Lush Halloween 2018

Happy Halloween everyone! Instead of going out trick or treating this year I'll be chilling in the bath tonight with some of these products from the Lush Halloween 2018 collection. Lush are one of the few brands that actually bother to bring out Halloween products so I always look forward to seeing what goodies they have on offer. Last weekend I finally managed to pop over to Leeds & pick up a few treats. The main thing I wanted to buy was the Bewitched gift set. For £26.95 you get a soap, a bath bomb & two bubble bars along with a fantastically spooky knot wrap. They have loads of different limited edition bath products for Halloween but in my opinion this set features some of the best smelling products & the design of the reusable packaging was just too cool to resist!



Lord Of Misrule Bath Bomb (£4.25)
I don't often buy bath bombs anymore as I prefer the moisturising qualities of bubble bars but Lord Of Misrule is a Halloween treat that's not to be missed! When you first put it in the bath, this bomb turns the water into a creepy shade of slime green. As it continues to fizz the bomb cracks open to reveal a pink centre which creates some gorgeously gross looking bath art. It also has popping candy inside which crackles as the bath bomb dissolves. Once fully dissolved the entire bath turns a deep wine colour. It's a really fun bath bomb to watch! Of course the best part is the smell. The powerful scent comes from a spicy herbal blend of patchouli & black pepper oil along with vanilla for sweetness. It's warming & relaxing, perfect for a cosy night in.



Ghost In The Dark Soap (£5.95)
There's much more to this adorable little ghost soap than meets the eye. If you get him wet, he actually glows in the dark! Not a huge amount but it's still a fun gimmick for Halloween. Lemongrass & bergamot are two of my favourite fragrances so I really love the smell of this soap. It's a tangy & sweet citrus scent that lingers on your hands or body for ages. The soap lathers up well & feels creamy on the skin. Solid soaps can be quite drying but Lush make some truly lovely ones & Ghost In The Dark is no exception.



Bewitched Bubble Bar (£4.95)
It wouldn't be Halloween without a black cat! This bubble bar features frankincense & bergamot oil to make your bath smell completely magical. It's sweet & woody, fruity & refreshing and unlike anything I've tried from Lush before. Like most bubble bars it can be crumbled in parts to make it last longer but if you only use a little bit the water will turn a weird grey colour which isn't the prettiest thing to look at. I'd recommend using the whole thing to turn the bath water fully black. Bewitched creates a ton of bubbles & it made my skin feel super soft. I hope that Lush come out with more products using this scent as it's very unique & something I'd love to experience more often.



Sparkly Pumpkin Bubble Bar (£4.75)
This bubble bar was the product that made me want to visit Lush at Halloween in the first place. I love anything sparkly or pumpkin related so this little beauty has been calling my name for a while. This is definitely the messiest product in the set as it's covered everything else with orange glitter but at least it'll be a lot of fun to use in the bath tonight. Sparkly Pumpkin turns your bath water a rich orange colour & creates mountains of skin softening bubbles. The blend of juniperberry, lime & grapefruit oils is truly gorgeous. It's a combination of warming spices & uplifting citrus zing. This bubble bar is the ultimate Autumnal treat, I just wish it was available all year round!




Magic Crystals Body Scrub (£10.95 / 300g)
Lush have also brought out two new body scrubs with their Halloween collection but these products will be joining their permanent lineup. They kindly demonstrated both products on my skin in store but I still couldn't decide which one I liked best. Thankfully they gave me a sample pot of Magic Crystals so I could test it out properly at home. I'm a big fan of Lush's body scrubs because they use salt as a base & always have the most gorgeous scents. Magic Crystals is really special because of the bright purple colour, it definitely looks like something a witch would brew up in a cauldron. The scrub smells strongly of mint with a hint of aniseed. It features menthol crystals, spearmint oil & peppermint oil for a really refreshing polish that will make your skin tingle all over. The scrub is made from fine sea salt & Epsom salts so it's great for rubbing over your muscles after the gym. They've also infused the scrub with fresh rosemary & sage which have antimicrobial properties to help cleanse the skin. The consistency of this scrub is quite thin but this means that you only need to use a little bit each time. Magic Crystals leaves my skin feeling soothed, soft & tingly fresh so this mystical minty blend is well worth trying out.





