Bath Time With The Beauty Vine #3 | The Luxe Edit | Laura Mercier

Today's "Bath Time with The Beauty Vine" post is without a doubt, luxurious and decadent. Laura Mercier is quickly becoming one of my favourite high end beauty brands. I don't have a huge collection of her cosmetics, but a carefully thought out and selected edit of beautiful products that I enjoy using, and reach for on a regular basis. Of course, there are many more of her products that are on my ever growing wish list, including her liquid foundations, stunning lipsticks, and of course the recently released rose infused facial oil and moisturiser...just to name a few.

I happened to be in the right place at the right time whilst scrolling on Instagram late last year, and entered a competition to win this set of Almond Coconut Milk Bath and Body products. I believe the set was a Christmas promotion, and low and behold... I won! Be still my beating beauty heart!

These gorgeous products deliver not only in their beautiful quality and sensorial delight, they just make you feel special. At the risk of repeating myself, taking some time to do something just for me is really important as a busy mum of four boisterous children. I have learnt over the years to let go of a little bit of that mother guilt, and have come to realise that if I don't have a little bit of time for me, time to fill up my tank, then I have less reserves to deal with meeting the needs of my family,  the demands of part time work as a midwife, and just life in general.

So allow me to set the "Bath Time" scene for you once again. Steam is wafting around my bathroom as the bath fills...fresh, clean pyjamas, fresh clean fluffy towel, candle glowing,
and glass of wine at the ready..

Let's go Laura!

Before we begin, I thought I would share this description of the Almond Coconut Milk Fragrance that I found on the Laura Mercier website...

" Inspired by the aroma of a French Patisserie, this scent captures the essence of almond, coconut milk, jasmine, rosewood, ylang yang, vanilla, tonka, heliotrope and musk".

Now try and tell me that doesn't sound completely delicious!

Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Milk Honey Bath is about as luxurious as a bubble bath could possibly be. Swirl the honey dipper into the pot, and place the luxurious honey bath under the running water. It creates a load of lovely bubbles with a warm, sweet, comforting scent.
Enriched with sweet almond oil, macadamia oil, honey and vanilla extracts, your skin will feel so beautifully clean and soft. A sip of wine, and a little bit of time soaking...heavenly.

Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Milk Sugar Scrub is creamy and thick, oozing with coconut oil, Tahitian Gardenia extract, Sweet Almond Oil, Honey, good sized chunks of sugar, and finely ground coconut and almond shell. This scrub does not beat around the bush, it gives a really good exfoliation with an extremely nourishing, decadent base. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I like to take my time, and really focus on scrubing all the neglected areas of my skin, which really is everywhere lets face it! I will typically do the top half of my body whilst sitting in the bath, and then stand up to buff the lower half until it's glowing, including my poor neglected feet. A good scrub is typically followed by some time focusing on quieting my mind. A little more time soaking is in order...

Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Milk Souffle Body Creme is next on the beauty menu. Out of the bath, I wrap myself up in my fluffy towel, pat my skin dry, and smooth on this completely delicious whipped body cream. Enriched with protective and skin nourishing oils of Grape Seed, Macadamia, Sweet Almond, and Rice Bran oil, with an added kick of Shea Butter, Honey, Aloe, Vanilla, Cinnamon and Cacao extracts, this body cream is pure and utter luxury. A little goes a long way, and my skin just glows. I could seriously give JLo a run for her money in the glow department... and I bet she doesn't smell like a french patisserie...

How could there possibly be anything else to add this bathing ritual worthy of a princess, I hear you implore? Well, there is. Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Milk Shimmer Body Mist. Now I have tried to locate this product for you, however I cannot find it anywhere. As I mentioned earlier in the post, I believe this gift pack was a promotion for Christmas, so the Shimmer Body Mist was likely limited edition. Certainly not an essential, you would do just as well without it, but gosh it is pretty. Spritz anywhere you wish your skin to shimmer and glisten, I can imagine this product to be lovely as an extra layer of the divine fragrance, perhaps before a special occasion or date night. You could also mix a little of it into the Body Souffle for a more subtle shimmer. Do keep your eyes peeled for this in limited edition gift sets.

