The London Oil Company

I was recently sent a selection of oils from The London Oil Company, a small Artisan business based in London (obviously, the clue was in the name), specialising in hand-blended face, body and bath oils.

Using only plant-based oils and essential oils, free-from alcohol, parabens and other synthetic preservatives, instead using natural source vitamin E to help extend the products shelf-life.

I was sent three of their products to sample. Morning Glory Body Oil, Sleep Head Bath Oil and After Hours Massage Oil.

Body oils, which I've mentioned before, are my personal favourite method of moisturising the body. Particularly for guys with body hair. I've been using Morning Glory (love the cheeky name), on wet skin, after my morning shower. It contains a blend of sweet almond oil, cherry kernel oil, avocado oil and fragranced with lemongrass, rosemary and coffee essential oils. I'm a big fan of lemongrass, so I absolutely love this. It absorbs really and the subtle fragrance stays on the skin, without interfering with any additional fragrances you layer over the top. Morning Glory Body Oil retails at £16 for 100ml.

Sleepy Head Bath Oil is a blend of sweet almond oil, lavender and patchouli essential oils. Sleepy Head is also available as a body oil. The difference with the bath oil it has a much higher concentration of essential oils, therefore best suited for the bath, rather than directly applied to the skin.

I'll be honest, although I loved the scent, I was a little disappointed by this product. When I think of bath oils, I think of an oil that dispersers in water, often emulsifying turning the water slightly milky as it gives of it's aroma. Sleepy Head is a bath oil in the sense that it's an oil, that you add to the bath, but I'd describe it more of a carrier oil with essential oils. You still get the aromatherapy aspect, but without the bathing experience I've had with other bath oils. Instead I found myself either adding this in addition to other bathing products OR adding a few drops to a bowl / basin on hot water and inhaling the aroma. Which admittedly was still rather relaxing. Sleep Head Bath Oil retails at £30 for 100ml.

After Hours Massage Oil is a blend of sweet almond oil, cherry kernel oil, macadamia nut oil, plum kernel oil, jojoba oil and ylang ylang, sweet orange, patchouli, coffee, cedarwood, jasmine and rosemary essential oils. Although this is called a 'Massage Oil', I've still been using it as a body oil, generally after my evening bath or shower. Just like Morning Glory it absorbs really well, without any greasy residue and has a lovely and calming aroma to it. If you love musky floral scents (which I do), then you'll love this. After Hours Massage Oil retails at £24 for 100ml.

Overall I really like the range and I love the cute but simple apothecary style bottles. If you're a fan of all-natural, aromatherapy oils, then definitely give The London Oil Company a try.

Pampered Prince

*PR Samples

Bodhi Jasmine Falls

A couple of months ago I wrote about Bodhi Pep Noir and as promised, albeit a little late, I'm back to review the Bodhi Jasmine Falls 'relaxing bath & shower therapy'. 

For me, Jasmine Falls is the Yin, to Pep Noir's Yang. While Pep Noir is very stimulating and energising, perfect for perking you up in the morning. Jasmine Falls is relaxing, with almost sedative properties, so perfect for your evening shower or bath.

Jasmine Falls has top notes of Red Mandarin. At the heart of the fragrance is Jasmine Absolute, Lavender and Ylang-Ylang and base note of Vetyver. All working together to create this calming, relaxing scent to help you de-stress and unwind in the evenings.

For me the Jasmine Absolute is most definitely the alpha-scent. Not surprisingly really. It is called Jasmine Falls after all!

As with all Bodhi bath & shower therapies, it contains only naturally-derived foaming agents and is jam-packed with essential oils (therefore not suitable for pregnant ladies). It's also super-concentrated so only a small amount it needed. They have a 6 month once-opened shelf life to them and I'm a little worried I won't finish the bottle in time! They also contain lactic acid, an AHA, to help keep skin smooth.

Retailing at £23 for 250ml (OR £25 with a matching 40ml body moisturiser, as I purchased), which sounds a lot for a shower product but anyone who's tried Bodhi understands the value for money! I recently used a shower gel from a premium brand (I won't name which one), which charge around £20 for the equivalent size, for a SLS-based body wash with synthetic fragrance. When you put it into perspective like that, £23 for a high-quality bath & shower product with natural (more expensive) foaming agents and real, high potency essential oils. Well, you can understand exactly why I love Bodhi so much!

Available from bodhi.uk.com.

Pampered Prince

Skincare A to Z Series: J is for...

Just when I thought I was doing so well. I managed to get to 'I' with all 3 paragraphs in-tact. I couldn't however find a skin component or function that began with 'J'. I also struggled with the skin condition, so had to use a bit of 'artist licence' for that one! You'll see what I mean in a second.

Also, more surprisingly, I didn't have that many 'J' ingredients to chose from either.

Skin Condition / Issue

J is for Jowls - OK, so not exactly a skin condition BUT it is an area of the face which needs specific skincare attention. As we age the muscles in the lower part of the face lose tone, giving us an appearance of a 'double chin' and jowls. To keep this area looking toned, you can opt for targeted neck and throat treatments. Also regular facial massage will help, like a workout for the face!

