New In :: Cruelty Free Beauty Products

This month i have been trying out lots of new beauty products. I always seem to dabble more with beauty potions and lotions in the summer month and less makeup and then vice versa come winter (i am ALL about eh makeup come winter!) I guess that speaks volumes about my mentality in each season. But enough about the psychologies of my beauty habits, lets get on to the good stuff shall we. The question is, have i found anything worth buying again/ will become part of my beauty favourites?

Yes and definitely yes.. in-fact, spoilers, i think its fair to say i pretty much loved all these products but more details shall commence!

Seascape Island Apothecary

 Seascape Island apothecary was probably my favourote find this month. A gorgeous cruelty free, responsible brand that offers divinity in a pot. Their products ooze luxury and smell and work extremely well.
The Unwind Body Lotion is possibly my favourite, the fragrance is strong, which i love, and has scented with jersey lavender and ylang ylang. I have this beside my bed and use some at night on my arms and legs as, not only does my skin drink it up and feel soft in the morning, but the scent is wonderful for relaxing and aiding sleep (something i've been very happy with of late after a number of sleepless nights!)
The Seasalt scrub & Soothe Body wash make an excellent shower duo and leave me feeling squeaky clean and extremely relaxed.
Lastly my other absolute favourite is the Peppermint Lip Balm, now to me this is both scrub and balm in one. Its gritty, which i didnt expect, however, i have been on the hunt for a good lip exfoliator as i wear a lot of bright lipstick and they often leave a residue or i need a good clear base to put them on. This provides an excellent scrub to the lips without feeling harsh. I wondered also if the peppermint would be tingly, which I'm not a fan of, but it isn't, its extremely long lasting balm and comfy to wear on the lips. Again i like to put this on at night time for my lips to really relish in the moisture. For £10 this is an absolute bargain also and something i will most definitely repurchase (however a little goes a long way and the pot is very deep and filled to the top so i don't think i'll have to repurchase anytime soon!)
The last thing i want to say about seascape is the packaging, oh my word the packaging.. its simply beautiful and honestly i know i would absolutely love to receive these as gifts and would definitely buy friends and family them too.

Weleda

 Another new brand to me but one i believe has been around a really long time is Weleda.
I received some gorgeous testers and this full size body wash in my lucky things meet up goodie bag. The Almond Skin Wash is the most delicate body wash i've ever used. This is absolutely perfect for those with extra sensitive skin, and for ahem.. delicate parts.. (tmi? Well y'know me well enough now, i'll only ever speak the truth 😁).
The Evening Primrose concentrate is for ageing skin and is full of goodness to help with elasticity and fullness of the skin. I haven't used this much yet but i am about to start as its never to early to help your skin out a bit!
I have to say i am super impressed with Weleda and will be purchasing products from their website for sure

Simply Scrub

100% organic and natural Simply Scrub  is basically whole goodness in a pot. You actually couldn't get more natural. The scrubs are amazing. I have the Rose Scrub which is the most delectable fragrance, and you are actually scrubbing your legs with petals and florals.. I'd actually never experienced anything like it and was blown away with the potency of the gorgeous scrub and how it left my legs feeling so soft afterwards. The Chocolate scrub is amazing for ridding fake tan. I had a build up of gradual tanner on my legs and i used this with a flannel and it banished all the tan residue wonderfully. The only thing i will say is that as it is natural and you are literally scrubbing with rose petals and such, then it can get a bit messy. I do mine in the bath but it did scatter through out. I didn't mind one iota though as it left my bathroom smelling so so pretty and washed away very easily.

I highly recommend this if you like natural products and like me love to exfoliate your legs, espeically after fake tan! It really works a treat and there are no nasty chemicals or damages to the environment... win win!!

Embryolisse Eye Cream

 I love the feel of this on my eyes, it feels thick and moisturising. I struggle with eye cream as my eyes are getting crinklier by the day but yet nothing seems to help. I'm not sure if this is actually doing anything or not just yet, but it does feel nice. Do you have any eye cream recommendations?

