Category Archives: Body lotions and creams

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Take 5: Budget body lotions

I get through more body lotion than almost any other product in my bathroom – save water. Summer or winter, my skin can’t cope without it. I’ve tried some amazing premium-priced body moisturisers but over time I’ve built up a shortlist of tried and tested favourites that are all competitively priced. Otherwise, this would also be the most expensive bathroom habit of all. So here they are. And they ARE in a particular order – from my top favourite favourite(!) and most repurchased.

Dr Organic Skin Lotion (from £6.99 for 200ml)

This is a brilliant lightweight lotion that keeps even my dry skin moisturised for the full day. You can find them at Holland & Barrett where, if you’re a regular, it’s worth getting a loyalty card. I’m just about to use my first points voucher to get myself a free body lotion! If your skin is on the drier side, you’re probably better off with the Olive oil, Moroccan Argan oil or Coconut oil blends as they contain a higher quantity of the more nourishing plant oils. However, I’ve also used and liked the Lavender, Rose, Vitamin E and Dead Sea Mineral versions. I like being able to switch it up every so often. The only one I really wasn’t keen on was the Aloe Vera version, which was entirely down to the smell. I just couldn’t get on with it. But that’s just me. Dr O also do body butters. I’ve never tried them but I want to. Maybe that’s where my loyalty points will go…

You can get full ingredients lists for all varieties on the Holland & Barrett website.

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Jason Hand & Body Lotion (from £6.99 for 200ml)

This is a recent addition to the list. I’ve only tried the Hemp version so far – it’s currently about half empty on my bathroom shelf, so it was a quick promotion to the favourites list! To be honest, consistency and moisturising wise, I can’t really tell it apart from the Dr Organic range. So as far as I can see, it’s just a whole new range of smells to try! The Hemp version has a pleasant citrussy smell but I’ve got my eye on a few more, including the Cocoa Butter, Rosewater, Vanilla and the Wheatgerm & Vitamin E, which was recommended by a follower.

You can get full ingredients lists on the Jason website. You can also buy through them, or through Naturisimo.

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Korres Body Milk (from £10 for 200ml) (and butters, although these are a couple of pounds pricier)

I love the Korres fragrance combinations. The way something smells is SO important to me and the Korres blends are often a little different. The body milks are quite light, very easily absorbed and yet also fairly intensive. I haven’t used the body butters as much but they definitely pack a little extra punch and would be one for the winter months if your skin is drier. I’m using the Basil Lemon body milk at the moment but other fragrance favourites include Coconut Milk and Vanilla Cinnamon. Korres used to be harder to come by but now it’s available in WAITROSE, which is why it’s featured in my bathroom a lot more. Fruit – check, veg – check, washing powder – check, yet another shower gel to add to the stash…umm – check.

You can check out the ingredients list on the Korres website. And if you’re quick, Korres body washes and body milks/butter are on offer at Waitrose – 20% off.

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Avalon Organics Hand & Body Lotion (from £6.99 for 200ml)

I actually found these for the first time in the happy mecca for natural beauty lovers that is Whole Foods in Kensington. I went in there with a friend and she probably bitterly regreted it about 3 1/2 hours later. I don’t use these lotions as often but I have two particular favourites that I’d go back to in the warmer months. First, the Aloe Vera version, which has a slightly less lotiony texture and ever so slightly more gel-like texture. I also LOVE the Peppermint version because the menthol causes the best tingly-cooling sensation on the skin after applying. It’s amazing in the summer, particularly if your skin’s a bit frazzled by the sun, hayfever or eczema.

You can find Avalon at Holland & Barrett and Big Green Smile. Get ingredients listings on the Avalon Organics website.

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Dr Bronner’s Body Lotion (from £8.29 for 236ml)

Dr Bronner lotions are super light so these are only really an option for me in the summer, when my skin’s behaving. However, if your skin is more normal, I heartily recommend them. They’re good value, the ingredients are almost the best of the bunch and they’ve got some AMAZING smells. When they’re not intense enough for my skin, I like to use them as hand lotions. The Patchouli & Lime version would be fab on my desk at work because that smell can’t fail to cheer you up no matter what the day throws at you. Lavender & Coconut is another winner.

Find them on LoveLula (with full ingredients). Interestingly, there’s also a small selection at ASOS that might grow.

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Winter survival kit

Finished_Bathroom_Image_SmallI keep thinking it’s the end of winter and I keep being proved wrong. I was SO COLD last weekend that I ended up with two hot water bottles and two blankets in my sofa nest of an evening. [We could put the heating on for a bit longer but we just got the ‘winter’ bill and have decided that ideally we’d never turn it on again…ever]

I thought I’d missed the boat on my planned ‘winter kit list’ but given winter’s set to go on indefinitely, I’ve decided to post it up. I’ve used all of the following this winter and included them here because I LOVE them. Many are products I’d continue using into the spring and summer months, but they are so good for delicate, sore winter skin.

Can’t-go-wrong skincare:

  • Antipodes Grapeseed Butter Cleanser – I raved about this a couple of weeks back. Have developed an unhealthy obsession with it – to the point where I’m probably only days away from anxiety dreams in which there are global shortages or – horrors – it is discontinued.
  • Spiezia Organic Facial Cleanser – I’ve been using this up alongside the new Antipodes one. It’s my morning shower option because the floral smell just suits mornings. I reviewed this here.
  • Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream – again, I love this. I’m not going to go on about it here because Antipodes deserves its own dedicated post and I’ll try and get to it soon.
  • REN Bio Retinoid Anti-Ageing Concentrate – featured in a rosehip update a few days back. Works beautifully under moisturiser. I’m not sure it would work alone on winter skin – I think you need a bit more nourishment. But oilier skins may find this is sufficient on its own during warmer months.
  • Original Sprout Face & Body Sunscreen – a new suncare discovery. I’ll feature it soon.
  • Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint – not strictly speaking skincare but my choice of winter SPF on days when I’m not outside a lot (or at all…). This is really moisturising and therefore soothing for dry or sore winter skin. I reviewed it here.

