Hey lovelies,
I'm off on holiday to Spain today!!! I sooooo can't wait....check, check, check for bikini's, suncream and the sunglasses....
I'm away for a week and will be back with juicy details from my trip for you guys.
Write soon
Xoxo
June 27, 2009
June 26, 2009
#6 Is it because I'm not a celebrity? - Facial at Linda Meredith
It was my first year’s wedding anniversary last month – woo hoo!!! I can’t believe how the time flew by and I have to admit to still feeling like a major novice in all things marital! But the two big things I have learnt are that you are both always on the same side (yes even when they try to convince you that you don’t need the lovely shoes you just saw on sale!) and what you get out of your marriage is what you put into it, so always make an effort. Anyway in the lead up to our anniversary I decided to be helpful and leave Mr Lotions & Potions various hints lying in obvious places around the house with certain key items circled, pages folded etc – and I thought it was going really well till we decided to go with the traditional theme of anniversary gifts and seeing as the first year is paper – I realised my circled gifts wouldn’t really work anymore. Thankfully the lovely Mr Lotions & Potions decided to surprise me so not only did I get my paper gift but he also got me one of my circled items which was to have a facial at Linda Meredith!!
Now Linda Meredith is known as a facialist to the stars – and boasts a client list that reads like ‘Who’s Who’ with names such as Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Moss as devotees of her facials. Her bespoke facials are often described as some of the finest ones around.
So introductions over – on the day of my facial – I dress with extreme care and skyscraper heels to rival some of the tallest buildings – I’m not ashamed to admit it, I was hoping to bump into some celebrity – please don’t ask me what I would have done if I had ……but alas there was no there in the waiting room when I arrived save for the numerous signed photographs on the wall from various a-list celebrities and my therapist who would be doing my facial. Now for those who are wondering, no it wasn’t Linda herself but one of her specially trained therapists whose skin by the way was so amazingly clear it was practically translucent plus it had the additional benefit of being all glowy and healthy! Wow I think, can I have whatever you just had.
My facial starts really well, with her explaining what she felt was going on with my skin and what specific products and tips would be helpful to turn my skin around but then it all went a bit sour!
While I’m lying there wrapped in my warm towels with something soothing on my closed eyelids, the door opens and a loud voice is heard telling her off for (a) having gone over my allocated facial time and (b) asking her how much longer she will be and urging her to speed it up. HOW RUDE! Obviously this meant that the rest of my facial was quite rushed and I felt completely sorry for my facialist and spent the rest of the time worrying about how much trouble she was in.
Now while I can understand that you have a business to run and need to reprimand staff if they are not able to work to timings, what I couldn’t understand was why this had to be done in the middle of my facial with me lying there (i.e. why couldn’t it wait until she finished with me or at the very least pull her out of the room and speak to her privately) and I couldn’t help but wonder and come to the conclusion that if I was someone who was deemed to be important, in other words a celebrity it wouldn’t have happened. I have to say it left me feeling slightly sad and overall the experience didn’t leave me feeling pampered or relaxed as it should have done. I was extremely disappointed....
On a positive note, my face was glowing when she finished and I felt like I had just been given a touch of what she had. Have a look at the website for facial and product details. www.lindameredith.com
Xoxo
Now Linda Meredith is known as a facialist to the stars – and boasts a client list that reads like ‘Who’s Who’ with names such as Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Moss as devotees of her facials. Her bespoke facials are often described as some of the finest ones around.
So introductions over – on the day of my facial – I dress with extreme care and skyscraper heels to rival some of the tallest buildings – I’m not ashamed to admit it, I was hoping to bump into some celebrity – please don’t ask me what I would have done if I had ……but alas there was no there in the waiting room when I arrived save for the numerous signed photographs on the wall from various a-list celebrities and my therapist who would be doing my facial. Now for those who are wondering, no it wasn’t Linda herself but one of her specially trained therapists whose skin by the way was so amazingly clear it was practically translucent plus it had the additional benefit of being all glowy and healthy! Wow I think, can I have whatever you just had.
