Carun Active Hemp Soap Bar

RRP: £4.99

--What does the promo say?--
"Organic Cannabinoid rich gentle cleansing soap bar.

Naturally effective hypoallergenic skin maintenance and protection.

Naturally Antibacterial, analgesic, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory.

Made from 100% organic oils, Carun soap is an incredibly gentle cleanser, helping to balance and maintain your skins natural PH and moisture levels."

--Packaging--

Packaged in a very environmentally friendly manner, the soap bar comes in a cardboard box with the white, blue and green colour scheme which characterises it as part of the Carun line. 

--Application--

Lather up under running water to create a foam which you can rub over clean dry skin and then rinse off.

--Appearance--

The soap is a creamy light cacao/off yellow colour which lathers into a white foam, leaving no visible residue on the skin. The Carun name and its trefoil logo is carved simply into the bar.

--Scent--

Again a creamy scent with a slightly refreshing zest to it, most likely thanks to the cacao and sea buckthorn.

--Texture and consistency--

The foam is fine yet luxurious.

--Effects on the skin--

The soap effectively rebalances the skin, reducing the amount of sebum production and generally calming the skin's condition, leaving it feeling moisturised.

--Value for money--

At £4.99 this is hardly going to break the bank and it indisputably calms acneic skin down, especially in conjunction with the Active Hemp Face Cream. One bar lasts ages and is not costly to replace. I was sent mine for free, but would buy again.

perfect partners

Active Hemp Face Cream, £16.99

Hemp Ointment, £16.99

Hemp Body Oil, £13.99

Hemp Bath Spa, £19.99

Native Unearthed Natural Crystal Deodorant

RRP: £6.49
# of varieties available: 4 (mangosteen, aloe, curcuma and natural)

--What does the promo say?--
"How do our Crystal Deodorants prevent odour?- By leaving an invisible layer of natural minerals on your underarms which works around the clock to prevent the build up of odour causing bacteria. Better still, whilst preventing odour, our natural deodorants don’t clog pores like normal deodorants. Instead, our deodorants still allow your body to continue it’s normal course of eliminating toxins from the body whilst providing round the clock protection. Choose Native, Choose confidence."

--Packaging--
The pinky-purple packaging of the mangosteen deodorant that I was kindly sent gives the product a delicate feel as well as perfectly reflecting the colour of the mangosteen fruit itself. It capitalises mainly on strong lettering and a modern, edgy spiral design that simultaneously seems to reflect the idea of plants growing abundantly, making it seem new and different to other deodorants on the market. The twist-up mechanism is of course familiar to users due to its usage in existing mass-market products, and the clear lid shows you exactly how the product looks before buying.

--Usage--
Run the crystal under some water before rubbing it underneath your dry underarms. No need to rinse off. Wait until it dries (no more time than your usual deodorant) before getting dressed.

--Appearance--
The crystal itself is a pale off-coral, pinkish colour, although the other varieties reflect their ingredients with their respective colours (green for aloe, yellow for curcuma and white for natural). When applied wet under your arms, it goes on invisibly and this does not change when the deodorant dries. Bonus: no white marks on clothing, either!

--Scent--
Surprisingly, none. This, along with the invisible appearance, can make you question whether or not it is really working! But stick with it :-)

--Texture and consistency--
Goes on smooth and wet and dries smooth too, with no graininess resulting once the deodorant dries.

--Effects on the skin--
No irritation, and it works as effectively as, if not more so than, high street deodorants. Great work!

--Value for money--
At £6.49, this is clearly more expensive than high street deodorants (similarly-priced deodorants can be purchased from brands such as Davidoff, Christina Aguilera and Pierre Cardin). However, it competes well with the natural deodorant market, with deodorants by Weleda, lavera and Green People all retailing similarly. I was also sceptical initially as I had tested another natural deodorant in the past, to poor results. However, with this I was pleasantly surprised: not only does it work very well, and leave no white marks on clothing, but there isn't the wastage that you would get with a spray (or even some roll-ons, where you seem to get more on your clothes than your body). Would definitely recommend :-)