Scrub Scrub Scrub Body Scrub (£12.95 / 300g)
Even though I loved how incredibly soft Magic Crystals made my skin feel, I eventually decided to purchase a full size pot of Scrub Scrub Scrub. The juicy blackcuurant scent was utterly irresistible & is very similar to the fragrance of their Comforter bubble bar. In the pot it kinda smells like Wine Gums but the full fruity power is unleashed once you apply it to your skin. Scrub Scrub Scrub is a great release for Halloween because the pitch black colour is certainly a bit spooky. The scrub is black because it contains powdered charcoal as well as fine sea salt so it does a brilliant job of exfoliating your skin. Charcoal deeply cleanses the skin, absorbs excess oils & has antibacterial properties. The dark crystals are also infused with toning rosemary, grounding pine & refreshing buchu oils. It gently polishes & buffs away dead skin cells, leaving your whole body feeling baby soft. The consistency is much thicker than Magic Crystals but again a little goes a long way. The gorgeous blackcurrant scent really lingers on the skin & transforms your bathroom into a magical place. The only thing that's not so magical about this product is the mess it leaves behind in the shower. Cleaning up afterwards is a small price to pay for the beautiful fragrance & wonderfully soft skin. This is one of Lush's very best body scrubs & if you're a fan of The Comforter, you will absolutely love Scrub Scrub Scrub!




Bewitched Knot Wrap
Lush sell lots of different knot wrap designs but this one is exclusive to the Bewitched gift set. Witches & cats aren't just for Halloween so I'll be more than happy to use it all year round! It's made from 100% organic cotton & is the perfect gift wrap alternative. We waste so much paper when wrapping presents so this long-lasting, reusable packaging is an awesome addition to this gift set. You can reuse it as a scarf, a bag or a tea towel but my favourite way to wear a knot wrap is as a cute & quirky headband. I love the neon green & pink colours which complement the Lord Of Misrule bath bomb. It's a great way to brighten up any outfit & do your bit for the planet at the same time.

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

Neom Organics - Scent To Make You Feel Good

Aromatherapy is a powerful thing. Different scents have the ability to stimulate the mind & body, impacting on our overall wellbeing as well as our state of mind. Just a hint of a particular aroma can conjure old memories or make you feel a certain way. While I don't believe in aromatherapy as an alternative to traditional medicine, I definitely think that it's an effective tool for managing stress, anxiety & depression. Today is World Mental Health Day & as someone who really struggles with anxiety and depression I thought it would be useful to share how I use aromatherapy as a form of self-care. I'm trying hard to build up my resilience to everyday stresses & I've found that practicing different relaxation techniques helps me to cope with my anxiety. Aromatherapy comes in many forms. You can use an essential oil diffuser, room sprays, burn candles, perform aromatherapeutic massage or use pulse point roller balls. Sometimes I want to reward myself with a more luxurious form of aromatherapy & that's when I bring out a selection of goodies from Neom Organics. They have a whole range of products designed to have different effects on your wellbeing through the power of aromatherapy. All of their fragrances are 100% natural & made from blends of the purest essential oils. They smell simply divine & most certainly live up to their name as scents to make you feel good.




