Review / Noble Isle Heather Honey Hand Wash

Today’s review is about another fine fragrance from Noble Isle: Heather Honey!

I love honey and adore anything honey related so this range is right up my street; Noble Isle sources the heather honey from the Heather Hills Honey Farm in Perthshire in Scotland, specialists since 1945. 

The Noble Isle Heather Honey Hand Wash* leaves the hands gorgeously scented and super soft; it’s a comforting fragrance, ideal for every season with fresh notes of orange blossom and jasmine – yet warming, thanks to the sandalwood and amber.

The formula contains proteins, iron and antioxidants which have a restorative and soothing effect; it is also not drying and looks very luxurious on my bathroom sink – I make sure a bottle is on show when I have guests ;)

Did you know that one third of the food would not be available without the hard work of the honey bees? Pretty amazing, huh? There is also a National Honey Bee Day (16^th August), but I say let’s celebrate all year around and what better than treating yourself too. The range includes an hand wash and an hand lotion, starting from £18.00

New In / My Picks for Spring 2014 with Sanctuary Spa, Good Things and Orla Kiely

Sanctuary Spa 7 Day Moisture Miracle Oil Balm

I'm a big fan of beauty oils - face oils, body oils and even hair oils - and they have now been a staple in my routine for many years; it's no secret tho that they can be a bit messy. They work fine on wet skin, in the privacy of your bathroom, but they are not great for travelling or for your handbag.

Sanctuary Spa 7 Day Moisture Miracle Oil Balm* comes in a handy little tube that is purse-friendly and comes in a balm form. You will find that it's solid and you can squeeze the desired amount on the go, without any spillage disaster.

It contains 7 essential oils - Gold of Pleasure Oil, Corn Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Olive Oil, Rice Germ Oil and Camelia Seed Oil - that provide on the spot relief for problematic areas, like elbows, cuticles, heels; the skin is instantly softened and it also doubles up as an hand cream, leaving my skin gorgeous scented. 

It locks moisture into the skin for up to 7 days! It's not super greasy (for an oil) and absorbs easily – It’s the perfect compromise! 

Love the luxurious gold packaging and it would make a lovely and useful gift too!

Sanctuary Spa Relax Nourishing Shower Creme

Transitioning into Spring/Summer, I always struggle to fall asleep at night:  first the clock changes then there is too much light outside. Up here in Scotland, it could be light until  11ish pm and, at the same time, temperatures could be (fairly) hot and I usually not in the mood for warm baths.

If like me you also have trouble sleeping, Sanctuary Spa Relax Nourishing Shower Creme* is the perfect alternative to easy you into a restful night; I have been using it for a few months now and the comforting and delicate scent certainly helps me relax and unwind before bed time. 

 Essential oils of vetiver, cedarwood and labdanum help calm the mind and melt the tension of a busy life; the pampering cream is nourishing and hydrating for the skin, thanks to shea butter and lotus extract. 

The Relax line also includes Cocooning Body Butter, Warming Sugar Scrub, Unwind Candle so if you fall in love with the Shower Creme, there's no reason why you can't count on its benefits all year round and add them to your bedtime routine.

For Spring 2014, Orla Kiely came out with  a Bergamot Collection - the line includes hand wash, hand lotion, shower gel, body lotion and hand cream. 

The description of the scent sounds just amazing: "...warm cedarwood, patchouli and refreshing notes of grapefruit and bergamot... hint of fresh floral with petigrain, neroli and orange flower extract; spicy nuances of cardamon and coriander are combined with herbal hints of aniseed and peppermint to create a zesty twist..."

There’s also a useful new addition to the popular Geranium bath and body range that launched last year - Orla Kiely Geranium Hand Sanitiser*.

I’m not a fan of geranium, to be honest but this blend - with eucalyptus, lavender and clary sage - is refreshing and  I found it soothing on the mind too, thanks to these essential oils; some hand sanitisers can be overpowering alcoholic and sterile, instead this is very delicate and still kills 99.9% of germs. This product is also formulated with aloe vera to keep hands soft and moisturised and avoid dryness.

The recognizable Orla Kiely pattern on the bottle makes it stylish enough for your handbag and I like to keep a tube of this in my gym bag at all time, as well.

Good Things Manuka Honey Refining Scrub

Good Things is another affordable and reliable brand that I have come to appreciate in recent years; they do fantastic body care and you can pick their products from the drugstore. The skincare line includes a Manuka Honey range, which is appropriate for the approaching National Honey Bee Day on the 16^th August.

Key ingredient in the Good Things Manuka Honey Refining Scrub* is the Superfood Manuka Honey, of course; together with other bee derivatives - like royal jelly and propolis - sustains the growth of new cells and collagen to prevent the signs of ageing; it's also fantastic to restore Ph balance and promote healthy skin.

