Going green

A while ago I tested travel beauty products for a national newspaper. My favourite? The Green Balm, an ingenious – and very cute – calming balm from MOA (Magical Organic Apothecary).

It contains completely natural ingredients such as yarrow, tea tree oil, beeswax, plus coconut, sweet almond and soy bean oils, and smells DELICIOUS.  I now carry a little pot around with me as it has so many cunning uses, including (deep breath):
– helping heal cuts, grazes, blisters and burns
– treating insect bites
– soothing dry and itchy eczema, psoriasis and rashses
– soothing chapped lips and coldsores
– a sore throat gargle
– calming shaving rash and keeping newly-tattooed skin infection-free
– fighting athlete’s foot
– helping fade stretch marks
– nourishing dry hands, nails and cuticles
– removing eye makeup
– using as a hot-cloth cleansing balm
Phew!

What’s more, despite looking and smelling uber posh, it’s a bargain. A lipbalm-sized 15ml pot for your handbag costs £4.99 or you can buy three for £11.50 in a sweet little tube; a larger 50ml jar costs £12.50; and a large 50ml jar plus bamboo face cloth costs £17.50, all from www.Moa.London

I know it’s supposedly FAR too early to think about Christmas yet, but it makes a fab, and unusual present. I’m getting my order in this week…!

 

 

Spot the difference!

I’m a cleaning product junkie. My under-sink cupboard is crammed with mysterious potions, and I love a good browse of the Lakeland catalogue. But if I had to choose just one product to beat them all, it would be the sexily-named Kilrock K2R Stain Remover Spray.

Seriously, it’s a miracle worker. No matter what you’ve spilt on your top/jeans/skirt, this handy little spray will remove it.

You simply spritz it all over the stain, where it quickly turns into a white powder. Leave it sitting there overnight (ideally for 24 hours), then brush off any excess powder (don’t worry if it looks like the stain is still there) and pop your garment into the washing machine as normal. I’ve used it on oil, fruit stains, makeup, curry, balsamic vinegar… you name it, it’ll vanish.

It’s saved so many of my clothes (not to mention my kids’ tops). It’s even removed seemingly-indelible stains that were over a year old.

As well as washable fabrics, it’s also designed to remove marks – particularly oily ones – from dry-clean-only fabrics, and non-washable upholstery. You spray it on, leave it to work, then firmly brush it all off.

It’s £4.80 for a can on Amazon.co.uk (where it has some very impressive reviews), and I guarantee once you’ve tried it, you’ll be back to buy another!