Ah the wonderful Halmark-ness of it all! At Cult Beauty we really struggle with how to evoke mother’s day in images, the powers that be at the various image libraries seem to have engaged in a long-running competition to create an image so saccharin that one glance can cause instant death-by-kittens-in-flower-baskets.

The incredibly tough job of bringing up a child, though occasionally dementing, doesn’t instantly sap a women of all taste, or ability to recognise cynical marketing.

There is an easy way to make your Mother very happy, in fact I’ve yet to find a woman who wouldn’t love a Holistic Silk pillowcase or Silk Eye Mask. They feel glorious to sleep on, they help prevent wrinkles and split ends and the lack of friction extends the life of your blow dry. We have just launched some new colours in addition to the white and cream ones as well. Or, if you are looking for some inspiration for what to treat your Mama with, take a look at our Mother’s Day Gift Guide.

Or if you are really stuck head to Boots:

This video gives a lovely insight into why Jouer Cosmetics is such a cool brand. The founder is a practical, professional lady, who also happens to be a single Mum, and this really shows through in the concept. From the slide together packaging (see how this works in the vid) to the lack of extraneous products, the range is brilliantly thought through. It works especially well on older skin as well – something make make up ranges do not. Their tag line is -  No make up artist required – and I think it lives up to this in every product Jouer sells.

Valentino Master of Couture at Somerset House

Rosso. Rouge. Red. Regardless of the language, the hue itself conjures up a bevy of symbolism. Frequently associated with feelings of love, while also maintaining an intimate relationship with danger…..The color Red brings order to an intersection,  just as quickly as it instills fear within a nation.

Luckily, when it comes to style, Red is more of a one trick pony.  A classic hue for anything from nails, to lips, to shoes, to dresses. A woman in red is never overlooked (much to the chagrin of Hester Prynne). Valentino may have had a hand in this. Designing for style icons like Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Jackie O and Sophia Lauren, timeless beauty is something that he understood, and red was a color he understood.

Such is evident at the Valentino: Master of Couture exhibit at the Somerset House (until 3rd March). Where 130 couture ridden mannequins pack the house at your runway debut. If catwalks aren’t your thing, catch an intimate glimpse into the life of Valentino as a man and vehicle for the most enduring suntan, through photos, letters and film.

Some people doodle on their to-do list while talking on the phone, Anastasia Soare creates 48 hour tattoos on her arm using pigment from the Hypercolor Hair powder and Lash Genius. It shows you how good the Lash Genius is at waterproofing pigment.

There is an ancient Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times” and boy does it feel like we’ve been hit with it right now. With the media feeding us nothing but scarcity and fear, the economy looking about buoyant as a lead duck and the increased workload that comes with fewer staff numbers, it’s not surprising we’re all feeling frazzled. On the upside I’ve found a crutch…

Therapie is a capsule range of five bath & body products, formulated by world renowned aromatherapist Michelle Roques-O’Neil; each product is a multidimensional way of bathing/ showering/moisturising that also nourishes your well-being. Therapie is designed to help you create the space and time you need to nurture yourself, while discharging built up stress, tension, toxins and electromagnetic radiation from all the computer and mobile time we clock up.

My favourite from the range is the Detox Himalayan Bath Salts because the effects are so immediate. The pink mineral salts draw out physical toxins, but there is a second level of ingredients – including powdered Amethyst crystals (these counter the electromagnetic energy we absorb from mobiles and computers) and essential oils of lemongrass, juniper and geranium, which balance pH levels and positive/negative ions, helping the body to find equilibrium. The first time I tried these I slept so deeply that I woke up in exactly the same position I went to sleep in, no dreams, no 3am stirring bliss!

The Restore Aura Spray is a brilliant desk-weapon for when one is feeling put-upon. Its basic function is a facial spritz that smells lovely, but it is also packed with ingredients such as frankincense that emotionally stabilize and renew flagging energies on the spot. Whether it’s just a very busy day, working through insomnia, jet-lag or a real emotional crisis, it’s like a hug from your Mum in a bottle.

