Natural & organic skincare reviews. Links Galore

Hi Lovelies,



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

Natural Skincare Reviews. Links

Just like I've done with make up, I am rounding up all the links of all the natural and organic skincare posts I've done to date. You guys know I only use natural stuff, and in the ideal world I would like to see everyone do the same! If you are a long time follower of mine, you might skip this post, but for everyone else interested in natural skincare, be my guest! All those links are for your perusion, enjoy!

In no particular order, here we are:
 

✅ 5 Natural & Organic Autumn Skincare Must Haves

✅ DrHauschka Rose Day Cream Review

✅ Isun Skincare Peptide Eye Cream Review

✅ ISUN Skincare UK Ormus Myst Review

✅ Neal's Yard Remedies Palmarosa Moisturiser Review

✅ Earthwise Beauty Review

✅ Mahalo Review

✅ I Love Balms (not a review post)

✅ ISUN Emerald Sun Hydrosol Review

✅ ISUN Soothing Balm Review

✅ ISUN Skincare Review

✅ 100% Pure Organic Matcha Moisturiser Review

✅ 100% Pure Caffeine Sheet Masks Review

✅ Herbivore Brighten Mask Review

✅ Vintner's Daughter Review

✅ My Toners And Mists Collection

✅ Reviews I Never Posted 
(check this if you are interested in my two cents on NYR White Tea Eye Gel, Lil Fox Miami Eye Butter, Zatik Organic Sea Buckthorn & Apricot Moisturiser, Naobay Soft Tolerance & Eye Contour Cream, Soley EyeGlo Face Cream)

✅ NYR Stash & Experience

✅ NYR Wild Rose Beauty Balm Review

✅ 2016 Best Products

✅ My Morning Routine featured on No More Dirty Looks 2016


many more are to come, promise :)


Want to see all my make up reviews? Click here.

Want to see my body care and haircare reviews? Click here.

DIY inclined? You will enjoy this post.


Please like and share my posts on social media, it really helps to get the green beauty word out - and you will forever have my gratitude! Follow me on Bloglovin, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and YouTube. (someday I will start making YouTube videos, promise!)


That is all for now, see you here again very shortly :)


Lots of Love,
Renata.

A little bit about ISUN Skincare and ISUN Emerald Sun Hydrosol review (and a giveaway!)

Hi Lovelies,

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

 

ISUN Skincare Emerald Sun Hydrosol 

Today I am coming at you with a review of yet another gorgeous product from Isun Skincare. I already reviewed three products from this brand, you can find the review here and I am pleased to say that I love this product as much if not more so. Really glad this brand came to our shores and we can experience these gorgeous creations too.

There's an amazing story behind this brand that I should have included in my first review, but let's look at it right now, so we could understand the intentions and the ethos of this brand a bit better, shall we?

ISUN, the symbolic brand name was born from the intention to bring great awareness of all of our connections in Light. Throughout the history of mankind, the sun has been honoured as sustainer of life and was seen as Divine being of Source Light. The brand’s name, ISUN, carries a subtle message that the Light, that sustains light and exists in all life, not only exists in us, but in the deepest truth. ISUN, when thought or spoken as a word, may remind us in a subtle and often unconscious way that we are the Light. ISUN may be defined as “I Am A Sun” which sends subtle messages to our consciousness that “I Am Light”. For some, a brief glimpse of the origin and truth of their Being may be seen or sensed. For others, a smile might spread on their faces, or warm feeling may be felt in their heart. Indeed, Let's just stop for a second and repeat after me - “ISUN”! What are you getting? Doesn't that immediately make you think of the Sun? No matter of the response, the name and sound of ISUN invokes a subtle uplifting feeling.

ISUN holds a promise of merging the Joy of recognition of our inner beauty radiating outwards, and the Happiness one feels from receiving an outer expression of radiant beauty from the skin awakening and rejuvenating qualities of ISUN Skincare creations.

 In an endless stream of Love, ISUN is conceived and hand crafted in the pristine Shining Mountains of Colorado. It is made with the power of focused intention and collaborative creation with pure living sources from nature, whose Light we honour and share in deep connection.  

ISUN Alive and Ageless skincare is consciously created with Love and the intention to impart a quantum healing effect. The products hold a subtle energy of intention to help heal, uplift and bring harmony to body, mind and spirit as they transform the skin into rejuvenated radiance.

In essence, ISUN Skincare products are high performance alchemical creations that provide a vehicle to hold and transmit positive healing Light and consciousness awakening subtle energy, while giving unmistakable rejuvenating radiance to the skin.

