Loving the skin you're in

For as long as I can remember I have had problems with my skin – physically and metaphorically speaking.

I think I may have mentioned this before but I had really bad eczema head to toe, from about 5 years old to 15. It was unsightly, sore; it used to sting and was uncontrollably itchy.

I was one of those children who had to wear cotton mittens to bed or I’d scratch my skin raw and make it bleed, and I couldn’t wear jeans because the rash on my legs was so weepy that the material would stick to me - I know – horrid.

With the run up to my to my video shoot recently, a number of people have commented on how I have “good” skin. This makes me laugh because imprinted indelibly in my memory is my childhood eczema ridden skin; and when I look at my skin now I see every little scar from where the rashes were.

Please know that I well aware that having eczema isn’t the worst thing in the world, I know that there are much worse diseases and disorders to deal with. But eczema can be oddly insidious and debilitating. And when I was a child my skin became very infected so I was hospitalized twice, which was pretty scary.

I suppose predictably this all, in turn, had a knock on effect, on the metaphorical skin I was in.

I felt substandard because I had this horrible skin condition that affected how I looked, and felt and consequently changed the way I behaved. My self-esteem plummeted for a long time....And though it took me a while to see it, there were up sides. Firstly it wasn’t life threatening. Secondly, it taught me to how to look after myself in a very basic way. I had to learn from about 6 years old how to clean my skin properly and be really hygienic.

And though I didn’t want to be around people as I felt I looked bad so would spend a lot of time in my bedroom - music was my companion. Writing poetry and songs filled my days. It was a beautiful escape from reality.

Also, I have acquired a resilience that pops up when I need it. I am, as you may have realised, rather emotional and quite “fluffy” but there is something in me that makes me dig my heels in, stand up and push through. I won’t say eczema was the only factor in this character trait, but certainly a prevalent one.

So I suppose in comparison nowadays my skin is “good”. I still take care of it in a very particular, slightly obsessive way. I choose products carefully and always veer on the side of natural. And I think these days my self-esteem is on the up too (!!)I do however still get slightly panicked when I get a rash or a spot (!) but I have learned that it is not a disaster.

I have over the years had outbreaks of eczema, I’m not “cured” - certain foods, pollen, pregnancy and stress can all trigger a rash.

But in general, it’s pretty good. I know and accept I have really sensitive skin – physically and metaphorically – but that’s ok.   

Random thoughts from a London Fashion Week (LFW) event

So here I am - getting back into my blogging routine. The last few weeks have been a little erratic, but life has been pretty full – just the way I like it!

Whilst I can’t quite believe I am sitting down to write about an event I went to a week and a half ago, I am quite glad that I have had to wait to collect my thoughts. Otherwise you may have just read a mildly prosecco-fuelled account of how I enjoyed looking at pretty things.

So here are some random thoughts:

The first thing that springs to mind is whenever I go to anything creative – a fashion event, a museum exhibition or an art gallery – I tell myself I should go more often. London, like so many locations is brimming with talent and creativity.

I knew the LFW event was going to be slick – stylish people milling around a chic backdrop. There were talks and a catwalk show highlighting the season’s trends. The trends show we watched showcased pieces from VeryExclusive.com. Here are some of my faves, all available on their website:

But the best bit for me was wandering around the pop up shops chatting to the designers. Their passion for their vision was something I loved and just highlighted to me how much music and fashion are aligned - in fact there are parallels in any art form, although sometimes I don’t see them, when the art form is visual. But by chatting to some of the designers I realised how similar our creative processes can be.

Among the designers I chatted to, was the lovely Helene Berman. I was so taken by her designs; I ended up with one of her beautiful faux fur coat – although at one point I was holding onto three of her coats!!

(Helene Berman and me, I'm wearing my new coat...)

One thing I struggle to get my head around though is catwalk modelling – I find it a little confusing.

All the models looked lovely and extremely professional and without doubt there is huge skill involved in being a chameleon, showcasing many different styles of clothes. And having recently done a video shoot, working the camera is very “hit and miss” for me – these girls have "know how" I do not possess.

But, they were all so serious and sombre. And however attractive they were, their looks and walks were pretty identical. I suppose this is the point?

