Treat Your Feet: Give Your Feet Some TLC with Tropic Skincare

One of the little joys that comes with the warmer weather is that glorious feeling of being able to ditch your socks and put your bare feet into your favourite flip-flops or sandals  - I love it! So make sure to show your feet some TLC this summer with these pampering foot care treats from Tropic Skincare.

The range of products that are available from Tropic Skincare never ceases to amaze me - from skincare to haircare, suncare and body care - they have it all! One category that I had yet to explore was their foot care and with the temperature rising this week, it was as good a time as any to test some of them out.

As always, everything from Tropic Skincare is certified cruelty-free and is suitable for vegans -yay!

Tropic Ocean Fizz Foot Soak* (100g, £6, link)

If your feet haven't seen any sunshine since last Summer or if they're feeling tired and weary after a long day, a good soak with this refreshing Ocean Fizz Foot Soak can make a huge difference. This is one of the best products that I've tried for really helping to soften up your feet and after a soak in this, they'll be almost as soft as a baby's bum! To use the Ocean Fizz Foot Soak, just add three tablespoons to warm water and give it a quick mix to activate - it produces a satisfying 'fizz' and then it's ready for you to soak your feet in for a relaxing 5-10 minutes, though I have it tried it for longer and it feels lovely. A spa-like pampering treat that you can enjoy at home for just £6? Bargain!

Tropic Polishing Foot Pebble* (130g, £9, link)

For feet that are particularly dry or rough, Tropic's luxury Polishing Foot Pebble is a godsend. This solid exfoliating bar features White Sand from Bora Bora and Tahitian Volcanic Ash to buff away dry skin, whilst Peppermint and Eucalyptus essential oils help to instantly refresh and revive. Use it directly onto wet feet to create a cleansing lather for soft and supple feet in no time at all.

Tropic Repairing Foot Remedy* (80ml, £14, link)

In the same league as a lip balm and hand cream, a hardworking foot cream is a beauty essential in everyone's bedroom/bathroom and this Repairing Foot Remedy offers an intense softening treatment for dry feet. I found that it works particularly well on cracked heels thanks to its super hydrating formula that uses the likes of Aloe Vera, Coconut Oil, Macadamia Oil, Avocado Oil, Illipe and Cupuacu Butters, to really deeply nourish and repair dry and damaged skin. There's also Aspen Bark extract included which contains Salicyclic Acid to gently dissolve dead skin cells for a smoother result. The rich, thick texture is brilliant with an uplifting fresh fragrance, and it doesn't feel greasy or sticky.

Do you look after your feet?

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Good Hand Hygiene: Keeping your Hands Clean & Soft during Coronavirus and beyond

Practising good hygiene at home and when you're outside is one of the best ways to protect yourselves and others from the spread of Coronavirus. Here are some of my top picks from the green beauty world which include hand sanitisers, soaps and hand cream to keep your hands clean and soft.

Hand Sanitisers

Depending on which organisation or Government guidelines you're looking at, you want to make sure that your hand sanitiser contains at least 60% alcohol for it to be effective at killing off bacteria and germs. Anything below 50% is considered too diluted which will compromise its disinfecting abilities. Unfortunately, there are a lot of 'natural' hand sanitisers on the market that are alcohol-free and these are absolutely pointless as they won't do anything - you need alcohol as the main ingredient!

For green beauty fans who want to use something that's more natural and kinder to their hands than the likes of Dettol, but still serves the purpose of being a high-quality sanitiser, you can look out for products which incorporate alcohol with ingredients such as aloe vera, vegetable glycerine, essential oils and plant-based flower waters or essences.

I recommend trying The Castillian Soap Company Hand Sanitiser with Peppermint & Chamomile* (50ml, £9.50, link), a travel-friendly size which includes 62% organic grain alcohol, organic chamomile floral water, natural plant glycerin and peppermint essential oil. It smells wonderfully fresh and doesn't leave hands feeling dry or sticky afterwards. 

For families or anyone who requires a larger size bottle, Alteya Organics Hand Cleanser* (100ml, £7.95, link) has an easy to use spray applicator and a formula which boasts 70% alcohol (denatured ethyl alcohol) with organic glycerin and lavender essential oil for further antibacterial protection.

Hand Soaps & Moisturisers

At home and in bathrooms, the NHS state that washing your hands with any kind of soap and water is a highly effective way to stop the spread of Coronavirus and practising good hygiene is something that we should all be doing to protect ourselves and others. It doesn't matter which brand or type of soap that you use, the focus is more on how often you wash your hands (it should be done on a regular basis throughout the day) and how long for. The NHS recommends washing your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds each time and you can check out their techniques video with further info here.

Personally, I'm a big fan of an old-fashioned bar of soap. They're a great way to cut down on your plastic waste and usually last longer than the bottled versions. I currently have Ayumi Naturals Neem & Tea Tree Soap* (100g, £2.49, link) by my bathroom sink which is vegan-friendly and has the naturally antibacterial benefits of neem, tea tree and lemongrass oils to keep your hands super clean. It also doubles up as a purifying facial cleanser for acne and blemish-prone skin types.

