Lockdown Loves and Discoveries

Lockdown, the tier system, the changes are all hard and we have all had to make changes to how we live our lives, how we shop and how we spend time with loved ones, possibly more so by Teams, Zoom and Skype and we will forever hold the phrase “You’re on mute” dearly! 

I have hated all of the above as much as I’ve enjoyed it. The ability to spend more time at home with the hubby and cats is definitely something I used to take for granted, so it’s been quite the learning curve when it comes to both of us working from home, but we have worked it out. Not too sure the cats are impressed that we are still home, interfering with their 'time' from some of the looks I am given, but tough!

We decided to use the first part of Lockdown to do some decorating and DIY around the house, all those jobs we never got round to doing because life got in the way - hallway, lounge and odd jobs here and there that we never ever completed - changing of door handles for an example, now all done. I still need to get a window fixed, buy a new fridge freezer as well as the need for a new mattress (why is it so confusing) for the bed and decide what paint to choose for the kitchen, plus decide whether to save up for a new one or simply replace cabinet doors to give it a new look!

All of that aside, when allowed, we have been out and about  in the area we live,  discovered new places to walk too and discovered new parts of the park we love, that we didn’t know existed. 

I’ve been making good use of both my Karrimor Walking Boots which I bought in the advice of my consultant for ankle protection and my new Teal coloured Iona Raincoat, that I was kindly gifted from Lighthouse clothing. 

Both items being absolutely perfect for a daily walk in the cold, wet, slippery, muddy and almost boggy walks across fields, round the park and for dodging those people who insist in walking three abreast along the pavement forcing you into the grass verge!

As well as discovering new places, some DIY and bingeing most series on Netflix and Amazon Prime, is managed to hit my Goodreads goals by reading 40 books during the whole of 2020, something I am quite proud of doing. This year I’ve set that goal slightly lower because I am anticipating that I will be back to the office for the first time since March - at least that’s the hope! 

Small Things Make a Big Difference! Improving Your Health

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2021 is the year that you can be the best version of you! Everybody's experienced highs and lows as a result of the pandemic. And no doubt, so many of us have felt a knock to our confidence, not to mention our own perspective of what our health really is like, for me my skin took a hit having to constant face-masks, so adding in CBD creams and serums has helped me to restore some calm to my skin, and this is definitely something I am going to continue doing in the future. While it's possible to boost your self-confidence and learn to take control of your attitude, your health needs to be in place as well. After all, if you've decided to make changes in your life, they are worth nothing if you don't have a healthy body! And the whole approach of tackling your health to change your life can seem momentous. But what are some of the best ways to improve your health, little and large?

Focus on Tackling Your Symptoms of Stress

When it comes to stress, there's the overriding reason, but it's also about recognising the symptoms, as and when they arrive. If you start to focus on tackling the symptoms, you will begin to recognise when you are hitting a downward spiral. The great thing is that there are different approaches out there. Some may work for you, and some may not. Ideally, you need to take opportunities to address the big symptoms that affect your life. For example, if anxiety is a continuous issue, you may benefit from a herb like CBD. They come in tincture form, but there are also CBD gummies, which can benefit when you are out and about. You can also think about other approaches to calm yourself down at the moment. Something like deep breathing is a very good example. For a lot of people, if they tackle the symptoms, it gives them better control over their lives and this leaves you with nothing to worry about and more time for doing things that you love, with people who mean a lot to you.

Look After Your Gut

A lifetime of unhealthy and processed foods can wreak havoc on our guts. The gut microbiome is essential for our overall health, and disruption in gut bacteria can result in chronic diseases, including obesity. Looking after your gut means cutting down on processed foods and sugar but also making sure that you have sufficient fibre in your diet, for this, you can take probiotic supplements. If you are someone that likes sweet treats, we can't deny you these, but you've got to be aware of the impacts they can have on your gut. 

The Importance of Vitamin D

Vitamin D has taken centre stage for many years, and now due to the coronavirus, a lot has been written about the impact of vitamin D on an individual's health and their ability to fight disease. A good quality vitamin D supplement is such a simple thing that you can take once a day, and you may very well see how it impacts your life in so many ways. You may not get as many colds, but you may also feel a bit better when you wake up in the morning. 

These three simple ways can make a difference in the quality of your life. And it goes to show that it is the smaller things that can make a big difference.

*this post contains either a paid for link, PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

How to treat a cold sore effectively with HERPOtherm

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I am one of those unfortunate people who suffers terribly with cold sores, I have done for most of my life and unfortunately I suffer with the worst kind - they are large, they are incredibly painful and sore, they are big blisters and they make me want to hide away from being seen until they have gone away.  

I have tried every possible treatment there is for a cold sore - be it a cream, a gel, a patch, liquids, ice treatments and even toothpaste with baking powder in it. I have used Google to look for cures, relief, help and just something to mask them, all to no avail. Now I have a device called HERPOtherm which I am going to share with you.

