Fave Friday

It has been a couple of years now since I stumbled into Kiehl's and impulse-purchased some lovely skin care. I've ditched the day serum now in favour of something that feels a bit less plasticky, but when they provided me with a generous sample of this at the same time, I became a fan very quickly. I used it during my holiday to Berlin that October and found it to be very soothing, and the scent is soporific to boot. A good combination.

I have recently finished the first bottle, after 18 months; that's not to say it lasted that long, because I do go through phases of not using it, and it doesn't always make it into my holiday washbag due to it being quite heavy and made of glass. However, a little really did go a long way and I think it makes my skin look sleeker the morning after I use it. Only a good thing, surely.

Fave Friday

I had been on the hunt for a good navy eyeliner for years. I was very picky. It had to be the right shade of navy - not too blue, not too dark. There could be no hint of shimmer to it. It had to have really good staying power - no smudging, to avoid that half moon on the upper lid. It had to apply smoothly - I was really only looking for a liquid. Shu Uemura nailed it with their gel eyeliner and I used it heavily until it dried up, whereupon I discovered to my horror that the colour had been discontinued. That was a couple of years ago and I've been on the hunt ever since.

I have looked at dozens, in all price ranges, but found they all had a bit of shimmer (I prefer to have the option of adding my own shimmer, ta) or were the wrong blue.

However, I am happy to report that I have found something that is nearly perfect. I'm back to wearing eyeliner at school again, which is a bit of a shock to my students since I don't think I bothered once last year.

The liner in question is by Urban Decay. It was a lot more than I would normally pay for an eyeliner pencil, but the colour, matte finish and consistency were too good to pass up. It goes on like a liquid, sets almost immediately and lasts through all the early morning eye-watering, and all day long, until it dissolves effortlessly during my evening face-washing. It even made it through a Bikram class this week.

The colour is Sabbath. There are some dreamy colours available, but the list of colour names does make me chuckle. I mean, really. Asphyxia? Does their creative team sit around thinking up the most depressing and dystopian words they can when they're naming products? Yes, I realise I sound about a hundred years old, but it would be helpful to have some indication of the colour in the name.

My only issue with it is that it's very difficult to sharpen. The colour stick doesn't seem to quite meet its wooden surroundings, so if it is sharp it is precariously long. A great trick to ensure I use it up quickly. Perhaps I need to buy one of their sharpeners. 

Fave Friday

Ah, Sephora. It's such a comforting place. I swing between wishing there was one in Bristol and being glad there isn't: I would spend calamitously.

Luckily, they are dotted all over Europe, particularly, it seems, in cities where I happen to be. I've been able to visit a couple of branches this summer and, in Lucca, picked up some masks. Lots of lovely sheet masks, obvs, but also a couple of these to try:

I got one in avocado and one in rose. They were about 3 euros each. I popped them in my hand luggage to Durham, thinking I might use one overnight, but then didn't, so it took until the return to work to get trying.

Firstly, I'm glad I didn't open one in Durham. They don't close again, and there is a good four nights' application in here. I ruminated on what might happen if I was to slap on the entire mask in one go, and concluded that I would need to buy a new pillow and that this would get expensive very quickly.

Secondly, they are very cooling and soothing. They would be very good in the summer when your skin is a bit parched, or a bit sun burned; or after a windy day of skiing. They dry after a few minutes to a slightly tacky layer, and in the morning just rinse off.

Do they work? Don't know, really. What are they meant to do? I put it on over serum and my skin did feel baby soft and look very even when I got up in the morning, and for the equivalent of about 60p a night, I think that is a very reasonable win.

I'm trying to work out how this product might fit into the Korean 10-step skincare routine I've been reading about. These 10 Korean steps boggle my mind, tbh. I think my skin would give up. Also I would. They sound like terribly hard work and I think it's too late for my skin, anyway.

Fave Friday

I'm not very good at washing my face. I don't usually wear make up to school (although I have been trying to do this more this year, now that I'm not getting the bus to work); I don't like tissue-off cleansers because they never feel very clean and my skin is a bit dry for wash off ones. I loved Lush's Babyface but they discontinued it and, although I have a stash, using it does require me to run hot water to get it off. I am not usually patient enough to do this before bed. Then I don't put any cream on my face at night because I think my skin isn't clean...and so on. I am a bit too vain for this to be OK but it is difficult to be vain and lazy.

