Ochre Body and Skincare Range

Natural Skincare is something I am always interested in trying and one brand I have been using of late is Ochre Body and Skincare. A philosophy which states "Ochre Body and Skin is designed to care for you and our environment and to be affordable for everyday use. We avoid the use of any ingredients that could be considered harmful to your skin and minimise the amount of packaging in the product or used in delivering the product to you".

So, having been sent three products to try - Enliven Shampoo, Harmonise Conditioner and Cherish Body Lotion, each one brightly coloured and eye catching whilst sitting on my shelf in the bathroom.

Enliven Shampoo is the first product I used, in fact I enjoyed using it so much, there is just a small amount left. Described as being for frequent use this shampoo is suitable for all hair types. I tend to use it once or twice a week as a sort of in-between shampoo because I find it really gives my scalp a good cleanse, whether that was its original purpose or not, for me this is what it does. When you flip the lid and first use this shampoo, the first thing you do notice is the scent because it combines both Rosemary, which is used in many hair products to improve scalp problems and Peppermint which acts as an antiseptic, together they smell amazing. 

 There is also coconut and vitamin B5 rich panthenol included and they enhance the appearance of your hair by increasing body, suppleness and sheen plus there are sea minerals to condition, moisturise and protect. Putting all these together results in your hair feeling soft, smooth, hydrated and your scalp clean.

As someone who has dry ends and greasy roots, I tend not to put too much conditioner on my hair regularly, it doesn't like it, instead I tend to use it once a week and then at least twice a month, I use a conditioning hair mask.

Harmonise Conditioner uses arginine, which is a natural amino acid and an essential component of your hair to help your hair regain its natural thickness. Again using ingredients such as geranium and lavender oils to help regulate your hairs natural oils and stimulate the scalp, it leaves your hair feeling clean and frizz free. Also included is coconut, sweet almond oil and vitamin B5 rich Panthenol again to enhance body, suppleness and sheen. As with the Enliven Shampoo, there is also sea minerals to condition, moisturise and protect.

Once the conditioner is on your hair, if I use a small amount, my hair feels really hydrated and silky soft and being used once a week as a treat, my hair has really taken to this conditioner. Gone is the horrid straw like feeling I sometimes get. The scent is light enough that it doesn't overpower the senses but it is most definitely noticeable as you wash your hair and as your hair dries, whether naturally or with a hairdryer. What I do like is how easy the conditioner lathers as soon as it touches your hair and comes into contact with water, thus meaning you need only a small amount. I tend to use this everywhere buy my roots.

The final product from this trio is the Cherish Body Lotion. Packaged in the similar bottles to the shampoo and conditioner and like those two products it using nutrient-rich sea minerals to revitalise and renew. As a formula it is non-greasy and is really easily absorbed into the skin where upon which it is so gentle, you can use it on all body parts, though I have never used it on my face.

Ingredients wise, there is a combination of sweet almond oil which smoothens, softens and protects to help the skin retain its elasticity and suppleness. Arginine is again present and in a body lotion it is said to benefit the radiance and vitality of the skin to help it maintain its elasticity and suppleness as with the sweet almond oil. There is also Cedarwood Oil which on the skin helps to soothe itching and is great for those with oily skin, as a scent it is calming and soothing. Patchouli Oil which is very effective in helping to deal with rough, cracked and overly dehydrated skin and as a scent it is hosts grounding properties which calm and relax.

The reason I like this body lotion is because it is really hydrating, particularly after being in the shower or a hot bath. It goes onto the skin really smoothly, is quite luxurious and absorbs really quickly with a little going a very long way. It has been some time since I have had a body lotion that I have continued to use like I do with this.

  Ochre Body and Skin products are all free from sulphates, PEGs, parabens, animal ingredients, synthetic colours, synthetic fragrances and other potential irritants. So if you are a big fan of natural skincare or just want to try something new, then I cannot recommend these three products highly enough, they are an absolute delight to use and smell amazing.  You can find more information about Ochre and the rest of their product line HERE along with any other information you might need.

Anatomicals Quirky Gifts

Anatomicals are known for their rather quirky named products, some are literally laugh out loud funny and others you snigger away at on your own. The three products I have for you today made me cackle if nothing else and are one of those gifts that would be perfect for office Secret Santas, which is what I did with mine and couldn't show you until now, as they might have been spotted!

High Noon For The Prune - Dry Relief Balm RRP £3.79

Anatomicals Dry Skin Relief Balm High Noon For The Prune is an all-natural remedy for eczema and extremely dry skin and is formulated specifically for children and adults. This formula includes all-natural ingredients and features the amazing healing power of the Cocus Nucifera Extract and Gardenia Tahitensis.

