Organic Beauty Week

Hello everyone!

If you didn't know, September is Organic Month. This basically means I have given myself every justification for buying the lovely expensive organic produce from my local Tesco....but also has been refreshing my memory of all of the wonderful organic beauty products that I have tried previously and that are still on offer.

In particular there is an Organic Beauty Week which is next week, the 19th to the 25th of September.

I think it is great to bring organic produce to more people's attention, especially beauty products. They are a lot more available than they ever used to be before, and I have tried a few in the past that were really good.

So in light of this I thought I would talk about two of my favourite organic beauty products that I have tried, and hopefully you can give me some recommendations too!

My first favourite product is the Antipodes Divine Face Oil*. 

Antipodes is a brand I came across a few years, remember that exclusive Selfridge's beauty box that was released when they opened up their Beauty Department? (there's a post here if you need a reminder but the giveaway is obviously over now!)

This was my first organic product and also the first oil I put on my face, and in true blogger style I have not forgotten it. I have in fact repurchased it a number of times but due to buying a house last year my budget has been restricted....Antipodes were kind enough to send me another recently to refresh my memory. 

It is still absolutely my favourite facial oil that I have ever tried. I remember this was when the realisation of 'I can put oil onto my oily skin and it won't break me out?!' days. This was a revolutionary product for me and I'm so happy to have it back in my life, so is my skin as it has definitely shown in the last few days of usage.

I'd recommend it for any skin type as wen my skin was oily it never broke out when I used this, plus now that my skin is drier it works like a charm at hydrating it so I think it works for all skin types.

Why should you try it?

The Divine Oil contains premium avocado oil as the main ingredient along with rosehip oil, jojoba oil, jasmine oil plus pure plant fragrances such as Sandalwood and Ylang Ylang.

The organic avocado oil however is the star of the show, it is high in essential fatty acids (EFAs) including Omega 3 and 9 to help with regeneration, restructuring, moisturising and film forming. It also has lutein which helps to protect against the sun with its natural UVA sun-screening properties and antioxidants to help against the damage that free radicals can cause to the skin resulting in ageing.

So the promise is there...and the science backs it up. After some studies Antipodes have found the it stimulates collagen in human skin cells by up to 51%.,,,, Can we bathe in it?!

The Divine Face Oil costs £19.99 for 30ml and can be purchased directly from the Antipodes website but also Look Fantastic, Beauty Expert, Naturisimo and Feel Unique.

My second favourite organic product that I've tried is from Neal's Yard Remedies.

We attended an event from them two years ago now when they released their infamous Wild Rose Beauty Balm* in the beautiful new packaging to celebrate 10 years of the product.

Isn't it beautiful???

This is a wonder product, and my original post on this product (click here) lists the ideas other users have come up with but my favourite use is as a deep cleansing mask, hydrating mask, lip balm and general salve for any burns, sun burn etc that my skin has. 

It comes with a muslin cloth that I use to remove the product and this also helps with exfoliation. 

This balm also contains rosehip oil along with starflower, patchouli and geranium so it smells wonderful as well as providing a whole host of benefits for hydration, smoothing and soothing.

This one even has the Soil Association rating of 99% organic which is obviously really hard to achieve and hard to prove. It's impressive that this rating can be achieved but proves it is possible, i think more brands should aim to achieve these badges of honour!

The Wild rose Beauty  Balm can be purchased for £38 for 50g, and can be purchased from the many individual stores and their website, as well as John Lewis and Waitrose.

As the Soil Association is a UK registered charity this is probably why Antipodes don't have the same rating (they come from New Zealand). It would be great if they were more easily compared in terms of organic ratings but to be perfectly honest this isn't something that would stop me from buying a product from either reputable brand.

Have you tried either of my favourites? Do you think Organic Beauty Week is a good idea?

What's your favourite organic beauty product or brand?

