Late to the Party

After only recently coming across Earth Basics on Social Media I decided to go and have a little browse at their online store to see what they have to offer. See, here's the thing - I don't actually need anything at the moment, but when has that ever been a reason not to buy?! Earth Basics offer a lovely range of eco-friendly, recyclable,sustainably sourced, biodegradable and zero-plastic products from brands such as Ku.tis, Beauty Kubes, and Heavenly Organics as well as eco toothbrushes, plasters, cotton buds and cleansing cloths. Heavenly Organics - Organic Orange, Rose Geranium & Patchouli Body Butter £4.99 for 100g I wanted to try something from Heavenly Organics and this body butter caught my eye. It's seriously good value for money and you get a generous 100g glass pot with aluminium lid, so completely recyclable (or reusable). I thought the scent combination sounded delicious, and I wasn't wrong! What a stunning scent blen...

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 ...

Dames and Dimes - Choc Orange Shimmer Massage Bar £8.00 for 50g When I heard that Dames & Dimes had released some new massage bars, I knew I had to try one straight away. And of course, my first choice was going to be the Choc Orange Shimmer Massage Bar (others are Original, Buttercream Vanilla and Coconut and Lemongrass). What is it? Handmade massage bar, rather cutely shaped liked big slabs of chocolate. Made to relieve dry, parched and itchy skin; improves skin elasticity and can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Naturally sourced mica pigment helps to impart a subtle healthy and shimmering glow on the skin. Ingredients Theobroma cacao (organic unrefined cocoa) seed butter, Butyrospermum parkii (organic unrefined shea) utter, Shorea stenoptera (organic illipe) seed butter, Camellia oleifera (organic unrefined camellia) seed oil, Citrus sinensis (organic sweet orange) peel oil, Synthetic fluorphlogopite (mica) CI 77891, CI 77491, ...

Phew! An enormous amount of empties this month as I work to finish products in my stash (and buy just a couple of cheeky newbies!). Everything else during this lock-down has gone absolute doolally - apart from my skincare and body care routines. It's nice to know that I can keep something together at least! Key WR   - Will repurchase or have already repurchased MR  - Might repurchase at a later date. WNR  - Will not repurchase. Either it didn't work for me, I didn't like it, it's too expensive or it had ingredients that didn't suit my skin. Skincare * Cerave - Foaming Cleanser ( WR ) I think this is probably mu number one 'go-to' everyday cleanser. It's perfect for daily use, low foan, soothing and non-drying and great value for money. No thrills or drama here - but you can't beat this as a basic but effective first cleanser. * Optimum - Bedtime Cleansing Balm ( WNR ) Now this would have been great if it weren't for one n...

Mila's Apothecary - Winter Gift Set I feel a bit cheeky showing this off as this gift set is no longer available. In fact, Mila's Apothecary currently have no products available. Mila herself is volunteering in Greece and is concentrating on this for the near future.  In fact she has been using the proceeds from her sales to fund her volunteering trip at a Women's Refuge - another great reason to support this brand. To be alerted to when Mila is making more products for sale, it's best to follow her on Instagram to keep up to date. I first came across Mila's Apothecary on Instagram and it goes without saying that I was going to be drawn to her use of English Botanical ingredients from the hedgerows and fields. And yes, the fact that her products were limited and not so simple to get a hold of, only drew me in further! So when Mila announced a limited run of Christmas box sets, I knew I just had to get my hands on one. The gift set I ch...

Despite trying hard not to fall for the lure of the January sales, I couldn't resist making a couple of purchases! Walden Perfume Sample Kit After receiving a 10ml rollerball of 'Live the Life' Perfume Oil by Walden in December's Love Lula Box, I really wanted to try more from this natural perfume brand. A 25% off voucher (also from the Love Lula box) afforded me the perfect opportunity to try some more. They all sounded so good, so I opted for the Mini Rollerball Sample kit, comprising of seven small 2ml vials of different scents. I loved every single offering - but I think my favourites are 'A Different Drummer' and 'The Solid Earth'. Read a full review here. Ffern - Winter '20 A surprise delivery this January as I only just managed to get my name down for the Ffern production ledger and thought that I would be too late for the Winter Solstice release. But this is the best type of surprise you can have, as Ffern's Wint...

I thought I might just have gotten away with it this season! The seasonal transition from Autumn to Winter is usually pretty dramatic - an instantaneous and very apparent switch in my skin where in a blink of an eye, I can be oily one day and dry, tight, sensitive and dehydrated the very next day. But as of yet, it's been an incredibly mild winter - who knows if the real severe weather is to follow in the next couple of months? My skin was behaving quite nicely up until I succumbed to a bad cold and my body felt all ill and stressed, my skin followed suit very rapidly. After a bit of a blip and utilising all the most potent products in my skincare arsenal, I've managed to bring my skin back under control. Here are my favourite winter products:  Products marked * are PR Samples. Morning Lime & Lilac - Light Facial Oil* This is perhaps the most versatile facial oil in my collection, suited for all-year-round-use and works in both my morning and...