Winter Show

Since the end of my job in September, I have been wishing for a new, exciting one where I feel I can grow, give and learn something brilliant.

I've also been having a great time with my friends (a particularly memorable trip to Berlin) instead of hiding away, monging out to the computer monitor's lists of jobs allegedly available.

I've realised that it's really important not only to keep yourself occupied, but to keep yourself on show! If you literally put yourself out there, then people might go, "Yo, Skim...you're always about! Not complaining, but don't you have a job or something??" To which I respond, "I don't actually! Couldn't keep your ear to the ground for me by any chance? Looking to go to a creative agency, magazine, TV station... If you hear of something, let me know. I'm up for anything." This has got to get the ball rolling...

Unsurprisingly, I have also been immersing myself in the beauty world...my source of comfort and guiltless pleasure...

You know you've got your cleansing routine right when you automatically load your finger up with concealer, peer in the mirror to focus on the usual problem zones and ... have no target to hit! Er...there must be somewhere I need to put this? I can't waste it! Come on, look closer, there's always somewhere to put this magic eraser of a concealer... but I actually think "I don't need it today!! I DON'T BLOODY WELL NEED IT TODAY!!!!!!" And I cannot believe the even tone of my skin. In this spiky cold weather, it's usually constantly flakey around the nose tip and between the brows. It also tends to be dull. Not even rosy from the cold most of the time.

This is the time of year I browse all new products that contain the words 'Dull' 'Dry' 'Repair' 'Rescue' and so on. The way it looks at the moment is, normal. Normal! How fabulous to have normal skin at the moment. It definitely adds to the Bank of Confidence, by making you less distracted by anyone peering into the state of your skin.

Without further ado, I must now share the routine and the products I love.

CLEANSE & REMOVE

To clean make-up off the face and eyes, I favour a creamy cleanser that you remove using a steamy hot muslin cloth. There's a whole selection of them available and these are my favourites as they smell divine and take off my favourite Estée Lauder Double-Wear Eyeliner Pencil in Onyx.

1. pai Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser 100ml £25 - Smells out-of-this-world and it comes with a cloth. You can also get a Trial Size 5ml for £4. www.paiskincare.com

2. Barefoot botanicals Rosa Fina Creamy Face Wash 100ml £13.56 - It's got gorgeous rosa mosqueta oil, calendula, mallow and dead sea salts in it...it's the current fave. www.barefoot-botanicals.com

3. Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish 100ml pump starter kit £13 - Lily Allen introduced this to me at school over 10 years ago, and it really helped my highly sensitive spotty skin calm down. It's gone on to win many awards in the beauty industry. www.uk.lizearle.com

4. Eve Lom Cleanser 100ml £48 - Vogue say, "This is probably the best cleanser in the world." I have to say, it's a serious luxury product. A treatment that a modern day Cleopatra would start and finish her day with. www.evelom.com

TONE & EXFOLIATE

I never used to bother with a toner. The last time I dabbled with toner was when I was in my early teens with super-sensitive problem skin that I used to scrub to death, thinking that was how I was going to get rid of my spots. My grandmother took me to the Clinique counter and got me the 3-Step programme. I then bought the 7-Day Scrub Cream to go along with it as I was completely obsessed with trying to scrub out my lumpy skin. What I didn't think about was that the Clarifying Lotion was exfoliating my skin, so along with the scrub, I was ending up with a raw, tight complexion. Annoyed, I gave my 3-Step programme away to a grateful friend. Kept the scrub though! I was put off toner forever after that...until recently. I discovered that my facial skin is sensitive to grainy exfoliators so I stopped using them and my skin became less in need of repair. However I still had visible congestion in the T-Zone. Whilst travelling through an airport in the Summer, I picked up a bottle of Clinique Clarifying Lotion to test. It's a liquid exfoliator that gently refines the pores and skin surface. All beauty junkies know this product.

I'm exceedingly happy to report that the twice daily use of this has made all the difference to my skin's appearance. It's the only strong product I use on my skin, but it keeps my nose, chin and forehead so smooth and kissable that I can't rave about it enough!!! These days, the Clarifying Lotion comes in multiple strengths so no one skin type is left out.

