Hello lovelies,

Today's review has been over 6 months in the making and after all this time I'm ready to tell you what I think about SpaRitual Cuti-Clean Cuticle & Stain Remover. I got a bottle of Cuti-Clean gifted by the Czech SpaRitual distributors last November when I visited their salon in Brno for a chat and a SpaRitual pedicure. I wasn't obligated to write about the product but it ended up being my go-to cuticle remover for the past 6 months and I like to show you products that I like.

About

SpaRitual Cuti-Clean Cuticle & Stain Remover softens the cuticles and removes stains and dead tissue. It works great for pedicures as well and it is vegan, free of synthetic dyes, fragrances, preservatives, parabens, petrochemicals and is biodegradable.

Directions

Shake or roll before using. Apply to cuticles and gently push them back with an orangewood stick or cuticle pusher. To remove stains, saturate cotton and dab area until stain disappears. Do not leave on nails for more than 5 minutes as it can soften nails too much. Wash off with warm water straight after. CAUTION: Do not use on sensitive skin and very thin nails.

I usually put a small drop in the middle of my cuticle area (Eponychium) and then spread it around the nail and about a 1 mm onto the nail to cover the dead skin (cuticle) stuck to the nail plate. Cuticle removers are usually very effective and shouldn't stay on nails for long so as soon as I finish putting the product on the last nail (one hand at a time!) I go back to the first nail and start pushing the skin back and removing the cuticles. First I use an orangewood stick or hoof stick and then I go in gently with a metal pusher and make sure the nails are nice and clean. Once the first hand is finished I wash off the remover with warm water and scrub the nails and underneath them with a nail brush. Towel dry and do the other hand ;)

I like to test hand and nail care products for a while, not just once or twice so that I can give you a good feedback on the product. As I've mentioned above, SpaRitual Cuti-Clean has become my go-to cuticle remover since I got it. It comes in a 15ml frosted glass bottle (yes please!) with a glass dropper for easy and precise application. The product itself has gel-like consistency which has to be spread around the nails but on the other hand it stays where you put it and doesn't drip off the nail like liquid removers.

Does it work?

Yes, it does. I found it to be working very fast and effective. It dissolves the dead skin well and it also removes light staining where it's been applied. The cuticle removing is much more effective than the stain removing part. It seems to be working to some degree - light staining is removed easily but bright pink or blue/green staining is only lightened, not removed completely. So all in all, I really like this cuticle remover because it works great for me.

SpaRitual Cuti-Clean is available at Sparitual UK, SpaRitual US and SpaRitual Czech Republic.

Have a lovely day! Lucie x

Hello lovelies,

I'll start from the beginning...My story with Soap Dodger brand started many months ago back in July 2015. Kat, the creator of the brand has been looking for some advice on her new nail polish line 'Ard As Nails and I was happy to help her out. Well she surprised me with some polishes which I've shown you here and here but also gave me the opportunity to try some of her other products, no strings attached. Kat said they were a gift and she didn't expect a review but when I like something, I like to share it with you all. I've been testing some of the hand care products for weeks now and I'm ready to talk about them. I'll also give you some compelling reasons at the end of this post why you should try Soap Dodger products ;)

Soap Dodger is a British brand of homemade products that currently offers quite an extensive range from bath and body, home fragrance and wax melts to 'Ard As Nails nail polish.

About: "Soap-Dodger was created by Kat in the summer of 2012 from her kitchen. Following succesful sales for over 6 months we then expanded the range and made it all available online. None of the products are tested on animals, and we try to source local ingredients where possible. We don't use parabens and try to use oils and butters that are skin loving. The majority of people will be able to use our range of products as they are suitable for sensitive skin.

All of the products are lovingly handmade so that you receive the freshest products available using the best ingredients we can get our hands on! We are fully certified to manufacture products by hand, in accordance with UK and EU legislation. Our products are handmade and hand cut or moulded. We are also a member of the Guild of Craft Soap & Toiletry Makers."

How cool is that? Kat has built a legitimate business out of her kitchen and the fact that she has certification as well makes me reassured that her products are good and safe to use.