My facial starts really well, with her explaining what she felt was going on with my skin and what specific products and tips would be helpful to turn my skin around but then it all went a bit sour!
While I’m lying there wrapped in my warm towels with something soothing on my closed eyelids, the door opens and a loud voice is heard telling her off for (a) having gone over my allocated facial time and (b) asking her how much longer she will be and urging her to speed it up. HOW RUDE! Obviously this meant that the rest of my facial was quite rushed and I felt completely sorry for my facialist and spent the rest of the time worrying about how much trouble she was in.
Now while I can understand that you have a business to run and need to reprimand staff if they are not able to work to timings, what I couldn’t understand was why this had to be done in the middle of my facial with me lying there (i.e. why couldn’t it wait until she finished with me or at the very least pull her out of the room and speak to her privately) and I couldn’t help but wonder and come to the conclusion that if I was someone who was deemed to be important, in other words a celebrity it wouldn’t have happened. I have to say it left me feeling slightly sad and overall the experience didn’t leave me feeling pampered or relaxed as it should have done. I was extremely disappointed....
On a positive note, my face was glowing when she finished and I felt like I had just been given a touch of what she had. Have a look at the website for facial and product details. www.lindameredith.com
Xoxo
June 22, 2009
#5 Hair care tips for relaxed hair
So about a week ago, I finally took out my weave and what can I say after 4.5 months of not relaxing my hair!!! I was rough and tough with my afro puffs hey!….. so I decided to pull out my afro power look for the week till I could get it done – yep I was all scarf wearing combined with my huge gold hoops and I have to say that after a series of incidents where my comb got stuck as I tried to comb my hair and a few too many “ how are you doing my sister?” greetings from brothers on the road (why oh why?) I was mighty relieved to go and get my hair relaxed and treated with my hairdresser extraordinaire Dupe Oyeleke…..
Now for those of you who don’t know Dupe I will let you in on a little secret – the first time I saw/met her she had ridiculously long flowing locks down her back and I remember that while I was being introduced I was literally itching to put my fingers in there and check to see if it was a weave as I thought surely NO!! It’s not possible! She has since chopped off her locks into a hot short crop ( I know sacrilege!!) and is now (a) such a good friend and (b) an amazing hairdresser to boot – she styled my hair for my wedding last year and it was fab, fab, fab. Dupe used to work as a top stylist for a high end salon but is now a Trainer and Assessor for NVQ hairdressing students as well as being a Field Educator for Avlon.
Anyway while Dupe was taming my tresses into submission I decided to pick her brain and expert knowledge on hair, products, tips etc
Q – A number of black girls think their hair doesn’t grow or can’t grow past a certain length – what are your thoughts?
A – It’s a myth that afro hair doesn’t grow. As long as your body is healthy and functioning properly – your hair has to grow. If you think about the fact that after 6-10 weeks most girls are back to touch up their roots for a hair relaxer it means their hair is growing.
However if your hair is in bad condition it won’t grow. This is because weak, damaged hair will break easily and is prone to split ends. I see a lot of girls walking around with scraggly thin ends determined to keep the length on the hair – buts its so no worth it, first it looks bad and will only get worse. The best solution for this is to get your hair regularly trimmed every 8-12 weeks otherwise the split will keep travelling up the hair shaft and to have regular salon based treatments to repair the damage
Q – What would you recommend for girls who relax their hair?
A – Never try and relax your hair yourself or get a friend to do it. Your hair should always be professionally relaxed
Professional relaxers are always better than store bought ones – this is due to the conditioning ingredients that are added to it
Ideally before you relax your hair you should have a consultation with your stylist to discuss your hair type, concerns and aims for your hair
Treat your body well with the right nutrition, diet and exercise. It all affects the condition of your hair
Q – Are there any particular products you would recommend?
A – Everyone is unique so what works for one person wouldn’t necessary work for someone else so its difficult to just recommend products without seeing the persons hair.
Ideally I would recommend that you stick to salon brands as they have usually put more research into the products and they are designed to work as follow on products from your salon treatment. Additionally it also means you can speak to an expert to get recommendations on what to use for your hair type and you will also be able to try the products before you buy them.
