Breaking news!

Stem cell facials are big beauty news at the moment and all of Hollywood (whether they admit it or not) are having them done.

This really is a really wonderful non-surgical treatment - instant tightening, dramatic reduction in fine lines, a more youthful glowing complexion.

It works by exfoliating, polishing and plumping up your skin with the help of their magic ingredients - peptides, fruit enzymes and botanical stem cells. The results are excellent.

The treatment is ideal for reducing the signs of ageing and sun damage but also important as an ageing preventative. Therapists also recommend it for acne or rosacea sufferers as the treatment is a gentle one but with really good results.

Brilliant, yes, but pricey.

Now, this really is hot off the press.

Normally you can expect to pay about £165 for three facials but if you head to the money-saving exclusive offers website, Wahanda (www.wahanda.com) you can get three for just £65! Get in quick though, as this is a nationwide offer and available for two weeks only from Monday 1st August.

You're so sensitive!

My skin used to be like the hide of a rhino.

Honestly, it did.

I could put anything on it, it would stay put, look good, not breakout, go red, chap, crack or flare up. I was so lucky and I didn't even know it!

But then 10 years ago or so, everything changed!

Nothing worked, everything hurt, I was all breakouts, redness, flaring and chapping. My skin was fragile and I had to learn to pamper it and really look after it. After all, no matter what people say, they ALWAYS notice that spot, that cold sore, that chafing.

I've tried lots of different products over the years and have settled into a very strict beauty regime to ensure my skin stays in tip-top condition. People compliment my skin a lot now, and it makes me feel so good after all the trials and tribulations I've been through. The things is, it has meant that I stick to the cleansers, toners and moisturisers that I know and love and more importantly, trust.

Recently, however, that rigidity and regiment has changed as I have come across two brands that I had only noticed in passing and now consider them to be beauty bag staples.

My first new beauty favourite is balance Me. It does what it says, balances your skin.

All their products are incredibly soothing and smell delicious. In fact my bedroom and bathroom have a beautiful lingering scent of roses as a result of using these products lately!

Like all skin types, sensitive ones require exfoliating, but the difficulty is in finding one that doesn't irritate.

balance Me have a wonderful product called radiance face mask, £18, which very gently exfoliates and brightens but is not abrasive. I have been complimented on how fresh my complexion is looking lately and I know it is down to this great product.

The moisture-rich face cream, £24, is very delicate and so ideal for tricky skins. it is so hydrating but not oily, so your face doesn't feel tight or dry nor does it feel like it needs a good wash though!

I used these products morning and night as some night creams are a bit too heavy for me and I am really delighted. To finish off my beauty routine I slather on the rose otto body cream, £18, and really, you'll be hard pressed to find a rich body cream which is so protective of your skin, so hydrating and smells so heavenly!

I think I even slept better as a result of the fragrance!

Another brand that you must check out if you are plagued with the most sensitive skin is Queen. It is a real vintage company, having been around since the late 1920s and was formulated by dermatologists for those with very delicate, super-allergic and sensitive skins. I had to give them a go!

The medicated cleansing lotion, £15.25, is one of the best I have ever tried. It is light but gets down to business immediately, no matter how heavy your make up is. It also leaves your skin feeling deep-cleaned rather than just surface-cleaned.

I followed this by using the Skin Freshener toner, £15.25, which I must say left

my face feeling so light, so residue-free and remarkably hydrated, I even thought I might not need moisturiser! Of course, I didn't just head off to bed at that point.

No, I did indeed use an extra something.

Rather than moisturise I experimented with the Queen Sensiderma Renew and Refine Serum, £35.95.

It can be used under your moisturiser or instead of. I opted to use it without an added moisturiser and am so chuffed!

If softer and firmer skin is what you want from a serum, than this is the one for you.

I have not used it for a prolonged period of time, but my skin looks and feels better even after a few

days. Queen say that in one month of daily use, fine lines and wrinkles will be reduced substantially. I totally believe them. This is a wonder-product.

So, the morale of this story is, that we sensitive skin types are very cautious and actually frightened about using products. We are never sure of the outcome, never know how long the ill-effects of using a product which doesn't agree with us will last.

But with these two brands, balance Me and Queen, we can be sure that our skin won't react adversely, on the contrary it actually benefits from trying them. So let's not be shy, let's give them a go!

*To find your nearest stockist or for more information on these products and others in the ranges, go to

www.balanceme.co.uk and www.queen-cosmetics.com

Hard as nails!

I reckon I change my nail polish about three or four times a week. For me, it's the easiest way to make a look. Dark and vampy colours give you a seductive and mysterious edge, bright neons a fun and trendy look, and natural colours can add an air of sophistication.

