Conversations through the middle

Beauty review – haircare

September 20, 2012

I have been meaning to write about Jo Hansford Illuminoil for a while – I thought I had done already actually, but a look back among the beauty posts and I can’t find it so here goes… (darn you memory).

Illuminoil is for coloured hair, it’s designed to add shine and take away frizz. It smells like pink grapefruit and it has a silky, rather than oily, consistency. One of its plus points is you only need a small amount so the bottle, which is quite big (though I don’t know how big as there’s no weight on it), will last you for ages. I have had my bottle for around two months and I’ve hardly made a dint in the product although I now use it regularly.

Generally, I apply it when I’ve just washed my hair, before it dries, but I have also used it on dry hair to smooth frizz and flyaways after styling. Reading the bottle you can also use it as an overnight flaky scalp treatment, or as an intensive booster after shampooing and before conditioning – apply to ends of hair and leave for up to 10 minutes, rinse off then condition. Who knew?

As for ingredients, it contains sweet almond, argan, jojoba, karanja and pomegranate oils – but no grapefruit.

Celebrity colourist and guru of all things hair colour, Jo says: “I created Illuminoil for all hair types, harnessing the healing power of the world’s most exotic and precious oils.” She adds that the oils “combine in this unique formulation to hydrate and nourish your hair, leaving it glossy and radiant”.

Find out more here.

Food love – Flavrbox review

September 19, 2012

I’m delighted to have received a foodie gift from hamper supplier Flavrbox. The company is new and run by a group of people who love what they do and strive to offer customers something different to tickle their taste buds, searching out quality foods from niche producers, artisans, independents and small farmers around the world.

My box contained a marshmallow lolly, made by Jackie and Cordie from Bonny’s Confectionery and, as I’m sure you can guess, it got the thumbs up from my daughter, who at 11 years old is a bit of a marshmallow connoisseur. There’s also a marshmallow hot drink dipper, but I’ve hidden that from her so I can try it (don’t tell her).

The crispbread from Peter’s Yard is lovely. More a cracker than a crispbread, it’s very malty, very crunchy and goes great with cheese. Of the two savoury relishes the wasabi mustard from The Relish in Spice Company is good, but could do with a much bigger kick I think (I’m a bit of a spice head), while the chilli bacon jam by London restaurant Eat 17 I have yet to try. To be honest I think I will pass on that one and get my OH to sample it – I don’t know, call me a wuss, but the thought of meat in relish doesn’t do it for me.

We’ve also got a vegetable paella and elderflower rice pudding from Gusto Secco to look forward to – and I’ll let you know how they are once I’ve cooked and eaten them!

Find Flavrbox at flavrbox.com

Beauty review: Pond’s beauty creams

September 18, 2012

Lovers of the iconic Pond’s Cold Cream may be interested to learn it has been relaunched.

Ponds, which has been in the business of beauty for many years, has revamped the product for a new and – I think – younger audience, presenting it in blush pink packaging designed to appeal to contemporary users.

The cold cream is billed as a cleanser, though I recall women using it as a moisturiser; then again the press release states it can be applied as a face mask or used as hand cream, which fits.

It has a thick, rich texture, which seems to sit on the skin rather than fully absorb, the fragrance is pleasant if not the one I remember and it’s even supposed to remove mascara! I will be giving that a try. It is suitable for all skin types and you can find more information here.

I didn’t realise that as well as Cold Cream, Pond’s also offers moisturisers for different skin types: Triple Action Moisturiser is designed for mature skin and contains vitamins A and E, and glycolic acid, while Nourishing Anti-Wrinkle Cream is formulated for dry skin, with vitamin B3 and white tea extract as well as an SPF of 15.

There’s also Hydronourishing cream for normal to dry skin, which I have a sample of. I haven’t used it on my face yet so I can’t say if it does “increase the skin’s elasticity for a smooth, supple complexion”, as the press release states, but I can say it’s light, sinks into the skin easily and doesn’t leave a greasy residue. I don’t really like the fragrance of this – it is too detergenty for me – but on the plus side it contains nourishing evening primrose oil.

New formulations and nostalgia

September 18, 2012

You know how some smells have the power to transport you to another place and time, well I thought that was going to happen to me this morning as I opened up a box of Pond’s Cold Cream.

In its iconic shaped glass jar, I remember it gracing the sideboard of a very dear friend, who at that time must have been in her sixties, compared to my youthful eight years or so.

I felt quite emotional as I removed the packaging, knowing I was about to live again in my mind, those far off days of childhood. I didn’t. It didn’t happen because they have changed it.

True I can still just about sense the original fragrance if I sniff long and hard enough, but that entails holding my breath, which cannot be carried on for any length of time, obviously.

It’s a relaunch of the classic cream and, as with so many things in life that are re-presented for newer times and consumers, it has been fiddled with. Whatever happened to the old adage ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’?

There’s always this striving to improve, which in some cases doesn’t work. For me, one such example is the cold cream. Or am I showing my age? Time doesn’t stand still and no matter what gorgeous memories we hold inside, would we really wish to be back in the past? It’s a hard question to answer.

I would love to go back and scoop up my most treasured memories and people, and bring them back to the present, to meet and live with those I love now. Nostalgia is a powerful state of mind.

What about you?