My (not so) Minimal Black Friday Haul

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Welcome back! And if you are new here, welcome 💕💕💕

DrHauschka Exquisite Rose set

Hello Lovelies, first of all I wanted to thank every single one of you who read my blog, I really appreciate all of you! So if you are here, huge bear hugs and kisses! Uff, I have to be honest and tell you upfront, in a week's time I will disconnect from social media, not only because of the Christmas period, but also because my mom is flying over for a holiday with us. As we live in a different countries, I see her next to nothing, so I shall cherish that time she will be here, right? 
So for those reasons I have to say that many of blog post I planned for December, will be published in January, as I am simply running out of time. Too much plans, too little time = super overwhelmed Renata, and that is only the blogging part of my life.
Anyway, let's have a look at what I bought in the Black Friday sales this year, shall we? After all, that is why you are all here. Err, before the BF sale started, I thought I will only get "essentials", and honest to God, I thought I did just that, but now that packages are nearly all here, I am thinking to myself "jeeez, woman, what have you done!!" Let me explain myself, and let me show you exactly what I did buy, in order that I bought them and then I can self bash myself later, as I will calculate my total with all of you together.. So far I applied head-in-the-sand method and didn't even added the totals yet. Insert sheepish grin here!

Sooo, my first purchase was a replacement of DrHauschka Rose Day Cream from Love Lula - as you might know, it is my Holy Grail Face Cream of the moment, and a constant repurchase. You can read my review here in the case you missed it. As you can see in the photo above, I chose a set called Exquisite Rose Gift Set, that is the same price as the cream, but it comes with two free sidekicks, both of them I am excited to try. It is still available in Love Lula Christmas shop.
I also included this set in my Love Lula gift guide here. Oh, and this set retails for £30.50, I saved 15% on it, which was the discount Love Lula had for the Black Friday.
Whoops, I totally forgot I added Living Nature Manuka Honey gel to my order at the last minute! Hehehe, finger slip! I am surely blaming finger slip if my husband asks! Shh, don't tell.

So the total for this order is £36.95, let's convert it to euros, and my total so far is 41.84€

Flying Wild Lip Balms - my Holy Grail for Winter

Flying Wild Frankincense & May Chang Honeybotter

Next I ordered a humongous tub of lovely body butter from one of my favourite Irish brands, Bees Flying Wild - it was my first body butter purchase this year, and I knew it will be amazing, as I liked all the products I tried from the brand so far - Arno uses only minimal and very natural ingredients, and it shows in the quality of products (see reviews here and here if you want to). Arno wasn't having any Black Friday sales, but I still wanted to order from him to support a local brand for Small Business Saturday. so that is exactly what I did. This giant tub of body butter (half a litre, no less!) was only 18.50€ and I got some of my favourite lip balms that actually stay on your lips, aka my winter saviours! No discounts as I mentioned previously, but I got two extra lip balms, so that is really appreciated!

Total for this order €29. Total so far 70.84€

Inika Long Lash Mascara

Then the email from Inika popped into my inbox, and I simply couldn't resist their deal, so that's another 21£ or 23-24€ spent. Let me just say, watch this brand come next Friday, as they had amazing deals for four days where they were giving away full size stuff with the orders! The first day offer was free full size of their Long Lash mascara, and this is the more expensive one out of the two they carry. Inika mascara was the exact same thing I used since August, so technically I was due a new mascara, which was a catch for me. While I was mulling over should I get the mascara by itself or should I upgrade to one of their festive set with the mascara and the liquid liner for 25£, it sold out before my very own eyes, as did the cheaper mascara, so that simplified my choice (damn it though!) and I bought one mascara, and got one for free. Plus I got free shipping. Technically a score, but an impulse buy all the same.
Btw, I am due a Inika review, but it is one of those things I will carry over into the next year, as it will be one those huge blog posts, and it makes me tired already, even thinking about it, haha! I have like eight products to write about. 
By the way, Love Lula is doing an amazing deal on Inika now, where you get two free eye brushes for any order above 30£, so if you guys want to, you can get the mascara and liquid eyeliner set I mentioned above, plus something else (it might be a sample kit to bump you up to 30£ limit)

Total for this order 21£ or 23.77€ 
Total so far 94.61€

Terra Nova Cordyceps

Then I started to get sick, and started thinking of the ways to boost my immune system fast, as we opened "sickness season" really early this year, and quite frankly, I am sick of feeling sick! Then I remembered one thing that really helped me to stay well while I was taking it, and that is cordyceps supplement. I have tried Terra Nova Cordyceps, Rhodiola and Ginseng from Love Lula before, and it really helped me. It was my first cordyceps product ever, but I felt it is one of those things that gives the effect immediately. But as that supplement was in powder, I went for capsules this time round (link here), and I bought two bottles instead of one. The instructions say take 1 to 3 a day, so I didn't want to order another bottle really soon. My plan is to start with 3 capsules and then decrease it afterwards. If you are more advanced when it comes to cordyceps and other medicinal mushrooms than me, please tell me more about it, what brands are the best, how long do you take it, what other mushrooms are good for immune system, I want to know it all.

