We all know the festive season can be stressful. From endless cooking, a hundred and one Christmas parties to attend and having to separate antagonistic family members, there's a lot that can kill your zen vibe. Never fear - we've got some special tips from skincare and wellbeing guru, Liz Earle, from her new magazine, Liz Earle Wellbeing, about to how to keep calm over the coming weeks...
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"Lock the bathroom door, dim the lighting, and put a match to a few candles. Run a bath full of bubbles and retire with the radio tuned to your favourite show. Simple but effective."
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"Constant rushing around often means we forget to breathe properly. Stop. Take a moment to unhook your shoulders from your ears, sit up straight, take a deep breath from your abdomen and slowly exhale. Just ten deep, slow breaths (in through the nose, out through the mouth) will re-oxygenate the blood and instantly re-energise the body."
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"Our sense of smell has a powerful effect on our moods and emotion. Linked to the limbic system in the brain, smelling certain aromas can change how we feel. Lavender is clinically proven to slow the mind and encourage sleep, while floral and citrus aromas encourage cheerfulness and happy brain chemicals. Surround yourself with these uplifting scents with a few drops of essential oil in the bath for a naturally fragranced room."
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"When filling your social festive calendar with commitments, book a date with yourself. Make it an 8pm early night with a mug of tea, a great book and a hot water bottle. Bliss."
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"Make your skincare work harder for you at this busy time. I mix my Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (£14.75) with a little Brightening Treatment Mask (£14.75) for an instant beauty boost night and morning. It really works. I also keep my bottle of Liz Earle Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion (£10.75) in the fridge, ready-chilled to make cotton wool compresses to relieve under-eye dark shadows and puffiness. Splashing around the eye area with a basin filled with icy cold water works wonders to put a sparkle back into the eyes too."
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"Our neck and scalp can store tension, leading to headaches and irritability. Try tipping your head upside down and giving your scalp a really good fingertip massage. Concentrate on any tense, sore spots to help release stress and re-energise the mind."
Liz Earle Wellbeing is Liz's brand new quarterly magazine, available now to download from Zinio(for all devices), Apple (for iPhone or iPad) or Amazon (for Kindle Fire) for £2.99, or subscribe to 4 issues per year for £9.99.