Michelle Louise: features

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WIN A Signature Scarf From The Yigal Azrouël Collection

Wednesday, 20 May 2015 • features

This has been a pretty exciting week for me so far. When I was asked to take part in a styling challenge for the new Yigal Azrouël campaign I was so blown away! As part of the launch they wanted different Instagramers to style a scarf in their own way, to showcase how versatile the collection can be for the summer season. As soon as mine arrived on Monday I started snapping away, and yesterday we all popped up to the park to take some pictures.

I'm a lot more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it these days, but this scarf is just so beautiful, it deserves to be shown off!

I tend to keep my style very simple, then to dress the outfit up with a scarf and some choice details, so for my flat lay I styled it with a delicate white dress and nude accessories (and flowers, of course!), then for our trip out I wore it with a black and white stripped dress, my floral sunglasses and black converse. The colours are just so beautiful, it really made me long for summer!

Enter to WIN a signature scarf from the Yigal Azrouël collection.

Enter via e-mail subscription link below by 11.59pm on May 27, 2015 for a chance to win your own cashmere-modal scarf by New York fashion designer Yigal Azrouël.

Winner will be selected at random and contacted via e-mail by June 1st.

{ Enter Competition Here }

Good luck!

Lavender & Oat Facemask with Young Living Essential Oils

Over the last couple of years I've changed quite a lot about my lifestyle. My overall health has become a lot more important to me, and the results I've experienced with a more natural diet have led me to rethink my beauty routine too.

I've always had sensitive skin prone to breakouts, something that really knocked my confidence for years, but I just thought it was something I'd have to live with. I would compensate by trying to cover up with heavy makeup and to treat breakouts with products which I now know to be harsh and totally unsuitable for my skin.

As I began exploring more natural and homemade alternatives I came across essential oils all the time. These plant extracts, created through steam distillation and cold pressing, could apparently be used to create everything from soothing and effective beauty treatments, to air fresheners and household cleaners.

There's actually so much information out there that they can be a little intimidating. I wanted to try some out but didn't really know where to start! So I was pretty excited when Nicole of blog Today Is My Favourite suggested a collaboration.

Nicole and her family have been on a wellness journey over the last couple of years with Young Living Essential Oils, the worlds leading essential oils manufacturer, becoming such an important part in their lives that she now works to spread the idea of natural, chemical free homes to others.

'We're so excited to incorporate them into our health and wellness as a family as a safe alternative to normal chemical products we use in our home. As a mama to little Emmett and Gideon, I love having a natural way to maintain health and wellness in our home.'

'Young Living Essential Oils are 100% pure and derived straight from the plant. They contain the plants own natural immunity, hormones and scents. When oils are pure, they have the ability to work with your body, not against it, to bring about change in your health.'

Nicole was kind enough to send me some samples of her favourite Young Living Essential Oils; Lavender and Thieves.

I'm going to do a couple of posts about the oils and my experiences with them, with this this post focusing on my personal favourite of the two; Lavender. I was recommended this oil after the birth of my son for its healing abilities, which worked wonders, but I had no idea there were so many other uses too!

It's amazing before bed for rest and relaxation, by rubbing a drop on your neck or temples you can encourage a good nights rest; mix it in with some coconut or olive oil to create a soothing cream for eczema and dry skin. It can be diluted into a spray with some epsom salts to create a soothing mist and homemade air freshener, free from any chemicals.

When used as part of a beauty routine, Lavender oil can prevent outbreaks by regulating the bacteria that causes spots, and even reduce the signs of existing scars.

After I mentioned that I was interested in natural beauty remedies Nicole recommended her favourite go-to facial recipe, which I've been using with a lavender water spray and still can't believe how much better my skin has been because of it.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can keep the oats and lavender mix in an airtight container, then all you have to do is portion some out, mix in the water and it's ready to go. It's so quick, and so simple.

In this recipe there are oats to exfoliate, lavender oil to encourage a balanced complexion, and water to create the paste. I also like to add some olive oil into my face masks as it's fantastic for hydrating your skin, and works great on any annoying lines or wrinkles. This mask left my skin feeling soft and nourished, not to mention it has that beautiful lavender scent!

Oat & Lavender Facial

1/2 cup of Oats
7-10 drops of Young Living lavender oil
Splash of water
Splash of olive oil (optional)

Grind the oats in a food processor or pestle and mortar until it becomes a fine powder, then add the lavender oil. Store in an airtight jar, then when you're ready to do the facial, just pour some out and add a splash of water and olive oil, stir in so that it becomes a paste. Apply to your skin and leave on for around 5-10 minutes, then rinse off with warm water and cotton wool.

If you're interested in reading any more about essential oils then I'd definitely recommend taking a look at Nicole's blog, nicoleneesby.com, where she has lots more information about Young Living and some great recipes too. There are essential oil classes available online as well as an online community to share recipes and answer any queries.

