eco selfcare

Trying to Get Naturally Healthy Skin in Just One Month – Week 2

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 1 Comment

Week 2 Routine (at the start, changes through the week, see bottom of post for final product changes). See week 1 here.

Morning I cleanse with Neal’s Yard Micellar Water, then I use the Nip+Fab Hyaluronic Acid and The Body Shop moisturiser (apart from when I’m in the sun, then I use the Murad Moisturiser). At night I cleanse with the Micellar water again and use Herbal Dynamics Beauty, Rose Balm so my skin doesn’t wake up dry. To exfoliate I’m using The Ordinary Lactic Acid.

Monday

Desperately need to cut my fringe and not rub my eyes when I’ve just applied products!

I’ve been applying The Ordinary Lactic acid with a wet face pad and it really is gentler than Glycolic Acid.

Tuesday

Did a quick cleanse with Neals Yard Remedies Micellar Water and moisturiser combo today as I was in a rush. My skin is producing its own natural oils more, hurrah! Keeping my hydration levels up and getting lots of Omega oils in my diet so not ashamed to say I ate onion rings, baked beans and smiley faces for tea. Cleansed face but forgot Rose Balm before bed – oops!

Wednesday

Salad, falafel and humus for dinner and (dairy free) lasagne for tea. Gently massaged The Ordinary Lactic Acid into skin with my fingers today and left it on for 15 minutes before removing with a wet face pad. Applied The Body Shop Vit C moisturiser and Herbal Dynamics Beauty face balm.

Thursday

Feeling a lot more confident about just slapping on some tinted lip balm, rather than medium coverage foundation to cover redness and highlighter to make me look alive again. I’m realising my face is more neutral toned with warm yellows and natural cool pink tones mixed together.

Friday

My eye bags hardly exist anymore (I’m gobsmacked) and my chins are also benefitting from the massage my face gets when I apply skincare. Being a good bunny and treating myself to vegan and gluten free takeaway.

Saturday

This is me, shortly after waking up before my daily skincare regime. I really do need to lighten my touch when massaging around my eyes as you can see from the slight bruising under them. Had a spicy, tomato and bean salad for lunch and Daal (lentil curry) for tea.

Sunday

I’ve used a facemask and my pores are clear and a little smaller but still really noticeable, especially now my skin is reflecting more light. Hmmm.

Products I’m stopping using

Nip + Fab, Hyaluronic Acid as my skin doesn’t needs it any more, The Ordinary, Lactic Acid isn’t too drying so I have enough moisture. I’m nixing the Murad Cleanser as using the Lactic Acid instead is quicker and simpler. The Clay Face scrub didn’t work great as a mask (I admit I didn’t read it properly) and I certainly don’t need anymore exfoliating!

Products I’m introducing

Here’s what the Neal’s Yard, Micellar Cleanser looks like. I’m using classic face masks from Montagne Jeunesse now. Here’s a lip balm from Yaoh! as I forgot to mention this last week.

Trying to Get Naturally Healthy Skin in Just One Month – Week 1

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 3 Comments

My Skin History

In my teens and early twenties I had terrible skin, with lots of tiny bumps under the surface as well many active spots. I wouldn’t say it was full blown acne but it was close enough for my GP to say it was hormone related and to put me on pills aged 16. They did nothing. Then at 28 the spots were mainly on my T-zone and only around four at a time by now but I’d still look bright red without full coverage foundation, so I went on the contraceptive pill. It helped my crazy oily T-zone and therefore my spots, as well as being a handy form of birth control. Age 30 after a lot of research online about hormones and inflammation and healthy diets etc. I took a food intolerance test. I tested a big positive to milk and gluten. After cutting way down on gluten my tummy and face was less bloated and my eyes less puffy. After cutting way down on dairy my skin cleared completely! I stopped waking up with a bright red face as well, which was such a relief!

These days I usually have fairly blemish-free skin but it’s actually very dry and dehydrated. The texture has always felt grainy (even though you can’t see it) as if my skin doesn’t produce enough natural acids to melt away the dead skin. I also go randomly go bright red every now and then, due to dust allergies and water temperature sensitivity.

Goals

  • Stick to my skincare routine (exfoliation/cleanse, tone, serum, moisturiser, oil)
  • Hydrate enough in general
  • Eat more fruit and veg
  • Avoid ALL dairy for a month (surprisingly tricky)
  • Blemish free skin
  • Even toned skin
  • Moisturised skin
  • Hydrated skin
  • Plumper skin

Products

  • Murad, Age Reform, AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser
  • The Ordinary, Lactic Acid 5% Superficial Peel
  • Nip + Fab, Dragons Blood Hyaluronic Acid
  • The Body Shop, Vitamin C Moisturiser
  • Murad, Essential C Moisturiser, SPF 30
  • Herbal Dynamics Beauty, Revit Age, Concentrated Face Balm
  • Love Beauty Foods, Clay Face Scrub

[I will use The Ordinary Lactic Acid Peel if I’m too tired to use the Murad exfoliater as it takes a lot of massaging and rinsing. I also have a weird sensory-avoidance thing about splashing my face with water some days!? I will use the Murad moisturiser if I need any sun protection.]

