How to: Decongesting & Purifying Face Mask

L-R jojoba oil, green clay, manuka honey, raw cacao, cinnamon

Face masks are the simplest products to make yourselves at home. I also believe that home-made face masks are the best because they are freshly made. If you have oily or combination skin, I have a great mask for you! This face mask uses clay to draw out impurities, as well as heating properties of raw cacao powder and cinnamon to really decongest and revive the skin. Raw cacao has more antioxidants flavonoids than blueberries and green tea. In addition, I like to add some nourishing and moisturising ingredients to balance the purifying action of the mask and make sure it is not drying, by mixing in some nourishing oil and manuka honey. 
This mask is very easy to make and perfect for a Sunday evening ritual. The cacao makes it smell chocolaty, so its a real pleasure for the senses. 
What you will need:

• Clay (I like to use green clay powder)
• Raw cacao powder
• Ground cinnamon
• Oil (such as olive, argan, coconut, jojoba... )
• Manuka honey 
• A little bit of water or green tea

Mixing the clay, cacao & cinnamon first

First I mix the powders together: I use about two tea spoons of clay powder, a 3/4 tea spoon of raw cacao powder and about a 1/3 tea spoon of cinnamon. If you want the mask to have stronger heating properties then use a bit more cacao and cinnamon. However, if you have sensitive skin don't use too much: this face mask really heats up and your skin is quite reddish at the end. I then add a little bit of water: to create a thick yogurt consistency of the mask. Be careful with the water, add it little by little not to make the mask too watery, start off with a tea spoon and add more as you go along if needed. I then stir in about a tea spoon of manuka honey and a few good drops of your chosen oil. What you get at the end is a thick yogurt consistency grey-brown face mask. It smells absolutely delicious thanks to the cacao and cinnamon. 

The ready mixture

The mask on the skin

Put a thick layer on your face and leave for 15-20 minutes. If your skin is quite sensitive, leave only for 10 minutes. When I use more cacao and cinnamon, my face is quite red at the end, and feels quite hot. After the mask the skin feels really clean and refreshed. It's great at drawing out impurities and nourishing the skin at the same time. Raw cacao has lots of benefits and I am surprised how it is not used more often in skincare. 

Udo's Choice Ultimate Oil Blend

I don't know about you, but I find the whole business about Omegas 3,6, 9's quite confusing. Which are better? What ratio? Just as I was looking for a good omega supplement, and was getting confused by all the ratios, I was contacted by Udo's Choice asking if I would be interested in trying out their Ultimate Oil Blend. I often see this brand in many health shops' fridges, so I jumped at the offer because I was very interested in trying a high-quality oil. 
The oil is a pure supplement, it comes in a dark, amber glass bottle. Udo's Choice gives quite strict directions about how the oil should be kept: it should be stored in the fridge and the oil should be consumed within 8 weeks of opening to ensure you are getting the benefits of the freshness of the oils. Perhaps needless to say, all the oils included in the blend are cold-pressed and certified organic. Now to the actual blend. Here is what is included:

Flax Seed Oil*, Evening Primrose Oil*, Sunflower Seed Oil*, Soy Lecithin, Sesame Seed Oil*, Rice Bran and Rice Germ Oils, Coconut Oil*, Oat Bran and Oat Germ Oils*, Mixed Tocopherols (*Certified Organic)

Omegas
Udo's Choice suggests that consumers currently realize that our diet can be deficient of Omega 3s, which we obtain through foods like fish, nuts and various vegetable oils. They also report that people are presented with an idea that we obtain enough Omega 6s, which are present in some nuts, oils like sunflower oil and some seeds. We also supposingly obtain it from spreads, peanut butter etc. However, what Udo's Choice suggests we don't realize is that most of the Omega 6 oils that we consume are  often damaged in some way: in other words they are not in their best natural format to carry much health benefits. Therefore we might actually not be receiving a good enough amount of good, unrefined, unprocessed Omega 6s, and this should be incorporated in the Omega supplement. Therefore, the choice of oils included in the Ultimate Oil blend includes a 2:1:1 ratio of Omega 3: Omega 6: Omega 9. With this blend you are getting the super-healthy Omega 3 Essential Fatty acids, but not forgetting about the also essential Omega 6 and 9 which are extracted in a clean, unrefined way. 

Consumption
Due to the delicate structure of some of the oils present in the blend, Udo's Choice recommends the oil is never heated as the structures of the oils can be damaged. At first I thought it may be tricky to incorporate this oil in my food, but in reality it turned out to be very easy. 
The oil is of a dark, rich yellowy-orange colour and has quite a distinctive taste, I would say it is pleasantly nutty. For example, I find that it is too strong for my taste to use only this oil as a salad dressing, but instead I put about a table spoon of this oil and just add some olive oil to 'dilute' the taste a little. So it has been very easy just adding it to salads. 
You can add it to dips, salads, pasta when its cooked. One of my favourite things to do with the oil was to mash up some avocado, a desert spoon or two of Udo's Choice oil blend, some sea salt, black pepper and spread this lovely mix on a rye bread toast. Delicious! With bland tastes like avocado it actually adds a nice richness to the taste. The 500 ml bottle lasted me about 6-7 weeks even though I was adding it to my food on a daily basis. 

