Secret tips to have younger looking eyes!

As a Facialist a common area of concern for aging are the eyes, whether its to remove dark circles, reduce puffiness or prevent wrinkles.  Below you find some top tips and advice that you may not have heard of to give yourself brighter and younger looking eyes.

 Serums/ or gels rather than eye creams.

Try using either eye gels or eye serums as Eye creams tend to be thick in texture and heavy on ingredients ( ie mineral oil).   As they only sit on the surface of the skin this can be a common cause of milia, which are the white lumps under the skin and they are hard to remove. This also applies to a lot of face creams so only apply the face cream up to the top of the cheek bone.  Note: the removal of milia should be done by a professional therapist.

For more information about mila removal you can contaact me monique.1uk@gmail.com 07984351859

 Less is more

A lot of women think if they apply layer upon layers of creams or serum that it will make more of a difference but you would be wrong, the skin around the eye area is only a couple of layers, so it will only soak up what it needs then the rest will just sit there.  It can also be the cause of dark circles as well as a waste.  Many surgeons are now scooping out excess eye cream from inside the skin while doing eye surgery. So next time you apply your eye gel remember less is more.

Tip: When applying eye gels or serum apply above the eyelids too or where your sunglasses would cover

Environ C quence eye gel

An effective topical alternative to Botox that is safer, milder and injection-free…at a fraction of the cost! In comparison it lasts longer, is less expensive, non-toxic and there are no needles involved!

It effectively reduces the depth of wrinkles on the face and helps prevent the formation of new lines.  The Ionzyme® C-Quence Eye Gel employs the latest cosmetic technology by using a unique combination of three super-powerful peptides, Matrixyl®, DermaxylTM and Argireline®, for use on the delicate and sensitive eye area, particularly where “crow’s-feet” and deep lines are visible

Focus Frown Serum

How can you reduce those dreaded lines caused by repeated facial expressions? Today’s stress is enough to make anyone frown – but all this frowning can only result in premature frown lines on the forehead and around the eye area.

Environ’s new Ionzyme Focus Frown Serum is a scientifically proven formula, that when applied to the targeted area, assists to smooth and soften frown lines. Frown lines become lighter, muscle tension reduces in the forehead area and deep lines become less prominent. Skin is healthier and more elastic resulting in younger, smoother looking skin.

Only the very best raw materials are used in the formula. These ingredients are individually very expensive putting them out of reach of many other cosmetic houses. It has always been Environ’s philosophy to invest in only the best ingredients that really work, rather than expensive packaging and marketing.

For more information or to buy any of  these products contact Monique 07984351859 monique.1uk@gmail.com

Drink plenty of water

Darks circles can be related to the kidneys so try to drink plenty of water. Lemon and warm water is the best way to start of your morning, but can also be taken at any time during the day.  Try to avoid excessive alcohol and caffeine. You may also want to consider doing a colon cleanse. I have just finished the 10 day course and I was amazed how my dark circles went away and how revitalised I feel. I have mentioned it before in my winter blog. (Healthy starter pack)

 Cold teaspoon

Forget about cucumbers or tea bags the best tried and tested method to invigorate the eyes is the back of a cold teaspoon.  Just leave them over night in the fridge and as soon as you wake up place the back of the teaspoons onto the eyes. The cold increases the blood lymph circulation this will also help aid removal of waste & toxins

Jade rollers are also great for the getting the circulation going.

Lypmhatic drainage Massage

                                                                                                                                   This is probably one of the best methods to remove any puffiness under the eyes (puffiness is caused by excess fluid waste and toxins) it will also help plump up the muscles. Start by using your ring fingers at the temples, apply firm pressure (as long as it’s not too uncomfortable).  Draw the finger under the eyes into the socket up and around to the temples repeatedly. Do this at least 5 minutes every night when applying your eye product

Pinch around the brow area (hold each pinch for 20 secs) you can be very firm whilst doing this.  This will help relax the muscles and give it a natural lift especially around the frown area as this is a muscle that is used frequently.

