And this month is a big one!!
I'm not sure how we got through so many products in October to be honest. Many had been on the go for a long while, but still -- 27 in one month is a lot! Though to be fair it is two people finishing them up for the most part... That makes it better, right??
This month was just okay in terms of products that could be recycled, with four not being able to go into the blue bin (mainly due to having plastic seals inside of the foil packet -- ugh), but I am slowly getting through the remainder of my plastic packaged items which makes me excited -- one step closer to finally starting fresh on my minimal waste goal. Of course there will be plastic in my life still... It's near impossible sadly to get away from it. But I'm hoping to be able to keep this as limited as possible!
In terms of the products themselves, there were a few that I really loved, one I really disliked, and quite a lot that were pretty good. So let me get down to it!
Transparency Key:
* This post contains affiliate links and some products have been gifted
No matter how I have received a product, whether it has been purchased with my own money, gifted by a brand, been subsidized by a brand, won, gifted by friends/family, or purchased with a gift voucher, my approach is always the same -- honesty, integrity, and highlighting both the good and the bad. You can find more information on Disclosures and Privacy here.
Ursa Major 4 in 1 Essential Face Wipe:
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: super convenient, cotton wipe, really refreshing, doesn't dry skin out, great for travel
Negatives: plastic wrapper, single use
Buy again?: not now, but definitely if their outer packaging changes in future
Further Reviews
Twelve Beauty Ideal Brightening Corrective Serum (1ml):
Enjoyed?: hard to tell from so small a sample TBH
Positives: lightweight, didn't break me out after 2 uses
Negatives: hard to tell
Buy again?: I'm unsure - I would like to see how it works longer term though so maybe
Bodhi & Birch Tomato Seed Cleansing Oil (15ml):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: lovely semi-sweet scent, gentle in all aspects, softening, great for removing makeup, gave my skin a nice glow
Negatives: n/a
Buy again?: yes
Flaya No. 48 Perfume (10ml):
Enjoyed?: love!
Positives: adore the aroma (depth, warm), all natural, scent lasts a decent time (esp compared to other natural perfumes), priced well
Negatives: n/a
Buy again?: already have picked up a full size!
Further Reviews
Christy Organics Trance Perfume (1ml):
Enjoyed?: yes!
Positives: gorgeous scent (warm vanilla notes combined with seductive jasmine + ylang ylang, with a hint of sweetness), scent lasts a fair amount of time, more of a perfume oil than a spray (but I like that), organic
Negatives: a little thick (but I like the moisturizing elements TBH), pricy
Buy again?: I wish, but it seems hard to get a hold of *cries*
Balm Balm Indulge Bath & Shower Oil (3ml):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: smells lovely, not heavy on skin, minimal plastic
Negatives: no longer available to purchase
Buy again?: I would if I could
Balm Balm Balance Bath & Shower Oil (3ml):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: smells lovely, not heavy on skin, minimal plastic
Negatives: no longer available to purchase
Buy again?: I would if I could
Briogeo Don't Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Mask (29ml):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: gives hair a moisture boost for several days, adds shine, doesn't make hair greasy or weigh it down
Negatives: plastic tube
Buy again?: possibly!
Earthwise Beauty Nap in the Meadow Face Serum (~3ml):
Enjoyed?: yes!
Positives: intriguing scent (herbal, fresh), very light (verging on liquid) but hydrating and refreshing, non-irritating even for my fussy skin, multi-functional (can skip the toner!), flower essences provide added benefits (and all are made by Ava!)
Negatives: none
Buy again?: already have picked up a mini bottle to try further
Nini Organics Glow Limited Edition (~.5ml):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: absolutely gorgeous, feels amazing on skin, adds a soft glow + moisture
Negatives: no longer available *sobs*
Buy again?: I wish I had picked up a full bottle before they were gone
Bodhi & Birch Super25 Botanical Serum (5ml):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: multi-functional, super nourishing, softening, skin always feels super smooth after use, adds a dewy glow -- great as a primer or prior to moisturizer
Negatives: n/a
Buy again?: already have another mini bottle on the go!
Felicity McDonald Organics Bath Salts (
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: beautiful in look/smell, aroma carries through after you sprinkle into tub
Negatives: n/a
Buy again?: yes (though the website doesn't seem to be working for me at the moment...)
Further Reviews
John Masters Organics Scalp Stimulating Shampoo (236ml):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: perfect for my hair - non drying, keeps hair looking fresh for most of the week, smells amazing, super refreshing
Negatives: plastic bottle
Buy again?: maybe in future (esp if the packaging changes)
Further Reviews
Yellow Gorse Himalayan Bath Salts (175g):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: plastic free, pretty affordable, versatile as the scent isn't super strong, lovely petals inside
Negatives: scent is not super potent (but this makes it great for pairing with other bath products!)
