Men's Bath & Body Reviews
Reviews by Thom Watson, qualified beauty therapist, testing men’s grooming since 2011. About Thom
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L’Occitane Verbena Shower Gel Review: The Smell of Summer
My honest review of L’Occitane’s Verbena Shower Gel: a gorgeous zesty scent, a genuinely unisex feel, and one long-standing catch in the formula.
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Bioderma Atoderm Intensive Baume Review: Balm for Very Dry, Itchy Skin
Bioderma Atoderm Intensive Baume review: does this ultra-soothing balm actually calm very dry, itchy, eczema-prone skin? Ingredients, how to use and my honest 5/5 take.
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Lush Let’s Get Ready To Crumble Gift Review
Birthdays are special, and what better way to celebrate than with a delightful, indulgent bath experience? Thanks to my husband, I spent my birthday unwinding with the ‘Let’s Get Ready to Crumble’ gift set from Lush. This set is a collection of four generously sized bubble bars, each offering a unique bathing experience. Contents of…
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Clarins Men Antiperspirant Deo Roll-On Reviewed
I’ve always been a bit sceptical about roll-on deodorants, leaning more towards the tried-and-true sprays like L’Oreal Men Expert Thermic Resist. That was until a recent shift in my skin’s temperament nudged me towards exploring other options. So, on a quest for something gentler, I ventured into the world of men’s roll-ons. Among my picks…
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LUSH X Super Mario Bros. Movie Review
In Cinemas Wednesday 5th April, the Super Mario Bros. Movie is going to be huge. From the same animation company behind Minions and a great cast, it’s likely going to become the top-grossing animation of all time and allow Nintendo to forget their 1993 abomination starring the fabulous Bob Hoskins. With that being said, LUSH…
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CeraVe for Eczema-Prone Skin: My SA Smoothing Cream & Cleanser Review
The CeraVe SA Smoothing Cream and SA Smoothing Cleanser transformed my skin, and I don’t say that lightly. For years my hands were thick, rough, cracked and sore with eczema-prone skin, extra galling when you work in skincare and people assume you should have it sorted. This cheap little duo, about £22 for both, did…
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L’Occitane Cade Hand Cream Review
This landed on my doorstep a good few months ago and I was intrigued. The main selling point on the press release were it being part of the L’Occitane Cade men’s collection; 96% ingredients of natural origin and it’s remarkable nail biting prevention properties. Now sadly, I’m not able to enjoy L’Occitane hand creams largely…
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Luxurious Lather: Anti-Bacterial Hand & Body with The Body Shop Lemon Range
Anti-bacterial hand products can be pretty boring but the last two years have shown us what a necessity it is. So I was thoroughly surprised to discover this fabulous extended Lemon range from The Body Shop. You may remember the old Sweet Lemon range, I reviewed it on here almost 10 years ago, but this…
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Hand Saviour: Lush Sweet Wild Orange Hand Balm
Lush Sweet Wild Orange Hand Balm is the second new launch I picked up from Lush last week alongside the Posh Chocolate Body Wash (reviewed). It was recommended by a consultant in the Leeds shop after I was talking to her about my hands; I wish I got her name to give her a shout…
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Lush Posh Chocolate Body Wash Review: Birth of an Icon
Lush and I go way back, from using their products as a 15 year old in 2006; interviewing Jack Constantine in 2012; interviewing Simon Constantine in 2013; creating the first ever batch of Cup O’ Coffee at Lush Kitchen and interviewing Mark Constantine in 2014 and attending the launch of the brand’s flagship Oxford Street…
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Crabtree & Evelyn 2021 Bath, Body & Home Fragrance Haul
As promised in my last article ‘What Happened to Crabtree & Evelyn?’, I put a mixed order into Crabtree & Evelyn to see if behind the modern branding, the product excellence the brand was built on is still there and in short: sort of. Also do people even call these hauls anymore? I’ll stick with…
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How to Get Rid of Spots on Your Bum: A Simple Guide
This post has been updated in 2024 to ensure the advice is relevant and up to date, as well as ensuring products recommended are the best possible and available. If spots on your bum, ‘assne’, butt pimples or whatever you want to call them are your problem, the below guide and subsequent FAQs have you…
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Tisserand Rose and Geranium Leaf
