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Conversations through the middle

Life from a (slightly) more mature perspective

Giveaway – lovely Lavera skin care

October 22, 2012

This week our fab 40s Chic giveaway is courtesy of those lovely people at Lavera. If you don’t know this brand then you’ve really been missing out – where have you been since 1987?
Lavera is a natural cosmetics, hair care and skin care company with a wealth of plant-based and organic products that are suitable for even sensitive skin. They are free from preservatives, synthetic perfumes and synthetic colours.

I have used Lavera skin care and make-up many times over the past few years and I can honestly say it is one of my favourite brands; I wrote about their sunscreens here or you can find out more by visiting their website at www.pravera.co.uk. 


The word Lavera by the way is Latin for truth, which is what the company strives for in its products and philosophy.

We have a Lavera Faces My Age Anti-Wrinkle Organic Face Care Gift Bag (worth £49.50) to give away to one lucky 40s Chic reader.  The reusable organza bag contains a 50ml organic gentle foaming cleanser, 30ml organic restoring day cream and 15ml organic intensive eye cream. All contain plant extracts and essential oils, and fair trade and organic ingredients.  
To be in with a chance of winning simply leave a comment below. If you would like to follow 40s Chic that would be even better, but it’s not compulsory. The closing date for this giveaway is 22 November.
(Rules: this giveaway is open to UK residents only – sorry. Entrants must be over 18 years old; one entry per person; deadline for entries is 22 November. Any problems or questions please get in touch.)

The Prize Finder

 

Filed in: Uncategorised • by Lisa •

Suncare – keep your cool when it’s hot with these practical tips

August 8, 2012

The weather has been really weird this past few months and thinking about that has prompted this post. One minute it’s sunny, the next it’s raining, the next it’s windy and overcast, so it’s easy to forget that the sun is at its hottest at this time of year. It always reminds me of what I’ve read about Tenerife – it may not be sunny but the UV rays still get through (though the one time I was in Tenerife it was gorgeous and sunny).

So at the risk of teaching my grandmother how to suck eggs, I thought I’d share five tips for keeping your cool under the rays – or in other words how to practise safe sun.

1) Stay out of the sun when it is at its highest, so from around noon until 3pm, and keep babies and young children out of the sun altogether.

2) Wear loose clothing that’s made of a close weave fabric, wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and wear a hat. Your sunglasses should  be 100% UV absorbing, fit well and give good coverage all round, so limiting as much as possible the amount of light reaching your eyes. Ultraviolet rays from the sun can cause irreversible damage, leading to cataracts or macular degeneration. According to David Cartwright, optician expert for Boots: “The majority of UV damage is caused before the age of 18 as more UV rays pass through the lens, so you need to protect against this.”

3) Slap on the sunscreen. It’s not enough to apply it once outside, for best effect you need to apply it 30 minutes before stepping out the door. Then you need to regularly reapply it, especially if you’re in and out of water. Most people don’t apply enough and even the highest SPF factor won’t be able to do its job properly if inadequately applied. “You should worry about wearing enough sunscreen, rather than how high the SPF is,” says Charlotte Vohtz, founder of natural skincare company Green People. “To get the SPF advertised use a full shot glass (30ml) to cover the whole body.”

4) Fake it! False tan has come so far over the past few years that you won’t look orange if you choose a good quality product and apply it correctly, or you could treat yourself to a salon tan for a totally professional finish. As with sunscreens, there’s a good range of tanning products that contain natural ingredients, such as Melvita ProSun Gradual Self-Tanning Gel-Cream, which develops over a couple of days to give a golden glow, Green People Self Tan Lotion, containing organic rosehip, sandalwood and geranium, or  Lavera Sun Sensitive Natural and Organic Self Tanning Lotion with jojoba and macadamia nut oils. For immediate satisfaction The Body Shop does a Honey Bronze Shimmering Dry Oil that gives colour immediately (though you wouldn’t want to wear that in the swimming pool).

