Nude by Nature

I'm sorry that it has been quiet on the blog posting for a number of month (well years almost) but I have been struggling my way through a skin condition called perioral dermatitis. It is a rash that mainly effects young women (20 - 40 years old) so some think it is hormonal but I suspect had something to do with the number of products I used on my face over the years. It consists of small raised and bumps around the nose and mouth and also - as my doctor referred to it - had the appearance of being scaly. I will do another post detailing all the remedies I have been using, what has worked and what hasn't, but for the time being one of the major courses of action was to make my skincare routine completely natural and that meant finding a makeup brand that wasn't loaded with the chemicals that are ubiquitous in most makeup brands. As I researched I was shocked and upset by the scarce number of options. People are really concerned about what they put into their body at the moment, with every other Instagram picture being a healthy juice or avocado on toast. But there isn't the same level of interest on what people are putting onto their skin. With the epidermis (our skin) being the largest organ of the human body it is only common sense that we treat it with respect and constant use of chemicals through using makeup is one way that we aren't treating it with the love it deserves. 

During my research I came across Nude by Nature, an Australian brand that promises that their products are “formulated without synthetic ingredients or preservatives like Talc, Silicon, Phthalates, Sulphates, PEGS, Siloxanes, Triclosans, Phenoxyethanol or Parabens.” Parabens and sulphates are one of the key ingredients that dermatologists say to avoid for those people with dermatitis and are found in most cosmetic lines. At the moment Nude by Nature is only available through feelunique.com in the UK but as more people hear about it that is bound to change.  As well as being good for your skin by being packed full of natural goodness, it is also good for your conscience as it 100% cruelty free and PETA certified, another key aspect that is overlooked by many cosmetic brands. One area that shouldn't really factor into our choices when we are buying something is the packaging but lets face it, it always does (I know someone who only buys products for the packaging). Nude by Nature has a luxury feel to it but the prices are still high-street (£18 - £25). The rose gold and cases are so pretty and the whole range feels so well designed and elegant. The compacts are substantial and even though plastic used for tubes it feels matte and sturdy rather than cheap and cheerful. 

The perfecting primer (£22) is silicone free (silicone clogs your pores and is one of the ingredients that creates glare in flash photography) and instead includes vitamin A & E, papaya leaf and recommend for dermatitis green tea. I find some primers can be sticky whereas this glides onto your face and leaves it smooth and moisturised without in any way feeling oily. It provides the perfect base for the luminous sheer liquid foundation (£25) or the radiant loose powder foundation (£25) both of which comes in a range of shades from light to dark and in warm, cool or neutral tones. I am of the super fair variety so can find it difficult to find the right shade for my skin but C1 Ivory matched it entirely and provided the perfect balance between smoothing out my skin tone but not obscuring my freckles. Even though it looks too light in the photo I can assure you the skin on my neck (where you should test foundation for colour) is as white as a ghost. The foundation feels like no other that I have tried, it is sumptuous. It feels more like a luxury face mask than foundation, you can almost feel it nurturing your skin when you apply it. It is lighter than lightweight, it is like being kissed by makeup Gods it feels so divine. It melts into your skin and all day my skin felt taken care of and cared for. 

There are two annoying things about perioral dermatitis that I wanted this make up to be able to help with - (1) that it could pacify and cover the redness around my mouth and nose and (2) that it would moisturise and not emphasis the dry, flakiness that's also a symptom of the rash. Task 1 - The foundation did cover up most of the redness and any that was left over was tackled by the perfecting concealer (£20) I'll admit a small tube but only a tiny amount is needed to blast the last remaining redness and under eye circles that are the bane of any woman over 25. On both counts it did a sterling job and didn't sit in the creases of my eyes like some concealers do after a few hours wear. This has to be down to the shea butter and jojoba oil that is highly moisturising and plumps up the skin. 

Task 2 - Normally transparent powder or powder foundation is the kiss of death for my skin as all it does is highlight the dryness and scales that appear. Not using a finishing powder can mean that your foundation doesn't stay in place as long as you don't get the same mattifying effect so you end up with a shiny forehead. The Nude by Nature translucent powder (£22) didn't accentuate the dryness but actually helped to cover it, possibly because it doesn't contain talk, which drys out the skin. It's honestly like you're brushing on silk to your face. Even after a day of wearing makeup, where usually my forehead would be oily and the lower half of my face visibly dry, my make up looked exactly the same as it did when I applied it in the morning. No dryness and no oiliness, just perfect.

