A luxe selection of treats from Glossybox

The thrill of receiving parcels never really wears off, does it? And there’s nothing like arriving home to post you’re actually looking forward to – it might almost make you forget that your day in the office felt like spending eight hours running up the down escalator. Enter Glossybox; for a monthly fee, subscribers are delivered a chic pale pink box of beauty treats from luxury brands such as OPI, Illamasqua and NARS. Tearing off the delicate tissue paper, you’ll find a curated selection of five miniature products spanning skincare, body care, make-up, hair care and fragrance.

If you haven’t got time to spend browsing department stores and niche beauty boutiques, a Glossybox subscription provides an easy way to ensure you know about the latest products, plus the the sample size gives you the chance to try before committing to buy the full-size item. And the company guarantees that the box will always contain from high end brands – some of them household names, some new ones to discover. Once you’ve explored your package, you can head over to the Glossybox online magazine, where you’ll find tips and video tutorials on how to use your new products, as well as links to shop the brands included in the box.

Glossybox’s packages have previously included themed boxes such as the London Fashion Week box, and thanks to a collaboration with Harrods, a box containing a collection of  products hand-picked by the luxe department store’s beauty buyers. The most recent selection was inspired by natural beauty and Earth Day on April 22nd, containing goodies from ethical, sustainable and organic brands including Caudalie and Burt’s Bees.

You can order a Glossybox subscription online here. Glossybox is also available across Europe in Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Glossybox’s Smoky Eyes tutorial

Astalift's hero product, Jelly Aquarysta

Think Fujifilm, and an international company renowned for its contribution to the photography and imagery world comes to mind. So the news that the brand had branched out into beauty, with anti-ageing skincare range Astalift, came as quite a surprise.

Delve further into the details of Fujifilm’s 70+ years of scientific research and technology, and its expansion into beauty seems a more natural one. The company has been harnessing the preserving and protecting qualities of collagen and antioxidants in its photographic film since 1934, as a way of preventing images from the colour fade which happens as a result of the oxidation generated by UV rays. As we know, the same rays and free radicals we are exposed to daily, weaken the collagen and elastin in our skin and result in visible damage such as dehydration, fine lines, dullness, blemishes, sensitivity, sagging and age spots. Fujifilm has applied this knowledge to Astalift, a range which claims to restore and maintain skin’s luminosity through the repair of UV damage and protection from future exposure to UV rays.

Already one of Japan’s leading beauty brands since it launched in 2007, the 12-piece collection rolls out across Europe this spring. It features oil and foam cleansers, primers, moisturisers, serums, eye creams and sun protection, each one boasting the delicious, comforting scent of damask rose, and designed to be used independently or together to either ‘Purify’, Renew’ or ‘Regenerate’, using a combination of antioxidants and various collagens throughout.

The wonder key ingredient used throughout the range, one that positions Astalift as a real contender in the premium anti-ageing skincare market, is astaxanthin, a natural, coral-coloured antioxidant which comes from marine algae sourced from the Mediterranean sea bed, and is an impressive 1,000 times more powerful than Vitamin E and CoQ10. Although long known for its repairing and protective properties, until now astaxanthin has proven impossible to incorporate into beauty products, whilst at the same time maintaining its effectiveness. An issue Fujifilm overcame by combining their decades of scientific research with patented ‘infinitesimal’ nanotechnology. The result is a highly concentrated skin-plumping ceramide-rich formula, which is absorbed quickly into the deeper layers of the skin.

Astalift’s champion product is the unique Jelly Aquarysta which in clinical trials saw 95% of women reporting more luminous skin after 28 days of morning and night application. Designed to be used before cleansing and moisturising, the product’s jelly consistency gives a pleasingly cool sensation, sinks in easily, and leaves skin incredibly soft and instantly more radiant. A twice-daily recommended pearl-sized amount, portioned easily with the accompanying mini plastic spatula, would see a 40g pot last approximately three or so months, helping to ease the gulp from the recommended price tag. That said, if the claims are true, then in my opinion it’s a small price to pay.

