Bumping into Viv & Christmas shopping

I hope you're all having a great festive season. I love this time of year. Love it. Mr W said this week he thinks I'm having my own personal mini-festive festival! I've been out trying to enjoy all the wonderful things in London at this time of year - including going to the theatre this week, where I happened to be having a pre-play drink and Vivienne Westwood strolled in and stood next to me. I could have fainted! This isn't just name dropping - regular Edna readers will know that for me this is being in the vicinity of my fashion god. You'll be reassured to know I played it cool and didn't (a) hug her (b) cry, or (c) have an excitable wee!

Anyway, other than bumping into Viv, December is also full of Christmas shopping. I've almost finished mine - still some final bits and pieces but I feel reasonably calm about it all.

If you're still struggling for ideas, here are some little treasures. Sorry, ideas are only for women and little ones...men - fend for yourselves!

Emma Cook deer print pyjamas - £38

Prestat sea salt caramel truffles - £10.75

Asos Story heels - £40

Tatty Devine fox brooch - £35

Yellow patent leather scallop satchel - £66.88
(a bargain considering it's handmade, to order!)

REN Moroccan rose experience gift set - £32

 

Zara ballerina studded shoes - £59.99

The Little Paris Kitchen cookbook - £14

Dahlia navy double collar blouse
with sequin detail - £62

Agent Provocateur seam & heel
stretch hold-up - £25

Lulu Frost for Whistles Sandra earrings - £70

Hobbs NW3 Mr Duck shirt - £69

Minnie Boden appliqué pinnie - £24

Rosie’s Magic Horse - £9.09

Summer beauty

As I’ve got further and further into my pregnancy, the pleasures of shopping for clothes and accessories have started to wane a little. I still have fashion daydreams but I’m realistically not going to crack my purse open to buy a new pair of shoes when I can barely get my swollen trotters into flip-flops!

Instead, what have remained little treats are make-up and beauty products. When I bought tickets to London Fashion Weekend back in February, I got a free bottle of Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour body moisturiser...something I’d never normally buy as it seems too expensive for a body cream. I finally started using it a few weeks ago and it's gorgeous and a real indulgence when I’ve needed it most. So what if I feel swollen, hot and bothered...my skin feels soft and cared for. I love it and would honestly consider buying it...though £25 for a body cream still hurts!

A brand I find a much more affordable treat is Korres. I remember buying a tonne of Korres products from a pharmacy in Athens years ago and becoming a total convert. The products are gorgeous – all natural, organic loveliness. And although they’re not cheap, £7.50 for a shower gel feels like a little treat rather than a decision you’ve taken to shower that week rather than eat!

These are all products I want in my bathroom right now...

Yoghurt moisturising mask for oily, yet dehydrated skin - £16

Wild rose serum for brightening & illuminating - £28

One of my favourite products from Korres - watermelon body scrub - £12

This is what I wanted to use today in my innumerable cold showers...39 weeks pregnant and over 30 degrees is not a happy combination! Basil lemon fresh tones shower gel - £7.50

And this is what I wanted to apply afterwards...yoghurt cooling gel - £16

Colour cherry lip gloss...in the sale and now starting at £8.40

And if you haven’t tried Korres products before, the ‘Best of Korres’ gift box is a good start to see if you like the products...and is down to £13.65 in the sale (from £17.50).

Easy to apply liquid liner

I feel a bit rubbish doing a really short blog tonight when I've just noticed Edna has new followers! Hello! Thank you for following my blog...I really hope you enjoy it.

And sorry for being so short and sweet tonight. Home from work late, barely awake, and decided that it's probably also a good idea to pack my hospital bag in case my baby decides to arrive early (only just over four weeks to go!) so I'm vaguely putting things into my gorgeous Lin & Leo bag.

I've been meaning to blog about Prestige bargain liquid eyeliner for a while.

I've never heard of Prestige cosmetics and haven't bought anything else from them other than their liquid liners...but they are brilliant! A total doddle to apply - it's so easy to get a nice smooth line. It has a good, strong colour and stays put all day. All for £5.99! I've got classic black and burgundy and love both.

A spring day out

The sun is shining in London - blue skies, temperatures above 20 degrees...the works! This sort of weather also means that a huge percentage of the population almost strips naked in the excitement of finally having sunshine after six months of gloom! A lot of flesh on show!

While I may have been tempted down the hot pant route if I had the legs for them, alas I don't so my thighs are a bit more covered up! And rather than short shorts, I love nothing more than a summer dress swishing against bare legs (no tights...hurrah!).

On my imaginary day out in the sunshine today (I'm in doors with Mr W doing DIY!) this is the outfit I'd like to be wearing. It would take me from a stroll and lunch in the sunshine to drinks later (this is, of course, ignoring the fact that I'm pregnant and would not be able to wear this dress or probably the wedges either...but still, I did say imaginary day out!).

River Island navy peter pan collar waisted dress - £34.99

Topshop chocolate three stud belt - £30

Dorothy Perkins cross over wedge sandal - £32

Warehouse metallic straw clutch - £25

Asos matt finish key hole sunglasses - £15

Butterfly by Matthew Williamson at Debenhams turquoise & gold stretch bracelet - £12 (down from £15)

Hattie Rickards for MADE tone tone bracelet - £20

Lucas Jack square ring - £35 (down from £50)
 

A little too much detail but this is the lipstick I would slap on too!

