Favourite body and hair products for my summer holidays…

Skincare and beauty comes a close second to my love of fashion. I’m less experimental with skincare – the first twenty years of my life were ruled by eczema so I am acutely aware of what suits my skin and hair and what does not.

Living in London – pollution and cold weather are definitely high on the list of criteria I consider when choosing products – along with trying to slow down the inevitable ageing process (!)

However, for me, going on my summer holiday means a much simpler beauty regime. Everything I use on my skin and hair focuses on hydration and nourishment and that’s about it.

Whilst I have never been one to bake in the sun, it is hard to stay completely in the shade and I adore feeling the heat on my body. So when away, I like to balance my need for vitamin D and looking after my skin and hair.

With that in mind, here’s my list of favourite products for my summer holiday:

1. Body lotion: My favourite holiday pick is John Masters blood orange and vanilla body milk (https://johnmasters.com). John Masters is a great organic brand and this lotion is light but nourishing. It also has aloe vera in it – which is anti-inflammatory and incredibly soothing. A key ingredient for me in the summer months. If I need a little extra oomph I add dry body oil. Something like Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse (https://uk.nuxe.com) or the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse D’Or - the gold shimmer version, if like me, you like a bit of a shimmery glow on your body.

2. Sunscreen: Being naturally tanned I have had a longstanding issue with sunscreens. Historically, most are thick and white - which means they take ages to rub in and afterwards you can look slightly grey. So I was delighted when I discovered spray/mist sunscreens, a while ago. My favourite is Hampton Sun sunscreen (http://www.hamptonsuncare.com). This stuff is expensive; but as I only buy sunscreen once a year and one can goes a very along way I don’t mind splashing out on this. SPFs range from 15 to SPF70 (!!). These products are not only effective UVA/UVB broad spectrum sunscreens, they contain aloe vera and a multi-vitamin complex that nourish and hydrate your skin. Hampton Sun sunscreens also contain a compound called Polycrylene, which is said to increase the product's water resistance and filters more UVA rays than the "average" sunscreen. This is definitely a high tech option. There are cheaper versions on the market. I have used an ultra mist sunscreen from Banana Boat (http://www.bananaboat.co.uk) which, whilst not as luxurious, works.

3. Body scrubs: I don’t know if you are a body scrub fan or not – I am and even more so on a hot summer holiday – alternating between sun and sea is wonderful but can be quite drying on your skin. So a body scrub really makes a difference to skin tone by getting rid of dead skin cells. My personal fave at the moment is Prismologie’s Ruby and Cedarwood foaming scrub (https://www.prismologie.com). A little goes a long way and it is on sale at Space NK right now (Spacenk.co.uk).

4. Hair: As I have said before, I am a “wash your hair once a week” kinda girl. But on a hot summer holiday I wash my hair every day. For a few years now I have been using Intelligent Nutrients’ harmonic shampoo and conditioner (http://www.intelligentnutrients.co.uk) - simply gorgeous minty freshness. They balance cleansing and moisturising perfectly in my opinion. The shampoo can also double as a body wash. These products are described as anti-aging, antioxidant rich, volumizing and nourishing. The ingredients are food grade, and the products are formulated without sulphates, parabens, silicones, ethoxylates, PEG, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances. Pretty perfect if like me, you like natural hair care solutions.

As for hair styling products on holiday – I tend not to bother, other than maybe some of the dry oil I use for my body.

I take all my usual face products with me, but go minimal. Similarly, with make up. I find a little bit of primer, eyeliner, mascara and lip-gloss is all I want after a day at the beach.

I’d love to know what your favourite summer products are, let me know…

Prismologie - body care to stir the senses through colour and nature

 A few weeks ago, whilst running errands I found myself outside my local Space NK and something caught my eye. I am always impressed by great window dressing because it draws you in, just as it is supposed to - and there in the window was Prismologie, a brand new skincare line, clean contemporary packaging with a vibrant blast of colour.

I love trying new things, so I thought I’d take a look at the range. I decided on the foaming body scrub with Cedarwood and ruby (from the Red Hour section) and the rich body cream with Neroli and diamond (from the White Beginning products).

Prismologie is the brainchild and first skincare line from Intisar and Fatima Alsabah, a mother and daughter team from Kuwait; they describe themselves as women who “have always wanted to provide people with tools to empower themselves.”

Their concept began when they started connecting the huge impact colours have on people’s moods and attitudes. They were looking for a brand that used the power of colours, but couldn't find one. So they thought they would create one themselves.

In their own words, “We all react very naturally and intuitively to colour. We understand colour but we don't always embrace its powerful effects on us. We want to invite people to engage with colours in a different way, to notice what they feel and to decide how they want to feel. We want the colours in our range to set the tone of people’s days and encourage them to reconnect with themselves.“

“When we started thinking about how we want to add colour to our daily lives, we realised that a body care routine is a given for most people. We all shower, we need something to moisturise our skin with and so on. We all live very busy lives and we sometimes get carried away and don't realise that we have forgotten to focus on ourselves even for a few minutes to give ourselves the care we need. We chose body care most specifically because caring for your body is usually a very personal experience, whereas one’s face is usually something people care for in part for others to see; not always just for ourselves.”

For me, this idea makes total sense; I personally am very colour driven and also am very aware, given my Indian heritage, of the chakras and the colours associated to them, which interestingly tie into the Prismologie brand. Colours affect my mood without doubt, and I definitely go through phases of being drawn more strongly to certain colours than others. I think we all do, even if we are not consciously aware of it.

And I suppose we all pick clothes to suit our moods, to boost our confidence. I certainly know from myself and other friends that we may even choose our underwear to make us feel good/beautiful/sexy/empowered on a particular day; so, why not take it a step further, with what you choose put on your body before you get dressed?

Prismologie is a high-end brand, so not cheap, but from personal use, a little goes a long way. And the effects of the beautiful ingredients are that my skin is silky smooth and the positive stimulation of my senses seems very real. If you fancy a treat or change, Prismologie is really worth checking out.

To find out more about the brand and products in detail, check out Prismologie (http://www.prismologie.com). Prismologie can be found at online and at Space NK stores (spacenk.com)PS: It’s good to note that Prismologie products do not contain GM ingredients, Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS), Petrolatum or Propylene Glycol, Parabens, animal derivatives or products that have been tested on animals. They do not agree with animal testing and every single element of packaging is recyclable and they only use FSC cardboard and reusable glass.