Two Cosy Bath Time Reviews: Isle of Wolf & Skin Blossom

So it's that time of year when all I want to do is sit around in the bath with a good book and soak away. My two essential ingredients for a good bath are as follows; a beautifully scented bath soak and a good quality soy candle that smells just as good. My two picks from MyPure this month have really been ticking all these boxes.

While I wait for my bath to fill, I pour in just a little of the Skin Blossom Therapeutic Bath Soak*. Skin Blossom are one of my top brands due to their brilliant ingredients, Soil Association accreditation (this product is 74% organic) and just the true value of their products. Everything is so well priced and this wonderful bath soak is no exception. You can grab a handy 300ml bottle from MyPure for just £7.95. This bath soak is foaming (using sodium coco-sulfate), but the appearance is far from your average bubble bath. The liquid is luxurious and richly scented with natural essentials oils, filling your bathroom with notes of relaxing rosemary and ylang-ylang. However, you can be sure the scents are by no-means overpowering. This is a massive plus-point for me as strong scents - especially after a couple reading hours in the bath - can leave me with terrible headaches. Fortunately, I've had absolutely no issues in this area when it comes to Skin Blossom products. I've really been enjoying using this soak, and the addition of the following Isle of Wolf candle has meant that my bath times have been equally luxurious and soothing. I'm usually not that picky with bath products but I've been thoroughly convinced by this offering and I'm pretty sure that it's going to be a continuing repurchase. 

Isle of Wolf is a totally new brand discovery for me. This wonderful brand - created out of the family-owned Viksala Manor near the Baltic Sea - creates gorgeous 100% natural  GMO-free soy-wax candles in the most divine of scents. I chose the suitably festive sounding Isle of Wolf Cinnamon Spice Candle* and I was most definitely not disappointed. This is actually my first time trying a soy-wax candle as post-veganism I've near enough just avoided them completely. However, I can now safely say that I am indeed a convert. I've never experienced a candle that has burnt so clean, without any black smoke or sooty residue. Everything about the candle is wonderfully crafted, from the natural Better Cotton Initiative wick, all the way down to the heatproof and scratch-proof coaster. I really am incredibly impressed with this candle and I am still all kinds of surprised that they only cost £20 for a whopping 40 hours of burn time. Of course, still considered a luxury, but considerably cheaper than most high-end mainstream candle houses. Unfortunately, this candle really has caught my fancy and I have already nearly burnt it through! :(

Both of these products are available from the MyPure website, and both would make stunning Christmas pressies for your loved ones next year!

Skin Blossom Soak Ingredients:

Aqua (Water), Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin**, Sodium Chloride, Benzyl Alcohol, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Oil*, Coco-Glucoside, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder*, Linalool, Lauryl Glucoside, Stearyl Citrate, Sucrose Laurate, Sodium Benzoate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract*, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Oil*, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil*, Parfum*, Potassium Sorbate

Isle of Wolf Candle Ingredients:

100% pure plant wax & scented with 100% natural aromas obtained from pure essential oils. Natural cotton wick sourced from suppliers of Better Cotton Initiative Programme.

Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Just checking in before the madness of Christmas ensues and I'm too incapacitated by stuffing and roasties to blog...

Hope you all have a wonderful festive season and normal(ish) blogging - and hopefully more videos! - shall resume next week.

See you soon! x

Winter Essentials

Hark, a blog post! I know, it has been a while. I say that in the beginning of every post but whatever. Ages ago, I was tagged by Tamara to do the Winter Essentials 'tag', which was started by Chesca of Fern & Moss. Basically, I'm going to talk about 5 items that are essential for me to make it through the winter. This can be anything, from fashion & beauty, to tea or food.

The number one absolute must for winter is a good scarf. My favourite at the moment is this space knit snood from New Look. I got this ages ago in the sale for a couple pounds and haven't looked back. It's thin enough to fit snugly under my coat but then thick enough to keep my neck nice and toasty! I've worn this pretty much everyday since it started getting chilly.

Beauty product-wise, this is where it gets obvious. A good hand cream is a definite essential. My favourite is the Skin Blossom Caring Hand Cream. I have to be really careful with hand creams due to my dermatitis, and this one hasn't given me any problems whatsoever. It has a lovely rose & geranium scent that I don't find irritating at all, and it has a thick formula that ensures my hands are moisturised without feeling greasy. 

In the winter, I get pretty dry. My elbows, knees and feet are always a problem. My absolute wonder product for this is the MuLondon White Chocolate Elbow, Knee & Heel Cream. I won't talk too much about this one as it's well hyped in the green beauty community and I did a full post about it here. What I will say is that it's a wonderfully thick Shea butter based balm that melts in to an oil, and it smells good enough to eat. It really does smell like white chocolate.

