/

Trying out a facial razor and more plastic free haircare

This post contains gifted products:

I have recently been using a facial razor as well as trying out some more plastic free haircare products.

I have been testing out the No Mo-stache Facial Razor to help shape my eyebrows as well as using it on some peach fuzz on my face. Derma planing has become a big thing over the last year and it’s great you can give it a go yourself at home. Using a razor like this on your face helps to eliminate peach fuzz whilst also exfoliating the top layer of your skin. It’s so easy to use and I think it’s a great price too.

The No Mo-stache Facial Razor is available exclusively at Cult Beauty at www.cultbeauty.com for £6.50

The plastic free hair products I have been using are from Biovene and are £3.99 each:

Biovene argan oil and mint hydrate repair solid shampoo

Biovene argan oil and mint hydrate repair solid conditioner

Solid haircare is easy to use and you would be surprised how little you actually need! The argan oil and mint range contains: Argan oil, Peppermint, Macadamia oil, Beeswax and Shea butter.

This range is ideal if you are looking to improve on the shine of tour hair and all require hydration. Antioxidant-rich Argan oil helps combat hair fall, maintain a healthy scalp and repair damaged hair caused by color and styling.

The bars are suitable for all hair types. They are dermatologist tested, plastic free, pH-balanced, vegetarian – without sulfates, parabens and palm oil and not tested on animals.

Have you tried any of these?

Sarah x

/

Naturtint

This post contains gifted products:

I have been trying out a shampoo/conditioner bar the last couple of weeks. The Naturtint bars come in three different varieties depending on what you require.

The one I have been using is:

Naturtint shampoo/conditioner bar – strengthening which is ideal as my hair is quite weak at the moment due to over bleaching and I am trying to repair it.

• Naturtint 2 in 1 strengthening Shampoo & Conditioner bar contains 99% natural origin ingredients that strengthen, protect & condition hair. Certified cosmos natural by Ecocert

• Specifically formulated for weak and thinning hair, to strengthen, revitalise and restore

• Plastic free. Environmentally friendly alternative to traditional Shampoo and conditioner, saving at least 3 plastic bottles for every bar. Sls, paraben and silicone free

• Using a naturally derived and powerful base with coconut, cocoa butter and Meadowfoam Seed Oil, the bar gently cleanses the hair and hydrates the scalp with a creamy and luxurious foam

• Slide the shampoo bar through wet hair several times. Massage hair and scalp and work lather through from root to tip. Rinse thoroughly. In between uses, allow bar to dry and store away from water

It is currently available at Amazon with a £3 discount

The bar is easy to use and I can see it lasting a long time as you only use a small amount during each wash. It smells really good and is easy to use. I keep mine in a small box in between uses but you can also use a soap tray or a shelf in your shower etc.

Have you used a shampoo/ conditioner bar before?

Sarah x

/

Justice haircare

AD – This post contains gifted products

I have recently been trying out some new hair care products from justice hair care. I am always on the lookout for new haircare products to try as you probably know from reading my other posts, I change my hair quite a lot and my hair is unfortunately quite damaged from doing so.

I have been using the following products from Justice haircare the last month and wanted to let you know how I have been getting on:

Conditioning shampoo

Repairing conditioner

Smooth & groom 

Detangler spray

Argan oil

My hair is really damaged at the moment from too much bleaching and dying, so I gave it a break and didn’t do anything to it for the last month and just concentrated on using a good hair care regime and trying to repair it and allow it to grow.

The problem I usually have is that my roots get really greasy but the ends of my hair are so dry and damaged I don’t want to wash my hair too often to make the ends worse but I don’t really have much choice. I used to wash my hair every other day but I have been trying to do it every 3/4 days and tying it back or using dry shampoo if needed in between.

Since using this shampoo and conditioner, my hair doesn’t get greasy as quick and I have noticed it is growing and not breaking off so much.

I love that the shampoo and conditioner are in pump bottles so they are easy to use. I use 1-2 pumps of shampoo and 2-3 of conditioner depending on what I feel my hair needs. The bottles still have a lot left in them and I am really impressed with how soft they leave my hair and they smell good too!