Available Worldwide from £14

TREAT/NOURISH/PROTECT

I've always been a massive fan of Crème de La Mer when I'm feeling rich, or when I have an almighty "F**k It!" moment. Neither of which I've felt or had for a good long while. My "F**k It!" moments these days, stretch as far as a local Japanese dinner or a taxi down the length of Holloway Road if the bus has taken over 15 minutes of the Countdown's promised 7 minutes, and it's too freezing to bear any second longer.

Not being able to afford Crème De La Mer is quite exciting though, as it's an excuse to scour Space NK, Selfridges, Liberty and local Health & Wellbeing stores for something better and cheaper. I read recently that Anya Hindmarch was widely condemned when she was quoted as saying, "I quite like a recession, weirdly". What she meant was that it forces her to dig deep into her creative mind and produce things she didn't know she had in her. In this respect, I totally get it. It makes you go in a different direction and there's a high possibility of you finding something out that ends up being very beneficial indeed.

1. Shu Uemura Depsea Moisturizing Cream 50ml £39 - this is deeply nourishing and normalising. It's silky without being sticky (I hate sticky!), comforting and fresh. It comes with a spatula that allows you to measure out the correct amount without touching it. It lasts a long time too. Melts into skin and a great application base. www.spacenk.com

2. Barefoot botanicals Rosa Fina Secret Essence 15ml £21.56 - this shizz is the bollox. An award-winning wonder product that delivers what it promises. I massage 4 drops of this into my face and neck at night and wake up with better looking skin every day. I also add 1 or 2 drops to my moisturiser in the morning if I've been out late, or need the extra protection against harsh weather. It's a absolute dream and 100% natural. www.barefoot-botanicals.com

PERFECTORS & CORRECTORS

After boasting about my normal skin, I must explain that it doesn't mean that this is the end of the make-up road for me...ho no! This Winter, I cannot step out of the door without my sooty eye make-up, creamy skin, defined brows and balmed lips. By 'creamy', I mean glowy and opaque in texture of all tones. So here, I give you my Winter Favourites for creamy skin:

Make-Up Forever HD Foundation - for flawless, real-looking skin that photographs like perfection. I bought mine from Sephora in the states in April and haven't even gotten halfway through. You need a pea-sized amount, patted and blended from the middle of the face, outwards. Try to leave the top half of your forehead free of make-up for an effortless look. Blend above the brow. www.sephora.com

Chantecaille New Stick Foundation 8.5g £35 with SPF - for a real creamy glow, go one shade lighter than usual. After doing your eye make-up, dab around the eye area, top of cheekbones, around nose (blended up between brows) area and blend blend blend! but enjoy it too! You'll achieve creamy opaque-yet-natural, modelly looking skin. I'd forgo the blush and go for a rosy lip if you crave colour.

Becca Cosmetics Compact Concealer 3g £30 - this compact is made up of two different strengths of your chosen colour. There's the medium coverage on the left and the full coverage on the right. The full coverage is the one I love as it has the ability to cover opaquely and look like skin at the same time. It's great for those with skin-types that leave dark marks once spots have terminated. The collection has every skin colour under the sun. Visit the store in South West London or call for stockists. www.beccacosmetics.com

SOPHIE MUSKETT HAT

Sophia Schorr-Kon took these pictures of me modelling a Sophie Muskett Hat.

Sophie made the hat by recycling a piece of vintage fur and a vintage leather jacket and the result was pretty sauvage.

We did the shoot in the corridors of an old warehouse in Bethnal Green on a freezing afternoon, but really buzzed of each other...I think the results are pretty fucking cool.

sophiaschorr-kon.com

Girlfriends that Rock and Roll On Their Own

It's rare to find the girlfriends of musicians so alluring. So delicious and interesting that the wave of jealousy for what they seem to have, retracts rapidly.
The new cavernous space you've created, now the envy has almost gone, gets filled instantly with a hunger to see and know more about them. Their eyes watch you, knowingly, as their image on a bus chuggs past. 'I need to know more' says the voice inside your head. 'Why is she so moreish?' you wonder. 'Mark Ronson and Joséphine de la Baume'. Hmmm...what a wonderfully luxurious sounding name...
You're flicking through a magazine and find yourself looking at the familiar image of Sean Lennon, who looks to me, more like Yoko than his late father John. A cool beauty next to him, with her arm wrapped intimately around his neck. 'Kemp Muhl' says the writing underneath...It's all very intriguing.

