January empties - Neal's Yard Remedies, Naked Bodycare, Korres, 4711 and Unique Nature

Unique organic shampoo and conditioner from the TK Maxx clearance shelf. Herbal scent, easy to rinse out the conditioner. Good for someone who wants all organic, all natural hair products. Would repurchase if I see them again.

The Neal's Yard Remedies Wild Rose beauty balm is expensive at £37 for 50g but this is one of Neal's Yard's star products, often spoken about in magazines and beauty blogs. This is an oil based cleanser which can be used in multiple ways, as a facial cleanser, as a body balm on elbows or feet etc, left on as a mask, or my favourite which is as a pre-shave massage treatment. I thought I’d never get through the tub within the recommended three months, but I used it in as many ways as Neal's Yard suggests and just about managed to get there. Would repurchase, but pricey! Recommended.

Neal's Yard Remedies Aromatic Foaming Soak – I wasn’t a fan of this, the scent of pelargonium often overpowers other scents for me and this bath oil was no exception. I wouldn’t repurchase.

Soft Touch Naked Bodycare Starflower body wash 250ml - one of my favourite body washes, already repurchased. Recommended.

4711 50ml – the only way I could love this any more is if it lasted more than twenty minutes on my skin. It’s inexpensive sure, but having to reapply throughout the day means you get through a bottle quickly. I splash it on my hair and around the neck of my t-shirt to help the fragrance last. I used to only wear this in the summer, but this year I’ve been using it in the cooler weather too and it’s equally as gorgeous. Definite repurchase.

Korres yoghurt face cream 50ml – I suppose it shouldn’t have bought this as it’s intended for oily or combination skin, but I thought it might make a suitably light day cream. It was only alright though. My dry husk of a face requires more hydration than this can deliver, but this could be ideal for an oilier complexion. One bonus was that this light cream leaves a natural looking matt finish. I wouldn’t repurchase, but simply because of my skin type.

Korres Yoghurt Moisturising Cream review

Korres's Yoghurt Moisturing Cream comes in a 50ml glass jar. I suppose it shouldn’t have bought this as it’s intended for oily or combination skin, but I'd read about it and wanted to try. It was only alright. My dry husk of a face requires more hydration than this can deliver, particularly in winter, but this could be ideal for an oilier complexion. One bonus was that this light cream leaves a natural looking matt finish. I wouldn’t repurchase, but simply because of my skin type.

"Greek yogurt is an ancient healing remedy that goes back hundreds of years. In Greece, yogurt is known for its ability to instantly soothe the skin by delivering increased moisture.

The Greek Yoghurt Moisturizing Face Cream contains full-fat, greek yogurt—a natural source of proteins, vitamins, and minerals to nourish and provide instant hydration to dry skin. It also contains vitamin E, olive oil concentrate, and macadamia nuts for antioxidant protection. This nourishing cream can be used every day as a part of your daily skin routine. "

Here are the ingredients:
Water, Yogurt, Butylene Glycol, Steareth-2, Isononyl Isononanoate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil Unsaponifiables, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Steareth-20, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Starch, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Triethylhexanoin, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Amorphophallus Konjak Root Extract, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde,  midazolidinyl Urea, Linalool, Magnesium PCA, Manganese PCA, Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sodium PCA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Xylitol, Zinc PCA.

Mäurer & Wirtz's 4711 Eau de Cologne review

4711 is a traditional German Eau de Cologne by Mäurer & Wirtz dating from 1799. This is the original aromatic cologne which inspired Acqua di Parma, Roger et Gallet's Jean Marina Farina and, more recently, Tom Ford's Portofino.

"The precious ingredients are carefully harmonised. Bergamot, lemon, and orange provide a uniquely revitalising effect. Lavender and rosemary have a calming and relaxing effect, strengthening the nerves. Neroli, extracted from the blossom of the bitter orange, has a calming effect in the base note, creating a positive mood."

The only way I could love the original 4711 cologne any more is if it lasted more than twenty minutes on my skin. It’s inexpensive sure, this 50ml bottle cost me about £5, but having to reapply throughout the day means you get through a bottle quickly. I splash it on my hair and around the neck of my t-shirt to help the fragrance last. I used to only wear this in the summer, but this year I’ve been using it in the cooler weather too and it’s equally as gorgeous. Always have this EDC on hand, recommended.

Neal's Yard Remedies Aromatic Foaming Soak review

Neal's Yard Remedies aromatic foaming soak. I'm usually a fan of Neal's Yard's products but unfortunately I'm not a fan of this. You see, it's the scent of pelargonium here which I find often overpowers other scents for me and this bath oil was no exception. I don't smell any lavender or marjoram, just a lot of pelargonium. 

