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07
Jun 13

Johnson & Johnson Contact Lenses @ Specs of Kensington

I frown and squint a lot, I always have apparently. I’ve been wearing glasses for two decades now with varying degrees of failure. I’ve had numerous pairs that my children, my luggage and various chairs (not me!) have bent, squeezed and knocked out of shape. I had tried contact lenses in the past but gave up as I found they left my eyes dry and sore so the opportunity to try the Johnson & Johnson’s range of daily disposable contact lenses was met with trepidation.

I knew my eyesight was getting worse so I went along to Specs in High Street Kensington for a fitting. My appointment was with Specs owner Daska Barnett; a charming lady who made me feel right at home with a cup of tea.

I had my prescription with me but she checked my eyes again anyway for her own piece of mind. After lots of “is it better or worse with this one, this one or about the same” and distinguishing the brighter circles on the red or green background, Daska recommended the Johnson & Johnson daily 1-Day Acuvue Moist. These were carefully chosen to fit my astigmatism (rugby ball shaped eyes!) Applying them was rather like riding a bike and after several attempts I was comfortable. The whole experience was excellent.

acuvue-moist

How did they fare? These are probably the most comfortable things I have ever had sit on my eyeball – they feel like they are not even there. Applying them straight away is actually refreshing, first thing in the morning; cooling and snug. Would this last though? My main concern was dryness, especially when I’m working in an office environment.

Comfort cooled air, unnatural ventilation, heat and glare from various electronic devices, all of which take their toll. I’m happy to say though that the lenses performed well. They did start to dry towards the end of the day but that was after more than 8 hours wear and they felt better as soon as I left the office. An added bonus is non-prescription sunglasses can now be worn too. All I need now is some sun!

Specs
36 Earls Court Road
London
W8 6EJ

http://www.specsofken.com/

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04
Jun 13

Bb Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil

I didn’t think anything could come between me and Moroccanoil but the bumble and bumble (Bb) Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil has made me rethink my blow dry routine.

I’ve waxed lyrical about the wonders of Moroccanoil and rightly so, it’s good stuff. I have noticed though that the scent left behind isn’t always pleasant but it did such a good job I wasn’t bothered. I am ready now to leave my Morrocanoil on the shelf and replace it with Bb Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil.

Bb Hairdresser's Invisible Oil

The stuff is amazing! It almost as if you can’t use too much, I have very thick hair so I applied it pretty liberally especially on the ends and at no point was my hair weighed down or greasy. It also smells really, really good. The oil is a blend of a blend of six essential oils and extracts. It reads like a list of hair heroes; argan oil, coconut oil, macadamia nut oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, and tahitian monoi extract, all working to soften, detangle, help strengthen against breakage, reduce frizz, tame flyaways and add shine. It is the stuff of hair dreams and where has it been all my life?

Bb Hairdresser’s Oil also provides a UVA/UVB filters, and works on all hair types; fine, coarse, curly and everything in between. Since it’s colourless, it won’t add an amber tint that can dull or alter the colour of lighter hair.

You can use it at any stage of hair styling; on damp hair before heat-styling to soften; on dry hair throughout the day to tame flyaways and add subtle shine. I used it before blow drying and was so impressed with how soft and sleek my hair was. I used a considerable amount and my hands felt hydrated and nourished just from applying it so you have an idea of how good it made my hair look, feel and smell.

I am saying goodbye to Moroccanoil and only using Bb Hairdresser’s Oil from now on. They cost the same but in my opinion; the BB product is much, much better.

Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil – £30\100 ml

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03
Jun 13

Lavera Coconut Range

I’m a big fan of Lavera; all their products are not tested on animals and are free from synthetic aromas and colours, parabens, silicone oils, paraffin, mineral oils and petrochemicals which means I can happily use them on my and my children’s skin.

photo

Coconut oil is great for dry skin (which all in my family has unfortunately) so we were all pleased to try out the Organic Coconut Dream Shower Gel, Organic Coconut Dream Body Lotion Organic Coconut & Vanilla Body Oil.

Let me start with the smell; the fragrances, although 100% natural are just wonderful! They smell like chocolate, vanilla, coconut and cake. 100% good enough to eat. In fact I felt a craving for something sweet after using them! (Is that weird?) All the products are rich in Vitamin E and essential fatty acids and moisturise even the driest of skins to leave behind a soft, smooth and delicately scented body.

