The New BonnBeauty.com

I have exciting news!

The reason I've been a bit quiet recently is that I'm working on a brand new BonnBeauty.com.

It's going to still have a blog element, but it is going to be so much more than that.

I'm hoping that it will be one of the world's biggest beauty destinations (well that's the dream!)

So....watch this space.

The all new, sparkly and fabulous BonnBeauty.com is coming soon........

The answer to your fake tan disasters

It is still so unbelievably hot in London. Smelly people bump into other smelly people as they race for the hot and smelly tube. The only respite is the air-conditioning in the office, which invariably doesn't work as well as it could because all the windows are open. In fact, I reckon Heart Radio is inadvertently cooling the whole of London as the precious air-con flies out of the windows.

One thing I have noticed is that a lot of women seem petrified to get their legs out, even though it is so very hot. It breaks my heart when I see women in floaty little dresses with black tights on. You see I can totally relate to what they are going through. Before I had laser treatment my legs were always hairy and it didn't matter how often I shaved or waxed, those pesky hairs seemed to sprout back almost instantaneously. I also suffer from ghostly white legs and with all the pressure to look bronzed, this could be another reason why so many women choose to hide their legs.

My main advice in this situation is to do your best with the hair removal situation. Waxing is better than shaving, apart from the fact that you have to wait for the  hair to grow sufficiently before your next wax which takes us back to the black tights predicament. If you can afford to have laser/IPL then please do it. It is the best thing that I ever did for my body and I am now almost hair free.

The other thing that I have found to be my saviour this week is Hi-Shi One Day Tan. I find normal fake tan really annoying. I never get it quite right and always end up with streaks and white bits. I also hate waiting for it to develop, getting it on my sheets and the biscuity smell. (You can see an example of my awful fake-tanning application in my post on Xen-Tan.)

Hi-Shi One Day Tan is incredibly easy to apply evenly. You literally squeeze it onto a tanning mitt, rub it in in a circular motion, wait two minutes for it to dry and hey-presto, a lovely, natural looking tan that doesn't budge until you have a shower.

If you hate applying traditional fake tan because if always goes wrong, then this is the product for you.

Xen-Tan Luminous Gold Gel

It is hot hot hot in London at the moment and last night was spent celebrating my dear friend Darren's birthday. We spent the evening eating INCREDIBLE dim-sung and sipping Ginger Martinis at Yauatcha in Soho. This place isn't cheap but it is the best Chinese food I have eaten bar-none.

If you do go, I highly recommend the soft shell crab which comes covered in chilli roasted almond flakes and the jasmine tea infused spare ribs. Heavenly!!

Anyway, I decided to slip into my newest LBD from my favourite shop of the moment & Other Stories. Being all pale and pasty I knew I had to fake tan and due to the fact that Chris and I were running late (as usual) I had to do it quickly.

I squirted a healthy does of Xen-Tan Luminous Gold Gel on my tanning mitt, rubbed it over my body and within ten minutes was dressed and out of the door.

Now I really love this Xen-Tan gel , mainly because it smells of holidays, has sparkly gold particles in it and dries really quickly. The colour is also very natural and olive in tone.

However, my speedy application led to a very uneven tan....

As the night went on I got progressively browner and the bits that I had missed looked paler and paler. I have decided that fake-tanning is an art form and takes experience, time and patience.

If you have never tried Xen-Tan, give it a go though as it really is gorgeous when applied properly. x

Beautiful Brows Kit

My eyebrows have got me into trouble quite a few times.

When I was young they were big, bushy and highly unattractive. Then, as a true 90's teenager, I had a tweezer epiphany moment when I changed my entire face by plucking them to within an inch of their lives.

Following my initial tweezer attack, I kept going and now as a woman in my 30's they are suffering from a life of over-plucking. They are overly thin, patchy and lacking in shape.

I am constantly being told off for what I've done to my eyebrows by make-up artists. My most memorable ticking off was in the middle of Boots, Piccadilly where a woman from the Benefit counter rolled her eyes in disgust and lectured me for about five minutes in the middle of the shop-floor.

Anyway, I'm relieved to say that I have recently been trialling a total eyebrow life saver  kit from Beautiful Brows. This gorgeous little compact comes with an eyebrow powder in the colour of your choice, application brushes, three different eyebrow stencil shapes, a highlighter, tweezers and a mirror. 

You choose a stencil of your choice (I have been going for natural), stick the top of the stencil to the highest point of your brow and then fill it in with the powder and brushes. The result is perfectly shaped, beautiful brows.

This is a great little kit of you find it hard to get your desired brow shape with a pencil and will have you looking glamorous in no time.

Fredericks, Islington

Yesterday was my two year wedding anniversary. I can't believe how quickly it's come around!

