Friday, 12 August 2022

BED OF NAILS ACUPRESSURE MAT

Finding time to relax, unwind, de-stress, take time out for yourself and even just have a few minutes to catch your breath is so important. I say that because I am one of the worst people for doing any of this, until the last few months when I was kindly set the Bed of Nails Acupressure Mat.
BED OF NAILS ACUPRESSURE MAT
Described as being an excellent aid in self-treatment, the Bed Of Nails works to not only stimulate energy in the body, but it also triggers the body’s innate way of healing itself, making it an effective tool for easing tension and inducing a state of deep relaxation. As you probably noticed is that this matt is covered in plastic spikes which look like weapons of torture, but I promise you, they are not at all. 
The mystical bed of nails originated over 1,000 years ago and was used by gurus in the practice of meditation and healing. Bed of Nails® has created a modern, ergonomically designed version of that ancient technology, with a Swedish twist, to model those same deep healing effects. With thousands of non-toxic recyclable plastic nails, harmless to the skin but with all the healing benefits of its legendary ancestor. Bed of Nails® (BON) brings the self-healing benefits of treatments, such as acupuncture and massage, into the homes and workplaces of people everywhere to create and sustain a healthy lifestyle amid the stresses of our modern world.
Bed of Nails acupressure is similar to acupuncture but those spikes that you see all over the mat do not penetrate the skin. Instead, the pressure of these rounded nails against the skin are said to help the body release endorphins which are also known as the body’s very own “happiness drug” which provides a sense of joy, energy and pain relief, and then oxytocin which makes you calm and relaxed. Acupressure may also help the body rid itself of toxins, so it is important to drink water after using the Bed of Nails.
BED OF NAILS ACUPRESSURE MAT
BED OF NAILS ACUPRESSURE MAT
BED OF NAILS ACUPRESSURE MAT
Add to all of that, Acupressure may also help to alleviate a whole host of pain issues, including 
  • chronic neck and back pain, 
  • sore muscles and headaches, 
  • daily stress 
Plus, if that’s not enough, this Bed Of Nails matt may even help you sleep. 

When it comes to using your Bed Of Nails, the advice is to use it as and when needed, but ideally, it should be used  daily for 10 to 20 minutes, or longer if you prefer.  For me, I started off for 5 minutes and have increased that time to half an hour and it is just delightful to use.  

One of the questions I am asked is how does it feel to use the mat and honestly, it’s weird to start with, it is tingly and prickly without being painful and the longer you lay there, the better the feeling is - warmness runs through the body and then comes that feeling of relaxation. When I am laid on my Bed of Nails, I usually have my meditation app ready and I find using both together quite soothing and relaxing. 
BED OF NAILS ACUPRESSURE MAT
If, like me you need encouragement to sit back, relax and unwind, the Bed Of Nails is something that you need to make part of your routine. 

Priced around £70 you can find Bed of Nails at Cult Beauty, Boots, Beauty Bay and of course Bed of Nails themselves.








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

Thursday, 11 August 2022

OPI Beauty Advent Calendar 2022

Having already shared the Mylee Nail Beauty Advent Calendar, the second Nail related one to share comes from OPI, a brand I absolutely love.
OPI Beauty Advent Calendar 2022
The OPI Beauty Advent Calendar will be priced at £79.90 and is available to buy from 1 October, from OPI and likely Lookfantastic.

Inside the Advent Calendar will you will 25 days of products and it includes 12 mini holiday collection shades alongside 10 of the more popular and iconic shades such as my all time favourite Lincoln Park After Dark, plus there will also be other treats included I am sure.

Contents
  • 12 x Jewel Be Bold Holiday Mini Lacquers 3.75ml x 12
  • 10 x Iconic Mini Lacquers 3.75ml 
  • Alpine Snow
  • Big Apple Red
  • Tickle My France-Y
  • Lincoln Park After Dark
  • OPI Ink
  • Strawberry Margarita
  • Don’t Bossa Nova Me Around
  • Cajun Shrimp
  • Worth A Pretty Penne
  • Gelato On My Mind
  • Rapidry Top Coat
  • Bubble Bath Nail Envy
  • Start to Finish
For any fan of OPI Nails, this is another great offering from OPI and one that has a lot to offer for its price of £79.

You can find the OPI Nails Advent Calendar with OPI Nails and Lookfantastic when it launches.




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

Cult Beauty Box Edits August 2022

As we all await the release of the Cult Beauty Advent Calendar, which looks insane, this month Cult Beauty is back with not none, but three beauty box edits and they’re on sale right now.  Whether you want something for hydration, radiance or blemishes, there is a box for that.
https://rstyle.me/+AQWud0MibNW5NNTZh_qijQ
Each one of the cult beauty edits will be priced at £37 each How many three different ones to choose from there’s a lot of amazing products bundled up together to create amazing edits.

