Category Archives: Cleansers

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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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Take 3: Oil-based cleansers

Winter skin needs a bit more love and care, even if you’re not prone to dry or overly sensitive skin. I’ve been banging the drum for the oil-based cleanser for a long, long time and I don’t think there’s anything better to lavish a bit of love on your face during the cold months.

So here’s three of my absolute favourite oil-based cleansers and some tips for using them.

Antipodes Organic Grapeseed Butter Cleanser

£24.99, available from Naturisimo and Amarya, 75ml.

Green cred: Organic-certified and comes in a recyclable plastic jar. Based in New Zealand so unfortunately not a ‘buy-local’ option for me.

The write-up: My absolute favourite cleanser of all time (it even pushes my trusty Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish into a close second). It’s on the pricier side but worth it as one tub is a little bigger than the average 50ml and will last you ages. It smells incredible but I honestly couldn’t tell you what of. Horribly unhelpful, I know. It comes with a tiny white spatula for digging it out of the tub. My first thought was to dismiss it as a bit faffy, but I was wrong. It saves grubby fingers in the pot and helps to make sure you don’t use too much, taking a thin scraping off the top each time. The cleanser itself is very thick and rich, spreading easily over the skin as it melts. And I credit it absolutely (in combination with Antipodes’ Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream) with resolving the sore, scratchy, red mess the winter weather had left me with for a face.

Active ingredients: (quoted from the ever informative Amarya website) ‘New Zealand harekeke oil is high in antibacterial activity to keep the skin fresh and clear. Blue chamomile from France, high in chamazulene, has soothing and calming properties to reduce irritation, inflammation and redness. Hibiscus flowers extract is high in organic pyruvic and citric acids, which have a gentle exfoliating activity, increasing the cell turnover.’

Full ingredients list: Prunus dulcis (sweet almond oil)*, butyrospermum parkii *(shea butter), beeswax*, linum usitatissimum*, (harekeke flax seed oil), cocos nucifera* (coconut oil), oenothera biennis* (evening primrose oil), silica lavendula officinalis (lavender oil), theobroma cocao (cacao butter), vitis vinifera (Vinanza Gold® grapeseed extract), tocopherol (Vitamin E), matricaria chamomilla (blue chamomile) hibiscus flower.

antipodes_cleanser_butter

Spiezia Organic Facial Cleanser

£24.95, available from Naturisimo and Amarya (where it’s actually £22.50), 50ml.

Green cred: 100% organic, Soil-Association certified and cruelty free. A home-grown option – if you’re UK-based – as it’s made and packaged in Cornwall. So points for the lack of airmiles!

The write-up: If you’re led by your nose, this one won’t let you down either. The essential oils come through beautifully and the blend gives it a sophisticated, complex fragrance. I find the smell particularly important with oil-based cleansers. They’re not really a wash and go option. They encourage you to take time over each cleanse so it becomes more like a treatment. And the whole time you’re breathing in that smell. Again, this cleanser melts down to a really smooth, rich layer which really feels like it’s adding something back.

Active ingredients: Again, this cleanser contains chamomile oil reknowned for it’s incredible skin-soothing properties thanks to the chemical properties of chamazulene. However it also contains eucalyptus, clary sage and clove oils to decongest and rebalance the skin.

Full ingredients list: Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil, olea euopaea (olive) fruit oil, cera alba (beeswax), calendula officinalis (calendula) flower extract, chamomilla matricaria recutita (German chamomile) flower extract, eucalyptus globulus (eucalyptus) leaf oil, eugenia carophyllus (clove) bud oil, anthemis nobilis (Roman chamomile) flower oil, salvia sclarea (clary sage) flower oil, triticum vulgare (wheat) germ oil, *citral, *citronellol, *eugenol, *isoeugenol, *limonene, *linalool.

*Naturally occurring in 100% organic essential oils.

All ingredients are organically produced.

spiezia_cleanser

Rawganic Sensitive Cleansing Balm

£3.25, available from Naturisimo, 35ml.

Green cred: 98.5% organic and Soil-Association certified. Made in the UK and approved by the Vegetarian Society. Comes in an reusable aluminium tin.

The write up: I’m conscious I’ve included two quite pricey options. Rawganic is on the list to prove that top-quality organic products don’t always have to be at the top end price-wise. This is quite fresh smelling – I think the geranium and lemongrass come through strongest in the fragrance. The nifty little tin is also a fantastic travel option because it screws tightly shut and could probably be chucked about quite a bit without any damage or leakage. Like the others, I find it has a nice soothing action on grumpy skin.

Active ingredients: Geranium is a good oil for skin and, like the frankincense and cedarwood in the blend, has a balancing action.