The full size of the Almond Coconut Milk Honey Bath is a 300ml tub and retails for $50.00 AUD.
The Almond Coconut Milk Sugar Scrub full size is 340gm and retails for $55.00 AUD.
The Almond Coconut Milk Soufflé Body Cream full size is 340gm and retails for $65.00 AUD.

The size of my products are 110gm, which is just under a third of the full size. Each pot comes absolutely full to the brim with product, and I have had plenty of baths with these. I have no doubt the full size products would last a very long time! These are luxury products that come with a luxury price tag, but I can't help but warmly and wholeheartedly recommend them.

 Laura Mercier Bath and Body products are also available in a number of different scents... I have my eye on the Ambre Vanille.  I really don't think you could go wrong with any of the scents. These products are certainly not inexpensive, and perhaps something that you could pop on the wishlist for a birthday or special occasion gift.
However, if it is within your budget, absolutely go for it!



Have you tried any of these completely delicious products? Are you sick of hearing the word delicious? Do leave a comment below! I would love to hear your favourite Laura Mercier products!



Thanks so much for stopping by!


Blessings,


Lou xo

Read More »

Allegra Rhodes | Everyday Luxury

A relatively recent arrival to my beauty desk, these bath and body products from Australian brand Allegra Rhodes have quickly become a Beauty Vine favourite.

The ethos behind the brand is something that I identify with completely, and that is making a little bit of time for you, a little luxury "me-time", every day. If you have been following my Bath Time series, you will likely be a little sick of hearing me say it, but self care is so important! 

I received three products from the range in three different scents, so I will chat a little about my initial thoughts, and then share with you a brilliant discount code to enable you to receive 70% RRP!!

Allegra Rhodes boast all natural Australian ingredients in their Hand and Nail Creams, Hand Washes, Body Washes, Body Lotions and Body Mists, and all products are paraben and sulphate free, and not tested on animals.

Allegra Rhodes Ocean Mist Body Wash 450ml  RRP $29.95 AUD.

 " An awakening blend of Fresh Bergamot and zesty Lemon, rounded with a divine Oceanic Scent. Decadently layered with Jasmine, Rose and slinky tones of Sandalwood".

To me, Ocean Mist is fresh and aquatic. The floral tones are very subtle, and the hint of Sandalwood makes this scent quite unisex in my humble opinion. Paraben and sulphate free, this body wash is enriched with Aloe Vera, Chamomile extract, Rose Hip Seed Oil, and Argan Oil, and feels lovely on the skin. 

Allegra Rhodes Cherry Blossom Body Lotion 250ml RRP $32.95 AUD.

 " The unmistakable drop of juicy Cherry blended gracefully with Freesia, creates this irresistibly sweet and utterly feminine fragrance. Amber and Musk twirl on the summery scent of Lily of The Valley...".

Cherry Blossom is beautiful. Any scent with the base notes of Amber and Musk undeniably draw me in...I love the warmth, and comfort they evoke. The sweet, floral top notes are sophisticated and modern. This one is a favourite of mine, and I think it would appeal to many. Like the body wash, the body lotion is sulphate and paraben free, and has skin loving ingredients such as Avocado Oil, Cocoa Seed Butter, Aloe Vera, along with Rosehip, Argan and Jojoba Oils. The lotion is very lightweight, and melts quickly into the skin. Love.

Allegra Rhodes Red Lychee Body Mist 175ml RRP $29.95 AUD

" A sultry blend of Red Lychee, infused with irresistible White Chocolate... let the scent of creamy musk, Orchid and Kiwi blend in harmony...".

Red Lychee was an instant favourite. Sweet, warm, chocolately loveliness, the scent is saved from being too heavy by the freshness of the Orchid and Kiwi. And of course, the little hint of musk just makes my heart happy. Interestingly, my husband really liked this one on me as well, and that is saying a lot, because he is very fussy when it comes to scents!

I love this one so much that I went online last night and ordered a Red Lychee Gift pack for a good friend of mine for her birthday! 

I know that scents and perfume preferences are a very individual thing, but I hope that this post might help a little in deciding if you would like to try any of these lovely products. The scent descriptions are also online for each product.

You can find Allegra Rhodes here.

You can find the Red Lychee gift set that I purchased for my friend here. 

All of the details regarding the 70% off special are on the website, however just to let you know that the discount code is simply "70off" at the online checkout. This code is valid until June 30th, and is for everyone to use and share!

