Alva Organic Creamy Lipstick in Naked Pink

Having quite a large collection of lipsticks in my beauty stash, I have become quite well - behaved when it comes to picking up new ones. I have been very selective and quite sensible with the colours I have been choosing - I have tonnes of plums and reds so I have stayed away from temptation to buy more. A shade of lipstick I am always happy to add to my collection though, is a nude pink. Nude pinks are so easy to wear for me, as I find that 'my lips but better' tone so easy to pull off and I don't have to worry too much if the shade suits me etc. I certainly don't need any more nude pinks as I have quite a lot already, but I know this new lipstick will be very well-loved, and as I tend to use these shades every Day, it will be very well-used, too.

The lipstick in question Today is one by the natural and organic beauty brand; Alva, and is in the shade Naked Pink. Naked Pink is one of four shades from their Orgnanic Creamy Collection, the other shades being a red, orange and purple. The lipsticks are certified vegan and organic, and cost £14.15 each. I will be the first to admit that I think the price is quite high; up there with the likes of other high-end brands. Do I think Alva delivers on the lipstick front? Yes I do. The Organic Creamy Collection was created with ingredients such as apricot kernel oil, natural vitamin E, and cocoa butter to ensure the lips are left feeling soft, silky and best of all, moisturized. The product applies well, being able to build up the colour as much as you like without the product drying out the lips. This is a great attribute to the product if you suffer from sensitive skin like me, as I often find that constantly reapplying a lip product makes my lips very sore and irritated. The lipstick lasts well on the lips for around 4 hours without the need to reapply it, which is good going for a natural product to last so well in my opinion. 
Alva's Organic Creamy Lipstick in Naked Pink  is available to buy online from MyPure. 

*This post includes a PR sample*

Inika Truly Organic Ultimate Lip Tint in Cherish

Inika recently released their new Truly Organic lip line, consisting of three ultimate lip tints. Inika are a make up brand that are pure, natural and use only the finest crushed mineral pigments as the ingredients to their products. Inika products are also free form  talc, bismuth oxychloride, GM ingredients, parabens, preservatives & fragrances.

I was really excited to try a product from their new range, especially being a lip tint as they are one of my favourite lip products to wear.
When applying the lip tint, it felt very creamy and soft. A lip tint is definitely the best way to desrcibe the product as it adds just a subtle hint of colour to the lips. It feels a little like a mix between a tinted lip balm and a lip tint. The lip tint lasts around 2-3 hours without having to be reapplied. The product feels soft and moisturizing on the lips, and doesn't bleed during the time wearing it.

I chose the colour Cherish to review, which is a light plum/purple colour. It is a beautiful colour, and is great if you want to add a little bit of colour to your lips but don't want it to be too bright, as the tint add just a little bit of  that vibrant colour. I really like the colour pay - off and it is a colour I would wear on an Evening for a more 'vampy' look.
The lipsticks cost £15.50, making the lip products a high - end price. I would be prepared to pay the price for the lip product if I had sensitive skin and had trouble wearing 'average' lip products. I would recommend this product only if the person who was buying it had very sensitive skin or are allergic to certain ingredients in average make up.
The Truly Organic Ultimate Lip Tint range is new to My Pure online.

*This post contains products I was sent to review. All opinions are 100% honest and my own*

Lovea Coconut Shower Gel Review

Lovea are a great, purse-friendly, natural brand which I have come to really enjoy in the past few Months. I have tried a handful of their products in the past and they have all been good quality and done the job. Lovea is the on the lower end of the scale when it comes to prices for natural beauty products, which is fantastic. I love natural beauty products but they can be quite pricey, so it is nice to see a brand being able to sell their natural products for a reasonable amount. 

I love a good shower gel, and really enjoy the scent of coconut. I often find that coconut scented beauty products smell quite synthetic, I'm not sure why, but a lot of products I have tried just don't smell like coconut at all. I had heard good things and great reviews about the Lovea Coconut Shower Gel and was hoping it wouldn't smell synthetic either. The reviews were right! The shower gel smells like coconut oil and not too synthetic. This is a great winner if you love your sweet scents, but if you are not a fan of sweet and strong shower gels this may not be for you.
The shower gel worked great for my skin, which is often very sensitive and I sometimes comes out in rashes from certain ingredients in your average body products. The Lovea shower gel is perfect to use if you have senstive skin as it contains organic aloe vera. The shower gel lathers well and a little goes a long way, so the big bottle will last you a while.  After use, my skin feels soft and cleansed. I would definitely recommend Lovea shower gel to anyone with sensitive skin. It has worked great for me.

