It's that time of month again!  The Natural Beauty Box arrived on my doorstep a few weeks ago, and now that I have had a chance to test each of the six goodies and see how they work and get on with my skin, I'm excited to share my thoughts on the Winter Skin Saviours collection!


The Winter Skin Saviours box was curated to provide nourishing, soothing, and illuminating products that work to keep your skin healthy and glowing through the long cold months.  Plus, I was so excited to discover not one, not two, but THREE natural beauty brands I had not heard of before, along with two additional skincare treats that I had never tried previously (and one favourite from the past!).

Each product included in November's The Natural Beauty Box contains minimal ingredients, and no unnecessary fillers (though with TNBB you never have to worry about nasty additives anyways!).  And as always, the entire edition only contains cruelty free products that are also vegan-friendly.  What more could a green goddess wish for??

So what was inside the latest monthly subscription from The Natural Beauty Box?  Take a look!:


Okko Foot Balm Stick + Okko Body Balm Stick (4.5g - £3 each):
I am very familiar with Okko, as I have tried both their Face Balm and Foot Balm in the past (and enjoyed both I should add!).  Okko is a British brand that focuses on crafting all natural solid balms that are perfect for multi-tasking.  I've found all of their products really good, as they are not too oily on the skin and they sink in so well - no waiting around waiting for it to dry down, just happy and healthy skin!


This will actually be my third tube of Okko's Foot Balm, but I have no complaints about that as I love the smell and how effective the product is.  I walk around a LOT since I do not drive anymore, and this little stick really soothes my tired feet thanks to the eucalyptus and calendula essential oils.  It is easy to apply, sinks in well, and works to nourish and calm the skin all at the same time.  Usually I exfoliate the bottoms of my feet, apply the balm, then pop a pair of reusable masking socks on to help lock in the moisture.  It works a treat!

The Okko Body Balm is a new one for me, and while I find the tube a little harder to work with as a body product (I mean, have you tried applying it to your legs??), it is still a lovely skin treat and will be ideal for keeping in my handbag for dry skin emergencies.  I really like that this variety is scent free (meaning free from essential oils) as it makes it accessible to more people and also helps it be that little bit more versatile.  I tend to use a body oil or butter most days, along with a natural perfume, so I like that this won't conflict with any scents I already put on and can be paired with anything!  I've actually been using this mainly for my cuticles and elbows, as it is easiest to use for small areas, and the powerful blend of aloe vera, cocoa seed butter, borage seed oil, and rosehip has really helped soften and heal chapped and peeling skin.

While the "try me size" seems small, it is actually great as each tube lasts about a month since you do not have to use much of the product to reap the benefits.  Just a dab here and there and you are all set!

Foot Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Butter, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Calendula Officinalis Flower Oil*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera (Candelilla wax), Unrefined Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Essential oils of Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf* & Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Leaf*. Limonene**, Linalool**. *Organic. **Occurs naturally in essential oils.

Body Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract, Unrefined Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Butter, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Calendula Officinalis Flower Oil*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Borago Officinalis (Borage) Seed Oil*, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera (Candelilla wax), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Fruit Oil*, Tocopherol (Vitamin E). *Organic


Guiltless Skin Illume Moisture Serum (30ml - £26.00):
I adore Guiltless Skin -- every product I have tried from this range so far has given fantastic results and suits my sensitive skin, plus everything is so affordable!  This British skincare brand believes in a 'less is more' approach to beauty.  Rather than packing dozens of buzz word or 'fad' ingredients into their formulas, they select high-performance plant powered ones that work to support and benefit the skin's natural processes.


Illume Moisture Serum is no different.  With just ten ingredients (not counting distilled water), this serum is simple but brings serious strength to your skin's barrier.  Vitamin B3 provides strength and anti-inflammatory qualities, lingonberry brings antioxidants that help protect against environmental stresses and damage, pomegranate works to stimulate elasticity and prompt cell renewal, and hyaluronic acid offers "super-moisture" which leads to firm, hydrated skin.

