Natural & Organic Empties - March & February 2018

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

Natural and organic empties

How are all of you? I hope you are well?
Due to health struggles and generally feeling down, I will keep this post short if that's ok with you? I will touch on what products I will repurchase without going into too much details and ingredients, I usually like to do that, but not today. Empties posts feels more and more like a chore, and I have to force myself to do them, so not too sure how long I will keep them going on - I have no joyous feeling like I have writing all my other posts. But at the same time I feel it is important to show consistency, it is important for my readers to see that the products I use and review are the same products. So let's jump in, shall we?

By the way, products pictured are March Empties only, I have deleted the picture from February by accident.

March Empties:

Skin & Tonic Calm Clean for dry /sensitive skin
Was lovely to use, but due to owning too much products, not getting it anytime soon

Comvita Olive Leaf Extract 
Couldn't stomach the taste (foul) so will look into capsules next

Fruu Lip Balm
Not too sure if repurchasing, too hard to apply & it does not last on the lips.

100%Pure Caffeine Sheet Mask
A pure gold, makes your skin red carpet ready. Hit search button for a review and a tip on how to last it 3x longer. Will repurchase.

Cordyceps by Terra Nova
A winner in my eyes, and constant repurchase from now on come winters - this boosted my immune system so much that I didn't get sick! I used to get sick 8 times before.

Ere Perez Concealer duo in Light
I have a review of this, and will get it again. For now I repurchased Hynt Beauty Duet Perfecting concealer, which I also have a review on - it is my Holy Grail and I missed not having it. Have my eyes on Hiro Space Balms too. We will see.

Inika Long Lash Mascara
Amazing product, and that is all I use for more than 6 months! Due a review, and I repurchased it already.

Sambucol
The last one from the stash I've squirreled for winter, but I think I need a couple of more for spring too. 

OreganolP73
Look for my Top Three Natural Products post where I talk more in detail about it, but let me just say I never want to be without it! Nature's antibiotics at it's best.

Sante Myrrh Tootpaste
This was only 3eu, which was a nice change for me - here in Ireland we pay around 8 and more for any kind of natural toothpastes. Having said that, this had too much of glycerine for me, I could really feel that coating in my mouth and had "furry" teeth in the mornings, so not repurchasing. Glad I had a chance to try it though.

Acure Smooth Shampoo
I was so excited to try it, thinking it would make a cheaper alternative to my beloved (but pricy) Rahua Voluminous Shampoo, but it was not meant to be - it gave me dandruff. Not a shortfall of the product, as 99% of shampoos do that. My family have finished it and asked for more. Amazing, they said.

Neal's Yard Remedies Bee Lovely Shower Gel
Amazing product, I love NYR shower gels - they last for months! And there's four of us! I would like to not repurchase, as I am keen to use soaps only, due to wanting to go zero waste, but my family are putting up a good fight. So we will see. A lot of NYR products are housed in glass, but not this one sadly.



February Empties:

Sand & Fog Goji Berry candle
Came from TKMaxx, the brand isn't available to me otherwise, so not going out 
of my way to repurchase

Mahalo Rare Indigo Balm
Ammmaaazing! Holy Grail for my sensitive skin, have another jar already

Eco Body Wash with Jasmine, Lemon & Patchouli 
TKMaxx purchase again - if I will see it there again, getting it

Calia Moisturising Shampoo
Mr. Green Life In Dublin finished it before I got a chance to
reach for it for a review, so I made him to buy ALL of their shampoos!
The boy had to learn his lesson, no?

Inner Senses Awakening Meditative Oil 
I don't think I will be able to live without this again! Repurchased already.
 Due a review soon. Just got their Sensual and Vitality body oils.

John Masters Organics Spearmint Shampoo & Citrus Detangler

Bought this before JMO sold out, so therefore it is old. Can't recommend 
this brand due to changing formulations for the worse.

Wabi-Sabi Botanicals Budhi Awaken Eye Nectar 
Loved this eye oil for a year and was going to put a review of four of their products
I own. But guess what? They discontinued everything and came out with a set of 
brand new products - formulations, packaging, everything! I mean, huh?

Greenfrog Soap berry Body Wash
Really natural wash I enjoy and use on the kids

Cliff House Organics soap x2
I like my Dudu Osun soaps better, sorry

Jack & Jill Strawberry Toothpaste 
Constant repurchase

Balm Balm Beauty Balm

Loved the fact it's organic, will looks into repurchasing come winter. For now, Mahalo 
Rare Indigo is it for me

Kiki Health Body Biotics for children
Repurchased already

Sambucol
Again, a repurchase on the repeat.

