Luxury Green Beauty: Be In Blossom Ocean Flower Multi-Complex Serum + Cream review

Multi-tasking skincare often makes bold claims, yet few rarely deliver on all of them. However, Be In Blossom's Ocean Flower Multi-Complex Serum + Cream is a product that has successfully managed to combine the very best attributes of a serum and a facial moisturiser, into the same bottle.

Within mostly green beauty and luxe skincare circles, Be In Blossom is a name that I have seen come up in numerous posts over the past year. The cruelty-free and vegan-friendly German-based skincare brand prides itself on its 'OrganicTech', which incorporates high-quality organic ingredients into effective and innovative formulas that are free from parabens, mineral oils, silicones and petrol-derived chemicals.

Perhaps surprisingly for a skincare brand, Be In Blossom currently only have three products within their range, two of which have been made for men, so naturally, I decided to try out the only 'female' product; their Ocean Flower Multi-Complex Serum + Cream. Packaged in opaque black glass to protect the active ingredients within, Be In Blossom's Ocean Flower Multi-Complex Serum + Cream is based exclusively on maritime technologies to provide the skin with a multi-complex care product. I've often seen a buzz around marine ingredients that are used in skincare, but this is the first time that I've used a product quite like this. 

The key active ingredients include Micro Algae Extract derived from Haematococcus Pluvialis, a freshwater plant species which is known for its high levels of the antioxidant astaxanthin; Sea Holly Phyto Stem Cells, and Alaria Esculenta, another type of antioxidant-rich Algae. These form the base of a powerful anti-ageing serum that helps to support the elasticity and overall suppleness of the skin, repairs damage and stimulates healthy collagen growth.

I've been mainly using this in my evening skincare routine and the feel of this serum is absolutely beautiful on the skin. It has the texture of a light creamy serum and absorbs quickly, yet has the overall feel of a highly nourishing and hydrating moisturiser. There's absolutely no oiliness or sticky/tackiness, and it smells very fresh and spa-like with lots of rich and exotic floral notes. 

The Be In Blossom Ocean Flower Multi-Complex Serum + Cream is suitable for all skin types, including blemish prone and sensitive. Personally, I don't feel the need to add anything else after using this with my combination skin, so it's been the final step in my routine after cleansing and toning. My skin has simply been lapping it up and feels so fresh, hydrated, smooth and rejuvenated! You can also use it in the mornings as a makeup base which makes it a great product to travel with. 

Overall, it's a truly luxurious product that can easily replace your serum, moisturiser and makeup primer, so if you're looking for some proper multi-tasking skincare, this is a must-try. 

Be In Blossom's Ocean Flower Multi-Complex Serum + Cream* (30ml, £46.80, link)

Do you like to use multi-tasking skincare?

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Tried & Tested: Dr. Hauschka Clarifying Intensive Treatment for Acne / Blemish Prone Skin review

If I had a pound for every person who told me that my skin would 'magically' clear up once I hit my mid-20s, I'd be an incredibly wealthy woman! Sadly though, neither happened (sigh) and whilst my complexion is certainly less spotty than when I was a teenager, it's still prone to some annoying, confidence-busting breakouts as an adult.

During my teen years, my skin was as moody as I was; it was easily irritated, often angry at the world and would flare up at a moment's notice for no reason at all (yeah, I didn't handle puberty well at all!). I was lucky enough that I had never had severe acne, but a mild amount was more than enough to knock what little self-confidence I had in myself, and I quickly became very conscious about it.

Moving forward to the present day and my skin is a lot clearer thanks to a better diet and skincare routine, but I still experience regular stress and hormone-related breakouts. I've been dealing with a particularly bad one recently due to exams stress, so it's been the ideal time for me to test out a product that I've always wanted to try from Dr. Hauschka, their Clarifying Intensive Treatment. 

What Is It?

Designed as a specialised treatment for acne and blemish-prone skin, Dr. Hauschka's Clarifying Treatment has been developed to support unbalanced skin. Now, if you're familiar with Dr. Hauschka, they have a very different natural approach to skincare than most other green beauty brands. Their formulas are carefully 'rhythmitised' to work in harmony with the skin and its natural 28-day renewal cycle. You can read more about this in further detail here.

What's In It?

100% natural and organic, certified by NATRUE. Cruelty-free. Key ingredients include Sage and Mercurialis to rebalance the skin, and there's also Witch Hazel and Chicory to control moisture levels and minimise breakouts. Full ingredients: Water/Aqua, Mineral Salts/Sales, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Fragrance/Parfum, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract¹, Cichorium Intybus (Chicory) Extract¹, Mercurialis Perennis Extract¹, Peridote¹. ¹in rhythmitised dilution. Free from synthetic fragrances, dyes, preservatives, mineral oils, silicones and PEGs.

