Clare Coulson picks out the highlights from this year’s Chelsea Flower Show:
The Power of Black – Andy Sturgeon’s Best in Show garden illustrates how impactful black can be – it showcases any plant beautifully even if there is almost no other colour in this lush and largely green garden:
Get rid of pavers – there are lots of rough hoggin paths at this year’s show – which feels much more naturalistic and in keeping with the wild feeling:
Invest in unusual irises. There are plenty to choose from on the incredible Cayeux stand but this shorter iris ‘Gingerbread Man’ on the D’Arcy & Everest stand also stopped us in our tracks:
Let the Wild Flowers grow – Chelsea is awash with gorgeous wild flowers but nowhere more so than florist Tattie Rose’s lovely installation for the RHS. Here pink campions play a starring role:
Show your metal – both the show gardens and the artisan spaces feature lots of metal details this year from rusted edges and retaining walls to this silo viewing tower on Sarah Eberle’s gorgeous Resilience garden:
Beautify your accessories – the back of gardens aren’t normally seen by the public but they are still inspiring spaces. This is the housekeeping zone on Michelle Brown’s Miles Stone garden:
This is also the back of a stand – this time of the Japanese gold metal winning Kazuyuki Ishihara whose Green Switch garden is all about creating a calm and contemplative space in the city:
Fill a shell with plants – how pretty is this conch filled with succulents in the floral marquee? The arrangement includes Aeonium, Ceropegia, Cotyledon, Echeveria and Senecio:
Plant a curvy tree – this year’s show has so many extraordinarily beautiful trees but this statuesque Pinus nigra on Chris Beardshaw’s garden arguably stole the show:
Colour Clash – there are so many sublime planting combinations at Chelsea but this little vignette on the Todds Botanics stand caught our eye. Simple but breath-takingly beautiful:
Is it us or are we suddenly seeing a lot of stylish people wearing blue cotton shirts? Maybe it’s the line of boyfriend shirts recently launched by ex-Vogue stylist Pip Durrell, With Nothing Underneath, made with 100% poplin cotton inspired by Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and Charlotte Rampling. Maybe it’s the fact that they’re timeless, thereby offering a sustainable wardrobe essential withstanding seasonal trends (making the cut and quality of the cotton important). But suddenly they look so right. Here are favourite picks.
Half term is here and if you’re wondering what to do with small children, might we suggest the wonderful Luna Cinema? They launched their kids offering last summer – and we’re big fans. Find their London screenings at Dulwich Park and Hampton Court Palace at child-friendly times, 10am, 1pm and 4pm. This year the showreel includes Mary Poppins Returns, Up!, Dumbo, The Jungle Book and The Gruffalo/Highway Rat. Book now.
Anna Jones has been a trailblazer in celebrating modern vegetarianism with mouth-watering recipes that pack more punch and nutrition than any meat and two veg. Her sumptuously designed and beautifully written recipe books were my go-to reference point when I went vegan earlier this year. If you are tempted to change your diet to be more veggie-based, be it in response to climate change or cholesterol, you’ll soon be thumbing down the pages of her books and trying recipes from her weekly Guardian column.
Which bit of your job do you like the best?
I love the whole process really it depends on the day you ask me which bit I prefer, some days I feel totally inspired eat come up with ideas and others I feel more insular and it’s a good day to sit down and write. I do think at different times of the month (in my cycle) I am better at different things so I try and make sure that I work to my strengths on that day as much as possible. It doesn’t always work that way.
Matt Russell
What prompted you to be vegetarian?
After a few years as a chef and then working as a food writer and stylist I became a little jaded with food as I was cooking, tasting and generally surrounding myself with it. I know it sounds a bit of a spoilt thing to say and I know how lucky I am to be in the position that I have food on the table but I realised my body wasn’t feeling the way I knew it could. As an experiment I decided to move to a vegetable centred way of eating for 6 weeks, giving up meat, fish and all but a little dairy. That was 10 years ago and I haven’t looked back. Whether or not you are vegetarian I think most people want to eat more simple, seasonal, vegetable-led I think we are all beginning to realize that eating lots of meat may not be the best for our bodies or the planet. It’s happening slowly but surely.
What about dairy?
I am reducing the dairy and eggs I eat as well. I only eat dairy or eggs if it is organic and comes from a reliable source. That includes things made with diary like biscuits and cakes.