That's it for today. What have you used up and repurchased recently, please share?

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Lots of Love,
Renata. 

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Shopping My Green Beauty Stash #5 (April 2018)

Hi Lovelies,



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

Shopping My Green Beauty Stash

How are all of You? Did You have a good Easter?

Today I want to talk about a few things I am using on the constant basis, and all of the things are coming from my own stash, no less! It isn't necessarily a Favourites post repeat, as not all of the things will be repurchased for various reasons. I will touch on those later in the post, of course.
This post features my absolute favourite skincare line of the moment, although I dread the day I will have to repurchase everything, not going to lie! The products are super duper amazing, but uber pricy, especially for stay-at-home-mommy like moi. Please step forward Bella Aura products! I almost wanted not to like these products as I knew about their price point, but they worked like magic, and thanks to them I have continuous good skin days! I ooghed and aaghed about them in my social media and in this review post, so I am not going to repeat myself all over again here (you know I am into super long posts when it comes to my reviews), but let me tell you a couple of things about Bella Aura - my sensitive skin found home! If it suited to uber-sensitive-and-dermatitis-prone skin me, it will probably work wonders on you too. As always, I recommend getting samples first, aka their sampler kit, and for a good reason - I found when I was trying to go on with my usual skincare routine and only incorporate one or two Bella Aura things at a time, that's when I found out the products don't necessarily work their best, and they might not mesh well with your exciting products, but used solely on their own they are magic. I was sporting rare outburst of dermatitis on my face just before receiving these products, so I was thinking "oh, great, it will take me more than a week to heal the skin before I could try these products" but on a whim I decided to try them beforehand, and am so glad I did - they healed my dermatitis in just a matter of a couple of days, even they are not meant for that. I continued to use exclusively Bella Aura for six weeks, as I always do before posting my review on the products, and that's when my heart was jumping for joy every day - I had continuous good skin days and almost forgot I had any dermatitis problems. Then curiosity got better of me and I went on to use other products that were patiently waiting for my attention, and guess what? The redness and patchiness came back. Needless to say I ran back to Bella Aura and I want nothing else for the time being. Part of me thinks I've found the ONE and I need to stick to it like glue (any sane sensitive skin person would say that) but another part of me wants to go on trying new green beauty products - I guess that's the blogger in me? We will see how that pans out? Have you tried Bella Aura and what are your thoughts on it?

Next product in this line up is Acure Smooth & Manageable Shampoo. I really wanted to love this, and was hoping it would be a cheaper alternative to my beloved (but pricy) Rahua Voluminous Shampoo (review). It has a cult following in the green beauty community, so naturally I wanted to get my paws on it. Long story short, it didn't work out for me - although it gave me good hair days (think bouncy locks) but it didn't last for more than 1-2 days, and it gave me dandruff. The latter is not a shortfall of the product, 99% of the shampoos give me that - my scalp is that sensitive. I am a lucky gal, I know! The shampoo was finished off by my family and they asked for more. "Amazing" and "I wouldn't know it's natural" was their verdict, meaning it performs just like a regular shampoo. So I guess it is a repurchase. Luckily Love Lula carries a few variations of Acure Organics shampoos, so I might try a different one from the brand to see if it works for me.

Next is Grapefruit Hair Remedy by Alchemy Oils - I got this travel size on a whim last month. I am one of the minority who does not like conditioners (they either weigh my hair down or do absolutely nothing) so hair oils is where it is at for me. I really like this! I have used it as a pre-shampoo treatment mostly, and it is amazing for that. When I use coconut oil, I find it really hard to wash off, but none of it with this oil. It moisturises and nourishes the scalp, but it is not greasy whatsoever. I also use it to smooth my flyaways, it works great this way too. Just remember to use very little of it if using this way.

