ten year school reunion

Can you believe it has been 10 years since I left Secondary (High) School?! Because I can't!!! I know I sound cliché but time has just flown by and have no idea where it's gone.

Anyway I had a bit of a get together with some old school friends and someone thought it was a good idea to dress up as school girls to mark the occasion. Not my brightest moment but I thought I would share a few snaps of what I wore with you anyway.

My advice to anyone still in school is make the most of the experience and make sure you enjoy it! I really miss hanging out with friends, being carefree and the long summer holidays!

What do you miss the most from your school days? 

Sita xoxo 

sukin natural deodorant review

In this post I shall be reviewing the Sukin Natural Deodorant. I bought this product at the Bristol VegFest and have been using it for just under a month now. 

The Claims

This aluminium free and paraben free deodorant eliminates the bacteria that causes odour without using harsh ingredients. A delicate blend of tangerine, mandarin and lavender oils, combined with vanilla extract will leave you smelling and feeling fresh and clean.

The Ingredients
Aqua, Aloe Barbadenis Leaf Juice, Alcohol, Sinc Phenosulphate, Ceteareth-20, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract, Articum Lappa (Burdock) Extract, Euisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract, Citrue Tangerina (Tangerin) Peel Oil, Ctrus Nobolis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavendar) Oil, Vanillin, Vanilla Planifolia Extract, Linalool*, Limonene*
*Natural component of essential oils. 

The Reality

Deodorant was the one thing that I was rather apprehensive about when making the transition to cruelty-free, vegan and natural cosmetics.The Sukin Natural Deodorant has quickly dismissed my concerns.

I've never said this about a deodorant before but this deodorant smells just gorgeous. The blend blend of tangerine, mandarin, vanilla and lavender is so fresh, without being overpowering. Furthermore it keeps me odour free. On a cold day I can get away with just one application in the morning, on a warmer day I do need to reapply at least once if not twice dependent on my activities.

At first I wasn't sure how much to apply, so going with the logical more is better approach sprayed about ten sprays only to find that the liquid was rolling down my underarms. So just a heads up a few sprays is enough!

After application you do need to wait for a few minutes for the product to dry and absorb into your skin, as initially it can feel a bit sticky.

I had no issues with the Sukin natural deodorant transferring onto my clothes..No white marks!

The deodorant does not irritate my skin at all, even after shaving. As a side note this product does contain essential oils which can irritate or cause a reaction on some people, so I would avoid this product if this happens to you. Another precaution is if you are pregnant then some essential oils are best avoided so seek advice on this before using this product.

It has to be said, the price is rather on the high side. For someone that usually pay's £1.50 for a deodorant you can see how £8.12 can be considered a bit steep!

I did input all the info for this deodorant into the EWG skin deep report builder, and the product scores a 4. This is a moderate hazard rating. I'm personally okay with this as compared to my previous toxin filled deodorant this is much better.

Although just out of curiosity I would like to try out other products and see what's out there...who knows I may find something better! If not then I will definitely repurchase the Sukin Natural Deodorant.

The Packaging
I like that this deodorant comes in a spray bottle because I do prefer spray deodorants to roll ons.

The Price
Cress UK: £8.12

The Ultimate Question: Would I Repurchase?
Yes

The Overall Score: 4/5 

Have you tried the Sukin Natural Deodorant? What are your thoughts? 

Sita xoxo

hello + update

A Picture From My Bristol Trip 

Hi guys

I hope you guys are keeping well. You may or may not have noticed that we've been lacking on the blog post front recently.

Sometimes a full time job, life and sickness can get in the way of writing posts. I unfortunately have the flu and am sniffling my way through typing this post.

The frequent readers amongst you may know that we are transitioning to cruelty free/veggie/natural cosmetics.

It has been a month and half since we made this decision but I still feel as inspired as ever and become more and more inspired everyday to make this transition through watching/reading some amazing cruelty-free/veggie/natural beauty YouTube videos/blogs.

I am more than 100% happy with my decision. The only thing that makes me inpatient is having to use up all the products I have, sometimes I just feel like throwing everything in the trash and starting afresh. For now I am restraining myself and just working at using up my products.

So far the area that I am completely cruelty free/veggie/natural is deodorant! This may sound totally ridiculous to you but this makes me want to jump for joy. I know that this transition is going to take some time and so you have take the small achievements.

I have discovered a few great websites that have been aiding me along my journey, which I wanted to share with you guys.

The first one being the Environmental Working Group Website. This website offers a skin deep guide to cosmetics, a resource which is truly invaluable. You are able to search products to find their hazard rating. Furthermore they offer a function to input ingredients from any cosmetics not listed and they will create a hazard report for you based on the ingredients.