Happy bodies:

  • Yes to Carrots Hydrating shower gel and Yes to Cucumber Calming shower gel – lovely and soothing for the winter months, even if the fragrances are more spring-like…
  • Australian Organics Jojoba Oil Exfoliating body wash – it’s important to keep scrubbing throughout the winter but I usually opt for a less abrasive option if my skin is sensitive. This scrub is more of a body wash with added scrub so I can use it more often for a very little exfoliation each time. Smells heavenly too.
  • Barefoot Botanicals SOS Daily Rich body lotion – previously reviewed here and a must-buy for dry, scaly legs.
  • Dr Organics Skin Lotions – perfect lotions for use year-round and soon to feature in their very own review because they’ve become such staples for me. Richer options for winter skin include Coconut, Vitamin E, Olive oil and Argan oil.
  • Jojoba oil – while my skin needs a bit more moisturising in the winter months, I find it irritating to slather on something rich and heavy first thing if it means I have to wait 10-15 minutes to get dressed while it’s cold. Plus, if I had 10-15 minutes spare of a morning, I would actually be somebody else (someone who went to bed on time, got up immediately when their alarm went off and was eternally smug). I’m not. A super-quick option is to put a thin layer of body oil onto dry or damaged spots then layer your normal light moisturiser over the top. The moisturiser seals in the oil so you don’t have to wait out the tacky, when-will-it-sink-in stage. Jojoba oil is a good choice because it’s lightweight and closest in composition to the sebum found naturally on skin.

Resilient innards:

Ok, so listen up. I didn’t get ill this winter. Not once. I have been bug-free since about September of last year. This is UNHEARD of. I’m usually ill at least once and, more commonly, I get those Russian Doll illnesses where being run down and worn out from the first one leads to the second one and so on. I also have a bad habit of going to bed too late. Normally 3-4 late nights and I’m already feeling the early sniffles of some germ. But NOT THIS WINTER. And I’ve most certainly not been going virtuously to bed at 9pm every night.

I’ve been using three things consistently since September (and a bit before then too) and I would now never chance a winter without them.

  • Baobab fruit powder: for a turbo-charged hit of Vitamin C, amongst other goodies. Please don’t replace your 5-7 portions of fruit and veg a day with this. But feel free to take this when you need an extra hit. I don’t take it daily. I tend to reserve it for days when I’ve slept badly, eaten poorly the day before or am just feeling generally tired. I reckon it’s the last barrier between me and illness and it’s worked, more than once. Organic Burst do a great one. I reviewed them here.
  • Zinc supplements: recommended as a skin supplement by Liz Earle, zinc is actually an immune support. I initially started taking it for my eczema because a healthy immune system supports good skin in the same way that a healthy digestive system does (don’t you just love the glorious interconnectedness of bodies??). However, I reckon it’s also been a godsend for fending off winter bugs.
  • Vitamin D: I wrote about this here and swear by it for beating the lurgy. I’d take this for the 6 months of the year when I wasn’t getting enough vitamin D from the sun (Apr – Sept, if we’re lucky).

UPDATE (15.03): Thanks to a comment from the lovely Sarah at Sugarpuffish I realised there was a glaring omission from my winter skin kit – the Comfort and Nourish balms from Balmology. Currently there’s a pot of the Comfort balm on my bedside table and I use it for pretty much everything, from lips to hands to stubborn patches of eczema. It’s become such a part of my routine at night that I ironically forgot all about it. But that’s now been put right. If you haven’t already, check out balmology, particularly if you have dry or eczema-prone skin.

Photos © Natural Beauty Cabinet. Please do not reproduce without permission.

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10-in-10: Skin Blossom Organic Body Lotion

For those of you who aren’t totally converted to the idea of using body oils for moisturising, here’s a nice light lotion that might float your boat. I can’t believe I just used that phrase. ‘Float your boat’?? Who SAYS that. Me it seems.

I apologise. It’s late, my brain is a bit fried and all I’m really thinking is ’10 in 10 days? Whose stupid idea was that??’.

Right. Skin Blossom Organic Body Lotion. I want to do justice to them because they’re a really nice brand with a truly excellent price point for a natural/organic range.

The Organic Body Lotion is based on a blend of “Almond and Avocado oil to moisturise, Acai for repair and Cocoa Butter to soften” with the (very subtle) fragrance coming from orange oil. It’s a great summer moisturiser because it’s quite fluid, very light in texture and could easily be kept in the fridge for a cooling effect on application. While it’s been fine for me at this time of year, I suspect it would be too light for me in the winter months, or when the weather gets changeable, but many of you out there won’t have such dry skin as me anyway. If you had normal to oily skin this would likely be a fantastic year round staple, because it really is very reasonably priced for a product that is 83% organic and Soil Association certified. Which means I can justify trying a couple more things from the range before pay day!

Skin Blossom Organic Body Lotion, £7.95 for 350ml. Available from Skin Blossom’s website and the following stockists.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Glyceryl Stearate SE, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Cocoglycerides, Stearic Acid, Glycerin*, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil*, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Almond) Oil*, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, AloeBarbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice Powder*, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil*, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Sodium Benzoate, Euterpe Oleracea (Acai) Extract*, Limonene
*Certified as Organically grown

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Putting a Zing-a-Ling in your step

It’s been a pretty cold end to January and we’ve had our fair share of grey days. The perfect time of year for a body lotion with the pick me up name ‘Zing-a-Ling’. We all need some Zing-a-Ling. I know I do.

