Review: Pregnancy Oils

22/02/2013 By 1 Comment

Happy New Year!

Yes, I know it’s a bit late, but I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas (only 8 weeks ago, but feels like years) and an even better new year. Lets hope it’s a special year for all.

The blast of cold weather we’re currently getting is making my skin terribly dry. Not to mention the fact that pregnancy hormones have been playing their part too and making my skin even drier. Usually I would turn to ultra moisturising and deep penetrating body oils. I’m such a big fan but being pregnant I’m staying away from my highly perfumed mix of expensive body oils. The fragrances make me giddy and some oils aren’t recommended when pregnant, so it makes sense to just stay well away for a few months.

However I have been on a path of discovery for some new oils and 3 have so far been my absolute favourites. The oils are not only to keep my skin moisturised but also to fight off any potential pregnancy war wounds i.e stretch marks.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Dry Itchy Skin Oil

A mouthful of a name, but this is my morning favourite. It’s quick to use in a pump bottle and a couple of squirts is all that’s needed for bump,boobs and hips. It contains collagen and elastin which sooth and strength as skin stretches. It’s a really light oil so it’s perfect for daytime use, especially if time to sit there and massage it in is limited. The smell is light too and not too powerful which is quite strange for Palmers products which always smell really strong of sweet cocoa in my opinion. I think its round about £6 at Boots. For some reason, couldn’t find it on their website :-(

 

Neal’s Yard Mothers Massage Oil

 

This is my night-time oil because it’s quite rich and thick and I love taking the time to massage it in. It feels lovely and smooth and the smell is divinely citrus which for me induces a sense of contentment and well-being. I always go to bed satisfied. I love the decadent blue glass bottle too, so it always feels like a treat especially at a slightly hefty £19.50.

 

Weleda Stretch Mark Oil

I’d heard lots of good a things about the Weleda brand before, so I was expecting nothing but great performance from this oil and it didn’t disappoint. Even my husband used it on his dry skin. The fact that it’s also award-winning provides comfort that it’s a quality product.

It’s a sweet almond based oil, infused with arnica which is renowned for its healing powers. Its doesn’t feel as luxurious as Neal’s Yard, in fact it reminds me of medicine in its green glass bottle. I think this is a workhorse of an oil and is perhaps the most effective and best value of the three.  For £15.95, a must have in my book.

Although I’ve written this post with pregnancy skin in mind, these oils are just as good on non pregnant bodies, because they are super moisturising, full of essential fatty acids to keep skin supple and especially brilliant in dry winter weather where skin can get dry and crack.

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Filed Under: Body, Moisturisers, Pregnancy, Skincare Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Still here……

23/12/2012 By 2 Comments

Woooo, I know it’s been a while! Like a long while since discussed anything beauty related in this my little corner of the web sphere. But I am around and thank you so much to everyone who’s sent me a tweet, a phone call or a text or an email asking after me.

It’s not that I’ve been slacking (would I ever?!), but I’ve been on the very important business of motherhood i.e. being pregnant. And we all know how the first 3 months or more can go either way. In my case it floored me with the full compliment of usual complaints. I even lacked  energy to get out of bed!  But I’m happy to say that things have started to turn the corner and I’m on the up. Which is good, because its Christmas!

So on that note, I’d like to wish everyone a merry merry Christmas, full of companionship, good health, laughter, love, food and drink! If you’re having a glass of wine, have one for me too. Please.

I’ll be back to blogging in the new year. So here’s to a fabulous 2013 for us all, full of Gods richest blessings!

Filed Under: Skincare

Winter Skin Saviour: Omorovicza Body Buffing Balm

18/11/2012 By 4 Comments

There’s no denying that winter has arrived. The temperatures have truly dropped and even the Christmas lights are on in the West End. I know this time of the year, I’m all about tights and thermals to keep warm and shield my skin from the harsh elements. But sometimes, whilst I’m busy playing hide and seek with my skin, I tend to forget that I’m developing layers of dry unshed skin cells that  will dull my overall tone and vibrancy.  It may not be summer and my skin may not be on show, but I (and you!) still have to exfoliate. I know that investing time in your skin during winter, will reap rewards in flimsy dress season.