Also, without exception, they were all very slim and very tall. Height is something I am quite envious of – as I will never be tall, not without the help of my stilettos which let’s be honest only bring me up to the national average. And whilst some were really very slim, I’m not going to get into the size debate here…maybe a post for another day…The other thing that occurred to me was blatantly obvious - sharing experiences with great company. I went to the event with a friend whom I have known for about 16 years. Our sons share the same birthday. I am learning to never undervalue time with good friends – chatting, listening, and supporting each other and lots of laughter. Sometimes I get so focussed with work and my kids that I forget how good company is great for my soul.

(My mate, Rachel and me - a pre-catwalk selfie)

So in conclusion, it was a really lovely event to go to and I hope to do these types of events more often…and I’ll try not to be so tardy with the posting next time!!

Detox, denial and discipline

About ten years ago I started detoxing, once a year for ten days. Based completely around eating whole, fresh foods, I guess it was eating extremely cleanly without the label.

Detoxes tend to suit my personality - I associate it with resetting my body. And in particular controlling my “sugar switch”, which is really highly charged. Sugar is without doubt my downfall.

I have never been a fan of a diet, which in my mind is linked to weight loss, or denying myself something. In fact, if I tell myself I can’t or shouldn’t have “whatever”, that’s all I want.

Over the last few years however, I have fallen out of the detox habit. Life has been increasingly busy and I felt my training and daily nutrition were pretty good so I didn’t feel the need to do a formal detox.

This year though, some kind of health and fitness shake up was on my mind. And in the general busyness of life, eating cake and going out for drinks was becoming more of a regular occurrence rather than an occasional pleasure.

However, after my summer holiday, I made up my mind. Drinking nearly every night – which I find quite brutal these days - coupled with a video shoot coming up in the next few weeks my mind-set just flipped. I don’t know what you’re like, but once I make my mind up – I’m pretty focused and generally don’t deviate from my goals.

So, what am I actually doing? A ten-day detox. I started my regular “eating clean” regime – no sugar, caffeine, alcohol or starchy carbs. All was going well, and then on day 3 I decided to turbo charge the whole experience - I have no idea why - and bought David Kirsch’s 48 Hour Super Charged Cleanse.

This has been around for a while but I have never tried it. It is 48 hours of a liquid cleanse, no food whatsoever. I found that doing the cleanse with vitamin supplements and herbal teas my energy levels didn’t really dip at all. The only change I noticed was I didn’t sleep particular well, but I don’t know if that is coincidental.

I must say though, the hardest part for me was missing actually eating food – as I really enjoy eating!

Anyway, so far I have lost 1.7kg in 5 days. But for me, this is not principally about weight loss. It’s more about feeling good about myself and confident especially if I am going to be in front of a camera. I am great believer in feeling positive on the inside and projecting that outwards. And maybe there is a little vanity in there too…I also feel lighter, leaner, more energised and cleaner and my stomach, which is definitely my Achilles heel, like many mothers, is currently completely flat!

I am going to do my best to keep on this healthy track for a while after my detox is officially over, especially as I don’t have a firm shoot day for my video yet.

And whilst I would quite like a cupcake I’m going to hold out for as long as I can. A little self-imposed discipline won’t do me any harm! 

How I survive holiday hair

Ahhh. So here I finally am with this post, I had intended to write this on my recent holiday to Portugal - but we all know how holidays go…Hair, and how to look after it is something I am quite vociferous about. I am a fan of organic, natural shampoos and conditioners and minimal washing and “producting”  - but on a hot summer holiday normal rules do not apply.

Whenever I ‘m somewhere hot, my hair just behaves differently; it gets bigger, fluffier and frizzier, even the natural wave doesn’t do its usual thing but I have learned to go with it.

So this is how I survive holiday hair:1. The biggest difference on holiday is I wash my hair everyday. I would NEVER do this in real life. I am very much a once a week washer (of hair!) maybe twice if there was a special occasion to go to. But I find with the heat, sunscreen, sweat and swimming I just want my hair to feel clean and fresh at the end of every day.

My favourite holiday shampoo and conditioner combo are John Masters Evening Primrose Shampoo and their Citrus and Neroli Detangler. These are gorgeous organic products that clean my hair without stripping it of any natural oils. 2. As I said I am not a fan of mousses and sprays. I am however a fan of moisturising, conditioning and oils. So when my hair is damp I mix together a little blob of leave-in conditioner and a hair oil of some kind.

