BRAND SPOTLIGHT | OUR TINY BEES

Ok guys, today I would like to talk about a brand I've only recently found out about (but have fallen in love with!) - Our Tiny Bees. Not only are their skincare and candles natural, they use honey and beeswax which supports British bees and beekeepers. If you've been with me for a while, you will know that I love bees, so this is the perfect brand for me. Keep on reading to see what Our Tiny Bees products I have, and what I think of them.

Firstly, let's talk about the packaging. My little order came in a big cardboard box filled with scrunched up brown paper - no unnecessary plastic or polystyrene, which I appreciated. I ordered four items, and because I'd spent over £40, they included two free products! This means that I got seven items for just £40, which I think is really affordable, especially considering what I got.

First on my list was Our Tiny Bees Vanilla and Honey Body Scrub (£11.95), which I'd seen a video by Stephanie Toms on youtube (and actually tuned me into the brand, so, thanks girl!). This body scrub is made with, of course, British honey, along with sugar, vanilla, and almond oil - which means that it moisturises as well as polishes. First impressions, upon opening the massive jar, you are confronted by a very intense vanilla honey smell, which while incredibly potent, is absolutely delicious. It also has a very interesting texture, with the very dense sugar scrub portion taking up most of the jar, and then a liquid honey-almond oil part oozing out on top. Nothing like I've used before! It takes a few handfuls to get to grips with the unusual texture, but it definitely works. Thanks to the large sugar chunks, it gives a good yet gentle exfoliation, and the almond oil, while feeling really greasy in the shower, leaves you with soft and smooth skin once you dry off. It also makes your bathroom smell fantastic! I love that it's made with all natural ingredients, and not these fake exfoliating 'beads' you see in some of the cheaper scrubs. So I definitely recommend this one if you're looking for a new pamper product. But heads up, it is very messy!

Next I got one of their candles. I was torn between scents, as they have such a good range, including vanilla, lemongrass, grapefruit, rose, patchouli, rosemary and citrus. But in the end I had to go for the 100% British Beeswax and Soy Lavender Candle (£11.95), swayed by the fact that English Lavender as well as English Beeswax was used to make it. Also, because it's part beeswax and part soy, it burns longer (than regular soy candles). It is a good sized candle, and comes with a lid so you don't get dust in it between burns (and you lock in the scent, which is fantastic by the way!). It smells like actual lavender, which is awesome (I've sniffed way too many 'lavender' fragrances that just smell fake and wrong). So if you've been searching for candles that actually smell like their namesake, try these. Once I get through this one, the Rosemary candle is definitely on my list!

I was also intrigued by two of their balms. I've actually talked about Our Tiny Bees Weird Balm (£9.95) before here. This clever little balm is inspired by apothecaries of the 19th century, and is full of healing and antiseptic ingredients. Although it looks a bit weird (ha!) it actually works. I've been using it to massage sore and aching muscles, and this works where all other massage products have failed. It can also be used as a tattoo balm (which is actually what it was originally created for) so the next time I have a fresh tattoo I'll definitely be trying this out. (Btw, it's easily absorbed and doesn't leave a green cast to your skin, don't worry!).

The other balm I ordered was the Our Tiny Bees Uber Balm (£7,98), which is a super little balm intended for sensitive skin. It contains calming, moisturising and anti-inflammatory ingredients, so should ease dry skin as well as any irritations. Apparently it can be used anywhere, from your lips, to your hair to your body. I've only used it on my body so far, as this is likely far too rich for my hair, but I imagine that if you have really dry or damaged hair this would work lovely as a split end treatment. So far I've not noticed that this has made my skin any worse (my skin reacts badly to heavy or oily products and I get those little raised bumps on my arms and thighs) but it's too soon to tell if this is helping ease my skin condition. It does moisturise nicely though!

One thing I will say with the balms is that they are bloody difficult to get out of their tins! They are balms, after all, so are partially solid - so they need to heat up slightly so you can get product out (or you can gouge it out, as I have impatiently been doing as I try to moisturise my whole body with this little balm). This is the only thing that puts me off these two little balms, as I wish they were easier to use, but they are worth the hassle as they really are lovely. That's all that I actually ordered, now onto the fee gifts!

When you spend £20, you get a free Our Tiny Bees Lipbalm (£3.95). This is a little (you guessed it) honey and beesewax lipbalm in an adorable tin. I don't normally like lipbalms in tins as they're usually really sticky, and then I just get them everywhere, but this one isn't like that at all. The formula is greasy but not in a gross way. You only need a little swipe and it just gently moisturises, without leaving a thick horrible layer. Although it looks small, I haven't even made a dent in it so I expect that it's last forever. I like the fact that it is a simple product - all it contains are British honey, beeswax and almond oil, nothing else, and no fancy flavourings (it's sometimes nice to have a plain lip balm in your arsenal). 

When you spend £40, you get the lipbalm as well as a free Our Tiny Bees Lavender Hand Balm (£7.95). This balm is full of antibacterial British lavender as well as nut oils and butters, honey and beesewax. This have a similar consistency to the other two balms that I have, but seeing as you're covering a smaller surface area (just your hands) it's much easier to work with. Also, a little really does go a long way, and there's a fine line between feeling greasy but not in a bad way (similar to the feeling of the lipbalm) and still kind of 'matte' - and greasy in a horrible, I'm going to taint everything I touch with liquid lavender kind of way. But once you use it sparingly, it's a lovely product, and where you control how much you put on it makes it easier to use on the go than squeezy hand creams (any one else squeezed out far too much and not had anywhere to wipe it off except any avaliable exposed body parts?).

These two little freebies were lovely additions, and I would have bought them anyway to be perfectly honest. The offer is still valid and you don't have to do anything, or type in any codes, they just pop it in your order!

I know some people (especially vegans) will likely be put off by the honey and beeswax elements to these products, I urge you to read their mission statement and maybe you'll reconsider. Our Tiny Bees honey and beeswax is taken ethically, and actually supports and helps British bees and beekeepers (which is definitely a good thing!) - plus they are fantastic for your skin.

So, basically, if you like bees (and natural skincare) like I do - go check these guys out!

Have you heard of these guys before? let me know below!

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PS | Though they don't explicitly say it on their site, they are completely cruelty free, as you can see in my correspondence here.