What is a Cold Sore?

Known as HSV-1 or Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1, it is said that 9 out 10 people are infected with this virus but of those, only a third will develop visible symptoms. The HSV-1 is incredibly contagious and can be passed from person to person very easily with close contact. After someone has contracted the virus, it remains dormant for most of the time, but there is also no cure.  

As I mentioned above, cold sores appear as small fluid filled blisters, a swelling or as a scab and they tend to appear on the lips, around the mouth but can also present themselves on other parts of the face, including around the nose and on the cheeks but they can spread further because they are so contagious.

Cold Sore Symptoms.

There are lots of reasons why people get a cold sore, for me, they tend to flare up when I am feeling run-down, if I am stressed or have been ill. Most of the time, I am aware there is a cold sore on its way because my lip has an irritating tingling feeling which is uncomfortable, other people feel a burning sensation or an itch, sometimes there is no sign, they just appear somewhere along the lip as a small blister. 

If you get a cold sore regularly enough, you can often detect the signs and despite the number of pieces of advice I have been given to apply the cream as soon as the tingle starts, it has never stopped the cold sore from appearing.  Once that blister has arrived, for me, they tend to last up to 2-weeks as they go through each of the stages of pre-arrival symptoms, the arrival, the bursting of the blisters to the scabbing over and eventually the slow disappearance.

Treating the Cold Sore

I have lost count as to how many different products there is on the market that claim to treat or speed up the healing the cold sore, some of those I have mentioned above - everything from gels and creams, to patches and toothpaste which contains baking powder. Now we have HERPOtherm, a device which is incredibly unique and unlike anything else I have ever been told to try.

Meet HERPOtherm

Described as being the 'hot tip for combatting cold sores' and even though it is a medical device, which can prevent the development of cold sore blisters if applied early enough, it is really easy to use. It is

• Free from chemicals - works solely by concentrated heat
• Suitable for pregnant women, allergy sufferers and children*
• Long-lasting alternative to creams and patches
• Easy and practical to use
• Dermatologically tested

HERPOtherm is a handbag sized pen which is essentially used for treating the symptoms, which I have mentioned, for the beginning of a cold sore - the burning, tingling, itching or tightness. HERPOtherm works by concentrating heat, which it generates up to 51°C on the affected area to kill the virus beneath the skin which in turn prevents it emerging as a blister. This method has shown in tests to have a positive effect on the release of histamine and degradation enzymes and in turn curbs the inflammatory reaction.  It is this part which is the most important point, for me, about the device. Being able to prevent the development of the cold sore blister is tantamount to preventing that soreness and pain I have mentioned. For me, the pain is often so intense that eating and drinking hurts because your lips are so sore and the last thing you want to do is to burst the blisters or crack any skin on your lips, both of which can lead to the spread of the cold sore.  

HERPOtherm goes that bit further than your average cold sore cream for me because it can also be used to relieve the symptoms more quickly and accelerate healing, which according to some of the case studies was as much as a 50% reduction is symptoms, and condition durations in comparison to creams which contain the ingredient aciclovir, an antiviral medication.

Using the HERPOtherm Device

This device couldn't be easier to use, in fact it is much simpler to understand than some of the lotions and potions I have tried over the years. It goes like this:

• Remove the protective cap and place the device onto the affected area 
• Very gently press it onto the affected area of your skin/lip
• After pressing the button to activate, the ceramic contact surface heats up to approx 51°C.
• This temperature is remains at 51°C for just three seconds, then HERPOtherm then switches off automatically.

The instructions do state that you should ensure good contact with the skin to have an effective transfer of the heat and that it should be placed accurately to ensure the treatment is delivered to the affected area only.  You should leave at least 2 minutes between each application, and you should not exceed a maximum number of 5 applications per hour on the same area of skin.

Where can you get HERPOtherm?

The HERPOtherm Cold Sore Treatment device is available via Amazon, Boots (including Boots.com) and your local high street pharmacy. It is priced at just £34.99, which given everything I have read, is an amazing price. For me, the positives of this product over creams, patches and gels are just too good not to give it a try. Creams and gels have very little impact for my cold sore issue and they're not exactly cheap to purchase either. I also don't find them to be as hygienic as this device, because using HERPOtherm means very little contact with your fingers to the affected area, instead it is just this device which is easily cleaned using a standard alcohol disinfectant wipe and unlike a cream, this device has no expiration date, you just need to change the batteries.

Discover more about HERPOtherm via: www.myherpotherm.co.uk

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Eve and Keel - You Are Amazing!

New to my collection is a brand called Eve & Keel and they very kindly sent me two products from their collection.  Every so often you are introduced to a brand and you just click with what they stand for, their ethos, what they offer and the sales pitch just reaches out to you - that is what happened with Eve & Keel.