There is a drawback, of course, to doing this. Time. None of us have much of it anymore and traditional nail polish takes a fair while to set. I tend to do mine as late as possible at night but then you risk getting the fibre impressions on your polish. Aaaghh. Very annoying.

The other irritating thing is that my nail varnish tends to chip quite quickly. I'm not super-careful you see; I do the dishes, clean the bathroom and am generally a bit knockabout, so hard-wearing nail varnish is the Holy Grail for me.

Luckily, I think I may have just found it!

I have recently discovered Artistic Colour Gloss - a soak-off gel treatment which is only available at the salon. What do I love about it? Virtually everything!

The colours are wonderful. A perfect mixture of bright classics, fun trends, glittery little numbers, mature cafe au laits and sexy dark hues - there is something for absolutely every one.

The other exceptional thing is that the treatment is so quick. if you are short on time but need a quick pep up this is the professional manicure for you. I reckon it takes no longer than about 40 mins from start to finish, so a lot quicker than an average manicure.

The colours are then set under a lamp and they emerge extremely shiny - almost patent - and the colour is tough. I have not been able to chip this polish and I've tried!

There are a whopping 66 colours in the range to date, but am sure there will be more before Christmas.

I opted for Hotzy and LOVE it! I had so many comments about how shiny and gorgeous my nails look, even from strangers, so it is a really winner for me. And I'm in top company with major fans such as Victoria Beckham J Lo and Beyonce addicted to it too.

The colour lasts for about three weeks and I think that's brilliant and very cost-effective, each treatment starts from about £30, so a good manicure for about £10 a week! I had mine done at the Urban Retreat Salon in Harrods (dead posh, I know) and it stars from £50, there. In fact, a special mention to Angel, the technician who did my nails. Professional, fun, and simply lovely!

Give it a go if you are heading off on your holidays or have a special occasion or want to make a good impression - I promise you, you will not be disappointed. In fact, you won't be able to sop staring at them!

Artistic Colour Gloss is available nationwide. To find your nearest salon call 0844 800 9396 or check out the website www.artisticcolourgloss.co.uk

True blue, baby I love you!

Applying a great eyeshadow can completely change your face and your look.

If I am out and about during the day I make my eyes up very simply:

No colour, thick black eyeliner flicked up at the end and lashings of mascara.

But sometimes you want more than that and that's when you reach for shadows that make a real impact.

One that I've really started using a lot is from Elizabeth Arden's new Bronzing Collection.

The collection has been out since about May this year and I am really loving the Color Intrigue Eyeshadow Quad in Blue Breeze, £25.

The colours are very pigmented and are great for the Summer. In fact, the two blues are like looking into a beautiful, deep sea.

This how I use it to great effect and to maximise the use and wear from my eyeshadows.

1. I like to use the lighter sandy shade all over my eye, right up to the brow bone.

2. Then I blend the lighter icy blue over the actual eye socket.

3. I use the metallic grey colour in the far corners of my eyes, to create a sort of filled in 'v' shape, so that the eyes look slightly feline.

4. Then the very dark blue, I brush very close to the lash line and use it as an eyeliner.

I would still use this in the Winter, but might omit the lighter blue in favour for the grey all over the socket.

The result is excellent and ultra long-lasting.

Juicy fruits!

When you read the words Juicy Couture, do you think of J Lo and velour tracksuits?

Well, I used to until I came across their scrummy little Juicy Couture Travellers Eau de Parfum.

They are:

1. Adorable - the little juicy strawberry hanging off the lid is super cute.

2. Portable at only 30ml.

3. Sensational - the scent is so fresh and mouth-watering, it's like inhaling a bowl of fresh fruit!

I really love this fabulous little perfume, so I am going to bring it on holiday with me next week and actually, I think they make great gifts, so a friend will soon be receiving this as her birthday present.

I'll warn you at £39.50 it ain't cheap, but you don't really want to smell cheap, do you?!

* Available from Harrods, Selfridges, selected John Lewis, Debenhams, House of Fraser and Harvey Nichols

Clean as a whistle!

The Peppermint and Lavender soaps really feel like they are working!

Would you use a product on your body as you would on your teeth, hair, to do your washing or even as insect spray?

No?

Well until this week I would have completely agreed with you. But then I came across Dr Bronner's Pure Castille soap and my mind has been changed forever!

There are more than a dozen different products in the range and some are liquid soaps and others are the traditional bar of soap.

Dr Bronner's are the number one selling natural soap brand in the United States and it seems I am in illustrious company with Natalie Portman, Drew Barrymore and make-up goddess, Bobbi Brown, all numbered amongst it's fans.

