Oh My Mango!

I am glowing! From a lovely natural tan that is as I've just got back from holidaying in Gran Canaria and I can confirm that my summer staple is the Body Shop's best-selling Mango Body Butter.

One of my best friend's bought me this for my birthday and she obviously knows me so well. It's rich and creamy and seriously divine. Made of mango-seed oil and community Fair Trade cocoa butter from Ghana, it's particularly good for dry skin as it provides 24 hour hydration.

The packaging has undergone some changes over the last few years after L'Oreal's takeover (my least favourite thing about the Body Shop - although it has ensured that every single Body Shop product is now BUAV approved). I absolutely adore it as it looks slick, colourful and good enough to eat. My pot is the smaller size, not the 200 ml sizes that you see piled up enticing you in in Body Shop windows. For me, it's perfect though. It means that I can slip it into my travel luggage easily and also switch between flavours without getting bored and having to make myself through an ever-lasting HUGE pot. 

I have to admit that I don't always find time to moisturise (beauty crime, I know). I love an hour-long soak in the bath, but when I get out I'm often straight into a proactive mode before enjoying treating my skin to a moisturising session. When in Rome though (Gran Canaria)... I feel that I have time to do EVERYTHING on holiday so would find myself lounging on the balcony at sunset with my bare legs out in front of me and my pot of mango magic ready to massage into every crevice. I did in fact combine my application with massaging motions and really felt indulgent as it sunk straight into my sunned skin, feeding it one of it's five a day! 

It's super rich and thick but it disappears instantly and made me feel sexy and special with silky soft skin. The exotic mango scent is the piece de la resistance though. It is so so gorgeous and really suits summertime and holidays - it's light but fruity and just plain lovely jubbly.

As it's so PERFECT for summer, the only thing I would change would be to add a low SPF so that it protects as well as indulges.
I would recommend only using it on your body and not the face as its dense consistency is likely to clog pores. I'm not going to lie and say that I use Body Shop Body Butters all the time, despite them being so so popular and the brand's best sellers. I love to use them every so often though and letting them really feed my skin while I'm rejuvenating myself seems like the perfect scenario to me. I'm also planning on trying it out as a shave gel replacement once I finish my current shaving cream. I spied my friend shaving with the Strawberry Body Butter and she gushed about how soft it left her skin and the yummy scent and creamy texture improved the entire experience. I'm not willing to endorse this just yet though as I haven't tried it and you'd need to be careful not to clog your razor.

The butter is not tested on animals, but it does contain Lanolin alcohol (the grease from sheep's wool) so it's not suitable for vegans unfortunately.

My legs infused with mango mojo in paradise:

Summer Shopper

I set myself a challenge a few weeks ago to find a summer handbag to brighten up my otherwise neutral collection and found one I'm more than happy to carry on my shoulder!
This beauty from shoe retailer Aldo ticks numerous trend boxes, including coralicious colour blocking, metallic detail and geometric shapes. And best of all - it's 100% vegan.

I couldn't help but stop when I spotted this bag in the shop window. The bright pop of colour is perfect for summer, but not overpoweringly so. The blend of coral and neutral nude and brown, finished with gold detailing, allows you to have fun with colour whilst remaining sophisticated and chic.
The shopper is also a great size. And to get technical, I'm really impressed with the length of the handles. They are long enough that you can wear the bag on your shoulder, but not too long that you can also carry the bag hanging from your elbow or down by your side.
I cannot understand how women get by with small handbags though. I absolutely have to have everything on me at all times, to account for any eventuality - umbrella and sunglasses, three different lip balms and glosses, nail varnishes in case of a chip, to name a few... This bag is by no means small, but it could be a little bigger. The rectangular shape means that it's rather thin and everything must fit snugly together. Perhaps the one change I would make would be to make it a little wider.

The pocket situation is just as you'd expect from a good bag. There is a zip pocket for your valuables and then two open side pockets which I love to store my phone and keys in for easy access. The phone-sized pocket is too small for modern phones though, especially if you carry yours in a case. There is also a hidden pocket under the coral front which is quite cool. I personally don't use it though as I fear I'm going to crease the front every time I lift it and anything other than a credit card would surely strain the pocket too?