And last but not least is Ultra Light Organic Moisturiser with SPF 30 by Kimberly Sayer - I really love this in a way that it does not break me out and it does not give me any white cast either. That's a first for me. Admittedly, this is not aimed at my skin type, but I chose this over the one for dry skin for two reasons. First, you get double the amount of product for the same price, and secondly, this one comes in sanitary pump, versus the jar where I would have to scoop the product with the hands. Why there are such a differences for the same product aimed at different skin types, I don't know. I feel there shouldn't be, but at the same time I am not the one who has any say in it. This is my third jar of it, and the only reason I haven't reviewed it separately yet is that I haven't been in the sun & heat for long enough to test it's SPF properties. It's just the last two summers have been brutal here in Ireland (read = cold and rainy) and I haven't been away for the sun holidays in ages. It works great as a city SPF product though. I don't know if this is The One when it comes to sunscreens, or I will end up having a "sunscreen wardrobe" like some of my green beauty blogger friends? They say they like having lots of different sunblock products for different reasons, but truth to be told I would love to find one and only that would work their magic on all levels. I have my eyes firmly on Madara Plant Stem Cell Age Protecting Sunscreen SPF30  - although it is more expensive, they promise not only protect the skin with SPF30, but also shield the skin from environmental pollution and regenerate the skin, as well as enhance the microbiome of the skin - anything that promises to take care of my skin's microbiome gets my attention instantly! I ran an EWG report on it and it came back at 4. Not bad at all, and as I expected, the fragrance mentioned in the INCI list amped up the toxicity score tremendously - one of the flaws of EWG is that it does not differentiate the fragrance from natural essential oils (which I assume is the case with Madara here) and toxic "fragrance" that is a blanket name for up to 200 toxic chemicals in the conventional product - and we all know there's a world of difference in between the two! Let me know if you want me to show you how to build your own product report in EWG, even if it is not listed there? Would be happy to help. The next product on my radar is Alteya Certified Organic Rose Otto Face Suncreen SPF25 - the whole line is calling my name so hard! Can you hear it? No? Just me?
Kidding aside, please let me know what's your favourite natural & preferably organic face SPF product? I would love to hear your recommendations!


That's all for today, lovelies. See you here again real soon. Take care and thanks for reading xo

P.s. Please make my day and subscribe & share this or any of my blog posts on social media - it helps to get the green beauty word out - and for that I Thank You!
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Lots of Love,
Renata.

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Black Friday Love Lula Picks

Hello Lovelies,



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

Love Lula product recommendations by Green Life In Dublin

Some of you might know I am working on Black Friday post rounding up the best deals in EU and UK, to be published very soon. So let this be a little preview of it, because guess what? Love Lula have already started their 15% off sale and it runs until December 2nd! Fabulous or what?

So I thought it would be helpful if I made a list of my favourite products and my wishlist too. I have a dermatitis prone and sensitive skin, and my scalp is more or less the same, so these products are tried and tested. I have reviews on most of the things I am recommending, and I will link them at the end of this post in the case you want to read my thoughts on them in great detail. 

Recommendations:

✅ Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream

I've never had repurchased a cream more times! I am on my 4th or 5th tube, I don't even know, and I know for sure this is what I am definitely buying as a replacement as my BF treat to myself. Greasy looking, yes, but I never had a face cream suit my sensitive skin so well. Never any issues or major dermatitis outbreaks when I use this, in fact, the opposite it true - soothed, nourished skin anyone? I know for sure this is a repurchase for life and definitely this year's Favourite Face Cream. I freak out when I am halfway through, and order next one straight away, as I never want to be without it. What's better, this comes with two mini side kicks in Love Lula's Christmas shop, so you are getting even more stuff for your money.

✅ Rahua Voluminous Shampoo

 My favourite shampoo for the last half a year, and I still have about 2 cm left which I assume will give me another 6 to 8 weeks out of it. I have known about this shampoo for years but I finally splurged on it, and I am so glad I did. I enjoyed having good hair days for a change, as so many other shampoos don't work for me and give me all kinds of issues - dandruff, itchy scalp, tangly mess for the hair - this is none of those things. I didn't realise until I was about to post the review that I hadn't had any scalp issues for months! So now it is a good time to get it.

✅ Inika Highlighting Creme 

I should get my stuff together and post that Inika review! So many great products I am really enjoying this line lately. I have this for about 2yrs and I am far from done! You need a pin prick amount, and what I love the most about it, it's that it lasts all day - it is there until you are ready to take it off. Great universally flattering shade too, not too pink, not too golden. Definitely getting it again, but at the moment it seems to be out of stock - whoopsie! Keep your eyes peeled - if you love Modern Minerals Moonstone highlighter, this is very similar, but better :) 

✅ Inika Naked Kiss Lipstick

Really enjoying this nude/ brown shade, that came in the November Love Lula Beauty Box. I am not someone who switches to dark or berry lips for autumn and winter, so I am sure I will get loads of wear out of it. You can see swatches and how it looks on in the picture. 

Inika Naked Kiss Lipstick swatch

✅ Inika Long Lash Mascara

This is really impressive mascara - it gives you length, volume (not too much though) and you can build it up nicely, all of which I like. It also doesn't flake, and I have it since August. Definitely a contender for repurchasing and I will talk more about it in the upcoming Inika review. 

✅ Ere Perez Arnica Concealer 

Really great full coverage moisturising concealer. Sticky, yes, but it does not crease and I really enjoyed it for the last few months. See the review in the link down below. Great if you need to hide tiredness in a pinch.