I originally picked this up at Home Sense who tend to stock Tisserand products from time to time. If you’ve never been or even heard of Home Sense, they’re TK Maxx’s fabulous home and interiors store and if you’ve never been, GO. This was a weird one in terms of attracting my attention as I…
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Yves Rocher Summer Spree
Why aren’t there more Yves Rocher shops in the UK!? It drives me nuts there’s only one in the whole country in Marylebone, London Central. If you’re not familiar with the brand, they’re a very comfortable cross between The Body Shop and Avon. Their products are wildly underrated, providing excellent efficacy, with good formulations and…
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NEW Frederic Malle Hand Soaps
No sink is complete without hand soap and due to my grandmother’s obsession of ‘keeping soaps for best’ that sit there in a box for years, I always get them used and enjoy using them. So it was pretty exiting to get hold of two of the NEW Frederic Malle hand soaps in the post this week.…
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Argentum Apothecary Silver Infused Skincare
I’ve used and reviewed the Argentum skin cream before back in 2013 when the brand first launched with only the skin cream. The brand relies on two essential skincare componants: the first being Silver Hydrosol and then DNA HP Marine Extract. Argentum products feature almost 100% natural ingredients and are perfect for problem skin. I’ve…
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How to Get Rid of Spots on Your Back: An Easy Guide
Warning: This article does contain a few photos of acne and ingrown hairs If spots on your back, ‘backne’, back pimples or whatever you want to call them are your problem, I think I can help. It’s surprising how often I get asked “how do I get rid of spots on my back?” but it’s not something people will…
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LUSH Ltd Plum Rain Shower Gel
I love LUSH Ltd shower gels, however over the last few years, too much glitter has gone into them. However, launching last summer, Plum Rain is a great addition to their range and is 100% glitter free! With plum juice, osmanthus, petitgrain and mandarin; it’s fruity and refreshing. Plum Rain is a very thick and…
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The Body Shop targets sensitive skin with NEW Almond Milk & Honey Bodycare
Finding gentle and nourishing body care when your skin is easily irritated can be a pain; believe me I know. You’re either stuck with ‘sensitive’ products that really aren’t, i.e. Dove Men+ Care or go down the pharma rout such as E45, Aqueous creams and other drab, dull and joyless products. The range is composed of the…
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The Ultimate Hand Softening Routine
Over the last 5 years or so, I’ve dealt with highly annoying dermatitis on my hands; linked to my recently diagnosed Asthma (seriously, falling to bits here) and also due to a life of dealing with cosmetics on a daily basis. Whilst it’s important to moisturise well and regularly; removing the layer of surface dead…
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Below The Belt Grooming for the old Jackson Pollocks
There’s been so much incredible luxury on the blog over the last few weeks, I thought it was high-time to lower the tone! So no better place to start than a grooming range for keeping your man-area fresh and funk-free. There will be prolific use of the word balls here, so you have been warned. Instant…
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Welcoming BULY 1803 to the UK and Buly Huile de Savon Scottish Lichen
From wife and husband duo, Victoire de Taillac and Ramdane Touhami, Buly 1803 has been given new life from its famous and historical 19th century roots. Ramdane has had an illustrious career as an entrepreneur and art director with brands such as Le Bon Marché, Liberty, Cire Trudon. Victoire is an equal force majeure as a cosmetics expert and…
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NEW Clinique Mineral Sunscreen for Face and Body
Exciting! Mother MANFACE has used Clinique Sunscreens since the dawn of time (probably since they were created) and I’ve used them intermittently. The problem I had with them was some of the body versions giving me a slight rash/reaction. This can often be the case with chemical sunscreens, that although are known for having superior protection vs. mineral, can be…
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NEW Pinita Colada Body Care from The Body Shop
This is my favourite cocktail of all time – well, the alcoholic version. The perfect balance of creamy sweetness and fruity tanginess. I could drink these all summer! In fact there’s an amazing beach bar in Xavia, Spain where I’ve gone for years with both friends and family. A photo posted by Thom Watson •…
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Choosing the perfect sun care texture with Clarins
As the weather is getting hotter, it’s time to pay more attention to protecting your skin, even from the British sun! Clarins has 4 great options, each with its own unique texture so you can find the one you love. All of Clarins Sun Care products have both UVA and UVB protection. Sun Care Tips UVA…
