Tips & Tricks

Organically Epic's tips and tricks!!!

At Organically Epic we rigourously test all of the products we distribute.  As these products are Organic and 100% Natural, the way you use them can often differ from how you use the other products in your beauty routine. We believe that whilst organic and natural products are not the same as ordinary, chemical laden goodies, (that is the point) they are definitely as good and are far far better for you in the long term.  You just need to know how to get the best out of them.

We have divised a few tips and tricks on this page so that you can follow them or tweek them, depending on what is best for your skin type - which is key, with anything you are using on your skin.

Eco by Sonya's Face Tan Water

The face tan water is a world first for facial tanning and can be used for any skin tone.  It is called a face tan water because it is exactly that, it will tan your face and it has the consistency of water.  It is a cloudy colour when you look at it in the bottle but when you put it on a cotton wool pad, it is completely clear.  The ingredients include aloe vera, radish root, flower oil and orange peel and natural DHA.  Natural DHA is made by the fermentation of sugars and sits on the skin, it will not penetrate the skin or enter the blood stream.  It has a gorgeous scent and has 92% Organic material in it, one of the highest of the range.  Don't fear, the remaining 8% is all natural, there are no toxins or chemicals in any of Eco by Sonya's products, they are 100% natural.  For best results please note the following:

• Put onto clean dry cleansed skin before bed, making sure all makeup is removed
• You can put it on as you would a toner, either with your fingers or cotton wool.  You only need a few drops. Remember to wash your hand thoroughly.
• Sweep it over your face, covering your nose, cheekbones & forehead evenly.  Then sweep over your neck and décolletage
• Leave overnight and wake up with a lovely subtle, natural looking glow.  You can then cleanse and moisturise as you would normally
• We have found that we all use it in different ways in the Organically Epic office.  I personally put it on in the morning in place of my toner, then I don't need to moisturise as I find it is quite nourishing for my skin.  I have oily skin that is prone to breakouts.  It doesn't take long for the tan to come out on my skin, just an hour or two.  I use the face tan water 2/3 times a week depending on what I'm doing and I find that it gives me a constant lovely glow.  Karon uses her face tan water every other day in the morning.  She waits for it to dry then puts her moisturiser on, then her makeup.  She has very very dry skin.  Our farer skinned colleagues like Katie, use it the night before and look so amazingly glowy the next day that she only needs to use it at the most twice a week.
• As with all tanning products, application, skin tone and the types of other products you use do have an effect on how you use the face tan water, experiment with it, see what works for you
  
• It is so versatile and nourishing that its one of our biggest sellers.

Eco by Sonya's Invisible Tan

Invisible tan is best suited for medium to olive skin tones.  It has the consistancy of a moisturiser and gets the name, Invisible Tan, from it's caramel/cream colour that blends into the skin more or less instantly.  The ingredients include aloe vera, avocado, chamomile & rose geranium so it is super nourishing to the skin, not drying it out like conventional self tanners. It also contains DHA a natural compound made by the fermentation of sugars.  The DHA sits on the top layer of your skin and does not penetrate your skin, thus not entering the blood stream.  Because of this and the organic and natural ingredients in the bottle you will not get the usual smell associated with self tanners.  For best results please note the following:

• Exfoliate 24/48 hours prior to application - this is to make sure that all your dead skin cells are scrubbed to perfection and will mean that the Invisible tan will have skin cells to cling to, making sure that your tan is not patchy (I've never had a patchy tan with Invisible tan) and that it will last for as long as possible.
• If your skin is particularly dry, make sure you moisturise the day before you apply.
• Apply onto clean dry skin.  We advise that you shower & dry your skin thoroughly before applying.  Work the cream up your body towards the heart in sweeping cirular motions paying close attention to your elbows and knees as these can be quite dry.
• You do not need to use a mitt to apply but wash your hands thoroughly after application.  Super thoroughly! give them a good scrub on the palms and between the fingers.
• Make sure that you allow the tan to dry into your skin before putting clothes on or hopping into bed. By making sure it is dry, you will not stain your bedsheets.
• Wake up after 6-8 hours with a lovely natural glow.  I emphasise the word 'Natural' because that is what it is.  It isn't a fake orange or mahogany colour and it will not look like you've overdone it. Then shower and go.
• If you find that one application is not dark enough for you, apply again the next evening.  We have done so on the odd occasion when we have wanted to go darker.  Please do bear in mind, as the components of Invisible Tan are natural and organic, the colour can continue formulating for up to 48 hours. 
• As with any self tanner, after care is key.  If you are using heavily perfumed bodywashes and moisturisers, your tan will fade quicker.  That is why we often find that the tans on our faces are the first to fade, due cleansers, toners, moisturiser and make up.  The whole Eco by Sonya range supports your tan by locking in moisture without stripping your skin of the tan or any natural oils.  The coconut body milk is a great tan extender.
• Invisible tan will last from 5 to 7 days.

