Hydrating Body Care

Written by

 

Words By Penny Lane

 

As the warmth of summer nears, so does the reluctant reality of baring winter-ravaged, often extremely dry and lacklustre skin. Give your body a much needed moisture boost, with our pick of the very best hydrating body creams, milks and lotions, to regain radiant, beach-ready skin, in a flash.

Pro-Collagen Body Cream by Elemis
A blend of smoothing, exotic oils, including castanha oil, babassu oil and bilberry oil, combine to deeply nourish and give anti-oxidant protection due to the vitamin A, B and E content that defend against cell damage to prevent premature ageing. Added marine extracts work to strengthen the epidermis and increase elasticity. We love its ability to break down fatty deposits, too.
£49, www.timetospa.co.uk

Lait Corporel by Biotherm
For a lighter, non-greasy texture, choose Biotherm’s moisturiser for all of the hydrating benefits, without the weight or residue of a richer cream. Ideal for those leading a super busy lifestyle, Lait Corporel is the perfect remedy to eliminate dry patches. Essential oils of orange and grapefruit deliver an uplifting and invigorating burst of freshness, great to quickly apply after your morning shower.
£19.50, www.boots.com

Pistachio Sundae Dry Skin Fix Body Butter by NIP + FAB
Ultra rich and creamy, with a high dose of shea butter for maximum moisture, this body butter works wonders to boost hydration, by enhancing water levels and intensively replenishing. Mineral oil effectively soothes seriously parched limbs, to reveal silky soft skin, which lasts all day and smells good enough to eat.
£9.95, www.asos.com

Skin Caviar Luxe Body Cream by La Prairie
Drench your body in pure decadence with this divinely rich, conditioning and revitalising treatment, infused with luxurious, caviar extract. Providing supreme nourishment, the formula also utilises an effective firming and energising action, to leave skin enviably luminous, with a more youthful appearance.
£274, www.houseoffraser.co.uk

Body Excellence Intense Hydrating Firming Milk by Chanel
A fresh and floral formula, containing royal jasmine wax elixir, to eradicate the unpleasant feeling of tightness, through intensive 24-hour hydration. Skin is left positively glowing, comforted and firmer, due to the added Indonesian botanical, purple bengle, renowned for its body toning power. A go-to corrective product, for thirsty skin.
£53, www.harrods.com

If you do one thing this week… try Blue Cow Yoga

Written by

 

Tucked away beneath a large, important building in the city, you would be forgiven for walking straight past Blue Cow Yoga everyday of your life and never knowing it was there. Its entrance is discreetly lit with two blue lights reflecting onto the steps that lead you to its door. Once inside you won’t be disappointed. Fresh, light, airy, spacious – the studio is the stuff yogi dreams are made of. Have a cup of herbal tea catching up with a friend whilst you wait for your class to begin. If you don’t enjoy being pushed and shoved in changing room by people desperately trying to undress, then you’ll be more than pleasantly surprised by the large, minimalist cloakrooms.

Don’t get me wrong though, for Blue Cow Yoga is anything but soulless. Yes, it’s clean and uncluttered but it’s also stylish and elegant. One of my favourite rooms was the room you go through to get to one of the yoga studios. Not seeming to have any real purpose but for chilling, it has around eight chic poofs dotted around it and featured fantastic black and white photographs on the wall.

The class I was in was particularly small (there were just three of us), which I loved as it really gives you the time and the attention from the instructor to work on the simple things that have been troubling you, such as correcting your downward dog.

Blue Cow yoga is a fresh approach to a yoga studio with good teachers and free herbal tea and best of all it doesn’t smell of sweat.

Blue Cow Yoga – Fast Facts

Who set it up?
Owner’s Mark Evans and Fran Gillibrand originally became friends through their mutual love of yoga, visiting a Goan retreat in India. Mark was an ex-Army infantryman and Fran was an ex-City worker, so she was particularly aware of the stresses of city life.