But what is the elusive Zing-a-Ling? An extra spring in the step? Chirping a cheery hello at poe-faced strangers? Smiling in the face of adversity (by which I mean excessive roadworks, meetings and emails that end with questions – yours may differ…)?  How could we possibly bottle such an intangible substance??

Surely it can’t be done.

Turns out Zing-a-Ling is made of less etheral substances than silver linings and inner springs. According to OV Naturals, it’s made of a combination of distilled lime, lemongrass essential oil, shea butter and aloe vera gel. But does it work?

I was sent a sample of the ‘Zing-a-Ling’ Refreshing Organic body lotion from OV Naturals just before Christmas. But it didn’t have a very Christmassy smell so I saved it up for the inevitable January slump when I knew full well I’d be craving the green, zesty smells that switch your mind into spring mode.

It’s a very light, fluid lotion with surprisingly moisturising properties. This seems to be a common theme with more natural body moisturisers. Light synthetic lotions are often light because they contain more water. When this evaporates, it can dry out the skin. However, more natural options like the Zing-a-Ling lotion tend to rely on shea butter and natural oils such as sunflower or jojoba, which have a lightness of feel but a more intense moisturising effect.

It just about delivered the moisturising hit my winter skin needed, which is impressive given how cold the weather’s been (and my tendency towards lizard legs).

It smells amazing; citrussy, fresh and uplifting. The lime really comes through, giving it a sharpness that you don’t get from the more floral notes of orange fragrances. It’s one for the morning when your body’s up but your brain’s still in bed.

I think it would really come into its own in the summer months. Citrus notes have a cool, dry fragrance energy so they’d help to cool you down when the temperatures were rising. Its lovely shiny, metallic pump-action bottle would also be an excellent one to pop in the fridge in really hot weather for a fabulously cooling treat after a long, sweaty day. [And yes, I appreciate how difficult this is to imagine when it's minus 2...!]

All in all, I was pleased to have discovered OV Naturals and I’m looking forward to investigating more of the range. To find out more about OV Naturals and founder (and professional aromatherapist) Lucy Stevens, do have a read here. First point in their philosophy is to ‘Keep things simple’. And we all know I can get behind that one.

OV Naturals ‘Zing-a-Ling’ body lotion, 200ml, £14.50 – available from the OV Naturals website (Spend over £40 for free delivery).

Ingredients: Aqua,**Helianthus annuus Seed oil,**Butyrospermum parkii, Coco-Glucoside and Coconut Alcohol,**Theobroma cacao Seed Butter, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Sucrose Stearate, **Olea europaea Fruit Oil,**Linum usitatissimum Seed Oil,**Aloe barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol. Aromatherapeutic ingredients: Citrus aurantifolia, *Cymbopogon citratus. Natural constituents of essential oils: Citral, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool. *Organic **Certified organic. Vegan.

Disclosure: OV Naturals were kind enough to send me a sample of the product trialled for this review. However, in keeping with my own policy, I’m writing about it here because I liked it and would happily recommend it to others. If I hadn’t liked it, you wouldn’t be reading about it.

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It’s not too cold to go Barefoot – A review and a Christmas Giveaway

Correction. It IS too cold to go barefoot. Don’t try it. There’s a reason fluffy slippers were invented and it’s now.

But if you’re looking for something to beat winter skin, then Barefoot Botanicals is the way to go.

I was sent the Barefoot SOS Soothing Face and Body Wash and the Daily Rich Body Lotion. And to say I’m impressed is a bit of an understatement.

Until a few days ago, the skin on my lower legs was more like crocodile hide than human skin. The skin there is usually less rich in natural oils anyway; combine that with winter weather and drier, eczema-prone skin and it was just unsightly. You know those swirly cracks you get when the skin is really lizard-like? I’ve seen it referred to as ‘crazy paving skin’ which is funny, true and a bit sad. That’s exactly what they looked like.

I’d been layering up my usual body oils with creams over the top and I was still more lizard than girl. But 4 or 5 days into my Barefoot regime and there is a really marked improvement. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t have legs like babies’ bottoms just yet… But they are so much better. Smoother, softer, only the merest hint of flakiness and, crucially, the sore itchyness associated with the cracking has all but gone.

The body wash is really creamy and feels very nourishing. It doesn’t really lather up – no drying, artificial foaming agents in there, you see – so you’ll need to resist the temptation to use too much, but just a little bit left my skin feeling clean without feeling dry. [I didn't use it on my face, given that I swore long ago never to use face washes. But also because I'm currently testing out some gorgeous new cleansing/moisturising balms which you'll hear more about in January.]

What’s even more remarkable is that the body lotion is light, liquidy and easily absorbed. I almost dismissed it before I’d started because it didn’t seem like it could possibly stand up to winter weather, never mind the croc-effect.

Both products smell beautiful – quite zesty, with essential oils of lemon tea tree, bitter orange, grapefruit and rose geranium coming through in the fragrance.

In addition to the essential oils, they’re packed with naturally active ingredients. The body wash contains evening primrose and jojoba oil for skin conditioning, as well as chickweed and burdock to cool and soothe the skin. The body lotion also uses chickweed, as well as mallow (also known for its skin-soothing properties). Plus it contains a combination of shea butter, jojoba, argan and macadamia oils, which is presumably what makes it such a power-house for dry skin.

I’m so impressed with the performance so far and will definitely be buying these for myself when I run out, despite their slightly higher than average price point.

