Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Organique Crystal Deodorant Review


Organique Crystal Deodorant Review

Organique Crystal Deodorant Review

Organique Crystal Deodorant Review

I was given this deodorant to review by Justyna and her lovely Organique Store in Birmingham. I've really loved all of her products so far and I had never tried a crystal deodorant before!

When it comes to deodorant, I'm usually a Mitchum max strength cream kinda gal. I'm a bit of a sweaty betty and need a decent deodorant. Justyna did tell me that you could use it to sooth cuts as well but I never used it like that. It is also vegan as well! Win win.

It's really easy to use, you just run it under the water and then rub it onto moistened skin. I found the easiest way to do this was to put it on straight out of the shower. I really struggle to remember to put it on, which is a pretty big downfall for me. As there is a flight of stairs between my room and the bathroom, I often just opt for a different deodorant.

It lasts around 24 hours and it's unscented. It's an antiperspirant as well and works like this for 24 hours, and then I feel like I have to shower, which isn't a massive issue as I do tend to shower daily. #hygienegoals

Considering I'm used to pretty strong deodorant, I am really impressed with this. I have found that I prefer to use scented deodorants and it is a massive faff to have to go to the bathroom to apply deodorant. But apart from the practicalities, it works well as a deodorant and if you want to try a vegan crystal deodorant - I would recommend this one!


Thank you for reading! Have you ever used crystal deodorants before? 

Love, Gweni xxx



Check out my other Organique posts!



Organique Bath Bomb Review

Organique Argan Oil Shampoo & Hair Mask Review



Don't forget to keep in touch!

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This post contains press samples but all opinions are my own.




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Thursday, February 18, 2016

MAC Cosmetics Ellie Goulding Lipstick







If you know anything about me, you know I'm a complete sucker for MAC lipsticks and even worse for limited edition ones. Obviously, I had to get my hands on an Ellie Goulding lipstick. 

I've never really had much of an opinion on Ellie Goulding, but did find it a bit random that she was doing a collaboration with MAC. Nevertheless, I really liked the line. Everything was quite neutral and easy to wear. I did really like the look of the compact palettes, but I really just didn't need one. Lipstick on the other hand, I definitely needed because you know, 50 MAC lipsticks just isn't enough. 

The packaging is really cute. I really like the little gold emblem on it, and the fact that it's engraved into the lipstick as well is a nice touch. 

The lipstick itself, 'Only You', is a creamsheen. It is very comfortable on the lips and wears well. It is a little bit glossy looking but very pigmented. The best way to describe the colour is probably a peachy coral nude. 

This lipstick is the lipstick that I didn't know I needed. I wear it really often, as it goes with pretty much any look I create. Perfect for day time but can definitely be worn for night as well. I don't have any other lipsticks this colour, so I'm so glad I bullied my boyfriend into buying it for me for Christmas. Thanks Bae. 

Here is a picture of me wearing the lipstick, taken from my Insagram. I think the photo makes the lipstick a tiny bit more pink than it is in real life. 

Come follow me on Instagram!

Thank you for reading and let me know if you've tried any of the MAC Cosmetics Ellie Goulding line!

Love, Gweni xxx

Shop the lipstick below!

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Sunday, February 14, 2016

Eco by Sonya, Foaming Body Wash Review

Over the past few weeks, I've been testing out the Foaming Body Wash by Eco by Sonya, which was sent to me by the wonderful team at Organically Epic.

eco by sonya review

foaming body wash review

I've really liked this body wash, it smells divine and a foamy body wash is so much more fun than your standard shower gel!

Although it looks like liquid in the bottle, when pumped, the wash comes out as foam. I have found I have needed around 4 pumps to get the desired amount for my body. It rubs in easily and you don't really need a thick layer. I have had to be quite conservative with the amount of pumps though, as it does run down quite quickly otherwise.

It smells really nice, you can really smell both the lemongrass and grapefruit when applying. I really like pairing it with the Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub, as the two smells compliment each other. It washes off straight away as well and leaves a light scent on the skin.

