What is your weekly facial routine?

What is your weekly facial routine? What type of skin do you believe you have (dry, combination or oil?

Here is my weekly routine, which helps deep clean and brighten my skin:-

I allow approximately 30 minutes where hopefully I won’t get disturbed. I get all my products and accessories ready to use. First I cleanse my face in the following order. I cleanse then wipe my eyes. I then move down to the neck and sweep up towards the jaw, working round to the cheeks, stroking up the nose and finally up to the forehead. Then using a warm, slightly damp muslin cloth I gently wipe off any cleanser.

Gentle exfoliation helps remove any surface dead skin cells leaving your complexion brighter. I use our lavender based organic exfoliater and love how smooth my skin feels afterwards. Do not put exfoliater near your eyes or mouth. Again, using a muslin, wipe off any exfoliating product.

At this point you could use a facial oil and perform some facial massage routines.

Next apply a mask. These are deep cleansing but again keep then away from your eyes. You can always spray your favourite hydrolat onto a couple of cotton wool pads and place over your eyes whilst you leave your mask to work its wonders. Guess how you’re going to remove your mask – yes with those wonderful muslin cloths.

Finally apply eye cream, moisturiser and lip balm – you look gorgeous.

Don’t forget this routine isn’t just for women; men and teenagers all benefit from a weekly skincare routine.

Let me know your routine compares and what products you use. What products do you rave about?

Routines

Following on from my organisational blog last week, I also realise our family thrives on routines. We all (ok so the kids and I know the routine, hubby tags along) follow the routine so we know pretty much what time we should be doing certain things.

For example

6.00am Get up, tidy house, prepare kids breakfasts
7.00am Exercise & Me time
8.00am Shower & get ready for work/school
8.30am Feed rabbit and get everything ready
8.45am Leave for school

3.00pm Collect kids from school, empty book bags and lunch boxes.
Action any letters immediately. Get homework and reading
done so the next few hours are play/chill time
6.00pm Dinner
7.00pm Bedtime routine

This routine (or the basis of this routine) happens 6 days out of 7 for us. OK there are exceptions (Cubs, Swimming, Football training etc) but in our frantic mornings even our youngest knows when certain TV programs have finished, it’s time to go upstairs. (For that reason I hate it when the TV schedule changes).

I’m more of a morning person so try to get as much accomplished before lunch. 7am is my ‘Me’ time and woe betide anyone who disturbs me (the children also realise this is my time and leave me alone) .

So do you follow a routine and how does it compare to the above? I'd love to hear from you.

Organisation tips (especially for busy Mums like me)

Ok I realise my topics vary like the weather in England but it’s topics that are hugely relevant to me and I’m sure will help others. You see before children I was very disorganised and late for everything. My turning point was when another parent commented how I was always late for everything. I blushed and promised myself I could do better. So here are some tips to start with:-

1. Have a To-Do list. I don’t mind if you have an electronic gadget or write it on a piece of paper, have a To Do list and take pleasure in marking off what you’ve completed. Personally I loose scrappy bits of To Do Lists so I now swear by my Filofax(s) but that’s a whole (several) new blog post(s).

2. For busy families, I love these style of family planners. We have one column per person and the spare column shows birthday, anniversaries etc. My wonderful Mum buys me one every year for Christmas as a stocking filler. Before 1st January I write in all birthdays, anniversarys, school holidays and annual events (ie MOT needs renewing, pet inoculations) It then hangs in a prominent place where all members of the family can check it. PS I know there are plenty of electronic apps which can also do this but my kids are too young for electronic devices just yet.

3. The next step is to empty school book bags as soon as your kids walk through the door. Any diary dates are immediately added to the Family Calendar, replies sorted immediately and put straight back into the book bag. Any letters for future reference are stuck to our fridge door with alphabet magnets (not the minimalist look!)

4. I set my clocks and watches 5 minutes fast and have learnt to allocate double my original estimate of time where kids are involved.

5. Keep a constant shopping list. Add the weekly always need items at the top and then as items get used up, add them to the shopping list. Teach everyone in your family to do the same. Hopefully you’ll no longer get “Mum where’s the tomato ketchup” because you’ll be able to reply “did you put it on the shopping list”.

I’d love to hear your organisational tips too, please leave them in the comments below.

Autumn skincare

So after last weeks glorious warm sunny weather (well here in England anyway) the time has come for me to re-evaluate my moisturisers. So what are my requirements for an Autumn/Winter moisturiser?

• I swap from lotion to a thicker cream
• I don’t need SPF’s
• Once applied, I immediately notice a difference with my skin
• Good value for money
• Suitable for my sensitive skin
• As few artificial ingredients as possible so no Sodium Laureth Sulfate (some studies claim these can be drying and harsh on sensitive skin)
• No parabens
• Preferably organic (Soil Association approved)
• Smells pleasant
• Has other benefits (ie I love using Aromatherapy products, not only do they smell divine but Frankincense for example also has regenerative properties)

I know some people don’t enjoy the Autumn but I love the idea of shutting the cold outside and spending some time pampering myself. I am aware that Central Heating can have a drying effect on my skin so spend a little extra time moisturising.

Don’t forget it’s not just moisturisers, why not change your whole skincare routine and use nourishing cleansers, toners and moisturisers will help your skin cope with the Autumn weather.

I have found my current favourite range of moisturisers (in fact I love them so much I also sell them on-line, use them in some of the treatments I give and sell them in the treatment room). Now my only decision is whether to go for Hydrating Rose range or the Regenerating Frankincense, hmm decisions, decisions. Which one do you think I should use?