The shower gel leaves your skin clean but not stripped and the body lotion finishes you off nicely. For a real treat (or if you’re lucky ask your other half), massage the body oil into tired and achy limbs for a warm and luxurious end to the day.

Organic Coconut Dream Shower Gel – £8.95
Organic Coconut Dream Body Lotion – £8.45
Organic Coconut & Vanilla Body Oil – £7.95

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31
May 13

Neom Organics Limited Edition Enchantment Home Fragrance

I should start by saying that the limited edition Neom Organics Enchantment range will fill your house with the scent of lavender, rose and bluebell and make you feel like you are sitting in a summer’s meadow.

neom-organics-enchantment (2)

After just ten minutes, my entire downstairs smelled amazing. Maybe it’s because the candle is on the large side or perhaps it’s due to the three wicks in the candle helping to spread the scent but I was seriously impressed by the speed in which the smell of my house was transformed.

neom-organics-enchantment (4)

The Enchantment range includes:

• A limited edition candle which comes in limited edition white glass with a wooden cap. Hand-poured in the UK from a blend of 100% natural vegetable waxes and pure essential oils, it contains no paraffin wax, no synthetic scents and no artificial chemicals.
• A limited edition reed diffuser with a limited edition wooden cap, natural reed sticks and pure essential oils which are gently diffused into the room.

neom-organics-enchantment (1)

For every Enchantment Home Candle or Reed Diffuser sold, Neom will donate £1 to the Woodland Trust, to improve the landscape of Britain by planting more trees and protecting our national heritage of precious ancient woodland. The Team also spent a day planting trees with the Woodland Trust at Heartwood Forest to help them reach their goal of creating England’s largest newly planted native forest. You can watch the charming video here.

Enchantment Reed Diffuser – £37.00/100ml (lasts up to 8 weeks)
Enchantment Home Candle – £42.00/380g (up to 50 hours burn time)
Both are available from www.neomorganics.com

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28
May 13

Elizabeth Arden New York in Bloom Colour Collection

When I think of Elizabeth Arden the first thing that comes to mind is their famous Eight Hour Cream.

They aren’t a brand that we probably turn to when looking for a new nail polish or lippie but they are innovating with their Spring 2013 New York in Bloom Colour Collection.

My favourite product is the Limited Edition Nail Lacquer Duo in Teal Blossom. It’s a warm bluey-green that applies nicely and is dense enough for you to get away with just one coat. It comes in a dual ended bottle; polish in one and a gel like top coat in the other which gives great shine.

teal nail duo

I also tried the Limited Edition Radiant Bronzing Powder in Warm. I’ve got to confess that I never thought women of colour should/could wear bronzer but a light sweep across the apple of the cheeks adds a very slight shimmer to the face and helps to warm the complexion.

bronzing powder

Continuing with the teal theme, take a look at the Limited Edition Bold Eye Pencil in Iridescent Teal. Brown eyes can get away with bold colours so a swish of this above the lash line along with some mascara is enough to bring a little pop to the face.

teal eye pencil

Although not part of the NY in Bloom Collection I couldn’t talk about Elizabeth Arden without mentioning the amazing Prevage Clinical Lash + Brow Enhancing Serum. I have been using it on my lashes day and night for the past four weeks and it is amazing! I had serious doubts that it would work but I can absolutely see the difference in my lashes.

prevage

Apparently it’s all down to an exclusive triple peptide complex that supports lashes own natural life cycle so lashes and brows appear lush, healthy and revitalized; protects and revitalizes eye lashes for a healthy appearance; conditions lashes and promotes lash flexibility and durability and helps minimize breakage as lash conditioners fortify to help protect, revitalize and recover from environmental, chemical and physical damage.

The end result is longer stronger lashes. It’s not cheap at £85 but if your lashes/brows have been damaged though old age/medical treatment etc; you should give Prevage Clinical Lash + Brow Enhancing Serum a try.

Limited Edition Nail Lacquer Duo in Teal Blossom – £14
Limited Edition Radiant Bronzing Powder in Warm - £26
Limited Edition Bold Eye Pencil in Iridescent Teal – £16
Prevage Clinical Lash + Brow Enhancing Serum – £85

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24
May 13

Argan Oil Bodycare

We all know the benefits to using argan oil on our hair but have you ever thought of using it on your skin too?