Another useful resource is the 100 cosmetic ingredients to avoid free download from The Green Beauty Guide Blog. There are also some great posts to read to.

As always the BUAV and PETA sites are a handy resource.

Feel free to share any other helpful websites so that we can all learn and benefit in the comments :)

I'll leave you with a quote: 

"No nation is truly free until the animal, man’s younger brother, is free and happy.” Sadhu T. L Vaswani

Sita xoxo 

products i've used up: mid-june empties

1. Origins Ginger Burst Shower Gel
I initially really liked this shower gel. The scent is nice especially for winter and it is thick, creamy and moisturising. However at £18 for 200ml it is rather on the expensive, and there are plenty of cheaper alternatives that do the same job.

Cruelty Free : No

Repurchase: No

2. The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Body Butter
I do love The Body Shop Body Butters however I'm not a fan of this particular one as I find the scent to overpowering. I have a full review over here.

Cruelty Free : Yes (Parent company Loreal conducts animal testing) 

Repurchase: No

3. The White Company Hand & Body Lotion
This was a lotion I picked up from a hotel stay, it was an okay lotion, nothing special.

Cruelty Free : Unsure

Repurchase: No

4. Sure Crystal Clear Diamond 48hr Anti-Perspirant
This deodorant works really well for me and I have purchased it time and time again. However this will be the last bottle as it is not cruelty-free and full of aluminium and other chemicals. I'm actually using the Sukin Natural Deodorant instead and a review on that will be coming up shortly.

Cruelty Free : No

Repurchase: No

5. Nivea Calm & Care Deodorant
This deodorant on the other hand I do not like at all. I've been working to use it up for ages now and I'm so glad to have finally finished it! You can read my full review here.

Cruelty Free : No

Repurchase: No

6. The Body Shop Brazil Nut Body Scrub
This is a lovely body scrub, it is exfoliates well and is also very moisturising. After I use it my skin is left  feeling so soft and smooth. I could ramble on about hoe good it is for ages but you can read my full review here if your interested. I need to find a natural alternative which is just as good.

Cruelty Free : Yes (Parent company Loreal conducts animal testing) 

Repurchase: No

7. Nivea Lip Care
This lap balm was nice, it was moisturising and I like the packaging. I really don't like lip balms in tubs, and having to dip my finger into it.

Cruelty Free : No

Repurchase: No

8. Unbranded Lip Balm
I didn't particularly like this lip balm, it was okay but it was a bit hard and I'm glad it is finished up.

Cruelty Free : Unsure 

Repurchase: No

So with the empties done it's time to update the numbers...

Previous Skincare Total: 133 

New Skincare Total: 136 

Previous Makeup Total: 169

New Makeup Total: 169 

On this occasion the skincare total has actually increased because we have made a few purchases. (eleven items added to the total from our organic surge haul) However all the new products that we have bought are all cruelty-free, veggie and natural. 

This time we didn't use up any makeup items. On a positive note it has been a month since we started this transition and we have bought no new make-up products in that time. We shall not be buying any new makeup until we have gone through our existing products. Although it seems like it's going to take a lifetime to finish all the products we have! Sometimes we just feel like chucking everything out and starting again.

Have you made the transition to go cruelty-free, veggie, natural or all three like we are doing? Any words of wisdom? 

Sita & Radha xoxo 

cruelty-free beauty review: soap & glory pulp friction foamy fruity body scrub

The Claims
Get fresher, smoother and softer skin with fig powder, pumice, peppermint oil. lemonade tree liquid, orange waterjuice™ and vitaminballs™ (A,C,E). Scented with our new Fruitigo™ fragrance. 

The Reality

I'm just going to be honest and come out and say I really don't like the Soap & Glory Pulp Friction Foamy Fruity Scrub. The reasons being I don't like the foamy texture. If you like an exfoliator that foams up then this may be the product for you but for me I prefer a scrub to be a scrub and I don't need it to foam up.

In terms of the ex-foliating abilities pulp friction does an okay job. However I prefer a scrub that's moisturising and leaves that oil residue on your skin, which this one does not do and it's not particularly moisturising either.

In addition I'm not a fan of the scent of this product. I do like the original Soap & Glory scent but this scrub has the "fruitigo" fragrance. I find scents hard to describe but to me it smells like figs and yoghurt mixed together, which I don't like.

Furthermore the ingredients list of the pulp friction scrub scares me! There are just too many chemical names that I don't understand. I have been actively paying more attention to the ingredients of the products I'm buying and seeing big ingredients lists filled with chemical names that I don't understand reinforces my decision to move towards natural products. 

Ingredients aside, the product doesn't work for me and that's not to say it won't work for you, personally I won't be repurchasing. 