Eve & Keel state that they are here to support wellbeing and encourage a sense of balance. Their range of stress-slaying products are just perfect for creating a self-care toolkit and being Vegan, cruelty-free, hand- crafted and organic as well as recycled or recyclable, they definitely put a lot of thought into the products they create and sell throughout the entire process.

Lockdown has been difficult, I don't think anyone would argue differently, it has been difficult for a lot of different reasons - for me, working from home and not going to my office has been hard, I've not seen my work colleagues in person since March, I haven't seen my friends and other than going shopping for essentials - food, I have barely left the house.

I was kindly gifted the Deep Release Body Oil and the Creativity Sacral Chakra Roller to try.

Starting with the Deep Release Body Oil (£38) it is designed to 'Feed your skin and Relax your mind'. I really liked this oil from the first use, for me it has two uses, either on your own skin after a hot shower or bath when your skin probably needs a whole lot of moisture and hydrating, or it can be used as a massage oil, which of course you can massage yourself or ask your beloved to rub those aching shoulders, your back and so on.

This oil smells just divine, the first thing I noticed about it was the scent, it is incredible and just so fresh. It is made up of 4 base oils and three essential oils and each one of those has a role to play.

• Jojoba, Apricot and Sunflower oils are referred to as being Skin food and their job is to absorb into the skin quickly whilst nourishing and hydrating to leave behind skin which is silky smooth to the touch.
• Vitamin E is the antioxidant and its job is to stabilise free radical cells to help keep skin springy and youthful.
• Mandarin is the comforting oil, with its uplifting scent of Mandarin calms a heavy mind while it’s skin-loving properties get to work restoring your natural glow.
• Sweet Marjoram is a bit of an unsung hero when it comes to essential oils and hero for all things tight and crampy, Sweet Marjoram is the perfect blend of pain relieving and relaxing.
• Lavender which is known for its properties to help heal, soothe, relieve pain, calm as well as to encourage deep sleep.

On the skin, this oil isn't greasy or slippery in anyway, once it comes into contact, it does absorb super quick and it leaves behind no film or residue, just a sweet scent of Mandarin, which for me is really noticeable and as it settles there is a slight hint of Lavender, but nothing too overpowering.  

The creativity: sacral chakra roller (£27) is described as being a floral powerhouse of feminine, use this roller to find your flow and unleash your inner Aphrodite.  I was really intrigued by this roller, which as a product, I am a huge fan of and have used other brands offerings for a good few years.

As you can see, this rollerball is really pretty to look at and it has been designed to enhance your creativity and passion as well as to support your energy and deepen your feminine wisdom. The red Carnelian crystals which you can see is a stabilising stone which is said to restores vitality and motivation, and stimulates creativity. The crystals work alongside a host of essentials oils which include the likes of 

• May Change which has a really pretty citrus scent and its role is positivity, 
• Jasmine is to bring strength and energy whilst 
• Ylang Ylang brings about a calm confidence and sense of empowerment.

To use this rollerball, you simply roll it across your pulse points (wrists, temples) and for me, the fragrance along with the action of rolling it on those pulse points is relaxing and calming in itself.

These are just two of the products available from Eve and Keel and there is a whole lot more to see with other rollers ranging from Bath Salts and balms to mists and oils.  A wonderful way to spend some 'me time' in bliss.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Five Ways To Give Yourself Some Self-care!

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Get Outside

The outdoors is a space that needs to be explored on a regular basis. Getting fresh air is important for your physical wellbeing but also for your mental wellbeing. There’s really nothing like getting outside from your home, no matter how comfortable your home may be. Breathing in that outside air from your lungs as you walk around your local area or take a long trek up a nearby hill, can be something that’s worth doing at least once a week. You might want to do it alone, with your partner or your children. You could meet up with a friend or work colleague to just walk around a certain area or park of your choice. Getting outside is important and it can be very easy to get cooped up inside during this time of year. It also helps a lot if you have a job where you work from home. It can be good to get some fresh air to get some clarity on an issue that might be worrying you or to simply reset the batteries for ten minutes until you’re ready for an afternoon of hard work.

Treat Yourself

We’re very quick to treat others with our money but when it comes to ourselves, a lot of the time, we’ll hold back or refrain from doing so. However, when it comes to self-care, it’s time to make that something you do more for yourself than others. Sure it might seem a little selfish, but it’s important to spend time and money on yourself. You are likely working hard for your money and so whatever you buy, should for the most part be treating you. There are also things that you might want to purchase that help improve those things that you may not like about yourself. We always tend to notice these things in ourselves, whereas others might see nothing wrong. However, it’s important to do what you can to make yourself feel good both on the inside and out. So for example, if there’s something you don’t like about your teeth, why not reach out to https://uk.instasmile.com/ to see what they can offer when it comes to perfecting your smile?

Meditate Or Take A Hot Bath

Sometimes, just slowing down your day with meditation or a hot bath can be just what you need to provide yourself with self-care. Meditation is a practice that has been used for a long time to find inner peace but to also focus in the moment. It has many health benefits that are worth knowing about when it comes to trying it out. A lot of people try it out for the first time, get impatient or frustrated, and won’t try it again. However, it’s something that you need to do a couple of times in order to start experiencing the benefits that it can provide for your health and your mind. 

