Savoring Simple Everyday Pleasures
Signature scent. This doesn't have to be the same scent for ever and ever, but to hone it down to a select few- 4 tops, is to create an identity with that special YOU scent. I like to wear heavier fragrances in fall and winter, then something lighter - perhaps citrusy in the warmer months. My go to brand is Chanel, I find their scents last on me and are a good match for my skins chemistry. My family would say “My Scent” is Coco Chanel, which I have worn for decades. I became rather a perfume –a -holic in my 20s so around the time of our wedding I asked my husband to pick the scent he thought was most me, and if he got a waft at any point - from me or out and about- he’d automatically think of me. Coco was it and still is. I do enjoy its variants too and have recently re discovered Mademoiselle Coco, which I find is a soft, warm fragrance with vanilla notes, and just enough vetiver so as not to be sickly sweet. I love to spritz Chanel No5 or No19 in the summer- both light and fresh yet long lasting. Coco Noir is a heady sensual fragrance for evening wear I occasionally enjoy along with Allure which again I rediscovered having worn it in my 20’s and 30’s- and I love Chanel Gabrielle- but sadly that along with Chanel Cristalle just don't have the staying power on my skin. I have experimented and enjoyed many other brands over the years but the only ones I have found other than Chanel that tick the boxes are Paloma Picasso, Tom Ford and Christian Dior- Dolce Vita.
I have a new discovery I'm looking forward to adding to my repertoire- new to me, the fragrance was created back in the 1920’s amazingly and its truly intoxicating. Upper Ten, by Lubin. Whatever it is , you’ll find your scent by experimenting, testing and going back to fragrances that speak to you- there are SOOO many on the market now and many small boutique perfumeries creating magic with top quality and environmentally sensitive ingredients. One of my absolute happy places are the old fashioned perfume and beauty halls in big independently owned department stores- I feel myself relax the moment I'm over the front entrance, gliding as opposed to walking and I am instantly elevated when surrounded by sparking glass cabinets, glistening bottles and clouds of lovely smells! Have fun discovering!
A quality bronzer- for year round glow. I have several recommendations, and I tend to change mine up seasonally. I alternate between a cream bronzer and a compact powder bronze. My absolute go to is a mat bronze by Too Faced, its buildable paired with a lovely full bronzing brush - apply in a 3 and an E to hit temples, just under the cheek bone and at the jaw line. I have recently switched to Chanels Soleil tan bronze which I have taken to applying with my daughter's beauty blender. I've leaned lately towards cream based products in general over the last few months as I found my skin crying out for moisture. Even moving to cream eye colors and blush.There are lots of other quality brands of varying shades and sunkissedness, just find one that you feel suits your skin tone- perhaps a little darker for summer months but its nice to apply a little year round to feel a little uplifted healthy glow without the UV.
Soap. Unglamorous and old fashioned some may think but I genuinely love a good, quality cake of soap. Roger and Gallet, Savon de Marseille, Pears and Imperial Leather. All these brands- mostly very old - in fact they've all been around for many many years- Imperial Leather began manufacturing in 1921, Pears since 1807, Roger & Gallet back in 1879 and the absolute classic cube of Savon De Marseille for over 600 years!! All these soaps have a history and fragrance which evokes unique and personal memories for me- Pears and Imperial Leather have strong connections with my beloved Grandparents, and the quintessentially French varietals take me back to summers in the south of France and Easters in Paris. While some of these brands possibly don't sit as well as they could from an environmental standpoint these days, its still worth considering the lack of plastics and packaging in a traditional bar of soap- often wrapped in paper even- by comparison to the plastic bottles that adorn many of our showers and bathtubs. Savon De Marseille has been made the same way for hundreds of years, with no synthetic colourings or scents and no additives. It has a unique clean smell reminiscent of olive groves and is possibly a little masculine - certainly nothing floral. It's rarely purchased in any packaging at all, and those big iconic cubes last several months. I keep one in the shower and one in a pretty glass footed bowl by the bath, and its even gentle enough that I frequently use it to cleanse my face too. Soap is one of those products often found at Farmers markets and health stores produced by local artisans or farms, and I always make sure to pick up a cake or two when I’m fortunate enough to be perusing market stalls with my French shopping basket and to chat to the vendor about their unique products.
Oil. Body and face oil more specifically. A product that perhaps can be somewhat polarizing as many don't enjoy the sensation of oil directly on our skin. There are several brands on the market these days who have successfully perfected the “dry oil” - where all the benefits and nourishment are delivered to the epidermis while skin is still left feeling dry to the touch. I find the scent of many of these oils wonderfully intoxicating and cannot help but savour the luxurious moment as I apply to my face and/or body straight after a hot bath or shower. I love to use body oils mostly in the summer months, but face oil I use year round and can hear my skin sighing with blessed relief when I apply it by patting it in once or twice a week before bed. The two brands I use most are Clarins, Blue Orchind Treatment Oil and NUXE Huile Prodigieuse- both french Bien Sur! And again, these generally are packaged in glass bottles- recyclable, and also tend to last longer than a typical body lotion or moisturizer that's slathered on from its plastic tub or pump bottle.