Full ingredients list: Helianthus annuus seed oil Prunus persica kernel oil Cera alba Rosa canina fruit oil Oenothera biennis oil Rubus idaeus seed oil Butyrospermum parkii butter Tocopherol Pelargonium graveolens flower oil Cymbopogon martini oil Ocimum Basilicum oil Boswellia carterii oil Cedrus atlantica bark oil Santalum spicatum oil Pogostemon cablin oil Linalool, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral, Eugenol

rawganic_balm

TIPS FOR USING OIL-BASED CLEANSERS

  • Oil-based cleansers with their rich, slippy texture offer THE BEST opportunity for some facial massage to help improve circulation, bringing complexion-enhancing nutrients to the skin. It can also help to reduce puffiness around the eyes and release tension in the jawline. Best of all, it will give you the elusive “glow” of happy skin. For tips on facial massage, see here.
  • For best results, leave the cleanser on for at least 2-3 minutes. In the morning, massage it in before you jump in the shower and wipe it off when you get out. In the evening, massage it in before cleaning your teeth and wipe it off after. This really gives the active ingredients time to work their magic on your skin and will add more moisture back in. The ‘during shower’ option also has the added advantage of protecting your face from the effects of hot water or detergents in your shampoo – both of which can contribute to irritation or redness if your skin is sensitive.
  • ALWAYS remove with a muslin cloth or cotton flannel. There really is no other way with oil-based cleansers. The added bonus is that the cloth provides very gentle exfoliation, particularly useful if your skin is so upset by winter that it’s too sensitive for full exfoliation with a facial scrub.
  • Don’t dismiss them if your skin is oily. Natural oils are one of the THE best options for balancing oily skin. If you use harsh, detergent based cleansers you’re just stripping your natural oils away and encouraging your skin to go mad producing even more oil to replace them. I promise you that an oil-based cleanser will help your skin to feel less oily over time and, if removed with a lukewarm muslin or flannel, they won’t leave an oily film on the skin’s surface.
  • Remove eye make-up first. You can use oil-based cleansers to remove eye make-up as all of these are gentle on the eyes. However, a word of warning. The oil can carry excess make-up into the eye more easily – if you experience any stinging, it’s more likely to be the make-up itself that’s causing the irritation. I’d recommend removing your eye make-up with a separate targeted cleanser before applying the oil cleanser. This serves two purposes: i) there’s no make-up irritating the eyes and ii) there’s no danger of smearing excessive make-up around your face, particularly if you then leave it sitting there for a couple of minutes while the cleanser does its work.

I hope I’ve created a few more converts! Any oil-based cleansers you’d recommend?

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10-in-10: AEOS Dew Facial Wash and Energising Conditioner

Whether I’ve tried them or not, I’ve usually at least heard of a natural or organic brand. But AEOS was completely new to me. And why ‘AEOS’? It stands for Active Energised Organic Skincare.

Active for the active properties of the ingredients used, be they plant extracts, essential oils, enzymes, etc.

Energised for the way the products support the user’s overall wellbeing (the ‘greater good’ in AEOS’ words).

Organic for obvious reasons (although AEOS also source ingredients produced bio-dynamically).

And Skincare. Because I suppose sometimes you have to call a spade a spade.

Their promotional material talks about a 3-phase system – renewal, rebalance, replenish. The products in the range sit within this system, which makes for a relatively simple way to navigate their offering. Cleansers and exfoliants sit in the renewal section, toners and hydrating mists in the rebalance section, and serums and moisturisers in the replenish section. And there are two pathways through the system – the swift ‘time saver’ sequence and the optimal ‘skin booster’ sequence.

That much I understood.

However, they also talk about spagyric tinctures, colour significance and ancient alchemical principles in their philosophy and this rather defeated me. I could just be a bit tired. But I read it more than once and it ‘ain’t going in. If you fancy trying for yourself you can find out more by clicking on the links.

So what of the products I tried? First up the Dew Facial Wash. You might know that I’m not a habitual user of face washes. But I really liked this one. It wasn’t at all drying. Not one bit. And even when I used it for a couple of days straight, it didn’t cause the usual slight dullness that I usually get in skin tone. Now AEOS recommend putting a few drops of the facial wash in a bowl of warm water, soaking a wash cloth in it and then laying it over the face for a few moments. And repeating up to 3 times. I tried this once and, I must confess, I found it to be a total faff. Rather nice as a ritual but not for the morning routine. However, just one pump used as a conventional face wash was absolutely lovely and considering how wedded I am to my oils and muslins, that’s saying something. It contains coconut, lemon and honey oils and it really did live up to its hydrating claims.

The Energising Conditioner really was great. It’s the ‘toner’ part of the sequence but much more than a toner. Texture wise it was hard to decide whether it was a fluid or a gel. It’s a very fluidy gel or maybe a slightly gel-like fluid. Well that’s cleared things up for you, I’m sure. You apply a couple of pumps to slightly damp skin after cleansing. It smells really great and I’m convinced it added another layer of hydration, while feeling cooling and refreshing.

Would I use them again. Definitely. But here’s the stinger. When I investigated the brand further on their website I discovered that they really aren’t cheap. £40 for a face wash, and £55 for just 30ml of the energising conditioner. That could be something to do with the crystal essences on both ingredients lists (including opal, amethyst, emerald and quartz…I think this is where the spagyric tinctures come in but I could be wrong). I really loved the effects of the Energising Conditioner in particular, but I might have to be earning slightly more before it becomes a core part of my routine. As an occasional indulgent treat…? Absolutely.

AEOS Skincare is available from their website. And the usual note – AEOS, please will you list all the ingredients for each product on your website and not just the key actives? It’s really great for customers to see this and it also saves me from developing carpal tunnel syndrome when copying them off the packaging.

Ingredients:

Dew Facial Wash (apologies – these weren’t on the packaging and the only information from the website is as follows) Spelt Oil, Honey, Lemon Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Orange Extract. Colour: Blue -100% natural and plant derived blue extracted from gardenias. Crystal Essences: Opal, Amethyst, Charoite, Turquoise, Emerald, Quartz, Chrysoprase.

Energising Conditioner: Rosa Damascena flower water, water, Rosa centifolia (rose) extract, Glycerin, Rose Flower Oil, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) distillate, Triticum spelta (spelt) germ extract, Gluconolactate, Arginine, Soritan Laurate, Salvia officinalis (sage) extract, Betula alba (birch) bark extract, Xanthan gum, Glyceryl cocate, Hypericum perforatum (St John’s Wort) Extract, Gardenia florida extract, Sodium benzoate, Opal essence, Amethyst essence, Charoite essence, Turquoise essence, Emerald essence, Quartz essence, Chrysoprase essence, Geraniol, Eugenol, Citronellol.

Disclosure: AEOS were 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.

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Living Nature Gentle Makeup Remover

Today we head down under to the far-flung shores of New Zealand (unless you’re reading in Oz or NZ, in which case it’s a bit closer for you!) to explore a brand that comes with some pretty heavyweight green credentials.

Living Nature was established 25 years ago and they’ve made good use of their time. They’re BDIH certified as ‘natural’, which is not an easy thing to achieve:

“German-based BDIH set some of the most rigorous standards worldwide for naturalness. They extend far beyond the ingredients, taking into account the environmental impact of sourcing raw materials and production, how the ingredients are handled, genetic modification and consumers’ expectations. The standards also ban the use of radioactive radiation to disinfect and what’s more, a company’s entire range must meet the criteria in order to achieve the Certified Natural Cosmetics seal.” (extract from Living Nature’s website)

Many of their products also carry the Whole Foods Premium Body Care symbol, indicating that they adhere to some of the strictest standards for what can be considered natural.

The range also promises New Zealand in a bottle, with many of their potent, active ingredients found only on the island. The makeup remover contains Kumerahou, a local plant that creates a natural lather for gentle cleansing effect, hydrating Harakeke Flax Gel, and Active Manuka Honey for its skin nourishing properties. It also includes eyebright and witchhazel extracts, both of which have an anti-inflammatory action on the skin helping to soothe and calm.

This is about as gentle as makeup removers get.

I haven’t really used it as an all-over cleanser; I’m too wedded to my flannels and muslins for that. But it makes an amazing eye makeup remover. Nary a sting or an unpleasant watery tingle in sight.

And if you’re not convinced by all of the above, it may interest you to know that Living Nature’s range is endorsed by model, image consultant and brand ambassdor Lorraine Downes, a New Zealander who was crowned Miss Universe in 1983. If your face is your livelihood, you’re going to be pretty careful what you put on it.

Living Nature Gentle Makeup Remover, £12.75. There are loads of UK stockists – have a look on Living Nature’s website here. However, you can also purchase direct from Living Nature’s site. Postage to the UK will cost £3.

Ingredients: Aqua (water), Glycerin (vegetable glycerin), Decyl Glucoside (from plam and coconut oils), Glucose, Mel (manuka honey), Pomaderris kumerahou flowers/leaf extract (Kumerahou), Euphrasia officinalis (Eyebright herb), Phormium tenax leaf juice (Harakeke flax gel), Galactoarabinan (larch tree gum extract), Hamamelis virginiana (witchhazel) extract, Xanthan gum, Glucose oxidase, Lactoperoxidase.

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My Guinness Book of World Records entry for shortest review ever: Sophyto

Don’t get me wrong. I am mightily impressed with Sophyto. I’m just busier than I’ve ever been!

So I will say just this. I discovered Sophyto while browsing on Naturisimo for a new cleanser. I’ve been using the Purifying Silken Cleanser and the pH Optimizing Restorative Toner.

They won’t win awards for their smell (neither being offensive, but nothing to write home about either). But they do win awards (both were shortlisted in the 2012 Natural & Organic Awards for Best Innovation – the Silken Cleanser took home the prize). They come with many admirable green/organic certifications, including cruelty free and the Soil Association. They leave out many of the usual baddies – artificial colour, fragrance, fillers and parabens. And they are MIGHTILY good, having left me with soft, clear, even-toned skin.

Big Gold Star. Thumbs up. *Like*.

Sophyto Purifying Silken Cleanser, available for £12 on Naturisimo and £13 on Amarya both with free delivery. And in the US on their website for $20.

Ingredients: aqua (spring water), *simondsia californica (jojoba) seed oil, cetearyl alcohol, *corylus avellana (hazelnut) seed oil, *prunus dulcis (almond) seed oil, sodium stearoyl lactylate, glyceryl stearate, *butyrosperum parkii (karite) fruit butter, *mel (honey), *aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice powder, levulinic acid, lecithin, sodium dehydroactetate, *guar gum, glycerin, xanthum gum, *alcohol denat, *propolis extract, tocopherol, helianthus annus (sunflower) seed oil, ascorbic acid, sodium hydroxide, citric acid *Organic, 93% of the agricultural ingredients are produced organically.

Sophyto pH Optimising Restorative Toner, available for £9 from Naturisimo and £9.75 from Amarya, both with free delivery. And in the US on their website for $15.

Ingredients: aqua (spring water), *cynara scolymus (artichoke) leaf extract, *urtica dioica (nettle) herb extract, *lentinus edodes (shitake) fruit extract, *taraxacum officinalis (dandelion) root extract, *sambucus nigra (elderberry) fruit extract, *morinda citrifolia (noni) fruit extract, *mentha piperita (peppermint) herb extract, *rubus idaeus (raspberry) leaf extract, *rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, *chlorella vulgaris (green micro-algae) extract, *schizandra chinensis (schisandra) fruit extract, *alcohol denat, *aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice powder, levulinic acid, sodium dehydroacetate, sodium hydroxide, glycerin, citric acid *Organic, 99% of the agricultural ingredients are produced organically.

