Tabitha James Kraan Organic 4 in 1 Conditioner

My review of Tabitha James Kraan Organic 4 in 1 Conditioner is long over due. I have had this 60ml travel size for quite some time, as it was part of a Naturisimo hair care sample box.

 

As the name suggests, this is a multi purpose conditioner. It can be used as either a traditional or a leave in conditioner, to moisturise the scalp or to add texture/style curls. A dry scalp is not something I suffer with, so I have only ever used this as a conditioner.

 

The 4 in 1 conditioner is available in either Golden Citrus or Amber Rose. The version I have is the Golden Citrus. The fragrance very much comes from the addition of Neroli.

 

This is very much a luxury hair product, housed in sleek packaging. Whilst is isn't a cheap product to buy, it is very good value for money. I only need to use a couple of pumps of this, so I am confident that the travel size will last me a good few months.

 

This is a wonderfully light, yet effective conditioner. It contains argan, rosehip and coconut oils, which give it deeply moisturising qualities. The 4 in 1 conditioner is one of the few hair products containing argan oil, which actually works well for my hair. I usually find that argan oil weighs my fine hair down and leaves it looking greasy. The conditioner leaves my hair soft and manageable, and doesn't weigh it down in the slightest.

 

 I can honestly say that this was one of my best discoveries of 2015. I bought another of the hair care boxes for this and the Swell hair mask, as well as the Amber Rose to try next.

 

avena sativa (aqua & oat kernel), argania spinosa (argan oil), rosa canina (rosehip oil), cocos nucifera (coconut oil), cetrimonium chloride (vegetable), cocos nucifera (cetyl alcohol), glyceryl stearate (from glycine max), propanediol (from zea mays), salix alba (white willow), citric acid, citrus bergamia (bergamot), citrus reticulate (tangerine), citrus aurantium (neroli), citrus reticulate (green mandarin), melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree), commiphora myrrha (myrrh), lavandula angustifolia (lavender), citrus aurantium (petitgrain), cananga odorata (ylang ylang), (citral, geraniol, citronellol, linalool, limonene – naturally occurring components of essential oils).

 

Currently Loving.

I am trying so hard to reduce the amount of products I have stashed away, instead of buying more new things. I thought I would share a couple of things that I am really enjoying at the moment. 

I have only had this travel size version of Roques ONeil Therapie Cherish Skin Repair Serum for a month or so, and I have almost finished it. This serum is simply exquisite. It is bursting with incredibly nourishing oils including Ylang ylang , Frankincense, Patchouli and Neroli. The full size is firmly o my wish list.

The lovely people at Skin & Tonic very generously sent me this jar of Steam Clean before Christmas. I have worked my way through several samples of this amazing balm. This is my favourite product from the brand, and definitely one of my favourite cleansing balms. I love the fresh minty fragrance and how well it performs.

This Marigold & Comfrey Handcream by Organic Pharmacy was a magazine freebie a while ago. This is light formula is deceptively moisturising and has a lovely citrus fragrance. I love how soft it leaves my hands.

S.W.Basics

 S.W.Basics pride themselves on their simple ingredient lists, consisting of a few high quality items. Their Make Up Remover contains just three ingredients; Sweet Almond Oil, Olive Oil and Jojoba Oil. All the ingredients are organic, with the brand working towards certification from the USDA.

 

So, the big question is, can something so simple really work. The answer is Yes! Sometimes really stubborn eye make up needs a little extra massaging, but no more than I would expect with other products. I have found it to be very gentle on my skin and I adore the marzipan fragrance from the Sweet Almond oil. Any extra, can simply be massaged into the skin

 

This really is a very good product. I have to confess that given the quality of the oils used, it feels a little wasteful to use it just to remove make up. I much prefer to use this as a facial oil. It does take a moment to sink in, so I either use it at night or on make up free days. Either way, I love how soft it leaves my skin.

