ANTOPODES NIRVANA HAND AND BODY WASH, HEAVENLY BODY OIL, DELIGHT HAND AND BODY CREAM - NATUAL AND ORGANIC // PRODUCT REVIEW

IVADORE REVIVE, NURTURE AND LOVE, AGE-DEFYING MINERAL POWDER // PRODUCT REVIEW

PRODUCT REVIEW: SIENNA AND NEEK FROM BIOME

I love coming across new brands and even more so when they are Australian. And today, I've got two amazing ones to share with you, including the nail polish brand Sienna Byron Bay and Neek Skin Organics Australia, which are both available through the online store Biome.

But lets start with the Sienna Byron Bay Nail Polishes. I love the fact that these nail polishes are Australian owned, and made, and the fact that they are 7-Free - which means that hey are free from formaldehyde, tosylamide, DBP formaldehyde resin, synthetic camphor, xylene and toluene, and also do not contain any petrochemicals or synthetic ingredients ,so they are better for both you and the environment. Also worth mentioning is that the nail polishes are also vegan and cruelty free. The bottles are very unique in that they have a timber cap , which has been made from sustainably sourced timber.

I put two different shades to the test; 

• Tempest - a Classic red shade
• J'Adore - a dusty pinky-mauve shade with a shimmery gold sheen

The polishes apply nice and evenly, and require two coats for a nice opaque look. I did not have a Sienna top coat, so applied another one (without a doubt loaded with chemicals!!), and in spite of washing my hands frequently throughout the day, manage to get 4+ days wear, before the polish started to chip at the edges.

The nail polishes are a little pricier than most others, but personally I find it is worth spending a little extra to reduce the amount of chemicals you use, and in addition support an Australian company.

Then there's the Neek Skin Organics Australia Lipstick, which is from another Australian brand. The lipsticks are free from parabens, lead, sulphate, phthalate, mineral oil and synthetic fragrances, and contain nothing but natural ingredients including a Vitamin E and Vitamin B-rich Jojoba oil and Shea Butter, as well as sweet orange peel which has natural anti-inflammatory properties. The actual colours come from micas and pigments, and not from synthetic dyes.

The lipsticks come in bamboo timber tubes, which is not only stunning, but also perfectly in line with the company's philosophy and products.

I tried the lipstick in the shade Pash, which is a dusty pink-mauve shade with a hint of mauve - a great nude shade with a touch of subtle sheen. The wear of the lipstick could be a little longer, but I think that's to do with the pale shade, but in terms of comfort, it is so lovely to wear, feeling soft, smooth and so hydrating on the lips. Mid-priced, slightly above most drugstore brands, but again, I feel its justified seeing the products are natural, and Australian too. There are lots of other lipsticks in the range, and I'm definitely keen on getting a few darker shades too.


Sienna Nail Polish - RRP: $25 / 10ml
Neek Lipstick - RRP $28.95 / 4.5g

Available from Biome

* Products have been kindly provided for consideration, and have reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.


About Biome - a store that sells both online, and via their stores in Sydney and Brisbane, with a selection of products ranging from beauty products, toys, food and health products, and home products. Common for the product range is that all products are more earth-conscious, more natural eco products free from nasties, and all while caring for the world we live in, trying to minimise impact and waste.

 

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PRODUCT REVIEW: LA MAV ORGANIC BB CREAM, EYE SHADOW AND TINTED LIP TREATMENT

Today I'm going to talk about a brand called La Mav Organic Skin Science. La Mav is an Australian owned and made brand, and all products are organic, with a high percentage of ingredients certified organic. The products are also toxic free and vegan, an free from petrochemicals, parabens, sulphates, synthetic fragrances and colours, phthalates, talc, PEGs, TEA, DEA, and silicones. Rather the products are made using 100% plant based, naturally derived ingredients loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids and herbal extracts to help repair, rejuvenate, and restore the skin.

Which all sounds pretty good to me. I put a couple of different La Mav Mineral Makeup products to the test..

The La Mav Organic BB Cream, is made using 73% are certified organic ingredients, and it only has a light coverage. I would personally have liked a slightly better coverage, but that said, it does even out the skin nicely, covering minor pigmentation and redness, while leaving a nice glow, thanks to the tiny shimmery particles.

I love that it has anti-ageing benefits, being infused with among others vitamin C, rosehip oil, aloe vera leaf juice, sweet almond oil, jojoba seed oil, and avocado oil, so it cares and nourishes my skin while I wear it. It comes in a convenient pump bottle, and It has a mattifying effect, which I also really like, as it is perfect for my combination skin, as it makes it stay put looking matte all day.

