♥ Natural Skin Care & Makeup Brands

As today is Earthday (read more about it here), lovely LaaLaa from Dolce Vanity had the idea to do a blog collaboration sharing our favourite natural skincare brands. There are quite a few natural brands out there, so we have included brands of different price ranges, natural/organic, non organic and so on. I know we all use natural brands for different reasons, allergies, against animal cruelty, for "safety", or whatever it might be so we have made sure we have stated what type of brands these are. All the brands below are brands I have tried or am currently using myself. I purposely chose pictures which I have taken, so that you can see that these are brands I really like! Here are the other ladies doing the blog collaboration (links to their posts will be up once all post are publishes)

 Sarirah – Pretty Not Included, Grace – All That Slap, Jayne – Jayne’s Kitschen 

Lavera (Skin Care, Hair Care & Makeup)

Organic √ Natural √ Vegan (some) Animal Cruelty Free (√)

"Natural cosmetics that you know under the brand name lavera - a name carefully chosen for its meaning: in Latin lavera means "the truth" - a beautiful translation for the dedication of both philosophy and commitment. We use raw plant materials, as much as possible from certified organic agriculture, our products are 100% free from synthetic perfumes, colourants and preservatives. And of course, we ensure skin compatibility - exclusively through tests with volunteers, together with skin specialists and allergists"

This is one of the first natural skin care brands I used, you can find it in every health store and their prices are quite affordable. Their "Basic Sensitivity" hand cream was a staple of mine for so long. Although £4.45 is a fairly decent price for the 75ml tube of hand cream- I wen't through them way too quickly because I enjoyed them too much. Their products are fragranced, but not heavily and would probably suit sensitive skin.

Find their website here. Find my posts about Lavera here

Burt's Bees (Skin Care)

 Organic (some) Natural √ Vegan (some) Animal Cruelty Free (√)

"Your well-being is affected every single day by the personal care products you use. Our goal is to create and educate people on truly natural products that have a positive effect on both you and the world you live in for the good of your well-being, for the good of the environment and for The Greater Good. Simply put, we strive to make people's lives better every day — naturally."

I'd say this is the second natural skin care brand I tried out. Of course, I'd seen it around in shop but as they are quite expensive I just never tried them. That was until my friend recommended their orange facial cleanser. It is amazing! It is completely natural, with a gel/serum formula with a lot of nourishing oils but it doesn't leave any residue on your skin. 

          Find their website here. Find my posts about Burt's Bees here

 Neal's Yard Remedies (Skin Care, Hair Care & Makeup)

Organic (√) Natural √ Vegan (some) Animal Cruelty Free (√)

At Neal's Yard Remedies, we're driven by the passionate belief that health and beauty should be more natural, less synthetic. This passion, and our firm belief that it's down to all of us to protect our precious planet, is at the heart of everything we do. 

Okey but now you've probably figured out that I subconsciously listed the brands in the order I discovered or tried them out. Next up is NYR. I love this brand because their products are completely natural, and they focus on aromatherapy and essentials oils a lot. Another good thing about them is that they are a UK brand and all their oils and a lot of their products are stored in dark glass bottles which preserves the benefits of the ingredients they contain.

Find their website here Find my posts about Neal's Yard Remedies here

Earthnicity (Makeup)

Free from: Bismuth oxychloride, Talc, Preservatives, Parabens, Mineral oil or any petroleum-derived products, Perfumes, Oils and Fragrances, Alcohol, Dyes, Animal-derived ingredients such as carmine or silk, nano particles.

Earthnicity Minerals is pure mineral makeup - we don't use corn starch or rice powder in our products either. We use a minimal amount of ingredients so as not to irritate sensitive skin and block pores, without sacrificing on the look and quality of the makeup.

This is a UK mineral makeup brand free from all those nasty ingredients mentioned above. I included that list from the website as I cannot find any info regarding it being organic/natural/vegan or not. Their makeup is very good quality and I've been using their mineral foundation every day since I got it. They've got a great deal on their website where you can get samples of makeup for only £5.

