The Bathory

A Whole Lot of Empties June 2014

- Vicki 16 Comments

Empties

Origins Mega Bright Dark Circle Minimiser Eye Cream* This little pot of greatness lasted me almost 6 months, this is a thick creamy consistency and was just the most nourishing and hydrating eye cream. I used it everyday and loved it. I think it did help with my dark circles and it really helped with my dehydrated fine lines. This was a really lovely cream & I would repurchase.

balance Me Rose Otto Body Wash – For me this is a bit of a treat in the shower as it is quite pricey for a body wash, nothing ludicrous but at £9 for 200ml its still a little more than most people are willing to pay. It leaves your skin feeling soft & hydrated and it smells very pretty too. I do like having a shower gel / body wash that it slightly more luxurious to use when I’m having a pamper evening as it is a little treat & these balance Me ones are very nice.

dr. Organic Pomegranate Deodorant – I’ve used this brand of deodorants for about a year now & really like them. They are gentle & leave the skin under my arms feeling very soft and not irritated at all. I’d say a bottle lasts me just over a month. I have repurchased this over & over again.

The Bathory Soothe Bath Soak* – I loved sprinkling these salts in to my bath, they’re so relaxing and very nourishing for your skin too! They soothed my tired body, the scent was relaxing and the salts left my skin feeling so soft. What a fantastic brand and a wonderful fun concept. These are for people that are serious about baths! If you haven’t ventured on to their online shop you must go & check them out! I will be treating myself to more jars of these & I’m planning on reusing my jar as a vase.

Organic Surge Spiced Lily Foaming Bath –  If you’re after a bubble bath that gives you masses of bubbles then this isn’t for you, its more of a lovely bath foam. This is more of a winter festive scent & was so nice on the colder evenings, the scent was lovely and spicy. A very nice addition to my baths & come Christmas time I would repurchase it.

Bath & Body Works Vanilla Berry Sorbet Hand Sanitiser – I really like these for in my handbag, they’re great for keeping my hands germ free on the go & the fact this smells incredible is a massive plus. I have a stock pile of these in my stash so Im good for backups.

Organic Surge Sweet Blossom Body Lotion – This was so nice after a shower to moisturise my legs, its quite creamy but so nice to massage in to the skin to leave it silky smooth and very pampered. I enjoyed using this but not sure if it stacks up against my Soap & Glory ones.

Greenland Coconut Milk & Lime Body Scrub* – This scrub is so nice after a warm sunny day, it smells so fresh & zesty almost like a warm summer holiday. I love using a body scrub & try to use one everyday just to keep my skin looking fresh & glowing. This Greenland Scrub had the perfect combination of exfoliator & hydrating body wash. It left my skin smooth and feeling soft.

Organix Tea Tree & Mint Conditioner* – I have the shampoo to this too & really like them both. They smell fresh & minty and leave my hair feeling soft but not fly away. They tame my frizz and my hair seems glossier since using these. My husband really likes them & has been asking me to buy another set. So I will be replacing these ASAP.

ESPA Pro Serum*- All I have is love for this facial serum. It is the perfect overnight treatment, I wake up with glowing, plump and very fresh looking skin. I even like to put a few drops of this under face masks for an extra skin boost. Although it is an oil it isn’t greasy or too heavy, I have worn this during the day when my skin was really dehydrated & it worked wonders. Its a very versatile serum & I will always have this in my skincare routine & have another one waiting in the wings.

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II – This serum makes my skin so happy – that translates to looking younger, fresher, brighter and all importantly well rested. I love the process of using the pipet to dispense the serum, warming it up between my hands and then patting it on my face and neck. It feels cooling on the skin and instantly hydrated. I convinced my mum to invest in this and she is converted and her skin is looking fabulous. This is an investment but one I’m thrilled I made and will treat myself to another bottle without a doubt.

Wow, that was quite a few empties, I was on a roll last month & I finished quite a few of my favourite products like the ESPA Pro Serum, Estee Lauder Serum and The Bathory Bath Soak – all luxurious by well worth the price tags. Let me know if you have used or using any of the products I’ve mentioned.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

 

Best of British #1

- Vicki 11 Comments

I’ve been planning this series for a while, I wanted to celebrate the incredible and diverse beauty brands that are home grown and proudly British. There so many British brands that are sold internationally as well as many smaller lesser known brands. I have 50+ brands to share with you, I’m excited to discover some new brands and share with you quite a few brands that I love. I hope you enjoy this series of posts & let me know if you discover any brands that you didn’t know were British.

