Carol Priest Skincare Range

Where I got it: I was sent these products for review from Carol Priest (thank you). You can purchase her range of products from their website or from a list of distributors overseas.

What I got: The products sent to me were suitable for my skin type (combination/normal during winter) and the products that I am interested in. I have the Blue Chamomile Facial Wash Cream, Jasmine Toner, Neroli Facial Massage Wax, Marshmallow Root Day Moisture Cream, Neroli Aurantium Night Balm – INTENSE, Green Clay Mask With Fresh Herbs, Damask Rose Hand & Body Cream.

How I find it:

Blue Chamomile Facial Wash Cream 50g/$31.70, 100g/$55.70 For normal to oily & problem skin types. A pure plant facial cleansing wash. Contains the deep azure blue pure essential oil of german chamomile selected for its high percentage of chama-azulene which has excellent skin care properties. Contains additional beneficial herbal oils such as roman chamomile, styrax benzoin gum and allantoin to assist problem skins. Contains Grape Seed Oil, Matricaria Flower Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Rosemary Leaf Extract. Remove makeup, warm up the face with a warm compress, then apply cleanser and massage with some water. Remove of warm damp cloth, then rinse. Finish with cold compress. This cream cleanser is really gentle and smells really nice as well. I cannot pin-point the scent, but it has a really soft scent that is not overpowering. I would remove all my makeup with a cleansing oil first, the apply this on wet skin during the night, dry skin during the day. I use a spatula to scoop the product out,  massage onto my skin and wipe off with my damp Pai Muslin cloth, then rinse off with warm water. Cleanses gently without leaving a greasy film on the skin.

Jasmine Toner 100ml/$44.00 For normal to oily skin types. Jasmine is an evergreen, fragile, climbing shrub. It grows up to 10 meters high, has dark green leaves and small white star-shaped flowers. These flowers are picked at night, when their aroma is most intense. The therapeutic properties of jasmine oil are anti-depressant, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, anti-spasmodic, expectorant, parturient, sedative and uterine. It is very valuable in cases of severe depression, soothing the nerves, producing a feeling of confidence, optimism and euphoria, while revitalizing and restoring energy. Contains Pure New Zealand Distilled Water and Jasmine Oil. Apply after cleansing, day and night. After cleansing, I pat dry my face with a wringed out muslin cloth then use about 4-5 spritz of this all over my face. The mist is really fine and the toner is absorbed really fast. It calms my skin and prepares it for moisturiser! However, I do not enjoy the jasmine scent too much, it is good that it is more of a light mist than a heavier cream.

Neroli Facial Massage Wax 25g/$28.30 For all skin types. Contains pure essential oil of Citrus aurantium dulcis ( Sweet orange blossom) used for its antiseptic and stimulating properties and its warm sweet floral fragrance. Contains Sweet Almond Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Calendula Flower Extract, Beeswax, Coconut Oil, Orange Flower Oil, Shea Butter, Vitamin E Oil. Massage with circular movements until well absorbed. At night, after the toner, I would apply this massage wax all over my face. The neroli scent is absolutely beautiful but the down side is that it is quite hard to get the product out. It is a hard wax texture and I had to warm up my fingertips and swirl a number of times to get a tiny bit to smear on my face. I started to use a small spatula to scrap the wax out which is much more efficient, but I would suggest the packaging to be improved. Nevertheless, the product in the tub is simply divine. The wax turns into a soft oil/balm on the skin and melts into the skin – not greasy or sticky, it seems to provide a barrier to the skin and provides deep down moisture. I love combining this with a bit of massage and relax for a while breathing the neroli scent in. My favourite product in the range.

Marshmallow Root Day Moisture Cream 50g/$73.30 For combination skin types. A light balancing day moisturiser. Contains the marshmallow root herb chosen for its demulcent and soothing qualities. Also contains pure essential oils of Rose Centifolia and Jasmine grasse for their ability to help reduce redness and tone and maintain the skins natural water balance. C ontains water, Apricot Kernel Oil, Avocado Oil, Shea Butter, Evening Primrose Oil, Jasmine Oil, Glyserin , Rosemary Leaf Extract and Rose Centifolia Flower Oil. During the day, after the toner I will use a small amount of this cream on my face and apply a sunscreen on top. The cream is moisturising, but not too thick – great for combination to normal skin. The marshmallow root scent is nothing like marshmallows so don’t be expecting smelling sweet marshmallows! :>

