For the BAFTAS this year I wanted to try a completely different look to last year.
Last year I went for a Lanvin grecian goddess style dress with a tousled up do and a smokey eye with gold and brown tones.
This year I went for a very simple and striking black Sass & Bide dress with my hair straight and pulled back off my face in a half up slick pony.
Make up wise I went for fresh and dewy with a simple black eye liner and natural lip gloss.
This is how I achieved my look…
Face:
Spritz of Dr.Hauschka facial toner, Dr.Hauschka rose day cream & daily revitalising eye cream. These are both amazing as a base for makeup.
Bobbi Brown sheer base foundation, Laura Mercier secret concealer in no3 & secret camouflage in no4 and secret brightening powder.
Eyes:
Blacktrack fluid line eye liner from MAC, Dr.Hauschka volume mascara.
Cheeks:
MAC cream colour base in bamboo&tint frost and Jemma Kidd highlighter in ice gold.
Lips:
Chanel nude gloss
The look was finished with a pair of my new summer Ibiza lashes to accentuate the corners and open up my eyes. Check them out here…. My NEW IBIZA SUMMER LASHES.
A big thank you to the wonderful Mark Hill for the stunning hair and a wonderful evening and Naoko Scintu for the amazing make-up.
It was a fabulous night despite my wardrobe malfunction and I am very proud to be part of a BAFTA winning TV show!
As promised, I said I would let you know how I got on with my cleanse- The Chris James Mind & Body Cleanse which I did last month. In the past I have been terrible at sticking to any kind of cleanse/detox but I found this one easy to follow and very manageable- I even stuck to it for the whole 12 days!
I am not a big believer in dieting but I wanted to make a conscious move to eat healthy along with giving my digestive system a clean and to see if I felt the effects. Chris’s 12 day cleanse is broken in to four phases- the preparation phase, pre-purification phase, power phase and the maintenance phase, throughout these phases supplements are to be taken such as Vitamin C and Milk Thistle.
Days 1-3 was the preparation phase, during this part of the cleanse I learnt to eliminate certain foods from my diet and introduced others. Being intolerant to wheat and diary this really helped as the food rules table guided me to other options. For example I cut out cashew nuts and introduced pumpkin, sesame and brazil nuts.
Days 4-6 saw the pre-purification phase where I had to eat as much raw food as possible- lots of Edamame beans! This is where you start to streamline your diet to allow for cleansing, so the more raw food the better!
Days 7-9- the power phase is the time that really tested me as it is three days of juicing and I had a busy schedule during this- not perfectly timed but I coped! It was important to keep at it as this is where you eliminate all the harmful toxins that you hold in your body. The fabulous soulmatefood.com and Radiance Cleanse came to my rescue creating some delicious juices and delivering them right to my door.
Days 10-12- the final phase was the maintenance phase. I was so glad to be back on meals but made sure I kept this light- fruit, vegetables, salads, plenty of water and fresh juices. Check out the tasty butterbean burger below!
This when I really noticed how amazing Chris’s cleanse was, people were commenting on how I was glowing and looked refreshed. I even had a green coffee body sculpting treatment at the Organic Pharmacy to allow of optimum cleansing, thoroughly relaxing and a real treat.
I would recommend the Chris James Mind & Body cleanse to anyone who feels that they have over indulged lately and would like to kick start a healthy regime. I have come out of the 12days with my skin tighter, weight lost, increased energy, my skin glowing, and a happy mind.
So I started thinking about Valentine’s today and gave my make-up a practice run.
Obviously red is the colour of love, so you will be shocked to see no red lips but I think pink is much more romantic but who knows what mood I will be in on the day!
For my eyes I have gone for a natural brown smokey look with my long fluttery SOHO lashes.
To create my look I started with the skin using…
NARS pure radiant tinted moisturiser in San Mortiz tint and MAC select moisturecover concealer
Cheeks…
NARS copacabana illuminator and NARS orgasm multiple stick
I would like to introduce you to the new luxe British woman’s t-shirt brand, the gorgeous Language of Flowers a.k.a LOF London. Stephanie and Alexandra, best friends and the creative force behind this brand combine the LOF London romantic story with amazing style, making each tee incredibly easy and fun to wear.
