SKINCARE: BOOTS BOTANICS

With the air getting colder and my skin becoming increasingly dryer, I've been on the lookout for some natural, or as close to natural skincare products as I can get. Online is probably your best bet when trying to scour something truly pure and vegan, alas I was down to my last make-up wipe and needed a replacement quick so I headed down to my local Boots.

Doubtful I would find anything I was happy with on the high street I had a look anyway and was pleasantly surprised to see the Boots Botanics range has had a makeover and offering skincare that's between 80 and 100% organic.

Hand Cream // Cleanser // Day Cream

The products were all great to use, I put them on before I went to bed last night. The initial application of the moisturiser made my skin feel slightly tightened but I awoke to find my skin soft and clear this morning. I believe they must have changed the formula, that or the organic one is the only one that agrees with my skin, as I tried the normal botanics moisturiser last year and broke out in a nasty rash! 

The cleanser removed my makeup really well, quickly and easily - which is exactly what I was looking for, being a self confessed lazy makeup wipe abuser. I'm glad I made the change to cleanser as my current brand of make up wipes were actually beginning to sting my eyes. I won't name names but they're a VERY well known brand that claims to be natural (in a round about way) with 'no chemicals, no alcohol, perfume or colour', so I was surprised to find the ingredients listed as Methyparaban and Propylparaben, you can read more about these controversial ingredients here. 

As I was weighing up which products to get in the store (I frequently spend hours in stores doing this!) I googled Boots products and their statement to someone who enquired was:

"Thanks for your enquiry regarding our Botanics range.

I am pleased to confirm that all of this range will be suitable for vegetarians, as it does not contain any animal ingredients.

None of the Boots branded products are tested on animals."

Which led me to believe they were ok for vegans too, however I did notice when I got home that the Botanics day moisturiser does contain beeswax which is considered by some to not be a vegan ingredient. Being a transitioning vegetarian, I am still on the fence about this one, I definately don't eat honey anymore as I'm aware of the damage this causes to the bees (read: here) however the beeswax extraction seems like a non-harmful process. While it is still an animal by-product, the bees don't need the wax and the collection of it doesn't harm them in the process (that I'm aware of). Please correct me if I'm wrong as I am still forming opinions about this...

What natural skincare products do you use?

THE POWER OF RED LIPSTICK

When I'm not designing sustainable fashion I work as a part-time concession manager for a lovely 1940s style brand. Yesterday my boss told me I looked the part with my red lipstick on and am now convinced that's one of the main reasons I got the job in the first place (having worn a red lip to my interview). Never underestimate the power of a red lip I say - this shall be my mantra from now on, especially when I can't be bothered to apply it at 7am in the morning.

When I think of red lips I think of all the powerful female style icons; Marilyn Monroe, Dita Von Tease, Gwen Stefani and Elizabeth Taylor. I know red lipstick is not for everyone but don't knock it till you've tried it. It can be a little bit daunting at first if you've never worn it before, as it's very "hey look at me", but once you start wearing it you'll soon notice the huge difference it makes. Not only to the way you look but also to your head, it somehow manages to instantly cheer me up and give me more confidence, like I can walk tall and take on the world (cheesey but true!).

So lipstick shouldn't be your only source of confidence but some days we all need a little extra help, for example if I have something important going on that day or a meeting to attend, you will definitely find me rocking a red lip. Red lipstick can work in any situation making it great for everyday, special occasions and evenings out. I even heard a story of a woman putting on red lipstick before giving birth as it made her feel stronger!

Having recently switched to au natural cosmetics (see my previous post on lead in lipstick) I have been searching for an alternative to replace my YSL Le Orange lipstick. After turning vegan I was disgusted to learn that carmine was an ingredient, also the fact that YSL was rated as having the most lead content in it's lipsticks is seriously not worth it, especially when you factor in how much of it you consume in a day (lipstick sandwich anyone?) I've been loving Lily Lolo's range but there wasn't a red bright enough to hit the spot, so I headed to the Bare Minerals make-up counter in Debenhams as they have a new(ish) range of bright colours in their 'Moxie' line.

I've tried to show you guys the exact shade of the Moxie I chose in the pics. The colour is Live It Up as it was the closest match to the Le Orange that I could find. Again the colour is great but the application is not so much... I find it really hard to apply without looking like a toddler that's been at the raspberry jam! I wore it to a wedding and then the reception afterwards and must have re-applied it around 5-6 times, although I did eat and drink a LOT that day so I won't pass judgement on it's staying power just yet. It also seems to feather when you first apply but tissue blotting helps that, having looked at their website I've noticed a few others commenting on the feathering issue as well. They do sell a lip primer and liner to match (as recommended in their tutorial video) so I may have to dig deep and give them a go too as I don't want to give up on it yet. All in all it's a great shade with a very hydrating texture and I love the fact that's it's an au natural red (with no carmine!).

You can read all about the fascinating history of red lipstick and it's many trials and tribulations here.

Do you have any recommendations for a good natural red lippy? Please leave your comments below...