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The Body Shop Enrich Not Exploit Campaign & Limited Edition Hemp Hand Cream
Whilst I’m still on a high from the incredible skincare The Body Shop has been producing lately, it’s been further added to with the new Enrich Not Exploit campaign. Until recently, The Body Shop seemed to have faded into just another mid-range beauty brand and had most certainly lost its way. The new campaign that…
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Time For Some Fun: Imperial Leather Sweet Shop Shower Gels
Firstly, I’m not going to lie but I bought the bag of Squishies for the photo and immediately ate them… so I present to you the empty bag. I was at Boots last week grabbing a new toothpaste and mouthwash (such glamour); on the way to the checkout at the front of the shop was…
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Grounded Body Scrub Chocolate Orange Coffee Scrub
I LOVE Dragon’s Den. Since the very first series, I’ve always been hooked. I like the successes, catastrophes, business insight and witty quips from the Dragons – Deborah Meadon has always been my fave! Just after Christmas was an episode where Essex couple Lloyd Hazell and Tasha Harris presented their company Grounded Coffee Scrubs, bringing an Australian beauty…
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Will you be my Valentine? Love And Kisses from LUSH Ltd
This beautiful, extensive and almost completely glitter-free Valentine’s gift arrived on my doorstep this morning fresh from LUSH Ltd. It’s gorgeous! Inside, bursting with LUSHY goodness for face, body, bath and shower all themed for the mushiest day of the year. For £45.95, which is pretty steep for a LUSH Ltd gift I grant you, you…
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Acne, spots & blemishesBody WashesEnlarged & Blocked PoresFace MasksHair & Scalp TreatmentsHair StylingNormal-Combination SkinOily SkinPhotoageing & FirmnessShampooSomething For The Weekend aka The Friday Bullet with REN, O’Right and Phyto
The heat is killing me. I’ve never handled heat well, and on the coldest days in winter I can step out in jeans and a t-shirt. I’m just a hot person (although I’m sure many would beg to differ). I know this sounds ridiculous and “well, duh”, but please remember to drink more water than…
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Blackberry Jam Shea Scrub Cubes by Marshmallow Blends
I had to get these up on the blog straight away; I’m far too excited. The Blackberry Jam Shea Scrub Cubes by Marshmallow Blends arrived in my order this morning and when I removed the metal lid, the smell was just intoxicating and my saliva glands went into overdrive. Marshmallow Blends If you’ve not heard of Marshmallow Blends,…
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Celebrating Easter April 5th with LUSH Ltd & Glitter Rant
Easter Sunday is only a week away and whether for you it’s a time of religious reflection or an excuse to stuff your face full of delicious chocolate (or both!) LUSH Ltd have you covered. But before I get onto the products… LUSH Ltd Lustre & Glitter I’ve been needing to get this off my…
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Cracking up this Christmas? Top Winter Hand & Foot Care with Clarins
It was during a meeting with the team at Clarins that I was taken aback by this rather good tip. Combining the famous Clarins oils with their hand and foot creams (or your own, to be fair) turns them into superhero products for staving off winter dryness. Blue Orchid Treatment Oil The Blue Orchid Treatment…
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Introducing Le Couvent des Minimes: The New Brand from L’Occitane
L’Occitane is not only it’s own brand but is in fact the L’Occitane Group; owning L’Occitane, obviously; L’Occitane Au Bresil, unfortunately; Erborian and the widely celebrated Melvita. So allow me to introduce the new brand launching last week exclusively in Boots stores – Le Couvent des Minimes. Humble beginnings In 2004, Olivier Baussan – the founder of L’Occitane,…
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Inside Lush: The Lush Factory Tour
This post was updated on the 25th January 2024 with all images re-processed, ‘cool’ photo filters removed and new, unseen images from my trip. I hope this serves as a bit of a time capsule for Lush fans and enthusiasts. My collaborations with Lush through Manface have been such an enlightening journey into a booming…
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Aveda celebrates 25 years of Shampure with new products
My favourite haircare brand, Aveda, is excitedly celebrating 25 years of its iconic shampoo and conditioner, Shampure; featuring an intoxicating aroma of 25 pure flower extracts that have been winning awards since 1989. Manufactured with 100% wind energy in 100% post-consumer recycled packaging with ethically sourced ingredients; Aveda Shampure is the hallmark of ethically produced…