L xxx

*Both products in this post were given to me for review by the respective brands directly, however this has not affected my opinion of either product. This post is not sponsored by the Soil Association either, I just think it's a great idea :)

Miss Patisserie Spring Blogger Event

Good morning!

This weekend we were invited to an event at the Miss Patisserie store to see their new collection and it was so much fun!

The store was as beautiful as always, and there were so many lovely products to have a look at and smell that we got stuck in as soon as possible.

The store is really well laid out and although simple, everything is easy to access and it looks really stylish.
The use of wooden crates on the walls for each type of bath bomb looks really cool, and also extremely difficult to choose what you want as they all look amazing!

The window display is always a favourite, the rows of their bath bakes are so pretty and the flowers cascading all along the window are perfect for spring time. In fact I'd like to have a wall of these flowers in my house!

We browsed the store and basically tried as many products as we could.

Charlotte was in store and lovely as always, she showed us a few different scrubs, body butters and dry oils. I never really thought too much of scrubbing and moisturising my hands but dear lord, my hands were so soft that it was unbelievable - I will certainly be paying them a lot more attention from now on.

M particularly liked the sound of the coffee scrubs, they have three different types and are supposed to be great for cellulite.

During our demonstration Charlotte showed us the Bath Crumble, which is basically a bag full of crushed up bath bombs. The bath art is beautiful, with all of the colours mixed together the patterns and swirls are amazing!

They have a great range of candles too, lots of different scents and the lemon grass one particularly caught my eye. Citrus scents are my favourite!
I bought my mum a candle at Christmas and she loved the scent, the candle didn't last very long as she had it lit all the time.

The facial oils have been something I've had my eye on for a while but as I've got two in my stash at the moment I am trying to wait out and buy it when I've run out. The Goji oil is definitely the one I'd choose, it smells great and a tiny bit goes a long way!

The Bath Shards are a new addition and look really exciting, they are large flat pieces that you can snap off and place into the bath. There are three types altogether and one has a bit of fizz in. I can't find the full info on the website yet but you really need to try these, for £2.80 you can get a packet and you just need to snap off a section and let it melt in the bath water.

There were so many new things and beautiful sets to try out, and with some discount available on the day me and M both spent so much! We have a lot of posts coming up with plenty of beautiful bath bombs and wonderful smelling products, have you got any favourites from Miss Patisserie that you would recommend??


We can't wait to try out everything!


L and M xxx

Super Facialist Una Brennan Vitamin C+ Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil

Morning!

I've been raving on twitter for a little while how much I absolutely love Una Brennan's Super Facialist Skin Renew Cleansing Oil. It's everything about it and I just cannot get enough!

Costing £10.99 from Boots, I have always heard great things but for some reason just never got around to buying it. Now I'm annoyed at myself!

Vitamin C is known for its anti ageing and brightening properties and so it's a welcome addition to my routine. Double cleansing is also something that I've become increasingly aware of and so I couldn't wait to start cleansing with an oil first to remove grime and make up and then cleanse my skin properly with my usual cleanser.

As for the contents, here;s what they say:

 Infused with Vitamin C and nourishing Olive, Grapeseed and Rosehip oils, this highly soluble oil transforms itself, upon contact with water, into a light milky texture. Boosted with Rosemary oil, Vitamin E and soothing Cucumber oil it gently dissolves face and eye make-up and removes daily impurities.

Sounds like it might be alright yeah?

I simply pour a few drops of this into my palm and then apply it to my dry face and let it work its magic. It seems to melt off the majority of my make up really easily and even manages to get through the toughest mascara and the boldest of eye liners.

When you've had enough of rubbing it over your face you simply add water and it turns to a milk and can be rinsed off, easy peasy. I then follow this with a cleanser and hope that this is helping to cleanse my skin more deeply and thoroughly.

I cannot go any further without mentioning the smell. If I could drink this, I would and I have found myself sat in the bathroom just sniffing the bottle; I'm a fan of the old citrus scents and this one is fabulous!

