Beauty Geek by Caroline King

Welcome onboard to any new followers of my blog posts. Admittedly, I haven't written for sometime now, I have really missed it. Life, has sadly just taken over. Or I've just not been in writing mode. Some of you reading this will already know, I am a product developer, formulator and total beauty geek who loves anything that sparkles! I have my own well-being, body range, hair care and home fragrance brand. My background is Beauty Therapy which helps enormously with my product creations. I have spent many years using lots of brands within the beauty industry. I trained full-time at college in Suffolk and worked for numerous years (I wont share how many years for or how long ago, because Id have to admit to being old). I loved my hands on beauty work. I went on to manage several salons, spas and then went on to open and develop my own accredited training academy. Today, you'll find me in my purpose built log cabin amongst the trees and nature working my creative magic, desig...

                                                    Harvesting Dandelions Those bright yellow weeds that seem to pop up overnight in own lawns are far more than just the weeds we commonly refer them to. Get ready to have your mind blown with some wonderful facts that I'm hoping will change your mind about the way you view this plant. Dandelions are far more nutritional than kale or spinach, they are packed full of vitamins and antioxidants that has super benefits to your body and your skin. Just half a cup of dandelion greens has more calcium than a glass of milk! Their greens are a fabulous source of vitamins C, A and K. Because dandelions are rich in potassium, this makes them a perfect diuretic and an excellent blood detoxifier. Now I know as a child we referred to them as "wet the beds". They are in fact, great for water retention because of their d...

Chemical free hair shots for when you feel the need for that extra hair boost! Hair Shots Key Ingredients My reasoning for writing todays blog is to show that hair care alongside skin care, doesnt have to consist of expensive products or in fact ingredients. They can be made from as little as three or four key ingredients that you are likely to have a round your home? Once you have a brief understanding of how these ingredients work on the hair. You will see that you can make an endless set of treats for yourself, at a very affordable price. The massive benefits before we even begin with the ingredients is that its chemical free! For me, I have chosen to source ingredients that are all Vegan friendly and cruelty free. (check your supplier of ingredients to see if they are Vegan and cruelty free) Why use a hair shot? Well, plain and simply, to give your hair and scalp that extra boost that is sometimes needed when perhaps we have been to a warmer climate? We have been ill or ru...

Candles for me mean so much more than a light source. I love nothing more than a snuggle on the sofa, candle light to create that cozy ambience. It creates calm, lovely soft lighting alongside wonderful fragrances that can take you right back to that special time or place. They can mean romance, they can mean sorrow and joy. I light a candle in remembrance to my loved ones. We light candles to celebrate birthdays and special occasions by placing them on top of the cake. The burning question I often get asked why I chose soy wax for my artisan candles? I get comments that soy is more expensive than say cheaper options such as paraffin wax for example? Well, the simple answer is if you dig a little deeper you will see that the savings come at a higher cost in the end. In simple terms, soy wax is better. Better for the environment, better for the home, better for our families and it creates a better perfomring product in my opinion. Which is so important for me when I am creatin...

Firstly why is taking a bath so beneficial to us? Whilst a shower can be easier and less time consuming. A bath offers whole host of benefits that prove both mentally, physically and emotionally important in the task of a soak in the tub. As if you needed any more excuse to take some time out or some much needed "me time". Bear in mind that the ideal temperature of a healing bath is warm, not overly hot (yes I am guilty of this one). Make sure you drink a glass of water prior to and after taking your bath to stay hydrated. What are the benefits? The steam inhalation can help clear your sinuses, which will help you breath easier and boost your immune system. The warmth of a bath soak causes your inner body temperatue to increase. Which in turn is followed by a rapid cool down after your bath soak. This transition period induces relaxation and aids a good nights sleep. You could also try adding some essential oils to your bath water to help increase the relaxation? ...

Anyone who knows me knows that I am "Mrs Sparkle" I love anything that shimmers and sparkles. As a product developer the new law has hit home more so. Not just for my personal use but as a business owner I need to adhere to the laws and regulations. Also because my company ethos is to be kind to the planet and love nature and natural products and ingredients. Of course I want pretty, shiny things. But first and foremost is the environment and knowing I am offering the best to my customers. So on that note I have been doing some firm research on all that glitters in the world and if we need it, why we need it, and can we continue to be sparkling our way after the new laws come into effect? Why are we attracted to glitter? Like moths to light, humans are naturally attracted to all that glitters and sparkles, but at what cost? Is all that glitters gold? No, all that glitters is not gold in fact it could be plastic. Like most types of plastic, glitter cannot be recycled. It...

Roses are red Violets are blue, Did you also know that flowers are great for the skin too? If your answer is no, then lets fill you in and some of the main flowers that will have a great impact on your skin. Flowers in the garden offer an abundance of pleasures from their beautiful colours, their fragrance and of course the joy of looking at them. We cut them from the garden or buy them from the store and add them around our homes, offices, school etc to give colour and offer impact. We plant them for our pleasure, and generally our gardens are filled with the types of plants and shrubs we love and enjoy whether that be for the any of the above reasons or to reflect the amount of time we have on our hands? My garden is very much part of my work and office. I have designed it to offer different levels, to be low to medium maintenance, but also to have easy to look after flowers and plants that I can use and incorporate into my work and products. For those that don`t know I form...

