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simplyfeli

“To be beautiful means to be yourself”

February 26, 2012 New A Moment On The Lips: Oreo & Mint Lip Scrub

Hello loves

Right, so today I want to show you a cheap and fun way to make a delicious lip scrub. Some credit for this funky combination goes to my lovely friend (and housemate) who helped me brainstorm this unique mix!

Now lip scrubs, just like body scrubs are a way to gently remove the top layer of dead skin to reveal the newer, softer skin hidden underneath, some sort of exfoliant is usually used to achieve this. In this recipe today we will be using a natural one: Sugar <3. Now I rarely make lip scrubs, but when I do, I’m obsessed with them for that week, I can’t get over how baby smooth and supple they leave my lips feeling- And since i’m writing about it here, they must be pretty simple to make as well right ;)

Photo of Oreo cookies.

Okay so there is a brief introduction, the flavoured scrub we will be making today is Oreo and Mint!

Yes.

You read that right.

Oreo and Mint (Am I the only one whose belly did a back flip in excitement?)

This super scrumptious scrub is quick to make, and will leave your lips enviably soft for hours!

You will need:

What you need to get!

Righto!

Grab your Oreo cookie, you will only need one.

Do the Oreo Twist. Remove the chocolate biscuit away from the creamy center, you only want to have the chocolate side of the cookie left, with no cream (If your Oreo Twist isn’t perfected just yet, grab a knife a scrape the cream off- and I don’t care what you see on the adverts…No licking.)

Place this in a sandwich bag, and crush until you’re left with fine crumbs and place this in the bowl.

Now do the same with the mint, you will only need two mints. Crush to a fine powder and place in the bowl.

Now add a table spoon of sugar, your oil and honey to the mix.

Mix thoroughly until it is all evenly incorporated.

Place in your container, and keep refrigerated until you want to whip that bad boy out.

And there you have it. A delicious way to keep your pout polished ;)

Hope you enjoyed! I’ll be back soon enough ;)

Feli

x

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February 13, 2012 Strawberry Bananza! Fruity Face Scrub and Mask

*blows dust off of dashboard*

Hello loves

Long time no see, huh?

Apologies completely on my part, updating regularly is a leviathan task when university tries its hardest to ruin any sort of free time I’m luckily enough to have. But all’s well, despite impending deadlines, reports and projects, I’m going to try my hardest to update more regularly. Scouts promise. *Does the hand gestures and everything*

Okay, enough with the sap, I’m beginning to hear the faint sound of violins playing in the background. So the reason for this post loves is I want to show you a snazzy little face scrub I stumbled upon on Eclectic Kate’s page! It’s delicious and packed with all sorts of strawberry goodness (And leaves your skin smelling pretty yummy too)

I also used this as inspiration to create and try a new mask too using the little red beaut. ‘Strawberries ‘n’ Cream Yoghurt’ see what I did there?

Strawberry

Om nom nom.

Now strawberries are the Supermen of the fruity world. Okay, so I made that last bit up, but they are pretty amazing for your skin. Containing natural Salicylic acid ( A component in many over the counter inflammatory acne treatments) They make a great addition to natural remedies for anyone struggling with the troublesome problem. Also an incredibly rich source of vitamin C and antioxidants- they can not only help with spots, but can also help fight against aging and wrinkles. Pretty super huh? Now this mask works best when used regularly as part of your cleansing routine. A mask once a week would work great, and the scrub a hand full of times every so often may be heaven-sent for your skin.

And on the chance you have a hot smoking date to go on tomorrow, these fruity remedies leave your skin smelling delicious. Oh, I’m not implying anything…I’m just saying. :).

Strawberry Facial Scrub

For step by step instructions for the strawberry scrub here’s a link to the original post :

Strawberry ‘n’ Cream Face Mask

Simplest. Face mask. Evuh.

Okay. Grab your strawberry, the ripper it is the easier it will be to mash up. Once all pulverised add a generous heaped spoonful of yoghurt to the mix (Place the yoghurt in the fridge whilst you’re mashing the strawberry, it will give the mask a refreshing kick) mix together well till you left with a light pink mixture. Grab a foundation brush or the back of a spoon and place on to your skin avoiding the general eye area. Now for some R &R, Rest and Relaxation. Leave for around 15 minutes then wash off with luke warm water for softer kissable skin :)

 

Thanks again to EclecticKate for this awesome recipe.

