Beauty Review: Akamuti Raspberry Seed Oil

When I recently ran out of moisturiser and eye cream, I decided to reach for Akamuti's Raspberry Seed Oil to see if it could carry me through. I'm so glad I did because this oil is my new best friend!

HOW SKIN LOOKS & FEELS
Akamuti's Raspberry Seed Oil hydrates and nourishes the skin wonderfully with its omega fatty acids and vitamins E & A and the results are impressive. My skin looks healthy and clear. Even during this super hot week we have had in London, my skin has not looked greasy but rather refreshed and glowy. I was always wary of using oils as moisturisers because I thought I would look a little too shiny but this oil absorbs quickly and does the job of a moisturiser exceedingly well. I like the fact that I can now moisturise my skin with a product containing only one ingredient: cold pressed raspberry seed oil (cold pressed ingredients are extra potent as the benefits of the ingredients have not been destroyed through overheating).



OTHER BENEFITS
As soon as I heard that Raspberry Seed Oil was reputed to have 'fantastic anti-UV abilities' and was 'naturally high in SPF' it was yet another reason to lather it on! Akamuti also explain that their Raspberry Seed Oil is ideal for distressed skin and helps to repair and condition the skin. My skin isn't particularly distressed right now (me, on the other hand, that's another story) but I have found the oil to be excellent for normal skin as well.

It's working really well as an eye cream replacement also. I tap the teeniest amount under the eye area and wait 30 minutes before applying a concealer, which glides on without any creasing or cakey residue.

HOW TO USE
I love the small droplet glass bottle my oil came in (10ml). I drop a bit into my hand which warms it up and then just apply to the face (only a small amount is needed). I don't detect a raspberry scent but more of a neutral aroma with nice Earl Grey tea undertones!

OTHER OILS TO TRY
I also noticed Akamuti stock lots of other oils (organic and fair trade options) which was rather fortuitous as I had recently been reading about the numerous uses for various oils and had planned to stock up on some for beauty and cleaning purposes. Akamuti stock olive oil which is amazing for polishing wood furniture, sesame oil which is often used in Ayurvedic medicine and which I just found out is recommended as the perfect moisturiser for my dosha, Vata (sorry to get so personal). They also have sweet almond oil which I want to try using as a base for making a body oil for summer by adding organic essential oils of orange and ginger perhaps).

Okay, I'm waffling now. Oils clearly get me excited but I just wanted to share this beauty find with you as I have been using it for the past few weeks now and have been impressed with the results and purity of the one ingredient!

Purchase Raspberry Seed Oil at Akamuti - 10ml for £2.95 or 100ml for £10

Akamuti - Review of 3 Divine Natural Moisturisers

Get your skin ready for summer and prepped for wearing skimpy singlets, shorts, sandals and gulp, bikinis! Akamuti have a range of beautiful natural face and body moisturisers to choose from that will nurture and nourish the skin.

I'm quite new to the Akamuti brand but after spending one weekend with several of their amazing products and also frolicking around their website excited by all the other products aside from moisturisers there are to try (Chocolate Marshmallow Face Mask, Sweet Orange Facial Scrub and Rose Berry Eye Revitaliser to name but a few), I was left so impressed by Akamuti and the high quality of their truly natural products!

Kalahari Watermelon Body Moisturiser (pictured above)
I'm not sure if it's because summer is approaching or I just want it to feel like summer is here, but as soon as I read the name Kalahari Watermelon, I immediately wanted to try the exotic body moisturiser.

The omega packed Kalahari Watermelon Oil combines with other fruitful oils such as peach kernel and aromatic essential oils of may chang and organic lime and chamomile to create a sweet, fruity and heady scent. The texture is light yet delivers the nourishing and enriching benefits of a thick moisturiser. The moisturiser melts into skin very well and the combination of oils leaves skin with a healthy glow.

This moisturiser's intoxicating scent, gorgeous feel on the skin, purest of pure ingredients and price will ensure I always have a pot of this Akamuti goodness on my bathroom shelf!

