Welcome to Ten Minute Tips, a little gift from Panda Licorice exclusively for you.
As modern women we have so many demands on our time. Caring for children or grandchildren and elderly relatives, holding down full-time careers and performing household chores – with so many tasks to cram into every day it’s no surprise that many of us girls have no ‘me-time’ to relax and indulge ourselves.
Well, we want to help so we have brought together a team of experts that will provide you with bite-sized tips that you can fit into your daily lives to enhance your health, wellbeing and confidence. Ten Minute Tips will offer updates on beauty, style, hair and make up, nutrition, fitness, relationships and life coaching.
We also welcome you to share your own tips, thoughts and experiences.
They are a staple in most of our wardrobes yet lots of ladies struggle with getting jeans that flatter. Jeans are notorious for being ill fitting, unless you’re lucky enough to be perfectly proportioned. The general rules are:
- Bootcut – great for balancing out a heavy hip or curvy bum.
- Flare – great for doing all the same things as a bootcut but tend to be slimmer on the thigh so good for ladies who have slim legs but a curvy pear shaped bum and hips.
- Loose or boyfriend – great for a more casual look, most girls can wear this look except those with a very curvy bum, a bootcut will flatter more.
- Super skinnies – only for slim legs and well proportioned figures.
- Skinnies – more curvy girls can rock this look with heels but great with flats for even curvy girls as long as you are in proportion – curvy legs and curvy bum and hips. Not good on pear shapes.
- Cropped or ankle skimmers – no canckles allowed! Great on tall girls but not for petite girls wanting to look taller. Great with killer heels for night time.
- Straight – good for straight body shapes and boyish figures.
- High waisted – combat muffin tops with high waisted styles. Not great for curvy bums that are not in proportion.
I know you won’t want to hear it but expensive jeans are amazing for girls who have difficulty with high street styles. Designer styles can be pricey, usually around £150 – £250 but think pay per wear, on average we wear jeans at least three times a week and they last around 3 years – that’s less than 50p per wear to feel fabulous! Compare that to a £100 dress you only wear twice and you’re quids in! More expensive styles really do flatter on difficult body shapes so I challenge you to go and have a try on and I don’t think you will ever look back!
How important is your career? What ideally would you like to achieve in your working life? Whilst work takes up a lot of our time, the majority of people give very little thought to what they are doing, whether they are enjoying their work and how ambitious they really are. Perhaps now is the time to give some thought to this and to set your-self a goal. This might be a goal for advancement within your present area of work or to switch to something quite different.
We know that when goals are written down, they are more likely to be achieved. Once you have a goal in mind then you can plan the various activities and experiences needed to help you to achieve this. This might involve gaining extra qualifications, attending a course or doing some job shadowing for example.
Many people may be reasonably happy in their work and not very ambitious and take opportunities as they are presented to them. In fact they often allow other people to suggest what they might do next. As a consequence some people find themselves in positions where they aren’t really happy. They might feel a fraud or out of their depth. It is important therefore that we take charge of our own lives and decide for ourselves what we want to do and not leave it to others.
For those who aren’t happy at work, it is worth thinking whether this is because someone else decided what was best for us or because we are doing a job which doesn’t fit with our values or beliefs. It isn’t easy to change jobs in the present economic climate but we need to make a move to one which we enjoy and are able to feel more relaxed in. Doing this will also help improve our performance at work and lead to increased confidence.
Seeking feedback from colleagues, preferably 360o feedback, will also provide invaluable data to help us decide whether to change jobs and when to go for promotion.
Tuna Steak on Pepper and Noodle Bed
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
2 tuna steaks, 125g each
1 teaspoon finely grated lime rind
2 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
pepper
½ tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
Noodles
100g [dry weight] instant noodles
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 garlic clove
1 red pepper, seeded and finely sliced
1 yellow pepper, seeded and finely sliced
rind and juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lime slices and chopped red pepper to garnish
Preparation
1. Wipe the tuna or lightly rinse and pat dry with absorbent kitchen paper.
2. In a small bowl mix together the garlic, cumin, 2 teaspoons of lime rind, olive oil coriander and pepper to make a paste.
3. Spread the paste thinly on both sides of the tuna steaks.
4. Place the noodles to a large pan of boiling water, return to the boil and cook for 4 minutes. Drain, rinse and reserve.
4. Heat a non-stick frying pan until hot and press the tuna steaks into the pan to seal them. Lower the heat and cook for 3 minutes. Turn the fish over and cook for a further 3-5 minutes or until cooked to personal preference. Remove from the pan and place in a warm oven to keep hot.
5. Add the garlic and peppers to the pan and sauté quickly until they start to soften. Add the noodles, the remaining lime rind and juice and soy sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes, turning regularly.
6. Place the noodles on warm serving plates and top with the tuna steak. Garnish each one with a slice of lime and red pepper.
Nutritional Information:
Kcal: 427
Protein: 44g
Carbohydrate: 44g
Fat: 10g
Spring Chicken
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Servings per recipe: 1
Ingredients:
1 egg white
1 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese
1 organic chicken breast (approx 100g/4 oz)
100g baby new potatoes
2 large handfuls of baby spinach leaves
5 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 handful basil leaves
1 handful of mangetout
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to season
Preparation:
Heat grill to medium and line the grill pan with foil.
Beat the egg white on a plate with a little salt and pepper.
Tip the parmesan onto another plate. Dip the chicken first in egg white, then the cheese.
Grill the coated chicken for approximately 8 mins, turning once until browned and crisp.
Meanwhile, boil the potatoes for 8 – 10 mins, adding the mangetout for the final 3 mins, then drain.
Toss the vegetables with the spinach and basil leaves, cherry tomatoes, vinegar and seasoning to taste.
Serve on a plate topped with the chicken breast sliced into inch thick pieces.
Nutritional Breakdown:
Calories: 433
Carbohydrate: 37g
Protein: 50g
Fat: 10g
Fibre: 8g
Fresh Chilli Scallops and Spaghetti
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Servings per recipe: 1
Ingredients:
75g whole-wheat spaghetti
4 – 5 fresh wild Clearwater scallops
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander
2 – 3 cloves crushed garlic
3 tablespoons white wine
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
Preparation:
1. Clean the scallops discarding the black vein if necessary, rinse and pat dry If large cut into 2 or 3 slices. Pat dry on kitchen paper and reserve.
2. Cook pasta in a large pan of lightly salted rapidly boiling water for 3 minutes or according to packet directions, drain reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquor.
3. Return the pasta to the pan together with the cooking liquor, reserve.
4. Heat 1 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan, sauté the onion for 2 – 3 minutes then add the chilli, garlic, coriander and wine and cook for a further 3 – 4 minutes, stirring before adding the scallops. Stir well until coated with the chillies.
5. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally or until just cooked. Season to taste and keep warm..
6. Heat through the pasta until piping hot then serve on a warmed plate and top with the scallops. Eat immediately.
Nutritional Breakdown:
Calories: 433
Carbohydrate: 60g
Protein: 32g
Fat: 7g
Fibre: 7g
As David Brent would undoubtedly say – never assume; because it makes an ass of u and me. Assuming is basically guessing, based entirely on your own perceptions. So if you’re not clear about what somebody means, ask them. This would almost certainly clear up 99% of the misunderstandings in the world. When someone’s saying anything that makes us uncomfortable- whether it’s asking for more space in the relationship, or a pay rise – the tendency is to mentally jump ahead, and second-guess what they’re really saying. So, “I’d like to spend more time with friends” becomes, “I’m bored of you and I’m planning to leave,” and “I don’t know if I want to go on holiday with your family” instantly translates as “you’re a massive loser and your whole family is a nightmare.” Everyone’s insecure, and it’s very hard to hear things that we suspect conceal painful judgments. So instead of probing to find out what’s really meant, we take the assumption, and run with it. Rather than say, “OK, what kind of holiday would you like?” we’ll shout, “Fine! Well, they’re not so keen on you, either!”
Luckily, there’s a useful technique called ‘mirroring’ which simply requires you to repeat back what you think you heard. Saying “So I’m hearing you don’t want to go on holiday with my family…why is that?” opens up the discussion, and allows for greater honesty all round.
Equally, when someone else is assuming they know what you mean- or what you’re going to say- it can be just as annoying. Stop it dead, by saying, “I’m not sure if I’m making myself clear. What I really mean is..” as soon as they assume the worst.
And if it is the worst? Well, it still pays to be clear about it.
Accessories can make a look, they bring an outfit bang up to date and can transform the most basic piece from day wear to evening wear. Just one statement piece can have a real impact on a simple dress, be it a fabulous belt or a seriously giganticus necklace. No longer the fashion afterthought, the high street has begun to understand the selling power of amazing accessories – it’s big business which is good news for us shoppers, bumping the range and quality of available accessories sky high. One fabulous piece can take an outfit from dull to dazzling, average to amazing – but don’t overdo it, there is nothing worse than overkill. For budget shoppers choose one or two high fashion pieces per season to add an up to date edge to your look, be it a belt or bag, a great fashion look can be obtained easily and on a budget. This season look out for florals, nudes and brights!
As it is festival season here’s how to look fabulous during the back to basics environment. A lack of cleaning facilities and mirrors, combined with mud, unpredictable weather conditions and lack of sleep, makes it hard to look good. A funky festival look can be achieved with the following check-list and tips.
Items You Need
Make Up
Cotton buds, face wipes, eyedrops, kohl eyeliner, small multi palette with mirror (eye, lip & cheek), crème blusher (works as lip gloss and vice versa – apricot and peach shades work most effectively for doubling up usage). Vaseline (not just for use on lips, mix with eye shadow to create a glossy eye makeup look), tinted moisturiser with SPF & lastly waterproof mascara.
Hair
Dry shampoo, grips, flexible hair spray, sea/salt spray for the wavy beach hair look & hair accessories (e.g. hair-bands, scarves and flowers).
2 Minute Tent Make Up!
Use a wipe to clean your hands and face. If you must wear foundation, quickly tap and blend tinted moisturiser or foundation into skin with fingertips. Line your top and bottom lashes with the kohl pencil (thick or thin lines, don’t worry about precision this is the “Kate Moss just got out of bed” festival look!). Take a cotton bud and smudge both lines. If you want a smoky eye, smudge grey or brown eye shadow on your lids and using a cotton bud, sweep under the eye and into the liner. Alternatively, sweep a bright or sparkly eye shadow over the lids. Apply two layers of mascara, a touch of lip gloss and off you go!
Hair hint
Festival Day 1 — Plait random sections of your hair (or have chunky corn rows going front to back) this will stop you messing with your hair and increasing greasiness.
Day 2—undo the plaits and scrunch, to have a sexy bed head wave.
Day 3—spray with dry shampoo at the roots. Pin the front into a quiff. Leave the rest down or tie into a messy ponytail. Alternatively, scrape all hair into a very high pony at the top of the head…twist hair into a top bun/knot and pin for this season’s ultimate fashion statement.
How often do we stop and think about our physical environment – that is the space where we spend most of our time? Our home, our garden if we have one and our working space. As you think about this what are you aware of and how does this make you feel?
We might be limited in what we can do to change our work environment but there is plenty we can do at home if we make the effort. Having our own space where we can feel completely at ease, where we can relax and unwind is very important. It might not be possible to have our own room but we can create a space somewhere which allows us to reflect and relax.
For many people this means de-cluttering particularly for those people, who like me, hoard things on the off chance they will be of use in the future. Think how much better you would feel if you sorted out your wardrobe, drawers, desk top or garage for example and indeed anywhere else you collect items which are of little use to you. Try to imagine how helpful it would be to actually find whatever you are looking for because it is in a particular place and not thrown under a pile of papers or clothes waiting to be sorted. How often do you think about your garden? Is it a haven for relaxing in or an overgrown mess which bothers you every time you look at it?
Getting some sort of order in your physical environment can help you feel more relaxed and in charge of your life. It might not be possible to spend large chunks of time or money on doing this but you could decide to set aside a couple of hours each week for example and it might be even more productive and enjoyable to enlist the help of a friend. Imagine what fun you could have sorting out your wardrobe!
Prawn, Smoked Salmon, Horseradish and Rocket on Rye
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Servings per recipe: 1
Ingredients:
2 slices Rye Bread
2 tsp horseradish sauce
40g Smoked Salmon
75g Peeled Prawns
A handful of rocket leaves
Squeeze of lemon juice
Preparation:
1. Spread the horseradish sauce on the rye bread, top with smoked salmon, rocket and prawns. Season with freshly ground black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Tips:
To add extra spice use hot horseradish sauce.
Nutritional Breakdown:
Calories: 281 Carbohydrate: 25g Protein: 25g Fat: 9g (7g from smoked salmon) Fibre: 3g
Warm Chicken, Avocado and Spicy Salsa Wrap
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Servings per recipe: 1
Ingredients:
100g cooked, sliced chicken breast
1 flour tortilla
1 handful of rocket leaves
25g avocado, mashed
1 tbsp spicy tomato salsa
Preparation:
1. Warm the tortilla in the oven then spread all over with mashed avocado
2. Place the chicken down the centre third of the tortilla, topped by the salsa and rocket leaves.
3. Fold over the outer thirds to make a wrap and eat immediately.
Tips:
Use plain salsa if you don’t like spicy foods.
Nutritional Breakdown:
Calories: 299 Carbohydrate: 21g Protein: 28g Fat: 11g (5g healthy, monounsaturated fats from avocado ) Fibre: 3g
Two Bean Feta Tomato Salad
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Servings per recipe: 1
Ingredients:
100g (4 oz) canned red kidney beans, drained
50g (2 oz) canned butter beans, drained
50g reduced fat Feta cheese, diced
3 large, ripe tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons good quality Balsamic Vinegar
1 handful, fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl, pour over the Balsamic vinegar, season well and eat immediately.
Nutritional Breakdown:
Calories: 283 Carbohydrate: 35g Protein: 25g Fat: 5g Fibre: 11g
Stretching and flexibility are often over looked when we are exercising. How many of us have have started going jogging and then felt stiff and sore, then on the next jog felt aching in our legs. Making you just want to give up and go back to the couch!
One of the best ways to help keep you body ready for exercise is stretching. One of the most important areas I’ve found is stretching the backs of the legs (the hamstrings). This in turn helps to relieve the lower back which you can then stretch out more effectively. There are many stretches you can do and whether its getting to a yoga class, investing in a yoga for athletes book or jumping onto the internet to find some stretches it will be time and money well spent. You will see a better performance, a better recovery from exercise and better mobility in your every day life…so what are you waiting for go stretch!
It’s incredibly tempting to point the finger of blame when you’re upset. But often, you’re avoiding responsibility for your own part in the situation. Very rarely is a disagreement all the fault of one person- or, as your Mum used to say, “it takes two to make a quarrel.” As soon as you transfer blame, you’re basically saying, “I’m perfect, you’re totally at fault”- and nobody is going to respond well to that (unless they’ve just spent the night with a mansion-full of Playboy Bunnies and been caught bang to rights. And even then, they’ll probably come up with an excuse). Blaming is an attack, and when people feel judged and criticised, they become defensive, and the whole row shifts onto a higher level.
Taking responsibility means accepting that you, too, have contributed to the situation, and recognising what you could have done differently. It means, most importantly that you “own” your feelings, instead of assuming that the other person caused them. Saying, “I feel upset,” or “I felt let down..” Is far less blaming than saying, “You always upset me…” or “You’re such an idiot, you’ve totally let me down..” It’s only a small change in language, but it allows them to think about what you’re saying, instead of immediately leaping to their own defence.
As therapists say, when you blame someone, you’ve got one finger pointing at them and three pointing back at yourself- so what are you feeling guilty about? Identify your own role in the situation, and admit to it. It takes guts and awareness to do it- but it pays dividends. Because that way, you can have a conversation, rather than a row.
Get your feet looking beautiful for summer, try this homemade pedicure.
Ingredients for your home made foot scrub
- ½ cup of sugar or sea salt
- ¼ cup of Almond oil
- 3 drops of pure tee tree oil or Lavender oil
To make simply mix all the ingredients together
Preparation:
Using a large container, fill half way with warm water, making sure both feet can fit comfortably into the container.
Soak your feet in warm water for 10 minutes. This gives you a little time to relax and unwind.
Exfoliating your skin is essential this is the time you really want to concentrate on. Use a damp pumice stone or foot file to scrub down your entire foot. Everyone has areas that need to be filed down, so really take your time. Using a foot scrub makes blasting away dead skin ten times easier allowing skin to feel fresh and smooth. Rub the foot scrub on your feet to get a basic exfoliation all over (you can buy a foot scrub from any cosmetic store or simply make your own using the ingredients listed above).
