3 Face Masks Worth Trying

This post kind of follows up from my previous post about my skincare routine, and lets be honest, who doesn't love a good face mask?! 

Botanicals Balancing Detox Mask

This is perhaps my all time favourite mask and I've nearly used it up!! Boo!! Anyway, it's the perfect mask for my combination skin. Unlike some masks, this doesn't dry my skin out or make it feel too tight. Instead my skin feels very clean, soft and bright. I also love that it's not too thick and the clay almost melts on the skin!

Madara SOS Hydra Mask

This mask is great if you have very dry skin or just need a bit of a pick me up. My skin feels so hydrated, soft and smooth after using this mask. If you're into luxurious products then I would definitely recommend it! 

Dr Organic Dead Sea Mud Mask

First of all, I would not recommend this mask if you have sensitive skin. It does make my skin 'sting' when first applied but after a couple of minutes that sensation stops. Apart from that I love this mask and feel it really cleans my skin properly. I also think it's a great dupe for The Body Shop Seaweed Clay Mask. The only difference is that this one doesn't dry on the skin unlike the Body Shop alternative. 

Empties | January/February 2017

I always tell myself that I'll stop hoarding all my empty products but that never seems to happen. I actually really like to be able to see what I've used up, so I guess the empties posts will keep on coming! I'm trying to eliminate plastic packaging from the products that I buy, but I still have a lot unfortunately that are made from plastic. All of the plastic packaging here will be recycled and the glass items I will keep and re-use. 

To make this post somewhat easier, the only products that I would repurchase are the Balm Balm Rose water and the Dr Organic Tea Tree Oil. Now that doesn't mean that I didn't like the other products or that there's something wrong with them, it's just the fact I'm still trying to reduce the amount of products I use and actually need. I use rose water and tea tree in my DIY facial wash, hence why I need them and would buy them again. 

If you have any specific questions on any of the products shown, then  comment below and I'll get back to you :) 

Natural and Minimal Skincare Routine

I've been trying to cut down on the amount of skincare products I use over the past few months, and even from my last skincare routine post, it's become more minimalistic. I'm sure as I use products up it'll change, but for now, here's what I use pretty much every day!

AM

In the morning I'll wash my face with my DIY facial wash and then use the PHB Tea Tree Toner. I'll then put a tiny bit of PHB Brightening Eye Gel underneath my eyes. That's literally all I do! 

PM

In the evening I'll take my make up off with the Barefoot SOS Cleansing Cream, wash my face with my DIY facial wash and tone with the PHB Tea Tree Toner. I'll then apply the PHB Brightening Eye Gel like I did in the morning. My two favourite facial oils that I like to alternate between are Argan Oil and Baobab Rejuvenating Face Oil. So overall it's pretty straight forward! 

5 Ways To Practice Self Care

Self care/love is being talked about a lot on social media at the moment and it's great to see more people realising how important it is. Now I realise self care/love goes way beyond taking a bubble bath and reading a book, but I also believe in the little things making a big difference. I've recently discovered just how important self love and finding happiness from within is. I still have a long journey to go but at least now I'm a step in the right direction! 

1) Pamper evening - you've probably seen this a million times in these self love posts, but honestly a nice bath and pamper evening makes me feel so good! I also believe that using natural and organic products is a really important part of self care. What's the point of soaking in a bath and using products that could potentially harm you? I particularly love using the JOIK Relaxing bath salt with lavender essential oil in my bath, which is 100% natural and is so relaxing. 

2) Meditate - I try and meditate for around half an hour before I go to bed every day, although this can be tricky when I have a lot of uni work to do or I just want to go to bed. I particularly love guided meditations and they make me feel so calm and light (if that makes sense). There are so many great books out there that talk about different ways you can meditate and the health benefits of doing so. Sometimes it's nice just to switch off from my thoughts and just be still and breathe. 

3) Me time - I am a very sensitive person and find that sometimes I just need to switch off completely and be on my own. Step back from other peoples problems and negativity, and focus entirely on yourself, even if it's just for a couple of hours. Also turn off your phone, computer etc and just be free from the outside world for a bit. I like to turn on my diffuser, put in 4 drops of grapefruit and lavender essential oils and read my book or write in my journal for the evening.  

4) Stop comparing - I find myself doing this without even meaning to and it can be such a bad habit. I compare what other people my age are doing and have achieved and then panic that I'm doing something wrong! In reality I'm exactly where I need to be at the moment and that's okay. One tip to break out of this habit is to just write how you feel down and get it all out. Once it's all written down in front of you, let it go. It's now on paper so it doesn't have to clog up your mind and thought process. 

5) Connect with nature - this sounds super corny but for me I swear by it! I have a lot of plants in my room and they bring me so much happiness, as does going for a walk over the fields. Connecting with nature can be as simple as sitting in your garden and watching the birds or buying a bunch of flowers. You don't have to go on a 4 hour hike in the mountains to benefit from the wonders of nature. 

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Testing Out Natural Shampoos

I'm always on the lookout for a great natural shampoo, but finding one that works can be a bit of a challenge. I've tried countless organic shampoos over the past year including shampoo bars (which did not work for my hair at all). 

For today's post I have two natural and organic shampoos that vary in price to talk about that I've been using recently. 

John Masters Organics Evening Primrose Shampoo for Dry Hair £5.50 for 60ml or £17 for 237ml

I have the travel size version of this which is quite expensive, but John Masters Organics is a higher end luxury brand so that's to be expected. First of all, I do really like this shampoo and my hair feels very soft and healthy after using it. One thing I've noticed is that you don't need much product to build up a good lather, which is great since this shampoo is more pricey. I'm not that keen on the smell but once you're actually washing your hair it's not an issue. If you're into luxurious shampoos and have dry hair then I would definitely recommend this. I wish I had discovered this product a few years ago when I had bleach blonde hair!

Skin Blossom HydraVitality Shampoo £ 6.95 for 300ml

Out of the two shampoos, I definitely preferred this one. It smells amazing and my hair felt very healthy, soft and hydrated after using it. I also really like the pump bottle and the fact that it's bigger than your average sized shampoo bottle. It's great value for money and is vegan friendly, so a big plus! It also lathers up really well, which can be a challenge to find in natural and organic products. 

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