Free Gift and Free Shipping from Love Lula

Hey Eden angels!

Firstly, I must apologise for my absence. I have been a very naughty blogger abandoning my blog like that. I have been very busy with assignments and exams and also taking some time out to relax. It's great to finally finish my degree!

Now for a great offer I thought you eco babes might be interested in!

To celebrate the Jubilee, Love Lula are offering a free British themed gift when you spend £25.

You will get:

• Organic Love Lula make up bag designed exclusively in the UK
• A British Organic beauty gift (It's a surprise! But here's a hint: it's either by Neal's Yard Remedies or Bamford)
• A pack of Teapigs Everyday Brew (English breakfast)

Just enter the code JUBILEE12 (whilst stocks last)

Love Lula are also offering free delivery on all orders!

Just use the code FREESHIPPING12 (expires 5th June)

So, tell me... Do you have your eye on something on the Love Lula website? Let me know!

xx

NaturalU for a more natural you

Hey eco babes!

Long time no blog! I have been so busy but I am finally back with another review.

Lately, I've been trying out some body balms. What I love about body balms is that they are so compact and versatile too.

The balms I've been using are by a brand called Natural U. Started by two mums looking for a remedy for their dry and itchy skin, Natural U provides natural and organic (certified by the Soil Association!) skincare products that come in such adorable little glass jars.

Catherine, one of the founders, kindly sent me each of their two products to try. They are the All Purpose Balm and the Daily Body Rub.

The All Purpose Balm (from £9.99 for 30g) is simply that - a balm for whatever needs moisturising. And my lips are definitely in need of some extra moisture! What I like to do is to use it on my lips and whatever is left on my fingertips I use on dry areas of my face. It's incredibly light so I didn't experience any breakouts.

One of my favourite things about this balm is the yummy smell. It has a light smell that reminds me of sweets. I'm guessing that comes from the manuka in its formula.

Another product in the range is this Daily Body Rub (from £10.50 for 30g). The Daily Body Rub is very similar to the all purpose balm but it is also described as being great for soothing tired muscles thanks to the eucalyptus, peppermint and tea tree oils. The smell is quite delicate so I'm not sure how it would work on very sore muscles but the scent is calming when massaging into your skin after a stressful day.

I hope you enjoyed reading my review. If you want to find more about the brand, visit the Natural U website, where you can find all of their products. You can take advantage of their 2 for £15 deal when you buy each of the 30g jars. They also have trial sizes for only £2.99 each.

Do you use body balms? Let me know your thoughts :)

xx

Get your skin sunshine ready!

Hey Angels!

Oh my, it feels like I haven't blogged in quite a while! But now that my uni dissertation is out of the way, I can reward myself with lots of pampering and blogging.

The latest pamper products I've been trying out are by Myroo Natural Skincare*. With all this beautiful  weather we've been getting, it's the perfect time to get my skin ready to see some sunshine. I thought I'd polish my pins with the Mint Tea body scrub and the Lemon body butter.

How cute is the packaging!

The Mint Tea body scrub is a lovely soft and buttery salt scrub with a fresh peppermint scent. Unlike many scrubs I've tried, the 'butter' holds the salt together so it is very easy to spread all over the skin and the grains don't wastefully fall into the bathtub. I've found that this soft and buttery texture means that this product is most suitable for everyday buffing around the body and not on very dry areas.

This scrub is great for shaving because not only does the exfoliation prevent ingrown hair, it leaves a moisturising oily layer on the skin, allowing the razor to glide so smoothly. After rinsing away the oil, my legs feel and look silky smooth.

To make them even more moisturised, I finish off with the Lemon body butter.

So whippy! Yumm!

The lemon scent is so fresh and really does smell like fresh lemon juice as opposed to the fake lemon scents you normally get with other products. The texture of this body butter is scrumptious! It has a light, whipped cake batter texture, which I really love. It is light enough to spread all over the skin. Even though it isn't absorbed into the skin very quickly, it doesn't leave a sticky residue.

Overall, I enjoyed using both of these Myroo products. The Mint Tea scrub is great for everyday body exfoliation with the added benefit of being moisturising too. The Lemon body butter has a luxurious texture whilst being very moisturising. The two products together have a summery lemon and mint smell and will leave your skin soft and smooth.

The Mint Tea scrub is priced at £8 and the Lemon body butter is £15.

Check out both of these products and more at www.myroo.co.uk.

xx

*Products were sent to me by Myroo. Opinions are 100% honest as always.

