Valentine’s day is looming ahead and what’s better than getting a beautiful treat for your lips
( from which both of you will benefit ) from the male in your life? Ellis Faas team came up with a great idea: for each Ellis Lips you buy from their webshop, you will get a surprise that will double the pleasure of your Ellis Lips order! Why? Because you have two lips? Not really – they simply believe in “the lippier the better”.
Explore their lip treats on offer-you can choose from Creamy Lips, Milky Lips and Glazed Lips, order and get yourself a Valentine’s present(s) or better still, send a hint to your lover/boyfriend/husband and let them surprise you with their choice of colour to suit you .)
http://www.ellisfaas.com/index.php
Skincare market is very saturated and any newcomer struggles not only to get in, but to make its own mark, that’s why I take interest not only in the latest skincare developments, but also in the smaller, niche brands that are brave enough to dare to take their own stand in a very competitive market.
Last year a newcomer from Azerbaijan, called Gazelli skincare was launched at Urban
Retreat at Harrods- already a high mark of recognition, as Harrods team is quite selective for all the right reasons. Azerbaijan is a very beautiful country full of poetic wisdom and tradition and the range has been kept an inner secret of sorts for over ten years. The range itself was developed by Dr. Zarifa Hamzayeva, who used her knowledge of genetics and slowing down of the ageing process and combined it with the natural resources of Azerbaijan, while developing her skincare range. This range was developed by a woman, but it’s also a dedication to women and their uniqueness and I also think it’s a very modern range too, as Dr. Hamzayeva is assisted in her beauty quest by her daughter, Jamila, who is Gazelli’s European head of development.
Dr.Hamzayeva’s team of scientists managed to adapt Azerbaijan’s ancient healing oil for cosmetic use by extracting its active elements, the final result being Gazelli’s Triple Youth range which rejuvenates, protects and nourishes the skin on your face and neck.
While the range itself is not organic, it combines the power of nature and the use of natural ingredients harvested in Azerbaijan with the very extensive and ongoing scientific research. Gazelli’s Triple Youth range, that consists of six products, has the white healing oil, from Azerbaidjan’s Naftalan region at its core. Other ingredients in the range include pomegranates from Goychay, black mulberry from Absheron and chestnuts from Gabala.
In order to find out more about the range itself, I went to Urban Retreat and Laura, Gazelli’s brand ambassador talked me through the range.
1) Triple Youth Skin Balancing cleanser: this gentle formulation cleanses without stripping the skin and removes make-up, excess oil and residue that pollution leaves on our skin, all the while maintaining skin’s pH balance. It has the chestnut extract that is rich in vitamins B and C and is naturally rich in proteins and a Triple Youth Complex, based on White Healing Oil.
2) Triple Youth ultra nourishing mask ( which Laura tells me can give your face a wonderful pre-party boost ): it deeply moisturises and nourishes the skin. Fig’s extract helps with hydration and improving skin’s radiance, while White Healing oil increases metabolic process at the cellular level thus boosting skin’s ability to regenerate itself and Hydrolyzed Elastin that helps to retain moisture and plumps up the skin.
3) Triple Youth intensive age-repair cream: this cream feels quite rich, yet it sinks quickly in, without leaving any residue. It helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and helps the skin look younger. Black mulberry extract protects the skin against free-radical damage that we get from unprotected sun-rays while Ceramides and Tripeptides help to retain moisture and stimulate the collagen production. Its smell reminds me of a mixture of peaches and a gentle breeze full of flowery undertones.
4) Triple Youth reviving eye cream: this cream is light in texture, yet rich in anti-ageing and rejuvenating ingredients. It contains extracts of traditional black tea, harvested from Lankaran fields that soothes the delicate skin around the eye, while muscle-relaxing peptides soften the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. It also has the subtle but spell-binding smell of roses in bloom.
