Amarya Blog

If you're still searching for that right shade of eye shadow, texture and colour of lip gloss or perhaps a long-lasting, non-smudging mascara which actually extends your eyelashes, then we can happily let you know that your journey is over. We are now the proud stockists of the gorgeous make-up range by Terre d'Oc. What's so great about it, you may ask?

Terre d'Oc is a chic, cutting edge and unique brand from France. The colours, texture, quality, variety and even the sleek design of the packaging make it a must-have in all make-up bags.

You can choose to go for the natural look using Lip Gloss Peche Panji 303, Powder Eye Shadows Beige Nacre 502 and Terre Lumiere Jaipur 503 and Kohl Pencil Marron Sikkim 702.

If you prefer the glamorous evening look, we recommend Lip Gloss Cacao Lovina 308, Powder Eye Shadows Noir Eclat Almora 505, Gris Celadon Goa 506 and Kohl Pencil Noir Bengale 705.

The colours and textures blend very well together creating that unforgettable unique look - you.

What should you do to make sure your hair stays healthy, shiny and strong? Here are few essential tips:

A healthy lifestyle will mean healthier hair for you. Excessive stress, smoking, not exercising, not sleeping well and not eating nutritiously will harm your hair regardless of the shampoo you are using.

You should wash your hair as often as you feel necessary to keep it clean. Buy shampoos and conditioners that match your hair type. (See below for our quick product guide.) Shower with warm water as hot water can dry and irritate the scalp.

 Use a conditioner after shampooing, it'll moisturize your hair, give it extra protection, add shine and reduce static. Hair is at its most vulnerable when wet ao always brush it before washing to untangle any knots. Begin by combing your hair gently at the ends and work your way up. Avoid using plastic brushes/combs which create static electricity. Hot air can be damaging to your hair so when using a hair dryer use the cool setting, don't leave it in one spot for more than a few seconds, keep it moving and at a good distance away from your hair.

Alter your hair care routine with the change of seasons. If you like swimming, wet your hair in the shower first so that your hair won't soak up the heavily chlorinated water of the pool; and wear a cap! For extra nourishment, use a hair oil once a week. Dr. Hauschka's Neem Oil will stimulate circulation, strengthen and restore damaged hair. Finally, trim your hair regularly!

Shampoo Product Guide

Normal Hair: Gloss & Vibrancy Shampoo by Madara, Rosemary & Mint Shampoo by Botanicals

Normal to Dry: Multi Protein Moisture Shampoo by Evolve

Normal to Oily: Detox & Balance Shampoo by Evolve

Fine Hair: Nourishing Lavender Shampoo by Neal's Yard Remedies

Dry and Damaged Hair: Nourish & Repair Shampoo by Madara, Vitamin Shampoo by Green People, Gingko & Bergamot Shampoo by Botanicals.

Coloured and Treated Hair: Colour & Shine Shampoo by Madara

Thick/Coarse/Tangled Hair: Moisturising Shampoo by Green People

To view all of our Shampoos and Conditioners, please visit our website.  

We all get asked on a daily basis which products we recommend across every category. The most common question is, 'What is the best moisturiser?'. The answer depends on a multitude of things such as skin type, age and the time of the year. Then there are all the personal preferences; smells, product consistency, packaging (yes, this really makes a difference), sensitivities, allergies and somewhere down the line, comes the question of price. So although we always tailor advice according to every customer's needs, we inevitably all have our own favourites which, to the detriment of our wallets and the fact that we have access to more than a thousand beauty products, can sometimes vary from month to month!

This month’s reviews come from Yelena (skin type – oily, age - hesitantly admits to being 40), Emma (skin type – combination, age – 27) and Sonia (skin type – normal/dry, age – 37)

Part 1: Basic Face Care Products

Cleansers

Yelena: Daily Detox Face Wash by Evolve with goji berry. Very gentle, very effective .and smells divine.

Emma: Dr. Hauschka's Cleansing Milk and Cleansing Cream. I love the way that the Cleansing Milk removes all of my make-up and still leaves my skin feeling soft. The Cleansing Cream helps to keep my breakouts at bay by deep cleansing without damaging.

