Review / Botanicals Orange Blossom Body Balm #OrganicBeauty #Campaign4Clarity

The Soil Association announced September as the Organic Month and launched the Campaign For Clarity, throughout Organic Beauty Week - 14th to 21st September 2015.

Unfortunately with no legislation in place, it can be confusing and misleading when trying to purchase products that are truly organic from those with the claim but little natural origin.

And this campaign aims to educate and encourage people to be careful and properly informed, when buying.

During Organic Beauty Week Twitter TakeOver will take place to promote the benefits of choosing organic in your skincare products.

Wendy Stirling - founder of Botanicals - is sharing few tips on how to select real organic products:

- select products with certified key ingredients;

- check that the percentage of organic ingredients is higher;

- see if the company has won any award for its commitment in the field;

- research how the product is made; often in smaller batches and greater quality;

- organic skincare doesn't need to be more expensive than luxury brands but are safer and kinder to the skin.

To round up this post, I'd like to talk about the latest product that I've been using.

The Botanicals Orange Blossom Body Balm is an outstanding skin moisturiser that nourish and protect the skin.

It contains a blend of shea butter, apricot kernel, jojoba oils, neroli, patchouli, bergamot and sweet orange essential oils that give it its exotic scent, inebriating for the senses too; these ingredients derived form active plants promote the skin's natural ability to heal and regenerate.

The balm doesn't feel greasy at all and melt into the skin - its conditioning properties make it the perfect ally for post-holiday skin; it helps calm irritations, protects skin from flaking and leaves a beautiful sheen on your sun-kissed skin.

Botanicals is a multi-award-winning natural organic skincare brand and the Orange Blossom Body Balm is 89% organic and 100% natural!

You can get yours on www.botanicals.co.uk and Botanicals is also running a series of September offers.

New In / Kiko Milano Miami Beach Babe Collection

I think colourful make-up packaging can be risky as they may end up looking cheap or trashy - but Kiko Milano got it spot on with its latest collection for Summer 2015: Miami Beach Babe.

The fluo packaging has an eighties & pop art feel but no chance of mistaking it for toy make-up that you used to play with when you were a little girl.

The whole collection screams sea, sun & fun! The vibrant cases are mirrored with bright and lively colours inside to create a playful and glowy look, and the light textures are ideal for the beach, too.

OMG - How cute are these polka dots on the Kiko Milano Deco Delight Lipsticks?!

I mean you got to want to own one of these, right? - and with 8 shades, you're surely spoiled for choice.

06 - Margarita Dreams* is a cool toned fuchsia that will look great in any season, paired with a quick rock-chick eyeliner flick.

07 - Calypso Sun* instead is a true coral that will look fabulous on tanned skin; it is also one of two limited shades available exclusively on the website.

The texture is super creamy with a sheer and wet-look finish, but you can still easily build up the colour with several swipes.

Kiko Milano Double Deco Blush, encased in a round and slim compact with mirror, is another irresistible item from this line.

01 - Coral Gables* is an coral peach, but definitely not too orangy and with an hint of pink.

It combines 2 shades that thanks to reflecting pearls add dimension and radiance to the cheeks; the formula is velvety to the touch and the powder blends uniformly on the skin.

Finally, the range also includes the Kiko Milano Party Ink Stamp Tattoo - temporary tattoos for face or body. 

These are great fun to add a playful touch for a beach party - think a star to the corner of your eye or an intricate heart cascade on your wrist.

 The stamp works really well without smudges and you can choose between an heart or a star*.

Are you a fan of Kiko Milano? Hurry!!! The collection is currently on offer with 30% off.

New In / The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Collection

Looking for a refreshing scent this summer? Look no further than the trusty british The Body Shop which came out with another cracking collection for summer!

Virgin Mojito include notes of crisp mint leaves from the Caribbean and zesty lime juice and - as always with The Body Shop - the smell is spot on and accurate  (without naughty calories).

The range includes 5 products: start the day with a refreshing shower with the shower gel and invigorating body scrub; follow with a cooling and moisturising body sorbet or the 24hr hydration of the traditional body butter. Finally, add another layer with the body splash which is a light fragrance to keep your skin beautifully scented and refreshed all day.

I'm not too good with overpowering fragrances as they give me an headache; also, you don't want something too concentrated in the summer as the combination with the heat can created irritation too.

The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Body Splash* is such a revelation!

It's like splashing your body with a parfumed water that wraps you in a fluffy cloud of scent all day long.   

The combination is immediately uplifting for the soul, especially if you're confined to the office instead of lazing and relaxing on a beach, this summer.

