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10 Simple Wrinkle Erasers

Posted on February 22, 2021 by Melanie Brown

Aging of the skin is a natural process by which the collagen and elastin, that keep our skin looking firm and youthful, begin to decline, this results in wrinkles. Cell production and cell quality also diminish over time resulting in wrinkles.

These factors unfortunately are out of our control, though diet and supplements can slow down the process, it will not stop it.

 The influences that are within our control are largely environmental such as pollution (e.g., smoking) and sun damage.

 Here are 10 easy ways to reduce wrinkles and slow down the aging process:-

  1. Stop smoking (It’s #1 for a reason)
  2. Always wear sunscreen whether it’s cloudy or sunny and don’t sunbake.
  3. Hydrate your skin by drinking about 8 glasses of water a day.
  4. Use skincare products that contain antioxidants and AHA's.
  5. Moisturize the skin on your face twice daily.
  6. Reduce stress. (Try reading, exercising, meditating) 15 minutes a day is a good start.
  7. Reduce alcohol consumption. Overindulging can put enormous strain on your system and will accelerate wrinkles forming.
  8. Eat healthily by incorporating plenty of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet.
  9. Sleep at least 8 hours every night.
  10. Eat fish three times a week. Great for the skin and general health.

Love your skin! 

Posted in Anti-Aging, anti-aging benefits, Beauty, Collagen, drink water, simple wrinkle erasers, skincare, wrinkles, youthful skin

How to Create Your Self Care Routine

Posted on April 13, 2020 by Melanie Brown

 

What is your perception of self care?

Do you follow a self care routine?

For me self care is about taking time out for me, so that I am performing at my best. At all levels. I read, I exercise and just take the time to spend time with me. When I do this, I know that I am happily giving back to my family and to my friends. When you are finding ways to make yourself happier, you are improving your general wellbeing and you can give so much to others when you are firing on all cylinders.

If you feel that you are not practising self care, here are some routines that you can follow: -

Learn to Say No – Sometimes just for a quiet life, we agree to doing things particularly at times when we have no time for ourselves. We say “yes” as we do not want to offend others, but this can be harming to ‘us’ as well as relationships. Boundaries have to be put in place where we just have to say no. If people are real genuine friends, they will understand. You are not being selfish, and this is a way of maintaining your sanity.

Avoid Negative People – Negative people can be quite draining. When you surround yourself with this kind of energy, it rubs off on you. So, the simple solution is to surround yourself with people who are going to raise your spirits. You will feel their positive vibes and their support

Appreciate that Failures are inevitable – Instead of looking at them as a mistake, look at them as a positive lesson to help you grow. If you internalize your failure, it gives you an excuse why you cannot do something. You won’t take the chance and for risks which might in turn help you

Don’t compare yourself to others – We are all on different paths. Our journeys will not take us on the same destination. Appreciate where you are starting and where you are going.

Pay it forward – How about doing something kind for someone else. Be generous in your thoughts and actions. This all amounts to positivity. The doer will have a flow of endorphins which will make them feel better. The gesture does not have to be big, it can be something as simple as praising a child

Look at things from a different perspective – When things threaten our peace which could potentially cause stress, try seeing it from an alternative perspective. If it was a friend, how would you advise them. It gives you the opportunity to observe things from a calm and detached way coming up with a solution.

Be a doer and not a brooder – Keep yourself occupied doing things which are going to raise your spirits. Take up a new hobby or course.

Journal or meditate – This is a great way of dealing with negativity and relieving stress. You can self reflect and look at ways to find a solution. Meditation is a fabulous relaxation to be present and mindful.

Whatever you do, make sure that you take time out for you! It's not selfish.

How To Get Beautifully Hydrated Skin

Posted on March 28, 2020 by Melanie Brown

Oh, my goodness. I’m so excited!
 
It’s not very often that I pamper myself but decided to do so with a new serum.
 
I have used serums before and they can be quite drying on the skin, but this one was something else. It glided onto the skin and making it feel silky soft. In addition, I noticed how it really hydrated my skin. My face had a healthy glow.
 
So, what was the magical ingredient that allowed me to have this gorgeous feeling skin.
The answer - Hyaluronic Acid, otherwise commonly known as HA.
 
HA is a carbohydrate molecule which is naturally formed in the body. It provides lubrication to connective joints and is fabulous for overall skin health. Nowadays, it is seen as an essential ingredient in numerous beauty products.
 