The last two products kind of go hand-in-hand... a good book and a good candle. There is nothing better than cosying up with a book when it's all getting a little cold outside. I'm currently reading The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter, creepy feminism-laced retellings of fairy tales. With that, I've been burning the Cinnamon Spice candle by Isle of Wolf*. There's nothing better than a proper Christmas-sy candle burning on a winter's evening. This is a brand new discovery, and something that I will be addressing in more depth pretty soon! Isle of Wolf candles are really well priced for their quality, and in fact, My Pure are currently are running an offer where you can get two for £30!

I'm gonna tag Annabel of Fragmented Splendour, Ru of Short, Small and Sweet, and Sarah of Sugarpuffish. I'm also tagging anyone and everyone who wants to take part as I am frightfully unsure about whether any of these girls have completed the tag already...

What I Learnt From #beautychallenge10 (And lots of empties!)

For those not in the know, #beautychallenge10 was a little challenge started by Tamara from Rainbow Feet. Yes, using up products is nothing too innovative but for some reason, this time I really went for it. 

Since making the switch to green/vegan beauty, I had fallen in to the trap of pretty much buying EVERYTHING. Therefore - considering my impending student status - I needed to reel things in and once again get a hold on my bank balance. I'll admit, things started slow. However, when I really got in to the swing of it, empties just kept coming and coming, leaving with me with the large pile of plastic shown above.

Doing this challenge has taught me a couple lessons:

1. Buy what you need. True happiness comes when you start to ignore the voices that tell you to buy in to every product review you read. Only make purchases when you run out of items, or when you need a back-up. This way, you aren't left with the impossible decision of 'which shower gel do I use next?!' Also, it avoids the temptation of having three face oils open at once. You'll never finish them before they go rancid.

2. Use-by dates are important. This one is pretty obvious. But when you're trying to use up your stash you may come across a moisturiser that smells a little iffy... and then you realise that you haven't used it in a year. Just, no. If I hadn't been using things up, it could have been festering for another year. Throw it out. Check use by dates. Most natural skincare items are between 6-9 months.

3. Beauty products won't fill a hole. I used to buy beauty products when I was feeling down. But they never truly made me feel better. I'd be hanging around a few days later with a guilty heart and an empty bank account. New purchases would sit unused for weeks at a time. Now I actually can enjoy the products that I buy. And when I'm feeling down - I don't run to the laptop - I run myself a bath cand sink in to a really good book (P.S. my beauty buying habits may have been replaced by book-buying...)

So enough of the boring stuff. Here is the mega list of products I used up during my #beautychallenge10 stint (roughly 3-4 months):

1. Acure Lemongrass Conditioner

2. The Body Shop Eye-Makeup Remover

3. Ilia Beauty Nightfall Mascara

4. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer x2

5. The Body Shop Cleansing Oil

6. Yours Truly Organics Fix Me Serum

7. Rahua Conditioner Travel Size

8. Desert Essence Lemon Tea Tree Shampoo

9. Pink Konjac Sponge

10. Acure Hydrating Body Wash

11. Thayers Rose Toner

12. Acure Argan Shampoo

13. Trilogy Hydrating Toner

14. Herbivore Botanicals Blue Clay Soap

15. Balance Me Congested Skin Serum

16. Lily Lolo Mascara

17. Aussie Leave-in Conditioner/Heat Protectant

18. Lyons Leaf Beauty Balm Travel Size

19. 100% Pure Brightening Concealer

20. Acure Argan Conditioner

21. Odacite Black Cumin & Cajeput Facial Serum Concentrate

I'm so happy to see that so many of my empties were pre-vegan/unnatural items. But he ho, the empties won't be stopping any time soon. I'm on a roll!

The Blog-iversary

So today is actually my blog's one year anniversary. Which is crazy. I haven't been blogging green for that whole length of time, but dang am I proud that I've actually managed to keep to some level of activity for an entire 365 days. I'll be the first to admit that 'consistency' is not one of my strongest attributes, but I'd like to think that I've managed to make the last year even a tad more interesting for my readers.

I am planning to do a giveaway to celebrate this monumental occasion, however, I unfortunately do not have the time (or money) to do that right at this very moment. Therefore, I have decided to hold a major giveaway in the new year to give thanks to all my lovely subscribers, on here, and on Youtube. You better stay tuned for that. :-)

So... what would you like to win? And more importantly, what would you like to see on Katie Vibes in 2015?

Review: Madara Detox Ultra-Purifying Mud Mask

Today we're talking about face masks - regular face masks - not the natural norm of a mask in powder form. Obviously, powdered face masks to be mixed with water etc. are always better in terms of purity of ingredients and lasting power. However, sometimes we just don't have the time for alchemy and need something quick, easy, and pre-mixed. 

With this in mind, let me introduce you to the Madara Detox Ultra-Purifying Mud Mask*. As mentioned, this mask is a refreshing departure from the fiddling and time-consumption that comes with our beloved clay powder-based masks. You'd think that this change would come with major sacrifice in terms of ingredients but I am happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised. Things could be better, but when I have only ten minutes to spare, it shall be this mask that I reach for - not my rhassoul powder. It is still clay-based (with the inclusion of kaolin), but the addition of sapropel mud and floral waters and extracts allow for a more traditional texture. 