My current favs are: Intelligent Nutrients Leave In conditioner and Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or Dry Oil Golden Shimmer. Actually, I use these whatever the temperature. They do enough, without making my hair feel like there is “stuff” in it. 3. As far as drying goes I like to let my hair dry naturally – but if I don’t want to go out looking like my hair is completely wet (as it takes a long time to dry naturally) I will blast it under the hairdryer for a few minutes - five tops.

Then just give it a brush to get rid of any knots. Hands down the best tip for hair I have learned, especially if you have layers like me, is twist your hair into a bun and clip it.

By the time I get ready and I let my hair down and the layers and waves do their own thing. Certainly not polished a look but I’m on holiday - different rules apply.4. Maybe unsurprisingly,  I am not a fan of hairsprays either but I have recently discovered Oribe products - very expensive, but very luxurious. This holiday I tried the Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray. My lord, it does what it says on the container. Just before I go out I spray a little over my hair, it is really light so your hair doesn’t feel sticky or heavy, then I give my head a good shake and hopefully my hair looks tousled and shiny. My other big tip for hair after a holiday would be when I get home the first full day I am back I will spend a day with my hair doused in oil. Being Indian, I have been brought up with coconut oil. I know it is very en vogue at the moment, but I have been putting coconut oil in my hair since I was about 6 - but I’m pretty sure any oil would do though.

Regardless of holidays, I do the oil in hair thing once a month and I’m sure my hair appreciates it. If there were one thing I would love my daughter to do with her gorgeous head of hair, it would be this!

Anyway, apologies to my male mates for this girly post - but looking after hair is a very serious matter in my book! If you have any tips that work for you, I'd love to hear them.        

Is it time I gave up drinking alcohol?

There appears to no correlation these days to how much I drink and how I feel the next day. I can go out with friends and have a glass and a half of wine, get a good night’s sleep and wake up in the morning with a pounding headache.

Similarly, I can be out drinking all night and wake up feeling as fresh as a daisy. Dehydrated of course, but that’s the worst of it. There really is no rhyme or reason to this.

I have been thinking it’s an age thing, or a woman/hormonal (!) thing, but many of my male friends are the same, so that's not it!

Hangovers are a constant mystery to me. And I think we can all agree are evil. So, I’m always looking for a formula to beat them…but just as I think I have worked out the “sensible” amount of alcohol to escape a throbbing head, a dreadful night’s sleep and feeling slightly nauseous – the way my body reacts changes!

Similarly, hangover cures seem to vary – fail-safes that used to perk me up like Diet Coke have increasingly become ineffectual. To be honest the only three things that really work for me these days are water, green tea and spicy food (!)I am, I suppose, what experts would call a classic “social binge drinker”, where binging is anything more than two drinks. I don’t drink at home, unless we have people over. I don’t drink on my own. So, in my head socialising involves drinking to some degree. But as I said NOT a fan of the hangover, so periodically I think about becoming teetotal.

Increasingly a lot of people I know just don’t drink. They go out and have plenty of fun, without alcohol. These friends fascinate me. It seems they are able to exercise a level of self-restraint that I don’t seem to possess.

Not drinking clearly has a lot of pluses – no hangovers, good for my health, saves money, guaranteed good sleep. The problem is… I like a drink here or there.

So I thought about this possible “willpower” issue, but when I was a teenager I used smoke, a lot. Then before I had my kids I decided to give up, to “cleanse” my body of smoky toxins before I fell pregnant. So one day, I went cold turkey and gave up. It was relatively straightforward.

So I guess for me, mind-set comes into play. I believe we all have the power to do whatever we want to do. So, whilst I like the theory, in practise I don’t think I really want to give up. So, maybe limits would be better – for someone who has no concept of “middle ground” this is going to be interesting experiment.

Especially as on Thursday I’m off on holiday with my family. Maybe I will try to exercise a little self control in the first instance and have a few soft drink evenings...hmmm, I'll keep you posted…any tips?   

The Anti Oedipus complex

Do you ever feel like everything you say and do is wrong? That you’ve gone from being so aligned with someone to becoming a bit of an annoyance or an unnecessary irritation?

Over the last six to nine months, this is how my interactions with my son have felt; hence the tongue in cheek title of this post.

Don’t know get me wrong - he’s still wonderful and I love him madly. We do get on - but when we don’t, it feels like a really big deal, and things take much longer to resolve.

People used to make fun of me when he was young, because we were so close; in fact, a lot of friends used to tell me that I loved him too much.

