Category: Budget Beauty

High street favourites to get your toiletries cruelty free

Convenience for me has a huge impact on how I purchase, however shopping with convenience in mind it can be easy to fall into bad habits. I have three high street favourites when shopping for cruelty free products and toiletries which are also very reasonably priced. Almost every high street will have one of these stores too so it keeps your shopping simple, convenient and still cruelty free – Win Win!

For those who would rather not venture into the high street, all three of my favourite stores have great websites too.

two white bottles beside potted plant on bathtub

Superdrug

Superdrug has done a fantastic job of introducing their own brands and ensuring the ‘leaping bunny’ logo is clearly displayed on the packaging. You can be reassured that the products you’re purchasing are cruelty free, thanks to the official seals of approval.

Toiletries for men and women, including deodorants, toothpaste and shower gel are all available in Superdrug’s own brand. These are easily identified by the star logo in the corner of the products and are extremely well priced. My hero product is the Superdrug Charcoal Toothpaste.

Superdrug Charcoal Toothpaste – £1.50

superdrug-toothpaste-e1575891957344.png

The Charcoal helps to remove stains, actually whitens teeth and gives you brilliantly fresh breath. The toothpaste is in fact black, but don’t be put off its just the charcoal. Superdrug also offer a sensitive version of this toothpaste too and often do a buy one get one half price deal. The toothpaste does contain Fluoride so for those looking for an organic product this isn’t for you.

Body Shop

The Body Shop continues to lead the way on corporate social responsibility projects, including their most famous movement of being Cruelty Free and campaigning for this in the UK and Europe too. The Body Shop price points are slightly higher than other high street brands but the quality easily justifies this. You can also be confident that anything you purchase will be Cruelty Free.

Moringa Shower Gel – £5.00 250ml

Body Shop Shower Gel

My hero toiletry product (as I have many favourite products from the Body Shop) is their Shower Gel. They have a fragrance to suit everyone and all part of a broader collection of soaps, hand creams and body butters. The shower gel is £5 for 250ml which may sound more expensive than most but I use a lot less due to the incredible formula, so it lasts twice as long. The best thing about the body shop shower gel is it actually feels indulgent and leaves your skin soft and smooth, not dry and dehydrated.

Holland and Barrett

A lot of people still think of Holland and Barrett as a health food store that sells lots of vitamins too. What your missing is a huge range of incredible beauty brands from Shampoo to toothpaste to sheet masks, Holland and Barrett have you covered. The best part of shopping there is their sales and promotions that are almost all year round, keeping it nice and easy on the purse strings.

Holland and Barrett are the only national retailer to have introduced an entire range of toiletries free from parabens and sodium lauryl sulphates so you can check for Cruelty Free and know they are clean products too. I have a lot of brand favourites that are sold at Holland and Barrett, including Dr Organics and Sukin. You can learn more about Dr Organics on my post here. But for toiletries my hero product has to be the Salt of the Earth deodorant.

Salt of the Earth Natural Unscented Stick Deodorant 90g £4.99

Deodorant

This isn’t your usual deodorant stick and for those used to spraying, this can be a huge change. Salt of the Earth encourage you to work with your body, not against it, using this classic natural, effective stick deodorant. It’s simple but powerful formula works without blocking the skin’s pores or leaving white marks on your clothes.  The Salt of the Earth deodorant lasts up to 24 hours and  must be applied to wet skin or the crystal must be wet before applying. Give this little crystal a try, I think its worth it.

 

Cruelty Free doesn’t mean its clean

You do need to remember when purchasing cruelty free, this does not guarantee the products are organic or free of nasty chemicals. Check out my post here on how to avoid those dirty ingredients.

woman making fun with her eyes

I hope this quick guide has helped make your shopping trips that little bit easier. I remember the first time I went cruelty free shopping with my mum she was rather overwhelmed so please let me know how you get on, she didn’t have this guide though.. Good Luck!

Budget Beauty – How to get clearer, calmer skin with clean products

During the winter months, trying to keep my skin clear and moisturised is almost impossible. Central heating, cold air and quick temperature changes are all doing their best to remove moisture and nutrients from the skin, making it a bit of a problem.