A little bit of Hair
 Biolage RAW Shampoo & Conditioner and Bardou Finishing Spray

The new Biolage RAW range is incredible hair food. My hair literally laps it up. Now these aren't particularly cheap (I caught my husband using it and i freaked out on him.. hes bald btw.. he says he likes how it makes his head feel 😂😂😂 I asked him to refrain from using my special shampoo as its reserved solely for me lol!), but if you like to treat your locks to a really nice shampoo that leaves your tresses feeling like you've just stepped out of the salon, well these products are definitely for you. I have the Nourish range, and nourish it most definitely does.

Also on the hair front, a product so good its worth mentioning again is the Bardou Finishing mist.
This is my most favourite setting spray... ever! Its fine enough to not leave your hair feeling like hard and sticky but also holds your style and banishes frizz, which with this mop of hair, is vital. I'm so sad that i've just run out, but will be repurchasing for sure. I think i suddenly realised again how good it is when i resorted to a store bought normal hairspray that left my hair looking frizzy and unclean straight after styling. So yes, return to Bardou i shall!

Etern'l Night Cream via Harmony Life

After being super impressed with Harmony Life and their hair growth products I decided to give their beauty products a go. I needed a new night cream and heard excellent things of the Etern'l range which has won numerous awards in France, and if its good enough for those french chicks, well then it sure as hell good enough for me. And actually, i really love it, like really love it. The viscosity is thick and i love that in a nuit creme (that's the extent of my french folks, and that's just from reading the label😂), i lather a lot on just before bed and let it sink in slowly. I wake up and my skin feels refreshed and the texture feels renewed if that makes sense, like there's some elasticity back. I really like this product and have definitely seen some benefits to my skin since using.

Dr PawPaw Lip Balm

 This is the perfect handbag lipbalm, i had this in my gorgeous Social Brunch Club meet up goodie bag and i'm so pleased to have this little beauty. Perfect lipbalm for on the go that delivers a real hit of moisture, and its perfect barrier balm too


So there we have it, quite the extensive amount of beauty goodies.

Have you tried any new products this month that you would recommend?

Beauty: Base Layer Favourites

When people see photos of my big ol' mug, they will comment on how good my skin is and go on to enquire as to what i use. But here's the thing.. I don't have good skin, at all.

Its very oily with lots of exposed pores and with a large amount of red undertone and general mottled texture. Its not great.

But over the years I've come to live with it with the help of finding and using great products.

I thought now would be a great time to share the products I use to create flawless(ish) looking skin, : 

The Base Layer

This is the most important when wearing makeup, as if i get the foundation right, the rest of my makeup will sit well making me a very happy gal.

 First up Moisture & Pore control

Ok so I've cleansed and toned and I'm ready to start with the first layer. 

I like a mat finish(because as an oily girl i create enough of my own shiny glow, thank you very much ;). I don't like a heavy moisturiser in the morning as i find it makes my foundation go on claggy (technical term) and appears cakey. So a light mat moisturisers is imperative.

I've been using the Embryolisse Hydra-Mat and it is a delight. It's matt yet feels nourishing and is the perfect first step. My foundation sits perfectly on top of it too.

Secondly, to rid those exposed pores i use the W7 Porefection. It does exactly what it says on the tube and is well worth its tiny price tag (Just under £7.00!).

It gives a blur effect to pores just enough to make them look less pronounced.

I use a pea sized amount and use just across my nose and cheeks where it is needed. I don't spread this across my face, I just use it in the aforementioned targeted areas. 

When using both of these products at the very start of my routine, my makeup lasts a damn site longer.

Next Up Coverage

I have my 3 favourite products here ( which are all Cruelty Free) and they range in coverage. These are tried and tested and absolutely loved. I think I've mentioned before but i have tried a lot of foundations and these have made it in to the high accolade of my Foundation Hall of Fame.