When I'm on the go I always carry aromatherapy products in my backpack to help soothe my mood or boost my energy. It can be especially useful when travelling via public transport as you never know what your nostrils will encounter on your journey! I love these little sprays from Neom because you can use them to spritz your own skin as well as the air around you. Spray the bottle upwards & let a scent cloud rain down upon you. Take this time to breathe deeply, allowing yourself to relax whilst inhaling the wonderful fragrance. This simple act can create a great moment of calm during a stressful day. My favourite sprays are the Mood Lifting On The Go Mist & the Energy Burst On The Go Mist. The Mood Lifting Mist features their signature Great Day fragrance made from a blend of eight essential oils, the most prominent of these being wild mint & mandarin. It has been specifically created to help lift your mood & calm the body. The scent is really fresh & instantly makes me feel a bit brighter. This is my go-to when I'm really stressed out & desperately need something to help me relax. It might sound weird but the smell instantly transports me to a happy place that helps me to get through the rest of the day.

When I'm going through a period of depression even the smallest things can seem overwhelming & use up all of my energy. Drinking loads of coffee or other stimulants can often make things worse so I prefer to use something more natural. The Energy Burst Mist does the job brilliantly with it's expertly created blend of seventeen energising essential oils. Citrus scents always make me feel more refreshed so I'm a big fan of this sparkling grapefruit, lemon & rosemary concoction. This glorious fragrance helps to invigorate the body, sharpen the mind & give you that much needed boost of energy. It immediately perks me up & motivates me to do everything I need to do when I'm feeling down. If you want something a bit more discreet then I highly recommend the Intensive Energy Boosting Treatment. It features the same fragrance blend as the Energy Burst Mist but in a roller ball format. You can use them individually or together for an even more intense experience. To activate these therapeutic oils simply roll it over the pulse points on your wrists, temples & behind your ears. Organic coconut oil is used as a base for the essential oils so it feels really lovely as you massage it into your skin. Aromatherapy is often said to be most effective when focusing on pulse points so this will ensure you get the most benefits out of the highly potent Burst Of Energy fragrance.



I'm very obsessive about washing my hands, to the point that I've sometimes made the skin cracked & sore! I hate getting sick & germs in general so I wash my hands a ridiculous amount of times every day. When you wash your hands as often as I do, it's important to use something that will gently cleanse & leave your skin feeling soft. I always try to find something with a wonderful scent too because if something smells good, I automatically associate it with being clean. I picked up the Great Day Body & Hand Wash as well as the Burst Of Energy Body & Hand Wash from Neom. They feature the same two scents as the On The Go Mists so you can continue to surround yourself with these fragrances even when washing. You can use them as a regular shower gel or as a hand wash. Personally I prefer to use Burst Of Energy in the shower & Great Day as hand soap but they're both fantastic for either purpose. These soaps are packed with mineral rich Japanese seaweed, anti-oxidising pomegranate & soothing aloe vera for clean, soft skin. The scents linger for ages in the bathroom as well as on the skin. They're both really uplifting & promote positive thoughts so washing with these products is always a great way to start the day.




One of my favourite things to do at this time of year is to get cosied up in bed with my snuggly dressing gown, a good book, a large cup of rooibos tea & bask in the soft glow of a candle. It's such a simple ritual but it feels weirdly indulgent. A relaxing bedtime routine such as this is one of the best ways to combat nighttime anxiety. Pricewise, Neom's treatment candles are definitely in the luxury category. Their travel candles are a great choice if you want to try them out but don't want to spend nearly 50 quid on a candle. I purchased the Happiness Travel Scented Candle which provides 20 hours of burn time for £16. The candles are hand poured using 100% natural vegetable wax & there's a massive 14-18ml of essential oils in each one. I think that Happiness might just be my favourite out of all the Neom scents! It features a complex blend of seven fresh, first pressed essential oils including neroli, mimosa & lemon. There's also natural fresh grass notes to evoke the scent of a fresh Spring morning. This fragrance has been designed to help you balance your emotions & feel more positive. The clean, floral aroma completely fills the room with joyful, mood-elevating fragrance even when not lit & is the perfect accompaniment to these dark Autumn nights. Every time I catch a whiff of this candle it literally makes me feel happier & I feel like it makes my home a happier place too. I can't get enough of this treatment candle & the three wick version is currently top of my wishlist!

