More From Melvita

I paid a second visit to the Melvita shop in Covent Garden last weekend.  Not only is it a lovely little shop for fans of organic beauty, it also seems to be a good place to go if you’re feeling thirsty as I’ve been offered cups of honey tea both times I’ve been – and they’ve been very tasty, too.

Last time I visited the shop back in May I bought some Nigella oil for my face and I got a couple of samples of their other products for oily/problem skin. The Nigella oil was quite expensive compared to what I would normally pay for a night cream (that’s how I use it) at £15 for 50ml which lasted me almost two months of using nearly every night but I really feel that it made a great difference to my skin.  I’ve had a lot fewer spots and flare-ups since I’ve been using it – and just about the same if not more stress at work so the effects probably have been thanks to the Nigella oil.

I had such a positive experience with this product that I decided to buy another, and also one of the products that I received a sample of the last time, their perfecting cream for young skin.

I think the packaging looks as if it could be for products from a gardening centre thanks to all the pictures of bees and flowers and green!  However it matches the ethos of the brand which is towards natural, organic, cruelty free products.  The paper bag is also pretty enough to be re-used as a gift bag at some point – always good to be able to recycle as much as possible.

The perfecting cream was really quite an expensive buy for me at £19 for 50ml but I love the effect it has on my skin.  The cream is thin and is absorbed very quickly to leave the skin looking matte and refined, and I’ve been so happy with the way it’s left my skin looking I haven’t worn any foundation or tinted moisturiser all week.  It’s also quite an unusual green colour and smells of grass, which I think is a great pick-me-up in the mornings.

Although this is an expensive brand for me if I’m still happy with the results from these products after another two months I’ll definitely be going back to restock on these and try some new products, maybe a cleanser or a face mask.  I will be sure to keep the blog updated if I head back for more.

Goodies From Germany Part 2: Skin Care

Please click here if you would like to read Goodies From Germany Part 1: Eye Make Up

I actually got back from Germany a couple of weeks ago now but I never got round to writing about the rest of the things that I picked up while I was over there, so I thought that today I’d finally post a quick entry showing the skin care products that I picked up.

Again I bought all of these from DM and they’re marketed as being “Natural” toiletries – I’m not sure of the exact definition but here’s a rough translation of the blurb from the back of one of the face washes I bought:

Certified Natural Cosmetic
Free from synthetic fragrance, colour and preservatives.
Raw materials obtained from controlled biological sources.
No mineral oil based ingredients.
Dermatologically tested.

Some of these products are also suitable for vegans which is indicated by an easily recognisable vegan symbol on the back.

So onto some snaps.  First up I bought a clarifying face wash by the brand AOK which is produced by Schwarzkopf & Henkel:



I like transparent packaging as you can see exactly how much product you have left.  I was drawn to this product because the tag line is “pure skin from age 20” and I liked the idea of a clarifying wash that was designed for adults rather than teenagers, as teenage products are generally too harsh for my skin.  This wash has a smooth, gel like creamy consistency that doesn’t foam too much and as such feels very soothing on the skin and has subtle peachy smell.  So far I really like this product.  I paid 4.45 euros for 150ml.
I also bought a face wash and moisturiser from the DM own-brand Alverde which contains both toiletries and cosmetics.  I bought two products from their Aqua range for normal/combination skin.




The face wash says “seaweed” and the mattifying day moisturiser says “pearl”.  This range is slightly cheaper than AOK and I paid 1.95 euros for the 100ml face wash and 3.25 euros for the 50ml moisturiser.  The face wash, which is vegan friendly, also has a cooling gel consistency which doesn’t foam too much, but I don’t feel that it cleans quite as well as the AOK wash.  It’s still nice and refreshing though, so I like to use it in the morning when I need to be woken up and don’t have any make-up on my skin that needs to be removed anyway.

As you can see from the pic the moisturiser claims to be have 3-in-1 action, namely: mattifying, moisturising and improving the general appearance of the skin.  The consistency is actually quite thick and creamy which I found interesting as most moisturisers for oily skin that I’ve used in the past have been quite fluid.  I have found that I do have to apply it quite carefully and be sure to work it all into the skin otherwise it can leave white streaks as it’s actually so thick – but on the plus side, the consistency means that a little goes a long way.  The blurb on the back claims that a special combination of mineral pigments acts to mattify and harmonise the complexion.  The smell is quite mineral-like – like various clay-containing spa products.  Although it uses the word “pearl” in its name the finish is not shiny at all.  I actually quite like this product too.

I think both of these brands are definitely worth a look depending of course on your skin type and budget.  Unfortunately the blurb is only written on the products in German though, so you may have to get your phrase book out if you would like to try some of these products out when you are in Germany.  

Interestingly you can buy many high end “natural” products in the pharmacists in Germany such as the brand Weleda, which I have only seen sold in health food and organic shops in the UK – perhaps a sign that the Germans take their organic & natural beauty products more seriously than us Brits?  It’s almost as if we are “relegating” these products from our pharmacy shelves to organic stores because we don’t believe that they actually work.  Well, I have to admit that I’m becoming more and more of a fan the more products I try and I’ll definitely be incorporating more “natural” products into my skin care range as my old products run out and I have to stock up on new ones.

New Discovery: Organic Cosmetics in Covent Garden

I have rather exciting news for you today as I just discovered a lovely new beauty brand that I would like to introduce you to in this post!

I met a friend for a coffee in Covent Garden today and afterwards as we wandered about we came across the Melvita shop in St. Martin’s Court, just behind St. Martin’s Lane.  It’s a brand that neither of us had heard of before but one of the shop assistants offered us some fresh honey, ginger and lemon tea when we walked in and explained that they were a French organic beauty brand that had been established by a biologist and bee-keeper, so not only do many of their products feature honey, you can even buy various varieties of honey in their shop along with beauty products, which I thought was quite a quirky touch for a beauty brand!  The Covent Garden shop was their first UK store and they are in the process of opening a new store in Putney.

They make products for face, body and hair, with various ranges for dry skin, anti-ageing, oily and blemish prone skin etc. The shop itself is laid out in a brightly lit, open and accessible format.  There are plenty of testers and the staff are happy to let you browse whilst being on hand to answer any questions so I would definitely recommend a visit to this store if you are interested in organic and/or cruelty free beauty products.

My friend and I each picked one oil from their beauty oils range, which comprises 24 different oils with various properties that can be used on the face, body or hair.  My friend went for their rosehip seed oil which has rejuvenating properties while I decided to try their Nigella oil which is said to be purifying and is suitable for oily and blemish prone skin.  To use the oils you simply pump a small amount into the palm of your hand, gently rub your hands together to distribute the oil into a thin layer across your hands, and massage into your skin or hair to facilitate the absorption of the oil.  I tried it out today when I got home, but I guess it will take a while for me to see I can notice any discernable difference in my skin, but if I do I will definitely keep you posted!



Here’s the blurb from the box: