green beauty

Ohii Pure Stick Deodorant in Citrus Tea

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 3 Comments

I started using natural deodorant ten years ago as I couldn’t find any others that were cruelty free at the time. The salt based ones didn’t really work but the solid cream ones worked really well, even in summer. I thought I’d try this charcoal-based one by Ohii in Citrus Tea £10 from Urban Outfitters to deodorise and care for my skin even more.

This has a fresh, mild scent and one swipe is all I need to stay fresh all day! It doesn’t make my skin dry or itchy either, like some other solid deodorants do by the evening.

  • Cruelty free
  • Vegan
  • Aluminium free
  • Baking soda free
  • Doesn’t leave white marks/dries clear
  • Soothing Aloe

It would have got five out of five if it was packaged in glass, rather than plastic or it was refillable. I also found the labelling extremely hard to make sense of to the point where I missed the brand name completely, ha!

  • Rating 4/5

    • 🖤✨Chrissie✨🖤

    My Cruelty Free Beauty Awards 2019!

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 3 Comments

    Best Liquid Highlighter – The Body Shop Drops of Glow

    This pearlised one is a little too light for me so I should have gotten the more golden option. Still a great product though!

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    Runner up Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Filter. Shite as BB cream or sheer foundation but amazing as a highlighter.

    Best Hair Dye – Manic Panic (Pretty Flamingo)

    The choice of colours are amazing, the consistency is nice and thick so easy to apply and it’s really conditioning. It can last up to six months if you gently wash your hair every 7 – 14 days or it can be nearly washed out after around 5 washes with stronger shampoo.

    Runner up – Nature Tint. Lasts forever but too runny and messy to apply easily.

    Best Lipstick/Gloss/Balm – The Body Shop, Colour Crush Lipstick (Luanda Peony)

    This glides on easily, has a very subtle and flattering shimmer, huge colour payoff and it moisturises!

    Runner up – Charlotte Tilbury Lip Plumping Gloss. Works almost too well!

    Best Hair and Body Care Brand – Yaoh! (Coconut and Lime)

    Affordable, natural (everything is based around hemp seed oil), it smells heavenly and every product delivers results.

    Runner up – Neal’s Yard Remedies. Natural and pampering but too pricey for me.

    Best Nail Polish/Care Brand – Ciate (Nail Super Hero)

    Affordable, an astounding range of colours, textures and finishes, and nail treatments which actually work.

    Runner up – Barry M for very similar reasons.

    Best Facial Skincare – The Body Shop (Vitamin C)

    This Range is strongly scented of oranges, which I find really refreshing. It’s affordable as a little goes a long way and leaves skin clean, smooth and moisturised immediately and clearer and glowier after around five days.

    Runner up – Murad (Age Reform). Incredibly effective and a similar price bracket to TBS these days so this was a tough decision!

    Best Everyday Facial Oil – Superdrug own brand

    I would describe this as a dry oil as it’s non-greasy and works perfectly under primer and foundation (or at least the one’s I use), or on it’s own for a naturally healthy appearance on any skin type.

    Runner up – Weleda. Their facial oils are rich and really nourishing. They all have a very strong (natural) scent and take a while to sink in so best for an overnight treatment.

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    I’ve covered all of the products and the brands that I have used in 2019. So if there is a category or product missing it’s because I didn’t need or use a new a one of those. Above are some products which I loved but didn’t quite make the ‘best of’.

    Have you tried any of these?

    🏅Chrissie🏅

     

    Hangover Prevention and Selfcare Bedtime Routine

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 5 Comments

    In a way, these are general ‘sleep hygiene’ tips, no, not washing your sheets everyday but tips on how to get your head down, get a restful sleep and to wake up feeling (and looking) vaguely human.

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    Beauty Kitchen Products – Oil

    They are an independent UK company who try to be as sustainable and natural as possible. This oil is wonderful for taking makeup off with, to give the face a quick massage with and to nourish skin. No more waking up looking like a dried up Mummy, with curiously puffy eye bags.

    Laptop/Book

    Before I go to sleep I watch an episode of 90210, Lucifer or You Tube makeup tutorials by Wayne Goss, with the screen dimmed. If my eyes aren’t too tired I’ll read a character driven novel. Anything that’s interesting but not taxing.

    Healthy Crisps

    I always find I need salty food to soak up the sugary alcohol I’ve had. It also means I don’t wake up starving but too tired to make breakfast/lunch. I find the crunching really relaxing as i carry a lot of tension in my jaw.