Ingredients:
Sweet Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Peach Kernel Oil (Prunus persica), Community Traded Kalahari Watermelon Oil (Citrullus vulgaris), Organic Beeswax (Cera alba), May Chang Essential Oil (Litsea cubeba), Organic Chamomile Essential Oil (Matricaria recutita), Geranium Essential Oil (Pelargonium graveolons), Organic Lime Essential Oil (Citrus aurantifolia).

Purchase online at Akamuti for £9

Shea Butter Soothing Salve
This has such a divine scent. It reminds me of a cup of sweetened chamomile tea! You need only scoop out a minute amount of this salve as it is rich and is absorbed quickly into the skin. As Akamuti say on their website, 'a little goes a long way'. This salve would be very effective when applied to any particularly dry areas of skin (although all skin types will enjoy the salve). I noticed my winter withered hands lap up the moisturise and return to their former glory very quickly. This is one of those 'wow' products for me. Who knew 4 small but powerful ingredients of wildcrafted virgin shea butter and oils of sweet almond, primrose and chamomile could combine to form a skincare product so ambrosial!

Ingredients:
Wildcrafted Virgin Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Sweet Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Evening Primrose Oil (Oenethera biennis), Organic Chamomile Essential Oil (Matricaria chamomilla).

Available in various sizes. Prices start from £6.95 at Akamuti

Virgin Shea Butter
For all those girls that just want a moisturiser that is pure and simple, delivered from nature in its most raw form, try Akamuti's Wildcrafted Shea Butter (unrefined and unbleached). Your skin will benefit from the vitamin rich butter (vitamins A, E & F) and dry skin in particular will revel in shea butter's ultra hydrating and skin softening abilities. This is another great 'purchase with purpose' because the shea butter is fairly traded from a women's co-operative in Ghana.

Shea butter is another wonder product like Coconut Oil with numerous beauty and skin care benefits. If you have a skin issue, it seems like shea butter will sort it out for you! Shea butter can help heal burns, scars (and also diaper rash) and can be used for shaving, cuticles, hair conditioning, removing makeup and soothing chapped lips. The cinnamic acid within shea butter may also protect the skin naturally from UV rays. I'm going to do as Akamuti suggest and use my shea butter as a foot cream (apply some to feet and pop on some socks before bed each night), in preparation for summer sandal season. No home should be without a supply of shea butter!

Ingredients:
Pure Unrefined Shea Butter, Wildcrafted & Fairly traded

Available at Akamuti for £6.95


Technorati Tags: Akamuti, Natural Moisturisers, Shea Butter,

Exclusive Raw Gaia Skin Care Discount

Starting from today, 15th April through to 30th April, Green Lashes and Fashion readers will receive a 15% discount online at Raw Gaia when they enter the code 'greengaia'.

Raw Gaia are known for producing the 'world's first range of living skin care products made using only cold-pressed, organic and vegan ingredients, infused with essential oils and floral waters of the finest quality'. Need two more reasons to love Raw Gaia?

Well, when it comes to marketing their products Raw Gaia are all about boosting women's confidence, rather than going down the anti-ageing pathway with terms such as 'wrinkles' and 'rejuvenation', they prefer to let their products speak for themselves by giving your skin the best possible combination of ingredients. What is the other reason Raw Gaia stand out? Raw Gaia are giving back to others by selling special glass bead jewellery made by Tibetan refugees (who work with the Tibetan Unemployed Co-operative Society - TUCS).

Raw Gaia have become one of my favourite brands to turn to for a delicious range of skin care products I can trust. You will only find purity in their products!

If you are new to Raw Gaia, I find it's helpful to know which of their products are currently flying off the shelves by checking their best selliing list.

Raw Gaia's Best Selling Products
MSM Beauty Cream
Raw Chocolate Face Pack
Coconut Body Butter
Living Facial Cleanser
Raw Rose Geranium Soap

The above list would be a great starting list but one perusal of Raw Gaia's website and you'll be tempted by more moisturisers, face packs, massage bars and oils, body butters, a baby range and more! From a Raw Chocolate Orange Bath Melt (pictured above) with delectable organic cold pressed cocoa butter and organic sweet orange essential oil to several organic soaps that impressively use sustainable palm oil from Brazil (impressive because it is hard to find an organic / natural soap with sustainable palm oil). So now there is no need to have serious thoughts about a bar of soap contributing to deforestation during your morning shower!

Visit Raw Gaia today to get your 15% discount.

I recently reviewed Raw Gaia's divine Raw Chocolate Face Pack but another one of their products I am loving is the 'For Her Daughter' moisturiser.

Raw Gaia For Her Daughter Moisturiser Review

How to use: Apply only a small amount of the moisturiser which is almost like a balm.

Feel on skin: Melts into skin and feels intensely moisturising and therapeutic on the skin.

Scent: Pure cacao with woody undertones

Skin types: Normal to dry

Results: The moisturiser absorbs quickly and leaves skin with a healthy and radiant glow. The specially selected range of oils from balancing geranium to nutrient rich rosehip oil and protective primrose oil, really appear to benefit the skin.

Value for money: No question. I only want the purest cold-pressed organic ingredients on my skin, particularly my face. This is amazing value for money.

Who would like it? Girls like me who love a legible and tiny ingredient list and also girls who want a moisturiser that does it's job well!

Would I buy it again? Yes, this has been added to my little list of impressive and reliable organic moisturisers (you have to be pretty darn pure to make the list). But I'm also keen to try their other moisturisers, Living Hemp and best selliing MSM Cream as they sound equally incredible and good for the skin.

Score: 9/10

Full Ingredient List
Cacao butter, evening primrose oil, rosehip oil, apricot kernel oil, geranium essential oil, lavender essential oil, palmarosa essential oil (all organic).

Purchase online at Raw Gaia for £12.50

Review of Suki Pure Facial Moisture - Balancing

Sometimes creamy moisturisers are not what your skin wants or needs, so maybe you should try an oil based moisturiser. Suki’s 'Pure Facial Moisture - Balancing' is a divine treat for the face with amazing organic ingredients such as antibacterial echinacea and lavender, soothing chamomile extract and antioxidant loaded rose extract. Don’t worry about looking oily either because the end result is very flattering, giving your skin a healthy glow. This product was previously known as Facial Moisture Serum with Blue Chamomile and Echinacea.

How to use: 1-2 drops on face and decollete

Feel on skin: Nourishing and hydrating feel of oil without the greasy residue

Scent: Fruity and pleasant chamomile scent with strong base notes of jojoba and other oils

Skin Types: All skin types but especially oily, acne prone and sensitive

Results: My skin lapped it up and the overall result was very flattering. Skin glows and looks enviously healthy. Very impressive.

Value for money: Admittedly over £20 is expensive for a moisturiser but it’s certainly not uncommon for most moisturisers these days to be in this price bracket. If you have the money to spend or just want to make wise purchases that your skin will thank you for, then Suki is definitely value for money.

Who would like it? Purists who want good quality and high performing products. Also women with recurring acne or oily skin (but my skin is normal / dry and it works well for me).

Would I buy it again? Yes. I like how healthy and good this moisturiser feels on the skin. The fact the ingredients are so good makes this product leap above other moisturiser options. It is also a good alternative or break from creamy moisturisers. While you could use an almond oil (I personally find it too shiny as a day moisturiser) for true purity and affordability, I think this is the first choice for when you want a serum type moisturiser.

Score: 10/10

Purchase Suki Pure Facial Moisture Balancing (approx. £29)
Content

Naturisimo
Lovelula

Your Natural Store (serum)

More about Suki…
Suki is one brand in the ever growing world of organic beauty that has got my attention time and time again! I have tried 4 of their products now and each experience has made me rush to the laptop to let you all know about it! I'm not a beauty floozy and don't get impressed easily. I’m not even a Suki employer or sponsored by them (I’m still waiting to hear back from them via email actually but I can appreciate they are busy, really I can).

