Content Curates; Great British Beauty

I was browsing Content Beauty & Wellbeing at the weekend and came across their Content Curates; Great British Beauty. This is my first ever purchase from them, and given my love of British products and sampler boxes this seemed a great place to start. I am sure that this won't be the last purchase I make from either.

The first item is this lovely little gift bag from Oskia, a brand I have been wanting to try for a while. The bag contains a generous 15ml sample of their Bedtime Beauty Boost, a 2ml sachet of their Restoration Oil and a 3ml sample of their Renaissance Cleansing Gel.

A 5ml sample of AS.AP Cleansing Oil #5 which is a new brand to me. It is made with Rosehip, Borage and Calendula oil and also contains Bergamot, Clary Sage and Benzoin. You only need a few drops of this cleanser. I am really looking forward to trying this.

 

A 2ml sample of Nourish Kale Enzymatic Exfoliating Cleanser. I have tried a few things by Nourish Skincare and have been really impressed with them.

 

A 15ml sample of Vitality Mask by S5 Skincare. Again this is another brand I really like, but haven't tried this particular product yet. I am very pleased to have new products from familiar brands to try. 

A sachet of Live Nature Mud Mask. This is another new brand to me and alongside rhassoul clay contains spirulina, acai and raw cacoa and a sprinkling of 23k gold leaf. I haven't used anything quite like this, so can't wait to see how it performs.

 

A 15g sample of Skin & Tonic's Steam Clean. I have to confess I already have a sample of this from November's You Beauty box, but I absolutely love this cleanser and will undoubtedly go on to buy the full size.

 

A 100g bag of Therapie RoquesO Neil Himalayan Detox Salts. Again I also received one of these in November's You Beauty box. These are firm favourites and this is another product I always like to have in my stash.

A 15ml sample of Ambre Botanicals Rosemary, Thyme & Mint Bath Oil. This smells amazing and I don't have anything quite like this fragrance in my stash. Can't wait to try this.

 

A 100ml sample of Boucleme Curl Cleanser. Although this is a very generous sample size, this is the one product I wont use as my hair is poker straight.

 

A 5ml Therapi Honey Skincare Lip Nectar. Therapi is another brand that has been on my wish list for a while. The Lip Nectar is gorgeous and has a very cute bee embossed on the lid. Unfortunately I can't find a link for this, so I am not sure whether the lip balm is for sale individually. I do hope it is.

Super Foods Power of Red this cereal pot is described as 100% organic superfood fuel. You just need to add hot water to it. This will be very handy to take to work. I look forward to trying this.

 

Two Sweet Virtues Chocolate Truffles which I can assure you were very tasty. These raw chocolate truffles are bursting with superfoods and probiotics.

 

I am really pleased with this box, there are some familiar brands and lots of products I haven't tried before. Although this is now sold out, you can have your email added to be notified when it comes back in stock again.

Birchbox Christmas Wish List

It's been quite some time since I have done a Wish List so I thought I would share with you my Birchbox Christmas Wish List from my Pinterest board. I like to keep an eye on what is in the Birchbox shop as they have quite a few natural brands to choose from. 

 The first item I have chosen is from their Christmas Beauty Edit. I am a big fan of Balance Me products and the Smoothing Bath and Body Collection is a nice introduction to their body care range. It contains handy travel sizes of the Rose Otto Body Wash and Lotion, Super Moisturising Hand Cream and the Super Toning Body Oil. I am very keen to try the body oil in particular.

 

I have chosen another try me set from Balance Me. The Radiant Skin Collection contains travel sized versions of their Cleanse & Smooth Face Balm, Moisture Rich Face Cream, Wonder Eye Cream, Radiant Face Oil and the new Stellar Beauty Balm. I am really curious to try the Stellar Beauty Balm.

I first discovered Weleda's Skin Food in a Birchbox, so it seems only fitting that this should be on my wish list. Fabulous for dry skin, especially now the weather is getting cooler. I absolutely love this.

Weleda's Sea Buckthorn is a firm favourite too. I love it's bright cheerful fragrance. This is a great pick me up on wet and cold days.

I really do love the Sea Buckthorn as the body oil is also on my list.

I clearly have an obsession for citrus fragrance as the Citrus Body Wash has found it's way onto my list too. I haven't tried this yet, but want to see how the fragrance compares to both Skin Food and the Sea Buckthorn. 