Nude by Nature has got me falling in love. Not only are the products hands down some of the best that I have ever tried but they have provided a way for me to still wear makeup without making my skin breaking out. My face has never felt so nourished and looked after when I have applied make up. For 18 months I have been in a constant cycle of hating my skin because it looks so damaged and sore and applying makeup to cover it up, only for it to get worse. Now I can continue to wear makeup whilst treating the problem as it contains ingredients such as green tea and vitamins. This is a photo of me after a 10 hour work day and there is not one patch of my skin I am unhappy with here, even though if I took the makeup off you would see bumps, redness and uneven texture all round my mouth. 

SodaStream Power

The last time I remember hearing about SodaStream I was a child in the 80’s and my parents used to have one in the kitchen. It was this big and bulky plastic looking machine that took up a corner of the workspace and used to make terrifying noises when it carbonated (if memory serves correctly, not very nice) drinks. So I was surprised when I got an email recently telling me about the new SodaStreamPower and saw the sleek and streamlined design. No longer made out of that orangey plastic that everything in the 80’s was made out, it now looks like a cool gadget that fits in perfectly with a modern kitchen (and the black matches my kitchen perfectly). 

The challenge was to swap coffee, fruit juice and fizzy drinks for two weeks and see what effect it would have on my skin and energy levels. Before I started I calculated that I wasn’t drinking enough water, I should be drinking around 2 litres a day and on a good day I am only normally drinking about 1.3 litres. Like 52% of Brits most of that comes from coffee and tea so I dread to think how much sugar I am consuming through drinks alone.

Day one and I swiftly realised that there is not a hope in hell that I am not going to be able to have a coffee, in fact I think I lasted all of 10 minutes before the alluring smell from the freshly brewed cafeteria my husband had just made breaks me. So I widen the goal posts a bit and decide to limit myself to two cups only, which cuts my coffee intake by half. I also decide to wean myself off two sugars to only one. I’m still standing by not having my usual fizzy drink midway through the day.

My first thoughts on the new SodaStream is that it is really easy to use, simply fill the contained bottle up with cold water and then slide under the nozzle. There are three different levels of carbonation, level one gives it a gentle fizz where level three gives it the same level of fizz as you would get with a can of drink. I have never been one for plain fizzy water so I decide to flavour my drinks throughout the two-week period with frozen lemon and lime slices. Not only does it make the water nice and chilled for the surprisingly hot days we have had recently but also gives a refreshing taste that isn’t over powering.

Unsurprisingly the first few days of my experiment resulted in many more trips to the bathroom but I take this as a good sign that that my body is being flushed of all its toxins. I did get a mild headache for the first few days but think this is down to the reduced amount of caffeine and sugar. My energy levels didn’t dip too much but I certainly felt the effect of not having my afternoon caffeine pick me up, I replaced my midday can of coke with a banana, less exciting but much better for me.

At the weekend I got very excited when I realise that I can replace the tonic from my gin and tonic with the fizzy water and have it taste exactly the same. I also use some of the water in a white wine spritzer and the effect is not that dissimilar to having a prosecco. I also have a play around with the flavourings that you can add to the water; orange slices, cucumber slices, crushed pomegranate seeds, mango pulp. I found that all of these work best frozen and that also means you get to keep the fruit as fresh as possible. I did experiment with banana but there is a reason why you don’t really find many banana flavour drinks - it did not taste good. Obviously you can get a number of different juices from SodaStream in supermarkets; they do a zero range (no sugars or calories) as well as a classics range, which includes cola and Dr Pete. I tried the passion fruits mango from the fruits range and really loved it, the flavour was on par with any canned drink and you can reduce the amount of syrup you use to suit your taste. I can find drinks like Fanta a bit too sweet at times so it is nice to be able to make it to your taste.

Anyway back to the experiment. The first week I didn’t feel too much of a difference, I think this was because my body was still trying to figure out what was going on and readjust to my new routine. By the second week however it was obvious how much better I felt. There was much less of a sense of having to ‘top up’ my energy levels with coffee or caffeine and more of a steady balancing out of energy throughout the day. I even started to sleep better, which helped to contribute to the reduction of dark circles under my eyes, a physical improvement the experiment made. For me the most visible effect was on one of the days near the end of the two weeks when I ended up staying at work much later then planned and broke my coffee limit and didn’t drink nearly as much water as I had been. I ended the day with a severe headache and body aches that saw me go straight to bed after a hot bath.

The experiment has taught me a few things:

1) I drank too much coffee and really needed to cut down so I am keeping up with the two-cup limit and now only have one sugar

2) I didn’t drink enough water for my body to function at its best so will continue to drink the recommended 2 litres a day

3) SodaStream has successfully turned from being a childhood memory to a present day necessity.