I would never rule out any kind of brand or say it’s only meant for European hair or afro hair. It’s really all about what works for you. Personally some of the brands I like are Mizani, Keracare, Paul Mitchell and L’Oreal.
Q – So what essential tips and products do you need to have in your bathroom cabinet?
A- As an absolute basic you need a good shampoo and conditioner. Your hair care starts from the moment you wash it and not from when you are styling. What you use to wash and condition your hair will impact how your hair looks when you come to style it. Always use something that adds moisture to afro hair as afro hair is quite dry.
Try to have a treatment at least once a month. If you get it done in a salon it is usually protein based, try not to do a protein treatment at home as if it’s not handled correctly it can actually damage your hair. For home treatments you can use your usual conditioner or a more intense one and either sit under a dryer for 30 minutes or if you don’t have one put on a shower cap or use cling film and wrap you hair in a warm towel.
Always apply products to your hair when wet /towel dried as everything you put on dry hair doesn’t actually do anything to your hair – instead it just sits on top
Use more moisturising based products rather than oil based products as they can weigh your hair down
When combing Afro hair, always comb from the ends working your way up to the root in order to reduce the risk of breakage
Always use a wide-toothed comb to detangle, preferably with a conditioner
Wash your hair at least once a week this helps remove product build up, lets your hair breath and eliminates dry and itchy scalp
When you go to sleep always wrap your hair in a silk or satin scarf – this helps your hair retain moisture.
Q – What is your take on using hair straighteners?
A – Straighteners are not necessarily evil as some people seem to think. You simply need to ensure you don’t overuse them and use heat protectors. Keracare’s silken sheen acts as a great heat protector. I would suggest that you only use it to style your hair every other week as it is a lot of heat to apply on a regular basis.
If your relaxer has done the job it’s meant to do then you should be able achieve straight hair by just blow-drying it with a brush. Mizani’s strengthening serum and Keracare’s blow-dry lotion are quite good to use for this as they act as a moisturiser and will leave a nice sheen afterwards.
Allow your hair to dry partially, then use a bristle brush which with your blow-dryer it will help you achieve a much smoother look.
Q – What cost saving tips would you advise for girls who can’t afford to go to the salon regularly but want to keep their hair in good condition?
A – Go to a reputable salon for a thorough consultation – even if you can’t use the salon afterwards. The consultation is usually free and they will educate you on what to use for your hair
Go into hairdressing schools and colleges as they offer the same treatments as salons for much cheaper prices. Alan D School of Hairdressing is a good one to go to however most schools will always provide this service so you can find one more local to you. You need to remember that students will be doing your hair however they are always supervised.
You can take in your own products that were recommended for your hair type and the students will be happy to use those
Use those same products at home to maintain your hair afterwards
Well there you go girlies – hope Dupe’s tips help
Xoxo
Now for those of you who don’t know Dupe I will let you in on a little secret – the first time I saw/met her she had ridiculously long flowing locks down her back and I remember that while I was being introduced I was literally itching to put my fingers in there and check to see if it was a weave as I thought surely NO!! It’s not possible! She has since chopped off her locks into a hot short crop ( I know sacrilege!!) and is now (a) such a good friend and (b) an amazing hairdresser to boot – she styled my hair for my wedding last year and it was fab, fab, fab. Dupe used to work as a top stylist for a high end salon but is now a Trainer and Assessor for NVQ hairdressing students as well as being a Field Educator for Avlon.
Anyway while Dupe was taming my tresses into submission I decided to pick her brain and expert knowledge on hair, products, tips etc
Q – A number of black girls think their hair doesn’t grow or can’t grow past a certain length – what are your thoughts?
A – It’s a myth that afro hair doesn’t grow. As long as your body is healthy and functioning properly – your hair has to grow. If you think about the fact that after 6-10 weeks most girls are back to touch up their roots for a hair relaxer it means their hair is growing.
