A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I’m bubbling over with love (geddit?) for the product development team at NEOM who have managed to inject actual bubbles into an sls-free bath foam formula.  Which, by rights, shouldn’t have much in the way of foam to write home about.

Did I mention that it smells heavenly too?

NEOM Organics new Tranquility Bath Foam delivers a sudsy hit of relaxation with plenty of (albeit not massively long-lasting) bubble-age.  By the time I was reaching for a towel, there was not a bubble left in sight, which Mr. L said was “rubbish”.  I happen to disagree because there’s nothing I hate more (except for spiders) than having to karate chop/swipe bubbles off my legs as I’m about to step out of the bath.  Also, the final head dunk for Leila… her hair is washed, I don’t want it bubbled up again!

But I digress…

If your skin is sensitive to the usual bubble bath offerings on the market, you’d be wise to take a look at the bubbling sls-free alternative that is Tranquility Bath Foam by NEOM Organics.  Available online, priced at £20.00 for 200mls.  You can just about get away with half a capful per bath, which will probably bring the price down to around 60-70p a bath.

Or… even better, you could take advantage of an exclusive 25% discount code for Lipglossiping.com readers….

www.neomorganics.com
Code: lipgloss (enter at checkout)
Discount: 25%
Terms: Can only be used on full price items.  One code per order.
Expires: midnight Monday 1st October

Bubbles… do you need them to enjoy your bath?

I think it’s about time for an update to this post.

It’s been a month and I’ve been sticking to the new routine, using The Body Shop’s Rainforest Haircare.  Infact, I’ve finished the bottles that I was given at their blogger event in the Summer.

I know it’s taken me a while to review, but not only did my hair need to get used to the new products, I needed to get used to the new routine too.  It’s a big difference going from normal detergents and condtioners and it takes a while to adjust.

So, I’ve been trialling The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture variety which is aimed at dry hair types.  My hair is coloured (frequently) and as a result, a little over-processed and dry.  It needs something that isn’t stripping.

My first impressions of this weren’t positive.  Within the 3rd use, my hair felt like straw.  It was unmanageable and bushy… rough and knotty.  I tried using more conditioner, but didn’t experience any improvements.  I nearly gave up on it completely.

Instead, I tried using it in conjunction with my normal conditioner.  I was worried that by using a normal conditioner, I’d be giving the sls-free shampoo too tough a job to clear my hair of build-up… but for me?  This is working well.

The shampoo takes a little getting used to, it doesn’t lather very well on the hair.  It’s recommended to rub it between your palms to build up a small amount of lather before applying to your hair and this does make a difference.

I simply found that the condtioner didn’t do enough to smooth the hair shaft.  Whilst I’m not in love with either of these products, I would purchase the shampoo again.  It left my hair feeling clean and since getting rid of my scalp issues (thanks Nizoral!) it hasn’t caused any further irritations.

Priced at £4 for 250ml, I think the range is pretty good value for money considering the natural and eco-friendly ingredients, but I’d need to see more moisture from the conditioner before I’d purchase again.

You can buy The Body Shop’s Rainforest Haircare range online or instore.

I thought up that title while I was in the shower the other morning. D’ya like it?  I’ve always been a bit ‘speshul’.

On a more serious note…. I’ve HAD IT, I’m fed up.  My scalp has been getting steadily worse since the beginning of the year and it’s recently reached the point where I can’t wear black tops anymore.  Nice.

*scratch*

You’ll be pleased to hear I’m not incorporating photographic evidence this time round.

The simple fact is that I don’t know what’s causing it, but having done a little research and listened to some of your fab advice… I’m gonna go SLS free.

I’m not gonna go all OMGSLSWILLGIVEYOUCANCERDONTCHAKNOW? on you – SLS is fine for many, many people.  But it is a known irritant, and I’m gonna simply try elminating it from my hair products to see if it makes a difference for me.

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SLS stands for Sodium Laureth Sulphate/Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, an effective detergent and foaming agent.  It dissolves grime and grease easily and is cheap to product in mass quantities.

Sounds great!  So, what’s the problem?

Well… as it is such an effective detergent… it can be quite harsh and drying on sensitive skins.  I’ve never had a problem using SLS in my body washes, but I’m starting to wonder if my scalp is having sensitivity issues with it.

I’m not an expert… infact… I’m learning as I go along here, so please feel free to add your own knowledge into the comments.

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One of the lovely thing about SLS (yes, there are lovely things) that I’m sure to miss, is it’s exceptional ability to create lovely, lathery bubbles.  I like a product to foam… it makes me feel like it’s really working.  I know that over the years I’ve been conditioned to think that… but I can’t help it!

Also, forgetting the scalp issues for a minute and concentrating just on my hair.  It’s quite fine… I may find that my hair needs the extra clarifying that SLS shampoos offer to stop it looking lank after a while.  I think I’m going to have to try different combinations to find a solution that pleases both my scalp and my hair.

It’s also quite dry from frequent colouring… I wonder what effects going SLS free will have on the dryness?

Confused much?  I am…

*scratch scratch*

[stextbox id=”custom” caption=”BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SULPHATES?” collapsed=”false” ccolor=”ffffff” bcolor=”ffffff” bgcolor=”e6e6fa” cbgcolor=”b0c4de”]

Commonly used alternatives to SLS include ALS (Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate), generally considered to cause less irritation and therefore used by companies such as Neal’s Yard and Sodium Coco-Sulfate which is used by Green People as their detergent of choice.  From what I understand, these surfactants may all still cause irritation in the same way as SLS does…  The difference is that the irritating ‘qualities’ are diluted by comparison.

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There are so many great haircare products on the market nowadays that offer an alternative to SLS and I’m gonna go investigating!  I always assumed that I’d have to part with a small fortune to enjoy an alternative, but brands like the The Body Shop and Naked are already proving otherwise with their high street offerings.  Though, if you do like a bit of luxe in your haircare, then there are some beautifully presented high-end alternatives aswell!

Has anyone else gone SLS-Free?  I feel like it’s such a minefield of misinformation and contradictory opinions!

If you’re thinking of taking the plunge, I could do with the company!