Next up is the La Mav Eye Shadow, which is a loose pigment shadow, which I tried in the shade Champagne, a pale nude shade, with just a touch of fine shimmer - the perfect shade to use as a base for any other shade. These eye shadows are made with 100%natural pure earth minerals, and really are very pigmented. I personally prefer pressed eye shadows, mainly because I often end up spilling some and making a huge mess, but I do like this one -it is easy to apply with a brush, and blends really easily, and also stays put all day without settling into fine lines. There are just four shades in the range, but all looking gorgeous, so I certainly wouldn't mind getting hold of a few extra shades.

Finally, there's the La Mav Tinted Lip Treatment, which is a lip treatment and lip gloss in one, as it has been made with CoEnzyme Q10, Argan Oil, Vitamin E and Sea Buckthorn Oil to help fight the visible signs of ageing. The treatment feels so soft and moisturising on the lips, all while giving a touch of colour. I really love the fact that it is a multi-tasking product that treats your lips at the same time. I tried the shade, Sheer Pink which is a very pale pastel pink shade - a shade I normally wouldn’t select - but it does give a lovely colour on the lips with a nice sheen. I personally like using it on top of a lipstick for extra moisture and shine.


Overall these products from La Mav are really lovely. The standout for me was without a doubt the BB Cream, which I really love as it is so great for my combination skin, keeping it looking matte all day. But that said, the other products are really lovely, so I can certainly see myself checking out the rest of their makeup range, which also includes powder foundations, bronzers and makeup brushes, as well as an extensive skincare range.

La Mav Organic BB Cream - RRP: $39.95 / 50ml
La Mav Eye Shadow - RRP: $22.95 / 1g
La Mav Tinted Lip Treatment - RRP: $24.95 /8ml

Available from La Mav

* Products have been kindly provided for consideration, and have reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy


 

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PRODUCT REVIEW: ZK'IN ORGANICS LINE SMOOTHING SERUM, CLARIFYING EXFOLIATOR, BRIGHTENING AND HYDRATING MASQUE

Today I'd like to introduce you to Zk'in Certified Organic Skincare. Zkin, which is pronounced 'skin', and the Z in the name represents the brands zero tolerance for anything less than the best. The products are not only certified organic, vegan and cruelty free, they are also free from parabens, sulphates, and petrochemicals, but rather contain powerful bioactive ingredients that have proven efficient. 

I've put a few products to the test including the Zk'in Clarifying Exfoliating, which is made from among others orange fruit extract, citrus peel oil, coffee seed powder and aloe leaf juice and it helps gently buff away dead skin cells and excess oil and sebum for a cleaner and brighter skin. The coffee helps to remove dead skin cells and impurities, while the caffeine n the coffee alleviates puffiness, while the aloe vera helps soothe and calm the skin.

I love how this exfoliator is 95% certified organic, and that it is so gentle on the skin. And when used a few times a week in the shower (the coffee can make it a little messy), is definitely helping my skin look so much softer and smoother, but also less greasy. I also love the gorgeous orange zesty coffee scent that spreads in my bathroom after each use. Another thing that I love is that the exfoliator is not containing microplastics, which is clogging up the waterways and endangering aquatic life - microplastics is on the list of ingredients to be banned in several countries around the world in the near future.

Then there's the Zk’in Brightening & Hydrating Masque, which would be any chocolate lovers dream, as thanks to containing cocoa, it has the most delish chocolate scent. The cocoa is high in antioxidants, which helps to brighten the skin. It also contains aloe vera to increase skin hydration, while brown seaweed extract to help preserve the skins breakdown of collagen, and help smooth wrinkles and improve elasticity, 

The mask is to be used once or twice a week, and left on for 10 minutes before removed. I am not sure that I've seen any significant brightening effect, but I love how gentle it is on my skin, and soft and smooth it makes it feel. After each use my skin simply looks like it has been given a lift as it is plumper and clearly deeply nourished, and hence also glowing and healthy.

Finally, the Zk'in Line Smoothing Serum is a very light gel based serum that is to be used on the delicate eye area, and/or facial expression lines such as forehead wrinkles, after cleansing the skin and prior to moisturiser. I admit that I initially thought that this was a serum for the whole face, and it wasn't until I read the description on the box that I realised that it was in fact an eye serum - so it really would be ideal if that was more clearly displayed on the box!

The serum contains an active ingredient called Gee from atuline® Expression, an extract of the Paracress plant of Madagascar, which has been clinically shown* to smooth the appearance of expression lines and wrinkles, a natural and safe alternative to injectables!

Anyway, as this is an eye serum, it is really an additional step in your skincare regime - I don't mind personally, as I am already using a serum on my face before moisturiser, but 'just' an eye cream, and as eye creams is one of the products I'm always willing to spend more on, I do like doing something extra for this area, as a younger looking eye area, makes such a difference to your whole look.

The light serum absorbs super quick, and without any greasiness, so you can move on and apply your eye cream on top, or you can of course leave it on its own - but again, with ageing skin, my eye area needs all the help it can get! It leaves the skin feeling silky soft and smooth. I haven't got a lot of deeper wrinkles, but the finer ones are starting to creep in, but I do have one larger expression line between my brows which is rather annoying.