Week 1

Monday

My skin is very dry and dehydrated. My oil/balm seems to just be sitting on top of my skin. Need to keep on top of my healthy eating better.

Tuesday

Still feel dry and dehydrated, even though I’ve done all of my skincare routine but at least I look a little glowy. Existed on watered down energy drink and takeaway today so not the best but it was vegan and so dairy free.

Wednesday

I have 7 spots which could be due to previous dairy intake. After three days of gentle exfoliation, my skin is absolutely sucking up the moisturiser and facial balm. Had a big protein salad and drank all of my water bottle.

Thursday

Made a fresh banana milkshake with a very ripe banana, some hazelnut milk and a stick blender. Spots are still lingering and I’ve run out T-tree gel and Witch Hazel so I applied a little Savlon antiseptic cream instead!

Friday

It actually worked! Spots look much calmer and smaller. I somehow managed to forget to do any of my skincare. I got up mid-afternoon and just couldn’t keep track of what time or even day it was, all day.

Saturday

Woke up looking rather red, which I think is because I’ve been sat on the sofa that gets four hours of sun all week. This might be a little much for my skin when it’s got the Glycolic or Lactic Acid on it. I’ll be applying the Murad moisturiser with sun protection the next time I do this!

Sunday

Before I’ve even applied any skincare my skin feels softer and smoother (apart from my stubborn nose) than I have ever felt it before, as if I’m wearing a really good primer! I’ve (mostly) been keeping hydrated and I’ve been eating little salads before meals to get some fresh veg everyday.

I’ve no idea what that big chunk of blonde hair is trying to do!?

Week 1 Conclusion

I was so sceptical that I would stick to this routine with my brain fog but I did, apart from just one day. It made me feel better about myself, because I’m actively doing something for my health and well-being.

After just one week, I didn’t expect my skin to feel and look good before I’d applied any products but it’s already working and my eye bags (I’ve had since I was a teen) have virtually gone!

The scar I have below my nose and mouth has flattened out more and looks smoother too.

I’m going to introduce a micellar water from Neal’s Yard Remedies next week to be able to cleanse without water if I wish and to get rid of any left over exfoliator gritty bits left around my hairline, which is where I think some those spots came from.

I forgot to do the face mask oops!

As always I love hearing what you think and if you have any tips, advice or similar experiences.

💛✨Chrissie✨💛

Monthly Life Update – March (Yup, I know we’re well into April)

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / Leave a comment

March was a bit of a non-month really. Me and the bloke started our quarantine, apart from him having an hour in the park every few days. It’s a big park with wide paths and wide gates so no need to be anywhere near anyone else. A Submotion Orchestra gig (dub, orchestral, hip-hop) got cancelled which was sensible but sad. Luckily we hadn’t booked anything else or made plans to go anywhere else.

Lifestyle

In January I made a secret resolution to avoid gluten as it effects my breathing and doesn’t help with my naturally challenged memory and concentration skills, as well as making me bloated. I’m doing better with the above which is wonderful and I’ve have discovered I have a little square chin, rather than the two (or even three) rounded chins that I normally have. Bonus!

At first I thought the Jay was screeching at me for food, until I put some out and it ignored it. It carried on screeching right next me. I went into the kitchen at one point and noticed it stopped. I came back and it started. I realised it had looked at me, sat in my living room and decided I was too close to the branch that it had chosen and was shouting at me to go away! Erm…..!?

This is Little Groot, the huge chilli plant we cut right back to a tiny stump when it stopped giving us chilli’s. It’s a tenacious little fecker and has come back with a vengeance, which we hoped but didn’t really expect.

I find the trend of young women shaving the peach fuzz off their cheeks such a shame. It’s natural, your skin isn’t supposed to look as smooth and shiny as a Barbie Dolls and why are we adding yet another step in the relentless quest to look ‘perfect’? Here’s me with my fluffy face (you can see it on the right hand side in contrast with the shadow) which most people find really sweet.

Style

I went through a pastel-goth moment (perfect style to cheer up grey, cold weather) and found this huge metal quote pin from Crazy Crafty Chick Club.

I’m still rocking my custom Airforce 1’s and find that they go with basically everything. I can fit my orthotics in them and I can wear my ankle brace with them too. If you need spacious, stable but fairly light weight footwear, these are dream shoes!

