Saturday 30 December 2017

December Empties

Here is what I used up in December.

NATIVE UNEARTHED ACTIVE CHARCOAL DEODORANT
After using Native Unearthed's Coconut and Vanilla and finding it highly effective, but gritty on the pits, I tried this smooth, soft cream. I used a little spatula to scoop it out, rather than having it all under my nails, the trouble I've had with other natural deodorants. Little melting is required as it's so soft and goes on so nicely. 

Monday 27 November 2017

Review: The Love Lula November Beauty Box

The November Love Lula beauty box has to be my favourite of the year. With 3 full sizes and 3 samples, not only is it a total bargain for the price, but it also contains brands I've either tried and loved, or ones I'm very interested in trying.


Monday 6 November 2017

Focus on Natural Baby and Child Skin Care

My little Z isn't a baby anymore, he's three, but he'll always be my baby 😍. From birth he had very dry skin and at around six months he had a horrendous nappy rash that was complicated by a fungal infection. It took me until last year to realise that all the crap I was putting on his body was what was causing the problems. Garbage like Johnson and Johnson baby wash flared the eczema up in the first place and paraffin-based prescription creams just exacerbated it.

Wednesday 1 November 2017

October Love Lula Picks

This was my first month as a Love Lula approved blogger* and I picked these lovely products to review:

Tuesday 17 October 2017

My Autumn Pampering Products

Now the nights are drawing in, I won't lie about my hibernation-like existence. I like to put my pyjamas on when I get in from work, get the child in bed and pamper myself with nice products followed by a good book/TV programme and glass of wine. (Okay, now I'm lying, the glass of wine comes even before the pyjamas). Is anyone with me or am I just a saddo who needs to get out more?

Here are the products livening up the dark nights at the moment:

BALM BALM BEAUTY BALM


A Look at the October Cruelty Free Beauty Box

This month's Cruelty Free Beauty Box is a good one!

Tuesday 26 September 2017

Review: Love Lula Hair and Body Selection Box

Love Lula frequently have one-off boxes on their site which are either previous beauty boxes or a new curation. These go like hotcakes so when I saw their hair and body selection box, I snapped it up.

Sunday 10 September 2017

Review: August The Cruelty-Free Beauty Box

The Cruelty-Free Beauty Box is a new subscription service launched this year. The company offer a beauty box at £14.95 or a make-up box at £19.95. Both boxes contain 5 items. Sometimes there is overlap with the products as the beauty box will often have a make-up item in it. Both boxes are vegan. After seeing July's box reviewed, I decided to subscribe for August.

Saturday 9 September 2017

Review: Friendly Soap

Friendly Soap are based in Todmorden in the North West, not far from where I was born. They are vegan and Leaping Bunny registered and they don't use palm oil, SLS or parabens. Their stuff is as pure as you can get. Previously, I reviewed their shea butter face bar here and now is the turn of their aloe vera bath bar and their cocoa butter face bar.

Review: August Love Lula Beauty Box

A belated look at the August Love Lula Beauty Box.
What's inside:

BALM BALM CHAMOMILE FLORAL WATER £8.50

Tuesday 5 September 2017

August Empties - Madara, Botanicals, Chirp Body and more

Here are the products I've been using last month.


BOTANICALS CALMING BODY LOTION*

Soil Association certified, vegan company Botanicals make this lotion infused with lavender, calendula and tea tree oil, perfect for dry, sensitive skin. Tea tree and lavender of course, are both powerful antiseptics, anti-fungals and anti-virals and I've been a big fan of both since I was a teenager. These make the lotion a really good choice for summer, with their action against rashes,sunburn, mosquito bites and the like. It is also recommended by Botanicals for use after hair removal.

Tuesday 22 August 2017

Review: Madara Organic Skincare

Madara are a Latvian company with ECOCERT status who have made great waves in natural beauty circles for their organic products using Nordic plants, herbs and oils. They do face, body and hair products as well as a baby range. Some of their products contain honey and beeswax so are not suitable for vegans but those reviewed below are all vegan.


Monday 21 August 2017

July Love Lula Beauty Box

I'm somewhat behind in this post, blame my day job, my child and a million other things. Meanwhile I've got products piling up (not a hoarder, honest) and only one face and body to put them on (more's the pity). Hence, I haven't yet tried all the products in the box but here's a look at the July Love Lula box anyway.
This was my first month subscribing to the box and I was extremely happy with what I received.


