Just a quick post to show you some of the products that I picked up on a recent trip to Paris. I was really cautious of my small baggage allowance so I had to scale down my stash. A few of these products were recommendations and therefore I’ve yet to review them, but fear not a full review of all the products will be coming soon. What products would you buy on a trip to Paris?

Tea For The Soul

Just like most Brits I cannot function throughout the day without sipping at least three cups of tea (and that's just to get me started in the morning). My tea addiction started with an innocent cup of Breakfast tea when I was a child and from then on in my foray into tea has manifested itself into a full on addiction.

Fast forward a few years and my tea of choice is now a simple mild green tea which helps to wake me up in the mornings and provide me with the tiniest hit of caffeine for when I need an afternoon pick-up. I’ve sampled many different brands of green tea but I have always remained loyal to my Clipper Green Tea. It’s Fair Trade and it provides the perfect mild concoction to ease away any mild stresses. But what about the days when good old green tea won’t cut it?

I’ve have scoured the globe (quite literally) to bring my favourite teas and the qualities they posses. The first on my list is the Organic Rooibos Red Bush Tea. A charming red coloured sweet tea which carries the benefit of not only being organic but also caffeine-free as well as aiding a restful sleep. The taste is mild and sweet and similar to strawberry tea. Whittards do an amazing version of Rooibos tea (found here) with added vanilla which tastes divine. Similar in flavour to the Rooibos tea are two loose leaf teas that I picked up on a trip to New York for under $3 each. I picked up one cherry flavored black tea and one Vanilla flavoured from Pearl River Mart in Soho. They both come in adorable kitschy tins and are a nice alternative to green tea. The only downside to these teas is that the store doesn’t ship to the UK, however I found similar versions in Harrods food hall. 

Next up is the Pukka Three Mint Organic Tea. This is probably my favourite tea to sip when I am feeling unwell. Its well know that mint aids digestion and is an all-round miracle working for stomach upsets and this tea contain a huge dolloping of Peppermint, Spearmint and Fieldmint. Combined together this tea is like a hug in mug. Its sooths bloated and upset stomachs whilst giving you the added benefit of fresh breath.

Another tea in which I use for its ailment properties is Ginger Tea. But let me warn you this is not for the faint hearted. I use ginger tea when I am suffering from a ‘monthy’ stomach ache when even my hot water bottle won’t do its usual job. Ginger tea really helps ease uncomfortable, bloated stomachs in no time. I even add a sachet of Ginger tea into my bath along with bicarbonate soda and Epsom salts for a detoxifying soak. The flavour however is downright awful.

If a good night’s sleep is what you’re after then the Clipper Snore and Peace is the perfect concoction to have you heading towards the land of nod in no time. This organic beauty is infused with sleep inducing ingredients such as Lavender, camomile and Lemon Balm. I have to admit that although I’m not all that sold on the flavour, this tea really does helped to sooth me into slumber at bedtime.

For those  who like to sip their brews in a tranquil and social setting and also are Manchester based, The Art of Tea in Didsbury is my favourite tea destination to  sip away the hours. The small cosy cafe also has a second-hand book shop toward the back of the store which makes a nice little hideaways for those wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of the city cente chains.

So there you have it, the perfect tea guide for even the most novice tea drinker.

Simple Spelt Bread Recipe

Spelt bread is having a recent mini-revival. Every recipe blog I read at the moment is packed full of delicious ways to eat this diet staple. I prefer mine toasted, topped with olive and avocado with a sprinkle of sea salt but that’s just my preference.

There are many ways to incorporate this healthy treat into your daily diet. Used as lunch time treat to dip in freshly made soup, cut into soldiers and dipped into boiled eggs or even toasted up with butter as a mid afternoon snack-the possibilities are endless. I’ve adapted this recipe from the Clean and Lean Diet book; this is the simplest recipe I’ve found so far. A healthy and nutritious super food which can be cooked up under an hour in a few simple steps. Let me know what you think!

Ingredients

500g spelt flour

25g of fast acting dried yeast

½ teaspoon of sea salt

50g sunflower seeds

50g sesame seeds

50g linseed

400ml water

1 teaspoon butter to line the baking tray

Heat the oven to 200c/400f/gas mark 6

Mix all the ingredients together, making sure to add the water in last

Place the ingredients in a greased loaf tin

Bake in the over for 50 mins

Remove from the tin and place the loaf back into the over for a further 5-10mins

Take out and leave to cool for 5 mins

Enjoy!

Five Of The Best Moisturisers For Sensitive Skin

Having sensitive skin has to be the least favoured skin type and it is one that I have suffered with since High School. I found myself literally red-faced when I used one my sisters Clearasil face washes and my skin hasn't recovered since. I find buying sensitive, gentle products really frustrating and those that claim to be 'skin friendly' often  break me out the most. I have trialed many skin friendly products and I have discoved five of the best facial moisturisers that help my skin feel nourished and cared for.

The most classic and well loved item in my beauty closet is the highly regarded Olay Essentials Beauty Fluid. I often reach for this when my skin is hyper sensitive and suffering from breakouts. The light, almost gel-like formula sinks into the skin and sooths away painful outbreaks.

Next up is the A-derma Creme De Soin which I talked about here. Probably the most moisturising of the group, this also sinks into the skins like a dream but it is best saved for winter months due to its thick consistency. 