My hair seems a lot easier to brush after washing since using the detangler and I alternative between the smoothing cream or the argan oil. 

I am really impressed with the quality and the price of the range. Once I run out I will be buying more to use as I really like the smell and how my hair has reacted to the range. It is a lot more manageable and my split ends seem yo be getting a lot better and it finally looks like its growing.

It’s important even if you think you have greasy hair to still treat it with creams and oils especially if the ends are damaged, it makes such a difference to your hair.

What are your favourite hair care products to use at the moment? 

Sarah x

/

Father’s Day Gift Guide 2020

AD – This post contains gifted products

I thought I would share with you some ideas I came up with for Father’s Day this year. I buy for my dad, my father in law, my step dad, my grandad and sometimes my husband from our pets so have quite a few presents to buy! These are also ideas for any upcoming birthdays or anything and also great ideas not just for men!

Gameboy alarm clark

£24.99

Gameboy inspired homeware is amazing. I think a lot of guys(and girls!) would appreciate any of the products that Prezzybox have to offer when it comes to retro games. This alarm clock is so cool and would look great next to the bed. It is shaped like an old school gameboy and you can wake up to the official Super Mario Land theme tune!

Gameboy colour changing glass

£7.99

Also in the Gameboy range is this colour changing glass. The glass on its own is so cool but the fact it changes colour too just takes it to the next level. When you fill it with something cold it shows the game screen like you are really playing a game. This would be perfect for any gamer.

Personalised football book

From £39.99

If he is a football fan then these books are such a great gift. You can personalise it with any name and message and it also comes in a gift box. It includes every newspaper article for the team. I went for Fulham as thats my father in laws team and it goes back to 1908!It is made so well and looks so impressive. It is great to be able to relive old articles if you are a football fan and I love how it transitions from black and white to colour over the years!

Mummy Meagz Sea Salt and Cinder Toffee Rocky Road bars

£1.49 each

This rocky road bar is vegan and gluten free so this is an ideal treat for anyone that is eating a vegan diet or has a gluten or dairy allergy. I love the design on the packaging and it tastes so good! I am a big rocky road fan and this is the perfect size as a treat and they have so many different flavour bars to pick from. This is the second flavour I have tried and they are so good, I gave one to my boss as she is vegan and she liked them so much she bought a whole box! It can be hard to know what to buy someone vegan or gluten free if you want to get them something as a treat to eat but you cant go wrong with these.

Genie plates

£19.99 for a pack of 2

These plates are amazing. They are perfect for a BBQ or for using in front of the TV as they have somewhere to put your cutlery and as they aren’t flat, things wont fall off the side. They really are a great idea and if your dad is into BBQs as much as mine is then this would be the ideal gift to buy a pack of these. They aren’t too heavy and I love the curved design of them too.

Asda photo personalised mugs

From £7

The personalised mugs from Asda are a really great quality. Their online tool to customise the layout/size of the photos is so simply to use, I designed and ordered both the mugs straight from my phone. The pictures came out really well and the mugs look really good!

I went for one of my mum and step dad and edited it on the asda photo site to black and white and cropped it slightly. I think it came out so well and didn’t lose any of the quality.

I also went for one of me and my half sisters from a few years back as I thought this would be a nice gift for my dad as we don’t have many pictures of us all together.

Asda photo personalised jigsaw puzzle

From £10

My grandparents love a good jigsaw so I decided to get a personalised one made of the two of them. I went through all my pictures on my phone to find one of my favourite photos of them to have it made. It was so easy to resize it and create it online, it also shows you how it will turn out. In the box when it arrives it has the finished photo but it may be more fun to take this out to give it to them so they don’t know what it is?! Haha.

American Crew Acumen – Daily thickening shampoo and nourishing cream pomade set

£30

This can be purchased from Selfridges, Amazon and many other online retailers

If you wanted to treat him some hair care products then this set is great. It includes the thickening shampoo for those that are concerned about hair loss and also a water-based pomade with medium hold and shine that provides texture and allows to restyle.

The shampoo helps the thicken hair and reduce breakage and comes in a beautifully designed brown and navy pump bottle. The pomade is a decent sized pot in the same design.

