Nutritionist, reflexologist and fertility expert Caroline Cain has a new e-book, More Than A Pretty Face, out now and she  really knows her stuff –  so we’re delighted to have her as a guest on The Beauty Shortlist this week.  If your energy’s flagging, your skin’s misbehaving or you just don’t feel “right”, have a look at her site www.carolinecain.dk  

Here she reveals why “read-the-label” should be a beauty mantra and why we need to be feeding our skin good things (because the bad ones seep right into our bloodstream – we won’t even go there!)

“Did you know that research shows that the average woman uses 12 different products containing 168 harmful ingredients on her skin daily?

Approximately 80% is absorbed into our bloodstream within about 20 minutes and delivered to every cell in our body – into tissues, organs, skin, hair and nails.

Would you knowingly eat petroleum or lead? By using non-natural products that is exactly what we are doing, except, instead of being filtered and made safe by our liver like the food we eat, when applied to skin these chemicals go straight into our bloodstream and onto our cells.

It’s a fact of modern life that our bodies are exposed to a host of toxins from:

• Environmental pollution
• The chemicals in our homes and work places
• The foods we eat
• Negative thoughts and stress

Making good choices for our skin significantly reduces our toxic load by actively removing a major source of exposure because as our bodies do not recognise synthetic ingredients this can lead to inflammation, rashes and even the creation of fat cells as our bodies try to either fight or store away these unidentified invaders.

So, take charge of your choices: read product labels, source healthy alternatives, or even make your own products!”

Caroline Cain is a Naturopathic Nutritionist. Her new e-book “More Than a Pretty Face” is available from www.carolinecain.dk Sign up for her newsletters and receive her FREE guide 6 Simple Steps to Clean Up Your Diet here

We keep being asked to do regular men’s grooming posts (very tempting, male bloggers might want to get in touch!) so we’re kicking things off with Vitru this week.  They’ve got shaving covered, basically, from Comfort Shave to their soothing post-shave saviour Skin Salvage, and as skincare fanatics we were intrigued by two particular products: Age Combat and Vital Eye Gel.

Age Combat’s multi mineral, ultra-light cream-gel formula has Juniper Extract to help boost natural endorphins which help soothe skin, Blackcurrant seed oil to restore moisture and Marine magnesium to help relax fine lines, and Pongamia. (Pongamia? Instant Googling). Pongamia, as it turns out, is an Indian plant that originates from the Karanja Tree and is used in Ayurvedic medicine.  It’s   clever stuff evidently as it doubles as an antioxidant and a natural sunscreen.

Age Combat feels really light and cool on skin, without even a hint of stickiness so it would be a great choice for warmer months.  Its  almost powdery soft silky finish and the actual scent are both fantastic – there’s Basil, Geranium, Sandalwood, Neroli, Bergamot, Patchouli, Cardamom, Rose and Ylang in there which makes it smell fresh, but subtle, slightly herbal in a sophisticated way, and almost-but-not-quite minty – difficult to describe but it’s good.

Speaking of summer – and cooling – the Vital Eye Gel was another interesting find.  Calming Aloe Vera and Arnica help reduce dark circles and puffiness and there’s also Siberian Ginseng, Juniper and Marine Magnesium in the mix.  It’s for daily use, morning and evening, and we’d be tempted to take this to the office for “instant refreshment” after a late night out.

Vitru do a jet-set travel pack HERE - 6  mini items for £23.95 including the Vital Eye Gel (which costs £16.25 on its own so this set is  a real steal), plus you get a mini Skin Salvage, Body Wash, Shampoo, Comfort Shave and a mouthwash. Free 1st Class UK delivery for orders over £30.  VITRU.

Covent Garden just got better!  And where better than London’s creative “garden” neighbourhood for the brand new Jo Malone London Boutique that opened this week on King Street?

We were lucky enough to get a luxurious sneak peek sniff of Jo Malone’s Velvet Rose & Oud Cologne Intense last week…it’s a fragrant dark syrupy rose, luxurious and absolutely exquisite, deep, rich and sensual…look out for the review coming soon.

Meanwhile, here are our Top 5 Jo Malone picks for summer, now that Britain feels more like the Med!

1) English Pear & Freesia (light, uplifting and crisp, originally launched two autumns ago but works beautifully in summer too)

2) French Lime Blossom – fresh and very early summer morning in the south of France.

3) Red Roses.  Pure rose, a British summer classic.

4) Lime Basil & Mandarin, 21 this year (a timeless original we can never get enough of).

