Little Fable...

As a busy mum, I’m ashamed to say that sometimes I barely have time to moisturise my face after a shower. Oh dear! This where a miracle skin oil comes in to its own. This particular one, by Balance Me, was a gift by a dear friend at my baby shower and it’s definitely one of the best I’ve tried. If applied on the face straight after a hot shower or bath, any oil will be absorbed by the open pores for maximum moisture. I love the fact that this one is 100% natural origin and soothing ingredients including chamomile instantly restore my skin during winter months.

The moral of the fable is a good face oil is the LBD in your skincare wardrobe – an absolute must-have.

Balance Me Radiance Face Oil, £30.00 

Moisture Cacoon

Although I can be quite lazy with body moisturiser, now that I’m pregnant, of course it is more important than ever. My abdomen and belly are also ridiculously itchy and craving moisture to accommodate the expanding belly.

I am packing in a double whammy of moisture: Aromatherapy Associates Renew Rose Massage Oil as soon as I’ve stepped out of the shower followed by Thea Baby Naturals Tummy Butter. The mixture of AA’s rosey scent and Thea’s rich cocoa butter is a heady one.

I think the belly approves. 

AromatherapyAssociates Renew Rose Massage Oil, £36

Thea Baby Naturals Tummy Butter, £22.95

It's Super

It's incredible how sometimes you can come across something that you never had before, but suddenly, it becomes something you can't live without. This is what the new beauty range from Dr Perricone, Super, has become for me.
He's the doctor who put 'super' in to superfoods. And now, he's putting 'super' in to a younger, cuter and more fun skincare collection than the more grown up Perricone MD range.
First up, I am in love with Sweet Clean. It's a yummy cleanser that smells like a fruit jam and is my new favourite morning wake-me-up. The dose of superfood Acai Berry is enough to get me and my skin ready for the day. In the evenings, I tend to need something more powerful to remove makeup, though.
Then, the Hyper Hydrator, which is made with Coconut water is pure indulgence. Not only does it quench my appetite for coconuts, which seems to be eternal, but it quenches my skin's thirst for moisture. A surprising little side effect is that it also mattifies the skin. It's interesting, as although I have dry skin, I love a matte effect on my skin. Products for dry skin usually have the promise of 'dewy' skin, which shouldn't always be a given.
And last but not least, the price tag is not as hefty as the Perricone MD main line, but still all the expertise of our favourite superfood doctor.
The final verdict: it's Super.
Super Hyper Hydrator £29.50
Super Sweet Clean £25.50

Golden Treasure

In the last couple of weeks, I have noticed my skin becoming a bit drier. I usually do a few hydrating masks, switch to a slightly richer cream and layer on the serum, but it hasn't helped.

It was time to bring out the big boys. I needed an oil. Oil is a fantastic hydrator for skin and actually can even help to balance out an already oily complexion. Dr Hauschka's Normalising Day Oil is great for that.

In this case though, I needed something super nourishing and rich. I turned to Nuxe.

This is a brand that I have often smelt and sampled in a store, but never really tried. Huile Prodigieuse is one of Nuxe's bestsellers. It can be used on body, face and hair (multi-tasking you say?!) and the beauty of it is that it sinks in to your skin immediately. And it smells heavenly. It reminds me of Russian springtime.

The potent mix of 6 Precious Plant Oils (Borage, St Johnswort, Sweet Almond, Camellia, Hazelnut, Macadamia) within the formula is what makes it so special. Plus, at 100ml, you can take it on a flight for up-to-the-minute hydration. Plus, most unusually but most welcome, the oil has a spray nozzle, so you'll never waste any.

A big non-greasy thumbs up from me.

Flower Addiction

I think I have become obsessed with flowers. I need a conservatory. A simple jog turns in to a flower expedition, as I have to smell each rose bush. And in supermarkets, I am like a flower fiend too. i am running out of pots and vases.

This is the season for roses and many other early summer blooms. And now that the weather is getting warmer, my previous moisturiser is starting to feel too heavy. So step in Sisley's Ecological Compound, an extremely versatile product - its light texture means you can use it as a moisturiser on its own, or as a serum, plus it helps to protect skin against environmental pollution.

But my favourite part is it's full of botanical goodness (Rosemary, Ginseng and hops) and smells like a bouquet of field flowers. So it goes some way to ease my flower addiction.

Sisley's Ecological Compound, £125 from Harrods or other excellent Department Stores.