The founder, visionary and formulator of ISUN Skincare, Bunnie Gullick, at a young age of sixty eight, is still inspired to harvest live spring water and wild plants for her products creations in the beautiful Colorado mountains she calls home.

Let’s take a closer look at the organic and wildcrafted raw ingredients of ISUN products, shall we? I know I and many my fellow green beauty lovers are really interested in that. Many of the ingredients for ISUN products are wildcrafted, they are harvested from their natural habitat where they grow freely, untouched by humankind. They are ideally supported by the compatible plants and eco systems in soil that is teeming with abundant life and nutrients to support their growth. This results in plant-life that is higher in nutrients than organically and commercially farmed plants and 100% free of additives.

Wildcrafted plants most often grow in pristine environments, such as forest regions or around bodies of water, where there is an unseen life force energy that can be sensed. This energy contributes in subtle ways to the dynamic properties found in wildcrafted plants. Edible wildcrafted plants are often called superfoods because of their higher nutritional and energy values.

ISUN first choice of ingredients are wildcrafted plants in the forms of herbs, oils and essential oils. Alive wildcrafted plants are the most harmonious with our bodies and offer optimal benefits for our skin and overall well-being due to their dynamic properties.

Higher in superconducting ions and biophotons than cultivated plants, they are easily absorbed by our skin and send positive message to our skin receptors to produce beta-endorphins, the happy hormones that awaken the natural radiance in our skin and promote feeling of well-being.

ISUN Skincare go beyond the usual and they maintain Golden Principles of:

• Do No Harm
• Altruism in Action
• Eco-Conscious Ethics
• Responsible Sustainability
• Fair Trade Ingredients
• Pure Vegetarian Ingredients
• Cold-Process Manufacturing
• Subtle Energy Manufacturing
• Good Manufacturing Practices
• No Damaging Chemicals
• No Gluten
• No Animal Ingredients
• No Animal Testing
• Integrity Glass Packaging
• Education That Inspires
• Living, Dynamic Products

Now, please don’t tell me all that doesn’t make your heart sing? Mine surely does!

Let’s see for the ISUN Emerald Sun Hydrosol, shall we?

It is beautiful a water-based serum, it is the perfect thing to apply after cleansing. Emerald Sun Hydrosol is an excellent deep-hydrating solution that energises skin cells for rapid cell renewal, accelerated collagen and connective tissue production, provides protection of cellular DNA and collagen fibres, and soothes the skin. The result is a brighter, revitalised and more hydrated complexion, reduced ageing effects and calm skin. I tend to agree with all of it, and let me tell you you need this in your life! You will see the results from it after the first use, I promise! Your skin will definitely be left happy, plump to the touch and so smooth that you wouldn't believe it. I know I couldn’t believe my eyes first time I used, and couldn’t stop touching my face all day. The next day I woke up and my face was still this best version of what it usually is, and needless to say I don’t want to run out of it! Amazing product if you ask me, and if I can recommend just one product from this beautiful life, it would be this. A great product to start your ISUN journey, I defy you not to fall in love with how it makes your face feel. I apply it to a cleansed face and neck, including my under eye area. This has hyaluronic acid in it, along some other amazing ingredients like beta glukan and blue algae peptides. I don’t know about you, but I do a happy dance when ingredients in products are that amazing! No alcohols or other unnecessary ingredients here, so I couldn't help myself to do a "Seven Skin" or "Seven Toner" method with this product, and my skin was a happy skin! I wouldn't necessary do seven layers of it, but three or four are just the thing my skin likes, so I tend to keep it that way. The product is intended for all skin types.

Ingredients:

Neroli distillate; Spring Water (high altitude source rich in Ormus); Beta Glucan (Oat); Duniela salina algae ext; *Aloe vera gel; Silica; *Buddleja ext; Edelweiss extract; Vegetable glycerin; Phytoplankton enzyme ext; *Rose distillate; Aspen bark extract; *Goji berry ext; Hyaluronic acid; Neroli oil.

You get 50ml of product and it housed in gorgeous Miron glass bottle.

 Shop ISUN Skincare UK here.
/free shipping over £50 and points system. Just saying/

or Dutch Health Store.

