When I tweeted about Estee Lauder EE Cream there was a collective eye-roll, so I thought I’d tell you a little more about this alphabet stretcher. The alphabet is totally up for grabs on the back of BB creams (we’ve had CC, we’ve had DD – and I’m pretty sure there are other EE creams floating about somewhere) and mostly they bear no resemblence to the BB origins. However, Estee Lauder EE Cream – full name Even Effect (see what they did there?) Skintone Corrector SPF30 actually does have some strong connections to BB cream.

I did test this at launch – but there were only lab samples available so it was a quick dab on the back of my hand rather than on my face – and while it does contain colour, it’s super-light. Estee Lauder EE Cream is part of the new Enlighten Skintone Correcting Collection; three products that help to prevent hyperpigmentation. Used in combination, it forms a 3-step system for hyperpigmentation that, unusually, does its best work at night. Enlighten Dark Spot Correcting Night Serum and Enlighten Even Tone Correcting Creme are the sisters to EE Cream in the 3-step. I’ve got to admit that I’m pretty tempted by this, not least because the Night Serum has claims of significant improvement in two weeks. I think I’ll be putting it to the test.

So, back to EE – it’s got a good level of SPF at 30 and colour correcting pigments, as well as ingredients to counteract pollution (this is something, by the way, that all the major brands are focussing on), and while it does give a very natural look on the skin, it also definitely adds something in the way of glow.

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I went to afternoon tea with my Mum last week, very kindly organised by the ladies at Karen Millen after we had finished our mother-and-daughter styling session. We went to The Capital hotel in Knightsbridge, which is (literally) a stone’s throw from the side entrance to Harrods but somehow manages to be very peaceful and homely. There was a fire burning in the little lobby and the room for afternoon tea was snug and cosy with only enough room for a few tables. Which made a lovely change, because all of the teas I’ve been to in the past year or so have been in huge spaces, crammed full of tables and roaring with the sound of a hundred different conversations. Afternoon tea, it seems, has become big business. It’s always been popular, I suppose, but recently it seems to have had a bit of a revival.

What also made a lovely change was the fact that the people at The Capital hadn’t messed around too much with the types of cakes and sandwiches they served; I’ve had some weird old things offered up recently. Usually when the hotel has tried to “theme” their afternoon tea, shaping their cakes into shoes and magical caterpillars and things like that. One afternoon tea had a “cake” course that was entirely formed from chocolate and fondant icing! Bizarre.

At The Capital the sandwiches were traditional but beautifully executed. Salmon and cream cheese, mackerel pate, egg and cress – there’s a reason why some combinations have stood the test of time! Give me a classic over your “bread made from roasted cauliflower topped with sea foam and aubergine caviar” any day. Oh and the bacon and mushroom mini-quiche: I could have eaten a full version of that, no problem. You may know that I have a bit of a “thing” for a good quiche – this one was exemplary.

The cakes and sweets were perhaps a little more adventurous; things like dark chocolate orange trifle (delicious), bakewell tart (could have eaten four) and the best lemon drizzle cake I think I’ve had in many years. Tangy, sharp, absolutely saturated in lemon and syrup but somehow not too sickly at all.

Mum and I had Baby AMR in tow (Mr AMR has been down with flu – proper flu, it turns out, so I must apologise to him for my Man Flu quips last week) but the staff couldn’t have been more accommodating. I would say, though, that it’s such a cosy room that it seems wrong to barge in with a huge pushchair and all of the stuff that comes along with a baby – there were only two other people tea-ing when we were there, but had the room been full then the pushchair would have been a pain. Much nicer, I think, to enjoy a relaxing afternoon tea as adults and have proper conversation! Luckily the baby fell asleep after about half an hour so Mum and I were free to gorge ourselves stupid on scones and wash them down with the lovely herbal infusions we had ordered (Lemon Verbena for me, Jasmine for Mum). (*I’ve just noticed that the baby’s hair looks bright red in this photo! It isn’t, it’s blonde, but she does look quite cute as a redhead!)

I’d highly recommend The Capital as a pit-stop if you’re shopping in Knightsbridge – it feels very traditional and posh but it’s small and quiet and not overbearing, which is perfect if you’ve already had your senses bashed about in busy Harrods. Afternoon Tea costs £29.50 per person (£39.50 with champagne) – you can find more details here. On our way out, we saw that Nathan Outlaw has a restaurant in the hotel too – we absolutely loved his fish cafe in Port Isaac (see post here) so I think we’ll be back to eat there as soon as we can manage. I’m still digesting the scones.

The Capital Hotel

The post Sunday Tittle Tattle: Babies and Afternoon Tea appeared first on A Model Recommends.

