# 141 Good Skin

I have good nails. I've been approached by several different people re a spot of hand modelling, but, well, I'm far too lazy and clumsy... I've never had a manicure that's outlasted the week, couldn't be bothered to shield mes mains in mitts, I don't care for my cuticles or take calcium supplements. My good nails and long fingers are a genetic gift, just like my odd teeth and propensity to gain weight around the bootie area. I've gotten so used to answering on autopilot, 'what, these old things, they take care of themselves,' that it was only a matter of time before Monsieur Ironique decided to serve me a kick in the chops - in the form of peeling nails that attracted the pitying glances of my manicurist. Once we established the fact that I was 6 months post-pregnancy she sighed, 'J-yes, I zee zis all zee time. You muzt luke after your nails better. Your vitaminzez were leached away by bebby; you breztfeed? J-yes, me too. So, zis is why your nails, they look like zhits.' I may have paraphrased that last bit, but, well, you get zee gist. What was once naturally perfect now requires a (ahem) helping hand. So, it's been Decleor treatment oil, CND Solar Oil, Philosophy's new hand & nail cream, no polish for a bit, and, yes, those supplements (I'm trying Healthspan's NURTURE range). I'm only a week in, but things are already looking up. I want to give the supplements etc 6 weeks though, so ping me back if you want to know how it went (and if I remember, I'll follow up here).

Onto the skinfront, which was also looking decidedly washed out. Yes, yes, I'm tired. No, no, I haven't had a full 8 hours for a full 7 months. But, that's okay. My body seems to have lain down and accepted it... well, I'd quite frankly pass out anywhere. To be fair to my face though, the skin really isn't doing that badly. I'm not spotty or ridiculously grey or dry as a coconut biscuit... but, I was lacking glow, a thing I used to have rather too much of (and needed regular t-zone wipes to rectify). What's helped? At the moment a combination of 2 cleansers - Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel, because it takes make-up off very quickly and rinses cleanly away; and then a quick scrub with Tata Harper's Regenerating Cleanser (which will go on sale in Space.NK in the UK in, I believe, April). I tried using the Tata Harper line exclusively for 2 weeks, but my skin got very very dry and just seemed to feel sticky all the time. It's weird, because I was layering on all of her serums and spraying the mist and doing all the massage - and I have to say, I had the very very highest hopes for this line - but it turned my skin into a bit of a confused mess - a bit spotty around the chin, dry around cheeks, and the undereye area wasn't served any favours by the serum either... my dark circles began to border on blue. Now, I know what you're thinking: I only gave it 2 weeks (which I chide others for doing over & over)... 2 weeks is not a fair trial, and because it is not, I do intend to return to it in the future at a time when the appearance of my skin is not so damn crucial. I'm a beauty director for chrissake, if the face doesn't look good, I have no value.

I need products that really work; really improve; really leave skin feeling balanced and moist and plump and radiant.

So, the two cleansers are working well together at present (Tata's cleanser smells divine) and because it's also gently exfoliating, it leaves a lovely dead-cell free base for my serum, which is Revive Moisture Extreme. This is really really good stuff. In just one week it's cancelled out every bit of dryness I was doing battle with, and really is injecting radiance back into the old mug. I just wish the tube were bigger as this baby is not going to last me another month. And it's really expensive. £220 expensive. Of course. It's also far from 'natural', which is what my skin routine always was, until I reached 30 and started to see a bit of a 'situation' in the mirror. So, it's one of the first very serious serums I've used - alongside Prevage Eye (with idebenone - very good stuff); and Creme's Radiant Serum (which did indeed make my skin look glowier, but after 2 months had not left it better hydrated, which I do so desperately need at present). It's grown-up skincare, and the results sure do make everything else look like a kid in costume.

Oh, and now for the thing I never thought I'd say (or type). I love the new Benefit face cream. As the PR's a good friend I did promise not to blog about it until March, but, well, we're almost there right? And I have no doubt that Brit Beauty Blogger got their first anyway! So, the Be Radiant line made its way onto my bathroom shelf DESPITE containing artificial fragrance (I hardly ever, ever, ever use perfumed products); despite not being natural or organic in any way (or even trying to be); despite being from a cutesy, quirky brand that I had never, ever once associated with skincare. So, words eaten, because I've been using the Face Cream for 2 weeks and it's one of the loveliest formulas out there. It's silky, velvety, completely absorbed, amazing before make-up, banishes dry patches like nothing else (no, not even Creme de la Mer felt more moisturising!). I've had no adverse reactions to it, I'm not spotty or stinging or red or sensitized, I just have softer, brighter-looking skin. People have commented. I'm happy as Larry. And that scent, well, let's just say, it's good enough to make me eat my hat (and a lovely, flowery hat at that). Now, that really is a surprise.

