Product Review: The Body Shop Earth Lovers Shower Gel

I'm going to get all environmentally friendly on you for a minute or two, but I fell in love with these Body Shop Earth Lovers shower gels when I heard that they were Sulphate-, Paraben-, Colourant- and Soap-free. They are 100% biodegradable, and they come in 100% recycled plastic bottles.

Be still my beating (bleeding?) heart.

I think the chief concern a lot of people have when they hear about this stuff is how does that affect its performance, and how does that affect the price. Both are totally fair, of course, and I'll talk about both here.

These come in seven types- Lemon and Thyme, Watermelon and Eucalyptus, Cucumber and Mint, Apricot and Basil, Pear and Lemongrass, Fig and Rosemary and Unfragranced. I love they way they smell so much I bought five of the fragrances in the sale. Which brings me to the price...at a fiver each they are not cheap for shower gels, but I got mine for about £2 each which I think it not just reasonable, but cheap for a product of this quality with such solid environmental credentials.

I didn't think there was anything in them that made them worse shower gels than others with soap, parabens etc. They are quite liquidy, lather nicely, and leave a lovely lingering fragrance. They don't build clouds of soap bubbles which I actually prefer, and they also are very gentle. I found them quite non-drying. I don't really have very sensitive skin (aside from on my face) so I can't say if they would affect someone who does, but I did honestly find them very gentle.

I bought the first five listed above, and actually liked the Fig and Rosemary but had to draw the line somewhere. I didn't particularly want the Unfragranced because I like my shower and bath products to have some smell to them. Preferably nice :P It might be good for those whose skin is very sensitive and reactive though. The smells are really lovely- they're quite unusual combinations and they generally smell very much like what the label says. The Watermelon and Eucalyptus and the Apricot and Basil are quite sweet and fruity but not overpoweringly so (like the other Body Shop fruit shower gels almost inevitably are). The Lemon and Thyme has a nice citrus herbal scent to it. My favourites are the Cucumber and Mint- which smells AMAZING, very fresh and minty and invigorating and perfect for summer- and the Pear and Lemongrass, which doesn't smell as fruity as the first two but has a delicate pear and citrus scent.

I can't think of any other shower gels I've tried that are a dupe for these scents. I've started to find many of the mainstream products a bit cloying in their fruity sweetness lately and these Earth Lover scents smell quite sophisticated in comparison. I love the fruit-herb combination and these cheer me up when I use them in the shower, but mean I don't reek of strawberry jam for the rest of the day.

If you're looking to make your daily routine more environmentally friendly, I think something like this is a good idea. If you're looking for a gentle shower gel, this is a good idea. And if you're looking for high street shower gels with unusual lovely scents, this is a good idea!

And 100% biodegradable? I wish more companies would try to build a whole range around that type of formula.

Product Review: Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit

I'm a big fan of the products and ethos of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, and I have been looking for a good under eye concealer for YEARS. Like many darker skinned people (and PhD students...) dark circles are inevitable on me, and having tried many many different products I thought it was time to give the Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit a go. I didn't actually buy this, but signed up for a free make up session at the Bobbi Brown counter in John Lewis. I really love this system of theirs, and they do quite extensive make up consultations for free which I support because I hate buying products untested. 

Anyway, I sat there while the nice counter lady smoothed and patted this in for a while. It's an extensive four-step process; she started with an under eye hydrator, then applied the corrector to 'brighten and disguise discolouration'. This is followed by the concealer to 'lift and brighten' and then she set it with a little powder. It looked a bit heavy when she was done, but did a fairly good job of concealing dark circles. I decided to wait and see how it wore for the rest of the day before buying anything. 

Unfortunately it wore really really badly on me. After about an hour, the concealer had shifted and sunk very very obviously into lines under my eyes. Maybe it didn't set very well, but it was horribly unflattering and very obvious that I had a huge amount of make up on under my eyes. The worst part was I met up with my boyfriend afterwards and asked him how I looked - not fishing for a compliment, just testing the product ;) - and he said I looked quite tired and asked if I was ok which is about as bad a review one can get for an under eye concealer!  

I feel bad writing this product off as it's quite cult and gets rave reviews, but it just did not work for me at all. It was quite cool at the time, about 15 degrees, and my skin fairly dry. I might try it again and ask the counter SA to use a light hand, but I can't justify spending £24 on it. I think my quest for a good under eye concealer will have to continue, because this definitely wasn't it. Having heard such wonderful things I was really very disappointed. 

Product Review: Body Shop Grapeseed Glossing Serum

I bought this Body Shop Grapeseed Glossing Serum because I was growing my hair quite long and it was getting a bit split-endy and so dry and frizzy at the ends. I tested a bunch of different products to try to find something to deal with the problem, and jumped at this one when I saw it in the Body Shop. I lingered for a while, testing it extensively and then bought it on the spot.

This product smells gorgeous; I don't know what grapeseed oil smells like, but this is a lovely citrusy scent that lingers. A friend of mine even told me my hair smelled fantastic and asked what I was using, which is always a good sign. I found it definitely makes my hair glossier, and it helps a lot with dryness at the tips and flyaways. It's more of a styling product than a treatment though, and it'll disguise the split ends but can't do much about them (not that anything can actually put split hair back together...).