Find Ways To Reduce Stress

Stress is a part of life and like it or not, we’ll all experience stress at some point. Whether it’s a stressful time in your personal life or your work life, there are always ways to combat it. Stress needs outlets and so self-care is a great way of reducing stress where it can be reduced. If you’re having a particularly hard time, find the things that immediately get rid of that stress you’re holding in your body. It could be going to bed early or enjoying a nice glass of wine. Do what helps you and allows you to reduce those stress levels that can dangerous to your health.

Keep Active

And finally, keeping yourself active is very important. It’s worth finding ways to help get in that little bit of fitness here and there. Not everyone enjoys exercise but it is needed in order to keep your body functioning at its best. Find something you love and it won’t feel like as exercise as much but more like fun!

Use these tips to give yourself the self-care you need and deserve.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Choosing the right Yoga Mat

If you have followed me on Instagram, then you will no doubt be aware that I have an ankle injury, it isn't a new injury, it is one I have had for 2 years and its painful.  Having been moved around a lot between hospital departments, it seems that an awkward fall has culminated in a lot more than the original diagnosis of a 'bad sprain' and I should have been sent away with a little more than Codeine for my troubles.  Fast-forward those two years and we have four issues to deal with, a foot and ankle splint which I have to wear in an evening and to sleep in, an upcoming MRI scan and I've been told to try some Yoga at home for some stretching and for that I needed to purchase a Yoga Mat.

Who knew there was so much choice when it came to buying a mat, I wrongly assumed I could type it into Google and be given a few options to choose from rather than the 3million options with the prices to match.  Thankfully, I have a few friends who are Yoga teachers who are on hand to advise me on which type of mat I should purchase for my needs, I am never going to become an avid fan of Yoga, but this is a series of simple stretching exercises I have to do at home in order to loosen my over-stiffened calf muscles and because I also have Plantar Fasciitis combined with Achilles Tendinopathy - the exercises I have been given to do are specialised.

Choosing the right Yoga Mat

• Thickness - Both of my friends said to me that I need to get the thickness right. The thickness has so much to do with how comfortable that mat is going to be during certain moves, but if it is too thick, those moves become harder.  The average yoga mat is said to be around 1/8inch thick with 1/4inch being the thickest.
• Storage - When thinking of the thickness, you also need to think about storage, the thinner the mat, the easier it is to roll up and store v's the thick it is, the thicker the roll and the more room it might need.
• Material - For this, it is down to texture, stickiness, eco-friendliness, and perhaps the most important is the sponginess of the mat. Yoga mats come in a whole plethora of materials, the most common being PVC, but also rubber, jute and cotton too. Rubber and PVC give the most whereas Jute and Cotton are little less-giving. 
• Texture - With texture, it is all about being to hold that balance, you don't want to be mid downward-dog and end up slipping and sliding all over.
• Price Range - An important factor is always money. The thinner your yoga mat is seemingly the cheaper the are, the same can be said for the material you choose, the more eco-friendly you are, the more expensive they become.  Having quickly looked, you can find a Yoga mat from as little as £8.99 with prices rising upwards of £100 and more!

Thankfully, as I mentioned I have two friends who are Yoga Teachers and I now have my own mat which I was kindly gifted from one of them. It is a mid-range thickness and brightly coloured so I won't lose it, hopefully the stretching exercises will help going forward.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Crystal Vita Elixir Water Bottles

Nothing makes drinking water a little more interesting and pretty than a Water Bottle which grabs your attention and these Crystal Vibez water bottles definitely do that.

Crystals are something I have read up on and have been fascinated with for many years, I even have my own set of Crystals which are placed around house for the benefits that they brings. It is also known that the ancient Egyptians, Indian and Romans used crystals to make healing elixirs to fix a whole host of ailments and problems, so to that end, you might have also heard them called or referred to as being an elixir of life.

Each crystal is quite unique and each one has a different healing ability, so to that end, choosing your crystal is important and something that shouldn't be done on a whim, instead, many say your crystal will often choose you, rather than you choose it.  The same can be said for Water Bottles such as these.

Drinking water is a matter of survival, your body needs it.  Whether you like it or not, there are many ways to ensure your water tastes nicer or looks nicer, but we can't escape the science that being hydrated is good for your body organs, for the flushing of toxins, for your mind, your sanity and your health - without it, your body simply does not work properly.  

So bringing together both Crystals and Water and combining them in Water Bottles, such as these from Crystal Vibez can help in all manor of different ways - for a start they remove the need for plastic bottled water, they are pretty and will encourage you to drink more and most importantly their healing properties, especially when placed in water.

