Products I Dislike

I did not intend for this post to be such a negative one but I think it's a nice change from constantly posting "good"reviews all the time. And as I've mentioned in my disclaimer, the opinions that I expressed here are 100% my own. This post is no exception. However, to make this post less depressing, I will refrain from using the word "hate".

Products I Dislike (in no particular order) 

1. Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub  
This product was (almost) an absolute waste of money for me. It does nothing for my pores; my blackheads remained perfectly intact even after several washes. The microbeads are way too abrasive for my liking; this scrub is anything but gentle.

2. Bourjois Smoky Eyes Palette
I know a lot of people love their palettes but I don't. I can only describe the eyeshadows as "super dry". No matter what brush I use, it's very hard to pick up any product and it's also very difficult to apply on my lids. I used the sponge tips provided and most of the eyeshadow are just stuck to it. When I tried swatching the product with my fingers, it's hypo-pigmented. 

3. Lancome Juicy Tubes
Lancome products in general are of high quality and standard. This lip gloss is very pigmented. Unforunately, it's very sticky and goopey. Whenever the wind blows and strands of my hair land smack into it, I literally have to peel my hair off the gloss. 

4. Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream
I know I've featured this product in my Battle of the Hand Creams post. If you can recall, I've listed this as my least favourite hand cream. It is on my dislike list purely because I am "allergic" to its fragrance. Everytime, the scent hits my nose, I sneeze.

The next one may come as a shock to some of you. 

5. Lucas' Papaw Ointment
An Australian cult product, this was a favourite of mine for nearly a year. Then my lips started peeling and it would not stop. Every time I applied this product, it would temporarily seal the epidermis. A new layer would form and then peel again. I finally stopped using this product and switched to a Burt's Bees lip balm. The peeling stopped. That's when I knew it was no good for me. It's very sad. I very much wanted to continue loving this product but unfortunately, it's not for me.

Have you ever had similar experiences? What products don't work for you?

Wicked Wednesday: Battle of the Hand Creams

Spring may be only three weeks away but this does not mean that the weather stops being cold and drying. I still find myself reaching for my tube of hand cream as many times as I normally do in a day during mid-winter. If you haven't been using hand cream, it's never too late to invest in one. You will need it a lot if you work in an environment where the air-conditioning/heater is drying or if it involves you washing your hands countless times in a day. I've put together a list of hand creams that I have tried; they are arranged from my least favourite to the most.

Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream

Claims: Soften hands; minimises age spots; and strengthens nails

Retail: AUD$40 for 100mL

Packaging: 4 out of 5

Review: I was given a 50mL tube of this product by a friend. I was really keen to try it out until I opened up the tube. It had a strong fragrance that is typcial of body/hand creams and it made me sneeze. I am not a fan of products with artificial (added) fragrances because they either irritate my nose or gives me headaches. That aside, I think this hand cream keeps my hands from drying up for half the day before I have to reapply. I do have spots/pigments on my hands but I don't think I've used this cream consistently enough to see any improvements. The cream is smooth and easy to spread but it takes a while to absorb into the skin.

Clinique Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream

Claims: 12-hour hydration; strengthens moisture barrier against environmental stressors; and conditions cuticles and nails.

Retail: AUD$32 for 75mL 

Packaging: 3.5 out of 5 

Review: I got the sample version of this hand cream as a gift from another friend (people seem to love giving me hand creams, don't they?). What I really liked about this hand cream was that it's fragrance-free, plus it's allergy-tested. I found that it makes my hands smooth and soft immediately after application, which I really liked. The downside of this product is that I found myself reapplying it every couple of hours. Perhaps it was because it was a particularly dry and cold winter. So for me, the "staying power" was poor. Other than that, I was happy with it.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Hand Cream SPF 15

Claims: Contains all the goodness of the original cocoa butter formula for your hands with sun protection.

Retail: AUD$4.20 for 60g

Packaging: 4.5 out of 5 

Review: I'm using this hand cream currently. What I really like about it is that it contains SPF. We often neglect our hands when it comes to protecting them from the deadly UV rays of the sun. The hands often age the fastest, apart from our faces and necks because they are exposed most of the time. It has a scent (which I believe originates from the cocoa butter) but it isn't foul, just tolerable. The cream is thick and harder to spread but I think you need no use as much per application compared to other hand creams. Because it is so "solid", it feels like it takes a while to absorb into the skin. I apply this very early in the morning before I head out the door and it lasts me till the evening.

L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream

Claims: Helps heal and protect dry or dehydrated skin; anti-oxidizing vitamin E helps nourish hands.

Retail: AUD$12 / AUD$39  for 30mL / 150mL

Packaging: 4.5 out of 5

Review: I love this little tube of heaven! I've only tried it a few times (whenever my mum lends hers to me) but I just know that it's the perfect hand cream for me. It has a lovely subtle scent and the perfect consistency: not too thick and not too fluid. All you need is a very tiny amount and it moisturizes your hands immediately and effectively. My skin feels smooth and amazing, like it has just returned from a day spa! It also lasts most of the day. I'm hoping to get my hands on one of these once I empty my Palmer's hand cream! 

I hope this post has given you an idea on what to look out for if you're shopping for a hand cream. If you already have/use hand creams, what's your favourite? Do share by commenting below.