Build up to Christmas...

I'm really looking forward to Christmas this year. 

Two weeks of comfort eating, student-style sleeping (I miss those days!) and family time is massively overdue. 

It's the time of year when you realise how much you have in common with your siblings now you're all grown up (the fact you can ALL still quote Home Alone 2 word for word), how little your parents know about what you do for a living and that you actually have no solid plans for the next year of your life (which is totally fine - who wants to be tied into buying a house at 26 anyway?! *sigh*)

On the other hand, you can't beat meeting up with your old mates (who are just as clueless about their own personal plans) for a boozy brunch, lunch or night out over the festive period. Even drinking at 11am is completely respectable over Christmas...(roll on Saturday's bottomless brunch)

Enjoy your last week of work for 2014 my friends. May 2015 bring you much joy. 

And on that note...

Tough Mudder – Tough Make-up

I took part in Tough Mudder, London West 2014 nearly a month ago, and for anyone who knows me, they know I’d never leave the house without wearing ANY make up at all. 

Even if I’m taking part in the "Toughest event on the planet" which involved ice water, mud, electric shocks, barbed wire… watch this video to see what i mean:

So what make-up did I wear on the day?

1. Waterproof mascara – a must for me. I used Barry M Lash Vegas (£6.49) waterproof mascara which I bought on a whim in Topshop.

Staying power: 5/5 - Very impressed with it, it stayed for the duration of the event through wind, rain, mud and jumping off a 15ft stand into ice water!

2. Tinted Moisturiser – Korres Watermelon Lightweight tinted moisturiser in Honey – this stuff is oil free and waterproof. It's my favourite tinted moisturiser for summer as it has an SPF30. Sadly you can’t buy it in the UK so I have to order it from abroad.

Staying power: 3/5 it stayed on for the majority of the event, but the rain and water were too much for it.

3. Lip balm – I wore Nuxe lip balm before the event (£9.50) I love this lip balm for 2 reasons; it's matte, which I really prefer in balms as you can layer lipstick on top of it easier. Also, its just such a great balm - it makes your lips incredibly soft. Definitely worth a purchase.

4. Anti-chafing gel - wise as you'll be running in wet clothes. Used this on my um...nips…just in case. And it was GLORIOUS! No chafing whatsoever :)

5. Hair - Went for the classic pony tail – avoid grips and take any piercings out as you’ll have to do 2 obstacles where you’ll get electric shocks. 

What clothes did I wear?

The key to Tough Mudder is to wear Dri-Fit… and wearing as little as possible. I wore:

Nike Dri-Fit Capri pants

Nike X-back sports bra. And my sponsor t-shirt which was also Dri-Fit.

Bear in mind, you will get extremely wet and muddy/dirty from the obstacles and you may rip you clothes on wood splinters and barbed wire etc. So my advice is to wear old kit that you don't mind getting ruined!

Normal running trainers are fine – some of my team invested in trail trainers but I was fine in my normal trainers and they get ruined anyway!

X

Your Tea - Tiny Tea Teatox

I’ve just received my first box of TinyTea!

I discovered Your Tea on Instagram (Yourtea) a few months ago and they have amazing reviews on their social media channels, so i'm very excited to try this out!

I’ve decided to try the 28 day Teatox (£31) where I drink 2-3 cups of this a day.

Taken directly from their website, the teatox promises to: 

“My intricately balanced herbal blend will nourish and cleanse your digestive system, providing it the support it needs to replenish and restore back to its natural state. This cleanse will assist with reducing weight, easing bloating, increasing digestion functionality, improving skin clarity, increasing energy levels and alleviate issues associated with food intolerances”

So first impressions:

The packaging is very pretty, the directions are really clear and the tea smells amazing!

I’m very excited to try this – will let you know how I get on...

x 

4 steps for super Spring/Summer skin

Everyone is gearing up for the summer and top of my list is preparing my body for the warm weather and banishing the signs of winter!

My method for preparing my skin are these 4 easy steps:

1. Body brushing

Body brushing is the cheapest way of giving your skin a real glow, smoothing skin and increasing circulation, perfect for rejuvenating your skin for summer.

It only takes a couple of minutes every day and I've found it to be one of the best things for getting rid of any dimples as it flushes out toxins, stimulates your skin and improves your skin tone.

Do it before showering at any time of the day, I do it in the morning. Start at your feet and always brush up your body towards your heart, concentrating on any stubborn areas (thighs, bum etc.)

You can buy body brushes at all good health shops, mine came from Hydrea which you can buy on Amazon for £7.50

2. Cloud 9 skin treatment

Another step for firm and beautiful skin this summer is using a skin smoothing or cellulite-fighting product.

Cloud 9 do an amazing treatment, Body Makeover cellulite treatment £35, which uses all natural products including caffeine and extracts of ivy to improve the appearance of your skin.

It comes in a clear gel which melts easily into your skin and the best part is, it has an immediate tightening effect! I noticed it straight away after the first application. 

The texture is really smooth and not sticky, unlike other skin treatments I have tried, and the smell, although slightly medical is really addictive. I just wish the tube of gel was bigger!

This combined with plenty of weighted squats and lunges in the gym will tone you up in no time...

3. Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise!

Your skin is the first thing with will age noticeably. Don't just stop at moisturising your face, moisturise your entire body - it tasks less that 5 minutes every day, and it will really pay off.

I either use Johnson's baby oil or Avene body oil (I buy this in France, but you can get it on Amazon here).

The trick here is to use oils in the bath, or before/in the shower as the excess water will hydrate your skin even more.

You can apply them immediately after a bath or shower while your skin is still wet. I love using oils as they really hydrate your skin and they smell incredible. Plus they make your skin unbelievably soft!

My other option is a classic Nivea body lotion. I love the clean smell of it and the thick consistency. I put this one on our to 3 times a week after a bath or shower and before bed. When you sleep, you skin heals and rejuvenates so properly moisturising will help your skin all the more!

4. Hydrate

I cannot express the importance of drinking water. If you increase your water consumption, it is so noticeable in your skins appearance. 

I drink hot water and lemon in the morning before I eat anything as this is a great way to aid in digestion, clear skin and give your body a detox. Throughout the day I drink at least 2 litres of water, in herbal teas or fruit infused water (more on this soon!)

So there we have it, those are my 4 steps for preparing my skin for summer... What are your steps?