Expert Trial Team: discovering dream products

There’s nothing better than discovering a dream product. You may spend weeks, months or even years trying to find that perfect lightweight foundation, non-streaky tan or super lush body wash, so when you do eventually hit the jackpot with a product, it’s the best feeling in the world.

For this week’s Expert Trial Team, Kym set out to find a solution for her skin problems without visiting a specialist, Debbie was on the hunt for a product to nourish her dry ends while fixing her flyaways, Sam went searching for a rose perfume to suit her sensitive nose and I was desperately seeking a lip product to replace the mountain of them in my handbag.  So, was our search for these dream products successful? Let’s find out….

MY BEAUTY POTENTIAL (mybeautypotential.com.au)

bh’s Kym says…

“Well what will they think of next? I was very excited to be introduced to My Beauty Potential, as it meant that I could personally assess my ageing concerns in the privacy of my own home (or my computer at work – the next best thing!) This easy-to-use app asks all of the necessary anti-ageing questions in order to identify your biggest skin concerns, meaning that it’s seriously easier than ever to discover which areas of your face you should be focusing on with your skin care regimen. The app urged me to grab a mirror and look at my face as I scrolled through the library of images that represents each concern. My job was to find the one that was closest to my face and grade it accordingly to ensure it was the best possible match. All the nasty culprits are listed along the way; pigmentation, pores, sunspots, crows feet and lines around your lips, too. On completion of the online questionnaire, My Beauty Potential diagnosed my skin’s age according to my selection, and I got a mix of 36 and 37, which means I must be doing something right! I do now have the areas I need to focus on firmly in my mind, and luckily, the app finished off by suggesting salons close to me and providing me with the opportunity to schedule an online appointment and share my results with the salon, enabling the professionals to analyse my skin concerns and have product suggestions ready prior to my salon visit. Though if you wanted to ditch the salon completely, you can, as you have all the ammo you need to tend to your skin once the survey is finished!”

L'OCCITANE ROSES ET REINES

bh’s Sam says…

"I LOVE the smell of fresh roses, but in the past have found rose perfumes to be a bit too overpowering. The L'Occitane Rose et Reines was perfect for me as the scent was strong enough to linger on my skin throughout the day, but delicate enough not to disturb my sensitive nose. The fragrance is made from four different types of roses which blend beautifully to create a unique floral scent, with fruity undertones. The bottle is simple, elegant and clear, so you can see the fragrance inside, which is something that I personally prefer when it comes to perfumes (how else are you supposed to know when you're running low?). Overall, this perfume is a very pleasant every day scent. It's something I would definitely considering giving my mum for Mother's Day."

BOBBI BROWN ART STICK

bh’s Liv says…

“I LOVE a chubby lip pencil, but find that most of the time they’re too sheer and don’t provide me with the punchy colour I want most. Bobbi Brown Art Stick was a breath of fresh air for me and provided benefits I didn’t even know I loved, such as a chunky width, a pointed tip and a long base, meaning that the product lasts for ages.
The stick glides across my lips, leaving the most luscious track of colour behind it. It’s an absolute dream to wear and the punchy berry hue is so perfect in the lead up to winter. Better still, after lunch and two coffees, I was left with a brilliant berry stain on my lips that looked natural and didn’t leave my lips feeling dry. This is definitely the kind of product that can replace 20 others in your handbag – and you won’t even feel bad about it!”

JOHN FRIEDA FULL REPAIR REPAIRING OIL ELIXIR

bh’s Deb says…

"Being a blonde, I'm definitely prone to dry ends - and with dry hair comes more than your fair share of flyaways. I also struggle to achieve good shine in my hair, so I was very eager to try this oil, which promises to smooth, strengthen and add shine. The oil is quite runny, so take care when pumping it out as a little goes a long way and you definitely don't want to overdo it. The first time I used it I applied it to damp hair, and found that when I blow-dried my hair afterwards it felt a lot silkier, was easier to manage and was definitely a lot smoother. My ends also looked really healthy and shiny - amazing!! The next time I tried it on dry hair. I wanted to see if it would leave an oily or greasy residue so I probably used a bit more than was necessary, but the results were great! Flyaways were instantly smoothed, and my hair felt so soft - like it had been given an instant boost of nutrients. But the best bit was that it wasn't greasy, heavy or oily in any way. So overall a great product that I highly recommend!"

Which product would you most like to try and why?