Review: Joik Lemon and Vanilla Body Range

I'm always banging on about things smelling nice on this blog. I just can't help myself. For something to smell of both lemon and vanilla, well it doesn't get much better than that in my book. I adore the scent of vanilla and I love anything that smells of citrus, be it toilet cleaner or perfume!
So when I bought Joik's Lemon and Vanilla Body Scrub and opened the jar and sniffed, I was already composing a glowing review in my head before I even scooped that first morsel out. 😀

Saturday 12 August 2017

Review: Yes to Blueberries Body Wash

I saw this in Boots when I was looking for a natural shower gel (which is very hard to find in Boots) and thought I would give it a go as I hadn't used any Yes To products before even though I always see them on the sites I shop on.

Review: Balm Balm Rose Floral Water

Since I first tried Balm Balm products, I've made sure to keep them as one of the brands I repurchase from. After using the Frankincense toner and finding it nice but stinky 😀I knew I wanted to try a different toner from the range.

Thursday 3 August 2017

July Empties - Vapour Organic Beauty, Green People, Urban Decay, Botanics

This is what I have been using up this month.
Left: Vapour Illusionist Concealer. Right: Vapour Luminous Foundation
As natural foundations are so expensive and I'm so pale, I try to get a sample before I consider buying a full size. This sample of Luminous Foundation in 090 from Vapour Organic Beauty caught my eye. 

Monday 31 July 2017

Brand Review: Essence Cosmetics

Essence Cosmetics are a cruelty-free German company who are owned by Cosnova, who are also cruelty-free. They are an extremely budget-friendly brand who first came to my attention when I read that their mascaras were good and when I heard they were being stocked by Wilko's in the UK, I got myself down there swiftly to have a gander.
The first time I went, I picked up quite a haul and out of that, I found 3 must-have products.

Review: Nom Nom Mother and Baby Skincare

Without Within is at the heart of Nom Nom

Without
What we leave out is as important as what we include.

I recently tried some of the award-winning Nom Nom range, skincare for mother and baby made without the usual nasties. They are Soil Association certified, vegan (apart from their perineum balm which has beeswax) and the baby range has no tree nut oils or essential oils.


Sunday 23 July 2017

Review: Botanicals Nourish Hydrating Mist

I was sent a sample of this lovely mist by Botanicals to try. It is cruelty free and vegan with extracts of rose and camellia and is suitable for dry and mature skin (they also do a gentle mist for sensitive skin).


Tuesday 11 July 2017

June Empties - Balm Balm, Coconut King, Baby Boo Bamboo

Hmm, there's not a lot to show for this month. Other bloggers put me to shame. Perhaps I threw a few things away without realising. Anyway, without further ado.
BALM BALM FRANKINCENSE HYDROSOL SOOTHING FACIAL TONIC

Friday 7 July 2017

Review: Laid Bare Body Butter and Scrub

I've recently been trying two products in the Laid Bare range, their Butter Me Up organic shea body butter and their Scrub A Dub Dub face and body scrub.
Laid Bare is a UK brand that uses 97-100% natural ingredients with no nasties.

Monday 3 July 2017

Review: Botanicals Deep Peace Mineral Soak and Body Oil

Recently I had the fortune to try out the Botanicals Deep Peace Mineral Soak and Deep Peace Body Oil. Botanicals are a UK company who are registered with the Soil Association and vegan and I love their products.
I don't often take a bath due to time restraints but there's no doubt it's the ultimate relaxation tool and I really looked forward to trying this range out before bed.

Deep Peace Mineral Soak

"Revitalise your skin, revive tired and aching muscles, and soothe your senses - all in one heavenly scented soak.
We combine Pink Himalayan rock crystal (containing 84 essential minerals), with Dead Sea salt (renowned for its powerful healing properties), then infuse with a calming and relaxing blend of organic essential oils."

Tuesday 27 June 2017

Review: Alucia Organics Double Rosehip Facial Oil

Recently I have been trying a Double Rosehip Oil from UK brand Alucia Organics. They are Leaping Bunny certified and Soil Association certified.

NARS - No Longer Cruelty Free

You will have heard by now that NARS, the high-end beauty brand, have decided to lose their cruelty-free status and expand into China, where animal testing is mandatory. They are such a well-respected, quality brand in the cruelty-free community that it is another blow on top of Too Faced being acquired by Estee Lauder and Unilever set to acquire Hourglass later this year.
It comes as a relief to me that I was never a NARS customer and I am glad to see all the messages they have on their Facebook page telling the brand that it will be boycotted.

Another make-up brand that has chosen money over ethics and another step backwards into the dark ages.