Sonia: Dr. Hauschka's Cleansing Milk - An absolute must-have; takes off all your make up yet is gentle and if used with the Toner, there's no need for a night cream. Madara Deep Purifying Foam - simple and effective if you like the 'shower and go' routine in the mornings!

Toners

Yelena: Clarifying Toner by Dr Hauschka 

Emma: Dr. Hauschka's Facial Toner - This helpt to tighten the pore walls after cleansing, and is totally non-astringent so it leaves my skin feeling moisturised.

Sonia: Purify and Energise Super Bioactive by Sophyto and Clarifying Toner by Dr. Hauschka.

Moisturisers

Yelena: Day Cream by Trevarno. Very light, suitable for all skin types, good primer and available with SPF 15 for summer.

Emma: Sophyto Normalising Day Face - Very light and non-greasy, so can be worn all year round. It's also an excellent base for make-up

Sonia: Sunflower Tinting Fluid by Madara - If you don't like wearing foundation during the day, this gives you an even, subtle glow, lightly moisturises and smells gorgeous! During the winter it can be used in conjunction with a richer moisturiser.  

Face Oil & Serums

Yelena: Polyphenol Skin Drops Serum by Sophyto. Good antioxidant, light enough to use around the eyes.

Emma: Polyphenol Skin Drops by Sophyto - an anti-ageing wonder that absorbes easily under any moisturiser and as if that isn't good enough it doubles as a fab eye cream!

Sonia: La Claree's Radiance Elixir - just a few drops will leave your skin completely moisturised, smooth and not in the least bit oily, which means that it can be used day or night. Polyphenol Skin Drops by Sophyto - a bottle bursting with antioxidants, a must have if your skin needs a boost or if you're sensitive to essential oils. Clearly a staff favourite!

Part 2 of our reviews will be on bodycare products.

Mention wrinkles or ageing and your first thoughts would go to your face and neck, but believe it or not the first signs of ageing will actually show on your hands. They need to be taken care of! Contact with water, the great British weather and especially gardening put your skin under a lot of stress. So what can we do to protect our hands?

Firstly, it's very important to use the right cream to moisturise your hands several times a day. Working Hands Cream by Herbfarmacy offers great protection. Use sunscreen with at least an SPF15 whilst outdoors. Regular exfoliating helps to get rid of dry patches and rough skin. Wear rubber gloves while working at home or in the garden. Protect your hands from cold. Always dry your hand fully as any remaining water will evaporate and dry out the skin.  Lastly, if you really want to give your hands a pick me up try a warm herbal bath as a weekly routine to pamper yourself: Put 1 tablespoon of sage chamomile and calendula in the ball of boiling water let it cool and soak your hands for 10-15 min. Use an oil on cuticles and nails to soften, strengthen and encourage growth. Neem Nail Oil by Dr. Hauschka is ideal product for that. Look after your hands daily and the results will be rewarding!

The vast majority of our customers have heard about Dr. Hauschka: a pioneer in natural skincare, its purity and ethical stance is second to none. Loyalty to this range is exceptionally high and can only mean that the result is beautiful, healthy and glowing skin! The most common situation we face is someone wanting to try the range, heading straight for the moisturisers and finding that Dr. Hauschka has a 'No Night Cream' philosophy. Very confusing!

The reason behind the philosophy of not using a moisturiser in the evenings is to allow your skin to function as it should. The body heals itself when you are sleeping, the skin is no exception as cells are renewed and toxins are eliminated. If you put a heavy night cream on the skin then it is unable to function correctly and the skin becomes lazy, constantly relying on these rich creams.
You may feel that this is not possible for you to achieve as your skin is too dry after cleansing, therefore Dr. Hauschka firmly believe that your cleansing routine is just as important, if not more so than the moisturiser you choose to use. After all, if you get the cleansing wrong from the start then your creams are only being used to fix the problem your cleanser has caused.

Using the Dr.Hauschka range is simple: in the mornings you should cleanse, tone and moisturise, in the evenings you should cleanse and tone only. There are other products that you can bring into you routine as needed, such as masks and body products, but I shall start by explaining the basic routine.