The product isn't particularly moisturising, but it doesn't have any soap or sls in so it doesn't strip the skin at all. Although I usually prefer moisturising shower products, this wash has still gone down well with me. I feel clean, but not that 'squeaky clean' feeling where you feel like you've lost a layer of skin. It's very gentle on the skin, it would probably work well for people with sensitive skin (not that I'm an expert on sensitive skin!).

Like all of the other Eco by Sonya products, this wash is also certified vegan. A giant plus for everyone involved! Also, look how cute all of my Eco by Sonya products look next to each other!


Eco by Sonya Review

Eco by Sonya Review

I have reviewed the Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub and the Invisible Tan as well. Hint: I loved them!

You can get your Foaming Body Wash here, if you wanted to test it out for yourself!
Don't forget to use the code gbeauty10 for 10% off!

Have you ever tried anything from Eco by Sonya? 

Thank you for reading!

Love, Gweni xxxx 



Don't forget to keep in touch!


This post contains press samples but all opinions are my own.

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Tuesday, February 09, 2016

Ways to Deal with Trichotillomania

As you may already be aware, I have a hair pulling disorder called Trichotillomania. I have previously written all about my story in my Trichotillomania - My Story, Tips & Trichs and wanted to write an update post and share some more tips. I have been receiving A LOT of direct messages/comments/emails about trich and so I thought I would combine everything into this post.
I haven't stopped pulling. Nor do I have the cure.

But, I do know how upsetting, belittling, heartbreaking, soul destroying and life consuming this disorder is. I know what it feels like you can't do something out of fear you may start pulling out your hair. I know what it feels like to see people looking at your eyebrows, wondering why they're so drawn on. I know what it's like to be outside in the wind, hoping that your false lashes aren't going to fall off. I know what it's like to constantly worry about your eyebrows rubbing off during the day. I know what it's like to worry about what your eyelashes look like from the side. I know what it's like to look down to a pile of little hairs on the desk. I know what it's like to have that one little hair that you desperately need to pull out. I know what it's like to pull out that one single hair that was stopping you from having a bald patch. I know what it's like to pull so much that you've irritated your skin and eyelids to a point where it hurts to blink. I know what it's like to feel as though everything you do is so much harder because you have the added the challenge of trying to not pull out your hair.

I know what it's like to lose all of your beautiful eyelashes and thick eyebrows.

You're not a freak, you're not weird, you're just one of thousands of people who have a Body Focused Repetitive Behaviour Disorder.


Trichotillomania Updates

During the summer, I managed to grow my eye brows back but by August I started pulling on my eyelashes. I was waiting for quite a big decision at the end of August/early September and I think it was the lead up to that that got me pulling on my lashes. It has been quite upsetting for me to start pulling out my lashes again, as I hadn't done so since the summer of 2014. 

From September until now, I hardly pull out my eyebrows. They grew back really thick, so thick that I actually really struggle to look after them. I definitely think that Rapid Brow helped, I always felt like the brows grew back quicker when I used that. Unfortunately, they came at the expense of my eyelashes.

For the past six months, what happens is that I'll go through a period of a few days where I pull like crazy, leading to massive bald patches in my eyes. Then, it's an uphill battle of trying not to pull at all and waiting for the lashes to grow back in again. This period is the absolute worst.

I had pulled a lot at the start of October, and they had started to grow in a lot by December but then I had three important essays in for January. In those last two weeks before the essays were in, I absolutely destroyed my lashes. I had pretty much no lashes on one lid and it was pretty devastating. Not only do I not like the look of it, it was also really hard to wear false lashes.

I'm in a bit of a better place now, a month on. Those lashes have started to come through and I don't have any significant bald patches at the moment. I'm trying incredibly hard to not pull and I am playing the waiting game. I am so sick and tired of wearing winged liner and false lashes. Hey ho, I'm trying my very best and I hope some of my techniques help you as well.


Ways I deal with Trich

  • Cover up the area 
This will come as no surprise to anyone. Covering up the area reduces the availability of the hair to be pulled, reducing hair pulling. BUT, it also breaks the cycle of hair pulling. The less hair pulling you do, the better in the long run. Covering up the area isn't just masking the problem, it does actually help you kick the habit for good. 

Things I use are: 
- Cotton Headbands
- Glasses - I recently got prescribed some as I was going a little blind and they've helped SO MUCH. I was using fake glasses (from Claire's) beforehand and they worked as well. 
- Sleeping Masks - I'm not the biggest fan of these because I find them annoying but if I'm desperate, I will always reach for mine.

These are just for eyelash and eyebrow pullers. I'm sure there are a thousand other things that can cover up the area, but it is each to their own. What works for me, may not work for you. 

You can also cover your fingers/hands but I've always found this impractical. Some people use thimbles, little grips, plasters or gloves. I have seen a lot of long false nails helping as well. Again, you have to find out what works for you. 

  • Castor Oil
There are other kinds of oil available as well, such as coconut oil. Putting this all over my eyelids when doing work helped so much before Christmas. Now that I have to wear glasses to do work, I no longer need the Castor Oil during the day. It works as a barrier to the lashes/brows, when they're all slippery it's difficult to actually pull a hair out. It's also REALLY annoying to get oil all over your hands, even less of an incentive to pull! On top of that, Castor Oil helps with regrowth of lashes. I put it on before going to sleep most nights as well.

  • Keep your hands busy
Some people use fidget toys, some people knit etc you get the idea. Anything you enjoy doing that keeps your hands busy, get them in your life. Preferably something that needs two hands. For me, watching TV or doing something where I don't really actively have to do anything, are some of the worst times for me to pull. I do need to get a replacement, but at the moment I just play games on my phone. My farm game is definitely my favourite at the moment. Otherwise, I do enjoy liking photos on Instagram. Basically, I use my phone to keep me busy. Although this works a little bit differently, but I really enjoy doing my makeup as a way of keeping my mind off pulling. 

  • Exercise and Healthy Eating
This goes without saying that it's good for you. By doing exercise, your stress levels are lower, which means that you're less likely to pull. At least, that's the case for me anyway. It is also another activity where you can't pull your hair out. It is win, win, win, win, win. You feel better, you look better, you pull less? What's not to love about a 10km run in the rain! 

Healthy eating, again, I don't need to give you a lecture about how it's good for you. Eating a lot of vegetables will help with regrowth of hair as well. Eating meals regularly also helps. I find that alcohol, especially on a hangover, can make hair pulling worse as well. A regular sleeping pattern helps too!

  • Talk to someone
I can't stress this enough. Please talk to someone. A problem shared is a problem halved (is that the saying? it looks weird written down...). I can't even count the amount of times that people have messaged me saying they've never spoken to anyone about it before. I would advise talking to someone who you love and trust, perhaps a parent, partner or best friend. These people are in your life for a reason, they want to know these things and they will not reject you for being a 'freak'. Because you are not a freak, and neither am I. Venting to people helps so much, please do not bottle all of these feelings in. 

  • Join a support group
If you REALLY don't want to talk to someone you know, then find someone online to talk to. The best group I've come across is a Trichotillomania group on Facebook. There are LOADS of members on there and I have found that it is good for getting a bit of support, and some advice when needs be. I don't post often, but have found it useful when I have. 

I have found seeing other posts knowing that there are people out there going through the exact same thing as me comforting. I have seem some good advice on there and it is always really lovely to see success stories. I would really urge you to join this group. 



  • Keep a trich diary
Keeping a diary of how much pulling you've done, what you were feeling, any foods that may have set you off etc can help you figure out your triggers. You can then try and minimise those triggers, thereby reducing hair pulling. 

  • Stroking a pet
Stroking my cat is one of the best things for me, she's soft, she likes it, stops me pulling and it's relaxing. I hate being in uni because I don't get to hang out with Daphne, but if you were considering getting a pet, then there's your excuse! (I have a post about Adopting My Cat if anyone happens to want to read it!)