As someone who views morning with the same amount of enthusiasm as a trip to the dentist Boost Hair & Body Wash is a godsend. Deep breathing this aromatherapeutic concoction opens your lungs and increases circulation, provoking a natural energy boost, as well as cleaning your skin without drying.

Read about the rest of the range here. There is also a Discovery Kit that allows you to try everything before committing to the full size.

 This weekend Sunday Times Style gave the Himalayan Bath Salts Five Stars, see the feature below:

This is an incredibly proud moment for ladies in politics! Thanks to the brilliant columnist Lucy Mangan for highlighting this awesome speech captured in Australian parliament. Prime Minister Julia Gillard uncorks some long bottled-up thoughts on the hypocrisy and inherant misogyny of her shadow 1st minister. In 15 minutes she exposes some of the entrenched prejudice against women in both our politics and the media who cover the issues. Go girl!!

Lady Gaga has hit back at the recent trash-mag pronouncements, that this size-8-songstress is now considered “fat”, in a most dignified and positive way. Avoiding the well-trodden celeb route of laying on the litigation, last night Ms. Gaga published the above pictures of herself on her website Littlemonsters.com with the simple confession, “”Bulimia and anorexia since I was 15″. She has also invited her little monsters to do the same to celebrate their individuality rather than focus on flaws.

“But today I join the BODY REVOLUTION. To Inspire Bravery and BREED some m$therf*cking COMPASSION”

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I love this whimsical little video taken at the recent Port Eliot Festival. It features the delicious milliner Stephen Jones, working more unusually on hair rather than hats, with the Alex Brownsell, founder of Bleach London Hair Salon.

He draws inspiration from the defining hairstyles of the 18th Century and updates the pile’em high, powder’em up techniques we all associate with Marie Antoinette et al with the Bumble & Bumble Coloured Hair Powders. The effects are beautiful and perfect for festivals.

Steven Jones w/ Bumble & Bumble Port Eliot on Vimeo.

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I discovered this last night during a YouTube swap sesh. This is the music video for Parov Stelar’s Catgrove tune (electro-swing is the next music craze to be sweeping the nation BTW, worth checking that genre out!), the dancer in it absolutely rocks, he’s amazing. A beautiful mix of edgy cool and almost balletic elegance. He could do with acquainting himself with the modern wonders of shampoo though…. alexia inge

If you are suffering from Rosacea, Eczema or Acne, have sensitive skin or are fed up with products that don’t work, read on…

Rosie Huntington-Whitley, Maggie Gyllenhaal, myself and a whole host of make up artists are fans of this beautiful range. The products are mostly made up of organic oils, the masks are jam packed with minerals, both are so natural you could literally eat them. These skin care products work by delivering the ingredients our skin and body cells need in order to function at maximum efficiency, with smooth communication pathways. Much like how a Nicorette patch works by having a molecular structure small enough to pass into the bloodstream, the active ingredients in these products have the same effect.

We were recently granted an audience with the founder of MV Organics Sharon Mcglinchey (image below), a true master of her trade. Here is what she had to say…

Sharon is a no-frills Geordie with an Aussie lilt, whose obsession with beauty products led to her becoming a beauty therapist. Her journey with MV Organics is told with an inspiring passion. I could have listened to her till the cows came home.

MV Organics started when a close friend of Sharon’s developed a nasty reaction to petrochemicals. A mind boggling amount of consumer products from detergents to cosmetics, contain synthetic ingredients derived from petrochemicals, so avoiding them can be tricky. Sharon had just finished a course in making beauty products in one’s own kitchen. She gave a pot of her petrochemical free moisturiser to her friend who’s skin transformed overnight from red and blistered into calm and manageable. Something the dermatologist had failed to accomplish. The dermatologist treating her friend so impressed he ordered a batch.

