Beauty Gift Guide | The Natural Supply Co.

Hello!

I have some lovely Christmas gift ideas for you today from one of my favourite Australian online destinations, Natural Supply Co.

 Natural Supply Co launched in 2014 when three savvy women came together with the intention to make available quality, cruelty free, luxury natural products for body, bath and home. Catherine Brooks, Celeste Robertson and Sarah Scott are the women behind Natural Supply Co, and they share a passion for natural, cruelty free products from carefully selected brands that they themselves use and love.

I have discovered many new favourite products over the last two years, and though I am not what is commonly known as a  "Green" blogger, I am respectful of, and fascinated by the not only the beautiful products, but the artisans who create them.

I sometimes day-dream that I am one of those magical creators, spending the day in my kitchen whipping up a deliciously fragrant body butter, or blending a beautiful body oil...and when I'm not dreaming about that, I am dreaming about having my own online store... 

I digress!!

I have four gift ideas for you today which I purchased a couple of weeks ago. They are all beautiful, and come highly recommended by moi. Oh... and Catherine, Celeste and Sarah!

Babe Scrub BE RAD Organic Body Wash 500ml RRP $38.00AUD.

Not only is Australian brand Babe Scrub's BE RAD Organic body wash a beautiful product, it looks damn fine in your bathroom too. The low foaming, aloe and glycerin based gel feels lovely on the skin, whilst the aroma of lavender, mandarin and grapefruit is refreshing and uplifting. The scent is not at all sickly or overpowering, it is well balanced and delightful. I typically enjoy a lighter, fresher body wash for the warmer months, and this one is ticking all the boxes for me. It cleanses gently and rinses away easily, leaving your skin clean but not tight or uncomfortable. And I ask you...who doesn't want to Wake Up, Kick Arse, Be Rad and Repeat? *sassy finger snaps*.

DNA Elements Raspberry Antioxidant Body Oil 100ml $24.95AUD.

Another beautiful Australian brand, DnA Elements, have made this body oil exclusively for Natural Supply Co. The Raspberry Antioxidant Body Oil is a new favourite of mine, and is a product that has been on my wishlist for some time. There is a good reason this gorgeous oil has five star reviews on the NSC website. It is just beautiful. Don't be put off by thought of using a body oil in summer. I use them all year round, and this one is so delightfully lightweight and quick to melt into your skin... I promise you'll be a convert. 

" Nourish your body with this antioxidant rich body oil containing a base of sunflower, grapeseed and macadamia oils to soften, tone and rehydrate your skin. The signature ingredient raspberry seed oil is packed with vitamins A & E and essential fatty acids to help repair and condition your skin leaving it deeply nourished and luminous".

Not only is the texture glorious, the scent is too. Orange, lime, bergamot and juniper essential oils give it a sweet, citrusy, yet slightly earthy scent that is just divine. You may just have to gift yourself a bottle along with your loved one. Allow me to enable you...

Lanolips for Perfect Hands Trio 3 x 25ml $19.95AUD.

I am a little embarrassed by my Lanolips lip balm collection. I think I currently have five ( obsessed yes ) and I have either Lemonade or Banana on my lips most evenings, and Rhubarb in my handbag. Lanolips hand creams are equally lovely. Nourishing, protective, and healing, you need at least one these in your home. I have the  Rose hand cream permanently in my nappy bag. This gift set is brilliant value, and is ideal for breaking up into three separate gifts if you wish. Lanolips hand creams are 98.5% natural, and do not contain parabens, petrolatum, mineral oil, sulfates or artificial fragrances. I have not tried the lemon hand cream as yet...it might be a case of Merry Christmas to Lou, from Lou.

INIKA Naturally Delicious Lip Glaze Duo $34.00AUD.

The new to me, Australian mineral makeup brand INIKA have a lovely duo of their organic Lip Glazes especially for Christmas. Organic vegetable and seed oils, and carnauba wax make up the moisturising base, which is also contains organic vanilla oil, giving it a lovely soft, subtle fragrance.