In the evenings you will want to remove your make-up as well as the daily dirt grime and pollution that builds up on your skin. The best product for this is the Cleansing Milk, which has a very light creamy consistency. The best way to use it is to warm the skin with a compress in order to soften your make-up and then use four to five pumps of the milk mixed with a little water. Pat the Cleansing Milk onto your face, starting at the head and working down the face, then use large circular movements to work the cream in. Rinse the skin several times with a loosely wring out warm compress until the cream is removed, finish with a cool compress to the face. Finally use several sprays of the Facial Toner to help to tighten the pore walls.

In the morning you will not need to remove dirt and grime from the skin, but you will need to cleanse away the impurities that your skin has secreted whilst you have been sleeping, for this you will use the Cleansing Cream. Start off by warming the skin, again using the compress, and then take two centimetres of the cream into your hand and mix with a little water and press it onto your face, neck and décolleté.  Use a little more water and repeat using a press and roll movement. Rinse the face with a loosely wrung out compress, ensuring that all of the cream is removed. Spritz the face with the Facial Toner and then apply the day care cream of your choice. The Cleansing Cream is designed to be used daily in order to cleanse the pores, it contains almond meal which sticks to the sebum and lifts it away from the pore wall. Using this product daily means that there is no need to use a harsh exfoliator which can damage the acid mantle of the skin. If your skin is particularly congested or prone to outbreaks then the Cleansing Cream can be used in the evening as well as the morning routine.

When you first move across to the Dr.Hauschka method you may find it beneficial to use the Rhythmic Night Conditioner each evening for the first 28 days. This works to support the skin by regulating the skin's moisture levels. This would be used in place of the toner and when the 28 days are up you would switch back the Facial Toner.

Result: beautiful, healthy and glowing skin!

Watch our Youtube video on Dr. Hauschka:

Okay, so the sun's out and hopefully here to stay, so we'll soon be reaching for our skirts and inflicting our pasty legs onto the world. We'd love to give our white legs a bit of colour, but how should we go about it? We all know sunbeds are bad for us, but the chemicals in most fake tans aren't much better. Fear not for there is a natural alternative. Green People's Self Tan Lotion will not only give the same coverage as the high street tans, but it smells better too. Here are a few tips to follow to get an even colour at home.

Tip 1: Exfoliate. Use a really good body scrub, such as Suzanne Aux Bain's Gentle Body Scrub to shift the dead skin cells. Pay extra attention to your elbows, knees and ankles. Ensure your legs are shaved or waxed before you apply tan, as doing so afterwards will take some of the colour off.
A healthy looking tan is as simple as that!

Tip 2: Moisturise. Use a body moisturiser that's PH balanced. Allow the skin to dry thoroughly, ideally around 30 minutes before applying the tan.

Tip 3: Wear gloves. Orange hands are not a good look!

Tip 4: Apply the tan. Do so in stages, starting at your feet and working upwards in small circular motions ensuring that you've used enough cream to smother the skin. Streaks are often caused by too little product being applied. Take extra care around elbows and knees, apply a little bit less here than on the rest of the body as the colour will sink into the creases.

Tip 5: The face. I would recommend that you use Green People's OY Soft Glow Gradual Tan, as it is specially designed for the face. The other option is to mix a little tan with your everyday moisturiser to give a natural colour.

Tip 6: The hands. When you have applied the tan to the rest of the body remove the gloves and apply a little tan to the back of the hands, ensuring that it is fully rubbed in.

Tip 7: Colour build up. Allow the cream to dry before dressing in loose clothing, avoiding white or pale colours as the tan may rub off onto them. The tan will take between 8 hours and 12 hours to fully develop. If you want a darker colour then repeat the process (without exfoliation) each day until you have the colour you want.

Tip 8: Prolong the colour. In order to keep the tan looking its best you should moisturise your skin daily, and exfoliate twice a week.

The most common mistake is to use an exfoliating scrub too often and to scrub too hard in the vain hope of eradicating those blemishes and imperfections. Younger people may do this to remove skin problems like pimples and blackheads. Mature people repeat the same mistake in the vain hope to remove wrinkles and age spots. Scrubbing too hard and too often will not solve these problems and may actually make the problem worse.

How to use scrubs:
Place a small amount on tips of fingers and gently massage the entire face and neck area in small light circular movements, avoiding the eye and lip area, rinse with warm water. Repeat every 2 - 3 weeks. At most, use weekly.