5) Triple Youth Ultimate Firming Serum: this highly concentrated serum is based on 
Gazelli’s unique skin-firming formula that speeds up skin regenerating process and assists with nutrients and oxygen absorption. It also contains extracts of pomegranate, that is rich in anti-oxidants and Lipoic Acid and DMAE that tone and plump the skin.
6) Triple Youth Hydra-Radiance Face Mist: this wonderful product is the range’s best-seller, which keeps on selling out. It hydrates, tones and lifts the complexion and boosts skin’s luminosity. In addition to white healing oil, it also contains Pumpkin extract ( hand harvested in Azerbaijan’s Khachmaz region ), which in itself is a rich source of nutrients and anti-oxidants and ceramides which increase skin’s hydration levels by holding onto moisture.
The range is priced between £18 to £62 and is geared towards women in their 30s and up. Having said that, Laura, who is in her early 20s and has wonderfully even, blemish free skin, says that she uses the mask and cleanser and loves their texture and the result that both of those products achieve, while the serum and the anti-age cream are great for women from their late 20s to early 30s when the skin on our faces starts to show early signs of ageing.
The range is produced and manufactured on the outskirts of Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, and what makes the range stand out, in my view, is the combination of country’s old traditions combined with modern research.
Gazelli was launched in the second part of last year in Urban Retreat, but it’s already gaining popularity and many clients are coming back to restock. The range was also nominated for prestigious CEW award in the Best New Brand ( prestige ) category, while the ‘Skin balancing cleanser’ is up for the award in the CEW’s Best new everyday facial skincare product ( prestige ) and the ‘Ultimate firming serum’ is nominated for the Best new skincare treatment product ( prestige ).
When I was browsing in Urban Retreat in general Gazelli’s stand made an impression on me-the products are
all shown on a silver tray, so you can easily try them on the back of your hand and the bottles white/black design differs from any other skincare brand that I know and if you decide to buy any of the products, each purchase is wrapped in a specially designed black & white scarf. What also impressed me is that Laura, Gazelli’s ambassador, is quite young, but she knows all the facts about the range and talks intimately about each product, all the while radiating confidence and genuine pride in the brand that she represents. I think a lot of thought not only went into the development of those products but the attention to detail, the design of the bottles, the pride in the country’s tradition. Each product has its own smell, unlike many skincare ranges where all the products in the range smell the same and to me, the combination of all of those factors makes me think that this range will have a very successful future outside its country of origin.
http://www.gazellicosmetics.com/Gazelli
As you might remember, if you read my blog posts regularly, I went to have a facial at Neville salon with the wonderful Vanda Serrador at the end of last year ( and as I like to spread a little goodness, I booked my mother to have a facial with Vanda earlier this month as a post-festive treat because I was so sure of her skill and magic touch-I wasn’t wrong, my mother loved the Vanda and her facial ! ).
Last time I had a facial with Vanda, she recommended a juice recipe that I loved so much, I
shared it with you. Well, I have another treat for you, thanks to Vanda, who came up with another wonderful and nurturing combination that is bound to put a spring in your step, even when it’s cold and raining outside.
Breakfast/detox juice for every morning from Vanda Serrador ( in her own words ):
You will need:
A juicer blender
A smoothie maker
The Super juice
Juice the following:
2 apples Apples-any, except granny smith, which is not the best for juices
1/2 Lime-(peeled, if not organic)
1/4 Pineapple
1/4 Medium cucumber
In your smoothie maker mix the juice made from the ingredients above together with:
1/4 Ripe avocado
1 Level teaspoon of wheatgrass
1 Level teaspoon of spirulina
1 Capsule of acidophilus bacteria powder
This juice is exploding with some of nature’s super nutrients, enzymes, antioxidants, and amino acids. Wheatgrass and spirulina are two true super foods, which both contain a distinguished array of vitamins and minerals. The wheatgrass is also a rich source of chlorophyll, the undisputed top provider of liquid sunshine. It is excellent at improving the intestine health, the lungs & the vascular system, as well as detoxifying the blood and liver.