Next scrub over your calluses ( the tough areas of skin) with the foot file. Then rinse and pat feet dry.
Moisturise with an intense moisturiser. You can use your favourite moisturiser or get something specifically for your feet. I love using peppermint lotions on my feet, especially after soaking them in warm water. The cooling sensation peppermint has lasts long after your soak. Make sure you moisturise not only your feet, but your ankles and legs too.
Finish with nail varnish (optional); why not try a vibrant colour like fuchsia, green, orange or yellow for that wow factor. For the classic look use bold colours such as reds, black and deep purple. Finally you could use chocolate brown or natural nude colours for a flawless look or simply finish with a French manicure.
There shouldn’t be rules in makeup, you should have fun with cosmetics and experiment. However, these are general tips to enhance your eye colour and to finding shades that suit your own eye colour.
Blue eyes
Earthy tones suit blue eyes the most. Taupe, slate grey, earthy green and violet. Try to stay clear of blue eye shadow as they could make you look washed out, but if you like to wear it, go for darker blues and navys, or mix with grey or black.
For funky looks try silver, gold, turquoise, fuschia and rose.
(these tips can also apply to grey eyes)
Green/Hazel eyes
Warm, earthy colours, eyeshadows with gold flecks suit green eyes. Brown, apricot, deep khaki, forest green and taupe. The best colours to make green eyes “pop” are all purples, violets and plum colours.
For funky looks try bright purple, gold or lime.
Brown eyes
In general, brown eyes suit all colours. Copper, bronze, champagne, soft pink, apricot, brown, beige, khaki and greens. Brown shades do look good, but steer away from exact colour matches as the eyes could look muddy.
For funky looks, try tangerine, bright blue, hot pink or lime green (these shades make brown eyes punchy).
ALL EYES SUIT NAVY & CHARCOAL SHADES
The way to a perfect functioning wardrobe is to capsulize! A capsule wardrobe is the basics to build your looks upon, start with select pieces and weave in fashion and current trends.
Spring summer capsule must haves:
- Jeans- skinny, boyfriend and flare.
- Black leggings.
- A fabulous pair of shorts – semi tailored can be worn for day through to evening.
- Vests and tees in black white and brights.
- A spring jacket in denim, military or butter soft leather.
- A great pair of ballet pumps.
- Summer sandals – gladiators still rock this season.
- Lace up pumps or converse.
- The black heel – choose a great shape that will not date with a medium heel.
- A boyfriend cardigan, grey is good and goes with everything – pop a bright vest underneath to liven things up!
- The LBD – classic style never goes out of fashion.
- The maxi dress, go for a cute floral or simple and plain that can be accessorised up or down.
- Waist-belts in black and tan.
- A good leather bag in a neutral tone.
You can spend on the essentials as they won’t date, go for quality here and you will notice the difference. You can control major spending sprees by choosing budget fashion pieces and accessories to bring you bang up to date. Choosing fashion belts, scarves, hats and jewels can be done without breaking the bank and will update your capsule wardrobe each season. So hot right now are:
- Straw hats for lazy summer days
- Bright skinny belts
- Stacking coloured friendship bracelets
- Straps and studs
- Floral floral floral!
Understanding what’s in your food is essential to improving your diet and the best way to know what you’re eating (other than to make it all yourself from scratch) is to look at the label.
First, take a look at the nutrition data. This will usually be displayed in amounts per 100 grams of the product and may well also give figures for the amount of fat, carbohydrates, protein etc per serving. Look at the amount per 100 grams column and use this chart below to work out, at a glance whether a food is high or low in fat, salt, sugar and/or fibre. These guidelines allow you to work out whether a food is high or low in a certain nutrient at a glance.
|
A lot means these amounts or more |
A little means these amounts or more |
|
|
20 grams |
FAT |
3 grams |
|
5 grams |
SATURATES |
1 gram |
|
10 grams |
SUGARS |
2 grams |
|
3 grams |
FIBRE |
0.5 grams |
|
0.5 grams |
SODIUM |
0.1 gram |
Another good way to get a clearer understanding of exactly what is in your food is to look at the ingredients list. The law states that ingredients must be listed in descending order of weight so if a fatty or high sugar food is listed early on in the list you can be fairly certain the product itself will be high in fat or sugar. However, many manufacturers have wised up to this and so break up the ingredients to make the list read a little better. For example, sugar may be described as sucrose, maltose, maple syrup, hydrolysed starch, golden syrup, fruit juices, honey, golden syrup, fructose, brown sugar, dextrose, lactose, treacle or glucose. Listing each one separately in this way means that ’sugar’ is no longer the heaviest ingredient so it does not have to be placed at the front of the list.
Finally, a good rule of thumb to go by is the longer the ingredients list the more cause you are likely to have to avoid eating the product. It’s far better, wherever possible to go for natural, whole foods rather than processed ones and to make as many of your meals and snacks as possible yourself.
Take a look at your wheel of life to see how happy you are with the score you have given for your relationships with friends and family. If this feels out of balance then think about whom you particularly want to focus on in order to restore some sense of balance in your life. Are you seeing too little of your partner, neglecting your parents or not spending as much time as you would ideally like with a personal friend? What is stopping you from doing this?
Think about your current relationship with your chosen person and ask yourself how much time am I now spending with this person? Also, what type of relationship do we enjoy and what are you aware of as you think about that relationship. Then think about an ideal relationship with that person and what you would like your score to change to. When would you like to see that person, what activities would you like to do together and what needs to change to make this possible. How prepared are you to make these changes? This might be doing something extra or stopping doing something that you currently do. These are the types of questions that will raise your awareness to your situation and if you visualise what life would be like with your higher score then this might help motivate you to do something about it.
Working long hours is often the reason for neglecting someone who is important to us, or alternatively it might be the result of a disagreement at some time in our life that has caused the distancing. Both these situations are common coaching issues. I have seen clients who have ‘neglected’ their friends, agree to ring a friend each week to stay in touch. I’ve also helped clients rehearse the conversation they might have with an estranged friend in order to reconnect with them and get closure on their broken relationship.
Enjoying the company of friends and family can provide very important support and help restore some balance in our lives.
This is a very simple but effective exercise. In your chair at work, put you hands on the arm rests and try and lift your self out of your chair! This will work the triceps on the back of your arms. To start with leave your feet on the floor and allow them to take a bit of weight so you can tone your arms and gradually build up your strength.
If you try to use your arms every time you get out of your seat there’s great exercise potential (think of how many times you must leave your chair at work in a day)!
Once you get used to this exercise and are feeling stronger, aim to repeat it without your feet on the floor (of course make sure your chair is a sturdy one!) This basically mimics a ‘tricep dip’ which you would do at a gym.
When you feel upset, it’s hard to focus on exactly what you’re conveying with your words and behaviour. But most of us slip into familiar roles in any relationship conflict. Maybe you’re the appeasing one, who tries to smooth everything over; or the pushover, who’d do anything for a quiet life. Perhaps you find yourself behaving the way you did when you were 14, screaming and shouting, because you feel so misunderstood. Most of us end up playing different roles, too, depending on who the row is with.
The problem is, because you’ve done this before, it’s easy for the other person to slip back into their comfy old position, too. So if you’re acting 14, they’ll be the weary parent. And if you’re playing the exhausted victim, they’ll find themselves countering it by becoming more energetic, and more bullying. The only way to combat these old patterns is to re-write the script, and assign yourself a different role. Because if you don’t do what’s expected of you; they can’t either. Say your Mum’s having a go about the way you look. Instead of shouting, “Why are you always criticising me?Why is nothing I do ever good enough?” You could consciously adopt the ‘adult’ role instead, and say, “it seems very
important to you that I look a certain way… why is that?” You’ve already changed the direction of the conversation. Again, when your partner launches into a well-rehearsed argument, instead of attacking back, change the dynamic by listening to what he’s saying instead-”You obviously feel upset, so tell me what you need,” will be unexpected, and very likely to stop the argument altogether. It isn’t easy to alter your role, but by being aware of the way you tend to behave in a conflict, you can take the first step to changing it.
A tidy and organised wardrobe is the way forward! It’s time for a spring clean and to chuck out your chintz. Detoxing not only clears the wheat from the chaff in the fashion stakes but also helps you take stock of what you really need to buy in time for the summer sun thus assisting you to save money = more pennies for cocktails! You can do this in short ten minute bursts if you’re really busy.
