UPDATE: If you’re interested in giving the Wild deodorant a go, while getting more bang for your buck, it’s now been confirmed that Wild features in the Holland and Barrett advent calendar 2023.

The calendar costs £45 and contains 25 of Holland & Barrett’s bestselling skincare products from brands including Q+A, VitaSkin, Holland and Barrett’s own brand of products, as well as a deluxe version of the Wild deodorant.

Check out the full list of what’s inside the Holland and Barrett advent calendar in our best cheap advent calendar 2023 guide or keep scrolling to read our Wild deodorant review.

Original Wild deodorant review continues below

Many of us have made, or are trying to find, various ways to live more sustainably.

Whether it’s recycling more, ditching plastic or searching for ethically sourced products, one area we hadn’t really considered – among the shampoo bars, vegan creams and eco-friendly makeup brushes – was natural, aluminium-free deodorants.

That was until we carried out this Wild deodorant review.

This has coincided with a surge in Google searches for deodorant alternatives, with more than 5,400 searches a month being made for “natural deodorant” and similar terms.

This is why our interest was piqued when we discovered Wild – and it seems it’s piqued the interest of many others too.

Since we first published this Wild deodorant review, the brand has launched on the UK high street, in partnerships with Sainsbury’s, Holland & Barrett, M&S and more thus getting in front of even more people.

In our Wild deodorant review below we explain how the brand does things differently from the majority of deodorants on the market, how to get started and buy Wild refills, and what choices you have when it comes to scents and cases.

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Wild deodorant review

Wild

You have three options when buying a Wild deodorant: Subscribe and Save, a One-Off, or what the company calls The Full Monty

What is Wild deodorant? Posted through consumers’ doors – in 100% recyclable packaging – the Wild deodorant range is natural, biodegradable, refillable and 100% compostable, without any unnecessary chemicals. Even fragrances are created using natural products such as orange and coconut.

Wild deodorant refills: Wild refills are available as a one-off purchase or part of a subscription service, where you’ll initially receive a case and scent of your choice, with a new set of three refillable fragrances sent automatically every three months. A Wild natural deodorant refill will fully compost within six months and biodegrade within 12, leaving no trace whatsoever.

Wild deodorant price: You have three options when buying a Wild deodorant: Subscribe and Save (£12 a month), a One-Off (£25), or what the company calls The Full Monty (£35). We explain more about each offering in the Price section of our Wild deodorant review below.

Where to buy Wild deodorant UK:  Wild | Sainsbury’s | Holland & Barrett

How we tested the Wild deodorant

mamabella | mamabella

For our Wild deodorant review, we spent two months using the natural deodorant as our main source of underarm protection

For our Wild deodorant review, we spent two months using the natural deodorant as our main source of underarm protection. During this period, we only used Wild deodorant (no other deodorants or antiperspirants), and we selected the pink case.

During our two-month Wild deodorant review period, we used Coconut and Vanilla and Fresh Cotton and Sea Salt scents.

We wore it for everyday tasks while chasing after our toddler; during runs and exercise, and we wore it with a variety of clothes including black and white cotton tops which are notorious for picking up deodorant stains.

Consistency

If you’ve ever used a deodorant stick before, you’ll know they’re typically creamy and thick. The Wild deodorant is no exception but despite its solid consistency, it glides on surprisingly well – almost melting into the skin as it warms in contact with our body heat.

At first, we applied multiple layers, on the assumption it wouldn’t work as well as our current deodorants – and partly because we’ve had poor experiences with cream deodorants in the past. We soon realised, by day three, that a little goes a long way.

This means you can coat your armpit with a single up-and-down movement that will last until bedtime. Even surviving heavy exercise.

In fact, it’s easy to apply too much and this will leave slimy and sticky residue on your clothes, not to mention you’ll waste a lot of product which, at these prices, can be a little galling.

Scents

Wild

Wild often releases limited-edition scents. Lemon Meringue is (pictured)

There is an increasing number of Wild deodorant fragrances and, at the time of writing, these include the following:

For any Wild scents that are not obvious, we’ve explained more about what to expect. The scents marked with an asterisk are also available in a separate version that’s more suitable for sensitive skin. 

• Thunderstorm: Described as smelling like “fresh rain, green leaf, and oakmoss”
• Camomile Tea & French Lavender
• Fresh Cotton & Sea Salt: Inspired by freshly washed clothes on a clothing line*
• Jasmine & Mandarin Blossom*
• Mint & Aloe Vera
• Orange & Neroli
• Elderflower and Cucumber
• Wild strawberries
• Coconut & Vanilla*
• Sandalwood & Patchouli

Every Wild deodorant scent is made using essential oils and they’re free of aluminium salts, parabens and phthalates utilising a range of natural ingredients. The sensitive skin versions then remove the use of Baking Soda, too.

You can see the full range of Wild ingredients, and their uses, on the company’s website.

Is Wild deodorant effective?

mamabella | mamabella

During our entire Wild deodorant review, we never once felt like our armpits were clammy. We were also impressed with the smell

Given that Wild is a deodorant, and not marketed as an antiperspirant, we had expected to sweat the same as we would before. This is because a “deodorant” protects against odour, but doesn’t block sweat. A product labelled “antiperspirant” typically uses a chemical to block sweat.

However, during our entire Wild deodorant review, we never once felt like our armpits were clammy. We were also impressed with the smell.

The Coconut and Vanilla version was a little lost; it didn’t last very long and was a bit sickly sweet. The Fresh Cotton version, on the other hand, is great. It makes such a refreshing change to other, harsher-smelling deodorants and antiperspirants. It provides a subtle aroma without being overbearing, and this smell lasts well into the evening.

Having learned our lesson at the start, when we applied too much and the Wild deodorant left marks on our clothes, we got the hang of it quite quickly. From that point on, we never experienced any marks, streaks or residue and we could get dressed immediately.

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Wild deodorant alternatives

If Wild deodorant is too expensive or doesn’t offer the scents, cases or subscription offers you’re looking for, there are a few alternatives.

• Typology’s Natural deodorant is only available as a one-off, but it costs £14.50 instead of £25. You don’t get the choice of case or scents – it comes in Bergamot Green Mandarin, and Rose Vanilla for sensitive skin – but if you’d rather get a cheap alternative to Wild without paying for all these choices, then Typology is the way to go.
• A similarly priced, yet larger, Wild deodorant alternative is Proverb. It comes in two types – Core and Active – and the latter is better for people who sweat a lot. There are then three scents, Wild Mint and Eucalyptus, Coconut and Tonka, and Sensitive and Unfragranced. We’ve tested the former two scents and our favourite is the Coconut and Tonka. The scents last all day and you only need a small amount to keep you dry. A starter pack, which includes the case and a refill cost £15 as a one-off or £12 on a subscription. Two scents and a case cost £30.

Wild deodorant review: Verdict

Wild

For every deodorant Wild sells, it contributes towards a global tree planting initiative through charity OnAMission

Wild is not the first brand to enter the natural, aluminium-free market, few do it with as much style as Wild.

Nor do they make getting hold of natural deodorant so simple.

It’s effective, helps stop sweat and it’s completely changed our opinion of cream deodorant sticks. So much so, we don’t want to switch back to aerosols and – on the ocassion we’ve forgotten to take it somewhere and had to borrow someone else’s deodorant – we’ve noticed the difference.

What’s even more impressive is that for every deodorant Wild sells, it contributes towards a global tree planting initiative through charity OnAMission. It is also working towards being a carbon-positive company, offsetting all of its omissions.

The downside is that Wild doesn’t come cheap, and this can make other natural deodorants look tempting but if you can afford it, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

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Wild deodorant price: How the subscriptions work

Wild

There are three ways to buy Wild deodorant

You have three options when buying a Wild deodorant: Subscribe and Save, a One-Off, or what the company calls The Full Monty.

Extra cases cost £10 each. You can then pay £5 to personalise these cases. Wild refills cost £6 each. If you subscribe to Wild, you’ll be sent refills regularly so you don’t need to buy individual ones.

However, if you’re getting through them quickly, want a selection of scents, or you’ve opted for a one-off purchase, Wild refills are the way to go. This is particularly good for when Wild releases limited-edition fragrances.

Subscription Starter Pack

• Price: £12
• What is it? This pack contains one aluminium alloy case (that lasts a lifetime) and one refill. The subscription service is delivered in a pack of three at £5 per refill, where customers pay £15 every three months. You can alternatively select to receive these three refills every two, or four months for the same price, and the plan is flexible. mamabella tip: We’d recommend you start with a two-month plan to see how quickly you get through a single refill. You can then easily extend it if need be.

One-off

• Price: £25
• What is it? You can also buy a non-subscription trial pack. This costs £25 and comes with one case and three Wild scents of your choice.

Full Monty pack

• Price: £32
• What is it? Finally, the Full Monty pack costs £32 and comes with a case and five refills of your choice.

Mini Wild Deodorants

• Price: £12
• What is it? Not that standard Wild deodorant cases and Wild refills are huge, but if you want an even more travel-friendly version of your favourite natural deodorant scent, Wild sells Mini Deos. These are great for holidays, but also for putting in your gym bag. For £12, you get three miniature deodorant cases all of the same scent. Alternatively, you can pay £17 for a pack of five, which includes two Fresh Cotton & Sea Salt, two Coconut Dreams, and a Jasmine & Mandarin Blossom Mini Deodorant.

Wild Shower Gel

Wild

Since revolutionising the natural deodorant market, Wild recently launched a body wash in a compostable bottle, after over two and a half years of research and development. The bottle is made entirely from plant-based materials and uses the natural waterproof characteristics of bamboo.