Starting with the Cult Beauty Blemish Edit, this box features a total of 9 products and whilst it is priced at £37, it is worth £140, so amazing value for money.
https://rstyle.me/+AQWud0MibNW5NNTZh_qijQ
The Blemish Edit is packed with zit-zapping dots, a calming concentrate, purifying cleanser, detoxifying facial oils and more.

Contents:

  • Dr. Jart+ Travel Size Cicapair Tiger Grass Colour Correcting Treatment (15ml)
  • FaceGym Travel Size Cheat Mask (15ml)
  • Odacité Full Size Pimples Serum Concentrate (Black Cumin + Cajeput) (5ml)
  • PAULA’S CHOICE Travel Size Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant (30ml)
  • Mario Badescu Travel Size Acne Facial Cleanser (59ml)
  • Pai Skincare Travel Size Carbon Star Detoxifying Overnight Face Oil (10ml)
  • ZITSTICKA Full Size Goo Getter Spot Clarifying Dots (36 patches)
  • Sunday Riley Deluxe U.F.O Ultra-Clarifying Face Oil (5ml)
  • Cult Beauty Dual Sided Face Cloth (Single)


The second Cult Beauty Edit is The Hydration Edit and it is described as being overflowing with skin-drenching formulas, from a gentle cleanser to nourishing creams, an indulgent mask and more.
https://rstyle.me/+BpoqW57KEvK6iGZSzgqXQw
The Hydration Edit is priced again at £37 but this time the contents are said to be worth an impressive £190, so here is what you will find inside the box.

Contents

  • The Nue Co. Full Size The Pill (30ml)
  • Jordan Samuel Skin Travel Size The After Show Treatment Cleanser for Sensitive Skin (30ml)
  • Dr. Barbara Sturm Travel Size Face Cream (20ml)
  • The Seated Queen Travel Size The Cold Cream (30ml)
  • fresh Deluxe Floral Recovery Calming Mask (15ml)
  • Omorovicza Travel Size Queen Essence (30ml)
  • Cult Beauty Dual Sided Face Cloth (Single)


The final Cult Beauty Edit of the three is The Radiance Edit and this time the box is described as being the one which is overflowing with glow-bestowing blends, from exfoliating peels to a vitamin C-powered powder and brightening masks
https://rstyle.me/+G6RfjrOr3H9DuMR_wzHiKQ
This Edit is again priced at £37 but the contents are worth £190, so depending on your choice of box, all three are offering amazing value for money.

Contents:

  • The Nue Co. Full Size Topical – C (15ml)
  • 111SKIN Full Size Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask (Single Mask)
  • Elemis Deluxe Superfood AHA Glow Cleansing Butter (20g)
  • Shiseido Full Size Vital Perfection Uplifting and Firming Express Eye Mask (1 Pair)
  • Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Travel Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Daily Peel (3 Treatments)
  • Glow Recipe Full Size Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream (50ml)
  • MUTHA Travel Size No.1 Serum (15ml)
  • Cult Beauty Dual Sided Face Cloth (Single)

In the coming months, there will be a lot of new beauty box releases and even more Beauty Advent Calendar's, which I have a running list of here.






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

Wednesday, 10 August 2022

Decree Skincare Discovery Kit

Modern, succinct, incredibly effective, those are the three words that often follow Decree skincare. The brainchild of Dr. AJ Sturnham, the mission was quite simple - decomplicate skin care regimes, deliver on promises and create gold-standard luxurious formulations that unite substance and style. I think all too often, we become drawn to products and over-complicated skincare routines which more often than not don't work for our skin type.  
Decree Skincare Discovery Kit
This is where brands like Decree Skincare come into play with their Discovery Kits, an opportunity to try the best the brand has to offer before paying out for a full sized product.

The Discovery Kit, which I purchased in conjunction with a masterclass, is described as being a bundle of daily and weekly favourites in a handy travel bag and there is enough product included for two weeks of consistent use, so they really do give you enough product to decide whether or not it is worth purchasing a full-size.

Content

  • the Light Cleanse (30ml);
  • Deep Cleanse (30ml);
  • Preparatory Mist (30ml),
  • Protect Elixir (7.5ml);
  • Treat Tincture (7.5ml);
  • Peptide Emollient Veil (15ml);
  • Airbrushing Acid (4ml);
  • Replenishing Paste (6ml).
As you can see, that is a great set of products and having used them all, I have some favourites that I am glad I got to try.

