Ditch The Plastic | Soap Bars

This is the first post in my 'ditch the plastic' series and basically I'll be sharing plastic free alternatives to every day beauty products/items. 

To start this all off, I'll be talking about bars of soap that come in cardboard packaging. These are a great alternative to shower gels that come in plastic packaging, as well as soap bars that come in plastic wrapping. 

I stopped purchasing shower gels quite a while ago now and so I've gone through a lot of different soaps over the past year. They've all been natural and cruelty free, but the one brand that really stood out for me was PHB Ethical Beauty's soaps. The packaging is made from recyclable cardboard (so no plastic involved at all) and the soaps themselves are free from palm oil, perfumes, parabens and any other nasties. They're also vegan friendly and are of course cruelty free. 

With all of that aside, these soaps lather so well to the point that you wouldn't even know that they were any different from 'normal soap'. They also smell great without being overpowering and are suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. 

These are a great way to start your transition to plastic free products, whilst supporting an ethical and cruelty free brand. Win win!

You can buy these soaps from here. 

 

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Why You Should Switch To a Natural Perfume

Like most people, I have grown up using a whole range of body sprays, perfumes and air fresheners. Unfortunately, I had no idea what toxic chemicals I was spraying onto my body as a result. I find that now if I'm exposed to synthetic fragrances at work or a family member sprays something, I'll get a headache or have a sneezing fit. 

Researchers have found links to hormone disruption, cancers, thyroid problems and allergies to name a few when testing popular perfumes. These can be caused by toxic ingredients found in some perfumes and sprays, and often listed as 'fragrance' or 'parfum'. The worrying thing is, companies don't actually have to disclose what chemicals are in their 'fragrances', so many people are still buying these products oblivious to the potential health risks.

Obviously I'm not an expert, so I will link  further information on the dangers of perfumes below if you want to read more. 

It may all seem doom and gloom but it doesn't have to be that way! There are natural alternatives to synthetic fragrances which smell just as good and are longer lasting. It does take some getting used to, but in my opinion it's worth it!

You probably all know by now that I work closely with an online natural beauty shop called LoveLula. Luckily they sell natural perfume alternatives that are made from essential oils and 100% organic and natural grain alcohol. And that's it. No hidden chemicals disguised as fragrance! 

Let's have a look at the three natural perfumes that I own. All of the ingredients are 100% organic, 100% natural and approved by the Soil Association. The scents are pretty self explanatory!

Balm Balm Spearmint Natural Perfume £22

Contains Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, 100% Organic & Natural Grain Alcohol

Smells of mint!

Balm Balm Lavender Natural Perfume £22

Contains Lavendula Angustifolia, 100% Organic & Natural Grain Alcohol

Smells of lavender!

Balm Balm Mandarin Natural Perfume £22

Contains Citrus Nobilis, 100% Organic & Natural Grain Alcohol

And guess what, it smells of mandarins!! 

Now lets have a look at the ingredients of a Chanel perfume that I got a couple of years ago before I knew what was in it. 

Alcohol, parfum (fragrance), aqua (water), alpha-isomethyl ionone, linalool, citronellol, butylphenyl methylpropional, hydroxycitronellal, hexyl cinnamal, limonene, feraniol, benzyl benzoate, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, ethylhexyl salicytate, ci 15985 (yellow 6), ci 17200 (red 33), ci 60730 (violet 2)

I know which one I'd rather be putting on my body...

Further information:

http://mamavation.com/2015/03/toxic-perfume-chemicals.html

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/toxic-perfumes-and-colognes/

http://www.rodalewellness.com/health/perfume-ingredients

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maria-rodale/five-mustknows-on-the-dan_b_4737654.html

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Mineral Primer and Foundation | First Impressions

If you didn't already know, PHB Ethical Beauty is one of my favourite natural and ethical brands for beauty products. If you're looking for cruelty free, natural, vegan and ethical products, then you've come to the right place! Also, 20% of their net profit goes to charity and they use eco friendly packaging which is all recyclable. For more information, head over to their website. 

'PHB Ethical Beauty is a pioneering British family business with a revolutionary range of award winning ethical beauty products. We're home to the world's largest range of Natural, Vegan, Cruelty Free & Halal Certified beauty products. Our skin, hair & body care products are handmade in the UK and we do not test on animals.'

