# 137 Soul Sister

'I'm 24 and work in an office in London. I currently use just a Neutrogena Oil Free moisturiser, as being 24 I was still getting the odd spot, someone suggested that I try something without oil. It worked, for a while, but now my skin is dry, lifeless, and still getting the odd spot. I'm nervous about changing moisturiser though. I try a Kiehls one about 6 months ago, but my skin just went haywire. I do however know that I need to find something to start giving my skin back its moisture, stop being flaky, hopefully keep away the odd spot and stop me feeling ancient before my time! If you could point me in the right direction of a relevent post, or have any advice I would be so grateful!'

Hey sister, I can relate! Ever since I popped out my little'un, the skin has been having an extended schizophrenic moment. It's superficially oily, deeply dehydrated, prone to dry patches and, out of nowhere, the odd forehead blemish has also made a determined comeback. Darn it to hell. The thing is, I've learned from past experience that it does no good to chop & change - to gauge if something's working or not you need to allow at least 6 weeks. Having said that the gut's a good indicator of the skin's proclivities - and it's pretty easy to tell if something's not going to suit you, full stop. The range I’ve always relied on to right my up-and-down days is ESPA. I’ve written about them several times in the past, but it’s the combination of balancing oil, balancing moisturiser, cellular hydrating complex and that lovely creamy easily-emulsifying oil-based gentle cleanser that most often gets my skin back up to scratch. I must say, however, that without the cellular hydrating complex, the combo is not quite hydrating enough as my skin switches from combination to dryness-prone the moment winter appears – but using a more moisturising line-up, such as, e.g. Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser, which is packed with avocado, borage and wheatgerm oils, does leave me superficially ‘slick’ looking [even when using the LIGHT formula – I get that suspect 2pm shine on the ol’ forehead]. So, my advice would be to supplement a skincare routine that you’re happy with – i.e. a cleanser & moisturiser that seem to work with your skin – with masks, serums and concentrates. That way you can ensure that you’re not changing things up too much or constantly trying and testing formulas out on your complexion (which is the shortest cut to skin chaos). Some of the very best hydrating and ‘enlivening’ masks I’ve used over the years include:

DERMALOGICA MULTI-VITAMIN POWER RECOVERY MASK

REMEDE ALCHEMY LINE-MINIMIZING MASK

ORIGINS DRINK UP INTENSIVE OVERNIGHT MASK

JURLIQUE INTENSE RECOVERY MASK

ALPHA-H CALMING & HYDRATING MASK

I’d also like to stress the fact that I’m a massive fan of oils for ALL skin conditions. I’ve never ever found the oil-free method to help with my oil- or spot-proneness, in fact, whenever I’ve used entirely oil-free formulas in the past – from Leaf & Rusher; Dr Brandt; Dermalogica; REN – my skin has initially settled (for a day or two), before becoming increasingly oily and spotty. My theory (and several skincare experts would agree with me), is that by using entirely oil-free products, the skin begins to overcompensate by overproducing sebum. However, by selecting facial oils designed to treat OILY skin (wonderful combinations are made by Aromatherapy Associates, Daniele de Winter, Darphin, Decleor, Clarins and, as previously mentioned, ESPA), the skin seems to settle down far more easily – and provides a far more successful longterm solution.

Please, do let me know how you get on!

Yours sincerely,

A sympathetic sister in search of skincare perfection

# 133 Sister Act

If you've ever had to cope with good-skin-gone-bad, you'll be wholly attuned to the plight of my l'il sis and the battle she's been waging with her blemishes for the best part of the year. The sort of utterly gorgeous girl who has the power to make men stop in their tracks [honestly - she's even been picked up - twice!! - by two different men & flung over their shoulders because, they just, well, couldn't help themselves, so formidable is her cute-beauty]. And while still utterly beauteous, she began suffering breakouts and had no idea why - hormones? diet? lack of exercise? skincare? - and after switching from Elemis to Dermalogica to Liz Earle to Rodial, and having no joy at all on the clear skin front, I eventually took decisive action and packed her off to the amazing facialist, Sarah Chapman, who hooked her up with one of her top therapists, Tarryn, at her Pelham Street clinic. The 90 minute session revealed so much [along with an entire layer of new, breathing skin, thanks to a deep peel and light therapy] - not least of all, the link between my sis' intense sugar cravings [her handbag as NEVER been Haribo-free] and the spots on her forehead. Tarryn recommended she up the B vitamins, alongside Chromium, and also got her started on a course of spot-regulating skincare from leading pore-perfectors, Environ. The course consisted of Sebugel A, Sebuwash, AVST 1 and Alpha Toner Mild. Well, it's 2 facials in, and 6 weeks of Environ later, and, what can we say? After cutting out all sugar [apart from natural fruit sugar], downing said vits [plus evening primrose oil], her skin is clear as a cloudless summer sky. The result really is remarkable - and just goes to show what a really good facial can achieve: it's about in-depth diagnosis, fuss- and faff-free treatment and seriously purifying pores [Sis' year's of wipe-off cleansing had left the complexion clogged and malfunctioning]. Sis is over the moon - and, to the chagrin of every other single girl out there - back on the social scene. Watch out!! [and if you see a man running for the door with a gorgeous girl flung over his shoulder, be sure to say hi - then call the police!]. Hee hee.

# 124 Eye No

Hanne from Commecoco.blogspot.com asked when the right time was to start using eye creams & what might work for someone like her, in her early 20s...

Perfect timing given that I'm in the midst of an eye-cream quest myself - I had the dreaded WOODS LAMP treatment again last week which showed that the most dehydrated part of my face was the skin around my eyes; a bit of a shocker given that I do a twice-weekly eye mask (Sisley) & have been using Estee Lauder's new Time Zone Anti-Line/Wrinkle Eye Cream for the past 10 weeks which has [in their own words]:

'TriHyaluronic Complex, which plumps away the look of fine, dry lines and gives skin the hydration it needs to stay looking smooth, supple and revitalised. It infuses the eye area with 5 times the concentration of TriHyaluronic Complex found in the face formula.'

And though I'm not afflicted with lines or wrinkles just yet (well, I am only 29) - I'm well aware that dehydrated skin is far more inclined to age speedily, so I'm now on a mission to find a cream that will plump, illuminate, hydrate & moisturise.

Chatting to PR Clare Forde last week, it occurred to me that perhaps I've been looking in the wrong place. If it's hydration that I'm after, a deeply penetrating & easily absorbed serum could be the way to go - chased with something containing SPF for day perhaps, and reparative antioxidants & smoothing actives at night.

I'm old & just about wise enough to know that an eye cream is never ever going to cancel out dark shadows, permanently erase wrinkles or conduct a mini eye-lift. So, what do I want? I want the skin beneath my eyes to feel plump, but not tightened; soft, but not silicone-y; bright, but naturally so - not because of light reflective particles.

I'd been sent ESPA's Firming Eye Contour Concentrate a while ago - and hadn't realised that the

serum was actually meant to be used as a self-contained treatment regime (it comes in two mini bottles with pipettes). A few weeks in I desisted - I wasn't hugely fond of the smell (a bit fishy at times which is a side-effect of the marine algae), and because, I suspect, I am not yet suffering from saggy skin in said area, the tightening effect was not really to my taste. However, I have to say that after a perfectly-pitched facial at The Europe in Ireland (following a fair bit of eye work, massage & the application of latter concentrate), things did look a lot brighter. So perhaps I need to stick to the proposed course - give it the full 8 weeks, and then judge things anew.

For the moment, however, I'm trying Emma Hardie's Amazing Face Firming Eye Serum - it's a light, slightly creamy coloured gel and contains aloe, arnica, orange water & marine active. A little goes a very long way and I'm pleased with how the skin seems to sup it up - nicely hydrating, but accommodates a cream on top too if needed. I'll give this one until the end of May & we'll see where we stand.