Full ingredients:
organic jojoba (simmondsia chinensis), sunflower (helianthus annus), grapeseed (vitis vinifera), rice germ (oryza sativa), borage seed (borago officinalis) & hazelnut (corylus americano) oils, 100% natural non-gmo vitamin e (tocopherol), organic calendula (calendula officinalis), lavender (lavandula angustifolia), chamomile (anthemis nobilis), echinacea (echinacea purpurea) & rose (rosa canina) extracts, aroma (pure premium steam distilled essential oil)

Other Suki Products I have reviewed (and loved)
SukiColor Tinted Active Moisturiser

SukiColor Pure Cream Stain

If you have yet to try Suki and are not sure where to start, it may help to know what products are popular with other women.

Top 5 Suki Bestsellers (as of March 2009)
Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser
Balancing Day Lotion
Concentrated Balancing Toner
Pure Facial Moisture – Nourishing
Intensive Brightening Cream

Visit Suki online

Natural Moisturiser for Glowing Skin (Budget Buy)

Simply Soaps - Rejuvenating Day Cream (£8.95)

If your exercise and healthy eating regime isn't up to par, just reach for a pot of this cream to make your skin look radiant and healthy. It's super pure and natural with only 12 ingredients! Other moisturisers from Simply Soaps include Avocado, Geranium or Lavender.

Rejuvenating Day Cream Full Ingredient List

Water
sunflower oil (helianthus annus)
apricot (prunus armeniaca)
sweet almond (prunus dulcis)
beeswax (cera alba)
kaolin
grapeseed (cirus grandis)
shea nut butter (butyrospermum parkii)
jojoba oil (simmonsia chinensis)
geranium (pelargonium gravoleans)
orange (citrus sinensis)
may chang (litsea cubeba)

Available at select health food stores or online at Simply Soaps

Weleda Skin Food - Natural Moisturiser for Dry Skin

If You Loved Clarins Beauty Flash Balm…why not try Weleda Skin Food

Have you ever checked the ingredient list on those fabulous 'conventional' beauty products that refresh lacklustre skin and make it glow? Many products contain propylene glycol which according to the Teens for Safe Cosmetics website, 'alters skin structure, allowing other chemicals to penetrate deep into the skin'. Don't be suprised if the infamous Paraben family are holding their family reunion in your favourite skin illuminating cream also (twins Methyl and Ethyl, brother Butyl, Aunty Isobutyl and Papa Propyl all like to make appearances). When you realise these concerning ingredients may be forming carcinogenic compounds or altering skin structure and hormone levels, you know it is time to find a new non-toxic product to make your skin glow.

Weleda Skin Food

If you thought the only ways to achieve radiant looking skin involved daily bikram yoga and copious amounts of hot water and lemon, think again. This wonder cream will create radiant looking skin just like Clarins Flash Balm but thankfully only uses 100% natural ingredients.

Weleda Skin Food has been on the scene since 1926 which makes this cream a skincare classic. Certification by German BDIH further validates the natural ingredients such as calming chamomile and calendula which work wonderfully on dry skin. The intensely earthy and pure scent delights with its aromatic sweet orange undertones. The cream is very rich so works best on dry patches on the face and body or as a highlighter on cheekbones. A little moisturiser goes a long way and seems to last eternally in its recyclable aluminium tube. Get ready for the compliments to roll in and decide who you will credit for your new luminescent complexion: yoga, lemon drinks or a tube of miracle Skin Food?

Ideal for: Dry Skin, Skin Illuminator, Winter, Outdoor People
Apply: Face or any dry patches on the body
Favoured by: Rihanna, Joss Stone and Helena Christensen
Cost: Weleda Skin Food £5.95 (75ml) - Clarins Beauty Flash Balm £25 (50ml)
Purchase: Most good health food stores
Online: Weleda, Love Lula or There Must Be a Better Way

Ingredient List from Weleda Website
Water (Aqua), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Lanolin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Alcohol, Beeswax (Cera Flava), Glyceryl Linoleate, Hydrolyzed Beeswax, Fragrance (Parfum)*, Viola Tricolor Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Cholesterol, Limonene*, Linalool*, Geraniol*, Citral*, Coumarin*.
* from natural essential oils (i.e. naturally present in the essential oils).
V - suitable for vegetarians.