I have been using this product throughout November and I am rather impressed with the improvements that it has made to my overall skin texture, which I am attributing to the lactic acid - an ingredient that my skin has always appreciated. As winter creeps forward, my skin has a tendency to become bumpy and rough, as a reaction to the quick changing weather and sudden usage of heavier moisturisers. However, this product has been effective at keeping those blocked pores, blackheads and uneven texture at bay, ensuring that a clear and bright complexion continues in to the colder months. Application takes just a couple seconds and after leaving on the skin for just ten minutes, this has been my skin's quick fix. 

Despite all this, there are a couple points I'd like to raise that may in the future, prevent me from repurchasing. Firstly, the packaging is small and you don't really get much product for your money. Just 60ml will set you back £20. Considering it's effectiveness this wouldn't be too much of a worry for me, but I am finding that the tube is going down quite quickly. The mask itself dries fast once applied to the face (within a minute) and so I found myself using a lot of product for only one application. Also, it is worth noting that the mask carries a strong scent (possibly from included floral waters), and although this dissipates after a time, some may find the strength mildly unpleasant. Personally, I didn't mind too much. 

Overall, I am extremely thankful to have the option of a quick face mask session, despite the slight financial sacrifice. I would definitely recommend this to anyone with oily combo skin, who is looking for a traditional style face mask that is still both natural and effective. You can find this new release at My Pure, who also provide sample sizes of the mask if you wanted to try before you buy!

Penguin English Library Classics

One of my most precious vices, is pretty book covers. I can't help it. I will gladly by a (favourite) book a second time, if I happen to see it released in a particularly gorgeous edition. And - while we're on the subject - possibly my favourite releases of all time, belong to the Penguin English Library Classics collection. Aren't they just beautiful?

Unfortunately I only own two editions at the moment - Jane Eyre & Dorian Gray - however, I plan on collecting a good deal of them. Even if it's just for the satisfaction of many matching neon orange spines. In fact, only today I happened to order both Frankenstein and Dracula. Look at those lovely illustrated hearts on the Dracula cover... my heart is melting.

Book-buying seems to be the major downside that has come out of my beauty spending ban... if I can't buy beauty, I buy books. Help.

Please tell me that I'm not alone in this...

(P.S. A book haul has just gone live on my Youtube channel in which I talk about these lovely editions. See here.)

Recently

Life has been a whirlwind, recently. Starting university and being engulfed by studies and readings has almost completely killed my blogging mojo. However, I have been lurking. I am still regularly tweeting over at @KatieVibes, reading emails, and most recently, I have guest-posted for the wonderful Annabel over at Fragmented Splendour. I wrote a post about some of my current favourite vegan skincare & makeup products so if you're interested, you can hear more here.

Alas, this is but a tiny update as I'm currently sitting in my uni library cafe, waiting to attend my first written English Literature exam. We'll see how that goes!

Hope you're all doing well and having fun, I miss you!

Review: Skin Likes Natural Deodorant

This post is a big one. Because I've FINALLY tracked down a deodorant that is vegan, cruelty-free, natural, alliminum-free and doesn't irritate my underarms after shaving. This discovery goes with big thanks to my first ever TVK box*, and I am so very glad to have been introduced to it. Now let me introduce you, to the Skin Likes Natural Deodorant. 

I've always preferred roll-ons. They're less messy, don't leave white marks and are generally better for the environment than aerosols. However - when starting my search for an effective natural deodorant, most options were of the cream variety. Although this allows for arguably purer ingredients, I'm really not a fan of rubbing shea butter under my armpits. Also, creams tend to leave white marks and as an almost exclusive black clothing wearer, this is not an option. 

This is why I like Skin Likes. Here is a roll-on deodorant which doesn't compromise in terms of ingredients. The list is short, sweet and as follows: distilled water, food grade xanthan gum, bicarb of soda, and a blend of essential oils. Now, I don't have anything wrong with the ingredients in this product but I'd just like to point out that their ingredients listing itself is poor: the essential oil blend is listed as simply that, 'essential oil blend'. Also, the ingredients are not listed in INCI, with no essential oil allergens listed. Therefore, if you suffer with any allergies, please be sure to contact the company beforehand to protect yourself from any unwanted reactions to such oils. Unfortunately, I could not find such information on the website. I will be contacting them shortly to suggest that these issues are resolved as all products must now have their ingredients listed in INCI. Despite this, if you are lucky enough to not suffer with allergies, I would not disdain (just drop them a little email as well!).

