a well-drawn bath

With the weather getting colder and the wind getting stronger we start to light fires and turn on the heating, we crack out the fluffy blankets and slippers and look forward to a hot relaxing bath after a cold journey home.

I personally change my bath routine regularly so no two baths are the same.. I am a shower person but a bath often hits the spot when my toes get colder and my friend starts telling me how her mum is going to make her nose a hat! Here are some luxury and value products to go along with a glass of wine and your favourite chill out music. 

LUXURY

Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Candle

This candle isn't just a gorgeous smelling, relaxing accompaniment to a soothing bath and a glass of wine after a stress filled week at work. This candle donates 10% of proceeds to Foundation Defence Against Cancer when purchased. It's intense aroma and scent was lovingly created by the founder of AA in her time of need and now comforts and supports those who need it most. It's a strong and warm scent that can bring you back to your feet.

Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Bath & Shower Oil

Another intense AA product that fills the room with warmth and comfort. Made to relax and rest you with it's stunning ingredients including lovely camomile for a deep sleep. Adding a few drops of this to your bath can make  a whole lot of difference to your mood, I think it is the perfect blend for after a long day at work.

VALUE

Avon Warm Vanilla & Fig Bubble Bath

This is the perfect winter scent for a hot bubbly bath, if you want to add it to a bath with the AA oil then you have twice as much comfort and relaxation. Giving you a deep purple bath with a strong smell of vanilla and plenty of bubbles to get lost in.. there is no fault in it.

Sugared Raspberry Wax Filled Candle, Dunelm Mill

This candle has a sweet and warming scent, it is right up my alley. It is a fairly large candle with 3 wicks and has a burn time of up to 30 hours - meaning you can have it lit for a long, long, long cosy bath. It's low price means there is no special aromatherapy behind it, just a lovely glow and sweet scent (what are candles for?).

So go on, get your perfect bath drawn.. I am!

how to shower for dummies

Time to talk about how I wash myself - an obvious topic you all are dying to know about, I know. 

After a long 13 hour day out of the house there is nothing better than a hot meal followed by a hot shower. After a deep heavy sleep sometimes it's totally necessary to get up an extra 20 minutes early to wake your tired eyes up with a shower.

I love a good shower (I also love baths but I savour those hours with my book and a glass of wine for when I'm in the comfort of my family bathroom surrounded by mums candles and dads incense) and it is all about the products you use in there, are you actually washing yourself or just having a rinse? a body shower or a full hair-wash and leg-shave kinda shower? Either way my staple shower products at the moment consist of the below:

Haircare - Tresemme Salon Silk Shampoo & Conditioner

I start my shower by washing my hair - as most of you probably do - and I have always had good results with Tresemme. I have used every brand under the sun from Nicky Clarke and Color Wow to Herbal Essences and L'Oreal and I always come back to Salon Silk by Tresemee for some reason, it costs as much as Herbal Essences (another trusty hair brand I find) and normally I go for the huge bottles that last me forever. I have for the past year however used Lush shampoo bars and because it's not as easy for me to trek to my local Lush I have resorted in the past month to grabbing Tresemee again in Boots on my monthly store trips for work. Not to complain about Tresemee but the Lush bars last SO long I prefer them - they seem expensive for what you think they are at first, I wasn't 100% convinced - but they last about 3 months for me whereas a bottle of shampoo for almost the same price lasts 1 tops. Saying that I'm back on Tresemme and I love it :) My favourite bottled haircare.

Exfoliation - I love... Strawberries & Cream Exfoliating Shower Smoothie

This stuff smells like milkshake and sweeties - an obvious number one necessity when I'm picking out my body products. I've taken recently to completing my exfoliate, cleanse & moisturise routine on my body as well as my face. I want perfect soft skin for when I start my fake tan for summer regime (which will start soon) and for my month in a bikini in Thailand. So I've started the routine early determined to get myself smooth and buffed everywhere - this is working so far as this exfoliator is so perfect for me. It isn't harsh so it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin and it is just harsh enough to do a good job of buffing away dead skin. Perfect also for scrubbing away dirty night old instant tan!

Cleanse - De-Stress Body Wash by Aromatherapy Associates

I don;t always exfoliate in the shower but I always use this body wash - after a day at work where I am just about ready to collapse I love this (combined occassionally when I'm feeling really stressed and exhausted with the De-Stress Mind Bath & Shower Oil) to inhale in with the steam of my shower. It relaxes me so much and feels like magic unknotting all my knots, mind & body. I don't know an awful lot about Aromatherapy but I know I now love it. This particular scent is quite strong at first if you are not used to Aromatherapy but you get used to it after a couple of uses and you will find that you can't not have it in your shower. I tell you, I know I'm going to have to get more for my final year of uni!

