A Natural & Cruelty Free Alternative To Vaseline: Beauty Kitchen Natruline Lip Treatment Will Rescue Dry Lips (And More) This Winter

It's time to step away from those ubiquitous tins of greasy petroleum, and instead, make a more sustainable and natural swap to Beauty Kitchen's wonderful Natruline Lip Treatments.

With temperatures plummeting across the UK and snow on its way, you may be noticing that your skin is feeling drier than usual and needs a little more TLC. Lips especially are at risk of cracking and chapping throughout Winter, but it's easy to keep them happily moisturised thanks to Beauty Kitchen.

Although not a new product, Beauty Kitchen's Nattruline Lip Treatments are new-to-me and they caught my eye in the recent Holland and Barrett sale where I immediately added two to my basket. 

I know what you're thinking; these look uncannily like a certain non-natural brand that has been pushing cheap and nasty mineral oil products onto consumers for over a century, and I doubt that the striking resemblance is a *wink wink* coincidence (well played there Beauty Kitchen!). 

The differences, however, are numerous as Beauty Kitchen is a British brand with all of its products being made here in the UK. They are cruelty-free and pride themselves on their innovative formulas which are created from natural and sustainable ingredients. On top of all that, Beauty Kitchen is a certified B Corporation that is widely seen as one of the highest accreditations when it comes to businesses that adhere to strict social, ethical, and environmental standards of performance, accountability, and transparency.  

So back to this natural and cruelty-free Vaseline dupe. Is it as good? No. It's better!

The problem with petroleum/mineral oil is that it doesn't properly moisturise the skin - it just sits on top and long-term use of it can actually make your skin worse by becoming more sensitive and dry. 

I love the Beauty Kitchen Natruline Lip Treatments because they look and feel like Vaseline, but thanks to their all-natural ingredients, they actually hydrate, soothe and help to protect dry skin. And just like Vaseline, you can use these in exactly the same ways, so apply to lips, cuticles, dry elbows etc.

A note on the ingredients; the original Natruline (blue tin) contains two types of Castor Oil, Carnauba Wax, and Beeswax, whilst the vegan version (green tin) contains all of the above minus the beeswax. Testing them out side by side, I honestly couldn't tell much of a difference between the pair!

Beauty Kitchen Natruline Lip Treatments* (20g, £2.99 each, link)

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Health & Lifestyle: Bioglan Superfoods Digestive Boost review #GutHealth

 

A new release from Bioglan Superfoods, Digestive Boost is an easy to use daily supplement that you can use to boost your gut health, whilst also giving your immune system a helping hand.

Busy modern lifestyles, stress, a poor diet and a lack of exercise can all have a negative impact on your gut health, and as we learn more about our 'second brain', it becomes clearer that we need to look after our gut to benefit both our physical and mental health. 

Digestive supplements can be a useful addition, but if you're not a fan of swallowing capsules, why not try a powder product instead? 

What Is It?

Bioglan Superfoods Digestive Boost is a superfood powdered blend that's full of microbiome-friendly ingredients to benefit and support your gut health. Each 5g serving contains 500 million live cultures in addition to carefully selected plant-derived ingredients, which are each chosen for their unique health properties. It's also high in fibre, high in calcium and high in Vitamin B12 so it's especially useful for vegans as an alternative way for them to get that all-important B12 into their diet (each serving contains 400% NRV Vitamin B12 and 306% NRV Calcium).

What are the key ingredients?

Digestive Boost contains key ingredients of Inulin (a fibre found naturally in vegetables such as chicory), Psyllium Husk, Turmeric, Ginger, Dandelion Root, Nettle Leaf extract, a Multi-Enzyme blend, and added Calcium and Vitamin B12. Sweetener (in the form of Sucralose) and natural flavouring is also added to make it more palatable.

Who Can Use It?

Any adults who want to give their digestive and immune systems a boost can use it, but do check with your GP if you have any concerns that may need to be addressed. It's completely plant-based so it's suitable for vegans and there are none of the 14 common allergens in the blend.

How Do I Use It?

