Emily's Nail File's Top Ten Skin and Hair Care Products - From Head to Toe:-
1. John Frieda Controlled Lightening Spray
An absolute Holy Grail product for Blondes. I am absolutely skint at the the moment, and can in no way afford a head of highlights - cue John Freida. This stuff is incredible, it literally means I can go twice as long without going to get my roots touched up. My hair isn't that dark naturally, but in contrast with how blondey-blonde I went over the summer holidays, it can look quite stark, in contrast! Spray a bit of this product through the roots of your damp hair, and it will react with the heat of your hairdryer to gradually lighten your roots to match the rest of your locks. When I say gradually, I really do mean gradually, so as to avoid any blotchiness etc. It's £6.99 from any Supermarket or drug store, and has literally saved me from looking like this (not to mention my bank balance!):
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| Not that I wouldn't want to look like Shakira, I mean come on...but sort that hair out seeeerious. |
2. The Original Moroccan Oil
The Hair Oil that everybody has been raving about - and for good reason. I got this in my Cosmo Blog Awards Goody Bag, otherwise I would never have been able to afford to try it (retailing at £30.25...eeep). It really is amazing though, I have never had softer hair, it just feels so soft. Made with Moroccan Argan Oil, you smooth it onto the mid-lengths and ends of the hair while wet, and it is absorbed to moisturise the hair from within, strengthen and revive - lavly. It is apparently selling out all over the place, but I reckon Amazon will be well-stocked! Pop it on your Christmas list!
3. Nivea Soft
This is the only moisturiser that I've ever used where I've gone back to re-buy it. I never got on badly with any of the others I used before, just none of them made me think "yep, this is the one for my skin, I don't need to try anything different for now." Nivea Soft is great on the skin, it's intensely moisturising, and yet soaks in really quickly, so you're ready for makeup in seconds. It is also multi-purpose, so you can rub it into all of those dry patches - perfect for winter skin, which has a tendency to dry out in the cold and wind. This is insanely cheap compared to a lot of (overpriced cough, cough) moisturisers, and can be picked up from any supermarket or drug store for under £3. I use the tubed version as opposed to the tub that it also comes in, as it is more hygienic for the face because you're not dipping your grubby mits in and out of it!
I could name loads of different facemasks that I've tried and liked, but I think it's just as affective to make a fresh mask yourself, with ingredients you can find around the kitchen. They're also a really fun thing to do with friends. Here is a recipe of my own creation, I promise it's not poison. (Add appropriate strand of hair to turn it into polyjuice potion):
- A handful of oats (to exfoliate and for the moisturizing oat-milk)
- Half a mashed Avocado (the highest natural source of vitamins A and E)
- a mashed banana (for active fruit enzymes and more vitaminnssss)
- a spoonful of natural yoghurt (for a cooling effect and moisture)
- a squeeze of honey (antibacterial, and a source of glycerin)
whack it all over your face, leave for ten minutes and wash off in a circular motion!
You can also make your own lip scrub by combining sugar and a little olive oil - yum!
5. Johnsons 3 in 1 Facial Wipes
I'm bloody lazy. Let's be realistic - sometimes a three step skincare routine just isn't practical that day, or something you just cannot be bothered with, or you're in a rush. For such occasions, I love a good face wipe. A quick swipe, moisturise, BED. These Johnsons wipes cleanse, tone, and remove makeup, as well as being extra gentle on your skin. As I don't use them everyday, a pack will typically last me a couple of months, and they're just so quick and easy - a true essential for any girl on the go.
Glossy Box introduced me to this must-have lip product, and it's absolutely fantastic. It is quite a pliable balm, and I use it at night so I wake up in the morning feeling like I've got new lips! Mine get quite dry and I'm always picking or biting at them, especially when I'm nervous, so this helps to repair them in record time! It's from the Age Smart range, but I deem it suitable for everybody! It's a little pricey, costing £22.50, maybe another one for the Christmas lists, eh?
This is my favourite body exfoliator, it's really quite something. Exfoliation is important for your skin, as it scrubs away the dead skin cells and allows fresh, shiny new ones to flourish, improving the appearance of your skin. Breakfast Scrub is made with oats, Shea butter, sugar, cupuacu bio-scrubs, banana, honey and almonds - a list that resembles my shopping list more than an ingredients list! Sounds like a recipe for flapjack, and it bloody smells like it too. The maple smell is literally incredible. This exfoliator isn't too harsh, and is made with soothing ingredients which is perfect if you have sensitive, dry skin - which mine often is. It leaves you nice and soft without that greasy, oily feeling that some oil based exfoliators can leave you with. It retails at £9.45 for 300g and is worth every penny, this pot has lasted me 5 months so far.
8. Lush Massage Bars
Lush have a great range of massage bars, ranging from the hot and spicy scented, to the sticky sweet. They are sold as a solid massage oil, but, like many Lush products, are incredibly versatile. They are made with Cocoa butter and Shea butter, which turn solid when cool, which is what gives it that unique solid appearance. They have a low melting point because of this, and so melt into a luscious oil once warmed in the hands. They can be used over and over again, so save the little, crumbly bits you have left and melt them in the microwave - you can then cool it into a whole new bar! If you're lucky enough to have someone who will massage you, then GREAT, we're all REALLY, REALLY happy for you. Honestly. If not, these work amazingly as moisturizers too, whack it on your legs at night and wake up with shiny, new pins - also works wonders on stretch marks.
9. Lush Lemony Flutter
Another Lushy one - I worked for Lush for 5 years, and know the Good, the Bad and the Ugly things about all of their products. Lush rarely get it wrong in terms of pure, natural ingredients THAT WORK, and Lemony Flutter is one of my all time favourite, fail-safe products from them. It is designed as a cuticle butter, keeping dry nail beds at bay, but it is actually very versatile, and can be used as a multi-purpose balm, perfect for moisturising dry heels, elbows and even lips. I often use it instead of Vaseline, and it contains organic Lemon Infusion and Shea Butter as the main ingredients. It smells utterly incredible and retails for £5.95 in Lush Stores. A little bit goes an awful long way so this pot will last you a year - it is, in every sense of the word, LUSH.
10. Burts Bees Coconut Foot Creme
Another "natural" product, this one smells INTENSELY of coconut! It uses, glycerin, coconut oil, rosemary and peppermint to soothe and warm our toes. This means it is pretty thick and oily, but I use it at night so it has plenty of time to soak in and work it's magic! This stuff really is lovely, and packed with vitamin E to restore elasticity to skin. Use it through winter for perfect sandal feet in time for Spring and Summer! Available at Boots for £12.25 and will last you yonks.
BONUS PRODUCT!
11. Water
Ok, so it's not a lotion or potion, but it should be part of everyone's Beauty Routine - moisturising you from the inside, out! If you're de-hydrated, your skin is one of the first things to suffer, your lips will be dryer, your skin will be flakier, and your eyes will be puffier. In order to keep skin looking lush, it is important to get enough H20, with the recommended Daily Intake being between six and eight medium glasses of fluid per day. Be careful not to over-do it though, as this can be dangerous. The best part? It's free :)
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Thanks Everyone! I hope you enjoyed this, something a bit different this week (but don't worry, there will still be Nail Art!). I've been a bit lax on the posting this week as I'm re-designing the whole blog layout (something I should've done months ago...) and it's proving waaay more complicated and time consuming than I first thought! I'm even bringing in a computer programmer...admittedly he's my best mate, but still. Effort. Tune in tomorrow for another of my Top Ten - tomorrow it's Nail related :D
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