The Rose soap is absolutely lovely. The perfect little bar for a guest bathroom.

So, what's great about it? Well, it works. Yes, your mouth stays fresh, yes your hair is shiny, yes your body is clean and tingly, and actually my friend used it to wash her dog, and his coat looks great (and he smells a great deal better for it too).

They claim to have at least 18 different uses for each bottle or bar of soap which makes it versatile and great value - not often you can say that about anything nowadays! A 263ml bottle is £4.99

The soap comes in eight different varieties: Peppermint, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Citrus, Almond, unscented Baby Mild and Tea Tree. I love Almond, my other half says Peppermint is the best and my neighbour has been using the Rose. We are all enthralled. In fact, I did use the Peppermint one to wash the dishes after we had a curry and it worked a treat!

This is my favourite - Almond; very sweet scent and instantly relaxing!

So, give them a go,they are available from Waitrose, Fresh and Wild, Planet Organic and Liberty.

I really think you'll love them and let me know what you think of them and more importantly, what innovative ways you've discovered to use them!

Double trouble?

My mum is quite glam and 'down with it' it seems! Who knew?

I had a little rifle through her make up bag and came across YSL Lip Twins! I was a little surprised not only because this dinky little gem has had some bad reviews from make-up lovers around the world, but also because my best friend (who is EXTREMELY cool) recently received this as a gift for her birthday!

So what does mum like about it?

'Well, it's very pretty so you don't mind re-applying your lipstick when you are out, and it's got a mirror, so I don't have to juggle loads of things in my hand while trying to find the mirror, the brush, my glasses and so on in my handbag'.

Okay, so I buy that. It's handy and it looks nice. All pluses in my book. But how does it look and feel on?

'I like it. The colour is very good on my skin and the texture is creamy but not too jammy like some lip glosses or creams. But I have found it can make my lips a little bit too dry'.

That's a common complaint about this beautifully packaged product, but it is easily solved!

Simply get yourself a good lip scrub. Just as you exfoliate your face and body, you need to do the same on your lips, but go gently. You want kissable lips, not a red-raw and sore mouth.

So, I gave mum one of my fave exfoliants, The Lip Scrub by Sara Happ in Brown Sugar, US$24 on Amazon (sorry guys, it's not yet available in UK) and instructed her to massage a blob into her lips every morning and then simply wipe off with a tissue, apply a slick of Vaseline and then her YSL Lip Twins, £23.50.

I popped in to see her this morning to see if my secret beauty weapon had helped only to find my dad planting a big smacker on her! So I suppose it must have!

My top tips for using YSL Lip Duo.

1. Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! Nobody wants dry, cracked lips, so give them a gentle scrub. I love Sara Happ's Brown Sugar The Lip Scrub, but there are loads of great ones out there.

2. Apply a thin smear of your favourite lip balm. I am currently loving Vaseline Aloe Vera, It's very fresh tasting and absorbs so well after exfoliating. I buy mine in Savers which is a lot cheaper than some of the other shops.

3. Apply your YSL Lip Twins. Mum uses Coral Harmony which gives her a sexy '60s look, but I prefer Raspberry Violet. With 12 shades there is something for everyone.

4. Shove it in your handbag and pucker up those lips!

Blushing bride

My friend is getting married next week. We are all so excited - her dress is amazing, her shoes are killer and her husband-to-be is quite good too!

However, we were having a bit of a girly night and she confessed to a fear so shocking that it utterly rocked my world. It is a fear I have not known for a while.

She is scared half to death, that on her big day, she will look sad and pale and wan rather than bronzed and rosy-cheeked and full of joy!

I say that I no longer know this fear, as me and blushers and bronzers are well-acquainted! So, to save her on her big day and to help you out too, here are my top picks in no particular order!

MAC does so many wonderful blushes. Their range is awesome (I hate using that word but it really is the only way to describe it) and as a brand, they are hyper-aware of different skin tones and colours. Some other brands should take note, actually. Now, my friend has what could be described as an English Rose complexion, so I think she should use MAC Blush Well Dressed. This is so light and with a very soft sheen, it jollies up lighter faces a treat. Also, MAC blushes, in fact all MAC products are very 'buildable', so you can start light, see how you feel, then add and layer. I find that lighter complexions are weary about too much colour, so this is ideal for them. At £17 it's not the cheapest, but the quality and finish you get with MAC is fabulous, so worth splashing out on.

I love this girly pink powder blush from MAC.