I found the Digestive Boost really easy to incorporate into my daily routine and the recommended serving is 5g per day - each pack contains 14 servings. Being a powdered blend means that you can easily add it to drinks such as juices and smoothies (I made a delicious Mango & Banana Smoothie above), or you can stir it into yoghurts and cereal. You can add it to basically anything that isn't hot as hot temperatures can destroy the enzymes in the blend. On the back of the packet is a recipe for No-Bake Vanilla Cookie Balls which I can't wait to try!  

What Does It Taste Like?

Although there's some natural Vanilla flavouring added to this product, I'd say that the flavour of Turmeric comes through the strongest, with more of a hint of sweet Vanilla following afterwards. You can't really taste it once it's blended into a juice or smoothie drink though.

Overall Thoughts

As mentioned earlier, looking after your digestive health is vitally important for your overall wellbeing and it's essential for both your physical and mental health so a supplement like this will certainly benefit many people, especially those who struggle to eat enough fibre which is most of us. Vegans will do well with this as it contains more than their daily requirements for both Calcium and Vitamin B12. The addition of antioxidants such as Turmeric, Ginger and Nettle help to support a healthy immune system which is also important as we head into the colder months. I enjoyed how easy it was to add to my breakfast routine too so it gets a thumbs up from me!

Bioglan Superfoods Digestive Boost* (70g - 14 servings, £12.99, link)

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Health & Lifestyle: New Nordic Hair Volume Supplements, Hair Volume plus Nail Strong & Hair Volume Gummies - 3 Month Trial Review

Supplements are always big news during January, as many of us wish to boost our health for the new year ahead, and the demand for beauty specific supplements continues to grow. For the past three months, I've been trialling three different supplements from New Nordic to help address a common concern: thinning hair.

Thick hair, like good skin, is often partly down to genetics and unfortunately, I wasn't blessed with masses of hair akin to a Disney Princess. That said, I was pretty happy with my hair when I was younger and only started to experience problems when I hit my mid-late 20s and began to notice that it was thinning and at times, even falling out. I had some blood tests done and discovered that I was deficient in some key vitamins and minerals due to an underlying autoimmune illness which was wreaking havoc with my hormones.

Fast forward to the present day and I've experienced several cycles of hair loss over the last five years that have had a serious effect on my self-confidence and self-esteem. My illness, diet and stress levels are better managed now (though I'm still trying to figure out what triggers certain on-going issues), and my gut health has improved enormously which allows me to benefit greatly from taking supplements, so I always recommend getting some tests done first to see if you can identify any deficiencies first.

To manage my thinning hair, I take daily supplements with Biotin and Zinc and New Nordic's Hair Volume range is full of them! I've tested out the following three different formulas over the past three months to see what effects they would have.

New Nordic Hair Volume* (30 tablets, £24.95, link)

The original New Nordic Hair Volume supplement is a bestseller and contains micronutrients and natural herbal extracts to help maintain normal hair volume and growth. Each ingredient has been carefully chosen for its beneficial properties and its these bioactives that nourish and activate the life processes of hair follicle cells. Biotin and Zinc are essential for healthy hair, and Copper has an interesting quality as it contributes to normal hair pigmentation which can help to prevent premature grey hairs.

Packaged in each tablet is 300mg Apple extract (rich in procyanidin B2), 250mg Millet extract, 200mg Horsetail extract, 60mg L-cysteine and 50mg L-methionine. These are accompanied by a large amount of Biotin (475mcg which is 950% NRV), 30mg Pantothenic Acid (500% NRV), 10mg Zinc (100% NRV) and 1mg Copper (100% NRV).

The tablets are a little larger than a standard Paracetamol, but I found them easy enough to swallow with a glass of water and they can be broken into two smaller pieces if you need to. I took one a day as recommended and found them useful to prevent my hair from further thinning, so they're something that I will happily continue to take on a regular basis. These supplements are dairy and gluten-free.

New Nordic Hair Volume plus Nail Strong* (60 tablets, £29.95)

If you want an extra boost that also helps your nails in the process, the latest addition to the New Nordic range are the Hair Volume plus Nail Strong supplements. They have the same base ingredients as the original Hair Volume formula above, but also contain 200mg Orthosilic Acid (cholin-stabilised), 45mg Propolis and 20mg Pepper extract.