I didn't expect to see massive results, but after using the serum for about a month, I am quite pleased to say that the fine lines around my eyes do appear to have softened a little, and the expression line slightly minimised in size and depth too. It is still early days, but for a serum to do that in a few weeks, is really impressive, so I will definitely continue to use it, and if results continue to show, also consider repurchasing.


So overall really enjoying these Zk'in products, they are gentle and don't contain any nasty ingredients, they are lovely to use, smell incredible, and I love seeing the positive effects they are having on my skin. 


Zk'in Line Smoothing Serum - RRP: $59.95 / 25ml
Zk'in Clarifying Exfoliator - RRP: $39.95 / 100ml
Zk'in Brightening & Hydrating Masque - RRP: $39.95 / 65ml

Available from Zk'in Organics Online and select stockists
* Products have been kindly provided for consideration, and have reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

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PRODUCT REVIEW: THE ORGANIC SKIN CO MAKEUP FROM WORLD ORGANICS

Today I’d like to talk a little about some beautiful organic makeup from The Organic Skin Co. The Organic Skin Co is a makeup line produced for World Organics, a family run company from New Zealand. And common for all the products, is that the products are made with the aim of producing natural products of the highest quality, where the majority of the products are made from at least 70% organic ingredients. Here I'm putting a selection of products to the test...

Let's start with The Organic Skin Co The Luminous Liquid Foundation. This foundation comes in an easy to use pump bottle and the actual foundation is light and is easy to apply and blend into the skin. It gives the skin a medium coverage, easily covering minor pigmentation, blemishes and redness, while a concealer is required for my larger areas of pigmentation and dark circles under my eyes (both no doubt not made any better by being almost 38 weeks pregnant!)  And while the foundation gives the skin a medium coverage, it still manages to make my skin look very natural and give it a nice radiant glow, without looking to shimmery. It lasts quite well on my combination skin throughout the day without settling into fine lines or changing colour, and only requires a quick touch-up for by the afternoon, but that is pretty standard for my skin type. It has a slightly odd scent, which however quickly fades, but I put it down to not containing any artificial fragrances, but rather being chock full of organic antioxidants, oils and minerals that care for the skin as you wear it. Made with 72.95% organic ingredients.

 

Then there's The Organic Skin Co Sun Kissed Bronzer, which is a BB Bronzing cream that gives the skin a light, natural suntanned look with a nice healthy glow. The actual cream is like a bronze glittery cream and it is full of light-reflecting mica and mineral pearls that give the skin the glowing radiance. On its own it doesn’t give the skin much coverage, so I find it is best used on top of your usual foundation on certain areas of the face and decollete, as if used all over, I find that it can be a little too much. It is also very concentrated, so again, you only need to use the tiniest amount, but thanks to the nifty pump bottle, it is easy to dispense even a very small amount. The Bronzer has been enriched with cold pressed oils and as well as botanicals to help moisturise and condition the skin. Unlike the foundation, it has a beautiful scent of orange. It is made from 71.43% organic ingredients.

Next up is The Organic Skin Co Botanical Loose Mineral Foundation, which has been infused with botanicals including calendula and pomegranate to help regenerate and nourish the skin, as well as it includes kaolin clay that helps draw out impurities and absorb surface oils. The foundation is best applied with a large brush such as a kabuki brush. It only gives the skin a very light coverage, although you can build it up slightly where needed, while still looking very natural and soft look, and far from cakey or powdery like many other powder foundations. And it really does stay put all day, without settling into my fine lines and without the dreaded mid-afternoon, so no doubt the added kaolin clay does prove beneficial. In saying that, I would have loved it to have a slightly better coverage to cover my increasing pigmentation, and old acne scarring, so consequently I have instead been enjoying using it on top of the Luminous Foundation, which works wonders, and when applied first thing in the morning, it makes the foundation stay shine free all day too. Made from pure minerals and botanicals. Available in three shades plus a translucent.

The Organic Skin Co Cream Blush, is a soft cream blush is so quick and easy to use. You simply dab your finger tip into the jar and blend it into the apples of your cheeks for a natural flushed look, but while being cautious not to apply too much as it is quite pigmented. The cream blush has been made with pure minerals, organic cold pressed oils and extracts from calendula and pomegranate to not only nourish and care for your cheeks, but give them a natural radiant finish at the same time. I tried the shade Lotus, which is a rich berry shade, that in the pot looks quite large, but once blended onto the cheeks, it gives a natural pink look. The cream blush wears quite well during the day, without sliding or fading too much. I also found that the cream blush worked quite well as a lip stain, so you can simply wipe off any excess from your fingers onto your lips. And it feels quite comfortable to wear on the lips too, although the wear is naturally shorter. Made with 73% organic ingredients.

