*Love Lula Beauty Box: September 2019

*productsample Love Lula's September Beauty Box is worth £65 and contains a range of products I'm looking forward to using (some of which, I've used before!) As ever there's a code for a very generous discount of 25% for any of the brands in the box.

Inside this month are 4 full sizes!

From Madara there is their Infusion Vert Body Cream (200ml - £17) which is a lovely addition to this month's box.  It's got a beautiful lemon/herbal scent. I reviewed the matching hand cream* and body oil* HERE - I loved them so I'm looking forward to testing out the body cream.

I've tried Kathleen Natural's Tranquil Fields Bubble Bath (150ml - £18) before in last September's Skin Organic's Clean Beauty Box. I absolutely adore the matching Body Oil.

I'm still on the lookout for the perfect natural mascara so was over-the-moon to see Emani Vegan Cosmetics Soy Mascara in Midnight (10ml - £18) nestling in the box this month. It acts as both a mascara and lash treatment and I'm looking forward to trying it out.

From Balm Balm is their newest launch, Little Miracle Cleanser (30ml - £12) which I'm looking forward to testing out (I love affordable and effective Balm Balm). This nourishing cleanser will make short work of make up and daily grime leaving the skin feeling clean and comfortable.

The final item (in this great box) is a sachet of Urban Veda's Rose+Botanics Reviving Body Wash 10ml (which you can find in the sample selection for 25p - you can choose up to 5 samples (minimal charge) with a £10+ order.

Are you a subscriber? What are your thoughts on the contents this month?

Latest in Beauty: Balance - The Night-Time Edit

I couldn't resist Latest in Beauty's Balance - The Night-Time Edit box (which cost £33 for monthly members, £38 for non-members) in collaboration with Balance. The box is worth over £145! The product which initially caught my eye was Jurlique's new Limited Edition, Fragrant Rose Hand Cream (100ml - £29), a glorious and indulgent rosy cream - review to come!  

There are also 15 other items nestled within.  Pick yours up HERE (while stocks last).  There are of course some items which are not to my taste (and these will be passed on).

It's absolutely packed full!

From pukka is a box of their Night Time Organic Herbal Tea (20 tea bags - £2.59) which is a blend of organic oat flower, lime flower and lavender to help you unwind before bed. Happy to give these a try!

From Puressentiel there's a trial size spray (20ml) of their Rest & Relax Air Spray which calms and relaxes before bed. It contains 12 essential oils to comfort and calm. It's got a gorgeous lavender based aroma.

I've used Tisserand's effective Sleep Better Pulse Point roll-on before (10ml - £6.25) and found it to be a useful aid to ease restful sleep. 

I adore Dr Teal's and have used their super soothing Pure Epsom Salt Soaking Solution Soothe & Sleep with Lavender before (1lb bag).  You can buy at Boots & Superdrug.

Huge fan of both This Works Sleep Plus Pillow Spray (mini) (there's also a code for 15% off you next purchase) and Weleda's Lavender Relaxing Body Oil (10ml).

I'm already a fan of Patchology and inside is their Down Time Moodpatch Eye Gel (single use - £3.20) which help to soothe and smooth the undereye area.

From Dr Botanicals is their Pomegranate Sleeping Mask (30ml - £9.90) which I've used before. It'll hydrate and nourish your skin while you sleep.

I'd just been talking about taking more magnesium so these Link Nutrition Magnesium Food Based Mineral Natural Health Supplements (£15.95 for 30 capsules) couldn't have come at a better time. The supplement encourages relaxation and regulates the body's stress response system. They also offer a 15% off your next purchase code.

I'm already a fan of Neal's Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm and inside is a 15g pot (£12). It's a one-pot-wonder suitable for all skin types enriched with provitamin A, Vitamin E and rosehip seed oil. It'll nourish and make the skin glow (they also offer a code for £10 off if you spend £30).

There's a 30 day free trial of Calm App with over 100 guided meditations, sleep stories and music to reduce stress and anxiety, calming the mind and body before sleep.

From Guinot their is a 15ml of the Gommage Biologic Exfoliating Gel which gently exfoliates the skin activating cellular regeneration.

And the star of the box - Jurlique's Limited Edition Fragrant Rose Hand Cream (100ml - £29) which is divine. Jurlique are offering 15% off your next purchase.