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Three cheers for BALMOLOGY

Before Christmas, in fact, way back in November, I was contacted by Catherine at Balmology who asked if I’d like to try her product range. I said yes.

This was my first excellent decision.

The second one was packing them for my Christmas stay with family.

I used them almost exclusively for 2-3 weeks over the Christmas period and my skin is so very thankful for that. I’m still using them. They’ve become new staples, up there with my old faithfuls from Liz Earle’s range.

Balmology’s range is formulated with the simplest of simple ingredients lists. Cold-pressed organic plant oils, essential oils and beeswax. The crucial detail is the absence of water. Interestingly, I was given a book about making your own skincare products for Christmas and had already been reading up on preservatives, (slightly more) natural and otherwise.

If you add water to a product, you drastically reduce its shelf life. A face cream containing water will last 2-4 weeks. On average. A water-free face cream that uses natural oils can last up to 12 months.

If you want to add water and you want your product to last longer than 2-4 weeks, you need to add a preservative. And while there’s a sliding scale of preservatives from the ‘not so bad’ to the ‘oh hell no’, it’s nicer still not to need them.

So full marks to Balmology for keeping it simple and supporting the old (not at all hackneyed) idea that simplicity is key.

There are currently three products in the range. All balms. The neroli & sweet basil Cleansing Balm. The neroli & frankincense Beauty Balm (which is recommended for anti-ageing and oil balancing). And the calendula & chamomile Comfort Balm (which is recommended for softening skin and helping to soothe irritated or overly sensitive skin).

I’ve used all three and can’t find fault with any of them.

The cleansing balm is slightly runnier. As with all three of the balms, a little goes a very long way and you’ll find that just a tiny dot on cheeks, forehead and nose can be warmed and massaged into the entire face. It melts make-up well, smells beautiful and didn’t sting my eyes at all. I used a hot muslin cloth or flannel to remove it and it left my skin feeling soft and fresh. (And crucially not at all oily, for those who might be worried about that).

The beauty balm is probably my favourite smell of all three. Again a little goes a LONG way. I love to use oils on my face but the rule is the same as for make-up. Build it up. You can always add more, but if you add too much it could feel a little slippy or heavy.

The comfort balm was the best fit for my skin. You really do notice the softening effect and my easily irritated skin just drank this up and rewarded me with softness, a more even tone and no flakes.

The products are very good value for money. I’ve been using the 30g pots for nearly 3 weeks and I’ve barely made a serious dent in them. Particularly the moisturising balms. Starting at just £12.50/12.75/15.00 (for 30g), I’m sure I’d get a few months use out of them easily.

I’ve only really used them on my face so far, but one of the beauties of the balm is that it is multipurpose. You could use the moisturising balms to moisturise dry skin wherever it popped up. They make nice lip balms and I did use the comfort balm on my slightly chapped hands a couple of times to great effect.

Ultimately a big fat recommend all round. The products are available on the Balmology website, which looks beautiful and contains plenty more information about both products and brand ethos.

Neroli & Sweet Basil Cleansing balm (£12.75 for 30g)

Ingredients: Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil, Prunus armeniaca (apricot) oil, Ricinus communis (castor) oil, Persea gratissima (avocado) oil, Cera alba (beeswax), Tocopherol, Citrus aurantium var. amara. (neroli), Citrus reticulata (mandarin), Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil). Naturally occurring in essential oils: citral, citronellol, eugenol, farnesol, geraniol, limonene, linalool.

Neroli & Frankincense Beauty Balm (Nourish) (£15.00 for 30g)

Ingredients: Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil, Prunus armeniaca (apricot) oil, Cera alba (beeswax), Macadamia ternifolia (macadamia) oil, Persea gratissima (avocado) oil, Punica granatum (pomegranate) oil, Rosa canina (rosehip) oil, Tocopherol, Citrus aurantium (neroli), Boswellia carterii (frankincense), Citrus reticulata (mandarin), Lavandula angustifolia (lavender). Naturally occurring in essential oils: citral, citronellol, farnesol, geraniol, limonene, linalool.

Calendula & Chamomile Comfort Balm (£12.50 for 30g)

Ingredients: Prunus armeniaca (apricot) oil, Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil, Cera alba (beeswax), Persea gratissima (avocado) oil, Andansonia digitata (baobab) oil, Rosa canina (rosehip) oil, Tocopherol, Calendula officinalis, simmondsia chinensis (marigold) extract, Matricaria chamomilla, Simmondsia chinensis (chamomile) extract, Helichrysum italicum (immortelle), Lavandula angustifolia (lavender). Naturally occurring in essential oils: benzyl cinnamate, geraniol, limonene, linalool.

Disclosure: Catherine 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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Pai Skincare – joining the parade

I am late to the Pai party.

Twitter, facebook and the blogosphere have been alight for some time with rave reviews of their products. At first I stayed away, thinking that if everyone was writing about it, there was no need for my two cents. Then I started to get that creeping, uncomfortable feeling that I might be missing out on something. Like that feeling you get when people are swapping stories about a party that you couldn’t make that turned out to be the most amazing event of all time.

So I sent off for my £3.50 tester kit (you pay for the postage, not the products – great idea, Pai!) and got stuck in.

