Aromatherapy Associates Amazing Oils

It is very rare that I get a cold, or any illness come to think of it, but when I do, I get the worst kind possible. I was very kindly send some Aromatherapy oils to try and test at home from the Revive Evening** and Breathe Support** ranges to see if they would help.

The first thing that struck me was how cute and dinky the packages are, not too mention great colours which are definitely eye-catching.

The Breathe Support range I have come in the form of a bath and shower oil and a breathe essence, designed to reduce stuffiness and congestion and ease your breathing. Two of the things I needed the most with particular cold because I was bunged up, had a headache, couldn't breathe out of nose and was very miserable and feeling sorry for myself.

Aromatherapy Associations described Breathe Support as being

"A refreshing, antibacterial inhalation essence. Eucalyptus, peppermint and tea-tree lend their soothing properties to maintain clear breathing"

With the Breathe Essence, you are advised to either sprinkle a few drops of this antimicrobial blend onto a tissue and breathe in deeply or it can be used on the Aromatherapy Associates Home Fragrancer. I don't have the latter, so what I did instead was to sprinkle a few drops onto either side of my pillow and wow, as soon as I removed the lid from the bottle and did the first sprinkling, it took my breath away, more so because I could instantly breathe and with a feeling of relief that I would be able to sleep and not give myself a headache with the constant sniffing, I was one happy lady.  A 10ml bottle has an RRP £18

The Support Breathe Bath and Shower Oil again is amazing. I have used it in both the bath and shower and my preference is the bath, because having added a capful to hot running water, the vapours envelope you and help ease everything from a blocked nose, a tight chest, congested sinuses and general
cold and flu like symptoms.  A 55ml bottle is priced at £44.

The Revive Evening Bath and Shower Oil (there is also a morning version) and it Enhances feelings of self esteem and sociability and Increases confidence. Using the instantly reviving powers of geranium, ylang ylang, patchouli and sandalwood to re-energise you for the evening ahead . For me, if you need something to get you ready for a tough week ahead, this oil is the one you need, as with Breathe Support, you can use it in the bath or in the shower and for me, I prefer to use this in the shower, again the scent mixes with the water vapour and it comes to life and really awakens your senses. Alternatively if you have a big night ahead, you can use it to get yourself geared up and ready to go out partying.

I have to say that I am incredibly impressed with all three products. The Breathe Essence is amazing for anyone who has a cold because it really does help and for me this is now a staple in my medicine cupboard because I have never come across a product that works as well as this one. Both of the Bath and Shower Oils have also won their way into my heart, from relaxing and chilled out to being hyped up and ready to go, you have everything you need in both of these too.

Have you ever tried anything from Aromatherapy Associates? Do you have a favourite product?

Naked2 Urban Decay Basics Palette

I finally have my hands on an Urbay Decay Naked palette and it is none other than the Naked2 Basics palette.  Having seen that Cohorted were going to have it on offer, I decided that if I was going to try something, a basics palette was a good place to start and I got it for an amazing price!  With an RRP of £22, I managed to get this with a 30% discount making it just £15.40, how amazing is that?

The palette comes with six cool-toned shades. Five mattes and one satin to highlight and they are:

Skimp - pale nude satin

Stark - nude-pink matte

Frisk - warm grey matte

Cover - muted warm-red matte

Primal - muted brown matte

Undone - deep, smoky brown matte

When I first looked at this palette, I was chuffed with the different shades as they are all ones I am likely to use.  The one issue I've had so far with the other palettes is that I'm not totally sure I would make that much use of them, even though I prefer the natural eye look, to something more out there and colourful. What I love about all of the shades in Naked2 Basics Palette is that they all have a rich, buttery feel to them, which makes the application really easy and Skimp, as you can see from the swatch above, has a slight satin finish to it. Now all I need to get my hands on is the double-ended applicator brush to accompany my palette.

I'm not sure that this palette is yet in sale in the UK, I haven't been able to find it that it is, but keep an out on for the next Cohorted announcement to get one, because for the price I paid, it is more than worth it and I have no doubt I am going to be continuously using it.

Are you a fan of the Naked Palettes? do you have a favourite one?

The best ways to take care of your skin

Source

Are you tired of your skin never doing what you want it to do? Have you tried every product without the desired results? Skincare is an art form, and requires a lot of trial and error. Skin experts and dermatologists know the best ways to care for your skin, no matter what your skin type. Here are some tips to help you take care of your skin the right way.