Ultimate DIY wedding prep!

With under two months (gulp) to my wedding I am starting to get the beauty preparations under way and have a run through of the steps I am going take to make sure I am feeling and looking my best on the  big day. 

First up is making sure I get plenty of sleep, not so easy when your other half takes snoring to an Olympic level. I'm not kidding you, not only does he wake me up all the time he also wakes himself up with the loudness of his snoring. I'm surprised the neighbours haven't complained. Imagine my joy when I found Auritech do earplugs especially formulated to filter out the annoying sounds of snoring. Normal earplugs don't do anything really to filter out the nose my partner makes so I was really hoping that Auritechs would do something to let me get some sleep and give my partner a rest from being constantly jabbed in the ribs all night.

Without going into all the science that I don't really understand (but if you want to have a look click here) the ear protectors filter out the low frequency sounds whilst still letting you hear alert sounds such as alarm clocks and fire alarms so you don't have to worry about sleeping through your alarm. Getting a good night sleep is imperative to feeling and looking good. Your skin actively heals itself while you sleep and allows your body to repair itself. Without a good nights sleep I am moody, irritable and crave sugar, again all the things you don't want to be in the run up to your wedding! The ear protectors don't block out the sound of my partners snoring completely, its not like they are magic or anything, but they do muffle it enough so that he doesn't wake me up and I can get a good nights sleep with no interruptions. Now I think I just need to buy a pair for him so that he doesn't wake himself up and we will both be well rested and refreshed for the day.

No matter what dress you pick making sure your skin is glowing is essential to looking good in photos. The best thing that you can do is exfoliate regularly so that your skin looks it best and all the dull skin is swept away. I've been using Angela Langfords Spice of Life a natural body scrub that exfoliates, cleanses and nourishes. The lemongrass tightens and tones your skin and ginger stimulates circulation but these two ingredients also make it so wonderfully scented you want to eat it. It is instantly uplifting and that's before you have even spread it on your body and let it work its magic.

Sea salt from the Red Sea gently exfoliates and Rice Bran softens your skin so your skin feels silky soft to the touch.

I think exfoliation not only has its physical benefits but it also has psychological benefits. If I've had a tough day I literally feel like my body is being renewed and my mind cleansed of the toughness of the day. With the Spice of Life it also feels like you are really treating your body, giving you a confidence boast that you deserve some pampering and looking after.

New Year, New You - JN Beauty

I know buying makeup shouldn't be based on the packaging but I would be lying if I said it didn't factor into the equation. JN Beauty has some of the most stylish and expensive looking packaging I have come across for a low cost brand. All the products are have great results and the colours are all on trend and suitable for any skin tone or condition. I think I have just found my makeup crush of 2014.

The mascara is only £10 but don't let that fool you into thinking it doesn't measure up to more expensive ones. It's smudge proof and long lasting, the bristle brush is small enough to capture all the eyelashes making it brilliant for opening up you eyes.

My favourite product from this range that I tried has got to be the Sheer Glo paradise at only £14 a little goes a long way. It's a incandescent liquid that magically transforms even the most lacklustre skin into radiantly glowing glorious skin. You can use it all over your body, I really like using it on my shoulders and collarbones, its also makes your legs look longer if you blend it in down your shins. You can also mix it into your regular foundation to give your face a lift or dab it onto your cheeks as a highlighter.

Add a touch of colour with lipgloss in bad bessie £10 with added vitamin E it's long lasting and a touch of sparkle gives it a pearlescent sheen. If raspberry red is too bright for you try the dusky pink of Ice cream lipstick £11.50, it is super soft with a creamy finish so it doesn't dry out your lips. With nail vanishes for £6 and eyeshadow pallets for £20 getting a new look has never been so affordable. 

New Year, New You - Radox Home Spa Gift Set

....... And relax! Now that the stress of Christmas and New Year are over I needed something to unwind and pamper myself as I have spent the last few weeks, cooking, cleaning and generally looking after everybody but myself. Step in old faithful Radox with a gift set to calm all my New Year nerves and get me ready for 2014. It contains two indulgent tea lights set in their own glass holders that help create a peaceful atmosphere. 

Run a hot bath and poor in the Soothe Bath Soak, its enriched with a blend of milk, natural fig extract and delicate neroli oil. It produces a plethora of soft bubbles so when you get into the bath you feel like you are stepping into a cloud. The Spa Radiant Shower Scrub contains scrub particles that gently exfoliate your skin to banish all the dry skin that makes skin look dull. The fresh new skin is revealed giving you 'I've just come back from holiday' glow without having to step outside your house. You leave the bathroom feeling refreshed, relaxed and able to take on anything the year might throw at you! 

