noüris New Versatile Organic Oil Collection

Natural oils for all reasons and all seasons

I am sure that many girls out there were wondering just when the awful weather was going to end last winter. It is always a time I dread as winter tends to leave my face looking sandblasted and my hair looking like a birds nest from suffering the harsh elements. Countering the effects of the weather to hair and skin is a constant battle and this winter has been no exception.

Not something that I have used on a regular basis before, face oil has been featured twice daily in my regimen since the beginning of September to counter the effects of stress and sleeplessness caused by a new job and more latterly to combat the effects of harsh weather conditions too. I am certain you can imagine how delighted I was when I was contacted by noüris to ask if I would try out their new range of oils to let them know what I thought! Trying these products would be a pleasure for me especially as one of them came with the recommendation of my most youthful looking aunt! You can’t say better than that!

noüris Essential Oil Trio

I received a trio of oils from noüris. This is a new range of products from an online company offering products from PDO regions in Tahiti, Chili and Italy. These protected products of Argan Oil, Rosehip Oil and Monoi Oil were sent by the company by first class mail and arrived well protected in bubble wrap and boxed and posted in a padded envelope with additional packing to prevent movement.

The range of oils is available in 100 ml, 50 ml and 10ml bottles of tinted glass to protect the product they contain. The bottles are printed with stylish labelling and the Nouris brand name. Each oil has its own colour and they look very good as a set in the bathroom. Two of the oils, which remain liquid at all times, come with a pump and transparent cap for easy dispensing. The Monoi Oil, which is generally solid at room temperature, has a silver screw cap lid. This particular product requires warming to become liquid before use.

First Impressions

After unwrapping these lovely items, I couldn’t wait to try a little on the backs of my hands before I began putting them through their paces. Having read that the Argan Oil had not been deodorised, I was worried that it might have an unpleasant base oil smell that I would find difficult to tolerate. After a couple of pumps on the back of my hand and a little massaging, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that is smelled quite fruity, perhaps faintly of apricots. It was a very pleasant discovery. The oil itself is quite transparent and was very quickly absorbed by the skin, which was another pleasant discovery.

The second oil to be tested was the Rosehip Oil. This oil has an orangey tint, which comes from the colour of the hips.  It has a slightly tart and citric aroma, quite like red fruit herbal tea and without any base oil aroma. Again the oil was very quickly absorbed by the skin, not leaving any residue on the surface of the skin. Rosehip has anti-oxidant properties which aid cell regeneration. I have only to look at my aunt’s skin to see how beneficial this product can be. It is the main component of her anti-ageing daily routine, and I have to say that she looks to be in my generation rather than the one above, so I was eager to have the chance to try this product.

As the Monoi Oil required some warming I just open the bottle and inhaled to see if this product had the intoxicating qualities that I hoped.  I have discovered that not all Monoi products on the market have the delightful scent that I adore, even if they carry the organic mark and come from a reliable source. I believe it may be due to the addition of the Frangipani blossom fragrance, which is present in some products containing Monoi Oil, but not all. I was delighted to discover that this product had the fragrance that I adore, and had similar texture to the product from another, British brand, with which I am familiar. I left testing this one to a time when I was able to soften the product first.

noüris Monoi Oil

This product needs a little warming in a bowl of warm water before it changes from solid to liquid form. It doesn’t take very long, and hot water from the tap is hot enough to transform this product into a silky liquid which is perfect for pouring into the palm. 

At first I was surprised that this product didn’t come with a pump, as it will only be dispensed in its liquid form. I came to the conclusion that this was due to the fact that the product didn’t remain liquid.  However after a couple of uses I came to the conclusion that I would prefer a pump on this bottle and searched around at home for one which would fit the bottle. After attaching a pump I found that this was a a useful addition to the product and I was less nervous about spillage from the large opening or over dispensing the product and finding it difficult for my skin to absorb.

The first evening I applied this product liberally all over my body and a little on my hair, and applied as face oil, patting it on after applying my serum and under my night cream. I found no difficulty in absorption qualities and I was able to layer the products over each other without difficulty. I found the intoxicating scent of frangipani very relaxing and seductive and I couldn’t help feeling like a character from 1001 Nights as I applied it. My husband commented on how much he liked the aroma of the oil compared to perfume, and I feel application of this oil could become a regular feature in my daily skincare routine. 

The following morning I checked my skin which seemed well nourished, particularly around my ankles and instep, which tends to be dry. I felt a little sad that I found it didn’t absorb well into my hair which looked a little greasy where I had applied it, even though I hadn’t applied very much. However I was going to wash it that morning and I added a little more to try it as an intensive treatment to prep my hair before washing.  

Having read the warning on the bottle about allergy sufferers, I had only applied a small amount of oil over aqueous cream on the patches of skin where I tend to suffer from eczema, as I was a little fearful that it might upset my skin, but there wasn’t any redness or itchiness. Feeling a little more confident having seen the morning results and wondering how daringly I might use this oil, I applied the oil directly to eczema-prone areas, in the hope that the oil might aid hydration, and possibly assist in calming my itchy skin. This was readily absorbed my thirsty skin after my shower and didn’t seem to upset it at all.