What Mood?  How many times have you had someone ask you"whats up with you today?" You: "Nothing, I`m fine, why?". I know I have, many times. We think we are fine, but the weather, our surroundings, people and much more can alter our mood. Did you know that our mood can be altered in a matter of seconds just by simply smelling an essential oil? Scents send a message to our brain, that triggers a specific emotional response. Thats why certain smells are linked to certain thoughts and memories. Whether that be scents that remind us of home, a person, or a childhood memory? My son always speaks of the smells of his laundered clothes that have a specific scent that reminds him of home. Coffee shops have that wonderful coffee aroma that straight away triggers the senses and makes me feel warm and cozy and relaxed. Smells have a huge impact on us and our moods, daily. With that in mind you now need to learn how to harness the mood boosting powers that essential oi...

Welcome to the third in the series of my "Love the Skin You`re In". In this third part I wanted to talk about clays, and clay face masks and how they can have a huge benefit on the skin, if we chose the correct one, suited to our skin type. As face masks are very much a beauty "buzz" word at the moment, I thought this would give you a little heads up on what all the hype is about? The history of the face mask:  Applying face masks and using a selection of cosmetic products and ingredients has been a ritual that has been practised since ancient times. We now know that the first ever cosmetic product made was in fact a face mask. The first Egyptian face masks were made of clay. It is said that Cleopatra herself applied a dead sea mud face mask twice a week to cleanse her skin. Face masks can offer a whole wealth of benefits to the skin, for example they can nourish, replenish, hydrate, detox, cleanse and much more! They have certainly become a buzz word this y...

Welcome to our second part of our series "Love The Skin You`re In" . The first series we spoke about using basic store cupboard ingredients such as eggs and milk to make great skin care products that work wonders on the skin. Today, we are going to be looking at the 6 fruits that will not only benefit you inside but also on the outside too, Applied topically they can have a massive impact on how your skin looks and feels. Y ou know the old saying " beauty starts from within". In this case it truly does. We should listen to our skin. What we eat will have a direct effect on our skin. If we have a well balanced diet full of fresh foods, anti-oxidants, good fats, vitamin C and amino acids this will mean the difference between a tired, puffy dull complexion and a radiant glow. Blueberries: This super fruit is packed full of anti-oxidants that help protect the skin and fight free radicals, one of the skins worse enermies.  Free radicals are what cause ageing of...

Following on from our Part 1 blog series on "Love the Skin You`re In" I want to share a wonderfully beneficial, easy to make recipe made from our first subject topic we spoke about in my blog which is Eggs. Eggs have many wonderful skin loving qualities. Here are just a few: Egg whites work as a great astringent to help close the pores. They work wonders on oily skin, acne prone skin as they absorb excess oil Great aid for blackheads and blocked pores.  Whites of the eggs have a great tightening and lifting effect on the skin, which means they are particularly good around the delicate eye area. Egg whites diminish fine lines and help to brighten the skin. If this isn't enough to convince you then lets get started on this simple, easy to create recipe that will take a maximum of 15 minutes out of your day and will cost you a minimal amount. It is important to remember that this eye mask needs to be applied on clean skin with no make up and using clean tools a...

Happy Shiny, Fresh New Year Hello and welcome to 2018, a whole new exciting new year. Are we all feeling rested and refreshed? Or quite the opposite? Ready to kick-start those new years resolutions? I don`t make any resolutions anymore. I found i just didn`t keep to them.I did make a big health decision prior to Christmas, and it has paid off. So I am aiming to continue with my journey in feeling good and balancing work with pleasure.  That`s where this blog comes in.  Love the Skin You`re In: Part 1 This time of year brings on all those "Lose 1 stone in 10 days" books, gym memberships that cost a small fortune, fad diets and exercise regimes that we just cant uphold. For many (i`ve been there),we set ourselves unrealistic targets that we just cant keep up with in our busy lives. With all this in mind, i`ve decided to put together a detox for your skin without the massive price tag. Follow my 6 part series of blogs that will talk you through using simple store cupboard...

So today, my little "Dream" business took another step in the right direction. It may only seem small and meaningless to many. But to me it was a next step to getting towards my vision. I wanted to write my thoughts down today because I know how hard it is for me to get that vision that drives me, down on paper for the big wide world to see, and hopefully grab hold with both arms and love and adore as much as I have creating it? What was the next step? So yes, I hear you ask, well come on Caroline what was this next step? Well I took my little handmade bath bombs off to a little photo shoot...yes you did read that right! Its hard to believe that for me actually formulating and thinking of new creations is the easy bit for me. I`ve had over 20 years experience in the beauty industry and along that path I`ve discovered lots of amazing products and ingredients and ranges from all walks of life. What I have found hard is the image in my head and the desire that I want that...

Wave in the squiggle: Recently we have seen the "squiggle" brow trend hit our social media with a...oh and a gasp! This followed on from the feather brow or the parted brow. This trend is a weird one for me. I don`t personally see where this would be an attractive look other than in theatre, stage or TV. It does however, intrigue me to look into it as a trend and see what all the fuss is about. Squiggle Brows:   This look, if you wanted to achieve it. Can be perfected by using washable PVA glue and applying to the brows in order to keep them in place and to get them in the direction you wish to achieve. Before applying make-up, concealers and setting with powder. Not long after we were hit with the squiggle brow, came along the "squiggle lips" . This to me is perfect for fun looks and creations such as Halloween. The look seems to stand out more with deep Autumn pigmented colours schemes that make more of a statement and make the squiggle shape "pop...