Best of British Products

The Bathory*

Launched this year by Laura out of her love of a good bath, she wanted to share that love with the world & so The Bathory a cute little British brand was born. With their HQ in London & their small factory in a barn in rural Berkshire they let you invent your own blend of bath soak. This is a luxurious way to enjoy a bath and its such an exciting concept for bath lovers everywhere. Their jars of bath soak are £18 so quite pricey but if you like to relax in the bath then these are perfect for that. From their website to the final product this brand has excellent attention to detail and I really like that.  I’m excited to see whats next from this brand.I have written a full review of them here.

Soap & Glory

This is a brand that almost all of us know and love, it was founded by the creator of Bliss Spa, Marcia Kilgore back in 2006, its eye catching packaging and tongue in cheek names are what most people notice first. Soap & Glory are a fun, fresh affordable British brand that have gone from strength to strength. They now have a product range including skincare, haircare makeup, bath & body care. We all have our favourites and mine include The Righteous Butter, Sugar Crush Body Scrub and Hocus Focus Highlighter. This is a brand that is now sold internationally and they always seem to be releasing something new and exciting. I’m secretly hoping they do a line of nail polish. Let me know what your favourite S&G product is. I want to try their new Make Yourself Youthful Sunshield Superfluid SPF50+as I am all about the facial SPF. 

Best of British Beauty Brands

Rimmel

Was founded in 1843 by Eugene Rimmel and was originally a perfumery on London’s famous Regent Street. They’ve always been well known for their Mascara & Rimmel actually means Mascara in many languages. Rimmel is such an iconic British Brand that is sold in more than 40 countries and is Britain’s best selling cosmetic brand. They have a great range of affordable products and are still to this day most well known for their mascaras, although I think they have added more to their range. I personally like their Wake Me Up range and their Scandaleyes Waterproof Khol Kajal are a great budget friendly eyeliner – these come in 7 shades & 5 of these shades are a staple in my makeup bag. What are your favourite Rimmel products?

Jo Malone

Was founded in 1994 by Jo Malone, ‘who began her career as a facialist, soon becoming one of London’s most sought-after skin care therapists. To thank her original 20 clients, she hand-mixed her own Nutmeg & Ginger Bath Oil. One client ordered 100 bottles as table favours for a prestigious dinner. Instantly, 86 guests wanted more. The Jo Malone London brand was born.‘

It’s now seen as a quintessentially British brand, their stores are a pleasure to shop in and its so hard to leave empty handed. They’re best known for their selection of fragrances  but they also have candles, skincare and body products. They package them up beautifully with a cream box and a silky black bow so if you needed a gift these are the ultimate & look luxurious. I had a candle as a leaving gift from a job & I treasured it for months. Let me know what your favourite Jo Malone scent is, mine has to be the classic Lime Basil and Mandarin and their Amber & Patchouli. I could spend hours in their stores testing them all out.

Best of British Beauty Brands

Nails Inc

Was founded in 1999 by then fashion editor Thea Green MBE (Services to Beauty Industry) she loved how easy it was in America to get a Manicure and felt there was a huge gap in the market for aUK based fashion forward nail bar, her first salon was started in London. It was famous for the 15 minute mani & demand was high. Nails iNc grew very quickly and can now be found in department stores nationwide. Nails Inc is known for their affordable, luxurious nail care, that’s catwalk inspired and gives you professional quality. True to its British roots the shades are named after London destinations like Spitalfields and Notting Hill Gate. Nails Inc has grown to be Britain’s most successful and popular nail bar chain and they employ 400 people throughout UK & Ireland.

Their products are sold internationally and you can now find Nails Inc nail bars in Sephora in the USA and Canada. I adore Nails Inc polishes & think their formula is so good, the colour range is stunning, They are always at the forefront of new effects and finishes and it is exciting every season to see what new textures and shades they come up with. Among my favourite shades are Basil Street (gorgeous subtle nude) and St James Park (pretty pink). They have an extensive selection & I need to add a few more shades to mine. Let me know what you recommend. Nails Inc not only sell nail polish but also hand-care, foot-care and false lashes.