Topshop lipstick in infrared - £8

Sorting out spots

A quick blog tonight as I've been getting zen-like at my first pregnancy yoga class and have not long got home...and my bed is now calling me!

Sometimes you use a product that works so well on your skin that you just have to share the little gem with others. I've always had difficult skin - very sensitive, oily but also dry in places and prone to eczema...and the odd bout of acne. A handful, to say the least!

Pregnancy has just made these usual problems worse...the most visible has been the growing spot situation on my chin...every morning, even more would appear.

Years ago I saw a GP who said it was excessive bacteria on my chin (sorry if you're trying to eat or it's a bit early in the morning for bacterial chat!) and prescribed a tonic to help sort it out.

But now I wanted to use something that was a little gentler and less hard-core chemicals going into my system.

And this is what I tried and it has worked miracles!

Vichy Normadern Purifying

Astrigent Toner - £10.21

It has cleared up my chin in the space of a week. I know toners get slated for not really doing anything but this one has been incredible. I just apply twice a day with cotton wool...and inflamation and angry spots have disappeared.

So if your skin is suffering a bit and spots are becoming the bane of your face...I would definitely recommend it.

And Boots has a 3-2 across all skincare at the moment, so it wouldn't even be full price!

p.s. I promise Vichy has not paid me to promote this product...I doubt they even know of my existence!!

Finding your beauty guru!

I know we have beauty advice thrust at us from every direction. There is always a new cream, or serum, or tonic or treatment that we simply have to try to help correct our multitude of flaws and make us look younger, thinner, bigger busted, smoother skinned etc etc etc!

As much as it's annoying being inundated with products for problems you didn’t even know you had...good beauty advice is treasure indeed. No nonsense, honest, helpful advice is something most women appreciate.

Which is why, Edna readers, I'm introducing you to Sali Hughes, the Guardian magazine’s new(ish) beauty columnist, if you’re not already a fan. She has no time for creams that claim they will increase your bust size or resculpture your face!

A revelation for me was finding out that there is a difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin...and that it’s possible to have dehydrated skin as well as it being oily. So no more overly rich creams for me treating winter dryness while at the same time fuelling spots on my (still oily at 33!) T-zone. Instead, I now look for hydrating creams.

The only risk in reading her column each week is that it can turn into a bit of a beauty shopping list! So far I've tried the Garnia hydra-lock hand cream (£3.29 and brilliant), Origins drink-up intensive overnight mask (£20, only used once so far but loved it) and a Maybelline lipstick in coral tonic (£7.19 but got a 3-2 on Maybelline cosmetics in Boots...lovely colour that’s easy to wear for daytime).

Sali Hughes is my beauty guru!

New year nails

I’ve blogged before about Topshop make-up, mainly because the packaging is so pretty and I’m drawn to superficial things like that!! I was, admittedly, disappointed with a lip crayon I purchased from the range because it only lasted about a week...I loved the colour but not it’s longevity! But I bought a blusher at the same time which is still going strong and doing it’s best to put some colour in my cheeks and banish my winter cadaver-like complexion!
 
I was having a quick look on the site tonight and have totally fallen for a lot of their nail polishes. Even though my nails tend to border on the ok/chipped & knackered looking, I'm still obsessed with nail polishes and have far too many of them and always seem to be on the look out for more. I think the blue ‘Nails in Cloud’ polish is next on the list!

Edna's Christmas Gift Guide

Hopefully better late than never...here is Edna's Christmas gift guide. I've tried to keep the prices reasonable and affordable...so many gift guides I've seen in magazines have a starting price of around £50 and go sky-high!

So if you're starting to experience the 'less than two weeks before Christmas and I haven't got any presents' anxiety, I hope some of these ideas will help!

Liberty print notebook - £8.95

Rococo Chocolates (my absolute favourite chocolate brand) – frankly anything they produce but these pink champagne truffles are very pretty - £12.50

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland - £12.99

Gorgeous special editions with canvas printed covers – lots of different books available, including a few Jane Austens!

Oasis knitted hot water bottle - £14

Paul & Joe nail polish set in the sale for £14.40

Laura Bailey for Made salama bracelet - £18

Made has some lovely jewellery but my one and only experience in ordering off their website is a bit negative. I chose signed for delivery and they just sent it regular mail, whilst still charging me for signed! No amount of attempts at phoning or emailing customer service got me anywhere...I just never reached anyone! So maybe best to order from John Lewis, who also stocks this, and has a bit better track record in customer service!

Lisa Stickley Martha washbag - £20.40

Dents suede gloves with animal fur trim - £25

RE Found Objects green American milk glass cake stand – from £27 - for anyone who loves baking cakes!

La Perla hold-ups - £27.50
A luxurious treat. Still quite steep at £27.50 for a pair of hold-ups but much more affordable than anything else from La Perla and they are very sexy! I had some years ago and loved them and was obviously very pleased with myself in them as I flashed them at a young man on the dancefloor...he seemed to like them...alas his girlfriend wasn’t very amused!!

Laura Mercier creme de pistache honey bath - £30. A real bathing indulgence but trust me, the scent of this (and all the bathing products in the range) is delicious and it's a beautiful gift.

Celia Birtwell Romanian dancer silk scarf - £35

Prada book - £37.80

 

NW3 Hobbs bee necklace - £49

Zara buckskin clutch bag - £69.99

Vivienne Westwood diamante heart pendant in purple - £70