Aim to shape your eyebrows every four weeks. โDonโt pluck in-between โ you wonโt achieve that clean, sharp finish,โ advises Vaishaly Patel.
.
ย
ย
ย
Aim to shape your eyebrows every four weeks. โDonโt pluck in-between โ you wonโt achieve that clean, sharp finish,โ advises Vaishaly Patel.
.
ย
ย
ย
A study from the Stanford Medical Centre found that a six-week course in mindfulness and CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) helped insomniacs to get to sleep twice as quickly as before.
ย
ย
ย
Did you know that wolfing down your food can lead to weight gain? According to new research, slower eaters have lower BMIs and smaller waists โ so the motto is: chew, chew, chewโฆ
ย
ย
Feeling stressed? Our go-to is the Calm appโs Breathe Bubble. The bubble expands and contracts and the idea is that you follow the rhythm to slow your breathing. Works wonderfully.
ย
A simple way to up your intake of selenium and vitamin E: so long as youโre not sensitive to wheat, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of wheatgerm over your breakfast cereal, yoghurt, or whizz it into a fruit smoothie.
ย
A staggering 78% of us look at our phones in the final hour before bed. That blue light is bad for sleep patterns. (Even the presence of a phone in a bedroom can apparently upset sleep.) Our new tip is to put the phone to bed in a nice box, at around 9 p.m. Itโs not guaranteed to stop you looking at it โ but the effort required gives pause for thought and is often enough.
If you have sensitive eyes and are still using cotton wool balls, switch to cotton pads. They shed less fibre. (We like the organic cotton pads from Simply Gentle, which you'll find in good natural food stores.)
ย
Good natural food stores will stock most essential oils โ but you always need to proceed with caution, when it comes to using them. More isn't necessarily better; some oils are more aggressive than others. For sound advice, we really like the Neal's Yard Remedies Little Book of Essential Oils (ยฃ3.50 โ buy here).
To avoid ingrown hairs after waxing, avoid the use of lotion, oil or soap for 24 hours. These substances can clog pores and trap hair beneath skin's surface.
Colouring hair successfully can be fiendish. The golden rule (even for non-blondes!) is never to go more than one level darker than your natural hair colour, or two levels lighter. And if you're colouring hair at home, don't choose the colour based on the model pictured on the box โ go by the photos of hair swatches on the back.
If you have a reaction to a new skincare product you've introduced into your regime, go back to basics and switch to a super-mild cleanser (cleansing waters or unscented cream cleansers are ideal), and a hypoallergenic moisturiser, while skin gets back to normal.
British bathrooms are so cold right now that some body oils will solidify! If you're planning to apply after a bath or shower, fill the washbasin with hot water before your soak/shower. Place a flannel in the bottom to prevent glass breakage, and pop the oil in the basin to melt. It'll be deliciously warm, too, when you're ready to massage it into your limbs...
Even the best therapist isnโt psychic. So to get the most out of any spa treatment or therapy, communicate, communicate, communicate. Donโt like having your bottom massaged? Say so. Not keen on the music? Tell her/him. Too hot or cold? Gently communicating about anything thatโs bothering you will make for a much more relaxing experience.
For extra precision, hold your lip pencil near the nib when lining your lips. (And never use a pencil that's too sharp; blunt the tip on the back of your hand.)
We're pretty much always inspired by how Elle Macpherson stays quite so glow-y... Here's one secret of her top-to-toe radiance: 'I dry-brush, wet-brush, use scrubs in the shower โ Iโll try any scrub! I find itโs the best detox for skin and helps boost my circulation, shed dead skin cells, and nourishes and renews super-dry skin. I then moisturise top to toe with coconut oil and slather myself in SPF.'
After flying, massage your serum into skin until youโve really saturated it โ this really transforms dull, dry and travel-weary skin. (Itโs good after a long flight, too.)
We can't quite believe our friend Bobbi Brown is 60. (She recently reinvented herself as an inkeeeper, in New Jersey โ but watch this space, because her new (and very timely) thing is wellness. Key to looking and feeling fantastic is to keep moving, she says. 'The thing is, my mind still thinks Iโm 32 in all sorts of ways. I love to move. Moving my body makes such a huge difference in how I feelโI donโt have an age when Iโm in the middle of exercising. Moving to hip-hop, disco, kickboxing, bootcampโwhatever it is, if Iโm moving, no age.'
Create your own leave-in conditioner by pouring regular conditioner and water into a spray bottle (three parts water to one part conditioner). If hair tangles or frizzes during the day, a few spritzes with your D-I-Y lightweight conditioner can help get it under control, too.
Fretting about the 'flu? If you've escaped thus far (and it's felled so many people we know), then it's time for some immune-boosting. Our friend, Ayurvedic herbalist and Pukka co-founder Sebastian Pole, has this advice: 'In winter, it's worth getting the kettle on to brew up herbs made with immune-strengthening herbs and fruits, such as ginger, echinacea and elderberry. The fiery heat in ginger gets the blood pumping and clears congestion. Elderberry, as well as being a source of vitamin C, is one of the most powerful system-boosting natural remedies around, that has been shown to fight 10 different strains of the flu virus and reduce both the duration and severity of colds and flu.'
Keen to cut down on packaging waste? A friend carries a tin cup with her, having found that (almost) every fast food and coffee chain is happy to fill it for her, avoiding a one-use cup. (Of course, this only really works if youโre drinking in situ.)