Green Juice. Continuing with my Beauty Series with beauty from within: In the past, I would have instantly thought yuck. It actually took me several years to acquire a tentative taste for any green juice, and then to develop combinations I genuinely really love. (I made myself like olives too- forcing myself over a couple of decades to keep trying them until now I honestly do find them delicious!) Beauty from the inside out is most certainly not an empty saying. Its all very well having beautifully applied maquillage, lustrous locks and smelling devine, but without a good base layer, its only papering over the cracks. Sleep and nutrition are massively important foundations to health, wellbeing, longevity- and yes, beauty. For clear skin, a radiant complexion, healthy teeth and bones and good energy levels- how we re charge and how we fuel and move our bodies is paramount. Hydration is key and I am a lover of high quality electrolytes and good old H20, as well as being conscious and mindful of what's on the end of my fork. For a nutrient power boost that you feel zinging though you instantly, several times a week I make a zesty green juice. Sometimes as an afternoon pick-me-up, sometimes as part of a balanced light lunch.
My Go To recipe for green juice is as follows (All ingredients washed and fresh and all eyeballed quantities, winging it depending on the vessel you wish to drink out of but I pretty much fill my vitamix up!)
Iced water - 2 cups
Spinach/ Kale or mixture - 2 cups
Juice of one lemon- plus zest if you wish
1 Grannie smith apple- cut into quarters with core removed- skin on
1 generous thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, skin roughly removed.
Pinch pepper or cayenne pepper if you're feeling hot.
Blitz thoroughly until you have a bright vibrant foamy elixir, drink immediately before it settles though a metal straw. WOW 😀
Sleep. Quality, restorative sleep. And yes I know, We can go through phases- sometimes extended if you are as unlucky as my dear husband, of poor sleep, disturbed sleep or just not enough. Babies, travel, hormones, worry and anxiety, poor diet and eating habits, a gazillion things can contribute to a poor nights sleep. And don't you ALWAYS feel so much hungrier after a night of rough sleep or not adequate hours? Double whammy. Some of these factors are beyond our control, but we can put in place good habits, rituals and tools to give us the best chance. My magic number is 8 hours. Do I get that 7 nights a week? Nope. But I do try, and I do put in place systems and practices to make the most of the hours I do get.
A good nighttime routine- try not to eat too late, no screens at least 40 minutes before bed, reading, having a ritual and bedtime that provides cues and signals to your body and brain that its time to wind down for the day. Getting organized for the following day (outfit ready, lunches packed, lists made, Breakfast easily accessible, a tidy kitchen) before taking a hot bath or shower, sipping a peppermint tea, some light stretching, dim lighting, reading, and endeavoring to slip into bed at a time that allows you to bank the sleep you need for the most part. For me this is 9pm as I rise at 5am. But usually it's closer to 10 before I nod off. Unrestrictive and comfortable sleepwear- that you feel lovely in, no baggy bad tee shirts here thank you very much. I prefer a simple slip in summer and a night shirt in winter- not a Pyjama girl. Supportive, high quality pillows. We are all very particular about our pillow - I've been known to take my perfect feather pillow on overseas holidays even! And High quality, fresh and clean bed linens made of natural fibers to allow your skin to breath and for the ultimate comfortable nights sleep. I vary between 100% Egyptian cotton with a high thread count, and our gorgeous Belgian linen sheets- I feel like a princess, especially when they are freshly off the line that day. Bliss. Set yourself up with the best tools and equipment- that fit within-your budget to have the best chance of obtaining the slumber you need to wake up refreshed and revitalized ready for a brand new day. High quality bed linens will last years and are investment pieces- you don't need to purchase several sets all at once, build your repertoire over time, and enjoy the luxurious process.
Exercise, get out doors.
This last item on the list may seem unrelated to beauty, but much as with sleep, fresh air and moving your body is essential to good health and vitality. Getting outside each and every day- regardless of the weather (Case in point today as I squelched home after a huge downpour while still a considerable distance from home) . I have always loved hiking, taking walks, and generally getting outdoors when possible. Even in my teens, I was a member of the school rambling club, where we’d spend weekends hiking through the mountains and valleys of Wales, parts of Exmoor and Dartmoor and the Brecon beacons. During the first lockdown here, my daily schedule shifted considerably- and inevitably, as most of us experienced. So after rising super early each day to accomplish my work, and then be around to be home school mum and head cook and bottle washer, I began religiously taking long afternoon walks- to the extent I literally wore out a good 2 pairs of sneakers over the 3 month lockdown. While in many ways life has resumed much of its normality, my afternoon walking tradition hasn't wavered even slightly. In fact I feel out of sorts and rather cheated if I cant manage an hour outside before evening duties commence- dinner, transporting children, folding laundry etc. Sometimes just my footsteps and the birdsong or the patter of rain keep me company, sometimes my eldest daughter joins me, sometimes a friend - with or without a welcomed Pup, sometimes a podcast, but each and every day. Vitamin D and Movement- exercise, all contribute to a feeling of wellbeing, lowered cortisol (Stress) general fitness, and a glow of freshness and elevated mood. It lifts me, lifts my mood, gives me thinking space, room to develop ideas and ponder new thoughts and makes me genuinely happy and contented. There is little more beautiful on any of us than a genuine smile.
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