Four ‘Must-Have’ Natural Skincare Products

Just before Christmas 2019, I changed my whole skincare routine after purchasing the Holland & Barrett Natural Beauty Advent Calendar (best purchase ever, bring on Christmas 2020).

Previously, I predominantly used Nivea skincare products, which always worked fine and I’ve never had any particular skin problems or acne however, I wanted to be more conscious about the products I was putting on my skin, especially seeing as I’m getting a bit old now, the eye wrinkles are real! The Holland & Barrett calendar was definitely a good way to test a few options and I have found a few of my favourite products.

My four favourite products for the face are all natural, organic and vegan friendly. There are so many different types of products on offer depending on your skin type but these are my favourites which I have been using consistently and work well for my skin (in order of use).


TRUE Skincare’s Superfood Exfoliator:

TRUE Skincare Superfood Exfoliator

It is a powdered exfoliator which turns to a granular-like paste when mixed with a few drops of water. When I first tried this product I was not a fan as it seem a bit of a hassle but after changing my application method, this is one of my favourite exfoliators. If your not familiar with using these types of exfoliants then it can be a bit tricky getting the powder to water ratio, as well as trying not to lose half the product when mixing it and trying to apply it to your face. The directions suggest mixing it in your hand but that’s where I found it a bit problematic so, if your using these types of exfoliants or want to try TRUE Skincare I have a few of tips

  1. Get a little pot, designated just for the use of the product, and mix a bit of the exfoliant with water until you get a nice paste-like consistency.
  2. Apply the product with the tips of your fingers in light circular motions.
  3. The directions suggest use a cloth to remove however, I found some of the granular elements could be a little rough when removing it with a cloth so, I personally just splash water on my face and then use a wet cloth for the excess.

After I tried the above method, my opinion of the product completely changed. It leaves my skin feeling soft with a fresh looking glow and is great for part of your skin-prep routine before a night out.


Beauty Kitchen’s Seahorse Plankton 5 Minute Miracle Mask:

Beauty Kitchen - Seahorse Plankton 5 Minute Miracle Mask

This is my holy grail, my absolute favourite, I gave my girl some in a pot to try and even she liked it! Beauty Kitchen states on the box packaging to leave it on for 5 – 15 minutes and that it is “100% natural, biologically proven microalgae & plant extracts, for sustainable beauty. Starts working in 24 hours”. Now I don’t know all the scientific stuff personally but, this product works! I’ve left this on for 5, 10, and even 15 minutes plus, I cannot fault the way it works however, the smell is a bit peculiar and slightly overwhelming. You can remove it with a Konjac sponge or a cloth, it leaves my skin feeling smooth, glowy and even appears healthier and more hydrated. This mask is definitely a miracle and a game changer in my opinion, I absolutely love this product and is my number one on this list.


Holland & Barrett Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Serum:

Holland & Barrett - Vitamin C & Hyaluronic Acid Serum

With a surge in Hyaluronic Acid products available it can be hard to choose one. I have tried many different brands but this one is now my go-to because, it is more natural and doesn’t contain all the extra unnecessary stuff. It can be used by itself or combined with a face cream and I do both depending on my mood also, you only need a small amount as it goes a long way. The skin absorbs it fairly quick when using it alone and it would make a good base for make-up application however, I do prefer to use it with a bit of face cream as it just provides that added bit of moisture. The weather and make-up can be harsh towards our skin sometimes so, unless your extra oily, the more hydration the better. I would recommend this compared to some of the other products in the market.


Beauty Kitchen’s Abyssinian Oil Intensive Eye & Deep Lines Serum:

Beauty Kitchen - Abyssinian Oil Intensive Eye & Deep Lines Serum

I am really enjoying Beauty Kitchen’s products at the moment and this is another life-saver because, as I explained earlier I am getting old and who really wants wrinkles?! I apply this under my eyes, smile lines and forehead nearly every night and, although its no Botox, I have definitely noticed the difference. My eye wrinkles, that I despise dearly, are not as prominent as they were, unfortunately I don’t think I’ll ever be fully rid of them as I have those kind of eyes (if you know what I mean), even baking the eye area during a make-up moment is just a no-go for me, it can be so frustrating. Anyway… You only need to apply a small amount of the product as a little goes a long way, there is a slight fragrance but, it is hardly noticeable after the application.