Clean Beauty.jpeg

Normal spot or problem skin treatments focus on removing excess sebum (oil) from the skin which in my case leaves it feeling extremely dry, flaky and tight in a lot of areas. Overly dry skin can then lead to more breakouts as there is no natural barrier on the skin to prevent or reduce bacteria.

Dr Organic Skin Clear range

During a visit to Holland and Barrett I stumbled across Dr Organic – a brand that carries a vast selection of products for all skin types with multiple awards under their belt too. I noticed their Skin Clear range and was so pleased with how reasonably priced it was – the face wash, moisturiser and 5 in 1 treatment gel are available as a set for £19.98.

Dr Organic’s Skin Clear range has an anti-bacterial and purifying solution for problem-prone skin. They have created a targeted range of treatments that work to clean, mattify and re-balance even the most problematic complexions. The Tea Tree Oil, Orange and Grapefruit Extracts create a soothing sensation on the skin leaving a calm, hydrated feel.

I have been using Dr Organic Skin Clear range (Face wash, scrub, moisturiser and 5 in 1 targeted gel treatment) on and off  for almost a year and have now put the face wash and 5 in 1 treatment gel in my emergency skin care first aid box – for when I know my skin needs a quick pick me up or some serious help.  The products are organic and contain no nastys (click here to find out more on avoiding dirty ingredients) so you can feel comfortable using this range consistently regardless of the condition of your skin.

The Skin Clear Spot Treatment Pack

Deep Pore Cleansing Face Wash 

The face wash was highly commended at the OK Beauty Awards in 2017 and I can understand why. The face wash contains Tea Tree Oil, Orange and Grapefruit Extracts which act as natural anti-bacterial ingredients. The face wash also includes fruit acids and Willow Bark extract to help calm the skin and reduce redness. The smell is delightful with the grapefruit really coming through, which is extremely refreshing in the morning.

Directions for use: Wet your face then gently massage a small amount (emphasis on small, a little goes a long way) in circular motions, focusing on the Tzone (forehead, nose and chin), then rinse with cool water. To achieve the best results use as part of your daily skin regime.

Skin Clear - Deep Pore Face Wash

5 in 1 Treatment Gel

The 5 in 1 gel is like my mini rescue remedy and I apply the product once a day at night on specific areas – Note this is not a miracle worker, it will not get rid of a blemish etc straight away however is does dramatically reduce redness, calm the skin and increase cell renewal. The gel has been developed to target spots, blemishes and breakouts, with a rich concentration of natural AHAs (Fruit Acids) and Salicylic Acid.  The treatment gel was highly commended at the OK Beauty Awards in 2017 and won silver at the Beauty Awards 2017 and the Reveal Summer Beauty Awards 2017.

Directions for use: Apply to affected area as and when required.

Skin Clear - 5 in 1 Treatment Gel

Oil Control Moisturiser 

The moisturiser is the one product from the set I feel I can swap in and out, as I love to try something new far to often. However the price point is so reasonable it’s a great product to keep using for consistent reliable results. Dr Organics do recommend this product is used daily to help reduce the appearance of spots whilst minimising pores and redness but personally using the wash and treatment gel I find enough. The moisturiser was also highly commended at the OK Beauty Awards in 2017 and won silver at the Beauty Awards 2017.

Directions for use: Apply a small amount daily after cleansing and toning. This product can be used both morning and evening.

 

Skin Clear Moisturiser

Dr Organic says on their website that “Here at Dr Organic we seek out the treasures of the natural world to discover the purest and most potent extracts, delving deep into centuries old traditions and supercharged botanicals to create breakthrough formulations that make you look and feel incredible.” and so far I have not been disappointed by that statement.

Budget Beauty – Give yourself the chance to sparkle

I am a huge fan of all things glitter, especially for a girls night out or on holiday. I love looking at new ways to incorporate a little shimmer into my life be that through my highlighter, eyes or skin . I need to make sure I get the balance right though as there is nothing worse than looking like a disco ball. I always found this rather challenging, that was until I tried GlitterEyes.

What is GlitterEyes?

GlitterEyes is a relatively new brand with a fast growing social media following, and for very good reason. The products are developed in the UK and are 100% vegan, non toxic and cruelty-free. (They test all their products on themselves!) All of this is great but are the products any good?