Chris and I were planning on having a nice meal at home to save money but that all changed when he won £1000 on a lottery scratch-card. Can you believe that? I NEVER win on those things and our friend Leif (who's very good with numbers) worked out that the chances of winning a grand are something like 1 in 14,000 so Chris was very lucky.

Anyway, we decided that instead of having a slap-up dinner at home we'd go back to our amazing wedding venue Fredericks and have the meal of our dreams, no expense spared.

It was so special to revisit Fredericks. It holds so many incredible memories for us and the food is exquisite. I started with the most succulent, juicy scallops I've ever eaten, followed by dover sole meuniere and strawberries three ways. We drank champagne and wine and had the most amazing night filled with beautiful memories and laughter.

As it was such a special occasion, I wanted to make sure that I was looking my best and after my shower I rubbed Thalgo Huile Sacree Polynesia all over my arms, legs and decolletage and was so excited with the results. This beautiful body oil smells of holidays, is wonderfully nourishing but best of all, it leaves your skin with an amazing golden sheen. My legs in particular looked all smooth and sparkly.

This stuff would look incredible with a tan!

If you're thinking of having a London wedding, then do check Fredericks out. We had the wedding of our dreams there.*

*This post is not sponsored and we paid for our meal :0)

How to look your best after a long haul flight

Being on a plane for a hours on end can be very dehydrating and leave your skin looking dry and dull.

Here are my top tips to help you look refreshed and beautiful after a long flight:

1. I never wear makeup on a long haul flight but wait until just before I land. I personally like to apply a good face oil before take-off which will hydrate and leave your skin glowing. My favourite is Nude Progenius. It contains omega 3, 6 7 and 9 and instantly absorbs. This miracle-oil is also great for reducing scars and leaves your skin looking incredible.

2. Always stay hydrated on a long flight. Try to cut back on the free G and T’s and drink lots of water.

3.  On the subject of water, I always take a facial spray with me when I fly. The cabin can get very stuffy and the spray will keep you feeling refreshed. L’Occitane have just released a gorgeous Angelica Hydration Facial Mist which retails for £10. You can of course keep things simple (and cheap) and buy a classic Evian Water spray for around £4.

3. If you’d like a great multi-purpose product to take on the plane, I recommend the Gamila Secret Rosemary Cleansing Bar. This 100% natural, luxurious handmade beauty bar uses a pure blend of plant-based ingredients, including 15 handpicked herbs.  It provides gentle & indulgent cleansing for the face, body, hands & sensitive sun-kissed skin. The Rosemary gives the skin an energy boost - much needed after a long flight! 

4. Long haul flights can be particularly uncomfortable for the ankles and feet due to the build of fluid. The night before your flight pop a Circulation Patch-It  (£3.99 from Holland and Barratt)  onto the soles of your feet to stimulate the key reflexology points to help support healthy blood flow.


5. Before landing is a good time to do a face-mask as it will re-hydrate the skin. One of my favourite moisturising face-masks is Energy’s Resonance Vital Renewal Face Masque .  This organic facemask is full of amazing ingredients such as broccoli oil for moisture and Californian mineral earth to aid toxin removal. The best thing is that you don’t need to remove it and can just allow it to sink into the skin.

So if you’re going on a long-haul flight this summer,  make it your opportunity to do a bit of pampering and start your holiday with glowing skin xx

Dr Bronner Organic Fair Trade Hand Sanitizing Spray

Dr Bronner are releasing their first new product in years this August. It's a hand-sanitizing spray and is 100% natural.

I've got the Lavender one in front of me now and the ingredients are wonderfully simple:

62% organic fair trade ethyl alcohol, water, organic glycerin and organic lavender oil

The thing I like about the spray is that it smells lovely and doesn't dry your hands out like other hand sanitizers can. The fact that it contains pure lavender oil also means that it has a nice relaxing fragrance. In fact, this is the perfect product to use in stressful/germ-ridden situations such as a trip on the London Underground on a hot day like today. 

The spray will only cost £2.99 and will be available at Whole Foods as well as all other Dr Bronner retailers.

Medical Aesthetics Exposure Instant Glow Serum

I interviewed Margaret Dabbs a few weeks ago and her skin looked absolutely amazing. She was positively glowing and I had to ask her what her secret was.

It turns out that she swears by Exposure Instant Glow Serum. Whenever she has an event to go to and wants to look her best, she snaps open one of the little glass capsules, douses her face and decolletage in this wonder serum and reaps the benefits.

Well you know how much I love a miracle product! I was straight on the phone to Marc Armangue who is the brains behind this product as well as being an aesthetic physician.