Who Can Use It?

Anyone who has acne or is prone to blemish breakouts. Dr. Hauschka have two types of Clarifying Intensive Treatment based on age (one for under 25s and one for over 25s) to address the differences in the skin at those life stages, so choose the right one for you.

How Do I Use It?

Use this Clarifying Treatment instead of your usual toner for 28 days (to complete the full renewal cycle of your skin), applying after both morning and evening cleanses. Mist 3-4 pumps all over the face and gently press into the skin. 

Overall Thoughts? 

At first, I was a little sceptical as to whether this was going to do much for me. I've used a couple of Dr. Hauschka's skincare products in the past and have found them a little hit and miss to be honest, but I'm pleased to say that this is one of the good ones! I didn't see any big changes straight away though, so it's definitely something that I would recommend sticking with for the full 28 days, making sure to not miss a day for the best results. After around a week of continued use, I started to see a reduction in the size of my blemishes, and by day 15/16, pretty much all of my blemishes had gone, as well as the associated redness and inflammation. During the rest of the 28 day trial, I only had ONE new blemish pop up when I got my period (I usually get a lot more!), and this quickly subsided within the next two days.

The two downsides for me with this product is that I found it quite drying on my skin and noticed some flaky areas start to appear around my nose and chin that weren't there before. Dr. Hauschka recommend using the Clarifying Treatment four times a year to stimulate and rebalance the skin (28 day cycles each), so I'm keen to try it again in the near future, but with some more hydrating products in my routine to try and combat these dry patches. The other obvious downside is the price; at £51 for a full 28 days worth of treatment, it won't be accessible for everyone, but for those who have a higher budget for their skincare essentials, it may be a worthy investment to keep those pesky breakouts at bay. 

Dr. Hauschka Clarifying Intensive Treatment* (40ml, £51) is available from LoveLula.com

What are your favourite anti-blemish products?

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Health & Wellbeing: Teatox Organic Teas review

My love affair with tea has been such a longstanding one that I feel like it's more of a marriage now. I have two cupboards in my kitchen dedicated to just tea in all its forms and guises; from artisan loose leaf blends and organic unbleached bags, to fancy pyramid 'temples' and good old standard, supermarket buys. 

However, I'm always on the hunt to try out new teas and my latest discoveries are from Teatox, a German brand from Berlin, that prides itself on high-quality, loose leaf blends made from certified organic natural ingredients. Their blends have been designed to be beneficial for the mind, body and soul, and they have a wide variety available including Matcha and ceremonial tea sets.

All of the Teatox teas have similar brewing times of around 3-5 minutes, with the exception of the Skinny Detox blend which takes a little longer at 5-7 minutes, and as with most high-quality loose leaf tea blends, you only need to use a teaspoon per cup to get a really flavorful cuppa. I've had the pleasure of trying out five of their teas over the past month and each one has a different benefit and flavour as you'll find out below. 

Teatox Skinny Detox Good Morning Tea* (50g, £11.90, link)

I'm quite sceptical of 'detoxing' teas, but I have to say that this one was lovely and it's something that you can drink every day, not just when you're doing a cleanse or detox. It contains a blend of Lemongrass, Dandelion, Green Mate leaves, Goji Berries, Green Tea Sencha, Ginger Root, Birch leaves, Nettle leaves, Goldenrod and Horsetail which revitalizes the body, helps to kick start your metabolism and improves your energy levels throughout the day. As the name suggests, it's recommended as a morning tea, so to take full advantage of its benefits, brew yourself a cuppa as soon as you wake up or when you have your breakfast. 

What does it taste like?

Taste-wise, the Green Tea Sencha comes through quite strongly in this blend so it's a little bitter at first, but the Lemongrass and Ginger Root help to balance it out, plus the Goji Berries give it a nice subtle hint of fruitiness. 

Teatox Natural Defense Immune Boosting Tea* (50g, £11.90, link)

As I'm one of those people who seems to catch every cold and bug that goes around, I'm always looking for ways that I can boost my immune system, so naturally I was very intrigued to try this one. Comprised of Ginger Root, Green Tea Sencha, Cranberries, Licorice Root, Lemon Peel, Lemon Myrtle, Blackberry, Pomegranate Peel and Echinacea, this tea is packed full of vitamins and minerals, including essential Vitamin C. The addition of Echinacea to the blend further helps the body to fight off colds, making this tea a must-have for when cold and flu season comes around again.

What does it taste like?