And here’s the Christmas Giveaway bit. The lovely PR people who sent me my products are going to send a full size (200ml) Soothing Face and Body Wash (worth £16) to one of my lucky readers. All you have to do to enter is:

  1. Be a UK resident (sorry international readers – I’ll try and do something for you in the New Year!)
  2. Follow me on Twitter (@Natbeautcabinet) or by email subscription (click on the button top right).
  3. Leave a comment below stating how you follow me and anything else you’d like to say. No pressure though…, I’ll be more than happy with ‘hello’!
  4. Don’t forget to enter your email address in the right spot.
  5. Wait patiently until 18th January when I’ll be announcing the randomly selected winner and sending out the Face and Body Wash.

And if you can’t wait until the 18th, or you don’t want to leave things up to chance, you can buy Barefoot Botanicals direct from their website. Or you can currently get 20% off their full range at Naturissimo (I’m not sure when this ends though). The Soothing Face and Body Wash retails at £16 (currently £13 on Naturissimo) and the Daily Rich Body Lotion at £22 (currently £19 on Naturissimo). Naturissimo also offers free delivery, 5 free samples with each order and is currently promising a free Barefoot Botanicals SOS Face & Body Cream (25ml) with each purchase over £30.

Soothing Face & Body Wash ingredients: Aqua, Cetearyl Alcohol (vegetable wax), Glycerin (vegetable moisturiser), Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteary Glucoside, Sodium C14-16 Olefine Sulfonate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil (Starflower), Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba), Sodium Cocoamphoacetate (Coconut surfactant), Squalane (Olive extract), Glyceryl Stearate (vegetable emulsifier), Lauryl Glucoside (Coconut surfactant) (Coconut surfactant), Cetearyl Glucoside (vegetable emulsifier), Panthenol (vitamin B5), Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle), Xanthan Gum (vegetable thickener), Allantoin (Comfrey extract), Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate (vegetable surfactant), Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate (vegetable surfactant), Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle), Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera), Ascorbyl Palmitate (vitamin C), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea butter), Limonene*, Leptospermum Petersoni (Lemon Tea Tree), Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E), Tocopherol (vitamin E), Alcohol (from Sugar Cane), Glyceryl Caprylate (Palm/Coconut emollient), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower), Linalool*, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin), Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender), Citronellol*, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile), Pelargonium Capitatum (Geranium), Arctium Lappa (Burdock), Calendula Officinalis, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) , Citrus Amara (Neroli), Geraniol*, Farnesol*, Citral*. *Aromatic components of essential oils and certified Organic ingredients used wherever possible.

Daily Rich Body Lotion ingredients: Aqua, Cetearyl Alcohol (vegetable wax), Macadamia Ternifolia, Argania Spinosa (Argan), Glycerin (vegetable moisturiser), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower), Ethylhexyl glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea butter), Cetearyl Glucoside (vegetable emulsifier), Panthenol (vitamin B5), Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle), Squalane (olive extract), Xanthan Gum (vegetable thickener), Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E), Alcohol (from Sugar Cane), Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle), Allantoin (Comfrey extract), Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera), Ascorbyl Palmitate (vitamin C), Berberis Aquifolium (Mahonia), Calendula Officinalis, Glyceryl Caprylate (Palm/Coconut emollient), Tocopherol (vitamin E), Linalool*, Citrus Amara (Neroli), Limonene*, Styrax Benzoin, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender), Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) , Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile), Farnesol*, Geraniol*, Citral*, Citronellol*. *Aromatic components of essential oils *Certified Organic ingredients used wherever possible

And another reason to love Barefoot Botanicals: if you visit their website and view the ingredients list, you can hover over every single ingredient in turn to read more about it. Great idea.

Disclosure: I received samples of both products trialled for this review. However, in keeping with my own policy, I’m writing about it here because I like it and would happily recommend it to others. If I hadn’t liked it, you wouldn’t be reading about it.

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Forever Living Aloe Vera

Today’s post is long overdue. Way back at the end of May, I met up with Amy Blakeman who is a distributor for Forever Living, a company who make a range of skincare and make-up products based on renowned skin healer aloe vera, and whose USP is their use of a patented stabilisation process to extract the aloe vera gel.

Many products contain aloe vera, often amongst many other ingredients. What Forever Living claim makes them special is that they start with the pure aloe vera gel, adding minimal additional ingredients as required. The aloe vera is not an afterthought. It’s the core of their products, in almost every case.

The patented stabilisation process allows them to extract the gel in a way that ensures it retains maximum purity. It is then cold-pressed to avoid the loss of efficacy through heating. Forever Living claim their unique process ensures the purest form of the gel, leaving it as close as possible to the natural sap taken straight from the plant.

Amy now represents the company because she believes in the products and their effects. She has strong ideas about healthcare – much like me! – and was well-informed and keen to help.

Forever Living sell a range of products covering the more traditional face and body care (moisturisers, lotions, gels, masks and creams). Some of these products combine the aloe with bee propolis, renowned for its anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and healing properties. I tried a sample of the Aloe Propolis Creme which combines aloe vera, bee propolis, chamomile and vitamins A and E. The cream has a very light fragrance that is reminiscent of honey but creamier. It is quite sweet and might not be to everyone’s taste but I quite liked its powdery hints of marshmallow (and The Man With The Camera told me I smelt nice as he walked through the door shortly after I tested it!).

Forever Living’s product info mentions that the cream creates a protective barrier on the skin and this is exactly what I can feel after applying. It’s quite a thick waxy cream but rubs in very easily and leaves a non-greasy film on the skin that would act as an effective barrier against dry weather. Even more important, I can’t rub off this layer: many products that leave that protective film can be rubbed off in little rolls if you try hard enough. Which I hate. This didn’t happen with the Aloe Propolis Creme, and I tried!