This is what HA can do for your skin: -
 
1. Leaves your skin feeling hydrated and gives it long lasting moisture.
 
2. Boosts the skin health so stops the skin drying out.
 
3. Fantastic for anti-aging. As you get older, the skin losses it’s suppleness.
    HA plumps up the skin and smooths out the fine lines and wrinkles.
 
4. Firms and tones.
 
5. Fights free radicals and damage caused by UV damage and the environment which would break down the collagen in your skin leaving it with fine lines and wrinkles. This is an amazing antioxidant.
 
HA is most definitely, my new best friend!
 
Want to know more about HA and how this gorgeous serum can change help you? Then send me an email at melslittleluxuries@btopenworld.com and I will get back to you. 💖

Posted in Anti-Aging, anti-aging benefits, Collagen, Fighting UV Damage, HA, Hyaluronic Acid, hydrates, Hydration, moisturiser, Moisturizer, serum, Skin, skin care, Skin Care Basics, skin health

5 Benefits of Dry Skin Brushing

Posted on June 02, 2019 by Melanie Brown

Your skin has many functions for example protecting from infection, the production of vitamin D when coming into contact with the sun and helping with detoxification. It is therefore really important to care for your skin.

If your skin is inundated with the job of getting rid of toxins and dead skin cells, it won’t work at it’s optimum. This is where dry skin brushing comes in as it helps with getting with rid of excess dead skin cells and waste removal.

Here are 5 benefits of how dry skin brushing can help you.

1. It can act as a channel of stress relief. Dry skin brushing is almost like a massage as it reduces muscle tension and calms the mind. 

2. It helps to invigorate the skin .

3. It can help to reduce the appearance of cellulite by softening the hard fat deposits under the skin. This also helps with the removal of toxins.

4. Dry skin brushing improves the circulation as it eliminates metabolic waste.

5. It’s a great exfoliator for the skin – it unblocks clogged pores by removing dead skin and allows the healthy skin to breathe.

Dry skin brushing is easy. You can use a brush with a long handle and natural, stiff bristles and simply brush in the direction of the heart.

Don’t press too heavily as this can leave the skin feeling sore and looking red. Dry skin brushing can be done on most parts of the body with the exception of the face which is too delicate for this process.

Aim to brush for 2 to 20 minutes.

You will need a good moisturiser to ensure that your skin remains soft. Using a product which contains shea butter or coconut oil does wonders in helping the skin to maintain a vibrant and glowing look.

Email me at mel@melslittleluxuries.co.uk find out how our Citrus Delight Whipped Body butter can help as a great moisturiser.

Posted in Cellulite, Citrus Delight Whipped Body Butter, Dry Skin Conditioning, Exfoliation, Glowing Skin, Moisturizer, skin care, Vibrant Skin

The Beautiful Benefits of Shea Butter

Posted on May 30, 2019 by Melanie Brown

I love Shea Butter and use a lot of it in my handmade products. It is renowned for its numerous beneficial properties on the skin. This was reinforced by a friend who used one of my butter butters which contains Shea.

My friend has suffered with blemishes for some time and became quite paranoid about them. This started after she gave birth to her children. With all the hormones raging through her body, she noticed that the appearance of her skin changed and always seemed to be quite irritated. Although I’m sure that no one was, she felt that everyone was staring at her. She became quite anxious and paid a visit to her GP in the hope that he could give her some miracle cure which would get rid of the problem. However, it didn’t work, and she had the additional worry of whether the chemicals in the prescription were causing additional problems to her already sensitive skin.

Out of desperation, she approached me as she knew that I made a whipped body butter which contained Shea Butter. From researching the internet, she was aware of the properties of Shea, such as being soothing on irritated skin, a great anti-ager and good for acne or blemished skin. Most of all, she was attracted to the fact that the ingredients were natural and there was no danger of any chemicals causing any harm to her skin.

I gave her a jar of the body butter and told her that she only needed to use a small amount as a little went a long way.

After 3 weeks she got back to me asking for a second jar. I was quite surprised by this request, because if she has been using the butter as directed, she should not have reached the bottom of the jar.

My friend told me that she was absolutely happy with the results because after using the body butter, she had noticed an improved appearance of her skin as the blemishes appeared to fade. She had put it down to the Shea Butter and its renowned properties. When she told me this, I noticed for the first time that she had a great big beaming smile.  She was filled with confidence.

What’s available in the shop? 

