Beauty & well-being

Curiosity Gap Spotlight: Ra Oils & interview with the founder Frida Jonsdottir

by galina

Judging by the recent volume of write-ups in the press about acne, a skin condition that used to be associated with teenagers, seems to be affecting more and more adult women and men. British Vogue read more

From cynic to fan: Jade Beauty Head Massage Tool from Hayou Method

by galina

While I am a big fan of quality hair brushes, like Kent, Tangle Teezer or Wet Brush, that don’t irritate the scalp, nor pull your hair out when brushing, recent hype about jade & rose quartz head massage tools has left me cold – yet another expensive tool that we don’t need in our arsenal, I thought to myself. Yet the images of Chinese concubines and Japanese geishas brushing their gloriously long and glossy manes kept swirling in my mind and when an opportunity to try the launched in October

Jade Beauty
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Spotlight on Hair: Grow Strong Duo from Mauli Rituals

by galina

Hair is such a defining part of us that when the hairline starts reseading or hair starts to fall out, we panic. Sadly factors like pollution, increased stress, tragic events and passing of time only contribute to our hair going from glossy and lush to sparse, as does our failure to look after the health of our scalp. You only need to compare your teen pictures to the pictures of you now to really notice a marked difference. While your diet, DNA and medical history play an important role in the health and ‘look’ of the hair, the products that you use to look after it, as well as your scalp’s ‘state’ can contribute to an improvement. The people of India, according to Mauli Rituals co-founder Bittu Kaushal, have always used pure herbal shampoos, conditioners and treatments oils to nourish the scalp. So newly launched duo, Mauli Rituals Grow Strong Shampoo and Conditioner,  was developed to give you a helping hand in improving the health of your scalp and hair. All you need to do is to take action and be patient, as change, like improvement, take time.

‘In a bid to combat the impact of pollution, stress and ageing, we tend to shampoo hair and scalp with harsh chemicals, yet this only adds to the damage already read more

The benefits of plants: Saskia Flower Essences

by galina

We live in a truly abundant world, where nature is generous with its gifts and teachings, if only we took the time to notice, learn and appreciate them. Eating seasonal foods instead of the same ones available all year round, taking clues from nature & noticing what actually happens around us, allowing our energy to rise or slow down, are only a few of the things that can make a big difference to how we look and feel. So when along comes a practitioner, who harnesses the power of plants and creates powerful essences to help us deal with emotional baggage, stress, insecurity or moving forward with ease, I am eager to learn and pass the knowledge along. Say hello to Saskia Marjoram, founder of Saskia Flower Essences.

‘Flower essences contain the vibrational energy of the plant they came from, this energy is carried as a message in water. They work on the principle that this read more

Lippy Bunny: ‘Enchanting Blooms’ by Rouge Bunny Rouge

by galina

I wouldn’t exactly call myself a lipstick addict, but I do like using them to help create a mood or enhance a fashion look of the day. When a brand launches lip balms that look and feel like lipsticks and have poetic inspirations and secret Victorian times messages behind them, I get intrigued. Welcome to the spotlight – Rouge Bunny Rouge Tinted Luxe Balms.

When a beautiful parcel that looked like a hat box arrived a couple of weeks ago, I was as enchanted, as my little girl – we almost had an argument about who was going to open it first. When I opened the box, finding inside a chic fascinator and six RBR Enchanting Blooms underneath, I instantly switched from sporty to flirty mood. I did my hair, attached the fascinator and started playing with the colours. Some conservatively subtle, others striking or daringly bohemian – I think there is something for every woman to be transfixed.

Each of the six shades is lightweight, non-sticky and fairly long-lasting, but with a difference – as time goes by after initial application, it slowly fades away, if not reapplied, giving way to a subtle, flattering tint that enhances your lips without being obvious. Not exactly barefaced beauty, but neither is it overtly obvious (depending on the shade you go for).

Each balm promises to hydrate, plump and repair delicate skin on the lips and has an understated sweet, flowery scent. The shape of the balm is ‘cut’ in such a way, that it glides easily along the lip contour, without you needing to be too precise or eagle-eyes. Something that is very welcome when the head and eyesight might be blurry in the morning and needing a shot of expresso to properly kick you up a gear.

Six colours you can choose from are as follows:

099 Captivating Camellias, its Secret Victorian Meaning distills to: ‘I Am Perfect And So Are You’

098 Mysterious read more

Galina Reviews: Amly serum collection that combats the negative impact of modern living

by galina

As someone who has been writing about beauty products for many years I am not easily surprised when it comes to new concepts or launches. While my attention remains razor sharp, few products make it read more

Taking your skincare routine to a next level with Nourish London Probiotic Multi-Mineral repair Mask

by galina

Having recently read Clemence von Muffling ‘Ageless Beauty’ book, I came across a great saying that really distills the essence of why every woman read more

Galina Reviews: Superfood Series from Bodhi and Birch

by galina

Having been a fan of aromatherapy for years, Bodhi and Birch bath and shower therapies fall into a deeply cherished category of products for me. Elijah Choo, brand’s read more

Summer scrubbing with Skin and Tonic

by galina

Summer wakes up our mind and senses and calls for some gentle action when it comes to the care we give to our body – something that we often leave on the back burner, unlike our skincare. Conveniently, British beauty brand Skin and Tonic just launched it’s first bodycare product – a Sea Salt Body Scrub – and I have been putting it to ‘vigorous’ use.

The scrub arrived in a chic silver sealable pouch, which makes it easy to use in the shower or bath and is practical to take with you on your travels or a holiday. Blending together sustainably harvested, mineral-rich Atlantic sea salt with certified organic bergamot, spearmint and rose oil, it makes a lovely first impression, but will it stand the rigorous efficiency test?

Some information about the ingredients, to start with:

Irish Sea Salt

The team has worked hard to source sustainably harvested, non-oxidised sea salt. Due to its sealed extraction from deep currents in the Atlantic Ocean, it contains lots of rich minerals and micronutrients that help to eliminate toxins and hydrate the skin.

Bergamot Oil

This beautiful, certified organic bergamot oil is cold-pressed from the rind of the fruit. Grown mainly in Southern Italy, this sweet, fresh citrus oil is widely used in perfumery. Fun fact: It takes 1,500kg of bergamot to produce 1 kilo of oil!

Rose Oil

Luxurious Rose Centifolia flower oil helps to even skin tone and balance skin moisture levels, whilst soothing away anxiety. Did you know rose is a natural anti-depressant? Nurture and nourishment for both body and soul

Spearmint Oil

Milder than peppermint, this antibacterial oil enlivens and invigorates the skin, helping to stimulate circulation. Spearmint’s fresh aroma will also help to clear headaches and de-stress the mind.

List of ingredients:

Sodium chloride (sea salt), Vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil*, Citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil*, Mentha spicata (spearmint) leaf oil*, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (almond) oil*, Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) flower oil*, Rose centifolia (rose) flower extract

*= Certified Organic

 

 

How to use:

  1. Massage onto clean

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