Flaking nails? Sleepless nights? Breakouts and pores struggling to cope with the assault of pollutants from a daily commute into a busy city. Sound familiar? It might just be you are suffering from stress and the myriad ways it can affect your day to day.
Well, me too, I’ve recently (and very excitingly) returned to the full time work fold and it seems that although freelance life had other stresses, a couple of years at a slower pace had a miraculous effect on my sleep patterns and indeed, the health of my skin. With this in mind I now know I have to make a concerted effort to retain some of that healthy lifestyle – eat well – follow a nightly sleep regime and treat my skin with kid gloves, so in order to get it just right I turned to my naturals guru Jo Glanville-Blackburn for some of her tried and trusted wisdom. Over to Jo…
“What have we done to our lives? Our crazily over-connected computerized lifestyles have us deeply on edge 24/7. At what point did the notion of missing an email, a text or, heaven forbid, a brief mention on Instastories, put our emotions, minds, and hence stress levels, into such turmoil? We are suffering from a beauty sleep crisis like never before as we become more of a nation of insomniacs. There have never been so many requests for prescriptions and sleep solutions. Relaxation is key. Less stress equals better sleep, which means better memory skills, better performance at work, a fitter body, a happier heart and yes, better quality skin too. Self-care is total mind and body wellness, and to me that starts with a calmer life.
Sleep better – It’s nothing new, but one thing that’s key is to change is your nightly ritual. Make the time you go to bed a little earlier, switch your routine from the TV to a book, the phone to a meditational piece of music, downlighters to a side light or candle, a wake-up bubbly bath foam to a relaxing bath oil or massage oil (more soulful notes of lavender, geranium, sandalwood), and leave that smartphone downstairs. By all means use a sleep pillow spray (but avoid your skin as they’re mostly created for the pillow and not for your skin).
New from Tisserand – their Sleep Better collection of Bath Oil £8.95, Massage & Body Oil £9.95 and Pillow Mist £8.95. Naturally scented and a gentle and natural way to drift off to perfectly blended aromatherapy oils.
Amly Botanicals genius rejuvenating Sleep Tight Balm £72 – it literally strengthens, renews and refines whilst you sleep and the aroma combined with their Beauty Sleep Face Mist £36, aids a relaxing drift into deep sleep. This really works.
Calm it! – Truely holistic beauty is concerned less about ‘anti-ageing’ and more about your state of mind. They work in synergy. Connect the emotional consciousness with your physical and you will reduce anxiety, boost energy and encourage an altogether more peaceful attitude to life. Recent research into active botanical ingredients in Japan has shown that linalool, the key component in lavender essential oil, (also a common terpene found in cannabis for those who didn’t know), appears to soothe anxiety better than Valium and Xanax according to Popular Science.
My message is – if you believe wholeheartedly in the emotional power of any beauty or wellbeing product you love, then for you, USE IT!
Jo’s Heavenly Arsenal – it’s all about aroma and texture; preferably both.
DREAMY SLEEP A new ritual I love is using Temple Spa Drift Away Relaxing Bath & Massage Oil, £25 at templespa.com, full of aromatherapeutic botanical oils such as lavender and geranium in my bath, then with dimmed lights accompanied by a soporific JOGB SLOJO Relaxing Candle, £65, pat skin dry and starting at the feet I firmly massage slowly up my legs, hips, waist and torso, to help my muscles totally destress before bed.
JOGB Living’s SLOJO Relaxing candle £65 – does what it says on the up cycled glass jar – gently fragrances the room with a 100% natural scent that calms and relaxes. And breathe…
TOTALLY BALMY – Darphin Rosewood Cleanser Balm, £27, is my go to when my skin has had quite enough of trialling new products. Marula oil with essential oils of sage, yang-ylang and rosewood, turns from a balm to a milk when you massage in a little water. Your skin will never feel tight or squeaky clean, only smooth and comforted.
GET BACK INTO SOAP – Adore the rosemary aroma of The Chuckling Goat Soothing Kefir Cleanser, £5.15 from chucklinggoat.co.uk, made with fresh goat’s milk and can be used all over the body, especially on eczema-prone skin.
GET A QUICK RADIANCE BOOST -Can’t live without rosehip oil, ever. Trilogy Rosehip Oil, £19.99 at hollandandbarrett.com, is still a hot favourite since the brand began 15 years ago. I buy it myself by the bucket load and massage it into my face, cuticles, dry shins (though teeny bottle)
ONE FAB FACE OIL – Comforting and nourishing in one,Votary Facial Oil, £65 at libertylondon.com,is a potent little blend of 21 super seed oils featuring grapeseed oil, apricot, jojoba and meadowfoam. I’m a serious fan of this range after giving to a girlfriend on the cancer medication methotrexate whose skin seemed intolerant to everything: she, and I, are now addicted.
GET LUSCIOUS – There’s such a cult following behind Gallinée La Culture Hydrating Face Cream, £34.90, and for good reason: antioxidant myrtle, smoothing lactic acid and a patented complex of pre and probiotics, combine to help rebalance delicate skin.”
Finally, from the inspiring entrepreneur who, suffering from chronic stress quit her high-flying executive role in order to take a more proactive role in her health and wellbeing and went on to develop a skin care line dedicated to troubleshooting badly stressed skin; Skyn Iceland’s Sarah Kugelman gives us her top tips for de-stressing your day to day;
•Binge watch a great series •Read a great book •Indulge in relaxing Mani-pedis •Sleep (at least 8 hours) •Drink lots of water – all day long •Supplements – especially probiotics, magnesium, B-complex, Omegas (especially 3) •Opt for calming herbal teas with a spoonful of honey •Take regular exercise •Treat yourself to relaxing and calming massages •Try acupuncture •Avoid white foods •Spend time with family (or animals) •Never underestimate just how relaxing a staycation can be.
Skyn Iceland’s Pure Cloud Cream £48, Stressed skin literally gulps down this marshmallowy soft cream. Gentle, hydrating and effective, I saw a change to my skin in just two days.
Skyn Iceland’s Arctic Elixir £42, anti inflammatory, soothing and calming this little elixir packs a punch of gentleness to even the most sensitive skin.
By Shelly Vella with a massive thank you to Jo Glanville Blackburn for her beauty words of wisdom. Check out her site JOGBLIVING and also find out more about her 100% pure candle collection. A Stylish Stuff favourite.
Model photographs by Olivia Graham
Model Stephanie Hall follow her on Instagram here @stephaniemariahall
Make up Robin Schoen
Hair Bradley Irion
Casting Lucy Coghlan