Revealing the rosy you - yes, even in January

Post Christmas I was looking a little less than my best. One expects the extra weight but I was looking very grey. Usually I would use the fabulous Elemis mask that I have already discussed.

But something stronger was called for. Since I had spent £90 on perfume, I decided to root through products I already had. And found this little baby. Estee Lauder Idealist MicroD. It's some sort of thermal scrub. Basically you apply it to damp skin, rub it around gently while it warms the skin and rinse off.

Well. It was a bit more powerful than I remembered! I was very pink afterwards. But so smooth. It genuinely did reveal the glowing me just waiting to burst out. And this week I've not needed my tinted moisturiser (usually a must in grey winter).

So, two lessons here. Remember to look at what you already own. And it is possible to have good skin in January!

New Year, New Products

I don't hold with this notion that one should deprive oneself in January. It's the most depressing month of the year (well, apart from February) and why would you actively make yourself MORE miserable?

Not for me. I don't do deprivation. I have plenty of new things to talk about. I am going to begin with my reawakening of love of perfume. In the sale I bought a book called Perfumes - The Guide. It is a wonderful book. It reviews thousands of perfumes giving ratings from 1 star to 5 and explains the history, the notes etc. It was not good for my bank balance to buy this because I immediately wanted about 10 new perfumes. Why did I not have a Guerlain perfume in my life? It had to be remedied and soon. So I went to the Harrods beauty hall and had a lovely half hour with the chic French Guerlain lady.

I bought l'Heure Bleue. Some will tell you this is an old woman's scent. I couldn't disagree more. Plus, I think old women know about scent! It's simply divine and just gets better the longer you wear it. It isn't my usual sort of perfume but what's the point buying the sort of thing you always buy?

Anyway, that wasn't enough to satisfy me so a few days later I went to Peter Jones and bought Mitsouko. Classic chypre it says in my bible. Also gorgeous. So now I am wafting around smelling satisfyingly expensive and gorgeous.

I really believe that with perfume, it's good to visit the old favourites. There is lots more I can say about perfume so I will revisit the topic in the future.

The Christmas Haul

Don't you love it when your friends and family know you so well?

My beauty haul was excellent this Christmas. Lovely sister got me some Red Roses Jo Malone bath oil and a Clinque eye cream (anyone would think she read this blog).

Santa bought me a whole raft of Bliss products which are divine. And I got some fab soap and some bath 'tea bags'. Which are a lot more special than they sound.

Mini Bourjois

Have you seen this? I mean, have you ever seen anything so cute? I was in Superdrug today (ace shop by the way - much more fun than Boots) and my eye was caught by the mini Bourjois range. Clearly aimed at teenagers but adorable packaging. And they make things you can hang off your mobile phone. So needless, so gorgeous.

I bought lots of things as they had a 3 for 2. Whatsmore none of it was for me. How restrained am I? It was all for CoverBoy's nieces. I don't think there is any present shopping more fun than for 14-16 year old girls.

My Christmas wish list

You just never know who is reading! Three posts in one day? I know, I am back!

This is what I would like to see in my stocking (in fantasy world, not the real world since I know most people have got my presents and CoverBoy is not allowed to buy me anything as we have got a new TV).

Disclaimer out of the way, here goes:

Ren Rose Bath Oil (as previously raved about on here)
Ren Rose Shower Gel (ditto)
Essie nail varnish - because the colours are fabulous and they stay on for 5 days without chipping
Lush bath products that don't have bits in (and that includes glitter)
Body cream from Jo Malone - have you seen it? Oh my.
A selection of Nars multiple sticks to suit my mood
The entire Nars eye shadow collection (hey, it's a fantasy)
A year's supply of monthly facials at Elemis!

I could probably think of more and may be back to post about them.

Dove Pro-Age Beauty Cream

How did it come to this? Suddenly anti-ageing products for the body look appealing. Oh dear. I am the wrong side of 30. As regular readers know, I do like body lotion. And in this cold weather, it's even more important as I resemble a raisin rather than a grape.

So I got a sample of this with a magazine - a good little tub size. And I used it. And the advertising worked because I went and bought some. The verdict? It's very soothing after a bath and it does feel like it is bringing your skin back to life. It's a bit much for the morning but lovely when you are going to put your PJs on. The scent is a little grandma but I can live with it. Overall, I rate it and it has a bit more welly to it and if you can't escape to the tropics for the winter months then this is a good budget buy.

Quick Eyes

I have a new eye make-up love! Clinique Quick Eyes. They are cream eye shadows that come in a tube and you put them on with your finger. They rock.

I went shopping with my friend last weekend (I do have more than one friend) and we stopped by the Clinique counter. Before we could say a word, she was having a makeover. And the OFL used these and they are amazing. So I bought one in Muffin (!) It glides on and stays on ALL DAY. No smudging. Nothing.

I want more now. They had one called rock violet (great name). And one called Truffle (always a great name). £12.

My hairdresser is in Marie Clare

I love my hairdresser. She is lovely and she prettifies my hair. Anyway, a few visits ago she asked if she could take a photo of me and my newly cut and coloured hair as she was entering a Marie Clare competition - photos of clients would be posted on their website and people vote for the best hair. And she won! I like to think it was my photo that swung it.

So there is a double spread in this month's Marie Clare and there she is. Finding a good hairdresser is so hard and she is excellent. Plus she is non-pretentious despite doing celebrity hair for premieres etc.

10 minutes of heaven in a handy mask

These Olay masks are the business. I believe they are a copy of very expensive ones (not sure of the brand). I discovered them last year when I had one of those £5 off vouchers from Boots. They are the perfect thing to take on holiday as they come individually wrapped. So after a week or two on the beach when your skin is parched, smooth one of these babies over your face, lie back and relax for 10 mins (while looking somewhat freaky) and then pull it off. No rinsing, no mess. Just rub in any left over lotion.

They plump up your skin and feel like a real treat. Every girl should have these in reserve at all times.

The holiday shop

Is there anything more heart warming than the pre-Boots holiday shop? Oh no, I think not. I enjoy it so much that I like to do at least 2-3 trips round Boots. I am going to Singapore and Bintan for 2 weeks in less than 2 weeks - wooohooooo!

So on Saturday I did my first Boots trip. I didn't buy anything very exciting but the mere thought that I was going on holiday was enough to excite me. Yes, I need to get out more.

I bought some Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner which was stupidly cheap. I didn't get my sun tan lotion. I got a fantastic spray on mist sun tan lotion in Arizona in April and it's the best sun tan lotion I've found. None of that tedious rubbing. It's made by Banana Boat. I still have a whole cannister of that. I expect that will be enough as we won't be sunbathing much in Singers.

The pre-holiday shop. Only beaten by the duty free shop!

Soap & Glory

I went to Boots today as I needed some essentials like water filters. Very dull. Anyway, I spotted a Soap & Glory promotion. Spend £15 and get a free box of mini S&G stuff. There were 5 freebies and perfect for travelling. So I bought some body lotion (which is very good if you've not tried it) and some heavy duty firming lotion as I need something to sort me out before my holiday.

I like the S&G packaging and it's made by the same people who make the very expensive Bliss products. The body scrub which I have is excellent and does get rid of bobbly bits. It's called scrub of your Life - they do several body scrubs but that's the one I have.

Anyone tried their lip gloss? I am tempted but I need persuading as I have many lip glosses...