Essential measures #9 John Lewis Glass Nail File

I've always hated the scratchiness of emery boards so glass files are a bit of a godsend, but since discovering this jumbo sized glass file from John Lewis it is all I will use on my nails. I've tried the All for Eve and Leighton Denny smaller glass files, which are fine, but I find the longer length and thicker width of this file (its 15 x 2cm) makes it easier to manoeuvre and therefore easier to achieve the desired nail shape.

I'm not sure that there's any evidence to back this up, but I do feel that glass files are kinder to my nails than emery boards - the filing process feels a lot smoother and I think my nails split less. Plus they are super effective - it takes me no time to get the length I want.

The files last a long time too - I've had mine for a good few months and use roughly once a week and its still going strong - in fact I'm not sure that glass nail files actually wear down at all, so although a bit pricey I think they are a worthwhile investment (just make sure you don't step on yours like I did my first one - the one bad thing about the John Lewis file is that it comes in a flimsy case that does nothing other than protect the file from scratches).

Do you prefer a glass file or a traditional emery board?

The glass file is available from John Lewis* and costs £12.25.

*For non-UK readers, John Lewis is a large British department store.

Essential measures #8 Dr Hauschka Cleansing Cream

A few years ago, I bought a few items from the Dr Hauschka range during a terrible skin period, hoping I think for miracles. I didn't witness any miracles, and whilst I really liked some of the products, such as the Rose day cream, I concluded they weren't quite right for my skin (the latter just too heavy sadly, as I adore the scent and consistency and the dewy look it gives on application).

This summer anyway I decided to give the brand another chance. My skin had been feeling very stressed - tight, congested and irritated - and I felt the need to try something soothing and natural. As my laser clinic had started stocking Dr Hauschka and numerous other lovely natural brands such as Ren, I decided on instinct to purchase the Cleansing Cream (and the Neem Nail Oil - truly amazing, but for another post).

I have to say, this cleanser has notably improved the condition of my skin this summer. It no longer feels stressed; rather it feels smoother, softer and much more supple. Bumps and blemishes on my skin seem to disappear and my skin looks clearer and softer. I ran out of a tube and started using a Vichy cleanser, and was very aware of how much less comfortable and more tight my skin felt, so quickly bought another tube and lo - happy skin once again. This is now cemented in my beauty hall of fame.

It's quite an unusual product - the smell takes some getting used to. I won't attempt to describe it but I've actually grown to rather like it. I love the unique consistency of the cream - it's actually more of a paste than a cream I'd say (kind of like peanut butter, perhaps mixed with a dash of houmous...)

The idea is that you mix a bit with water, then use a "pressing, rolling motion" to work the product into your skin - rather than rub it in like a traditional face scrub. I think this method of applying (though I probably massage it in a bit more forcefully than you're meant to) is partly what is causing the visible improvements to my skin. If I leave it on for too long however it does start to sting a little.

I don't use this product to remove make up, so I tend to use it in the morning only. This is a deep cleansing product but due to the slightly mealy texture I'd feel like I was working my make up, along with the product, into my skin if I didn't remove it first.

The only thing I dislike - although I actually really like how the packaging looks - is that I think the toothpaste-like metal tube results in a bit of product wastage towards the end. I might have to start doing what I do with my Eight-hour cream - cutting it in half to get every last bit of product out before discarding it. Also I seem to get through the 50ml tube quite quickly (probably about 3 or 4 weeks with daily use) - a bigger tube would be brilliant.

Encouraged by the success with the Cleansing Cream I have since bought the Dr Hauschka Toner for normal skin, which you are instructed to spray on after cleansing in the morning and evening (without using a night cream). I'm trialling this at the moment, and have to say I don't think my skin is missing not having a night time cream or serum. Will report on that when I've used it all up, and on the Neem nail oil very soon - I noticed results after using that just a handful of times.

Dr Hauschka Cleansing Cream retails at £14.95 for 50ml and is aimed at all skin types.

Do you have any hero products from Dr Hauschka?

