Category Archives: beauty

Zo Skin Health with Dr SHP Aesthetics

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Many of us have ongoing struggling with our skin, whether it be acne, ageing, sun damage or redness. Sometimes the drugstore products just don’t cut it, and results are usually temporary. This is where Zo Skin Health comes in to save the day!

What is Zo Skin Health?

Zo Skin Health is a medical grade skincare range created by world renowned dermatologist Dr Zein Obagi. Zo Skin Health offers a comprehensive range of innovative skincare solutions based on the latest advances in skincare technology to suit every skin type. Zo Skin Health aims to create and maintain healthy skin regardless of your skincare condition, there is a product to solve every issue.

Why is Zo Skin Health Different?

Zo Skin Health is medical grade skincare that contains a higher concentration of active ingredients than those found within drugstore products. Additionally, the products can only be stocked and prescribed by Zo authorised skin professionals, who have extensive skincare knowledge. The formulations of the products are continuously innovated and refined as science progresses, to deliver outstanding results for every patient.

Zo Skin Health with Dr SHP Aesthetics

Dr SHP Aesthetics is an aesthetics company ran by Dr Shazia Parveen in Lichfield, Staffordshire. Dr Parveen specialises in dermal fillers, anti-wrinkle injections and has more recently become a Zo authorised skin professional. Dr Parveen offers expert skincare consultations and is able to tailor your skincare routine to fit your specific concerns. Zo Skin Health is able to target concerns such as –

  • Anti-ageing
  • Skin brightening
  • Acne
  • Redness
  • Rosacea
  • Sun damage
  • Sensitivity
  • Dark circles
  • Eye care

The Products

After an extensive consultation with Dr Parveen she prescribed me the complexion clearing programme, as well as additional products to combat my fine lines. The complexion clearing programme is targeting at treating blemish prone skin, featuring ingredients to minimise surface oil and exfoliate dead skin cells. The range consisted of –

  • Zo Skin Health exfoliating cleanser
  • Zo Skin Health exfoliating polish
  • Zo Skin Health complexion renewal pads
  • Zo Skin Health complexion clearing mask

The exfoliating cleanser has a very gentle exfoliating texture and is very creamy on the skin. It rids the skin of dirt and surface oil, unclogs pores with gentle exfoliation and soothes irritated skin. The product contains jojoba esters which exfoliates and provides hydration, as well as encapsulated vitamin E that acts as an antioxidant. Small quantities of salicylic acid are also found within the product to help unclog pores.

The exfoliating polish is a magnesium crystal based exfoliating product which is to be used 2-3 times a week. The ultra fine magnesium crystals instantly polish the skin removing dead skin cells and help to restore smoother texture. For extra antioxidant effect it also contains vitamin A, C and E.

The complexion clearing masque is a natural clay based mask that purifies the skin and absorbs access oils that lead to breakouts. The mask contains sulphur which actively treats acne by reducing sebum and calming irritation. Kaolin and bentonite within the mask absorb surface oils and help to clean out pores, reducing the appearance of blackheads. The mask also contains glycerine which helps to restore the skins natural barrier function to keep it in top condition.

The complexion renew pads are moistened dual action exfoliating pads which remove dead skin cells and reduce oil to prevent clogged pores. They also act to sooth skin and reduce irritation. They contain glycolic acid which acts as a chemical epidermal exfoliant, salicylic acid which is a beta hydroxy acid that unclogs pores and botanical extracts to help to sooth the skin.

To treat my under eye fine line wrinkles, Dr Parveen also prescribed me the Zo Skin Health intense eye créme. This contains retinol to encourage collagen production as well as skin cell turnover, mica and titanium dioxide which acts as an optical diffuser to reduce the appearance of fine lines, and vitamin E to act as a powerful antioxidant. The product also contains matrixyl 3000, which are peptides that work to promote the skins elasticity and collagen production. MDI complex is also added, which is a marine glycosaminoglycan that restores hydration and inhibits collagen breakdown.

Zo Skin Health have various programmes targeted at different skincare concerns, which can all be altered to your own needs. The products really speak for themselves and contain expert skincare ingredients that are scientifically proven to be effective, providing a comprehensive approach to creating and maintaining healthy skin.

How to Book a Consultation

Dr Parveen from Dr SHP Aesthetics is one of the few Zo authorised skin professionals located within staffordshire, and the only one within Lichfield. To book in a free expert consultation you can contact Dr Parveen directly via the Dr SHP Aesthetics Instagram page @drshpaesthetics. Additionally, Dr Parveen offers trial programmes that are available for people who would like to try out the products without purchasing a full programme. If you are struggling with your skincare I definitely recommend you pay a visit, you certainly won’t regret it!

Disclaimer: I was given these products on a promotional basis, however all opinions are genuine and my own.