One Love Organics Skin Saviour is one of my favourite cleansers ever. Had to go on the wish list. 

I am also a huge fan of One Love Organics Brand New Day Scrub and Mask. Very gentle, but gives the skin such a lovely glow. Again, another essential for tired Winter skin.

Ren is one of the newest additions to the Birchbox shop. I haven't tried the Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial yet, but really want to get my hands on it.

Ren's GlycoLactic Radiance Renewal Mask is a tried and tested favourite. I have had a couple of miniatures of this and love it.

A natural mascara is one of the hardest things to get right and I have heard good reports about Jane Iredale's Longest Lash Mascara. Hopefully it can give me the fluttery eyelashes I crave. 

I have also had a sample of Vita Bella's face mask before and loved it. The Spa Treatment in a box contains one face mask and a 15mls sample of their moisturiser which is also very good.

Would you choose anything from the Birchbox shop?

Souksouk Box November 2014

I have had my SoukSouk box for a few days now, but haven't been home early enough to take photos before it gets dark. In between getting my box and taking the photos I have had chance to try most things and am very happy with it. Any way, here is November's box.

I am really pleased to get a sample of Lyonsleaf calendula cream. I treated myself to their gift set with the beauty balm, body butter and soap a few weeks ago (review to come) and was sorely tempted to get the calendula cream too. This is lovely, very soothing. The little tin is a great size to keep in a first aid kit for bumps and grazes. I will be buying the full size of this.

A full size Glam mineral eye shadow in antique gold. This shade will be great for Christmas. I am pleased with how it works against my skintone. Usually I would go with cooler tones, so it is good to be pushed out of my comfort zone. 

There is a little bar of Green & Black's dark chocolate which didn't stay around for long after the photo was taken and a couple of tea samples by Pukka Teas. There was a sample of their peppermint and liquorice tea but the cat got hold of it. My very strange cat seems to have a fetish for herbal tea.

Perhaps the most interesting item is the sample of Zephorium perfume. This 10ml rollerball contains Frankincense and Patchouli essential oils in coconut and apricot kernel oil. It also contains potentised Lapis Lazuli. There are 8 perfumes which correspond with the chakras. Each contains essential oils, potentised crystals and an affirmation. My perfume corresponds with the brow chakra and my affirmation is I see the truth. My future is calm. My past is healed and released.  Aromatherapy really interests me so I am really intrigued by this.

The final item is a 50ml sample of Elemental Herbology Deep Cleanse Body wash. I was excited to see we were going to get a sample of this, as I am a big fan of their skin care. The body wash itself has a lovely fresh citrus fragrance. There are a few ingredients in here which have been linked with allergies, and in facial skincare I have found those ingredients irritant myself. I have tried the body wash and so far haven't experienced any problems, but this probably isn't a product for those with sensitive skins or allergies.

Hedgerow Herbals Orange Bath Melt

Hedgerow Herbals Orange Bath Melt is a little treat that came in my The Vegan Kind Beauty box a while ago. One square added to a bath is all that is needed to make a truly pampering experience. 

Hedgerow Herbals produce a small range of candles and bath products, using simple natural ingredients at very affordable prices. The bath melt consists of just four ingredients;- organic cocoa butter, sodium bicarbonate and essential oils of vanilla and orange.

The fragrance is sweet and citrusy. The vanilla adds a little warmth without being overpower. I sometimes find that when too much vanilla is added to something it can give me a headache, but this hasn't been a problem with the bath melt.

As with any bath melt it does make the tub a little slippery, so you do need to be a little careful getting out. I was really impressed at how moisturising this is, and how soft it made my skin. This would make a lovely and inexpensive stocking filler. 

Josh Rosebrook Deep Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner

These samples of Josh Rosebrook Deep Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner came as part of the Autumn/Winter box by A Beautiful World. For today's post I thought I would share my thoughts on them.

 

Josh Rosebrook products skin and hair care products are some of the newer additions to the ABW website. Josh Rosebrook products contain carefully chosen organic and wild crafted plants, herbs and oils to cleanse, hydrate and condition hair. All products are carefully made in small batches.

