In praise of blusher

Blusher is my desert island product. It's the difference between looking a little peaky and glowing with health. Everyone looks better with blusher on.

Having used cream blushers for years, I bought a powder Bobbi Brown one last week and I am loving it.  I thought I didn't like them but it turns out I do. I feel very old school! This is the one from my legendary makeover from a few weeks ago. I couldn't stop thinking about it so clearly I had to have it. The shade is Nude Peach. It looks nothing in the pot and you do have to put quite a bit on but it's much easier to apply powders than creams.

I can't imagine that anyone would not look better from using this. Recommended.

Nail colour of the week

Essie Escapades. A lovely red with a coral hint to it.

My Shellac lasted for 12 days. It actually didn't chip but I got fed up with it and had it removed. The downside of Shellac is you have to get it professionally removed. My nails were really strong underneath and I was amazed at that. I'd definitely have it done again but in a pale pink I think because I wouldn't get fed up with a classic.

Eau de Guerlain

I haven't bought any new perfume for ages and I was getting antsy. I've had my eye on this baby for a while and with spring springing and summer coming, I decided it was time to indulge.

This is the very definition of a light lemony scent and it's very refreshing. I adore it already and I've only had it for one day. It's more complex than it seems and the drydown is really lovely, it lingers more than you might think for something light. It's also a gorgeous bottle.

I had quite a splurge yesterday. I'll be back to report on my other purchases soon.

An update

I wanted to update you on a few things, none of which warrant an individual post.

First up, you may remember I wanted to try the new MAC moisture gel. At the airport last week, I had some time to kill and there it was. At £20 I figured, why not? It's nice and very light, this is not for winter time. It's actually a good holiday moisturiser when you've put on loads of sun cream and need something light after your evening ablutions. No SPF. This would be great on teenage skin I am sure but it's a little bit too light for my ravaged face!

I am sure you've all been on the edge of your seat awaiting a status update on my Shellac nails. It's good news my friends! We are eight days in and not a single chip and the nails are still super-shiny. I'm a bit fascinated by this, how can it be possible? My only complaint is I've knocked a few nails on something white as they have very tiny white marks on them - this is my fault however. ETA: I just used nail varnish remover to get the white marks off and it worked! I shall be doing this for any future holidays as it's great to have your nails done and that to be that. I won't be doing them regularly though as I don't like committing to a colour for so long, I'm already a bit bored with this red. Nonetheless, recommended highly.

A Brazilian Blow Dry update. It's been three months since I had the treatment and it has pretty much worn off now. My hair was much easier to style and generally looked better every day than when I don't have it done. This is not a life-changing treatment but I think it's worth having. So much so that I've booked it again through Wahenda. I wouldn't spend over £200 on it but then you never need to with these offers.

Hammam

A holiday isn't a holiday unless you partake of a treatment. After two days traipsing round Marrakech (with associated 'helpful' locals constantly talking to you, trying to sell you something or pointing you to the square which seriously, anyone could find without help) we retired to the mountains for a few days of R&R.

Every guidebook to Morocco will tell you about hammams. Anyway, what it means is a full body scrub. This treatment is not for the body shy, you have to strip naked and have hot water poured over you. Then you are soaped everywhere with strange soap that is a bit like earwax (to look at, it smelt nice enough!) and then you are scrubbed with flannels. It's a strange sensation and it almost hurts they scrub you so hard. They wash and condition your hair too. Then some sort of mud concoction is applied. And then it's all washed away with hot water which is ladled into a bucket and then ladled on to you. Why they don't use a shower is anyone's guess!

Did I enjoy it? Well, yes I did once I got over the shock of being completely naked and the harshness of the scrubbing. It was strangely relaxing. The whole thing took an hour and I emerged a bit like a new-born baby blinking into the sunlight to the view above. There are worse ways to spend an hour. And my skin has never been so smooth.

If you are heading to Morocco then this is well worth having done but go somewhere a bit touristy or associated with your riad as I think this could be quite unpleasant in a back street without some serious hygiene rules.

Shellac Nails

I've been meaning to try Shellac nail colour for a while now. In the last few weeks I've seen it in action on nails of friends who raved about it and today I decided it was time to take the plunge.

I was having my holiday pedicure (Marrakech since you ask) and decided to go for a Shellac manicure as the girl doing my feet was good. Quality is variable at my local nail salon. It costs £28 to have it done and they claim it lasts 21 days. We'll see. You also have to have the colour removed by the salon (any salon that does Shellac) as you can't take it off with regular nail polish remover.

21 days?! It's a level of commitment I find hard to cope with when it comes to choosing a colour and it took me an embarrassing long time to pick one. I dallied with a Barbie pink but was put in my place by being told that was too young for me. So I went for a classic dark red. Between each coat your nails are cured under a UV light. It does take quite a long time but at the end, the nails are rock hard. No gingerly putting your coat on and then annoyingly smudging a nail the minute you get home. They are also unfeasibly shiny.

The test now is how long they last as I am very sceptical about 21 days but I will, of course, keep you posted.

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara

A trip to Boots as it is time to test some new mascaras and I decided to go budget. I bought this one and a Revlon one. The Revlon one is disappointing but this is punching well above its weight.

It's too early to say if it's maximising my eyelash growth but I must say, it's performing as well as a £15-20 mascara.  The brush is really good and there is no more smudging than on any other one I've tried, it applies well and I have to say, I am impressed so far.

I've just looked up the price and it is £8.99 but I know I paid about £5 for it so it must be on special offer.