The Benefits of Rose Water

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Since Ancient Egyptian times rose water has been used not only as a drink but for its skin benefits. It’s said that Cleopatra used to bathe in rose water, and still today you can see it’s benefits if regularly used. I’ve used many toners in the past that have rose water as an ingredient, famed for its rejuvenating, soothing and calming properties, but I had yet to use it on its own until I found Erbology Organic Rose Water.

The Erbology Organic Rose Water is made from only the best organic fertile Damask rose petals making it the perfect rose water to use on your skin. I suffer from oily skin that is prone to redness and have found in the past that a lot of toners aimed at my skin type tend to cause my skin to dry out too much. When switching to moisturising toners I found that they broke me out so I could never find a happy in-between! This is when I decided to switch to a more natural product like rose water, hoping that I would see some of the the famed benefits. It is claimed that rose water:

  • Reduces skin redness and puffiness due to its anti-inflammatory properties
  • Helps to sooth skin irritation such as eczema
  • Help prevent acne due to its antiseptic properties
  • Helps to prevent cell damage as it contains antioxidants which are found within rose petals

After using the Erbology Organic Rose Water for 3 weeks every morning and night I found that the redness in my skin reduced and I was able to go to work without feeling the need to wear foundation. My skin felt cleaner after using it, without feeling stripped (due to rose water having a neutral pH 7), and it was gentle enough to retain moisture in my skin without breaking me out in spots! Ditching harsher ingredients for pure rose water was the best switch I made for my skin and I’ve even had compliments on how glowing my skin looks! When you treat your skin correctly the results are bountiful.

Continuing with my use of rose water I’m sure that my skin can only get better, especially that after 3 weeks I’m already seeing fantastic benefits and I will also be experimenting with incorporating it into food, as it is a very popular ingredient in the Middle Eastern cooking. If you have sensitive, acne prone or skin redness then it’s definitely worth trying to incorporate rose water into your beauty regime! The Erbology Organic Rose Water can also be drank or mixed into smoothies; I found it very calming when I drank it before bed and it helped me to fall asleep.

You can purchase the Erbology Organic Rose Water from their website here – Erbology Organic Rose Water, along with a range of other fantastic health products!

Have you tried rose water before?

Laura ♡

Disclaimer: I was gifted this rose water, however all opinions are genuine and my own.

 

Ditching The Plastic – My Shampoo Bar Journey

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I’m not one to stick to my New Years resolutions, but as the clock struck 12 on 1st January 2020 I vowed that this year I was going to make a conscious effort to reduce my plastic waste. This resolution seemed more achievable than my usual ‘eat less chocolate’ or ‘exercise more’ goals that I seemingly failed to do each year. I was easily able to ditch my makeup wipes and single use cotton pads for reusable hand stitched cotton pads, which if anything actually cleaned my skin better than the single use ones! Next I was able to switch my toothbrush for a bamboo toothbrush, my ear buds for bamboo ear buds and my plastic shopping bags for more durable fair trade cotton bags.

I made many switches but the last thing I was reluctant to ditch were my (plastic bottled) shampoo and conditioner. I’ve tried in the past to switch to a shampoo bar but it was disastrous. Many shampoo bars don’t contain SLS (SLS is round is most standard shampoo and stripes your hair of its natural oils) so you have to go through an adjustment period when you switch which can take up to two months. I really tried for months with other shampoo bars but was left with lank greasy hair, the transition phase seemed to never end. Due to this I was reluctant to try a shampoo bar again, however mid lockdown as I browsed the shelves of my local Waitrose for the ever scarce hand sanitiser or soap I spotted Beco Argan Oil Shampoo Bars for just £4 a bar, which I had only spotted due to someone placing it in the soap section of the store and not the haircare section! I mean what was the worst that was going to happen? If they gave me greasy hair like the others at least no one would see me due to lockdown!

After I got home and searched Beco I found out how much of an amazing company they are. Their products are vegan, cruelty free, 97% organic, hypoallergenic, pH balanced, biodegradable as well as being plastic, paraben and SLS free. But the most amazing thing about Beco is that they’re a social enterprise that help disabled people get job by actively encouraging other companies to employ disabled staff, with 80% of own workforce being disabled. Unfortunately the employments rates amongst disabled people are higher than the rates amongst people without disabilities, but Beco are campaigning to change this.