I already lost the receipt for it, so please let me do the math here, 19.75£ x2, with 15% off is 33.6£, let's convert it to euros and you will get 38.05€

Total so far is 132.66€

Neals Yard Remedies order

If there was one thing I waited for on Black Friday, it was Neals Yard Remedies 20% off sale, but they did not have it until like the 8th of December or something. I wasn't keen on spending another hundred euros, and they never have free shipping, which bugs me to no end, but I needed to stock up on their amazing Organic Thyme Cough Syrup, which is like the only thing that works for coughs, I really love the fact that it is organic, and it is like only a couple of euros dearer than the nasty chemical stuff you get in pharmacies. I had three bottles of it from my previous order, thinking it will last me the whole winter, but as I mentioned earlier, we opened the sickeness season early this year. So I didn't mince my words this time, I got five, plus Elderberry and Propolis Throat Spray and some essential oils - eucalyptus, frankincense and myrrh, plus lemon for cleaning. Order happened to be delivered while I was working away on this blog post, so I was able to insert a photo, with some better pictures to follow for upcoming reviews :) They have an array or great skincare, bodycare and make up, plus their Christmas sets are second to none, but I didn't need any of those this time round, so I skipped it.
P.s. If you happen to live in UK, Ireland, Germany or France, you might shop or browse my NYR page?

Total for this order was 101.35€ 
Total spent 234.01€

 

So Natural Beauty Order

*Update a few weeks later. Umm, do you think I stopped there? Nope. I happened to be browsing IG and So Natural Beauty (fabulous Belgian online store) happened to be running a GWP offer that I deemed better than their BF sale, so I jumped in with both feet, and with order above 150€ I scored a full size of Leahlani Meli Glow and a free shipping. I finally got a full size of Mahalo Rare Indigo balm, a couple of soaps from Kopa Kaui (Hawaii brand that happens to be owned by Leah's of Leahlani mother) and a Calia shampoo, finally! I wanted to try it ever since Holistic Habits put it on the market for me a good few years ago. As you can also see in the photo, I also got a mini of Schmith's sensitive skin deodorant, but I am not sure I will go on to purchase the full size of it - in the case you don't know it, the brand just sold out to Unilever, and soon enough we will witness formulation and ingredients change for the worse, mark my word for it! 
Expect reviews for everything in the 2018. In this case I am #sorrynotsorry for wasting another wad of cash - these were the products I needed and really wanted to try, plus the gift with purchase was too gorgeous to pass on! The mask smells gorgeous and I am so excited to dive into it! (unfortunately so is my 5yr old, I might have to hide it really soon, haha!)

Total for this order: 152€
Total total: 386.01!!! 
Whaaat? Umm, if you will need me, I will be in the naughty corner until the next year.


So all in all, that is my Black Friday haul this year. I don't even know how much I saved, all I know I am a bit annoyed with myself for spending that much - it is not like someone threw a couple of hundred of euros in order for me to shop, isn't it?

What about you guys? What did you buy and are you happy with your purchases? Please let me know, I would love to see it all.

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Lots of Love,
Penniless Renata. 

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5 Natural & Organic Autumn Skincare Must Haves

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Welcome back! And if you are new here, welcome 💕💕💕

Natural & Organic Skincare Must Haves

How are you all doing? Are you enjoying Autumn or is it not your season? I love summer most of all, and Autumn is not my favourite, as it leads to Winter and often turns into one long Cold & Flu season if I am not careful to have good natural products to boost and protect my family's immune system (yep, you guessed it right, there's a blog post in the works!) but let's leave it that aside for now, as in this post I wanted to share my top five beauty and skincare products.

So if you are interested in what I use when the seasons change, please keep on reading.

