Original Source Mint Tea Tree Oil and Lynx Man Washer Shower Tool product reviews

I had my first ever professional wax at the grand old age of 24 recently. Don't get me wrong I've waxed before with cold strips, hot sugar wax (see my Sally Hansen review here), used hair removal cream in abundance, epilated and shaved so it's not like I'm not familiar with hair removal. I am however an absolute wuss with pain so I've put off getting a professional wax for so long. Needless to say I totally wussed out getting waxed but that's another story. As part of a deal, I got an underarm, half leg and Brazilian wax and all were fine except for the Brazilian wax. A few days after the wax I developed something which I later Googled and found out was called folliculitis. The horrible part of folliculitis if you don't know what it is (I didn't until recently) is that I developed small painful spots on a rather intimate area where the follicles had previously been. Some people don't develop this reaction at all, some have it quite mild, I had a very severe case of it. You're told no to touch them or squeeze them but I had to do something so I actually did get rid of mine by doing that.

I had however read on the internet that Tea Tree Oil is the remedy rather than picking them which encourages scarring. Rather than applying raw Tea Tree Oil to the affected area (which I didn't think would have been the best idea) I went on a rampage for some Original Source shower gel. I misread the bottle and was lured in by the bright green liquid in the bottle so I assumed I had picked up Tea Tree Oil only. When I first used it however it became apparent that what I had picked up was the Mint and Tea Tree Oil infused shower gel. The Mint is really quite overpowering and is very strong when you're showering. As Mint and Tea Tree Oil are both natural products however I was happy to carry on using the two ingredients. I've been using the Original Source Mint Tea Tree Oil for about four weeks now and there's been no further bouts of folliculitis to report. Prior to my next wax I planned to use the Original Source Mint Tea Tree Oil to see if this can prevent the folliculitis recurring. So far so good after having my second wax. There were a few small spots this time but nothing compared to the discomfort from last time. I think from now on I'll definitely use the before waxes and the tea tree oil really seems to prevent the folliculitis from returning.

I also bought the Lynx Man Washer Shower Tool, essentially a double sided robust loofah that really gets to work and scrubs off the dirt. It annoys me slightly that the Lynx Man Washer Shower Tool are marketed solely for men and women instead get the flimsy, delicate loofah's that unravel easily. Stererotyping aside I really liked the Lynx Man Washer Shower Tool. There's a rough scrubbing side that can be used as an exfoliator and a more robust loofah on the other side. My qualm with this gender specific product however is that it's ergonomically designed so it fits perfectly in your hand regardless of whether your male or female. The Lynx Man Washer Shower Tool is so much easier to use than a flimsy loofah that is usually geared towards women. At around £4 as well the Lynx Man Washer Shower Tool is a lot dearer than usual loofah's but of course you pay for the quality because it is clearly better made. I really like the Lynx Man Washer Shower Tool and having applied the Original Source Mint Tea Tree Oil onto it I use the loofah to scrub the gel into my skin. It's a great product that helps to exfoliate the skin pre-tan I Just wish it wasn't solely marketed towards men.

I'd love to know what you think of either of these products. Do you agree with me about the gender marketing? Let me know what you think in the comments below xx

Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Facial Brush-On product review

I bought the Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Facial Brush-On years and years ago and a 50ml bottle is still going strong. Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Facial Brush-On has since been re-branded with Argan Oil in the formula and retails at around £4. I'm not sure how much I paid for my small bottle but it's likely to have been around the same price. I've used Nair wax strips before and as they're marketed for sensitive skin I thought it would be gentle on my skin. Unfortunately, with the wax strips I had an allergic reaction when I used it on my legs so I was wary about buying the Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Facial Brush-On for fear of having a similar experience. Needless to say I do have a reaction to the Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Facial Brush-On but I persevere each time as it is a tried and tested method of hair removal that actually takes hair away.

The Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Facial Brush-On comes in a small twist top bottle with a brush attached that you dip into the mixture. The original version (which I still have and use) is a thick gloopy pink formula. You apply it to the area (face only I've tried it on the bikini line and under my arms and it hurts more and also doesn't take all the hair away) giving it thick coverage to properly coat all the hairs. You literally paste the formula onto your upper lip or between your eyebrows and wait for a maximum time of 5 minutes before taking it off. When you apply it, it looks like a thick white moustache above the lip. I've used the Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Facial Brush-On a lot over the years given that I'm a brunette and have noticeable darker hair. Each time I use Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Facial Brush-On however there is a noticeable stinging and tingling sensation above my upper lip. I've found that if I leave the Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Facial Brush-On for less than 5 minutes most of the hairs are left so I have to persevere for the full 5 minutes. To take the mixture off I wipe a warm cotton wool pad across my face in the opposite direction of hair growth. After that I usually pat the area with a cold cotton wool pad to reduce any redness. After every time I use Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Facial Brush-On however, I have a noticeable red line above my top lip which is visible until the day after as well. I've tried using Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Facial Brush-On and then covering it with make up straight away (naughty I know) and the red line is still visible so I have to make sure that I use the Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Facial Brush-On in the afternoon or the night to allow the red lien to disappear the next day.

My upper lip feels soft and hair free although as I have an allergic reaction to the product I have to take it off after 5 minutes and I cannot under any circumstances leave it on any longer. If I did I'm sure it would remove all the hair but currently there are still a few stragglers left behind that I have to remove at a later date. I've tried applying two coats in one day and the burning sensation is horrendous. I've even tried using facial bleach after the Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Facial Brush-On for the few hairs that remain and that hurts too. The skin needs a break and over-loading it with too many chemicals is not good!

I'd be happy to try the new version with Argan oil to see if there's any difference to my skin. I like the idea of Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Facial Brush-On and the convenience of pasting the product on but unfortunately it isn't as sensitive as I would like. Let me know if you've tried any similar products in the comments below xx

Veet EasyWax Hot Wax Roll On review

I haven't posted in a while which I can only apologise for. I've been busy at the minute and I've not had the opportunity to try anything new out lately. Instead I've opted to create a review of a product that I used a while ago.

If you've read my other reviews you'll know that I'm quite low maintenance and a sucker for trying out new products. Especially hair removal products. The Veet EasyWax Roll On encouraged my excitement. As the name suggests I thought this was going to be a revolutionary beauty product that I would grow to love. The idea that the wax is easy to roll on is fundamentally what encouraged me to purchase this (as well as the Boots half price offer at the time). The hot wax heater retails at around £31 depending on the seller with the replacement cartridges £10 each. The ergonomic design of the heater is designed to accommodate a firm grip. As the heater is quite large it's quite bulky and uncomfortable to use so unfortunately the design could be improved somewhat.

I can't tell you how disappointed I was with this waxing kit. This was the first hot wax in home waxing kit I'd used as it was described as being an easy wax roll on I thought it would be an effortless experience. The waxing base has to be plugged in and allowed to stand for a minimum of twenty minutes before use. As I charged mine standing up right on a carpet and not a hard surface it took far longer for the appliance to heat up. The idea is that the electricity used to power the machine which melts the cartridge of wax that you put inside the appliance. In theory it's great and revolutionary but in practice it doesn't work well.

The cartridge is attached to a long roller ball strip which is designed to rotate and release strips of wax when applied to the skin. The downside however is that the wax gets incredibly hot and although it melts it actually sticks to the roller ball and then the skin. I assumed the ball would glide down the legs and you would attach the woven strips included. The appliance does not allow for the roller ball to rotate and drags the skin instead. Although the appliance has to be plugged in to melt the wax you can remove the adaptor to make it portable. The downside with this it didn't seem to retain its' heat at all and I found myself constantly having to charge it up. The appliance is messy, costly and a hazard in itself. The wax burns so hot that it can actually burn the skin. You're essentially applying boiling hot liquid wax to the skin which also didn't come off with the strips or the alcohol wipes provided. The Veet EasyWax Roll On left my legs feeling sticky, sore and messy.