Hope you enjoy, and I’ll be back soon enough!

Feli

x

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January 11, 2012 Product Crush Of The Month: Organic Root Stimulator ‘Dry Shampoo’

Hello Loves

So I returned back to my university house  a couple of days ago, It’s funny, but I’ve kind of missed it. It was nice to gain that feeling of independence again, the company of my roomies and escape from that ever so threatening tone of my mother when it was my turn to do the dishes.

As I was unpacking I discovered a little beauty which kept all my hair needs at bay during my Christmas holidays. That’s right folks; it’s another Beauty Crush Of The Month!  Now I may be cheating with this one a little, I’ve actually had this product for more than month. In fact, it was brought a little while ago, but I was always a little dubious. It was left lonely on my dressing table for a couple of weeks before curiosity over took and I gave it a little go. After that point there was no turning back, I was in love, hook, line and sinker. Now a brief background before I introduce this little star: Having afro-Caribbean hair, my hair is usually enclosed within a protective style such as braids or weave- only letting it out to breathe for periodic times every so often. Now the issue with this is it can be a hassle- wait, understatement- it can be a leviathan pain in the behind trying to keep my hair and scalp cleansed properly between washes! So I needed something to battle against product build up and help keep my hair looking snazzy in general.

So introducing…*drum roll *

Organic ROOT stimulator Herbal Cleanse ‘Dry Shampoo’

Organice Root Stimulator Dry Shampoo

'So fresh and so clean, clean'

So what does it claim to do?

Cleans and refreshes braids, locks, twists and other natural styles without water. A dry shampoo which keeps your hair and scalp refreshed in between regular shampoos.

Simple enough, right?

MY VERDICT:

As I said before, Organic’s now have a new groupie. For those who aren’t familiar with the brand they actually boast an impressive collection of product solely geared towards Afro-Caribbean hair, from Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonnaise to Shea Butter Moisturising Lotions.

So following the instructions, I applied a generous amount directly on to my scalp and let it sit for about a minute. The product itself has a pointed applicator which makes applying all that much easier. Now the moment I applied it, I felt this odd sensation, I can’t quite put my finger on it, almost a cooling sensation. Either way, I kind of liked it. A minute passed and I proceeded to wipe the residue off my scalp with a damp towel. I was left with a head which felt more than refreshed and now carried a subtle Lavender fragrance. Brilliant! And the proof of its cleansing capabilities was now left on the towel. It even offers a possibility of a deep cleanse where you completely saturate your hair with the cleanser and wrap your head in a moist towel, leaving it to sit for 15 minutes. Now I haven’t tried this option, but I’m pretty sure it would work just as well.

COST: 4/5

It is priced well, £2.99 for 250 mls of the stuff, and it does last you a while as well!

COMPATIBILITY (SMELL, TEXTURE, COMFORT): 3/5

It’s a translucent purple gel type liquid which smells of Lavender and Sweet Basil, it leaves the scalp and hair feeling, smelling and looking refreshed. It would have been nice if it also came in other natural scents (A girl has to have options) but apart from that, I can’t fault it!

…Wait….

Make sure you don’t apply to the scalp if there are cuts or directly after you have been itching at it. Boy, I had to find that out the hard way.

EFFECTIVENESS:  5/5

Very effective! I felt like I stumbled upon a gold mine when I found this. A great way to keep my hair feeling fresh and clean between hair styles and shampooing. Definitely recommend!

Their website:

http://www.organicrootstimulator.com/main

 

Thanks for reading!

 

I’ll be back soon enough ;)

Feli

x

 

 

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January 3, 2012 Funny How You Never Realise You’re Camera Shy Until You Get A YouTube Channel

Hello loves

*Party poppers, cheers and other elaborate festive noises*

HAPPY NEW YEARS!

I’m two days late but we will overlook that little technicality. Even though I have been on Christmas holidays coming up to three weeks now, this is one of the first times I’ve been able to just sit down and bask in my pure unadulterated idleness.