Next up is The Organic Skin Co Pressed Eye Shadow Palette. I tried this eye shadow palette in the shade Espresso love, which is as the name suggests a palette with brownish shades. It contains four matte shades, including off white, a pale dusty pink, a mauve as well as a dark chocolate brown shade. And all the shades complement each other perfectly, and can be used either individually on their own for a simply daytime look, or in any combination for the perfect smoky eye. The eye shadows have a soft and smooth consistency, and are easy to apply with an eyeshadow brush, with minimal fallout, and while they are quite pigmented so that you can build up the colours to be quite intense, you can also apply them lightly for just a sheer wash of colour. They also stay put, and don’t settle into fine lines during the day. Made with pure minerals and extracts. Available in four different colour combinations.

Finally, The Organic Skin Co Lipstick, are made with carnauba wax, which helps protect the lips, even when exposed to changes in temperatures, and are consequently they also very creamy and feel very nourishing and moisturising on the lips, and hence also extremely comfortable.   I tried the shades Summer Sands and Sahara. Summer Sands is a soft pale pink, with a touch of shimmery sheen, and it is the perfect shade for those who prefer a barely there nude shade, and perfect for casual everyday wear or if you want to downplay your lips!

The Sahara shade on the other hand is a warm red shade, again with a touch of subtle shimmer, and it is my favourite of the two shades – but only because I prefer to wear just a little more colour than the Summer Sands shade provide. I simply find that the Sahara shade works perfectly for me, whether is casual daytime wear, or a night out, giving my lips colour, but without being too bold!

Common for both shades is that they last a few hours on the lips, although the darker Sahara shade has a longer wear because of the darker pigments. I would have loved them to have a longer wear, on the other hand, I wouldn’t want to compromise on how lovely moisturising they feel on the lips, or that they are 100% natural and made with 70% organic ingredients, it really doesn’t get much better than that.

All the Organic Skin Co makeup products come in stunning packaging featuring dark brown plastic bottles and jars that are so heavy duty that you could mistake them for being made of glass. But what’s even more unique is that they are all featuring bamboo lids, which make then look absolutely stunning – and very appropriate for the natural and organic products.

Overall, I am really enjoying using all the products that I’ve tried as they are all lovely, but if I had to select a few favourites, it would have to be the Botanical Loose Mineral Foundation, the Cream blush, the Eyeshadow Palette and the Lipstick. – But in saying that I wouldn’t hesitate purchasing either of the products again or try some of the other products from the range, which also includes a lipgloss, individual eyeshadows, and a liquid eyeliner.


The Organic Skin Co The Luminous Liquid Foundation - RRP: $49 / 30ml
The Organic Skin Co Sun Kissed Bronzer - RRP: $47 / 30ml
The Organic Skin Co Botanical Loose Mineral Found - $42 / 6.5g
The Organic Skin Co Cream Blush - RRP: $30
The Organic Skin Co Pressed Eye Shadow Palette - RRP: $55 / 8g
The Organic Skin Co Lipstick - RRP: $31


All the Organic Skin Co products are available from World Organic 

* Some products may have been kindly provided for consideration, and have reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

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ALTER ECO ORGANIC CHOCOLATE

Being pregnant, I’ve given up on quite a few things. Red wine, blue cheese and brie are just some of the things not recommended during pregnancy, and in addition I have completely cut out coffee, which is a really tough one for someone who is otherwise a coffee addict. One thing that I however haven’t cut out is treating myself to a nice piece of chocolate every night. And my newest addicting is the chocolate from ALTER ECO...

ALTER ECO has just launched their new decadent Organic Sea Salt and Salted Caramel Truffles and new Dark Salted Burnt Caramel Bar, and let me tell you, they taste absolutely amazing!

The Dark Salted Burnt Caramel organic chocolate bar features dark Ecuadorian chocolate blended with a golden caramel of organic unrefined cane sugar, organic cream and heirloom butter, which gives a beautiful caramel crunch. Finally the chocolate bar has been sprinkled with sea salt.

The chocolate bar is made from 70% cocoa, giving it a nice rich slightly bitter taste. Dark chocolate is not normally known for being too sweet, which is why I guess I prefer dark chocolate. However, combined with the sweetness of the burnt caramel and the slightly salty taste, this combination is just to die for. With just 80g in the bar, it is smaller than most chocolate bars, however as the chocolate is so rich and intense, you only need a piece or two to satisfy your cravings.

The Dark Salted Brown Butter organic chocolate bar is also made from dark Ecuadorian chocolate and has due to the added butter naturally got a beautiful smooth buttery taste. It also has Celtic sea salt added, and it literally melts on your tongue.

Next we have the have the Sea Salt and the Salted Caramel Chocolate Truffles. These individually wrapped chocolate balls have a shell of dark Ecuadorian chocolate and a centre made of nourishing coconut oil and speckled with prized Fleur de Sel de Guerande, a sea salt hand-harvested from ancient salt villages in France. The Salted Caramel truffle has the addition of buttery, caramel blended throughout the creamy filling.

