Le French Pharmacie!

If you're lucky enough to be holidaying in France, then a trip to one of the many pharmacies you'll find on pretty much every street corner is an absolute must!

They're indicated by a flashing green cross and you'll find that some of the larger ones are open very late or even all night.

The treats in store are endless and I have to confess, a visit to these beautiful boutiques is definitely a highlight of any trip across the channel.

Good old fashioned customer service, an Aladdins cove of products, in often antiquated and original old pharmacy buildings, and incredibly knowledgable pharmacists make for a treasurable experience and one that will change your beauty regime forever!

My absolute favourite product for some years now has been Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse. I discovered it about 3 years ago on a trip to the Dordogne. After having spent a bit too much time soaking up the sun by the swimming pool, my friend and I dropped into our local pharmacy for a bit of advice to sooth our leathered skin...I left with a bottle of Huile Prodigieuse which is a dry oil that can be used on body, hair and face and is a combination of 6 precious oils that work together to leave your skin silky smooth even after sun exposure, your hair beautifully soft and it's the only product ill let anywhere near my face at night as I wake up with amazingly radiant skin and given that I have very oily, spot prone skin usually it's a miracle-  I don't know how it works....it just does!!

Another favourite brand from the French pharmacy is the Galenic sun care range: Soins Soleil. The dry oil SPF 15 leaves your skin lovely and shiny and the tan is creates is beautifully golden. You can also never go wrong with Vichy products: named after the old French  royal family (obviously before the revolution)!!

If I haven't sold the French pharmacy enough, you're likely to get lots of lovely free samples with every purchase - what are you waiting for??? Go book that trip to your favourite French hotspot and grab yourself some products that will change your routine forever! 

Beauty on the beach part 2

It can be a confusing time for hair on the beach; the mixture of being dipped in the sea, ruffled up in the sand and dried out by the sun can leave your hair a bit worse for wear, but don't panic, I have some fool proof solutions to keep your locks looking luscious on the beach!

First things first, leave the straighteners and hair dryer at home! No place for them on a beach holiday - keep it natural and use the space in your suitcase to pack a few extra bikinis...

1) In the morning use a gentle shampoo and a nourishing conditioner to kick start your hair into shape. I like Simple Gentle Shampoo and Liz Earle Botanical Shine Conditioner together. You should use a product clearing shampoo and a leave in conditioner when you get home to really boost the hair follicles and remove any remaining salt or sand. Aveda do a great range of sensitive hair restoring products Aveda

2) after towel drying, rub a small drop of hair oil on the ends to act as a leave in conditioner and restore some of the moisture lost by the heat. I'm loving body shop's new range of oils for face, body and hair at the moment Beautifying oils

3) for a daytime look thats perfect in the sun, twist hair loosely up in sections all around the crown and then tie up with a hair band- it keeps hair out of your face and the sea all day and gives you a perfect evening look too!

4) after a day at the beach, to save time before you head out for the evening, take a shower at the pool/ beach, then undo your twisted locks, and you will have some tight curls that have been set by the sun- shake out the curls so that that have a more "beachy" look and apply another small amount of oil all over the curls to give them extra shine and radiance and you're ready to roll- day to night in about 2 minutes!

Your nails will look beautifully healthy and white from the sun rays alone, so I always leave them natural and do my feet in a summery coral or classic red which always looks great against black Havaianas and a golden tan!

Final tip: if you have a thirst for something sparkly then crack open some sparkling mineral water- it will quench your thirst and satisfies the bubbly thirst...well, until dinner at least...

Have fun! I'll be back next week to tell you about my favourite holiday indulgence: the French Pharmacy

Beauty on the beach part 1

Bikinis packed, chick lit purchased, but is your beauty regime ready for take off?

Heading for the sun is the highlight of my year- the warm rays of Vitamin D flooding over me as the waves lap at my feet: bliss!

Sun, sea and sand can do wonders for your skin and work in harmony with my other 3 essential S's for beautiful holiday skin: safe, simple and shine

Safe body: Suncare must always be the no.1 priority on any trip to the sun. I love using a high factor sun protection oil instead of a cream for my body as it's much easier and quicker to apply and gives a gorgeous golden glow before you've even got the deck chairs out! My favourite two products at the moment are Galenic Soins Soileil Range and the Vichy Capital Soleil range. They both leave you feeling glossy, glamorous and sunburn free! 

Safe face: To avoid a clogged up face and breakouts, I always use a specific sun cream/ oil for face which is non greasy and non pore blogging- I swear by No 7 anti dark spot protector SPF 50 for all day protection and no sweaty face! 

Simple: your skin will increase in radiance while you relax, soak up the sunshine and keep hydrated with lots of water (yes that's water, not piña coladas!) I have very oily, Mediterranean skin but I find that it looks at its best after a day or two in the sun with no make up. It's best to avoid heavy make up even in they evenings, when on a beach holiday, as it will look out of place with your natural surroundings and will also clog up your skin and feel uncomfortable.

Shine: Keep that sunkissed glow from day to night by applying only the very minimal of make in the evening. If your eyes puff up in the sun like mine, then some cotton pads with ice cold water should do the trick with a fine line of pencil on the corner of your eyelid to open them out. A touch of golden blush on the cheekbones and forehead to highlight your tan and some Vaseline/ light lip gloss on the lips and you'll be dazzling all night! 


Next week in part 2, I'll cover the wonders of the French pharmacy and sun tips for hair.