Garden: Rooms Without Roofs

Avoid Buxus balls

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When we moved to our house 6 years ago, we missed the garden in our old house terribly. Our old garden was designed by Chris Harrington at Harrington Porter and was the ultimate in urban sheek. Clean lines, architectural raised bed planters with a floating bench, smart painted fences, artificial lawn (did I say how much I love low maintenance?!) and an elegant pallet of purple and white flowers. We were sad to leave it behind.

One of the first things we did after moving to our new house was to get Chris over to talk about our vision for the new garden. Now that our garden was bigger than our last, we had to be prepared to work on a bigger scale than last time and work even more carefully to zone the areas to make sure the area worked.

The reason I’ve now worked with Harrington Porter twice is their philosophy of creating gardens that are like ‘rooms without roofs’. When you have a well-designed garden, it well and truly becomes an extension of your house.

This time around I was keen to incorporate some of our own ideas.

Since we had

Photography credit: Harrington Porter

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3 Ways to Prolong Your Pedicure

I see going for a pedicure as a triple whammy act of self care. It’s not just TLC for your toes. For my mood and wellbeing when I’m feeling stressed and frazzled, nothing beats escaping to the nail bar with a Starbucks Mocha in one hand and a magazine in the other. It’s like a sanctuary where you can have some peace and indulgence. When the massage chair kicks in with it’s muscle-kneeding action, your stresses can seem a million miles away, even if it’s only for one precious hour. Afterwards, I always leave with my shoulders a little further away from my ears and with a renewed spring in my step.

Nothing can beat a foot and leg massage to ease tension. Allowing someone else to look after you, when you’re usually so preoccupied with making sure everyone else is fine, is the ultimate act of self care.

When it comes to baring our feet in strappy shoes or flip flops, it looks and feels good to have well presented toes.

I’m afraid I’m terrible boring when it comes to choosing a shade. For the colder months it’s always classic red and come summer, coral. I used to deliberate over deviating from my trusted favourite colours but would regret it whenever I did. I now save myself the headache and go with what I love, even if it’s not the most adventurous.

Now here are my tips for keeping your pedicure in top condition so it lasts as long as possible in-between appointments to enjoy the benefits of your treatment for longer:

  1. Take Your Own Polish

    If like me, you go for regular polish rather than gel, take a long-lasting polish with you. You can buy gel-effect polishes with a special top coat that remove just like regular polish. Take your own and get them to use this as part of a regular pedicure (cheaper than a full gel pedicure and you can remove it easily at home if you want!). If you get any chips a few weeks down the line, you can also fix them easily with the same colour. If your struggling to get your toes done and they are looking far from their best, slick a coat over the top as a temporary fix. I love Essie Gel Couture Nail Colour in Rock the Runway and seal it with the Essie Nail Topcoat Gel Couture.

  2. Get A Foot File

    Especially in the summer, you’ll find that your heels get drier and harder than usual. Once a fortnight or so, before I get in the shower, I give my heels a quick rub down with a metal foot file. This helps keep your feet baby soft and smooth in-between pedis. Margaret Dabbs, a leading podiatrist and the queen of the medi-pedi created the budget but brilliant Bare Feet by Margaret Dabbs Foot File with Marks & Spencer which I love. You can also buy her professional Foot File from her own website.

  3. Hydrate Your Feet

    Keep a pair of socks you don’t mind getting foot cream on or buy specialist ones especially for this purpose like The Heel Deal™ Snooze Socks by Soap & Glory. Once or twice a week, apply a foot cream like Ameliorate Intensive Foot Treatment which contains Lactic Acid – a naturally occurring Alpha Hydroxy Acid – that breaks down rough skin through chemical exfoliation and stimulates the renewal of healthy skin cells. Sometimes I simply use Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Body Lotion as it’s super hydrating and such good value.

Quench Skin with The Moisture Molecule

One of my favourite skin care ingredients has to be hyaluronic acid. This supercharged hydrating molecule naturally occurs in the body helping skin look plump, luminous and youthful. Unfortunately these reserves deplete with age leaving skin looking tired, dehydrated or lined. It’s almost like we start out in life as a plump grape full of moisture and as we age, we lose our plump and start to shrivel like a raisin (OK, I’m being dramatic now, but you get the point!). The only people who don’t need hyalurinic acid in their lives are those under 16. 

Hyaluronic acid retains up to 100 times its own weight in water meaning it is fantastic as an all-round skin hydrator that will benefit all skin types as most people’s skin suffers from dehydration or dry patches. Dehydrated skin suffers from a lack of water rather than lack of oil. Skin dehydration can be mistaken for premature wrinkles, so if you have fine lines, try a hydrating serum before an anti-ageing serum. 