If you prefer a liquid hand soap that contains alcohol, Organii Citrus Liquid Soap* (300ml, £4.95, link) comes in a large 300ml bottle with a pump. Made from a blend of 100% plant-based ingredients, it features organic olive oil, alcohol denat, vegetable glycerin and citrus essential oils for a fresh and thoroughly clean feeling every time.

It should come as no surprise that regular and longer hand-washing sessions can result in dry skin quite quickly, so a hand cream is an absolute must-have to help restore the moisture balance. My current favourite is Lavera Basis Sensitiv Hand Cream* (75ml, £4.95, link) as it's packed full of ultra-hydrating ingredients such as organic sweet almond oil, shea butter, jojoba seed oil. Bye-bye dry hands!

What are your hygiene must-haves?

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Foodie Friday: Tahini, Date & Cacao Energy Balls (Dairy-Free / Vegan recipe) #HealthySnacking

Snacking getting out of hand during lockdown? Whip up a batch of these moreish Tahini, Date & Cacao Energy Balls to keep in the fridge for those emergency snack moments and enjoy a healthy energy boost at the same time!

Energy Balls are something that I've been regularly making at home for a few years now and I absolutely love these naturally nutrient-packed, refined-sugar-free mini snacks. The other joy of making Energy Balls is that you can pretty much conjure up any flavour that you fancy and use any ingredients that you already have in your cupboard (for example check out this Deliciously Ella Cacao & Almond recipe which is a firm favourite in my house). Run out of Cashews? Just swap them for some Almonds - easy!

These Tahini, Date & Cacao Energy Balls have an amazing sweet and salty flavour going on and are a source of plant-based protein, vitamins and antioxidants. They only take 5 minutes to make in a food processor and simply require some chill time in the fridge afterwards - if you can wait that long before tucking in...

Ingredients (makes around 12 balls)

• 12 Medjool Dates (pitted)
• 50g unsalted Cashews
• 2 tbsp Tahini
• 1 tsp Cacao Powder
• Pinch of Sea Salt

Method

• Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blitz until it forms a paste-like texture that you can hold in your hands. If it feels too sticky, add a little more Cacao Powder and blend again.
• Remove the mixture from the processor and using your hands, make roughly 12 balls from it, rolling each one between your hands or on a clean plate.
• Place the balls on a plate and chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving - enjoy!

Storage tip: Keep the Energy Balls in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week.

Have you tried making your own Energy Balls at home?

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Spring Skincare: 3 Steps To Hydrated & Glowy Skin - Kri Unveil Organic Oil-To-Milk Cleanser, Evolve Organic Beauty Radiant Glow Mask & Antipodes Baptise H20 Ultra-Hydrating Water Gel review

Getting hydrated and glowy looking skin can be easier than you might think with the right products - here are just three Spring Skincare must-haves to help you on your way to a more radiant complexion.

Step One: The Oil-To-Milk Cleanser

Although sunscreen is seen as an anti-ageing essential to apply all year round, I know plenty of British people who only really bother with it when the sun starts to come out during May (onto the naughty step with you!). So if you've just started wearing sunscreen, make sure that you include a good quality cleanser in your evening skincare routine to remove it properly at the end of the day. 

I've been enjoying this new Kri Skincare Unveil Organic Oil-To-Milk Cleanser* (100ml, £22, link) which comes packaged in a luxe glass bottle and is free from essential oils and fragrance so it's great for sensitive skin types. Made from a blend of just four natural plant-based oils (Safflower, Sunflower, Camellia Seed and Grapeseed) plus Vitamin E, this cleanser transforms into a lightweight milky formula when water is added to effortlessly remove all traces of makeup and SPF for silky soft, clean skin. I love it!

Step Two: The Radiant Glow Mask

If your complexion is looking a bit dull or your skin just needs a boost, the Evolve Organic Beauty Radiant Glow Mask* (60ml, £24, link) is the perfect brightening treatment to reach for. It's won a series of skincare awards over the years and is a popular favourite amongst natural beauty lovers thanks to its ultra-rich formula which has tiny Blueberry seed particles (cleverly sourced from natural waste from the juicing industry), Sunflower Seed Oil, Kaolin Clay, Organic Vanilla Oil, Raw Cacao Powder and Sweet Almond Oil as its main ingredients. 

This 100% natural combination helps to draw out impurities to purify your skin and buff away dull dead cells on the surface so that your skin feels smooth and looks much clearer after just one use. It's also a really fun mask to use as it smells (and looks) like chocolate ;)

 Step Three: The Ultra-Hydrating Water Gel

Antipodes are one of my favourite natural skincare brands as regular readers will know, and if you've been following me on Instagram recently, you'll no doubt have seen a couple of snaps on IG Stories of my current skincare routine which includes this latest release from the New Zealand brand; their new Baptise Ultra-Hydrating Water Gel* (60ml, £29.99, link). 

Developed mainly for oily, combination and dehydrated skin types (though I'd say it's suitable for everyone to use), this luxury moisturiser has the most wonderful lightweight and fresh feeling on the skin which makes it such a pleasure to use - I was instantly smitten when I first tried it over a month ago. It's ideal for anyone who has thirsty skin in need of a good 'drink' thanks to the intensive moisture-boosting elements of Hyaluronic Acid and Manuka Honey. If you usually hate the feeling of heavy moisturisers, this is a must-try!

What is your current Spring Skincare Routine?

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