Recent Beauty Empties: Products I've Used Up

 

A long overdue post - here are about four month's worth of beauty empties! The growing pile of empty beauty containers has been piling up in my bathroom, so it's time for me to share my final thoughts on these, and discuss which ones I'll be repurchasing in the future.

There's quite a lot to go through here so let's jump straight in, shall we?

Original Source Hydrating Water Infusions Raspberry & Rosewater Shower Gel

I tend to have a couple of different body washes/shower gels on the go in my bathroom (hey, I'm a beauty blogger, OK?!), but the one that I've used the most this summer has been the wonderfully cheap and cheerful Original Source Shower Gel. This smells so fruity and summery, you just can't go wrong with it. Repurchase? Yes.

Paul Yacomine Huile de Parfum Body Oil (travel size)

A gorgeous discovery from a beauty box, this luxury body oil from Paul Yacomine has the most beautiful silky texture and heady tropical floral notes. Highly recommended if you love Bergamot and Ylang Ylang scents - it's heavenly stuff. Repurchase? Out of my budget at the mo sadly!

Ben & Anna White Fluoride Natural Toothpaste* (reviewed here)

If you're looking for a plastic-free toothpaste and you're not keen on those solid tooth tabs, this is a brilliant alternative as feels much more like a regular toothpaste but is packaged in a glass jar instead. I've used up quite a lot of these over the past few years and find that a jar lasts a good couple of months for me. Repurchase? Yes.

Sunday Riley Blue Moon Clean-Rinse Cleansing Balm

Oh, it was a sad day when I came to the end of this beauty! I've loved this cleansing balm for such a long time and still regard it as one of the best that I've ever used. The texture is spot on for me as it's not too heavy or greasy, and is easy to rinse off with a warm flannel. I love using it in the evening as part of a double-cleanse. Repurchase? On my wishlist!

Absolute Aromas Detox Epsom Salts* (reviewed here)

Regular readers will know how much I adore Epsom Salts, and indeed, one usually pops up every time I write an empties post. One of my new faves, these Detox Epsom Salts from Absolute Aromas are brilliant for aching muscles and joint pain. Repurchase? Yes.

Lavera Gloss & Shine Gloss Conditioner* (reviewed here)

For an affordable green beauty conditioner that ticks a lot of the right boxes, you can't go wrong with Lavera's haircare, particularly their Gloss & Shine range. This is a really good conditioner for fine, dry, and dull hair types, and gives lovely swish-worthy results. I think this is my third or fourth bottle. Repurchase? Yes.

Natura Siberica Taiga Daily Protection Hand Cream* (travel size)

I can't fault this hand cream - it's 99% natural, smells great, and moisturises my hands. What's not to love?! Repurchase? Yes.

This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray*

A bestseller and one that I've used for the good part of at least 10 years. Whenever I use this before going to bed, I always find that I can sleep better, which for someone with insomnia/sleep disorder problems, is a real bonus. I feel that this is worth every penny! Repurchase? Definitely.

Evolve Organic Beauty Daily Defence Moisture Mist* (reviewed here)

I've lost count of how many times I've used this or for how long it's been a staple in my skincare routine - it's truly one of those products that I just always come back to time and time again. A fantastic toner mist packed full of skin-friendly ingredients such as Prebiotics, Hyaluronic Acid, and Prickly Pear. Repurchase? Yes.

Dr. Hauschka Lemongrass Vitalising Body Milk* (travel size)

If you love fresh and uplifting lemony scents, you'll absolutely fall in love with Dr. Hauschka's Lemongrass Vitalising Body Milk. In fact, you'll probably fall in love with the whole range! The lightweight silky texture instantly absorbs into the skin and the natural fragrance puts you in a good mood for the whole day. Repurchase? Definitely.

Green People Nordic Roots Hyaluronic Booster Serum* (reviewed here)

My skin drinks up Hyaluronic Acid based serums like this booster from Green People, and I've recommended this particular formula to so many people as it's fragrance-free and easily tolerated by most skin types. I prefer to use this in the evening to plump up my skin overnight as you really do see a noticeable difference come the morning. Repurchase? Yes.

