Makes skin soft as butter! (Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula)

Member Name: Dooyaa

Product:	Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula
Date:	19/03/08 (809 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Smell, softening effects

Disadvantages: Stupid lid!

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**WHY DID I BUY THIS PRODUCT? DON'T I HAVE ENOUGH ALREADY?**

I wouldn't say I had problem skin, but I am prone to dry patches and because I'm very pale marks on the skin show up very easily. This was recommended to me because it contains cocoa butter oil which is supposed to moisturise the skin and smooth marks to make skin firmer and more supple. This sounded great so i had to give it a try!

Add onto this a recommendation in Glamour magazine that this was used by JLo and Naomi Campbell (who surely can afford to buy the priciest and most upmarket of products).

**IS IT NOT PRICEY AND UPMARKET?**

People have a right to be wary of cheaper skin moisturisers. Often they contain more additives, chemicals, preservatives an perfumes than actual functioning ingredients. The old adage of 'you get what you pay for' often applies.

It costs around £3.99 for a bottle from boots or superdrug, although I bought mine on sale in Tesco for £1.49 (basically a buy one get one free offer).

One whiff of this in the shop ignited my fears of a cream with perfumes that was going to irritate my skin and cause nasty ecxema flare ups! However, there is a difference. That is that, in this product the scent (which I will come back to) comes from a natural cocoa butter extract, not from horrible harsh irritating chemicals.


**IT LOOKS A BIT CLINICAL, SURELY ITS NOT FLASHY ENOUGH FOR JLO?**

Well no, its not covered in solid gold or anything.

It comes in a fairly large bottle with an option of a smaller 250ml one, which I buy, which is quite plain white plastic but not unattractive. There is a blue and lilac toned label which claims that this will 'soften, smoothe and relieve dry skin, smoothe marks and tone skin'.

I must say I HATE the lid though. It has a squeezy lid that after you've used a bit it becomes impossible to get anymore out without just taking off the lid completely and using it like a ketchup bottle. There is a TINY little gap for the cream to come out so you have to be pretty persistant in squeezing it!

**WHAT'S THE CREAM LIKE?**

The moisturiser itself is a creamy, fairly thick yellow liquid that smells very strongly of cocoa butter. This scent is heavenly, so much that you don't have to wear perfume and people will ask all day what it is. It leaves a hint of scent on the skin, just enough so that people will catch a whiff of its divine smell but will wonder where it comes from.

This can be a problem if you like to wear perfume. It is very overpowering and the sweet, cocoa smell doesn't mix very well with most perfumes, especially not flowery or fruity ones (thats most of them then!). It is a little better with more musky scents, as well as vanilla and chocolatey smells such as Angel by thierry Mugler. Buying a £40 perfume to go with your new £3.99 moisturiser kinda defeats the object really though!

Applying is easy and a little does go a long way as this is quite rich. I find that it takes quite a while to absorb and skin may feel a little greasy and slippy for a while afterwards. I would say don't apply this before bed as you'll feel all sticky and uncomfortable (plus it will stink your bed out!).

The strong smell goes after it has been absorbed leaving just a nice hint.

**ARE THE RESULTS WORTHY OF A DIVA??**

So does it work? One of my priorities for skincare is if it is suitable for sensitive skin as I do have allergies to some products. The ingredients promise me that this contains quite a large amount of cocoa butter oil. This gave me no reaction at all, it just absorbed lightly into the skin and left me with lovely smooth soft skin that was ever so slightly scented of the delicious cocoa butter smell that is just heavenly.

My skin didnt appear any different in texture at first but after a couple of weeks of application skin seemed less blemished and tighter, and I swear it glows just a bit now! Even dry patches were dramatically improved.

After first applying it, skin has a sheen (a slightly greasy one, but a nice sheen after all!). That makes you look healthier and glowing.

**WHAT'S MY VERDICT THEN?**

This really is one of the best moisturisers around, I practically can't fault it (they even have a new bottle with a pump lid, although it costs a bit more) and at the price it is an absolute bargain. It is really the one beauty product I cannot live without.
Buy in bulk! Its great!

**THE GOOD POINTS**

- The smell is delicious, almost edible.

- It really does soften skin.

- Can make a difference to the tone of your skin, plus stretchmarks.

**THE BAD POINTS**

- The damn lid!

- Smell overpowers other things.

- A little greasy at first

Summary: I really like this moisturiser and will continue to buy it.