Beauty. Fashion. Lifestyle.
Archive for April, 2013
sienna wood beauty Rhassoul Clay
0A few weeks ago I was very kindly offered a product to try from a natural skin care brand called sienna wood. The product I was sent is called Rhassoul Clay Regenerating Facial Treatment – something I wasn’t familiar with before, but I am now using on a regular basis when I want to give my skin a deep treatment.
The clay comes packaged in an uncomplicated brown paper bag which suits the natural simplicity of the clay itself, and can also be recycled, so it’s ethical too. Rhassoul Clay is a light reddish-brown, and comes in a fine powder form so it can be easily mixed with water. It is sourced in Morocco, and contains a combination of minerals, such as silicon and magnesium, which makes it perfect for making skin healthier.
Rhassoul Clay can be used as a cleanser or face mask when mixed with water, or rosewater. I initially found it really difficult to get the clay to the right consistency, but I’ve found that a little goes a long way and, as a rule, a quarter of a teaspoon mixed with a couple of teaspoons of water is ideal as a cleanser. Or, for a mask, use a full teaspoon of powder with a similar quantity of water. Once mixed, leave the paste to hydrate for a few minutes before using.
My favourite way to use sienna wood’s Rhassoul Clay is as a cleanser, as it’s fuss free but gives amazing results. All you need to do is massage the cleanser in to damp skin before rinsing off with warm water. The clay has a silky smooth texture that is a pleasure to use as it feels luxuriously lovely on the skin, and it does its job incredibly well. After use, my skin always feels really refreshed and clean, and very soft, but without the tightness I usually experience with unnatural cleansers. Furthermore, the clay has no scent and contains no nasty chemicals, so it is really gentle on my sensitive skin.
Sienna Wood Rhassoul Clay is available online and costs £3.49 for a 50g bag. Considering the small amount you need for one use, a bag will last a fairly long time (at least a few months), so it is excellent value for money. Sienna Wood also sel Argan Oil Hair Treatment and Face Treatment, both of which cost just over £5.00 each, so they’re definitely worth checking out too.
Have you ever used Rhassoul Clay? What did you think?
Naomi x
*I was sent this sienna wood Rhassoul Clay by sienna wood beauty for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Fashion Find: Out of Print Clothing
0
5 years
by Naomi in Fashion
One of my greatest passions in life is literature. I first joined the library at the age of two, and throughout my childhood I spent most of my free time either reading a book or writing my own stories. My love for words and books has been carried with me into adulthood, and I am even studying for a postgraduate degree in Modern Literature. As I’m sure my blog reflects, another of my passions is fashion, so what could be better than a combination of both of these things?
Last week I came across a fantastic website which combines my love of literature with my passion for fashion, and it also has an ethos I can adhere to. Out of Print Clothing celebrate some of the world’s best literary works through quirky t shirts and accessories, which depict striking, and often out of print, book covers. They also state on their website that ‘Each product is treated to feel soft and worn like a well-read book’, which is such a lovely touch. Their greatness doesn’t stop there, however, as the brand are charitable too! For every product they sell, Out of Print donate a book to a community in need, through a charity called Books For Africa. I’ve always believed in the importance of spreading stories and sharing books, so donating books to those who need them is something I support completely – it’s such a beautiful idea!
There are many t shirts to choose from and I’m sure there’s something there for everybody, but here is my pick of some of my favourite Out of Print t shirts…
A Clockwork Orange – $28.00
1984 – $42.00
The Very Hungry Caterpillar – $28.00
Alice in Wonderland – $40.00
Wuthering Heights – $28.00
Out of Print Clothing are an American company, but they also ship to the UK and the rest of the world. You can view their full range online here, or alternatively, if you’d rather order straight from the UK some of their t shirts are also available from TruffleShuffle.
Which book would you like to see on a t shirt?
Naomi x
Dainty Doll Lipstick in 001 Couture
20
5 years
by Naomi in Lips
Last month I came across a great little website called Fragrance Direct, which sells beauty products from a wide range of well-known brands at bargain prices. There was a lot of hype on Twitter about the website as they were (and still are) selling Dainty Doll make up for just a couple of pounds each, and since I’d been eyeing the brand up for a while I took the plunge and ordered a few products. I posted about my Fragrance Direct haul at the time, and as promised here is my first review from the haul, featuring Dainty Doll lipstick in 001 Couture!