The aim is to decrease the use of single-use plastic in bathroom products after data suggests the average person uses a large number of plastic cosmetics bottles over their lifetime, with only half of bathroom waste typically being recycled.

This has implications for waste management systems globally, as much of this waste is sent to other countries for processing. Wild’s compostable refills offer an alternative, having saved 262 tonnes of plastic from going to landfills since 2020.

The refill is made from 70% bamboo starch and 30% plant starch from agricultural waste. It is designed to biodegrade naturally within six months. The refill also comes with a ‘use by’ date, indicating when the material will start to break down.

The body wash is then available in a reusable aluminium case. The anodised aluminium is resistant to corrosion and water damage, making it suitable for use in wet environments like showers. The case is also recyclable.

The body wash is available for pre-order in aqua or pink and comes in three scents: Fresh Cotton & Sea Salt, Coconut & Vanilla, and Jasmine & Mandarin Blossom.

Buy Wild shower gel

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• Best deodorant for women: 8 of the best smelling, most effective deodorants and antiperspirants for women 
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• Clean beauty: What are clean beauty products and how can I shop more consciously?
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Victoria Woollaston-Webber

Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a passion for empowering people to feel beautiful whatever their age, size, skin type and budget

The post Wild deodorant review: Is this vegan, aluminium-free natural deodorant effective, or overhyped? appeared first on mamabella.

JLO Beauty – the skincare range from singer Jennifer Lopez – made headlines when it launched at the start of 2021 and it has seemingly gone from strength to strength since.

For those of us in the UK, the JLO Beauty site still doesn’t ship internationally however it’s still possible to get hold of the range via Amazon. You do have to pay shipping fees, but you don’t have to worry about import costs (at the time of writing).

Below we’ve detailed more about the individual products in the range, as well as how to buy JLO Beauty UK.

JLO Beauty UK

The entire JLO Beauty range promises to give you a “golden glow.” This is said to be thanks to the use of what the company calls the JLo Beauty Olive Complex. This complex is a four-part olive blend of squalane, fermented oil, extra virgin oil, and leaf extract.

This formula is said to be full of antioxidants that can tackle the two key causes of ageing – oxidative stress and dehydration. In JLO Beauty products, the antioxidants promise to deliver “visibly smoother, plumper skin, all-day hydration, and an instant lasting glow.”

Where to buy JLO Beauty in the UK

All the JLO Beauty products listed below are available directly from the JLO Beauty website in the US and Canada. Or you can buy them via Amazon to have them shipped to the UK and other international locations.

Shipping to the UK costs $9.11 (£6.70) for regular shipping (at the time of writing). This is said to take around 10 days. You can alternatively pay $13.11 (£9.65) for Priority shipping. This means it will take three days to arrive. Amazon assures us there are no import fee deposits to pay.

Clicking each link below will take you to the relevant Amazon page and Amazon will automatically convert these prices to GBP based on the current conversion rate. This is likely to change and fluctuate. Alternatively, shop the entire range and see which products are available, or out of stock at a glance here.

Shop the full range

JLO Beauty products

JLo Beauty

You can currently buy bundles of JLo products relatively cheap via Amazon

At the time of writing, the best way to get hold of JLO Beauty products in the UK on Amazon is via bundles however we’ve listed the individual products first, with the bundles and kits below.

• That Beauty Star Filter in an Instant Complexion Booster: ~£30
• Inner Love supplements: ~£28
• That Overnight Hustle AHA + BHA Resurfacer ~ £47
• That Glow Serum: ~£89
• That Big Screen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Moisturiser: ~£40
• That Fresh Take Eye Cream: ~£36
• That Limitless Glow Multitasking Mask: £13 for one mask of ~£36 for a pack of three

JLO Beauty UK Bundles and Kits

• That JLo Insta-Filter Complexion Booster Kits: ~£66: These kits come in four colour options including Pink champagne, Rich Bronze, Rose Gold and Warm Bronze
• That JLo Essentials Kit (Gel Cleanser, Serum, Hydrating Cream, and Broad Spectrum SPF): ~£63
• That JLo Starter Kit (serum, cleanser, and cream): ~£51
• JLO Beauty That Two-Step Glow Holiday Duo (serum and cream): ~£92

JLO Body

The JLO Body collection is largely only available from the JLO Beauty site but you can currently buy the following JLO Body products on Amazon:

• Firm + Flaunt Targeted Booty Balm: ~£50
• Tighten + Tease Ulitmate Body Serum: ~£48

Shop the full range

That Fresh Take Eye Cream

£36 | Buy now from Amazon

JLO Beauty

The That Fresh Take eye cream promises to “provides a visible reduction in fine lines and wrinkles while supporting elasticity and helps mask the appearance of dark circles and discolouration.”

Note the use of the words “mask the appearance.” This eye cream won’t specifically get rid of dark circles and discolouration. Instead, it contains what JLO Beauty calls a blurring complex to hide them. A skincare version of a concealer, or sorts.

It’s also free from parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, dyes, and fragrance, and is Leaping Bunny certified. You can read more about what this means in our Vegan vs cruelty-free: What’s the difference? guide.

FURTHER READING: Best eye cream for dark circles, wrinkles, fine lines and bags

Buy from Amazon

That Limitless Glow Two-Piece Face Mask

From £13.50 | Buy now from Amazon

JLO Beauty

The That Limitless Glow two-piece face mask is infused with an ounce of the brand’s serum to “deliver deep hydration, luminous brightness, and supernova-level glow.”

This means it has the same Japanese rice sake ferment to brighten and condition the skin; a sugar-derived matrix tightens and lifts, while JLO’s Beauty Olive Complex contains a blend of squalane, fermented oil, extra virgin oil, and leaf extract provides all-day moisture.

This product wasn’t available initially on Amazon but recently launched and a pack of three is on sale for the equivalent of £36. For this, albeit high price, you get three single-use masks – which works out at £12 a mask. While this is pricey, it’s not completely beyond the average price of face masks. And few contain such concentrated ingredients.

Alternatively, you can spend £13.57 (plus postage) to just buy a single JLO Beauty Sheet Mask.

What we also love about these masks is that they come in two pieces. This means they fit much more comfortably and tightly than usual one-piece masks, which require a lot of pulling into position.

FURTHER READING: Best face mask: The best face masques for acne, oily skin, dry patches and wrinkles

Buy from Amazon

JLO Beauty UK That Big Screen SPF 30 moisturiser 

£41 | Buy now from Amazon

JLO Beauty

The That Big Screen SPF 30 moisturiser is one of the highest SPF moisturisers on the market, but you are paying a premium for the privilege!

It’s described by the brand as a “luxurious, ultra-light, whipped age-shielding SPF 30 sunscreen that protects while active ingredients keep your skin looking radiant all day long.”

These ingredients include a blend of hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and natural sugars. There is also licorice root to soothe and brighten the skin, and marine bamboo to protect the skin from high-energy blue light from phones and gadgets.

It has a broad-spectrum barrier protective from UVA and UVB and fights free radicals and pollution.

FURTHER READING: What is SPF and why is it so important? and Could your phone be prematurely ageing you? Blue light can make wrinkles and fine lines worse

Buy from Amazon

JLO Beauty UK That JLO Glow Serum

£89 | Buy now from Amazon

JLO Beauty

That JLO Glow serum is said to include two “ferments and a sugar-derived matrix” which smoothes and brightens your skin.

In particular, Japanese rice sake ferment brightens and conditions the skin.

While the sugar-derived matrix tightens and lifts, and JLO’s Beauty Olive Complex contains a blend of squalane, fermented oil, extra virgin oil, and leaf extract provides all-day moisturisation.

Buy now from Amazon

JLO Beauty That Star Filter Complexion Booster

£28 | Buy now from Amazon

JLO Beauty

Meanwhile, the That Star Filter complexion booster is akin to a tinted moisturiser/primer in four shades:

• Pink champagne
• Rich Bronze
• Rose Gold
• Warm Bronze

You can either mix this booster with your existing moisturiser, or foundation, or you can apply it on its own.

Buy now from JLO Beauty

That Hit Single Cleanser

£43 | Buy now from Amazon

JLO Beauty

The That Hit Single Cleanser is said to “remove all your makeup in one go without leaving your skin feeling stripped due to a nourishing lipid-rich formulation,” and has been designed to suit all skin types thanks to its gel-creme formula.

It contains extracts of rice bran, coconut fruit, and Japanese knotweed root that help boost antioxidant protection, while Glycolipid removes excess oil and makeup.

It’s free from parabens, sulfates SLS + SLES, phthalates, and dyes. Plus it’s cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny certified.

That Hit Single Cleanser review: This is one of the JLO Beauty UK products we’ve tried. Firstly, despite the high price, the tube is huge – you get 150ml which is three times the standard amount from rival brands that cost the same.

The cleanser emulsifies nicely and you don’t need much at all. Due to the design of the packaging, it’s easy to squeeze out too much so go easy. It has a gentle, fresh fragrance and rinses off well, and we like to use a small amount of this on dry skin to grip the grime and makeup – similar to how a cleansing balm would – before adding water to emulsify on our face.

This isn’t the recommended method but we find it creates a better overall result and means a little goes a very long way.

Buy now from Amazon

JLO Beauty Blockbuster Wonder Cream

£43 | Buy now from Amazon

JLO Beauty

The That Blockbuster Wonder cream is infused with hyaluronic acid to deliver “plump, dewy looking skin”, plus it includes the JLo Beauty Olive Complex which is full of antioxidants and contains a blend of squalane, fermented oil, extra virgin oil and leaf extract.

Other ingredients that JLO Beauty will be hoping will help justify its high price include potent peptides that combine the antioxidant power of tea, calming honey, and yeast-derived ferment, known for its antioxidant and smoothing properties.