5) Limited Edition Plum Blossom, launched last month, a mix of cerise, yellow plum and quite gorgeous.

www.jomalone.co.uk 

When I flew to Morocco last week, the mercury shot up by 23C in just over 3 hours! Drenched like drowned rats at Stansted (15C) while boarding the plane, we were greeted by a hot hairdryer blast of Sahara winds (38C), a big orange sun and swaying palm trees on the other side. (At 7pm! Luckily it cooled down at night for dinner-in-flipflops.)

It always amazes me that you can board a plane and a few hours later – in this case, London to Fez on Ryanair for £19.99 –  you land in a whole other world, a million cultural and “climate” miles from where you originally took off. (To be fair, it should have been about 25C, but instead it was the hottest May week in Morocco since 1953, while Marrakech sizzled at 43C – agh!)

Hot dry air (like central heating) can suck the life out of skin if you don’t protect it and I’d stripped down my make up bag to the bare minimum so I didn’t have a lot of lotions and potions to play with.  But I did have a tube of Barefoot Botanicals SOS Face & Body Rescue Cream and it was a lifesaver. (If you have really dry, sensitive or psoriasis/eczema prone skin this is a good brand to try).  Why does it work? A quick look at the label.

It’s a lovely light, non-greasy, neroli and chamomile essential oil-scented cream formulated with  Chickweed and Burdock Botanical Extracts which are super soothing and help calm irritation; Macadamia & Evening Primrose Oil (goodbye parched skin!); and Organic Sulphur (MSM) which you can also take internally (as tablets) – MSM is fantastic for conditioning hair, nails and skin.

And with the weather heating up in the UK this week, we need our SPFs! Tempting though it is to let our foundation/tinted moisturiser’s  built-in SPF do the work, SPF15 just isn’t enough for summer. I used Caudalie’s SPF30 and a Vichy SPF50 formula – can’t remember the exact product name so will have a look and Tweet it. I was pretty careful about sun exposure as the dramatic climate change was a bit of a shock to the system (!) but both were brilliant, no burning, no redness – the Vichy SPF50 worked even when it reached 40C in a sun that could turn a plum into a prune in twenty minutes.

BAREFOOT SOS FACE & BODY RESCUE CREAM £10.50/50ml is available online including at Being Content

PS: In extreme sun,wear a hat! I take this one everywhere as it crushes into handluggage and springs back into shape, also stays quite cool as it’s made from some kind of natural fibre. I stayed at www.riad-leksardefes.com (bookmark this place if you fancy Morocco for a tan-and-tajine break this autumn/winter, it’s a beautiful spot just 10 mins from Fez airport, if you love peace, quiet, walks and a pool, you might like it, and the hustle and bustle of Fez medina is a cheapish 20 minute taxi ride away.) Ryanair flies to Fez on Thursdays and Sundays, perfect for a long weekend. I’ll post some Morocco pics soon. x

Superfacialist Vaishaly’s “less is more” philosophy is one of the main foundations of her award-winning skincare range and her simple-is-beautiful approach makes using her products a breeze.

Rather than creating a complicated skincare ritual with loads of different products and steps, her products are clean, balancing and gentle – as she says, ”you don’t need a lot of different products to achieve beautiful skin.”

Correct cleansing (cleansing with a small “c” – not stripping!) is a crucial pillar of beautiful skin which is where Vaishaly’s lightly foaming Facial Wash comes in.  It washes away the day’s grime and oil build-up and sweeps off mascara and make-up as well and this would be an excellent “investment cleanser” to splurge on if you take the Tube every day or live in the city.  In fact it works out well, cost-per-use, as you don’t need a lot – plus it comes in a full 150ml pump which will last for ages.

It also gets extra points for its delicious citrus-mint scent because the sugar-based cleansing ingredient formula contains lime and lemon essential oils and a hint of peppermint, as well as lemon myrtle (purifying and anti-microbial) and calming, anti-inflammatory aloe vera.

Vaishaly’s famous facials and her skincare range are available at the Vaishaly Clinic, 51 Paddington Street, London W1 or at the  Four Seasons Hotel Spa in Park Lane, London W1 and you can find out more and buy the products here, online. 

Vaishaly Facial Wash £45/150ml for normal/combination skin

www.Vaishaly.co.uk

Wonderlip by Lubatti won Best Lip Therapy in our Awards last month for its cashmere soft texture, lip-plumping/super-hydrating triple Hyaluronic Acid complex and its UVA and UVB filters – and it got bonus points for being paraben free.

Targetted skincare is on the rise and Wonderlip caught our eye when it launched last year as the first product in Lubatti’s Anti-age collection.  Designed to increase lip volume and reduce fine lines and wrinkles, it feels like a silky serum and works best when applied a few times a day around the mouth area and lips.  (Allow to dry before applying lip colour).

