Birch Box

It had been a few months since I last treated myself to a subscription box, so when I spied that Unidays were offering 50% off the October Birch Box, I decided to sign myself up for the month.  I did however make a rather silly mistake, as I signed up for the 50% off box on October 31^st, and then was charged on the 1^st of November again for the next month’s box.  I wasn’t that fussed though, as both boxes looked really pretty, and there was a few bits and bobs between the two boxes that I was keen to try out.

October

So I’m not going to lie, there was only really one product that I was interested in when I signed up for this box – the This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray.  I have recently become a fan of the stuff, so I was really keen to stock up on it to tie me over till Christmas.  Sadly I didn’t receive this in my box, however I did anticipate this as I did the order, seeing as I was ordering on the last day of the month.  If I’m totally honest, there wasn’t really anything that wowed me in the box – other than the styling of the actual box itself.  Inside contained a facial mist spray, hair oil, eye brow brush, a sheet mask, a lipstick crayon and an aroma therapy shower gel.  Not to sound snobby, but these are all items that I either buy myself a regular basis and have plenty to keep me going, or items that I tend not to both much with.  The facial mist does feel great on my skin, the lipstick crayon is a gorgeous colour and I love the way the hair oil makes my hair smell (like a hairdressers) however I probably won’t bother much with the other items.  I’ve got a brow brush, and the mask is not cruelty free, so this box wasn’t a winner for me.  I did however LOVE the design and drawer style of the box, and I have it nicely displayed and in use in my room. 

November

Seeing as I had no idea what to expect in the November box, I was actually quite excited by what might come.  The delivery was as quick as the first one, only taking a few days to arrive after the payment was taken.  Again though, sadly the contents were not items that I was thrilled by.  Now don’t get me wrong, they are all great products, just not stuff that I go mad for.  My November box contained another facial spritz spray, a leave in hair conditioner, a lipstick primer, BB cream and a facial moisturiser.  All great products, all cruelty free, just these are not the kind of items that I had hoped to receive in a monthly subscription box.  I’ve been loving the Nuxe moisturiser which I’ve been using under my primer, and the lip stick primer does work a treat – however it’s not something that I think I will bother with when I run out of the sample.

I like to keep my routines pretty simple, and so adding extra bits and bobs really complicate things for my and clutter up my toiletry bag!  None the less, I will be using up all of the products above over a period of time, however for the time being I will be cancelling my Birch Box subscription – as this beauty box is not the one for me.

Did you treat yourself to any of the above boxes?  Were you more thrilled with the contents than I was?

Until the next one,

Organic & Botanic

Back in August the lovely team at Organic & Botanic got in touch after I had shown an interest in their products.  They asked if they could send me a goodie from their range, which of course I said yes too!  I received a pot of their Orange Mandarin and Shea Butter Body Cream just a few days later, and I have to say that I am totally impressed with the quality!

I was super excited to find that the cream was actually suitable for vegans and not just cruelty free, as I am seriously looking into adapting my lifestyle to a vegan one - one day down the line!  Anyway, the fact that it's labelled as a vegan product makes it really easy to tell that it's cruelty free - which takes a whole lot of time away from looking at packaging.

I was a little bit nervous about giving the cream a go - as my skin has always been sensitive to new products due to my eczema.  However seeing as these ingredients are pretty much all natural, it is safe to say that my skin was delighted to smothered in the orangey goodness, and I didn't even have a breakout!  The body cream smells so sweet that it is seriously tempting to have a taste at times - although I've manged to restrain myself so far.  It's a really thick and creamy consistency, however it is in no way sticky once applied to the skin, nor does is leave me feeling greasy!  

What I love the most about the Organic & Botanic body cream is the way that it makes my skin feel - it's so nice!  I've been using this all over my body, but paying special attention to the dryer areas of my skin being around my elbows and my knees.  I've seen a dramatic difference in these areas, they're no longer flaky looking nor are they super rough to touch. 

It's nice when you find a product that works exactly how you expect it to, which can sometimes be hard when you have such high expectations for everything that you buy!  I would highly recommend trying out some of the Organic & Botanic range, which you can see here!  Thank you so much to the Organic & Botanic folks for giving me the opportunity to try out this product!

What’s your favourite body care product right now?