The plus side is that, because of the addition of various oils, this cream could double up as a moisturiser and a facial oil and save you money in the long run.

All of these ingredients are said to combine to give you a youthful-looking complexion.

FURTHER READING: What is hyaluronic acid and what does it do to your skin? 

Buy from Amazon

That Overnight Hustle AHA + BHA Resurfacer

£47 | Buy now from JLO Beauty

JLO Beauty

The That Overnight Hustle AHA + BHA Resurfacer is the newest release from JLO Beauty that promises to restore your skin as your sleep.

AHAs are also known as alpha-hydroxy acids, while BHAs are beta-hydroxy acids. Both offer chemical exfoliation benefits but while AHAs work on the upper layers of the skin, BHAs can penetrate deeper to more effectively tackle the cause of breakouts, wrinkles, dark spots, and texture.  You can read more about AHAs and BHAs in our guide to the acids in your skincare. 

There are two BHAs found in the Resurfacer – glycolic acid and lactic acid. Other ingredients include Willow Bark Extract to help clear pores and soothe skin, Grapeseed Oil to support the natural collagen production of your skin. This ingredient also helps even out skin tone and reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

Then there is hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and keep skin looking plumped-up and youthful, and a fruit extract blend of lemon and orange to brighten skin over time.

Buy from JLO Beauty

JLO Beauty That Inner Love supplements

£43 | Buy now

JLO Beauty

Having previously only been available directly from JLO Beauty, you can now buy JLO Beauty’s dietary supplements called That Inner Love. It comes in bottles of 30, or 90 capsules and each one contains 12 essential vitamins and minerals (at 100% daily recommended levels).

This includes antioxidants Vitamins C, E, and A, four B vitamins, collagen-building copper and manganese, and olive fruit extract. You can read more about the impact of these ingredients in our skin food guide. 

The supplement went on sale on 26 April and costs $36 for 30 capsules or $72 for 90 capsules.

You can also buy them on the JLO Beauty Subscribe and Save scheme, which drops the respective prices by 15%.

FURTHER READING: The truth about beauty supplements

Buy from Amazon

JLO Body UK

The JLO Beauty UK range recently got even bigger with the official launch of JLO Body. We knew it was coming because JLo initially filed a trademark patent for “Body by JLO” in February of 2023.

It was filed under the wider JLO Beauty and Lifestyle LLC and the application identification was listed as: “oils, tanning, creams, balms, treatments, serums, lotions, bronzers, sunscreen, polishes/scrubs.” She also filed for the trademark JLO Body, and now we know which one she opted for.

The first product to launch in the JLO Body line was the Firm + Flaunt Booty Balm and this was recently joined by the JLO Beauty Tighten + Tease Ulitmate Body Serum.

The Booty Balm contains “an advanced (and scientifically backed) formula that’s boosted with powerful ingredients like guarana seed extract and pink pepperslim to specifically target and refine the booty.”

Instagram/Jennifer Lopez

It makes sense that a cream for your bum is the first product in the JLO Body collection, seeing as the singer is renowned for her curvy derriere. The website continues that the balm fades the appearance of stretch marks and helps improve skin elasticity, while visibly firming the area.

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Victoria Woollaston-Webber

Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a passion for empowering people to feel beautiful whatever their age, size, skin type and budget

The post JLO Beauty UK: Everything you need to know about JLO Beauty and JLO Body appeared first on mamabella.

If you’re not sure what the difference is, check out our guide: Vegan vs cruelty-free: What’s the difference?

So how can you not only find vegan beauty products but vegan makeup and skincare that doesn’t cost a fortune?  Let us help!

What counts as a vegan beauty product? 

Typically, vegan beauty products are certified by the Vegan Society, which coined the term “vegan” back in the 1940s. To be certified, products must fit the following criteria: 

• No animal ingredients: The manufacture and/or development of the product and its ingredients, must not involve or use any animal product, by-product or derivative 
• No animal testing: Products must not involve testing of any sort on animals
• Effective labelling of Genetically Modified Organisms: Also known as GMOs, products put forward for Vegan Society registration that contain any GMOs must be labelled

When it comes to beauty products specifically, there is a number of ingredients that can make the difference between a vegan and a non-vegan product: 

• Cera Alba (Beeswax) 
• Carmine (Crushed up beetles)
• Lanolin (Wool grease)
• Placenta (from sheep)
• Squalene (Shark liver oil)

For example, while some brands like Fenty Beauty and Weleda have vegan ranges or products, some of their products contain ingredients such as beeswax and carmine.  

Read our Weleda Skin Food review here

Best vegan beauty products and brands

With the hundreds of beauty brands, we’ve put together a list of our favourite vegan makeup and skincare brands below. These are largely considered to be vegan with either all or the majority of their products, meeting the Vegan Society standard, and we can vouch for how great they are. 

• Ciaté London: Explore Ciaté London
• e.l.f Cosmetics: Explore e.l.f Cosmetics
• Milk: Explore the Milk range
• Drunk Elephant: Explore the Drunk Elephant range
• Balance Me: Explore the Balance Me range
• INIKA Organic: Explore the INIKA Organic range
• Urban Decay: Explore the Urban Decay range

We’ve also listed the top most Instagrammed vegan brands, according to research from End of Tenancy London, below our handpicked list. We don’t go into detail about those brands because we haven’t had the chance to try them all yet, so don’t want to vouch for untested products. Once we do – and if they’re good enough – we’ll add them to our best vegan beauty products list.

︎ Ciaté London

Explore the Ciaté London range

Ciate London

Why we love it: If you’re not aware of Ciaté London – we weren’t until about a year ago – the brand was founded by celebrity nail technician Charlotte Knight. It’s still widely revered and renowned for its nail products and its advent calendar regularly features in our Best Buys list.

More recently, though, the brand expanded into makeup and has led the way with innovative products, some of which we can no longer live without.

Its eyeliner stamp, for instance, called Stamp and Drag is an everyday product for us. It helps you create perfect winged eyeliner every time, and does so muchly cheaply than the likes of The Quick Flick. What’s more, the shape of the wing works on both eyes so you don’t need to double up (again, as is the case with The Quick Flick.)

We are also obsessed with its Glitter Flip liquid lipstick which activates when you press your lips together and creates a long-lasting party finish. We have it in black and red!

One of the main reasons we love Ciaté London so much, though, is because its hero products are all vegan and cruelty-free. This includes its Dewy Skin (£26) skin tint, full of hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C, and soothing Dragon Fruit Extract, and the Plant Pots Vegan nail treatments (£10).

Where to buy: You can buy from the Ciaté London website as well as ASOS.

FURTHER READING: A skin specialist reveals how to strengthen your nails and what makes them so damn brittle

Buy now from Ciaté London

︎ e.l.f Cosmetics

Explore the e.l.f Cosmetics range

e.l.f Cosmetics

Why we love it: According to e.l.f cosmetic’s website, the brand never tests on animals nor does it endorse such practices. Its products don’t contain animal-derived ingredients, beeswax has been replaced by synthetic beeswax, and lanolin has been replaced by Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladinpale-2.

The brand also supports the Humane Society of The United States and is a PETA partner as part of the Caring Consumer Project. It considers itself to be 100% vegan, cruelty-free and paraben-free.

When it comes to price, e.l.f. is great value for money. Most products come in at below £10 each and sometimes under a fiver. It’s one of the best cheap makeup brands around. 

Where to buy: You can buy from the e.l.f. Cosmetics website or from Superdrug — the retailer currently has a 3 for 2 deal on the go. You can also find out what’s inside the e.l.f Cosmetics beauty advent calendar in our best cheap beauty advent calendar guide. 

FURTHER READING: Spotlight on…e.l.f, the vegan boss of the makeup and skincare world

Buy now from Superdrug

︎ Milk

Explore the Milk range

Milk

Why we love it: Apart from it being 100% vegan, Milk is very technology-forward. It sees personal style and experimentation as the “ultimate forms of self-expression” and this is reflected in its products.

It also offers a 15-minute free consultation with a Milk makeup expert online, meaning it’s also lockdown friendly. 

Founded in New York by Mazdack Rassi, Dianna Ruth, Georgie Greville and Zanna Roberts Rassi, this brand develops all its products in-house at its Milk Studios. All products are cruelty-free, paraben-free and 100% vegan. They even have a blacklist on its website of all the ingredients they do not use. 

Where to buy: Cult Beauty stocks Milk Makeup products from its Vegan Milk range. 

FURTHER READING: Spotlight on…Milk’s range of high-quality, affordable makeup and skincare

Buy now from Cult Beauty

︎ Drunk Elephant vegan beauty products

Explore the Drunk Elephant range

Drunk Elephant

Why we love it: Despite it’s slightly unusual name, Drunk Elephant is another brand that prides itself on animal-friendly products. The name Drunk Elephant is rooted in a myth that elephants love to eat fruit that has fallen from Marula trees. Once eaten, fermentation occurs inside their very large tummies and the elephants become drunk. 

The company, in its infancy, decided to remove ingredients that were bad for the skin’s health, which it named “the suspicious six.” The ingredients include silicones, essential pils, chemical screens, SLS, drying alcohols and fragrance and dyes. 

“We don’t care at all about smelling pretty or changing the look or feel of our ingredients, we just let them be what they are naturally,” the company’s website says. The brand also uses “biocompatible” ingredients, which are non-irritating, small-molecule ingredients. The skin can easily absorb these.

The products also come in neon-coloured bottles — what’s not to love?

Where to buy: Drunk Elephant can be bought at Cult Beauty and Space NK.

FURTHER READING: Clean beauty: What are clean beauty products and how can I shop more consciously?