This shower gel is available from My Pure here for just £6.49.

*This post contains products I was sent to review. All opinions are 100% honest and my own*

August Degustabox

Degustabox August 2014

Today's post brings you The Degustabox; a Monthly Subscription service which is a surprise box of food and drink delivered to your door for only £12.99! Great savings are made when ordering a Degustabox as the price is much cheaper than if the products were bought in the shops. The box includes 9-14 surprise food or drink products, with many of them being new to the market or products from around the World!

You can use this code E7HBU at the checkout to receive a generous £3 off your order! 
That makes it just £9.99 for this fantastic box!

I will be sharing the contents of the August 2014 Degustabox along with my thoughts. I am pretty impressed with the contents as a whole, a very varied selection of food and drink - there is nothing I would not use which I think is impressive for a surprise subscription service.

This is how the box looks once opening! Look how full it is!

This is a new addition to the Degustabox. It is called Degustabox Fridge - this is a coupon which you will receive in the box each month, that entitles you to a fridge or chiller item completely free! I think this is a great concept - it is like a little freebie when you are doing your groceries! The coupon is not included in the value of the box, and is an additional item which really does make it free!

This Months Degustabox Fridge includes a coupon for a free MOMA! Muesli Multi-pack. I haven't yet collected my freebie up, as I haven't been to a Sainsbury's store that stocks them yet, but I will be going soon.

Mexican Dave's Tortilla Chips in Lightly Salted

First off... who doesn't love tortilla chips! This is a huge winner in my house, as we love nothing more than having tortilla chips or crisps to nibble on while we are watching a film, playing on the games console or just gathered in the living room having a chat! These tortilla chips are by Mexican Dave, a brand I have never heard of before. They are so tasty and you can't stop at just at just a few. They are full of flavour and are very reasonably priced at just £1, available from Tesco Stores from 25th August.


Schwartz Flavour Shots Spanish Smoked Paprika Chicken
Schwartz Flavour Shots Mexican Fajitas

I was really happy to see these Schwarts Flavour Shots in this Months box. Schwartz are a fantastic brand that we, as a family, have used and enjoyed their products many a time. We have never tried their Flavour Shots before, so we are really looking forward to adding these shots to our meals. To use, you simply spoon the flavour shot into the pan, then add your meat - so simple. We eat a lot of chicken so I think these will be great to add a some flavour to our normal dishes.

Lindt Milk Chocolate Hearts

Lindt, for me, are a chocolate brand that can do no wrong. I loved this cute addition to the box of a small tin full of chocolate. I think these would make a great gift but unfortunately these chocolates did not make it that far... we munched them all! They taste amazing melted or popped in the fridge - a 10/10 in our household. At £3.49 they are definitely an indulgent sweet treat!

Dr Oetker Edible Wafer Cupcake Cases 

Edible Cake Cases were a concept we had never heard of before - what a great idea! You will have to wait and look out for a future blog post as to what they look like - but for a little heads up: they taste great and are a great novelty idea perfect for a party or for kids. You can pick these up from Asda and Tesco Stores for £2.50.

Fever Tree Tonic Water
Fever Tree Ginger Beer
Fever Trees mixers and tonic waters are made from natural ingredients, which ensures they taste clean and subtle. Fever Tree are a top mixer in some of the very best restaurants, so you know they must be good! I received a Tonic Water and a Ginger Beer, which will be great to drink either alone or to mix with alcohol or juices. Costing just £1.69 each, you can top up your average beverage with a taste of something extra special.

Caribbean Twist Cocktail in Strawberry Daiquiri 

I have tried a few Carribbean Twist drinks over the years, but have never come across the Strawberry Daiquiri flavour. It is a sparkling and ready to drink alcoholic cocktail with a hint of Caribbean. It contains 7.5% real fruit juice and 4% alcohol. *Drink Responsibly!*  It taste really fruity and refreshing, and tastes fantastic mixed with lemonade and the obligatory cubes of ice!

*When ordering Degustabox, you have a choice of a Alcoholic or Non Alcoholic option - the Fever Tree Drinks were the non - alcoholic option for this Month and the Caribbean Twist drink was the alcoholic option*

Berry White Peach and Goji Berry Organic Drink

In our box we received the Berry White drink in Peach and Goji Berry. Berry White are organic fruit drinks which are made from an array of fruits and organic ingredients.  The drink tasted so refreshing and was perfect to wash down with breakfast. I would definitely suggest trying out the Peach and Goji Berry flavour, and I am definitely going to hunt down some of their other flavours to try. Berry White organic drinks are available online at Ocado and Waitrose.

