Friday 31 October 2014

Don’t forget the men

I hope my blogs posts don’t appear to be focused solely on women.  The majority of my blog posts are written with both men and women in mind.  However, sometimes I have written blogs with women in mind.  Well today’s blog post applies solely to men.

First the good news; Men’s skin is thicker than women’s which actually helps for anti-ageing.  Now the not so great news; men’s skin is naturally more oily and prone to blemishes than women’s.   Unfortunately, your skin is also more prone to damage through shaving and regular exposure to the elements.  Making some minor changes to your skincare routine (what skincare routine I hear some of you shout) will help your skin look and feel even better.

Here are some quick swaps which will help you upgrade your grooming routine:-
  • Swap out your soap for a cleansing wash.  Soaps can be drying and cleansing washes are just as quick and easy to use.  A facial wash is also a great start to your shaving routine as it removes grease making your skin easier to shave.
  • Daily shaving removes up to seven layers of skin, stripping the skin of its natural oils and can encourage in-growing hairs.  To help prevent in-growing hairs, use an exfoliating product to remove dead skin cells.  Just a word of caution, don’t use harsh scrubs with artificial beads which not only inflame the skin further, they pollute the ocean too.
  • Ouch – aftershave is full of alcohol, again drying out your skin and irritating it even more.  Exchange for a calming after-shave balm.
  • Does your skin feel tight and dry after washing?  A pea to marble sized amount of moisturiser twice a day (once in the morning and again in the evening) should help your skin feel less flaky.  Smoother, softer skin is also easier to shave too.
Here’s an extract from ww.sport-magazine.co.uk showing some of the products they recommend.


If you would like to browse the range of products I recommend for men, please see here:-


I also offer facials specifically for men using Neal’s Yard Organic products.  We will analyse your existing skin type and tailor a specific range of products to help you look your very best.

As always, thanks for reading and if you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you below.







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Philofaxy

Friday 17 October 2014

Friday favourites; all about Autumn

One of my current favourite blogs had a great blog post today which I thought was such a good idea I had to copy.  Many thanks to Dannii of Hungry Healthy Happy for the inspiration (don’t forget to check out her blog too http://www.hungryhealthyhappy.com/friday-favourites-all-about-autumn/

1 – Okay, we’re talking coffee. What is your favourite seasonal drink from Starbucks/Costa/Cafe Nero?  Oh this is difficult for me as I only started drinking coffee three years ago and even then it has to be very mild.  However I am going to go and check out the Starbuck Pumpkin spiced latte.  What do you recommend?

2 – Accessories – What do you opt for – boots, scarf, gloves? Yep all of them.  I have a range of hats, gloves, scarves and boots.  Not only do I live in England, I walk my youngest to school and stand (as a proud parent) at the side of rugby pitch every Sunday morning. 




3 – Music – What do you love to listen to during the Autumn? I rarely listen to music however I did put Classic FM on the DAB radio last week.  However my DAB is cr@p.  Rarely works (ie power on but no music), when music comes out the speakers it’s crackly (technical terminology!) and I can hardly find any radio stations. 


4 – Perfume – what’s your favourite scent at this time of the year? I have always enjoyed the scent of Coco Chanel however I’d also like to try the Neal’s Yard Remedies Frankincense perfume.

5 – Candles – which scents will you be burning this season? A whole range.  I have a couple of festive based scents, some plain candles and a reviving one. 

6 – What do you love most about Autumn? The landscape and foliage at this time of year is spectacular.  I love the cold, crisp weather but I dislike wet weather.  Watching rugby; whether outside, on TV or at a stadium supporting our local team (Tiiigggeers).  My electric blanket!


7 – Favourite make up look? I do upscale my make-up and skincare during this time of year.  I swap from bronze based eye-shadows to earthy purples; a darker shade of blusher but a lighter shade of foundation.  I swap from lotions to thicker creams to help my skin combat the cold weather.

8 – What are you looking forward to most during this season? Nine days off work with my boys for half term and obviously the festive season. 


As always, thanks for reading and if you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you below.


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Philofaxy

Friday 3 October 2014

A spoonful of ....

I know the song says "A spoonful of sugar ..." however I've taken a spoonful of my own medicine.  Towards the end of last week the warning signs of 'burnout' started to rear its head again.  No matter how long I managed to sleep for I still felt completely spent.

THE WARNING BELLS BEGAN CLANGING

So taking some time off work; do you like my view for my coffee on Monday morning?


Oh yeah.

I'm so lucky to live near Bradgate Park so I walked up to Old John and enjoyed the solitary silence.  Watching Leicestershire slowly wake whilst doing yoga was freaking wonderful.  It certainly started the replenishment of my soul.

*  Laying on the sofa and leisurely reading magazines - massive tick.
*  Soaking in the bath with divine, aromatic bath oils and crystals - yummy.
*  Not watching the clock but letting the day slide along
*  Mini-me spa treatments; facial, head and foot massage, Reiki and meditation
*  Plenty of nourishing raw foods
*  Social Media shut down
*  Afternoon naps on the settee snuggled under a blanket
*  I got a wonderful massage to ease out the tension in my back
*  I treated myself to a manicure

Unfortunately, I still got the effects of a cold.  Plenty of Ribena, echinacea, herbal teas and eucalyptus inhalations.  I'm almost back to full fitness (and certainly much quicker than I anticipated) but I certainly still need more rest.  I believe in filling my cup otherwise how can I help fill the cup of others?

So tell me readers, do you recognise when you're heading towards 'burnout'.  Are you lucky enough to be able to put yourself first and replenish yourself?  What would be your ideal replenishment routine?

As always, thanks for reading and if you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you below.

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How to make your dreams come true

Philofaxy