Where’s home and what do you love about it?
I live in Hackney, East London with my husband and son. Hackney is such an amazing place to live, with a huge variety of cuisines on offer around every corner.
We live in a Victorian semi-detached house with clean white, simple interiors, and have a mixture of mid-century furniture and simple antiques that I’ve picked up on my prop-sourcing trips to Ardingly. The kitchen centres around a huge wooden dining table – I think it’s an old door – that I’ve managed to sit 14 people around.
Anna’s kitchen. Image: Matt Russell
You started out working with Jamie Oliver. What’s your favourite memory of working with him?
There are so many good memories, I worked for him for seven jam-packed years and I travelled the world helping him with his cooking shows, recipe writing. There was one particular shoot on an native American reserveration in Arizona that I will always remember. We slept, cooked and ate with a family who lived in one of the most remote parts of the reservation, the landscape was epic, they made the best tortillas and tamales I have ever tasted and I had to pinch myself. Those shoots are always crazy, such long days and seriously hard work trying to set up a mobile kitchen at every stop – everyone goes a bit mad, so there are lots of laughs.
Where do you find your inspiration for new recipes?
Writing and devising recipes is something I have been doing for the last 10 years for my own cookbooks and for other famous chefs so it’s part of my make-up now. I find inspiration everywhere I go, be it in an amazing restaurant. Just last night I had a meal which in three courses gave me ideas for five or six recipes. I think more than anything though I am inspired by food itself, by the amazingness of the sherbety spritz you get when you zest a lemon or the first strawberries of the year showing up in the garden.
Matt Russell
What’s the next big food trend? Surely avocado on toast has had its day…?
Avocado toast has certainly had its day; avocados are mostly flown in so I eat them these days only once in a while and stick to British or at least European fruit and veg. I think as we’re becoming increasingly conscious of our effect on the planet sustainability in the kitchen is going to be the new thing. From the produce we buy to the energy we use in cooking. I often find myself thinking, what else can I put in the oven whilst that tray of roast potatoes cooks or that sourdough is baking?
What’s your favourite date restaurant in London?
Spring Restaurant in London is doing some of the best and most original simple British cooking at the moment – they are always generous to vegetarians and their dining room is both calm and so beautiful.
What’s the key ingredient to a successful picnic (apart from the weather)?
Picnic food is tricky. You have to choose food that improves as it sits – nothing that needs to be super-cold, and save the ice for the drinks. My picnics are almost always a happy pairing of some good shopping (good bread for tearing, some cheese, a nice jar of chutney, fruit or 99s from the ice cream van for pudding) and a couple of homemade things that improve with travel and are easily shared like my greens and feta pie.
What book is by your bedside?
There’s always a whole stack as I never manage to read as much as I’d like to with a toddler in tow. At the moment in the stack are an old favourite Tamar Adler’s The Everlasting Meal, Period Power by Maisie Hill, The book you Wish your Parents had Read by Philippa Perry and The Mother of All Jobs by Christine Armstrong.
Favourite flavour of ice cream?
Stracciatella or Mint choc chip: dead heat.
What’s your favourite spice?
I find ‘favourite’ questions so difficult but coriander seeds are probably my most-used spice. The flavour goes so beautifully with lemon, which is another essential in my kitchen – I use it to season hummus and occasionally even to flavour vodka. I keep my coriander in seed form as it retains its flavour better whole. When adding the seeds to a recipe, I always toast them to bring out more of the flavour, before grinding them in a pestle and mortar.
Matt Russell
Where would you like to go for an early summer break?
Anglesey, the knock-out Welsh island where my husband John is from is one of our favourite places for a break. Endless beaches, plenty of surf and incredible views around every corner and its still a bit of a secret so the beaches are quiet.
Best life advice?
I think these days we can take life too seriously and forget that we are a little pin prick in the expanse of time and space – kind of a scary thought but it always manages to help me put things in perspective. I imagine myself in the enormity of our world and then our solar system and it seems to do the trick. Also to ask for help. I’ve not been good at that for much of my life but becoming a Mum has made me rethink being able to.
Favourite place to shop in London?
I live just off Chatsworth Road and I love to support my local shops @londonboroughofjam @botanyshope5 @eat17stores @triangle_store_hackney
We love your Instagram @we_are_food and have learnt so much from it. Who are the people you like to follow on social media?