Another product I would invite back for a permanent slot on my beauty shelf is the Complete Make-up Remover Oil from the Purity range, which makes very light and speedy work of removing the day’s make-up and city grime. My only gripe with the latter is the un-lockable dispenser which means that it’s not suitable for travel purposes.

With such impressive scientific evidence and glowing results I’ve seen from the short time I’ve trialled it, Astalift has all the makings of a future ‘cult beauty’ product. Its only challenge may be convincing the public that Fujifilm is much more than just a photographic company.

You can find out more about the range on Astalift’s website.

How to use Astalift’s Jelly Aquarysta

Estelle and Thild's Ecorganic Rose Serum

I’m not usually a huge fan of brands that started out life as something for kids; formulas tend to be ultra mild and fragrances quite bland. And don’t even get me started on the packaging. However, despite launching as a baby range, Estelle and Thild’s collection of prettily packaged organic skincare delights looks and smells grown up – albeit in a wholesome way – and pays a typically Scandinavian attention to detail. So far, so good.

The brand came about as a result of founder, Pernilla Rönnberg’s inability to find anything without synthetics, parabens and mineral oil for children. Not content to make do, she created her own brand using all-natural ingredients with the help of some friendly dermatologists. So popular did the resulting products prove among mums (and their young charges), that Estelle and Thild expanded into adult skincare, while sticking with the same eco-credentials that made it a success in the children’s skincare market. Like the baby products, the grown-up line displays an ECOCERT label, is free from chemical nasties and based on a very limited range of pure essential oils. It’s green, it’s organic, it’s ethical – but does it work?

I tried out the Ecorganic Rose Otto Facial Serum which promised high tech organic efficacy, firmer skin and a gorgeous glow. The serum, when it arrived, turned up in one of the prettiest boxes I’d seen in ages, looking like an accessory from the Acne S/S12 collection and tricked out with a gorgeous pale pink floral print. Inside was a little frosted glass bottle, decorated with more powder pink florals. The contents smelled amazing; pure rose otto with no hint of chemical.

Applied easily,  a little of the serum goes a long way and sinks in almost immediately, leaving only a whisper of rose-fragranced oil behind. It didn’t totally moisturise my skin though, so I followed up with my regular facial oil. A few days later and my skin was noticeably clear. Organic makes sense, particularly in a city where pollution is a problem, and the serum gives skin a real respite from atmospheric toxins. What’s more, the antioxidant-packed formula does indeed leave a gorgeous glow in its wake. Estelle and Thild might have been invented for children, but it does a fabulous job on adult skin too.

For more information, see the Estelle and Thild website. Products are also available to purchase from Urban Retreat.

Suti's iconic, effective cleansing balm

Organic and luxury used to be mutually exclusive concepts but recent years have seen the arrival of a spate of brands who manage to combine chic packaging and reliable formulae with emerald green credentials. One of the newest is Suti; an eco luxe brand who really knows its rose hips from its rosemary. Owned by complimentary therapist Suzannah Jenkins and business partner (and sister-in-law) Tina Steadman, the brand combines an holistic approach to skincare with an ultra-ethical sourcing policy. ‘We saw a gap in the market for luxurious organic skin products that treated the person from the outside in,’ explains Tina. ‘Suzannah would see clients for facials, reflexology, homeopathy and would make individual products for their specific skin and health needs, and after she gave me a belly balm in a little brown jar when I was pregnant with my first child… Well there was little on the market that compared with its divine smell, texture and healing properties, so Suti was born.’

Since then, the brand has grown and has added a small range of facial oils to the original balms. It’s not big but its products are clever, with the cleanser inviting comparisons with Eve Lom’s famous balm, but, at £26, costing a fraction of the price. CLEANSE, in fact, is so good that my beloved Tata Harper cleanser is at risk of being relegated to a dusty upper shelf. It feels a little granular on first touch but the rough little particles soon dissolve into a silky oil. A muslin cloth – more shades of Eve Lom – is provided as is a sweet little wooden spatula. Already a convert to oil-based cleansers, I was expecting it to do a thorough job but was slightly taken aback by the amount of grime that ended up on the once virgin-white muslin cloth. It could have been the day spent running around in London’s polluted environs that created the dirt but it could just as easily have been Suti’s powers of cleaning. Either way, my face felt squeaky clean and remarkably oil-free.

Next up was the Peppermint Water facial toner, which smells suspiciously like Aquafresh and has a similarly invigorating effect. It is peppermint of course – a well known perker-upper – and that’s fabulous in a morning shower gel but slightly odd on the face. It feels a little like spraying a liquidised pack of mints onto your face and has the chilly tightening feel to boot. Peppermint aside, it does do the job and leaves skin firmer, if slightly numbed by peppermint. If you loathe peppermint, you’ll hate it – but for peppermint fans, it’s toner nirvana. On a different but related note, while I wasn’t a huge fan of it as a toner, it works brilliantly as a reviving spray for your desk. I had a little spritz at work the morning after a rather late night and it did a magnificent job of waking me up. For that alone, it’s got my vote.

The final product I tried was Suti’s facial oil. Described by the founders as a ‘hero’ product, it’s moisturiser for people who don’t really do moisturiser – useful for Suti fans, since the company doesn’t make any. Instead, it offers a choice of two oils – one rejuvenating and one nourishing. I tried the NOURISH Face Oil for night, which smelt headily of jasmine with geranium undertones. I adore jasmine, so it was always going to be a winner in the smell stakes but I was really impressed with how little you really need per application. The first time, I made the mistake of slathering it on, only to wake up with an oily residue on my pillow. Going back for more I found that around three drops worked beautifully, with the product sinking in almost immediately, although the lovely jasmine scent lingered. Perhaps not the best idea for really oily skin: it left softness in its wake on my normal-to-dry visage and doubled up nicely as a lip balm.

Pleasingly, Suti has managed to find a way to balance that toughest of equations: organic plus affordable plus luxury usually resulting in products that flatter to deceive. The cleanser in particular has proved a revelation and worthy competition to Eve Lom, while the facial oils both smell and feel great – and all without any sort of chemical assistance. Fairtrade too, is a big part of the brand although you wouldn’t know it from the prices. For anyone looking for effective, organic skincare at purse-friendly prices; I have this advice – you can’t go wrong with Suti.

For more information and to shop online, see the Suti website.

Suzannah Jenkins and Tina Steadman's brand combines an holistic approach to skincare with an ethical sourcing policy

Jouer's chic bronzer and lip gloss

If you’re a regular RIH reader, you’ll be aware that we generally feature only European beauty brands, being as we’re a pan-European site and all. However, just very occasionally, we come across something so special, exciting and different that we have to make an exception to the rule and ignore editorial policy. Jouer Cosmetics is one such venture.

Created by Los Angeles-based Christina Zilber, Jouer (meaning ‘to play’ in French) is a make-up brand that’s sure to inject a little fun into your beauty routine. We’ve all been guilty of throwing products into handbag or make-up bag in a rather haphazard fashion as we dash out of the door, generally resulting in lipsticks without lids or eyeshadows jammed between the pages of a novel. Jouer’s ultra-practical range uses a clever customisable packaging design, whereby products can be slotted together so that you can create and recreate your own portable cosmetics collection.

And the products themselves? The essential take-everywhere duo to start your Jouer collection with has to be the SPF-enriched Replenish and Protect Hydrating Bronzer Powder and Moisturizing Lip Gloss; two beauty must-haves that ensure a polished look while on the go. The long-wearing bronzer gives even, matte coverage and won’t block pores thanks to a mineral-rich formula, plus the warm golden colour is flattering – even for paler complexions; it’s the bronzer for women that don’t wear bronzer. Available in four chic shades, Jouer’s multi-tasking, non-sticky lipgloss is packed with nourishing ingredients to hydrate while adding a sexy sheen to lips.

