Electric Cars, Bike incidents and BB Mousse

Why is is that everyone I know seems to be having odd runs of bad luck at the moment?

I was having a lovely dinner with my friends the other night when one of them who will I will refer to as B arrived not looking herself. She looked tired, stressed and vulnerable. After a glass of wine she regaled her terrible tales from the last week or so. Within the space of 10 days she had:

1. Had her bag stolen
2. Fallen off her bike (twice)
3. Looked after her other half who had a nasty bug
4. Caught said bug

The next day I spoke to my Grandma who I have referred to a number of times in this blog. (The one who goes line dancing, has French classes and who is on the look out for a man!) Once again I was presented with a list of terrible tales. Unfortunately I have promised not to reveal them as if my Mum finds out she will tell her off! (Let me tell you though I have given said Grandma a big lecture!)

Well they say things like this happen in threes so I guess it was only natural that I would catch whatever is in the air.

So here is how my Saturday panned out:

1. Chris and I hired an electric car for the day because it was cheaper, more ecologically friendly and supposedly more fun than other cars.
2. Chris and I took said car on a trip to Grays in Essex where we saw his wonderful Nan Barbara and went out for a really awful lunch!
3. As we headed home we realised that our eco-friendly marvel of a car was rapidly running out of electricity. (It is meant to do at least 70 miles before this happens!)
4. The only place to charge said car was Asda in Dagenham (please don't ever go there unless you REALLY have to!)
5. It was pissing it down, Chris was running around with a live plug and we had no IDEA what we were doing.
6. After half an hour of supposedly charging the car a soaked Chris announced the inevitable. "It's not working is it?"
7. One hour later, having finally worked out how to use the damn thing the electricity had gone up by a miniscule amount.
8. We drove back to London with no heating and the windows open so the car didn't steam up. I was moaning, Chris was shivering and the car was making worrying noises.
9. We also ended up mistakenly driving in the wrong lane and Chris left £30 cashback at Asda.
10. Oh, did I add that the hire company charged us extra for being late back even though there was something wrong with their stinking car and we phoned them in a state of panic??

I turned up at my best friend's birthday celebrations looking bedraggled and stressed while everyone else looked cool, collected and glamorous. Even B had managed to turn things around and looked all elfin and Audrey Hepburn like.

My best friend put her flawless, glowing skin down to Shu Uemura BB Mousse which she reckons has changed her life. Although I was excited by this and will be testing it in due course, I put it down to her owning a good old, ecologically unfriendly, petrol-guzzling vehicle.

Singing In The Rain

As well as beauty, one of my big passions is the theatre. There is nothing better than heading to the West End in your glad-rags and sitting back in the glory of one of our beautiful theatres. They always feel so full of history and I love the buzz of excitement in the auditorium as the performance is about to start.

Last night I took my Mum to see the press night of "Singing in The Rain" at London's Palace Theatre. The production was fantastic. I have never seen a cast with so much energy and the dancing was exceptional. If you do go along then make sure you wear a mac if you are sitting in one of the front six rows...I'll say no more but trust me on that!!

Anyway, apart from the onstage action, there was a whole different performance happening in the auditorium. Everywhere you looked there was a different well-known face. From Sheila Hancock to Babs Windsor to Tamsin Outhwaite, the luvvies were out in force and the thing that struck me about them is that they all looked wonderfully glamorous. I love the idea that you should dress up to the nines for a trip to the West End. These days so many people shove on a pair of jeans and gobble on sweets during a production and this somehow seems wrong to me. Rewind as little as ten years and going to the theatre was a big event that deserved a great outfit and glam makeup.

So here's all the beauty gossip from last night:

Babs Windsor looked glamorous and fabulous with her trade-mark blonde hair piled up in a bun. Her lipstick was bright like her personality and I loved the fact that she looked glamorous yet reassuringly familiar and down-to earth.

Tamsin Outhwaite had gone for a bright coral lipstick which had been applied with great care. The coral looked great with her blonde hair.

Sheila Hancock looked effortlessly glam with her cropped grey hair. She had chosen a slightly smoky eye and red lipstick in a fairly dark shade.