Now, onto the make up first impressions... 

I've never tried mineral products before so I was slightly cautious and concerned about how they'd actually look on my skin. 

I wanted to switch my foundation routine over to completely natural and paraben free products as the Barry M foundation that I was using contains parabens. I also got fed up with my make up looking too heavy and unnatural, so it was a good time to make a change. 

PHB Ethical Beauty Pressed Mineral Primer - £16.50

So, first of all I'll list some information about this product copied from the LoveLula page.

'Key Benefits: • Free from nano particles, parabens, bismuth oxychloride, talc, formaldehyde, mineral oils, fillers, gluten, fragrance, preservatives & GM ingredients. • Natural SPF 15 • Long lasting colour • Water resistant • Nourishes and protects skin • Natural looking finish • Never clogs pores- great for spot prone skin • Naturally radiant: with light reflecting properties that minimise imperfections, pores and fine lines • 100% natural- great for sensitive skin • Vegan, Cruelty Free and Halal Size: 9g'

It also says to use the PHB Powder Brush to apply this, but I used the Kabuki brush (which is seen below) as this is also suitable to apply mineral products. 

Anyway, I first applied it with my PHB Kabuki brush and straight away noticed that my skin appeared almost blurred and it felt very smooth. As the brush is quite large, I couldn't get the primer right in the corners, so I applied it with my finger which actually worked better than the brush. I was able to pat the primer into my skin more, which created a better base for the foundation. 

My skin actually looked better than it did with a standard liquid primer that contains silicone. Overall I was very impressed with how this primer worked!

PHB Ethical Beauty Loose Mineral Foundation +SPF30 - Cream £15.95

First of all, the shade 'Cream' is slightly too light for me but I can get around this by simply warming up the skin with bronzer. 

To apply this mineral foundation, I used the PHB Kabuki brush and it applied very smoothly and flawlessly. At first the coverage is quite light but it is definitely build-able. This foundation is not going to cover blemishes completely as it's more of a 'your skin but better' product. 

It does however work with a cream concealer over the top, so you can still cover spots and any other marks. To set the concealer I just put a little bit of the foundation over it. I didn't put concealer underneath my eyes like normal as it gives such a natural look on its own, so doing this would potentially spoil it.

My skin overall looked very flawless, yet still looked like my skin (if that makes sense) as you could still see some of the imperfections underneath. If you're used to a full coverage liquid foundation that covers literally everything, then this probably wouldn't be for you. But if you wanted something very natural and light weight that lets your skin breathe, then I would definitely recommend this.

 PHB Ethical Beauty Retractable Kabuki Brush - £11.95

This brush is incredibly soft and has the bonus of being made from vegan and sustainable materials. It's also perfect for travelling with as it retracts! It works perfectly with the mineral foundation and is very gentle on the skin.

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Natural Make Up Removers | Do They Work?

Before I start, I just wanted to say that I take all of my blog photography in bulk for the upcoming months and plan/schedule my posts. I actually took this photo on the 17th February, so I've been using these products for a month now.  

Anyway, I decided I wanted to stop using make up wipes some time ago now. So I used up the ones I had and went on the hunt for a natural, less wasteful alternative. 

Indemne MISS ELLA LOTION Cleansing water, make-up remove 260ml for £12.50

So first of all, this claims that 'MISS ELLA LOTION Cleansing lotion is perfect to remove make-up and to clean all the skin's types. It's a natural lotion with a gently composition of essential oils like New Caledonia sandalwood and Lavendin grosso and organic floral waters 100% natural'. You also get 260ml of product for £12.50, which I personally think is very reasonably priced. 

To remove a full face of make up I would first of all dampen my Balm Balm Organic Muslin Face Cloth and then pour a small amount on to it. I found that it removed my make up really well, including mascara and eyeliner. It left hardly an smudges of black across my face and there was no pesky foundation left. It also didn't sting my eyes. 

The only negative is the smell which I can't really describe but I'm definitely not keen. Apart from that it worked really well and is great value for money

Madara Micellar Water 100ml for £14 

This claims to be an 'All-in-one, no-rinse cleansing - ideal for daily use and perfect for travel. Removes make-up and impurities, balances and hydrates even sensitive skin in one single step. Based on moisturising aloe vera, skinquenching hyaluronic acid and calming Northern peony. Apply onto a cotton pad, wipe over face, eyes and lips. VEGAN Nut Free Natural & Organic ECOCERT Cruelty Free'.  I feel it's quite expensive for the amount you get but Madara is a very high quality brand, so that's to be expected. 

