Home Pedicure, Freshen Your Feet For Spring!

It looks like Spring has FINALLY arrived, about time!

So it is officially the beginning of flip flop season, which also means it is the beginning of endless pedicures season too.  Now it's not that I am adverse to spending money (ask my Husband) but I hate spending money on something I can do myself, Hence my previous Shellac at Home and How to Highlight your Own Hair posts.  So here is what I do to turn my nasty hard feet into something more acceptable.

I have horrible feet, my toes are all bent from ballet when I was younger and then wearing shoes a size too small in my teen years (I'm 5'8" so I have big feet and find it hard to find pretty shoes in my size.) To add to my foot woes, I also have psoriasis, I have manged to reduce it to almost nothing on my body but my toenails have fought back.  Luckily once I have painted my toes you can't tell but it does mean I can't go varnish free.

Here is the beauty arsenal that is required to bring my feet into normal territory.
So here are the products and I have detailed them in order of use so you can also see how my pedicure progresses
Cien Nail Polish Remover- available from Lidl around £1.20 and comes with this amazing dispenser top, like you get in salons- total bargain.  I use this to remove nail varnish (obviously!)

Scholl Cuticle Cream (not in picture, I forgot) rub this in after removing nail varnish.
Orange Sticks - to push back the cuticle that was softened in the previous step.
Nail Clippers - again they need no introduction, but I must say I pay little heed to the advice to cut straight across the nail, this must be for people who like holes in their tights.
Nail File, to take off the rough edges of just clipped nails.
The Edge Nail File - I use this to remove ridges from my toenails, I am not sure if this is caused by the psoriasis or I would have it anyway...  This is great though, it cost me a couple of pounds on ebay and makes your nail flat so you can get a nice even shine on your polish once applied.
Scholl Express Pedi - Like an angle grinder for your feet, This is so easy to use and makes light work of any hard patches of skin you have developed.  I use this every other week and my feet stay soft, even my foot hating Husband had to agree they felt better and so stole it for his own use :(
E45 Nourish and Restore - Grown up version of the perennial favourite E45.  This is lightly scented and designed to reduce signs of ageing. It works well and doesn't leave my feet greasy.  I put as much of this on as my feet can absorb.
Toe Separators - does exactly that, stops nail varnish getting smudged, important with bendy toes.
Nails Inc Albert Bridge Base Coat - I use this to stop my nails getting stained and also to help the nail varnish go on smoothly without ridges.
Hello Kitty Nail Polish - I couldn't find a suitably spring shade in my collection so I stole ones from my daughters (I am a mean Mummy and rarely let her wear nail varnish, she is only 6!)  This is actually I very on trend colour, a nice corally pink that is a little bit sheer.
Nails Inc Hyde Park Top Coat- To give a final shine and protect the colour.

Well here are the before and after photos, I hope you are not eating while viewing...

Before - winter colour that is 2 weeks old - lets pretend this photo doesn't exist

After - please excuse bendy toes

During - arrgghh, you can see the psoriasis on my big toe nails -at least the photo is "accidentally" slightly out of focus

Well hopefully that will be of some help to someone, at least other people with bad feet might feel better about them.

xx

Disclosure - I got the Scholl Express Pedi and the E45 Nourish and Restore as trial products, everything else was bought with my husbands hard earned cash, or in the case of the Hello Kitty nail varnish as a Christmas gift.

In Defense of Pippa Middleton

I'm not usually one to care much for the Royals, but when Kate married William I was delighted for her.  She seems a sweet and genuinely likable person who comes from a hard working and loving family.  When Pippa came on the scene as her chief Bridesmaid and all the focus shifted to her bottom I was a bit disappointed.   There is nothing wrong with Pippa's bottom, but there is also nothing amazing about it either.

The press then took to making her a just a bum and nothing else, they belittled her career choices, poked fun at her families business and implied she was just a hanger on.  I think she is just a girl who knows how privileged her life is and enjoys it, what is wrong with that?  She is certainly a better role model than the majority of celebrities most papers tout (Katie Price, Kim Kardashian et al)

So as you can imagine I was intrigued to see what Pippa's Celebrate book would be like.  I thumbed through a copy in my local Waitrose at the till one day, and the photographs were amazing.  The book is an English version of Martha Stewart and for a younger crowd.   Her recipes are all solid and she has very honestly captured the feel of most English festivities, from drizzle soaked Barbecues to Windy picnic on the beach.  She seems to have acknowledged that often celebrations don't turn out to plan, but that everyone generally pulls together and still has a good time.  The photos are beautifully styled and aimed perfectly at the aspirational middle class, you can smell the Joules, Boden, Waitrose and Cath Kidston as you turn each page.  All in all it is a great book for ideas of how to style a party and with some great recipes thrown in too.