Essential measures #7 Batiste dry shampoo

I know I know nothing revolutionary here but actually this has revolutionised my haircare regime! I have very fine curly hair that tends to get oily if I go more than a day without washing. I also like to straighten and curl the layers that frame my face quite regularly with my GHDs - however due to their proximity with my oily skin these are also these bits tend to get even more oily! Batiste is an absolute godsend for those mornings when I haven't got time, or can't be bothered, to wash my hair. Just a couple of sprays (from a good distance, this stuff comes out like a bullet train!) and my hair is soft and oil free (you'll need to brush it through to avoid the talcum powder look). It's also great for when you want to add a bit of volume - I'm quite into a subtle backcomb at the moment and this provides fantastic root-boosting effect. And all this at the fantastically bargainous price of about £2 for 150ml. I know there are other more expensive dry shampoos on the market but when something this cheap is this effective I just don't even see the point of looking elsewhere. Love.

NB Batiste is currently on offer in Superdrug: 3 cans for £3.49, making it even more unbelievably bargainous!

Essential measures #6 Kiehl's Creme de Corps

Kiehl's Creme de Corps is a regular fixture in my bathroom cabinet. I have been using this for years - occasionally checking out other creams on the market, but always returning to my beloved Kiehl's. Nothing makes my skin feel quite as cocooned and nourished - particularly in this harsh weather - as a generous dollop of this creamy goodness.

Creme de Corps contains the antioxidant beta-carotene, and cocoa butter and sesame oil to soften and moisturise the skin. It doesn't have a strong scent, which means it doesn't interfere with perfumes. I love the texture and custardy colour of this cream (and of course the packaging, which as with most Kiehl's products I find really quite pleasing). But most importantly this cream delivers. My skin feels and looks really soft immediately after using it. When I use it regularly, the overall condition of my skin visibly improves - particularly around the chest area where the signs of ageing are manifesting themselves rather too quickly for my liking! And another major plus of this cream as that despite its thickness, it doesn't doesn't clog the skin on my chest or back, which is prone to breakouts with many other creams.

Although quite a thick, rich cream, Creme de Corps never feels heavy or uncomfortable on the skin. The instructions suggest you wait several minutes before dressing, but I find it actually sinks in quite quickly so I don't need to do this (maybe my skin is just super thirsty??).  It also lasts me a decent amount of time - it's by no means cheap at £26 for 250ml, but with careful use it is fairly economical.

My only gripe is that with the smaller, non-pump bottles, it can be difficult to get the product out when you've used quite a bit of it. Usually just needs a bit of a vigorous shake (storing it upside down is not easy due to the shape of the cap) - or you could always buy a pump for the bottle if this is a problem.

I tend to use Creme de Corps more in the autumn and winter, when my skin is more prone to dryness, although it also works great as an aftersun; it feels very soothing on irritated skin. There is a lighter, SPF version of Creme de Corps which I've never tried, however in the summer I tend to switch another Kiehl's moisturiser - Deluxe Hand and Body Lotion with Aloe Vera and Oatmeal. This is a lovely, light body lotion which comes in variety of soft, subtle scents including Coriander, Mango, Grapefruit and Forest Rain, though my favourite, Vanilla, has sadly been discontinued.

Pic courtesy of Kiehl's


An abridged version of this post was published in October on lovestyle.com 

Essential measures #5 Olay Total Effects Make up Remover

Women can be very fussy about their cleansing routines.  Some like to pre-cleanse, for others just a splash of water will do. Some insist on a separate eye make up remover, for others, a simple cleansing wipe fulfils all their needs. And while for some, only oil cleansers give that deep down clean feeling, for others, cream or hot cloth cleansers are the way forward.

It's unsurprising women are so fussy about cleaning their skin - after all, clean skin means healthy skin and fewer of the breakouts that for many women plague them well into adulthood and beyond. Breakouts can then lead many women (myself included) to pile on the make up... leading of course, to more breakouts. Clean, glowing skin looks youthful, appealing, and is the perfect base for make up.


Now in my early 30s, I've found a cleansing routine that works for me. In the mornings, I usually just use a facial wash, sometimes with an exfoliator. I'm not too fussy about which, although at the moment I'm using a Murad one containing AHAs, as my skin has been acting up a bit, probably due to the hot weather conditions we've been having.

When it comes to make up removal however, I am firmly in the cream cleanser camp, and I've found what I believe to be the ultimate make up removing clean cleanser - Olay Total Effects Make up Remover.

pic: Google images

This cream is sooooo effective at removing make up, including eye make up and mascara - far more effective than any other eye make up removers I've tried. I've gone through quite a few tubes of this since I discovered it last Christmas and I now bulk buy it when it's on offer. I find it quite expensive for a 'drugstore' cleanser at £6.50 for 150mls, but you can often find it on offer in Boots and Superdrug for around the £4 mark, sometimes cheaper (in fact it's on offer in Superdrug at the mo).