Dainty Doll is the make up brand of Nicola Roberts from Girls Aloud, and was specially developed to suit those with fair skin tones. As a pale and proud girl myself, I am very pleased to have finally discovered a brand created to enhance my natural colouring, and the quality does not disappoint (I have also tried two blushers and a concealer, which I will review at a later date). All Dainty Doll products come packaged in distinctive black packaging with gold font, emblazoned with a sassy red-head, and the lipstick has a nice weight to it which makes it feel that little bit more expensive.
Couture is a dark berry red with a slight glossy finish, which has a real vintage feel to it. Berry shades were perhaps more suited to the Autumn/Winter 2012 look, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with pulling out a classic red at any time of the year! This has been my go-to colour for the last few weeks, and whether with jeans and a jumper or a pretty dress, it goes with anything.
The lipstick has a creamy consistency which makes for effortless application, and it feels delicately moisturising and not at all drying. However, I do find that it shows up any imperfections on dry lips, so it’s probably best to use a lip scrub or a lip balm before applying the lipstick. Other than that, I have had no issues with Couture, and it stays put without bleeding or smudging. It also lasts well, and tends to look exactly the same after lunch as it does in the morning, which is quite impressive! It does fade a little in the afternoon though and needs touching up, but it fades evenly so at least it doesn’t look ridiculous.
Overall, this is a fab little lipstick which is versatile, great quality and downright gorgeous. Dainty Doll lipsticks have an RRP of £12.50, but Couture cost me just £1.99 which is a brilliant saving by anyone’s standards! I would happily pay a lot more than £1.99 for this, so needless to say I am very happy with his little gem. You can view Fragrance Direct’s full range of Dainty Doll products here. Their website gets restocked every few days from what I can see, so it’s best to keep checking back to see what they have!
What do you think of this shade?
Naomi x
biOrganics Salon Secret Elixir Hair Perfecting Oil
3
5 years
by Naomi in Hair
I recently came across a hair care brand who attracted my attention for a very specific reason – they’re BUAV approved. I am always on the look out for cruelty free hair products as they are surprisingly difficult to find, so when biOrganics offered to send me a sample to review I was keen to try them out.
biOrganics was founded in 1991 as the first professional organic hair care brand in Europe. The brand claims that their products give salon results, and everything is made from natural and organic ingredients wherever possible, so they’re free from nasty parabens and synthetic chemicals. As mentioned earlier, biOrganics are BUAV approved, meaning they do not test on animals under any circumstance, and are also endorsed by the Vegetarian Society.
The sample I received is a 12ml bottle of biOrganics’ Salon Secret Elixir Hair Perfecting Oil. The oil itself is colourless and has a base of organic Argan Oil and Ylang Ylang, and can be used to smoothe frizz, add shine, and protect hair from heat. It is also said to strengthen and repair dry and brittle hair, and reduces blow-drying time.
My experiences with the oil so far have been mixed, but mostly good. The bottle says to ‘dispense 1-3 pumps into palms, rub hands together & apply directly to clean, towel-dried hair’, which is where I initially went wrong. Unfortunately, the sample bottle does not come with a pump spray, so I had to guess how much to use. I ended up applying a coin-sized amount to my hair (to the ends and mid-lengths as suggested), but after blow-drying my hair looked and felt greasy, and I had to wash the oil out again. It turns out I used too much oil for the length of my hair, but after being given some advice by the lovely folks at biOrganics I tried again with a smaller amount of oil (about a little fingernail amount), and it worked a LOT better. This time my hair did dry quickly, looked and felt incredibly soft, straightened easily and, most importantly, stayed straight all day! I usually end up with slightly frizzy locks a few hours after straightening, but biOrganics hair perfecting oil solves this problem. The lesson here is definitely LESS IS MORE!
I’ve also used the oil on dry hair. The bottle says to ‘Use sparingly on dry hair for extra smoothing prior to heat-straightening’, so I applied a very small amount to the dry ends of my hair. The oil seemed to create a protective layer between my hair and the heat, so rather than breaking and looking dry after straightening, my hair looked smooth and sleek.