-
Ten minutes – clean the wardrobe out, Hoover the corners and wipe down the surfaces for a sweet smelling closet especially where shoes sit festering all year!
Ten minutes – try hanging your clothes in outfits for time saving in the morning, even jewellery and belts can be hung together with tops and trousers with the corresponding shoes underneath – you will never need to spend time pondering again!
-
Ten minutes – chuck out any wire or broken hangers these will only damage and snag your clothes.
-
Ten minutes- sort through your clothes in order, all trousers first then tees, tops and so on.
-
Ten minutes – sort 3 piles – charity, sell, and mend/alter. Selling your clothes could not be easier with sites like eBay and dress agencies, Charity shops will be grateful for any clean garments and
accessories in a good selling condition. Anything needing a stitch can easily be passed to a handy friend or mum in exchange for a bottle of wine or more major alterations can be dropped off at your local alteration shop or dry cleaners. -
Take ten minutes for each section of clothes so trousers, tops, dresses etc. Try on.. Anything you have not worn in the last 3 months must be tried on and assessed, is it really you? Does it go with
anything else you own? Is it still comfy? Do you feel good in it? Does it flatter you? If the answer is no to any of these questions then chuck it. Be thorough, doing this with a friend will help you be
objective, then return the favour. Only allow garments that you love to return back in to the wardrobe, anything damaged, too small or just plain frumpy must never go back in. Hang garments together – trousers, work clothes, tops, dresses, coats etc. -
Ten minutes – treat each garment to a hanger of it’s own, jeans can be folded in a neat pile to save hanging space as they won’t crease as can T-shirts. Accessories can be put in baskets and stored on shelves for a tidy wardrobe, tights are good stored in a cotton bag if the baskets snag. Roll belts to save space and stack clear shoe boxes high, alternatively put a photo of each shoe on it’s box so you can choose without pulling the lot out! Think space – don’t cram it all in as you will never see it. Air needs to flow around your clothes to keep them fresh and crease free. Tip- try hanging tumble dryer sheets over your hangers for a lovely fragrance.
You are guaranteed to feel cleansed after wardrobe weeding, sit back, think of all the money you have made for charity and write a wish list of what you really need… Then look forward to spending!
Honey Mask Recipe
For a gorgeous glow try a honey remedy. It’s so simple all you do is, soak a cloth in warm water and apply to your face patting the skin to open the pores. Smear on honey (the back of a spoon is perfect for this) just leave on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water until honey is completely off the skin, then use cold water on cotton pads to pat the skin to close the pores.
Use once a week and you will be buzzing like a bee.
Oily Skin Mask Recipe
Mix 1 tsp. of brewer’s yeast with enough natural yoghurt to make a thin mixture (stir well). Pat this thoroughly into all the oily areas and allow it to dry on the skin. After 15 – 20 minutes, rinse off with warm water, then cool water and blot dry.
Perfect for neutralizing over oily skin balancing them imperfections.
Banana Wrinkle Fighter Recipe
Banana is wonderful as an anti-wrinkle treatment because it is bursting with potassium (it’s also great for lowering blood pressure). Mash 1/4 banana until very creamy. Spread all over face and leave for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water followed by a dash of cold. Then gently pat dry.
Lemon Zest Mask
It helps to removes blotches and redness in the skin as the lemon works as a bleaching agent, therefore eliminating unwanted blemishes. Squeeze half a lemon and mix the juice with one beaten egg white. Leave on your face overnight, or for a quick pick-me-up, just 15 minutes. Then splash warm water on your face to rinse.
Fresh juice has much more nutrition than shop-bought, canned or bottled juice as it hasn’t been pastuerised (where the juice is heated then cooled to kill bacteria and help preserve it for longer). The nutrients within it also have far less time to deteriorate so all the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes remain intact and ready to be used by your body. A glass of freshly made fruit or vegetable juice is extremely energizing and makes a great, far healthier alternative to coffee or tea. That’s because the juice is metabolized quickly and there is minimal amount of digestive work required so you experience an instant and yet sustained energizing drink.
Whilst we all still need to eat at least five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables (these contain fibre that helps to maintain a healthy digestive system) juicing is a great way to increase that intake without all the additional bulk. It also helps to increase the variety of the fruit and vegetables you consume and the greater the variety the wider the range of essential nutrients you will get.
Health experts recommend we increase our intake of raw fruit and vegetables as cooking and processing kills many of the nutrients. Juicing is a really delicious way to do just that safe in the knowledge that you are not taking in any additional nasties such as sugar, sweeteners, additives and preservatives. Just be sure to use the freshest produce you can find and drink the juice immediately as many of the essential nutrients will begin to deteriorate as soon as the fruits and vegetables are processed.
Sometimes, in an argument, meeting or conversation, you suddenly find that you’re furiously angry, or deeply upset- and you’re not quite sure why. Maybe something the other person said reminded you of a previous slight that hurt you. Or perhaps you’re immediately plunged into a feeling of helplessness, and have no idea what you need to do to feel better. This is when one simple question- “what do I actually want?” can be a life-saver.
When you’re shouting, you’re defending yourself or attacking someone else. You’re not making it clear to them that there’s something they could offer you that would solve the problem. That’s why it’s essential to take a step back, stay quiet, and think, “What am I really asking for here?” Are you just desperate for the chance to have your views heard? Or do you want an apology, an acknowledgement of your feelings, or more respect? Work out what it is that will make you feel better- then tell the other person. Saying “I would really appreciate it if you acknowledged how hard this job was”, or, “I don’t think I can move on until I feel that you’re really sorry for what happened”, is perfectly reasonable, and entirely non-combative. It gives them a chance to offer you what you need, and allows you to accept it. But it does require some sophisticated emotional thinking on your part, which will allow you to understand what’s really going on, and act on it.
Once you do master the art of asking for what you want however, you’ll never look back- and you’ll often get it. No politician goes to the negotiating table and shouts, “I’m just really unhappy!” They go in armed with a list of demands, and know what they’re prepared to compromise on. Do the same, and reap the rewards.
Lots of us take our health for granted, eating and drinking exactly what we want, not getting regular medical checks or doing exercise. The attitude is ‘I will start my fitness plan tomorrow’ but tomorrow never comes. We often only do something about our health once we have had a health scare and then it becomes our number one priority.
It therefore makes good sense to think about our health now and not wait until we have a problem. Perhaps you could ask yourself – How much do I care about my health and what am I doing to keep me healthy?
I am no expert on either healthy eating or exercise but I do know there are plenty of people who have provided advice in books or on the web for those who want to do something about this important aspect of their lives.
For those who don’t want to go to those lengths, I would ask you to consider the types and quantities of food and drinks you put into your bodies. How nutritious are these foods, how much alcohol and coffee do you drink and how often. Cutting out sugar is one of the best ways of feeling fitter and losing weight. How often do you exercise? Getting some type of exercise is particularly important if you have a job or life style which requires you to sit for long periods of time. Walking is a cheap and easy way of keeping fit whilst providing the fresh air and light so necessary for our well being.
You might also like to think about how much sleep you get and whether you feel rested and energetic the following morning. Getting to bed earlier might help or if this isn’t possible try a relaxation exercise during the evening to rid you of tension and to help you sleep better when you do get there.
A really simple exercise but by working these big muscle groups it will help to stimulate your circulation and consequently eliminate toxins from your body and will help tone those large muscle groups.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and bend your knees as if sitting on an imaginary chair. Keeping your weight on your heels push yourself back up to a standing position. Another way to help tone the thighs is to always use the stairs. Take two steps at a time to make the thighs work harder. If you are working and find time short for exercising, always use the stairs in your office building. Or, in a break take a couple of flights up and down. By doing this everyday it will start to make a big difference to the tone and strength of your legs and as well as making them look fantastic in time for summer!
Here are some quick basic tips before we go in depth on various makeup looks:
Eyeshadow
If you have uneven tones on your eyelids or prone to oiliness, use an eye base or primer. The base will even out creases and skin tone. Primers are also great for making eyeshadow last for hours. An effective and affordable base is by Barbara Daly for Tesco.
If you are going for an intense or bright colour for the eyes, concentrate the colour to just the eyelid and carry a little of the colour under the bottom outer half of the lash line to balance the effect.
Blusher
Choose a blusher to suit your skin. If you have oily skin, steer clear of creme blushers or choose a mousse based one as they have a powder finish. If you have dry skin, go for creme blushers. Creme blushers are also well suited to older skin as powders tend to emphasise wrinkles.