Similarly, men treat an exfoliating scrub in the same way they handle a sandblaster. Your skin, however, is very delicate and scrubs need to be used with caution.  Apply in the same way as women should, and avoid the eye area but don't neglect the area under the chin that can be prone to ingrown hairs. Then rinse with cool water until all traces of the product are removed. You need to repeat this process about twice a week.

Benefits:
Scrubs effectively removes the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, to let a more radiant skin layer through, while at the same time assisting the newly exposed skin layer to function better. It removes the dullness of congestion, refines the skin texture and by doing so, helps to reduce the size of the pores naturally. It is also great at lifting stubble in preparation for shaving and is an effective way of preventing painful ingrown hairs too.

Our favourite scrubs are: 

Radiance Scrub by Oliv, La Claree

Energy Peel (System Hydro) by Lavere

Triple Action Scrub by Eyre

Avoid 'tangoed' skin and clumpy eyelashes with these dos and don'ts...

Dos
 
Always use a good moisturiser that works with your skin and leaves a good base to work on. Trevarno Day Cream is fantastic as it acts as a primer.
 
When using concealer choose a colour a shade lighter than your skin tone. Dab it gently on the area you want to cover up. It will blend quickly.
 
After applying foundation let it sit on the skin for a few moments to set.
 
Use a large brush to dust translucent powder over the face to set all base make-up.
 
Apply bronzer to the cheeks, forehead, chin and nose and blend really well with a large brush.
 
Apply mascara at the base of your lashes and use a wiggle motion up to the tip. You'll avoid clumps this way.
 
 
Don'ts
 
Never use a foundation to darken your skin. Choose one to match your tone.
 
Avoid using a bronzer more than two shades darker than your skin tone. A great all rounder is NveyEco's Oasis Bronzer
 
When applying eyebrow pencil avoid over-drawing the eyebrows. The result will look artificial.
 
Never go over your natural lipline. To make lips appear fuller place a lighter shade at the centre of your lips and blend.
 
Avoid make-up overload. Full-on eyes and lips on a fully made up face will age you.
 
Only use luminizing products on the inner corners of the eyes and the cheekbones.
 
 

Made UNDER not OVER is the hot look this season! 

Start with a good, easily absorbed moisturiser/primer. Trevarno's Organic Day Cream is fantastic and will give your makeup that extra durability. Next apply your foundation, concentrate on blemishes and any redness that needs covering, Sante's Soft Cream Foundations are great products and blend really well. Use light fingertips movements when doing this. Apply blusher next, just under your cheekbone in light sweeps. Moving onto the eyes. Keep them as neutral as you can. Cover the whole lid in Sante's Eyeshadow Stick 06: a cream colour that gives a good base to work on, then blend 08, a brown colour into the socket to really bring the eye out. Finish by giving the eye a little definition using Sante's eyeliner 02 at the outer corner and applying mascara.
To complete the look use a neutral shade lipstick, Sante's number 12 is perfect and compliments any complexion. Now head off into 2010 with your barely there make-up looking bang on trend!

You may have been noticing the signs for a while: increased roughness, wrinkling, irregular pigmentation (colouration) or inelasticity. These are all normal changes in our skin as we age.

You may have enlarged sebaceous (oil) glands. Sometimes, precancerous and cancerous lesions can occur with aged and photoaged skin. Sunscreens and sun protection are important to prevent further progression of photoaging.

Your skin requires different skin care as you age. Lavere’s (System Solution) intensive 45+ range is ideal for mature skin. As we grow older, our skin doesn't produce new cells at the same pace. Environmental and biological factors take their toll. Often we develop enlarged pores, and the effects of the sun become evident in sunspots, freckles and wrinkles.

 Here are two tips to enhance natural skin care as you grow older:

1.     If you smoke, stop. Smoking has been shown to accelerate aging of skin, so quitting now is important for good skin health.

2.     Eat a well-balanced diet  with or without a multivitamin. A healthy diet helps the skin get the nutriton it needs to help repair ongoing damage from the sun and other environmental elements.

Here is a selection of questions from our customers. If you have a skincare or makeup question, simply email our qualified beauty therapists and make-up artists: info@amarya.co.uk  

Q I suffer from chronic psoriasis and have done for about 27 years. I am very competent in managing my medical skincare regime but am finding myself longing for a bit of luxury. I was wondering if you would be able to advise me on a bath additive or shower gel that I would be able to use on my skin.