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I’m clearing out my beauty room before house renovations begin (don’t even ask why I’m going ahead with building work when I’m having a baby in four-months-and-one-week’s time!) and I keep discovering very interesting little boxes filled with skincare for various budgets. The one that most grabbed my attention was the “affordable skin care” box; bits and pieces that I’ve been putting aside over the last four or five years that have really impressed me despite the prices being extremely reasonable.

Some of the products are actually more recent favourites; I love the Botanics Bi-Phase Eye Makeup Remover, for example, which costs just a couple of quid, and the Vichy Aqualia Serum which is so hydrating and lovely. Some are becoming staples in my normal routine, like the Olay Eye Swirl and the exfoliating acid pads from First Aid Beauty, and some were discovered years ago but are still brilliant – I love the rose cleanser from Superfacialist, for example, and the Lush Ultra Bland cleansing balm.

My basic routine, here, is cleanse (so important, don’t skip this!) followed by serum and then moisturiser. I don’t often use a toner (though more on that soon, because I could be convinced by the right ones) but I do use acid exfoliants a few times a week, just to keep cells turning over and fresh and my skin glowing and plump. You know I’m a massive fan of Alpha-H’s Liquid Gold, but see some slightly cheaper alternatives below. In actual fact, you use so little of the Liquid Gold that it could be a budget buy – it lasts an absolute age – but I knew that people would spot the price and flag it up!

My Routine is Cleanse + Serum + Moisturiser and/or SPF, or, a few times a week, Cleanse + Exfoliant. (Every two to three days, before bed. Whether I use a moisturiser or not depends on the exfoliant – many are just left to do their work, like Liquid Gold or the Olay Elixir below. Just read the label on whichever you have.)

Here we go with the products in my affordable skin care routine. I’m keeping the descriptions really brief, so remember that not everything will suit everybody, what suits my skin might not suit yours, blah blah, test before you buy if your skin is sensitive, don’t spread any of it on toast and eat it.

1. Cleansers

First to the apply, massage and then remove-with-a-cloth type cleansers; Lush’s UltraBland, £7.25, which I first started using over ten years ago (I think!) and is a great budget-friendly cleanser. Then the Hot Cloth Polish from ASDA, two for £8, and a nice “dupe” for Liz Earle’s Cleanse & Polish if you’re into that but want a cheaper option. Una Brennan’s Rose Cleanser is just so gorgeous and gentle – probably my pick of this bunch, and comes in at £7.99. You can get it at Boots here. For the oil lovers, I do rather like the Camomile one – £10 from The Body Shop; applied to dry skin it’s silky and easy to massage in, then rinses off very easily leaving no residue.

For those who prefer a “face wash” that just rinses off without need for a washcloth or flannel or Clarisonic or what have you; three nice ones here. Good for your morning splash, but if you’re removing loads of makeup and SPF then I would always go for something that you can massage in and remove with a “tool” of some sort, whether it be a cloth one or a brush one! Sam Farmer’s Face Wash (£8 at Space NK) is non-stripping and fine for all skin types, the daily cleanser from Yes to Tomatoes (£7.99 here) leaves skin feeling very fresh but comfortable, and the JASON C Effects wash (£10.29 here) is good for adding a bit of morning zing!

For micellar waters (or cleansing waters) and eye makeup removal, I think that the Botanics, as mentioned before, is exceptional. Just a few pounds (£1.99 at the moment here!) and does as good a job as the luxury brand versions. Garnier’s Micellar is a brilliant all-rounder and doesn’t sting the eyes – that’s £3.33 here – and Bioderma’s Hydrobio is great for skin that usually feels too dry and tight after using a water, that’s £10.20 here.

More cleanser reviews…

2. Serums

I always think that it’s worth spending a little more on a serum – read my serum post here – but I like the three I’ve picked because they are nice and hydrating and straightforward. The Vichy Aqualia is particularly lovely, and my pick of the three – that’s £16.15 here. The Aloe one is quite soothing and calming, that’s £12 here. I did find that the Superfacialist C+ had something of a brightening effect, but I think only because it made my skin generally plumper and livelier. That’s £15.99 at Boots here.

More serum reviews…

3. Moisturisers

Again, rather than anything too targeted I’ve gone for reasonably straightforward moisturisers. If you want to spend more then read the other reviews here on the site – there’s a link below. My picks with SPF are from No7 (from £12.50 here), because they always seem a good solid choice and I get on well with them, and the Avon ANEW SPF50 that I reviewed last year. Really rich and velvety, it was a total winner and it’s just £15 here.