First up 

Green People Tinted Moisturiser(Far Left) 

Spf 15 this is a very very light coverage moisturiser (as the name suggests). This is perfect for those days at home, when you want to just wear a little something to even out skin tone and with a light SPF. I apply this with my finger tips as it is just like a moisturiser and adapts to the colour of your skin tone.

Second

Embryolisse CC Cream (Middle)

My current favourite and what I will wear all spring summer. Come the warmer months I always opt for a lighter coverage and this is the perfect amount of coverage without feeling cakey or full foundation. I apply this with the below light stippling blush, but can easily be applied with fingers and/or a beauty blender sponge. The application is creamy and easy and the coverage, for a CC cream, is shockingly amazing. I have been wearing this everyday of late and i am in love with it once again (i wore it all last Spring too and am still surprised how much i love this product).

This product isn't necessarily cheap BUT it's so worth it. I can't imagine not having it to use daily now.

Third

ELF Flawless Finish Foundation (right)

When I'm in need of some Full coverage it has to be my ELF Flawless Finish Foundation, I've waxed lyrical about this enough times for you to know i love it, and actually prefer it to the Chanel foundations too. Its build-able coverage, great colour tone and longevity gives this foundation its place in my makeup bag. Through summer I opt to go without it as I love to leave my skin through summer, but if i have a wedding or event, then this will be my go to foundation. I'm on my second bottle and will be repurchasing again when needed.

And finally a couple of additional finishing products

Two lightening products and a bit of extra coverage.
I use the ELF under eye lightener as just that, to disguise the grey bags under these poor sleep deprived peepers. Its not a heavy coverage, which is great as i can find heavier options can settle in my ever increasing wrinkles, but it works as more of a light reflecting lightener.
I also use the Collection Illuminating Touch as concealer. To be honest, I don't find it that illuminating, but it does work as an excellent cover for any problem areas.
And the brush is by Eco Tools and is a stippling brush, i picked up a couple of months ago and love how it lightly applies the base layer.


So there we have it friends, the all important base layer. Get this right and you're on to a winning face.
I know i feel so much better when my skin looks good and these products definitely help me with that.

What base layers are you favouring lately?

March Beauty Favourites

Ooo it's been a fun month on the beauty front. As much as i'm very settled in my day to day makeup and beauty regime, I'm always open to new products that are going to make this mug look better. For me when my makeup is good i feel like i can take on anything, and that my friends is a good feeling. Are you ready for this? There's quite a lot and i can talk the ears off a donkey when it comes to beauty products;)

So here are the products that are helping to make me feel fabulous lately*

 Ok first up are some amazing makeup pieces from a favourite brand of mine (and my step daughters too) W7 Makeup. You guys if you haven't tried anything from W7 you have to, in-fact go right now and try something. If you like products that are on trend, a bit funky that last well, have great colour pay off and carry a smaller price tag then a bunch of flowers then W7 is what you need.

The majority of my makeup bag is now infact W7. 

W7 are a fab British company that are Cruelty free and have many Vegan products in their ranges.

This month i have been besotted with the Strobe Time palette . This quad palette is a mere £7.99 and really brings a beautiful, subtle shimmer to the face. I've been using this constantly. I love to use it on my cheekbones above my blusher (more on blush in a moment) on my eyebrow arch and a touch on my cupids bow. Its a super pretty way to bring light to the face.

My next favourite product from them this month is the Matte Me Blush, i have the shades 'On The Edge' and 'Going Out' and they are both perfect. I don't like any shimmer in my blush(if i want shimmer i like to add it myself), so as soon as i saw that these were Matt i knew i'd love them.. And of course i do. The colour pay off is great, they are build-able, so subtle or as strong as you require.

Other worthy mentions are the Metal Pout metallic lips , my step daughter is OBSESSED with these, me i love the Tinted Kiss Lip Oils, which smell and taste sublime. The Absolute Lashes  is a lovely day wear mascara and finally the bronzer .. oh the bronzer. 

