Origins 'Calm to Your Senses' stress-relieving mask

Origins Calm to Your Senses stress-relieving mask

When I get wind of a new Origins product launch, I certainly don't need telling twice, the arrival of their Calm to Your Senses stress-relieving face mask had me racing straight for my nearest counter in a desperate bid to get my hands on a tube. I feel like I've referred to this a lot lately, but I'm a worrier by nature, and I often get myself far too worked up over things that I probably won't even remember a month down the line. I also have trouble with sleeping - I usually drop off all too easily, but I regularly wake up in the night and am unable to drift off again for a good couple of hours, which leaves me feeling tired and drained the following day in spite of having gone to bed nice and early. As a result, I'm forever on the lookout for products which serve to aid relaxation, and there is nothing I love more than a good pamper session and a long wind-down before I climb under the bed covers. Of course, it's rarely possible to go the whole hog during the week, as the evenings pass quickly and most of us will go to bed earlier, so the ideal is to have something on hand that will do the work for you.

Enter, Origins Calm to Your Senses.

A rich, creamy face mask containing buckbean and St. Paul's Wort extract to target tense, stressed-looking skin, it is not dissimilar to the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask, in that you massage in a generous amount prior to bedtime and leave it to do its work overnight. Barrier-building plant butters help to replenish the skin's moisture reserves while you sleep, leaving it plump, soft and hydrated upon awakening, while a relaxing blend of lavender and chamomile soothe and calm the senses helping you to drift off more easily.

I'm not the biggest fan of lavender, but I do find it very calming when I'm ready to go to bed. I often reach for the This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray, which is very helpful, and definitely speeds up the time it takes me to get to sleep when I get into bed with my mind still racing. That said, the Calm to Your Senses mask doesn't have a strong lavender scent at all, and in fact, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it smelled like oranges (much like the brand's High Potency Night-A-Mins). It's a pleasure to apply, and sinks easily into the skin - I find that while it is rich, it is lighter than the Drink Up Intensive mask, so if that one was too heavy for you then don't be put off.

In the morning, there is no residue left on my skin, but thanks to its plumping, hydrating effects, I often find myself reaching for it regardless of whether I'm worried about sleeping or not. As to whether or not it helps me to drift off, the jury is still out - as I mentioned, it's rare that I have trouble in that department anyway, but it definitely does make me feel relaxed when I get into bed with it on. I love that it takes just a few short seconds to apply and doesn't have to be washed off, as this makes it a real time-saver that be can used anytime, anywhere.

I'll be doing a round-up of some of my favourite products for relaxation soon, as I seem to have built up quite the collection. Do you have any favourites?

xx

Hello, 2015.

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Happy New Year, everyone, and a big hello to 2015!

I hope you all had a fantastic festive period and were able to ring in the new year in style! Personally, I ended up having a night in for one, as many of my friends have recently had babies and the other half was working, but to be honest, it wasn't nearly as bad as you might imagine! For a start, I spent my first New Year's Day in a lonnnng time without so much of a sniff of a hangover, but I'll talk more about that later. I also had the chance to indulge in a bit of pampering and spend some time reflecting on the year gone by, as well as what I hope to achieve in this brand new year,

Last year was a great one for me for many reasons, but the main one has got to be that it was the first year in the last six that I spent here in the UK with my family and friends. You may or may not remember, depending on how often you drop by, but I spent a long period living abroad, before finally moving home in the second half of 2013.  Other highlights of the last twelve months have included travelling to Paris and Ibiza, landing a new job and watching my best friend get married, as well as celebrating my sister's graduation, accepting an FHM Award and going on a few shorter trips to the likes of Brighton, Manchester and London. 