I got 5ml samples of the Camellia and Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, the Hydrating Avocado & Jojoba moisturiser and the Chamomile & Rosehip moisturiser for sensitive skin. Enough product for 3 to 4 days use if you don’t go mad.

I think it’s impossible not to like these products. Their philosophy is great – 100% organic, soil association-certified products, a focus on allergy-prone, sensitive skin, and ingredients lists in plain English. The products smelt lovely, felt lovely and did what they promised they would do.

So it really comes down to personal preference. I probably wouldn’t purchase the cleanser again. It was designed for the hot cloth approach, which I love. It was fragrant and light, and did leave my skin feeling clean, soft and soothed. But I’m a devotee of the 2 minute facial massage with my evening cleanse and it sunk in too quickly to allow for that. If you’re not one for rich or oily, or for the ‘faffing about’ massage side of cleansing, then I do recommend you give Pai a go.

For me, the standout product was the Chamomile & Rosehip moisturiser, containing core ingredients with reknowned skin calming and fortifying properties. It absorbed very quickly and made my skin feel amazing; velvety-soft and calm in a zen-like way. Nothing wrong with the Avocado & Jojoba moisturiser, which interestingly was more hydrating. I just preferred the Chamomile & Rosehip.

This one is going straight onto my repurchase list. Next time I’m going to try it with a thin layer of Pai’s highly-rated rosehip oil underneath for a turbo-charged hit of extra hydration. Alongside Trilogy’s Very Gentle Moisturising Cream, I think it’s going to be one of my perfect summer combos, for when I just don’t want the oily richness that my winter skin craves.

Pai skincare is available from their website. Cleanser – £25, Moisturisers – from £19. Bundling options are available to save money.

Cleanser -camellia, rose + aqua, camellia sinensis leaf oil*, ricinus communis seed oil*, prunus amygdalus dulcis oil*, cetearyl alcohol, glycerin*, butyrospermum parkii butter*, cetearyl glucoside, sodium anisate, mixed tocopherols, rosa damascena oil*, pelargonium graveolens flower oil*, sodium levulinate, lavandula angustifolia oil*, lactic acid, litsea cubeba fruit oil*, sodium lauroyl lactylate

Chamomile & Rosehip – chamomile, rosehip + aqua, prunus armeniaca kernel oil*, simmondsia chinensis oil*, carthamus tinctorius oil*, cetearyl alcohol, glycerin*, butyrospermum parkii butter*, cetearyl glucoside, rosa canina seed extract*, leptospermum scoparium oil, sodium levulinate, mixed tocopherols, matricaria chamomilla*, lavandula angustifolia oil*, sodium anisate, pelargonium graveolens oil*, sodium lauroyl lactylate, lactic acid

Avocado & Jojoba – avocado, jojoba + aqua, simmondsia chinensis oil*, persea gratissima oil*, carthamus tinctorius oil*, cetearyl alcohol, glycerin*, borago officinalis seed oil*, butyrospermum parkii butter*, cetearyl glucoside, mixed tocopherols, helianthus annuus oil*, lavandula angustifolia oil*, litsea cubeba oil*, jasminum grandiflorum oil*, sodium levulinate, sodium anisate, sodium lauroyl lactylate, lactic acid

Naturally occurring in essential oils: citral*, citronellol*, d-limonene*, geraniol*, linalool*
*Certified Organic by the Soil Association (Organically produced 77% of product).

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Miessence: natural beauty the Oz way

Miessence is an Australian range of personal care products and, while I hadn’t heard of them before I was contacted by one of their UK stockists, I’ve read up on them since.

Their green credentials are impressive. Many of the products carry the Australian Certified Organic (ACO) Seal of Approval (Australia’s leading certifying body) and those that don’t contain more than 5% non-agricultural ingredients, like clay or salt, OR at least 70% certified organic ingredients, according to the blurb.

The second impressive thing is the vastness of their product range, compared to many of the cottage industries out there. It’s almost more lifestyle choice than a product range. The usual skincare regime is well represented but on top of that you’ve got *deep breath* haircare, products for men, a baby range, deodorants, household items, air fresheners, toothpastes, make-up and even a selection of ACO-certified perfumes.

I was given the opportunity to try out one of the skincare ranges, helpfully organised into balancing (for normal/combination skins), rejuvenating (for dry/mature skins), purifying (for oily skins) and soothing (for sensitive skins). I opted for soothing.

The range included a cleanser and moisturiser. So far so samey. But Miessence offered a slightly more intriguing option for the ‘toning’ part of the routine – a skin conditioner. To quote the blurb, conditioning has a ‘twofold purpose: firstly to feed the skin with nutrients in the water-soluble botanicals, and secondly, to provide a hydration base for the moisturiser to lock in.’ Not toner, not moisturiser and not serum but perhaps a little something of all three?

The cleanser is pretty pleasant to use with a lovely citrussy smell. It’s very fluid in texture, more of a lotion than a cream, but it’s intended to be applied with the fingers and removed with a hot cloth. I liked the tip in the directions about gently warming the skin with a hot, damp cloth before applying the cleanser. It seems so obvious but I’ve not done this before and it seemed to make a difference. I’ll probably keep this going with other cleansers I use in future. The cleanser removed light make-up well and left my skin feeling soft and clean. I used a separate eye make-up remover on heavier eye make-up though. I’m never that comfortable rubbing more liquid cleansers around my eyes because it’s just too easy to get a lot IN your eye.