Anatomicals Dry Skin Relief Balm High Noon For The Prune incorporates these oils from the Cocus Nucifera Extract with other soothing botanicals like cocoa butter, and Vitamin E to create a truly remarkable product in an easy-to-use use “balm tin” – kind of like a super-sized balm for your whole body.

All natural, easy to use relief for your kids dry skin and eczema.

• Ultra moisturizing for dry & sensitive skin.
• Improves eczema and extreme dry-skin in 3 days
• Soothes and softens your driest, hardest, and roughest skin.
• Soothing itchy, painful irritation immediately
• Reducing irritation/symptoms from dry climates
• Soothing sunburn, minor scrapes and burns, and rashes

'Oi! You Throbhead' - Headache Relief Balm RRP £3.79

This cooling temple rub is rich with soothing botanical extracts and including our favorite, super-concentrated Menthol Crystals: the essence of mint created by a freezing process. In traditional aromatherapy, Eucalyptus and Peppermint are stimulating and refreshing, Lavender supports balance and calm, and Mandarin is uplifting. This portable aromatherapy balm promotes calm and a sense of relaxed well-being, and helps to clear and cool sinuses.

To Use: Rub a small amount of Oi! Throbhead Headache Relief Balm onto temples, forehead, back of neck, or anywhere that needs a little soothing & breathe it in. Sit back, close your eyes & relax.

World Pore 3 Deep Cleansing nose, chin + forehead Strips £6.99

The end is nigh. at least it is where your blasted blackheads are concerned. World Pore 1 (1980-1985) saw the destruction of them on your nose. World Pore 2 (1996-2001) saw the destruction of them on your forehead. World Pore 3 (2009- ) now sees the annihilation of them on your chin. beauty leaders (more interested in T Zones then demilitarized zones) can all agree that nothing beats a glowing complexion. launched simultaneously in the Uk, America, Russia, Germany, and yes even Iraq, these weapons of mass gorgeousness will wipe ugly blemishes off the face of the earth. and more importantly off your face.

To use

1. Thoroughly clean the face with water, ensuring the skin is free from any cosmetics or other skin treatments.
2. Wet nose/chin/forehead area thoroughly with clean water.
3. With dry hands open the nose/chin/forehead strip sachet and peel the strip from the liner.
4. Apply the strip with the shiny side down on the nose/chin/forehead. Take care to smooth out any bubbles or creases.
5. Allow the strip to dry naturally for about 10-15 minutes and then carefully start to peel the strip off from two ends towards the middle. If the strip is too firmly attached or is painful to remove, wet the area thoroughly until the strip is easy to remove.

So there you have some fun little quirky gifts for the office.  I know that one of my colleagues would appreciate the humour of Oi Throbhead for sure!

Do you like Anatomicals products?

Give and Makeup

When I saw this post on the Escentual Website it struck a cord with me and with permission I have copied and pasted it. 

We all have ‘tried once, didn’t love’ makeup, skincare and toiletries.

Some of you may even have drawers full of the stuff, an archive of unsuitable presents and hasty purchases that are crying out for a new home. But don’t throw them all away in a fit of ‘New Year, New Me’ madness – if your New Year’s resolution is to detox, we’ve got a solution that will help you make others else feel a little better about themselves in 2015.

Donate your unwanted makeup and toiletries to Give and Makeup and you’ll be making a direct and tangible difference to women and children who’ve started the New Year in an unfamiliar place with limited possessions.  

About Give and Makeup

Give and Makeup is a non-profit initiative kick-started in 2010 by skincare guru and all-round wonderful lady, Caroline Hirons. Upon realising that women and children who escape from abusive households arrive at women’s shelters with absolutely nothing, Caroline brainstormed useful ways in which she could help. And her answer was straightforward: to donate and encourage others to donate surplus makeup and toiletries to shelters in the hope of restoring some normalcy to the lives of those who have found themselves in a desperate situation. The idea took root, and as of 2015 the Give and Makeup initiative has ensured thousands of products have made it into the hands of those who need them the most.

Escentual works with Give and Makeup by acting as a donation point, which means that anyone who wants to donate can send their products through to us, and we will deliver them directly to Welsh Women’s Aid. It’s simple, straightforward and very easy to get involved.

What you can donate

When women and children make the brave decision to come to the shelter, they often arrive with absolutely nothing. This means every donation is very important, no matter how basic. We accept a wide range of products on their behalf:

The Essentials	Skincare & Makeup	Babies & Children
Shampoo & Conditioner	Cleanser	Bath products
Bath/Shower Gel	Toner/Water Spray	Body lotion
Body lotion	Moisturiser	Nappy rash cream
Hair products	Serum	Cotton buds
Toothbrushes*	Foundation	Cotton pads
Feminine Hygiene Products	Mascara*
At-Home Hair Dye	Concealer*
Shaving products	Eye shadow
Tweezers	Lip Gloss*
Heated hair tools	Blusher
	Makeup brushes

Regarding the condition of the products, the rule of thumb is: ‘if you’d be happy to give the product to a friend, we’ll take it!’ If you have products that don’t appear on the list and you’d like to know whether they’re suitable for donation, tweet @escentual and we’ll be happy to help.