You can also find her on social media:

Instagram - dwelling simple essentials
Instagram - personal
Pinterest
Facebook
Twitter

Thanks again to Nicole for sending me these oils and for all her help, I can't wait to share more about Thieves soon.

Have a wonderful week ahead! x

14 days with Fruiteatox

Sunday, 26 April 2015 • features health

The word 'Teatox' is everywhere these days. They promise all kinds of amazing things from clearer skin to weight loss. I'd been contemplating doing one for a while to see if they really did deliver on what they promised, so was pretty excited when Fruiteatox sent me some of their Daytox and Sleeptox blends to try out.

The lemon Daytox tea is a unique anti-oxidising recipe, a combination of nine completely natural ingredients including ginseng, ginger root, yerba mate and lemongrass that help to increase stamina, keep you feeling fuller for longer, reduce bloating and give your skin a boost. It smells amazing and was my favourite of the two teas, it was light and sweet and so aromatic.

The orange Sleeptox tea is designed to aid relaxation, digestion and to cleanse your body of toxins with the help of seven ingredients including chamomile, senna, lavender and orange peel.

As wonderful as these ingredients are, and as good as they taste, they can't of course work miracles.

I think it's important to recognise that losing weight in a positive, sustainable way also requires a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Fruiteatox includes a free meal plan, with the option to purchase additional fitness and vegan meal plans at a small additional cost. They contain some suggestions to get you started with your detox and healthier lifestyle, which I was delighted to find didn't include anything drastic.

From the free plan you can choose from a number of things to eat such as yogurt, fruit, porridge and smoothies for breakfast, sweet potatoes (an absolute favourite of mine), vegetable casserole and baked salmon for lunch or tea. All of these dishes are full of nutrition and leave you feeling completely satisfied with your meals, and excited for the next!

A lot of the dishes on the meal plan are very similar to the ones I eat usually, so this teatox really fit into my routine.

I started my teatox shortly after returning from holiday. I'd indulged in sangria and sweet treats more that usual while we were there (why not? it's a holiday after all!) and felt that I needed to give my diet a kickstart and my body a refresh now that we were back to reality.

It worked wonderfully; within a week my stomach was the flattest it's been in years! My skin felt wonderful, it certainly got me back on track with making healthy choices and was a delicious addition to my morning routine. I also slept really well throughout the two weeks, but after chasing around my three year old and work I often don't have any problem there anyway! :)

If you're wanting to make some healthy changes to your lifestyle but aren't too sure where to start, then this Teatox plan is wonderful.

I wish I'd tried one of these when I first wanted to make some changes. The Fruiteatox philosophy is similar to my own, that only you know what's best for your body - they don't encourage strict calorie control or overbearing fitness regimes.

Healthy living should compliment your lifestyle, not dictate it.

Such a positive outlook would've been so encouraging, and the meal plan would have saved me a lot of time researching and trying to figure it all out for myself!

The tagline used by Fruiteatox is 'Stop the diet, start a lifestyle', which I think is perfect for what this teatox is really about; losing weight and making lifestyle changes in a healthy, maintainable fashion.

If you'd like to find out more about Fruiteatox, or try your own detox then you can visit their website here. They ship worldwide!

Or find them on social media:

Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest

Have a wonderful week ahead! x

Creative Feature: Bough to Beauty

Sunday, 22 February 2015 • ethical fashion features small business up-cycle

'Guilt-free glamour, that doesn't cost the Earth.'

Supporting small businesses is something I'm passionate about, so this week I'm happy to introduce a new aspect to my blog!

Each month I'll be featuring an artist, maker or crafter that I love. For my first month this will be the wonderful Bough to Beauty, and it's owners Vix and Lou.

Bough to Beauty create design led, up-cycled wooden jewellery and gifts that are both ethically made and environmentally conscious.

Each piece is inspired by their travels, adventures and passions, with real attention to detail and a strong emphasis on quality and value showing through.

"We wanted to be ethically conscious as customers, questioning where things come from, how they're made, who made them and what they're made of. We were surprised at how hard it can be to answer these questions.

"We wanted to learn more about living sustainably and being kinder to our planet (while having the adventure of a lifetime), so we quit our jobs in London and headed to Portugal to volunteer on organic farms, and it was there that Bough to Beauty was born."

I was so excited to receive my package; the boxes are hand stamped and made from recycled card, and the accessories inside were just gorgeous! Vix and Lou have managed to create some truly special, fun and retro inspired accessories whilst still being environmentally conscious.

With their design and philosophy, it's easy to see why they've been awarded Ethical Trader Status.

There's a great selection of colours and styles, and with earrings, rings, pins and necklaces there's so much to choose from. (I'm still eyeing up the retro Italian scooter badges!)