2016 Overview

Hi Lovelies!


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

So, as the year is nearing the end, I, like all of us, tend to reflect on the year on the whole and weigh in the good and the bad things that have happened.

Let's look at my 2016 blogging year in the retrospective, shall we? 

First of all, thank YOU so much for reading, supporting, commenting and liking my posts, without you my lovely readers I would be nothing! I care about every single one of you and the connection we build is priceless to me 💖 So huge thank you from the bottom of my heart! I just love serving the world by sharing ways to green and eco your life by being super honest about what works and what doesn't. I share my point from sensitive skin point of view. I don't make any money from my blog, but the rewards are different, intangible, I am overjoyed when someone tells me I helped them to make the switch to the green beauty or asks me for clean make up recommendations. I do get a ton of emails in regard to healing dermatitis naturally, so I will do a separate follow up blog post on that, promise. You might be surprised to know that most of my followers/readers come from America and Asia, Ireland being in the third and UK in the fourth place. Life moves in mysterious ways, isn't it? 

Most proudest moments

That would have to be my feature in No More Dirty Looks and Sophie Uliano telling me that she LOVES my work! If you don't know Sophie, you need to know, she is a heavyweight and a major player in a green beauty world as well as New York Times best selling author. So that is a major compliment my way if you ask me :) 

Most reviewed posts

That would be the following :

Hynt Beauty Duo Perfecting concealer review (older review here), the funny thing is, my review for this amazing beauty called Natural Dupe for CoverFX Drops received three times more views versus the one called straight up "Hynt Beauty Concealer Review". It goes to show that people want natural alternatives to the conventional make up stuff, and maybe I should focus more on these types of posts?

Dermatitis Be Gone

You can see the post here, and as I said, I will make the follow up post as it gathers interest. I am more or less 1 year dermatitis free, I am not out of the woods yet as I did have three breakouts where I accidentally glutened myself, but my day to day life is symptoms and itch free. Also antibiotics and steroids free. Stay tuned for this :)

Flying Wild Balms Review

This local Irish company quickly found a place in my favourites, and I never want to be without their products! This is a big claim, but I think this is my Holy Grail company when it comes to body care, I intend to purchase their products until I cease to exist. The balms and the body butter are to die for, minimal natural mostly raw and organic ingredients and the smell is out of this world gorgeous. Not only that, but they are also affordable and ship for free! I've been shouting about this brand from the rooftops, aka all over social media, and we recently collaborated for a giveaway, which I am super stoked about, as you guys can get a chance to try it too.

Nars Orgasm Dupes post

This was the item I clung onto the most when I made a switch six or seven years ago as it was the hardest to replace, there were nothing even remotely similar to it in the green beauty world. Thankfully the green beauty scene really exploded since, and I am proud to present not one, not two, but FOURTEEN natural dupes! Clearly, I worked really hard on this :)

DIY Master Multitasker

Clearly inspired by the iconic Master Mixer by RMS. I am happy to DIY what I can, and you seemed to enjoy this post too. If you missed that post, click on the link above. I plan lots of more DIY posts next!

and last but not least, my 

2016 Best Products post. 

Natural Beauties Series

This is recent addition to my blog, this Natural Beauty Series, where I interview the movers and shakers in the green beauty world. I have to say that I am very happy with this addition, as it gives you the chance to discover more green beauties if you don't follow them already :) Needless to say I am continuing these series in the new year too, and for now, you can check out my interviews with the lovely Sasha from Balanced Beauty Bristol, Vita from Vita Lives Free, Michele from BVGAN and Andie from Andie the Green Queen.

Overall experience

I am so glad and thankful to each and everyone of you who read my posts, liked and commented on any of my social media outlet and to the green beauty community who welcomed me with open arms! So glad to be a part of something bigger than me! In Ireland I am a still a lone soldier in a field when it comes to the all stuff natural. I mean there are a few shops that sell natural products, I don't know any other green beauty bloggers, and there are no expos that would be open to the public! So yeah, I don't have it easy here. I mean we don't even have Wholefoods or even Sephora. Thanks goodness for online shopping! Custom charges are whole lotta of other story, but let's not get into it here. At first when I didn't know where to look for natural products I shopped online pretty much for everything, but now I am coming to realise that Ireland market has changed so much and I can get many bases covered shopping locally (yay or what?) with the odd online order for make up. I also wanted to thank all the brands who worked with me this year, and if your review is not out yet, fear not, it will be out very soon in 2017. I have to say i discovered some amazing products this year, and I am hoping for more amazingness next year!