And both of these truffles are nothing short of amazing. A chocolate lovers dream. I cannot even say which one I prefer, as they are both so delicious.

I have to say that overall I didn’t really think that sea salt and chocolate would be a good mix, but I am so surprised at how nice the combination is. I wish I’d come across these sooner! And again, they are so concentrated and rich, that personally, just one truffle is sufficient, although if I don’t put them away immediately, I find it difficult to resist a second..

 What I also love is that all the chocolates from ALTER ECO are made from the highest quality ingredients from around the world. The chocolates are Certified Organic, Fairtrade Certified, Carbon Neutral Certified, and not made with any genetically modified ingredients or gluten ingredients. The company also works towards creating minimal waste products aiming for a 100% compostable packaging as well as offsetting carbon emissions. What’s not to love? I know that I’ve certainly found some new favourites and will be sure to check out the rest of the range when I’m next in the supermarket or health food store – there’s among others a Dark Twist with added tangy fruit and also a Dark Almond that I’ve got my eyes on…YUM!!

You can find more information about ALTER ECO Chocolates on their website

The products are available for purchase from major natural food retailers and health food stores, independent supermarket and pharmacies and Coles.

The Chocolate Bars have an RRP each of $5.99 (80g), while the Chocolate Truffles have an RRP each of $9.99 (108g)

*Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.


Ever heard of ALTER ECO Chocolates? What type of chocolate do you prefer? What do you reach for when you've got sweet cravings?

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PRODUCT REVIEW: S.W. BASICS OF BROOKLYN CREAM

As a beauty junkie I am always excited when I come across new products and brands, so when I was asked by Miss Pearl Store to trial the S.W. Basics of Brooklyn Cream, I happily accepted. Here are my thoughts;

What They Say:

This is the mother of all S.W. Basics products. You know how lots of lotions and moisturizers leave you needing more, like ten minutes after you put them on? That's because they use water as a base. When it evaporates, you dry out all over again. Our Cream starts with wild-harvested shea butter we get from an incredible Fair Trade women's cooperative in Ghana. We add some organic extra-virgin coconut oil and organic extra-virgin olive oil. So it's extremely rich, sinking deep into the skin and staying there. But since all the ingredients are totally non-comedogenic, it won't clog your pores, meaning it's just as awesome on your face as it is on your body.

RRP: $34 (375ml) - Available from Miss Pearl Store

What I Say:

Having never heard of S.W. Basics of Brooklyn before, I decided to look into the brand, and was pleasantly surprised when I discovered the philosophy behind the brand. “At S.W. Basics, we use the simplest possible blends of impeccably sourced, whole ingredients to create products that truly work. Why? Fewer ingredients = less chance for irritation, higher potency, and a smaller overall ecological impact.” Sounds pretty good, don’t you think!

I think we’ve all seen products labelled as being natural before, but these products truly are 100% natural, and not just natural, they are sourced from either certified organic, Fair Trade, or sourced from small, family farms. The cream contains just three ingredients – yep, its not a typo, THREE ingredients. How rare is that. Usually the ingredients list is so long, and full of incredibly long words you cannot pronounce, let alone know what it, but not S.W. Basics. The three ingredients used in the cream are:

 

• Fair Trade Shea Butter
• Organic Coconut Oil
• Organic Olive Oil

You could basically eat this cream! You can’t say that about many skincare products!

The cream is intended for dry and thirsty skin, so I have to be honest and admit that I was a little worried about using it on my combination skin prone to breakouts. The cream is extremely concentrated, so just a pea sized is more than sufficient for my face, and while it felt lovely on my skin once it had absorbed, I did feel my face got a little greasy and shiny as the day went on, so following, I have been using the cream on my body as well.

The cream has a quite thick solid consistency and I feel it needs to be warmed up between the fingers before spread over the skin, and it does take a little while to absorb. But again, once it has, the skin is left feeling so lovely and soft, and with a nice sheen, and consequently looking so healthy.

I was using the cream on my décolleté, elbows and hands and I could instantly feel how moisture was restored, and unlike other creams, I don’t feel like I have to reapply the cream again hours later, the added moisture simply stays on the skin.

The cream comes in a little jar, and kind of reminds me of a small jar of mustard or mayonnaise, but in terms of look, but also the simple black label on the glass jar. But I like that, and feel that the simplicity of both the jar and the label well represents what the brand stands for. It has a very natural scent, which lingers for a while.

Once opened, the cream has a life of 8 months, which is quite reasonable considering it doesn’t contain any preservatives.

Overall this is a brilliant cream, especially if you have dry and very dry skin, and perfect if you have very sensitive skin too, as there is simply nothing in this cream that can irritate your skin. At $34 you may think it is a little expensive for such a small jar of cream, but it is seriously concentrated, and if you are in organic fair-trade products, then you will love it too.

*Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

Ever head of S.W Basics? Do you use organic products?