Cawston Press Apple and Pear Blend Juice 

This Kid's Blend Juice Drink was well appreciated by my younger Sister. She adores fruit juice and smoothies and tells me she really enjoyed this Apple and Pear Juice Drink. She says its tasted really fresh and not concentrated, which she finds with a lot of other juice drinks. She also really enjoyed the combination of apple and pear. The fantastic thing about Cawston Press is that their drinks have no added sugar or any artificial nasties.

Brioche Pasquier Pains Au Lait
Croissants Au Beurre

We were all really looking forward to munching on these gorgeous French breads, particularly the croissants once we saw them in the box. We added butter and jam to make a really tasty breakfast, and also toasted the croissants which made them even more tasty. I was really impressed that we had two loaves of these in our Degustabox, which I think is ideal for families. This isn't something we would ever pick up on our grocery shop, although we really enjoy these sorts of foods, we never think to stop and buy them. We have thoroughly enjoyed munching on these throughout the week and have now added them to our shopping list for next week. Thanks Degustabox!

There you have it! I think you can agree this box is fantastic value for money. I love the surprise concept. I also think this would make a fantastic house warming or party gift or even a hamper. I love the varied items included in the box - all items are usable in my home and I know they will be consumed pretty quickly by my family. What I love about Degustabox is that their customer service is great and their aims to help their customers enjoy and get the most out of their box. Degustabox have a blog which is a great read, which includes a fantastic recipes page where you can check out lots of ideas of how to use the things in your box!

For more information, check out the Degustabox Website to read more about their services. You can also visit their Social Media Sites Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with them.

Have you ever tried a monthly Subscription Box like Degustabox?

*This post contains PR samples/items which were sent to me for consideration to review. All opinions are 100 %  honest and my own. You can view my full disclaimer policy on the contact tab above*

A'kin Very Gentle Unscented Body Wash

About A'kin

Akin is a brand which are ingredient - rich, vegan and use certified organic ingredients, and ensure their products are made without animal testing and animal ingredients. Their products are made from fine natural ingredients so that the products only include ingredients which are pure and skin friendly. My Pure have sold A'kin products since 2004, and they have quickly become a very popular brand.

Very Gentle Unscented Body Wash

The body wash has a consistency of gel once you first use it, but lathers up really well when washing. A little definitely goes a long way as the product itself does last a long time. At a huge 500 ml bottle, this will definitely last you a while! This 500 ml bottle costing just £14 *currently £11.90 at My Pure for a limited time only - link here* - it is very reasonably priced.
Of course as this body wash is unscented so for once, there is no scent I can comment on! This doesn't stop this body wash being a fantastic product though, as it is gentle and helps to moisturise and soften my skin. I think a body wash like this one is good to use sometimes as I know I love my scented products, but when my skin is feeling irritated I just want to use a product that is unscented and something that wont continue to irritate my skin. The A'kin Unscented Body Wash is a firm favourite for many people that have sensitive skin, including myself. A member of my family suffers from eczema and has found this to be a great product which doesn't feed the eczema and cause further irritation, so that is another plus from us!

I would recommend this if you love a good pamper but have sensitive skin. You can purchase this lovely body wash at My Pure here.


*This post contains PR samples/items which were sent to me for consideration to review. All opinions are 100 %  honest and my own. You can view my full disclaimer policy on the contact tab above*

Living Nature Skin Care Minis for Oily and Combination Skin

Living Nature* is a brand which I have featured quite frequently on my blog in recent Months. I love their eco-friendly ethic, as well as falling in love with their great quality products of-course. 

I was intrigued to try out their new Skin Mini's - which include a Cleanser, Toner and Lotion for all of your skin care needs. The packaging is really cute and simple - I love the box the products are housed in. I stay quite simple with what I know works for me by using a cleanser, toner and moisturiser in my daily routine, so this little mini kit is ideal for me. Each bottle containing 30ml of product, these mini's are perfect for traveling, Holidays and even trialing out the products to see what they are like! Coming in at RRP £19.50 for the kit, I think the Skin Mini's are really reasonably priced if you want to try out a completely new skin regime. The Mini's last between 4-6 if used on a daily basis, which is quite a long time for the size of the products. These little kits are available for three different skin types; Dry and Mature Skin, Normal Skin, and Oily and Combination Skin, which is the set I am featuring today. Lets face it - if you are looking to buy skin care products for your specific skin type - it can get a little confusing on what is best for you - this handy set is already catered for you and your skin type. 

