Sister & Co True Cleanse

There's something quite special about an oil cleanse and this offering from cult brand Sister & Co Skin Food is no exception. Sister & Co are well known for their 100% natural line of skin, body, hair and oral health products and are hugely popular with green beauty fans in particular. They first grabbed my attention with the release of their Raw Coconut & Activated Charcoal Tooth Whitening Polish and since then I've kept one beady eye on the brand to see what they come up with next. Their newest release is True Cleanse Oil, which, you guessed it, is a rather beautiful cleansing oil. Suitable for all skin types, True Cleanse is a decadent blend of cold pressed organic Jojoba, Apricot and Grapeseed oils and is infused with Rose Otto and Frankincense. The oil has a very delicate scent and is designed to be massaged onto a dry face and then removed with the supplied organic muslin cloth. By cleansing the skin this way, make up and general muck is removed and you get a nice physical exfoliation as well, so it's a two-for-one job really.

I don't generally wear a lot of makeup day to day but I recently went out to celebrate my sister's birthday so I did have a full face of slap to remove at the end of the evening. This was a great opportunity to try True Cleanse's make up removing abilities and it did not disappoint. Unlike a lot of cleansing balms and oils, True Cleanse does not emulsify when water is added, so you really do need to use the supplied muslin or a flannel if you prefer, to properly remove the oil. I love oil cleansers and enjoy using ones that rinse away easily just as much as oils like this one, where you need to put a bit of effort in with a damp muslin. I did this using True Cleanse with my full face of makeup and felt a smug sort of satisfaction to see all the remnants of foundation, eyeshadow and highlighter on the muslin cloth. I had been wearing a smudge-proof Bobbi Brown mascara that day and that took a little bit of patience but True Cleanse did remove it, which was pretty great because I don't like faffing with my eye area for too long. And let's be real; a separate eye makeup remover just feels like too much effort sometimes! Swiping over my face with a cotton pad with toner is always a good indicator of how well I've cleaned my face-the less muck on the cotton pad, the better job the cleanser has done. True Cleanse had all but obliterated every bit of makeup as the cotton pad was virtually filth-free. I did go in with a second pump but this oil really did do a brilliant job with just the one go.
It's worth noting that the oil comes with a screw cap and is supplied with a pump as well as the aforementioned muslin cloth.

Sister and Co only use exceptionally high quality oils and at £30 the price point reflects this. If you like your skincare 'clean' and appreciate natural and organic ingredients, then True Cleanse would be a great addition to your stash. You can find True Cleanse and other Sister & Co products online at Sister & Co,  ASOS, Liberty, Fenwick, Selfridges and Anthropologie.

True Cleanse Ingredients:
Ingredients: Prunus armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil*, Vitis vinifera (Grapeseed) Seed Oil*, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Boswellia carterii (Frankincense) Oil, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Rosa damascena (Rose) flower extract, Limonene**, Linalool ** *certified organic ingredient **natural constituent of essential oil.

Diptyque Philosykos Perfume Oil Roll-On

Ever since I had the pleasure of owning the (heartbreakingly) limited edition L'Occitane Figuier & Osmanthus fragrance three summer's ago, I've been hooked on fig scents. In fact, I was so disappointed when I learned that it was limited edition and sold out, that I emailed L'Occitane HQ in the vain hope that they had a few bottles stashed away somewhere that I could secretly purchase (they didn't).

You know how scent has that amazing ability to take you back and remind you of certain places, events and people? For me, that figgy fragrance from L'Occitane will forever remind me of the week I spent in Alghero with my boyfriend for my 30th. Partly because I sprayed it liberally over the duration of our stay (before I realised the precious juice was limited edition!) and partly because the outdoor eating area where we enjoyed breakfast everyday was lined with fig trees with huge, ripe fruit hanging from the branches. Sigh.
Anyway, believe it or not, this post isn't about that scent, but my latest fragrance purchased recently in an effort to curb my olfactory appetite for all things fig.

Diptyque Philosykos is pretty much a cult perfume, and for very good reason. It's rich and woody with the tiniest hint of fruitiness and basically smells exactly like those fig trees in Alghero. According to Diptyque, the scent of Philosokos is: woody raw materials: fig leaves, fig tree sap, fig tree wood and black pepper which is a pretty spot on description really. It's not a gourmand by any stretch but to me it still manages to have precisely the right amount of fruity sweetness. I have the roll on oil version of the fragrance for three reasons - it's very travel friendly, it's easiest on the purse strings and because it's oil based it's perfect for clear summer days when alcohol based fragrances might irritate the skin a little when the sun hits it.

