Looking behind the labels // Cruelty free beauty

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I have mentioned before that I favour organic and natural based beauty products in my Looking behind the labels: Parabens post, but what about cruelty free products? 

I have always been an animal lover since I collected the Animal Ark book series as a child. Although my vet aspirations did not last long (weak stomach!), my love for animals has always stayed with me. Due to this I would never knowingly purchase a product that has been tested on animals, but like many beauty lovers I feel that the industry makes it difficult to find out the origins of the products we buy. Many consumers buy products based on their advertising or on a whim whilst out shopping - therefore skipping the research into the ingredients and whether or not they are tested on animals. This convenience shopping could mean that people are unknowingly purchasing products that they might otherwise avoid for ethical reasons.  

Fortunately there are many fantastic cruelty free brands on the market today which certainly makes it easier for those of us who want to avoid products that have been tested on animals. For an easy way to identify cruelty-free products look out for the Leaping Bunny logo which are 'certified cruelty free under the internationally-recognised Humane Cosmetics or Humane Household Products Standards.' Although the EU has now banned animal tested cosmetics, this is not applicable to cosmetics sold outside the EU. As Go Cruelty Free states, 'The Leaping Bunny is a global standard and applies to all of the operations and sales of companies, not just those for the EU. We only certify companies that have a policy not to test their products on animals for any market, including China where animal testing for imported products is currently required.' So definitely keep an eye out for the Leaping Bunny if you want to ensure you are buying cruelty-free products! 

Cruelty free brands:

Burt's Bees

Neals Yard

Liz Earle

Dermalogica

Lush

Marks and Spencer's own brand products 

Models Own

REN

Sainsbury's own brand products

Soap and Glory

Pai Skincare

The Body Shop

To name but a few! For more cruelty-free brands and shopping advice I highly recommend visiting the Go Cruelty Free website. How do you feel about cruelty-free products? Do you research cosmetics or companies before you make a purchase?

Foodie Faves // Nákd raw fruit and nut bars Review

I thought I would share my new favourite healthy snacks on the blog today as I have been enjoying them immensely. The product in question is the raw fruit and nut bars from nákd. I had previously never heard or tried anything from this brand, but on a food shop I noticed these bars and thought I would give them a try - and I am so glad that I did.

Firstly I love that these bars are individually wrapped and portable, so they can be easily thrown into a handbag and taken to work or school - no more excuses for buying a chocolate bar come midday! I have a sweet tooth and am often tempted to snack on sweets or biscuits, but in an attempt to be more healthy, I was looking for an alternative to those naughty treats. I like these nákd bars because they satisfy my sweet tooth whilst containing good raw ingredients. The bars consist of dates, cashews and raisins as the base ingredients, then depending on the flavour either some natural flavourings or cocoa is added. There is no added sugar or syrups, they are 100% vegan and count as 1 of your 5 a day (woohoo!). They are also gluten, wheat and dairy free. I like all the flavours from the range, but my personal favourite is the cocoa orange. It tastes indulgent, but minus the guilty conscience! 

With other flavours such as Ginger Bread, Caffé Mocha, Cocoa Mint, Cashew Cookie and Pecan Pie available I am eager to try some more varieties from the range! Nákd also make a protein crunch bar that sounds equally as delicious.

Nákd bars are available from Natural Balance Foods, Holland and Barrett, Amazon, Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury's. Do you have a favourite healthy snack? Have you tried anything from nákd before? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Max Benjamin // Mimosa & Sweet Amber Natural Wax Candle Review

I am a fully-fledged candle lover. There is something lovely about lighting a candle in the evening and relaxing whilst the warm glow and scent fills the room. In winter I find myself using candles more regularly as they help to get me into the festive spirit. The latest addition to my candle collection is the Mimosa & Sweet Amber candle from Max Benjamin. Max Benjamin is an Irish company that creates hand-made candles in County Wicklow. They use a 'blend of pure natural waxes, essential oils and lead free wicks' meaning that their candles are made from 100% natural resources. The wax itself is created from Soy beans and other natural waxes, which means that it does not contain paraffin. This results in the candle burning cleanly without petrol-carbon soot. 

The Mimosa & Sweet Amber scent has the most incredible fresh yet sweet smell, and unlike some scented candles that I have tried in the past, this candle is strongly scented and fills the room with scent. Max Benjamin describe this scent as 'delicate top notes of green leaf, a gentle heart of mimosa, with soothing elements of sweet ambered sandal.' It is certainly a calm and relaxing scent, ideal for cold evenings in.

I have thoroughly enjoyed burning this candle and adore the Max Benjamin brand! I will definitely be exploring more of their scents in the future. I think that these candles would make a lovely gift as they feel very luxurious and are of such a high quality. Max Benjamin also have a fantastic selection of reed diffusers and skincare items - so there is something for everyone! 

The Max Benjamin candles retail for £19.95 and are available from the Max Benjamin website, House of Fraser and Ocado. Do you have a favourite candle?

Nivea Pure & Natural Facial Cleansing Wipes // Review

When I am travelling or feeling particularly lazy, there is nothing easier than cleansing face wipes to remove make-up. This week I was away from home for a few days so picked up some new facial wipes to use. I like wipes for travelling as they are convenient, take up little space in your luggage, are easy to use and easily disposed of. Quick and simple, just what you want when you are away from home.

For my trip away I opted for the Nivea Visage Pure & Natural Facial Cleansing wipes. I chose these wipes firstly because they were on a half price offer, but also because their ingredients are 95% of natural origin (something that instantly caught my eye and appealed to my chemical awareness radar). These wipes are free from parabens, silicones, colourants, mineral oils and alcohol - a promising list of things that I would like to avoid in my skin care routine. 

The first thing that I noticed when using these wipes was the strong scent. The scent, although pleasant and fresh, was particularly strong and overpowering for my personal preference. The packaging claims to remove make-up and mascara whilst being suitable for sensitive eyes, however I would disagree with this. I found that whilst removing the make-up from my eyes, I had problems with irritation and a stinging sensation. I have never encountered this issue with other facial wipes so I believe that it may be caused by the strong scent. For this reason I would suggest that those with sensitive skin or eyes may have issues with the scent of this product causing irritation in spite of the claims that these wipes are suitable for all skin types.

Despite the reaction that my eyes had to this product, the wipes did perform well. They effectively removed all traces of make-up (including a particularly stubbon waterproof mascara!) and left my skin feeling fresh and clean. 

Although these Nivea Pure & Natural wipes sounded ideal for me, I have to say that I am disappointed due to the issues I had with the scent of this product. If Nivea had a fragrance free version of these cleansing wipes I am sure that I would love them, but unfortunately they do not and thus I shall not be repurchasing these Pure & Natural wipes.

The Nivea Visage Pure & Natural Facial Cleansing Wipes retail for £3.09 and are available from Boots and Superdrug stores as well as on the Nivea website.

Do you use cleansing facial wipes to remove make-up? If so, which is your go-to brand for facial wipes? Let me know in the comments as I am always looking for new suggestions!