Verdant Alchemy Drift Off Bath Salts

The best day of the week as far as I am concerned is Sunday, also known as ME day to anyone who follows me on Instagram.  The one day of the week that I take an hour or two out to have some 'me' time and it usually revolves around a long hot soak, a face and hair mask.  If I find it relaxing them I am using it.

One item I am always happy to claim as being underrated are bath salts and I have said it numerous times within blog posts.  The recent addition to my bathroom comes from Verdant Alchemy and until now, I had never come across them.

Located in South East London, Verdant Alchemy was established in 2018 to provide a natural and non-toxic alternative to mass-marketed bath and skincare. Verdant Alchemy believes in harnessing mother nature most effective ingredients. Creating chemical and toxin free vegan products which are completely natural. They are committed to providing you with healthy and safe products that are sustainably packaged. We encourage re-usability of all of our packaging.

• No Phthalates, No Parabens, No DEA/TEA/MEA
• No Color Pigments, No Formaldehyde
• No Preservatives, No Isopropyl Alcohol
• No Mineral Oil, No PEGs
• No Propylene Glycols, No Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, No Triclosan, No Talc
• No Petrolatum
• No Animal Testing

The brand focuses on creating products that aren’t simply relaxing, but also beneficial to the body.  With that in mind, I was kindly sent the Drift Off Mineral Bath Salts which are designed to calm your mind and help you drift off.  I often find myself waking up in the middle of the night, then I can never drift off to sleep, so I am always keen to try and find products that ensure I get 5-6 hours sleep without resorting to medication.  Drift Away is one of those products you can smell before you open the box and it is just lovely.

What I love about these salts is the ingredients and of course how I feel after using them as well as the bathing experience too.  With a whole host of key ingredients, such as Epsom and Dead Sea Salts which host entirely different, many amazing properties and they work alongside some incredible essential oils too.  This is what you will find:

• Epsom Salt - Known for having a high content of magnesium, a mineral that helps the body maintain healthy muscle and nerve functions, it also helps to alleviate everyday stresses such as anxiety. A relaxing Epsom salt bath will help to replenish magnesium levels and fuel our body to ease inflammation, improve sleep and concentration, and help muscles recover after exercise.
• Dead Sea Salt - This is one of my favourite bath salt ingredients because not only it is known for its therapeutic properties, but it also contains 21 minerals which include magnesium, calcium, potassium, calcium, sodium, and bromide. All of these minerals help the body by promoting healing, balance and relaxation while recharging and promoting natural skin health. Soaking in Dead Sea salts are also known to work wonders for dry skin ailments.
• White Kaolin Clay - Used within a product such as this, the clay works as a mild detoxifier that helps to stimulate circulation and purify the skin, allowing the body to eliminate toxins naturally.
• Lavender - One of my favourite products in relaxing products and known as one of the worlds most versatile essential oils. It is described as being a natural relaxant which helps to calm your mind and aid sleep.
• Mandarin - A warm, slightly sweet citrus note that also helps to calm and relax as well as helping to reduce anxiety and promote sleep.
• Patchouli - This has more of a musky fragrance to give that earthy scent but at the same time it helps to uplift the mood and stimulate circulation. Known for its soothing and calming properties to help the mind to induce a restorative sleep. 
• Vetiver - Another of my favourite ingredients in products like this and one with a beautiful woody note too it.  Proven to relieve anxiety and promote relaxation and sleep.

As soon as the lid is removed from the tub of bath salts, the scent comes to life and it is one which is immediately relaxing.  

When using products like this, I always follow the advice given and that is to ensure I drink plenty of water before and after to prevent dehydration.  Once the water within the bath is running, I take a scoop of bath salts and allow the steam vapour to capture the scent of the oils as the salts dissolve into the water.  An incredibly relaxing experience and one which really does help to calm and destress making them perfect for use in an evening or later afternoon if you have had a stressful working week.  Priced at just £12 for 100g and £26 for 250g you can find these salts online via Verdant Alchemy and Wolf and Badger.

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

Tropic Skincare Pure Lagoon Blemish Prevention Serum

Tropic Skincare is a brand I absolutely love and if you like multipurpose balms, then the Tamanu Balm (review here) is an absolute must-have product.  Today is the turn of Pure Lagoon Blemish Prevention Serum, a product which is described as being new age and blemish-busting.

Pure Lagoon Blemish Prevention Serum is said to offer transformative results for spot-prone skin with a new approach to blemish-busting. It is incredibly rare that I have a breakout of spots, one might fester painfully under my skin just before my period arrives, constantly threatening to break the skin, but touch wood, I've been lucky enough not to be much of a spot sufferer.  I do however often suffer from redness to the skin which flares up if I am stressed and having combination/Oily skin can cause a whole host of other issues.

Lightweight in texture, Pure Lagoon is packed full of amazing ingredients and I am always fascinated in reading about what is included within a product before it goes anywhere near my skin.  Firstly we have Bioflavonoids and Prebiotics which helps your skin’s natural flora to ward off spot-causing bacteria and stops the spot-forming cycle. Then we have blue Spirulina and Malachite Crystal extract which not only give this serum its blue hue, but they are rich in copper and have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Together they not only reduce redness of any existing blemishes but they also help to maintain a calmer and more clarified complexion. Hyaluronic Acid helps to deliver an intense burst of hydration and then added to that is Watermelon fruit extract, which not only gives this serum a light fragrance but also helps with moisture levels. Also included is Zinc PCA and it is said to help reduce sebum levels quickly after use and its production over time, plus when it is combined with Vitamin B3, it also helps pores to look refined for a smooth finish. Then finally we have Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) and its job is to help spot-prone complexions to turn over a new leaf by preventing dead skin cells and sebum buildup with mild exfoliation.