But with 2015 now upon us, it's out with the old and in with the new, as they say, and time to make a few resolutions for the year ahead. Although they are the sort of things that tend to be broken before January draws to a close, I fully intend to follow through on my promises to myself this year, as I have been trying to get some of them done for months now, to no avail. So now it's time for a fresh start, and what better time to get motivated than on the first day of a new year? Without further ado, my new year's resolutions for 2015 are:

1. Resume blogging! 

Well, looks like we're off to a promising start on at least one of these, but this is something I have been desperate to do for some while It's not that I ever 'stopped', per se - at least, not intentionally. But with a broken computer (jammed keyboard and viruses a-plenty), there was little I could do, and without the use of a functioning camera to boot, things became difficult to say the least. I actually spent part of my evening last night installing a brand, spanking new keyboard (who needs a man to do their DIY? Smug.), and also picked myself up a new camera in the sales. So, I'm fully equipped and ready to go, and I couldn't be more thrilled! 

2. Lose a few lbs

This is one that has been attempted several times since last April, but alas, I have failed. It's not that I've got a lot to lose, but a good 10lbs had slowly crept on since moving back to the UK, and while I would normally have been able to lose it without too much trouble thanks to being a fan of healthy eating by nature, this time, it simply hasn't shifted. Within the next few days, I aim to see the nurse in order to change my pill, and also get a blood test to ensure that my thyroid is functioning properly, because it certainly seems that something is different. Either way, something needs to be done, and I'll be sure to keep you posted on my progress.

3. Add weights and yoga into to my exercise regime

That is, after upping my exercise sessions in general. I'm a member of a local gym, but I'd like to make the effort to go more consistently, as I tend to go through peaks and troughs. When I'm trying to lose weight, I go religiously, but because I wasn't getting anywhere in that department, I'd often lose my motivation and end up going less than usual for a while. I've been meaning to add in yoga for a while, as I'm quite a stressy type and am sure it would benefit me, but so far, I haven't found the time. This year, I will, and I'll also be adding more weights into my regime in order to build muscle, as this will help me to achieve my goals.

So, those are my three ongoing goals for the year, but I also plan to start (and finish!) a new course, save more money, learn some new skills, travel to Venice and Cuba and read at least two books a month.

I'll leave it there for now, but I'd love to hear about your new year's resolutions in the comments below. In the meantime, wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

xx

The Health Series: Molkosan Fruit

Probiotics have received a lot of press attention in recent years, with the spotlight very much focused on the all-round benefits they offer in the health department. Contrary to popular belief, there's more to them than just their effect on the digestive system, although this, in itself is a great reason to take them.

Not only can they help to support normal function of digestive enzymes, but they also have a whole host of other benefits, from boosting the immune system to improving mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Yep, that's right - it might sound unlikely, but there is a wealth of evidence showing intestinal involvement in a variety of neurological disorders. We have neurons in the gut as well as the brain, which produce neurotransmittors such as serotonin, and if the balance is upset then it could result in some unexpected issues.

Recently, I have added Molkosan Fruit* to my daily routine. Made from 100% natural fermented whey and rich in L+ lactic acid to supports good gut bacteria, a small amount (20ml) is added to a glass of water or juice and taken first thing in the morning. The tonic also contains added calcium, and is 

enriched and naturally sweetened with aronia berry and pomegranate, which are crammed full of natural antioxidants.  Taken regularly, it contributes to the normal function of digestive enzymes, making it a great daily tonic for digestive balance.

Unlike some supplements, this one tastes really pleasant - in fact, it's more or less like having a yoghurt drink as it tastes really fruity and quite creamy.

Now, personally I don't really have a problem in the stomach department, although I do feel a bit bloated on occasion. However, for those of you who do have 'troubles' in that area (and we are talking all sorts), this is a great option for restoring the balance.

I generally take Molkosan Fruit for its overall health benefits - it supports the metabolism, and should it have any effect on mood then I'm certainly not going to complain, as I'm the first to admit that a bit of help in that department wouldn't go amiss at times! I think this is probably the case for most of us, and so if we can prevent as well as aid any such issues then it makes sense to do so.

I've noticed that I am less bloated since starting to take Molkosan - funnily enough, I didn't really realise that this was an issue until it began to subside, so it just goes to show that we can become all too used to some things when actually, they are not necessarily normal - or if they are, we don't always have to tolerate them.

There are also other ways in which we can help our good gut bacteria to flourish. Eating a diet low in refined sugars and yeast and cutting down on wheat, while eating more foods containing inulin (artichokes, onions, chicory, garlic) and boosting your intake of short-grain brown rice can all do the trick, so if you're in need of an overhaul in that department then why not give it a try?

