Alva's Organic Deep Black Mascara - Review*

Alva is the first European natural cosmetics brand to launch a range of makeup products all of which are certified organic and vegan; Alva is the first European cosmetics brand to use research-proven patented beta-glucan in makeup products, making it suitable for anti-aging skincare regimes as well as for those with sensitive skin. And there are more innovations to come as we continue to develop what we believe to be one of the most comprehensive, environmentally-friendly, organic, natural & ethical cosmetic ranges on the market today.

This certified organic and vegan mascara gives more volume to eyelashes and exceptional radiance to the eyes. Vibrant and durable thanks to gum Arabic (Acacia), this mascara is fortified by patented beta-glucan, wild rose oil, natural vitamin E, and candelilla wax. Our extensive testing, as well as the responses from people that have already bought this mascara, provide testament to its staying power, ease of use, and functionality. The phrase: "at last, a natural mascara that works, doesn't run and doesn't need almost constant re-application for normal daily wear", is now commonplace from first-time users of Colour Deep Black Mascara. Although this mascara isn't waterproof, under normal conditions, which include light exercise, it will last throughout the day. The inclusion of beta-glucans makes them suitable for those with sensitive eyes. 

This is my first product of two that was sent to me this month from the lovely people at MyPure. I decided to go for mascara this time as I haven't found a good cruelty-free vegan one so far, but that was until now! I ended up choosing the Alva 'Organic Deep Black' Mascara as I had seen quite a lot of good reviews on it and I wanted to try it out for myself. Now bearing in mind that I haven't worn any make-up for the past four months due to not feeling the need to, as soon as I received the products I really wanted to try out my new mascara. So I curled my lashes with my eyelash curler and got to work with the new mascara. This is the only mascara I have ever smelt and thought 'yum!' after smelling it, I would describe the smell like a strong but non-lingering sweet marzipan and almond scent. I found the brush to be just the right size for me and it was comfortable to hold and easy to use which is always a good thing for mascara. I also found that you don't need many coats of this mascara to give your eyelashes definition and extra length. Like previous mascaras I've used in the past this one doesn't seem to clump my eyelashes together and it doesn't go dry and flakey, like other vegan and cruelty-free mascaras I have read about do. And when It came to taking the mascara off I found it so easy when removing it as it all came off in a just few wipes when just using water on a cotton pad. So as you can see I found this mascara so good that I don't think I'll be searching around for another one.

This product was sent to me to review, all views are my own.

Natracare's Organic Cotton Baby Wipes - Review*

Natracare is more than just organic and natural products. We are an award-winning, ethical company committed to offering sustainable solutions for personal health care that leaves only a soft footprint on the earth. Established in 1989, Natracare is a small family-run business based in the UK and today is the global leading brand of natural and organic menstrual and personal care products. All of our menstrual, incontinence, and baby care products use only organic and natural materials. Everything we use, do, and create is a commitment to the highest ethical standards whether focussed on organic principles or biodegradability. Our entire supply chain, from raw materials and processing, shares in our commitment to manage and monitor resources respectfully and ethically.

Many conventional cleansing wipes contain a host of harsh chemicals including formaldehyde-releasing chemicals, foaming ingredients, parabens, and synthetic fragrances, all linked to irritation. Dermatologists have long voiced concern about these ingredients and their possible effect on the skin. Natracare award-winning organic cotton baby wipes are soft, gentle, and effective cleansing wipes for daily use on a baby’s sensitive skin. Our soft and strong, certified organic, 100% cotton baby wipes are infused with organic essential oils of chamomile, apricot, and sweet almond oil as well as natural plant extracts, all of which will cleanse and refresh, leaving the skin softened. The gentle formula is free from detergents such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or any of its close relatives, parabens, SHG, and other types of formaldehyde-releasing preservatives.

The lovely people from Natracare were kind enough to send me a few products a while ago for me to try out. As a regular user of the Johnson's Baby Gentle Cleansing Wet Wipes, I wanted to find something to replace them with something that was vegan, cruelty-free, and much more eco-friendly! I first came across the Natracare wet wipes on their website and instantly wanted to swap over to them instead of my current wet wipes that I was using. I was contacted by Natracare after posting my first post about a few Natracare products I had bought here. And after being suggested some products that I might like due to my previous post, I was asked what else I wanted to try out, so I went for the wet wipes! The wipes have a lovely strong smell of apricot which is unlike any other wet wipes I have smelt before. They're also a lot thicker than I thought they would be, which is great as they hold a lot of moisture. The wipes are really soft to touch but they did leave my hands feeling a bit sticky after using them and the scent seemed to stay on my hands for a while afterward. Overall I quite liked these wet wipes and I'll keep them in mind when I run out of wet wipes.

Buy all Natracare products here

This product was sent to me to review, all views are my own.

Dr Organic Vegan Pomegranate Shampoo & Conditioner - Review

Here at Dr. Organic, we seek out the treasures of the natural world to discover the purest and most potent extracts, delving deep into centuries-old traditions and supercharged botanicals to create breakthrough formulations that make you look and feel incredible. We trust in nature, and we were inspired by the beneficial properties of natural ingredients to create our unique range of multi-award-winning, organically enhanced health and beauty products. The green revolution has seen significant rises in environmentally conscious products that are good for us and good for the planet. We ethically source the finest sustainable natural extracts, enhance their purity by keeping them organic, and insist on staying completely cruelty-free and vegetarian because we believe in luxury that doesn’t cost the Earth.

Organic Pomegranate Shampoo provides an energising and vibrant bioactive treatment, rich in antioxidants, particularly Ellagic Acid. By combining this natural fruit extract with our proprietary blend of bioactive, natural, and organic ingredients such as Aloe Vera Juice, the hair will be left feeling completely replenished, shining with health and protection against the elements. A nourishing conditioner suitable for all hair types formulated with Organic Pomegranate, Aloe Vera, Shea butter, Panthenol, Sunflower oil, and Vitamin E. Formulated to help rebuild the hair’s strength and elasticity; it protects against the damaging effects of environmental stresses; it de-tangles and strengthens, leaving hair soft, shiny and manageable creating a revitalised appearance without weighing it down.

I've been using both of these products together for about a week and a half now and I can honestly say they're worth the money and I can definitely see an improvement in my hair! First off, the smell which is divine stays on your hair for the rest of the day which always a nice thing to get from shampoo. I've found that you don't need a lot of this product for it to froth up, so the bottles should last me a while, which is also great if you're not sure about the prices. I've also found out that when using the shampoo and conditioner together my hair looks and feels cleaner for longer, is a lot less tangled after washing, and is also a lot easier to maintain when I'm styling my hair. I really like this shampoo and conditioner from the Dr. Organic range. I'd happily buy them both again for a special hair treat every now and then!