Back to Berlin

Delicious Currywurst, beautiful parks and interesting history and landmarks; Berlin is a city with a lot to offer. I recently returned for the fourth time to visit a friend and was more impressed than ever. On the first day, my boyfriend and I went up to the dome of the Reichstag. It’s free to go, you just have to pre-book online. What was supposed to be a low-key night out quickly turned out to be anything but; typically Berlin! It’s truly a 24 hour city and locals think nothing of hitting a club at 3am. It’s pretty normal for a party to continue for two or three days. My kind of place. On the second day (slightly bleary-eyed) we headed to Potsdam, a city about 40 minutes away from Berlin. Potsdam has an incredible park, ‘Sans Souci’, which hosts several incredible palaces. I’d strongly recommend hiring bikes if you decide on a trip as the palaces are quite spread out. The New Palace and its grounds are truly breathtaking. In the evening, we ate in ‘Transit’, a trendy Thai and Indonesian restaurant. The restaurant serves delicious food in bowls and each bowl is only three euros! You only need three (maximum four) to feel completely stuffed. Afterwards we hit Odessa bar which was chic, elegant and served the most lethal cocktails. The remaining bit of wall is worth seeing, stop at Pirates for a drink and then grab a 5 euro lunch of currywurst, chips and a beer next door (the food in Pirates is priced for tourists). We stayed with my old housemate Niels in Mitte, but if you’re looking for a cheap base, I’d highly recommend the Wombats hostel where I stayed last time I visited the city.

The Reichstag dome

Rocking a headset and and H&M necklace

So cute!

A book in a vending machine! Loved this

The incredible New Palace

Neil's first curry wurst!

Argh! Donkey terror!!

The boys enjoy their beer

And so does the girl

No thanks

Festifeel 2014

FESTIFEEL is Britain’s only boutique music festival with boobs in mind. Produced by breast cancer awareness charity, Coppafeel, the festival is now in its fifth year and is curated by charity patron Fearne Cotton. Obviously this guarantees some pretty amazing music, but I’m actually really excited about the Festifeel Parlour too. There will be WAH nail artists, vintage hairdressing, make-up, a photobooth and Popchips. See you there! 

www.festifeel.com 

Saturday 21st June 2014, 1pm – 3am London Fields Brewery, Hackney

Sally Love

I remember the first time I went into a ‘Sally’. Think ‘kid in a candy store’, who’s had coffee, combined with some pent up shopping aggression. Suffice to say I was pretty excited. So many hard-to-find or unusual products in one place! And not too pricey either. I haven’t looked back since. Here’s my round up of Sally’s latest offerings:

The Wet Brush £8.99 
I was sceptical about the Wet Brush – it looked just like an ordinary brush, so how could it deliver a finish as good as my beloved Tangle Teezer (also stocked by Sally)? I washed my hair, towel dried and held up the brush, anticipating pain and tugging. It glided through without so much as a wince. I stand corrected! It also has a handle (unlike the Tangle Teezer) making it easier to control, especially in the morning when I drop and spill things all over the place. In my opinion, it’s the superior product for longer locks.  No wonder it’s the number 1 detangling brush in the US.

The Perfectionist Exfoliating Body Scrub (250 ml) £10.88
Anyone who has dabbled with fake tan on unbuffed skin understands how hideous orange patches can appear. The new Tan Truth exfoliator is very effective (it contains jojoba oil) and has small grains so it doesn’t feel too rough on the body. It’s also bright pink and therefore looks rather fabulous in any bathroom.

Salon System Naturalash 070 £5.15

I used to wear my lashes so thick that my poor eyelids struggled to hold them. These days, I favour a slightly more natural approach. I still love long lashes, though (I use Volume de Chanel daily) and at night time I love to turn up the drama. Salon Systems have launched ‘Naturalash’ which, as the name suggests, are false lashes designed to give a natural look. They’re much easier to apply that big thick ones too! 

www.sallyexpress.com

Triumph #Standupforfit

My very first writing job was for Triumph, so I was excited to go along and see what was new at their most recent press day. There have been loads of features about Triumph in the press lately and I’m looking forward to heading along to one of their #womeninmaking classes at Maison Triumph (57-59 Monmouth Street, Seven Dials, London, WC2H) this Saturday. The classes are completely free, I’m having a go at jewellery making, you can register here.