And the less portable products in the range? They’re every bit as effective – just in case you needed convincing that the click-together packaging isn’t just a marketing gimmick. We really liked Jouer’s Moisture Tint; a wonderfully light tinted moisturiser that unifies and illuminates the complexion. The long-lasting, water-resistant moisturiser contains SPF 20 and anti-ageing antioxidants, and is oil free too – it’s a smart product that ticks just about every box! And the same can be said of the Lip Enhancer, which hydrates and plumps lips simultaneously. The conditioning treatment also banishes fine lines and works well as a base for lipstick.

We’re always fans of beautifully-packaged products, but the fact that Jouer’s cosmetics are so effective too means that this is one beauty brand that deserves ever bit of the buzz around it.

Jouer Cosmetics is available to buy online at Cult Beauty, and you can also follow the brand on Twitter @jouercosmetics, and find out the latest news on the Jouer Cosmetics Facebook page.

A selection of the goodies available from Jouer, including the multi-tasking Luminizing Moisture Tint and Essential Lip Enhancer

Evolve's Multi-Action Double Cream

With cuts starting to bite right across Europe, it’s unsurprising that the sort of folkloric beauty wisdom favoured by our grandmothers is garnering increased interest. And it’s not complete bunkum either. Olive oil really does make an excellent hair serum, yoghurt is a great moisturiser and sea salt plus honey equals a superb scrub. But the revival in the fortunes of homemade products isn’t down to economics alone. Greater knowledge and understanding of the nutrients in individual foodstuffs, concerns about production and sourcing, and the ‘discovery’ of wonder substances such as lycopene (readily available in the nearest tomato), have given rise to a new breed of beauty products whose ingredients lists read more like the menu at the local deli and which make full use of grandmotherly lore. Spearheading the charge is organic, natural beauty brand, Evolve.

Presented in ultra-girly, powder-pink, lilac and pale green bottles, Evolve doesn’t look much like an organic brand; the majority of whom seem to favour stark white or shouty green jars. Rather like a sugared almond, outside it’s all pink perkiness, while inside; it packs a serious nutritional punch. It’s that emphasis on nutrition that really sets Evolve apart. Ingredients are a nutritionist’s dream, including a roll call of super foods such as coconut and almond oils, goji berries and acerola cherries. Then there’s the sourcing policy which reads like it was drawn up by Bob Geldof with a little help from Bono. Practically everything is Fairtrade, organic or both, and every ingredient has a little story to explain its origin. Take the argan oil for example. A natural anti-oxidant and free-radical buster, it’s produced in Morocco by a Fairtrade community collective run by Berber women. Then, just to be extra green, everything is produced in the UK, cutting down on transport and thus its carbon footprint. Even the pastel packaging is made from 100 percent recycled plastic milk bottles, and can be recycled itself once you’re finished with what’s inside. But what of what’s inside? The packaging, sourcing and production are right on, but what about the all-important product?

An out-and-proud beauty junkie, I’ve never been shy of trying my hand at making my own beauty goodies but have found that, by and large, the contents of my fridge just don’t have the punch of Crème de la Mer. Yes, yoghurt does a great job of cooling and soothing sore skin and honey is a decent bet for treating scrapes and scratches, but to be perfectly honest, the thought of parading around smelling like a Greek’s breakfast doesn’t really appeal. This is a shame in some ways and not just because my bank balance would look a lot healthier if I picked honey over Honoré des Prés. While super foods are a good idea for skincare in principle; making them work in a commercial beauty product is easier said than done. So I mused as I surveyed a bathroom freshly stocked with an array of Evolve’s finest. And then I opened the first bottle: the Multi-Action Double Cream and started slavering. You see, not only is Evolve’s range based on foodstuffs, it smells like them too, only in a yummy, pina colada way. I could handle smelling edible but I wasn’t sure how long I’d be able to stay away from the fridge.

Luckily, you quickly get used to the smell and start noticing the benefits more speedily still. Five days of solid Double Cream use later, it had passed my tests with flying colours: no unscheduled spots and no dryness. Excellent. It also managed to even out my skintone nicely – no mean feat when you’ve got pale, freckly skin. Packed with hydrating almond peptides and argan oil, the Double Cream is formulated for dry skin, so it can be a bit much if you’ve got t-zone troubles to contend with, but then, there’s the Multi-Action Single Cream for that.