And now for the fun part, the GIVEAWAY!! (now closed)

I bursting with excitement to tell you that I am collaborating with ISUN Skincare UK for a giveaway, woohoo! Open to Europe residents (as per brand's wishes) from 17th June to 1st of July 2017 . You can win this gorgeous product on my Instagram page. See you there! The giveaway will run for two weeks to give everyone time to participate. The rules are super simple, so hop on and take part! Wish you all the best of luck 💕 and I might have an international giveaway coming soon too, but my lips are sealed for now :)


Please make my day and like and share this or any of my posts. Know a friend who might be interested in seeing this? Send them a link. Thank you!

Lots of Love,

Renata.

Connect with me:

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* The product is a PR sample but that does not change the way I see, test or review it. If anything, I judge sent products more harshly and I am responsible for everything I say. I got you boo. 
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ISUN Skincare Review

Hello Lovelies,


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

ISUN Skincare products

Today I am coming at you with a review of truly gorgeous skincare line that quickly found it's way into my daily skincare routine and my heart - that is ISUN Skincare. Made of only the best, wildcrafted and organic ingredients, these products are truly luxurious in terms of the whole experience - starting from truly natural ingredients list, to the products feel on your skin, their performance, to the luxurious dark glass packaging the products are housed in. And supercharged with crystals. All this makes my heart sing! You won't find a long list of ingredients, but what you get is truly exceptional in quality, not to mention intriguing - ever heard of spinning structures of single atoms of liquid gold, silver and platinum called "Ormus"? Well, you are about to find out!

ISUN Skincare was started by Bunnie Gullick, who is a is a pioneer way ahead of her time creating wild-crafted organic products before it was even considered important or effective. After more than 20 years of successfully developing and manufacturing skin care products for others, in her late 50’s, the opportunity came to create her own line of skincare products. With a formal background in clinical nutrition and having been self-educated and mentored in botanical chemistry specialising in skin care, combined with an intuitive mind and heart open to helping humanity and our planet in whatever ways she could, she created ISUN.

Read more on ISUN and it's founder here. And for now, let's get cracking, shall we? As always with skincare, I tested and used the products for six weeks before giving you my two cents on them.

ISUN Skincare Ormus Myst

Ormus Myst

Description:
ISUN’s signature mist and sacred aroma is derived from the pure living water pouring out from a hidden forested mountain-side cavern at 3,000 meters in the pristine mountains of Southern Colorado. Called the ‘Shining Mountains’ by the Ute Indians because of the quality of light and vibration in the region, the water is alive with rejuvenating energy to restore health and well-being. Mystically found in the water are tiny rapid spinning structures of single atoms called ‘Ormus’. These lively atoms of liquid gold, silver & platinum are super-conductors of energy that speed up cell communication for rapid repair and regeneration of living tissues. 

Elevating oils of frankincense, rose and jasmine are added to enhance the infused energy of the water and offer an aroma to awaken the senses. Bottles made of dark violet glass are filled by hand and a small crystal is consciously dropped into each filled bottle to hold the energy of the intentions that are imparted to whomever receives the fragrant mist. 

Ingredients:

Aqua (spring water infused with gemstone energy); Rosa centifolia (rose) flower extract; Jasminum sambac  (jasmine) flower extract; Boswellia sacra (frankincense) oil; Embedded clear quartz crystal.

My experience with it:
I truly love it, I think it is my favorite item from what I tried! After so many years of using only rosewater on my face, I am catching up with this truly luxurious face spritz. It really refreshes the face, and moisturizes it too. With the seasonal change I find myself going off face oils and just using face cream and this mist for most of the days, and it is enough moisture for my dry skin. If I feel I need to up the nourishment, I do either face oil or balm at night, but that is every few days only, not all the time. Although I am using Ormus mist all the time! Several times per day to be exact. After washing my face, before make up, after make up, to refresh myself a few times during the way, to wind down in the evening, you get the idea. I also really love the idea of supercharging product with crystals.
I am really intrigued by these mystical Ormus spheres now and must research them further. (I also found them in Living Libations products) And who does not want rapid repair and regeneration of living tissues? Umm, yes, please! I forgot to mention that it smells amaaazing - it reminds me a lot of Lotus Wei Infinite Love mist, if you like that product, you would love this mist too. I am definitely keeping the bottle once I am done with it too, you probably know I am DIY inclined, so I am sure I will find a use for it. And I am definitely repurchasing the product, even before I run out.
Verdict? I am in love! Don't tell my husband :)

