Salcura Hand Hydrator.

I was recently sent a tube of Salcura Hand Hydrator to review. I was first introduced to the Hand Hydrator through a Love Lula box, very pleased to be sent another one.

 

Salcura are a British brand who have used their background in bio-medical research and science to develop natural skin care products. It's products are aimed at people who suffer from a range of sensitive and irritated skin conditions.

 

I would describe the texture of the Hand Hydrator as a light lotion. It absorbs very quickly and doesn't leave any greasy residue. I find this really good as a day time hand cream, and is something that I have used at work a lot.

 

 It's fragrance is perfect for Winter. It is slightly spicy because of the cloves, and I have enjoyed a change from the citrus and rose fragrances I usually favour.

 

 The formula feels very nourishing, despite it's lightweight texture. It contains Sea Buckthorn Oil, which is an ingredient that my skin responds very well to, and is high in Omega 3, 6, 7 and 9. When my hands feel tight and sore this quickly provides relief almost immediately. It definitely helps to soothe and calm my hands. Salcura Hand Hydrator is a very good hand cream. I think it is very effective and is good value for money. I will buy this again.

 

 Aqua, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sorbitol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Alcohol, Phenylpropanol, Malic Acid, 3-Hexenol, Phenylisohexanol, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Kernel Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Oil, Cinnamomum Camphora, Formosana Leaf Oil, Pinus Species Twig Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Oil, Camphor, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Linalyl Acetate, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil, Parfum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Beta-Carotene, Citronellol, Coumarin, Eugenol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool

Naturisimo Haircare Discovery Box

Earlier in the week I saw that Ana featured the Naturisimo Haircare Discovery Box on her Green Beauty News post, and had to have it. It came at a complete steal of a price of £9.95 including delivery charges. I ordered mine on Wednesday and it came this morning. Delivery from Naturisimo is always really quick.

The Haircare Discovery Box contains 4 trial sizes and 1 sample size of luxury hair care products, making it really good value for money. To be completely honest, the main reason I bought it was to get my hands on the Rahua shampoo and conditioner. I have lusted over these for quite some time, but have always been a bit hesitant to spend that much money on shampoo/conditioner. You can but these 60ml samples for £7.50 each from the Naturisimo sample selection. The inclusion of these items more than pays for the box.

I have had various sachets of John Masters Organics hair care and like the brand a lot. The box contains 60ml samples of the Rosemary & Lavender shampoo and Citrus & Neroli Detangler, as well as a 5ml sachet of the Rose & Apricot Hair milk. I have yet to try the shampoo and the hair milk, but have been impressed with previous samples of the conditioner. Full reviews will follow.

Green People Age Defy + Tinted DD Moisturiser SPF15.

Green People recently launched their Age Defy + Tinted DD Moisturiser SPF15 and like many of you I was eager to see how it would perform. I saw on their Facebook page that they had a promotion giving away samples, so I promptly filled out my details. I was sent a sachet of both the Light and the Medium, but forgot to photograph them both. Being on the pasty side, the Light is the shade I am wearing.

Green People are very proud to be the producers of the UK's first certified organic tinted moisturiser.It's formula is designed to balance out both redness and sallow skin tones. It aims to reduce age spots, brighten the skin as well as offering anti-aging and natural SPF15. Green People are very much a brand I trust and respect.

 The tinted moisturiser is a fairly thick cream, with a light fruity fragrance. I found it really easy to blend, and doesn't settle in any of my fine lines, or cling to any dry patches. I have been very pleasantly surprised at how little product is needed. I would say that it gives a medium coverage, and gives a lovely natural appearance. It doesn't completely cover my dark circles, but to be fair nothing short of a miracle will. It provides enough coverage so that I am not self conscious about them. I do feel that the tinted moisturiser needs ten minutes or so to settle, but after that, I really like the look it gives. It makes my skin look so healthy, I can certainly vouch for it's brightening properties. I feel that it wears well, staying put until I am home from work.

The colour itself is a fraction too dark for me at the moment. I think this will be a much better colour match for me in Summer. If you are very fair, this may be a little too dark. Hopefully Green People will increase the range of shades, as this really is a lovely product. I would also like to see some miniature versions of this, as for me a full size would be too big.

You can see the full ingredient listing on the website here

Madara Detox Ultra Purifying Mud Mask

 

 

 Madara is a brand I am familiar with. I have tried and liked a few of their products. They carry the ECOCERT certification, so are free from synthetic fragrances and preservatives. I think that generally their products are reasonably priced too.

