Sunday 23 February 2014

When life gives you lemons...

Some natural products seem to be the cure for a little bit of everything. Just look at how many uses there are for honey, ginger, avocado and my personal favorite, the happy sunny lemon. Lemon is exceptionally rich in vitamin C - nature's own antioxidant that neutralises free radicals which is important to fight of colds and infections, it also has a calming effect and can help to get rid of nervousness and tension, and of course it has lots of uses when it comes to beauty. Lemon oil and citric acid is often used in beauty products to treat skin conditions like acne or eczema, but it also has strengthening and shining effects that are useful for hair and nails and with just a few lemons from your closest grocery store you can make all sorts of wonderful home remedies yourself. I'm far too lazy to make my own beauty treatments but since I love to use products that contain lemon, not only because of the healing qualities but also because of the amazingly zingy and zesty smell, I'm lucky that there is so much to choose from in most stores, starting with a great shower gel from The Body Shop.

The Body Shop shower gels are all soap-free, so they're gentle on the skin but at the same time it's easy to work up a good lather for a lovely foamy shower or bath. The Sweet Lemon shower gel contains essential oils to help sooth and moisturise the skin and it has the most amazing sunny, soft and fragrance without the usual tangy sharpness of lemons and instead it's creamy like a lemon mousse - yummy!
For a proper pampering session you also need a rich and indulgent body butter to finish with and for the most amazing range of scents, there's no other brand like The Body Shop. Regardless of which scent you prefer they all have the same ultra rich and creamy consistency enriched with shea butter that will soften even the driest of skins. What I love most about the body butters is that they blend into the skin almost immediately when you massage it in, and that they seem to lock in the moisture for a long time afterwards, making the skin feeling luxuriously smooth. The Sweet Lemon body butter is perfect to use in the mornings to vitalise and prepare you for the day ahead, and the creaminess of it made it a lovely base for both fresh and floral scents. This was one of my favorite ranges from The Body Shop and it's such a shame that they don't sell it in the shops anymore (the closest you can get to this zesty and creamy fragrance is with the Satsumas products), but if you're interested in this gorgeous Sweet Lemon scent you can easily get hold of these products on ebay.

As you probably know by now, I love to surround myself with scent and go through quite a lot of candles, and most of them are from Lily-Flame. I have reviewed several of their candles before since they have a great range of scents with something for everyone, and they usually burn really well for about 35 hrs or so. One of the first candles I tried from them is the Lily-Flame Citrus Crush Scented Candle (£8.50) which is a beautifully fresh tangy and summery mix of lemons and tangerines that is so invigorating and energising. It's a perfect mood booster - it always makes me feel very harmonious and refreshed and I absolutely adore it.

A product that I had read a lot about and was really looking forward to trying is the EOS Organic Lip Balm (£5.99) and the first one I got was in Lemon drops. It's a 100% natural and organic product with SPF which is rich in vitamin E, shea butter and jojoba oil to help keep your lips moisturised and smooth. For me the biggest selling point is the adorable packaging - it looks like a yummy little candy egg and it comes in loads of different tempting flavors, one more delicious than the other. It has a very subtle and fresh lemon scent and flavor that unfortunately doesn't last very long on the lips, but it adds a lovely natural sheen to the lips. What I really need from a lip balm is for it to also add long lasting deep moisture that nourishes the lips, but the texture of the EOS lip balm feels more waxy than moisturising or creamy and I find that I have to use quite a lot of it to get that sense of hydration, and I also have to reapply it very often for that feeling to last. Overall it's a cute product, almost a novelty type of lip balm - great as a gift for someone and if you're curious about these little pots, Naturisimo has a great range of flavors and they also offer free delivery worldwide.
The last lemony product in this zesty collection is the Lush Lemony Flutter (£6.50) which is one of the must have products that are part of my hand and nail care routine. It has a lovely rich buttery consistency with lots of nourishing oils from soya, avocado and coconut and. Take just a tiny bit of the butter, heat it up between your fingers and massage it into the cuticles and hands for an intensely moisturising and creamy treatment, and you're left with a gorgeous soft and sweet scent on your hands. Since it is such a rich cream it does leave a very slightly oily feel and sheen on your nails that I personally just leave to sink in over night, but if you want to do a manicure afterwards - you need to wipe the nails clean. I use this fantastic product at least four times a week and I'm convinced that it's helped to make my cuticles stronger and healthier.