I’m wearing the LOF London ‘Dog Rose’ tee, meaning pleasure and pain.
With 10 days to go to Valentine’s, the launch of Language of Flowers is perfectly timed. The brand concept is inspired by the Victorian era in England, when people chose to send flowers to express their feelings as public displays of affection were frowned upon.
LOF London has played on this expression of flowers to create the beautifully hand-drawn illustrations on each top, well and truly bringing back traditional romanticism!
Check out the Red Rose t-shirt, we all know red roses symbolize “True Love”. So instead of the roses this Valentine’s day, why not this tee instead?
A statement tee is an essential in any girls wardrobe! Look out for the Language of Love website launching 7th February 2013- www.ilovelof.com.
January is often the time that we all pledge to be healthy and I too have taken some positive steps this New Year to a healthier new me, check them out..
1. Joining a gym
Joining a gym this January has encouraged me to make exercise part of my regular routine. I have recently started at the fabulous Lomax gym in Chelsea, and feel great after my sessions. Their cafe also offers guilt-free meals and drinks designed by their in-house nutritionalist- a great perk!
Being far from a fitness professional, it always helps me to take advantage of the trainers and their banks of fitness knowledge. Gym classes that are on offer are also fun! They are a great way of keeping you motivated and help provide variety in your workouts. At Lomax there is always something different going on; pilates, spinning and one on one training.
2. Eating clean
Having such a knowledgeable nutritionist, Madeleine Shaw, as one of my best friends has really helped me kick start to a healthy 2013.
Maddy has refreshed my way of thinking about food completely, and one amazing thing about her nutrition plans- she still allows healthy treats! Check out these Apple & Almond cupcakes…
Maddy understands that having a healthy balanced diet can sometimes be quite difficult especially during the winter months, her healthy comfort food recipes are one’s which I have been living off since returning home to the snow!
Here are a few of Maddy’s main tips for a healthy diet:
1. Eat organic- Sourcing your food from good healthy farms means it is richer in nutrients and pesticide free.
2. Give up sugar & gluten- sugar rots your teeth and zaps your energy. Gluten causes bloating and gas (something we definitely don’t want this year)!
3. Drink lots of water- you should be drinking 3.3% of your body weight in water every day
4. Cook in coconut oil- amazing for your digestive system
Maddy set me up a daily food dairy and gave me inspiration with nutritiously healthy receipes that are still so yummy! Click here to see the recipes
Check out Maddy’s website - www.madeleineshaw.com for even more recipe ideas, nutrition tips and information on one-on-one health coaching with Maddy. She also posts daily health tips on visit her facebook and twitter page.
3. Detox/Cleanse
Detox and cleanses are often a great way to put a healthier lifestyle into action and to clean your body of harmful chemicals.
I have recently received my cleanse pack for the Chris James Mind and Body Cleanse. Chris is there to encourage and guide you throughout the 12 day process and he is a believer of engaging your mind with your body. I look forward to having more energy, improved sleep and glowing eyes and skin!
I plan to do Chris’ cleanse in the coming weeks; so I will let you know how I get on.
My typical day on Maddy’s eating plan and her delicious recipe ideas..
Breakfast:
Start with a glass of warm water infused with fresh lemon juice. A simple cleanse for the body, flushing away the toxins.
Breakfast ideas:
A yogurt, blueberry and cinnamon smoothie
Eggs with sautéed veggies.
Nutritional fact: Yogurt is full of Vitamin A, D and beneficial bacteria that nourishes your digestive tract. Free-range eggs are amazing to load your body with protein and amino acids that will keep a bounce in your step all day long.