After falling in love with the appearance of this bag, discovering that it was 100% synthetic polyurethane with a cotton and polyester lining was the icing on the cake (as however beautiful a bag is, I refuse to buy anything made of leather or any other skin). I'm also not sure that anybody would even notice that it wasn't leather. I've gotten compliments from this bag from fashion-worshippers who would turn their noses up at me if they knew the extent of my distaste for leathers and beauty heroes tested on animals.

I can't say I've ever really shopped at Aldo before and was prepared to walk straight passed had I not seen this babe in the window. Having ventured inside though, I will definitely be back sometime soon!
It was £50 which I think is reasonable given the quality and lastability. I think it will transcend trends and is an absolute bargain considering the most lusted-after bags will set you back a few grand.

Maybe carrying this bright bag through the clouds and mist will encourage summer to actually turn up....

Lush Haul!!

Yay - it's that time again! I haven't gotten myself down to Lush in a looong long time so, on the day after pay day, I made a special little trip and filled my basket with lots of Lush goodies to last me another few months!

First of all some oldies, but goodies, which I've already reviewed on here before...

Lush BIG Shampoo

This is a big BIG favourite mine. Made of coarse sea salt and organic lemon and lime, this shampoo will give you the gorgeous, voluminous and healthy hair that you get after spending a week by the sea and sun. The texture is magical too as the rocks of salt are great for exfoliation and promote a happy, healthy scalp. It lathers well and adds shine and softness. So simple, yet so special! Try it if you don't believe me!

£11.25 for 330g

Lush Ocean Salt

Salt is really one of the earth's most amazing ingredients and makes up this other salty superhero! Ocean salt is a facial scrub with fresh grapefruit, avocado and coconut. The perfect balance of ingredients means it doesn't dry your skin out as you'd expect sea salt to do, but leaves you feeling soft, buffed and alive! It is a little harsh, but that's just how I like it - really working away at those dead skin cells. It contains lanolin so it's not vegan, but is of course not tested on animals and is vegetarian society approved. Remember though, make sure you mix and stir it up so it doesn't look like the beautiful blue pictured. It comes with most of the salt grouped at the top so make sure you spread it throughout the pot.
I'm still only buying the mini pot though as I assure you it lasts forever!

£6.95 for 100g
Read my full review here

Lush Volcano

I can tell this is popular as I always seem to nab the last pot! I use this every week and slather it over my feet, pop on some spa socks and let it do its thing while I soak the rest of my body in the tub! A kaolin clay mask with papaya, tomatoes and potatoes, Volcano blasts away dry skin and leaves tootsies cool and fresh. Before washing it off, dunk quickly into the water to loosen the mask and then rub the remains into your tricky spots before rinsing away.

£5.75 for 125g

And now for some new appearances...

Lush Curly Wurly

This looks like an unappetising rice pudding, but is a lovely moisturising and conditioning shampoo. This will be my third pot as its coconut, shea butter and vanilla goodness keeps me coming back for more. The pot is full of dessicated coconut and aims to leave curls defined and bouncy. My hair has a natural wave so I can't quite speak for those longing to soften their coils and curls, but I promise that it really does give a light and silky finish.
A word of warning, it's a very, very thick shampoo. You have to dig your fingers into the pot to get a generous scoop and although it may feel like you will never be able to distribute it evenly throughout your style, keep at it as with some elbow grease it lathers into a creamy dream! Now, it is also difficult to wash out. The mini flakes of coconut will sit in your hair even after rinsing. For the first few washes, I was frustratedly trying to locate and remove them all, but I've now learnt that if you just move on to conditioning, by the time you've finished, towel dried and brushed your hair, they will have magically disappeared! And it's certainly worth it for a rich and conditioning experience.

£9.75 for 220g
Fresh eggs make the list of ingredients, meaning this shampoo isn't vegan, but you can rest assured that they're free range.