Don't worry if you have missed out on the gift sets, all the lovely products can be brought from major retailers. 

Curlformers

I've been looking at a way to curl my hair for my wedding without using heat and think I have found my answer... Curlformers is a unique way to create what ever style of curl you want in one fun product.  It's suitable for all hair types and with stater kits beginning at £8.95 so much cheaper than electronic stylers. No waiting for curling irons to heat up and the inevitable rechecking to make sure you have turned them off! Simply apply to wet hair, leave it to dry for effortlessly gorgeous curls. Now all I need to do is decide on a colour and my wedding hair is done.

Get gorgeous for Christmas

Lauren's Way Let it Glow medium (£30) - Technically it's a Christmas gift but if you are thinking of giving it to someone as a present I suggest you get one for yourself otherwise you might get a bought of jealousy when you hand it over. The set contains three products that will help you get party ready and give your beauty maximum impact with minimum effort. 

First up I try the tan, having watched the only way is Essex I was mildly worried that it would be of the radioactive variety but it actually has a really nice colour to it. For those who want a darker tan there is an option of the darker than dark tan but as I am fair to begin with I wanted to test the water with the medium first. It is really soft as you apply it and no stickyness or waiting around for it to dry. The colour is completely natural, like you have been on a midwinter holiday so no one will know you have been faking it. The fade factor is really natural and even and the smell has to be one of the best fake tan smells you can get, practically no biscuit smell! 

The dream rollers (or should that be reem rollers - sorry I couldn't resist) are fantastic as you can wear them to bed as they collapse so they are completely comfortable to sleep in. They are so easy to use as it was my first time using rollers and it only took me half an hour. If you live with your partner its probably best to warn them first as I got quite a funny look when I appeared from the bedroom. All you need to do is roll them up in your dry hair and in the morning you have soft princess curls. My hair is quite fine so I found it good to blast my hair with the hairdryer, first hot then cold that helped to the curl all day. 

The lashes in the set were daytime dazzle, a nice sophisticated length that are perfect to open up your peepers. 

Miners Cosmetics - If you are having to watch the pennies then Miners offers low cost cosmetics that don't scrimp on the wearability. The fresh faced foundation (£4.99) gives a medium coverage that leaves your skin with a dewy finish and lasts all day. Finish off the perfect base with their fresh faced powder (£3.99) that only needs a light dusting to set your foundation. 

New from Mary Kay is their fairytale collection. I am obsessed with the Kohl eyeliners (£11 - £12) in the collection as the colours are a bit different and they are really long lasting. The mulberry is a soft dark red / purple that makes a change from my regular black. 

Christmas Gift Guide for girls

Take the stress out of Christmas shopping as I have found the best Christmas gifts out there. Warning though, they are so lovely you will want to keep them for yourself! 

Woods of Windsor's newest scent, Bergamot and Neroli, has a fresh citrus hit with a herbal hint to make it refreshing and relaxing. The moisturising bath and shower lotion (£6.37) leaves skin clean and moisturised with a delicate dusting of the lovely scent. The hand and body lotion (£6.56) isn't too thick so makes application really easily and soaks in quickly leaving skin soft and smelling divine. Best for a female boss or secret santa as everyone loves a bit of luxury 

These ultra adorable Moccis (rock n roll - £59.97) are swiftly becoming celebrity favourites thanks to their cute designs and hardwearing design. Handmade in Sweden they have non-slip leather soles and are super comfortable and warm keeping toes warm throughout winter. Less cumbersome than Uggs and more stylish than your average slippers, they will become a staple in your life. Best for new mums so that you can get matching kids ones. 

Label.m have teamed up with London fashion week designer Jean-Pierre Braganza who has added a gorgeous print to their limited edition box sets, like this one for colour treated hair (£19.75). If you want your hair colour to stay bright throughout the festive season then specially formulated shampoos and conditioners are needed. This duo will keep your hair looking great well into the next year with a shampoo enriched with wheat, soy proteins, hydrolysed silk and silk extracts that gently cleanses your hair with stripping the colour. The conditioner is really thick and luxurious, just what colour treated hair needs. It also protects coloured hair against heat styling and UV rays that can fade your colour. Best for your sister

A classic Christmas combination of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh combined in this gorgeous soap from Bakewell Soap Company (£3.95) . As with all their soaps it is handmade and all natural, with sweet spices and sweet fruits that give it a lovely warming scent, perfect for baths on cold nights. Perfect for those with sensitive skin