Neroli Aurantium Night Balm – INTENSE 25g/$166.10 For all skin types. A deep acting ultra nourishing and hydrating night intensive treatment emulsion for all skin types. It is a very rich cream balm designed to absorb quickly into the skin leaving it smooth and soft. It contains a rich blend of certified organic jojoba oil, sunflower oil, rosehip seed oil and New Zealand Biogrow certified organic beeswax and genuine neroli absolute; all used for their compatibility, deep penetration and restructuring skin care properties. Absolute Neroli oil has been carefully chosen for its fresh and delicate, yet warm and sweet floral fragrance, and for its cell regenerative properties.  Contains Certified Organic Beeswax, Jojoba and Hazelnut Oil and Pure Neroli Absolute Essential Oil. This balm is thick, I use this after the massage wax at night. I only need a tiny little bit and it goes a long way and keeps my skin moisturised. This can be a little heavy for people with combination oily to oily skin. For me, I think during summer, I might use this every second night or just apply this on my dry areas and leave my T-zone.

Green Clay Mask With Fresh Herbs 50g/$58.60, 100g/$87.90 For all skin types. A deeply purifying and stimulating mask. Freshly cut organic herbs such as chamomile flowers and peppermint leaf which have been blended with herbal oils and New Zealand manuka honey to refresh and tone the pores. We have chosen active green clay which is rich in minerals from Argiletz, France. This works to cleanse, exfoliate, smooth and condition the skin. Contains Sweet Almond Oil, Honey, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Matricaria Flower Extract, Peppermint Leaf Powder, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Spearmint Leaf Oil and Rosemary Leaf Oil. Apply on cleansed skin, leave on 15-20 minutes and remove with warm compress, rinse with warm water and follow with cold compress. This clay mask smells really herbal and the texture is super smooth. It is a little cooling on the skin and it dries down to a soft layer instead of a dry, cracking clay layer. It draws out oil and impurities and is very easy to rinse off. I use a damp wash cloth the remove the mask, then rinse off with warm water. After that, I use a cold splash to help close up my pores.

Damask Rose Hand & Body Cream 50g/$24.40, 100g/$38.60 For all skin types. Jojoba Seed Oil, Shea Butter, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil. Massage into hands and cuticles as a conditioning hand care treatment. This hand and body cream smells amazing and the texture is sooo soft and smooth! The only down side is that it comes in a jar so it is hard to scoop out. However, it feels super nice on the skin and it is absorbed very easily and the scent is really soothing but not overwhelming.

A bunch of samples: Almond & Lemonbalm Facial Scrub, Avocado Fruit Moisture Cream, Jasmine Grandiflorum Facial Lotion, Evening Primrose & Geranium Eye Cream and Lavender & Active Manuka Honey Cleansing Cream. I love the Almond and Lemonbalm facial scrub, it is really a creamy non abrasive scrub with really soft oat-meal like granules to exfoliate your skin. The Avocado Fruit Moisture Cream is a rather thick moisturiser suitable  for sensitive skin and I would say dry skin as well, doesn’t leave skin sticky. The Jasminim Grandiflorum Facial Lotion is fluid moisturiser very suitable for normal, combination and oily skin, it smells like jasmine which is not my favourite scent. The Evening Primrose & Geranium Eye Cream is a thick and moisturising eye cream that you only need to use a tiny little bit all around the eyes, it did take a while to absorb into my eye area. The Lavender & Active Manuka Honey Cleansing Cream is a really nice cleansing cream that feels sooo nice on the skin – I love it! It smells great and it is doesn’t overdry my skin nor does it leave a greasy film on my face.

Overall: The range from Carol Priest is really extensive and there is something suitable for all skin types. The majority of the products are great for dry skin, mature skin and sensitive skin. The organic and natural ingredients in the products are of high quality and are super gentle on the skin. None of the products gave me allergic reaction or breakouts. However, some people might not love the fragrance that is in all of the products just like I don’t prefer the Jasmine scent, but I love the Neroli scent. As for the size of the products, I would say I would run out of the cream cleanser 4 times before I would run out of the night balm or the moisture cream. Another downside is the packaging, I would prefer some products to be in a tube form or a pump form. For example, the cream cleanser would be better if it is not

Disclaimer: I am not paid to do these reviews. All reviews are of my honest and personal opinions.

 

By Kitty Tam