Natural Lip Balms - Featuring Oh! Organics

I am addicted to lip balm and have been for sometime. I carry one at all times and keep several back-ups in my handbag, let alone the collection I have gathered at home. I put lip balm on throughout the day and sleep with some by my bed. As I say, I am addicted. This post is a collective post reviewing some of the natural lip balms that I have recently got.

 Oh! Organics Vegan Lip Balm Tubes* £2.75 each

The Oh! Organics lip balms are made using natural organic ingredients that are ethically and sustainably sourced.and are approved by the Vegetarian Society. These are vegan and use wax from the candlelilla shrub mixed with aloe butter and almond oil. The balms sink into lips rather than forming a layer over the top. This makes them different to other lip products as they don't leave your lips feeling wet or sliding together. Instead they leave your lips feeling soft and hydrated.

These lip balms are available in several varieties. I have tangerine, lemon and lime and honey peach. The scents are all very mild and they all have a mild, pleasant taste. These come in a tube making them easy to apply and handy to throw in your bag. At the price you really can't go wrong and these are a lovely natural addition to my growing lip balm collection.

For more details and to buy these click here.

Arran Aromatics Honey and Lemon Lip Balm £3.50

This was actually bought for me as a gift after my parents visited Arran on a holiday. This lip balm smells amazing! I can't stop sniffing it! It's a gorgeous mix of lemon and honey and reminds me of a hot drink on a winters day. The lip balm slides over the lips easily and allows for lips to be easily rubbed together. The product is in a tub meaning its a bit tricky to apply, especially if you are wearing nail extensions! I use my pinky so as to avoid making a hole in the product. 

Figs & Rouge Cherry Blossom Tinted Lip Balm £4.95

The packing of this lip balm is amazing, really pretty and luxury looking. The product is 100% natural and petroleum free. These balms are tinted and the one I have is a red. The colour is very sheer and leaves a natural, summery look. The smell is very subtle and almost not noticeable. This is a little on the pricey side for an every day lip balm but the lovely packaging makes it a great gift. 

Have you tried any of these lip balms? Comment to let me know what you thought! 

Glossybox - August 2013

My Glossybox is always taking me by surprise. I got my dispatch email this morning an, a few hours later, the box was on my doorstep. The theme of this months box is high flyers and basically means they have chosen products from different countries, although two of mine are American. I'm really pleased to see they have also started printing the booklet on glossy paper! It looks so much more professional and fits in with the packaging.

Apologies for the lighting of these pictures but I am desperate to show you this box because it is so good!

Emote Make Up Eyelash Curler Approx £20

I have been meaning to buy a new eyelash curler for ages so I am happy to see this in the box. This also comes with 3 extra rubber inserts. The curler is an unusual curved shape and feels great quality. 

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Noir 1.5ml sample (£63 for 100ml)

I am not me of those bloggers who dislikes perfume samples and so I was happy to see this. I have
been lusting after this perfume for a while so its great to have a sample which I can wear for a few days to see if I still like it! 

Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser 30ml sample (£17.50 for 240ml)

This is raved about in the beauty world and I actually just bought a sample of this but haven't tried it yet. This is a daily cleanser which is suitable for sensitive skin and removes make up.

Jelly Pong Pong 2-in-1 Shadow/Liner in Plum £10.50

I can't work out if this is full size as neither the packaging nor the website so the weight of the product. This creamy crayon can be used as a liner or smudge to make an eyeshadow. 

Oceane Makeup Remover Pen (Not yet available in the UK)

I have been looking at purchasing a makeup remover pen so I'm glad to see this in my box. This comes with 3 spare tips.

I am delighted with this box and would happily have bought every item in it!

What did you get in your box?

Vita Liberata Phenomenal 2-3 Week Self Tanning Mousse - Review

Vita Liberata Tan* is raved about so, when I was offered a bottle, I jumped at the chance to try it out. This product is available in 3 shades: fair, medium and dark. I was sent fair which, although I normally go for a darker tan, is the right shade for my skin tone.

Vita Liberata tan uses a combination of natural nourishing extracts and unique pHenO2 technology (working with the pH of your skin) and will last up to 4 times longer than your normal tan. It is non toxic, free from parabens, and is made up of 70% organic extracts that are kind to your skin and produce a natural fade. 

The tan comes with a free mitt which I also received with my bottle. I am never a huge fan of mitts that come with tans, instead I opt to use the Home Bargains mitt which is really great and a bargain. That being said, I used this mitt and it was fantastic. The problem I usually have is that I have big hands and the mitts are often too tight however this one fitted perfectly. After applying my tan I washed this in the machine and it came out really well and I have used it since.

The tan is a mousse however it is quite a wet mousse so it's best to shake it up and only apply small amounts at a time. In the past I have opted for sprays instead but found this kept my bathroom much cleaner as I wasn't spraying it on the walls! This tan goes on a dream. The guide colour allows you to apply an even tan and the mousse slides over the skin easily. 

The tan you get from this is really natural. If you like to look like an oompa-loompa then this is not for you! I loved the colour and got several compliments on how natural it looked. After 3 days I applied another coat and now, 5 days later, I have a lovely tan. My tan is beginning to fade but it isn't going scaly or patchy. 

The tan didn't stain my bed sheets and, although not smell-free, was not the most unpleasant of tan smells.

If you are looking for a long lasting, natural tan with an easy application then I definitely recommend you give this a go!

The mousse and mitt are £37.50 and can be purchased here.

