Jubilations!

This weekend there will be celebrations up and down the country for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

To get involved in the festivities we've opened our Best of British shop, celebrating all our favourite British brands, from ila to Neal's Yard.

Here are just a few of our must-haves:

OSKIA Renaissance Mask

We were recently treated to a facial at OSKIA's Covent Garden spa. You know when the Renaissance Mask has been applied because it smells so delicious! It's won copious awards for being the best anti-ageing mask on the market, and we totally agree. After our facial was finished, our skin was literally glowing!

Neal's Yard Remedies Bee Lovely Hand Cream

Neal's Yard is dedicated to being kind to the environment, so they created this fun hand cream to support the Save the Bees Campaign (numbers of bees are dropping in the UK which means bad news for the natural world). Made from organic honey to nourish your hands, you'll be lending a helping hand with every purchase. 

Nail Girls #5 Pillar Box Red Nail Polish

If street parties are inspiring you to go retro with your makeup, then a bright red nail polish is a must. The colour of an iconic pillar box, this nail polish from Nail Girls is the perfect fun colour for Jubilee celebrations!

GUEST POST | Violet Reid Introduces her brand, Shea Mooti

Shea Mooti is a luxurious new range of ethical skincare products, specially formulated with mamas and babies in mind.

When my first son, Alex, developed dry skin and eczema, I realised the only way I could be certain the products I used contained only pure ingredients was to make them myself.

I enrolled on a natural soap-making course where I discovered the wonder-ingredient – Shea Butter – a natural emollient that’s unsurpassed in maintaining and protecting delicate skin.

I branched out and started making creams and lotions for family and friends. The feedback was so positive I soon decided it was time to share my products with mamas everywhere.

Three years and three children later, I’m now the proud winner of two ‘Must Have’ awards (‘Mama’s Everything Body Balm’ and ‘Baby’sPure Shea Butter Soap’) and one ‘Editor’s Choice’ award (‘Mama’s Belly RubStretch Mark Oil’).

On lovelula.com, you can also buy our Soothing Leg and Foot Cream plus a Lavender Organic Soap to enrich and soften skin.

It’s been an amazing journey and I’m so excited to have created an award-winning range of pure, natural products for mamas and babies. I hope other women will enjoy using them as much as I do.

GUEST POST | 100% Organics Introduce Themselves

                                        

Lessons in skincare from Pacific Island women…via a Cornish farm.

  

On average, a British woman who likes to take care of herself will absorb up to 5lb of damaging chemicals through her skin every year – and this is according to the industry magazine ‘In-Cosmetics’.  Some of the man-made compounds merely irritate the skin.   Others, ironically, have also been found to age it prematurely.

100% Organics is different.

100% Organics is one of
 only a handful to be accredited by the Soil Association as TOTALLY organic.  There are lots of 
SA accredited brands, but our 100% status sets us apart.  All the ingredients have been selected by an internationally renowned Medical Herbalist who is an expert in skin health and the products are hand-made by us in Cornwall.   Each product is left for one Lunar month to absorb the heat of the day and the cool of the night, before it is ready.

Madagascan Tamanu oil

Our products are amongst the first in the world to use this amazing oil, which was originally introduced to westerners in the early 1900s.  It is rich in the essential fatty acid Omega 6-3 and calophyllic acid which has a powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect. Tamanu is nourishing and healing, having been used traditionally by Pacific Island women for thousands of years as a remedy for a variety of skin ailments.   

Tamanu fruits are collected from the ground after they have fallen from the tree, so using this amazing oil has no negative impact on the environment.  Surely we could learn something from them?

Tamanu oil is used across the range.  Our favourites are;

Moisturiser

Give your skin a daily prize, every time you moisturise.

This moisturiser is the perfect mix of 100% organic ingredients, including pure tamanu and borage oils and delicate marigold and rose extracts, which leave skin naturally and beautifully moisturised.

Body Butter

Spread the love with this butterly wonderful body butter.

This body butter combines pure coconut and apricot oils, and delicate marigold and ylang ylang, which will leave your skin naturally soft and supple.

Lip Balm

For super-smooth, soft lips and poison-free pouts!

This smooth, lightweight lip balm coats lips in a moisturising, soothing layer with a delicious sweet orange scent.

This lip balm includes coconut, tamanu and sweet orange oils, which will give you a naturally perfect pout.

GUEST POST | Lula gets ready for summer with Estelle & Thild

Estelle & Thild is just too gorgeous. Pretty packaging covered in flowers and super gentle formulations make this a must have brand for summer.  The fact the sun has finally got his hat on means we are all feeling a little more cheery too! With the Chelsea Flower Show just around the corner we thought it would be the perfect time to celebrate such a pretty brand.

This natural and organic range of super gentle skincare and body care products is exactly what we need to brighten our bathroom shelves and our moods.

And to make life even better when you spend £30 or more this week on Estelle & Thild we will give you a treat…an Estelle & Thild Neroli Bergamot Hand Cream absolutely free. Worth £15.50 and the perfect size for your handbag this fantastically gentle hand cream will nourish and replenish moisture in the hands. Shea Butter softens and almond oil provides nutrition which is rich in vitamins and fatty acids - essential for intense hydration.