Needless to say after using this for a few weeks my skin feels thoroughly cleansed and it hasn't had any negative reactions whatsoever; I'm a firm fan and with Boots often doing 3 for 2 deals on skincare I can certainly see this becoming a firm favourite, especially for £10.99!

Have you tried any of the Superfacialist range? What's your favourite? 

I've used a few things from the range before but this is my favourite so far!

L xxx

Nip and Fab: Clean Fix Oil

Morning lovelies!

A few weeks ago M picked up all of these goodies for us both, everything was massively reduced in Debenhams and some were down to £3 - something that we obviously just could not ignore!

We wrote about the Viper Venom Serum from Nip and Fab and you can find the review here.

The triple pack of Clean Fix oil was irresistible, we've both been looking for a way to get into double cleansing and this was it. Three bottles of this should have cost us £30.75 but the pack was reduced to £10.25, this was then further reduced to something like £3 which was just unbelievable! We couldn't wait to get them home and give them a try.

I have always liked the designs of the products from N+F, they have a simple design where the colours change dependant on the range and everything feels really sturdy.

The clean fix oil claims to not only be a cleanser but also a make up remover which i was keen to test, getting rid of heavy eye make up is always something I need!

After reading the bottle I was disappointed however to find that it contained mineral oil and this is something I really try to avoid putting on my face if i can help it and many other face oils don't contain it so i don't see it as a necessary ingredient.

Having used it for a few weeks I can say that it definitely does remove make up very easily, the oil turns to a white milk when rinsed off and then you can cleanse your skin properly without it being covered in grime.
It was the perfect introduction for me to double cleansing and I'd look into buying another oil to cleanse with, however this one just isn't right for me. I don't want to use mineral oil and also, this is no longer available to purchase anywhere that I've looked! Maybe they're reformulating or repackaging it as oils are big news for cleansing nowadays.

The smell of this was lovely which I feel I should mention but it also just disappeared from the bottle and after just a few weeks of usage I could easily have finished it.

On a side note, I've started using it to clean my make up brushes and it works WONDERS at melting the excess make up off the brush before I can cleanse it properly with baby shampoo and ensure it is bacteria free. There's always a silver lining eh!

Have you tried cleansing oils? Which would you recommend? Do you avoid mineral oil?

L xxx

Hey All

I'm currently heading up to a weekend in the Lake District with the other half and his work colleagues. After a stressful first 5 hours of me trying to navigate a route from maps (sat navs are banned as it's a challenge!) I've got 10 minutes break whilst we are on the M6. 

The Nip and Fab Clean fix Facial oil is another one of the bits I picked up for us when Debenhams had them massively reduced. I used to swear by my No.7 eye make up remover but lately I've let my skincare slip. (Another reason for the big nip and fab haul!) 

As an oily skinned person oil cleansers never appealed to me but as this was so reduced I couldn't not grab it. It's a very thick oil and I find about half a pump does my eyes and face. I love the fact it has a pump as I imagine any other form would be annoying with an oil.

The oil melts into my skin and literally dissolves all of my eye make up including they're real! I then remove it using a hot cloth. My skin feels so soft after! I tend to use a scrub or a second cleanser and use the oil pure for make up remover.

The downside is that it does contain mineral oils so I have been concerned about it clogging pores and breaking me out. But so far so good.

It leaves my skin feeling really make up free but it does seem to be going down in the bottle. For the full price honestly I don't think I'd pay for it. I just can't fully get my head around oil cleansers. 

Are you a fan?

Love M

Ener-chi

Hello there!

We've got a joint review for you today, courtesy of a lovely spa in Cardiff called Ener-chi. They have two branches in Cardiff, one in Radyr and one in Penarth.

They aim to combine the mind, body and spirit of individuals through the medium of beautifying, healing and relaxing rituals.

They have a wide range of treatments including facials, massage and personal grooming with products from brands such as Dr Haushka, Caudalie, Antipodes and Glamglow.