Then I saw this on a favoured blog I read.

I picked up a tube whilst in France last month, where I could pretend that the Euro price actually made it quite reasonable when it's really just 1-to-1 now and therefore probably cheaper to buy here. I've been using it for a month and it really is as good as it reckons itself to be, and there's still two-thirds of the tube left.

It is a gel when it comes out but then becomes an oil on the skin, until you rinse, when it just melts off your face like a milky soap. This is what Clarins claim it does and, you know, they're not lying. My face feels delightful afterwards: very smooth and soft, and not at all tight. It doesn't feel greasy either, which it sometimes does after Babyface. I can do that advert-style splashing of water and it gets it all gone without the need for a flannel. Finally, it sees off make up with surprising zeal. Even waterproof stuff.

I started using a Clarins moisturiser earlier this year when I had to finally admit to myself that my favourite Lush Gorgeous is just a bit light for my aging skin, and I really like that too. I think spending a bit more on these products is just insurance against the future, right? I remember my university dentist telling me that now I was out of my "pig adolescent years" I could finally start taking care of my teeth and maybe the same is now true of my skin.

Now I need to be able to get it in a travel size and I will be 100% happy.

Fave Friday

I do love a beauty product or six. I picked up a Kiehl's serum a few years ago and was dismayed to find it discontinued when I returned to replace it. Last month I wandered past a Kiehl's after getting my hair cut; I was in a spendy mood so I went in to ask for a recommendation.

The white-coated sales assistant held something to my skin and told me in hushed tones that it was very dry indeed. Of course it was. He recommended me a serum and then - because I was such a desperate case, presumably - a facial oil. I impulse-purchased both, then put them in the bag Mr Z was taking home from London because I was flying with hand luggage only, so they sat unloved for a week or two.

I have been using them daily since, though, and they are very good. I should by rights be looking akin to a haggard, 90 year old witch with eye bags you could pack a lunch in, but, even though this is how I feel, my skin looks like I've just had a few weeks at a relaxation retreat with unlimited sleep. Magic.

The serum feels a bit weird. It's a bit like plastic. That's probably the silicones. It does seem to have diminished the crow's feet after using it twice daily, though. I'm afraid now I'm getting old that I need to be less picky about ingredients. That said, I did prefer the acai one I got back in 2011; I got a sample of the midnight one and think I might prefer that, too. Maybe for Christmas.

The facial oil is delightful. It smells of oranges. It is possibly even better than the Neal's Yard one I love, mainly because it has a plunger to fill the pipette instead of a squeezy - that squeezy split in my washbag during the summer holiday and the entire bottle of Neal's Yard stuff is now moisturising said washbag. Old white coat was insistent that the oil was quick absorbing an not at all greasy. I wouldn't quite agree; I wouldn't put it on in the morning. But it does feel quite light and Mr Z is slightly less annoyed when he kisses me goodnight and ends up with a lipful of it than he was with the Neal's Yard oil.

Fave Friday

Christmas nails!

I've never had a French manicure of any variety before so it was interesting to see this being done. I don't know how I thought they managed to get such a neat line for the tips, but she really just did it with a very steady hand.

This is Shellac, Red Baroness with Locket Love on the tips.

Fave Friday

This week: The Blow Dry.

It's terribly extravagant, but one of my favourite things to do. I have only ever had a few, but this is more to do with the logistics of getting to the salon at a convenient time than anything else; I suppose that is why it is such a treat, because it takes a good hour and that is a lot of time to spend. Plus, it's paying somebody a fairly substantial sum of money to do something I'm perfectly capable of doing for myself.

However, it is still my favourite beauty treat. So this week after my first exam board meeting on Wednesday, I found myself with two hours to spare. I was near Covent Garden, the site of my first blow dry, which I had when Jen was getting her hair cut before an Avalon meet. I tried Aveda but was feeling confident enough at that point to reject their senior stylist at £60. So I wandered around until I found a likely salon*. It had prices for ladies on the menu, but I could only see gentlemen inside; I dithered a bit but then it started to sleet so I went for it.

"Hello," I said hesitantly to the intimidatingly cool and perfectly-coiffed ladies on the desk. "I was wondering if you had somebody available for, um, who could blow dry my hair?"

