Happy Birthday to Me!

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Sea Beauty

SEA BEAUTY  

Judging by the number of people on the roads down to the coast last weekend half the county was heading to the sea.  There are tremendous beauty benefits to be had from the sea including just inhaling the ozone given off by the waves, which is fantastic for your health and skin.  Many beauty companies have been harvesting the sea for ingredients for years and here are a few of my favourites.

Weleda Salt Toothpaste

This toothpaste avoids fluoride and goes for natural ingredients to get your teeth really clean.  Packed with sea salt, and sodium sulphate to help keep gums healthy, this toothpaste stimulates salivation and so promotes self-cleansing to reduce the formation of tartar.   It’s an acquired taste but many people swear by it.

Price:                        £4.50, 75ml

Stockist:            weleda.co.uk

Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray

If you love the look of your hair after a day on the beach, windswept and beautiful, then try this spray in styling product. Work through damp or dry hair and let it dry naturally or blow-dry with a diffuser for windswept softness.

Price:                        £20.50, 125ml

Stockist:            bumbleandbumble.co.uk

Thalgo  Sweet and Savoury Body Scrub

A delicious combination of Sea Salt, Cassonade Sugar and plant Essential Oils, this scrub helps eliminate rough patches, smooth the skin and leave it feeling beautifully soft.  Delicately fragranced with notes of Mediterranean Essential Oils, your skin is left smooth, toned, and radiant.

Price:                        £39.50, 250g

Stockist:            thalgo.co.uk

H2O Plus Sea Salt Body Wash

I tried the body scrub from this range and thought it a really well made product with a fabulous fragrance.  The entire range is based on marine extracts and the Body Wash includes purifying sea salt and red algae to lightly lather away impurities while infusing skin with mineral-rich moisture.

Price:                          £13.00, 370ml

Stockist:            marksandspencer.com

 Phytomer Sun Soother After Sun Face Mask

We’ve all done it, spent too long in the sun and now our face is burning up.  This facemask by Phytomer uses moisturising and comforting marine ingredients to replenish your skin after exposure to the sun – bliss.

Price:                                    £24.00, 50ml

Stockist:                         bathandunwind.com

Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Foot Remedy

Even if it’s raining today, you’re still thinking about sandal time.  Crabtree & Evelyn's La Source Moisturising Foot Remedy includes shea butter, sweet almond oil, and marine extracts to help feet feel supple and conditioned.

Price:                        £15.00, 100g

Stockist:            bathandunwind.com

Elemis Pro-Collagen Limited Edition Marine Cream

I’ve got two pots of this, given to me at different stages and I can’t bring myself to use either.  The price is huge for a pot of cream and I really like Elemis – imagine the disappointment if it doesn’t work!  However, it does get rave reviews so I’m going to start using it, as it’s no use to anyone in my cupboard.  Marine extracts, great claims and a fabulous feel – try it and I will too.

Price:                        £99.00, 100ml

Stockist:            feelunique.com

Aromatherapy Associates Triple Rose Renewing Moisturiser

I know it says rose, but one of the key active ingredients is sea algae.  Algae are used in a number of ranges (Including Thalgo and Phytomer) because of its great properties for tightening skin and adding anti-oxidants. 

Price:                        £54.00, 50ml

Stockist:            aromatherapyassociates.com

Transformulas Mid-Life Marine Miracle Crème

This critically acclaimed anti ageing cream uses a rich marine cocktail to heal and transform the complexion. Wrinkles and fine lines appear to be reduced while skin firmness and elasticity are increased.   I’m not sure about the “Mid-Life” bit in the title but I suspect it’s telling us that if you’re in your 20’s there are better products out there for you.

Price:                        £41.95, 15ml

Stockist:            transformulas.com

Sunwards Face Cream SPF 30

I know we ran this a few weeks ago, but I’ve been using it all over the weekend and what a lovely product it is.  If you get to the beach next weekend, grab some of this and protect your face from the rays!

Price:                        £13.50

Stockist:            skinmed.co.uk

There's no Creme de la Mer in this review although it's the obvious choice to put in.  Firstly, they don't send out samples to test.  Now, I'm not looking for a full size pot, but if you can't test a product, what can I say about it?  I have tried the eye cream before and it wasn't the "wow" product I was anticipating, but we all agree not every product works for every woman.  Secondly, their latest special edition is £275 per pot.  I like a good quality product as much as the next girl but I can't recommend this in the current climate - what do you think?