To use, I apply this cleanser to a cotton pad or ball and wipe it across my face and neck. I'd say a tube lasts me about 3-4 weeks, depending on how much make up I'm using. Even if I'm not wearing make up, I usually use this as my evening cleanser as it leaves my face so clean, I feel it really gets rid of all the London grime that you can't see but know it's there! Especially great in the summer when it's so hot and sticky. I do follow with a toner however as I don't like feeling as though there is any cream residue left on my skin.

There are some other cleansers I like but none as effective at removing make up. I love Cleanse and Polish for example, as it gives such a lovely radiance to the skin afterwards, but I don't find it good enough for make up removal - more of a morning cleanser for me.

Overall I love this cleanser and think it's one of the best cream cleansers out there - I don't like to spend a lot on cleansers as essentially you just wash them off your skin (I feel the same about body wash). This is at the higher end of the range I'd normally spend on a cleanser but it is more than worth it. It leaves my skin super clean, soft and in great condition - what more can you ask for from a cleanser?

Would love to hear about your cleansing routines and favourite drugstore cleansers!

Essential measures #4 Dove Hair Minimising Roll-on Deodorant

Continuing my Essentials series with an absolute must-have for the underams - Dove Hair Minimising Roll-on Deodorant.

In the past I've experimented with various products that claim to slow down body hair growth - most of them moisturisers. I've never stuck with them long enough to determine whether they actually make a difference - particularly as I'm quite fussy about which moisturisers I use. I wouldn't use a hair-minimising moisturiser on my arms for example, only my legs, and then it becomes a complete pain to use two moisturisers on your body. So I haven't had much success with hair minimising creams for these reason.

Hair minimising deodorant is a simple but genius idea. After all, whereas some of us might happily go without moisturising our bodies, few of us (hopefully) are likely to go without deodorant. And few of us (again, hopefully) like underarm hair. A deodorant that minimises underarm hair? Masterstroke.

But does it minimise underarm hair? As you've probably guessed from the fact that it's found it's way into my own beauty hall of fame, yes it does. Not only that, but it's also a very effective deodorant. After a few weeks use, I noticed my underarm hair was finer, could be shaved more easily and grew back slower. Waxing seems to last much longer too. I am a body hair aficionado. Trust me, this stuff works, and until I can afford to have my underarms laser treated, this will remain one of my must have beauty items (and even after laser treatment I'd probably still use it to keep them as smooth as possible!).

The hair minimising deodorant is a bit more expensive than regular deodorants - it retails at £2.44 full price in Boots, but they often have offers on (and you can sometimes pick it up in cheapo stores such as Wilkinsons at a reduced price). There is in fact a buy two for £3 offer on www.boots.com at the mo though sadly not in my local Boots store. It also comes in two scents - Wild Rose and Nature Fresh. Both are fine.

Please note I have only tried the roll on version of this deodorant and not the anti-perspirant spray.

PS I've just noticed - deodorant - de-odour. The things you learn.

Essential measures #3 L'Oreal Exfotonic Skin Revealing Exfoliator and Clarins Body Smoothing Scrub (joint honours)

Body scrub is an essential part of my routine. I hate the feeling of dry skin on my body and probably exfoliate every other day, either on dry skin if I'm in need of a real slough or when showering.

I've been using L'Oreal Exfotonic for several years now (and so, apparently, has Cheryl Cole, as I read recently!). It is hardcore! Not only does my body feel incredibly soft after I've used it but the tips of my fingers too where I've rubbed it in.

It comes in a green tube and comprises large-ish green granules in a gel-like suspension (my boyfriend likens it to frogspawn).

At around £8 a bottle I think it's pretty good value, and it can often be picked up on offer in Boots and Superdrug in the UK. I used to follow this with L'Oreal's Nutrilift body moisturiser which is a great partner... until I discovered Kiehl's more luxurious and natural-feeling body creams, which will feature as my next 'Essentials'...