Protect your eyes from the sun

We all know how bad the sun ages our skin and as the eye area is a lot thinner we have to make sure we take extra care. Make sure the serums or gels you use contain an Spf ingredients such as Zinc Dioxide or Titanium Dioxide as they are best ones to look out for both eye, face and body. It should also contain anti oxidants to protect your eyes from the environment.  This should be used all year around.  We may have cold winters but UVA rays are still present which leads to premature ageing. You should also wear appropriate sunglasses in the summer.

Prevention is better than cure

Also remember prevention is better than cure so best start as young as you can especially from the age of 21 use a good SPF or strong in antioxidents eye serum around the area and also the face. Also by massaging the eye area on a daily basis this may take up a little time now but it may save you money or even surgery in the long term.

Parents it may have been too late for you but you can help your children make sure they use good sunglasses in the summer months.


Count down to Valentines Day

Valentines day is just around the corner

Here are some ideas to relax, unwind, look and feel great

Whether you want to give yourself some tender loving care or do something nice and romantic for you partner.

Set the Mood                                    

Regardless of whether you are single or not, setting the scene is important, so put away the washing and paperwork, and float away with an evening dedicated to yourself or your partner

Body shop – Jasmine & White Frangipani Reed Diffuser

This beautifully scented Jasmine and White Frangifani Diffuser smells lovely  it last for 8 weeks and there is no risk of burning the house down. The body shop has 7 different smells but this on is my favourite

£15 – Jasmine & White Frangipani Reed diffuser

Oskia Massage candle

Designed using the purest natural ingredients including beeswax, soybean and coconut oil, this luxurious massage candle, packed full of skin smoothing vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, is the ultimate way to smooth and soothe both body and soul.

Each of the ingredients has been specially chosen due to its incredible skin healing properties,  which nourish, soften and hydrate. The candle comes with a beautifully scented heavenly Rose de Mai perfume which engages the senses.
Once melted you can pour the body oil straight onto the skin (no cooling is needed). It is the perfect temperature. The oil is light and silky which you can massage in and absorbs into the skin very well.
£34

Relax

Try adding some of these lovely oils to the bath

Mother earth raindrops & roses bath & massage oil

This Heavenly rose bath oil is Emotionally Restoring it helps Smooth the spirit and help find a sense of peacefulness & love

You can use this either as a bath oil or you can massage this onto the shoulders, feet or body

Lovely to use when feeling low, tired or plain fed up!

£12.50

Motherearth Raindrops & Roses bath oil

Ren Moroccan Bath Oil

I’m a big fan of all Ren products and this is one of my favourite you can relax in the bath to the lovely Rose exquisite sensual scent.  It is stress relieving and has soothing properties. Skin is left soft, supple and lightly scented with roses

Moroccan Rose Bath Oil

£30

Unwind

Massage is a great way to unwind and relax whether you are massaging your partner or receiving one.

There are many Salons that offer different types of massage

At my Salon I offer Swedish and deep tissue massage. http://www.moniqueh.com

Other Salons offer couple massage where you can have them done together.

Here is a guide if you choose to stay at home

Massage guide for your partner

Mixing the perfect blend: First you have to choose a nice carrier oil. Almond oil & olive oil are quite a popular to go for and they are easily to get hold.  (Alternatively you can use the oil from the Oskia massage candle).

Suitable essential oils: Ylang Ylang, Lavender, Rose (It’s best to have the right blend of essential oils.)

Method: Start at the base of the spine with each hand either side of the spine apply a little pressure (always ask the partner if the pressure is ok if it’s too firm it maybe uncomfortable or if it’s too light it may tickle) massage up towards the neck and smooth out towards the shoulders

Lighten the pressure when coming back to the base, You can alternate the moves and add in some lighter strokes, keep the movement continuous.

You can incorporate massaging the pressure points by just using the thumbs.  Again start at the base applying pressure either side of the spine then release, work your way up by half an inch until you get to the neck.

Look Good

If you look good you will also feel good, whether you are going out for a romantic meal with your partner, or snuggling up with a hot chocolate and a classic rom com, here are a couple of my favorites for Valentines day.
Give yourself a fresh look!
Bare minerals Make up doesn’t block the pores so its great for all skins types and great for those who don’t usually where make up they have a range of all different colours but peachy/ Coral colours are in and great for the Spring/ Summer.
luscious lips
Here are a few organic brands to give yourself luscious lips but with out drying them out.

