Micellar

Ah I wish this post was about an actually cellar that was mine which housed lots of wines - unfortunately thats the inheritance. 

No no, its the new "step aside make-up remover wipes" solution. I have make-up remover wipes but ever since I went to France and got lost in their incredible La Pharmacie's I have stood by the French made La Roche-Posay. Nothing has come close to removing my make up down to the last clogged pore. 

I used to swipe over my face with some No.7 face wipe - which according to my Dermatologist at Clinique (ok, just the guy who runs the counter who I go and cry to about my skin every week in Boots) pushes make up into pores, I know, so he told me I need to use a water based cleanser. So it was

my mission in France to buy some La Roche, and please buy La Roche in France, not England, not Spain, not the Bahamas but France.

I got the Physiological Micellar Solution 400ml for €11 - in Boots 200ml of the stuff is £12! - don't say I didn't try to tell you. 

Anyway my usual routine is swipe with a face wipe and scratch my eyes trying to remove mascara, wash my face with Clinique and then use Clinique Clarifying Lotion (like an exfoliator in toner form) and that cotton pad used to be filthy! (even after using soap!) - but now that my Fairy Godmother has waved her wand over my head and not Cinder's I have La Roche, it wipes away days of dirt - its incredible and the smell yum, its like a subtle coconut mm-mm. 

So whats in it - Ruth has done her homework 

The first ingredient is 'Aqua' - so there's a bit of a dodgy 90's band in there but I can deal with that. 

Then one ingredient I am going to look out for in future is 'Poloxamer' - there are many forms, 184 in this Micellar - its used to cut through oils and dirt and allow it to stick to the 'Aqua' on the cotton pad so everything is lifted off your face like a magnet - lovely, ta. 

Polyaminopropyl Biguanide - this is a great substance which is found in many areas of cosmeceuticals, its used in baby wipes, contact lens solution and other make up removal formulas. Its great because it has antibacterial properties - the Micellar solution is non-comdengenic which means it stops acne being aggravated. 

Chemistry lesson adjourned. 

So after a week or so of me using this solution I saw it in a magazine (but a L'Oreal version - which may be cheaper than going to france to get some La Roche!), and apparently its a favourite backstage at LFW to quickly remove lipstick to the lip base for quick make up changes! - I know, Auntie Ruth is amazing.

Why Micellar and not cleanser? - cleanser clogs your paws and your pores and makes your skin pause and gives you spots, Micellar is just good water. 

Do not use make up remover wipes, ever! - repeat!

or if you MUST, use a Micellar afterwards! 

RHS x

I have officially fallen in love...

The beautiful La Rochelle

He's 6ft, blonde, blue eyes, worthy of my standards of physique...

HA, joke.... 


I've falled in Love with the west of France... 

Its taken nearly 20 years and about 24 trips to the same part of the country. 

The west coast; Around La Rochelle, Cognac, Royan - the dessert chef at work says La Rochelle is the best town in France and he's French. 

I have finally learnt to love France. 

Who could not love a week of great cheese, amazing wine, beautiful coastline, cheap La Roche-Posay (seriously get yourself to France for amazing skincare), hot weather and a lifeguard every 4ft on the beach. I promise, I didn't pretend to drown once...


I used to dislike France because it started to get cold there - like a British summer the weather can be very unpredictable - but even more so. Two years ago we were sunbathing at 10am because there was torrential rain due at 1pm and then we were back out sunbathing at 3pm for the rest of the day - very odd. 

But the last week has been nothing but burning sunshine and I'm glad I am over the age of unaccompanied travel because I am no longer of a British heritage and more Northern African and no longer related to my mother - Thanks Piz Buin! 

We know a large French family who we lunch with at least once during our stay - they own an island within a river in Cognac - I know, we are very lucky (its 20 minutes away from the Grey Goose distillery!), and this time we were treated to Charente melon, lemon marinated sardines on toast, the biggest pieces of fillet steak you have ever seen (there were 12 altogether for 15 people!),  homemade chips and the best green beans, followed by a lot of cheese, tarts and cakes, coffee and chocolate, all washed down with fantastic wine- oh and a few sips of the best Cognac - and company! - even if my French is a bit rusty, if not, non-existant. 

Note to self - learn French (repeat every year till you actually do) 

Outside the Grey Goose distillery

So I have bought a 400ml bottle of La Roche-Posay Physiological Micellar Solution  which is £11 in Boots for 200ml and I got a 400ml bottle for €11(about £9.50 - bargain!), I've put on about six pounds, my hair has grown from the sun, I've been back 24 hours and have spent a ridiculous amount shopping and burnt about 600 calories in the gym. I know. 

So, in a week it will be Summer Holiday Part 2 as two friends and I depart for Spain (thats after we have got to our friends house in Surrey - which means taking the underground. HAHA - will we ever get to spain?!) 

If you've been "dragged" to the same place for your summer holidays with your family don't hate it! Love it! - atleast you're spending time with your family and these times will definately be the ones to look back on

Bon voyage mes petites chéries

See, I can speak French... a bit... 

RHS x

And so, I begin my holiday prep

I have finished work, had a great nights sleep and completed my daily 15 minute abdominal routine. Therefore, there is only two things left to do - go on holiday and of course, prep. 

This isn't your standard night out prep, this is full on "I'm going on holiday, I need the world to know" prep. Like a Strawberry Pavolova on a night out but an M&S Strawberry Pavlova for holiday. 

This is big - the girls are with me. 

I will be jet setting to the beautiful South-West coast of France for my 20th Summer there (and potentially my 25th time there) and prep gets more complex every time!

So here is what I shall be starting as soon as I have completed my daily 15-minute panic.

Starting with my face I shall be applying my mud mask (these are incredible and are basically clay which help to dry your skin and deep cleanse your pores - which is great to avoid getting spots from hot weather - best applied after a shower when your pores are open) 

Then because I have large pores on my face I shall use a Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Nose Pore Strip to give the pores around my nose an extra clean and remove any blackheads or grease - nice. 

In the shower I shall be using a VO5 Hot Oil which you place in a mug of very hot water and apply before shampooing - it makes hair silky soft and very easy to handle. 

I will then be giving my legs and bum a very good scrub with Fat Girl Scrub (this isn't just for fat people! its great for smoothing and removing any dead skin - use before shaving but be careful not to be too abrasive) 

I use Boots Smooth Care Shave Gel Sensitive as it is the best I have found - even out of the branded gels and I use Wilkinson Sword Hydro Razor - I have heard the new Venus Razor with Olay is very good too! 

Out of the shower I shall apply Fat Girl Slim which will help to even my skin even more for photo ready legs!  

Then, its time for wax, wax, wax - really there is nothing to be scared of - we don't want a Miranda on 'Sex and the City' moment do we? - that was embarrassing! - it doesn't hurt one tiny bit - I've tried many home waxing kits for 'delicate areas' and this Jolen Salon Formula Microwave Wax is the gentlest I have used - I do have quite a high pain threshold when it comes to these sorts of things! - but a bikini wax at a salon is usually only around £7-£12 if you want to have an expert have a go first! - A day before you go use Skin Doctors Ingrow Go formula to remove any stubbornness! - enjoy! 

Mani and Pedi time! WOOHOO 

I recently did a post on 'Newspaper Nails' if you fancy something more arty - I have also written in this blog about how to remove cuticles safely.

I have Boots Soothing Gel Foot Mask which is incredible: remove any previous nail varnish, soak your feet in hot bubbly water, dry and apply a thick layer of the mask, leave to dry for 10 minutes then soak off again, dry feet and paint nails! 

I am going to use my very hard wearing Essie in Snap Happy #244 for my toes and then just a coat of Boots Base Coat and a coat of Boots Top Coat for my nails as finger nails get chipped very easily on holiday - I have spoilt many a £20 mani by going away! - so settle for a shiny coat to add a bit of something to your nails! 

Then just as I start to get very excited about 10pm I will apply a good helping of Fat Girl Slim Sleep which Bliss have to very kindly added lavender too and it smells delicious! - smoothing and soothing all in one. Ahhhhhhh 

So, beauty aside, I have downloaded the latest issue of Vogue onto my iPad (£2.99 on the iPad but £3.99 from a shop), downloaded The Picture of Dorian Grey - Oscar Wilde and made a summer playlist - which is potentially too embarassing to share with you... but to stop you guessing it includes 'Superstar' by Jamelia - classic

and also 'Work' by Iggy Azalea - amazing.

I have put my favourite TV programmes on to record: 'Hotel Hell' with Gordon Ramsay and 'Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model' - because I want Sarah to win! 

And don't forget to watch Mo Farah run in the 5,000m final on Friday at 5:15pm (6:15pm if you're in France, like me) if you listen hard enough you will probably hear me screaming at the TV. 

If you're going away anywhere, enjoy and don't forget your prep!

Love

RHS x

The calm before the storm

I'm sat in bed - Don't be too shocked, I was at work till 12:30am 

Listening to 'Blue Velvet' by Lana Del Rey.

Thinking - what next? 

I'm not talking the deep "what am I?" "where am I heading in life?" kind of thinking - get real. 

I'm thinking what do I blog about. 

I feel I'm having a lul. 

I'm going to Durham on friday (hometown 2) and I can feel things brewing up there. 

I'm going to France in 9 days (oh how I love love love going to France - await lots of pictures of chateaus and me drinking samples of wine) 

I'm going to Marbella in just under a month (with two friends and I am so excited, just to go to Surrey to be honest - expect where to go and where not to go I'm picturing)


But I thought to end this random blog I would share one of my greatest loves... 

Yes, the piano. 

Horrible to hear (again) but I have broken yet another violin string, this time the D, first it was the A, then they wanted to change the E too (don't make them so damn thin then!)

But my piano is still perfectly in tune - of course it is because it loves me. 

I have my lovely concert grand Steinway and Son 

but I dream of having an upright Kemble. 

I may have got that the wrong way round. 

Anyway, getting lost in classical music isn't something to shout about I can imagine but its definitely what got be through A levels, GCSE's and my first year at Uni, 

If you can't play the piano - I highly advise you listen to it (Einaudi has released several albums on iTunes - he's one of the ones that are still alive - most of the pieces I play are from pianists who were around in the 1700's. 

And I also think if I can pass my grade eight piano after 3 months at Uni with no piano teacher - anyone can do anything if you put your mind to it


RHS x