Guiltless Skin's serum is incredibly light so you don't feel like you are weighing down your face with too many products, and it does not have any scent, which to be honest I find refreshing.  I stopped using serums for a long while as I found they overwhelmed my senses when paired with the follow up face oil.  Illume offers all the benefits, including plumping, improved luminosity, evened texture, reduced fine lines, and added moisture, without any added essential oils or fragrant extracts.  I've also found it has been helping keep my pesky hormonal acne at bay, and my face feels much less sensitive than usual.

If you want to read more about Guiltless Skin, keep an eye out for my final Brand Spotlight of 2018 that will be landing later this week!

Ingredients: Aqua (distilled water), Glycerin** , Niacinamide (vitamin B3), Gluconolactone (skin conditioner), Sodium hyaluronate (skin hydrator), Vaccinium vitis-idaea fruit extract* (lingonberry fruit), Punica granatum fruit extract* (pomegranate fruit), Amorphophallus konjac root extract (natural thickener, skin conditioner), Sodium benzoate (preservative), Lactic acid (non-dairy) (ph adjuster), Citric acid (ph adjuster)     *Organic ingredient. **Organic origin.


Niskama Skincare Gentle Smoothing Face Polish (30ml - £7):
One of my favourite parts of The Natural Beauty Box is how Emma always is able to surprise subscribers with new brands and small businesses -- and Niskama Skincare is one of those wonderful surprises.  Made in Cornwall, their quest is to "to create a brand for nature and environmentally conscious women, as the skin has abilities to absorb vast amount of chemicals that we put on ourselves every day. It is important to us that our cosmetics are made only from natural, plant oils and extracts and don't contain any harsh, skin damaging ingredients."  The aim of Niskama Skincare is so important, and I am so happy to say that the quality of the Gentle Smoothing Face Polish is just as good as the brand's ethos.

When I first saw the reveal for this product on Instagram I have to admit I was not super excited.  I have accumulated so many facial scrubs and exfoliants in the last year that I just didn't think another one was going to wow me at all.  Shows how wrong I was to judge based on the name!


This face polish is gorgeous.  And I mean everything about it -- the scent is simultaneously fresh, floral, and minty; the texture looks like a fine grain scrub but feels like a luxurious melt, and the feel...  Well you really need to experience it to get the full beauty.  Niskama's hibiscus and calendula polish is so gentle and glides easily across the skin as you massage the product in.  At first you feel relaxed and pampered by the exfoliation treatment, then totally revived as the peppermint oil works its magic and leaves your face with a light tingling sensation -- nothing irritating or overpowering, but awakening and the perfect way to finish while rinsing off.

I may not be super keen on getting any more scrubs for a while as my cupboard is just about bursting with them, but I am beyond thrilled I got this pot from Niskama Skincare -- this is one skincare treat I wouldn't have wanted to miss!

Ingredients: Rice powder, Raw Coconut oil, Sweet almond seed oil, Organic Sunflower seed oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Calendula flower extract, Xanthan gum, Gluconolactone, Organic Mandarin peel oil, Peppermint oil, Organic Bergamot oil, Organic Chamomile roman oil, Sodium benzoate, d-limonene*, linalool*, citronellol*, eugenol*, geraniol* citral*  ---   **organic oils    *naturally derivered from essential oils


Felicity McDonald Organics Bath Salts (50g - £8):
You all know how much I love a good bath.  Every Friday and Sunday I have a long soak, and it is the only time I totally switch off (or at least attempt to!).  So when I saw November's Winter Skin Saviours edit of The Natural Beauty Box included a trial size of new green beauty brand Felicity McDonald Organics' bath salts, I was over the moon.


The Rejuvenate Bath Salts were created to "breathe new life into tired muscles and uplift the mind," and the blend of all natural ingredients work together to achieve that moment of peace.  With "soothing and sensual rose otto, purifying juniper berry, anti-inflammatory cornflower, calming lavender and detoxifying Himalayan salts," Felicity McDonald Organics has produced a bath product that is perfect for a wind down and bit of wintertime TLC.

My first reaction to this pot of salts was holy moly this is STUNNING.  I mean as soon as you untwist the lid you are met by a gorgeous sight and scent -- the whole dried rose petals, cornflower petals, lavender sprigs, and juniper berries contrast perfectly against the light pink shade of the salts, and the gentle fragrant floral notes really help ease the mind and soothe the spirit.  This is most definitely the best first impression to a beauty product and the most beautifully presented bath salts I have come across.

