Happy Holidays!

I hope you lovely guys and gals are enjoying your holidays. I am up, up and away on vaycay with limited internet connection, this will be my view over NYE. Have a wonderful time and I wish you all a happy, healthy and successful 2012.xxx

No place like Rome

I'm really excited about this new Roman inspired Bath and Lifestyle brand, Palatium. The brand uses high-grade Organic Tuscan Olive Oil and has worked with New York-based artisanal perfumer Rayda Vega on the fragrances for the collection.

The launch scents specifically are Fico Speziato (Spiced Fig), Arancia Dolce (Sweet Orange), and Mare Myrteus (Sea of Myrtle), scents designed to recall the Mediterranean region.

You can order online (and they ship to the UK) at www.thepalatium.com

New Loves

Just a quickie on some new loves in my life;

1. The Tangle Teezer (why did I delay buying this for so long?!!!)
2. Garnier's BB Cream ( errr, same as above...this is on offer at Boots 2 for £15)
3. Liz Earle's Skin Tint (actually in LOVE with this tinted moisturiser)
4. Agent Provocateur's Maitresse Purse Spray
5. King & Queen's Body Milk in Nefertiti Honey (smells like real honey)
6. Nicoletta's Marshmallow Blends Amaretto Sugar Scrub Cubes (OMG, I want to eat them, they smell so good and one cube is enough for your whole body).
7. Jemma Kidd Lipgloss
8. Trish McEvoy's Fan Brush

What are your new loves? Tomorrow I'll post my Old Flames.. ooh la la.

Over and out.
x

Keeping it real with Jane Scrivner

A month ago, I attended a spa conference at Center Parcs. I met some wonderful people and the inspirational and talented Jane Scrivner was one of them. I remember my friend Pippa telling me about Jane Scrivner's cleansing balm last year and she really raved on about it, at that time, I had two 200ml pots of Eve Lom to get through (which cost me a bomb) so I didn't need to buy another cleanser.

Anyway, I got speaking to Jane who was showcasing some genius spa appliances and her product range. 

Jane Scrivner has been working in the beauty industry for 18 years and has written many books which include books on detox (I desperately need a detox), as well as having her own range of organic skincare (she's even been to the Kneipp School of Thermo therapy - I LOVE Kneipp).

Jane very generously sent me sample of her nourishing organic cleanser, which deep cleans without dehydration by melting make up, dissolving dirt and purging pores.

This natural cleanser is made from certified Organic Jojoba Oil and Beeswax, with the skin loving essential oils of Sandalwood, Sweet Orange, Frankincense and Myrrh.

The extra fluffy mitt is essential (like Eve Lom/muslin cloth), it helps remove the cleanser properly along with impurities and make up grime. I also love how Jane's cleanser comes with the hygienic spatula.

The cleanser smells like Jojoba and I find that it makes me feel relaxed as I'm massaging into my skin, which is what I need lately as I'm having problems sleeping.

Now for the review...

I have been using this cleanser for a full 4 weeks, it will go into my hero products list for sure! It's organic, deep cleansing, non-drying, pore-minimising, British made and.....SO AFFORDABLE! So, there is no excuse for all the girls who want luxury glowing skin without having to pay luxury brand prices.

I choked when I went on the website to have a look at the price, I was AMAZED and HAPPY to discover that a 120ml pot costs £33 which includes a fluffy mitt and a spatula. I am not even half way through my pot yet after 4 weeks.

I have had no breakouts as I have had when using other deep cleansing balms for the first time and all my make up is removed, leaving my skin feeling clean and looking dewy.

I will continue to use Jane's cleanser, it works for me, the price point is amazing! There's no fuss, Jane is just keeping it real! Simple!

Check out Jane's website for more info here.

Gaia Raw Night Cream

Back in October, I entered fellow blogger Nicoletta's charity raffle prize to help raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness.

I  never win anything! So, I was ecstatic to find out I had won the handmade organic night cream by British brand, GAIA Creams.

Look at how the cream is wrappped, with so much effort and thought...

This is MY cream, specially made for me, with my name on it. LOVE this element of the brand, the personalisation.



GAIA Creams state that they are 101% Organic, I didn't understand this, so I contacted the founder, who is the most lovely, honest woman she said this;

"My creams are 101% organic because one of my aims is to make people aware that there are no national nor EU regulations for natural and organic cosmetics and this means that cosmetic companies take advantage of this by putting sometimes as little as 1% of organic ingredients in their products.

101% means that my creams are truly pure and consist of only organic butters and oils of the highest quality.


"Organic" is not a trendy slogan to me. It's me and my life-style."

I didn't know that there are no EU regulations for organic cosmetics, so I wanted to share this with other beauty lovers.

As well as being Organic, GAIA Creams are also;

* Raw
* Fair Trade
* Vegan
* Hand Crafted
* Only made to order

My review

I ran out of my beloved Bioeffect serum a week after receiving my custom made Raw Night Cream, as soon as I dipped my spatula into the pot, I knew I would love this! I LOVE rich, buttery products (KORRES body butters, comfort zone D-age cream et al). It smells lovely and a little goes a long way. So, use it sparingly. If it didn't have a use by date, this pot would last me a year!

I have been applying this to my face (including eye area) and neck every night (apart from the odd one or two late nights) and my skin feels extra smooth and looks plump and clear in the morning, great base to apply my make up. I was so impressed that I recommended it to my sister, she has oily skin and wasn't convinced it would work for her...I WISH I had taken before and after pics, because she bought some on my recommendation and her skin is so clear! Even our laser lady commented on how clear Amina's skin looks and she is now also going to order some!

I love the story behind this brand, a woman's passion for perfect skin without intoxicating yourself and harming the environment!

Magic Night Cream costs;

£16 for a 30ml pot

£25 for a 50ml pot

Full list of ingredients;

RAW, UNREFINED, ORGANIC SHEA BUTTER

RAW, UNREFINED, ORGANIC COCOA BUTTER

ORGANIC, COLD PRESSED SWEET ALMOND OIL

ORGANIC, COLD PRESSED, UNREFINED HEMP OIL

ORGANIC, COLD PRESSED, UNREFINED AVOCADO OIL

ORGANIC, COLD PRESSED, UNREFINED BORAGE OIL

ORGANIC, COLD PRESSED, UNREFINED ROSEHIP OIL

ORGANIC, COLD PRESSED BROCCOLI OIL

ORGANIC, COLD PRESSED PUMPKIN SEED OIL

ORGANIC FRANKINCENSE ESSENTIAL OIL