Monday 23 June 2014

S/S green beauty swap with Nic (Organic Obsessions)



I was so excited when Ria decided to organise a second green beauty swap. I mean who doesn't like presents? I also love picking out things for others, it is just so much fun trying to figure out what another person might like, what kind of products they normally use and what they haven't tried before.

I was paired up with lovely Nic from Organic Obsessions. She is such a sweet person, we swapped a few emails to get to know each other (not just about beauty products), and kept each other updated on the progress of our shopping. We coordinated so well that our gifts arrived within 24 hours of each other. We both have had our goodies for a few weeks now, but wanted to play around with them before posting.

The first thing I opened was the hand written note from Nic, amongst other things it explained why she chose the products that she did. I adore that she did that, it was just the thing to make the whole experience even more special.

Now to the juicy part of what I actually got. It was a clay based mask and a lip scrub both from a Swedish brand Greenhouse Cosmetics, that you can find on Etsy.

I think my love for masks is well documented, and not only was it a great choice for me in general, the Chocolate Almond mask is really a perfect summer treatment. It is designed for combination, oily or acne prone skin, and my skin, which has been becoming more normal over the rest of the year, is definitely a little oily right now. To draw out impurities this masks contains bentonite clay and activated charcoal. Almond meal for mild exfoliation, and calamine to calm and soften your skin. Cocoa powder and green tea extract are here for their antioxidant power.



You use it in the usual way of one tea spoon of powder to a little bit of water to make a paste, and then apply to your face (preferably with a brush). You only leave it on for 10 minutes, which makes it a great quick treatment that does not require you to set a whole evening aside (I mean I love a long pamper session, but I don't get to do those very often). When I applied it, I did experience some mild tingling, not sure from what ingredient, cocoa powder? However there was no redness once I washed the mask off. I have to say I was extremely happy that I only needed to keep it for only 10 minutes, it smells just like a fruit & nut bar, and it was driving me crazy. I am not a huge chocolate person, but those are a weakness and while the powder itself didn't seem to have any scent, once activated with water, the smell was just incredibly edible.

After the treatment my skin looks fresh and even toned, but I do feel you need to go over with a toner or a floral water to make sure that all of the remnants of the mask have been removed. Also the jar was very full so things could get messy, if you are anything like me, bathroom is the place to do your mixing. Overall I am very fond of this mask, and I spotted that they have a tropical mask wich contains bananas, I already bookmarked it.

It is time to confess, I have never owned or used a lip scrub. My lip care consists of lip balms and maybe once in a blue moon exfoliation with manuka honey (and those are like a once a year type things). Nic has chosen an original version of the sugar lip scrub, with no added flavour or colours (she already knows me so well).



In a nutshell this is a mixture of castor sugar and a blend of oils (watermelon, almond, coconut, vitamin e). You rub a little bit over your lips, and as it is apparently edible, you can just lick it off. I did try licking it once for the sake of the blog, and it tastes just like sugar. Since I was a kid, it has been drilled into my head not to lick my lips, it is just not something I can do, so I wash it off with water instead. Due to all the oils, only the sugar and the skin cells get washed away, leaving your lips nicely moisturised, just like a lip balm would.

Although this is my first lip scrub, I have seen them around, and this jar is a lot more generous than is usual. I think it will last me the full 6 months (that is how long it stays fresh), as you only need a tiny amount.

I really enjoyed this experience and could not have asked for a better swap partner. If you want to check out what I got for Nic, head over to her blog Organic Obsessions.

11 comments:

  1. Aw, SO glad to you liked the products I picked out for you and how interesting that the mask changes its scent once activated! I tried taking a sniff with the lid on but couldn't discern anything so I'm glad that it becomes something you really like =) You've written an absolutely lovely post and I thank you again for being such a great swap partner! Beautiful photos too! xx

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    1. Thank you, so happy you liked the post. It was an absolute pleasure doing this swap with you! xx

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  2. Gorgeous swap! You really picked lovely things for each other. The chocolate almond mask looks right up my alley, and I love it when you get to discover new brands through swaps. xx

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    1. I loved doing this so much! Discovering a new brand is most definitely a huge perk xx

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  3. Great swap! That chocolate face mask sounds and looks amazing! x

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  4. oh lala, gorgeous mask!.....I wanna try it now :-)
    x

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    1. It can get messy, but totally worth it :) xx

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  5. The chocolate and almond face mask looks lovely! x

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  6. Chocolate mask? I need some now! ;)

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  7. That mask sounds so lovely!! You got some lovely bits from Nic! :) x

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