Welcome to my bathroom. It may be a little higgledy piggledy, and excuse the men’s toiletries (sharing a flat has its ups and downs!) but behind the clutter is a carefully thought out selection of skincare and beauty products that I’ve deliberately acquired over the last few weeks.
I’ve come to a point where I know what I like and what I don’t like. I don’t like the itchy ingredients in the washing up liquid, and I love plant-based oils to wash my skin with. I know my mascara takes a little extra thought to remove than before (thank you, Korres Black Volcanic Mineral Mascara!) and that when buying any product for my skin, I refer to my handy 25 Ingredients to Avoid list.
Hand wash
On the sink, you’ll find these two pretties from The Soap Co. Tapping into my minimalist black-and-white heart, their bottles of Hand Wash** and Hand Lotion** look so nice lined up together. They also hit the right spot when it comes to values: as a social enterprise, they employ blind, disabled, or otherwise disadvantaged people, and all their profits go back into the business. Their bottles are made from recycled milk bottle tops and the pumps can be reused too. This is something I value both personally and professionally, so it’s lovely to have their products sat in my bathroom.
I do think alongside this, it’s worth noting that their hand wash contains sodium laureth sulfate (SLS), which removes the natural oil of the skin and can be bad for sensitive skin, and their hand lotion contains mineral oil (paraffinum liquidum). There are better natural options on the market, and it’d be good to see The Soap Co. display ingredients on their website for people who are looking for a little more clarity.
Toothpaste
When it comes to cleaning my teeth, I’m sticking to my no-fluoride guns (find out why here). I’m currently trying out Ecodenta Extra Black Whitening Toothpaste, which sounds like an oxymoron in itself but really means the activated charcoal within it is going to bring out my pearly whites. I’ve also got an oil pulling set* from Chi to try out, but after my first swilling session ended in retching, I’m too chicken to continue at the moment!
Facial cleanser
The final product is a little hero in my life – I’m talking about my Lavera Cleansing Milk. I’ve always been a bit nostalgic around cleansing milks, as it’s something my grandma taught me about when I was little, and this one is a combination of my love for organic products and her wisdom. To use, I wash my hands, and then apply it with my fingers straight onto my make-uped face, swirling in circles until it’s almost soaked in. Then I splash it all away with warm water. If my mascara is being extra stubborn, I swipe it away with a little coconut oil*.
Bathtime…
When it comes to bathing, I really like to pamper myself. Daily showers don’t give me that luxury, but I go all out for bath-time!
To start, I like to apply my moisturising Rossi Uvema Rhassoul Clay Face Mask* and leave to sit on my skin for 15 minutes. During this time I’ll wash and shampoo my hair with Avalon Organics Rosemary Shampoo, which is one of my must-haves. I’ve tried many other natural shampoos, and just cannot get away from the way this one makes my hair feel.
Soap
For my body, I’m still a little old-school and like a bar of soap. I’ve been using The Soap Co.’s Black Poppy + Wild Fig Soap Bar** and have found it works really well with my skin. The poppy seeds exfoliate my skin, the fig smells wonderful, and it leaves my skin soft, and perfectly balanced. If I really need exfoliation, I turn to my DIY coffee scrub which I keep in a jar by the bath, or go for * if I want to feel extra special.
Shaver
When it comes to hair removal, I’ve got my trusty Philips Wet + Dry Ladyshaver (gosh I hate that they’re called lady shavers… a shaver cuts hair, full stop). I upgraded to this as it charges from the mains, meaning I don’t have to buy and throw away batteries, and for the obvious reason that disposable razors aren’t environmentally-friendly. All that being said, it works well, leaves my skin soft, and tackles even the little pinpricks of hair that most razors miss.
Body butter
Finally, when leaving the bath, I like to slather my legs in body butter. Right now, it’s Ellovi Key Lime Body Butter*, although my Mio Skincare A Cream* has been a firm favourite for quite a while.
Looking back over everything, there’s actually quite a lot going on, but it’s the perfect mix for me right now. And as always, the more natural, the better!
