Review: Anatomicals

I was recently sent a rather large box of Anatomicals goodies to review. Although I was aware of the brand I hadn't tried their products before, so was eager to test them. As you can see from the image above, the packaging is young, vibrant and very funny. I admit that packaging is usually what initially attracts me (and I'm sure others) to a product and you wouldn't be disappointed with these quirky bottles. I won't copy word for word what each item says, but the thought and comedy put into each product is enough to make you buy it on that alone!

First up is Stop Cracking Up-lip balm. Without a doubt one of my favourite Anatomicals items and definitely one I'll be purchasing in the future. It comes in a 15ml squeezy tube and at first I thought this clear gel would be too runny, but it isn't at all. You just need a little amount on your finger and apply to your lips. I usually avoid using balms or glosses in tubes, as I hate being left with sticky residue product on my finger after application, but that didn't happen with this product. It has a very soft (perhaps strawberry?) scent that reminds me of the Victoria Plum makeup my sister used when we were little! I applied this at night and woke up the next morning, still with gloriously glossy lips. It contains, vitamin E, sweet almond oil and beeswax to condition, soothe and soften. I am not keen on the stickiness of lipgloss (although I wear it all the time!) and this product is the perfect hybrid of balm and gloss, providing a moisturising sheen to the lips, without being sticky or feeling too heavy.

I decided to let my sister try this out too, as she has very dry, chapped lips. Although she liked it, she found it wasn't quite substantial enough for her needs. I think this would be the perfect balm for warmer months or on already healthy lips. A definite 5/5 from me.

Snoozers Are Losers-energy patches. A really unique product, each box contains 6 patches in individual sachets. The idea is that you place a patch on your upper arm and the caffeine contained in them provides a little energy boost. Now for someone like me (suffering from M.E.), I need all that help I can get in the energy department. I slapped a cold, slightly wet patch on my arm straight away. To be honest it's difficult to gauge if this really worked. I was more aware of whether or not I had more energy and couldn't really equate it to whether the patch worked or I just 'thought' it did! It certainly didn't do me any harm and I think if you wanted to forego your usual morning coffee for a patch, then it's definitely worth a try.

Help The Paw-hand cream, another great product. This hand cream comes in a 100ml tube and has a scent that I can't quite put my finger on (no pun intended). I think it's lemon-ish. It contains vitamin E and sweet almond oil, to nourish and soften. I can be quite fussy with hand creams and don't like anything too runny or too thick that takes ages to absorb. This is very light and non-greasy and is absorbed very easily. The first time I applied this, I did notice a quick moment of stickiness, that passed quickly with further massage. To be honest I haven't noticed it since the first few applications. I think the trick is to not use too much, you really only need a small amount. Overall, it's hard working but lightweight cream, I'm sure I would purchase this again, 4/5.

The Follicle Oracle-shampoo and The Sleek Shall Inherit the Earth-conditioner. Both 250ml bottles with tilting lids. The shampoo is pearlised green and has a plant-like scent, while the conditioner has a floral fragrance that I could get quite addicted to! I have been using both of these products since colouring my roots recently. Bleaching (eek!) is obviously damaging to the hair, so I need all the nourishment I can get from a shampoo and conditioner. The shampoo lathers well but I found my hair felt dry and tangled (whilst shampooing), although this is probably due to the condition of my hair and I have found this with other (but not all) shampoos. The conditioner more than sorted that though, my hair felt softened and detangled instantly and after rinsing, it didn't feel at all dry or damaged. I can't say I've noticed a huge difference in comparison to my usual shampoo and conditioner, but my hair does feel soft, bouncy and healthy. Overall the shampoo gets 3/5 and conditioner 4/5.

Check out the Anatomicals site for more information on the products and to buy. I should also meantion that these items provide fantastic value for money (most things under a fiver). There are many other products I'm keen to try now, like Snog Me Senseless Lip Balm and No Old Bags Allowed eye gel!