Find their website here. Find my posts about Earthnicity makeup here

Crazy Natural Inc (Skin Care and Hair Care)

 Organic (√) Natural √ Vegan (unsure) Animal Cruelty Free (√ I believe so)

Sade Perkins, Founder: "I make 100% all natural and organic products. I pride myself on making multifunctional affordable natural hair and body care products. My target audience is all natural sisters but more specifically new naturals. Women who dont want to be product junkies but want to have a few staple products they can use to create a simple regiment they can easley do everyday. Ive been in business for 9 months now and my top sellers are my Shea coconut deep conditioner, african black soap shampoo. Shea body butter and African black soap beauty bars. I've gotten an overwhelming amount of positive reports on my products. I believe i have a recognizable brand that most naturals naturally gravitate to. I plan to capitalize on my brand recognition, awesome products and affordable prices to make crazy natural inc a house hold name." 

This is a brand I recently discovered, through Instagram actually. The founder is a lovely lady from the US who makes these products herself. If you wan't 100% natural products, this is the brand to try out. Her hair care products are aimed at people of afro textured hair "naturals" but anyone can use them.  I've tried her African black soap, Shea body butter and Hair and Body oil.

                        Find their website here. Find my posts about Crazy Natural Inc here

Have you tried any of these brands?
& what is your favourite natural brand?

xx

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♥ DIY: Valentines Day Chocolate Recipe Swedish Style

Valentines Day Chocolate Recipe Swedish Style

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!

I've always loved Valentines day, it's a great day for being extra positive and grateful for the people around you. And for the single people- Valentines day has got nothing to do with couples, so I've never understood when single people "complain" on Valentines. It's just a chance to show your loved ones some extra love, doesn't have to be a partner. ♥

Now, to my post. As you probably know if you follow me on Instagram I am in Sweden for a few days for me annual "surprise my little sister for her birthday". She is turning 10 and I've surprised her every year for 4 years now, and she still didn't have a clue I was coming lol.

The chocolate on the picture are what we call "Ischoklad" in Swedish which means Ice Chocolate. They are really Christmas sweets but me and my little sister decided to make some today- and she came up with the idea to create the cute heart shape. So I decided to share them as Valentines Chocolates :)

Check out this GIF for instructions :)

How was your Valentines Day?

Will you be trying this?

xx

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♥ DIY Bentonite Clay, Green Tea & Argan Oil Face Mask

DIY Bentonite Clay, Green Tea & Argan Oil Mud Face Mask

Today I have got an exciting DIY to share with you. I've had this Bentonite Clay lying around for quite some time but after a few failed attempts at using it, I just put it aside. I should probably mention that my failed attempts were most likely due to be mixing the bentonite clay with a metal spoon which is the only thing you shouldn't do because it reacts with the clay which has some kind of electrical charge (lol not sure how that works, google it). 

The most common brand of Bentonite Clay is the Indian Healing Clay which I think is available at stores like Whole foods or online on sites like Amazon. Common uses are:

• As an internal detox (sounds scary though)
• As a mud face masked by mixing Bentonite Clay & Water, and sometimes Apple Cider Vinegar
• As a hair clarifier by using the same recipe as above

 Bentonite Clay in your face is meant to draw all impurities and toxins out of the skin. I got the idea of mixing it with Green Tea after trying out the GlamGlow Youth Mud Mask which contains Green Tea leaves & Green Tea extracts. So I decided to give this clay another try.

Here is my Bentonite Clay, Green Tea & Argan Oil Mud Face Mask Recipe:

• A bowl of water
• Two Green Tea Bags
• A wooden spoon to stir (or anything which is Not metal)
• Bentonite Clay
• An oil/essential Oil, I used Argan Oil

How to?

1.  Add water to a bowl (optional: add 1/4 ACV* to the water, use Rose Water, Use Aloe Vera Juice) || Add a bag of Green Tea and let it brew for a few minutes || Add a few drops of the oil of your choice, I used Argan Oil
2. Pour the leaves of one Green Tea Bag into your mix
3. Stir it with anything that isn't made of metal
4. Add the Bentonite Clay until the mixture has the consistency you want it to have

This is what mine looked like!