And back to Hanne's question about a good eye cream... well, it's back to the old issue of what works for one, may not work for another.

In my entirely subjective experience:

I've tried and liked formulas by Sarah Chapman & Shiseido.

I've also tried eye creams by La Prairie (often thought to be the very best), but I've not been hugely impressed thus far. Anyone else had more luck?

As for staples, Dermalogica Total Eye Care SPF15 has been in my bag for years. I like the fact that it's just a simple to use formula - with built in protection & hydration. It's not particularly advanced, but then, throughout my early 20s I wasn't really looking for miracles. Now, however, I think I need something stronger. This will be the basis of much of my testing for the next two months... we'll see what the beauty bag throws up!

For night, Creme de la Mer Eye Balm is one of those formulas that really does seem to do the trick whenever I try it. And Mama Malcontent (who - if it's possible - has used even more eye creams over the years than I have), really believes it's the daddy. So, it gets a thumbs up - but budget-wise, not so great, sorry about that.

My earlier MISS MALCONTENT'S BEST OF BEAUTY posts (see labels, to the right), also cover what I deem to be the best products across 100 different categories. I intended it to be a good reference point for those new to my blog - so do dip in if you're after the perfect cream blush, a great mascara, or the ideal foot cream...

And in the meantime, I'd love to know what everyone else is using & loving...

# 120 Sugar Puffs

There are some days when nothing can be done.

Honestly, I've had enough of them to know this to be true. You just wake up, a bit puffy of jaw, shadowy of eye, blotchy of skin, blemished of chin - and yes, you know you'll look better post-slap - but that, however hard you try, you still won't look great. It's what I call a 'Can't Fake It' day, when make-up is a band aid rather than blaze of glory... when skin's just not playing ball and you'd rather retreat to loafing-land than go out and meet all those people who expect you to look, well, like you know what you're talking about.

Ordinarily I hit the panic button and the old faithfuls come out of the cupboard: Origins Modern Friction; Dermalogica Multi-Vitamin Power Recovery Mask OR Guinot Masque Essential Nutrition Confort; Sisley Eye Contour Mask; Lancome Hydra Zen Tinted Moisturiser (a newish find - very nice); a dusting of BareMinerals powder; Dior Skinflash; Stila Eyeshadow in Kitten and Guerlain Terractotta Bronzer... you know the routine.

But last week I had a bad day. So bad in fact that when I looked at myself in the mirror that morning I actually gasped. Out loud. I'd seemingly gained 6 pounds in my sleep and forgotten to take off my mascara the night before (I hadn't been wearing any) - everything was just off - out of focus, as though my features had decided to go into hibernation and been replaced with fading scribbles - like those chalked silhouettes of removed corpses you always see on CSI. Mortification! Then I remembered the salt-and-sugar fest I'd enjoyed the very late night before (look, I'm pregnant okay), and so, because it was a Saturday, I decided to go back to bed in a bid to wake up thinner, brighter and less likely to jump off the balcony. Surely, I just needed more sleep?

And whadya know? It actually worked. Which just goes to show that sometimes the best thing is to sleep on it.

And if that fails, well, time to bring on the cosmetic cavalry.

#99 I'm Sticking With You

I'm a fan of the exfoliant - mechanical or chemical - and have a list of firm favourites I return to 2-3 times a week. There's the Vit C System from Agera and the Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Gel Mask (both mentioned in other posts too) plus Korner Sparkle Brightly Renewal Mask which is a skin staple.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant is extremely good at creating an even surface and instant brightening boost, but DO NOT buy into the DAILY part. When used every morning (as recommended) my skin started to feel a little wind-whipped and thin around the cheeks, nose and chin. Save it for special occasions - although, I've also noticed that if I've used it in the morning, I'm more prone to a shiny t-zone throughout the day.

Then, last week I found myself at Energy Bodies, atop John Tsagaris' Treatment Bed, having 80 fine acupuncture needles placed in my face in a bid to fade pigmentation marks, even out pores and address the hormonal blips I'm prone to in the week prior to my period. There were a lot of pluses on the day, not least that he's intuitive, nurturing, kind and puts you at ease. On the down side, he is rather a bit too keen on talking about himself and sharing the miracles he's worked on other clients. He is 40 years old and looks good on it, but is not the boy-child other beauty editors would have you believe he is: he has strong, smooth skin, but it is far from flawless. Nor is the treatment painless (which appears to be the experience most reviewers have had at his hands) - there were at least 5 yelps as needles went into sore spots (when pressed through old scar tissue it really stung), but for the most part it was bearable. In fact, for me, the worst bit was the perfunctory cleanse (with a 2-in-1 cleanser/toner cloth) and speedy slap of moisturiser post-treatment. When he showed me my treated face in a mirror, in bright daylight, I could have cried. My skin was flushed and flaky and all I wanted to do was run home, give my complexion a loving cleanse + steam, chased with a generous massage with ESPA's Balancing Face Treatment Oil (I have been using it morning & night for 6 weeks & it's RIP oily t-zone! Hooray!).

But, the next day, the most bizarre thing. The old forehead patches that marked faded spots had almost disappeared, a looming blemish on my chin had bitten the dust and my brows seemed raised, eyes wider and brighter, and cheeks more chiselled. It was not a 'wow, have you just come back from holiday' style change, more of a subtle 'salad for lunch' shift... for which I was thankful, and retrospectively impressed.

Oh, and there is another thing I ought to thank Mr Tsagaris for: his recommendation of Origin's Modern Friction. You see, while working on my face he felt that my skin was slightly sensitized and asked if I used a scrub that contained Salicylic Acid. I nodded - that morning, I had used Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant. He suggested I try this instead. A call to the lovely PR later and I'm four uses in. I've noticed that 1) less is more - I've had better results from thin layers (which emulsify nicely when water is added as directed) than thick layers which over-scrubbed certain areas; 2) it's great before a moisturising mask (I have just discovered Nude Intense Moisture Mask - very very good at getting rid of dehydration lines on the forehead) and 3) it did not irritate my skin even the least bit.

So, though I may not return to Energy Bodies for another sticking (or getting stuck with a plus-£100-a-pop bill), I'm more than happy to stick to a regular installment of Modern Friction.

#95 The Magic Number

Amidst the frenetic meanderings of mind and body, there is occasionally opportunity for the elusive 'down time' - during which I schedule all the beauty appointments that I've failed to stick to over the course of the previous few months. So, this May I have managed three facials - which I would not recommend for anyone with a sensitive disposition or complexion - but which allowed me to put to task the therapists and brands who claim to work minor miracles in the space of one's lunch break.

So, to begin, I visited Vanda Serrador at Urban Skin, Neville's, in Knightsbridge. She's a lovely ball-of-sunshine woman, very warm and nurturing, who also proved that she has great instincts when it comes to treating skin. She used mostly Yon-Ka products, of which I have always been a fan, and did a seriously thorough, if slightly painful, extraction. I yelped a bit as she worked and she apologised (I have to say that Sarah Chapman's extractions are a lot more comfortable, as she spends a good 15 minutes warming, steaming & massaging skin with oils before she gets down to business). Vanda read my skin well - seeing that it needed calming, soothing & serious hydration. She began with a thorough cleanse, then an exfoliation with a grainy scrub that smelt like marzipan, a peel, then several massages with several nourishing oils - one of which was very rich in vitamin C and left my skin looking decidedly tanned - and several hydrating masks, including Yon-Ka Masque 103. My skin did feel impossibly plump and pillowy by the time she was done and she had improved the state of several bumps on my forehead, BUT my skin also looked flushed and a bit discoloured too - certainly not ready for a night out. As for brows, well, I feel that she did thread mine a little bit too thin - I have very large eyes and a roundish face, so would have benefited from a fuller final shape, but they were perfectly symmetrical for the first time in my life, which is no mean feat. All in all, I'd give her a 7 out of 10. Not bad at all.