At £5.99 the Honolulu Bronzer is amazing, Matt (just how i like my everything it would seem), it is super similar to a very very famous, but far more expensive brand (ahem Hoola cough cough) and bronzes as well (if not better!) I'm so pleased to have this for Spring, it warms the complexion up perfectly without making me look like an oompa loompa. A little goes a long way, so use on a loose large brush and tap off the excess. This little box will last a long time i reckon.

Face of The Day

Elf foundation in Natural ( wrote about that here)

Bardot eyebrows

W7 Eyeliner, Mascara, blusher and Highlighter, finished with their Lip Oil

 Next up, after many many recommendations I've picked up the Pixi Glow Tonic. I have no glow, like literally the dullest skin ever. My pores are enlarged of late(ick..sorry, tmi?) too and i just hate that i don't have an even skin tone.
The reviews are amazing for this product, I've only just started using it, but i love the fresh taught feeling it gives to my skin. Shall keep you posted on long term skin results next month!
Have you ever used it? Would love to know your thoughts?

Another miracle product for me here. Bardou Booster Brow is INSANE. So we all know by now that i'm severely eyebrow challenged yes? Yes. So a product that stays on all day and in to the night is always what i'm after (If i could afford microblading i would, but y'know those damn kids need feeding constantly 😁). Bardo Booster brow is like a brow paint. You literally paint it on, i use a small detailing brush instead of the applicator wand as i feel i get a little more control, and then i paint it on and create the shape i want. I love the fullness it brings, the colour it is and the longevity. Highly recommend if you too like full brows but aren't blessed in the brow department. Well worth the money as a little goes a long way and i reckon it will last a while as the amount is generous in the bottle.

Lastly some final favourites Organic Shop Shampoo and deep conditioner. I've noticed my local Tesco is stocking 3 new organic Vegan and cruelty free shampoo ranges. This is the first one i've tried as its really purse friendly (£2.50each). Great to see new cruelty free and vegan brands coming in to the mainstream, making it much easy to shop.

Trusty old Batiste, but new with conditioner added, I'm all up for added condition as my hairs a little dry right now from all the dying, which is why I've also been using Lee Stafford Argan Oil , which i also found out is Vegan and Cruelty free, which makes me super happy.

And lastly Forever Living Aloe eye cream. Super soothing as i've had really sore eyes lately. I put this on a couple of times a day as its cooling and feels beautiful on  my bags ;)

What beauty products have you been loving this past month? 
Any great recommendations to share?

* Its good to note that feeling fabulous without products is also highly recommended.

Beauty Review: Neals Yard x Deliciously Ella Moisturiser & Face Wash

When your favourite recipe creator brings out beauty products you stand in good hope that they will be as excellent as the food content she creates.
The web wonder Ella Mills, author of number one bestseller Deliciously Ella and Mae Deli owner, recently collaborated with the natural and organic beauty brand Neals Yard to bring some foodie benefits to the the beauty world.

Along with Neals Yard and Ella's ethics all the products are Cruelty Free, Vegan and all organic.

What Ella says about the collaboration

"I worked closely with the team at Neal's Yard Remedies to create a beautiful blend packed with some of my favourite organic ingredients including balancing rose, toning lime, cooling cucumber and antioxidant-rich blueberries and acai.  I'm so excited for you to try my new Rose, Lime & Cucumber Collection, a simple daily skincare routine to help every skin type achieve a naturally radiant glow. Love Ella x"

So, whats it like?

Well to put it bluntly, its a pure delight for the skin.

But lets start with the packaging.
The blue heavy weight bottles dispense the product extremely well and aren't fiddly. I love that with a simple push to the pump you are dispensed with the right amount of product and aren't messing around with undoing lids and such. I keep the face wash by my shower as I always give myself a good facial cleanse whilst in there, so its good to know I can easily get the face wash without faffing.