My thoughts on this? 

The first time I tried mixing a Bentonite Clay face mask I felt like the clay didn't properly mix with the water, but as I said above- this could be because I used a metal spoon. This time it definitely mixed, but I am guessing it mixes better with the mix if you do Not put oils in your mix. My mix took ages too hardened, I think it was because it wasn't mixed too well nor distributed too well in my face and I also put quite a thick layer in my face. Next time I might try putting a bit more water in my mix.

Results?

Oh my god. Results definitely exceeded my expectations. I knew that your face could get a little bit red from using this, but due to my mud mask taking long to harden, I left it on for like 30 mins while I was showering. My face was soo red. It didn't hurt or anything but I literally had a line in my face where I was red from the mud mask.

Anyway, surprisingly this just left my face suuuupersoft. Like I exfoliated it, which it didn't really because I didn't have any scrubbing beads in it. Maybe my face was so clean that it just felt soft, either way this i definitely a keeper and I will be using this face mask recipe again!

Have you tried a Bentonite Clay face mask?

& do you have any other DIY face mask recipes, if so, link them :) 

xx

Check out my other natural DIY's here, where I've got recipes of Lip Balms, Lip sticks, Deep Conditioners, Protein Treatments, Body Scrubs and much more.

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*Apple Cider Vinegar

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♥ DIY: Lavender Beeswax Salve

DIY: Lavender Beeswax Salve

Check out my other natural DIYs here, to learn how to make your own lip balm, lipstick, whipped Shea Butter, deep conditioner, body scrubs, face masks, facial oils or nail oils.

Another DIY for you guys. This one is a Beeswax Salve with a Lavender scent. You can of course change it to any scent that you prefer, such as Peppermint, Sweet Orange, Rose or Tea Tree Oil. A Salve means a mix of an oil, and a wax.You could say that it is a natural version of Vaseline and also has a similar consistency. Use it on any dry parts like cuticles, knees, elbows, feet or scalp.

What you need..

• Beeswax
• A carrier oil
• A microwave or a stove using a double boiler
• A cosmetic container (You can get my one from Neal's Yard Remedies here)
• A bowl to melt the ingredients in

..Alternatively:

• Shea Butter/Coca Butter
• An essential oil for scent

How to mix it?

So I will write to you the way I personally make it. I have not read any recipes so do not quote me on this, it is all about mixing it until you get it the way you like it. FIY, the hardness of Beeswax on a scale from 1-10 would be a 10, whereas Shea Butter is a 6-7 and Cocoa Butter a 9-10. So for the most simple recipe of an oil and Beeswax, you use a ratio of 1:3 to get a solid, but soft salve. Keep this in mind when you are creating your salve.

1. Fill up the cosmetic container that you will be using according to the guide lines I've written above, i.e for a simple salve of only beeswax and oil, fill a fourth of your container with Beeswax and the rest with oil. If you wan't to add Shea Butter to the mix, the way I would do it is to in your head, divide the container in two parts. For the first half of your container, fill 1/4 with Beeswax and 3/4 with oil. For your second half, since Shea Butter is softer than Beeswax, add 1/3 of Shea Butter and 2/3 oil. This is just the way I do it since I just do it by heart, and I don't measure or follow a recipe.

2. Pour the mix of wax, oil and Shea butter into a bowl. Heat it in the microwave but take it out now and then to stir. Once the whole mix has no bits or chunks in it and just looks like a melted oil, take it out.

3. Pour the mix into your cosmetic container again. Now add your essential oils and/or Vitamin E oil (natural preservative). Leave to harden over night or put in the fridge or freezer if you are impatient.

Done!

Will you try this, 

or have you tried something like this before?

xx

Check out my other natural DIYs here, to learn how to make your own lip balm, lipstick, whipped Shea Butter, deep conditioner, body scrubs, face masks, facial oils or nail oils.