Crystal Vibez ensure that they ethically source their crystals and the glass bottles, which are made from Borosilicate have a choice of Bamboo, Copper of Silver dome bottles.  Once you have chosen your bottle, there is then your choice of crystal and again, it is important you choose the one which is right for you.  

This is a brief introduction to crystals.

• Amethyst - This  is a powerful and protective stone with a high vibration. It helps to protect against psychic attacks and can enhance the memory as well as assist in deeper understanding when you meditate. 
• Black Obsidian - This stone is great in assisting you to wash away the stress and disharmony that has built up in your day to day life, ridding you of fear, anger and resentment.
• Black Tourmaline - This stone is commonly used for grounding spiritual energy and clearing and balancing all the chakras. It is a stone that provides good protection and shields the body during meditation
• Citrine - This makes it a powerful cleanser and re-generator.  it provides warmth and energy.  It is what we would call a good all round crystal as it can raise self esteem as well as motivate and revitalise the mind. 
• Clear Quartz - Quartz is one of the most powerful crystals for healing and amplifying energy. It is a good crystal for balancing energy and also unblocking energy and so it commonly used in acupuncture.
• Dreamy Purple - This crystal has abilities to turn your from upside down and ease your mind away from anything that may be pulling you down in life. Dreamy purple calms nerves in difficult times and stops overthinking and negative thoughts. Dreamy purple helps with workaholics, encouraging individuals who don't make enough "me" time to switch off and relax, even if only for a few vital moments.
• Green Aventurine - This is a positive stone of prosperity. It helps mental healing and protects against electromagnetic pollution that can be created through everyday electronic devices. As it assists in mental healing it is a good crystal to calm anger and irritation. 
• Green Fluorite- Fluorite clears the fog and helps one to focus. Fluorite brings calm and order in a sometimes chaotic world. It brings hormones into balance and also heals all heart based issues.
• Labradorite - Often referred to as the Rainbow Moonstone because of its unique colours, this crystal banishes fears and anxiety and strengthens faith in oneself and in the universe. Labradorite soothes an overactive mind, nurturing calm, sense of grounding and clarity. It strengthens intuition and will, and has many physical healing properties.
• Rose Quartz - Rose quartz helps to heal a sufferer of a broken heart, any kind of neglect or traumatic incident revolving around love. But it is also a very soothing and calming crystal known to bring forth peace and tranquillity.
• Smokey Quartz - Smokey Quartz balances and gives stability of mind, empowering courage and inner strength. It boosts self confidence, elevates mood and helps to overcome life's tough obstacles and emotional blockages. Smokey Quartz also aids with creativity and problem solving.

Once you have chosen your bottle and your crystal, the idea being that putting them into and around water goes back to those original roots I mentioned back at beginning of these post.  Some believe that once you have charged your crystal, be that with the sun or the moonlight, the vibrations from the crystals infuse and alter the molecular structure of water after approximately 7 minutes.

These bottles are priced around £43.99, here and rise in price depending on the size. 

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

10 Mental Health Benefits of an Organised Bedroom & Home Office.

At the start of lockdown, I am sure, like most people, I wasn't the only one who wrote an entire list of things to do. Things that I had been meaning to do around the house, but had never quite got round to doing - everything from changing a lightbulb to fixing a door handle, cleaning out the oven, hoover and more besides.  It is reported that taking control of your home space can be really positive for your mindset.

Knowing I was going to be spending a lot more time at home for the foreseeable future meant that those breaks I would take at work to go and make a drink or chat to my colleagues, now meant I could do something else in that time - put the washing away, put the washing machine on, wash up, hoover and so on, the jobs that would be waiting for me when I got home from work and over the weekend. With two of us working from home, we needed space to sit with two laptops, phones and all kinds of cable and electrical equipment now needing space. So we decided one of us would sit in the lounge and the other in the bedroom and alternate, but that also meant a serious declutter and re-organisation.

I have a Futon Company Lap Table in place of a desk because we don't have the space for a desk/table anywhere. So in the lounge, we made a few changes which included tidying up the bookshelves, donating what we no longer needed to local charity shops (before they closed). Then for the things we really don't need to have around, especially during the daytime, The Works had a huge sale and I managed to pick up some amazing storage boxes, which come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes and patterns. We've used them we have put paperwork, beauty products and items that needed a home, so they're all out of the way, stored and labelled, so if there is something we need, we know where to find them.  Then in the bedroom, the wardrobes had a decluttering and there was a lot of moving furniture around and ensuring there was and still is enough room, light and space to work.

So why did we do all of this? Working from home isn't a new thing for either of us, we do it occasionally, when we have a lot of paperwork or reports to get through and you want to avoid distractions, for me, it means working from home for a day or two and then heading back to the office, but neither of us has done it for longer periods of time. It is also said that it is good for your health and mental health and these are the following reasons why:

1 - Helps to reduce stress. Seeing visual lists of things to do can be stressful, sitting here with an excel spreadsheet of data whilst out of the corner of my eye I can see a pile of washing waiting to be done isn't constructive. By ensuring it is being washed or is in the wash basket out of sight, does make me feel more relaxed.

