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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Luxury Skincare: Dafna's Eye Care & Revival Bio-Active Beauty Mask review

If you haven't heard of Dafna's before, they are Spain's most exciting luxury and organic skincare brand, and they recently won the Best International Skincare Brand 2018 at the Beauty Shortlist Awards. Dafna's have been making waves across the green beauty world for some time now, and I imagine that they're going to be catching the eye of many beauty editors and skincare gurus fairly soon. 

The overall concept behind Dafna's is to marry luxury organic ingredients with the newest advances in pioneering biotechnology, and they also take inspiration from the Slow Beauty movement too. Couple those ethics with a hefty dose of Ayurvedic philosophy, and you have a natural skincare brand that's going to appeal to a wide consumer base of people who enjoy taking the very best care of their skin. Slick, minimalistic, black glass packaging houses their innovative clean formulas, which are all free of parabens, unnatural preservatives, silicones and other petroleum derivatives, artificial fragrances and unnecessary additives. 

I've had the pleasure of trying out two products from Dafna's recently; their Eye Care, which I've been trialling for about six weeks now, and their popular Revival Bio-Active Beauty Mask, that arrived on my doorstep at the start of the month.

Dafna's Eye Care* (20ml, £50, link)

The skin around your eyes is the thinnest of the whole body, so it's no wonder that the first signs of ageing show up here, and if your under eye area is anything like mine, they may be super dry too, which makes fine lines appear even more visible. Needless to say, splashing out on a high-quality eye cream is a worthy investment, and Dafna's Eye Care is certainly one to try if you're concerned with puffiness, dark circles and fine lines. 

The convenient inbuilt pump dispenses a small amount of product which is loaded with 16 potent natural actives, which all work in synergy to create a powerful anti-ageing treatment for the delicate eye area. There's Chicory Root and Hydrolyzed Soy Protein to enhance healthy collagen production, whilst Rosehip Oil tackles the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Aloe Vera and Calendula extract are also included to reduce puffiness which is something that I struggle with in the mornings (I'm certainly not an early bird!). 

I was expecting this Eye Care to be on the heavy side, as most anti-ageing targeted formulas typically are, but I was pleasantly surprised by its incredibly light and gel-like texture which makes it feel more like a silky lotion. This absorbs into the skin beautifully without any stickiness, so it's great to use in the AM and/or PM as part of your regular skincare routine. Within just a week of using it daily, my under eyes were much smoother with all the visible morning puffiness gone, and in a month later, the skin felt much tighter and lifted overall, with my fine lines looking almost non-existent. No wonder this is a staple amongst the A-list Spanish actresses! 

Dafna's Revival Bio-Active Beauty Mask* (50ml, £78, link)

Coming in at an eye-watering £78, Dafna's Revival Bio-Active Beauty Mask is one of the most expensive face masks that has ever graced the surface of my complexion. It's not surprising then to learn that this mask has been specially formulated for regular jet-setters and busy city dwellers because this isn't something that you would use on skin that doesn't have any issues!

Instead, the Revival Bio-Active Beauty Mask is an intensive facial treatment that works on a two-phase basis. Firstly, it gives the skin an intensive shot of hydration with low-weight molecules of Hyaluronic Acid, whilst Ginseng and Reishi are included to energize and 'wake up' tired skin. The second phase then incorporates those tiny black particles that you can see in the mask below. These are pieces of encapsulated Charcoal which effectively draw out any free radicals on your skin, which in turn inhibits their oxidation impact, and gives your overall complexion a more balanced look (so it's brilliant for assisting with an uneven skin tone for example).  

To use it, you scoop out a small amount with the included spatula and gently 'tap' it onto a dry, clean face, making sure that you don't rub it in. Leave it on to do its thing for 5-10 minutes and then with damp fingers, massage the mask into the skin. This breaks up and activates the encapsulated Charcoal, and you need to allow it to work for a further 5 minutes before rinsing it off.

This is an incredible face mask to use if you've recently been travelling (especially if you've been flying and are suffering from jet lag), have spent a lot of time in a polluted city, and/or have had a  particularly busy and stressful week. It'll make you look like you've just had an expensive facial with the skin feeling fully hydrated and plumped up, whilst looking brighter, younger and simply more 'alive'. At this price point though, that's what I was expecting and it thankfully didn't disappoint.

Have you tried anything from Dafna's?

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New In Beauty: Tropic Clarifying Hair Wash, Hair Smooth Radiance Oil, Hair Feast Deep Conditioning Treatment & Scalp Massager review

Tropic are on a roll with their new releases and these SLS-free products are part of their latest haircare range. 

Many of my regular readers will know that I'm a big fan of Tropic (you can check out my previous reviews of their products here), but this is the first time that I've tested out any of their haircare. Often, when a skincare brand launches haircare I'm a little dubious at first, as many brands don't always get it right, but I'm pleased to say that my hair has been getting on well with these over the past few weeks!

Tropic Clarifying Hair Wash* (250ml, £16, link)

Despite having combination hair (oily roots with dry lengths and ends), I only wash my hair twice a week because if I over-wash it, I find that my scalp just produces too much oil and it gets greasy really quickly. In between washes, I use a dry shampoo to refresh it, and I always prefer something more clarifying for when I actually want to shampoo it properly. Tropic's Clarifying Hair Wash is ideal for people like me as it removes all product build-up from the hair, but doesn't leave your scalp feeling stripped or dry afterwards.  This pH balanced hair wash contains Coconut-derived cleansers, Aloe Vera Juice and Babassu extract, to gently cleanse and hydrate. As it's also a concentrated formula, you only need to use a small amount each time, so although it's pricey, one tube will last you a good couple of months if you're not using it every day. It smells gorgeous too!

Tropic Hair Smooth Radiance Oil* (75ml, £24, link)

As my lengths and ends are so dry, I often use a hair oil as a leave-in treatment to keep my tresses in tip-top condition, and this Hair Smooth Radiance Oil is something that I've been reaching for a lot lately. Composed of a blend of beneficial oils such as Abyssinian, Maracuja, Argan, Jojoba, Tamanu and Vitamin E, this oil is surprisingly lightweight and does a brilliant job of keeping my hair hydrated, soft and shiny. I generally apply half a pump after towel drying, but you can also use a tiny amount to smooth frizz and flyaways after styling. 

Tropic Hair Feast Deep Conditioning Treatment* (200ml, £18, link)

Once a week I like to treat my hair to an ultra conditioning hair mask, and Tropic's Hair Feast Deep Conditioning Treatment is a must-buy if you have dry or damaged hair that's in need of some TLC. Reassuringly thick in texture, Hair Feast is packed full of natural ingredients including Aloe Vera Juice, Glycerin, Jojoba Oil, Tamanu Oil, Vitamin B5, Keratin, Murumuru Butter and Maracuja Oil, to name but a few. It smells lovely and fresh as there's also Blood Orange, Lemon, Peppermint, Spearmint, Coconut and Vanilla in the formula, and it gets to work quickly in just 5 minutes, though I would recommend leaving it on for longer if you want a more intensive treatment (I often leave it on overnight for the best results!). After rinsing, my hair is wonderfully soft and feels so silky.

Tropic Scalp Massager* (£8, link) 

If your scalp is prone to build-up, dryness or flakiness, or you have fine or thinning hair, you may want to incorporate a scalp massager into your weekly haircare routine to help stimulate the circulation and improve the blood flow to your scalp. This one features a range of supple silicone bristles which come down into points to allow you to effortlessly massage your scalp, removing dirt and build-up, whilst also boosting the overall circulation. You can use it as often as you like and once you get the hang of it, it's actually quite relaxing!

Shop the full range of Tropic haircare online at tropicskincare.com

Have you tried any of Tropic's haircare range?

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Green Beauty: LoveLula Beauty Box - June 2018 review

When it comes to beauty boxes, the LoveLula ones are always consistently good and June's box is no exception. Let's take a closer look at the contents, shall we?

 L'Odaites Gentle Polyphenol Exfoliator (full size, RRP £39)

The star of this month's box is a full-size jar of L'Odaites Gentle Polyphenol Exfoliator which is new to the LoveLula website. I've heard a lot of positive things about this natural Parisian skincare brand, so I couldn't wait to slap it on in the bathroom as soon as I saw it! Packed full of polyphenols which are derived from the pits of dates, this rich manual exfoliator also includes Sunflower Seed Oil, Aloe Vera, Honey and Olive Leaf extract, so it feels quite moisturising afterwards. It does a brilliant job of polishing away dead skin cells, and I'd be more happy to continue to use this once a week or fortnight as part of my skincare routine.

 Walden See The Moonlight Perfume Rollerball (10ml, RRP £17)

A new Walden perfume, how exciting! You guys know how much I love this range (check out my previous review here) because these fragrances are completely different to anything else that I have in my perfume collection. This newbie is called See The Moonlight and it features an interesting blend of fresh Bergamot top notes, sultry Jasmine, delicate hints of Rose, and a deep base of Sandalwood and Ambrette Seed. A lovely scent for Summer, the handbag-friendly rollerball is ideal for travelling with.  

 JOIK Refreshing Facial Toner (full size, RRP £10)

Another full-size product this month is JOIK's popular Refreshing Facial Toner which I've been meaning to try out. It's 100% natural, alcohol-free and contains Sea Buckthorn Oil to repair and condition the skin, Aloe Vera to soothe any irritation or inflammation, and refreshing Peppermint and Grapefruit Oils to wake up your complexion. I've really been enjoying using this in the mornings, though I might decant it into a spritzer bottle as it doesn't have a pump.

 REN Skincare & Now To Sleep Pillow Spray (10ml travel size, full size is £18 for 75ml)

Next up, I found a travel size bottle of REN's latest & Now To Sleep Pillow Spray which I've seen all over social media recently. This unique blend of essential oils helps to balance your natural sleep patterns by using Frankincense, Hops and Lavender to help you relax and drift off to the land of nod. Lavender is quite dominant in the mix and it has an overall earthy, natural scent to it, so if you like the sound of that, you'll probably love this!   

JOIK Sweet Orange & Mint Body Butter (sample)

Lastly, there's a small sample of JOIK Sweet Orange & Mint Body Butter which smells gorgeous. It's very fruity and refreshing, and I really like the rich texture too - very tempted to get a full-size of this at some point soon!

LoveLula Beauty Box* is a monthly subscription box priced at £13.95 with free postage in the UK. Visit lovelula.com to find out more.

Have you subscribed to LoveLula's Beauty Box?

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