The following week I booked in for a CACI Ultimate Facial. This was at the C2 Clinic in Hampstead. The main focus of this facial is microdermabrasion, followed by a soothing moisturising mask that is rich in Hyalauronic Acid. I have to say, first impressions weren't good. The staff were all very young and several looked scarily orange - one sporting a tan that was bright as a bottle of Orangina - and the atmosphere was a little bit curt - no smile on arrival, which I found rather offputting. Then to the treatment... it was very 'facial by numbers' and my therapist barely said a word to me throughout, which was a bit scary given that I did not always know what she was doing. I asked several questions all of which she answered brusquely, a little evasively, and when I told her that I did not think the microdermabrasion part of the facial need be as thorough as perhaps it might be for other clients (given that I had had a peel & exfoliation with Vanda a few days earlier), she simply responded that that didn't matter and that all facials involved microdermabrasion. She used two hand-held CACI devices - a blue-and-red-light pulsing probe, which acted on my skin to kill bacteria (blue) and encourage collagen production (red), while the microdermabrasion took place. Next, an odd sucking and vibrating device, which she called the 'microcurrent facial toning' system. Then, she placed a heavy gel mask (one of those ones with eye and mouth slots cut out) onto my skin and went over it with an electrical device to help penetrate the HA into my skin (but which set my teeth on edge once or twice & gave me a couple of little electric shocks). She then patted a nondescript sun factor cream over my skin which left it feeling a bit sticky, and that was it, all done. Looking in the mirror was a bit of a fright - my skin was a bit red and blotchy and a little patch of eczema under my left eye had been exacerbated. It was, however, smooth and soft. That night my skin did look calmer and I was able to go out to a party after a bit of cover-up and foundation evened things out. Oddly, my t-zone was shinier than normal and my forehead and eyes were drier than normal, and I came home to a face that looked a lot worse for wear. I have also had several spots since the treatment (so much for the blue light) and would not be keen on repeating the experience. All in all, 4 out of 10.

SO, we save the best for last. I am not sure how I have managed to go the best part of a decade as a beauty editor without ever using ESPA skincare. I have dabbled and tapped fingers in pots, sniffed and approved, and been offered ESPA facials at least once every few months, but for some reason fate has never delivered me into their hands - until my recent foray to their newest spa in Latvia, which has left me a bit of a convert. My skin, as has been well-documented in this blog, is tempestuous. It can be utterly bright, beautiful and clear OR it can be dull, congested and break-out prone. It is rarely in the middle. I have found that my beloved Sarah Chapman Skinesis line is just too rich for summer skin, so switched back to an old favourite: Dermalogica Active Moist, for a couple of days until I could find a better summer alternative. Unfortunately, my skin is more prone to upsets at present, and it did seem to leave my complexion feeling 'stung' and irritable, even though my skin itself looked fine. My ESPA facial began with a seriously horrendous consultation beneath the Woods lamp - which highlighted extreme dehydration (well, I had just been on an plane), scar tissue from old blemishes and localised oily patches. My therapist's conclusion: your skincare ain't doing squat for you sweetheart. She planned a balancing, plus rehydrating, facial with extra eye work to counteract the dark circles I'd developed after three days sans sleep (don't ask). Now, the main reason that I have always been suspicious of ESPA (and for that matter Elemis & Aromatherapy Associates) facials, is because they tend to take place within dark rooms and do not involve extraction. For me, the mark of a good facial has always been how closely and carefully the skin is analysed, and how gently impurities are removed. The fact that ESPA involved a thorough evaluation BEFORE the facial, however, was a smart move - it meant that the therapist had decided precisely what my skin needed and had it all ready prepared by the time I was ushered into the room, where I promptly fell asleep as she massaged, soothed, rubbed and patted me down. On waking, a fluttering hand reached for the face - soft, spongy and a little bit sticky, but a look in the mirror proved she was the best of the bunch - my skin was already showing signs of improvement and looked calmer and less blotchy. So, how did she do it? She cleansed twice - first with the ESPA Facial Foaming Cleanser, to purify - this crackled and felt a little bit astringent on my skin - then with the Hydrating Cleanser, blended with a dash of the Refining Skin Polish, which felt lovely and soothing. Then the Essential Mineral Mask - which purifies, but did not sting or leave my skin feeling tight - followed by several treatment oils and serums, including the Balancing Face Treatment Oil & 24 Hour Balancing Skin Cream, plus the new Super Active Cellular Hydration Concentrate - a big fan. The next day, skin was absolutely back on track and I have now used the Balancing Oil + 24 hour Cream morning and night for 3 days and everything is evening out - still very soft & hydrated, but less shiny and eruptive. I've promised the PR I'll stick with the line for at least 4 weeks & shall continue to report back on my ESPAcades.

So, final scores on the doors? 8.5 out of 10 (well, I am a sucker for excellent extractions) - but given that it's for a branded facial (of which I have never been a fan, preferring instead to see specific therapists over skincare affiliates), that's pretty darn impressive. Oh, and my skin seems to think so too.

#86 Best of 2008

Taking stock of the spare room, which is now a little sparser thanks to the annual clearout (AKA palming off products to friends & family, instead of buying gifts), has jogged the ol' memory and reminded me of the various things I have loved this year.

My most impressive find of 2008:

Illamasqua Eyelash Curlers - I've used Shu, Mister Mascara, Suqqu, Shiseido... and they were all fine (Shu Uemura was probably the best out of the latter bunch) - but these babies make my lashes shoot for the stars in just a couple of seconds and without risk of wrist injury from repetitive compressing/depressing motion. A great find.

My favourite skincare launch of 2008:

Sarah Chapman Skinesis. I've been using it almost exclusively for the past four months and my skin is very soft, has been far less spotty than normal, and really does have a most un-winter-like glow. The Ultimate Cleanser isn't in the shops yet, but it's a winner. It melts into the skin just like soft butter and leaves it springy to the touch. I'm seriously impressed.

My favourite hair products of 2008:


KMS Makeover Spray (grease? kapow!)has saved my life on more than one occasion

Kerastase Ciment Thermique for strengthening strands when they're feeling brittle

Redken Glass 01 before blow-drying, for when you want hair to look insanely shiny

And as far as failsafe hair-healing conditioners go, it's back to Aveda Damage Remedy Conditioner. A real star.

(p.s. I tried Shu Uemura Art of Hair Muroto Volume range yesterday and did not really like it. My hair was no bigger & the scent was too perfume-y. It did make my hair nice and shiny though - although a bit too static-prone. An overall thumbs down. Bah humbug, I know.)

My favourite body products of 2008:

I tried EVERYTHING this year and had short-lived love affairs with:
Yes to Carrots Body Butter (which I became less impressed with over time as it seemed to develop a knack of blocking pores on my arms and legs. Ick.)

Trilogy Everything Balm (lovely when skin is damp & hot e.g. after a sauna, as it sinks straight in and leaves you feeling like a basted chicken. In a really good way. Not so good at moisturising dry skin though.)

Then, I found my way back to Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse, and I'm very glad I did, because I'd almost forgotten how good this stuff is. And the scent - soft, powdery, chic with a hint of buttery honey - always makes me smile.

My favourite make-up of 2008:

Lipstick Queen in Medieval - makes skin look somehow brighter while never overpowering the face

Jemma Kidd new PRO line - just wait for 2009!