How long has blue cow been open?
Just over three months.

Where does blue cow yoga take its name from?
Nilgai (literal transition ‘blue cow’) are silver antelope that roam central and northern India enjoying the benefits of an ancient mis-classification and subsequently dubious holy status. Once deified however it is hard to undo, even if scientists can now prove they never were bovine. So confusion reigns, alongside some humour, and this reminded the owners of how the modern world looks at yoga.

What was the inspiration?
To inspire people to try yoga and see how it could work for them and explaining the benefits of Yoga and making it possible to fit it into everybody’s already busy lives without demanding change or sacrifices. That meant making it accessible; anything and everything from running classes at convenient times (on time), to having great facilities like the showers (where all the products and towels are provided). And remembering that the studio is in the City and not ancient India, so talking in a language that everyone understands. Essentially, it is about giving more people the opportunity to try yoga.

http://bluecowyoga.com/

Locked Down: Hip and Healthy talks to Tri-Athlete James Lock

Written by

As England (and the rest of the world) embrace all things sport-related in the run up to the Olympics we talk to James Lock, elite tri-athlete not to mention founder of Zone 3 – one of the fastest growing Triathlon gear brands in the UK, about his training, diet and greatest sporting achievements.

Where did your enthusiasm for sport start?
I always played all sports at school but didn’t get competitive until around age 13, when I joined the local swimming club. I was then wrapped up in a world of training, racing and striving to always get faster and become number one!
Who inspires you?
No athlete in particular but I know first-hand how much effort and dedication it takes to qualify for the Olympics so anyone who achieves this goal has their own inspirational story in my eyes.
Greatest sporting achievement?
Possibly being world biathlete and world aquathlon champion within the same month as well as winning achieving a 1st class engineering degree from Loughborough the same year. Also, being able to continue racing some of the best athletes is the world whilst only training part time whilst I run my own business.
How much do you train per week?
Around 25 hours on overseas training camps, up to 15 hours per week during normal weeks.
What is your diet like?
I try to stay healthy and concentrate on well balanced meals but with the amount of calories I burn in my sport it generally means eat as much as possible!
What is your most memorable race?
Most probably coming top 10 in my first elite race in front or a large crowd in Athlone, Ireland or the races I take part in for my pro-French team, which always have a great atmosphere.
Does training get in the way of your social life?
No, I have been balancing work, training and social life since I was a 13 year old school boy so always have a good balance.
What do you do on your days off?
Mostly catch up with work or try to put my feet up and watch a film.
Hardest race?
Every race in France is Sprint distance and very competitive so it means the races are fast and furious. You don’t get a second to ease up so it’s an hour of pain every time!
What motto do you live by?
Don’t waste a minute…to achieve in sport or business you need to give it your everything so be as productive as possible and focus on the most important areas.

Eating Healthily Has Never Been Easier with Sophie Michell and Sensodyne

Written by

When it comes to eating healthily many of us feel that we just don’t have the time to whip up an amazing low-fat, low-salt, vegetable and protein rich meal. We aren’t all blessed with the culinary skills of Sophie Michell (the celebrity chef who combines her love of cooking with her nutritional knowledge – more on her later). But my recipe below is one of the easiest things in the world and takes less than 20 minutes to cook. I can also check emails, chat on the phone or watch a bit of TV whilst doing it which makes it more manageable and easy to fit into an evening after a hard day’s work. And what’s more, it only requires two pans, making the washing up minimal!

If staring down the barrel of a recipe that has a list of 100 ingredients brings you no joy at all, then you will pleased to hear that my Tomato and Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup is made up of just the below. It is incredibly nutritious and is gluten- and dairy-free making it a great dinner party dish option.

