Many of us are still experiencing self-isolation and social distancing is now the norm. If one good thing can come of this, is that we can use this as an opportunity to take more time for ourselves. We’ve put together a list of beauty tips to keep you feeling refreshed, looking your best and treat yourself from top to toe.
Create bouncing waves and curls – Give yourself a new look by creating bouncing waves, cute curls and voluminous tousled tresses with the New Cerasilk woven ceramic curling wand from InStyler. For those wanting ultimate control, the innovative cool touch grip tip of the curling wand features silicone bristles that gently hold sections of hair to allow for easy, hands free maneuverability. Once wrapped, the cool tip enables you to safely secure the barrel while locking in the style. This patented, clip-free design prevents breakage and creases in the hair.
It comes with 4 heat settings up to 205°c and a digital temperature control. The styling tool is a lightweight ergonomic design with a 3m long swivel cord, perfect for getting underneath your hair and curling it all the way around. Featuring a 25mm woven ceramic covered barrel that serves as a built-in heat protectant to defend against up to 92% less damage to hair with every pass.
The InStyler curling wand shuts off automatically after a short period of time when it’s not used, so no more dashing back to the house when you’ve forgotten to unplug it! Available from Boots, Amazon & InStyler
Introducing British Curly Hair Brand, ‘Olew’ – The Olew curly hair collection has helped thousands of women and girls embrace their natural hair with ease and confidence. Their loyal and growing social media and consumer following has resulted in their products being referred to as ‘liquid gold’. From a £100 start up in her kitchen, to a thriving business set to triple its turnover in 2020, Elinor Davies-Farn has become the latest ‘curltepeneur’ to capture the natural, curly girl market.
After years of straightening her hair Elinor ditched her straighteners in 2012, embracing her natural hair. Elinor recalls not liking her own curls growing up and being forced to straighten her hair, due to a lack of self-confidence and pressure to conform. This carried on for years, until Elinor decided to embrace her natural curl pattern. However, a few years into her curly hair journey and working in her first Job in London, Elinor was pulled aside and it was suggested that she wear her hair straight as this was smarter for business. So, the idea to create a curly hair brand was born, to give women the confidence to wear their hair naturally.
Coupled with her experience, and frustration at the lack of natural hair care products available on the market. Through extensive research, Elinor found that most products aimed at curls contained chemicals and preservatives that could be detrimental to curl health.
Originally made from a kitchen with just £100 taking inspiration from ‘The $100 dollar start up’ by Chris Guillebeau, the Olew product range is still proudly made and packaged in the UK, and always tested on Elinor’s own curls. Olew – the Welsh word for oil, pays homage to Elinor’s Welsh roots. Olew is manufactured in the UK, and together with a Chartered Scientist and Chemist with over 25 years of experience in the cosmetic industry. Elinor ensures that each ingredient has been carefully selected to be naturally hydrating for your hair but also environmentally friendly too.
The Olew collection of oil, shampoo, conditioner and curl cream is available from www.olew.co.uk
Win the Battle of Hair Knots and leave your hair Silky Smooth
Make hair washing and brushing more enjoyable for you and your kids with the new MONAT Detangler’s. With two new formulations for both adults and children, you can now spritz and comb away tangles with no tears or damage.
After shampoo and conditioning simply mist hair with a few sprays for silky smooth results. This will make brushing so much easier with no more tangle tantrums. monatglobal.com
Monat Unknot Detangler £30 Monat Junior Gentle Detangler £20
Maintain a beauty regime at home for brows and lashes – Brushworks has a number of products suitable for the brows and anything that needs getting rid of in-between! The Tweezer sets are a great addition to any makeup kit, especially when we can’t all go and visit our beauticians to tame our brows. The luxury brow set is also a great all-rounder for taming both lashes and brows – featuring brow tweezers, brow and lash brushes and combs. The following tips will guide you on how best to use the products.
Lash Curler: Tilt back your head and rest your eyelashes between the cushioned eyelash curler clamp. Once you are happy with the position of your eyelash squeeze shut gently and pump a few times – this will help to form the natural curl.
Lash Applicator: As we all know, it can be a massive pain applying lashes. Thanks to this tool, you can apply your lashes in a snap, perfect for both the novice lash wearer. This lash applicator offers the ultimate precision and control with minimal mess or fuss. Use the applicator to carefully remove a lash from the tray and apply adhesive to the lash band. Remember to wait for around 30-40 seconds for the glue to go tacky before applying. Once the adhesive has dried, position the false lash in the centre of your lash line with the applicator and press down in place. The applicator can be used to press down both the inner and outer corner for a secure fit, to achieve a seamless blend with the lashes.
Luxury Brow Set: The ultimate five-piece brow set. Fill, shape and define brows. The set features two pairs of stainless-steel tweezers, which will help groom and shape brows. The slanted brow brush helps for precise application of brow powder/pomades. The concealer brush helps to define and angle – defining the arch of the brow, whilst the comb helps to put brows in place and tame any strays.
Eye Candy Lash Lovers Set: This set consists of four sleek and stylish tools that allow you to achieve both flawless looking brows and lashes in an instant. The kit includes 1 Eyelash Curler, 1 Lash Applicator Tool. 1 Slanted Tip Tweezer and 1 Pointed Tip Tweezer.
Brushworks Tweezer Set: The brushworks HD Combination Tweezer Set is a must-have collection for grooming and perfecting your eyebrows. A well-groomed brow will expertly frame your face. Handcrafted from high quality stainless steel, the tweezers have been perfectly aligned for performance and precision and are durable and easy to clean. Each tweezer features a slanted, straight or pointed tip for targeting specific brow/skin concerns such as loose strays or painful splinters. The Set Contains: Slanted Tweezer -Perfect for tidying up stray hairs on larger areas. Straight Tweezer – Perfect for holding false eyelashes in place and applying delicate nail art. Slanted Point Tweezer – A multi-purpose tweezer for tidying and grooming your arches. Pointed Tweezer – A precision tweezer ideal for ingrown hairs and removing splinters.
Available from: www.soinvogue.com
Rejuvenating Eye Smooth by Monat – Help tighten skin around the eyes with this vegan friendly eye smooth cream by Monat. This magic formula helps diminish dark circles, puffiness, fine lines and wrinkles to help achieve a radiant youthful look. A little goes a long way so use sparingly and see the results of brighter tighter skin over a short period of time.
RRP £70 monatglobal.com
Start your skincare regime strong with Jane Scrivner Nourishing Cleanser
Contains over 87% Organic jojoba oil – a hydrating, pro-collagen and pro-elastin oil, also rich in Essential Fatty Acids, which replicates our skin’s natural sebum/lipid production so is able to deeply cleanse the skin whilst maintaining the acid mantle and replenishing the natural barrier function. The natural decongestant organic beeswax works to attract dirt away from pores. Contains a blend of nine essential oils – including sandalwood, ylang ylang and sweet orange to balance the skin. The results – Skin is immediately balanced, rehydrated and visibly satisfied – plumped and boosted. Available from: janescrivner.com RRP £33
Reduce Redness and help smooth sensitive skin
Rosalique is a high performing 3 in 1 anti-redness miracle formula that conceals sensitivities and redness. Extracted from the German Chamomile plant, Alpha-Bisabolol is a clinically proven
anti-inflammatory, reducing redness and helping to calm and soothe red skin. Additionally, Alpha-Bisabolol can help the skin to absorb other active ingredients such as Urea and Zeolite more effectively. It’s the perfect moisturiser that also adds coverage and last but not least contains SPF to protect your skin from UVA/UVB rays. Go makeup free during lock down and just wear Rosalique to conceal, treat and protect any redness. It will help to destress your skin and calm irritations and sensitivities. Available from rosalique.co.uk
Tackle fine lines and wrinkles at home with Sensica Sensilift – Radio Frequency has been used in salon facials for years and is still a favourite amongst top facialists. The Sensilift uses clinically proven Dynamic Radio Frequency. Radio Frequency stimulates collagen production which in turn reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles so skin is left smoother and firmer. Sensilift is suitable for treating areas of the neck, decolletage and hands – all areas which can be ignored by women. The device has a pleasant warm sensation which is extremely relaxing. From the Before and After results you can see, you get salon-standard results from a device that you can use yourself at home.
The Sensica Sensilift Skin Tightening System comes with a Base Gel which is used alongside the device itself. Available from Boots and www.sensica.com/gb/
Skin’s Shangri La face moisturiser
Take your skin to a higher level with this rich, silky, nourishing face cream that gives a velvety texture. It’s particularly good in winter, or as a night cream. Fair Trade almond oil is packed with vitamin E which gives skin a glorious glow. Fresh wheatgrass juice is an antioxidant which helps nourish, making it excellent for soothing sore, sunburnt or irritated skin. Toothed wrack seaweed is highly nutritious and helps to protect and revitalise skin and Queen of Hungary water is made by distilling fresh rosemary in alcohol to tone and refresh.