First up is the Cuticle Balm. It comes in a screw-lid jar that to me looks like there is enough product for the whole town! There is 15g a pot and there is no way I can use it all up by myself. The price point is very affordable - £2.50! The next thing I noticed was the scent. It is very light and to me it seems like there are some citrus and flower notes mixed together.

The cuticle balm has solid consistency so I scrape a small amount with my nail and put small piece on my cuticles. Once all nails have a little ball of product I use my fingers to rub the product into the skin and nails. It starts to slightly melt and is more workable when it gets warmer. It doesn't completely melt so it really does have a consistency of a balm. When I'm on the go I prefer to use even less product (wipe the balm with finger in the pot and then rub it on the cuticles). It helps getting rid of dry patches and cuticles.

Soap Dodger about Cuticle Balm: Tackle your cuticles by treating them daily to a natural blend of rich butters, Jojoba Wax and a mix of essential oils. Use sparingly and rub the balm into your cuticles before gently pushing them back. The excess can also be rubbed into your nails to help keeping them look conditioned.

Next product I loved and wanted to show you is Hand Love. Hand Love is a solid-ish butter that melts on touch and it reminds me a bit of LUSH Lemony Flutter because it also completely melts into oily, nourishing film. I use it both during the day and as an overnight hand mask with cotton gloves. When used during the day I only use a tiny ball of product otherwise it will be too much. The blend of butter and oils works well for my dry skin and I wake up with beautifully soft hands. The only downside for me is that it leaves little bit of waxy feeling in the morning but once I wash my hands it's gone.

There are several scents available and I chose Fantastic Fox - A crisp, sweet and fruity floral with notes of lemon and orange. This fragrance rests on a base of musk, woods, cassis, orchid and plum." I didn't expect to like the scent as much as I do but the fresh and fruity scent does it for me. The scent isn't overpowering which is another plus.

Hand Love comes in a plastic jar with screw-on lid and in two sizes - 50ml or 100ml. The 50ml jar will last ages and it costs only £3.50

Soap Dodger about Hand Love: Our Butter Love range is hugely popular so we have expanded the range and created this new Butter Love for hands. Packed full of Mango Butter and Rice Bran Oil this is an intense hand butter for those suffering with extremely dry skin. Rice Bran Oil is a light and emollient Oil which is rich in Vitamin E and contains both oleic and linoleic acids. This Butter is best applied at night and only a small amount is needed. Allow a few minutes for this to soak into your skin, and remember a little goes a long way!

Last product I've been using is Hand Repair Balm. This is a curious one - it has very similar feel to Hand Love but it has a different set of ingredients. It is supposed to be even more nourishing and richer than Hand Love, kinda like a hand mask. It worked well for me when I used a generous amount overnight with cotton gloves. It also melts into oily substance that soaks into the skin overnight but it has much stronger way feeling/film in the morning. But same with Hand Love - I just washed my hands with soap and the film mostly washed off. It's a really cool product especially for those whose hands are really dry, cracked and strained. I would however like to say that because Hand Repair Balm and Hand Love are so similar I would choose to buy one of them and something else like the Cuticle Balm.

Hand Repair Balm comes in a 70ml pot and costs £5.00

Soap Dodger about Hand Repair Balm: Our hand repair balm has been created to soothe and treat sensitive fingers and hands. Tiny splits in your hands and fingers can often be uncomfortable. Our Hand Repair Balm is made from ingredients such as Olive Oil, Shea Butter and Lemon Wax.

3 reasons why you should try something from Soap Dodger:

1. You're supporting a small business, real people and their families and you're buying British product
2. They are a great value for money and with good ingredients and not tested on animals
3. They work - they worked great for me and my skin and cuticles and my favourite product  that I cannot recommend enough is Hand Love

Have I persuaded you yet? ;) No, really... If you live in the UK, this is a brand you should definitely try or at least look at. Kat also sells many other products like wax melts and candles, body oil, face serums and cream, nail polish and more.

Have a lovely day! Lucie x

*Products were gifted to me without expectation of review