The lingerie was looking amazing. I have become quite obsessed with the Helena Christensen collaboration, but I didn’t realise how many other lust-worthy Triumph designs there were! Always designed with comfort and fit in mind, I was invited to #standupforfit and get measured for a new set. I loved the pure white moulded bra I chose; it fits like a second skin and passes my personal ‘is it comfy enough to sleep in?’ test. I was nearly swayed by a beautiful coral set but for me, practicality always wins out in my underwear drawer!

These are some of my favourite pieces from the new collection:

Bronze Buffer Erases Your Tanning Mistakes!

Ladies and well-groomed gents, our dreams have come true. No longer need we endure orange wrists and dirty looking toes. Thanks to ‘Bronze Buffer’, streak-free, sun-free tans are finally OURS. It looks just like a cosmetic sponge, but works quite differently, removing excess product rather than applying it. There are no added ingredients or chemicals; it’s just a clever little sponge with the power to erase your tanning mishaps. 

I was invited to chat about tanning with inventor of the Bronze Buffer, Paige Herman-Axel, tanning expert James Read and the beauty experts of BeautyMart. It was great fun and I left feeling so convinced by the buffer that I immediately fake tanned when I got home (a few proseccos down). The results were amazing and I went into work the next day looking naturally golden with a flawless looking tan. You get two Bronze Buffers for £10.00 and they can be used a few times (depending on how much tan you need to remove each time). 

Jean Paul Gaultier at the Barbican; Big and Beautiful

I have never forgotten watching Jean Paul Gaultier’s appearance on the Generation Game. I was just a wee nipper and watched in awe as he taped swathes of bin bags to create the most beautiful dresses I had ever seen. Having suspected he was a brilliant designer, I followed his work over the years throughout fashion school and beyond, collecting memorabilia (Coke bottles!) and looking at photos. His genius is truly confirmed by his exhibition at the Barbican. Initially perturbed by the ticket fee (over £14.00!) I didn’t regret a penny when I entered the first room. Boring mannequins were replaced with slightly creepy talking statues and there were enough incredible outfits to keep even the most seasoned fashionista enthralled. My favourites included a leopard beaded ballgown and a gorgeous ribbon corset. Celeb spotters will love it; you can see Kylie and Madonna’s stage outfit along with pieces worn by supermodels, Dita Von Teese and many more. It’s not just about pointy corsets either; there are some stunning supporting sketches and a room dedicated to Jean Paul’s TV work such as Eurotrash and an appearance in Absolutely Fabulous. I didn’t know that he released a single either! It’s called ‘How to Do That’ and it came out in the late 80s. You can watch it in the same room. 

The Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition is as huge as it is brilliant; there’s plenty to keep you occupied for at least an hour or two. If it wasn’t so pricy, I’d go back. I think Londoners have it pretty good in general though -  most of our museums have free entry – so maybe I should stop complaining and start exploring more.

www.barbican.org.uk 

New Product Alert! Murad’s Essential-C Sun Balm SPF 35

Edging ever closer to 30, I have decided to take my sun protection much more seriously this summer, especially on my face. Fortunately, one of my favourite skincare brands, Murad, has just launched a handy ‘sun stick’ (Essential-C Sun Balm) with SPF 35. It comes in a handy little stick for quick, easy, spill-free coverage. I always burn on the top of my nose and under my eyes so I’ll definitely be keeping it to hand and applying as soon as the sun shows itself! I’m always quite paranoid about burning my lips, and it’s moisturizing enough to use as a lip balm. The new formula features a new ingredient technology, MuraSol™ Antioxidant Defense, a powerful blend of antioxidants which creates a protective barrier of free radical neutralisers to halt UV damage. SPF can only ever provide 97% protection against UV rays so MuraSol maximise your sun protection. It’s available in selected branches of John Lewis and House of Fraser and online at www.murad.co.uk at £19.50.