100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Marks & Spencer Warm Neroli Eau De Toilette

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Marks & Spencer Warm Neroli Eau De Toilette. I bought this a few months ago when I sampled most of M&S’ new(ish) fragrances. You could say I had a power sniffing session. Whilst I disliked most of the fragrances I sampled that day, I thought this fragrance was nice. It’s been living – unused – in my stash since then. But I finally started to use it. And here’s what I think.

This fragrance contains the following notes: neroli, bergamot and musk. I generally like fragrances with these notes, but this one is an exception. This fragrance is just bad! What did I think I was smelling when I tested it? I guess my nose was confused after sampling so many fragrances…

What is this fragrance like? When you spray it, it’s immediately harsh and unpleasant – and breathing in this fragrance will make you cough. It’s awful. Once the fragrance has settled, it smells like an unrefined and cheap mess. It reminds me very much of those questionable bottom shelf hairsprays from the 90s. I wore this fragrance for one day only, I hated it instantly, and even my husband asked me if I could “forget” this fragrance at the office. Yes, that’s what I’ll do!

If you’re interested, Marks & Spencer Warm Neroli Eau De Toilette is available as 30ml for £6 and 100ml for £10. Also, this fragrance is vegan and certified cruelty-free (it carries THE Leaping Bunny logo).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

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 Extracts Banana 3 In 1 Hair Mask

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Superdrug Extracts Banana 3 In 1 Hair Mask which promises to nourish dry hair. Accoding to Superdrug, this hair mask can be used in 3 ways:

– as a conditioner (after you’ve rinsed out your shampoo, leave it in for 2 minutes),
– as a rinse-out hair mask (after you’ve rinsed out your shampoo, leave it in for 10 minutes),
– or as a leave-in conditioner (work it into dry or damp hair).

I’m not a fan of leave-in products as I hate the feeling of “product” in my hair, and I have no time to do a 10 minute hair mask. But I’ve been using this product as a conditioner (leaving it in for 2-3 minutes), and here’s what I think…

I think this hair mask is fab when used as a quick deep conditioner for 2-3 minutes. I like the fruity banana scent – very gourmand! And I like that this hair mask leaves my hair feeling soft and clean. Some hair care products can weigh down my hair, and others seem to grease up my hair rather quickly. But this hair mask doesn’t do any of that. I think this hair mask also adds a bit of volume for about half a day. All in all, this banana hair mask gives me lighweight, soft and fluffy (!) hair. 😀

Based on my experience, I’d recommend this hair mask. Superdrug Extracts Banana 3 In 1 Hair Mask is available as 300ml for £4.99. I paid £2.49 (half price offer). Also, this hair mask carries the Leaping Bunny logo – this means that it’s certified cruelty-free. The ingredients and the overall product are 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 💙💛

100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Superdrug Revive Hair Care Collagen Shampoo & Conditioner

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Superdrug Revive Hair Care Collagen Shampoo & Conditioner combo. These 2 products promise to add a bit of volume to fine hair. I’ve been using these products every morning for about 2 weeks now, and here’s what I think.

Superdrug Revive Hair Care Collagen Shampoo is a clear gel-type of shampoo. I find it cleansing but not stripping. Really nice. I also love the beautiful fragrance. I can’t describe it, but it smells fancy and feminine. A definite repurchase!

Onto Superdrug Revive Hair Care Collagen Conditioner which is just as nice as the shampoo. It detangles my hair with ease – which is something that most volume conditioners aren’t good at. But this conditioner delivers soft hair with a bit of volume. Very nice!

These 2 products are already on my to-buy-again list. I would definitely recommend them! If you’re interested, Superdrug Revive Hair Care Collagen Shampoo & Conditioner are available as 400ml each for £4.99 each. I bought them on a Buy 1 Get 1 Free offer. Also, both products are suitable for vegans and certified cruelty-free – they carry 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% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Marks & Spencer Water Jasmine Eau De Toilette

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Marks & Spencer Water Jasmine Eau De Toilette. I’ve previously given this fragrance a quick review. So I could have written today’s post under the “Revisiting Old Favourites” tag. But the heading just didn’t look right. And this fragrance deserves its own stand-alone review.

Anyhoo, back to this fragrance! The notes for Water Jasmine are citrus (top note), jasmine and rose florals (heart note), and soft musk, cedar and amber (base note). Sounds fresh and summery! 😍

What’s this fragrance like? It’s a burst of citrus freshness. It’s like Light Blue – but Light Green. I am in love with the fresh and unisex citrus aroma and the transparent shades of jasmine. This fragrance is a delight, not just on hot days. I’m glad I bought 2 big 100ml bottles which I know I’ll enjoy!

I cannot recommend this beautiful fragrance enough. If you’re interested, Marks & Spencer Water Jasmine Eau De Toilette is available as 30ml for £5 and 100ml for £9.50. Also, this fragrance is vegan and certified cruelty-free (it carries THE Leaping Bunny logo).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Botanical Lab Neem Leaf + Salicylic Acid Anti-Blemish Gentle Face Wash

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Botanical Lab Neem Leaf + Salicylic Acid Anti-Blemish Gentle Face Wash.

This face wash promises to cleanse the skin effectively and to remove impurities and make-up. It’s aimed at people with oily or blemish-prone skin as it’s meant to help reduce breakouts. The formula also contains allantoin and aloe vera which are said to help soothe and hydrate the skin.

I’ve only started to use this face wash about 3 weeks ago, but within 2 days I already knew that it’s so much better than any other in-the-shower facial cleanser I’ve used for a long time. It’s absolutely amazing at removing make-up residue! Alright, let me tell you about my evening routine.

In the evening, I usually use a cleansing cream type of product to dissolve and remove most of my make-up. Immediately after that, I take a shower, and I use a regular face wash to cleanse my face, to remove what’s left of my make-up, and to get rid of the cleansing cream residue.

The final step of my cleansing routine is going over my face with a cotton wool pad drenched in toner – which usually catches quite a bit of beige and grey.

Since I’ve been using this face wash, the toner-drenched cotton wool pad remains almost perfectly clean. I tried 4 different toners, and the results is the same with every single one of them. Using this face wash twice a day has made a huge difference to how clean and clear my face looks and feels. It’s incredible considering this is such a gentle product.

Based on my experience, I’d recommend this face wash to everyone, even people with dry or moody skin types (my skin is very dry and unpredictably moody). But as always, just make sure you’re not allergic to any of the ingredients and do a patch test before use.

If you’re interested, Botanical Lab Neem Leaf + Salicylic Acid Anti-Blemish Gentle Face Wash is available as 150ml for £4. I paid £2 (special offer with Tesco Clubcard). Oh, and according to the manufacturer, this product is vegan! 😍

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