I have to say, I love it. I really like how it makes my hair look, it's very easy to apply and makes my hair more manageable, and although you pay £7 for 75ml you only use a tiny amount each time. I use 1-3 pumps depending on how dry and dull my hair looks.

I usually spray a little onto my fingers and then gently work it in, making sure to spread it around. I also experimented with spraying it directly onto the hair which I DO NOT recommend as it ends up clumping in one section that way, which means you have one really greasy section of hair and the rest stay frizzy. Beautiful. I would also recommend not over-using it as it basically like putting oil in your hair - which I do quite often, but I try not to leave the house that way! I use it maybe 1-2 times between washes, but if you don't tend to wash your hair regularly I wouldn't recommend loading up on this product every morning as it will slowly build up to greasiness after 3 days, which I think is fair enough as almost all styling products accumulate like that.

Do I recommend buying this? Well, if you have dry, dull, frizzy hair and would like something to smooth it down and make it shiny between washes, then this is a really wonderful little product. It fits in your handbag, it's certainly more eco-friendly than using loads and loads of hairspray, and it smells really nice. I would say give it a go :)

Product Review: Original Source Mint and Tea Tree Hand Wash

So I've long been a fan of the Original Source Mint and Tea Tree Shower Gel which is a bit of a cult classic among both men and women. I hadn't realised that they'd started making a hand wash as well until I saw it in the bathroom of my favourite cafe in Cambridge. It is absolutely amazing- I can't rave about it enough! It's absolutely boiling in Cambridge, and this was just a gloriously cooling hit of mint; my hands smelled wonderful and the smell is very powerful. If you like the shower gel, this is a way to get that minty invigorated feeling without hopping in the shower. Big big fan. I don't usually rave about   hand washes, and I tend to prefer solid soap as it's more environmentally friendly, but this woke me up with a POW and will be going on my shopping list. 

Especially as it only retails for about £1.15 at Boots :)

Product Review: The Body Shop Eye Definer in French Navy

Time for the first product review! I'm sorry for the terrible picture quality in this one - my camera is currently on the fritz. Hopefully I can sort this out soon!

I'm reviewing the Body Shop eye definer, which is just their regular eyeliner, in the colour French Navy. I wouldn't usually have thought to try an eyeliner in this colour, but it's surprisingly flattering. I've got light brown/olive skin, and I think this is a colour that would actually suit most skin tones.

This is the image from the Body Shop website and it seems fairly true to the pencil, although it pulls slightly differently on me. It's more of a true navy on my hand and eyes, instead of the sort of grey/silver toned blue in the image.

I like this colour a lot more than I thought I would, but I'm not sure about the formula. The quality is quite hard and waxy and I haven't kept it refrigerated. It doesn't smudge a lot, and the lasting power isn't incredible- I tend to rub my eyes a lot and this needs touch ups. It was very easy to remove from my skin after I was done swatching it as well.

The other thing is that it moves a fair amount; after a few hours it sinks into the lines under my eyes, making them look like crevasses and gorges. Not very flattering. This is both when it's 28 degrees, like today, or 10 or lower in the winter. Refrigerating it might help I suppose.

All in all- a thumbs up for the colour, which is flattering, goes with everything, and is actually a really nice alternative to black if you don't like brown. This isn't an electric blue; it's dark and classic. I usually struggle to find an alternative for black as brown eyeliner looks terrible on me (makes my eyes look red-ringed) and grey (makes me look quite ill), but this dark blue is definitely very pretty and sophisticated looking.

I'm not a fan of the formula, but I am usually very very fussy about pencil eyeliners and find most of them migrate a fair amount during the day. This is better than others I've tried, so I'll hold on to it until I find a dark blue with better staying power.

This retails for £8 and also comes in black, brown, white and gold. I got mine for free, and when it runs out I'll be experimenting with something else because that strikes me as a lot for an eyeliner.

Neons and Nudes

Another fabulous trend that inspired me in the form of a beauty campaign is Neons and Nudes. Bobbi Brown did an absolutely gorgeous limited edition range and the combination of very bright colours with nude, toned down shades is just wonderful. I'm feeling the neons lately, like the Desk Brights post from last week, and I think it's time to incorporate some into my wardrobe.

1. Accessorize Shiny Clean Skull Studs 2. Asos Snake Bar Purse 3. Essie Nail Polish in Bachelorette Bash 4. Zara Sandal with Combined Straps 5. New Look Orange Slub Vest Maxi Dress 6. Accessorize Crystal Teardrop Short Earrings 7. Asos Weave Metal Bar Clutch 8. Chanel Le Vernis in Particuliere 9. Dune Jaypore (not sure why they've so obviously misspelled Jaipur but it looks ridiculous) Sandals

I've tried to create outfits here that show how you could go head-to-toe neons and brights, or accessorize one very bright piece with nude and tan shades. This bright orange dress is perfect for summer and can be cinched in at the waist so it's comfortable and flattering. Orange always looks beautiful to me with gold accents, so I tried to incorporate as many of those as possible. I thought playing with pink and orange would be great- it's an absolutely gorgeous combination, and a lot easier to pull off than you'd think! Bright sandals and nail polish, and a lighter clutch make this one bright look for a brave lady. The gold accents tie it all together- wear it with confidence!