2 - Reduced Anxiety. Messy homes, desks and spaces can make you feel overwhelmed. I know if my desk is covered with paperwork, stationery and books really makes me feel on edge, so it has to be tidy. Same for the bedroom, working in there during the daytime means I have to ensure clothing is put away, hung up, drawers are closed and then my day can begin. 

3 - Focus. Having a tidy desk space or work area is more likely to keep you focused and stop your mind wandering. I find that the less 'stuff' I have on my desk, the less chance there is of my drifting off to other things.

4 - Increase in Mindfulness - Knowing that the decluttering I have done has gone to help others does give you a sense of pride but equally, it makes you think about what and how much stuff you physically need at any one time.

5 - Reduce the mental load. When you are sitting, working, reading or even just lazing in the bath and your mind is wandering at 100mph with all of the things you still have to do. By working through your list of things to do, it does help to lighten that load.

6 - Sleep Better. I am the worst sleeper and there is nothing that keeps you awake at night more than wondering if you did this or that. Being organised and on top of your things to do, gives you that time to relax and wind down.

7 - More YOU time. I make the point of having at least one hour a week to myself to relax in the bath, have a lie in, read a book, play popular online slots or a bit of a pamper session, but I only feel really relaxed if I have nothing else that I feel I should be doing. 

8 - Family Time. Not spending the entire weekend doing all of the small jobs you could have done during the week, means you have more time to spend with your loved one, with friends, the cats and doing things you really enjoy.

9 - Eating. I have noticed that if I am on top of things around the house, I am not grabbing a biscuit here and there, I take the time to make a sandwich or a meal and not snack. 

10 - Exercise. Cleaning and organisation within the home is a great workout. I have been unable to do a lot of exercise owing to an ankle injury, so my cardio comes from housework and it is amazing how much of a workout you can get from emptying those kitchen cupboards, cleaning them and then restocking them. Since the lockdown, I have managed to clear out all of my kitchen cupboards and I was absolutely worn out afterwards, but it felt so good.

I know we all strive to be as tidy as Marie Kondo and as obsessed with cleaning as Mrs Hinch, but for some, it just isn't a reality. So, I started by having a list of things to do and slowly and surely worked my way through it - clearing out cupboards, tidying away paperwork right down to hanging some pictures on the wall which lived in boxes we didn't need cluttering us up. If you need to start somewhere then Youtube is full of helpful videos!

How have you coped with working from home?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

London Bathers Soaking Salts

Having spent a good 7 weeks without a fully functioning bathroom, because we have had a complete makeover (review coming soon), being able to do the simplest of tasks, such as brushing my teeth in front of a mirror, is an absolute dream.

The thing I was most looking forward too was laying in a bath of bubbles or salts to relax in and the lovely people over at London Bathers spoilt me with these three absolutely stunning jars of soaking salts. Anyone who knows me will know that bath salts are an absolute must-have for my bathroom and as far as I am concerned, they are very much an underrated product.

The London Bathers is an independent, family-run company on a mission to offer high quality, low impact bathroom products and accessories. They favour refilling what we have over using then throwing away and believe in taking responsibility for our own recycling. It’s about making choices that lead to a cleaner life. What I love about this company is that their products are

• wrapped and packed in 100% recyclable papers or cardboard
• Come packaged in reusable glass bottles and jars
• Have letterbox friendly packing wherever possible
• Plus there is a pouch recycling programme

As we all become much more aware of just how much waste there is within the beauty industry, I am always thankful when brands take a sensible approach to what they have to offer.

The three jars of Soaking Salts that I have been kindly gifted are all just beautiful, I have really enjoyed using them all and would struggle to pick a favourite.  The first Soaking Salts that I used in my brand new bath was the Himalayan Pink Soaking Salts and then over the course of the following few weeks, I used the Dead Sea Green Soaking Salts and then finally the Dead Sea White Soaking Salts and each one of them comes with a different scent and for me, they each have a completely different aroma and one is more relaxing than the other two.

It has been said that Dead Sea Salts have been used for their health benefits for thousands of years with its usage going right to Cleopatra, whom it was said went to great lengths to secure exclusive reign over the Dead Sea and that she attributed her great beauty and complexion to the secrets of the sea and its salts. 

Dead Sea Salt contains ten times more minerals than normal sea salt and these minerals help with cleansing, detoxifying, and restoring a healthy status quo to the body, especially the skin and muscles. The minerals you will find within Dead Sea Salts include:

• Magnesium - Which is great for detoxifying and cleansing the epidermis. It also helps heal damaged or inflamed skin.
• Calcium - Which promotes skin growth and regeneration as well as moisture retention through the production of sebum, and stimulates the production of antioxidants.
• Sodium - Which helps cleanse and exfoliate the skin, neutralise free radicals and relieve sore muscles.
• Zinc - Which helps heal and rejuvenate skin
• Potassium - Which is great for helping to keep the skin moist and plump as well as helping to reduce puffiness.
• Sulphur - Which helps decongest pores, but it also has powerful healing, antifungal, antimicrobial, and antibacterial properties.

