vegetarian

31 October 2021

Pumpkin skincare for glowing skin
(not sponsored collated from research)

Pumpkin season is upon us and if you don't fancy carving them up for Halloween consider looking out for this ingredient in your skincare. The nutrients in pumpkin are mighty. It's full of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids (omegas) and zinc which are ideal for dry, mature and damaged skin. If this sounds like an ingredient you need, then here is a little selection of products with pumpkin in their formulations-

Angela Langford Skincare A Little Lift - this plumping and firming serum contains electric daisies, frankincense, pumpkin seed, argan and hyaluronic acid to nourish, refine and hydrate skin.

Awake Organics Frankincense Brightening Serum - this is said to target fine lines and discolouration because it's contains Vitamins A, C and E found in Sea Buckthorn, Carrot Seed, Rosehip and Pumpkin.

By Sarah London Hero Facial Oil - a nourishing formulation which includes Sweet Almond Oil, Apricot Oil and Pumpkin Seed Oil that can be used day or night, all year round. It's also free from fragrance and essential oils so for me that makes it perfect for sensitive skin.

BYBI Acid Gold AHA Resurfacing Face Mask - an exfoliating face mask packed with natural AHAs to banish dulling, dead skin cells. The pumpkin enzyme in this mask derives from pumpkin flesh, a by-product of the pumpkin seed industry and usually gets thrown away.

Nourish Radiance Firming Facial Oil - formulated with omega-rich oils to lift, firm and hydrate the skin. Improves elasticity and reduces fine lines. It includes pumpkin seed for toning and protecting the skin.

Pai Pomegranate & Pumpkin Seed 2-Step Stretch Mark Oil A fragrance free stretch mark oil and cream duo to support you through pregnancy and beyond.

Skin & Tonic Inner Glow Face Oil - packed with vitamin C, alongside rosehip oils to rejuvenate your skin and pumpkin seed oil for skin-loving vitamin E and nourishing omega oils.

Sarah x

24 October 2021

Review Bowe Organics, Green People, Odylique, Organii
(Purchased/Gifted/Unpaid)

I thought it might be interesting to provide a re-cap on products previously featured on this blog. In fact some of these have been repeat purchased since initial reviews were written. I am a creature of habit and whilst I enjoy testing out new products you should know that in the background I have firm favourites.

Bowe Organics Versatile Hair Oil Fragrance Free - I reviewed this hair oil back in April and I'm still using it on a weekly basis. Out of all the hair oils I've tried this is the one I gravitate towards. It doesn't feel greasy, it conditions dry ends and fingers crossed over the long term it helps maintain healthy hair. To the eye you may not see a huge change in your hair but to the touch the performance is noticeable. I take comfort in the fact that I feel like it makes a difference to me and that's what counts.

Green People Neutral Scent Free Anti-Ageing 24 Hour Cream - this product featured in 2019 and I've been through several bottles. I've always been a fan of Green People's Scent Free range as it supports people with fragrance allergies, alongside offering affordability and trustworthy results. As much as I love using facial oils, to be honest I often feel that my skin responds better to creams. I'm not a skin expert or scientist but I wonder if water based products help because I am prone to eczema. Whatever the reason I just find the 24 hour cream offers me exactly what I'm looking for. I don't need fancy branding or miracle claims, I just need relief from dryness to get me through the day.

Odylique Creamy Coconut Cleanser - my original review for this cleanser dates back to 2013. At that time I wasn't reviewing for Love Lula and Odylique was known as Essential Care. Regardless of this back story Creamy Coconut Cleanser has featured multiple times which I hope demonstrates that it has stood the test of time. I've been through many bottles because it's an all-round reliable product. Yes I adore balm and oil cleansers but there are times when I enjoy the simplicity that comes from using cream based products. For me Odylique is a trusted brand and you'll know I'm a fan of several of their products. They understand people with allergies and eczema and I find that hugely comforting in a market saturated with brands.

Organii Shea Butter Shower Gel - this featured in a review back in 2018 and it's now the only shower gel I use. I battled for years finding a decent, affordable body wash which didn't contain linalool but had a pleasant aroma. Organii hit the spot for me and has certainly stood the test of time. It does the job and doesn't irritate my delicate sensitive skin and I can't ask for much more than that.

Sarah x

8 August 2021

Review Lily & Rabbit Coconut and Salted Coconut Soaps
(gifted/unpaid)

Truth is I haven't always been a fan of solid soap bars. Of course bars are a great way to help reduce plastic waste but they can be a bit messy on the bathroom sink. I finally over came this annoyance by investing in soap dishes with an integrated rack. It makes such a difference on containing drips and gives longevity to the soap as it can dry out been uses. It also pays to invest in a quality soap as from experience I have found many differences between brands.

Talking of quality, you may recall last year I wrote about Lily & Rabbit soaps. Goat milk is a core ingredient in their products but I'm excited to announce the launch of their Vegan range. The key ingredients in the new soaps are coconut oil and coconut milk.
Review Lily & Rabbit Coconut and Salted Coconut Soaps
The current vegan range consists of Coconut (unscented), Lemon Coconut Smoothie, Lime & Coconut and Coconut Ice plus their Salted soap counterparts. Lily & Rabbit Salted soaps have a swirl of Himalayan Pink Salt. Soap makers include salt for the benefits of exfoliation and acne prone skin may benefit from minerals naturally found in this ingredient.

As you can see Lily & Rabbit kindly sent me the Coconut and Salted Coconut soaps, both of which are fragrance free. We currently have the Coconut soap on the go in our bathroom for handwashing. It's holding up beautifully with no cracking or sogginess. I find this soap gives a lovely creamy lather and doesn't feel drying on my skin.

If you would like further information about Lily & Rabbit products then I recommend you check out their website - lilyandrabbit.co.uk

Sarah x

6 June 2021

The 2021 Free From Skincare Awards Finalists are Announced
It's been a bumper year for the Free From Skincare Awards with around 250 products making it through to the Final stage. The Finalists were decided by a team of independent testers, each with sensitive or problem skin, or with an interest in non-mainstream skincare products, who have been putting entries through their paces.

I'm a supporter of these awards because they are dedicated to celebrating cosmetics 'free from' ingredients which consumers, such as myself, choose or need to avoid. You'll spot some familiar brands on the list of Finalists, their products often feature on my blog - Annwyn, Balmonds, BAO, Eden Days, Ermana, Lily & Rabbit, Lucky Cloud Skincare, Lyonsleaf, Maison Meunier, Minimalist Skincare, Odylique.

Never in ten years have we had higher average scores in the Awards than this year,” says Awards director Alex Gazzola. “The vast majority of products performed well or exceptionally well, and it has been an almost impossible task to narrow the field down. All finalists deserve their places.

Amongst the familiar names are lots of 'new to me' brands which I've included in the photo above - Cacao Pow, Black Palm, Soft Paws Cosmetics, So Natural, The Natural Beauty Pot, Zero Soap

Finalists now go through to judging sessions, with panels made up of leading industry figures, including beauty journalists, bloggers, consultants, brand owners and formulators. Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in all 16 categories — plus additional awards for Best Free From Skincare Brand, Best Free From Achievement, and of course Best Overall Free From Skincare Product — will be announced online at the beginning of July.

If you'd like to browse the List of Finalists it can be viewed at the Free From Skincare Awards site.

Sarah x

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