At £29 for 10ml it’s a beauty investment, but if you’re starting to see wrinkles around the lip area, already have defined lines or you have a tendency towards dry lips and need something more concentrated, it’s well worth a try.  This would also be a good lip treatment if you work in air conditioned offices or live in a hot, dry climate as it increased hydration by up to 60% in tests. We tried it over a two week period – it works.

We also tried Lubatti’s Wild Violet Pure Indulgence Bath Oil (beautifully British and very luxurious, with a true wild violet scent) – if you don’t know the brand yet, have a look at Lubatti’s new skincare range, their heavenly-smelling reed diffusers and more Lubatti loveliness here: www.lubatti.co.uk

We had so much fun choosing a handbag for Cannes on BagServant recently that we asked co-founder Lenka Gourdie to reveal her beauty and health handbag picks – and choose a handbag for London’s big Jubilee/Olympics year…

“I love this Aspinal of London Brit Tote, it’s not my usual style but it’s perfect for Jubilee Year and London’s one of my favourite cities.  Some of my handbag essentials include:

A Chanel Rouge Allure lipstick

Almonds, a healthy snack

Firefly Tonic Drink – lemon, lime & ginger is a great detox

I use Perricone’s SPF30 No foundation Foundation – the first advanced anti-ageing foundation

My new discovery Elemental Herbololgy’s anti-Cellulite SOS Circulation Invigorating Body Tonic. Summer means showing off my legs

85% Lindt dark chocolate – I can be a little naughty, but 20g a day is good for your heart

My gym membership card to Curves – if you’ve not heard about Curves, you need to check them out

I keep my gym card and keys in this matching clutch zip Aspinal wallet

BagServant is a small start up company, and my days are long and very busy, but I always make sure I do at least 30 minutes of  Curves exercise. It’s conducted in a small group and we do a combination of cardio, strength training and stretching. It’s also a great opportunity to network with other women too. Business and exercise are two of my greatest passions.”

We’re slightly addicted to BagServant and they’ve just launched their “bag personalities”. Lenka’s handbag style is “Big Bag Lover with a Classique Confident edge” – which handbag personality are you?

Yes Clinique’s Mascara Swap is back! Say bye bye to your old mascara, take it to a Debenhams Clinique counter between May 14-20 and you’ll get a new Clinique mascara completely FREE.

Choose from High Length or High Impact and there’s no purchase necessary, it’s Clinique’s treat.  (Be quick, though, because the promotion runs while stocks last and these will go fast).

www.clinique.co.uk

Jo Malone’s Lime, Basil & Mandarin cologne, the fragrance that started it all, comes of age this summer – and it still feels as new and fresh as the day it launched 21 years ago.

When Lime, Basil & Mandarin first hit the fragrance market it made a massive splash with its unexpected trio of feel-good Mandarin, breezy Caribbean Lime and peppery Basil.   Jo Malone’s new London brand was intriguing, daring and different. Almost overnight exotic orientals felt too heavy and suddenly pretty florals seemed, well…slightly dated.

Elegant, sexy, grown-up and a real “pick-me-up”, this newcomer quickly became the scent we couldn’t get enough of – in fact, neither could men who were looking for a man’s fragrance that was bespoke, British and very modern. Still very much the beauty editors’ favourite, Lime, Basil & Mandarin never left the spotlight and it’s set to be bigger than ever this summer…

Explore the Jo Malone’s signature Lime, Basil & Mandarin Fragrance Collection, including the Room Fragrance, Candles, Body and Bath treats here. 

Jo Malone Lime, Basil & Mandarin £36/30ml £120/100ml at Jomalone.co.uk

Fragrance notes: Top note Mandarin (fresh, uplifting), heart note Basil (herbaceous, leafy, modern, unexpected), with a base note of Amberwood (creamy, woody, long-lasting).

We’re feeling blue and it’s delicious!  Feast your eyes on the new Summer 2012 Guerlain/Emilio Pucci Terra Azzurra collection - including these delectable Météorites Perles D’azur. Drawing inspiration from the Italian Riviera, it’s all about “la dolce vita” this summer (thank goodness – we’re soaking up all the summer sparkle we can get until summer decides to make an appearance).

The enhancing multi-coloured Perles D’azur have a:

• Corrective effect: blue and pink counter the yellow tones if your complexion looks tired.

• Skin-evening effect: beige and orange warm up the complexion to create an even tan.

• Illuminating effect: ivory and white gold are light reflectors without a whitening effect.

