Multimasking - Featuring Plant apothecary and Elde

The festive season, wonderful as it is, can really take a toll on your skin. As someone who doesn't usually drink, that prosecco on Christmas day has been awful for my skin. Dry flaky patches and a little bit dull looking, not a great look. 

Five lessons blogging taught me about skincare

I have been writing this blog consistently for well over five years now, in that time I have tried hundreds if not thousands of products and whilst I would never consider myself an expert I have definitely learnt some lessons about skincare in that time. I am expecting next year to be a year where I learn a lot more, but I thought it would be interesting to reflect on some of the key things I have learnt so far. 

The Benefits of Rosehip oil - Featuring Rio Rosa Mosqueta discovery set (sponsored)

**This post is  sponsored by Rio Rosa Mosqueta**

Rosehip oil is one of my favourite plant oils for use on my skin. Packed with omega fatty acids and antioxidants, it helps repair, protect and replenish the skin. It's an ingredient that has been used centuries across different civilisations, including by the Egyptians. 

Holland and Barrett becomes the first retailer to ban microplastics

I have been watching the evolution of natural beauty on the high street for some time and it has become more obvious to me that stores are either wholeheartedly embracing the changes in the consumer tide or lagging behind.

Beauty Kitchen Seahorse Plankton range review

Now that I have been writing about beauty consistently for over five years, it is always fun to go back and revisit brands I have spoken about previously. In this case the brand Beauty Kitchen which I reviewed shortly after it first launched. Beauty Kitchen have gone from strength to strength in the last few years, securing a presence on the British high-street with their partnership with Holland and Barrett. 

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 Overview - Pai Skincare the sensitive skin experts

I have a new brand overview for you, this time from one of my all time favourite skincare brands Pai Skincare. I discovered Pai shortly after I started exploring natural and organic beauty brands, before this blog began and it has easily been one of my most repurchased over the years. 

New in: Willowberry Skincare

There have been some fantastic new launches lately and Willowberry skincare is definitely one of my favourites. I have known Jenni, the founder of Willowberry for some time now through her work in the beauty industry and I was both surprised and excited to receive an email letting me know she had created her own line. 

Cowley Manor C-Side Spa launch new pregnancy and postnatal treatments

Cowley Manor is a stunning Hotel and Spa based in the beautiful Cotswolds countryside. Last week saw the award winning C-Side spa launch a new treatment menu designed specifically for pregnancy and the post-natal period and I was kindly invited to the launch to experience the treatments for myself.

The Formula Botanica conference 2017

Last weekend I was invited to attend the Formula Botanica conference in central London. Formula Botanica is an online accredited organic cosmetic science school run by Director Lorraine Dallmeier. I have known Lorraine online for some time and last year she kindly invited me to be a speaker at the conference, talking to the students and graduates about beauty blogging and how to work with bloggers, which was a fantastic experience.

New in: A'kin Weightless Rosehip oil

Australian brands have a history of doing natural very well indeed and A'kin is a fantastic example of this. A'kin provide a great selection, consistent quality and value for money. It is also a brand I have used for a long time and have bit of a fondness for, their recent rebrand brings the look bang up to date but they are still providing the same great formulas we know and love.

New In: ByBi Beauty (By Beauty Insiders)

Today's brand is one to watch in the natural beauty space, ByBi Beauty, which stands for By Beauty Insiders is brought to you by Elsie and Dominika who are also founders of Clean Beauty Co, authors and co-organisers of Clean Cult. I have had the pleasure of meeting Elsie and Dominika on several occasions and I am always impressed by just how much they seem to cram in to their schedule!

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.

New in: Scienea natural serums (Sponsored)

(This post is kindly sponsored by Scienea)

I have an exciting new brand to share with you today. Scienea has recently launched on to the  natural beauty market and is brought to you by Amphora Aromatics, specialists in aromatherapy products and botanical ingredients.

Big business and the ethical brand buyouts - Bad news for ethical consumers?

The trend for larger corporations buying up smaller, independent businesses has created something of a social media storm in recent months and it is a shift that shows no signs of slowing down. In an era where customers can have a visible and direct conversation with brands through social media platforms such as Facebook, this is resulting in a lot of unhappy feedback, some of it incredibly vocal. It would seem that for many consumers who are driven by company ethics, this is an unwelcome development.

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.

Ingredients focus: Cucumber in natural beauty

I distinctly remember my first proper skincare routine and skincare purchases. I was around the age of fourteen and my mum took me to the Body Shop and bought me a cucumber cleanser and toner. I remember the large green plastic bottles and the fact that the sales assistant did a little mini demonstration telling me how use them, including telling me to wipe off the cleanser with a cotton pad. I laugh now at the cotton pad advice but my Mum was never a beauty enthusiast the way I am, she slept in her make up and wasn't fussy about products, so no one taught me how to cleanse properly. In fact that is something I didn't really start doing consistently until I started blogging.

Interview with Lorraine Dallmeier of Formula Botanica

The natural and organic beauty industry is thriving, with natural brands now sold in major retailers and being featured in glossy magazines such as Vogue. What started out as a niche movement has developed real traction over the last few years, with consumers taking a real interest in botanical ingredients. The rapid growth of the industry means that it is more important than ever to seek out trusted voices for information.

The simplicity of one ingredient with SW Basics

I deeply admire anyone who can successfully grow their beauty business with a less is more approach. In today's market where there are a huge amount of brands constantly fighting for our attention it's refreshing to see a brand stick to a back to basics philosophy and not deviate from their ethos.

Friday night pamper: Dafna's Recovery cleanser review

Let's talk about luxury cleansing, not your everyday get your make up off before bed cleansing, but the mini-facial at home type cleansing. The one where you might even light a candle and have a hot bath too. I try and give myself a much more thorough cleanse, facial massage and some pampering at least once a week. Since having baby number two time for myself is really quite scarce, but when it does happen I love to make the most of it.