Now, onto what I thought of the products. I have enjoyed using this Oily and Combination Skin set - before I used an array of different products from a variety of different brands so it was quite refreshing to use all three products that work well together. The Purifying Cleanser is quite a light cleanser which foams really well. It has helped to remove make - up and excess oil from the face, it feels very fresh and leaves my skin feeling awake.The Hydrating Toning Gel is really soothing and gentle on the skin, after using this my skin feels very refreshed and bright.My favourite of all three, the Balancing Day Lotion provides my skin with a fresh face after I have applied it. It makes my skin feel soft and really moisturised, as well as feeling really hydrated. I really enjoy using these three products together, as I feel my skin has become more moisturised, refreshed and restored. 

You can purchase The Living Nature Skin Mini's from The Botanical Brands website here.

*This post contains PR samples/items which were sent to me for consideration to review. All opinions are 100 %  honest and my own. You can view my full disclaimer policy on the contact tab above*

Lovea Burkina Shea Moisturising Hair Mask Review

This Month, I have been trying out the Lovea Burkina Shea Moisturising Hair Mask. I decided I really wanted to try this hair mask as my hair is so dull and lifeless, it really needed a lift. I have bought a lot of hair masks in the past, with only one or two really working for me - but having an expensive price tag. My hair is prone to split ends and looks very dry, so I read a few reviews online about this hair mask and it was the best I could find, so I decided to give it a go. 

Lovea

Lovea is a brand I have heard a lot about, so was delighted to see it stocked online at Mypure 
Lovea products contain certified organic and natural ingredients. The three main ingredients in Lovea products are Tahitian Monoi, Burkina Shea Butter and Moroccan Argan Oil. This product in particular is targeted for dry hair, so the main ingredient is Burkina Shea Butter; which is very nourishing and helps to soften the hair. You can see the entire range of Lovea products which Mypure stock here.

How To Use

The Lovea Burkina Shea Moisturizing Hair Mask has a slightly sticky texture, but smells beautiful. You only need the smallest amount of product. To use, you simply wash your hair and towel dry, then apply the Hair Mask evenly onto your hair. After five minutes I wash mine out, but you can leave it for up to 30 minutes in your hair if you fancy a real pamper.

Results

After drying the hair, you notice the benefits from the hair mask instantly. Your hair feels super soft and glossy, like it would if you had your hair done professionally at a salon. My hair now feels much more healthier and my split ends aren't quite as noticeable! 

The hair mask is available from Mypure here for just £7.99*. I feel that is a a very reasonable price for a huge 300ml tub which will go a long way.

Living Nature Blush In Cool Winter

Living Nature Blush In Cool Winter*

Today I am writing about a lovely blusher from Living Nature. The shade I have is 'Cool Winter', which is a quite peachy toned light brown. The blush looks very natural and healthy when applied to the skin. It gives a little flush of colour to the cheeks. There is also another shade available in 'Warm Summer'. The blush is suitable for vegans and vegetarians; is a certified natural organic product, and has not been tested on animals. 

Packaging, Price and Information

The packaging of the blush is sleek and is cased in a black compact. There is also a rope wrapped around the compact which ensures the product doesn't open. The compact arrived in a cardboard box, which I always like so that my products are kept tidy. Inside the compact houses the blush and also a small, sturdy blush brush. The RRP of the blush is £22, and is currently reduced at MyPure for £19.80. The blush contains 4g/0.14oz of product. The ingredients include: Talc, Mica, Squalane, Zea Mays Starch, Titanium Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate, Iron Oxides, Hydrated Silica, Manganese Violet, Iron Oxides, Sorbic Acid and Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil. 

What I Thought

I really like this blush. The colour is perfect for my pale skin. I have used a few blushers which have caused irritation to my skin due to particular ingredients inside them, but this Living Nature blush has caused me no skin irritations or problems at all. I love that it is a natural and synthetic product as I know it is good for my skin. The blush is pigmented and suits my very pale skin, which is something I struggle with when using blush. The product is long - lasting and has now become a product I reach for on a daily basis. 'Cool Winter' is a buildable colour that blends really easily.

 Living Nature Products and Other Natural and Organic Products

The brand 'Living Nature' is a natural cosmetic brand which use 100% of natural ingredients, preservatives and fragrances. I found this gorgeous blush, along with many other natural and organic beauty products at MyPure. Mypure is a fantastic online website that stock body care, skin care, fragrance, hair and cosmetic products that have only the most natural and organic ingredients; which ensures the products we use on our bodies are less likely to cause any problems for our skin. Their delivery is very fast and the products arrive very well packaged.