 

I have to say that moving over to a greener shampoo and conditioner hasn't been an easy process for me. I have long fine hair, that is oily at the roots, but dry and damaged at the ends. My hair needs washing daily, otherwise it looks greasy. I find a lot of products either doesn't tackle the oil, weighs down my hair too much, or makes my ends completely frazzled. Quite often I need to use a different type of shampoo to my conditioner, so I was unsure whether both would be right for me.

 

So lets begin with the shampoo. Shampoo Ingredients (taken from the website): CERTIFIED ORGANIC ALOE VERA JUICE; DISTILLED WATER, ORGANIC AFRICAN BLACK SOAP, SAPONIFIED ORGANIC COCONUT OIL; ORGANIC OILS: CAMELINA SEED, HEMP SEED, JOJOBA, COCONUT, GRAPE SEED, EVENING PRIMROSE & ALMOND; ORGANIC HERBS OF: CALENDULA, NETTLES, CATNIP, ALFALFA, ROSE HIPS, FLAXSEED, DANDELION, ROSEMARY, LINDEN, BURDOCK, HORSETAIL, SAGE, CHAMOMILE, GINSENG, THYME, OREGANO, LAVENDER, PEPPERMINT, GOLDENSEAL, CINNAMON AND CAYENNE; ORGANIC XANTHAN GUM & POTASSIUM SORBATE; ORGANIC ESSENTIAL OILS OF: LAVENDER, ORANGE AND PROPRIETARY BLEND OF OTHER ESSENTIAL OILS.

 

 I think this is quite an interesting blend of ingredients. I can honestly say that I have never used anything with Catnip in it. For those who have allergies, not knowing the exact blend of essential oils may pose problems. This is a beautifully fragranced product. It is sweet and citrusy and reminds me of Weleda's SeaBuckthorn range.

 

The Deep Nourishing Shampoo foams lightly on application and felt easy to wash out. Some green shampoos I have tried have felt as though they haven't been washed out at all. The first time I used it was before going out for the evening and it left my hair lovely and soft and shiny. At first impressions I was very pleased with the results. However, the next morning my hair was starting to look greasy. I tried a couple more times, I tried washing it twice with the shampoo and same again. I will finish the shampoo by using it for an evening out, but this isn't the right product for me on a day to day basis. If however your hair is thicker and roots are drier than me, I would imagine this would be a very good product to try.

 

Onto the conditioner; Ingredients(taken from the website): CERTIFIED ORGANIC ALOE VERA JUICE; DISTILLED WATER; ORGANIC SHEA BUTTER, ORGANIC OILS: CAMELINA SEED, COCONUT, MEADOWFOAM, OLIVE AND HEMP; ORGANIC HERBS OF: CALENDULA, NETTLES, CAT NIP, ALFALFA, ROSE HIPS, FLAXSEED, DANDELION,  ROSEMARY, LINDEN, HORSETAIL, BURDOCK, PEPPERMINT, SAGE, CHAMOMILE, GINSENG, OREGANO, THYME, LAVENDER, GOLDENSEAL,CINNAMON AND CAYENNE; ORGANIC PALM KERNAL; GUAR GUM; ORGANIC XANTHAN GUM & POTASSIUM SORBATE; ORGANIC VINEGAR; ORGANIC ESSENTIAL OILS OF: LAVENDER, ORANGE AND PROPRIETARY BLEND OF OTHER ESSENTIAL OILS.

 

As you can see the ingredients lists are fairly similar, so the same comments for allergy sufferers applies. The conditioner shares the same gorgeous fragrance and I am pleased to say that I had much more joy with it. I would leave the conditioner as long as time allows before washing out. On my greasy mop conditioner is only ever applied to the pony tail section. I found that it didn't weigh my hair down, made it much more manageable in terms of tangles, and made it look glossy and healthy.

 

 This 60ml bottle lasted me just over 3 weeks of daily washing, which considering the length of my hair is pretty good. 3 weeks isn't long enough to test it's effectiveness against split ends, but they definitely weren't as noticeable. I have another 60ml sample to use, and think I would probably buy another of this size, rather than a full size (£28). The prices of the shampoo and conditioner reflect the quality of the ingredients, and I think for me this is more than I want to spend on an everyday conditioner. This is something I would keep as a treat. 

 

Balance Me Set.

A few weeks ago, Balance Me had a promotion in one of the Sunday newspapers. They were giving away a little try me set, with the cost being the £5.95 postage. The set contains 3 generous travel sized products, making this a very affordable way of exploring the brand.

Moisture Rich Face Cream (25mls)

The Moisture Rich Face Cream is aimed at normal to dry skins, which suits my needs perfectly. It is lightly fragrance with Rose, which again is very much to my liking. I am very pleased with this moisturiser. It isn't too heavy, providing just the right amount of moisture. I think this is my favourite product from the set.

INGREDIENTS: Aqua, Butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter***, Rosa canina (rosehip) fruit oil, Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil , Glycerin, Glyceryl stearate, Polyglyceryl-3 dicitrate/stearate, Cetearyl alcohol, Cetyl ricinoleate, Camellia oleifera (camellia) oil, Aleurites moluccana (kukui) nut oil, Rubus chamaemorus (cloudberry) seed extract, Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf extract***, Rosa centifolia (rose absolute)*, Pelargonium roseum asperum (rose geranium)*, Citrus limonum (lemon)*, Styrax benzoin (benzoin), Chondrus crispus (carrageenan) seaweed gum, Sodium stearoyl lactylate, Benzyl alcohol, Dehydroacetic acid, Citric acid, Potassium sorbate, Citronellol**, Geraniol**, Linalool**, Citral**, Limonene**, Eugenol**, Farnesol** *natural pure essential oil **naturally occurring in essential oils ***certified organic ingredient

Radiance Face Oil (10mls)
For some reason I have never gotten around to trying this facial oil. I really like that this sample comes in a roller ball. It makes it an absolute breeze to apply. The oil itself is really very good, but I personally am a bit put off by the fragrance. If you are a fan of chamomile you will like this, but I unfortunately am not. Having said that, the smell fades soon after application, so it hasn't stopped me enjoying the benefits of the oil. I am curious to see how their Rose Otto facial oil compares.

INGREDIENTS: Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, Vitis vinifera (grape seed) oil, Aleuhrites moluccana (kukui) nut oil, Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil, Rosa canina (rosehip) fruit oil, Mauritia flexuosa (buriti) oil, Moringa oleifera (moringa) seed oil, Camellia oleifera (camellia) oil, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Anthemis nobilis (Roman chamomile)*, Styrax benzoin (benzoin), Achillea millefolium (yarrow)*, Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract, Limonene**, Linalool**, Geraniol**, Citronellol**


Super Moisturising Hand Cream (30mls) contains shea butter, beeswax and lanolin, making it a thick and very nourishing hand cream. Only a small amount is needed to make the hands feel pampered. Despite it's richness, I find that this hand cream absorbs well, without any greasy residue. This is great for dry skin, leaving it soft and soothed. The combination of Lavender, patchouli, geranium, bergamot, yarrow and benzoin, give it an exotic fragrance which is lovely. I am very impressed with this hand cream.

Aqua, Glycerin, Butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter***, Caprylic/ Capric triglyceride, Cetearyl alcohol, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, Glyceryl stearate, Cetyl ricinoleate, Cetearyl glucoside, Cetearyl alcohol, Cera alba (unrefined beeswax), Lanolin, Aleurites moluccana (kukui) nut oil, Vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil, Rosa canina (rosehip) fruit oil, Chondrus crispus (carrageenan) seaweed gum, Lavandula angustifolia (lavender)*, Pogostemon cablin (patchouli)*, Pelargonium graveolens (geranium)*, Citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot)*, Achillea millefolium (yarrow)*, Styrax benzoin (benzoin), Xanthan gum, Sodium stearoyl lactylate, Benzyl alcohol, Dehydroacetic acid, Citric acid, Potassium sorbate, Linalool**, Geraniol**, Limonene**, Citronellol**, Citral** *natural pure essential oil **naturally occurring in essential oils ***certified organic ingredient

A Little Pampering

Sunday is the day where we hopefully everything is a little calmer and we have a little more spare time on our hands. I quite often like to use this to indulge in a little TLC for my feet. As many of you will know I enjoy running, but this can leave my feet looking very sorry for themselves. Fear not, I have no intention of showing you them, but thought I would just go through a few things I enjoy using.