Joséphine de la Baume is a French actress who has a boyfriend called Mark Ronson. She is not only beautiful, but she has quality in spades. Growing up in the St-Germain- des-Prés area of Paris, Joséphine’s parents had fairly sober jobs but surrounded themselves with artists and creatives who were a regular part of her upbringing. Unmistakably, those influences have shaped her career choice, but it also must have had some magnificent effect on her style. When asked by Dejourmagazine.com what she did before bed, she said "Drink water/ Make Love" and the same answer came after the question 'What's the first thing you do when you wake up?’ This image only adds to her enchantment and it's very poetic. Josephine has intentions of carving out a reputable career as a film actress and has already acted alongside Vincent Cassel. Not bad at all. Music is never far from a performance artists ego, and seeing as she's constantly around the mastery of her man, Mark Ronson, it's inevitable she too feels the urge to bring us her own songs. She's part of a band with her brother Alexandre, called SingTank and is off to LA to be produced by Nellee Hooper. So, she's talented. This much is evident. Josephine also has this wild, classic and romantic style. With her flirtatious mini fringe and striking long wheat-blonde hair, her Gallic bone structure, pouty lips and full breasts - she's a real fantasy. Her Rock-Boheme style is cute, sexy, timeless and approachable. She's not squeezing herself into the latest Hervé Leger with matching Birkin. No, this girl exudes an effortless 'Just made love, had a sip of water and got dressed in these really beautiful clothes'. How gorgeous is that?

Charlotte Kemp Muhl is American. I was really surprised to learn this when I did, because she looks so European. On closer inspection it all makes sense. She's twenty two, from Atlanta, Georgia and has been modelling since the age of thirteen. In fact she was the youngest model to grace the cover of Harper’s & Queen. This last part explains a lot. With pale skin, a full mouth and dark hair and eyes - she's a new exotic. I challenge anyone not to understand why Sean Lennon first fell for her. Remember my comment earlier about music and performers? Kemp is all over it. She's in a band with her love, called The Ghost of A Sabre Toothed Tiger. She can also play almost any instrument placed in her presence. Not bad for a twenty-two year old model from Georgia. Her style is extremely desirable and inspiring, thanks to the right measures of Southern Belle, Navajo Indian and bombshell 70's model. Her lips are always rosy and skin always uniform pale, clear and glowing. It allows her to get experimental with her style and carry off difficult choices like large brimmed hats worn with long fur coats. Kemp carries herself in a confident way that smoulders, 'I'm smokin' hot', but has a refreshing air of intelligence about her that clarifies how she holds her own amongst the rock Royalty she’s associated with. Pure class.

HOW TO GET RID OF MORNING CRUSTY EYE-MAKE-UP WHEN NOT AT YOUR OWN HOME

ILLUSTRATIONS BY SKIM

The Ultimate London Bag Esssentials

I found myself on the tube so many times last week and hated every minute of it. It was hot, sweaty, loud, smelly, jerky and totally unpleasant. Couldn't believe I PAID to use it. Each time I wished I had with me, something that would help it to be more pleasant.
Of course, it's not only the tube that sucks. Our Four-Seasons-in-One-Day weather keeps us permanently on sore toes. You wake up, it's a bit gloomy. You put on your jeans, jumper, grab your jacket, stuff a scarf into your bag and pop your umbrella loop over your wrist. You leg-it to the tube. Stuffed nose-to-armpit with someone (who clearly hasn't brushed their teeth) breathing down your neck as you attempt to untangle your earphones. You rush off like cattle through the tunnels on your way up to an exit when, suddenly, you're thrust into weather resembling Venice Beach circa 1969.

It's remarkably infuriating and a remarkably common and shit way to start the day.

Unfortunately it doesn't end there does it? You quickly buy a bottle of water that you know shouldn't have cost you £2, and plan to do a quick run to H&M in your lunch break, for a light and breezy dress-like item. Ooh! And you just saw a girl walk past with a really cute coral shade of lippy ... might as well grab that at the same time. Since it's going to be Summer for the afternoon...

