And they're like buses...

...because yes, I have another little blog on beauty to bring you, despite having done one only a couple of weeks ago.   And I'm also going to do a make up blog next week too - look at me, getting all carried away (it's only because I've found some new things that I love).

This has been on "to do" list for ages but I have got so distracted with Summer clothes that I haven't got round to doing it.  And there are still so many Summer outfits I need to look at but for today - it's a quick beauty blog. 

Today - I'm going to concentrate on some lesser known products (well, to me anyway!) which I have tried and LOVED.  

First up - a new cleanser.  I'm not reinventing the wheel here - I have tried so many cleansers but for me, my favourite is a balm cleanser.  Yes I am a massive Emma Hardie fan but this one, is easily as good.  It has more of a "spa" scent to it (that's clearly a technical term - not - let's call it layman aka just how it is term).  It's sometimes lovely to change things up a bit but I've never found anything I love as much as the Moringa balm - up until now.

de Mamiel Restorative Cleanser £39

Now I will fess up that I don't use the cloths that you get with most balms.  The one set of muslins that I rate higher than all others put together are the Liz Earle ones.  They are amazing.  And make a huge huge difference, I think, to the feeling of *clean*.  They do the best job and are worth buying in bulk. 

Pure Cotton Cloths from Liz Earle 3 x 2 £11.25




Next up - serums and my find of the year which I'm sure loads of you have been wearing for ages but after using for some months now, I have seen such a massive improvement to my skin.  I also find that personally, I don't really need to wear a moisturiser over the top. 

I've been using a number of different serums but these two are the ones that I have gone back to - the ones with hyaluronic acid.

H.A. Intensifier Serum by Skinceuticals £82.95 - if you sign up for their newsletter, you get 10% off your first order plus free p&p.  It's the actual Skinceuticals website.  This, I likened to making your skin feel like glass.  Smooth as a baby's bum.  I'm all the technical.


The other one I rate very highly is the Elemantal Herbology serum - again with hyaluronic acid.  (the magic ingredient I believe).   

Hyaluronic Booster Plus from Elemental Herbology serum £85 from SpaceNK free delivery.




Both of the above aren't cheap but you only use a tiny bit and they last for ages.  I've had mine for months and months and there's still loads left in both.  I use every morning and then this is what I use over the top.  I have been using this for as long as I can remember.  I only need to buy one a year - it is simply the best facial colour ever.   I don't wear foundation - this is enough (for me).

I also use the Bronze as opposed to the Golden (the former is darker but it's not that dark at all - honestly, I am essentially half corpse without it).

Chanel Soleil Identite in Bronze £31 plus sign up for the Feel Unique website and get 10% off.



In the evening, I've been converted to a night mask.  This is for the lazy arses amongst us.  I only use this - I don't have particularly dry skin so I don't need any serum or oil with it.  These two are my favourites.   Oh and I also use a lot less than I've been told you "should" use.  And that works for me.  Too much and I'd be sticking to the pillow.  If you have dryer skin then your skin will be able to take more but I prefer a lighter layer.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Night Cream £100



And the Superskin Overnight Mask by Liz Earle £42 (this is also for 100ml - so double the CT cream.. which is also a lot richer...)







Two of my favourite topics - my hair (which isn't actually my favourite at all as it's a total bugbear of mine seeing as my hair is sheeeeeiiiiite) and perfume. 

First up - Worzel Gummidge.  My hair = wire wool.  Thankfully - thanks to the amazing Mads at Josh Wood (who I simply cannot recommend highly enough for colour) - it's only the texture that I need to get under control.  This is the hair I was born with.  I've had hair you can see from space since I was a child.  Dry, coarse, frizz.  

