A few weeks ago I shared a blog post about my search for natural skincare and cosmetics. I wanted to replace many of my regular skin and hair products with more natural, organic, vegan or cruelty-free alternatives and I have been enjoying the process of researching new products so far. This time I’m focusing on haircare, toiletries and personal care goodies to refresh my bathroom cabinet…
PERSONAL CARE
I’m kicking off this blog post with my search for a natural deodorant. I wasn’t sure I would be able to find a suitable deodorant that was natural and vegan AND still performed well. I’ve tried two different products from EarthBits – the Kutis Natural Deodorant in Lavender & Bergamot. I had heard of this product via my local sustainable food retailer Cupboard Love and I was excited to give it a try. The scent is amazing, it contains organic ingredients and the packaging is plastic-free – in fact, all the packaging of the products and the delivery parcel from EarthBits is recyclable.
The second deodorant I’ve tried is a Grapefruit & Lemongrass tin from Zero Waste Path. This also smells lush – kind of like a sherbet lemon sweet. It’s handmade in Cambridge, so not too far away from me and is vegan. I would buy this again as it is easy to apply by hand from the tin but I also like the convenience of the biodegradable push-up paperboard tube that the Kutis deodorant is packaged in.
Finally from EarthBits, I got an Amazinc! Raspberry Butter SPF15 tin. The ingredients are vegan and not only provide sun protection but also nourish the skin. It’s a water-resistant formula but it would be easy enough to apply regularly – it’s just like rubbing a shea butter moisturiser into your skin. The cream isn’t particularly raspberry-scented, I think the raspberry kernel oil is one of the many natural ingredients that provides sun protection rather than an aroma.
HAIR CARE
This element falls into two categories for me – washing and dyeing – so let’s start with the first. I wanted to find a really gentle shampoo and conditioner that would be suitable for sensitive skin so I headed to the children’s section to find something suitable. I discovered Child’s Farm, which also has an adult brand Farmologie. The price of their haircare products compares well with normal shampoos and conditioners and they have naturally derived, sustainably sourced ingredients so I was happy to give them a go.
I’ve been using the Strawberry and Organic Mint shampoo from the kids’ range, which smells lovely. You sometimes need a couple of pumps to really get some bubbles going but it’s really gentle and I don’t always feel like I need conditioner afterwards. That said, I’ve tried the Organic Fig and the Organic Rhubarb & Custard conditioners and I LOVE the scent of the former. I’ll probably buy both the shampoo and conditioner in rhubarb next time.
HAIR COLOURING
I’ve never been one for using styling products in my hair so I haven’t yet looked into these kinds of products, but I still wanted to be able to jazz up my hair with a pink colourant so I focused my research in this area. I didn’t hold out much hope of finding natural colours in bright shades but, just as I was about to give up, I found the Flowerology colour masks.
I’ve tried Cherry Blossom and Pink Delight – and both produced very bright results that faded nicely in to a pastel pink over time. Pink Delight has a more purpley undertone and washed out to a pinky-lilac, and the Pink Blossom is warmer hue, which I prefer so I’ve already repurchased this. Beware – the dye will stain so be very careful with it! I’ve also just bought a Flowerology in blonde to see if I can add some natural-looking highlights but I haven’t tried this yet so I’ll have to report back another time.
BATHROOM
I went back to Child’s Farm for my bubble bath and shower gel. The products are suitable for all skin types including dry and eczema-prone skin so I was confident I would be okay to use them on my sensitive skin. I’ve been using the Organic Raspberry bath soak, which produces loads of scented bubbles and I’ve already repurchased this product so you can tell I’m happy with it. I opted for a 2-in-1 product for my shower gel – an Blackberry & Organic Apple gel that doubles up as a hair wash. I’ll also buy this again. I’ve also been using the Child’s Farm hand wash and moisturiser for months and they do a great job of keeping my hands soft and not too dry, even with all the regular washing.
MAKE-UP
Although I covered a lot of make-up items in my previous post, there were still a couple of items I still needed. You may remember that I found the Lavera concealer a little too dark for my very pale skin? Well, I replaced it with a Benecos concealer and guest what? That was way too orange for me! So, third time lucky, I tried Beauty Without Cruelty’s concealer pencil and it was just right. I also picked up a darker shade of Burt’s Bee’s tinted lip balm to add to my lipcare collection. One final addition was a natural liquid eyeliner from Benecos. I didn’t think I would be able to find a liquid liner that was natural, but this one is fab. I like the length of the brush and the formula lasts well – but it’s definitely not waterproof so don’t wipe your eyes if they’re wet!
I’m starting to feel like I’ve got most of my usual hair, body and skincare routine sorted with these products and the batch I bought and shared in my natural products blog post last time. However, I’m always up for trying something new so please let me know in the comments below if you have come across any natural products that you would recommend. I love discovering more vegan, cruelty-free, organic and zero waste brands. 🙂
PIN IT FOR LATER
Some items in this blog post have been gifted to me and the pink links indicate a gifted product, affiliate link or information source. All thoughts and opinions in this post are based on my own experience and I am not responsible for your experience 🙂