Moving on to the final items in the box..

I simply adore the self-heating eye masks from Spacemasks and was super pleased to see one in the box. There's also a hair mask from L'Oreal - Botanicals Fresh Care Arnica Repairing Mask (£2.99) and GLOV Make up Remover ECO (a re-usable make up removing glove).

It's a great box and review will follow for some of the items. Did you pick one up?

*Live in the Light - AnnMarie Gianni Palo Santo Body Butter

*productsample I was very kindly sent a full size pot of one of the most exquisite body care product I've ever used by Live in the Light recently - AnnMarie Gianni Palo Santo Body Butter (200ml - £69.50) which truly is heaven in a jar! It's decadent, rich and luxurious and almost good enough to eat!

The Body Butter is formulated with Shea and Cocoa butters which soften and nourish, kukui and macadamia moisturise while hand selected essential oils of palo santo, cardamon, vetiver, nutmeg and pink peppercorn give the butter it's glorious and exotic scent - it really is incredible and unlike anything I've used before.

The texture of the body butter is meltingly thick and luscious and it absorbs instantly onto warm skin. It's truly a seriously pampering treat for the body and soul - it helps the body and mind to relax and unwind. 

To use: apply a small amount with your fingertips massaging until the body butter is absorbed.

As you'll probably have guessed I'm totally in love with it! And of course has a place in my top products of '19. Pick yours up HERE.

Skin Organics Clean Beauty Box: Organic September: September 2019

The Skin Organics Clean Beauty Box has gone bi-monthly and it was a real treat to receive September's box on Monday which is entitled "Organic September" (£25 plus p&p). Sign up HERE. I love the new branded boxes too.

Inside this month are 5 product (3 I've tried before, with 2 new ones). Terre Verdi's FranchouliPom Nourishing Face Serum (30ml - £38) is an expertly formulated and blended treat for all skin types. See my review HERE. I finished this ages ago so it'll be nice to try it out again.

From Casa Mencarelli we have a (15ml - £15) pot of their Award Winning Crema Di Pomodoro Tomato Night Cream & Cleanser which I reviewed HERE.

The final item this month which I've tried before is Botanicals Hands & Nails Replenishing Oil (10ml - £14) which I reviewed HERE (I'm kind of pleased to have this back in my stash as it's been so long since I've used it!)

The final two items in the box are new to me brands - Lovegrove Essentials and Verdant Alchemy (both of which I'd previously been eyeing up!) From Lovegrove Essentials is a mini toning mist (£4) and from Verdant Alchemy a pack of glorious Drift Off Bath Salts (I actually fell asleep in the bath on Monday night!) which are packed with essential oils of lavender, mandarin, patchouli and vetiver. These are worth £12 (100g).

Are you a subscriber? What are your thoughts on the goodies inside which are certified by The Soil Association for Organic September?

*NorthburN: Rebalance Luxury Bathing Salts & Room Spray

*ProductSamples I've had the real pleasure of trying latest scent launch at NorthburN in the form of their luxurious Luxury Bathing Salts (from £5) and their Room Spray (£10) in Rebalance - a gorgeous essential oil blend of Geranium, Neroli and Ylang. I've tried the Award winning luxury bathing salts (wonderful) before and you can see my review HERE.

Rebalance is uplifting as well as calming and soothing - it really is an exquisite scent. I like to use the room spray in my bedroom and hall to scent and refresh.

The Luxury Bathing Salts are dreamy (and such good value for money, they'd make an excellent small gift or secret santa present). Made with a blend of Pink Himalayan Salt, Cocoa Butter and a blend of essential oils - they really have the wow factor and are one of my all time favourite bath time treats.

You can also pick up Rebalance in candles and as a reed diffuser. Also check out Gift of the Month while stocks last.

What are your must-haves from NorthburN?

Papier: Mid Year/Academic Diary: Beauty Balm's Blog Planner

My blog planner ran out last month and having discovered Papier stocked mid year/academic diaries thought it would be the perfect planner (runs July 19 - June 20).  They also offer personalisation which is included in the cost (£21.99 plus p&p). Service was super quick and friendly and there are loads of designs to choose from (You can sign up to the newsletter for 15% off your first order).

