With the sun finally here summer holidays are fast approaching and holiday prep is on the top of our to do list! We love finding harmonious people and business’ that share our ethos for sustainable living and organic beauty care and Content Beauty fits the bill perfectly. To make sure we get the best from our holiday skin we consulted with Imelda, Founder of Content; a beauty boutique specialising in organic skin and beauty care, as well as housing a naturopathic clinic and beauty salon.
Content’s Guide to Holiday Skin in the City
With summer holidays fast approaching, I’ve been prepping my skin with some of my favourite organic beauty products and tricks to get skin beach-ready. If you’re not leaving the city, you are not left out - this ritual is just as nice as an at-home spa treatment.
Step 1 - I’m a big fan of dry skin body brushing. The results can be seen really quickly and the benefits other than the obvious skin softening, extend to stimulating the lymphatic system and increasing blood circulation - like a detox for the skin and body. Made from cactus bristles for firm body brushing, Hydrea London’s Body Brush makes the job easy. Use daily before your shower for the best effect, always ensuring to brush towards the heart in long strokes for glowing, smooth skin all year round. Start from the right side, then move on to the left side starting from your feet and moving your way up. This brush will give you a spa quality treatment.
Step 2 - The pace of the city, combined with over indulgences and stimulants can easily push us out of balance – far from that relaxed, centred feeling we get when we are on holiday. Water therapies and bathing have been used for centuries as a treatment for body and mind – nothing beats a good soak to wash away the day. I love the Therapie Himalayan Detox Salts which have been designed to help dissolve physical and emotional tension and to boost your mood: add a couple of handfuls to a warm bath and soak for 15-20 minutes before bed once a week to induce a state of holiday-style calm from your own bathroom. It’s considerably cheaper than jumping on a plane to the beach too!
Step 3 – Moisturise! Body oils are great for summer, as they give the skin more of a healthy glow. One of my favourites is the Lina Hanson Body Oil, which combines ten of the world’s most powerful ingredients including Argan Nut, Camellia Seed and Apricot Kernel. Shake well and apply to slightly damp skin to hydrate and improve skin elasticity and circulation. It’s not greasy and absorbs quickly, so it’s great in the summer heat! It smells truly luxurious too – a real aromatherapeutic treat for skin and senses.
Step 3 – Made it to the beach or to that barbecue in the park? It goes without saying get you SPF sorted before you step out the door. I use mineral-based sunscreens, which work by reflecting the sun ways away from skin thanks to a combination of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide and are devoid of harmful synthetic chemicals. For body, I love the Green People organic sunscreen range – 20 minutes before sun exposure, I apply two tablespoons of the Green People Scent Free Sun Lotion SPF15 with Tan Accelerator and reapply at least once every two hours. The trick is always in the application – it makes most of the difference when it comes to protecting from sun damage – we need more than we think we do, so be generous! For face, I use John Masters Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF30 which is packed with hydrating green tea, shea butter and jojoba oil and is non greasy.
Travel Well - Last but not least, Lotus Wei’s Pure Energy Mist is one of my must-haves for travel. This immune system-boosting elixir is packed with essential oils and flower remedies, designed to re-energise and revitalize the body and mind and is infused with essence of Black Tourmaline gemstone, which is known to help “clear” your energy field and protect you from electromagnetic waves from cell phone use and plane travel. Mist on yourself or your surroundings for an instant clear head.
Cover image from Mirage Magazine.