...but it's London isn't it. So coming back from your lunch-break with new Summery items on and sweat-riddled stiff jeans and top stuffed carelessly into a carrier bag, everything seems at peace at last. It's five-to-five in the afternoon and someone goes 'It's looking a bit dark for Five isn't it?' and everyone's head spins round to witness a heavy dark and looming cloud. It's going to absolutely chuck it down. That you can be sure of.

That's London for you and here's my list of the ULTIMATE LONDON BAG ESSENTIALS where you may find something to help you through the frustration we all feel. 'Cos without all the crap - everything's pretty shweet!


YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY FANS!

The hand fan. What a magnificent invention. Much better than it's unneccesarily geeky 'Gadget Shop' counterpart. No batteries, folds into a sleek flat shape. Perfect for the bag. Grab them online at http://www.fantastica-uk.co.uk/. I really like the Sandalwood one which is sweet smelling and very compact. They do simple paper ones which come in a rainbow of colours and prices start at £2.45. Get two!

MINI SPRAY DEODORANT

Go to Boots or Superdrug and you'll find these essential little cans available in most brands. I love the Nivea ones. The reason I like a spray one for the bag is because you can spray your whole body with it and it totally helps with that sticky sweaty feel down your back!

FEMFRESH WIPES

I particularly like these in the individual sachets. Some ladies feel like this basically screams 'My (insert your favourite word for lady parts) is dutty!!!!' Which is a shame because they are such safe and brilliant items. After a sweaty day/morning/night, whatever, these really freshen you up without irritation and that's the point of them. I use them after Pilates because my studio doesn't have a shower facility and they really do bridge the gap between the workout and the shower.

'CLEAN' - PERFUMES

These are a collection of clean-smelling fragrances inspired by fresh laundry and the hand-milled innocent-smelling soaps you imagine a young pouty French teenager to smell like ... in a book perhaps by Françoise Sagan. My favourite is the 'Provence eau de parfum' spray. It's just divine and so .. well .. clean smelling! There's a wide range so check out which is right for you. Find the collection at http://www.hqhair.com/ .

TRANSLUCENT POWDER

A light dusting/patting of this magical powder just kills the over-shine dead in it's tracks. I'm all for a glowy face, but no-one wants to look like a buttered baking dish. Honestly, Urban Decay's 'De-Slick' is a no-colour powder that takes you back to natural and fresh looking. It's brilliant on all skin tones and comes with a mirror inside. You can get it on http://www.asos.com/ and it's £14.75 very well spent. Just don't lose it!

THE MULTI-USE HAND SALVE

Cath Kidston does this really brilliant salve that smells like clean laundry. It's for hardworking hands and comes in a great tin for around £6. I use it on hands, feet, legs if I'm desperate and I also run it through my hair to tame frizz and make it smell fresh. It's a gorgeous product that's made from natural ingredients (if you're bothered about that stuff at all). A fantastic 'Dirty Stop-Out' item!

THE UNIVERSAL DAY-TO-NIGHT EYESHADOW COMPACT

The Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Nude Eye Palette has everything you need, to go from innocent to drama. Silky and long-lasting nestled into a customisable 3-Pan Palette, the colours are classy and essential. £42 from http://www.bobbibrown.co.uk/

THE NO-BRAINER QUICK FULL-COVERAGE CONCEALER

Again, Bobbi Brown, I'm afraid. She just knows about creating a completely brilliant product. She seldom succumbs to faddy buzz ingredients and purely concentrates on what one really needs to work. The Touch-Up Stick is a slim concealer contained in a nice weighty applicator. Feels expensive and the contents are creamy, smooth, blendable and buildable. You'll adore using it and there's a shade for everyone. £17 from http://www.bobbibrown.co.uk/

THE POCKET RAIN MAC

Now, I'm not talking about the cellophane-wrap style ones that make you sweat like you c'yan sweat no mo or... no. I'm re-enlisting the kind that were on your school camp packing list. A light, airy rain mac that squashes into it's own pouch. They are particularly good to have in your bag on muggy days when you really can't be arsed with a jacket. The best thing about them is that they have hoods which overall, protect your hair far better than umbrella's do. Cath Kidston does a really charming one with London's landmark's decorating it, in a really nice old fashioned print. http://www.cathkidston.co.uk/ They're £25, check it out.

