Ward off colds and flu with sprouts! Like all other fibrous veg (including broccoli and cabbage), they contain a micronutrient that helps maintain immunity in the gut, where 70% of the body’s immune cells reside. (Can’t stand the taste? You may not need them, then. Research shows that people who find them unbearably bitter are more able to ward off the bacteria that cause chest infections.)
There’s no need to rub while you’re removing polish. Soak the cotton pads in remover, hold onto the nail for a few seconds and you’ll find it much easier to swipe polish away.
If you have digestive problems, avoid sugar, which has been found to have a profoundly adverse effect on the gut. Adds nutritionist Christine Bailey, ‘Sugar feeds harmful bacteria which then cause bloating and all manner of damage to the gut lining. And it’s not only the sugar found in sweets and chocolate: be wary of concentrated doses in energy drinks, fruit juices and many low-fat foods.’
International trichologist Philip Kingsley recommends saw palmetto as a supplement for oily hair. ‘Take 160mg of the extract twice a day: it’s been shown to inhibit an enzyme that stimulates sebum secretion…’
Always ‘buffer’ the effect of a pumice stone on areas of hard skin by using it with soap.
Instead of reaching for another caffeine jolt, revive tired muscles and stimulate blood during that mid-afternoon slump by placing a plastic water bottle on the floor; take of your shoes and gently roll your foot over it from your heel to your toes for a minute or two. Repeat with the other foot. Miraculous!
For instantly fresher breath and cleaner teeth, grab an apple. As you chew, you’ll chew away any leftover particles of food caught between your teeth.
It’s not unusual to see models teasing their hair backstage with toothbrushes at a catwalk show. It’s well-known among session stylists that by using tiny bristles, you get right into the roots and give your hair ‘lift’ without making it look too big. (This technique’s especially good for giving volume to floppy fringes.)
To use blusher on oily skin, start with powder blusher (your natural oils will allow the pigments to stick), then layer cream blusher over it. For dry skin, apply the cream blush first: skin absorbs the emollients, and you should then dust powder blusher over it – the powder pigments adhere to the cream and stay put, advises make-up artist Laura Geller.
If you use a volumising product, make sure it’s spritzed onto towel-dried/damp (not sopping) hair: excess water dilutes the product.
Suffering from dry, finely-lined skin? Try a ‘honey tap’ facial. Moisten the skin and then apply a very thin layer of honey onto your face and neck (be sure to put your hair up first or things could get sticky) by tapping your honey-laden fingertips over your skin. The tapping revs up circulation, whlle the honey acts as a humectant to draw moisture to your skin. Lie down for about 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Your skin should be rosy, warm, moist and glowing
From our Aromatherapy Associates founder friend Geraldine Howard: ‘Think of facial oils as “food” for the skin, and moisturisers as water. Skin needs both to keep it soft and supple.’
The late Kevyn Aucoin once shared with us this nugget of wisdom: ‘If you’re 40 and stuck in a make-up rut, your rut is probably deeper than just your make-up. Look at what else in your life you might need to change.’
If you have lank hair, avoid ‘flicking’ it from side to side, fiddling with it or running your hands through it. You may create some temporary lift and movement but in the end, your hair will become even more limp.