# 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.

# 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

# 136 Conditioning Complex

A couple of weeks ago I had a big interview. I needed to look a-mazing - chic, sleek, grown-up and 'with it'. Looking with it is a whole new challenge these days what with a new baby, gazillions of short-lead deadlines & a new job kicking off in less than two weeks. The problem is, post-baby, my hair's developed an entirely new personality. It's still shiny [thank gawd], but it's also prone to kinkiness and sheds in clumps in the shower [truly, it looks as though I have a dead mogwai in my bathroom bin]. I'm lucky to have enough to spare - but when hair's proving tricky I need something extra - something that keeps strands in place, come rain or shine. My sister - her of the feted Absolom-esque locks - cannot live without Pantene. I've never been a fan - I don't like Sodium Laureth Sulphate for a start. She has told me, over and over again, that nothing produces such reliable sleekness, malleable softness, shiny, tactile, styleability. Pass, I say, not for me. Having spent more time of late out in Kent with Ma & Pa Malcontent, I've became a dab hand at forgetting my essential grooming products. And the night before this 'big interview', I realised that my amnesia extended to haircare. After a minor freak-out [Ma Malcontent's TIGI was not to my liking], I decided to bite the beauty bullet and trial the leftover Smooth & Sleek range in lil' Sis' bathroom. Well. My oh my. Words duly swallowed. Hair blow-dried in record time, with supreme shine, and so slippery-sleek was the result that I wore it down for the first time in weeks [Mr Frieda, we must make another date soon!]. Gorgeous. And I never, ever say that about my hair. The following day hair was scooped up into a sleek ponytail, still very shiny and healthy looking. By day 2.5, however, gloss began to turn to grease... and by day 3 hair was crying out for another wash. Now, this is something I'm not used to. I have thick, full hair - and going 3 days without a wash is just par for the course. Just not with Pantene. And, I've since discovered, that if left on hair for more than a minute, the in-between-wash time is reduced by 24 hours. So, while it saves time with the dry and style, it also demands a more regular shampoo session... highs and lows. But... that initial smooth operation... the shine, the sleekness, the softness... hmmmm... I bought my own. Because, it's [just about] worth it.

# 135 Funny Face

Funny stuff happens post-bairn. Hair growth fizzles out [barely shaved my legs in 7 weeks]; dry skin becomes suddenly oily again [the t-zone is back to teen-sheen status]; eye bags sprout eye bags for their eye bags, and then, all of a sudden, get used to sleeplessness and disappear, all by themselves [or is it the new 'kinder' mirror we've installed in the bathroom?!]; smooth as a baby's bottom skin develops barnacled patches [back of arms, like silk for 40 weeks, are now more sandpapery] and the hairs on my head are falling out in clumps, as the scalp relinquishes its stronghold on the excess pregnancy strands [I shed a daily hair rug for the bathroom floor. Thank gawd [and Mr Dyson] for my handheld hoover]. So, with new highs and lows comes new opportunities to TEST TEST TEST, and this I have been doing with renewed relish now that the 8-week-old is learning to sleep better at night [hoorah!].

What do I like?

Creme de la Mer The Body Lotion - After trialling oils from Mama Mio, Aromatherapy Associates and Erbaviva [all lovely, nourishing, great-smelling], I went back to this baby which is still half-full as I abandoned it while pregnant. Well, yes, it really is incomparably fab and leaves even awkward skin very soft. The back of arms are already looking & feeling better. I'm just not looking forward to re-purchase time. Ouch.

Origins Never a Dull Moment Scrub – Now, from all that I’ve tried & trialed & tested and learned, I know that rough-grain scrubs are no good for skin [not even the body]. Much better to look for fine Microdermabrasion-style formulas, or chemical exfoliants, such as those found in Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Gel Mask. But, well, this one breaks the rules. I first purchased it while temping as a counter girl at Selfridges [13 years ago!], and though I’ve not used it in the interim, I was most glad to rediscover it last month. It smells lush & fruity, leaves skin very rosy and perky, and makes light work of rough patches. Best of all, it doesn’t leave skin sore or ‘scrubbed’ feeling.

Sue Devitt Micro-Aquatic Hydrating Marine Minerals Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 – Sue wins no prizes for snappy product names, but she does gain plaudits with this gorgeous, dewy, light base. Many bases claim to moisturise yet somehow highlight dry patches instead – but this is different. It makes skin softer, spongier and smoother. It also gives great glow & wears well throughout the day [tip: pat it into skin that is still slightly ‘moist’ after the application of your morning face cream].

