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SPC
Who and what are SPC?
Stoke Park Spa by SPC is the indulgent spa at Stoke Park, in Buckinghamshire. They have developed their own SPC product range -- every product is used in treatments on the spa menu at Stoke Park Spa by SPC. SPC stands for Stoke Park Collection, in case you were wondering.
They say:
"SPC skincare is a luxurious range of British natural, therapeutic and anti-ageing products and treatments which draws on our experience of holistic and therapeutic benefits to relax the body, still the mind and heal the soul. We use ingredients which revitalise the face and body and work with your skin to deliver outstanding results.
SPC skincare treatments and products were conceived and inspired from the spa at Stoke Park. Years of industry experience and research gained through the spa resulted in treatments and products which give a deep holistic experience, providing visual radiance and emotional well being. This idea was based on a desire to create our own skincare range whereby you can recreate your own ‘spa’ feel at home as part of your everyday life. The luxury of the treatment with all its benefits can be experienced in your own home".
We say:
"SPC products are rich in natural ingredients. They'll appeal to fans of chic, feminine packaging and natural scents -- and to anyone wanting to bring a little bit of Stoke Park Spa by SPC magic home with them."
SPC products -- What have we tried?
SPC Plant Collagen Night Cream 30ml, RRP £42
Swedish Spy:
SPC Plant Collagen Night Cream is rich, yet doesn't feel greasy. The folks at SPC have done their homework when it comes to nutritious plant oils and herb extracts. There's highly absorbable jojoba oil. Sea buckthorn oil is a super-food for the skin with lots of essential fatty acids. There's soothing and healing aloe and chamomile, enzyme-rich papaya, amino acids from silk, and hyaluronic acid, which plumps the cushions of your connective tissue.
The night cream comes in a nicely weighted glass bottle with a top that dispenses cleanly and judiciously. The only criticism I can come up with is that the packaging somehow doesn't quite convey the sense of luxury that this product offers.
SPC Sweet Almond Eye Balm 15ml, RRP £39
Swedish Spy:
The Sweet Almond Eye Balm really feels very nice to use. It comes in a similar dispenser to the night cream, which portions out just the right amount with no mess. I love the richer texture after having indulged in lots of serums lately.
Jojoba oil and almond oils come at the top of the list of ingredients (after good old water), followed by precious argane oil, extracted from the argane nut that only grows in remote areas of Morocco.
There is skin-rejuvenating essential oil of frankincense, the oh-so-lovely and nutritious rosehip seed oil, and antioxidant vitamin E.
Altogether a cocktail that should act as powerful food to the delicate skin around the eyes. My experience confirmed this -- after only a few days, my eye area really did look and feel smoother, brighter and pleasantly plumped-up. I would happily buy this.
To put it simply: I liked these SPC products and what's even better, they liked me back. Although I tend to favour products rich in natural ingredients, it's certainly not a shoo-in, as there are a lot of natural creams and potions out there that fail to impress.
SPC Citrus Body Moisturiser 200ml, RRP £30
Shy Spy:
Containing black pepper, lemon and Mexican lime oils, this moisturiser aims to stimulate and uplift. Its zingy scent certainly does that. The cream comes packaged in a chic glass container. It looks suitably classy, and the pink and silver detailing would look perfect on top of a dressing table in a girly boudoir.
The body moisturiser is a light cream that sinks in quickly. It made my skin feel soft without feeling like there was any trace of it left. I found that the scent wasn't overpowering after it had been applied, leaving just a subtle hint of citrus. The fresh scent and light feeling on the skin make it a body moisturiser that's perfect for the summer months.
SPC Kiwi Complexion Scrub 50ml, RRP £29
Shy Spy:
With kiwi seeds, fruit enzymes and walnut, this scrub aims to brighten and clarify the skin. On first sniff, I have to say that rather than "kiwi", the first thing that came to mind was "cake mixture". Not in a bad way, as the smell is actually quite nice!
The scrub is relatively easy to use. It comes in a glass tub with accompanying spatula to assist in the dolloping-on of said cake mixture. As the cream feels so soft, it's really more of an exfoliator than a scrub, with the fruit enzymes doing the work.
I'm not sure that the kiwi seeds do much to help the exfoliation process as they seem a bit too big and smooth to scrub the skin. After rinsing the cream away, my skin did feel soft and smooth with no dryness, but this product was quite gentle. It didn't have as obvious an effect as other exfoliators I've used.