Spirulina is a phenomenal alga, it reigns supreme at harvesting the sun ’s energy and has been growing naturally for more than 3.5 billion years. It has been found to contain one of the most concentrated amounts of nutrients, phytonutrients and antioxidants of any plant.
Vanda’s tips:
-Every morning make one juice for breakfast for seven or ten consecutive days…You can also have two juices a day-one first thing in the morning and a second one three hours later, before lunch time.
-Please avoid coffee or tea after this juice…
http://www.urban-skin.com/about.html
Let’s be honest, we all indulge during the festive season-at home, at parties, at restaurants and while it’s all nice and well deserved, it does take a toll not only on our bodies, but also on how we end up feeling overall. Too much sugar, too much alcohol, too much food and not so much exercise lead to us feeling lethargic at best. Come January we are back in the offices and doing school runs, lacking sunshine and feeling even worse…..
Doing a detox now will put even more pressure on your body, so instead of doing the actual detox,
just start incorporating some supplements into your diet. Take liver and kidney drops from The Organic Pharmacy that will help to ease the pressure that those organs have been experiencing during your indulgences-liver has to work so much harder when we drink alcohol, and that’s without the effect of too much rich foods. Those drops contain milk thistle ( protects liver cells from poisonous effect of alcohol & other toxins ), artichoke ( has liver regenerating effect & stimulates bile production ), dandelion ( has a strong cleansing action ), schizandra ( helps protect the liver by activating certain enzymes ), berberis ( rich in vitamin C ), astragalus & marshmallow.
Another brand, Fushi, also has a wide choice of supplements and oils that will nourish you and assist your body and various organs. Currently I am taking their Detoxipure capsules ( key active ingredients are: methionine & rhubarb root, that help to cleanse the body of toxins and pollutants; vitamin B & ginger, both of which assist the detoxification process and glutamine that helps to repair and regenerate our digestive function). You need to take two capsules a day with a large glass of water.
I also have started adding Fushi’s wheatgrass powder and organic spirulina to a smoothie that I now drink daily ( keep an eye on my next post that will give you all the details of the incredibly nourishing juice created by Vanda Serrador, my beautiful facialist with a mischievous smile ).
I also take Neal’s Yard Organic Beauty Oil on a regular basis, which I have mentioned before in my posts, that makes your skin, hair & nails look much healthier due to its omega fatty acids content ( you need to take it for at least a few weeks to fully appreciate or rather see the benefits ). Another beneficial oil, that you can take orally, add to your smoothie or porridge is Fushi’s organic coconut oil, which helps to maintain good cholesterol levels, assists weight management & proper digestions-it also tastes quite nice too!
Many nutritionists and trainers also suggest that we take a stomach probiotic from time to time, to maintain proper gut flora, which, if it is out of sink, can lead to all kinds of nagging problems.
James Duigan and Dalton Wong from Bodyism have been a well-hidden secret of women in the know until a few years ago. I really like their approach to both health and fitness and you just have to look to their clients, like Elle Macpherson and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who have always said that their bodies are the result of hard work, combining diet and exercise, so there are no miracles-if you work hard, you get results, no magical pill is going to make you a slim goddess.
I like Bodyism supplements too and would recommend incorporating their ‘Ultimate clean probiotic fibre’ into your diet, as it contains 37% fibre, which is essential if you want to keep your gut well and working as it should be, clearing out the toxins and keeping your digestive tract healthy ( ingredients include psyllium husks, yucca powder, gluten free fermented rice bran, ground cinnamon and ginger ).
Armed with the supplements above and coupled with a moderation in eating, drinking plenty of fluid, dry skin brushing in the morning and doing a little bit of exercise daily will make you and your body feel better and will prepare you for a proper detox, if you want to do a spring clean of sorts, come spring solstice.
http://www.theorganicpharmacy.com/
http://www.fushi.co.uk/default.aspx
http://store.bodyism.co.uk/index.html
It amuses me every year that practically every January issue of women’s magazines talks about the detox-come on, you just finish the festivities, you are on the emotional low-presents are open, parties are over, your waistline is escaping even out of the most comfortable pair of pants, it’s cold and miserable outside and you want us to detox?
