Late to the Party

Birch Lea Soaperie I was searching on Etsy for soap scrap samples - several soap maker sellers offer these and I love the idea of them - being able to try out different scented soaps and also because I prefer these smaller bars for use in the bathroom. These soap samples from Birch Lea Soaperie caught my eye, and I was even more delighted when I saw that the seller was from my nearest town, Cromer in North Norfolk. I love to buy from small businesses, and even more so if they're local. A stack of five soap samples , weighing 25g each costs £5.50 and you can even choose which scents you'd like to try. I picked up Cinnamon and Ginger, Rose and Vanilla, Mint and Rosemary, Coconut and Lime and Sweet Birch and Cedarwood. They smell soooo good! I think my favourite is the Cinnamon and Ginger (also available for £4.50 for a 100g bar). All soaps are made with natural butters and oils with no added chemicals. Bergamot and Palmarosa Body Butter £6.50 ...

When the May box was announced and the theme of 'Spring' was revealed, I was (as ever) really looking forward to this box arriving. And the contents are even better than I could have hoped for! The Skin Organics Clean Beauty Box is a Bi-monthly subscription service offering a selection of five full/deluxe sample sized natural beauty, skincare and makeup products.  100% natural, organic, non-toxic, eco-friendly, cruelty free, ethically sourced and often from up and coming British Indie Natural Beauty brands, the products chosen are free from Parabens, Petrochemicals, PEGs (petroleum-based compounds), silicones, Sodium Laureth or Lauryl Sulphate, Phthalates, Propylene Glycol , Synthetic Colours and Fragrances, Triclosan,  Formaldehyde, Toulene, Benzophenone/PABA, Petroleum/Mineral oil, Alcohol, Urea, PEG, PG/BG, Dioxin, Aluminium, DEET, Camphor, Talc and Carmine. A Bi-monthly subscription costs £25.00   BUY HERE This month's box contains five pr...

In these uncertain times it's always a pleasure to grab hold of something which can ground you and calm the mind, body and spirit. The March Skin Organics Clean Beauty box is just the ticket this month, with it's theme of 'Meditate' to make things just that little bit better in times of stress and uncertainty. The Skin Organics Clean Beauty Box is a Bi-monthly subscription service offering a selection of five full/deluxe sample sized natural beauty, skincare and makeup products.  100% natural, organic, non-toxic, eco-friendly, cruelty free, ethically sourced and often from up and coming British Indie Natural Beauty brands, the products chosen are free from Parabens, Petrochemicals, PEGs (petroleum-based compounds), silicones, Sodium Laureth or Lauryl Sulphate, Phthalates, Propylene Glycol , Synthetic Colours and Fragrances, Triclosan,  Formaldehyde, Toulene, Benzophenone/PABA, Petroleum/Mineral oil, Alcohol, Urea, PEG, PG/BG, Dioxin, Aluminium, DEET, Campho...

After writing the post Shopping My Stash - Beauty Boxes Revisited Part One - it really gave me the kick up the bum I needed in prioritising products that I have in my stash that are now a year old. So I'm now moving on to beauty boxes received in March of last year to see where I'm at with these products. For me, this is a great visual inventory to take stock of what I have in my stash. March 2019 In March 2019, the Skin Organics Clean Beauty Box had the uplifting Spring theme of 'Awaken'. Let's see what became of these products: * Skin Alchemists - The Humble Warrior Complete Cleansing Oil Perhaps my singular most favourite item that I've ever received in any beauty box! This cleansing oil is so super special that I've done that thing of saving it because it's so nice! I have used it a few times, but at the moment, it's still being hoarded in my stash. Still about Unearthd - The Mane Attraction Organic Hair Serum I started usi...

February 2020 - The Beauty Crush Edit The star product in February is the Mac Matte Lipstick in Chili, which is a gorgeous bold Chilli red colour and one that I definitely wanted to try out. This month I opted for six products and also received a free makeup brush and some Mac lipstick samples. How it works:   The 'Beauty Novice' is £9.00 for 3 items. The 'Beauty Enthusiast' Box is £15.00 for 6 items The 'Beauty Guru' Box is £18.00 for 9 items. All box prices are inclusive of P+P. Buy HERE 1. Mac Matte Lipstick in Chili This is a full sized lipstick (3g) in Mac's iconic bullet packaging. The colour is a lovely spicy, brown-red and should suit most skin tones. 2. Oryza Beauty - Velvet Ribbon Lipstick in Japonica I also picked up another full size lipstick from Oryza Beauty, whose name rings a bell but have never tried this brand before. It's a lovely everyday nude colour - very creamy and moisturising. I feel like th...

In January, Naturisimo released their ' Veganuary' Discovery Box . This box features nine plant-based and 100% vegan products. Remarkably, it's still available as I write this (they usually sell out really quickly) and costs just £19.95. Let's take a closer look at what you'll find in the Veganuary Discovery Box. Boucleme - Exfoliating Scalp Shampoo (100ml) Although Boucleme make products aimed at curly hair, and my hair is poker straight, I was excited to see this product in the box and it was actually one of the products that made my mind up to buy this box. I'm loving the idea of a weekly scalp exfoliation and I'm looking forward to trying this out. The shampoo has the uplifting properties of spearmint, sweet orange and marjoram to invigorate your scalp with a gentle cooling sensation. Hydrogenated castor beads softly exfoliate whilst stimulating the hair follicles to promote growth. The exfoliation removes dead skin cells...

I absolutely love buying or receiving new skincare products! I love the thrill of receiving packages through the post and I love discovering new brands and new products. But tempered with that joy also comes a degree of angst and guilt about having far too many products in my stash and finding the time to use and enjoy them. Beauty Subscription boxes are the best way to discover new products. And because most of them are chosen for us, it's a great opportunity to try out new brands and products that you might not have otherwise known about, or decided to purchase. Although in some boxes, items chosen for us can mean items that don't suit us, are doubles or just not products we'd use. Over the years I've subscribed to quite a few different beauty boxes, but I've rarely lasted the course with many of them (usually when the picks just don't suit me or my skincare tastes). Amongst the boxes that I still love and receive regularly are the Latest in Beauty ...