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Anyone who has struggled with ingrown hairs or dry, scaly skin knows how wonderful a good exfoliation session, followed by a hot date with a good moisturiser, can be. These gloves, which are soft and light, are perfect for the job. With both hands gloved, it speeds up the process of sloughing off the dead cells that dull your skin. A little squirt of shower gel means cleansing and exfoliating happen together. They are easy to apply, rinse completely clean, and dry quickly when hung up. I can also see them being really hand-y (see what I did there?!) for scrubbing the shower. Great product, especially made with 100% recycled polyester, which may be further recyclable through soft-plastics recycling programs like the much-missed RedCycle.

This soft, squishy little pad fits nicely into the palm of the hand, with a strap to keep it securely in your grasp. The towelling side is very soft, and is suitable for the whole body. The exfoliating side (yay for recycled materials!) is soft and not overly scratchy, but does exactly what it should. Go lightly, though, or your skin won't like you very much for the trauma. The sponge layer between the two contrasting materials holds water and your cleansing product of choice very well. I found myself unintentionally using more shower gel than I usually do. It took a lot longer to rinse clean than my usual shower puff, and I do wonder about the amount of bacteria etc reproducing in the sponge, even when it's clean on the surface. Is it a good product? Yes! Would I recommend it? Yes! Would I repurchase? Probably not. The sponge means it would need to be replaced frequently (at least monthly, if not weekly) for infection control reasons, and $14.99 is more than I'm prepared to pay for a consumable like this.

I've been a shaver (legs, armpits and occasionally the old lady garden) for decades. Over the years, I've tried depilatory creams, waxing, sugaring, threading, IPL, and older versions of this style of product. Brows? Threading wins for me. Legs & pits? I'm sticking with shaving in the shower while I condition my hair. I so wanted to love Manicare's Crystal Hair Remover (CHR). Their crystal nail files are truly wonderful, and the idea of having one product with no blades to be replaced pleases this planet-lover. Unfortunately, the benefits of this beautifully-designed product that feels so satisfying in my hand are outweighed for me by the drawbacks. "Store in the packaging provided", it says on the box. Well, you have to store it *in* something, because it'll scratch any surface you place it on with the crystal side down. The "packaging provided" is literally the cardboard box it comes in, and I could never get the box closed again. For those planning on using one long-term, invest in a little tray or pretty box specifically for safely stowing your CHR. The product itself is durable and will long outlive its recyclable cardboard housing. Let's be real. Many of us don't remove our body hair regularly, only shaving legs etc if they're going to be exposed, or we're looking forward to a bit of skin-to-skin with a special person. I have ADHD, 2 high-needs kids, a job, and very little spare time in my day. When I shave, it's because I have a few extra minutes, and plan on wearing something that exposes my saggy, varicose-veiny legs, or the kids are going to their dad's for the weekend and I'm looking forward to special cuddles with my partner. The CHR takes time and preparation. It's recommended that you exfoliate the day before. Um, no. My brain doesn't work like that. I know myself well enough to not commit to any process that needs me to remember to prep the day beforehand. The process of literally scrubbing the hair from your skin, and quite a lot of epidermis from the areas concerned, *is* exfoliation and my skin really didn't like the back-to-back mechanical exfoliation. Moisturiser stung when I applied it after using the CHR. Tan, fake or otherwise? GONE. I was wary of how it would affect the very prominent veins on the back of my calves, and the flat but very obvious spider veins on my shins. This meant I didn't get the best outcome in terms of hair removal. This is NOT a product for folks with eczema, atopic dermatitis or any other skin condition. I didn't see any difference in appearance, ingrown hairs or regrowth than I get with shaving. I had to vacuum the bathroom after doing my legs the first time, coz I'm a numpty and didn't realise that all that hair and skin has to go somewhere when it leaves your body. Do it in the shower cubicle or outside on the grass. Don't write it off if you're curious - you won't know unless you try, but it's not for me.

