Yves Rocher Rouge Brillance Vegetale Lipstick Review

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

I love lipstick but always have to wear lip balm too. Not so with these amazing 100% cherry oil lipsticks which are also rich in Omega 6 and 9.

This is what they say: “The Yves Rocher Research Institute has selected cherry oil for lipstick, because of its extraordinary power to shine and refract light. It is also rich in Omega 6 and 9, natural sources of protection and nutrition.”

These are amazing lipsticks. They are natural, made by an environmentally-friendly brand and come in 18 beautiful colours. You don’t even need to add a lip balm to your beauty routine.

The two I tried were Rose Grenadine and Iris Mauve. You can see how beautiful the colours are below.

They look beautiful on and are really good to lips, acting more like a beauty product than makeup. I am a fan. They are expensive but I will indulge if I want to treat myself.

Comes in 12 shades inspired by nature, £18 at www.yves-rocher.co.uk

Available now.

Fushi Virgin Marula Oil Review

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

I fell in love with facial oils last year after being sent some to review. I never thought I would like putting oil on my face; it would be too slick and greasy. But it actually makes a huge difference and is lighter than some moisturisers. Another benefit is that you tend to massage it in rather than just put it on, which also makes a huge difference to skin.

Facial oils tend to be natural too, and Fushi Virgin Marula Oil is so natural that you can actually eat it. Perfect for sensitive skin and for those who are sick of putting chemicals on their face.

Fushi have a large African oil range, all of which are perfect for protecting and reviving skin and hair from the damages caused by the summer sun and the environment.

With a higher antioxidant level than Argan oil, Marula Oil works in two ways to help fight the ageing process; protecting the skin against damaging free radicals and also visibly reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

Marula oil is often known in Africa as a “miracle oil,” Marula Oil has been revered among African women for hundreds of years for its powerful moisturising and anti-aging benefits. This prized oil is extracted from the fruit kernels of the Marula tree from Kenya. Marula oil deeply nourishes and hydrates the skin and is quite unique due to its super rich content of fatty acids, vitamins C and E. Marula oil is thought to have a richer content of antioxidants than even Argan oil. It is ideal to use to protect the skin from aging, for fine lines and crows feet. A light non greasy oil, Marula oil is absorbed easily and is the perfect anti aging night oil for the face and neck area. It is most effective at protecting the skin from those damaging free radicals that accelerate aging.

It says it is perfect for mature skin types but I am in my twenties and I still love it. I don’t have any wrinkles yet but I have noticed some enlarged pores and a few fine lines forming. After using the marula oil I have noticed a significant difference. Even my fiance remarks that I am ‘glowing’. It is also great for dry skin as it really hydrates.

The smell isn’t great but it is bearable and doesn’t linger for too long and a little of the oil goes a long way. I don’t use this during the day as it leaves the face shiny and I am just not sure it would work but it is my current night oil of choice. I love it and it is organic, cold-pressed and fairtrade. Sigh, I’m in love.

You can buy it from the Fushi site.

Kent & Fraser Gluten Free Biscuits And Cocio Chocolate Milk Review

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Frostie

We were pretty happy when Spicy Ginger Crunch Cookies and Lemon Butter Shortbread from Kent & Fraser arrived hot on the heels of Cocio Chocolate Milk.

Right, let’s start with the chocolate. Cocio is the new chocolate milk from Aria. This Danish chocolate milk has only three ingredients: fresh milk, luxury cocoa and natural sugar. It is best served ice cold and drunk straight from the bottle after giving it a gentle shake to mix the three ingredients. For those watching their waistlines there is Cocio One which only has 1% fat and 1% added sugar. It’s only 130kcal per bottle and is as delicious as the classic. We love Cocio chocolate milk and would buy it. It goes on sale this month nationwide priced at £1.39 for 270ml.

These were amazing. They are gluten and wheat free but are just as delicious as ‘ordinary’ biscuits. The lemon butter shortbread is light and zingy. The amount of lemon is perfect and they are very moreish. They melt in your mouth. The spicy ginger crunch cookies are superb. Not too spicy that they are not enjoyably, just a good kick which is not uncomfortably hot. They are crunchy and delicious. We polished both packets off worryingly quickly. These biscuits taste too good to be natural, but they are, so even better.