Tomato and Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves 2
You will need:
2 small chicken breasts (preferably organic)
1 bag of chopped stir-fry veg (check that there is no added sugar or salt – I suggest Waitrose)
1 pack of asparagus tips
1/2 bag of curly kale
Frozen peas (optional)
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tin of 1/2 fat coconut milk
1/2 pack of Buckwheat noodles (they’re gluten-free)
Coriander

Method:
Stir-fry the chicken in a little olive or avocado oil.
Once the chicken has turned brown and looks cooked through add the vegetables and kale and stir fry for around 10 minutes.
Add the tin of tomatoes and coconut milk and reduce the heat so that it is nearly boiling. If you want the peas add them now. Leave it like this for around 8-10 minutes.
Use this waiting time to boil your buckwheat noodles. They will need between 5-8 minutes.
Then drain the noodles and add them to the chicken soup add and serve with a sprinkle of coriander on top.

For something that is much more impressive but is still healthy and wholesome see celebrity chef, Sophie Michell’s, recipe for Bang Bang Chicken Salad:

 

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
4 medium chicken breasts (about 150g each)
1 head of Chinese cabbage
2 carrots
50g bean sprouts
1 red onion
½ cucumber
1 tbsp fresh coriander
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 small handful of micro purple basil
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil

Peanut sauce:
2 tbsp of crunchy peanut butter
100ml water
1 tbsp of sweet chilli sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
pinch of chilli powder

About Sophie Michell: Ex-chef to Claudia Schiffer and the chef on Cook Yourself Thin, Sophie certainly knows a thing or two about how to eat yourself gorgeous. And with such iconic restaurants as The Lanesborough and The Embassy under her belt, her culinary skills know no bounds. Sophie has teamed up with Sensodyne to spread the word about how healthy eating, and cooking, can be easy, fun and delicious.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/pronamel/vitality.html

Friday’s tea is totally cleansing

Written by

Today’s favourite is Twinings’ Cleanse infusion. This includes Spearmint, Milk Thistle and Nettle, a calming combination which helps restores balance. Nettle as previously mentioned has a number of essential nutrients, which are vital for maintaining good health. It also purifies the blood by driving out toxins by stimulating the kidneys to excrete more water. Milk Thistle similarly is renowned for it’s detoxifying abilities as it encourages the liver to self-cleanse, ridding itself of any toxins. In a time when alcohol, stress, pollution, fast food and our busy hectic lifestyles play havoc with our liver, this is no bad thing. Milk Thistle also has a mild laxative effect, which is beneficial as it increases movement in the intestinal tract thus promoting detoxification of the body by keeping bowel movements regular.

Meanwhile Spearmint has a soothing effect on the stomach as it relaxes the muscles of the intestines, relieving any digestive problems. It also fights nausea, combats heartburn whilst easing morning sickness. The menthol in Spearmint will aid any cold or runny nose as it acts as a decongestant, thinning out the mucus which makes us feel bunged up! This fantastic combo will give anyone a quick pick-me-up if they are feeling slightly below par.

Thursday’s Tea is Beauty Boosting

Written by

 

Words By Bex Fairbrother

If you find green tea too strong and intense, then a lighter more delicate tea is white tea, my all-time favourite. It is a lightly oxidised tea, which is grown and harvested primarily in China, notably in the Fujian province. Its name is derived from fine silvery-white hairs on the unopened buds of the tea plant, Camellia Sinensis. Unlike its herbal counterparts, white tea undergoes little processing and therefore has high levels of antioxidants, essential nutrients which help protect the body from damage by free radicals.  White tea is teeming with these beauty boosting goodies.

Just one cup a day can boost your overall daily liquid intake which is essential for clear skin and good brain function whilst also giving you an extra dose of nutrients which in turn can help slow down the ageing process. My personal favourite is Tea Pigs White Tea. What makes this tea so fantastic is that the whole leaf is individually enveloped in a little fabric pyramid, enabling it to breath and allowing you to get a full taste as well as all the health benefits.

Drinking white tea has a number of health enhancing qualities. It protects against cancer, heart disease, and stroke, all leading causes of death in the industrial world, as well as numerous other conditions. It eases the symptoms of illness and promotes recovery. It also strengthens the circulatory and immune systems as well as our bones and teeth, and builds healthy skin.