They stared at me for a moment. Was it my ancient and extremely bobbly gigantic purple cardigan? Was it my awful, frizzy, lumpy, greasy mop that looked beyond redemption? Was it a barber? Was it a front for human trafficking? I opened my mouth to take it back but caught sight of a woman having her hair washed behind the desk and she looked so relaxed, the washer girl having just got to the massage part of the wash, that my retraction died in my throat. I waited for the girls to decide.

They consulted in whispers and looked at the schedule. Then the price list. Then one of them disappeared towards the back to check, while the other said, "We're just checking - our senior stylist might be available." The first one appeared again with a Japanese stylist who looked at me doubtfully. Makeupless, in muddy Uggs and a black maxi dress with the woolly cardigan around me, I can't have looked particularly promising. But he gave a brief nod - clearly not one to knock back a challenge - and then remaining receptionist instantly quoted me a price. It was steep. But not as steep as Aveda; and I'd come too far to back down.

The second receptionist came back. I could bear the silence no longer. "It's just so awful!" I burst out, pointing at my head. "I mean, it's just so flat, and yet lumpy, and frizzy...I just want it to look good!"

It was like I'd canted a spell. "Oh, you poor thing - yes, and it's been snowed on too," comforted one, soothingly, "let me get you a robe. Can I take your co...er...jumper?" "Would you like a drink of something?" asked the other, warmly. Clearly, I had not been speaking their language at first. My doubt and frank embarrassment at asking for such an everyday thing had put them off. I'm sure people regularly turn up to ask for these things.

It was all glorious after that. A silk robe. A chair that mechanically lifted from the middle to set me in a flat position at the sink. A gorgeous lavender-and-rosemary-scented shampoo. A washer girl who asked if I wanted conditioner all over, or on the ends. A head massage. A lapful of magazines including the newest Elle which I hadn't read yet. Two people working to comb out my tangles and exclaiming over how long my hair is (I always like that, though I'm not sure they always mean it as a compliment). A stylist who artfully curled segments around clips and straightened segments and worked most of the blow dry with his fingertips until I looked like a new person; who called my hair "dark blonde" when I cocked my head to look for greys, and smoothly lied that they were invisible instead of trying to sell me an appointment with the colourist; who gave me advice on how to get the layers cut back in and told me I should do it soon; who told me I had a gorgeous natural wave. I walked out feeling a million dollars, and the magic blow dry was still working to give me confidence in yesterday's very long and full-on meeting (which I might liken to taming lions for 7 hours straight), and it STILL looked good today when I sadly had to wash it. And he used only a teeny amount of product, too, because he had a magic hair dryer where the cold shot actually worked and it did a magic thing to my hair at the end: it was fluffy, and then it wasn't. All previously stylists have said, "Gosh, it's fluffy, isn't it!" and thrown product at it, with varying but unsatisfactory degrees of success. 

It is testament to his artistry that I am actually trying to work out how I can get back there for a cut. He did ask if I wanted it cut. But the blow dry alone was worth every penny. And it was my reward to myself - the advance copy of my book arrived on Wednesday and it will be on sale very soon. Eighteen months of hard work coming to an end! Sadly the prosecco I opened in its honour was flat; but at least my hair still had bounce.


* Having found and nosed around the website a bit for this post, I understand my experience a bit better now.

Wednesday Beauty: Australia Special

I was on the prowl for a couple of Australian goodies during my recent holiday.

Firstly this



Lucas' Papaw Ointment is featured in many glossy magazines and lists of wonder products. I bought a tube of it for a fraction of the price it costs in this country. It is not what I expected. It has roughly the texture of Vaseline though it smells much nicer and has an a bit of a tingly thing going on, especially when used on lips. During my sojourn in the Red Centre, I found myself without lip balm and slathered this on instead, but it's a bit of an exfoliant thanks to all that papaya so it probably wasn't the best idea. However, it worked magic on the hard skin/blisters from the walking, and I used it on my scaly ankles on the plane home and it sorted those right out too. I will definitely be replacing it when it runs out.

Secondly these


I cannot remember where I heard of Inecto Coconut Milk Wipes. I can remember seeking an online vendor of them, and being disappointed to find they were only available shipped from Aus and accompanied by enormous shipping charges, and finally giving up on the idea. So I was really please so find them sold all over the place in Aus, and very impressed with them, and consequently overjoyed to find they are now easily purchasable in this country.