I passed this appliance and the cartridge on as soon as I could. A lot of similar reviews on the Boots website remark on the quality of this product and many have noted that the wax layer is quite thin when applied to the skin. I found it a mixture of thin strips and thick gloopy areas where the roller ball stopped on the leg. For the amount of money I paid I expected something of a higher quality but this was incredibly disappointing for so many reasons. Veet have a new stripless wax available which I'm reluctant to try as I wonder if it's the same kind of idea as this one. I definitely won't be buying this one again which is a real shame as I usually rate Veet quite highly.

I'd love to know what you think of this or if you've had a similar experience, let me know in the comments below. x

Veet Hair Minimising Moisturiser For Sensitive Skin 250ml review

I bought the Veet Hair Minimising Moisturiser For Sensitive Skin 250ml a while ago and have yet to finish the bottle. I decided to revisit this moisturiser and finally finish it, partly because it's taking up space and partly because I don't intend to replace it.

I was sceptical of the Veet Hair Minimising Moisturiser For Sensitive Skin for a couple of reasons. As a company Veet promises to offer a full money back guarantee if the product doesn't work. That in itself is a strong claim that gave me confidence in the product. I do not doubt that Veet would have remained true to their word in their claim but it is a confident approach nonetheless. Secondly, the moisturiser has reportedly been 'designed to noticeably slow down hair regrowth, prolonging that silky smooth feeling so you can remove hair less often.' The statistics that I read on one website noted that 82% of 300 women who tested the product out over a period of four weeks found a noticeable difference in the appearance of their leg or body hair.

The moisturiser is available to target a variety of different needs from sensitive skin to hair minimising to normal to dry skin. Usually my preference for moisturisers would sway towards normal to dry as my legs are often dry from excessive shaving. I decided to try the sensitive moisturiser instead but in hindsight I think the normal to dry may have been better for me.

Retailing at around £3.99 depending on the retailer it wasn't overly priced if I found it in fact didn't work. As I say I've had the Veet Hair Minimising Moisturiser For Sensitive Skin for a while now and have yet to finish the bottle. Despite shaking the moisturiser vigorously it doesn't improve the consistency of the formula. It is an incredibly running moisturiser that literally runs down the legs. It can prove quite messy and has actually dripped onto my carpet several times. As there's no bleach or ammonia in the formula it's perfectly safe if it does drip onto fabric as it won't stain. It's taken me a while to use the Veet Hair Minimising Moisturiser For Sensitive Skin because it's so light and runny. I prefer my moisturisers to be thicker and really sink into the skin.

Yet despite how light the formula is it still takes a while to sink into the skin. I've found that I can't get dressed immediately and have to wait until it is completely dry before getting dressed. Veet are renowned for their waxing products but it doesn't specify if any particular form of hair removal works best in conjunction with this moisturiser. I've tried almost everything when it comes to hair removal but prefer shaving purely for convenience. As I'm dark haired I have to shave a lot which of course causes irritation to the skin. I recently purchased an electric shaver to reduce skin irritation which works well until the blades are blunted and clogged. Electric shaver's take a lot longer to clean and maintain than disposable razors and I'm not entirely sure I clean mine properly. Having switched to an electric shaver I found that I would have to shave every couple of days which of course only aggravates the skin. Since using the Veet Hair Minimising Moisturiser For Sensitive Skin I've found a noticeable difference in how often I have to remove the hair. I apply the moisturiser straight after shaving to allow the moisturiser to work straight away and apply every night there after until I need to shave again. I can't say that it's lightened or softened the hairs but it does stunt hair re-growth which means I don't have to shave nearly as often as I used to.

Veet Hair Minimising Moisturiser For Sensitive Skin does exactly what it says on the bottle, the only downside for me is how runny it is. I would prefer it if the moisturiser was thicker but I honestly think it works.