That said, it is hydrating and calming but don't expect masses of bubbles from this sulphate free bath oil. Available from Neal's Yard Remedies for £15 for 200ml.

Here are the ingredients:

Aqua (Water), Lauryl glucoside, Cocamidopropyl betaine, Polysorbate 20, Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) extract*, Pelargonium graveolens (Geranium) oil*, Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) oil*, Thymus mastichina (Marjoram) oil*, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool. 

Soft Touch Naked Starflower body wash review

I've been using the Vegetarian and vegan friendly Soft Touch Naked Bodycare Starflower body wash for several years, along with the other fragrances from Naked Bodycare. I get these from Boots whenever they go on offer and use up my Advantage points. These are probably the best value sulphate free body wash available here in the UK.

The 250ml plastic bottle retails for around £3.99 and has a lid which is seperated in two so you press down one side and the other side pops up to release the gel. The scent is very aromatic and herbal with a definite note of patchouli. I prefer the Orange Blossom or Coco de Mer scents, but the Starflower is good for the cooler months. I'm currently going through the body butter as well. 

"Starflower is full of Gamma Linolenic Acid (an essential fatty acid) known to improve the skin's protective barrier and help prevent signs of ageing. This is also why Starflower extract, known as Borage oil, has long been used as a nutritional supplement to help counter "irritability" and general "women's problems"!"

Well, I can't vouch for that, though my colleagues at work might have a thing to say about that.

Here are the ingredients:

Aqua, Sodium cocoamphoacetate, Cocamidopropyl betaine, Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, Lauryl glucoside, Glycerin, Coco glucoside, Glyceryl oleate, Capryl/capryl glucoside, Borago officinalis (starflower) seed oil, Lavandula hybrida grosso (lavandin) herb oil, Pelargonium graveolens (geranium) leaf oil, Cananga odorata (ylang ylang) flower oil, Pogostemon cablin (patchouli) leaf oil, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citric acid.

 

Neal's Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm review

Neal's Yard Remedies Wild Rose beauty balm is a favourite of beauty bloggers and magazines. At £37 for 50g it's expensive and not being chock full of preservatives, it's recommended that it’s used up within three months of opening which could cause an issue if you like to rotate your products. The dominant scents here are rose and patchouli, it's very herbal and smells good for you.

This is an oil based cleanser which I'm mainly using as a pre-shave cleanser to massage my face and neck, leaving the oily balm on the skin before applying shaving soap or cream. The Wild Rose balm can be used in multiple ways, simply as a facial cleanser, as a body balm on elbows or feet etc, left on as a mask, an overnight treatment or even as a hair mask. 


Here are the ingredients:

Rosa canina (Wild rose) seed oil*, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) seed oil*, Cera alba (Beeswax)*, Butyrospermum parkii (Shea butter)*, Cannabis sativa (Hemp) seed oil*, Borago officinalis (Starflower) seed oil*, Pelargonium graveolens (Geranium) flower oil*, Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) leaf oil*, Boswellia carterii (Frankincense) oil, Cymbopogon martini (Palmarosa) herb oil*, Pogostemon cablin (Patchouli) leaf oil*, Ascorbyl palmitate, Tocopherol, Citral, Citronellol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool.

Recommended.

Unique Nature Organic Shampoo and Conditioner review

You can’t rely on TKMaxx having your favourite brands, but they usually have an eclectic mix of salon brands and organic natural brands that's well worth having a root around. Unique Nature is a BUAV approved Danish company and I picked up these huge bottles of sulphate free shampoo and silicone free conditioner. These 1 litre bottles have a pump dispenser and herbal scent. 

Being SLS and SLES free (although there is Sodium Coco-Sulfate in there), the shampoo doesn't lather up too much, but I don't mind that, as long as it gets my hair clean without stripping it and irritating my scalp. Here are the ingredients:

Aqua, Whey, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium PCA, Taraxacum Officinale Leaf Extract, Alcohol, Sodium Beznoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Perfume, Citral, Limonene.

I like the conditioner as it's effective and silicione free, plus I find it easy to rinse out and it doesn't leave that familiar sticky silicone residue. Here are the ingredients:

Aqua, Whey, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ceterayl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cocoglycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Helianthus Annus, Taraxacum Officinalis Leaf Extract, Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Benzoate, Perfume, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Tocopherol, Citral, Limonene.

These are good for someone who wants to try a more natural hair product and I would repurchase if I ever see them again.