Mascara
Choose a mascara to suit your lashes. If lashes are sparse, choose a mascara that is volumising or thickening…if they are short, choose a lengthening or false lash effect. The most effective and affordable mascaras are from the Maybelline range. Shop around for 3 for 2 deals ( usually in Asda, Boots or Superdrug) and buy a volumising mascara, falsh lash effect and a waterproof. Use waterproof mascara if your eyes tend to run or smudge during the course of the day.
When applying mascara, make a zig zag motion from root to tip, rather than up and down….this coats the sides more effectively, ensuring volume.
Mascara should be replaced every 3-6 months. Avoid pumping the wand too much as forcing in air increases bacteria.
Lipsticks and Glosses
Can also double up as a cheek stain. Dont be afraid to experiment. Coral lip stains look great on the apples of the cheeks, for a fresh summery glow!
Lip Liner
When lining the lips start with the top line. Begin from the outside and up to the cupids bow using short feathery strokes, never start the upper lip line from the inside to outwards….this can create the dreaded pointed cupids bow look as you curve downwards…by lining outwards to centre, the upwards motion makes an easier curve shape. When lining the bottom lip, start from the middle and outwards.
‘Having your colours done’ is a phrase we may have all heard before, a colour consultation is something your auntie might have had done and phrases like ‘I’m a summer’ and ‘ I can’t wear black as I’m a spring’ have all been bantered around for years, but is it all out of date rubbish? Definatley not!
We are all aware of what colours suit us or those that definatley don’t, even if it’s just down to noticing you don’t feel good when you wear a certain top or coat. The old ‘image consultancy’ rules would have us all pigeonholed into a season – spring, summer, autumn or winter which in more modern times is quite honestly a load of tosh. I prefer to talk tones… brights, pastles, darks and intense tones. Some amoungst us (young fresh and attractive) can sometimes get away with 3 or even all 4 of the tonal groups, however most of us straddle 2 or just suit one grouping.
Here’s a mini run down:
- Brights- bright and light to mid tones, hot pinks, royal blues, brightgreens, pillarbox red, sunshine yellow, oranges etc.
- Pastles- pale colours, powder blues, lemons, pale pinks, whites, beiges, mints etc.
- Darks- black, chocolates, navys, maroons, deep greens etc.
- Intense- (similar to brights but a richer hue) Kelly greens, fuscias, French navy, Cadburys purple, buttercream, turquoise, hot reds etc.
That’s not to say you can’t wear every colour in the rainbow it’s how you wear them that matters.
- Black makes you look tired?… Just make sure you leave plenty of skin between the garment and your face.
- Grey makes you look ill?… Pop a bright scarf on to cheer your complexion up.
- Your favourite pink jumper makes your skintone look red and uneven?… Wear a chunky gold statement necklace to reflect a glow onto your face.
It only takes ten minutes to do your own mini consultation: jot down the colour and tone of any clothes that make you feel good, hold up infront of the mirror and in a natural light any clothes that make you feel not so good – do they make you look tired? Dark circles? Uneven skintone? Sallow? Pull them slowly away from the face, does it improve? If the answers yes then write the tone down as a no no. You will soon see a pattern emerge and be able to define your personal tonal ranges!
A handful of nuts a day will do wonders for your skin, hair, waistline and your heart. That’s because nuts contain a wide variety of major micro-nutrients such as zinc, necessary for tissue repair and sex drive, calcium, a foundation of strong bones, and iron, which keeps the blood able to carry oxygen to the best of its ability. They are also a great source of protein. A single serving of nuts (about half a handful) contains 8g of protein. That’s about 20% of the amount an average woman needs in a day. Eating nuts as part of a meal can lower the GI rating of the overall meal too helping to keep blood sugars stable and energy levels high so try a handful of chopped walnuts or almonds on your cereal and add peanuts or cashew nuts to salads and stir fries.
Nuts are also an excellent source of polyunsaturated and monounsatured fats—(the good kind of fats that help to keep your heart healthy) and some nuts, particularly walnuts keep artery walls flexible therefore reducing the incidence of heart attacks and strokes. In fact, research shows that eating a handful of nuts every day can reduce heart disease by as much as 50% in some people.
Another great reason to eat nuts is that some, such as almonds, contain trace amounts of cyanides. This might not sound like the best reason to tuck in but studies show that these trace levels are too little to cause much damage to healthy cells but can possibly destroy cancerous cells therefore reducing our likelihood of suffering from the disease.
Where does licorice come from?
Licorice comes from the legume family plant that was found in wild Southern and Central Europe and parts of Asia. It’s commonly known as, licorice and sweet root, all come from the licorice plant Glycyrrhiza Glabra. Licorice root extract is most likely the oldest natural treatment for skin problems. It’s an especially effective ingredient for acne treatment that helps purge the skin of the condition.
What are the main beauty benefits of licorice?
Licorice extract is used in many products with its unique ability to transform skin by a lightning process that eliminates imperfections such as rosacea, dark spots, scar tissue and unwanted blemishes on your face and body. This is often caused by years of over exposure to the sun, but may also be caused by acne, uneven skin tone, or melasma. Licorice’s main component glycyrrhizinate, has been proven time and time again to be an effective anti-inflammatory and moisturiser. Plus, it has the ability to brighten and lighten the skin and prevent further hyper-pigmentation.
How to use Licorice?
The good news is it’s a cost effective way of preventing harm and damage to your skin. Why not try your own licorice beauty regime in the comfort of your own home? You too can have lighter, brighter, blemish free skin every day in just four easy steps.
Things you’ll need:
(Product can be found in health food stores and supermarket)
-
1 cup chopped cucumber
-
Blender or food processor
-
Spoon
-
Mixing bowl
-
1 cup sandalwood paste
-
1/4 cup pure licorice extract
Step 1-Chop 1 cup very fresh cucumber. Place it in a blender or food processor and liquefy until smooth.
Step 2-Spoon the liquefied cucumber into a mixing bowl then add 1/4 cup pure licorice extract and 1 cup sandalwood powder together, mix well with a spoon until a thick paste is formed.
Step 3- Apply the paste to your freshly cleansed face or body using a spatula or by hand wearing gloves. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse it off thoroughly with cool water and pat dry.
Step 4-Apply moisturiser to the treated areas frequently day and night as it’s important to keep your skin well hydrated while using skin lighteners. Proceed to use mask two times a week until desired skin complexion, then once a month for flawless well balanced skin.
Money can bring us joy and confidence but it can also bring sadness and anxiety if we don’t manage it well. How many of us know just how much money we earn or receive as income each week or month and how much we pay out during that period? Have we ever sat down and listed our outgoings and then compared them with our income to determine what we have left to spend or save? If we do know, how often have we exceeded this amount believing it is ok to indulge ourselves today and not worry about tomorrow? Living for today might be a good idea when applied to many aspects of our lives but not in relation to money.
It might be helpful to carry a small notebook with you for a week or month and make a note of everything you spend. You might be surprised by just how much you spend on small items such as coffees and canned drinks and how these costs mount up.
Spending only what we can afford should be our aim. Credit Cards can be a convenient way of paying for items but the bill needs to be paid off each month so as not to incur high interest rates. If we have any uncommitted money, then we could consider saving a small amount of this on a regular basis. The interest rates aren’t brilliant at the moment but the money will mount up and it gets us into the saving habit which can be very rewarding.
If you have got yourself into debt then it is important that you talk to someone you can trust such as a family member or a friend. It is important that you don’t keep quiet, as the longer the situation goes on the more interest you will have to pay and the more anxious you will become. Your friend or family member will be able to help you work out a plan to deal with your situation. This might mean making drastic changes in your life style to resolve the situation but if you have information on your spending habits then you can work out where to make the savings.
Why not try to avoid temptations and follow these steps:
- If you shop on the internet or on TV then stop doing this for a set period of time.
- Make your own sandwich instead of buying one.
- Think about giving up alcohol mid week.
The dull old granny’s saying “do as you would be done by” may have fallen out of favour. But when it comes to relationships, there’s almost nothing more important. It’s tempting to believe that we’re owed the world on a stick. Convinced that we’re worth it, it’s easy to forget that our partners, families and friends deserve exactly the same kindness, compassion and understanding that we expect for ourselves. Of course, everyone can snap after a long day – but if barking commands, or contemptuous comments, have become your main method of communication, you may suddenly find that you’re alone.