Shea Moisture – African water mint & ginger detox body wash

£10.99

This is a great detox body wash, so for anyone that has skin exposed to the elements a lot or suffers with body acne then this is great. It smells so good and with the design and colours used on the bottle it isn’t gender specific. It is 384ml so quite a large bottle too.

I usually pick up this brand in Superdrug but you can also buy it online at a lot of places.

I hope you found this useful and got some ideas 🙂

Sarah x

/

Joico haircare

I am using this time at home to concentrate on treating my hair. I am not washing it as often as usual and when I do I am making sure I nourish it.

I have been trying out a few bits from Joico the last week and have been really impressed.

The moisture recovery shampoo and conditioner are infused with jojoba oil and keeps your hair hydrated for 24 hours as well as doubling the softness. I have been trying to use more products like this to nourish my dry ends and really noticed a difference even after only using these once.

In between washes using the weekend hair dry shampoo is ideal. It smells so good and doesn’t leave any white marks in your hair. I like to use dry shampoo in between washes and have found myself using it a lot more since being on lockdown and not leaving the house!

If I want a bit more texture on my hair then the liquid to powder finisher is perfect. You can spray it on your roots to lift them or throughout your hair if you want to style it. I really like trying out new things like this and now is the ideal time.

Sarah x

*This post contains gifted products*

/

Mother’s day gift guide 2020

With Mother’s Day approaching, it can be difficult to decide what to buy. For me, I have to decide on presents for my mum, my step mum, my mother in law and my grandma. It can get difficult trying to pick what to buy everyone.

I have put together some ideas this year and have included personalised ones too 🙂

 

Beauty/Skincare

 

Rubis Classic Scissors

£31

Beauty tools come in so handy and I am always in need of small scissors, whether it is to cut my nails or trim false lashes down, they are really useful to have. I have a pair of Rubis tweezers and they are my favourite pair as they are sharp and precise as well as being easy to use so I would definitely recommend this brand. The scissors are really great quality and a must have beauty tool.

Solid Perfume – Bella

£24

I hate carrying around a perfume bottle as they are so bulky and often the small samples you get end up leaking all over your bag and only last one or two uses so a solid perfume is ideal. It comes in a beautiful compact tin so is ideal to carry around with you and great for travelling. It is so easy to use, you simply use your finger like you would with a tin of lip balm and then apply anywhere on your skin. It has shea butter in too so is easy to apply and kind to your skin. Bella is a refreshing floral scent and really beautiful, you can get it in a range of other scents too.

Ren Moroccan Rose Otto Ultra-Moisture Body Oil

£35

I love the Ren Moroccan oil range and always have done. Their body lotion is so lovely but I recently discovered their body oil and fell in love. I smells amazing, as does everything else in the range! You only need a small amount and it makes your skin so soft. It would make the ideal gift for someone that loves a good pamper or deserves one!

Maskologist Lavender Youth Miracle Sheet Masks – 4 Pack

£84.50

Sheet masks are a massive trend right now and Maskologist have created these lovely lavender youth promoting masks. You can buy then singularly or as a pack of 4 and they also do a really nice sounding rose one to help your skin glow. The lavender youth miracle mask helps to reset the skin, making it plumper and more radiant. It leaves your skin feeling amazing and looking so fresh. It is pretty much a professional facial in a box! These masks are completely biodegradable as they are created without the plastic mesh base structure of other hydrogel masks so once used they are fully dissolvable in water so can be used as a body treatment in the bath, bonus 🙂

The Manta – Hairbrush

£25

This is honestly the best hairbrush I have ever tried! It is so easy to hold and it is flexible so it can bend to suit your scalp. It is a lot less harsh than other brushes out there so helps to prevent breakage and as a plus, it can also be used on wet hair. A lot of times you see specific brushes for wet hair as this is when your hair is most vulnerable but this one is safe to use all of the time. It comes in a few different colours and I think the white and rose gold one looks so pretty!

Prezzybox – Handmade Wellbeing Bath Melts Collection

£9.99

This beautiful set is vegan, cruelty free and  free from harsh chemicals,. It would be ideal for anyone that loves a good pamper and loves a nice bath. Made with essential oils, each carries natural benefits, and ensures a relaxing bath. They are beautifully made too and look too nice to use!

