Handbag Essentials | Review
11:34
Finally, the winter is over! I am looking forward to get sunny weather and warmer days (since it is cold, wet and miserable outside as I am writing). Winter is a cold season which can take a toll on anyone's skin. I am frequently ridiculed for always carrying a backpack with me. My excuse is simple - I need my essentials. Except for my definition of essentials might be different to what another person might count as essential. Regardless of this, I would like to share what I always carry around with me (sometimes literally in my pocket).
Hand cream. It is a must if you have dry eczema prone skin like me. My horror would be to stuck at work without a tube of hand cream. This fear is so deep I even carry two tubes - just in case one runs out. These are the hand creams I have been using this winter.
Deep Steep Sugar Plum Argan Oil Hand Cream 59ml
This is limited edition version which has been discontinued however it is still possible to buy some from iHerb. I have picked up my tube from TK Maxx for £2.99. Deep Steep is family business based in the USA. They produce all natural products (mostly vegan, apart from the honey range) and the main principles are cruelty free, no parabens, phthalates, phenoxyethanol, dyes and petroleum. Unfortunately Deep Steep is no longer available in the UK so the only way to purchase is through online retailers abroad or incidental findings in shops.
The small size of the tube makes it great for handbags. One of the things I really like in this cream is that it does not have water as its first ingredient! This is one of my pet peeves because who wants to pay money for water? Instead Deep Steep uses Aloe Vera as the first ingredient. The sweet fruity smell is quite strong but it wears off after a while. The texture of the cream is light and the finish initially is a bit sticky but after a couple of seconds the stickiness is gone and the hands are left soft and moisturised. The cream is not very heavy hence it does not provide rich nourishment however it is a good option when you are on the go and need something not too greasy and fast absorbing.
Ingredients: Organic aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, prunus domestica (plum) fruit extract, rubus fruticosus (blackberry) fruit extract, organic helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, glyceryl stearate, glycerin, cetearyl alcohol, caprylic acid (coconut fatty acid), aroma (organic and wildcrafted aroma blend), organic butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, rosemary extract, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, potassium sorbate.
Vegan, partially organic
Organic Surge Gardeners Hand Cream RRP £7.99 for 75ml
Another TK Maxx gem. My local shop has a big range of Organic Surge products at discounted prices. Organic Surge is a very pocket-friendly green skincare and body care company with an ethical approach. This company is quite close to my heart because it is based in Scotland. Their range is very affordable, organic and, apart from one product, vegan. The range has been formulated with sensitive skin in mind and had been tested on willing humans (never on animals). Organic Surge has a strong stance on charity - from profits they donate to help unprivileged and less fortunate people gain access to healthcare, accommodation, food and education.
Again, the tube is small and handy to carry in handbag, pocket or simply placed at a desk. The cream smells of citrus and herbs however the aroma is not overpowering and does not linger. This is another star product which does not have water as its first ingredient! Instead, moisturising cocoa and shea butter and calming algae extract and Inca Inchi soothe dry skin. The texture is slightly richer than of Deep Steep hence I found it takes a little longer to absorb however it does not have a sticky finish.
Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Coconut Alkanes, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil*, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil*, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil*, Benzyl Alcohol, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Cetearyl Glucoside, Parfum (Fragrance), Aqua (Water), Sodium Phytate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Salicylic Acid, Limonene, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid,Geraniol, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Citral, Tocopherol, Linalool. *ingredient from organic farming. Naturally occurring within essential oils.
Natural and Organic Cosmetic certified by ECOCERT Greenlife. 99% of the total ingredients are from natural origin. 78% of the ingredients are from Organic Farming.
Vegan, 78% organic
Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss Organic Pink
Unfortunately, this is another discontinued item on the list. I have bought this one as a part of a set of 4 lip glosses. While it gives a natural hint of colour and some sparkles, it is also very nourishing on the lips that I sometimes substitute it for a lip balm (check out the ingredients below, have you ever seen kiwi and strawberry seed oils in lip glosses before?). Unlike lip balm, it does not last on the lips as long. The scent is very sweet and if you are very sensitive to smells you might not like it. I also wish the shimmer was slightly less.
Ingredients: Ricinus communis (organic castor seed oil)*, cera alba (organic beeswax)*, sesamum indicum (organic sesame seed oil)*, vitis vinifera (organic grape seed oil)*, vaccinium corymbosum (organic blueberry seed oil)*, punica granatum (organic pomegranate seed oil)*, rubus idaeus (organic raspberry seed oil)*, actinidia chinensis (organic kiwi seed oil)*, vaccinium macrocarpon (organic cranberry seed oil)*, fragaria ananassa (organic strawberry seed oil)*, euterpe oleracea (organic acai berry)*, lycium chinense (organic goji berry)*, triisostearyl citrate, tocopherol (Vitamin E), agave americana (agave leaf extract), thymus vulgaris (thyme extract), melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree extract), rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary extract) and citrus sinensis (sweet orange oil). May contain titanium dioxide, mica, iron oxides.
* = Certified organic ingredient
Vegetarian (beeswax), organic
Hurraw Black Cherry Tinted Lip Balm RRP £4.99 for 4.3g
Hooray, finally a product widely available for purchase! Have you heard about Hurraw? If not, drop everything and get yourself a tube of this awesome balm right now! Hurraw produces vegan, organic, fair trade and wild crafted lip balms which also come in the characteristic oval tube. Hurraw are amazingly transparent, they have a whole document detailing the list of ingredients for every product and the source of the individual ingredients. I have been swearing by Hurraw for the last 3 years, it is my favourite lip balm hands down. I remember I have gifted a tube to my male friend as a festive present. He took it to Germany for his trip and when he came back he kept on talking how this lip balm saved his lips from cold and drying winter! And have I mentioned the selection of their flavours? Fruity, tea, spicy, coffee, SPF, unflavoured, dosha - there will be one even for the pickiest lip balm lover. Most of the lip balm are clear however this flavour has been tinted which paradoxically made it my least favourite out of all I have tried (I keep root beer flavour on my night stand and it is best I have tried so far!). The tint is not very dark however you do need to be careful not to apply it outside of your natural lip line to avoid a make up look faux pas.
The oval shape of lip balm means the application is quicker. The texture is very smooth and gliding. Hurraw balms are very nourishing however they are not greasy and do not have unpleasant flavours.
£4.99 can be seen as expensive for a lip balm so I tend to buy them on discount or when I shop on iHerb - to avoid getting charged with import tax I keep my order below £14. However since I already have to pay for delivery I tend to 'make up' the order value to £14 by adding lip balms (of course, it depends on what you are buying in the first place).
Ingredients: lkanna tinctoria (alkanet) infused *Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, ***Euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, **Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, *Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, **Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, *Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, *Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, organic flavors, Tocopherols (sunflower).
*cold pressed / organic **raw & organic ***wildcrafted.
Vegan, organic, fair trade, wildcrafted
That is it! I think hand creams and lippes are the absolute must in everyone's handbag. To me, they are equally as important as taking an umbrella. Let me know what are your handbag essentials.
Disclaimer - products are bought by me with my own money. Please check the official website for up to date information regarding every product. All information presented in this article is the opinion of the author and cannot be taken as a fact.
Agave Bun x
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