The bottles also are very aesthetically pleasing (as are all of Neals Yards products) and when the sun shines through they really do look beautiful sat on my bathroom window sill

In regards to the product itself:

Deliciously Ella Rose, Lime & Cucumber Facial Wash:

Rose, lime and cucumber are the main ingredients to this facewash, the scent is a very clean smell, with the strongest being the Rose cutting through. I absolutely love the fragrance of the three aspects together, but its not at all overpowering.

What i noticed about this face wash straight away was the lather produced once rubbed on to the face. It suds up and spreads across the face extremely well, meaning a little goes a long way. 

Once rinsed it left my skin feeling uber clean, like all the days grime had been washed away. My face felt soft yet taut (in that super clean way) and like the perfect base to apply moisturiser. My skin seems to lap the moisturiser up when I've washed with this first.

Deliciously Ella Rose, Lime & Cucumber Moisturiser

With the exact same scent they work together hand in hand. Once my face is squeaky clean i dispense a couple of pumps of the white cream and rub in circular motions in to my skin.

The gorgeous scent disperses as quickly as the cream  sinks in to the skin, which is nice as it's not an overpowering fragrance.

The consistency is a light fluid liquid, rather than a thick heavy moisturiser.

I would say this is the perfect light weight moisturiser that works well underneath makeup also. I've been using it morning and night and its light viscosity make this excellent for the barrier between skin and makeup.

What i would say is that if you're after an anti ageing, wrinkle filling cream then this isn't for you (nor does it claim to be), but its perfect natural, organic and vegan ingredients make me want to put this on my skin, and it leaves my skin feeling nourished and healthy and not chemically 

Have you tried the Deliciously Ella and Neals yard range? Would you  give it a go?
I think if you are looking for a more natural beauty product, like I have been, this is a great place to start.

Getting Rid Of My Make-up Collection & New Vegan Beauty Replacements

A couple of weekends ago I took on the mammoth task of sorting through my vast beauty collection which spanned across 3 large drawers in one room and a few more drawers in another. I had TONS of the stuff. Lipstick upon lipstick, many similar shades, mascaras and magic potions that promised the world but didn't ever actually deliver. 

It was well overdue a big sort out; but the reason was two-fold.

1. Eating a Vegan lifestyle means I don't eat any animal products or derivatives. Therefore why would I put them on to my body either? After a lot of research it appeared that SO many big companies (l'oreal, Revlon, Maybelline to name a few) still test on animals and have animal derivatives in their products. It was time I had to say bye-bye to lots of what I owned.

2. When endeavouring on the road of a more minimal lifestyle, my Capsule Wardrobe being my catalyst, it was only natural that this stemmed on to other parts of my life. I was certainly not minimal when it came to my ridiculously large make-up collection, which, if I'm honest, I only ever used a mere 10% of it.

So one Sunday afternoon I pulled out all my stash and went through each piece, placing anything not-used/non vegan in to a big black bag to donate to family and friends (my step daughter had a field day)

It was shocking how much I got rid of.

But now, all I have is one small makeup bag with my everyday makeup in.

It feels liberating!

There are currently a few holes in my make-up armoury, I'm in need of a couple more things and then I'll be pretty much set.

But I thought I'd share some of the pieces I've bought and enjoyed of late.

1. Coconut Micellar Water by Sonoma Naturals
I picked this micellar water up to replace my well used Garnier Micellar water. I can not find this brand anywhere on line, but I found it (alongside some other great vegan/natural products) in TK Maxx for £7.99. It works a treat. It gets off every scrap of makeup (even my Wunderbrow.. which I'll talk about in a mo) and leaves my sking feeling clean, taut(in a good way) and fresh. I use it morning and night, and if i can find it again i will be definitely repurchasing. Completely vegan and free of all the parabens and general nasties, this is a great product.


