sles free

23 April 2013

Essential Care Gentle Herb Shampoo Desert Essence Red Raspberry Conditioner
I know what you are thinking, another shampoo review so soon after raving about Desert Essence Coconut shampoo and conditioner. They are nice products but I have started to feel that my hair lacked silky smoothness. The decision to replace coincided the release of the FreeFrom Skincare Awards shortlist. I was swaying towards repurchasing but changed my mind and decided I’d like to try Essential Care Gentle Herb Shampoo. 

Essential Care is a great company with a range of skincare, bodycare and make up. You may have seen me blog about their concealer and many natural bloggers rave about the lipsticks and cleanser. 

The Essential Care shampoo is a 2-in-1 product so there is not a matching conditioner. My hair is dry from colouring and I was skeptical whether I could manage without this extra step so I purchased the Desert Essence Raspberry conditioner.

As there are no sulphates this shampoo is very low foaming. From experience it does take a bit of patience and thoroughly soaking my hair to work up a lather. I often end up double washing as I find it helps with getting the product to the places I need as I am washing my hair over the bath. When using a sulphate free shampoo the key is to concentrate on massaging the product into your scalp as that is the "dirty" part. I find its best to focus on the ends separately or rely on the rinsing process to clean as the water and shampoo passes over. I have found I still like to use a conditioner to help untangle knots created whilst shampooing. I use only a tiny amount because I don’t want to overdo it and have flyaway hair.

With the combination of the two products I feel I have regained the smoothness I started to lack. I've also gain control over my sensitive scalp and itchy neck which was becoming a problem over the long term. Essential Care Gentle Herb shampoo is a lovely product and I'm so pleased I took the plunge to give it a try. It’s easy to find online, you can order from Essential Care (now known as Odylique) or there are other stockists. I also give a big thumbs up for the Desert Essence Raspberry conditioner, it smells amazing and I get better results compared to the coconut version.

Have you tried either of these products? If you'd like to share your thoughts leave a comment below.

Sarah x

16 April 2013

Eve of St Agnes Hand Wash
I mentioned in my “what’s in my shower?” video that Eve of St Agnes kindly sent me their Lavender, Lime & Linden Blossom Organic Liquid Soap.  This company came to my attention via the Free From Skincare Awards. The Nourishing Cleansing Cream has been shortlisted and the Refining Bamboo Exfoliating Polish was commended. I hate having to disclaimer everything but just in case anyone raises eyebrows, these products were entered in categories which I did not get to judge and I received the soap a couple of weeks ago, long after judging took place.

Eve of St Agnes is a British company founded by Emma Heywood. She formulated her skincare line because of skin irritations. Products are free from SLS/SLES, parabens, mineral oil, PEGs and artificial colours and perfume.

This soap is made with organic sunflower and coconut oils. The fragrance is an interesting blend, a clean and fresh lime scent with a touch of floral. It lathers up nicely and I have not experience any irritations. That being said it is always important to patch as some people have sensitivity to essential oils. The packaging is simple but elegant and I think the pump dispenses a good amount of soap.

Overall, I feel this is a lovely product and I am happy to recommend to my readers. I reckon the skincare range will appeal to many of you so go have a browse Eve of St Agnes website and let me know what you think of it.

Sarah x

Disclaimer - PR sample, 100% my own opinion, links are not affiliated. 

22 March 2013

Faith in Nature Pomegranate & Rooibos Hand Wash
In this post I want to support the inexpensive brand Faith in Nature, which offers natural and free from skincare. When I refer to a “budget” brand in my mind I am thinking about products that cost under £10 and I would like to think they are accessible to most people. 

Faith in Nature kindly sent me three products. I am going to start with the Pomegranate & Rooibos Hand wash and review the others another time. If you don’t know this brand then let me inform you that products are made in the UK and are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. They are also free from SLES, SLS, parabens, synthetic colourings and fragrance and use only natural or ecologically certified preservatives. 

The hand wash costs £3.99 for 300ml which I think is comparable to others on the high street. I chose the Pomegranate & Rooibos as it sounded a little different. As far as hand washes go, this is very nice, with a fruity herbal fragrance and I am not noticing dryness or irritation. The pump bottle is of course standard packaging for a wash, it’s functional and dispenses a good amount of product from one pump. I spotted on the website that the bottles are now 100% recycled PET material.

I always like to be up front about ingredients. I know I have followers who are very strict, others that are willing to bend the “rules” and probably some who don’t care! Here are the ingredients for this hand wash and I have highlighted anything which may cause some people concern. The hand wash contains water so it does use a preservative system. Ingredients – Aqua, Ammonium laureth sulfate*, Maris sal, Polysorbate 20*, Punica granatum fruit extract**, Aspalathus linearis leaf*** , Glycerin* , Alcohol denat**, Melaleuca alternifolia leaf oil*, Anthocyanins* , Cocamidopropyl betaine*, Sodium benzoate , Potassium sorbate, Citric acid* Aroma* Linaloolº Limoneneº (* Vegetable origin **Certified organic *** Certified organic and community traded ° from essential oils)

When it comes to inexpensive natural brands the compromise you make is often based around a few ingredients. Generally, familiar toxic ingredients are removed but to the expert eye there can be a few questionable ones left behind. Of course, I want to praise brands which are free from as I believe they are a better option for those with allergies/sensitivities. When I compromise on ingredients, I think about where the products are being applied. Anything going on or near my lips has to be 100% natural but I will compromise on a shampoo because it washes off and I am not ingesting. 

Overall, this is a nice product for having in the bathroom or kitchen. I think it is affordable and will appeal to everyone. The hand wash is also available in Aloe Vera & Tea Tree, Lavender & Geranium and Seaweed. If you prefer a solid soap then have a look at what is on offer, they have a chocolate one. If you fancy trying something from this brand, it’s pretty easy to get hold of products. I often see Faith in Nature stocked at independent health stores but if you prefer online shopping you can purchase through their website.

Have you tried anything from Faith in Nature?

Sarah x

Disclaimer - PR samples, 100% my own opinions, links are not affiliated

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