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.