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L’Occitane Aromachologie: The Relaxing & Revitalizing Collection Reviewed
Before the current version, way back when, The Body Shop used to do a fabulous well being range with several sub-collections aimed at relaxation, energisation, detoxification and sleep in Kilner jar-style packaging, made with all-natural materials and essential oils. But, just like everything else they used to do, those products that were iconic offerings from…
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Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash Review: Salicylic Acid for Body Acne
When it comes to high street grooming and beauty, especially when looking at local supermarkets or Boots/Superdrug stores, Neutrogena has to be one of my favourite brands. Their formulations are tried and tested, most often excellently formulated and usually available at a hell of a bargain. Can you buy Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash in…
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Aesop Petitgrain Hydrating Body Gel
It’s been 25 degrees here in Huddersfield today without a single cloud in the sky. I’ve popped inside to write this as it’s started to cool down but I’ll need to nip back into the garden to water the plants so I’ll be brief. I’ve kept from frazzling in the sun today with the aid…
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Lynx Peace: Make Love Not War
Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived. I don’t often pull quotes from the Captain Jean-Luc Picard basket [above] but when I do, I choose…
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L’Occitane Ultra Soft Cream Collection
Apologies it took a while to get onto this one, I received them before going to Spain and it all just got a tad waylaid. The L’Occitane Ultra Soft Cream Collection are a set of 3, 10% shea butter body creams with fragrances created by resident nose, Karine Dubreuil. The trio are Vanilla Bouquet (my favourite); Rose…
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Jo Loves Green Orange & Coriander Bath Cologne
I wanted to create a product that looked and felt the same as pouring cologne into the bath. After two years of trying, I have finally pioneered and perfected an entirely new luxury bathing experience. I wanted to sit writing this fresh; feeling fresh and with the Jo Loves Green Orange & Coriander Bath Cologne…
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Argan 5 + Precious Oil Eixir
Every time I see body oils, little sirens go off in my head as I can just picture my skin and face breaking out into a greasy, spotty mess; I can’t be the only one that things this? So, I’ll have to be honest to say that I put off reviewing Argan Plus Precious Oil…
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Kiehl’s Creme de Corps by Eric Haze
Merry Christmas! Not that far away now and I’m getting ultra excited; I love visiting packed stores to be given abominable customer service by under-qualified and brain-dead Christmas temps. Anyway… here’s something lovely from Kiehl’s to lift our spirits. This year Kiehl’s have had the Creme de Corps limited edition collection designed by New York graffiti artist…
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KIKO Self Tanning Rapid Drops
A fab little find from this summer that I can’t believe took me this long to blog about although you’ll undoubtedly know by now what an enormous KIKO fan I am (Mr. KIKO at your service). KIKO Self Tanning Rapid Drops are designed to give quick and easy, sunless tanning for face, just by squeezing…
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Tom Ford Tobacco Oud Review
When I was moving to Manchester for University at 18, the second week in, my mum came to visit and we went shopping at Selfridges Exchange square (my first shopping trip in Manchester and my first ever trip to Selfridges). We came across the teeny-tiny Tom Ford Private Blend counter and we discovered a range…
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Murad Blemish Control Body Wash & Clarifying Body Spray Review
With no exaggeration here whatsoever, guys of the world, we have been saved. Legne, armne, bacne, assne – bodily acne is a real concern for guys. We don’t often talk about it but it’s something you, my lovely readers, have emailed me about on a few occasions and I’ll hold up my hands and say…
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Halloween 2013 with LUSH
As C*******s is only 12 weeks away, this means that Halloween is just around the corner. I’ve never done anything big for Halloween but at the same time, I never let it pass me by. The local kids where I live all come around tick or treating so last year I dressed up into my…
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Burt’s Bees Tips and Toes Kit
Yesterday I was pottering around Huddersfield, just to get out the house and do anything other than sit at my desk chair. It was in Boots where I was looking for hand creams and other such bits that it hit me, I’ve never tried Burt’s Bees products before. Now for someone with such a massive…