THE PORTABLE iPHONE RECHARGER

This gadget really is the Dog's Bollox! It provides enough back-up power for up to 5 hours of calls or 20 hours of music play. You recharge it on you computer and then keep it in your bag for when you really need it. Get it at http://www.iwoot.com/ for £19.99.

A CONCISE PERSONAL LIBRARY

The SONY Reader Pocket Edition is a really dreamy piece of kit. Its super light aluminium design, weighing in at just 220g, makes it an excellent travel item. It holds 350 ebooks and has a paper- like 5" E Ink® Vizplex™ screen for real reading even in sunlight (now why can't they make phones with that technology...). It comes in a magenta pink or silver aluminium and it costs £179.00.

CUTLER AND GROSS SUNGLASSES

Cutler and Gross sunglasses are classics. They don't flash into vogue one season and then become hideously clichéd the next. They're not emblazoned with logo's and faff and you can choose whatever coloured or graduated lense you want inside your preferred frame. There are so many to choose from and for something really special, nip into their vintage store. http://www.cutlerandgross.com/

AN ECO WATER BOTTLE

It's so easy, but such a waste of money to buy little 500ml's of bottle water when you're travelling around town. They range from pence to £3 or £4 in some areas and really everyone knows that London's home and office tap water is great for drinking. Swiss brand SIGG are the one to look out for. Their bottles are made from a single piece of impact extruded aluminium. They are lightweight and virtually unbreakable. They have this fantastic hygienically coated inside (BPA free) which helps to aleviate contamination of contents. How fabulous! The insides of these bottles are resistant to fruit acids and isotonic drinks and they are taste-neutral so fill it with whatever you like and no interferance. Much better than re-filling that cloudy plastic Evian bottle over and over again, right? Get one and look like you mean business with your water drinking! Orla Kiely and BRITA have teamed up to launch the nauseatingly titled 'Wottle. The World's first designer re-usable water bottle', blah, blah, blah... It's £7.99 and made from recycled plastic ... much less sexy if you ask me...

PAIN RELIEF

What's your poison? Mine is American brand Midol, which I get friends to bring me when they come to town. I like them because they contain caffeine, which gives me a boost of energy as I exit the headache. I can't recommend anything to you here, because to each their own. Whether you're all-natural or chemically satisfied, the choice is yours. Keep them in a cute pill box in your bag so they don't get crushed. Look for antique ones at car-boot sales. Very old-fashioned but eternally chic!


...and last but not least, a few little essentials with major impact...

Gum or strong mints.
Floss. Dental, not candy!
A travel toothbrush.
A fresh pair of pants zipped up in a small purse.

Now all that's left to do is to find the perfect bag.

Scent-Driven Exciting Products

Although non-scented products are considered better for sensitive skin types (and I am one of them) I must say that I really do prefer scented ones. The more nostagic the scent the better, but I am also a massive fan of an extremely feminine base topped with a msculine note as a modern twist. The bit that makes YOU feel unique when wearing it. The part that separates you from the past and projects you into your own presence. I often look for a new frangrance to accompany me on a new stage in life. I smell for the composition that most reflects this new chapter. Anyway enough of the deep and meaningful and onto these awesome new products...

Kiehl's Creme de Corps Light-weight Body Lotion with Spf 30

This classic moisturiser from Kiehl's now comes in light-weight with Spf 30. It contains jojoba butter and olive fruit oil and smells like soft whipped vanilla. It's light-weight formula is absolutely perfect for this muggy weather. It leaves your skin soft, supple, perfectly scented and protected! No sticky, heavy feeling with this one. It should be used daily over Spring/Summer months and perfect for a city holiday or break.