Citrus Delight Whipped Body Butter - containing Shea Butter, Coconut oil, Jojoba Oil. Wonderfully hydrating and moisturizing. Click here to find out more.

Email me, mel@melslittleluxuries.co.uk,  If you want to know more about Shea Butter and how its properties might be able to help you.

Posted in Anti-Aging, Beauty, Citrus Delight Whipped Body Butter, hydrates, Hydration, moisturiser, Moisturizer, Shea Butter, Skin, skin care

Are You Following Your Passion?

Posted on April 16, 2019 by Melanie Brown

Are you living your passion?

My soapmaking journey started as a hobby. I was given a soap kit to keep me busy after taking a break from a fairly busy work life.

My friends saw how bored I was and that I needed to keep my brain cells active. It was so easy to start this new interest as it was calming and therapeutic. I found that I really enjoyed soapmaking because it was showing me that I had creative skills, which I didn’t even know existed.

The beauty of making soap is that you can control what ingredients you put into it. You can use beautiful products that are gentle and caring on the skin.

My friends watched me and began asking me to make pamper kits for them. It was from this that I looked at working a business from home around my young family.

I began to see that my new passion would allow me to spend valuable time with my children which meant that I could be there for the monumental events like school plays and sports days.

I nervously registered on a course. It was so different to anything I had ever done but my nervousness soon turned to massive enthusiasm when I was taught how to make gorgeous soaps, lip balms, beautiful body butters and fizzy bath treats.

It has slowly but gradually taken off into a business which I now compliment with my health and wellness business. It is so important that we look after ourselves from the inside out and I love helping people to do just that.

It was my lengthy career break and taking up soapmaking which helped me to discover my passion. It showed me that I could fit my work around my family and enjoy life.

My simple message from this is that life is too short. Life just seems to flash by and you can miss out on the best things in life.

If you can, follow your passion! Look at what you want to do, research it and follow through. If you believe in yourself and surround yourself with positive people, you can achieve what you want. Just don’t let anyone or anything hold you back.

Follow your passion!

Give Yourself the Gift of a Time Out This Mother’s Day

Posted on March 30, 2019 by Melanie Brown

 

As a working mother I understand that need to take a time out. I’m fortunate that creating my little luxuries allows me to work with incredible, natural ingredients that offer my clients (and myself) a range of fabulous products to make that much needed time out even better.

 

What would you do with a spare hour?

 

  • Read a book: My favourite author is Shelley Wilson and I’ll happily escape into their fictional world for an hour. Who’s your favourite author?
  • Go for a walk: Getting out in nature is one of the best gifts you can give yourself as it boosts your endorphins – our happiness hormone.
  • Have a soak: Lighting a few candles and escaping into the bathroom for an indulgent hour is a great way to take a time out.

 

Having a luxurious bath is my go to choice when I need to unwind and de-stress, and the perfect accompaniment is one of my fun, fizzy bath bombs (yes, they’re great for adults! Who said kids should have all the fun?)

 

What does Mel Recommend?

 

In the shop at the moment we have Jasmine Rose Bath Bombs which look good enough to eat! These gorgeous must haves contain Shea butter which moisturises the skin whilst you’re in the bath and come as a pack of 2 so there’s no excuse not to have more than one time out!

 

 

What’s available in the shop?

 

Yellow Seaweed and Juniper Bath Bombs

 

One large bath bomb. This bath treat conjures up thoughts of a sunny relaxing day on a beach. Beautifully fragranced and contain wonderfully moisturising shea butter.

 

Lavender Bath Bomb

 

These large and lovely bath bombs contain lavender essential oil.  This oil is well known for its therapeutic benefits such as the relief of stress and its healing qualities. They are topped with lavender petals. Simply relax and let the stresses of the day disappear with these soothing bath treats which also contain moisturising shea butter. Each packet contains 2 bath bombs.

 

Romantic Liaison Bath Bomb

 

A packet of 6 blossom bath bombs scented with romantic liaison fragrance oil. Fizz away the cares of the world with this moisturising pack of delights – perhaps get your partner to join you!

 

To see the other products in the Bath Bomb range click HERE.

 

For more top tips and product news sign up for our free newsletter HERE.

 

When was the last time you used a bath bomb? Do you have a favourite flavour? Share your stories over on my Facebook page @MelsLittleLuxuries.

 

Posted in Bath Bombs, Bath Treats, Mother's Day

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