I'm not a member of the TOWIE cast, but I do love a bit bronzer. Sorry, can't help it. Nothing satisfies my love for a a bronzed and glowing face like NARS Bronzing Powder in Casino, £24. It is perfection. It adds a very subtle shimmer and glow that I love and it also evens out your skin, as it fills in the lines at the same time. As a result you look the picture of health, even if you feel like you've just been exhumed! Brilliant.

This is perfect for giving your skin tone a nice boost, and your confidence

Maybelline Dream Touch Blush is my go-to cream blusher. It is so light and has a whipped cream feel to it, which makes it very easy to apply. i love that it has a slight sheen to it too, as it adds a youthful, dewy dimension to your face. I have all the colours in the range, because I just couldn't help it (this is precisely why my boyfriend gets cross when he opens the bathroom cabinet), but the colours are great for every skin colour and tone. I would say though, ignore the names of the colours as they will put you off, instead actually try them out when you are at the beauty counter. You see, I would NEVER buy a blusher called Mauve, but I tried it and really liked it as it looks good on me when I have a bit of a tan. In winter though, I would use Dolly Pink or Peach Satin during the day and perhaps Plum at night. Anyway, give them a go, they're £6.49.

Maybelline Dream Touch Blush are so smooth and creamy, they really are dreamy!

So you know how I love bronzer Superdrug, right? Well, my passions twin in perfect unison with Famous by Sue Moxley Baked Bronze. I will, at a later date, tell you why you should buy anything and everything from this range, but for now, let me tell you about her sublime bronzers. The packaging is brilliant and very clever: sleek and shiny and very expensive-looking, but the best bit is that you unscrew the lid and on the inside is a mirror. So smart! The consistency of the product is good and the shimmer factor is a perfect healthy holiday glow. For £6 you'd be mad not to have this in your beauty armoury.

Sue Moxley rocks. I love it and I know you will too

Who in the world doesn't love Barry M? All my friends who live overseas burn with fury at the fact that they can't get their hands on it! I recently discovered the Barry M blush in Apricot. Now, I'll admit it looks quite a full-on colour and it might scare you. But don't be put off. You have to be light with this, but it looks great. The finish is very good and it blends very easily. I will say, this is great, in fact, perfect for darker skin tones and colours, but if you do have a lighter tone I recommend using it when you need a bit of extra zip, perhaps on a night out. And at £4.59, it is the beauty bargain of the moment!

Barry M's blusher is such good value, and there are lots of colours to choose from

Right, I'd love to hear from you and to help you with your beauty questions, so post a comment!

She's got legs!

Breaking news!

I am NOT Jennifer Aniston.

I do not have the finest set of pins going.

But we have to work with what we've got, I suppose!

I might not be about to don a pair of hot pants and large it about town, but I do want my legs to look as good as they can.

So, for the past few weeks I've been trying out cellulite creams. Not glamourous I know, but lets face it, for most of us, a beauty routine must-have.

So, here are a some of my favourites.

Avon is such a classic beauty brand. It's been around for donkey's, it's trusted, the science-y stuff is really great and it always reminds me of Edward Scissorhands (brilliant film). So, I thought I would give Solutions Cellu-Sculpt a go. I think is a bit of a steal at £12. What I really like about it is that is does give you rapid results. The old thighs were less wobbly within a week. If you do go for this, I would say for the price, it is one of the best around.

Liz Earle was on the telly ALL THE TIME when I was younger. She was the skincare guru, who was all about long-term care to maintain your looks, rather than quick-fixes. Her products are so great and very simple, so I decided to try the Energising Hip and Thigh Gel.

The first thing you notice is the very grassy/botanical fragrance. It is heavenly!

Secondly, I think it is less of a gel and more of a serum, but that's semantics really. This is a great product if your skin is slightly sagging and lacks smoothness. Everything seems more toned and the skin even looks better. At £21 it's by no means the cheapest, but anti-cellulite products are generally quite pricey, so I think this is a happy medium. Her products are available online and in John Lewis too.

While I'm no Nobel prize-winning scientist, I certainly appreciate a little bit of geeky technology when it comes to my fat-busting products. So, when I chanced upon Biotherm's Celluli Laser D. Code Anti Cellulite, I could not resist. Straight in the shopping basket it went.

Biotherm say that this cream targets the behavioural and genetic causes of cellulite. I suppose that means that it alters the cellular make-up of the cellulite. Does it work? You bet your bottom dollar it does. I actually gave this to my mum to try and she is now Biotherm's biggest fan. She says her legs were less wrinkly, firmer and generally better looking. So thumbs up from the Old Girl! It's £37, so not a bargain, but if you are heading off to sunnier climes (so basically anywhere but England) buy this now and notice an improvement in the next 14 days or so!

