Natural and cruelty free hair care essentials that are under £5.00!!

One of the things I cant abide is damaged hair. Its awful to admit but its one of the first things I look at and when my hairs not looking healthy it really bothers me. Since I began my Cruelty-free and green beauty journey one of the most important things for me was finding natural hair care that really works. Obviously I want the products to be cruelty free palm oil free, without silicone and parabens… but I also want products that really work. Generally I find most things quite disappointing, the last hair product that actually really impressed me was a small glass bottle of pure argon oil I bought from a perfume shop in Marrakesh.

Products I pick up from boots are generally very low quality and irritate my scalp.. I also find that most products either strip your hair of all oils and softness making it dry or coat it in a strange coating (a la Treseme). Also, so many products contain dangerous toxic chemicals I don’t know why on earth I should even pay for them. As my old hairdresser once said ‘you are a peacock and your hair is the feathers’ take care of it. Although I despise L'Oreal, believe them when they say your hair is worth it. 

OK, rant over I just wanted to share some of my top hair care products that I have been using this year (one of the worst hair years of my life). All of these products are under £5.00 and are very easy to get hold of and personally I think they are great value for money.

1. Coconut oil

Amazing for hair skin and nails I literally can't live with out this! Really soothing and gentle if you are sensitive like me and it can be bought from your local supermarket for under £5.00. Generally I  would go for an organic one if possible but if not there are plenty of others out their. The only thing I would say is make sure it is 100% coconut oil on the back and doesn't contain anything else that might irritate your skin.

2. Lee Stafford Coco loco

This is my favourite Cruelty-free hair protection spray as it is the only one that seems to work and also not cost £30.00. Works well and smells good but some ingredients are questionable. 

3. Shampoo

If you follow my blog you will have seen my struggles with a sore scalp and I actually think I'm narrowing in on one of the issues. I switched to Lush shampoo bars when they came out to cut down on plastics but even they have lots of natural ingredients I still had scalp issues. I then found out many of them have SLS in them which CAN be a skin irritant. After I used my last lot of Lush shampoos I decided to look for something without SLS in it to see if that was the problem. I found these two in from the organic shop in Tesco oddly enough and was pleasantly surprised. They have natural and organic ingredients and also don't contain any SLS. It has slightly helped cutting this out and I am fairly happy with the results even though it is slightly drying on my ends. You can pick up both shampoo and conditioner for £4.00 (so you don't have to break the bank to be a little more ethical :)) They are also cruelty-free, many products are vegan and they carry the Soil Association Natural Certification. 

4. Scalp massage

I think these are so loved yet how many people actually have one? They feel amazing and help stimulate hair growth and blood flow to the scalp. Also these can help with a sore head if like me you have hick hair that is up all day this really helps!

Obviously nothing can make up for bad diet(.. which I am really struggling with at the moment) but good products are important too! I hope you enjoyed my little list and please comment below if you have any other good ones you would like to share!

The snuggly jumpers that are perfect for A/W18 - Ethical slow fashion edit

Brr there is a chill in the air! Best snuggle up in some cosy jumpers quick! Here are my pics for some of my favorite winter jumper brands with some of my top pics for this season for every wardrobe! Let me know which one is your favorite in the comments!

People tree

Siizu

Ayni

Two thirds

A/W 18 fashion trends I'm loving - Slow fashion edit

This autumn I have been pleasantly surprised at a lot of the trends I have seen strutting down the catwalk. Although since starting my blog I have excluded myself from the fashion industry, there was a time when I would skip lunch and use my lunch money to buy fags and Vogue.

This Autumn and Winter however, I have welcomed the return of many A/W staples that I can easily fit into my slow fashion narrative. The best I have seen so far this season has been from MAX MARA and FENDI who's collections this year are stunning.

There has been a huge focus on leather, animal print, checks and tweed this season from a multitude of designers. The reason I have been so happy to see these back on the catwalk is aside from being this seasons trends, they are also staples. Checks and tweed (especially tweed) make up a large portion of my wardrobe and I'm sure I am not alone. A staple of the classic British wardrobe, tweed and checks are so timeless there is a good chance your tweed jacket will outlast you.

I love that leather and cheetah print are in this season as well with MAX MARA sporting head to toe cheetah print. I also am loving these trends as they are all something that most people will already have in their wardrobe. I always like it when things come back into fashion and you can pull them out from under the bed and give them new life!

For me I will be pulling out my statement scarf, leopard print, anything leather and tweed I can find. I have also had a few wardrobe updates but you will all have to wait to see those in my next post... Sometimes it's not about getting something new to update your wardrobe you can just revamp and reuse old classics!

