The Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible Reviewed

Yesterday I finally got my hands on a copy of the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible by Sarah Stacey and Josephine Fairley (Kyle Cathie Limited, 2011). It was worth the wait. I spent a good two hours soaking up their words of wisdom which go beyond skincare and cosmetics tops to provide some practical and sensible advice on fitness, yoga, diet and supplements.

Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible by Sarah Stacey and Josephine FairleyBeing a skincare and cosmetics junkie, I already have some established favourite products so there was nothing in the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible that was likely to persuade me to forsake my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish while on the moisturiser front, Philosophy’s Hope in a Jar and Decleor’s Hydrafloral remain my firm favourites. That said, I will be reviving my Liz Earle Skin Repair moisturiser – not for my face, but to try as a neck cream because – once again – it gets a great write-up category.

Anti-ageing miracle creams

But let’s forget moisturisers for a moment because the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible puts the spotlight on what they describe as anti-agening miracle creams. Interestingly, their top-scorer is L’Occitane’s Immortelle Divine Cream but the one that caught my eye was the Neal’s Yard Frankincense Nourishing Cream. Frankincense is such a wonderful scent that to use this as a night cream sounds like a blissful experience. That’s the first tick for my shopping basket and I’ll let you know how I get on with it.

 

Anti-ageing hair products

Other products that caught my eye include Head & Shoulders hydrating shampoo and conditioner. Colouring your hair tends to make it dry and I, for one, am definitely in the market for good hydrating shampoos. I’ve tried a number of different products, few of which have delivered the desired results (John Frieda’s Brilliant Brunette Conditioner is my current favourite). Head & Shoulders hasn’t been in my bathroom since my twenties but, if the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible is correct, then it’s time to take another look so this is another one for the shopping list.

Anti-ageing body treatments

On the body treatment side, dryness is a common complaint for women once they hit their forties and fifties. L’Occitane’s almond based range gets good reviews in the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible. I’ve tried the shower oil from this range (and loved it) so I’ll definitely consider adding the body products to my list.

Also favourably reviewed by the girls is Decleor’s Aroma Sculpt Divine – the thought of sculpting is enticing but price points mean this will have to go on the wish list. (Decleor’s Excellence de L’Age product is another one of the recommended anti-ageing miracle creams). Although Decleor is a bit on the pricey side if you’re just purchasing to try out the range, their gift sets around Christmas are very good value and watch out for their in-store promotions which sometimes offer really good value. If you’re in Dublin, you’ll find a Decleor counter in Clerys and in House of Fraser or you can purchase online from the QVC, the shopping channel.

Anti-ageing hand and foot care

Like the body, feet too seem to become drier with age. Thanks to a stroke of luck, I recently won Bliss’s Sage and Lemon body moisturiser so I’ve been using that extravagently for foot massage and moisturising. Bliss is well named! But, based on the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible, I’ll be saving up and adding Aveda’s foot relief to my shopping list.

For hands, Liz Earle’s Hand Repair is favourably mentioned as are a number of other naturally-based product. The one I’ve selected for my list is the Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Hand Cream on the basis that it’s not expensive and I’ve seen some good results from Weleda products.

Eyes

I’ve blogged recently about the importance of the eyebrow and Shavata remains my favourite for shaping and grooming the brow, but based on the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible reviews, I’m now adding Soap & Glory’s Arch de Triumph Brow Shaper to my list of ‘must purchase’ items. And, if you’ll parden the pun, the other product that caught my eye is the Bourjois Effet Smoky Pencil. I want one of those!

Conclusion

Overall, the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible is an informative read that is as enjoyable as a good chat with your best friends. It’s a pity that it’s not yet available for the Kindle because I would love to have it with me whenever I am shopping for skincare and beauty products. I’ve only touched on some of the topics it covers – there’s lots more, from coping with sleeplessness to dealing with sunspots and rosacea, from getting over aches and pains to the facelift diet. Do get your hands on a copy if you get the chance. You’ll enjoy it!

Izzy’s Anti-Ageing Beauty Wish List

  • Head & Shoulders Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner
  • Marks & Spencer Advanced Formula Solutions Anti-Redness Serum
  • Aveda Foot Relief
  • Soap & Glory Arch de Triumph Brow Shaper
  • L’Occitane Milk Concentrate Firming & Smoothing with Almond Milk
  • Decleor Excellence de L’Age Sublime Regenerating Cream
  • Decleor Aroma Sculpt Divine Rejuvenating Cream
  • Ren Moroccan Rose Otto Sugar Body Polish
  • Soap & Glory Make Yourself Youthful Rejuvenating Face Serum
  • Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Hand Cream
  • Liz Earle  Hand Repair
  • Neal’s Yard Remedies Frankincense Nourishing Cream
  • Bourjois Effet Smoky Pencil

 

 

 

 

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Women and Weight Gain

Weight Management Temptations and Exercise

I had lunch with some colleagues today in honour of the festive season. Admirable restraint on the main course (baked potato with chilli beef and a side salad) seemed a good enough reason to throw caution to the wind and indulge in a deliciously chilled and cream laden slice of black forest gateau.

Image of slice of black forest gateaux

© Birgit Brandlhuber | Dreamstime.com

Sadly, it has been that kind of a year – too many indulgences, too few pounds lost. But it seems I’m not alone if research from the ‘Question of Taste’ survey carried out by SPA Future Thinking, is to be believed.

According to the survey, 34 per cent of British women say they have gained weight since last year compared to 19 per cent of German women. The survey findings come from a base of 1,534 respondents in the UK, US, France, Germany, China and Brazil.

The survey also looked at exercise – not one of my personal strong points. Surprisingly, it found French and American women exercised the least, with almost a quarter of women saying they do less than half an hour per week. That is terrific news for me since I am doing a whole lot better. I have a good hike every morning on the way in and out from the office and I never know the moment when I’ll be seized by the urge to have a stretch on the old Pilates Performer.

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