Ingredients: Maris sal (Himalayan salt), Juniperus communis fruit extract* (Juniper berry), Rosa damascena flower* (Rose petal), Centaurea cyanus flower* (Cornflower), Lavandula angustifolia flower* (Lavender), Juniperus communis fruit oil* (Juniper berry oil), Rosa damascena flower oil* (Rose otto oil), Simmondsia chinensis seed oil* (Jojoba oil)  -- *certified organic ingredient (salt cannot be organic)


ILoveSkin Face Oil + (20ml - £19.20):
I've tried more than my fair share of face oils and amassed a small village worth over the last year, so I like to think I know a great one when I meet it.  And ILoveSkin's Face Oil + definitely fits the bill!

Formulated to address water loss, moisture levels, elasticity, skin tone, the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and collagen production, Face Oil + combines antioxidant rich fruits, healing botanicals, and regenerating algae to provide an all in one treatment.


The oil is a rich golden colour, and is very fragrant (perhaps something to keep this in mind when deciding what to use in your full skincare routine!) -- the notes that hit me most are the soft florals and light sweet fruits, though the earthier tones do come through and lend a more centered feel.    Despite how rich it appears and how nourishing it feels, Face Oil + is surprisingly lightweight once it sinks in.  It absorbs fairly quickly (fully after about a minute or so) and here is no greasy residue left behind, just soft and smooth skin!

My only complaint is the full list of ingredients is not listed (or at least not easy to find/scan) on the product listing online.  I've mentioned this many times before, but I won't buy a product from a brand I am unfamiliar with without first checking the ingredients -- I've been burned (literally) before by hidden nasties, so I am overly wary about online purchases or products without clear labels.  So if I had come across this outside of November's collection from The Natural Beauty Box I may have skipped it over, and that would have been such a shame.

Ingredients: White Poppy seed oil, Rosehip Oil, Kiwi seed oil, Red Raspberry seed oil, Pomegranate seed oil, CO2 Arctic Cranberry, CO2 Sea Buckthorn, Cylindrotheca Fusiformis (algae), Helichrysum essential oil, Neroli essential Oil, Frankincense essential oil, Vetiver essential oil, Sage essential oil, Lavender essential oil, CO2 Rosemary and Vitamin E



Overall I was really happy with the November collection from The Natural Beauty Box, and I thought that the Winter Skin Saviours selected were the perfect picks!  Not only were they all from small UK businesses, each had pure and simple ingredient lists that were packed with healing botanicals, extracts, butters, and oils.  I love that I won't have to worry about dry patches or dull skin during this dry and cold season -- I can just pick up one of the products included in this box and give my skin the TLC it needs!  I'll be glowing from head to toe all winter long thanks to Okko, Guiltless Skin, Niskama Skincare, Felicity McDonald Organics, and ILoveSkin -- and of course Emma who put this fantastic box together!

Altogether the contents of November's box were worth £56, with three full size products and three deluxe samples.  That means subscribers saved over £31 on the collection -- and discovered many small ethical businesses at the same time!


If you have not checked out The Natural Beauty Box and you are a lover of cruelty free, natural, and vegan-friendly products, you should definitely head over to the website and see all the lovely subscription and one off options they offer!  Each month is always perfectly thought through and the products come from both mainstream companies and bespoke brands, making it ideal for both the new greenie and the experienced ethical buyer.

Rolling subscriptions are only £24.95/month, but you can get money off for 3, 6, or 12 month packages.  Plus, you can grab 10% off your first box by using this link -- but be quick, the December box sold out almost immediately, so be sure to get your order in for the January box ASAP!  This natural beauty subscription is becoming more and more popular every month, so signing up soon is the best way to guarantee you get the next collection.

I would love to hear what you eco-beauties thought of November's Winter Skin Saviours edit from The Natural Beauty Box -- were you as thrilled with all the new names as I was??  Did you have a favourite from the box??  Let me know! xx