Shipping has also been capped a $10 AUD for standard shipping in Australia.

Have you tried any Allegra Rhodes body products? Do leave a comment below! Let me know if you pick up any of these lovely products!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

Read More »

Single...And Fabulous! New In and Currently Loving | Single Eyeshadows

 Hello Beauties!

I wanted to share a couple of new single eyeshadows that I have purchased over the last 2 weeks, that I am currently really enjoying in my morning makeup routine. I love a good single eyeshadow, and on a daily basis I find them quick and easy to reach for in the morning for a quick wash of colour on my eyes. A good coat of mascara adds definition, and my eyes are done.

I wrote a post last year that featured some of my favourite single eyeshadows, and I still enjoy and reach for the same shades to this day. The single eye shadow shades that tend to pique my interest have a slight sheen, or shimmer. On the eye, the shimmer reflects the light on the lid, whilst appearing to have more depth in the crease where the natural shadow occurs. It gives the illusion of two different shades of eyeshadow and looks like you have spent way more time on your eyeshadow than you really have. 

Two of the single shadows that I purchased are from a new collection by Essence, the "I Love Nude" collection. Along with new shades of lipstick and nail polish, there are 6 baked eye shadows within the collection, ranging from pale beige to deeper bronze and brown. I managed to restrict myself to only 2 shades, and was impressed immediately by how silky smooth they felt and how nicely they swatched on my hand. Into the basket they went...

A recent brief nosey in The Body Shop saw me walk out with one of their Colour Crush eye shadows in the shade Mon Cherry. It is the most unique shade of eyeshadow I think I own, and looks quite a bit different in the pan to what emerges once it is blended into the skin. This is the first Body Shop eyeshadow I have purchased, and though they are a little on the pricey side for a single shadow, the quality is impressive.

Essence I Love Nude Baked Eye Shadows in My Favourite Tauping and Sweet Like Chocolate
The Body Shop Colour Crush Eyeshadow in Mon Cherry.

The Body Shop Colour Crush Eyeshadow - Mon Cherry    RRP  $14.95 AUD.

Unfortunately I don't think my swatch of this shade has done it justice. Mon Cherry looks to be a cool toned lavender plum in the pan, however she morphs into a warm rosy plum with a very subtle lavender reflect once on the skin. Patted onto the lid with a flat brush, or your finger tip brings out the lavender/mauve tone, and once blended up into the crease with a fluffy blending brush a deep, muted warm rose appears. In the photograph below it looks to me more like a blush than an eyeshadow! It would certainly make a beautiful blush too! I am having fun experimenting with it, and will try to post another swatch on Instagram if I can manage to capture it! The formula is smooth, buttery and blends beautifully. 

Essence I Love Nude Baked Eye Shadow -  04 My Favourite Tauping   RRP  $5.10 AUD.

My Favourite Tauping  is one of the matte shades in the new Essence collection, a cool toned mid brown/taupe that I am always drawn to. A perfect a transition/crease shade, I also fancy this as a one shadow look. It has good pigmentation, but does benefit from a primer or base underneath it for the best results. Definitely worth looking at next time you are in Priceline or Target, and you can't beat the price!

Essence I Love Nude Baked Eyeshadow - 05 Sweet Like Chocolate   RRP  $5.10 AUD.

Sweet Like Chocolate from Essence is more bronze than chocolate, but a beautiful shade none the less. It has a beautiful sheen, with a warm, golden undertone that will complement all eye colours. It is creamy and smooth, blends really nicely on the eyes. Love.

Swatched in Natural Light
L-R  Mon Cherry, My Favourite Tauping, Sweet Like Chocolate

If you would like to check out my post from last year featuring some of my favourite single eyeshadow shades you can click the link here.

Have you tried any of the products from the "I Love Nude" collection from Essence? What are your favourite single eyeshadow shades?

Do leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo 

Read More »

Nude by Nature Pressed Mineral Foundation | Natural Glowing Makeup

I have been a fan of Nude By Nature Loose Mineral Powder Foundation for around 3 years. I have always found their mineral powders to have really nice coverage along with a matte finish, which my oily/combo skin certainly appreciates. 