2. M&S Natures ingredients Peach & Almond Body Spray
Did you know that a lot if the M&S Nature's Ingredients range is vegetarian & Vegan and Cruelty free? I didn't until recently. I was researching Vegan Deodorants (results soon on that!) and good ol' M&S came up.  I bought this as they had a buy on get one half price, making this literally a pound or so. The scent is Peach & Almond. I've never really been one for peachy smells, deeming them a little ,ahem, old for me (I think i'm thinking of my Nana there) but i have to say, the almond really keeps the peach in tow, and makes it less old lady, more refreshing and light.

3. Wunderbrow
Oh this stuff is a God send for an eyebrow challenged person like myself. I've blogged about it before, but I'm mentioning it here because its a. Vegan b. Cruelty Free and c. freakin' amazing. This stuff sticks for days and creates a softer more natural brow then a sold brow-pencil does. I'm on my second stick of it and i shall be buying another without a doubt. It is tricky to get off (hence its great staying power) But Micellar water on a cotton pad and a bit of a light scrub does the trick. Oil based removers also work well.

4. Elf Concealer & Highlighter
In need of some eye baggage coverage I turned to ELF cosmetics. This is a concealer one end and the white cream is a subtle highlighter. The concealer is ok.. not amazing, but ok. The coverage is enough, but I do find it fades through the day (or my greying eye area seeps through the more tired I get). The white highlight cream is pretty and subtle. I place it along the eye socket/higher cheekbone, and lightly dab it in. It has a nice light reflecting element which makes the area look glowy.

5. Organic Surge Eye gel
Love this product for cooling puffy eyes. It really helps in the morning, when i've just gotten up and I'm feeling all sleepy and bleary eyed. The gel acts as a coolant and soothes my sleepy peppers perfectly

6.B. Cosmetics Blush
B. are a Brand my Uk retailer Superdrug. All their range is delightfully cruelty free and vegan. I bought this peachy blush as it seemed an all rounder. Great for day to day wear as it has a subtle colour pay off that makes it natural an easy to wear.


7. Barry M Eyeliner
Having been using the same eye-liner for about 4 years it was a tricky one to replace. So i've been road testing this Barry M eyeliner, and although the application is a little different (the brush/tip is firm rather than flowing) It still produces an inky dark black which is good enough. Longevity with this eye liner is pretty decent and lasts the day, with just my inner eye smudging away, but this is fairly common for me. I've used this every day i've worn makeup of late and the more i use it the more I like it.

8.Green People Mascara
This is a vegetarian mascara (it has bees wax included) and the only mascara i have right now, which is a major step away from how i used to be.. mascaras were my guilty pleasure.. I think I counted up 10 different types when I packed them all up. This Green People mascara is a fantastic product. It lifts, lengthens and seperates without leaving your eyelashes looking sparse or like spider-legs. One of the only mascara's i've worn and had compliments from.

9. Barry M Matte Lip (in shade 3 Dress Rehearsal)
Obsessed with this lip colour for everyday wear. Its the perfect 'your-lips-but-better' shade for me, and goes with pretty much everything. I love how it's also a slight nod to that matt lip/90's shade throw back that's everywhere right now. Its not as brown as that 'in' shade, but it works well for me and that's what's important with lipstick. it doesn't last overly well, and needs reapplying after food and drink, but that's fairly common practice for me and doesn't make me not want to wear it. The fade down when wearing it is fairly even and because of its natural pinky tone, it doesn't look patchy when it does fade.


So these are my current cruelty free/vegan favourites.

Do you have any great recommendations? I'm on the look out for a new mascara, a finishing powder and would quite like a more rose blush!

.

Autumn Essentials

I love autumn. 

Yep I am that clichéd blogger (don't we all just seem to love autumn/fall? Yay team bloggers!). 

But I honestly do, I love layers, knitwear, chunky boots, cold clear mornings and watching the countryside change colour, dark nights with mugs of hot drinks and cosy rich stews.

So without coming across all Maria and the Von Trap children, these are a few of my favourite things.. 