Eyeko Lash Alert Mascara*

I've been rubbish at using up makeup this year as you can tell, but I always try to remember to change out my mascaras every few months to prevent any eye issues like conjunctivitis - ditch those old mascaras! I enjoyed using this one from Eyeko as the curved brush added lots of volume and it didn't clump or smudge. Repurchase? Yes.

Lush Catastrophe Cosmetic Face Mask

I finally took back some old Lush pots to trade them in for a free face mask (their recycling scheme is seriously awesome!), and picked up a fond favourite from back in the day - the amazing Catastrophe Cosmetic. As the name suggests, this is the face mask for troublesome skin and it's brilliant for soothing and calming everything down. Repurchase? Definitely.

Have you used up any beauty products lately?

Read more

Plastic Free July: 6 Easy Plastic-Free Beauty Swaps

 

As Plastic Free July comes to a close for another year, I wanted to share my 6 Easy Beauty Swaps to keep the awareness going and inspire not only everyone reading this to make better, more eco-friendly consumer choices for the planet, but as a personal reminder that there's always more that I can do myself as well.

If you're new to going plastic-free, my advice would be to just start small with one swap and take it from there. It can be rather overwhelming if you try and change everything all at once, not to mention expensive, so use up what you have first and then make your next purchase a plastic-free one. 

I still have an awful amount of plastic in my bathroom and beauty routine as you'll no doubt see from my Empties posts, and I'm going, to be honest here and say that I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to follow a completely plastic-free lifestyle, but making some changes is better than doing nothing!

Here are 6 Easy Beauty Swaps you can try to reduce your plastic waste:-

1 - Swap Your Morning Cleanser For A Konjac Sponge with The Korean Konjac Facial Sponge* (£9.99, link)

Suitable for even sensitive skin, Konjac Sponges have been popular across Asia for decades and have in recent years started to pop up in sustainable bathrooms in the west thanks to their completely natural and biodegradable nature. Made from the Konjac plant, these sponges appear hard at first, but once submerged in water, they soften and expand. Their unique structure gently cleanses the skin and you'll find many Konjac sponges are infused with Red or Green Clay (such as above) to help absorb oil, dirt, and impurities. They're designed to be used on their own with just water for a refreshing morning cleanse, though you can add a tiny amount of your favourite cleanser to them if you wish.

Konjac sponges last around 2-3 months, after which they can be composted. If you try this and like it, there are also larger Body Sponges that you can replace plastic loofahs with for another easy swap!

2 - Swap Your Aerosol or Plastic Roll-On Deodorant For Ben & Anna Natural Deodorant* (60g, £9.95, link)

The natural deodorant market has literally exploded with more choice than ever before so swapping to a natural deodorant in eco-friendly packaging is one of the easiest swaps to make these days. I've reviewed so many over the years (check out some of my reviews here) and I often chop and change between different brands. 

My current favourite for summer has been this Ben & Anna Natural Deodorant in Persian Lime which has such a beautiful zesty and fresh citrusy scent. It comes packaged in a handy twist-up cardboard tube that's easy to recycle afterwards, and each purchase helps to support ocean cleaning projects around the world.

3 & 4 - Swap Your Toothpaste & Floss To Ben & Anna Natural Toothpaste* (100ml, £8.95, link) and Georganics Natural Activated Charcoal Floss* (£4.90, link)

I've talked about plastic-free dental routines in the past, and again, the market for these products has grown enormously due to consumer demand which is very encouraging to see. There are lots and lots of natural toothpaste to choose from and I have another favourite from Ben & Anna here who do a brilliant range of fluoride and fluoride-free options so you can pick the one to suit your personal needs. All of their toothpaste is packaged in glass jars with an aluminium lid and come with a little wooden spatula that you can use to dispense the paste straight onto your brush.

Don't stop with just toothpaste though! Dentists recommend that we should all be flossing at least once a day for optimal gum and mouth health so grab one of these Georganics Natural Activated Charcoal Floss that comes in a reusable glass jar and buy the refills whenever you run out.