Ruby + Millie Lip Color in Orange 350C - the perfect pop of blood orange

Dior Addict High Shine Lipstick in 554 Backstage Pink - loved the fuchsia that Cheryl Cole kept sporting on X Factor? This is the closest I have come to finding it.

And, a surprise new entry in the long-lasting lippy category: TIGI Bedhead Lip Crayon in Perfect Pink - this stayed put through a 2-hour movie (+ popcorn & pick 'n' mix), followed by cocktails & dinner. Good stuff.

And my other big-thumbs-up beauty finds of 2008:


Origins Organics Totally Pure Deodorant (antibacterial, refreshing & zingy on freshly shorn armpits)

Marc Jacobs Splash in Gardenia (granny in a really really good way)


Dr Weil for Origins Mega Mushroom Mask (great for when skin is conjuring associations with Edward Munch's The Scream)

Dermalogica Stress Relief Candles (a smile-inducing scent even when unlit!)


NEOM Organic Luxury Unwind Skin Treatment Bath Oil (the most perfect blend of lavender and patchouli)

And there you have it. What a cracker.

#83 Just for starters...

Has anyone seen the latest Just For Men advert? Good lord. Two little girls, who the audience must assume have recently lost their mother, run up to their father and beg him to dye his hair in order that he might be able to face the world afresh and hopefully find a new partner. Father dyes his hair and gets a first date, during which he takes a picture of himself with 'prospective new wife' on the old camera phone (too keen? surely not?) which he then sends to his children, who appear to be home alone while he is out schmoozing. The giggling girls then jump up and down, giving one another high fives, overjoyed at the image of their father hugging a strange woman. Based on a true story. Hmmm.

What intrigues me most about the advert is the type of man it is supposed to appeal to. My husband, a modern (though not metrosexual) male, recoils each and every time it comes onto the TV and despite being beset by his first smattering of greys, the idea of besmirching his head with a product as out-of-touch as Just For Men (the Old Spice of the hair dye world) is far worse than a future of salt n pepper strands. I heartily agree with his logic. In fact, I'd be far less disturbed by the discovery of a hidden porn stash under the bed than I would be if I stumbled across a seedy (and heaven forbid, empty!) box of Just For Men.

As far as I can tell, the average man is far less likely to fall for inflated cosmetic claims than the average woman. The idea of precious diamond dust, amazonian plants, bio-chemical research, space-travel tests etc etc, might get women pulling out the platinum card (and sales statistics would seems to support this), but men, it seems, are not amused. They want high performance, yes, but minus hyperbole and gimmickry - and are suckers for slick, chic packaging that won't embarrass them should it fall out of the gym bag and into the middle of the men's locker room.

I canvassed a swathe of my most stylish male friends and here are the products that got their hearts-a-racing:

Shiseido Men Cleansing Foam
Clinique Pore Minimizer Oil Blotting Sheets
Lancome Men Ultimate Cleansing Gel
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Clarins Men Fatigue Fighter

What do they have in common? Simple, modern design; practical application and handling; effective formulas with visible results and, of course, not a single, empty 'love or your money back' promise hinted at on the pack (or in any of the campaigns). Even if Lancome hadn't roped Clive Owen into the advertising act (and according to the aforementioned menfolk) this just for men lot would still be just the ticket.

#74 Back to Black

I’m ashamed of myself. It’s been weeks and weeks. I have a valid excuse, I promise. Well, almost. Glasto was one of the best experiences of my life – despite a spate of malodorous moments that will continue to haunt me until the end of my days – and taught me some extremely important beauty lessons.
Namely, that...

- no matter what you put on, through or over your hair, if you have no access to water, you’re buggered.
- that you can still remain relatively sweet-smelling without washing if you’re eating well (vegan and veggie food galore!!), not getting pissed (yep, I sorta forgot to drink a single drop for four whole days and nights…?!) and are stashing a massive bounty of baby wipes. Really. I got home, stripped off and had a good ol’ sniff and it wasn’t half bad. Apologies if that’s the most disturbing thing you’ve ever read, but, well, it is true…

The other thing I learned is that if you are going to spend over 12 hours a day out of doors (I’m a city girl, I’ve never done that in my life!) that permanent rain and an entirely grey sky will not protect you. You still need a hell of a lot of sunscreen. My skin, which in ten years has not left home without an SPF15 veil, really really suffered. The worst thing? My hands. I’ve got a massive spray of dark spots – or funky freckles, as my husband kindly described them – across the back of my right hand and they’ve yet to fade. It’s rather upsetting to know that just four days in the great outdoors might have resulted in mottled hands that last a lifetime. I’m using Clarins best-selling Hand and Nail Treatment Cream, which claims to reduce discolouration – we shall see. I promise to report back. The other problem I encountered – alongside sleeping for 3 days straight on my return – was with my complexion. Despite tons of fresh air, lots of water, walking and healthy food, I seriously broke out – simply because I could not adequately clean my skin. I packed Olay’s Daily Facials – for combination skin – which contain Beta Hydroxy Acids. I’d packed high sunscreen too, so didn’t think it’d be a problem (acid exfoliation + sun = AGEING ALERT!), but had to eventually accept that I had been wrong. Basically, my skin burnt – even under regular SPF40 applications – and I never ever burn. I woke up with a slightly pink nose and hairline – hardly devastating damage, but still damage nonetheless – which caused me to ditch the wipes from day two onwards. On returning, my skin was bumpy and uneven in colour – spots had developed beneath the surface on my forehead, around the hairline and across my nose and chin. Luckily I had 5 days before I needed to be back at work, so I took it easy and focused on exfoliating to get my skin back to smooth, even normality – I’m currently loving Agera’s Microderma Crystal C Activator, which is one of the best exfoliants that I have ever used in my life – and the gentle, calming products from Omorovicza, which I’m remaining loyal to until further notice. I also packed Dermalogica’s Hydrating Mask on for three days in a row and my skin drank it up like Amy W on the vodka (that’s not me being bitchy – I was there and saw her…) So now, spots cleared up, skin evened out, dry patches disappeared and I’m almost back to my old self. Almost…

#70 In Yer Face

Want a good facial? Here's a bit of advice...

- A good facial should never, ever leave you blotchy or sore (of course, I'm not talking about deep peels or laser treatments here - this is, for the moment, all about SKINCARE treatments). I once experienced an overzealous facial that was pure agony - a girl who literally dug into my pores for 30 minutes straight, as though panning for gold - I left with a swollen, stinging nose and her words ringing in my ears, 'It was tough this time, but it will get easier with each visit.' Needless to say, there was never a strike two.

- Even great facials can result in breakouts - but, in my experience, the better the facialist, the fewer the post-treatment spots you will have. I believe that this is linked to how rough and inexperienced some therapists can be - the tougher the skin is treated, the more the sebaceous glands are stimulated... et voila.

- The best facials should involve some serious massage, perhaps an electrical device or two, at least one spa-strength treatment and savvy, sensible advice. It should not simply be an hour of spritzing, patting, rubbing, washing and layering on of products. Well, we can all do that at home can't we?

- The best facialists can carry out extractions - even deep ones - without so much as a flushing of the skin. The best pair of hands that I have ever come across belong to Sarah Chapman (www.sarahchapman.net) - who repeatedly steams and massages skin with oil until it is calm, pliable and readily purged without trauma. She is a master of extraction.

- The best facialists probably won't stick to a single skincare brand. There are some brands who are said to carry out good facials - Dermalogica, Natura Bisse, Yon-Ka etc, but, end up with an inexperienced therapist and you will not see impressive benefits. It's therefore far better to find yourself a therapist whom you trust - regardless of the products used. Believe me, a skincare expert can work wonders; a skincare line used for an hour once a month will not.