As mentioned before, all other natural deodorants that I have tried (including Salt of the Earth), have stung on application, especially after shaving. I am yet to experience this with this product and that itself is enough for me to want to repurchase. The scent is very pleasant, seems to hang around throughout the day and it also absorbs immediately (which was always I problem I encountered with cream deodorants). The scent is quite sweet though so if that's not quite up your alley, they also other a 'male-orientated' scent which I assume will consist of a slightly altered essential oil blend. Of course it may not look as pretty as Schmidt's or Meow Meow Tweet, but it does the job and at £4.95 a bottle (or three for £9.90), who can complain?

EDIT: Since the publication of this post - and after many an email from the guys over at SkinLikes - it has now been announced that the website & label are to be updated with the full INCI list of ingredients!

*The Vegan Kind. A UK based, vegan lifestyle subscription service.

Review: Coutiver Palm-Free Vegan Soap

I am so excited to finally get this post out and introduce everyone to this amazing, palm-free, super ethical, vegan soap company. Coutiver is run by the ever-so-lovely Christophe Lecoeur from a base in Hornchurch, Essex. Christophe spent his entire childhood in the South of France and that is where the obsession with natural/organic ingredients began. Coutiver blends together amazing French artistry with truly wonderful environmental/ethical concerns. All Coutiver soaps are:

100% vegan

100% recycled, recyclable or compostable packaging

100% palm-oil free

100% produced with green energy

100% synthetic-free

100% perfume free

They are also handmade, cold-processed, carry c02 footprint compensation, local product based and use the maximum amount of organic ingredients available. Wow! Furthermore, they are cruelty-free certified by PETA, and when purchasing, you have the option to buy with or without the packaging (a lovely touch!).

I have been trying out two soaps from the line: Pinch of Rosemary* and Aniseed*. And yes, both smell as divine as they sound! Pinch of Rosemary is yet to be opened but I have been happily using Aniseed and I am most definitely impressed. Surprisingly, Aniseed is fragranced with purely essential oils and the aniseed-drop-like scent has been created purely with Fennel... amazing! The formula is super clean and it really does preform. Apart from fulfilling the general job description of a soap (and very well may I add - yay for lather!), this bar also feels incredibly moisturising. This can be attributed to the inclusion of coconut oil and sweet almond oil, both completely organic. It is so moisturising that I've even been finding that I can skip a body lotion after use! The ingredients are super simple and effective; saponified virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil, sweet almond oil, ground fennel and filtered water. Most notably, no palm-oil in sight! I am a big fan of companies skipping palm oil in their recipes, as generally, the ingredient is not very sustainable, and the cultivation can be highly damaging to the habitats of primates such as orang-utans. I'm really impressed that this company has extended their ethical standpoint to saving animals as well as the environment - and your skin!

Pinch of Rosemary includes similar ingredients with the addition of rosemary essential oil, ground rosemary and spirulina. I absolute adore rosemary so I am more than excited about opening this one up when I have finished with Aniseed. Coutiver has become a company so very central on my radar and I am most definitely going to be making an order in the future. I love their ethical standpoint and the fact that they are based in my own county! I am currently eyeing up their shampoo bar as an alternative to liquid shampoo. I'll let you know how it goes... You can find Coutiver on Etsy or at Henna Herbals.

Autumnal Makeup

Without sounding like a female blogging cliche, I really do love this season. There is just something magical about the turning of the leaves that influences me to recreate such colours and tones within my makeup palette. Here, I'm talking tones of rose, taupe and berry to name but a few. Here are a couple of my most-used autumnal products that fall in to this truly lustful colour scheme…

Firstly, I’ve just got to mention some awesome lipsticks that have come in to my possession. They are by no means ‘new’ - the brand and the shades are well-loved within our community - but I have only recently come to realise how truly amazing and high-quality Red Apple Lipstick products really are. I was sent two shades, Hibiskiss and Audrey, both of which come under the ‘lipstick’ category, but vary by formula. Both shades are completely natural, vegan, cruelty-free and gluten-free which is pretty darn good, don’tcha think? Swatches and nutty rave to follow. Audrey hasn’t really left my lips.

Secondly, two more products that are by no means big news (I’m really selling these aren’t I?), but are again products that I have been using absolutely non-stop for the last couple weeks. I’ve already talked about them multiple times but you can never have too much of a good thing… right? The P&P Cream Shadow in Divinely Happy. Do I really need to explain? Just a great cool-neutral colour that is a total staple for any eye look you could ever want/dream. In my case, it also doubles up as a pretty competent eyebrow product which I like. Multi-task products make me happy. And talking of multi-taskers, we have the TANF Cream Blush in Dusky Rose. A beautiful cheek colour and an equally as beautiful option for the lips. The cream formula creates a subtle ethereal glow which sings of the colder seasons - while staying put for a good five hours. 

