So now party season has well and truly ended for the most of us, and were well into the new year, Its time to retreat the skin, the face, the hair, and to kick start a little bit of health back into our body's. Christmas was crazy busy for all of us, hairstylist, makeup artists and you party goers. So I thought il give you the 5 things i'm using as a little pick me up while I recover from the most exhausting time of the year, and yes January has been just as mad busy as December so i'm just starting to take it easy now, before the Valentines rush.
The Skin:Hot Water & Lemon The skin Right now I cannot get enough of hot water and lemon. Its one of the cheapest natural beauty products on the market. Its so cheap and easily accessible that you can even buy it from the super market... Yes really, for as little as 35p per lemon. I start my day by sticking on the kettle and dropping a slice of lemon into a nice big mug of hot water. I pre-slice the lemon the night before so that really there are no excuses to reach over for the coffee in the morning no matter how tempting and tired I feel. This is a really good start to the day, after all we have just starved our body of fluid for the last how ever many hours whilst we caught a few zzzz's. Trust me, your body and mind will thank you for the morning hydration, and we all know that the caffeine from tea or coffee will dehydrate you even more. Lemon is a natural antiseptic and rich in Vitamin C. These therapeutic properties of the lemon help fight against antibodies and helps strengthen our own natural immune system. We could all do with a little bit of that added strength with this winter weather. Were all probably feeling a little low after all the Christmas and New Year festivities, you probably caught a cold or felt a little under the weather in that time. So this is a perfect natural barrier to pick up your defence system and start the new year on the best note. Not only do I drink this first thing in the morning but also throughout the day, it really helps with my water in take, and with the hot water filling me up there is no reason to want to snack through these miserable days. My skin is really glowing if I do say so myself. Im 100% sure that its down to my increased water intake, and the lemon, that my skin has cleared up, its naturally moisturised and feels as soft as a babies bottom. If you are feeling slightly tired then I definitely suggest adding a teaspoon of honey and stir it in before adding the lemon slices. I love this. This “tea”with its natural sweetener is easy to digest as part of your one a day, oh but you have to eat the lemon after for that to really count.. It leaves the “tea” neither sweet or sour, just a nice pleasant mix and a slight sugar boost. I really never thought this would be my tipple of choice, but this year I cant get enough of it, i'v even thought about buying a lemon tree...
The hair:L'oreal Seni Balance
So to help my hair after a mad few months of tonging, hair spraying, product applying, I thought it was time to have a deep cleanse of my hair. I have been using L'oreal Sensi Balance and I absolutely love it. The smell of this product always takes me back to my salon days. I loved it. Having quite a full head of hair, I have to make sure I have a thorough wash. I can't wash my hair too often so i'm a once or twice a week scrubber, which I highly recommend. My hair doesn't like to be washed, and it is generally really dry itself. So over washing adds to my frizz and the volume increases. So this shampoo is perfect to really get in to the cuticles of my hair and draw out those impurities, giving the hair an overall detox, that cant be bad for any one. Those clients that use a lot of wax , oil or spray products, can get a slight build up left on their hair even after washing, so this really gives a deeper clean to remove that residue that can be left behind from a normal shampoo. I started using this product when I first entered the world of beauty and it has been used in every salon I have worked in since. Its also the perfect shampoo for those who tend to over apply product or apply to often, sorry guys. This strips out all those products you have heavily applied, from your hair making it lighter and in turn creating an illusion of more volume and a fuller head of hair. This unisex shampoo is a gentle formula that has been designed either for every day use, perfect for men, or your weekly cleanse, this makes it a number 1 winner in my world.
The hands:The Body Shop "Frosted Plum" hand cream
I have been absolutely smothering my hands in The Body Shop “Frosted Plum” Hand cream this winter you really cannot get enough of moisturising your hands. The central heating and cold weather do nothing but dry them out. Im also an extreme hand washer. I wash my hands all day long, and I mean all day long. When I arrive with a client, before I start a treatment with a client, sometimes during treatments, after my treatments and then when I get home. That doesn't include that amounts of times I am nipping to the loo after this water intake everyday. So I think it is fair to say.I probably have one of the cleanest pair of hands in the whole of London. So that serious amount of washing leaves my hands so dry, that they can end up really sore in this weather. This product is perfect, I keep a tube in almost every room so that I never get too lazy to find it to apply. This softly scented hand cream is enriched with plum extract from Turkey, to help nourish and soothe dry hands with a non- greasy finish. Perfect for us busy people that haven't got time to wait for the cream to really soak in. the first scent of this fragrance is a real fruity mixture that takes me back to my childhood eating packets of “Fruitellas.” This scent is a soft and uplifting formula of plum, entwined with hints of peony and magnolia, that willleave you feeling so clean and fresh... In fact this smell brings back so many memories (not just the Fruitellas), I might stock up, they are on sale after all.
The Body:Palmers Firming Butter
So "new year, new me", and trying to get organised, I thought i'd start off the year as I mean to go on and start prepping this body ready for the summer. No time like the present right? Me being a beauty therapist that is addicted to a spray tan or a home tan lotion. I am brilliant at moisturising. Every time I bath or shower I smother myself from head to toe in usually the Sienna X moisturiser. So I thought i'd have a little change a little bit earlier in the year than usual and start prepping my skin so that I am beach ready. So right now every time I bath or shower I am moisturising my skin in Palmers Firming lotion. This coco butter formula it is a must have classic that has been around for as long as I can remember, so they must be doing something right. It has a slight scent of coco but its not overpowering, and the silky smooth lotion applies effortlessly to your body. Its enriched with all things good for your skin, Vitamin E, collagen, Elastin and Shea butter, these ingredients will help firm up your skin and help it appear smoother and tighter. What every girl wants this summer. So normally I don't start thinking about my summer body until its nearly too late. This year i'm trying to be more organised in life. So i'm slapping on this moisturiser once a day. Twice daily is the recommended application, but i'v not quite got into that habit just yet.
Lips:Vaseline.
So for my lips i'v be smothering them in vaseline at night. Vaseline is definitely another old classic that I love to use. Its a creamy smooth balm that also glides on effortlessly, there is not much that I can Say about this one other than the obvious, that its a good all rounder, and i'm pretty sure its in every household. I don't know about you but I have definitely been one to neglect my lips in the past. I forget how vital it is to look after then, for almost everything that we consume into our body's has pretty much passed these lips, from hot drinks to ice cream. These lips are tough, but also so delicate. I must remember to protect them more with this layer of petroleum jelly. They are also exposed to all weathers so locking in a layer of this balm is the least we can do to protect them against the world. Vaseline has branched out so much since its hey day. They have an extensive range of skincare as well as there lip therapy range. I have the original on my bedside table and I quite like the “Rosy Lips” for a running around doing 100 things at once, or even just popping to the gym. Its slight hint of pink adds a little warmth to my half dead completion.
So there you are these are my beauty saviours that have been helping me through January. Give them a little go, Valentines Day is just around the corner, but also do it to feel better about yourself. I know its definitely helping for me.
Written With Love
Hay