Simply sweep over clean, dry skin morning and night to a achieve a rich moisturised result. Your skin will thank you for this. Available from uk.lush.com
Face masks are a fantastic, affordable way to treat yourself when you can’t get to the spa!
Say hello to the BioMiracle Natural Fusion Juice sheet mask range. Three carefully developed natural formulas that work to keep skin fresh, healthy and bright.
Fusion Green Energizingis enriched with skin clearing ingredients including green apple, broccoli and kale. Fusion Bright Splashis packed fullof vitamin rich ingredients including orange, lemon and texture. Fusion Berry Blast contains blueberries, red wine and eggplant which provides intense firming and hydration for the skin.
Also in the BioMiracle range are Glitter Peel Off Mask and Bubble Mask. They’re suitable for all skin types.
The complete range is natural, vegan and paraben-free, giving you the best skin in the healthiest ways. BioMiracle Bubble Masks & BioMiracle Fusion Masks – RRP £3.00
BioMiracle Glitter Peel Masks – RRP £4.99
All available online at beautybargainsuk.com
Discover new beauty brands and try new products with a monthly subscription to Roccabox – We aren’t whizzing off anywhere soon, and although this is for the best, it doesn’t mean we can’t miss our holidays. We’re here to help create the perfect Staycation.
Switch off from work duties – just because you aren’t going anywhere, doesn’t mean you should be connected 24/7. Treat your staycation as if you were flying off on a city break, switch off from work and concentrate on yourself.
Run yourself a warm bath, or a long shower – If you’re a bath kind of girl, check out bath goals in pinterest and get creative. If showers are more your thing, just make sure you have the right temperature and hop in! Our #TopTip: Add a small amount of Monuspa Ginger & Lemongrass Body oil to a warm bath or under the shower just before rinsing, the oil will instantly emulsify into a milk to leave your skin nourished with no oily residue.
Hair Care – After washing your hair, make sure you condition, leaving the treatment in for at least 5 minutes to let it soak in and work its wonders! We LOVE Charles Worthington’s Seal Hair Healer, it leaves your hair feeling nourished, whilst helping to heal any damage.
Face Care – Exfoliation is the key to having smooth soft skin. Vitamasques Rose Peeling Gel is a gentle rose exfoliator designed to purify pores and eliminate dead skin cells for a winning complexion. Remember, the key is to wear SPF all the time, the sun can still damage the skin even if overcast! We have come to the rescue with Murad City Skin Age Deference sunscreen which also protects from blue light.
Rest – Put on your relaxing candles, and chill – you deserve it! Remember, always take off your make up! AfterSpa’s make-up removing cloth is making it easier than ever to do this, all you do it add water, and viola! P.s no Staycation is complete without a little bit of glam. Whether you save these for a girl’s night out, or they get used for the next zoom quiz, FURR’s 3D Mink Lashes are the perfect addition to any look.
Monthly Subscriptions for Roccabox are from £9 per month. Available at roccabox.co.uk
Suffered a DIY beauty blunder? Balmonds have you covered
As we settle into the ‘new normal’, we have become accustomed to the fact we’re no longer able to upkeep our usual beauty grooming regimes by visiting beauty salons and treating ourselves to our favourite treatments. Fear not though – if you’ve already attempted to recreate the salon at home already and it hasn’t quite gone to plan, Balmonds has you covered. The natural skincare range features a wide range of products to help replenish unhappy skin and provide soothing nourishment.
