Review: July Love Lula Picks

Here are the products I chose for July from Love Lula.

 EMANI PERFECT 10 PRIMER SERUM

 This natural serum has 10 different organic extracts (hence the name) and they really do read like a who's who of gorgeous skin-loving ingredients, unlike traditional primers.
I've only ever used one other natural primer as I was under the impression natural ones just wouldn't work.

This looks like other primers I've used in that it's a white thick-ish cream consistency. As it doesn't contain silicones, it doesn't give you that matt, poreless finish that I've had with non-natural primers in the past. Some of those primers I could wear without foundation, which I couldn't with this as my skin is less than perfect and needs a little help. The serum does mattify my complexion slightly and definitely smooths it. After application, it feels like a perfect base for foundation.

I'm very happy with this and I'll carry on using it. It's not cheap at £32 but 30ml is a decent volume that will last a while.

Ingredients: Aqua (water), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice**, Glycerin, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride (Coconut), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil**, Behenyl Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil**, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil**, Mica, Manihot Esculenta (Tapioca) Starch**, Sage (Salvia Officinalis) Extract**, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba), Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) Extract**, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract**, Tocopherol Acetate (Vitamin E), Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, **Certified organic ingredients.

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BENECOS APRICOT AND ELDERFLOWER HAND CREAM

Last month I tried a lovely vegan Benecos lip balm so thought I would try something else vegan from the range. For some reason, I didn't have high hopes for this, being a budget hand cream. I don't know why because expensive doesn't always equal good in natural circles and I've certainly used plenty of great budget products since I've converted to green beauty.
I'm happy to say that it's absolutely gorgeous. It smells divine and it's really well absorbed, leaving the hands soft. You don't need expensive creams when you've got this. My new favourite hand cream!

Ingredients: AQUA (WATER), HELIANTHUS ANNUUS HYBRID (HYBRID SUNFLOWER) OIL*, PYRUS MALUS (APPLE) JUICE*, CETYL ALCOHOL, STEARYL ALCOHOL, SODIUM CETEARYL SULFATE, TARAXACUM OFFICINALE (DANDELION) ROOT EXTRACT, GLYCERIN, SODIUM BENZOATE°, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE)**, POTASSIUM SORBATE°, CITRIC ACID, GLYCERIN*, ARCTIUM LAPPA (BURDOCK) FRUIT EXTRACT*, TILIA CORDATA (LINDEN) FLOWER EXTRACT*, ROSA CANINA (ROSE HIP) FRUIT EXTRACT*, SAMBUCUS NIGRA (ELDER) FRUIT EXTRACT*, HYPERICUM PERFORATUM (ST. JOHN´S WORT) FLOWER EXTRACT*, URTICA DIOICA (NETTLE) ROOT EXTRACT*, CALENDULA OFFICINALIS (POT MARIGOLD) FLOWER EXTRACT*, SODIUM CITRATE, PRUNUS ARMENIACA (APRICOT) KERNEL OIL*, SAMBUCUS NIGRA (ELDER) FLOWER WATER*, TOCOPHEROL, SUNFLOWER SEED OIL SORBITOL ESTERS, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL*, LIMONENE** * certified organic ** natural essential oils ° preserved with sodium benzoate

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NEEK SKIN ORGANICS VEGAN LIPSTICK IN BITTERSWEET

I've wanted to try NEEK for a while as they have good reviews.

I chose the shade Bittersweet, which looked like the kind of shade I would wear. I do have difficulty choosing lipsticks online as invariably they look completely different to pictures when they arrive, however, this one was more or less spot-on. The picture on the model on Love Lula, is a good shade representation.

And the verdict? Creamy and soft and goes on well, but it's not as highly pigmented as I expected. With one coat it's fairly sheer, however you can build it into a darker colour. I always use lip balm under my lipstick as my lips are so dry and this doesn't go on that well over lip balm, hence the sheer colour. Without lip balm, you get more colour and it's surprisingly long lasting. A very nice lipstick!

Ingredients: Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Mica (CI 77019), Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (orange) Peel Oil, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Ozokerite (Plant based wax), Titanium Dioxide (CI77891), Iron Oxides (CI77491).

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Love Lula also sent me a selection of Ermana products to try this month (not to be confused with Emani!). They are a Scottish natural skincare company who handmake their products to be as fresh as possible and they have a mouthwatering range.


ERMANA COMFORT BALM

I do love a balm and I do love trying new ones! This is a lovely, scented balm with my favourite essential oil, lavender. I've been using it on my dry feet and legs at bed time with excellent results.

I also used it as a cleansing balm, which worked well too. It has a great melty texture that just sinks in. Ermana's balms aren't suitable for vegans as they contain beeswax.

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ERMANA SOOTHE MAMA BALM

The Soothe Mama Balm is formulated without essential oils, which makes it as gentle for sensitive skin as you can get. I've used it on myself but it's been mainly used on my son's dry skin, which this kind of product is just perfect for. Like me, balms and butters work much better on him than oils and lotions. While the Comfort balm was smooth, the Soothe balm was somewhat grainy, due to the weather, but it melts quickly into the skin. It's a very effective balm.

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ERMANA FRESH LOTION 

When the weather was really hot (it's cooled down slightly where I live and we've had some cloudy days), I really enjoyed applying this after a fairly cold shower. It's so er, fresh! Really revitalising, cooling and summery, made with patchouli and peppermint. I totally loved using it but unfortunately I found it wasn't moisturising enough for my dry skin. It would be perfect for someone with 'normal', less lizardy skin 😊. This one's vegan.

Ingredients: Aqua, Helianthus annuus Seed Oil (1), Butyrospermum parkii Butter (1), Theobroma cacao Seed Butter (1), Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin (2), Pogostemon cablin (patchouli), Mentha arvensis (peppermint), Olea europaea Fruit Oil (1), Linum usitatissimum Seed Oil (1), Sucrose Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Aloe barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder (1), Coco-Glucoside, Coconut Alcohol, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, limonene* , linalool* (1) Organic ingredient (2) From organic origin *naturally occurring in essential oils.

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You can view Love Lula's full range of brands and products here

*As a member of the Love Lula Accredited Blogger Programme, I choose products to review every month. This post also contains affiliate links.