Breakfast Recipe idea: Veggie Omelette
▪ 2 egg whites and 3 egg yolks from free range eggs
▪ A handful of chopped cherry tomatoes
▪ ½ chopped white onion
▪ 1 clove of garlic crushed
▪ 1 tbsp of raw virgin coconut oil
▪ A handful of spinach
Sautee the onion and coconut oil in a pan on a medium heat until translucent. Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Add the tomatoes, spinach and garlic, stir around with the onions. Add the egg mixture on top. Cook until the bottom of the omelette is bronzed, flip in half, cook for another 30 seconds and serve.
Lunch:
A healthy lunch should comprise of a quarter protein such as some grass fed steak, a piece of fish or some free range chicken, with half your plate being fresh raw vegetables, and finally a quarter of some form of starchy vegetable like roast pumpkin, sweet potato or beetroot.
Nutritional fact: having half your plate full of fresh raw vegetables provides your digestive system with a steady supply of enzymes.
Lunch recipe idea: Healthy Fish & Chips
▪ 1 fillet lemon sole
▪ 2 tbsp sesame seeds
▪ 3 tbsp coconut oil
▪ 1 small sweet potato
▪ 1/2 a zucchini
▪ A pinch of Celtic sea salt
▪ 1 tbsp coconut oil
Cut the sweet potato into chunky chips, rub them in coconut oil and roast them at 180°C for 25 minutes. Similarly, cut up the zucchini and rub with 1 tbsp of coconut oil. Then coat the fish with the remaining oil and sesame seeds. In a frying pan, grill the zucchini for a couple of minutes, add the fish to the pan, and then cook both for a few minutes, rotating the fish.
Dinner
It is often better to have a smaller meal before bed such as soups, casseroles or slow roasts full of veggies and delicious spices. Check out this receipe- ready in 10 minutes!
Dinner receipe idea: Steak and salad
▪ 1 grass fed steak rubbed in 1tbsp of coconut oil or ghee
▪ 1 zucchini
▪ 8 cherry tomatoes
▪ 1 tbsp coconut oil
▪ 1 tbsp grated ginger
▪ A pinch of Celtic sea salt
▪ A handful of fresh parsley
▪ 1 lemon juiced
Gently peel the zucchini into ribbons. Cut the tomatoes into halves. Heat the coconut oil in a pan on a medium heat. Place the zucchini, tomatoes, ginger and salt in a pan, and gently fry for 5-10 minutes until cooked through. Squeeze lemon juice, and scatter parsley on top. Grill or BBQ the steak for 2-3 minutes each side, serve with the salad.
And the best of all…. the Apple & Almond cupcakes
Dessert
I told you Maddy healthy nutrition plan didn’t deprive me of treats. Her gluten and sugar free cupcake receipe- they taste like heaven!
Ingredients (makes 14 cupcakes)
▪ 2 apples
▪ 300g of ground almonds
▪ 100g of butter
▪ 1/2 tsp of stevia
▪ 100 g of whole milk yogurt
▪ 2 eggs
▪ 2 TBSP coconut oil
Set oven to 180°C, in a food processor blend the ground almonds, butter, eggs and stevia, while blending cut one apple up roughly and discard the seeds and stalk, add this into the food processor, slowly add in the yogurt to the food processor, when it is fully mixed turn the food processor off, slice the other apple into thin slices, grease cupcake trays with coconut oil and evenly place the cake mixture into each container, place thinly sliced apple on top of each cupcake, place in the oven and bake for 10 – 12 minutes.
Enjoy eating healthy and cooking Maddy’s delicious recipes! x
I don’t know about you but I love the winter months. I really enjoy wrapping up warm and getting cosy by the fire with Herby, but sometimes the cold wet weather wreaks havoc on my skin. This January I am making a new year’s resolution to make sure I keep myself protected from the harsh winter weather.
I am sure you will have heard me talk about Manuka Doctor before, a skincare range which contains manuka honey and ethically harvested bee venom. Well, to my excitement they have launched three new products: ApiNourish Repairing Skin Cream, ApiNourish Restoring Night Cream and ApiNourish Age Defying Serum. The great news is, you can now buy all the products online from www.manukadr.co.uk and save yourself from braving the elements.