Moisturise - Vitamin E In-Shower Moisturiser by Superdrug

Always use this - if I exfoliate or not. I reviewed it here against the Nivea verison with Cocoa Butter and it has actually become my favourite of the two. It's much less greasy and I can't deny I love the fact it's rich in Vitamin E (common knowledge this is my favourite beauty ingredient!)

So there you have it - you can now shower the Abi way (I hope it goes well for you all! ;) )

oiling up for summer

do not be fooled by my witty title - I am not here to talk about sun oil's, or applying vegetable oil on the beach, no no, I am white as the snow and unfortunately I am destined to stay that way. So these oils are the ones you may enjoy, like I do, and feel necessary in the run up to summer. Getting you all prepped and ready to show your hair, skin and nails :)

as you can see my new found brand is Aromatherapy Associates. Lush made to measure oils for every occasion seem to be my new love. It started in all honesty with the De-Stress Body Wash (not featured in this post as it is one of Aromatherapy's non-oily products!) that grew on me quicker than I expected, and their miracle in a bottle - Intensive Skin Treatment Oil. This oil is made to rejuvenate and repair the skin, perfect for scars/mishaps in the skin that you are unhappy with. I apply a few drops to my stretch-marks and operation scars and on my tattoo post-shower twice a week and I've seen results already. Needless to say I am in love, it also smells absolutely divine and is all natural and non-chemically aromatherapeutic goodness. And guess what is in it? - the one and only vitamin E, who'da thought?! (me hehe)

My next find in the Aromatherapy Associates collection of oils is the bath & shower oils. Pick which you think you need and soak yourself in a pool of wonderful aroma's and perfect harmony - or something like that. I have a few sample pots I got free when I treated my mother to their De-Stress Mind Bath & Shower Oil (which is her new found love) and I've also got the Essential Bath & Shower Oil set of mini bottles that I'm actually yet to crack open! - This is purely because I am so in love with the De-Stress Wash and am scared to layer my aroma's in case I overwhelm myself. I never would have thought I would like scents like these, I am a strawberry fluffy fruity pinky wonderful creamy kinda girl. Always going for your coconuts, vanilla's and berry bursts. But I may be becoming a woman and venturing into brave aromatherapy scents with these new shower oils. (I only use the shower so I rub on my arms and chest and tummy so the steam smells lovely and my skin feels just as). I have used the Support Lavender & Peppermint and Support Breathe oils so far, Breathe being my favourite - it is so decongesting and fresh! I am venturing into the Revive Morning tomorrow, hoping it will stop me feeling like death on my journey to work and think after my busy week at work I'll be needing the De-Stress Mind OR Deep Relax. I'm so excited! (And will be reviewing each one in a Bath & Shower Oil post once I've used them all).

The last Aromatherapy Associates product on my slippery list of oils is the Nourishing Face Oil. Not something I would usually go for to be honest, and the smell isn't something I would like but given that I am a new woman and all - I am really liking this product. I have combined skin, I get a really oily nose and this oil seems to help balance that out - nourishing and hydrating my dry skin patches and neutralising my oily patches. I have to say the strong smell of this product does frighten me when putting it on my face but I brave it because it works and it ain't as bad as you think it's gunna be, it's actually quite nice. 

Aromatherapy Associates is a rather expensive brand - but trust me. It is worth it if you want to splash out, whether on yourself or on a friend/family member. they will appreciate it and so will you.

Steering away from aromatherapy and into hairtherapy - Again I wouldn't normally think to get oil for my hair, afraid of how greasy it might get, but this is lovely and if you are worried about greasiness too - don't be! no matter how prone to grease your hair is. This One Gets You Silky Smooth Light Hair Oil, really does get you silky smooth, Just put it on the ends to avoid greasiness and get rid of the horrible dry look of split ends and grown out hair (my problem - I am growing my hair so reluctant to cut it! ipso facto .. dry, split ends!) and voila, shiny luscious smooth hair :) without having to soak it in conditioner or a hair treatment. Easy peasy.

Here we go - nails - Avon Nail Experts Strong Results. I rub this on my nails before my base coat when my nails are feeling particularly battered and bruised from all the polish I use. It's really light and not greasy, but isn't really like a polish at all so I class it as an oil. If you polish your nails as much as me I suggest you use this as well as a strengthening base coat.

I know Aromatherapy Associates took up a lot of room there - but they inspired the post AND deserve the credit as the products are just that good.

Which oils do you use?

PS any spelling mistakes I apologise for - I am tres tres tired. And remember all the names of the products link to where you can get them! - and follow me on twitter and instagram :D @curiousitybty