 

Wednesday’s Tea is full of Energy

Written by

Words By Bex Fairbrother

 

A Hip and Healthy favourite is Do Matcha green tea.  It is a great way to include skin and immune-supporting compounds in your daily diet.  As green tea powder is actually a food rather than a supplement, it has the potential to be better absorbed and more efficiently utilised by the body. What gives Do Matcha the ‘edge’ though is its high antioxidant content – particularly when in comparison to ordinary green tea. Do Matcha is said to provide up to 137 times more of the antioxidant ‘EGCG’, than ordinary green tea. Antioxidants may help to support improved immune health and skin health by protecting both from cellular damage. Do Matcha also naturally contains the amino acid theanine, which has been shown in research to encourage alpha waves in the brain. This type of brain wave helps to put us in a calmer, more relaxed state. This in turn may also help to support a healthy immune system, as stress and how your body responds to it can have an effect on how your immune system functions. Promoting positive and relaxing alpha waves in the brain may also support our skin, since it has often been shown that skin suffers when we are tired and stressed.

Drinking tea is not only good for the body, it is also good for the soul and can be a sociable affair which in turn boosts our mood.  Why not enjoy a pot of this remedial tea with a group of friends.

Get yours from www.domatcha.com

Tuesday’s Tea is full of Grace…

Written by

If you are still feeling a little jaded from the weekend, try Dr. Stuart’s Skin Purify tea. This health-boosting herbal infusion does exactly what it says on the tin…or packet! It is an invigorating blend of red clover, nettle leaves and dandelion root which all help to purify and soothe your skin. Dr. Stuart creates his teas using herbs of the highest quality medicinal grade. Red clover is used to treat hot flushes and PMS whilst also lowering cholesterol, improving urine production and circulation of the blood. It is also used to help prevent osteoporosis and reduce the possibility of blood clots. Red clover is also rich in calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, and vitamin C, while Nettle and dandelion are known for their cleansing properties. Nettle, a native British herb, is excellent as a pick-me-up when feeling run down. This is because of it is rich in minerals such as iron, calcium and silica. Iron produces red blood cells and is essential for keeping our energy levels up, whilst calcium and silica are important for building bones and maintaining healthy hair and teeth. Dr. Stuart has extensive experience and a wealth of knowledge on the properties and health benefits of herbs. He uses essential oils and active botanicals and that’s why his range of teas is full of health-boosting and healing properties, leading him to be dubbed the Father of Modern Herbalism. Why not unwind after a long day with a cup of this skin purifying tea? It has subtle flavours and can be drunk throughout the year to give your complexion that much-needed boost and your mood a little lift.

For an extra beauty boost, used tea bags can be laid on the eyes to rest them and smooth out wrinkles. Some believe that is also an effective treatment for removing styles and other eye infections.

If you do one thing this week… drink tea!

Written by

WORDS BY Bex Fairbrother

This week we will be posting a new ‘it’ tea each day that we suggest you try to get you through the working week. I hope you are thirsty because its time to drink to your health!

For thousands of years people from all over the world, particularly in the East, have been drinking tea of all different varieties. In modern-day society, tea has become a tonic to help boost our health and sense of well-being. Supplemented with a healthy, balanced diet, herbal teas can give your body an extra health-kick. With such a large number of herbal teas available on the market, there is one for every day and mood. Here are 5 of Hip and Healthy’s favourites:

THE HAPPY TEA

Why not start your week with a cup of Clipper’s Rise and Shine? This carefully crafted mood enhancer, infused with Organic yerba mate, lemongrass and lemon verbena will have you set up for the day in no time – perfect for those sleepy mornings! The unique blend is full to the brim with health benefits. Yerba mate, the main ingredient, is a species of Holly that is native to subtropical South America. It was first used and cultivated by the Guarani people and has been to said to help aid weight loss, as it is both an appetite suppressant and thermogenic; meaning it increases the rate at which fat is burned. Yerba mate also contains caffeine, which helps stimulate the mind and body. Many people who drink it on a regular basis said they did not suffer the negative side effects that are normally associated with caffeinated drinks. In conjunction with the refreshing fragrance of lemon verbena, this invigorating blend increases energy and wards off the blues. This winning combination is the perfect choice to help lift your mood on overcast, dull days and can help counteract symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.