All of these products state that they are natural and suitable for vegans. They are all a great value for money, in the range of £10 – £15, compared to some skincare products which can be ridiculously priced.
Also if you are interested in any Beauty Kitchen products, they have an amazing recycling scheme and the details about it can be found on their website or at your local Holland & Barrett store.

If you have tried any of the above products I would love to hear your opinions or, even any recommendations for other natural skincare products or brands.

25 Days of Natural Beauty – 2019 Advent Calendar


Before we get deep into the details, if your looking for a bunch of different advent options then this is the wrong blog post, I’m sorry. I will specifically be discussing the advent calendar I opted for this year, why I chose it, and various other bits ‘n’ bobs.

Get yourself a cuppa or some munchies and lets get down to business…

Every year I get super excited by the advent calendar build up and of course, you have to be on the ball early if you want to get yourself the best one that offers good products and is worth the coin. I read many blogs and watched so many YouTube videos across September and October to find one which aligned with my needs as well as my purse.

Now, if you have been wrapped up in the seasonal advent hype before than you are well aware of the craziness that surrounds it #TheHypeIsReal. Some of the more extravagant calendars are on the pricey side and let’s just say, I’m a student and a single parent who is in no position to be spending over £80+ on an advent calendar, no matter the product value contained inside.

Last year I purchased the Revolution makeup advent calendar and I was pretty satisfied, I had used their individual products and palettes and still do now. Most of the products in the Revolution calendar were good quality and usable, besides a few random lipstick shades, and the price point was good (I managed to grab it for £25). However, this year after a lot of reviewing and even after they released a few different options, I was disappointed with the products available. This left very few options for a decent cheap calendar and the Revolution makeup one was meant to be my strong contender!

I came across many different calendar options from Glossy Box, Harrods, Charlotte Tilbury, NYX, The Body Shop, ASOS, No7 and many more. Many surpassed what I was willing to spend and those within range had products I wouldn’t really use, I also thought to myself while searching “you have wayyy to much makeup anyway”, finding an internal excuse.

I came across a review video for Holland & Barrett’s 25 Day’s of Natural Beauty, instantly I was intrigued because I never really thought about Holland & Barrett. Considering I already had loads of makeup, skin care seemed like a good alternative option and I had used a few of their products before but not much on a beauty scale. By the end of the video I was sold and went to my nearest Holland & Barrett the next day to get one and there was only two left, it also has a 4.8 star rating online. Now I can’t lie, I opened one of the doors to the Jade face roller because I was super excited about it, then realised I could have easily slid the tray out of the bottom (I’m ditsy). Obviously, Holland & Barrett is a natural health and well being store so the products are all naturally made and vegan friendly. I am very pleased with my purchase, besides a few of the items like any calendar but overall, it contained loads of good products which I can’t wait to try out, bring on the 1st December. After looking over the products, I boasted about it to my cousin to the point I ended up going with her the next day so she could get the last one left in the store. I was discussing the calendar and the Hyaluronic Acid with my cousin when a random lady was looking over and then asked if there was more calendars but there wasn’t however, she did end up purchasing the Hyaluronic Acid Serum #MarketingSkills.

I have purchased a couple of the items inside the calendar individually and have been using them, so far so good. The Holland & Barrett Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Serum (worth £14.99 for 30ml) is one of my favourite products and the calendar also includes a full size bottle inside. I use it twice daily, once in the morning and once before bed, it has been 3 weeks since I have started using it and I already notice the difference in my skins appearance. I would recommend this product because not only is Hylauronic Acid great for re-hydrating your skin, stimulating collagen and improving its overall appearance, this one is all natural and doesn’t contain some of the extra unneeded ingredients that some brands are including in their products.

