I’ve got to be honest and say that this starter kit from Murad has been a bit of a disappointment before I’ve even used it. Firstly, I ordered it from the Murad website because there was an offer in the December issue of In Style magazine for a full size Hydro Dynamic Ultimate Moisture, free with any purchase. Instead of the 50ml pot I was expecting I received a measly 7.5ml sample. To add insult to injury I’ve since discovered that the same kit is available from John Lewis for £26.50 – that’s £2.95 cheaper than Murad’s website.
On a more positive note, I have tried Murad products before and have been impressed with them. For Christmas last year I was given the Real Radiance and the Complete Renewal sets. Two of the products in the Real Radiance set are included in the Environmental Shield kit – the Essential-C Day Moisture and Essential-C Eye Cream. I’m currently still using the eye cream from last year as I had a few others to use up first. I like the light texture and the fact that it contains an SPF, even if it is only 15. I saved the moisturiser for a holiday earlier in the year and it was the perfect product for a beach holiday as it contains SPF 30, is light and easily absorbed and really does make my skin feel more radiant.
The cleanser has the same fresh and zingy scent as the other products in the Essential-C range. I prefer to use wash off gel cleansers in the shower to ensure I’ve rinsed thoroughly, which is a bit of a faff to do over the sink. A little of this cleanser goes a long way so I think it’ll last a while. I’m going to save it for holidays and popping in my gym wash bag. It’s a refreshing cleanser rather than a luxuriously hydrating one, so not really for drier skins or the colder weather.
Murad claims using the kit will improve “brightness, clarity and radiance by 60% in less than one week” – so does it live up to this? Well I’ve been using it for just under a week and it has made my skin brighter and more radiant but I couldn’t put a percentage on it, in fact I’m not sure how you could measure that. All I can say is that this little kit is definitely going with me on my next beach holiday.
There are other Murad Christmas kits available if you fancy trying out some new products, or maybe just stocking up on some travel size goodies. Remember to do a price comparison first and you may just save yourself a few quid!
Essential-C Cleanser 45ml
Advanced Active Radiance Serum 10ml
Essential-C Day Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 30 PA++ 21ml
Essential-C Eye Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 15 PA++4ml