Now I know I have written a few posts about teenage development, and this detachment from me is right and proper - he will be 17 in September after all. But when we have altercations, it is so much harder to bear than a similar situation with my daughter – now WHY is that?

Before you say anything – I love them both the same – obviously in different ways as they are different people and sometimes I get on better with one of than the other – but the amount of love is the same and boundless.

I think the point might be this - with my daughter I understood her development into adulthood implicitly, even though at times there were (and will be) difficult conversations and adjustments, I knew where she was coming from and what her motivations were. I could relate, as I went through very similar things.

My son however, has always been this pool of mystery and wonderment. I know so much about him, but I don’t know instinctively know how his brain works.

Every developmental change has felt so drastic though I know they are all normal - from going from a scrawny 10 year old to a muscular 16 year old, growing 9 inches in less than 6 months and being able to grow a proper beard.

Hand in hand with the physical changes there are the emotional ones too – which I guess I am experiencing the full force of now - he’s not always as talkative to me, he’s more private, he doesn’t want to cuddle me 24/7. It is true, other mothers told me this day would come, but I didn’t believe them…I recall that book from the 90s, “ Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus”. He is turning into a man, so his mother flinging herself onto him for a hug, is not met with enthusiasm!

I do know “my baby” is still in there - the sure fire of getting a cuddle is if I look sad or start to cry. And if you were wondering why on earth there is a picture of a marzipan chocolate bar on this post, he bought me one as a surprise.

Maybe I am just trying to hold onto him being a child a little while longer, whilst he is ready to step into adulthood.

I have always felt that a boy’s development into manhood is a little mismatched. There are boys who shave at 12 and look like men at 14 but emotionally still act like a 10 year old. Maybe for my son his brain and body are in tune…it’s just my brain that needs to catch up. 

Are arguments ever a good thing?

Today I was just going to have a good ole fashioned moan about my daughter and the argument we had yesterday - a case study in the life of parenting a teenager perhaps.

To be honest it was the “mother” of all arguments and I can’t remember the last time we actually had a fight like that, which is a really good thing. What is sad, is I couldn’t exactly tell you how it started - and isn’t that often the case with arguments?

I think it was one of those situations which started off as a bit of a joke, quickly spiraling into us both having massive sense of humour failures. So much so, that the aftermath lasted over 3 hours in which time we barely spoke to each other, and when we did, we made the situation much worse for a while before it improved. The good news is we persevered and made up in the end.

So many things went through my mind, in the “not talking to each other phase”. I was cross and upset but hate arguing with anyone, especially my kids.

I was so incensed because I felt my daughter had been mean and disrespectful…but it took me a while to realise I had actually said some things I shouldn’t have and didn’t behave it the loveliest way at all.

I kept flipping between wanting to stay angry and hurt, to feeling compelled to “fix” the situation as my daughter is off interrailing at the end of the week. And when she goes, I will really miss her.

So, I refer back to the title of this post…are arguments ever a good thing? Funnily enough, I did feel some positives came out of the whole situation and often do.

Firstly, when we had both calmed down and were ready to talk – we both apologized for hurting each other’s feelings. For two quite highly strung, stubborn women – this was a positive thing.

Secondly, whilst we apologised, we both stood our ground on what we believed we hadn’t done wrong and the beauty of older children is they won’t actually let you get away with anything.

Long gone are the days when I used to halt a disagreement with “because Mummy said so”…wow, I was lazy parent at times, when my kids were little. And actually, I don’t mind being held to account, if I am wrong and God knows I am not perfect.

Similarly the days of me cosseting my kids by sparing their feelings and not saying what I really feel are over. Right now I can be more honest and open with my kids than I have ever been before.

And finally, the best bit, whatever the age of your children is the hugs. They may not be as free flowing as when they were toddlers, but when they hug you, they really mean it, and it still is the BEST feeling in the world.

So on balance I’d rather not argue with anyone - especially my kids. But if it means we understand each other a little better, things are clearer and we are more thoughtful and empathetic towards each other - well, that must be a good thing, don’t you think?

What I would tell my teenager self about – sport and exercise

I have been thinking a lot lately about what kind of person I was when I was younger – character traits that have changed beyond recognition, things about me that have been constant throughout my life and this has got me thinking about what I would say to myself, if I met “teenager me” in a parallel universe.