You know that time of year when your hair stops being manageable or soft, right when you discover that last year's favourite hoody doesn't fit and your slippers stink too much to ever wear again? Just me? Okay then. Anyhoo, that's when this very timely trial started, with a delivery from BH (always exciting!) coinciding with running out of shampoo. My hair is curly and fine, with a tendency to get oily at the roots by about 72 hours after washing. It's currently just past my collarbones and I'm growing it to donate for wigs, so I try my best to "baby" my hair. No heat styling or colouring, and only dry shampoo and curl creme or mousse. Like many folks with long hair and oily roots, I condition the heck outta my lengths and ends but avoid my roots to delay the oil-slick. I was very pleased to find that this thick conditioner, which smells delightful, btw, is a much better fit for my winter hair than my previous curl-focused product. Three pumps of the white creme from the hand pump-top gave me good coating of every strand of my lengths and ends, enabling me to work the remainder on my hands up towards the roots. Once it had soaked in while I cleansed my face and body, it took no effort to detangle with a wide-tooth comb. It rinses out beautifully, and if I know I'm going to be out in the wind and sun, I leave a little bit in my hair to keep it protected from drying out. My hair is SO happy now, with far less frizz than previously, but also longer between washes - I get an extra day out of a hair wash, which is pretty great. My roots don't get as greasy or fall as fast, and my curls aren't weighed down at all. The bottle is enormous and has to live on the floor of my shower, but the trade-off is that it's easy to tell that white is conditioner and shampoo is black, and the lovely-smelling goop inside is going to last me for ages without spending a fortune. I'll happily repurchase this again.

What a great time to trial a new shampoo and conditioner, right when the cold, dry weather kicks in and sucks the moisture right out of my hair! For a couple of weeks before I started this trial, I noticed that my usual hair washing routine wasn't leaving my hair or scalp in the best shape - dry scalp, dry ends, and a tendency to knotting that wasn't an issue in the warmer weather. My hair is fine and curly, so as it gets longer, the volume is dragged out of the roots by the weight in my lengths. It's currently just past my collarbones and I'm growing it to donate for wigs. This shampoo worked really well for me, removing every trace of styling products in a single wash. I'm very glad it comes in a pump-top bottle, coz it's too big and heavy to fit on my shower racks. My pigeon pair of products live on the shower floor now, and I love that the shamppo bottle is black, while the conditioner bottle is white. Means less braining first thing in the morning, trying to work out which is which! Two pumps was just the right amount of shampoo to cut through the residual products in my hair and break down the greasiness at my roots. I'm not sure if it's the shampoo or the drier weather giving me an extra day out of a hairwash, but I'm very pleased to get away wish 2-3 washes a week instead of 4-5. This is a fragranced product, which I love, but worth being aware of if you're sensitive to perfumes. I didn't find it to be overly harsh or drying - quite the opposite, when used with the matching conditioner.

If you've ever read any of my previous reviews, you'll know that I don't give a high rating to something, just because I received a free product in exchange for my honest opinion. I'm not hesitant to give 1 or 2 stars if a product lets me down. This? This truly lovely serum from L'Oreal has not disappointed me in any way, and has far exceeded my expectations. Let's start with that gorgeous bottle. I love the dark glass bottle with pipette. Yeessss, it looks just a little like a hand grenade (and would probably make a handy throwing weapon should you need one!), but that smoked glass protects the precious goop inside, and the pipette helps to keep you from using too much at once. One dropper-full is the perfect amount to cover my whole face and neck. L'Oreal, if you're reading this, this sort of packaging is infinetely reusable and I would absolutely be down to try any kind of refill or return-to-refill system you came up with. Inside, the serum itself is a pretty apricot shade with a delicate, vaguely fruity fragrance. I like it a lot, but if you need/want to avoid perfumes, this isn't for you. It's also not for you if your skin is sensitive to denatured alcohol - this features high up on the ingredients list. Balancing that out, however, are the other ingredients that help draw moisture into the skin and keep it there, and the silicones that minimise the appearance of fine lines. It feels delightful on my face. Truly. It smoothes out to the finest layer and absorbs/dries almost immediately. No greasy or tacky feeling at all. I'm pretty lazy with my skincare and have no regular routine, but have had no issues using it after glycolic or salicylic acid products, or under my daily SPF day cream. My skin still looks like my skin and it's not magic, but it definitely gives the illusion that I'm someone who has a great skincare routine and has regular facials etc. My wattle is slightly less crepey and fine lines are still there, but less dehydrated and obvious. If you have realistic expectations of a serum and have the money to spend (about $50), this is a great one to start with.

