*Mint Green: The Natural Switch Starter Pack

I was very kindly sent Mint Green's brand new The Natural Switch Starter Pack* to review. Having loved their February Starter Kit which I reviewed HERE, I was delighted to try and review their latest kit. The Natural Switch Starter Pack costs just £20 and is worth over £100 making it a must-have. It comes in a brown reusable cardboard box and compostable mailer bag.

Inside is:

Goldfaden MD Vital Boost; Even Skintone Daily Moisturiser 15ml (Vegan, Natural, Recylable) which gives the skin a hydration hit and is suitable for all skin types. A full review will come for this one! 

Doers of London Body Wash 15ml (Vegan, Natural, Recyclable) I was introduced to this brand in last month's box. A gentle wash which is nice to use.

Grown Alchemists Hydra-Gel Hand Sanitiser 50ml (Vegan, Natural, Organic, Recyclable) I'm always happy to try a new hand sanitiser and always have one in my bag when out and about. This one will kill germs and hydrate. Again, a review will follow.

Odacite Ba+S Eye Contour Booster 2ml (Vegan, Natural, Recyclable) A brand I love and a product I've not tried from the range. I'm testing this out right now and a little goes a long way. It helps to smooth out lines and wrinkles around the eyes.

Tangent GC Hand Soap +Hand Cream sachets 2 x 5ml (Vegan, Natural, Organic, Recyclable) This is a new to me brand. I'm looking forward to trying them out. 

Q+A Liquorice Lip Oil 15ml (Natural, Vegan, Recyclable) This has been on my wishlist so I'm happy to be able to try it now. It'll plump and nourish the lips. Again, a review will follow.

Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm 4ml (Natural) I've used this multi-use balm a few times - great for dry and cracked skin, lips and nipples. 

Evolve Organic Beauty Hyaluronic Serum 200 10ml (Vegan, Natural, Organic, Recyclable) Again, I've used this serum before and my skin loved it. (I reviewed it way back in 2015! See my review HERE). Great to have it back in my stash.

Rounding up the starter pack is a bar of Nuddy Totally CocoNUTS Soap Bar 100g (Vegan, Natural, Recyclable) This soap is enriched with shea butter, smells of coconuts and has a rich foamy lather.

Do you think you'll pick up The Natural Switch Starter Pack? Check out the Mint Green store HERE.

January: Lately I've Been Loving

I've struggled through this lockdown (hence the reason I've hardly posted all month). Hopefully with the first signs of Spring (crocuses, snowdrops & buds on the trees) I'll begin to feel a bit better and more focused on better things ahead. What's kept me going is - friends online, re-connecting with an old friend, books, good food and shopping online!  Here are my January loves:

*I've fallen totally head-over-heels for Balm Balm's new Lavender Face Balm (30ml - £9.50)* which I received in January's Love Lula Beauty Box. It's perfect to use before bed for restful slumbers as well as being an aromatic delight. A review is to come for this one! (I received it free of charge (in the monthly beauty box) as a Love Lula Accredited Blogger.

Picking up a second Naturisimo starter kit. See my review of the first one I bought - Moisturisers - HERE. What swayed me this time was the eye wateringly expensive range Kypris having a product in the Night Care Starter Set (£20, worth £68). The kits are presented in a reusable branded pouch (you also get a code for 10% off an item in the box).

Inside is: Kypris Ad Astra Eye Cream Emulsion 2.5ml (see pot below) which is a decent enough try me size (it's seriously lush) - Unfortunately full size 14ml is £173! I'm happy to try and savour this little pot! (I can always buy another starter kit for another hit!). I'm also loving Grown Alchemist's Regenerating Night Cream 12ml which smells heavenly and glides onto the skin. I've tried a few of their products before - see HERE so know I'm going to enjoy this. Rounding up the kit are two products I've tried before - BYBI Babe Balm 10ml - see my review of this multi-tasker HERE and INIKA's Phytofuse Renew Resveratrol Rich Night Cream 4ml. Have you picked up a starter kit yet?

A beautiful surprise box of chocolates (rose and violet creams) from an old friend through the post who I've recently reconnected with was such a joy giving treat! Aren't they just gorgeous! 

Holly spotted on a daily walk - so glossy and pretty!

I normally make Marmalade every two years, this was the year but I knew I'd be unlikely to get to Waitrose to pick them up. Total joy to find them in our local greengrocers. I really enjoyed making it - gave me such a buzz - must make more preserves again!

A little Blended by Mama order always makes me smile. I ordered The Mill on the Moor beeswax melts just after Christmas (this one is available until the Spring Equinox) and is inspired by Bronte country. These ones have a slightly different formula as they have infused coconut oil and cocoa butter in the mix! The melts have a deliciously orangey (blood orange essential oil), vanilla-y (benzoin) and spice (turmeric and black pepper) aroma (break each melt into three).

What have you been loving this month?

Shopping My Stash #70

Antipodes Delight Hand & Body Cream - I've got a lot of love for this gorgeous brand and definitely want to try more from it this year. See my review HERE. It's a beautiful cream scented with Vintage Gardenia petals with green notes.

Studio 78 Liquid Lipstick in Let's Get Married - Rose Wedding - it's an intense deep rose and is highly pigmented and also stays on all day/night.

Grown Alchemist Watermelon and Vanilla Lip Balm - which is the lushest and most delicious balm I own. Glossy too.

Mitchell & Peach Flora No.1 Fine Radiance Oil - this is a really fab nourishing oil which I received in a YOU Beauty Box which is packed with anti-oxidants and vitamins. It blurs fine lines, plumping and adding radiance to the skin.

Avalon Organics Volumising Rosemary Shampoo - having loved Avalon's Clarifying version (review) I picked up a couple more. This volumising shampoo is fantastic and leaves the hair looking fuller, shiny and clean. Love this brand.

What have you been reaching for lately?

Shopping my Stash #67

Here's what I've been reaching for lately:

Marble & Milkweed Nourishing Body Oil - I simply adore this beautiful rose and cardamon scented oil which leaves the skin nourished and delicately scented. Pick it up at a beautiful world.

Grown Alchemist Watermelon and Vanilla Lip Balm - this came in a gift set from Cult Beauty. It deeply moisturises the lips leaving them smelling of watermelons! See my initial thoughts here.

Botanicals Food Soak - Mint & Tea Tree* - a deliciously scented and effective foot soak (perfect to use after an afternoon spent pounding the High St!) See my review here.

Odacite Green Tea & Lemongrass Radiance Effect Serum Concentrate - this serum came in the recent Cult Beauty GWP and is amazing!  It smells gorgeous, brightens and revitalises the skin. I love this!

Dr Organic Manuka Honey Cuticle and Nail Solution - this is perfect for dry winter cuticles. Smells lovely too.

Jane Iredale Forever Peach Lip and Cheek Stain* - having loved the Forever Pink version I knew I'd love this one. It reacts to your body chemistry and so this can be pale peach or more vibrant orange depending on my mood. I love these stains.

What have you been reaching for lately?

*PR samples

Grown Alchemist Travel Kit

For Halloween Cult Beauty offered 15% off for a limited time. I'd just found out they were selling the Australian brand Grown Alchemist so I quickly ordered the fabulous Alchemist Travel Kit (so instead of paying £58 I paid £49.30).  With orders over £40 you can choose 2 sachet samples.

Products are free from chemicals and preservatives and are made from the finest and most effective natural ingredients with "performance driven formulas".  

In the set are 7 hand luggage friendly products for skin, body and hair. It is presented in a branded cardboard box and the products are in a black pouch.

I've been using the products for a couple of weeks now.

Hydra Repair Day Cream: Camellia & Geranium Blossom 12ml - this is easily absorbed and nourishes the skin leaving it matte and dewy.  

Shampoo: Damask Rose, Black Pepper & Sage 50ml - a gentle shampoo which leaves the hair clean and refreshed.  Conditioner: Damask Rose, Chamomile & Lavender Stem 50ml - it detangles and protects hair.

Body Cleanser: Chamomile, Bergamot & Rosewood 50ml - rich with a pretty scent. This body wash leaves the skin clean and delicately scented.

Facial Cleanser: Geranium Leaf, Bergamot & Rose-Bud 50ml - I've been using this delicious scented cleanser in my morning shower. It removes impurities and gently cleanses the skin.

Body Cream: Mandarin & Rosemary Leaf 30ml - a quickly absorbing body cream which smells gorgeous.  One of my favourite products in the set. It super moisturises the skin leaving it lightly scented.

Lip Balm: Vanilla & Watermelon Lip Balm 12ml (full size) - this for me is the star product of the collection. It leaves the lips nourished, glossy and scented with watermelon.

My buy-agains would be the Lip Balm, Body Cream, Facial Cleanser and Day Cream.

Have you tried Grown Alchemist?

Cult Beauty Christmas Wishlist

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This simply stunning Aromatherapy Associates gift is firmly on my wishlist! It looks really cute too (I spotted it in Harvey Nics yesterday). The mini drawers hold 10 x 7.5ml bath & shower oils and could be used afterwards for storing samples or hair bands.  Costs £55.

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I'm a huge fan of Aesop's Rind Concentrate Body Balm and would love to try some more products from the range. This "A certain radiance" gift set is fantastic. Costing £75 it contains: Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash (500ml), Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm (75ml), A Rose by Any Other Name Body Cleanser (200ml) and Rind Concentrate Body Balm (120ml).

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I'm a huge fan of the Laboratory Perfumes Gorse scent - see my review here. I know I'd love the candle too. Retailing at £35 for 248g.

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I've eyed this Oskia Rose De Mai Massage Candle up like forever! This heavenly scented candle melts to a rich body oil for massaging into dry skin areas or for massage. It's priced at £34.50 and I think it would be a decadent and luxurious treat.

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I'm a huge fan of kai's perfume oil but it is so pricey! £40 for 3.6ml. It is one of my all time favourite scents. It is summer in a bottle all year round. A blend of gardenia, with white flowers and green notes. Love!

What's on your Cult Beauty wishlist?

p.s. I picked up the Grown Alchemist Travel Kit I was lusting over on Thursday night with Cult Beauty's 15% off for Halloween!