This is another product that its going to be really difficult to give as a present as there will be many times over the Christmas period when a relaxing bath is needed. Enjoy Life Bath Oil (£7.95) contains natural essential oils of May Chang and sun-ripe lemons lift spirits and will leave you with an overwhelming feeling of positivity and contentment. The fruity lemon smell instantly brings a smile to your face and the oil moisturises you skin in the bath so afterwards you feel sunny and soft. Perfect for your mum 

Pizza 7 - because looking good starts with feeling good

I’m a huge fan of pizza, for the last 6 years Friday night has pretty much been exclusively pizza night in my household, where I make my own dough and put the overworked pizza stone in the oven. I’ve also worked in a fair few chain pizza restaurants so I consider myself to be well qualified to judge a pizza.

Pizza 7 gets its name from the seven pizza’s that grace its menu and luckily none of them are named in pretentious faux Italian phrases the chains are so fond of but actually make you embarrassed as you order them. But before you get to the pizza’s there is the extensive beer and wine menu to choose from. Expertly chosen by the in-house master sommelier the beer menu takes you through a tour of over 60 different beers from around the world. The wine menu is more condensed however there is a wine for every palate and budget and also a few cheeky cocktails and not so cheeky soft drinks.

To start I shared the calamari and the crispy pork skin with my dining partner. The calamari was beautifully tender and served with a chilli mayo that was perfectly spiced - hot enough to tickle your tongue but not so hot that you need a glass of water. The crispy pork skin was salty and crunchy and a fight nearly ensued when it came to who got to eat the last piece. If you don’t have time or the appetite for a full meal Pizza 7 is a great place to pop in and grab and beer and a couple of starters.

Food always tastes better with a smile and our pizza's were served with a huge smile by the effortlessly polite and attentive waitress. Many chain pizza places claim to use fresh dough but it almost always brought in frozen. Pizza 7 makes fresh dough each day from their secret recipe and Italian organic wood in their hand build wood fired oven. The result is a crispy but light base that is soft yet substantial, and keeps all the toppings in place when you swap a slice. The organic wood gives the pizza a very subtle oaked aroma, not overpowering but enough so that you really appreciate all the trouble they have gone to in sourcing the wood. All the pizzas have a base of organic tomato, oregano and a mixture of mozzarella and cheddar, which on its own would be enough to get your taste buds working over time.

I went for the number 5 pizza, slow cooked breast chicken, tarragon, roasted pepper and rocket. The chicken was tender with no hint of dryness, the roasted pepper with the lovely smoky scent from the wood balancing out the sweetness and a peppery kick off the rocket. My dining partner went for pizza number 4, new forest charcuterie, red chilli, mascarpone, chives and rocket. The mascarpone was a revelation to have on a pizza. As charcuterie has a quite a salty taste the mascarpone mellows it and gives it an almost creamy edge. With each bite you can taste the time and dedication that has gone into choosing the ingredients.

Finally a nod should be given to the atmosphere. The décor is warm and homely, not the sterile and artless forms of generic brands. The exposed brick walls, wooden chairs and careful lighting make it a truly enjoyable experience and makes going out for a pizza a gourmet experience. The cherry on top is that the prices are lower than the big chain restaurants, where the food isn’t of such a high quality.    

Clearasil Superfruits

I thought I had gotten away with teenage spots, I am well past the age when most of us have to worry about breakouts but no. It's a taken a while but my face is now going through the stage that faces most people in their teenage years. I'm not alone though with many people having to adapt their skincare routine to stop them getting spots.

Clearasil was the first place I turned to when my skin flared up and luckily they had just brought out a new superfruit range. There's a facewash (£4.99) available in raspberry and cranberry, which is so fruity you will completely forget what jobs its there to do.

An oil and shine wash (£4.99) in lemon and lime that smells so good I wanted to drink it.

A refreshing scrub (£4.99) that contains micro beads that gently exfoliate without drying it out.

Lastly there are refreshing pads (£4.07) that help to clear up the skin. I've been using the range for just over a month and the results have been very pleasing. It has really helped to clear my skin up and now when I get the occasional spot they don't hang around nearly as long as they did before I started using Clearasil. You do have to be quite strict about using one of the products each day other all that good work goes to waste. Now having clear and glowing skin doesn't means slathering your face in highly medicated products, that frankly smell horrible. The supefruits range means that washing my face each morning was actually really pleasurable and now that the morning are getting colder the fruity smell instantly gives you a little up lift.