Here comes the sun...do de do de...

So it's summertime up here in the Northern hemisphere and I thought I should talk to you about an issue which I know many already have stressed the importance of, but I wanted to add more. 

I'm a bit of a stickler about sun protection but love the feeling of being tan. I realise it's awful for my skin (no matter how many precautions I take) but summer time for me means being outside; not even laying out but just being out there enjoying sunshine I miss and so rarely get to enjoy over here in England. It's inevitable therefore, simply by being outside that I do develop some kind of tan no matter how much high factor suncream I slap on. I'm fairly pale naturally (Dad's got the skin of a stereotypical Celt) but I tan reasonably easily (Mum's got Southern European ancestory and therefore an olive southern European complexion.) The combination of skin tones leaves me and my siblings with pale skin but olive undertones and lots of dark freckles - I'm not talking freckle tone freckles here, chocolate brown freckles - and skin that tans to the same degree as Mum's. I consider myself fairly lucky in this respect - it has partly owed to the fact that I've never sunburnt. But I also take extremely good care of my skin in the sun all year round. I think this is the crucial part. 

I have friends who are far, far fairer than me and some are as vigilant with taking care of themselves in the sun as they need to be (high factor suncream, loose long sleeves, hats, staying indoors in high sun hours) unfortunately others take far less precautions than they should and I genuinely fear for how they will pay for it later in life. They burn because it's the only way their skin will turn to tan, wearing factors of suncream as low as SPF 8 for lying out all day with only one application. When I slather myself in factor 20 (low in my books) for just a half hour outside they think it's ridiculous. Upon hearing I wear sunscreen on my face everyday one thought it was stupid. And pointed out on a holiday that she'd gotten far darker than our friends because they were 'using factor 30, so how did they expect to tan?' I was shocked. The idea of sun safety didn't seem to occur to here. Being burnt and peeling was just a part of the process. 

My parents have always battered sun safety into me - my Mum would lie out in the sun in holiday for a month wearing only baby oil in her younger days and wanted to make sure none of us took such risks. We never had anything below factor 30 in the house for years and on holiday I remember being dragged out of the pool at hourly intervals to 'be regreased.' We wore hats with neck flaps and pool T-Shirts and were made to nap under an umbrella for a while after lunch to keep us out of the sun when it was at its most dangerous. This need to be careful in the sun still lies prominent in my mind. And though I will end this summer with a tan I will have done it taking as many precautions as I possibly can. 

Six bottles of suncream (the lowest being factor 30, the highest 50+) are joining us on holiday this summer. I've got myself quite a beautiful collection of coverups and am going to spend tomorrow hunting for a hat that will be somewhat more adult but equally as effective as my baseball cap with a flap number. 

So please, this summer don't be stupid in the sun. Take care of your skin and it'll be just as beautiful in 40 years as it is now. 

Technamological Stuff vs. Me

So my Pop came back from visiting my brother today and he's an utter Blackberry obsessive. He recently converted me to the wonderful land of Blackberryness and he got me a present he thought I might like...but I liked it far more than he thought I would. Like, seriously way more. It's happened. I'm officially a Blackberry nerd - Jeez, that crept up on me. 

Anyway, the present was what I (still showing my technology related ignorance) would call a holster, but I believe those in the know call it a charging cradle or pod. So now my little Purpleberry is stood up, charging away on my bed side table. I got home from dance (my last official Saturday before Uni, I'll be back there for a week in September though - so there were no big goodbyes) and there it was, sat there on my table all plugged in and ready to go. And the smile that went across my face. It was just so nice and thoughtful!