Finally, a new product *GASP*. Due to my continued participation in #beautychallenge10, makeup and skincare purchases have been few and far between. However, when my beloved Ilia mascara died a sudden death, I was ever so inclined to test out a new release from Lily Lolo. This being their new reformulated natural mascara. Lily Lolo have released a mascara in the past, however the reviews had always been more on the disappointing side and although the price point really isn’t anything to cry about, I’m just not a fan of risking badly reviewed products. Therefore when we were confronted with something reborn and untested, I just had to give it a go. Well... the jury is in and well done Lily Lolo! They have successfully formulated - what I would perceive as - the perfect natural mascara all-rounder. Although there are probably more superior options out there in terms of ingredients and formula, LL just shut it down in terms of the bigger picture which includes packaging, ease-of-use and price. At £10.99, LL’s mascara is cheaper than a lot of high street (and green) competitors and you really are getting something better for your money. I would pick happy bunnies and my health over clumpy eyelashes any day of the week! 

Review: Raw Gaia Organic Vegan Skincare

Long time no see! I'm gradually settling in to University and I thought it was about time to get a post up on my dear blog. Therefore, today, I've decided to talk to you about some truly beautiful products that I've recently received - and have been LOVING - from raw vegan skincare line, Raw Gaia.

If you haven't heard of Raw Gaia, they are an organic and vegan skincare line that was started by the wonderful Jessica Laura. All of Raw Gaia's products are made with raw ingredients such as cocoa butter, floral waters and the highest quality cold-pressed oils. One thing that I've noticed with this brand is that all of the products go an incredibly long way, which means that you're getting so much for your money! I was lucky enough to try two of their products and I am obsessed.

My favourite of the pair is the Hemp Heaven Moisturiser*. This pure blend of cocoa butter, cold-pressed hemp oil, apricot oil and wheatgerm oil is doing wonders for my oily problem skin. I can slather on a thick layer before bed (that doesn't feel greasy!) and wake up the next day with positively glowing skin - no matter how many blemishes I seem to have. The intense boost of hydration just makes everything seem better and it's been heaven-sent during the awkward transition between summer and autumnal weathers. My skin can be very dehydrated and this balm has been ensuring that I'm only left with plump and happy skin that heals itself incredibly fast. I don't need to worry about acne scarring or painful spots when I'm using this on a nightly basis. It also works incredibly well with the Odacite boosters, and the duo has really been helping to balance my skin. The balm texture is refreshing for someone like me who has become used to more water-based offerings. I'll tell you, I'm converted.

The second product is the MSM Beauty Spray*. I haven't used this one quite as regularly as the Hemp Heaven moisturiser, but when I have used it - I've been impressed. This toning spray is something a little different (as explained in my previous post). It is essentially a floral hydrasol with the added benefits of argan oil, EOs, and MSM - a nutritional form of sulphur, known as the "beauty mineral". However, despite this arsenal of nourishing oils, the spray is anything but oily. Everything remains at a definite water-like texture which makes it easy to apply and easy to absorb. This is great as a toner, but also as a light moisturiser for extremely oily skins come summer.  

Raw Gaia have really captured by heart with these two products and I'm excited to hopefully try more in the future!

Berlin Round-Up

As most of you will know, my boyfriend and I recently went on a little long weekend trip to Berlin, Germany. We had an absolutely fantastic time and I wanted to share a couple (a shit ton) of photos with you. Please excuse the photo vomit... but more shall follow when I do my overviews of the two museums we visited on Museuminsel (Neues & Pergamon), and my reviews of the vegan restaurants we went to. 

As I just mentioned, we had a wonderful couple days and really hope to return in the new year! We actually rented an apartment through Airbnb rather than a hotel and do not regret it one bit. I can do a post on my experience with using Airbnb if anyone is interested. We were staying in the Neukölln

 area which is south-east of central Berlin, but we visited many of the historical sites in Mitte such as the Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Holocaust Memorial and parts of the Berlin Wall (or what remains of it).

Hope you enjoy!

P.S. Hope that you can spot the baby alpaca... probably the cutest thing I have ever seen.

Tips for Going Vegan

• Inform yourself. Firstly, ensure that your intentions for going vegan are clear in your mind. Are you an ethical vegan? Environmental vegan? Or just determined to get healthy? Whatever the catalyst, don't forget why you're making the change. Research the benefits of going vegan, the conditions of factory farming, the impact of going vegan on the environment - anything that will keep you on your path. Also, make sure that you're aware of the many hidden animal ingredients such as lecithin (which isn't always soy based), gelatine, casein and propolis. There are apps and websites which go through these ingredients (and others) in more detail.

• Do not rely on substitutes. The pull towards fake meats and cheeses will be strong when you first go vegan. However, such products can be extremely unhealthy, packed full of soy, oil, salt and preservatives. Try to stay as whole plant-based as you can, taking your nutrition from lots of colourful fruit and veg. However, this doesn't mean that you should avoid them completely. When eating out, there's no harm in indulging once in a while.