Depending on your skin type will depend on how you get the best usage out of this product. The advice is that if you have oily skin then twice a day will give you the best benefits whereas combination skin needs to use it just once a day. To use, you simply deep 3-6 drops onto freshly cleansed skin and pat it with your fingers. What I like is how easy it is to use and just how divine the blue colour is and of course having my own initialled bottle is rather cool!

I was also delighted to see the inclusion of some Malachite crystals within my package because not only is it an ingredient within the serum, but it is also an extremely powerful metaphysical stone, Malachite is often called the “stone of transformation” and is used for deep energy cleaning, bringing healing and positive transformation to the wearer. Something I am taking an interest currently is Crystals and their healing power.

Pure Lagoon Blemish Prevention Serum is priced at £42 and is available from Tropic Skincare (here). All products are naturally derived and made fresh in the Tropic Surrey Beauty Kitchen, they are also Vegan and cruelty-free. Have you tried anything from Tropic Skincare?

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

ASOS K-Beauty Box

As soon as I saw this box from ASOS I snapped it up! I adore all things K-Beauty and have been, slowly over time, introducing new brands to this blog and they have all been Korean Beauty brands such as Klairs, Touch in SOL, Tony Moly and By Wishtrend to name just a few.

If you are new to K-Beauty, are intrigued, curious and want to give something a try, then this box, which costs just £12 features some amazing products and brands! Inside you will find five products and they include:

1 x Holika Holika Baby Silky Foot Mask Sheet: - Like a face mask, this one is a moisturising sock mask and it uses multiple flower and vegetable ingredients nourish and soften the skin of the feet,

1 x Dr. Oracle A-Thera Peeling Stick: - Described as being an innovative peeling stick which is shaped like a huge cotton swab, it allows for precise application to get into the nooks and crannies. Lactic acid gently lifts dead skin cells while glycolic acid works to exfoliate and resurface the skin, smoothing bumpy skin texture. A blend of tea tree extract, lemon extract, and bamboo extract works to naturally exfoliate without irritating skin. Blemishes will disappear faster and skin will look calmer after using these peeling sticks!

1 x It's Skin Power 10 Formula VB Effector: a powerful face serum with Vitamin B6 Provides ultimate hydration and controls sebum production for a moisturised, clear complexion. Vitamin B6 – Restores the Skin’s moisture balance to prevent further blemishes.

1 x Masque Bar Silver Foil Sheet Mask - a mask made of silver foil material. Its aim is to visibly hydrate and soothe your skin and leave it with a youthful glow complexion. It does this because it is enriched with Aloe Leaf Juice, Anise Fruit Extract and Camellia Leaf Extract.

1 x Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Discovery Set - This kit contains a toner, serum and a cream. Working together, this trio aims to plump and seal dry, dehydrated skin for all day moisture. This set alone is worth £12 and covers the price of the box!

This makes a great box for an introduction to K-Beauty, something which is a growing trend in the UK and with a range of skincare brands to discover, this box brings you some of the best!

Have you tried any K-Beauty Brands?

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

Temple Spa Skincare Purification Deep Cleansing Mask

One of the Temple Spa products I have loved using as much as the Cleansing Melt (review here) is the Purification Deep Cleanse Mask. Described as being a highly effective anti-blemish and deep cleansing skin purifying clay mask, it is perfect for oily and congested skin.

This mask is a rich marine and land mud mask and its purpose is to give a professional deep cleanse.  To do that, it helps to banish blocked pores, breakouts, blackheads, and oily skin.  It has three key ingredients which are worthy of a mention and they include:

• Tea Tree, something that isn't universally loved by all, myself included if it is too strong, but otherwise I quite like it. Tea Tree helps to reduce redness and calm razor burns and ingrown hair. It helps decongest and promotes tissue healing while reducing oil production. it also contains antiseptic, antibacterial and antiviral properties, it can be used to disinfect and kill germs. 
• Up next we have Rosemary which is rich in antioxidants and it also improves circulation, flushing out toxins and reducing the appearance of cellulite. Rosemary also encourages cell regeneration which repairs skin and encourages the production of healthy skin while reducing the appearance of spots, wrinkles, bags and puffiness. 
• Finally, we have Kaolin Clay and again, this is a product that my skin has a love/hate relationship with depending on how it works on the skin. Within this mask, the clay works to gently remove dead skin cells, purify, smooth and soften skin. It also balances both oily and dry skin, absorbing oil and reducing the production of sebum without stripping the skin of its natural oils and works to nourish, sooth and soften dry skin.

I really like the texture of this mask, it is described as being a dense mousse texture, which describes it incredibly well, not too runny but not overly thick that it sticks to everything, think Angel Delight straight from the fridge. 

There are two ways of using this mask and it comes down to personal preference and how much time you have.  If you want something that is a bit of a treat and slightly more intensive, then my favourite way to use this mask is whilst I am lazing in the bath.  Using the accompanying spatula, apply an even layer across the face, avoiding your eyes and leave it on for up to twenty minutes so you can enjoy the decongesting and detoxifying benefits, particularly as the steam from the water takes a hole of the fragrance of Tea Tree Oil.  If time isn't on your side, then you can apply the mask after cleansing and allow it to works its magic for just 5 minutes.  To remove, simply warm up a flannel or cloth and gently remove.

Priced at £28 (here) this mask is an absolute treat if you have oily, congested or dry sluggish skin.

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