Late to the Party

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...

Pure Savvy - Multi-Tasker Beauty Balm £45.00 for 40ml * PR Sample - This item was sent to me in return for an honest review. Links are not affiliated. What is it A multi-tasking beauty balm which provides instant comfort and moisturisation wherever you need it. It can be used as a moisturiser or as a treatment for dry, sensitive or irritated skin. Ingredients Camellia Oleifera Oil, Citrullus Vulgaris (Watermelon) Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea (Marula) Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-6 Esters, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Rhus Verniciflua Peel Cera, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium v. sinnensis (Sweet Orange), Cupressus Sempiverens (Cypress), Boswellia Carterii (Frankincense), Citrus Limon (Lemon), Citrus Aurantium v. amara (Neroli), Citrus Aurantium v. amara (Petitgrain), Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol, Citral, Citric Ac...

This is the first bi-monthly box from Skin Organics Clean Beauty and it was certainly worth the wait! The September Box celebrates 'Organic September' with the important message of 'One small swap can make a world of difference'. This is a sentiment I wholeheartedly embrace. It's so overwhelming with how wantonly destructive humankind can be and like many, I often suffer from 'eco guilt', my efforts feeling terribly insignificant in such a big picture. Organic September is an annual campaign led by The Soil Association . Their main aim is to encourage more people to try organic produce as a way to educate people about organic food and farming practices. Even if we just make small changes to our consumer choices - then 'one small swap can make a world of difference'. The Soil Association are also leading campaigners to stop companies from 'greenwashing'. Products that bear the Soil Association certification stamp have passed their strin...

 I cannot stand product pilling!  You think you have a lovely skincare routine all lined up - it's going beautifully - you're all soft-skinned and glowy and looking forward to finishing off with a gorgeous facial oil - and then suddenly - it's all ruined by the facial oil pilling on your skin and everything feels all bitty and undone! It's taken me several months, but I think I have uncovered the mystery of why some facial oils pill in my skincare routine.  I think the culprit is Hyaluronic Acid! Again, not all products including Hyaluronic Acid, but some - there doesn't seem to be any more rhyme or reason to it than that! So, what to do? Products containing HA are an absolutely vital skincare step for me personally. I need that extra layer of deep hydration that HA affords. And facial oils are also an essential step in my routine - I can't imagine not including a gorgeous oil every morning and/or evening. But - I really cannot abide that feelin...

Consistency is key when establishing a skincare routine. It's always tempting to keep adding and trying new products, but by doing that, you're minimizing the chance of seeing results from consistent use of a product - particularly treatments. I do try and keep my morning routine pretty consistent - but during the warmer months, my skin has different needs and therefore I need to adjust my routine accordingly. Unfortunately, my skin tends to veer towards the oilier side during summer, so I'm not able to use as many oil-based products in my morning routine - which is a bit of a shame, as I do love my oil-based products! Cleanse   Most days I use a simple floral water as a morning cleanser. My current choice is Manuka Floral Water from Naturally Thinking. It's light and fresh with a delicate scent. A couple of times a week I'll opt for a gentle exfoliating cleanser. The Ishtar Skinlights Cleansing Clay is the perfect choice for summer. The cooling clay d...

    Love Absolute are a UK based natural Indie skincare brand. All of their products are made from speciality grown English purple fruits containing anthocyanins and antioxidants, plus wild flower oils and organic oils naturally high in essential fatty acids, micronutrients and antioxidants.  Offering a comprehensive range of skincare products, you can't help but immediately notice and be totally enamoured by Love Absolute's ingeniously curated natural ingredients. I have a feeling that they may well be the alchemists of our time!     Love Absolute recently sent me their Radiance & Glow Taster Sample Set* to try out. This set of four 5ml samples contains Rose Glow Clay, Naked Rose Nutrition Cream, Soulful Spice Mask & Balm and Facial Radiance Oil. This set usually retails for £24.00 but is currently on sale for £15.00 .   * PR Samples   As an amateur naturalist, Love Absolute is a brand that seri...