The shade Lychee is a pale pink cream nude with no shimmer. It is quite pigmented, very pretty and looks to be quite a bit paler in real life, as opposed to the picture on the back of the packaging in which it appears more mauve/plum. Something to note.

Watermelon is a juicy, summer red with a subtle shimmer. Very pretty, and my favourite out of the two shades. The formula can be sheered out a little easier than the more white based creamy Lychee. You can also mix the two shades together, which gives you a third shade option! They feel very comfortable and nourishing on the lips, have a lovely shine, and certainly have enough colour pay off to wear on their own. I am eyeing off the 'Berry' shade...

Do head on over to Natural Supply Co here. I'm sure that you will enjoy browsing all of their lovely products as much as I do!

I can also warmly recommend the Yard Lip Bloss, a gorgeous gloss/balm hybrid that I ADORE which come in several different shades/flavours, and The Shore Soap Company Mermaid Kisses range...I have the solid perfume, and the lotion. Smells AMAZING! Think sweet, little bit citrusy, with the warmth of amber and musk...So Good!

HAPPY SHOPPING! 

Please leave any questions or comments for me below! Wishing you a safe and Happy Christmas!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored. No affiliate links are present. Products purchased by me. Cheers xo

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Replederm Age Redefine Trio | Review

Hello Beauties!

I hope you are well?

I have had the pleasure of testing out a new Australian skin care range from the Decode Life Group over the last 5 weeks, and I would like to share my thoughts with you today.

The range is called replederm, and consists of three core products known as the Age Redefine Trio.

replederm was launched in November 2015, just over a year ago, and was founded and developed by Tania Tan of Decode Life, an experienced community and compound pharmacist based in Victoria.

"Decode Life, founded in March 2015 by Tania Tan, began with a passion to assist busy and active middle aged women towards a vibrant, radiant and natural looking skin by incorporating the holistic approaches of age-old wisdom, modern research, and an open mind".

From this passion, the simple but potent, artisan replederm skin care range came about, designed to restore and nuture healthy skin. 

I have been testing these products for 5 weeks now, using the transforming serum morning and night, and the dark spot corrector and anti-ageing creme in the evening.

Just to include a little background for you, I am 41 years old and have several skin concerns ( how long have you got? ha ha! ), including pigmentation from both previous sun damage and five pregnancies, fine lines and some deeper wrinkles, I am acne prone, and my skin type is combination/oily/dehydrated! Phew!

If you would like to hear my thoughts on the replederm Age Redefine Trio, then please read on!!

replederm Age Redefine Trio.

The transforming serum is a beautifully lightweight, refreshing serum that has slipped easily into both my morning and evening skin care routines. My skin drinks it up, and it immediately feels hydrated, soothed and comfortable. Absorption is rapid, with no residual tackiness.

One of this serum's star ingredients is honey. One of my favourite skin care ingredients, it is known for its natural anti-bacterial properties, and is very healing and soothing for the skin. I can detect the subtle scent of honey on application...it is lovely.

The serum also contains vitamins C and E for antioxidant protection, the moisture binding "magnet" hyaluronic acid, and marine collagen, which is believed to assist in the stimulation of collagen synthesis. With age comes wisdom, and concurrently, a great deal less collagen!! Collagen and Elastin are the building blocks of the skin, and as we age there is a natural decline in production. Give me all the collagen I say!

replederm transforming serum also contains soothing aloe, hydrating macadamia and jojoba oils along with extracts of kakadu plum, known to contain a very high concentration of vitamin C.

I have no doubt that this serum would likely suit most skin types. It has been an absolute pleasure to use, and is just lovely! 

replederm dark spot corrector.

The dark spot corrector is a treatment cream which targets blemishes and pigmentation. I have been using it in the evenings, applying it after the serum, and before the anti-ageing creme.

One of the main ingredients is Niacinamide, otherwise known as vitamin B3. I am quite familiar with good old Niacinamide, and tend to look for it in my skin care products as I find it to give me noticeably brighter skin with improvement in both texture and clarity.

