Wednesday 17 July 2013

Radio Beauty Chat 11th July - featuring Clinique, Bodhi Skincare, Alterna Hair Care and More

http://www.phoenixfm.com/2013/07/17/ask-molly-with-this-weeks-beauty-products/

Radio Beauty Chat 17th July - Laurens Way, Dermalogica, Lord & Berry and more

http://www.phoenixfm.com/2013/07/17/the-beauty-and-the-beast/

Latest Anti-aging Products

I rarely get time to look in the mirror and when I do it’s usually a quick glance to check I haven’t got seeds stuck in my teeth from the kid’s breakfast crusts.  However, having been housebound recently boredom has led me into a skin squeezing, line inspecting, stomach prodding enthusiast and so it was last week whilst  I stood in front of the mirror during inspection mode that I was taken by surprise.  Jumping out at me was a smattering of pure white hair and to make matters worse when I pointed it out to my mother rather than tell me it was my imagination she uttered those immortal words ‘darling you’re turning into your Nana’ (my dear Nana died when I was young, but I do remember her shocking white hair!). Then when my 9 year old hesitantly pointed out that maybe I’m too old for shorts and led me towards some cellulite covering maxi-dresses, I knew it was time to take some action. So hastily gathering every latest anti-ageing product on the market I set about testing to see if they perform miracles – if they don’t they land in the bin! Failing that I will be throwing away my mirrors and go back to my trusted Denial, a product guaranteed to work!

 

Nothing ages more than yellow, stained teeth and whilst professional tooth whitening is expensive there are some home remedies on the market.  I tested Billion Dollar Smile (www.billiondollarsmile.co.uk) Ultimate Teeth Whitening Kit £65.  Simple to use just fill the tooth mould with the gel provided, place into the an LED fixing and apply to the teeth for 15 minutes, cleanse with the whitening foam and repeat the procedure immediately and then 24 hours later.  For the following 15 days maintain your shade by brushing with the 2 treatment foams provided.  My teeth were already reasonably white but with some staining and they have definitely lifted a couple of shades, best of all there was no sensitivity and with someone like me who winces with ice cream this is a huge bonus.  The results weren’t dramatic on me but on someone who has more staining expect to see a definite improvement. 

 

Ooh La Lift from Benefit £17.50 (stockists Debenhams Nationwide) gives you that ‘fake 10 hours sleep’ with a light dab of this pink highlighter under the eyes – an instant brightener, it’s a must for someone burning the candle at both ends.  Brittle or sparse lashes will love MD Ultima Eyelash Conditioner £79.96 www.baronhb.com, the ingredients deliver fuller, thicker and longer lashes without giving any irritation.  I’m still in the throes of testing but used regularly for 2 months 95% of testers reported an overall improvement of an increased length last of 53%!

 

As we get older lips lose their plumpness and mouth lines become more prominent and to help combat the signs of ageing, using a lip balm with added UV protection is a must. Bodhi Cacao Cocoon Lip Treatment £15.00 www.bodhi.uk.com offers not only protection with Raspberry Seed Oil but also heals chapped and dehydrated lips with antioxidants Vitamin A, C and E.

 

SkinMedica (www.skinbrands.co.uk) produce products for every skin type and condition.  Their Skin Brightening Complex contains the equivalent of 4% hydroquinone, (an organic compound which whitens the skin only sold via prescription).  This product colour-fades age spots and hyper-pigmentation and whilst expensive at £95 a little goes a long way as can be used directly on darker patches or all over.  However, it contains added Retinol to speed up the process of whitening so you must wear an SPF20 or higher to reduce sensitivity. Skin Medica Sunscreen £33.50 is brilliant for the face and suitable for all skin types.  Non-oily, fragrance free this SPF 30 is all you need for complete sunscreen protection and unlike most high sunscreens it doesn’t leave a white residue just melts into the skin leaving a slight radiant glow whilst the added Green Tea Extract also protects from environmental damage.

