The earth lovers shower gel range blasted onto the scene with a naturally fragrant punch and a lot of do-good-ing. Not only is it part of the eco-conscious range, which ensures it's 100 per cent biodegradable, but it's also fairly traded and of course being from The Body Shop, against animal testing.
We can't get enough of them here, and in my shower there are two bottles: the Lemon and Thyme fragrance for a zesty burst in the morning and the Rosemary and Apricot scent for those before bed showers. Oh choices, choices!
But why should your eco-friendly changes stop at just picking your shower gel?
At the launch event on the roof terrace of The Century Club, Soho, green-fingered eco-guru Donnachadh McCarthy was on hand to offer up some very simple ideas that could help save our planet and you some time and money.
So here are his top tips:
Avoid power showers, a five minute power shower uses more water than a bath!
Have a 3-4 minute shower using a shower timer and save 72,000 litres of water a year.
Help stop water pollution by using eco-friendly and 100% biodegradable shower gels and shampoos, like the eco-conscious range in The Body Shop.
Reduce your bathroom lighting carbon footprint by replacing wasteful halogen spotlights with the latest super efficient LED bulbs.
Eliminate your shaving foam waste by using a shaving cream such as The Body Shop For Men Maca Root Shave Cream.
Decorate the bathroom with zero VOC organic paints thus avoiding the toxic chemicals in usual paints.
Clean your shower using an e-cloth which requires no additional chemicals if used regularly.
Buy bathroom products made from recycled materials like The Body Shop earth lovers shower gel bottles are made from 100% plastic.
Only heat the bathroom when you are using it and close the door for the rest of the time.
Heat your bathroom to no more than 21°. Every degree higher will cost you up to 10% on your heating bill and carbon footprint.
Another year and we managed to get through Valentine's Day in one piece, us singleton's that is.
Now, I know it's not all fun and games being single (and all alone in the world..sigh!) on Valentine's Day, but surely if it means you can avoid this conversation, it must be a God send.
Man: Happy Valentine's Day! Woman: Aw, thanks sweetie, you too! Man: Here's your present...
Woman shreds the wrapping paper with gusto, throwing ribbons and crumpled up pink paper in the air. Only to unwrap a goldfish.
Woman: Oh. You got me a fish...and a bowl. Man: Yes, I thought it's what you wanted.
I did not bare witness to this conversation (and I would also like to point out this is not an anecdote) but in a recent poll by Maris Interiors one 'lucky gal' admitted to receiving a fishy present. I can only imagine that the conversation soon turned icy after the goldfish was placed on the kitchen table.
I'm all for originality of course, I think we're all a bit tired of the dozen red roses routine, but really, a fish?!
Read about some other interesting Valentine's Day presents that were exchanged this year on TotallyLiving.
And feel free to share if your other-half managed to top the goldfish present...and how you managed to finish that conversation if it was you who got Goldie.
You might have spotted on TotallyLiving the b-e-a-utiful Brush with Fashion collection that launched this week in The Body Shop on Oxford Street. You might also have noticed that I couldn't shut-up about it on Twitter.
Well, I'm not going to stop now.
Not only are the products bang-on-trend for this spring season, they are part of the Fair Trade Community Programme too, making them an ethical, statement-beauty purchase. Who could say no to that?
If you have popped down to your nearest store and bagged yourself a couple of makeup gems, then you will have to try out some of the looks the professionals at The Body Shop have come up with.
Celebrity makeup artist, Nikki Palmer is the go-to-girl for contemporary glamour and cutting edge makeup. When she was creating the ‘Brush With Fashion’ faces, she was inspired from the makeups fresh and modern colour palettes and the latest catwalk designs of Britiain’s hottest fashion talents, like William Tempest whose Spring/Summer Collection 2011 is a delicious mix of coral, lime and nude shades.
Nikki said: “This spring is a celebration of vivid brights, with blush pink and peach taking key roles. It’s all about playing and creating, using the pencils to define and be artistic and the shadows to soften and add colour.
"I like to highlight an individual area so each of the four key ‘Brush With Fashion’ looks focuses on a strong eye or a strong flushed cheek balanced by more subtle, glossy nude lips.”
Granted, the looks are a bit 'out-there', but these are the bold and daring looks the catwalk was full of.
Nikki explained, “These catwalk-inspired looks can easily be worn in everyday life by taking elements down a notch and using the colour palettes as a guide."
Va Va Vixen
This strong, almost feline look really plays on graphic shape and bold use of colour.Eyes are fierce in shades of brown, framed by defined eyebrows, with apricot shadow used to pump up the colour on cheeks and temple.