Goals and resolutions for next year

My previous sentence pretty much sums it up! More amazingness to come please! This was fun, let's keep it up, I mean I hope you found my blog posts helpful and informative. Your messages asking for help in making the switch to the green beauty or help with dermatitis/eczema and/or thank you messages for what I do is the best feeling ever in my mind it confirms I am on the right track! Blogging is my passion and I really enjoy doing it, even though I don't get paid to do so. I sat down the other day and realised I need to learn so much about blogging, of all these other behind-the-scenes things that blogger is supposed to  do, I mean it was only this year I heard about SEO and I realized I never asked you guys to like and share my posts! /Insert hand on the eyes and shaking head emoji here/ I clearly run on passion alone! So my goals for next year are to attend the bloggers conference, meet some fellow bloggers in person - if you are a natural beauty/lifestyle blogger visiting Dublin, drop me a line! Also I want to look into monetisation in non annoying ways. I see many bloggers who make their entire blog and IG feed shoppable, and while I can't blame them for wanting to cash in on their hard work (because it IS hard work, everything from testing the products to writing/photographing takes a lot time and effort) but at the same time I do not want to become a giant add myself, cash is not my goal, I want it to be a rather by-product of blogging and it is clearly not what i am in for! You know that honesty is what I am all about, and I've been told this is exactly what sets me apart from other bloggers, and I intend to keep it that way. So if you will see an affiliate link, it will be to only brands or online shops I believe in. I won't be attaching my name to anything that comes my way, much in the same way that I reject 90% of products offered for review. I also want to continue to host giveaways, I love when I get to share the products i love with you guys! I also plan to expand my content a bit, and introduce more varied topics, you can expect easy, healthy and quick to do recipes, maybe some fashion in a form of outfits of the day and a bit of shopping here and there, book reviews and who knows, maybe 2017 will be the year I will start my YouTube channel? It is something I want to do, but because of my insecurities I always take one step forward and two backwards about it. Another things I need to do is to make a blogger business card and media kit. 

So there you have it, my thoughts on the blogging business and the goals for the next year. What are your goals, please share with me?

 

With this I want to let you know I will be taking the rest of the year off, makes sense for the Holiday period, no? Try not miss me too much, and if you will, re-read any old post of mine, I wrote 80 posts this year, so you won't be short of topics, 2016 Best Products is a good way to start 😉

Wishing you all the best this Christmas and see you all here in 2017. I raise my glass of bubbly to you! 

Grateful heart is a magnet for miracles. Photo via Pinterest.

  

Lots of Love and Gratitude for you, my readers!

Renata.  

Test Kitchen or The Edit or The Products New To Me

Hi Lovelies,


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

So three months ago I started new series to the blog, new (to me) products that come my way, but to be honest with you I am not sure how much longer I will keep this segment, as I've made a desision to downsize and minimise my green beauty collection (and everything else, really) so next month I might have nothing to blog about, and maybe one or two products the month after that, who knows?

It is just consumerism and wasting products drives me crazy, I am definitely someone who aims to use up all the products I own, and I decided to stop PR samples for skincare as I don't want to subject my poor sensitive skin to yet more testing of various products. I don't know why I took it upon myself to chain test creams and potions, but the truth is, my dermatitis prone face is at it's happiest when I use no products at all (or very minimal skincare) and protests wildly if I try something new. See my blog post on it here.

So, without contradicting myself, let's start the post, shall we? This is a rather large amount of products (at least for me) and the only reason I have so much new products is because I won two giveaways via Instagram, and that includes gorgeous Mahalo products - please don't hate me! But let's start from the begining and let's dive in, shall we? Oh, this post includes items that I bought with my own money, some PR products that were sent to me and as I already mentioned, two giveaway winnings.