Here's what he said:

The serum was originally formulated to assist skin healing following very agressive procedures we aesthetic physicians used to perform about 15 years ago, such as ablative lasers and TCA peels (trychloroacetic acid). The skin ended up "raw", since those treatments used to destroy the epidermis in order to force the skin to re-generate. The Instant Glow serum contains a proprietary combination of proteoglycans, ascorbic acid and vitamin F, to help on the tissue remodelation and soothe discomfort while protecting it. Try using it after a sunbathing day, with very inflamed facial skin, and you'll notice its benefits.

As my patients started to use the serum even after healing, they discovered that it had the almost immediate improvement results that happened to be ideal as a pre-event treatment. Therefore, it was named Instant Glow!

I've been trialling this serum for a few weeks and it is a sensational product. It really does give you an instant glow. I've been applying before I go to bed and when I look in the mirror in the morning have been quite taken  back by the improvement in my skin tone and general appearance.

This stuff doesn't come cheap but I recommend buying a pack and saving each precious ampoule for a really special occasion.

Elemis Frangipani Monoi Salt Glow

I was sent a pot of the new Elemis Frangipani Monoi Salt Glow yesterday and it has got me really excited.

Frangipani Monoi is one of my favourite Elemis scents  and I have been a fan of the body oil for years. For me it is the smell of holidays, honeymoons, exotic destinations and romance and I love to use it as a massage oil as well as an all over moisturiser which honestly leaves you smelling amazing. I recommend using it all over and forgoeing your perfume. It is an unbelievably sexy scent and is also great for your skin.

The new salt glow combines the beautiful exotic fragrance of Tahitian mono oil and frangipani flowers with mineral rich salts and hibiscus to cleanse and exfoliate and a coconut oil base which melts on contact with the skin and seals in moisture.

Using the scrub was such a luxurious experience. The heady smell, the great consistency and veil of moisture left on the skin combine to make a seriously good body scrub. It really will leave your skin glowing.

The Salt Glow is coming out in July and will retail for £36.50. My recommendation would be to run yourself a bath, put on some chillout music and imagine you're on a beach in Mauritius with the man of your dreams as you scrub your legs to silky perfection. 

Nataliya Robinson's Raw Organic Facial

It had to happen! I'd been waiting for this moment for at least three years and thought that I would take it very well when it finally came, but sadly I didn't.

Here's the thing....around three years ago I sat Chris (my then fiance) down and had a very important heart to heart:

- "Darling", I purred at him.

- "Yes my sweet", he whispered back (whilst looking deep into my eyes)

- "I need to ask something of you"

- "Anything, anything, you just name it", he said with wide eyes, his muscles flexing.

- "If my moustache ever needs doing will you please let me know? Don't say anything, just wiggle your finger over your moustache area and that will be our secret sign that I need to get the Veet out!"

With a solemn look he took my hand, nodded his head and threw me onto the bed where he....

OK, none of the above is how the conversation actually went, apart from the moustache bit which is 100% true. (I thought I'd try and make this decidedly unsexy situation a bit more palatable! Oh and I'm also reading a raunchy book which has somewhat influenced my writing ;0)

Anyway, earlier today Chris and I were on London's Southbank and giggling about something when suddenly he stopped and said that he needed to do something. I wondered what it could be...a second proposal perhaps??

Oh no that is not what it was at all! He did the bloody moustache sign!!!!! He had remembered it for all these years and was waiting for the perfect moment and today it came.

"Oh my God", I shrieked. "Is it awful? Have you been looking at it all day? Do you still fancy me? Shit! Do I look like a man?"

He looked at me as if I was crazy. Men are simple creatures you see. Ask them to do something and they will. He was just doing as I had asked and felt very proud that he had remembered.

I am of course very grateful to him as having looked in the mirror, my moustache is definitely more visible than usual. Bloody excess hair!! However, I've definitely decided to keep these things from Chris in the future. My Grandma always said a woman should maintain an air of mystery (i.e never pluck your nipple hair/do your tache/go to the loo in front of your husband) and even though he assures me that I am just as sexy with or without a bit of a moustache, it just didn't feel right having my husband proudly doing the moustache wiggle at me.

Anyway, talking about being unsexy, here is a picture of me having a facial made of 100% natural and edible food-stuffs:

The stuff on my neck is not baked beans but is in fact chopped (and squished) apricot and my face-mask contains honey, yoghurt, oatmeal and a plethora of other organic goodies.

My Raw Organic facial was performed by the amazing Nataliya Robinson who works from the most beautiful little boutique spa room in Knightsbridge.

Nataliya explained to me that our body ejects many toxins through the skin and if we clog it up with loads of synthetic and chemically loaded beauty products then the toxins can't escape, leading to a very unhealthy body both inside and out. By detoxing the skin from time to time by using totally natural and organic products, we are giving our skin a toxin free treat and allowing a thorough elimination of all the bad stuff, through our pores!