The product itself comes unwrapped in a FSC certified recyclable cardboard box. The first thing I noticed about this shampoo bar was how amazing it smelt, I could even smell it through the box! Surprisingly when I used the bar for the first time it lathered up really well compared to other bars I’ve used, which is thanks to the Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate it contains – a natural mild surfactant derived from coconut. After using it my hair felt lovely and clean, where as with other bars it felt heavy and greasy. I expected there to be a transition phase using the Beco Argan Oil Shampoo Bar but my hair was perfect from the start! Not only did my hair not get greasy as fast but it was left beautifully soft. I was really impressed with the results from this £4 bar! The best part about it was the bar lasted SO long, one bar lasted me around 2-3 months which is far longer than a standard bottle of shampoo would last me. It should also be noted that because this shampoo bar doesn’t contain natural oil stripping ingredients you can use it without conditioner and still have beautiful soft hair. I have bleached hair and use this bar without conditioner most days, or use a silicone free conditioner when I feel my hair needs a little nourishment. You may think using no conditioner would ruin your hair but my hair has become more healthy with less split ends!

The Beco Argan Oil Shampoo Bar comes in 3 different scents – honey blossom and spring meadow; I tried both and they both smell lovely. Beco also sell bars of hand soap and liquid soap and you can find their products in Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Co-op, Boots and The Ethical Superstore. To find out more about Beco and the amazing work they do visit their website https://betterconsidered.org

What shampoo bar brands have you tried?

Laura ♡

10 Things You’re Doing That Are Causing Spots

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Is your skin getting you down? You think you’ve tried everything but you’re still getting those stubborn spots? Well there may some things you’re doing that you don’t realise which is causing your skin to be this way! You might have the perfect skincare routine but there are many surprising causes of acne that you probably didn’t know about!

1. Not Washing Your Hands Before Touching Face

Your hands harbour loads of bacteria from everything you touch during the day, including propionibacterium acnes which is a bacterium that lives on the skin and is responsible for clogging pores which causes spots! Not only is there bacteria on your hands but also oils, which again can cause spots, so keep those hands away from your face! If you do need to touch your face remember to wash them before doing so or to use hand sanitiser.

2. Using a Dirty Towel to Dry Your Face

Every time you wash your face if you’re not using a clean towel to dry it then you will unfortunately be transferring bacteria onto your lovely clean face, which can result in spots and worsen existing skin conditions. A cute idea to help you with this is having a small basket in your bathroom with neatly rolled face cloths stacked up, ready for you to use a clean one every time you wash your face!

3. Not Washing Your Makeup Brushes Regularly

Makeup brushes are another location where bacteria can grow if you don’t clean them often. All that old makeup and bacteria, as well as oil buildup from your skin, makes dirty brushes a major cause of spots! You wouldn’t put dirty water on your face so why put dirty brushes on your face?! It’s important to clean your brushes at least once a week; you can even buy some gadgets to make your brush cleaning less of a chore, like the Stylpro Original that cleans and drys your brushes in seconds.

4. Transferring Bacteria Into Your Makeup

It’s strange that a lot of makeup brands don’t produce their foundations with a pump so you end up having to pour it out onto your hand if you can’t find a pump that fits. Not only is this annoying but it causes bacteria to be transferred into your foundation! This also applies to other products you have to dip into so it’s important to buy makeup pumps where you can and always use clean brushes when dipping into products to prevent your makeup from being contaminated! It should also be remembered that makeup actually has an expiry date, and it’s not recommended to use the products after this date because it’s safe to say they will definitely contain a good dose of acne causing bacteria!

5. Not Changing Your Pillow Case Regularly

For a long time I wondered why I was getting spots on the side on my face, in particular my cheeks. It wasn’t until I realised it was being caused from my pillow cases that I discovered a build up of oils from your hair can transfer to your pillow, which in turn transfers to your face and can cause spots. I made sure to change my pillow cases at least twice a week and like magic I started seeing an improvement in my skin! It’s particularly important to do this if like me you love putting argan or coconut oil in your hair, which can transfer onto your pillow cases.

6. Letting Your Hair Touch Your Face Constantly

Similarly to changing your pillow case, always allowing your hair to touch your face can cause spots. Your hair is coated in natural oils, along with any other products you may add which probably won’t agree with your skin. If your hair is always touching your face these products can transfer onto your skin and clog your pores. Wearing some cute clips to keep your hair off your face or using less products can help prevent them from forming!

7. Using Too Many Harsh Ingredients in Your Skincare Regime

When you have acne it’s can be very easy to think that throwing everything at it that you’ve got will make it disappear, but this can cause the acne to get worse or other skin conditions to appear. It’s important to remember to treat your skin kindly, it’s very easy to dry your skin out by overusing AHA/BHAs which can make your skin more sensitive, trigger more spots or lead to dermatitis. You may think that moisturising will make acne worse if you already have oily skin but trust me moisturiser is not your enemy! Investing in a good oil free moisturiser will make sure that you’re not over drying your skin and can actually help regulate sebum production. When you over dry your skin, it can respond by producing more sebum than before so it’s important to get the balance right.