Boots is up there among my favourite shops in the world. i hate when you go abroad and you need a couple of things; lip gloss, nail file, Berocca and a sandwich, and there is no one place that sells all these things. Lucky for us here in Blighty, trusty old Boots the Chemist is everywhere!

So, I headed in there a few weeks ago with my darling friend who is about to got to Italy on holiday with her two gorgeous boys and hubby. She is about to don a bikini for the first time in quite a while and wanted to look tip-top. So, I pointed her in the direction of Boots Expert Total Body Anti-Cellulite Cream. She wasn't holding out much hope as the product is a snip at only £5.99. The verdict? It is a cracker! After just 10 days she felt her thighs were smoother, tighter and looked marvellous in her new bikini! This cream is intense and as with every anti-cellulite treatment works best when massaged thoroughly into those nasty wobbly bits. And her husband can't keep his eyes, nor his hands, off her!

Earlier this year I decided to try Garnier Body Tonic Firming Hydrating Lotion. I'd read somewhere that the seaweed extract was the 'magic ingredient' which was new to me, so I gave it a crack. Now, if you don't have the patience to massage and rub cream into your thighs, then this is the product for you. Good results which last is all any of us really want, and you do get that with this lotion, no question. It is very easy to apply, absorbs nice and quickly and smells actually quite yummy. It's less than £7 to boot, so not half bad!

Top tips for perfect pins

1. I hate to say it, but yes, exercise is good for you. Get moving as it will get rid of your lumpy bits.

2. Brush your legs and thighs with a dry body brush will get the circulation going.

3. Drink water! Not too much a la Nigella of course, but more like a glass an hour.

4. Ditch the salt - salt retains water, therefore defeating the object of the point above.

5. Apply the creams twice a day for best results.

I'm a (not-so-secret) make up lover. That's right, that's right!

I. LOVE. MAKE UP.

There, I've said it.

Perhaps not the most shocking of revelations. Certainly not worthy of having my phone hacked, or of people crossing the road to avoid me, but my love/obsession is all-consuming.

When I say to my boyfriend,'I won't be long, I'll just do my make up and we can leave', I ALWAYS hear a sigh, and I know, I just know, he is rolling his eyes.

What's worse is when I say, right before going to bed, ' I'm just going to take my make up off', he replies, 'I'll see you in a couple of hours then'. Cheeky, I know. But not entirely wrong either.

You see, like you I'm sure, I can't help myself. In fact, I cannot deny myself anything. I'll be in Boots, Debenhams or even Sainsbury's for goodness sake, and I can't keep my mitts off facial wash, exfoliators, tweezers, blending brushes, moisturisers, serums, primers, cream blush, powered blush, mousse blush, I've tried every kind of eyeliner (my current favourite is an Avon one, which I'll tell you about later) and there isn't a moisturiser out there that has been loved, loathed, recommended to my friends or chucked in the bin in a fit of pique after one week and a whole load of breakouts!

So what I'm saying is, I am going to tell you all about my star products, my must-haves, the things that I know that, like me, you won't be able to live without.

So to get things started I'm going to let you into my current eyeshadow secret. And I know you will be as potty about this range as I am. Checking out Superdrug the other day for a hair masque I, naturally, had to have a butcher's at some of the treasures in this Aladdin's Cave. And I am thrilled with what I discovered. I came across this lovely mineral-based palette and I am now an addict.

I love this Sleek make up i-Divine Original eyeshadow palette!

The brand is Sleek Make upThe range is called i-Divine and this particular one is the Original - appropriately it was the first one I bought.

There are loads though, 12 at the moment, and they are all fabulous, but as well as Original I would say my other two faves are Bad Girls and Monaco, so keep you minces open for those.

Bad Girl and if you are looking for the perfect smoky eye, then this is the one for you.

So why do I love Sleek i-Divine so much? It's simple really. The colours are magnificent and there genuinely is something that will suit everyone, whatever your skin colour or tone. They are very highly-pigmented indeed, so they really stand out and more importantly, stay on. I've used everything from the smoky, sensual colours to exciting neon colours and have created a lot of different looks for very occasion. They last ages too and blend like a dream. And the best bit? Well, they are only £6.49! I've bought mine from Superdrug, but they are also available online from www.sleekmakeup.com

This is the Mediterranean-inspired Monaco - perfect for the Summer!

By the way, re: the hair masque. I opted for Tresemme Restructuring Deep Conditioning Treatment Masque. Excellent and a bargain at only £4.99 for 500ml - brilliant!!

For glorious hair, grab one of these!

I'll be back with more super face and skincare secrets soon, so keep checking out this page.