In the thick, barbarous fog of deep pre-pay-day January, everything is a little bleak. Bleak and dark. I’d go as far as to say depressing: getting out of bed, doing the dishes, paying the tax bill… So I thought it would help to meditate on some happy thoughts of simple things that can be enjoyed, mostly for free:

• Shiny rows of glossy magazines. Especially the ones about glamorous interiors. Wow.
• Flowers – fresh pinks or bright lemons
• Clean bed linen (preferably new, with packaging wrinkles intact)
• Synchronicity
• Tins and boxes with lovely prints
• Haberdashery - Liberty’s springs to mind but Mandors will do…
• The scent of Rose – for everything – but I love my Neal’s Yard Rose Facial Oil
• Sleeping in the afternoon
• New carpet – texture, smell
• Cold, crisp sunny days
• The quiet tranquility of very early morning (not when I have to get up for work)
• Ticking things off my to-do list
• Writing a new to-do list on a fresh, clean page
• Fabulous stationery. This can be pored over in a shop to get the same frisson
• Day-dreaming
• A grande signature hot chocolate from Starbucks (mostly without whipped cream)
• Staying up late reading a great book
• Waking up inspired from a fantastical dream
• Freshly painted nails in scarlet/emerald/fuchsia
• A compliment from a perfect stranger (like that time a man I didn’t know bought me a cocktail in a bar because “I was too beautiful to pay for my own cocktail”! That was a buzz!
• Sunlight streaming into a room (any room, anywhere – this is such a universal joy)
• My bright orange bag from Kitsch Kitchen in Amsterdam
• Having a good cry over nothing in particular
• Listening to the ‘upbeat’ playlist on my iPod – 60′s, 90′s, random downloads…

Oh yes, I feel better already. Let happy thoughts rule in 2011!

No Comments | In: Lifestyle, Wannabe Journalist | tags: bliss, bright, clean, fresh, fun, happy, january, joy, smiling, synchronicity. | #

As a special Valentine’s treat today to moi, I purchased a divine new lippie from Mac.

It’s called ‘lustering‘ from the ‘lustre’ range and it’s a super hot pink for hot Spring lips. I was tempted by a sumptuous, silky ‘nude’ lipstick as a second little treat, but then I thought, why buy a lipstick that will look like I’m not wearing any? Couldn’t I achieve the same fresh-faced look with one of the 42 lip glosses in my beauty box? I decided yes, and spent the extra cash on an iced coffee and a pain au chocolat!

I love the funky names of lipsticks, eye shadows, glitter liners et al. I really wanted ‘Lady Danger’ lipstick but the colour really wasn’t me. I remember reading once that Erin O’Connor wore that shade, but hey, she’s a model so she can carry it off. My friend Natalie bought an eye shade in ‘smut‘ which we had a giggle over, until we got lost trying to find Neal’s Yard in Covent Garden.

They do amazing free tea in there and I felt compelled to write in their feedback book to thank them for their detoxing dose of red and pink rose petal in cosylittle mugs. How divine. A girl really does need a break from the tiresome hunt for the perfect moisturising oil or lippie, but the rewards are beautiful skin and striking lips. It’s worth it. I’m worth it. You’re worth it.

 Long live make up! 

No Comments | In: Trends | tags: beauty, bright, lipstick, mac, make up, spring. | #