The Autumn Edition

1. Beautiful thick cosy socks. 

As soon as the warmer spring months roll around I pretty much go without socks, so for about 6 months of the year, I am indeed sock-less. So when the colder months come, there is nothing lovelier than donning a pair of thick knit, cosy, soft socks.

I recently added these BEAUTIFUL Free People socks on to my Shopbop order that I was placing, and I can not for my toes to bask in their snuggliness. They are honestly, the nicest socks I think I've ever purchased.

2.Candles. 

I actually use candles all year round.. But my absolute favourite scents come back on the scene in autumn. The berries, the cinnamon and the spiced apple are my idea of scented heaven (like this cheap and cheerful one). I have them all over the house so the scent permeates throughout. There's just something so satisfying, so relaxing about a dark room with candles flickering, it's one of my favourite ways to un-wind.

3. Lip scrubs. 

Because I am out walking quite a bit, I inevitably end up with chapped lips through autumn and winter due to cold temperatures and whipping winds. One of the only things that assists me with this is a great lip scrub. I've been using the Blissworld   Fabulips Sugar Lip scrub and it is heavenly. It exfoliates without being abrasive and allows lipstick application to go on smoothly, which with the deep berry tones that come with autumn, its essential to get it right.

Which leads me nicely on to..

4. Lipbalms.

Something I couldn't be without all year round, but i always make sure I have extra at hand during the colder months. I'm currently using the Pacifica Vegan tinted lipbalm  for that hint of colour as well as conditioning. 

5. Tea

I am an avid coffee drinker, either with soya milk or black.. I love it. But I can't drink it past 6pm or I'm wired and laying awake till stupid  o'clock and sleep just won't come. So I am trying some new tea's.. My friend recently recommended these Twinnings Cherry Bakewell flavour green teas, so these i shall try.

6. Foundation

Through summer I use a tinted moisturiser, but come winter my skin always needs that little bit of extra help and I inevitably up the coverage. I've recently picked up this Barry M Matt foundation and I really like it. It has just a small price tag of £5.99 but the coverage is great and the colour suits my skin perfectly. It sinks in to the skin really well and blends with a beauty blender wonderfully. For such a cheap foundation I really can't fault it!

7. Hand Cream

I'm acutely aware that I am getting proper old lady hands. I'm so clumsy and always cooking and doing dishes and so my hands take a bit of a beating. I'm forcing myself to make a new habit this season and start moisturising regularly. Sounds silly, but I think it would really help these well worn fingers out if i gave a little bit back to them. I'm using a lot of the Marks & Spencers own ranges as they are cruelty free and often vegan/vegetarian!

8. Burgundy Nails

Oh yes.. Berry, burgundy, wine... these are all the colours I want on my nails right now and for the foreseeable. I steer clear of them during Summer months and then thoroughly look forward to wearing them again. I'm looking at the Barry M in Chilli as my first of the season

What are your Autumn essentials.. pres tell, is there anything i should add on this season?

Haircare & Cruelty Free Products I Use

Becoming plant based/ vegetarian isn't just about changing what you put in to your body, for me it's also about what you put on your body too.
I don't eat animals and feel their worth so why would I buy from a company that still tests products on animals (which is completely unnecessary in this day and age in my honest opinion).
So i got researching great cruelty free and Vegan products.

Now if you've read this far and you're thinking, well I'm not vegetarian/vegan so why would this bother me?

These products are for everyone. The fact that they have sparred those cute fluffy bunnies or other such animals, then surely that can only be a great thing, right?
Plus I am doing a lot of research to make these products easy to find and tried and tested by yours truly.. instead of a guinea pig testing, you have me doing all the leg work for you.

So.. HAIRCARE.. I will be completely honest with you, my hair is like my crowning glory. I love my hair, and as much as I've struggled with it over the years for it's bi-polar crazy ways (seriously, frizzy, greasy, a bit straight a bit wavy, there's often no way of knowing what it wants to do), I have finally found a groove that we can both metaphorically dance to.

