soap

To celebrate International Women's Day on March 8, L'Occitane is allowing women to indulge in a little bit of self-pampering while giving back at the same time. The beauty brand is releasing its Solidarity Fundraising Soap ($4) which is made from fair-trade shea butter and produced in a completely women-run factory in African nation Burkina Faso. All of the proceeds from the soap sales will help build literacy centres for women there. Pick up your soap on March 8 and help spread some girl power around the world. Who said beauty was a shallow affair?

Sure, your mother always demanded you wash your face with soap, but bar soap might not be the best option for daily cleansing. The average soap has an alkaline pH of seven, while balanced skin is about 4.5. Ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate create the foam the gives you that clean (or tight) feeling. Soap, however, can strip away the natural oils your skin needs, therefore leading to a misbehaving complexion. Discover your soap alternative when you keep reading

We're a sucker for anything cute. Especially when it takes cheap (or should that be cheep) and nesting (quite literally) to another level! So you can imagine our delight when the beautiful Madame Plume range from The Aromatherapy Company landed on our desk. The French farmhouse style line is available in three fragrant ranges (Fig and Honey, Rose Blossom and Vanilla Bean) and features a Diffusion Set ($24.95), Bird Candles ($8.95), Bird Soap ($11.95) and a Bird Cage Gift Set ($19.95), which includes a soap in a charming little bird cage. The range makes for a perfect gift and we can't get over the prices! What do you think of it all?

With Christmas just around the corner, we're thinking you could be a wee bit STRESSED. There's presents to wrap (maybe even buy), prawns to peel, hams to glaze and a house to be tidied. Chances are you haven't even thought of yourself.

Which is why we've teamed up with Lush to offer 10 lucky readers the chance to get the popular Christmas Angels Delight Soap delivered direct to your door. This vibrant, glitterbomb soap will leave skin feeling silky smooth and smelling divine thanks to its blend of coconut, rapeseed, tangerine and sweet orange oils.

One lucky reader will get theirs packaged in a Lush Knot-Wrap, which is inspired by the Japanese art of Furoshiki. The gorgeous eco-friendly wrapping can be used afterwards as a scarf, headscarf, gift wrap or to brighten up a handbag. LOVE.

To be in with the chance of winning one of the 10 soaps, all you have to do is tell us whether you normally use a body wash or stick with traditional soap in the shower and why . . .

Terms and Conditions apply.