I enjoy using mineral powder foundations alone in summer, straight over the top of a lightweight sunscreen. I am typically a fan of medium coverage liquid foundations, and love adding a thin layer of mineral powder over the top to bump up the coverage when I feel like I need it. The Nude By Nature Loose Mineral Veil has been one of my favourite loose setting powders over the years.

Nude By Nature Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation RRP $39.95

In March this year, the Australian mineral makeup brand released their brand new Pressed Mineral Cover Foundation, and I was itching to give it a go! To my delight and surprise, I was invited to the Nude By Nature pop-up store in Westfield Sydney,  during the week that the Pressed Mineral Cover Foundation launched. I was booked in to have my makeup done by none other than Maria Yousif, whom I can tell you is just as beautiful on the inside, as she is on the outside! I certainly felt less than glamorous standing next to her, and if you follow her on Instagram, you will know what I am talking about!! Here is a photograph below from the evening...

Maria and Me!
Image courtesy of SweatyBetty PR.

I have been gifted some products to show you today, alongside those are products that I have purchased myself. Prior to the launch of the new Pressed Powder Foundation range, I had just purchased a value set from Nude By Nature's online store, and will share a link to that below, as I feel it represents great value!

If you would like to hear my thoughts on the new Pressed Mineral Foundation, and see my natural makeup look using lots of lovely products, then do read on!...

Nude By Nature Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation RRP $39.95

I have been really enjoying this mineral foundation. At the event, I was gifted the pressed foundation in the shade light/medium. I can use both the medium, or the light medium in the loose powders, but the pressed powders do seem to run a little deeper, and a little warmer shade wise. The light/medium was just a little too deep/warm for me to get away with, so I popped in to my local Priceline and purchased the light shade, which matches me really nicely.  Do swatch the powders in store if you can, and really blend it in to your skin to get the best match.

The Pressed Mineral Foundation is creamy, blends beautifully, and gives a really lovely satin/matte finish to the skin. Not a hint of shimmer or sparkle, my skin just looks healthy and natural. I certainly don't feel any product on face, it is perfectly lightweight. Nude By Nature describe this as a medium to full coverage foundation, and I have found the coverage to be closer to medium on my skin. The coverage of foundations in general is quite subjective... what may be full coverage for some people may only be light for others, it depends entirely on exactly what you have to cover up! I have a lot to cover up...acne scarring, blemishes, and a decent amount of pigmentation thanks to four pregnancies and some sun damage. On a daily basis, medium coverage is completely fine by me, and what I typically prefer. This mineral foundation really does have a beautiful skin like finish, and is unlike any other mineral foundation I have tried in the past. Love.

Nude By Nature Airbrush Mineral Primer RRP $29.95 AUD
 Soft Focus Liquid Mineral Illuminator  RRP $21.95 AUD.

I pulled these two products from my collection to show you, and though I don't use them on a daily basis, they are lovely products. The Airbrush Mineral Primer is very lightweight, but also quite nourishing and very protective, and can be a little heavy on my oily/combo skin to use every day. Of late, with the weather being so cold and my skin looking a little dull, I have been experimenting. I mix in some of the Soft Focus Illuminator with the Airbrush Primer to make my own custom glow-boosting primer. I have a heavy swatch of this in the photograph below. Blended well, and patted gently onto the skin in a thin layer works best for me. The mineral foundation buffs over it really nicely, and you can see the subtle glow of the skin peaking through it....love this little combo!

I adore Nude By Nature brushes. I don't own any of their eye brushes, but I can certainly vouch for the face/complexion brushes. Great quality and beautifully soft, they buff and polish the mineral foundation into the skin really nicely. The double ended brush sitting in the front of this picture was a gift, and I LOVE it! The wider, flatter larger side is perfect for blush, bronzer, or powder, and the smaller, densely packed flat top brush is perfect for buffing in the mineral foundation around my nose, my chin and the middle of my forehead. It works beautifully to smooth the look of my large pores!

Nude By Nature Ultimate Nude Eye Shadow Palette   RRP  $ 24.95 AUD.

Aren't these colours beautiful? Who can resist such lovely neutral, earthy tones I ask you? I have swatches of these below, and they are smooth, creamy, pigmented and blend really nicely on the eyes. The packaging is sleek, streamlined and sophisticated. The middle shade, Latte, is a favourite shade of mine for a quick, easy one shadow look. It has a very subtle, pretty sheen to it. Beautiful!