Available from Harrods, Selfridges and Ocado priced £2.29

And a special mention for…

Magnum Marc De Champagne Ice Cream Bars

These were bought in Sainsbury’s because, why wouldn’t you? They are delicious and we highly recommend them. Chocolate, ice-cream and champagne. Sigh. The champagne is subtle but noticeable. £2.99 for three and the alcohol content is only 0.5% so you can have a few….

What will you be indulging in?

My Skincare Secrets By Nakita Grewal

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Nakita Grewal

I’m going to share a skincare secret of mine, well of my mums. As the teenage years approached me I battled with the dark side of teenage acne, I tried skincare product after skin care product, spending from a few pounds into hundreds but I never found a product I was satisfied with. Not only was my skin breaking out but I also have the great honour of having dry sensitive skin so I have to be very careful with what I put on my face. After another failed battle in my war to control my breakouts, my mum made me a home remedy, a lemon and honey facemask. She never shared this with me before due to the sensitivity of my skin and how the lemon may react but since I tried anything and everything that I could find, there was no harm in trying this.

Get great skin like Kate’s.

It is a very quick and simple mask squeeze the juice of a lemon and mix it with honey in a bowl and apply to your face for about 10 – 15 minutes. After trying this the first time I’ll be honest I wasn’t that impressed but after doing this 1 -2 times a week for 3 weeks I noticed a difference I wasn’t having extreme breakouts and my complexion was starting to glow.

The lemon is the important ingredient in this. Firstly it dries up spots, and helps prevent breakouts as it is a natural cleanser. But it doesn’t stop there it helps in aiding an even skin tone and gives you a beautiful glow. But remember if you are using lemon on your face it is very very important to wear sun block as it does make your skin sensitive to the sun.

The honey works as moisturizer and a healer, as the lemon dries up and cleanses the skin, the honey works it magic to prevent over drying of the skin as well as healing the breakouts. These two natural products work hand in hand and leave you with gorgeous looking skin.

Also you can use the same ingredients to make a super face exfoliator by adding sugar. Use the scrub on your face for about 5 minutes going in circular motions to really scrub away at the dead skin cells and revive a new glow.

These techniques have helped me with my battle to control my skin and have worked wonders even with my sensitive skin.

What do you think? Do you have any beauty tips?

Fresh Therapies Natural Nail Polish Remover Review

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

I absolutely love natural products. When it comes to nail polish remover I wasn’t expecting anyone to come up with a natural solution, but I am very happy they did. Nail polish remover in particular smells pretty awful. I always cannot help wondering what the hell is in it and whether it is damaging me.

So does this natural nail polish from Fresh Therapies actually work? Thankfully yes, as I was really rooting for it. Even better is that you can buy sachet wipes that do all 10 nails. They really work and are perfect for traveling. Frankly the idea is so genius I have no idea why no one has thought of it before. I will be stocking up.

This is the UK’s first natural nail polish remover and it has a milder natural formula and the smell has a slight hint of lime. I think this will be my nail polish remover of choice from now on. It works, smells great and is much better for my nails and the environment. The travel wipes are one of my favourite beauty buys of 2014. Great stuff.

A great way to remove your nail polish naturally. It has no harsh chemicals or toxins and is so much safer for the health of your nails as well as the environment

Great for people like me who have sensitive skin or allergies. It does not strip some of the natural oils away from your nails or cuticles as some conventional removers do, which in turn can lead to your nails becoming dry, dehydrated, weak and brittle.

It is not tested on animals and is also suitable for vegans, winning Best Beauty Vegan Product 2013. Beating the likes of Lush Cosmetics to the prize!

The 50ml Glass bottle can be purchased for £8.99 and the Box of 10 individual sachet wipes retail

£7.99. Both can be purchased from www.freshtherapies.com

A mini sample can be obtained from the website too. UK residents only

Bohemian Chic Minerals Blusher And Lipstick Review

Posted on March 7, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

I am a huge fan of natural makeup. We are becoming more aware of all of the nasty chemicals in certain products and brands. Add in the trend for veganism and cruelty-free products and Bohemian Chic Minerals certainly sounds like a winner. Mineral makeup is also huge now and very on trend. But does it work? Let’s find out.