However if your hair is in bad condition it won’t grow. This is because weak, damaged hair will break easily and is prone to split ends. I see a lot of girls walking around with scraggly thin ends determined to keep the length on the hair – buts its so no worth it, first it looks bad and will only get worse. The best solution for this is to get your hair regularly trimmed every 8-12 weeks otherwise the split will keep travelling up the hair shaft and to have regular salon based treatments to repair the damage
Q – What would you recommend for girls who relax their hair?
A – Never try and relax your hair yourself or get a friend to do it. Your hair should always be professionally relaxed
Professional relaxers are always better than store bought ones – this is due to the conditioning ingredients that are added to it
Ideally before you relax your hair you should have a consultation with your stylist to discuss your hair type, concerns and aims for your hair
Treat your body well with the right nutrition, diet and exercise. It all affects the condition of your hair
Q – Are there any particular products you would recommend?
A – Everyone is unique so what works for one person wouldn’t necessary work for someone else so its difficult to just recommend products without seeing the persons hair.
Ideally I would recommend that you stick to salon brands as they have usually put more research into the products and they are designed to work as follow on products from your salon treatment. Additionally it also means you can speak to an expert to get recommendations on what to use for your hair type and you will also be able to try the products before you buy them.
I would never rule out any kind of brand or say it’s only meant for European hair or afro hair. It’s really all about what works for you. Personally some of the brands I like are Mizani, Keracare, Paul Mitchell and L’Oreal.
Q – So what essential tips and products do you need to have in your bathroom cabinet?
A- As an absolute basic you need a good shampoo and conditioner. Your hair care starts from the moment you wash it and not from when you are styling. What you use to wash and condition your hair will impact how your hair looks when you come to style it. Always use something that adds moisture to afro hair as afro hair is quite dry.
Try to have a treatment at least once a month. If you get it done in a salon it is usually protein based, try not to do a protein treatment at home as if it’s not handled correctly it can actually damage your hair. For home treatments you can use your usual conditioner or a more intense one and either sit under a dryer for 30 minutes or if you don’t have one put on a shower cap or use cling film and wrap you hair in a warm towel.
Always apply products to your hair when wet /towel dried as everything you put on dry hair doesn’t actually do anything to your hair – instead it just sits on top
Use more moisturising based products rather than oil based products as they can weigh your hair down
When combing Afro hair, always comb from the ends working your way up to the root in order to reduce the risk of breakage
Always use a wide-toothed comb to detangle, preferably with a conditioner
Wash your hair at least once a week this helps remove product build up, lets your hair breath and eliminates dry and itchy scalp
When you go to sleep always wrap your hair in a silk or satin scarf – this helps your hair retain moisture.
Q – What is your take on using hair straighteners?
A – Straighteners are not necessarily evil as some people seem to think. You simply need to ensure you don’t overuse them and use heat protectors. Keracare’s silken sheen acts as a great heat protector. I would suggest that you only use it to style your hair every other week as it is a lot of heat to apply on a regular basis.
If your relaxer has done the job it’s meant to do then you should be able achieve straight hair by just blow-drying it with a brush. Mizani’s strengthening serum and Keracare’s blow-dry lotion are quite good to use for this as they act as a moisturiser and will leave a nice sheen afterwards.
Allow your hair to dry partially, then use a bristle brush which with your blow-dryer it will help you achieve a much smoother look.
Q – What cost saving tips would you advise for girls who can’t afford to go to the salon regularly but want to keep their hair in good condition?
A – Go to a reputable salon for a thorough consultation – even if you can’t use the salon afterwards. The consultation is usually free and they will educate you on what to use for your hair
Go into hairdressing schools and colleges as they offer the same treatments as salons for much cheaper prices. Alan D School of Hairdressing is a good one to go to however most schools will always provide this service so you can find one more local to you. You need to remember that students will be doing your hair however they are always supervised.
You can take in your own products that were recommended for your hair type and the students will be happy to use those
Use those same products at home to maintain your hair afterwards
Well there you go girlies – hope Dupe’s tips help
Xoxo
June 16, 2009
#4 Chanel No.5 & Dior's The Lady Noire Affair
First I have to apologise for my mini disappearing act, it was my birthday over the weekend and I got caught up in all the birthday festivities….. but I promise i'm back now
Now I know for some of you this might be old news but there are a couple of short films out there at the moment that are really rather delish!
First there is the Chanel No.5 campaign mini-movie staring Audrey Tautou as the new face of Chanel No.5. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, it tells the story of a handsome stranger captivated by Audrey's scent, when the two meet by chance en route from Paris to Istanbul aboard the Orient Express. Have a look at the video below.
The second is Dior’s mini feature film called “The Lady Noire Affair” starring Oscar –winning French actress Marion Cotillard. Marion play a wonderfully dressed femme fatale and although its only a 6 ½ minute film, it is just such a glam murder mystery but seeing as the films other main star is Dior’s gorgeous Lady Dior bag – well it was always going to be quite fabulous. Shot in black and white, you can also expect the Eiffel Tower, gangsters, stockings, shoes, handbags and amazing clothes.
Catch the first instalment here but have a look at the further episodes that follow at www.ladydior.com/thefilm/
Enjoy and let me know what you think.
xoxo
Now I know for some of you this might be old news but there are a couple of short films out there at the moment that are really rather delish!
First there is the Chanel No.5 campaign mini-movie staring Audrey Tautou as the new face of Chanel No.5. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, it tells the story of a handsome stranger captivated by Audrey's scent, when the two meet by chance en route from Paris to Istanbul aboard the Orient Express. Have a look at the video below.
The second is Dior’s mini feature film called “The Lady Noire Affair” starring Oscar –winning French actress Marion Cotillard. Marion play a wonderfully dressed femme fatale and although its only a 6 ½ minute film, it is just such a glam murder mystery but seeing as the films other main star is Dior’s gorgeous Lady Dior bag – well it was always going to be quite fabulous. Shot in black and white, you can also expect the Eiffel Tower, gangsters, stockings, shoes, handbags and amazing clothes.
Catch the first instalment here but have a look at the further episodes that follow at www.ladydior.com/thefilm/
Enjoy and let me know what you think.
xoxo
June 10, 2009
#3 Face Rash Attack
Aaarrrgh OMG! I woke up the other day to a face that looked like it had been hit with mountain sized bumps and huge pigmentation patches …ok fine, I’m exaggerating slightly but I do have a rather unsightly rash all over my face, tiny whiteheads combined with huge pigmentation patches (seriously I have gone a couple of shades darker) Now Mr Lotions and Potions is trying to calm me down by not looking horrified and saying 'no, no, no, you don’t look scary and your face definitely doesn’t look like lumpy porridge'… but seriously girlies it was bad and the worst thing was it was all my fault!
Yes girlies, my fault – I went to get my eyebrows threaded – nothing new here seeing as I have been doing it for years. Anyway afterwards I allowed them to apply rose water to in their words “cool it down” not something I normally do – usually I wait a few hours, apply some tea tree oil and I’m usually spot free on the area. Now this is where I really went for gold in causing my own rash, I was going out so I applied some makeup without waiting for my pores to close up. Needless to say the combination of the rose water they used and my makeup caused some kind of reaction – hence the rash breakout
So I leapt into action and did the worst things imaginable – I scrubbed, steamed, masked and applied copious amounts of makeup – all of which ensured my skin looked raw and an unattractive shade of grey – now in normal situations the above routine is fine but I was simply intensifying the problem and turning what was a bad rash in a colossus problem.
Finally I walked into my local pharmacy and in desperate, strangled tones said LOOK!!! to the poor pharmacist – to which she replied “oh dear you have had an allergic reaction to something haven’t you?” While I thought - really? You don’t say Sherlock!’ anyway she promptly put me on antihistamines while telling me off for (a) not coming there earlier and (b) for attacking my face with the routine described above.
I left there with strict instructions to leave my face well alone for a while – so yes I decided to be a lot more gentle – I went home and used Liz Earle’s award winning Cleanse & Polish Cleanser which is amazingly soothing and gentle, followed by some pharmacy bought witch hazel to dry out the rash and Liz Earle’s Skin Repair Moisturiser for normal skin and thankfully my face is back to normal – aside from the pigmentation patches which I will be targeting next.