Overall, once you learn how much oil your hair needs, this is a very good product if you want straighter, sleeker hair that lasts. The oil costs £3.99 for a sample bottle or £12.99 for a 50ml pump spray bottle, so it is very affordable, especially for a natural, cruelty free product, and I’d definitely recommend it. biOrganics Salon Secret Elixir Hair Perfecting Oil is available online here, and they also sell a range of shampoos, conditioners, brushes and other hair care products. Or, if you’d prefer to buy from a local store, you can also find your local stockist.
Naomi x
*This biOrganics Salon Secret Elixir Hair Perfecting Oil was sent to me on behalf of biOrganics for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and based on my own experience.*
Anna-Louise Grey Nightie from Quintessentially Me
2
5 years
by Naomi in Fashion
A few weeks ago I stumbled across a fab little website via Twitter called Quintessentially Me. The website was launched in 2012 and is ‘A celebration of the artisan’, selling a selection of carefully chosen unique, handcrafted items, all of which are high quality and sourced from talented creators. They stock everything from Homeware, Gifts and Bath & Body products to Jewellery, Sleepwear and Tea, so there are many gorgeous treasures to discover.
I am always keen to try new, beautifully crafted pieces from independent artists, so when Quintessentially Me offered to send me an item to review I happily accepted. The piece I received is the Anna-Louise Grey Nightie – cute but simple sleepwear made by hand in Cape Town, South Africa.
I’m 5’10”, and the Anna-Louise nightie comes to around knee height on me, so I imagine it would be just below the knee on anyone of average height. Though it looks plain and simple, the nightie actually has a few subtle details which, as Quintessentially Me say, make it ‘perfect for this season’s easy-luxe look’. The fabric features delicate pointelle stitching, and is finished with thick cuffs on long sleeves and four press stud fastenings down the front. I find the press studs really useful as I don’t like anything too close around my neck whilst I’m sleeping, so I tend to open one or two before I go to sleep.
The quality of the fabric is obviously very high as it is made from 100% powder grey cotton, which feels incredibly soft and luxurious against the skin. The fabric is extremely comfortable as it isn’t too weighty, but at the same time it is warm and cosy enough for cold nights, whilst being light enough for warmer nights. The nightie is also machine washable, so is satisfyingly low maintenance.
In terms of size, I’m a 12 and the large fits slightly loose on me, which is ideal if you don’t like wearing tight things in bed as it doesn’t restrict movement, adding extra comfort. Unfortunately the website doesn’t list size conversions, but going by how the nightie fits on me I’d guess that the small would fit an 8-10, the medium a 10-12, the large a 12-14 and the extra-large a 14-16.
Overall, this cute and comfy nightie by Anna-Louise oozes quality, and with its soft feel and lovely fit makes for a great night’s sleep. It is available online in grey or white, and is priced at £24, which compared to similar sleepwear I’ve seen in shops and online is actually quite reasonable, but by buying this you’re also supporting an independent maker, which makes it even more worth it.
Oh and if you’d like to know more about Quintessentially Me, you can follow them on Twitter and Facebook and via their blog.
Sleep tight!
Naomi x
*This Anna-Louise Grey Nightie was sent to me by Quintessentially Me for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
BeTrousse Glitz & Glamour Beauty Kit
1
5 years
by Naomi in Beauty Boxes
2013 has been a quiet year for BeTrousse so far, with only a sale to their name since December, but towards the end of March I received their first beauty kit of the year, the Glitz & Glamour box. I was beginning to worry that they had run out of ideas so I was pleased to receive another kit unexpectedly, especially as it’s a good one!
The Glitz & Glamour beauty kit contains five full-size products to help you ‘get gorgeous’, and so far they haven’t disappointed. Every item in the box is different this time, with no repeats from past boxes, and no similar products within the box!
From Left to Right:
Jason Rosewater & Chamomile Normalising Shampoo
Benta Berry G-1 Exfoliating Facial Cleanser
Fair Naturally Mango & Safflower Body Moisturiser
Make Believe Enhance Shimmer Lip Gloss
Tulecos Tonifying Oil
As usual, BeTrousse provide full-size products so you can get a real feel for each one before deciding whether to repurchase, so for now I will give my first thoughts on each product and review a few, if not all of them, at a later date.