The rest of the collection includes three new lip glosses in Sensual Brown, Indigo Blue (yes – it’s really different) and Sunny Coral, plus an Eyeshadow Quad, two Nail Colours in Indigo Blue and Coral Pink and a bronzer palette, new mascara and Kohl Kajal in midnight blue.

Exclusively at House of Fraser from 20th May then at other stores nationwide from 3rd June (Harrods, John Lewis and Debehnams).

Choosing my lust-have handbag pick on BagServant.co.uk was easy and practically impossible –  at the same time.  Easy, because the clever bag site filters by shape, price or occasion (or colour!) and once you find a bag you like it whisks you over to the retailer’s site.  Difficult…because I just couldn’t make up my mind (thankfully I’ve never been on The Apprentice and never will be, Lord Sugar would have a fit).

I’m a black or dark chocolate person when it comes to bags (and chocolate) but this Marc Jacobs “Bowery” bag really caught my eye.  I love its five little metal feet, supple orange Italian leather and there’s enough space to fit in everything from my Jo Loves “Pomelo” to a small tube of Caudalie’s genius self-tanner Teint Divin – so for me, it’s the perfect weekender. And the perfect bag for Cannes, too, with the Film Festival just around the corner…

If you haven’t discovered it yet, have a look BagServant. (Warning: ”can become addictive“)

Collagen Shots by Rejuvenated

There’s only one way to find out if something works (and works for you – not other people!) and that’s by trying it, so we did. If you Google “what is collagen?”  you get an unappealing biology class type description: “col-la-gen: the main structural protein found in animal connective tissue, yielding gelatin when boiled”.  But its potential in the beauty industry is huge – Japan, the USA and France have already cottoned on to collagen, the UK is further behind.

Our skin is made of collagen, so…when collagen production tapers off with age, its shows – one effect is sagging skin.  In a 2008 study in Tokyo, for example, 33 women aged 40-60 took 10 g of Hydrolyzed Collagen daily for 2 months showed 91%  saw an increase in skin hydration and resilience. 

Collagen helps plump, hydrate and soften skin (and as you’re taking it internally that means from your cheeks to the soles of your feet!) and there are various reports that it helps minimise pores although we didn’t notice a difference there. Collagen Shots is £30 and comes in a 30-day foil pack (you take one scoop mixed in water or juice in the evening) and is pleasant tasting  - many of the other powders are not.

Verdict? We saw a difference – softer, plumper and, cliched though it may sound, yes, younger-looking skin.  If you’re in the mood for a beauty experiment for £1 a day (and collagen’s good for you anyway) you can buy/read about the science here: COLLAGEN-SHOTS.COM

Ingredients per serving: Marine Collagen 10g, Acai Berry 500mg, Niacin 4.8mg, Pantothenic Acid 1.8mg, Pyridoxine 0.42mg (30% RDA on the vitamins) plus Mild Berry Flavouring and Sucralose

They’re Green, it’s Spring – so we had to feature GREEN & SPRING!

All the rain recently had us thinking about those very British brands and retailers –  Crabtree & Evelyn, Penhaligons, Molton Brown, Liberty’s, Burberry…and M&S, making headlines recently with Joanna Lumley spreading the word about their “shwopping” campaign (great idea – more big brands should follow suit).

Well Green & Spring, as fans will know, is inspired by the English countryside.  Their products are made with natural spring water sourced from the Cowley Estate, they list all the ingredients and they really are natural. Don’t try this at home but we were so taken by the brand prior to our Awards last month that we did a bit of experimenting, using their Relaxing Shampoo as a cleanser.  Not what the product was designed for but it shows how beautifully pure this range is (the shampoo smells divine, it has comfrey, lavender, rosemary, orange and lemon extracts in it!)

And if you’re in the mood for a new hand cream, their Intensive Hand Cream (a finalist in our Awards) is full of hedgerow inspiration…clary sage, lavender, chamomile, horse chestnut, bilberry, elderberry, rosemary, spruce, bog myrtle, peppermint…and it has just the most wonderful slightly minty, calming scent and it’s very light, not rich and greasy, like a refreshing drink for skin.

Now’s the time to try Green & Spring if you’re curious because they’ve just launched their NEW Skincare Starter Set – you get 5 items for £26 and buy before May 7 and you’ll be entered to win the large sizes, worth £100.

GREEN & SPRING

Jo Malone fans, look what’s coming in May! The Limited Edition “Plum Blossom”.  We haven’t tried it (we usually only review products we’ve tried and tested) but we couldn’t resist the mention as we can never get enough of anything by Jo Malone, so we’ll defer to another beauty blogger London Beauty Queen – read her review here.