That, my facial-seeking friends, is my short, shortlist...

#64 Diminished Responsibility

It was bound to happen. After years of using my complexion as a testing ground for cosmetics, I finally suffered an allergic reaction that left my skin eczema-ridden, swollen, sore, itchy and bumpy for the best part of a week. The culprit? There are several.

First up, is a product that is part of a soon-to-be launched skincare line Elemental Herbology. Not wanting to jump to any erroneous conclusions, it should be said that on the day in question I also used the Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel, which I have used several times before and with no ill effects, followed by the Dermalogica Hydrating Mask (ditto).

I chased these treatments with a layer of Elemental's Oil-Free Moisturiser, having used their Purify & Soothe Cleanser earlier that same day. The moment I applied the cleanser to my skin I felt an unusual tingling - and retrospectively checking the ingredients list, I was suprised to see that it contained Bitter Orange Peel Powder, a fruit-acid rich addition with exfoliating properties that I can only assume was the initial root of the problem. Add to this a further fruit-enzyme-based peel and then a layer of Retinol-rich face cream and there you have it - a riddled complexion that felt as though I had broken out in goosebumps, but rather than subside in minutes, the irritable sensation and swollen appearance (my face looked discernibly chubby and puffy) stayed put for four days - during which time I was also obliged to neck regular anti-histamines to calm the burning and itching sensation.

Not fun, but lord knows, it was an important and sobering wake-up call. I had - unforgiveably given my job title - tried these products without so much as a glance at the ingredients lists. Had I noticed the fruit enzymes within the Elemental Herbology cleanser, I would certainly have steered clear of the Peel as I am well aware of just how badly my skin reacts when it is over-exfoliated. On the same note, had I realised just how much I'd been stripping away at my skin, I would've avoided chasing my treatments with a cream containing retinol - simply because, as many other members of the population can testify, it is an ingredient to which many people's skins react badly. The fact is, that morning I wanted my skin to look brighter than normal and spent half an hour mixing and matching products - essentially (and unwittingly) brewing a powerful, and dangerous, cosmetics cocktail in the comfort of my own bathroom. I did not for one moment consider the fact that my actions might have unexpected consequences and when they did, I was so shocked that I had absolutely no idea what to do.

What I learned was that if you suffer an allergic reaction to a skincare product, an anti-histamine will be your best friend. It will dull itching and soreness to a point where you can continue with your day as normal - even if your skin looks far from normal. I dug out a few back-up cosmetics - things I'd been told were great for allergic and sensitized skintypes. First up, I used Embryolisse (a cream available from French pharmacies that the model types seem to swear by). Horrible! Full of mineral oil, it sat greasily atop my skin and did nothing to mollify or calm the dry patches around my cheeks and chin. I then tried Avene - the Skin Recovery Cream felt good when first applied, but the same thing - it's full of mineral oil so after a few hours it felt sticky, rather than soothing and wasn't up to much when it came to moisturising power either. The chin flakes stayed put and as expected, after two days of Embryolisse and Avene moisturisers coupled with the inability to properly cleanse my skin due to its fragility, I had six spots on my chin, one on my upper lip and three on my forehead. That's a year's worth of spots in four days - well, that's mineral oil for you!

So, last night, out of sheer desperation and because my skin had almost returned to feeling normal, I layered Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish over my skin, steamed with a warm and clean face cloth and very very gently buffed away at my skin, removing all the mineral grime and pore clogs that had taken root over the week. My god. It felt amazing. As though my face was doing the breathing for my entire body. Yes, I was spotty, but that was the least of my concerns - my skin felt soft and unsticky for the first time in days. Not wanting to overload my face with anything else, I melted a tiny amount of Darphin's Purifying Balm between my palms and patted it onto my cheeks, chin and forehead - pressing it onto my skin instead of rubbing. Thank goodness, no allergic reaction happened overnight and I woke up to a much improved reflection - spots less angry, skin rosier and, hooray, no flakes or oily patches anywhere to be seen. The relief was immense - I could venture out again, go into meetings confidently, return to my skin-friendly make-up (I've been bare and thunder-faced all week) - my skin was mine again.

So, at the end of the day, it would seem that there is only one suspect involved in my complexion crime - ME - or more precisely, my lack of attention to what I was applying to my skin. If an allergic reaction on this scale can happen to someone who knows their stuff, then what sort of minefields can women who never ever read their labels fall into? Not only has this debacle highlighted my own laziness and ignorance - but it's also shown up a flaw in the cosmetics labelling system. Getting great skin isn't about buying and trying all of the most potent products out there - that's just the quickest route to a raging complexion and quite possibly, sensitized skin that will be far more susceptible to premature ageing. It's essential to know your stuff. To have some basic idea of which ingredients complement or fight against one another and, if possible, to get expert advice before embarking on a new skincare regime.

In a bid to keep my skin healthy I've sworn off all future epidermal experiments - for good. I shall now only try things on the advice of my new dermatologist and facialist - yes, I've caved in and sought professional advice, which I shall of course be sharing and passing onto you over the coming months. As far as breakthroughs go, it's a small one for mankind, but hey, it's a pretty big one for my long-suffering skin.

#60 Helping Husband

I attended a wedding last month, where my friend's husband - extremely cute in a Mark Owen/Richard Hammond/James McAvoy sort of way - looked utterly dreadful. Bless him. Red eyes, dark circles, patchy skin and a little breakout on the chin. The couple spent several hours on the night regaling guests with stories of just how insomniac, anxious, busy and run down they'd become in the run up... she on the other hand looked flawless, because, as is a bride's right, she'd chosen to have a professional hair and make-up artist transform her from under-fed and hollow-eyed, to glistening cheekboned and ruby-lipped. She might have missed a few winks, but there were no missed opportunities amidst the menfolk, who flocked to her like moths to Greta Garbo's ember-tipped cigarette - she'd never looked better. A few weeks later, I quizzed her on the routine and it came as no surprise that on the morning of the wedding she'd used a cleanser, exfoliator, two masks, eye patches, a calming oil and massage technique (borrowed from her facialist) and then had several primers, highlighters and bases expertly blended and applied by her premier artist. As for her hubby - who's since bounced back to his charming ways - he rolled out of bed after a mere 25 minutes sleep, washed, shaved and patted on moisturiser - hoping for the best, but feeling somewhat hollow and harrowed by the puffy-eyed man looking back at him in the mirror.

This is where I become exasperated. Had he known just three or four simple tricks (his wife was in no position to help, sleeping as they did in separate parts of the country the night before) - he could have fixed his face with minimal fuss and spent the night with chest puffed out, rather than deflated in self-conscious apology.

Having chatted to several of my best-looking and well kempt colleagues, I feel the need to share the following...

1) If you have had no sleep the night before and need to look your best, be gentle with your skin. Overzealous cleansing, exfoliating and shaving will leave your complexion looking as you feel: irritable.

2) A few basics: if your skin is calm, but just looks dull and tired, invest in an enlivening, radiance-enhancing product, such as Nickel Morning After Rescue Gel, £24 (www.nickelspalondon.co.uk) - do not use immediately after shaving.

3) If your skin looks dry and patchy, after cleansing try a mask that will even out skintone such as Dermalogica Multi-Vitamin Power Recovery Mask, £21.35 (hqhair.com).

4) If you have dark circles around your eyes, couple an eye gel or cream with light-reflective properties (my brother loves Lab Series Age Rescue Eye Therapy, £25 (hqhair.com) ) with a concealer. Many will know that I'm not a big fan of YSL's Touche Eclat - and on men in particular, it's very easily spotted (especially when looking back at photographs!). I therefore recommend Laura Mercier Secret Concealer, £18, because it comes in three SKIN-like colours and blends in seamlessly. For best results, apply eye cream and while skin is still the tiniest bit spongey with moisture, tap the concealer all along the orbital bone (the hollowest part of the undereye) with a little finger. When blended, stop.

