Review | STEAMCREAM

Before we get started with the moisturiser itself, let's just take a moment to appreciate the be-auti-ful packaging of my tin of STEAMCREAM for a second. This was a birthday gift for me recently (I'm an April baby, hence the Aries tin). 

Pretty packaging #1.

Here's the Aquarius version which I bought for my Mum. 

Pretty packaging #2.

Aren't they just gorgeous? 

There are lots of other regular and limited edition designs to choose from which are all equally lovely - from florals to peacock feathers, there's sure to be something that tickles your fancy. Once the cream has run out, they make perfect trinket jars.

STEAMCREAM smells naturally floral, with a predominant scent of lavender. Even if lavender isn't usually your bag, it's not overpowering. STEAMCREAM is billed as a multi-purpose moisturiser for body, hands and face. I like the idea of multi-tasking products, but in reality I'd question its abilities as a body lotion. Personally I prefer something richer and the 75g tin wouldn't last very long if applied all over regularly. It could be handy for weekend trips though. 

All natural ingredients make for a lovely scent.

I occasionally use it as a hand cream, but for me, STEAMCREAM is best when used on the face. It's light in texture and just a small amount leaves my normal/combination skin feeling nourished and moisturised. I find it makes a nice base for make up and is rich enough to be used as a night cream too. If used as a day cream, you'll need to use a separate SPF. 

One of the things I love most about STEAMCREAM is the level of information about each of the ingredients on their website. There's no hiding behind fancy-schmancy, unpronounceable names here. Of the less pronounceable ingredients there's an explanation about why they've been used. It's so refreshing to know exactly what you're putting onto your skin.

Ingredients: Oatmeal Infusion (Avena sativa), Orange Flower Water (Citrus Aurantium amara, Aqua), Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Glycerine, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Lavender Oil (Lavandula augustifolia), Chamomile Blue Oil (Chamomilla recutita), Orange Blossom Absolute (Citrus Aurantium dulcis), Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena), Neroli Oil (Citrus Aurantium amara), Cetyl Stearyl Alcohol, *Coumarin, *Geraniol, *Citronellol, * Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

In there we have British oatmeal to brighten and soothe irritated skin, lavender to balance sebum and reduce redness, orange flower water to hydrate, and sweet almond oil to soften and nourish. As the name suggests, they use steam to naturally fuse all the ingredients together, which they claim improves absorption into the epidermis. 

Only a small amount is needed when used as a day or night cream.

So who should try STEAMCREAM?  

For the face I'd say it's best for normal to dry complexions. It may be too rich for very oily skin during the day but as a night cream it should be ok. Very sensitive skins may need to be careful due to the essential oils, but I have sensitive skin and I've not had any problems with it at all. In fact, I've really been enjoying using it and would definitely re-purchase. The gorgeous range of designs and the quality of the product make it a great gift for women of any age too.
  
STEAMCREAM is £12.95 (including free delivery) from www.steamcream.co.uk.