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♥ DIY Scalp Oil & Hair Lotion

DIY Scalp Oil & Hair Lotion in Applicator Bottle

A scalp oil for me is essentials in order to not get an itchy scalp, and also keep it from getting dry.  I actually hada terrible experience with a rash in my whole scalp for 2-3 months a few years ago. A hair dresser actually said it was psoriasis, since I don't have that- I am pretty sure it was a reaction to a relaxer. At that time I didn't care that much about my hair, nor scalp and didn't think much of it, but it was disgusting and extremely flaky.

Moving on, now I use a scalp oil about every other day. It's a great way to also try and give yourself a scalp massage before going bed, increasing the blood flow to your scalp- which promotes hair growth.

What to put in your scalp oil mix?

• Majority of the oil should consistent of at least one of the 2 only oils that will actually get absorbed by skin and hair. These are Coconut Oil & Jojoba Oil. Using a thick oil like Castor Oil (when you leave it on your scalp) can give you an adverse effect- making your scalp itchy!
• Peppermint Oil! Amazing for scalp, feels very soothing and depending on how much you put in, it gives a cooling sensation too. 
• Tea Tree Oil. Add some of this for the antibacterial and anti fungal properties it has. This will keep your scalp healthy and clean between washes.
• Rosemary Oil. This can help stimulate the circulation to your scalp, and thereby promoting hair growth.

What to put in your hair lotion/oil?

• Shea Butter (Melt it and pour it in, don't use more than a 3rd)
• A cheap carrier oil like Almond or Sesame Seed.
• A few super nutritious oils like: Linseed Oil & Hemp Seed Oil
• Essential oil of choice for the scent (will make your hair smell newly washed between washes), like: Lavender, Sweet Orange, Rose Oil

Essential for both mixes:

• Vitamin E oil: An antioxidant which prolonges shelf life of a product as well as promotes cell growth.

Read my post on: Vitamin E Oil here, Coconut Oil here, Shea Butter here, Jojoba Oil here, Oils in general here. 

Do you use oils in your hair?

& whats your favourite?

xx

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♥ DIY Hair Deep Conditioner

DIY HAIR DEEP CONDITIONER This is a super easy DIY for you guys. I have to admit I haven't used a deep conditioner in a long while. Before I used to always use them when I washed my hair, instead of conditioner. But since I found my favourite detangling conditioner from Tresemme I just haven't been bothered. If you are the same as me, you have a favourite affordable conditioner, but would like a deep conditioner once in a while, this is the DIY for you!

What is a deep conditioner? I don't know what it is technically but in my own words I would say that it is a conditioner with extra:

• Nourishment (Oils, Butters Etc.)
• Protein (Silk, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Etc)
• Moisture (Glycerin, Honey)

So what can you add to your own conditioner?

• For nourishment: Oils & Butters like Shea Butter, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil etc. For an itchy scalp add Peppermint Essential Oil
• For protein: Avocado, Egg (If you add egg, don't apply any heat to your head), Mayonnaise
• For moisture: Honey, glycerin (If you have that lying around, I don't lol) 

I didn't have any avocado, mayonnaise at this time and I wanted to apply heat so I didn't use an egg. Instead I used a conditioner containing a lot of protein. For moisture I used honey and for extra nourishment I used Olive Oil. This is not my oil of choice but I had some to finish.

Ps. If you have all the ingredients I listed above the last pic- you can them on your own, just make sure you blend them properly. Check out my DIY Protein Treatment here (using similar ingredients): http://yolandaas.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/diy-protein-avocado-hair-treatment.html

Do you deep condition your hair? What do you use? :)

xx

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♥ DIY- Rich Whipped Body Lotion/Hair Cream

Make your own Whipped Super Rich Body Lotion/Hair Cream

I have posted something similar a long time ago (link here), around the time when I first started my blog. Anyway this is the easiest thing ever to make, it is basically a whipped Shea Butter mix. I would recommend this if you have dry skin (or as a foot/hand cream on normal skin) or as a hair cream/leave in for people with afro hair texture or generally dry hair.