 

I am a big fan of citrus fragrances and this Citrus & Walnut Body Scrub by Sweet Cecilys is a pleasure to use. Lovely on the feet and the rest of my body it always makes my skin feel super smooth afterwards. On my feet I like to apply to dry skin, to get a deeper exfoliation. This does a fantastic job of tackling dry patches.

 

Next I like to soak my feet in a bowl of warm water. These Pop Fabulous Effervescent Foot Reviving Tablets make a fantastic addition to my bowl of hot water. They do a wonderful job of soothing aches and pains away. This makes the water feel ever so silky and is such a nourishing treat for tired feet.

 

I couldn't write a post about foot care without including the truly decadent Organic White Chocolate Elbow Knee & Heel Cream by MuLondon. What girl doesn't love chocolate? Perfect for patches of stubborn dry skin anywhere. This just melts into the skin, leaving oh so soft skin in it's place.

After taking care of my skin, I like to finish off with a pop of colour. Obliteration by Intensae came in my A/W sampler box from A Beautiful World and has fast become a favourite shade. It is the perfect Wintery colour, making a nice change from the deep reds and plums. This is a gorgeous, almost gun metal metallic shade. The photo really doesn't do it justify. The formula applies well and is long lasting and best of all is 5 free.

 

Lovelula November 2014

Today my LoveLula beauty box came. It's full of familiar brands, and none of these products I have tried before. I feel it is a very generous box in terms of the product sizes, and is very appropriate for the time of year.

The first item is a full size Apricot Srubble by Jason. This soap free foaming scrub contains triple refined walnut powder and apricot oil. I have seen Jason's very affordable products on various websites, but have yet to try anything by them. I am curious to find out how fine the scrub actually is. 

A full size Nourishing Hand Cream by Living Nature. This product alone covers the cost of this month's box. I have tried some of Living Nature's cleansers and really liked them, so am looking forward to trying this. Made with Manuka Honey, and designed with sore chapped hands in mind this suits me perfectly. Given my obsession with handcream, I am very pleased to receive this. 

Giovanni Smooth as Silk Deep Moisture Shampoo (50mls) this is the only item that I am not quite sure will work for me. As my roots tend to be oily I think this could feed my problem. I think I will probably use this on my daughter's hair.  

A 4ml sample of Suti Facial Cleansing Balm. Suti have been on my wish list of brands to try for a while and this cleanser smells absolutely heavenly. Can't wait to get stuck into this one. 

A 25ml sample of Barefoot Sos Face & Body Rescue Cream. I have tried a little of this on my hands and it is a lovely thick cream. It absorbs well and has made my hands feel incredibly soft. I like this a lot. This is another generous sample, that will last a good number of uses.

JoggBox November 2014.

I have eagerly been awaiting the delivery of my JoggBox since I had the despatch email over the weekend. I think that this month's box is my favourite so far, and is really good value for money too.

There are a selection of energy gels and electrolyte tablets by High5. The energy gels I will pass to a friend as I would much rather take a little packet of Haribos on a longer run, but I like the electrolyte tablets.

 

Rude Health Drinking Oats. I have heard of Rude Health but not actually tried any of their products. These oats have been steamed and rolled to make then dissolve in drinks, and can be added to anything from coconut water to fruit juice. I am looking forward to experimenting with these.

 

Battle Oats Dark Choc Chip is a flapjack bar which is high in protein. I love flapjack. This gets added points for also containing chocolate. I am very pleased to have this included.

 

Beet It Pro Elite Beetroot & Oat Flapjack. We have had one of the Beet It Sport Shot's in a previous box, and I quite like it. It had a very distinctive taste, so I am curious to see how these compare. 

2 sachets of  Halo Non Bio Sports Wash. Again this has featured in a previous box, but I am happy to see it make a return. This is specifically designed for washing sportswear and in particular neutralising odours. It is very effective, and I will go on to buy a full size version of this.

 

The item I am most excited about is of course the FlipBelt. This retails for around £25, so this alone more than covers the cost of this months box. I have looked at these on numerous occasions, but never quite taken the plunge. This lightweight belt is perfect for securely carrying keys, phones, etc whilst running. JoggBox gave us the option of choosing the colour we wanted, which I think is a nice touch. I am looking forward to trying it out at my 10K this weekend.

 

JoggBox have also included a recipe for Carrot and Ginger Soup with Quinoa and a few running exercises. I am very happy with November's box.