You know I like to work a day’s theme back to beauty. So I was thinking about pumpkins. As you do. Which made me remember a brand that I and my inner organic-loving hippie are becoming increasingly interested in: Ilsci.

It’s a herbal-remedies-based range from Hungary that completely knocks on the head the notion that natural can’t be active. For over 50 years, Mrs ‘Ilsci’ Molnar has been cooking up potent skincare recipes rich in natural cosmeceutical-strength ingredients - AHAs, antioxidants, vitamins A, C and E. Some of the intriguing mixes include Rose Petal Cleansing Milk, Sour Cherry Whip Moisturiser and the Seven Herb Mask. And the one for today: the Pumpkin & Orange Cream Gel, a super-hydrating and -nourishing number. For more information and Ilsci salon details, check out True Solutions. Definitely worth a look-see if you’re up for some serious skincare without a side-serve of chemicals. (more…)

Hands can tell the passage of time more accurately than the face. Several reasons: the skin here is very thin; hands are extremely exposed to the elements; and, we tend to neglect them. Not anymore though! Here, the top tricks and TLC tips:

Pamper: Keep a hand cream in your handbag, on your desk and on your bedside table, and slather on regularly. For a serious deep-treat, mix olive oil into your hand cream in the evening, pull on some cotton gloves, and leave overnight. It’s also a great idea to stash a hand cream by the sink. Washing hands is very dehydrating on skin, so try to get into the habit of replenishing with moisture straight after washing. Make sure also to always wear gloves when doing the dishes.

Smooth: Massage your facial exfoliant into the backs of hands once a week. This will clear away dead skin cells and surface discolouration, as well as allow hand creams to absorb more effectively. (more…)

I’ve been confused about this one too! I remember when it seemed like every company was bringing out all sorts of colours of concealer. It was based on the colour-wheel theory - that being, if you really want to strike out discolouration (whether redness, sallowness, darkness under the eyes), you need to use the opposing hue.

Having always had issues with either spots or flushed cheeks or rosacea, I fell in love with the idea straight away and went on and on about how genius these green concealers were. Until one day, I had a good look at my skin in a mirror in the outside light. While I couldn’t see any redness, what I could see were faint green splodges all over my face. (more…)

A super-simple way to give your hair more volume at the crown: create your part after blow-drying rather than parting hair beforehand.