4 - Swap Your Plastic Shampoo Bottle for Marley's Pure & Natural Shampoo* (50g, £11.50, link)

Natural shampoos are perhaps the trickiest swap so save this one for last if you're new to this as I have personally found them to be a bit of a journey to find ones that work for your hair. However, I'm currently enjoying Marley's sustainable Pure & Natural Shampoo in Euclayltpus and Green Clay which is specially formulated for oily/greasy hair types.

This is quite different from the usual natural shampoo bars that you see people using, as inside the plastic-free bag are natural shampoo flakes. To use it, you simply add hot water to the bag, leave for 30 minutes to dissolve and once cool, transfer it to a reusable bottle (this could be your previous plastic shampoo bottle). Pop the bottle into the fridge overnight to rest and come the morning, it's ready to use! This is a good one to try if you haven't had much luck with traditional shampoo bars, and instead prefer a liquid-based shampoo.

6 - Swap Your Hand & Body Wash For A Soap Bar* (100g, £2.49, link)

We've all been washing our hands like crazy during the pandemic and unfortunately, all of that plastic waste that's generated from hand wash bottles is adding up, so if you only do one of these swaps, make it this one. I've loved seeing old-school bars of soap come back into fashion again! Versatile to have next to every sink in your home, you can choose your favourite natural ingredients and scent and enjoy a truly plastic-free, zero-waste alternative. Once you've swapped your hand washes, why not try using a bar or two in the shower instead of shower gel? Another easy plastic-free swap!

What are your favourite plastic-free beauty swaps?

Follow me on: BlogLovin' | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Read more

Green Beauty: The Plastic Free Edit #PlasticFreeJuly

Going plastic-free is a journey that many of us are currently taking as we actively cut down on our plastic waste to help save our oceans and the environment. As we near the end of the Plastic Free July campaign, I wanted to share some of my favourite plastic-free green beauties in this handy edit that covers shampoos, hand and body soaps, toothpaste, deodorant and hand sanitiser.

 Shampoo Bars

Having tested out well over 40 or 50 different brands of shampoo bars over the years, I can honestly say that no two shampoo bars are the same and it's a real trial and error process to find 'the one' that will work perfectly for your hair. Some people find this easier than others depending on their particular hair types and concerns, and thankfully there are more and more shampoo bars being released to address frizzy hair, dry hair, coloured hair, damaged hair, greasy hair and everything in between - I promise 'the one' is out there somewhere so don't give hope just yet if you're finding the switch from plastic a bit more difficult than other people's experiences.

I'm a big fan of My. Haircare Rescue My Hair Pollution Patrol Shampoo Bar which I dedicated a whole post to here earlier in the year, and for this round-up, I wanted to shine the spotlight onto two more options that have been working really well for me. 

If you have a fussy scalp like mine that's prone to dryness and dandruff and gets easily irritated, I would recommend trying EarthKind Shampoo Bar for Improved Scalp Health* (50g, £6.95, link). This vegan-friendly formula is free from sulphates and contains Tea Tree and Eucalyptus essential oils which have natural antibacterial and antimicrobial properties so they can fend off the bacteria and yeast that can cause dandruff. I find this one really gentle and soothing for when my scalp feels itchy or sore and it has a lovely fresh scent to it.

Another SLS-free and vegan-friendly option is Nuddy Ultra Volume Shampoo Bar* (100g, £8.95, link) which is amazing if you have fine and dull hair that needs a bit of a volumising boost. It's pH balanced so again, great for sensitive scalps, and is infused with the likes of Coconut Oil and Argan Oil. This bar lathers up beautifully and makes your hair much more manageable and shiny. Fruity fans will also love the Acai Berry and Peach fragrance which is very summery.

 Body & Hand Soaps

Good old-fashioned bars of soaps are well and truly back in the nation's bathrooms, and the choice out there is utterly outstanding. From handcrafted, small-batch, artisan-style soaps to mainstream brands that you can pick up alongside your supermarket shopping, the options are seemingly endless when it comes to multi-purpose soaps that you can use for hands and body. I would be here all day if I listed all of my favourites so here are just two brands that I've been using a lot recently. 

