Review - Elemis Exotic Frangipani Moisture Melt

Disclosure - PR sample

I do love a product with a catchy name! Elemis Exotic Frangipani Moisture Melt (hereafter to be referred to as "Melt") is a fragrant multi-tasker that does duty as a body moisturiser, cuticle oil and even hair treatment.

The packaging is quite lovely. It's a slender glass bottle with a small metal screw cap - just the oval shaped part is what screws off, leaving a small opening that releases the oil drop by drop. This is very good, as it makes it difficult to waste too much product. (It does cost £29 per 100ml after all!)

Before use, the Melt needs to be warmed up in a basin of hot water, as it's main ingredient, coconut oil, is solid at room temperature. Bit of a faff, although at the current balmy temperatures the UK is enjoying, you can in fact skip this step. In the past when I used pure coconut oil on my skin, I used to take the bottle into the shower with me and stand it in the path of the warm water so that it would be melted and ready for use when I had finished. Also a handy option with this (but don't knock it over!).

Once primed and ready, the Melt leaves the bottle drop by drop, releasing a heady jasmine/frangipani scent into the air. It's full on, floral and tropical - a very distinctive and powerful smell that is probably a "love it or hate it" phenomenon. I really like it myself, though I'm not normally a "florals" kind of person. I think because it's clearly a good-quality, multi-faceted perfume with depth rather than a cheap synthetic scent, it's easy to appreciate even if it's not your usual taste.

The first time I used this was on my hands. I was extremely impressed by how quickly it is absorbed and how little oily residue is left after applying. The combination of the luxurious scent and the pleasing texture make it a great addition to a manicure. It works equally well as a body moisturiser, and a little goes a surprisingly long way, especially on damp skin.

I have used it on my hair a couple of times, both after washing as a kind of serum, and as a pre-wash treatment. I can't say I've noticed a huge improvement in hair condition from doing this, but it does make my hair smell very nice! Gemma has tried it on her hair too, and she warns that it will strip coloured hair, so be very cautious using it as a hair treatment if your hair is dyed. 

If you like the sound of the Melt, you can pick it up via Time to Spa, Elemis' official UK distribution site. It's available individually at £29 for 100ml. Or if like me you're a sucker for a bargain, you might be interested to hear that the Everyday Beauty Essentials collection contains the Melt and four other hit products for £46 (saving over £50 on combined RRP - nice.)