But yeah...the Purpleberry is pretty much where the whole me and technology alliance ends. I know enough about computers (both PCs and Macs because my school was a big old PC fan and I am a macbook girl through and through (my Mum had one of the original plunky MacIntoshes when they still had that awesome stripey apple logo - she was quite the pioneer) I digress...) to get me through what I need to do. But Facebook is a massive no no for me. I just don't get it. Nor do I MSN or iChat anymore. I spent far too much time doing that when I was about 14 and can't be doing with it anymore. I much prefer to while away hours actually talking to the person. I e-mail but I'd much prefer to write a letter or call. And I have a type writer, which was for a while the only place I could write. Unfortunately the ink ribbon has dried up and I'm having trouble finding a new one. There's something wonderfully satisfying about the callouses that writing on a typewriter gives that my good old macbook cannot provide. I own and use a digital camera, but yearn for the days I could afford to replenish my stocks of Polaroid film. Those book reader computer things just make me want to vomit. Part of reading a book is the experience. The feel of the pages. That new book smell. The way that a book looks when it has been well loved and read; all creased covers and the occasional folded corner. 

It would appear I'm a reluctant lover of technology. I'll take it in moderation and only within my own terms. Until I find something I love and makes me smile - then I obsess and give it its own name. I'm officially one of those people who names inanimate objects. But I do really love my dear Purpleberry. 

My 5 books to read before you die...

So I read, from time to time. And here in my utter boredom I have compiled a list of five books I believe everyone should read (I'm not big on classics, I love the idea of them I just find them incredibly hard work to read, I do however love listening to them on audio books. I'm the same with Agatha Christies - which are brilliant by the way. Give them a try, start with Poirot though he's a bit more peppy than Miss Marple.) So here we go...in no particular order.

The Well and the Mine by Gin Phillips - I think the fact that it took me a day to read this says it all. It's a truly harrowing story about a little girl who witnesses a woman throwing her baby down a well; set in the Deep South in 1931 it also chronicles a small mining town's struggle against the depression and its descriptive passages are so intense you feel that you yourself have lived it. 

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - I read this simply because my friends had to for English Lit and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. This is a book with difficult and terrifying concepts that I found almost unbelievably easy to read. Set in a (hopefully) alternate future where the majority of women are sterile and thus Handmaids are supplied to the rich to bear the children of 'Commanders' which are then raised by the Commanders' wives. The book chronicles one handmaiden's journey through this suffocating new life as she looks back on her old one. I will say though I hate the ending - it doesn't appeal at all to the part of me that likes things ended nicely tied up in a bow. 
Moab is my Washpot by Stephen Fry - Good Lord I cannot tell you how much I love this man. In my bizarre fantasy celebrity family he is everyones favourite uncle. This is his autobiography chronicling a section of his life - starting with his childhood and teenage years and ending upon his entry into Cambridge University. This is a book in which Mr Fry often meanders away from the main story often and throws in a number of wonderful anecdotes. Definitely worth the read whether you're a Mr Stevie fan or not. 
A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly (Published out of the UK as 'A Northern Light') - This is a book which has really effected me and made me think - every one of the 8 times I've read it. It centres around the discovery of a series of letters which reveal vital information on a murder (based on the real murder of Grace Brown early in the 20th Century) by the narrator - a girl working in the hotel the victim and her murderer were staying in. Mattie, the narrator draws a number of deeply unsettling parallels between her own life and that of Grace Brown. This is marketed as a children's book and although I must have read this for the first time when I was about 13 this is by no means just a children's book. The descriptions of objects, thoughts, smells, feelings, landscapes, movement, memories and people make you feel like not only are you a part of the book but have been part of that community forever. I can honestly say this is amongst my favourite books ever. 
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger - I read this for the first time on the same holiday I read A Gathering Light - Jeez that was an amazing holiday for literature. I fell in love with this book and it along with A Gathering Light has come with me (and been read!) on every holiday ever since. This is my second copy of this book - my original was so loved it had to be replaced. This follows the life of a man who due to a genetic disorder travels through time, specifically to important events of his lifetime. Entangled within this complicated existence is that of the girl he visits at different stages of her life while at varying stages of his own life. I won't say more...I don't want to spoil this simply exquisite book for you. I cannot tell you how thrilled I was to discover they were turning this into a movie. And it's kept me waiting, having been in production for about two years for no apparent reason. But the trailer is finally out! Yaaay! And I couldn't have suggested more perfect people to play Henry and Clare. I have something of a major girl crush on Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana is an Aussie so instantly gains brownie points. It doesn't hurt that he's so beautiful. I will spend this entire film (maybe only first viewing) just in awe of the two of them. And it comes out just after I come home from holiday...the perfect way to beat the post holiday blues. I'm getting a sneaky reread in before the 14th August. I'm off now to the land of Clare and Henry. 

