When I started my blog and journey to discover more about green beauty in December I was immediately drawn to several bloggers and especially their blog posts about a Green Beauty Swap they had just taken part in. I was so envious of these lovely bloggers as they were receiving some amazing products, but I was also very grateful as it help introduce me a whole heap of new products and brands.
The Green Beauty Swap was organised by Ria from NatuRia Beauty and when she announced she would be organising another swap for Spring/Summer, I immediately jumped at the chance to get involved. This time it was open to international bloggers as well, but since I’m still a wee newbie I decided to stay within the UK and I got paired with the truly lovely Jen from Jen’s Green Skincare. I’ve been a fan of Jen’s blog for a while, so it was really nice to get to know her better during the swap. After agreeing our budget (a budget Jen obviously did not keep too, not that I am complaining one bit lol), as well as exchanging details about our likes and dislikes and skin conditions etc we were ready to begin shopping.
I have to say I didn’t realise how much fun it would be to shop for someone else. I really tried to think about what Jen might like and re-read a lot of her blog posts to understand her likes and more. I really wanted to send her products and a brand she hadn’t heard of before or tried, so I picked a few things from a company I have just recently came across – Moogoo Skincare. I even bought myself the products as well, I just couldn’t resist, so look out for a review on them coming soon. I also knew that she had tried Salt of the Earth natural deodorant, so was really keen to send her the new Pure Aura fragranced natural spray deodorant. I hope she likes these and everything else I sent.
But now onto my amazing box from Jen, which I have to say totally took my breath away. I couldn’t believe the amazing products and the amount of items she sent, so to say she is very kind and extremely generous is an understatement.
Opening my box and ripping open the beautifully wrapped products was like my birthday and Christmas all rolled into one. I was so excited all morning, waiting for the post cart in my work to come round and when I got my box and thrashed through it, I was not disappointed one bit.
The first thing that I unwrapped and instantly loved was a parcel curiously labelled – My Favourite! Inside was a jar of biona Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (200g). The serendipity of it is that I was just speaking about trying Coconut oil last night, so I am super excited to give this a go. I think I will use it as a skin moisturiser and I’m sure it will become a firm favourite of mine too.
The next item I unwrapped was Bodhi & Birch Desert Rose Rejuvenating Face Oil (5ml), which I cannot wait to try. I have heard amazing things about Bodhi, and I know it’s a favourite brand of a few of my lovely blogger friends, so I am excited to try my first ever Bodhi product – I am sure it wont be my last.
Next up was a Collagen Face Pack from Naisture. I love a face mask, so cant wait to have a pamper night and use this. The mask promises to improve your skin’s elasticity and firmness and provide an intense, immediate and continuous moisturising feeling and smooth, sensitive skin – yes please I will take some of that!
I am a such a fan of lip balms, especially tinted lip balms, so I was really happy that Jen also included Hurraw Black Cherry Tinted Lip Balm and Balm Balm’s Rose Geranium Lip Balm. The ironic thing is I also got her Balm Balm Lip Balm and when wrapping it up actually thought I should have bought one for myself – so thanks for predicting that one Jen 🙂
I’m growing my hair just now. I want long enough hair to put up for my wedding, so I am wearing it down and full a lot just now. Therefore Jen’s next wee treat will come in very handy – Yarok’s Feed Your Roots Volume Enhancer Mousse. This will be my first green hair product, so I’m looking forward to seeing how it works for me.
Another two brands I have heard a lot about and not tried yet are Dr.Bronner and Neals Yard Remedies, so glad that Jen included Pure Castile Magic Soap from Dr.Bronner and Geranium & Orange Foaming Bath, both of which smell divine.
As well as all of this, Jen treated me to lots of samples and wee goodies including One Love Organics Olo Skin Care Routine, John Masters Organics Shampoo, Conditioner and Body Milk, Fresh Therapies Natural Nail Polish Remover, Rahua Conditioner, Aurelia Miracle Cleanser, Le Soin Repulpant Masque, Neo Organic Bath Oil, Pai Cleanser, Reu Morocan Rose Bath Oil, Everything Balm and the Raw Chocolate Co Organic Raw Chocolate Goji Berries (which look very very yummy) – phew now that’s a lot of amazing products to get through!
I just want to say a huge, massive, enormous, gigantic thank you to Jen for all these amazing treats and I have loved getting to know you better through this swap. I hope you love your box as much as I have loved mine.