She has since become a food ambassador (naff title) for Waitrose, again under a hail of criticism.  Several commentators have said her writing is glib and predictable (I must admit it's not Shakespeare) but then when did Delia (her predeccesor) set the world alight with her prose, if anyone stated the bleeding obvious it is Mrs How-to-boil-an-egg.

I will end by saying I like the girl, she knows how to do what she does, and that is something we should all aim for.  She isn't trying to be a heavy weight academic nor a political journalist  but on the same note she isn't doing anyone any harm and her book is a great lifestyle book.

xx

Alice In Wonderland Child's Party

In a fit of over-exuberance last year I decided to throw an Alice in Wonderland themed party for my daughter.

She was going to be 6 and I thought this would be my last little girls party so I went to town and erected the marquee in the back garden. I filled it with mismatched tables and chairs and served afternoon tea to 20 excited girls. I made the cake from scratch which took me all my free time over a whole week, it looked exactly as I wanted it to, but it was not the best tasting

 Tissue Paper Flowers, stacked books, mismatched teacup and saucers.

A labour of love

This way - that way tree

The Marquee

I was inspired by some beautiful invites I had seen on Etsy

Beach Holiday Packing Essentials

My list making and organisational tendencies obviously extend to a love of packing, therefore  I usually begin a week or so before by laying out my suitcase somewhere out of the way in my bedroom. I can then put things in as and when I come across them in the house.

In Flight
When packing for long haul flights I tend to make sure  have everything really well organised so that I can sit back and enjoy the sheer luxury of having nothing to do for 8 straight hours. For entertainment I take my Kindle (loaded with a nice mix of holiday junk literature and Booker prize winners, see below for what I am taking to read) and my iPod (playlist also below), I don't travel with iPads or even smart phones as they are heavy and liable to getting stolen or broken when travelling, plus wifi is always a bit hit and miss and 3G ruinously expensive abroad. Besides, I like to switch off fully when on holiday and go off grid, no Facebook or any of the usual wastes of time.

For comfort I always take a big greige pashmina that doubles as a lightweight blanket. It's always like the arctic on the plane and those blankets they hand out are made for people more petite than me. I like to bring some snacks regardless of whether I am flying cattle or club class as I don't always want what is served and food means too much to me to leave it to chance. I tend to lean towards cashews and peanut M&M's rather than mung beans and goji berries.  I take noise cancelling headphones (just £20 jobbies) to help reduce the endless racket of the engines and other passengers. They also came with an adapter that lets them be used in those annoying planes that have special 2 prong jacks, to stop us using our normal headphones and force us to pay for their inferior ones. I take the obligatory blow up pillow and a comfortable eye mask for night flights.  I also pack Werthers Originals for when the plane descends so I don't get that awful underwater hearing.  I carry wipes with me everywhere, even before I had 3 kids I could be relied upon to need to to wipe up something, so these are a must for me.

For the more boring stuff, it's just all the travel paperwork in a see through file (I tried a stylish leather "travel wallet" but it never fitted everything in and took up too much space, a exemplary case of style over design.)  I have a small wallet I use just for going on holiday, that contains my Boots Advantage Card and cash in both my home and holiday currency.

I also take my usual handbag make up bag, with a few quick pick me ups (Revlon Lip Butter, Rimmel face powder, L'oreal Telescopic mascara, Revlon concealer, brown eyeliner pencil (that doubles for eyes and eyebrows,) solid perfume, ibuprofen and plasters (in case of blisters.)

I have a great nappy bag Skip Hop Dash Deluxe Diaper Bag,Cherry Bloom that I always use when travelling, stuff the fancy Bayswater, it's a nightmare to find anything in when crammed on a plane and I can sling the nappy bag over my body if I need to run to catch a connection.

Beach Beauty,
I am a hell of a lot more minimal on holiday, I tend to not wear foundation, just waterproof mascara (of which I have never found a really good one), and a decent lip balm (Revlon Lip Butter rather predictably.)  I find any pre-grooming always pays dividends though, so I do a DIY manicure and pedicure and have my hair coloured and trimmed.  I also must admit for 2 week prior to my holiday I use sunbeds 3 times a week so I have a base tan. This is part vanity, part common sense.  I am not one of those people who can sit there slathering on the factor 50 all day, I HATE the feeling of sunscreen on my skin, it is so greasy and thick.  So I try to find spray oil ones and get a pre-tan so that my skin has had chance to develop some of it's own protection.  This stops me getting burned on holiday (which is apparently the worst thing you can do for your skin) and gives me some colour for the first few days so I don't go crazy lying out in the sun to get a tan.  I nearly always lie with my head in the shade to protect my face and so I can read without squinting.

I suffer from psoriasis that reacts favourably to sunlight so when on holiday I tend to wear my hair up to allow the light to reach all of my scalp.  I wear my hair up maybe once or twice a year otherwise so this is a big change for me. As I have mentioned ad nauseum, I have very fine, flat hair so I tend to go for messy unstructured up dos to give some much needed volume, I also find it easy to maintain when swimming etc...  I take Aussie 3 minute miracle with me to treat chlorine and sun damaged hair. I find this stuff really works, i leaves my hair sift and silky after a day of crispy, sticky scruffy hair.