5) There is no treatment on earth that will get rid of spots instantly. If you are well-off and well-connected, you can book in for an emergency spot shot from a reputable dermatologist(otherwise known as a cortisone injection), but for mere mortals, DIY methods must suffice. I don't rate toothpaste at all - I've seen girls with red rashes after regular zit attacks with the stuff.

If you have no time to spare, my best advice is to take a teeny bit of aspirin, grind it up and add a bit of water to make a paste and dab it directly onto the spot. Leave for a a couple of minutes then rinse away with ice cold water. This will take down some swelling and redness. Another great option is to pop eye whitening drops, which constrict blood vessels thereby reducing blood flow (and redness), directly onto the spot. My current favourite blemish cover-up is Avene Couvrance Concealer Brush, £11 (boots.com). It is a pen-style applicator and comes in a beige and a green shade. If you can afford both, I'd recommend using the green concealer on red areas first, before blending, and then brushing the beige colour over that. Faffy it may be, but the formula blends down to utter invisibility and has never once felt heavy on my cake-prone skin.

Poor guys. I may not be receptive to the ongoing male battle to keep tools in trousers, but I'm certainly more than sympathetic should they choose to whip the odd trick out of their sleeves.

#59 The Good Stuff

So, last time I took a poke at the CRAP TRAP pile. Now, for the GOOD STUFF:

1. First up, apologies are due. I didn't give Stella McCartney's CARE line much of a chance - well, actually I did, I just didn't use it properly. You see, I've never believed the regime nonsense i.e. that using all products from a single line is more beneficial than mixing and matching - but I often overlook the fact that within certain lines, the products are designed to be used together (especially if high in active ingredients). Such is the case with CARE. I added the elixirs and 5 Benefits Cream to my Spiezia/Dermalogica/Liz Earle-rich routine, and well, I was less than blown away. Well, last week, I went back to basics (again) - and started using the CARE cleanser, toner, elixir and moisturiser - morning and night. Well, would you believe it, I've not heard a peep out of my skin in 14 days. It's clear, hydrated, soft, unshiny, comfortable and even has a mid-summer glow to it. I'm converted and, tail between legs, apologetic. From my utterly subjective standpoint, I think I've found my new skin resolution.

2. Jurlique Intense Recovery Mask. Beauty eds are always questing after something - the perfect red lippy, the undereye concealer, the invisible base - but for me, the journey's been rather more specific. I've been searching for a mask that will simultaneously hydrate, purify, calm, clarify and revitalise. I've tried masks that meet all but one essential criterion (Dermalogica Multi-Vitamin Power Recovery Mask e.g. does a lot, but offers no purification/clarification benefits) - but never have I found a tube that multi-masks effectively. Then the lovely Purple PR ladies sent me this baby. Wowzer. It's chocka with everything from Carrot Root and Green Tea extract to Rose Hip and Evening Primrose Oil - but crucially, it's also rich in Green Clay - so while it's hydrating, it's also vaccuuming out pores and tackling imperfections. I had it on for ten minutes yesterday and massaged it off with a warm muslin cloth - skin was rosy, even and plump. Very impressed with this one.

3. Colgate Total Professional Weekly Clean. It looks like a toothpaste, it tastes like a toothpaste, it smells like a toothpaste. But for some reason (and the flashy lettering on the packet gives us a clue - 'with an ingredient that professional dentists use!!!'), a five minute scrub with this concoction leaves my mouth feeling like I've just had a clean and polish, minus the freaky rubber gloves and panic-inducing surroundings. There are no drastic changes in the appearance of the teeth - they just look very clean - but the sensation it produces is really rather good.

So, on this very last day of 2007, that is it from me.
What's coming in 2008 - hey, I'm a beauty editor, what do you think's coming....?
A........ makeover........... of course!

#57 Beauty Duty

It's late. It's been too long. I've missed this. I'm sorry for the silence.
Here, with no waffle - unheard of for me - is my current hit & miss list:

UPPERS

Uriage Stick Levres. Discovered at a French pharmacy - smells like a mix between Chapstick original and Chapstick Cherry, but with a far more moisturising, long-lasting, pleasing texture. Smiles.

Botanics Organics Jojoba Body Oil & Laidbare Body Oil. I've been putting on three coats a day - which you can, as they're both pleasingly inexpensive - the former has no scent (no essential oils) - just simple, fuss-free, skin-softening power; the latter is yummily-scented with essential oils, but also contains five EFA rich oils including Rosehip and Evening Primrose. This is the softest my skin's been in any winter in living memory.


DOWNERS

Not loving the Liz Earle Brightening Mask. It might give an instant perk-up, but I always seem to look oilier the next day. Hmmmm.


Dermalogica Soothing Eye Make-Up Remover.
Is it just me, or does this make anyone else's eyes sore? The viscousy gel always gets into my eyes - I prefer liquids - and I'm yet to be left with refreshed, soothed peepers.

And while we're on the subject of Dermalogica, I've also recently had a bad reaction to their Climate Control Lip Therapy. Lips felt more sore and became slightly swollen after repeated use. Uh Oh. This is the second bad reaction I've had to their products - the Body Cream brings me out in the most appalling, bumpy, red, raised angry rash - can't touch the stuff. It smells rather vile too. Despite this, several of their skincare products are eternal favourites (I heart Total Eye Care & Daily Microfoliant) - which has taught me never to expect great results from every product in a promising line.

You win some, you lose some.
You might get a bit messed up along the way (blotchy, rather than pillowy lips did not invite Mr M's late-night attentions), but hey, it's all the line of duty.

#56 Eye Fidelity

Sometimes an email pinpoints the collective mood. For some reason, this month, it's been all about the eyes and I've had a slew of emails from Truth in Beauty readers, all of whom are seeking a solution to their shadowy lids and burgeoning bags. Most of whom, swapping and shifting from cream to gel, have been continually disheartened by the many ineffectual eye products on the market.

The truth? Open your eyes. Don't expect miracles. Dark circles will not disappear overnight - if ever! My response? Cast your eyes below...

"I don't believe that dark circles can be cured with an eye cream. For most people, dark circles are either a sign of lack of sleep, poor microcirculation or they are hereditary. If it's lack of sleep - there's only one way to cure it; if it's poor microcirculation, then it's the application of the product that is most beneficial - try a daily massage of the eye area, tapping along the brow bone from the inner to the outer corners of the eye with your ring fingers; and if it's hereditary, then you have two options - a great concealer or a cosmetic procedure, possibly one that involved fillers, which would temporarily plump up any undereye hollows and thereby reduce the appearance of dark circles. Some studies have also been done that link dark undereye cirlces to iron or vitamin K deficiencies.

To reduce puffiness, the key thing is the temperature of the product. Any eye cream or lotion - such as Liz Earle Eye Bright (a make-up remover and soothing liquid) - will work far more effectively if it's kept chilled. Alternatively, two cotton pads dipped in icy cold water and then placed over eyes, or two fridge-cold cucumber slices/used camomile teabags, will take down puffiness more effectively than a specific depuffing eye cream.

I've tried quite a few eye creams in my time but always come back to Dermalogica Total Eye Care. It's got an SPF of 15, so it's great for daily wear, but the zinc oxide in it also reflects light to some degree, so subtly lightens the undereye area, whilst smoothing, hydrating and protecting it.

