Maychiri's Thoughts: April 2025

3D Glitter

Avon Crushed Crystals Sunset Beats Nail Enamel [Flamingo] Review

April 28, 2025

0 Comments

Avon

Avon Lavender Delight Hand Cream Review

April 28, 2025

0 Comments

Avon

Avon Care Restoring Moisture Hand Cream with Coconut Oil Review

April 28, 2025

0 Comments

Avon

Avon Naturals Charming Black Cherry and Nutmeg Body Lotion Review

April 28, 2025

So, this was part of my Christmas presents, and it came as a two-piece set: a shower gel and this body lotion. Here, though, is just the body lotion, because I mistakenly thought I only had the shower gel so I ended up having two body lotions. The more the merrier, right?

I ordered this set because I thought the cherry and nutmeg scent would be ideal for winter and honestly, I always have to have some kind of hand cream or body lotion, or my skin becomes dry and flaky. I will be reviewing just the body lotion, as there isn’t much to be said about the shower gel besides that it was really silky, soft, and left my skin feeling equally soft. And it smelled like the yummiest cherries!

Packaging: just a clear plastic bottle that is pretty easy to squeeze the lotion out of. It’s not much, but it gets the job done. I do like the picture of cherries and nutmeg on the front, though.

Ingredients: glycerine, petrolatum, grapefruit (Citrus grandis) fruit extract, mandarin orange (Citrus nobilis) peel extract, kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) extract, apple (Pyrus malus) fruit extract, wakame algae (Undaria pinnatifida) extract, plumeria (Plumeria rubra) flower extract for nourishment. Hoo boy! That is a lot of hydrating and caring ingredients! The scent is relatively intense and smells like nutmeg. I must say that I was disappointed when I found out that it smells like nutmeg because I was expecting the same smell as the shower gel, which smelled like cherries, not nutmeg. Perhaps it’s this way on purpose: have one smell like black cherry and the other like nutmeg, so that when you use them together the scents blend just the way Avon wanted them to. The expiration date is 12 months after opening.

This is a very pale lavender coloured cream. I like this colour, it’s quite soothing. The formula is very watery though; I wish it was just a tad thicker, but that’s just my preference. Although, since it’s so watery it is also incredibly lightweight, which is great! It is not really greasy, feeling more silky than greasy. The thickness did vary between the two bottles I had, with one bottle having a much more watery formula, while the other bottle had a way more silky and smooth formula. It’s, as expected, super easy to apply what with the lightweight, watery formula. It also absorbs extremely fast, within 15-ish seconds, I’d say.

I would say that this lotion is pretty hydrating, as it should be, given the ingredients list! It’s definitely not the most hydrating or nourishing lotion but I feel like my skin is markedly more hydrated after using it. The prickling that I usually feel after shaving is gone almost immediately when using this lotion. And, after getting nasty blisters on my feet that just wouldn’t heal (perks of having small feet and most footwear being ill-fitting even at size 35, eh?), I applied a liberal amount of this lotion on them and they started healing the same night! Of course, the healing was still relatively slow, but at least things were becoming better! So, it definitely hydrates the skin and helps it restore itself. Also, my skin feels really soft to touch after this lotion absorbs into the skin. If I apply this lotion before bed, it will have absorbed completely by the time I wake up.

It’s very easy to wash off and I didn’t have any adverse reactions to it, which is good because my skin is notoriously sensitive and touchy.

See it there? It was sold solo, without the shower gel, for some reason.