They sent us a beauty pack for our own little relaxing pamper sessions at home, and before we went out last weekend we put a girly film on and put our feet up..... 

The cute beauty pack contained a Glamglow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate treatment, Caudalie Detox Oil, Dr Haushka Rose Day Cream and a Pukka Cool Mint Green tea for a start to finish pamper set.

We've both heard a LOT about Glamglow and their mud treatments; their results have been raved about and we couldn't wait to get the packet open and onto our faces!

It definitely does what it says on the packet; it tingles! When we first put it on we did a little dance around the room as it tingled and then it settled down and began to dry, here's a quick selfie:

The most interesting part was as it dried, you could see all of our pores! It was really weird but hopefully this means our pores were getting an extra deep clean.

We also boiled the kettle and made ourselves a cup of mint green tea to fully relax, mint teas are one of our favourites and a daily occurrence.

After it had dried we washed it off with warm water and a muslin cloth, it came off quite easily and our skin felt really clean and smooth afterwards.

Next we applied the Caudalie Polyphenol Overnight Detox Oil. As we were going for a night out we didn't apply as much as was stated but the few drops we did apply absorbed really quickly into the skin and didn't leave any trace.




I've used it since and applied the full 6 drops as an overnight treatment and my skin drank it up!

It's really quite nice and I'd definitely look into purchasing it in future, I've heard a lot about Caudalie but this was the first product I've tried.





The tiny vial was so cute but actually held a lot of product as I thought it would only hold enough for one application. But I've used it at least twice since and still have another left.

A few hours later we then applied a Rose day Cream from Dr Haushka, another first for me. Dr Haushka is a brand that I've heard so much about but have never tried anything from. Their packaging and display are beautiful, and the product itself was luxurious.





Allegedly the centrepiece of the Dr Hauschka range the day cream nourishes and protects a wide range of skin types including from redness and irritation which is something that we all experience at some point.

All of these products were lovely to try out and it was lovely of Enerchi to send us samples of their range. After having a full body massage there a few weeks ago I will be sure to visit again, their staff were really friendly and my massage was out of this world!Not only was it a head to toe massage it included a facial too and I was honestly the most relaxed I've ever been (if extremely oily afterwards too!)

You can find Ener-chi's website here, check out their range of treatments and the brands they stock!

What's your favourite treatment? Have you tried anything from Caudalie, Glamglow or Dr Hauschka?

L xxx

Hey all

As L said we decided to treat ourselevs

ourselves to a full on pamper before we went out. Glam glow is something i was so excited to try after hearing so much about it. The fact it fully opened the pores impressed me and my skin was so smooth after wards! It was quite red though but it did go down within the hour.

As our skin was so soft we followed up with the oil. Being oily skinned i was dubious to put this on before a night out so had planned to leave it on for a few hours then cleanse my skin before I got ready. I was so surprised though as my skin just soaked up the oil and was left feeling soft and smooth and not at all greasy. This is now firmly on my wish list.

I love trying new products like this and it wad good to be able to try a little routine. As L said they have two salons in the local area and stock a lot more products including some amazing scented candles and some great gifts. You can also buy online at ener-chi.co.uk.

Happy Friday!

Love M

xxx

Balance Me Extra Care Radiance Face Oil*

Hey All

I'm almost at the end of an amazing two and half weeks off work. This morning was an early one for us as we had to pack up our tent and leave Glastonbury after an amazing few days but it's safe to say we missed cleansing our faces and I couldn't wait to get back wash my face and get back into a proper skincare routine. 

My skin is feeling really dehydrated after 2 and a half weeks of sun, drinking and not taking proper care of my skin. My skin had been suffering pre holiday and after tweeting to ask for advice Balance Me kindly offered to send me some bits to try to improve it. I was keen to try more from their range especially as I love their rose lip balm!

As someone with oily combination skin oils are usually something I tend to avoid but as it's started to feel dehydrated to I figured it was a good time to try one. This one is aimed at all skin types so I was hoping it would sink in easily.