Non-SPF, I do like the moisturisers from La Roche-Posay. Possibly not for you if you like your natural/organic skincare, but I have been disappointed with so much organic stuff at very low price-points that I’m sticking to well tried-and-tested options for this post! I like Toleriane Ultra (£14.85 here) for calming down angsty, sensitive skin and then the Hydraphase for long-term hydration. There’s a rich and a light version, £14 here.

More moisturiser reviews…

4. Exfoliants and Wrinkle Stuff

My exfoliant picks are also quite handy on the old wrinkles front – Olay’s Night Elixir is a glycolic acid gel that renews skin as you sleep and leaves it brighter and tighter by morning. I like it a lot, and it’s reduced to £19.99 at the moment here which is something of a boon! The First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads are great too, and work in the same way really – exfoliating the skin overnight. They are £20.50 here. (Another option, as mentioned, is Liquid Gold.) I haven’t been exfoliating so much since I got pregnant, but usually I do every two or three nights, after cleansing, and I don’t follow with anything else.

For extra-super-anti-wrinkle power, I have two retinol options; Redermic from La Roche-Posay (£25 here) and Vichy’s LiftActiv Advanced Filler (£26-ish here). I’ve had my chief guinea pig Rachael @AMR_Rach testing these and she had absolutely phenomenal results, seeing a proper decrease in both fine lines and those deep furrows that develop between your eyebrows. I must get around to doing a full report, but every time I ask Rach she’s on a new tube and applying away.. Apparently they are both brilliant, but the Vichy just about pips the Redermic to the post!

More exfoliant reviews…

5. Eye Creams

Bloody hell, it’s taking an absolute age to do this post! It’ll be March before I finish it! Eye creams. To be honest, I’ve only included the Boots one on the left because it’s so cheap – it’s quite basic, really. It’s not going to win any prizes for cutting-edge ingredients, but it’s gentle enough and provides a bit of hydration. You’d get the same from a light moisturiser, but if you like the process of applying a separate eye cream (as I do, it makes me feel as though I’m doing things properly) then this one won’t break the bank. It’s £1.74 at Boots. I know.

Olay’s Eye Swirl does have some nice ingredients worth writing home about, and you can read more on it here. I like it a lot, I did a sponsored trial a year ago, testing it pre-launch, and have continued use. (Rare for me to stick to an eye cream when I have so many to try!) It doesn’t look anything swish, but it pushes the right buttons for me in terms of texture and so on – at £19.99 it’s not in the “budget” category, but I think that it outperforms many much dearer creams, so it stays in the mix! Boots.com

I feel I need to do some more research in the eye category, there must be some excellent examples between the two price points..though the true budget option would be to simply use your facial skincare around the eye area too. Personally I think that a dedicated, well-formulated eye cream is a good thing, but when you dip down to the very low price points, you’re probably going to get the same effects by using your serum and/or moisturiser.

More eye cream reviews…

6. Facial Oils

Oils are another area (like serums) where you can spend an absolute bomb. Ingredient qualities vary a lot, but there are some very nice oils at reasonable price points. The Dr Organic Rose Otto oil is pleasant enough, nice texture, nice blend of ingredients; £12.99 from Holland & Barrett. I love Aromatherapy Associates, and the same luxury brand make a kind of diffusion line for Sainsbury’s called Aroma Actives. The Omega Rich Face Oil is very lovely and costs £14 – I can never see it in stock online, but it’s well worth checking for when you’re out shopping. Finally, a new one for me, Therapist’s Secret Facial Oil by Sanctuary Spa – this has a lovely slip and doesn’t leave skin so greasy that you can’t apply makeup. At time of writing it’s on offer here for £11.67.

7. Spot Treatments

Just two here, for the moment. Effaclar Duo+, which I’ve banged on about loads, and an exfoliating solution from Paula’s Choice. I like the Paula’s Choice for spots because it has a nice dose of salicylic acid so not only helps to keep the skin unclogged, also has something of a soothing action. If you have angry, pustule-y skin then it could be the way forward. They have a whole variety of salicylic stuff – BHA gels, this solution, on the spot treatments – have a browse on their website for more info. You can find Effaclar, which also contains a BHA exfoliant, for £13.50 here.

More spot and acne product reviews…

That’s enough for now, I’ve given myself backache and a headache from sitting in one position too long! I’ll try and get through the rest of the stuff in the budget box soon. Ooh – just realised I missed out the Weleda Almond Oil, which is pictured in the top photograph. My Mum gets her almond oil in big vats from the chemist’s, but can’t vouch for its provenance. The Weleda one is nice, just very simple and plain, great if you want something very natural but without essential oils – it’s about £15 but only a tenner on Amazon.

Right, that’s really the end now!

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