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

 Hello all!  Sorry, am back to at least weekly posting now so here we go:

I know, we've had some sun!  Two things happen when the sun comes out; we see how tight last year's summer clothes are (very depressing) and we start to think about sorting out our bodies, in particular, de-fuzzing legs, underarms, bits - they all need our attention now but with so many options what to do?  Here's my beauty guide to your choices.

CHEAP, SIMPLE, QUICK

Razor

Now I love razors as they are quick and easy.  There's no truth in the beauty myth that if you shave your legs the hairs will grow back stronger.  What happens is that because you blunt the end of the hair it grows back the same thickness as the hair shaft, so there's no tapering.  In other words, it just looks sturdier.  However, if you have dark hairs this is less of a suitable option as re-growth is reasonably fast.

TRY:                          Gillette For Women Venus Razor

Price:                        £6.49

Stockist:                   boots.com

Hair Removal Cream

In my youth these were cumbersome, messy, smelly creams that were a real pain.  It didn't help that I was impatient and couldn't wait the full time.  These days, they have no unpleasant smell and curved spatulas to help with application & removal.

TRY:                        Escentially Smooth Hair Removal Cream

Price:                       £5.99, 100 ml

Stockist:                 Boots.com

        

   

Waxing

Not just for girls, waxing has many options for both men and women.  It is the main choice of hair removal and you can get home waxing strips, wax rollers or go to a salon.  In salons, the latest thinking is cold wax.  Now, I've tried them all and there's no getting away from it “discomfort” is involved.  However, waxing does give 2-3 weeks hair free pleasure.  You'll need to keep a pair of pointed tweezers at the ready for strays that grow back faster or ingrown hairs, but waxing does work.

TRY:                        Veet EasyWax Electrical Roll-On Kit

Price:                       £29.99

Stockist:                 veet.co.uk

Bleaching

I can’t be the only one who thinks of that scene in the brilliant comedy series Gavin & Stacey, where Nessa and Stacey are bleaching their upper lips!   Not removal, but disguise, bleaching does minimize appearance.  Be careful, bleaching can result in the hair becoming brittle and liable to break as well as possibly sensitising the skin.

TRY:                        Jolen Crème Bleach

Price:                       £4.40

Stockist:                 feelunique.com

Plucking or Threading

Like most people, I’ve only ever used plucking or threading for brows and I suspect that these methods are best suited to tiny areas.  Take care as when the hair is plucked out in the opposite direction to the natural fall of the hair growth, the follicle is likely to be distorted, so only pluck in the direction of the hair growth.

TRY:                        Tweezerman Fruity Slant Mini Tweezer

Price:                       £14.50

Stockist:                 tweezerman.co.uk

Epilators

Epilators are designed to pull the hairs out from the roots (just like waxing), but doing so through mini spinning “tweezers” that are electrically powered.  The advantages are that modern epilators work on short hairs of 2mm, so you don’t have to wait for the regrowth that you do with waxing.

TRY:                        Braun Silk-épil Dual Epilator 7891 Wet & Dry Cordless Epilator

Price:                       £169.99

Stockist:                 boots.com

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)

Your IPL treatment can fairly claim a permanent reduction of growth.  This means it should be clear for a year, but it may grow back.  These treatments are expensive and they do not work on all skin types or colours, so check whether this is suitable for you before buying.  I know people who think the Philips Lumia is fantastic and it is a great home option.

TRY:                        Philips Lumia Precision Plus

Price:                       £450.00 (yes, I know, but no spending on waxing ever again)

Stockist:                 philips.co.uk

Laser

Laser is the most recent newcomer to hair removal. Legally, laser manufacturers can claim permanent hair reduction but not (to date) removal, and it is said to be an effective method of hair management. Currently, laser cannot successfully treat light blonde or white hair and, in fact, can strip the colour from some hairs, often leaving white hair remaining which then have to be removed with electrolysis.

TRY:                        Rio Laser Hair Removal System

Price:                      £102.12

STOCKIST:             argos.co.uk

Electrolysis

This is a professional treatment, not to be tried at home, but it is the only really permanent hair removal method.  Try it for small areas of hair that you want rid of – on the chin or neck – and see how you get on with the method.  Needles and electric current involved, but close your eyes and it’s over in nano-seconds.

TRY:                        Elainestoddart.com

Elaine will be able to recommend your best local practitioner.  My thanks also to her for her help in creating this article, as no one knows more about hair removal!