On the other side are the nude accents. The envelope clutch and Indian-style braided sandals are beautiful, and once more the gold accents are the key to pulling all the elements of the look together. This Chanel shade is lovely and very sophisticated, and this styling is a gentler way to incorporate the trend into your wardrobe.

1. Accessorize Neon Twisted Hoops 2. Accessorize Suede Tassel Zip Top Clutch 3. Essie Nail Polish in Mesmerized 4. Topshop Toastie Yello Mesh Trainers 5. Topshop Embroidered Organza Dress 6. Wolf and Badger Tiny Star Earrings 7. Mango Chain Quilted Shoulder Bag 8. Essie Nail Polish in Fiji 9. Dune Joy Four Bow Flat Sandal

I went with something a little wilder for the second dress- this piece is very cool, with its classic ladylike shape and embroidery, but all in neon chartreuse. Instead of going with fash-clash brights, I went with sort of matching accessories with the shoes and make up, and sudden pops of blue and turquoise. I think the electric blue with this dress is just to die for- if this styling is too much I would say try a simpler approach and add a flick of electric blue eyeliner to finish it off.

The nude pieces are much more ladylike, and I love how the quilted bag and the bow flats look together. It's all very darling, but with the sass from that dress taking it to another level.

How would you interpret the look? Simple or over the top? Add some colour gently or just dive in at the deep end?

As for myself, I fell in love with these fuchsia stovepipe khakis from the Gap, and will be styling them very similar to how they're shown here. I like how they look with brogues and this Breton top on the model, so I might replicate that; but I'll also be wearing them with plain espadrilles, flip flops, and a slouchy white pocket tee. I think they'd look just fab with a tan leather satchel as well. I guess I prefer my neons with white, grey and navy rather than nude ;) Next post idea!

If you're not keen on wearing huge splashes of colour, the answer is always accessories and nails. I looooove this Proenza Schouler satchel, but it's a wee bit* out of my price range. I'll be looking for something like this Cambridge Satchel Company batchel instead, although that's not cheap either. Go for a gorgeous pop of colour! You won't regret it! **

*three times what I can afford
** unless you spend three times what you can afford

First Image from Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

Nautical Style

While I'm loving beachiness in terms of make up and bath products, my own fashion style is slightly more seaside. I've always been a sucker for nautical stripes and the combination of navy and white, and there's something irresistible about it- it's simultaneously whimsical and preppy. Clean lines and generally red, white and blue, and yet there's something gloriously old-fashioned about anchors and sailboats. There's a history to it is what I'm saying, and as I sadly don't live anywhere near the seaside, this is the closest I'll get to it for the moment.

The nautical trend in beauty has been pretty hot this year, kicked off by MAC's Hello, Sailor limited edition range. Just beautiful, but sadly I think it's almost entirely sold out now (although try your nearest MAC counter and you might get lucky). This picture summarises everything I love about the look- the glamour, the sex appeal, the cleanness of the colours, and just how evocative it is. I'm not sure I look anywhere near as gorgeous (or well made up) as the model, but I think I make it work ;)

Now, how to get the look? Easy, actually. It's about as straightforward as a trend can be- red lips and nails to give it that gorgeous 40s vibe, and navy and white with red accents. MAC and Nars have an amazing range of red lipsticks, and red nails are everywhere this summer. Try some whimsical jewellery, like this necklace from Eclectic Eccentricity, which has a wide range of nautical-themed jewellery when you get browsing. I love this nautical tote bag, which cleverly incorporates a rope handle.

1. Nars Semi Matte Lipstick in Red Lizard 2. Joy the Store Striped Beach Bag 3. Paul's Boutique Stripe Lizzie Purse 4. Trollied Dolly Nautical Prom Dress 5. Essie Nail Polish in Lacquered Up 6. Topshop Pleated Sheer Dress 7. Vans Nautical Stripe Espadrilles 8. Eclectic Eccentricity A Drop in the Ocean Seahorse Necklace 9. Illustrated People Anchor Raglan Sweater 10. Paul's Boutique Anchor Sasha Satchel

This Trollied Dolly dress has to be one of the cutest (and best tailored) interpretations I've seen on the high street, and would be just gorgeous with some plain espadrilles or even flipflops if you're dressing down! When the weather starts to cool down again (so...next week?) I'd wear a jumper like this adorable Illustrated People one with very dark wash skinny jeans and these striped Vans...or more likely wellies.

I generally go with nautical in a very classical way, but love when people interpret it more creatively. I'm trying to build up to wearing hats- like this fantastic straw boater. So cute!

How do you dress nautically?

Hello, Sailor Image from MAC Cosmetics