~~~ Cath Kidston Wild Flowers Hand Cream Trio ~~~

Following my recent theme, today I shall be reviewing the Cath Kidston Hand Cream Trio set, a part of the wild flowers range. I received the gift as part as a birthday gift off my sister, as she knows how much I love the textiles and home furnishings from this designer. The beauty products I have reviewed so far though, have been a disappointment and left a lot to be desired. This product is the exception to the rule, and I hope to explain why, within this review.

~~~ The Package ~~~

From the picture above you can see how beautiful they look when you receive them. They are packaged in a clear cello bag, and fastened at the top with a pretty label detailing the name and description of the product. It is available from the Cath Kidston website, www.cathkidston.co.uk, for the sum of £6.00. This, I feel is about the right price for the product, and it's quite refreshing to see that it hasn't got premium price tag, unlike other products she sells.

The three hand creams you will receive are Bluebell, Honeysuckle, and Wild Rose. They each are a small 30ml size, but are perfect for handbags, and even small enough for evening clutch bags. I like that I get three tubes, so I can have one on my desk, and one in my handbag, and one by the kitchen sink.

~~~ Ingredients ~~~

The main reasons why I think the price of these is worth paying, despite the rather small size, are because they are totally eco friendly, and also paraben and sulphate free. They also contain quality ingredients such as shea butter, glycerine, vitamin E and panthenol, for adding and locking in moisture.

~~~ The Product ~~~

Each tube is made from a pastel coloured plastic, which is decorated with the familiar white spots. There is a printed label stuck to the front, providing us with the CK logo, and the name of the fragrance contained within. They maybe small but they are comfortable to hold. Unscrewing the lid, you will be greeted with a silver piece of foil covering the hole, and ensuring the contents stay fresh until you open them. Some foil seals are a nightmare to remove but although tiny, it is easily done.

Dispensing the product, you are met with a lovely consistency of hand cream. It's not so rich that it takes an age to absorb, and not so thin and runny, that you feel you have to wait for it to absorb before you do anything else. It's light and leaves your skin feeling like satin. It's hydrating but not intensely so. I don't suffer with dry skin at all, but my hands do get that horrible tight feeling if I've had my hands in soapy water too long, or after using bleach products; and this is where I find the cream works wonders. If you do suffer dry skin, and/or eczema, this product would not be suitable for you, I feel, it's not rich enough in that aspect.

~~~ The Fragrances ~~~

The bluebell one rather oddly is not fragranced of bluebells, but contains freesia, geranium, muguet, violet and jasmine, patchouli, musk, cedar wood and amber. This is a rather medicinal smell, and not a gently floral scent as one would expect.

The wild rose one takes me back to my childhood, we had a garden full of old fashioned roses when I was a girl. This is the true, heady, old rose fragrance. It is a little too strong and intense upon application for my liking, but that is just down too personal taste, you might love it.

My favourite of the three is the honeysuckle. It's a less intense fragrance, but still floral. I like it because, unlike the wild rose, you don't get wafts of it as you move your hands around, and it's not medicinal like the bluebell. I would have expected a sweet, sugary fragrance but it's not at all like that.

I prefer a hand cream to moisturise my hands, and not clash with my perfume and these do that to a degree; yet I'm unsure whether it tones down with time, the longer I wear it, or it's just me getting used to it, and not noticing it any more. I do feel the hydration properties for a long while though.

~~~ My Thoughts ~~~

All in all, I'm glad my sister bought me at least one thing from CK that left a positive lasting impression, because the other beauty items so far, have been a let down. I love this set, and the smaller sizes are so handy. The hand cream is the perfect density for me - light and creamy, and let me carry on doing what I want, without stickiness or residue. The only thing I can fault with this little trio is the fragrance - the rose is too heady and cloying, the bluebell too medicinal and the honeysuckle is not sweet enough. This is my personal feeling, but you may like them. Indeed, this little set gets five star reviews on the CK website, with the fragrances being noted every time.

This set would make a lovely gift and in my opinion, it would span generations. My twenty year old daughter has been known to 'borrow' this hand cream, but it would also be suitable for your dear old granny. It's rare nowadays to find a gift than can transcend generations like this could. This is one product I shall be repurchasing. I may not love the fragrances, but I don't dislike them.

Recommended.

Thanks for reading my review - I hope it has been of some help.

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