The Body Shop Gift Ideas

The Body Shop has been one of my favourite brands for the past ten years and it is also one of my go-to stores for amazing sales and fantastic gift sets for family and friends. I've bought so many gifts from The Body Shop and I love the makeup items I've tried too (the foundation lightener is on my wish list!). I was very kindly sent a few of their Christmas products and sets to try out!

*The Body Shop Vanilla Chai Body Sugar Scrub (£15, 250ml)

I've tried SO many scents from The Body Shop and I think this one is my all time favourite! To me it smells creamy, rich and subtly spiced, I adore it! I love sugar scrubs, especially the Lush ones although I might like this one more as it's just more convenient to use, I love the packaging and they scent is heavenly. It really exfoliates without being harsh and it leaves my skin velvety soft, smooth and it's perfect to use before shaving. There are so many gorgeous products in the scent range so when the boxing day sales come around, I'll be buying everything!

*The Body Shop British Rose Beauty Bag (£10)

The Body Shop gift sets are perfect, indulgent and safe gifts for so many people including friends and family, colleagues and secret santa recipients. I think this is one of the very few Body Shop scents that I haven't tried and it's gorgeous. Rose scented products can either be old fashioned and grandma-like and others can be fresh and divine; thankfully this range is definitely the latter - it's fresh, sweet and floral, I love it and I'm sure a lot of others will too. The Body Shop body butters are an essential for me at this time of the year (I currently have about four on the go!) and their hand creams are lovely too (this one absorbs SO quickly). I know so many friends and family members of mine would be happy to find this gift set under the tree.

*The Body Shop Spiced Apple Hand Cream (£4, 30ml)

I tried this gorgeous hand cream last year and I'm so glad to have another and I used up my tube a couple of months ago. I love the packaging, it's great on the go and it smells so good - I love anything that has a food scent to it! The hand cream and body butters don't irritate my eczema and they are so moisturising without being heavy or greasy on the skin. The Body Shop hand cream and body butters would make fantastic stocking fillers.

*The Body Shop Frosted Cranberry Body Butter 

I can't find this body butter on The Body Shop website but you might be able to find it in-stores. It is rich, thick and very moisturising even for my dry skin. It also has a lovely sweet, fruity and festive scent that smells really nostalgic to me! It contains cranberry seed oil and community fair trade shea butter from Ghana. I can't recommend The Body Shop body butter enough!

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think of The Body Shop's Christmas products and gifts this year? 

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The Body Shop Almond Milk + Honey Range

The Body Shop has been one of my favourite brands for ten years now, I always adored their lip butters and shower gels as well as their now nostalgic shimmer cubes! The new ranges they have been bringing out over the past few years have just been perfect, I loved the virgin mojito range from a couple of years ago. 

The latest offering is the Almond Milk and Honey range which is designed for dry and sensitive skin; it contains organic almond milk from Spain and community fair-trade honey from Ethiopia. I was kindly sent some of the range to try out including their famous body butters and hand creams.

*The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Hand Cream (£4, 30ml)

My hands annoyingly have eczema over them constantly which can be incredibly dry, tight and uncomfortable as well as making me very self conscious so I am always applying hand cream. Some of my favourite hand creams are definitely these from The Body Shop! This hand cream smells sweet but creamy and comforting which I love - I'll go so far as to say that it might be my favourite scent from The Body Shop ever. The texture is lightweight and gel-like but creamy and nourishing which leaves my hands feeling smooth, soft, moisturised and comfortable without irritating my skin. 

*The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Body Butter (£6, 50ml)

As well as the lip butters which were a staple in my makeup bag as a teenager, the body butters have also been a constant in my beauty collection. I currently have around four that I use in rotation and I've used up countless tubs of body butters as well so another is very welcome. Again the scent is heavenly and the body butter has the same creamy, rich and deeply moisturising formula as the others that I love although it isn't a thick so it's perfect for spring. 

*The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Shower Cream (£2, 60ml)

I've tried so many products from The Body Shop over the years but one I haven't really tried are their shower creams. The shower cream is soap free, very gentle on the skin and also very creamy. I've mainly been using it as a hand wash as it doesn't strip my skin but it still cleanses well and leaves my hands super soft and comfortable. It doesn't lather at all really unlike their shower gels which produce bubbles for days but I think I actually prefer it to shower gels as it's so gentle and nourishing on my dry, sensitive skin. 

*The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Cleansing Bar (£4, 100g)

Cleansing bars are a new product to me, I haven't tried any from The Body Shop so I was interested to give it a go. It doesn't contain colourants, mineral oil or petrolatum. As well as the organic almond milk and fair-trade honey, it also contains fair-trade shea butter from Ghana. Again the scent is divine (I can't get enough of the scent), it's just so lovely to use. I use it in place of the soap I've been using and it works well while leaving my skin soft but not irritated at all. 

Overall, I adore this new range from The Body Shop! It not only smells divine and perfect for spring but all of the products are effective while being nourishing, gentle and moisturising. I also love the packaging! I have eczema on my hands and none of these products have irritated it which is fantastic although come to think of it none of The Body Shop products I've ever tried have irritated my skin! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5. 

Have you tried this range? What are your favourite products from The Body Shop?

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The Body Shop Christmas Collections

The Body Shop has been a favourite brand of mine since I was a teenager and I love their christmas ranges every year; the Glazed Apple range, which is back again this year, is gorgeous! However the range has expanded to include a selection of beautiful art deco looking makeup for getting your glam on this festive season and new year. The christmas ranges are limited edition and will sell out quickly so if you want something for yourself or someone else then go, go go! 