Count down to Valentines Day

Valentines day is just around the corner

Here are some ideas to relax, unwind, look and feel great

Whether you want to give yourself some tender loving care or do something nice and romantic for you partner.

Set the Mood                                    

Regardless of whether you are single or not, setting the scene is important, so put away the washing and paperwork, and float away with an evening dedicated to yourself or your partner

Body shop – Jasmine & White Frangipani Reed Diffuser

This beautifully scented Jasmine and White Frangifani Diffuser smells lovely  it last for 8 weeks and there is no risk of burning the house down. The body shop has 7 different smells but this on is my favourite

£15 – Jasmine & White Frangipani Reed diffuser

Oskia Massage candle

Designed using the purest natural ingredients including beeswax, soybean and coconut oil, this luxurious massage candle, packed full of skin smoothing vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, is the ultimate way to smooth and soothe both body and soul.

Each of the ingredients has been specially chosen due to its incredible skin healing properties,  which nourish, soften and hydrate. The candle comes with a beautifully scented heavenly Rose de Mai perfume which engages the senses.
Once melted you can pour the body oil straight onto the skin (no cooling is needed). It is the perfect temperature. The oil is light and silky which you can massage in and absorbs into the skin very well.
£34

Relax

Try adding some of these lovely oils to the bath

Mother earth raindrops & roses bath & massage oil

This Heavenly rose bath oil is Emotionally Restoring it helps Smooth the spirit and help find a sense of peacefulness & love

You can use this either as a bath oil or you can massage this onto the shoulders, feet or body

Lovely to use when feeling low, tired or plain fed up!

£12.50

Motherearth Raindrops & Roses bath oil

Ren Moroccan Bath Oil

I’m a big fan of all Ren products and this is one of my favourite you can relax in the bath to the lovely Rose exquisite sensual scent.  It is stress relieving and has soothing properties. Skin is left soft, supple and lightly scented with roses

Moroccan Rose Bath Oil

£30

Unwind

Massage is a great way to unwind and relax whether you are massaging your partner or receiving one.

There are many Salons that offer different types of massage

At my Salon I offer Swedish and deep tissue massage. http://www.moniqueh.com

Other Salons offer couple massage where you can have them done together.

Here is a guide if you choose to stay at home

Massage guide for your partner

Mixing the perfect blend: First you have to choose a nice carrier oil. Almond oil & olive oil are quite a popular to go for and they are easily to get hold.  (Alternatively you can use the oil from the Oskia massage candle).

Suitable essential oils: Ylang Ylang, Lavender, Rose (It’s best to have the right blend of essential oils.)

Method: Start at the base of the spine with each hand either side of the spine apply a little pressure (always ask the partner if the pressure is ok if it’s too firm it maybe uncomfortable or if it’s too light it may tickle) massage up towards the neck and smooth out towards the shoulders

Lighten the pressure when coming back to the base, You can alternate the moves and add in some lighter strokes, keep the movement continuous.

You can incorporate massaging the pressure points by just using the thumbs.  Again start at the base applying pressure either side of the spine then release, work your way up by half an inch until you get to the neck.

Look Good

If you look good you will also feel good, whether you are going out for a romantic meal with your partner, or snuggling up with a hot chocolate and a classic rom com, here are a couple of my favorites for Valentines day.
Give yourself a fresh look!
Bare minerals Make up doesn’t block the pores so its great for all skins types and great for those who don’t usually where make up they have a range of all different colours but peachy/ Coral colours are in and great for the Spring/ Summer.
luscious lips
Here are a few organic brands to give yourself luscious lips but with out drying them out.

A Few of my favourite Winter Essentials

The temperature has suddenly dropped and so I thought it would be the perfect time to share a few of my favourite winter essentials with you.

We’ve also hit mid January which is always a difficult time for keeping on track with our New Years’ Resolutions – so I’ve also included a few products which will help you with a mid January boost!

Ruby Red cosmetics Organic Honey & Vanilla lip balm

As a therapist so many clients and friends ask me what is the best lip balm on the market and I must say I find this one of the best. Most lip balms just sit on the surface and are quite thick in texture so it may give you the feeling that it is moisturizing but it is actually doing opposite and making the problem worse.