Lush Sunnyside

How can you resist a trip to Lush without pocketing one of their scrummy bath bombs or melts? It's been particularly grey and miserable recently, so I treated myself to this gorgeous, glittering bubble bar. Break this up under the hot tap while running a bath and enjoy the influx of big, beautiful bubbles. Underneath the surface you'll find you're bathing in liquid gold too like a true goddess or foxy Cleopatra. The glitter will also coat your clean skin so you can enjoy being a shining Goldfinger Bond Girl under your pyjamas or clothes! A sure fire way to give you a smile and ultimate pampering session, Sunnyside is also made with Tangerine, Sweet Wild Orange and Lemon Oil so you can soak amongst citrus sweet essential oils!

£3.65 each

Lush Angels on Bare Skin

Now this is the most exciting product in my haul for me and one I can't wait to try. I haven't tried it yet as am just making the most of the dregs from my last cleanser, but this cleanser is allegedly as gentle and beautiful as being kissed by angels. Made of ground almonds, real lavender flowers, rose and chamomile, Angels on Bare Skin evens out skin tone, reduces redness and improves the health and appearance of the skin, leaving it glowing - sounds perfect to me!
It looks and feels a little rough and grainy, but when mixing your desired amount with water the ground almonds become almond milk in your hands which tone and brighten. It also absorbs grease and softens and moisturises. The simple need to add the water yourself, means that the product can be made with 100% natural ingredients and no preservatives. But my favourite part is the real lavender flowers. I regularly champion lavender as it's proven to calm and relax - so why not add that feeling to your morning cleanse!
I will keep you posted on how I get on!

£6.25 for 100g

As promised, to update on some of the other products I was trying from my last Lush Haul (here)...

Lush No Drought has grown on me a little. It still gets absolutely everywhere and I have to brush down my whole bathroom and outfit after use, but it really does absorb grease if you want to go an extra day without washing your hair. It is also easier to direct right to the problem area compared to the short sharp burst from the more popular cans ending up anywhere and leaving you looking a little skunky.

Lush Fair Trade Foot Lotion is one I won't be purchasing though. I only tried a sample, but it was so runny and gooey it would just get all over my bedding or slippers and wasn't a nice feeling. I much prefer the Body Shop Peppermint Foot Lotion. A lot creamier and indulgent, rather than toe-curlingly slippy!

Let me know what your favourite Lush products are as I'm always excited to try new recommendations!

Olive You, but Not My Conditioner

Olives are not something that I would usually associate with beauty, but having spent numerous years complaining about my dry, straw-like hair, I was pleasantly surprised to recieve Palmer's Olive Oil Formula Conditioner for my birthday as the bottle promises soft, silky hair.

I want to come straight out and say it though: I am not a fan of this product - strange, I know, seeing as I usually have heaps of praise for the products I review! Unusual as this may sound, the reason that I don't like it is because, after use, my hair is super sleek. So sleek, in fact, that it quickly becomes lank and greasy. I used to be able to enjoy stretching my time between hair washes for three and even four days with a spritz of dry shampoo. But now, even by the start of day two, I start to feel oily and dirty. I can't deny that this product does exactly what it says on the bottle - it leaves the hair soft, moisturised, frizz-free, shiny and smooth. So if that is what you are after, I can and would recommend it. But as an everyday conditioner, it is not right for me.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a powerful natural ingredient which has been used since ancient times to give hair strength and shine. I often read that straight olive oil directly on the hair is a good hair mask every few weeks - I tried this once though and it felt absolutely disgusting and took a million washes to get out - never again! This rich conditioner combines olive oil with soybean oil and hair keratin amino acids which work together to protect the hair from environmental factors and hot styling tools. The olive oil is also certified organic and Palmer's do not test on animals.

It is nicely dense and silky in consistency, but it doesn't really smell of anything in particular other than a generic soap scent. Something I can praise it for though is the amount of washes per bottle. This 250 ml bottle has been on my shower shelf for as long as I can remember and I still haven't finished it. I even want to finish it as I have some other tempting conditioners lined up that I'm looking forward to enjoying. You only need a small pearl and it will smooth all the hair (and mine is pretty long). Leave it on for a minute or two while you scrub and get squeaky clean before rinsing clean away.