# 138 Guilt RIP

Right, so it turns out that a new job + a new baby + an almost-new-year adds up to not a spare second to do very much of anything at all. Which is why this blog hasn't been updated in over a month - shameful. I'm sorry. And a wee bit sorrowful. Racked with guilt seems to be my latest thing. I wake up feeling bad for rushing out on the bairn; come in feeling bad for being late; spend days at home feeling bad for having to check in on email when I should be bathing/playing/singing/dancing/smiling at/with the baby; and that list of things to-do - grows and grows and grows, until the guilt at the undone and unsaid and unfinished stuff wakes me up in the middle of the night. But not for very long of course, because I'm currently getting, on average, 24 hours sleep a WEEK. Ouch. Everybody hurts.

But then I realise that I'm being a very silly-billy [thanks mum], and it's time to grow (& shut) up. The fact is, beneath the tiredness & tumult (should I continue to blog so openly when I have a high-profile new job on a consumer magazine? can honesty always be the best policy? will I accidentally slip up here & end up on the silenced scrapheap?), I've realised that I'm creating my own conflicts. The truth is here, and it is that I shall always, always speak my own mind and be honest about my loves, loathes and couldn't-care-lesses. I also know that one of the reasons I landed my new gig is because the editor values an opinionated voice & isn't scared of letting it sing. Yes, we rely on advertising just like every other magazine on the market, but unlike most, my mag also speaks to a unique sort of woman - a truly savvy, enquiring and intelligent type who expects more from her magazine. And that 'more' is, I hope, real & raw & un-revised authority, honestly & insight. That's my modus operandi in my new role - to be REAL - and do away with all the overblown cliches, hyperbole and BS that can haunt beauty. Guilt trip over I say to myself. You are who you are & you were hired for a reason. There is a place in this world where one can be both beauty director & unbiased blogger. Here we go.

So, despite my stint of self-counselling, I've also become one of those women who is forever bemoaning her eye bags, her 5-minute morning make-up routine [it used to be 15], her lack of sleep/rest/lazy/me time... and I just don't like it. The truth is - as the other gazillion working mums out there can testify - it is hard & tiring. But there's another truth nestled among the moans & that's that it's also, really, very, very wonderful. My petite one is now a full 4 months & a bit old, which means that she's becoming a wholehearted, full-throated, big-smiled joy. Gone are those days of crying for no reason, of needing to be held every second, of waking up 11 times a night to feed... she's now content to watch, smile, follow, listen and is also perfectly content to be left alone for rather long periods too... deary me, how things change in the span of an eyelid's blink. I have one entire day a week with her when neither my husband nor sister nor mum nor dad descend, and it's becoming a very special one - where we do simple, smiley things such as playing peekaboo and watching Postman Pat. Joy. We even managed to take a 2-hour mid-morning nap together... a rare, but wondrous treat. Alas, despite her gorgeous mood, I was so busy with washing/cleaning/bottle-making/changing/singing/emailing that I didn't get time to do the essential end-of-the-week groom [I like to go into a long weekend as a scrubbed, buffed & shorn version of myself]. So, here I am now, at 19.20, with baby a-snooze, aware of the wash-and-go session that needs to be fitted into tomorrow's morning... the past weeks have been prime testing ground for the simplest of new regimes - and have turfed up some serious time-saving treasures:

Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel - brand new, lovely oozy, buttery texture, great for a good old massage, then emulsifies beautifully with water to rinse clean away like milk. Good stuff. If only it could be used over eyes too (but then again, if it could, it wouldn't have the same anti-ageing benefits).

Inlight Organic Night Balm - from the rather special fellow who dreamed up Spiezia [which he is now in no way affiliated to], Mario's blend of pure nourishing oils (macadamia, carrot, evening primrose) is so spot-on for winter-sore and tired skin. It's also a lazy girls dream - you literally massage it in all over a cleansed face & a thicker layer makes for an overnight mask too. Watch skin suck it up - mornings aren't so scary now.

Aveda Damage Remedy Treatment - because nobody does it better, and with my 'artificial' poker-straight strands [here's where I get it 'done': http://wemakeupaswegoalong.blogspot.com/2010/10/wish-it-were-sunday.html] it's essential to keep tips in top condition.