Green bodycare solutions from Evolve

But while the moisturiser was good, the real stars of the show were the Heavenly Body Polish and the gorgeous-smelling Radiance Boost Body Cream. With a consistency just on the right side of pancake batter, a heavenly coconut fragrance and a neat line in dry skin banishment, the Body Cream really does what it says on the bottle. Made with that Moroccan argan oil and enlivened with a few acerola cherries, it’s a budget buy that really works. Take that Nivea. Equally effective is the Heavenly Body Polish which combines crushed coconut shell with shea butter for an exfoliator that blitzes scaly skin and soothes what’s left in one fell swoop. So moisturising is the scrub that you barely need a body lotion, although I couldn’t resist slathering on a bit more Body Cream.

So is Evolve a green dream? Well it’s certainly close to being one, thanks to its ethical approach to sourcing and packaging, and almost 100 percent organic ingredients. It also scores highly in the skin food stakes with products packed with the nutritious likes of almonds, moringa and argan oil. As a beauty product though? The honest answer is yes, it did a good job, and while it did leave me smelling faintly edible, it was in a pleasantly tropical way. The hero product is unquestionably the Body Cream which I will be buying forever more but the Multi-Active Double Cream deserves an honourable mention for proving that even pasty, sensitive skin like mine can go organic without breaking out. Combining skincare with sustainability isn’t impossible, and as Evolve proves, green beauty products can do wonders for your skin as well as for the planet.

Find out more and shop online on the Evolve website. You can also follow on Twitter @evolvebeauty.

Codage nutri-out and nutri-in products

Despite the natural capitalist evolution towards selling one generic product to as wide a market as possible to ensure economies of scale, when it comes to shopping, most would agree that attention to your needs and a tailored service are qualities that have long been appreciated. Meanwhile, over in tech and trends land today, it has often been predicted that the new evolution of internet (aka ‘web 3.0’) will be about personalisation. French beauty brand Codage have successfully combined these two elements to create ‘nutrition et beauté sur mesure’ – aka nutrition and beauty tailored precisely to your needs, which can be ordered online.

Codage was created by French brother and sister duo Julien and Amandine in 2006. Pharmacy ran in the family and they both started careers in large pharmaceutical companies. However, citing disillusionment that marketing was prioritised over product development, they broke free determined to develop products that derived from a comprehensive and personalised process. They believe that every skin is unique and so in 2006 they created a technology that allows the customer to customise the product to suit the specific needs of their own skin.

Codage offers just two products – ‘Nutri-out’ and ‘Nutri-in’. The former is the personalised serum consisting of concentrated actives that deeply nourish the skin from the outside (available for face or eyes). The latter meanwhile, is composed of customised nutritional supplements that nourish the skin from the inside. It’s a deliciously simple and effective concept.

Your experience with Codage begins on their website where you create your own profile. In doing so you will complete a thorough and detailed questionnaire about the state of your health, your lifestyle, skin and its needs. It is designed to discern your requirements in three specific categories:

● Skin comfort (e.g. anti-redness, sebum control)

● Anti-ageing needs (lifting wrinkles etc)

● Specific needs (acne control, dark circles, puffiness etc)

Your responses go direct to the laboratory where the lab workers create your own individual formulation. This process is known as ‘my diagnostic’. If you want to take matters into your own hands, you can create your product(s) using ‘my lab’ which allows you to control the ingredients and their dosage yourself. Their website is rich in interesting explanations and it’s easy to see how you could quickly acquire the confidence to compose your own products.

Codage products adhere to a strict ethical code: made from 100% natural ingredients (plant, marine and mineral extracts) that are sourced worldwide and produced by organic farming, respectful of fair trade production, sustainable development and biodiversity conservation. But it’s reassuring to know that these natural ingredients undergo a range of scientific processes incorporating both traditional remedies and cutting-edge technologies such as stem cells, encapsulation, nano and neurotechnology – all in pursuit of the most effective product possible for its clients.