This one's very refreshing and fruity, with a mellow base of Green Tea and a hint of aniseed coming from the Licorice Root. I really like it!

Teatox Daily Balance Organic Wellness Tea* (50g, £11.90, link)

This Daily Balance tea is an excellent all round wellness blend that you can enjoy at any time of the day. It's been designed to create balance between the mind, body and soul, so it comes in useful when I'm feeling stressed or anxious. Made from just five natural organic ingredients; Verbena, Ginger Root, Honey Bush, Lemongrass and Lemon Myrtle Leaves, this tea helps to promote calm by relaxing the nerves, and it gives you an overall sense of relaxation without making you feel sleepy so that you can still get on with your work and finish what you need to do. 

What does it take like?

Daily Balance has a very delicate herbal-meets-fruit flavour, landing somewhere between the two. There are some lovely Ginger and Lemon notes in this one.

Teatox Pure Beauty Herbal Skin Care Tea* (50g, £11.90, link)

We all know that to get truly flawless, glowing skin, we need to pay more attention to what we put into our bodies than what we apply on just the surface. This tea features a blend of White Tea, Pineapple, Lemongrass, Ginger Root, Heartsease, Orange Blossoms, Olive Leaves, Burdock Root,  and Chamomile Blossoms, making it rich in antioxidants to purify the skin from the inside out. White Tea and Olive Leaves are particularly beneficial as they have natural properties which have a gentle and protective effect on the skin, and we all know about the benefits of drinking more water!

What does it taste like?

I was expecting this tea to taste more fruity because of the Pineapple content, but it's actually much more mellow and herbal, with the White Tea being the most dominant flavour.

Teatox Power Detox Revitalizing Fitness Tea* (50g, £11.90, link)

Whether you're a regular gym goer, or simply lead a busy lifestyle, this Power Detox tea is perfect for anyone who needs a real energy boost! It's been specially formulated to get you back on track after a long stressful week, or if you've been burning the candle at both ends and need to re-focus on your goals, whatever they may be. Power Detox contains a naturally stimulating blend of Lemon Verbena, Green Rooibos, Sencha Green Tea Guarana, Aronia Berries, Nettle Leaves, Cardamom and Cayenne Pepper, to help the body get rid of toxins, and it boosts your metabolism and energy levels at the same time. Try drinking a cup before your workout to improve your stamina or use it to fight the dreaded afternoon slump at work.

What does it taste like?

A little bitter with a strong Green Tea herbal base, plus some interesting spicy notes coming from the Aronia Berries and Cayenne Pepper. It took me a little while to warm to it at first, but the more I drank it, the more I liked it!

Teatox Organic Teas are available in the UK from LoveLula.com who offer worldwide shipping.

Have you tried any of these?

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Budget Beauty: Benecos Summer Collection - Review & Swatches

Looking for some new makeup for a late Summer holiday, or want to try out a more affordable brand? Benecos have some new, on-trend products out which won't break the bank.

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The 20 Minute Green Beauty Pamper with Aloree, Weleda & Khadi (no bath needed!)

Pampering sessions need not be two-hour affairs https://www.globosurfer.com/best-2-person-hot-tubs/ (although that is my idea of heaven on earth!) - instead, you can feel relaxed and re-energised in just 20 minutes with the right products.

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Review & Swatches: Lavera Illuminating Eyeshadow Quattro in Indian Dream & Glossy Lips in Rosy Sorbet

I've often spoken about Lavera's lovely bath and bodycare lines, but I don't think their makeup gets nearly enough credit as it should.  To remedy this, I've reviewed two favourites from their current cosmetics range.

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Review & Swatches: Artdeco Hydra Lip Booster in 39 Translucent Wood Rose

With the sun finally shining once again, I've found myself gravitating towards more gloss and shine formulas in lip products.  And they don't come much more glossier or shinier than Artdeco's Hydra Lip Boosters.

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German Beauty Haul & A Giveaway! (CLOSED)

Hello, hello, I'm back!  Well I've had an interesting two weeks.  To cut a long story short, my fortnight in Germany lasted just four days due to the awful flooding in Southern Germany/ Bavaria and its surrounding countries.  My heart literally sank when I saw the weather reports on the news, and the afternoon before we were due to travel down to Munich, we received a phone call from our tour operator advising us to cancel our booking.  Argh!  However, none of our family in the Bavaria region were harmed in the floods or had to be evacuated, so I'm very grateful for that.  Anyway, I made the most of my short stay and even managed to pick up a few beauty things, so all's well that ends well right?!

