Micellar

Ah I wish this post was about an actually cellar that was mine which housed lots of wines - unfortunately thats the inheritance. 

No no, its the new "step aside make-up remover wipes" solution. I have make-up remover wipes but ever since I went to France and got lost in their incredible La Pharmacie's I have stood by the French made La Roche-Posay. Nothing has come close to removing my make up down to the last clogged pore. 

I used to swipe over my face with some No.7 face wipe - which according to my Dermatologist at Clinique (ok, just the guy who runs the counter who I go and cry to about my skin every week in Boots) pushes make up into pores, I know, so he told me I need to use a water based cleanser. So it was

my mission in France to buy some La Roche, and please buy La Roche in France, not England, not Spain, not the Bahamas but France.

I got the Physiological Micellar Solution 400ml for €11 - in Boots 200ml of the stuff is £12! - don't say I didn't try to tell you. 

Anyway my usual routine is swipe with a face wipe and scratch my eyes trying to remove mascara, wash my face with Clinique and then use Clinique Clarifying Lotion (like an exfoliator in toner form) and that cotton pad used to be filthy! (even after using soap!) - but now that my Fairy Godmother has waved her wand over my head and not Cinder's I have La Roche, it wipes away days of dirt - its incredible and the smell yum, its like a subtle coconut mm-mm. 

So whats in it - Ruth has done her homework 

The first ingredient is 'Aqua' - so there's a bit of a dodgy 90's band in there but I can deal with that. 

Then one ingredient I am going to look out for in future is 'Poloxamer' - there are many forms, 184 in this Micellar - its used to cut through oils and dirt and allow it to stick to the 'Aqua' on the cotton pad so everything is lifted off your face like a magnet - lovely, ta. 

Polyaminopropyl Biguanide - this is a great substance which is found in many areas of cosmeceuticals, its used in baby wipes, contact lens solution and other make up removal formulas. Its great because it has antibacterial properties - the Micellar solution is non-comdengenic which means it stops acne being aggravated. 

Chemistry lesson adjourned. 

So after a week or so of me using this solution I saw it in a magazine (but a L'Oreal version - which may be cheaper than going to france to get some La Roche!), and apparently its a favourite backstage at LFW to quickly remove lipstick to the lip base for quick make up changes! - I know, Auntie Ruth is amazing.

Why Micellar and not cleanser? - cleanser clogs your paws and your pores and makes your skin pause and gives you spots, Micellar is just good water. 

Do not use make up remover wipes, ever! - repeat!

or if you MUST, use a Micellar afterwards! 

RHS x

5:2

5:2? 

5:2? 

5 cookies for every 2 doughnuts?

Butternut squash risotto = 240 calories! 

5 pairs of shoes for every 2 new dresses?
5 nights out for every 2 nights staying in and drinking anyway?

er, not quite, its the 5:2 diet! yes, diet. (when friends read this I will probably get told off - sorry!)

Its this new craze thats everywhere! (apparently) and basically you starve yourself for 2 days of only 500 calories (ahh, 5:2 I hear you say)

Created by Dr. Micheal Mosely (of course, a man - http://thefastdiet.co.uk) the idea is that fasting helps you burn more fat by giving your body time to get rid of the rubbish it doesn't need. yeah. whatever. 

Now, for a runner this sounded a bit mental, seeing as when I train (good joke, Ruth), when I attempt to train (by looking like I know what I'm doing in the gym) I consume around 2300 calories a day. 

So, like the mad head I am, I gave it ago. Well. I have never felt so sh1t, if you will excuse my terrible Russian. 

I decided to do 1 day a week (5:1, far more sensible). I was working the night before and finished work at 3am, and from 12am I made sure I stopped eating, so I went to bed without my usual 2 biscuits after work and woke up at 11am. 

I had porridge with soya milk for breakfast = 144 calories, ok. 

I didn't have lunch, as I was up so late. I was at work at 6pm that evening so I thought between 11am and 6pm I could easily only have 500 calories, 



Around 4pm I had chicken satay skewers with spinach = 290 calories
  (recipe: http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/dieting/recipes/52-bikini-panic-diet-recipes-1967236)

Then I had an Activia yogurt = 68 calories 

Total = 502, oops. 

As you can see, its hard! 

So I got to work and by 10pm I felt like a hairy Neanderthal, who had woken up with severe period pain - nice. I felt awful and got home at 12:30am and weighed myself. 

My friend, tucking into a late night takeaway! -
why not!

I HAD LOST A POUND. not joking, I wouldn't lie to you. 

the idea is that you eat 500 calories for 2 days a week and "normally" for the remaining 5 (i.e. 2000 calories a day) and that you workout for 30 minutes for 3 of the 5 days. 

Its worth it, apparently you lose up to 2lbs a week in the first week then a lb a week after that.

Is starving ourselves the way forward to looking good or losing weight? 
That sounds like a bad case of "Im Dior, I need size -6 models not 0, Chanel has them!" 

know what I mean?

stay healthy and happy!

RHS x