I wouldn't say that the Raw Organic Facial was the most relaxing thing I have ever experienced (It was a bit smelly and messy) but it was an amazing thing to do. Nataliya imparted loads of knowledge and advice, some of which has totally changed my views about skincare. The effects of the facial were also pretty incredible. Having been scrubbed with sugar, moisturised with honey and enjoyed the benefits of the likes of goat's yoghurt, lemon and avocado, my face was very happy indeed. In fact, I was absolutely glowing and the picture of health.

Nataliya's facial has the potential to be life changing. I love making homemade beauty products and believe that they can be more powerful than a lot of the shop bought stuff and Nataliya will help you come up with brilliant recipes tailor made for your skin-type.

The Raw Organic Facial is £100 (£130 with acupunture). Nataliya also does a whole load of other treatments including Acne and Anti-ageing. I can't recommend her highly enough. She is so knowledgable and passionate about what she does.

Baby Chicks

My gorgeous sister Amy is a primary school teacher and I was invited to her school concert last night which was really impressive. I couldn't believe how enthusiastic (and in tune) the choir was and there was a 7 year old who played the piano like an accomplished adult.

Anyway, the thing that got me most excited was the tank of new-born chicks that live in one of the class-rooms. The tiny creatures were so funny and sweet. One minute they would be merrily chirping away and the next they would all fall asleep as one big feathered mass.

Please excuse the awful quality, but here is a video of the sweetest little family of one day old chicks that I ever did see x

Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes

I am SO excited about Goldfaden MD. It's the first organic and natural skincare brand to be developed by dermatologists which means that the products are good for you as well as being high-performers.

Doing a late night radio show means that I constantly suffer from dark circles under my eyes and other than using a good concealer, there's not much I can do about it. Upon using the Bright Eyes Radiance Concentrate I noticed an instant improvement. The thin skin under my eyes looked tighter and somehow brighter. The effects were pretty instant and I was seriously impressed.

The concentrate contains soy peptide, vitamin K, Rice Bran Extract, Organic Red Tea and Jojoba Oil which  work together to hydrate and firm the under eye area.

One of the best selling Goldfaden MD products is their Sun Visor which is a paraben and chemical free SPF 20 which can be applied over your foundation. It is non-oily, doesn't smear and contains anti-oxidant organic red-tea.

Goldfaden MD products are available at SpaceNK with the Eye Concentrate retailing for £48.

Benefit Stay Flawless-15 Hour Primer

Just a heads up that Benefit are launching a brand new, long-lasting primer tomorrow. It has had amazing results in tests and apparently your foundation literally will not budge when you use it.

I like the fact that it comes in a stick formula too so is quick and easy to apply.

I'll test it for you ASAP but I have a feeling it's going to be a good one. Costs £24.50 x

Organic Pharmacy Collagen Boosting Hydra-Diamond Non-Surgical Face-Lift

I don't care how much my face sags or how deep my wrinkles are, I can categorically say that I will never have a surgical face-lift. I'm petrified enough of surgery as it is and the idea of willingly having my face stretched and stapled makes me feel sick.

However, when it comes to other, less invasive treatments, I'm your girl. I mean why would anyone say no to a treatment that promises to give similar (if a little more short-lived) results to a face-lift but with none of the pain or extensive healing time?

The Organic Pharmacy Collagen Boosting Hydra-Diamond Non-Surgical Face-Lift is a high-tech and chemical free facial with a number of important stages. First off you have an fruit acid peel which is swiftly followed by a hydra-diamond exfoliation. Next comes the application of lotions and potions containing collagen actives which penetrate deeply following the exfoliation. Finally, the skin is toned and lifted with a pain-free micro-current.

To be honest, I was so relaxed during all of this that I didn't have a clue what was going on. All I can tell you is that I was beyond happy with the results. My skin was absolutely glowing and looked brand new if you know what I mean?

What I most loved about this facial was that it was totally chemical and pain free and yet the results were fantastic. Who says you need to suffer for beauty? They advise that you do a series of six facials for maximum benefit but one is enough to make you glow for a good few days. I particularly recommend this facial to women who usually opt for chemical peels. Give your skin a break and go for this much gentler option. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the results.

PS The Organic Pharmacy also sell the most gorgeous range of products. I'm absolutely in love with their Rose Plus Brightening Complex. It is a beautiful and light serum that really does do what it says on the tin and makes your skin look bright and glowing and also smells delicious. I've been applying it under the Double Rose Rejuvenating Face Cream which is suitable for all skin-types and is very hydrating.

Phlem-Gate!

At the ripe old age of 32 I'm pretty proud of the woman I've become. I know my mind, I chase my dreams and I think that I'm pretty strong.

So why is it that I still manage to turn to jelly when I'm in an important (possibly life-defining) meeting with a powerful alpha-male type?

