Tuesday 4 November 2014

Green Beauty on a budget: skincare



When it comes to green beauty I tend to get carried away, I love pretty packaging and feeling of luxury that some of the higher end products give. However there are plenty of brands that offer great results with quality ingredients without breaking the bank. Organic skincare doesn't have to be about saving for months to get a bottle of face oil, unless that is what you want. The choice is yours whether or not to splurge or save, but it is good to have options.

This time I am focusing on skincare, and if you fancy watching the video instead of reading (or maybe both) here it is.



Konjac sponge. I feel like I've talked about these a lot and here is a comprehensive behind the scenes post. These are £7.99 and if you look after them properly should last you around 3 months. This is a good morning cleanse option, or a second cleanse in the evening. If you use it regularly you won't need a separate exfoliator.

Lyonsleaf beauty balm*. This balm is an awesome all rounder, it can be used as a cleanser or as a moisturiser. Used with a hot cloth nightly a separate exfoliator also becomes unnecessary (well maybe once in a blue moon if you feel like it). Just massage a small amount into dry skin, let a damp hot cloth sit on your face for 30 seconds to loosen things up, and wipe off. Used as a moisturiser just apply a half a pea amount (a little more if your skin is dry) to damp skin, massage for a minute or so (face massage is great for your skin). It is £12.95 for 55ml.

Bathing beauty Miracle soap. This honey oat loaf of goodness is a great choice for a second cleanse. While I would not recommend most soaps for face use, this one is a good option. I would still limit it to every other day use, but you can see how your skin responds to it. It is £4 and will last you a good long time.

Essence of Eden organic coconut oil. While not everyone gets on with coconut oil, if you do it is a great inexpensive product. I mainly use it for makeup removal or to protect my face in a hot shower. A 300ml jar will set you back £14.00. There are other options of coconut oil out there, I don't think all of them are of equal quality and personally I didn't get on with some other coconut oils but this one works a treat.

Jason Aloe Vera pure beauty oil. This is a steal at £6.49 for 30ml. It is a multi purpose product for face and body, for the times when your skin is feeling sensitive or sun burnt. I also use it as an eye makeup remover. It only has three ingredient sunflower seed oil, aloe vera leaf gel, safflower seed oil and is USDA certified organic.

Odylique Spot-on Serum*. This product comes in 2 sizes for £15.00 you can get 60ml, or 20ml for £8.00. It can be used as a targeted spot treatment, or to soothe insect bites and minor skin damage. You get a lot of product for your money, and it is a really handy serum to have around on summer holidays.

Akamuti Flower water. I am a champion of toners, and flower waters offer really good skin benefits, my personal favourite is rose, however it really depends on your skin type. Akamuti chamomile water (pictured in old packaging, they now come in spray bottles) is £6.50 for 100ml and is a great choice when you want to be gentle with your skin.

Gaia creams veggie cocktail*. This product is very concentrated, and while 30ml will set you back £15.00 if used purely as a face moisturiser it will most likely last you pretty much the entire freshness period. However it is designed to be used both on face and body, so the choice is yours.

Our tiny bees purifying vitamin face mask. A great face mask is a must. This one is a mixture of white clay a kaolin, honey, oats and mango. It can be used both as a gentle scrub or as a mask. A 100ml jar comes to £7.95.

Jane Irredale magic mitt. This is the one product I forgot to mention in my video. On beauty bay it retails for £13.95. It is a make up remover, all you have to do is dampen the mitt and then gently wipe of your makeup. That is it, and yes it actually does remove every trace of makeup. Afterwards wash the mitt with soap (Dr Bronner's is good) and leave it to air dry. I have had mine for several years now and it still performs the same, however I have never used it for eye makeup removal, my eyes are super sensitive, I stick to a gentle oil blend for that.

*These products were sent to me/part of goodie bags, there was no explicit expectation of review or mentions. As always I only include the products that I genuinely like, all opinions are my own based on my experience with the products.

13 comments:

  1. Love posts like this as I think many of those can focus a bit too much on the higher end brands...I've had my eye on Akamuti, especially since they're sold here in Sweden so I might give their floral waters a closer look! Oh and I love the pink Konjac sponge!

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  2. *many of us* is what it's supposed to say! ;)

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    1. lol yes I thought so ;) Akamuti are really good value and quality ratio, they have a lavender water that might be right up your street too xx

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  3. I really like the Lyonsleaf balm. I wasn't sure about the scent to start with but its definitely grown on me! Akamuti are a staple in my collection x

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    1. I love the scents of Lyonsleaf products, really soothing and earthy. I have been neglecting akamuti in persuit of new brands but i always go back xx

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  4. Love Lyonsleaf, I still haven't tried Bathing Beauty Miracle, I have too many soaps to use up :D

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    1. Well I simply don't know how you can say that! But you really should try it soon, I think it is rather special :) xx

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  5. I love that there are a lot of budget options out there as most people are always like oh organic is expensive! Lyonsleaf is my fave. I haven't tried the Bathing Beauty miracle soap yet!! Need to get it out I have a sample of it :)

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    1. I think bathing beauty might be the one that will make you like soap ;) Yeah I agree you can easily do organic on a budget, and some budget brands are more exciting than the expensive ones in my opinion xx

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  6. I was so close to getting the Magic Mitt the other day but wasn't sure about it. I just received the Odylique Spot on serum, hopefully it will help! Great round-up of budget skincare. xo

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    1. Thanks Ru :) Magic mitt is awesome especially if you need to keep your routine simple, looking forward to hearing about your experience with odylique xx

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  7. I love your low budget post Tamara, it's right we don't have to spend a lot to buy ethically and organic! We have lot of choice with all the beautiful green brand on the market :) xx

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    1. Thank you Julie, that means a lot. We have the biggest choice than ever before, and there are so many fabulous brands you just need to decide what you can afford and go from there xx

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