Caring for Sensitive Skin

Finding a cleanser for sensitive skin that is gentle yet effective can often be tricky, but recently I have been using The Body Shop's Aloe Vera Calming Cleanser for sensitive skin, read on for the full review...

After trying out the Skincare Diagnostic Tool on The Body Shop's website I was recommended the Aloe Cleanser and Toner as my skin shows signs of irritation and sensitivity - i.e dryness, tightness, redness etc. The gentle formula ensures your make up is removed effectively without causing any irritation, the community fair trade Aloe Vera soothes the skin and helps to calm down any redness. This calming cleanser also contains sorbitol an ingredient which helps the skin to retain its moisture making it feel hydrated and supple.

How to use - First I use an eye make up remover like Bioderma just to remove stubborn waterproof mascara, then I gently apply the Aloe cleanser onto dry skin massaging it down my neck and on my face, next I use The Body Shop's super soft facial cleansing brush in round circular motions, the soft bristles buff the skin removing dirt, make up and impurities revealing fresh, soft, cleansed skin.

After cleansing I like to tone my skin, recently my skin has been slightly de-hydrated, probably becuase the central heating is playing havoc with my skins moisture levels, so I have been reaching for The Body Shop's Vitamin E Hydrating Toner, this helps to inject moisture into my skin at the same time as cooling and removing any final traces of dirt and cleanser. Like the rest of the Vitamin E range this is packed with Wheatgerm Oil, an ingreadiant that protects the skin agaisnt pre-mature aging and for all you big city gals out there - pollution.

If like me your skin is sensitive I definitely recommend giving the Aloe Calming Cleanser a try, if you like products like the Avene Tolerance Extreme Cleansing Lotion (£14.50) then you will love this, there is a whole range dedicated to sensitive skin types, the soothing aloe gel is next on my shopping list, have you tried anything from The Body Shop's Aloe Vera range?

Disclaimer - Although I work for The Body Shop, the opinions expressed are all my own and unless stated the products mentioned were purchased with my own money.

The Skincare Series: Part Two

I've talked cleanser, make-up remover and toner but now it is time to find out what products I like to use on a daily basis to keep my skin hydrated...

After using my L'Oreal Velvety Soft Toner I like to prepare my skin for moisturiser by using a serum, my current go to is Hydraluron from Indeed Labs, this contains a pure form of hyaluronic acid - an incredibly moisturising ingredient that holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water which helps to keep skin feeling hydrated and plumped.

To prepare my eyes for moisturiser I like to use The Body Shop's Drops of Youth Eye Concentrate, like Hydraluron this helps keep the skin plump and youthful, it also helps to reduce fine line and eye bags. I love the cooling sensation of the metal roller ball - this is perfect for waking yourself up in the early winter mornings. The active ingredient is Elderweiss - a plant stem cell proven to help with the skins renewal properties.

After my serums have had time to sink in and work their magic I like to apply my moisturiser, the Vitamin E Aqua Boost Sorbet, again by The Body Shop, is perfect for my combination skin type, this lightweight sorbet texture sinks into the skin very quickly so there's no waiting around to apply my foundation, it is enriched with wheatgerm oil so keeps my skin hydrated all day. For my eyes I have been using the Origins GinZing refreshing eye cream to brighten and depuff. The formula is enriched with coffee bean, ginseng, magnolia extract and natural optic brighteners, these ingredients help to reduce eye puffiness and dark circles.

Next week I'll be discussing skin treatments and skin saviors so stay tuned.....

Disclaimer: Although I work for The Body Shop this in no way effects my opinion. 

Beauty From the Inside Out

 

Being beautiful is often something that starts on the inside, it is hardly revolutionary that what goes inside your body has an effect on how your body looks on the outside, take food for example. I thought I would share with you some of the products I like to use on a daily basis. Herbal teas are a perfect way to start the morning, they are all natural and perfect if you are trying to cut calories as they require no milk, green tea is perfect for you dieters out there as it claims to curb your appetite and suppress hunger as well as speeding up your metabolism, not a fan of the taste? You can buy green tea in tablet form from places like Holland and Barret. As well as making you more resilient to illness Vitamin D is great for your skin and as seen as we get hardly any sun in England I like to take a Vitamin D supplement once daily. Another good supplement to take in Cod liver oil, great for your joints, these little capsules are full of Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamins A and D. Epsom salts are perfect for detoxifying your body, take a hot bath with a good few handfuls of Epsom salts and relax for at least 20 minutes, models swear by this beauty trick. 

Do you have any beauty tips or tricks?

Healthy Eating: Clean and Lean Style

I'm not really into dieting, quick fixes and fasts never seem to work for anyone long term. Since joining the gym in July it has really inspired me to eat healthier, so avoiding all fad diets I purchased the James Duigan Clean and Lean Cookbook, he is all about a lifestyle change, overhauling the way we think about what we are putting into our bodies. His ethos is 'if it didn't come out of the ground, fly or run' then it's not clean. I have to say I was a little shocked to see such yummy recipes in this book, traditionally I think of diets to be very restrictive and boring so this book is perfect if that is putting you off.

The Clean and Lean book helps to kick start your new way of eating with a detailed 14 day menu plan which has lots of variety so it isn't like your eating the same thing everyday. One of my favourite recipes is the Clean and Lean Porridge which has to be the nicest I have tasted, it is a combination of rolled oats, almond milk, orange zest, cinnamon and berries, it really is the perfect winter breakfast for those dark mornings.

James Duigan encourages healthy snacking which helps to keep your metabolism going, and one snack I have been loving recently are the Nakd bars, they are made from all natural products and they are cold pressed, the don't contain wheat or dairy and are perfect mid morning or afternoon, my favourites are Cocoa Loco which comes in at around 100 calories, the Banana Bread is also really tasty and again it is low calorie.

Have you tried any recipes from the Clean and Lean Cookbook? What are some of your favourite? 
 

Markets

The thing I love about going to a good market is that it is a great way of experiencing the culture of the country in one place, take the typical British market for example, there is the Bric a’ Brac, Cockney slang in every direction, homemade jams and chutneys, and about anything art and crafty.  The same can be said for Spanish markets, there is olives galore, breads, sandals, jewellery and plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Whilst in Spain we visited our local market to pick up a few souvenirs for our families, I think I got slightly sidetracked by all the lovely Turquoise jewellery so ended up with only one gift..
The Spanish produce on offer looked amazing, there were huge bits of meat hanging up everywhere, lots of different fruit stands, we bought a watermelon which was very refreshing!

Shopping in the heat is pretty hard work though so we spent the afternoon relaxing on the beach enjoying the sunshine!
Love Danielle