The christmas eyeshadow palettes/quads are split into two looks, the 'grooving gold' and 'swinging silver' looks. I have the 'grooving gold' palette as well as three other products from the christmas range. *The Body Shop Grooving Gold Palette (£16) features four autumnal shades that would be perfect for so many christmas party looks including a pink rose gold, purple toned mauve, deep rich purple and an almost molten gold shade. All of the shades are shimmery and metallic looking but there isn't a lot of fall down and there is no chunky shimmer.

A very christmasy product is *The Body Shop The Sparkler (£14, Golden Shimmer) which is a shimmer body spray to add flecks of pretty glitter to the skin and oddly it smells nice too! The shimmer won't stick unless you use a body butter before but it would be pretty on the decollete and legs for festive parties. 

The Body Shop have also released christmas nail polishes, I have *The Body Shop Colour Crush Festive Nail Polish in Gold Metal (£5, 10ml). The bottle and shade are both gorgeous and the price is fantastic for the amount you get and the quality. The brush is quite wide which makes application so quick and easy. The polish is crazy pigmented, it covered the black polish I wore underneath it and it isn't very streaky at all unlike most metallic polishes. You could easily wear the gold on it's own as it is so pigmented but it makes a great base for *The Body Shop Colour Crush Nail Sequins in Gold (£7, 10ml) which is SO pretty on an accent nail. The sequins polishes contains large black and gold flecks and smaller gold glitter that looks so unique and it works perfectly with black shades. 

Next up, the body collections, they have three this year including the popular Frosted Cranberry and Glazed Apple ranges but they have released a new range - Frosted Plum which is the range I was most excited to try so I was over the moon to find it in the package! The Frosted Plum range contains plum extract from Turkey and fair-trade babassu oil resulting in a fruity, floral fragrance with notes of plum, peony and magnolia so I think it will go down well with so many people.

Firstly, my favourite product from the Frosted Plum range, *The Body Shop Frosted Plum Feel Good Tin (£17), now I have to be honest and say that my main reason for liking this set so much is that it looks like a giant plum - how cute! The set contains mini sizes of the shower gel, shimmer lotion, body butter and sugar scrub. All of the products smell incredible and it is a great way of trying numerous products from the range. I think it would make a fantastic and unique gift.

I also received a mini size of *The Body Shop Frosted Plum Body Butter (£50ml) which is packaged so cutely and it's very festive. The scent to me is a mixture of candy sweetness, baking and fruity notes as well as floral notes too. It is a very 'Body Shop' scent but it is quite unique and I think it will appeal to a lot of people. This body butter is just as fantastic as all of their others which I have loved for years!

Next up, *The Body Shop Frosted Plum Shimmer Mist (£8.50, 100ml) which is something I wouldn't have picked out but it is SO pretty - as hopefully you as see from the video below. When shaken, the liquid looks like purple and silver molten metals, to me anyway! I thought it would be full of shimmer and very obvious on the skin, as glitter sprays and roll ons from the 90's were but it isn't! The shimmer is so subtle, it just adds small amount of sparkle to the skin which it perfect for the festive season and it doesn't make you look like you have time travelled back to the 90's. It is almost a hybrid between a subtle shimmer mist and a fragranced body spray.

One product that I was most excited to try were *The Body Shop Frosted Plum Bath Fizzers (£12, 300g) as I love baths especially at this time of the year. They smell amazing and I'm SO impressed as the scent is so strong in the water, they fizz for ages and as they fizz they release the scent and clouds of purple turning the bath water into a pretty pastel, milky lavender shade! I think that along with the giant plum set, this is the product I was most impressed by.

Last but not least, the cutest product I was very kindly sent, *The Body Shop Owl Bath Sponge (£4) which is so adorable and it would be a fantastic stocking filler for children! Sadly I forgot to photograph it but you can see it in the video below.

Here's a little video showing all of the products as well as swatches of the palette, sorry for the quality - I had to crank up the exposure as otherwise it would be in darkness (damn english weather!):

Are you going to purchase anything from The Body Shop Christmas collections? What do you think of the products I've featured?

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The Body Shop Spa Of The World Range

The Body Shop have been releasing some amazing, innovative and unique collections recently such as the Virgin Mojito collection which I reviewed back in May. This new and exciting Spa Of The World collection is inspired by spa routines and products from around the world. I was very kindly sent some of the products from the collection and I've been loving them!

*The Body Shop Spa Of The World Dead Sea Salt Scrub (£20, 350ml)

The scrub contains resurfacing sea salt from the Dead Sea and it comes in a gigantic tub - it's a 350ml tub and it is so heavy and luxe! The scrub doesn't really have a particular scent, it's just clean and fresh. The texture of the scrub is very different to any other scrub I've tried, it is scrubby and course but almost turns into a milk when massaged onto wet skin. It is definitely exfoliating but it isn't too abrasive and it leaves my skin feeling moisturised, super smooth and soft. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

*The Body Shop Thai Lemongrass Massage Oil (£14, 170ml)

I have to be honest and say that lemongrass isn't a favourite scent of mine however the oil is fantastic. It isn't really greasy like I thought it would be but it is really moisturising, smoothing and instantly reduces the look of dry or dull skin. We've been on a couple of staycations and days out exploring new cities in the UK so we have been walking a lot and this oil has been perfect for tired muscles and a bit of pampering after days of walking. The scent is noticeable on the skin but it isn't overpowering. I might have to pick up the french lavender scent. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5. 