A perfect way to spend a perfect summer.

Skin Care

So as far as beauty regimes go I'm pretty obsessive about having a good, effective skin care regime in place. Bad (and I mean bad) acne runs in my family and so my Mum instilled the

whole looking after your skin thing in me from a young age. 

This seems (now I've got it all gathered on my desk) to involve a never ending array of products, but it's not as complicated as it seems honest! This is my routine for summer when my skin is marginally more oily than in winter. I consider myself to have combination skin this time of year whereas winter dries it out no end. I get eczema patches on my face at random intervals throughout the year no matter what I do and so I try to avoid perfumes in face products as I find these cause my eczema to flare up. This system works for me and my rather irritable skin and whether its this or just jumping the genetic bullet, I've managed to get away with just the occasional spot. 

So here goes...step by step. 

1. Make Up Removal

Some would say I over cleanse with all this, but I think making sure your face is as squeaky clean as it possibly can be one of the most important parts of skincare. Clearing all of your pores of make up and pollution accumulated

 through the day is bound to stop your skin breaking out. 

Garnier Clean Sensitive 2 in 1 Waterproof Make-Up Dissolver - £4.88

This stuff is brilliant if a little greasy (which is part of the reason I use wipes before cleansing) and I think this is at least my fourth bottle. It's oil based so forms two layers with the oil and water, shaking to mix makes this stuff literally a make up dissolver - it gets rid of (even if a few swipes are required) even my most stubborn waterproof mascara. It's non-perfumed and alcohol free - always a bonus for my skin. 

Any old face wipes - at the moment I'm using these Skin Therapy Deep Cleansing Facial Wipes because they were on offer at the supermarket (Sainsbury's if anyone's interested 2 for 1 I do believe) and it turns out they're bloody good. These get rid of all foundation and other face make up and made little work of the red lipstick I had on today. Literally one swipe. Ever since watching Petrilude's skin care video on You Tube I've become a real advocate of double cleansing. It makes perfect sense - the first cleanse clears all the make up and the second really cleanses. These wipes are my first cleanse. I also find they get rid of the slightly greasy residue left by my eye make up remover. 

2. Cleansing

This is where I do my second cleanse to really deep clean my skin making it feel fresh. 

Lush's Baby Face - £3.87

My current favourite cleanser, this stuff is a solid, buttery bar that is preservative free and only lightly perfumed (and vegan!) I use it slightly differently to the method Lush recommend - I rub the bar all over my face which causes a layer of the bar to melt over my face leaving a slightly greasy (and shiny, which is great for me as I can see where I've already cleansed) coat of the cleanser on my face. I remove the cleanser using toner on a cotton wool pad. This cleanser leaves my face feeling wonderfully squeaky clean but moisturised at the same time (its full of lovely moisture rich plant butters) meaning you aren't left with that tight feeling in your skin. 

Another favourite of mine (when my bank account is in better shape) is this: 

Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser - £10.99

This stuff is worth trying merely for its smell -  a wonderful orange scent that wakes you up in the morning but isn't too citrusy that it can't be used at night as well. Leaves my face feeling clean, smooth and deeply moisturised without feeling greasy. 

3. Toner 

I use toner to remove the Baby Face Cleanser but also if using my exfoliating cleanser I use this afterwards to ensure my pores are thoroughly clean. 

Garnier Clean and Fresh Invigorating Toner - £2.08

This stuff is great, I got it because I couldn't afford my usual holy grail toner and have been pleasantly surprised. It's cooling and refreshing and really does its job. And at only £2 it's certainly worth a go.  