So the moral of the story is always, always do a patch test with products especially if it’s your first time using them – they really are not joking when they say that, never ever apply anything onto open pores and if you think its a reaction head straight to the doctor or pharmacist.
Xoxo
Yes girlies, my fault – I went to get my eyebrows threaded – nothing new here seeing as I have been doing it for years. Anyway afterwards I allowed them to apply rose water to in their words “cool it down” not something I normally do – usually I wait a few hours, apply some tea tree oil and I’m usually spot free on the area. Now this is where I really went for gold in causing my own rash, I was going out so I applied some makeup without waiting for my pores to close up. Needless to say the combination of the rose water they used and my makeup caused some kind of reaction – hence the rash breakout
So I leapt into action and did the worst things imaginable – I scrubbed, steamed, masked and applied copious amounts of makeup – all of which ensured my skin looked raw and an unattractive shade of grey – now in normal situations the above routine is fine but I was simply intensifying the problem and turning what was a bad rash in a colossus problem.
Finally I walked into my local pharmacy and in desperate, strangled tones said LOOK!!! to the poor pharmacist – to which she replied “oh dear you have had an allergic reaction to something haven’t you?” While I thought - really? You don’t say Sherlock!’ anyway she promptly put me on antihistamines while telling me off for (a) not coming there earlier and (b) for attacking my face with the routine described above.
I left there with strict instructions to leave my face well alone for a while – so yes I decided to be a lot more gentle – I went home and used Liz Earle’s award winning Cleanse & Polish Cleanser which is amazingly soothing and gentle, followed by some pharmacy bought witch hazel to dry out the rash and Liz Earle’s Skin Repair Moisturiser for normal skin and thankfully my face is back to normal – aside from the pigmentation patches which I will be targeting next.
So the moral of the story is always, always do a patch test with products especially if it’s your first time using them – they really are not joking when they say that, never ever apply anything onto open pores and if you think its a reaction head straight to the doctor or pharmacist.
Xoxo
June 04, 2009
#2 I heart Coral and Playing Footsie
The heat is on and there is just something about summer time that makes me embrace my love of all things coral! Not that I need much encouragement, I have been known to beam and run towards anything coral – be it clothes, makeup or nail varnish, then need to be reminded about the number of coral items I already have! What can I say there is just something so pretty about it and there is always a shade to suit most tones.
Anyway today I'm loving the following two nail varnishes. Rimmel’s 60 Seconds Coralicious (aptly named) is just the right shade of pinkish red. It doesn’t quite dry in 60 seconds but it does dry very quickly and has a nice intense colour. It retails at £2.99.
Boots No 7 Speed Dry in Peach Glaze is again aptly named and it’s more of a pinkish orange shade – peach to be precise. Dries quickly and leaves you with a nice shine and tiny gold glitter when you look closely. It retails at £6.10. The best thing about both colours is they lasted for quite a few days and retained their shine – just the perfect thing for brightening up my summer look.
Now speaking of the sun –it’s been rather hot recently and my feet have finally crawled out of all covered shoes and looked like they could do with a bit of TLC, so I finally decided to dig out JML’s Ped Egg. I bought it a little while ago on the advice of a friend who said her feet were so soft post use that she nearly slipped in the shower.
Now I say finally as although I have had it for a while now, I have been slightly nervous about using it due to its strong resemblance to a cheese grater!
So with a bit of trepidation I set to work and a little while later opened the pod and noticed with great satisfaction all the little shavings – hmmm now I wonder if this is some kind of subliminal message to get me to think it works? But no, after using the exfoliation pads to smooth everything out and washing my feet – I’m impressed they are actually really soft on a scale usually achieved at the salon with a professional pedicure.
On the downside though, I have a slight sensitive patch where I got overly keen (they do warn you) and you also need to keep your feet pointed downwards otherwise the shavings start falling out (I kept swinging mine over my knee as I couldn’t see what I was doing properly otherwise). Apart from that it was great and I'm taking my new soft feet and going off to play footsie with Mr Lotions and Potions.
p.s it retails at £9.99 and is available from Boots.
Xoxo
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