Nothing prevents you from starting to establish some reasonable guidelines in the run up to spring though-drink more water, try to exercise, even if it’s a fast-paced 20 minute walk and get a good detox book, so you will have plenty of time to read it and analyse what will work for you, so come March you will be rearing to go.
There are so many books on detox and new ones spring out like mushrooms from the end of December all through January, but I came across a book that was originally published in 2000, yet it will give you all the information you need.
‘The Total Detox Plan: the essential guide to cleansing your body and mind’ was written by Dr.
Sarah Brewer, who takes a holistic approach based on scientific facts. Her clever little book ( 128 pages including the index) covers everything that you will need to know about detoxing in general and also will give you plenty of information on all the little things that will make your detox even more effective.
The book itself is divided into 12 chapters:
why detox? assess, cleanse, balance, refresh, energise, relax, indulge, enjoy, live, grow, total detox plan.
and it answers every single question you might have, from how should you fast and for how long, to what supplements to take to support your liver/kidney/intestinal functions and what nutritional supplements might be useful to incorporate into your daily routine, to how to reduce stress and what can be done to increase your libido and make you feel better about yourself, to how to detox your home-all of which will help you to undertake the total detox plan that lasts ten days.
Reading this book might even make you smile-there are plenty of things that you already might know, but it’s also full of general information to explain the logic and benefits behind the detox and trying to instill useful habits into daily lives, so we can live a more fulfilled, happy and healthy life.
The total detox plan by Dr Sarah Brewer, £ 4.69, Carlton Books on Amazon
There is a plethora of facials and many of them resemble each other, the difference generally lies in the therapist, their skill and technique. Until now I haven’t had organic facials, or any treatment at Content beauty/wellbeing store for that matter, so I was really looking forward to an organic Pai facial.
Pai skincare uses pure, plant based ingredients and was originally developed with sensitive and
sensetised skin in mind. I have used Pai’s ‘Camellia & Rose gentle hydrating cleanser’ for a couple of months now and love the effect it has on my skin. It smells very subtly of rose and contains camellia, sweet almond, rose, geranium, lavender, may chang & sustainable palm oils, coconut derived emulsifier-which doesn’t strip the skin, unlike many other cleansers which contain harsher, chemical ingredients and natural vitamin E ( which is great for nourishing your skin ) and comes with the exfoliating muslin cloth-personally I prefer to use this rather than the growing in popularity Clarisonic brush-call me old-fashioned, but often something ‘old’ works better than something ‘new’. I also find that this cleanser is gentle enough to remove your make-up and greatly compliments Pai’s ‘Echium BioRejuvenate eye cream’, which in its turn reduces the appearance of fine lines, moisturises the delicate skin around the eye area and contains Pai’s unique concentration of stearidonic & y-linolenic acids ( Omega 3 & 6 ) which act as skin calming agents-why am I telling you this before talking about the facial? Well, if you book your facial before the end of January, you will get both products, worth £50 as a complimentary gift-not a bad incentive to find the time to have a relaxing and nourishing facial.
There are two types of one hour Pai organic facials: a detox & decongest one and a restore & rejuvenate one-I chose to have the latter one last week. Laura Jones was my therapist and she gave me a health questionnaire to fill in before we went downstairs into the treatment room. I have to say that the treatment room is tiny and is quite spartan, but you are going to lie down on the treatment bed and keep your eyes closed for most of the time, so its more the skill of the therapist and the peacefulness that you should be concerned about-and from that point of view the room works well.
Laura explained to me what she was going to do, stage by stage, before she left me to get undressed and get under the covers. When she returned she put a warm towel compress on my feet and a stretchy headband over my hair and with that out of the way, she got to work. Laura has lovely soft hands but you can request the pressure of the massage-I prefer to have a stronger one personally. She double-cleansed my face and that process alone nearly put me to sleep-part Laura’s skill, part the calming smell of the products used.
