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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Friday, 19 September 2014

My second top ten Neal’s Yard Remedies organic products

My second top ten Neal’s Yard Remedies organic products

Oh my goodness, I don't think I realised just how many NYRO products I use and love in a day.  So here’s part two, my second top ten favourite NYRO products

11.  Remedies to Roll – Sleep.  Used on DS2 after a stressful day to encourage sleep
12.  Lipstick – gorgeous colours and incredibly nourishing.  Literally good enough to eat.
13.  Lemon and coriander deodorant – both DS1 and I use this.  No worries about parabens entering
        our underarm area.
14.  Bee lovely shower gel – stunningly citrusy and happy smell.  Helps me wake up in the morning.
15.  Mahonia spot gel – DS1 is a teenager and it’s great on spots – enough said.
16.  Zen soto – or as it was nicknamed at my day job “the volcano”.  Changes colour whilst dispersing essential oil blends.  Great conversation starter.
17.  Bee lovely balm – I keep it in my handbag.  Great as a lip balm, cuticle cream, hair gel etc..
18.  De-stress blend – used in the Zen soto and a frightening regular occurrence.
19.  Wild Rose Beauty Balm – I must admit it took me a while to like this product.   Now it’s like my
       treasure island item.  So many uses out of one pot.  Travel essential
20.  Gift range – ideal presents for everyone.  No products included (as with most Gift ranges) where
       you’d never use an item.  Jam packed full of great products.  Would even please my exceedingly
       picky Aunt!

That was surprisingly easy too.  Would you like to sell this amazing range of products?  If so, why not contact me.  Great products, free training, no hard selling required.

OK, shameless plug.  If you would like to try these products, here’s the link to my webshop



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, 5 September 2014

My top ten Neal’s Yard Remedies organic products

Ok so I’m biased as not only do I love Neal’s Yard Remedies products, I also sell them.  However, I only sell products that I 100% love and use every day myself and in my business. 

I started investigating organic products after my cancer diagnosis.  It seems ironic that I was eating organic products but still putting cr@p in my body via my skin.  Did you know your skin absorbs up to 60% of what you put on the skin!  I tried several different organic ranges but kept coming back to NYRO.  My defining moment was when DS2’s eczema disappeared once we stopped using High Street brand bath/shower products. 

Anyway enough of the chatter; drum roll please.  Here’s my top 10:-

1.       Frankincense Intense Moisturising cream  – used every morning as my daily moisturiser.  Smells divine, only need a tiny amount and helps with my wrinkles.
2.       Bee Lovely hand wash.  Used in every wash basin and sink in our house.  Smells of honey and citrus fruits and has a ‘happy, sunny’ smell.
3.       Baby bath – used daily for DS2 and the eczema has gone
4.       Geranium and Orange hand cream – used daily in winter when my hands are dry
5.       Multi-vitamins – no nasty fillers and helps to keep me healthy
6.       Detox tea bags – one of my first drinks in the morning to help remove the toxins from my system.
7.       Mascara – again used daily.  Helps condition and lengthen my lashes
8.       Face wipes – lovely and moist.  Super soft and smell divine.  Removes all make-up and if you’re feeling economical, rip one in half as there’s plenty for two days.
9.       Beauty sleep concentrate – for nights when I know I’m burning the candle at both ends and don’t want to look dreadful the following morning. 
10.   Frankincense hydrating mist – ideal for those hot flushes.  Super cooling out of the fridge.

That was far too easy, only 10.  Hmm, I may have to do another 10 in another blog post.  I’ve not started on hair products etc…

OK, shameless plug.  If you would like to try these products, here’s the link to my webshop


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, 22 August 2014

I'm back

And requesting advice from you my lovely readers. I've had a few tests and I'm going through an early menopause. Due to my medical history I can't take HRT but I am suffering with hot flushes and mood swings. What natural remedies would you recommend? Many thanks in advance. 

Friday, 8 August 2014

Sorry for the absence

but I've been busy with a new project at my day job.  However, I hope to get back to blogging shortly.  Thank you for your patience.

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