Category Archives: Beauty & Grooming

The Philip Kingsley Hero Range to tackle Fine, Flat Hair

Posted on by

Philip Kingsley is a hero of the hair world. Their products are outstanding and innovative. The Body Building Range for fine hair is no exception. They are all great products that all work in sync with each other to give you your best possible hair.

Philip Kingsley’s best-selling hero range, The Body Building Range for fine hair, to create bigger bouncier beautiful hair.

Each product is layerable and designed to complement one another for a full proof care and styling regime, guaranteed to add enviable body and bounce. Using products with plumping ingredients is essential when choosing the right shampoo , conditioning and styling products for fine hair. Copolymers control flyaways and static, Natural Cellulose thickens the texture of fine strands, Keratin Proteins help strengthen, whilst Wheat Protein works to plump each individual strand.

Body Building Weightless Shampoo (250ml, £20)

Volumising Weightless shampoo for fine hair, adds volume and bounce from root to tip.

 

Body Building Weightless Conditioner (200ml, £20)

A hydrating weightless conditioner which adds moisture and volume to shorter, fine, flat, flyaway hair.

 

Maximizer Root Boosting Spray (125ml, £19)

A heat-activated spray that provides instant root lift, and helps with frizz control and flyaways.

 

Maximizer Strand Plumping Cream (75ml, £22)

Plumping cream that smoothes frizz and provides instant volume to fine limp locks.

The range is available here.

 

How To Choose The Right Teeth Correction Solution For You

Posted on by

As you get older, you might find that you aren’t happy with the current layout of your teeth. Over time, your teeth can move slightly, and this can cause problems with the placement and leave you feeling uncomfortable. Additionally, there are cosmetic reasons why you might not be happy with how your teeth are placed in your mouth.

The good news is that in 2021, there are tons of excellent teeth correction and straightening options that you can choose from. The decision on whether you decide to opt for metal braces or simple invisible aligners is entirely up to you and your budget. What works for some people won’t necessarily work for others. So, how do you choose the right solution? Here are some of our tips to help you make the right choice.

Check Out Your Options

The first thing that you should do when you are hoping to choose the right teeth correction solution for yourself is to look at the options. Many people are only aware of the most popular options but over time, more companies have created solutions that can be more discreet. 

Some of the most common options include clear aligners, metal braces, ceramic braces, veneers, bonding and lingual braces. The only real way to determine which is best for you is to check out each in great detail and uncover some of the advantages and disadvantages of each. Some are more visible than others while you can expect to pay more for certain options. Once you know a bit more about the options that are available to you, you can make a clear decision. 

What’s Your Budget?

It is unlikely that you are going to be able to correct your teeth without making some kind of financial contribution to the procedure. There are some cases where it can be a medical emergency to correct the shape of the teeth and there may be some reductions in price for these patients. However, the majority of options will set you back a fair bit of money, so you need to be willing to pay for it.

Before you start booking appointments with experts who can check your teeth, take a look at your budget. How much can you realistically afford to spend on this solution? This also comes down to how important this is to you. Some correction options will cost you thousands of dollars – are you willing to pay that? 

Determine your budget and find a solution that fits within that. It might be worth pushing this change a bit further into the future so that you can find time to save up for a solution that works better for your lifestyle. By waiting a bit longer, you’ll also be sure that you have made the right decision and you are happy to proceed.

Find a Reputable Company

You might think that your only option when it comes to correcting your teeth is to visit your dentist but that is not the case at all. Yes, your dentist can offer recommendations on which options might work best for you and help you to keep you spot any issues that need to be rectified quickly but they don’t have to be the one that goes through with the procedure.

You will find that if you opt for an alternative to traditional braces like invisible aligners, for example, you’ll want to find a reputable company who can help. For example, Straight My Teeth offers a range of options and they have a long list of happy clients. 

Reading reviews can be really useful when it comes to finding a reputable company. Why not spend some time looking at the reviews over at straightmyteeth.com to see what the happy customers have to say? This way, you’ll know what to look out for.

Ask Around

Sometimes, making the decision on which tooth correction solution is best for you is as simple as asking around. Do you know someone close to you that has a great smile? Has a relative recently undergone a procedure to improve their teeth and they are happy with the final result? You could find that by asking your close friends and family members that you can learn more about the options that are out there.