OCCO Bath & Body Wash Kornati No 7 - because I'm miles and miles from the sea and this smells like the Turkish coast... mineraly, salt-tinged and a breath of fresh air on bleary-eyed mornings. Oh, and it's about 5 times thicker than normal shower gels, so it goes a hell of a long way.

Jo Malone Vitamin E Body Balm - My beloved Creme de la Mer Body Lotion ran out so I fished this from the cupboard & am mightily impressed. Cocoa-buttery but with a sweet scent that is less cloying than the traditional stuff, it absorbs rather beautifully - none of that rubbing a white-sticky-stripe-leaving cream for minutes until it disappears, nope, despite being thick as peanut butter, a few quick swipes and the body sucks it up. Just luvverly.

Murine Irritation & Redness Relief Eye Drops - from pharmacies this one, but bloody hell, if it doesn't just destroy every trace of the 4-hours-a-night evidence. And unlike most brightening eye drops, this doesn't irritate in the slightest. Ideal SOS stuff - particularly near the end of the working week.

Ojon Rub-Out Dry Cleanser - sometimes it's just utterly impossible to wash & dry my hair. I would like to do so every single day, but at present, I'm managing 3 times a week. Not great. Thankfully, this spray in stuff is truly great [and even better than the KMS one which I've previously raved about]. I spray it in & massage it in with fingers, clip it back, and then proceed with the cleanse/moisturise/make-up routine, then once made up, I take it down & give it a good 30-second upside-down brush, and there you go, big ol' hair once more. Even better on days when you want to do an up-do: just the right amount of quiffy bounce.

And that's it from me for now.

Bye Bye Guilt et Au Revoir Tristesse.

# 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.

#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.

#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.

# 11 Day of Rest...

Living slap-bam in the centre of the London Marathon route, I spent the day out on my balcony, shouting out the names of strangers - 'Go Fred! Go Kath! Go Katie! Save the Rhino!' - in an effort to 'respeck' the throngs of fit, thumping thighs pounding past me. Yes, it is remarkable. 26 miles. Wow. Cor. Fantastic. Wish I could do it. I think I might try for it next year. Etc etc.

An hour later, and after further torment (i.e. one too many glimpses of the cocoa-butter-bods on T4's Shipwrecked), I was on my way to enquire about membership at the local gym. Timing wasn't great on my part. Rather than revving up the inner resolve, the whirring treadmills, sweaty dumbbells and shiny Swiss Balls left me cold, languid, and within twenty minutes I was back at home, snoozing on the sofa. In my defense, it's a bad time of the month and I'm currently doubled up in agony, typing in the foetal position. And when things get this bad, there are a couple of tried and tested remedies that I like to pull out of the Doctor's bag:

1. Elemis Lavender Neck Pillow. This was a limited edition gift with the Luxury Dream Journey Traveller and it comes in a sneeze-inducing gets-up-your-nose-and-all-over-your-clothes faux-fur pillowcase. I take the grain-filled bag out of the 'Kerchoo-Case, stick it in the microwave for two minutes, stuff it under my jumper and spend the rest of the day walking around like a deranged woman who's playing at being pregnant. No, sexy it isn't, but the natural lavender aroma combined with the steaming heat is just the tonic for sore tummies and that is all I care about.

2. Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Bath & Lavender Oil. If muscles are tight or cramp has set in, I take a small amount of this potent oil and rub it directly onto the skin. The ginger, rosemary and lavender oils warm the area, tingling slightly. Follow with a hot shower. It really takes the edge off the pain.

3. Dr Hauschka Lavender Bath. I'm not really the bathing type and prefer the slap on the back of a high-pressure shower, which is why this grass-green oil is a bathroom staple. The steam from running hot water vaporises the liquid within seconds, filling the room with a knot-loosening, tension-reducing fog that works wonders on even the most pernickety of schwitzers.

The problem is that with all of these somniferous scents floating around the house, it's impossible to get anything constructive done - there'll certainly be no heavy machinery operated in the Malcontent household tonight. In fact, had today been an ordinary working day, I, like millions of others, would simply have deployed a time-honoured, straightforward and foolproof pain management plan. The same course of action that men and women have been taking for decades: drugs, lots and lots of drugs. But as it is Sunday, my one day of rest, I'm actually enjoying these half-lids and heavy hands... and sometimes it feels nice to remind myself that the solution needn't be swallowed every four hours. Sometimes, it just comes naturally.

#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.