A A bath product that I would recommend for you is Spiezia's Sweet Orange and Ylang Ylang Bath Oil which contains sunflower oil known for skin healing properties. The bath oil is 100% organic.
 
A nice shower gel is the Jigsaw Body Wash. It contains Glycerine BP, which has been shown to help in cases of psoriasis. This wash has a gentle foaming effect, which is obtained from fruit and plant extracts, as opposed to skin irritating SLS's that are in a lot of non-organic creams.  

Q I am looking for chemical-free skincare products as I have been poorly and want to try and be as healthy as possible.Your website says that your products are natural and chemical-free but I don't understand what some of the ingredients are, they sound like chemicals to me, it is confusing such as plantacare 818 and phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol, potassium sorbate?  I am surprised to see so many products with water and emulsifiers as I thought that natural meant things like plant oils? I am new to all this so any advice you can give is appreciated. 

A Chemical sounding ingredients

Our products use natural preservatives, and organic or natural governing bodies, such as the Soil Association and BDIH, have approved all of the ingredients. The reason that some of the ingredients sound like chemicals is that they are scientifically named and added to a food board ingredient list and the names are generally similar to their chemical alternative. I have outlined the ingredients you have enquired about:

 

Plantacare 818 – This is a cleaning agent that is found in face washes and shower gels, it is naturally derived from coconut oil and palm kernel oil.

Phenoxyethanol – This is a natural preservative, which is derived from grapefruits.

Benzyl alcohol  - This is also a natural preservative and can be found from a variety of sources including: some edible fruits, green and black tea, and essential oils such as Jasmine and Ylang Ylang. Benzyl alcohol is also on the Soil Association’s list of preservatives approved for use in organic cosmetics.

Potassium Sorbate – Again, a food preservative that is obtained from either modified Potato Starch or (less often) from unripe fruits

Emulsifiers 

As with the ingredients above, all of the emulsifiers that are used are derived naturally, a commonly used emulsifier is Beeswax, but it may also be Carnauba wax (from leaves of palm tree), or borax (naturally occurring salt mineral)

Water

The amount of water that is allowed in products depends upon the governing body, we do have several ranges where there is no water at all in their products, this reduces the need for a preservative. If you are looking for ranges like this then Santaverde uses aloe vera instead water, and Spiezia is totally oil based. 

Which products?

The ranges below contain no (or very little) water, with the possible exceptions of floral water, which is produced by macerating flowers over a period of time. These ranges also contain no alcohol, so they are not drying to the skin.

Spiezia: This range is 100% organic across the whole range (Soil Association certified), using a combination of carrier oils - such as jojoba, essential oils, and floral extracts. The products are in the form of oils or balms, and not only are they fabulous to use, they also smell great with no added fragrances. There is beeswax in their balms. Spiezia work to support breast cancer chairties as their products are suitable for people that have undergone chemotherapy and have become sensitive to chemicals.

Trevarno: This range is also totally organic, using floral waters, carrier oils, fruit extracts, and beeswax.

Beyond Organic: This range uses carrier and essential oils mixed with herbs.

Sophyto: This range is suitable for those with allergies to essential oils, it instead uses aloe vera leaf juice, fruits extracts, plant extracts, and extracts from vegetables. This range contains benzyl and grain alcohol, which are both derived from vegetables and grains, neither of which is drying to the skin. This range is also 95% or above organic across the range, and is certified by the Soil Association, who have a very strict set of standards.  

Q Can you please suggest a product for my eyes. I am 33 yrs old and have started to get very puffy and lines around my eyes. What can I use to get rid of these.

 A I would recommend that you try Dr.Hauschka’s Daily Revitalising Eye Cream. It is designed to calm and sooth the puffiness that develops around the eye, whilst fortifying the skin to prevent premature wrinkling.  

Q I am 34 and have combination/oily skin and have tried nearly every product and brand so as not to get oily within a few hours of moisturising. I'm also worried about fine lines. Could you please recommend a product that could help?  

A People who suffer from oily skin often benefit from switching to an oil or a gel based product, as opposed to a cream, milk or lotion.
 
Deep Moisture Gel by Madara is specifically designed for oily skin and will help to regulate sebum production and reduce shine. A good oil to try is the Rose & Vanilla Face Oil by Spiezia, this contains jojoba which is known to regulate sebum.
 