Eden Nail Polish Remover

Hello angels!

I hope you're all having a lovely March. Spring is just around the corner so I'm getting a head start in painting my nails in all these different bright and pastel colours. I just can't wait for spring to arrive!

I normally use an acetone based nail polish remover on my nails so I was happy to hear about a new natural nail polish remover called Eden by Fresh Therapies.

The first thing I noticed about this product is that there is none of that strong smell you get with acetone nail polish removers. Instead there is a lovely and mild herbal and lime smell. It is a lovely calming scent.

When using the product, I did have to rub my nails with a little more effort than usual. But it was nothing exhausting at all and my nail polish still came off pretty quickly. Usually, after using nail polish remover, my nails start to feel quite dry and brittle. However, after using the Eden natural nail polish remover, I didn't experience this at all.

So if you're looking for a natural nail polish, I would recommend you give this one a try. You can buy it directly from the Fresh Therapies website.

So, tell me... what nail colours are you currently loving?

xxx

This review is based on a miniature sample sent to me by the company. 100% honest opinion as always.

Weleda Baby Calendula Face Cream

Hey all!

Remember the Weleda Skin Food I blogged about a few days ago? Well, I got the chance to try out another one of their great products: Weleda Baby Calendula Face Cream.

I know, it's from the Baby range! But trust me, it's great to use on your skin no matter your age.

Compared to Skin Food, this face cream is lighter and less oily, making it perfect to use on the face. Because it's much lighter, it's absorbed quicker so I have no problem applying it right before my make up.

Normally, I would use a product a few times to see the results then I would blog about it. But I saw results after just one application of this product. I found that the dry and flaky area around my nose was so much smoother and and the dryness had completely gone.

Just because it's a face cream, it doesn't mean you can't use this anywhere else, of course. I've used it as a hand cream too and it made my skin soft and smooth.

Overall, I really like this product. It works from the first application and it's light, yet efficient, enough to use anywhere around the face or body. I'm not surprised that this range won a ton of awards, including the Mother & Baby Award 2012 Silver award for Best Premium Baby Skincare Range.

Weleda Baby Calendula Face Cream is affordable at only £6.95 for 50ml. You can get it from the Weleda website, Love Lula (free delivery!), Boots, Waitrose and many independent health stores.

Have you tried this product before? I would love to hear your thought.

xx

My Matcha Challenge

Hey all!

Have any of you tried matcha before?

Matcha is a type of green tea that is ground down to a fine powder. Originating from Japan, it is well known for it's amazing health benefits and its energising effects. There are too many benefits to list down, so make sure you check out this link and read all about it.

Now I am a big fan of matcha. I still remember the first time I tried it. My friend was raving about it and, as a coffee drinker and one who is suspicious of bright green milky drinks, I was rather sceptical at first. I decided to be adventurous and gave it a try. It was one of the best decisions I made in my life (no kiddin'!). It tasted so great and it made me feel incredibly awake and refreshed. I didn't crash afterwards either.

Unfortunately, I can't get a nice matcha drink close to my home. So a refreshing cup of matcha in the morning wasn't an option for me. But thankfully, you can buy matcha online to make drinks at home at a fraction of the cost. teapigs matcha is 100% organic and comes in an cute little tin to keep it fresh.

Cute :')

You can drink it however you like, whether you prefer to whisk it into hot water, whip up an ice-cold matcha frappe or knock back a matcha shot. Personally, I prefer a hot matcha latte, which is very suited to this weather and it really warms me up in the morning.

You can also add it to food such as stirring it into yogurt with some honey and nuts to make a very nutritious breakfast.

I recently took part in teapigs's matcha challenge where I drink matcha for two weeks and report back on how it made me feel. I have been drinking it mostly as a matcha latte in the mornings. I normally drink regular black tea and have to buy a coffee afterwards to keep me going. But with a matcha latte I find that it keeps me feeling awake for hours and it also makes me more focussed in class. Plus, it tastes yummy!

I haven't experienced any long-term effects. Although, I have been awfully inactive the past few weeks, just sitting down and typing away at my dissertation for hours each day. So I didn't expect any weight loss miracles. But the short-term benefits of feeling refreshed, awake and relaxed during these stressful days have been amazing.

So if you're looking for an alternative to coffee, I seriously recommend you give this a try. I seriously recommend you get yourself a frother as it can be difficult to blend into your drink.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

xx

P.S. Excuse the funky photography. I got a little carried away playing with my phone ;)

Weleda Skin Food Review

Do you know how some girls are obsessed with lip balm. They buy every lip balm out there and are always applying it to their lips. I'm the same way with hand moisturiser. I've been told many times that I'm always putting something on my hands. It's not only because I need to protect my hands from this harsh weather but there is something comforting about massaging my hands with cream and breathing in the calming scent.