ISUN Chlorella Algae Mask

Chlorella Algae Mask

Description:
A calming, hydrating gel mask with superfood chlorella algae, sea plants (algae extract) and aloe vera, calms, nourishes, soothes and firms skin while nutrient-rich moisture is absorbed to deeply hydrate skin layers.
To keep mask moist on skin, lightly mist as needed with purified water or for even better results, mist with ISUN Ormus Myst. For acne-sensitive skin, blend Chlorella Algae Mask with ISUN Rhassoul-Neem Mask (50-50). For hyper-sensitive acneic skin, blend plain yogurt with the Chlorella Algae Mask (50-50). For dry skin, blend raw honey with the Chlorella Algae Mask (50-50) for deeper penetrating moisture and skin nourishment. For an exfoliating mask, mix ¼ teaspoon ISUN Rhassoul Exfoliant into the mask before applying. Leave on for about 15 minutes, then add water and gently scrub the mask off. Add more water as needed.
For a greater sensation of cooling, store the mask in a refrigerator (Do not freeze). This works especially well to help remove puffiness from the face and around the eyes.

Ingredients:
Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, Algae (macrocystis pyrifera, laminaria, fucus vesiculosus (bladderwrack) leaf extract, phaeophyceae, rhodophyceae) extract; Glycerin; Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, Calendula officinalis (calendula) flower extract, Chamomilla recutita (chamomile) flower extract, Camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract, Lavandula intermedia (lavender) flower extract, Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) leaf extract, Glycyrrhiza glabra (licourice) root extract, Helichrysum arenarium (helichrysum) flower extract, Plantago major (plantain) leaf extract, Rosa centifolia (rose) flower extract); Avena sativa (oat) kernel extract; Cucumis sativus (cucumber) fruit water; Chlorella vulgaris (algae) powder; Populus tremuloides (aspen) bark extract; Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil; Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) flower oil; Sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid concentrate); Xanthan gum; Citric acid.

My experience with it:
This was the product that I came across first from this brand, and I knew I wanted it immediately! I tend to look up ingredients on the products I want immediately, and I am really pleased it is truly natural, without any fillers or other forms of green washing. When I was offered to try it out, I was like the little girl who just candy - it instantly cheers you up to no end! Upon getting the actual mask and trying it on, I was not disappointed, this stuff work and works really well - my skin is really happy afterwards, calmed down, brighter, plumper and really nourished. I find I can skip the moisturiser for the day that I use this mask. Will I want more once I am out? Absolutely!

ISUN Soothing Relief Balm

Soothing Relief Balm

Description:
A soothing, calming and cooling balm that supports rapid and effective repair of inflamed and sensitive skin conditions while it moisturises and protects tissues. Gives a feeling of immediate relief from burns, bug bites, plant stings while it provides healing to irritated or damaged skin. For all skin types. Especially beneficial for sensitive skin and hyper-sensitive skin conditions. Excellent for sunburned skin to relieve pain, prevent peeling and promote rapid healing. May be used as a day or night moisturiser as needed.

Ingredients:
Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil; Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, Calendula officinalis (calendula) flower extract, Chamomilla recutita (chamomile) flower extract, Symphytum officinale (comfrey) root extract, Lavandula intermedia (lavender) flower extract, Azadirachta indica (neem) leaf extract, Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) leaf extract, Centella asiatica (gotu kola) leaf extract, Camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract, Helichrysum arenarium (helichrysum) flower extract, Urtica dioica (nettle) leaf extract, Olea europaea (olive) leaf extract, Plantago major (plantain) leaf extract; Rosa damascena (rose) distillate; Beta-glucan (oat-derived); Glycerin; Cucumis sativus (cucumber) fruit water; Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf; Ozokerite (mineral wax); Helichrysum arenarium (helichrysum) flower extract; Populus tremuloides (aspen) bark extract; Tocopherols (vitamin E); Cetearyl alcohol, Cetearyl glucoside (vegetable wax); Xanthan gum; Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil; Sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid concentrate); Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf (concentrate); Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract.

My experience with it:
This is yet another great product from ISUN, albeit I have to admit I used it the least - I got it at the tail end of winter, so I got a bit less use out of it, but nonetheless, I am loving it. As I already mentioned, I use it as a night moisturiser once or twice per week and I am waking up to happy and plum skin. It says it is good for irritated or sunburned skin, so I am sure this product will come in handy in upcoming summer months too. At first I was a bit concerned about coconut oil in it as it tends to break me out, but I am pleased to say it didn't. Must be a magic combination with other ingredients. I also get reactions (redness) from aloe vera, again, none of it from this product. (I am a lucky gal, I know, I know! Not only I battled dermatitis, but my skin is so sensitive that I react to so many thing, including aloe vera. I mean who reacts to aloe?!).
Verdict? This is a great product, and definitely the one to consider if you want to treat yourself.