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L’Oréal Men Expert Shirt Protect Deodorant Review
L’Oréal have joined the invisible-deodorant game with L’Oréal Men Expert Shirt Protect Deodorant, a fantastic duo of spray and rollerball deodorants. You may have recently read about my love of the Nivea Men Invisible For Black & White Deodorant, a great deodorant that doesn’t leave white marks on my darks and yellow marks on my…
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Summer Spec-TAN-cular
OK so the title was a bit of a stretch, but this article is all about how to get the perfect tan for summer. The Science The main ingredient of fake tan is DHA. This ingredient interacts with the amino-acids in dead cells on the surface layers of our skin. This reaction takes a few…
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Lush Butterball Bath Bomb
There’s nothing un-manly about a bath, although I suppose that depends on how you do it. But every so often, a good soak is good for both the skin and for the soul. So what better way to pass the time in the tub than with a gorgeous bath bomb from Lush; it’s always my…
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Weleda Hayfever Kit
Whilst hayfever isn’t strictly grooming related, it’s something that will effect many of you as it does me. Over last 6 years, I’ve lived with the most terrible hayfever that often leaves me practically paralized with inflamed sinuses, massive susceptibility to respiratory infections and totally unable to do anything; so much so I take a…
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Molton Brown Sport
I usually disregard most grooming and beauty products labelled ‘sport’ but this new collection from Molton Brown London really pricked my attention, plus in testing it’s a trio of excellent products. The Molton Brown Sport range has only 3 products but they’ve been designed in mind for the on-the-go, sporty gentleman with a muscle relief…
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Sampar First Hand Cream
Last weekend Sampar officially launched here in the UK. Hurrah! Sampar Glamour Shot is the product that initially brought me to the brand (you need this in your life) and with every new addition to my Sampar collection, I’ve not yet ceased to be impressed. Sampar First Hand Cream is a great anti-ageing handcream that…
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The Body Shop Brazil Nut: It’s Back
Finally! This was the one discontinuation a few years ago by The Body Shop that truly broke my heart, but it’s back… Back with a vengeance. The range is bigger than ever and there’s still more to come. It’s like sugar, vanilla, nuts, caramel and toffee rolled into one but it’s certainly not at all…
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Nivea Men Invisible For Black & White Deodorant Review
It was only the other morning as I was using this, I realised “Why on earth have I never featured it on the site?” It is without a doubt, the best deodorant I’ve discovered and I’ve certainly used many. Why deodorant marks clothes Boys smell. Fact. Particularly if underarm hair isn’t kept well trimmed and…
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The Yorkshire Soap Company Orangery Scented Soap Slice
You might have caught my review of The Yorkshire Soap Company store in York last week? If not, you can check it out here, I think you’ll love it. The Orangery Scented Soap Slice is one of the fabulous products I bought that day. My favourite fragrance scent of all time is Orange Blossom, time…
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AvedaBath & BodyBody MoisturisersBody TreatmentsDry / Dehydrated SkinHair & Scalp TreatmentsHaircare & Hair StylingAveda Energising Composition
Definitely Aveda’s all-in-one product. This is designed perfectly for body, hair and scalp for both massage and/or moisturisation. I’ll be honest and say I’m relatively unfamiliar when it comes to cosmetic oils of any sort so this has definitely been a good introduction. Simply massaging it into my hair and scalp 5-10 minutes before jumping…
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Ormonde Jayne Isfarkand Hair & Body Wash
I was lucky enough to meet and chat with Linda Jayne Pilkington for an hour or so last month (there’ll be a post about this in the near future) and one of the products she was keen for me to try was her Isfarkand Hair & Body Wash. This provides for a truly luxury bathing…
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Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Gel
Oh so calming, the scent is intoxicating and the velvety texture sinks into the skin leaving you smooth, hydrated and without a trace of residue. This is my first experience of body products from Aromatherapy Associates and I have to say, I’m hooked. With key ingredients of Rosemary, Ginger and Black pepper, it’s fresh, uplifting…
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The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Shower Gel