    Oil Based Lip Balm

    Skin needs both oil and moisturiser so I apply this before it’s needed. I’m such a mouth breather at night XoD

    Scrunchy 

    How do people sleep without their hair tied back, how!?  When I do that, it wraps around me like a Face-hugger from Alien and then I wake up with it looking like statically charged spaghetti.

    HYDRATE! (Waiting for my new flask to arrive)

    I always have weak, sugar free cordial (water just goes straight through me) to sip before I go to sleep, throughout the night and before I get up in the morning. This stops me feeling shite, keeps my skin clear and reduces eye bags and ‘desert mouth.’

    _____________________

    Before I started this routine I used to wake up with a really flushed face, crazy hair, bloating, bone-dry skin and feel more tired than when I went to bed! This has made a significant difference to my morning chronic fatigue and mental health; most days I’ll happily get up at 11.00am, rather than dragging my sorry arse out of bed at 1.00-2.00pm like I used to.

    🥂Chrissie🥂

     

    Yaoh! Mini Haul

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 1 Comment

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    I use Yaoh! because their products are hemp oil based, which really conditions my skin and my hair, they are BUAV (leaping bunny) approved, they don’t use palm oil and are affordable on a budget; the perfect brand in my opinion!

    The Coconut and Lime scent of the Shampoo is as wonderful as the shampoo it’s self. It leaves my coarse, frizzy hair so soft and shiny it totally transforms the texture. I don’t need to add hair oil afterward either, just curl cream. I’ve bought the body butter to match and I’m going to get the shower gel too next time.

    The Mango Lip Balm is hydrating and adds important oils, while smelling like a Mediterranean cocktail. It’s nice and thick but it does sink in, unlike other brands that are too heavily wax based.

    I decided to try a Tropical Fruits Body Butter (not shown) as the scent sounded lovely and exotic. The body butters feel light on the skin and sinks in easily but it’s still incredibly hydrating. The scent isn’t as strong as I’d prefer but it is pleasant.

    The Tropical Fruits Moisturiser barley has any scent, which I prefer. It sinks in quickly but I think this would be best for dry or possibly combination skin as it is rather rich. Considering it’s slightly scented and rich, it doesn’t

    Because I’d bought 4 items amounting to £25 I got the face moisturiser free!

    Rating 5/5 for everything!

    ❤Chrissie❤

    Replacing Our Fave Scents with Cruelty Free One’s – The Result!

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 1 Comment

    I decided we should use a mixture of Eden Perfumes and Floral Street perfumes to give us a better chance of finding our replacements. Here’s a reminder of what we want to find dupes for.

    The bloke

    Oud by The Body Shop (as they no longer stock it)

    1 Million by Paco Rabanne.

    Me

    Heat by Beyonce

    Deep Red by Hugo Boss (I already have a fairly good one from Floral Street)

    Opium by YSL

    Burberry Woman (the bloke noticed this on someone and asked what it was)

    Final Result

    Treasure by Eden Perfumes mixed with Wonderland Peony by Floral street replicates Beyonce Heat pretty well.

    Electric Rhubarb by Floral street – which I was sure would be similar to Heat – was fun but had no depth to it, no projection at all and then faded into oblivion after 15 minutes!

    Wonderland Peony by Floral Street is a deep, spicy replacement for Hugo Boss, Deep Red with Treasure by Eden being similar but lighter.

    Black Orchid by Floral Street very similar to Opium by YSL but a little lighter.

    No luck with the random Burberry one unfortunately.

    Million Dollar Man by Eden Perfumes is pretty close to 1 Million.

    Oud Wood by Eden Perfumes is the perfect replacement for The Body Shop Oud, we are both thrilled!

    Surprise!

    I can’t even remember how many perfumes I’ve tried at this point but it’s meant that I’ve found some new unexpected favourites.

    Wild Vanilla Orchid by Floral Street smells like freshly baked fruit pie. So comforting and natural. It reminds me a little of the original Angel by Thierry Mugler but no where near as sickly.

    Virgin Waters by Eden Perfumes smells how a Piña colada cocktail tastes. I have to resist the urge to drown myself in this everyday, the perfume I mean…possibly.

    Well, even if I wear perfume every time I leave the house, I don’t think I’ll need to buy any more for decades! Now, I also have lots of handbag/washbag sized  ones.