Riverford Organics - Organic veg box review

As you all know I have been trying to eat more seasonal food this year. Local, fresh, better for me and the environment eating British has been something I've really been trying to do. 

Especially considering the political situation, I don't think there is any better time to support our local farms. However... finding fresh local food is tricky and if you don't want to trail around the supermarket or drive 15 miles to a farm shop it can be daunting. That seems to be the main motivation behind local veg box sachems. Easy, quick, healthy and seasonal produce delivered straight to your door! 

I decided to try one and did some local research on what was available in the area. I was pleasantly surprised to see at least 6-7 different companies offering this service however, none of them seemed to be as transparent or organic as I wanted. 

This is why when I eventually found Riverford I was so happy; although they are based in Devon they were exactly what I wanted. Everything is organic and most of it is grown in the UK and if it isn't it will say where it is from. The biggest thing for me was to get one that was seasonal with veggies that are grown in the UK and organic something the others didn't seem to be able to deliver on. 

This week by box had:

• Potatoes UK
• Onions UK
• Carrots UK
• Calabrese broccoli UK
• Savoy cabbage UK
• Swiss chard UK
• Mixed salad leaves UK

All for £11.45 including delivery which I think is pretty good for organic veg and the amount I got will last me more than a week I think!

I am super excited to have had my box delivered (they deliver anywhere) and I hope it will encourage me to get back in the kitchen cooking tasty healthy food. I'm hoping to share some seasonal recipes with you all this month so keep an eye out for that!

Top ten things I'm looking forward to this Autumn!

1. The cold weather

So apparently some people liked that sweltering heat ha ha but I don't think I'm the only one who is excited for the weather to turn cold again. Cold mornings with fog and crunchy leaves are the best and personally, I can't wait to be bundled up in a big snugly jumper with a hot cup of coffee.

2. Winter walks in the country

Definatly something to look forward too! There is nothing more beautiful than the British countryside and I cant wait to go out exploring this year. My chosen spots I would like to explore this A/W is possibly climb Cader Idris, The Wrekin and Delmere Forest. 

(Let me know in the comments where you are hoping to explore!)

3. The social acceptability of the gingerbread latte...

Yes, they are basic. Yes they are delicious. But I don't feel like they are a treat that can be justified year round. They are also quite expensive, so if like me you are addicted to coffee then maybe try a syrup in a travel cup from home? A fraction of the price but still as tasty.

4. Halloween

Apple bobing scary movie and dressing up! What is not to love? Even if you have no plans this year it can still be really fun to get some spooky treats and just stay in!

5. Pumpkins

I feel like pumpkins are very underrated in this country and I feel like this need to be rectified! Pumpkin pie, pumpkin curry and pumpkin soup are all delicious! I'm hoping to find an amazing gluten and dairy free pumpkin pie recipe before Halloween comes around :)

6. Bonfire night

Literally one of my favorite celebrations! I don't think this is celebrated anywhere else in the world but it is one of the many reasons I love living here. I don't know what it is and it sounds odd but I really like the feeling of everyone eating nice food and gathering around a bonfire together, sparklers at the ready. 

7. Autumn Fashion

Move over summer nonsense the time of the oversize jumper, boots and fur coats has come. I am also loving the trends for this A/W that have been all over the Fendi and the like have actually been very inspiring. I also have enjoyed the plethora of tweed, checks, leather and leopard print on the catwalk mainly as they are so timeless and easy to reuse and re-wear they are worth the investment.

8. Eating Game

Defiantly not for the vegan or veggie among you all but being able to have easy access to good quality meat is one of the best things about the winter months. There is something very nostalgic and homely about it; whilst also serving of a stark reminder of our culture where we come from and who we are. People have eaten game in this country for thousands of years and until very very recently was the meat that most people ate. If you agree with hunting or not I think that their is a big problem with people not being connected or acknowledging the life of the animals we eat.

9. Parkin

Literally the best cake ever. Gooey, sticky, spicy. I haven't found a recipe yet for a gluten and dairy free one but if I do I will defiantly share it with you all!

10. Christmas Markets

Christmas is one of the most important times of year and I think Christmas markets are a wonderful celebration of that. I love all the food and drink and the lights especially after it has been such a long hard year for so many of us. I can't wait to go this year and drink mulled wine in the street... maybe even find a gluten free mince pie if I'm lucky!

Share below what you are looking forward to big or small that will make this Autumn special!