Skincare Ingredients 

J is for Jojoba Oil - Derived from jojoba seeds, jojoba oil reduces transepidermal water loss, making the skin soft and supple. It's often thought that jojoba oil is closest to that of our natural sebum, however laboratory studies indicate slight-to-moderate comedogenicity (pore blocking) depending on the potency of the oil.

J is for Juniper Oil - Holds antiseptic, astringent, cleansing and toning properties and is considered a good treatment for acne and beneficial for oily skins.

J is for Jasmine Extract - A fragrance, which also contains moisturising and soothing properties. Some varieties of jasmine species are said to stimulate the fibroblast and increase the epidermal cell turnover. However this is difficult to prove.

Which 'J' ingredients would you have chosen?

Pampered Prince

Ultrasun SPF30 - Family Formula

I recently wrote about the Ultrasun SPF50+ Face. Well, the Ultrasun SPF30 is what I use on my body. It works exactly the same as the Ultrasun SPF50+ Face, in that it's applied to clean, dry skin AND  remains photo-stable for 8 hours, provides all-day protection. The only differences being a) this is SPF30 instead of SPF50+, although the UVA protection is the same (remember SPF relates to UVB protection) AND b) this doesn't contain the anti-ageing ingredient ECTOIN or the free-radical scavenger SOD. It is however still suitable for both face and body.

Ingredients wise this differs slightly in that it contains some mineral oil. It's right at the end, so you're looking at less than 5%, but if you chose to avoid this ingredient all together then you'd be better off stepping up to the SPF50+ (which is free-from oils and also available without the anti-ageing ingredients and bigger size for face and body application). Personally, I'm not exactly a lover of mineral oil (understatement), but at <5% I can tolerate it. Although with such small amounts, I do question why it can't be removed altogether?

Two reasons I do love this product though. Firstly, unlike a lot of sunscreens, this feels completely matte on the skin, to the point you forget you have anything on AND secondly, unlike a lot of sunscreens, it doesn't need reapplying (unless you're in extreme temperatures and / or out for longer than 8 hours). Plus I'm getting both UVA and UVB protection.

As mentioned, it is suitable for both face and body. For face, if the small amount of mineral oil is an issue, then definitely opt for the SPF50+ version (which I'll cover in a separate post). If you like the idea of an all-in-one for the face, without using separate anti-ageing serums / moisturisers then opt for the SPF50+ Face. 

If however, you like value for money and if like me, you follow up with up your usual anti-ageing serums etc anyway, then opt for either this or the SPF50+ version, as you're really not going to miss out on the anti-ageing ingredients from the face version, which is considerable more expensive ml for ml. 

Retailing at £25 for 150ml, which may sound a lot for a sunscreen but remember you only need to apply once a day, so it's more economical than sunscreens that need reapplying every 2 hours. Also, check QVC for the best deals, as you can always pick it up cheaper on there.

Pampered Prince

Bodhi Spa Soirée

Last Thursday evening I had the honour and great pleasure in attending the first Bodhi Spa Soirée. An evening hosted by founder of Bodhi and all-round great guy, Elijah Choo.

Those of you who read my blog regularly will know I'm a huge fan of the Bodhi bath & shower therapies. More recently Bodhi have launched two new massage and body oils in their body care line, plus two facial oils (one of which I've been testing for a while now and LOVE), as part of Bodhi's Artisan skincare line. The evening was to showcase these amazing products, plus some of the wonderful new products that Bodhi are yet to release, but will be coming very soon!

Not only did we get a feel for the products scents and textures (some of which I'll come to on to shortly), but we also had the opportunity to experience them first-hand as part of a spa treatment. I've said this before, but I will say it again, if there were ever a range of products PERFECT for spa treatments, it's Bodhi! So having the chance to experience a Bodhi spa treatment was simply amazing.

There were 6 treatments to chose from, each designed around a different Bodhi product. Including a Flora Paradiso De-Stress Massage, Ginger Brew Deep Tissue Massage, Desert Rose Rejuvenating Facial Massage, Neroli Lucé Revitalising Facial Massage, Rosemary Chi Himalayan Detox Body Scrub Treatment and Mint Thé Temple Awakening Treatment.

Being a facial-junkie, I opted for the Neroli Lucé Revitalising Facial (although I could have happily had all six). The treatment started with one of Elijah's speciality teas, called Blue Sky (a blend of black tea, pink grapefruit, and blue cornflower), to enhance the 'Revitalising' aspect of the treatment. I absolutely LOVE Elijah's attention to detail, with him choosing a different tea to compliment each treatment. Genius.

The facial itself was most definitely 'Revitalising'. Performed by facialist Jess (from Spoitface, as pictured with me glowing after my treatment), the treatment included a double cleanse (one of which was using a brand new, under-wraps Bodhi product) and a rather invigorating facial massage using the Neroli Lucé face oil, to really get the blood circulation moving, assist lymphatic draining and aid product absorption.