So to remove a full face of make up I would pour a fairly small amount onto a dry muslin cloth. It didn't say to specifically dampen your cloth before so I didn't. This removed my foundation really well but unfortunately it didn't do the same with my eye make up. It instead smudged it across my face and I had to use coconut oil to get it off. 

Overall I think this would work better after you've removed your make up with something else and wanted an extra cleanse. 

Lyonsleaf, Beauty Balm 55ml for £12.95

'Moisturise, cleanse, exfoliate, nourish, repair and protect from one revolutionary little pot.' This is probably my favourite natural make up remover, although it can get messy! This also will last you a lot longer than your conventional make up remover, so I personally feel it is good value for money.

To remove a full face of make up I would scoop a bit out and rub it over my make up. The make up then kind of breaks down and basically goes everywhere! Next I would wipe my face with a damp muslin cloth until all of my make up was off. 

This worked so well and is definitely worth persevering with. Yes it takes longer than using a wipe but I found it got off every single bit of make up. You can also use this balm as a moisturiser and is suitable for all skin types. 

Also coconut oil is a great way of removing make up and is completely natural! 

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LoveLula March 2017 Beauty Box

This months LoveLula Beauty Box is worth £40 which is of course great value when the box only costs £12.50! There are four full sized products and one sample which unfortunately I didn't get in my box for some reason. This was slightly disappointing but at least it was only a sample! You can sign up here for next months box.

Seascape Island Apothecary Unwind Body Wash 300ml - £16

I don't normally use shower gel so this will be a treat! It contains no parabens or sls which are two ingredients I like to avoid using on my skin. I also think it might be vegan friendly although I'm not 100% sure (it doesn't say). The packaging is stunning as well and feels very luxurious!

Laidbare For Richer For Porer 'Miracle' Mask 50ml - £7.99

'Mask imperfections and reduce pores with our cleansing and hydrating facial masque. Kaolin Clay draws out impurities and toxins, Japanese Seaweed Extract detoxifies and smoothes the skin. Shea Butter gives hydration and conditions skin, whilst Liquorice helps minimise inflammation and Rose Water soothes irritation.' 

This face mask sounds perfect for what I need right now and I've recently used up all my face masks. Again it doesn't say whether it's vegan or not, I'm guessing it's not as brands usually advertise this. 

PHB Ethical Beauty Brightening Hand Cream with Neroli & Ylang Ylang 50ml - £10.95 (vegan)

'Key benefits: • With Ylang Ylang, Neroli & Sea Buckthorn oils for even skin tone • Rich, nourishing formula for softer and more supple skin • Soothes hard working hands • Protects against environmental factors • No greasiness or residue • Mild and Gentle • Free From Parabens, Artificial Fragrance & Colours, Petrochemicals, Formaldehyde, Mineral Oils, Palm Oil & Phenoxyethanol • Cruelty free, Vegan and Halal Certified • Handmade in the UK'

PHB Ethical Beauty are one of my favourite brands so I was really happy to see this hand cream! I am confident that I'll love this product and once I've used it properly I'll post a full review.

Hurraw Papaya Pineapple Lip Balm 4.3g - £4.99 (vegan)

It's been so long since I've used a Hurraw lip balm and I can't wait to try this out properly! This smells incredible and it's actually new from Hurraw which is very exciting!

Another great box from LoveLula! 

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DIY Toothpaste | Zero Waste

First of all, I would just like to stress that I am NOT a dental expert and this may not work for everyone. I personally was fed up with spending a fortune on 'natural' toothpastes so thought I might as well give it a go and make my own. 

I've been using this for a month now and so far so good. My teeth actually look slightly whiter but they do feel a tiny bit sensitive with cold drinks etc, but I can live with that and it's not an issue.

You will need:

1 tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda

2 tablespoons of coconut oil

10 drops of peppermint oil

Mix it all up until creamy and smooth and there you go! I store mine in a glass container that had a face mask in it which I can continue to reuse. 

Let me know if you try this out! 