This experience has been so much fun and I cannot wait to read about everyone else’s swaps. I would highly recommend this to everyone, I have loved getting involved and I will definitely join in again for the next swap. Thank you so much to Ria for organising all of this and another BIG thank you to my swap partner Jen – cant wait to read your blog post.
UPDATE: You can check out what Jen got from me in her Green Beauty Swap post here and find out if she liked her box as much as I liked mine!
Annmarie x
The small but mighty ramblings of a redhead 
Awh Annmarie you are so welcome! It was so much fun and I’m really glad you like everything. The biona coconut oil really is my favourite – for cooking, moisturising, cleansing but I use it every night to remove my eye make-up and (unflatteringly) moisturise my underarms.I also give a tiny amount to my cats as apparently its great for them too. I wouldn’t be without a jar of coconut oil!
I wanted to give you a chance to try loads of products and brands and the best way I could think of was to sample you up!
My post is going live in the morning but suffice to say, I love everything. I’ve been showing everything to my husband who has dutifully been ‘oooh-ing” in the right places!
First swap a success then, eh? 😀 xx
First swap was a HUGE success. I really loved everything and loved your idea for the samples, gives me lots of brands to get to know and try. I opened my box in work and was showing off everything – the words omg look at this were said way to many times lol I’m going to look up all the uses of coconut oil and get using this right away. Glad you liked your items, tried so hard to get you products you might not have tried before. I love the new Salt of the Earth deo, smells so lovely. Cant wait to read your post tomorrow xx
Looks a lovely swap! I’m sure you’ll love the Bodhi & Birch face oil! Lots there I love x
I’m a very lucky girl 🙂 Cant wait to start using all my new goodies xx
WOW! You got some beautiful, brilliant and amazing bits there! Well done Jen! I can’t wait to see what you got her 🙂 Jen is so lovely (She lives in the same town as me and we have met a few times) so I am not surprised she was a perfect swap partner.
Rach xx
AllNaturalAspirations.com
Aw she really is so lovely 🙂 Was so nice to get to know her better and hopefully I got her some nice products that reflected that x Will defo do the swap again, loved it so much xxx
Jen did a fantastic job with your gifts! Some really great products and a couple of my personal favourites in there too! I’m so glad you enjoyed the swap, already looking forward to planning the next one 🙂 x
Ooh so envious. I wish I knew about this swap. The volumising moouse looks great. I’m growing my hair too. Already a lover of coconut oil. You can use it for next to anything!
It was a great swap Helen, you need to get involved next time. I used the mousse today and hair feels lovely and bouncy and sitting perfect, very happy with it. I have heard so much about coconut oil so really looking forward to finding more ways to use it 🙂 x
Wow so many lovely things! So many great brands included in there x
So happy with everything, couldn’t wait to stat using them 🙂 Lots of brands I hadn’t heard of before and all that I haven’t tried (still new at this) so this is an amazing start for me x
What a lovely package! I am jealous now :-)))x
Aw I was like that at Christmas in the last swap, which is why I had to get involved this time 🙂 It really was a truly lovely package to receive x
You both chose for each other so well! Looking forward to seeing how you like the coconut oil 🙂
I used it today on my skin and I smelt amazing all day 🙂 love it x
You both did a home-run on the swap! It does look like X’mas morning. I’d love to try the Yarok volumizing mousse too for my sad, limp hair. x
The mousse seems to really work, hair still feels really fun after a full day at work 🙂 I’m so glad I got involved, opened my eyes to some amazing green beauty products and brands xx
What a fantastic box of treats. Yarok is definitely a brand I want to try too x
I’ve used it all weekend and my hair has been very full and bouncy, definitely worth a try 🙂
I squealed with delight on your behalf when I saw what Jen had sent you, what a fabulous first swap for yoU! Loved what you chose for her too – nice swappage! xx
Haha I so squealed with delight for myself 🙂 couldn’t have been more happier with my swap, great first experience and introduced me to lots of new and fab brands and products – loved it. And really loved shopping for Jen, was so much fun x looking forward to seeing the lovely treats you get xx
wow lots of great items. I love coconut oil – so many uses! x
I’m really loving it – soothes my dry skin and makes me smell amazing, can’t believe it took me so long to try it! x
What a lovely box of goodies! Such a nice idea! Lovely to have coconut oil and some foodie goodies in it too x
It was so much fun to take part in. I will definitely be doing it again 🙂
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