The soap is 100% natural (the ingredients are only: coconut oil, shea butter, olive oil, lemongrass essential oil, hemp bran and water) so is free from palm oil and chemical nasties. This was the main selling point for me as we were bathing and walking through the river, I didn't want to be putting anything damaging into the ecosystem. The soap is also vegan friendly and not tested on animals so there's no harm done during production either.
Not only did the lemongrass smell super fresh and energising, it also has antiseptic, antibacterial and natural deodorising properties!  I feel like I should probably list something bad to counteract all of these good things but I genuinely can't think of anything ;)

Since starting my zoology degree last year, I've become a lot more conscious of what products I buy and the impact they have on the planet. After learning about the effects of waste, and living near the coast, I've seen plenty of litter on the beaches. There is one main culprit: plastic. It goes to landfill and inevitably ends up in our water systems, which causes big problems for marine life. So, I've started making changes to the way I shop- saying no to straws, buying loose fruit and vegetables, bringing my own bags to supermarkets and using less single use plastic as much as possible.

So, I've headed to the main high-street retailer known for natural, animal testing free, handmade beauty products... LUSH. I've found that although LUSH is a little more expensive, it does tend to be more cost effective (and planet friendly) in the long run. A bar of soap will last me up to a year, instead of buying a new bottle of shower gel every month or two. My personal favourites at the moment are Outback Mate and Serendipity, but I loved a Christmas special a few years ago called Old Father Time.
Having enjoyed their soaps, I popped into my local shop the other day to try out some hair products. This time next week I'll be in Cyprus for two months on a volunteer project, so I need to save as much space in my bag as possible. That's were these bars come in...
 For the first time ever I actually approached on of the staff to ask for recommendations, and it was really interesting to find out more about the products. I was recommended the Montalbano shampoo bar for my blonde hair, and also good for oily roots which will be inevitable after 8 hour shifts in the heat! I then picked up the Jungle conditioner bar to keep my hair hydrated in the heat and sea.

 Montalbano is packed with lemons and olives, and Jungle has bananas, coca butter, avocado, figs and kumquats, so both smell amazing! After trying them, my hair is in really good condition, and the fresh smell hangs around for a while too (I washed my hair with these yesterday and my hair still smells amazing!).  A few friends have noticed my hair is looking blonder too, so there's a visible difference to my usual bottled shampoo.
I'd say that whilst my hair is soft, it's not the exact same silkiness you'd get from traditional brands, but you  an definitely see that my hair is bright and clean! However, I do like being able to pronounce the ingredients list of these due to them having so many natural ingredients :)

 The lady in the shop also said they have less of an impact on the local water systems, because many mainstream brands have micro plastics in the formula, which I wasn't aware of before. Obviously that's a winner for me as I'm going over to Cyprus to help marine life! The bars should last up to 80 washes, so will take up much less space than bottles and have less packaging too. The only one downside is that the conditioner bar will need to be kept in the fridge due to it's high cocoa butter content, otherwise it may melt! 

 

Why spend a fortune on beauty products when you can make your own? These are so quick and simple to make- I made both pots in less than 5 minutes, using only store cupboard ingredients. You probably already have everything you need right in your kitchen! They're the perfect size to pop in your bag or pocket for a quick splash of colour and smooth lips. The balm is slightly glossy and leaves a light pink colour, and the scrub is perfect for buffing off dry skin (plus it tastes great too). You can also adapt the recipe to your liking by changing flavours and colours to create your own personal beauty products.