You could even find that some reviews from relatives suggest that an option won’t work for you. Spend some time asking around your circle and see if you can find any answers there. They might not be entirely educated on each option, but they can give you a summary of their experience and you can use this information to determine the right choice. 

Visible or Invisible?

One of the main things that you should consider when you are choosing a teeth correction solution for yourself is the visibility. Many people around the world have already experienced wearing metal braces as teenagers and know how visible these can be. Is this something that you want to experience again? If you are comfortable with others noticing your teeth correction solution, then this might be the best option for you as it can be very affordable.

Alternatively, if you are looking for a more discreet option, we recommend looking into some invisible aligners. This option is becoming much more popular with adults who are hoping to correct the alignment of their teeth without drawing too much attention to it. 

Check Out Treatment Times

Are you looking for a quick fix or something that might take a bit longer to really work? This is a consideration that you need to make when you are choosing a solution as some are quicker to work than others. For example, if you were to choose at-home clear aligners, you might expect the treatment time to be around 6 months.

Additionally, bonding will usually be done in just one or two appointments with your dental company so this might be something to consider if you want to resolve the problem sooner rather than later. Some alternatives such as braces or veneers might take a bit longer, but they will be worth it in the end.

Usually, when you go to a consultation, you can learn more about how long the process will take. While some might be quick to implement, they might need to be fitted for a longer period of time so make sure to consider this carefully. Hopefully, you’ll find something that works for your lifestyle.

Choose An Option That Works For You

You should discuss the solutions that you are considering with your loved ones, but you should remember that this is your decision to make. It doesn’t hurt to check in with your dentist to see what kind of solution they recommend you get.

Think about the variety of solutions available and consider important factors such as your budget, the duration of treatment and the company that will perform the procedure. Once you know what you are looking for, you can get booked in and start your oral transformation sooner rather than later. We hope that we have helped you to come to a final conclusion. 

Collaborative post with our brand partner.

3 of The Best Self-Tans For SS21: New In From St. Moriz

Posted on by

St. Moriz 1 Hour Fast Tan Mist.

It develops fast and has aloe vera and vitamin E. It has a wash off guide colour so you can personalise your tan, and it soothes and moisturises skin. It is a great product.

Available from Boots, £4.99.

St. Moriz 1 Hour Fast Tan Lotion.

It does the same job as the mist but comes in a lotion instead. It is just as handy and good.

£4.99.

St. Moriz Advanced Colour Correct Tanning Mousse.

This has olive undertones to neutralise red tones. It provides an instant colour and a long-lasting tan. It has hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 so it cares for skin and leaves it super-glowing. Great stuff.

£9.99.

Happy summer everyone!

 

Switch to Certified Skincare this Summer, from BLOMMA Beauty

Posted on by

We are hugely impressed by BLOMMA. We’ve been told about greenwashing and green claims by the brands at BLOMMA Beauty – and according to them:

  • 90% of consumers have never heard of the ‘circular economy’ – these shoppers did not know the term for the economic system aimed at eliminating waste
  • BLOMMA Beauty’s sales of organic and natural products have risen this year, but ‘greenwashing’ is still a growing concern for their customers, which is why they shop with BLOMMA, as they value the transparency
  • The 3 brands below all have various accreditations and certifications, ensuring that their claims are GENUINE! In fact, Terre Verdi’s NeroliPom Moisturiser was the very FIRST water-based moisturiser made in the UK to get COSMOS Organic Certification by the Soil Association in 2016

 

 
Certified Summer Skincare Switches

As the weather changes, so should your skincare – but keep your conscience happy too!

Here comes the sun… but we want to make sure our skin is ready, with the right products in-hand. Opt for BLOMMA’s lighter summer skincare options, all certified by leading industry bodies.

BLOMMA, meaning ‘to bloom’ in Swedish, is a conscious beauty destination; giving shoppers the key to unlocking their personal skincare and wellbeing needs. With many hand-picked independent brands like bperfect ireland under their roof, as well as online webinars, virtual consultations and try-before-you-buy sample packs, BLOMMA allows customers to gauge which products are truly best for their skin.
BLOMMA Beauty_Odylique Rose Tonic, w. box_50ml £15.pngBLOMMA Beauty, Silvan Skincare Marshmallow and Calendula Hand Cream, vegan_50ml £12.png  BLOMMA Beauty Terre Verdi NeroliPom Moisturiser_50ml £41.png

JUST THE SUPERTONIC: Odylique Calming Rose Super Tonic, 50ml £15

Vegan, Soil Association Organic Certified, PETA Cruelty-free, 100% Natural ingredients, Recyclable packaging.