The latest addition to my beauty stash is the Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter. Not technically a face cream but due to the seriously gentle formula I regularly use this as a night time face moisturiser waking up with gleaming, smooth skin. Those like me that are also sensitive to fragranced products, this delicately  scented beauty won't irritate the skin or cause any breakouts. A full review of this product can be found here.Similarly, the Weleda Calendula Moisturising Body Cream is another product that is not technically a face cream but is also gentle enough to be used all over the body. The lightly lavender scented product is thick and nourishing enough to be used as a pick me up night cream and is best used as a bedtime treat. 

Last up on my list is the much hyped La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo. What can I say about this product that hasn't already been said a thousand times before? To get the most out of this product I use it as a primer after washing my face in the morning. It helps my make-up stay in place all day as well as clearing up any skin perfections.

What products do you reach for when your skin is suffering from sensitivity?

Product Of The Week: MUJI Milk Bath Salts

So this week’s product of week comes in the form of the MUJI Milk scented bath salts. I didn’t even realise that MUJI made beauty products let alone ones that smell like an expensive Pina Colado cocktail in St Bart’s. I purchased the MUJI baths salts last week and I honestly cannot wait to give them another try this week. Having never been a huge fan of gritty bath salts before, this product did everything it could to change my mind. It made my normally dull bath time routine a place of tranquil relaxation and soothed away any anxious thoughts that were creeping up, leaving me feeling sleepy and relaxed throughout the entire evening. I bought mine instore for £5.95 for a 350g packet but for those without a local MUJI store you can pick them up online here.

If you haven’t given these baths salts a try before, I urge you to do it soon. Products this good won’t be around for long.

Product Of The Week: Bare Minerals Original SPF 15 Foundation

I’ve recently been on the hunt for a natural foundation for the rare occasion when my usually trusty Nars Tinted Moisturiser doesn’t measure up to my hardcore blemishes. Step forward Bare Mineral Original SPF Foundation. Admittedly I was pretty apprehensive about trying Bare Minerals products as they just didn’t seem to appeal to my natural skincare regime. I had previously tried their night moisturiser and found it to be quite heavy and greasy on the skin and pretty off-putting. I was, however intrigued by the glowing reviews for their Original SPF Foundation. Claiming to provide the full coverage I needed without appearing caked on and heavy. I was matched up by one of the Bare Minerals counter staff in Selfridges who advised that I use the shade ‘Fairly light’. After trying a sample all over my face, I was really impressed with the results and came away with both the ‘Original SPF 15 Foundation’ and the ‘Full Flawless Face’ foundation brush. After being a tad sceptical about the Bare Minerals brand due to my previous failure with the night moisturiser, I have to admit, I have restored all faith in the brand and I will definitely be re-purchasing this foundation once its finished.

What do you think of the Bare Minerals brand? Do they measure up?

The Beauty Edit

No matter how many beauty products I try (believe me I get through a lot) there are always those products that I come back to time and time again. Much loved and much used, these products may not be the most glamorous of offerings but they are my own cult stash of goodies that get me through my beauty mishaps. 

The first product that comes to mind is Blue Arrow’s ‘Mane‘n Tail and Body Shampoo’. I had been dying to get my hands on this shampoo for some time and after finding it stocked in a Somerfield store on a recent trip to Las Vegas, I hastily picked up a gigantic bottle for only $6.  Using it that same night, I applied a small amount of product throughout my hair lathering up a treat and leaving my hair shiny and smooth the next morning. There is a downside to using this product of course. As the shampoo was originally created to bathe horses, it comes with a very subtle yet distict smell. Not entirely off-putting, yet it still has that botanical smell associated organic shampoo. I’ve scoured the internet to find this product in the UK and Amazon come up trumps with a small bottle costing just £3.43.

Second up on my beauty edit list is the &Other Stores body wash in ‘Couture Carnival’ I cannot describe to you how good this body wash smells you just simply have to try it. I’ve tried a few of the &Other Stories body washes, but this is by far the best in terms of the scent. Lathered up with exfoliating gloves this makes for a perfect all over body wash, leaving the skin smelling amazing all day long.

I couldn’t compose a beauty edit without including one of my favourite facial moisturiser, A-Derma's ‘Crème De Soin’. I picked up this moisturiser last year on a short trip to Paris. Admittedly, I had never heard of the brand before, but had recently read about it online in an interview with Valentine Fillol-Cordier (seriously who doesn’t want to look like her!?!) I also picked up the face wash too, both of which still remain among my facial favourites. Boots have recently started stocking a small collection of the brand both online and instore, making my search a little more location friendly.

Moving swiftly on, my next skincare offering is a product I picked up on a whim on New Year’s Day. You may have heard of it before and you haven’t, seriously where have you been? It’s the Waitrose 'Baby Bottom Butter'. This stuff is just magical. I’ve used it all over as a body moisturiser and I even use it on my face, it’s that gentle. I’m pretty gutted I came late to the party with this product as I couldn’t imagine ever not using it.Want to know the best part though... it costs under £3.

Last on my list of beauty favourites is the TRESemme'Keratin Smooth Heat Protecting shine spray'. This was purchased after a telling off from my hairdresser when I casually mentioned that I’ve never used a protecting spray when styling my hair (whoops). She was so horrified with my confession she demanded I invest in one pronto. I picked up the TRESemme spray simply because it was half price in boots, and boy was it a good choice. I spray it onto damp hair before styling and it leaves my hair free from frizz, seriously shiny and smelling clean and fresh all day and night.

So there you have it, the Beauty Edit favourites currently dominating my daily routine. Enjoy.