March was a bit of a dud month in terms of the products I finished for review. I don't particularly like writing negative reviews, but I do like reading them as they've saved me from wasting a lot of money over the years. Of course everyone's skin chemistry is different, but I'll just go through my honest opinion of each for you.
Joico K-Pak Moisture Intense Hydrator Treatment* - no repurchase
Let's get the good news out of the way first. It smells nice. Not fabulous, but very sweet and tropical. I've seen this hair treatment raved about all over the interwebs and the mind boggles as to why. I've seen people with much drier hair than mine hail it as a saviour for their locks but if anything, it worsened the condition of my hair. It performed no better than your standard couple of quid conditioner, definitely not worth the approx. £16 price tag. My blogger friend Angel also detested it, so I got back up on this! My advice is save your money for Kerastase.Garnier Pure Active Blackhead Clearing Scrub - no repurchase
This face scrub bored me to tears. It was such a slog to get through. I've got my fair share of blackheads and it did nothing to sort them out. The blue 'scrubby' particles are just too large to be of any consequence. Other than that it was very creamy and not foamy enough to even perform as a decent cleanser. Pass.Natura Bisse The Cure Pure Serum* - maybe repurchase
Natura Bisse is a Spanish skincare line and let me tell you upfront that I've just googled it and found it on sale for over £230. I received this small sample in an event gift bag and didn't touch it for ages, however when I did, it was used religiously every morning given its perfect consistency and texture for under make up. I never realised it was some sort of wonder serum which scores 4.7/5 on Makeup Alley. It contains loads of fancy skincare Science, but I think at the time my skin was thankfully too young for me to notice any major changes.Clinique Sheer City Block SPF 25 - no repurchase
This has been a perennial favourite since my early 20s. I still have one more back tube to power through and then I'm done with this stuff, I just feel I've outgrown it. I'm not entirely convinced by its SPF 25 claim, although it is pretty greasy. A few years ago it was the only tinted moisturiser pale enough for me, but cosmetics companies have woken up to the fact that daywalkers like make up too, so there's a lot more on colour range on the market to choose from now. My current favourite is No7 Triple Protection Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 15, not very greasy but fabulous buildable coverage and a great shade for ginger skin.Clinique Pore Minimizer Refining Serum - no repurchase
This was another Clinique staple until recently, and like the City Block I have another tube to get through even though I'm over it. Stockpiling and buying back ups is a beauty blogger ritual, but I'd advise against it because there are always so many new fabulous products on the market there's just no point. There will always be a hotter, younger product to take your fancy! I would hardly call this stuff 'serum' because once it sinks into skin and dries, it almost has a chalky texture. I find it hard to find an appropriate time to use it on its own because my skin has become less oily than it used to be and so I definitely need some sort of moisture over the top. However, if you struggle with super oily skin, this may work as a good make up primer for you as it's pretty absorptive.GHD Thermal Protector - no repurchase
I received this with my GHDs many moons ago and it was a slog to get through because I didn't really feel it did much to protect my hair, and I am quite naughty in being lazy with heat protectors. The best thing about it is the Gucci Rush scent.Nivea Visage Aqua Sensation Anti Shadow Eye Cream - no repurchase
Forever Amber wrote about it a few years ago raving about it's under-eye-shadow busting properties. It 's a great eye cream for the budget price, and if you're just starting out with skincare I'd highly recommend it. However my eyes need anti-aging and luckily my dark circles aren't too bad. For now.Bio-Oil - maybe repurchase
When I was on the pill a few years ago, its diuretic properties gave me super dry legs so in a bid to relieve the itchy hell I tried out Bio-Oil. It really did the job of reviving my poor parched skin, but it just smells so dang nasty, like some sort of medicated treatment rather than something nice and luxurious to pamper yourself with. Fair enough that it's raison d'etre is to sort out scars and other skin blemishes, but I really think the brand, and if possible, the scent could do with some serious sexing up. An equally nice treatment for super dry skin in Waitrose's Baby Bottom Butter. It's mega cheap, so hydrating and smells far better than Bio-Oil.