  • Make time for fun
Life is stressful. I like to have one night a week where I get to eat and do whatever I want. I look forward to that all week then as well. It's only little, but the prospect of fun on the weekend makes dealing with a bad day/my workload a bit better. I have had to accept that I can't just do my degree 24/7.

  • Deep breaths
I try to do this in the middle of a pulling session. It helps take my mind off whatever I'm doing, distracts me and also relaxes me. If this doesn't really work for you, it's probably time to get up and do something else. 

  • Positive Thinking
Thinking positively definitely helps me. My hair pulling is always much worse if I think thoughts like "I can't do this", "I'm going to be stuck with this forever" etc. I don't want this disorder, so I've had to cut out all of the negative thinking. No one can do it for me, I have to do it myself. I've cut out every single shed of insult and only say nice things to myself and after a while, you start to believe it yourself. Then you see results. YAY POSITIVE CYCLE. Don't be hard on yourself either, this is a loooooong uphill battle, it's hardly surprising if you pull out a few hairs, you just have to keep on trying. 

No one ever achieved something amazing by telling themselves they couldn't do it. 



These are some of the things that I do to help myself from pulling out my eyelashes and eyebrows. I know they won't work for everyone, but it is unfortunately an uphill battle and you have to be creative with ways of dealing with this horrendous disorder. I know it's hard but we can do it. 

Please let me know if this helped you! If anyone else has any suggestions of way to help curb hair pulling, I would love to know. 

Love, Gweni xxxx 



Trichotillomania Related Posts & Videos







If you're looking for another blogger who writes about trich as well, please do check out Sophie at www.prettyandpolished.co.uk


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Wednesday, February 03, 2016

Organique Argan Oil Shampoo & Hair Mask

As part of the bundle of goodies that Justyna gave me, there was an Argan oil shampoo and hair mask combo. I've linked all of my previous Organique product reviews at the bottom of this post. Argan oil is well known for it's moisturising benefits, and these products did not disappoint. 



First of all, I have used various different Argan Oil products before these and have always liked them. They tend to leave your hair feeling really soft and shiny. However, I never found that there was a distinct smell of Argan Oil which makes me think there wasn't actually that much in them to start off with. Whereas with the Organique products, the smell is really distinct. I recently visited Agadir, Morocco where a lot of the Argan Oil is sourced so I am very familiar with the smell. I definitely feel like I am getting the full benefits of the oil in the shampoo and hair mask.

The shampoo doesn't foam up much but that's not really an issue for me, I just have to make sure my hair is quite wet. It still works and leaves my hair really shiny, refreshed and clean. I would recommend using conditioner afterwards though, but maybe that's because I have very thick dyed hair! I use this with any conditioner and it works perfectly fine.



The hair mask can double up as a conditioner and works really well as one. However, as I have long thick hair, I have to use a lot of conditioner and I found that the pot does go down quite quickly so I have decided to use it solely as a hair mask. I also find unscrewing a lid and getting the product out of a pot to be a bit too much of a hassle on a daily basis!

To use it, I was instructed to towel dry my hair and leave the conditioner on for 20 minutes. For me, the best way to do this is to have a bath with the hair mask on. I popped the mask on after washing and dry towelling my hair. The mask was really easy to use, I just took it straight out of the pot and put it on my hair, just as I would with conditioner.

The smell wasn't over powering at all and pleasant to smell during the time it was on. I just rinsed it off with water when the 20 minutes were up. Easy.

The mask left my hair feeling really soft, shiny and strong. I straightened it that evening and I could still smell the Argan Oil in my hair! I could even smell it right up until I next washed my hair.

Overall, I really like these products! I'm almost out of my shampoo and it's making me very sad. I don't want to go back to not smelling like Argan oil!

You can check out these products on the Organique website:



Let me know if you've ever used any Argan Oil products? Or the Organique Argan Oil products!

Love, Gweni xxxx



Check out my other Organique posts!



Organique Bath Bomb Review



Don't forget to keep in touch!

Twitter  Instagram  Pinterest  Facebook  Bloglovin'

This post contains press samples but all opinions are my own.


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