I make no bones about the fact The Body Shop shower gels are my favourite. I’m yet to find another brand that matches up truly with the ridiculous abundance of lather, silky soft foam, and intense fragrance. They’re fun, uplifting and really reminiscent of my childhood. I don’t often affix a deep emotional connection to…
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Aveda Institute Covent Garden: Salon & Spa Reviewed
Last week I was lucky to be invited to experience a few treatments over at the Aveda Institute Salon & Spa in Covent Garden whilst on my trip down to the capital. The institute is triangulated by Covent Garden, Holborn and Tottenham Court Rode Tube stations, each within easy-peasy walking distance. On my arrival to…
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Neom Organics Body Scrub
It was a week or so ago I was moaning on Twitter as to how I so rarely find good quality body products that not only work well but feel luxury. Particularly when it comes to body scrubs. Lo and behold Nicola Elliot, the founder of Neom Organics, tweeted to the rescue and before I…
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The Body Shop Chocomania Beautifying Oil
I did a site search last night and was shocked to discover that I hadn’t actually written anything about the range of dry body oils launched last year by The Body Shop which. This was particularly surprising as I’ve probably gone through about 5 bottles of this since last summer. Now I’ve said this countless…
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Jack Black Turbo Body Bar
It seems that Jack Black is definitely the marque du jour in the male grooming world, with a strong, masculine brand presence and products that are packed with high quality ingredients boasting tremendous efficacy. Jack Black Turbo Body Bar is definitely no exception. I used to use a very similar product way back from The Body Shop, part…
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Sienna X Dark Glowing Self Tan
January is a rotten month. It’s cold and dark, everyone’s skint, and half of us have already abandoned our diets. My birthday falls in the middle of it, which never helps, and I always end up looking tired, pasty and a bit miserable. A little colour is a cheap way to look less like a…
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Abahna Mandarin & Sicilian Bergamot Bath Foam
Bathing should be an experience, with hot water, subdued lighting, gentle music and beautiful products. This is something Abahna is in full support of and so much so they wanted me to try out their Mandarin & Sicilian Bergamot Bath Foam, filled with organic wild flower honey, aloe vera, chamomile as well as essential mandarin…
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STEAMCREAM Natural Moisturiser
This has been in my review list for a while now, and I was fortunate enough to pick up a STEAMCREAM All-in-One Natural Moisturiser when I visited Hyper Japan back in November. So what is it? Well, STEAMCREAM is an award-winning, multi-purpose, nourishing and hydrating cream, hand-made in small batches with fresh, natural ingredients and…
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Xen-Tan Moroccan Tan
Xen-Tan has been with us for 6 years now and what I’m about to say may make many feel quite old. I first discovered the brand when I was in college and working part time for The Body Shop when a customer came in with the most beautiful colour we’d ever seen, a few of…
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Xen-Tan Hard To Reach Back Applicator
Luckily, I’ve always been pretty flexible, but short of being Mr. Fantastic from the Fantastic Four (he’s an incredibly stretchy super hero), there’s no way I’m able to full reach the centre of my back to massage in product and when it comes to tan application, this causes a massive problem as no one ever…
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Cowley Manor Cotswolds Bathing
One of the new brands to feature amongst the gorgeous offerings from the relatively new M&S Beauty Hall. Cowley Manor is a luxury hotel and spa resort located in the heart of the Cotswolds and definitely on my visiting hit list, but until then, I love that I’m able to have a little of the…
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Grown Vanilla & Orange Peel Hand Cream
Over the last few years, I’ve developed a tiny little bit of eczema on my right hand. Now this has to be cared for, moisturised and gently exfoliated to coax away the build of of dead skin cells. The problem is however, I hate hand creams; they really wind me up. I use my hands…
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Lush Ltd Fun 洗隊レンジャー
洗隊レンジャー, plastered on the front of all Lush Ltd’s FUN packaging translates as ‘Ranger Squadron’, so there you have it, it’s nice to put my University education to some real use. Ranger actually transliterates into Japanese so is pronounced ‘RENJYAA’; they do a lot of this particularly with English, French and German words. The best…
