Wanted: Skincare Recommendations

Aloha!

So, my skin has basically been completely neglected, unloved and forgotten about for the majority of the last 12 months, barr the odd week or two where I've been a bit more sensible (like the gorgeous month when I was using up an Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm sample or the 6 or so occasions that I managed to use the sample of REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask).

Basically, I feel completely out of the loop with all things skincare and that makes me both excited and terrified. My skin is dehydrated but on the hole, pretty normal. It's a bit dry and rough across my cheeks and my t-zone is a little oily but nothing to write home about. I get the very occasional blemish, but this is probably mainly down to the face that my skincare routine is a pile of rubbish. I have a wee bit of money that I've squirrel away just for skincare, because it's important and makes me feel lovely.

I'm looking for:

Cleanser - I'm a big fan of balm/cream cleansers - I love being able to give myself a nice massage and then scrub everything away with a lovely soft cloth. Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish no longer agrees with me. Emma Hardie was good on the whole (although my sample did separate and then dissolve it's own lid....). I'm intrigued by the Antipodes Grapeseed Butter.

Toner I'm thinking Pixi Glow Tonic at the moment. Any other recommendations?

Moisturiser I literally don't even know. Answers on a postcard please.

Mask I love The REN Glycolactic but I'm thinking about the Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey one too. Any other ideas?

Other bits and bobs: recommend me your favourite lip balms, serums, treatments (the REN Resurfacing AHA Concentrate looks great) - whatever skincare has reached holy grail status for you that I haven't already mentioned.

Love xxx

Review: REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask

 I think REN might be stealing my heart a little bit. I got a sample of this mask in one of the "exclusive" Glossyboxes a while back, and oh how I love it.

This marmelade-esq mask is packed with Papin (papaya extract) and natural fruit acids to exfoliate the outer layer of skin and create a beautifully glowing complexion, and it really does what it says on the tin (well, bottle). I don't think I can remember a face mask that has such a wonderful affect - although this isn't an explicitly moisturising mask, it always leaves my skin feeling softer and more hydrated. 

The "peel" effect isn't super strong - there's a very gentle tingle but it's never painful or uncomfortable. That doesn't seem to have a negative effect on the results though. One thing it is pointing out is that this is a facial peel, not a peel off mask. I've seen a few reviews expressing confusion at the lack of ability to peel this off (like the cheapo superdrug masks I remember from my teen years) - this mask stays a sticky gel like substance throughout. The peel refers to its gently acidic exfoliating effect.

My sample has finally run out, and this is high on my list of goodies to replenish soon. I'm eyeing up the Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey mask with hungry eyes too.

What are your favourite masks right now?

Review: REN Moroccan Rose Otto Ultra-Moisture Body Oil*

Aloha!

It's a while since I've written because, as most of you will know, I've spent a lot of the last year dealing with dissociative seizures, which means my brain hasn't been in the writing space. However, today I'm off ill and I just used up the very last drop of this incredible body oil, so I thought I'd share my thoughts.

Wow. Honestly, this is one of the best oils I've ever used. It's perfect. It isn't greasy, it smells utterly divine and it makes my skin softer and more supple than I've ever known it to be.

Winter is a bad time for me, and my skin has been dealing with an extra blow this year because I've been so ill. My diet has suffered and spending so much time in the house and in bed doesn't do amazing things for your skin. This little bottle of joy fixed all of that. Mine was part of a gift box, hence the teeny tiny size, however, it still lasted me a good few months and was even used for a couple of extremely luxurious back massages. It's also recently won an InStyle Best of 2013 award.

It's possibly a little out of my price range, but I would definitely contemplate restocking this when I have a little spare cash hanging around. It's honestly one of the most beautiful things I've ever used on my body.

Where do you fall on the body oil line? Are you a fan or do you find them a little too much? Which are your current favourites?

REN Moroccan Rose Otto Ultra-Moisture Body Oil is available from renskincare.com £34.95 | 100ml 

Psychiatrist, protein and progress, oh my!

So it's a New Year, and despite all of my hoping and wishing, my seizures still exist. I'll admit that there was a small part of me that was wondering if maybe when the clock struck midnight I'd be magically cured and wouldn't have to think about my seizures anymore, but alas no.

