid, £9.25
No7 Intelligent Balance Night Fluid, £9.25