Get Your Best Complexion Ever with These Clay Masks

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Aromatherapy Associates Rose Pink Clay Mask, beauty, Bentonite, bilberry, body, clay, complexion, Decleor Rosemary Black Clay Mask, detoxify, environmental impurities, excess oil, face, hair, impurities, kaolin, lavender, lemon, mask, masks, Medik8 Natural Clay Mask, natural origin, orange, pink, purify, REN Clean Skincare Clarimatte Invisible Pores Detox Mask, sebum, skin, skincare, spirulina, sugar cane, This Works Evening Detox Clay Mask

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A clay mask is without a doubt one of the best ways to help refine and rebalance your skin, regardless of whether it is dull, congested, or oily. Clay masks are beneficial for a wide range of skin conditions and types. They can brighten your skin, absorb toxins and excess oils, hydrate, prevent breakouts, restore the skin’s balance, and regulate sebum production, among other things. It’s a great product to have on hand for a quick fix or a weekly routine, regardless of your skin type. However, since not all clay masks are created equal, it is essential to select a formulation that meets your requirements. Here’s our pick of our best clay masks:

Aromatherapy Associates Rose Pink Clay Mask

This mask from Aromatherapy Associates is made from French pink clay which is rich in minerals and has a restorative and nourishing effect on your  hair, face and body. It’s combined with hydrating sweet almond oil and shea butter, to enrich and uplift the senses while giving your chosen treatment area a deeply conditioning treat. The product is made from entirely vegan ingredients and contains no SLS, giving you the confidence that you’re using something which is 100% beneficial. 

Decleor Rosemary Black Clay Mask

From pink clay to black clay! This mask from Decleor is a 98% natural origin clay face mask enriched with rosemary essential oil, salicylic acid and black clay to reduce imperfections and purify the skin with no dehydrating effects. Use it just once or twice a week for ten minutes at a time and your skin will feel cleaner, have fewer blackheads and sebum will be more balanced. Perfect for teenage or hormonal skin which is prone to blemishes. 

Medik8 Natural Clay Mask

This mask from Medik8 is made from bentonite and kaolin clay and will gently detox the skin to promote a clear, radiant complexion. Unlike many other clay masks which feel heavy on the skin and difficult to apply, this mask has a whipped consistency which feels light, refreshing and easy to use. As well as a blend of clays, this mask contains extracts of cranberry to enhance skin texture and luminosity, while vitamin E locks in moisture for optimal hydration. 

This Works Evening Detox Clay Mask

If you work or live in a busy town or city, then you’re probably aware of the havoc that daily pollution can play with your complexion. This mask from This Works is created using detoxifying malachite and kaolin clay – the kaolin  absorbs excess oil and environmental impurities to purify the skin while malachite helps to detoxify and protect against environmental aggressors and pollution. Finally, the mask contains a blend of five natural botanicals including bilberry, sugar cane, orange and lemon which rapidly exfoliate by increasing cell turnover. 

REN Clean Skincare Clarimatte Invisible Pores Detox Mask

One of the main benefits of using clay to create masks is that it absorbs the excess sebum from your skin – perfect if you suffer from an oil imbalance. This detox mask from REN Clean Skincare is a thick clay mask for combination skin, that works to minimise the appearance of pores, removing excess sebum and fighting congestion, without drying the skin out. As well as kaolin clay, the formula offers spirulina extract which is deeply nourishing for the skin and lavender oil to help refresh your complexion. 

Five Veganuary Skincare Swaps

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alcohol, animal, beeswax, berry, brighten, cleanser, cranberry, cream, Cruelty, diet, elastin, extracts, free, Glycerin, goji, hydrate, ingredients, lanolin, lavender, moisturiser, Moringa, oil, peptides, pollution, production, products, protection, seed, serum, skin, the January, Toner, urea, UVA, Vegan, vitamin, Vitamin C

Photo by Ivan Samkov

January has long since been a time for new beginnings and setting intentions – the very first New Year’s resolutions were thought to have been made some four thousand years ago, by the ancient Babylonians! Since 2014, however, many people have been adopting “veganuary” as their new start, whereby they try to eat a vegan, plant-based diet for the whole of January. 