I am not a regular user of wipes on my face because (a) I prefer a wash off cleanser and (b) my cheeks can be a bit sensitive, but these are very moisturising and gentle. They are gentler than my usual facial wipe of choice, the Good Things fruity one, and they were very helpful in taking the sting out of the sun burn I accidentally picked up during a walk around Cape Tribulation. Coconut is one of my favourite scents, so the product already gained points for that, but the formulation's the important bit, and I'd say this is a win.

I do like a good rummage in the chemist while I'm on holiday. It's second only to an hour spent wandering around a supermarket.

Wednesday Beauty: On the Beach

Beach beauty is all about the sun, and how to avoid too much damage. I am fair-skinned, so don't tan particularly well and have to know my limits when it comes to time in the sun. I hate products that feel greasy or don't seem to sink into the skin. Here's what I take/use:

Ambre Solaire Sun Oil SPF30. Obviously any sun protection is good sun protection, but I like this as I am quite pasty and it adds a good sheen. I have never burned whilst using it and it sinks in well and doesn't feel greasy. I also really like their new spray-on lotion which goes on clear, though I don't have any of that (yet).
I have what seems to be an unusual approach to sun screen. I never go down a factor. I know some people start high and work down to say, a 15; I work up. I used to go from 20 to 30, though now I start at 30. If my skin is already brown and therefore a bit damaged, I don't want to be giving it less protection!

Soltan Factor SPF50+ soft pack. Perfect for shoving in a pocket and this little pack is good for topping up face or other areas that are particularly exposed. If I am out all day I tend to add a layer of this during the hottest hours.

Ultrasun SPF 30 Facial Sunscreen. I use this instead of a moisturiser in the morning if I'm going to be out in the sun. Sinks in really well, not greasy and doesn't leave a residue.

Charles Worthington Sunshine Leave-in UV protection Spray. A new product for me, I have to admit - a hair sunscreen. I don't colour my hair or straighten it regularly but it is very long and the ends do get a bit frazzled in the heat so this, I hope, will counteract it. I'll use it on dry hair before and after swimming.

Deep conditioner sachets. I use to use John Frieda Beach Blonde hair oil when I was swimming but it's sadly discontinued now. Instead, once I am out of the sea or the pool and have rinsed my hair, I add a sachet of deep conditioner while sunbathing. The heat makes it work really well.
I don't really like Pantene but I had three of these in my samples bag and it seemed a waste not to use them!

Toner and wipes. Both for cooling down. Pictured: Eau Roma Water from Lush (again!) and cucumber wipes from Boots which are very soothing on hot skin. And, of course, a big hat to keep the sun off my head. This one's from Accessorise.

Aloe gel. I find this far more cooling and effective than an after sun cream, all of which feel greasy and counter-productive. I put this on as soon as I get out of the sun to draw the heat out of my skin. This is a spray aloe I picked up in the States.

Badger Bali Balm. I've sworn by this for many years and never come across anything that counteracts redness quite so well. Once my skin is clean, and cooled from the aloe, I put this on before bed. It's quite greasy but very effective. I burn easily, and so I always take this on holiday and use it even if my skin doesn't look particularly red. I have even used it on my face in the past.

Do you have any must-have beach products?

Wednesday Beauty: On the Plane

There's no reason you can't treat your flight like a mini spa session: indeed, it helps to pass the time. Most products come in a mini version, although full-size facial products are often small enough to be cabin friendly. I also find flights, with their dry, recycled air, are the perfect place to use products I might usually consider to be too heavy for my skin.

Here's what I take/do:

Wipes. Nice ones that don't make my face feel sensitive. These are Good Things wipes from larger Boots stores and smell deliciously fruity. I use them at the start of the flight to cleanse my face, and at the end of the flight to spruce up my decolletage and underarms.

Toner. This is Eau Roma Water from Lush: it's cooling and calming. At the start of the flight, I spritz after using the wipe and blot off using the cotton wool pads. At the end of the flight, I spritz over and blot off to remove any remaining traces of facial oil.

Serum. This is Kiehl's Acai repair serum which smells zingy and gingery. I apply it to my scrupulously clean skin at the start of the flight.

Then I add a layer of facial oil - I use Neal's Yard Orange Flower Oil. Moisturiser would of course work just as well but I would choose a night cream for in-flight use because I find the air gets really dry. Sometimes I will reapply the oil once or twice during the flight.

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream. This is a handy travel-sized tube I got, funnily enough, from in-flight duty free. I use this on my lips, cuticles and sometimes my feet, particularly if they look like they're beginning to swell and I want to give myself a quick foot rub to combat it.