In terms of longevity and heaviness, i find it to be surprisingly light for such a woody-based scent and though it does linger on the skin, I think of it as a fragrance i wear for myself to enjoy rather than for others to catch a whiff of, if that makes any sense at all? The size of a chunky pen, the heavy glass 7.5ml perfume roll on comes complete with a suedette pouch emblazoned with Diptyque for an extra special touch. I'll be wearing this all summer while imagining I'm lounging in the sun somewhere in the Mediterranean when in reality I'll probably be nursing a teething baby.
You can find it online at Diptyque and stockists including Space NK for £35.

Sol de Janeiro Ipanema Sunset Glow Oil

I'm currently writing this post in 28 degree heat in my backyard in Greater London (during the hottest early May bank holiday on record I might add) but honestly the scent currently radiating from my skin is making me feel like I'm somewhere much more exotic!
I'm sitting here slathered in a mixture of 50 + suncream and Sol de Janeiro's latest UK release, Ipanema Sunset Glow Oil and I am, in fact, glowing. And sort of shimmering quite a bit too.

The skin-softening dry oil is the newest release from the creators of the iconic Bum Bum Cream and is one of two oils designed to quite literally highlight your best bits as the days get longer and shorts get shorter. Designed for use on the body as well as on the face, both oils are a mixture of skin-beautifying ingredients spiked with shimmer and finished off with beautiful scents. The other oil, Copacabana Bronze features a gentle bronze tint with gold shimmer and is infused with the brand's signature Cheirosa '62 fragrance (the same as the Bum Bum Cream) with notes of salted caramel and pistachio. I went with Ipanema Sunset mainly because I was interested to try the new, more tropical scent, Cheirosa '77. At first sniff I actually couldn't really tell the difference but as I actually applied the oil to my skin, the notes of fig, citrusy pomelo and gardenia crept through, making it a less sugary and more floral scent than the famous Bum Bum Cream's fragrance. Featuring a translucent champagne shimmer, in the bottle Ipanema Sunset looks a little like shimmering molten caramel and is even ever so slightly intimidating when first poured on the skin. But once it's rubbed in and blended it gives a slight wash of colour shot through with a pretty shimmer.

The oil features Sol de Janeiro's signature Brazilian Beauty Blend which is a fusion of skin softening and nourishing ingredients including Cupaçu Butter, Coconut Oil and Acai Oil.
Now, glittering body oils are obviously not a new invention and at £35 there are more affordable options out there but I think what makes Ipanema Sunset truly special is the unique scent. I really hope they release more products with the Cheirosa '77 fragrance because I find it to be a little less sweet and a touch more exotic then Cheirosa '66. I feel like a non-shimmering version would be good too because not everyone is a fan of glitter and shimmer. That said, beautifully perfumed dry body oils make summer holidays abroad and British backyard blogging sessions just that little bit more special, whether they're shimmery or not. You can find Ipanema Sunset Glow Oil and the rest of the Sol de Janeiro range at a range of retailers. 

*Edit: This particular shade of Glow Oil seems to be discontinued but there are different shades with the same scent and glow available at Look Fantastic.

5 Ways I'm Reclaiming my Mojo after having a baby

Mojo, groove, sparkle - whatever you want to call it. Like many new mum's, I've felt like mine has been missing for a while now. I don't know if it's the weather (slowly) warming up or I've just subconsciously decided it's 'time' but recently I've found myself in the mood to dust off the cobwebs and rediscover myself as an individual, as well as my baby's mum. It's a bit like a personal spring cleaning mission I suppose and with it I think I'm starting to regain a bit of self confidence that had gone slightly AWOL in the past year or so. I love being a new parent (even though it can be both scary and bewildering at times) but as I've mentioned before in this post self care is so important. Personally I am trying to be a bit kinder to myself and I feel like it's paying off so I thought I'd share a few ways I'm getting my 'sparkle' back nearly one year on after having my baby.

Cleaning out my closet 
 A couple of weeks ago I'd suddenly had enough of my wardrobe. Everything was grey or black and I was still living in river island vests that I'd bought about 6 years ago when I lived in Hammersmith. Most of my tops and cardigans were pilled and faded and a lot of clothes just didn't flatter me. I was even still wearing maternity tops - you know the ones with ruched sides to account for big baby bumps- and feeling distinctly un-sexy and generally frumpy in them. I decided that something had to give and I no longer needed nor wanted the majority of tat that had accumulated in my chest of draws. So I had a clear out and ended up with two sacks for charity shops and one sack of straight up rubbish. It felt good and weirdly liberating to be so brutal with my belongings but really, what's the sense of hanging onto a pair of disco pants with a broken zipper and hole in the crotch and what purpose does a bra that's now two cup sizes too big and never properly fitted me in the first place actually serve?