5) Finally, just to confuse matters, make sure you get outside into the sun every day, sunscreen-free. What? I hear you say. Doesn’t that go against everything you’ve just said? Well… as long as you don’t do it during the hottest part of the day you should be okay, says the National Osteoporosis Society. It’s all about vitamin D you see. We need vitamin D to help keep our bones strong and the best source of the nutrient is sunshine – and according to the National Osteoporosis Society just 10 minutes per day outdoors over the summer should be enough to keep our levels of this sunshine vitamin topped up year round.

And just a few more words on the subject of vitamin D: If your shadow is shorter than you then the sun is at the right angle to product vitamin D and you need to be outside to benefit as your body cannot produce vitamin D through windows. (National Osteoporosis Society Sunlight Campaign).

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Filed in: Uncategorised • by Lisa •

Beauty reviews – body cream, moisturiser, mascara, lipgloss

July 28, 2012

Well I seem to have spent much of this week catching up with myself but not quite getting there, what with work, school holidays and of course the Olympics last night (on TV – wasn’t it excellent)  – hence why this latest post appears today when I had hoped to have it live yesterday. Which in turn means the recipe is shunted along also, but that’s not such a big deal as I’m not such a good cook. I wonder – should I continue with the recipes or not? What do you think, would you rather I do something else instead, more beauty, interiors or chit chat?
Back to beauty; first up is Ultra Rich Body Cream from Living Nature. If you have dry skin then you’re going to like this. The texture is rich and it smells like chocolate almost, with a hint of vanilla, which will either be a complete turn on or turn off.  For me the fragrance is somewhere in the middle – I’m not that keen on vanilla but I love chocolate, the fragrance as well as the real thing.
I’ve been using this mainly on my legs after showering and despite its richness it sinks in quickly without feeling greasy afterwards, which is a boon in the hot weather we’ve been having. Active manuka honey is a natural humectant that holds in moisture, while murumuru and cupuacu butters nourish, soften and moisturise the skin, so helping the overall performance of the cream.
I prefer this to a body butter as I find butters too thick and they tend to linger on the skin and I find that annoying. I am also very receptive to the brand, which hails from New Zealand and prides itself on using natural ingredients, fragrances and preservatives, as well as botanicals from sustainable sources, and it doesn’t test on animals. www.livingnature.com

Evolve Multi Peptide Double Cream has become one of my favourite daytime moisturisers over the past few months. As somebody who gets through tons of the stuff you can believe me when I say this one is a bit special. You just need a little, which is how my sample bottle has lasted so long, and it sinks in quickly and cleanly, leaving the skin feeling firmer. According to Evolve the natural peptides in the product “have been proven to increase moisturisation by up to 60% and reduce the appearance of wrinkles by up to 18%”. Hyaluronic acid holds moisture in the skin and argan oil, rich in antioxidants and essential fatty acids, nourishes and protects.

I don’t know why it’s called double cream but that’s a point I’m not going to stress over, all I know is it does what it says on the tin and for 40s+ skin it gives a quality performance at a mid-range price. The fragrance is subtle, almost nutty, and the cream is organic and cruelty-free, so suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The container is made from recycled plastic and can itself be recycled – a case of putting your money where your mouth is. www.evolvebeauty.co.uk

A few weeks ago I was the happy recipient of a Bare Minerals Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascara, sent to my by their lovely PR, now after having used it a few times I’m ecstatic. This is the first mascara I have ever used that goes on smoothly and when it’s dry feels soft. I don’t mean that in a bad way – you can still see I’m wearing mascara and my lashes look fuller, but when I touch them they actually feel soft, rather than stiff or crunchy. I’ve never had that happen before and I have to say I’m hooked. There’s no clumps either, which is a bonus as I hate clumps.

Now am I stating the obvious here – does your mascara feel soft when it dries? Please tell me. It’s just that I’ve tested a few over the years and I haven’t had one until now that has had this effect. I don’t know if it’s waterproof but it is tear proof and smudge proof – I met a friend I hadn’t seen for a while in the supermarket yesterday and I was telling her about my lovely horse dying, hence how I know it’s tear proof, then I rubbed my eyes afterwards and discovered it’s smudge proof.
Another current favourite from Bare Minerals is their Natural Lipgloss in Citrus Tart. It’s a sheer but peachy shade that doesn’t disappear as soon as you apply it and it contains botanicals including honeysuckle flower extract, pomegranate seed oil and jojoba oil as well as antioxidant vitamin E. There’s no parabens or preservatives and the applicator is a brush rather than a sponge tip, which I find very handy. www.bareminerals.co.uk

I’m a bit of a fan of lip glosses so if there’s any you can recommend I’d love to hear from you, just leave a comment and let me know.
 

