Griffin + Row Nourish Moisturiser

Griffin + Row is an Australian company, making botanical based skin care products.  The Griffin + Row skin care routine is five steps which sounds excessive, but one of those steps is actually a night cream. 

The products are all based around the centess+ complex, which seeks to addresss the four causes of ageing (lack of hydration, free radicals, lack of oxygen and diminished collagen).

First up, this cream (which is step 4) is quite thick and smells very strongly of lavender.  I'm not a huge fan of strongly scented creams and this did have a bit too much of an 'old lady' smell about it.  It immediately made me think of the type of product one of my grandmas would use.

I felt the cream was too thick for me to use as a day cream, so I've been using it as a night cream.  While it is emollient I don't really find it hydrating at all.

Not for me at all, I'm afraid.

Available online and at selected retailers.  RRP $32.99.

Griffin + Row.

Source:  trial sample.

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel

Up front I have to confess to being a huge Clarins fan and have been for a very long time.  If you ever get the chance to have a Clarins in store facial (particularly in one of the larger stores where Clarins has its own dedicated beauty room) I recommended you give it a go.

I first used this gel when I got a sample in a gift with purchase.  I loved it from the outset.  It's a gel which melts into a cleansing oil.  Squeeze a little out of the tube, rub your hands together and apply it to DRY skin.  Rinse off and you have clean, soft skin.  None of the squeakiness or dryness that you can experience with something soap based.

This is easily my favourite cleanser (at the moment ...).  It just does a great job.  There's no overpowering smell and it's easy to use and rinse off.

NOTE that you do apply this to DRY skin.  Don't wet your face or hands first or you will be disappointed.

This doesn't foam up and, obviously, it is basically a cleansing oil - so if you want foaminess or you really dislike using oils it's probably not for you.

Everyone else should give it a go!

Available at Clarins counters.  RRP $48.

Clarins.

Source:  purchase.

Puretopia Glowingly Smooth Body Polish

With an insanely long name (Glowingly Smooth Exfoliating and Renewing Body Polish) this might be a tricky one to remember.  With Amazonian Acai and Guarana it's "for everyone".

But is it?

The good points about this body scrub are many:  it's a good mix of both coarse and smooth beads (which I love), it rinses off really easily and I found myself with lovely soft skin afterwards.

So far, so good.

However - the smell.  My goodness - it smells like Midori.  Strongly.  Which, in my books, means it smells horrible.  I also can't imagine too many chaps being thrilled to use a product that smells like this!!!

At least the smell doesn't hang around (you don't leave the shower smelling like a cocktail) but for me, that's enough to put me off.

Also paraben and sulfate free, and both Australian owned and made.

Widely available for around the $15 mark.

Puretopia.

Source:  prize