 

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PRODUCT REVIEW: AUSGANICA LITSEA CUBEBA VOLUMIZING SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER + SPECIAL OFFER

Recently I discovered the Australian organic brand Ausganica, and today I’d like to share with you my thoughts on the *Ausganica Litsea Cubeba Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner; 

What They Say:

Litsea Cubeba Volumizing Shampoo: Give fine, limp hair some volume with help from Ausganica volumizing shampoo. Made with botanical cleansers and pure botanical actives of horsetail, amla, and citrus essential oils, this synergistic blend of natural ingredients have been chosen to nourish fine hair without weighing it down. With botanicals delicately extracted to preserve their purest form, your hair can naturally shine.

Litsea Cubeba Volumizing Conditioner: Enhance bounce, body and shine with healing amla, hops, and papaya extracts, in combination with strengthening silica from horsetail for lifted, luxurious hair. Increases volume in limp, lifeless hair. Detangles and adds weightless bounce and volume. Contains revitalizing litsea cubeba, petitgrain, and rosemary oils. A healing herbal blend rich in nutrients to help keep hair strong and long lasting.


RRP: Shampoo: $16.95 (500ml), Conditioner: $17.95 (500ml) – Available from Ausganica and select stockists
 - But keep reading for your special discount offer, available for a limited time only..



What I Say:

I recently trialled the Lavender travel pack and the Rose Body Lotion from Ausganica, and as I have been enjoying using the products, I have been looking forward to putting this Litsea Cubeba Volumising Shampoo and Conditioner to the test as well.

As mentioned in my previous reviews, including the Lavender Travel Pack and the Rose Body Lotion, Ausganica is an Australian maker of certified organic skincare, haircare, and cosmetics. The story began in 1997 with group of aroma-therapists, organic farmers, and cosmeceutical experts who all shared the dream of healthy natural personal care.


Grown from one of the world’s largest certified organic farms, with nearly 500 acres, certified Grade A by OGA (Organic Growers Australia), and also certified by HACCP. The manufacturing is certified by both ACO (Australian Certified Organic), and the OFC (Organic Food Chain).

 

In order to achieve premium quality, Ausgarnica insists on only organic, natural and expressly allowed ingredients according to certified organic and eco/green standards. And they do not use synthetic fragrances, synthetic minerals, synthetic colours, sulphates, parabens and other harsh ingredients. And of course, the products are not tested on animals as well as animal-derived ingredients would never be used.


My first impression of the Litsea Cubeba Volumising Shampoo And Conditioner, is what an amazing zesty citrusy scent. Ok, I know that I do have a penchant for citrus products, but this is just so incredible, so I was in love before even testing out the products!


Actually, I had no idea what Litsea Cubeba, having never heard of it before – the image of the lemon on the label may have given away that it was a citrus product, but that was as much as I could gather from the label.


A little research revealed that Litsea Cubeba is an evergreen tree native to China, and the essential oil is extracted from fruits and sometimes leaves, and this oil has a lemon-like odour. You bet has it has!


The shampoo, which contains gentle botanical cleansers and pure botanical actives of horsetail, amla, and citrus essential oils, this synergistic blend of natural ingredients have been chosen to nourish fine hair without weighing it down. As soon as I apply the shampoo to my hair, the most gorgeous citrus scent spreads through my bathroom – it is like the perfect wakeup call in the morning!! And although I just wash my hair every second day, just one wash is more than sufficient to make my hair feel clean.

 
I follow by using a few pumps of the conditioner, which contains a healing blend of nutrients to help keep the hair strong. The ingredients include amla, hops, and papaya extracts as well as silica from horsetail to help give the hair strength and volume and shine, while it detangles the hair, as well as it includes litsea cubeba, petitgrain, and rosemary oils to revitalise.


After a few minutes I rinse it out, and it is quick and easy to do, and combining it is as easy as can be when your hair is overdue for a haircut!


As I usually do, I leave my hair to dry naturally, and once it has dried, it is so soft and shinier than it has for a long time, and it simply looks healthy. And it still has this gorgeous zesty citrus scent – me likey!

And as for adding volume to my hair, that is a tricky one, as so far, I am yet to find a volume product that actually has any major effect on my very long and thick hair. But I can say that often conditioners that are sufficiently efficient to make it easy to comb my hair and add moisture to the ends, often do weigh down my hair and make it look limp – but with this Litsea Cubeba Volumizing Conditioner it is not the case, and even my otherwise dry ends looks healthy.


The shampoo and conditioner both come in huge 500ml green pump bottles with an attractive pastel pink floral label, and as the bottes are so large, I find them very reasonably priced – well actually cheap, considering that the products are certified organic too, which usually does come with a higher price tag too.


And I love that they come with pumps, as it is so easy to use in the shower. The conditioner has a nice consistency, but the shampoo is a little runnier than most, and I do find that I need to hurry putting it into my hair before it runs out between my fingers, and hence wasting a lot of product, so I would ideally like the shampoo to be slightly thicker.