Funny, huh? From one necessary evil (academic work) to another (Christmas job) I’m a little dazed I must admit, I’ve never been so unaware of my surroundings, date or time. I kid you not, I’m pretty sure it  has been Wednesday in my mind for the past couple of days now.

Any who, enough about my rest-deprived amnesia. How are you? I hope your holidays are treating you well!

Now, blame it on the New Year high I’m currently stuck in or a moment spur of madness, but, I’ve decided to add a new addition to compliment this blog and expand on what I would like to do here. Introducing- SimplyFelivision.  (See what was done there?)

So what’s the channel all about then?

Well,  just like the blog, it will be a place where I try out new natural remedies, share beauty and health tips and post D.I.Y tutorials. There will also be a few extra additions, but you have to wait to find out those ;)

Oh, the suspense is killing you right?

Haha, yes I know. I’m a nerd.

Well, a short post today, I’m going back to bed now…Only to get up later to tackle an extensive mental ‘To Do List’.

No rest for the wic-…erm…overly worked?

I’ll be back soon enough ;)

Feli

x

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December 21, 2011 …And A Partridge In A Pear Tree!

Hello loves

I’ve done it again.

Every year is pretty much the same story. It’s less than five days till Christmas and gifts are still merely a figment of my imagination! Not even a conscious effort has been made to window shop at least. Personally, I put it down to my enviable skill of procrastination. I’ve mastered it down to a very fine art, I can assure you.  In truth, it has just been a very hectic lead up to these winter months, Christmas shopping has been one of the last things to cross my train of thought, well, until today that is.

When I think gifts, the ones that I have received which have touched me the most aren’t ones which need a small mortgage to pay for, or ones which are all the rage and are smeared on every advert. Nope, the ones which I adore are the thoughtful little things which someone has taken the time to create. Because what’s more valuable than someone’s genuine care, time and effort eh?

So this year, I’ve decided to do something a little different.  Instead of putting my life in danger and facing the stampede which is last-minute gift gathering, I’ve decided to don my Creativity Cap and make something.  The ingredients aren’t at all too difficult to collect, and you also get complete artistic freedom to decorate how you like- So hopefully, you’ll be inspired to get a little creative this Christmas too.                                                                                                      

Peppermint Bath bomb

Now I found this recipe in a book my mum brought a while ago, it’s so simple to make, and on top of that:  It’s pretty fun too.

NB: As with all the ingredients here, you can choose whatever herb or flower you want to use and replace it into the recipe.

For use in the bath bomb you will have to use dry herbs and flowers. Whack your oven on till it reaches around 180 degrees centigrade.  Leave it at this temperature for a couple of minutes then turn it off. Place your fresh ingredients in the hot oven and leave there until all the water has evaporated from the leaves (Give it a minimum of an hour). If the leaves crumble when touched, they are ready to use.

For bath time fizziness :)

  1. Take a clean, dry glass bowl.
  2. Place 3 tablespoons of citric acid powder, 9 tablespoon baking powder in the bowl.
  3. Mix all the dry ingredients together till it’s all smooth.
  4. Add a table-spoon of your dry mint leaves to the bowl and a couple of drop of your essential oil. (Add 2 drops of food colouring if you wish to add colour to your bath bomb)
  5. Add 3 tea spoons of oil olive oil to the dry ingredients, incorporating it all with a metal spoon.
  6. Now your cookie cutter can be any shape you like, but it should be around 3cm deep. You need about three for this recipe. Place your cookie cutter on a plate.
  7. Spoon your ingredients into your cookie cutter and compress down with the back of the spoon. You will need to leave the bath bomb to dry before removing from the mold: If not completely dry it will crumble.
  8. Leave for around an hour or until completely dry.
  9. Store in an air tight container, avoiding moisture until ready for use.

Lavender infused oil

Now infused oils are incredibly easy to make! All you literally need is a carrier oil and something to infuse. You can make your own bath oil, massage oil, body oil..the list goes on. Now oils need at least a week to infuse. If you live on the edge like me however, you may not have enough days to let it properly infuse before Christmas. But don’t worry – All you need to solve this is dried ingredients…and heat.