What is different about Pai’s facial is the lack of extraction in the traditional sense of the word. Normally, no matter how skilled the facialist is, extraction is uncomfortable at best-well, one has to suffer a little to be beautiful as the saying goes, but as Pai skincare and facial was developed for sensitive and sensitised skin, you can fully relax during this facial and when you leave the treatment room I promise you there will be no redness on any part of your face.
Laura also uses lymphatic massage and never before my face felt so so much plumper after the treatment-and not just after I left the treatment room, but for a good few days afterwards. As the facial was finished Laura told me to try to take it easy for the rest of the day, if I could, because she worked on some points on my head, neck and chest that will help with flushing of the toxins, warned me to drink lots of water for the rest of the day, if I didn’t want to get a headache and to stay away from raw food, as it takes longer to digest and will put more pressure on my system, which will be clearing toxins and extra fluid post facial. I also quizzed Laura on how often should one exfoliate and heard an answer that I haven’t heard before, but the one that I mentally filed into my ‘need to remember for the future’ cabinet-if you have normal/combination skin like mine, you shouldn’t exfoliate more than once a week, because it thins down and unsettles your skin’s barrier and makes it more difficult for your epidermis to retain moisture, which is essential for your skin’s renewal-there actually have been scientific studies that prove that those of us who keep themselves regularly hydrated have younger looking skin for longer and even in later years will have less problems maintaining their skin’s condition.
Pai one hour facial costs £65 and includes a gift bag with two products mentioned above, worth £50, if you book either of Pai’s one hour facials in January.
http://www.beingcontent.com/knowledge.htm/contact-us
To book call Content on 44 (0)20 3075 1006
London is full of restaurants, old and new, well-known and tiny newbies, the ones that fill you with joy and merriment and the ones you wish you didn’t go to. You probably have a chance to try most of the cuisines of the world, if you put your mind to it, but tell me, how often do you go out to eat and want to come back to the restaurant as soon as the meal is finished? Koffmann’s at the Berkeley Hotel is definitely such a place for me.
Last weekend was Russian Christmas and while we don’t tend to celebrate it grandly in my family, I thought it would give grown-ups a very good excuse to go out and have dinner, after going to the Russian orthodox church to light up the candles. We mulled over where we wanted to go but couldn’t agree, so yours truly took the initiative in her own hands and made a reservation at Koffmann’s.
Pierre Koffmann used to run a very much loved establishment La Tante Claire at the
Berkeley hotel for many years ( I used to go there with my father, when he came to London on business ), then things gone quite for a little while, before the Master of Gascon cuisine re-emerged with the aptly titled Koffmann’s.
Even before you enter the restaurant, just as you are coming down the steps and see a large, straw pig, standing proudly to the side of the entrance, you smile in anticipation and then you glance at the bright lights inside, shining over happily relaxed people, bekoning you in.
The reception area is small, but the staff welcomes you with a wide smile, your coats are taken swiftly to be hung and you walk into the restaurant that is divided into several areas. A slightly more intimate front room to the right ( where there is also a private room ( The Camille Room) that you can hire for a truly memorable lunch or dinner with up to 16 family memebers or friends), the bar/small sitting area to the left, also leading to another level of the restaurant which also feels welcoming, but maybe slightly less intimate-but then everyone’s perception of intimacy is different.
The place itself is just perfect in terms of design-from the general lighting to the books stacked on the shelves in the sitting area, to the colourful glass lamps hanging over the bar and even their bathrooms-they are the cutest, cleanest & chicest ones I have seen in a long time-I am blushing but I can’t stop gushing-and I was there well over a week ago-see the effect that place had on me?