What I Like:

• The products smell amazing, and the zesty citrus scent remains in the hair
• The products come in huge easy to use pump bottles
• Well priced for such large products
• Certified organic and made in Australia

 

 What I Don’t Like:

• Shampoo is a little runny

 

 

All in all, I really like this shampoo and conditioner as the products make my hair feel lovely and soft to touch and look shiny and healthy. I love that the products are Australian made and certified organic so only the best ingredients are used – including pure essential oils which makes these products smell absolutely amazing. So if you are looking for some great organic products and like zesty citrus scents too, I highly recommend that you try these Litsea Cubeba Volumising Shampoo and Conditioner from Ausganica.

 

   

If the Lemon scent not for quite for you – then there’s a large selection of other shampoos and conditioners available from Ausganica, including Rose Geranium and Lavender.

 

  

SPECIAL OFFER

 

And the good news is that right now you can get 20% off your purchase from the entire Ausganic range, simply by entering LIFESTYLE at the checkout at Ausganica. But hurry, this offer is available for a limited time only..

 

 

 

 

   

* Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has been reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

 

 

Ever heard of Ausganica? Do you use organic products? What scent is your favourite?

 

  

Product Review: Weleda Wild Rose Smoothing Day Cream and Wild Rose Smoothing Night Cream

Today I’d like to share with you my thoughts on the *Weleda Wild Rose Smoothing Day Cream and Wild Rose Smoothing Night Cream;

What They Say:

"Wild Rose Smoothing Day Cream is a rich moisturiser for normal and combination skin that counteracts fine lines, dryness and dull skin. Cold-pressed wild rose seed oil, rich in essential fatty acids, has a strengthening effect on the skin's protective barrier and provides extra nourishment."

"Wild Rose Smoothing Night Cream is a rich night cream that helps the skin to recover and strengthen its natural functions during the natural regeneration phase during the night. Skin is left feeling softer, smoother and looking more even."

RRP:

Wild Rose Smoothing Day Cream (30ml): $34.95

Wild Rose Smoothing Night Cream (30ml): $34.95

But if you during April or May purchase a Wild Rose Smoothing Day Cream you will receive a Wild RoseSmoothing Night Cream free! – Available from Aveda Online or from select retailers

 

 

What I Say:

I recently tried out the Weleda Baby Calendula Shampoo and Body Wash and Baby Oil for my little boy and was quite impressed with the quality of the products, so I was very excited to be trialling these Weleda Wild Rose products as well.

Whenever I start new skincare products, and in particularly creams, I am always concerned as my combination skin is and always has been very prone to breakouts. This is sometimes hard, as at the same time my skin is mature needing more intense products.

 

The Weleda Rose products are specifically intended both normal and dry/mature skin types, so I did worry that the products would be too concentrated for my skin.

The Weleda Rose Smoothing Day Cream promises to help soften first lines and preserve elasticity and vitality, and it is suitable for use under makeup and can be used as both day and night cream. Unfortunately it doesn’t contain any SPF, which is why it is also suitable as a night cream.

The cream is quite light, and yet very concentrated, so it only takes a little. But in spite of the light cream, it does take a little while for it to absorb into the skin, but once it has, it leaves the skin feeling soft and very moisturised, and with a nice sheen. And as promised, it does work perfectly under my makeup, without making it slide off my face due to too much moisture.

The Wild Rose Smoothing Night Cream is only slightly thicker in consistency, yet it instantly feels so much more moisturising on the skin. Again, this cream also takes a few minutes to absorb into the skin, but that is probably also because my skin is not dry, so it may be struggling to absorb the intense moisture. But once absorbed, it leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth, and lines seem to be plumped out, clearly enjoying the moisture.

Although we’re quickly heading towards winter and I spend increasingly more time indoors with the heater going, and my skin is always getting drier in this part of the year, and I feel I need to step up my skincare and use more nourishing products. However, unfortunately this night cream is a little too intense for my skin, as I wake in the morning with skin that is feeling quite greasy, so consequently I stopped using it out of fear that it would make my skin congested and eventually breakout.

Both creams come in small metallic tubes in the cutest girly pink, and it has the most gorgeous natural scent of roses, which even after the creams have absorbed into the skin, lingers for quite a while, but as it is such a natural scent, I quite like this. The tubes look exactly the same apart from obviously one saying night cream and having a moon symbol and the other saying day cream and having a sun symbol – this is a nice, however, being blind as a bat without wearing my glasses, I do find it a little difficult to tell the two tubes apart, so I would have preferred if they had for instance been different shades of pink to make that a little easier.

The creams are certified organic, and I love that they are made without synthetic preservatives, fragrances and colourants and that they are free from mineral oil derivatives.