Me being me, I would want to say quite a lot about several things, so much so “teenage me” would be bored stiff! But the subject that leapt into my head was sport and exercise. I would say, “Don’t skip sports lessons or pretend you’re ill so you don’t have to join in.

”When I was teenager I didn’t really engage in any sort of sporting activity. I was in fact “Queen of bunking off games”. I am quite ashamed of that now. I guess I could blame my upbringing, sport was not prevalent, but I think it is far too easy to do that and I am not a fan of the blame game. I was quite wayward and mischievous – but is that really an excuse either?

The reality is I wasn’t naturally very good at any sports, so I didn’t try, so over time I accumulated absolutely no ability for anything sporty whatsoever!

What is interesting is I look to my kids, who perhaps wouldn’t thank me for saying, but before the ages of 10/11 they weren’t great at sport – but they had a love for it and wanted to be active.

As soon as they hit their teens - well - their sporting lives became very important and found their running legs spectacularly. Both of them have run for their schools competitively and are incredible. Proud mother – right here – and I can’t pretend these genes have come from me!

Through my kids I have learned about the excitement, camaraderie and competitive spirit that comes from playing team sports and representing your school in a vital match.

I wish "teenage me" could see what they are like and felt how they feel. Training sessions are non negotiable for my son and my daughter clears her head by going for a run at the end of the day. I understand the merits of all this now – but it didn’t enter my head to do it when I was younger.

I train quite hard these days 5-6 days a week for 8 weeks then I have a rest week when I concentrate on yoga and flexibility. But I am very late to the party. I only really got into exercise in my 20s when I was pregnant and then trying to shift pregnancy weight. In fact, at the time we used to live in Sydney, I used to feed my daughter at about 6am and go for a run along a path near Sydney Harbour - I know don’t fall over in shock!

I think the reason I started thinking about this, is sometimes I find it so hard to motivate myself and I’m not sure it any of it comes naturally to me. And whilst I am very accepting of how I am and look, I wonder if I had started getting into exercise at a younger age if there would now be a difference to my strength, aerobic fitness, physique and health – undoubtedly yes.

So what do you think? And what are your experiences? I love to know…  

Fall fashion – the 80s are back…

It’s official - the 80s are back this Autumn/Winter, in terms of fashion anyway.It’s about now, as the summer sales start that the fashion industry, which seems to be so far ahead of itself, tempts us with new season collections.

Please remember throughout this post I am not a designer and do not have any expertise here. But I am an ardent consumer, so I have been googling and these are some of the key trends coming our way:

1. The 70s. I think this is a continuation from what we have now in Spring/Summer. And whilst I was a bit young to find my fashion feet in the 70s the first time round, I have been wearing my collars very proudly and channelling my inner Daisy Duke with my denim shorts and knotted shirts.

2. Luxe. I think this means lots of sequins and glitter and luxurious fabrics – I’m thinking embellishment and brocade. I am confirmed dress up girl, so this works for me.

3. The ladylike look – we have seen this trend over the last few years and most of us have a pencil skirt or two in our wardrobes, so I am guessing this will be a continuation of this trend.

4. Black Victoriana. This is where my fashion knowledge falls down. So please correct me if I am wrong. But I feel we have this every winter in some guise. I’m thinking lace, high necklines, and more leather - trendy Penny Dreadful maybe?

5. The wild; more furs (or faux fur in my case) and animal prints. I have a lovely fake fur jacket from Oasis, which is two years old, but this is as far as I go with this trend.

6. And… drum roll….the 80s. It seems that shoulder pads, polkas dots, ruffles and mini proms skirts are back. So here, I am fondly remembering Dallas, Dynasty, Madonna, Bucks Fizz and Bananarama. And if your tastes are a little more edgy, think Siouxsie and the Banshees.

So what is it about stepping back in time? Why is it appealing to the tastemakers? I’m just speculating, but I guess it is hard to completely reinvent fashion year on year.

I also think nostalgia plays a part. Memories are evocative things. Some people have dubbed the 80s as extremely uncool. Personally, I think some people spend too much time thinking about what’s cool and what’s not.

To me, the 80s were all about making a statement. Fashion was big and bold and colourful. Life was vibrant. You dressed up and expressed yourself through your clothes and people loved you for it. I definitely think there was less judgement, or maybe I was just young and didn’t notice or care!

I don’t know what the fashion designers have got in store for us. But I have no doubt that designers like Saint Laurent, Balmain and the very clever High Street brands will have distilled the essence of the 80s and added a few unexpected modern twists.

I personally am looking forward to seeing what turns up in our shops. How about you - are ready to embrace your inner New Romantic?

It’s time for a closet clear out

I have too many clothes. Mostly beautiful dresses I have collected through the years. I’m a sucker for anything in silk, bright colours and unusual prints. But - there are only 7 days a week so clearly there is a limit to how many clothes I can actually wear.

My biggest problem is I don’t like throwing any piece of clothing away and I pride myself on buying things that are timeless. In fact recently I wore a Collette Dinnigan dress that I bought in Australia when my daughter was born – so 18 years ago. It’s looking pretty good (the dress, not me!) and it has the added allure of being vintage now.

It doesn’t matter if it’s high street or designer, every item of clothing gets lovingly welcomed into the Parry fashion family (!!)So culling does not come naturally. This, coupled with a constant stream of new season pieces that are put online week after week to lure me into buying something new and desirable equals a wardrobe slowly descending into chaos and order needs to be restored.

I have a rough plan in my head with four categories: (a) keeping, (b) too threadbare for anyone so throwing away, (c) charity, and (d) worth selling. But how do I get to the four categories?

1. I have to be ruthless. If I don’t love it and it doesn’t fit perfectly, it needs to go. This is a no-brainer.

2. Focus on my own style. I am a dress girl, and more recently a shirt/skirt girl. The point is I am not a jeans girl. I only have one pair of jeans in my wardrobe. So whilst it is nice to go off road now and again, most of us have our personal style figured out.

3. I must be brutally honest with myself. When I do allow myself to buy something new, I must scan my wardrobe for similar items. We all have a tendency to gravitate towards the same colours and shapes of clothes. But how many black leather pencil skirts does one girl need? In my case - three and that’s more than enough! They actually all fit really well, so they are staying.

4. Use good judgment. I personally do not adhere to the “if you haven’t worn it for two years throw it out", I refer to my Collette Dinnigan dress earlier. We don’t need a cocktail dress every day, but it's good to know there are a few in your wardrobe that fit perfectly, ready for the right occasion. However, if you always sidestep a particular item of clothing for something else, it needs to go.

So, my plan makes perfect sense to me. But I have been thinking about how best to dispatch pieces I want to sell, mainly designer clothes that don’t fit or suit me anymore.

Obviously lots of people sell on eBay and similar sites, and there are services that sell your clothes for you and take a commission. But increasingly I am thinking that whilst I would like to make some money from my beloved wardrobe, I would also like to raise some money for charity. So here’s where I need your input.

Current seedling ideas are setting up my own little online “shop” maybe attached to this blog where I could sell a certain number of clothes for a different charity a month or - what I am veering towards is organising a larger sale event with live music (maybe performed by me and various friends/guests) supporting maybe 5-6 charities that are important to me…I know this sounds like a mish mash, but with a bit of focus I think it might be a great event and worthwhile, would you come? Suggestions, advice and thoughts gratefully received here…  

Prismologie - body care to stir the senses through colour and nature

 A few weeks ago, whilst running errands I found myself outside my local Space NK and something caught my eye. I am always impressed by great window dressing because it draws you in, just as it is supposed to - and there in the window was Prismologie, a brand new skincare line, clean contemporary packaging with a vibrant blast of colour.

I love trying new things, so I thought I’d take a look at the range. I decided on the foaming body scrub with Cedarwood and ruby (from the Red Hour section) and the rich body cream with Neroli and diamond (from the White Beginning products).

Prismologie is the brainchild and first skincare line from Intisar and Fatima Alsabah, a mother and daughter team from Kuwait; they describe themselves as women who “have always wanted to provide people with tools to empower themselves.”

Their concept began when they started connecting the huge impact colours have on people’s moods and attitudes. They were looking for a brand that used the power of colours, but couldn't find one. So they thought they would create one themselves.

In their own words, “We all react very naturally and intuitively to colour. We understand colour but we don't always embrace its powerful effects on us. We want to invite people to engage with colours in a different way, to notice what they feel and to decide how they want to feel. We want the colours in our range to set the tone of people’s days and encourage them to reconnect with themselves.“

“When we started thinking about how we want to add colour to our daily lives, we realised that a body care routine is a given for most people. We all shower, we need something to moisturise our skin with and so on. We all live very busy lives and we sometimes get carried away and don't realise that we have forgotten to focus on ourselves even for a few minutes to give ourselves the care we need. We chose body care most specifically because caring for your body is usually a very personal experience, whereas one’s face is usually something people care for in part for others to see; not always just for ourselves.”