My favourite facial sunscreen is Cellex C Suncare SPF30+ It feels thicker than my usual moisturiser but not as heavy as a usual sunscreen does. I don't end up with parched skin after using it, that dry, tight feeling just doesn't happen and I never get a red, face even if I only remember to put it on once in the morning.

Clothing
I am absolutely not a shorts girl, someone with the generosity of thigh that I was gifted with, should steer well clear of shorts. I do wear a lot of dresses though, I try to find ones that require no ironing and that don't cling too much so I can enjoy my food on holiday without fretting too much about bloating. I tend to favour strapless bikinis to avoid tan lines, and obviously ones with a higher waistline than usual (though not grannily so) due to mummy tummy issues.

Kindle Reading List

In the Holiday Tat Category I have;

• Clive Cussler - Atlantis and Inca Gold, for those of you who like me have never read his works before, they are like Dan Brown style action/history adventure books.
• Michael Crichton - Next, so sad he died, I loved his books.

In the "I-would-not-be-embarrased-to-be-caught-reading-it" list I have;

• Diane Setterfield-The Thirteenth Tale - Actually, I will probably have finished this when I get there but one of the best books I have read in ages.
• Gillian Flynn - Dark Places-I really enjoyed Gone Girl (along with three quarters of the adult population) and so am looking forward to this.
• Alain De Botton - Religion for Atheists: A Non-believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion - I am an Atheist but I raise my children Catholic (Catholic Husband) and I also attended Catholic school. I think religion has so many important parts to play in life I just hate all the judgement associated with it and am actively feminist (female priests really need to be allowed) and I wholeheartedly support gay rights (which of course would fit well with the Catholic priesthood you'd think!) I thought this would be a great book for me and appeal to my disparate viewpoints.

Ipod playlist

• Ludovico Einaudi -I Giorno 
• The XX - XX 
• Goyte - Making Mirrors
• Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials
• Emeli Sande- Our Verison of Events

10 Ways To Revive Yourself

These are the things that no matter how busy the day, how poor your bank account balance or how frumpy you feel in your clothes, will cheer you up.  I use these as a pick-me-up after a mid day slump to re-energise me for the afternoon ahead.


I usually do one thing that is a treat for my senses and one thing that is a quick win and will give me a sense of accomplishment that will inspire me to carry on.

Sensory Treats

• Wash your hands - feel the warm fresh water and soft silky soap remove all the days grime, finish with some hand cream, any old tube for hands that feel 100 times better.

• Take off your shoes and stretch your toes - maybe this is an extra special treat for me as I have large feet and it is always a challenge to find well fitting footwear but the feeling of your toes all free and wriggling after the days jobs are done.

• Listen to your favourite song - music can make even the most mundane task enjoyable, so turn on your stereo and enjoy some audible therapy.

• A glass of water - when your not sure whether you need the peace that a cup of tea brings or the buzz of coffee opt for water, I like mine at room temperature so I can drink the whole glass in one go, but I think I may be a bit weird in this case so feel free to add ice and all that jazz!

• Get Outside - take the dog or children for a walk, or just go have a snack in the open air, feel the sun on your face and the fresh air then come back refreshed.

Quick Wins

• Do the job you were dreading - If, like me, you could win medals for procrastination, go do whatever it is you are putting off and feel how great it is to have proved yourself wrong, see it wasn't so bad after all.

• Paint your nails - Have a rummage around in your nail varnish collection and paint your nails, then see how much better you feel about yourself.

• Take some pictures - grab your camera and look around your home, garden or neighbourhood for beauty, it could be the faces of your children or the changes of the season, whatever works for you.

• Clean something - the focus can take your mind off other worries and leave you with a small sense of achievement and order within the chaos.

• Declutter Something - anything... be it your pen pot or your handbag, this is an easy quick win that will leave you feeling better about your environment and more organised.

And if all else fails go grab a coffee!

xo

How To Layer Bracelets

How do you layer bracelets, without it looking over done? You want to achieve the bohemian feel without it looking like your child got all creative in your jewelry box.

This is definitely an art worth mastering, it can lend a great relaxed luxe edge to an outfit, and looks great with simple pieces like a plain black sheath dress. It is also a great way to add a new look to a much worn outfit without having to spend any money. Just have a good rummage around your jewelry drawer and then start seeing which ones look good together. With clothing it has taken me ages to learn to layer effectively and I still doubt that I get it right all the time.  With jewelry it is a bit easier, for every rule, I can find an example of it being broken and still looking great. Here is my attempt at trying to bring some order to the chaos.