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

Dermasuri Deep Exfoliating Mitt & Rice Milk Brightening Face Exfoliator

Exfoliating my skin is something that I always look forward to every week. It almost resets my skin, unclogging pores & polishing the surface so that I'm left with a perfectly smooth canvas for makeup. Generally I like to go for gentle chemical exfoliants on my face & a more intense physical scrub on my body. I was stoked to try out these two products from Dermasuri because they certainly seemed to tick my boxes when it comes to exfoliation. Dermasuri are an award-winning skincare company passionate about bringing the beauty secrets of the East to the West. I'm already majorly into Asian beauty products so I was keen to see their take on these increasingly popular trends. Their skincare range promises to deliver glowing & refreshed skin using a blend of highly curated ingredients. Here I have the Deep Exfoliating Mitt & the Rice Milk Brightening Face Exfoliator. Both of these products exfoliate the skin but in very different ways & I have to admit that they are absolutely incredible!



Dermasuri Deep Exfoliating Mitt (£19.95)
I've tried so many different body scrubs but I've never been completely satisfied with my purchases. Most scrubs I find in Boots use sugar as an exfoliant & when I use those I feel like I'm literally letting money run down the shower drain. They might have a beautiful scent but my skin never feels significantly smoother afterwards. It's been surprisingly difficult to find something that can thoroughly polish my skin & leave it feeling unbelievably soft. After years of searching, I think it's safe to say that I've finally found what I was looking for. It doesn't have quite the same olfactory impact as the scrub I usually end up buying from Soap & Glory but this Deep Exfoliating Mitt is the best body product I have ever used!

Inspired by the green Italy towels used in traditional Korean spas, Dermasuri created the Deep Exfoliating Mitt as an at-home version of this hardcore treatment. It's quick & easy to do yet far more effective than any body scrub. The mitt relies on friction to exfoliate the skin so it's best to use it before any shower gel or hair products. For optimum results you should allow your skin to soften by going into the shower, bath or a steam room for five minutes beforehand. It should be used on wet skin but not running water so step away from the shower & gently squeeze the mitt to dry it out. Then you just have to vigorously rub it over the areas that you wish to exfoliate. You will immediately be able to see the dead skin cells being removed & the more pressure you apply, the better the results. It looks kinda gross to see all these weird grey rolls of skin coming off your body but it is also immensely satisfying. You might think that having a shower every day is enough to keep your skin clean but you will be shocked by all the grime that this mitt removes.

Unlike shower poufs, loofahs or scrubs, the unique fabric of this mitt grabs & sloughs off all those dead skin cells from your body. This helps to rid your skin of impurities & improve circulation resulting in noticeably smoother, healthier looking skin. I'm prone to keratosis pilaris which means that I get small bumps on my upper arms. Using this mitt has completely done away with them! It's pretty remarkable as I've had them for years & this got rid of them in just a few weeks. You only need to use this mitt once a fortnight to maintain the results so it ends up being really good value for money. As well as keratosis pilaris, it also works well on ingrown hairs & clogged pores. I don't use fake tan personally but I know that you have to exfoliate before you apply it & when you want to remove it. I'm sure that this would work wonders if you want a really even looking tan. If you're fed up of trying pointless sugar scrubs, give this mitt a go. I can guarantee that the results will have you shook!



Dermasuri Rice Milk Brightening Face Exfoliator (£29.95 / 25g)
As amazing as the Deep Exfoliating Mitt is, unfortunately you can't use it on your face. It'd be way too harsh on that area but thankfully Dermasuri have a much gentler alternative. The Rice Milk Brightening Face Exfoliator is a gommage style gel product. Much like the exfoliating mitt, this stuff also produces visible rolls but in a much gentler way. These rolls are the product itself balling up but somehow they manage to lift away the dead skin cells & exfoliate the skin. You simply massage a few pumps onto damp skin & it gets to work immediately. The more you rub, the bigger the rolls become so it's a good excuse to indulge in a bit of proper facial massage. Unlike the mitt you don't need to apply much pressure as the rice milk formula does it all for you. When you wash it off your face you're left with baby soft skin that feels polished & smooth. It makes my face feel really clean & fresh without stripping it of moisture. Plus it is completely unscented so if fragrance is an irritant for you then you should be totally fine with this. It's best to use it about three times per week to reveal a brighter, more youthful complexion.