FullSizeRender

The Collections

GlitterEyes are continuing to innovate their products, bringing new colors, pigments and glitters to their collection. They have multiple different types of products but I will be talking through the ones I use most.

GlitterEyes Pressed Pigment

GlitterEyes have a large range of pressed pigments all of which can be used anywhere on the skin. Pigments are now my go-to eye-shadows but I also use them as highlighter and on my lips.

IMG_2026

The application is easy and can be done with either a makeup brush or finger. The pressed pigments glide on the skin without much fall off and can be built up gradually to create a natural or dramatic look without looking cakey or thick. The GlitterEye pressed pigments are also easily blended to create a smokey eye or ombre lip. The colour layoff is brilliant especially considering these are only £6.99 and you also have the option to create your own palette of colours on the GlitterEyes website. So no need to have that one shadow you never use and feel guilty throwing it away.

IMG_2124

GlitterEyes Pressed Glitter

GlitterEyes hand make all their pressed glitters in house within the GlitterEyes lab and the best thing about their pressed glitter is that no adhesive is needed. These can be applied with a brush (more intense) or finger (less intense) straight onto the skin.

I love using the pressed glitter over the top of the pigments to add a little more drama to a look. These can also be applied round the eyes which looks great at festivals. The pressed glitters are easily removed with water and a microfibre cloth without going everywhere in the process.
IMG_2136

GlitterEyes Loose Glitter

Loose Glitter can be dusted onto the skin to create an all over sparkle or if you are looking for something more concentrated onto a particular area you can use an adhesive which GlitterEyes has available. Loose Glitter is great for festivals, parties and being a little bit over the top – because why not.

The loose glitter stays in place all day – I wore this for a 100km bike ride (long story) and it did not budge at all but was easy to remove when I eventually wanted to do so.

IMG_2131

 The Verdict

The GlitterEyes products are fun to use, they make me want to do something a bit different and they also work really well.

You can purchase GlitterEyes on their website and through a whole host of online boutiques. Be sure to check out their Instagram page for some amazing looks and sneak peaks at brand new products.

Click here to see the range GlitterEyes

Budget Beauty – The balm that does it all

I have tried so many multi-use miracle balms that claim they can do everything, after trying them I am bitterly disappointed to find out they are only good for dry lips. Most balms are to thick to put on my hands and stay greasy for a really long time. With the UK currently so cold outside and warm inside, my skin has been crying for some TLC.

Dr Lipp’s – Original Nipple Balm for Dry Skin, Luscious Lips & Glossy Bits – £12 per 15ml

IMG_1955

This award-winning balm is made from only one natural ingredient, medical-grade lanolin from free-roaming sheep down under, with no additives and definitely no animal testing.

Dr Lipp’s Nipple balm is great for all skin types, it is not addictive, allows the skin to breathe and also helps your skin to regulate its own moisture balance. So basically Dr Lipp’s Nipple balm helps fix the problem instead of trying to cover it up.

IMG_1956

I personally use Dr Lipp’s Nipple balm for the following and had amazing results;

  • Chapped lips
  • Dry cuticles
  • Dry nose 
  • To tame my often flying frizzy ends 
  • Keeping my eyebrows in place
  • Dry patches on my hands
  • Anywhere my skin feels sore or overly sensitive

But there are so many more uses that I haven’t had the opportunity to try yet..

Treat chapped lips, Long lasting lip gloss, Lipstick primer, Softens dry cuticle & skin, Eyelash conditioning, Breast feeding, Eyebrow shaping, Glitter glue, Shine up scuffed heels, Touching up a moustache, After-sun, Babies bottoms, Sore spots on the skin, Cheek shine, Under foundation for a flawless finish, Sore noses, Pigment mixing and the list goes on…..

So for that go to beauty product that does even more than it says on the tin, I would highly recommend Dr Lipps Nipple Balm. I will definitely keep this handy 3ml squeezy tube in my bag at all times!

IMG_1958

Click here to purchase  – Original Nipple Balm for Dry Skin, Luscious Lips & Glossy Bits

%d bloggers like this: