Now, the biggest product for today – the Balea Geschenkset
Mindful Meditation!
.jpg)
I love to buy myself gift sets for Christmas (because it’s
not like anyone in my family is going to get me anything...), so November and
December are busy times for me. DM is one place where I know I’ll find at least
a few great sets, so I try to visit it as often as I can. That's where I found this very interesting gift set - honestly, it was the candle that drew me in initially, I really like scented candles! So, let's see how good this set is as a whole!
Packaging: I really like this cardboard outer packaging! I
love the vibrant fuchsia colour and the large, bright flowers and the mandalas!
White text is the perfect choice here. The box is sturdy and it makes sure to
keep the three products that are part of this set safe, although it is not
tamper-proof exactly. I like the cutout window that allows you try and smell
the candle, although I am aware that this is more practical than hygienic. Still,
a very nice box!
.jpg)
This set contains three items that follow the same oriental
theme in terms of design and scent: a body balm, a scented candle, and a shower
gel. I do admit that the scented candle was the primary reason I bought this
set, after smelling it. But it’s a well-thought-out set: first wash your body
with the shower gel, then light the candle and slowly massage in the body balm.
Truly a moment of mindfulness, and an opportunity to meditate!
First, the body balm!
.jpg)
Packaging: just like the rest of the set, it has a very oriental-themed
design. Fuchsia background with lots of flowers and mandalas. Very inspiring! I
love the white text, it is easy to read and pops from the background just
right. Although it is a bit busy with all the flowers and text and everything,
isn’t it? The cap is gorgeously amber and it closes very tightly.
.jpg)
Ingredients: glycerine for nourishment. No parabens. Hmm...
I was hoping there’d be at least something more, ah well. The scent is incredible!
It’s extremely intense, though, like a perfume! I guess it ought to be this
intense when it’s infused with Profissimo perfumes! It definitely smells
oriental; it’s that slightly like argan, floral, very sweet but with a note of
saltiness kind of smell. It definitely reminds me of places such as Saudi
Arabia and Persia much more than India. Now, I like how aromatic it is, but
it’s just too intense for my nose. The expiration date is 12 months after
opening.
A pure white cream... we’re you expecting something else??
.jpg)
Oh geez – this is one greasy formula! It’s thick and greasy,
but still kinda watery, and feels quite heavy. In fact, I can feel it on my
skin after I buff it in, just proving how heavy it actually is. It also isn’t
the easiest to buff into the skin – you have to spend ages rubbing it until it
starts to absorb. And even then, it will usually leave white streaks all over because
it just can’t absorb so quickly. It takes like 5-10 minutes for it to
disappear. But despite being so greasy and thick, it doesn’t actually feel very
rich. Only slightly nourishing and relatively hydrating. Plus, there’s that
feeling of slight tackiness/waxiness that you are left with after it finally
absorbs that I am not sure how to feel about.
Overall, not a very comfortable
cream to apply, but at least it is thick so it has a greater chance of
surviving the night and keeping your skin hydrated throughout the night. But
yeah, it definitely feels more like a greasy balm than a typical body cream.
.jpg)
You know, for how greasy and heavy it is, it’s not a whole
lot hydration or nourishing. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t hydrate the skin – it
does – I just hoped it would be a more noticeable effect. It does leave the
skin soft, though, and that lasts for hours. The main thing I wanted it to do
it accomplishes nicely: I wanted it to be able to calm down my skin after
shaving. While it’s not nearly as nourishing as other body creams, it does calm
down my skin and reduce the likelihood of irritations forming. But it doesn’t
seem to make my nails stronger. Whether it can help serious skin problems, I
cannot tell, as my skin is in fairly good condition nowadays.
All in all, a fine body balm! It’s super fragrant and
intense, so beware if you’ve got a sensitive nose! But it is quite a relaxing
scent, and I can imagine it would be amazing for meditation, to really help
your mind focus! Sadly, the balm is just way too greasy and thick and
occlusive. It feels extremely greasy, which makes it hard to properly buff
into the skin. So it leaves white marks all over that take like 15 minutes to
disappear. And it feels waxy and heavy after it absorbs. Also, it’s not nearly
as hydrating as I would like, although, credit where its due, it does manage to
calm down my skin post-shaving. And I like how silky the skin feels after waxy,
heavy cast is gone. I guess you could make a whole mindfulness session out of
the time it takes to buff this balm into the skin, especially if you light the
candle as well! Perhaps not the best start... maybe the next two products will
be better.
Rating: 6.5/10
The second item is going to be the scented candle, to set
the right ambience.
.jpg)
So, the candle arrived with a protective plastic cap that
also kept the scent from evaporating too soon. This is great! The candle itself
is made of very sturdy, thick glass. Seems quite high quality!
There is plenty of wax inside for the candle to burn for a
long time. The wick is very good – it stays upright and stays lit for hours
upon hours at a time. Excellent build quality!
.jpg)
The scent is, of course, the most important aspect in a
scented candle. Fortunately, the scent here is unbelievably intense! It smells
oriental, slightly floral but a bit salty still and with a very relaxing tone.