Conclusion: I grew to really like this lotion after being disappointed by the scent and formula at first. I love how it truly is hydrating and I can feel my skin absorbing it. This lotion has a super lightweight formula that makes the skin really soft after absorbing, but this formula is also very watery. I really wish it was thicker, but at least it is not very runny, making it super easy to apply. I should mention that it’s not just watery; it does have some silkiness to it, which apparently varies from bottle to bottle. The scent is just nutmeg, which is fine, I guess, but I was expecting it smell like cherries, like the matching shower gel. Also, the bottle is 200mL, which might not seem like a terribly small amount, but it does get used up pretty quickly on legs since you need more of it because of the watery formula. So it doesn’t last too long, unfortunately. Despite that, it’s a surprisingly good body lotion, whose formula is excellent for us oily-skinned folk. After mulling it over in my head, I have decided to give this lotion a recommendation, but only because of its skin restorative effects and hydrating feeling.

Rating: 7.5/10

Would buy again? Probably YES (already have, because I thought I only had the shower gel and not the lotion, oops!)

0 Comments

Avon

Reviews From the Past - Part 62

April 28, 2025

Hiya!

So... this was supposed to be posted yesterday, but technology has it out for me. Even things that worked perfectly for years decided to start glitching out... sheesh. Anyways, now that I sorted out the weird issues I had (I think?), I can show you this!

And what is this? Why, this was one of my monthly Avon orders. And this one had a bunch of lovely goodies!

So, what's here? Well, something for the body, something to soothe the senses, something for the hands and nails and, why not, some perfumes! And a set of brush guards because Avon was the easiest way to get them, even though they weren't as cheap as they would be on like, AliExpress. 'Was', because they stopped manufacturing them soon after :( . Oh well, I got a bunch of them, so I'll have enough for a long time.

The lavender-scented set, including the newest hand cream

Notice that there are two purple products. Indeed, both are lavender themed. While the hand wash (shower gel for me) is called Lavender Calm, it is often grouped up with the newer Lavender Delight collection; both have a lavender and musk scent, so they fit together beautifully. The hand wash was not new to me; it is precious to me, as this hand wash is one of the few items that actually help with menstrual cramps. Listen, it doesn't help a lot, but when they are this atrocious (so painful that I barely manage every month, even with painkillers), I will take even a little bit of help! It is terrific! And it is gentle on the skin. The hand cream was something I was super excited for, since the hand wash was so great. Imagine having a soft hand cream with a soothing lavender scent (hopefully as realistically lavender as the hand wash) to apply before bed, to lull me into a restful sleep! Ah, I hope it is good!

The entire Charming Black Cherry & Nutmeg set

There's also a body lotion that was another repurchase, but not intentionally. See, I previously bought a Christmas set that included this cherry body lotion and a shower gel... and then I forgot I got the body lotion in the set, so when I saw this body lotion in the Focus catalogue, I needed it to "complete the set" since I liked the shower gel very much. I can be a wee bit forgetful sometimes. Anyways, now I have two of these! I don't actually know what black cherry is (apparently, an American variety of cherry?) but a cherry and nutmeg scent sounded so lovely - especially if it smells like the shower gel! I never did get the body spray though...

Hand creams galore!

And a nice little hand cream that had a fittingly summery bottle. I just couldn't resist this cute swan floatie, not at such a low price! As you can see, there were a bunch of hand creams to choose from, but my eyes were locked firmly on this LE variant. I didn't even care how good it would be, I just needed it because the packaging is too cute!

The entire Sunset Beats LE, mixed with some non-LE items to complete the look

Next! Something special - a glittery magenta nail polish with a name that I am drawn toward like a moth to a flame: Flamingo! This nail polish was part of a limited edition called Sunset Beats that, although it wasn't very large, it was definitely perfect for hot summer nights. Full of vibrant colours and shimmer and glitter so that it glistens in the low light. The LE had a lip stylo/blush, ~~highlighter~~ eyeshadow palette, and a nail polish. Truth be told, I really wasn't interested in the stylo or the palette, as Avon lip products have been kinda meh in the past. But the nail polish? Ooh, I needed that! I needed the flamingo glitter! It looked shimmery but - no spoilers - it is full of surprises!