This exceptionally-calming rose ‘supertonic’ is just what your skin is crying out for this summer. Although this is classified as a ‘toner’ the blend of nurturing organic ingredients (including Calendula and a special combination of Rose Waters) is multi-functional, providing skin with mild moisturising properties, making this the perfect companion for summer, or your first adventure away from home after a long lockdown.

This toner contains no added water, so the skin can benefit fully from Odylique’s special concentrated distillation Rose Petal Hydrolat, fortified with precious Rose Otto Essential oil, which also balances the skin’s natural acid mantle.

Packed with Antioxidant Polyphenols and Phytonutrients, it is highly effective at uplifting your senses, and may be particularly suitable for skin prone to flushing in heat.

As Odylique’s products are made with allergies in mind, this tonic is gentle on skin, and great for cleansing the skin before a morning work-out, replacing any lost moisture in the new-found heat of summer, or for balancing an uneven complexion.

THE COMPLETE TREAT FOR HANDS: Silvan Skincare Hand Cream, Marshmallow and Calendula, 50ml £12

Vegan Society registered, Certified cruelty-free under the Leaping Bunny Programme, made with 100% Plant-based, Natural and Organic ingredients, Free-from parabens, silicones and mineral oils, hand made. Recyclable packaging.

As we venture back into ‘the outside world’ from lockdown, our hands will suffer from a high level of sanitising. Gently hydrate dry or cracked cuticles with Silvan’s beautiful fast-absorbing Hand Cream, enriched with healing Calendula. Made by hand in small batches in the Welsh borders by professional massage therapist, Marian Hardiman, this luxe hand salve soothes and protects – a little goes a long way. Packed with a blend of nourishing Shea Butter, Organic Marshmallow Root, Rosemary and reparative Calendula, this gorgeous smelling cream moisturises the skin, restores elasticity, helps to maintain natural moisture in the skin, and the addition of Cedarwood gives it natural antiseptic and antibacterial properties.

These natural ingredients have been blended with their various natural properties in mind, for protection, soothing, and feeding the skin with extra nutrients, as well as to promote the deepest state of relaxation in body and mind.

THE UPLIFTING AWARD-WINNER: Terre Verdi NeroliPom Moisturiser, 50ml £41

Soil Association COSMOS Organic Certified, Cruelty-free approved under the Leaping Bunny Programme, made with 100% Natural ingredients, recyclable packaging. (refills available)

At this time of year[April-June], on sun-flooded hills, the Neroli and Pomegranate flowers come into bloom. We love reflecting the seasons in our skincare with the unisex NeroliPom Moisturiser; an uplifting blend of florals with soothing Aloe Vera and balancing Camellia Oil. Pomegranate Seed Oil brings a delicious warm scent of summer, and is a strong antioxidant, working to protect the skin against pollution and environmental aggressors.

This lightweight and hydrating, Vitamin E-rich Moisturiser is formulated for all skin types, but particularly suits dry, sensitive or maturing skin. It absorbs easily, is deeply soothing, and can help target fine lines and balance problem skin – we’re not surprised this product has won several awards.

It comes in a [recyclable] glass biophotonic bottle, ensuring the product is protected from damaging parts of the light spectrum, and is kept fresher and more potent for longer.

Started by Karen MacDonald, ex-buyer for Fenwick, World Duty Free and QVC, BLOMMA Beauty was created as a platform for shoppers to explore organic, all-natural beauty and wellbeing options by independent brands, with a sustainable and ethical ethos. As well as shopping on the BLOMMA Beauty website, customers are also invited to join experiences, and webinars or masterclasses, to ensure they find the right products for their skin. These, alongside their curated offering, set BLOMMA Beauty apart from the crowd.

Since its birth in 2018, more consumers have evolved to use natural beauty and skincare, and so, BLOMMA Beauty has come into bloom!

  • No harmful chemicals. Only natural, and mostly organic ingredients
  • Always cruelty-free
  • Sustainably-minded packaging choices and ingredients
  • Honest and transparent

BLOMMA ~ to bloom @blomma_beauty

An Award-Winning Refill and Recycling Initiative from PureLakes

Posted on by

One of the most annoying things about finding good skincare is sustainability. The search for good, environmentally-friendly, products can seem endless. Well, it is time to call it off: Pure Lakes has won a  National Recycling Award, and rightly so. They have a revolutionary refill initiative which also gives customers 30% off the price when they return the packaging and reorder.