Dead sea salts also help to exfoliate the skin and are gentle enough not to scratch the surface of the skin when dissolved in water.

The Himalaya Pink Soaking Salts are described as being mineral-rich, detoxifying and soothing, our Himalayan Pink Soaking Salts are the perfect way to relax, de-stress and soak away aches. 

Enriched with Himalayan pink salt, jasmine & geranium essential oils, as well as Australian pink clay, these salts, when mixed with the hot running bath water, create quite the most amazing floral scent which fills the room and as jasmine is one of my all-time favourite scents, I couldn't help but love these salts.

The Dead Sea Green Soaking Salts are described as being packed with ocean minerals. Dead Sea salt is renowned for its healing and therapeutic qualities and within this jar, the Dead Sea salt is infused with French green clay, tea tree and rosemary essential oils which are designed to create a pure, relaxing addition to your bath.

Anything with tea tree as an ingredient is always going to be recognisable and it is a scent you either love or hate. I had the most horrendous head cold a few weeks ago and having run out of Support Breathe, a product I swear by in times of need, I decided to give these salts a try, in the hope the tea tree would unblock my sinuses and what I found was I was so relaxed in the bath, my headache which had been hanging around for a few days disappeared and it was such a relief. The addition of Rosemary into the mix does go a long way to really making the bathing experience so relaxing.

The final jar is the Dead Sea White Soaking Salts and as with the other two products, they are packed with ocean minerals and Dead Sea Salt. Within this jar, the Dead Sea Salt is infused with Bergamot and Mandarin essential oils which are incredibly uplifting and revitalising for your mood.

For me, these bath salts are the best ones to use when you are not quite feeling yourself, are in a low mood and need a bit of a pick me up because those citrusy scents when mixed with the steam vapour from the water are just magical.

These bath soaking salts retail at £12 per jar or are available as a trio for just £25 (usually £30) which is an absolute bargain.  If like me, you happen to just adore them, then the London Bathers have an incredible subscription service that you can sign up to and for just £14 a month you will be sent a different mix each month, revolving between the four current blends. Each refill contains enough salt to fill your London Bathers glass jar twice and it can be cancelled any time you wish. 

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Fushi Pomegranate Oil 80%+

I absolutely love a good oil within my beauty routine and often use bath oils if my skin is feeling really dry, hair oils for added shine and a face oil in my skincare routine and as with all other aspects of using an oil, depending on how my skin feels, will depend on which oil I use. Earlier this week I reviewed the Fushi BioVedic Collection which I have loved using and today is the turn of the Fushi Pomegranate Oil 80%+.

I have used a pomegranate oil in the past and loved how it made my skin feel. From Fushi we have an oil which is said to be a new powerful antioxidant oil that is challenging the way Pomegranate oil is produced to boost its Omega 5 content to a minimum of 80% in order to promote age-defying benefits for the skin and health.

Known also as Punicic Acid, Omega 5 is a unique yet beneficial fatty acid and it is considered to be one of the most natural potent antioxidants. At the same time, Pomegranate is known to be one of the only plant-based sources of Omega 5. Putting all of this together, Fushi's Pomegranate Oil 80% is believed to be the first pomegranate oil on the market with a guaranteed minimum content of 80% - hence the name. Did you know that Punicic Acid boasts a whole plethora of health and skin benefits, many of which I had not known about until this oil was kindly sent to me. For example, it helps to promote heart health owing to the seed oil being a good source of phytochemicals, mono- and poly-unsaturated fat, increase immunity and for the skin, because it is packed with powerful anti-oxidants and flavonoids, it helps to repair skin damage, promote flawless skin, unclog pores both on the face and scalp, it helps to calm redness, heals wounds and it can help with preventing premature ageing by deeply nourishing the outer epidermal layer. 

Fushi Fresh Pressed ® Virgin Pomegranate seed oil is sustainably sourced and produced by mechanical extraction using cold pressing method of the ripe, virgin pomegranate seeds. This oil is also filtered to produce even more clarity within the oil. Fushi Fresh Pressed ® Virgin Pomegranate seed oil is sourced from a small town in South Africa, solely created to ensure sustainability by making use of the entire Pomegranate fruit. During the production of this oil, the aril is separated from the pith and skin to produce pure Pomegranate juice. Fushi Fresh Pressed ® Virgin Pomegranate seed oil is produced by making use of parts of the fruit previously thrown away, namely, its seeds, from which a beneficial oil for skin and health is extracted. This increases the fruit's potential contributes to the sustainability of the oil.