It all comes down to empathy, which is something kids struggle with, but adults should be capable of. Imagining how it feels to be someone else can be difficult, but if you start from the belief that everyone wants respect, they just ask for it in different ways, it’s not that hard. Maybe you unwittingly talk to your partner as if he’s the man you’ve paid to clean the gutters, or your Mum as though she’s the biggest idiot on earth. Or perhaps you constantly snap orders at the kids. And then you wonder why they’re so rude and unmanageable, your partner seems to be in a permanent sulk, and your Mum still treats you as if you’re fourteen. Ultimately, most of the trouble in the world could be sorted out with an awareness of the tone of voice you’re using, coupled with a bit of “please” and “thank you.” Your loved ones are not your slaves, and they’re not your enemies- but people tend to behave as they’re treated. So if you want to ease communication, feel loved, and bring peace to your world, it’s simple. Treat people the way you want to be treated. It may mean biting your tongue, or deep-breathing- but trust me, it’s a small price to pay for transformed communication.
Sale shopping – love it or hate it we all do it… And some of us get burnt. The clever fashionistas amoungst us tread carefully, plan, and get a bargain that we wear again and again. However over 70% of us make that fatal error of getting over excited, rushing in like a bull in a china shop, resulting in clothes that hang unworn in our wardrobe for years to come. The key is to plan:
- Stake out your high street before the sales start and note anything you like but can’t afford.
- Ask the sales assistants, they often know what will be going into sale and when.
- Try it on before sale fever hits and you will know exactly which size fits you perfectly without the queue for the fitting room.
- Wear leggings and a vest so you never have to que for the changing room again, just try on in front of the mirror on the shop floor!
- When you get home consider your purchases, any random purchases that won’t ever go with anything in your wardrobe or that is not very you, return to the shop. Be careful of sale return policys which can sometimes be just 7 days, make sure you check it out at the till when
you buy. - Enjoy! There’s nothing like the elation of bagging a bargain and loving it!
Forget what your mother told you about not eating between meals and start snacking. Eating little and often throughout the day (ideally every 2 – 3 hours) is a great way to keep your blood sugars stable and cravings at bay and as long as you reduce the size of your three main meals to compensate, you won’t pile on the pounds. Just make sure your nibble of choice is something low GI and low fat such as wholegrain crackers topped with cottage cheese and grapes or vegetable crudités wrapped in lean or sliced ham or dipped in reduced fat hummus.
If it’s something sweet you crave try a piece of fresh fruit, a low fat yogurt, a small slice of fruit bread, a handful of dried apricots or why not try some licorice instead of chocolate or sweets. Licorice makes an ideal snack for those with a sweet tooth as it not only contains a compound, called glycyrrhizin which is 50 times sweeter than sugar it is also very low in fat and all Panda Licorice products are guaranteed to be free from any artificial preservatives, colours and flavours.
Why should you wax?
Waxing can be used for removing hair from virtually any part of the body. It is most commonly used for removing hair on the arms, legs, and underarms bikini line, face, including upper lips, lower lips, eyebrows, chin, the chest and back.
The benefits of waxing are:
No skin damage
You will find other methods of hair removal like hair-removing creams and shaving can cause cuts abrasions and irritation to the skin, waxing does not cause harm to your skins pigmentation or leave a corrosive smell to the skin. No harsh chemicals are present in wax, so, the skin is saved from their damaging effect.
Finer and Softer Body Hair
Hair growth after waxing skin will instantly appear smoother, and it’s a softer, more caring form of depilation for your body. Waxing does not cause unattractive brittle stubble unlike shaving when hair starts appearing back after 2 days.
Double Function of Hair Removal and Exfoliation
Waxing leaves the skin soft smooth and rejuvenated, just like an exfoliation it also removes a layer of dead cells from the surface of the skin. New skin will promote healthy hair growth.
How is Waxing Done?
The good news is that waxing can be done at home! You can master the technique by doing it yourself a few times. Just heat the wax until it is of a thick consistency and apply it thinly on the skin in the direction of hair growth. Place a cotton cloth, muslin or a paper strip over this area and press it. Finish by holding the skin taut and pulling the strip against the direction of hair growth in a swift movement of the hand.
There, you’ve done it!
The pain you feel will last only an instant and you will forget about it when you feel the pleasant sensation of your silky, smooth skin. If you don’t want to do it yourself lie back, relax and let your professional beauty therapist do it for you. Why not make it routine a pleasure and pampering yourself every 3-6 weeks. Waxing reduces hair growth, the longer you wax the less hair you will have fact.
Care and Caution while Waxing
Try not expose your newly waxed skin to direct sunlight 48 hours after the treatment including sun beds and hot baths. Some people may get redness, bumps or skin irritation after waxing, but, it usually subsides within a few hours, but make sure you use the correct skincare and waxing range. Tea Tree wax is the best form of wax, it’s natural antibacterial properties such as Vitamin E help cleanse and heel the skin. Vitamin A calms irritated skin, removing dead skin cells and creating a fresh softer appearance whilst rosemary and peppermint stimulate the hair follicles. All working together create a fabulous hydrating process. You will find these products from Transformulas Metique Tea Tree range ideal for waxing and can be used on all skin types.
For information on these products or to speak with one of our wonderful advisers Tel No. +44 (0) 161 947 8888
Make a lunch to take to work. For fitness and wellbeing one of the fundamental building blocks is nutrition and home made food from fresh produce can be the best place to start. Try making a rice dish with some fresh veggies and tuna with a spoonful of pesto mixed in, for a veggie option try some mixed beans. Take it to work and enjoy hot or cold.
Try to avoid heavy wheat based food like pasta or bread, whilst providing lots of energy, it can be a little overkill when you are in a job where you may stand still or sit a lot. It can make you feel very sleepy and lethargic in the afternoon – making the hours drag. If you need a little more to satisfy your hunger its a great time of year to enjoy fruits such as melon, strawberries etc. You will find you will feel more satisfied at lunch and less likely to want to snack in the afternoon.
And the big rule, drink plenty of water through the day, this will make you less likely to reach for the latte. If plain water is difficult to pallet, try a gently carbonated one such as San Pellegrino which is a little more satisfying and the natural minerals in it can only be good for you!
The quickest way to style success is to understand what suits you and why. Knowing what body shape you are means you instantly know what silhouettes you can wear. We have all heard of the bodyshape names such as hourglass (a la Marilyn) pear and apple but can we all be pigeonholed? Women come in differant shapes and sizes – a pear shaped princess may have a fab pair of pins or an hourglass hottie could be inflicted with the dreaded bingo wings. It’s all about knowledge, knowledge = power = style! Simple.
It’s so easy to figure it out, write down what suits you and why and vice versa…bootcut trousers make you feel a million dollars? Skinny jeans are a fashion disaster? Belted jackets make you feel like a frump? Write it all down and you’re actually recording your own personal body map, it’s pretty straight forward really as you know yourself better than anyone else, it’s just realising it and being realistic!
Face it girls – fashion doesn’t suit everyone, so don’t shoehorn yourself into a body con dress, squeeze into super skinnies or go sheer unless it really flatters your figure.
The most common mistakes are:
Ladies not nipping in the waist and showing off the smallest part of their figure, this can be because of a curvy tummy but smock tops are great for this body shape; low on the neckline to show off good boobs, nipped in under the bust at the smallest part of the body then floating out gently over the tummy area.
Sleeveless smock top £12 size 8-20 Matalan
Muffin top syndrome – go for a higher waisted garment to combat this. It’s all about balance and proportion, a voluptuous lady carrying a tiny handbag looks like a pea on a pumpkin so balance it out by having an oversized bag instead, likewise petite girlies holding a giganticus bag looked overwhelmed.
Oversized chain slouch bag £12 Matalan
Pink croc pink tote bag £8 Matalan
Girls wearing skinny or straight jeans when they are curvy hipped; a bootcut or flare will balance the heavy hip area.
BE BEAU slim denim flare jeans £20 size 8-18 leg 30-34 Matalan
Papaya bootcut demin jean £10 size 8-20 leg 31 Matalan
Remember YOUR rules and you’ll be on your way to looking great everyday and never buying the wrong clothes again!
Talking should be simple, but the minute you open your mouth, you risk argument, denial, misunderstanding or indifference from the other person. That’s why, when you have something really important to discuss, you need to pick your moment carefully. But don’t assume that means sitting face-to-face over the table, which can feel like a boardroom takeover.
