Urban Veda Body and Skin Care

Urban Veda is not a brand I have been all too familiar with.  I have had the odd sample here and there but not enough to be able to decide whether or not I like them as a brand.Then I was kindly sent a set of three products to try, which I have been using for the last 6 weeks and this is what I think!

The philosphy being the brand is one I like and it is this Originating 5000 years ago in the Himalayas, Ayurveda's holistic health and wellbeing system is based on the therapeutic properties of plants. Brimming with plants rich in vitamins, antioxidants, essential fatty acids and phytonutrients, our products are uniquely formulated to help maintain skin's natural balance. Our key ranges help to harmonise environmental factors, to purify, soothe, revive and add radiance. We believe in the value of nature and source natural, fresh, and pure ingredients to create our holistic products.  So you know that whatever product it is that you are using, is one that is full of goodness to take care of your skin, rather than one that is full of nasties to cause further irritations.

Starting with the Radiance Body wash in the lovely purple tube, I have to say it is a scent I absolutely adore, as soon as I used it for the first time, it was love.  The little accompanying blurb states:

"Naturally formulated to Ayurvedic principles, our Radiance Body Wash cleanses, moisturises and boosts all-over skin tone and radiance. Brightening bioactive and skin softening extracts help to soothe dry areas, boost collagen production and support skin's natural barrier function, helping to protect from transepidermal water loss and keeping skin healthy and hydrated".

The cream inside is quite a thick white texture, so it is one which only needs a small amount to cover your entire body and as you do so, the scent really comes to life. It is the kind of scent you can imagine in a candle which is supposed to relax you after a hectic day at work or a stressful moment in time. After using it in both a shower or the bath, it leaves the scent lingering on your body pretty much all day. The use of Turmeric to brighten the skin, skin softening liquorice and collagen boosting Arjuna all come together to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and incredibly moisturised. Add to that the aromatic scents of Marigold, Patchouli and Coriander to revitalise, this is one amazing product.  Priced at £8.99 for 200ml it is something I will be definitely repurchasing.

Next on the list is the Purifying Body Scrub which is described as follows:

"Naturally formulated to Ayurvedic principles, our Purifying Body Scrub harnesses powerful plant-based cleansers, botanical extracts and aromatic essential oils to cleanse, moisturise and detoxify skin. Star ingredient cold-pressed Neem oil aids skin health and combines with natural exfoliants Walnut shell powder and Pumice to buff away dead skin cells. Antioxidant-rich botanicals and collagen-boosting extracts keep skin supple, smooth and hydrated."

The first thing I noticed about this was the Tea Tree scent, which I have to say is not a favourite of mine. I was put right off it when in my youth I tried some in a spot removing treatment which made my eyes water for hours. That aside, I have just had a heavy head cold and this product was absolutely amazing at clearing my sinuses, I went into the shower sniffing and snorting and came out being able to breathe - amazing! Using Neem Oils to bring your skin back to health, it also uses a natural exfoliant of walnut shells and pumice to remove dead and dry skin cells and mixed in with the cream, it can be as light an exfoliant as you want it to be or with a little pressure, a lot more abrasive and it is very very effective. Also included in Arjuna to keep your skin supple, smooth and hydrated. Again, after using this, the scent lingers on your skin and flows throughout your home leaving a really lovely scent. Again priced at £8.99 for a 200ml tube, it is something I will definitely repurchase.

The final product in my set of three is the Daily Soothing Facial Wash in the orange coloured tube and it has the following description:

"Gently remove grease and grime and balance irregular dry and oily patches with uplifting yet balancing Ayurvedic ingredients. Aromatic flower, herb and spice essential oils combine to help enhance vitality, while moisturising, skin softening and vitamin-rich botanicals leave skin soft, supple and refreshed".

This is perfect for my skin which is combination with oily patches on my Tzone. Using Palmarose, Ylang Ylang and Clary Sage to gently remove grease and grime whilst bringing balance to dry irregular patches, this product uses Rose Geranium, Clove and Rosemary to help tone your skin leaving Sandalwood, Arjuna, Orange and lemon which are rich in vitamins to leave your skin feeling soft, supple and full of vitality. The scent of this is totally different to the other two, it is one which you would find in a lovely spa, those fresh scents which instantly make you feel relaxed when you walk in all pent up with stress and in need of a good massage, infact I think this product would make a lovely relaxing massage cream! As you apply it to wet skin and massage across your face, the instant feeling of cleanliness hits you. Once your skin is dry, that lovely fresh clean skin feel is fully evident. Priced at £8.99 for a 150ml tube, this again is a product I want to keep on my shelf.

It has been an absolute pleasure to use all three of these products, and I have even noticed my hubby Beautykinguk using them as well, so they must be good because he is quite fussy about what he will and won't use on his skin.

Have you tried any of these products? Are you an Urban Veda fan?

ESPA Optimal Body TriSerum

With summer on its way, I am sure we are doing everything we can to make sure our skin is in its best possible condition - exfoliating, moisturising, cleansing and so on. When I was given the opportunity to try the new ESPA Optimal Body TriSerum I read up about it and couldn't wait for it to arrive.

I can count on one hand the number of products from ESPA that I have used and as a recent convert to facial serums, I hoped that using a body serum would have the same outome with my skin being soft, smooth and incredibly moisturised.

The first thing to comment on is the amazing design of the bottle, rather than being the usual cylinrical shaped glass bottle, this one is long and slim and with some clever designing it takes on an ombre effect at the bottom where you can see the serum inside the bottle.

Described as "advanced nourishment for naturally radiant beautiful skin" and a furthr description tells us that this "product combines the potent power of a serum with the rich nourishment of Omega Oils (3, 6 and 9).  Add to the Triactive forumula which fuses together some of nature's most effective essential oils with marine and plant extracts".  Some of those ingredients include:

• Tumeric Root - this helps even skin tone and pigmentation
• Balloon Plant - to soothe and calm the skin
• Seaweed - which helps to boost firming collagen and elastin

Add to that the inclusion of Jasmine and spearmint oils to name just two of the ten oils found within this serum and I am sure you can imagine just how stunning the scent is, it is one of those scents which reminds you of being in a spa, after a treatment to help relax.

To use this serum, the instructions are to use every evening after a relaxing bath or shower and once your skin is dry, spritz over your entire body as a quick, convenient daily moisturiser.  As soon as the serum comes into contact with the skin, there is a slight cooling feel, probably from the inclusion of the spearmint oil which when you get out of a nice hot shower, does feel exceptionally nice.  As aserum it does  take a few minutes to totally absorb into the skin, but when it has, not only are you left with soft, smooth and an incredibly moisturised feeling, that initial scent has come to life and it lingers for hours on your skin.

I have been using this serum ever since I got it and a well as ensuring my skin is soft, smooth and moisturised, I have found that using it in an evening after showering, it also makes me feel incedibly relaxed.  I could quite happily curl up in bed after applying it to my skin.

A 100ml bottle of this TriSerum costs £38 which you can find HERE on the ESPA website and it is a product that is well worth trying.

Have you tried anything from Espa?

Coconut Oil - my favourite ways to use it!

Coconut Oil is one ingredient we all probably have in our kitchen and are never really sure what to do with it. As a natural oil coconut oil is a perfect moisturisers, lightweight, absorbs really easily not to mention smells divine. I am a huge fan of coconut scent products whether it is a cream, hair mask, face-mask or sun tan lotion.

Just mentioning all of the above means that it is an item you can incorporate into your beauty routine, especially if you are on a spending ban, wanting to save money, are having a bit of a DIY moment or are simply wanting to try something new.  All you need to do is Google Coconut Oil uses and within seconds before your eyes you will have over 4.3million pages to look at and go through.

The lovely people at Viridian sent me a lovely jar of organic raw virgin coconut oil** and it smells amazing, I absolutely love it.

So rather than read all of those pages, I thought it would be a good idea and a good post if I picked my favourite 5 ways to use Coconut Oil and share them with you below.

1.) Eye Makeup remover: This is a tip I was given by a friend when she was training to be a beautician.  Coconut oil will gently remove your makeup, all you need to do is place some on a damp cotton pad and rub gently in circles around your eye area to get rid of makeup.  Once you have finished be sure to wash your face thoroughly.

2.) Hair Mask: Use coconut oil as a DIY hair mask to soften your hair and add moisture. Just scoop some out into the palms of your hands to warm it through and then apply to your hair, focusing on the ends (if like me you have greasy hair, then definitely avoid the root area altogether). Once applied, leave it on for around 30 minutes and then rinse it out in the shower before shampooing and conditioning your hair.  You can also use this method as an overnight treatment, just put a towel on your pillow to make sure it doesn't stain and then wash out in the morning.  I do this when my hair is feeling really dry, particularly at the ends when my hair is due to be cut and my hair feels so soft and smooth after using.

3.) Body Scrub:  You can make your own body scrub really easily and there are a lot of tutorials which show you how to do just that.   Below is one of my favourite home made body scrubs which the people at Eco Market sent to me to try a few months back.

Combine coconut oil with: 

• 1 small organic lemon

• 1 small organic lime

• 1 cup organic pure cane sugar
• 
1/2 cup organic coconut oil
• 
1 teaspoon organic peppermint essential oil/extract
. 

You can, if you like also add some mint leaves and lemon & lime peels. Mix the coconut oil, the peppermint oil and the juice from both the lemon and lime. Then pour in the sugar and mix it up well. If you want to add the mint leaves and citrus peels then stir them in at the end. Transfer the mixture to a clean, dry container like an old jam jar and you're ready to scrub.

This is such an effective exfoliator and definitely one to try if you fancy trying a DIY version because it is so easy to do and it smells so good.  You can also use this scrub on your feet, hands and lips!

4.) Shaving Cream:  If you run out of shaving cream/foam or whatever you might use, instead of reaching for your misters (oops yes I do) or using shower gel, grab some coconut oil and warm it between the palms of your hands, massage onto the skin and then you'll see how easily your razor glides over the skin leaving you with hair free soft smooth skin.

5.) Cuticle oil: If your nail beds look really dry, cracked and are a bit sore, get a cotton bud and your jar of coconut oil and dab some onto each fingers around and on your cuticle and massage it on.  If your cuticles need a little bit more TLC then don't massage it in, put some gloves on overnight whilst sleeping, in the morning you will notice quite a difference.

Those are just some of the ways I use coconut oil and naturally there are lots of other ways because it is just such a good moisturiser and so kind to the skin.

Have you ever used coconut oil in your beauty routine? How? 

1. Tell me in the comments!