100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Sukin Certified Organic Rosehip Oil

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Sukin Certified Organic Rosehip Oil for dry and distressed skin types.

According to Sukin, this facial oil contains “no less than 70% essential fatty acids”. In addition, vitamins have been added – to soften, hydrate and soothe the skin.

The facial oil claims to help reduce the appearance of scars, to fight the signs of ageing, to reduce redness and dry skin, and to maintain skin health.

How do you use it? You’re supposed to massage 2-3 drops of oil into cleansed skin. Nothing complicated.

I’ve been using this facial oil for almost a month now, and I think it’s average at best.

This facial oil is quite thick, so I always use it in conjunction with 2-3 sprays of face mist, otherwise it’s rather difficult to spread it all across my face and neck.

Despite the thick formula, it’s not as rich as other facial oils that I’ve used in the past.

And yes, I’ve also “watered down” those other facial oils by spraying face mist onto my skin. So I’m using a lot more of the facial oil that what’s recommended on the back of the bottle.

I have an eczema patch and another small area on my face which is healing from a giant spot. No matter how much facial oil I apply at night, I still wake up to scaly skin around those areas. And no matter how much facial oil I apply in the morning, those areas are starting to dry up quickly, so I have to keep applying more oil.

I haven’t seen any other benefits yet. I know I’m just a month into using this facial oil, but it’s not helping with skin healing, and I also dislike its strong smell. It smells like… something you’d mix into salad dessing. I’ve previously had a few products with strong “natural” smells, and it was always a struggle to finish them. I’m not a wasteful person, so I rarely throw stuff away. I’m not binning this facial oil, but I can only continue to use it in conjunction with other scented products, otherwise the smell is just too much.

One more thing – this oil stains! So be careful when you use it!

I know I won’t be buying this product or any other products from Sukin’s Rosehip range again. I’ve now had this rosehip facial oil, the rosehip cleanser and the rosehip day cream, but none of these products wowed me. There is one more product in this range that’s available in the UK – the night cream. But I’m giving that one a pass!

But if you’re interested, Sukin Certified Organic Rosehip Oil for dry and distressed skin types is available as 50ml for £19.95 (Boots). I got this product as part of a £12.99 gift set which contained Sukin products worth over £40.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Astonish Bath Soak Refreshing Golden Glow, Astonish Bath Soak Soothing Deep Blue

Hi there! Today’s post is about 2 cheap bath gels which I picked up at Iceland and Poundland, respectively – Astonish Bath Soak Refreshing Golden Glow and Astonish Bath Soak Soothing Deep Blue. Onto the review!

Astonish Bath Soak Refreshing Golden Glow is a beautiful bath gel. Whilst most peach-scented toiletries smell of slightly bitter peach skin or of overly ripe peaches, this bath gel managed to capture the most pleasant peach scent – I call it dream peach! The bath gel is on the drying side, but I moisturise after every bath anyway, so I don’t mind.

Astonish Bath Soak Soothing Deep Blue smells too masculine for my taste. It smells like my husband’s many blue shower gels. It’s not a bad scent at all, and my husband used and enjoyed most of this bath gel, but I wouldn’t buy it again for myself. But I’d buy it for my husband. This one is also a bit drying, but not a problem if you moisturise after you’ve bathed.

Based on my experience, I would recommend both bath gels – provided you like the fragrances. Astonish Bath Soak Refreshing Golden Glow and Astonish Bath Soak Soothing Deep Blue are available as giant 950ml bottles, and priced at £1 each, they’re a total steal! Also, both products are certified cruelty-free – they carry THE Leaping Bunny logo, and they’re also vegan!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Superdrug Fruity Vanilla Ice Cream Shower Gel

Hi there! Today’s super short post is about this Superdrug Fruity Vanilla Ice Cream Shower Gel.

This is a limited edition that I picked up after one of my friends told me I had to try Superdrug’s Birthday Cake shower gel. My store didn’t have the Birthday Cake shower gel, but I picked up 2 bottles of the Vanilla Ice Cream shower gel as it sounded nice enough.

I’ve been using this shower gel a few times, and whilst I don’t love it, I think it’s quite enjoyable, although I can see it getting old quickly too.

The fragrance is sweet and vanilla-like, although it doesn’t really smell like ice cream. But that’s OK. I didn’t expect that. If you like vanilla-scented toiletries, you might want to check out this shower gel.

Superdrug Fruity Vanilla Ice Cream Shower Gel is available as 250ml for £1.79. I think this is too much for a drugstore own brand shower gel.

I bought 2 shower gels on a Buy 1 Get 1 Free special promotion. Also, this shower gel is certified cruelty-free. It carries THE Leaping Bunny logo. This shower gel is also vegan!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glow Gentle Cleansing Milk

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glow Gentle Cleansing Milk.