8. Making Calls on Your Phone Frequently

If you’ve been changing your pillow cases frequency but are still getting spots on your cheeks then it might be because your making phone calls a lot. A recent study showed that your phones harboured more than 25,000 per inch and some even had more bacteria than a toilet seat! The issue is that your phone is rarely cleaned, if you’re someone who likes to sit on the toilet with your phone, you’ll most likely wash your hands after but not your phone. Additionally, all the bacteria from everything you touch during the day gets transferred to your phone, and this gets transferred to your face, in particular your cheek area when you make phone calls. It’s worth investing in some headphones with a microphone to make calls or carrying round alcohol wipes to give your phone the much deserved cleaning it needs!

9. Increased Stress Levels

We all get stressed at the best of times, but most people don’t realise that stress can have a negative effect on your skin. Stress doesn’t directly cause acne but it has been found that the stress hormone called ‘corticotrophin releasing hormone’ increases the production of oil on the skins surface which can cause more spots to form. Another important factor to remember is that when we are stressed we may forget to follow our usually skin routine!

10. Poor Diet

Many studies have shown that eating a healthy diet can improve your skin and help reduce the amount of spots you get. Diets high in sugar increase your insulin levels, which in turn caused your oil glands to produce more oil causing more spots. Sugar is not the only thing in your diet to do this, but also high glycemic carbohydrates, dairy, saturated fats and trans fats. If you want to help your skin it’s suggested you consume more:

    Fruit
    Vegetables (especially leafy greens)
    Legumes
    Whole grains
    Oily fish
    Nuts and seeds

Final Note

Recognising the underlying causes of your acne is the first step towards helping to treat it. If you follow these 10 easy steps then your on the way to getting your acne under control! Always remember that if you’ve tried all of these steps, as well as over the counter products, but your acne persists then its best to seek advice from a dermatologist.

What’s your best tips to fight acne?

Laura ♡

Heaven Sent Lichfield Review

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It’s not often that I get time to pamper myself, so I set it as my new years resolution for 2020 to start giving myself the pampering I deserve! There’s nothing better than having a relaxing massage or facial after a hard week at work and in late 2019 I discovered the newly opened Heaven Sent in the charming cathedral city of Lichfield, located in Staffordshire.

Heaven Sent is a luxury salon spa located in a beautiful listed building on the scenic cobbled streets of Lichfield. Already having a branch in Sutton Coldfield, Heaven Sent opened the Lichfield branch in December 2019 offering an array of skin and beauty therapeutic treatments. After visiting the salon in December when it first opened, having an amazing facial and massage treatment, I couldn’t wait to come back. Eager to visit again I returned this month to try out the ‘Lichfield Luxury Ritual‘.

Upon entering the salon you’re greeting by the bright fresh chic interior and friendly staff who show you to the stylish seating area to relax and enjoy a drink whilst you wait for your treatment. After a few minutes I was then shown to the ambiently lit treatment room where the ‘Lichfield Luxury Ritual’ would be taking place, which had amazing heated massage beds and candles lit to set the mood. I was so warm and cosy that I could have nodded off! The treatment started off with some relaxing inhalation’s of lavender and vetiver to bring a calming feel of tranquility to the experience; this is something I’ve never done before but it really relaxed me!

The ritual then proceeded which started off with a well needed soothing foot exfoliation for my tired feet. My feet were then wrapped in warm steamed towels whilst my back was coated in a cleansing body lather that contained olive grains to exfoliant and cleanse my skin. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, a soothing mask was applied to my feet, followed by amazing heated booties. I was in heaven! To finish the ritual my whole body, including face and scalp was massaged with luxurious body oil followed up with sleep well nourishing body cream.

The whole ritual took about 80 minutes and I was left feeling a new level of relaxation I’d never felt before, with super soft skin! After my treatment I was able to return to the stylish waiting area where I chatted to the lovely staff and helped myself to the drinks on offer for clients. After a tiring January at work this was just what I needed to revitalise myself! After the treatment I returned home and had one of the best nights sleep I’ve had in a long time. Heaven Sent go above and beyond to make sure your experience is one to remember, from the beautiful interior to the attention to detail to goes into perfecting every treatment. Kelly and all the team at Heaven Sent really know how to make you feel special and this is reason why I will be returning again and again for the fantastic treatments they have on offer!

If your local to Staffordshire or the West Midlands I’d definitely recommend visiting Heaven Scent, you certainly won’t regret it! Whether you’re tired and worn out, or just need some pampering, Heaven Scent has a treatment to fit your every need and bring you back to feeling like your best self! You can find out more about what they have to offer on their website here.

When booking you can use ‘LAURA15’ to gain 15% off the price of any treatment!

What’s your favourite spa treatment?

Laura 
♡

Disclaimer: I was gifted this treatment, however all opinions are genuine and my own.