The skin conditioner is quite interesting. It’s somewhere between a gel and liquid (making it pretty challenging to squeeze out of a sachet…) and it’s meant to be applied with your fingers and not cotton wool. As far as I’m concerned, that’s great. On the occasions when I do use toners, I always opt for spritzers. It’s just so annoying to soak a cotton pad and then feel like you’re throwing 80% of the product in the bin. The skin conditioner had a lovely cooling, toning effect on my skin but I definitely felt like it provided an extra hit of hydration too. In winter I tend to prefer richer textures, opting for serums or oils. But this would be lovely if you want the layers without the heaviness. And I can see myself coming back to it in the summer when I need extra moisture but am also preoccupied with keeping my skin cool.

Sadly the moisturiser didn’t work so well for me. The texture was very reminiscent of the acclaimed NUDE moisturiser (which didn’t work for me either). But the miessence product is ACO-certified and smelt much nicer. It’s a very light and very fluid lotion and wasn’t moisturising enough for my drier skin. But I was trying out the soothing range and the moisturiser from the rejuvenating range may well be a much better fit.

Dry/sensitive is a fairly common product combination though. If you’re one of the many people out there with normal or oily sensitive skin and are sick of overly-heavy formulations, you’ll love this.

I suspect I’d really benefit from a customised approach, sticking with the soothing cleanser and skin conditioner but subbing in the rejuvenating moisturiser. Sadly if you do need to pick and choose, you won’t be able to save money on the bundling options, which are limited to three products from within the same range.

And saving money might well be a preoccupation. This range is not cheap. The cleanser retails at £31.80, the skin conditioner at £20.70 and the moisturiser at £38.75. With natural and organic ranges, you do tend to get what you pay for. While this is a more expensive range, if wouldn’t be prohibitive if you found something that really worked for you. And Miessence offer samples so you can be sure before you fork out the full whack.

Overall, I liked this range and, after spending quite some time browsing their catalogue, have found a few other things that I’d really like to try out. Thumbs up for a range that allows you to make the greener choice with almost every product you’re likely to need at home!

You can buy Miessence products through their website (click here for skincare), or by contacting one of their UK stockists (rob@MiNaturals.co.uk).

And here’s a tempting picture of the full range!

Ingredients: (Soothing Cleanser) certified organic aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, aqua (purified water), certified organic helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, yucca schidigera extract, sclerotium rolfsii gum, citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) fruit extract, certified organic citrus dulcis (sweet orange) essential oil, certified organic citrus bergamia (bergamot) essential oil, certified organic matricaria recutita (chamomile) flower extract, certified organic aesculus hippocastanum (horsechestnut) seed extract, certified organic hypericum perforatum (st johns wort) flower extract, certified organic hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) leaf extract; (Soothing Skin Conditioner) certified organic aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, aqua (purified water), certified organic matricaria recutita (chamomile) flower extract, certified organic aesculus hippocastanum (horsechestnut) seed extract, certified organic hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) leaf extract, certified organic hypericum perforatum (st johns wort) flower extract, sclerotium rolfsii gum, citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) fruit extract, certified organic chamaemelum nobile (roman chamomile) essential oil, daucus carota (carrot) CO2 extract , certified organic calendula officinalis flower C02 extract , certified organic chamomilla recutica (german chamomile) flower CO2 extract , certified organic citrus aurantium ssp amara (neroli) essential oil (Soothing Moisturiser) certified organic aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, aqua (purified water), certified organic simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, certified organic rosa rubiginosa (rosehip) seed oil, certified organic helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, certified organic butyrospermum parkii (shea) fruit butter, certified organic ethanol (sugar cane), non-gmo lecithin, citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) fruit extract, sclerotium rolfsii gum, certified organic olea europaea (olive) juice extract, certified organic chamaemelum nobile (roman chamomile) essential oil, daucus carota (carrot) CO2 extract , certified organic chamomilla recutica (german chamomile) flower CO2 extract , Non-GMO Xanthan Gum, certified organic citrus aurantium ssp amara (neroli) essential oil, certified organic hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) leaf extract, certified organic matricaria recutita (chamomile) flower extract, certified organic aesculus hippocastanum (horsechestnut) seed extract, certified organic hypericum perforatum (st johns wort) flower extract, certified organic calendula officinalis flower C02 extract.

Disclosure: Rob 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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Evolve Gentle Cleansing Melt

With 10 days to go until the wedding, a full-time job, the blog and all the other acoutrements of the average life, I am getting a bit busy (and perhaps just a tiny bit stressed too). Yesterday, I got stuck in traffic on the way home and I got that feeling. You know the one. First your heart gets a little racy like you’re being chased by a wild animal. Then your brain starts trying to squeeze its way out through your eyes and frontal lobes.

This is not good.

I am going to have to start cutting corners, leaving to one side the things that really don’t need doing. Or I will end up refusing to get up, lying in my bed clutching at the duvet like it’s part of my vital organs and growling at anyone who comes near me.

This is partly an apology if I end up reneging on my commitment to post something every 2 days. I will try but I might fail… It is also a celebration of products that are quick, easy, effective and pleasant. They are true stars at the moment.

As much as I love my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, the laundry has taken a back seat at the moment. My ready supply of little muslin face cloths is running dry. And I still refuse to use foaming washes, despite their obvious convenience. So I’ve been using and LOVING Evolve’s Gentle Cleansing Melt. All the richness of an oil-based cleanser, all the convenience of a wash.

