We’re mad-keen on creamy blushers but at this time of year, they can disappear faster than you can say ‘Mr. Whippy’. Gels are best for stay-put power, right now.
It may be gin season – but beware, if you care about your skin. Alcohol is a vasodilator; a couple of cocktails are enough to rosy up your face but anything beyond that can lead to complexion trouble. Heavy use of alcohol will definitely backfire; skin will appear dehydrated and look more aged. (You could try Jo’s ‘no-drinking-on-school-nights rule – with just a couple of glasses of something special, on a Saturday or Sunday.)
Do you have frizzy hair? Boar bristles are best. These natural fibres have a smooth surface; they run through strands without creating tears, while distributing natural oils from root to tip. You’ll find they actually make hair shinier and cut down on frizz even if you don’t use styling products.
This, from our old make-up artist chum Trish McEvoy: ‘If you’re going to take the time to apply mascara, make time for it to really make a difference. I see a lot of women fluffing at their tips! You need to take the wand and work it right into the base of the lashes, building from the base to the ends. That’s what gives impact.’
Have you smudged your manicure? Try dipping your finger in nail polish remover for a few seconds. The colour will liquefy just a bit and even out on its own.
Primers can be really helpful for ensuring make-up stays put, in summer. But how to apply? The best way is to let your moisturiser sink in, then rub a pea-sized amount of primer all over your face using your fingertips. The warmth of your hands will help push the product into your skin. Leave it to dry, as foundation will go on best once primer is absorbed.
It can’t have escaped your notice how darned windy it’s been. Did you know that strong breezes can ‘lift’ the hair’s cuticle, damaging texture and even allowing colour pigments to escape? The best reason we can think of to tuck a headscarf in your handbag for protection, when it huffs and puffs out there.
Are you going to be filmed anytime soon? HD cameras manage to pick up even the tiniest bit of oil on the face. Translucent powder is the answer – but avoid the stuff that makes you look ghostly-pale. (We’re long-term fans of By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder, NB.)
Did you know that Himalayan Salt Lamps emit a warm glow that signals to the body that it’s time to wind down…? This can induce a deeper, more restful sleep without interfering with the body’s circadian rhythms.
Do you tend to power through your lunch hour, never leaving your desk? Take a leaf out of our friend Liz Earle’s book. ‘Try walking meetings,’ she suggests. ‘Natural daylight and fresh air increase our sense of wellbeing, happiness and ability to focus, so be sure to get outside in your lunch break – or even rope in colleagues and set up walking meetings or a lunchtime running club. Our offices are a stone’s throw from a park and I encourage the team to have walking meetings there whenever possible. We find two or three people is the optimum number for this and it is a great way of focusing the mind on what needs to be achieved on a 30-minute walk with quick notes scribbled down on a pad as you go, or a swift park bench stop.’
If you’re doing all the right things and eating all the right foods for gut health but things still aren’t improving, consider getting checked out. Nutritionist Christine Bailey says: ‘People often fail to consider that they might be carrying a parasite and 70-80% of the people I test with unresolved gut symptoms have one. If you have poor digestion but don’t know why, undertake a stool test to check for anything unwanted.’
Take a leaf out of professional manicurists’ book and turn a polish bottle upside down or roll from side to side rather than shaking it, which can result in bubbles.
Did you know that Himalayan Salt Lamps emit a warm glow that signals to the body that it’s time to wind down…? This can induce a deeper, more restful sleep without interfering with the body’s circadian rhythms.
Are you going to be filmed anytime soon? HD cameras manage to pick up even the tiniest bit of oil on the face. Translucent powder is the answer – but avoid the stuff that makes you look ghostly-pale. (We’re long-term fans of By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder, NB.)
Do you tend to power through your lunch hour, never leaving your desk? Take a leaf out of our friend Liz Earle’s book. ‘Try walking meetings,’ she suggests. ‘Natural daylight and fresh air increase our sense of wellbeing, happiness and ability to focus, so be sure to get outside in your lunch break – or even rope in colleagues and set up walking meetings or a lunchtime running club. Our offices are a stone’s throw from a park and I encourage the team to have walking meetings there whenever possible. We find two or three people is the optimum number for this and it is a great way of focusing the mind on what needs to be achieved on a 30-minute walk with quick notes scribbled down on a pad as you go, or a swift park bench stop.’
If you’re doing all the right things and eating all the right foods for gut health but things still aren’t improving, consider getting checked out. Nutritionist Christine Bailey says: ‘People often fail to consider that they might be carrying a parasite and 70-80% of the people I test with unresolved gut symptoms have one. If you have poor digestion but don’t know why, undertake a stool test to check for anything unwanted.’
Our friend Annee de Mamiel wants you to buy some red stationery dots. Then, she says, ‘Put a red dot on your wallet, desk, computer, screen – anywhere you’re likely to see it often. Every time you see that red dot, stop what you are doing and take a deep, calming breath. See it as a moment to be still.’
To get next week off to the best possible start, spend the last 10 minutes of each Friday afternoon planning the next week. In a perfect world, don’t just focus on work but schedule in time for relationships and just for yourself. Those tend to get squeezed when we’re busy.
There are so many ways to fragrance your home beyond lighting scented candles, which can give off sooty particles (much as we love them…) Spray fragrance into the air and onto bedsheets and curtains (and even cushions). Lightly spray napkins with a fresh Cologne, and seek out scented blooms when you’re buying flowers.
Depilatories are great for bumpy areas like under arms, the upper lip and bikini lines because they can be gentler on skin than waxing or shaving. But always remove hair at least 24 hours before sun, chlorine and salt water exposure and avoid alpha-hydroxy acid products on skin you’ve removed the hair from, to prevent inflammation.