Molkosan Fruit is priced at £6.96 at www.avogel.co.uk

xx

The Weekly Roundup

Well, it's been a while since I've done one of these! Not so much  weekly round-up, you might say, as this week's photos cover at least the last month.

Life has been sunnier of late, with the weather brightening up, seeing more of friends and family, getting fit and eating well.

 I've been going to bootcamp a couple of times week with my best friend, which we're both really enjoying doing out in the sunshine, and I've also been making time for things like yoga and Body Balance to keep things that little bit more Zen. I'm  bit of a worrier at heart, so I really have to make time in my life for relaxation and make the effort to stick to it.

We've also managed to have the first of the year's barbecues, with two in a row last weekend. The first was round at my friend's house, and it was great to get everyone together for a catch-up and a cheeky cider or two, The second was put on by my parents, who had just returned from a Caribbean holiday and were wanting to hold onto the last moments before going back to work.

Other than that, it's been very much about working, Sunday carveries and trying out lots of lovely new products. I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of the recent Space NK goodie bags, so it's going to take me while to work through that little lot! I've already discovered a fair few gems though, so keep an eye out for those.

This week, I got tickets to see both Kasabian and the Pixies over the next few months, so really looking forward to both of those! It's been a while since I last saw some decent live music, and I can't wait to go along and have a dance.

 As for today, we were meant to be going to a music festival, but it's been overcast and raining up until now, so after dropping a certain someone off at work, I treated myself to breakfast before heading home to do a bit of blog photography and prep some posts. As I'm writing this, the sun has begun to pour through my living room window, and the clouds have passed to reveal a beautiful blue sky, so I think it's time to get my wellies on and head on down to the event. It's actually a weekender, but we've only got tickets today, and the good stuff won't be kicking off for another hour or so.

Bit of a short one today, I'm afraid, but watch this space for plenty of posts coming up over the next week. They are all scheduled and ready to go, which is a situation I haven't had time to get myself into for some while - it feels pretty good, I tell thee.

Hope everyone has a lovely bank holiday weekend - fingers crossed this isn't the last we'll see of the sun!

xx

Little Catch-Up

Well hello me hearties, I seem to have deviated somewhat from usual weekly routine of sharing a little life-related update with you, and a quick scan back through recent posts tells me I haven't done so since the 2nd June! Shocking. I thought it had been a week, but a month!?

There have been one or two reasons for my neglecting to fill you in on recent goings on, number one of them being that until the end of last week, June was just too uneventful to photograph. I didn't go anywhere, and I haven't been buying anything as I'm attempting to conserve some pennies, so that didn't make for a very exciting set of snaps. Secondly, I've been extremely busy with the mundane - namely paperwork, appointments and sorting through junk. The joy.

However, last Wednesday the hubby and I did jump in the car for a bit of a road trip, which while still loosely related to paperwork, was a barrel of laughs. We went to the state capital for a couple of days and stayed in our favourite little hotel in front of the sea, so naturally I was happy from the off.

On that first evening, the football was on, and unsurprisingly, the other half was eager to watch it. Since it was Brazil vs Uruguay in the Confederation Cup, it was of no interest to me whatsoever. Shopping, on the other hand, was. So the plan was that he could sit and watch the game, beer in hand, while I whiled away the time visiting Mac and Zara at the nearby shopping mall. All was going well, until I set foot in the mall only to be told it was about to close due to yet more protests. These have been a bi-weekly occurrence over the past fortnight, and are mainly against the corruption within the Brazilian government. 

For anyone who is interested, some 13 billion reais (local currency, 3=£1) of public money miraculously 'disappeared' last year alone, and people want to know why. The health service and education are so poorly neglected over here, and yet the people who are responsible for running and improving the country are simply pocketing what they can and coasting along. It's pretty sickening really. I think what has really kicked things off is the fast approaching World Cup, which will be held in Brazil next year. The amount that has been spent on stadiums and the like has simply disgusted people, especially when you think about all the areas in which investment is desperately needed.

