March Beauty Favourites

 

It's time for a quick round-up of my March Beauty Favourites! This little edit features new green beauty products from Evolve Organic Beauty, The English Mineral Makeup Company, Wilkinson Sword and Green People. Let's jump straight in!

Evolve Organic Beauty Deep Clean Micellar Water* (190ml, £20, link)

First up, I'm pleased to introduce this brand new release from one of my favourite British green beauty brands, Evolve. Their Deep Clean Micellar Water is just the most beautiful refreshing cleanser to reach for at the end of the day when you want to take all of your makeup off. It's made from 100% natural ingredients, is cruelty-free, vegan-friendly and suitable for all skin types to use, including sensitive, as it's gentle on the skin. 

Packed full of Moringa Peptides to remove microparticles of pollution, there's also Hyaluronic Acid to lock in moisture so your skin won't be left feeling stripped afterwards and Organic Pomegranate which is well known for its high level of antioxidants to further protect and hydrate your complexion.

This cleanser doubles up as a toner as well, so it's a convenient 2-in-1 product to use and super easy to incorporate into your evening skincare routine. I also love the glass packaging and don't forget that you can recycle the pump via TerraCycle. 

The English Mineral Makeup Company Lip Massive Moisture Drench in Barely Peony* (15g, £28, link)

The perfect new lip product for Spring, I'm thrilled that The English Mineral Makeup Company has launched this brilliant Lip Massive Moisture Drench, and if you're a fan of organic, vegan and clean makeup, you'll love this as much as I do!

I always find that my lips are still feeling a bit chapped and dry at this time of the year, so this skincare-meets-makeup hybrid is the ideal lip product to keep in your handbag for those essential touch-ups throughout the day. With an intensely hydrating formula that features Jojoba Wax, Calendula Oil, Sea Buckthorn Oil, Vitamin E, Hemp Oil, Rosehip Oil, Apricot Oil and Shea Butter, this luxury lip treat lives up to its namesake by literally drenching lips in moisture and minimising the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for a smoother pout.

You can pick this up in a colour-free version, as well as the beautiful Barely Peony (shown above) for a pretty pink tint. Sustainably packaged in a glass jar and aluminium lid so it's plastic-free.

Wilkinson Sword Xtreme 3 Beauty Eco-Green* (12 pack, £11.99, link)

As one of the best-selling brands of razors across the UK and Europe, it's great to see Wilkinson Sword bringing out a more eco-friendly and sustainable razor option for women. 

Named the Xtreme 3 Beauty Eco-Green, this new razor has a recyclable handle that is also made from 95% recycled plastic, and they have ditched the traditional plastic packaging for a new card box FSC certified design which is made from over 90% recycled paper. 

Not only is it better for the environment, but it's kinder to skin too with two lubricating strips of Aloe Vera and Vitamin E, sandwiched between three blades to protect against irritation for a comfortable smooth shave. The uniquely designed handle has an inbuilt grip and the razor is designed to be flexible so it moves with the natural contours of your body - very clever!

Green People All Paws Cleansing Shampoo in Wild Mint for Dogs* (200ml, £14, link)

The last product that I wanted to mention is from the new range of pet grooming care from Green People which is the UK's first certified organic range for pets. Also certified organic and vegan-friendly, they have created two All Paws Cleansing Shampoos (a fragrance-free and a Wild Mint) just for your four-legged-friend!

I love this Wild Mint version which is a lovely, uplifting and refreshing blend of Mint and Eucalyptus. It's easy to use and despite being free from SLS, it lathers up well, leaves my dog's fur clean and soft afterwards, and of course, smelling much nicer! 

What have you been loving lately?

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Christmas Gift Guide: Alima Pure The Essentials Lip Tint Duo - Review & Swatches

Shopping online for a last minute Christmas gift for a green beauty fan? Pop this Alima Pure Essentials Lip Tint Set into your basket and you're good to go!

