Live Radio Interview with Ask Molly

Check out this recent radio interview on Spring Makeup and Mothers Day Gifts. Includes HD Brows, Estee Lauder, Susan Posnick, Elemis and much more.

 

http://www.phoenixfm.com/2013/02/28/great-new-feature-ask-molly-talking-beauty-spring-make-up-mother-days-gifts-hd-brows-revitalash-reviews/

Mothers Day Gifts

I don’t celebrate Pancake Day (invented by men surely) nor Goldfish Day (ok I made that up), but if there is one commercialised date I do celebrate its Mother’s Day as quite simply my mum is my rock. She pulls me up when I’m down, listens to me when I talk rubbish (regularly), gives the honest truth when I wear something awful (sometimes too honest) but most importantly she loves me unconditionally – or so I hope (I’ve not been in prison yet…)! It’s only since being a mum myself that I believe in Karma and I can see my mum grin as another grey hair appears on me. When my 4 year old grabbed my favourite expensive hair conditioner and decided to empty it over the floor, his school uniform and his mouth(he thought it was toothpaste), I was reminded of emptying her Chanel No 5 into a bowl with roses from her garden to make my own perfume – destined to be a Beauty Ed! My mum is my best friend, confidante and stern matron rolled into one and I love her to bits!  This year I decided she deserved the best and to spoil her, so with that I went on a search to see what I could find to make her feel special.

The New Pharmacy in Brentwood High Street is always my first choice (I know I’ve featured them before). They sell a huge array of perfect gifts and purchases can be wrapped individually or made into stunning cellophane gifts. I chose a mixture of Clarins which included a shower-gel, body lotion, fragrance spray as well as several travel sizes of products (and if available they will even throw in some free samples).  The uplifting fragrance will revitalise and uplift any worn out mum as well as making her smell amazing and the mini travel sizes of moisturisers, facial wash and night creams are perfect treats for holiday or gym bag.  They also stock makeup, jewellery and perfumes which can all be incorporated into your wrapped present!  

Every mum loves a bit of pampering – Ace Beauty in Shenfield offer some heavenly spa packages such as the Absolute Spa Ritual which includes an ice cool thermal massage to relieve stress followed by the ultimate anti-ageing facial. They also stock my favourite skin brand Elemis which smells divine – one gift any mum will love is the Duchess of the Spa Exotic Body care set. This includes a Tranquil Body Wash, Frangipani Monoi Shower Cream, Tranquil Touch Body Polish and my favourite product the Frangipani Monoi Body Oil which can be used on the hair, body and nails – all the products are full size and last months. To make your mum feel really special, run her a bath, give her a magazine, glass of wine and these products and she’ll be dreamily transported to a Moroccan hamman. Ace Beauty has put together a special Mother’s Day package for £50 which includes 3 visits. Visit a) is a taster 30 minute Elemis Facial, visit b) an Exotic Frangipani Body Wrap or Exotic Coconut and Milk Ritual Wrap and visit c) a 30 minute deep tissue back, neck and shoulder massage - for this amazing offer simply quote askmollybeauty when booking.

If you want to buy online then I’ve done the internet research for you and 100% recommend Ora Naturals Body scrub (RRP £36.90) which contains a blend of reviving Grapefruit, Red Mandarin and Lemongrass – this pampering treat is rich in Argan oil and leaves skin silky smooth – when I used it I left the bathroom door open and my whole house was blissfully scented with the uplifting essential oils.

Finally for a unique and fun gift Baboonballoon.co.uk delivers all over Essex their master creations, putting huge smiles on recipients’ faces - choose from a variety of flower bouquets, hearts to characters!

Stockists – New Pharmacy tel: 01277 216897 Ace Beauty Shenfield tel: 01277 201200 Ora products available at www.oranaturals.co.uk  

For features contact me at askmollybeauty@gmail.com or Twitter @askmollybeauty

 

Spring Makeup

Spring is my favourite season and whilst I’d like to say it has everything to do with the sun making an appearance, if truth be told it’s because I suffer slightly from OCD and the ecstasy of packing away my bulky, porch-clogging coats, not having to clean muddy paw prints off the wooden floor every two minutes and filling my toilets with linen scented diffusers just brings out the Mrs Bouquet in me. Everything looks brighter, cleaner and fresher and that well just thrills me! Of course added is the excitement of cosmetic companies launching their latest makeup ranges - out go the glitters and heavy colours of Christmas (they ruined my carpet and pillows) and in with sorbet, bright rainbow and shimmering metallic shades.

This year displays are over-spilling with a prism of colours from deep blues, sea greens, punchy pinks, juicy tangerines to the softest of toffee shades.  Lips should either pop with an upbeat red/orange/candy pink or be left subtle with just a hint of caramel and slick of balm - textures are cashmere smooth with not a gloopy gloss in sight. Eyes are smudged with shimmering neutrals or given an ethereal feel with a multitude of shades from bold blue to grass green whilst eyebrows should be kept thick, natural but groomed - heavy foundation is out of vogue and skin should breathe with the lightest of tints to look healthy, natural and glowing.