Starting point for me is cleansing & conditioning

Superdrug has really proven to be a fantastic source for Vegan/Cruelty free products as ALL their own range is cruelty free. So not only are you getting an absolute bargain as the prices are miniscule, but they are morally pleasing items too.
I wash my hair 2-3 times a week, depending on what I'm doing, basically if i can string it out between washes, I always will. Once washed my hair reverts to a frizzy crazy mess, so i need that as little as possible in my life.
The Superdrug Caring Coconut & Almond Shampoo & Conditioner is a very gentle shampoo, very natural and smells wonderful (love me some coconut scents).
Because it is more of a natural product it does feel very different on the hair; first off, it takes a lot to get a good lather, I will often have to add a bit more, or dip my head in under the water to encourage some foam-age. Once rinsed, my hair feels super tangly, but the conditioner works well to counteract that.
As shampoo & conditioner go they are fine. I am nearly through these bottles so i shall be looking at trying Faith in Nature, which I've heard good reviews about.

Next up brushing detangling

Now to me, and possibly the majority of the female population The Tangle Teaser is the best thing since sliced bread. Cutting through knotty tangled hair like a knife to butter, this thing has saved many a crying small child from the agonizing hair brushing ritual. 

My sister has 2 gorgeous little girls. They were both blessed with beautiful but crazy curly hair. The Tangle Teaser is the only thing that tamed those heads of crazy curls without inducing tears. 

Marvel at its wonder..

 Now my hair is shorter I don't have to worry too much about knotty hair, but this just feels so therapeutic when I brush with the Tangle Teaser. My hair becomes silky soft, it also removes any dead hair and leaves my tresses silky soft and knot free. This one is a fab 'on -the-go' size in a rather dashing gold (snazzy, i know. They also have leopard print, insert heart eyed emoji here!) which is perfect for me and the teen step daughter who has hair down to her bottom, and when we are out the pesky wind is our arch nemesis. (Not any more with the Tangle teaser of course). Bloomin' love this thing, and any household that has a female in it should have one :D

ahem.. excuse the literal no makeup look... this is me genuinely getting ready ;)

On to Styling Products

Took me a while to navigate the Cruelty Free Hair product waters.. but with a bit of perseverance I found my new go-to styling products.
Both the Style Expertise Heat Protecting Spray & Anti Frizz Serum are new to me (Superdrug came to the rescue once again!) and both work just as well as the likes of L'oreal or Toni & Guy which i previously used regularly. The scent is pleasant and not overpowering, the product does what is says and reduces both damage and frizz nicely. Super pelased to have found these are they are now staples in my haircare routine.
A favourite look for me is the simply tousled look.. ie lazy girl hair. A texturizing spray is a must for me. I often let my hair dry naturally, and with a generous spritz of The Lee Bancroft texturizing mist, it leaves me with beachy (read:messy-but-in-nice-way) hair. So simple, so easy, and perfect summer hair. I picked this one up in Tesco and have had it a while, I really like the product and plan to repurchase.

Finally: Stylin'

Two day hair styles are my favourite no brainer.. It's been a while since i've done this no-heat curl style, but with it being warm I thought it was perfect for day 1. Firstly all the clean-just washed and naturally dried hair is scooped up and off the neck. It's wrapped around a stretchy circular head band and left that way for the rest of the day. Get on with your biz, sleep on it, do as you please. It's messy but fun and super easy to do.
Let me know if you'd like a hair tutorial on how to do this. Perhaps I could vlog it (eek)?

Then day 2 hair, once the band is removed and the hair is brushed through with my Tangle Teaser, you are left with fabulous, full bodied waves.
So. Flippin'. Easy.
No heat, no damage to the hair and a lovely outcome.. What's not to like?

So there we have it. My hair care: Products & styling!

Is there anything you use as part of your haircare routine that you would highly recommend?

And would you think about buying cruelty free products in future?