 

I wouldn't pay £14 for 60mls of make up remover, but when used as a facial oil it becomes very good value for money indeed. I am only just coming to the end of my 30ml sample I received from the Autumn/Winter sampler from A Beautiful World, and I have used it regularly. I would happily but this again in the future.

Empties December 2015

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and New Year. It seems like such a long time ago now. Here are my final empties from 2015.

 

Like many of you I am beginning the year on a semi spending ban. I have subscriptions for the You Beauty and Love Me Beauty boxes that I don't plan to cancel just yet, but would like to get on top of my stash. I am trying hard not to look at the sales, but know that the Beautiful World sale is only a day away.

 I was lucky enough to win Weleda's Arnica Muscle Soak from Sandra's giveaway last year. This has very quickly become a favourite product. It really does work wonders on tired and aching muscles. I have already bought my replacement.

 

John Masters Organics Citrus & Neroli Detangler. This is lovely and light and suits my fine hair perfectly as a leave in conditioner. I have collected a couple of these samples so have no need to repurchase just yet.

 

The Body Deli Living Hair Shampoo and Conditioner. I enjoyed using these, but wouldn't pay the full price for them.

 

Beatitude Joy Body Oil is absolutely gorgeous. Full size is on the wish list.

 

Green People Intensive Repair Shampoo. This worked well for my hair, and I think it is good value for money. I have another in my stash.

The tiny little pencil is an Inika eyeliner in black. This has taken ages to use up, it does the job. I have collected several of these from beauty box subscriptions so have no need to buy any just yet.

 

Pai Lotus & Orange Blossom BioAffinity Skin Tonic. This was lovely, but I have other toners that do an equally good job for less money. No repurchase for that reason.

 

Mary Elizabeth Juniper and Jojoba Hand Cream. This is another product I have loved using. Very rich and nourishing. Perfect for this time of year.

 

Green People Fruit Scrub Exfoliator. I much prefer this to the Age Defy scrub and will buy the full size at some point in the future.

Love Me Beauty Box December 2015

It has been quite some time since I subscribed to a Love me Beauty Box and they have changed hugely in that time. When this month's options popped up on my bloglovin feed, I knew I wouldn't be able to resist. Each month you are allocated 60 points to choose from their boutique, but you can top up these points if there is something that really takes your fancy.

 

What caught my eye are the products from Therapie Roques ONeal. I topped up my points, and with a half price box offer I managed to snag all of these products for an amazing price of less than £20.

I have had my eye on the Therapie Roques ONeil range for quite so time. I must admit that aromatherapy based products are a huge weakness of mine. The products are Boost Hair & Body Wash, Equilibrium Bath & Shower Essence, Cherish Body Repair Serum, and Restore Aura Spray. Each mini bottle contains a generous 30-50mls of product, so will allow me to get a good feel for them.

 I absolutely love the Himalayan Detox Salts and always have one of the mini bags in my stash. My box only came yesterday, so I haven't had chance to try them properly yet. Everything is package beautifully and smells wonderful. I am very much looking forward to having a very luxurious pampering session with these.

Focus on Serums

Like many of you, I have quite the stash of products. I thought I would write another post focusing on a type of product. This time I have chosen some of the serums that I am currently enjoying. 

This is my second little pot of Herbfarmacy's Mallow Beauty Balm, so it is safe to say this is a firm favourite. Although this is a balm, it performs very much like a serum. It can be used as a cleanser, but I much prefer to use this as a serum. I absolutely love the fragrance of this.

 

This is another product that has a very rich formula. It really does only need to be used sparingly. I used this all through last Winter and be skin thanked me for it. This is something I will turn to, when the temperature drops. I also like to use a thin layer of this as a barrier, when I run in the cold weather. It also works particularly well after swimming when the chlorine has sucked all the life out of my skin. Although it comes in a glass jar, it is robust enough to cope with being thrown in my gym bag.