The products are natural and made in the beautiful Lake District. The packaging itself it biopolymer which is made with sugarcane. I have tried their products and they are fantastic and they smell amazing. I cannot recommend this brand enough. They are truly amazing.

 

“Why should loyal customers be out of pocket for doing the right thing…”

Natural skincare brand Pure Lakes has won a National Recycling Award for its revolutionary refill initiative. Their pioneering progress towards ‘closing the loop’ has been recognised in the Circular Economy category at the National Recycling Awards.

Pure Lakes, refillable , beauty, cosmetics, green, eco-friendly,

Owners Claire and Gareth McKeever ask customers to return their original, sugar-based biopolymer bottles to be refilled, rather than being sent refills in additional pouches as is available with many brands.

“Having researched the options,” Gareth said, “we realised that despite using less plastic than new bottles, pouches are not easily or widely recyclable. We have made Reduce, Reuse, Recycle a big part of our business but have gone two steps further and given the entire Refill process a Rethink.”

Pure Lakes Skincare are pioneering this new return and refill process and are the first brand to offer such a comprehensive service. Unlike other brands, the refills are available across the entire Pure Lakes range, with 30% off the cost price to help cover the return postage.

Gareth continued: “From a manufacturing business perspective it is not the most efficient process as all batches are handmade, perhaps one of the reasons other brands don’t offer it. However, we don’t want our loyal customers to be out of pocket for doing the right thing, they should be rewarded for refilling and reusing, and the more people that do it the easier it becomes for us to carry it out.”

Having consciously sourced all their packaging, a refill service that went one step further seemed like the obvious next step for Pure Lakes, which already has a strong reputation for being ethical and sustainable.

On receiving the empties, they are washed and refilled from small batches the team handmakes themselves in Staveley, adding a new date and batch number before returning them to the customer as good as new.

Since launching in 2006, the brand has been using 100% traceable, natural and biodegradable raw ingredients to make their products and all the formulas are free from synthetics, parabens and SLS.

This initiative is just one of many choices they’ve made towards carbon neutrality. They’re in the process of raising finance to build a new workshop which if successful will be powered by air source heat pumps and solar panels, where they’ll be able to grow their own ingredients.

www.purelakes.co.uk

www.instagram.com/purelakes

 

Fantastic Haircare: Natural, nurturing shampoo & conditioner bars

Posted on by

Pure Anada’s new Shampoo and Conditioner Bars are formulated to be kind to your hair and kinder to the environment. I love these shampoo and conditioner bars. They do the job wonderfully, all while smelling gorgeous and being good for the environment.

Packed with the powerful cleansing and nurturing properties of plants these small puck-shaped bars deliver high-performance, eco-friendly haircare.
shampoo, condoner, bars, eco-friendly

Pure Anada is handcrafted in the Canadian prairies from fresh, wholesome ingredients where they incorporate the goodness of nature into each of their products. Using ingredients derived from nature, luxurious plant oils, nourishing butters and ethically mined minerals are combined to create a comprehensive range of nurturing bodycare, skincare and haircare products with clean, natural formulations that are free from common allergens and not tested on animals.

Pure Anada is available in the UK exclusively from

Live in the Light – the online natural and organic lifestyle store www.liveinthelight.co.uk

shampoo, condoner, bars, eco-friendly

Pure Anada Shampoo Bars – £9.95
Shampoo Bars from Live in the Light
NEW: These pH-balanced shampoo bars are made with Ecocert approved, biodegradable, non-toxic surfactants. Infused with conditioning cocoa butter to cleanse and nourish scalp and locks – they work beautifully for all hair types!

Small but perfectly formed – at just 7.5cm round and weighing in at only 115g they will provide shampooing for up to 100 washes – the equivalent to 2-3 bottles of liquid shampoo (16oz).

Easy to use: Wet the shampoo bar in the shower stream, lather in the hands, and then apply shampoo to hair or rub the bar directly onto the scalp and throughout hair. Create a foaming lather while massaging the scalp and working the shampoo all throughout the hair. Rinse thoroughly.

Pure Anada Solid Shampoo Bar – £9.95

What is it that makes a solid shampoo bar different from a homemade bar of soap?