Pracaxi oil is another main ingredient, and one that I was not familiar with. After a little bit of research, I discovered some rather interesting facts! Pracaxi oil is native to the Amazon and contains high levels of behenic acid, which is believed to be beneficial in reducing skin discolouration. Interestingly, behenic acid can be useful in reducing stretch marks, and is also used in shampoos and conditioners as it is known to make your hair soft and shiny!

Amazonian locals use Pracaxi oil as an all-purpose natural remedy to accelerate healing of skin damage from small cuts and abrasions, insect and snake bites. It is also anti-bacterial, soothing and healing. Due to its ability to aid in cell renewal, it has more recently become an ingredient of benefit in skin care formulations.

The dark spot corrector has quite a thick texture, however it smoothes easily over the skin. It has no discernible fragrance. It contains plenty of nourishing oils, and also contains Shea Butter. I was a little worried initially that it may be too heavy for my acneaic skin, which will often react and break out in cystic acne when I use products containing shea, however I am pleased to report that have not had any issues whatsoever!

Though I don't have any photographs to share, I have certainly noticed an overall improvement in  skin clarity, I feel that my skin tone is more even, and some areas of pigmentation are looking noticeably lighter. It is recommended to be used morning and night for 8 weeks to see full results, so I will indeed update you with any further improvements!

The texture of the anti-ageing creme is soft, pillowy and luxurious. Sensorially it is a pleasure to apply, not only because of the lovely texture, but also due to the inclusion of some lovely essential oils of Frankincense, Ylang Ylang, Rose Geranium and Sandalwood. It absorbs quickly and easily, leaving a satin matte finish...not at all greasy or shiny.

The hydration and moisture protective elements are taken care of thanks to its base of glycerin, sunflower seed oil, sweet almond oil, macadamia oil and shea butter ( again, no issues with acne break outs at all ). 

Again, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C are present, along with the anti-ageing heroes vitamin A and peptides to boost collagen and elastin production.

The anti-ageing creme is recommended primarily for dry, combination, and mature skin types, however my combo/oily/dehydrated skin likes it very much indeed! I have found all three of the products to layer nicely too. When I wake up in the morning my skin looks and feels hydrated without looking or feeling greasy. It looks plump and fresh. I have also noticed a happy coincidence of less pimples/acne, and generally much clearer skin for the last few weeks! 

I am happy to report that the replederm literature recommends the use of adequate sunscreen during the day to protect your skin! It has been said many times before, but the best anti-ageing product you can use on your skin is a broad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen every day!

Do head over to the Decode Life website here, where you can read all about Tania's story, and purchase some of these lovely products if you wish to try them for yourself!

replederm is eco-friendly, cruelty free, not tested on animals, and made in Australia.

I can happily report that replederm products are currently 30% off until 29th December 2016!

transforming serum - RRP $89.90 now $62.90AUD.

dark spot corrector - RRP $79.90 now $55.90AUD.

anti-ageing creme - RRP $89.90 now $62.90AUD.

OR

The Age Redefine Trio is normally $219.90, down to $153.90AUD.

You can also purchase a trial pack ( I LOVE it when companies offer trial packs!! ) which gives you enough of each of the three products for one weeks use, for $4.95! I'd recommend grabbing 2 trial packs...two weeks supply will give you a good idea if your skin likes them, and will cost you less than $10.00!! Shipping is currently only available in Australia, with hopes to extend to International in the future.

Do let me know in the comments below if you have any questions! I have really enjoyed using the replederm Age Redefine Trio, and would not hesitate to recommend it!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

Disclaimer: Products were kindly provided for my consideration. My experiences and results are my own. Products that work well for me may not give you the same results, and vice versa. This post is not sponsored. Do head instructions/advice on all skin care products and patch test prior to use! Cheers! xo

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Metta Skincare Must-haves!

Good Evening Beauties!

After quite a long hiatus, I am back on the blog! If you don't follow me on social media, I had a baby girl in August, and have taken some time to settle in and just enjoy her. Her name is Addison, and she is my fifth bubba! She is three months old now and is an absolute delight!

I was sent these two beautiful products from the Australian brand Metta Skincare toward the end of my pregnancy, and they have taken up residence on my bedside table ever since. Handmade with gorgeous nourishing ingredients, the Body Butter and Hand Balm have not only moisturised and cared for my skin, they have also been instrumental in helping me to relax and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

If you would like to know a little bit more about these two lovely products, then please read on!

Handmade in Melbourne, Australia, using certified organic ingredients, it is obvious that much thought, love and care has gone into these formulations. The Body Butter is available in two scents... Vanilla, and Lavender. I was sent the lavender Body Butter, and I adore it. It contains only six ingredients, Shea Butter, Grapeseed Oil, Cocoa Seed Butter, Jojoba Oil, Coconut Oil, and Lavender essential oil. Its whipped, fluffy texture is a delight to apply...it melts luxuriously into the skin, and a little definitely goes a long way. 

Now, being a butter, it is quite rich and protective, which is why I like to apply it after my evening shower. You have time to really massage it into the skin, whilst enjoying the gorgeous aroma. Having said that, it does absorb really nicely, and does not leave your skin feeling sticky or tacky. For me, there is just the right amount of lavender oil. It is bright and refreshing, not overly pungent or too floral, and lavender oil has a long history of being known to assist in feelings of relaxation and reducing stress. 

Butters, in my humble opinion, are not meant to be "light" or rapidly absorbed...they are designed to nourish and protect and feed the skin. Apply it mindfully, with intention, giving yourself some time to breathe and fill up your tank. I am now close to halfway through this rather large jar which contains a hefty 135gm product. Although I love it, I kind of want to try the Vanilla one too! It's on my list! Oils and balms are my jam...I simply have to try them all!

The beautiful Hand Balm is equally loved. It lends itself perfectly to the bedside table, and has been religiously applied to my cuticles, hands and feet for many months. Pregnancy puts a lot of pressure on your feet, and mine would ache terribly, particularly in the third trimester. A good massage with some of this balm would provide me with relief, and also helped to prevent my skin from cracking around my heels ( bit gross, sorry ). It is surprising how much tension is carried in our hands, if you have ever had a hand massage you would know what I mean...it feels so good! I also apply a good blob of balm to each cuticle and massage it into the skin and nail bed. If you are short on time, take a tiny bit of balm, rub it between your hands and then place them close to your face, inhaling the gorgeous aroma. I will often do this during the day if I am feeling a little stretched trying to meet the needs of my family! 

The Hand Balm has also been used numerous times on my children. It soothes and takes the itch out of mozzy bites, and gets rubbed into any part of them that feels a bit sore! If they are having trouble settling of an evening I'll massage a little onto the back of their necks and shoulders. It really is a great all-purpose balm to have in your cupboard.

This luscious balm contains Olive Fruit Oil, Shea Butter, Beeswax, Calendula Flowers and Lavender essential oil, and all ingredients are certified organic. Its' fragrance is just as lovely as the Body Butter.



You can find out more about Metta on their website here, including stockists. The Metta range also
includes a Lip Balm, Face Balm and a Body Oil...and yeah I pretty much want them too!


If you fancy heading to the online market Good Spender here, you will find the Metta Hand Balm for $24.00 AUD, and the Body Butter for $34.00 AUD. I think these are amazing prices for such beautiful products that will certainly last you a long time! They would also make a beautiful Christmas gift for someone special, and that includes you! You can also read about how Metta chooses to use a portion of its profit for a very good cause. Good Spender is a great place to shop online consciously, especially with Christmas so close now!




Have you tried any of Metta's products? Do you have a favourite body butter or balm that you think I should try? Do let me know in the comments below!






Thanks so much for stopping by!



Blessings,



Lou xo

Disclaimer; Products were sent for consideration/review. This is not a sponsored post. I am not affiliated with any brands or business mentioned in the above post. Always patch test products before use, and check with your doctor before using products containing essential oils during pregnancy.  Cheers xo.

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