Father's Day with Aroma Active Laboratories

I am pretty obsessed with Aroma Active Laboratories and have featured them a few times now on my blog with the SOS Forehead Balm and the Sleep Collection, but today it is an introduction to products for Father's Day!

Aroma Active Laboratories is a new brand to Boots and it comes from the lab responsible for Aromatherapy Associates. Anyone who, like me, loves Aromatherapy Associates, this is the brand you need to own absolutely everything of! I am making my way through some of the products the brands has to offer, right now, you can grab 25% off* the bundle I am sharing with you today, which would make an amazing Father's Day gift!

Within this bundle you will find three products which are perfect for that tired, aching and stressed body right now.  

First we have the Muscle Recovery Soak (£15), which is heaven in a bottle and I have a full review of it coming next week. Described as being a milky bath soak to help relieve tension and stimulate body and mind, it uses an incredible selection of ingredients known for their amazing aroma and their therapeutic properties. With this soak is an easing blend of essential oils known to warm and stimulate, relieving tension.

• Turmeric with calming properties to help ease.
• Rosemary with soothing effects to help ease and recover.
• Cinnamon to help ease stiffness and stress. It has a comforting effect on the mind to help ease tension.
• Ginger to invigorate the body.

As you can imagine, this smells just heavenly as soon as it comes into contact with warm water and steam and it is just so relaxing and one of my favourite products from the brand so far that I have tried.

The second product is the Muscle Recovery Balm (£12), again perfect for those tired, aching and stressed limbs, this is a balm which melts onto the skin, cooling as it does and the scent is just so calming and relaxing.  As with the Muscle Recovery Soak, this product also has an incredible selection of ingredients known for their amazing aroma and their therapeutic properties.

• Turmeric with calming properties to help ease.
• Rosemary with soothing effects to help ease and recover.
• Lavender with its soothing, calming and relaxing properties
• Marjoram - for its effective anti-spasmodic and relaxing properties

What I love about this balm is that I could use it on my tired, aching feet, which after a lot of walking and it is just a wonderful treat.

The final product is the Muscle Cooling Gel (£12). This cooling gel for instant relief and recovery for general stiffness or to soothe tired limbs.  The ingredients used within this gel are the same as those shown above for the Muscle Recovery Balm, only the application is different.

The tube, which is really easy to squeeze, features a metallic roller on one end and because it is cool, it feels a delightful, especially if used when you have one of those surprising yet painful muscle cramps.

Over on the Boots website, as well as in store, Aroma Active Laboratories is offering an amazing 25% off* this collection when bought as bundle and the offer is valid from now until 22nd June!

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

Selfridges Grooming Essentials Bundle - Perfect for Father's Day!

With just over a week to go until Father's Day, which for those of you in the UK is Sunday 20th June, there has been a lot of gift ideas on my blog - beauty boxes, gift bundles and bags! The next launch comes from Selfridges with this Grooming Essentials Bundle and it's good!

As you can see, the Selfridges Grooming Essentials Bundle comes packaged inside a branded drawstring bag, which are really handy to have especially for holidays! Inside that bag you will find six grooming products, which Selfridges are making essential to create this amazing package and those products come from some incredible brands and the best part is that it is priced at just £60, so it is a bargain!

Contents

• Patricks FS1 Diamond Face Scrub 75ml worth £58
• Heath Shave Cream 150ml worth £8
• Dr Barbara Sturm MEN Face Cream 20ml worth £55
• Doers of London Shampoo 300ml worth £18
• 111SKIN Hyaluronic Acid Aqua Booster 20ml worth £85
• ARCHIMAN Eye Serum 30ml worth £31

If you add up the cost of the products within this bundle, then it comes to over £250 which is incredible to think you can grab this for just £60.  For me, I love that there is everything here for a really good pamper session and then a continuing skincare routine, with everything I know my other half would use, but with the luxury of some very high end brands.

This Selfridges Grooming Essentials Bundle is on sale now - grab it here*

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

The Staples of Self-Care Everyone Should Follow

Self-care is all the rage at the moment, and it’s not hard to see why. In an age when life is a little more difficult than it could be, it’s more important than ever that we’re looking after ourselves. There are many benefits to living in the modern world, but it’s just a fact that it doesn’t always help us to feel at our best. So it’s up to us to make sure that that’s the case.

In this blog, we’re going to take a look at some of the staples of self-care that everyone should follow. If you take all of the tips that we’ve outlined below, then you’ll be well on your way to feeling your best.

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Placing Boundaries

Very often, it’s not our own lives that cause us to feel a little less than stellar. It’s other people. While you’ll hopefully have a group of friends that can help you to live your best life, there’ll always be times when you come across people that take more than they give. If you’ve ever experienced a breakup that wasn’t quite as smooth as it could be, and the person that ended things continued to mess you around, then you’ll know what we mean. In these instances, the best thing we can do is simply place boundaries. You can’t control how you feel, but you can put barriers in place that prevent the to-blame parties from having any more of an impact.

Wellness Treatments

There’s a growing market for wellness help, and that means that there’s plenty of businesses that can help you to feel great. If you ever need a little pick-up, look at seeking out these companies. You’d be amazed at just how much better you’ll feel following a massage, yoga session, manicure, or pedicure. These things do, of course, require an investment, but it’s one that’s worth making. You’ll spend plenty of cash on frivolous things that don’t necessarily make you feel better. Spend some cash on the things that will.