DrHauschka Rose Day Cream

💕 Rich Face Cream - e.g DrHauschka Rose Day Cream

This rich face cream is exactly what my skin laps up and loves! I just published a review of it here should you fancy reading it (here), but I have to say, so far so good! When I ran out, it tried some other creams in between, but nothing measured up and I ran to the health shop to stock up. Not only it keeps my skin happy and supple, but I noticed my dermatitis flare up were down to the absolute minimum when I used it. A must have and a strong contender for The Holy Grail category. You need to upgrade your moisturiser to a more rich version at this time of the year, and this works perfectly for my dry and sensitive skin. Tell me your favourite rich creams if you also have sensitive skin, I would love to know!



💕 Hurraw or Flying Wild Lip Balms

A lip balm is an absolute must for me at all times, and especially when the temperatures drop. I love a rich consistency balm that stays on the lips, and from the vast majority I've tried, Hurraw and Flying Wild are my absolute favourites. Now, I never reviewed Hurraw despite using them for more than five years, but I've reviewed Flying Wild here - it comes from an Irish company and it quickly made its way into my heart. They have a few different ones, and rosemary and honey is the one I like the most. The minty variety is a different formula.



💕 Facial Mists

To avoid dehydrating my skin I upped my misting/toning game and I suggest all of you do the same. By the way, am I the only one with the heating on? I have a blog post on my toners and mists from a couple of months back, but at the moment I am using Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator, Wabi Sabi Botanicals Amida Illuminating Floral Essence (not working for me for everyday use, due to witch hazel in it) but I think I will move on to either Esse Toner or Living Nature Sensitive Hydrating Toner. I really want Madara Time Miracle Cellular Nutrients Toning Mist, but it is out of stock in Love Lula, and it has been for the last couple of weeks. I know, I checked! What intrigues me about it is that it has birch water as a base, and that really appeals to me. Turbliss Bioactive Peat Toner (and mask) is calling my name too.
Either those or I want my ISUN Ormus Myst back :)

See, I want ALL the mists! I could go on too :)

Either way, make sure to have some form of mist of hydrating toner with you! If you are on the budget, plain rosewater or neroli water work well too, and they cost less than 3€ in the Asian shops.


💕 Facial Oils

Another thing that is back into my routine is facial oils, I didn't use them since spring, but now my skin is crying for more moisture, they are back with a vengeance! I have quite a collection going on now, and not sure how I am going to use them up without them expiring on me, but I will do my best! The two I have lined up to use first are the ISUN Skincare Sapphire & Ooh! Oils Of Heaven. If your skin is really sensitive, I would recommend Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil - it is gorgeous and does wonderful things for the skin - I ran out a long time ago, and despite having an array of gorgeous other oils, I dream of having it back. I use to think of facial oils as expensive products, but now I see it as investment. Besides one 30ml bottle will last you a year, so it is well worth the money. Speaking of investment, if budgeting is not your concern, I would recommend Mahalo Vitality Elixir - another gorgeous facial oil I finished a long time ago, but still remember how good it it! One to repurchase one day for sure. Living Libations Best Skin Ever are really fab too. I hope Santa is listening!

Oh, one little tip if you are using facial oils as a moisturiser - don't forget to spritz your face with toner or some kind of mist beforehand, as that makes the oil to absorb better. Then apply a few drops of facial oil to your fingertips and rub them together to warm up the oil and then pat it into the skin. This way you will get the most benefits of it, and if you will follow that up with a facial massage, so much better! If you apply oil straight up, cold, on unprepped skin, I am afraid it might not do much. You don't want to invest in a good facial oil and not get much benefits from it, right? 


And just because I can't stop at five, one more:

Natural and organic balms

💕 Balms

I am a late convert to balms (see post here) and now I can't imagine my life without it! There are so many to choose from, and you can choose one according to your needs and skin type. If I had to choose just one, I would single out Mahalo Rare Indigo balm - sorry for mentioning so many expensive products in this post, it's just I know how amazing it is for my dermatitis prone skin - it is one of the first products I reach when I have an outbreak. I treat it like it's made of gold and savor every bit of it. I dread the day I will have to repurchase it, but it is one of the very few products worth it's price in my opinion. Try to get a sample if you can, as they too last for ages, you only need a pea size amount for the whole face and the back of your hands. This can replace your night cream and an eye cream too, one of a couple of reasons I deem it worth luxury price point. I often use it at nigh, all over the face. Yes, I go to bed with greasy looking, but I wake up with an amazing skin. And I notice a sizeable difference when I don't use it.
If your skin isn't super sensitive and blemish free, you don't have to invest so much in a balm, Egyptian Magic Balm is great - and you get a giant tub of it that will last you ages. I love how versatile balms are, you can use it for so many thing, and it can replace a multitude of products - great if you are aspiring minimalist or are on a budget. 



So I think that's it for today. What are your must haves for the moment? Please share, I would love to know!