• Find replacements for your favourites. Missing out on a precious food love can be heartbreaking, but it can be equally as fun to explore and find healthy vegan alternatives for all your favourite meals. For example, vegan lasagne can be made with butternut squash and a cheese sauce made from almond milk and spices. And then same cheese sauce can be altered to create a delicious and healthy macaroni cheese. Research is key and don't be afraid to get cooking! When you're vegan, it's harder to rely on frozen/pre-prepared meals and it forces you in to the kitchen. For ideas: check out Sim's Kitchenette.

• Be well equipped. It's very important that when you first go vegan - and are less familiar with ingredients and whether you can eat in certain places - to ensure that you always carry snacks. This will stop you going hungry if you ever find yourself in an area without healthy vegan options. Don't just settle for chips. Pack yourself a small snack box with fresh fruit, dried fruit, pasta salad, snack bars, whatever tickles your fancy.

• Finally, go at your own pace. People will tell you to take it in stages and others will tell you that the best method is to go cold turkey. I suggest you do what seems best for you. Some people (who have lots of willpower when it comes to food - like myself) will find it easy to cut out meat and dairy overnight. Others will need a little more time. If you do choose the latter, start with meat, then dairy, the eggs. Finally, you can choose to cut out other animal products such as honey.

The Hydrating Mists

It's September - but it's still pretty warm and if I'm honest, you can never have too many hydrating mists, or toners in general for that matter. In this post, I shall be sharing with you something old, something new and something a little bit different within this much loved beauty category. A category that green beauty does rather well.

Something old: Let's kick it all off with my favourite of the bunch. The Trilogy Hydrating Mist Toner. The scent is light and floral, the mister is top notch (ever so important) and formula is truly moisturising. This is the only toner that I have come across that really does penetrate the skin and moisturise, rather than just making it wet. This is down to the aloe base and the glorious addition of rose water and rose/lavender essential oils. This one is definitely a winner... and check out that equally awesome price tag!

Somthing new: The Green People Toning Hydrating Mist* is a new release which was generously sent to me by GP. I've been testing out and I've found that it's PERFECT for prepping your face for oils. Nothing ground-breaking, but definitely a useful addition to any collection. The ingredients are great (no alcohol and 96% organic!), and the price isn't too bad either. My only problems with this product are related to the packaging. The mister is down right horrendous (spray in to your hands and pat on to avoid taking an unplanned shower) and the plastic feels a little cheap. However, this makes it a good option to carry round in your bag without risking breakages. 

Something different: Now for something a little innovative. Let me introduce you to the Raw Gaia MSM Beauty Spray* which is actually more of a moisturiser in spray form, rather than a regular toner. This unique blend of floral waters, oils and skin regenerating MSM, smells amazing and leaves skin happy and glowing. MSM (a nutritional form of sulphur) is known as the beauty mineral and I can really vouch for the results that this product provides. This is perfect for giving combo & dehydrated skin and extra moisture boost without entering oil-slick territory. I'll be doing a more in-depth review of this and another amazing Raw Gaia product very shortly. 

Tell me about some of your favourite toning mists...

A Change of Scenery

September has always been the month of change. Whether it's the return of a brisk chill in the air or the turning of the leaves, it's always brought with it a sense of worry and anticipation. For me, September has brought with it many changes, many mundane, but also many personal. On the last day of August, I left the comfort of a stable job with excitement-- ready for the countdown to university and the countdown to a Berlin trip, a couple weeks previous. I had originally anticipated wasting my time with relaxation, blogging and reading. However, I have instead been left busy and tired, having picked up a part time job a lot quicker than I had expected. Both blogging and relaxation has been put to the wayside. Leaving the regularity of the 9-5 for shift work has left me exhausted and frankly, disorganised. Blogging itself has become more of a chore, than a hobby as it once was. Now that I am being sent PR samples, I am finding it hard to keep up with regular postings, and I'm finding it even harder to stay motivated, let alone inspired. 

I have been finding solace in reading, and have once again reminded myself where my true passion lies. The multi-faceted characters and beautifully detailed worlds that I have been experiencing, have ignited an old excitement, one that makes me want to write and share with others. "Booktube" has created a monster within myself, a monster that has managed to acquire a grand total of 12 books within the first week of September. I want to read them, enjoy them and then share them with as many people as possible.

This blog is not going to vanish, but it shall be going through changes, along with myself. Expect less beauty posts, and more posts centred around my life, my loves and my books (with the occasional cleanser and lipstick). Of course, I just want to quickly thank all of the lovely girls and friends that I have met because of the green beauty community. I'm not running away, just developing myself. I'll still be doing the occasional beauty post, but I'm not going to keep myself to any schedule or theme within my blog or Youtube channel (obviously need to do a book haul at some point). In spite of this, I do have some beauty reviews/posts that I need to publish first so look out for those!

Sorry for the ramble-heavy post, but I feel like I sometimes stifle myself within blogging and I just want to write and talk about everything that I love, not just beauty products. 

