These are some of my favourite beauty products at the moment. All 100% vegan and 100% brilliant.
A couple of these products I have been using for a long time, others, a couple of months.
First up is Simple's 'Kind to Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser.'
I am a huge fan of simple, and have been since I lived in the UK. As someone who suffers from sensitive skin, this brand is a lifesaver. It has no harsh ingredients that might irritate the skin, just all the kind, loving stuff. If you have issues with dry skin, definitely give this a go. I find it is rich enough to get rid of those horrible dry patches, but not too heavy that it makes my face feel greasy. Another good thing about this moisturiser is that it works for 12+ hours. I am trying actively to use moisturiser 3 times a day (as I saw the results of this on a relative -looking very good for 60+) but I am rather on the lazy side. So, it is good to know that if I do forget to reapply, it will still be working it's magic.
The other Simple product on my list is their 'Kind to Skin Moisturising Facial Wash.'
Again, this stuff is designed especially with sensitive skin in mind. All of the products Simple make are light, gentle, and refreshing. The face wash is no exception to that.
Because it's foaming, you get a hell of a lot of use out of the bottle, which is always a plus. If you do suffer from sensitive skin, you will be happy to know that his product is 100% soap free (YAY!) And because it's moisturising, it wont dry your skin out, like other washes can. Want to know something else great about this brand? Simple is really affordable! This face wash retails at about NZ$11 and the moisturiser NZ$8. Not bad for some of the most skin friendly products on the market.
For hair care, I have Pureology 'Essential Repair- Split-end Correcting Treatment.'
This isn't' something I actually went out and bought. And I know, had it not been given to me by my wonderful friend Nick, I never would have tried it. However, I am SO glad he did gift it to me. This stuff is great. I am yet to try other products made by Pureology, but if this is anything to go by, I need to get my hands on some more of their stuff! Not only does this smell like sweets, it visibly improves the condition of your hair, while prolonging colour after dying. It also has organic ingredients in it, which is always nice to see. One thing I will say, is that you really need to make sure you brush your hair thoroughly after using this, so as to avoid greasy clumps.
I've tried a lot of vegan hair products over the years, and it can be very hard to find ones that work as well as their non-vegan counterparts, but I have found a product that works better than any non-vegan product I ever used.
I've got two Lush products to show you, the first is 'Tea Tree Water.'
I tend to be quite wary of tea tree products, as when I was younger I had a bit of a reaction with it. But for some reason, this toner works fine with my skin, I've had no issues with irritation or dryness. One thing I've always disliked about toners is that they can leave your skin feeling very tight, even after applying moisturiser. I've been using this product for over a month now, and haven't had any of that tight skin feeling. So, I definitely recommend if that is something you dislike about other toners. I don't just use the Tea Tree Water on a cotton pad, to wipe away excess dirt, but it also works well as a face refresher. Because it's a spray, it is great to just spritz directly to the face, leaving it feeling cleaner and fresher. As tea tree is a natural antibiotic and antiseptic, it is amazing at helping clear up spots and blemishes.
Lastly, is another Lush product 'Charisma Skin Tint'
Skin tints have a few uses. The first is as a tinted moisturiser. Just add a small amount to your everyday moisturiser and voila. The second thing this is good for, is as a contour or bronzer. It does look very dark in the bottle, but don't fret, it doesn't apply that dark. This product builds as you go, so it is great if you are someone like me, and often makes mistakes. It's third use is great for summer, or if you are a bit partial to fake tanning. I won't lie, I don't tan very well at all, red is about the only shade, other than white, that I go. However, fake tan is a great alternative to not only getting sunburt, but also premature skin ageing that the sun can cause.
Downside to suddenly having skin a few shades darker? Having to get new foundation, either that, or applying bronzer by the bucket load. But never fear! Much like how this can be used as a tinted moisturiser, it can also be used to darken your foundation. As I said before, it builds as you go, so you can easily get the perfect colour to match your bronzed body. This stuff works well with other products, mixing in perfectly, so there is no separating or uneven finishes.
Hope you found this little bloggy blog useful.
Rachael x