I'd say that the superstar ingredient here is the Orthosilic Acid which is a bioavailable form of silicon that's been proven to help strengthen brittle nails, so if yours are feeling weak or tend to break easily, this is the supplement for you!  New Nordic recommended that you take two of these tablets a day with a glass of water and they are roughly the same size as the original Hair Volume supplements. I started to see noticeable differences to my nails after just two weeks of taking them.

New Nordic Hair Volume Gummies* (60 gummies, £19.95, link)

Taking tablet-shaped supplements isn't for everyone, but don't worry, New Nordic also offer their brilliant Hair Volume formula in a much more palatable option for anyone who struggles with, or doesn't like swallowing larger tablets. These gummies are soft and chewy with a deliciously sweet apple juice flavour instead!

Enjoy two a day with a meal and you'll benefit from 150mg Apple extract, 125mg Millet extract, 100mg Horsetail extract, 475mcg Biotin (950% NRV) and 2.5mg Zinc (25% NRV). They don't quite pack the punch of the other two formulas above, but if your hair is in relatively good shape and you simply want to continue maintaining what you have, these could be useful to you. Unfortunately, the gummies are sugar and gelatine based so they're not suitable for vegans, vegetarians or diabetics.

Shop the full range of New Nordic Hair Volume supplements at newnordic.co.uk

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Health & Lifestyle: Bioglan Superfoods Beauty Protein Powder review #VeganBeauty

Collagen supplements have been popular amongst skincare fans for a long time now, but did you know that most are made from marine or bovine ingredients? For those who have been searching for a vegan-friendly collagen alternative, Bioglan Superfoods have the answer in the form of their new Beauty Protein Powder.

Collagen is a protein that's found naturally all throughout the body; it's in your bones, skin, muscles and tendons, and is often referred to as the body's 'scaffolding' which is a good way to sum it up as it supports your overall structure. Like many natural sources though, collagen production starts to slow down after around the age of 25 and takes a tumble even further for women after the menopause (thanks Mother Nature!). 

Needless to say, finding ways to boost collagen, and thus its production, has been touted as one of the big 'anti-ageing' research areas as declining collagen levels ultimately lead to a loss of skin elasticity and moisture - resulting in those common signs of ageing such as fine lines, wrinkles, sagging and drier skin. 

There are a myriad of different collagen supplement products available on the market, from capsules to drinks, to topical skincare and rejuvenating face treatments, but now there's finally a vegan-friendly option thanks to Bioglan Superfoods' new Beauty Protein Powder - hooray!

What Is It?

Bioglan Superfoods Beauty Protein Powder is a collagen-boosting blend of superfood berries and plant-based protein which has been enhanced by additional vitamins and minerals to give your skin a boost from within. It features a unique amino acid mix that essentially mimics the composition of traditionally used bovine collagen, giving vegans and vegetarians a cruelty-free alternative.

What Are The Key Ingredients?

Pea and Rice Protein offer a good source of plant-based protein (7.1g per 10g serving), whilst Goji Berry and Raspberry Fruit Powders provide a source of antioxidants and Vitamin C that helps to maintain normal collagen formation for healthy skin. The amino acid complex is made up of L-Glycine, L-Alanine, L-Proline, L-Hydroxyproline, L-Leucine and L-Arginine, each of which has been specially chosen for their abilities to help boost collagen, and there's also Hyaluronic Acid (to help the skin hold onto moisture for longer), Bamboo extract and Biotin (to keep skin, hair and nails strong) added to complete the blend.

How Do I Use It?

Super easy - like everything in the Bioglan Superfoods range, you can add it to porridge (as above),  overnight oats, birchers, smoothies, shakes, or stir it into yoghurts, and even add it to pancake and muffin recipes for a healthier treat. Two teaspoons (10g) is all you need per day.

What Does It Taste Like?

Unlike other mainstream collagen supplements which can have a fishy aftertaste, this one doesn't really taste of much, except for a subtle 'protein powder' flavour (if you drink protein shakes, you'll know what I mean!) which I don't mind. It's easily disguised in whatever you blend it with anyway! 

Overall Thoughts?

I know a lot of vegetarians and vegans who have been looking for a product like this, and with more people turning to a plant-based diet, I can see this being very popular. It's free from animal products, high in protein and contains no added flavours, sugar or sweeteners. Plus it's easy to use and incorporate into your daily routine, and it can help to improve your skin in the long term - what's not to like?! My only bugbears are the plastic packaging (I hope Bioglan are looking into this) and that a product of this nature could be made even better by using organic ingredients, however for the price, it's definitely worth a try.

Bioglan Superfoods Beauty Protein Powder* (100g - equal to 10 servings - £12.99) is available direct from Bioglan Superfoods and Holland & Barrett (link)

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Women's Health: Spatone Liquid Iron Supplement - 6 Week Trial review

Throughout most of my adult life, I've struggled with having low iron levels and have suffered from bouts of anaemia and fatigue as a result. Iron supplements though are very hit and miss, but I think I've finally found some that work for me!

Why Is Iron Important?

Iron is one of the most important minerals that the body needs a good supply of every day. It's essential because iron is a vital component in making the red blood cells that carry oxygen around the body. This helps to maintain normal energy levels, reduce tiredness and fatigue, keep your immune system healthy and stabilise normal cognitive function.

However, most of us struggle to get enough iron from our daily diet alone, and women under menopause age and young females are especially prone to iron deficiencies as most of us have periods or extra nutritional demands, such as those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Vegetarians, like myself, and vegans are also at risk because although iron is found in many green vegetables such as Broccoli and Spinach, the body does not absorb it as easily as it does with iron that's found in red meat.

Not All Iron Supplements Are The Same
When I first had some blood tests done as a teenager, I was immediately prescribed some heavy duty iron supplements which came in a tablet form. These were not only hard to swallow (they were HUGE!), but they caused me to have the most unbearable stomach cramps, which were so bad that I had to stop taking them. I was put on a lower dosage which I put up with for a few years, but these still gave me a lot of stomach problems and although it's TMI, I had constipation issues as well which isn't fun, let me tell you! So, after getting fed up with the side effects of prescribed iron tablets, I tried out a bunch of different brands and formulas that I purchased from health shops, all with varying degrees of success until I tried Spatone.

Over the past six weeks, I've been taking part in a trial of Spatone Liquid Iron Supplements, where I have been consuming one packet per day. Spatone is made from 100% natural iron-rich water that's sourced from the Trefriw Wells Spa in Snowdonia, North Wales. They have two versions available; an Apple flavoured one that contains added Vitamin C to enhance absorption and an Original one that's just iron-water.

As it's a liquid iron supplement, it's a lot more gentle on the stomach than iron tablets and has been scientifically proven to be a highly absorbable source of iron with an average absorption rate of 40%. This might sound low, but as the body only absorbs around 5-20% of the iron that's found in foods, it can help you to reach your daily iron requirements as part of a varied diet (each Spatone sachet contains 5mg of iron).

How To Take Spatone

Spatone is packaged in individual sachets and it's recommended to take one a day as a top up for your body's iron levels. The brand suggests mixing it with fruit juice and I would highly recommend doing this because it doesn't taste good on its own (I tried it just to see what it was like and the Original flavour is like drinking liquid metal - the Apple flavour is much more palatable!). However, once mixed with juice, you can't really taste it. 

Iron supplements are best taken on an empty stomach, and the Vitamin C in your juice helps the body to increase the absorption of the iron. If you absolutely can't take it on an empty stomach, avoid consuming it with carbonated drinks (phosphates), tea (tannin), coffee (caffeine), dairy, raw cereal (phytates) and any supplements that contain calcium, as all of these will inhibit the absorption rate. Allow a 30-45 minute gap from when you take it to eating a meal for the best results.

Overall thoughts?

