Wealden Times | WT178 | December 2016 | Interiors supplement inside

Delight in December
Wealden Times talks to yoga teacher Samantha Stone...
Health & Beauty
Do you have a beauty
regime? Every morning I
cleanse with Dermalogica
Daily Microfoliant which
is fantastic for gently
brightening my skin. I don’t
like too much make-up so
I use Garnier BB Cream
which evens out my skin
tone and gives me a glow
but still looks like my own
skin. In the evening I am
devoted to Liz Earle Cleanse
and Polish as I don’t feel
clean unless I’ve washed my
face and this stuff feels and
smells heavenly. I follow
this with Dermalogica
Skin Smoothing Cream to
nourish my skin overnight.
Is there a particular
product you couldn’t
live without? Coconut
oil! It’s not just brilliant
for cooking or using as a
hair treatment, I also use it
to practise oil-pulling, an
ancient Ayurvedic cleansing
technique for oral hygiene.
Every morning I pop a
teaspoon of coconut oil in my
mouth, allow it to melt and
gently swill it around my teeth
for 15-20 minutes. It draws
out toxins, freshens my breath
and whitens the teeth. I’ve
definitely noticed a difference.
What’s your ultimate
pampering treat? I do love
a good massage. I’ve recently
found a fantastic therapist in
Ashford called Hannah Guy
at Nourish, and book myself a
regular back, neck and shoulder
massage. As I teach yoga classes
on top of a full time job I tend
to spend most days hurtling
from one place to the next. At
first it felt like a treat but now I
see it as necessary maintenance.
Do you have a style icon? I
favour a more relaxed style so
I don’t have a particular icon
but I do use Instagram for my
inspiration. My wardrobe is split
into two halves; one is filled
with brightly coloured yoga
wear, the other is full of neutral
colours and simple dresses,
shirts and skinny trousers in
navy and cream. I then add
some unusual jewellery, or
metallic or leather accessories
to give my outfit an edge.
Samantha Stone is a yoga
teacher specialising in Hatha and
Vinyasa yoga in Ashford. She
teaches both privately and for
Kent Adult Education. You can
find out more about her classes
via her website samstoneyoga.com
Pep it up...
This wrinkly little seed
appears on dinner tables
across the globe, is
sprinkled liberally over
many a dinner and is an
absolute staple in the
spice drawer. Its potential
however, is totally
underestimated. Black
pepper is nutritionally
dense, and its active
ingredient, piperine
enhances the bioavailability
of vitamins A and C,
selenium and beta
carotene. This improves
our absorption of nutrients
and our overall wellbeing.
It’s a digestive aid and the
essential oil can relieve
rheumatic and arthritic
pain. Beat the congestion
this winter by popping
some black pepper and
eucalyptus oil in a bowl
of steaming hot water.
Put a towel over your
head and relax, whilst
inhaling deeply through
your nose, breathing in the
spicy scents and clearing
those nasal passages.
Freeimages.com/DoraMitsonia
Tropical treat...
Create your very own fruity
spa treatment every morning
with grapefruit and mandarin
body wash and mandarin
and geranium hand and
body lotion from Elemental
Herbology. Let the shower
steam immerse you in the
sweet scent of mandarin,
beautifully balanced with
sour grapefruit and be
transported to an exotic
paradise away from the
wintry December chill. Use
the lotion after a hot shower
to invigorate and protect skin
for the day ahead or keep it
on hand to massage into dry
and weather-beaten knuckles.
The convenient pump action
pots sit perfectly by a wash
basin or bath tub. Helen
keeps hers on her office desk,
ready to be grabbed for a
moment of calm in a hectic
day. Find this perfect gift set
for £38 at elementalherbology.
com, and don’t forget to
order in time for Christmas.
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