And this is my newly found miracle product.  I have also let people borrow it (borrow.. a couple have tried not to hand it back - saw that one coming a mile off...) and everyone has absolutely raved about it.  Wash and condition hair as normal.  Then put this into wet hair.  And dry.  Ta Dah.  Smooth hair.  It honestly takes me five minutes to blow dry my hair (rough dry and then attack with the Babyliss Big Hair).  And it's smooth and straight - which normally I could only achieve by a) going to the hairdressers or b) using half a pot of oil, dry, use Big Hair and then straighteners - which obviously did my hair the world of good, not.  And it still look crappola.  The hairdresser was the only one who could blowdry my hair without me looking like Monica in the Caribbean.

Blow Dry Cream by 72 Hair £14.99


I've also just got the shampoo which I'm going to try and I'm going to get the moisturiser.  Compared to other premium brands, it's a really good price too - and I would pay anything for good hair.  Ironically I have surplus, fine hair everywhere else - my shotputter's tache, my bionic whisker under my chin, my out of control eyebrows.  

But moving onto something far more exciting than my hirsute issues - fragrance. 

I may have mentioned previously that I love Tom Ford Neroli Portofino but a) it doesn't last on me very long and c) we have to eat beans for a week when I buy some more.  

This therefore is my new favourite thing in the world.  I bought some last year and have now bought another (which I spray liberally unlike the TF which I ration like WW2 egg powder) along with the body cream.  Simply superb.  And ironically it gets more compliments than the TF ever does. 

Priddy Essentials Anywhere Spray 50ml £32  Anywhere spray does make it sound like a room fragrance (never forget liberally spraying myself with what I thought was a lovely perfume in Liberty's only to be told by the Sales Assistant "err madam, that's a room spray".  Great - I basically doused myself in air freshener.  Very expensive air freshener mind..).  I'm sure it's a cologne.  As I say, I find it lasts pretty well - not like an Eau de Parfum but just as long as the Tom Ford on me.


And the matching body lotion which is £18 (for some reason it won't let me link the pic but it's blooming gorgeous.  Not that you can smell it from a pic however...bear with me, it's Friday night.  I need a glass of something cold).

Now tackling the subject I am most asked about.. the fake tan.  And I have a new favourite.  It's not a fake tan as such.  Well it is but it's not a developing one.  It's essentially body make up.  And - lazy arse strikes again, this time teaming up with her cousin, incompetent arse - this is what works.  It's foolproof.  And perfect.  It does not come off.  On your bed sheets or when you're wet.  I know this as I stood in the shower last Sunday morning having applied it on Saturday for an all day party where it was super warm - and thought - "oh my lord, I am actually really brown.  It's not the fake tan - I'm properly brown".  

Then I applied soap.  And off it came.  Milk bottle deluded me was left feeling dejected in the shower.  But it does prove that it does only come off with soap and not just water.  Even "standing in the shower" water. 

AND I've found it with £10 off!  I am going to stock up.  It is genuinely genuinely as easy to apply as body lotion.  With a mitt people.. do not use your hands.  Well you could.. but a mitt is so much easier. 

Vita Liberata Body Blur was £29.49 now £19.59



So here I am, lathered in the Vita Liberata.   With the outfit from yesterday's blog as promised.  My homage to Meryl from Mama Mia although I have to say - as boho goes, I'm loving this.  I usually cave and buy one thing every year and in the last 9years, only one thing hasn't made it to the charity bag the following June.   This outfit will definitely be a keeper.  And perfect into the Autumn with boots (now I'm just getting carried away...). 


Blouse - M&S
Skirt - M&S
Cara sandals in cognac - Apiedi 
Earrings - H&M
Orange bag - Anya Hindmarch 

So I am off to search for orange earrings.  I thought I had bought some, as I mentioned over on my Insta account - from Topshop.  I could have SWORN they were a different colour from the red ones I already had from H&M.  They were definitely more of a burnt pumpkin orange.  As opposed to red.  Except that they were red.  They're identical to the red ones I already have from H&M.  Great.  Orange earrings are proving to be the nemesis of the Summer so far... I'm on it.  Or at the very least a good alternative.  Watch this space.

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