Weleda Wild Rose Deodorent

"The world is a rose; smell it and pass it to your friend"~Persian Proverb

Rose is my favourite scent and 'Weleda Wild Rose Deodorent' is my favourite natural product. I started using this deodorent in september last year and I have not been interested in trying any alternative deodorents ever since. This is unusual for me because I love trying new products.

This deodorent comes in a cute glass bottle which is recyclable. It has a non aerosol pump which is easy to use and never gets clogged. The deodorent dries instantly and leaves no white marks on clothes.

Please note this is not an antiperspirent so it does not stop you perspiring. It simply neutralises unpleasant odours. I think it works very well and leaves a lovely rose scent. Actually I think it is quite a good thing that it does not prevent a natural bodily function! If the rose scent is not for you there are alternative scents in the range such as sage and citrus. I think I will give the citrus a try in the summer.

This product is available in most natural health/beauty shops. Last weekend I bought a 30ml bottle in the 'The Health Store' for €6.19. Using a couple of times a day I expect this to last me for a month or so.

I would give this product five stars.

Lavender Shampoo Hair Strengthening

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”- Eleanor Roosevelt

I bought this last weekend & have used it every day since then. It cost €8.95 from ‘The Health Store’. It contains Lavender Extract, Evening Primrose and Vitamins A, B5, E & F to protect the hair, reduce split ends and leave hair healthy and shiny. Very importantly to me it does not contain lauryl /laureth sulfates or parabens.

You have to use quite a lot of it to get it to lather (probably because it does not contain lauryl/laureth sulfates). However it leaves my hair smelling lovely & very shiny. It was not flyaway even without a conditioner. My only negative is that I think it is a little expensive.

I do think it something I will repurchase in the future & I also want to try the conditioner in this range.

Weleda Aknedoron Cleansing Lotion

How strange that Nature does not knock, and yet does not intrude! ~Emily Dickinson

I love trying new products especially cleansers. As per my earlier review, at the moment I really love the bnatural cleanser from Tesco. However before I started to use this I was using Weleda Aknedoron Cleaning Lotion.

When I first started using the Weleda cleanser I loved the stuff. The smell is divine. It contains essential oils of orange, grapefruit, lavender and rosemary; calendula and chamomile; together with sunflower and olive oil based cleansers. I have listed the ingredients below just to show how lovely they are. Unbelievably this is all it contains:

Deionised water (Aqua); Sunflower and Olive Oil Soft Soap (Helianthus annuus and Olea europaea Soft Soap); Rice starch (Oryzae amylum); Tinctures of Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita) and Calendula (Calendula officinalis); Essential Oils* of: Orange (Citrus dulcis); Lemon (Citrus limonum), Lavender/Lavandin (Lavandula angustifolia/Lavandula hybrida), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Grapefruit (Citrus grandis); Juices of Lemon (Citrus limonum) and Grapefruit (Citrus grandis) ; Lanolin; Oleic acid. *Contains natural constituents Limonene, Linalool, Geranoil and Citral.

It comes in an unusual jar (like something you would see in an old time pharmacy). I thought it was quite cute but I can imagine how it might be annoying for travel etc (unfortunately for me I did not have any travel plans whilst I was using it!!).

I just put a little drop on a cotton wool bud & it worked effectively to remove makeup. It was even gentle enough to remove eye makeup.

This product is designed for oily skin & I do not think it is suitable for my combination/sensitive skin. It did not really do any harm but I feel the bnatural cleanser leaves my skin much brighter & clearer.

However I would recommend for anyone with oily skin to give the Weleda Aknedoron Cleansing Lotion a try.

bnatural cleanser & eye makeup remover

"Those who look for beauty, find it."~unknown

I bought bnatural rich creamy facial wash & bnatural gentle eye makeup remover in my local tesco two months ago. They were only a couple of euros each.

The facewash contains aloe vera & jojoba oil to moisturise and inca oil to regenerate and maintain skin hydration. It contains no mineral oils or parabens. The packaging is pretty & includes recycling instructions. The smell is very nice & apparently 100% natural. I have used it used it every night to take off my makeup for the past few months & there is still approx 1/3 of the tube left. The tube does not specify what type of skin it is for. My skin is combination & it works very well for me. Products I have used in the past (makeup remover wipes) have irriated my skin but I feel my skin has been much better (blemish free & fewer irritations) since I started to use this product. Overall I am really pleased with this cleanser (it really suits my combination/sensitive skin). However looking at the ingredients I was disappointed to see that it contains sodium laureth sulfate(possible carcinogen). This is the only reason that I would be reluctant to repurchase.

