It's still January (just about) which means resolutions and plans for the year ahead are still a hot topic. I have to admit, I'm not one for resolutions, at the end of the day I don't really stick to them. So instead, I have decided that I'm going to go for some subtle life improvements throughout the year and hopefully come 2015 I will feel the changes.
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| Luxury product gifts I got at Christmas |
As the title suggests, I have crowned 2014 my year of pampering, it may seem odd but I think that finding some time to yourself can often be difficult, life just gets in the way and before you know it you're stressed and feeling dishevelled. What I have in mind is investing in some good quality beauty products, a few new additions to my health regime and more regular spa visits. Of course, the spa visits are the most exciting part for me, having done one this month, I have one planned for the beginning of March (technically my February edition), one for the end of March and another for mid April so I am definitely in the swing of a spa visit a month for the forseeable!
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| Post treatment relaxation area at One Spa |
I think I have taken a good run at my goals this month, starting with a day of indulgence at One Spa in Edinburgh on New Year's day - start as you mean to go on! This spa currently sits at my number one spot for spas in the UK, there is nothing I don't like about it. My favourite areas are the rooftop hydropool (with neck massage fountains, whirlpool and air beds), bliss even when the atmosphere outside is cloudy and drizzly, and the tepidarium, the ceramic couches heated to 37 degrees often send me into a wonderful slumber. I generally make use of all the facilities in the spa just for the novelty and enjoyment of it all, it really adds to the experience if you hop to and fro between all the areas. On this occasion I also indulged myself with a Swedish massage, with a personalised mixed of Espa essential oils and massage technique focused on areas that were long overdue some attention. The knowledge of the therapists at this spa always makes me realise I'm in good hands, with after care and recommendations readily given. One thing that I had been toying with was purchasing a body brush but I was a bit unsure what to do with it and why to bother with it. I asked my therapist once our treatment time came to an end and she gave me a quick demo and some tips for body brushing at home - on my way out I purchased an Espa body brush!
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| My Espa Body Brush |
And that brings me to my next thing, body brushing! There are lots of health benefits to dry body brushing; removal of dead skin cells and increase of skin condition, increased blood circulation, stimulates your body to flush out impurities and an increase of muscle tone to name a few. Of course these benefits can only be realised if you are strict in your body brushing regime. At the moment I am remembering about twice a week, it does add a few minutes to my shower routine as its best to brush right before you shower, but I am realising some of these benefits already, most importantly it feels nice and that is a benefit in itself. To learn more just browse the web for tips and tricks, I've even found some good technique articles on Pinterest and demos on YouTube.
I also wanted to give my hair a bit of TLC, it is easy to get carried away with skin and body care and forget about your barnet, so after a full head of highlights and a much needed trim I went for a keratin treatment. Whilst this treatment costs a pretty penny, it has such a good result this was actually the second time I have had it done. It is basically a very intense hair mask which infuses your hair with keratin to give you a smooth and light finish, ideal for me because my hair has a bit of a naturally fuzzy look. The effects last anything up to 12 weeks (my first one was still good after 10) and it reduces the amount of products I go through for styling and smoothing. The thing to keep in mind is that you are restricted in the type of shampoo you can use after Keratin treatments (sulphate and chloride free which are generally better for your hair anyway) but your stylist will give you all the details you need. I've also invested in a good quality hair brush and have been making an effort to polish brush my hair rather than just smoothing it through.
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| A bit of stretching to get supple! |
It's not all about products and spending though, some things I have taken to doing are relatively low cost. I've been going to Pilates and Step classes at my gym and ballet classes for a few months now, but managed to miss a few week consecutively in the run up to the festive period. I enjoy them because they give me the right kind of exercise for my goals, core strength, increase of flexibility and enough cardio without burning body mass. Sometimes the hardest thing is getting back to your routine, but I am back on the wagon and really enjoying it again. I've been throwing in a few independent sessions at the gym too, and to my own surprise I felt the urge for a bit of a jog on the treadmill the other week - not an urge I ever thought I would have!
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Minestrone with bacon, conchigliette & pesto
(homemade a la Hello Fresh) |
Lastly and probably most importantly is food. I've come to dislike the term "diet" it has connotations of depriving yourself of things and being restrictive, but I am certainly a fan of a healthy balanced variety of food. I've stopped beating myself up about what I consume and I have started being smarter about what I eat and when, for example adapting my food intake after a work out to have some good recovery nutrients like protein. With this comes discovering new ingredients and combinations, we have started using Hello Fresh a couple of times a month to keep us on our toes with home cooked meals that don't break the bank (or our waistbands). I've simplified my approach; more water, less refined sugar, more protein, less fat, more planning of meals/kitchen time and less deprivation (if I want a cake, I'll have a cake!).
Well, that is my grand introduction to My Year of Pampering, I am hoping I can stick to what I have started and pick up a few new tricks on the way, I am aiming for these things to become normal lifestyle habits rather than something I have to think about and coordinate - we shall see!
Stay tuned for reviews and updates on how I'm getting on, suggestions and comments welcome!
Kx