When you’re dealing with reluctant talkers – such as blokes; or teenagers – it can work much more effectively if you chat while you’re both engaged in doing something. With a physical focus, any feelings of discomfort or resentment are easily dissipated, and you’re not enforcing direct eye contact, which can appear challenging. Washing up, or driving, can work well. You don’t want any activity that’s so aerobic you can barely talk at all.
Don’t introduce your talk with “We need to talk..” it’s deeply unnerving; and will put anyone on the defensive. Instead, start more softly, with, “I’ve been thinking…”
With older children and teenagers, never assume they’ll be able to mind-read. Avoid accusatory phrases like, “well, if you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you.” They probably don’t know – and if they do, forcing them to spell it out is aggressive and demeaning. Explain, clearly, what you want to say- and try to keep your tone neutral. You’re inviting them to help you understand- and barking accusations won’t encourage honesty.
If it’s you who needs to deliver bad news, get straight to the point, after a brief warning that it’s not going to be nice. “There’s no easy way to say this,” is always useful. Then say it. Because when people know bad news is on its way, they panic, and stop listening. Afterwards, reach out, touch their arm, thank them for listening. Talking effectively is all about respect.
Swap your usual caffeine loaded coffee, black tea, cola or chocolate bar for a relaxing cup of herbal or green tea instead and ten minutes away from whatever you are doing.
All too often we use caffeine as an excuse for a break and we rely on it as a quick way to feel re-energised. However, caffeine acts like a cattle prod to our adrenal system, nervous system, blood pressure and heart rate so although it does deliver an initial surge of energy this soon subsides leaving us feeling even more tired and lethargic than before. Over time, this continuous over-stimulation of our hormones, heart and nerves can result in long term, chronic fatigue, an inability to sleep, irritability, poor concentration and maybe even high blood pressure. Too much caffeine can also inhibit your body’s ability to absorb many minerals, particularly minerals needed for energy production and healthy bones such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, selenium, chromium and iodine.
So, next time you find yourself reaching for a can of cola, a chocolate bar or yet another cup of tea or coffee try taking ten minutes out instead. Go for a short walk, step into a quiet room and take ten long, slow deep breaths, go outside and get some natural daylight or simply do a different task, in a different place from the one you are currently doing.
If you want a hot drink, have a refreshing peppermint, herbal or antioxidant packed green tea instead accompanied by a small handful of ready to eat, semi dried fruit such apricots or figs, nuts or seeds for that much needed energy boost that won’t leave you drained.
Now is the time to look at the essentials that should be in your make up kit.
You should invest in a good set of brushes. The key to flawless makeup, is application, which results in the perfect finish.
And the thing you need to get a good application is a good set of brushes. Whether it’s a makeup artist’s dream brush roll from MAC or Tesco’s Barbara Daly range, buy some brushes now. It would be fantastic to have more than 10 brushes, but to go easy on the pocket, 5 core brushes is all you need:
- A foundation brush is essential for blending your base into all the contours and down your neck. Try not to use a cosmetic sponge in foundation application, as it will soak up your product, therefore creating waste.
-
A concealer brush is specially designed to apply and blend creamy products into problematic areas. The brush is especially gentle on the under eye for those dark rings.
-
A flat angled eyeliner brush can be used for the upper and lower lashes. As well as liquid liners, try using a black or dark eyeshadow to create a classic eyeliner flick. This brush can also be used with eyeshadow to fill in your eyebrows.
-
A fluffy dome shape eyeshadow brush is great for applying colour to the whole lid. This style of brush is most useful for overall blending. If you prefer a strong eyeshadow look, a more compact bristle brush with a square tip, helps to apply shadow more intensely.
-
An all purpose blusher brush (which can double as a powder brush) has soft bristles and a large, full rounded shape. The softer the bristles, the softer the look. The powder sweeps a larger area to create a natural glow. Apply more powder for a stronger look. If you prefer a more intense shade of blush, choose a stiffer brush with flat round end
Barbara Daly at Tesco and GOSH at Superdrug do some amazing brushes for a fraction of the more renowned makeup artist brands.
You must clean your brushes as often as possible. Makeup artists clean their brushes after every shoot. Even if you clean them once or twice a month, frequent cleaning will remove bacteria and avoid colour contamination. Some people never clean their eyeshadow brushes but will use them for various colours for years. This results in colour contamination. You will only succeed in applying the true colour of the eye shadow with a clean brush.
Brush cleaners are available in most cosmetic sections in department stores. A cheap and effective way of cleaning (which also removes bacteria) is Johnson’s baby shampoo, mixed with warm water. Make sure you rinse afterwards! Brushes should always be laid flat to dry, on a towel overnight. Never use a hairdryer or leave on radiators, as this can frazzle the bristles.
Look after your brushes as these tools are just as important as your most expensive makeup product. A damaged or dirty brush could fail you in achieving your desired makeup look.
Once you have completed your ‘wheel of life’ assessment, you will have a picture of how balanced your life feels. This picture will help inform you as to where you want to put your focus and energy. You may be attracted to a particular area because it interests you or you may go to an area where you feel you want to improve your score. The fact is there is no right or wrong way of doing this. Just go where your interest takes you.
Once you have decided on your starting point then take a good look at your score and decide where you would ideally like to move this to. For example you may have scored 4 on ‘Health’ and want to move this to a 7. This would be your goal. Setting a goal gives you something to work towards and writing it down will help you to achieve this. Next I would ask you to think about what you might need to do differently to move your score to achieve your goal. These actions or activities should also be written down and will form your plan. Take care not to write down too much as you may feel overwhelmed and decide not to bother doing anything! A few simple actions which feel manageable and which take you nearer to your goal are what you need to be aiming for.
Every New Year people make resolutions which they never fulfil. This is often because the idea remains in their head and isn’t committed to paper and they set themselves actions which aren’t achievable. The secret is to start by taking small steps and then gradually build on these. So to achieve our healthy goal it might be best for example,to start with ‘drinking 2 glasses of water a day’ rather than ‘going to the gym 3 times a week’.
Summary
Complete ‘wheel of life’
Identify your area of interest
Set yourself a goal
Prepare your plan
Here are some home remedies that are quick and easy to make, using ingredients that are found in everyday households.
Remove Hair Product Build-up Recipe
1/4 Cup of vinegar
1 Cup of water
Use this after conditioning your hair as a final rinse. It will leave your hair soft and shiny.
Remove Conditioner Build-up Recipe
Baking soda removes conditioner build-up from your hair . Rub it in and then rinse thoroughly, before shampooing with your regular shampoo. This is brilliant for greasy and oily hair that is hard to style.
Egg Conditioner Recipe
1tsp baby oil
1 egg yolk
1 cup of water
Beat the egg yolk until its frothy, add the oil then beat again, before adding the water. Massage this into your scalp and throughout your hair. Finally rinse your hair well with luke warm water – hot water may cook the egg!
Shampoo Recipe
1 ounce of olive oil
1 egg
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp apple cidar vinegar
Mix all the ingredients together in a blender and use as a regular shampoo.
Avocado & Coconut Conditioner Recipe
Combine mashed avocado with some coconut milk. Comb it through the hair and let it sit for 10 – 15 minutes, then rinse out.
Mayonnaise Conditioner
Depending on the length of your hair, apply approximately 1/2 cup of mayonnaise to your dry hair. Work it into your hair really well, and then cover your hair with a plastic bag, allowing it to set for about 15 minutes. Finish by rinsing thoroughly and then shampoo as usual.
Get your underwear right and the rest will follow… smoothly!
A correct fitting bra is one of the most important items in your entire wardrobe. Get measured properly, I always reccommend independant lingerie shops often found tucked away on your local high street for a good old fashioned fitting service and excellent customer care.
You might be surprised to learn that 80% of women wear the wrong size or simply ill-fitting bras -- that’s four out of five of your friends! The correct fitting bra should not dig in on the shoulders, gape at the front or give you the dreaded four boobs, the support should come from the under bust and back of the bra and even without the shoulder straps it should hold up perfectly in place.
A good fitting bra will not only give you a great cleavage but improve your posture and how your clothes look on and make you look slimmer.
Here’s a great clip from the Brastopshop.com
• A great smooth strapless bra or multiway which can be worn
halterneck, one shoulder or cross back too -- perfect for under any
outfit whatever shape!• A teeshirt bra in black and white, great for a smooth invisible
finish.• Seamfree thongs in black and white for no VPL.