Considering the complex research, development and production that go into the codage product line, prices are incredibly reasonable starting at around 25€ for 15ml of nutri-out and 12€ for a month’s nutri-in. All Codage products are made in their French laboratory, but are shipped worldwide so there’s really no reason why you too – wherever in the world you are – can’t try them out too.

Find out more on the Codage website.

At Codage, your responses go direct to the laboratory where the lab workers create your own individual formulation.

Paraben-free products for a natural tan

Sometimes you reveal something about yourself that really surprises the people who know you. This may be a secret obsession, a cult collection, a dislike of chocolate or wine; something that folks just can’t make sense of in the context of, well, you.

Telling my friends that I was going for a spray tan, followed by the revelation that this would be my first spray tan, that I was a spray tan virgin, incited audible gasps and exclamations.

“What do you mean you’ve never had one? You started fake tanning when you were 13″

“Where have you been living?”

“Nobody applies their own fake tan nowadays”

And so it continued. Voyaging down to Putney to visit Beau Bronz HQ, I was so excited I couldn’t sit still in my seat. I imagined that this would be one of those moments that changes your routine forever: no longer would wake up on brown (once white) sheets, or sigh as I contemplated the streaks on my wrists.

Greeted by Abi, Beau Bronz’s founder and ambassador, and whose enthusiasm for the product is as boundless as it is infectious, I learnt more about the products used. Beau Bronz tanning creams and mousses are paraben-free, contain organic DHA and are as natural as possible (over 95% of the ingredients are natural), which means that they aren’t pumped full of drying alcohol or nasty preservatives.  The Beau Bronz system revolves around prepping the skin beforehand with a product called Exfoliese, using either the stronger colour mousse or a lighter product for English Rose complexions or mature skins. You can then top up the tan with a low-strength Tan Extender.

Back to the spray tan – after whipping off my clothes and emerging in only my knickers (at this point very aware of the winter chill – I move into the tent-type shebang that houses the tan-ees. Abi preps me with the Exfoliese and buffs me down with a towel, removing moisturiser, make-up and general vileness from my skin, before starting to mist me with a large hose. The mist is so fine from the applicator that Abi can even sculpt abs, cleavage and cheekbones! Although don’t get your hopes up; it’s only a temporary aesthetic change – not a magic hose…

After adopting various positions and feeling not unlike an elephant emerging from a bath at the zoo, I was able to slip into loose dark clothing immediately. I had an enviable tan line where my knickers had been and my face looked glowing. And I didn’t smell!

On the train home I certainly kept catching that familiar musty whiff (sorry) but it really was less pungent, even on the sheets in the morning. Next day, I was glowing and felt fantastic, keeping topping the tan up with the Tan Extender product. My tan did start to patch off on my chest after about 5 days, and the facial tan didn’t last very long – though do they ever?

Since my tan I have stuck with the BeauBronz products and I honestly would recommend the Bronzing Mousse – I’m not sure the Exfoliese is worth the money (it’s pretty much the same price as the tans) – but the mousse is fantastic. The colour is rich and natural with a really nutty brown base, nothing Tango about this stuff. It also feels much less damaging than some of the alcohol-based fake tans available to buy and use at homet.

Beau Bronz tanning is couture, in both its finish and its prices – with all of the retail range coming in at £20+. If you’re serious about tanning though, they offer the most natural product on the market, and with Abi’s serious approach to tanning (see her top tip videos) and the 4-step home tanning process, Beaubronz make it difficult to get it wrong.*

BeauBronz is available to buy online on the Beau Bronz website.

*does not apply when applying fake tan après trop de Sauvignon Blanc…

Tanning:
How To Apply Fake Tan

A selection of the indulgent organic products from Artful Teasing

Based in Petworth, Sussex, the husband and wife team behind Artful Teasing  make luxury skin care products from organic and fairly traded ingredients, aiming to source locally as much as possible. All of their lotions and potions use pure essential oils, creating wonderfully perfumed products that work in harmony with both mind and body. Packaging is elegant and chic with a slightly vintage look, yet made from recyclable plastic too.