For oils which smell incredible

    1. If you have fresh ingredients, dry in the same method which is mentioned above.
    2. Get enough lavender to fill ¼  of the volume of the jar. Crush the lavender sprigs (the little purple buds) using a pestle and mortar. The back of a spoon and plate will also work fine. Fetch your clean dry jar, and place the crushed flower in the bottom.
    3. Now fill the jar with your sweet almond oil.
    4. Fill a pot shallowly with water and place it on a low heat. Warm enough to bring about a simmer.
    5. Put the lid tightly on the jar and place it centrally in the pot.  Leave your oil to infuse for at least two hours.
    6. After a few hours, open the jar and smell. If the scent is as strong as you like take it off the heat, if you want it a little more intense, leave it on for a further 30 mins before checking again.
    7. Grab a clean jug (Which has been dried). Place a sieve above its entrance pour the contents of the jar over the sieve into the jug. Remove the sieve with its content and replace the oil back into the original jar. Stick a label on the front and tie a ribbon around the neck of the jar.  Wahlaaa. Homemade infused oil. Simple, huh?

Vanilla Foot scrub

Scrubs are awesome, and with all that running around people do during the run up to Christmas, treat someone’s tootsies with this indulgent foot scrub. (Or how about making a body scrub with infused oil? Check it out)

For smoother softer feet!

  1. Find a small jar and fill it ¾ of the way with brown sugar.
  2. Pour the sweet almond oil over the sugar till you get a thick sugary paste.
  3. Now the Vitamin E is oil is optional, but if you want to add an extra skin loving component to your scrub, open a Vitamin E capsule and pour its content into the jar.
  4. Add a couple drops of Vanilla extract until its delicious scent is quite obvious.
  5. Stir in a tea-spoon of Honey.
  6. If you’re feeling artistic, add a personalised label and some ribbon, and there you have it. A great treat for feet.

Hope you enjoyed, now go get creative! I’ll be back soon enough ; )

Merry Christmas!

Feli

x

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December 10, 2011 “Scrub A Dub!”

Hello loves.

The mornings are the hardest part of the day for me.

I can’t pin point whether it’s the instant withdrawal symptoms I get for my mattress, or the actual physical act of waking up. Either way sometimes I need a  little helping hand joining the World of the Living.  If this sounds quite familiar to you, try giving your shower time a little extra kick in the morning with this simple, fresh and invigorating body scrub- which you can make for pennies!

You will need

1) Grab your lemon, and carefully peel the outer layer in to thin strips.

2) Roughly chop your ginger root (The amount you use depends on how much you love its scent)

3) Place these ingredients into a jar, and fill the jar half way with oil.

4) Now you need to leave your oil to infuse with your fresh ingredients for it to take on their scent. This can happen a lot quicker once you introduce heat: So either place your jar on the window sill in direct sunlight or create a make shift Bain-marie and fill a pot shallowly with water on the stove. Once the water is of medium heat, place the jar in the center of the pot  and leave the water to simmer for ten minutes.

5) Now you have your very own infused oil, pour the contents of the jar over a sieve into a bowl.

6) Measure out a cup of fine sea salt and add it to the oil.

7) Stir the thick paste until the oil and salt are all evenly incorporated.

8) Pour back into the jar and seal the top tightly.

One zesty body scrub. Done. :)

I find exfoliation to be great in maintaining healthy smooth skin, on the face and body.

It effectively removes dead skin cells from the upper layer of your skin, helping reveal new fresh cells being produced in the dermis. Done regularly, it can unclog pores and cleanse (Over zealous scrubbing, however, can lead to irritation and excessive dryness, so be easy with it)  So once you’re in the shower, apply your scrub to wet skin- and do as it says on the tin, gently scrub!  Rinse off thoroughly with warm water.

Store your scrub (ensuring the lid of the jar is sealed tightly) within your bathroom cupboard and it should serve you well for up to 3 months. There you have it, you now have your self a great exfoliator which packs a punch!