Until the next one,

Inecto Products

We all know that I’m cheap, there is no denying that by all means.  I like to pick myself up a bargain – be it beauty products, hair care or even grub.  I always like it cheaper.  Saying that though, I almost always tend to stick to well known brands – more so for my skincare and hair care.  I’ve never been one to go and pick up just any old bottle of shampoo or moisturiser in the shops, simply because if I don’t know the brand, how can I know if it’s going to be any good?  Since going cruelty free with my cosmetics, there have been a lot of brands that I have come to read about that have been of a lot of interest to me.  Apart from Lush, a lot of my regular go to brands are no longer suitable – so they’ve had to be replaced by new finds.  I never thought that I would find a cruelty free brand so beautifully tailored to my likes, needs and wants in both skin and hair care!

Inecto was brought to my attention about two months ago when my mum spied their products in our local Homebargains store.  My mum is vegan, so she was totally delighted to find that they are a 100% vegan company who source the purest ingredients to make their products at least 90% natural – starting from for just a mere 99p!  I won’t lie, I was more than sceptical when she brought it to me to try – I’m really fussy about cosmetics.  If it’s cheap, it makes me worry that it’s going to irritate my skin – however I gave it a go anyway when my mum wouldn’t stop banging on about it and I had read online about the brand (and discovered that coconuts play a large part in their products… and we know I love a coconut!)

I picked up a large tub of the moisturiser for just 99p the other week, after borrowing my mums on numerous occasions.  It’s a really thick and creamy consistency, however it is totally absorbent and light weight when fully rubbed into the skin.  I’ve been using it day and night on my face every single day since purchasing – and have found it to really effective!  I dries in so quickly when applied, and doesn’t leave my face sticky either – which is great for the mornings as I don’t really have to wait to apply my make-up.  I’ve also been using on my arms, thighs and hands at night before bed, and it really does leave my skin feeling well treated and moisturised.  Even better, I can still apply my coconut oil after using it, without it making me feel like a giant grease ball.  I’ve really fallen in love with this particular product and can safely say that it will be one that will become a regular purchase of mine!

Another one from Inecto that I have recently discovered and again since become obsessed with is their Coconut Shampoo, which you can pick up for just a mere £1.48 at Homebargains right now!  Again, a really thick and creamy mixture, but it lathers up beautifully in my long, curly hair!  It smells totally gorgeous, like a really sweet coconut, and as it is rinsed out it doesn’t leave my hair feeling tuggy or matted before  I apply the conditioner.  Unfortunately, I’ve not been able to treat myself to the conditioner to match yet as my local supplier is all out *cries* however the shampoo works a treat with my Lush Jungle Conditioner for now!  Hopefully I will be able to pick up a bottle of Inecto conditioner soon, alongside the other couple of hair care products that I have since spied on their site.

I’m totally blown away by the quality, price and just the overall standard of products by Inecto!  They smelly fantastic, work brilliantly and allow me to keep my spending to a minimum – which I can honestly say is something that I struggle to do with cosmetic shopping.  I can’t wait to try out all of the other products that Inecto have to offer, as they really have made me so happy with the variety and quality of their goods!

Have you tired out any Inecto goodies yet?

Until the next one,

All About 'em Coconuts

I’ve been a fan of coconut oil for a long time, probably ever since it became a big deal a few years back.  I think it started when people started cooking with it, and then it progressed into the beauty and hair care items that we know it for today.  These last few months I’ve really gotten back into the habit of trying to use it as often as possible, and I’m happy to report nothing but love and obsessiveness for the stuff once again.

As I’ve had to change my diet dramatically the last couple of weeks, omelettes have become my go to food for my lunch and sometimes even tea too.  I’ve been using coconut oil instead of my regular sunflower oil, and I’ve found it to cook them perfectly and it even adds a little flavour too!  Another thing that I like to cook with it is the fake chicken pieces that my mum found in Sainsburys.  Coconut oil, a little honey and some soy sauce and it gives them a great coating and a beautiful taste.

I first tried out coconut oil for my skin when my eczema had a major breakout in 2012.  Although I find that it doesn’t really do much for my skin when I’m having a breakout, when my skin is nice and healthy it is the ultimate moisturiser for the whole body!  Not only does it leave my skin feeling silky smooth from top to bottom, but it also leaves me smelling like a tropical goddess. 

