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Conversations through the middle

Life from a (slightly) more mature perspective

Home hair colour – Schwarzkopf Color Mask

January 23, 2013

Today I coloured my hair. It’s not my favourite job, as I get the stuff everywhere – sink, ears, boobs, neck – but when you‘re blessed with hereditary greys as I am, it’s a total necessity.

When I’m feeling rich I leave it to the professionals – alas I haven’t been feeling rich for a while now so I’m having to just get on with it. There was a bit of excitement this time though – I used a new product, a colour mask (oh how I live on the edge).

According to the manufacturer, the difference with this new product – the Schwarzkopf Color Mask – is that it incorporates a deep conditioning mask alongside the colour. (It also includes pro vitamin B5, apricot kernel oil and amino acid proteins to nourish and moisturise the hair.)

What I noticed was how much thicker the product is than other hair colours I’ve used before. The good thing about that is it doesn’t drip everywhere (though I still managed to get it in a few odd places), the downside however is I ended up using more product than I realised on the front of my hair so I ended up running short for the back.

Another plus point is that you just use your fingers to apply it (gloved, obviously), which is so much better than having to fiddle with applicator tips and comb attachments. 

In fact I really liked this product. The only real drawback is that it takes 30 minutes to develop. I generally use Perfect 10, which takes just 10 minutes, so waiting 30 minutes seemed like for-ever.

If I was more organised that wouldn’t be a problem, but…

I will definitely be using this again, though not when I’m in a hurry.

Filed in: Uncategorised • by Lisa •

Beauty round-up – Lee Stafford hair care, Steam Cream, Timotei

July 31, 2012

I love the new Chopstick styler from Lee Stafford. I was at an event a week or so ago where he demonstrated the look that can be created using this tool – cascades of pre-Raphaelite curls, the kind I so wanted in the late ‘80s but never had the courage to get (you had to have a perm to achieve that effect then). Beautiful.
It’s just one of a number of new hair care electricals from Lee that launch in September – all are finished in hot pink so are very girly. My other favourite is the Intelligent Crimper. Oh yes! I am going back to my early ‘80s roots and putting this on my most wanted list. www.leestaffordelectricals.com
 
  
These pretty tins are the latest from Steam Cream, a brand that stays fresh thanks to its playful packaging and lovely illustrations. This limited edition collection features make-up artists Jemma Kidd, Ruby Hammer and Wendy Rowe, and launches in September in time for London Fashion Week.
“I’ve always been a huge believer in natural skincare so it’s great to find a product that’s kind to skin and the environment, but that really works too,” says Jemma Kidd. Ruby Hammer adds: “I love the deep colour of the tin which echoes my name, and the paisley print which has a modern feel yet is also a reflection of my Asian background. Steam Cream is a staple in my kit so I was thrilled to be asked.”
With natural ingredients including lavender, jojoba and almond oils, cocoa butter and oat milk, the cream is light and easily absorbed, and can be used on face and body. It’s also suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
The latest designs are by Japanese fashion illustrator Yoco Nagamiya and also feature a beauty tip from each make-up artist.
Watch out for the Christmas designs coming later in the autumn also. I think my favourite is the snowman but they are all great stocking fillers. www.steamcream.co.uk

August sees two new additions to the Timotei range of shampoos and conditioners with the launch of Vivid Colour and Golden Highlights – the former for dyed hair and the latter for blonde or highlighted hair. Both are paraben-free and contain natural extracts of chamomile (Golden Highlights) and camelia (Vivid Colour).
It’s good to see Unilever is embracing the eco call by eliminating parabens from these products and by reducing the amount of packaging used – each bottle uses 35% less plastic in ml compared to the previous Timotei bottle, says the manufacturer.


Filed in: Uncategorised • by Lisa •

Beauty round-up – fragrance, skin, hair and homemade salt scrub

July 26, 2012

New from Marc Jacobs comes Dot, which is not only a delicious fragrance but an absolutely gorgeous bottle. With a base of warming vanilla and a coconut heart, Dot – inspired by the designer’s love of polka dots apparently – is topped with juicy red berries and dragon fruit.
This is a perfume that will appeal to the young – I can already see my Dot stealing it away – but also to the rest of us who are past trendy teen perfumes. In spite of the fruity overtones it is a more mature (ahem) fragrance, light and easy to wear for daytime. So if she does whisk it away I’ll just have to whisk it right back again. Available at The Perfume Shopnow.