Janet Street-Porter was also there and as ever I was totally seduced by her bright red hair. In fact, it looked so good on her that my Mum and I both discussed going red ourselves but eventually decided against it. (We have the wrong complexions.)

I definitely recommend a trip to "Singing in The Rain" and why not opt for some old school glamour when you go? I reckon it will add to the sense of occasion and make it all the more special x

Kyoku For Men

With Valentines Day only a couple of days away, I thought that I'd recommend a great present for the beauty conscious man.

When I first met my husband, like a lot of men, he swore by plain old soap and water. I introduced him to the wonders of moisturiser and within a few months he was addicted. Fast forward six years and he gets just as excited as me about reviewing new products. (Although he'd never admit it!) The other day he announced that he loved my Darphin face-wash and asked me what exactly a serum does as he had been using (my very expensive one) and quite liked it.

Well, as much as I love sharing with him, I decided it was high time that Chris had his own products to play around with and left my special creams and potions well alone. So, the other night I came home with a bag full of male only face treats from the company Kyoku and he is (thank goodness) absolutely enamoured.

Asim, the creator of Kyoku went on a trip to Japan and found that not only were the men there healthier than their Western counterparts, but that they had incredible skin. Now obviously a lot of this can be put down to diet and lifestyle, but Asim also found that the men in the region had nearly five times the amount of hyaluronic acid (a protein involved heavily in collagen production and the structural integrity of the skin) than the average man, despite the fact that ageing usually slows its synthesis. Akhtar concluded that the high levels of hyaluronic acid in the region was an effect of both their diet and natural skin care regimes, which involved a range of plants, vegetables and herbs.

He then came home and began experimenting with the ingredients that he had discovered on his journey and went on to create Kyoku.

Chris has been using the SPF 15 Facial Moisturizer, Eye Fuel, Sake Infused Shave Creme and Oil Control Lotion. He adores the Shave Creme saying that it gives a great shave and smells delicious. He also loves the Eye Fuel and says that you only need to use a tiny amount for a great effect.

From my point of view, Chris' skin is looking really lovely at the moment and the products are so nice that even a bloke who doesn't really enjoy caring for his skin might be inspired to give it a go.

Check out the Kyoku range at http://kyokuformen.com/home_uk.php you can also get hold of it at Harrods, Harvey Nichols, House of Fraser and Libertys. Prices start at around £19.

Radical Skincare

My main aim with this blog is to be as honest as possible with you. When I try a product that doesn't work I either won't mention it here or I will let you know. I think that is the great thing about beauty blogs in general really. We don't have the commercial restrictions of many beauty journalists and build up really good, honest relationships with our readers.

Anyway, I'm telling you this because I want you to know that when I tell you about a product that I love, I generally will have spent a good amount of time testing it on myself and others in the hope that I am giving you an honest analysis that you can really trust.

I have been using Radical Skin Care products for the last month in a bid to see whether they perform as well as I was promised when I met their creator Liz Edlich.

Liz has been creating Radical Skincare with her sister for the past fifteen years. The story goes that they noticed that their skin was aging and decided to create the ultimate anti-aging creams and products for themselves and their friends without worrying about the cost. They never intended to launch them, they were to be used and enjoyed by their closest circle of friends and family. Eventually they managed to create an amazing set of formulas that really worked and their Hollywood mates who trialled them came back begging for more.

Fast-forward to 2012 and Liz and her sis decided that they couldn't hide their miracle lotions and potions from the world because they were so good and Radical Skincare was officially launched.

Now I must admit that I sometimes get a bit tired of what I often think of as PR blurb. I mean in this saturated market, people need to think of a unique selling point for their products and the Radical Skincare story is definitely an attractive one.

However, whether this story is for real or not, Radical Skincare REALLY does work and after a month of using it both my husband and I have seen a dramatic change in the appearance of our skin.