In fact, last year, over 600,000 people around the world signed up for Veganuary, and many more took part without doing the official sign up. For some, it’s just about diet, but becoming vegan usually means eradicating animal products from all areas of your life, including clothing and even skincare. With this in mind, we’ve put together a handy list of simple skincare swaps that you can make to ensure your skincare is vegan and cruelty free, for January and beyond:

Cleanser

There are a number of different animal-derived ingredients which can be found in cleansers, but with Evolve Organic Beauty you can be safe in the knowledge that ALL of their products are vegan and cruelty free. Evolve Organic Beauty Daily Detox Facial Wash contains natural sugars which cleanse away impurities, while organic aloe vera softens, leaving skin clean, smooth and supple. Natural goji berry extract and moringa peptides defend against pollution and help to rebalance the skin’s natural oil production. 

Toner

Many toners contain glycerin, and while glycerin can be vegan, it’s also often derived from animal fat extracts, which is cheaper. Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner contains only vegan ingredients, including extracts of lavender, sweet betty flower and saponins from quillaja wood to help to balance and soften the skin. It’s also a non-drying formula, unlike many toners, as it contains no harsh alcohols or detergents. 

Moisturiser

While there are MANY plant-based ingredients which are amazingly nourishing for the skin, some companies still rely on animal products like beeswax and lanolin. REN Clean Skincare Ultra Moisture Day Cream contains a natural blend of beech tree buds extract, which hydrates and improves skin texture, shea butter which softens and smooths skin and cranberry seed oil which replenishes with lipids and reinforces skin barrier, all of which are vegan and cruelty free. 

Serum

Another non-vegan ingredient which is commonly found in serums and other hydrating products is urea, which literally comes from animal urine – pretty nasty even if you’re NOT a vegan! Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum contains ingredients which hydrate, brighten and firm the skin, all of which are vegan in origin. In fact, this powerhouse serum combines ultra stable Vitamin C complex with a bio-technology to deliver the natural power of Vitamin C where it’s needed most. 

SPF

Sun protection often contains a number of different ingredients, such as elastin, lanolin and stearic acid, all of which are animal byproducts. However, Medik8 Advanced Day Total Protect SPF30 is a completely vegan formula and offers Pollution Shield, anti-infrared, anti-blue light and anti-A.G.E technology alongside SPF 30 and 5* UVA protection all in a lightweight moisturiser. This nourishing day cream boasts a range of protective technologies and replenishes skin’s hydration levels to keep it looking healthy and young.

How to Give Yourself a Mini At-Home Facial

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Aromatherapy Associates Rose Triple Exfoliator, beauty, camomile, candle, clean, cleanse, cleanser, Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Makeup Remover, essential oils, face, facial, geranium, home, lavender, mask, massage, Medik8 Ultimate Recovery Bio-Cellulose Mask, mood, nourishing, oils, palmerosa, pamper, rose, senses, sheet mask, skin, Skin Abode Contour Pro Face Massager, Spa, This Works Deep Sleep Heavenly Candle, treatment

Photo by Sora Shimazaki

While we’d obviously advocate for taking yourself off to a salon and having a professional facial, we’re well aware that time doesn’t always allow. However, even if you don’t have time for an appointment, there’s no reason that your skin should go neglected, which is why we’ve put together a guide to how to give yourself a mini facial at home, and which products you could use to make it almost as good as that spa-day experience!

Set the Mood

One thing that you’ll notice if you attend spas or beauty salons on a regular basis is that the mood is set the moment you walk in, thanks to certain smells and lighting. Soft is best, and candles are a great way to achieve both of these things. This Works Deep Sleep Heavenly Candle is a luxurious, hand-blended candle, enriched with pure essential oils of lavender and camomile. The soft, flattering light of this long-burning candle, together with its therapeutic fragrance, combine to help soothe senses and increase inner peace.