• Try use complementary hues - by this I mean go pastel, or go bright.  You could go shades of blue or pinks (think ombre) 
• Mix larger more statement pieces with dainty smaller pieces. 
• I say mix metals, my personal everyday bevy of bracelets is predominately white metal, but I have no qualms with bringing some gold to the table. 
• Throw in a pop of colour, Find something that works with your outfit and your colouring, it could either matchs or contrast. I like my bracelt stack to complement my nail varnish.
• Try to keep other accessories to minimum.
• Layer just use one arm, double wrist layering is very hard to pull off
• Feel free to add your watch, This is a great chance to get those watches you don't usually wear out of the drawer and get an airing.

xo

Chic Breakfasts Around the World

I am the world's biggest breakfast fan. I can't wait to eat on a morning and love hotel buffet breakfasts an inordinate amount.

These are some of my favourite breakfasts; some that require little effort except some insightful shopping and some that require a brief sojourn to the kitchen.

Continental Breakfast
My Dad used to serve what he called a continental breakfast when I was a child, it consisted of boiled eggs, cooked sliced meats, sliced cheeses, bread and orange juice. When I "grew up" and dated a German, I then was lucky enough to eat some proper German breakfasts and to my delight they were very similar.  I good helping of strong coffee and some jam seemed to be obvious additions.  This is one of my favourite easy ways to serve a crowd for breakfast, particularly when you are going to have a combination of late and early risers.

Full English
The English are very proud of our national breakfast, and rightly so. I'm not sure if it is really chic, but done well, it is truly one of the breakfast greats. If the adage that "one must breakfast like a king, lunch like a Prince and dine like a Pauper" has any truth in it, then this is definitely a breakfast fit for a King, though not a vegetarian one.  I cook this probably once a month and I always look forward to it. I must say this is one thing where there is no place for minimalism.  We typically serve, sausages, bacon, eggs, toast, hash browns, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans, black pudding and tea.

French Breakfast
It's all about the coffee and the pastries.  I love that at home the French drink their morning beverage from bowls and think it is such a charming way to start the day.  I like to serve my cafe au lait in a thick glass tumbler.  Partner it with some croissants, good quality butter and a fruit heavy jam and your set.  So simple yet so delicious.

American Breakfast
There is only one way to go for a truly chic breakfast in New York and it has to be Eggs Benedict.  This is such a luxury for breakfast and an absolute favourite of mine.  At Christmas we serve it with slices of ham hock terrine on brioche as opposed to ham on an english muffin for that extra bit of debauchery.

Russian Breakfast
It has to be Blintzes, such a beautiful dish.  For those who have not yet had the pleasure, it's basically a crepe filled with a cheesecake filling and baked then served with a tart blueberry sauce.  I am feeling so hungry just looking at that picture!


Did I miss anything??

xo

The Not So Relaxed Week

We have just booked our getaway for Easter without the kids to the Carribean, so with images of dusty white beaches and indigo pools floating around my head I have had to come to terms with the awful visage of bikini wearing! With this in mind it has been much easier to "Eat French" than usual and am 3lbs down in only a few days, I would like to loose 10lbs though, so still a bit to go, but I have 7 weeks.

Books
I have been reading Anna Barone's fantastic Chic and Slim books as motivation.  I already own Chic n Slim but this week her second book Chic and Slim Toujours was free on the Kindle and so I also treated myself to Chic and Slim Encore for £2.75  These books are so inspirational, if like me you need reminded to make the right choices instead of taking the path of least resistance.  They also appealed to the bargain hunter in me.

I am also reading Kate Morton's The Distant Hours, which I have borrowed from my local library.  I loved her first 2 books, they are so evocative.  She always sets up an intriguing mystery which keeps you coming back. I am about a third of the way through, but at 670 pages I think it may take me some more time. I am really enjoying it though and so I am trying to savour it.

I need to get a couple of great novels for my holiday to download to my kindle, any suggestions?

Beauty
I have eventually succumbed to the Beauty Bloggers favourite quick cleanser and bought some Bioderma Crealine, I got it from Ebay as it not available in-store yet in the UK (though I have heard it is coming!) I must say it does exactly what it is supposed to, It removes so much more of your make up than standard cleansers and also leaves my pores tightened. It does all this without any irritation.  I am using this on a morning to freshen up, before applying my make up, and occasionally on an evening if I have been out and don't feel like doing my full nighttime skincare routine.

I mentioned in my post on what didn't make my decluttering cut, that I have stopped using shampoos and conditioners with dimethicone in them.  I have had to give up my beloved Herbal Essences as it left my hair silky but also tragically flat!  I have tried the Tres Semme Deep Cleansing Shampoo as I was reliably informed that it was great at removing non water soluble silicones from you hair, and it has done a great job.  I then had to find a silicone free conditioner so I decided to give Tres Semme another go (mainly because it was on 2 for £5) and tried their naturals range of conditioners.I have been impressed, they detangled my hair after shampooing but left no heavy feeling when dried.  I have always avoided the Tres Semme brand as it had the most awful adverts and the packaging sucked, but it goes to show that you shouldn't judge a product by it's marketing team or pricing.