Yerba mate also contains theophylline. This has medically been used to stimulate the heart muscle, which is essential for strong cardiovascular health. It also contains immune-boosting saponins, whilst also stimulating increased bile flow and therefore acts as a digestive aid. In addition to refreshing the body, lemon verbena’s essential oil helps us to focus and stimulates brain function. Lemon Verbena is also very relaxing and has a number of therapeutic qualities. It is well known for its abilities to strengthen the nervous system and calm digestive tract cramping, alleviating any colon and stomach spasms. Margaret Roberts, author of Herbal Teas for Healthy Living, says that lemon verbena promotes overall nervous system health and in tea form combats both depression and the ill effects of stress.

So if you want a quick pick-me-up grab a cup of this invigorating infusion.

Jubiliciously Hip and Healthy

Written by

Embrace the British Buzz this Summer...

Well-loved British brands such as Liberty and Sweaty Betty have.

 

We have fallen head over heels for the fab British design that is flooding the market at the moment. There has never been a better time to embrace sport in all its red, whit and blue glory. These trainers (and hoodie), that are a collaboration between Nike and Liberty are totally beautiful but if you want them, you better be quick as Liberty have already sold out in size 5, except online where you can choose from three different colours (visit www.liberty.co.uk).

Sweaty Betty are another golden English brand that are embracing all things British this season. We are sold on their fantastic Jubilee Collection. And they don’t compromise on luxury or technicality. (Make sure you take a look at www.sweatybetty.com).

Health Speak: Wellbeing Escapes’ Stella Photi talks health, fitness and relaxing

Written by

 

Stella Photi is founder of healthy holiday company Wellbeing Escapes. 

What do eat for breakfast?
On waking I have a glass of warm water with half a lemon squeezed in. After returning from walking the dog, I will have some porridge with berries and walnuts in winter and replace the oats with greek yoghurt in the summer.  If I have time, I will have a boiled egg with a slice of wholemeal toast. As a treat at weekends I sometimes make muffins using spelt flour and a small amount of xylobit (a completely natural sugar substitute that has 40% less calories) with blueberries or mashed bananas.

How do you keep fit?
I get bored quite easily with the same routine so I try and vary different forms of exercise. I power walk with the dog for an hour each day, try and get one session of personal training each week, at least one zumba class (my latest obsession) and maybe a yoga or pilates session, on a good week.

What motto/advice do you try and live by?  
I try very hard to find some happiness and laughter in my life every day whether it is laughing with colleagues at work or singing loudly and badly to music on the radio. Over the last few years I have learned not to be too hard on myself. I know so many A type personalities who drive themselves to be perfect in every aspect of their lives and forget to enjoy the small day to day pleasures. That used to me and now I am  very mindful of living a more balanced lifestyle. Curiously with this approach, I have achieved more…

How is your diet?
I have very strong feelings about food and I believe that a varied and healthy diet is the single best thing you can do for your health. I love all types of food, as long as it is fresh and made with quality ingredients. I only buy organic meat, poultry and dairy and try very hard for my fruit and veg to be seasonal and local. I detest what I call “fake food”, processed and readymade meals. I’m not a big fan on fad diets and am really against diets like the Dukan and Atkins diet as I think they are unhealthy. Any diet that bans fruit completely and promotes diet coke just doesn’t seem right to me. My downfall is chocolate. I have friends who can get by on one small square a week of dark chocolate, for me it’s more like one big bar a week and in the winter when I crave comfort foods it can increase to three bars a week.