 

It's been quite some time since I last used a mud mask. I usually find them a bit drying for my skin. When a sample of Madara Detox Ultra Purifying Mud Mask came in a recent LoveLula box, curiosity got the better of me and I gave it a go.

 

This is a lovely product, and I have really enjoyed using it. It is packed full of Blueberry, Cloudberry, and Cranberry seed oils, giving it a gorgeous fruity fragrance. So far I have managed to get three uses out of my sample, and think there should be enough for a fourth.

 

What I like about this mask is that it is suitable for most skin types. For those with oilier skins, it absorbs excess oil, tightens pores and calms irritated skin. For my dry skin, it does a fantastic job of brightening my skin, without making it feel like it has been stripped of all moisture. It leaves my skin wonderfully soft.

 

I noticed today that Naturisimo have this size for sale amongst their samples of Masks and Treatments and I will buy another of these as well as a sample of Madara's Brightening AHA peel mask. 

 

 Sapropel Mud, Kaolin, Illite Alcohol, Lavendula Angustifolia (Lavender) Floral Water, Montmorillonite, Lactic Acid, Olea Europea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Algae Extract, Nasturtium Officinale (Watercress) Leaf Extract, Xantan Gum, Limonene, Linalool.

Empties January 2015

Here are the products I have finished in January. I don't feel like I have used very much up though as most of these are sample sizes. 

TEWC Grapefruit Facial Exfoliator is a product that I used on my hands rather than my face. I love the fragrance of this, but found it a bit too scrubby for my face. Love the brand, but wouldn't repurchase this particular item.

 

Pure Thoughts Winter Wonderland Soap was lovely to use. Super gentle on my skin, and the fragrance is gorgeous. I have a lot of soaps to use, so not an immediate purchase for me.

 

Weleda Citrus Creamy Body Wash is my only full size empty this month. I wanted to try this to see how it compared to the Sea Buckthorn body wash. The Citrus is sharper and more lemony. I will buy this again.

 

The Naked Skin Care Company Evening Relax Moisturising Body Oil is absolutely gorgeous. Left my skin feeling baby soft and adored the fragrance of ylang-ylang and sandalwood. Full size is going on the wish list as is the Morning Zest.

 

I reviewed Mel Millis Organic Neroli Hydrolate Mist Tonic and Neroli & Baobab Re Energising Face Oil last week here and suffice to say they are both on the wish list.

I am a massive fan of Aromatherapy Associates. Light Relax is one of my favourite bath & shower oils. I love the blend of Lavender, Ylang Ylang and Petitgrain. I have a couple of their oils to use, but will buy the full size of this in the future.

 

I reviewed The Body Deli Creme De La Rose this month too and am very sad to have finished this off. I need to whittle down my stash before I can buy the full size.

 

The Naked Skincare Company Orange & Frankincense Hydrating Skin Balm was another stunning product. Deeply hydrating without being greasy. Loved the bright and cheerful fragrance and the full size is very affordable too.

 

Living Nature Nourishing Hand Cream was reviewed in December. Although I really liked this hand cream it costs more than I want to pay for a hand cream so won't be repurchasing.

 

Nourish Skin Care Kale Enzymatic Exfoliating Cleanser. What I really like about Nourish Skin care is that they make very affordable products with very good ingredients.  I really liked how this made my skin look. I have another sample to use.

 

I have mentioned Skin & Tonic's Steam Clean lots lately so I don't really need to tell you again how much I love this cleanser. I have a couple of samples of this stashed and will buy the full size when I run out.

 

Ambre Botanicals Bath Oil was a lovely comforting blend of Rosemary, Thyme and Mint. This sample lasted me ages and I really enjoyed using it. I have my eye on both of their miniature sets as I would love to try more from this brand.

Cleansing Balms

It is no secret that I am guilty of hoarding my beauty products, and cleansers are one of the products I am most drawn to. Over the cooler months, I tend to favour a cleansing balm for that little extra nourishment. These are all products that leave mu skin feeling soft and pampered. It also helps that a balm tends to be multi-purpose too. I thought I would share a few of my current favourites.