The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Body Sorbet* is definitely my favourite of the line. 

The skin quenching gel texture leaves the skin with a beautiful glossy sheen, perfect for these exposed legs and arms.

It's such a pleasant experience to massage into the skin and instantly absorbs, without any sticky residue.

I'm a long time lover of the body butters, but I've become an immediately converted to the body sorbets now - for summer and hectic days.

I don't find you compromise on hydration and it leaves the skin smooth to the touch.

Have you tried this range yet? The invigorating and balmy scrub is next on my list to try.

Baby / Breastfeeding & I

Let me just start saying that breastfeeding is not a walk in the park...

Lara is now 6 months old and I'm glad and proud that I managed to exclusively breastfeed until now as I set myself to do. 

Here are some considerations on the subject:

I was lucky because breastfeeding came quite naturally to me and I never had any 'technical' challenge, like cracked nipples or engorged breasts. I had the occasional soreness during the first few weeks and I used Lansinoh HPA Lanolin which sorted the situation out in a matter of few days; it's expensive but I can really recommend this cream, also because it doesn't need to be washed off before breastfeeding. Btw, a midwife told me to avoid vaseline because apparently has been linked to mouth cancer (I think she meant in babies).

If you've really set your heart on breastfeeding, I recommend to give it a month. 

You may be tempted to give up sooner... but you really need to experience the 3 weeks growing spur... to understand that you can do it!

Then if there are any real problems, the midwives or health visitors will be the first ones to tell you to switch to formula (but it's not likely).

Also, don't buy any formula to keep in the cupboard 'just in case'; nowadays there are many Tescos 24hrs and you can easy get some if really required, butwould be too easy to use during a particularly tiring evening or emotional night... and then you may regret it in the morning.

My biggest challenge was not knowing, all the guesswork: you can't really tell how much your baby is eating, you need to trust that she is getting what she needs and then rely on the scale.. so the days between weight ins were a bit stressful in the early days but surely enough she kept putting weight on steadily and following her growing curve without issues.

I resent comment that breastfeeding mums are judgemental toward bottle-feeding mums; I actually feel the opposite and I rarely volunteer the information if not asked.

At the end of the day, it's your decision - Personally, I felt that giving a bottle would have been easier in terms of logistic/practicality but at the same it was paramount FOR ME to do what I though was the best for my daughter. 

This was my priority, my personal decision and you shouldn't be threatened by it!

Now: I plan on carry on breastfeeding, of course. The aim is to gradually end up with a morning and an evening feed until she is about two (working schedule and baby routine permitting).

Finally, I'm gonna conclude with some numbers that may help you make this decision:

By exclusively breastfeeding for 1 month - you have given your baby significant protection against respiratory allergy at 17 years of age;

... for 2 months - you have given your baby significant protection against food allergy at 3 years of age;

... for 3 months - you have also given your baby between a 19 and 27 percent reduction in incidence of childhood Type 1 Diabetes;

... for 4 months - you have reduced your baby’s risk of SIDS;

...for 5/6 months - You are now in the 1% of mothers who have breastfed for this long!

You have also given your baby a 19 percent decrease in risk of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia and a 15 percent decrease in the risk of acute myelogenous leukemia. 

more facts here: http://www.thealphaparent.com/2011/12/timeline-of-breastfed-baby.html 

Review / Living Nature Fragrance Free Thickening Mascara

I think we all agree that mascara is one of those beauty steps that you can't skip; even when you are short on time, you may pay less attention to a flawless complexion or perfectly blended eyeshadows but nothing will make you look more 'done' than a few coats of mascara.

... now, having said that - I also have sensitive eyes  that can react badly to some chemicals and don't thank me for the make-up removing sessions at the end of the day.

The new improved Living Nature Thickening Mascara* is now also fragrance-free and one step closer to nature!

It is completely free from synthetic and animal derivates and Lavender Oil which can be a trigger for sensitivity.

It includes halloyside clay to amplify the glance, candelilla and carnauba waxes, jojoba esters, manuka honey and Vitamin E to provide a smooth application and nourish and protect the lashes.

It is available in Jet Black - for an more intense effect - or Blackened Brown - or a nude look.

I like the long and 'old-school' fat wand that coats the lashes with one swipe and it's also impressively lengthening; the formulation is not too wet - just how I like it - and doesn't leave any clumps. Personally, I found that even after few coats it gives a natural effect, with separation and holding the curl all day... but most importantly NO MORE compromises between itchy, streaming and torturing eyes or wearing eye make up! Yay!

Have you tried Living Nature before? Do you also have sensitive eyes?