# 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.

# 104 Happy Addition

Apologies. I forgot the most important product of all. The product that my skin became infatuated with just 3 weeks ago on holiday (and which I believe I have had 10 dalliances with since): GUINOT MASQUE ESSENTIEL NUTRITION CONFORT

It's the first mention for Guinot on my blog which is a glaring oversight as I've had a couple of very good facials with them in the past (Hydradermie is of the deep-cleansing, purifying and hydrating variety - I've been consistently impressed).

I've also had my assumptions tested. This mask seems as though it will dry out the skin, but actually hydrates it, while also incorporating a more traditional purifying clay and brightening camphor base. Unlike some clay masks I do not break out after using it, and unlike some camphor masks, it doesn't sting or cause redness. It's a bit of an overachiever this one, and there is a marked difference in the before and afters. I've come to rely on it after my Origins Modern Friction session (1-2 times a week).

So, apologies for the oversight - this one was destined for my last post and as I stood staring at my face in the mirror just before my nightly bath I remembered all about it and had to dash back, log on and rectify my mistake.

Considering that I ought to be tucked up in bed now (and am still wrapped in a towel) this is probably the truest testament to the Guinot mask as the result itself.

Bon Nuit!


And p.s. The Shiseido eye cream (see post #103) just gets better and better... my peeper's say: it's a keeper.