Try this smoothie to start the day – the favourite of Ella Woodward: frozen banana with spinach, oats, almond butter, almond milk and blueberries. ‘It’s the easiest breakfast ever.’
Starting to feel sluggish with the change of the seasons? March on the spot, lifting your legs high – it rebalances your brain and stimulates spinal fluid.
Your grandmother knew a thing or two about looking after long hair at night. Braiding hair into a loose plait prevents 'pillow-burn', which can lead to splitting and breaking.
Pining for holidays? Us too. We like this tip from SpaceNK founder Nicky Kinnaird, who likes to light incense and candles made with flowers and plants found in the places where she holidays – sensual woods and white flowers for somewhere hot and tropical, or breezy, aromatic herbs and orange blossom for the Mediterranean.
Fine hair is more prone to heat damage than thick hair. To keep it from frying, use the low setting on your blow-dryer, and if to still feels scorching, hold dryer further away.
According to Trish McEvoy, we should never suck in our cheeks or turn our heads while applying blush. Instead, smile to find the apples of the cheeks, which will prevent the blush from looking unnatural and streaky.
If you run out of conditioner, a 10p piece-sized dollop of hand cream will detangle and condition wet hair, at a pinch. Just be sure to rinse thoroughly.
We’re all encouraged to get our vitamin D, nowadays – and happily, supplements do the job just as well. But research has shown that supplementing does little to limit Seasonal Affective Disorder, as you need actual sunshine. Likewise, studies show that serotonin levels – the happy hormone – are higher on sunny days. The advantage of working from home, for many, is being able to manage time to get out in daylight – even if it does mean an extra hour at the desk in the morning or evening, now the nights are drawing in.
Start each day with a stretch. Become aware of every part of your body – from toe to toe, fingertip to fingertip. We like to imagine a surge of energy running up along the spine, starting at the lowest end and running up the neck and through the head as you stretch your hands up to the ceiling. End the stretch with a moment of calm, focusing on feeling strong and energised before you start the day.
If you have nail ridges, buffers are your friend. Two or three times a month, buff the area lightly – but not too much, or you’ll weaken the nail – to smooth the ridges. You can also cover up ridges with nail polish: the darker the colour, the easier it is to disguise a bumpy surface. (Look for specific ridge-filling base coats, too.)
Is it a myth that apple cider vinegar makes hair shine? Not according to celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai, who recounts that his grandmother would rinse his hair straight from the bottle to give it shine after a shampoo. Before he launched his own haircare line, he recommended that clients rinse a capful through their hair at the end of a shower, to rid hair of any residue or product build-up.
Love this quote from our make-up artist friend Mary Greenwell: ‘Don’t bother keeping old make-up. It’s not like keeping a nice leather coat. Lipsticks go rancid. Mascaras dry out. Foundations separate. It’s unhygienic. And even though the colour might be great three, four or five years on, the texture will be all wrong. All the newness in make-up comes in the textures. And nowadays, textures are changing very, very fast and getting better and better.’
If you’re working out, always shower thoroughly afterwards. Tight, damp clothing that causes chafing and sweating is linked with fungal infections. If you can’t quite get dry because the gym changing room is humid, try a dusting of non-talc body powder.
There’s a rethink on salt and health going on. And Dr. Joseph Mercola, author of Effortless Healing, believes it’s good for gut health. ‘High-quality unprocessed sea salt will not only provide you with the chloride your body needs to make hydrochloric acid; it also contains more than 80 trace minerals necessary for optimum biochemical performance.’
If you live in a polluted area, consider putting some houseplants in your bedroom. According to NASA, English ivy is great for anyone with allergies, asthma or anyone looking for a better night’s sleep. (It is also known to reduce airborne mould particles.) Or go for mother-in-law’s tongue (a.k.a. ‘snake plant’), also one of the top 10 air-purifying plants.
If you use an oil-based cleanser or a balm cleanser, you’re the best candidate for double-cleansing. Oil can leave a film on the skin if not perfectly removed; a light, gentle foaming cleanser does that efficiently. Or use rosewater or an alcohol-free toner.
Lessen lipstick clutter: slice the tops off your favourite lipsticks and smooth them into the slots of a one-week pillbox.
Colour always follows cut, when it comes to a new hair look. If you're planning to change both, sort out your hairstyle first.
We’re all spending SO much time at our keyboards, nowadays – and there’s a risk of RSI or carpal tunnel syndrome. Several times a day, do a series of hand-stretching exercises to keep pain and stiffness at bay. Anything that extends the range of motion in your fingers and wrists will help. Open and close your fingers, bend your wrists in both directions – do various things to exercise your hands for a few minutes, several times a day (and set the alarm on your phone if you tend to get stuck in the zone and forget to break off…)
Look up! Gosh, we spend so much of our life looking down nowadays – at screens, in particular. Research indicates that we have more intense feelings, positive and negative, when we look down. Looking up can be a powerful interruptor of anxiety.