Greek Treats

Even after my holiday to Greece last year, I became obsessed with Greek yoghurt. I know it is not the most healthy thing in the world, but it my breakfast staple now and I cannot live without. So imagine my excitement when I found out that my favourite Greek Brand Korres have a Yoghurt Moisturising Mask?! It is perfect post-sun but also in winter I imagine. It actually smells of yoghurt mixed with honey, and is infused with Olive Oil for super soft skin afterwards.
It's yummy enough to eat.
Korres Yoghurt Moisturising Mask, £19.00

The Elegant Flower

I think Jasmine is one of my favourite flowers of all-time. Did you know that women in South-East Asia just wear the flowers in their hair? Talk about fresh.

While, Korres, my favourite Greek beauty brand, scent their heavenly collection of Jasmine bodycare with newly opened jasmine buds, making the smell delicate yet super-long-lasting. Layer the showergel with the Body Butter and you’ll barely have any need for perfume. Now breathe deeply.
Korres Bodycare collections start at £8.

Soft as a Peach

What is the ultimate beauty trend this season? It's a peachy complexion. In fact, this is the ultimate beauty trend every season. The best advice I ever got is to exfoliate - this will ensure the smoothest skin is at the very surface and makeup will look a thousand times better. In colder weather, and if you get prone to eczema like me, it's not always the best idea to use a harsh exfoliant. Enter Murad's Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask. No rubbing. No angry skin. Fruit acids gently dissolve the dead cells on the surface and reveal gleaming skin.

Final tip; skip the primer and just go with a serum. That always makes my skin glow from within. Murad's Active Radiance Serum is pumped full of vitamin C that repairs skin and adds luminosity. Someone shine a light on this. 

Murad Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask, £19.50

Murad Active Radiance Serum, £85.00

New Winter (Beauty) Wardrobe

This autumn, if you want to make a fast and dramatic change to the appearance of your skin, a new beauty regime is the answer.


Decleor's AROMESSENCE™ ROSE D’ORIENT Soothing Serum is a wonderful all-rounder. It will help calm any breakouts and restore softness back to sensitive skin. While Dermalogica's Skin Smoothing Cream with its velvety-mixture of botanicals and extracts of Cucumber and Arnica will soothe and hydrate.

A good cleanser is a sure-fire way to a brighter skin and ultimately this season's most persistent trend: a perfect complexion. Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser is a classic for a reason. Containing Rosemary and Eucalyptus for purifying and brightening, it is gentle enough to use every day. For an extra moisture-kick and an all-together super-deep cleanse, I have written about Omorovicza's Thermal Cleansing Balm before and it works wonders. Its high mineral contents from the Hungarian Moor Mud act as a magnet for impurities leaving the skin with almost an iridescent quality.

For bright eyes, I just can't get enough of Shiffa's Rejuvinating Eye Remedy. It is a one-stop-shop for puffy bags and dehydrated delicate under-eye skin.
 
Lisa Hoffman's collection of pulse point oils called Variations is divine. Each set comes with four roller-ball oils, of which the French Clary Sage Evening scent is the most sensuous and feminine.
Update your beauty wardrobe as you update your fashion wardrobe to keep your skin in check.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, from £7.50
Decleor AROMESSENCE™ ROSE D’ORIENT, £42.00
Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm, £45.00
Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream, £28.00
Shiffa Rejuvinating Eye Remedy, $88.00
Lisa Hoffman Variations French Clary Sage, $95.00

Doctor Doctor...

They say don't judge a book by its cover. But, sometimes, you discover something so beautiful that you can't help but fall in love. Before you open that cover. 
I had a moment just like this when I clapped eyes on Dr Bragi's Age Management Gel.
So beautiful and yet so clever. The unique formula is unscented and it's not like me to fall in love without so much as a tiny whiff of fragrance, but this is worth it. You only use a tiny amount, so a little goes a long way. Trust Dr Bragi, who has dedicated his life to the study and research of marine enzymes, the core ingredient in this product.
I think they call it love at first sight. 

Dr Bragi, Age Management Gel, £120

Time To Recover

Night-time treatments are my new pash. By 'pash' I mean passion. And by night-time treatments, I mean regenerating super-balms that can transform my skin in to a mass of cushiony softness.

Like most beauty junkies, I try new things all the time and not that often finish any product to the very very end. However, as soon as I smelt, tried and saw the results of RMK's Recovery Gel I was hooked. I was loyal to it until the very last drop and now, I am back again.

Its luxurious scent is of the freshest grapefruit with extracts of eucalyptus and seaweed to boost collagen production. Plus, its tiny massaging capsules boost blood circulation - which feel delicious as they pop and melt in to the skin. Ironically, its freshness is a mini-wakeup call for a night-time treatment, but its super soothing at the same time.