Buy now from SpaceNK

︎ Balance Me 

Explore the Balance Me range

Balance Me

Why we love it: The company believes skincare can have a dramatic effect not only on the skin but also your daily wellbeing, and we couldn’t agree more.  

The self-described champions of balance take this philosophy into account when selecting ingredients for its products, making sure fragrances are 100% natural and have mood-enhancing benefits.

All Balance Me products are 100% cruelty-free, and the company is 100% open about the ingredients and its formulations. 

And all the products smell absolutely amazing. 

Where to buy: Balance Me is available on the company’s website. 

FURTHER READING: Spotlight on…Balance Me, the honest, natural skincare brand

Buy now from Balance Me

︎ INIKA Organic 

Buy now from INIKIA Organic

INIKA Organic

Why we love it: This brand is Australia’s only 100% authentic, natural beauty brand, according to the company. 

Founded in 2006, the founders wanted a cleaner beauty space free from toxic chemicals — pure, organic and natural was their goal. Today, it has a presence in 35 countries so its pledge has definitely resonated with people across the world. 

All its products are certified vegan and cruelty-free — its products neither harm animals or their homes and don’t contain any animal derivatives or by-products. INIKA Organic is also certified as being organic, 100% natural and 100% halal, free from alcohol, fillers, texturisers, synthetics and toxic chemicals.  

Where to buy: You can buy INIKA products directly from the UK store.

Buy now from INIKA Organic

︎ Urban Decay

Explore the Urban Decay range

Urban Decay

American brand Urban Decay makes it all the easier to shop its vegan products with a separate tab on its website.

Despite being owned by L’Oreal, a brand that does still test a small number of products on animals, Urban Decay is PETA certified as being cruelty-free.

Its vegan range not only includes makeup such as the Naked Skin concealer, which comes in an impressive 14 shades, and Hi-Fi Shine lip gloss but it also boasts 30 different types of vegan makeup brush – a much harder vegan find.

Where to buy: You can buy directly from the UK store.

Shop Urban Decay's vegan makeup range

Most Instagrammed vegan beauty brands 

NCLA

To discover which vegan beauty brands are most popular on Instagram, End of Tenancy London took 23 cruelty-free, vegan beauty brands from PETA’s official listing and recorded how many hashtags each brand gets.

Out of 23 vegan beauty brands, data was collected and amalgamated for the top 10.

First place went to Los Angeles-based beauty brand NCLA. The cruelty-free brand is tagged 173,601 times on Instagram which is almost 20x more than Nanshy in tenth place. Closely following in second place, with 147,219 hashtags, was the fragrance brand Le Labo, which was founded in 2005.

The third was vegan makeup and skincare brand Arbonne. The company, which in its 35 years on the market has never tested its products on animals, has 113,095 Instagram hashtags.

The vegan skincare brand which highly values clean beauty, self-care, and the spa culture, Sparitual places fourth with 83,087 hashtags, and rounding off the top five was vegan skincare, haircare and makeup brand Pacifica. The Californian brand which has 501,000 Instagram followers, has 60,170 hashtags on the social media platform.

Most popular vegan beauty brands on Instagram

1. NCLA – Buy from Cult Beauty
2. Le Labo – Buy from Cult Beauty
3. Arbonne – Buy now from Amazon
4. Sparitual – Buy now from Sparitual (US only)
5. Pacifica – Buy now from Pacifica (US)
6. Spectrum Collections – Buy now from Beauty Bay 
7. skyn ICELAND – Buy now from Feelunique
8. Dr. Botanicals – Buy now from Lookfantastic
9. Billy Jealousy – Buy now from Amazon
10. Nanshy – Buy now from Lookfantastic

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The post Vegan beauty products: The best affordable vegan makeup and skincare brands in the UK appeared first on mamabella.

Some brands only sell a handful of vegan products, others still test on animals in certain regions. Some are still relying heavily on plastics, while others are switching to reusable packaging.

To make finding eco-friendly gifts and beauty products easier, Uswitch has looked at 45 of the most popular makeup brands in the UK to see which are committing themselves to be more ethical and sustainable. The full list can be found at the bottom of this page but we’ve highlighted the best, and worst performers below.

For each of the top brands, the switching site then analysed several ethical factors such as cruelty-free status, vegan products, and the ethical sourcing of mica. Mica is a mineral that adds pigment to makeup, namely foundation. It is sometimes gathered through unethical practices such as child labour.  You can find the full results in the Uswitch Ethical Beauty Brands report.

FURTHER READING: Clean beauty: What are clean beauty products and how can I shop more consciously?

Best eco-friendly and ethical beauty brands UK

Below we’ve listed which brands came out on top, and which need to do more but the main results of the research found that only three of the top 16 brands (19%) offered all-vegan products – Lush, Superdrug’s B. and MUA.

In fact, Superdrug’s B. and Lush were the only brands in the study that passed all sustainability checks, including having a sustainable energy manifesto and ethically sourcing their mica.

Less than half (44%) were certified cruelty-free by PETA, including Covergirl, bareMinerals, and Makeup Revolution, while only 56% have stated a commitment to reducing plastic, including Soap & Glory, Maybelline, No 7, and Avon. Of the full list, 12 brands (75%) have taken part in some form of charitable initiative in the last 12 months.

FURTHER READING: Vegan vs cruelty-free: What’s the difference?

Best vegan brands UK

Uswitch

Veganism is growing in popularity fast, so UK brands are offering more vegan makeup options than ever before.

The top companies that are producing all-vegan makeup, or those offering the most vegan products, include:

• Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics
• Cover|FX
• B.Cosmetics
• MUA Makeup Academy
• KVD Vegan Beauty
• Aveda

You can read more about MUA Makeup Academy in our guide to the best cheap makeup brands. 

The big brands that are certainly not vegan pleasers and don’t offer any vegan products include Bourjois Paris, Clinique, and Jo Malone London, amongst others. However, these brands perform better in other categories in the Uswitch report, which you can read below.

FURTHER READING: Recycle logo quiz: Do you know what the recycling logos on beauty and makeup packaging mean?

Best cruelty-free brands UK

Uswitch

If you’re looking for cosmetic products that are cruelty-free, it can be a bit of a minefield, especially when brands advertise themselves as such but aren’t entirely.

Firstly you’ll need to buy beauty brands that don’t sell physical in-store products in mainland China.

By law, any beauty products sold in China have to undergo animal testing.

To be sure you’re buying from brands not tested on animals, you’ll also want to shop with cosmetic brands that have PETA certification or Leaping Bunny approval.

Thankfully the research from Uswitch makes it really easy for you to find cruelty-free makeup by listing which beauty companies have certification and which don’t.

The top cruelty-free beauty brands include Liz Earle, Urban Decay, Marc Jacobs, Revolution Beauty London, as well as 18 other brands in the report.

Elsewhere, if you want to find the most ethical makeup and cosmetic products, you may also only want to choose brands that are committed to ethically sourcing their mica – a group of silicate minerals often broken down into a sparkling powder, also known as “natures glitter”.

Sometimes mica is sourced by unethical practices, such as child labour, so to be sure you’re buying the most ethical makeup you’ll want to use:

• L’Oreal Paris
• Elizabeth Arden New York
• Charlotte Tilbury
• Cover|FX
• Marc Jacobs
• Liz Earle
• Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics
• Revolution Beauty London
• Sephora
• Revlon

FURTHER READING: How to get free skincare samples in the UK online and in stores

Best plastic-free and low-plastic brands UK

Uswitch

Eco-friendly beauty shopping also means you’ll want to pick brands that are reducing the amount of plastic they use.

Eco-friendly beauty brands in this list include Aveda, Avon, Benefit San Francisco, Bobbi Brown, No7 and Too Faced, as well as 20 other brands in the Uswitch ethical beauty brands, report shown to be reducing their plastic use.

The report from Uswitch also looked into how companies treat their employees and their charitable initiatives over the last year.

The Body Shop was the clear winner here because they’ve achieved a B Corp certification – a status given to companies who meet high standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.

The Uswitch report looked into Glassdoor reviews (where current and former employees anonymously review companies) and Max Factor came out top with a score of 4.5 out of 5.

The lowest-scoring brands were KVD Vegan Beauty (2.1), followed by Covergirl (2.3).

The great news is 36 of the top 45 UK beauty brands were found to have participated in a charitable initiative over the last year.

So if you’re shopping for eco-friendly gifts for yourself, looking for vegan beauty products, or wanting to support companies who support other people, then this guide will really help you to make informed decisions when it comes to shopping for your ethical cosmetics.

FURTHER READING: Best sustainable beauty brands UK: Our pick of eco-friendly makeup and skincare brands and their must-have products

Best eco-friendly brands UK

Below is Uswitch’s full analysis of the top 45 beauty brands in the UK. Click the picture to expand it in a new tab, where you can zoom in and out.

Uswitch

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Kat is a freelance journalist, photographer, and the founder of Simply Gender Free – a company dedicated to smashing gender stereotypes in kids’ products. As a mum of two, Kat is passionate about making the world a better place for the next generation

The post Revealed: The most eco-friendly and ethical beauty brands in the UK – and which really need to do better appeared first on mamabella.

Whether it’s reducing or eliminating plastic, sourcing sustainable ingredients, offering recycling schemes or being vegan, we wanted to share our favourite sustainable beauty and personal hygiene brands and their must-have products.

There is also a myth that sustainable beauty costs a fortune. While it’s true that you may end up paying slightly more to ensure the packaging doesn’t contain plastic or that the ingredients come from sustainable sources, there are some highly affordable ranges that benefit you, your skin and the planet.

FURTHER READING: What is palm oil used for and why is it so bad?

Best sustainable beauty brands UK

︎ Tropic Skincare: Smoothing Cleanser Complexion Purifier and Bamboo Face Cloth 

£18 | Buy now from Tropic

Tropic

Tropic Skincare, the beauty brand set up by The Apprentice star Susie Ma, believes plants are the most nutritious and beneficial ingredient for the skin and all of its ingredients are sustainably sourced from the Amazon rainforest, Polynesia, Australia and many more exotic regions.

In addition, Tropic is huge on animal welfare and the environment; the brand never tests on animals and doesn’t use any derivatives that cause animals distress. It stands with Cruelty-Free International, The Vegan Society and PETA as a 100% cruelty-free brand.

READ NEXT: Skincare makeup: The best beauty products that are good for your complexion while saving you time and money

In 2019, Tropic sent zero waste to landfill, and is helping its customers live a lower impact lifestyle with a packaging returns initiative on some of its products. By the end of 2020, the brand strives towards offering refillable packaging across the whole skincare range.

This smoothing cleanser and bamboo facecloth are perfecting for removing makeup. It leaves skin feeling clean without making it feel dry and doesn’t cause any irritation. The bamboo cloth is an added bonus, removing all traces of makeup without scratching or pulling on the skin.

FURTHER READING: Spotlight on…Tropic Skincare’s fantastic natural, fresh and sustainable beauty lines

Buy now from Tropic

︎ Cocofloss Dental Floss

£8.40 | Buy now from Cult Beauty

Cocofloss

Cocofloss offers an eco-friendly solution for people who want to give their teeth that extra clean, ridding their mouths of cavity-causing bacteria. The floss itself is made from completely non-toxic ingredients, including recycled water bottles, antimicrobial coconut oil, naturally aromatic fruit oils and vegan wax.

Not compromising on your flossing either, the floss has more than 500 filaments to ensure your teeth are plaque-free after a cleansing session. Available in a variety of flavours: Delicious Mint; Fresh Coconuts; Pure Strawberry or Cara Cara Orange, you can definitely floss like a boss with this eco-friendly product.

Cocofloss is committed to being as sustainable as possible and has an ongoing partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Network.

Buy now from Cult Beauty

︎ ede Roll on Therapists

£15 | Buy now from ede

ede

Championing all things organic, vegan and cruelty-free, ede has given aromatherapy a modern makeover. Featuring four skincare products, it’s all about quality not quantity with this brand. Everything is made of natural, organic ingredients that are gentle on both your skin and the environment.

Our favourite is the hero product, Roll on Therapists, which are aromatherapy rollerballs, designed to stimulate your senses, invigorating energy or easing anxiety – whatever is needed. All essential oils are vegan and never tested on animals.

In addition to its sustainable and ethical ethos, ede has joined forces with TreeApp, planting a tree for every purchase order received. If that’s not an incentive to shop with this sustainable brand, we don’t know what is.

Buy now from ede

︎ SUN.DAY of London Candles

£16 | Buy now from House of Fraser

Sun.Day of London

Focusing more on wellness than beauty specifically, SUN.DAY of London is a brand specialising in handcrafted candles. Using old recyclable glass and wax formed using solely plant-based ingredients, the candles are 100% natural.

Cruelty-free and vegan as well, the brand ensures the candles are made from GMO-free coconut and palm oil-free plant waxes. You still get aromatherapy-grade, essential oil fragrance blend, however, with scents in the botanica collection including fresh eucalyptus and calming lavender. Locally sourced in the UK, SUN.DAY of London maintains a low carbon footprint this way.

Buy now from House of Fraser

︎ Nair: Rose Sugar Wax

£13.99 | Buy now from Superdrug

Nair

Nair’s Oriental Sugar Wax is biodegradable and the strips can be rinsed and reused.

The Rose Sugar Wax uses five ingredients: sugars (glucose and sucrose), glycerin citric acid, water and natural rose extract and is 100% derived from natural origins.

This means you can feel good about what you’re putting on your skin. This wax is vegan-friendly and contains no artificial perfumes or colours. It’s even suitable for sensitive skin.

FURTHER READING: Best hair removal cream: Fight the fuzz with our fave hair removal creams from Veet, Nair and more

Buy now from Superdrug

︎ INIKA: Organic Bold Lash Vegan Mascara

£27 | Buy now from Lookfantastic

INIKA

INIKA Organic is an Australian brand, focused on honest, clean and natural beauty.

Free from toxic chemicals and committed to certified organic, cruelty-free, halal and vegan values, the brand prides itself on using only ingredients good for the skin and the environment in its products.

No compromise on this mascara – as mascara aficionados we can strongly confirm this – so you can bat those dramatically-coated black lashes with confidence and zero guilt.

FURTHER READING: Best mascara: From Too Faced’s Better Than Sex to Lancôme’s Hypnose – here are our fave lash lifts

Buy now from Lookfantastic

︎ Spectrum Collections: Makeup Brushes

Prices vary | Buy now from Spectrum Collections

Spectrum Collections

Spectrum Collections prides itself on being vegan and cruelty-free, as well as striking to be kind to the planet.

The brand rose to fame with its beautiful, and often themed, makeup brush sets but now specialises in actual makeup too. In 2018, the brand cut its plastic packaging by 50% and donates 1% of its gross revenue to plastic clean-up initiatives.

The brush bristles are made from high-quality talon hair, meaning they’re durable and long-lasting – so keep cleaning them regularly and you shouldn’t need to throw them out. You can read more in our How to clean makeup brushes and choose a makeup brush cleaner guide.

The brush handles are also made from sustainably-sourced wood and handcrafted.

FURTHER READING: Best makeup brushes: The best natural and synthetic makeup brushes

Buy now from Spectrum Collections

︎ R&R: Luxury Lip Butter

£4.80 | Buy now from R&R Luxury

R&R Luxury

Now might be the most important time of the year to take care of your lips.

R&R Luxury has ridden on the success of products such as its baobab oil and liquid black soap but recently released new products including its Lip Butter.

Not only has the brand had sustainability at the core of its values since the beginning, but now its new products are all sold in sustainable packagings such as tin and cardboard.

Celebrating the brand’s 10-year anniversary, R&R is always interested in improving its sustainability, wherever possible.

The Lip Butter is made from 100% natural ingredients – which is not only great for the environment but good news for your lips too – and uses raw shea butter as its base ingredient, further enriched with virgin coconut oil, lavender oil and peppermint oil to keep your lips soothed and hydrated.

FURTHER READING: How to make your lips bigger naturally and apply lipstick like a pro – no fillers required

Buy now from R&R Luxury

︎ Lola’s Apothecary: Massage Body Soufflé 

£36 | Buy now from Lola’s Apothecary

Lola's Apothecary

Another brand committed to being as sustainable as possible, Lola’s Apothecary is a spa and wellness brand whose products you’ll find in some serious top-tier hotels – making getting your hands on them in your own home even more of a luxurious dream.

The brand takes pride in ethical and sustainable sourcing for its products and this is evident right the way through to the paper and cardboard packaging, which somehow does not compromise on its pretty aesthetic.

Vegan-friendly and 100% natural, Lola’s Apothecary’s body soufflés all contain whipped shea butter, coconut oil and rosehip that melts effortlessly into your skin.

Not only does it feel great but it also smells heavenly, with a range of signature scents. Perfect for any time of year.

FURTHER READING: The best body firming creams, lotions and oils that *actually* work

Buy now from Lola's Apothecary

︎ Face Halo: Makeup Remover Pads

£18 | Buy now from Cult Beauty

Face Halo

A makeup removal device that’s effective, non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and cost-efficient may sound too good to be true, but it’s not! Not only are Face Halo pads reusable, you can wash them up to 200 times, which replaces 500 make up wipes, they’re also easily recycled once you’re done with your wonder pad, thanks to the brand’s own upcycling scheme.

What’s more, if you’re conscious of what you’re putting on your face, it’s good to know that Face Halo removes makeup with just water.

The average makeup wearer uses 730 wipes on average per year to remove their makeup and it takes more than 100 years for a single wipe to break down in landfill. These plush little pads are so easy to use and don’t lose fineness over time and washing.

FURTHER READING: Best cleanser: Discover which face cleanser best suits your skin from oily to dry and acne-prone

Buy now from Cult Beauty

︎ WUKA Period Pants

From £10 a pair | Buy now from WUKA

WUKA

Did you know pads and tampons end up in landfill? Sustainable period brand WUKA is on a mission to ensure that sustainable periods are accessible to everyone and to end period poverty.

The brand’s range of period underwear is made from an eco-friendly fabric – organic cotton and Econyl, which has been upcycled from ocean waste, and which, in turn, prevents 200 disposable pads and tampons from harming the environment.

Available in a range of styles to suit flows and underwear preference, the brand has also just launched a new WUKA Basic for £10 a pair (if you buy a pack of five) online, too.

We know what you’re thinking – this is great but do they actually work? We can confirm, they do.

Completely leak-free, WUKA’s period pants can last up to eight hours, which is likely longer than your usual pad or tampon thanks to their high-tech absorbency layer capable of absorbing 200 times its own weight in water.

Of course, this will depend on individuals and their cycles but having trialled the pants, we can confirm they’re so comfortable. Plus, thanks to their antibacterial fabric, there’s no funny smells going on either.

What happens when you’re done? Run them underwater until the redness disappears and then they can go into the machine with your regular clothes wash!

FURTHER READING: UK beauty brand Faace is donating period products to HeyGirls with sales of its face masks

Buy now from WUKA

︎ Saalt: Menstrual Cup

£25 | Buy now from Amazon

Saalt

On the topic of more sustainable and affordable periods, we also highly recommend Saalt Menstrual Cups. These are a good alternative to tampons and pads, especially if you don’t fancy using WUKA period pants.