    Which out of all of the above do you want to try?

    ❤Chrissie❤

     

     

     

    The Body Shop Colour Crush Lipstick

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 3 Comments

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    I bought The Body Shop Colour Crush Lipstick (£8.00) in Luanda Peony as I wanted a neutral pink. I was also attracted to this particular lipstick as all of the reviews said how moisturising it was. A few reviews also suggested it wasn’t highly pigmented and I liked the idea of just a wash of colour for daytime.

    It turns out that this isn’t a dusky pink but rather a deep cherry pink shade, which is very pigmented and bright! It is very flattering if you have green (or blue) eyes, so I’m good with that. Another thing which surprised me was the subtle shimmery effect. It doesn’t highlight any unevenness or look too frosted and 80’s so don’t let the word ‘shimmer’ put you off.

    I do find the Marula oil content to be moisturising and it does glide on easily, with an even colour pay-off, even when my lips are dry in places. It was still visible after four pints which, for a normal bullet lipstick, was impressive. I am so glad this has a really subtle rose scent and doesn’t smell or taste like kids sweets like some lipsticks I’ve owned – urgh!

    The packaging has a simple twist up bullet with a lid that clicks on and a clear base so you can actually see the colour you are buying.

    • Community Trade agreed
    • Buav (leaping bunny) approved.

     

    Rating 5/5

    ❤Chrissie❤

    The Basic Skincare Regimen That’s Made a Huge Difference

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 1 Comment

    The reason for my delicate snowflake skin

    As a (sometimes) beauty blogger I used throw an awful lot of different brands and products at my skin; no wonder it was so confused! It would go from too oily to really dry within hours and sometimes it would be oily but dehydrated at the same time. I was also eating a lot of dairy (the reason for so many spots) and gluten (the reason for redness, water retention and inflammation). Nowadays I eat a mainly free-from diet with just one cheat day a week and stick to these gentle skincare items.

    My skins needs

    My face doesn’t seem to shed old skin cells very well, resulting in dullness, blocked pores and poor absorption of products so a frequent radiance peel is so helpful! Although I don’t have sensitive skin, it does still get red easily because of allergies or sudden temperature changes so products that are calming and balancing are also a must. I feel there’s room to fit in a pampering sheet mask as recommended by the awesome Hunida over at Hunida’s Blog or a pink clay mask to reduce my pores, once a week.

    The wonder products!

    B. Miceller Water to cleanse twice a day. The least drying and most effective cleanser/toner I’ve tried.

    Murad Intensive Radiance Peel, twice a week. Gentle enough for my skin with natural acids.

    Nip+Fab Hyaluronic acid everyday. Helps skin to absorb moisture from the atmosphere and my moisturiser.

    Weleda Pomegranate Body Lotion, everyday. The naturally occurring Vit C in this calms redness and inflammation. It’s also so light but hydrating my face loves this as well as my body.

    Weleda Pomegranate Body oil, everyday. This has totally rescued my pout from cracking in drying central heating. Vit C also helps to regulate sebum production.

    What are your everyday must haves?

    ❤Chrissie❤

    The Body Shop, Shea Butter Richly Replenishing Conditioner

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 2 Comments

    Made from Community Trade Shea Butter from Ghana Shea Butter Richly Replenishing Conditioner (£6.50, 250ml) promises to leave hair nourished, less prone to breakage and less frizzy.

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    I have thick, coarse shoulder length hair which is excellent condition but looses it’s natural oils easily, even after using very gentle, natural shampoo.

    I like the mild nutty scent and how creamy this conditioner is. My hair was left feeling incredibly soft and replenished. It was still a little frizzy but then I would never expect conditioner alone to sort this out. I always need to add hair oil after lightly towel drying my hair, no matter what conditioner I use.

    The only problem for me is the size and the price, it’s either too small or too expensive. I can appreciate that the people who produce this in Ghana need a fair wage but maybe The Body Shop could take a little less profit? I don’t know but what I do know is that it’s too dear for me to use regularly with my thick long hair, even though a little does go a long way.

