Category Archives: Beauty

£50 per month shopping challenge

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Hello. My name is Nicola, and I’m a shopaholic.And I’m not even sorry! 

I do however know deep down that it would be more sensible to save my money (for things like holidays, spa days and new houses…) rather than frivolously  spending it all on shoes and handbags. That’s why I agreed to a challenge posed by a friend – a maximum budget of £50 per month for clothes, shoes and make up.  It doesn’t sound too difficult, but it’s all too easy to fritter cash away, and I think this will really help me keep track of all those little purchases that really add up. We are going to be keeping each other accountable throughout the month, which will help I think!

I’ve already got my eyes on few things this month… new workout clothes, a chunky cable knit sweater and the cutest spring flats I spotted the other week… I think that might be the budget bust already!

I will post a February round up and let you see how I got on! 

Oil Pulling: Fad or Fabulous?

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You’ve probably heard of the latest new beauty fad, recommended by beauticians and celebrities alike. Oil Pulling.  Sounds kind of disgusting if you ask me… but what is it?

Oil pulling basically consists of swishing oil (most people seem to be using coconut oil but you can use any vegetable based oil) around your mouth for 20 minutes before spitting it out, rinsing your mouth with salt water and brushing your teeth.  There are many reported benefits, such as:

• Whiter teeth

• Cures spots and acne

• Better breath (halitosis suffers also reported greatly improved morning breath)

• Stronger teeth and gums

• Helps with sleep issues and sinus problems

• Eases headaches and hangovers

As the oil actually pulls germs and bacteria from your gums, the whole process is about removing the toxins from the mouth before they can travel to other parts of the body.  This means you literally end up with a ball of toxins in your mouth at the end of the 20 minutes.

Although this beauty trend has ancient roots,  it’s been brought in to the public eye recently by Gwyneth Paltrow.  The practice apparently originated from ancient Ayurvedic Indian natural medicine, which claimed oil pulling was a remedy for oral diseases.

So is this really a miracle cure? Can I throw away my Crest white strips and face wash?  I don’t think so.  Although there is some evidence that oil pulling can be beneficial, it’s not the answer it’s claimed to be. Most experts agree that it won’t really do any harm (although you might make yourself ill if you swallow the oil!) but it also doesn’t really have any proven health or beauty benefits. I think I’ll be sticking to my more conventional products for now, at least until a bit more research is done, and perhaps when someone invents a better tasting oil!
What do you think of the oil pulling trend?  Have you tried it?