Those who follow me on Instagram will know I have been spending some time of my summer in Germany (and to be more specific, in Jena - the small but friendly town in eastern Germany). My plan was to stay here for 2 months for work/study reasons, and since I knew very little about the place, I have decided to take all my skincare and toiletries with me (which somehow added 10kg into my baggage - I blame the heavy glass jars!). Sadly, I have made a mistake of putting some of these jars with balms into my carry on, without realising airport security counts them as liquids. It was incredibly heartbreaking to see them take away my favourite Tabitha James Kraan Leave in conditioner and brand new Whamisa face mist! I had to tuck in those tears and get on with my journey. Upon arrival, I found there are plenty of health shops which carry all sorts of goods suitable for vegans, with prices ranging from super affordable to higher end. While I am very tempted to sample everything from the local stores, I will not be able to finish all the products in time for my departure and, sadly, my baggage allowance is not unlimited.
Of course, all products I have taken with me were carefully selected. My choice fell on the following two products:
Mallow and White Soothe Cleansing Oil RRP £30 for 50ml*
This bottle was very generously given to me by the owner of the brand Joanna White and I am incredibly thankful for this gift! I adore the brand for the simplicity in the ingredients and I have previously reviewed one of the amazing facial oils in the range here. The brand carries 3 lines (for mature, dry and sensitive skin types) each consisting of a facial oil, cleanser and facial mask, plus a versatile body and lip balm. All products are handmade in small batches to guarantee the best freshness of the ingredients (and thus maximum benefits). When I mentioned I had my eyes of the soothing cleansing oil (OK, I admit, I got intrigued by the cucumber seed oil!), Joanna was very kind to send me a full sized bottle. This was around my end of the year exams, so my head was full of worries about lectures and so I was not going to just into posting a review straight away. In fact, when the little box came, I decided to keep this little gem specifically for my trip to Germany and give it a good test there (or should I say here?). Two words about packaging, if you have ever received an order from Mallow and White, you know how sweet the packaging looks - you get some beautiful small petals with biodegradable popcorn kernels (instead of packing peanuts) and a lovely handwritten note which just adds a very personal touch to the overall experience. Silly me forgot to take the picture of it before I left but the box still sits on my desk at home. On the side note, when I was in awe of the note, the ginger troublemaker that is my dog decided the package had something for her as well and tried to have a munch on the popcorn and flowers (everything becomes a delicatessen when it is not in the food bowl!).
The cleansing oil comes in a purple biophotonic glass as do the facial oils (this type of glass helps to protect the product from sunlight degradation) with a convenient dropper. I was very excited to find out that the smell lived up to my expectations - it does smell of fresh cucumbers! It has very light texture, making it very easy to spread on the face and it easily comes off with a muslin cloth. The cleansing experience is very soothing and I enjoy using it as a second cleanse in the evening, taking my time to massage in the oil. Despite it being light in texture, the oil does an incredible job of removing makeup, dirt and stubborn SPF from my face, leaving my skin feeling soft. One thing I would change is to swap the pipette to a pump dispenser - I try to be careful but someone as clumsy as I am can easily get water droplets inside of the bottle which can make the oils go bad. Otherwise, this is another excellent product from Mallow ad White I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone!
Ingredients: Cucumber Seed Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Apricot kernel oil, Jojoba oil
Vegan, handmade, UK brand
*Gifted product
Aromatherapy Associates Hydrating Renewing Rose Cleanser RRP £26 for 200ml
This is actually my second bottle of this fantastic cleanser so it is not surprising my decision for the morning and the first cleanser fell on it. This bottle boasts a generous 200ml size and contains balancing rose and geranium which are great for any skin type. The cream-based cleanser has a nice texture - it is definitely not runny and it is not too thick which makes it a very versatile and appropriate for both morning and night routines. In addition, I like to use this as eye makeup remover, however, be careful not to get this into the eyes because it might sting a little. Living up to its name, it does feel very gentle on my skin and I never feel dry or uncomfortable after using it. As to firming, I am not able to comment on such claims.
As the name suggests, the cleanser comes with a gorgeous sophisticated rose scent which is a very relaxing treat before bed time. Equally, this would make a fantastic present. If you are an avid fan of roses, Aromatherapy Associates have a whole line dedicated to this feminine scent.
INGREDIENTS: Aqua (Water),
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride,Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil,
Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root
Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Rosa Centifolia (Rose) Flower Water,
Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Flower Oil, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum,
Ethylhexylglycerin, Citronellol*, Geraniol*, Linalool*. *Natural Essential Oil
Contents
Vegan, UK brand
I am planning to carry on with some snippets of the skincare I have chosen for my travels so watch the space!
Agave Bun x
Disclaimer - products are bought by me with my own money unless stated otherwise. 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.
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