• Smooth boyshorts (buy low rise underwear if your jeans are the same)
perfect under boyfreind jeans.
Coloured and patterned bras are good fun to add a funky edge or splash of colour to an outfit, wear leopard print under a black strappy vest or hot pink with a contrast off the shoulder top; for real fashionistas underwear as outerwear is this seasons look so invest in a cropped corselette and wear under sheer or lace tops.
For curvy girls the pull-in pants are an essential! Excellent for simply smoothing or perfect at pulling in, they make you feel confident, firm in all the right places and clothes glide on over the top… just avoid any Bridget Jones moments!
So girls you know what to do -- turn out your undies drawer and chuck out your sagging bras and greying knickers! Start from scratch and remember the only way to build the perfect outfit is from the undies out!
Ever heard the saying you are what you eat? Yes, well a healthy well-balanced diet is the perfect start for flawless looking skin and sticking to a routine of cleansing, toning, moisturising and exfoliation is key too.
In just 10 minutes you can transform you skin for that radiant glow you have always wanted by exfoliation alone. Exfoliation is the best way to rejuvenate tired dull looking skin and the Dry Brush Technique works by stimulating the lymphatic system to detoxify the skin.
The benefits of dry brushing are:
>> It removes dead skin cells, allowing new skin cells to reproduce.
>> It improves the appearance of cellulite and tones the muscles.
>> It tightens the skin, preventing premature ageing.
>> It stimulates hormone and oil producing glands that generate the body’s natural minerals and nutrients.
What you need:
To do dry brush all you need to do is use a short natural fibre brush with a long handle to tackle all the hard to reach areas, preferably with a removable head so you can concentrate on each area at a time.
How to dry brush:
>> Start with you feet and work your way up brushing vigorously in circular motions. Continue doing the same on your legs and arms.
>> Brush all over your back, taking care not to miss any areas of the neck and shoulders. Then move onto your abdomen using circular county clockwise strokes.
>> Lightly brush over the chest area as this can be more sensitive.
>> Brush up from the back and down from the neck. For an extra bit of pampering why not get a partner to brush your back.
>> To finish have a hot shower followed by a cold 30 second rinse. With a sponge or flannel wipe away the dead skin and you should be left with a healthy glow.
Before you start making changes to some aspect of your life, it might be a good idea to spend some time thinking about your life in general and whether it feels in balance for you. Are you doing too much work for example and not having enough fun and time for yourself or are you lacking in self confidence and not putting yourself forward for that job which you are sure you can do?
What I would recommend as the first stage to getting some order and balance in your life is to complete the ‘Wheel of Life’ exercise. This should only take about 10 minutes to complete but the results will be long lasting and really help inform you about aspects of your life which you might want to get sorted.
You will find the wheel below and this is how you complete it. Look at each of the 8 categories or aspects of your life in turn and rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of how balanced you feel this aspect of your life is currently. For example if you believe you are earning a reasonable amount of money and spending it wisely, you may rate yourself as 8 or 9 on the scale. With a pen mark the ‘money’ line at either the 8 or 9 point. If you were living beyond your means and had worries about money, then you might rate yourself as 2 or 3 and mark the ‘money’ line much closer to the centre of the wheel.
You should then repeat the assessing and scoring for each of the 8 elements marking each line at the appropriate point. When you have completed the markings, take your pen and join up the 8 points so that you have a circle within the outer circle. This might look like a spider’s web but it will be very revealing. If you have an almost perfect circle which joins up the marks at 7 or 8 then it sounds as though you are doing a lot of what is good for you. The chances are that you will score well in some areas but there will be other areas where you take a dip and you will realise just which aspects of life are out of balance and where your focus of attention needs to go.
Over the next few weeks I will take a look at each of these areas in turn and help you with a few ideas about how you might make some improvements in each of the areas. I suggest that you keep this completed wheel and return to it at a later date so that you can re-assess yourself to establish how your efforts have impacted on your life.
It’s an old chestnut but it could be one of the best things you can do for your wellbeing and fitness.
Modern day life means we spend so much time sat down either travelling or at our desks working. In the morning, if you can, walk or jog just for 10 minutes before breakfast. It will speed up your metabolism for the day and you will feel much more energised, calmer and ready to tackle the day. If motivation is a struggle bribe yourself with a paper or gossip magazine from the local store on the way past.
A jog or power walk also benefits your circulation and metabolism. It kick starts the blood flow to your legs and feet, which is vitally important for eliminating toxins from your legs and reducing fluid retention. This will also help if your prone to getting cold feet during the day as this is often due to poor circulation - unless it is the middle of winter!
The best bit is you can relax for the rest of the day knowing that your have already treated your body to a work out!
You’ve heard it said many times before but breakfast really is the most important meal of the day not least of all because, after sleeping for eight hours or more our bodies need to eat to literally ‘break the fast’ of the night.
Skipping this essential meal is not only a lost opportunity to bank a whole range of essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fibre it also causes blood sugars to plummet making you far more likely to crave high fat, high sugar snacks and caffeine and throughout the rest of the day. Experts believe this is why studies show breakfast eaters to be routinely slimmer and healthier than breakfast skippers.
The best breakfasts are those that are low in fat and sugar, high in fibre and are made from low GI (slow releasing carbohydrates) such as oats, wholegrain cereals, rye and stone-ground wholemeal breads. Adding a little low fat protein in the form of eggs, salmon, nuts and seeds will also help to lower the GI of your breakfast and add extra essential nutrients.
Some nutrient packed, slow releasing, energy sustaining starts to the day that can all be made and eaten in 10 minutes or less include:
* Porridge – either hot or try this super tasty cold ‘summer’ porridge version instead. Simply add 2-3 tablespoons of oats, oat bran or oatmeal to a bowl, cover with the same depth again of your milk of choice and leave to sit in the fridge over night. In the morning add a little more milk if needed and stir in one finely grated apple or pear. Top with fresh fruit of your choice such as blueberries, raspberries or slice strawberries, a small drizzle of elderflower cordial or maple syrup and 5 or 6 finely chopped walnuts.
* Stone-ground, wholegrain toast topped with baked beans, poached egg, or smoked salmon with scrambled egg or a little peanut butter.
* French toast made with stone-ground, wholegrain bread topped with sliced banana and blueberries.
* All Bran or natural muesli.
If you really can’t stomach eating in the morning try a fresh fruit smoothie made using natural low fat yogurt, one banana, two tablespoons of oatmeal and a little honey. Exercising first thing may help too as research from Kansas University shows that early morning exercise can naturally rev up metabolism making the idea of eating more appealing.
Alternatively, why not take your breakfast with you? Good, healthy, slow releasing morning ‘meals to go’ include a low fat yogurt and cereal bar, a whole meal peanut butter, honey and sliced banana sandwich, a carton of ready made fresh fruit salad or rice pudding, a homemade fresh fruit smoothie or a low fat, whole meal fruit muffin.
- Would you ever go out in the nude?
-
Would you put freshly laundered clothes on to meet friends?
-
Would you go to work – without washing/bathing/showering first?
If YES, stop reading now – I’m wasting your time.
If NO then read on:
Step One To A Stunning Healthy Confident You Is:
: building the foundation
: preparing the ground
: cultivating your skin
FIRST:
Cleanse: Have a good look at your skin – use your dad’s, brother’s or boyfriend’s shaving mirror – find the dirt traps, usually around your nose and chin. Can you see blocked pores, the bits of black often referred to as blackheads?
It’s essential to exfoliate your face between 1 to 3 times per week. This removes the dead skin cells thus achieving healthy, glowing skin. Foundations and concealers will also sit better on the skin, allowing your makeup to last all day.
How many of you use fake tans?
Exfoliating your skin 3 times a week is vital to prevent the patchy faux pas that are clearly visible with home tanning products.
Here is a facial scrub you can use straight away without feeling you are breaking the bank on expensive branded products:
: Mix rolled oats with half a cup of warm water to form a paste.
: Massage gently into your skin.
: Focus more on the dirt traps around your nose and chin – using a firmer circling movement around these areas.
: Leave for a few minutes before rinsing away with tepid water.
Homemade facial scrubs are just as effective as shop bought products – and, the money you save can be spent on new make up!
Build cleansing into your regular evening routine: wash to soften the skin, cleanse and exfoliate.
Don’t be lazy. Don’t miss out this essential step. Preparing the ground – your skin – will pay off when you eventually come to create the final look!