Anyway, enough about that. So I couldn't go shopping. Cue me stomping back to the hotel and sulking over some cheese and wine until the game was over. By the time it had finished, we were both pretty shattered, but we decided to get our gladrags on and head out for a bit of dinner. We settled on Mexican, and devoured a huge plate of nachos so quickly that I didn't even have the chance to take a photo. Washed down with a Bloody Mary for me (I was feeling a little bit fragile that day) and Mexican style beers which were mixed with freshly squeezed limes and rimmed with salt and pepper for the Mr, we turned in fairly early as we had to be up at 6am for an appointment.

On Thursday, we hauled ourselves out of bed and took full advantage of the breakfast buffet before heading to our appointment, and with that out of the way we were finally able to hit the shopping mall! Despite having promised myself I'd leave both Zara and Mac well alone (one out of two isn't bad...), I did end up popping into the former and bagging myself a couple of bargains in the sale. I say bargains, but they were still pretty expensive really. If you'd like to see what I got then keep an eye out, as I may well be doing a haul video very soon.

Once we were all shopped out, we headed for an iced coffee and then back to the hotel for a nap. I can't usually sleep during the day, but over the past week or so I have been out like a light the second my head hit the pillow. At least on this day, I did have the excuse of having been up really early.

When we woke up, the hubby kindly informed me that there was yet another football game to be watched. I'm making him sound really bad here, but he's quite good about his sports really. He doesn't obsess about his favourite team, or even bother to watch half of their games, but when Brazil are playing he does tend to get quite into it, and I'm happy to concede that....most of the time.

It was decided that we would head down to the beach, where there was a nice little bar showing the football. Fine by me - I took my new book (The Secret Sister by Elizabeth Lowell), ordered myself a Mojito and put my feet up to watch the sunset, trying my best to ignore the over-excited gaggle of men to my left. Little did I know that not a single goal would be scored, and that then it would go to extra time and then penalties (yawn), by which time the wind had got up and I was freezing.

Once the most boring football game ever was over, we went back to the hotel, showered, went out for a delicious Thai meal and rounded things off with a few tangerine and basil sake cocktails at a local Samba bar. Can't complain about that, it was a treat.

By the morning, we were running a bit low on cash so decided to hit the road and head home, and that's where the fun ended, making way for a rather dull weekend at home.

Since then it's been back to the paperwork mountain, but I do plan to have climbed out from underneath it by the end of tomorrow evening. It's also going to be my last ever day in my current job, which is both exciting and daunting, but mainly the first as it means I am all the closer to goinggg hommme!! Yay.

Speaking of which, a group of friends from back home have organised a big camping trip for us all down in Cornwall at the end of August, which I'm very excited about - I really can't wait to get everyone back together again. It doesn't happen very often, because we all live in different places now, but whenever we do manage it it's always amazing - I don't stop laughing when I'm with those ladies! This is going to be the first time we've done more of a 'couples' type trip, which does make me feel a little bit old, but it should be a good chance for everyone's other halves to get to know each other as there are still some of us who haven't met. 

Anyway, that's you all up to date on what I've been up to lately, and hopefully it won't be too long until I feel I have something else worth sharing on that front.

What have you been doing lately?

xx

Thoughts on Life: Looking on the Bright Side

I can be a bit of a Negative Nancy at times. It's not that I'm defeatist by nature - definitely not. I'm always looking to the future and hoping and working for the best. But when certain situations just keep cropping up and getting you down, or you keep getting knocked back instead of moving forward, I think it's only natural for patience to wear a bit thin and to start assuming the worst or feeling like giving up. I've often looked at people who seem to be able to just let things wash over them, and wonder how on earth they do it. Those people who don't seem to get annoyed by anything, or anyone. Personally, if I'm feeling on edge in the first place then it doesn't take much - noise, rudeness and long queues have all been known to set me off into a bit of a disproportionate grumble or, dare I say it, even rage. Sometimes I just end up stressing myself out about the little things in life (as I'm sure we all do at times), and last week I stumbled upon a quote that said something along the lines of: "The only one who suffers when you sweat the small stuff is you", or words to that effect. It really made me stop and think, because really it is just so true. If someone is rude to you and doesn't say please or thank you, the chances are that afterwards, they will simply carry on with their day and think no more about it, while you are the one sitting there stewing about it. Why should this person - this rude person - get to dictate your day? Why give them the power to turn you into a walking storm cloud for the rest of the day? This is just one example, but it fits with so many situations.

