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35 essential beauty tips for a healthy body and mind

I’ve been rambling on for over 2 years now in EVENTS magazine, and although there is still many a stone to be unturned revealing weird and wonderful facts about health and beauty, I’ve collaborated 35 of my favourite body and mind tips/regimes in this info packed column (I had aimed for 100 because it’s a nice round number and generally sounds better, but who was I kidding? Like I said, I ramble.) Enjoy!

Rise and shine!

1. Wake in plenty of time so you don’t feel flustered and rushed at the start of your day – a bad start will leave you with a ‘will this day ever end’ mindset as opposed to the more positive ‘get up and go’ mindset!

2. Use eye brightening drops to rehydrate and refresh your tired eyes. If you have time cucumber slices on closed eyes will help reduce puffiness.

3. Try to have your shower in the morning as there’s nothing that has a more wakening effect than being drenched head-to-toe in water! Use a citrus body wash to awake the senses, and ensure the water isn’t too hot as this will make you listless.

4. Take 5 minutes out of your morning routine to do some Yoga stretches to wake up your muscles and to increase your awareness for the day ahead.

5. Always, always, always eat breakfast in the morning – even if you aren’t hungry! Your body needs fuel for brain function as well as giving your metabolism a good kick-start. A good breakfast should include a wholegrain food along with fruit juice (greasy fry-up’s don’t qualify!)

Body beautiful

6. Giving your whole body a thorough exfoliation once a week will eliminate dead skin, boost circulation and smooth out your complexion – use exfoliating gloves along with a fruity scrub for the body, and a gentle face scrub for the neck and face.

7. For a glowing complexion all year round apply a good quality fake tan all over once a week – having colour gives us a confidence boost without damaging the skin with harmful UV rays. Allow your tan to come off completely before re-applying otherwise it will look patchy and, well, fake!

8. Try to walk for 20 minutes per day (ideally later on in the day/after work) to increase circulation and to help eliminate fluid retention and toxins – this also aids toning the muscles in your legs, hips and bottom – and will discourage a build up of fatty tissue which leads to the dreaded orange peel effect!

9. Having regular massage sessions with carefully chosen oils will soften the skin and soothe achy, tired muscles. If you don’t have time to visit a salon try to give yourself a light massage once a week using a hydrating body cream, always remembering to massage towards the heart.

10. If you have problems with varicose veins try to include foods such as citrus fruits, grapes, cherries and apricots in your diet – these foods can help improve the elasticity of blood vessels.

Hands and feet

11. Elongate your nails by pushing back cuticles using a cuticle stick with some cuticle remover cream. Avoid cutting cuticles at all costs as this can lead to bleeding and infection.

12. Always apply a base coat underneath polish to protect the nail bed from staining; also your polish will glide on evenly. Apply a top coat to finish off your polish with a shine.

13. Having a manicure with heated mittens and a hydrating mask can help conditions such as dermatitis and eczema. Having a pedicure with heated booties and a peppermint mask will help to revitalise tired feet.

14. Rubbing tobacco-stained fingers and nails with half a freshly cut lemon for 10 minutes will help bleach skin naturally without having to go through the process of dying it out. Rubbing the back of the hands with lemon will also fade age spots.

15. Ensure your shoes fit you well as badly fitting shoes can cause long-term problems such as corns and callouses – this is one area where celebrities excel due to the sky-scraper high heels they wear on a daily basis!

Hair care

16. If your hair is bleached, use a mild shampoo and an intensive conditioner – but only wash hair when necessary to avoid unnecessary drying.

17. Using ‘Argan secret oil from Marrakesh’ once a day will help condition the hair as well as mending split ends – you can buy this locally at Tangles hair salon!

18. Take your time when blow drying your hair and use a brush to encourage the hair into a style – blasting the hair quickly will dry it out and give you the electric shock look as opposed to the just-out-of-the-salon look!

19. If you have pale skin, avoid hair colours that are too light or white to avoid looking washed out. On the other hand avoid severe black colours if you have a very light complexion as this can give you the same problem.

20. If you have problems with thinning hair having a head massage regularly can stimulate the roots and encourage hair growth.

Hygiene

21. Wash your make up brushes regularly to prevent a build up of bacteria – your make up will also apply much better from a clean brush. Aim to clean them in warm soapy water every month (if you wear makeup daily.)

22. Change sponges regularly if you use these to remove make up – the most hygienic way to remove make up is using a fresh hot flannel every day, especially if you suffer from breakouts or acne.

23. Keep your nails cut relatively short to discourage dirt from getting stuck under the nails – paying close attention to your toenails. If they aren’t cut regularly using clippers then fungal infections are likely to occur.

24. Avoid sharing eye liners, mascaras and lipsticks as these are well known culprits for cross contamination – if you do turn your eye liner through a sharpener and use a lipstick brush. I learned this the hard way one New Year when my friends and I passed around the same mascara at a dance – we all woke up the next day with conjunctivitis - I maintain that I was not the perpetrator!

25. Avoid wearing makeup if you’re participating in exercise as this will clog the pores as well as encouraging bacteria to build up on the skin – if you can’t bear to be seen in public without makeup then wash your face as soon as you get home!

Tools of the trade

26. For special occasions where you will be having your picture taken it’s always a good idea to take a picture of your make up before you leave the house to ensure you don’t have too little or too much on.

27. If you feel your make up appears too heavy during the day then use a dust-free large mirror beside a window to apply your make up in the morning – you’ll be amazed at the difference this will make to the accuracy of your make up!

28. Opt for real hair make up brushes (goats hair is super soft) as opposed to rough nylon brushes – they are far kinder to the face, apply your make up better and they last for ages! They aren’t cheap but investing in one once a month will soon give you a collection that’ll rival a makeup artists!

29. If your make up starts to change colour or if the particles start to separate then the product is seriously out of date – throw it out! Liquid make up should generally be used within 1 year.

30. If you don’t have a Scooby where to start when it comes to make up then book yourself in for a makeup lesson with a beautician or at a beauty counter in Debenhams – there are also some fantastic D.I.Y videos on you tube that give great advice as well – Lauren Luke videos are highly recommended.

Mind over matter

31. If your work load and personal life are becoming too much for you to handle then you need to become acquainted with the word ‘NO!’ If we take on more than we can handle stress will wiggle its way into our lives and affect our overall health and wellbeing.

32. Indulge your senses by wafting the smell of essential oils through your house or when you’re having a relaxing bath. Basil and juniper are a good combination for alertness as they have stimulating properties or you could try frankincense which calms the mind and can stabilise your emotions.

33. According to an English proverb, “A healthy mind resides in a healthy body.” Maintaining a healthy diet combined with regular exercise will help ward off illness, brighten your mood and will give you a more positive outlook on life in general.

34. If you feel stress is wrapping its suffocating arms around you then extract the stress from your mind by writing the problem(s) down on a sheet of paper and with the help of a friend or family member try to think of ways to resolve or lessen the problem.

35. One of the simplest pieces of advice I’ve always followed is ‘forgive and forget.’ Holding a grudge against someone is one exhausting experience. I’ve lost count of the amount of verbal fights I’ve seen on Facebook – does it ever resolve anything, really? Of course it doesn’t - its mere point scoring. If you don’t want to be in each other’s lives then keep your dignity and cut contact with the person instead of indulging in a ‘who gets the last word in’ war!

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