I love that balance me is created in the UK, it is great to support UK industries. It's also another company that don't use parabens, sulphates and many more! I love that it doesn't use petroleum too. I'm someone who doesn't like Vaseline and don't find it beneficial! 

The balance me radiance oil can be used as a moisturiser or as an extra boost. I've been using it as an extra boost in the evenings alone as I don't like to apply oils in the morning. It sinks into my skin easily and doesn't feel too greasy. My skin does feel more oilier in the mornings than normal which is why I don't use it in the mornings. I had been also suffering with minor breakouts. Since switching my skincare to include this and a scrub my skin is looking much clearer and also more glowing. I've not been wearing foundation as much which is always welcome in the summer.

It is a glass tube with a roller ball. I tend to roll this directly onto a freshly cleansed skin but not near spots to avoid spreading bacteria into the roller ball. It easily comes out and is rubbed into the skin without wasting product. I do find with dripper bottles I do tend to put too much on. The Frosted glass bottle has also meant that it stays looking clean.

Have you tried facial oils?

What's your favourite?

Love M

xxx

   

Una Brennan's Super Facialist Range

Happy Saturday lovelies!

Hopefully the weather is shaping up to belong to this time of year and everyone is out and about. i do love the first pub garden visit of the year! If not....at least it's EASTER BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND! Hurrah! Chocolate galore!

You've probably heard of Una Brennan's Super Facialist Range by now. I picked these up quite a while ago during a 3 for 2 deal as I'd heard such rave reviews about the range and for some reason they've just sat in my drawers.
I've decided to be good and rotate my products a lot more to get the best use out of everything so I've recently rediscovered them and here they are!

Her ranges are designed to give you the opportunity to give yourself an at home facial without expensive products and so you can get salon skin without the price tag.
It's quite a big claim and I do wonder if anyone at all can succeed in this!

First up, the Rose Hydrate Intense Moisture Mask. This has been created so that it is even suitable for sensitive skin and is a thick white cream that you apply to dry skin for 5 minutes before removing it.

This allegedly boosts skin moisture levels and radiance by utilising white willow extract, vitamin U and urea with marshmallow to hydrate and replenish skin.
Applying this once or twice a week this should save my skin from the dehydration issues its been having lately.

As my skin has been that temperamental I was initially worried it would irritate my skin or make it extremely oily. I'm glad to say that this didn't happen at all and my skin more nourished after use. I've even applied it as a moisturiser at night and left it on until the morning which was great too, no irritation and baby smooth skin!

Definitely a thumbs up from me!


Next up is the Miracle Makeover Facial Oil from the same Rose Hydrate range.



This pre cleanse treatment oil contains many natural oils including raspberry, carrot and avocado to eliminate impurities from the skin and encourage cell regeneration. It also contains brown algae and Calendula oil to soothe even the most sensitive skins leaving it feeling supple.
Sounds quite a lot from a little oil used before cleansing doesn't it??

It's directions state you apply a generous amount to your hands to warm it up before applying to your facial skin and massage it in circular movements to dissolve impurities and open pores before cleansing as you normally would.

I've used this a number of times and you need a few pumps (3/4) for a normal face of make up but if you've got heavy eye make up on you'll probably require an extra 1 or 2 as it can be a bit stubborn when the oil is absorbing into your skin. Having said that I really like it and it does a great job of dissolving make up and has become a fixed part of my skin routine. I sometimes use a face wipe to remove the make up from my face before cleansing to dissolve some of the crap but this is definitely a less harsh alternative and works well without irritating my skin or coating it with oil. I just wash my face with my cleanser of choice as normal and I'm good to go.

The Mask retails at £8.99 but is currently on offer with £3 off, and the Miracle Oil retails for £14.99 but is currently £9.99 both from Boots.

Will you be trying either of these products out? What products have you tried from Una Brennan before?

I've heard so much about the Vitamin C brightening products I'm going to have to give them a go!

L xxx