How to be Organised

Oh yes, I am a 'list person'. If it isn't written down, I will forget to do it - fact. However, my list (the one on the left) was starting to look messy and rather impossible. Luckily, my desk-mate Jo Robson had the solution to hand with her list template she had designed (she's a graphic designer). Tasks, errands. Everyone clear?

First and Forever

Popped along to Exposure PR to watch and exclusive screening of Dr. Martens' campaign film, First and Forever. Starring the gorgeous Agyness Deyn, guests were encouraged to join the #firstandforever trend on Twitter. A great example of cool, honest, interesting marketing.

VW Heaven

Loved this tent I saw at the Top Drawer tradeshow. Like, the ONLY thing that would persuade me to camp again. Actually, it would need a pure silk sleeping bag inside too. And a bottle of champagne. And maybe David Gandy.

I Heart this Shade

Mmm Nails Inc Park Lane is lovely. Excuse my very non-hand-model-y fat thumb.

"I'm so hungry, I'm sniffing Cheddars"

The Dukan diet has started to do strange things to my head. Namely, that I have started to sniff food. No, really. I can't eat it, but by gads I can sniff it. Take these Cheddars, for example. I inhale, I remember, I try to forget. In all honesty, I caved and ate one. What? I'm only human. It's torture in the workplace, otherwise. Besides, cheese is protein.

Talking Heads

Love these mannequin heads I spotted in Spitalfields market! What a cool way to showcase your favourite specs!

Dry Shampoo - Tried and Tested

The last time I used dry shampoo was at Glastonbury and I fear my hair was two days past the point of no return. The experience put me off so I haven’t bothered with the stuff since. With all the new formulas on the market, I thought it was about time I gave it a second chance.



Batiste Dry Shampoo
A hint of colour for medium & brunette
£4.28 for 150ml

This one gave my hair a nice texture and it smelt nice, like cocoa. Simple and effective. A great price too.

http://www.batistehair.co.uk/

Label.m Brunette Dry Shampoo
£10.50 for 200ml

A great product. Made for brunettes, it dispenses with the overpowering scents of it’s high street counterparts and instead opts for performance with a clean, mildly alcoholic scent which is in no way unpleasant. I have been using this on freshly-washed hair too as it gives such a great matt texture. On the packaging, it says you can use it if you apply too much product, eg. serum. Handy!

http://www.labelm.com/

Refresh & Revive
Dry Shampoo
Limited Edition Erdem
£6.26 for 150ml

Every Fashion Editor’s favourite, Erdem, collaborates with hair maestro Charles Worthington on this wonder product. Its fresh, slightly masculine scent makes me want to use this all the time. A great incentive to stop washing your hair every day (which everyone says is bad for it!). The label on the front peels back to reveal styling tips – nice touch.

http://www.charlesworthington.com/

Charles Worthington Act Dry Shampoo
Balancing Act
£5.19 for 150ml

The packaging looks very feminine chic, and the smell is sweet floral that lingers (in a good way) in such a way that I decided not to spray any perfume! So good looks aside, in it’s the inside that counts and I rate this higher than (dare I say it...) Batisse! It doesn’t give your that white powder effect that is obviously covering the greasy bits, but has a more ‘hairspray wet’ feel that dries quickly to give a natural clean look, and so far it’s wearing well (no top ups required).
I’d recommend this but it costs a little more than I would usually pay. _Ruth Pepler (24)

http://www.charlesworthington.com/

Aesop Opens in Soho

I first became familiar with Aesop when I tried their amazing Parsley Seed Cleanser. They’re currently celebrating their 25th year in business and are known for their ‘no muss, no fuss’, practical approach to skincare (and gorgeous monochromatic packaging). Each product is designed to target the skin’s specific needs without all the scientific hullaballoo that so many other brands boast.

Despite being vaguely familiar with the brand, I had never actually visited one of their shops, so when I was invited to visit their latest opening, I jumped at the chance. The location is really fab – it’s right in the heart of Soho (41 Lexington Street, to be exact) and is handily near one of the nicest coffee joints, Fernandez and Wells.

The design of the shop is bright and mildly clinical, but no so much that you feel like you’re making the place look untidy by being there! It has been designed by the sextet at Ciguë, the Parisian studio which also created Aesop Le Marais and Aesop Merci in Paris. All white enamel and stone, it’s worth visiting as an interiors lesson alone. Another nice thing about the shop? The staff are friendly and genuinely know their stuff. When faced with what seems like acres of very similar-looking glass bottles, it is easy to feel a bit bemused, but there’s always an expert to help guide you towards skincare perfection.