They come in 4 different scents – sweet orange (happiness), geranium (balance), eucalyptus (clarity) and lavender (relax).

The Healing Hut – Pregnancy Massage Oil

£12.50

The healing hut have an amazing range of vegan and cruelty free skincare products. The pregnancy oil is a calming lavender blend created to help soften your skin. It is ideal to use whilst pregnant or once given birth to help with any stretch marks. An ideal pampering gift for an expectant mother or a new mother 🙂

The Healing Hut – Pro-age Eye Cream

£12

This organic eye cream is ideal for normal, mature and tired looking skin. It contains natural oils and extracts to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and dark circles. As with the rest of this range, it is vegan and cruelty free. I find that I much prefer putting natural products near my eyes as they are very sensitive so something like this is great for anyone with sensitive skin too.

The Healing Hut – Ultra-hydrate Chamomile and Jasmine Night Cream

£15

Night cream is important to use as this is when your skin rejuvenates itself and when the products have time to work. Jasmine and Chamomile are especially good for dry and sensitive skin, they work together to regenerate cells and combat inflammation. The scent is beautiful and having this applied to your face by your nose can also help you to relax and sleep better. I think this would be great for new mothers that maybe aren’t spending much time or money on themselves as a little pick me up and treat.

The Healing Hut – Apple and Avocado Face Mask

£12

I really do recommend the healing hut products, especially if you are buying from someone that lives a vegan/cruelty free/organic lifestyle. Their products are really well priced and made with a lot of care and love. They are the ideal pamper products to treat someone to. Doing a face mask can be really relaxing as well as good for your skin.

Clay face masks are great for all skin types and the perfect booster for your skin when it’s not looking its best. Clay is particularly good for fighting inflamed or oily skin. Apple, Avocado and Aloe all contain antioxidants and vitamins A,C and E to protect the skin against environmental damage, and ageing.

 

Homeware

 

Asda Photo – Photo Slate 7.5″ x 5.5″

£11

I wanted to get a nice photo of my myself with my mum for her to display as she has just moved house and is in the middle or decorating and adding pictures and ornaments etc. I have used Asda before for personalised products and have always been impressed with the price and quality. The picture is printed on a piece of slate with s a stand and you can have it made in various sizes. I thought this would look really nice on display.

Asda Photo – Personalised Porcelain Mug

£10

The personalised mugs from Asda are a really great quality too. Their online tool to customise the layout/size of the photos is so simply to use, I designed and ordered both products straight from my phone. I wanted to get a nice mug for my step mum so opted for a picture from her wedding day to my dad. The picture came out really well and the mug looks really good!

Live In The Light – Candle Gift Box

£25

I have mentioned live in the light before, they are one of my favourite go to websites for natural skincare and they have released this beautiful candle gift set which would make the ideal present for any candle lover. All of the candles are natural and in the set you get:

Frosted Glass Tumbler – 7.75oz
Medium Tin – 3oz
Large Tin – 6.7oz
Set of 4 Tealights
Large Pillar – 14oz

Scents may vary box to box but the ones I got all smell amazing! You get so much for your money and it’s all packaged really well in a box and is just such a lovely present.

Prezzybox – Copper Plant House

£24.99

This beautiful plant house would be the ideal present for someone wanting to add a bit of greenery to a kitchen or bathroom. I think this would look great on s shelf or window ledge with an aloe vera or cactus in. It has a concrete foundation block and then a copper coloured frame making it look like a little house, really cute!

The Healing Hut – Oriental Jasmine Plant Wax Candle

£6

Jasmine is a proven anti-depressant, the essential oils sweet aroma works to combat moods and boost energy. It can also provide the right scent for the perfect night’s sleep. It is the ideal scent to have in the bedroom. This candle is the perfect size if you wanted to take it with you if you were travelling and struggling to sleep whilst away from home. Candles make a great gift and this one is vegan and cruelty free.