100%Pure Matcha Green Tea Organic Moisturiser
I was intrigued by their recently released organic range, and although I didn't really need another moisturiser, I got this and a pack of my fave caffeine masks to get an awesome gift with purchase they had going on a while back.
I have to say the first impressions are not so good, which is not a good sign, I've come to come to trust my gut instinct, if a product does not impress me from a get go, it rarely makes it into my favourites later on. But this might be just the thing to change it, who knows?

100%Pure Caffeine Masks 

not new to me, these are very good, review and comparison to their other sheet masks to come.

100%Pure BB Cream in 20
This is part of the GWP and of course I was curious to try it. So far I've used it once, definitely dewy finish, but it kinda goes orange on the face, and I am not really liking that. Need to play with it more prior to reviewing it.

100%Pure Black Tea mascara and Black Eye Pencil
I used both of these products, I still have about half of their eye pencil from the about a year ago, and although it is still good, I will toss it and will open a new one. The mascara already smells funky which pisses me off, I've had purchased their mascara about 6 or 7 times now. And this is second tube that was sent to me old, if you ever open their mascara and will smell something other than pleasant fruity smell, know that's old and contact them for the replacement. The first time it happened to me I did get a replacement, although they tried to pull wool over my eyes saying their mascaras have "fermented" smell. No they don't, unless they are old! I used mine for about six months and they didn't change in any way, smell or consistency, and I know some bloggers that used it for 9months to a year without changes.
My love affair with 100%Pure is turning into a love-hate relationship because of their six months expiration date, but I'll go into more details in my 2016 Fall Empties post, which is to come really soon. Let's just say I took out some back ups and found them spoiled six months later despite company's claims they are good for 3yrs once unopened.

Bryt Skincare serum

This product is new to Ireland and that's why I got it, it is created by Catkin Wemyss-Bodmer, who won 13th place in the top 25 natural personalities in 2015, which definitely intrigued me. I haven't used this yet, but the ingredients are pretty good apart phenoxyethanol, which I don't use, as well as alcohol denat, which does not agree with my skin at all, so my gut instint says it might dry out my skin? Not sure, let's see, shall we?

Oh lord, I just realised I have three giveaways winnings here to show you, unbelievable! I was never lucky in lotteries and giveaways in my life, I don't know what have I done to get this fortune come my way, but touch wood these wouldn't be my last winnings!
So I present you with Skin & Tonic goodies, which of course I will review later on. One item came from green beauty swap.

Skin & Tonic Coco Mask
Skin & Tonic Naked Beauty Oil

Skin & Tonic Naked Lip Balm

Skin & Tonic Calm Balm

So far I have only tried the Coco mask, which I didn't even plan on trying until I've finished on some of the other products I have open now, but when I unscrewed the cap to see if the bottle is sealed, it wasn't, and I've decided to use it then in order not to waste a good product. It is a mix of powdered coconut milk, clay and some other things including lavender essential oil.

Another giveaway I have won back in the end of July from wonderful Candice Batista. I was going away for three weeks so I was afraid I'd miss my package, so I asked if the prize can be held until my return, and she kindly agreed. Long story short, a few emails and one forgotten package later, it is finally in my hands. The ingredients sound absolutely wonderful, but I haven't opened any of these yet as I've plenty of other products to use up, as I don't like having too many open products and thus wasting a part of them. These beauties will have to wait their turn.

Corpa Flora Beaute Divine Camelia Facial Oil

Corpa Flora Antidote 01 Firming

Corpa Flora Antidote 02 Vitality


And now for the best part of my haul, Mahalo! I was besides myself with joy when I got a message from the owner Maryna telling me that she was glad when randomiser.org selected me, and she was so kind and wonderful and calmed me down when I was fretting thinking my package was lost in the post (it took longer than I thought, and I was watching my postman as a hawk, as you would!) Her handwritten sweet note is something I will want to keep forever I think, as it will remind me of this wonderful package I've won - you can't get better than Mahalo in a green beauty world, and surely it is a one in a lifetime kind of miracle happening to me?

Mahalo Balm

Mahalo Bean Mask

Mahalo Vitality Elixir

(and a mini sizes of Indigo Balm as well as Vacation Glow oil)

Of course I have tried all of them already (apart from Vacay mini) and they are BEEEAAAUTIFUL products! Review is definitely to come, but *spoiler allert* - they are absolutely gorgeous products! I am in love! My budget (or rather no budget at all) won't stretch to get all of them, but I have to find ways to get at least one or two of them when the time comes.