Argan oil is so much more than hair oil; it offers valuable healing and protecting qualities due to its active substances triterpenoids (I had to Google it!) which work to heal the skin tissue, cool and soothe inflammation whilst nourishing and protecting the skin.

With twice as much vitamin E as olive oil and containing essential fatty acids, argan oil hydrates, helps in the healing of skin ailments and protects against premature aging caused by oxidation.

I tried the Argan Oil Bodycare Replenishing Body Butter and Emulsifying Body Dry Oil from Sally Express. The range is 100% natural, organic and chemical free so gentle enough to use on even the youngest skins. Both have a slight fruity fragrance so don’t worry, you won’t go around smelling like hair!

argan oil (1)

The Body Butter is thick and creamy but completely non greasy so it absorbs into the skin well and leaves your skin looking and feeling hydrated. The Emulsifying Body Dry Oil contains Moroccan Argan Oil, jojoba oil and rosemary extracts to help restore skin’s moisture and improve elasticity. It too is non-greasy and quickly absorbed into the skin. After bathing simply spray onto damp skin and rub in.

That said, I couldn’t talk about argan oil without talking about hair. I’ve started using Argan Secret Oil from Marrakesh in between washes if my hair is looking a bit dull.

argan-hair

The benefits for hair are well known but I’ll list them again:

  • Adds shine
  • Prepares hair for heat-straightening
  • Protects hair from heat styling tools
  • Speeds up drying and styling time
  • Helps to soften the hair and reduce frizz
  • Helps to protect from sun and wind damage

As these are natural and organic I’ll be using them on my children too but they are perfect for anyone who likes soft, smooth, hydrating products.

The Argan Oil Bodycare collection is available from Sally stores nationwide and www.sallyexpress.com.

Argan Oil Bodycare Replenishing Body Butter – £12.98/226g
Argan Oil Bodycare Emulsifying Body Dry Oil – £14.99/177ml
Argan Secret Oil from Marrakesh – £14.99/60ml

 

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23
May 13

Aveda Makeup @ New York Fashion Week

Aveda was the makeup brand used at the William Okpo NYFW Fall/Winter 2013 show earlier this year and I spoke to Janell Geason, Global Artistic Director, Aveda Makeup, on the beauty looks featured.

She said: “The look at William Okpo is heavily influenced by Mexican painter Frida Kahlo – think bohemian and nomadic. She is the girl who is not afraid to be her natural self. The brow is super strong, yet imperfect. It’s forward-thinking and a bit ‘out there.’ This is distinctive, refined beauty, not at all about being too polished or pristine.”

william-okpo2

Here’s how you can get the look at home:

1. To create a smooth and even complexion, apply Aveda Inner Light Mineral Tinted Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 15. Add Aveda Inner Light Concealer where needed. To set, apply a light dusting of Inner Light™ Mineral Loose Powder with the Aveda Uruku Bronzing Brush.

2. Fill in the brows with Petal Essence Eye Definer in Cacao or Black Orchid to create a Frida-inspired look.

3. Use Aveda Petal Essence Single Eye Colour in Antique Gold from the lash line to brow, creating a beautiful wash of colour. For darker complexions, choose Aveda Petal Essence Single Eye Colour in Ginger Root.

4. Finish eyes with a coat of Aveda Mosscara in Black Forest.

5. Swirl Aveda Uruku Bronzing Brush in Petal Essence Face Accent in Peach Lights and blush cheeks to add contour.

6. Prep lips with Aveda Nourish-Mint Renewing Lip Treatment. Then colour the lips with a blend of Nourish-Mint Smoothing Lip Colour in Cana and Melochia Bloom.

william-okpo3

The colours are earthy but vibrant and will work beautifully with most skin tones.

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19
May 13

A Weekend at K West Hotel & Spa

I love living in London – the diversity, the noise, the culture; I couldn’t swap it for anywhere else. In fact I’m one of those Londoners who know very little about anything outside the M25 (shame on me).

To that end I’m making more of an effort to visit the many different neighbourhoods in London. First on my whistle-stop tour was Shepherds Bush in West London.