    Rating 4/5

    ❤Chrissie❤

     

    The Body Shop Fresh Nude Foundation V’s e.l.f Beautifully Bare Foundation

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / Leave a comment

    The Body Shop Fresh Nude Foundation (£16/30 ml)

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    Pro’s

    Medium build-able coverage and covers redness

    Goes on easily with brush or beauty blender

    Very long wearing

    Very lightweight/natural feel

    Non drying

    Non greasy

    Available in realistic skin tones

    Easy pump action, let’s you choose the exact amount you use

    Easily recycled glass bottle

    Reasonably priced

    SPF 15

    Exact colour match as small colour sample on the website

    Contains English Rose Water and Aloe Vera

    Con’s

    Way too matte. Doesn’t give a ‘fresh’ or ‘natural’ finish.

    e.l.f Beautifully Bare Foundation (£9/14ml)

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    Medium build-able coverage and covers redness

    Goes on easily with brush or beauty blender

    Very long wearing

    Very lightweight/natural feel

    Non drying

    Non greasy

    Available in realistic skin tones

    Easy pump action, let’s you choose the exact amount you use

    Easily recycled glass bottle

    Very reasonably priced

    SPF 25

    Exact colour match as small colour sample on the website

    Contains Vitamin A, C, & E, Grape Seed Oil, Pomegranate Oil, and Goji Berry

    Con’s 

    Almost too matte. Sadly, it doesn’t make skin look ‘radiant or dewy’.

    The winner

    e.l.f Beautifully Bare Foundation

    It has ten more SPF than The Body Shop Fresh Nude foundation; works out slightly cheaper and contains more active ingredients for healthy skin. It changes over three hours of wear to look a little less matte, which I’m very glad about.

     

     

     

     

     

    Spring Cleaning my Beauty Cupboard

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 7 Comments

    Seeing as it’s the first day of Spring and International Happyness Day, I decided to do something positive and have a product Spring clean. Sorting through your skincare and makeup stash was one of my tips in my post 6 Simple Beauty Tips Which Make a Big Difference what a good day to follow my own advice, ha!

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    This was all of the skincare products I owned and as you can see they are pretty much all over the place, with face, body and hair, old stuff and new stuff all mixed up. After going through everything this is what I learned…

    1. I had so much oil! I could easily just use the same one for my hair and body and a lighter one for my face.
    2. Out of all of those products I only had one face moisturiser.
    3. I found products that had changed consistency or were nearly empty and all of those were expired.
    4. I still had tanning oil from my twenties! o_O
    5. I buy face masks because they are on offer in pound shops and NEVER use them.
    6. I thought I needed to stock up on miceller water and cooling eye gel as I was running low but then realised I’d originally bought them in two’s to save on postage.
    7. I had a stupid amount of body butter.
    8. I’ve rediscovered cruelty free beauty brands I’d totally forgotten about!
    9. I had bits and bobs from various razors and waxing kits that I stopped using ages ago.

    I’ve reduced the above to a single crate and the cute wicker basket. The rest is either in the recycling, the bin or my dressing table so I actually remember to use it daily.

    ___________________________

    Here is all of my makeup, apart from what I’ve thrown out and repeats of the same thing and yeah, it’s still a lot!

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    Here’s what I’ve thrown out.

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    A slightly smaller pile, heehee.

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    Here’s my main big-ass makeup case, my daily makeup case and my travel/wash bag with miniatures and samples in. Here’s what I’ve learned…

    1. Even though I treat my makeup fairly well, there were still spillages and products that felt sticky – eeew.
    2. If it’s really broken, through the damn thing away! You are not Stig Of The Dump or a Womble.
    3. If it doesn’t suit your skin tone or texture and it can’t easily be mixed with something else, then throw it away or swap it/give it to someone.
    4. There are lots of reasons why buying two of the same thing can be a good idea but hoarding the same type of product, or buying several before you’ve even tried if the product works for you is not a good idea.
    5. How many golden-brown eyeshadows and copper-brown toned lip products can one person reasonably own!? Five eyeshadows and eight lip products it would seem ;0)
    6. I still have products I bought before I went totally cruelty free. That was TEN years ago!

    As you can see, I still have the big makeup bag but now my little ‘everyday makeup bag’ includes the best of my base, mascara, tools, contouring kit (I missed out the wonderful Pixi contour kit in the first photo) and three eyeshadows and eyelinners that I rotate on a monthly basis. This means that everything is easy to keep track of/clean/sharpened, quickly to hand, and I don’t forget to use all of the lovely colours I own.

    I hope this helps! Let me know if it has or if you also do some of the bad habits I’ve mentioned.

    <3Chrissie<3