What I Like:

• Super cute girly pink tubes
• Both creams are light, yet vey moisturising
• Leaves skin feeling very soft, thoroughly moisturised and with a nice sheen         
• Products are certified organic
• Made without synthetic preservatives, fragrances and colourants and that they are free from mineral oil derivatives

What I Don’t Like:

• Day cream doesn’t contain SPF
• The creams do take a little while to absorb into the skin
• Without my glasses it is difficult to distinguish between the two tubes

Overall these are really lovely creams, and I love how they feel on the skin and not to mention the lovely scent of roses. Both creams are very hydrating, and unfortunately the night cream is a little too intense for my combination skin, but that really cannot be seen as a negative as the products are intended for dry skin types – so if you have dry skin, and need super hydrating creams as we head towards winter, then I highly recommend that you try these out! As I still really enjoyed using these products I will definitely check out the rest of Weleda’s large product range for some products more suitable for my skin type.

*These products were kindly provided for consideration, and have been reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

 

Have you ever tried any of the products from Weleda? Do you use organic products? What’s your favourite scent?
 

Product Review: Ausganica Rose Body Lotion + Giveaway

Today I’d like to share with you my thoughts on the *Ausganica Rose Body Lotion;

What they Say:

"Luxuriously infused with rose and organic botanicals, softens for silky skin; brightens & enhances firmness. Beautifies and diminishes visible skin flaws. The powerful hydrating botanicals in Ausganica Body Lotion helps to stimulate and improve skin elasticity; skin appears firmer and younger. Delightful rose aroma".

RRP: $16.95(250ml) - Available from Ausganica and select retailers

What I Say:

You may recall my recent review of the Ausganica Lavender Travel pack – if not you really should check it out, as you’ve also got a chance to win a pack for yourself, but hurry, this giveaway ends tomorrow!

Ausganica is an Australian maker of certified organic skincare, haircare, and cosmetics. The story began in 1997 with group of aroma-therapists, organic farmers, and cosmeceutical experts who all shared the dream of healthy natural personal care.

Grown from one of the world’s largest certified organic farms, with nearly 500 acres, certified Grade A by OGA (Organic Growers Australia), and also certified by HACCP. The manufacturing is certified by both ACO (Australian Certified Organic), and the OFC (Organic Food Chain).

In order to achieve premium quality, Ausganica insists on only organic, natural and expressly allowed ingredients according to certified organic and eco/green standards. We don’t use synthetic fragrances, synthetic minerals, synthetic colours, sulphates, parabens and other harsh ingredients.. And we never do any animal testing, or use animal-tested source ingredients, or animal-derived ingredients – and that is just music to my ears!

 

 

Ausganica’s signature Rose line uses premium active and luxury Rose oils to gives a sheer delight to your senses, beauty, and wellness. The products present the very best that nature and advanced organic health science can offer. And this really shows – this Rose Body Lotion smells absolutely divine – I won’t deny that citrus scented products are my favourites, but this is just the most beautiful rose scent, and as natural as smelling a freshly picked rose. Amazing.

The Body Lotion is very light in formula, but containing among others shea butter, cocoa butter and aloe vera leaf juice, it is consequently extremely nourishing. The Body Lotion is very concentrate so you only need to use a little, and it absorbs instantly into the skin without leaving the skin feeling greasy – in actual fact, it leaves the skin feeling so incredibly soft and silky smooth, even my otherwise dry legs, a feeling that lasts all day without the need to reapply. And that gorgeous rose sent also lingers on the skin all day, which I really like, especially seeing this is such a natural scent and not one made up from countless artificial and chemical ingredients – the only negative is that it could clash a little with your perfume, especially if it is a light one – but you could just get around that by skipping the perfume those days you’re using this Body Lotion, and instead enjoy the lovely rose scent.

The Body Lotion comes in a brown tinted plastic bottle with a flip lid, which is easy to use, although when you get to the end, due to the design of the bottle I can imagine that can be a little tricky to stand it upside down to be able to use up all the cream.  

What I Like:

• Very light body lotion, yet very moisturising
• Provides long-lasting moisture to my skin
• Quickly absorbs into the skin without leaving my skin feel sticky
• Gorgeous natural rose scent that lingers on the skin
• Certified Organic
• Made without the use of synthetic fragrances, synthetic minerals, synthetic colours, sulphates, parabens and other harsh ingredients.
• Reasonably priced for an organic product

What I Don’t Like:

• The bottle could be designed a little better so it easier can stand on its head/lid so you can completely empty the bottle

Overall, this such a lovely Body Lotion – it not only smells divine, but on top it feels so good to use a product that you know is free from chemical nasties – so if you love Rose scented products, then I highly recommend that you check out both this Rose Body Lotion from Ausganica, but also the rest of the Rose range.

* Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has been reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

 

And just to remind you again – don’t forget to enter my International giveaway where you can win one of then Lavender Travel Packs from Ausganica – you can enter here.

Have you ever heard of Ausganica? Do you use organic products? What’s your favourite scent?