Trolley Dash

When I lived in Belgium, buying clothes in super or hypermarkets was as normal as having moules and frites for tea. Although supermarket clothing lines have been around in Britain for a while, they have really started upping their game of late. It’s not unusual to see pieces from George at Asda, F&F at Tescos and Tu at Sainsburys in the press.

Tu had their AW14 press day recently and the offering was really quite impressive. Leopard print shifts, pleather pencil skirts and boxy, structured tops were chic and sophisticated; I have my eye on a marl-y cocoon coat and there were a lovely pair of over-the-knee riding boots on display too. Menswear was similarly impressive; I couldn't believe the quality for the price. The shirts wouldn't have looked out of place in Ben Sherman or Ted Baker. It’s clear that this is going to be one successful rebrand.

Chic, inexpensive style in the same place as your grocery essentials? Who'd have thought it?

www.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk

Mac Makeover

There are two amazing things you might not already know about Mac:

1.       Collect six ‘empties’ (the actual container your Mac make-up came in) into your nearest Mac and you get A FREE LIPSTICK. Yes, that’s right, a free lipstick. This recycling initiative makes me get through Mac cosmetics like you would not believe. You wouldn't believe the number of lipsticks in my collection.

2.       If you book a Mac make-up lesson (just £30) the cost of the booking is redeemable against products. I was given a booking as a gift and decided to head to Mac in Covent Garden.

The lovely Mischa took care of my transformation, taking me from haggard, hungover, overworked mess to something much, much better! I couldn't believe how much Mischa’s skills and Mac’s amazing products changed the shape of my face and features (Mac’s ‘Harmony’ is great for contouring, I learnt). I’ll definitely go back the next time I have a special occasion - or just fancy a splurge. Thanks Mischa, thanks Mac!

Mac has recently relocated from Neal Street to just outside Covent Garden tube station and there’s a Mac Pro downstairs which makes me very. Excited. Indeed.

www.maccosmetics.co.uk

Ta-wit-ta-who?

Just when I think I'm getting sick of Cara Delevingne , she comes back looking amazing and changes my mind. Employed by Mulberry for their Autumn Campaign, she looks sleek, sophisticated and beautiful. It's a great fit for Mulberry; the perfect mix of quirk and quintessential Britishness. And Cara's keen to design.! I'll be impressed if she comes up with anything even close to the beauty of the brand's blood leather cape (swoon).

View the full campaign at www.mulberry.com/thisseason

Skin Perfection – the Skin and Laser Specialists

A stone’s throw away from Oxford Street lies luxurious Skin Perfection, a luxury ‘Advanced Skin and Laser Clinic’ (open since April) developed exclusively for women. Strictly ‘no boys allowed’, this glittering sanctuary of skin improvement is perfect for any woman looking to improve the overall look of her skin. There is an emphasis on remaining natural (no ‘stuck in a wind tunnel’ faces will emerge from Skin Perfection’s door) but making the most of what you’ve got. Skin Perfection offers a wide range of FDA approved non-surgical treatments. The state of the art technology is the best in the aesthetic industry, with Palomar's Starlux 500 and the famous updated version of Cynosures Elite Laser, "Cynosure MPX Elite'; sure to deliver powerful results , non invasively.

The staff at Skin Perfection are warm and welcoming; although your surroundings are glamorous, the atmosphere is the opposite of intimidating – you feel able to ask anything, very important given the importance of the subject matter (your face and body).

Ayse and her team previously practiced in London’s famous Harley Street. They wanted to bring the same concept and quality of service to a luxurious, accessible location, for women only. The staff at Skin Perfection are fully qualified to treat any number of skin complaints; stretchmarks, scarring, pigmentation, spots and broken veins being the tip of the iceberg. Whether you’re looking for forehead line obliteration (Allergan Botox) or gentler skin rejuvenation (micro-needling with DermaFrac) I have no doubt that there is a treatment to suit you at Skin Perfection.  Award-winning cosmeceutical product lines are also on offer and I am especially interesting in trying Epionce (unofficially a stronger version of Dermalogica).

Importantly, I felt immediately at ease in the Skin Perfection salon and I’m looking forward to my skin consultation. I’ll let you know how I get on and what kind of treatment I opt for and how I get on.

Skin Perfection offers free skin consultations. Call 0207 629 4116 or email info@theskinandlaserspecialists.co.uk to book your appointment.

Skin Perfection, 21/22 Great Castle Street 4^th Floor, London, W1G 0HY

A Birthday Bonanza

It’s not so much the ageing that bothers me; more the stress of organisation. This year, at the tender age of 28, I decided, finally, to relax and just…let it happen. Balthazar, The Boundary, The Painted Lady, Pizzeria Pappagone,The Old Dairy, many delicious friends and several delicious cocktails helped me have the best birthday of my life.

Beautiful Sarah took me for a very special birthday brunch. I have been meaning to go to Balthazar again since I was 21; I had the most amazing dinner at the original New York branch. Now Balthazar has opened in Covent Garden, there’ll be no stopping me. The pastries (we got ‘Le Panier’, £15) were other-worldly – croissants, pain au chocolat and CHOCOLATE BREAD all featured. The Mimosa was a citrusy glug of divinity and the Eggs Royale was meltingly buttery; the best I've ever had. I thought I’d have to be rolled out of there, but somehow managed to leave with my dignity in tact. The waitress politely smiled at our ability to polish off all the pastries! Balthazar was chic and sophisticated with slick, excellent service; everything I remembered from the New York experience and more.

After a brief Zara whip-around (the Covent Garden branch is one of my favourites) I met up with my friend Gemma and hit Kate Spade and Opening Ceremony. I was very tempted to get the Kenzo Vans but resisted temptation. Avoiding the rain, we nipped into the National Portrait Gallery and the headed to my favourite London rooftop bar, the Boundary. I introduced Josie to the bread basket and she reciprocated with another delicious cocktail; something lemony and elderflowery this time, strong enough to forget specifics.

Then it was on to the Painted Lady, a retro styling salon on trendy Redchurch Street. I've had myriad manicures at the salon (very good ones at that) but I was keen to try their famous hair styling service. The people who work at the Painted Lady have a wonderful way of making you feel welcome and looked after straight away. I needed a coffee after the cocktail and they met that need. Even the cup and saucer were vintage. I’ve been trying my hand at victory rolls for ages, with varying degrees of disaster. Belinda explained that the key to perfect victory rolls was preparation. She painstakingly tonged every piece of my hair, pinning each section to my head to cool. Then it was on with the rolling – there was a bit of backcombing before to help each perfectly formed cylinder stay. About half a can of hairspray later and I had been fully transformed from modern gal to vintage vixen; it felt wonderful.

It was time for a quick spruce-up later and I donned my Vivien of Holloway dress before heading to fave restaurant Pappagone for a good old-fashioned Italian feed-up to line our stomachs for the night ahead. I opted for Linguine alle Vongole which, although delicious, was a little too spicy for my taste. The waiters make a big fuss of you if they get wind that it’s your birthday. I was ceremoniously presented with a suggestive banana arrangement, which I had to bite with my hands tied behind my back.

Our penultimate stop was The Old Dairy, a gorgeous pub on Crouch Hill. It’s a fun, lively place; one of my favourite London pubs. I was appointed a marvellous area for 25. Sometimes you can feel a bit ‘away from the action’ in private areas, but this one was situated right in the middle, conveniently close to the bar and the DJ booth. We all had a great time; the DJ played some great music and we danced until 1am when it closed.

Our final stop was Caipirinha on Highgate Hill, a great little club with live music, fab DJs and really, really cheap Jagerbombs. I’ll leave it at that.