Botanicals Organic Body Balms

Winter is the perfect time to treat your body to some serious TLC.

There’s something about cold, dark days and long, dark evenings that make you want to snuggle down and pamper yourself- or is that just me?!

Either way there’s no better time to look after your skin as the winter months are usually when it could do with a little extra help.

Perfect timing then that Botanicals have launched four beautiful aromatic body balms.

Designed to do more than just nourish your skin these naturally fragranced balms have been created to stimulate your senses by restoring and recharging tired minds or creating warm feelings of contentment, peace and calm.

Hand made in small batches using active plant-derived active ingredients you get a real sense of bespoke luxury and the love that has been poured into every single one of these wonder balms is practically palpable.

There are four gorgeous balms to choose from, each one highly concentrated yet gentle and suitable for even sensitive skin.

You’ve got a Neroli Softening Body Balm, a Wild Rose Nourishing Body Balm, the Award-winning Lavender & Chamomile Soothing Salve and my favourite, the Lemongrass Revitalising Body Balm (£20).

This rich, nourishing and calming balm is infused with zesty, toning lemongrass and balancing mandarin for a beautiful citrus scent.

Packed full of active ingredients, essential fatty acids and shea butter the balm is wonderfully thick and nourishing.

A little goes a long way with this balm and when warmed between your finger-tips it transforms into a wonderfully light oil which is easy to apply to your whole body, cocooning it in moisture and enveloping your senses in a beautifully light, citrusy scent.

Calming, relaxing and comforting the fragrance lingers on your skin all evening and your skin is left feeling soft and nourished without a hint of greasiness.

I adore this balm and am looking forward to trying the other three!

Botanicals Lemongrass Body Balm is available now and costs £20 for 60g.

Mallow & White

Mallow and White is a brand new beauty brand that launched on September 1^st this year and if you’re a fan of organic, natural skincare then you’re going to want to read on.

Check out their aim;

My aim is simple, to deliver the finest organic skincare using minimal carefully selected ingredients to bring maximum benefit to your skin. I care about the big picture, and that means saying no to excess packaging, yes to giving 10% away to charity and always committing to 100% natural organic ingredients.

I like the sound of them already.

 

Basically, they believe in the beauty of simplicity by saying no to hundreds of ingredients so they can say yes to a few 100% natural potent botanicals that will bring maximum benefits to your skin.

 

Their products are handcrafted rather than mass produced and 10% of all their profits go to Kiva, a charity empowering people around the world to alleviate them from poverty

Talk about beauty with a conscience.

Now, their collection is  compact and features three separate ranges; Restore for normal/dry skin, Revitalise for mature skin and Soothe for sensitive skin.

I opted to try out the two products from their Soothe range as my skin is both sensitive and temperamental!

Sticking with the theme of simple beauty the range comprises of just a Face Mask (£20) and a Facial Oil (£36) but both of these products are very special.

The face mask contains just four ingredients. That’s right, FOUR. This super soft powder contains just White Clay, Organic Marshmallow Root Powder, Organic Cornstarch and Organic Lavender Essential Oil. 

That’s it, nothing else, but the ingredients all play an important part of this product.

The mineral rich White clay offers gentle yet deep cleansing and the Organic Marshmallow root powder, contains strong, soothing and anti-inflammatory properties can help treat skin conditions such as rosacea and help promote healthy cell growth.

 Organic Cornstarch is a gentle cleanser and skin softener and Organic Lavender essential oil helps to soothe inflammatory conditions and promote the growth of new cells.

This powder can actually be used as both a mask and an exfoliator, simply add 1-2 teaspoons of the powder to 1-2 teaspoons of water to create a paste which you gently massage over your face before washing off to leave your skin feeling soft and rejuvenated.

To use as a mask, create the paste in the same way as above then it can be customised by adding 2 drops of the Soothe facial oil, 1 teaspoon of moisturising honey and 1-2 teaspoons of natural yogurt for extra moisturising nourishment.