Emphasis is highly placed on your skin looking its best - to achieve this try Medik8 Vitamin C Serum (RRP £79) a super-antioxidant which feeds the skin with potent amounts of Vitamins C and E. This unique product contains C-Tetra a derivative of Vitamin C and is 4 times more potent than L-ascorbic acid (regular Vitamin C) and used regularly protects against dark spots, eliminates sun damage, brightens and gives luminosity whilst remaining gentle on the skin.  Also on the market is Natox (RRP£89.99) an alternative to Botox, this clinically proven moisturiser reduces frown lines and wrinkles within 3 weeks by restricting muscle movement  through delivering tiny electromagnetically charged particles that relax nerve endings, amazingly this cream is 100% organic, increases hydration and skin cell regeneration.

Department stores are filling their displays with the latest Chubby Sticks from Clinique (RRP £16.00), these innovative eye crayons glide on and blend to perfection - I’m loving Big Blue a light steely blue and Massive Midnight dark navy which gives a new update on smokey eyes avoiding the harshness of black.  Estee Lauder also jumps straight onto the catwalk trend with their adorable Paint Pots a gel colour which can be used as liner or shadow, try Extreme Emerald a shimmering turquoise or Bold Cobalt a deep luscious blue or introduce colour with their Sumptuous Extreme Mascara in Extreme Emerald, this may look scarily bright in the tube but once applied to lashes is surprisingly wearable and gives just a subtle hint of green - wear on its own or with the Paint Pots for a wow factor.  For the creamiest of nude pouts to rival Kim Kardashian, Susan Posnick lipstick (RRP 18.50) in Dubai is an effortless suit all colour for day or evening and doesn’t make teeth look yellow unlike some shades.

Nails are taking centre stage with the Barry M nail varnish collection (RRP£2.99) delectable, girly pinks to satisfy your inner Carrie Bradshaw or punchy, primary pop art colours on trend for spring/summer 13 – try out the sunshine yellow and cobalt blue, mix and match, be creative there’s no uniformed look. Eyes take on a slight sheen with their shimmering Dazzle Dusts (RRP£4.59) in Silver (19) or Light Pink (2) - wear on their own or layer shades for a tantalising effect.

Products featured available from leading department stores and larger chemist stores.

 Medik8 available at Venus Inspired, Chigwell 0208 5001605. Natox available www.natox.com. Susan Posnick available J1 Health 01371 832123

Pictured celebrity makeup artist Karleigh Marsh for bookings call 07858 399904 or follow on Twitter @makeupartistKM

If you have a business in Essex you would like featured email me at askmollybeauty@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter @askmollybeauty.

 

 

Light Lipo - The Invisible Spanx

Cellulite, orange peel, sponginess call it what you will I have it, I don’t like it and I have spent along with many other fellow sufferers wasting pounds and hours trying to find a miracle cure for it. I managed to get away until my late 30’s with just the odd dent but when my kids think its bubble wrap something needs to be done.

Of course there are several things you can do to help eliminate it such as using creams containing caffeine, dry body brushing, change of diet and exercise but as I’ve mentioned before I’m a busy mum of two and just don’t have the time to spend on myself. What I need is a quick fix and that’s when Lara Surtees Beauty Therapy at LA Fitness, Brentwood came to my rescue with the latest in body sculpting treatments – Lipo-Light.

Whilst diet and exercise can help with weight loss there is nothing that can spot reduce and this is where Lipo-Light comes in on its own. It doesn’t involve tubes of fat being drained from the body, but is a non-invasive treatment that holds 16 pads of lights which treat 2 areas at the same time – this is the very latest of technology as most machines only contain 8 pads. It’s clinically proven to stimulate the body’s natural response to burning fat by using laser and whilst this can sound alarming, rest assured it does not cause any unnatural reaction in the body.  Imagine a layer of tissue beneath the skin, the purpose of this tissue is to break down food, retain heat and burn fat however, it can also store fat and this in turn becomes thick, retains water and toxins which give that orange peel effect.  Why does this happen? Well it’s usually a result of bad circulation, water retention, lack of exercise and a diet high in sugar and starches. Lipo-Light works by applying the pads to the fatty areas to open the cells and literally melt fat into the blood stream, this is then channelled through the lymphatic system, the body then produces enzymes to turn the fat into free-fatty acids which are used as energy – hence a cardio session must be taken within 12 hours so your body can burn the fat from exactly where you wish - if cardio is not performed the fat will be reabsorbed back into the skin.