Cleanse Your Skin

When giving yourself an at-home facial, you want to use the best products you can to replicate that spa experience, and using gentle cleansers is a must. Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Makeup Remover is a new cleanser powered by the best scientific blend of virgin botanical oils and floral water to help cleanse and nourish the skin whilst removing all traces of make up, giving you the perfect clean base on which to work. 

Exfoliate

Next, we’d recommend a gentle exfoliation treatment, such as Aromatherapy Associates Rose Triple Exfoliator, which not only exfoliates your skin but also smells incredible, adding to the feelings of luxury. Blended from warm rose, geranium and palmarosa, this exfoliator draws from three types of softly smoothing botanical microspheres, with natural bamboo, corn cob granules and biodegradable rose water infused jojoba, to enrich and uplift the senses.

Use a Mask

Once you’ve got rid of any dirt and dead skin cells, your face is primed and ready for a deeper treatment, courtesy of a mask. Obviously, there are all sorts of masks out there for all different skin types, but we’re huge fans of Medik8 Ultimate Recovery Bio-Cellulose Mask. It is enriched with detoxifying minerals and deeply hydrating hyaluronic acid to help cool, restore and comfort even the most sensitive of skin types, giving you a super gentle wash of hydration. 

Give Yourself a Massage

Once you’ve given your mask time to work, we’d suggest some self-massage, courtesy of the Skin Abode Contour Pro Face Massager. It provides the perfect deep-tissue massage for your face to help banish those sagging jowls, lift your drooping browline and chisel those cheekbones. After taking off your sheet mask, leave the remaining serum on your face and use this massager to really work it into your skin. 

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like…Bedtime!

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Aromatherapy Associates Relax Body Oil, bath, bathing, bergamot, camomile, deep tissue, Evolve Organic Beauty Silent Night Bathing Salts, Gua Sha, Hayo'u Bian Stone Body Massager, lavender, massage, mind, natural, Neroli, night, pillow, reflexology, REN Clean Skincare And Now To Sleep Pillow Spray, salts, scent, sleep, spray, This Works Deep Sleep Bath Soak, vetiver, ylang ylang

Photo by Ivan Oboleninov 

While this is a busy time of the year for most of us, it’s a time which is also starting to be referred to as “the Sleepy Season” by many. That’s because there’s an increasing movement which encourages people to take advantage of the long winter nights by staying indoors and getting as much sleep as you can. We’ll be honest; as far as fads go, this is one that we can wholeheartedly get onboard with. After all, many creatures hibernate at this time of year, and who are we to argue with nature?! With this in mind, we’ve gathered together a collection of products which can help to give you the best night’s sleep of your life:

REN Clean Skincare And Now To Sleep Pillow Spray

The scent in your sleeping space can have a huge impact on how well you sleep. This pillow spray from REN Clean Skincare contains a soothing blend of fragrances which combine to create an aromatherapy blend which will lull you off to sleep. Frankincense, lavender and hops oil help relax the mind and body and are also safe to be sprayed directly onto your pyjamas, for a stronger hit of scent. 

This Works Deep Sleep Bath Soak

For many people, having a bath is the ultimate pre-bedtime ritual for helping to make them feel sleepy and relaxed, and adding some of this bath soak from This Works will enhance that effect hugely. It contains the award-winning Deep Sleep super blend of lavender, camomile and vetivert, which will harmonise your body and mind, leaving skin moisturised and lightly fragranced, and giving you the ultimate pre-sleep wind-down. 

Aromatherapy Associates Relax Body Oil

Self massage is a wonderful way to attune your mind and body, as well as helping you to wind down before bed. Aromatherapy Associates Relax Body Oil works to combat an overractive mind, soothe the body and quieten the senses. The blend of earthy vetiver, gentle camomile and prized Madagascan ylang ylang create the perfect pre-slumber routine or soothing treat to counter moments of daily stress.

Evolve Organic Beauty Silent Night Bathing Salts

Another product to enhance your evening bath, Evolve Organic Beauty Silent Night Bathing Salts are made in small batches and infused with lavender, bergamot, neroli and ylang ylang, a blend of essential oils proven to help you get a better night’s sleep. Add a generous handful to a warm bath and you’ll find that your mind and body start to relax, putting you in the best place for a great night’s sleep. 