Vegan Cuts August Box: Ingredients Review

I was recently contacted by Vegan Cuts and they asked me if I would like to be sent one of their subscription Beauty Boxes for review and sign up as an official Vegan Cuts ambassador. I happily obliged as frankly I've missed the fun of a subscription box and Vegan Cuts caters for vegans who are passionate about using purely cruelty-free and animal-free cosmetics. 

I was sent the August box which contained 5 products, 4 of which - I'm happy to say - just about lived up to my green standards. I really think this is great considering that 'natural' is not the company's primary concern. Vegan does not necessarily equal natural (unfortunately) but Vegan Cuts are doing a great job at bridging the gap. As both an ethical and environmentally motivated vegan, this is something that I'm extremely happy to see and want to actively encourage.

If you want to see what was included in this month's box (and how green it was), click play above!

#BeautyChallenge10 Wishlist

You may already know but if you didn't, me some fellow green beauty girls are taking part in something called #beautychallenge10. In fact, some girls have actually already finished the challenge! The basic premise is that we are not allowed to purchase any more beauty products (bar essential replacements) until we successfully use up ten products that we already own. Not quite an innovative feat but challenging all the less! I started off pretty good but I've now reached quite the plateau and haven't finished a product for over two weeks. Although, I've got a sneaky suspicion that a couple items may disappear all at once very soon! As mentioned just a moment ago, some girls have already completed the challenge and I'm still on only 2 items... hats off to them!

Anyway, back to the wishlist. I have now decided that this challenge may actually be doing me a lot of good because I haven't actually been lusting after many beauty products. The only absolute purchase, come the end of challenge, is the Dr Alkaitis Organic Soothing Gel. I've been exposed to far too many glowing reviews and now it must be mine. It's pretty pricey at just over £40 but you get a whooping 120ml which is awesome! It sounds like a perfect aloe vera-based wet dream.

The only other beauty product on my radar is the Lily Lolo Eyeliner in Brown. I don't actually own a brown liner as of yet and it's high time that I fill the gap in my collection! I've heard great things about this budget green liner so I'm eager to give it a whirl.

Finally, I NEED SOME STATIONERY. I had a bit of a breakdown yesterday when I realised that I have just over a month until I start university* and I am yet to purchase many books/stationery items. I quickly made a hefty Amazon order for all my essential reading and I have now begun trawling the likes of Paperchase and Muji for cute writing bits. I've got my heart set on some Kraft notebooks (to destroy with washi tape!), and some beautiful gel pens from Muji. Bring on the revision ;-)

*Sometimes I wonder if you guys are actually aware of how young I really am! I'm only 19 and very much one of the youngest in the green community. I deferred my Uni place so that's why I'm only starting this year! I shall be studying English Literature and (hopefully) German.

New and Exciting Things

I'm sure that - from the title - you were expecting this post to be a little deeper than it actually is. Well it's not. We're talking about new things. I try my hardest to be profound and minimal rather than superficial, but in all realness, I really do like new things.

1:: Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. Well here is a book that has been on my 'to-read' list for as long as I can remember. I finally got round to picking it up on a recent jaunt to one of those fancy London Waterstones stores with the big stairs and big chairs. Foer is one of my absolute favourite authors and having most of his books, I thought that it might be time to dig in to one of his most famous releases. The artwork for this book is absolutely stunning and from what I've read so far, the prose is just as wonderful.

2:: Coutiver Soaps. I came across Coutiver during an Etsy raid and I was hooked by the bright modern packaging and promise of 100% vegan, natural, palm-free soaps. What makes this brand even better is the intense eco-friendly stance and the fact that they are made just a few miles from my own home! I have only briefly tried the products so far but shall be doing an in-depth post very soon.

3:: Weleda Purifying Lotion. I've been having quite the 'mare with my skin lately. I'm not sure of the catalyst, but almost overnight my skin exploded with horrendous itchy cystic acne. I've decided that it's probably down to my recent slip in eating habits i.e. I've been eating all the (not so healthy) food. I've now got myself back on track and things are starting to look a lot clearer. That's partly down to this little bottle of magic that uses natural herbal extracts to soothe and purify problem skin. This is my first dip in to the world of Weleda after getting my head around their rather confusing cruelty-free status.

4:: Madhava Deliciously Organic Coconut Sugar. I have tried coconut sugar before, but it was very expensive for only a small amount and I wasn't too sure what to do with it. However, I found this large organic bag for hella cheap on Vitacost and I'm excited to get creative. So far I've only used it in smoothies and cookies but I'm already viewing it as an awesome replacement for conventional cane sugar.

What's In My Shower?

I love these kinds of posts and I did actually do them quite regularly, pre-natural. I believe this will be my first fully natural edition! Without further ado, let's see what goodies I am currently coveting within the depths of my shower bag.