Overall I think Udo's Choice is a great way to get your Omegas in the freshest and balanced form. This oil is also perfect for vegetarians and is gluten-free. When taking this oil, in combination with a balanced diet, I was feeling very good and had very good skin over the summer months. I then became very busy and let things slip a little bit, and it definitely was reflected in how I felt/my skin. It is a commitment to remember to incorporate this oil in your food especially if you have a busy lifestyle, but if you get it in your routine you get a great ratio of essential omegas in the freshest, unrefined way! Is anyone taking Udo's Choice Ultimate Oil blend?

Lucy Annabella: Argan & Bergamot Organic Treatment Oil

I have recently been contacted by Lucy Annabella Organics asking if I would be interested in trying out their products for a potential review. To be honest, I did not know much about Lucy Annabella, but I did remember seeing their pretty bottles on a natural products website. After having a quick look at their brand and their ingredients I was very interested!
Lucy Annabella is a brand from Northern Ireland, and its creator, Colleen Harte is a Complimentary Therapist and Clinical Aromatherapist. Being passionate about all things natural and organic, and combining this with her knowledge and interest in the power of aromatherapy, Colleen created Lucy Annabella Organics. The brand incorporates products for body and relaxation. They have a collection of body/massage oils, bath milk and candles The products are all beautifully scented to help people relax and unwind in their busy lifestyles while feeding their bodies with healthy and organic products.
The products of the brand are certified by the Soil Association. I always think that its very important for body care products to be organic because you use so much of them.
Soon after our conversation, a lovely box landed on my doorstep. Upon opening I was delighted to learn that it was a body oil, Argan & Bergamot Organic Treatment Oil. As if knowing my fondness  for body oils, Martina from Lucy Annabella made me very happy to receive this. In addition, my previous body oil was running out, so the timing could not be better.

Lucy Annabella Argan & Bergamot Organic Treatment oil

I recently switched to using body oils instead of moisturisers and have been very happy with the results.  When I looked at the ingredients list, I was excited to see that this oil contained argan oil high up in its ingredients list. I believe that everyone has 'their' oil, that works best for their skin, and I think argan oil is 'mine'. This body oil is a deep yellow colour and comes in a very pretty patterned glass bottle. It contains nine organic oils to revive and nourish the skin. A combination of soybean, argan, sesame, avocado and apricot oils feed the skin with Vitamin E, softening and protecting it. I believe this body oil contains a combination of the most beautiful, skin-nourishing oils out there. The body oil is very delicately scented by organic essential oils of lemon, bergamot, rosemary, lavender and cypresse. I am not a fan of strong, essential oil smells, but the scent of this product is very delicate, refreshing,  and beautifully balanced. It is slightly citrusy, but with more depth to it.The scent does not linger for too long either, which is a bonus for me. It does give you a very uplifting feel when the product is applied.
I use the body oil straight after the shower. Upon the first use I was amazed by how quickly the oil sank in, leaving no residue within a minute. The skin felt incredibly smooth and silky to the touch, and I can honestly say I never had such a quick response to a product. Whenever I use a body oil I always rub the leftovers all over my hands, and I have noticed that after using this oil my hands look don't get dry as they usually do, there is even little need for hand cream. A little bit of the product definitely goes a long way, so this bottle should last ages. I have been using it every other day for over three weeks, and am probably not even a third through the bottle. One thing I would comment on however is that the bottle is not dark glass, therefore sunlight may damage the oils. Its not a problem if you store it in a bathroom cabinet, but I like to keep mine in its box just to be safe.

The body oil on skin

My skin is not particularly sensitive to any ingredients, so I cannot comment on any allergies. But I think because the ingredients are very straight-forward, you will be able to notice anything that you can't tolerate. My skin has been very soft and smooth after using this oil. I would highly recommend it as a very fast-absorbing, nourishing and luxurious skin treatment. After-shower use of this oil uplifts the senses so you feel you are in a country field with a mix of lovely herbal scents on a fresh and sunny day!