 

Thalgo Intensive Smoothing Cellular Booster £49.50 (www.thalgo.com) targets collagen loss for those over age of 25 (this is the age we start to lose that youthful ‘plumpness’).  Native Marine Collagen stimulates production deep within the skin, thickening it and reducing long term skin damage.  Apply under your face cream, this booster is a great addition to your skincare regime and it instantly left me with a smooth, soft skin base.

 

Richard Ward is a renowned hairdresser famed for primping the stars and having his own luxury hair care line and I tested the Wheat Nutrient Masque £23 (available www.richardward.com). My hair has gone through the mills with ill health, bleach and heat, so this mask is essential in keeping it strong. The naturally derived wheat proteins protect against cuticle damage and prevent colour loss, whilst the added lecithin made it so smooth I could forgo my usual serum!

 

If you have a beauty/health/hair business or products you’d like featured please contact me email molly@askmollybeauty.com or follow me on Twitter @askmollybeauty.

 

 

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Radio 7th July - singing live...... voice of an Angel....

http://www.phoenixfm.com/2013/07/10/ask-molly-talks-beauty-and-sings/

Essex Prom featuring Lucy's Boutique and Lauren's Essex Angels

I can’t remember the exact date but around May 1988 I featured in the Brentwood Gazette with the headlines of ‘Molly Brings Prom to Essex’. I was photographed in my back garden donning a ball-gown and with my ‘Kylie’ perm I sat beaming whilst holding a poster which illustrated my idea of bringing the Prom from across the Pond.  One day I will find this photograph come rain or shine for proof that I did indeed introduce The Prom into Essex!  It was this along with my love of playing Fairy Godmother that I decided to hold an Essex Prom Competition, whereby one lucky winner and her friend would get an ultimate princess makeover if they could tell me in no more than 30 words why they deserved to win. Many entries were sent in but the one that stood out for me was a simplistic poem written by Tia MacCrae, age 16 from Chelmsford.

 

Hair and makeup’s such a mess

And we still haven’t got our dress!

Molly please help to get it right

Making us princess’s for the night!

 

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo played in my left ear and with all the magic I could muster I set about finding the right people to make their dreams come true.

 

Living in Brentwood I knew there was only one shop which would have dresses fit enough for a princess and trotted off to Lucy’s Boutique in Ongar Road (Tel: 01277 231277), whereby Lucy Mecklenburgh and Tracey Collins the owners generously offered the girls hire of dresses up to the value of £270 each.  Tia had chosen Katie Tilley (also 16) as her lucky friend and the girls had a wonderful afternoon playing dress up trying on many different styles.  It was a hard choice as there were so many beautiful creations to choose from but they finally settled on 2 amazing full length, crystal etched gowns.

 

For their hair and makeup I contacted Lauren’s Essex Angels (www.laurensway.com) who visit any house, venue or even the office within a 20 mile radius from Buckhurst Hill. Lauren Goodger (ex TOWIE and Dancing on Ice contestant) kindly offered her personal Angels Olivia and Roxie to transform the girls into stars for the night.  Hair was transformed by Roxie using Lauren’s Dream Rollers and tongs which left both girls with swishy, bouncing manes, whilst Olivia who has a degree in makeup from the London College of Fashion applied a stunning application of makeup and lashes - the results were fit for Hollywood royalty and transformed the already pretty girls to simply stunning.  As photographs were taken Tia’s mum stood looking on with pride and tears in her eyes and I have to admit I shed a couple too.  The girls were travelling by party bus to Colchester Stadium with fellow prom-goers from their school The Boswells in Chelmsford, and from reading their Twitter posts it sounds like they had an amazing time – a late night stop off at MacDonalds usually does signify a successful evening (I saw the photos girls!)

 

Finally thank you to Lucy’s Boutique and Laurens Angels for their help and also my mother for ferrying me around as I’m still not allowed to drive!

 

If you have a business or any products you would like featured please email me molly@askmollybeauty.com or follow me on Twitter @askmollybeauty.