A Night of Indulgence

Not that you necessarily need to pay someone else to feel good, at least not always. There are things you can do at home that’ll have you feeling pampered and feeling slightly better than you did beforehand. If you’ve got a bath in your house, then you’ll have the perfect vehicle that’ll help you to feel better. Some things you can DIY, soaps and face masks being two of the easier home projects that anyone can manage. Once you’ve got them ready, light some candles, sink into the bath, and do nothing but rest and pamper your weary body. It’s a remedy that can help you to overcome, no matter how troublesome it proved to be.

Healthy Living

You are what you eat. Don’t underestimate the power of a healthy, homemade meal. The act of cooking in itself can be therapeutic, providing you fully engage with the task (rather than seeing it as a chore). Look up a healthy meal, buy the best quality ingredients and get to work. It doesn’t matter if you’re making the meal just for yourself or there are other people involved, too. Food is one of the joys of life, capable of elevating our spirits in ways that can seem inexplicable.

Moments of Joy

There are days when it feels like we have a million and one things to do. On those days, we’re just a ball of energy, continually trying to stay on top of everything. But if we have too many days like this, then it won’t be long before we begin to feel a little drained and tired. Why? Because it’s likely that there weren’t that many opportunities to experience joy. If life isn’t naturally putting joy in your path, then you’ll need to make it happen yourself. Every day, find ways to give yourself a little dose of happiness - even if it’s just taking five minutes to do something that you enjoy. Those little moments can make a world of difference to our day.

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Morning Rituals

How you begin your day will have a big say in how the rest of your day pans out. If it’s chaotic and messy, then you can’t be all too surprised that that’s how the rest of your day goes. That’s why it’s important to work on developing a morning schedule that pushes you towards the good life. If you’re meditating, making the time to enjoy a slow breakfast, doing a spot of reading, then you’ll be setting yourself up for a great day. Many of us have mornings that are dictated by our jobs, and the demands that they put on us. By initiating your own morning routine, you’ll be reclaiming some of your time. And that’s huge.

A Night of Entertainment

Many of the tips that we’ve discussed so far have to do with engagement, with yourself, with your body, with your mind, with your spirit. But sometimes, that’s not what we need. Engagement will take you a long way, but there are times when we want to do anything but engage with ourselves. And this is where the wonders of modern technology can come into play. Spending an evening curled up on the couch, doing nothing but binge-watching Netflix shows, watching old movies, and all-around sinking into the pleasures that a cosy living room and large television can bring plenty of relaxation and happiness.

Gratitude Journals

It’s all too easy to fall into the habit of thinking that life is getting away from us, that we should be doing or have more. But if we take a moment to reflect, then we’ll see that this isn’t really the case. A moment of reflection can show us just how much we have to be thankful for. Studies have shown that two weeks of daily gratitude journals can have a significant impact on our happiness levels. Plus, it’ll make you more appreciative of the world in which you live -- enjoy all that you have, while you have them!

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

YSL Pure Shots Airthin UV Defender SPF50++

As well as having some of the most incredible lipsticks, YSL also have a skincare range, which until a few months ago I had never come across, but now I am pretty obsessed with it. The product I have been using is the YSL Pure Shots Airthin UV Defender.

Described as being a lightweight urban protection for fresh, youthful skin.  We all know that exposure of the skin to those harmful rays of the sun, alongside pollution and dust all accelerate signs of premature ageing and can lead to the skin feeling clogged, suffocated and that is before we mention the skins texture, the impact on wrinkles and pigmentation.

I have an issue with sunscreen, I don't like overly thick products which make the skin feel greasy, tacky or as though you have trowelled on the foundation. Over the years I have tried as many different sun protections brand as I can get my hands on and I can count on one hand, the number of brands I like to use.  From YSL, the selling point of this product is the word 'Airthin', which is exactly what it is when referencing the texture of this product.

The YSL Pure Shots Airthin UV Defender SPF50+ has a very thin, almost milky consistency and on the skin, not only does it spread with ease, it does so without leaving that much hated  thick layer of sun cream on your face and nor does it change how your makeup sits on the skin.   It also contains a few skin-loving ingredients which includes the likes of both citrus peel and Niacinamide.  My skin absolutely loves products which contain Niacinamide and it is known for its ability to strengthen the skin's barrier which in turn helps the skin combat those external aggressors, such as pollution and dust.  The citrus peel from a lemon, which hails from Morocco, is used because of its ability to protect the skin from oxidative stress and because it also contains essential oils, there is also the inclusion of flavonoids and vitamin C.

As you can see, this product is packaged inside a white tube which features a small nib, allowing you to control how much product is applied. I absolutely love the lightweight texture of this Airthin UV Defender, it is as the name suggests, as light as air and as well as leaving my skin feeling hydrated. It also boasts the ability to to resist heat and humidity and makes a really good makeup base if needed.

The YSL Pure Shots Airthin UV Defender SPF50+ is available now for £38 for 30ml and you can find with via YSL*, Selfridges* and Lookfantastic* to name just a few sites.

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