The 3 body mists that were new at the time

Let's finish with the fine perfumed products. I love colecting nice perfumes, be it EdT, EdP, or body sprays, I collect them all (though I do prefer true perfumes and EdPs). And these Avon body mists never disappoint! There were 3 new variants: Tiare Blossom/Peony, Mango/Frangipani Flower, Cherry Blossom/Orchid. The first one was a bit of a weird mix to my nose, the second one was just too tropical smelling, but the third one? Oh, this one smells divine! It is perfect for spring; it literally smells like peak spring, when all the flowers are blooming!

Now, cherry blossom can be harsh and way too aromatic - this is where the orchid steps in! The orchid balances it out so that it isn't too overpowering on the nose. And it gives it this fresh-washed-cotton kind of note that mixes gorgeously with the cherry blossom. And not does it smell amazing it is also enriched with Japanese cherry flower extract! So it both adds a wonderful hug of April flowers as a scent, and it also has some skincare in it as well! See, this is why I adore these body mists! Of course, since these are 'just' body mists, the longevity is poor, but they are extremely intense for the duration.

They don't smell very alcohol-like, indeed, they always smell genuinely like the main notes. And besides, I like to spritz them on throughout the day, to give my nose some refreshment, so I don't care too much that this body spray doesn't last long.

All the Summer White variants available at the time - a newer one was on the way, as well

And the very last product: Avon Summer White Rio EdT. Yes, it's an EdT, not an EdP, but sometimes you need lightness - particularly in the summer, when it's all hot and sweaty. I'd rather reapply the perfume than have it mix with sweat and become nasty the whole day. I had been considering this perfume for ages, I just couldn't decide which ones out of the Summer White range I wanted the most. There were a few I considered, but, after scratching the scratch&sniff patch, I was taken aback by the Rio variant. No way, it actually smells this much like pineapple? I couldn't wait to test it out with my own ~~two eyes~~ -- err -- two nostrils? And ladies and gentlemen, it is true! It does actually smell like fresh pineapple! It is super summery, perfect for the hottest days!

In terms of the fragrance composition, the top notes are: pineapple and red fruits. The middle notes are: frangipani, jasmine, violet. The base notes are: vanilla, musk, cedarwood.

I can absolutely smell the pineapple on first spritz, but the red fruits add a mysterious, slightly peppery note that I am not sure mixes the best with the pineapple. The body, though, smells the best! Once it has stayed on for an hour or two, it develops this beautiful floral mix that is both summery and fun. Jasmine can often be too harsh, but I feel like it is blended well with the frangipani, and the jasmine actually enhances both the frangipani and the violet. This is the blend that mixes the best with my own skin; whereas the top and base are too sharp and peppery, this part is so feminine and carefree. After a few hours, it changes into an almost unisex scent, mostly thanks to the cedarwood, which is often found in men's perfumes, bot not nearly as often in women's. I... don't like the base too much. I feel like it is too sharp, and the vanilla doesn't soften it up at all. It also doesn't mix too well with my own skin's smell.

As for the intensity, this is a fairly intense EdT for about 10 minutes. Then it starts to rapidly lose its intensity, though, of course, it may just be my nose adjusting to the scent. I don't think it's particularly intense overall, and its sillage is similarly not impressive. I rarely get comments from my own family when I wear this perfume so either they are neutral on it, or they can't really smell it from afar. Most likely, it's the latter. And the longevity isn't great, either. I feel like it disappears within 3-4 hours. So, overall, this perfume didn't live up to my expectations, not quite. There's something in it that just doesn't mix with my skin too nicely and it's just not intense enough. But I still use it to this day in the summer, when I need a light, fruity scent.

I also love the bottle design for all the Summer White perfumes; the cap and liquid being matching colours is so fun - especially when the colour is bright pineapple yellow! Although, since it is tall, it is prone to getting knocked over so be careful where you store it!

And there we have it! A short blurb for all the products and a mini review for the Summer White Rio EdT, now that I think that I can better discern the individual notes, and know the correct terminology. So, without further ado: here are the items for today: