How To Create A Luxury Spa Experience At Home With Rabot 1745 Beauty #StayHome

Your favourite spa is currently closed but don't worry, it's super easy to recreate a luxury spa experience at home with Rabot 1745 Beauty!

Love at first 'smell' is how I would sum up my recent introduction to Rabot 1745 Beauty. This new-to-me brand is based here in the UK, but is influenced by the sunny Caribbean island of St Lucia where its star ingredient, Cacao, has been farmed since 1745 on their very own Rabot Estate (hence the name!). You'll find cacao at the centre of Rabot 1745's range of products which include skincare, body care, candles, fragrances and more, and given my love for all things remotely chocolate-related, I jumped at the opportunity to try out some of their luxe pampering treats. 

Everything is cruelty-free, paraben-free, and suitable for vegetarians (with many products also vegan-friendly), and I'm impressed with the company's ethics regarding their recycling investment with Plastic Energy. Plus, Rabot 1745 are currently helping the NHS with the #RabotHelpingHands initiative that includes donating hand creams and hand gels to frontline NHS workers which is fantastic to see.

Moving onto the products themselves, here are three easy steps to creating some much-needed personal relaxation time in your bathroom.

Start With Clean Hands

The importance of clean hands has never been clearer and I find that washing your hands thoroughly before a pampering session helps your mind to reset itself, as you shift your focus to the more blissful task of unwinding and closing the door to the outside world. The Cacao & Aloe Hand Wash* is a vegan-friendly cleanser that utilises the natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of Aloe Vera, alongside Cacao Seed Butter to keep hands soft and supple. 

Available to purchase alone or as part of a bundle with their brilliant Cacao & Coconut Hand Cream* - with each Helping Hand Duo bought, Rabot 1745 will donate a 60ml bottle of their brand new Hand Gel to the NHS so it's a good time to stock up (buy yours here). 

Prep With A Body Scrub

One of Rabot 1745's bestsellers are their amazing Body Scrubs which all come packaged in a reusable coffee cup - how awesome is that?! I decided to try the Sugar & Sour Orange Body Scrub* (280ml, £16, link) which has an instantly uplifting citrusy scent that's wonderfully awakening and summery. Made from a blend of plant-based oils such as Sweet Almond, Shea, Argan and Jojoba Seed with pure Sugar and lots of citrus essential oils, this easy-to-use scrub buffs away dull, dead skin cells for a smoother and softer result all-over.

Pamper Yourself In Liquid Chocolate

Body masks are often the pièce de résistance of many a luxury spa experience and the Liquid Chocolate Body Mask* (200ml, £14.95, link) is one of the most indulgent treatments I've ever had the pleasure of testing out at home. This utterly delectable creation does indeed smell like the richest chocolate on earth, and with skin-friendly ingredients such as Kaolin Clay, Coconut Oil, Cocoa Seed Butter and Sweet Almond Oil, it's easy to see why I'm such a fan. 

Smooth it all over, relax for around 10 minutes or so until it feels dry, resist the temptation to lick it off (seriously, it smells so good you'll want to eat it!), and instead rinse with warm water. It'll leave your skin feeling velvety soft and looking glowy and gorgeous - what more could you ask for?!

Shop the full range at rabot1745beauty.com

Are you a fan of chocolate and cacao beauty products?

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Green Beauty: LoveLula Beauty Box - April 2020 review

This month's LoveLula Beauty Box is worth £57 and April's edit will definitely appeal to anyone who loves their clean, natural and organic skincare! Here's a rundown of the contents:-

John Masters Organics Lip Calm (RRP £7)

I'm a lip balm addict and have used this brilliant Lip Calm from John Masters Organics in the past. It's a great all-in-one, twist-up lip balm treatment that intensely moisturises and protects and it has a lovely, relaxing scent to it. If you find some natural lip balms too hard or waxy, try this one as it melts into the lips easily.

Madara Hyaluronic Collagen Booster Ampoules (RRP £29.30)

The star of this month's box for me is this new formula box of Hyaluronic Collagen Booster Ampoules from Madara which are worth nearly £30 on their own. Each ampoule is filled with a targeted serum that's packed full of Hyaluronic Acid and Collagen to help address fine lines, wrinkles, very dry and tight skin by hydrating and improving the overall texture of your skin. Use them underneath your favourite moisturiser day or night to give your routine a real boost! 

Ayumi Neem & Tea Tree Body Wash (RRP £6.99)

Funnily enough, I'm currently testing out the matching soap from Ayumi's Neem & Tea Tree Body Wash at the moment for an upcoming blog post so I have a feeling I'm going to get on well with this body wash! I'm a huge fan of anything Ayurveda inspired, and the combination of Neem & Tea Tree is a fresh and invigorating sensation that I know I'm going to enjoy.

Nature's Kitchen Berry Beautiful Skin Polish (RRP £12.99)

Next up, I found another full-size skincare treat, this time from Nature's Kitchen. Their Berry Beautiful Skin Polish uses natural Bamboo Cane and Red Berry Fruit extracts to gently buff away dull, dead skin cells for a smoother result. 

INIKA Phytofuse Renew Resveratrol Eye Cream (sample)

To round off this month's LoveLula Beauty Box, there's an assortment of INIKA skincare sachet samples which have been included and I was pleased to receive the Phytofuse Renew Resveratol Eye Cream to try out as I haven't used it before. Thanks LL!

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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Spring Beauty Picks: 3 Products To Try This Month

Need a Spring Beauty pick-me-up? Pop one of these products into your next online basket and try something new this month.

The Multipurpose Product That Can Be Used For Almost Everything: PHB Ethical Beauty Lavender Hero Gel* (150ml, £18, link)

PHB Ethical Beauty have been busy with a whole host of brand new releases and one that's caught my eye is this latest Lavender Hero Gel. Regular readers will know how much I love a good quality multi-purpose product and Hero Gel has SO many uses! This clever organic and natural gel moisturiser has a light texture that sinks in quickly and with active ingredients such as Aloe Vera, Lavender, Neem and Arnica, it's a soothing multi-tasking wonder. Use it to calm down any form of skin irritation including eczema and psoriasis flareups, as well as taking the sting and redness out of pesky insect bites. New mums can apply it on their baby's bottoms to soothe nappy rash, and makeup fans will love it as a smoothing face primer and oil-free moisturiser. You can also dab a little onto blemishes to help them heal faster, and you can slather it all over your body as an instant cooling hydrator for dry or sunburnt skin. 

It's not just for skincare purposes either though - Hero Gel lends itself to a multitude of haircare uses such as a treatment for irritated scalps, adding definition to curls, sealing split ends, taming flyaways and as a hydrating leave-in conditioner for dry and damaged hair. What a superstar!

The New Microbiome Friendly Toner: Gallinée Face Vinegar* (200ml, £23, link)

OK, so the name Face Vinegar doesn't exactly sound the most appealing, but stick with me for a minute because you'll want to add this 97.5% natural toner into your Spring skincare routine ASAP. Formulated by the French brand Gallinée who are famous for their pre and probiotic infused skincare, their Face Vinegar has been specially developed to help support your microbiome by purifying, soothing and repairing the skin's natural barrier. 

It contains Actibiome, a novel prebiotic that instantly calms stressed skin and a host of postbiotics which work together to boost the beneficial bacteria that live on your complexion. So where's the vinegar? Well, this actually comes from the Hibiscus Flower which is rich in Acetic Acid and AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) that has natural astringent properties so it's brilliant for getting rid of impurities, leaving the skin super smooth and looking clearer than before.

Gallinée's Face Vinegar is light and refreshing to use which makes it perfect for the warmer months ahead, and it's gentle enough for even sensitive skin (always patch test first though!).

The Most Soothing Natural Shampoo You'll Ever Try: Odylique Gentle Herb Shampoo* (200ml, £12, link)

The arrival of Spring often brings with it the onset of many seasonal allergies and it's quite common for eczema and psoriasis flareups to also occur at this time of the year. As the body's inflammatory response system is linked throughout, it's no surprise that the skin might feel drier and itchier overall and that your scalp can feel particularly sore or irritated as well. 

Luckily, help is on hand with Odylique's award-winning Gentle Herb Shampoo. I always have a bottle of this in my bathroom and have used it for several years now - I honestly can't recommend it enough! Not only is it made from 100% natural ingredients (of which 70% are certified organic by the Soil Association), but this ultra-gentle, SLS-free shampoo features some of my favourite ingredients that work like magic to soothe irritated skin such as Aloe Vera juice, Coconut Oil, Nettle, Horsetail and Rosemary extracts. If you've been suffering with an irritated, dry and flaky scalp, please give this shampoo a go and I hope it works as well for you as it does for me.

What are your favourite Spring Beauty products?

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Mid-Week Pamper Treat: Mont Trod Purifying Clay Mask review

We could all do with a mid-week pamper treat right now, so take a break from whatever you're doing, cleanse your face, and reach out for the most luxurious face mask that you can lay your hands on. And relax.....

Before our lives all turned upside down, I received this ultra-sleek Mont Trod Purifying Clay Mask to test out. Made here in the UK, this luxury facial treatment is crafted from 99% natural ingredients and includes a combination of natural and certified organic botanicals. It's cruelty-free, suitable for vegans and needless to say, I couldn't wait to slap it onto my face!

What's In It?

Key ingredients are Bentonite Clay, Kaolin Clay, Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, Sweet Orange Oil, Geranium Flower Oil, Clary Sage Oil and Bay Leaf Oil. Full INCI can be found here.

What's Not In It?

Being 99% natural means numerous 'nasties' are naturally excluded and it's free from parabens, mineral oil and sulphates, as well as animal-derived ingredients. 

What Does It Do & Who Can Use It?

As the name suggests, Mont Trod's Purifying Clay Mask is a treatment to use when you want to give your skin a really good deep cleanse to remove impurities, and it also helps to brighten and rejuvenate the complexion. It's suitable for all skin types, though I would recommend sensitive and dry skin types to only use it once a week, whereas oily and combination types can benefit from 2-3 times a week treatments.

How Do I Use It?

This is a pre-mixed clay mask so you can use it straight from the jar - a small brush is provided in the box to help with the application. Cleanse your face first then apply the mask with the brush all over, avoiding the eye area - I found that it was easy to spread onto the skin in this manner and it didn't drip down or run during the process. I tend to add a bit more to the oilier areas of my face such as the T-zone and any places that feel particularly congested or blemish-prone. Leave on for 15 minutes and remove with a warm flannel. Follow up with your favourite serum and moisturiser.

Overall Thoughts

I always have at least two or three purifying masks in my skincare cabinet as they are fantastic for my oily/combo skin and this Mont Trod Purifying Clay Mask is no exception. The combination of the two base clays with the medley of nourishing plant-based oils and beneficial herbal extracts means that it really does work a treat, but it never leaves your skin feeling dry or stripped afterwards like some other clay-based masks do. My face looked noticeably clearer and brighter after just the first use so this would be ideal to include as a weekly facial treatment as part of your skincare routine.

I also love the fresh and slightly floral natural scent that it has which only adds to the 'home spa' experience - a lovely and relaxing pampering treat!

Mont Trod Purifying Clay Mask* (60g, £39.90, link)

What pampering treats have you been using recently?

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