The Light Cleanse - This is an incredible cleanser. Perfect for that early morning cleanse because it is lightweight, silky and creates just the right amount of foam to not be drying on the skin. Its job is to lift overnight build up and excess oil, so to do that, it is infused with rose water to soothe, glycerine to hydrate and rose seed oil to provide antioxidant nourishment. Together, these ingredients work to condition, soften, plump and illuminate your complexion.

Deep Cleanse - This is your evening cleanser and it is luxurious, creamy and ticks a lot of boxes for me. Its job is to remove make up, daily dirt, pollution, build up and dead skin cells to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth, nourished and radiant.  To do this, the cleanser uses Rose Water for its soothing and hydrating benefits, Bentonite and Kaolin Clay which help to tighten those pores, 2% Lactic Acid and Salicylic Acid  2% for their moisturising and purifying exfoliant properties.  Added to that we have Sulpher and Zinc Oxide for their anti-inflammatory, calming and anti-microbial properties.  

Preparatory Mist - This hydrating toner mist is designed to optimise the penetration and efficacy of your skincare. It contains a blend of calming, hydrating and skin-protecting ingredients such as soothing rose water, calming aloe and hydrating hyaluronic acid alongside an anti-pollution blend of antioxidants which work to protect your complexion from harmful environmental aggressors.  I am a huge fan of facial mists and what I really like about this one is whilst it doesn't soak your skin, you definitely know it is there. 

Protect Elixir - The first of two serums, this is your morning product and is said to provide your skin with all of the key nutrients it needs at this crucial time of day and it also helps to combat free radical damage and keep environmental aggressors at bay. This time the ingredients include a unique blend of highly dosed vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C for its firming, brightening antioxidant properties, then we have Niacinamide for its strengthening properties as well as Hyaluronic Acid which we all know helps to hydrate and soften the skin. Vitamin E for its conditioning antioxidant properties with Ferulic acid and then a Mineral Blend of Copper, Magnesium, Zinc which helps to stimulate skin cells.

Treat Tincture - This is the second serum and it is for your evening skincare routine. Described as being the serum which hosts a blend of age-defying actives, retinoids and hydrators to firm, nourish and smooth your complexion while you sleep, as serums go, this one happens to be delightful.  Packed with a whole list of hard-working ingredients, you will find an apple stem cell blend which is described as being age-defying and alongside is a skin-smoothing, fine line-reducing, wrinkle firming retinoid complex and with it moisture boosting squalane and hyaluronic acid, then finally we have the pigment reducing alpha arbutin.

Peptide Emollient Veil - This delightful product is for those who have complexions that are in need of an extra hydration and moisture boost. Having read the product description, I was expecting this to be quite a rich cream, but instead it is incredibly lightweight and silky. The key ingredient within this product is a proprietary peptide blend and its job is to improve collagen production for firmer, more supple skin. Next up is a peptide blend which is a mix of nourishing safflower seed oil which works to balance and condition, squalane which is tasked with improving moisture levels, then we have hyaluronic acid complex to hydrate and soften before the final inclusion of resveratrol antioxidants and they work to brighten and protect.

The final two products come together to create a weekly Decree skincare routine. The Airbrushing Acid and the Replenishing Paste. The Weekly Decree is said to work as a once-a-week resurfacing treatment to brighten, tone and smooth the skin and they create a two-step routine.
  • Step one is with the Airbrushing Acid. This is a silky gel which is made up of a blend of resurfacing acids such as Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid and Pyruvic Acid which some together to smooth, hydrate and regulate oil and alongside the inclusion of fruit enzymes and they work to intensely exfoliate away those dry, dead and dulling skin cells to reveal the radiant new cells underneath. Incredibly when I used this, my skin felt so soft and smooth to the touch in just two minutes.
  • Step two is with the Replenishing Paste, Described as being a deeply nourishing crème mask, its job is to restore moisture, hydration and skin-essential lipids for a contented, dewy and youthful-looking finish. With the inclusion of soothing and hydrating Rose Water, Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid for its ability to moisturise and aid moisture. Then there is the inclusion of Botanical Stem Cells to help support collagen and elastin alongside a restorative Cholesterol Blend and lipid protective Ceramides.  After using this mask, the skin is left soft, smooth and incrdedibly moisturised.

Having used up every single product within this Decree Skincare Discovery Kit, it is such a great insight into the brand, some of the products it has to offer and having now tried a few things, I am incredibly keen to try a lot more the range, especially the eye mask which sounds just incredible.

The Decree Skincare Discovery Kit is on sale for £150 and all of the products do come packaged inside a handy wash bag. You can find this set via Harvey Nichols, Harrods, Cult Beauty and Decree Skincare to name a few places.






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