Spatone is by far the best iron supplement that I've ever taken. I have had no problems with any side effects such as nausea or stomach cramps/complaints, no issues with constipation, and after six weeks of taking it daily, I have noticed a slight increase in my energy levels - which for someone who regularly suffers from fatigue, this is a really big deal! 

I'm so happy with it that I've since purchased another four months' supply, as I feel it may well be a long-term daily supplement for me, and I'm curious as to whether I'll start to see any more differences in my overall health in the future from taking it on a regular basis. I'll be sure to update this post if I do!

Spatone* is available in packs of 14 or 28 sachets and can be found in the Original flavour and an Apple flavour which has added Vitamin C. I'd recommend the latter! Prices start from £6.99 and Spatone can be found in major retailers such as Superdrug and Holland & Barrett. Full stockist info at spatone.com

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Health & Lifestyle: LQ Liquid Health Skin, Hair & Nails Supplements review

Collagen supplements are everywhere at the moment, but do they actually make any difference to your skin, hair and nails? I've been trialling out these ones from LQ Liquid Health for the past three months to see if they're really worth the money or not.

Supplements can be a really good way to 'top up' a healthy diet (alongside plenty of exercise and drinking lots of water!) and I've been taking multi-vitamins for years. However, I've become more interested in the more 'skincare targeted' end of supplements which aim to help maintain healthy skin, hair and nails, so I was curious to try these collagen-based ones from LQ Liquid Health.  

Collagen is a naturally occurring protein in the human body that's often referred to as the 'glue that holds everything together' and it's found in our skin, bones, muscles and tendons. Skin-wise, collagen helps to maintain healthy levels of strength and elasticity within the skin, so it's no surprise to learn that the older we get, the less collagen we naturally have in our bodies, which is one of the reasons we can get sagging skin, wrinkles and joint problems. With this in mind, I decided to try out the LQ Liquid Health Skin, Hair & Nails Supplements for three months. These come in ready-made, once a day, 50ml bottles and they have a slightly fruity/tart taste to them. I really like the convenience of the bottles as you can drink them on the go or throw them into your bag if you're in a rush in the morning.   

Each bottle contains 7,000mg of marine collagen (derived from fish - though these don't taste fishy at all!), combined with a range of other beneficial ingredients including Hyaluronic Acid (60mg), Resveratrol (10mg), Silicon (48mg), Glucosamine (10mg), Selenium (15% RDA), Vitamin C (180mg / 225% RDA), Vitamin E (100% RDA) and Biotin Vitamin B7 (15% RDA). If you're taking a multi-vitamin, I'd recommend checking what's in it and comparing it to these as I found that I didn't need to take any more Vitamin C during the three months that I was using these for.

Did I see any results?

I'm glad that I tried these supplements for a longer period of time because in the first six weeks or so, I didn't see any differences in my skin, hair or nails at all. It was only during the end of the second month that I started to see any noticeable changes and these were more related to how my skin felt, as I didn't see any difference in my nails or hair during the three months. My skin, on the other hand, began to feel smoother, softer, a lot less dry and it looked less dehydrated as though it was more 'plumped up'. I noticed that my pores looked slightly smaller than normal too. 

At the end of the three months, these changes continued for another two or so weeks, but my skin has started to go back to how it was before since I've stopped taking the supplements, so they're definitely something that you need to stick with in order to see longer term benefits. I do think they're expensive though, but if you can afford it and you want to try and slow down the visible signs of ageing, they may well be beneficial for you. 

 LQ Liquid Health Skin, Hair & Nails Supplements* are available in packs of 10 for £29.99 from Boots and Holland & Barrett.

Are you interested in taking collagen supplements for anti-aging / skin care effects?

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Green Beauty: Trying Out Coffee Body Scrubs from Scrub Love & Bean Body

Getting your coffee fix has never been so in vogue, but I'm not talking about drinking it. It's time to head into the bathroom and get messy!

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Green Beauty: Trying Out A Natural Dental / Oral Hygiene Routine

For the past month, I've been experimenting with a more natural based oral hygiene routine to see if it would help my sensitive teeth. Here are a few words about my experience, and why I would recommend everyone to give it a go at least once.

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