The gel is so light, so less is more here. Much more. Wake up to new skin. 


RMK Intensive Night Treatment Recovery Gel, £38 from Lookfantastic.com 

Honey I Shrunk My Pores

Now that I am seeing more and more red leaves on the trees, I am starting to truly embrace Autumn. I am drinking endless cups of lemon, ginger and honey with hot water, in my mind the most warming drink when it's cold outside.

Something that is just as sweet and comforting I've found, is Liz Earle's Deep Cleansing Mask with Manuka Honey and Green Clay. It's so gentle and the scent of the honey is overwhelmingly fresh. It actually smells like proper honey that I used to buy in Russia out of barrels when I was little.

This mask absorbs excess oils and can even be dabbed on to spots for an overnight treatment. But best of all, once you wash it off with the natural sponge, which naturally exfoliates, you're left with a flushed complexion as if you've just been for a brisk walk. A miracle worker, and I say amen to that. 

Liz Earle, Deep Cleansing Mask, £12.50 (translation: bargain!)

Barmy for Balmy

There is something very reassuring about the word ‘balmy’. I used this word all summer in my desperation for ‘balmy nights’ that I always had in Russian summers. Unfortunately, I think some of my friends started to think me ‘barmy’, which is not the reputation I wanted for myself.

There is something equally reassuring about a balmy texture on the skin that is thick and gooey, oily almost, but leaves the skin feeling super nourished and supple. I am embracing my favourite ‘balmy’ products, including Aromatherapy Associates Enrich Body Scrub. It is as rich as you’d want a body scrub to be with pure coffee, frankincense and grapefruit the wake up tired skin. You almost don’t need a lotion afterwards because the essential oils are so moisturising. Omorovicza’s Thermal Cleansing Balm is the facial equivalent. It feels beautifully extravagant. The Hungarian Moor mud cleanses the impurities while the sweet almond oil nourishes the skin.

Finally, for a deep clean, Nude’s Deep Cleansing Mask is first-class for dry skin. Although its base is kaolin clay, its non-drying formula with propolis and organic buriti means you’ll never have that tight mummy-face feeling after you’ve washed it off.

My evenings are now balmy for a different reason altogether. 

Aromatherapy Associates Enrich Body Scrub, £30.75

Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm, £45

Nude Deep Cleansing Mask, £28

A Rose by Any Other Name

If there is one thing I love more than coconuts, it’s roses. Not only does the smell remind me of my grandmother, her potpourri on every surface imaginable, but also, it’s one of my favourite scents too.

The rose is the queen of all flowers. Its use in cosmetics charting all the way to ancient Egyptians and its properties highly valued for their harmonising and anti-inflammatory qualities.

Rose-y products are my long-standing darlings. I am fussy about the scent though, not being a fan of the synthetic versions of the natural rose. My everyday bathroom-cupboard heroes include a Rosewater that I have been buying in Russia for years as well as Jo Malone’s Red Roses Cologne. One of my favourite handbag staples is Crabtree and Evelyn’s Rosewater Hand Therapy, which has a delicate smell and beautiful texture.

Ila, which is a new organic skincare range that is hand-blended in the Cotswolts also feature some marvellous rose products. Their Cleansing Milk with Damascena Rose and Argan Oil is a winner. The thick milk is great for dry skin, so ideal for the approaching winter. 

For the body, I’ve recently discovered love+art. A fabulous organic range, its Morrocan Rose body wash has the freshest rose scent ever. A real pleasure. 

ila Cleansing Milk, £36.50
Crabtree and Evelyn Rosewater Hand Therapy, £11
Jo Malone Red Roses Cologne, £68

love+art Moroccan Rose Body Wash, £10.75

'I love to see you at my table, Nick. You remind me of a- of a rose, an absolute rose.' - Daisy Buchanan, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Not So Crude Oil...

Having gone for a beautiful walk in Hampstead Heath recently, it suddenly struck me; autumn is very fast approaching. The colours are changing. The leaves are falling. And very soon we will be wrapping up warm. (Although, I am doing this already because I am always cold and put my Russian blood to shame).

As I have a tendency to get drier skin, having suffered from eczema when I was little, I really have to moisturise my skin very well in the winter months. I have started slipping a Facial Oil in to my skincare routine more frequently now. My favourite at the moment is Aromatherapy Associates’ Renew Facial Oil. And I have sung its praises before. But I will again. It reveals a beautifully plumper skin and really does create a mini-barrier against environmental damage. Irresistible.