The range includes a wide selection of products for skin care and body care, as well as relaxing goodies for bathing indulgence too. If you’re on the lookout for a special present for someone, Artful Teasing also offer a collection of personalised gifts; think natural scented candles or bath oils with your own thoughtfully composed message.

The Organic Lavender & Rose Geranium Body Wash makes showering a real pleasure, with a delicate, old-fashioned floral aroma for a little extra relaxation as you scrub – plus the scent lingers on the skin too. The rose geranium oil is grown and produced by community groups in Southern Africa, so you’re being good to others as well as to yourself! The gentle wash is paraben free and uses plant-based cleansers, but nonetheless lathers beautifully and won’t dry out your skin. The spicy Sweet Orange, Geranium & Frankincense Hand Wash is another product which allows you to indulge in a little aromatherapy every day – and once again lathers well. A little goes a long way here, but with the sensual, feminine fragrance, you may find yourself washing your hands more than is strictly necessary!

It’s the beautiful scents that really make the Artful Teasing range stand out and we were really impressed with the gorgeous fragrances of the brand’s body lotions. Pink Grapefruit, Geranium & Lemongrass is a perfect choice for using in the mornings as the zingy fragrance is guaranteed to revive and stimulate the senses – if you’re a fan of the zesty citrus tang, you’ll love this one. Italian Bergamot, Cardamom & Pepper is a warm, exotic blend which envelops all the senses. Made with organic shea butter and olive oil, the body lotions are really creamy and so feel very luxurious to apply. Skin is left hydrated and protected – essential at this time of year.

Considering their ethical credentials, Artful Teasing’s products are very reasonably priced indeed and succeed in delivering an indulgent sensory experience – a little moment of pampering during your hectic routine. For more information, see the Artful Teasing website.

Love+Art's ethical, fairtrade range of beautiful body products

Having come across plenty of both over the years, the thought of trying out a fresh contender for the eco-beauty crown brought on mixed feelings. Would Love + Art be the new must-have organic brand? Or was I letting myself in for some sorry shower gels complete with unpleasant gritty bits?

The answer turned out to be neither, as Love + Art doesn’t do skincare or (thankfully) gritty bits. What it does, and does mostly well, are organic bath and body products. All the ingredients are sourced from Morocco’s Ourika Valley and everything from the product to the packaging is fair trade, organic and recycled which on the green-o-meter means very green indeed. I decided to put three different products to the test: the Moroccan Rose Floral Water, the Orange Flower Body Wash and the Musc Body Milk.

Jumping straight in the shower with the body wash, I was pleasantly surprised by the fragrance – living up to its eco credentials, the orange flower body wash really does smell like proper orange flower. I was even more pleased to discover that the gel was thick and not at all runny – as it is in far too many second-rate products – making it a real pleasure to use. Excellent. Next up was the body milk. The most expensive product of the three, I was by now expecting great things from it. Unfortunately, it was a little too watery for my dry skin and the musc scent was unpleasantly powdery. But once the florals returned in the shape of the Moroccan Rose flower water, the brand was back on a roll. Fresh, subtly scented and gentle, the flower water was an absolute delight. I decided to use a bit on my bed linen too where the fragrance remained for a good 24 hours.

While the Musc Body Milk was disappointing, the floral products in the Love + Art range are well worth the investment. They aren’t cheap but then, everything is organic and fair trade which means it costs a slightly more to make. Personally, I’d rather pay a little extra for a great product with good green credentials than spritz myself with something containing a smorgasbord of environmentally damaging chemicals. Impeccably green, Love + Art’s floral products are excellent and worth checking out, with the floral water standing out in particular. Even if you aren’t prepared to forsake your usual shower gel, a post shower spritz of the Moroccan Rose Floral Water is guaranteed to brighten up your day.

For more information and to buy some Love + Art goodies, check out the brand’s website.