Cardology – Spring Wellies Pop Up Card

£8.50

I don’t usually get cards for people but this is another level! It is a 3D pop up card that is a pair of wellies with flowers coming out of the top and a bird on. I have never seen a card quite like it. I think it’s a great idea and they have so many designs, you can even get one that is a teddy bear! I think it’s really cool!

 

Food & Drink

 

Rhythm 108 – Sweet’N’Salty Almond Bar

Rhythm 108 – Hazelnut Cookie Dough Bar

£1-£2 each

Price varies depending on stockist.

You can purchase boxes direct or if you want to buy singularly you can usually get these in the free from section of supermarkets or independent vegan/health stores.

These are ideal if you are buying for someone with a gluten or dairy allergy or someone that is vegan as all of their products are organic, gluten free and vegan. The cookie dough is even one of your five a day?!

I don’t eat a vegan diet but the chocolate bars are some of the nicest ones I have ever tasted. When I was eating a vegan diet I was obsessed with the hazelnut praline one. They are so tasty and they taste like really posh, high quality chocolate.

These both would make a great gift, whether you want to buy a selection of different ones or treat someone to a big box 🙂

Mummy Meagz – Rocky Road

£1.49 each

This rocky road bar is vegan and gluten free so again this is another ideal treat for anyone that is eating a vegan diet or has a gluten or dairy allergy. I love the design on the packaging and it tastes so good! I am a big rocky road fan and this is the perfect size as a treat and they have so many different flavour bars to pick from 🙂 They even do their own version of a creme egg!

il Gusto – Miniature Oils & Vinegar Gift Set

£24.95

This set contains a great mixture of oils and vinegars in a presentation box. I think this would be great for anyone that is into cooking or looking to better themselves in the kitchen(like myself!). It is a great way to try different flavours I wouldn’t usually have picked up. The set contains 8 x 40ml bottles:

Garlic Oil
Hazelnut Oil
Chilli Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil “LASITHI” – Organic
Raspberry Balsam Vinegar
Mango Balsam Vinegar
Tomato & Basil Balsam Vinegar
Calamansi Balsam Vinegar

I love how they come in a box too and il gusto have so many other bottles to try, you can get some really good gin selection boxes too.

Cricketers – Artisan Gin

£37

Cricketers gin is a small batch, artisan crafted, London Dry Gin. It features the local Berkshire botanicals: wild marjoram, milk thistle and blackberries, these unique flavours harmonise with zesty orange, spicy coriander, and subtle tones of liquorice to deliver an exquisitely smooth juniper-forward gin. It is great mixed with just a plain tonic so you can really appreciate the flavour or you can of course create your own mix by adding it to something flavoured.

This is a must have for any gin lover and not just for people that like cricket!

 

Fashion

 

Seaton Gifts – Heart and Checks Reversible Multicoloured Scarf

£19.95

This beautifully made scarf is reversible. One side of this soft scarf features a check weave in a mixture of vibrant colours accented with navy blue or grey hearts. The other side shows the pattern in reverse with multi coloured hearts against a navy blue or grey background. It has soft frayed edges. The scarf is really soft and would make a really great present, especially this time of year and the colours are great for winter/spring.

Cover-Up Phone Case – New Zealand Paua Shell Explorer Black Case 

£35

Cover-Up have an amazing selection of phone cases made out of wood, stone, felt or shell. The shall range is stunning and they have so many different type of shell to pick from. I think a really stunning, unique phone case like this would be a really good gift. The case is very hard wearing and they come in so many different options as well as lots of different phone models.

The Healing Hut – Necklace

£7

This beautiful necklace is a set of angel wings with a heart hanging in the middle. It is such a lovely piece and very elegant. The healing hut has a good range of jewellery, not all of them are on the online shop at the moment but you can always contact them to find out what they have in stock or visit them if you are local to Hook.

The Healing Hut – Wish Bracelet

£4

I think this bracelet is really sweet and thoughtful. The idea behind it is that you give it to someone as a gift and make a wish, over time as the thread frays it means your wish is coming and eventually when it comes off your wish is meant to come true. It is adjustable and will fit most wrists 🙂

I hope I have given you some good ideas!

Sarah x

*This post contains gifted items*