I am a huge Instagram fan and I find endless inspiration for recipes and interiors – interiors are my new obsession as we are just doing up our house.
My perfect week would be on the beach in Cornwall with my boys. I’d eat nice food and play on the beaches, surf and swim. We’d do lots of beach cooking and have picnics. I’d have no phone and emails and just be with my family and friends.
Anna Jones is the author of four books: A Modern Way to Eat, A Modern Way to Cook, The Modern Cook’s Year and her latest The Modern Cook’s Year: More than 250 vibrant vegetarian recipes to see you through the seasons was published on 26 March 2019.
A wonderful speaker and acclaimed author, Siri Hustvedt (of the international bestseller What I Loved) will be at St James’s Church, Piccadilly this May in conversation with Erica Wagner discussing her hotly anticipated new novel Memories of the Future. A look back on the writer as a young woman in 1970’s New York, themes include the fallibility of memory; gender mutability; the violence of patriarchy; the vagaries of perception; the ambiguous borders between sensation and thought, sanity and madness; and our dependence on primal drives such as sex, love, hunger, and rage. Sure to be a vibrant and stimulating evening – book tickets now.
There has been a lot of articles lately about chemicals in sun cream seeping into the bloodstream. Here are the sun protectors we love this year, that avoid the most harmful chemicals and use minerals instead:
A wonder product beloved by dermatologists, this super-light mineral suncream is great for sensitive skin. It also comes in a tinted version for everyday use. £37 at Cowshed
REN’s latest product has been years in the making; a mineral suncream that uses next-gen zinc oxide to protect from UVA and UVB rays. Silicone-free, vegan and made with over 99% natural ingredients and mattifying too – we’re queuing up to buy. £30 at Liberty.
Drunk Elephant’s award-winning Umbra Tinte (also Umbra Sheer non-tinted) offers a mineral SPF 30, anti-ageing benefits plus, a hint of tint. The ideal summer base. £30 at Space NK.
For the body, if you like to go lower with your SPF and tan gently, The Organic Pharmacy’s Cellular Protection suncream in SPF 25 is a great option; using that important zinc oxide as well as shea butter, jojoba and rose hip. £39 at The Organic Pharmacy.
LA brand Salt & Stone also use zinc oxide in this mineral suncream SPF 30. Mineral suncreams are usually a little thicker, and can take longer to rub in – definitely the case here. However, the feel is luxy and there’s a lovely smell so you don’t mind spending a bit longer applying it. £18 at Liberty.
Ultrasun offer a whole range of different products that are a mixture of chemical and mineral-based. This SPF 50 Body Mineral suncream also protects against Infrared for anyone going into extreme heat or with very sensitive skin. Also in SPF 30 and available for the face. Their kids suncreams are very good too. £28 at John Lewis.
We love this lightweight mineral Daydream primer from Californian brand, Coola which you can build into your daily routine; apply before your make up and know you have a base of SPF 30, or just wear alone. £42 at Cult Beauty.
Fans of Avène Eau Thermal, look out for their mineral suncream in SPF 50; water-resistant and with a matte-finish too. £17.50 at Boots.
There is plenty of age-appropriate skin and haircare for babies and adults but as Charlotte-Anne Fidler discovered, there was a yawning gap in the market for ages 8-15. ‘I’d been very careful about what I’d used on my child’s skin as a baby but I found there was almost nothing to bridge the gap between baby/young child products and the teen-acne and adult products that were way too harsh for her still delicate, child’s skin’ says Fidler. ‘So, I decided to create the products myself. As a beauty editor, I’d tried a zillion brands; I knew my stuff and I did my research (which wasn’t easy, because there aren’t many studies on this age group). I convinced one of the UK’s best natural manufacturers to take me on. I tested the formulas on my girls (Anouk, now 14, and Bo, 10), their friends and the sons of my friends. After two years of trying and tweaking, Spots & Stripes was born.’
Fidler originally studied Philosophy and Theology at Oxford, followed by twenty years in glossy magazines including Vogue, Marie Claire, ELLE and Glamour. She is now a Creative Director and consultant for several global beauty brands so she can navigate her way around the industry well and really knows all the ins and outs of what goes into beauty products. And it is both this industry expertise together with being a mother that has garnered such brilliant results in Spots & Stripes. The ingredients are of the highest quality, both ethically and sustainably sourced. It’s a very natural brand, made in the English countryside using 100% natural actives with 0% parabens, SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) or phthalates.