So Exfotonic has served me well over the years and is a great budget-ish scrub, however I recent discovered Clarins Body Smoothing Scrub for a New Skin (catchy name!), and I have to say I'm seriously in love with this. The L'Oreal is now my quick 'n' dirty, standby scrub, but when I want to truly pamper myself, I reach for the Clarins. Just the look and smell alone, gorgeously creamy and peachy, is enough to send me in to raptures (apparently it contains bamboo powders). It takes me back to my early teens, when my beauty obsession began and when there was nothing more glamourous and grown up  than a tube of Clarin's something or other among the Avon and Rimmel on my dressing table. Aesthetic and olfactory properties aside though, this works beautifully - it feels gentle and soothing but my skin still feels baby soft and kind of peachy too afterwards, and although I'm not certain, I think the effects are more longer lasting than with the Exfotonic.

The Clarins scrub retails at around £25 so definitely more of a luxury - I'll probably buy two the next time Clarins are running a promotion.

So there we have it, I couldn't pick a favourite as each has their merits, so these are my joint top scrubs. I think I'll be repurchasing these for some time to come. Has anyone tried either or have any favourite scrubs of their own? I'm still on the lookout for an 'Essential' facial scrub - Sisley's Gentle Facial Buffing Cream is leading the way so far and I've also been impressed with Clinque's Seven Day scrub, but I suspect there's a HG for me out there somewhere....

Essential measures #2 Sisley Radiant Glow Express Mask with Red Clay

So this is the second of those rare items in my beauty stash known as 'repurchases'!

This mask never fails to give me glowing, party-ready skin, literally in minutes. The effects seem to last a couple of days too and sometimes my skin looks good enough that I even feel like going without make up after i've used it (well base anyway!).

It comes in a gorgeous pale pink tube which retails at around £50.


From the Sisley website -
In five minutes at the most:

- your skin feels fresh, clean and toned

- your complexion looks matte, luminous and more even

- your face appears rested and regains spectacular radiance
 
The website also says the mask provides 'gentle cleansing benefits and rids the skins of impurities that can dull and suffocate the complexion'. It is aimed at those with a dull complexion.
 
I can honestly say that I agree with the three claims above. It really seems to get rid of blotchiness and even out skintone, makes my skin looks and feel really soft and rested, and makes it look glowy and, yes perhaps even radiant for a good couple of days. The mask itself is a pink paste which for some reason I love. It looks very similar in texture and consistency to the Clarins Pure and Radiant mask which also contains red clay (or pink clay), but I've not had great results with the Clarins.
 
My skin is combination with oily t-zone, but is overall in decent condition. I'd really recommend anyone to give see if they can get a sample of this from their Sisley counter. It's pricey but each application gives me skin almost comparable to having a facial, so I really think the investment is worth it. If I'm heading out for a special occassion, I always apply this mask first - so quick and easy with great results.
 
I love Sisley products, I really think they work - I had fantastic results from the All Day All Year cream but I simply cannot afford to repurchase it - I got my tube on eBay for about £70 but it costs about £150 upwards in store. I also love the Gentle Facial Buffing Cream which is about £35. When I was using these three products in unison, my skin looked fantastic.
 
Anyone tried this mask or have any Sisley hero products of their own to share?

Essential measures #1 Elizabeth Arden - Eight Hour Cream

I'm starting a new series of essential beauty items.

These are for products that I have to have in my beauty collection at all times, and which I have awarded gold star status for their effectiveness.

I'm going to start with an absolute classic, but one which actually seems to divide opinion:

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

Not highly original perhaps, but I've been using Eight Hour Cream for years and I absolutely must have some with me at all times, otherwise I tend to get a bit sweaty palmed and panic stricken. Unlike some who advocate its use on skin, hands, eyebrows etc, I find it a bit heavy and gloopy for that (I sometimes use it on heels though), so I mainly use it on my lips. I never have chapped lips and I attribute it entirely to this product. If ever I feel my lips getting slightly uncomfortable, dry or tight in the corners, I just smother them in this and they are instantly relieved. I use it every night before going to bed, in the morning after brushing teeth and reapply it once or twice during the day. Its also wonderful for warding off skin dehydration on flights.

Some people complain about Eight Hour Cream having a medicinal smell - it is quite strong but personally I don't mind it at all - indeed I find something quite reassuring about it.

A tube at full price costs about £18 but you can often find it on offer at Superdrug here in the UK for about £12 (they also do cute limited edition smaller tubes), on eBay and sometimes in TK Maxx in box sets with a handcream. Pricy, but it does last for ages.

So that's the first in my series of essential beauty items - more to follow soon.