Herbal Tea Love

Apologies for being rather M.I.A this week, but unfortunately work has been tiring me out so bad that by the time I get home, the last thing I want to do is look at a computer screen for another couple hours! One of my favourite ways to wind down at the end of a long work day is with a lovely big cup of herbal tea. I'm really not a fan of traditional black tea but when it comes to alternative herbals, I've never found one that I do not enjoy.

The basis for a good tea in my books is liquorice. I like my teas to be naturally sweet and that's definitely what you get with this ingredient! My absolute favourite tea is Teapigs Liquorice and Peppermint. For lack of better words, it basically tastes like boiled aniseed sweets with a refreshing kick. Yum yum! This really satisfies my sweet tooth when I'm craving something naughty after dinner. It's super duper pricey but every now and then I just cannot resist! Pukka do a slightly cheaper version but Teapigs' offering is of much superior quality and you just cannot beat it. Another source of  my daily liquorice fix comes from Yogi Tea. I adore this completely organic tea brand and they offer a massive variety of tea flavours. Another of my favourites from them is the Detox tea with dandelion, anise and - you guessed it - liquorice!

Finally, a venture in to the world of fruitier teas. I've never been one for fruit teas but Clipper's Organic Blackcurrant and Acai is the absolute BOMB. I could easily sit and go through a box in a sitting. I'd liken it to hot Ribena (even though I hate Ribena) and something about it is strangely comforting. The acai gives it an almost chalky taste but surprisingly it works. I bet I'm selling this amazingly right now. Marketing is definitely not my forte. Clipper is also my green tea provider of choice so definitely worth a look in for all your tea-like needs! In fact, all these tea brands are really top notch.

Have you tried any teas from Teapigs, Yogi Tea or Clipper?

Intro to The All Natural Face

I think that The All Natural Face may be a rite of passage for anyone looking in to greener makeup. The brand is the brain child of a lovely lady named Crystal and is probably one of the most popular independent beauty brands available. The sheer variety of products that is offered astounds, from makeup to (ahem) lubricants, and everything is 100% natural and vegan.

I recently picked up two of their most popular products and it was instant love. I was most excited about the Vegan Cream Blushes of which I chose two shades, Bubblegum and Peachy Rose. The names are pretty self-explanatory with Bubblegum being a bright pop of pink, and Peachy Rose, more of a muted dark peach with a hint of - you guessed it - rose. I've fallen head over heels with the formula of these blushes. They are smooth, creamy, easy to blend and apply flawlessly. They are gorgeously pigmented and with a heavy swatch, would appear just as bright as they are in the pan. The staying power is impressive for such a clean product and I love taking them with me when staying at the boyfriends as you could apply them with your eyes closed. However, there is a handy little mirror in the lid if you're a little inept in blind makeup application! 

Another well-hyped product is the Vegan Cream Foundation/Concealer and I'm in the shade Porcelain Kissed By Honey which is the palest neutral shade. I spent a good hour trying to work out my colour is the online references aren't great and there's enough shades to suit anyone, ranging from pale to dark in neutral, olive and tan undertones. Luckily I chose correctly and this colour blends in wonderfully with my skin tone. The texture is something to get used to though as it can be a bit gritty. Nevertheless, don't turn your back just yet as this is normal for products containing natural waxes and it will quickly melt in to your skin upon application. I find it to be light coverage but if you properly went for it (and your skin isn't too dry), I reckon you could build this up to whatever coverage you desire without any caking whatsoever. Because of my oily skin type, the texture of the foundation really works and appears to be one with my skin, becoming completely undetectable.

I'm definitely itching to try some more products from TANF. There's so many gorgeous cream blush shades and ya'know...you gotta catch em' all. 

Review: Pai Echium and Argan Gentle Eye Cream

Some would say that I'm too young to be using eye cream. However, I'm 19 next week and I'm loving this product more than ever. Eye cream was never really a common occurrence in my skincare routine before now. I had an extremely mediocre offering from Green People floating about my bedroom but I never felt any need to use it. Then there was the polar vortex. 

My skin has never been dry as such, but there's one problem area that always reacts to the harsh weather... my eyes. They become tight and sore, yearning for some gentle hydration that offers a bit more than your bog standard day cream for oily skin. Obviously, Pai is my go-to brand at the moment and their Echium and Argan Gentle Eye Cream has really been the ticket for my winter eye woes. Using this morning and night has eradicated the dreaded tired eye feeling and has significantly diminished concealer creasing that can come from dehydrated peepers. I really enjoy the ritual of application and I've found that the best way to use is by pumping a tiny amount on to a ring finger, rubbing it between both ring fingers, and then tapping along your orbital bone, allowing natural body heat to send the nutrients upwards. Your eyes will feel instantly refreshed and you can positively feel those dark circles cowering away... One thing to note though, the pump is very sensitive and it isn't hard to accidentally release enough product to cover your whole face!

The packaging may say 'Age Confidence' but believe me when I say this beauty offers way more than the promise to be wrinkle free (I'll report back in 30 years or so on that claim).

The beautiful ingredients that I've come to expect from Pai:

Aqua, argania spinosa (argan) kernel oil*, prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil*, carthamus tinctorius (thistle) seed oil*, cetearyl alcohol, glycerin*, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter*, cetearyl glucoside, echium plantagineum seed oil, rosa canina seed extract*, pelargonium graveolens oil*, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil*, jasminum grandiflorum flower extract*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) oil*, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract, tocopherol, sodium levulinate, sodium anisate, sodium lauroyl lactylate, glyceryl stearate citrate, lactic acid.

Naturally occurring in essential oils: citronellol*, d-limonene*, geraniol*, linalool*.

*Certified Organic by the Soil Association (Organically produced 74% of product). Contains Nut Oil.