Monday, 15 November 2010

Happy Birthday Max Factor


Happy 10th birthday to the one everlasting lip stain/stick/gloss all rounder that I use as my fallback foolproof suits everyone and everything product for any story that involves summer-proofing, party-proofing, water-proofing, budge-proofing, any other kind of proofing you can think of, since my first job in beauty writing.

Max Factor Lipfinity, thanks for the easy journalism and uber-proofing.

Weekend Buffer pt 1: Tequila Friday

It was a hard week last week, as photographically summarised by Katie above. Luckily I have certain methods in place both for alleviating stress -in this case, and preventing it (look out for part 2: Y00MooMonday).

17.00 on a Friday tequila cocktails in the office for my team you say? Well that makes perfect sense. Our entire desk eagerly awaited the arrival of Sauza Tequila girls (not the kind you get in Mahiki etc. with a harness belt and a lot of hair extensions. No, these were PR girls who do Collection 2000 also - hence the tenuous beauty connection), who mixed us winter berry Margarita's and then something gingery with Courvoisier. Email me for recipes, or go to www.mixxit.co.uk for more info.

There followed an interesting walk over Blackfriars Bridge to the station. Thank goodness for safety barriers in place for gusty weather...


for the facts: drinkaware.co.uk

Friday, 12 November 2010

Perry Purrfume launch





10am, mingling outside Circus in Covent Garden, waiting for entry to the launch of Katy Perry's perfume Purr. 10.30am, mingling outside Circus in Covent Garden, still waiting.

11.15am still waiting, this time inside, for Katy Perry to come and launch her looong awaited perfume.

11.30 or thereabouts, she arrives and all is forgiven as she is lovely and pretty and actually quite funny. Particularly with such gems as "Russell does like my perfume. He realises there will be a lot of jokes made about it."

I should explain, it's cat shaped. Make of that what you will in relation to the new Mr Perry.

Smells fun and cute and sprightly - all three things she wanted for her debut scent. Basically its Katy Perry in bottle form. Get it from now in Selfridges, rolling out nationwide next month.

Thursday, 11 November 2010

Seeing Stars

This job has taken me from Retard Bay in Hong Kong to the NEC in Birmingham, but nowhere is more special than the bedroom at the Mandarin Oriental where Sawyer from Lost was residing. While he got ready for our interview in the other room, I quietly spat my chewing gum in his dustbin, just so I could leave with the knowledge it was there. Stalkerish? slightly. Here are some other highlights...












Friday, 5 November 2010

Today I'm Wearing...Shirley Bassey Falsies

This post is difficult for me to write. Literally (DadJokes nb. correct use of this word), with 2cm long stick on nails. But if you're going to suffer a lot of typos, then make the suffering worthwhile, with the ruby red slippers of the false nail world - Star by Julien Macdonald glitter nail set.

Get them in Debenhams (soon), stick them on after you've completed all your work, and listen for the firework night appropriate 'oooh's and 'aaaah's'.

There is no option but to go out after work tonight now, damn glitter nails...

Beauty Editor Syndrome


I may have touched upon this topic before, but it never ceases to amaze me how unpredictable my skin has become since doing this job. I am (nearly) 31 years old, shouldn't I be resplendent in my non-hormonal skin by now? Isn't that at least a benefit of getting older? There must be ONE.

Here is my problem. I get a lot of products sent to me, and the LOOK way is, if you don't know its good how can you say it's good? A good point, but it means I have no skincare routine. I have even been to the doctor for this, to no avail. Apparently this happens sometimes when people turn 26. That seems a bit tenuous to me, so I rejected my medical prescription and set about making up my own.

Here are my findings:

Clarisonic is like Florence Nightingale in electric form. An electric toothbrush in theory, but supersized for your face. It claims to make any facewash work harder, but whatever it does, it does brilliantly. Freaks Dadjokes out a bit at bed/bathroom time, but who cares? AND it comes in Pucci form.


ph Advantage acne regime is hard core but effective. I wouldn't say use this always, but if you're stuck in a wobbly skin cycle, use it for a few weeks and then start back on the normal stuff. Having tried most things going, this is good enough to make me anxious if there isn't a back up supply in my back up cupboard.


Fresh Soy Face Cream is the key. I am always sceptical when it comes to brand ambassadors, founders or creators say 'oh you have sensitive skin? you MUST try this, it will definitely make your skin AMAZING.' So, feeling 'yeah, yeah, whatever you say' about it, I left the Soy range in my back-up cupboard until I ran out of whatever I was using before. its got vitamins A, C and E, soy proteins for protection, rose water for restoring, meadowfoam for nourishing...but lets be honest, if it has manure and tea bag in it I will be happy if my skin gets fixed.
Now, if I run out of Soy Moisturiser (which happens frequently because the tube is tiny! Mr Fresh - address the problem please), my skin starts to freak out. It takes two days. This means Soy Moisturiser is my antibiotic in skincare form.

I have run out btw, hence no picture today.

Wednesday, 3 November 2010

Pour Homme

During a lovely breakfast with Richard at Ketchum I may have dropped in my boyfriends love of one of his brands. I've coached DadJokes in the ways of Givenchy, Boss, Kiehl's, but he resolutely stays loyal to his own, pre-me discovery - Olay Complete Care - and so he should.

He was then graced with a delivery to his office (isn't he lucky to have such a girlfriend with such connections) and, well, delighted in them when he got home.




This from a man who looked at me a few evenings ago and said, 'You look really pretty tonight. Are you wearing that mask thing from your blog?'
Me: 'Lingerie Foundation I think you mean, yes I am.'
Hi: 'Oh. You're not gonna turn into one of those Only Way Is Essex girls are you?'

Give me strength...

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