*The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Body Clay (£16)

Now this is the more unique product from the collection and as far as I know, The Body Shop haven't included a product like this in a previous collection. Clay body masks are the essence of the typical spa in my opinion, it's what I first think of when it comes to spas so I was excited to try it out! The clay body mask contains purifying bamboo charcoal from The Himalayas, India. The mask looks and smells very spa like and fairly masculine, in my opinion. The mask is so quick and easy to apply and it dries on the skin so it feels like it doing something; although it is a little awkward to use as you just have to walk around with it on your skin for ten minutes and it isn't the quickest to wash off (I'd definitely recommend using a small amount as it will dry quicker and it will be easier to wash off). However just the experience of using it is very spa like and I feel as though it made my skin smooth and clean and it's just an indulgent product to use. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

Overall, the process of using these products is so indulgent and very spa like which is perfect for a girly night in or a pamper session. It's a lovely range that would make a great gift and it instantly transports you to a luxurious spa in your own bathroom. The scrub and body oil are my favourite products and I'm surprised at how much I like the oil - it's a great body oil because it doesn't leave the skin really greasy/oily! Here my mini body shop wish list:

Have you tried any products from The Body Shop's new Spa Of The World range? What are your favourite products from The Body Shop?

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The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Range

If you've been following my blog for a while, you will know that The Body Shop is one of my favourite brands and this upcoming collection is no exception! I was very kindly sent a few products from The Body Shop Virgin Mojito range which will be online and in stores on the 2nd June. 

The product I was most excited to try was *The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Body Butter (£6.50, 200ml) which is made with lime and mint extracts from the Caribbean. It is design for normal skin and claims to provide fresh hydration for 24 hours. I have been a massive fan of The Body Shop body butters for years so I had high hopes. The scent is just gorgeous; it smells so sweet, citrusy and summery as well as slightly creamy, in my opinion. Despite being so thick and nourishing the body butter is very smooth and quite light feeling on the skin for a body butter. It provides a good amount of hydration without being heavy or greasy, unless you use too much. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5. 

Next up is *The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Body Scrub (£15, 250ml) which has the same lovely summery scent as the body butter but in the tub it is much stronger and more citrusy; it reminds me of the Solero Shots from the 90's, does anyone else remember them? The scrub has a thick jelly consistency so it doesn't just fall down the drain which is fantastic. It is a gentle scrub so it would be pretty good if you have sensitive skin however I would prefer it to be more exfoliating. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

Lastly, *The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Body Splash (£16, 300ml) which is a new product for The Body Shop as far as I know. It is a body fragrance that according to the directions, you pat onto the skin after showering to extend the feeling of freshness all day which are bold claims! It is a little awkward to use a body fragrance that doesn't have a spray and the initial scent is similar to hand sanitiser but it very quickly changes to the refreshing lime and mint mojito scent that I love but to me it isn't like you've just spilt a virgin mojito cocktail all over you - unless you use a tonne of it! The longevity isn't amazing when used on its own with approximately two hours before it becomes pretty much undetectable. Although when layered with the scrub and body butter the longevity is better. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

Overall, I think this range is such a refreshing change for The Body Shop; my favourite products have to be the body butter and scrub. The range that I have tried that is closest to this is the passion fruit range as they are both very fruity, citrusy and summery. I would definitely recommend these products as a lovely bodycare range for the summer although I don't think the scent will be for everyone. 

Will you be trying any of these products? What are your favourite products from The Body Shop?

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The Body Shop Matte Liquid Lipsticks

As well as Avon, Rimmel and Natural Collection, The Body Shop cosmetics were some of the first that I tried when I was a teenager and I've loved their products ever since. The first eyeshadow product I bought was one of the iconic shimmer cubes which I used constantly so I was very excited when a lovely package arrived including some festive goodies and these on trend matte liquid lipsticks.

There are so many shades to choose from but I was sent three gorgeous picks; *The Body Shop Matte Lip Liquid (£6) are creamy liquid lipsticks that claim to dry down to a lightweight, matte finish that is long lasting - it sounds like a perfect product for me as I'm not a fan of glossy finishes and I am all for long lasting lip products!

The first shade is Tahiti Hibiscus which in the tube looks like a deep purple pink but on the lips it's much brighter (it's the middle tube in the first photo). I love the colour in the tube and you can get that when you pack on a tonne of product but when one thin coat on the lips, it's looks like a vivid berry, purple tint. It looks more red in the photo but in 'real life' it's more purple/electric pink - it's surprisingly difficult to photograph the colour as it actually is! It's creamy and applies smoothly but the applicator isn't super precise so it can take a while to apply very neatly. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

Next up is definitely my favourite shade from the three I was able to try and it's Sydney Amaryllis which is a bright, almost coral red - the photograph above shows it really well. Again, it's creamy and smooth on the lips which feels light and comfortable but it means that it isn't the easily to apply as it can smudge but when it sets it lasts pretty well on me. This shade would be perfect for the upcoming christmas party season! The only issue is that as the shade is quite warm/orange toned, on my skin/lips anyway, it isn't the most flattering when it comes to my teeth; however the longevity of this shade is incredible, it lasts all day even through eating! Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

Lastly, the boldest shade of the three and the one that's least like any of the others in my collection. The Sicily Iris shade is just gorgeous, it's perfect for this time of the year and I love it; however the darker the shade, the more likely I am to make a mistake and screw up the application and with darker shades there's no where to hide! The application takes the longest to get it neat but that's the same for all dark, bold shades but sadly it's a little patchy on me which you can see in the photo above - I still love it though. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

Overall, I love the shades I was kindly with my favourite being Sydney Amaryllis as it makes my complexion look radiant and brighter, if that makes sense! The formula is creamy, smooth and very comfortable on the lips but it can lead to messy application if you aren't careful. There are a couple of minor issues but for the really low price of £6, they are well worth trying! The longevity is AMAZING! I definitely need to pick up the Windsor Rose shade now!