So when life gives me lemons, I prefer to put them in beauty products and enjoy the delicious fresh and sparkling scent of warm summer days - at least it's a lovely reminder until we get there in a few months time. Do you make your own beauty products - or if you're more like me, preferring it to be served to you - which are your favorite products with lemon?

61 comments:

  1. Nice review! I also love lemon (and orange) based products. I knew some of the benefits of lemons, but didn't know the ones on your hair and nails. I love The Body Shop, but Yves Rocher is also great. The lip balms are fabulous and last for quite long.

    Jasmine xx
    For a Real Woman
    So easy Spanish!

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  2. i love lemons! ♥

    xo,
    www.misspaulinevintage.jimdo.com

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    1. They're so wonderfully fresh - I can even peel one and eat it like an orange :o). Xx

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  3. Mmmm.. the lemon cuticle butter sounds amazing/ Cybele @BlahBlah

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    1. It's great for the nails, and it works on hands - elbows and feet too :o). Xx

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  4. Great idea for a post! Love the sound of the Lush cuticle butter, and I'm still yet to get my hands on an EOS balm! x x

    Claire | AgentSmyth

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    1. EOS has such a lovely fruity range of flavors, but in all honesty I have used cheaper and more moisturising balms :o). Xx

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  5. I LOVE lemon smelling products, they just smell so fresh and wake you up pretty quickly.

    I never got to try the lemon shower gel from The Body Shop, which I'm really sad about. :(

    Also I really want to try one of the EOS lip balms, but I wanna try the Blueberry flavour. :)

    Great post! :D

    http://theremightbecoffee.wordpress.com/

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  6. I love citrus products! I love the scent of the Lily-Flame candle it's gorgeous, it's so fresh!

    lovefrombethan.blogspot.co.uk

    xox

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    1. Oh yes, and so pretty with the yellow and white "marshmallows" :o). Xx

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  7. I love the scent of lemon, but I find lemon products harsh on my skin!

    dangerouslydelilah.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. They can be - same with hair, I know you can brighten your hair using lemon juice and then just go out into the sun... :o). Xx

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  8. I love Lemony Flutter :)
    http://whattaylorbuys.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. Oh me too - it feels incredibly luxurious :o). Xx

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  9. Ghah, what a fun post :-) I love how you photographed the products. I personally really like lemon in beauty products. I love citrusy smells.

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    1. That's so lovely of you - thank you very much :o). Xx

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  10. Replies
    1. Me too!!!! And they remind me of summer :o). Xx

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  11. Hi! I came from Nicole's blog :) I really really like your blog!! I LOVE the body butter from the body shop too! My favorite is Raspberry one. I just posted my Tanya Burr's Lip glosses review and swatches and that would mean a world to me if you could visit my blog! :)

    Mayumi

    http://mayumi1992.blogspot.jp

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    Replies
    1. Hello Mayumi, thank you so much for visiting and for your lovely comment - that's really nice of you :o). Hope to see you again here soon :o). Xx

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  12. uau that look so nice...
    have a great weekand
    kiss from
    http://maysesmodamour.blogspot.it/2014/02/walking-on-sunshine.html#comment-form

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    1. Thank you so much - have a great Sunday :o). Xx

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  13. What a fun post. I love my Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter! I didn't know EOS made a lippy in citrus! Thanks for sharin'
    Have a great day!
    Kallie @ But First Coffee

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    1. The cuticle butter is just amazing and I much prefer it to cuticle oils :o). Xx

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  14. I love citrus in general but haven't really tried any of these products, they look lovely xxx


    www.jesscaedmunds.com

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    1. If I were to recommend just one - it would be the Lemony flutter, it's fab :o). Xx

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  15. I wish I could find lily flame candles here!! These are so luxurious, as the tbs sweet lemon shower gel, one of my fav! Great picks hun!! <3

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    1. I'm so disappointed that they stopped selling it because it was by far my favorite o). Xx

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  16. I haven't tried any of these products, i'm tempted to get the eos lip blam though!