The Packaging
I love Soap & Glory's fun bright pink packaging. I like that the scrub comes in a squeezy tube, so I don't have to dip my hands into the product. The packaging is the only thing I like about this product. 

The Price
Boots: £8/250ml 

The Ultimate Question: Would I Repurchase?
No

The Overall Score: 1/5

Have you tried the Soap & Glory Pulp Friction Foamy Fruity Body Scrub? What are your thoughts?

Sita xoxo

vegan beauty haul: organic surge

Organic Surge Haul 

Organic Surge Million Dollar Brown Sugar Body Polish £8 (Usually £32) 

Organic Surge Super -Intensive Daily Moisturiser £2.25 (Usually £8.99) 

Organic Surge Lemon & Honey Happy Soap £0.88 (Usually £3.50) 

Organic Surge Daily Care Face Wash £2.74 (Usually £5.49)
Organic Surge Fresh Ocean Light Body Lotion £3 (Usually £5.99) 

Organic Surge Kiss and Make-up Cleansing Wipes £0.87 (Usually £3.49) 

Today we have a haul post for you from Organic Surge. We saw that they were holding a 75% of sale and we may have gone just a tad overboard.

This is the first time we have purchased any products from Organic Surge so we are excited to try out the brand.

In terms of delivery, our order took 7 days to arrive (bearing in mind that we did the place the order on a bank holiday). Aside from the Brown Sugar Body Polish which has completely melted and had leaked slightly the rest of the order was intact. They are wrapped it up in its own plastic bag and then bubble wrap so the leakage was thankfully contained.

We decided to stock up on the cleansing wipes whilst they were on offer, but annoyingly the expiry date is July! So that plan backfired!

Organic Surge products are 100% free of harsh chemicals – no parabens, sodium lauryl sulphate, no artificial fragrances or colourants and no genetically modified ingredients

All of the products that we purchased are free from animal derived ingredients and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. 

Have you tried any of these products or any other products from Organic Surge? What are your thoughts? 

Sita & Radha xoxo 

going cruelty-free and veggie: hair removal

In today's post we are sorting out our hair removal products. Unfortunately all the products we have are from companies that test on animals. Initially we did not share this section, however whilst looking for replacement products we could definitely use some help and product recommendations, so we thought it might be useful for other people too. 

Tested on Animals

Gillette Venus Razor

Gillette Venus Shaving Blades

Gillette Venus & Olay Razor 

Nair  Fruity Wax

Nair Wax Strips (Multiple) 

Veet Facial Wax 

Veet Facial Wax Strips 

If anyone has any Cruelty-free and  natural wax/razor recommendations please let us know in the comments :) 

Sita & Radha xoxo 

products we've used up: may empties

This month we managed to finish fourteen products between us. We had a few towards the end of the month that we squeezed in last minute. So let's get into it...

1. Boots Time Delay Radiance Booster 

I really like this cream. I've left a little bit in the tube so you guys can see what it looks like. The orange colour base really helps to brighten my complexion and give my skin a boost when it's looking a bit dull. I don't wear make up on a daily basis so I like to use this to make my face look a little brighter. 

Cruelty Free : No 

Repurchase: No

2. Vaseline Lip Therapy 

I feel like I've had this tub of Vaseline for ages so I'm glad I'm finally finished with it. It's okay but not my favourite lip product. 

Cruelty Free : No 

Repurchase: No

3. Dr Organic Moroccon Argan Oil Night Cream 

We received this product in our Holland & Barrett Beauty box and I love it! Check out my review here. The product is cruelty-free and suitable for vegans. This cream worked well for my dry skin, although it may be a bit too heavy for oily skin. After using this product I definitely want to check out other products by this brand. 

Cruelty Free : Yes 

Repurchase: Yes

4. Project D Body Butter 

This is such a low quality product. It's very thick, doesnt absorb well and is not very mositurising. 

Cruelty Free : Unsure

Repurchase: No

5. Bio-Oil 

I like using Bio-oil as it works well on my dry skin and too even skin tone. Check out my review here. I have already repurchased.

Cruelty Free : Yes 

Repurchase: Yes

6. The Body Shop Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo 

The shampoo has a lovely smell and initially worked well to combat dandruff. However the Shampoo lasts for absolutely ages and I just got bored off it, and eventually it stopped working for me. 

Cruelty Free : Yes (Parent company Loreal conducts animal testing) 

Repurchase: No

7. The Body Shop Coconut Hand Lotion 

I love the scent of this hand cream, coconut is such a gorgeous scent! The hand lotion is okay. The consistency is light and it absorbs into the skin well. I have really dry hands and prefer something a bit thicker so I need to have something in addition to this to use at night. 

