organic Archives - Vesna en violet

Beauty

HOMEMADE & ORGANIC: MEET NELIPOT!

11. 3. 2018

While my makeup choices are not that conscious most of the time, I am pretty strict when it comes to deodorants. I declared war against aluminium salts years ago, and although some deodorants are quite disappointing, I have some favorites that will get me through (almost) any stressful situation that comes my way. However, the selection of approved-by-Vesnaenviolet products has expanded not for just one product, but I dare say for a whole brand! I am happy to announce that Nelipot deodorants have made it thorough my careful and rigorous selection process.

This post has been in the making for months and I have already used both deodorants up. Although I received three products at the Beauty Conference last November, my focus is almost entirely on the two metal pots–I will get back to the Shverkaj powder later on. Just to describe the brand very briefly: Nelipot is a Slovenian brand established by two amazing human beings. Tina and Simon started their story by making their own deodorant cream that actually worked in their kitchen! I love the design and creative names of the products. Even the name of the brand is so original as it means the one who wanders barefoot. I love how perfectly they blend tradition with a modern approach to cosmetics. Needless to say, all of their products are cruelty-free and actually beneficial for our bodies and skin, what a treat!

As already mentioned, I received two deodorant creams, i.e. SHAC and IROF. At first, I was really skeptical because good organic deodorant creams are really hard to find. Especially because I had a very bad experience with a cream deodorant by Lush (that happened around 10 years ago, but the memory of that disaster is still very much alive!!). After a few weeks of looking at the pots on my desk I decided to give them a go and oh my, I am so glad that I did. SHAC is is made of coconut oil, sodium bicarbonate, a number of other nourishing oils along with the scents of tea tree and lemongrass. IROF, on the other hand, is even stronger and is actually meant for men. It is filled with the scent of frangipane and bergamot and is nevertheless a great option even for women!

As already mentioned, the third item is the Shverkaj powder. This is a charcoal-based teeth cleanser in powder form with some Asian herbs that give it a fresh kick. I gave it to my sister because I am very picky when it comes to toothpastes, so she tried it out for me. She said that ginger and eucalyptus make it very refreshing, but you have to get used to it. Powder products for teeth are not that common after all :)

To recap, I loved both cream deodorants and luckily didn’t see any difference between the two with regard to their effectiveness. Both were amazing and I am looking forward to ordering other scents from their online store!

♥

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Beauty

Organic Mint skin care by Lavera Cosmetics

29. 12. 2015

Hi, everyone! You may have read about my intention to start using a bit more organic skin care products. I came across Lavera products exactly when I needed and the story about it is quite funny – I was aware of the company before, but never tried anything. So, I was shopping for my best friend’s Christmas gift in the beginning of December and decided to get her the 3 in 1 face cleanser. When I got home, I wasn’t that sure if she would like it, so I decided to try it out first and buy her a new one if I liked it. You are now probably aware that I loved it, got myself two more products to try them out and bought my friend a brand-new one!

♦ Lavera 3 in 2 WASH – SCRUB – MASK: This product can be used as a daily cleanser and daily scrub or as a mask that can be applied for 3-5 minutes a few times a week. Its purpose is to clear the skin and fight against blemishes. Organic mint with anti-bacterial properties and siliceous earth try to reduce oiliness, whereas natural salicylic acid from willow bark helps clear the skin. The exfoliating particles are very gentle, so it can be used several times a week without a problem. Plus, it does not contain exfoliating micro-beads, which is one of the hottest topics in terms of environmental pollution at the moment.

This is literally the best cleanser I have ever tried, and I’m really not lying. I’ve tried so many cleansers from different brands so far, but this is the first one that really surprised me. It makes my skin incredibly soft and a bit drier on the shiny parts, which is always great if you have mixed skin! It costs around € 6 in Müller.

♦ Lavera Organic Mint Moisturizing Fluid contains Hyaluronic acid and Vitamin E to protect the skin and moisturise it, while mineral zinc lactate gives a matte complexion.

As I love fluids and serums over thick creams before I apply my foundation, I decided to expand my Lavera collection with this cute little fluid! It has a pastel green undertone and smells very fresh, minty-like, but in no way overwhelming – it goes away in a matter of seconds. It does absorb into the skin quickly and only a drop is needed for your whole face. I think it’s a very nice product, but I cannot say if it’s great yet, if you know what I mean. I’ll definitely keep you posted! I bought it for around € 6 in Austria and has probably around the same price in Slovenia, but retails at € 13.23 on Feelunique.

