And these are the ten things I’d love right now. Just because you need to put your wishlist out to the universe (or your mum) … Someone to come clean my apartment … To do yoga on a beach in Bali … To eat macaroons in a patisserie in Paris … More sleep … One of those massive Missoni stripy pillar candles that are something like $500 … Some Stella McCartney boots … Those wide-legged pant-style jeans from Sass & Bide … A pale blue pashmina … An acupucture facial … A case of Veuve Clicquot

I have a pimple in my ear. Yes, I know, ick. And not something I’d usually want to share. But I figure, if I have this problem, some of you may too. And as always, I’m here to help. I’ve done a bit of asking around and it seems that it may well be caused by shampoo or conditioner, which can clog pores and lead to spots if not washed away thoroughly. So best to give ears a once-over with a washer after washing hair - this also has a light exfoliating effect, so pores will be even less likely to clog up. And, in the meantime, well, lucky for those cosy winter beanies.

For the last four Harry Potter releases, I have trudged into town to line up with hordes of screaming little witches and wizards, then proceeded to lock my front door, turn my phone off, and curl up on the couch with my book, not sleeping until the last page was read. This weekend, I unfortunately had too much work to do to devote a day to such indulgence. But I wasn’t as sad as I thought I’d be. Very possibly, I may have finally outgrown my Harry Potter stage. Or out-aged the target market. Or maybe spooky is just not what it used to be. Take black nail polish for instance. Not so subversive now that you see it on ladies who lunch as they reach for their goat’s cheese tartlets and hang onto porcelain cups of peppermint tea. And Hermione is all grown up and the face of Chanel. And white skin and black hair? More glam than goth now that Dita Von Teese has stuck her pasties onto the look. Even moles are newly chic, with research finding that people with moles live longer. Really, aren’t you glad you’re not a witch? Would be so annoying to have all your best looks taken by the muggles. There’s always the pointy hat though. A dead giveaway that you’re a witch.

There’s a century-old fragrance category known as fougère. It translates directly from the French as fern. But in fragrance-speak, it has come to mean a blend of mossy and herbaceous lavender notes. Most fougères in the past have been men’s fragrances but, like Carrie in her boy briefs or oversized man’s shirt, Sarah Jessica Parker has not only made man-style chic, but also given it a feminine twist.

On first spritz, there are the wet-green and lavender notes you’d expect to find in a fougère, but also delicious hints of lemon and chocolate - which touches on the popular gourmand trend in fragrance, and makes you think of mouth-watering Parisian macaroons. This all then melts down into a gorgeous feminine bouquet of magnolia and honeysuckle, and finally softens into a sensual lingering base of musk, vetiver (a strong green note also more commonly used in men’s fragrances), woods and amber.

Oh, and a nice little bonus: the crystal floral lid doubles as a chunky charm that looks great worn looped onto a gold chain.

Covet Sarah Jessica Parker, from $85, from department stores, The Perfume Connection, The Perfume Shop and selected pharmacies.

It’s the part of your face that shows signs of wear and tear the first - but also the part ignored by many traditional facials. Here, how to do some DIY TLC:

1 - Take off any makeup by placing a remover-soaked cotton pad over your eyes, and holding it there for several seconds to allow makeup to dissolve. Gently wipe away. If you wear waterproof or thickening mascara, use an oil-based formulation - and again, be gentle. The skin here is much thinner that elsewhere on your face, so needs a softly-softly approach. Check out the two removers - one for regular, one for long-lasting makeup - by L’Oréal Paris ($11.95 each, from pharmacies).

2 - Cleanse your whole face, paying particular care to around the eye area. Wipe or wash off. Take a little more cleanser and add a dollop of soft-beaded exfoliant - such as Trilogy Gentle Facial Exfoliant ($34.95, from Myer). Gently massage this mix under the eyes, out towards the temples. This will lightly slough away dead skin, which not only smooths out the surface, but allows treatments to more effectively absorb. Wash away. (more…)