I’ve finally got all of the styles of boots I’ve ever wanted so I will not be buying any more, ever. The chunky pair are from Koi and the slimmer pair are from Newlook (detachable wings from Koi) and everything is vegan.

Beauty

I stumbled across this independent soap brand in Tesco of all places as it was the only soap left but it’s the best soap though, how odd!? Vegan, cruelty free and genuinely natural. They do a range for pets too!

Cheered myself up with a sparkly coral mani.

Food

I bought this beautiful vegan porcini mushroom sauce and gluten free gnocchi in a huge (and perfectly timed) shop from Ocado just before all of their delivery slots got maxed out.

First salad of the year! With Violife Greek Block (supposed to be feta, tastes exactly like goats cheese instead) and Gosh! Mediterranean Red Pepper Falafel. I do get boxes of cheap falafel mix from the corner shop as well but these are quick and easy for when I’m fatigued.

Amy’s Burritos are the perfect size between a snack and a meal. This one is the tofu breakfast scramble and there are several others with rice and one with cheesy baked-beans. So good!

I tried Violife extra cheesy block and ‘ham’ slices, which had such similar textures and even flavours, that they blended together to create one weird flavour in my sandwich. Fail! The ‘ham’ is perfect on a sarny with pickled onion/cauliflower or a teeny bit of mustard. The cheese is perfect on a sarny with spring onions or on a cracker with sandwich pickle.

What a strange, almost surreal month that was.

🖤✨Chrissie🖤✨

The Best 4 Natural Deodorants

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Our bodies need to sweat so we can cool down, rather than passing out. Usually we don’t need to sweat excessively, unless we are pushing ourselves physically or we’re in a hot climate and we certainly don’t need pong, yes even with natural deodorant!

Ohii Pure Stick Deodorant in Rose or Citrus Tea 72g £10

This very chubby stick uses charcoal to absorb sweat and treat odours. I recommend the Citrus Tea scent to Male you smell as fresh as a mountain top. Don’t use this if you are wearing a black bra or top as it can leave white marks if you spread it on your body very thickly.

Amphora Aromatics Roll-on Deodorant in Grapefruit & Cedarwood 50ml £4.90

There are three scents available but I find this unisex scent so sexy that I bought a vegan perfume which smells exactly like it! It doesn’t contain any aluminium, synthetic perfume or alcohol.

Your Nature Life Stick Deodorant in Sandalwood & Bergamot £7.95

A stick with oils and butters to nourish skin and arrow root powder to absorb sweat, this push up deodorant stick is packaged in cardboard only. Available in six scents, I love the sexy warmth of the Sandalwood & Bergamot scent.

Ku.tis Natural Deodorant £6.59 55g

This vegan deodorant is made with sunflower oil, rather than beeswax and comes in a biodegradable or recyclable cardboard tube. Available in five very mild scents, this little stick is really handy to pop in your handbag.

_____________________

All of these deodorants are cruelty free and work reasonably well but do need reapplying toward the end of the afternoon/early evening. I’ve not found any of them to block my pores or irritate in anyway. Another big plus I’ve noticed is that after a night out, even though I’ve been sweating, my top still smell great. I hope I’ve made your natural deodorant journey easier, lovely people!

🖤✨Chrissie✨🖤

Discovering – Little Soap Company

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One good thing about all of the big brands selling out is that smaller, independent brands get chosen by shoppers instead. I found a soap from the Little Soap Company for sensitive skin which my face and body love!

Little Soap Company was created ten years ago by Emma Heathcote-James who wanted natural, organic and cruelty free soap to be available to everyone when doing their normal weekly food shop. Her soap is available at Tesco, Waitrose, Ocado, Whole Foods and Sainsbury’s.

Their products are recognised as Vegan, Cruelty Free and organic are free from:

  • Detergents
  • SLS
  • Alcohol
  • Parabens
  • Sorbates
  • Silicones
  • Sulphates
  • Synthetic fragrances
  • Synthetic preservatives

The companies products include:

  • Bar soap
  • Liquid soap
  • Soy candles
  • Shampoo and conditioner
  • Gift sets
  • Pet shampoo
  • A Mum and baby range
  • A range especially for men

  • This has come at the perfect time for me as I want a British, independent brand where I can shop online for simple blocks of soap and natural shampoo and conditioner that are reasonably priced.

    What’s one of your favourite natural skincare/haircare brands?

    🖤✨Chrissie✨🖤

    Monthly Life Update – January

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 5 Comments

    My memory is so crap for these type of posts, I need to start writing this stuff down everyday.

    Lifestyle 💁🏽‍♀️

    Check out these eyebrows! I’ve fully grown them out so I can tweeze them back into a coherent shape easily. I‘ve given this top to charity as I constantly had to lint roller fluff off it. Ain’t no one got time for that!

