30 July 2015

Castor Oil

I don't want to bombard you with too many oils but another oil I use is castor oil. It comes from the seed of the castor oil plant and is a type of vegetable oil. I have only used it for hair growth, mostly for my eyebrows or eyelashes. The consistency of the oil is very thick and sticky and this is probably the only reason I don't use it for anything else. 

To make my eyebrows thicker and grow faster, I take a clean mascara wand and rub some castor oil on it. Then comb into my eyebrows and leave in. I usually leave overnight and wash off the next morning, within two weeks I noticed a big difference. The same applies for eyelashes too, apply oil on clean mascara wand and coat your lashes from root to tip making sure it doesn't go in your eye and it is washed off fully the next day. 


Castor Oil

I used to use the oil on my sons head to treat his cradle cap and for hair growth. To be honest, other oils like olive oil would probably treat it too but I know castor oil is known for hair growth. Although I use coconut oil in my hair and scalp, castor oil is another alternative as it is the most common oil to use on hair and combat hair loss. Apart from being used for hair growth it is also used to treat itchy skin, skin rashes and acne too. 



Castor Oils 


Fushi organic castor oil
Castor Oil
Pukkaherbs castor oil

23 July 2015

Almond Oil

The other week I went to collect my free sample of the L’Occitane Almond supple skin oil (15ml) and Almond velvet balm, which was inside the August issue of the Instyle magazine. After reading into the benefits of almond oil, I knew I would be hooked.

Larger sizes can be purchased here

The L’Occitane almond supple skin oil contains more than 50% of almond oil and smells amazing. When rubbed onto my skin, the skin straight away feels soft and moisturised and it leaves a lovely glow behind. The velvet balm is amazing too and sinks into your skin straight away and apparently targets five signs of ageing: “dryness, skin slackening, lack of tonicity, fine lines and skin tone irregularities”

There are so many benefits to certain oils, from coconut oil (as discussed on here before), Argan oil, grape seed oil, castor oil and many more, its hard to stick to one. 

The almond oil is acquired from the almond seed and contains vitamins E, vitamin B2 and vitamin K, as well as nutrients like omega 6 and other essential minerals. In relation to the skin, the almond oil has benefits that would make you want to switch from your normal moisturiser. The study has shown that not only can it protect you from the sun, it can also reverse damages that may have already occurred! (Read more here) If that doesn't persuade you, the almond oil also nourishes the skin keeping your skin moisturised longer, improving your complexion and leaving your skin glowing. It also relieves itchy irritated skin and has the ability to reduce dark circles under the eye. Don't know about you but I'm converted and these are just some of the benefits for the skin alone.

Almond Oil


L’Occitane Almond supple skin oil
Organic Sweet Almond Oil
Neal's Yard Almond Oil




20 July 2015

Black Dress

The black dress is the one of the most classic pieces you can have in your wardrobe, it is an example of timeless fashion that is so simple but can be worn to nearly any occasion. I actually own a few black dresses, all different and a mix of day, evening or both. It definitely helps me on the days when I have the ‘nothing to wear/don't know what to wear’ dilemma. 

The dress I am wearing below is a Topshop boutique dress I bought 2 years ago and I have worn this so many times for both day and evening occasions, so versatile. 


Similar here in warehouse

If there is one person that always looks good in black it's Victoria Beckham, she's been known for wearing black as her signature uniform and manages to be on trend no matter what season she's in.
The good think about a black dress is that you can wear it whenever you want and you don't have to spend so much to look good.

Here are a few of my choices from the high street:

Topshop Baby Doll Dress
Topshop silk shirt dress
Zara Ruffle dress
Oasis bubble textured dress
Whistles Lace dress

6 July 2015

Rose Water

I don't usually tone my skin, prefer to use fewer products as possible but I thought I would try out rose water as a toner. I bought the Boot Botanics 100% Organic rose water toning spritz and have been using it for the last two months now. It is definitely something I will be sticking with, my skin is more hydrated throughout the day and feels fresher and cleaner too. It is suitable for all skin types, 100% organic, smells gorgeous and an added bonus is that it's on offer at the moment for £3.99.


After cleansing, I spray the toning spritz all over my face and neck and gently wipe away with a cotton pad. It wipes away any last traces of makeup so leaving my skin feeling extra clean. You can make rose water yourself but it's actually an affordable product. Great for summer to keep you refreshed.

Used for centuries, rose water has been known for beautifying the skin. It is simply flavoured water which is made by soaking rose petals in water to extract the flavour. It cleans, tones and hydrates the skin helping to maintain a clear complexion. Other benefits include reducing skin redness and helping dry irritated skin, click here for more uses.

My Top 3:

Botanics 100% Organic
Pukka Organic rosewater

1 July 2015

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has many benefits, especially for the hair and skin. It has been used on hair for thousands of years and is most popular in coastal areas around the world. Coming from the beautiful island Sri Lanka, coconuts were everywhere, including our garden.  Not only is it great to drink, it is used for cooking and beauty too. I always wondered if coconut oil was the reason many Sri Lankan’s have long thick hair?  


Image from Google

From a young age my mum had always applied coconut oil to my scalp and hair, and not knowing the benefits at a young age I realise now it had amazing results to keeping my hair strong, healthy and nourished. However over time as I got older I stopped applying oil to my hair and I started to see a change in the condition. After many years of being lazy with my beauty regime and putting it off, I have now decided to start what my mum initially did all those years ago on my hair. I therefore recently purchased some cold pressed coconut oil at a local pharmacy to get me started. For those of you that don't know, cold pressed simply means that it retains all of their flavour, aroma, and nutritional value. Organic simply means it's produced without the use of any chemicals or pesticides, so all natural. When looking to buy coconut oil try to look out for both organic and cold pressed.  

Benefits include: Moisture for the skin (works on really dry areas too), can be used towards a body scrub by adding some sea salt or sugar, used for reducing stretch marks, cellulite and marks on the skin. Used also for hair growth, for stronger healthy hair and to even eliminate dandruff. But these are just some of the benefits I've read. Let me know if you use it too.

My top 3:

Raw Health Virgin Coconut oil