Resolutions
Spend Less Money.
I have tackled this in a big way and I now feel I have gotten it under control.  I am using cash for all my purchases (even food shopping) and it is really helping.I have been reading books that I already own or getting them free or at least very cheap. I have also set a realistic budget.  My Huband is great at this and has really helped me.

Simplify, Reduce and Clean.
I am doing so well here, I cleared out my office yesterday and removed so much unnecessary stuff, I sold about £50 of books on Amazon and gave a lot more to the charity shop.  I cleared most of my things from the desk and just left what was absolutely necessary  I have been trying to strip away all the rubbish in every area of my life so that I can enjoy the really special things I own and be able to use them.  I still have so much to go but the house is already looking better for it.
We have taken a big step and cancelled the cleaner. I first hired a cleaner when I was 6 months pregnant with my son and we had just moved into a much a larger house and I had 2 children and a dog already.  At first she was very much needed to keep the house under control, but as my son has grown up I am finding I have the time, and also the inclination to clean again.  I hate the feeling of having someone in my home and regularly use to go out to hide from the cleaner. So far so good, but I am sure the novelty will wear off.

Films
My husband has been on a business trip to the US so I have been able to watch more films than usual in his abscense. It has been such a treat to just pick them and not have to compromise. My degree is in Media Studies and so I am a completely unapologetic TV and film viewer.
Limitless
This was the second time I have watched this, and enjoyed it just as much.  I love the idea of being able to retain anything you had ever read and access it. I am a natural information glutton so this film really appeals to me.
William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet
I first watched this at University when I was 18, I fell immediately in love with the imagery and also Clare Danes and Leonardo Dicaprios portrayal of the star-crossed lovers. When I wed my husband I used the scene where Juliet is on her Bier as inspiration for our wedding ceremony (that sounds really weird when I put it like that) We lit the entire venue with hundreds of candles.

The Holiday
I don't really do Chick Flicks but this one I make an exception for.  Great outfits by Cameron Diaz throughout and an adorable story line.

New recipes
Tinga de Pollo
I have been cooking a lot of Mexican recently, I have found it be both full of flavour and healthy (I obviously don't mean Tex Mex style food).  I recent hit is a dish called Tinga de Pollo which is a tomato and chilli based sauce with shredded chicken, you roll this in warm tortillas and serve with guacamole, sour cream and salsa.  I used the Wahaca recipe for this but I'm sure most of them are similar.

Carrot Cake
The girls wanted to make my husbands birthday cake this year, he unfortunately doesn't like chocolate which frankly limits choices immeasurably. This year we made Carrot Cake using the Hummingbird Bakery Recipe which is handily available online!  We took some round for friends and they asked for the recipe straight away. Please excuse the carrots the girls are still quite young.

xo

Fake Bake Spray Tan Review

If you have ever wondered if you should try a spray tan, here's my advice.  Don't
The result 48 hours and a lot of scrubbing later is good but this is one fad I can gladly let by pass me.

I was feeling a bit white, with it being the middle of Winter and all, so on my husband and my Anniversary trip to Cambridge I thought I would try a spray tan for the first time.  I have seen some terrible and some great spray tans so I thought I would give it a whirl. See Picture 1 for the before shot.

I am notoriously difficult to please when having beauty treatments.  I do all my own manicures, pedicures, tanning, highlighting (mostly) shellacing and eyebrow shaping (with the occasional threading thown in).  The only help I will gladly receive is a full head highlight as I can't see round the back of my own head, and a massage.  I have had a few massages lately so I thought it was time to try something new.

I asked a friend first who gets a spray tan several times a month and she said Fake Bake can settle in your pores, I thought, how bad can it be? and plunged straight in. I made sure to shave and scrub my skin the night before and apply moisturiser that I allowed to sink in.

When I arrived at the Spa you have to remove all your clothes and put on a paper g-string. I had purposely brought a black Brazillian pair of pants so the tan line would be at least attractive, but I stupidly went with the paper underwear.  You then get moisturiser applied to your nail beds, elbows and knees  You have to wear your hair up, no make up or perfume and no deodorant.  The woman did not discuss what colour I was trying to achieve so I thought now may be the best time to bring it up, and asked for something medium in tone, Then the silly bit starts. You stand in a tent on some towels with stick on pads on your feet, whilst a woman sprays you with cold brown stuff and you pull various ridiculous poses to allow for even (hmmm!) coverage.

After this has finished you get to see the results, now bear in mind I hate bad manners and find it hard to be honest to people when things go wrong, What I thought was "What the F*** have you done to me" what I said was "Can I remove a bit of this?" I was handed a cotton pad and I proceeded to dab away at the sticky brown stuff.  Then they dry you with a hose and you are left to dress into loose clothes (I put on one of their robes, which I am glad I did as the mess was awful) I was told to wear no deodorant, make up or perfume for another 6 hours and then I could shower but to leave it on longer for the best result.