Alternatively, 1-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar can be used to replace the water in the paste mix to help break up dead skin cells and unclog pores. Then apply onto a damp face, avoiding the eye area and leave for 3 - 5 minutes before rinsing off.

 There is something very satisfying with knowing exactly what you’re putting on your face and also knowing that it contains no chemicals, especially if you do suffer with sensitive skin.

Next is their facial oil which contains only 5 ingredients; Organic Jojoba oil, Organic Apricot Kernal oil, Kukui nut oil, Chamomile essential oil and Organic Lavender essential oil.

This calming, soothing and nourishing oil has a very delicate aroma of lavender and chamomile, not at all over powering and is far less greasy than I thought it might be.

It’s a bit of a hero product in my house now as it can be used in so many different ways. 

Normally, I add 2 drops of it to my normal moisturiser for an added nourishing boost as well as using it alone after cleansing of an evening when I feel my skin is in need of an extra pick-me-up.

As mentioned earlier it can also be used within the face mask and I’ve found it does a great job of keeping my nails and cuticles in tip top condition too!

I have to say I think there’s something very special about this brand and while the range may be pretty small (for now) they have definitely got the products they do have absolutely spot on.

Find out more about Mallow and White over on their website now where you can also purchase their Face Mask’s and Facial Oils.

Earthzest Organic Beauty

I love discovering little known beauty brands, hidden gems in an industry which is so saturated it’s hard to know which brand to try and which are actually any good.

Earthzest Organics is one of those little known brands, in fact it’s a brand new brand which prides itself on using 100% organic, highly concentrated ingredients that are never diluted with water or cheap bulking agents.

Developed by the brands founder Jackie, Earthzest products use only the most luxurious natural ingredients to allow your skin to rebalance and both look and feel fantastic.

Jackie says; 

"Our approach to a healthy, glowing complexion is completely different. Instead of blinding you with science and clogging your pores with cheap chemicals, we take it back to basics and lavish our clients with all the wonderful fruits of the earth.  

Because our products are so pure, they are highly effective and perfect for everyone - even those suffering from acne, eczema and other sensitive skin conditions." 

I tried their Cleanser, Toner and Moisturiser for Oily and Combination skin.

The feed your face cleanser (£25) contains a blend of antibacterial plant oils, anti-oxidants, vitamins and essential fatty acids to cleanse, clarify and gently rebalance oily and combination skin.

 

This cleanser is an oil containing Chamomile, Eucalyptus and Lavender oil so as you can imagine, it smells beautiful. You apply it by adding a small amount to a damp cotton wool pad and gently wiping your face in an upward, circular motion.

I found it a bit odd cleansing my skin this way, and I must confess I did use a face wipe to remove my make up first, but it was gentle and left my skin feeling soft and not at all dry.

I LOVED the toner (£20), which you spray onto a cotton wool pad to use. I adored the way it left my skin feeling so fresh and clean and I really enjoyed the fragrance which came through. 

Again, my skin didn’t feel dry or stripped, despite the toner containing oils such as Tea Tree and Witch Hazel which can be strong and too powerful for my skin.

I completed my routine with their Moisturising Serum (£29), which is in fact an oil.

A beautiful blend of Lavender, Tea Tree, Chamomile, Argan, and Ylang Ylang oil  (to name just a few) work together to create a powerfully nourishing, moisturising oil that doesn’t clog your skin and actually works to help clear blemishes.

The beautiful moisturising serum

You only need a tiny drop of the oil, a little goes a long way and just like the cleanser and toner, the fragrance that is released from it when applied to your face is just deliciously relaxing and natural.

I am a big fan of these Earthzest products and while i realise they aren’t the cheapest skincare products out there, if you want to feed your face with 100% organic, natural products with absolutely no chemicals or nasties, then these are worth every single penny. 

Check out the entire Earthzest Organics range from their website now.