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Laura Mercier Ambre Vanillé Honey Bath
Something I took away with me from the Harvey Nichols Autumn / Winter Press Preview, this just sums up the late summer as we begin to transition into the cooler months. So what is it? Well, I’d say it’s more of a beth melt rather than a traditional bubble bath, giving less foam, but more…
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Marshmallow Blends Caramel Cupcake Body Scrub
Now, I don’t often step out of the beauty halls and delve confidently into the world of artisan cosmetics. It’s probably because you know what your buying from a counter and can always count on the reliability of the products, but I know full well how completely unadventurous this is and you can end up…
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L’Occitane Bonne Mère
So you can obviously tell where I’ve been shopping lately, but I’ve been really desperate to try the L’Occitane Bonne Mère range. The range The range is marketed as Everyday Gentle Skincare, for even the most sensitive skin and completely paraben free. It has two variations: the first is the traditional soapy scent, and the…
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Sol De Janeiro – Sua Pele Nossa Praia
Sol De Janeiro – Sua Pele Nossa Praia According to their website, Sol de Janeiro was founded by a group of friends who share a passion for all things Brazilian. A group that collectively realized that in a country known for its beautiful people and their sun-kissed skin, that no one had developed a world…
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L’Occitane Sorbet Verbena
Containing lemon, mint essential oils and an organic verbena extract, this beautiful new summer edition of the L’Occitane classic – L’Occitane Sorbet Verbena The two products I test drove were the Sorbet Verbena Fresh Mist and the Sorbet Verbena Exfoliating Shower Gel. The fresh mist is light and delicate but as it’s the mist rather…
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The Body Shop Spa Fit Toning Massage Oil
Featured in Spanish Vogue’s Belleza magazine as a recommendation for a beautifying energy cocktail for summer as past of their article on ‘When beauty does Eco’; The Body Shop Spa Fit Toning Massage Oil is definitely one to try. Containing Community Trade Soya oil from the Capanema Farmers of Brazil, as well as natural caffeine…
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Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, an Italian icon, celebrating 400 years of uninterrupted business, and the producers of some of the most stunning cosmetics and fragrances I’ve come accross to date. Their home is in Florence, Italy, but I was told about this right here in Barcelona by my landlady. Well, needless to say,…
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Alvarez Gomez
A new arrival to the UK, Alvarez Gomez is one of Spain’s oldest and most famous perfumers and cosmetics manufacturers, being a family owned business celebrating 100 years this year. They have just made their range available right here in the UK and I was lucky enough to be able to try a selection of…
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Bath & BodyDry / Dehydrated SkinLiz EarleMoisturisersNormal-Combination SkinOily SkinSensitive SkinShavingLiz Earle For Men Try-Me Kit Review
I probably should have done this as my first post on Liz Earle, but better late than never. I’d heard so many things about this company from friends and bloggers alike that I knew it was time to investigate. The funny thing was is that 2 years ago, I spent about 4 months working in…
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The Manface Definitive Guide to Foot Care
We all know how our feet can get. As well as feet being a body part that takes quite a battering anyway, men’s feet are more prone to the build up of dead skin that can be difficult to remove. Using files and buffers will help, but it’s about prevention rather than an all-out abrasive…
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Portable High Frequency Machine
I promise you that this isn’t a photo of something from Ann Summers despite looking like remarkably like one… So I’ve heard but this is most certainly a Portable High Frequency Machine. This weird looking device has amazing practical dermatological applications but particularly so for spots and acne. High Frequency is used to treat and…
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Marshmallow Blends
A few weeks ago, I ended up following a fabulous blogger on twitter called Nicoletta Rocchiccioli. One of her posts was of a beautiful slab of homemade soap that looked out of this world. I soon discovered that she ran a small online business called Marshmallow Blends, a really cute outlet for her homemade products.…
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Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant
So what is so good about this cream? I see it absolutely everywhere I go, no matter which shop, department store, airport, airplane or country I’m in – there it is, beaming away with its gorgeous white packaging and red door logo. Designed to calm, protect and hydrate for, you guessed it, 8 hours; this…