 

 Ingredients: *Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) seed oil, *Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) seed oil, *Cera flava (Beeswax), *Butyrospermum parkii (Shea Butter), *Althaea officinalis (Marshmallow) root extract, *Calendula officinalis flower extract, *Verbascum thapsus (Mullein) extract, *Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) extract, *Pelargonium graveolens (Rose Geranium) leaf oil, *Citrus paradisi (Grapefruit) peel oil, *Cananga odorata (Ylang ylang) flower oil, *linalool, *limonene, *geraniol, *eugenol (Essential oil ingredients)* = Organic

I have tried one or two products from FOM and have been especially impressed with their skincare. Their Overnight Rose Repair Serum is something that I use couple of nights a week as an intensive treatment.

 

FOM are a brand which focus on Anti-aging. The Overnight Serum is full of nutrients, fatty acids and vitamins and works wonders on my skin overnight. It really does brighten my skin and makes it so much softer. For me in my late thirties, this works well a couple of nights a week. If your skin is much mature would be a great product to use more regularly.

 

Simmondsia Chinesis, Rosa Rubiginosa, Persea Gratissima, Passiflora edulis, Sclerocarya birrea, Hippophae rhamnoides, Rosmarinus officinalis, Ricinodendron rautanenii, Plukentia volubilis, Tocopherol, *parfum (natural) *geraniol, limonene, linalool, citral, eugenol, farnesol, citronellol (naturally occurring in essential oils).

I have almost finished my sample of Pinks Boutique Anti-Aging Serum. I have been enjoying using this in the daytime. This feels such a luxurious product to use

 

The Anti-Aging Serum has a rich and nourishing formula.The star ingredients being Rosehip, Avocado, Jojoba and Apricot oils. I am definitely drawn to products with these ingredients, as I find they work well for my skin. I love how this plumps my skin. I have found that in the milder weather we have currently had, that I haven't needed to use a moisturiser on top of this.

I am also impressed with how quickly it absorbs, given it's rich formula

 

 Ingredients: Prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil*, vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil*, rosa canina fruit oil*, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil*, persea gratissima (avocado) oil*, oenothera biennis (evening primrose) oil*, camellia sinensis leaf extract*, parfum*; lavandula angustifolia (lavender) flower oil,* pelargonium graveolens flower oil*, pogostemon cablin oil*, cananga odorata flower oil*, tocopherol, citronellol**, geraniol**, linalool**, (*CERTIFIED ORGANIC.) (**NATURAL CONSTITUENTS OF ESSENTIAL OILS.)

Therapi Orange Blossom Honey Gel Cleanser.

I got this sample of Therapi Orange Blossom Honey Gel Cleanser a while back as part of a gift with purchase from Being Content. Therapi are a brand I was aware of, but hadn't tried any of their products.

 

Therapi say that their cleansing gels are made with honey to naturally cleanse and purify the skin, without drying it. The Orange Blossom is designed with normal skin in mind. If I had bought this myself I would have chosen the Rose Otto as my skin is on the dry side. Having said that I have been pleasantly surprised at just how gentle this is. I have found this to be a pretty effective cleanser, although it doesn't quite remove all my eye make up. I tend to use this either first thing in the morning or as a second cleanse, and find it works really well like this. I particularly like using a konjac sponge with it.

 

As a huge fan of citrus, it is not surprising that I love the fragrance. It reminds me of sherbet orange. It is a soft and sweet scent, that doesn't linger around. The Orange Blossom cleanser lathers slightly, so there is no risk of stripping the skin of moisture.

 

I have to say I also really like the packaging, it is sleek and functional. The pump allows you to remain in control of how much is dispensed, and it hasn't clogged or dripped everywhere.

 

I would happily recommend this to others and would buy this again. I do want to try the Rose Otto at some point too.

 

Aqua, Mel (Honey)*, Lauryl Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Gluconolactone, Xanthan Gum, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Oil*, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder*, Yucca Schidigera (Y. Vera) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Sweet Orange) Peel Oil*, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil*, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Oil*, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Neroli) Flower Oil*, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Gluconate, Parfum*, Limonene+, Linalool+, Citral+  * Organic   + Naturally occurs in essential oils