*PR sample 

Hair Week Day 7 - Got 2b Powder'ful - Review

We have come to the end of hair week and 6 products have been reviewed. All of these were new products and so I have decided to end on an old favourite.

Schwarzkopf Got 2b Powder'ful Volumizing Styling Powder £4.09
I have been using this product for some time now and it is definitely a winner in my eyes. The product claims root boost, texture and hold and it gives all 3. I find this particularly helpful when I am curling my hair with a tong. It keeps my curls big and stops my hair from going flat.

The product dispenses as a powder. You rub both hands together which causes the powder to lose the white colour and your hands get slightly sticky. You then rub your hands through the roots of your hair to give lift. This works really well for the messy hair look. The product doesn't feel heavy on the hair, isn't sticky and isn't crunchy.

I hope you all enjoyed hair week!

Hair Week Day 6 - Phil Smith Be Gorgeous - Review

If you are on a spending ban then I suggest you don't read this review because you will want to buy this!

I was recently offered the chance to try some of the Phil Smith Be Gorgeous hair care range, exclusively sold in Sainsbury's. Due to my hair being dry and damaged I was sent The Moisture Range and a heat spray from The Styling Range. I was particularly interested in these items because this is an affordable brand and fits right in my budget.

The Moisture Range

Moisture Rich Nourishing Repair Shampoo £3.99
This rich shampoo drenches hair in moisture, making styling a breeze. Say hello to happy hair!
The shampoo is white in colour and quite a thick consistency. It works into a good lather meaning you don't need to apply much. It rinses out easily and leaves my hair and scalp feeling light and clean.  All of the products in this range smell AMAZING.

Moisture Rich Nourishing RepairConditioner £3.99
This deeply nourishing conditioner locks moisture into dry hair,cleaving it silky-soft to the touch. We're talking officially blissed out hair.
This conditioner is really thick meaning its easy to cover your hair. I left it for 2 minutes and found my hair felt really soft and smooth. My only complaint is that it doesn't do much for tangles and I was left having to brush them out. Again, the smell is incredible.

Hello Moisture Intensive Conditioning Treatment £3.99
This indulgent conditioner is the treat your hair has been longing for. The perfect pick-me-up for tired tresses, it nourishes and moisturises for a knock-out shine.
This is a great moisturising treatment without being too heavy. My hair is fine and my scalp can be flakey so I don't like too much product but I felt this washed out well and didn't weigh down my hair.

The Styling Range

Hot Stuff Heat Defence Spray £4.09

You can turn up the heat with this multi-tasking protective spray. It shields against heat damage, controls frizz and leaves hair silky-smooth. Job done! 

I don't straighten my hair, opting just to blow dry it, so I don't often use heat defence spray. I have found them in the past to be too heavy and make my hair look greasy but this one is perfect, really light. It makes my hair shiny and smooths down any frizz. Also, it smells pretty good too!

I used to get my hair cut and wonder how I could get that 'salon-smell' at home. This is it. These products smell amazing and the scent stays in my hair all day. My hair feels like it has so much more life since I started using this range. It's soft and smooth and seems to hold its style for longer. These products are such great quality for the money and I will definitely be making the journey to Sainsbury's to get myself some more!

For more information visit the website www.philsmithhair.com 

*PR sample

Hair Week Day 5 - VO5 Plump It Up - Miss Glossybox Review

I received this VO5 Plump It Up Dry Backcomb Spray in the latest Miss Glossybox. The first thig I have to say about this product is I think the name is misleading. I thought this must be a product designed for when you have backcombed your hair but I was wrong. The spray is actually designed so that you don't have to backcomb! The idea is that you spray this into the roots of your hair and use yours hands to mess it up, giving the look of backcombing without actually damaging your hair with the harmful brushing.

My hair is very fine and poker straight and it takes a lot to get a messy look out of it. I used this and my hair had some extra volume but most of this was gone as soon as I got outside. On the plus side, this smells amazing and I will continue to use it for a little root boost and as a light hairspray.

This retails at £3.89 for 200ml

If you have had any success with this, please let me know how you used it!

Hair Week Day 4 - Scare Doo - Review

Detanglers are big on the market just now. They come in different colours with different names but they all claim to do the same - brush tangles out of your hair without damaging it. The Scare Doo is similar in its claim to detangle your hair but this also has a whole other element - it can style it too!

The Scare Doo comes in 5 colour combinations. This one is Sunshine Yellow - a yellow casing with orange bristles.

What makes Scare Doo different to other brushes of its kind is the unique flip & finish system. The bristle insert can be removed and flipped over. One side is for detangling and the other is a paddle brush to style your hair.

The detangling side uses 3 different lengths of bristle to ease tugs out of the hair. This means there is no damage to the hair and will help reduce split ends. It also means that brushing hair is pain free, making this a great product for children. I used this on a certain 6 year olds very tuggy hair and she was very impressed! No pulling and no pain. 

Usually when you use a detangler you have to use a second brush to style the hair. The Scare Doo is all you need as the brush can be flipped into a paddle brush and used to style hair! 

The Scare Doo is designed to fit comfortably into your hand and has a non-slip texture for use in the shower and bath. It is suitable for all ages and hair types and can be used on extensions too!

The product looks great and does the job perfectly - definitely a winner and a must-have for tuggy hair!

The Scare Doo retails at £10.99 with £1 being donated to the pink ribbon foundation.

www.scaredoo.co.uk

*Item received as a PR sample. Item was reviewed honestly and all opinions are my own.