Burt's Bees Rosewater and Glycerin Toner - £13.99

This is my absolute holy grail toner. It calms the redness in my face leaving my skin fresh and light and wonderfully airy. Loved this particularly when used with the Orange Essence Cleanser. 

4. Moisturiser

I have three moisturisers on the go at the moment. One for night, one for mornings and one for extra special days because I'm trying to make my bottle last as long as possible before I get to replace it in duty free. 

Nivea Creme - £1.04 

My Nan had always used this and at 90 has the skin of a 60 year old. It's tried and test and above all wonderfully cheap. I'd only ever use this as a night cream because it is so thick and leaves the skin a little greasy after initial application. By the morning however this has been completely absorbed and leaves the skin soft and plump. 

Garnier Ambre Solaire Face Protect SPF 15 - £10.95

I use this as my morning moisturiser because I like the protection the SPF gives and find that the Nivea Creme has left my skin moisturised enough from the night before. And this stuff is moisturising and gives my skin a nice sheen that doesn't look greasy at all. This is often on 2 for 1 in Boots so I stock up. 

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion - £25.45 

Everyone has raved about this and if I had the money this would be my moisturiser day and night. I'm waiting for holiday time to replenish my supply (as you can see I'm nearing the very dregs of this bottle) but consider this a worthy investment. I've had this bottle since Christmas and consider the length of time this one bottle has lasted me (using everyday for 6 months) to make it well worth the £25 price tag. It's wonderful stuff - even though this is meant to be for dry skin I find it does wonderful work on both my patches of dry and oily skin. I'd be nervous about trying the gel - I'm not sure how my dry skin would react to it. 

5. Exfoliation

Garnier Pure Deep Clean Foam Wash - £3.91 

This is one of the few products I use which I feel dries out my skin and thus I only use it once a week or if I feel my skin is about to, or has broken out. This really does deep clean and requires some really moisturising afterward but deals brilliantly with any tantrums my skin is having. 

St Ives Radiance Cleanser Apricot Cream Wash - £3.98

I often find exfoliators with beads too harsh to use as often as I need to, but these beads are suspended within a really rich moisturising cleanser which means deep but gentle cleansing and exfoliation. I use this every other day in the shower (whenever I wash my hair) and find this is often enough to clear my skin although I would have no worries about using this everyday. It's even gentle enough to use to get rid of any skin build up on the lips. 

6. Lips

I've become something of a lip balm obsessive in recent years and feel lost without some form of moisturising lip treatment with me. I've been looking for that perfect treatment to use morning and night and I can definitely say that if I had to pick one product to use on both my lips and skin it would be this:

Lucas' Papaw Ointment - £3.65

This is a wonderful multipurpose ointment better known Down Under than in the UK as well as being a brilliant balm for lips is perfect for almost anything - I personally find this a great alternative for hydrocortisone cream as an eczema treatment. It provides initial relief from itching and then treats long term - this makes it great for things like bites too. I prefer this to creams to treat callouses and areas of dry skin on elbows because the ointment is more instantly moisture rich. 

Just a lonely little m&m man...

I love this photo of the little m&m man surveying his grounds...

Melting...meeeeeeelting...

Good god its hot. And I'm not just talking normal hot for you guys not in the UK I'm talking UK heat wave hot where it's so damn humid it feels a little bit like you're breathing through a sponge. It didn't help that I went shopping today and had to endure a two hour train journey each way...it was sweaty, there was walking - lots of it and my train home was delayed so I ended up stuck on the platform with 100 other hot and disgruntled commuters for 20 odd minutes before the train showed up. But yeah...shopping! Bargains were purchased from Zara and Urban Outfitters and a much less bargainous pair of jeans from Gap (thanks Mum :D) 

I may well go a bit post happy now, I've got so much to say for some reason and its waaaaay to hot to sleep right now...so here goes!