Hayo’u Bian Stone Body Massager

Gua sha is a natural, alternative therapy that involves scraping your skin with a massage tool to improve your circulation and this Bian Stone Body Massager from Hayo’u is designed to help you to get the best sleep. It can be used for pressing and kneading the trigger points as deeply or softly as desired, working not only on the body but also the reflexology zones on the hands and feet, and will not only offer for deep tissue and muscle tension, fatigue and pain but also improves insomnia and supports deeper sleep.

The Best Christmas Beauty Gifts for Every Budget

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Aromatherapy Associates Support Lavender and Peppermint Bath and Shower Oil, bath, budget, Christmas, festive, Frankincense, GHD Platinum+ Hair Straightener-Champagne Gold, gift, gifts, giving, hair, Hayo'u Mineral Shower Wash, Hayo'u Signature Body Gua Sha Collection, heat, lavender, lotus flower, muscles, pamper, presents, Relax, shower, skin, stocking, stocking filler, styler, sunburn, tension, treat, Voesh 4 Step Deluxe Pedi in a Box Peppermint Swirl, ylang ylang

Photo by Juliana Malta on Unsplash

It’s officially December, which means that the Christmas shopping period is well and truly upon us! Whether you’re almost done and just need a couple of bits for a distant relative or you’ve still got almost everything to buy, we’ve got a selection of products from across our ranges to suit every budget. Here are our suggestions to help make your festive purchasing pain-free:

£10 or Under – Voesh 4 Step Deluxe Pedi in a Box Peppermint Swirl

Giving someone everything they need for a home pedicure is a great gift, but one that’s peppermint candy cane themed? Perfect! This is a complete hygienic spa pedicure solution, enriched with key ingredients to give your feet the nutrition they need. Each product is individually packed with the right amount for a single pedicure and your loved one will have feet which are ready for the parties between Christmas and New Year!

£30 or Under – Hayo’u Mineral Shower Wash

While you may not usually spend £30 on a shower gel, treating someone you love to this stress-busting product will show them exactly how much you care. It contains iconic Chinese ingredients such as lotus flower, frankincense and ylang ylang, all of which have been used for thousands of years to improve circulation and reduce stress, and the formulation is naturally paraben, SLS and SLES free, and does not contain mineral oil or petrolatum. 

£50 or Under – Aromatherapy Associates Support Lavender and Peppermint Bath and Shower Oil

If you want to treat someone you love to the ultimate in luxury bathing, then this bath and shower oil should be at the top of your list. The therapeutic oil blend, with soothing peppermint and high-altitude grown lavender ease sunburn, dissolve tension headaches and counter moments of over-indulgence as you soak or shower. It can also help to aid digestion and support the immune system, making it the perfect thing to help with the excesses of the festive season. 

£100 or Under – Hayo’u Signature Body Gua Sha Collection

If there’s someone in your life who loves wellness and deserves a treat, then this Gua Sha collection from Hayo’u could be a great choice. It contains everything you need to get your body looking and feeling good, including a Jade Body Comb, a Body Restorer and Body Oil which has been formulated specifically to be used with body gua sha. Regular usage can help to alleviate tight, tired muscles, support circulation and lymphatic drainage and provide instant muscle relief for peak performance.    

£100+ – GHD Platinum+ Hair Straightener-Champagne Gold

If you’re looking for a gift which will really spoil your loved-one rotten then you can’t go wrong with a GHD Platinum+ Hair Straightener in Champagne Gold! This  limited edition gift set is adorned in a dazzling champagne gold coat and accompanied by a dramatic red velvet vanity case. The straighteners are GHD’s ultimate SMART styler, equipped with ultra-zone predictive technology for superior styling in just one stroke. Infinity sensors fitted within the high gloss plates monitor heat distribution 250 times per second to maintain even heat distribution, for a personalised styling experience that adapts to your hair.