It’s just the right type of scent for meditation, mindfulness exercises or any
other occasion where you need to be both focused and relaxed at the same time. It is so intense that the entire room smells like the candle 5 minutes after
lighting it and the smell lingers for quite some time after extinguishing the
candle. Truly fantastic!
All in all, definitely the highlight of this set! This
candle absolutely amazing! It’s visually very pretty with the fuchsia wax, and
its glass is thick and robust. There is plenty of wax for the candle to burn
for weeks, even if you light it every day. The wick is high quality and keeps
the flame burning for hours. But best thing – the extremely intense scent! It’s
like a high quality perfume how intense it is! It fills the room with oriental
energy that both focuses your mind and relaxes your body. This would be the
ideal scented candle for a study room! I love the oriental scent that reminds
me slightly of argan; it’s a treat for the olfactory system! And it lingers in
the air long after you put out the flame! Gosh, I am so in love with this
candle! It’s stunning!
Rating: 9/10
And lastly, the shower gel!
.jpg)
Packaging: matching the other products, it is vibrantly
fuchsia with the same floral/mandala design. The tube isn’t as large as I used
with shower gels because it is 100 mL, but it’s going to be enough for at least
5-6 washes. The amber-coloured cap closes very tightly. Beautiful design!
.jpg)
Ingredients: glycerine, vitamin E, lactic acid for
nourishment. No parabens, although there are sulfates, specifically, sodium
laureth sulfate. I just noticed that this shower gel has more nourishing
ingredients than the body balm... that is quite unusual, isn’t it? The scent is
divine, like the rest of the set! It’s apparently a heliotrope scent, although,
how could a mineral smell like this is beyond me. In any case, it is just as
oriental and incredibly intense and the other products here, and smells
wonderful in the shower; although, it does smell slightly more soapy and salty
compared to the others. The hot water really brings out the finer notes. Also,
it stays on the skin for some time after a shower! Yes! This is often a problem
for me, as rarely do shower gels remain on my skin. Luckily, this divine scent
does! The expiration date is 12 months after opening.
.jpg)
The formula of this shower gel is quite nice! It’s thick but
silky, and it feels incredibly soft! It’s definitely more silky then gelly,
which I like! This gel is pretty greasy, but it feels comfortable. It isn’t
quite as slippery as say, Alverde shower gels, so it is easier to use and less
is washed down the drain. It creates a moderate amount of foam, nothing crazy,
but enough to be fun!
.jpg)
It’s also very easy to wash off and doesn’t leave any greasy
or soapy residues. It leaves the skin feeling nicely clean, although it is not
the softest it could be. Still, it is pleasantly soft!
All in all, probably the second best item in this set! As
far as shower gels go, this one is incredible! From the breath-taking scent to
how soft and silky it feels, to how it leaves the skin feeling silky. It’s
greasy, yes, but isn’t as slippery as Alverde shower gels, so it’s easier to
use. I think that it cleans the skin nicely, even if it doesn’t create a crazy
amount of foam. The scent is extremely intense and smells totally oriental –
it's even more intense in the hot air of the bathroom during a shower! I don’t
have high requirements for shower gels, I admit, but this gel really is great! I
love to use it... it’s just a shame it comes in a 100 mL tube. I wish I could
buy a large 500 mL tube so that I have it for longer!
Rating: 8/10
So, what do I think about this set, in the end? Well, the
three items it has are perfectly coordinated! They really tell a cohesive story.
First light the candle and let the oriental scent fill the air with a
meditative ambience. Then apply some body balm so that your skin smells just as
relaxing and oriental; this will allow you to fall into a deeper meditative state
and relax your mind as well as your soul as you are enveloped in this magical
smell. Then, after you are done meditating, or doing yoga, or doing whatever
relaxing activity, go freshen up in the shower and have your body be pampered
by the silky soft shower gel. Truly sounds tranquil! Out of the three items,
the candle is by far my favourite! It knocked me out of my seat with how
intense the scent is – now this is how a scented candle should smell like, in
terms of intensity! The shower gel is my second favourite item; while it is
super intensely scented, and it is silky soft, it could make my skin softer
after showering. And it could be a tad less greasy. The body balm is the least
impressive item here, for multiple reasons. It’s far too greasy and heavy, and
it doesn’t hydrate my skin enough. The scent is wonderful, however, and it does
make my skin silky after some time. I just wish it were lighter and faster to
absorb. But overall, for its price, this set is beyond amazing! It’s easily
worth double what it costs! I bought it mostly for the candle, but I ended up
loving all three items to varying degrees. While this scent may not be the most
Christmas-themed, it is still an incredible one, that I cannot get enough of!
I’m so glad I bought this set, but what saddens me is the fact that it won’t be
available anymore soon. It’s always like this with these Balea gift sets: they
push them out for the holiday season and they are never seen again. This is a
bloody shame, because the candle alone should really be available at all times!
Oh well, at least I was able to experience this set for some time, for that I
am glad. I will recommend this set, although it’s impossible to find nowadays,
sadly.
Rating (overall): 7.5/10
Would buy again? YES
.jpg)
0 comments