There’s no suggestion that the Aloe Propolis Creme is designed exclusively for face or body and I can see so many uses for it. It would be great for persistent dry patches, wherever they occur. I very much want to try it on the rosacea patches either side of my nose, particularly when they’re flaky as well as red. It would also be brilliant for mild eczema where my skin loses moisture really quickly and can get itchy and bumpy.

My one criticism is the price. I’d actually love to lather it from top to toe for a week or so, to really test out its effects but at £14.56 for just over 110g, that could prove quite expensive. Instead, I’ll use it more sparingly where it’s really needed.

While it’s quite common to find aloe vera in skin lotions, I’m really drawn to Forever Living’s more unusual uses of aloe.  There’s a fluoride-free tooth gel, aloe deodorant sticks and lastly, aloe gel drinks.

When I asked Amy what one product she would recommend starting with, she mentioned the aloe vera drinks. Taken as a supplement, aloe gel aids digestion, supports the immune system and protects the skin. It’s high in many essential vitamins and amino acids. Amy recommends a daily dose, taken first thing, of between 30 and 60ml. While it doesn’t taste great, it can be mixed with fruit juice or yoghurt to hide the bitterness. Apparently you can expect to see results (improved digestion, healthier skin) in 4-6 weeks.

I’m intrigued enough by the gel to want to give it a go so will take it for the next few weeks and report back.

In the meantime, you can find out more about Forever Living via Amy’s site here.

Ingredients: Stabilised aloe vera gel, glyceryl stearate, propylene glycol, cetyl alcohol, PEG-100 stearate, lanolin, sorbitol, dioctyl adipate, octyl stearate, octyl palmitate, allantoin, bee propolis extract, lanolin alcohol, dimethicone, tocopherol (vitamin E natural), beta carotene (provitamin A), disodium EDTA, camomile (anthemis nobulis) extract, triethanolamine, ascorbic acid, diazolidinyl urea, methylparaben, propylparaben, fragrance.

 

 

 

Ingredients: Stabilised aloe vera gel, sorbitol, antioxidant: ascorbic acid (antioxidant), citric acid, potassium sorbate (to help protect flavour), sodium benzoate (to help protect flavour), xanthan gum, antioxidant: tocopherol (antioxidant).

A quick note: while bee propolis can be very beneficial for people with congenital or allergic skin conditions, don’t use it if you’re allergic to bee stings or bee products. Some of Forever Living’s products also contain lanolin (including the Aloe Propolis Creme). While pure lanolin is unlikely to be an irritant, some allergic reactions have been recorded.

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Skin prep for summer, part 3 – body moisturisers

So you’ve brushed, you’ve scrubbed, you’ve huffed and you’ve puffed. You are now the proud owner of glowy, well-exfoliated and probably slightly pink skin. It’s time for the icing on the cake. The final step to make sure that all that physical effort isn’t wasted.

Adding a layer of moisturiser to your skin will primarily help to hold onto the moisture within it. There’s a limit to how much moisture it can realistically add back though, so a couple of things are worth remembering. [Adopts annoying lecturer-type voice] Drink plenty of water and eat a balanced diet rich in a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables [Lecturey voice ends], and TIMING is key.

When you are fresh out of the shower, your skin will be slightly warm and slightly damp after towel drying. This is the perfect time to lather on your moisturiser of choice. The longer you wait, the more the moisture in your skin will have begun to evaporate. If you can apply a protective layer within 2-3 minutes of drying off, you’ll reap maximum benefit from the product you use.

So what to use? There are three main choices – lotions, creams and oils. Lotions are lighter and usually water based. They’re wonderfully cooling in the summer, absorb quickly and are a good option if you have normal skin that needs just a hint of extra moisture. However, if you have dry skin they might not be enough to see you through the whole day. Creams (and/or body butters) are thicker, richer and usually oil based, providing a heftier, longer lasting moisturising effect. Natural oils – my personal favourite – are the most in tune with the composition of our own skin and can provide long-lasting hydration without heaviness or greasiness if you find the right one for you.

A quick note here about mineral oils (paraffinum liquidum in the ingredients list). Many moisturisers contain MOs – petrochemically-derived oils which don’t have the same benefits as natural oils. They are barrier oils, meaning they sit on the surface of the skin and ‘trap’ the moisture within. This works, in crude terms, but they don’t have the breathability of natural oils, nor do they work in harmony with the skin. They can be comodogenic, causing spots, blocked pores and congestion, and may also feel ‘tacky’ or sticky to the touch. My advice would be to avoid them if possible and to stick to natural formulations based on natural oils such as jojoba, grapeseed, sweet almond or apricot kernel and natural fats like cocoa or shea butter.

Here are some of my favourite body moisturisers:

For a lightweight, virtually fragrance-free option, I love Dead Sea Spa Magik’s Silky Smooth Body Lotion. I say fragrance-free; it’s actually got a light, fresh, sea-spray sort of smell but very inoffensive and unlikely to compete with any fragrance you might want to wear over the top. This is a very easily absorbed lotion which I worried might not be quite robust enough but it has a long-lasting hydrating effect, even in more extreme weather. Retails at around £6 and available at Boots, John Lewis and Waitrose.