SPC Shea Butter Complexion Mask 50ml, RRP £35
Sweet Spy:
This is an expensive mask so I was keen to see how it fared compared to my normal (much cheaper) choices. A quick glance of the label showed me that while there were a few chemicals in there, there wasn't the usual long list of parabens that lots of masks contain. I was confident that I wouldn't have an adverse reaction. However, there is petrolatum in the mask, which I was worried might irritate my reactive pregnant skin.
The Shea Butter Complexion Mask comes in a glass jar with a small spatula to apply it -- the kind of thing you get with a small tub of ice cream. I used the spatula for about five seconds before realising that, actually, my fingers were more effective. Using the spatula made it tricky to apply the "thin layer" of mask as instructed. Fingers were much better. The instructions also tell you to remove the product immediately if the sensation is uncomfortable. I was slightly nervous about just how uncomfortable it might be! Luckily, apart from being put off by the strangely Vaporub-like smell, I didn't have any adverse reactions.
After eight minutes, I removed the mask to find my skin feeling smooth and clean. Nothing miraculous, but there was definitely a noticeable difference. More so than anything I've experienced using cheaper masks in the past.
SPC Decadent Rose Cleanser 100ml, RRP £20
Sweet Spy:
I was happy to use the Decadent Rose Cleanser on my pregnant skin. It's free from most of the major nasty ingredients, so I was confident it wouldn't cause a bad reaction. It's hard to find a lot to say about cleansers, but this one did what I hoped it would. It cleansed my skin without causing a reaction or drying it out.
However, I have used considerably cheaper products to the same end. Personally, I would rather spend more on a posh moisturiser seeing as cheap and effective cleansers are easy to come by.
The rose scent of SPC's Decadent Rose Cleanser is pleasant but fairly strong. It wouldn't be good if you aren't a fan of the smell of rose or heavily scented products in general. The glass bottle it comes in is another potential downside: although it looks very nice to have a glass bottle of cleanser in the bathroom cabinet, it's a bit like trying to get ketchup out of one of the old-style glass bottles. In a hurry in the morning, you tip the thing upside down, wait for some cleanser to come out, and then get a huge glob of the stuff, which is much more than you need. It's a shame that there isn't a pump to get the cleanser out so you don't waste any, or that it isn't packaged in a squeezy bottle.
SPC Decadent Rose Moisturiser 50ml, RRP £45
Salubrious Spy:
I was given SPC's Decadent Rose Moisturiser to review. A pink and silver box arrived on my desk containing in a satisfyingly hefty glass jar with silver lid. The moisturiser itself is light in texture with a delicate rose scent and the silky cream is easy to apply.
SPC Decadent Rose Moisturiser absorbs quickly into the skin without leaving any greasy residue, and makes a good base for make-up as it leaves a matt finish. I liked the subtle scent and texture of the product. The feminine pink packaging would look good on any dressing table.
At £60, it's reassuringly expensive for a moisturiser. If a light, rose-scented moisturiser appeals to you it's well worth the investment.
SPC Ginger Body Scrub 500g, RRP £35
Salubrious Spy:
This traditional salt and oil scrub comes in a smart jar -- a plastic version of the traditional French jam jars with the metal lever to seal it closed. Think Grolsch bottle. It carries the SPC range's pink and silver design so it's pretty as well as functional.
The product itself is the well proven salt and oil mixture. SPC advises you to give it a quick stir before application. I tried this product in the bath, though it would be fine to use in the shower too. Remember to close the lid!
Not having a spoon handy, I just mixed the scrub with my finger and scooped a small handful straight onto my skin, adding a little more water before smoothing it in. It has a lovely scent -- more citrus than ginger. It does contain grapefruit and lime oils, too. It felt very satisfying on the skin. As instructed, I applied the scrub in circular strokes over my arms and legs, giving my knees and elbows a little extra attention.
The scrub left my skin feeling slightly tingly, very soft and smelling luxurious. It's a great product in a pretty jar. Every self-respecting spa-goer needs a good exfoliator in their life!
Where can I try SPC products?
* At Stoke Park
Where can I buy SPC products?
* From Spa SPC's online shop, and from Fortnum & Mason, London.
See also:
* Read the Good Spa Guide review of Stoke Park Spa by SPC
* Scrubs
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