The Laundress x Le Labo Rose 31

Now this a genius product. It makes looking after your clothes effortless ... a joy even! The Laundress is the brainchild of Gwen Whiting and Lindsay Wieber Boyd. They are based in New York. Gwen was a Senior Designer of the Ralph Lauren Home Collection for five years. Lindsay was the Manager of U.S. Sales for CHANEL Ready-to-Wear. It made sense with their love of fabrics, to launch the perfect line of luxury detergents and fabric care.

They've teamed up with super chic frangrance brand Le Labo. The antidote to the mass-produced, naff, over-marketed perfumes you find in supermarkets and Airport terminals. Founders Edouard and Fabrice's concept is 'lovingly formulating each of it's 10 fragrances, on demand, right in front of you' at one of it's labs. It's originl one is in New York. There is one at London's Liberty store and also at Colette in Paris. Their most popular formula is Rose 31. A favourite of Helena Christenesen and other glamourpusses! It's also popular with men. It's a portion more masculine than feminine, but extremely sensual and heady. Intensely sexy, this one!

SO imagine a cap-full of this beautiful, biodegradable, non-toxic, allergen free detergent in with your delicates or favourite cotton t-shirts. Fantastic for travel or for washing your clothes before packing them to go on holiday. I can't reccommend it enough. Very very special product.

Catamenia with Class

MOXIE was first developed and first launched in Australia in 2006 by Mia Klistas and her business partners , Jeff Gore and Natalie Koenen who call themselves Millie & More.

With Moxie, they launched tampons, panty liners and pads in the most gorgeous crush-proof tins that look absolutely stunning in your bag, bathroom, dressing table ... In fact you could put them anywhere and they would be acceptable. It feels a bit silly putting 'acceptable' but tampons aren't very nice gathering dust, fluff, tabacco, old gum and pen ink in the bottom of your bag.

We've all had that moment where we are caught empty handed at that point in the month and have a good dig around the bottom of the handbag. 'There's one! Thank GAAAD! Oh ... actually ... (on closer inspection) can I really use that?? It's a bit ... daggy. And the... er... wrapper's a bit undone ... hmmm ... toss a coin?'

Yeah. Whatever you do do in the end I suppose depends on how desperate your situation is, but it is now possible to skip that with a little forward planning.

Of course, you can always keep them in a little zip-up bag (you may already do that), but the Moxie tins are really very classic looking. Not over-the-top sickly girly, but obviously very feminine. Also, the shape of them isn't a direct lead to what the contents might be, which is refreshing. They look great in the bathroom, dressing table, guest loo ...

They're really affordable too. Around £2 a set and you get two tins in a set. They make a really sweet gift for a very close friend ... guaranteed to make someone smile, especially when handed over with a nice bar of chocolate and a bumper pack of Neurofen Liqui-Gel caps!!!

When I was in my early teens, my friend Jazz came back to school, from the holidays, with ' Vinnie's Tampon Case'. She had been in L.A. staying with her grandfather and whipped this very American, 50's looking velcro case, with a very characature drawing of a slightly odd boy called Vinnie which pretty much shouted out 'I'VE GOT MY PERIOD! AND I USE TAMPONS!'. However, it made me smile and laugh and most of all, it made me want one. Desperately. I had Tampon Case Envy (which will, from here-on in, be referred to as TCE).


She drawled 'Yeaah, sorrrry, I got it in L.A.', when I asked where, on God's sweet Earth, could I buy one. DAMMNITTTT!

On closer inspection of 'Vinnie's Tampon Case', my TCE got worse. It came with 'Vinnie's Handy Period Chart'! I was drooling by this point, heart beating fast as my eyes took in this very fun and organised chart to fill in! I immediately fantasised about filling in the chart with my fluffy-ended biro that was an exact replica of the ones used in Clueless. 'Hmm ...' I remember thinking 'Maybe I'll get one in red to match the case.'


The Chart encourages you to 'Know Your Flow' and there's even a section where you can fill in the Period's of your pal's!! I remember thinking how exciting having my period was going to be once I got my mitts on the case and how I needed to be the only other person in school who owned one.

Another friend, Emma, came into the room, "Oh, is that Vinnie's Tampon Case? Ha ha ... How cool is that? I got one in America last year."

TCE. Period.

www.moxieproducts.co.uk/uk/ - Available at Superdrug

www.tamponcase.com/ - Available at Urban Outfitters