Ingredients: Harmonised Water(TM)* (Aqua, Maris Sal), Isopropyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate(1), Glycerin(2), Cetanol(1), Cetearyl Alcohol(1), Sodium Cocoyl Sulfate(1), Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate(1), 1,2-Hexanediol, 1,2-Octanediol, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Parfum (Fragrance)**, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract***, Tilia Vulgaris (Linden Blossom) Flower Extract***, Melissa Officinalis (Lemon Balm) Leaf Extract***, Aspalathus Linearis (Rooibos) Leaf Extract***, Lactic Acid. Source: (1)Coconut Oil, (2)Vegetable.
*Special de-ionised water with pure Dead Sea Minerals: Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium, Sodium as Bromides, Chlorides and Sulphates.
**Allergen-free blend with essential oils.
*** Certified as organic according to the EEC council regulation No. 2029/91.

Another option for a lighter formulation is Dr Organic’s range of Skin Lotions. I’ve been using the Organic Manuka Honey Skin Lotion (£7.19) for its skin repairing properties but I also rate the Aloe Vera and Vitamin E Skin Lotions (£6.29), particularly if you want something with less of a fragrance. There’s also an Aloe Vera Body Butter (£9.29) if you want something a bit richer. All available at Holland & Barrett, online and in stores.

 Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, aqua, caprylic/capric triglyceride, polyglyceryl-3, methyglucose distearate, glycerin, isocetyl palmitate, cetearyl alcohol, myristyl myristate, olea europea (olive) oil, unsaponifiables, honey extract (manuka extract), theobroma cacao seed butter, butyrospermum parkii butter, glyceryl caprylate, tocopherol, helianthus annus seed oil, glycyrrhetinic acid, retinyl palmitate, chondrus crispus extract, xanthan gum, aroma, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, sodium phytate, citric acid.

 

 

One I’m including for the smell (as well as because it’s easily absorbed, moisturising and soothing) is Australian Organic’s Moisturising Body Lotion. It includes patchouli, sweet orange and ylang ylang essential oils in an evening primrose oil base. Really lovely and excellent value at just £4.29 for 200ml from Holland & Barrett. Also available at John Lewis and Big Green Smile.

 Ingredients: Aqueous Extracts of Matricaria Recutita (Chamomile), Tillia Cordata (Lime Blosson) and Betula Alba (Birch) (Certified Organic), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Triethanolamine, Stearic Acid, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Wheat Amino Acids, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol (and) Caprylyl Glycol, Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Oil, Citrus Sinensis (Sweet Orange) Oil, Cananga Odorate (Ylang Ylang) Oil.

 

 

A richer lotion, with a really pampering feel, is Liz Earle’s Nourishing Botanical Body Cream which contains shea butter, avocado oil as well as orange, lavender and rose-scented geranium essential oils. It retails at £15.85 for a 200ml tube and is available from John Lewis and the Liz Earle website. If you want  an even richer treat, with additional anti-ageing benefits, try the Superskin Body Cream. It’s formulated with shea butter, scented with neroli and boasts the antioxidant properties of rosehip, cranberry seed and pomegranate oils. It’s quite a bit pricer at £28.10 for 200ml but it’s nice to have at least one luxury item for the occasional pampering session, even if you, like me, can’t quite stretch to everyday use! Again, available at John Lewis or on the Liz Earle website.

Ingredients (Nourishing Botanical Body Cream): Aqua (water), PEG-20 stearate, Coco-caprylate/caprate, Persea gratissima (avocado) oil, Glycerin, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), Talc, Cetearyl alcohol, Echinacea purpurea (echinacea) extract, Sodium lactate, Panthenol, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Humulus lupulus (hops) extract, Parfum (fragrance), Beta-carotene, Lactic acid, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Tree moss absolute, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic acid, Dehydroacetic acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyaminopropyl biguanide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients (Superskin Body Cream): Aqua (water), Vitellaria paradoxa nilotica (shea butter), Rosa canina (rosehip) seed oil, Vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry) seed oil, Glycerin, Borago officinalis (borage) seed oil, Vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil, Dicaprylyl carbonate, Glyceryl stearate, Persea gratissima (avocado) oil, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Cetearyl alcohol, Pentaerythrityl distearate, Citrus aurantium amara (neroli) flower oil, Anthemis nobilis (chamomile) flower oil, Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, Punica granatum (pomegranate) fruit extract, Xanthan gum, Sodium stearoyl glutamate, Glyceryl caprylate, Sodium polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic acid, Dehydroacetic acid, Citric acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citral, Geraniol, Citronellol, Farnesol, Limonene, Linalool.

 

 

 

 

Finally, a quick summary of other faves that I’ve already spoken about on the blog.

For Jason Cocoa Body Butter, see here.

For Holland & Barrett’s Wonder Oil, see here.

And for The Lavender Lady’s Lavender Bath and Body Oil, see here.

Finally, finally if you missed part 1 and 2 of the ‘skin prep for summer’ series, see below.

Part 1 – Dry skin brushing

Part 2 – Body scrubs

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Introducing The Lavender Lady

Today, I’m really pleased to introduce The Lavender Lady, or Viv Trusler as she is otherwise known. Viv is an excellent example of what I was hoping would happen when I got into beauty blogging. She is a small-scale manufacturer, in full control of her production process and with a friendly and holistic approach to her products and customers. Plus she has an email “open door” and was kind enough to respond to my messages and to agree to an email interview to accompany this post, which you can see below.

I love being able to speak directly to the creator of a brand. I have nothing whatsoever against big brands – they’re usually big and successful for a reason. But nothing beats one-to-one communication with the heart and mind behind the products, whether it’s to ask a question, seek advice or recommendations, or just to satisfy my own curiosity about something I find interesting or inspirational. It makes the beauty industry seem like a warmer and more collaborative place to be.