If you do prefer the texture of a cream then Antipodes Rejoice Light Day Cream is a very light cream that also contains jojoba.

 

We’ve all been there, stood in front of the mirror staring at our ‘orange peel’ and wondering how we can possibly inflict that onto the public. Well, it may make you feel a little better to know that you’re not alone!! In fact, 90 percent of the female population will suffer from it at some point.

You can ignore many of the misconceptions surrounding it too. Cellulite does not mean that you’re fat, in fact the slimmer you are the more it shows. Liposuction is the only way to get rid of it, again, not true, liposuction may even make your ‘dimples’ more prominent. You can’t get rid of cellulite by exercising either as the fat is stuck in little pockets, although exercise will help with the circulation, so may help with the overall appearance of the skin.

At this point you’ll no doubt be wondering how to get rid of cellulite, waiting for that quick fix. This is also the point that I’m going to disappoint you. There is no magic cure for cellulite; it takes a little bit of work. So, I’m now going to tell you the usual, drink plenty of water to improve the body’s ability to flush toxins, take some exercise to improve the circulation and eat a balanced diet to support the body’s ability to ‘work properly’. All of the aforementioned methods treat the body as a whole, but what can you do to treat the affected areas? You can start by body brushing two or three times a week before showering, use a large soft bristled brush and work in circular movements starting at the ankles and working up towards the heart. After showering apply a body product that contains natural ingredients such as green tea and horse chestnut, which will target the fat cells. This is where the work out starts! The product needs to be combined with massaging of the skin, there’s no point it quickly slapping the cream on and hoping for the best. The best technique to use is to knead at the skin, warming the skin to increase blood flow and help to breakdown the cells. You should also combine other techniques, such as pummelling the skin and rolling your hands over the surface. Not only will all of these methods help to heat up the skin and aid the excretion of the toxins, but your arms will get a good work out at the same time!!

We started off with a single Weleda shelf and the popular Wild Rose Facial Care range, yet due to continuous customer requests, the range just grew and grew. Their ’Skin Food’ has won countles of awards and celebrity fans include Demi Moore, Brooke Shields, Helena Christensen, Sophie Ward (the list goes on…). The Calendula Baby range soothes and protects even the most delicate of skins. The Arnica Massage Balm, good for muscular pain, bruising, sprains and rheumatism is even used by sports professionals. The original ‘green’ company caters for all!

For an exclusive reader offer, get 15% off all Weleda products at www.amarya.co.uk. Simply use the code ‘weledablog‘.

Emma and Yelena spent all day with the lovely Shane from Spiezia Organics, training for a new treatment.

The result: ‘RELAX INTO RADIANCE’™ – surrender into a feeling of pure sensation & indulgence leaving the muscles of the face and body warmed, toned and polished to perfection.

Spiezia believe everything we need to be whole and healthy is provided for us by Nature. A healthy body is a beautiful body!

Summer is about baring skin and showing off the beautiful (fake) summer tan you have. Well I didn’t have it a week ago and the fact that I was going on holidays in 2 weeks didn’t help either. I had two choices: to go for a product which will give a rich brown colour after the first application or gradually build up the colour resulting in what I wanted. I chose the latter and after using Evolve Skin Glow Body Cream for a week I LOOK FANTASTIC! No orange palms or streaks. If you use it every other day it doesn’t even fade. I never looked so naturally tanned. I love it, love it,  love it!

It's all in the application. Choose a good colour, pinks and reds work best. I love to use Nvey Eco's range, especially numbers 359 or 369. Moisturise your lips well, Herbfarmacy's lip conditioner is a great product and does the job. Choose a lip liner that matches your lipstick, Logona's 01 and 02 shades are great. When you're sure of your shade then you're ready to rock!

Draw around your natural lipline and gently fill in the whole lip area with the liner. This method maintains staying power by slightly staining your lips. Use a lip brush and generously apply your lipstick in several coats. Then use the lipstick over where you've used the brush, to create a smooth texture and appearance. Finish by applying a slick of gloss, Logona's Strawberry Blush is a great all rounder. Luscious lips are yours. Luscious lips - How can anyone resist!