The Keratin Therapy Pro straightener from Remington is part of a new hair care collection launching for autumn/winter that promises to care for your hair while you style it.
A protection sensor in the top plate gauges how much moisture is in the hair and automatically selects the best temperature to straighten without damaging. The ceramic plates themselves are infused with keratin, which the manufacturers say is released into the hair to condition and protect it – they claim it reduces damage and breakage by up to 57% when compared to a standard Remington ceramic straightener.
Impressive figures – I don’t know how they got them but leaving that aside, with a 15 second heat up, variable temperature from 160° – 230°C and floating plates that maintain constant contact with the hair, they do the job.
I haven’t tried the product myself yet but a stylist has used it on my hair and I was impressed at the performance, not to mention how soft and sleek my hair felt afterwards. www.remington.co.uk
Jasmine Protective Fluid from Docteur Renaud is a new skin care product that offers three in one protection against sun damage, environmental pollutants and free radicals. It contains shea butter polyphenols to help detox the skin and jasmine, which is rich in antioxidants, as well as an SPF of 30 to help protect the skin from damage and ageing.
Use it daily under your usual moisturiser; the fluid is light, so shouldn’t leave a residue on the skin and it has a subtle floral scent. www.doctor-renaud.co.uk.

Finally for today, I thought I’d share a simple beauty recipe with you. It’s for a sea salt scrub and it comes from Dr Lamees Hamdan, founder of luxury spa and skincare brand Shiffa Dubai.
You need:
½ cup fine sea salt
2tbsp almond or olive oil
Your choice of essential oils, such as lavender or geranium
Combine the fine sea salt with the almond or olive oil and add a few drops of essential oil, for example lavender or geranium;’ tea tree also works well.
Mix together and apply with your hands or a loofah on to damp skin. Then simply rinse away in the shower. Dr Hamdan says: “The recipe is very simple for the remarkable benefits it delivers.”
I haven’t tried it yet but will do soon. If you try it let me know how you get on.

Filed in: Uncategorised • by Lisa •

Beauty round-up – fragrance, cleanser, dry sunscreen and hair care

July 23, 2012

Exciting news from Liz Earle with the announcement of Botanical Essence No.15 eau de parfum, the company’s second fragrance. It’s a delicious spicy mixture of tonka bean, sandalwood, pink pepper, bergamot and cedarwood over a  damask rose and vanilla heart and is described as fresh oriental. “Customers wanted something more evening-y and sensual, more exotic, which is the brief we gave,” explained Liz Earle at last week’s launch event. “The fragrance has high levels of naturals but still has the finesse of a fine fragrance.”

Achieving the right balance of natural ingredients while creating a fragrance that is contemporary and not too heavy was not an easy job. “Often naturals can be quite old fashioned so it was a challenge to create a fresh oriental fragrance with such a level of naturals,” continues Liz.

Alienor Massenet is the perfumer behind Botanical Essence No.15. “It is very rare to be asked to use such a high level of natural ingredients; it’s easier to use synthetics. Plus oriental fragrances are harder to formulate using naturals, a lot more difficult than the citrus fragrance family,” she says. “The brief allowed me to not only use the best ingredients, but also the best parts of these special ingredients. All of these factors have helped create a unique fragrance.”

I don’t know about fresh oriental – I don’t get that with this perfume, I get warmth and depth, rather than fresh. It’s sophisticated, definitely a fragrance for evening, though I think it would also work in daytime during the winter when you’re all wrapped up in jumpers, woolly scarves, gloves and woolly hat, walking in the countryside. I don’t think it will be to everybody’s taste, however, partly because of the ethos behind the brand and the focus on quality, natural ingredients, partly because I think it smells lovely, it is to mine.

Also from Liz Earle comes this special edition version of the Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. It contains rose and lavender essential oils so is great for using to get rid of make-up and grime before going to bed. For each bottle sold Liz Earle is to donate £2 to the Prince’s Trust as part of its Tomorrow campaign. Liz – along with other famous names including the photographer Rankin and fashion designer Zandra Rhodes – is working with the trust as a mentor to young people building their own businesses. It’s on sale from September. uk.lizearle.com

Here is something I haven’t seen before but tell me if I’m just out of the loop and you have, it’s a dry sunscreen powder containing titanium dioxide and clay that not only protects the skin from UVA and UVB rays, but calms and soothes inflammation.

By Jane Iredale, Powder-Me has an SPF of 30 and is water resistant, so ideal for wearing by the pool. The new shade – Golden – joins the existing Tanned and Translucent sunscreens. Simply apply to body and face 30 minutes before going into the sun. Dab on the powder and rub into the skin with your hand or the sponge provided and for best results apply to just moisturised skin. It’s suitable for children as well as adults. www.janeiredale.com

Organic Care systems has reformulated its haircare range including its Aqua Boost, shampoo, conditioner and reconstructor, which now contain ecocert-approved oat seed extract and lecithin. Organic Care’s Power Build products now have added apple extracts, lemon  and sugar cane to promote scalp cell renewal, while its Status Quo shampoo and conditioner benefit from beetroot extract with its anti oxidant and anti inflammatory properties.

All products are free from parabens and synthetic ingredients, contain natural fragrances and they are not tested on animals. www.organiccoloursystems.com

Filed in: Uncategorised • by Lisa •

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I live in the countryside with my dogs and cat, and I love horses, yoga and running (sometimes). Writing is what I do - I've tried other things, but keep coming back to it. And I'm learning to meditate.
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