A round-up of the beauty and wellness products (all natural skincare brands) I’m using and loving at the moment…
I like to think of these as staple behind-the-scenes products which each have a solid purpose in maintaining good skin, hair, health and mood! Not the final touches – like mascara or concealer – but some of the foundation work towards looking and feeling good…
This post contains PR samples & affiliate links
To start, Eve & Keel are a lovely vegan & organic brand I connected with on Instagram recently (and was delighted to come across them on my visit to new London beauty & wellness shop Seekology! Interview & photos next week…).
I’ve been using this wonderfully calming Reset Mist to wind down after a day’s work and as a start to my yoga sessions. It’s a gentle scent made up of neroli, vetiver, mandarin, petit grain and yang ylang and is just the thing to help you stop and take a moment to take a calming deep breath…
The Haskapa powder has absolutely become part of my daily routine – 1tsp in my porridge every morning! – since I first tried it back in September. It is one of the few powders I’ve used that actually enhances a food and I haven’t had a cold this winter so far! The few times I’ve felt a cold coming on I’ve doubled the dose (and gargled salt water!) and managed to beat it off – could not recommend more!
In addition the Neighbourhood Botanicals haircare products below, I’ve also been using the brilliant We Are Paradoxx Sea Salt Spray to add a little extra texture. I find this doesn’t sit too heavily and like all Paradoxx products come in easily recyclable aluminium packaging (apart from the pump, which, if you crack it with a nutcracker and take out the spring you can add to your normal plastic recycling!
We Are Paradoxx Sea Salt Spray
I was keen to try out the Oskia Tan Mist as an easy solution to achieving a bit of a healthier glow this winter. This is a light mist that isn’t too intense, unless you keep on spraying; so you can build it up over time, which suits me fine! I am spraying about three light pumps over my face last thing every morning and it’s just enough to add a gentle layer of colour. The advice is to avoid your hairline, so if you do over spray there you can just wipe with a towel so it doesn’t leave an obvious line.
The SPF, 30 and also a mist, I found actually sprays less as a mist (or perhaps I’m not pumping quite right!) so I’ve been spraying in to my palm and then applying. It’s lovely and light, and sinks in well after about fifteen seconds and leaves no residue, milky white or oily. It’s a really nice alternative to thicker SPFs or holiday ones.
Oskia Tan Mist & Oskia SPF Vitamin Mist
I love East London-based brand Neighbourhood Botanicals and these two products have slowly become integral to my haircare. As well as fabulous labelling and smelling delicious the dry shampoo powder is great! Whenever I apply it to greasy hair, not only does it deal with the grease, but somehow makes my hair look so much better!
The hair oil I have been applying every 2-3 nights as I’ve stopped using conditioner (partly because it often leaves my hair too slippery to style properly and also because I want to use less products). Similarly this product, as well as smelling delicious (the next day after a hair wash) results in my hair looking way better than usual!
Neighbourhood Botanicals Dry Shampoo & Neighbourhood Hair Oil
Weekly exfoliation is something I was advised by the lovely team at Pai Skincare (you can have a free 3–minute phone consultation with them about your skin by booking in here) and the Kukui & Jojoba Bead Brightening Exfoliator (now available at Net-a-Porter) is one of my favourites as it’s very gentle on the skin but still feels like a decent scrub, if that makes sense!
I absolutely love the whole Tandem skincare range (now available at Selfridges) – natural, very affordable with recycled & recyclable packaging! – and I am completely dependant on the More Than Moisturiser which is just the right consistency for me (I get slightly dry skin). I use it first thing after showering before anything else goes on.
I’ve noticed how dry my hands have been getting this winter and I’ve been turning to sumptuous balms to apply. I paid a visit to the new Malin & Goetz at Spitalfields Market earlier this month and came away with the Meadowfoam Oil Balm– like an oversized lip balm! – and I’ve been using it on the backs of my hands where the skin is thinner and looking a bit dryer than I would like.
Kukui & Jojoba Bead Brightening Exfoliator, Tandem More Than Moisturiser &
Malin & Goetz Meadowfoam Oil Balm
And more balms, but of the dedicated lip variety! Here are my favourite three: By Sarah London, which sits on my bedside table, Batch #001,which lives on my bathroom sink and my much-loved Cowshed tube, which sits in the key & sunglasses tray in the ground floor hallway so I can pop on before going out. (And I often have one of the Cowshed minis in my hand bag…)
By Sarah London Lip Balm, Batch #001 Beeswax Balm & Cowshed Natural Lip Balm