Eco by Sonya's Winter Skin

Winter Skin is a gradual tanner, best suited for fair/light to medium skin tones.  Winter Skin is a daily moisturiser that contains aloe vera and grapefruit skin extract to instantly moisturise and replenish dry skin.  As with Invisible tan, it contains rose geranium and chamomile but with cacao fruit powder that helps build the lovely natural colour.  Winter Skin contains a small amount of DHA, a natural compound made by the fermentation of natural sugars. Winter skin has a lovely smell from the rose geranium, it does not smell of fake tan.

• There aren't really that many tips or tricks for Winter Skin as it is really easy to apply.  It is a moisturiser so you just use as you would with any moisturiser on your body and face each day until you have built the colour to your desired depth/result.  Remember to wash your hands thoroughly after use! we wouldn't want any tanned palms!
• Use each day to build the colour then Have a day or two break before applying again, experiment a bit to see what colour you can get and what is best for your skin.
• Aside from using non perfumed or chemical products on your skin as body washes etc, there are no other tips on this one.  It's an easy peasy product to use!
• using Exo by Sonyas body washes will help nourish the skin and keep the tan.

Eco by Sonya's Rich Honey Spray Tan Solution

Rich Honey gives a colour just as the name suggests, a rich honey tone.  This is a non sticky, fast drying solution that will deliver long lasting results, around 7-10 days of a tan to be exact. It contains witch hazel, aloe vera, chamomile, grapefruit & grape skin that will nourish the skin as it tans with cacao.  It also contains DHA a natural compound made by the fermentation of natural sugars. The DHA sits works with the top layer of your skin and does not penetrate the skin barrier, thus not entering the blood stream.  You will not get the usual smell associated with self tanners.  There are no orange or green synthetics in this magic bottle of nourishing goodness!  Goodbye Oompa Loompa, hello golden bronze Goddess!!!

• Exfoliate 24/48 hours prior to application - this is to make sure that all your dead skin cells are scrubbed to perfection and will mean that the spray tan will have skin cells to cling to, making sure that your tan is not patchy (we have never had a patchy tan with Rich Honey) and that it lasts as long as possible.
• Get your spray tan professional to apply as she/he would with any other spray tan, 1 or 2 coats depending on your preference
• Rich honey is a 2+ hour tan so can be washed of after 2 hours and the colour will continue tomorrow envelop for r up to 48 hours.  You can also leave Rich Honey on overnight.
• Let the solution dry on your skin before putting on loose clothing.
• Leave on overnight or wash off in 2/4 hours depending on your preference.
• Rich Honey will continue to develop for up 48 hours so you will go darker even after wash off
• As Rich Honey is 100% natural and Organic the ingenious formulation works without penetrating the skin barrier so will not enter the blood stream.
• The ideal time to tan for a Saturday night out is a Thursday
• Upkeep is key to a lasting spray tan, moisturise and wash with products that are as natural/clean as possible so that they do not strip your skin. 
• Winter Skin is a great tan extender. The coconut body milk will keep you skin nourished and enhance the tan whilst the body washes will no the trip your skin of any natural oils therefore extending the tan.
• Eco by Sonya's bodycare range has been formulated to enhance all of their tans. 
• Rich honey will fade away gently and eveningly, no crocodile patches!

Eco by Sonya's Two Spray Tan Solution

Two is a 2 hour wash off time tan.  As with Rich Honey it contains witch hazel, aloe vera, chamomile, grapefruit & grape skin that will nourish the skin as it tans with cacao and caramel.  It also contains DHA which is a natural compound made by the fermentation of natural sugars. The DHA sits on the top layer of your skin and does not penetrate your skin, thus not entering the blood stream.  You will not get the usual smell associated with self tanners.  There are no orange or green synthetics in any of our tans!  Goodbye patchy orange skin, hello brown earthy smoothness!!!