*Due to hygiene reasons, we can only accept the starred items in a brand new condition.

How to donate

Wrap your donation up securely and post it to:

Give and Makeup c/o
Escentual.com
63-67 Wellfield Road
Cardiff
CF24 3PA  (There is further information on Caroline Hirons page which is linked above)

What happens to your donation

When your donation arrives with us, we sort through it to make sure that everything included fulfils the criteria. Unfortunately, there are times when we receive products that are unsuitable for use (e.g. used mascaras and products that are almost empty), so try to follow the ‘What you can donate’ guidelines above to make sure that your donation is as useful as possible. Finally, we deliver the donations in bulk to Welsh Women’s Aid, who then get those essential products into the hands of women and children in sheltered accommodation across Wales.

You Beauty Discovery Box - January 2015

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will know that I am a huge fan of You Beauty Discovery Boxes because they are not only amazing value for money but the actual concept is brilliant.  Most of us love Beauty Boxes and subscribe to them, most of the time not knowing what an earth you might find.  With You Beauty Discovery, every month you get a menu to choose from and then you also get one or two treats as well.

This month the list to choose from was again amazing and I was chuffed to find two products listed that I have wanted to try for some time and this is my box:

Every month within the box, which cleverly fits through your letterbox, is a little magazine to read and it is one I always read cover to cover.  This month we are told that the products we have had to choose from are about banishing the January Blues.  The freebies or little treats this month are ones I really like too and they are as follows:

Starting with a £25 off card for Hello Fresh - Hello Fresh is the UK’s leading cook-from-scratch delivery service. Hello Fresh believe that everything positive in life starts with great food and that everyone should have access to the highest quality ingredients and the knowledge to cook themTo make that happen they send you amazing recipes and all the exact fresh ingredients you need to cook them, direct to your door. Beautifully photographed recipe cards walk you through every recipe... No shopping, carrying or planning. The only thing you need to do is the fun bit: cooking and eating! PLUS, they won’t charge for delivery either.

Dove Youthful Vitality Hair BB Cream - Specifically formulated for ageing hair, the new Youthful Vitality range from Dove Advanced Hair Series helps replenish your hairs lost nutrients and restore elasticity. Dove Youthful Vitality BB Cream, part of the new Dove Advanced Hair Series, is a one step multi-tasker designed to replenish, style and protect hair. Formulated with anti-oxidants and a UV filter it improves manageability to make styling even easier.

Dragonfly Tea - I have tired some tea before from this brand and loved it. A family-owned, British brand, the range of teas keeps growing. With recently launched new look packaging, be sure not to miss this delicate and delicious tea brand. The brand scour the globe to find artisanal and often rare teas, some from remote tea gardens, and some from the world’s most renowned tea makers. Dragonfly Tea was the first to introduce favourites such as rooibos, white tea and honeybush to Britain’s high street. IN my box I have Swirling Mist, Green Gaucho and Mountain Honeybush.

The we have the products I actually chose from my shortlist, the entire list can be found HERE.  The first of my products is this:

MeruMaya is a brand I have read a lot about and not tried, though I did have some sample sachets somewhere and for the life of me cannot find them, so I was happy to see these options available and readily added them to my box.  So we have the Melting Cleansing Balm and the Overnight Recharge Night Cream.

• The Melting Cleansing Balm claims to efficaciously removes all traces of make up and grime and leaves the skin feeling velvety soft.  It uses Sweet Almond Oil allows thorough cleansing with moisture delivery and Echium Oil (RevitElix™) helps perfect lines and wrinkles whilst improving skin elasticity.
• The Overnight Recharge Cream uses the inclusion of FIVE highly potent actives addresses the complexity of effective and lasting moisturisation, that helps your skin perform better at every level and you can read more about those HERE.

My second choice this month was the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, another product I have read about and wanted to try.  

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil manages to remove all forms of impurities on the skin and can even be used by those who suffer from sensitive or oily skin (the ‘Oil’ in the product name can sometimes make those with oily skin think otherwise). As a make-up remover it completely dissolves all traces of dirt and cosmetics – even waterproof mascara and eyeliner – while nourishing your complexion with antioxidant-rich olive oil.

Now this box cost just £6.95 and look at the contents, isn't that just great value for money? I think so and I would love to know if you also subscribe and what you chose from the list!