✅ Ere Perez Bondi blush

It is one of the Nars Orgasm natural dupes I am enjoying at the moment. I will link that post down below as well - I worked very hard on that post to find you natural dupes, and I list more than twenty! 

✅ Konjac sponges

Really recommend it for everyone, and especially for my sensitive skin gals - very gentle and natural way to wash your face and exfoliate. A must. 

✅ Kimberly Sayer Daily Moisturiser SPF30

I am yet to review this despite using the product for over two years. This I use as my face SPF, but bear in mind it is not a specific sunblock product, it is a moisturiser with SPF. Good for city, but I wouldn't rely on it for sun holidays.The only face SPF product not to break me out or have a white cast, and that's why I continue to use it.

✅ Hurraw Moon Balm

Another product I am using for well over two years and don't have a review on! This is different in texture than regular Hurraw balms, I find it stays on better, and I love lovely vanilla scent too. Definitely recommend if you haven't tried it. I use it all year round as my nightly lip balm, but when autumn and winter rolls around, I use it for day too - for the reason mentioned above, it stays in your lips when so many other lip balms fail. 

✅ Walden A Different Drummer Perfume

This I recommend purely because it is one of my top three natural Perfumes - so deep and sensual with Tobacco, Amber, Vanilla and Sandalwood notes. Exactly how I like my Perfumes to be. I do realize Perfumes are highly personal, so I am suggesting you try a sample first. You might be interested in a sample kit?

✅ Dudu Osun African Black Soap

Great very natural and very affordable product that is very well loved and used in our house. Lasts a long time, has only paper box for packaging - great product if you are keen to move into less waste lifestyle. Can replace shaving product and I heard a ton of great reviews using this as a face wash for acne prone skin too. 

Love Lula Wishlist

Wishlist:


✅ Living Nature Manuka Honey Gel

I have had a few samples of this and I am finally ready to commit to a full size of it! Really amazing at healing all kinds of skin boo boos from scrapes to zits, and I really like the clean ingredients too. Just like with Rahua shampoo, I will probably have to hide it from my hubs, who uses stuff at a blink-and-you-will-miss-it rate. Shh, don't tell.

  

✅ Esse Plus Ageless Probiotics Serum

Well, since it is a wishlist, I am allowed to go all out with my wishes, am I? Probiotic skincare intrigues me to no end, and I am very keen to explore this line soon. Uber pricy, but this is my fantasy wish list, and 15% would bring significant savings in this case. Other products are less expensive, but serum is one of the two areas I would splurge on, so that is why I am including this. 

✅ Turbliss Mask & Toner 

I am not sure how I feel about using peat on my face, but the pull is greater than push, so expect me to get (and review) these products soon. 

✅ Africa Organics Baobab Shampoo

Baobab is one of the things that is calling my name, and what can I say, all things baobab, come this way please 💕 starting with this shampoo. I have my eye on this shampoo (and others from this range too) for a little while now, but I want to finish my Rahua before getting anything else. Trying not to have too many open products at once.

✅ Cv SkinLabs Calming Moisture

As someone with face dermatitis I am naturally keen to try this product. The only thing that is stopping me is high price point, even though it has a myriad of glowing reviews. We shall see. 

✅ Rossi Uvema skincare

This line started calling my name recently, I checked the ingredients of everything and was very impressed - very natural. Price point is affordable, so I am intrigued to see if the products are good. I am waiting to finish some of the products I currently own, and these will be next.

✅ Acure shampoo, conditioner and Overnight Fluff Mask

Despite this brand being available on our side of the pond for months now, I am yet to try it. All down to not wanting of overflow of products at any given time. But let me say this - Acure, I have my eye on you baby! When the time is right, I will start with shampoo, conditioner and this intriguing sounding overnight mask called fluff. I am coming for ya!

✅ Ren anti redness serum & mask 

Ren is the brand I sort of boycotted for a while because of the phenoxyethanol in every single product, but let me tell you this, it is increasingly hard to find a product that is NOT using this preservative novadays, so I had to throw my hands in the air. Besides samples I had worked wonders on the redness and my dermatitis patch, I need to have both products in my life. 


✅ RMS Lipstick. Or Two

Enough said.


So that is it, my post for today. I hope it will be helpful to you to choose products from the vast majority Love Lula carries. 

On Your Marks! Ready, Steady, Go Shop Now!!

Tata for now! Let me know what will you be getting?

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Lots Of Love,
Renata.

 Disclaimer: This post features my honest recommendations, real wishlist and affiliate link. Thank You for using it.

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