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5 Popular German Beauty Brands

Since getting back from Frankfurt, I've been chatting to a few of you about European beauty brands, discussing what you look out for when you go abroad and which products you pick up that you can't readily get hold of here in the UK.  I love discovering foreign brands, so I thought I'd compile a quick 'top five' of the best beauty brands that you should look out for when you visit Germany.  Where possible, I've also listed where you can get these brands in the UK too, but given the exchange rate, if you're visiting Germany anyway, it's probably going to be much cheaper to buy them there!

1. ARTDECO

ARTDECO is a very popular high-end cosmetics brand in Germany and is described as the country's No.1.  It had huge displays in every department store that I visited in Frankfurt and is often available in higher end pharmacies as well.  ARTDECO are well known for their 'beauty boxes' which are essentially make up your own palettes, and you'll often see women with one of these in their hands at the display stands as they pour over the shade selections.  A beauty box is basically a sleek empty magnetic palette available in various sizes, which you can then customise with your own choice of eyeshadows and blushers.  As you can see from the first photo above, there's an enormous range to choose from!  

Aside from the beauty boxes, when I spoke to one of ARTDECO's make-up artists she said that the recent Dita Von Teese collection was also selling well, particularly the lipsticks .  Prices for ARTDECO's products generally start from around £5-6 for an eyeshadow refill and go up to around £30-35 for a liquid foundation.

Available in the UK?  Yes, you can purchase ARTDECO online via Debenhams, Beautybay & Tender Loving Skincare. 

2. SANS SOUCIS

SANS SOUCIS is a German natural brand which uses thermal spring water from Baden-Baden (the much loved and revered spa town in Baden-Württemberg) in its products.  It uses this unique selling point to mainly promote its range of botanical and mineral rich skincare line, but has also branched out into offering high quality natural cosmetics (as pictured).  Prices are mid-high, but there are often good special offers on new products.

Available in the UK?  I can't find anywhere that stocks SANS SOUCIS over here.  If you know anywhere, please comment below and I'll add it to this post.

 3. WELEDA

Oh Weleda!  If you've been following my blog for a while, you'll know that I absolutely love Weleda.  This Swiss/German hybrid of a brand is incredibly well known amongst fellow natural/green beauty lovers because Weleda have such a strong ethos about their products being natural and never being tested on animals.  Their simple yet effective products come in many forms, with several ranges being available to suit everyone's tastes, and they stock everything related to bath, body, skin and haircare.  I'm a big fan of their cult multi-purpose cream Skin Food and their Pomegranate range.  Prices are mostly around the mid-high range mark, with skincare being on the higher end.

Available in the UK?  Yes, Weleda are available in larger Boots and health food stores, as well as online (Feel Unique, Naturisimo, LoveLula etc).

4. DR. HAUSCHKA

I always like to think of Dr. Hauschka as a natural version of Clinique or Estee Lauder; their displays are very similar and I often find their sales assistants to have the same kind of mannerisms too oddly enough!  Dr. Hauschka pride themselves on creating natural and sustainably sourced products that work wonders on the skin and its these ethics (and products that deliver real results) which has seen Dr. Hauschka become a firm favourite of royalty and many celebrities.  Primarily known for their skincare and luxury bath products, they also have a make-up range which I really want to try out.

Dr. Hauschka's quality doesn't come cheap; prices start from around £10 for a body wash to around £60-65 for skincare treatments.  That said, I always find that the SAs are more than happy to give you free samples of products to try if you ask nicely, and many of their skincare products are available to purchase as handy travel sizes.

Available in the UK?  Yes, you buy Dr. Hauschka from John Lewis, Debenhams and Harvey Nichols to name a few, as well as the usual online sites like Feel Unique, and Beautybay etc.

5.  LAVERA

Lavera are quite similar to Weleda, but better suited to those on a budget, with most things being very purse friendly typical high-street prices.  They stock a fantastic range of great quality toiletries, so it's a good place to start if you happen to lose your luggage on the way to Germany!  You'll find everything here from skincare, bodycare, haircare and all the things in between.  Like Weleda, most of their products are set out in ranges, so you have their Basis sensitive range where I'd recommend their amazing All Round Cream, and then their Honey range, Rose range and so on. 

They also have a good range of make-up which is well worth looking into as well.   The prices for Lavera were significantly cheaper in Germany than in the UK, so I stocked up a couple of bits!

Available in the UK?  Yes, some larger health food stores like Holland and Barrett stock it, as well as online via Pravera, Naturisimo and Cult Beauty.

I also want to give a quick mention to the budget make-up brand, Essence, who have a fab range of nail polishes for less than 2euros a piece!

Do you love any of these German beauty brands?

Have you ever visited Germany / would you like to?

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