The Tropic Cleansing Body Pebbles* (130g, £8 each, link) are round body soaps that are perfect for using in the shower and their larger size makes them easier to hold too. These are great for dry skin as they contain Shea Butter and Oat Oil to help moisturise, they lather up well, and with four different scents available, there's something for everyone; I particularly love the Original and Creamy Colada Body Pebbles, both of which smell gorgeous.

For a budget-friendly alternative, you can't beat the amazing Organii Cream Soaps* (100g, £2.95, link) which are SLS-free, made from 100% natural ingredients, are vegan-friendly and produced Carbon Neutral with Greenpeace energy. These deliciously creamy Shea Butter based soaps have natural essential oils added to them after saponification and they've recently brought out five new scents, two of which you can see above; Almond & Avocado and Verbena & Lemon. They're heavenly! 

 Toothpaste & Deodorant

It's the little things that really add up when you're switching to plastic-free alternatives, so have a look at the everyday products that you and your family use, and see if there's one which is plastic-free next time when it runs out. Most of us use toothpaste and deodorant every day and whilst these plastic-free alternatives are more expensive, they have much better ingredients in them and are made by ethical brands so if you can afford to, invest in those companies that you want to see more of by purchasing their eco-friendly products for a better world for everyone.

There are lots of options becoming readily available for plastic-free toothpaste, from solid bars and 'tooth tabs', to tubes that feel like regular plastic but are actually made from biodegradable sugarcane. I know many of my readers prefer products which are packaged in glass so the Ben & Anna Natural Toothpaste* (100ml, £8.95, link) range would be perfect for you. The paste is a little thinner than the mainstream equivalents, but it's easy to use the mini wooden spatula that comes with each jar to scoop up a small amount and apply it to your toothbrush - then you simply brush your teeth as normal - easy! With fluoride and fluoride-free formulas available, you simply can't go wrong.

Plastic-free deodorant alternatives also come in a range of different formats, but the most common is as a solid stick or cream in a jar or tin, the latter of which you'll find from We Love The Planet. Their Forever Fresh Deodorant* (48g, £8.99, link) is a hard-working deo which keeps you smelling fresh all day thanks to a powerful combination of Beeswax, Coconut Oil and Cornstarch Powder, citrusy essential oils and botanical herbs. It has a thick and creamy balm type texture and is easy to apply with your fingers. 

Hand Sanitiser

Whilst we don't yet know what the lasting physical and mental effects of Coronavirus will be for ourselves, we do know that the ongoing fight against it requires billions of pieces of plastic to be produced and ultimately thrown away, whether in landfill or burnt into the atmosphere. Much of this is unavoidable at this point in time as sadly as there is no cost-effective alternative yet to plastic-based PPE, but there are a few things that we can do as individuals to help. We can switch to plastic-free soaps for hand-washing, wear a reusable cotton/cloth face mask that can be popped into the washing machine after each use, and we can make better choices about the hand sanitiser that we carry everywhere that we go.

One such brand who are leading the way is Beauty Kitchen who have developed an Organic Vegan Hand Sanitiser (link) as part of The Sustainables range. Made with 62% alcohol, Organic Aloe Vera and naturally antibacterial Mint essential oils, it has a light and refreshing, non-sticky feeling and comes packaged in a recyclable aluminium bottle. You can either refill this yourself by purchasing more direct from Beauty Kitchen, or you can send it back to them for free as part of their Return, Refill, Repeat scheme (read more here) where it will be washed and reused. You can also do this with the plastic pump when it wears out and Beauty Kitchen will recycle it for you!

What are your favourite plastic-free alternatives?

Follow me on: BlogLovin' | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest 

Read more

Health & Lifestyle: Creating A Plastic-Free Dental / Oral Hygiene Routine

With routine dental appointments now cancelled until further notice in the UK due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it's become more important than ever to establish a good daily dental routine at home to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Here are some of the best natural dental products on the market that will also help you to go plastic-free with your routine at the same time!