    Jess x
    New post up at www.momentsofbeautywars.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. It's a very cute little pot, just don't expect it to be ultra moisturising like e.g. Carmex :o). Xx

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  17. Such a great post ... I'm huge fan on TBS shower gels - strawberry one is my fav ...will definitely try the sweet lemon shower gel !
    xoxo
    http://beautyndbest.com/

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  18. I really like using lemon scented products, because they always feel so fresh! I like The body shop's products a lot, especially their lip balms!

    www.callmemaddie.com

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    1. Me too - and I love the zesty scent :o). Xx

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  19. I have been LOVING citrus anything and everything lately so I would love any of these products! I never realized there was a lemon EOS lip balm! I love the honeydew version!

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    1. That seems really lovely - that might the next one to try... :o). Xx

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  20. Lemon is a wonderful citrus fruit with so many uses! Love the lush cuticle cream, it is fantastic! I should try the rest of these too!

    Rebecca
    www.winnipegstyle.ca

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    1. Definitely, it's so creamy and beautiful! :o) Xx

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  21. Great post! Lemon scented things are so fresh. Love strawberries as well. Great blog

    xx Cissy
    www.idreamofbunnies.com

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    1. Thank you so much, that's really lovely of you :o). Xx

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  22. haha..I love your post titles!
    <3

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  23. Lemom has good benefits and a lovely fragrance, love lush butter!

    Viky --- MySecretFashionPoison

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    1. It's lovely to use and the hands smell divine afterwards :o). Xx

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  24. When life gives me lemons, I prefer to put them in beauty products too...or into dessert haha :)
    emmasbeginning.blogspot.com

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  25. the title is fun and I so love lemon scented/flavored products! Im allergic to EOS though, I have used half of mine when I felt the allergy the corner of my mouth got itchy so I threw 5 of my eos already.



    xoxo;
    Glitter DailyBeauty Blog


    Like GD on Facebook
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    Follow GD on Instagram

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    1. Thank you and what a shame about the lip balm... Xx

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  26. I quite like lemon-based products as I have a sensitive nose and most scents tend to irritate my nose. Lemon and other citrus-y smells are easy on my nose so I gravitate towards those. I really love that EOS lip balm and that cuticle butter.
    Great post! :]

    xo Deborah
    Coffee, Prose, and Pretty Clothes

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    1. Thank you so much, that's really nice of you :o). Xx

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  27. Lemon ingredients in beauty stuff is really good. I love that cuttle butter from Lush, I have that! It works so well and is not greasy.

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    1. Yes and much prefer it to other cuticle oils :o). Xx

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  28. I am really attracted to fresh, citrus smells, and my nails have seen better days. Lemon Flutter may be on the ever growing To Buy list...
    lipstickandlightening.blogspot.ie

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    1. :o) - I have one of those too... but Lemony Flutter is definitely worth getting :o). Xx

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  29. Lemon is such a wonderfully refreshing scent, especially great in the warmer months. I'd love to try The Body Shop's lemon body butter and LUSH's cuticle butter! xxx
    The Jolly Fashionista

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    1. I agree - it helps me to remember that there is eventually warmer days coming :o). Xx

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  30. This post made me so happy! haha. I love the scent of lemon. Right now my favorite lemon things is the Burts Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Crème and the Bath & Body Works Watermelon Lemonade candle.

    katespitz.blogspot.com

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    1. I haven't even heard of that but it sounds like it's about the same principle - I'll keep an eye for it :o). Xx

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  31. Instead of making lemonade, we make candles hehee!! So cute!! Love these. So glad I clicked on your comment on FASHIONVIBE and got led back here to yours. It's seriously full of GREAT info and juicy pics here! Just followed you on GFC and bloglovin', be sure to see more of you soon. By the way, I just posted my new layering (step-by-step) post on how to style some old CÉLINE floral trousers and make them new new again. Check it out to see how many layers does it take to get to the juicy center haha!

    xx The Provoker
    http://www.the-provoker.com/2014/02/mr-fancy-pants.html

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    1. Hey Nathan, that's so lovely of you - thank you very much and hope to see you here again soon :o)! Xx

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