Yesterday may well have been one of the lowest points of my career. I had a meeting/interview with a big TV exec and dressed in my lucky red Reiss dress and lashings of mascara, I sashayed into the building brimming with self- confidence. I was ready for this....my whole life had been building up to this moment.

With my heart beating I exited the lift and met the man who was destined to be the undoing of me. He was tall, good-looking and utterly petrifying. He gave me an "I really haven't got time for this" look and led me into a tiny meeting room where he raised an eyebrow and said...."So tell me a bit about yourself".

Now this I can do. This is my speciality. I gave him my most devastating smile, took a deep breath and embarked on the story of Me. A minute later and this guy was bored, I mean seriously bored. I could see it in his glazed eyes.

My story was interrupted just as it was getting to the bit where I played a pig in a radio drama (a particular career highlight don't you think?) and the question that he asked me next was where it all went wrong. It involved me demonstrating an in-depth knowledge of an aspect of the show and even though I'm a massive fan, had been researching the meeting for days and couldn't have been more prepared, I went totally and utterly blank. My brain was refusing to play ball (the fact that I'd only had two hours of sleep after an overnight shift wasn't helping) and I looked like a total and utter fool.

To cut a long story short, after trying (and failing) to bluff my way through the rest of the meeting, (never ever bluff in an interview...It makes things 100 times worse) I coughed and some phlem landed on the table. There was actual phlem on the table!! He could see it, I knew that he could see it and all I could focus on was hiding it so I cupped my hands around the area and gave him a look of embarrassed desperation.

The meeting was over soon after phlem-gate. There was no hand-shake (which isn't surprising considering) and I'm pretty sure that I won't be on his TV show any time soon.

And now for the beauty bit.... the one thing that didn't let me down in this whole sorry affair was my mascara. After a morning of hayfever, little sleep, embarrassment, flying phlem and phoning Chris for a good old cry-laugh, my lashings of Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara were still perfectly in place. Thanks Lancome...having panda eyes would have added insult to injury!

Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask

Sometimes there just isn't time to do a proper, sit down and relax for twenty minutes face mask.

If you are so busy that face masks are the last thing that you have time for, but know that you really should be doing them, then this is the product for you.

Moisten your face with a bit of water, apply the mask, enjoy the foaming sensation and remove after five minutes.

The mask left my skin revitalised and bright. It was like an energy drink for the face and I was seriously impressed! This is the kind of mask that I would use before a special occasion for a guaranteed quick-fix glow.

My Hair Tips

I have been such a naughty blogger and haven't updated for a whole week. Will you forgive me?

As I've been so bad, I thought I would write an extra special post all about my favourite hair products, hints and tips.

Hope you enjoy it xx

 

I have fairly flyaway and fine hair but lots of it. My hair does have a tendency to get a bit greasy, especially around the fringe so I wash it every day without fail and have been for as long as I can remember. Until fairly recently I hadn’t coloured my hair for years, but I’ve now started having natural looking highlights put in at the start of the summer.

Luxury Shampoo and Conditioner:

I am absolutely obsessed with Jo Hansford Everyday Shampoo and Conditioner. No other shampoo and conditioner make my hair look shinier and feel more soft and silky. I also love the fact that they are mild enough to use every day and that Jo is a colour specialist so they are built to protect and maintain my highlights.

Good Hair Day

Bargain Conditioner:

One of my favourite conditioners on a budget is L’Oreal Elvive Full Restore 5 60 Second Saviour. This really perks up your hair if it is looking a bit dull and lifeless and is also great for damaged ends.

For Protection:

When I’m styling my hair I always spray some of Daniel Galvin Junior’s Organic Head Heat Defence and Shine Spray first. It contains Aloe Vera and organic orange oil and is only £4. I love it!

Styling:

One of my favourite ever styling products is the Babyliss Big Hair Styler which is a hair dryer and styler in one. The brush rotates really cleverly to give lots of volume and shine. Whenever I use this product I get comments. It makes you look like you have literally “just walked out of a salon” and is a hair secret of many a beauty journalist and celebrity.

Argan Oil:

Everyone is talking about Argan oil at the moment and for good reason. It gives amazing shine whilst protecting the hair. I swear by Jo Hansford’s Illuminoil. As well as Argan, it contains Jojoba, Almond, Karanja and Pomegranate oil. I rub some in my hands and apply it to my ends while my hair is still damp. I tend not to apply too far up as my hair will get greasy, but if you have very dry hair, use this all over.

I also love Earthly Body Marrakesh X Leave-in Treatment and Detangler which is an Argan and Hemp Oil Spray and is really fantastic and affordable.

Bad Hair Day

Dry Shampoo:

I am a big fan of dry shampoo. I tend to spray little bit of Batiste Dry Shampoo for Brunettes on my fringe after blowdrying to keep it from getting greasy. Never too much though as the white residue isn’t a good look.

I also spray Batiste Big and Bouncy XXL Volume under my roots for incredible volume.

Cut and Colour:

Daniel Galvin Junior is the man I trust with my highlights. I also get my hair cut by either Joseph or Tom at Daniel’s gorgeous London salon.

Bourjois Cream Blush

Last night Hetty (my pet African Pygmy Hedgehog) escaped. One minute he was doing his usual circuits of the lounge floor and the next he was gone.

Chris and I spent ages looking for the cheeky little critter only to find him happily snuggling down in a bag of clothes that have been destined for the charity shop for months.

The morals of the story are that you should never underestimate a hedgehog's ability to out-wit you and that if you collect clothes together to take to the charity shop, don't hide them away and forget about them but do it there and then.

Apart from chasing errant hedgehogs, I have spent this week working on a crazy documentary that I'm hoping to get comissioned (it's about BDSM and I have a feeling that it's going to take me way out of my comfort zone but will be an amazing challenge and make compulsive viewing if it gets made), having my hair coloured by the amazing Daniel Galvin Junior and trying to catch up on a bit of sleep. I have also of course been trialling lots of products to tell you about.

My favourite thing this week has got to be the newly released Bourjois Cream Blush. Bourjois powder blusher is such a classic, but the cream blush is something else all together. It goes on beautifully and gives the perfect flush. I love the range of colours and the price-point at £7.99 is excellent too.

I can honestly say that the quality of these blushes matches if not exceeds the MAC, Nars and Bobbi Brown equivalents. The colours are stunning, they go on and blend with real ease and the classic little pots are a pleasure to use.

My favourite colour so far is 02 as I love coral shades of blusher, but they are all really lovely and will suit all skin-tones. I predict that these little pots will become a true beauty staple and hero product for many years to come.

Yves Rocher Retropical Range- Sunkissed Glow-Cheek Stain

Yves Rocher have just launched their Retropical range which they hail as a collection of products for "an exotic and flamboyant look".

I like the brightly coloured eye pencils and mascaras but fear they are a bit young for me.

However, the cheek stain is just gorgeous. It gives a healthy, tanned glow and goes on very easily. I dabbed it on my cheeks and then brushed some bronzer over my face as usual. It contains gold particles that illuminate the stain to make you look even more glowing and sun-kissed.

Check out the ReTropical range here xx

KIKO Makeup Milano, Fierce Spirit Glow Touch Lips and Cheeks

"Hello and welcome", said the handbag to the little KIKO pot

"Why thank you" , said the KIKO pot to the handbag. "It's an honour to be here."

"You are part of a select few" , whispered the handbag. "Only the very best actually make it in".

The pot of KIKO blushed and was grabbed by it's new owner who it made blush too. The blush was a perfect summery pink and the owner's cheeks looked the perfect shade of "just made love".

With a dab on the cheeks and a bit on the lips, the little pot was returned to it's new home, ready for more adventures.


KIKO Glow Touch Lip and Cheeks is AMAZING...I'm totally obsessed. It's part of the limited edition Fierce Spirit Range and you can get it here for £5.90.

Nail Art Nail Tattoos

Allow me to introduce one of my favourite poems/mantras:

WHEN I AM AN OLD WOMAN I SHALL WEAR PURPLE

With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

I have every intention of being naughty, cheeky, eccentric and wearing what the hell I like when I am old.

In the meantime, I'm going to be gifting the following nail polish and tattoos to my Grandma who may be 82 but looks and acts like she is a lot younger. She's utterly fabulous!

Nail Art Nail Tattoos are available here and only cost £5.99. They do a great range of neon polish shades with the pink above being my favourite!

Suitable for teenagers, young adults and Grannys everywhere!!

Cire Trudon 'Yaz' Scented Candle

Have you ever smelt a Cire Trudon Candle? If not, please promise me that you will seek them out and go on quite possibly one of the most interesting olefactory journeys of your life.

Cire Trudon have been making candles since 1643 and tailor made them for Louis XlV and Napoleon. Today, they produce a range of the most quirky, exceptional and high quality scented candles around. From the scent of the Mirror gallery and wooden floor at the Chateau of Versailles to that of Louis XlV's lover, each candle is unbelievably evocative and really plays on the imagination. They are also 100% natural so contain no harmful chemicals.

Anyway, the newest release from Cire Trudon is something a little bit different. Flamoboyant Parisian designer Yazbukey was invited to create a candle and the results are just amazing. Her aim was to create the fragrance of a 1950's lipstick but to me it smells just like a brand new, luxurious leather handbag. Either way, it is ultra glamorous and very sexy.