Have you tried any of makeup from The Body Shop? What do you think of these shades? 

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The Body Shop Blogger Evening

I was asked by the lovely Lucy from Pretty Little Things & The Cotton City (check out here blog, here) if I wanted to go to The Body Shop event at the Trafford Centre on the 16th September, I obviously said yes! Who doesn't love The Body Shop! I have a few new Body Shop items on my autumn/winter wish list such as the camomile cleansing butter, eyeshadows and the BB cream...

I met up with Lucy and we went over to The Body Shop where we were greeted by the lovely staff as well as drinks and snacks. While Lucy had her nails painted with the new Body Shop polishes, I had a skin consultation with Alicia (skin consultations are free in store). She went through all of the skin care ranges and said that the aloe range would be the best for my sensitive, eczema prone skin. She used the Camomile cleansing butter, aloe toner, aloe day cream and the new youth enhancing powder duo (the drops of youth) on my skin - all of the products were amazing on first use! Although it was quite nerve wracking having all of my makeup taken off in the store, although my skin has been behaving itself *praise the skin care gods*!

I then had a makeover by Alicia, she used the Body Shop All in One BB Cream on me in the lightest shade which was surprisingly a pretty good match for my very pale skin. She also used three of the Body Shop shadows on me (golden cinnamon, coco deluxe and a golden shade). I didn't think that I could really pull off cranberry shades but it looked amazing, I wasn't too sure at first but I loved the way it looked in the end! I definitely need to look into cranberry, autumnal shades as they did make the green in my eyes stand out. Alicia based my makeup on AW14 makeup trends and autumnal shades. She also used the new InstaBlur Eye as well as the new Smoky 2 in 1 Eyeliner which can also be used on the brows - it was nice a liner but not so great for the brows in my opinion! 

Overall, it was a great little event and I was able to see how the new makeup and skincare products would work on me as well as discovering a new autumnal eyeshadow look. Thanks to Lucy and The Body Shop, I definitely need a Body Shop haul soon!

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The Body Shop Mother's Day Gift Ideas

The Body Shop are always on top of their game when it comes to gifts! They have launched a new limited edition range of one of their best selling skincare ranges which I think would make a gorgeous gift for mothers day! 

The best selling Vitamin E range has been given a majestic, regal makeover for mothers day; also a new product to the original range has been added which is one of the most exciting skincare products that I have seen so far this year. I have the *Limited Edition Vitamin E Moisture Cream (£17, 100ml), *Limited Edition Overnight Serum In Oil (£13, 28ml) and the brand new *Limited Edition Vitamin E Eye Cube (£8, 4g) - I am particularly excited about trying the 'eye cube' and the serum in oil. 

Firstly, the packaging redesign is gorgeous! I love The Body Shop's take on the Union Flag and regal inspired design. I have tried the vitamin E night cream before which my skin didn't really get on with although I tried it when my eczema was very bad but I have been using the serum in oil and eye cube for the past few days and so far so good! I'm going to give the moisture cream to my mum to see how she gets on with it. The eye cube is such a unique product, it is a silky smooth, cooling eye cream in stick form so it is great for travelling, fuss free hydration and instant illumination. 

Overall, I think this range would make a lovely gift for Mother's Day, especially of those mums who don't spend time on themselves. The products seem so nourishing and the vitamin E range is one of the best selling skincare ranges from The Body Shop. The limited edition packaging, in my opinion, makes it a bit more special. 

The Body Shop have so many gifts to choose from so I have picked out some of my favourites - I would love the try the Wild Argan Oil and new Smoky Poppy ranges! 

Have you tried any products from The Body Shop's Vitamin E range? Will you be buying your mum a gift from The Body Shop?

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The Body Shop Aloe Skincare Range

A couple of months ago I was invited to The Body Shop blogger evening in the Trafford Centre in which I had a skin consultation and I had a few products tried on me at the time. One or two of which were from the aloe range which is a range I have overlooked from The Body Shop however I was kindly sent a few products to review, here are my thoughts!

Firstly, I have the *The Body Shop Aloe Gentle Facial Wash (£8.50, 125ml) which as the name would suggest is a foam. I haven't used a foam cleanser before this one and I really like it. It feels cleansing but not stripping and gentle on my dry, sensitive skin. Before using this cleanser I had a very small patch of eczema that had randomly flared up and none of the products from this range irritated my eczema! Saying this, everyone is different so trial sizes sets of skincare are a great way to test out skincare. The cleanser does what is says on the bottle, I couldn't really ask for more! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

Next up, *The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner (£8.50, 125ml). I don't use toners very often as I can be a little bit lazy sometimes when it comes to skincare but since using this one for the past couple of weeks I can see the difference they make! A toner is used after cleansing to remove any makeup or cleanser residue, for example, that may be left behind. I find it to be a nice, effective step in my skincare routine. It smoothes the skin, doesn't irritate and it doesn't make my skin feel tight or dry. The only negative point, in my opinion, is the slight plastic scent. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

Lastly, my favourite product, the *Aloe Soothing Day Cream (£4.00, 15ml) which you can buy minis of which is fantastic, especially if you don't know how your skin will react. Firstly, I hate the tub packaging, it isn't hygienic in my opinion. However, the moisturiser is fantastic, it is so smoothing, softening and moisturising. In terms of texture if feels really similar to the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, it is that smooth and silky, I love it! I would definitely purchase the full size, although I would have to decant it into a tube container! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

Overall, I am really impressed with this range, it doesn't irritate my eczema prone skin at all and it doesn't strip my skin which is great especially during this time of the year when my skin is even more dry. I LOVE the day cream and I would recommend all three products if you have normal or dry sensitive skin. 