♦ Lavera Purifying Mask consists of organic mint and Dead Sea Salt, which cleanse the pores, as well as of mineral clay, which absorbs the oils and creates a matte finish. Apply it on your skin for 10–15 minutes and rinse with warm water.

I tried this mask yesterday for the first time and it’s insane! I think this packet will be enough for at least three rounds as only a small amount is needed. The scent is quite powerful, but so natural and therapeutic! It smells of mint and lemon and creates a tingling effect after you apply it on your face, which stays there for the whole time! The experience itself is really amazing.
As I have only used it once, I cannot say that I’ve seen any major difference. The skin feels great after the use, very soft and in no way drying than it is with other clay masks. The only part that bothered me is that it is hard to rinse it off – the consistency gets jellylike and you really have to work hard, maybe I should use a wet towel to clean it off the next time. I do like it and I will continue using it! You can get it for around € 3 in Müller.

All in all, I think these products are great for their price and would recommend it to all that have slightly oily and problematic skin. However, I don’t think those with dry skin would like the 3 in 1 cleanser, but I’m sure the fluid an the mask would work great. I’m beginning to love this brand and I cannot wait to try some of their other products out, they also hold their own makeup line in Müller!

♥

On another note, I hope all of you had a merry Christmas surrounded with people you love the most! Does anyone else have a feeling that this December has passed so quickly?? I was working as insane for my studies for the first three weeks that I was completely drained last week, I ended tucked in bed/on the couch with countless layers of clothes and blankets. Lots of lemon, honey as well as tumeric and cayenne pepper helped a lot! :)
And New Year’s Eve is just in two days, I cannot believe it! Do you have any plans for New Year’s Eve? Me and Alen will probably cook ourselves a nice dinner and watch TV, we’re such an old couple and I love it! :)

♥

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Beauty

Natura Siberica – Aralia Mandshurica Day & Night creams

30. 7. 2015

Natura Siberica is a young Russian brand of organic cosmetics. I first encountered their products in Drogerie Markt when I was looking for a new organic moisturizer. Their design immediately caught my attention and as I read through the ingredients and descriptions, I realised that this is a high-quality brand for a very reasonable price (around € 11–20). As it is written on the packaging and their website, the plants used in their creams can survive the harshest weather conditions in Siberia, which is quite fascinating. And I believe they can have a much better effect on the skin than any other synthetic creams. The range of Natura Siberica’s products is very wide, all the way from skincare and bodycare to hair products. Plus, you can order their products on the Slovene site as well, the link is here!

What I also like is the fact that their packaging is wrapped in foil, which means that the products you buy at the drugstore should be intact. Furthermore, a small etiquette on the packaging describes the product, but there is also a folded description of the brand itself as well as of the product inside the box, which, in my opinion, makes the contact between the customer and the brand even more personalized. I purchased the Aralia Mandshurica Day cream and Night cream for dry skin, as I have some dry areas on my face that really disturb me. I’ve been using them both for a few months now.

The day cream is very moisturizing and has SPF 20, which is actually the main reason I chose this one. I don’t really have any wrinkles on my face (yet!!), so I cannot tell you if it actually strengthens the skin, but it does make it very smooth. The one thing that I did notice is that the pigmentation marks on my face go away a lot quicker than they used to. The cream may have to do something with it, as it contains hyaluronic acid, vitamin E and many other wild harvested plants (Aralia Mandshurica thorn tree, Altai Fescue, and Arnica).

On the other hand, the night cream is very rich and is thought to provide deep regeneration as well as stimulate collagen production. The gorgeous violet plant Hesperis Sibirica (pictures here!!) and organic oats make the skin soft and supple. The only thing that bothers me is that the night cream is the one that mattifies the skin and not the day one – I would strongly prefer this to be vice versa. Nevertheless, it doesn’t make my skin oily throughout the night like other creams do, which is a big plus.

In my opinion, the Aralia Mandshurica Day and Night creams are two lovely produtcts providing a lot of moisture as well as sun protection (day cream) and both have a very light, natural scent. I would definitely recommend them to all who like organic cosmetics or want to try something new. I defeinitely have to try their shampoos and conditioners at some point.

Have you already tried any of their products? ♥

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