On... things I like right now

REN Glycolactic peel

Makes me look like I have my own personal lighting director. The blurb says it's for 'congested, mature or sun damaged skin', of which mine is (d) none of the above, actually it's rather pale and dry. But this stuff is magic nonetheless.



Sebastian Penetraitt Repair Masque.

My hair is like the feeble wheelchair-bound cousin in The Secret Garden. It doesn’t do what it’s meant to do, no-one likes it much and it whinges all the time. I think that’s the right personality for that kid, isn’t it? Ah, can’t be bothered to check. Sometimes I like having the internet right THERE and not using it to find out things like that. This way, I can just make shit up. ANYWAY, this hair mask (sorry, 'masque', clearly the Sebastian people are feeling all French as well as feeling like spelling perfctly good words however the hell they want to) is like the Secret Garden: it transforms my hair into a running, shouting, jumping boy! Okay, this whole analogy isn’t working. Let’s move on.


Chanel No.19.

A present from my lovely parents for Christmas and utterly divine. Tania Sanchez describes it as ‘Haughty and immune to sweetness... this extraordinary perfume appeals to any woman who has wished to know what it is to be heartless. [It] keeps you in the boardroom, in three-inch stilettos and a pencil skirt.’ (That’s from Perfumes: The A-Z Guide, by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez, an inspiring, hilarious, poetic encyclopaedia of perfume, by the way.) I want to be heartless! I want a boardroom! I love this scent. It's sort of sharp and green and musky, makes me feel all elegant and 70s and high-waisted-trouser-suity-ambitious, and whenever I wear it, Fox whispers ‘you break that glass ceiling, girl’ as I walk past. Inspired by the divine sighsandwhispers, here are some Chanel No.19 ads from the 70s. Love the straplines.








And lastly, vodka with ice cubes and cucumber slices.

Sometimes I go through a whiskey phase, sometimes I like beer, red wine is good (but tres drying for the skin), I usually get along quite well with champagne. But I always, always love vodka. Try it neat or, if you’re feeling wussy, with soda, and a slice of cucumber. It works. Trust me.