The rolling gel formula strongly reminds me of the Ginvera Green Tea Exfoliating Marvel Gel but this product uses rice milk as the key ingredient instead of green tea. The enzymes in rice milk have brightening properties that make your skin look radiant. When used regularly it can lighten scars & pigmentation. It can also help to reduce oil production which means fewer clogged pores & blemishes. Skin whitening products are very popular in Asia, especially those featuring rice milk. It was said that women who worked in the rice paddies always had beautiful skin because they washed in rice milk & Japanese Geishas also used rice milk to keep their skin smooth underneath their heavy makeup. I think it's interesting that such a basic ingredient has such a rich history as a beauty product. This exfoliating gel also features hyaluronic acid & vitamin E to keep the skin hydrated & nourished. This product is so much fun to use because I'm addicted to seeing all the rolls coming off my face. I normally stick to chemical skin peels as I'm not a fan of face scrubs but sometimes you just want to physically see those dead skin cells being removed. The super gentle formula is also brilliant if your skin is too sensitive for acids or if you want to avoid them during pregnancy. The Rice Milk Brightening Face Exfoliator is such a wonderful skincare product & I'm utterly obsessed with it!

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

Scrub Love

Scrub Love Mint Temptation Coffee Body Scrub* - £12.95

As it's National Coffee Day I figured that this would be the perfect time to mention my latest skincare obsession. Due to my issues with acne I spend a lot of time testing out new products & working out a facial skincare regimen that is best for me. However the same cannot be said for my body. I tend to stick to the same old shower products that I know I like & won't irritate my skin. The product that I am fussiest about is body scrub. I only ever use chemical exfoliants on my face but I like something really gritty to exfoliate my body & slough off all that dead skin. I tend to go for salt based scrubs as sugar is just too gentle for me. Coffee scrubs are all the rage at the minute as this ingredient is said to be one of nature's best exfoliators with anti-inflammatory, circulation boosting, cellulite reducing & skin brightening properties. Scrub Love's coffee body scrubs are made from 100% natural ingredients that claim to banish blemishes, eczema, stretch marks, cellulite & many other common skin ailments. They sent me their Mint Temptation Coffee Body Scrub & I am completely in love with it!

The reason that coffee works so well as an exfoliant is that it can buff away dead skins cells without damaging the skin underneath. The high caffeine content stimulates circulation which promotes skin healing & the grinds in this scrub have just the right amount of grit to them for a fully satisfying scrub down. As well as the aforementioned ground coffee, this scrub is packed full of so many other wonderful natural ingredients. When choosing shower products fragrance is really important to me. I tend to go for either sickly sweet, citrus or minty scents so out of Scrub Love's current three recipes, the mint one definitely appealed to me most of all. The gorgeous scent comes from the inclusion of peppermint oil & tea tree oil which feel tingly fresh on the skin and are also natural antiseptics. One of the most exciting ingredients in this product is dead sea salt which not only aids exfoliation but is full of minerals including magnesium & potassium. When I was a kid I used to take baths filled with dead sea salt as it can really help to control eczema flareups & is beneficial for other skin problems too. Argan oil is used to bind all of the dry ingredients together & soften the skin. It is exceptionally rich in vitamin E & essential fatty acids so it will help your skin to look really healthy & glowing. The final ingredient is aloe vera which is also used to soften & moisturise the skin. It soothes dry, sensitive areas & improves skin elasticity.