Along with its long list of benefits comes a list of how best to use it and again it comes down to your own personal preference. You can use it internally in quite a few ways and the options are to either take 1-3 teaspoons daily with food, you can drizzle it over a salad or add it to a smoothie. On the skin, you can massage it onto the areas of your skin which you feel need some help.  My own personal preference is to use it on my driest areas of skin and massage it onto my skin and allow it to absorb slowly because it is a fairly thick oil and I have adapted how I extract the oil by using an old pipette from another product because this bottle comes without one and I find it tricky to pour because there is always too much when you need just a small amount.

I love having this oil in my routine and I love the number of options available to use it. It has a shelf life of two years and must be kept out of direct sunlight and somewhere cool otherwise rancidity could occur.

Have you ever tried a pomegranate oil before?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Pink Parcel & Betty Box

A few years ago I first reviewed both Pink Parcel and Teen Parcel here on my blog and they recently had a bit of a revamp, so I am delighted to be sharing them with you today. Described as being the UK's number one period box, Pink Parcel is designed for those of us who are are no longer considered 'Teens' and that is where the Betty Box comes into play.

The Pink Parcel describes itself as uniting periods and pampering to make your time of the month fuss-free and fabulous and let's be honest, anything that offers to do just that immediately gets the thumbs up and quite probably a hug. The box is discreetly packaged and slim enough to fit through most letter boxes and inside it will be whichever sanitary brand and type of  product you prefer to use.  Brands such as Tampax, Lilets and Bodyform to name just a few allow you the choice of selecting Tampons or Towels to meet your needs. If like me you have quite a hectic life with work and everything else, sometimes forgetting Auntie Flo is on her way can be a nightmare, it is something I do frequently and I love that there is something out there for a peace of mind.

With Pink Parcel the monthly subscription price is £12.99 which includes delivery and depending on whether you choose a one off box or a longer subscription can alter the price, but there is no pressure to sign up at any time.  Once signed up you firstly pick the products you want, either tampons, sanitary towels or you can opt for a mixture of the two and then which brand and absorbency you need and there is quite a selection to choose from.  Once you have made your decision you decide which date you want your box to arrive and my advice is to obviously ensure it is before your next period so that you have everything you need.  Alongside your chosen sanitary products you will also be given some panty liners and some night pads to ensure you literally have everything you need and then it doesn't stop there because also included within your box will be some pampering products worth up to £40.

Once your box arrives, inside you will find three boxes and a drawstring bag and each one is clearly labelled.  In the 'For Night' box you will find some night time sanitary towels and my box has 5 of them.  The 'For Later' box has your product of choice for when your period arrives inside it and the drawstring bag, which I now keep in my handbag contains some panty liners.  The final box which is titled 'For you' has your pampering products inside it and this month my box was packed full of thoughtful products:

• Cuppanut Teabag - Turmeric and Ginger infusion
• Nail HQ - All in One nail treatment
• Cocoba - Cocoa Dusted Salted Toffee Truffles
• Beautaniq Beauty - Radiant Glow Sheet Mask
• Lipcote - Lipstick Sealer
• The Beauty Group - The Glamazon Stick which is described as being a creamy highlight Crayon
• Swiss Clinic - Sanitizing Spray

I love the contents of the For You box and love that it is put together is such a thoughtful manner.

The Betty Box, which used to be Teen Parcel is similar to the Pink Parcel with a few exceptions.  Firstly the entire box is brightly coloured and really stands out which I liked a lot and the subscription is £12.99 per month and contains all the period essentials you’ve chosen, from pads to tampons in all shapes and sizes.   The difference comes with the 'For You' part of the box because as this one is aimed at those aged 11-16 the treats have been chosen with that in mind, so the box might include jewellery, skincare, stationery and sweets.

In the box I was kindly sent, each section is again really well laid out and labelled so that you know which box you need and when.  Then within the 'For You' Box six products which includes:

• Bakedin - Chocolate brownie mug mix which is cooked in a mug in the microwave in 60 seconds.  Described as being gooey, warm and oh so good.
• You Tea - Sleep Tea which uses ingredients such as lavender, rose and chinese dates to ensure you feel calm in both body and mind
• Magnitone - Wipe Out Microfibre Cleansing Cloth which is designed to tackle the most stubborn makeup using just warm water
• Bandzee - Hair ties are like bobby pins for me, you have loads one minute and non the next.  Whenever I tie my hair up, I use a few different branded hair ties because I like that they don't cause my hair to kink.
• Freeman - Foot Scrub with Lemon and Sage.  This scrub is infused with pumice from volcanic rock and is designed to exfoliate rough and dry skin and the inclusion of Tea Tree helps to soothe tired and aching feet
• Bryt Socks - Now these socks describe themselves as being loud and proud and that they most definitely are.  It is said that colourful socks seem to increase happiness and confidence.

Again, I love the level of thought which has gone into these boxes with everything from packing them to including the pampering treats.

I would love to know your thoughts on these two boxes and whether or not you think it is something you would subscribe too.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here