Jason Rosewater & Chamomile Normalising Shampoo – 255ml – RRP £7.29
This is the first shampoo to appear in a BeTrousse box and I absolutely love it. It is delicately scented with rosewater and chamomile (no parabens!), which help to soothe and balance the scalp, as the natural ingredients remove dirt without stripping away moisture. As such, it leaves hair feeling incredibly soft and clean, and also adds volume. A definite winner!
Benta Berry G-1 Exfoliating Facial Cleanser – 30ml – RRP £14.00
I haven’t yet tried this G-1 Exfoliating Facial Cleanser, but it is 100% natural and claims to remove impurities from the skin. I’ve used a Benta Berry moisturiser in the past and it was quite pleasant, so if this is anything like its cousin I expect it will do its job well!
Fair Naturally Mango & Safflower Body Moisturiser – 200ml – RRP £3.99
Fair Naturally’s Mango & Safflower Body Lotion is the cheapest product in the box, but also my favourite. It smells absolutely delicious, like peach yoghurt, and has a rich, creamy texture which massages in well, leaving skin feeling soft but not greasy. It’s organic, fair trade and made in the UK too – three things I always look for in products. I will be repurchasing this one!
Make Believe Enhance Shimmer Lip Gloss – 15ml – RRP £10.00
Make Believe are known best for their tanning products, and this lip gloss is supposed to enhance your tan. It is very sheer, but has a slight pink colour to it and a beautiful shimmer. It smells a bit like watermelon, but the scent soon turns a bit plasticky which isn’t great. I’m not usually a fan of tube glosses as they tend to be quite sticky, but this one feels lovely on the lips – almost like a lip balm.
Tulecos Tonifying Oil – 50ml – £33.00
I wasn’t familiar with Tulecos before receiving this box, but I have since learnt that they are an organic French brand who use essential oils to create luxury products. This tonifying oil contains peppermint oil, and is for use on the feet. It feels silky soft on the skin, has a relaxing, cooling effect, and softens any rough bits almost instantly. A fab little addition!
BeTrousse’s Glitz & Glamour beauty kit is available online and costs £10, which is well worth it considering you get five full-size products with a total RRP of £70, especially as with most beauty boxes you’re lucky if you get one full-size product for the same price! The box is full of unfamiliar brands and everything in it is great quality, so if you want to try something new for less then this is the box for you.
Naomi x
*This BeTrousse Glitz & Glamour Beauty Kit was sent to me by BeTrousse for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Beauty Swap with Bags, Bows and Boots
9A couple of months ago, Clair of Bags, Bows and Boots and I decided to do our own little beauty swap. Clair is one of my favourite beauty bloggers and a lovely girl to chat with, so I had a lot of fun choosing products to send to her. We had a budget of £15.00, and let each other take the reins and buy what we wanted, so we both sent and received products we may not usually have chosen. I actually received my package of pretties a few weeks ago and have been meaning to post about it for a while, so here are a couple of pictures of what I sent and received… Apologies for the bad quality photographs!
What I Sent
Owl Makeup Bag
Pearl Bracelets
Pin-Up Manicure Set
NYC Smooch Proof 16h Lip Stain
Colortrend Kajal Stick
H&M Smoky Eye Quad
Dainty Doll Powder Blusher
Avon Magix Illuminating Face Perfector
What I Received
Nail Stamping Kit
Coldora Sparkly Rainbow Eyelashes
Benefit Smokin’ Eyes
Bourjois 1 Seconde Nail Varnish
MUA Undress Me Too Palette
Bourjois 3D Max Lipgloss
Benefit Erase Paste
GOSH Effect Powder
Bourjois Eyeshadow
I’m really happy with everything I received, especially the MUA Undress Me Too Palette which is a pretty impressive dupe of Urban Decay’s Naked 2 palette. I will be reviewing everything I was sent individually in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out if you want to know what I think of each product!
You can see Clair’s swap post here.
