Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Daily Calming Facial Lotion & Gentle Facial Exfoliating Scrub - Review

I won these beauty skincare minis (I am not sure if these are sold in the shops but they would be perfect as travel miniatures) on twitter.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Daily Calming Facial Lotion 

Palmers say 

A light, fast-absorbing lotion specifically designed for sensitive skin prone to irritations.

A special blend of natural ingredients such as Chamomile and Aloe Vera helps reduce the appearance of redness, calms and soothes sensitive skin while leaving it lightly hydrated without a greasy feel. With continued use skin feels fresh, calm and healthy.

Contains Patented MLE (Multi Lamellar Emulsion) Technology: This special emulsion of plant derived ingredients mimics the structure of skin's own natural moisture. MLE helps in the restoration of the skins' protective barrier, which prevents skin from further drying due to environmental factors.

My thoughts 

This facial moisturiser had a faint scent of cocoa butter and a soft, silky texture. It left my skin feeling comfortable, silky soft and not at all greasy. I really did feel like it was helping reduce redness in my cheeks/face and was perfect for my post holiday skin.

Would I consider buying it? Yes I would.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Gentle Exfoliating Scrub

Palmers say

Micro-fine crushed Cocoa Beans polish skin, removing dead skin cells and revealing the new smoother skin beneath. This daily facial scrub will enhance the skin's surface allowing it to better absorb the Daily Calming Facial Lotion and Night Renewal Cream.

Gentle enough to be used 2-3 times a week.

My thoughts 

The scrub had a pleasant cocoa, chocolatey scent. The crushed cocoa beans made a good gentle polish for the skin. I did feel like I got smoother, softer skin using the scrub and it didn't irritate my skin but there was nothing in particular that made it stand out over and above other scrubs on the market.

I would be unlikely to purchase this product as I have other scrubs that I prefer.

Yes To Tomatoes Range - Facial Wash, Facial Lotion and Facial Mask

The Yes To Tomatoes range is from the creators of the Yes To Carrots stable of products and is aimed at people with oily / combination skin. As my skin is "combination", I was very interested in trying out this range.

Once again it promises that it is 99.6% Natural, Petroleum SLS and Paraben free - this time using tomatoes as its vital ingredient: lycopene is a known and powerful anti-oxidant. Other key ingredients are Rosemary, Red Peppers and Water Melon!

So what did I think of it ....

Facial Wash - £8.99 for 100mls

This product claims to maintain your skin's pH balance while removing excess oils and impurities, purifying the complexion.

Readers of my blog will know I have a strong preference for hot cloth cleansing. For some reason I just prefer it to splashing water on my face directly. However, if you prefer facial washes I think you will like this. From the description I was a bit worried about what it would smell like but I needn't have worried as the smell was rather pleasant and not overpowering.

I put a small amount on my wet face and then massaged it in. Washing it off was interesting... it was really bubbly and felt like it was fizzing and foaming around my nose, which I found strange as we are in a hard water area. I found it quite time consuming as I wasn't really sure whether it had all gone! Afterwards my skin tightened once dried which I don't really like either. It did leave my skin very clean though and blemish free after a few uses.

I am aware that some people like the tightening effect, it just wasn't for me.

The packaging is a screw top tube which will mean you will need two hands to open it which you may or may not find an issue, but I do find the packaging design appealing, fresh and clear.

Facial Mask - £11.99 for 50mls.

This is described as a deep pore treatment that refines, purifies and moisturises.

I was looking forward to using the mask. I really enjoy my current twice weekly treatment from Dermalogica and was ready to see if it was going to upstage it and provide even better results.

This is similar to a traditional clay mask - green in colour, cold and thick. You only need to apply a thin layer  for it to dry quickly and evenly drawing out the impurities.

Unfortunately I was only able to use this once as it stung. Actually, my face felt like it was on fire around my nostrils and cheek area!  I kept it on for the 5 minutes as per the instructions and the sensation did subside. I then used a damp face cloth to wash it off, followed by a splash of cool water before finally patting dry.

My face was a little red after use but did not feel tender. It felt very soft and hydrated but not exceptionally clearer than when I have used other masks. As it stung I don't think I will be trying it again.

Facial Hydrating Lotion - £11.99 for 50mls.

I absolutely love this moisturiser.  It smells lovely and pleasant, very hard to describe actually but definitely not tomatoes! I would say, if anything, with a very slight hint of Vanilla. It goes on very smoothly, absorbs quickly with a nice texture and doesn't feel heavy or overly rich. This left my skin feeling extremely soft and hydrated all day. I have been looking for a new moisturiser and this product has been sent to the top of my favourite moisturiser's list.

It comes in a pump bottle which I like as it isn't messy at all. The only minor bugbear I have is that the label is just stuck on so it is rolling off already -  not a great look when on display in the bathroom.

All products are available to purchase at victoriahealth or Debenhams Stores Nationwide