Here at A Little Bird, we’ve been trying out Spots & Stripes on our kids and can report that they love them. The products smell good, do a great job and the fun, bright packaging is all appealing. Our tween-age kids particularly liked the shampoos and conditioners but there are also body washes, a styling pomade and – for kids who are hitting puberty – cleansing lotion, an award-winning spot zapper and, coming soon, a completely natural deodorant. It is also cleverly divided into boys and girls ranges so all teenagers are covered.
And we thrilled to say that we have one set of two products (for either boys or girls) to give away to one lucky reader. Just enter your details below and we will pick one lucky reader out of a hat after 5pm on Monday 17th June 2019.
On a trip to New York before Easter, by far our favourite purchase was makeup from the recently launched Westman Atelier line. Founded and self funded by makeup artist Gucci Westman (with four years of intense research) along with her husband David Neville (co-founder of Rag and Bone), the ‘clean’ makeup products are some of the best we’ve ever used. Westman is a makeup artist in much demand from celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow (when I used to work as Vogue’s Bookings Editor, she was always one of the makeup artists that celebrities would ask for) and she did the makeup for Paltrow’s recent wedding.
Westman grew up with a mother who believed strongly in the power of nature. That belief has stayed with Westman and it’s therefore no surprise to find that her makeup line is free from paragons, silicons, sulphates, mercury and phthalates. It is also vegan and cruelty free. According to Westman, the idea was to create exceptional modern make-up that marries clean, plant-based ingredients with the kind of skin-improving performance you’d expect from cutting-edge skincare.
With plans for further products (and a more diverse range in foundation colours) down the line, the offerings so far are simple: foundation that doubles as concealer, blush, highlighter, powder and contour all in ultra-chic, stick-form magnetic packaging (so they don’t leak in your bag), plus a powder bronzer. Her excellent brushes (there are 3 types) have shorter handles than normal so they’re easier to control and are made by the oldest brush maker in the world in Japan.
The stand-out product is the foundation. If you’re looking for 24 hour, thick coverage then this definitely isn’t for you. What it is, is a light, buildable coverage that really seems to melt into the skin. It’s slightly dewy but not shiny and we’d definitely recommend buying the accompanying brush to apply for the most natural look. As Westman herself suffers from rosacea, she was adamant that the makeup also have skincare properties so she’s included natural ingredients such as phytosphingosine, a plant extract with anti-inflammatory properties and hydrogenated coconut oil.
We started with Serial, followed by The New Yorker, Oprah Winfrey and The HighLow but beauty podcasts are our latest favourites. We meet Fiona Golfar, former Editor-at-Large at Vogue (and before that a makeup artist), and leading cosmetic surgeon Dr Maryam Zamani who have just started a very frank bi-weekly podcast about cosmetic procedures called The Guinea Pig. (We used to work with Fiona at Vogue and can vouch that she tells the funniest of stories and really is ready and willing to be Maryam’s guinea pig – this podcast is fun!)
Why did you set up the Guinea Pig Podcast?
FG: Maryam suggested the idea to me and it appealed because I have a punter’s interest and always liked our appointments. I liked how stylish she was and what a light touch she had. Never pushing me to do anything unnecessary for the sake of it.
MZ: About 18 months ago I became interested in listening to what others have to say, whether Ted Talks or other programs/podcasts and felt that there were so many influencers out there discussing some topics that I thought were a bit out of their depth. I believe it is important and imperative that anyone thinking about doing certain treatments and procedures should be educated about the subject matter by experts in that field. I had a natural chemistry with Fiona and thought it would be fun, educational and hopefully shed light on topics that may or may not be on the radar of the listener.
What are some of the subjects you have talked about and will be covering in the future?
FG: We will talk about everything from tummy tucks to beauty supplements, teeth whitening, Rosacea, fat busting and how to deal with incontinence. You name it we’ll talk about it!
Is there anything that you’ve had done cosmetically that you regret?
FG: Not yet! But I have had reactions to things I’ve done and it’s important to know how to handle that.
MZ: I haven’t either! But like Fiona said, hopefully the point is to be educated about the procedure so you don’t have regrets later.
Does having botox/fillers hurt?