After the cold damp weather of the past few weeks (months) we are sure your hands are in need of a little TLC, so get yourself a gift this weekend. Love Lula x

GUEST POST | Bellaboo's UK editors chat about LoveLula's model search

You may or may not know this, but we’ve recently hit the UK. We’re pretty excited about it and one of the online stores we’re in have been so taken with the Bellaboo range that we’ve been invited to share in their Model Search campaign. Some of our new UK Editors tell us a bit more:

Tahja:

LoveLula is one of the largest natural beauty stores here in Europe and recently they’ve launched a great competition to find 3 faces of natural beauty. Like Bellaboo, they are interested in beauty on the inside just as much as beauty on the outside and are massively into caring for the planet too. They’ve got really strict rules as to what gets in and what doesn’t ingredients wise.

Courtney:

Their Model Search has three different categories. The one Bellaboo is joining forces on is the 25 and under one which is open to anyone living in the UK over 16. As well as the obvious photos of yourself, they are also asking for entrants to send in 200 words explaining why natural or organic products are important to them. We love that the competition is so in line with Bellaboo’s way of doing things: beauty on the inside too, and can’t wait to see the entries.

Carris:

What’s really exciting about the competition is that LoveLula have asked the Bellaboo team to be on the judging panel! But before they get their say, it’s up to everyone to have theirs. From the 1^st July to the 30^th, the public are being asked to vote for their favourites, which will create the shortlist which the judges choose from. So we really want to hear from you: who will you think is the Bellaboo kind of girl in the UK? We’ll be back when the 3 are chosen to tell you a bit more about them!

Go to LoveLula's Facebook page to learn all about it and check out the entries!

GUEST POST | Organic Burst Founder Ekaterina Igumentseva

 

Organic Burst is a new UK brand of superfoods, born from our love for all things pure, organic and ethical. Superfoods are unique plants from all over the world, cherished by the locals for millennia for their health benefits. They are rich in nutrients that we lack on a daily basis: vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, fibre, good fats and amino acids. These are fully used up by our bodies thus often straight after taking superfoods you would feel revitalized!

We are huge believers in everything organic – good for your health and the planet. Our products are 100% organic, free from fillers, GMOs and pesticides. Ingredients are sourced from producers who reinvest into their local communities - changing the lives of local workers, helping them increase their income and improve living standards.

The amazing feedback and support from our customers and media has already won us three awards – the Best New Product of 2011, the Best Breakthrough Health Product and Finalist to the Best Vitamin and Mineral Supplement 2012. 

On lovelula.com you can choose from our range of 5 products: 

Baobab supports the immune system, digestion and boosts collagen production in the skin. It is refreshing in a glass of water or juice! 

Maca is great for energy and hormonal balance; sprinkle 1 tsp on cereal or mix it with vanilla yoghurt in the morning.  

Acai reduces the effects of ageing, boosts the metabolism and nourishes the skin. It is the secret of the stars, like Miranda Kerr. Take 3 caps a day as a part of your slimming plan. 

Spirulina is a miraculous plant that nourishes the brain, heart and nervous system. As it’s extremely high in protein (64%), have it one hour before dinner to prevent overeating. 

Wheatgrass is great to alkalise and detox, especially after that long weekend! 

The prices are kind to your wallet too – why not give Organic Burst a go?

GUEST POST | We meet Bellaboo founder Snezna Kerekovic

Bellaboo is an all natural skin care system for young girls. It's for that girl at the beginning of her skin care journey. That teen girl in the midst of puberty and pimples. And, that early 20s girl seeking effective skin care that's not too rich and not yet about anti-aging.

Becoming a skin care creator is something new for me. I started my career in journalism and ended up in the wonderful world of beauty as a beauty editor. This complete emersion in beauty and beauty products is what led me to create Bellaboo. That and becoming a mum.

With my own daughter in mind I went in search of effective, natural skin care. There was nothing. Everything on the shelf was chemical-based, all about attacking pimples by drying them out, and all so clinical-looking. Light-bulb moment - create a skin care range that is natural, can be used for every girl regardless of her skin care issues, is uncomplicated, delivers results without harm to the skin, and actually speaks her language and appeals to her visually.

Bellaboo, named after my own Bella, whose nickname happens to be Bellaboo, was born!

Our skin care is 99.5% natural ingredient-based with zero nasty chemicals. I can honestly say I think we have created one of the purest skin care ranges for young skin on the planet!! This is a skin care system for every day for every girl. It is a pimple prevention and pimple treatment program. It is an acne care solution and acre treatment that delivers results based on proven natural ingredients vs nasty drying chemicals.

The dream was to create a skin care brand that addressed the skin problems of girls in their tweens, teens and twenties, whilst being fun and part of their world. And, I'm thrilled to say we did it. Bellaboo Skin Care treats pimples and acne without the side effects you get with many other products. And, if you are lucky enough to have escaped pimplesand acne, it is still effective in keeping skin normal, healthy and glowing. Girls tell us they notice a difference in their skin within days!

For me personally, and everyone on our team, Bellaboo is more than just skin care. We believe that real beauty is, yes, addressing the external stuff but, more importantly, working on the inside. Real beauty comes from within. If you feel beautiful that is how others will see you too. I want to strive to make that difference inside and out! I want to make Bellaboo a total brand experience that is across all aspects of a young woman's life

I hope you enjoy the Bellaboo experience!