To use this scrub simply take a handful of the product & gently rub it into your skin in circular motions. You can leave it on for a few minutes to work it's magic before washing it off. In the packet the scrub smells very minty but when used on the body, the scent is predominantly of coffee. After using it I smell like I've drank so many lattes that they've started to seep through my pores! Not a bad thing, unless you don't like the smell of coffee... but then why would you have bought this?! Anyway I've been using it about three times a week to keep my skin feeling super soft & looking beautifully glowy. I also like to use it on my hands & cuticles to prep them before a manicure. I've had no issues with skin irritation & it puts paid to any dry patches. I sometimes get a bit of bacne which certainly isn't very glamourous but this scrub has actually helped to clear up any sporadic blemishes. It gives my skin some of the most intense tingly feelings ever that continue long after I've finished my shower & my bathroom is left smelling like a branch of Starbucks. The Mint Temptation Coffee Body Scrub gets a huge thumbs up for being incredibly refreshing & properly waking me up in the morning. The main downside to this product is that it can cause quite a mess! When I rinse it off the coffee grinds end up all over my bathtub so a little extra cleaning is required after my shower. I don't mind though as skin this soft & hydrated is well worth the effort. Have you tried a coffee body scrub yet?

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

Aromatherapy Associates The Star

Aromatherapy Associates The Star* - £10

Decorating the Christmas tree always puts me in a festive mood. It just doesn't feel like Christmas until I've decked out my house with tinsel and hung up some baubles on the tree. As much as I love dressing the tree, I always look forward to Boxing Day which is traditionally when my family are allowed to scoff all the chocolate decorations & open tree presents. My mum even used to write 'To Caroline, Merry Christmas from The Tree' on the gift tags! A decoration that doubles up as a present is such a cute idea & this beautifully packaged little star from Aromatherapy Associates would make a wonderful addition to your Christmas tree. It'd also be perfect as a luxurious Secret Santa gift.

The Star contains a 7.5ml glass bottle of their award-winning Inner Strength Bath & Shower Oil. Aromatherapy Associates products are all gorgeously scented, natch. Inner Strength blends together clary sage, frankincense & cardamom which help to promote a deep sense of calm & provide you with a more positive outlook. The bottle comes with enough oil for about three experiences. Simply add two capfuls to a full bath or smooth it over your body before showering. It may be a small bottle but it's contents are incredibly potent. That exquisite scent will permeate your bathroom & linger on your skin for hours. I prefer oils to other bath products as they make my skin feel baby soft. The Inner Strength Bath & Shower Oil has a coconut oil base which is very moisturising & can help to heal skin ailments. This is one of the best bath oils I've ever tried & it's intoxicating fragrance will fully relax both body & mind.

Christmas is a time for giving & that's why it's so great that Aromatherapy Associates give 10% of proceeds from the sale of Inner Strength products to Defence Against Cancer. The Star is such a superb little gift & I'm sure there's someone in your life who would appreciate a bit of Inner Strength.

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

Organic Surge Christmas Beauty Bloggers Bundle

Organic Surge Christmas Beauty Bloggers Bundle* - £35.50

After the huge success of last year's blogger bundle, Organic Surge have brought out another set of some of their most highly rated products. This bargainous quartet of goodies is a great way to treat yourself or your loved ones this Christmas. The bundle comes with full-size versions of their Spiced Lily Foaming Bath, Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser, Gardeners Hand Cream and Overnight Sensation Night Cream.


Organic Surge Spiced Lily Foaming Bath
Organic Surge's bath products never disappoint. They're very kind to sensitive skin & always smell delicious. Spiced Lily Foaming Bath has a beautiful scent combo of patchouli & clove-bud. It's a bit spicy & sexy so it'll definitely help to warm you up this Winter. It's a great seasonal scent because it reminds me of Christmas pomanders. The spicy floral fragrance delicately lingers on my body to put me in the right frame of mind for a good night's sleep. It's very cosy & calming which helps me to de-stress at the end of a long day. A little bit of this in your bath will produce plenty of rich bubbles for a really relaxing soak.