For me, this idea makes total sense; I personally am very colour driven and also am very aware, given my Indian heritage, of the chakras and the colours associated to them, which interestingly tie into the Prismologie brand. Colours affect my mood without doubt, and I definitely go through phases of being drawn more strongly to certain colours than others. I think we all do, even if we are not consciously aware of it.

And I suppose we all pick clothes to suit our moods, to boost our confidence. I certainly know from myself and other friends that we may even choose our underwear to make us feel good/beautiful/sexy/empowered on a particular day; so, why not take it a step further, with what you choose put on your body before you get dressed?

Prismologie is a high-end brand, so not cheap, but from personal use, a little goes a long way. And the effects of the beautiful ingredients are that my skin is silky smooth and the positive stimulation of my senses seems very real. If you fancy a treat or change, Prismologie is really worth checking out.

To find out more about the brand and products in detail, check out Prismologie (http://www.prismologie.com). Prismologie can be found at online and at Space NK stores (spacenk.com)PS: It’s good to note that Prismologie products do not contain GM ingredients, Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS), Petrolatum or Propylene Glycol, Parabens, animal derivatives or products that have been tested on animals. They do not agree with animal testing and every single element of packaging is recyclable and they only use FSC cardboard and reusable glass.  

Do you have a “magic number” for your size and weight, and what do you do to get there?

Mine is 54kg. I have been 49kg; which didn’t suit me, mentally or physically and I have been close to 60kg. People didn’t really notice, but some of my clothes felt a little snug and I had to do this crazy wriggling dance to get into my jeans.

Now the sky is blue and the sun feels warm I tend to jump on the scales. I have weaned myself off this habit over the years, as it can be counterproductive. I know it is just a number and in isolation it doesn’t mean a great deal. But that number can hold a lot of momentary power – when it goes down I’m delighted, when it goes up I am temporarily dejected.

It seems most of my mates (women) are similar. When we turn our attention to health and vanity goals, most of us have our own “magic number”. A number plucked from youth, or the slimmest time of your life or because you think you “should” be a particular weight.

We all know that there are many factors affecting “weight” including sleep, stress, illness and hormones but still we obsess about the “magic number”.

We know that eating healthily is the way to go so for the most part I do, but anyone who knows me knows my love for cake and pudding - I just don’t want to look like a pudding! So I exercise five times a week.

I can get to and maintain 52kg, but it takes a LOT of discipline. And I’m not sure that level of self-restraint is very fun, for me, or the people around me.

What I have learned over the years is that bodies change and I am learning to accept this, for the most part. I was bigger at university, but after each child, I went down a dress size. Right now I am about 1.5kgs off my “magic number”. Yep, it’s still in my head…I read an article years ago about the gorgeous model Iman Abdulmajid who said as a woman hits her thirties she should add 5lbs to the weight she thinks she would like to be, to guard against looking older than her years. Whilst the lovely Iman can probably afford a few pounds here and there, I think she has a point. We all want to look good and be healthy, but not at the cost of looking gaunt or aged.

The reality is that this “issue” is a subjective one. When we look at ourselves we focus on our flaws and imperfections. We compare ourselves to friends with completely different body shapes. We long to regain how we were at our youth or perceived best and fixate on what has changed “negatively”. For me, all I ever see is my stomach - which after two children is the polar opposite of washboard! But maybe others just see the whole picture. I know do when I look my friends or people walking down the street.

So I guess moderation is the key, and being kind to yourself. With the media flooded with super foods, nutritional advice and new ways of training they are many ways to attain whatever goals you have or reaching your “magic number”.

I try to be balanced, but that “magic number” can be an elusive wotsit, so I’m off for a run…what do you do to get to your “magic number”? Do you have one, or are you happy as you are?

My five fav beauty products right now

I am not, as I have said previously, a beauty expert. However, I use products and I know what like. For many years my go-to brands were Dermalogica and Elemis. Both of which, I think are fantastic, but on occasion I have branched out and experimented with new products and if I love them, I stick with them. I also find, and maybe this is just me but sometimes mixing and matching different brands can be very effective.