What you need:

• Shea Butter or African Butter (the yellow one)
• A carrier oil
• An electric whisk/mixer

Optional:

• Essential Oils- Suggestions: Lavender (Calming), Peppermint Oil (Soothing, good for itchy scalp (, Tea Tree Oil (Anti Bacterial), Rosemary Oil (Stimulate hair follicles-promotes hair growth) or Sweet Orange Oil (Smells aa-mazing)
• Aloe Vera Gel
• Water (But then you need to use a preservative)

Directions: Put all of your ingredients into a mixing bowl and start whisking. I whisk my Shea Butter when it's hard but you might want to melt it for a few seconds in the microwave to soften it before.

Will you be trying this out? Have you tried it? Share your links or recipes?

x

Ps. Guys my camera is still broken (Hence the iPhone 4s pictures)

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♥ Another of those.. For chocolate lovers

Chocolate & Peppermint Scrub (For superdry skin)

So the last scrub recipe I shared on my blog was this one. I wanted to make a slightly different scrub and also, one that is a bit more moisturising, so this is for you superdry people!

Also, if you don't like chocolate ( I have a feeling this is many of you, from the reaction Bodyshop Chocomania got), just leave it out!

 For this I used: Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Almond Oil, Castor Sugar, Fairtrade Cocoa Powder, Peppermint Essential Oil & Aloe Vera (for preservative)

It smells amazing, kind of what you would expect these to smell like.

 

Do you have any interesting Body Scrub recipes?

x

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♥ DIY: Soothing Aloe Vera & Orange Body Scrub

Soothing Aloe Vera & Orange Body Scrub

I just wanted to share this Aloe Vera & Sweet Orange Oil body scrub. I love making my own body scrub because it's easy, you have most of the ingredients at home and you can alter it the way you like it.

In my body scrub I used:

-Almond Oil

-Jojoba Oil

-Castor Sugar

-Aloe Vera Gel (99%)

How to alter your scrub for your skin type, usage and how long you want it to last:

Use Aloe Vera Gel:

- Most Aloe Vera gel will have a preservative in them, use Aloe Vera Gel if you want your product to last longer.

-It's soothing, so use it on sensitive, sunburnt or skin you just shaved.

-If you don't want any oily residue on your skin after using the scrub, use a larger quantity of Aloe Vera. Otherwise, use more oil and you won't need to use body lotion afterward.

Coconut Oil:

-If you want your bodyscrub to be more solid. Coconut Oil is solid at room temprature and melt when in contact with your skin.

Sugar:

-Use finer sugar if you want a more gentle scrub, like an everyday scrub or a face scrub.

Essential Oils

-As a perfume, use any essential oil that you think smells nice like: Sweet Orange Oil. Peppermint Oil gives a cooling sensation and can feel refreshing, Lavender Essential Oil is calming and Tea Tree Oil is anti septic.

Do you make your own body scrub?

x

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♥ DIY- Protein Avocado Hair Treatment

DIY: Homemade avocado and egg hair mask

I think we all know by now that sometimes, your hair needs extra protein. This is because your hair is made by keratin (a protein). It is especially important when you have chemically treated hair, which means you have dyed, bleached, relaxed your hair etc. The reason this homemade hair mask gives your hair protein is because of the egg.

I want to share an easy DIY protein hair mask with you :)

 I put in: Coconut Oil, Honey, 1 Avocado, 1 egg, Sweet Orange Oil & Shea Butter

Put everything in your blender and start mixing!

This is what it will look like

What it looked like in my hair

Tips:

-Add an essential oil like Orange or Peppermint to make it smell nice

- Rinse it out in cold water unless you want fried egg in your hair :) 

Have you done a hair mask like this?

Or any other interesting recipes you want to share?

x

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♥ DIY: Studded Denim Vest & Studded Denim Shorts

Im really excited to share my latest DIY!

I've been meaning to order studs for soo long and since I recently bought both a denim vest and a pair of Levi's shorts to stud, ordering them was way overdue!

Anyway, I found I site I'm really happy with. It's a UK based site and I ordered these on Thursday and received them on Saturday.