Isn't it pretty!

Inside is monthly planning which is perfect for day-to-day planning at a glance (I wrote in my July blog posts).

There's also a handy section each month for monthly goals, to-do list, important dates and wish list.

There are also proper diary pages as well as lined, plain, dot and square pages (ideal for doodling or writing blog posts).

I'm absolutely thrilled with my new planner - it makes me smile every time I look at it. Pick yours up HERE.

*Blue Tea Box: Tea Subscription

#productsample Blue Tea Box is a newish subscription on the block. I was delighted to try and review one of their Surprise Boxes as I'm a huge tea lover.

The teas are rare and single origin (loose leaf) from around the world. They are ethically sourced and freshly hand packed, letterbox friendly and come in Black, Herbal, Fruit, Green, and Connoisseur and you can chose what you like/don't like when it comes to taste.

The Blue Tea Box is suited to your needs - pick the teas according to your taste plus the frequency you'd like. You can also pause your subscription (for holidays etc). You can read more about the subscription process HERE.

I was very kindly sent a 3 x 45g (135g in total) subscription (surprise box, based on my taste preferences) which normally costs £12.99 a month (you'll get 54-108 cups of tea from this - you can use the leaves twice). The other option is a 75g single bag choice which costs £6.99 (30-60 cups). Each tea come with a useful information card.

Inside my letterbox friendly box was:

GREEN: Kaika Cherry Sencha which is from the Hunan Province in China. It has a subtle hint of roses and cherry and has floral and fruity taste. It's recommended to use 1tsp per cup and to brew for 1-3 minutes. This is delicious and perfect to drink any time during the day. This was one of my favourites.

BLACK: Twenty Four Seven which is from India and Kenya. The finest leaves are cut to produce a strong brew (this is a delicious full flavoured tea - and my favourite). A blend of Indian Assam and Kenyan Black teas. Use 1tsp per cup and brew for 4 minutes. Best enjoyed - any time of the day.

HERBAL: Herbal Detox Tisane is blended in Bath and is a blend of nettle tops, rooibos, chamomile flowers, mint leaves, ginger root, fennel, licquorice root, sage and peppermint. It's caffeine free and will help aid digestion and improve general health. Use 1tsp per cup and brew for 3-5 minutes. I found this tea to be delicious with fresh minty and herbal flavours!

It's the perfect gift for any tea lover (dare I say it, it'd make the perfect Christmas gift!) Find out more HERE. Huge thanks to Blue Tea Box for the sample box.

*Awareness Organics: Rejuvenating Radiance Serum & Gua Sha

#productsample I've been trying Awareness Organic's Rejuvenating Radiance Serum (HK $690 - approx £71.62 for 15ml). Also available is 5ml (HK $259 - approx £26.88).

Founder, Stella (a Formula Botanica graduate) has created a very special product. The serum is formulated with carefully researched skin loving oils. Stella is a Lupus Warrior who has been fighting the disease for nearly 20 years understands how to calm inflamed skin using botanical ingredients. Awareness Organics also give back - 1% of sales to coolearth. 

Such gorgeous packaging! The serum box is embedded with mixed herb seeds which you can plant in a pot and watch them grow! Miron glass is used to protect the product from sunlight and help to prolong its life.  Stella also sent me a heart-shaped Jade Gua Sha Facial Tool (HKD $125 - £13) which can be used alone or along with the serum to help uplift and revitalise the skin which makes caring for your skin into a real daily ritual.

Rejuvenating Radiance Serum is an absolute joy to use (and the scent is beautiful). It's carefully formulated with Prickly Pear Seed Oil and Maracuja oils which help tighten the pores. The serum is rich in antioxidants and Linoleic Acid which protects and heals. Rosehip Seed and Argan oils rejuvenate and make the skin glow. Essential oils of Lavender, Bergamot, Rose Geranium and Jasmine uplift and calm as well as giving the serum a glorious scent.

To use: apply a few drops to your fingertips AM and PM massaging over face, neck and decolletage until absorbed. Can be used in conjunction with the gua sha.

Have you tried Awareness Organic's Rejuvenating Radiance Serum yet?

Beauty Pie Review: Months #8 & #9

My Beauty Pie membership rolls over on the 1st of the month (£10 - £100 limit). As I was going on holiday I decided to keep it and spend it in September...but of course you know the drill I placed an order as soon as I got home near to the end of August! Feel free to use my link to sign up to get your first month FREE (you pay for your products on top of the membership+postage).

My August picks:

My (initial) August picks worked out like this: 

£10 membership+Japanfusion Pure Transforming Cleanser £5.82 (normal price £25)+Qi Energy Breathable Moisture Ginseng Beauty Sleep Mask £7.26 (normal price £45) plus postage&packing (£3.36) = £26.44.

I've only tried both of these a couple of times so reviews to come!

On 30th August I upped my pie to £15 a month (£150 limit). Whoops. And so...£15+Super Healthy Skin Nourishing Body Polish £10.44 (£40) +Wondercolour Longwear Cream Eyeshadow Stick - Wild Violet £3.70 (£20)+p&p £3.36 = £32.50.

I'm pretty impressed with both of these. The body polish is heaven in a pot! Again, reviews to come!

My order coming into September (still using my membership limit from the end of August) is the Triple Hyaluronic Acid & Peptide Serum £13.20 (£60) which seems lovely.  I've also ordered just back in stock Jeju Overnight Moisture Superinfusion £9.72 (£70). I need to try and just have one order in October to save on postage (£3.36 a time!) See my review of Jeju Cleansing Milk+Rehydration Mist+ HERE.

I also received a £50 credit for referral and have now got £51 left to roll over to October. What are your must-have's from Beauty Pie?

*Enchanted Plants Certified Organic Skincare - Dorset Flowers Botanical Cleanser

*productsample As you'll know I'm a huge fan of gorgeous Award Winning Enchanted Plants Certified Organic Skincare having fallen head-over-heels for their exquisite Blossom Hydrating Facial Mist back in 2017 and their Spring Soap on a Rope (memories!) HERE.

I've been trying their Dorset Flowers Botanical Cleanser (which comes with an organic face cloth) £30 - 50ml* and is presented in a pump action glass bottle.

The cleanser is part of the Dorset Flowers series and has a rich gel/oil like texture which melts easily onto dry skin and has a herbal/floral scent. It turns cleansing into a real ritual to be enjoyed. 

Ingredients are grown locally with love and care and the cleanser is formulated with Enchanted Plant's magic thirteen herb infusions as well as concentrating on herbs that balance, detoxify and nourish. The cleanser is great for sensitive and combo skins and can be used AM and PM.

To use: massage 2 to 3 pumps onto the skin before adding a small amount of water on your fingertips to transform the cleanser to a milky emulsion before removing with the warmed damp organic face cloth.

Skin is left feeling clean, refreshed and nourished. Follow with a spritz of Blossom Hydrating Facial Mist and Dorset Flowers Face Oil for perfectly nourished and nurtured skin.

Ingredients: Single variety non gmo Brassica napus (Rapeseed) oil*, Non palm derived vegetable Glycerine, Amygdalus dulsis (Sweet almond) oil, Achillea milliefolium (Yarrow) flower and leaf extract*, Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) flower extract*, Calendula officinalis (Marigold) flower extract*, Sucrose laurate, Citrus Aurantium dulcis (orange flower) water, Rosa damascena (Damask rose) flower extract*, Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm) leaf and flower extract*, Anthemis noblis (Chamomile) flower and leaf extract*, Symphytum officinalis (Comfrey) leaf and flower extract*, Plantago lanceolata (Plantain) leaf extract*, Trifolium Pratense (Red clover) flower and leaf extract*, Trifolium repens (White Clover) flower and leaf extract*, Viola tricolor (Heartsease) flower extract*, Rubus fruticosus (Bramble) flower extract*. Citral, Limonene, Linalool trace levels of natural sensitisers from infused plant essential oils . * grown with love in Dorset. This product is handmade, suitable for vegans and is 100% biodegradable

August Book Round-Up

*copies from netgalley/direct from the publisher Here's my August reads:

The Honeymoon by Rona Halsall* - Chloe falls head over heels for Dan after a chance meeting at her work (when his mum is one of her patients) and it seems he feels exactly the same... They rush into marriage without really knowing each other... nothing can go wrong - or can it? 