I'm a middle-aged woman who grew up in the era of Dolly magazine, Aapri Apricot Facial Scrub and Biore Pore Strips. Photoshop was just finding its niche when I was establishing my sense of self-worth, and I entered adulthood believing that your body had to be very slender but still curvy, and that skin should be poreless and completely even in tone. It's been a long time since my teens, and the only product remaining on the shelves of my local Woolworths is the old faithful, Biore. (The rubbish beauty standards are still hanging around, unfortunately.) They've had a little bit of a facelift, with cutesy (childish) decorative prints on the strips, but they're still essentially the same product with the same application process, and the same outcome. Wash your face, leave it wet. Open the individual pouch, give the strip a twist, peel off the backing, and smooth it onto the nose and surrounding skin. After 10-15 minutes, the strip will have dried completely, bonding to whatever is in your pores. If you genuinely have blackheads, yay! Out they come! If, like me, you just have the very normal and somewhat protective sebaceous filaments, out they come too...until they return in a very short space of time. While it's so very satisfying to check out the results of your pore-cleansing exercise, it's ultimately pointless. Do it for fun, by all means, but try to remember that it's normal and expected for skin to have pores and texture, and that sebaceous filaments are there for a good reason.

This is a sneaky, tricksy productses. The Dermal-branded packaging, which is fairly clinical in appearance, belies the intensely hydrating goo inside. While it's labeled a lotion, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the fragrance-free product inside was thicker and a lot more luxuriant than most lotions I've tried. This is a great thing for my dry legs - lotions just don't cut it, and I have been known to use my Du'it or Dermaveen hand moisturisers on my scaly shins. Dermal's Sensitive Skin Lotion promises to dramatically increase hydration, and I found this to be true. It certainly extended the length of time my skin felt comfortably moisturised, without being heavy or greasy. It absorbed readily, didn't leave marks or smears on my clothing, and was touch dry in a matter of moments. The pump top makes for easy access, with two pumps happily smoothing both legs for me. Well done, Dermal, on making an affordable, enjoyable product that would suit pretty much every skin.

I've been a nurse for *mumble* decades. My hands are wrecked. Long-term use of antimicrobial soaps, hand sanitisers, handling of medications and other items that can damage the skin...add parenting and housekeeping etc, and you get the picture. I'm always desperately in need of a manicure, for the skin benefits, if not the pretty nails. HA! Pretty nails...a girl can dream. Anyhoo, Du'it have created a fantastic product that delivers smoothing, hydration, repair, prevention of breakdown, and soothing of itching. There's no way it can possibly fix decades of abuse, but it definitely works well, and fast. Applied after my shower and before bed, I find that a small quantity does a huge amount of work. My hands feel smoother, more comfortable, way more hydrated, and are less likely to tear if I catch my skin on something like a fingernail or sharp corner. My hangnails are repairing and my previously ragged thumbs aren't catching on smooth fabrics anymore. Well done, Du'it. You've made a dream product for every nurse and tradie out there, as well as anyone else who needs help with their hands.

This smooth, stylish brush arrived for me to trial just in time for my scalp to decide that cold and dry SUCK...flakes errywhere. It was like winter was happening on my shoulders, with a fine dusting of snow like I've never seen here in Brisbane. The Lady Jayne Salon Pro brush exists to get those flakes off your scalp and out of your hair, and it's made a huge, visible difference to me. My hair is dark brown and I wear a navy blue uniform to work, so anything on my shoulders or my hair is very visible. I followed the instructions provided, which tell you which directions to brush and where to start - never thought I needed to be told how to brush my hair- and the snowfall started in earnest. Doing this right before washing my hair and applying a hair & scalp mask meant a smooth, flake-free scalp for over a week. Amazing! It feels SO good to brush with, too. My kids adore using this brush, and they normally avoid brushing at all. Would I use it for styling? Possibly. Would I buy this as my only brush? Probably not. Is it more effective and more sustainable than using "anti-dandruff" products for not-dandruff? Absolutely.