I then went into the spa changing room to change into my bikini as this was where I was meeting my husband and proceeded to get very busy with a box of tissues. After 10 mins of careful wiping and patting ( and a lot of of confused looks) I got the colour down to the shade in picture No2. To be honest this picture really doesn't do the orangeness justice as it was in daylight and so I was washed out (no really!) We then went back to the room while my Husband laughed at me and I washed my hands (after 1 hours not 6 hours) the idea of not washing my hands for that amount of time and also the colour of my palms and nail beds made it essential.

We then went into Cambridge. I managed another 2 hours before I had to buy some cleansing wipes and remove what was left of the face colour after my first wipeathon. See picture 3 (please excuse my expression I wasn't best impressed).  The colour of the residue is very red in tone and makes you look a bit burnt I was also attracting strange looks from several of the shop assistants (I couldn't really blame them either)

That evening I had a full shower and a whole heap of the colour washed off which left a not too unpleasant base colour, though with orange palms, nails and dark feet. Picture 4 is me today, so 48 hours on and 3 showers/baths since the application.

example of the orangey shade

I like the healthy colour but the rigmarole involved in applying it and the silly rules for the following 6-8 hours make this something I will never repeat.  It is so much easier to just apply your own from a bottle.  I have found much less streaks and a more natural cover with either my L'Oreal Sublime Bronze or the Dove Gradual Tan Moisturiser.

Sorry for another bad review but I find so few products/treatments live up to the hype and it annoys me that people aren't honest about them.

xo

N.B.  I  use sunbeds in the 2 weeks preceding any holiday where I will be in the sun so that my skin adjusts to the sun slowly and then I don't get burnt on holiday   I also suffer from Psoriasis and the UV rays help to calm the psoriasis down a lot.

Nigella Lawson Red Dress on The Taste

This is the most flattering dress I have ever seen on Nigella.  Her style is always immaculate but this is just gorgeous.  This is what I wish the media would concentrate more on.

I own a similar dress from LK Bennett called the Tina and I always get so many compliments. It comes in loads of different colours but is a bit pricey at £225

Buy L.K. Bennett Tailored Tina Dress from the Next UK online shop (clipped to polyvore.com)
Here is the same dress on me (I'm a UK 14 so a US 10)  Not quite as chic, and I probably could have done with wearing some Spanx! but still a good allrounder. Would have loved it in red but probably a bit much for the Communion and Wedding I bought it for!

xo

What didn't make the cut

After my cringe inducing post earlier in the week here are my first casualties of the cull.  It is a real mix of products and their main crimes are excessive duplication and age.

There are a fair few of the those horrible mould magnets called body puffs in there too, I wish beauty gift boxes wouldn't use them as fillers.

The only products that are actually terrible in there are;

L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream 

This is pants and has a truly naff name.  They claim to have a technology that matches the colour to your skin tone (bull crap) it's just some little spheres that pop when you rub it in, it leaves a horrible chalky residue, feels gross (all sandy) and delivers zero moisture.  I can honestly give this 0/10 even the packaging is low rent.

VO5 Root Boost Mousse

This just leaves roots crispy and if you brush it to remove the crispy tacky feeling then it comes out.  Very poor.

Dimethicone based conditioners, serums etc... 

I have always loved the feeling these give my hair but unfortunately I have learnt that they have been the main contributors in my hairs eternal limpness.  I think if you have frizzy dry hair than these are for you.  If you have fine soft hair then they are just too heavy and weigh it down.  I have deep cleansed my hair with a particularly strong shampoo (Tres Semme Cleansing Shampoo) which can remove the build up of dimethicone as isn't water soluble so just stays in your hair. I have been using dimethicone conditioners for over 10 years, and since using the new shampoo it has so much more body. I still need to condition the ends with something without dimethicone but this has worked wonders for me.  

Here is a picture of before and after (I wish you could beauty blog without having to put pictures of yourself up) It's nothing that looks that amazing, but bear in mind the first shot was taken after adding thickening products and blow drying with my head upside down.  The second shot was taken after washing my hair last night then going to bed with it damp (I try to let my hair dry naturally as much as possible), and just straightening the ends to stop the frizz this morning.

xo

Decluttering My Beauty Products

After reading many books on Minimalism I have been trying to reduce and organise my belongings so that I am only left with items I actually use and love.  This way I will have more time to do better things and also focus better on what really works.

I am trying to document as much of this as possible so that I stick to my resolutions and also to hopefully show other people that they are not alone in having too much stuff.

What better place to start me minimising efforts than my beauty products collection.  I have lots of beauty products (as I sure you can imagine)  but I even shocked myself when I decided to photograph all the little repositories I keep them in.  These photos don't even include my handbag makeup bag or the one in the car!