FG: It can feel a little uncomfortable but it doesn’t hurt.
MZ: These procedures are done with needles and can feel like a little scratch but I do not even use topical anesthetic. I have yet to have someone ask me to stop.
What is the procedure coming in the next year or two that you are most excited about?
FG: For me it’s the issue I’m currently researching. I only have to put the key in the front door and I’m peeing, so many women I know are suffering from this but it’s treatable. I’m going to Guinea Pig the options.
Which beauty products do you use the most?
FG: I use Maryam’s C Serum which I only discovered this year and I love the way it brightens my skin. Anything from the anti stress redness range from Avene is brilliant. Spectacle performance cream has a very clean deck of super active ingredients which brighten and hydrate without being greasy and has no alcohol or essential oils so it’s great for my sensitive skin as I suffer from Rosecea. Only available via editorslist.co.uk
Finally, I’ve never really worn foundations but I’ve recently started using Chanel Les Beiges Eau de Teint, a water fresh tint. It’s really sheer whilst giving my skin a bit of even coverage. Lucia Pica who designs Chanel make up is a genius. It’s so subtle.
Do you regularly see a facialist and who?
FG: I have seen Joanne Evans at Skinmatters for twenty years. She was into machines before anyone and gives an incredible facial massage. I am always asleep within moments of her laying hands on me.
Tell us 3 other beauty instagram feeds that you follow?
FG: @thetweakmentsguide by Alice Hart-Davis
@TheEditorsList by Olivia Falcon
@Skinmattersnottinghill by Joanne Evans
How do you think the beauty industry can offer more transparency? Should it be more regulated?
MZ: Actually I was just interviewed by the BBC on this exact matter. Absolutely I think there needs to be more regulation on who can administer treatments. Currently the guidelines are vague and sometimes injectors need only a few hours of training to be able to offer treatments because fillers, for instance, are not classified as a medical device. While many treatments can go smoothly, there are potential devastating complications that can happen in the hands of a novice or someone who does not know how to identify and treat a potential complication efficiently and appropriately. Transparency is necessary but I also think it is difficult for the patient to navigate and ask the questions they should. I really hope that the podcast can aid in this aspect of the journey.
And if you want to explore beauty podcasts further then our recommendations are:
The Emma Guns Show: Emma Gunavardhana’s podcast covers everything from health and wellness to beauty and business – with frank, down-to-earth and funny practical tips, interviews from from Elizabeth Hurley to Michelle Visage and more.
The Beauty Brains: cosmetic scientists Perry Romanowki and Randy Schueller who analyse the industry’s fads, revealing what chemicals used in cosmetics really do, how products are tested, and what all the advertising really means.
George Northwood’s HedTalks: top celebrity hairstylist, George Northwood talks candidly to some of his top clients including Anna Singh founder of Chinti + Parker, Vogue’s Jessica Diner and chef Nina Parker.
Beauty Full Lives: beauty blogger Madeline Spencer talks everything from Chinese medicine to adult acre and how to improve your smile, and interviews guests from Kylie Minogue to Bryony Gordon.
The Beauty of Vanity Now: this podcast was made by the now defunct Beauty Papers magazine in collaboration with Harvey Nichols. Listen to archive interviews with Bella Freud, Sam McKnight, Dr Yannis etc.
Fat Mascara: friends Jessica Matlin (beauty director at Harper’s Bazaar) and Jennifer Goldstein (beauty director at Marie Claire) spill the beans on the beauty industry.
In the autumn of last year, I fainted in the bathroom whilst struck down with a stomach bug. I woke up to find myself lying on the floor and bleeding from a large cut on my head (which I presume was from hitting my head on the sink). I’ve been left with a large mark and indentation on my forehead that bothers me every time I do my teeth. And I started to wonder, was there something I could do about it? But I didn’t know where to start.
I knew Olivia from when we worked together at Vogue. She then went on to become Tatler’s Beauty Director and now has over 15 years of experience in the beauty industry. After having children, she decided to set up a consultation business because she recognised that the beauty industry was a difficult one to navigate. She offers four services – a quick one question consultation, a Skype question time, a bathroom edit and then a full on bathroom edit and meet in person session. Olivia is honest, knowledgeable and can guide you to the right person or process (sometimes she even goes with clients to appointments and literally holds their hands whilst they are having procedures done). She can tell you anything from the right dermatologist to see to the right corrective nose surgeon (most of her clients are concerned about their eyes – bags and dark circles, large pores and necks.)
