Sunday, June 03, 2012

Review: Marks & Spencer China Blue

I rarely repurchase products based mainly on scent. There's just so much out there to try and it's hard to stay loyal. On my 18th birthday, however (man that was so long ago), I received two bottles of those exquisitely scented Marks & Spencer body lotions--typical gifts, right? One I gave to my mom, and the other... well, let's just say that bottle has long since been emptied and its twins and sisters are now residing in my stash.

From L-R: Hand and body lotion, talcum powder, hand and nail cream




The scent in question is what M&S calls China Blue. Evoking the scent of clean fresh linen, it claims. I wish all linen smelled like this! It's definitely clean and fresh, and I became a fan of powdery scents because of this line. Aside from the products I have, the line also has a room/linen spray, hand and body washes/creams, a soap, and a roll-on deodorant. The packaging, as expected, is a spot of luxury on your dressing table. I especially like the touch of gold on the powder's sifter.



Are there downsides to this line? Well, yes, and they may actually be deal-breakers. They smell amazing, but performance-wise, they are so-so. They work well enough, definitely, but in conjunction with the price point, the purchase may not be worth it. Best to treat yourself to a bottle when the situation calls for it, or hint to someone who loves you that it'll make the perfect gift. ;p As for me, I love the scent enough to indulge, and since the stuff lasts me a long time, I'm all right.


The moisturising hand and body lotion (Php395) comes with a pump that twists closed, so it's easier to bring around with you, but the size makes it impractical for travel. Texture-wise it's a tad lighter than the usual body lotion and definitely not as effective as my almost-HG body lotion in terms of moisturizing power, but it's good enough. I wish they had a baby, haha. This is also your typical lotion in that overapplication can result in a sticky feel, so it's best to apply this to towel-patted skin, right after you bathe. I like applying this before bed and the smell lingers in the morning.


The moisturising hand and nail cream (Php245) is surprisingly thicker in texture than the body lotion, but more fast-absorbing. This combination works though, for the product's main use, and after about half a minute of rubbing my hands together with this I'm good to go again. It's my thirty-second break especially when I'm just at my desk for the day. :)


Last but not the least is the silky talcum powder (Php295), the only product I have no qualms about performance-wise. But then again, it's hard to get powder wrong, right? Consequently this is the most repurchased product of the three. I use this during (literally) sticky situations, whether due to overapplied lotion or the hot weather. Sometimes I keep it beside my laptop and take a whiff of it for a pick-me-up. (Admit it, you've done this to one product at some point!)

So there. I think out of all the products I'm using, this line might be something I'll grow old with because of how much I love the scent. I'm glad it's readily available in Marks & Spencer boutiques in the country. Do you have a product for which you have a similar love? Let me know!

P.S. I miss writing, I really do.

19 comments:

  1. My favorite one's Lavender! I can't get enough of it!

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    1. haha nice one! And thank you for dropping by, dear! <3

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  2. i remember you mention that you love this scent. nice to see the review! ;)

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    1. thanks kookie! nung sinusulat ko nga to napaisip ako, di pala siya ganung kagaling. pero dahil sobrang gusto ko yung scent tinuloy ko pa din :))

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    2. hi ms kari swaan mo nabili yung china blue mo? yung sa akindito sa cotabato binili ko sa friend ko na galing singapore, i really really loved the scent super clean in one word.

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    3. mee too ive come to love china blue i cant let it go <3 lookin forward to another bottle, just don"t know where to buy

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  3. I like the smell of China Blue a lot. :) I also have the powder, which I love, 'cause it makes me feel luxurious, hehe, and the deodorant, which is lightly scented lang.

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    1. Yes, I remember reading your review of the deodorant and remembering that I have one hell of a backlog on China Blue! :)) I love the luxurious feel of the powder too. And I'm jealous you can use the deo, I have sensitive skin in that area kasi. Only this Avon deo cream works for me. :))

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  4. Beautiful blog and your posts are very informative! I just followed your blog, hope you can follow mine too. More power and keep 'em coming!

    XOXO

    www.MusingsofaMakeupMaven.com (http://sabshernandez.blogspot.com)

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  5. I would def repurchase a product based on smell - i think its the woman in us :) haha. Im glad i learne about this product! Will def check it out in the mearest M & S!

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  6. LOL. I'm such a girl--I usually make (sometimes emotional) decisions based on scents, and I realize I do repurchase products that I like smelling. The only reason I switch brands is because I'd like to believe I'm frugal and I'm often sent products to try. Otherwise, I'd keep repurchasing the same old stuff I've been buying for ages. :)) Right now, I got Neutrogena's Body Oil, of which I've been a fan since college but haven't been able to repurchase because along the way I've discovered Human Nature and like I said, it seems like I never run out of sent products to try.

    Alex
    http://www.reluctantstylista.com

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  7. I'd love to try this! Thanks for sharing! :))

    Hope you can visit and follow mine :)
    http://beatricemalveda.blogspot.com/

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  8. Great post! I hope you visit my blog sometimes. :) Thanks! I'm your new follower! Kisses from VV!!

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  9. Anonymous8:42 PM

    Can I just say, I love Marks & Spencer products ;~; They just smell so good. Also, their packaging is really pretty.

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  10. I really love the smell of china blue. I just discovered this scent because it smells like the lotion and colognes provided in PAL's mabuhay lounge. I checkedin the bottle but the manufacturer was not indicated for it was exclusively bottled for PAL. So i didnt know where to find that lotion. One day on our trip to hongkong we dropped by marks and spencer boutique. It was really popular in there they hve lots of stores. We saw this collection named china blue and used the tester. It smelled so good! We bought 2 bottles and the price there was cheaper it cost only HKD45 per bottle,the tall one with pump. We were asking for the eau de parfum but the saleslady said china blue was already sold out. The design is slightly different from the pictures u posted. Im wondering if the price is the same since you said its around 395. And its hard to find marks and spencer here in phils i dont know if he collection is still availble. I want to add this to my collection.

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    1. Hi, Rinaliza! Thanks for commenting even though I don't post anymore, haha. I really love it too!! I think the price of the China Blue stuff is still the same, though I haven't checked in quite awhile. It's still available in the PH but in limited quantities, and sometimes they have multiple packaging designs displayed in one store. Hope you find it!

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  11. Saan po ako pwedeng makabili.yung lavander po ang bago..
    Sa watson or pharmacy.meron ba silang products dun.

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    1. Hi kari!i was able to find it in an outlet in sta.rosa,laguna. But not all their stocks are available so i only bought the hand cream.when i took a vacation in hk last dec,i bought many.the powdercosts 40hkd and the body spray 95hkd.there was no perfume so i just bought whats available.�� til now i still use it to freshen up even before going to sleep.

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    2. Hi lovelyn! Nagtry lng po ako magsearch sa internet for the shops of marks and spencer though konti lng tlga ang shops nla dito sa ph. I was able to buy locally in sta.rosa laguna so i went there coz i live in cavite thats d closest.i dont think they have it in watsons coz before i searched internet ive tried finding them in watsons and other dept.stores but they usually dont have it.just try to find the marks and spencer near u. Good luck!

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Always glad to get feedback. Thanks for your comments. :)