Figure out your skin type

All the products in the world will not do any good if you are using ones that do not work well with your skin type. Most brands are made for most skin types, although there are products that are more suited for skins that are more oily, or dry and flaky.

Protect yourself from the sun

Being sun safe is one the best ways to protect and take care of your skin, says the experts at the Cosmos Clinic. Use plenty of sunblock; find a moisturiser with sunblock built in so that it doesn’t feel too heavy during the day. Whenever you’re outside try to stick to shady areas and do not stand in direct sunlight for too long. If you know that you’ll be in the sun for long periods of time, wear protective clothing and reapply sunblock for optimal results. The sun can have damaging effects on your skin that might not show up right away, but can have dramatic effects in the long term.

Avoid smoking

Smoking causes skin to shrink and become prone to wrinkles. Smoking limits the supply of blood and oxygen to the veins in your skin, and therefore your skin looks weathered and older. It damages the collagen in your skin and stops your skin from retaining elasticity.

Be gentle

Be careful with your skin. Treat it delicately and the results will come. Taking a shower, or bath for too long, or having the water too hot can have adverse effects on your skin. Take care when using soaps that strip your skin of its natural oils and leave it feeling too dry. After stepping out of the shower, pat your skin dry. The blotting effect will keep much of the moisture still in your skin. Also, take care when shaving to lather well and shave with a clean, sharp razor.

Rest and eat well

Too much stress can culminate in your skin. Uncontrolled stress can make your skin breakout and inflame. Managing your life balance can help you to keep your stress levels in check. Make sure to get plenty of rest to keep your skin looking fresh and rejuvenated. A healthy diet can help you to feel balanced and stress free. A diet rich in proteins, produce, and whole grains can help to create younger looking skin.

Skin care is extremely important. What you do, or don’t do can have effects on your skin health in the future. Create a skincare plan and make it a habit. Find out what works for you and stick to it. Click here for more tips.



*This is a sponsored post

Blogging Essentials worth Investing in - Lighting!

When I was asked by the amazing people at Joebloggers "What are the things worth investing in" as part of a Legal and General campaign, I took some time to think about it. It was quite a gloomy day and I had been attempting to take some blog photos for hours, the light being horrid, I downed my camera and quickly had a strop, grunted and sighed alot - then the answer came to me - Lighting!

So having made my decision I did a bit of research, read a few blogs that gave hints and tips and decided that a portable Camera Photo Studio Box Light Lighting Cube Tent Kit with Tripod would be brilliant and the kit I had seen came with four backdrops at a cost of £35.  Now to some people, this might not seem like a lot, but I have little room to spread myself about, I live in a one bed flat, affectionately referred to as 'the shoebox' and there are three cats who also live here and like to be actively involved in everthing, so this for me is the perfect solution.

When my package arrived, I was far too excited, the box was huge and I momentarily forgot what it was, then came a squeal of delight.  Inside my box I had the following:

• Studio box size: 50x50x50cm
• Double warm white LED spot light
• Light cable length: 150m (each)
• Backdrop color: Black, Blue, White, Red
• Tripod and stand

Now to be, this is the best bit of kit, besides my Canon EOS1000D camera that I own and it most definitely makes taking pictures a lot easier, especially when it is dark outside!

Described as being a complete photo studio kit, I was delighted to find that it folds away into a neat carry case which takes up absolutely no room at all and I can put it neatly away in my wardrobe or under the bed out of the way. Setting the whole thing up was also incredibly easy too, much more so than I thought it would be and everything is fully adjustable, the tripod which fits my camera perfectly, allows for me to take a really nice close up without getting my hands, camera strap and anything else in the way. Once set up, it is made of both aluminium and steel and is really sturdy, the height is fully adjustable as well going from 25cm to 45cm, though I am yet to change it from the original settings.

The box itself is made is 100% pure white nylon fabric with a stainless steel frame photographic light tent and given it's size, everything that I need to photograph, including any of the cats, fits in there nicely. If I decide to change the background to either blue, red, or black, I can easily do so and each one fits snugly using a velcro fastening.

The final important item within the box are the two LED Lights/Lamps which also fold away and again you can adjust the light angle using a simple click of a button.

I am chuffed to bits with this piece of kit and whilst I am still getting to grips with how it works properly, I hope some of you will begin to notice the changes to my photographs.

If this sounds like something you fancy trying out, you can find it HERE.

Do you use lighting to take photos? is there something you would recommend?