What I particularly liked about Olivia’s advice was that it felt extremely personal and she knows the industry well. Having gowned up to observe procedures, attend countless cosmetic conferences around the world and having tried out many of the treatments herself, she knows exactly who is the best at which service. She is completely impartial so she only makes recommendations that she fully believes in and very often she can fast track you to a sooner appointment for a surgeon, doctor or dermatologist that she knows personally.
So did I get something done? No but I know who to see if or when I’m ready and I bought some excellent products from Olivia’s online shop as per her recommendations.
Here below, I asked Olivia some more questions:
1) What is the treatment that you are most personally excited about at the moment?
I am very excited about a new filler launched this month from Allergan (the makers of Botox) called VoLux – it is a slightly thicker filler that has been designed especially to sharpen up wobbly jawlines (which is one of the first places that sag in the ageing process). It lasts 18-24 months so considerably longer than other fillers which usually last 9-12 months and it delivers a really crisp contour.
Photograph by Amit Lennon
2) Obviously people should be careful about all treatments but do you think there is one area or treatment which you have to be particularly careful about?
I think doing fillers around the eyes to treat tear troughs is a very specialized procedure. There are lymph drainage channels and an intricate network of veins in this area and if a less experienced or skilled practitioner gets it wrong, patients can get ‘speed bump’ style lumps under the eyes and worst case scenario there are a few cases in the world where people have been blinded by badly place filler. Also liquid nose jobs with filler should be undertaken with extreme caution as again badly placed filler can lead to all sorts of complications including tissue necrosis.
3) Can anybody buy products from you or do they have to be a client? And is there one product you would recommend above all?
Yes anyone can buy products from me – I have an online store on my website editorslist.co.uk with a carefully curated selection of the products that I think really work. As a beauty editor I get about 50 new products across my desk every week so the ones that make it onto my website are the standouts. I’ve had great feedback on my editor’s list regime – which includes a cleanser with glycolic acid (so you don’t need a separate exfoliator), Vitamin C serum for the morning and a brilliant SPF that sits seamlessly under make up and for night I have a small selection of creams that contain next generation retinols that give you all the anti-ageing benefits of a retinoid but without any kind of peeling, redness or irritation. I think everyone over the age of 35 should have some kind of retinol going on in their beauty routine, it’s the miracle molecule as it works on all signs of ageing – I love Medik8 r-Retinoate. It can be used both day and night and is gentle enough even for the most sensitive of skin.
4) Which regular (non-invasive) treatment do you recommend?
It’s so difficult to say just one as everyone’s skin needs are different but I think a universally good treatment that everyone over the age of 30 could benefit from is the Intraceuticals Oxygen Facial. Working on the idea that dehydration is the first sign of ageing, this machine uses hyperbaric oxygen (they use this to sterilize the air in burns units in hospitals) to push layers of hyaluronic acid into the skin to plump skin, smooth fine lines and give one an incredible, head turning glow. Hollywood actresses such as Michelle Williams and Amanda Seyfreid love it and often have it before they walk the red carpet. This treatment is also very anti-inflammatory. I sometimes suffer from hayfever and sinus congestion and have noticed it really helps with this too. The treatment is available at Dr Preema’s clinic in the West end and costs £150.
5) What are the treatments that you are excited about in the future?
There is a new neurotoxin called Bonti which is set to launch in the next couple of years that kicks in super fast (within 24 hours) to soften expression lines far quicker than traditional Botox which can take up to a week to work and Bonti only lasts for 2-4 weeks rather than 3 months of traditional Botox – meaning that people who are nervous to try Botox now have to make less of a commitment.
I am also excited about the arrival this month of the latest V-Beam Prima laser – V-beam is a brand of pulsed-dye laser (PDL) and is often referred to as a vascular laser because it is excellent at treating issues related to the body’s network of blood vessels, such as broken capillaries, rosacea, port wine stains and spider veins. It works best on fair skins and the Prima is the very latest model so it is 50% more powerful than the older version and it treats larger areas like the cheeks far quicker. It’s a godsend for anyone with redness issues, it really works.