After my treatment I had the opportunity to chat to some of the other guests and sample (play) with the new products, that are yet to be released. Including the new Mint Thé Temple Balm, designed to relieve tension headaches and minor muscular aches and pains. Plus the new Cacao Cocoon Lip Treatment Balm, to protect, repair and nourish the lips. It's also 100% edible! I definitely can't wait for that one to be released.

To top the evening off Elijah presented us with goodie bags containing three of his brand new products. Flora Paradiso De-Stress Massage & Body Oil and Ginger Brew Deep Tissue Massage & Body Oil. Both of which are available now (from Bodhi) and as the name suggests, can be used as massage oil or nourishing body oils e.g. after shower or bath. Flora Paradiso is a gorgeous floral scented, which is very calming. If you're a fan of Bodhi Ylang-Ylang Incensa, then I reckon you'd love this. Ginger Brew, in comparison, is a rather potent and punchy fragrance, designed to relieve aching muscles. I absolutely adore it but I'd imagine, as with the taste of ginger, this will be quite an acquired scent. The third product in my bag was the Rosemary Chi Himalayan Detox Salt Scrub, which was definitely the star of the evening as far as treatments were involved, with many people choosing that option and every one of them practically floated out of the treatment room! Sadly, this won't be available to buy until June, along with both the Mint Thé Temple Balm and Cacao Cocoon Lip Treatment Balm. I will of course be back with my reviews on the salt scrub and both body oils soon, once I've had chance to use them.

I had such an amazing evening and I'm so pleased I could be a part of it. So I'd like to say a HUGE thank you to Elijah and all of the Bodhi team for inviting me along.

Pampered Prince

Molton Brown Sport: 4-in-1 Sportswash

I recently had the opportunity to test the new Molton Brown 4-in-1 Sportswash prior to it's release on May 16th. It's one product of three from the new Molton Brown Sport range. Other products include a Body-Warming Sportbalm and an Anti-Perspirant Sportstick.

Considering I'm big on supporting British beauty brands, this is actually the first product from Molton Brown that I've used (that I can remember), so can't compare it to any of their other ranges.

Multi-taskers are definitely popular amongst men's ranges, catering to the 'wash & go' approach that most men take for skincare and grooming. The Sportswash promises to be an all-in-one performance product, offering 4-in-1 for body, face, hair and shave.

Firstly let me start by saying I'll be judging this purely as a body wash. It's SLS-based, therefore not something I would personally choose to wash my face with. I don't have any hair, so can't comment on it's performance as a shampoo AND despite my best efforts, I was unable to get it to lather up enough to resemble a foam rich enough to shave in. At least not that I'd be happy to use on my shave-rash prone skin.

As a body wash, it performed OK. Used with a shower-scrunchy it foamed up well and little product was needed for a thorough wash. I found it to have quite a synthetic fragrance though. Almost that generic 'men's shower gel' scent you get with cheaper brands. Coupled with the synthetic foaming agents, it's not something I would expect from a £16 shower gel.

I didn't personally enjoy using this product, however It doesn't mean you won't. Fans of Molton Brown may really like this. Men who prefer a foaming face wash and only need a light shaving foam, may appreciate more of the benefits from this 4-in-1 product than I did.

Available from May 16th at moltonbrown.co.uk and retails at £16 for 200ml.

Pampered Prince

*PR Sample

Skincare A to Z Series: I is for...

Wow 'I' has been tough! Not only did I struggle to find a skin function beginning with 'I' but the ingredients were pretty tough too! In fact, scrap that. The ingredients themselves were absolutely fine. Creating a meaningful image with the ingredients was the hard bit! (They're soy beans in case you were wondering, a rich source of Isoflavones). Certainly not as easy as 'H is for Honey' that's for sure!! 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy all the same.

Skin Component / Function

I is for Intercellular Matrix - Is the skins first line of defence and the mortar that holds layers of cells together. It keeps bacteria out, prevents moisture-loss and keeps the skins surface smooth. If the skins intercellular matrix is disturbed or impaired, the skin can become dry, flaky and irritated.

Skin Condition

I is for Impetigo - A contagious, inflammatory bacterial disease. Caused by streptococcal and staphylococcal bacteria. It's commonly seen on the face and around the ears, featuring weeping blisters which dry to form honey coloured crusts. The bacteria is easily transferred via fingernails and towels.

Skincare Ingredients

I is for Idebenone - An anti-oxidant capable of protecting the skin from a variety of free-radical attacks. It's a synthetic form of coenzyme Q10, with a smaller molecular structure so has the ability to penetrate the skin and cellular membrane. It's clinically proven to improve the signs of photodamaged skin and increase hydration.

I is for Isoflavones - Phytoestrogens related to flavonoids, with an anti-ageing ability to inhibit the chemical process leading to degradation of collagen in the skin. Some sources also contains anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. 

I is for Isotretinoin - A retinoid (vitamin A) derivative with improved bioavailability and percutaneous absorption. Shown to regulate oil-production and is used in anti-acne treatments.

Which 'I' ingredients would you have chosen?

Pampered Prince