The secret to Sharon’s success is quality and simplicity. The skin does not need to be bombarded with a gazillion different products. If you have sensitive skin, then even more so. What it needs is nourishment and ingredients that work in harmony with the body’s systems. Here are a few of my favourite things:

Gentle Cream Cleanser; A topical cleanser that won’t strip your face’s natural oils. Two pumps are all you need to rid your skin of make up and everyday dirt. Massage the cream (it’s balancing enough for oily skinned peeps too) gently into your face and neck, then hold a steaming muslin cloth over it until the heat cools. The heat from the water helps release the oils, which in turn, loosens the corneum (2nd layer) of the epidermis so you can wipe them away, revealing the luminous new skin underneath.

Calming & Softening Mask; Mix 2 teaspoons with the Rose Mist or bottled/filtered spring water till you have a smooth consistency. Apply using a fan brush – fan brushes are useful tools for applying masks, they give excellent precise coverage and make little mess. The mask acts in 3 phases. 1) Damp Phase – this is when the minerals from the mask are being absorbed. 2) Cooling Phase – the capillaries slowly contract. 3) Drawing Phase – impurities are drawn into the mask to be washed down the drain. Wash the mask off BEFORE it gets dry. This is an excellent mask to help oily or acne prone skin become de-sensitised and calm. Once skin has been softened and strengthened, the mask can then clear up oils from a hyperactive sebum gland.

Rose Soothing & Protecting Moisturiser; Half a pump is all you need when mixed with one drop from either of the 3 Booster Oils. This product is incredibly soothing to your skin. After shoots that have included many make up changes, I treat myself to a mask followed by this moisturiser and a drop of the Rose Booster. Immediately I can feel my skin calming down. The erratic tingling ceases to annoy plus come the morning, my skin is glowing so much it looks like someone turned up the sun. This product also evens out skin tone to rid you of redness. In the mortal words of Bethan Cole “the more I use this, the less foundation I need“.

Rose Skin Plus Booster; This booster is designed with delicate, fragile skin in mind, its even safe for babies and those on HRT. The steam distilled (otto) Rose oil is used as the main component alongside Rose Geranium. Not only does this product smell as fresh as my Grandmother’s old rose garden, but it also contains properties that help the skin to stay calm and properly moisturised, fighting off any dryness and dehydration. It is a soothing, non-toxic, non-irritant ingrediant that harbors cicatrisant properties. Marry that with its antiseptic, antiviral and bactericidal properties and you have a pot of goodness that helps heal skin after trauma and stress.

Instant Revival; This is the Ferrari of the boosters. If your skin is sun-damaged, tired, mature or post surgery, this is the booster for you. It’s a cordon bleu recipe for your skin, rich and satisfying. A few of the essential oils included are…

Lavender; cell growth stimulator, scar preventor, encourages balance in sebum production and reduces inflammation.

Geranium; circulation and lymphatic system booster, helps improve skin elasticity.

Rosewood; superior cell stimulant and tissue generator.

Neroli; helps with the treatment of broken capillaries and veins under the skin’s surface, stimulates cell activity and growth.

Some tips from Sharon:

“Have a make-up free day, so the skin has a chance to breath.”

“Pure Jojoba oil is 1 molecular bar short of being identical to our skin’s sebum. You can use as much as you like, it won’t clog your skin. It makes for an excellent make-up remover (see Alexia’s blog on jojoba).”

“Don’t take your cleanser off in the shower, take it off before the shower with hot water and a cloth, apply some jojoba oil, then get in the shower. The water will just wash off your face. If you shower with your make up on, the heat from the water penetrates the make up deeper into your skin.”

“Teenagers…buy a natural soap. You can tell if its natural by how squishy it goes when mixed with water.” Squishy = Good.

“Muslin cloths are better than cotton flannels because they do not harbor bacteria as they dry quickly. They are great for travelling.”

“Add the boosters to your moisturiser if your moisturiser is natural“. I love that Sharon understands we can’t all afford her products.

Here’s hoping Sharon’s words and products help to make your life a little easier and your skin that much happier. olivia inge