The menu offers you a wide choice, so you will have to explore it by yourself, I am only going to let you in on the impression that a few dishes that were eaten at our table left on me:
-try ‘Calamars facon bolognese/Squid Bolognese style’-it looks beautiful but the taste…I can’t even begin to describe it, all I can say that only a true genius of a Chef can achieve such perfect balance of flavour and joy from every mouthful is immense-and that is only a starter .)
-I tried ‘Pied de couchon aux morilles/pigs trotter with sweetbreads and morels’ as my main course-that is one of the signature dishes of Monsieur Koffmann, but it was a little too rich for me-mind you, it was perfectly assembled & executed. When making my mind up about what to have for the main course, I was seriously torn between this dish and another one, that was a combination of veal kidneys and sweetbreads and I long to be taken to that restaurant as soon as possible for that dish alone .)
-For dessert-oh my God, the choice and the visual prettiness of desserts-some are so sublimely beautiful, you struggle to put your spoon in them, in fear of destroying a visual masterpiece! I wanted to go for an apple pie, but went with the advice of our lovely Italian waitress and had ‘Glace pousse tout/ Armagnac & agen prune ice-cream’. I have had the pleasure of tasting prunes in Armagnac ( a very boozy dessert, you have been warned ! ) in Chez Ami Louis in Paris (you have to go to that restaurant at least once in your lifetime but a word of warning if you score a reservation-be very polite with the staff ! Before my amused eyes one of the customers, an American gentleman, left huffing and puffing, seemingly dissatisfied and passing snide comments as he walked past our table. Most of the waiters at the restaurant have been working there for years and they seem to belong to the ‘old school’ in the best sense of the world and the way they handled that difficult customer, with exacting politeness but a sharp sense of humour, left everyone present under the impression that that particular customer will never be able to get into this restaurant ever again! The whole scene was so theatrical, I nearly cried from quiet laughter ). But I wondered off, forgive me! Koffmann’s take on this dessert is by far my current favourite dessert-you eat it and you feel like you are the Princess resting on a beautiful cloud-sublime is not even the word for the taste of that dessert !
We left the restaurant happy and sated and even if I wanted to-and I wouldn’t even dream of it ! -I can’t fault Koffmann’s on anything. The team that runs this restaurant can give lessons on how to run a perfect restaurant-from the way you are greeted to staff’s uniforms to the opinion of sommelier and the choice of wines on offer, the space between the tables and the unobtrusive, yet very efficient service you receive. I had the most perfect dinner experience on that night, Merci!! And I can’t wait to come back again and again!
http://www.the-berkeley.co.uk/koffmanns.aspx
January is always a buzzy month for beauty launches, but I am going to start the year with a few
of the products that I began ‘trialling’ at the end of last year, apart from one that was launched this month:
-Burberry sheer concealer: when Burberry launched their make-up line last year I didn’t drop everything to run to the shop, as a few fashion brands before them attempted this idea with mixed results. A couple of months ago I was browsing Harrods beauty hall and glanced over the Burberry make-up counter-well, I have to say that their packaging is sleek, so it peaked my attention a little bit. I got talking to the girl working at the counter and ended up buying ’sheer concealer’on the spot. Why? Well, the steely grey pen itself reminded me of YSL’s Touche Eclat, which is a cult classic, but my main reason was
that I liked the lightness of the formula and the way it made my under-eye shadows disappear-no creases, no heaviness, just a perfect looking eye area. It gives the skin luminosity and even though every beauty brand worth their salt does have a concealer in their range, quite a few of them either ‘wear out’ very quickly, or look too heavy or worse, just settle in and look unattractive. I should have experimented sooner .)
Dolce & Gabbana: yes, I made a humorous dig about the fashion brands going into make-up, but you only have to look at Scarlett Johanson in the D&G make-up ads to realise that you want to use whatever she is using on her face. Another big draw for me is that the range has been developed under the supervision of Pat McGrath, who is one of the most influential make-up artist in the world, if not the Universe, as some of the looks that she creates truly look out of this world. Well, I bought D&G passion duo-the gloss fusion lipstick in No.40 (rose)-they are not the only beauty brand to combine the lipstick with the lip gloss balm inside of the lipstick, but theirs has several advantages:
-the golden packaging just oozes glamour and as soon as you hold that beautiful tube in your hand, your sense of your own beauty elevates instantly.
