Beat The Winter Beauty Blues - Day 1

Hello cheekies,

This week, I'm going to be blogging every day you lucky things! (Don't worry, I am saying this with a hint of irony) My daily blog posts are all going to be about little beauty hacks to banish those evil January-February blues, while we wait for the promising appearance of yellow, in the daffs that promise slightly warmer temperatures and, gasp, we can wear pastels again!

Today is all going to be about the detox, and making our bodies feel glorious again after the onslaught of drowning our sorrows, winter comfort food, and "It's too cold to leave my bed so I'm not taking my make-up off".

Day 1 Beauty Tip -

Let's face it, we're all still a bit strapped for cash after christmas. The sales drained our January pay day, and now we're having to act like horses with blinkers on when walking past the new Spring lines down the high street. So what better than a beauty hack to help your wind-whipped, dry skin than a face mask with nothing but the stuff from your kitchen cupboard?

Honey and Avocado Face Mask Recipe -

Ingredients - 1/2 ripe avocado + 2 tablespoons of honey.

Simply mash up the avocado, then mix in the honey. Apply liberally to your face and leave for about 15-20 minutes, before washing off. To wash off, use warm water and gently scrub it away, finishing with a splash of cold water to close pores.

(If you have oily skin, best to cleanse and tone after this mask, as the oils from the avocado, while nourishing, will not help your shine, especially if you are on a night out later!)

Day 1 Fashion Tip -

On a detox day, it's time to detox your wardrobe! I know what you're thinking, please don't be another post about getting rid of old clothes that we don't wear, we want our pink jeans from when we were thirteen! Don't worry, I'm not about to persuade any fashion hoarders to part themselves with anything, as I am one! No, I'm talking about every blouse you've always sworn you would sew that button back on, every scuffed pair of boots you keep insisting you will shine up and wear them again. Get out that sewing kit Mum bought you a billion years ago, because you would "never know when you might need it", that day is today!

Tips on fixing tired winter fashion:

- If a button has come off a blouse or cardigan, and you cannot find one to match, and the little spare one is long lost, take the top button out, use that to replace the missing one, then find a pretty, vintage button to replace the top one. It looks much less out of place if the top button is different. Also, when you do the top button up on your blouse, as is de rigeur this winter, it adds a whole new dimension to a simple piece of clothing!



(Vintage buttons like the ones in the picture above can be found for dead cheap in bulk on eBay, or keep a look out in charity shops and car boot sales for little pretty finds!)

- Clean your patent items with glass cleaner. It really shines them up and it much cheaper than a proper patent cleaner! (Be careful when cleaning designer bags etc. and always check on the appropriate designer website for advice)

- Remove water marks (severely needed in this rain!) from Faux Leather - water just leaves more marks when it dries! Adding white vinegar to your cleaning solution gets rid of them in a tick!

Day 1 Foodie Fix -

Winter food is all about comfort, and this usually means loading up on the carbs, which makes you feel even worse afterwards and does nothing for your immune system to battle those bugs! The ultimate winter comfort food with tons of vitamins could not be easier to make and have more variations, good old fashioned soup! Cook up a batch at the beginning of the week and take it in a flask wherever you go, for lunch on the go that doesn't mean a trip to the chippy!

Go for an easy tomato or vegetable - or check out the following link for some really different ones to keep your tummy guessing!

http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/blogs/jo-romero/10-seasonal-soups-111659395.html


Day 1 Lifestyle Tip -

One of my favourite winter fixes is getting my blood pumping first thing in the morning. I'm not talking about getting up at 4.00 and going for a full blown run, heaven forbid! But just the smallest bit of exertion can brighten up your skin and get a fresh flush on your face, perfect for curing a tired complexion after a big weekend!

When you get up in the morning, maybe do something small like ten jumping jacks, just to feel that burst of energy. Or if you have to walk somewhere every morning, like I have to walk to the train station, try doing a brisk jog there, not enough so you turn up looking sweaty and worn-out, but just to refresh your whole body and ready it for the day!

Another point which I simply could not leave out of the detox post, is just to have a dry weekend every so often, I feel that at our age we get so used to having a glass of wine every evening, and immediatly reaching for a vodka tonic on a Friday because it's finally the weekend! There's nothing wrong with this obviously, but I think we severely underestimate the cleansing effect it has on our bodies to lay off for a week. This weekend I didn't drink a drop and suddenly my body feels so refreshed! Maybe if you're feeling a tad groggy, give it a go?


Hope you enjoyed this post, tomorrow I shall have a whole new theme of banishing those blues!

Abi