As for concealers, I personally like an all-in-one concealing & light-reflecting wand such as Dior's Skinflash, but I am aware that light-reflecting formulas don't provide very heavy-duty coverage. I've got a cousin who has more pronounced dark circles under her eyes and she swears by Kanebo's creamy concealer. It comes in a rectangular cream-coloured palette, with a mirror in the lid, and goes on very smoothly - blending easily too. It also provides excellent coverage. The other two undereye concealers I would recommend are Laura Mercier's Secret Concealer - once again, creamy, blendable and high coverage - and Armani's High Precision Retouch - more of a liquid, but with excellent coverage."

#53 Mid-Week Delivery

Oh lord. Head. Ache. Muscles. Ouch. Soles. Sore.

So what does it take to get back on track? To obey the morning alarm call? Well, I couldn’t even muster the energy to shampoo my hair when I got in – gross but true – but last night’s hairspray had given it atypical thickness and the morning-after matte look was sort of working for me. So I went with it – just slapped a thick headband across the front – and focused on the face instead. Two slices of very cold cucumber helped take my eyes down a bit. Skin washed with Jurlique Replenishing Foaming Cleanser – which I’m using because the postal strike has meant that my Liz Earle goodies are being held at ransom at the local depot. In fact, the strike might have had an odd upside. It’s forced me to dig into the drawers again and, thankfully, skin is still looking as good as it has been and this non-drying, effective foaming cleanser hasn’t scuppered the spot-free run that I’ve had for over a month. I also recommend Jurlique’s Herbal Recovery Eye Gel – lovely, light, full of hydrating botanicals with none of the residual stickiness that lesser gels are prone to creating. Then a quick facial massage with Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant and a hop into the shower with a super thick layer of Laura Mercier Hydra Soothing Gel Mask still on skin (my current replacement for Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque, which is once again, still ‘in transit’) but which does pretty much the same job. A freezing water splash, a spray of Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic, a little pat of Darphin’s camomile oil and then a dab of Organic Glam’s new Antioxidant Foundation to even out the odd red patch and I was feeling not too bad. Until I turned around, lost my balance and head-butted the jutting partition wall in my bedroom. Cocktail complexions you can conceal. Heavy heads you cannot. Note to self: Tuesday nights are not the new Friday.

#38 Spot the Difference

Your best friend will say things like, 'It's just a spot. I can't even see it. I promise you, if you hadn't pointed it out, I would never have noticed it.' So, how can it be the only thing that you are thinking about? You're supposed to be working and you're really torturing yourself with dark thoughts, such as, oh my god, I think it's growing. I can feel it. It's probably pulsating like a police siren. Why, why, why did I have to get a spot now - of all times - when I'm supposed to be photographed/go on a date/get married?!

I hear you. I've read your emails and sat, nodding, through most of them - those of you who have acne, those who simply suffer from the single beacon that pops up before the period and others who manage clear complexions for months at a time, only to be thwarted at the single most inopportune moment and retreat to their bedrooms for the rest of the week.

It's getting us down. It's enough to wreck our week. Serious enough to turn us from head-held-high-flyers into pavement-scanning lost souls. But, if there's one thing I've learnt about spots, it's that the less you worry about them, the better the situation gets. I get the odd rager on my forehead - almost always before my period - and have been reduced to tears in the past. The thing is, worrying, tapping, prodding, testing and attempting to squeeze these rude awakenings into oblivion is always the worst possible course of action. I've turned a tiny pinprick into a colossus in the past - simply because I could not bloody leave it alone.

I've learnt from my mistakes. I also decided, several months ago, to roadtest a few new skincare regimes in order to find one that nourished and calmed my changeable complexion. I was using spot-specific lines, having incorrectly surmised that, well, I get spots, so that's the main concern. An excellent Guinot facialist set me straight. My skin was not excessively oily - to the contrary - I had in fact been using products all over my face that my dry (and occassionally combination) skin was reacting badly to. I had tried Dr. Sebagh Breakout Foaming Cleanser - way too strong for me. Within three days, my skin was puckering from dryness as I just wasn't 'oily' enough to warrant the switch. I also used Bliss Steep Clean Cleansing Milk and Fabulous Foaming Face Wash. I liked them both - up to a point. After a couple of weeks, during which time I continued to get the odd spot - my skin became increasingly sensitive, as both formulas contain exfoliants (the former chemical, the latter mechanical) and I think a twice-a-day slough was, once again, too harsh a regime for my skin to take. The other odd thing was that, despite using an exfoliating cleanser twice a day, my skin didn't feel particularly smooth. In fact, I still felt that urge to exfoliate - with another product - at least twice a week in order to get a clear, smooth surface. I knew then, that nothing was working. I was dry, sometimes oily, occassionally spotty and my skin hadn't looked 'luminous' in weeks. So I went cold turkey. I cleared out the cabinet and started from scratch.

I felt, instinctively, as though my skin needed a break. As though it needed consistency. I knew it was time to stop chopping and changing the various components in my routine. So, I made the move to Liz Earle. I started using her famous Cleanse + Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, followed with a dose of her Skin Repair Moisturiser for normal skin. Nothing else. I didn't even use the Instant Boost Skin Tonic at first, so determined was I to get back to basics. That first week my forehead and chin broke out with a vengeance. Angry, red, raised spots. I almost chucked the stuff into the bin. But I persevered - namely because the nourishing ingredients and essential oil-rich formulas began to make my skin feel far more comfortable. I'd been dodging oil for so long - convinced that it was the source of all my pimple problems - using oil-free moisturiser, cleanser and foundation, that nothing prepared me for my skin's eventual reaction. The first couple of days, yes, I looked a bit shiny. But then, things started to settle down. My dry hide drank up the cream and settled to calmness beneath the nourishing veil of cleanser I applied each morning and night. It felt good. I could cleanse and leave my skin for minutes before applying moisturiser - it wouldn't feel dry or irritated. As I'd assumed, the switch back to oil-containing, skin-hydrating formulas has made my skin settle. At present, I have one tiny spot - a pre-period one - on my forehead that didn't give me any bother at all. I have an action plan in place, of course, to deal with future twinges - here it is:

1. If I feel a painful throb beneath the skin's surface I roll on Liz Earle Spot On

2. If, by the next day, the throb has turned into a 'bump', I squeeze a thin layer of Dermalogica Medicated Clearing Gel onto it and leave overnight. This vacuums out any pore-clogs and reduces the life of the spot by a couple of days. It's also exfoliating - so if you're a resolute squeezer - it will help you pop the pimple with minimal effort.

3. I also keep Remede's Double Oxygenating Booster on standby. I've had some good results. Sometimes a dab of this has managed to stop a bump developing into a spot - but sometimes it hasn't. It's not the miracle cure it is marketed as, but as far as reducing the life of a spot goes, it's one of the best.

So there it is. Simple. Basic skincare routine. A spot-zapping strategy... oh, and lest I forget, a new gym regime that has taken my stress levels from sky-high to pelvic-floor low. Yes, my name is Miss Malcontent and I'm a gymgoer. I know, yaawwwwn. But, it's helping. Eyes brighter, skin clearer - all that feel-good malarkey. Simple, yes, but in this case, spot on.

#13 Spleen-Clean...

Today I'm suffering. 90 minutes of gruelling, lymph-draining massage has left me lightheaded and bed-ready. I'd like to retire with a cup of white tea (which I'm hoping will help my body do battle with the emancipated toxins that are apparently dancing through my blood), but I'm already dreading the nightly five-step Dermalogica regime. Yes, five steps. Which, on a good night, when I'm still relatively bushy of tail and bright of eye, is just fine. But on a night like tonight (when my grubby grammar would've landed me in hot water, were I still being schooled by my indefatigable Latin teacher), I can barely spell, let alone pre-clean, cleanse, spritz, boost and moisturise.