Skin Salvation – The award-winning Skin Salvation by Balmonds is a natural, unscented ointment made with beeswax to lock in the moisture and soothe dry skin. If your face is hot, sore and inflamed, use this gentle balm to replenish oils and vitamins, while providing protection against sensitivity and further moisture loss. RRP £12.99
Waxing Woes – Hair removal is a tricky treatment, which can be abrasive and harsh on skin. The added risk of your untrained hand is highly likely to cause some irritation and discomfort to the skin. Balmonds Chamomile Baby Oil – If your skin is feeling irritated and hot to the touch after DIY waxing gone wrong, the Balmonds Chamomile Baby Oil is a beautifully-scented, multipurpose moisturising oil. The calming and deeply nourishing formula contains absolutely no petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances, colours or other additives, so it’s perfect for sensitive skin to reduce redness and irritation. £11.99 for 200ml
Opt for skin-friendly clothing – Working from home has the added benefit of wearing whatever you feel like and we tend to lean towards more comfortable clothing, however the wrong material can lead to agitated skin flare ups. Avoid synthetic materials and too-tight fitting clothing which can rub against sensitive skin and further exacerbate symptoms. Instead, stick to loose, baggy and light clothing and don’t overheat yourself. Natural cotton, silk and bamboo are the best options for kind-to-skin fabric. To keep your skin protected against any unwanted flare ups from your clothing it’s a good idea to moisturise liberally, daily. Balmonds is available at www.balmonds.co.uk and Holland & Barrett
Keep hygiene at bay with New Peppermint Hand Spray
Dr Bronner’s launches New Peppermint Organic Hand Hygiene Spray for fresh mint-scented hygiene on-the-go. Certified organic and fair trade, the active ingredient, ethyl alcohol, is 99.9% effective against germs while the peppermint oil leaves behind an uplifting scent. Organic glycerin, which naturally draws moisture into the skin, is added to the hand spray rather than synthetic petrochemical thickeners, and this yields a smooth after-feel that is not sticky or drying. Excellent for use on-the-go, in public bathrooms, classrooms, on buses and trains, the Peppermint Organic Hand Hygiene Spray can even be used to clean display screens. Packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, the Peppermint Organic Hand Hygiene Spray is the latest addition to Dr. Bronner’s Hygiene product line.
Available at www.drbronner.co.uk
Feet Treat! Smooth out tension and say goodbye to home workout aches and pains.
Pink Peppermint Foot Lotion – For sore and achy feet treat them with this sweet minty relief lotion from Lush. This best-selling pink foot cream is great at perking up tired tootsies. Feel its cooling blend of peppermint and spearmint oil go straight to work as almond oil and fair trade organic cocoa butter give your feet a serious dose of moisture.
Available from uk.lush.com RRP £16
Aspire to be Greek Gods and Goddesses this July with Heinrich Barth’s Mykonos Range – As Mykonos’s summer season begins in July, the Gods’ heads begin to turn towards sandy beaches, blue painted roofs and the delights of Mykonos’ sunset.
Greece’s golden sunshine averages 26° C throughout summer, in a range of terrains on Mykonos. The flora on the island is famed for Mediterranean herbs inspired Heinrich Barth to create this range from Basil, Sage, Rosemary, Chamomile, Lavender, Olive leaf extract, Fig leaves, Honey, Peppermint, Nettle, Sunflower and Soybeans, to name a few!
Gazing upon this range of beautiful, rich local produce, Heinrich Barth, named after the 19th century German explorer, found inspiration for their ‘N. 07 Mykonos’ capsule line – named ‘N. 07’ because July, the 7th month, is the start of their summer.
N.07 Mykonos Body Cleanser – This rich smelling body cleanser is infused with a blend of locally grown herbs (fig leaves, sage, rosemary, lavender, basil), taking us back to the golden beaches of this stunning Aegean island. The experts at Heinrich Barth have enthused this cleanser with a range of botanical extracts, to make the formula extra nourishing and gentle, and leave your skin superbly soft and smelling good enough for the Gods. The Skin Softening Body Cleanser comes in 2 sizes, large and travel sized, to make it easier to take your holiday memories to other destinations. RRP £13 100ml RRP 22 250ml
N.07 Mykonos Ultra Tanning Oil – This non-greasy tanning oil has built-in special sun filter technology (with UVA & UVB protection); which will allow you to reach optimal tan without damaging your skin or provoking the beast of premature ageing. The rich hydrating properties and delicious scent of fig leaf have been delicately mixed with other local botanicals (sunflower, soybean, olive and Mauritia Flexuosa fruit oil) to create this lux Tanning Oil for your skin’s delight. Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil is more commonly known as the ‘Moriche Palm’, Mauritia Flexuosa fruit only grows in very hot climates. It is also referred to as Buriti or Aguaje fruit, and is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and Vitamins A & E, which help to rebuild, moisturise and rehydrate skin cells. Only a true explorer would discover this! RRP £16
All products available at www.HEINRICH-BARTH.com