Another quote I came across, around the same time said, more or less, that the only person responsible for the way you feel is yourself, and at the time I found it really hard to get my head around. Surely if someone is winding you up or being deliberately uncooperative then they are the ones to blame? How could they not be? The thing is though, the quote was right, and I've read books on psychology which have said the same thing. It's not just a nice philosophy, it's actually fact. Yep, someone can absolutely irritate the hell out of us, should they choose to do so. But is it really necessary to take the bait, and to react? If you know full well that someone's intention is to get to you, then why allow yourself to be drawn into their plan? I'm a terrible one for this, and I fall for it every single time. I'm not trying to say that nothing anyone does to you has any effect - I wouldn't believe that for a second myself. But in all honesty, we do have some control over it, and what we choose to do with whatever it is we're faced with. And we know it.

On Monday, I decided it was time to take action. I don't want to feel unnecessarily stressed out all the time, and I don't want to feel negative about things when there is no need. In fact, I don't even want to feel that way when there is need, because where there's a will there's a way. If we don't get somewhere the way we originally planned, it doesn't mean that we won't get there. Sometimes you just have to take a different route.

I've actually downloaded a couple of apps for my phone, so that now, whenever I can feel myself starting to feel stressed, upset or negative, I can just crack them out and bombard myself with a bit of positivity. It's been really effective so far, and I'm enjoying finding out how infectious a good rosy outlook can be. Maybe it's just the distraction, but either way, it does the job.

Another thing I'm trying to do is to mull things over before reacting. If I receive some bad news, or someone says something unkind or hurtful, instead of immediately saying exactly how I feel about it, I'm keeping quiet, thinking about it rationally and deciding what to do about it. It's easier said than done at first, I'll give you that. But again, it works, because if you give it half an hour then quite often it won't seem all that important any more. Of course, there will be some occasions where expressing yourself will be unavoidable, and that's fine. But more often than not, it can wait.

So, that's my little plan of action towards being more of a Positive Polly in the face of adversity! I shall let you know how it goes.

What do you do to stay looking on the bright side of life?

xx

Life in Pictures

It's been an absolute age since I did one of these sorts of posts. I used to really enjoy doing them every Sunday, but there came a time when I felt that my life was just too boring, and I would increasingly find myself with a lack of photos at the end of the week. So, these days, I'm just going to do them as and when - if I have found the week particularly snap-worthy, whether that be down to holidays, nights out, delicious food or new purchases, then I will most certainly be sharing. But if, on the other hand, I can sense a snooze-fest coming on then I'll give it a miss.

This week has passed in a bit of a blur, and when I try and think back to what has happened, I genuinely can't remember! It was bound to be a bit dull in comparison to the week before, when I was busy sunning myself on the beach (in fact, I only returned at the beginning of this week), but one of the highlights was definitely a visit from Mr Postman. He very kindly brought me (well....I did buy them) N-W by Zadie Smith, a book I have fancied getting my teeth into for a while now, so I've spent my free time lazing about in my hammock and getting lost in it. So far, I'm really enjoying it, and am hoping to write up a review of it on here once I have finished, so watch this space for that one. Postman Pat also delivered my new Antipodes Grapeseed Butter Cleanser, which has actually been shut away in one of my drawers for the time being, as I'm so enjoying using my Tropic Organic Hot Bamboo Smoothing Cleanser. Thorough evidence, if ever you needed it, as I have had my eye on the Antipodes one for an absolute age!

Other than that, I've been spending some time with the in-laws and getting started on the mountain of things that need to be done by the middle of this year (more on that later) and deciding what we are going to be doing when we move back to my home town in the Summer.

I'm very much looking forward to having a bit of a #bbloggers natter later, as I'm feeling a bit out of the loop, having missed out on the last few chats due to being otherwise engaged.

I hope everyone has had a great week and an even better weekend!

xx