Aromatherapy Associates Renew Facial Oil, £35

Jeepers Peepers

I have been in a search for a good eye cream for a long time. My obsession developed ever since I heard about a colleague at work who applies eye cream several times a day. And his skin is a-m-a-zing.

I tried eye gels. I tried heavy creams. I tried mixing a little Vitamin E oil for extra hydration, but I found my eyes rebelling against me. My obsession grew when I went on my summer holiday where I applied a mint-infused cooling eye gel on the beach, but it didn’t really cut the mustard where real hydration was concerned. My eyes were more tired than I was.

I really wanted to keep it natural. The skin around your eyes is the most delicate skin on your body after all. I was very hopeful when I found Shiffa. This is a beautiful range of organic skincare from Dubai inspired by Ancient Arabia. The word ‘Shiffa’ actually means ‘healing’ in Arabic. I have a huge passion for natural products that can actually deliver on their promises. Shiffa’s Rejuvenating Eye Remedy did just that. Containing carrot oil to tone and revitalise, green tea to protect and aloe for moisture, it was rich, powerful and beautifully packaged. Everything I would want from any beauty product. I’m hooked.

 
Shiffa Rejuvenating Eye Remedy , £56.00 

Puffed Up (Not Anymore)

My favourite film line of all time comes from the original 1966 Alfie film with Michael Caine. He walks in to a pub and his chum tells him, "You looked puffed up." Poor Michael Caine, or Alfie rather, starts pinching himself at the sides with disbelief that he might have put on weight. "Yeah, you look puffed up, sort of poncified," the friend continued. I laughed until I cried. And still remember Michael Caine's shocked face.

Recently though, my eyes have been feeling 'puffed up and poncifed'. In the mornings more specifically. However, my favourite eye-depuffer-extraordiannre, aka REN Active 7 Radiant Eye Maintenance Gel has been working wonders. It packs my bags and sends them off to Timbuktu. And I'm not putting in a claim for lost luggage.
REN Active 7 Radiant Eye Maintenance Gel £18.00

Pink Magic

Have you ever had a product that you are so attached to, you don’t even know what will happen when it runs out or god forbid discontinued? That’s how I feel about my Clarins Pure and Radiant Mask with Pink Clay. It is so lovely and gentle, unlike some clay masks that can be very harsh on your skin, especially if you have dry skin.

This Clarins mask has a wonderful scent and feels like your skin is being kissed a thousand times as it works to reveal a brighter and more radiant complexion in just 15 minutes. A must-have if ever there was one.

Clarins Pure and Radiant Mask, £19.00

Bright-Eyed = Bushy-Tailed

Following a recent beauty event at Selfridges, my friend said one of the most poignant and apt statements for any beauty lover. “I wish I had two faces, so I can be trying double the product all the time.”

I definitely wish that too. Especially now. I have discovered the equivalent of a sexy older brother to the aforementioned Aesop Fabulous Face Cleanser. Enter M Lab’s anti-Ageing Brightening Cleanser. From the beautiful jet-black bottle to its heady scent, this is like Clarke Gable swooping in to steal the crown from Woody Allen, and boy does M Lab mean business. The enzymatic exfoliants and cleansing micro-beads give a perfectly thorough cleanse and left my skin feeling soft and supple. Ideal for an evening cleanse as it doesn’t leave a smidgen of eye makeup behind.

Aesop however, gentle and kind is great for a morning cleanse when you don’t want to overload your skin with any heavy product.

M Lab Anti-Ageing Brightening Cleanser, £50
Aesop Fabulous Face Cleanser, £27

Hair Do Me Good

Have you ever had one of those haircuts that is actually more than just a haircut, it’s a whole life-coaching session and dare I say it, life-changing? That is how I felt having been lucky enough to secure an appointment with the beautifully-named Cher at the Aveda Centre in London.
All wild-hair and straight-talking, Cher put me straight in no time. “Yes,” she says wisely, like she can instantly see through all my problems, “I see what you are trying to do here.” She is running her fingers through my poor, limp hair and says, “You’re trying to grow your hair, aren’t you? But your hair is having none of it. You are trying to make it do what it doesn’t want to do.” I was shocked! This is sure breaching the hairdresser-client etiquette guidelines? But it was definitely food for thought. It made me think that maybe I should accept that I might never get past the shoulder length hair I have had for a good few years now. And it also made me think what (or who) else I was making do things that are clearly never going to happen. Wise words indeed.
Either way, Cher’s intuition proved spot on and I had the best haircut I have ever had in my life. My hair also somehow smelt amazing for days, which never normally happens. A pricey indulgence, but oh so worth it. And if this is how good it looks now, I will be happy with shoulder-length hair forever.
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