If you have frizzy hair or unmanageable curls - I imagine this will be a life saver at times. For me though it is a little too oil-based and leaves me feeling greasy so I will just be sticking to the classic Palmer's cocoa butter formulas for now.

Lush Charity Pot

If you're looking for a kind and passionate beauty product that will change the world - you're in the right place. Lush Charity Pot is a hand and body lotion based on fairtrade ingredients and every single penny goes straight to charity, not to Lush. It's the most beautiful donation I've ever made and, selfishly, you get the most heavenly treat for yourself in exchange.

It comes in a range of sizes from 10g up to 240g. Unfortunately (or not), I have a cupboard full of body lotions to use up as they're a gift I often receive from friends and family so I feel unable to commit to a large lovely jubbly pot just yet, but was tempted at the till to get this mini trial size which is only £1. If you were to trust me on anything - I urge you to trust me on this. Lush Charity Pot is paradise in a pot.

It is made of fairtrade organic cocoa butter and almond oil and a combination of uplifting essential oils, including ylang ylang, tagetes and geranium. The chocolately notes from the cocoa are to die for and the finished consistency of a loose emulsion means the lotion is perfectly light and gentle and it sinks into the skin like a luxurious elixir that leaves skin softly conditioned.

Ylang ylang is an exceptionally delicate scent with notes of custard and hints of jasmine and neroli and is known for its calming and soothing effects. Geranium on the other hand is balancing and healing while tagetes is fresh, minty and also has antifungal properties. It is a little miracle pot as each of these ingredients restore and improve the skin.

The three reasons why I will absolutely only ever buy this lotion though are the consistency, scent and charitable element. It is the lightest, milkiest lotion I have ever come across - if I was to compare it to something I would have to say rich double cream. My trial pot was a little overstuffed so the first few times I used it it did overflow and pour everywhere, but it was so easy to mop up as it instantly melts into the skin as if it has disappeared and it leaves you feeling irresistibly soft. Secondly, the scent is magic. I am a fan of Palmer's cocoa butter and often long it was safe to eat it up, but this product goes that little bit further. It has hints of chocolate and subtle fragrances of nut, jasmine and mint that combine to make something divine. I can't do it justice in writing - you will just have to try it. The best word I can think of would be decadent.

And the loveliest little bonus is of course the charity donation you make when you buy the product. 100% goes to charity and best of all - they are a selection of the smallest and most struggling charities Lush could find. Lush assures us that they are small grassroots groups of caring and determined people who make a small amount of money go a long way. For more information about these charities please visit here.

Charity pot also has its own Facebook page which you can like and discover fun and interesting facts and updates.

If you're like me you'll spend a lot of time thinking that you really should give more to charity and this is a great way to start. There is nobody else benefiting from your donation and, although this shouldn't really be an incentive, you do get a lovely little treat to remember the good causes by.

Top tip: keep your pot by your pillow just like me and dab a little on your pulse points before bed for sweet dreams and to leave you smelling like a princess.

Fashion Recycling: Sunglasses

All true green goddesses are familiar with recyling, but I'm not just talking sorting your greens and your clears at the bottle bank. No, I'm talking about fashion recycling: my new favourite hobby.

If you're familiar with my blog, you will have noticed my profile picture where I can be seen sporting some rather flowery sunglasses. I can reveal that I made them myself for a grand total of £2.99. Now, although I'm talking about recycling, I have bought all the pairs of sunglasses in this post as new pairs. However, I have used old bits and pieces that were otherwise destined for the bin to bring them to life. I am prone to reinventing old bags and clutches with odd buttons, hair accessories and ribbons, but this post is an opportunity to showcase my sunglasses collection... enjoy!


Roses

If it's not already obvious, these are my favourite pair. I had some rope-like bracelets which these flowers were orginially part of, but they were so itchy and always tilted at an odd angle. They therefore made it into my craft cupboard as I no longer desired to wear them. The flowers were far too pretty to throw away though and I'm glad I didn't as a walk through London's Liberty's provided me with the perfect light bulb moment. I spied the most stunning pair of floral adorned sunglasses, but they were of course nearing the £300 mark; ridiculous - I'd only sit on them! A slither of superglue meant that I could make my own, however, and I love them. They cost me a few pennies and feel ultra glam. And best of all they are an excuse to be eco friendly and resourceful :)


Antlers

Stags are super trendy but you don't need to go hunting to stay in vogue - absolutely not! I was ever so proud of my gold deer ring...