Organic Surge Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser
Despite not being overly keen on hot cloth cleansers in general I can honestly say that this product is the star of the show. This cleanser comes from their Extra Care range which has been specially formulated for those with mature skin. The products are slightly more luxe than those from their regular skincare line & the prices do reflect this. I'm quite happy to use anti-ageing products as they tend to hydrate & plump up the skin which is exactly what I need at this time of year. The texture is wonderfully rich & creamy. Massaging this into the skin feels so lovely & calming. I'm really impressed with the formula of this cleanser as it manages to smooth away any dry patches & instantly perks up my skin. It's very gentle yet effectively clears away any makeup & impurities. My skin is left feeling much softer and looking much brighter. I also love the scent of this product which is a gorgeous blend of orange, geranium & rose oils. The Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser completely blows Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish out of the water, it really is that good.


Organic Surge Gardeners Hand Cream
Another divinely scented product is this Gardeners Hand Cream. It features a mixture of lime, basil & rosemary which is really fresh & zingy. It basically makes me want to sniff my hands a lot! The best thing about this hand cream is that it gets to work fast, offering plenty of hydration in a quick drying formula. The reason why it would be ideal for gardeners is because you can apply it before you start work, protecting your skin from dehydration & damage whilst reducing ingrained dirt. You can then reapply it after work to soothe irritation and revive tired hands. I'm no gardener but even I can appreciate what a lovely hand cream this is. It makes my hands feel so soft & perfectly moisturised. Again it's great choice for Winter because you don't have to wait around for ages before you can put on your gloves and head out the door.


Organic Surge Overnight Sensation Night Cream
Prior to receiving this gift bundle the Overnight Sensation Night Cream was the only one of these products that I had actually tried before. You can read my original review here but Organic Surge must've recently reformulated this moisturiser as it now contains different ingredients. The key ingredient used to be rose geranium oil whereas now it is enriched with lavender oil. They've also taken out the green tea & chamomile but is the change for the better? I'm still undecided. The lavender scent is very relaxing and helps to send me to sleep. I do prefer the texture of the new formulation as it's a little bit oilier & melts into the skin nicely. If you already have oily skin though, this could be too heavy for you. It might be a bit different now but I still think it's a decent night cream that won't break the bank.

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

Getting Cosy For Autumn With Arran Aromatics

Autumn has to be my favourite time of year. It might be cold outside but that means plenty of nights in snuggled up on the sofa with a warm blanket. At the moment I can't say there's anything else I'd rather do in the evening than drink mugfuls of hot chocolate whilst wearing my Primark bunny twosie AKA the best pyjamas ever. As the nights are drawing in I feel like there's more time for a bit of pampering and that is one of my favourite ways to relax. Last month Arran Aromatics sent over this wonderful gift box filled with all sorts of Autumnal treats. I've been using these products as part of my evening pamper routine and there's nothing I look forward to more at the end of a long day.



I normally start off my pamper routine by lighting a few candles. I'm pretty candle obsessed in general but when it starts getting dark at 5pm I always have at least one burning in my house. I love eating fresh figs & think they smell gorgeous so I was excited to see this Ultimate Fig Scented Candle* in the box. This is the travel candle version so I burned through this quite quickly but I liked it's subtle woody notes combined with the scent of honeyed fig & cassis. It has such a light fragrance that I think it is best suited to the bedroom so you can enjoy it's gentle ambience before you go to sleep.



Next I like to run a hot bath so I can have a long relaxing soak. Lavender is one of my favourite scents for bath products because it helps to induce sleep. This Sandalwood & Lavender Bath Oil* is the epitome of indulgence. It smells incredible and the aroma is so calming for both body & mind. It makes my skin feel super soft as it contains coconut & wheat germ oil and the delicate scent lingers on my body for hours. The label says it all really, it leaves me feeling totally relaxed and ready to dive into bed.