Lucy Annabella Organics are available to purchase online at  www.lucyannabella.com and on www.naturisimo.com 
The products will also be available at the Nutri Centre, The Hale Clinic, 7 Park Crescent, London W1B 1PF 

Ilia Beauty: beautiful reds

I have noticed that I am coming up with a bit of a collection of red/pink lip colours, mostly from RMS and Ilia beauty brands (RMS colours to follow soon). One of the difficult things about shopping for natural brands that are not so wide-spread is not quite being able to tell what colour it is exactly. The problem with taking photos and uploading them on the blog still remains: the flash and camera distortion still make it impossible to demonstrate the true colour of the lipsticks. Nevertheless, I wanted to do a post showing some of the lip colours that I own and perhaps through seeing them next to each other, some of you would find it useful. 
Ilia beauty colours are amazing. The lip tints are very moisturising and I love how they smell. The greatest thing about them is that you can really play with how much colour you want to get out of them, e.g. one layer gives a nice tint, while if you re-apply a few times you get a proper lipstick-rich colour. And, once you own a few of these pretty things, you can mix up the colours to get something new every time. Here are some of my favourites:

Ilia in Bang Bang

Ilia in Arabian Knights

Ilia in Shell Shock

Ilia Beauty L-to-R: Bang Bang, Arabian Knights, Shell Shock

    

S5 Skincare Balance Fluid Review

I first came across S5 Skincare at Content shop in London (literally the best all natural skincare boutique!). I was shopping with my mum who was stocking up on some lovely skincare products, and not wanting to feel left out I thought I should look for something for myself too. My current moisturizer was close to running out, and I was also feeling like it was not providing enough moisture. It was formulated for problem skin prone to breakouts, but it felt like was sort of compromising on the moisture aspect. 

So, in Content, when I explained my situation, I was recommended the Balance Fluid by S5 Skincare, and it sounded so good that I thought why not give it a try? 

Before I review the cream, here is a little background information on the company. S5 Skincare is a relatively new brand, created by Laura Rudoe (who is also behind the affordable natural company Evolve) and Violaine Bargues. There is a beautifully written in-depth background review of the company in Galina's blog if you want to learn more. 

The main ethos of the brand is to use natural, high-quality ingredients to protect the skin from adverse effects of stress and aging. The line is 100% natural and uses very interesting ingredients that come from plants that flourish in  harsh and difficult climates (e.g. the arctic, sea depths, mountains, deserts). After considerable research the brand creators found that these ingredients are very beneficial in helping skin fight stress and look its best. The products contain proven bioactives from 5 most extreme ecosystems, especially formulated to target 5 skin problems/conditions: 

• Arctic (sensitivity and reactive skin)
• Alpine (skin pigmentation)
• Desert (dry skin)
• Marine (wrinkles and lines)
• Rainforest (problem and blemish-prone skin)

Today I will be focusing on the Balance fluid, which uses rainforest bioactives to help de-stress and balance the skin, preventing blemishes. Rainforest is an ecosystem that is capable of sustaining rich life throughout extreme weather conditions: torrential rain, extreme heat and humidity. The founders of the skincare found that extracts from the rainforest will help balance the skin, reduce inflammation and provide a 'climate control system' for the skin, where oil production, moisture and nutrition can all be balanced. This is what attracted me to this product: its proposal to balance the skin without compromising on hydration and nutrition.

So far I have only used the Balance Fluid moisturiser. Some of the key actives used in this moisturizer include Epilobium fleisheri, which is an Alpine bioactive found to help reduce inflammation, decrease sebum production and improve skin's appearance. It also contains Arctic Rhodiola, which is ecologically harvested in Siberia. This plant has been shown to improve oxygen consumption in the skin, de-stress the skin and protect it from temperature fluctuations. In addition, the moisturizer contains Low Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid, which is vital in locking in moisture in the skin, and also reduces skin hyper-reactivity. The product is EcoCert certified organic, with overall 67.99% organic ingredients, and is overall 99.25% natural. Here is the full list of ingredients: 

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Coco-Caprylate , Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Mica, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Aqua (Water), Isostearyl Isostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Epolobium Fleischeri Extract*, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Salicylic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Arachidyl Alcohol , Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Behenyl Alcohol, Cellulose Gum, Tocopherol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Gluconolactone, Lauroyl Lysine, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Parfum (Natural, Low Allergen Fragrance),  Titanium Dioxide, Talc, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid.

I found this moisturizer extremely pleasant to use: it sinks into the skin immediately, and smells absolutely delicious, as if of Alpine herbs. The smell is very delicate and I think it must be my favourite moisturiser smell. It has a smooth creamy consistency. I must say that after one application, sometimes my skin did not feel quite moisturised enough, and I would go back and put another small amount on. I have been using the moisturizer for almost two months now, and my skin has been calm and I have not experienced any unpleasant blemishes, maybe a couple occasional ones, but much less than usual. What I also really liked is that the skin felt nourished and well-moisturized after using this product, and I am happy with the overall condition of the skin, not only the blemish aspect of it. This, I guess, is their 'climate control system' really working! The 50 ml pot comes at £39, so it is certainly isn't cheap. But, after using mine for two months, I find that I have used very little, so I think it will last for ages. 

The line also contains specially formulated serums for various skin conditions, and I would now really like to try out their Purity Serum!

S5 skincare line is available at Content instore and online. 

Seeds!