So when it inevitably got caught and broke I was a little teary. But bit bash bosh, a droplet of glue and bibbidi bobbido boo... a funky pair of sunglasses was reborn.

These may be a little out there for some, but if you're not afraid of a truly statement piece - then this is the one for you. I'd recommend teaming it with very simple styling on the clothes front so as not to overwhelm and match with other gold jewelry and accessories to keep it classic.

Top tip: In order to secure metal on metal, glue a small swab of fabric in the middle. In this instance I cut a corner of ribbon which worked well to fuse each piece together


Butterflies

Another fashion crisis: losing one earring and thus separating a pair. This doesn't have to be a dilemma as wearing earrings which don't match can be striking fashion statement in itself, such as teaming a simple stud with a longer, flashier style. Unfortunately, I misplaced a silver hoop embellished with buttlerflies, which only really worked as a pair. So what better excuse to salvage a pretty piece of jewelry than getting trigger happy with the pliers.

This design's success lies in its simplicity. I am guilty of often going OTT, but this understated finish still makes a statement without you having to wear a pair of antlers on your forehead!


Wings

I have to admit that this wasn't a case of recyling as I bought a pair of wing earrings purely with the intention of taking them apart. The thought of a pair of sunglasses with wings saw me search far and wide for the perfect pair to satisfy my creative vision. They aren't my favourite pair, but I hope they inspire you to come up with your own original and recycled designs...

I hope I have shown than recycling can be glamorous and I can testify that leading a cruely-free life leaves you feeling beautiful, fresh, natural, healthy and like you're making a difference. Don't always dig deep for designer gear (which often comes with a carbon frontprint or contributes to suppliers who also stock fur, leather and skins), but make your own! Get involved :)

Passionate for Pink Grapefruit

I'm staying with family this weekend and couldn't resist sabotaging their shower gel and grapefruit breakfast basket for a review. I was far too excited to spot this beauty in their shower and was quick to get my fruity weekend fling underway.

Original Source Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel is packed with natural fragrance and has the most sumptuously zingy scent. If you're a fan of true natural beauty, this really does make you feel as though you're showering with grapefruit juice and using one of the fruity segments as a loofah!

Original Source run regular competitions via their Facebook page to produce special edition seasonal flavours and this scent represents summer in a bottle. 33,000 fans voted this Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel as their winner for an instant and intense summer vibe, even on the rainiest of days! Previous seasonal editions include Orange and Cinnamon, a perfect winter warmer, and British Strawberries.

Pink Grapefruit has always been one of my favourite scents as it leaves you feeling super fresh and it has that added sharpness which is the perfect degree of subtle. Original Source are perhaps most famous for their mint and strong citrus shower gels, but I much prefer their softer variants. My boyfriend is a regular purchaser of their popular Mint and Tea Tree Shower Gel, stuffed full of 7,927 tingling real mint leaves.There is no doubt that it does exactly what it says on the bottle, but I find it far too tingly for my liking at 6am in the morning if you know what I mean...

I love the Body Shop Pink Grapefruit range, but this bottle is a lot easier to use and does smell more authentic and natural. It's very light and gooey but lathers up well and is not an assault on the nose or skin. It is in fact the perfect start to any morning: it's vegan society approved, tested on humans not animals, made here in the UK and recyclable.

Original Source Vanilla and Raspberry (oh so creamy and just divine) is my current favourite, but I'd recommend getting involved on Facebook and voting for the next special edition... if we're preparing for Autumn I'm thinking hot chocolate, pumpkins or toffee apple!

Boring bits: £2.20 for 100ml from major supermarkets and chemists

P.s. Never underestimate the power that you have to change the world! I discovered this vegan-friendly bottle of joy in a shower which wasn't my own and I know I have converted my own guests who have borrowed my natural beauty goodies... every little helps and one little person can make a difference :)