Check out body shop voucher codes - here

Have you tried this range from The Body Shop? What are your favourite skincare products of the moment? 

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October collective haul

Here are most of the beauty items I have bought over the month of October, there is also one item of clothing too. I did go to primark during october and I have a blog post on my buys, click here. All of the items in this haul have been bought from the Body Shop, Asos and H&M sales (and I used a couple of discount codes I found online). 

The Body Shop: The body shop started their sale about a week ago now when this is post but as I am writing this the sale has been going for a couple of days. I bought eight items (all full size) and I spent a grand total of £20.90 which is an amazing saving in my opinion. I bought two coconut baubles that you could hang on the christmas tree - they contain a 50ml body butter and a lip balm - they were only about £2.40 on sale and with my discount code. I also bought the Brazil nut body butter which I haven't tried before and it doesn't really smell of much but I like that and it feels really moisturising, it was £3. I also picked up the brazil nut body scrub which was £3 as well and I hate the smell - it doesn't smell like the body butter, it smells like a body scrub I have tried from the body shop before last christmas. My mum likes the smell though so she is going to have the scrub. 

I bought two things from the new Honey Mania range, the lip balm which is so cute in its little pot and the shower gel. The shower gel smells incredible, I have asked for the perfume for christmas. I bought a mini hand gel from the Absinthe range and finally I did buy a perfume, the Midnight Bakula EDT (50ml) which was about £5.50. It smells so nice, musky and spicy - it smells a bit different in the bottle than it does on the skin, it smells much nicer and spicier on the skin. I think it will be one of my go to perfumes for winter. I used the code 14319 to get an extra 40% off sale and non sale items! 

Fragrance Direct: I bought three items from Korres from Fragrance direct which has only just started to stock Korres products. I bought the silk milk conditioner for coloured hair and I love the packaging fo Korres products but the smell of this conditioner in the bottle is not very nice but I will have to see what it is like when I actually use it. I also bought the shea butter and vitamins hair mask from Korres which looks great and it has a pump too, can't wait to try it. Finally from Korres I bought the Ginger and vitamins foundation in the lighest shade they had, LF1 (I do not understand the korres shades ranges, it is a bit confusing). The shade is a bit too dark so I might try and mix it with my barry m white foundation. I haven't tried the foundation fully yet. I bought the amazing Max Factor Smooth Effect foundation in the shade 40 porcelain here too. Lastly, I did order two pots of the amazing pretty quik nail polish remover as they were only 99p but I was sent two eye lash curler instead! Not happy but I have contacted customer services and hopefully it will be resolved soon. 

H&M: Finally for H&M I bought this gorgeous nordic/scandinavian style jumper which I love so much! And a £1 manicure set from the sale and with delivery it should have been about £34 but I only paid about £22 with delivery. H&M is amazing for discount codes, just google 'h&m code 2013' and look for the codes available - I do this every time I order online as you can get money off most of the time. 

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September Empties: Bath, Body and Candle Products!

This post will feature all of the bath and body products that I have used up over the month of September and I have thrown in a couple of used candles in this post too. On to the empties!

So many empties so little time, I have only just got round to writing this blog post as I have started uni again (I'm now in my third and final year which will no doubt kill me!). Anyway on to the empties, starting with the body moisturisers. I have been trying to use up my body lotions, body butters and body creams (of which I have very many) and during the month of September I managed to use up three! Firstly, the Body Shop Body Butter in the scent Moringa (£13, 200ml). I really like the scent of this product, although it does smell very artificial, in my opinion. This fresh floral scent makes a change from the fruity/nutty scented body butters I have, although the scent doesn't last too long. The body butter is the thickest/heaviest of all of the body shop body butters I have tried therefore it makes my skin feel quite heavy and greasy. Overall, it is a nice scent, it really moisturises my skin but it also leaves my skin feeling heavy and almost sticky! 

Another body moisturiser I have used up is the Vaseline Clean Feeling Body Lotion (£2-4, 200ml). I have a sample bottle of this product and while it did sink in quickly it also made my skin feel too clean...allow me to explain. This body lotion is designed so that it does not feel heavy on the skin and that it makes your skin feel moisturised but clean. Although I find this lotion to be no where near moisturising enough for me and it makes my skin feel squeaky clean, not moisturised. Overall, I do not like this lotion and I would not recommend it. The final body moisturiser I have used up is the Boots Fairtrade Mango Body Butter (£7.95, 200ml). I received a sample set of five body butters from this range so they are only 50ml each. This mango scented body butter is just gorgeous! I love the scent although it is really sweet and fruity so others may not like the scent. The body butter absorbs quickly but it hydrates well and the scent lasts for a good period of time too - overall a great product! 