Cruelty Free : No 

Repurchase: No

8. Nivea Body & Soul Skin Oil 

This skin oil is just lovely. I love the scent and it leaves my skin feeling moisturised. I used this at night and my skin just felt so soft in the morning, and my skin remained moisturised for 24 hours. I need to find a Cruelty-Free alternative. 

Cruelty Free : No 

Repurchase: No

9. Mum Roll-on Cool Blue

I bought this deodorant when it was on offer as I had run out. It does the job however it is in a glass bottle so I prefer not to travel with it in case it breaks.

Cruelty Free : No 

Repurchase: No

10. Vaseline Intensive Care Hand & Nail Lotion 

I really like this hand cream. It absorbs into the skin well and leaves my hands feeling moisturised without any greasiness. I also like the scent. 

Cruelty Free : No 

Repurchase: No

11. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion 

I really love this primer potion, it's my favourite Eyelid primer. My eyeshadow lasts all day and doesn't crease when I've used this primer. 

Cruelty Free : Yes (Parent company Loreal conducts animal testing) 

Repurchase: I have another bottle in my collection already which I will be using up. 

12. The Body Shop Total Energy Pulse Point Balm 

I really liked the scent of this product. It has a fresh zingy awakening smell. I don't think it made me feel more energetic though. 

Cruelty Free : Yes (Parent company Loreal conducts animal testing) 

Repurchase: No

13. Mum Roll-on Unperfumed

As above, I bought this when it was BOGOF and it was a good deodorant.

Cruelty Free : No 

Repurchase: No

14. Ojon Shampoo 

Unfortunately the bottle was thrown away so not in the pictures! I bought the shampoo and conditioner together but I always tend to finish shampoos way before I finish the conditioner. I do really love this shampoo, however it is on the expensive side and Ojon is not Cruelty-Free so I won't be repurchasing.

Cruelty Free : No 

Repurchase: No

Let's get into the numbers...

Previous Skincare Total: 140 

New Skincare Total: 133 

Previous Makeup Total: 170 

New Makeup Total: 169 

Before you point out our maths is wrong, we have added the four new skincare items (candles excluded) from our Buddha Beauty Company and Sukin Natural Skincare hauls. The Vaseline and The Body Shop hand creams were emptied before the sort out and weren't included in the original count so we did not include them in this count.

It feels good to be finishing up and getting rid of products and move closer towards our goal to transition to cruelty-free, veggie and more natural products.

What products have you used up this month?

Sita & Radha xoxo

vegan beauty haul: the buddha beauty company

The Buddha Beauty Company Apple Avocado & Aloe Clay Mask £12

The Buddha Beauty Company Massage Candles 3 for £10 

One of the brands we discovered at the Bristol Vegfest was The Buddha Beauty Company. Described by themselves as a British Brand with a love of the Far East.

Their products are:

- Paraben Free

- SLS Free

- Organic

- Cruelty Free

- Naturally Derived

The company is approved by the BUAV and the Vegan Society.

We were on the hunt for a new face mask and this Apple, Avacado & Aloe Clay Mask smelt absolutely delicious, just like fresh apples, and claimed to leave our skin glowing, so we couldn't leave without it.

In addition to the face mask we bought a few of The Buddha Beauty Company's 100% Organic Soy Wax Candles. These lovely candles not only give a off a lovely fragrance but the melted wax can be used as a massage oil. You can see this being demo'd on Radha in the pictures above. We bought three of the small sized candles in Serenity, May Chung and Tranquilty to sample a few of the different scents

We're super-excited to try out our new products! A girl's spa night in already planned! 

As always we will review the products in full once we've had a chance to get our teeth into them. 

Have you tried any products from the Buddha Beauty Company? What are your thoughts?

If you missed the pictures from our day at the Bristol Vegfest you can click here. 

Sita & Radha xoxo 

vegan beauty haul: sukin natural skincare

One of the stalls that we were attracted to at the Bristol Vegfest was Sukin, an Australian Natural Skincare Brand.

What appealed to us about the brand was that all products are free from Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES),  synthetic fragrances, animal derivatives, harsh detergents, propylene glycol, artificial colours, triethanolamine, mineral oils, EDTA, or parabens.

Furthermore all Sukin products are Vegan and not tested on animals. The brand has been accredited by the Choose Cruelty Free (CCF) Program. 

We restrained ourselves and only bought two products: 

- Sukin Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil (With free Rose Hip Cream Cleanser) £11

- Sukin Natural Deodorant £6 

Super excited to try out these products! Full reviews to come once we've had a chance to really dig into them. 

In the UK you can buy Sukin products from Cress. 

Have you tried any of these products or any other products from Sukin? What were your thoughts? 

Sita & Radha xoxo