Naomi x
Stella & Dot: Autism Awareness Boutique
0April is Autism Awareness Month, and to raise money for The National Autistic Society the lovely folks at Stella & Dot have set up an online Autism Awareness Boutique. Stella & Dot sell a wide range of beautiful, unusual jewellery and accessories, and their Autism Awareness Boutique features five items, the net proceeds of which will be donated to The National Autistic Society. The National Autistic Society are the UK’s leading charity for people with autism, including Asperger syndrome, and they provide information and support for those with autism, and their families.
The items featured in the boutique include Stella & Dot’s Spirit Bracelet, Tree of Life Necklace (my favourite), La Folie Necklace, Pippa Necklace and a funky ‘Bring It‘ jewellery roll. As you can see below, every single piece is absolutely gorgeous with prices ranging from £25 to £55, and at least 15% of each sale will be given to The National Autistic Society. The charity is one which is very important to me, so I urge all of you to shop for a cause and check out Stella & Dot’s Boutique!
The boutique will be open for the whole of April, so there’s plenty of time to get your hands on one (or all!) of these little gems, whilst also supporting a worthy cause.
Happy shopping!
Naomi x
INIKA Certified Organic Liquid Foundation
4
5 years
by Naomi in Face
Trying to find a suitable foundation for your skin can be difficult at the best of times, but when you’re looking for a natural, vegan, cruelty free foundation like I was earlier this year, your options suddenly become very slim. So, when INIKA agreed to send me a product to review I naturally chose their Certified Organic Liquid Foundation, which fits all of the above mentioned criteria.
INIKA is a certified organic brand with a focus on producing natural make up, all of which is Vegan, Halal and isn’t tested on animals. All of their products are free from synthetic substances and nasty chemicals, and to go along with their ethical image, INIKA’s tubes, pots and brushes are made of recycled materials, and are also recyclable.
The bottle of foundation I received looked different to the one pictured on the INIKA website, but what struck me about the packaging is how classy and high-end it looks. In my experience some ethical brands, particularly those with recycled packaging, tend to be lacking in the image department, but INIKA’s black, sleek packaging with its gold font looks (and feels) wonderful, and would give any luxe brand a run for its money. Also, the bottle has a pump press top, which I prefer to a squeezy tube or pour bottle as it means you can easily control the amount of foundation you want from bottle (either with a half pump or full pump), and because the hole is small there is minimal mess.
Quite usefully, the INIKA website recommends different shades to suit specific skin tones, so I was able to choose the best one for me, which happens to be Cream. According to INIKA, their Cream shade is for ‘light to medium skin tones and perfect for those with an ‘English Rose’ complexion’ – a description which suits my skin down the ground, and the foundation is indeed ‘perfect’ for me!
The foundation itself is very light in texture, almost like a moisturiser, meaning it allows the skin to breathe and doesn’t clog the pores, and it also has a slight cooling effect when it touches the skin. I always apply this foundation with a brush, starting at the eyes and nose, working down to the chin, across the cheeks and finally across the forehead and neck. In the past I have always struggled to apply foundation with a brush, but because this one isn’t too thick it blends extremely easily.
Before Blending
After Blending
Despite its light texture, INIKA’s liquid foundation has incredible pigmentation which makes for beautiful, flawless coverage which still looks natural. As you can see, it evens out any redness or blotchiness on the skin, and due to the lack of harsh ingredients it covers breakouts without aggravating them. The foundation balances the skin quite nicely too, adding moisture to avoid drying, but also without causing any unwanted oiliness.
The above image shows the coverage that INIKA’s liquid foundation gives (with a little bit of translucent powder applied over the top). The only thing it doesn’t cover fully is the dark circles under my eyes, but that’s nothing a small amount of under eye concealer can’t fix. To top it all off, this foundation lasts a very long time. Whenever I wear it, my face looks as smooth and flawless after a day at work as it does in the morning. It even looks great after a night at a bar or a gig, which is very impressive!
INIKA’s Certified Organic Liquid Foundation is available online in four shades, and costs £29.50 for 30g. It may be a bit on the pricey side, but its top quality reflects the price and it is honestly one of the best foundations I have ever used. I think I’d struggle to find another foundation to match it, let alone an organic, vegan, cruelty free one, and I will definitely be purchasing another bottle when I run out.
Naomi x
*This INIKA Certified Organic Liquid Foundation was sent to me by INIKA for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
