By Krista Madden
I think we can be split into shower and bath people, I am a total shower girl, I have even had my bath removed from my bathroom for a large walk-in shower with a lovely rainforest shower head, total bliss. Now mostly we think of a shower as a fast way to just get clean, and the majority of the time that’s its job, but when you have the luxury of time that shower can be just as relaxing and pampering as a bath.
Weekends are the time I stack up all my favourite products (there’s a lot in my bathroom) to try out new products or just to totally pamper myself literally from my hair to toes. Battling for front row on my shower shelf is a constant competition, I use so many different products even in my quick showers, it’s never just a random shower gel I reach for with water in my eyes. Depending on my mood I go for smell, oils, scrubs, more lather or less, I love anything that is going to make my skin feel nourished and smooth. The health of your body and skin is directly linked to maintaining the right balance between acidity and alkalinity, maintaining the right pH. Now did you know pH stands for “potential hydrogen” and is used to describe the acid-alkaline ratio of a substance, which ranges from 0 (the most acidic) to 14 (the most alkaline)?
The skin’s barrier, known as the acid mantle, is responsible for keeping in lipids and moisture while blocking germs, pollution, toxins, and bacteria. To work its best, the acid mantle should be slightly acidic, at a 5.5 pH balance. When it’s too alkaline, skin becomes dry and sensitive; which could lead to all sorts of problems, nobody wants dry skin. So it’s good to know this when you are picking the right products for you to use regularly.
So where do I start….
I cleanse my face first, properly with a flannel, so when all that steam is opening my pores in the shower they are not struggling through a layer of London grime.
Skin brushing, yes it sounds tedious, but I assure for the short time it takes the pay-off is big; better circulation, reduction in cellulite and maintain a healthy lymphatic system.
Then I use my exfoliating body scrub, but before my skin is wet for max affect, sometimes I step in for one quick water spray so skin is not bone dry and then start scrubbing, concentrating on all dry skin areas, you know where they are. Especially if you are a fake tanner, you should really do this a lot! My fave scrub at the moment is Green & Spring Indulging Exfoliating Balm; rosehips, vetivert and chamomile with sugar granules and beeswax, my skin feels soooo smooth after I have used this and just glows.
Time to step into the shower, finally…
Hair next; Aveda hair products are a big hit with me, I like their Shampure shampoo and conditioner, smells great and is gentle for frequent washing, really cleans without stripping my hair. I leave my conditioner on while a clean my body for a bit of extra work time.
Now remember all that sticky scrub you had on your body? If there is any left on now’s the time to make sure you are clean and rinsed. You might not think of femfresh as a regular shower gel, it is specially tailored for everyday use on your intimate skin because of its perfect pH balance, remember what you learnt before? Well, your skin has a normal pH between 5.4 and 5.9, however the intimate skin has a normalised pH that is less than 4.5. I love that it is gentle on the skin and I have been getting stress eczema lately so it is perfect for my irritated skin and red spots that I don’t want to use anything heavily perfumed on. It has a lovely clean smell, and is the best daily product you can use for keeping yourself safely fresh in those areas we don’t want to use a really soapy, fragranced product in.
So when my skin needs something gentle I use femfresh all over and when I want to indulge in something with more fragrance on my top half I love the Urban Veda Reviving Body Wash in Rose, it smells gorgeous. The formula uses Ayurvedic principles so we get all the therapeutic properties of plants, balancing and moisturising and an aroma that your bathroom with smell of post shower.
Then it’s time to step out into a big fluffy towel and I like to use an aromatherapy oil while my skin is still damp, Aromatherapy Associates Relax Body Oil is my weekend fave, lavender and sandalwood are so calming and this oil plumps up my skin ready for pj’s and some Sky Plus on a Sat night.
What a perfect way to start an evening of relaxation… oh and there might be some chocolate, 70% dark of course.
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This post has been written in collaboration with femfresh.
* Other products I like that are available in the range are the Everyday Care Freshening and Soothing Cloths, perfect to keep with you for any time you might just need a refresh. £3.49 for 25 cloths.
femfresh Everyday Care Daily Gel Wash is £2.99 for 250ml.
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