The eye makeup remover also contains no artifical colours, synthetic fragrances or parabens. I have been using it for approx two months and less than half the bottle is gone. It smells like cucumber and does take off all eye makeup. I find it quite good. The only downside is that it occasionally irritates my eyes for a couple of seconds after using.

Overall I have found these products very good value for money.I would recommend them to anyone looking for something new to try.

Why French Women Don't Get Fat

"Nothing is sinfully delicious"

Due to the very cold and snowy weather recently I have been spending a lot of my time indoors.It has been a nice chance to watch tv and read books.One of the books I read was 'Why French Women Don't Get Fat - The Secret of Eating for Pleasure' by Mireille Guiliano.I originally read this a few years ago but it is the type of book you can read over and over and always get something new from it.

It is very easy to read because it is entertaining as well as informative. I guess it is a diet book but unlike any other diet book I have ever read before. It is definately not 'preachy'and does not ban any type of foods. The key is everything in moderation. Also there are some pretty nice recipes to try.
After reading the book I set out a few new years resolutions for myself:

1. Drink more water
2. Eat more fruit and vegetables
3. Incorporate more exercise into my normal day ie walk to work, take the stairs
4. Identify the foods/drinks I really love and really savour them when I have them. Do not eat something which is bad/unhealthy just for the sake of it if I do not really enjoy it.

Burts Bees Lip Shimmer

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”~Audrey Hepburn

A few months ago I bought a Burts Bees lip shimmer & it has been a favourite product of mine ever since. Infact I would go so far as to say that I absoutley love it.

I like it because it is a natural product & offers moisture & a slick of colour to the lips. However my favourite aspect is that the peppermint makes your lips tingle gently when you apply.

The colour (I bought raisin) is quite strong so I usually wear it in the evening or sometimes during the day if I need a little pick me up. I love the consistency also. It is not waxy like many lip sticks & I find the colour lasts quite well. They come in seven different colours so I am sure there is a shade to suit everyone. I plan to buy ‘fig’ next & as they are so inexpensive I will not feel bad spending my money on it.

The tube is quite attractive & a great size (skinnier than a standard lip stick) so fits well into any size bag.

As I loved this product so much I also went out & bought the beeswax lip balm in a little pot. I am not so taken with this product. I found it quite hard to get out of the pot(it is very solid) & it does not effectively moisturize my lips. I think I will stick with my old reliable Vaseline for now!

Tea

There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea. ~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

Happy New Year Everyone.
Now that the excesses of the festive period are over its time to enjoy some healthy treats.One of my favourite presents this christmas was a bodum loose teapot and a selection of loose teas listed below:

Jasmine Superior

The oldest scented tea in the world,
the tea leaves are repeatedly mixed
with fresh jasmine flowers to give it
this unique, pleasant smell and flavour,
is an excellent digestive for rich food

Euro 6.50 for 100g

Peppermint

Dried mint leaves with a very fresh and aromatic
flavour and smell,
makes an excellent summer drink or can be used for mixing
does not contain any caffeine

Euro 3.70 for 100g

Camomile

Pure camomile blossoms with a wonderful
aromatic, wholesome taste
Excellent quality from the South-West of Germany
does not contain any caffeine

Euro 3.80 for 100g

Each tea is supplied in a pretty paper bag & I have to warn you that they smell very strong.Some people may not like this but I do not mind. Infact I love the smell and the appearance of the loose tea, especially the camomile flowers. Also it only takes a very small amount to make a pot of tea so I think the 100g bags will last a long time. On the front of each bag there are very clear instructions telling you how much tea to use & how long each one has to brew for.

The teas were purchased from 'house of tea'. As they was a gift I have not been in to the shop yet. However I have browsed the excellent website & I plan to make the trip to the shop in the IFSC very soon. The website is wonderful, so informative & there are so many wonderful teas listed on it that I want to try.

I have always been a lover of tea but have only used tea bags in the past. Now I have a brand new hobby.

You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me. ~C.S. Lewis