Now a couple of shower products, firstly the Davines Authentic Moisturising Balm (£17.55, 150ml). I received a 75ml tube of this product in a Glossy Box a while ago and I have tried it on my hair and it is awful in my hair! Although I did find that it works well on the body; I applied this product onto dry skin before showering and it made my skin very smooth and moisturised afterwards - I didn't need to use a body lotion. Overall, a nice balm for the body (although it isn't actually a balm) but it awful when used on the hair and it is very overpriced, in my opinion. I will not be buying the full size, I don't like the scent but the packaging is gorgeous! A Very mixed bag of results with this product! The last shower/body product is The Sanctuary Spa Bath Float (£10.25, 400ml). I have been using Sanctuary Spa products for years now and I do like them although I find this shower gel to be very average, overall I would not purchase it again. 

Lastly, two candle empties! Firstly, the Rodial Rehab Candle (£35, 210g). I did not buy this candle for £35/40 as it was on sale on the Debenhams website for only £10, so naturally I had to buy it! I adore the packaging of this candle and the scent is quite unusual but very nice. Although that it where the positiveness ends with this product as the candle doesn't melt evenly - it does not reach the sides of the tumbler so the candle melts straight down leaving the sides of the candle wasted. Also the strength of the scent i not great and the throw (the scent dispersion) is average. Overall, a nice candle with an extortionate price tag - this is a very good example of style of substance, in my opinion. Secondly, a mini candle from Bath and Body Works (link here to the site where you can buy bath and body works products in the UK). The mini candle is in the scent 'Vanilla Bean Noel' which is gorgeous and the candle actually lasts a while and it is quite strong despite its small size. Overall, bath and body works candles have to be my favourite out of all of the other candles/brands I have tried but unfortunately they are a little bit expensive and not widely available in the UK. 

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New In Beauty + Current Favourites

I've been lucky enough to try quite a few fantastic beauty products recently that are perfect for the autumn and winter months - thanks to Organii, The Body Shop, Joan Collins Beauty, Macadamia Oil, SmileLab and Biolage. Today's post is mix of product recommendations for autumn and mini products reviews as well as my initial impressions.

*Organii Liquid Soap - Lavender (£4.45 300ml)

If you've been following my blog for any length of time then you'll know that I love anything lavender scented so this hand wash is perfect. It contains organic olive oil and it's suitable for vegans! I love the packaging and the scent is amazing, it's such a calming and relaxing scent. I have eczema on my hands so they are perpetually dry and hand washes can make it so much worse but this one doesn't - it leaves the skin cleansed but not stripped or dry. I'd definitely recommend it!

*Organii Shower Gel - Argan (£5.95, 300ml)

Again, I love the packaging as it's colourful but minimal and practical. I also love the scent, I chose Argan but it comes in aloe vera and bamboo, liquorice, shea butter and strawberry - all of the scents sound gorgeous, well, apart from the liquorice one which is a little unusual! Neither products lather up but they work well and smell lovely. 100% of the ingredients within the liquid soap are natural and 99.5% of the shower gel are derived from natural origins.

*SmileLab Advanced Teeth Whitening Strips (£38)

I've tried so many at home teeth whitening products (I might publish a round up post next month?) and some of them have actually worked but others have been a complete waste of time. However, I always want to try more as professional teeth whitening sessions can be ridiculously expensive! This kit is enamel safe, peroxide free (yay!), vegan friendly, cruelty free, SLS free and it's very easy to use.

It comes with fourteen strips which have a sections for your top teeth and for the bottom too. It comes nicely presented, the instructions are easy to follow and each strip is individually wrapped. It also comes with a travel case which could be useful to some. As I've tried products like this before, I think there's a step missing from the instructions as if you dry your teeth (odd I know) then apply the strips, they will stick better. Once the strips are on, you wait for 30 minutes although as I have sensitive teeth I've been waiting half that time.

I've been using it on and off for a week or so, I haven't had time to use it more sadly but I have noticed some positive effects. Let's get the one negative out of the way first and that is the sensitivity it causes although I have found that with every teeth whitening product I've used and it is minimal so it's nothing to worry about. Now onto the positives, the product is very easy to use, it's convenient and it definitely lightens the colour of my teeth from a slightly yellow to a brighter shade, even from the first use I noticed a difference. Obviously you do need to keep it up to get a better result and it won't stay brighter without using the product again in the future. So far so good and I'd definitely recommend it, if you are looking for a safe, easy and vegan friendly teeth whitening option.

*The Body Shop Vanilla Pumpkin Body Butter (£15, 200ml)

Every year The Body Shop creates a fantastic range of Christmas product and this year is no different. Following on from the ever popular pumpkin trend at this time of the year, The Body Shop have joined the bandwagon. The Body Shop body butters are some of my favourite products as I've been using them for about ten years now.

The vanilla pumpkin scent is just gorgeous, it is creamy and sweet, vanilla heavy and rich which is ideal for the colder months and upcoming festive season. As with all of their body butters, it's incredibly nourishing, moisturising and soothing so it is a autumn essential for me. It would be perfect to include within a self care Christmas hamper!

*Macadamia Oil Natural Oil Treatment (£29.99, 125ml)

If there's one hair product that actually makes a difference to the look and feel of my hair overnight, it's hair oils. I mainly use them on damp hair so I wake up with smoother, less frizzy and more manageable hair in the morning or I will use a tonne of hair oil on my dry hair an hour or so before I wash my hair as a treatment.

I've tried quite a few and they can be very hit and miss for me, I've tried a few that were awful but this one is one of the best! I like the packaging, it contains a bonus of UV protection and unlike some hair oils, I feel as though it absorbs to an extent into my hair rather than just making it greasy. With my newly bleached and coloured tips, it's perfect as it enhances the bright blue in my hair and it leaves my hair smoother, softer and less frizzy! It is a little pricy but it's well worth a try, I now want to try more from Macadamia Oil.