Buy again?: yes
Further Reviews
Alteya Organic Bulgarian Chamomile Water (240ml):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: super affordable, great size, calming for before bed, soothes skin (love using after shower or before sleep)
Negatives: n/a
Buy again?: yes
Further Reviews
Green People Soothing Shaving Gel (100ml):
Enjoyed?: Tim did
Positives: helps give a close shave, smells nice (uplifting), pretty gentle (suitable for his dry-sensitive skin), very smooth and silky, lathers well
Negatives: plastic bottle, Tim got through this pretty quick despite the good size (though I suspect he used way too much haha)
Buy again?: possibly - Tim liked it a lot
Mallow + White Tumeric + Citrus Spice Soap:
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: smells fab (warm citrus), lasts ages, non-drying (doesn't strip skin), great for shower or for hands so very mutli-functional, stays in tact rather than mushing up
Negatives: n/a
Buy again?: I already have one more bar to use up from their range!
Further Reviews
Botanicals Foot Scrub (70g):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: not super rough so it's surprisingly gentle, works to moisturize as well as buff away dead cells, turns into a milk when water mixes with the product
Negatives: not quite exfoliating enough always - you have to use consistently for it to be fully effective
Buy again?: eventually as I love the scent and feel (this is actually my second tub)
Further Reviews
Niskama Skincare Gentle Smoothing Face Polish (30ml):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: gorgeous scent, gives a light tingle which is awakening and refreshing, super gentle despite the grain, worked well for my sensitive skin, super affordable, plastic free
Negatives: n/a
Buy again?: yes!
Further Reviews
Kiss the Moon Glow After Dark Face Polish (100g):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: aroma is lovely (sweet, warming), scrub is fairly rough but the oils add a boost of moisture that helps this become a super effective buffing treatment, great for stubborn dry/peeling patches of skin - just gently massage into the area and it becomes super soft and smooth
Negatives: a little rough for my face at times, but it's great for Tim!
Buy again?: yes
Further Reviews
Tabitha James Kraan Clean Conditioner in Golden Citrus (200ml):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: smells lovely (citrus mixed with warm vanilla), moisturizes but doesn't weigh down hair or make it look oily, more of a micro-boost for hair on a daily basis than a super nourishing punch that lasts all week (but I'm okay with that since I mix in with my shampoo as well sometimes)
Negatives: a little pricy (but it lasts so long that it's worth it)
Buy again?: yes
Further Reviews
Carbon Theory Charcoal, Tea Tree Oil & Mineral Mud (50ml):
Enjoyed?: no
Positives: great texture - super smooth
Negatives: ingredients aren't conducive to "problem" skin despite its claims (incl coconut oil), plastic pouch, phenoxyethonal
Buy again?: no
Ishtar Ultralase Mandelic Gluconic Face Wash (100ml):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: super lightweight cleanse, helps keep skin clear, surprisingly gentle, great for use in shower if you're in a rush, no strong scent which is a nice way to change things up
Negatives: plastic bottle, doesn't foam?
Buy again?: maybe
Mallow + White Coffee + Mint Scrub Soap:
Enjoyed?: love!
Positives: everything haha - plastic free, great for exfoliating, multi-tasker (hands or face or body), suds up pretty well, smells amazing
Negatives: n/a
Buy again?: yes - need to restock soon as I'm on my last bar *shrieks*
Further Reviews
Bamford and Wolfe Body Jam in Pina Colada:
Enjoyed?: mostly
Positives: smells yum, gentle grain so not harsh on skin, melts away, moisturizing, interesting texture
Negatives: coconut oil, plastic pot
Buy again?: perhaps the full size as Tim loved this
Planted Virgin Shea and Cocoa Whipped Body Butter (200ml):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: smells delightful (rich, buttery, notes of chocolate), feels so nourishing, great for winter, softens skin and perfect for dry patches
Negatives: too big a pot for me personally (I prefer smaller so I can ensure I'll finish before the use by date), plastic pot
Buy again?: I'm not sure - I enjoyed it though!
Kathleen Tranquil Fields Bubble Bath & Shower Gel (150ml):
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: smells amazing (so calming, warm vanilla notes and sweet lavender), lovely bubbly foam in bath, non drying, lasts ages, a fav for natural bubble bath!
Negatives: plastic bottle
Buy again?: yes - already have another bottle on the shelf!
Further Reviews
And that was everything we finished using in October! And for 27 products emptied, I think there was only one I categorically didn't like. That's pretty good going!
Overall, I would say my favourites were probably the perfumes (from Flaya and Christy Organics), Bodhi & Birch goodies, Nini Organics limited edition oil, Earthwise Beauty serum, and the Niskama scrub. Of course I am still obsessed with the Mallow + White soaps, Kathleen bubble bath, and TJK conditioner too, but I've already talked so much about those I feel.
My runner ups for favourites? Definitely the bath salts (especially from Yellow Gorse), Kiss the Moon scrub, and the Alteya floral water. These were staples for a long while, and I so so so enjoyed them! As did Tim!
Speaking of, his top picks definitely were the Green People shaving gel and the Bamford and Wolfe scrub -- I've never seen him get through something so quickly!
Have you tried any of our top choices? I would love to hear your thoughts on the empties we finished this month! And of course I'm always up for learning about what you finished -- let me know in the comments! xx
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