Nude By Nature Mineral Eyeliner - Brown  RRP  $14.95 AUD.

The Mineral Eyeliner is a beautiful shade of brown that really makes my blues eyes pop. It is a true dark brown, not charcoal, not bronze. Whilst my oily eyelids prove to be a challenge for most eyeliners, I still find it to last quite well, only noticing a little bit of fading at the end of the day.

The Mineral Mascara has a drier formula, which I love, and the natural bristle wand does a nice job of providing both length and volume. A really nice, every day mascara. I do find that it transfers to my upper eyelid around halfway through the day, though many brands of mascara have the same effect on me. It really comes down to personal preference with mascara I find, as many brands perform differently for everyone.

Nude By Nature Mineral Mascara - Black - RRP  $17.95 AUD.

Nude By Nature Mineral Blush - Virgin  RRP $19.95 AUD.

Nude By Nature's Virgin blush is stunning. A beautiful rosy, neutral blush that gives your cheeks a gorgeous glow! In fact, it reminds me a little of Benefit's Rockateur boxed blush. Love. Highly recommend! When I feel like my skin is looking a little dull and tired, I will bring my blush forward, closer to the sides of my nose, and right on top of the apples of my cheeks. It always helps to make me look fresh and awake, even if I don't feel it!

As with any loose powder products that I own, I only pull back the plastic covering a little way, and then trim it with scissors to expose only the first row of holes ( as you can see in the photograph above ). It not only saves you from making a mess, it saves your product being wasted as well. You can tap the perfect amount out into the lid, without getting the product all over your bathroom, in your slippers, in your hair, on your toothbrush ... you get my point... just a handy tip I thought I would share!

Nude By Nature Natural Mineral Lipstick - Demure  RRP $17.95  AUD.

Enriched with Jojoba oil, Shea Butter and Vitamin E, this lipstick feels very comfortable on the lips. This shade, Demure, is a gorgeous rosy/mauve/neutral shade that is very flattering, and very on-trend.  It reminds me a little of MAC's Twig, I shall have to swatch them to compare! It is a beautiful shade that would complement any makeup look,  definitely one to check out next time you are in Priceline!

I have swatched the lipstick, blush, eyeshadow palette, and the mineral eyeliner for you below. You may notice that the lightest shade in the eyeshadow palette does not show up well on my skin, only because it is very similar to my colouring! Both photographs are taken in natural light. I am really impressed with the quality of these products!

Swatched in direct natural light.
L-R   Lipstick - Demure,  Blush - Virgin,
Ultimate Nude Eyeshadow Palette - Creme, Latte, Espresso
Mineral Eye Liner Waterproof - Brown.

Swatched in indirect natural light.

The products on my mug!

You can find Nude By Nature in Priceline pharmacies across Australia, and on Priceline's website. 

You can find the Nude By Nature website here, along with a more comprehensive list of stockists.

The value set that I mentioned earlier in the post can be viewed here, and is called the Bright, Nude and Cheeky gift set, and offers great value at $49.95 for over $120 worth of products. It contains the loose mineral powders, not the pressed version, however, if you are new to mineral makeup this is a set worth considering in my opinion! It also contains two exclusive products that are not sold outside of the kit, one of them being a rather delicious lemon lip scrub...

Are you a Nude By Nature fan? Have you tried the new Pressed Mineral Foundation?

Do let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings!

Lou xo

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored, nor are there any affiliate links present. Thank you SweatyBetty PR for having me at the event, and thank you beautiful Maria for doing my makeup! Lou xo

Read More »

Bath time With The Beauty Vine #2 | The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea

Hello Beauty Friends!

It's time for part two of my Bath Time with The Beauty Vine series!

If you missed the first post in the series, where I chat a little bit more about my personal love of baths and encouraging you all to have some very important 'me-time', I shall link it down below for you.

Essentially, bath time for me is a chance to wind down and relax. I make an effort to use products that will not only treat and pamper my skin, but assist in allowing my bustling, noisy brain to slow and be still... even if my thoughts can be stilled for a short time, I find it so beneficial.

As I mentioned in my previous post, my baths are often accompanied by a glass of velvety Merlot, fresh fluffy towels, and fresh PJ's. Clean linen and PJ's make me smile, and help to make my bath a little more like a ceremony, and less like just another task.