• Application and upkeep is the same as Rich Honey, it is only the tone and wash off time of Two that is different.
• Two is a perfect lunchtime tan.
• Two will spray on evenly, however, it does not have the bronzer that Rich Honey so it will go on much lighter so you won't see it. Hence the perfect lunchtime tan. You can get a spray tan and go back to work but your colleagues will be none the wiser!
• Two will continue to develop for up 48 hours so don't fear, the colour you are after two hours is not the end result. 
• As Two is 100% natural and Organic the ingenious formulation works without penetrating the skin barrier so will not enter the blood stream.
• The ideal time to tan for a Saturday night out is a Thursday.
• Upkeep is key to a lasting spray tan, moisturise and wash with products that are as natural/clean as possible so that they do not strip your skin.
• Winter Skin is a great tan extender. The coconut body milk will keep you skin nourished and enhance the tan whilst the body washes will no the trip your skin of any natural oils therefore extending the tan.
• Eco by Sonya's bodycare range has been formulated to enhance all of their tans.
• Two will fade away gently and eveningly, no crocodile patches!
• brand new and has only been on the market since the end of July 2015

Eco by Sonya's Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub

The pink Himalayan salt scrub is the best scrub we have ever used at Organically Epic, it smells delicious!  It combines the amazing properties of lemongrass, coconut oil, macadamia, shea butter, pink grapefruit & peppermint with the salt crystals, offering superior exfoliation that is nourishing to the skin.

• As this is a revolutionary dry scrub, do not use it on wet skin.  You can but you will not get as good results as if you had used it dry
• Use either with your hand or with our extreme exfoliant glove
• Put it on your fingers tips or on your glove, only a small amount is needed, work up your body towards your heart, moving in circular scrubbing motions.  Replenish the amount on your hand or mitt as you go
• You can use it on your face as well as your body
• After you've exfoliated your whole body, just shower it off - easy peasy!
• Your skin will feel nourished and super smooth.
• If you find that your bottle has solidified in the cold, this will be the coconut oil.  Hold the bottle under some warm water for a minute or two prior to use.  It really depends on how cold your bathroom gets!
• You will notice, if you hold up your bottle to the light, it looks like it is only 3 quarters full.  After experimenting with hot and cold temperatures, we found that this is because when the coconut oil is combined with salt crystals both ingredients expand and contract when warmed up.  So, if it was packed full, it would pop!!

Eco by Sonya's Extreme Exfoliant Glove

Using the mitt is the most easy of all the products, as you'd imagine, but we want to include it in this section so we could explain a bit more about it.  It isn't your average exfoliating glove, as with all the Eco by Sonya products, when we first used this, we were blown away by it's effectiveness.  It contains over 100 natural fibers and is as sand-papery as it is soft.  If you use it, you'll know what I'm on about!

• Can be used on your face as well as body, a few of us at Organically Epic use it on our face once or twice a week to keep blackheads at bay
• Will assist in preventing acne, blackheads, cellulite and will assist in lymphatic stimulation
• Can be used in the shower to enhance other Eco by Sonya products or any other product you are using, but it really comes into it's own when used dry.  When teamed with the Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub it is amazing!

Eco by Sonya's Coconut Body Milk

As with the mitt, the coconut body milk is very easy to use, I'd say it's highly likely that everyone has moisturised, if not regularly then at some point at least! We are getting more and more reports from our customers on the magical healing effects of this body milk so if you have sensitive skin and only want one product, this is the one for you.  It is wonderful on sensitive skins, eczema & psoriasis.  Blending the healing power of organic coconut oil with aloe vera and macadamia oil.  Look at our testimonials and social media pages for reviews.

• One thing you will notice is that along with all of our products, it does not have a perfumed smell to it, which has been off putting for some as we have become heavily accustomed to perfumes in our moisturisers.  So, the body milk will not smell like a drink of malibu or a bounty bar, it is the natural smell of coconut which is more milky.
• The bottle is huge, 500mls and whilst the body milk is thick, you only need a small amount, perhaps just one pump, to cover your whole arm.  So a little goes a long way and it will last you a long time, even when moisturising twice a day
• Work up the body, I personally start on my legs, then onto arms then my body.  However, you can use this anyway you like, just make sure you don't use too much or you'll be standing their waiting for it to sink in for ages!
• The body milk will soothe any skin irritations you have, healing them after as little as two days of use
• We have found that it will also leave a bit of a coating on your skin, this is not oily but you can feel it, which will not only make you feel nice and soft but if you do have skin irritations, it seems to create a small barrier to help with the soothing, nourishing and healing process
• Excellent for children to sooth and heal any skin irritations

Eco by Sonya's Coconut & Mint Body Wash

Now you may think, why on earth do I need tips and tricks to use a body wash.  Well some of you do ask so we are giving you  what you want!  We have with this bottle of zing as it is all organic and natural matter so you do use it differently, and probably more sparingly than you would a conventional, and dare I say it, toxin and chemical laden brand.  As well as coconut oil and mint it contains aloe vera and vanilla fruit oil.  For best results please note the following:

• It is best used when pumped onto a flannel, scrunchy, sponge or loofah.  Because it is all organic and natural, to get a good foam up, you need somesort of apparatus, not just your hands - aka, a quick man wash... in some cases, not all men :)
• The bottle contains organic coconut oil so make sure you give it a good shake before you use it.  It does say this on the bottle but it's worth noting on here
• At Organically Epic, we have found that 3 pumps onto your sponge/loofah/scrunchy or flannel is more than enough.  Although you may want to use less or more depending on your preference
• Because it contains natural mint, not artifical mint, it will give you a small amount of zing, not a painful one
• Can be used for the whole family, including your mini me's
• This is one of the products that has surprised us.  It is unassuming and you think 'oh it's only a bodywash' but I kid you not, after using this for a few months you will not want to use any other chemical laden product to wash your skin.  When we have reverted back to conventional over the counter products, we have found that they tighten and dry out our skin.

Eco by Sonya's Lemongrass and Pink Grapefruit

There has been quite a buzz about this body wash as it was brand new to the market this summer.  It is quite different to the coconut and mint body wash but gives the shame soft refreshing results, it's a just a case of personal preference as to which one you like better, or if you're like us, use both because you cannot choose!  It contains a very high percentage or organic matter and this definitely shows when you smell it, it is gorgeous!  As well as lemongrass and pink grapefruit, it contains aloe vera, vanilla, coconut oil and peppermint.  It is a foam, as the name suggests, so is a huge hit with children! 

• As with the body wash, it is best when used with a glove, mitt, sponge, loofah etc
• You only need around 4/5 pumps to give your body a good, refreshing cleanse
• As with the body wash, this will make you skin feel cleansed and nourished, so when we have reverted back to conventional body washes, it has showed on our skin making it feel tighter and dryer, we've quickly reverted back to our Eco by Sonya washes after this
• Lemongrass has been known to help with body odour so it is a perfect ingredient in a body wash
• It can be used for the whole family, children love it because of the gorgeous fruity smell and that it is a fun foam

Eco by Sonya's Natural Coconut Deodorant

This deodorant is fab - Now in a new roll on form too!.  It works without blocking your pores combining the gorgeousness of coconut with chamomile, witch hazel, aloe vera & lavender.  To get the best out of the product please note:

• It does not contain any parabens or nasty chemicals that other deodorants do and it is 100% vegan
• Just roll on and go.... it's that easy
• your body will need to detox for around two weeks.  So dont think that it isn't working. The deodorant is allowing your body to rid itself of years of built up toxicity and blockage. After you have gone through the detox period it will work wonderfully and you'll wonder why you haven't been using it for years!
• It allows your body to breathe, as we are meant to
• It is ideal for those of us that just like to smell of their perfume and are fed up with chemical smelling deodorants that stain our clothes!
• This was the product we were most skeptical about.  How could it work, would it work?  well it does, granted, it won't make you smell like you bathed in coconutty goodness after 2 hours at the gym but if you want a natural, organic, safe deodorant, this is for you.  I've been using it since June 2015 and would never change back.  It is that good

Eco by Sonya's Natural Coconut Sunscreens - in tinted and untinted variations

These are the the only two products in the Eco by Sonya range that are vegetarian, not vegan, because of the small amount of beeswax in them that is used as a binding agent and to make the sunscreen water proof.  The sunscreens smell amazing, lovely and coco nutty, without the waxy chemical smells of some sunscreens.  As well as the mighty coconut, the sunscreens contain an active ingredient of zinc oxide, along with shea butter, cucumber extract, jojoba, rosehip oil, safflower oil and lots of other gorgeous natural ingredients so as well as protecting you from the UVA and UVB rays of the sun, it is extremely nourishing to the skin

• This is a natural sunscreen and it creates a physical barrier on your skin, not entering the blood stream
• Use a large amount on your skin, a bit more than a moisturiser but not too much, just make sure you have a visible layer on your skin then rub in
• Re apply every 1-2 hours depending on what you are doing
• It will give you up to 3 hours protection in the water so if you're a super fit surfer or love to be in the sea, these are great for you!
• Re apply after excessive perspiration, towel drying and swimming
• This is great one for children as the physical barrier will not go into their blood stream and you can see if you've missed a bit!
• The untinted version is white and the tinted version is a beige colour, perfect as a bb cream on the face
• The tinted version is recommended for the face but we have also tested it out on body and if you do use it on your body, it will give you a lovely shimmer