Everyone has a different skin type but whether you have an oily t-zone or a dry complexion here is my 5 step guide to keeping your skin protected from the winter weather:
1) Drink lots of water
I try to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water per day whatever the weather, but it is even more important in the winter when skin needs extra hydration. Fruit tea is also a great way to keep hydrated as well as warm when it is chilly outside
2) Keep skin moisturised
Before I go to bed each night I apply new Manuka Doctor ApiNourish restoring night cream. The creamy, nourishing and rich textured cream has a heavenly scent and works to re-invigorate my tired and wind bitten skin while I sleep. Purified Bee Venom is combined with UMF 18+ Manuka Honey and Royal Jelly, to stimulate collagen and elastin production, helping to reveal softer plumper skin when I wake up.
3) Remove make up before bed
On New Years Eve I committed the ultimate make-up sin and went to bed without taking my make-up off and my skin felt really clogged up the next day. I always take great care to take all my make-up off at the end of the day. I use Manuka Doctor ApiClear Foaming Cleanser to wash my face and then remove any remaining stubborn make-up with Manuka Doctor ApiClear Facial Toner. These are great for anyone suffering with blemishes because they help eliminate daily impurities leaving skin visibly clearer and calmer.
4) Eat healthy oils
Skin tissue is made up of water and fats so as well as keeping it hydrated with water it is important to eat foods rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9. These will to support the health of your skin and hair, leaving you looking glossy and fabulous all winter long. I particularly love fresh salmon as well as avocados, which are both great sources of these good fats and vitamins.
5) Keep lips kissably soft
To keep my lips soft and chap free I keep a Manuka Doctor Lip Ease Balm in my hand bag for when they start to feel sore or dry. It has a yummy mint scent and leaves my lips feeling tingly and fresh
Everyone needs a little pampering, especially after such a hectic festive season. With so little time amongst my Christmas and New Year celebrations to squeeze in my usual beauty treatments, perfect 10 are the answer to my prayers. They are a fabulous team of London based mobile beauty therapists who offer head-to-toe treatments from the luxury of your own home.
With my incredibly busy schedule I often find it difficult to spare a slot in my diary to beautify myself. However once the perfect 10 girls arrive at my front door my beauty needs are met, bringing with them the perks of the salon to the comfort of my front room.
Claire and her team offer a bespoke beauty service and all of their treatments are incredibly relaxing and stress free. The Elemental Herbology facial on the perfect 10 portable massage bed, followed by a Shellac manicure and pedicure on my sofa and a Sienna X spray tan in my bathroom are definitely a hit; this even means the dreaded post spray-tan tracksuit is avoided!
The girls are always sure to take care of everything; with glowing skin, shiny nails and a tan to suit I am ready to start 2013!
Quote ‘Millie’ when booking with perfect 10 and receive 20% off. My New Year treat to you. After all… a New Year, a new beauty regime!
I have always been on the search for the ideal winter cashmere scarf. Although I have a number in my wardrobe, I have never quite found the perfect one. When I was given the opportunity to design my very own winter accessory with Allegra London I was delighted! Chloe, the founder of Allegra London, and I met at the Bluebird and began our creative mission of the ‘Millie’ scarf.
Allegra London specialises in luxury cashmere scarves; a one of a kind fashion house that gives you the freedom to be your very own designer and make your accessory dreams a reality.
Chloe came loaded with an array of cashmere samples and hundreds of colours to choose from. From all of the research that I’d done on the iconic fashion brands I love to wear and the scarves that they had for Autumn/Winter 2013, I knew I wanted to use two colours that had a strong contrast and created a monochrome effect. I initially had in mind a black fading into a white, however once Chloe put the colour board in front of me, my eyes were instantly drawn to a dark grey and cream. I knew straight away that these were the colours for me!
The day my ‘Millie’ scarf arrived at the door I couldn’t wait to get it around my neck and team it with all of my winter outfits! Not only do I absolutely love how the design looks, it is so beautifully soft and still manages to keep me warm.
