Beat Dry skin!

Beat the winter dry spell. Now doesn’t that sound bizarre a dry winter in New Zealand? HA!

In the colder months we are often going from the cold, dry conditions outside to our warm, dry, artificially heated homes or workplaces. 

This wreaks havoc on our skin(and hair!) and can dry it out even if your skin doesn’t normally have a tendency to be on the dry side. I have normal to dry skin so in winter my skin feels so disgusting and it seems that my regular moisturisers just don’t do much.

So I researched it a little and found my solution, nature’s moisturiser: HONEY!

Yes, the stuff we use for toast or sandwiches and to naturally sweeten other things we consume.

Honey is a humectant, which means it attracts, retains and draws in moisture and because it is an anti irritant it makes it suitable for very sensitive skin (it also contains anti microbial properties and can help treat minor irritations and sunburn!). Honey can also help bring back silkiness and softness to the hair too ( I have included my hair regime in here too!)

Ok so I have been using this little skin regime 3 nights a week for a few weeks now and I have noticed a dramatic change in the condition of my skin, it has lost the awful, almost scaly feeling and its feeling soft, smooth and supple again. So I’ll outline for you what I do, you may want to follow it to a tee, you may chop and change a few things or you may not try it at all

Step One: First I wash, cleanse and exfoliate my face to remove dry skin and/or dead skin cells (I use Anew Clinical Micro Exfoliant which is more of a gentle at home micro dermabrasion type scrub but any regular exfoliant will do)

Step Two: Once I have thoroughly removed all traces of makeup, cleanser and exfoliant I pin and tie back my hair and pop on a 

headband. Then I put a towel around my neck to cover my chest and clothing (trust me, with honey on warm skin you need it).I then slather my face in honey (it feels weird but it does wonders). It is also good to use after an exfoliant (especially a rough one) as it helps soothe the skin

Step Three: For the next 10-15 minutes I sit with honey on my face like a mask. It is said that unfiltered, unprocessed honey is best but if you can’t find any, regular honey will do the trick. During this time the honey will melt and drip off your face, I just use a finger and slap it back on.

Step Four: After 10-15 minutes it’s time to rinse off the honey, I usually jump in the shower to do this as I can rinse it off thoroughly.

Step Five: You may notice that already your skin feels softer. I usually apply my regular night moisturiser and eye cream now. I also use Blistex Lip Conditioner SPF 20 every morning, noon and night

My hair regime is more focused on products but does include a step involving honey (my hair is already fried from bleaching).I also do this 3 times a week to coincide with my face routine at night. It is focused on making your hair look healthier as well as helping it repair

Step One: I take a hair masque (I use L’Oreal Elvive Total Restore 5 hair Masque) and apply to dry hair, I leave this for 10 minutes (the package says to use on towel dried hair after washing then rinse off after 2 minutes, but I find this way works well for me)

Step Two: After 10 minutes I rinse it out, I don’t use shampoo when I do this as it can strip the hair of its natural oils which I do not want to do. For the final rinse I use a cup full of water mixed with a teaspoon of honey

Step Three: After I towel dry my hair I apply a few drops of L’Oreal Elvive Smooth Intense Anti Frizz Serum through my hair. You are supposed to apply this either before or after styling (I can’t quite remember) on dry hair but I use it on damp hair as well as I find it works really well.

Step Four: At this point I will go to bed; I try not to blow-dry my hair too much because I also straighten it and like to avoid using too many heated appliances on my hair. If I must blow dry it I also use a heat protectant spray

Step Five: In the morning after straightening my hair I use a few more drops of L’Oreal Elvive Smooth Intense Anti Frizz Serum if I have any flyaways (generally I don’t after using it at night)

So I hope this helps anyone who may be struggling with their skin going dry on them in winter (well anytime of the year) and anyone who wants to make their hair look and feel healthier

Till Next time

Stay simply stunningly gorgeous!

Disclaimer: Please note that this is not to be used for skin conditions that need to be treated by a dermatologist or to replace a skin care regime recommended by a skin specialist,doctor or dermatologist. If you have serious skin conditions or the like please consult a dermatologist or medical professional before using any advice offered through this blog. I take no responsibility for any harmful reactions that may come from following the information provided here(Im covering my own butt here guys!)

Can you fake it till you make it?

Today my post is a bit different than usual,Im not talking about products or make up looks I am talking about confidence and self esteem and can you fake it?

Now the reason this thought came about was because lately I have been feeling very low,I feel disgustingly fat,hideously ugly and just that I am not a nice person at all. When I feel low I usually have a cuddle with my daughters or I'll put on an outfit that I love,do my hair,play with my make up and 30 mins later(ok 2-3 hours!honesty here) I feel heaps better,but lately that hasn't been working for me.

Looking back over the years I went back to my school days and remembered myself at about the age10-12. I was horribly timid and shy. 

