Utopia Spa DIY Facemask…

Spa Blog by Annabel

Saving the pennies for Christmas? Skin needing a moisture boost?
Have no fear, here are is a top recipe using some notorious moisture-boosting ingredients! What’s even better is that you can re-create this little skin-saver at home!
I’m sure you’ve heard it before but the lusciously creamy-tasting avocado is actually incredibly beneficial for your skin. Packed with vitamins A,B,D,E and K, they are also contain potassium and most importantly rich in natural oils – ideal for replenishing what your skin may have lost at this time of year.
Mixed with Honey (the runny sort) which is highly anti-bacterial (so even good for those with acne or spot-prone skin), it is also clarifying for pores, anti-ageing (thanks to all those antioxidants it contains) and extremely moisturising!! – Now, you can spend an awful lot on honey but for this recipe, you don’t have to.

Directions

Get ½ of a ripe avocado

Scoop the flesh out and mash it into a thick pulp
Mix in 1 tablespoon of honey
Apply generously to a clean face and leave for 10-15 minutes.
Remove with a warm damp muslin cloth
Blot with a towel, tone and finish with your usual moisturiser

There are various home-made facemasks through-out websites and blogs but this has got to be our top one for minimum effort and cost and maximum results!
Variations you can try are also mixing in mashed carrot (also high in antioxidants) or whole oats, which help exfoliate too!

Summer Soles!

Spa Blog by Kristie

So it’s that time of year where we bare our feet!

Follow these top tips to keep your feet looking great this summer.

1. Exfoliate:

One way to instantly smooth the skin is to exfoliate! When you rid the skin of the surface dead skin cells, you create a smoother, brighter appearance. Courser scrubs with particles of salt, sugar, loofah, or crushed seeds are perfect for the feet.

2. Hard Skin Removal:

Firstly soak your feet for 10-15 minutes.
Make it a habit to use a pumice stone or foot file on the heels and balls of the feet to remove the dead skin.

3. Moisturise:

After the dead skin removal it is important that you apply a rich moisturiser to ensure the skin is re-hydrated and re-nourished.

Moisturise your feet daily to prevent hard skin and help maintain softness.

4. NAIL CARE:

Using clippers, trim your toenails straight across leaving a small amount of free edge. Smooth the free edge with an emery board. Gently ease back your cuticles using a cuticle stick.

If you are applying a polish, always wipe over the nail plate with polish remover before applying a base coat. Follow with two coats of the colour of your choice and finish with a top coat.

Tip: apply a layer of top coat every 3 days to keep your varnish looking bright and glossy!

In our next blog we will be looking at this season’s hottest trends! Keep your eyes peeled for an exclusive special offer!

November has arrived and it’s brought the winter weather with it…

Spa Blog By Annabel

So, we’ve decided to compile some tips to prepare your skin for the coming months and prevent your skin suffering whilst the icicles thrive!

1) Water, water everywhere!!

Whilst we avoid the puddles and the snow drifts, ensuring you maintain or increase your water intake in the winter is crucial for not only your skin’s health, but your general health too! The Recommended Daily Intake is between 2-3 litres, (varying for men and women) to maintain the body’s vital functions.

2) Up the outer layers!

Not only does the cold require us to layer on more clothing but we should do the same for our skin too! Once you’ve moisturised your inside, don’t forget about the outside. By opting for a richer more intense version of your usual moisturiser, you are guaranteeing your skin the moisture boost it needs when the cold harsh whether depletes it.

3) Cool it and quicker!

Long hot showers despite warming you up, tend to leave your skin parched and vulnerable. Too warm water can break down the skin’s natural lipid barrier which protects it against the environment and over washing can also strip it of its natural oils.. Plus, quicker showers will save the pennies in time for Christmas!

4) You are what you eat!

Nourish yourself from inside to prepare your immune system and defend yourself from winter. Foods like oily fish, walnuts, hemp, flax or pumpkin seeds and nuts are packed with essential fatty acids which help lubricate the skin cells preventing dryness. Avocado contains oleic acid also which is involved in regenerating damaged skin cells and reducing facial redness and irritation.

5) Finally… invest in some mitts!

The ultimate protection to protect those vital extremities; gloves, socks and scarves can’t be beaten when it comes to warmth and they won’t dry your skin out like central heating!!

Top Tip - Why not try one of our Decleor Discovery Facials to find out what nutrient rich products are best suited to your skin type this Winter…..

Spa Blog by Kristie 

What do your nails tell you about your health. . .

Finger or nail abnormalities can tell us a lot about our health. Doctors often check nails for signs that may indicate underlying diseases or disorders in the body.

For instance, nails may become ridged and chip due to a deficiency of calcium or other nutrients in body. During a manicure dead cells are sloughed away and any abnormalities can be easily spotted – a handy alert!

Here are a few common nail problems:

Brittle Nails. . .

Sometimes brittle or crumbly nails can be caused by:

• a fungal nail infection
• long-term exposure to water or chemicals
• an underactive thyroid or overactive thyroid, where the thyroid gland either doesn't produce enough hormones or produces too many
• psoriasis, a long-term skin condition

Discoloured nails. . .

Yellow discoloured nails can result from any of the following:
Frequent or prolonged application of nail varnish

• lymphedema, a long-term condition that causes swelling of the skin
• jaundice (yellowing of the skin) due to liver disease
• Sinus problems

Thickening or overgrown Nails. . .

Thickening, overgrown or crumbly nails can be caused by:

• Fungal nail infections
• Pressure on the nails
• Psoriasis
• Arthritis

TIP: Nails can be strengthened by regularly applying cuticle oil, wearing gloves when washing up, taking vitamin B7 supplements and by frequently applying moisturiser.

So treating yourself to a manicure is not just a luxury, they really are good for your health! Manicures will ensure you are free of dry cuticles, hangnails, broken skin
and split fingernails. Any one of these can lead to infection, which can be quite painful!

Look out for our next blog where we will be giving some top tips to get your feet summer ready!!