We all know the benefits of live probiotics for our gut health and digestion, but what about for our skin? It turns out that live microbes can work wonders for our skin health too; slowing the ageing process, soothing problematic skin conditions and even helping with irregular pigmentation. Leading the way in the field is South African beauty company, Esse (meaning to be in Latin) whose products have just arrived in the UK, available online and at a handful of top spas – including the new APOGII Clinic in Westbourne Grove where you can get an ESSE Live probiotic facial (75 mins).
The company was founded by a scientist – and a specialist in organic chemistry – and the whole feel of the brand verges on the medical with the focus firmly is on skin health, rather than cosmetic appearance or fancy packaging. The scientific credentials are the selling point, and there are are no scary no chemicals to be found; the products are organic, vegan, fair-trade and cruelty-free. That said, the bottles are attractive and the products feel luxurious too.
We tried out the Gel Cleanser which gave a lovely light foaming clean, removing all traces of make-up and followed it with their big-hitter, the Probiotic Serum that is consistently given 5-star reviews. As soon as it touches your face, 1 million live probiotics are activated by the moisture on your skin – not that you can particularly feel anything, it goes on like a smooth and rich serum with a lovely smell. But the benefits are clear; skin feels moisturised and soothed and it’s visibly brighter and more perky. At £100 for 30ml, it’s expensive but highly recommended.
We’ve fallen for some of the latest beauty arrivals – just in time for a Summer makeover.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum: Have you discovered the benefits of Vitamin C applied in your morning skincare yet? Combined with an evening retinol, it gives the best skin glow ever. We’ve tried a few different brands and Drunk Elephant (which arrived on our shores last autumn) is one of our favourites. Easy to apply and goes on smoothly under your makeup. £67 from SpaceNK
Chanel Les Beiges Eau de Teint: if you like your foundation in summer to be a barely there natural glow, then this is for you. It comes with a buffing brush that you use to satisfyingly disperse the colour bubbles onto the skin. It is watery at first but soon settles into a sheer coverage and feels wonderfully light on the skin £48 from John Lewis
Milk Makeup Lip & Cheek in Rally: we love a one stop-shop in summer particularly so this lip and check tint multi-tasker from the popular American brand which is 100% vegan and cruelty free ticks a lot of boxes for us. Swipe along your cheek bone for a really natural glow and dab on your lips for a kiss of colour. £20.50 from Cult Beauty
Pat McGrath Labs Love Supreme Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm: we have this in the Love Supreme colour and haven’t taken it off since we bought it. It’s subtle but not sticky and extremely long lasting plus the packaging is a winner too. (Tip: if you want to try the colours in person, head to the Pat McGrath Pop-up Makeup Lab at Selfridges). £35 from Selfridges
Guerlain Maxi Lash Extra Volume Mascara: many a Beauty editor swears by this mascara. It doesn’t clog and we love the brush which really does help define every lash. £26.50 from John Lewis
Gucci lipstick 25 Goldie Red, Rouge à Lèvres Voile Lipstick: our perfect, stay-put red to match a summer tan from the newly launched Gucci Beauty range by Alessandro Michele. (We also love the accompanying Gucci ad campaign photographed by Martin Parr.) The new Gucci Beauty line launches at Harrods.com on May 29 or you can order it straight away from Gucci.com where it costs £34.
Votary Lip Oil: Co-founder of Votary Arabella Preston was fed up with sticky lip balms/glosses that dried out her lips so she came up with this Almond and Green Mandarin Lip Oil. It conditions and plumps the lips and most importantly, it’s shiny but not sticky. Definitely one to keep on hand throughout the summer. £30 from Votary
Byredo Sundazed Handcream: this also comes in a perfume but we just love this smell of summer on our hands with a rich blend of lemon, neroli, jasmine and nourishing shea butter. £29 from Liberty
It’s goodbye for now…
The team at A Little Bird are taking a break to recharge and make some exciting changes behind-the-scenes. We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Gucci lipstick 25 Goldie Red, Rouge à Lèvres Voile Lipstick: our perfect, stay-put red to match a summer tan from the newly launched Gucci Beauty range by Alessandro Michele. (We also love the accompanying Gucci ad campaign photographed by Martin Parr.) The new Gucci Beauty line launches at 
Byredo Sundazed Handcream: this also comes in a perfume but we just love this smell of summer on our hands with a rich blend of lemon, neroli, jasmine and nourishing shea butter.