A single cup is £25, which isn’t cheap, but bear in mind that one silicone cup lasts ten years (as long as you wash it regularly, but then why would you not?!)

We have a particularly heavy period and usually get through at least three-four tampons a day at the height of our period. By comparison, we barely fill this menstrual cup over the course of an entire day.

It’s also fascinating, albeit a little gross, to see how much we actually bleed. And it’s nowhere near as much as our previous tampon and pad use would suggest.

A couple of things to consider: if you have a prolapsed womb or similar, you may struggle with menstrual cups. You obviously need to get your hands a *little* dirty to remove the cup, but it’s very easy to do so, simply push down and it will come out.

And please, please, wash your hands before you put the cup in our take it out – you run the risk of a fungal infection such as thrush if you don’t, which won’t be the cup’s fault but it might end up giving you a bad experience unfairly.

What’s more, for every purchase Saalt helps provide improved period care and educational opportunities to women and girls in need.

FURTHER READING: #Vulvalution: Cult Beauty teams up with Lady Garden to get more people talking about gynaecological cancers

Buy now from Amazon

︎ Axiology: Lipstick

£24 | Buy now from ASOS

Axiology

Axiology is a lipstick brand that is aiming to be ethical on all fronts: the brand is cruelty-free, vegan, organic, non-toxic, palm oil-free, and uses ethical sourcing with thoughtful packaging.

The brand is PETA-certified and provides financial support to the Orangutan Foundation International where funds go towards protecting and rehabilitating endangered animals from the effects of the palm oil industry.

In terms of the product, it’s also a large yes from us. There’s absolutely no compromise on the quality of the lipstick, given the priority and focus on all of the above.

The lipsticks come in a range of striking colours and go on so smoothly, your lips genuinely feel nourished as you perfect your pout. The one downside is that they’re not cheap.

FURTHER READING: Best lipstick: From nude to red and liquid to matte, here are our favourite lipsticks

Buy now from ASOS

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The post Best sustainable beauty brands UK: Our pick of eco-friendly makeup and skincare brands and their must-have products appeared first on mamabella.

But what is palm oil used for, and why is palm oil bad for you?

If you’ve heard of it, you’re probably aware it’s not a good thing. There was an incredibly moving advert put out by Iceland Foods in 2018 encouraging people to boycott products that contain the oil for Christmas.

This isn’t altogether necessary. Plus palm oil is used to produce so many derivative ingredients it might be impossible to remove it from your beauty routine.

We’re not here to preach; to tell you whether to avoid it or not, but we do want to provide you with information about what it is, why it’s causing environmental issues and how you can find out more about what goes into the beauty products you use.

FURTHER READING: Clean beauty: What are clean beauty products and how can I shop more consciously?

What is palm oil?

Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil like sunflower, rapeseed or olive oil found in your kitchen cupboard.

The two types of palm oil both come from the oil palm plant; one made from squeezing the fruit (called crude palm oil) and another from crushing the stones (palm kernel oil). But the major difference between palm oil and other vegetable oils is that palm oil is cheap, and it’s everywhere.

It is found in all sorts of foods, in almost half of the products in a supermarket, but it’s also an ingredient in many kinds of beauty products including lipstick, deodorant, toothpaste and shampoo.

The reason you’ll find it in so many beauty products is for its moisturising properties. Yet it also provides the products you use with the right kind of texture we’ve become accustomed to, while helping to extend the shelf life of products.

Derivatives, like sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), also help certain products, like shampoos, to foam, for instance. SLS on its own is considered a no-go by experts, and you can read more about that in our guide to Why sodium lauryl sulfate found in high-street shampoos is being shunned by experts.

Why is palm oil bad?

The oil palm tree is native to Africa, but around 100 years ago the trees were brought to south-east Asia.

Today, 85% of the world’s supply comes from Indonesia and Malaysia, where production has been responsible for the destruction and devastation of rainforests.

Among palm oil plantations’ biggest victims are orangutans, with more than 50,000 of the animals having died because of the removal of their habitat. Rhinos, elephants and tigers are also affected by the removal of the rainforests.

There is a climate change problem, too.

Palm oil deforestation

The naturally moist peat soils on which rainforests grow can contain 18 to 28 times the amount of carbon in the forests themselves. These are drained to make better conditions for the oil palms.

Then, huge amounts of carbon dioxide are released during forest fires used to clear the land, burning the trees and the peat, ready for oil palms to grow.

In 1997, fires burning peat and vegetation in Indonesia released as much carbon into the atmosphere as the United States released that whole year.

This is why, in 2018, the oil was brought to the public’s conscience when Iceland banned the ingredient from any of its products. The supermarket announced the policy with an emotional Christmas advert made by Greenpeace.

It is by no means the only source of oil or food that causes deforestation, though.

The World Resources Institute estimates seven commodities drive 58% of the world’s tropical deforestation: palm oil, beef, soy, wood fibre (for paper and pulp), cocoa, coffee and rubber.

Out of these, beef cattle take up the most space, occupying 63% of the total deforested land (45 million hectares of land between 2001 and 2015). After beef, palm oil was the second most destructive commodity to tropical forests, taking up 10.5 million hectares of deforested land.

Is it possible to use sustainable palm oil?

It’s potentially harmful to boycott palm oil altogether. Compared to other vegetable oils, palm oil is the best in terms of the amount of oil produced per unit of land, while requiring fewer fertilisers and pesticides.

If we were to completely replace palm oil with alternatives, we’d need more land.

In your daily life, your beauty routine is unlikely to be your biggest use of the oil. Only two per cent of global palm oil and palm kernel oil is used in cosmetics.

Palm oil-free products

Many beauty companies, like The Body Shop, L’Oreal, Neal’s Yard, Weleda, Lush and Nivea have signed up to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) standards for all the palm oil used in their products.

While they are not perfect, and the guidelines have come under criticism for not being stringent enough, adhering to the RSPO standards is a sign the company is taking its responsibility to the environment seriously.

“We encourage companies to be transparent in their use and sourcing of palm oil ensuring they know who they are buying from and where it’s been produced,” says the WWF.

Companies respond to public pressure, so if you’re passionate about the contents of your favourite beauty products and how they are sourced, you can always write to the company to ask if they use palm oil-derived ingredients and, if so, how they are sourced.

You can also use the CodeCheck app.

By scanning a product’s barcode, the flags up any potential ingredients that you may want to steer clear of.

Additionally, you can browse its database of products before you buy an item to check its rating.

Each one is shown with an at-a-glance chart within the search results that show the number of safe or standard ingredients (represented in green) and the number of ingredients that you may not want to use (represented in red).

For each product, the app recommends a safer, cleaner, or more conscious alternative. You can read more about CodeCheck and clean beauty in our guide. 

︎ Axiology The Bullet Lipstick: £24

Axiology

Axiology prides itself on being sustainable and creating the “most ethical lipstick on the planet”.

As well as being free from the oil, Axiology’s products are vegan, never tested on animals and the packaging is made from recycled waste paper.

As well as lipsticks, the brand sells ‘Balmies’, sticks you can use as a lip, eye or cheek colour.

FURTHER READING: Best sustainable beauty brands UK: Our pick of eco-friendly makeup and skincare brands and their must-have products

︎ Previse Purify Hydrating Skin Cleanser: £47 

Previse

At £47, this is not cheap, but everything in the Previse skincare range is free from oil as well as being vegan.

This cleanser contains marine algae, which gently exfoliates the skin.

The brand also guarantees workers are paid a living wage and no child labour or human trafficking is involved in the entire supply chain.

FURTHER READING: Best cleanser: Discover which face cleanser best suits your skin from oily to dry and acne-prone

︎ Lush Movis Facial Soap: £9

Lush

In 2006, Lush removed palm oil from all its soap bases by creating a blend of rapeseed oil and coconut oil, which is used as the base of most of Lush’s soaps today.

However, the company was not certain other ingredients it used, like sodium lauryl sulphate used to make soaps foamy, were not derived from it.

So in 2017, the company created Movis, which is made from sunflower oil, organic cocoa butter, extra virgin coconut oil and wheatgerm.

Now everything in the company’s Gourmet Soap range is palm oil-free.

FURTHER READING: Skincare makeup: The best beauty products that are good for your complexion while saving you time and money

︎ Fat & The Moon Aloe Vera Lotion: £13

mamabella | mamabella

Again, everything by Fat & The Moon is palm oil-free, as well as containing natural ingredients and plastic-free packaging.

The brand’s aloe vera lotion is designed to soothe skin, particularly when it’s been sunburnt.

It contains coconut oil, sunflower oil and beeswax. The brand also sells cream deodorants, highlighters, lip paints and eye ‘coal’ which can be used as eyeshadow or eyeliner.

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Abigail Beall

Abigail is a leading science journalist writing about space, sustainability, technology and culture. She is author of The Art of Urban Astronomy, a must-have guide to the night sky that guides you through the seasons and learn about the brightest stars and constellations, the myths and legends of astronomy and how to identify star clusters and galaxies.

 

The post What is palm oil used for and why is it so bad? appeared first on mamabella.

This extends to skincare, and skincare ingredients. There are certain ingredients found in everyday products that might not be safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women, including the current ingredient-de-jour, retinol.

So whether you’re new to being a parent or on your 10th cherub, we have spoken to the experts to get the latest on which skincare ingredients to avoid while pregnant, and while breastfeeding.

What skincare ingredients to avoid while pregnant

We’ve all heard how skin becomes glowy and silky smooth during the trimesters, but due to hormones there is a lot more going on than meets the eye, as Cydney Beasley, makeup artist and advanced skincare specialist explained to mamabella.

“Pregnancy is a big time of change for your body and skin and everyone sees different changes,” she said. “All pregnancies are hormone-driven and this creates many changes to your skin, in more than 90% of women.