Thanks for reading

I’ll be back soon enough :)

Feli

x

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December 3, 2011 I <3 You (Moments)

Hello loves.

These past two weeks have actually been non stop. The only time I’ve had a couple of minutes of pure unadulterated nothingness is when I’m asleep and at that, that peaceful period only lasts a few hours.  I’m currently running out of steam, and with the daunting aspect of winter exams, work and just life in general hanging on a fraying thread above my head I’ve come to a solid conclusion:

I. Need. A. Break.

So, I accordingly declare that this day as ‘You’ day.

What is this ‘You’ day you speak off, I hear you ask. Well a  ’You’ day, or more specifically a ‘You’ moment, is where for a stolen few instants you are the only thing that matters and those fickle thoughts of choosing what to eat for dinner, cleaning so you can finally see the floor of your room or catching up on those lectures are absolutely redundant.

So now that we have that established, how does one celebrate a You moment?

Well here’s a little recipe to help.

You will need:

Natural ingredients, facial treatments, DIY beauty products

Haha -Yes, it does look uncannily like a shopping list, but this is all you need.

Righto. The first thing you need to do is start the bath running. Pour a couple of glugs of Olive oil against the running water for an instantly moisturising bath. Part one is done. Simple, huh?

As the bath continues to run, go and grab your Honey, Avocado and Lemon.

Avocado, honey, lemon, face mask

1. Split the avocado in half, separate and remove the stone.With a spoon, place the flesh into a small bowl. Now with a fork mash the avocado till a paste is formed.

2. Grab a table spoon and measure out one spoonful of pure honey. Add to the avocado and continue to mix with a fork till your left with a smooth paste.

3. Now for the quarter lemon, squeeze over the paste and return to mixing together.

This incredibly indulgent facemask is quite easy to make and only has 3 (great) ingredients.

Avocado: Personally, i’m not a fan of its taste (To me, it’s actually taste-less, and that doesn’t fair well with my taste buds) but it’s perfect for dry, dehydrated or sun damaged skin. Avocado oil is extremely moisturising and penetrating. It is rich in Vitamin E, a great vitamin used to help reduce scars and retain skin elasticity.

Honey: Generously moisturising, it carries with it anti-microbial qualities, so not only does it leave your skin soft, but also naturally cleansed.

Lemon: Containing anti-oxidants, anti-bacterial properties and being an astringent it’s pretty safe to say lemon is a beauty triple-whammy.

Once made, place your mask in the fridge for a couple of minutes to give it a refreshing kick when applied.

Okay, now go check your bathroom isn’t flooded…

Back?

Right now for that potato (You can replace this with cucumber slices instead if it works for you. Cucumber slices has yet to work for me, so that’s why I didn’t mention it previously). Grab two cotton pads for this as it may make it easier to hold against your eyes. Using a garlic crusher or a knife, make the potato small enough to place around the delicate skin of your eye, whether that’s cutting it into incredibly thin slices or making a pulp, it’s your preference. The potato will help reduce the appearance of bags and brighten dark under eye circles.

Now, using a clean blush brush or the back of the spoon, place the now cool mask on your face, avoiding your eyes.  Jump into you awaiting bath and place the potato slices around your under eye area,  securing them in place with the cotton pads. Now relax…

And there you have it.

Bliss.

Hope you enjoyed, I’ll be back soon enough ; )

Feli

x

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November 30, 2011 Product Crush Of The Month: Astral, All Over Moisturiser Review

Hello loves.

I am an absolute sucker for DIY products. Okay, you know that by now but unfortunately there are a few things I just can’t create in my kitchen…

…Yet *Insert foreboding laughter here*

So- despite my adoration for my kitchen based beauty department, I do get a little giddy when I skip down the aisles of Boots or Superdrug, cash in tow.  But, what I can’t stand is getting incredibly excited over a  new product, bringing it home and slapping it on  for only absolutely NOTHING to happen.  No brighter complexion or blemish free skin in seconds. I mean, I can get that result for free…Why must I pay £10 for nothing to happen?! And I know i’m not the only one who has felt like this at times, my dressing table is full of products ‘Which just didn’t make the cut’. They just sit there discarded… collecting dust and looking pretty forlorn. I’m trying to changed my ways, no more impulsive buys.