I reviewed the Bohemian Chic Minerals Blusher in Nude and the lipstick in Coral Reef.

Both colours are beautiful and the product goes on beautifully. The blusher blends very well and gives a very healthy pink/nude glow. It looks great on.

The lipstick is also a beautiful colour and goes on well. Both products are of a very high quality and don’t have that terrible ingredient of carmine (which is a crushed beetle!) or Oxychloride (a by-product of refined lead and copper), making this brand excellent for people with sensitive skin and a conscious. Highly recommended.

A New Era for Natural Make-Up

On a mission to provide a range of modern make-up that is completely chemical free, Jameela Kosar has found the solution with the creation of Bohemian Chic Minerals. Having tried an abundance of mainstream make-up which reacted to her sensitive skin, Jameela found herself looking for a way in which women can indulge their love of make-up without affecting their problematic skin.

Having stumbled across mineral make-up, Jameela felt she had found the answer to her prayers, until once again her skin irritation returned. After extensive research into the benefits of mineral make-up, Jameela discovered that whilst most of the minerals are beneficial to the skin, two ingredients are not so good. Bismuth – Oxychloride (a by-product of refined lead and copper) and carmine (crushed beetle). Not a fan of using crushed beetle in her daily skincare routine, Jameela decided to create her own make-up brand. One that is suitable for the most sensitive of skins, without compromising on style. Bohemian Chic Minerals was born.

Chemical free, bad minerals free and animals (including insects) free, Bohemian Chic Minerals is suitable for both vegan and halal users. Combining ingredients your skin will love with trend aware products, the collection boasts an impressive range of foundations, primers and concealers, as well as blushers, bronzers and body shimmers. In addition there is also a vibrant array of eyeshadows, eyeliners, lipsticks and glosses,

Designed to make women feel beautiful in a guilt free way, the collection is 100% pure and natural and is paving the way for a new generation of all available in a range of seasonal shades. natural make-up.

The Bakewell Soap Company Luscious Lips Green Apple Review

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

Winter always plays havoc with my lips and I hate it. Almost as much as I hate lip balms that don’t work and ones with loads of chemicals, don’t they realise you will ingest some of the balm? Which is why I love natural products. The Bakewell Soap Company Luscious Lips lip balm is packed full of natural ingredients; a blend of shea, cocoa butter and apricot.

It smells great, like apple obviously, but in a natural, not sickly way. The balm feels good on, not sticky. It leaves your lips feeling moisturised and protected. They have vitamin E for extra protection and it is long-lasting.

The packaging is simple and works well, adding to the natural vibe. It comes in seven different flavours and costs `£2.95/£3.95. Available from notonthehighstreet.com

http://www.bakewellsoap.co.uk/

H20X5 Steam Cleaner Review

Posted on December 27, 2013 by Tracy Damas

Upon arrival of the H20X5 Steam Cleaner my boyfriend was very confused. “I never thought I would see you get excited about a cleaning machine”, he said. “Oh, that’s only because this is supposed to be so easy to use that even you could do it”, I replied. “Well that makes more sense.” he laughed.

In truth I was excited about the steam cleaner because it also makes things easier for me. And it doesn’t use any nasty chemicals. But all of this excitement had to be backed up after using the cleaner.

The cleaner looks great, very stylish. It has lots of attachments and bits in the box. I decide to steam the curtains just to test the cleaner. It is easy to put together. I do it in minutes.

In fact the steam cleaner is a bit like a Mac computer; you can use it within minutes of taking it out of the box. After putting it together I filled it with water, using the measuring cup to fill it up to the max level and turn it on. It has an LED light which is red while heating up and green when not. It is ready within minutes and I start steaming. It is easy to use and only slightly heavier than I thought it would be.

I use different attachments and clean the flat. I cannot get over how easy it us to use, or how well it cleans. It is an essential product that, very quickly, I could never do without. Brilliant machine.

At £99.99 it may seem expensive, but it requires no other products and is 5 in 1: Floor Steam Cleaner, Carpet Steamer, Handheld steamer, window cleaner and Garment Steamer. It also eliminating 99% of bacteria. This makes the H2O Mop X5 by Thane Direct a home essential. Impressive.

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