Sunday, 29 April 2007

Aches and Pains

I’m sitting on my sofa after a lovely weekend of sun, picnics, booze and ponies. Yes ponies. Well horses to be precise and now I’m trying to think about what to write about and to be honest… sitting down is not the most comfortable thing in the world right now. Ok, I’ll start from the beginning. I used to ride horses a lot but stopped when I was about 17. Yes there were boys, A-levels and illicit drinking in the Threshers car park, and these somewhat diverted me from something I had always loved. Luckily Daddy B still has a trusty steed and today I was lent a lovely mare to ride. It was great to see the bluebells and literally be back in the saddle but I’m paying for it now. Or at least my bottom is. Coupled with a rather violent game of swingball in Regents Park on Saturday afternoon I’m aching in a way I don’t remember experiencing before. So, although I have two pieces forming about much more worthwhile and exciting things (skin care for the older Misses and what is actually in these products that we use), right now all I can think about is a hot relaxing bath. So today I’m going to see what is best for wallowing and all with Little Miss F listening to the accordion music on the Captain Pugwash site (don’t ask).

For Mother’s Day I got Mumma B Origins Ginger Float. You can just scoop a bit out with your hand and throw it in and for all you morning bathers out there Mumma says that’s when it is best. For something more long lasting Little Miss F, the bath Queen, recommends Neals Yard Geranium & Orange Bath Oil. It keeps your skin moisturised and although it smells a bit strange in the bottle it’s gorgeous in the bath. For a real treat you can go and hand pick yourself a Bath Ballistic from Lush. They aren’t as scary as they sound and it’s like choosing pick and mix. They change their ‘flavours’ quite often so I haven’t tried their most recent ones but I’ve picked out which I want. Golden Slumbers Bath Ball with Lavender and Camomile, Butterfly Ball Ballistic which smells of honeysuckle and has little butterflies inside, and Rose tinted Tisty Tosty with its supposed magic spells. All that would only be about £8!!

If you have sensitive skin you have to be really careful about what you put in your bath, although I find that this depends on what time of year it is. Very few things moisturise as well as Oilatum Plus Bath Emollient - 500ml. Designed for dry skin it contains no fragrances or emulsifiers it is like having a bath with nothing in it but the effect is noticeable. It also means you can use yummy soaps and not worry about them dehydrating you. The I Coloniaili Soaps (see treat of the week) are my favourite with the White Company a close second.

Radox are well known in the aromatherapy market. At home Mumma B always has my bathroom stocked with their Radox Herbal Bath Sleep Easy - 500ml with Lavender – well known for aiding sleep, something that often eludes me. But what I really need now is their Muscle Soap Herbal Bath Salts. I’m slightly suspicious of this because it is made with Thyme which I’m pretty sure I don’t want to soak in but I am sure that if anything is going to work this will. Maybe I’ll be daring and treat myself to some tomorrow. That’s if I can walk. xx
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Thursday, 26 April 2007

Thank you

I am absolutely thrilled to be the runner up in the fashion category for the Best British Blog Awards 2007 sponsored by Metro and Ask.com. Thank you to everyone who voted and to all who read it. I really appreciate it. xx
P.S it has not skipped my notice that for some reason the pics from the last post are being a bit rubbish. Will sort that out asap. xx
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Tuesday, 24 April 2007

Pasture's New

Hurrah. Finally have spangly new job so will finally be doing something new for 8 hours a day! The new job is a little more country orientated so I will probably have to start discussing what make-up is best worn to a shoot lunch or what mascara is going to hold up after four hours sitting next to a river in the rain. However, before then I get to go and buy a new wardrobe, obviously, and having spent some time over recent months trying and failing to track down beautiful skirts today I managed to pick up three!

I have to say that I had rather lost my faith in Monsoon. You occasionally get a cracker but usually only after sifting through a lot of pricey rather mumsy wedding outfits. But now is the time to go. They have so many skirts that I literally had to make my choice and then blinker myself in the queue for the till. Still a few more bits to get - a nice summer coat for a start as the old leather jacket can look a little quaint over a sun dress and has made me feel not unlike Stevie Nicks going for job interviews. But where? any suggestions would be much appreciated. I also need a new handbag but I seem to start at Chanel and work my way up. Unless you can weave a great bag out of longing I think I need to set my sights a little lower.

I do, however, worry that they are not quite ready for the Miss B make-up. I think coming from a background in military history I may sometimes take the idea of 'war paint' a little too far but thats what you need when entering into the unknown. I am also a firm believer in going in as yourself - one of the benefits of this is that you don't come home a complete bitch and swearing like a sailor from being nice all day. Not that we Misses aren't heavenly all the time!