(Well..Usually no more impulse buys,  but sometimes, like a magpie, I get attracted by pretty colours and shininess..)

What us gals (and guys) need to start doing is sticking to products which we know work, trust me it will be safer on our skin AND pockets. Easier said than done right? Well, SimplyFeli to the rescue and all that jazz. Introducing the product crush of the month, here I’m going to try out a new product which has taken my fancy and see if it honestly does what it says on the tin.

So this month’s product is… *drum roll*

Original Astral All Over Moisturiser

One of the friends I live with literally SWEARS by this product.  Astral are probably losing a lot money by not scooping her up as a representative. For all her life she hasn’t used another cream besides it and her skin is honestly enviable.

So, what does it claim?:

Astral is all the intense moisturising care your skin needs…So effective, it’s never had to change.

Big words, right?

My verdict:

They are actually warranted to be that confident. To be fair, I was really impressed by it. It’s so creamy yet so light!  It absorbs really well into the skin and left me  feeling baby smooth for a good portion of the day. It caries a nostalgic delicate fragrance which reminds me of talcum powder and it was pretty easy to in-cooperated it into my usual routine. I used it after I had applied sweet-almond oil on my skin straight after showering. Using it both on its own and  in combination with SAO didn’t change my opinion on its moisturising abilities. Either way, it’s great!

COST: 2/5

For the mahoosive blue tub I brought (500 ml) I was lucky enough to get it whilst it was on discount. I paid £3.25 for mine, but i’ve seen it priced normally around £6- £8  for the same size ( to be fair, it is a little pricey for a tub of cream despite its epicness)

COMPATIBILITY (Smell, texture, comfort): 4/5

Smells and feels great on the skin. It’s a white creamy consistency which isn’t too stodgy. Didn’t cause me any kind of reaction  (Which is actually quite rare) and left me feeling moisturised all day!

EFFECTIVENESS: 5/5

So it said it would ‘Intensely moisturise’ ‘Nourish and protect’ And to be fair, it has pretty much ticked all the boxes, I even found it to  be great used on irritated skin and burns. After a long period of scratching my head, the only thing I can fault it on is the price it’s being sold at. So as far as body moisturiser go,  this product gets a double thumbs up from me.  Nice work, Astral. Nice work.

So that’s all for now, I’ll be back soon enough ; )

Feli

x


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November 16, 2011 “Bags Be Gone!”

Hello loves

I love bags. Honestly I do. Just like shoes, I don’t think a girl can have enough. Travel, clutch, canvas, satchels…all are pretty much welcome to reside in my wardrobe whenever they like.

But the kind of bags I’m not too fond are the ones which like to creep under my eyes after a long day of just  being Felicia. You see, for me, it’s the equivalent of writing ‘Yes. I’ve had two hours sleep, and my body feels like crap reincarnated, so in response to your observation: Yes, I do look tired.’ on my forehead with a fine-tipped Sharpie.

So- whether your nocturnal hours are spent partying hard till your feet curse you the morning after, or If you’re just making up those 1000 words needed for that assignment you’ve left to the very last-minute:  here are a few tricks so no one can suss out  what you’ve been up to in your late hours.

Drinking your 2 liters of water is good stuff, but at night drinking too much fluids can account to the puffiness underneath your eyes. So remember to keep hydrated through out the day but slow down during the midnight hours!

Chuck two table spoons in the freezer before your all-nighter. The spoons effectively act as a cold compress The same way you may put a pack of cold pea's somewhere to reduce swelling. Hold the cold spoons over the bags for a couple of minutes until they begin to warm up. Place a single sheet of tissue between your eyes and the cold spoon- the sensation of the cold metal directly on the skin may be a shock.

This has pretty much the same principle as the cold spoon trick. Remember to place some sort of barrier between the ice and your skin, so you may want to wrap the ice-cube in a thin flannel and hold against the under eye area.