This is ridiculous, I don't even use half of them as they are a big pile of poop or I was given them as gifts.  I really need to sort this out and reduce this to a more manageable size.  My house isn't exactly tiny, but no-one (even Katy Perry) needs this many products.

Here are my rules for de-cluttering

1. Anything less than a 5 out of 10 goes straight away
2. Anything I wouldn't repurchase but that does the job, stays and needs to be used within 2 months (these things will go in strategic places so that they get used up.  I hate waste and so find it hard to just get rid of things if they can be of use.
3. All discarded products will be boxed up and put on Freecycle, I am the local moderator and hate sending anything that can be used by others to landfill.  I have done this twice before and have always had loads of takers, just because it doesn't work for me doesn't mean that someone with opposite beauty needs won't think that it's great.

This is just what I have in my dressing table

My bathroom's own special collection of much replicated products

Miscellaneous beauty product hiding places number 1 ( I can't believe I have 2!)

Last one I promise

Honestly with all of this I should look like a supermodel! Ridiculous. It's also a sad testament to the overconsumption of the West. I am actually pretty ashamed to own all of this. It shows how marketing is such a lie, I think I honestly believed that by buying these products I really would be more pretty, more youthful, more whatever. Most get used once or twice, don't deliver what they promised and then languish in one of these drawers.

I'm not sure who I blame more, me for being such a gullible idiot, the beauty companies for flogging us these products that rarely do what they advertise, or the media for promoting woman's beauty as the only asset worth pursuing.

xo

Is The Clarisonic Worth The Money?

I have waited nearly 6 months to write this review so I could write an honest opinion. I really wanted this to be great. I had read so many glowing reviews by fellow bloggers and it seems like my skincare prayers could be answered.  At £120, it was definitely one of the, if not the most expensive beauty products I have ever bought.  So I thought that miracles may just be winging their way to me along with my latest toy.  I have combination skin, with small bumps under my forehead and I get blackheads around my nose and chin.  Many of the reviews I read noted how their skin cleared up after using this, so I hoped it would be just the thing for my confused skin.

My first impressions were very good, it is well built and easy to use.  The first time I used it with the cleanser that came with it, it really did remove my make up better, the brush was very grubby looking.  My skin was left feeling very soft and beautifully clean.  I carried on using the Clarisonic (with its sensitive head that it came with) daily and I got a few extra spots to begin with, this though, I was expecting, as if it was cleaning my skin more thoroughly, then surely the underlying impurities would need to come out.

However after one month of using this, I could not say my skin was any different.  It was cleaner but it had no fewer blemishes. I have carried on using this but more as a tool to cleanse and exfoliate, I don't think it cleans any better than using an aspirin mask every other day. The aspirin mask works out at 30p for 16 tablets so 4p a go (if using 2 tablets), therefore 60p a month. If I used this for 2 years it would cost me £5 a month.   I also feel the Aspirin mask has the added benefit of cleaning out the pores below the dermis, and it also smooths and brightens the skin.  At 8 times the price I do not feel this is good value for money.  It is however much quicker.  The Clarisonic only takes 1 minute compared to 10 or so for the Aspirin mask.

I was also advised that the heads would need changing every 3 months and that they cost about £25, this is not the case, if you give them a wash with a facial wash then mine is still in great condition, see picture below after 6 months

Would I buy it again?
No I would not, I am considering selling it in fact.  I would recommend it as a good exfoliator though if it were only £30 or so.

Do I still use it?
Yes, but more as an exfoliator and skin brightener.

Is my skin any better?
Perhaps 10% better...maybe?

I hate having to write bad reviews but I wanted to give a balanced opinion on such an expensive product.

Xo

6 Tips to fight the first signs of ageing in your thirties

I know it comes to us all, but that doesn't make it any more pleasant when it happens to us. There are a few initial signs of decline that I have started to notice since I turned 33.  My skin seems less flush, my cheeks less full and fine lines are appearing on my forehead and around my eyes.  My lips are loosing their colour and my hands look like old lady hands.
I can't say with any degree of honesty that I have been the most vigilant in protecting myself from the sun, I love a tan in summer, or even better in the dead of winter after a holiday someone hot. This is what I have figured out so far for myself. I have read a few anti ageing books (I'm looking at you "The Anti Ageing Beauty Bible") but they are aimed at the more mature market and also seem obsessed with recommending £50 serums when I'm sure £20 ones would be just as good.

1. Wear Lipstick
In my teens and twenties I rarely bothered with lip colour, it was lost on me and so I just used gloss. I have noticed that as I age the middle of my lips seem to be fading, I look weirdly ill without lip colour and so have resorted to using a lip stain first thing every day, see my post here on long lasting make up.  I have also started experimenting with every old ladies favourite, lipstick.  I own a couple now, none quite perfect but getting closer, I need something that is a more corally version of my natural lip colour and this is currently alluding me!

