Caring for cuticles (Guest Author)

It’s such a lovely, satisfying feeling to have a well-cared for body – exfoliated, purified, hydrated & moistened.  But how often are we able to luxuriate in that feeling?  Mostly, we simply don’t seem to find the time or have the energy.

 

Is there an answer?  To some extent, there is – it’s convenience.  If something is “convenient” we tend to do it.

 

This is why I always keep a small cosmetic bag close by when watching tv – even if it’s just the news!  My cosmetic bag contains cuticle cream, cuticle stick (orange stick), emery board, hand cream and a small nail cutter/cuticle scissor (which I use with care and only when I feel it is really necessary).

 

Why is the cuticle so important?

 Just below the cuticle, new skin cells are formed.  These harden and become the nail.  Of course, in addition to that, well cared for cuticles are much more attractive than broken, tough cuticles covering part of the nail.

 

So, while watching tv, I firstly massage cuticle cream into the base of each nail and then gently push the cuticle back with an orange stick.  If you have not done this for some time (or ever!) it is extremely  important that you do not use too much pressure.  The result could be very sore nails with damaged cuticles that can lead to infection.  It may be that you need to slowly encourage the cuticles back over a period of time and then maintain them on a more regular basis.

 

The end result is more attractive nails that you can grow more easily and maintain at a uniform length.

Coconut Lovin' Bath Bliss

I love a bath. I probably have a bath a minimum of once a month if not twice a month. If this ever comes up in conversation with others I get an ‘OMG’ reaction that it is so frequent. I did say I love a bath. Besides, it’s not that frequent compared to my hubby who I doubt would go a week without at least one bath, if not two. Yes, we are a big bath loving little family.

 

I love to have baths with bubbles and other products like oils & salts etc.  I really don’t know if I would bother with a bath if it didn’t have something added to it.

Me in my bath with Pompadour votive candles and lots of bubbles

 

I have developed my own kind of ritual to having a bath. I don’t seem to have a bath anymore without:

 ·        Music playing

 ·        All lights off and candles burning

 ·        Bath products - at the moment that tends to be:

a) Bubbles

plus

b) Some kind of oil for moisturising the skin

 

With my ‘bath’ play list going, candles burning, I am ready to relax in bubbles and skin softening oils and scents.

 

 

In my last bath I used my favourite bubble bath: Lavender & Acacia Foaming Bath by Le Couvent desMinimes.

 

Lavender & Acacia Foaming Bath by Le Couvent des Minimes

& Extra Virgin Coconut Oil by INDAH

 

What makes it my favourite? – plenty of bubbles and the scent. Aahhh the scent, I am a sucker for Lavender. Yes I know, it’s so ‘Nanna’. I can’t help it, I love it. The Acacia (wattle) in this range seems to soften the scent of lavender in it and, well, it just works for me. Plus I love the History of the brand:

 

 

I also added for the first time, two teaspoons of Indah's Coconut oil.

 

 

WOW!! This was crazy good.

There was no scent, so I could continue to enjoy my favourite bubble bath scent. It didn’t interrupt with bubble levels (some products you could add to a bath can flatten all bubbles rapidly). There was no sign it was there during the bath at all – perfect. I forgot I had added it and was just lying there enjoying my music.

 

My bath play list at the moment

 

 

When I got out of the bath – that’s when I  could not help but notice it’s effects. My skin was so soft, so smooth.  I could feel how moisturised and hydrated it was. I really was so stunned how well it had moisturised and softened. I can't rave about this enough! I think it might just be the best thing I've ever added to my bath!

Definitely no need to add any body cream after that bath, just straight into my pj’s and off to bed (more or less).

Coconut lovin’ Bliss!



The products I used are available at my shop:
www.bellainspirations.com
For more information on INDAH you can also visit:
www.indah.com.au

Re-use Candle Glasses/Jars

Candles can be beautiful. They can make a house a home with their scent and ambience.  I spend many evenings and nights with the only light being that of my candles burning.

 

There are so many styles - from the glass they are contained in or the wax they are made with. The choice seems endless. I continue to find brands I have never heard of.

 

Like many, I am attracted to how the candle looks. Sometimes I am lucky enough to be given candles to try them out. I accumulate so many empty glass containers and am always looking for ways to re-use them.

 

Candles I burn are natural, but I still don’t like to re-use my containers for food uses. I find there is always scent left in the container no matter how much I wash it and I just don’t want that to permeate any food.

 

I am stumped sometimes on ways to re-use my empty glass candle containers. I thought I would start to record ways I use them so as to not only possibly help others find ways, but also for me to refer to.

 

 

I filled this Pompadour glass with all my beaded bracelets that I seem to have too many of.

 

 

 

 

 

I have a couple of these Palm Beach glasses filled with tea light candles where ever I have an oil burner. So handy to have them right there with the oil burner.

 

 

 

More  Pompadour Candle glasses in the bathroom. One for cotton buds, one for cotton pads and one that I dropped and smashed the lid is handy for a few bits 'n' pieces.