Haul from Boots - Botanics, Original Beauty Formula, No7

Boots was having a buy-2-get-1-free promotion when I was in Phuket, and not having Boots over here, I hauled :S. They have three ranges, the Original Beauty Formula (aromatheraphy), No. 7, and Botanics (part organic).

Boots Original Beauty Formula (aromatheraphy)

I got the Lemon Body Wash, Bergamont and Clary Sage Bath Foam, and the Geranium Cleansing Milk. Except for the Lemon Body Wash, the other two came in glass bottles which I love!

I didn't like the Lemon Body Wash at all. I could hardly smell the lemon essential oil in it. Instead, there is a very strong scent, of oil and glycerin I assume, somewhat akin to the original Pears soap.


The Bergamont and Clary Sage Bath Foam is much better in terms of fragrance. It has a warm spicy scent from the cardamom seed oil and also contains rose and neroli oil. Although glass bottles are not particularly safe especially in wet hands, it looks pretty, very much like a hard liquor bottle. I use it as a showel gel although it is meant to be used as a bubble bath.


The Geranium Cleansing Milk is a rather light lotion. They have a heavier rose-scented cold cream which I did not get. The cleansing milk contains olive oil and cocoa seed butter, has a lovely geranium scent, and is good for removing simple makeup.


Boots No7

From the No7 range, I got the Gentle Foaming Mousse, the Cleansing Balm, and the Sauna Mask.

The Gentle Foaming Mousse contains fruit acids (sugar cane and sugar maple) for light exfoliation. It also contains glycerin and orange flower extract for hydration. This dispenses pre-foamed. The foam is rather light and although it contains fruit acids, it does not in any way leave my skin dry or taut. If you are familiar with organic cleansers which leave a comfortable film on your face, this is what this cleanser is like.


Like the Gentle Foaming Mousse, the Cleansing Balm also contains fruit acids (sugar cane and sugar maple) to gently exfoliate the skin. Other skin whitening ingredients and antioxidants in the cleansing balm are vitmain C, lemon peel, orange flower, bilberry and ginseng extract.


The Sauna Mask is a thick greyish-white cream that contains zeolite which heats up upon contact with water. This supposedly opens up the pores for a thorough cleansing. There are extremely fine pumice particles in the cream, hence it doubles up as a scrub mask. What I didn't like about it is that it leaves an oil slick on my face which cannot be rid with water. Therefore, I need to use a cleansing foam or gel after and not before using this mask. Moreover, the heat lasts for only about five seconds, which I feel is too short a time for it to perform as well as it should.


Boots The Power of Plants Botanics

I'm a sucker for skincare with loads of plant extracts and being organic is a bonus, provided the efficacy of the product is not compromised. I got nine items from this range, but paid for only six due to the buy-2-get-1-free promotion.

The Whitening Deep Cleansing Wash contains olive oil to dissolve dirt and makeup, licorice extract and vitamin C to whiten, and ginseng extract to protect the skin.

They have three different scents for the Moisturising Oil Cleanser - rose, green tea and jasmine. The oil cleanser contains mineral oil, in addition to sunflower oil, jojoba oil and olive oil. It is an emulsifiying oil, which makes it good for removing waterproof makeup, as well as for deep cleansing.


A third cleansing milk that I got was the Skin Brightening Cleanser. This is an olive oil based cleanser, and contains fruit acids, lemon peel and orange flower extracts to brighten the skin.


I could not resist getting two bottles of the Rosewater Toner. Compared to the one that I have been getting from Perfect Potion, this is so much cheaper ($8 after discount), 50% more in quantity, and is similarly organic. Unlike the ones you can get from pharmacies here, this has no added color or artificial fragrance.


The Whitening Hydrating Mask is what got me looking at and wanting to buy products from this range. A hydrating and non-drying mask, this has pieces of jasmine petals in it which makes it look so pretty! It contains glycerin and honey to hydrate, vitamin C and liquorice to whiten, jasmine and alfafa extract to aid collagen synthesis. Not to mention it smells heavenly!


The moisturising Body Lotion is also organic. It contains loads of nourishing oils and butters - olive, jojoba, avocado and shea. It smells predominantly of geranium, although it does have bergamont and rose oil in it.


The final product I got was the Overnight Foot Rescue Cream. A rather small container but a rich hydrating cream containing olive oil, grape oil, shea and cocoa butters. It also contains sugarcane and sugar maple extract to exfoliate. It smells refreshingly of peppermint oil.