Beauty - March into Spring

Use Locally - Issue 83 March 2020 I recently had to request some new make-up brushes as my eight year old son broke mine applying (as he puts it) Goth makeup. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it meant I upgraded my old, rather worn brushes for a sparkling new set from Lily England. The Face Make-Up Brush Set FRQWDLQV¾YHRIWKHVRIWHVW most luxurious feeling brushes ,µYHHYHUWULHG7KHVHWLQFOXGHV a foundation brush, bronzer brush and eyeshadow brush. 7KH\µUHYHJDQORRNDORWPRUH H[SHQVLYHWKDQWKH\DFWXDOO\DUH and come in a rather nice white cosmetic bag. In other words, they’d make a great Mother’s Day gift. I’m not letting my son anywhere near these ones. They’re £24.99 from Boots or www.lilyengland.com. Planning to make a gift this Mother’s Day, or looking for an DFWLYLW\WRGRZLWKWKH kids? How about a set of home-made bath bombs? The key ingredients are citric acid, baking soda/bicarbonate of soda and essential oil. You’ll also need something to use as a mould. Special moulds for creating bath ERPEVDUHDYDLODEOHEXW FKRFRODWHPRXOGVDUH¾QH for creating smaller bath ¾]]HVDQGWKH\µUHDYDLODEOHLQD range of shapes. (You can also use them to make aromatherapy wax melts.) Mix one cup of bicarb with one cup of citric acid, and add around thirty drops of essential RLOODYHQGHUZRUNVZHOO<RX can add extra ingredients if you like, such as a tablespoon of DOPRQGRUROLYHRLOGULHG¿RZHU petals and food colouring. Then add a splash of water, a few drops at a time, and keep mixing. You want to end up with a mixture that holds its shape when you squeeze it. Push the mixture LQWRWKHPRXOGV¾UPO\ DQGOHDYHWKHPWRGU\ somewhere warm, like an airing cupboard for a few hours. Then gently push the bath bombs out of the moulds and wrap them in tissue paper. I’m a fan of BYBI for so many reasons. For a start, it’s one of the most sustainable brands on the market. Bottles can be returned to be washed DQGUH¾OOHG Products only contain sustainable ingredients, including seeds WKDWZRXOGKDYHEHHQWKURZQ away. And BYBI makes sure that the people who grow RUKDUYHVWWKRVHLQJUHGLHQWV are treated fairly. That’s all well and good, but if beauty products don’t work, there’s little point in them being ethical. Thankfully, these do. ,SDUWLFXODUO\ORYHWKH%<%, Swipe Clean Cleanser (£26). It’s a 100% natural oil-based FOHDQVHUWKDWUHPRYHVPDNH XSHDVLO\DQGOHDYHVVNLQ feeling noticeably pampered. When I’m trying a new cleanser, I skip moisturiser for a few days to really put it to the test. This one left my skin feeling XOWUDVRIWHYHQVHYHUDO hours later. I also like the BYBI Mega Mist (£26) – a hyaluronic acid spritz that OHDYHVVNLQIHHOLQJ more hydrated and ´JORZ\µ,WµVDYDLODEOH from Boots or www. bybi.com. By Kate Duggan March into Spring From sustainable beauty to the softest makeup brushes and home-made bath bombs, there’s plenty to tempt you this month…

Before Ellie lost the weight she couldn’t run after her son, she was out of breath. She would sit in front of the telly and eat junk food. She was fed up; unhappy with the way she looked. She didn’t do any exercise other than at work as a waitress. When it was busy at work she would get out of breath easily. She has diabetes that runs in her family and was getting concerned she would get type 2 diabetes. She lacked confidence she hated talking in front of everyone but always put on a brave face. So she decided in January 2016 she would join a Slimming World group as she knew she had gotten bigger over the last 6 months, nothing fitted her she felt big especially when she had to ask her manager for a bigger top as a size 20 didn’t fit. Having just moved she wanted a new beginning. She went onto the Slimming World website and found her local group which her mum had joined the week before. Before joining slimming world she would eat when she could and it would of been more of a grab on the way out to work which would be general junk food. she would tend to have a meal at work which would be anything involving chips and a desert. When working late she would have microwave meals or grab a takeaway on the way home. she rarely cooked meals if it was it would be a jar of sauce no vegetables involved. Now her eating habits have changed she will have breakfast, lunch and tea but just eats when she is hungry. She loves that she can have a cooked breakfast everyday if she wants. She now takes a pack up breakfast and lunch when at work which could be overnight

oats, fruit and yogurt or weetabix muffins. Her tea is now healthy adapted meals which could be beef lasagne, chips & salad or even a traditional roast. She has made such a difference to her life but the biggest change is having the confidence and shouting to the world she has lost weight with Slimming World! she has made her eating habits a lifestyle so she can carry on food optimising for a lifetime. She feels amazing at target looking back makes her realise how far she has come. she doesn’t feel like that person she was back in January 2016. Her life has changed now She can run after her son and join in with him when out at the park and she can now fit through the small gaps! She has also changed her activity levels hitting every day 10,000 steps. she has recently completed the couch to 5k program.

Ellie who has lost 5 and a half stone now runs her own group Every Monday from 6:30pm at the Memorial Hall, Collingham. Call or Message Ellie 07983609316 follow her facebook page Slimming World with Ellie Gray.