My best recommendation for all over skin exfoliation has to be Omorovicza’s Body Buffing Balm. Like a few of their products I use already, it’s infused with gorgeous orange blossom oil. Scents of sunny summer days!  Don’t be surprised by the colour – it’s very dark brown, almost black, but that’s the Hungarian Moor mud which will deep cleanse and detoxify the skin by drawing out impurities.

The exfoliation comes from Dead Sea salt. They do the hard work in sloughing away the dead cells that’s dulling the skin and casting an awful grey shadow. By getting rid of the old cells, fresh new cells have a chance to some through. And there’s the glow, right there.

Interesting too is the fact it contains capsicum. If you know your way around fruit and veg, you’ll know that this is the Latin name for pepper! But I can safely say its doesn’t burn or sting as it’s just an extract of white pepper which stimulates micro circulation to boost your glow. Another key ingredient is plum almond oil which soothes and moisturises the skin bringing back much needed softness, which come summer you’ll be grateful for.

I like to do a vigorous body brush before prior to the balm. I find my it’s even more effective because I’ve given my skin a head start in the exfoliation process.

Now the Buffing Balm isn’t cheap, that I know. But it’s amazingly good with excellent results and you only need a small amount to see big result, so in the end you’ll get your money’s worth. Plus you’ll only ever get one skin, so invest in it with a quality product.

Stick this on your Christmas wishlist, it will be the present that keeps on giving!

 

 

*I bought this from Liberty for £36

Filed Under: Beauty, Body, Exfoliators, Skincare Tagged With: , ,

Bodhi Body Treats

04/11/2012 By 2 Comments

Seems like blogging is now a weekly activity at the moment! But more on why that is later. In the meantime, its with great pleasure that I can reveal that one of my favourite British brands – Bodhi – are now offering spa massage treatments. Well, they’re not doing it themselves – the massages that is – but they have created two sublime body and massage oils that Appuru in London are using for some specially customised massages.

These full body massages are EXCLUSIVE to Appuru until January 2013- read: you won’t find them anywhere else. They are based on Balinese and Thai massage rituals designed to relax  you or bring back your vah vah voom, all depending on how you’re feeling. I’ve not tried any of the massages yet, but I have got samples of the oils and I can say this:

Flora Paradiso

Lush! the scent is instantly calming and soothing. If I’ve had a long day, I can sit on the sofa and sniff this and I can feel tense muscles relax. It’s that good. Now imagine someone takes the time to massage it all over your body in long fluid soothing strokes based on traditional Balinese massage principles. Yeah…..I know you get my point. You’re immediately hit by the scent of tropics when you first smell Flora Paradiso. Reminds me of a blissful honeymoon spent here. I understand that the oils are Ylang-Ylang, lavender and cedarwood, and in true Bodhi style I know they have sourced only the very best and top grade oils. It smells absolutely sumptuous.

Ginger Brew

 

This too is intoxicating and spicy. I love ginger so this is right up my street and you can smell real authentic ginger. Its like posh ginger beer and smells good enough to drink, but DON’T!! It’s much better if you’re lying down and having a masseuse work it into your muscles to invigorate and wake them up. It’s a serious blend of oils from the ginger family. Plai which I know is a basic oil in many Thai body rituals for its anti inflammatory, analgesic and rejuvenating properties.  It also contains galangal, ginger (of course) and tumeric which is also anti-inflammatory.  There’s a freshness to it coming from Kaffir Lime which doubles up as a cleanser and deodoriser. There’s also a healing effect with the addition of St. Johns Wort which deals with achy muscles and leaves you a lot less sluggish and lighter on your feet.

If you’re looking for a fantastically indulgent Christmas treat for you or a loved one, you can’t go wrong with one of these Bodhi massages. A 1 hour full body massage using either Flora Paradiso or Ginger Brew costs £60. But if you’re quick, I think they have some deals going.

To book call Appuru on 0207 828 0101.

 

Filed Under: Beauty, Massage, Skincare Tagged With: , , , , ,

Jergens Daily Moisture Daily Smoothing Hand & Cuticle Cream

28/10/2012 By Leave a Comment

 

Sorry I’ve not been around lately posting about the latest, shiniest and bestest beauty bits and bobs. Lots of stuff going on at the moment, but I just had to come online and tell you about my latest find.