I thought I'd do a post on the benefits of seeds. These little things have amazing nutritional value, but can often be overlooked. It is very easy to incorportate seeds into your daily food routine, by adding them into smoothies, sprinkling them over toast, porridge or salads, or just eating them in their own right. Lets have a look at a couple of the healthiest seeds out there. 

Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are edible seeds of... um, pumpkins! These have amazing nutritional value. Pumpkin seeds are rich in calories, which mainly come from protein and fats in these seeds. The fats are the good type, they are rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids, which help to balance the cholesterol levels and may help with prevention of heart disease. Pumpkin seeds are also rich in  amino acids,  tryptophan and glutamate. These, especially glutamate, when converted help sleep, reducing anxiety and irritability. Furthermore, pumpkin seeds are rich in essential minerals, such as copper, magnesium, zinc and calcium among many others. 

Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds come from Sesame plant, which is a tall annual plant, most widely grown in Asia, especially China, Burma and India. The seeds come from the pods that are formed from the flowers on these tall plants. 
Sesame seeds are an amazing source of various essential minerals. Particularly, they are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, manganese and selenium.
These seeds contain plenty of folic acid, which is essential for DNA synthesis. In addition, they are a great source of B-complex vitamins, which help reduce anxiety and neurosis. Sesame is super rich in different fatty acids, which help balance the cholesterol levels. As if all of that wasn't enough, sesame seeds are also rich in different antioxidants, such as sesamol and sesaminol, which help fight-off harmful free radicals within the body. 

Chia Seeds
Chia seeds come from Salvia hispanica plant, which grows abundantly in Southern Mexico, and is actually a member of the mint family. These tiny seeds were an important part of Mayan and Aztec diets back in the day. Chia seeds are super rich in everything it appears! They have a great source of Omega-3, and various anti-oxidants. In fact, it has been written that they are so rich in antioxidants that chia seeds can be stored for lengthy periods of time without deteriorating. Chia seeds are also very rich in fiber (25 grams of chia provide almost 7 grams of fiber), which means that these seeds will help you feel full in a healthy way. Like the other seeds, chia are also a great source of minerals like calcium, phosphorus,  copper, zinc, magnesium, manganese and iron among others. 

Sunflower Seeds
Apparently sunflower seeds began to be used over 5,000 years ago by the Native Americans, and then the Spanish introduced them to Europe and surrounding countries. Some of the benefits of sunflower seeds include its rich content of Vitamin E, which has been linked to preventing cardiovascular disease. Vitamin E is also a great fat-soluble antioxidant, and is therefore anti-inflammatory as it neutralizes free radicals in the body.  These seeds are also rich in magnesium, which helps to maintain healthy bones and also helps maintain healthy nerve cells!

How to: Papaya Face Mask

The papaya mask delicious ingredients

Papaya is an amazing fruit for the skin. It is a great antioxidant due to the very high content of Vitamin A. In addition, papaya fruit contains papain, which breaks down inactive proteins, and therefore helps to remove dead skin cells. This gives this bright orange fruit great exfoliating properties. If that all was not enough, papaya has also been said to have good anti-aging properties due to the high content of alpha-hydroxy acids (the AHAs). In addition, papaya can help with blemishes, uneven skin tone and will bring a lovely glow to the skin. 
I have read about all these amazing papaya qualities, and when I saw a reduced price fruit in a supermarket, I thought 'Why not give it a try?'
The mask is easy to do, but I must confess I did make a bit of a mess in the kitchen when preparing it. But I think it was mostly due to the fact I do not own a blender, and therefore a lot of mushing things up was involved. 
What you need:
- Half a papaya, pips scooped out
- 2 table spoons oats
- A dash of olive/coconut oil
- Juice of about 1/4 of a lemon

In the process

1. Scoop out the seeds of the papaya and remove the skin. Cut the fruit into small pieces and mush it up either in a blender or with a fork
2. Grind the oats 
3. Mix the papaya and the oats together
4. Add the oil and the lemon juice, and you're set to go!
5. Apply the mask onto the whole face and neck, avoiding the eye area, leave for 10 mins or so and wash off

The end product...

Using half a papaya was actually enough for two applications. The oats in the mask helps to sooth the skin and add more exfoliation upon rinsing. After the mask my skin was very soft and refreshed, and it felt lovely to apply fresh and completely natural ingredients to my face! Would definitely recommend! My ingredients are only a suggestion, you can alter the recipe to suit your skin, for example you can add honey for sensitive skin, or maybe yogurt... If you try it, let me know how you get on... 