Highly revered for their luxury range of cruelty-free makeup that's made from naturally derived ingredients such as pure minerals, Alima Pure has a specially curated gift range this year called The Essentials. As the name suggests, each Essentials kit or duo provides the recipient with a fuss-free selection of makeup that's easy to use and wear, so if you like to keep your cosmetics bag as streamlined and clutter-free as possible, this is the brand for you.

I've read so many positive reviews of Alima Pure's lip products in particular over the years, that it was high time I finally got my hands on some, and I decided to pick up their Essentials Lip Tint Duo during the recent Black Friday sale on Naturisimo. Being an American brand, you do end up paying in pounds what you would pay in dollars over there, but given the exchange rate at the moment, it didn't work out too badly and as I bought the set from an online UK stockist, there were, of course, no additional customs fees or charges to pay when it arrived.

I chose the Essentials Lip Tint Duo as I wanted something that I could throw into my handbag and apply on the go without needing to use a mirror, and these are absolutely perfect for that. The kit contains two full-size Lip Tints in Petal and Currant, and it's been specially designed as Limited Edition set for the holidays. The combination of a soft nude pink and a berry-red shade allows you to go from day to night effortlessly in just one swipe, so if you have a busy job and like to go straight out in the evenings after work, this is a great little kit to have in your bag.

The formula of these Alima Pure Lip Tints is seriously impressive; they are so creamy and hydrating thanks to an ultra-nourishing blend of plant-based oils and butters such as Cocoa Butter, Castor Seed Oil, Safflower Seed Oil, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Pumpkin Seed Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil and Jojoba Oil, plus there's Vitamin E and a little Peppermint Oil added for good measure.

Pigmentation wise, they are very sheer as you would expect from a Lip Tint. As they're so moisturising, the colour doesn't last long on the lips before you need to reapply, though I did find that they stayed around slightly longer than a few other brands that have similar products, so that's a positive. If you find that your lips get very dry and chapped during Winter, but you still want a pretty wash of colour at the same time, you must try these!

 Alima Pure Lip Tint in Petal

Petal is a lovely soft nude pink that you can easily wear every day. It's the epitome of low-maintenance chic as you only need one or two swipes, and it somewhere pulls together your whole look so effortlessly. This is going to be staying put in my handbag until the whole tube has been used up!

 Alima Pure Lip Tint in Currant

If you find red shades a bit intimidating or just want to get in on the festive trend in a much more subtle way, Currant is the ideal pop of colour for you. It looks scary dark in the bullet, but as you can see, when applied to the lips it's actually a very wearable shade that gives you a nice 'just bitten into a berry' finish that's always in fashion every year.

From L-R: Alima Pure Lip Tints in Currant and Petal

Alima Pure The Essentials Lip Tint Duo is £20 (worth £28) and is available from Naturisimo whilst stocks last.

Have you tried anything from Alima Pure?

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Introducing: Badger Balm - Mineral Lip Tints, Cuticle Care & Sleep Balm review

Badger Balm is a popular natural and organic skincare brand that I often see pop up on many of the green beauty blogs that I follow. They have a whole range of brilliant balmy type products, as well as sunscreens, and with their adorable packaging, I just had to include them in my Introducing series for anyone who hasn't come across them before!

Like many successful business ideas, Badger Balm was created when founder Bill Whyte was looking for a natural product to use on his weather-worn hands which always cracked during the bitterly cold winters in New England, USA. After trying various remedies, he finally struck upon the idea of blending Beeswax with Olive Oil, which resulted in the first Badger Balm product back in 1994. Since then, this family-owned company has developed several different types of balms that heal and moisturise a variety of skin concerns, alongside aromatherapy based balms and more recently, natural sunscreens and tinted lip balms. 

I was kindly sent two of these newly reformulated Mineral Lip Tints to try out, which arrived with two of their popular balm products.

 Badger Balm Mineral Lip Tints in Rose Tourmaline & Garnet* (4.2g, £5.99, link)

Tinted lip balms are something that I seem to use more and more of these days, and the main reason is because they are just so low maintenance and easy to use! These zero fuss, twist-up sticks can be thrown into any purse/handbag/suitcase and within seconds, you can simply swipe them on and get a nice wash of colour on your lips without having to get a mirror or lip liner out. 

The Badger Mineral Lip Tints come in a range of colours and I received Rose Tourmaline (a subtle hint of pink), and Garnet (a deeper plum-red hue that gives off a 'just bitten into a cherry' vibe). Both are incredibly moisturising and creamy thanks to a blend of Beeswax, Olive Oil, Cocoa Butter, Coconut Oil and Shea Butter, and they have a slightly sweet but floral sort of flavour to them. Perfect for Summer when you want to keep your look light and fresh!

Badger Balm Cuticle Care* (21g, £5.99, link) & Sleep Balm* (21g, £5.99, link)

Two bestsellers from Badger are the Cuticle Care and Sleep Balm. Packaged in their iconic round tins (available in mini and larger sizes - the 21g mini tins are shown above) that feature the brand's adorable mascot, it's easy to see why they are so popular from the minute that you try them.

The organic Cuticle Care balm is an intensive and super hydrating formula which will give even the most cracked and damaged cuticles, the moisturising TLC that they deserve. Packed full of Shea Butter, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Castor Oil and Beeswax, you only need to apply a small amount of this thick balm to your cuticles before going to bed, and you'll see a big difference in their overall condition in the morning. It also contains Rosemary extract which helps to encourage strong and healthy nail growth so that's a welcome bonus too!

If you have trouble getting to sleep like I do, a product like Badger's Sleep Balm may help. This specialised, all-natural aromatherapy balm has a base of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Castor Oil and Beeswax, which is infused with pure essential oils of Bergamot, Ginger, Rosemary, Lavender and Balsam Fir. Dabbing a tiny amount onto the pulse points and temples helps to create a relaxing aroma that calms and balances the mind - ah, bliss! It's a handy one to have in your travel bag if you're a nervous flyer as well.

Have you tried anything from Badger?

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New In Beauty: Tropic Lip Fudge Plumping Lip Conditioners - Review & Swatches

Summer makeup generally calls for simple, easy to apply formulas and at this time of the year, I'm never far away from a pot of tinted lip balm for a gentle wash of colour.

Packaged in beautiful frosted glass pots with chic white lids, Tropic's new range of Lip Fudge Plumping Lip Conditioners are as delicious as they sound, and I was very excited when a package of them arrived on my doorstep a couple of weeks ago. Since then, these jars of balmy joy have graced every handbag, desktop surface and bedside table, and I don't think I've used any other lip balm products since they arrived. 

These deliver much more than your average lip balm though and instead are 'bursting with 26 lip-loving plant extracts' which include Sea Fern, Omegas 6 and 9 to help plump up and smooth out fine lines, Acai Sterols and Wheat Cerasomes to deeply soften and condition the lips, and there's also plenty of Mango Wax and Vitamins C and E to help repair and protect the delicate surface of the lips.

Needless to say, these Tropic Lip Fudges have an incredibly rich and buttery texture that's like a thick creamy balm, but one which is already soft to the touch in the jar. It glides on effortlessly and a tiny amount goes a long way. The balm has a pleasant, mild minty taste and slightly cooling feel to it (which I suspect helps with the temporary plumping effect), and these do an excellent job of deeply hydrating the lips, leaving them so much softer and smoother within a matter of seconds.

Unlike other similar products though, I've found these Lip Fudges to be very long-lasting in terms of moisturisation. I can apply any of them in the morning and yet I don't feel the need to constantly reapply them throughout the day like you have to with other lip balms, so I'd recommend them to anyone who has very dry or cracked lips.

There are currently three different types of Lip Fudges to choose from; a regular, plain non-tinted one, and two tinted versions which I've swatched below. Both of the tinted lip conditioners deliver a lovely subtle hint of colour to the lips which I absolutely love for the Summer months!

 Tropic Lip Fudge Plumping Lip Conditioner in Rosewood

Tropic Lip Fudge Plumping Lip Conditioner in Pink Guava

Overall thoughts?

These Lip Fudges from Tropic are a fantastic alternative for anyone who is looking for a cruelty-free, 100% naturally derived and vegan-friendly lip conditioner. They will offer intense hydration and a pop of sheer colour if you're going for the tinted versions - what more could you ask for?

Tropic Lip Fudge Plumping Lip Conditioners* (10ml, £12 each) are available from tropicskincare.com

Are you a fan of tinted lip balms?

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January Favourites

January is finally over - hooray! I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to the brighter days of Spring already. Before then, let's have a quick recap of the beauty faves that I've been loving last month.

Lorac Riesling Romance Eyeshadow Palette

I'm painfully late to the Lorac palette party, but I've finally discovered how amazing they are and their Riesling Romance Eyeshadow Palette has been my go-to for eyes over the past few weeks. This palette is just heavenly for anyone who loves their neutrals and it's so easy to blend and work with. Perfect for when you're in a rush in the morning and need to get ready in 5 mins.

Tarte Color Splash Hydrating Lipstick in Set Sail (£20, link)

Another blogger favourite brand that I haven't explored much of until recently is Tarte. Not only am I obssessed with the blue marble-esque packaging of this lipstick, but this shade Set Sail is the ideal pop of nude pink for me as it's a little darker than most of the lip colours that I already own in this neutrals family. I really like how it pulls everything together, no matter what kind of makeup I'm wearing at the time! I also love the moisturising formula which definitely comes in handy if your lips are feeling dry due to the cold weather. The only problem now is that I want more shades of these!

B. Gentle Eye Makeup Remover* (100ml, £7.99, link)

I always get excited whenever I see a new product launch from B. (the cruelty-free, vegan-friendly, budget-friendly brand that's exclusive to Superdrug). Their latest newbie to hit the shelves is a superb Gentle Eye Makeup Remover, which really is kind to even the most sensitive eyes and suitable for all skin types to use. It contains Cucumber extract, Niacinamide and Allatoin, so it feels very gentle and makes short work of even waterproof mascara.

Akar Skin Ruby Tint Lip Butter

I discovered this brand via Roccabox recently and have kept this mini Lip Butter in my handbag ever since. Akar Skin are an all-natural, Tibetan inspired beauty brand that has a range of mainly skincare and a couple of cosmetics under its belt. This lip butter is 100% natural, free from petroleum and mineral oil, and contains 100% organic and wild-harvested ingredients. It has a gorgeous bright red tint to it and feels super moisturising - a brilliant new find.

Bondi Sands Everyday Gradual Tanning Foam* (270ml, £12.99, link)

My body hasn't seen a decent amount of sunlight in months, so I've been alternating using a gradual tanner with my body moisturisers to give me a hint of golden colour. Bondi Sands are one of my favourite tanning brands and their Everyday Gradual Tanning Foam is basically a foam version of their Everyday Gradual Tanning Body Milk Moisturiser which I've used numerous times over the years. The foam however is much quicker to apply, but gives me the same subtle wash of colour that I'm craving, without the maintenance issues. I just slap this on after a shower and I'm good to go - plus it smells like coconuts!

What are your current beauty favourites?

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April Favourites

Favourites time! These are the products that I have been particularly loving recently, and that were discovered (or rediscovered!) last month. 

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High End Beauty: Kjaer Weis Lip Tint in Rapture - Review & Swatches

Whoever said that organic makeup was only for hippies, had obviously never set eyes on anything from Kjaer Weis. This luxury, eco-friendly cosmetics brand can easily compete with any of the big designer names, and its packaging and shade ranges are simply to-die-for.

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