I love Jergen’s moisturisers, always have. They are reasonably priced and they do the business. My skin is moisturised and I have no complaints. So when I was stood in Boots yesterday and I saw they now have a hand cream to their range, I scooped it up absentmindedly, thinking I’ll stick this in one of my many hand bags. I didn’t read anything about it and I promptly forgot about it once I’d paid.

However, I have to say, it’s quite a little bombshell after using a few times last night and today. For starters its very moisturising and highly absorbent. There’s no greasy feeling to it either or residue. Once you’ve rubbed and massaged it in, that’s it! Just soft and moisturised hands for a good few hours, which makes it very intensive and perhaps one for the bedside table even. Consistency-wise its medium – not thick or runny and it has a slight fresh citrus smell to it. Nothing too overpowering, but pleasant nonetheless.

At £2.99, I know that it’s not necessarily going to be ‘free from’ and a quick skim of the back shows up one silicone and a few parabens, but in the grand scheme of things, considering all it does and its price I would buy it again if I wanted a drugstore type hand cream for quick use.

Filed Under: Beauty, Hand Cream, Product Review, Skincare Tagged With: , , , ,

An evening with Murad

21/10/2012 By 1 Comment

A couple of weeks ago, I got the opportunity to attend a talk with Dr Murad himself  - cue multiple bows!

He does amazing things for the skincare world and his approach is nothing short of simple and pure common sense. But as my mum says, common sense isn’t common, that’s why in the case of skincare so many people get it wrong. I can definitely relate to his skincare ethos and approach and I feel that if everyone used his prescribed approach they’re more likely to see better results, less flare ups and skin that behaves itself generally.

I love the philosophy behind the brand – INCLUSIVE HEALTH. For a long time I’ve advocated that it’s not only the products you put on your skin, but also what goes into the mouth to feed the body and how much you move said body in some sort of physical activity to keep your body and mind healthy. So if you’re not taking it from me, take it from Dr Murad! He’s been in the game a lot longer than me with bags of experience, an extensive celeb and no celeb client list and I totally rate him!

We also discussed how skin should be protected from birth. Sounds drastic I know, but when you think about, from the minute we’re born skin is exposed to environmental stresses – pollution, sun damage, pinched cheeks from one or two relatives, the list could go on. So for the parents out there, you have a responsibility to protect the skin of your infants especially with things like SPF. But for us grown folks, we have all the power to choose and decide how we protect our skin, but point being – it’s a degenerative process and prevention is better than cure.

I loved Dr. Murad’s attitude of ‘eat your water.‘ If you find it difficult to drink 8 glasses a day, then you can get water from raw fruits and vegetables. Think how much water watermelon has?  Plus fruits and vegetable release water gradually into you body, rather than a glass which makes a quick exit at the other end. Plus fruits and vegetables contain anti oxidants, roughage, vitamins and minerals. For me this make water so much more appealing than a straight up glass of H2O. Water also helps with ageing of the skin and helps to keep it plump and supple. Think how saggy and droopy elderly skin is….some of it is due to the lack of water in cells and between cells acting as scaffolding for the skin. Again at this point I’ll say prevention is better than cure :-)

Another thing that Dr Murad mentioned that really resonated with me was that the skin on your face is a windshield protecting whats underneath and inside from the elements. Therefore its important to keep it clean especially before sleep and well looked after with simple but effective treatments. All facialists will tell you that night-time is the most important time for skin and that is a view I’ve preached myself many a time. It’s the time that skin rejuvenates, heals itself, self cleanses and feeds itself from all the lovely topicals you’ve applied before bed.

So before you go to bed, treat yourself to some good skin loving time. Do you face masks, spend an extra minute massaging serums and face oils, place some pressure on the brow bone at the inner corner of the eyes. Feel the pressure as it releases. Go to bed relaxed! If you’re wound up, keep a note pad on your night stand, right out your thoughts before bed to rid you mind of them. If you so wish, you can pick those thoughts up again in the morning.

I’ll leave you with the following – skincare is 80% internal care and to get the best out of your skin, you need to understand the link between every cell in the body and how it interacts with the environment around it. This will determine how you treat them to look the best on the outside.

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Now, I’ve known about Murad for many years and in all my beauty arsenals I’ve never included a single product in my regimen. Now that’s about to change. For the month of November I’ll be using the Radiance Kit and finishing off with a Murad facial at the Mayfair Hotel. I’m quite eager to see how it goes and I’ll be updating on the blog.

Another thing! If you can’t make it to LA to see Dr. Murad at his clinic, the next best thing is now here on our shores. Its the Youth Cam which uses a high resolution camera to diagnose skin concerns, then provides a prescription of products for you to use.

The fusion of science and skincare! Dr. Murad’s virtual eyes.

skin analysis underway – the results are downloaded into a special programme which shows all the areas of concern.

Very hi-tech no? I didn’t get to try it as it involves removing make up, but its available at House of Fraser, Oxford Street if you’re into this sort of thing.

Filed Under: Beauty, Events, Skincare Tagged With: , ,

Product Review: XEN TAN – Scent Secure Gold Tinted Moisturiser #TFWOC

14/10/2012 By 2 Comments


I was expecting a thick fluid, given my recent experience with tanning tinted moisturisers but the Xen Tan Scent Secure is far from that. Instead it had me running around the kitchen to the sink to avoid spillages on the floor. It’s really quite runny and it took me by surprise.

It’s a brown liquid speckled with gold – hence the 24k stamp on it. The particles are tiny though, much smaller than that of Beau Bronze, so I didn’t find it as bothersome.

It feels almost like water on the skin as its so light and disappears almost instantly. I can’t say it made me darker as much as it gave my skin more luminosity and vibrancy. So I’d say it brought my skin to the tone I’d get after a good exfoliation and lots of body oils. I liked the sparkles left behind. I’d definitely use it on a night out on legs, arms and collar bones for that extra zing and glow.

Before

After, nice glisten.

For me I wouldn’t use it as a moisturiser. On their website it says its nourishing and hydrating but I think its way too light to relieve any dry skin I may have.  My usual day-to-day moisturiser is Jergens Cocoa Butter, so it figures why this wouldn’t be suitable for me as a moisturiser. I’d use it on top of moisturiser or even mix it in with some body oils. In regards to staying power, most of it – the sparkles – wash off. But as usual with glitter, there’s always a few hanging around after. It dries on the skin very quickly, so there’s no fear of it transferring on to clothes.

The other thing to mention is that the packaging says this is to stop the odour of the self tan. I wonder how bad the self tan smells? The smell of this product isn’t offensive, nevertheless I can’t describe it.  For me it’s just non descript – it’s not sweet or sugary. I’d say a bit powdery, other than that I can’t say no more!

By the very definition of the word, tanning means to go darker, so in the ethos of a project that looks at whether products currently in the market work the same way for dark skinned girls to go browner, this product definitely doesn’t do that. If you’re after sparkles and a bit of a glow, then it would be right for you. Or if you were mixed race you may see an effect. It says on their website that this product is in the dark section which is to obtain the deepest olive colour. Clearly I was on a hiding to nothing! Lol! If you were after getting a tan and you’re as dark as me, then no, walk away. Maybe if I’d layered it on top of one of the other tanning products offered, I would have seen a more positive result, who knows?!

It costs £22.94 and is available from Xen -Tan.

 

Filed Under: Beauty, Skincare, Tanning Tagged With: , , , ,

The New Nude’s: Rococo Nail Apparel

10/10/2012 By Leave a Comment

I’m yet to meet anyone who loves nude/pinky nails more than me. I love them for the simplicity and effortless chic. They compliment any outfit or look easily and when they chip, they don’t look as bad or as rough as coloured nail varnish. Even as I type, I’m admiring my current pink take on nude nails.

So it’s without a shadow of doubt that I’m in love with the Nude Wardrobe from Rococo Nail Apparel. The catwalks of September’s fashion weeks say that next spring/summer is the season of nude nails, but I think its one trend that anyone and everyone can rock now. There are 6 shades in the collection each designed to compliment skin tone and flatter all hands.

If you’re after chicest nails, Rococo is the way forward!

 

Filed Under: Beauty, Nails Tagged With: ,

Product Review: Clarins Ultra Matte Rebalancing Lotion ‘Oily Skin’

08/10/2012 By 2 Comments

This should be renamed ‘ultra extremely drying lotion’. It has the most unbelievable drying effect its mind boggling.