The Naturally Radiant Glow range intends to rebalance the skin and to minimise blemishes and signs of irritation for a calmer, soothed and more healthy looking complexion.

This cleansing milk contains vegan coconut yoghurt and a prebiotic complex which promises to help maintain the skin’s natural microbiome.

How do you use it? Use it as you’d use any other cleansing milk or cleansing cream. Squeeze a bit of product onto a cotton pad, and use it to dissolve and remove your make-up. Then use a toner after and follow with your regular skin care routine.

I’ve been using this product on and off for a few weeks now, and I think it’s quite good. I like the faint yoghurty scent – nice, clean, fresh.

I’m happy to report that this cleansing milk doesn’t smell overly coconutty. This is great because I’m not a fan of coconut flavours and scents.

This cleansing milk also does a reasonable job removing make-up. Granted, I’m not making the biggest effort with eye make-up at the moment, and I mainly wear foundation and lipstick, but this cleansing milk gets rid of almost all traces of make-up. I tried a few different toners to see how much leftover product they’d catch – and it’s always just a hint of beige.

I will continue to use this product, and I would recommend it (as always – just make sure you’re not allergic to any of the ingredients). If you’re interested, Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glow Gentle Cleansing Milk is available as 150ml. The price has recently gone up from £6.99 to £7.99. I paid £3.49 (half price offer before the price went up). Keep your eyes peeled for the very frequent Better Than Half Price and Buy One Get One Free promotions on the Naturally Radiant range. Oh, one more thing, this product is vegan and cruelty-free (it carries The Leaping Bunny logo). 😍

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

A’kin Sensitive Calming Day & Night Cream

Hi there! Today’s post is about this A’kin Sensitive Calming Day & Night Cream. This face cream doesn’t contain sulfates, parabens, silicones, ethoxylated cleansers, PEGs, phthalates, mineral oil, synthetic fragrances, artificial colours and animal derivatives. According to the manufacturer, this face cream is vegan and cruelty-free. 😍

This face cream promises to nourish the skin and to enhance the skin’s appearance. Infused with chamomile, shea butter and vitamin E, this face cream also promises long lasting hydration that leaves even the most delicate skin feeling great.

I’ve been using this moisturiser on and off for a few weeks, and I don’t like it. Its not necessarily a bad product, but it’s just definitely not right for me. And here’s why. First of all, this moisturiser has a strong scent that reminds me of a kale-based skin care line that I tried (and hated) a long time ago. The scent is definitely botanical, but it’s not the most suitable scent for a cosmetic product.

Then there’s the formula. This face cream leaves white marks all over the face unless you go over it again and again. I would say that it takes about 15 swipes to work the white stuff into my skin. The formula feels overly rich, but it doesn’t seem to penetrate the skin. It just sits on top of the dry patches. Weird.

Lastly, this face cream doesn’t play nice with my foundation. It makes my foundation ball up. I tried to give it longer to absorb, but it didn’t work. I tried extra facial oil – but using facial oil in addition to a rich moisturiser AND an oil-based foundation is just ridiculous.

I think I will continue to use this face cream as a night cream. But since its richness appears to be superficial, I need to dig up the facial oil again. If you’re interested, A’kin Sensitive Calming Day & Night Cream is available as 50ml. The RRP is £24 but I paid £3 (TK Maxx).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

100% Cruelty-Free – Morrisons Revive Pink Grapefruit & Basil Extracts Shower Gel, Morrisons Nourish Shea Butter & Honey Extracts Shower Cream

Hi there! Today’s post is about Morrisons Revive Pink Grapefruit & Basil Extracts Shower Gel and Morrisons Nourish Shea Butter & Honey Extracts Shower Cream. I’m not really a Morrisons shopper, but when I swung by Morrisons the other day, I picked up these 2 shower gels. I’ve already given them a try, and here’s what I think.

Morrisons Revive Pink Grapefruit & Basil Extracts Shower Gel was a bit of a disappointment. It smells nice and fresh from the bottle, but it hardly smells of anything as soon as it’s out of the bottle. It also doesn’t produce much of a lather, and it doesn’t make me feel as clean as I’d like to feel. I’m only using this shower gel in the morning because I don’t think it’s good enough for evening use after a long (and potentially sweaty) day. On a positive note, this shower gel is suitable for vegans.

Morrisons Nourish Shea Butter & Honey Extracts Shower Cream isn’t nice. I tried it, and didn’t like it. Tried it once more… still didn’t like it. This shower gel smells very sugary; fragrance-wise there’s not much honey or shea butter. It also doesn’t really lather up – it’s just not great. I’ll be squeezing this one into the hand wash dispenser in the kitchen.