One Small Step - Swap Your Plastic Toothbrush for a Bamboo One

If you only make one change, make sure it's this one - simply swap your plastic toothbrush for a bamboo one - super easy! Plastic toothbrushes are a major contributor to the growing pollution that's clogging up our oceans with over 3.6 billion of them thrown away worldwide; that's an enormous amount. Luckily, bamboo toothbrushes offer a biodegradable and sustainable alternative to this problem so when it comes to replacing your current toothbrush, why not make the switch? Woobamboo has bamboo toothbrushes for the whole family with prices from £4.49 (link).

No More Plastic Packaging - Buy Your Dental Floss In Refillable Glass

All dentists recommend flossing at least once a day as part of a good oral hygiene routine, but did you know that most plastic containers of dental floss are not made from recyclable materials? Many are simply thrown away with the usual bathroom waste, but you can now purchase your dental floss in glass thanks to Organically Epic. Their vegan-friendly dental floss is infused with Charcoal to remove stains and it has a refreshing peppermint flavour. You can also purchase refills to reduce packaging waste further and one pack will last around 3 months (£5.25, link). 

Bye Bye Plastic Interdental Brushes - Swap To Sustainable Bamboo Instead

I've been looking for a sustainable alternative to plastic interdental brushes for a long time and I was beyond happy to finally come across this nifty assorted pack from Woobamboo. Featuring a mix of interdental brush sizes, these are made from 97.6% biodegradable material including eco-friendly bamboo, so this is another easy swap to make (12 pack, £6.99, link). 

The New Natural Plastic-Free Toothpastes

Plastic-free toothpastes have been popping up on my beauty radar for a while now and a growing number of natural brands are bringing them to the market. I've tried several of them from various brands in a range of formats such as powders, solid bars and jars of pastes, and I have to admit that the latter has worked the best for me. I've been enjoying using the Sensitive Natural Toothpaste from Ben & Anna since my last plastic tube ran out and it has a lovely refreshing flavour, with a gentle but protective formula that's been specially created for sensitive teeth (100ml, £8.95, link).

A Glass Alternative To Plastic Mouthwash Bottles

Also from Ben & Anna, I discovered the matching Sensitive Natural Mouthwash which utilises natural ingredients such as Sea Buckthorn, Aloe Vera and Sage to disinfect, soothe and protect your whole mouth. The glass bottle definitely adds an extra touch of luxury to my bathroom sink! (500ml, £10.95, link).

Introduce A Stainless Steel Tongue Cleaner 

For the most optimum oral hygiene, the practice of using a Tongue Cleaner has been popular in Ayurveda and natural health circles for thousands of years, yet I've only recently started to see more and more people in the West embrace them. This stainless steel option from Organically Epic helps to get rid of bacteria and dead cells that build up on your tongue, which in turn improves your sense of taste and banishes bad breath at the same time. With a lifetime guarantee, it's hygienic and easy to clean, whilst this handy 2-pack is perfect for you and your partner/family member (£6.15, link).  

Time On Your Hands? Try Oil-Pulling

Oil-Pulling is another long-standing Ayurvedic tradition which has become popular in the last couple of years and if you find yourself with lots of time on your hands in the mornings now, why not give it a try?! The general concept is based on Coconut Oil's prized natural antibacterial properties which help to draw out any build-up of toxins and pathogens, leaving your whole mouth cleaner than it's ever been before. It's also known to naturally whiten your teeth as an added bonus! 

To take part, simply add a teaspoon full of Coconut Oil to your mouth and move it around with your tongue, making sure to push it between the teeth - do not swallow it! Swish it around for 15-20 minutes and then spit it out into the bathroom bin (never spit it into the sink as the oil will solidify and cause blocked pipes!). It takes some time to get used to but I find it oddly satisfying! Using an organic, raw, cold-pressed Coconut Oil such as this one from Kiki Health will help you to reap all the benefits (500ml, £13.95, link).

Have you switched to any plastic-free alternatives recently?

Follow me on: BlogLovin' | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Read more