The candle itself is encased in a black lacquer holder with a pair of bright red lips on the lid. It's such fun and is going straight on my dressing table when I buy one. It's  not cheap at £85 for the candle and an extra £40 for the snuffer lid,  but for me this is almost a piece of art and I will keep the candle holder long after the candle has burnt away.

When you're next near Baker Street, make a slight detour to 36 Chiltern Street and visit the Cire Trudon Boutique. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Crabtree & Evelyn's Avant Garden, Covent Garden

I can' tell you how much is going on in the beauty world at the moment. 

I have so many products to test and tell you about. Some of them are really groundbreaking and quite breathtaking whilst others are big on promises but don't really deliver.

Anyway, today I wanted to move slightly away from products and tell you about something a little bit different that has come to London's Covent Garden. 

Garden designer and rising star Emma Coleman has created "The Avant Garden" which is being hailed as "a classic British herb garden for a new generation" in the West Piazza until 9th June. It is part of the Chelsea Fringe and has been created to mark over 50 years of Crabtree and Evelyn's Gardener's Collection and their 40 years of pioneering botanical formulations.

So, if you fancy a bit of escapism in the middle of the city, head to this little oasis, breathe in the thyme, rosemary and sage and make sure you pick up some free Crabtree and Evelyn samples while you're at it! 

Oh and if you fancy winning a limited edition tube of Crabtree and Evelyn Gardener's Hand Therapy post a comment below and I'll do a draw at the end of the week.

Garnier 5 Sec Perfect Blur

Even by my standards I have had a crazy day.

Here's a taster:

1am: 80's Show on Heart

4am: Finish show and jump in cab

4:30am: Clamber into bed

10am: Alarm goes off

12:30: Voiceover for the Daily Star (in the middle of nowhere)

1:30pm: Rush to Liverpool Street Station

2:30pm: Meet director of TV doc that I'm working on

4:30pm: Travel to Clapton and meet incrdible Dominatrix who might be appearing in said documentary

6:30pm: Return to Liverpool Street and go crazy stocking up on beauty products from Boots (my form of retail therapy)

8pm: snuggle up in bed and grab a few hours sleep

As you can see, I have been quite busy and sleep doesn't figure very highly on the above list. However, one of my reckless Boots purchases has made the world of difference to my poor, slumber deprived face.

After spending £12.99 on a tube of Garnier 5 Sec Perfect Blur and smothering my face with it before work,  I can tell you that this stuff really does do what it says on the tin. I went from shiny, blotchy and pallid to glowing and mattified within seconds. All my imperfections really were blurred away and I felt airbrushed.

My skin feels soft and still looks great six hours later and I would be happy to leave the house with nothing but this and some mascara. This is a definite beauty must-have and really does make a palpable difference to the appearance of your skin.

One thing I would say is that it needs a few seconds to settle on the skin before you apply your makeup as it was a tiny bit slippery to start with. (Although this may be down to the fact that I applied a little too much!)

Here's to spur of the moment shopping at the end of a long day!

Beauteco Box

I love giving presents. I don't know if it is a purely selfish thing because I love the feeling of fulfilment that I get from choosing a present that is 'just right' or whether I am in fact a genuinely nice person who gets pleasure from seeing other people happy. I think it is probably a combination of both.

I find Chris really easy to buy for as I know him so well. Often we do very thoughtful and slightly silly gifts for each other and also love to treat each other to weekends away. My father on the other hand is not quite so easy. I find myself racking my brains for months when it comes to him. Failsafe options include food and wine, but there's only so much food and wine one man can consume.

It's the women in my life who I find the simplest to buy for. All of them without fail love beauty products and I love to put together little boxes of goodies for them. My Mum is always most excited by luxurious face and hand creams, my sister adores makeup and perfumes and my girlfriends are into all the latest wonder products and are big on mascaras.

Beauty boxes are such fun to put together. If you know someone well, then you will probably know the kind of things they love as well as their skincare needs. If you are going to make a box, buy one luxury item and a few cheaper but lovely products. My perfect box would perhaps include:

Liz Earle Hot Polish Cleanser
Emma Hardie Handcream
Revlon nailpolish in a bright coral
Margaret Dabbs Foot Oil
L'Oreal Liquid Precision Eyeliner

If you haven't got time to put a box together then there are a few companies out there who will do it for you.
One of the latest beauty boxes to be launched is Beauteco Box.

For £10 p/m they will send you or a loved one two monthly boxes containing five products. Some are full size and others smaller.

The thing I like about Beauteco is that they give different options depending on your skintype and you get to choose your box in advance. This kinda ruins the surprise element but means you know what you're getting and that you can actually use the products rather than pushing them to the back of your bathroom cabinet.

I trialled a box recently and was very happy with it. There is something so exciting about getting a special beauty delivery at work and I would LOVE to get them twice a month.