    Carrying on with trying to minimise my impact on the planet, I bought these Sustainable Essentials from Ecologue.

    Me pissing around and doing The Dolly Parton Challenge.

    After 1 wrong order (and a correction) and 2 stunning deliveries with flower delivery company Bloom and Wild, I ordered Lillies and white roses. The roses died long before the lillies even opened. I’ve learned my lesson and shall be buying from Tesco…or the garage from now on!

    Skincare 🧖🏽‍♀️

    The most effective deodorant I’ve ever used is Ohii, Charcoal Natural Deodorant (which I like to think is pronounced ‘Oh, eye?’). It’s vegan, yay! But not refillable, boo!

    Glycolic Acid is my friend once again in – the incredibly effective – Pixi, Glow Tonic. Cleanses, brightens and smooths without being too drying.

    Stressing Less 💆🏻‍♀️

    I’ve noticed that if I don’t pressure myself to go to bed and wake up at a reasonable time, I sleep much better. I go to bed around 1.00am when I’m actually tired enough to sleep and anytime I’ve had enough sleep is when I get up. That’s reasonable for me.

    I’m also stressing less about what is supposed to be happening when and tend to just be content with what is happening now. Not caring about being in control of everything and just letting stuff play out is a lot less stressful!

    Wearing 👚

    I tried to get some style basics in the sales and had mixed success but I like these posts because they give you an idea of various brands sizing and quality etc.

    Eating 🥗

    Having three meals a day and eating a small breakfast before my body desperately needs fuel, so I have a clear head and the energy to put together something nicer later on.

    I’ve gotten back into salad/deli type foods like humus, pickles, roasted peppers and tomatoes, crackers, seeds, nuts, stuffed vine leaves, chilled tofu (fried in toasted sesame oil and then chilled makes it taste like chicken breast for some reason) and so many condiments. There’s half a shelf full of them in the fridge lol BUT I’ve discovered my fave noodle place has stopped doing sushi! 😱

    Greggs have launched their Vegan Stakebake and Vegan Sausageroll, so although I’m cheating with the gluten in the pastry, I still HAD to try them. Sadly I ran out of change and could only afford the stakebake, which was Delicious!

    Reading 📖

    I couldn’t get my head into reading books over Jan so I’ve been reading blogs including Roses Have Thoughts , Square One Notes , Mae Polzine and Cosmopolitan, Red, and Vogue, which was in a two-for-one deal surprisingly. I’ve read some great interviews, features, tips and reviews.

    Watching 👀

    Better than Human (with English subs) – this was similar to, but better than the Humans. Not as preachy and waster pacing and more relatable characters I thought.

    Black Mirror series 2 – I really enjoyed this because it wasn’t as heavy as the first but still very poignant.

    Black Lightning – Pop corn for the mind, with extra cheese. The quality of the fight scenes, the character arcs, the editing and the pacing of the story were all wildly uneven. The characters were likeable and the soundtrack consistently good though.

    Santa Clarita Diet – featuring Drew Barrymore as a zombie and a wife and Mum. Once you get passed the clunky acting and awkwardly timed jokes in the first series and it just gets better and better. Brilliantly bizarre!

    🖤✨Chrissie✨🖤

    Sustainable Essentials from Ecologue

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 3 Comments

    I’ve discovered an affordable UK eco shop online called Ecologue. They sell what’s pictured bellow as well as bamboo cotton buds, tote bags and metal straws.

    Stainless Steel Bottle

    I’ve had two water bottles recently, a plastic one which smelled funky after two months and a huge metal flask which can be too heavy when full. I was so pleased to find this metallic blue flask (how gorgeous is that colour) with matte ‘grippy’ paint and easy-to-open lid. Stainless Steel Bottles £10 for both 500ml or 750ml which keep things hot or cold for hours!

    Bamboo Makeup Pads

    I use cotton pads everyday either morning or evening for my cleanser and/ or micellar water, it was one of the few wasteful things I still did. These Makeup Remover Pads £14.99 for 16 pads are made of 70% cotton and 30% bamboo and can be thrown into the washing machine inside their net bag. I don’t use long wear foundation, water proof mascara or seven layers of under-eye concealer and then powder. If I did, I’m not sure how white these would stay!? But they are perfect for me!

    Bamboo Handle Toothbrush

    This is from a family pack of 4 Bamboo toothbrushes for £8. The bristles are soft but dense which I prefer to the modern plastic ones and the round handle is still fairly easy to grip.

    For eco reasons of generating less waste and packaging (even though it’s all cardboard) I ordered the pack of toothbrushes and the biggest pack of pads. The bottles sell out quickly (because they are awesome obv) so if you have your eye in one you better grab it quick!

    🖤✨Chrissie✨🖤