-it smells of roses
-it moisturises your lips, nourishes them, adds shine and you mouth just looks irresistible.
Is there anything else to dream of that they haven’t achieved when it comes to this golden rose smelling make-up essential?
Dior eyes essential: Sharon Stone advertises this eye zone boosting super serum and even though I am not convinced that it’s the use of this product that is making her look so stunning, I have heard good things about it from a few people working in the beauty industry, so decided to give it a go. Well, it’s a light, gel like formula that smells quite nice and that sinks in very quickly. Id doesn’t cause any irritation, keeps the eye area well moisturised and if anything, the concealer stays on longer during the day without creasing due to this product ( I tend to apply it in the morning and use another eye cream at night). A really wonderful product!
-The Organic Pharmacy antioxidant Face Gel & Face Firming serum: if you have been
following my posts on beauty in the past year, then you are already aware that I am incorporating more organic beauty brands into my make-up routine and those two products deserve all the praise that they have been gathering. The Face gel(pearly white) offers a concentration of herbal extracts & cosmeceuticals that help to minimise pores, lift the skin, restore elasticity, tone and radiance-and let’s be honest, unless you have been away for a long, relaxing vacation in the warm and sunny place at this time of the year, most of us can admit to lacking radiance. The Anti-Oxidant face firming serum ( a few years ago most of us didn’t even think of the meaning of the word serum and now more and more women use it under their moisturiser) looks and smells like liquid sunshine and it makes me smile when I apply it-it contains rosehip, grapeseed, alphalipoic acid (many personal trainers stress the importance of it for our body too), carrot and grapefruit and when you combine those two products your skin quietly starts singing you praises. Try using it for three or four weeks and let me know if you don’t start loving the way your skin looks .)
Last, but certainly not least is the latest launch from Estee Lauder called DayWear BB anti-oxidant beauty benefit creme SPF 35. I have loved the DayWear range for a very long time, it probably has something to do with the subtle, cucumber fresh smell that it has, but also the fact that it worked on my skin in my 20s and continues to deliver results in my 30s that makes me think that I have chosen the right routine. This latest launch promises to work for all skin types and this slick tube will be your multi-taking friend during the day. It fights free radicals-bad for both face and body, moisturises (I do use my serum and moisturiser under it), minimises flaws like redness or dullness and helps you look radiant, but not ‘done up’. You can use your foundation on top, if you feel like it, but I personally don’t-I just add a little bit of bronzer and blusher, curl my eyelashes, dot some concealer under my eyes (you can use this creme but I prefer to use the product developped specifically for the eye area, which is thinner than the skin on our face), slick on some lipstick or gloss and I am ready to go in quick time-an achievable feast when you have to attend to other family members before you all scoot out to school and work in the morning. Or you can put this creme and a little of blusher before going to the gym or for a run-you will look like Miss Perfection herself, and that will be achieved even before you draw out a sweat .)
I have been using Bobbi Brown’s make-up from the moment her brand has landed on the UK shores (in other words-a lifetime almost, as I seem to be growing up with the brand and hopefully getting more sophisticated in my make-up application) and 
since then my loyalty has never wavered-from her books to her make-up and application techniques, I never found any other make-up artist who can make the ‘natural look’ so glamorous yet beautifully current and classy.
This year Bobbi celebrates her 20th anniversary and as one of the way’s to commemorate the occasion Bruce Webber, an extraordinarily talented master of photography produced a film called ‘Bobbi Brown The Wisecracking Beauty Queen’ while Liberty’s of London went a step further and you can see a beautifully reproduced collage of pictures taken by Bruce Webber-he not only captures the moment, he just creates the most natural looking, sunny photographs ever-at Bobbi’s make-up counter.
