My top tips for a less stressed you.

Small changes make a big difference.

I don’t know about you, but this last lockdown felt more tedious and harder work to cope with than the first. Was it because of the dreary, cold weather? The darker evenings? Or were we all generally feeling a bit more fed up about it all? Making a few small changes to our routines can have a big impact on our physical and mental health. So I decided to make the most of it and use this period of my life as a good time to reset and rethink my priorities by taking a few steps towards positive change.

The daily commute.

Getting off that hamster wheel and daily commute has actually been quite good for a lot of us, me included. But with it came a lack of self-care, as our routines went to pot and our daily lives and work life balance became muddled. We all had little reason to do our hair and makeup and nowhere to go. Boo.

I’ve thought more about my own self-care and what’s important to me and my family, more than ever before. So here’s the little things from skincare to sleep that have worked for me and my mental health this past 12 months, providing me with a spring in my step and a more positive outlook.

Care about your skin care.

It can be a drag each morning and evening…cleansing, toning, moisturising, repeat… I bet lots of us have been be a bit lazy and sometimes skip it altogether.

Rethinking and repurposing your daily skincare routine and thinking of it as ‘pure me time’ will provide 5 -10 minutes blissful time just for yourself, whilst giving you much healthier and glowing skin.

It’s a rare time you can’t actually use your phone! (always a benefit!) You’re in the bathroom where you can spend a little time massaging your face with some gorgeous, nutrient rich oils and creams.

As a Tropic Skincare Ambassador, I have adopted a whole new skincare routine. I see their plant-based products as ‘food’ for my skin. I think carefully about what I eat and what I put in my body, so why not about what I feed my skin? It makes sense.

Tropic use only ‘clean’ natural ingredients, and they actually work, as well as feeling and smelling gorgeous too. The range provides a ‘balanced diet’ of plant extracts, minerals, vitamins and good stuff for my skin to absorb. And don’t forget, whatever you put on your skin is absorbed into your liver.

Why not give your skin a daily drink with Rainforest Dew hydration serum? Did you know it’s clinically proven to rehydrate and plump your skin by 46% in just 7 days? Equally, Super Greens nutrient boost oil is literally like feeding your skin a plate of healthy greens! It’s rich in antioxidants, spinach, kale and broccoli seeds. I use it straight after Tropic’s Fruit Peel, which is a fabulous resurfacing serum you use at night.

To find out more about the whole range and benefits Tropic provide, and why I love it so much, just message me or click here.

Make it a Peep Sleep.

I’ve been sleeping on silk pillowcases for over a year now and what a joy they are too! I had heard silk is ‘good for your skin and hair’ but I wasn’t sure why or how. So, I decided to try them and I can categorically confirm they are so fabulous I even take mine on holiday with me (just the pillowcases, not the pillows!).

Who knew silk was so good for our hair and skin?

Sleeping on silk reduces hair frizz, reduces hair breakage (caused by friction), eliminates facial creases and keeps you cool too.

Also, silk is antimicrobial and anti-allergy because it naturally contains sericin, which is what the little silkworm secretes when it makes its cocoon. Unlike cotton, which needs to be washed very hot to remove bacteria build up, silk simply doesn’t hold bacteria and only needs to be washed on a cool/warm cycle to freshen it up.

Once you’ve made the move to sleep on pure silk there’s no going back, you can say goodbye to bed head hair and cotton creases on your face. Plus, the silk feels so cool to touch too so helps regulate your temperature, brilliant if you’re a woman of a certain age like me!

I recommend choosing a high quality 22 Mulberry Silk, such as Peep Silk. These pillowcases are luxury high quality silk without the high price tag. They are manufactured locally here in Macclesfield where I live – which is a famous ‘silk town’ and the oldest place in the world for silk manufacturer – who knew?

And why shouldn’t we lay our heads on pure silk each night, we’re worth it ladies!

We are now stocking Peep’s range in our boutique or you can buy direct online at Peep Silk – if you use code Dress22 you’ll get 22% Off!

Mine’s a Sleepy Cow.

Have you fallen into the trap of a few glasses of wine each evening before bed during lockdown? Has this become part of the wind down in the evening? If so, you’re not alone. It’s been too easy to do this on ‘a school night’.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a glass of wine or champers, and why not? But if you’re in the habit of drinking several glasses a night, 7 days a week, I’m pretty sure you’re probably waking up at 4am with a mind full of thoughts, worries and anxieties.

Alcohol will help us nod off (most likely in the chair before the film ends), but it also has a nasty habit of waking us up too (when we should be in deep slumber letting those lovely Tropic products feed our skin so we wake up glowing). And as for the impact alcohol has on our skin and liver, well that’s another negative story. Alcohol is a toxin after all.

It’s not easy to resist popping that cork, but if you can get in the habit of ditching the wine and having a herbal tea instead, I promise you a good night’s sleep will soon follow and your liver will thank you for it.

I love Joe’s Sleepy Cow Tea, it’s a calming blend of chamomile, lemon and marjoram and guaranteed to have you feeling relaxed and ready for a good night’s kip. If you’re new to Joes, you can get 20% off if you sign up to their newsletter.

Ditch the scroll.

Scrolling on your phone before lights out? Sound familiar?

We are all guilty of this one! Turn your phone on to ‘Do Not Disturb’ from 9pm until 7am (or whatever times suit you), alter the brightness to ‘dark mode’ to help reduce the blue light on your face which tricks your brain into thinking it’s daylight, or, best of all, switch it all off and reach for a book instead! Creating moments of quiet is far smarter than any smart phone. Reading a book is the best way to get those eyelids feeling heavy to help your mind drift off to sleep.

Get more Zeds by being more Zen.

Making your bedroom feel all zen will certainly aid relaxation and help you sleep better, so make sure it’s clean and tidy and pick up all the items on the floor-drobe (oops).

I like to use a Neom Wellbeing Pod with their ‘Scent to Sleep’ essential oil which I turn on around 30 mins before I retire. Plus, I layer up the essence of sleep with their Perfect Night’s Sleep Magnesium Body Butter which promotes a deep and restful sleep and keeps my skin super smooth too.

I also use Tropic’s So Sleepy range (pillow mist, temple balm and hand-cream) which is steeped in Lavender essential oils, Tamanu oil and Vitamin B5. Altogether providing a sleep treat and sweet dreams.

Too many clothes, nothing to wear?

If that floor-drobe is getting full and you feel you have nothing to wear, then a good wardrobe clear out is definitely good for the mind! Once you start sorting…you can’t stop.

Reselling your old, but still perfectly good, clothes, shoes and handbags and buying preloved is a win-win when it comes to sustainable living and feeling good about recycling.

Sort your piles into charity shop or resell. You’ll be sure to get something back and give something back too. Buying and recycling preloved is a great way of shifting your shopping habits and you’ll be surprised how it makes you think about your wardrobe. Plus, I guarantee you’ll ‘up the ante’ and find yourself with a better quality wardrobe for considerably less money.

Most of our customers at Dress find themselves generating a nice little fashion budget by selling their designer items and then buying from us too, it all makes the fashion world go round and I promise you you’ll feel good about it. Read all our FAQs here and start your journey of a whole new way of wearing fashion.

Here’s to better living and a healthier more refreshed you.

Christine x