And relax…

With the end of Christmas, come the January blues and as students, we know what that means; exams! As they loom over us, here’s a few beauty de-stressers that will bring a little comfort and relaxation into your lives:

Masks
Want a face mask which smells just as amazing as it feels? You need my favourite honey & greek yoghurt mask. If you’re someone who suffers from acne-prone skin, then raw honey should be your new best friend. With its antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-fungal properties, it can beat any stress-induced spot that rears its ugly head around exam time.  It’s also amazing for hydration, so wave goodbye to dry skin. With spot fighting powers and moisturising qualities, honey is your new skin superhero! Add two parts yoghurt to one part honey to make your mask. Not only is this great for your skin, but it’s also unbelievably easy and cheap to make!

Does studying make your skin look drained? Are you lacking your usual glow due to late nights and not enough pampering? Well, fear not, I have just the thing to bring it back. All you need is papaya (the flesh, unseeded), one teaspoon of plain yoghurt and a teaspoon of honey (told you it would become your new best friend!). Blend it in a food processor and then smother it all over your face! I would keep it on there for a good twenty minutes to restore a healthy complexion! If you really want, you can even have a sneaky taste; it’s so good!

Next is a hair mask. Are the ones at Lush slightly over your student budget? If so, D.I.Y. is the way to go. Some of the most nourishing face masks are ones I’ve made myself, and this one is particularly easy. On dry hair, use a mixture of blended banana (great for adding vitamin A, B and potassium into your hair), coconut oil, a tablespoon of olive oil and, once again, some honey! Apply it all over your hair, making sure you don’t miss any strands! Finally, put your hair into a bun keeping the mask on for about an hour or so. Wash off for silky, smooth and great smelling hair!

Body
The skin on your body needs as much attention as the skin on your face! So don’t stress your body out by not giving it enough TLC. My favourite D.I.Y. scrub is Spiced Apple. All you need is 4 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of apple sauce and a dash of cinnamon. The sugar acts as an exfoliator, getting rid of any dead skin, leaving it smooth and soft.
If you really want to relax and forget about mathematical equations or Shakespeare, I suggest taking a bubble bath. My favourite bath product has to be Origins Lavender and Vanilla oil bubble bath. The strong aroma of lavender immediately washes any tension away, leaving you feeling relaxed, soothed and heavenly. Another one of my all time favourites is Burt’s Bees Therapeutic Bath Crystals. Without breaking the bank, this will leave you relaxed beyond belief and is even known for helping sore muscles. It really is unBEElievable.

Make up
Something that always lifts my mood is a bold lip. When I’m feeling sad about the amount of revision I have to do, or an impending exam, I rock either a bright red or a dark purple lip. For some reason, this really gets me out of my funk and allows me to unwind and let my hair down. After all, even with exams, we’re all allowed to have a bit of fun! ‘Work hard, play harder’ isn’t a saying for nothing! Kate Moss’ lipstick collection is my go-to, it’s affordable as well as glamourous!

So, instead of stressing over exams, take a break and indulge. Put on your favourite music, read a book you’ve been putting away for a rainy day and, most importantly, relax.