I'm currently washing my hair with the Desert Essence Lemon Tea Tree Shampoo and it's pretty good. It's nothing amazing, like there wasn't any "wow" moments like there was when I first starting using Acure, but it's useful as a slightly more clarifying option when the latter is a tad heavy for summer. I've been following this up with an apple cider vinegar hair rinse which is probably one of my favourite green beauty discoveries to date. I've already exclaimed that I may never buy regular shampoo again... I won't go in to too much detail - as I'm planning a dedicated post - but all I can say is stay tuned if you want wonderfully soft, smooth and behaved locks (that do not smell like vinegar). Nevertheless, I am in fact keeping a conventional option close-by for those super lazy days, and currently footing the bill is Rahua's Conditioner. This product gets a lot of hype, but honestly, it just does the job and nothing more.

My current body wash is the Acure Ultra-Hydrating Body Wash which is scented with coconut and pumpkin. The promising scent is what originally drew me to purchasing this product but I've honestly been underwhelmed. It smells nice, but it doesn't last, and every now and then it comes across as being a little sickly. Despite this, it lathers nicely and I really do find it to be moisturising like it claims. For days when exfoliation is required, I've been really enjoying the absolutely heavenly Mount Olympus Scrub from Bathing Beauty. This rosemary-scented salt scrub is all I've been reaching for lately, and only a tablespoon is needed for a truly sensory experience. I find salt scrubs to be less abrasive than sugar scrubs and a great deal more effective - this product is no exception. I picked this up at the recent Love Natural Love Organic show and I do not regret it in the slightest. Bathing Beauty is an absolutely wonderful and inspiring brand.

Finally, my current shower cleanser of choice is the Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser that I reviewed in my previous post. I'm a fan of keeping a separate cleanser for shower time, usually something exfoliating or clay-based that is a bother to remove in any other situation. I really love this product but I won't badger you with the details as you can read all about my pure admiration in my review post that you can find here.

So that was a quick peek in to my current shower routine. This is always rotating, so look forward to more posts like this in the future! For some reason, I'm always curious about what body products people are using... let me know if you are too!

Review: Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser

This is an extremely over-due review. I've been using this cleanser for nearing on six months and it is about time that it was sung a little praise on my dear old blog. The Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser is a product that I actually prefer to use as a scrub, rather than it's primary intended function. A concoction of aromatic lemon oils and natural cane sugar, this glorious potion sloughs away dead skin cells like no other and leaves your face smooth and glowing. Of course, the inclusion of citrus oils means that it is however not suitable for all times and all people. If you have sensitivities/allergies to citrus oils, please skip this one. Also, if you do choose to splurge, keep this one for night time use only as these precious oils unfortunately increase photosensitivity.

Warnings aside, this is a really beautiful product. I feel like I don't even have to mention how amazing it smells because how can it not with such ingredients? The mention of cane sugar can be quite misinformed, leading you to believe that such a product would be scratchy and stripping. However, the granules emulsify and create the most luscious foam which stop the cleanser from becoming too harsh on even the most sensitive of skins. I do suggest remembering to add enough water though, as too thick of a consistency will lead to a stubborn sugary film that calls for a second cleanse. Also, I would choose not to use this on particularly acneaic skin as the combination of citrus oils and manual exfoliation could lead to inflammation, especially when the skin is already unhappy. Therefore, I love to use this when my skin is surprisingly behaving as it keeps me on a good skin streak and encourages a wonderful healthy glow. Also, there is the bonus that a freshly exfoliated face will easily accept and absorb serums or treatment oils. This in turn, leads to a happy, plump, bright face come morning. As a quick note: I would suggest using this product in the shower to ensure complete removal as the couple times that I have done otherwise (and removed with a flannel instead), I have been left - a few minutes later - finding sugar crystals stuck along my jawline, or more annoyingly, in my eyebrows! 

Another thing that I love about this product is that it just never seems to end! Granted I haven't been using everyday, but I have at least been using near enough 2-3 times a week. You only need about the amount shown to cleanse your entire face and I have not yet even reached the half way point after about six months of use. Now that's bang for your buck! The product itself is more on the high-end of price ranges but you can always track it down with some kind of discount and the longevity is impressive. If you're worried, you can always pick up a sample, which are available in pretty generously sized pots. I haven't tried much else from Suki but I'm really impressed with this cleanser and I'm really going to enjoy using it up!

Have you tried anything from Suki?

Ingredients:

natural (sugar) sucrose, organic potassium cocoate (saponified coconut oil), organic oryza sativa (rice) powder, cymbopogon flexuosus (lemongrass) oil, avena sativa (colloidal oat™) l., poaceae, citrus aurantium dulcis (sweet orange) peel extract, squalane (from olive oil), calming complexion complex™ (chamomilla recutita (chamomile) flower/leaf extract, calendula officinalis (calendula) flower extract, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) flower extract), carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil, organic ascophyllum nodosum (seaweed) extract, 100% pure (fragrance) essential oils, limonene*, citral*.

*components of 100% pure steam-distilled essential oils.

17% certified organic ingredients