2. Wear Blusher
Again this was a waste of time in my teens (and didn't go with my carefully honed grunge look either) however now I am lost without it.  I have recently discovered Benefit Coralista which I adore, but any blusher is better than none.  The only time I go without is when I will be drinking as my cheeks always flush when I drink wine, so i avoid blush on these occasions to avoid looking like I have just finished a Marathon.

3. Use Retinol
This is the easiest product to use on mid thirties skin as it is both anti ageing and good at reducing spots (unfortunately still needed) it can be quite drying, even on my oily skin so is best used under a moisturiser.

4. Apply face powder on the T Zone only
I normally use powder to set a look and reduce shine, but I have had to become more light handed. What small amount of radiance my skin now garners, needs to be visible so I skip powder on anywhere that doesn't really need it, it can also accentuate fine lines so a thin coat is all that is needed on your forehead

5. Exfoliation and Facial Massage
I use the Clarisonic most days to exfoliate which reveals the less tired looking skin underneath.  Then I also massage in all the potions and lotions so that my blood moves around my skin more and gives me more of a glow. I find these two things the best at keeping me looking youthful.

6. Wear Hand Cream
This is a must, it is also very hard to remember,  I like The Sanctuary Hand Cream as it is very rich and it smells gorgeous, but I use whatever is closest to hand. I have hand cream all over my house/handbag/car and still only manage 2 or 3 times on a good day, which is vastly inadequate when you was your hands as often as I do ( I have a 2 year old).

This is just what is working for me, has anyone else got any tips to keep young and beautiful?

xo

13 Books That Changed The Way I Think About Life

These are some of my favourite books, but more importantly they are the books that made me view the world differently.  I believe books are there to show you the world from someone else's viewpoint and all of these excel at this.  These books have such clear voices, that I was sad to leave each and everyone behind.

Gone Girl: A Novel
This book allowed me to see inside a dysfunctional marriage, you only ever see your own marriage from the inside and so I loved that she shared someones, albeit someone completely unhinged, view. I was relieved to see few similarities to my own partnership but also I recognised several uncomfortable truths.

Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
Not one for everyone, if you have a permissive parenting style then this is not for you. For me however, this struck a chord with my own parenting style, I was so pleased to find I was not alone nor mad. I must say though that my own kids are not as well behaved as the French children described in this book as I lack the necessary consistency.

We Need to Talk About Kevin
The book that asked the questions everyone was afraid to ask. This book is the definition of Catharsis, by facing up to the demons of Kevin and his Mom you face your own (much lesser hopefully)

The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against WomenI read this at University, and instantly it changed my views on the modern day preoccupation with beauty.  I class myself as a Feminist, just one that likes to wear make up. This book allowed me to take a stand against the current ideology.

How to Be a Woman
Fantastic book that taught me to take myself less seriously, something I found easy when I was younger but that I had lost when I moved down south where people are much more judgemental.  The humour that she shared with her family is life affirming and the subject matter illuminating to say the least.

The Shadow of the Wind
Such a beautiful book, so evocative and full of dark and light.  A book for book lovers.

Schindler's List
My parents owned this when I was a child and I always remembered the blue and white cover with the star of David made from barbed wire on the front. When I eventually read this book I learned how cruel the world can be, and how lucky we are. It shows how kindness is always worth while.

Toast: The Story of a Boy's Hunger
A love song to food, written by someone who understands how much of eating is emotional not functional.  The memories he evokes and the descriptions of his first attempts of cooking really spoke to me.

Enough
Enough is a book about moderation, not just in food, but shopping, belongings and information.  This book is incredible. If you ever think you have too much, are spending too much, eating too much and doing too much then this is the book for you. Inspiring.

Rebecca
This has never been made successfully into a film (sorry Mr Hitchcock.) The sense of atmosphere in this book is incredible, a Cinderella story made into a thriller set in high Society in the British 1920's.  I have read some of her other novels hoping to recapture the feeling that this book gives you but to no avail.

The Wasp Factory
Before reading this I had always read to escape unto fantasy worlds that were undoubtedly better than my real life.  I read this when my then Boyfriend at University was set it as a required reading. This book blew me away with it graphic depictions of a life so different from my own.

Brave New World 
I adore Dystopia novels, Margaret Atwood does a great line in them and is my favourite Author.  This however was the first one in this genre I read at age 16.  I loved the space it gave you to think about how life could be if we carry on living the way we do now.  I however found the end rather flat.

The Consolations of Philosophy
I keep very few books in paper format except signed first editions (which my husband collects) as I read mainly on my kindle or iPad for convenience and also to lessen the amount of possessions I own and consume.  This is an exception.  I have a very heavily annotated and highlighted copy of this that I have owned for the last 12 years.  My favorite chapters are the Consolations for Not Having Enough Money and Consolations for Frustrations.  When I was a student these helped me find peace and strength in my current state and work through my difficulties.

What books made your inner world shift , what made all the difference for you?