I pop on my eyemask and put in my ear plugs if I want to sleep.

After waking up, or at the end of the flight, I use eye drops. I wear contact lenses and alhough they're continuous wear lenses and thus OK for sleeping in, I find my eyes can still feel a bit gritty. I don't spend a fortune on eye drops because they have to be binned within a couple of months and I can never use them all up. These are Boots own, suitable for lens wearers.

Deodorant. I use a stick gel deo, which is handy because I couldn't bring a spray on board. I will sometimes also bring perfume on board, or use some if I have bought any in duty free. I like to smell fresh! Of course I forgot to add toothbrush and mini toothpaste into the picture but these always go into my clear plastic bag too.

Day Moisturiser. I haven't got one in the picture because this is usually a sample I've picked up at the airport or out of a magazine. I apply this after using the toner to remove any facial oil residue. Depending on where/why I'm flying, I might put a bit of mascara or blusher on at this point too.

Wednesday Beauty: Bristol Pedicure Review #1

I like a good pedicure, but I'm afraid I've been a little bit spoiled by having them done in the States where they truly know how to tackle the foot. I remember once getting a pedicure in Vegas from a teeny Asian woman who spent the entire appointment chatting on her mobile phone as she shaved my feet with an actual blade. Scary, but very effective.

Unfortunately, I have found that pedicures in this country seem to compose of a foot wash, a half-hearted go with some sort of giant emery board, and a coat of polish. I am making it my mission, therefore, to find a decent pedicure in Bristol; and I will review them here, as I try them.

I had the first one on Monday.

Place: The Beauty Box, Clifton Down Shopping Centre
Price: £41 - this was for a three week gel pedicure, which on its own was £31 - I paid an extra £10 for the foot treatment
Time: About 70 minutes

The first thing I have to say about this is - don't wear a skirt. The treatment takes place on a treatment bed and I had to awkwardly angle my feet into a bowl of water, and then sit with my knees up for the entire appointment. This was quite uncomfortable by the end of it.

The therapist (after giving me a towel to go over my knees and protect my dignity) had a good go at my feet with a foot file but then didn't use any kind of moisturiser or anything on them, which I thought was a bit odd. She then sorted out my cuticles and filed my toenails into a decent and even shape. They had a good range of colours for the gel polish and she applied enough coats to get an opaque finish, even managing to sort out my bizarre pointy little toenails so they don't look deformed.

My feet still feel quite smooth but I was off out to dinner afterwards and they were a bit scaly and dry-looking, due to the lack of moisturiser; and I had the sore coccyx thanks to the seating position.

I would, however, have this pedicure again, but I would ask for some foot moisturiser, and if I could begin the appointment seated in the chair for the exfoliation and foot file, and then transfer to the treatment bed for the nails.

Fave Friday

It's the depths of winter now and my skin is always looking at its worst this time of year. I don't notice that the central heating dries it out too much but I do come out of my classroom at the end of the day feeling baked and it's difficult to get the temperature in my car just so, which means I spend much of the evening flushed and just a splash of water on my face makes it feel tight as a drum. Plus, no healthy sun glow, and even if I were the sort to use fake tan I can't, because it smells just like feet on me. So I have to work hard to do skin maintenance other way. Here is my amassed wisdom on the subject.

Five Favourite Tips for Dry Skin

1. Exfoliate over oil
I slather my face in Lush's Babyface (which is basically cocoa butter plus other stuff in small quantities) before exfoliating because otherwise I find scrubs a little harsh on my skin.

2. Use a facial oil AND a moisturiser before bed
I read in a magazine that Sienna Miller advocates this and I thought it was ridiculous. I mean, just how overloaded do you want your skin to be? But I hate to admit - she's right.

3. Drink tonnes of water
Boring, but so helpful. I really notice the difference when I'm not guzzling enough of the clear stuff.

4. Use cream and liquid make up formulations
They'll add extra moisture and they sink in, instead of skittering across the surface.

5. Moisturise all over
I am rubbish at this. I hate sitting around waiting for the cream to sink in. So I use King of Skin in the shower (this product is definitely misunderstood; you just have to make sure you wash it off before you get out of the shower) or I put some sort of oil in my bath. I am convinced that dry body skin makes my face feel drier. It's probably all in my head.

Have you got any good skincare tips?