Product review: Pai Echium Eye Cream

In December, I got an email from the people at Pai skincare, wondering whether I would like to try one of their products. Pai is a UK-based brand founded by Sarah Brown, but has a Maori name (‘Pai’ means 'goodness'), and some of their products contain Manuka oil (a New Zealand ingredient). Good to see some New Zealand influences all the way across the world! The people at Pai were nice enough to send me one of their products to try free of charge. I chose the Echium Eye Cream.

Review

Packaging: A glass jar with a plastic lid, in a cardboard box
Price: NZD $45.05 (£16)
Size: 7ml
Suitable for: All skin types
Available at: Pai’s website - http://www.paiskincare.com/
Pros: Organic ingredients, smells nice, very thick and rich, has a best before date
Cons: None

Verdict: I have only recently started using eye creams, so I’m not really an expert on them, but I really like this one. It’s very moisturising, but not at all greasy. The best before date lets you know when you need to use it up by. Very grateful to the people at Pai for sending it to me!

After Shave Products

For all the guys out there, here are some suggestions for aftershave products:

$30 and under: Weleda After Shave Balm 100ml $27.50

$35 and under: Living Nature Soothing Aftershave Gel 100ml $35

$45 and under: Aveda Men After-Shave Balm 100ml $44

Shaving products

I shave my legs, cos I can’t handle the pain of waxing, or the bother of growing the hair for six weeks. I like Primal Earth Shaving Gel, $8.99 for 175ml, which I have in Extra Sensitive. It’s intended for men, but there’s no reason why women can’t use it. It is also available in Aloe Hydrate and Menthol Cool, but they both contain artificial colours and fragrances, whereas Extra Sensitive doesn’t. Primal Earth Shave Gels are available at New World, Countdown, Foodtown and Woolworths supermarkets, and the price varies depending on which supermarket you buy it at.

I also like Avalon Organics Cream Shave, $12.90 for 225ml, available in Aloe Unscented, Lavender, and Peppermint. I have tried in Aloe Unscented. I assume it’s a unisex product, because it doesn’t state whether it is for men or women. Skinfood Shave Gel, $9.99 for 100ml, is unisex, and it is quite good, but I find the tube runs out quite quickly.

Some other options:

$15 and under: Weleda Shaving Cream 75ml $11.50

$35 and under: Living Nature Soothing Shaving Cream 100ml $35

$45 and under: Aveda Men Shave Cream 250g $44

Lip gloss

I really like lip gloss. I have tried Dr Hauschka Novum Lip Gloss, $37, available in two shades, and Living Nature Lip Gloss, $36, available in six shades. I had the Dr Hauschka one in Rose Quartz, and the Living Nature one in Pink Whisper. They are both cool pink colours.

I found the Dr Hauschka one had a slightly weird smell, and wore off quite quickly. The tube also didn’t last very long. The Living Nature one smelled better, and the tube lasted longer, but it still wore off quickly. They also both have quite a thin texture.

The best natural lip gloss I have tried is Alba Botanica Terragloss, which I bought in Australia. I haven’t seen it over here, and I’m not sure where you can order it. I have it in Blaze, a bright pinkish red.

Some other options:

$15 and under: SHE Australia Tube Lip Gloss $12.99, available in ten shades

$40 and under: Couleur Caramel Lip Gloss $38.99, available in six shades

$45 and under: Aveda Lip Glaze $44, available in ten shades, Aveda Lip Shine $44, available in six shades, Bare Escentuals Wearable Lip Gloss $45, available in five shades

The Aveda and SHE Australia glosses are not as natural as the other ones – they contain artificial flavourings, and some artificial colours, but still, they are much better options than a lot of other lip glosses.

Ecostore hand washes and body washes

Ecostore recently (within the last few months) released a range of hand washes and body washes. The hand washes are $6.90 for 250ml, and $8.90 for a 500ml refill, and the body washes are $9.90 for 400ml. Those are the prices listed on the website, but they are cheaper in supermarkets (the price depends on what supermarket you buy them from).

Both the hand washes and the body washes are available in three scents: Coconut & Vanilla, Rose & Cardamom, and Orange & Patchouli. I have tried the body washes in all three scents, and I found Coconut & Vanilla too sickly sweet, but I like the other two scents. Rose & Cardamom smells nice and comforting. I found Orange & Patchouli a bit household-cleaner-ish smelling to start with, but it’s grown on me, and I now think it smells like orange juice. Yum!

Lipstick

I prefer lip gloss and tinted lip balm to lipstick, but I still like lipstick. I like Living Nature Lipstick, $38, available in ten shades, which I have in Summer Rain (bright-ish dark pink), and Aveda Uruku Lip Pigment $44, available in twelve shades (six sheer, and six full colour), which I have in Sheer Ochre (browny/pinky nude). They are both fairly intense colours (and the Aveda one is supposed to be sheer – what are the full colour shades like, I wonder?), and pretty matte, so I put lip balm on before applying them, or put clear lip gloss over the top.

I tend to prefer more sheer lipsticks, and I like Aveda Lip Color Sheer, , which I had in Sheer Clover (warm, natural-looking pink), but it’s now run out. Lip Color Sheer has now been replaced by Nourish-Mint Sheer Mineral Lip Colour $44, available in seven shades, and there is a Sheer Clover shade. I assume it's a similar product.

Some other options:

$40 and under: Dr Hauschka Lipstick Novum $37, available in four shades, Couleur Caramel Lipstick $38.99, available in twenty-four shades (eight matte, fifteen pearly, and one glittery)

$50 and under: Aveda Nourish-Mint Smoothing Lip Colour $44, available in twenty-one shades, Bare Escentuals Lipstick $45, available in twenty-six shades, Dr Hauschka Lipstick $47, available in eight shades

Mascara

Mascaras are great for defining your lashes, and, depending on the formula and brush shape, for volumising, thickening, and/or lengthening. I really like Dr Hauschka Volume Mascara, $45, available in three shades. I have it in black, and it’s really good for defining my lashes, and giving them some volume.

I have also used Living Nature Thickening Mascara, $38, available in two shades. I had it in Jet Black, and it’s a decent mascara, but not as volumising as the Dr Hauschka one, and it tends to dry out more quickly, and therefore not last as long before it needs to be replaced (yes, I know you’re supposed to replace your mascara every three months, but for me it tends to be more like four to six months, because I’m cheap). Anyway...

Some other options:

$40 and under: Living Nature Conditioning Mascara $38, available in two shades

$45 and under: Couleur Caramel Eyelashes Mascara Long $41.99, available in four shades, Couleur Caramel Eyelashes Mascara Short $41.99, available in four shades, Dr Hauschka Mascara $43, available in three shades, Bare Escentuals Magic Wand Brushless Mascara $43, available in two shades

$55 and under: Aveda Mosscara $51, available in two shades, Aveda Mascara Plus Rose $51, available in two shades