Stuff that smells like lemon

For a tangy burst of citrus, try these lemon-scented products.

Vrindavan Lemon Certified Organic Lip Balm 5g $9.00






Avalon Organics Lemon Hand and Body Lotion 350ml $25

Dr Hauschka Lemon Body Wash 150ml $29

New Living Nature Hand Cream

Living Nature has a new product, Nourishing Hand Cream, $21.95 for 100ml, containing Manuka honey, larch tree extract, and Manuka oil.

Methven Homespa range

Methven is New Zealand’s largest supplier and leading designer of faucets, showerheads and hot water valves. They now have a range of body care products, the Homespa range. The products are:

Shower Infusion 37ml $19.95
Body Bar 125g $16
Hand & Body Wash 250ml $24.95
Hand & Body Creme 250ml $29.95
Candle 255g $49.95

They are available in four different scents:

Bliss – infused with jasmine and ylang ylang
Focus – infused with rosemary and lemon
Uplift – infused with grapefruit and pomegranate
Fresh – infused with green tea and peppermint

I have a bit of a thing for citrus scents, so I particularly like the smell of the Uplift products. The shower infusions are designed to be used with the Methven Shower Infusion Pod. The pod can be purchased in a starter pack along with the Bliss and Focus Shower Infusions - $169 for Fixed Rose and $149 for Slide Shower.

The products are free from parabens, sodium laurel and laureth sulphates, synthetic colours, are not tested on animals, and are made in New Zealand. They contain New Zealand botanical ingredients such as Harakeke, Kowhai, and Kawakawa. The candles are made from beeswax and soy and are free from paraffin and lead. Nice!

Stuff that smells like orange

I really like citrus scents, particularly orange, which smells sweet and refreshing.

Akin Sandalwood and Sweet Orange Invigorating Body Scrub 200ml $24.50

Blue Earth Carrot & Orange Cake Soap, $5.50 for med and $9 for large

Organic Surge Orange Blossom Hand Lotion 250ml $20

Organic range from Pacifica Skincare

Up until recently the Pacifica Organics line has online been available on Air New Zealand planes for business premier and pacific premier class passengers (therefore only on international flights – New Zealand is too small to have business class on domestic flights – domestic flights are no more than an hour long, because we’re a small country, and our planes are pretty small too).

Ok, end of lesson on NZ. Pacifica Organics has been supplying Air New Zealand planes for the last few years (previously Living Nature products were used). Anyway, the line contains a lot of native New Zealand plant extracts such as Pohutukawa, Harekeke, Kawakawa, and Manuka Honey. The products are:

Nourishing Lip Balm 10ml $11.99
Eye Cream 20ml $34.99
Replenishing Serum 30ml $42.99
Gentle Facial Cleanser 100ml $29.99
Refreshing Toner 50ml $24.99
Hydrating Facial Day Cream 100ml $44.99
Hydrating Facial Moisturiser for Men 100ml $44.99
Nourishing Hand and Nail Cream 60ml $23.99

The range is available at Life Pharmacy stores. It looks very nice, good to see another NZ natural skincare brand on the market.

Mothers’ Day!

It’s Mother’s Day in New Zealand this Sunday, so here are a few gift ideas.

Blue Earth Lavishly Lavender Soap, $5.50 for Medium, $9.00 for large – I got this for my mum for Mothers’ Day last year, and she really liked it. It smells great!

Living Nature Just for You Gift Pack, $24.90 – Contains Nourishing Hand & Body Cream 50ml, Nourishing Body Wash 50ml, and Manuka Honey & Calendula Petal Soap 70g

Trilogy Rose Hand Cream, $15.90 for 50ml, and $27.00 for 100ml – It’s got evening primrose, rosehip, jojoba and almond oils in it to keep hands soft

To all you mums, happy Mothers’ Day for Sunday!

Hand creams

I'm slightly paranoid about hygiene, which leads to a lot of hand washing, which leads to dry hands, which leads to needing a really good moisturising hand cream. I use Sukin Hand & Nail Cream, $12 for 125ml, and it's a really good cream, but have also tried and others, like A'kin Lavender, Geranium & Jojoba Hand, Nail Creme 75ml $15.20, and Natural Instinct Hand Cream 125ml $12. A'kin also makes Unscented Intensive Hand, Nail & Cuticle, also 75ml and $15.20.

I used to use Ecostore Baby Moisturiser (125ml, $13.95) as a hand cream, and found it works well. I also really like House of Herbs Organic Hand Repair Cream with Vanilla 120ml. It smells amazing, and it has an awesome, mousse-like texture. I got when I was on holiday in Sydney last year, and unfortunately, I don't think there are any shops over here which sell it. However, you can buy it online from their website, http://www.houseofherbs.com.au/. It's $22.75 in Australian dollars.

Some other options:

$20 and under: Organic Surge Hand Lotion 250ml $16.90 (available in Citus Mint, Lavender Geranium, and Orange Blossom), Apicare Therapy Handcreme 125g $18.90, Aveda Hand Relief 40ml $20

$25 and under: Evolu Nourishing Hand and Cuticle 125ml $23, Duchy Originals Hand Moisturiser 250ml $24.90 (available in Rose & Mandarin, Bergamot & Lime, and Lavender)

$30 and under: Tebe Hand Moisturising Cream 75ml $25.80, Trilogy Rose Hand Cream 100ml $27

$35 and under: Dr Hauschka Hand Cream 50ml $30.35, Antipodes Deliverance Kowhai Flower Hand Cream 75ml $31.50