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Xen-Tan Mousse Intense / Face Tanner Lux
This post is predominantly parts of an email I sent in reply to someone who’d sent me a lovely email asking me about self tanning and what I’d recommend. I found myself writing a reply, quite passionately, about a range of products that I’ve used for years and stupidly never written about here on Manface.…
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The Body Shop Body Butter – New Look
The Body Shop is in the process of a humongous makeover. Their Trafford Centre store closed last Saturday and is undergoing a three week transformation and is one of a good few doing so. If you search hard enough around the internet you can see stores that have already had this. As well as a…
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The Body Shop Hemp Hand Oil
I get dry hands. They used to be completely fine, but over the last few years, I’ve been getting dry patches on my fingers that are flare ups of eczema. I’ve used many hand creams but the problem is that they often tend to sit on top as dry and dead skin cells often block…
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Philips Diamond Clean Electric Toothbrush HX9332
Looking after your teeth is just as important as exercising and eating well and should be taken as seriously and electrical dental care has been something pretty massive especially over the last 10 years. First there were the mechanical versions with the rotating brush head, to then the world of Sonicare®, technology acquired by Philips…
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L’Occitane Shea Honey Hand Cream
The Shea Honey Hand Cream from L’Occitane. I was told by the consultant in their Manchester store that this is unfortunately a limited edition! The hand cream is beautifully thick when it comes out the tube and you only need a small amount. You would immediately think because it is so thick that its going…
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Fellas Cleansing Wipes
We’ve all seen adverts for feminine wipes and other such things, but what all men know is that sometimes, after a long day, things sometimes need freshening up down there. Fellas Cleansing Wipes are essentially intimate wipes for men and are pH balanced and dermatologically tested for daily use, although they’re not made to replace…
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The Body Shop Chocomania
For the perfect last-minute Valentine’s day gift, The Body Shop has launched a new chocolate body range that smells and looks like the real thing. The whole range consists of a soap, body butter, lotion, scrub, lip balm and shower gel. So far, I’ve only managed to get my hands on the shower gel, body…
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The Scottish Fine Soaps Company Seaweed Soap
How excited can a person be about a soap? Well, it turns out very! Seaweed Soap from ‘The Scottish Fine Soaps Company’ is one of the nicest bars of body soap I’ve ever had the privilege to use. To begin with, the packaging is stunning; every soap is presented in a brightly coloured and embossed…
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Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Shower Gel
Tom Ford’s first delve into body-care has been an amazing addition to their private blend collection, the Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Shower Gel. The fragrance itself is somehing very hard to convey in writing and it’s definitely worth going to your nearest counter, which is often few and far between, only being available in speciality…
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Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliating Cream
As far as I’ve come across, not many men exfoliate their body and it’s viewed by many as being an unnecessary pampification (made that up, gonna use that from now on) leaving Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliating Cream being something alien. Although in some cases, I probably agree, but for any slightly harrier men, that often…
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VitaMan Skincare
Well this is something new. I came across a rather wonderful Australian cosmetics company called VitaMan, they specialise in men’s grooming and body products, revitalising men. They’ve been establish since 1999, so 12 years in operation, which in this business, is a very long time indeed! They boast about the quality of their source ingredients,…
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Darphin Denblan Toothpaste
Well no particular method is involved to do it French style, each to their own, but there is a rather nice toothpaste I’ve been using for the last few months. Stick your domestic brands and say “HELLO!” (Ok, maybe not quite so enthusiastically, you could just wave), to Denblan by Darphin. Darphin Denblan Toothpaste promotes whitening…