The Ruby Red Honey & Vanilla lip balm is full of active plant ingredients organically certified olive oil and shea butter leaving the lip smooth and hydrated

Suitable for vegetarians and vegans

Company : Ruby Red cosmetics
For more info Honey&Vanillalipbalm

      Neal’s Yard Wild rose balm

This is my winter rescuer! And a must have! It makes your skin look great and smells amazing. This product is a 3 in 1 product which is an added bonus.  It is designed as a cleanser, mask and treatment for lips, elbows and dry areas.  It is great for all skin types including dry and sensitive.

I love to use this product as a mask. You simply use a small amount all over face and neck and when you wake up you skin looks lovely and hydrated and glowing. It also helps with scarring.  It is a great product to have around winter as it give you more moisturizing properties than your usual cream

Company: Neal’sYard                                                                                                     You can buy this from any Neal’s yard retail store

Trilogy Gentle Exfoliating Scrub 

This is one of my favourite facial scrubs. You can use this all year round but it is especially great for these cold months as our skin tends to become more dry, sensitive and flakey. The Trilogy scrub will remove the layer of dead skin without leaving your skin more sensitive. Best to scrub once a week and will make you skin glowing and hydrated. Also by removing a layer of dead skin it makes your moisturiser more effective as you can’t moisturise dead skin.

Company:Trilogy

 Environ Hydrating Oil capsules

It is exactly what it says on the package, this gives the skin extra hydration especially in winter.  It is great for those who fly a lot and for those of you who are hitting the ski slopes – they are easy to travel with as they come in individual capsules. It contains anti-oxidents and vitamin A which will also protect your skin from the environment and improves cell regeneration. You just apply overnight under your moisturizer and wake up to super hydrated skin.

Company: Environ  you can retail only from environ stockist’s (I am a stockist so please contact me if you wish to place an order)

Detox!  My next best winter product is this great   Healthy Starter Pack

This 10 day Healthy start pack is great to help remove all those toxins we have consumed over the past couple of months either from alcohol or rich foods. It is always great to do a body cleanse every 3 months if not at least once a year and January is a great way to start.

You won’t drop a dress size straight away but by removing the toxins which grab onto fat and by clearing your internal system it will put you on the right track. No special diet is required but results are enhanced if you avoid alcohol, caffeine and red meat.

* You cant use when pregnant or on certain medication

Company: Natures sunshine

Lemon and Ginger Tea

For me Lemon and Ginger tea is a must have in winter as this delicious tea will helps fight off the Flu and colds. It is also great for all ages and has been used as a  natural remedy for centuries (Do we really know what they put in our cold and flu medicines nowadays?)  It is better if you are able to make this at home from the raw ingredients and adding honey but as most of us have a busy lifestyle it is always good to have a packet of this tea in your cupboard There are many Tea brands on the market but I really like QI tea’s as they are registered with the organic soil association so you know you are getting great ingredients.

Company: Qi

Hello world!

I would like to share with you some of my favourite Organic & Natural beauty finds. In my blog you will find an array of different finds that will appeal to you from Homemade beauty Recipes that you can make at home, to the exclusive secret products. I will also include reviews on reasonably priced high street brands, nutrition and natural products.

We all know how bad chemicals are for your skin, so I’ve ensured that all of the products I refer to will contain a minimum amount of chemicals.

About Monique (me)

Before I set up my own therapy room, I worked with one of London’s top facialists at the time. She had her own skin care brand and her focus was on eliminating all petrochemicals from her products. Her vision inspired me.

Having been a therapist for 10 years, I had worked with many beauty facial & body brands that either claimed to be free from chemicals or that marketed themselves in a way that made the customer believe that all the ingredients were from a natural source. I started to research into what the big high street brands actually put in the products to make these claims. I was shocked by the amount of chemicals they used to preserve and bulk up the creams/ lotions.

I made the decision to set up a therapy room of my own, which has given me the freedom to guarantee my clients that I am choosing to either make my own natural product or that I am choosing the best organic product out there, depending on their skin need.

For more information about all the treatments I offer

Or if you want me to review your product

Contact details are:

07984 351859

monique.1uk@gmail.com

http://www.moniqueh.com