Indulging in beautiful lingerie 
...Or at least matching bra and knickers. Lately I've found myself revisiting that self confidence hack I used to be quite fond of. That is, wearing matching bra and knickers underneath any clothing to instantly make you feel more put-together and weirdly more in control. I don't know why but it really is an instant confidence boost! The good old matching bra and undies hack is even more special when they're in a super cute design like this one by Promise from UK Lingerie. Just add red lipstick for a little extra boost of self belief!

Rediscovering my love of skincare
Ah, skincare. My love of skincare is pretty much what drove me to start this blog in the first place back in 2011 and I've learned so much about ingredients and formulas along the way. I used to be genuinely fascinated by the science behind cleansers and serums and loved researching ingredients I'd not heard of before and I can feel myself becoming interested again. Skincare will always trump makeup for me and with so many innovative new launches happening lately I'm loving feeling inspired again.

Mastering the art of the 5 minute face
While I've never really been one for spending hours getting ready before I leave the house, now that I've got a tiny human constantly trying to scale the furniture/ me, I've had to step things up a notch to look semi-presentable at super speed. This is where multi tasking products and easy peasy makeup bits come in very handy. To get myself looking like a better version of me, I've all but ditched the foundation and opted for a touch of concealer and Charlotte Tilbury's latest innovation - Hollywood Flawless Filter. If you've not tried this incredible product yet, you really should because it's bloody marvelous. Once I've got my face looking glowy and dewy, it's time to groom and fill my brows with Glossier Boy Brow (I use shade Brown), pat on some Lord and Berry Sculpt and Glow Cream Bronzer and curl and lengthen my lashes in one fell swoop with a swipe of Benefit Rollerlash.

Ditching the Mummy Guilt
I'm not quite there yet with this one but I've found myself starting to get better at accepting help with the baby. Sometimes I even ask for it, which is a bit shocking for me! But there have been times in the past few months that I've fancied having my hair done or just wanted a few hours on my own to do blog-related duties, and I've done it. Whenever I'm away from my little one I'm always thinking about him but it's so good to just hang out with Hannah every now and then.

So there you have it - those are five ways I'm slowly reclaiming my mojo. I'd love to know how you helped yourself feel more like...yourself after having a baby or experiencing another life changing event. Let me know in the comments!

Green People Aloe + Citrus Toothpaste

Tomorrow is World Oral Health Day so it's perfect timing for me to share a new toothpaste I've been trying out. You might be wondering why I'm reviewing a toothpaste on what is predominantly a beauty blog, but you know, brushing your teeth is important (here's a secret- I sort of hate doing mine), good dental hygiene obviously keeps your teeth in check and looking their best and this one from Certified Organic brand Green People is actually delicious. Yes, you read that right. This is a tasty toothpaste. I've been using Green People's Citrus and Aloe Vera Toothpaste in place of my usual minty one and it's basically made me want to only brush with citrus flavours from now on. The fluoride-free and SLS-free toothpaste is made with organic essential oils and is perfect for people like me who have sensitive teeth and gums.

It doesn't sting or irritate like a strong mint toothpaste can and It's also a great option if, also like me, you don't like strong minty flavours. Made with ingredients including Vitamin C, dental grade chalk and Myrhh, the mint-free paste contains aloe vera leaf juice powder and essential oils of lemon, grapefruit and orange. Even though the toothpaste doesn't contain foaming agents, it still foams up naturally through the action of brushing and the paste mixing with the saliva in your mouth. Other toothpaste flavours in the range include Minty Cool, Fennel and Propolis and Mint. If you're a green beauty fan or you're just trying to live a little 'cleaner', this toothpaste would be a great addition to your bathroom cabinet.

Baby Tom has also been trying out Green People's baby toothpaste which is mandarin and orange flavoured (also available in a spearmint and aloe vera variation) and contains no artificial colours or flavours. It's worth noting that the toothpaste is perfectly safe to swallow which is obviously an important factor since babies don't know they're supposed to spit toothpaste out.

I've also got a new Velvet Matte Lipstick from Green People to try out which is in a suit-everyone nude-ish pink shade called Damask Rose and the Enrich and Enhance Lip Primer which I want to try out really thoroughly before I review it.
In the meantime, you can find the organic toothpaste range online at Green People.