One nasty look or mean word,my bottom lip would quiver,eyes would well with tears and I would be destroyed. No exageration here, I was scared to look at people on the street. At school I was bullied often, and it was drummed into me to the point where I believed everything that these bullies said was true. To this day I still can't 100% forgive what was said as I still carry a little bit of hurt for the young girl that is still inside me but I can see now that what was said was nasty and kids being kids.

Anyway back to my point,because of the bullying I went to a high school that was in a different area away from the bullies and my peers,it gave me a chance for a fresh start. The only problem was, I knew NO ONE!

So,you have painfully shy me,new school,100's of people I dont know. My first day at high school was the start of a new me,I somehow got courage,put a smile on my face(maybe it was a grimace,I was so terrified) went up to a group of girls who obviously already new each other and introduced myself with as much confidence as I could muster. And from then on I adopted my mantra:Fake it till you make it.

Now my whole Fake it till you make it is focused on confidence and self esteem. When I feel low or shy I pretend that Im not. If I feel ugly or low, I do hair,makeup,outfit etc,put a smile on my face,hold my head high and pretend that everyone thinks Im gorgeous, now they very well probably dont but in doing so it builds my confidence.  I do this everyday till I am in a place where I do feel beautiful and the confidence is natural. Sure from time to time it is going to get knocked back but thats when I start faking it again and it never fails me.

I know Im not the prettiest,Im certainly not the thinnest(ok not thin at all!!)I dont have the clearest skin,I dont have the best hair but I can realise that beauty comes in different forms,shapes,colour and sizes

The thing is when you are confident,it shows and you become more attractive because confidence can make you seem happier and when it is true confidence it shows in your face

So if your feeling low,ugly,shy etc FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT. Wake up in the mirror and think"I am a beautiful person,inside and out",repeat it everyday till you believe it!

And remember it doesnt matter if your fat,thin,tall,short,young or old,if you have a heart,are kind and stay true to yourself,your beautiful,no matter what anyone says. Dont let anyone bring you down !

I dont know if this helps anyone,or if its even read worthy and just my emotional babble,but here I am,laying it out in internet land for all to see.

Till next time stay Simply Stunningly Gorgeous xx

Product Review:L'oreal Paris Elvive Smooth Intense Anti Frizz Shampoo and Conditioner

Today I am reviewing L'oreal Paris Elvive Smooth Intense Anti Frizz Shampoo and Conditioner

This particular duo is as the title says,anti frizz and it claims to be for:Difficult to smooth,Dry or Wavy hair

It claims 48 hour anti frizz,contains Silk protein and Argan Oil and "Smoothes,Calms,Nourishes,Sleek, Fluid, Managable hair"

Now to let you know a bit about my hair is it is naturally wavy but very frizzy if blor dried or left to air dry,the only thing that reduces the frizz is if I straighten my hair or use an anti frizz serum which I dont like to use as they are often very very greasy and to be honest Im on a budget so cannot afford to always have a good quality serum on hand. Lately all shampoo and conditioners have been failing to produce the result they promise

There are a few reasons I bought this particular shampoo and conditioner
1:I heard rave reviews on it on the TradeMe health and beauty messageboards

2:It cost the same as most other shampoo and conditioners at the supermarket

3: It claims to fix all the problems I have been having with my hair and I was at the end of my tether will all the other shampoo's I had tried but did not get results from

I loved this Shampoo and Conditioner from the very first wash.It smells great and the thing I loved about the conditioner the most was when I smoothed it through my hair and rinsed it out it didnt feel all slick and greasy like most of my previous conditioners but my hair still felt smooth and silky.

I was very sceptical about how it would leave my hair once dry so I blow dried my hair(no brushing or trying to style like I usually do just a straight blasting) and wow I was so shocked when I saw how frizz free it was once dry,especially seeing how rough I was with my hair!Plus my hair felt so soft

Ok so it passed the first test,the second was how it would leave my hair once air dried(just leaving my hair loose and letting it dry throughout the morning) and I have to say it kept its promise,my hair was not at all frizzy and again was so so soft

So the 3rd and final test,how frizz free would my hair remain for 48 hours? Well my hair wasnt completely frizz free but bear in mind I had slept on it and played in the wind with the kids,running around but there was very little frizz and it was as soft as it was at the start of the 48 hours

My hair has been so much more manageable in the week I have been using this and I will continue to use this shampoo and conditioner for good!!

So how highly do I rate this product?So highly there arent enough stars to rate it with. So below I'll just leave a list of why I love it

-Smells Lovely
-Left my hair silky and soft
-Kept its 48 hour anti frizz promise
-My hair is alot more manageable
-The conditioner doesnt feel slimy or greasy in wet hair

So thats my review,I got each of these for less than $6 at the supermarket so it is such a bargain,you get so much for so little!