Balance Me is one of my favourite brands. Their products just work for me. Cleanse & Smooth Face Balm is a cleanser I use when I want to exfoliate at the same time. It was reformulated a little while ago, so that the particles of oat powder are finer. I have to say I much prefer this texture, although I still wouldn't use it to take off eye makeup. The formula is very rich and nourishing as it contains camellia, kukui nut and rosehip oils with cocoa, mango and shea butters. It isn't suitable for vegans though as it does contain beeswax. The fragrance is citrusy. I love how bright and cheerful this smells on a miserable Winter morning.

I am sure it won't come as much as a surprise to see this little gem pop up from Skin & Tonic, as I seem to have mentioned it lots on twitter and on my instagram feed lately. Steam Clean is one of my favourite discoveries from last year, and probably one of the best cleansers I have used. Made with 6 ingredients: Beeswax, Grapeseed oil, Thistle oil, Borage oil and essential oils of Eucalyptus and Spearmint. Fresh and minty, but incredibly gentle.  I have also used a little of this on the kids chests when they have been full of colds. Simply divine.

I think BalmBalm produce wonderfully affordable and high quality products, and their Rose Geranium Face Balm is a complete steal at just £6.99. It has a very subtle Rose Geranium scent, making this an ideal choice for someone who prefers less fragrance. Again this has a simple ingredients list; made with just Shea butter, Sunflower oil, Beeswax, Calendula oil, Jojoba oil and Rose Geranium oil.

Beauty Balm by Lyonsleaf is one of the newest additions to my collection. This has the firmest texture of the balms when in the jar, but easily melts into oil when warmed between your fingers. It is rich in fatty acids and antioxidants thanks to the Babassu, Macademia nut, Jojoba and Sweet Almond oil. Most of these cleansing balms are better suited to dry skins, but Beauty Balm also works for oilier skins. The ingredients have been carefully chosen for their ability to rebalance the skin and the non pore blocking properties. I wish I had discovered this sooner.

 

 

Mel Millis Organic Neroli Hydrolate Mist Tonic & Organic Phytonutri Neroli & Baobab Re-Energising Face Oil.

 I received these samples by Mel Millis in a SoukSouk box over the Summer, and I have to say these are one of my favourite brands I have tried through SoukSouk. Mel Millis is a luxury skincare brand, who have put using the purest and most therapeutic ingredients at the centre of their philosophy. Product are made in small batches, using certified organic ingredients, and are cruelty free. It is worth mentioning that the original boxes for these samples had seeds in them, so that you could grow the flowers. This is a lovely touch, which I think speaks volumes about the company.

Organic Neroli Hydrolate Mist Tonic is a wonderfully light and refreshing hydrolate. A hydrolate is obtained through the distillation process of Essential Oils. Used after cleansing and before moisturiser or oil, it helps to restore the pH of the skins acid mantle. It

prepares the skin for the next step by helping it to absorb nutrients. As you would expect of a product extracted from it's essential oil, the fragrance is of Neroli. It's fragrance has sweet and spicy notes, with Neroli oil being produced from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree.

 

The Organic Neroli Hydrolate Mist Tonic is a good choice for all types of skin as it is both balancing and rejuvenating. It would work equally as well on someone with oily skin as it does on my dry skin. I have really enjoyed using this. 

 

 Citrus Aurentium Flower Water, Citrus Aurantium,
Naturally Occurring In Essential Oils,
Farnesol, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene, Citral.

Much as the toner is lovely, I have to confess that it is the Organic Phytonutri Neroli & Baobab Re-Energising Face Oil which has truly stolen my heart. This rich oil is designed with mature or dry skins in mind.It suits my skin perfectly and is exactly the kind of product I am drawn to.

 

Again the fragrance comes from the Neroli, but as before, it isn't overpowering. The Face Oil is made with Seabuckthorn C02 plant extract, Neroli and Immortelle, as well as Pumkin

, Rosehip and Baobab oils. These are all ingredients that my skin loves, and I have been enjoying using this as part of my night time routine. I think this is quite simply one of the best facial oils I have used. It is nourishing, without being too heavy, absorbs well, and makes my skin look really healthy.

 

Cucurbita Pepo,  Rosa Canina, Simmondsia Chinensis, Oenothera Biennis, Punica Granatum, Argania Spinosa, Adansonia Digitala, Hipophae Rhamnoides CO2  Extract, Tocopherol, Helichrysum Italicum, Citrus Aurantium, Boswellia Carterii, Cymbopogen Martinii, Rosmarinus Officinalis