After drying my hair that morning, I couldn’t help noticing that my naturally curly hair seemed more bouncy and fuller in texture.  It seemed less prone to frizz after the use of a hair dryer and I was quite impressed by the overall effect. I will check to see if the same is noticeable next time I wash it to be sure, but it seemed that application of the oil did make a difference to dry, parched hair.

I am quite greedy with oils and serums on my skin, as I find my dry skin requires quite a lot of maintenance. On the third evening I am just under half way through this bottle, but I am loving every moment of its use. My skin this evening is soft and elastic, and I haven’t felt the need to apply further moisturisation to my eczema prone areas at all today. The areas where I suffer most do not appear dry or flaky and there is not a hint of itchiness.  I am feeling more and more convinced that this product could release me from my constant use of scent-free creams which make me feel eternally punished and unable to enjoy a life of pampering.  Thank you so much for this revelation, noüris!

Monoi Oil has proved great for locking moisture in the skin, but I am in my forties and perhaps I need something a little anti-ageing too for the face. Perhaps tonight it’s time to try noüris’ Rosehip Oil to see if I can stop the clock and perhaps even turn it back a bit!

noüris Rosehip Oil

This product is packaged in the same dark coloured glass, which will help protect it from the effects of sunlight while in use. It doesn’t come boxed, but the bottle has lovely printing and looks stylish and attractive displayed on the bathroom counter. This product has a neat, pump dispenser which prevents spillage or over-pouring and also a transparent cap to keep the nozzle clean and the bottle free from attracting any dust in the atmosphere. I found the pump a very useful feature which was easy to control and can be easily wiped clean after use, to prevent any build up of surplus product.

The oil itself has an orangey tinge of colour, suggesting the tint of crushed rosehips. This oil has a slightly tart fragrance, almost citric in nature. It doesn’t have a strong oil aroma which is very pleasing as this is a point which features highly in my selection of products, as I cannot bear using products on my face and body with a strong oil smell, and would find this off-putting. The fragrance noticeable to the user, but fades away almost instantaneously, and will not bother the user during the course of the day.

I was pleased to find that this oil has a very light consistency and is instantly absorbed by the skin, without leaving a trace of residue. It can be combined with serum and moisturiser very easily and without a feeling of overloading the skin. I am excited by the anti-oxidant and aspect of this oil and also the fact that it can be used on scars and itchy skin. I have long been bothered by a scar caused by chickenpox where I accidentally caught the spot with my glasses frame, and the prospect of reducing its appearance is very attractive. This oil may also be helpful for reducing the appearance of my stretchmarks, another very attractive feature.

Having eczema-prone skin is a real bind for me, especially in winter time, when the weather elements and central heating play havoc with my sensitive skin. I was very nervous to try any product on an area which is already driving me wild at every possible moment with itching, but I wanted to really put this product through its paces for other users to estimate what the result might be. 

The first time I used this oil on my eczema I first applied aqueous cream and then a little oil over the top, to see if it would soothe the itching, (which aqueous does not, although it moisturises). Although very moisturising to skin, I believe that the aqueous cream formed a barrier of protection on my skin and perhaps lessened the potential benefits that the oil may have provided.  Therefore, in a bolder attempt, I tried a greater quantity of Rosehip Oil alone the following day, to see if it would have greater effect.  I can’t tell you how nervous I was as my skin was already causing me considerable misery by this point. However, I was delighted with the result I experienced!  My skin did feel calmed by the presence of the oil, however, I confess I wasn’t brave enough to switch to solely using this product instead of my usual anti-eczema regimen. Rosehip Oil definitely did not exacerbate the problem, so for eczema sufferers it might be a pleasant treat to use a natural (and scented) product which has a scent rather than the usual, pharmaceutical regimen.

I thought I might also try this oil on another area of my body which also tends to drive me crazy with itchiness (but not eczema), possibly due to chaffing from clothing and long boots in winter. This area is my shin bones. I have lost count of the days and nights I have spent rubbing them red-raw following a day of wearing clothing and sometimes during the day too!  Here I wasn’t as nervous to try the product more liberally to test its effects. As I mentioned earlier, this product is a very light oil, and doesn’t feel greasy or heavy on the skin.

Since I began my review of this range of products the weather has changed really dramatically and I am still using my oils.  These products really have helped to keep my hair and skin in tip top condition.  This kind of product is a really versatile way to keep your skin and hair hydrated, and it works for face and body meaning that you have less products to store.  I have found oils blend well with serum and moisturiser, making it possible to layer your products to lock in moisture.  Applying over serum or to damp skin really helps to keep your skin radiant an healthy and your hair frizz free.  I will never look back as the results have been impressive.  Using oils as part of my daily self care routine is here for good!