I’m not impressed with these shower gels, and I won’t be rushing out to try more. If you’re interested, Morrisons Revive Pink Grapefruit & Basil Extracts Shower Gel and Morrisons Nourish Shea Butter & Honey Extracts Shower Cream are available as 250ml for 95p (although they were 90p when I bought them 2 weeks ago). Both shower gels are certified cruelty-free as they carry THE Leaping Bunny logo!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Marks & Spencer Spiced Bergamot Eau De Toilette

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Marks & Spencer Spiced Bergamot Eau De Toilette. This post could be filed under “Revisiting Old Favourites”, but the heading would have been clunky. Regardless, this fragrance is an “old” favourite, and here’s why…

Let’s start with the notes! Spiced Bergamot has the following notes: bergamot, lemon and orange flower (top notes), white flowers and cardamom (heart notes), and cedar, amber and musk (base notes).  Sounds good!

Spiced Bergamot is an amazing fragrance. It’s starts very fresh – with lemon and bergamot. I can’t smell any orange flower or white flowers, but I can smell cedar and musk The fragrance lasts for about 3-4 hours (it’s a skin scent after about 1 hour) and I can sniff out some cardamom as the citrus notes disappear.

This fragrance remind me of Light Blue. It’s definitely NOT the same as Light Blue, but with lemon and cedar being such prominent notes, and with its cool, refreshing and unisex feel, Spiced Bergamot makes you think of Light Blue! Having said this, Spiced Bergamot is definitely “pink”, and it also has a more transparent feel. If you think of Light Blue as lemon and water, you could think of Spiced Bergamot as lemon / bergamot and air.

I cannot recommend this beautiful fragrance enough. If you’re interested, Marks & Spencer Spiced Bergamot Eau De Toilette is available as 30ml for £5 and 100ml for £9.50. I bought a special edition 200ml for £6.25 (half price post-Christmas clearance). Also, this fragrance is vegan and certified cruelty-free (it carries THE Leaping Bunny logo).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

100% Cruelty-Free – Superdrug Leafy & Lovely Summer Meadow Hand Lotion

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Superdrug Leafy & Lovely Summer Meadow Hand Lotion which I picked up at Superdrug a while ago. The Leafy & Lovely collection usually makes an appearance around Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and possibly other such days where women expect presents, although I’m not 100% sure as I don’t keep track of Superdrug’s special promotions. But onto the hand cream now!

I think this hand cream is lovely. It has a fresh, botanical fragrance which is nice and pleasant. The formula is rich but not greasy. So you can use it on the go or at work without having to wait for it to sink into your skin before you touch anything. I also like the tube and the lid which resembles much fancier (and much more expensive) hand creams. However, Superdrug Leafy & Lovely Summer Meadow Hand Lotion is only £1. An incredible bargain if you consider the quality and the pretty design! Also, this hand cream is certified cruelty-free (it carries THE Leaping Bunny logo).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Primark PS… Revitalising Marine Algae + Hyaluronic Acid Sheet Mask

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Primark PS… Revitalising Marine Algae + Hyaluronic Acid Sheet Mask. This sheet mask also contains pro-vitamin B5 and extracts of aloe vera leaf, watermelon, bilberry, kelp, etc. This mask promises refreshing hydration.

Simply cleanse your face, put the mask on and leave it on for about 15 minutes, then massage the essence into your skin – and that’s already it.

I’ve given this mask a try, and I think it’s nice. I enjoyed the subtle scent – it’s a green and fresh scent that I can’t describe. But it was pleasant. I also found the mask refreshing and hydrating – just as promised. My skin looked and felt great, and I’d give the mask an extra point for not leaving a sticky film on my skin. Great stuff!

Based on my experience, I’d recommend this sheet mask. Primark PS… Revitalising Marine Algae + Hyaluronic Acid Sheet Mask is available as a 23g single-use mask for 80p (Primark). This mask is also certified vegan (by The Vegan Society) and cruelty-free (it carries THE Leaping Bunny logo).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Faith In Nature Aloe Vera Hand Made Soap

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Faith In Nature Aloe Vera Hand Made Soap. I don’t think I’ve ever tried any product from this brand, but this soap was on special, and I also saw that this soap is certified vegan (by The Vegan Society) and cruelty-free (it carries the Leaping Bunny logo). So I bought it!

I tried this soap today, and whilst I like it, I don’t love it. The soap is a light green, curved bar soap. It has a classic soap scent with aloe vera mixed in. It lathers up well, and I found it to be cleansing. I would recommend it after a sweaty work-out! However, the soap is drying, and using a body lotion is a must after the shower.

All in all, this is a decent soap. It’s not a favourite, but worth a try if you love bar soaps for the shower. It’s also a good buy if you want to support a vegan and cruelty-free brand! Faith In Nature Aloe Vera Hand Made Soap is available as 100g for about £2.75. I paid £1.50 (special offer).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