And in the way of the blogosphere, I found out about The Lavender Lady through a good natural-beauty blog which I also recommend you check out – www.healingbeauty.com

The Lavender Lady, aka Viv, is based in Devon, where her products are handmade using simple, natural ingredients. No prizes for guessing that the core ingredient is….<drum roll please>…lavender. And since I wholeheartedly share Viv’s passion for this little, fragrant purple cloud of a plant, I think that’s an excellent choice. I could waffle at length here about the various benefits of lavender but Viv does that much more succinctly in her interview.

So onto the products themselves. The Lavender Lady’s range is simple but well balanced encompassing products for bath, body and the home. I’ve been testing out the Lavender lip balm, Lavender bath salts, Lavender bath and body oil and the Lavender body butter.

The lip balm is a hard, waxy balm that you can soften with your finger to melt slightly before application. It smells divine (of course) and is soothing and smoothing without being overly greasy. This makes it perfect for repeat application (if you want a quick hit of the aroma) or as a base applied 1-2 minutes before your lipstick. It’s even become part of my ‘last thing before lights out’ beauty ritual; the smell is the perfect pre-sleep soother.

I’ve used the bath salts on a couple of occasions now and I think they’re a really nice and refreshingly simple idea. The salts combine dead sea salts with lavender essential oil. Dead sea salts have been shown to help aid sleep and to soothe dry, itchy or problem skin. Add that to the healing and relaxing properties of the lavender and you’ve got a really effective combined sleep and skin aid.

I think my favourite product has been the Lavender bath and body oil. Given that I was also using the bath salts, I stuck to using this as a body moisturiser and it’s probably the best way to get a really concentrated hit of the fragrance. Again, the ingredients are so simple, combining the lavender with grapeseed oil. I’m a big fan of using oils in place of body lotion and grapeseed is a great option – it’s very high in polyunsaturated fatty acids which makes it very light and easily absorbed. I could even detect a faint, warm trace of the aroma on my skin at the end of the day.

Finally the Lavender body butter. This is a light-textured lotion with a gentle lavender fragrance. It was really easily absorbed and left my skin feeling soft. While it probably wouldn’t be quite rich enough if my skin was very dry, it could actually be layered over a light film of body oil for a real moisturising double-whammy.

You can buy the full range at The Lavender Lady’s website: http://www.thelavenderlady.co.uk/default.htm

Everything is very reasonably priced with the lip butter at £2.50, the bath salts at £5 for 250g and £9 for 500g, £5 for 100ml of body oil and the body butter starting at £3.50 for 60ml.

A lovely starting place might be the gift set, priced at £15.

With 60g of the body butter, soap, 100ml of bath/body oil, lip balm and a lavender candle with an 18hr burn time, it’s a complete pamper evening in a box. Or it would make a lovely present.

And now, enough of me. Over to The Lavender Lady, in her own words:

Why did you choose Lavender?

I have always had a love of gardening and herbs, and this has developed into a passion for lavender, which has been used for centuries because of its healing, soothing and relaxing properties. Years ago I had a small business/cottage industry in Wiltshire which was called ‘Vivienne Trusler Herb Gardens’ where I grew and sold herbs mostly in containers. I initially grew just culinary herbs but gradually expanded into a number of beautifully aromatic herbs as well, including lavender. It was a successful business but rather seasonal!

What gave you the idea for The Lavender Lady and what were you doing before?

About three years ago, I started my present home-based business here in the depths of Devon. With my grandmother’s sewing machine, a few yards of fabric and some dried lavender, I started to make lavender bags which became very popular and, by attending a number of local fairs and markets, I soon became known as The Lavender Lady! After a couple of years my small business developed to include my own range of bath and body products, all containing natural ingredients with no harsh chemicals.

What’s your skin care philosophy?

Regards skin care, I believe that this starts from within –  a good healthy diet, with fresh fruit and vegetables and lots of water to drink, together with regular exercise and a good night’s sleep. I also believe in regular and thorough moisturising with natural products – all over the body including one’s feet ! My body butter, with the added lavender pure essential oil, is ideal. Lavender has antiseptic and anti-fungal properties and it is beneficial for treating acne, psoriasis and eczema. If my body butter is applied to the skin at night, it will help promote sleep because the lavender calms the nerves and relaxes the muscles.  

I’m really inspired by people who set up their own enterprises. What has been the hardest and the most rewarding aspect of having your own brand?

I am not sure about the hardest aspect of having my own brand but the most rewarding aspect is having my customers return to buy more of my products because they are appreciating the quality and the affordability! I have only been selling these bath and body products for the last twelve months but they are proving to be extremely popular down here in the West Country. My new website www.thelavenderlady.co.uk emphasises this – ‘Natural, handmade in Devon’.

 I sell at various local weekly and monthly markets and at fairs, fetes and shows throughout the year, which I thoroughly enjoy. I get very enthusiastic, I love the atmosphere and I love meeting and chatting with all my customers. In fact, I love everything about my business and I find great satisfaction in the popularity of my products! My website has only been up and running for the last month but I hope that it will soon attract new customers from further afield!  

What are your tips for growing lavender?

Lavender is a wonderfully aromatic perennial shrub and has a host of benefits. In ancient times, sprigs were thrown into baths to perfume the water. It is easy to grow and found in abundance on the Mediterranean. It can be grown from seed, root division or from cuttings. It thrives in full sunshine and in well-drained soil. It is important to cut the lavender plant hard back after it has flowered (which will be by the end of August) to prevent the bush becoming straggly. This also encourages new growth the following year. Some of the smaller species of lavender grow very well in pots – positioned on the patio or terrace, they give out a beautiful aroma as one passes. The flowers can be collected to be dried for lavender bags, sachets and pot-pourris and this should be done when the flowers are showing colour but before opening.

What are your ideas for new products/launches?

At the moment, I do not have any new products or launches in mind. My latest product, which came out four months ago, was the Lavender Pillow Spray, which comes in the most beautiful glass bottle. It can be used to freshen your linen or laundry or used on your pillow at night to help you sleep. It has the most wonderful fresh lavender aroma and could easily also be used as a room spray. I simply love it!

Disclosure: Viv was kind enough to send me samples of the products trialled for this review. However, in keeping with my own policy, I’m writing about them here because I like them and would happily recommend them to others. If I hadn’t liked them, you wouldn’t be reading about them.

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Beauty products for the chocoholics: Jason’s Cocoa Butter Moisturiser and Raw Gaia’s Raw Chocolate Face Pack

I discovered recently that Anatomicals have launched a collaboration with Cadburys. The products are called things like ‘Bliss Chocolate Truffle Bath Cream’ and ‘Bliss Hazelnut Exfoliating Wash’. The truth is that I am a knock-me-down sucker for those kinds of names. And for chocolate-based products in general. Part of the reason I made it through 6 chocolate-free weeks during my Lent sugar purge was an amazing chocolate lip balm that my mum bought for me at a Crafts fair in Dulwich.

[Incidentally, I’m trying to track that lady down – in a non-stalkerish way – so if anyone knows the lady who sells handmade lip balms at the Dulwich Craft fair, please do drop me a line!]

I’m not sure about the Anatomicals products though. I’m not a huge fan of those in your face, LAUGH AT ME names and, crucially, I can’t find ingredients listings online for any Anatomicals products via any of their stockists. I did discover that they do an Anatomicals Naturals range (the usual SLS, paraben, sulphate and DEA-free) but that just made me wonder more about their overall company policy. ‘You can have the natural range, madam, or if you prefer the harsh chemicals, perhaps we can direct you to our main line?’ Odd.

Anyway. That was all really just the catalyst for some musings about the benefits of using chocolate as part of a natural beauty regime.

Chocolate has had bad press and good press and everything-in-between press. It’s been the hero that steers a path through the day from hell, the villain that (allegedly) causes spots and a more emotionally manipulative substance than the first 15 minutes of Pixar’s UP combined with the Andrex puppy and the guilt-trip your friend lays on you for forgetting their birthday.

The really, really good news is that proper chocolate is good for you. Woohoo! And by ‘proper chocolate’ I mean dark chocolate with at least 50% cocoa solids, as opposed to milk chocolate or any other derivative, which, sadly, includes Cadbury’s Creme Eggs. Dark chocolate is an excellent source of the antioxidants ‘flavonoids’, helping to neutralise unstable molecules – or free radicals – in the skin, which can contribute to wrinkles and the loss of elasticity. To be fair to the nutritionists, other, healthier, flavonoid-rich foods include red fruits, vegetables and green tea but that’s just not what this particular post is about…

Separate studies in the Journal of Nutrition indicate that chocolate (or the flavonols it contains) can help to decrease skin roughness and improve the skin’s natural resistance to UV light, as well as helping to support cardiovascular health by lowering both cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

This all makes me extremely happy (and that’s not just the chocolate-induced boost to my serotonin levels!). Even after the men in the white coats have reminded me that all this is only true if I’m not simultaneously consuming 3 doughnuts and a trough of Ben & Jerry’s.

If you manage to hang onto the stuff for long enough you can also use chocolate externally, as part of your skin care regime.

If you wanted a quick hit, one of the most effective skin smoothers out there is cocoa butter. Jason does a great 100% Cocoa Butter moisturiser for £6.49 (120g).

Ingredients: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*, Tribehenin, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Ethyl Macadamiate, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Steareth-2, Lecithin, Tocopherol (Vit. E), Natural Fragrance *Certified Organic

http://www.jasonnaturalcare.co.uk/

Another product that I’ve tried out recently is from a company that I only just discovered and which I am very very excited about. Raw Gaia. To quote from their website, Raw Gaia is “the world’s first range of living organic skin care products and organic beauty products, hand-made using only cold-pressed, organic, vegan, cruelty- and chemical-free ingredients.” What a lovely roll call of goodness. I ordered a few bits from them and everything arrived quickly, well wrapped and in the nicest packaging. Which is still important even when you’re trying to save the world… ;-) !

I am sure I’ll come back to Raw Gaia in future posts. But for now, all attention please on the Raw Chocolate Face Pack.

This is a powder formulation so you need to mix it with a little water to create a mask. From experience, it’s probably better to add it a drop at a time. I added too much and ended up with far more mask than I needed, which led to some regrettable wastage.

Watch out for staining when mixing and using. The pack contains turmeric, otherwise known as “that yellow-based spice that comes in curries and irreparably stains anything you spill it on.” It even slightly stained my skin so I sacrificed a muslin cloth to fully clean it off.

However, for the extra faff involved in the mixing and the rather less than pristine muslin, I loved this mask. It smelt great, not too sweet but chocolately and ‘good’ in some indefinable way. It made my skin feel seriously soft. Babies bottom soft. Like all my skin cells had puffed themselves out with pride at just how soft they were.

Raw Gaia’s mask also rather vindicated my feelings about simple ingredients lists. There are four things in this mask: organic raw chocolate powder, sun-dried red clay, organic turmeric and organic amla fruit powder. I’ll point you in the direction of Raw Gaia’s website who explain the effectiveness of each ingredient better than I could: http://www.rawgaia.com/organic-skin-care/face-packs/raw-chocolate-face-pack.html

In fact, the simplicity of the list inspired me to research a homemade chocolate face pack so come back in a couple of days to find out about the DIY version.

You can buy Raw Gaia products from their website. The Raw Chocolate Face Pack retails at £12.49.