You all know I have oily skin and I’d be the first to bring out the bunting for any mattifying product, but boy this one is something else. Its mattifying to the effect of being also extremely drying. I’d even go as far as to say my face is dry and uncomfortable. And this is why.  Drum roll please:

It contains chrysin which tackles the number of oily cells in the skin so there is less oil coming to the skins surface, white dead nettle, zinc, alpine willow herb and vitamin B6 – all of which tighten the pores and deal with excess oil production. It’s no wonder it dries out the skin so much, including oily skin. It’s a tad overloaded. It’s a first on me!

The first time I used it was the day after a short flight and I put the tight feeling down to having been on a plane. The next day, I used an 4 pumps. Still dry. I got ‘matteness’ I was after, but at the expense of my skin feeling tight. My skin only felt better once I put foundation on.

Though I wasn’t about to let £24 go down the drain and plus I liked the fresh smell and the texture. Its silky smooth and sinks into the skin quickly. It’s ok (it’s not great because of its propensity to over dry) for all over oily skin like mine, but if you’re combination skin, then don’t use it on your dry areas. It will be regretted.

The best way I’ve found to use it, is to put a layer of serum on before I use it. That makes sure that my skin is moisturised deep within because this moisturiser is sure not going to do it. I use ARK Hydrating Serum, its does the trick in keeping my skin balanced. It’s a serum I would recommend to everyone actually. We all suffer from dehydrated skin one way or the other, especially as the cold winter edges ever so close.

After this is finished I won’t be repurchasing. I’d rather have one product the does a sufficient job, than have to use two to keep my skin balanced.

Ooooh! I’ve got some fantastic news about ARK Skincare, but I’ll share it later in the week.

Filed Under: Beauty, Moisturisers, Product Review, Skincare Tagged With: , , , ,

Product Review: Make Believe Self Tan Lotion with Bronzer #TFWOC

05/10/2012 By 1 Comment

I really looked forward to trying out this tan. If I’m honest I fell in love with the box too. I like good packaging and this one is right up my street.  It looked a bit more up market in a sophisticated high gloss matte box than some of the other tanning products I’d come across in my TFWOC journey.

The product itself is the consistency of cake batter – smooth and thick. But with enough give to be squeezable out of a bottle. The colour looks reminds me off burnt caramel toffee and it smelt good too.  Quite tropical and not the biscuit smell I’ve heard most tans described as. The instructions say apply with gloves provided so I did and the finish was even enough. No complaints. It wasn’t any type of special gloves like latex or such, just regular plastic ones like the type you get in a hair relaxer kit.  I have seen that many people use tanning mitts so don’t sure whether that would have made any difference to the finished look but I was happy enough with the application process. Very straightforward and appropriate for novices like me.

Did I go brown?

Yes, a fraction. Like I’d been out the sun for the day and it’d given my skin some vibrancy. Its like I put a layer of tint a smidgen darker than my own skin on. But that’s where it stopped and I really wanted to go more, like dark chocolate. Even after development time of over four hours I was still no darker as the box said I should be i.e. – Zone 5. I did add another layer the following day but I don’t feel it made much difference. I was just adding brown on brown. I can see that the tone is lifted and I have more ‘life’ to my skin tone, but I wanted dark.

You can see a definite improvement in my knee area where the tone and colour is more uniform

 

Verdict

It was better than the last one I tried and I was pleased. I suspect it’s for girls lighter than me though and would be highly effective for them to give the skin a lift AND a tan. My legs are lightest part of my body, so it worked a bit there, but I doubt it would work so well on me all over. I’m yet to try. I liked how moisturising it was and soft my skin felt. Even though I did have to work it in a bit. I always think tanning products have an element of dryness but not this one. And it gave my legs a lovely luscious gleam.

Look at all those moisturising oils!

Would I use it again?

Probably not as it wouldn’t give me the depth of colour I’d be after to make it worthwhile. However I think it’s a great product for lighter skinned girls and its got great moisturising properties so no ashy knees or elbows! it’s priced at £24.50 which I think is reasonable for such a good product, both in quality and presentation.

Filed Under: Beauty, Product Review, Skincare, Tanning Tagged With: , ,
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