Late to the Party

Akamuti I recently discovered this brand through Skin Organics Beauty Box and loved the product I tried so much that I had to go back and pick up a couple more items. Akamuti, a Welsh brand headed by Lindsey , hand craft natural skin, body and hair care products using only the best natural butters, oils, herbs, aromatic distillates, barks, resins and flowers. They have a strong environmental policy and ethical policies regarding animals and people . The name Akamuti comes from the Bemba language of Zambia and has two meanings - 'Little Tree' and 'Little bit of medicine' and shows the important connection meaning trees and medicines. Akamuti stress that tree ingredients are vital in their products - essential for our health and also for the health of the planet. Amazonian Murmuru Butter £5.00 for 50g This is the product that I received in the most recent Skin Organics Clean Beauty Box. Murmuru Butter is a creamy yellow Brazilian ...

Deviant Skincare Who? Deviant Skincare  are an Indie Skincare brand with the message that they want to desegregate beauty - to deviate from gender specific, age specific and trend driven product development and marketing - hence the name Deviant. " Skincare should simply be the harmony of   purpose and formula: meaningful products, with potent, efficacious ingredients that truly benefit skin". Gentle Resurfacing Liquid £34.00 for 100ml This was a brand new release when I bought it back in late November. It was a complete impulse purchase considering that I'd not tried any Deviant skincare before. The Gentle Resurfacing Liquid is a n exfoliating formula combining a unique cocktail of AHA’s (Mandelic, Lactic, Glycolic, Malic and Citric), BHA (Salicylic Acid) and PHA (Gluconolactone) to gently dissolve the bonds binding dull, dead cells to skin’s surface. It stimulates cell renewal which in turn improves the complexion, softening fine lin...

* One of these products was gifted as a PR Sample. The rest I paid for myself. I was soooo excited when Nicola at N.K Naturals announced that she was about to release a new range of seasonal skin products. As you know, I'm already a huge fan of NK Natural's Season Oils ( Winter Oil Review  &  Autumn Oil Review ) and the Spring Oil was already on my shopping list. Every season specific ingredient targets the environmental and climatic changes that the turn of each season brings. All the products are handmade using seasonal ingredients from whole plants and using traditional extraction methods. Shopping for NK Naturals is always such a treat. The packaging and presentation is beautiful - I love the little hessian drawstring bag that the products came in and the extra little touches such as the copper ring and charm tied on. Before the new product launch was announced, I had already put my order in for some Spring Season Oil in time for the Equinox. I...

My favourite part of my skincare routine is double-cleansing. And although I like to try and keep my routines consistent, I do have quite a lot of products in this category so I like to have a few on the go each month. This month's choices are a mixture of favourites, a new seasonal product I've just received and some that have been open for a while and need using up! First Cleansers Lime & Lilac - Passionflower Cleansing Oil* (PR Sample) My all-time favourite cleansing oil. Whilst I feel some urgency to finish off other products that have been open for far too long, I would feel a bit bereft in I didn't get to use this a few times a week. This cleansing oil is more than just a cleanser, it's a full-on sensory experience. From the gorgeous slick of applying and massaging the oil to either dry or slightly damp skin; the glorious emulsifying action that turns the oil into a silky, milky lotion, to the way that it clears up every last scrap of makeup, daily ...

Casa Mencarelli - Crema Di Pomodoro Nourishing Tomato Night Cream and Cleanser £15.00 for 15ml/£45.00 for 60ml What is it? A hydrating and nourishing balmy cream which can be used as a night cream, as a first cleanser and also as a mask. COSMOS Organic approved. Ingredients Olea europaea (Olive) fruit oil*, Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato) seed oil*, Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil*, Cera alba (Beeswax), Vitis vinifera (Grape) seed oil*, Oryza sativa (Rice) bran oil*, Daucus carota sativa (Carrot) seed oil*, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) seed oil. *organically grown, 99% organic of total Scent and Texture Although it's called a cream, the Crema di Pomodoro has more of a balm texture - albeit on the creamy side. It's not heavily scented but has a light natural fragrance. I can definitely smell the beeswax and a touch of the sweet scent of carrot plus the slightly smoky tang of tomato seed oil. Application A...

Dames and Dimes I first came across this British brand via Instagram and was wowed by their colourful product posts which were always filled with humour, warmth and tantalising texture shots. When I saw that they offered free sample sets (you just pay postage) then I leapt at the chance to try out their products. If you head over to the Dames and Dimes website and click on the 'Meet the Team' link you will read how these gorgeous goodies are bought to us by a founder with 'the mind of a genius and the mouth of a sailor' ; an Alchemist and a pair of good-mannered and well-dressed monkeys!  The humour and sense of playfulness is evident throughout the brand from their packaging, their website and definitely in the products themselves. The vibe may be frivolous but the products aren't mucking about - these are some serious heavy-hitters giving sound and consistent good results. Chocolate Orange Cleansing Balm £14.00 for 90g Just look at tha...

The Ordinary - Squalane Cleanser 50ml £5.50/ 150ml £13.90 What is it? A gentle cleansing product formulated to target makeup removal whilst leaving the skin feeling smooth and moisturized. The formula incorporates Squalane, alongside other lipophilic esters that are gentle, moisturizing, efficient in dissolving makeup and facial impurities and increasing the spreadability of the product. {source} Ingredients Squalane, Aqua (Water), Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Sucrose Stearate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sucrose Laurate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sucrose Dilaurate, Sucrose Trilaurate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Isoceteth-20, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tocopherol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Malic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin. Scent and Texture A creamy balm texture. Unscented. Application Once the product is warmed by either rubbing between your hands or massaged onto ...