Deep Cleansing Mask by Nude

I  wanted to do my new post about a product that has impressed me the most during the time of my blog-absence period. This product was, without a doubt, the Deep Cleansing Mask by Nude.
First of all, the brand. Nude was created by Bryan Meehan and Ali Hewson. Bryan was the creator of the Fresh&Wild natural health food stores around London. Together, Bryan and Ali wanted to create a skincare brand that is high-performance, luxury and of course, all-natural. I think the brand very nicely combines the two aspects that before were considered to be opposites: it is natural and luxury. I love the packaging of the brand: it is simple, clean, modern and feels so nice to the touch. The products are affordable but they look and feel like high-end stuff, and deliver the promised results too!     The products consist of natural ingredients, with some interesting stuff. They are free from the nasties like parabens, Sulphates, PEGs, TEAs, DEAs, Propylene Glycol, Phthalates, GMOs, Mineral Oils and Silicones.  It should be noted that the brand openly declares that they use a small amount of what they researched to be safe and non-irritating synthetic preservative ingredients. All of these ingredients are clearly stated on their labels. 
Now, the product: 
This mask is formulated for normal to oily skin, and would suit anyone with congested skin or suffering from spots. The mask is dark grey colour, and has a beautiful mousse consistency. This was one of the things I was particularly impressed with: unlike other kaolin clay masks, the consistency of the mask felt soft and non-drying. It goes on like a dream: very smooth and almost glides onto your skin. The main ingredient of the face mask is kaolin clay which absorb excess oils and impurities and helps to gently exfoliate. The mask also contains propolis, which has fantastic purifying and healing properties. The other great thing about this face mask is that it works as an exfoliator too. The gentle beads exfoliate the skin when you wash the mask off, making it a brilliant 2 in 1 product (i.e. I skip buying an exfoliator now...). 
In all honesty, if used once or twice per week, this mask (unlike any other I have tried), really de-congests the skin, revealing more glowing and healthy-looking skin. I cannot promise you that it will solve all your skin problems, but I don't believe that any one external product really can (i.e. a lot of how your skin looks depends on what you are eating and how you are feeling). But what I have noticed is that it really improves the condition of the skin, gently purifying it as well as healing any spots etc. It is very easy to use and wash off, making it a pleasant part of a weekly beauty routine! 

Spiezia Organics Head and Hair Oil

There are so many hair treatments out there, lots to choose from! I wanted to try something different and new, and found this great Head and Hair oil by Spiezia Organics. I knew that oils are great for nourishing hair and thought I could give this treatment a try. Another thing that attracted me was the company itself and the fact that their products are 100% organic (that's right, 100%, certified by the Soil Association).
Lets hear a little bit about the company first. Spiezia makes 100% organic and natural products on an Organic Gear Farm based in Cornwall, England. They have a range of 34 products for face, body and hair care, mothers and babies oils and balms and a range of men products. It has been possible for Spiezia to make truly 100% organic products because they don't use water in their stuff: and if there is no water, there is no need to use any type of preservatives or anything else that may exist only in non-organic form. This means that Spiezia moisturizers are balms, not creams.
Now the treatment. The Head and Hair oil was created to stimulate healthy scalp and nourish hair. It contains lots of great ingredients, such as jojoba, sweet almond, apricot seed oils, and other healthy things such as burdock root extract, nettle leaf extract, rosemary leaf, sage and lavender. It is advised to massage into the scalp and along the hair and leave it on either for 20 minutes or overnight for a more thorough treatment. 
I have not had the courage to put it on my head... My hair tends to get oily quickly, and I do realize that the oil will not necessarily make it more oily, but balance it, but I just could not do it! The main thing I feel I personally need to get from a hair treatment is nourishing dry ends, so I happily just put it along my hair.
The oil itself is like any oil: pale yellow colour, no particular strong smell. I rub a little oil between my hands and spread it on my hair, then repeat a couple of times until I feel there is enough oil on my hair. Don't overdo it: the first time I applied the oil I thought I needed to put on lots of it for the hair to get moist, but you really don't, I would say overall about a tablespoon or a bit more for medium length hair. I then wrapped my hair on my head and pinned it up. I didn't leave it on overnight, although its very possible - just pop a towel on your pillow. I left the oil for about 30 minutes every time I used the product. 
The oil washes out relatively easily, although (perhaps due to paranoia) the first time I used it it did feel like there was something left on my hair. The second time, my hair felt completely fine and clean. The overall result without exaggerating is that after 2-3 uses my hair felt more nourished, silky, shiny and generally healthier. I was very impressed with the result. I have medium thickness hair, and this oil has definitely worked much better than any intense treatments that I have used on my hair for that extra nourishment. 