So, I've jacked it in. I'm back on the balm. Before, it was always Eve Lom. Yes, that really expensive one. But I'm currently trialling The Sanctuary Hot Cloth Cleanser instead. The concept is identical: gets rid of all make-up, is steamed off with a cloth and needn't be chased with water (nor toner, nor cream). So far, so good. The formulation (which uses mainly organic ingredients, including Beeswax, Hemp Oil, Cocoa Butter, Jojoba Oil, Chamomile and Gold of Pleasure Oil) also bears similarities to Eve Lom (which also uses Hops, Chamomile and Cocoa Butter). It doesn't come off as convincingly as the Eve Lom balm, in fact, I get the impression it's trying to sink in, rather than lift away dirt, which I don't really like. But then I discovered that once you've added water to the equation (try carrying out the facial massage with moist hands) - it emulsifies well. It is also very moisturising and skin is left balm-y, clammy, spongy afterwards, which if dry and neglected, is no bad thing. It's been three nights on the trot and I'm actually rather impressed. The fact that it is also 4.8 times cheaper than Eve is more than enough reason not to be lead back into temptation. Well, not until payday at least...

www.thesanctuary.co.uk
www.evelom.co.uk

#9 No rest for the wicked...

Last night, things went awry in the Malcontent household. Excessive alcohol consumption led to loss of keys, diminished dexterity and a Kowalski-esque holler that woke up half the bloody (and, at that time of night, bloodthirsty) neighbours. Yes, Mr Malcontent locked himself out. Idiot. Being wrenched from golden slumbers at the heart-stalling time of 3.30am did nothing for my mood, my mind or my complexion. This morning, having managed just four hours of semi-decent sleep before my embarrassingly polite alarm clock ‘Tweet Tweeted’ at 8am, I looked a right ol’ mess. Puffy eyes, dark circles, pores, well, poreifying. Now, being a beauty editor, I should technically be armed to the hilt with bottles of beauty miracles that would magic away all unflattering signs of sleeplessness. In truth? Come on, who are we kidding? There isn’t a single product on the market that will turn a corned beef complexion into plump, well-rested, Pampers-baby-bottom type skin overnight, and certainly not within 10 minutes. It just isn’t possible. But, as I had a morning meeting, something had to be done. Something drastic:

1. SK-II Facial Treatment Mask. Bloody hell these things are expensive, but when you’ve had a late night and your eyes are all ringed and bulgy, these sopping, pre-soaked, moisture-boosting masks are good. I want to stress that they don’t work wonders – I didn’t develop an LA glow or radical radiance or skin as soft as Mischa Barton’s earlobes, or any other such nonsense – but they did leave my skin feeling softer, more hydrated and looking far less irritable.

2. Vaishaly Day Moisturiser, Normal/Combination. Simple, easy, sinks in without residual oiliness. With calming essential oils and SPF. One of the best face creams I’ve tried.

3. Lots of Liz Earle Superbalm. On lips, dry patches, under eyebrows.

4. Dermalogica Total Eye Care. Reliable in a Homebase-Hubby, 'takes care of everything' sort of way. Leaves no residue and also has SPF.

5. Some Guerlain Bronzer, Bourjois Eyeliner, Shu Uemura Lash Repair, Clinique Almost Lipstick in Almost Blush and a swipe of old faithful, Giorgio Armani Sheer Cream Blush, No 5.

After all that, you’d expect something great, something head-turning, wink-inducing – a makeover on par with Ally Sheedy's legendary Breakfast Club metamorphosis. The truth is, I didn’t look amazing, or fresher-than-fresh, or particularly radiant. I looked fine and, crucially, as though I'd had a decent night's sleep. A darn sight better than most of the working week’s survivors – especially the woman who almost lost an eye tweezing between Southwark and Bond Street! - and for a Friday morning, that was more than enough for me.

#4 Face Facts...

Heavy feelings often plague the deskbound. There's nothing profound about it - it comes from sitting around all day and eating unnecessarily. Today it was a belated Easter egg - a Dairy Milk one that my partner picked up from the reduced bin in the supermarket. I've been busy all day - it took me two hours after waking to wash my face - chasing emails from New York, waiting for PRs to confirm plans, trying to finish a feature that I've been batting around for hours, like a morose cat with a ball of string. It's not like I've just been sitting on my arse (she says, defensively). I have managed a walk down to Marks & Spencers in between sending manic emails and making phone calls. Sometimes though, this doesn't seem like a real job. I get things sent to me - today, a large crate of Volumising products from Garnier, an amazing batch of the new Shu Uemura Summer colours and the new Vivienne Westwood Boudoir Sin Garden - and I play with them, sniff them and eventually come to write about them - which I will of course do later - but in between, I'm at chronic risk of letting my days slip by without human contact. None at all. I even 'IM' my sister - we save our talks for the weekend. I called my mum and was surprised to find that she has found the energy to visit her local shopping compound and stock up on early summer swag. What I should of been doing today - I'm ashamed to say - is popping into a series of press days. There was the Halpern one - where the fabulous Japanese brand Suqqu was on show - but this morning I realised that my face and body are quite simply, not in 'meeting the world' mode today. Brows need to be plucked, skin masqued and body depilated. I do not feel footloose - not one bit - I have let this lovely life get the better of me and resolve to make it all better tonight. And when I am in need of beautifying, nothing beats this lengthy, indulgent ritual:

1. Make-up removed with Dermalogica Pre-Cleanse
2. Face washed with Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel
3. If my skin is having a bad day, looks uneven, feels rough to the touch, I use Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator. Partly because of it's subliminal power - the eye-watering eucalyptus convinces me it's really purifying my pores.
3. I then layer on an oil-free moisturising mask. Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque is wonderful - but the pack instructions mendacious. A thin layer does nothing at all. Dry skin sucks it up in miliseconds and then you're left with nothing but residual tightness. No, I drench my skin in the stuff, glooping layer upon layer, around the eyes too - and leave it on for 10 minutes. Normally while showering.
4. If bathing, Elemis Skin Nourishing Milk Bath is good stuff. I was cynical at first - well, I'm allergic to milk - but this left my skin slippery-smooth. It also soothed the odd eczema patch - which is odd, as consuming milk does quite the opposite.
5. Then, if I'm planning a sexy night and want to pounce on Mr Malcontent later on, I heat up the Elemis Exotic Frangipani Monoi Moisture Melt and drizzle it all over my body. The super-sweet scent isn't quite me, more my exotic other self - my Bertha, my erotic woman in the attic. If Bertha is feeling shy or sleepy, I use Dr Hauschka Lemon Body Oil. It has a real sherbertiness and is wonderful in the summer.
6. Most nights, it's my Brown Earth Shea Butter - which really is dividing people at the moment. I love the moist, ever-so-slight tackiness it leaves behind - but my sister, mother and best friend are having none of it. It seems that, for most people, the mark of a good body moisturiser is it's ability to sink in and leave no tactile trace behind. I disagree. For me, there's nothing nicer than a clammily soft limb - it reminds me of my grandmother, who at 72 also happens to have the softest skin I've ever felt. She's used nothing but Nivea for 5o years...
7. Once out of the bath or shower, the masque is rinsed off. Skin spritzed with Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner or Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic, followed with whatever night potion I feel my skin is in need of. Good ones? Vaishaly Night Nourisher (if skin's feeling normal); Decleor Aromessence Essential Balm (if congested); Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser (if feeling delicate). At the moment I'm also trying to use Estee Lauder's best-selling Advanced Night Repair Concentrate - I really can't say much about it as yet as I'm too fickle to follow a regular routine. I'll give it a fortnight and let you know if I've seen any marked improvements.