Here's the blurb as explained by Liz Edlich:

We simply developed the most potent antioxidant formula and delivery system on the market today. Resveratrol, Coffee Arabica, acai, green and white tea, prunes, pomegranate, grape seed and many more natural sources create this powerful berry bronze formula. Antioxidants tend to breakdown when put into skin care , so we created a technology that could suspend the antioxidants within the formulas so that formulations would deliver the maximum power and potency of these antioxidants directly upon contact of the skin! I then had our potency put to the test by an independent USDAS lab in a head to head clinical test against leading brands that included: Clinique, Lancôme, Neutrogena, Cellex-C, StriVectin, SkinMedica, etc.

Radical Skincare proved to be 300x more potent in antioxidant strength than leading mass and prestige brands tested!

Here's what my hubby and I think:

- We have been using the Age-defying Exfoliating Pads, the Peptide Infused Antioxidant Serum and the Anti-Aging Restorative Moisture for the last month.

- The Exfoliating Pads are meant to be so potent that they can help rid you of crows feet. Unfortunately I found that they made my skin sting so had to stop using them. My husband really likes them though.

- The serum and moisturiser are just INCREDIBLE. I've been putting a layer of serum under the moisturiser each morning and evening and have been getting loads of comments about how good my skin looks, as has my husband. We are both glowing with much firmer skin. As we are in our 30's it is hard to judge their anti-aging benefits, but all I can say is that the change in the quality and appearance of my skin has been really noticable.

So would I recommend Radical Skincare?

This stuff is expensive but the serum and moisturiser are the best that I have used with really noticable benefits. I don't think that I could afford to buy them as part of my regular routine but when I can I will as I feel that they will not only benefit my skin in the short-term but will help keep it looking young and fresh in the long-term.

If you want to treat yourself or have a birthday coming up, try this range! If you can only afford one product then go for the serum! Radical Skincare is now available in Harrods xx

http://www.radicalskincare.com/about.php

Elemis Total Face and Body Polish

I am so relieved that it is finally February. Everyone I know has had a terrible bout of the January blues this year and I'm hoping that romantic February will be a chance for people to relax, indulge and forget about New Year's Resolutions and being broke from Christmas.

Anyway, if you do fancy a bit of a treat in your aim to forget the woes of January then please pay a visit to the Elemis Day Spa in Mayfair and book the Elemis Total Face and Body Polish. This is a brand new treatment and it is fabulous in so many ways.

Here goes:

1.The spa itself is so cute and is hidden away in Lancashire Court, off New Bond Street. Lancashire Court is a hidden London gem and is full of lovely little restaurants and bars. The place is a haven.

2. The interior of the spa is cosy and boutiquey. I could have spent all day reading and relaxing in the waiting room alone. Oh and the treatment room transports you to Morocco(see image). Escapism at it's best!

3. The Face and Body Polish is special because there is so much to it. During the treatment you will receive a facial, a total body polish and moisturise, a hot-stone shoulder massage and a foot massage. The result is that you leave with a glowing face, a soft, buffed body and in a state of total relaxation. It is in effect three great treatments in one. Oh and I was so taken by the hot-stone shoulder massage that I now want the full body one. It was SO relaxing!

4. The facial in particular is totally prescribed to suit your skin type. You start by having a face analysis where a picture is taken to show everything from sun damage to ageing. After going through every aspect of the picture the therapist discusses your facial needs in great detail and explains what she will be using and why.

5. I am a BIG fan of Elemis. They put a lot of time into formulating products that really work with great ingredients.

This treatment is great if you want to feel relaxed as well as having a total over-haul for your skin. You'll leave soft, glowing and smiling!

The Elemis Day Spa
2 Lancashire Court, London W1S 1EX
020 7499 4995

http://www.elemis.com/dayspa/

Margaret Dabbs Medical Pedicure

Is it just me or do you sometimes forget about your feet? They're just so far away from your face and as they stay hidden for most of the year, if something's gotta give (what with time restrictions and all) it's going to be your feet....

If you agree with me then for goodness sake don't tell the podiatrist/foot expert at Margaret Dabbs. In her words "your feet carry you through your entire life and they deserve to be looked after."