What is your skincare routine?
Consistent but not brilliant. My Mediterranean genes have blessed me with fairly good skin so up to now I haven’t paid it that much attention apart from regular cleansing, toning and moisturising. I currently use Decleor products as I love their aromatherapy skin oils and balms and  have recently splashed out on Crème de la Mer eye cream.  Now I am into my 40s I have started thinking about having more regular facials in my free time, but still prioritise a massage or private yoga class over this.

What song do you listen to when you work out?
I see ya baby by Groove Armada.

What do you love to snack on?
Nuts and Nakd raw food bars – good alternatives when the chocolate cravings come on.

How do you relax?
I meditate – it’s amazing, I actually feel my limbs softening when I am doing it.

What three things can you not live without?
My dog, my son and my husband.

Favourite healthy holiday?
Como Shambhala Estate in Bali for sheer holistic bliss and luxury spa holiday and Ti Sana in Italy for a fantastic Detox holiday

Favourite place in the world?
My parents summer home in Cyprus – it’s a three minute walk to the crystal clear sea where I swim every morning, many times without seeing a soul.

What three things do you take everywhere with you?
My blackberry, my kindle and hand cream.

Top flying tip?
Holistic silk slippers with magnetic insoles – very comfortable and great for circulation. Just make sure you walk up and down the aisles every couple of hours and drink lots of water.

 

Beach Ready and Beautiful!

Written by

JUST BOOKED A HOLIDAY? Here’s what to do next… It’s time for the Pre-Holiday Pamper.

Getting yourself prepared for a holiday is one of life’s most exciting things, it is also one of the only times in life (bar a wedding, big date and party at which an ex may be at) in which you can pamper and buff yourself within an inch of your life… totally guilt free. It’s not about vanity, this is all about maintaining holiday sanity. No one wants to see an unkempt bikini line, ugly toe-nails or unruly eyebrows. Here are our pre-holiday suggestions on how to look good at the beach:

The Brazillian Bikini Wax: Aveda
Ask for their hot, no-strip wax and you wont be disappointed with the results. The wax is applied and then left to dry until it goes hard (a bit like rubber). The therapist then whips it off. Less pain, more gain. Great for those with sensitive skin. www.aveda.co.uk £25.

The Eyebrow Thread: Blink Eyebrow Bar, Fenwicks
Although not everyone likes the idea of having their eyebrows done in a department store in front of tons of shoppers, Blink discreetly occupies the corner of the ground floor and there is one treatment room available for those really adverse to feeling on display. There really is no better place to get your eyebrows done. It lasts longer than waxing and the shape is undeniably better then any other forms of eyebrow shaping techniques. http://www.blinkbrowbar.com £17

The Pedicure: New York Pedi at The Chelsea Day Spa
Tucked away on the Kings Road is one of London’s top places to grab a quick but brilliant pedicure. The routine is simple; soak, cut, file and shape all performed by an expert Nail Technician, but the service is unrivaled and you get to watch some of the best chick flick’s ever made during the treatment (Failure to Launch never gets old). And because I was happy watching one of my (admittedly) favourite films, I wasn’t in a rush to leave allowing the nail vanish to dry thoroughly and the pedicure lasted the entire two week holiday. Result. www.thechelseadayspa.co.uk £20

The All-Over Scrub (essential for pre-tanning bods): Total Face and Body Scrub at Elemis Day Spa
When we dare to bare, we want to do it with as much confidence as possible. To achieve an all-over even skin tone (one that will not only tan better but also look better on the beach to begin with) then this is the treatment for you. It is also a pre-holiday pamper that tops the chart in the relaxation factor. After an initial consultation about your skin with the Spa Therapist, she then tailors the treatment to meet your needs. After a full body exfoliation, hot oil massage and complexion boosting facial, you can be rest assured that your whole body will beach ready from the moment you leave the salon. www.elemis.com £85

 Image: http-::www.flickr.com:photos:peterzen:7217569562