*Joan Collins Beauty I Am Woman Indulgent Bath Salts (£18, 300g)

Autumn and Winter are basically bath season so I have been trying out some more bath products from Bomb Cosmetics and Joan Collins. These bath salts come in a heavy, glass tub so it would make a lovely pampering gift this year. It contains rice bran, grapeseed and rosehip seed oils. It smells heavenly to me, it's musky but sweet - it's pretty much an expensive evening fragrance in bath salt form. The bath salts are unlike others I've tried as they are so fine, rather than chunky salts so they dissolve quicker and the scent is lovely in the water. It makes any bath feel more luxurious and it would be a great Christmas self care hamper addition.

*Biolage R.A.W Replish Oil Mist (£22.99, 125ml)

Lastly, one of my favourite products I've received recently and it's another hair oil, I have been trying to look after my hair more recently as the cold definitely has an affect on it and I've bleached the ends again so it needs more attention. It contains olive, sunflower and borage oil - 100% of the ingredients are natural, the packaging is made of 100% recycled plastic and there are no artificial colorants or silicones.

The oil, unlike every other I've tried, comes in a spray bottle which is the main reason I like this product so much and why I've been using it so often as the spray bottle makes it so quick and easy to use. It leaves my hair, especially the bleached and coloured ends, softer, smoother and it helps to detangle as well. I'd recommend both hair oils in this post, so take your pick!

Have you tried any of these products? What are your current beauty favourites? 

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Mini Body Shop Haul!

I made a small order on The Body Shop website, as they are always having sales on...on with the haul!

Honey & Oat 3 in 1 Scrub Mask

I have been wanting to try this face mask for a while as oats are really soothing for sensitive skin - as I have a tiny bit of eczema (which has nearly gone because of a really amazing non steroid prescription cream). I purchased this product a few days ago from www.thebodyshop.co.uk for just over £5! Body Shop are currently having a code offer which is why I purchased this mask for a really good price. 

Moringa Beautifying Oil

This oil is new from the body shop, it was only released a couple of weeks ago, and this oil comes in various scents. The Moringa scent is my favourite from the Body Shop but in this oil form the Morniga scent is not very strong at all, which is a bit disappointing. I like this use this product in my hair and on my skin after a shower. Like the face mask I bought this for just over £5 and it is currently priced at: £6.75 (£9 full price). 

Passion Fruit Body Butter

This is a gorgeous body butter, it is not as nice as the Morniga body butter, but it is a really nice body moisturiser. The scent is divine and the body butter applies so smoothly, quickly and easily - it absorbs really quite quickly too so my skin does not feel greasy. I purchased this for £5 in a body shop sale a couple of months ago. 

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Organic Beauty Week + Favourite Natural Brands

This week is Organic Beauty and Wellbeing Week which is a celebration of all products and brands that are organic but I'm also including brands and products that include just some organic ingredients which are more widespread and accessible. I think for the majority of makeup and beauty users around the world, organic ingredients or an organic brands is definitely a plus but it's not at the very top of our list of necessities in order to buy a product but I am trying to make a effort to use more natural and organic brands.

*SoEco Face Brush Kit (£18)

This set contains four brushes including an angled contour brush, tapered blending brush, round foundation brush and a lip brush. All of the brushes are made with synthetic bristles and responsibly sourced bamboo. As with my other Ecotools brushes, the bristles are so soft and I adore the rose gold ferrels. I love the foundation brush and the tapered blending brush the most so far but I know I'll get so much use out of all the brushes, especially while travelling to London and Norway in the summer. I'd also recommend Ecotools brushes - Ecotools brushes were the very first makeup brushes that I purchased way back in my sixth form days which seems like a lifetime ago now!

 Neal's Yard & Deliciously Ella Skincare

Neal's Yard is a brand that I always hear so much about and I definitely want to try more from the brand; I tried the lovely skincare duo created in collaboration with Ella from Deliciously Ella last year. Neal's Yard products are organic and they all receive amazing reviews - I definitely recommend the wonderful Deliciously Ella cleanser and moisturiser. I have a full review on my blog if you want to read it.

Bodhi and Birch Pampering Products 

While Bodhi and Birch isn't an exclusively organic brand, they do use organic ingredients such as organic shea butter and they use lots of lovely natural ingredients. I have tried a few of their products and I love them - my favourite range is definitely the ylang ylang range which smells divine. They also have some fantastic gift sets. Bodhi and Birch state that they use organic ingredients whenever possible.

*Tamese and Jackson London Mint Noir Shampoo and Conditioner (£5.95 each, 250ml)

Next up is a brand that I hadn't heard of before but it's a haircare brand that isn't just suitable for vegetarians and vegans but it's halal as well as paraben free. It also contains organic ingredients! I like the packaging, I love the scent which is subtle, clean and fresh and both products are fantastic. The shampoo lathers well and leaves my hair clean without being stripped or dry. I love the conditioner, it leaves my dry, frizz prone hair so much smoother, softer and detangled. I think these products are wonderful, especially for the price!

Last up, one of my favourite brands of all time and it's The Body Shop; it's such a nostalgic brand for me as I loved their products growing up, especially the lip butters! While The Body Shop isn't an exclusively organic brand, they do use so many amazing natural, fair-trade and organic ingredients and they actually have a entirely organic range - the Nutriganics range.

I was very kindly sent the new *Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask (£16, 75ml) which is 100% vegan and it contains organic tea tree oil. I adore the packaging for the mask, it looks so fancy and luxe especially as it's very heavy for a face mask. The mask also smells amazing, to me it smells earthy, natural and a little like mens cologne and similar to a L'Occitane green tea candle I had years ago.

I also received *The Body Shop Face Mask Brush (£8) which is such a genius idea! The one thing I hate about masks is getting the mask under my nails and the whole messy application but the brush makes it such a quick, easy and neat process; as the mask has little bits of green tea in it a brush is really useful. The mask looks like a traditional face mask, it hardens and dries on the skin and as it has a slightly gritty texture it exfoliates the skin as it's removed with a hot muslin cloth. I've used this mask a couple of times now and I love it, not just because it brings back 00s face mask vibes but also because it leaves my skin incredibly smooth, soft, exfoliated and deeply cleansed.

Have you tried any of these natural and organic brands? 

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*Can You Ever Be Sure That Your Cosmetics Are Completely Ethical?

Image from Humphrey and Grace

Ethical cosmetics used to be fairly rare because there were only a couple of companies that actually cared about it. Not many customers cared about it either but now that is changing. Ethical and environmental concerns are becoming a bigger factor in people’s decisions about what they decide to put on their skin and in their bodies. Cosmetics companies have responded by putting a bigger focus on these things and finding ways to make their products in a more responsible way.

Any products that have been tested on animals were completely outlawed in the European Union in 2013 so you don’t need to worry about that so much. However, that doesn’t mean all products are completely ethical. Even if the products sold in this country are made responsibly, that doesn’t mean the products they sell elsewhere are. In China, all imported cosmetics have to be tested on animals by law, so if you’re buying off a company that sells to China, you’re still encouraging animal testing. 

The ingredients in some of the products may also be taken from animals, or the manufacturing process might be damaging to the environment so it’s difficult to tell whether the products you’re buying are actually ethical or not. Luckily, we’ve put together a list of a few companies that you can be sure are safe.

Aesop 

Aesop is a cosmetics company that started in Australia but have since expanded. They don’t carry out animal testing on their products in any of the countries that they sell to. They also have a policy of extensively checking the laws of any new countries that they move into to make sure that they don’t have compulsory animal testing like in China. All of the products are made from entirely vegan products with the exception of their makeup brushes, so you can be sure that they’re all ethically sourced.

The Body Shop 

The Body Shop pioneered the natural and ethical cosmetics industry when it started back in 1976. They’ve since established themselves as the biggest seller of natural products in the country. It’s also very affordable compared to a lot of other brands and you can find The Body Shop deals with Voucher Codes Pro to make even more savings. The body shop probably offers the best range out of all of the companies because they’re one of the largest, but their real success is in helping to raise awareness of these issues and kickstart the whole revolution in ethical cosmetics.

Becca Cosmetics 

Becca products are pretty expensive compared with some of the other brands but if you’re serious about ethical cosmetics then it’s worth the money. Not only do they make all of their own products cruelty-free, they are also carrying out research to prove that non-cruel methods are actually more effective than animal testing so there is no need for anybody to do it. This is a big step in combating animal testing across the globe so if it’s an issue that you feel strongly about then you should buy Becca products. Trying to find completely ethical cosmetics is getting easier but there are still some out there that can trip you up if you aren’t careful about what you buy.

Have you tried any of these brands? What do you think about vegan and cruelty free products? 

*This is a collaborative post
*Image from Pinterest

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- Review: Joules Terrific Treats Bath Wash Trio -

Another product review, I was sent this gift set to review from Joules - even though it was sent to me, my opinions expressed in this review are my own and honest - for more information about PR and my disclaimer, click here. To check out more products from Joules, including clothing, click here. There is an outlet section and festive savings/offers on currently.

The set is the *Terrific Treats Bath Wash Trio (£18). It contains a body wash souffle which I was really interested to try out, a body scrub and a body butter. Each tub is 300ml which is massive - it is a very substantial gift! The packaging for the set is just gorgeous, I love the bright colours, cute floral box and the ribbon - it feels very unique and it has a slight British heritage feel about it. I have noticed these Joules sets at Christmas time in Boots for the past year or so and they always look great!

Body wash souffle: I love the packaging of these tubs, so cute with the colours, tin lids with a rabbit embossed on the top. The body souffle was the product I wanted to try the most as it sounded really unusual - I don't think I have tried a body wash souffle before. I have tried it as a body wash and it is pretty amazing, I love the consistency, it lathers well and it feels really nice on the skin. It doesn't strip the skin, it is fairly moisturising. I have also used it as a shave gel and it works amazingly well, it makes the skin smooth and moisturised. 

Body scrub: The body scrub has a strange consistency, it feels like a gel! Very unusual but it actually works really well as an exfoliant. It does scrub the skin but it is not too abrasive. It does have a fairly strong scent, very clean and fresh smelling (as all of the products do). 

Body butter: The body butter is similar to the Body Shop body butters, it is very thick and smooth. This body butter applies really well, it smells nice (it is subtle which I like) and it leaves my skin feeling super smooth, soft and hydrated. Unlike some body butters I have tried this one absorbs really quickly. It is a fantastic product for the winter months and it will last me a while!

Overall, I love the packaging and presentation - I think it would make a lovely (and heavy) gift! As well as the three tubs of body products you also get a £10 off voucher to use on the Joules website. I think all three products are great, I love the body butter and body wash souffle! I would definitely recommend checking Boots (online or instore) for this set as it will be half price now in the sales.

Just a note: I am introducing a new feature on my blog, on the left hand side underneath my own blog button I will add one blog button of the blog I am loving currently - I will change it every week or two. This first blog is, Ahem it's Emme!

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