As someone who has tried so many creams, I'd like to share my views on Weleda's Skin Food, which they kindly sent me to try*.

Firstly, I must comment on Weleda's brand. I have a lot of respect for Weleda because it has a long heritage of being ethical. I'm never taught on the ethical side of business on my degree so I always find companies such as Weleda very inspiring.

So, onto the product. The consistency of Skin Food is very different to many moisturisers on the market. Because it is mostly made up of sunflower seed oil, it melts instantly onto my skin and it's quickly absorbed without leaving a damp and oily residue.

The smell is very calming thanks to the extracts of Chamomile and Calendula. It also has a mild grassy smell, reminding me of spring, which I am really looking forward to as it has been one long winter!

As soon as the cream is absorbed, my hands feel very soft and the calming scent lingers on my skin.

Surprisingly, this great product doesn't come with a big price tag either. A 30ml tube costs £4.95 and the 75ml tube is £8.95 on the Weleda website.

Have you tried Weleda Skin Food? Let me know what you think.

xx

*100% honest as always :)

A Natural Low-Calorie Sugar Alternative

Hello! I hope you've all been well. As promised, here's my review on Total Sweet Xylitol.

As I have a big sweet tooth, I find it difficult to cut down on sugar even when I'm trying to lose weight. And I've heard too many nasty things about synthetic sweeteners so I decided to try a natural alternative.

Xylitol is a supposedly a great substitute as not only is it low in calories, it doesn't contain any sugars.  So it's much better for your health.

The first thing I noticed about this product when I picked it off the shelf is that it does contain calories. But only a little so I didn't mind taking it home with me. Also, comparing it to regular granulated sugar, it contains the same amount of carbs (it doesn't contain any sugars though). As I just wanted to cut down on calories and sugar, I didn't mind all of this at all.

Trying the xylitol in a cup of tea, I didn't like it at first as it didn't sweeten at all. All it did was reduce the bitterness of my cup of tea tea. But over time, I did get used to it. And I did prefer it at times as my taste was too adjusted to very sweet things.

I did find, however, that I was scooping in more sweetener than I usually do with sugar as it wasn't sweetening at all. This meant that I was consuming more carbs in my tea than I usually do.

So I'm in two minds about this product. I'm not too fussed about the calories as I'm not on a strict regime but I do love a sweet cup of tea on a cold, grey morning. Also, the price isn't helping as it was just under £3 for 225g, which does add up with the amount of tea I drink.

I really wish I could say I love it as I'd love a healthier alternative to sugar. But my hunt for a natural sweetener must go on.

Got any suggestions for healthy sweeteners for me to try?

xx

Phytocare PURE Papaya Ointment review

I don't know about you but I don't normally change my skin routine with the weather. But after being contacted to try out Phytocare PURE Papaya Ointment and seeing the difference it made to my skin, it made me realise my skin really needs extra tlc in the cold weather.

Now, my hands aren't exactly dry but they do look dehydrated instead of plump. And they do say that old age shows up most on the hands! Not my favourite body part I'll tell you that!

I've been moisturising my hands more regularly these days but I haven't been using anything to prevent them from getting dehydrated. I mean, other than a pair of gloves is there such thing that will protect my hands from the harsh weather?

After massaging the soft, pale yellow paste onto my hands, which instantly melts and leaves no sticky or oily residue, I found that this ointment not only moisturises but leaves a lovely silky protective layer,  trapping moisture into my skin. Just like an invisible silk glove. Do you know how petroleum jelly traps in moisture? This is similar except it's completely petrochemical-free and its 100% natural ingredients are super moisturising. Once this layer is completely absorbed, my hands feel beautifully soft and hydrated.

What are these magic ingredients do you say?

Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), Macadamia ternifolia oil, Simmondsia chinesis (jojoba) oil, Carica Papaya (papaya) ferment, Tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), Caprylic triglyceride (coconut derived), Sorbitan Olivate (olive derived emulsifier), Fragrance (naturally derived), Styrax benzoin resinoid, Calendula officinalis flower extract.

The product has many uses around the body such as on insect bites, burns, nappy rash or as a lip balm.

Overall, I love this product and will definitely be using it for the cold months ahead. It's definitely a handbag essential for me.

You can buy PURE Papaya from their website. Prices start from £9.99 for the 25ml tube. It comes in a pot too but I find that the tube is both convenient and sanitary for applying on the go.

xx

New Year's Resolution 3: Lose Weight

Hello everyone!

I know it's almost the end of January (where has the month gone!) but I still have one more resolution to talk about. To lose weight. You've probably come across so many articles this month talking about losing weight. Personally, I find that many of them give the most obvious advice and that not everything works for everyone. You just have to find something that works for you. I'm going to tell you what works for me.

Swap your sweetener! I have an incredibly sweet tooth. Not only that but I drink a lot of tea and always have to have my two sugars in each mug. Three mugs later and it all adds up. Not only is sugar high in calories but it raises your blood sugar and feeds candida, to name a few. Since I've heard a lot of crazy things about synthetic sweeteners, I decided to try Xylitol by Total Sweet as a natural substitute. I'll be reviewing this very soon! An alternative is Stevia but I'm very suspicious of the ones I've come across in the supermarkets as I've heard that they're not pure and they're heavily processed. I'm not surprised considering these certain brands are owned by unhealthy carbonated drinks manufacturers.

Another thing I've been doing is taking a healthy snack like fruit or a Nakd bar and a bottle of water with me when I go out. That way, if I get hungry I don't resort to buying an unhealthy snack. It's a great way to avoid shopping when hungry too.

Fill up to eat less. It doesn't take long for me to fancy a snack after eating a meal so I'm trying to add more vegetables and salad to my meals to fill me up. Just as long as you avoid the starchy veggies and salad dressing, you'll be bringing more nutrition to your meals. I especially love to top a meal with lots of fresh spinach.

Images courtesy of gt_pann

Drink more. I love water so this is an easy one for me. It's a great way to fill up and keep hydrated.

Treat yourself! We all feel like a little treat now and then. As I don't like dark chocolate (It's more of a punishment than a treat for me), I go for rich milk chocolate that satisfies me in just a biteful. Hotel Chocolat have a great selection. More pricey than conventional brands but considering how satisfying they are compared to cheaper chocolates, plus they taste amazing and they're ethical, they are totally worth the money.

In terms of exercise, I'll be going to the gym but not for a few more weeks as I always have much more energy in the Spring. Until then, walking will do. I absolutely love to walk and it makes me feel great! I'm also hoping to take up yoga again as being stuck at home when it's cold and dark makes me feel sluggish. My Yoga Online have a huge selection and their subscription is very affordable.

So these are the rules I'm sticking to for now.

Got any easy tips for me?

xx

New Year's Resolution 2: Get organised

I can't believe it's been over a week since my last post so today's post is very relevant.

I'm usually very organised but winter has left me too sluggish to do anything. So it's very important for me to become much more organised.

To illustrate how disorganised I can be, I only recently finished my student finance application for uni this year. Just a couple of months late! I got a lovely invoice from university a few days ago but thankfully it has all been sorted out. And let's not forget room organisation! So let me tell you how I've started to become more organised and how I intend to be more organised. It's going to be a mix of both mental and physical organisation.

1) Spring clean in the winter! It's a new year so out with the old already! If there's something you haven't used in a long time and don't plan on using it any time soon, get rid of it. Fill up a bag with whatever you don't need and take it to a charity shop. Not only are you doing a good deed but you're decluttering your space which means decluttering your life too. If you need the money, sell them and see how much you can make.

2) Boxes. And lots of them! Once you've gotten rid of what you don't need, organise your belongings. Again, charity shops can come in handy. Look for good quality storage that will last you a long time rather than cheap and weak furniture that will fall apart. You'll be saving trees and getting organised!

3) Organise your time. For me, planners are pointless as I never look at them. They might work for you. I prefer to keep a list somewhere I can see it, listing everything I need to do that day. If I'm planning on going out, I make sure that I get as many things I need to do while I'm out. I take the list with me in case I forget anything. That really cuts down my mental to-do list.

4) Keep a poche in your handbag. I carry a lot of things in my handbag. Keys, purse, hand sanitiser, pens, moisturiser, perfume, mirror, tissues, lipgloss... and it was a nightmare finding anything! I sometimes forget something important in another handbag because it was difficult making sure I moved everything. So I started using a make up bag to store all these things. Now, whenever I need anything, I just pull out my 'poche'. And if I decide to carry a different handbag, I just transfer it to a different bag without forgetting anything.

5) Minimise distractions. Do you find that there isn't enough time in the day? Think about any distractions in your life that you can do without. For me, it was the Internet! I spend too much time on Facebook and Youtube so, at least for now, I'm not using Facebook. I've gone cold turkey. I've also unsubscribed to most newsletters as they weren't useful and they were only cluttering my inbox and wasting my time.

6) Make a timetable. As a student, I really should be more organised with my time instead of leaving everything till the last minute. Whether you're a student or not, you might want to make a timetable. This is especially useful if you're trying something new for your resolution such as going to the gym or a new hobby.

7) Routine. This is a big one for me as I don't have a daily routine. Well not a very healthy and organised one. I really need to fix up my sleep routine as I'm a night person and can't help but stay up till silly o'clock.

8) Set a few minutes a day for organisation. To check your diary, make goals, set meal plans, etc. Make sure it's during the time of day you can think most clearly. For me, this is before I go to bed.

9) Too much paper cluttering up your life? Tell me about it! I have a lot of paper whether they are lecture notes, letters, receipts or statements. It's an absolute pain finding an important document amidst the piles of paper. If there's anything you don't need, then give the paper another chance in life by recycling it. Everything else, keep in labelled folders or envelopes.

10) Clothes organisation. Thinking of what to wear takes up too much time in the morning for me. Make sure clothes are well organised. If there's a certain piece that you feel is missing in your wardrobe, write it down and hunt it down. Many times I think I've decided on an outfit only to realise that it's missing an important piece, such as a camisole or flat pumps.

So I hope this list has been useful for you. This is a personal list for me so you might find that it doesn't work for you. If you have any tips then please leave a comment and let me know :)

xx

New Year's Resolution 1: Save

Hi everyone!

As you may know from my last post, I'm trying to save money as part of my new years resolution. This is gonna be a hard one as I love to shop. Here are a few ways I'm going to do this. I hope they'll be helpful.

Budget

This is a difficult one for me as I like to make budgets but I never follow them. Write up a budget of all your necessities but give yourself a little pocket money to treat yourself. If there's something on your budget you feel you don't really need like a beauty box subscription, cable or your daily cappuccino, consider giving it up. Add up your savings goal to really motivate you to follow this through. If there something you're saving for? Draw or paste a picture of it to really get you going. Like a beautiful beach or simply lots more money in the bank.

Find a new hobby

Try a new hobby that is either cheap or free and a great money-saving alternative to eating out or shopping. Got a camera gathering dust? Take it out and experiment with all the functions. Edit them on free software like Paint.net and just have fun with it! There are lots of hobbies so try a new or even old hobby and enjoy it!

Unsubscribe

We can't get away from companies trying to sell us something. It's everywhere we go. On billboards, magazines, TV, email... But we can minimise the amount of advertising we get. I get so many emails from companies daily, tempting me with their offers and latest lines. So I decided to go through my email and click on the unsubscribe link on each newsletter. Do the same on social network sites by unliking/ unfollowing them. You'll save lots of time too.

Find cheaper alternatives

There's a cheaper alternative to almost everything and if you spend less on everything you buy, the savings add up. Try price comparison sites. I like to use mysupermarket.com before I go shopping for groceries.

Carry a list

When going shopping, carry a list and stick to it. If you see something you like, leave it and see how you feel about it once you're home. You may find that you've changed your mind about it, realise that it's too pricey or unnecessary or you may have forgotten all about it.

Borrow/ swap with friends

If you're looking to buy something you'll only use once like a book or dvd, ask friends if they have one lying around. Just remember to be a good sport and give it back as soon as you're done with it.

Be creative

If there's something you want, can you use what you have instead? I've been wanting to get a matte nude eyeshadow palette for a little while. I then realised that I have a blush that is too dark for me but looks so beautiful on the crease.

So these are my tips for saving a little money. Got any other tips for me?

xx

(A Belated) Happy New Year!

Hello everyone!

Sorry I have been absent for a while. But I'm back blogging now :)

Firstly, I would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year.

I'm not big on new year resolutions but making a resolution to make a positive change in your life can't be a bad thing. For me personally, I would like to lose a little weight as I have spent the autumn and winter eating lots of high fat and sugary foods and sitting down writing my reports. Not a healthy combination at all. So once it gets lighter, I want to go back to the gym. I also want to save money. My third resolution is to be more organised in my life. So to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day and plan my time to get things done.

So I will be writing three separate blog posts very soon with tips on how to meet these resolutions.

Do you have any new year resolutions? Any tips on how I can meet mine?

xx