Weleda Skin Food 

I have used quite a few products of Weleda in my time (purchased with my own money of course) and the one and only time I answered their call looking for bloggers, this is what I got. One teeny tiny cheapest product from their entire range. Blogger's beware, this brand will want you to work for nothing. When i emailed them to ask about it, they told me that "maybe I will warm up when I will actually start using this wonderful product". Gee, thanks!

Indigenous Beauty Deodorant samples

These just came in today, so no opinion on them yet, need to play with them first.

Bees Flying Wild Raw Honey Frankincense May Chang Body Butter

I was given this when I met the owner of this brand in Free From Expo that was happening a little while ago. If you follow me for some time, you know that this is my favourite company for body balms (and hand and foot balms) - review here - Arno uses only gorgeous purest organic ingredients for his products, and the results are pure magic! Definitely look out for a review in the near future!

One company I definitely won't be reviewing is Skyn Iceland, I got sent their Cooling lotion and eye cream. Hefty priced products didn't agree with me at all, eye cream made my undereyes swell and itch (outch!) and I only tried the cooling lotion on my hands once and I had to wash them off immediately too, too irritating as well. The smell can be felt from half a metre, and it is definitely not from a natural source, as there is frangrance in the ingredients list. How is that supposed to help with inflamed skin I don't know. Sorry brand, but I won't be testing your products much further.

So that is all for now! Please let me know if you want me to keep this segment to the blog? In a way it is kind of "blogger's mail" segment, and I am not sure if you guys want to see that or not?

Lots of Love,

Renata.

DIY Whipped Nourishing Body Butter

Hi and welcome back my lovely friends :)

Today I wanted to share my DIY recipe for body butter, which I love and my family does so too (and that is saying a lot, since they do not share my passion for all things natural). It will make your skin nourished, soft and supple, and if you have any egzema or your skin is parched from the sun, it will help too. All those dry patches will go away and you will be amazed at how soft your skin is! The only downside I have to warn you about is that it's a bit hard to rub in and needs a bit of time to soak in. But as it is all natural with no preservatives at all and it is so good for you, I am prepared to put up with it and I hope you will be too :)
Now, let's get to it, shall we?

You will need:
1 cup of cocoa butter (I used edible kind)
3/4 cup of coconut oil (raw and organic is the best kind)
1/4 cup of castor oil
1/4 cup of almond oil
1/4 cup of olive oil infused with chamomile (I steeped it for 2 weeks)
2 tbs of sea buckthorn oil (this explains the orange colour)
20 drops of frankincense essential oil
50 drops of carrot essential oil
and 25 grams of beeswax (substitute for caurnauba wax if you want vegan recipe)


Directions:
Melt everything apart essential oils in a double boiler being careful not to burn yourself! When everything will be melted, take the bowl off the pot and let it cool down to the room temperature. When it's coolled enough to the touch, add essential oils and put the bowl to the fridge for 15 mins. It will begin to set and the edges will start to harden, that is the perfect texture to start whipping it!
Take regular kitchen mixer (I used electrical one, you can also whip by hand, but it will take much more time.) and start whipping it slowly for 5 minutes, increasing the speed for the next 5 mins. Then put it back to the fridge for 15-20 mins and repeat the process. Pour into clean sterilised glass jar. And there you have it, the perfect whipped healing body butter. Because there is no water in it, there is no need for the preservatives. Keeps for 1 year.
I want to add that you don't need that many ingredients for it, I chose those oils specifically to heal my dermatitis, but you would be fine if you skipped half of the ingredients. There is also no need for whipping, the texture would be different, like a balm then. There are no hard rules when it comes to this, play around and I am sure you will find the version that you like.

DIY body butter, all natural

diy whipped nourishing body butter

diy body butter recipe

diy all natural body butter

So that is all for now, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask! Also let me know if you will make it, I want to know if you will like it :) Please share below. I highly recommend it if you're going away on holidays, I wish I took it with me.

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Lots of Love,
Renata.