STEAMCREAM*

Is an Anglo – Japanese brand but the product is produced in the UK. STEAMCREAM is an all in one natural moisturiser that is light and gentle enough to be used on your face, body and hands. STEAMCREAM is produced using a STEAM process, The force of the STEAM fuses the ingredients instantly – holding them together in a very gentle and loose emulsion. When it touches your skin, the naturally moisturising ingredients and pure, calming essential oils are released from the light emulsion so they can sink past the surface reaching the areas they are needed fast. Your skin will feel intensively moisturised and softer for longer’.

STEAMCREAM is also a very ethical brand with focus upon its packaging being environmentally friendly and recyclable.  It’s also Vegan Friendly, freshly handmade everyday and STEAMCREAM use a minimum amount of preservatives so that the skin’s natural balance of flora can be protected. Low preservative levels also help STEAM CREAM to biodegrade easily. I love using this multi purpose product & have a collection of their cute tins on my vanity. I have written a full review on this here.

Illamasqua

Is a British makeup brand launched in 2008, it is a brand which encourages individuality and freedom of expression. Drawing much of its inspiration from the 1920’s Berlin theatre scene and the many alternative scenes that we have seen since. It is a brand thats popular with makeup artists and beauty lovers alike, not conforming to the norm Illamasqua has a flair for the vivid, pigmented and adventurous they never shy away from pushing the boundaries of makeup. I like that it feels quite dark and edgy and that your part of a movement and not just a brand. Its quite exciting. Illamasqua are known for using colour and being bold. I have only tried a few products from them but I was pleased with the quality and their customer service, if you get chance to visit one of their shops or counters you must, their staff are very friendly, helpful and passionate about the brand. So nice to see. Please let me know what products you use & love from them.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

The Bathory Bath Soak

- Vicki 11 Comments

The Bathory* make each step of the process of ordering a joy. From customising your own bath soak online to a really quick delivery time, not to mention the beautiful packaging. This joy continues when you sprinkle it in to a hot bath and relax. These products have been well thought out and it feels like a little slice of luxury in your bathroom. The Bathory are a new company and it feels like they already have everything spot on. You follow a series of fun easy steps on their website to invent your personal blend of Bath Soak. It all starts with how you want to spend your bath –  Bask, Soothe or Detox.

The Bathory Bath Salts

The Bathory Bath Salts Soothe Blend

I went for Soothe which has a blend of Pure Epsom Salts (known for their health benefits), Oatmeal, Honey & Buttermilk. Then you get to pick 3 Organic Essential Oils so I added Bergamot, Chamomile and Sandalwood. You then head to the checkout & thats that, its all very user friendly and easy. You feel like a crazy scientist putting together a potion. I was excited for them to be delivered & they arrived 48 hours after I ordered them, all the way from The Bathory workshop deep in the English Countryside (sounds idilic).

The Bathory Soothe Bath Salts

I instantly fell in love with the packaging. From the brown paper bag to the violet coloured glass jar which they encourage you to reuse (the violet colour of the jar even helps protect the essential oils). Everything has such attention to detail which is really refreshing. I couldn’t wait to use them & made an excuse to have a bath. Now these Bath Salts are not for those people that just want to dip & run, they need to be enjoyed & relaxed in. I did just that.

I’m terrible at describing scents but it is safe to say these smelt incredible, relaxing and intense (in a good way). I used a quarter of the jar and that left my skin silky smooth and soft and my body was relaxed. I felt as my blend suggests very soothed. My husband even commented on how nice the bathroom smelt after I’d used these. You can use as much of the jar as you feel you need but The Bathory suggest that for the Best Bath Of Your Life you use the whole jar – how indulgent!

The Bathory say,

‘We believe in bathtime. Baths to be shared, or luxuriated in all by yourself. Baths for starlit nights, for post-run mornings, for lazy Sundays. Baths to fall in love with.’

and I say this is the Bath Soak for that job!

The Bathory Bath Salts

The Bathory

I now want to pop back on to the website & come up with another blend, I think next time I will go for the Bask option. These would make a very thoughtful gift. I wouldn’t say these are aimed at people who don’t like luxurious baths or taking time out to really enjoy them because at £18 a pot they’re an indulgence but one I think is worth every penny. Click over to their virtual apothecary & see what blend you come up with. Oh & they accept PayPal & ship worldwide – happy dance.

Let me know what blend you’d pick, or if you order one link me to your post so I can read all about it.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own