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Lots of Love,

Renata.

Want to check out my skincare reviews? Click here. Interested in make up reviews? Click here. All my body care and hair care reviews live in this post. Diy inclined? Even if not, you might enjoy my super-simple-minimal-ingredients-DIYs here. You are welcome.

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Shopping My Stash #1

Hello Lovelies,



Welcome back! And if you are new here, welcome 💕💕💕

Green beauty things I am loving Fall/Autumn 2017

With your permission I will start a new monthly segment in my blog called “Shopping My Stash” where I will list five to seven natural beauty products I am reaching for everyday. This isn't just another version of Favourites post, as the items won't necessarily be faves, some of them I will be using to use it up, and I will always be clear about it. So it will be a mixture of new things, trusty faves and things I want to use up for some reason or another. I don't know about you, but new things are always My Favourite Things, especially when it comes to make up or fashion items, and I tend to either wear them to death or fall out of love with them after some time, hence they don't always make it into my Faves, which I post quarterly. No? Just me then 😊

OK, let's start, shall we? Let's see what I'm reaching for in September.

DrHauschka Rose Day Cream 

Amazing moisturiser for my uber sensitive and dermatitis prone skin. I’ve resisted for ages but now that I have it, I am so loving it! Review to come soon, and I feel this will be a repurchase for life. Wish it would be slightly cheaper though. It's £30.50 for 30ml in Love Lula, link.
*Update a few weeks later. Review can be found here and I am so impressed with this cream, it was repurchased at least five times in this year alone. And it made into 2017 Best Products, no less! 

Ere Perez Arnica Concealer in Light 

I have a review on this if you want to see, link here. Stocked in Love Lula, it's £16 for whopping 10gr. I was told this duo is being discontinued and is replaced by single colour pots, but at this moment I can still see it for sale in Love Lula. I love this concealer - sticky, yes, but it gives me much needed full coverage for under eyes, and the darker color in the duo is what I’ve used the most. I hit pan on it about two months ago and am well on the way of finishing it, but one eagle eyed lady informed me that the new single pots contain propylene carbonate, I checked the ingredient on EWG and it rates at 1, but I am yet to research it further and see if I am OK with it or not. My second option is to go back to Hynt Beauty Duo Perfecting Concealer, which is also full coverage concealer I am in love with, but it tends to crease a bit more. I am torn. Help please! 

Glossworks Nail and Cuticle Oil

This came in Love Lula August Beauty Box - while everyone else got Glossworks nail polish and 3in1 top coat, they couldn't ship it to me due to health and safety reasons (how frustrating!) so I got this nail and cuticle oil instead. At first I didn't think I'd get much use or pleasure using it, but I find reaching it for it every single evening! Which is surprising to me, because for one, I don't paint my nails on a regular basis, nor I purchase separate product for cuticles - so far I used to use any random oil I happened to have on hand at a time. Now I have a proper product. It's £12 for 9ml in Love Lula.


Rahua Voluminous Shampoo 

Post Living Libations True Blue Spirulina shampoo, this I am trying next to see how they will compare and if I will like it as much. I haven't had much look with budget green beauty shampoos, so I am hoping and not so hoping I will like it. Hoping because I want to find great shampoos to recommend you guys, and I am also apprehensive because it is priced at a luxury price point - so it would be an expensive habit to keep up. (It's £28 for 275ml link here) At the moment I am hiding it from my family - way to go mama! What? I give them everything, can I just keep one thing for myself? 😁
*Update a few weeks later. I have reviewed this shampoo in detail since, and you can find it here. I have tried a couple of other natural shampoos since, but this remains a firm favourite that also made it into my 2017 Best Products post.



Madara Daily Defence Ultra Rich Balm For Skin Protection From Dryness And Extreme Weather Conditions

First of all, can you believe that's the name? Say that three times fast! Joking aside, it is a good balm I can constantly using as a hand cream now I have the heating cranked up. Anyone else with the heating on? I feel Mother Nature is going crazy.. I love this balm, and I bought one more for my mom, and she raves about it too. It's £15 for 60ml, link here. It is Eco Cert certified, good ingredients, and now I want to try more from the brand! Tell me what I should try next? 


So that is all for this post, ta ta for now and see you here shortly. New posts every Monday and extra posts every week too!




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Lots of Love,
Renata.

 Want to check out my skincare reviews? Click here. Interested in make up reviews? Click here. All my body care and hair care reviews live in this post. Diy inclined? Even if not, you might enjoy my super-simple-minimal-ingredients-DIYs here. You are welcome.

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