So, all in all I am really happy with all these product I tried, so pleased that they worked for me - with skin like mine there is always hold-the-breath moment. But now I know I can use their products with confidence, and I will be back for more for sure. I won't be getting all of the products at once, as that would be kind of expensive, but I will replace at least two out of three products I own. (Due to downsizing the stuff I currently own to my perfect capsule collection. My aim is to have just one open product in each category. At the moment I own too many balms and face oils - I made good progress in other areas, and I am due to update my Project Pan post. Also see my two cents on downsizing - I am not sure where it is taking me as a blogger, but that is what I want to do. Aimless consumerism drives me crazy. But that is another story for another time).

ISUN Skincare

So that is all for now my dear friends! Have you tried anything from ISUN Skincare? What is your favorite product? Please share with me, I really want to know :)

Check them out at ISUN Skincare UK

Or at Dutch Health Store

See 250+ posts in this Facebook album here.

Ta ta for now,
Lots of Love,
Renata.

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Disclaimer; all these products were generously sent to me, for which I am really grateful. (Thanks Tracey, you are a real star!) This does not affect my opinion on them. If anything, I judge a product that was sent to me even more harshly than if I bought it myself. And with these products, I have nothing to nit pick. I got you, boo.

Balms, amazing balms

Hi Lovelies,


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

My collection of balms 

Let me tell you one thing, balms are the bomb, and if you haven’t experienced these little beauty miracle workers, you are seriously missing out! They should be your best friend if you are fellow dry and sensitive skin gal like moi, but all skin types can use them regardless. Skin acting up? Reach for a balm. Chapped lips? Had too much sun? Reach for a balm. Want to protect your skin against elements? Want to deeply soothe, hydrate and nourish your skin? Reach for a balm. You get the idea. I am obsessed with them since discovered them a few years ago, and it is something I always have on hand. You are guaranteed to find a jar or two at any given time in my house, and it is something I always travel with as well, because it is a multi use product, and it is just perfect too soothe and rehydrate cabin air parched skin. Heck, even when my face dermatitis was at it’s worst, Neals Yeard Remedies balm was one of the very few products my skin would tolerate, so I immediately purchased a full size of it once my sample ran out, and thanks goodness I did, it was one of the very few things that calmed the skin and reduced the insane itching. Those who have or had dermatitis or eczema, know perfectly well how uncomfortable and painful it is, and why not try all natural balm instead of those nasty steroid creams your doctor is prescribing you? Your skin will thank you.

Balms can be used on the face or just about anywhere you want to soothe, calm and deeply nourish the skin, it can be used on the lips, hands, dry elbows, or any dry patches on the skin, you can put them on the feet or all over the body if you wish. Well, that would be kind of expensive, but if that is what you want to do, go for it. It’s your call :) It can be used on the face (especially for dry skin people) and I often use one instead of the night cream, if I see that my skin needs it. The are specific balms for the face/body/lips or all over universal balms, so there’s something for everyone to choose from. You can also remove your make up with it, the same way as you would with oil cleanser, you would take a small amount of it, put it on the slightly dampened face, massage it into a skin for a few minutes and then remove it with a hot cloth. Face balms often come with organic cotton (or other fabric) cloths, so make sure to utilise those. You can use it on the chapped lips, to soothe the skin around the nose if you have a cold and constantly blow your nose, it can be used as a cuticle cream, hand cream, eye cream in a pinch, although I would advise to to use it at night, to avoid that oily feeling on your hands/skin. I also use it on the ends of the hair if I am out of the hair oil, but it is up to you if you want to do that or not. All I am saying that these wonderfully emollient skin loving beauties are a true multitaskers and can be used all over. The ingredients also range wildly, the base is often cheaper oil in a form of safflower, olive, coconut oil ( please check that it’s not mineral oil, more on it later) and then they have other active oils, botanical extracts or essential oils added. Plain balm will soothe, protect and nourish the skin (because that’s what they are made for) throughout day and night, but if you want let’s say antiinflammatory action from your balm too, then look for antiinflammatory properties containing balm. 
 This might be TMI for some of you, but I hope this will help some fellow mum with a newborn or a toddler out there, but I want to add that balm was exactly the thing that healed my daughter’s nappy rash when nothing was helping and we were in and out of the doctor’s office for two months, and all she was doing was prescribing stronger and stronger steroid creams to a few weeks old baby! I was at the end of my tether when I reached for my balm, and a miracle happened - overnight the rash was two times less red and angry and even shrank in size, and previously it was only getting bigger. It was sorted in less than a week, and I thanked God for this miracle product.
Oh, did I mention that it can be used as a mask too? Just keep it on your skin for about 30 mins and go relax in the meantime. Read a book or treat yourself to a lie in. You won't believe the change in your skin, and it will stay this way for a couple of days. You will also hardly need a foundation, as your skin will look so good without it. Speaking of foundation, one little tip, you can also mix balm with the mineral  foundation if you want to, just think of it, you will get great coverage while your face will be protected and nourished by a balm. Try it and let me know how did you like it?
Are you addicted to chapstics? Well, chapped lips aren’t cute; neither is becoming a slave to applying a product that doesn’t do it’s job. Ditch the conventional chapstics that are all petroleum based and filled with hair raising chemical, and move onto a natural lip balm made with beeswax, natural oils and maybe some essential oils for added goodness and nice smell, these natural lip balms will offer you all-natural, deeply nourishing hydration that actually heals.