“Many women flush due to blood volume increases, up to 50%,” she continues. “This increase can cause cheeks to blush and the face can increase in redness, cause rosacea, or create a so-called ‘pregnancy mask.'”

Beasley also said that hyperpigmentation is not unusual during pregnancy, either, nor is oily skin and acne.

With so many changes going on within the body, many parents might become overwhelmed by having to research which ingredients they can now use, but Beasley explains that strict safety laws are in place to help.

In the UK, the cosmetics industry is regulated by a European law known as REACH, which stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals.

Considered one of the most complex regulations in Europe, chemical manufacturers have to meet specific criteria before taking products to market, including processes such as animal testing.

“All cosmetic products in the UK will have a label on the packaging if they are not suitable for use during pregnancy,” Beasley told us, giving us some tips on what to avoid when we’re growing a human.

“One type of product that I would avoid using is any anti-ageing creams and lightening creams as these can be very harmful due to their ingredients such as caffeine, hydroquinone and retinol.”

Beasley also advises that pregnant women should avoid essential oils in products, which can be toxic to the uterus — these include wintergreen and jasmine. “Most certainly, [you should avoid] any essential oils in the first trimester. If you like using essential oils you can get approved blends which are non toxic and less than 2%.”

Kate Kerr, clinical facialist and founder of Kate Kerr London Advanced Skin Therapy, also advises against pregnant and breastfeeding mothers using products containing salicylic acid.

This is due to it being a metabolite of aspirin, which has been linked to cases of Reye’s syndrome – a rare but serious disorder that causes liver and brain damage.  “It’s a blanket ban [for children],” explains Kerr.

And if you like to top up their tan during the winter months, you may have to take a break.

Spray tans and tanning products typically contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and erythrulose and there is contradicting scientific evidence about whether or not this harms the baby or not.

What skincare ingredients to avoid when breastfeeding

For breastfeeding, similar rules apply.

“When breastfeeding you have to be careful as all products are absorbed into the skin and they can also be directly absorbed into our bloodstream,” continued Beasley. “You need to check for retinoids, petroleum and paraben.

“Also, what many people might not know is that what you put on the skin can affect your milk production. Therefore I would recommend choosing organic and natural skincare products, and avoid fake tanning.”

So, what can you use? “Anything with lactic acid, glycolic acid (AHAs) and hyaluronic acid (HA), antioxidants, peptides, and shea butter can all be used safely.”

Kerr also recommends that pregnant women should cleanse with gel-based products, exfoliate with scrubs, and use plenty of SPF.

FURTHER READING: The truth about the acids lurking in your skincare  and What SPF do I need? 

Pregnancy and breastfeeding-safe skincare and makeup

Disclaimer: Be sure to read all product labels before using them on your skin. Always consult a doctor or midwife if you have any concerns about the safety of a product or a particular ingredient. 

︎ Little Butterfly London antioxidant serum

£49 | Buy now from Little Butterfly London

Little Butterfly London

Why we love it: This serum is organically certified, specifically formulated, and dermatologist-approved for sensitive, reactive, dry, or acne-prone skin. Beasley said: “It’s packed full of natural skin hydrators and antioxidants including; moss, seaweed, hibiscus flower, orchid, seaweed and bilberry extract.”

How to use: This serum should be used in the mornings and evenings. After cleansing and drying, apply a small amount and tap into the skin with your fingertips to help penetration.

FURTHER READING: The science of serums: What is serum and what does serum do?

Buy now from Little Butterfly London

︎ Biotherm Aquasource Daily Regenerating Gel

£54.53 | Buy now from Amazon

Biotherm

Why we love it: This cooling gel is enriched with medicinal Aura Leaf and Life Plankton, is paraben-free, and mineral oil-free.

If prefer your skin to feel fresh and creamy, this gel is perfect for you as it melts on the skin. It is also suitable for all skin types, even sensitive, and provides up to 48 hours of hydration for your skin.

How to use: You can apply this product in the morning and at night to the face and neck avoiding the eye area.

FURTHER READING: The truth about beauty supplements: Do they work and which ones should you take?

Buy now from Amazon

︎ Neal’s Yard Mother’s Balm Moisturiser

£20 | Buy now from Neal’s Yard

Neal's Yard

Why we love it: It’s organic. It’s fragrance-free. It’s great for sensitive skin. What isn’t to love about this moisturiser? This balm helps reduce the appearance of stretch marks, using ingredients such as nourishing oils and beeswax to replenish, soothe and boost the skin’s elasticity. It is also AllergyCertified so great for those who are prone to outbreaks due to skin allergies.

Of course, because it uses beeswax, it’s not suitable for vegans.

How to use: Warm a small amount of balm in your hands and gently massage into skin, avoiding the nipple area. This is because you don’t want the baby to ingest it during breastfeeding. This balm can be applied morning and evening during and after pregnancy. For best results apply twice daily.

FURTHER READING: Best stretch mark cream: From Bio Oil to Burt’s Bees Belly Butter, these are the best ways to prevent stretch marks

Buy now from Neal's Yard

︎ Dr. Hauschka Blackthorn Toning Body Oil

£21 | Buy now from Feelunique

Dr. Hauschka

Why we love it: The blackthorn blossom in this body oil tones the skin and keeps it supple, reducing the look of stretch marks. It also includes ingredients such as birch leaf extracts, which enhance skin elasticity, St. John’s wort, and jojoba oil, which support the skin’s natural processes of renewal and fortification. Dr. Hauschka products are PETA certified cruelty-free, too.

“Dr. Hauschka also does a lovely range of lead-free lipsticks made with rose and almond oils,” added Beasley.

How to use: The oil can be applied to the skin after bathing or showering when absorption is most effective. Apply evenly and massage into the skin — or get your partner to do so.

FURTHER READING: The best body firming creams, lotions and oils that *actually* work

Buy now from Feelunique

︎ REN Glow Daily Vitamin Cream Gel

£38 | Buy now from Cult Beauty

REN Skincare

Why we love it: We’re big fans of REN’s skincare range so we’re happy that we’re allowed to use it when pregnant.

Vitamin C is pregnancy safe and also helps combat any areas of hyperpigmentation. This light gel-cream moisturiser hydrates and illuminates the skin, using Tara Pod extract to help with your complexion. Magnesium, along with Vitamin C, helps smooth and re-energise the skin, giving it that perfect glow.

How to use: Massage into face and neck morning and evening after cleansing.

FURTHER READING: Skin serum, facial oil or moisturiser: What’s the difference and which one do you need?

Buy now from Cult Beauty

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Phee Waterfield

Sophia is an international journalist covering technology, healthcare, culture and lifestyle. Her words appear in outlets such as Newsweek, Forbes, Metro UK, New Scientist and more

mamabella.uk

The post What skincare ingredients to avoid when pregnant or breastfeeding: Experts reveal what’s safe to use, and what to avoid appeared first on mamabella.

Despite its name, the collection is actually full of products for your face. Almost 100 of them, in fact.

This includes mascara, eyeliners, matte and glossy lipsticks, foundation, eyeshadow palettes, highlighters and more.

The vast majority of items in Wilko’s Body Collection cost around £2 and the most expensive product in the range is a 15-pan eyeshadow palette, coming in at just £6.

These palettes remind us of the brilliant palettes from Revolution, while the shape and design of the lipstick seem to be a nod to the Huda Beauty collection.

And, every item in this range is vegan and cruelty-free!

Wilko Body Collection

Below we’ve handpicked our favourite pieces from the range, and will be posting reviews of some of these shortly.

There’s a chance they may make their way into our best cheap makeup brands guide, as well in many of our Best Buys. So keep an eye out!

︎ Illuminating Liquid Foundation

£4 | Buy now from Wilko

Wilko

Designed and developed to give your skin a “lit-from-within” appearance, Wilko claims this foundation provides a buildable, semi-matte and light to medium coverage. The shade pictured is Medium Beige and, while Wilko doesn’t offer a huge selection of shades, you can also get it in:

• Porcelain
• Ecru
• Light Beige
• Dark Beige
• Bronze
• Sand
• Honey

You’re not going to get a full-day’s wear out of such a budget foundation but pair it with the best setting spray or a good setting powder and this foundation combines coverage and longevity well above its station.

FURTHER READING: How to find your perfect foundation match online and in-store

Buy now from Wilko

︎ Body Collection Precision Liquid Eyeliner Black

£2 | Buy now from Wilko

Wilko

This long-lasting, water-resistant precision liner reminds us very much of the MAC Brushstroke liner, which comes in at £17.50. It has a strong pigment and sweeps on easily.

FURTHER READING: Best eyeliner: Our pick of the best liquid, gel, pencil and powder eyeliners

Buy now from Wilko

︎ Body Collection Big Volume Mascara Black

£2.50 | Buy now from Wilko

Wilko

Make your eyes pop with this ultra volumising mascara. With a unique, oversized silicone brush, Wilko claims that this allows for “full lash coating and maximum coverage of the lashes.”

Wilko sells an amazing cheap mascara from Essence, and this Body Collection version isn’t far off for around the same amount of money.

FURTHER READING: Best mascara: From Too Faced’s Better Than Sex to Lancôme’s Hypnose

Buy now from Wilko

︎ Body Collection Large Eyeshadow Palette Natural Beauty

£6 | Buy now from Wilko

Wilko

This Body Collection 15-pan eyeshadow palette features matte and shimmer shades in a range of nude and warm colours. This is a great palette to take you from day to night, and the shades will suit most skin tones.

If you have darker skin, some of these colours may be too close to your natural tone so we recommend the Glamour eyeshadow palette instead – which actually looks remarkably similar to Huda Beauty’s New Nude, the best eyeshadow palette around.