Now, the products I am highlighting are higher-end products. There are three points I’d like to make here. Firstly, these are a selection of products I personally use; secondly, I am not 17 so my skin needs targeted help sometimes (!). And thirdly, sometimes a product seems like costly but then lasts for ages and produces noticeable results – so might be worth the investment.

So here goes: 

John Masters Organics, Vitamin C Anti-aging Face Serum

I have used this for years now. I love it and though I might have a break, I always come back to it. I know Vitamin C has been hailed for sometime as a key anti-aging ingredient – this really works. It is light, but penetrates your skin and gives instant lasting radiance. 

Balbec Beauty’s Restorative Oil with frankincense & geranium

You may have read my post on Balbec and may be thinking “here she goes again with her cousin’s wife’s brand”. But this is really good. The frankincense is wonderful for aging skin because it stimulates cell regeneration and geranium stimulates the lymph system and also aids with cell regeneration. 

Aurelia’s Cell Revitalise Day Moisturiser

I must be honest, I bought this product because my usual moisturiser was out of stock and I was looking at a few options. I think I plumped for this one because the texture was light but rich if that makes any sense, and the packaging appealed to me. What can I say? Sometimes I am a real girl! Anyway, I am delighted I happened on this brand - I love it. The cream is makes my skin almost immediately radiant and vibrant. 

Nude’s Miracle Mask

This is another product I have used for a while. On their website Nude say it is, “an exfoliating mask that works to brighten and resurface skin”. Yes, a definite yes. I was first sold this by being told that make up artists often use this on models before preparing for a shoot. And whilst I am no model, I would quite like similar results where possible. 

Nars Multi-Protect Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30

This again is a staple for me. I am quite OCD about sunscreen and paranoid about sun damage. And in general I don’t wear foundation except for special occasions. So I find if I put this primer over my moisturiser I seem to look a little bit more “polished”. It’s light and contains mineral powders to blur fine lines and wrinkles – who doesn’t love a blurred wrinkle? So there you have it some of my favourite products. Tell me about your favourite products and what you think I should try. 

Feeling the beauty buzz for Balbec

Discovering new things, whatever they are, always give me a bit of a buzz. Skin care products are no exception.

I am quite touchy about my skin, I had very bad eczema as a child and was admitted to hospital twice as my skin became badly infected. Apart from unhealthy skin, as a teenager being acutely aware of looking awful at times triggered lots of issues (as you can imagine). But I digress. Maybe those issues are posts for another day, if you want to talk issues I have an extensive list...

So. Skincare. I am a fan of products that are as natural as possible (although I appreciate sometimes skincare can need a bit of an added oomph). So on a recent trip to New York, I was delighted when I stumbled upon a new product called Balbec in my cousin’s bathroom.

My excitement multiplied when I discovered that this range was created by my cousin’s wife, Maneesha Patel. But, that’s not the headline. I’m telling you about these products because I've tried them, I liked them and they have worked for me. If it hadn’t I wouldn’t be writing about it (I wouldn’t want to hurt my lovely cousin-in-law's feelings!).

I am a fan of oils and Maneesha very kindly gave me a few bottles (well, I am family after all!). I used them under my moisturiser during the day and on their own at night and after a few days my skin was more glowing and radiant.

Whilst my skin problems took over my childhood and teenage years, Maneesha started having problems with her own skin as an adult. She found no respite from mass-produced skincare brands or from dermatologists' recommendation, so she was compelled to create something that worked for her.

She began a facial cleansing regimen based on a classic Indian preparation of yoghurt and turmeric and created fresh, preservative-free, food-grade & nutrient-dense preparations. She even got used refrigerating her cleanser and toner!

I guess the kicker here is you have to accept a shorter shelf life for your skincare products. But the ingredients are so pure and fresh it makes perfect sense.

A lot of thought and care has gone into this range (trust me, I know the creator). The name "Balbec" has been taken from the seaside resort in Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time, where the narrator recuperates from his illness within a landscape of fresh air, sea, and light. Knowing the origin of the name adds something intangible.

I am well aware that different people like different things. But I want to share with you things that I like, and work for me.At the moment, Balbec is in its infancy and is only available in the US, but I have a feeling it might be winging its way to our shores at some point.

And on that note, in case Maneesha is reading this, I have run out of my lovely oils…

Check it out, www.balbecbeauty.com