Shaving - do you or don't you?  I've been shaving since I was a young teen, I probably didn't tell my mum, I think I. just nicked one of my dad's razors!  But times have moved on and me and my daughter had a much more open discussion on the subject.  I encouraged her to start gently with hair removal cream and then later on she chose to use razors.  I wanted her to avoid the scars from over enthusiastic calf shaving with a blunt razor!  In more recent years I have favoured 'sugar waxing' ouch it hurts in some sensitive places but it is gentle on my skin, lasts a bit longer, feels lovely and smooth as it is exfoliating too and I quite like a trip to the beauty salon.  But I always have a razor to hand too - they are still an essential in my beauty kit.  And lockdowns and closed salons has meant we are all back to at home beauty anyway!

We can get subscription everything now!  Razors being one of many offerings that can arrive at a frequency you choose - flowers, food boxes, toilet roll, indian spices, wine ... it is no longer just for your glossy magazine.  I think they are great though, as long as there is full flexibility with being able to change, amend or cancel. 

​Estrid is a subscription service that wants to change our shaving experience!  They offer affordable, sharp and vegan friendly razors right to our mailbox.  No more 'pink tax' on everyday items that are marketed just for women. natural ingredients, no animal substances, better for you and the planet.  And they asked if I'd like to try them out!

I've tried a few anti ageing salon treatments in the past (and written about them), but it is not something I especially worry over.  I suppose I am quite lucky to look younger, however a bit of help with our skin can't go amiss!  I was contacted by OiaSkin to ask if I'd like to try out their silicone anti wrinkle patches and do a video review - I agreed - then stressed!  I am not keen on video but with the help of my son and a big dose of confidence I did it and it is now on my Instagram IGTV.  But for those of you who prefer to read rather than watch, I thought I'd share the details on my blog too.

OiaSkin specialise in anti ageing products to use at home.  The silicone wrinkle patches are re-usable up to about 15 times making them a cost effective option.  They are easy to use, give instant results, are a safe alternative to botox and they hydrate your skin and smooth wrinkles.  

What a stressful year it has been, unprecedented and unexpected - and now new restrictions coming with Covid-19 Lockdown V2.  In January 2020 I wrote a blog post about the importance of relaxing more and letting go of stress!  I'd had a super consultation and chat with Pilates expert, Laura who runs Zenergy Active near Beaconsfield.  Little did I know then that my plans for the year would be completely put on hold, that businesses (big and small) would struggle and the world would basically shut down.  I have always maintained that the decisions made by our government have failed to take into consideration our mental health, the bigger health issues such as cancer treatment, the economy and the future of our children.  I've made no secret or my personal struggle with it all.  And when so much has been taken out of our control, we need to focus on the small things we can control. 

This week is International Stress Awareness Week* and stress and mental health have never been more important and the challenges never more acute than now during the Covid-19 pandemic.  About 1 in 10 adults were reported to be suffering from depression and stress before the pandemic but that has increased to 1 in 5 since.  And feeling stressed and anxious can massively impact our sleep patterns.  I've often said on my blog that if we want to lose weight and feel healthier one of the first things we should address is managing our sleep and stress.  And of course, anxiety is a very common symptom associated with peri-menopause.  

It's no wonder that self-care should be at the top of our priority list, but often isn't due to leading such busy lives.