REN Clean Skincare Clean Screen Mineral SPF 30

When it comes to Sun care I am really picky about which one I will put on my face. I cannot stand that overly thick cream which makes your skin feel as though you have rubbed it into a tub of lard, it just makes me feel as though I constantly need to wash my face.  When this Clean Screen Mineral SPF30 from REN Clean Skincare arrived I was elated because not only do I absolutely adore REN as a brand, but I am yet to find a product I dislike.

With its bright sunshine yellow packaging, it would be hard to miss this product on your shelf and if ever there was a timely reminder that you should be wearing sunscreen every single day, then this is it. The sun is arguably the biggest contributor to skin ageing. UVB rays are mostly responsible for sunburn and redness, while UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin, causing lines and wrinkles. These rays get to your skin even on days when it is cloudy and I have lost count of the number of confused looks I get when I tell people I wear SPF every single day unless of course, I have no plans to leave the house.

So from REN we have a product which is a mattifying face sunscreen and this is what excited me the most because most of the suncare products I have tried leaves the skin with a greasy shiny film. It also has a Broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection as well as blue light protection, non-nano technology, it is also vegan and made of over 99% natural ingredients. After 6 years of research into SPF, this sunscreen is silicone free and if you are a fan of REN or know about REN, then one thing they want to do is not only to look after your skin but also our planet too and in previous reviews such as this one, I have detailed how changes have been made to their packaging. For this Sunscreen, REN has used 50% recycled plastic to create the tube - the maximum we can while protecting the formula, and 100% recycled plastic for the cap.

Ingredients are also an important factor for REN and a lot of thought goes into each product. For this one we have:

• Passion Fruit Extract which a powerful antioxidant and its job is to protect against pollution and potential irritation flare-ups.
• Rice Extract which not only soothes reddened skin but gives a mattifying finish to combat sun-induced shine and excess oil. It keeps you matte and fresh while creating the perfect base for makeup.
• Zinc Oxide which is said to be a physical shield that effectively blocks and reflects UVA, UVB, Blue Light rays to prevent ageing and pigmentation.Yellow Passion Fruit Seed Extract for its antioxidant action. Boosts skin's internal defence system to help protect from pollution and free radical damage.
• Rice Starch which absorbs oil, controls shine and minimises pore appearance. Soothes irritation.

Designed to be the last step of your skincare routine but before makeup, this sunscreen should be massaged onto and into the skin.  What I really like is the texture, it is no thicker than my moisturising cream and it has no horrible chemical smell.

I love that you only need a small amount to cover the entirety of your face and neck and it is so lightweight once it has absorbed, it is easy to forget it is there, whereas some highstreet versions never feel as though they will absorb into the skin and just create a white film on the skin, none of which you get with this.

It has been really easy to add this into my existing skincare routine and it is now a daily part of my life.  It is priced at £30 for 50ml here and if you need a new sunscreen, this is definitely one not to miss.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Beatitude Comfort Aromatherapy Candle

I absolutely love candles, there is something about the relaxation abilities which draws me in. From Beatitude, I have the Beatitude Comfort Aromatherapy Candle (£34) which is just beautiful.  I have used a few products from Beatitude such as the Patience Bath Oil here and the Peace Room and Pillow Spray here.  Beatitude is a brand which is best described as a luxury aromatherapy brand and it was created by beauty therapist and aromatherapist Rebecca O’Connor. Launched in Scotland in 2011 is 100% natural with no parabens, no petrochemicals, no sulphates and no artificial colours or fragrances. Beatitude is the ultimate feel-good brand and represents a luxurious high-quality product that has consideration for the environment.

The Comfort Aromatherapy Candle is described as having the most comforting and harmonising aroma and as soon as the box is opened, there is the most incredible scent that captures your attention.

Made from Eco Soy Wax, this candle also has a lead free wick and only uses the finest essential oils.  Even before the candle is alight, the fragrance, as I have said already, captures your attention pretty quickly, once alight, that fragrance intensifies and to sit or lie down in a darkened room and allow the essential oils to simply work their magic. For me, when it comes to candles it is about the ambience they create and the ability to just change your mood.

With this candle from Beatitude it combines the uplifting blend of mandarin, bergamot and clementine alongside the more soothing and delicate floral notes of geranium and lavender which together help create that calming and relaxing space before the aroma of Eucalyptus comes to life to balance the other fragrances. After a few minutes, the fragrance has spread throughout the house and the scent lingers for a good few hours after the flame has been extinguished.  It has a burn time of 60 hours approximately and it is one I have been using for a few hours a few times a week.  I love that it burns evenly, there is no black smoke and it is just a delight to use.

For me, this candle is comforting, it does create a relaxing atmosphere and it smells just incredible.  

Do you have a favourite candle?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Easter with L'Occitane

A few weeks ago I published my alternative guide to Easter with beauty eggs here for those who want something other than chocolate this year (or both).  If there is one brand who have taken it that one step further and have a whole host of gifts for everyone, it is L'Occitane.

With a choice of two larger Easter Eggs or a pack fo four mini eggs, they make the most amazing gift for a loved one or for yourself.