Everybody has the odd spot or flare-up, but what if it's worse than that, what if you have acne?

Is that it, do you have to put up with it, or rely on medication alone. No you don't, there are things that you can do yourself to help. I'm not suggesting that you stop taking medication, you should always follow your doctor's advice, but here's a few thing you can do as part of a daily routine.

First of all, what is acne? Acne is linked to hormone imbalances that cause congestion in the skin due to excess oil, this leads to spots and blackheads. With acne, these spots are often infected and irritated, looking red and inflamed. So, how can you prevent the inflammation? The first and most important thing you can do is to stop picking! I know it's tempting when you have a pot, just to give it a little squeeze, but this causes the bacteria to spread, not only making the current spot worse but also causing more spots to appear. Picking will also lead to scarring, so you will have evidence of the acne even once the spots themselves have gone.

The products that you use on your skin can also have a dramatic effect. It is mistakenly believed that if you strip the skin of oil then the spots will clear up, again this is not true. If you use a harsh, astringent cleanser then the skin will become dry, when this happens the skin will produce more oil to counteract this dryness, creating a vicious circle of dry skin and excess oil. Instead you should use a product that is gentle on the skin and ideally one that does not contain alcohol. When washing your face it's also important that you don't scrub at it, as this can also upset the skins surface, as well as spreading bacteria around the face. Instead warm the face with a face cloth to open up the pores and allow for deeper cleansing, then apply the cleansing product to your skin and gently pat it over your, then rinse off with warm water, ensure that all traces of cleanser are removed. In order to close the pores you should not hold a cool compress over your face for a few seconds. If the acne is active then your cloth should be washed daily to prevent bacteria from spreading. Your cleansing routine should be finished with a toner which will restore the acid level in the skin and help to prevent excessive sebum production.

To moisturise or not?

It is a common misconception that if you have oily skin then you shouldn't moisturise, this is actually very bad for skin with acne. If you don't moisturise then the skin will become dry and, as with using a harsh cleanser, the skin will start to over produce sebum and that vicious circle continues. It is important to choose the right moisturiser for your skin, one that it balances the acid level. You may want to try oil or serum, which isn't as scary as it sounds. By applying an oil it reassures the skin into thinking that there's enough serum present and stops the over production of sebum.

So, you cleanse, tone and moisture twice a day, what else is there to do? A clay mask (such as Dr. Hauschka's Cleansing Clay Mask) may also help by drawing out the impurities in the skin; this will be particularly beneficial when following steaming. Fill the bathroom basin with warm water and leaning over it with a towel to prevent the heat escaping, ensure the water isn't too hot as this can damage the capillaries in the cheeks and nose.

What can be done outside of the bathroom? If you want to help reduce inflammation then you should try to take in more anti-oxidants, this can be dome by eating foods that are rich in Vitamins A, C and E, these can be found in juicy fruits such as apples, grapes and peaches. These vitamins can also be taken in tablet form, as a way of ensuring you get all the vitamins you need. Zinc tablets have also been shown to be beneficial for the treatment of acne.

Watch our Youtube video on Acne and Dr. Hauschka:

Use eyeliner to give the impression of longer lashes, and to open up the eye. Wipe your eye pencil to soften it up. Gently pull down the rim of the upper eye and draw along. Simple! Mascara will not only make the eyes look longer, but also thicker. Place the mascara wand at the very base of your lashes and simply wiggle side to side to separate them. Pull the wand up through to the tips, then close your eye and paint the tips with the end of the wand. The latter applies to your lower lashes, use the wand almost like a pen and paint lashes individually. This, like the wiggling effect avoids clumps. I recommend Dr. Hauschka's Volume Mascara

.

Chapped, cracked and flaky lips are a common winter complaint. The combination of the cold weather and drying central heating can be a nightmare, but all is not lost.

The first step to restoring the condition of your lips is to keep them moisturised with a good quality natural lip balm. If you have dry and flaking skin on the lips then you can exfoliate them using an old toothbrush, ensuring that it is dry, and then brush the lips using small circular movements, applying your lip balm once all of the dry skin has been removed. Finally, it's important that you do not lick the lips when they feel dry, no matter how tempting this feels, as this will only make matters worse, instead a quick coating of Jigsaw's lip balm will help.