My box contained :

Anatomicals Body Scrub (full size)

Anatomicals Hand Cream (medium)

Dr Bragi Age Management Moisturiser (small)

 Mitchell & Peach Body Cream (Medium)
                               
Melvita Ultra Cleansing Oil Rose (enough to last at least a month or two)

How to get legs like Kate Moss in the St Tropez Ad (well almost!)

I have always been incredibly envious of women with lovely legs. The minute the sun comes out, out too come their long, brown limbs, framed by pretty little skirts/shorts. In the meantime, my white, much shorter specimens are still cowering in shame under a thick pair of black tights.

Getting my pallid legs out each year has never been easy for me, but there is no denying that it does eventually have to happen. Thank goodness there are many things that you can do to make this seasonal rite of passage much easier. No you can’t make your legs longer, but you CAN make them smooth, soft and tanned thanks to a selection of great products on the market.

So, here’s my guide for gorgeous summer legs:

Step one: Acceptance

Get legs out in private. Take a deep breath and look in the mirror. Take stock of hair situation and level of paleness. Shrug shoulders and smile. In a day or two you’re going to totally transform those pesky limbs.

Step two: Hair Removal

Next year, if you’ve got a bit of spare money promise yourself you’re going to have a course of IPL. It is so much less painful than hair laser removal and will rid you of your hairs for the long run. It’s available at lots of beauty salons but make sure you check out their credentials first. I personally love Ministry of Waxing.

This year, book in with a good waxer or get out your trusty razor out. (naughty as it makes the hair coarse, but so easy!)

Step three: Exfoliation

Once your legs are hair free, it’s time to prep them for the perfect tan.

If you’re anything like me then they might be looking a bit dry at the moment. Well, dry skin and fake tan are not a good combination, so it’s time to exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate.

One of the best and cheapest ways to do this is with a pair of exfoliating gloves. These are one of the best inventions ever. They cost next to nothing and I tend to use them in the shower. Squirt a good amount of shower gel onto them and then scrub away all those horrid dead skin cells. Simple!

If you prefer to use an actual scrub, here are some of my favourites:

Soap and Glory The Scrub of Your Life: £7

I love the fact that you can really feel this working. It also contains lovely moisturising ingredients. The price is good too! www.soapandglory.com

Organic Surge Tropical Bergamot Body Scrub: £4.99

I love this organic and ethical brand. This scrub smells beautiful and the bergamot is a great moisturiser.

Clinique Sparkle Skin: £20

Contains grapefruit, lemon, spearmint and menthol. Makes your legs glow!

Step four: Moisturise

Fake tan clings to dry skin, so you need to make sure that the skin on your legs is hydrated before you get the tan out.

The best time to moisturise is when you are still slightly damp after a bath or shower.

There are so many great body moisturisers on the market but here are some of my favourites:

Emma Hardie Natural Lift and Sculpt Body Butter:  Available at John Lewis and Space NK

I love everything in the Emma Hardie range. A lot of work goes into making these products super effective. This body butter contains Vitamin E, Shea Butter, exotic oils from Peru and Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids.

Lanolips Lovely Lanolin Triple Buttermilk Body Balm: www.lanolips.com

This multi-award winning product is great for very dry and sensitive skin.

Kiehls Crème de Corps : £16 kiehls.co.uk

This cream is such a classic and is used by a host of celebrities including Kate Moss.

Ren Moroccan Rose Otto Body Cream: £26

One of my favourite smells in the world!! I use this when I really want to treat myself. Luxurious, delicious and effective!

Step five: Tanning

Before you tan make sure that you apply a layer of moisturiser to your ankles and knees you don’t get any excess fake tan clinging to these areas.

Now the best way to apply fake tan is with a tanning mitt. These will provide an easy, even and streak free application.

Apply your tan to the mitt and then really work it into your legs in a circular motion. Don’t apply to much to your feet and literally brush the mitt over your ankles so that they get some colour but not too much.

Another option for those who like the natural look is to apply a Gradual Tan. You don’t need to use a mitt for these and they contain moisturiser so you can skip that step as well.

Here’s a list of my top fake tans:

He-Shi Express Liquid Tan: £37 www.he-shi.eu

I find that this tan goes on really easily and is streak free. The colour is lovely and natural too. Must be applied with a mitt as it is in liquid form!

James Read Gradual Tan: £24.50 www.jamesreadtan.com

James Read is the KING of fake tans. He has a host of celebrity clients and his products are just amazing. I particularly like his Gradual tan but his liquid one is also fantastic.

St Tropez Gradual Tan Plus Firming 4 in 1: £20

I’ve been testing this and it is honestly one of the best gradual tans I’ve ever used. It goes on like a dream and there’s pretty much none of that horrible biscuity smell. This tan is also great for the skin and has anti-ageing benefits. If it’s good enough for Kate Moss it’s definitely good enough for me!