I've accepted the fact- that after this tip you may begin to question my sanity, but this trick has actually been around for a while, and it works a treat for me. Get a small potato and slice it into very thin slices, or alternatively place small potato chunks into a garlic crusher. Now get the cut potato and place it around your under eye. Lie down, relax and wait. Rest with the potato on your face for about 20 minutes. Then wash your face and get ready for your day : )

Now these are tips for how to get rid of bags which occur from a lack of sleep, I just wanted to clarify because there are SO MANY reasons why one may get under eye circles. It can honestly be anything ranging from diet, allergies, PMS and even genetics. So If you find under eye circles a regular occurrence, regardless of the amount of sleep you’re getting, maybe try and single out a cause and work on it from there : )

NB. Also I don’t recommend those old wives tales about using hemorrhoid cream. True- It may possibly work, but  personally, i’m quite content with NOT putting cream which is meant for the anus anywhere on my face. Thank. You. Very. Much.

So there you have it. A couple of remedies which have helped me give my stubborn bags the boot . Of course, you could always just be good: Going to bed at an early respectable hour and gaining your full 8 hours kip…What..?

Okay…you’re right, I chuckled as I wrote that last bit too.

All for now, I will be back soon enough ; )

Feli

X

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November 6, 2011 Olive You!

Hello loves.

I write this lying down, huddled within my duvet. Not so much because I’m lazy and have a sordid relationship with my bed, which is completely true , but more so because I have just finished my night time skin regime. Most like yours, it is a simple wash, tone and moisturise routine. But in this post it’s the moisturiser I would like to focus on. I’ve previously mentioned the epicness of olive oil, and how it can be used for many things. So now, paying it the dues it deserves I’m going to do a countdown of a few handy uses for this cheap accessible oil!

1)      Skin moisturiser

So if I remember correctly, olive oil has been my moisturiser of choice for a very long time. I use it on my face as well as an all over body moisturiser. Personally, I think it works best applied to wet skin- so the moment you jump out of the shower try applying it direct to skin before you towel off.  Long lasting smoothness the whole day through  : ) (I understand people may not like the slight hearty aroma Olive oil carries -a great alternative is sweet almond oil which has all the same benefits but absolutely no smell.)

2)      Hair oil

Thinking this through, this may only be appropriate for Afro-Caribbean hair which has a tendency to become dry quite easily. The moment I finish washing and conditioning my hair, I rub a palm-full of olive oil through my damp head, from root to tip. When I finished blow-drying, I’m left with soft, moisturised, conditioned hair which carries a subtle sheen. Try it, your hair will be left moisturised for a very good while.

3)      Bath oil

Next time you run yourself a hot bath, add a few lashings of olive oil to the hot running water. After your luxurious soak you will notice you skin feeling a lot softer, supple and smooth. Just make sure you wash the bath thoroughly after to save the next person to use it a fall (Talking from experience here guys…)

4)      Make up remover

Have you ever washed your face only to look in the mirror to be confronted with the dreaded ‘Panda eyes’? Well next time, before you even wash your face, grab a cotton pad and add a little olive oil to it. Hold it over each eyelid for a couple of seconds, then rub away in a sweeping motion. Repeat till every last trace mascara is removed, then go on to wash your face with warm water and soap.  Good bye panda eyes!

5)      Nail care

Suffering from weak brittle nails? Moisturise your hands with a little olive oil at least 3 times a day, paying particular attention to the tips of your fingers, nails and cuticles. Do this regularly and soon enough you will start to notice an improvement!

6)      Shaving cream alternative

This is one I have yet to try but heard about recently and I’m itching to give a go. Shaving in general is a pain, but it doesn’t help when you skin feels all dry and irritated afterwards. For a smooth alternative, after exfoliating, rub a good amount of olive oil down your leg. With a clean razor shave, along the leg, following the direction of the growth of the hair (To avoid irritation and nasty bumps). After wards wipe/wash off the excess oil and admire your new smooth legs : )

So olive oil has been the main star of this post, but natural oils in general are just awesome. Some great alternatives to olive oil are the previously mentioned sweet almond oil, jojoba oil and even coconut oil. Everyone has a preference, so have explore a little , and discover how great that bottle of oil lying in your pantry really is!

Hoped you enjoyed!

I’ll be back soon enough ; )

Feli

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