What's In My Bag? | Rice Love Bags

Before I jump into the actual post about what's in my bag, I thought I'd share a bit about the bag that I'm currently using from Rice Love Bags. I'm so happy to be part of their rep program (you can get 20% off with the code 'CHARWBEAUTY'). I know a lot of people get annoyed by bloggers going on about affiliate codes and all that, but this is such a good cause and I will definitely be spreading the word as much as possible. And no, I wasn't sent the bag for free or anything like that, and would still be promoting this company even if I didn't have an affiliate code. 

First of all, the actual design is very unique and quirky, and is handmade from used jute rice bags which would otherwise have gone into landfill. It cost $36 and shipping to the UK was around $20, and amazingly it arrived in 5 days and I had no custom charges. It's available to buy here. 

More importantly, purchasing a bag provides 1 kilo of rice to a family in India AND provides women with jobs, which is absolutely incredible. When I received my bag I was given a unique code that actually showed the family that purchasing my bag had helped (see below). I think it's wonderful that you can actually see the people that you're helping as the whole process becomes so much more personal. 

So, what's actually in my bag? 

First of all I have this make up bag/pouch from Urban Outfitters that I keep personal bits in and just random crap that I don't want loose in my bag. 

I then have my phone which is a Samsung S6 and the case is from Etsy. My keys have random key rings that I've collected from Virginia, Washington DC and Vancouver. I also have a reusable shopping bag because plastic bags are BAD. 

Next I have my purse which (obviously) came from Whistler, Canada. It's made from vegan materials and I just adore the design. Lastly I have some hand gel because I'm a germs freak and a packet of tissues. 

So overall pretty simple! I tend to avoid receipts when I can and like to carry around only the bare essentials.

Everyday Make Up

Today's post is all about the make up products I use everyday and which products I'm trying to use up/pan. 

For my face I first of all prime with the Milani Prime Shield which I absolutely love. For foundation I of course use the Barry M Flawless Matte Finish Foundation, which I've very nearly used up. I already repurchased this a while ago but unfortunately won't be again as it contains parabens... boo!! Anyway, for concealer I use the NYX Wand and then set my face with the B. Pressed Powder. 

To warm my face up I use a Stila Foundation Refillable (not sure of the shade), which I'm actually trying to use up. For bronzer I use Nars Laguna and for blush I use Nars Deep Throat. These two are also part of the 'project pan' gang as I've had them for nearly three years now and don't want them to go off. Next for highlight I switch between this random Stila Single Eyeshadow and of course The Balm's Mary Lou. Finally to contour I use the NYX Contour Kit or just use Nars Laguna. 

Moving onto eyes, I use the UD Eyeshadow Primer samples which I'm trying to use up as they've been hanging around for ages. For eyeshadow my everyday palette is the original Naked Palette which I've already started to pan. This is coming up to three years old so again I want to use it before it goes off completely. For eyeliner I use the B. Kohl Liner which is a chocolate brown colour and for mascara I use both Too Faced's Better Than Sex and Barry M's Showgirl. Finally for brows I use the Milani Eyebrow Gel and set them with NYX Control Freak Eyebrow Gel. 

Make Up Declutter

My make up collection is slowly starting to shrink thanks to my recent rather brutal declutter. 

As you can see from the pictures below, there is rather a lot that I've decided to let go off. Some of it I simply threw away/recycled because it was old and well past is. All of the nail polishes went to my cousin and the rest will either go to her or I will donate them. I actually decided to keep the NudeTude palette and hopefully pan most of the shades, which I'll post pictures of on Instagram as I make progress. 

I wasn't really using any of these so I'm not sad to see them go, plus the majority contain parabens and goodness knows what else. Most of it was also from the drugstore so fairly inexpensive. This whole process has definitely taught me to put more thought into what I buy and to not be as wasteful! 

Make Up Geek Eyeshadows

I LOVE Make Up Geek's eyeshadows... they blend beautifully, the pigment is amazing and they're fairly affordable. In the height of my make up collecting addiction I purchased quite a few (even though I didn't need them) and thought I'd share which ones I own. 

Top row: Morocco, Poppy, Cosmopolitan, Roulette, Razzleberry, Bitten, Curfew 

Middle row: Mango Tango, Cupcake, Sorbet, Phantom, Mocha, Latte, Frappe

Bottom Row: I'm Peachless, Bleached Blonde, Creme Brulee, Glamorous, Havoc, Sea Mist