The cleansing melt is a soap-free cleansing balm, suitable for normal to dry skin. It’s a bit like hair gel in consistency, which can be alarming on the first go. Thick, gloopy and clear. But after applying it to dry skin, the magic begins. First that gloopy gel becomes a rich, slippy oil that allows you to work it into your skin without dragging or pulling. Perfect for a bit of a massage. Then – once you’re all massaged out – you apply a little water to emulsify. And it becomes a light foam that can be rinsed away. Leaving you with squeaky clean skin that isn’t at all dried out.

It perhaps isn’t the best product for removing eye make-up, which is a shame. I found it stung my eyes a bit, although I suspect this wasn’t the cleansing melt. I think the oilier consistency meant I got mascara in my eyes and that is what stung. I must admit though, applying eye make-up is definitely one of those non-essential jobs I’ve been leaving out of my routine as time gets tighter. So perhaps not a big deal at the moment!

It’s a sugar-based product that also contains sunflower oil. The ingredients are pretty simple and natural (the sunflower seed oil is organic): Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides , Glycerin , aqua (water), Sucrose Laurate , Helianthus Annus (sunflower) seed oil. The Evolve website also list a number of other uses that I haven’t tried myself – rinse-off massage oil, soap-free body wash or shaving oil.

It’s excellent value at £12.99. I’ve been using mine for a couple of weeks and I’m yet to make a serious dent so I expect it to keep going for a while.

All in all, Evolve’s Cleansing Melt has come along at just the right time! Evolve isn’t a brand I was familiar with but they have a really interesting selection of products and a good, green pedigree (Ecocert certification, 100% recycled packaging, UK production for a reduced carbon footprint, a focus on safe, food-based ingredients, etc). I’m hoping to try more of Evolve’s range in the future and will report back.

You can buy the cleansing melt from Evolve’s website here. It’s also available from a site called Nature’s Boutique for £10.99.  

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In the NUDE: testing out NUDE Skincare

NUDE Skincare is a range of natural products that also claim to pack a serious anti-ageing punch. To quote Bryan Meehan, founder of NUDE, their customers ‘no longer need to compromise on wellbeing for the sake of performance.’ NUDE allows you to do both: high performance and no chemical nasties. They use proven anti-ageing ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, probiotics, CoQ10 and peptides, but derived from natural sources rather than chemical ones.

I’d never used any of the NUDE skincare range but I’ve wanted to. Then I noticed that Victoria Health were giving away a free sample of NUDE bestsellers with every order placed in June. I’ve been hankering after a Konjac Sponge (more on that in a future post!) so decided to take the plunge and get my samples at the same time.

It’s a pretty generous deal. There are four samples in the pack – the Cleansing Facial Oil, the Age Defence Moisturiser, the Advanced Eye Complex and the Miracle Mask. The samples looked quite small but I got three applications of the facial oil, three applications of the moisturiser, 4-5 of the eye complex and three chances to try out the mask. More than enough product to give them a proper go and to decide what I think.

Sticking with the cleansing routine, let’s start with the Cleansing Facial Oil. I loved this. If you’ve read a few of my other posts, you’ll know I’m good friends with the oils(!) and bang on about them a fair bit. It didn’t seem like a huge leap to take to use them as cleansers. If it feels more of a leap for you, be reassured that this oil really does cleanse. It lifted off foundation, simple eye make-up (including non-waterproof mascara) and a cream blush, leaving my skin feeling really clean, fresh and not at all greasy.

To use, you need to warm the oil between your hands and then massage into the skin. Before removing, slightly dampen your hands and work them over your face to emulsify the oil. Then just rinse away with warm water.

I can see two big advantages of this product. Firstly, the oil gives you the perfect slippy canvas for a bit of facial massage during your cleansing routine. I do this with my Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish – it helps to bring the blood to the surface and keeps skin bright, supple and healthy looking – but you get a bit less time with a cream formulation before it starts to sink in and you risk dragging the skin.

Secondly, the Cleansing Oil has all the convenience of a facial wash without the drying effect.  I’m a huge convert of the muslin cloth approach to cleansing, as recommended by Liz Earle. But sometimes it’s just not practical. I’m going to be sleeping in a tent this weekend (it’s my hen do! Woo hoo!). And even the posh yurt-style tents we’ll be staying in don’t come equipped with a sterile little hook for my face cloth, never mind the basic facilities you might be faced with if you’re one of those off to Glastonbury. There are one or two facial washes that I’ve found which are less drying, but most of them just don’t work on dry skin. This is perfect – rich and nourishing and all you need is a bit of water.

Next up, the Age Defence Moisturiser. This was an interesting one. As with many natural products, you need to spend a bit of time working it in. However, once absorbed, it felt very light. Almost tight on the skin, in fact. My first thought was that it couldn’t possibly be moisturising enough to last the day and I fully expected to see dry patches and lines forming in my base after a few hours. Surprisingly though, I didn’t really. It seemed to lock in the moisture. However, on balance, I probably wouldn’t buy this one, particularly since it’s priced in the luxury bracket. It’s just a personal preference thing. I didn’t like the tighter, drier feeling after application and I didn’t feel it provided as good a base for make-up as some of my other moisturisers. But I’ve got dry skin. If you’ve got oily skin or prefer a less rich base, it’s probably right up your street.