My latest use for the coconuts is rubbing a small amount through my hair to give it a little bit of extra moisture, as well as a healthy shine.  Coconut oil is perfect for tackling all of those pesky fly away bits, and it has honestly made tackling my mane that little bit easier in the morning.  But best of all, it gives my hair a little bit of fragrance so that I’m smelling sweet from head to toe.  My hair is super curly and also very frizzy, and I’ve really seen an improvement to it since switching to the coconuts!

I've switched to organic coconut oil now, and it really does make all the difference!

I’ve never really been one to use moisturiser on my feet before, and if I do use something I don’t normally persevere with it for long.  However seeing as I’ve been applying it everywhere else, I thought what the hell, and I’ve been give my feet a good coat before I put on my socks each night.  In the morning my feet feel lovely and soft all over – which may not last all day, but hey – it can’t be a miracle worker for everything.

My favourite use for coconut oil is using it to remove my makeup every day.  I’ve read a lot of other blogs who say that they only use it to remove their eye makeup, but I’ve been using it to remove everything from my mascara to the foundation.  It does it ALL, and it actually does it really well.  I’ve ditched the makeup wipes for now for a dollop of coconut oil and a couple of cotton pads.  Even better, it leaves my skin feeling great and well-nourished every day.

Finally, my pugger Hulk absolutely loves coconut oil, much to my friends and families concern.  Not only is it good for us humans, but coconut oil is actually really great for doggies too for their skin and coats.  Most people actually pop a small amount in their dogs foods, however I usually just pop a small amount on one of his toys and let him lick it straight.  I’ve also been using it to clean his skin around his eyes once a day – and I really have seen a great improvement to this area of his skin.

So there we have it!  I bought a 500g jar from Homebargains for just £3.99 – I’ve used about 2/3 of it now and I’ve had it since March.  It’s a great product to have kicking around the house, and when you think about the money that I’ve probably saved by using this one product for so many uses – it would be kinda silly to not jump on this bandwagon and get involved.

What’s your favourite use for coconut oil?

Until the next one,

Aveeno Skincare

Seeing as my skin has been acting up a lot over the last couple of weeks, and that I’ve only just managed to get it somewhat under control, I thought it would be fitting to share my number one favourite body moisturiser with you, Aveeno.

This gorgeous body moisturiser changed my life in regards to my skin care regime.  During my major breakout in 2014, (you can read about it here) a colleague recommended this brand to me.  She told me that she used it on her two year old son who also suffered terribly from eczema, and that it worked wonders for him.  She said that it was an oat based product, and that it was mostly made from natural ingredients and so it wouldn’t irritate my skin any more than what it already was.  I was instantly intrigued by the concept of oats being the key ingredient, as I had been doing a lot of research online about how to soothe my sore skin.  I saw that a lot of people enjoyed a soak in an oat bath (that’s right.  Bathing in a bath with actual porridge oats), and so I figured that the Aveeno moisturiser was a purchase I would have to make and experiment with.  

This moisturiser has a very thick consistency, which I absolutely adore because it makes a little go a long way.  The shea butter makes my skin feel super cool and smooth after applied, and the oats are super soothing to my particularly problematic areas.  Depending on how bad my skin is upon purchasing, I can usually get at least a month worth out of one 200ml bottle. 

I prefer to keep my Aveeno for my eczema ridden areas of skin, and use coconut oil for the rest of my body.  Because Aveeno retails around £5-£6 per bottle, I never buy it when it’s not on sale.  Nearly every single month since I have been using Aveeno, I have come across one retailer or another that has the entire Aveeno rage on offer, usually with about 1/3 off – which is when I like to make my purchases.  I normally pay around £3.50 for a bottle, and like to stock up with two or sometimes three at a time so that I do not run out. 

As for now, I have only ever used the Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion with the blue label.  This one is specifically for “extra dry, irritable and sensitive skin” which is what made me go for it in the first place.  This product will definitely always be my favourite skin moisturiser for when I’m having my bad skin days.  The mixture is so soothing, calming and smells absolutely amazing – it’s hard to imagine what kind of state my skin would be in today if I hadn’t been introduced to this beauty.

I definitely think that this product is a strong 9/10 – I would love to give it full marks… but the idea of paying the full retail price of £6 for the 200ml bottle actually hurts my soul just thinking about it.

Have you tried any of the Aveeno range? 

Until the next one,

Lauren x