Beauty Works West Body Care range

I was recently sent some items from the Beauty Works West new body care range to try out. The products are formulated without parabens, synthetic colours and fragrances, sulphates, glycols and aluminium. I thought that aluminium was only a common ingredient in anti-perspirants, and there isn't one in the Beauty Works West range, but all of the other 'not in our products' are things I prefer to avoid.  All three products have the same scent - a gentle lemon citrus, which is a very pretty smell that works well on its own but is also neutral enough not to compete with a perfume.

The Sugar Cane Scrub has an unusual texture - the sugar and salt scrub particles are suspended in an oily gel texture. I found I do need to mix the scrub before scooping some out, in order to get the scrub particles which tend to sink to the bottom of the jar. Even with mixing the scrub before taking some out of the jar, the scrub particles are small and dissolve on contact quite quickly, leaving a film of moisture on the skin. Sugar Cane Scrub is best for someone who is looking for a particularly gentle body exfoliator. It does leave a film on the floor of a shower or bottom of a bath, and I wouldn't recommend it for anyone clumsy (I prefer to use a bubbling scrub myself to avoid accidents!)

Ingredients:

The Anti-Ageing Body Cream has good ingredients, smells lovely and I'd be happy to receive it as a gift, but I wouldn't buy it for myself instead of my usual body creams from Haus of Gloi or Paintbox Soapworks. I seem to be the opposite of most beauty bloggers; before I wrote my blog I'd happily buy Jo Malone Body Cremes (and they are still very good) at £40 a go, but now I'm converted to my independent ten dollar a jar body creams. The Beauty Works West Body Cream has a very rich texture but sinks in well. If you have specific concerns about ageing skin on the body, the extra anti-oxidants in this formula may make it worth the cost to you.

Ingredients:

I like the Anti-Ageing Body Treatment a lot; I can't say it's given me Miranda Kerr's bottom but my thighs and bum feel warmer for some time after I've applied it (which might indicate that the ingredients in it do help to support and stimulate the circulation). This is a cream texture too, which means that you don't need to layer another body cream over it for dry skin. If you are looking for something to help support skin texture in areas with sluggish circulation (nothing completely cures cellulite in my opinion other than a very strict diet with no booze or junk food) then this is a good option, and this is the one item I was sent I'd consider repurchasing for myself. I don't really suffer from cellulite, but the bum and the tops of my thighs are starting to look a bit dimply as I get older, particularly at this mince pie time of year.

Ingredients:

All the Beauty Works West body products are very firmly in the luxury price range, from £42 for the scrub to £59 for the body treatment. They do deliver a luxurious experience for the price though, and are the equivalent of luxury skincare for the body. Beauty Works West products are available from www.beautyworkswest.com.

Disclosure: PR samples.