FURTHER READING: What eyeshadow goes with your eye colour? 

Buy now from Wilko

︎ Illuminating Baked Bronzer Light Medium

£2.50 | Buy now from Wilko

Wilko

As the dark nights draw in and the weather changes, we’ve found ourself reaching for our bronzer in a desperate need to maintain our golden glow from summer.

So much so, we recently selected what we consider to be the best bronzer powders, creams and mists.

This Illuminating Baked Bronzer from Wilko comes in Medium Dark and Light Medium. You can also get a matte version of each, if you don’t want the shimmer in this version.

Buy now from Wilko

︎ Body Collection Matte Lipstick Peach Nude

£2 | Buy now from Wilko

Wilko

Wilko describes the Body Collection Matte Lipstick as “strong, bold and ultra matte”. It has a comfortable, non-drying formula and is available in five shades: Peach Nude, Cherry, Nude, Red, and Pink.

FURTHER READING: What colour lipstick suits me? Makeup artists reveal how to choose the best shades for your skin tone

Buy now from Wilko

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Victoria Woollaston-Webber

Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a passion for empowering people to feel beautiful whatever their age, size, skin type and budget

The post Wilko Body Collection makeup is the vegan budget beauty range of our dreams appeared first on mamabella.

The range contains ten different products, including exfoliators, cleansers, moisturisers, hydrating mists, eye creams and night serums, and each are designed to be “simple, affordable, and effective”.

Buy now from Glossybox

Glossybox Skincare

Each of the products in the Glossybox Skincare range has also been tailored to solve specific skin concerns or for certain skin types – redness, oily, ageing, acne etc – but you can also mix and match them to create a truly personalised routine.

“We’ve spent the last nine years listening to your feedback about what you want from your skincare to introduce you to the best brands out there through our subscription service,” said Glossybox.

“Now, we’re taking it one step further and have developed our own skincare range with you in mind.

Not only do all the formulations contain just a mixture of three ingredients, which makes them less likely to cause irritation and comedones, they’re also vegan, cruelty-free.

At least 87% of these formulations are natural, and they come in packaging made of sugarcane (where possible) that is 100% recyclable.

“We even used 100% renewable electricity and created zero landfill waste in our manufacturing sites. Plus, all of the products are made in the UK,” added the company.

Buy now from Glossybox

What’s in the range?

Costing between £12 and £18 for Glossybox subscribers, or £15 to £22.50 if you don’t subscribe to the boxes. If you want to subscribe, you can do so here.

Plus, a few of the products in the range are multifunctional which Glossybox claims allows you to “make your skincare routine as efficient and effective as possible” to save you time and money.

FURTHER READING: mamabella’s miracles: Save time and money with these multi-purpose makeup, skincare and hair products

︎ Deep Cleansing Cream

£12/£15 | Buy now from Glossybox

Glossybox

This cleansing cream contains inca inchi, babassu and tsubaki oils designed to “melt” and wash away impurities making it capable of removing “even the most stubborn of makeup in just one use.” Glossybox claims it’s so effective, you’ll never have to double cleanse again.

FURTHER READING: Best cleanser: Discover which face cleanser best suits your skin from oily to dry and acne-prone

The post Glossybox Skincare: We take a look at the full range of 10 exfoliators, cleansers, moisturisers and serums appeared first on mamabella.

There are more than enough products on the market to assist you with whatever colour transformation you’re after. If it’s just a touch-up, or a basic all-over colour change, you’re more than qualified to have a go yourself but remember to do a patch test prior to applying any product.

What colour should I dye my hair?

Before you choose the best hair dye, it’s worth thinking a little about what colour you should go for. 

A general rule of thumb is:

• If you have brown eyes, you’re best suited to a dark natural base hair dye
• If you have hazel eyes, you’re best suited to a medium natural base
• If you have blue eyes, opt for a light base

For the most extreme colour changes, try matching a light natural base and brown eyes, or vice versa. This will create the greatest contrast.  

Best hair dye brands to use at home

1. Editors Pick: L’Oreal Magic Retouch – £9.50
2. Bargain Buy: Clairol Nice n Easy – £6.49
3. Luxury Buy: eSalon personalised hair dye – £18
4. Best hair dye for blonde hair: John Frieda Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Spray – £24
5. Best for drastic looks: Manic Panic High Voltage Classic – £25
6. Best hair dye for damaged hair: Bleach London No Bleach Bleach Kit – £28

1. Editors Pick: L’Oreal Magic Retouch

£9.50 | Buy now from Amazon

L'Oreal

Why we love it: If you’re looking for a brand that’s going to deliver on every possible hair dye desire you could have, L’Oreal is the brand for you. What began in 1909, L’Oreal’s product range included the first concept for a synthetic hair dye, later moving onto cream colour before its ‘Instant Saver’ and ‘Trend Collection’ more recently. 

READ NEXT: What do shampoo and conditioner actually do to your hair?

Many of L’Oreal’s products are incredibly easy to use for first-time at-home dyers, or those of us who have tried all the brands there are. If you’re looking for a permanent dye, a semi-permanent dye, temporary or just a root touch up, this is the place to start. We recommend specifically the Magic Retouch Temporary Instant Root Concealer Spray which costs only £6 and is the quickest, most simple fix for any root dilemmas.

The L’Oreal website also, very cleverly allows you to virtually try any shade to see which one would suit you most before you take the plunge. 

Buy now from Amazon

2. Bargain buy: Clairol Nice n Easy

£6.49 | Buy now from Superdrug

Clairol

Why we love it: The Clairol brand is a great place to start for home hair dying. It’s been around since the 1930s when Joan Gelb saw the potential for a product that would take action on the hair shaft, therefore creating a softer dye and ultimately concealing grey hairs.

Since then, the brand has maintained the highest level of quality and inclusivity; stating its mission is to help make every woman feel beautiful, confident and to live her life colourfully. Clairol was the first brand to create a home dye/tint/shampoo/colour product, and from there, the rest is history.

Clairol’s Nice n Easy range is a go-to for anyone looking to dye their hair for the first time, or maybe even the hundredth time. It’s a staple hair dye and comes in an easy-to-use creme, offering an impressive 54 shades.

Buy now from Superdrug

3. Luxury buy: eSalon personalised hair dye

Around £18 | Buy now from eSalon

eSalon

Why we love it: If you’re after a modern and different take on the best hair dye, try eSalon. The brand allows you to create your perfect hair dye by creating a hair profile online. This includes adding a recent photo of yourself and answering a couple of questions about what you want from your hair dye. The company’s teams of experts then craft you your own unique hair dye, before it gets delivered to your door, stress-free. 

READ NEXT: What happens to hair during menopause?

The whole creation costs around £18 and once your personalised product has been delivered, you’re able to access any advice or guidance from experts. eSalon has created more than 194,000 individual colours, and are totally led by experts so your hair is in the safest of hands.

Buy now from eSalon

4. John Frieda Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Spray

£4.99 | Buy now from Superdrug

John Frieda

Why we love it? Over thirty years ago, the first John Frieda salon opened in London. From there, the brand has continued to develop and create products for those of us wanting to change our hair from the comfort of our own homes. This brand has always specialised in making everyday colours more vibrant, bold and impressive with its Brilliant Brunette, Radiant Red, and Sheer Blonde ranges.

Today, John Frieda will not only help you colour your hair beautifully, but will also look after and nourish it with its shampoos, conditioners, and toners all with specific colours in mind so your hair will feel completely spoilt. 

READ NEXT: Best conditioner

If you’re after something quick and easy to touch up once you’ve started colouring your hair, we’d recommend the Root Blur range. Simply brush the colour onto your roots to blend away any unwanted greys or original root colour. For blonde hair, you can also buy the Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Spray. This naturally lifts your hair colour gradually. We’re also big fans of the brand’s precision foam hair dye as it’s super easy to use.

FURTHER READING: What is hair toner?

Buy now from Superdrug

5. Manic Panic High Voltage Classic

£15 | Buy now from Amazon

Manic Panic

Why we love it? If it’s a bold, more drastic colour change you’re after, then hair brands like Manic Panic and Bleach London might be more up your street.

Manic Panic offers pretty much any colour ranging from pastels to primaries to UV hair dye, and one of their best hair dye features is that every colour they offer is completely vegan and cruelty-free. Their hair dyes are also all designed to moisturise your hair whilst colouring, a real 2-for-1 situation.

Depending on the colour you’re after, we recommend their High Voltage Classic Formula Colour which comes in handy resealable pots or even mini tubes if you’re looking for a multicoloured effect. 

Buy now from Amazon

6. Bleach London No Bleach Bleach Kit

£8 | Buy now from Lookfantastic

Bleach London

Why we love it? Similarly to Manic Panic, Bleach London is all about bright and head-turning colour, but they’re best known for their toners which can ease your hair, without using a product as potentially harsh as bleach or dye, into the candyfloss, pastel colours of your dreams.

As its name suggests, the brand also hosts a number of impressive bleaches and ways to bleach; namely the No Bleach Bleach Kit which works naturally over time to lift the colour of your hair. 

Similarly to Manic Panic, all Bleach London products have been made both vegan and cruelty-free, as well as with sustainability on their minds, massively limiting their use of single-use plastics.

Buy now from Lookfantastic

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Libby Mewes

Libby graduated from Bournemouth University with a degree in Multimedia Journalism. She’s worked as a researcher and writer for Heart Radio as well as a features writer for a Somerset newspaper. She’s since taken time out to travel, manage a hotel restaurant, do a lot of dog walking, and now works in London’s West End

The post Best hair dye: Dye your hair at home and hide those lockdown roots safely and easily appeared first on mamabella.