I found the Advanced Eye Complex very pleasant to use. It has a very smooth, easy to apply texture and it sank in very quickly. After using it in the evening, I woke up the next day with slightly less puffy eyes than usual which was great. I’d want to try and repeat that just to make sure it wasn’t just a result of a lower pollen count than normal though! I did notice that the concealer I applied over the top went a bit patchy so I’d keep this for evening use only.

Last up, the Miracle Mask, which I was really impressed by. The packaging warned off those with sensitive skin but I decided to take my chances in the name of research. And all went well! The mask is a 5-minute facial brightener containing milk AHA’s (alpha-hydroxy-acids) to exfoliate and red ginseng to stimulate circulation. It dries on the skin and it’s recommended that you remove it with a cloth but it’s a quick, easy fix. I didn’t find it particularly moisturising or plumping but my skin felt really refreshed and looked a bit clearer and quite a bit brighter after use. I used it in the evening but on balance I think this would be a brilliant speedy option for injecting a bit of oomph into tired, lacklustre skin as part of a morning routine. It would even fit into my morning routine, which despite my best intentions is always a disordered exercise in multi-tasking where I’m eating cereal with one hand and cleaning my teeth with the other.

All in all, the Cleansing Facial Oil comes out top for me. This one I’ll definitely be buying in the future. I’m not sure it topples my Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish for value, smell (while not unpleasant, I found the smell of the Facial Oil took a bit of getting used to) or the gentle exfoliating effect of the muslin cloth. But oh how I wish I had some of the Cleansing Facial Oil left for my weekend under canvas!

If you want to try them for yourself, remember to check out Victoria Health  If you were thinking of getting something anyway, you’ll get your free NUDE samples with your order if you place it before the 30th.

All products available from Victoria Health or from the NUDE skincare website.

Cleansing Facial Oil, £24 (100ml). Ingredients: glycine soja (soybean) oil, polyglyceryl-4-oleate (vegetable oil), squalene (olive oil), tocopherol acetate (plant sources), fragrance (parfum), benzyl benzoate (essential oil), linalool (essential oil), eugenol (essential oil)

Age Defence Moisturiser, £54 (40ml). Ingredients: water (aqua), dicaprylyl carbonate (coconut and palm kernel), sesamum indicum (sesame) oil, lauryl laurate (palm and coprah), candelilla/jojoba/rice bran polyglyceryl-3 esters (candelilla, jojoba and rice), glyceryl stearate se (palm, rapeseed and sunflower), lactobacillus/eriodictyon californicum ferment extract (yerba santa), glyceryl stearate (palm, rapeseed and sunflower), cetearyl alcohol (coconut and palm kernel), butyrospermum parkii (shea butter)*, cetyl alcohol (coconut and palm kernel), glycerin (plant sources), sodium stearoyl lactylate (plant sources), helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, alpha-glucan oligosaccharide (corn and beet), lactose (milk), sclerotium gum (fermented sugar), oryza sativa (rice) hull powder, xanthan gum (fermented sugar), arginine (plant sources), vaccinium vitis-idaea seed oil (lingonberry)*, calodendrum capense oil (yangu), ricinodendron rautanenii oil, theobroma grandiflorum seed butter (cupuacu)*, whey protein (lactis proteinum), argania spinosa leaf extract (argan), galactaric acid (apple pectin), mauritia flexuosa fruit oil (buriti)*, bifida ferment lysate (milk), milk protein (lactis proteinum), rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, sodium hyaluronate, tocopheryl acetate (soybean), dendrobium phalaenopsis flower extract (orchid), aloe barbadensis leaf extract (aloe vera)*, tocopherol (plant source), fragrance (parfum), benzyl benzoate (essential oil), linalool (essential oil), eugenol (essential oil), phenoxyethanol, dehydroacetic acid, ethylhexylglycerin. *certified organic ingredient

Advanced Eye Complex, £62 (15ml). Ingredients: water (aqua), sesamum indicum (sesame) oil*, dicaprylyl carbonate (coconut and palm kernel), butyrospermum parkii (shea butter)*, lactobacillus/eriodictyon californicum ferment extract (yerba santa), glycerin (plant sources), acacia senegal gum, cetearyl olivate (olive), sorbitan olivate (olive), alcohol (organic wheat)*, dipalmitoyl hydroxyproline (amino acid and palmitic acid), whey protein (lactis proteinum), argania spinosa leaf extract (argan), milk protein (lactis proteinum), sodium hyaluronate (lactic acid and wheat), pyrus sorbus bud extract (mountain ash)*, bifida ferment lysate (milk), arginine (plant sources), hydrolyzed rhizobian gum (plant sources), sclerotium gum (fermented sugar), lactose (milk), galactaric acid (apple pectin), ubiquinone (yeast), helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, tocopheryl acetate (soybean), fragrance (parfum), linalool (essential oil), limonene (essential oil), phenoxyethanol, sodium dehydroacetate, ethylhexylglycerin. *certified organic ingredient

Miracle Mask, £38 (40ml). Ingredients: water (aqua), galactoarabinan (larch trees), glycerin (plant sources), sclerotium gum (fermented sugar), hydroxyethylcellulose (wood and cotton), arginine (plant sources), lactic acid (sugar and beet), panax ginseng root extract, galactaric acid (apple pectin), citrus nobilis (mandarin orange) fruit extract, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil*, dextrin (corn), hydrolyzed hibiscus esculentus extract, kaolin (clay), chondrus crispus (carrageenan algae), camellia sinensis leaf extract, phenoxyethanol, sodium dehydroacetate. *certified organic ingredient