Soap is made from oil or butter and lye, in a process called saponification. This process results in a finished product that is great for cleansing the body, but has much too high a pH for the hair. Pure Anada’s solid shampoo bars, on the other hand, have a lower pH and also contain surfactants, breaking up the trapped dirt and oils on the hair and scalp gently, so they can be washed away with water.

Why is pH important for a shampoo bar formulation?

Our skin has mechanisms that regulate its pH, but hair does not. The surface of healthy skin will eventually return to its natural, slightly acidic pH after washing with soap—even with a higher-pH soap (many of them are between an 8 and a 10.)

Hair on the other hand can’t; it doesn’t heal and balance on its own. For this reason, it’s important to understand that one of the major sources of hair damage is using products with the wrong pH on the hair. Depending on an individual’s hair type and health, washing once or twice with soap might not immediately be a problem, but it can cause damage over time.

Pure Anada’s shampoo bar formulation is pH balanced, making it safe to use on a regular basis. It is not the same as a bar of soap which contains saponified oils which are a higher pH.

Pure Anada Conditioner Bars – £9.95
Conditioner Bars from Live in the Light
Follow with Pure Anada’s Conditioner Bar…
Detangle, smooth and hydrate hair with this concentrated, eco-friendly conditioner. Shea Butter nourishes each strand without weighing it down.

Presented in the same cost-effective 7.5cm puck these solid Conditioner Bars also offer the equivalent of 2-3 bottles of liquid conditioner (16oz)

Wet the Conditioner Bar in the shower stream, lather in the hands, and then apply the conditioner to the hair or rub the bar directly onto the scalp and throughout hair. Those with oily hair may prefer to only apply conditioner to the bottom half or to the ends of their hair. Work the conditioner throughout the hair and rinse thoroughly.

Pure Anada Solid Conditioner Bar – £9.95

Pure Anada’s Shampoo & Conditioner Bars are available in six fabulous, natural fragrances…

Skinsmiths, the chain of trusted clinics dedicated to ultimate skin confidence

Posted on by

Skinsmiths, beauty, beauty reviews, skincare. For those who do not know Skinsmiths yet, they are a chain of trusted clinics dedicated to ultimate skin confidence. You can buy their products, or you can get curated skincare for your skin needs. You can also have a membership. We reviewed some of their products to get our glow back.

Wake up with the glow your skin deserves. Skinsmiths Overnight Glow is an exfoliating treatment, packed with a mix of high concentration active ingredients  – say goodbye to dead skin cells and clogged pores. And, hello to softer, smoother, glowing skin.

• Boost radiance

• Smooth skin texture

A mix of AHA’s, including Glycolic (7%) and Lactic acid (2%), clear away skin build-up on the surface helping skin appear smoother and brighter.

Salicylic Acid (BHA) (1%) soothes the skin while exfoliating the surface and deeper into the pores for calm, clear skin.

With a concentration of over 10% acids, this is a high strength treatment is perfect for oily skin, dry skin, acneic skin, dull skin. Everyone can benefit from a great exfoliant.

We loved this. It works so well and gives a gorgeous glow. 

Next up was the Hydration Booster. This was much needed. It gives dry skin what it needs. Impressive. 

This Hydration Booster is jam packed with ingredients that draw moisture into the skin. It this floods the skin with hydration and helps your skin to retain it too, leaving it plump and replenished.

We also loved the reusable cotton pads. They are so much better for the environment. 

These dual textured cotton pads are gentle on skin and the environment.

What they do

  • Remove makeup and impurities.
  • Delicately clean around the eyes.
  • Reduce the need for disposables.

 

You can also take out a membership to Skinsmiths.

  • A membership provides
    you with:
  • A personalised treatment schedule
  • Regular reviews
  • Expert advice

 

SKINSMITHS.COM

We really loved the products. 

 

What’s Galentine’s Day? Well it’s only the best day of the year

Posted on by

Valentine’s is about who you love and who loves you. Created by one of our favourite fictional characters, Leslie Knope of Parks and Recreation, Galentine’s Day is a day dedicated to showering your closest girl friends with love and attention… more than you do already.

We’ve put together our top picks to show your bestie you love her. We love the Only Curls Satin Sleep Turban from onlycurls.com and the silk exfoliating glove no1illume.com. The Rubis tweezers are the best tweezers I have ever used. Quick, send your Galentine some love now….