Shower power
There is nothing better than an invigorating
shower to put a spring in your step on hot, sticky summer days. Sea-based
products, herbs and fruits of the forest are all great for stimulating and
energising our bodies.
Anthony Citrus Blend body cleansing gel (237ml), £16
is a fresh way to wake up after hot and restless nights. The powerful infusion
of oranges makes you feel like you are showering in freshly squeezed juice
– without any of the sticky bits. Available online at www.mankind.co.uk.
Boot boys and scally lads
may enjoy Nickel Washing Machine all-over shampoo (250ml), £15.
It looks cool in the bathroom and contains extracts of kiwi, sage and
mineral salts to keep skin and hair in top condition. Available from leading
department stores and www.mankind.co.uk.
Market leaders Molton Brown have come up with this Energising Seamoss
bath & shower gel (300ml), £13. Infused with seaweed and
horse chestnut, it leaves senses invigorated and your body ready for the day.
Stockists: 020 7625 6550.
If you like products high in natural ingredients, Korres Mint Tea
shower gel (25Oml), £5.80, is for you. You can just imagine
Adonis working himself
up into a lather with this stuff. Available at Harvey Nichols, Selfridges
and www.mankind.co.uk.
Ren is a great range we have recently discovered. In particuler we love the
Ren Earth Friendly sponge, £6.95. Made from 100 per
cent biodegradable man-made fibres, it’s a must-have for eco-warriors.
Naturally anti-bacterial and washable. Stockists: 0845 225 5600, www.renskincare.com.
If you use a regular facial scrub, why not give your body the same attention?
Korres Grape Seed Body Scrub (150ml), £9, removes dead
cells leaving skin soft and regenerated. Polyphenols in the red vine leaf
extract are said to improve blood circulation. Stockists: as above.
Scent of summer
Fresh citrus top notes, soft, tropical florals, and undertones of hot sand
and hot bodies combine to make CK one summer (250ml), £25,
a perfect fragrance for relaxing and savouring the warmth. Available while
the warm weather lasts. Call 020 7361 440
for stockists.
Maybe it’s the firm Scottish accent or maybe it’s the fact that
she’s not afraid to look at other people’s poo, but we love Gillian
McKeith. Even if her degree is unaccredited (she is currently listed on www.quackwatch.com),
anyone who tries to persuade people to eat more veg can’t be all bad.
Her new Shelled Hemp Seeds (150g), £3.99, have a delicious
nutty taste and contain amino and essential fatty acids in the ‘most
balanced ratio for human metabolism’. And though they come from the
same plant, hemp products do not contain cannabis. Eat as a snack or sprinkle
into your cooking. Buy online from www.drgillianmckeith.com
or from health food stores nationwide.
TAP or CAP?
This summer is turning into a real scorcher so we are all need to
be conscious of increasing our water intake accordingly. But what type are
you drinking? If you are among the growing numbers of people in this country
buying bottled water, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- ‘Mineral’ waters are tested for bacterial and mineral contamination,
but not regularly or
to a high level. ‘Spring’ water is not required to be tested at
all.
- Tap water in the UK is stringently monitored for bacterial and chemical
contamination.
- Cryptosporidium (a gut parasite which can cause diarrhoea) can be found
in tap and bottled
water. People with very low CD4 counts (below 200) are advised to boil all
water.
- The carbon dioxide in fizzy waters contain antibacterial properties.
- Minerals and salts in bottled water don’t necessarily make it healthier.
Many
regularly exceed safe tap water limits for sodium, fluoride and even uranium.
- Bottling and transportation use large amounts of energy, making bottled
water
environmentally unfriendly.
- Bottled water is more that 1,000 times more expensive than tap water.
- In blind testing, few people can taste the difference.
- Evian is naïve backwards.