And what just isn’t getting the baby bathed?

Origins Clean Energy Cleanser – There’s nothing glaringly wrong with this – it feels nice enough, smells zingy & contains nice things [olive/kukui/macadamia nut oils], but it just didn’t do anything special either. Skin was a bit shiny at times, dry at others and congestion on the chin was not kept at bay. It is absolutely dandy for removing a thin layer of slap, but if you want a deep, nourishing, purifying or balancing cleanse, there are better suds on the shelves.

The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Tint – There was a time when I used this a lot – before dates with the blokie; before dashing out to buy milk; on trains before meetings... because I believed it gave my lips a gorgeous bitten stain and cheeks a hearty, healthy flush. Now, 8 years in the beauty biz later, I’ve come to realise that this is seriously lacking. It’s watery consistency means the colour is never uniform – in my case, the insides of my lips always pink up more than the outer bits, which makes me look as though I’ve been sucking on home-made Ribena popsicles [not a great look for a 30-year-old professional]. Even after reapplying, layer upon layer, I found it utterly impossible to get an even colour across the entire lip. On cheeks? Even worse. Some bits of skin take, others do not – making the skin look a bit rashy. Consigned to the bin this one [and those fond memories, to the re-visited and corrected annals of time].

# 134 True Beauty

Champneys Town and City Spas are working with the Red Cross to raise money for the Floods Appeal by donating all treatment proceeds and therapists wages to the appeal on Sunday 5^th September - could there ever be a better reason to book in for some beautifying time?

Call your local spa to book in….

Champneys Bath, 20 New Bond Street, BA1 1BD Tel. 01225 420500 bath@champneys.com
Champneys Chichester, 60 East Street, PO19 1HL Tel. 01243 819010 chichester@champneys.com
Champneys Guildford, 194 High Street, GU1 3HZ Tel. 01483 455850 guildford@champneys.com
Champneys Tunbridge Wells*, 7 High Street, TN1 1UL Tel. 01892 530111 tunbridgewells@champneys.com *Champneys spa in Tunbridge Wells will hold their charity day on Monday 6th September.

Champneys Brighton, 24 East Street, BN1 1HL. Tel. 01273 777155 brighton@champneys.com

Champneys Enfield, 2 Hatton Walk, Palace Exchange, EN2 6BP. Tel. 0208 363 7994 enfield@champneys.com

Champneys St Albans, 23 Market Place, AL3 5DP Tel. 01727 864893 stalbans@champneys.com Or visit: www.champneys.com

# 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.

# 132 Coming Up Roses

Yep, baby Malcontent is officically here. But, as irony would have it, she is anything but malcontent. She is dinky and darling and already sleeping & eating well [well, she must get that from her mama]. We're all a flutter with love, and also finding ways to stay sitting pretty while getting used to this new mum malarkey. a good friend suggested a simple trick for staying positive [even if little one's been bawling since sundown] - 'whatever you do, upon waking, wash your face and get dressed.' nothing depresses more than a greasy mush and stinky PJs. so, each morning, after the first feeding session is over, baby spends time with daddy while mummy sorts out hair, face, brows and body. I've already got my routine down to a neat 20 mins - and feel like a new woman afterwards. Here are the essentials that are saving my post-baby bacon: the organic pharmacy miracle nipple cream [this stuff heals like you wouldn't believe - I've already begged the PR for more!]; liz earle cleanse & polish [post-birth skin is back to it's normalised, oilier state. The eucalyptus in this cleans wonderfully, while also leaving things soft and clear]; the new TIGI sleek mystique range - i used the fast fixx style prep spray and blow out balm yesterday, to lovely, shiny & speedy effect; and, my new flavour-fave of the month: aromatherapy associates rose renew body oil. I read in one of my mama tomes, that rose otto oil is wonderful for warding off the baby blues, but also for bonding the baby with mama. now, new age stuff aside [i'll try my hardest not to spout anymore in future], this stuff smells utterly dreamy, really soothes & calms, and I'm convinced, means while baby suckles she also slips into a deep dreamy sleep too. Talk about multi-tasking. Pat on the back [one for baby: BURP!; and one for me: smile].