Get the look:
Apply Lightening Touch around the eye area to conceal dark shadows and create a base for the eyes
Using the Mini Eye Definer 02 Rich Brown from the 01 Boho Beauty Limited Collection For Eyes, create a strong shape under the brow bone coming down outer side of the bridge of the nose
Apply Haute Chocolate eye shadow over the top of the shape you have created
Apply New Nude eye shadow over the eyelid and up to the eyebrow
Apply Boho Brown eye shadow along the socket and up and out towards the temples
Apply a thin line with Mini Eye Definer 02 Rich Brown as close to the upper and lower lash line as you can
Coat top and bottom lashes with Super Volume Mascara in 01 Black
Using a wipe, remove any excess eye colour from the face, then apply Moisture Foundation to the face with a brush for a fresh dewy finish, using Concealer pencil to cover any blemishes
Apply Vintage Apricot eye colour as a blush. For a fashion-forward look apply to forehead, cheeks and at the sides of the face. For an everyday look, apply to cheeks only
Apply Illuminating Face Base along nose and cheek bones to highlight
Apply Colourglide lipstick shade 64 Latte Swirl for nude matte lips, which work well with this look
Super Flirt
Go girly and flirty with this edgy modern romantic look. Eyes are dressed in an ethereal silvery-lilac, cheeks are prettily flushed and lips are rose-tinted. Nikki said: “The A La Mode eye palette is used with shimmering effect here, with the black underneath the eye adding definition. The lips are super glossed-up, with the cheek tint smudged over the cheek bone.”
Get the look:
Apply Lightening Touch around the eye area to conceal any dark shadows
Apply Minimalist White eye colour from the 02 A La Mode Limited Collection For Eyes onto the eyelid with the mini brush applicator. Top Tip: apply on top of Lightening Touch to help the eye colour bind to the eyelids for added intensity
Apply Prêt-a-Pink to the centre of the lid
Apply Silver to the outer corners of the lid and blend
Blend the three colours across the lid in an outward motion so the colours merge into a lilac
Using the Mini Eye Definer in 01 Black, apply along the inner rim of your eye
Apply Little Black Dress outside the lower lashes and blend out so the shape gets thicker towards the outer corners of the eye
Wipe clean any loose eye colour from the face and then apply your base using Moisture Foundation and Concealer pencil to conceal any blemishes
Apply Tailored Cheek Tint at the bottom of your cheek bones and blend upwards along the cheek bone
Apply Illuminating Face Base along nose and cheek bones to highlight
Apply Tailored Cheek Tint to the lips and then sweep Hi-Shine Lip Treatment in 01 Pink Cream over the top to complete the look
Dolly Minx
Have fun playing with candy-colour with this sassy look that balances glossy lips and flushed cheeks with a more neutral eye. “I love the shimmering white shadow in the A La Mode eye palette and here it really comes into its own. Offset with layers of cheek tint and pink juicy glossy lips, it’s a saucy spring look that’s super-easy to create,” said Nikki.
Get the look:
Apply Minimalist White from the 02 A La Mode Limited Collection For Eyes to the whole eye area right up to the eye brow
Apply a healthy dose of Super Volume Mascara in 01 Black
Comb through the eyebrows to remove any stray white eye colour
Remove any stray white eye colour from the face, and apply your base
Dab plenty of Tailored Cheek Tint on the apples of the cheeks and blend to create strong rosy cheeks
Apply Colourglide Lip Colour in Neon Pink 59 and then Hi-Shine Lip Treatment in 11 Juicy Peach for pink glossy lips
Spring Siren
“This look was inspired by the classy, classic eyeliner flick but turned up to the max!” said Nikki. Focused on sexy, seductive eyes, this edgy yet elegant look demands strong brows and defined lashes, complemented with pretty peachy lips. When it comes to creating this dramatic eye-catching eye-look, Nikki says, “Create strong contours with shadows from the Boho Beauty eye palette to make a deep socket line, then use the lightest shade to highlight to make the eyes really pop.”
Get the look:
Apply Lightening Touch around the eye and on the eyelid blending it with your fingertip up towards the eyebrow
Apply New Nude eye colour from the 01 Boho Beauty Limited Collection For Eyes to the eyelid, keeping the socket line empty, and also apply under the eyebrow
Apply Haute Chocolate next to the socket line keeping all the areas quite contained until you blend to ensure the look is dramatic
Apply Eye Definer in 05 White to the inner rim of the eye
Apply the Mini Eye Definer in 02 Rich Brown along the top and bottom lash line as close to the lashes as you can and create an upward and downward curve extending outwards from the outer corner of the eyes
Apply lashings of the Super Volume Mascara in 01 Black
Wipe off any excess eye colour from the face
Apply Moisture Foundation to the face and use a concealer pencil to cover any blemishes
Apply Illuminating Face Base along nose and cheek bones to highlight
Apply Tailored Cheek Tint to the cheeks, blending well
Layer Hi-shine Lip Treatment 11 Juicy Peach over Colourglide Shade 57 Pink Flirt for lovely pink glossy lips.
So, there you have it. If you're brave and bold enough, follow Nikki's expert tips and get yourself looking like you have just walked off the runway at London Fashion Week, even if it is only to clean the house on Sunday.
