Naturally Thinking haul

My Haul

Hiya loves,

a few weeks back I ordered a few essentials I needed from Naturally Thinking  and wanted to share.

This is my second haul from them and I a really happy with my stuff . I first ordered last August I believe and I still have some of those products left. Delivery was pretty quick less than 9 days from placing the order to receiving the items.

I ordered last August I believe and I still have some of those products left. Delivery was pretty quick less than 9 days from placing the order to receiving the items.

Aloe vera juice £ 7

Aloe Vera juice is like gold in my house! It is one of those items that has sooo many uses. The mother now steals it from me lol.  I put a small amount in a spray bottle and use it to refresh and add moisture my hair before putting in a moisturiser and sealing with oil. It is very nourishing and does a ton of good things for hair health. It is a pretty much a god bargain at £7 per litre.

£6 each on sale normal price £8

I have really enjoyed using  these shampoo. I reordered the Super Organic All Hair Types Brazillian Andiroba Shampoo with Siberian Buckthorn 250ml and I find that it lasts a very long time. You don't need a lot of product for your hair to feel really nourished, It also doesn't lather up a lot but rest assured your hair is being cleansed. I haven't had that squeaky stripped feeling some shampoos give you. It leaves my hair feeling moisturised. I am not the biggest fan of Lavender but it isn't overwhelming and very subtle. It contains pretty simple ingredients such as natural glucosides, gums and oils so click the link above to have a look.

I also ordered a bottle of the  Super Organic Dry Hair African Savanna Baobab, Orange & Basil Intensive Hair Shampoo 250ml.

 I ordered this one as I foolishly ombred the ends of my hair with a dye that had a mild bleach in a while back. (I have dyed my hair in the past but never with bleach/ peroxide). So as you can imagine the ends were a bit dryer than the rest of my fro. I have cut a fair amount of the ombre out as I got bored of waiting for it to grow out then trim and repeat. This shampoo is specially formulated for dry, sun or chemically damaged hair and claims to revitalise/ rehydrate hair. I have used this once and you can see a difference in the ends of my hair. There isn't a drastic difference in my hair textures normally but I can feel it. 

Andiroba Seed oil £7 and Baobab seed oil £5

I purchased Andiroba oil last time and have maybe a third of a bottle left but wanted to stock up as my hair looooooves this stuff! A few of my friends use this in hair and body moisturisers so I wanted to try it and loved it. It does say it is good for afro hair so check it out if you have thick curly hair.

Baobab is now the new super fruit here in the UK that cures just about everything (slight exaggeration) but this has been a essential and well kept secret for most of Africa and Asia for centuries, so isn't that new to me. Really good Baobab oil is really expensive but this was really reasonable. I have also been using these and a blend of other oils I purchased in my first haul as a face oil and have seen really good results.

Peppermint £3.40,  Eucalyptus £2.30 and Tea tree £3.40 essential oils

This is my trio of essential oils. I use them in the bath, in moisturisers, spritz and hair masks. A little goes a long way. I enjoy the menthol feeling and they are priced well.

Conditioners £7 per bottle
bottle

Another of my favourite from Naturally Thinking are the Conditioners. I do add a few oils and or Shea butter to these and it makes the best hair masks! But back to the conditioners I find the blend and consistency really work for me. The Super Natural All Hair Type Brazilian Andiroba Conditioner with Siberian Buckthorn, Lavender and Geranium is an old faithful and I have nothing but good things to say about it.

The Super Natural Dry Hair Hydrating Argan Conditioner with Wild Carrot, Spanish Orange & Brazilian Rosewood is a new purchase that I bought in regards to the dry ends I spoke about earlier. I have used this once by itself and very much enjoyed the sedate smell as well as its moisturising and softening properties. I felt this conditioner defined my curls more and boosted hydration to another level.

That's it guys I am really happy and impressed with the quality of products and ingredients used. I will definitely be going back to purchase more products.

What are your natural hair and skincare holy grails?

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

D.I.Y: Home made Shea butter whip ( Skin Care edition)

Hi Lovers,

So in my Shea butter hair edition post,  I showed you 2 of my fav recipes for hair and now I am going to show you my tried and tested, no muss, no fuss Shea butter bodacious body whip.

This has been my main/ consistent go to body moisturiser for the last year and a half and I LOVE it. Before this I had made it sporadically but now it is everything. You really see a difference in your skin!

It's natural, it's affordable, it's effective and it lasts a long time (2-3 months including daily use).

Shea Butter whip

As seen in my hair care edition , all you need to get started is a clean large mixing bowl and a electric whisk. I use a separate one for food but there are no harmful chemicals associated with Shea butter and once the product is cleaned there is no chance of you getting sick.

Instruments you will need:

Clean large mixing bowl/ container

1x 16oz containers ( another recycled container)

Spoon/ spatula

Electric whisk (I bought a cheapy one from Argos specifically for doing this)es)

Once all the ingredients have been added

Classic Shea butter whip (intense moisturising):

Crumblef Shea butter into your mixing bowl.

Add

2 tbsp Castor oil

1 tbsp Coconut oil

2 tbsp Olive oil

2 tbsp Almond oil

1 tsp Flax oil

1 tbsp Grapeseed oil

3 tbsp of Aloe Vera water

3 drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil

1 drop of Lemon Essential Oil

2 drops of Lavender Essential Oil 

2 drops of carrot seed Essential Oil 

2 drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil 

3 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil  

2 drops of carrot seed Essential Oil 

Combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth. Depending on you personal taste adjust the amount of oil if it seems too oil heavy or you have been a little heavy handed (guilty lol).