I have been using my Jade Facial Massage Roller after applying the Hyaluronic Acid, I was most excited about this product anyway as I am a gemstone/crystal lover and I have wanted one for some time.

Whilst purchasing the Hylauronic Acid Serum in my local store they had a few of Beauty Kitchen’s Seahorse Plankton 5 Minute Miracle Mask, it is included in the calendar (worth £5.99 for 6ml) and I managed to grab the exact same one for just £1 on sale (the full product size is 60ml for £15.00). I have only used the product once and it left my face feeling really smooth with a glow yet, I think I would have to purchase the full size product and use it regularly to see any long term benefits. It does have a smell I can’t quite explain, for some reason coral comes to my head, like as if you was to sniff some ocean coral. That sounded more normal in my head but either way it felt nice on my face.

A product that did catch my eye and I cannot wait to try is the Elifeixr Push-up Buttocks Sculpting Gel (worth £15.99 for 150ml), the fact it is pink is a bonus for me. The one included in the calendar is 40ml which works out to approximately £3.20. I’m intrigued to know if it actually works and I’m not expecting to get a Kardashian booty over night or anything but, I am thinking this combined a few butt exercises might work wonders. It is meant to help improve cell renewal and protect collagen by shaping, smoothing and firming the buttocks area.

The advent calendar has so many different items which I am going to list with the product size as well as prices, a couple of the items are exclusive to the advent calendar so I couldn’t source the exact prices of those.

  • Fruu Watermelon Lip Balm 4.5g – £2.99
  • Weleda Skin Food Light 30ml – £7.95
  • Dr Organic Mini Aloe Micellar Water 75ml – £5.99 for 200ml
  • Holland & Barrett Vitamin C & Hyaluronic Acid Serum 30ml – £14.99
  • Holland & Barrett Jade Facial Massage Roller – Exclusive
  • Sukin Mini Facial Scrub 50ml – £2.55
  • Miaroma Festive Blend 10ml – £8.00
  • Beauty Kitchen’s Seahorse Plankton Miracle Mask 6ml – £5.99
  • Trilogy Hydrating Mist Toner 20ml – £3.50
  • Holland & Barrett Lavender Sleep Mask – Exclusive
  • Dr Organic Mini Rose Body Wash 75ml – £6.49 for 250ml
  • Faith in Nature Lavender Hand Soap 100g – £1.99
  • Naturtint Mini Hair Spray 50ml – £2.86
  • Salt of the Earth Roll On Deodorant (Unscented) 75ml – £3.99
  • Miaroma Sweet Orange Essential Oil 10ml – £6.99
  • Natura Siberica Hand Cream 30ml – £2.99
  • Elifexir Push-up Buttocks Sculpting Gel 40ml – £3.20
  • Dr Organic Manuka Honey Rescue Cream 50ml – £9.99
  • Ecodenta Coconut Toothpaste 100ml – £6.99
  • Holland & Barrett Muslin Cloth – £2.25
  • Weleda Skin Food Light Lip Balm 8ml – £6.95
  • Ambience CBD Body Oil 50ml – £11.99
  • Dead Sea Spa Magik Hair Serum 25ml – £3.79
  • TRUE Skincare Mini Super-food Exfoliator 15g – £11.99 for 25g
  • Beauty Kitchen’s Abyssinian Oil Facial Concentrate 30ml – £8.99

The total price for all of the above products equates to approximately £118.94. This does not include the exclusive items or the products which state the price for a larger size then what is available in the calendar.

I paid £35 for the advent calendar so I basically saved over £80, and they are all products I am looking forward to trying out and using in my routine.

Added bonus: I discovered when watching the review video that some of the advent doors have a discount code for the product inside, this is a nice touch and will definitely encourage me to purchase more if I get on well with the products. I know for a fact I’m going to use that butt sculpting code, don’t judge me!

If you use any of the products or purchased the Holland & Barrett Advent Calendar I would love to know what you think. Unfortunately the calendar is sold out online but you can still get it in stores so, check your local shop as soon as you can, trust me it will be worth it!