Autumn Beauty Swap - with Sandra from Beauty Balm

A few months ago, I saw on Twitter that Kat from Tales of a Pale Face was organising a Beauty Swap.  I headed over and put my name down straight away! Although I am new to writing my own blog I'm certainly not new to reading them and reading swap posts is something that I have always really enjoyed. Its great to see what two relative strangers have bought for each other and what they both thought of the products they received.

So, a couple of weeks ago I was sent an email from Kat pairing me up with Sandra from Beauty Balm. I honestly couldn't believe my luck! I have followed Sandra for AGES and have always really valued her reviews and opinions. I felt like a groupie and even did a (well, more than a few) little squeals when I found out we would be paired up. We agreed on a price limit and posting date and off to the shops we went!

I picked up my parcel from the Post Office today and LOOK AT THIS WONDERFUL ARRAY OF GOODIES! I'm not great at taking photos and the natural light was just fading but you can see just how beautifully everything was presented.

Sorry again about the photo quality, I had to use my phone as my camera is playing up and wouldn't do what I was telling it to do! As soon as it is working again, I will edit the photos with new ones.

I started opening things very calmly and very patiently - this lasted for about three things before I descended on the rest of them in a mad frenzy!

And this is what was inside:

Sandra gifted me some incredibly scented tea lights from St Eval Candle Company in Apple & Elderflower. I am in love with these already. They hold such a crisp, fresh fragrance and even my husband likes them.  I will be putting some more of these on my Christmas wishlist.

Something that has been on my wishlist for months is bodhi's Neroli Lucé Revitalising Face Oil-with Tunisian Neroli, Frankincense and Sea Buckthorn oils. Over the moon to have this at last!

A Bathing Beauty POP Fabulous Effervescent Foot Reviving Tablet - with Peppermint, Tea Tree, Witch Hazel and Peach Kernel oil to cleanse and nourish feet. I love anything effervescent; that magical fizzy noise it makes and the look of bubbles forming rapidly in water! 

Also from Bathing Beauty Sandra included a Super Lux Rose and Shea Butter Soap made with Fair Trade Shea Butter and crowned with 10 pink rose buds. This looks so pretty that I almost don't want to use it! I will though and I'll enjoy every moment.

From A'kin there was a Lavender & Anthyllis Leave in Conditioner.  My hair is going to love this, I can tell! A leave in conditioner for dry and frizzy hair, it can be used on either wet or dry hair to defrizz and protect. I've said before that I find natural hair care products that suit my hair difficult to find so I'm keen to get this on and try it out.

Sandra added a mascara from Avril - A girl can never have enough mascaras and I'm about to come to the end of one so very good timing!

Also a Wellgreen Lewes Lip Balm in Orange - this will be perfect for those cold Winter months that are just around the corner.

Something else to help balance the skin during the Winter is a Collagen Mask Pack by Naisture. Again, I've read lots of great reviews on this mask so pleased to have the chance to try it out myself.

Sandra added some samples along with everything (how lucky am I?!) - bodhi's Mint Thé shower gels, Dr Bronner's Magic Soap in Lavender (my favourite), Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence, Suti Fabulous Foot Balm, Vapour Multi Use Blush in Courtesan.

I'll be using the super cute Caroline Gardner mini notebook to do mini reviews and quite happily drink the gorgeous Brewhaha Rose Tea while I'm at it!

 I am incredibly happy with everything picked for this swap, thank you so much Sandra!

You can read what I picked for Sandra and what she thought of everything here.