Today's gorgeous, soak-away-your-stress bath time is brought to you by The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea bath products. Three delightful products to have you soft, smooth, clean and relaxed. These products were kindly and generously provided for me to review and chat about here on my blog, and as always, I consider this a privilege.

Known for its health benefits and skin conditioning properties, The Body Shop's Fuji Green Tea products are infused with green tea leaves, harvested from Japan's Mount Fuji region. The scent to me, is very fresh and zingy, with a touch of floral and a clean, soap-like fragrance.

So get that bath filling up, and light a candle... it's bath time...

The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea - Bath Tea RRP $24.95 AUD   Bath Infuser RRP $8.95 AUD.

The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea - Bath Tea RRP $24.95 AUD

The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea - Bath Infuser RRP $8.95 AUD

A fresh, fragrant cocktail of Aloe Vera juice, Green Tea, Basil and Camelia extracts, the Bath Tea  softens the bath water, and your skin beautifully. I scoop the salts into the Bath Infuser, and swish the infuser through the bath water before I hop in. It doesn't take long for the salts to dissolve, and the nifty infuser keeps the all of the leaves housed safely within its confines, and not floating through the bath water. If you don't mind bits and pieces wafting through your bath ( not a fan personally ), then the infuser is not essential, but I think it's absolute genius. You can hang the infuser by the chain whilst you are soaking, or sit it out of the water once dissolved, it is completely up to you.

My bathroom is quickly filled with the Day-Spa like fragrance, and my skin feels so lovely and soft. After a time spent soaking and switching off, it's time for a good ol' scrub...

The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea - Body Scrub  RRP $29.95 AUD.

This is a really lovely, gel like, moisturising body scrub. The glycerin, castor oil and honey base conditions and softens your skin without leaving an oily residue, whilst still giving a really good manual exfoliation. As you massage the scrub into your skin, it melts into a hydrating gel, and rinses cleanly. Soft smooth skin with not a barnacle to be seen... Love. Following the scrub, I like to soak for a little longer, and try to spend some time focusing on my breathing. Often, my mind will have had a little relapse, and be back to its' incessant and endless to-do lists. Don't you hate that?

The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea - Body Butter RRP $23.95 AUD.

I can't imagine that there would be many people who would not be familiar with The Body Shop Body Butters. I remember my very first one, which I purchased around 20 years ago now...I believe it was Mango...oh yes...it was delicious. A truly decadent, oil rich balm. The Mango Body Butter and White Musk perfume oil were two beauty staples for me in my early 20's.

The Fuji Green Tea Body Butter has a creamy, slightly lighter weight consistency that does a brilliant job of locking in all that lovely moisture from the Bath Tea and Body Scrub. It absorbs quite quickly for a body butter, and having now layered all three of the products, I am indeed smelling quite heavenly, and ready for bed.

You can find The Body Shop Australian website Here. If you prefer to order online, they offer flat rate shipping of $8.95 AUD.

So what's on my Body Shop wishlist I hear you ask? Products from the Spa Wisdom Polynesia range, and the White Musk Smokey Rose range. Not that I need anymore products...ever!!

If you would like to read my previous Bath Time with The Beauty Vine post you can click the link here.

What are your favourite Body Shop products? Have you tried the Fuji Green Tea range?

I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Thanks so much for stopping by!



Blessings,



Lou xo

Disclaimer: As mentioned in the body of the post, these products were provided for editorial consideration, for which I am so grateful. This post is not sponsored, I have no affiliation with companies/brands mentioned. Cheers xo

Read More »

TanOrganic Self Tanning Oil and OilArganic Dry Body Oil | Rave Review!

When it comes to beauty products, I rarely use the term 'Life Changing'. It is a phrase dripping with drama and emotion, and is only to be reserved for those very special products you know in your beauty lovers gut that you need to share with your best mates, your neighbours, your neighbours' Aunty, the postman, the check-out chick at your local supermarket....I digress.

I have never quite managed to master the art of a really good fake tan. In fact, I am pretty awful at it. When these TanOrganic products landed on my beauty desk in April this year, I was immediately intrigued.

TanOrganic was created by Irish Beauty Therapist and Lecturer Noelle O'Connor. It is a natural and organic self tanning range of products, manufactured in Ireland, and it is the first Eco-Certified self-tan brand worldwide. TanOrganic boast no synthetic ingredients, no drying agents, and no parabens. This self-tanning range is said to allow you to achieve a gorgeous, glowing tan, whilst maintaining beautifully soft skin. And that it most certainly does!

I have two of the products to chat about today, the TanOrganic Self Tanning Oil, and the OilArganic Multi-use Dry Oil. 

Do you find yourself repeatedly on struggle street in self-tan-land like me? 

Then do read on!

OilArganic Multi-Use Dry Oil and TanOrganic Self Tanning Oil

Housed beautifully in 100ml glass bottles, with recycled timber bottle tops.

The TanOrganic Self Tanning Oil is without a doubt the EASIEST self tanning product I have ever used, and in terms of self tan application, it certainly is life changing! Perhaps the most intriguing thing for me was that you do not need a mitt to apply it. Yes. You read correctly, no mitt needed, just apply it to your body as you would a regular body oil. Nifty yeah? 

It also smells lovely. It's Aloe Vera, Borage Seed oil, Argan oil, and Sweet Orange oil base is extremely lightweight, smells beautiful, and moisturises your skin as you tan. The top of the bottle houses a small, controlled dropper, which makes it easy to either dispense into your hand, or place straight onto your body without worrying about oil dripping everywhere. The self tanning oil does not contain a colour guide, so you do have to make sure that you blend it in really well. Personally, I have not encountered any problems with patchiness or areas of uneven tan.

It is designed to develop over 6-8 hours, so the perfect time for me is to apply it after my shower in the evenings. In terms of preparation, the same rules apply, ensure that your skin is well exfoliated for best results, and apply a small amount of body oil or moisturiser to hands, feet, elbows and knees.

It really is as easy as applying a regular body oil. It does dry/absorb really quickly, likely due to some alcohol present in the formula. Any drying effects from the alcohol would soon be counteracted by all the lovely oils, so this is not a concern for me. The colour that develops on my reasonably fair skin after just one layer is a lovely, natural, golden tan. Not orange, not olive, just very natural looking. You can certainly apply a second layer if your skin is naturally darker, or if you would just prefer a deeper tan.

Another thing that really impresses me is how nicely this self tan fades. TanOrganic describe it as the "perfect fade". I would have to agree wholeheartedly. It is recommended to continue to use the OilArganic after every shower to assist this, however I have found it to works equally as well with other body oils or rich moisturisers. I can still see a really nice, even colour on my skin around 4 days after application, and by day 6-7 it has pretty much faded away. No scaly bits. No patches. Love.

To be completely honest, when I wake up the morning after application, I do notice a faint 'arrowroot biscuit' self tan smell, but it is only slight. I have not noticed any staining of either my pyjamas or bed sheets. After a quick shower, I then douse myself in the OilArganic, and ima glowin' like J-Lo...

OilArganic is a gorgeous multi-use oil that I have become extremely fond of. You can see from the photograph above I have made quite a dent in it, and a little goes a long way. Olive Fruit, Orange Peel, Argan, Jojoba, Avocado, Rosehip, Evening Primrose, Macadamia, Sweet Almond and Borage Seed oils make up this lovely cocktail of skin loving ingredients. This dry oil smells predominantly citrus to me, feels beautiful, and absorbs quickly. I have not yet used it on my face, but I have enjoyed applying it through the ends of my hair, and it works beautifully as a hand/cuticle oil.

You can find out all about, and shop for TanOrganic here.

Both of these products retail for $42.50 AUD each, and I would not hesitate to recommend them. They are both beautiful quality, natural alternatives to mainstream self-tanning products, and I just find the ease of use so very impressive! 

For us Aussies, TanOrganic is now available at select Myer stores, and online at Nourished Life, an Australian natural beauty website that I have used in the past and would warmly recommend. 

Have you heard of, or tried TanOrganic? Do you have a favourite self tanning product?

Do leave a comment below if you would like to! I always love hearing from you!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

Disclaimer: Both of the TanOrganic products were generously gifted as PR samples, and I loved them so much I had to share them with you. All opinions expressed are my own, and are based on my personal experience. xo

P.S. If you like the look of my cushions in the photos above, I got them from Target...just sayin'  xo

Read More »