Balms are made out of oils and plant butters plus beeswax (or carnauba wax for vegans) to solidify them, although I must correct myself and say they aren’t rock solid, but rather pliable and easy to use. Thicker and more emolient, “balmy” in texture. The ingredients in them vary wildly, and my advice to you would be to always flip the box or a jar and look at the ingredients, always look for the most natural ingredients you can find, you literally should understand every single ingredient in them. The reason I am saying this is because some companies cheat and use mineral oil as a base, with only a small percentage of active ingredient and still charge a hefty price for it. My hair stood up when i was about to purchase one popular balm with fermented paw paw in it, thanks goodness I checked the ingredients first! Needless to say I skipped it and decided to take my money elsewhere. Sadly a lot of “greenwashing” is happening and I always advise people to be informed consumer and always always check the ingredients list. We won’t go into the law loopholes and loose definitions of “natural” and “organic” labels, allowing chemical laden  products to be labeled as so, this is another post for another time, and in the meantime let’s get back to the balms. Where was I? Ah, the ingredients of the balms. Here’s the thing - balms are waterless, meaning they can last up to a year without the need for any preservatives (yay or what?) so you should only see some beautiful oils and waxes in the ingredient list, plus some essential oils or some “actives”, but that depends on the brand/balm. The simplest balm I have has six ingredients, and I love it! It is olive oil based with beeswax and some bee products, but as I just mentioned, this varies from brand to brand, so do your little research first to find the product perfect for you. Another balm I own is  rosehip oil based, and although it is significantly more expensive, it is also worth every penny, because a little goes a long way with balms, a 50ml jar lasts me about a year with frequent use. Prices range from 3.99 to over a hundred, so there is something for everyone for sure. Go organic if your budget lets you, but then again, do your research first, organic does not always equals big bucks, I found organic balms for as little as 6.99 for 30ml jar. I am going to purchase one of them and see how do they compare to my beloved balm I currently own.
I almost forgot to mention that you can make your own balm too, and it is pretty easy. If you can make your own pancake batter, you can make a balm too. There are tons of recipes on the internet, including my blog, and you can use as little or as much nourishing ingredients as you like, because this is your balm and you make the rules! Just remember to pour it into totally dry sterilised jar to avoid mold and bacteria growth.
Keep this post in mind for the upcoming winter, balm is exactly the thing that will protect your skin against the cold. Apply it 10-20 minutes before you leave the house and you will be good to go. I only wish my mom would knew it, because we never used any, and let me tell you, frostbite is never cute or pleasant. Then again, in summer it is good post sun, so it is a fabulous all rounder and I don't know how I lived without it!

So there you go, my two cents on balms and it's uses. Have you tried balms and what are your favourites? Please share with me, I would love to know! 


Lots of Love,
Renata. 


P.s. All products shown here were purchased with my own money or won in a giveaway. One is PR sample. This post was intended to go up as blog post on one US brand page, but not seeing it published there six months on, I take it back.