While I was there, admiring the pictures, I also got talking to one of BB’s make-up girls about the
new foundation to hit their counter called ‘Extra Repair Foundation SPF 25′. As Bobbi Brown put it herself, on her site, ‘This foundation is amazing-in one product you get SPF, moisture and perfect coverage’. This foundation comes in a slightly smaller jar than my current favourite, Bobbi Brown’s Extra SPF 25 moisturising tinted balm (that without fault makes me look casual, yet ready to face the world in the morning, before doing a school run), and offers a medium to full coverage. It’s perfect to be used in autumn and winter, as our skin gets dry and loses its luminosity, but it would also work equally well for the evening, especially if you are going out on a date or a work or social function.
It contains evening primrose oil, which is great for moisturising the skin and shea and muru muru butters, which make sure that your skin’s moisture barrier is strengthened. It also contains peptide and carrot extract,s which help with the reduction of fine lines. And then there is its beautiful, fresh smell-as soon as the jar was opened and the make-up artist started testing it on my face, I just fell under this formulations spell.
http://www.everythingbobbi.com/en/2011/09/11/the-wise-cracking-beauty-queen/
Conde Nast has a great rota of magazines ( Vogue, Traveller, Vanity Fair, the World of Interiors to name a few of my favourite ones) that it already publishes around the world, but it’s quite rare for them to launch a new one, especially in the current environment, when discussions about the future of the printed press are raging and not all of them are optimistic.
Baku, their new periodical, that for now will be published quarterly, hit the stands with its launch
issue in Autumn of 2011. It’s editor-in-chief, is Leyla Alieva, the daughter of the President of Azerbaijan and the wife of Emin Agalarov, whose father is one of the most well-known Azerbaidjan tycoons and who in his free time records beautiful musical albums, I have been listening to his latest ‘Emin’ for the last few months in my car ( and the way he sang Muslim Magomaev’s song from the cartoon ‘Musicians of Bremmen’-a Soviet classic, left me with goosebumps and in no doubt that he is an incredibly talented singer).
Leyla’s grandfather, Heydar Aliev, was the President of Azerbaidjan for many years and he managed to command immense respect as a politician in the former CIS and remained a very handsome man with great stature until he passed away in 2003. When he came to London he often stayed in Claridges hotel and even its staff, who is used to stars and celebrities, looked at him with tremendous respect.
Leila has been partially raised in London and has been spending a lot of time here as of late, showcasing her country of birth and its skills, from carpet making to the launch of skincare brand Gazelli in Urban retreat Harrods to the opening of the restaurant Baku in Sloane street (one of the most delicious tomatoes you can possibly source in the world come from Baku, they are actually called ‘bakinskie pomidory’-once you taste those gloriously red and juicy, bursting of divine flavour tomatoes, you wouldn’t want to eat any other!).
Azerbaidjan will also be hosting Eurovision song contest this year, so the increasing profile of this oil-rich country in understandable.
The magazine itself draws your eye on the stand and has its own identity, compared to anything else on newspapers shelves, from its front covers to its content. I can even be as bold as saying that in my view Baku wins hands down, compared to another fairly recent launch ‘Garage’ that is edited by by Dasha Zhukova-not a completely fair comparison, as Garage is dedicated to the art scene but still….
You will learn a lot about Azerbaidjan (in a way, inside it looks almost like a very glamorous prospectus of the country) but you will also have the benefit of fashion editorials, articles that cover a variety of subjects and have a lot of educational value too (interview with the cool powerhouse that is Tom Ford and French film star and wine connoisseur Gerard Depardieu, magnificent wildlife on the brink of extinction, the architectural change of the face of Baku and conservation of its historical buildings, a conversation with Tahir Salakhov, one of the country’s greatest living painters and even illustration by Leila herself-all that was in the launch issue).
Baku’s second issue, winter 2011/2012 is out on selected newsstands now, priced £5
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