The finished product should be light and fluffy with a silky texture that allows it to sink into the skin while sealing moisture in. This is also great for deep moisture and hair repair. Add a heaped tablespoonful to a deep conditioner for those with finer hair / Caucasian hair who can't take or don't like having a bit of weight to the strand, as this may make their hair appear greasy and lank in moisturiser form.

All products were purchased from Naturally Thinking and are of the highest quality which is handy. Be ready to spend a fair bit of moolah because you will want everything .

Final product

I am dying to know about your  go to Shea butter whips?  
So do let me know.

P.S sneaky tip: If you have dry or chapped lips apply some of this after a sugar scrub. Works wonders

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

D.I.Y: Home made Shea butter whip (Hair edition)

Hey Lovers,

Shea butter has been a part of my life for so long. Everybody in my family uses it and always has in some capacity. 

Last year I really upped my efforts to make more of my own haircare products and even threw in a few beauty products too. Currently I am doing about 85% all natural stuff and wanted to share some of that with you. The healing benefits of Shea butter for the skin and hair are endless. Plus it isn't filled with a myriad of unpronounceable chemicals.

  

Left: Shea butter & Aloe whip      Middle: Shea butter whip        Right: Shea butter & Mango butter

There a plethora of Shea butter mixes online and various ways of combining ingredients, so I am going to show you some of my favourites . Below are 3 variations of unrefined organic Shea butter whip that can be used as a hair moisturiser and a body lotion. I will be showing you how I made the mixes in the yellow containers and make a separate post for the bigger body moisturiser.

The first thing to say is I do NOT  melt my Shea butter as I have been told this reduces the potency and weakens it. Leaving the butter at room temp for about an hour will make it pliable.

Instruments you will need:

Clean large mixing bowl/ container

2 6oz containers (mine are recycled motions hair conditioner containers)

Spoon/ spatula

Electric whisk (I bought a cheapy one from Argos specifically for doing this)

Shea butter and Aloe butter mix (deep moisture):

Crumble 100g of Shea butter and 40g of Aloe butter into your mixing bowl.

Add 

2 tbsp Castor oil

1 tbsp Coconut oil

2 tbsp Olive oil

2 tbsp Almond oil

1 tsp cherry kernel oil

1 tbsp Grapeseed oil

3 drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil

1 drop of Lemon Essential Oil

(if you have sensitivity be very careful with your essential oil usage)

Mix until there are no lumps left or if you are lazy like me until they are small enough to be manageable and will melt once rubbed with your hands.

Shea butter and Aloe butter

Shea butter and Mango butter (Lighter moisturising sealant):

Again crumble 100g of Shea butter and 45g of Mango butter into your mixing bowl.

Add 

1 tbsp Castor oil

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp Flax Seed oil

2 tbsp Andiroba Seed Oil

2 drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil 

3 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil 

1 drop of  Rosemary Essential Oil 

2 drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil 

2 drops of  Ylang Ylang Extra Essential Oil

Combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth. It is very easy to over whip these mixture so try not to over do it as I have found that makes the mixture heavier and greasier.

These were definitely my hair saviours last year and my hair feels better for it. I really saw a difference in the winter and a little goes such a long way. 15 minutes of work lasts me almost 3 months and it is better economically too.

All products were purchased from Naturally Thinking and are of the highest quality without breaking the bank.

Whats your go to Shea butter whip? What do you use it for?

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Ello Aloe vera! - Aloe & Seaweed Gel Skin Hydration Gel

 Hi guys,

I am a big fan of Aloe, whether it is being used internally or externally.

I have always been aware of its magically properties as my Mum is into Homoeopathy and a Aloe plant called Tim lived on our piano for many years (yeh good old Tim lol).

Aloe & Seaweed Gel - Skin Hydration Gel £5

 

I ordered this Aloe and seaweed hydration gel from Naturallythinking (one of my fav natural product places atm, I have spent a silly amount of money on their products) a few months back and I totally adore it. I have been a little lax with my skincare lately what with work etc. This has really been a saviour. My skin instantly feels refreshed and plump.

Colour and consistency

I took a few weeks to try and see what was the best fit for my skin and routine. I also find this is the best way to really give a product time to perform. I have been using this mainly at night as I find in the morning my face feels a little sweatier after the morning commute with this on (London Overground urrggh!).

After cleansing and  toning (I have been making my own toner!) I either use it by itself or mixed in with a drop of my homemade face oil elixir and Superdrug Naturally Radiant 2 in 1 Moisturiser & Serum

if I feel I need extra ommph.

 

Product information:

Price: £5

Suitability: All skin types

Main ingredients: Aloe Vera and Seaweed

Size:120ml 

Contains: Aqua (Water), Glycerine (Veg), Phenoxyethanol & Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Fucus vesiculosis (Seaweed) Extract, Polysorbate 20, Aloe barbadensis (Aloe vera) Leaf Powder

Overall this has been an amazing addition to my facial routines. The price is very resonable and considering that it is vegan, has anti-oxidents and doesnt contain parabens I will definitely continue to use it. 

Have you tried Aloe vera in your skin routine?

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays