Budget beauty: Burt's Bees lip product review

I often get asked for affordable natural make up recommendations and Burt's Bees is one of my go to brands for accessible products that won't break the bank. The brand is widely available across the US and Europe, I can find these products on the high-street and they also have a nice range of shades and finishes. 

Neek skin organics vegan lipstick review

Neek is a vegan and natural range based in Australia that was founded by Angelique, her nickname as a child was Neek, because for a toddler Angelique is a bit of a mouthful. Angelique also had an allergy to parabens, so she started exploring making her own products and so Neek was born. The range is a relatively small one, but it has some skincare and a range of natural and vegan lipsticks. 

Tropic Skincare Lip Glaze review

If you love a gloss, I have some very pretty shades to share with you from Tropic skincare. I have written about Tropic before quite a few times, the brand is all cruelty free and vegan but also uses a lot of natural ingredients. If you don't know anything about the brand, it was founded my Susan Ma, a former Apprentice contestant who grew up in Australia, inspiring her love for botanicals and plant actives. 

Little Known box review

The last beauty box review for the year and this time it is all about cruelty free subscription service Little Known box. The aims showcasing new, emerging and Indie brands including those that are natural, organic and with free-from credentials. Little Known Box also launched their first vegan edition in October too. 

Brand Focus: Inika mineral make up, vegan, cruelty free and organic

Inika is one of my absolute favourite organic, mineral make up brands. I have been a customer for around eight years and many of their products are make up bag favourites. Inika is one of the best mineral make up brands I have found with gorgeous clean ingredients lists and impeccable quality, they are also certified vegan, cruelty free, halal and organic. Recently the brand has been bringing out lots of new products and they have also had a bit of a make over so I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about my collection!

Ere Perez Versatile Vanilla Higlighter

I think there has been lot's of great natural and organic skincare options for sometime, but the most exciting developments are happening in make up which has always been a little bit behind the mainstream beauty market. Ere Perez is a brand I have mentioned previously and I have been really impressed with the quality of the products on offer, the Rice powder blush is one of my favourites, such a pretty colour (See it reviewed here).

Lavera Skincare and Make up review

When I think of the pioneers of natural beauty Lavera is one of the names of that instantly springs to mind. The brand has been creating natural beauty products for over twenty five years and was founded by Thomas Haase in Germany. The Lavera line is quite extensive and covers skincare, body care and make up. Similar to another natural beauty staple Weleda, Lavera also hold the NATRUE symbol on it's products certifying them to natural and/or organic standards. I have written before about the NATRUE symbol (here) and it is a certification that I actively look for on my products.

Antipodes Lipstick review

Antipodes are a natural beauty brand that has been around for some time, well known for it's effective products that offer great value for money. The brand comes from New Zealand and founder Elizabeth Barbalich uses the tag line "Scientifically validated skincare" to describe the brands natural led approach that focuses on achieving results.

Natural Beauty Box - Queen of the Nile edition

If you have been reading this blog for a while, you will know I have long been a fan of natural beauty boxes. They are a fun way to discover new products and expand your beauty horizons. When it comes to beauty boxes with a natural focus, there are a small handful on the market that fit the bill and today I am bringing you a review of the July Natural Beauty box which had a theme of Queen of the Nile, which was perfect for summer.

New in: W3LL People Nudist multi-use duo

I have bought a few make up items lately that I wanted to share with you. I find myself reaching more and more for items that are as easy as possible, I got out of the habit of wearing make up after having baby number two but it's something I am trying to change and get back in to a more normal routine.

New in: Hynt Beauty Duet perfecting Concealer review

When it comes to natural and organic make up products I feel that overall there is still a lot of catching up to do with skincare. Make up is much harder to formulate without silicones, mineral oils and other synthetics, that's not to say there aren't good products, but we are still a long way behind the industry in general. I have been a fan of mineral powder formulas for years, they work well for me, but I do get excited when I find a cream formula that is well made and stands up to some of it's conventional counterparts.

RMS Beauty skin2skin Foundation brush and Swift shadow review

A beauty tool that I didn't know I needed until I tried it? That would be my thoughts on this foundation brush from RMS. I have been a fan of RMS make up for some time, the line founded by US make up artist Rosa Marie Swift, is one of the pioneering natural make up brands, and thanks to it's pretty colours and creamy formulas the brand has developed something of a cult following. The brand has launched several new products lately, including their new pressed eye shadows and make up brushes.

Pure Anada palette and eyeshadow review

I love a refillable eyeshadow and blush palette, they are great for travel, keeping your make up organised and can cut down on waste as you don't have to throw away lot's of plastic packaging but can just pop a new product in the palette.

Celebrating 20 years with Green People

This is a special year for Green People because they are celebrating their twenty year anniversary. Green people is one of the first natural brands I explored and one that I always use and enjoy. The brand has a large variety of skincare, body care and make up products to choose from and in my opinion offer great value for money. The brand was founded by Charlotte when her young daughter developed multiple allergies and sensitive skin. The brand started with a strong ethical stance which has continued, in terms of ingredients used, the manufacturing process and of course they have never tested on animals.

Spring and summer natural make up: Featuring Green People, Ere Perez, W3LL People, PHB and Inika

I am sure I can't be the only one who is getting very excited about some warmer weather being on the way, it has felt grey and cold in the UK for too long. In anticipation of some warmer weather and because I am making an effort to get back to wearing make up regularly again I have been testing some new products that are perfect for spring and summer. There are quite a few new to me brands and some old favourites in today's post, so lets get started.

New in: Weleda Tinted Lip Balms

Tinted Lip balms are a daily staple for me, perfect for throwing in your handbag or popping on before the school run; two children later gone are the days when going out of the house would warrant a full face of make up.

New in: NATorigin Nail polish review

Nail polish is such a tricky category when it comes to finding natural alternatives. There is a lot of very confusing marketing, with brands claiming to be 3-4-5 free, when in fact there is no consensus of what that means. Some brands try and claim that they are "free from" ingredients that don't usually crop up in nail varnish anyway, adding to the confusion. Then there is the issue of performance, I have had some shocking problems over the years with some polishes simply peeling of the nails the minute I apply.

Boxwalla - Secret Garden box first impressions

This is my second Boxwalla box; You can see my first impressions of the Let It Glow box here. In a short space of time these boxes have become one of my favourites, all three products from the Let It Glow box are wonderful, but in particular I have loved the Lina Hanson global face trio, which is such a wonderful gentle but effective exfoliator and mask. It has become my weekend cleanser and treatment of choice, I pop it on before a shower and leave it for a while before washing it off. All my treatments go on so nicely afterwards and skin is calm and happy.

Introducing Natural Beauty box: Kissed by the Ocean edition

Up until recently there haven't been too many subscription boxes catering for natural and organic consumers, especially in the UK, but that is changing with new boxes launching; some that have left me less than impressed but others that I think are definitely note worthy. The Natural beauty box is definitely in the latter category, for those of you who love a subscription box, I am working on a bumper post of all the natural and cruelty free friendly boxes available and my thoughts on them; so stay tuned.

Tropic Skincare Colour click lipstick review

I have had mixed results with Vegan Lipsticks in the past, getting the formula right does seem to be something of an art form, but when they are done well it's a major plus.