One thing that has happened is I seem to have reached a point where my recovery time after each seizure has dramatically reduced, which is making living something vaguely resembling a normal life a little bit easier. I mean, it's nowhere near what I'd like, but it's certainly getting a lot better.

And I can't help but wonder if this is, at least in part, due to the fact that I've ramped up the amount of protein I'm eating. I've never been a big protein eater - partially because I've never craved it and also because I was a lazy vegetarian/vegan. But these days, if I don't have protein forming a significant part of lunch and dinner, I'm a) famished and b)far more likely to have a seizure. And by protein, I mean meat. I've never craved meat in the way that I do these days and sadly my health is a bigger priority than my ethical standpoint. I'm sure I'll flip back to being most vegetarian someday, but if eating meat is making me healthier, I'm a happy girl.

My seizures have been fluctuating between small and annoying and large and terrifying recently - the dissociative side has certainly got worse, which isn't particularly enjoyable. Dissociation is sort of like a trance state - it's where my brain chooses to disconnect from reality and emotion and moves into what it thinks is a safe space. It's something that we all do on a daily basis to some extent - like when we autopilot our way home or when we don't hear someone calling our name because we're so immersed in a book. I went to see a psychiatrist the other day and she described it as my brain thinking it's being really helpful and protecting me, but being about as good at it as a 3 year old.

Which is where the progress comes in - I went for a psychiatric assessment the other day. I was terrified about it, but it turned out to be far less scary and far more helpful than I could ever had hoped. My Psychiatrist (Dr Fairley) seems to actually understand what's happening in my brain, which is a first. She talked about things in the same way as I do and didn't push me too hard. I'm hopefully going to be starting therapy (a hazy mix of psychotherapy and CBT with some other methods thrown in as and when) in a couple of months, which is incredible news. I've been left for so long with no help at all, that just knowing someone is going to be doing something is a massive relief.

Obviously, I know therapy isn't a quick fix. I'm potentially looking at something around a year before I'm "better" and even then, there's a possibility that I might not fully get over seizures, but I'm strong and determined and planning on working as hard as I possibly can to kick this shit.

For now though it's much of the same - trying to work out strategies to make seizures less draining for me and the people who look after me and trying to find ways of living as much of a normal life as possible. And filling all the time in between with adventures and meditation and grounding techniques and yoga and lifting weights. Generally, remembering to be the super strong badass that I know I am.

New Balance Minimus Barefoot Trainer Review

A new workout regime is clearly an excuse for a bit of new workout kit right? In my case, it meant a new pair of workout trainers.

New Rules of Shoes for Lifting

I love my running shoes (I run in an awesome pink and dark grey pair of New Balance 760s, which have sadly been discontinued), but they're not right for a weight training based exercise regime. Firstly, because running shoes, in my eyes, should be used for running and running only - they don't need to get bent out of shape with heavy weights and things like that. Also, when weight lifting you want your heels to be firmly grounded to the floor - this gives you a better centre of gravity and for me, helps me to feel more connected and stable. Ideally, this means you're looking for a shoe with a pretty flat sole and not very much in the way of cushioning and support (which my running shoes have an abundance of, as I'm a heel-striking, over-prontating, weak ankled mess).

New Balance Minimus Trail Shoe

I spent a lot of time drooling over Cross-fit blogs and finally decided on the New Balance Minimus 10 Trail - it has a 4mm drop (which means it's got a teeny tiny bit of a heel) and a fierce vibram sole to give excellent grip. The shoe itself is incredibly lightweight, which is another bonus - I don't want to be carting around a really heavy gym bag as my job involves me doing a lot of walking and I don't have an office to store my things in. It's made of a breathable, minimalist upper, which is treated with ACTEVA+ - an antimicrobial treatment that reduces odor, so hopefully they'll stay smelling fresh too!

They truly are things of beauty and come in a wide range of colour combinations. Another great thing about New Balance is that they make half sizes - I went for a 7.5 and it's a perfect fit. 

I picked up mine from Amazon pretty cheap - it's worth searching around to work out which colour combination you fancy as that, and your size, can affect how much you pay. I recommend the trail version because the Vibram sole is an excellent addition for weight lifting, but there's also a running version and a 0mm version of both the running and trail shoe if you're so inclined.

Questions:

Do you have different shoes for different work out?

What do you think about barefoot shoes? Have you ever tried them?