I love my skin (but I also love vodka)

January is traditionally the month of recuperation and abstinence - a self-satisfying purge, if you like, after enjoying yourself in December.
The only thing that generally concerns me at the beginning of the year is dreary looking skin. Grey and lacklustre with initial wrinkles making themselves known - terrifying.
 Thankfully, there are two products that can regain much-missed sparkle and health easily and almost instantly.

The first of these does its work while you're sleeping - Le Baume by Yonka (approximately £50, but one tube lasts a long time and is thus good value). Apply a small amount over your night cream, have forty winks and wake up looking like a dewy-skinned princess.

I've been using this through the past two years of constant cocktail bingeing, smoking and very little sleep. Without it, I'm pretty sure I'd have shockingly bad handbag face. Second is Illuminating Primer by Natio (£12.26, Debenhams). This Australian beauty house launched its brand in the UK last year and is not only ridiculously affordable but it works. Use under day cream to moisturise the deeper layers of the skin and apply your regular moisturiser over the top. Regardless of what you've been up to the night before, make up will go on like a dream.
PS. The illustration on the book above is by Kat MacLeod, whose work I absolutely adore. Dreamlike and vibrant, I long for a piece of her art. See below for more beautiful drawings and multi-media creations.

Duck tales

As a newly co-habiting couple, Simon and I decided to attempt a Sunday roast together.  This was daunting because (a) neither of us have ever tried this before and (b) neither of us is known for our culinary skill. And rather than stick with plain old chicken, we decided to up the stakes. It is through this move I introduce you to Stanley ( tenuous Tenessee Williams link) the organic duck (see above). I had duck once in Barcelona when I was 21 and always assumed the closest I'd get to cooking it would be sitting near the kitchen in a restaurant.

In fairness, it was Simon who removed the giblets and worked out the timings but I feel I really shined when it came to the seasoning.

With Stanley in the oven, we started on the vegetables - and array of roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots and sprouts.

I haven't peeled a vegetable in approximately ten years and, damn, it shows.

Somehow, the whole process came together and having an oven full of food made me feel like a disciple of Nigella.

Naturally, the boyfriend got stuck into the initial washing up (in a manly fashion, of course) - these hands ain't going near fairy liquid. Superstar.

And in an hour or so Sunday lunch was served! Check. It. Out. Not bad for a first attempt.

The co-habiting lark prevents me from licking the plate, but in terms of the taste factor, you get my point. Amazing.

With that ticked off, there was nothing left to do but enjoy the Sunday papers.

V for Vendetta (no. 483)

And so, the moment my nails have been waiting 27 years for came this evening. It was simple, easy and the application barely required skill. Yes, that's right, tonight I applied my first ever coat of Chanel polish. The inky tones of number 483, Vendetta, will forever be the colour of my first foray into varnish by the Parisian fashion house.

Courtesy of my boyfriend's lovely sister Hayley - who has impeccable taste in all things fashion - I was at last able to experience beauty by Chanel. With its zero streaky and fast-drying formulation, the polish went on smoothly, didn't smudge and has a beautifully glossy finish.

And it came in the classic Chanel box embellished with the decadent black and gold ribbon (as pictured resting on said boyfriend's arm - he didn't enjoy or agree to this but was too tired to move). Ooh la la, j'adore.

Gothic kiss

January has to be the darkest month of the year. No Christmas to look forward to - just its remnants on your skin - and an overhanging guilty feeling you've drank/kissed/smoked too much. Personally, I'd rather embrace this naughty twinge than go on a detox. And thankfully trends dictate that this is more than okay - check out Givenchy's latest campaign above. Not to mention the fact it evokes a huge beauty inspiration of 2011, the Jazz Age.

The first month of the year is all about dark lips so ditch your black eyeliner and fake lashes and let your pout take centre stage. I'll be working Growl or Diablo by Illamasqua. Fierce.

From the east end to East Anglia...goodbye London

2011 ended with a huge step for me - I left London and moved to Suffolk. Ipswich to be precise, to live with my boyfriend and write for the East Anglia Daily Times and Evening Star.

Goodbye celeb-studded parties, au revoir liquid lunches of champagne and see you later  bar-hopping round Shoreditch and Soho til 2am on a school night.

But it's not all bad - I won't miss the underground or being in a long-distance relationship for starters.

Helping me with my move was Lucas. He was able to pick up my couch with ONE ARM. I have never seen such an impressive show of masculinity. In addition, he shared his Christmas chocolates from Thorntons with me.

On the drive to Ipswich, street signs and heavy traffic made way for Wuthering Heights-style mist and countryside.

 

I painted my nails (Night Shade by Rimmel) and breathed a sigh of relief to be ending the year surrounded by the beauty of Suffolk.