The website is www.josyrose.com

Here is a mini "how to stud a denim vest- tutorial". The pictures are moving so just keep looking!

 Also, when your dealing with a thick fabric like denim, make sure you push the sharp ends in properly.

 

This is the result, I really like it!

DIY studded Levi's shorts- these are not finished though.

I also decided to spice up my army jacket. So here you go- Army Jacket with golden studs! I really like this.

 Last but not least, I bought this from H&M months ago, for £5 on Sale. Initially I though I'd put collar tips on it, but since I had some spare studs I decided to create my own "Stud- Collar Tips"

What do you think?

Which one do you prefer more, and have you done something like this (please share)

x

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♥ DIY: Sweet Orange Lipscrub

I know most of you probably know how to do this since it's not at all complicated. But I thought I'd show those who don't know, and reminds those who do. I also thought it would be fun to show my own version :)

• I used a lipbalm travel jar from Primark (it comes in a set of 3 lipbalm jars and three lotion bottles, for £1). 
• Fill the jar half way or a bit more with Castor Sugar
• Pour Jojoba Oil so that you just about cover the sugar, if theres more space, add more sugar & oil subsequently.
• Finish off with adding Sweet Orange Essential Oil

 Alternatives: You can use: salt instead of sugar, although I wouldnt, any other oil instead of Jojoba oil, Fragrance or any other essential oil (like Peppermint Oil) instead of Orange Oil

Hope you liked this. Do you use your own lip scrub or do you prefer the Lush ones?

x

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♥ DIY: Vitamin E- Jojoba & Sweet Orange Nail Oil

Did you know that Vitamin E can really help you if you have brittle nails that break vertically? I've had it before and it's really annoying, your nails grow, but just keep breaking until their really thin which eventually cause the to break horizontally too.

The Vitamin E molecule itself is too big to penetrate the nail, which is why it's commonly used with Jojoba Oil (which has smaller molecules). I use my own nail oil, its a Vitamin E- Jojoba & Sweet orange oil. The Sweet Orange Essential oil makes it smell amazing.

My nail oil is really easy and cheap (in the long run, or if you have some of the ingredients already.

You need an empty nail polish/oil container. I'm using an old nail oil one. A tip is to use a container with a fairly big whole at the top, otherwise you'll spill unnecessary amounts of oil trying to pour it.

The ingredients I use in my nail oil all happen to be from Holland & Barret (UK Health Shop):

-Grapeseed Oil with Vitamin E
-Sweet Orange Essential Oil
-Jojoba Oil

Of course, you can use only Jojoba oil and Vitamin E drops if you want to. Or make another recipe. I just think it's handy that the Vitamin E is in the Grapeseed oil, and I had it at home.


Why you shouldn't buy nail oils, I also wanted to say, even though you might not want to use this recipe. Keep in mind that all the nail oils out there are ridiculously overpriced. Be aware of bad ingredients, and if the ingredients are good, just read them, and make it yourself!

Here are some examples..

Solar Oil, approximately £7 for a normal sized bottle a think.

From what I've researched a lot of people have found that this is a good nail oil. These are the ingredients if you want to make it yourself:

Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Almond Fragrance, Tocopherol Acetate.

!Tocopherol Acetate is Vitamin E for those who don't know.


Sally Hansen Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil, approximately £7

I would definitely not buy this, nor copy the ingredients because it contains mineral oil, parabens and silicones- quite a lot of them too. There are some good ingredients though such as: Safflower Oil, Vitamin E, Vitamin B5 (Panthenol), Wheat Germ Oil, Coconut Oil & Aloe Vera.

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil (Safflower) , Tocopheryl Acetate , Isocetyl Alcohol , Cyclopentasiloxane , Cyclohexasiloxane , Panthenol , Propylparaben , Prunus Armeniaca Kernal Oil (Apricot) , Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil (Wheat) , Aqua (Water) , Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut) , Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil) , Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract , Citric Acid

Do you use nail oils & do you think they work? Any favorites?

x

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