Easter eggs are no longer just for kids. Indulge yourself with this set with products that capture the poetic beauty of springtime in Provence, where flowering cherry trees colour the Luberon Hills and perfume the air. 

I was kindly sent the Cherry Blossom Easter Egg (£15) and inside there are three lovely mini treats to be had and they include:

• 75ml Cherry Blossom Shower Gel
• 35ml Cherry Blossom Body Lotion 
• 10ml Cherry Blossom Hand Cream

This is one incredible fragrance and one which is perfect for the Spring, if you have ever smelt Cherry Blossom up close, L'Occitane have managed to bottle it within these products.  If it doesn't sound like a scent for you, L'Occitane has an alternative with the Verbena option and it too also includes a Shower Gel, Body Lotion and Hand Cream or if you shop at Fabled, then you can grab the Almond option which contains the shower oil, soap and hand cream.  If you need more gifts, then the four mini Easter eggs set will tick those boxes.

Will you be indulging with a Chocolate Easter Egg this coming weekend or are you hoping the Easter Bunny brings you a Beauty Egg?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

The Best Of New Beauty At Boots

An email lands in my inbox to remind me that I have almost £80 in Boots Advantage Points and with it comes a list of offers I might like to look at.  It has been some time since I have had a proper splurge in Boots, my local store is absolutely useless and has next to nothing I want to purchase and in all honesty, it needs updating to the point one of the doors doesn't even open.  So, I tend to buy what I need online, unless I am going past a Boots Store on Oxford Street here in London, and have it delivered to my local store.

To that end, when the email landed in my inbox today, I was surprised that with a quick browse just how many new brands Boots has got their hands on recently - Nine in fact.  For me, Boots is the store when I want to stock up on Sugar Crush from Soap & Glory, a top-up of Glow Tonic from Pixi or if they manage to tempt me in on a 3 for 2 deal. I tend to leave Beauty to the bigger department stores because they have what want. But now that could change.

Too Faced - One of the biggest surprises to me was that Too Faced is now available from Boots. There is everything from the best sellers such as Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara to Hangover Primer, Sweet Peach and Born This Way Collections and that is before we get to the travel size editions!   I absolutely love Too Faced as a brand and I am so chuffed to find I no longer have to drag myself off to Carnaby Street to buy the products I want, though I do absolutely love the store!

Becca - This was the biggest surprise to me and perhaps I have been living under some kind of cloud when the news of this dropped. My knowledge of Becca products isn't all that because I have only used a limited number of products from the range. What we have in Boots is the cult classics and bestsellers when it comes to highlighters, bronzers, concealers and what excites me the most is the Becca Ultimate Lipstick Love which I have had my eye on for some time now.  

Nude by Nature - This is a brand I have only ever seen in Debenhams and not always easy to get too to try.  So now we have it in Boots and again, as with Becca and Too Faced, it is quite an extensive collection of products.  As a brand, Nude by Nature is a make-up range 100% naturally derived, cruelty-free and with no synthetic ingredients. I have been wanting to try quite a few products from nude by nature especially the Radiant Loose Powder Complexion and I also love the sound of the Complexion Essentials Starter Kit which looks like a great introduction to the brand too.

BYBI - BYBI stands for By Beauty Insiders and I have featured them here on this blog a few times now (here and here) and I love the brand.   There has been quite a few new launches of late and I am really chuffed to see them on the Boots website and I have my eye on the Buriti Booster and the MegaMist.

Tony Moly - Naturally as someone who absolutely loves K-Beauty, to see Tony Moly somewhere other than in TKMaxx and Amazon is quite the treat.  Tony Moly was one of the very first K-Beauty brands I used and if you love facemasks which are a little bit kooky, then that box is well and truly ticked with Tony Moly.  I now have my eye on the Chok Chok Green Tea range which sounds just incredible.

Skyn Iceland - A brand which harnesses mineral-rich Icelandic glacial water alongside Arctic superfruits as well as pure, encapsulated oxygen to create ultimate solutions for stressed-out skin. I am a big fan of the Hydra Cool Firming Eye Gels and am looking forward to getting my hands on a few more products from the range. 

Too Cool For School - This is a brand I have seen but haven't tried and again it sits firmly within the K-Beauty section.  If you want something that sounds as equally wonderful as it does weird then the Egg Mousse Collection is definitely something you be on the lookout for!

Tan Luxe - If you a fan of fake tan then Boots will now be offering you Tan Luxe, a collection of products that are said to have been formulated without heavy pigments, no smell and perhaps most importantly no streaks. 

Finally, we have Balance Me.  As a brand, Balance Me is one I have written about on this blog quite a few times and whilst I have my eye on the Congested Skin Sheet Masks, as a brand, I am so glad to see some of my favourite products are now on sale in Boots.

I am really looking forward to seeing these brands in store as well as online* and I am definitely going to be on the lookout for new counters and stand-alone shelves so I can browse at my leisure and finally think about spending some of those well-earned points.  

Has any of these brands excited you by being on offer in Boots?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.