As I was there, it would have been rude not to try some of the brand’s new products! I came away with Petitgrain Hydrating Body Gel and Control. A light, toning gel, the gorgeous-smelling Petitgrain product is quickly absorbed into the skin and is perfect for soothing skin burned by the sun or recovering from a quick razor-job. I plan to keep mine in the fridge in summer and apply it after a long day at the beach (come on summer, hurry up!). I know the term gets bandied around a lot, but after using a few times, I would consider Control to be a ‘wonder product’. As someone who suffers from the occasional breakout, this anti-blemish gel is going to be a mainstay in my handbag. Containing Salicylic acid, Vitamin C and essential oils, it tackles your spots quickly, effectively and, most importantly, invisibly.

If there’s one thing my heaving bathroom cabinet does not need, it is more products but, as always, I am powerless to resist and intend to expand my Aesop collection in the future. Cool, stylish skincare that works – what more could you need? A bigger bathroom.

Revlon Competition Day

Here are some of the photos I took on the Revlon/Britain's Next Top Model competition day!

The Big Win!

So often, I view competitions with cynicism; does anybody ever really win them? Then, one dreary boring Monday, I opened my inbox and saw that I had! A while ago, I entered a Revlon competition on their Revlon UK Facebook page. Not only had I won a competition; I had won an amazing one. I was to spend the day with Jade Thompson, the recently crowned Britain’s Next Top Model. I had no idea what to expect so imagine my delight when I checked into the Mayfair Hotel on Monday night and found a brand new Mulberry Alexa handbag and £500 of House of Fraser vouchers waiting for me! After a really good night’s sleep and a dinner consisting of the finest articles from Marks and Spencer’s Food Hall, Kate from Revlon, Jade, my friend Sarah and I all sat down to a fine breakfast in the hotel’s Quince restaurant. We were given a bumper bag full of Revlon goodies and were then introduced to Nick the photographer and Stuart the driver. We were taken for arelaxing massage at 5-star hotel Baglioni (previous guests include Jay-Z and Beyonce) and then went shopping in House of Fraser with £500 worth of vouchers! I was tempted by a dress in Miss Selfridge but decided it looked much better on Jade in their Christmas campaign! Matching peace sign earrings were purchased though. After a rather yummy afternoon tea, the lovely Stuart drove us back to the hotel (with some really good London facts on the way home) so Sarah and I could have our make-up done by talented make-up artist Cat Parnell. The day ended with a beautiful meal at Aqua Kyoto (located just off Regent Street) with stunning Japanese Velvet pear cocktails, foie gras sushi and truffled cabbage with saffron. Delicious. It’s really hard to pick just one highlight, but let’s put it this way: unless they come up with a brand new 'morbidly obese' category in next year's Britain's Next Top Model, I think it's fair to assume that I may not be eligible for entering. This disappointment aside, I can sleep soundly, knowing that I have certainly eaten some of London's finest foods. This will honestly go down in history as one of the best days of my life. The only thing is, I am finding it quite hard to readjust to my normal routine. The tube? Where’s my driver? And what the heck is work?

Jade looking gorgeous

I get fashion tips from Britain's Next Top Model

The dress Jade wore in her Miss Selfridge photoshoot (it looked better on her!)

Sarah and I get comfy before afternoon tea at Baglioni

Jade and Sarah peruse the menu

Mmm so delicious!

Photos courtesy of Nick West for Revlon

New Year’s Reservations

Normally, I am not a fan of word fusions but for me, ‘Banuary’ sums up this month of deprivation more accurately than any existing term ever could. Currently eating my bodyweight in smoked salmon and chicken (I’m on the much-lauded Dukan Diet), I find myself craving vegetables. Vegetables! Not a fat G&T or a million Quality Street for breakfast, I long for the squishy inside of a simple aubergine more than you will ever know. My other resolutions were:

-Be more patient (a pushy tube traveler ruined this one for me)
-Floss more
-Get myself down to a healthy 65kg by this time next year (way too much Christmas choc!)
-Save every month (January sales, woo hoo!)

Roll on Feb.

A Dukan dinner: beefburger, prawns, an egg, 0% fat yoghurt and a gherkin. Mmm delicious.