So, the purchase of skirts may seem like a good idea but with the early onset of summer my legs have look like they belong to Caspar and with the temperature soaring you really cannot rely on wearing tights. Now I don't know about you but for me finding the right fake tan is a harrowing and often embarrassing ordeal. However, as always Mumma B had the solution ready and waiting this morning.

The important thing about fake tan is making sure your legs are ready for it. If you apply to unprepared legs there is no way that it is going to look any good and not transfer on to all that touches you. So ladies do what you have to do for hair removal I shave (too chicken, too poor and too dark to wait for waxing) Miss F however, doesn't even need to possess a razor - each to their own. There are also lots of self tan preparations you can use. The Sanctuary a pre-tan exfoliator which although I haven't tried (yet) I'm told is really worth its teeny £4.25. Failing a specific pre-tan product you must moiturise, we all know that you should always moisturise after shaving but many neglect to moisturise right before you put on the fake tan. Just a nice light moisturiser is fine - I love Nivea it's not too pricy, it comes in big pots and really keep your skin smooth. But what fake tan?

When Johnsons holiday skin came out I ran to Boots faster than I think I've ever moved before. However, my skin is quite sensitive and I had to stop using it. My pasty legs were not only exactly the same colour as before just smelling a bit weird, but inbetween my fingers had gone orange. Not a success. Next was Dove's Summer Glow. This smells a little less like baby vomit but again apart from my fingers there was not a lot of change. Finally I went for Garnier's Summer Body. This smells soooo good but thats about it. I don't know maybe my skin is just too glaringly white for these to have an impact, maybe you are supposed to apply five times a day for five months. Either way I don't have the time, the patience or enough excuses for the suspicious stains on my hands.

So onto the real deal. I have never trusted anything other than instant tan. I have heard great things about gradual/progressive tans I just know that if I were to use one (and probably as karmic result of this blog) I would end up looking like Ross in that tan disaster friends episode we all know (yes you do). So, for me, instant tan is the way forward, although you can make it uneven and streaky you are not going to get oranger and oranger whilst at a party with no hope of stopping the process. Another reason why moisutriser is key for instant tan is because it helps prevent streaking and I find makes me more confident with the tan application - you've just applied the moisturiser so you apply the tan in the same way. St Tropez is good but this can go quite dark as can Piz Brun - these are serious self tans. But if they are applied properly these really are worth their quite expensive price tags.

There is not a lot I can tell you without having you all round for a good look at your skin tones and question about which kind of finish you prefer (minds out of gutter please). You really do have to try these on the back of your hand in a good light to really know which is the best for you. However, I will definately recommend Rimmel's Sun Shimmer Instant Tan. It comes with either a shimmer or a matte finish I decided to live dangerously and go for the shimmer. And as usual Mumma B was right - it's my favourite! Rather than making you look like you've basted yourself in goop and then rolled around on a kiddies craft table the shimmer actually really helps the post-Christmas pasty pins, giving them a bit of glow which lets face it, they need having been got out so early in the year!

So go forth Misses and get testing. Help is at hand but it's vital to get it right. No one wants to look like Jodie Marsh on a bad day (...or maybe even on a good day) and it's just too hot for tights! And remember no matter what you say about fake tan being 'cheap' or 'chavy' it's the safest way to make your legs stop looking like beacons! xx
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Monday, 23 April 2007

Stop Press... or just stop!

This should be an amazingly fabulous post-nominations beauty bonanza. Nope, instead its a not so mini rant about the ongoing pavement perverts. Heading out for lunch with the striking Miss S (her legs are about 6ft alone), having re-applied my Benefit Kohl eyeliner and some Clinique lippy we were happily walking down the road chatting... as you do. Some guys were riding towards us on their bikes (and on the pavement as usual) and as the first one rode past he stuck his arm out behind him to take a photo of us with his phone. Not only did it nearly smack me in the face on the way past but I actually felt quite outraged and almost violated. Clearly we are to have no more personal space or privacy anywhere. Who is going to see these photo's and what purpose do they have? I dread to think.

I felt a bit better after lunch however, when, as usual, the strange male-redeeming karmic balance was restored when Miss G informed me that she had been surprised by her man with supper at Nobu for her birthday last night... I guess in that situation I wouldn't mind people taking my photo quite so much! xx
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Saturday, 21 April 2007

HURRAH

Thank you thank you lovely Misses who read my ramblings and whoever nominated me for Best Brit Blog Awards 2007. I cannot tell you how happy and surprised I am... I still have excited butterflies and have been thinking about award make-up ever since so as usual any ideas would be welcomed.

Will keep you posted xx
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