The key to fantastic looking ruby red lips is in the application. Make sure your lips are well moisturised and smooth and choose the right colour red.

If you have cool tones go for a blue base such as Logona 04, warm tones an orange base, Logona 05. Use a lip pencil, Logona 01, to draw around the natural line of your lips and then gently fill in the rest of your lips with the pencil, it helps stain your lips.

Then using a lip brush generously apply the lip colour in several coats to give it staying power. Then use your lipstick lightly over where you've used the brush, this technique smoothes the texture and appearance.

Finally blot on a tissue and Voila! You're ready to party!

Create the perfect Christmas sparkle for your eyes using Alima pearluster eyeshadows and liners. Start by covering your whole lid with platinum and then blend your colour of choice, my recommendation is Amethyst or Atlantis, up to your socket line. Finish with a slick of eyeliner applied to both top and bottom lashlines, Dr. Hauschka's Liquid Eyeliner is a great colour choice for this and lashings of mascara. Perfect sparkle!

Concealing the dreaded bags under your eyes is simple and effective.

Select a light reflective concealer, I love Porcelain from the Alima mineral make-up range or Organic Erase Corrector in Neutral from Nvey, and using a concealer brush apply it along the bottom of the eyebag. Blend blend blend (very important) with your ring finger as it's the weakest up to your bottom lashline and finish off by dusting loose setting powder in Keiko from Alima or Transluscent Powder from Dr. Hasuchka, to set it in place. You'll be looking as good as new or better!

Remember to always apply eye concealer after your moisturiser or foundation if you wear it.

Please note: The Alima Mineral Make-Up range is available instore only.

Okay, so the Christmas party season is upon us, your diary is packed with gatherings and get-togethers and you're expected to look constantly glamorous despite the late nights, over consumption of party food and mulled wine. Here a few tips on how to survive the festive period and come out the other side looking wonderful.

Christmas parties mean party dresses! That's right, you've been happily hiding away in your trousers, boots and polo necks and suddenly it's time to get your legs out and uncover your arms. That's when the problems start, your skin has been neglected, it's dry and flaky and definitely not going to make you look like a goddess. All is not lost though, the first thing you need to do is rid your skin of those flaky cells with a good body brush before your shower, starting at your feet, work upwards in small circular movements in towards the heart. Once in the shower use a good body exfoliator, I'd recommend Laveré's Active Body Scrub: it not only smells lovely with a fresh scent of lemons, it also contains a high level of oil so your skin is left silky soft and glowing.

If that isn't enough to tempt you then an added bonus is that massaging this scrub into the thigh area whilst showering can also help to reduce cellulite. Complete the transformation with a beautiful body balm from Planet Botanicals, rich in fair trade East African Shea Butter this balm has a lovely light consistency that hydrates and nourishes the skin.

With so much going on over the Christmas period you may be missing out on the vital beauty sleep, which can leave your skin looking tired and dull, this can be combated with three essential beauty products. Starting with a weekly exfoliation to rid the skin of the dead cells and pollution, allowing the new and healthy skin underneath to shine through. Secondly you will need a good moisturiser. My favourite moisturiser for a weary complexion is La Claree Oliv' Super Antioxidant Treatment which protects the moisturises and protects the skin whilst leaving a dewy glow for a healthy looking appearance. The third item that is a must have during the party season is an eye cream to hide the fact that you've had one too many late nights. Dr.Hauschka Eye Countour Day Balm can be used each morning to combat the puffiness and help to restore the skin's elasticity. A top tip for eye creams is to keep them in the refrigerator; this means that you're getting an instant result when applied.

If the party season all becomes too much, why not put your feet up and treat yourself to a relaxing facial, after all the partying, preparations and shopping, you deserve it!

Spiezia Organics must be proud to have one of their products included in this prestigious list. Their Lemongrass and Marigold Body Scrub (certified organic, of course) is a luscious blend of natural sugars and essential oils and works as both an exfoliator and moisturiser. Massage into the skin and let the sugar, calendula petals and lemongrass oil buff, polish and revive your skin to a natural glow.

At Amarya, we're equally pleased that Weleda's Wild Rose Body Lotion made it into this list as well! A snip at £9.95, this lotion is made from exquisite rose, calendula, jojoba and the finest essential oils, all leaving your skin soft, supple and well hydrated.