It has a creamy consistency with oatmeal flakes that provide a gentle exfoliation and they are soothing for irritated skin; white kaolin helps draw out excess oil and purify the complexion, whilst sweet almond oil hydrates dry skin and it's rich in vitamins E and fatty acids.

The skin is left clean and nourished at the same time and - how you can guess - it has a delicious scent.

You get a very generous amount for a bargain £4.99 so I've been using it on delicate parts like decollete, shoulders and arms as well.

All Good Things products are free from parabens, mineral oils, sulphates and are suitable for vegetarians.

Have you tried any of these products yet??!

Christmas Presents

A bit late with a Christmas presents haul but I'm always in two minds when sharing gifts 'cos there's always the risk of people thinking you're bragging; personally, I love reading these posts - I'm noisy like that - and it's a great way to get ideas and find undiscovered gems. :)

Gorgeous DKNY bag - the colour is in between brown/grey - smart looking and I will definitely save it for special occasions.

People know me well and they have been certainly feeding my pugs & owls obsession! :)

Check out these pugs salt&pepper shakers - Awesome or what?!!!

I love watching American Pickers and my husband got me a t-shirt from the States - love the rooster logo!

The frame with the wire is an handmade jewellery holder; the shabby-chic feel is right up my alley and it will look perfect against the purple wall in the bedroom.

Basilur Tea is a tea brand that I discovered few years ago and my mum sent me a new selection book over the holidays; I don't normally like fruity teas but their selection are delicious/yet not too sweet. I'd definitely recommend to check their website http://basilurtea.co.uk if you're a tea junkie - prices are average and their packagings are beautiful too.

Beauty related goodies: Especially Escada Eau de Parfum is a fragrance that I've been liking since it came out few years ago; it's described as joyful and light-hearted and I couldn't agree more - definitely not overpowering.

My sister also got me this Laura Ashley Fig Tree & Cassis Hand Wash & Hand Lotion Gift Set because she knows I love fig scents; this smells like proper fig leaves with a sweet twist and the hand lotion is also very good quality and light. I don't shop in Laura Ashley often enough, they are currently having a massive sale and I will make sure to pop in and check it out.

Finally… Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette! Yes, I couldn't resist and asked Santa for it. I will do a dedicated post with swatches soon. 

Introducing / di palomo

 di palomo is a brand Made in England... but inspired by Italy!
They have 4 ranges - White Grape with Aloe, Tuscan Rose, Wild Fig & Grape and Orange Blossom with Wild Honey & Olive; in every line, you'll find products for the bath, body and for the home.

di palomo White Grape with Aloe Moisturizing Liquid Soap* caught my eye, straight away. I tend to spend a bit of money on hand soaps and don't normally buy cheap supermarket brands that tend to dry my hands. My hands are very delicate by nature, plus they get battered every day by this unforgiving Scottish weather, so I really need to pay extra attention, even in such a mundane task.

This liquid soap is formulated with the finest ingredients to deterge and hydrate your hands; you also need a tiny drop because it foams up really well and the acidity of the grapes adds a layer of zestiness that is divine. Especially in the mornings, it removes all the oily make up residue off my fingers, in seconds.
I'm now addicted to sniffing my hands and in desperate need of the matching hand cream too! :)

di palomo Orange Blossom with Wild Honey & Olive Moisturzing Body Wash* smells incredible!
I can't even begin to describe the scent, it's something you need to experience for yourself... and fall in love.
As mentioned above, the range also includes room products like fragrant reeds and candles and I think they've become a must have - I want my house to smell like this all the time!!!

 I've been using it in the shower and it's a total pleasant, invigorating experience. First thing in the morning, the sparkling scent is perfect to wake you up and it stays on the skin all day; I had some female colleagues commenting on it and actually smelling my arm!!! :D
It's very nourishing and soothing thanks to the natural extracts of orange blossom, honey & olives plus it's enriched with Pro-Vitamin B5 to keep the skin soft and supple.

I love the attention to details about this brand: apart from the quality and research put into the ingredients (that shows), there are a lot of cute touches that, in my opinion, set a brand apart from the rest (proof is in the photos).
Imagine also gifting these items: you'd definitely make a bella figura, as we say... which kinda of means showing off;  in the way that you care, with a thoughtful present that is going to be appreciated... but basically, you just need to relax and only take all the merit. ;)

 

I really can't pick a favourite, I love them both so much.
I'm also hoping di palomo will add more lines to their collection because they seem to have cracked the secret to scent perfection!!!

Have you tried anything from di palomo yet?

Liz Earle Advent Calendar / 10

December, the 10th - Liz Earle Orange Flower Hand Wash

Lovely - I recently discovered this fragrance in Day 4... very nice to have the hand wash, too. The formula is great to nourish dry hands like mine,thanks to the pro-vitamin B5 and essential oils.