Review: Forever Aloe Scrub

I was recently approached about becoming a distributor for health and beauty brand Forever Living, a company that until a couple of months ago, I had never heard of. Before making any decisions I decided to try out a few of the products and do a little bit of background research, especially as I knew I wouldn't feel comfortable talking/blogging about products that I don't believe in.

However, after borrowing and trying out a few of a friends products, I was totally in-love and completely hooked! I found out that all the products contain Aloe Vera, and that unlike other Aloe Vera brands, Forever is the only company in the world to use pure Aloe Vera in its products, with many other brands using the leaf and other parts of the plant as well as the pure juice. By using only pure Aloe Vera, each of the Forever products are packed full of nutrients, vitamins and all natural goodness and are perfect for use on all skin types.

Forever's Aloe Scrub has to be one of my favourite Aloe products, the clever formula contains a mixture of Aloe Vera gel and all-natural microspheres of jojoba, making it perfect for gentle cleansing. Plus, with all-natural microspheres instead of the plastic-based ones found in many exfoliating products, this product is sea-life friendly and will dissolve before making its way into the sea.

Unlike facial scrubs that contain chemicals and synthetic cleansers, the all-natural Aloe Scrub protects the skin from any drying or damaging effects whilst gently lubricating and conditioning the skin, making it perfect for anyone who suffers from dry skin. Aloe Vera also has natural antibacterial qualities so if you suffer from spots or acne this face scrub is also ideal for helping to prevents breakouts!

As someone who suffers from eczema I am always wary about what I will try on my skin as there really is nothing worse than a facial eczema flare-up! As the Aloe Scrub is all natural and free of chemicals I was more than happy to try it, especially as friends of mine had mentioned just how good it is for helping to prevent facial eczema, and boy am I glad I did - since trying out the Aloe Scrub my facial eczema rarely makes an appearance, gone are the days of sore, dry and itchy skin.

Now, you may not know this but Aloe Vera has natural antibacterial qualities, making it perfect for using to help prevent spots and more serious break-outs.

My first experience trying out the Aloe Scrub was an interesting one; when I first felt the scrub its texture seemed almost drying and gritty compared to other face scrubs, however once I had applied the scrub to my face I was astounded by just how moisturising it really was, my skin felt seriously smooth and silky - this is when I fell in love!

If you would like to give Aloe Face Scrub a try you can buy it online here, or alternatively tweet, Facebook or email me for some more information.

The Recipe Read - Homemade Fro Yo

As I am still in training for my 10K Race for Life event next month, I thought I would make this week's recipe read a nice and healthy(ish) one. After some thought and consideration about the perfect recipe, I decided on homemade Frozen Yogurt as not only is it healthy and packed full of fruit, it is also a perfect treat for the gorgeous Summer weather we have recently been having!

With so many recipes for Frozen Yogurt, I honestly couldn't decide which fabulous concoction to try first, however I eventually settled on a yummy sounding Strawberry recipe* that was not only simple and easy to do, but also did not require an ice cream maker, which considering the fact I don't have one, was rather fortunate.

To create this delicious treat you will need:

455 grams of fresh Strawberries
85 grams of Caster Sugar
160 grams of Greek Yogurt
1 tsp of fresh Lemon juice
Sprinkle of Xanthan Gum (optional)

You will also need:

A set of measuring scales
1 large mixing bowl
A blender
Wooden spoon
Clingfilm
Freezable container

Method:

Begin by slicing the strawberries into thin pieces.

Then place the strawberries in the mixing bowl with the sugar, stirring until the sugar begins to dissolve. Cover with Clingfilm and leave to stand at room temperature for an hour.

Place the strawberry and sugar mixture into the blender, add the yogurt, fresh lemon juice and Xanthan Gum if using. Blend until the mixture is smooth.

Place the mixture in the fridge to chill for one hour.

After an hour place the mixture into the freezable contain and place in the freezer. Be sure to check mixture regularly, stirring every 40 minutes to help stop ice crystals forming and ruining the texture.

Once fully frozen, remove from freezer, serve and enjoy.

Helpful hint: although the Xanthan Gum is optional, it thickens the mixture and gives it a better texture, preventing ice crystals from forming. For anyone without an ice cream maker, Xanthan Gum is an excellent buy, available from Whole Foods and Sainsbury's.


*Disclaimer: this recipe originally came from twopeasandtheirpod.com but has been modified for use without an ice cream maker.