Grace Cole Boutique || One Year Later, How Did They Do?

One year ago I reviewed Grace Cole Boutique range. At the time I was thoroughly impressed with both products but you know and I know continual use of a product and the inception of new and more exciting ones can change how we view an older product.

So, did Grace Cole perform any less or any better than I initially reported on? Read on to find out.

In 2015 the brand added two new scents to their Boutique Special Edition range. This range offered larger sizes in Vanilla Blush and Peony scented products. The line's aims were to give the impression of opulence while softening and balancing the skin as equally well as any other luxury skincare brand. Both scents hit my radar and I initially purchased two products - White Nectarine & Pear Softening Hand & Nail Cream and also the Vanilla Blush & Peony Moisturising Body Lotion. There range also included:

My products came in really large 500 ml sizes and only cost £6 each. Budget wise these were excellent especially given how much lotions and creams I go through in a year - at £6 I had high hopes I could swap out some of my more expensive body care creams and lotions, therefore, saving a ton of money.

I also loved the pump top application. I can be lazy when it comes to certain things - lazy in the sense of having so much to do, I love when I can skip a little time on regular activities (such as exercising, lotion application, shopping and hair washing) so the top on this allowed me to quickly pump and apply. Simples! The scent was delicate - definitely suited to more of a thirty upwards age range but at the same time it wasn't so delicate that you couldn't smell it - did I wish they did a scent free range? Hells yes because I am not a huge fan of perfumed face lotions and creams.

So did my views change over the year?

2015:

'' When it comes to using the product I find it really enjoyable because it's fuss-free - just push the lid down and squeeze or push the pump. The creams absorb really well and leave me feeling comfortable and hydrated (and smelling lush) for hours without the addition of a greasy or overly balmy texture. I actually don't think I have any negatives about this - if they made an unscented version for my face then I'd snap it up straight away and if they made much smaller sizes I'd probably buy it more regularly. Oh, actually the only negative is I can't slip this in my handbag to take to work. I think I'd get a fair few looks if I did that...''

2016:

I think my overall opinion is the same but what I came to realise is that as the seasons change, and hormones change this wasn't actually enough to hydrate me as my skin changed. In the summer months, this is perfect because it's light while still being moisturising. Every other month you may need something with more butter and substance to it. That being said it didn't cause any nasty rashes, sores or skin discomfort which many brands did later on in the year. The packaging and that tassel detail are also super cute.

Overall I would still recommend the brand as a low-cost option for normal to combination skin types. I believe this scent range isn't available but the base recipe for their products is the same so the rest of their range should perform equally well.