Neal's Yard Training

Last week I went up to Covent Garden London for some Neal's Yard training. Neal's Yard is the most surreal and beautiful place! If you ever get the opportunity to go I suggest you do! Its a small little community in a courtyard full of flowers and wacky cafes that you would never believe was in the centre of London. It has it's own cafe, juice bar, and cheese shop, all naturally and organically derived, much like the skincare's motto. I really liked the place so this post is quite picture heavy!

Shop entrance 

Neal's Yard school on top of the Neal's Yard shop

Inside the shop. There is a wall of jars filled with plants and ingredients.

The Courtyard

Panoramic view of the courtyard.

The actual training was really interesting. We were told all about the back ground of Neal's Yard and how they work towards being organic and economical. We had a little tray of testers in front of us so we could try all the products we were being told about. All Neal's Yard products are made in Devon by 3 people so it is a totally British company.

Some products I really want to try for myself are the wild rose beauty balm, the rose and mallow moisturiser and the beauty sleep concentrate. We were also told about the new Frankincense Intense moisturiser that launches on the 28th August. It is a totally natural moisturiser but with the results of chemical creams on the market that cost an absolute fortune. Using nature and science they have create the ultimate anti wrinkle cream, that have had visible results! This will be attached to there Frankincense range that is already out. 

 Another new item to the shop is the Bee Lovely try me set. A long while ago I did a post about the hand cream from this range that I absolutely loved! It smells of orange and honey and is my favourite hand cream of all time, and the range also contributes money to saving the bees from harmful pesticides that can kill them. I really suggest buying the try me kit so you can experience it's freshness.

I couldn't resist adding to my collection so bought the Bee Lovely lip balm which is a real luxury. For £6 it is quite a lot but it is a really soothing lip balm with the same incredible smell. It almost turns into a oil as soon as the warmth of your skin touches it, and it can be also used as a cuticle cream.

 I was also lucky enough to get given a full size hand lotion from attending the training.

 As I said, I would really recommend going to visit Neal's Yard just to escape the hustle and bustle of the London streets, and to escape into a natural wonderland.

June Glossy Box

Organic Surge Conditioner

Since working on a predominantly natural beauty department, I have become more in the know about some of the ingredients that are put into our skin and hair care that shock me! I'm starting to sound like a bit of a hippy, but a lot of things we take for granted in high street brands are actually really harmful to us, and I've been making more of an effort to avoid these products. Things such as engine oils and the like go into our hair products, which you would never dream of putting on your head otherwise. Working near brands like Aveda and Liz Earle have made me more interested in natural haircare, so I was so happy when I got my Organic Surge natural conditioner, as it stears clear from all the nasty things that are put into our haircare. I had never heard of the brand and I love this conditioner, and will definitely be buying the matching shampoo and a new conditioner when I finish. It smells of grapefruit and makes your hair feels really clean and detangled. Really happy with this product, especially as it was a full size!

MonuSpa Hand cream

I don't tend to use handcream in the summer but this one is nice and lightweight and very citrusy smelling. I personally find the smell a little bit too overpowering, but it sinks into the skin quickly so you can get on with your day. It is also good for nails and cuticles and a nice size to tuck into your handbag.

Figs & Rouge Lip Balm

I wouldn't strictly call this a lip balm as the consistancy and look of it is more like a lip gloss. I don't usually like the feel of gloss on the lips as I find it too sticky but this one does not feel sticky and leaves a healthy shine to the lips. This is another product that is 100% natural and I love that!

Gosh Growth Mascara

Gosh is a brand I saw in Superdrug a few years back and thought it looked like a good makeup brand. I had never tried it up until now and I must say I was very impressed. This growth mascara feels really nice on the ashes and makes them look long and thick but not clumpy. It also has a growth formula in it so your lashes will grow longer and look thicker when your wearing it. Pretty impressive stuff.

MeMeMe Nail Polish

Finally we have my MeMeMe nail polish called 'Pensive'. At first I thought it was a standard pastel green colour, fit for summer. This polish is actually quite a striking and explainable colour when its on the nails. Its kind of pastel green/ baby blue/ aqua. Whatever it is, I love it, and have had many compliments whilst wearing it! These polishes are usually £5.00 so fairly highstreet.

March Glossy Box

I just got my April glossy box so that reminded me I haven't actually reviewed my March one! So here is.

Nails inc Varnish

 

 I was happy with my mini Nail's Inc varnish, as they are a nice brand but quite pricey at £11 for a full size bottle. The colour is probably somthing I wouldn't usually pick for myself as I go for brighter colours and this is a bit too dark for me. This colour is called 'Bruton St. ' and is quite a dusty rose colour. It has violet tones and is quite sophisticated. I think it would look nice on a summer's evening with a nice dress. Its the sort of colour that goes with everything.

Jelly Pong Pong Lip Crayon

I was quite intrigued by my little lip crayon that came in my box. It looked like the Clinque chubby stick and was a bright pink colour that I like for lips. The lasting power isn't great but its easy to slip into a handbag and comes with a lid so it is easy to reapply! Its really moisturising and feels like a balm yet has the brightness of a lipstick.

matchy matchy

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream

I know that this cream is really highly demanded and on the Glossy Box website people were really raving about it. Its an everything cream that you can put in your handbag and use for just about everything. I found I used it mostly as a lip balm and put some over my eye brows to smooth them down. Other than that, I didn't really use it for anything else. I think there were SO many things you could do with it I just didn't really know what to do with it. I still have some left over so will report back if I find any other uses!

L'Occitane Hand Cream

The L'Occitane hand cream was another addition to my box I was happy about. We sell L'Occitane in the shop I work in, and the testers are usually mostly used up by me. I have to say that I wasn't amazed with this one. It didn't absorb as quickly as some of the other ones they do and the smell was quite sweet and perfumed. It is also a brightening hand cream but I couldn't see much difference. I do like L'Occitane though so I would suggest trying some of they're other products!

Tresseme Hair Spray

If you read my daily hair care routine post I did a while back, you will know that I use a lot of Tresseme products so I was really happy with this. Theres not a lot to say about it just that it was a really good size and I still have quite a lot left. It holds hair well and brushes out easily and doesn't go all hard like some hair sprays. Very happy.

Neal's Yard

At the moment Marie Claire magazine are giving away this free Neal's Yard hand cream worth £10. If your really strapped for cash this Mother's Day grab the magazine and give your mum this treat! Neal's Yard is based in convent garden and is a completely natural range. They aim to be completely organic and put in the most high quality ingredients into their products. This hand cream is from their 'bee lovely' range, meaning all money made from the products go to helping save the bees which are at high risk, so that's another plus.

The hand cream is made from organic honey and blended with orange and smells amazing. The essential oils leaves the hands feeling really soft and it is absorbed quickly so no greasy hands! It really is a lovely gift and if you buy the magazine your getting a real bargain!