K West Hotel & Spa is a short hop, skip and jump away from Westfield London shopping centre and the perfect location for Mr 32 Boroughs and I to engage in a little retail therapy.

K West Hotel & Spa - Front Entrance

The hotel itself is a refurbished BBC building and the long narrow corridors are slightly reminiscent of office space. The difference ends there though; our room was large, plush and with one of the biggest beds I have ever seen. In fact I think all four members of my family could have quite comfortably fit in it!

bedroom

Our Junior Executive room had a Bose surround sound entertainment system, a 42” plasma screen television and a very comfy sofa and coffee table which contained the latest edition of In Style and Harper’s Bazaar.

We had a good old nose around the hotel; there’s K Lounge on the ground floor which is home to a bar and DJ (on Friday and Saturday nights from 10) where it’s not uncommon to find bands and celebrities from the nearby Shepherds Bush Empire.

One floor up is Kanteen; a restaurant serving modern British cuisine throughout the day. It is also where you can have breakfast and goodness the breakfast was good. Being pescatarian and gluten and dairy intolerant means eating out is often a chore but Kanteen not only had a lovely veggie option, they also had soya milk and gluten free bread available which trust me, isn’t often the case.

breakfast

After checking in at 3:00 pm, we settled in then went over to Westfield for an afternoon of shopping. We ended the evening with dinner at Meat & Wine Co which was lovely and ridiculously filling. Didn’t stop me from stuffing my face at breakfast the next morning though!

Even though there’s a buzzing lounge at K West Hotel & Spa; you can’t hear anything from your room and we were typical parents and had an early night!

After waddling back from breakfast, I went to the Spa floor of the hotel for a Russie Blanche Caviar Body Polish (divine). After being covered in mineral rich Russian salts, I had an invigorating body scrub, shower and then a massage with Russie Blanche detoxing body oil. My therapist Lyudmila concentrated on my crunchy neck and shoulders and although it hurt (in a good way) I felt amazing and refreshed at the end. The hotel has a relaxation room you can visit post treatment where you can lie down with a fashion mag and drink complimentary water or tea and/or eat fruit in a low lit room. You’re lying on a padded treatment bed so don’t be surprised if you find yourself nodding off.

k-west-spa

The Spa at K West Hotel was named ‘Best UK Luxury Hotel Spa’ at the World Luxury Hotel & Spa Awards in 2011 and for good reason; they offer a variety of unique treatments. Take the ‘Snow Paradise’ (a London first) where you stand on frozen ice and are in the middle of a light snow shower. I must warn you; visit Snow Paradise after the sauna (to aid cooling down) and not before!

You can also visit the ‘Sun Meadow’ for specialist light therapy to treat SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). The spa has a hydrotherapy pool, sauna, dry flotation tank, aromatic herbal steam room and fully equipped gymnasium (Mr 32 Boroughs woke up at 8 and had a workout. I didn’t.)

We loved our mini break at K West Hotel & Spa and thoroughly recommend it for couples looking to get away from it all (work, kids, life etc).

K West Hotel & Spa (prices start at £125 per room per night)
Richmond Way
London
W14 0AX
www.k-west.co.uk

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17
May 13

Family Fun With Ribena Plus

During the last week of half term the kids and I went along to an event held by Ribena Plus. I have fond memories of Ribena; when I was little I wasn’t allowed tea or coffee (obviously) so to feel grown up, I was given a little teacup filled with hot Ribena. it’s funny, I make the exact same drink for my daughter now.

Blog2

The event was to launch some new Ribena flavours; Ribena Plus for Immunity Support with vitamins A, C and E and no added sugar in blackcurrant apple and peach, new red apple or new summer fruits and Ribena Plus for Healthy Bones with added calcium and no added sugar in Raspberry and Apple. They also presented their latest research that showed it only takes 12 minutes of quality time for parents to reconnect with their children after being separated while parents are at work and children are at school.

All the children present had access to workstations where they were given 12 minutes to perform tasks like making a fun T-shirt, indoor bowling or making musical instruments out of plastic cups and dried beans. It was a little like organised chaos at some points but all the kids present had a great time and the Ribena Plus team were totally unfazed by all the noise and mess.

ribena=plus

This thing I took away from the event was to use open ended questions with my daughter. Instead of saying ‘How was your day?’ which always gets a ‘Fine’ the makers of Ribena Plus advised asking the question ‘Tell me what the best bit of your day was’ as it guarantees an answer more than one word long.

If you are a working parent you will appreciate the difficulty in juggling all your work and home responsibilities and looking after your children; it often feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything well. While I hope I spend more than 12 minutes of quality time a day with my children; the suggestions the Ribena Plus team gave were really helpful and will make for some great activities during the next half term. For example with children aged 3 to 4 they said ask questions like: What are the names of the toys you played with today? Who is taller mummy or your teacher? Tell me about the best game you played today.

Although it feels like 100 years ago I do still remember being a teenager and my poor mother trying to get information out of me. Conversation tips from the Ribena Plus team for this age group include:

Tell me some school gossip I am all ears
Where are you off to with your friends this week
What project are you doing at the moment and can I help you with it?

I think these are brilliant!

They also gave out of a handy manual containing 30 activities parents can do with their child. The book was made by parents for parents and is meant to help us reconnect with our children while learning about their day. We are going to work through it for the next 30 days. You can download your copy at www.ribena.co.uk.

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14
May 13

The Beauty Edit: May

These beauties are at the front of my dressing table this month:

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish Compact Foundation – £32
I have to admit this is my second time using a compact foundation. My very first foundation was MAC Studio Fix and I stuck with that for years before moving over to liquid. Now I’m a firm liquid user I couldn’t see myself going back to a compact. Bobbi Brown has convinced me though. I have the Long Wear liquid and the compact version of the foundation is perfect for applying makeup on the go with its sponge applicator and mirror. Walnut is a perfect colour match to my skin and it looks smooth and natural as it covers imperfections without looking cakey or masky.

bobbi-brown-compact-foundation

MUA Cosmetics Spring Collection – £4
You might think ‘do I really need another nude make up palette?’ but when it’s only £4.00 yes, yes you do! The MUA Cosmetics Spring Collection comprises a primer, fix mists and concealers but most were too light for my skin tone. The Undressed Me Too eye shadow palette contains 12 warm, classic shades that should suit everyone. Shades Naked, Devotion and Shy are perfect for highlighting the eyes, while the shimmery tones of Fiery, Lavish and Dreamy help give a more sultry effect. Use Tranquil, Exposed and Wink to contour and transform your day look into a sexy smoky eye. I keep Undressed Me Too in my bag so I have something on hand that I can use to update or totally refresh my look.

MUA

Good Things Total Wipe Out Cleansing Wipes – £3.49
Talking of refreshing my look; I love a good cleansing wipe. When I get home in the evening the first thing I do is use one to get all my makeup off. I need a wipe that gets all the makeup and London grime off my face without stripping my skin clean and leaving it taut and dry. Each Good Things Total Wipe Out Cleansing Wipe has aloe vera, vitamin E and Raspberry and cranberry extracts which makes it suitable for sensitive skins and it cleans and refreshing while hydrating the skin. They are also biodegradable (perfect for festivals) and free from parabens, sulphates, mineral oils and animal-tested ingredients.

wipes

Models Own Artistic Duo Polish – £6
Plain nails seem to be a thing of the past so it makes sense to sell the base and top coats together. Models Own have coordinated their bestselling colour polish and the most popular nail effects and created eight different colour combinations. I tried Jade Flakes – Jade Stone and Snowflakes; a jade green base coat with a silvery glitter top coat. It’s a lovely colour that really stands out against brown skins and I received quite a few compliments wearing it.

models-own

WEN by Chaz Dean 5-in-1 Cleansing Conditioner - Kit from £57
If you read this blog regularly you’ll know I’m somewhat obsessed with conditioner and hair treatments. My hair is thirsty; there’s no such thing as too much conditioner when it comes to my tresses. My latest find is from US stylist Chaz Dean. I love a good co-wash but with this cleansing conditioner, I use one product to get the benefits of five. The cleansing conditioner is crammed with a blend of herbs, botanicals and pro-vitamin B and is designed to replace your shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, detangler and intensive conditioner. Saving time and money, it doesn’t lather (it’s SLS free) but creates a smooth foam and gives your hair a good clean without being too harsh. The cleansing conditioner is part of the Sweet Almond Mint kit which has been specially formulated for dry, damaged and frizzy hair.

wen

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