So with all this information to hand I took myself and my muffin top off to Lara in the hope she could sculpt my wobbly bits. During the consultation we agreed that whilst I have the odd dimple my main concerns were my love handles including my back fat. After being measured the pads were placed over these areas and also my inner thighs and left for half an hour. The pads were pleasantly warm like being enveloped in a hot water bottle, in fact I could have quite easily fallen asleep but Lara’s friendly nature made me want to chat and I learnt more about her passion for reflexology, massage and how she acquired the salon 10 years ago.  When I stood up it was obvious to see my stomach was taut, like I was wearing invisible Spanx and this was confirmed when the tape measure showed a loss of 5cm. The final part of the treatment was a half hour cardio session with Nathan Barnes who took into account my arthritic joints and gave me a personalised circuit of suitable exercises to raise my heart rate at a fat burning level.

Lara is currently offering a trial treatment for £37 and it’s a money back guarantee – no inch loss – no pay.  Whilst great for a one off occasion, for best long term results a course of 8 treatments are recommended over a 4 week period inclusive of a personal training session and nutritional advice. Askmollybeauty readers can get an amazing discounted price of £475 instead of £700! Simply call Lara on 07970 444575 (answerphone).         

If you have a business in Essex you would like featured please contact me via e-mail askmollybeauty@gmail.com or via twitter @askmollybeauty.

Easy Diet Tips learnt from the best

10 years ago I weighed 15 stone –  not through over eating but through hormone tablets due to a gynecological condition. Fast forward 10 years and I lost 4 stone, but not through diet clubs (believe me I tried them all from Atkins, Weightwatchers, Slimming World to hard core detoxes), but by picking up several tips from the best of personal trainers, trial and error and by reading. Here are my top tips to lose weight without really trying. Of course exercise helps but in fact whilst exercise is widely recognised to help in keeping trim, its in fact nutrition that counts for nearly 80% when it comes to losing weight. However, if you are going to exercise nothing beats walking, jogging or running – its free, a natural movement and something God intended us to do!

1. Sugar is the enemy, however to give it up completely is hard work. I suggest having 1 cheat day a week (usually Saturday), where you can eat chocolate etc –try to eat dark chocolate rather than cadburys… 
2. Holland & Barrett make Sunflower and Sesame biscuits sweetened with apple juice –  for a sweet treat eat these without the refined sugar. Alternatively the lowest fat biscuit is Rich Tea.
3. Get a raw cauliflower and blitz it in a processor until resembles finely grained rice then simply steam and use instead of rice!
4. Chuck every vegetable you can think of into a slow cooker with some pulses, veg stock and tinned tomatoes –  or simmer on a stove, add spices and eat this with the cauliflower rice, for a fat and virtually calorie free meal.
5. Boil cauliflower with swede and sweet potato then mash with a little mustard powder and milk for a yummy alternative to mash.
6. Use lettuce leaves as wraps, simply get a large leaf  add your filling and wrap for a delicious light bite.
7. An old weight watchers trick is to mash a meringue with strawberries (meringue is low in fat, but still has sugar so have this as a treat).
8. Peanut butter on apple slices sounds weird but is yum and satisfying.
9. Prawns in fact any seafood is a great snack to keep in the fridge.
10. Drink a glass of water every time you feel hungry, then wait to see if you still feel hungry, more often than not thirst is mistaken for hunger.
11. Always swap fried rice or pilau rice for boiled when ordering a takeaway – this simple step cuts the fat!
12. Having a kebab, that's fine, just make sure its a shish kebab with extra salad and lemon juice, healthy and yummy.
13. I always eat my veggies first on a plate then eat protein, carbs last, fill up on the good stuff first.
14. Having a pizza –  go thin crust with veggies on top – ask for reduced fat cheese.
15. Having an Indian, go for tikka or something dry, really want your tikka masalla –  then don't deny, just don't have every week.
16. Chinese, go for stir fried chicken, avoid the sweet and sour, batter dishes –  the batter will end up like fat on your thighs.
17. Soups are great for filling up on, cut the cream in them but be adventurous such as courgette, cauliflower and turmeric –  just add stock!
18. Fruit is still sugar but better than sweets, stick some grapes in the freezer for a sweet treat.
19. Go shopping after you've eaten, shopping on an empty stomach means you're more likely fill your trolley up with calorie-laden food.
20. Diet foods often contain more sugar than non-diet –  it maybe labeled low fat, but its the sugar count you need look out for!
21. Nuts maybe fattening, but stick to a small portion (I like brazil nuts for their selenium) to help hunger pangs.
22. Remember portion size, slice of cheese should be matchbox size, portion of carbs fit into your hand and protein the same. Vegetables are unlimited apart from root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes!
23. Don't diet to lose weight, do it to be healthy from the inside!

So there are some of my tips. I'm an average 12 and try stick to this about 70% of the time –  I'm not a doctor of health practitioner but as mentioned above have been lucky as a Beauty Editor to have access to some of the best advisers!