Blogger's Haul January 2017

Hi Lovelies,



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

Green Beauty blogger's haul

As January is coming to an end, I was debating with myself (what? I needed to have an intelligent conversation!) whether I should do a one month blogger's haul or wait for another month to gather more stuff so it would make a more interesting blog post. But the thing is, I need to photograph things as soon as they come in, box fresh, so let's just roll with a monthly basis here, shall we, even if it means less stuff? This year I am focusing on quantity over quality, and letting the blogging thing flow naturally, for some of you minimalists this will still look like a lot of new stuff coming in through my door, but I am working hard on finishing up my current products (twenty seven to date this year, not bad at all) so at least my current collection is somewhat staying the same size and I don't feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of products. On the other hand, to some of my followers on Instagram, my collection would seem like junior infants compared to theirs, so I guess we all have to find our happy middle ground? As long as I can finish up my products I am ok with having some variations in the same categories, but not too much either, as I hate the thought of wasting products (or anything in general). (Any of you growing up in former Soviet Union at a time will understand me perfectly). So, without going too much into consumerism discussion, let's see what products I acquired recently, shall we? And a disclaimer upfront, this post is a mixture of things I bought myself, PR samples, one giveaway win via Instagram and a few swaps between my fellow blogger friends. P.s. if you live in Europe and are up for a green beauty swap, I am your girl! I won't go into details which is which as I am very clear about this in my reviews.

So, so far this year I a managed to acquire:

💕 P. Holford "Optimum Nutrition for your children"
Better skin in 30 days
💕 Louise Hay "You can do this" callendar
💕 Deepak Chopra "
(and I really want his and Kimberly Snyder book too)
💕 Wasi Sabi Buddha Eye Nectar - this will have to remain unopened for at least six months until I will finish The Passion Serum by Earthwise Beauty I am afraid, so I won't be to be able to give you my thoughts sooner, sorry.
💕 Badger Cuticle Balm
💕 ISUN Cooling Soothing balm
💕 ISUN Ormus Myst
💕 Nude by Nature - selected make up products, I can spill the beans if you are interested, but all I can say is keep your eyes peeled for a review soon. I got mini size of a primer, bronzer and mini brush, as well as the mascara, pressed eye shadow in Coral, highlighter stick in Bronze, and eye shadow trio in Rose.
💕 RMS Living Luminizer
💕 Kahina Essaouira Perfume
💕 Lina Hanson Global Face Trio - powdered cleanser & mask in one, which came with a cute bamboo spoon
💕 Morningstar Minerals Derma Boost Rejuvenating Mineral Spray
💕 And one product I can't talk about yet, as it is currently in the development stages. Interested much? All I can say that the owner of one of my favourite Irish companies is working hard behind the scenes to bring out a new product or two. We have to wait to find out! 

Sorry to leave you on such a teasing note, just couldn't help myself. What have you got recently? Please share, I really want to know!


Lot's of love,
Renata.

P.S want to see my previous blogger haul posts? Click here and here.

 

My Everyday Skincare Routine

Hello Lovelies,

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

My skincare, Earthwise Beauty, Neal's Yard Remedies, Mahalo

Today I will share my skincare routine with you - I thought you will never ask? Well, actually a lot of you have asked, so there you go, this post is for you! As you know me, I only use truly natural cruelty free products, so that's what you will see here.

As my skincare is really simple, I will share both AM and PM routines with you. You will find minimal products here, no acid peels or anything like that, my uber sensitive and dermatitis prone skin is at its happiest when I leave it alone. Last year was the year I discovered a lot of great clean beauty goodies, because post battling dermatitis my skin is very finicky, and started disliking products I used to use for years, like rosehip oil. So with a lot of trial and error I am finally down to my happy place where I don't want to change a thing because it works so well for me!

Being a green beauty blogger I test and I am sent new things all the time, but I always find myself going back to these products, especially if my skin goes haywire from doing so!  So yes, I can safely say these are my Holy Grail Products for the moment.

AM Routine 

First thing I do is to spread my face with two pumps of Nap In Meadow by Earthwise Beauty - this wonderful anti-inflammatory beauty stole my heart and I will want to have this forever, something does not happen often! It is aloe based serum that has an amazing ingredients and one of my favourite ingredients of late in a form of blue tansy (another being turmeric, found in Mahalo oil and balm) - amazing for inflammation, I can attest to that! My face is brighter and with less blemishes, more even in colour and more happy overall. I took a break from it for a few days and I immediately saw the difference in my skin, it went red in some places, dry patches reared their ugly heads again, and no one wants that, right? It is not enough moisture on its own right now, so I layer it with other products, but it might be enough in the summer, we will see.

Next is the facial moisturiser that I am loving for more than six months (but I am yet to review, whoops!) is Neal’s Yard Remedies Palmarosa one. The funny thing is it is aimed at oily skin, but it suits my dry skin perfectly. I was using it on its own during summer, and when autumn rolled around, I added Mahalo Vitality Elixir oil and voila, it worked like magic to transition my skin into winter!