Things start to go wrong on honeymoon and Chloe wonders if she'd rushed into the marriage too quickly. Dan isn't who he seemed to be and seems to have lots of secrets...even though she's got one of her own. He's very moody and controlling and it's not the honeymoon she's always dreamed of.. There are lots of twists and turns and the storylines kept me interested. Would recommend.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead* - The Nickel Boys is based on a true story and set in 1960s Florida. Elwood Curtis, is a good boy who is raised by his strict grandmother. He's in the wrong place at the wrong time when he's wrongly convicted of car theft and is sent straight to the Nickel Academy.

Nickel is a brutal place to be and his new friend, streetwise Turner helps him settle in. The reform school is run by a sadistic and racist bully called Spencer and all the boys fear being taken to "The White House" where they are brutally beaten and tortured and sometimes boys don't make it out alive.. Whites and blacks are segregated, some who have committed crimes and some boys have nowhere else to go...

Elwood takes a stand which could cost him his life but Turner is there to try and help him and in doing so their lives become woven together forever. There are chapters "after Nickel" where we see 'Elwood' having a decent sort of life.

It's a powerful novel with a twist I didn't see coming and a story which stayed with me long after I finished reading.

The Secret Letter by Debbie Rix* -  I absolutely devoured this in a couple of days. The story follows two girls - one 13 year old Magda, in Germany and the other 15 year old Imogen in England. Magda lives on a farm in the German countryside while Imogen lives in Newcastle. The story is mainly set in the war years from 1939 but touches on the 1950s and the present day too.

Magda has to keep quiet that she is sympathetic to the other side while having to endure the German Girls League, part of the Hitler Youth and the unwanted attention of it's local rising star. She lives at home helping out at the family farm. Imogen and her friend Joy were shipped off to the sleepy lakes to continue with school and she's training to be an architect when war breaks out and takes leave of her course to become a Wren.

The stories of both girls kept me interested throughout and their stories are very cleverly interwoven. I found it fascinating to read about their experiences during the war and all the people they met and the circumstances they found themselves in. Highly recommend.

Stop at Nothing by Tammy Cohen* - Emma, Tess's younger daughter is attacked on her way home from a party. Luckily, a passerby called Frances intervenes and scares him off. Emma's unable to pick him out from the police line up for sure and Tess is convinced a specific guy is getting off free and she makes it her mission to call him out. Frances, infiltrates their lives, initially to be a buddy to Emma and laterally to be a friend to Tess.

Tess's mother suffers from Dementia and is cared for by her dad, who's now feeling the strain. Tess watches them via CCTV from her home just to make sure they're ok. Something happens which turns her world upside down and makes her fearful when she realises the person behind it could be closer to home...

I wasn't keen on the prickly character of Tess, but she's been through a lot of stuff - her husband left her for someone else, she's estranged from her older daughter and has been made redundant from the job she loved at the magazine. It's a fast paced read with a twist I didn't see coming. Would recommend.

The Photographer of the Lost by Caroline Scott* - this beautiful and evocative book isn't published until the end of October so I'll share my review in my October round-up. Well worth adding it to your TBR pile!

The Old You by Louise Voss - I read this on holiday and it was always one more chapter! Lynn Naismith gave up her job when she married older man Ed. They've always had a fun life until Ed is diagnosed with early dementia. At first it's the odd mistaken word and being slightly weird, until he's physically hurting her..

Lynn has secrets from her previous life... it seems Ed may have too, or is it something more recent that he's hiding? It's a fast paced, twisty and sometimes uncomfortable read which I just couldn't put down. I sort of felt I was there with Lynn when she discovers things are definitely not all they seem... So recommend.

The Controller by Matt Brolly (Lynch & Rose #1) - oh I just loved the characters of Lynch and Rose and the fast-paced storylines and can't wait for book #2.

It's been six years since Special Agent Samuel Lynch worked for the FBI but in all that time he's not stopped looking for his son who he believes was snatched by "The Controller" of The Railroad, an underground organisation. Its members have a significant tattoo on their bodies.

Special Agent, Sandra Rose needs his help after a horrific incident. What follows is an edge-of-the-seat, fast paced read which is brilliantly drawn and great to read. I absolutely love it. Roll on book #2 (and of course it makes my top reads of '19).

What have you been reading this month?