Filed in: Uncategorised • by Lisa •

Beauty reviews – face and hands

July 13, 2012

Sensiderma Moisture Soothe from Queen is a bit of a find. It is designed for people with dry but sensitive skin and, says the company, it also helps with conditions such as rosacea.
When I first received my sample of Moisture Soothe I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. Texture-wise it is wet, for want of a better word. What I mean is it doesn’t have that rich feel about it that so many other moisturisers do. Yet, when I tested it on the back of my hand it sank in quickly.
I then used it on my face, first for daytime then at night. Surprisingly, considering its thinner consistency, I found it too heavy for day use. The cream is absorbed quickly but you can still feel it, which is why I found it unsuitable as a day moisturiser. For night though it’s ideal – it’s cold to apply, which I find soothing in itself, and even better, the morning after using it my skin feels softer. That’s not a one off, it happens each time, which is lovely.
If you’re unfamiliar with the brand then let me enlighten you. It was founded in 1927 by three dermatologists and all of its products are geared towards caring for skin that is prone to flare ups, eczema, dermatitis, acne or is just simply sensitive. They are fragrance-free, contain no essential oils and have never been tested on animals.
The collection covers skin care, hair and body care, and there’s a make-up range also. www.queen-cosmetics.com
The smell of roses in one of my favourite things in the world. It takes me back to my childhood and the garden across the lane from our house. The couple who lived there – Aunty Mary and Uncle Stan – had the best rose garden, which they tended lovingly every year. The perfume from their roses surrounded the garden so you can imagine how intense it was when you were in it – and we kids often were.
So of course when I was in The Body Shop I homed in on their Wild Rose hand cream. I’m not sure when it launched but it was sometime in the last couple of months, and it hits my olfactory spot dead on.
The fragrance is real, it doesn’t smell in the least bit artificial, and the colour is the palest pink. It’s quite a light cream and doesn’t take much rubbing in, but you don’t need a great deal of it. My problem is I always apply too much, getting carried away with the fragrance, then of course I end up with greasy hands. Unfortunately because of this my tube is almost empty so I’ll be heading back to the store soon for more. www.thebodyshop.co.uk
 
When I first tried Green People’s new Hydrating Firming Serum it almost jumped out of the container at me – note to self: don’t press bottle pumps too enthusiastically. This I believe is an update on the company’s Gentle Tone, and they make some impressive claims for it, including it doubles your skin’s natural collagen production and it reduces wrinkles by more than 7%!
Ingredients include rose geranium, chamomile and seaweed, and there’s no parabens, artificial perfumes, colours or petrochemicals to be seen.
I know it’s a serum and not a cream, but I decided to see if it would work on its own. It felt okay without moisturiser on top, but it felt better with. Green People suggest mixing it with their Anti Ageing Facial Oil or with your regular foundation as alternative ways to enjoy its benefits.
I think I applied too much to begin with as my skin was left sticky. Now I use just the tiniest amount on my face and neck (a bit more where my neck is becoming – horror of horrors – a little lined), then I leave it for a few minutes to sink in before applying moisturiser.
It does make my skin feel firmer, but I’ve only been using it a short time so I haven’t noticed me looking any younger yet, hopefully that will come next.
As with all of Green People’s products, the serum is cruelty-free, ingredients are mainly organic, suitable for vegetarians – this one is vegan friendly also – and the packaging is recyclable. www.greenpeople.co.uk
 

Filed in: Uncategorised • by Lisa •

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I live in the countryside with my dogs and cat, and I love horses, yoga and running (sometimes). Writing is what I do - I've tried other things, but keep coming back to it. And I'm learning to meditate.
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