Sunday 25 June 2017

Review: Dr. Organic Hair and Skin Care

It seems like Ebay isn't the cheap place it used to be. It's full of shops selling items inflated above the RRP and bargains are few and far between. However, now and then, I manage a coup on a green beauty item and I got myself this bundle of Dr. Organic goodies a while back.
Dr. Organic is a British brand sold at Holland and Barrett. They are cruelty-free and vegetarian. Some of their products contain honey.
In the bundle there were 75ml travel sizes of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and 2 x 30ml tubes of body lotion.


Wednesday 21 June 2017

Review: Balm Balm Baby Balm - Truly A Miracle Product

Around March time, both me and my three year old son, Z, were suffering from eczema. I had a patch of eczema on my right shin that was a year old. It had healed once (after a holiday) and come back just as bad two months later. Z's eczema was off and on, with flare-ups for no apparent reason.
At the time I was using conventional moisturisers on my leg and prescription creams on my son. I had always found body scrubs of benefit with my dry skin so I was using a scrub on my leg that said it was so mild, it could be used every day. This product contained SLS, which I'm sure contributed to a vicious cycle for me.

I had just started exploring natural products and the first one I chose for the two of us was Baby Balm by Balm Balm. This contains just five ingredients: shea butter, sunflower oil, beeswax, calendula and jojoba oils. Balm Balm are cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny approved, plus Soil Association certified.


Tuesday 20 June 2017

May Love Lula Beauty Box

This is the first Love Lula beauty box I've purchased as they were doing a few one-off specials of their past boxes so I grabbed the May one as I had noticed it previously and coveted the goods!
 The box includes the following:

Review: Alva Crystal Deo Intensive Spray

Recently I have been trying the Crystal Deo Intensive Spray from Alva. They are a German company established in 1998 and distributed in the UK from 2007. They have their own UK website and are also for sale at Only Naturals, a leading seller of natural and organic skincare brands, who provided me with this sample for review.
This deodorant is vegan and 100% natural with 26% of the ingredients coming from organic farming. Alva are certified by Ecocert and cruelty-free.

Thursday 15 June 2017

TK Maxx Cruelty Free Haul No.2

I'm back with another cruelty-free beauty haul from TK Maxx and their sister company, Homesense. Seriously, some of their prices (especially in the clearance section) are too good to resist and I love being able to get my hands on brands that I can't normally afford or brands hard or impossible to get hold of in the UK. It's also a great way to discover new products. When I walk through the doors and see all those lovely bottles, it's a bit like Aladdin's Cave (for the beauty hoarder) 😋

Monday 12 June 2017

May Empties: Pixi, Living Nature, E.L.F, Pacifica and more

It seems like I didn't do an April empties post. Clearly I'm not using enough products and need to remedy that. Anyway, I have a few empties to talk about here.

Friday 9 June 2017

S5 Skincare Review

Recently I tried some skincare from UK company S5, which is made by Good Ventures, the group who also make Evolve Beauty. They describe their line as cosmoceuticals. They don't test on animals or sell in China and are working towards organic certification.
"S5 is designed to solve skin problems naturally using the strength of ingredients found in the most extreme parts of the planet such as Antarctica, the Wadi Desert in Egypt and the high mountains of Tibet...the most powerful natural actives can be found in the earth’s most extreme ecosystems, where the plants themselves overcome extreme stress to fight for survival and constantly adapt to stay youthful and healthy. This is the power behind S5."

Blogger Stationery Haul

Stationery obsession has been a long time thing with me, since school when I used to pinch packs of paper and exercise books *cough*. I still love wandering around stationery shops (without stealing), even though I have enough notebooks and paper to last eons. It was only recently that I noticed other bloggers were talking about their love of stationery and I realised I was not alone in my weirdness! So I thought I would share my recent haul.

Friday 2 June 2017

TK Maxx Cruelty Free Mini Haul

In the past I've always used TK Maxx for clothes or shoes. I've never looked at the beauty products because I thought they were all obscure, weird expensive stuff that nobody bought. Then last year I noticed a free cruelty-free make-up brands there and picked up a Too Faced eye primer and a NYX lipstick. This time I went and had an in-depth look at the beauty and came back with a mini haul!

Sunday 28 May 2017

Review: Living Nature Ultra Rich Body Cream

Over the last few weeks I have been trying Living Nature's Ultra Rich Body Cream. Living Nature are a New Zealand company who harness the power of their native plants (many of which are unique to NZ) in 100% natural products certified by BDIH, a German company who set rigorous standards for testing. Living Nature are cruelty free and their packaging is recyclable.