Speaking of Mahalo (see review here) Vitality Elixir, it is exactly what goes on my face next, often times mixed in with the facial cream, one pump of each and I am set for the day. This oil is very quick to sink into the skin and does not leave you with residue whatsoever. So don't be afraid to try it if you are oil-phobic, it is just divine and will leave your face protected from the elements! And do I need to tell you that ingredients are top notch natural and the best quality you can get??

My eye oil of now is Earthwise Beauty Passion oil, highly anticipated eye oil release from Ava Khan, green beauty community had been asking her to create an eye product  and she took her time until she was sure it is perfection! It is a mix of beautiful only the best quality oils and butters that is supposed to nourish, moisture and protect the delicate under eye area. And protecting it does indeed, it forms a protective layer on your skin. As it is an oil, it takes about ten minutes or so to sink in. It works well for me because I use powder concealer these days (or should I say mineral foundation as a concealer, mine is surely pigmented enough to do that. It is by Pure Anada and you can see the review here. My opinion on it hasn't changed, still love it so much). But I have to say it might not work for you if you use cream concealers, once I decided to bust out my trusty fave Hynt Beauty concealer (review here) and the two didn't gel well together, I had mascara smudges all over. So if you are gel/cream concealer lover, you might want to use this eye oil at night? Oh, and the bottle you see here is not the original bottle, the oil comes in a tiny vial with a dropper. I was forever afraid of knocking it over and/or accidentally touching the dropper with my finger and contaminating the product, so as you can see in the photo below, I transferred it into more substantial glass bottle with stainless steel roller ball, which is naturally antibacterial, so no more worries for me.

So that is my morning routine. As you can see, I am committing two cardinal sins of not washing my face and not using the sunscreen! I shall face the Purgatory for it, but it my choice and I am standing for it. With so very few rays of sunshine we get here in Ireland, I may as well catch them all, given half the chance. But I do use (natural) sunscreen in summer, mind you.

Now let's go grab a cup of tea or coffee, and let's dive into the evening routine, shall we?

PM Routine

So, in the evening I do wash my face with Earthwise Beauty Marshmallow Suds, this is the second cleanser in my life that does not dry out my skin. Yay or what? You have to shake it really well, because it comes layered in two layers, the oil part and the “marshmallow suds” part and you have to mix those two prior to using. Ingredients are really good, but even if I didn't perused them, I would still be ok with using it, as I trust anything that Ava creates is top notch natural and the best quality. It leaves a layer of oil on my skin after washing, but I am ok with it, as it is a layer of moisture, and I can skip the moisturiser if I want to.

Next is the same combo as in the morning, the NYR moisturiser plus Mahalo Vitality elixir and the eye oil by Earthwise Beauty.

I have to say that my skin is extremely happy with this routine, I don't get much redness or dry patches which is fabulous in winter, isn't it? On the rare occasions where I do get dry patches, it is remedied by balms, there’s two favourite ones in my rotation, and those are the Mahalo Rare Indigo Balm and the ISun Soothing Balm, and sometimes a sheet mask by 100%Pure, their Caffeine one (you might want to see review here where not only I review them, but I also share my frugalista tip on how to make them last three times longer, and no, it is not wearing the same mask over and over again!) - I said it before and I say it again, this mask will make your skin red carpet ready, it will take care of a multiple things at once, your skin will be glowing and happy, you might want to skip make up the next day. I have tried their other two sheet masks, but this is my firm fave. I also use Mahalo Bean mask and iSun Algae Mask, on a weekly basis too (I own some more masks, plus I DIY them, but that will be another posts for another time) but I don't know how about you, but I need to be home alone if I want to mask, I am poked fun at if I wear a mask in front of my family. The sheet masks from 100%Pure scare my children and I am forever told to take them off, which is why I nicknamed them Hannibal masks. So yeah, as "me” time doesn't happen often in the Casa Green Life In Dublin, I am lucky if I can squeeze it once or twice a week.

I was really late to the masking party, like really late, it was only last year I started masking regularly. Sure I did it before too, but it was more like once in a moon, or three times a year if I am honest. Doing them on a regular basis made my skin so much better, and I really like that. I pledge keep my masking game strong in the future!

I should also say that I spray my face with Jane Iredale mists throughout the day.

So that is it for now, that is all the skincare routine I do. let me know the products you can't live without?

Please see 250+ posts and reviews here.

Lots of Love,

Renata.

P.s. Earthwise Beauty and ISUN Skincare reviews are to come really soon, keep your eyes peeled.