Live Native Exfoliating Cleanser

Well, it has been a little while.... The reason for my lengthy absense was not at all my abandonment of pure and green beliefs, but the fact that I thought it was a good idea to do all the big things at once (you know, the moving house, starting a new job, and also, being with no internet for 3 weeks). But now I am settled in my new place, so, lets see what new natural products there are in store!
I have, now not-so-recently, been kindly sent a sample of Live Native Exfoliating Cleanser, which lasted me a few weeks, using it every other day. My first impression was how natural and 'earthy' the cleanser was. It kind of looks like mud - its quite dark brown, textured, it looks like there is nothing artificial in it whatsoever, which there isn't.
Live Native the company specialize in making natural, handmade skincare products. Their products are all handmade on the =Isle of Skye, where the beautiful unspoiled landscape must have been an inspiration for Live Native creator, Vicky Ewbank. Live Native products contain only natural ingredients and are vegan. Not only that, but the ingredients in the products are all cold-pressed and the company uses heat-free-blending of ingredients to save the active properties of enzymes, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. 
The Exfoliating Cleanser is based on Absorptive Moroccan Rhassoul Clay, which helps to deeply cleanse the skin as it attracts all the oil and dirt trapped in the skin. Organic oats in the  cleanser help to gently but effectively exfoliate the skin. I loved the other ingredients in the product, such as argan, coconut and calendula oils, which all help to cleanse the skin, but also nourish and calm it at the same time. The full list of ingredients, all natural and lovely stuff, is below. The product is 90% organic.

Oat (Avena Sativa) Kernel Meal*, Rhassoul Clay (Montmorillonite)*/***, Chamomile Macerate in Sunflower oil*, Argan (Argania Spinosa) Kernal Oil*/***, Coconut (Cocos Nucifera) Oil*, MSM (Dimethyl Sulfone) from Pine Trees, Chamomile (Chamomilla Recutita Matricaria) Flower*, Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) Root Powder*, Kelp (Ascophyllum Nodosum)**, Marigold (Calendula Officinalis) Flower Oil*, Vitamin E (natural d-alpha tocopherol), Glyceryl Caprilate, Grapefruit (Citrus Grandis) Seed Extract in vegetable glycerin, Acerola cherry (Malpighia Glabra) Fruit Extract*.* organic   |   ** wild harvested   |   *** Fairtrade

The cleanser is gentle enough to be used everyday. I really liked that, as its quite rare to find a cleanser that is a gentle exfoliator as well, and to be able to use daily. As I mentioned before, when I opened the pot, the cleanser looked like rough mud. But with contact with water it forms a brown-grey paste, that starts to feel much more gentle than the dry product. When washing my face with it, it felt like I was putting 'food for skin' on it and I would leave it on for a minute before washing it off. I guess that would allow the clay and oils to work their magic. After washing off, the skin would feel soft and clear, without any residue of the product. I really enjoyed this cleanser, and loved the gentle exfoliating properties of it, as well as its interesting and natural ingredients list! Highly recommended!

Winter Lip Saviours: Hurraw! Lip Balms

It is that time of year again (if you live in the northern hemisphere): cracked and dry lips due to cold, wind and general weather nastiness!
I have never been a fan of lipbalms: to me they taste strange, make my hair stick to my lips and their smells could be over-powering.  Also, if you get a tube lip balm, they always roll off the table somewhere and take a journey of their own...
That was all till I had particularly dry lips this winter. I saw my friend use this strange-looking, slightly squashed red tube of Hurraw! lip balm in Black Cherry. I borrowed it for a couple of sweeps, and was hooked! 
The lip balm made my lips soft and moisturized, completely got rid of dryness and cracked feeling. And importantly it improved the conditions of my lips in the long term, not just for a few minutes, which often happens with lip balms, and actually makes you crave them more. 
In addition to being great at nourishing lips the Black Cherry balm is an amazing subtle red tint, adding a healthy colour and glow to your lips without being over-powering. The colour is achieved by adding the alkanet infusion to the balm.  And of course, the balms are all-natural, vegan,  raw and contain organic components! Here is the list of ingredients:


***Alkanna tinctoria (alkanet root)  infused *Prunus dulcis (sweet almond) oil; ***Euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax; **Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, *Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil, **Theobroma cacao (cocoa) butter, *Ricinus communis (castor) oil, *Olea europaea (olive) oil,  organic black cherry flavor; Tocopherols (vitamin e)
*cold pressed / organic  **raw & organic ***wildcrafted

Hurraw lip balms are available in a great many flavours and colours. The Black Cherry and Cinnamon balms are tinted, while most of the others are not, so you can choose what suits you. Conclusion: highly recommended for winter... and it won't roll of your desk!

Interview with Steffany Boldrini from Ecobold

This is the first (hopefully) in a series of interviews of lovely people who dedicate their lives to creating or distributing natural and safe products. Steffany Boldrini, the CEO of Ecobold has kindly spent time to answer my questions!

Ecobold

We may know that we want green and natural products, but the question is where does one find them, and if you are making such products, where does one sell them? That is where Ecobold comes in: it is a US-based market place for people to buy and sell natural, green and non-toxic products. Ecobold currently has over 3,000 products from over 130 sellers and is growing fast! You can find anything green on it: products in categories like skincare, cleaning products, books, gardening, food and much much more! It is a great way to shop for everything green under one online roof. At the same time it is great for manufacturers to have such a website where they can present their products. If someone wants to sell their product on Ecobold, it undergoes thorough checks to ensure that it meets all the health and environmental requirements. Ecobold team consists of experts on green and non-toxic products, who do research, investigate the ingredients and also provide the very handy video reviews of different products to educate the customer. Ecobold was founded by Steffany Boldrini, who I have the pleasure of asking a few questions about her experience with her business as well as green products.  

