Stop believing what you are told unless they can tell you something that backs them up. When you see  products and claims they make, I want you to first ask yourself is it possible and does anyone back them up? 

Beware of packaging.

• Pictures of plants and leaves on the box does not mean it contains plants.
• "Natural" has no real meaning in this context at all. "95% natural ingredients" with "water" as ingredient number one. "Natural" water? As opposed to what, unnatural water? 
• Have they added plants to get us to buy it when they don't add any value? Some claims make it sound like the plant extract is the main constituent and that its the ingredient that does the job but does it? Can it?

If you are interested in this topic more, have a look at the Free Beauty Report from The Beauty Brains as they explain these points brilliantly. They are also scientists who work in the industry so really know what they are taking about. 

Shopping can suddenly become a minefield if you don't know what you are looking for. Aside from that, its really hard seeing brands you used to love and use all the time and not being able to use them anymore!

• If you decide to not use a whole brand, ignore their counters!
• If you want, say, a shower gel, find the section and ignore brands you don't like.
• Pick one up off the shelf and flip it over before reading the claims on the front. Read the ingredients.
• If it contains something you don't like, it goes back. Try again with another one.
• If you are happy with the ingredients, then weigh up what it claims it will do with what seems reasonable. If it seems worth the money, go ahead and buy it. 
• With these claims, what do you really expect from the product? I'm happy as long as it cleans me and smells nice. I don't want anything more!

I got:

• Rahua Shampoo and Conditioner sachets
• I really like these products. My hair looks gorgeous after using them! I have looked the brand up online and the ingredients are online in full (good green points) and I applaud their approach of sourcing the oil from the Amazon tribes who use traditional methods to source and process the ungurahua oil. 
• Would I buy? Definitely, if only I could afford them at the moment! 
• Vinies Veda Luminous Skin Mask
• This has caused some controversy on FB. It is a potent natural product and many people have had severe reactions to it due to its high potency and leaving it on too long. 
• I left it on for 2 mins max (timed exactly) and took it off with freezing cold water. My skin tingled slightly but was nowhere near the red or burning reactions others have had. It did leave my skin lovely and soft afterwards too so I do like this mask and will use again. 
• Would I buy? Probably not. It is very expensive for what it is and I don't need a skin rejuvenating mask like this at the moment. 
• Korres Rose moisturiser
• This smells lovely and went on well.  Korres are one of the more natural brands out there at the moment.
• Dead Sea Spa body lotion
• This is a lovely lotion that went on my skin perfectly and sunk in fast. 
• Studio Makeup lipstick in tender pink
• Not my colour, so I haven't tried it as it is now someones christmas present.

• Problems? Being green isn't just about using different cosmetics. 
• Look at what you would be throwing away, where will it go? Are you recycling the plastic or is it going to landfill? 
• Are you emptying the contents down the drain, where it will go into the water system? 
• Are you using more plastic by buying new products that you actually don't need right now?
• Above all, it will cost you a lot of money.

• You also get the added bonus that while you are using it up you can have a look at all the wonderful green products out there and decide which one you really can't wait any longer to try.
• If you absolutely will not use an ingredient a second longer then can you use it for something else you aren't too bothered about? Can you give it away? 

Get your favourite fragrance and look at the ingredients list. What does it say? It's probably a mix of water, alcohol and "parfum/purfume/fragrance".

Most products you use will have this as an ingredient but do you know exactly what it is?

Unfortunately, only the company truly does. Legally, "parfum" and "perfume" can be anything from a blend of organically certified essential oils, plant absolutes, synthetic fragrances or animal derivatives.

This information is commercially sensitive and these fragrance blends that are unique to particular products are the most secretive as the companies do not want a competitor replicating their most lucrative scent.

I have had bad reactions to creams in the past and the only thing I could put it down to is it had fragrance in it. If one cream makes your skin react and another with the same ingredients doesn't, the addition of a different fragrance blend is probably your allergen.

What can you do?

Unfortunately, not much. They don't have to tell you what it is so most simply do not. If you want to look into this further:

1) Research your favourite perfume/product with perfume listed and make your own decision on it.

2) Liz Earle and Neals Yard both have natural perfumes out and they categorically state that they only use essential oil blends. Other green brands are also branching out into perfume so check reputable sites. With your normal products, a point you'll find we often come back to: Natural brands will tell you what they do because they are proud of doing it. If they only use a blend of essential oils for their fragrances, its likely their website will tell you this.

3) Get blending! Perfume is simply a blend of essential oils. Buy a small roller bottle (or reuse an old one, like the Neals Yard "Remedies to Roll"), fill it with a carrier oil and add your essential oils. You can just add one or get reading up on blending and create your own bespoke fragrance. Considering one bottle of perfume is at least about £30 now, buying a small bottle of carrier oil a few essential oils and something to keep it in will not set you back this much. You save money, solve the problem of not knowing whats in your perfume and recycle something you would otherwise have thrown away all in one go.

• Arbonne Cooling foot creme (£19/118ml)
• This smells nice and goes on well but who uses cooling foot creme in Winter? I might use it after I get back from a run or a heavy xmas shop but even then there are better products on the market for soothing your feet/legs. (The Origins one is on my list of things to try!)
• It says it contains AHA and Salicylic Acid. Salicylic acid is used in your spot creams to help shift spots and AHA is usually in face moisturisers. I can't see a need for them in a foot creme (or even a body creme!), you would be better spending little money on a cheap basic moisturiser or just using a bit of your normal body moisturiser. 

• Dead Sea Spa Magick bath salts (£5.50/1kg)
• Bath salts? GB these are not high end. 
• For the price this sample is worth, I recommend buying a tub of Epsom salts from your local pharmacist instead. They cost about £2 and actually work at making you look that little bit thinner by working to draw out toxins from your skin. 

• Monu Skin Perfector (£16.25/50ml)
• This has been featured in the Anti-Aging Beauty Bible which should have given GB a clue as to who to send this one out to. Im in my early 20's and I certainly don't need a creme to disguise fine lines. 
• In its defence, I tried it on the back of my hand and it does make a difference. In addition the company seems to be using plant ingredients (although the "ingredients" tab on the product listing just lists the blurb on the back of the tube and not a real comprehensive list so read into its natural claims what you will).

• Nail Rock Nail Wraps (£6.65/full size)
• Luckily I got the only design I'd be prepared to try out on my hands. 
• These have got mixed reviews, some love them, others have pointed out that they are fiddly, don't fit nails, don't last long and that you need an acetone based remover to start with. 
• When I tried these they were AWFUL. The sizes do not fit my nails, they are so fiddly and don't stick very well. I did one hand, took them straight off and they went in the bin. They looked exactly like stickers and to me looked cheap and tacky. 

• Serge Lutens purfumes x 2
• This seems to have been a the source of all complaints this week. You can get these for free in department stores, why are they a paid for sample? Perfume is highly personal and so probably shouldn't be included anyway. If you are watching what ingredients you use on your body, watch out for a post I will be doing on the ingredient Parfum soon. 
• Vitriol d'oeillet smells like Lush. Its a nice smell in the Lush shop smell category but I wouldn't want to walk round smelling like it all day. 
• l'eau Serge Lutens is a fresher, floral fragrance.