These soap bars are some of my favourite products from Arran Aromatics. Here I have the Honey & Oatmeal Vegetable Soap*. This soap has such a strong honey scent which I absolutely love. If you've ever tried the Honey Trap lip balm from Lush, it's exactly like that! This soap is a triple threat as not only will it cleanse your skin, it exfoliates & nourishes at the same time. Unlike most soaps on the market this one won't dry out your skin at all. After a bit of a soak I like to use this to scrub my body & it works wonders on any rough patches. I actually prefer these to Lush body soaps now as they're just such good value for money!



I'm pretty terrible when it comes to moisturising after a bath. I hate waiting around for products to sink in when I could be getting cosy in my fluffy PJs. My skin gets a lot drier at this time of year though & as an eczema sufferer I have to force myself to apply some. This Chamomile & Honey Barrier Cream* makes the moisturising process a lot less tiresome. The lightweight formula sinks in right away and makes my skin feel really protected. It features beeswax, shea butter, vitamin E, chamomile essential oil & pure honey extract to heal & soothe dry, chapped skin. The only thing I'm not too keen on is the smell. I wish it had the same honey scent as the soap because I'd probably like it a whole lot more.



As the weather turns colder my lips inevitably get very dry so I keep a lip balm with me at all times. My handbag is littered with lip products and this Honey & Lemon Lip Balm* is another welcome addition. It has a lovely scent that strongly reminds me of Honey & Lemon Halls Soothers. It feels very smooth on the lips & provides a glossy finish. This lip balm also features UV protection so it'd be a good choice if you're going anywhere snowy. After going through the rest of my skincare routine I finish off my lips with this and reapply it as soon as I've finished drinking copious amounts of hot chocolate & brushed my teeth for the night. By then I'm more than ready for bed & I always look forward to doing it all again the next day!

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

Organic Surge Fresh Ocean Shower Gel

Organic Surge Fresh Ocean Shower Gel* - £4.75

My number one criteria for bath products is that they have to smell exceptionally good. One brand that I always come back to is Organic Surge. As a lover of fresh citrus scents their Citrus Mint shower gel is utter perfection to me. It was the first Organic Surge product that I ever tried & it's something that I have repurchased many times since. More recently I noticed that their Fresh Ocean shower gel also features lots of lovely natural citrus oils & had to give it a go. Citrus Mint smells more like lemons & oranges whereas Fresh Ocean is very limey. The scent is quite masculine in comparison & reminds me of sherbet. It combines pure lemon, rosemary & lime essential oils which are very stimulating & invigorating. There's a little bit of peppermint oil in there too which contributes to it's cooling properties. It gently cleanses & revives the skin, making it feel tingly fresh. This shower gel always manages to perk me up in the morning. There's nothing better than breathing in all those gorgeous organic essential oils. The scent doesn’t last on my skin but it makes my bathroom smell amazing for ages. Fresh Ocean is an ideal scent for Summer. Personally I prefer their Citrus Mint shower gel as it's a bit more zesty but this one does smell wonderful too. Organic Surge's bath products always smell much more expensive than they really are.

Not only do Organic Surge's shower products smell absolutely incredible, they're kind to sensitive skin as well. This particular shower gel is 98.9% natural. All of their products are free from harsh chemicals, SLS, parabens, synthetic colours & perfumes. My eczema-prone skin reacts a lot better to products that don't include those ingredients. This shower gel feels quite moisturising as it contains sunflower seed oil & natural glycerine to nourish and protect the skin. It is also enriched with aloe vera which helps to soothe any irritation. This product lathers up really well despite a lack of SLS. Your skin will be left feeling perfectly clean without stripping it of it's natural oils. If you find that most shower gels irritate your skin then I would highly suggest switching to something a bit more natural & organic like this one. That luscious fresh scent will certainly set you up for the day ahead without drying out sensitive skin.

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'