Steffany Boldrini

Hi Steffany, thank you for taking time to do an interview for Core Beauty. How did you come about in being interested in green and non-toxic products and wanted to make this your job? 

The person who influenced me the most has been my mom, she always made sure that we read the ingredients of the food we buy and she keeps feeding me information on why our products are much safer for our health than convenient products out there. The most amazing part of all this is that even if you pay 10% more for a non-toxic product, it ends up being much cheaper than the pain you might go through when they get all kinds of diseases that ingredients in “bad” products can cause. Plus the vast majority of the products on our site have a price that’s the same, if not cheaper, than conventional products!  

How was the idea for Ecobold born? 

Ecobold was born out of my personal mission to teach people how to shop better, I initially wanted to be a consultant and go to people’s houses, wipe out all nasty products, go to the grocery store with them and teach how to shop better. Later I decided that the one-on-one basis of consulting wouldn’t make such a big impact as having something where everyone could access online. Helping manufacturers of these awesome products sell online was also another driver to make the switch.  

What was the process of setting up your own business like? 

Setting it up wasn’t the hardest part, the hard part is getting the word out to the people who care and have them come back for more, a.k.a. marketing!  

What would you say was the biggest challenge you faced in developing Ecobold?  

Everyday there is a different challenge! In the beginning it was finding the right co-founder, then it was launching, and now we are in the process of looking for investment - the hardest part at this time.  

What was the most difficult thing about switching to non-toxic products? Were there some products that you found most difficult to find a natural substitute for? 

It’s actually not hard at all. If you look you’ll find that there’s a safe alternative for almost everything you use: lipstick, makeup, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, cleanser, body lotion, perfume, anti-aging lotions, and the list goes on and on. There are a few products that I still sin with because I haven’t found an alternative that works yet: nail polish, nail polish remover, deodorant and the things that my hairdresser users for my highlights – that’s it!  

Can tell us about your favourite natural skincare and cosmetics brands?  

There are so many good ones out there, it’s hard to choose! I’ve used these serums before, gave to friends and family and we all love them: http://www.ecobold.com/shops/anthoorganic I also can’t wait to try this makeup and lipsticks: http://www.ecobold.com/shops/FreshFace For soaps, I love these: http://www.ecobold.com/shops/blueridgegypsy and http:// www.ecobold.com/shops/Beecology  

What is the morning skincare routine of the Ecobold’s CEO?  

Wash my face with water, spray a fruit mist that my mom gave me the other day, put on my mineral makeup and I’m out the door! I also sometimes I use olive oil around my eyes which I heard works really well for a beautiful skin.

John Masters Organics Bare Unscented Shampoo

Well, as some of you may have noticed I have not done a post in a little while... The reasons are the same as always: work, general business etc. etc... But now I am back! I have not been completely out of the natural and organic loop, as during this time I have tried and used various interesting natural products which I will now be reviewing.
I thought I'd start with a review of a natural shapoo. It seems to be quite a basic part of the personal care regime, and some may be surprised that I have not done review of a natural shampoo already. The reason for that is that until now I have not used a natural shampoo that I was satisfied with. That changed after I tried the John Masters Organics Bare Unscented shampoo.
I have gone on about John Masters as a brand, and my other favourite of their products (and perhaps of all products in the world!) the Blood Orange and Vanilla body wash here. 
As the name of the shampoo suggests, it was created for someone who is not so keen or is allergic to overly-fragranced (even if natural) products. I am not such a person, I just wanted to try it as all the other shampoos did not really fit my hair description. The biggest difficulty with natural shampoos that many of you may have experienced is that it is hard to find one that actually cleans hair thoroughly, without leaving that slightly oily residue at the back of your head. The JM shampoo came the closest at giving me a fresh and clean feeling after washing my hair. I won't lie, it is not exactly the same as if I washed my hair with a  'dirty' shampoo, but the difference is really negligible. I am prepared for this in order to avoid the nasty chemicals in other shampoos. But that said, JM shampoo was significantly better at giving me a clean hair feeling compared to some other naturals that I have tried. After blow drying, my hair was soft and full of volume, which I really like, it was not weighted down at all. 
The shampoo contains organic extracts of chamomile, white tea and jojoba in order to gently cleanse the hair. In addition it contains wheat amino acids that add shine and smoothness, and evening primrose to nourish and moisturize hair. 
It is suitable for all hair types, which I liked a lot. I have relatively normal, quite fine brown hair with a tendency to become greasy in a couple of days, and this shampoo has been great at cleaning and nourishing hair and scalp, without over-stripping. 
In all honesty, you have to give a natural shampoo a few tries, before you make a decision about whether or not it is suitable for you. If you judge it from the first wash, you will be putting lots of bottles in the bin. Give it a few washes and see your hair and scalp adapt to a more gentle, less harsh shampoo, and if you are looking for one, I would highly recommend the JM Bare Unscented shampoo! 

Skincare Chemicals to Avoid: 1,4-Dioxane

                    

I dont know if anyone has noticed, but it has been a little while since my last post on the nasty chemicals we should try to avoid in skincare. So lets try to take a peek into what is really going on in our products behind the branded facade.
Today's victim is 1,4-Dioxane, a clear liquid that dissolves in water. It is usually used as a solvent in chemical processing. For example, it is used in things like adhesives, cleaning and detergent preparations, varnishes, polishing compositions, and after all this it is also used (wait for it!...) in cosmetics and deodorant fumigants. 
People can be exposed to this chemical through inhalation, oral (food/water consumption) and dermal contact through the use of contaminated products such as cosmetics or shampoo. 
1,4-Dioxane is considered to be a probable human cancerogen. It has been shown to easily penetrate skin. In addition, 1,4-Dioxane is listed as an animal cancerogen by the National Toxicology Program. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics highlights that perhaps using one contaminated product once in a while may not cause serious harm, but considering how many products we use each day and every day, it all adds up... 
You may think: well that does not sound very pleasant, I shall avoid it! The problem is that 1,4 Dioxane is actually a by-product, it is formed as an impurity in the manufacture process of alkyl ether sulfates or other ethoxylated substances used in products like cosmetics, detergents and shampoos. The process of ethoxylation involves adding ethylene oxide (a known canerogen!) to other chemicals in the product to make them less harsh. The funny thing is that because it is a contaminant by-product, 1,4-Dioxane does not have to be listed on the ingredients list, so it is quite hard to know whether it is present or not. In terms of personal care products, it is reported that it is likely to be present in products that create suds, like shampoo, bubble bath and some soaps. It is reported that high percentages of all products from these categories contain 1,4-Dioxane. Horrifyingly, an independent test in 2007 revealed that many popular brands of children's bubble bath and body wash contained the chemical. 
It is possible for companies not to produce 1,4-Dioxane. For example, they can vacuum-strip it from the ethoxylated product or just not do the ethoxylation process by using non-harsh ingredients from the start. It is not allowed to ethoxylate under organic standards. So if you purchase a certified organic product, it should be safe to know that it does not contain 1,4-Dioxane. It is also possible to search for products that contain no known impurities on the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database. 

Lip Colour Variations: RMS and Ilia Beauty

I found that the most difficult thing about getting new natural and organic products instead of the 'dirty' ones is that many of the brands are only available online. So, that makes  it a bit difficult in deciding on the right consistency of a cream, but even more difficult in deciding on the suitable colour when buying make-up. 
So I decided to do a little post on the colours of my favourite brands, RMS beauty and Ilia. 


RMS beauty Lip2Cheek:
I was in love with RMS Lip2Cheek in Modest for a while now. I was not too afraid of buying it online, as it seemed a soft dark pink colour that would suit pretty much everyone. I was however quite intrigued by their Rapture colour, it seemed to be an intense, dark, almost brick-red colour. But how can you  be sure, and how will it look on you? I got a sample of Rapture, and it is truly a very deep dark red colour. Initially I thought I would not be able to wear it. What is good about RMS products however, is that you can play around with how much you put on. With Rapture, you can dab a tiny amount on your lips and it will give life and warmth to your lips, apply another sweep and you will get deep, dark red evening look. 
Then I thought, well I really like Modest, but sometimes it would be nice to add more depth to it. Easy! Just add/mix up Modest with Rapture (depending on what effect you would like to create). Here I have a photo of Rapture on its own at the top, followed by Modest, and then about 50/50 mix of the two:

RMS Lip2Cheek in Rapture, Modest and mix of the two

No matter how hard I try to get an accurate picture of the real colours it never looks quite right. This is as close as I could get it. It does look similar, maybe Rapture is a little more brick-red and Modest is a little bit more 'dark pink'. 
If you are more interested in a lighter, more pinky and less intense lip colour, check out the lovely RMS lip shine in Bloom: gives your lips a little bit of a sheer pinky glow:

RMS Lip Shine in Bloom

Ilia Lipsticks
Finally, if you are looking for a real wonder-product, check out Ilia lipsticks. One sweep gives you a little bit of colour,  while moisturizing and nourishing your lips. And a few more sweeps provide an intense and beautiful stain. I have Ilia in Bang Bang, and when you open it it is bright red. I put one layer on in the day just to moisturize my lips, and then if I want more colour, just sweep some more on! So, it is a moisturizing lip tint and a proper red lipstick all in one!

Ilia in Bang Bang

                         
The above colours show the difference between just one sweep (above) and a few. The real colour is a little bit more scarlet red than what it came out on the picture. I hope it was useful anyhow, despite all the 'but the real colour looks more...'.