Margaret Dabbs is a renowned celebrity foot expert who created the medical pedicure (fondly known as the medi-pedi) as a way of creating beautiful and more importantly really healthy feet.

This basically means that you'll leave one of her extablishments not only with stunning, sandal ready feet but with your corns/ingrowing toenails etc completely sorted!

I visited the Margaret Dabbs Foot Clinic and Nail Spa, near Marleybone and instantly loved the atmosphere. The staff were friendly and chatty,the fresh coffee was fabulous and the decor was modern and relaxing.

The first thing that struck me about the woman who did my medi-pedi was how utterly professional she was. She explained that she had been fully trained as a podiatrist but loved doing the medi-pedi because it turns a medical treatment into something luxurious.

The first thing that she noticed was that my toe-nails were slightly in-grown. Time was spent sorting this out and following this, my feet were buffed to perfection. After about 45 minutes I couldn't believe the difference. My feet were soft and my toe-nails looked healthier than ever before. In fact they looked so good that I chose to leave them natural rather than opting for polish.

Before leaving I bought some of Margaret's renowned "Intensive Treatment Foot Oil". I've been using it for a fortnight now and my feet are looking as good as they did straight after my pedicure.

The medi-pedi is not cheap at £125 but I figure that if you were going book a separate pedicure and trip to the chiropodist it may well come to more than this.

For more info on Margaret Dabb's clinics and products click here: https://www.margaretdabbs.co.uk/

A little bit of respect makes a big difference

Even though this is a beauty blog I hope you'll excuse me going off piste from time to time.

I read an article in the Lifestyle Section of the Daily Mail this morning and it has sparked me to write about a subject that I am incredibly passionate about.

The article itself is a diary about the hell that a woman went through when her Grandma was rushed to hospital. The Grandma in question received a level of care that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy and the only thing that saved her was the fact that her grandaughter stayed in the hospital and cared for her for the entire time that she was there.

Certain things about the article sent a shiver of recognition down my spine. The lack of care, lack of respect and a dangerous lack of communication between the Drs and nurses were just some of the things that I observed when my own Grandma was in hospital.

My Grandma Lily was an amazing, talented and fascinating woman. In her youth she was a successful fashion designer and throughout her life she never looked anyhting less than impeccable with a great sense of style and Hollywood grace about her. She was a strong woman who combatted alcoholism and spent her later years counselling members of Alcoholics Anonymous. Lily was a kind, inspiring woman with a wicked sense of humour and she was fiercely proud and protective of her family and friends. Unfortunately old age always gets us in the end and when she broke her hip things started to go downhill for her.

Visiting my grandma in hospital was a real shock for me. It was the first time I had ever seen her without immaculate hair and makeup and the first time that I realised that she wasn't immortal.

When you know and love somebody, one of the most frustrating things is seeing them treated like a generic "old person" by the medical staff in a hospital. I was shocked at how condescending and patronising the nurses were with my Grandma. They spoke to her like a child rather than a woman and it was quite clear that they did not care about her as an individual but as a number.

I found myself freaking out when it was clear that my Grandma wasn't receiving the care that she required. I won't go into details because she wouldn't have wanted me to, but I found myself having to consistently chase the nurses as they had forgotten to do a number of basic things to ensure Lily's comfort and basic rights as a human being. I also found myself talking to the nurses and telling them a bit about the woman that lay before them. Why couldn't they see how incredible she was? Why couldn't they speak to her with a bit of respect and humanity?

I know there are a lot of truly amazing people in the NHS who work harder amd care more than many of us can even imagine but for those other ones who ignore their duties or are just too damn busy to really care, I beg them to find another job.

More importantly, Everyone needs to remember that one day they will be old. Quite frankly, our attitude to old people in this country stinks. We spend our lives fearing the ageing process and somehow this translates to a fear/lack of respect for the elderly. I look with envy at other countries where the elderly are revered for being wise and every wrinkle is celebrated as telling a story about their lives!

Next time you look at "a little old woman/man" remember that she/he was once your age and had your dreams and ambitions and deserves the utmost care and respect.