Plumping up the skin with more water-retaining molecules will make it look like you’ve given your skin a glass of water to drink and generally make skin appear more vibrant and healthy. If your skin is dry, dehydrated and lacklustre, then applying a a few drops of hydrating serum before your usual moisturiser can make a huge difference. Those with oilier skin might even prefer to use one on its own. I find it actually makes a good base for make-up. It will also help soothe and calm irritation caused by harsh cleansing or the environment. There are lots of products that contain hyaluronic acid as just one of many ingredients, but I especially love the ones where it takes centre stage so it can be experienced in its full glory…  

 

SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5, £65, 30ml

This was the first hyaluronic acid product I ever tried. SkinCeuticals is a ‘cosmeceutical’ skincare range (cosmetic + pharmaceutical get it?!) that is all about improving skin health through advanced skincare backed by science. The range is mainly sold in medispas and dermatologist and doctor clinics. When I first used SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 some 8 years ago, I was hooked from the start. This combines 1.5% hyaluronic acid with vitamin B5 to smooth and repair the skin. 

 

Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Serum, £40, 30ml

I came across the Medik8 cosmeceutical skincare range by accident when I was looking to buy my usual SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 serum about 6 years ago, but it was out of stock (others must have clocked onto this good thing!). The practitioner at the medispa suggested trying Medik8’s version instead. Over a third cheaper and seemingly similar, I was happy to give Medik8 Hydr8 B5 a try and I was not disappointed. This light-weight serum combines hyaluronic acid with vitamin B5 leaving my skin feeling quenched, smooth and comfortable. 

  

Indeed Labs hydraluron moisture jelly, £24.99, 30ml

4 years ago my journey to a wallet-friendly hyaluronic acid brought me to Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Jelly which I discovered in Boots. I love that it is now possible to buy brilliant value and great quality skincare products featuring hyaluronic acid while buying your shower gel and toothpaste.

The Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Face Serum is inspired by injectable hydration treatments in Swiss clinics and contains the purest form of hyaluronic acid from the Netherlands along with a bio-engineered strain of red algae which allows the hyaluronic acid to penetrate more deeply. The Hydraluron Moisture Jelly is designed to act as the second layer as the ultimate topical moisturiser. 

Most days I tend to use the jelly solo over my antioxidant serum and feel I don’t need a separate moisturiser. The cool packaging has a pump delivery at the top and the transparent container means you can see when you’re running low. I recently ran out and my skin was not happy. Now I’ve re-stocked, we’re back to a happy place with soft, supple, smooth skin. 

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The Interior Designers' Secret: Sweetpea & Willow

A Little About Us

We are a London based luxury furniture and accessories boutique that started up in 2006 [wow how time flies!]. In the humble beginnings, we started Sweetpea & Willow with a vision in mind, to inspire every house owner to create a home of their dreams, at affordable prices.  Sweetpea & Willow gives you everything that we cherish: beautiful furniture, lighting, cushions, armoires, beds, sofas, chairs and garden furniture to name but a few. Our style along with our website is always evolving as we search for fabulous new objects to help enrich your homes.

Effortless Style For The Home

Our collections are designed to work individually but also connect the way a jigsaw puzzle does; each piece working effortlessly towards completing your home. If executing the vision you have for your home is something that gives you jitters then worry not. We know that it can be overwhelming sometimes, and that's why we have an expert team that can advise you on the best pieces that will bring your vision to life. 
Our team will be able to guide you through the whole process from selection to delivery and aftercare.  We would love for you to come and experience the Sweetpea & Willow effect in our stunning 8,000sq ft showrooms in West London. If London is out of reach, we hope that our new website will bring you on a beautiful journey of our products and styling.

Luxury Finishes And Fabrics

It’s simple; we want the joy of our furniture to be with you for a very long time and that's why the furniture and fabrics we use are of the highest quality and standards. Hand carved, hand stitched and made with love.  Our designs are made for today, tomorrow, forever.

Back to Basics Skincare

Some of us are lucky enough to coast through life relying on make-up remover wipes, a slick of moisturiser and a dab of blemish gel when the need arises. This repertoire may be quick and easy, but let me tell you something, once you reach a certain age, your complexion will thank you for a good skincare routine. This is the key to keeping skin healthy and dewy well into our thirties and beyond.  How we treat our skin not only affects how we age, but how our make-up looks too. It does not matter at what age you begin, looking after your skin by following a routine of cleansing, exfoliating, hydrating and protecting, will result in skin that looks more youthful and radiant. Every age and skin type take note!  

Double Cleanse

The cornerstone of healthy dewy skin begins with good cleansing. This is especially important if you have been wearing a lot of make-up. The first cleanse will remove the surface layer of dirt, make-up and pollution, then the second works more thoroughly removing the traces of grime and impurities. By thoroughly cleansing skin, it maximises the effectiveness of the products you apply afterwards, whether that’s a mask, serum or moisturiser.

Facial Massage

By really massing your cleansing product into your skin, be it a cream, gel or balm, the motion works the product into the pores. Facial massage also helps with clearing the skin if you have puffiness or congestion. Massage also helps reduces tension in the face, especially around the jaw area where tension can build up. As an added bonus, massaging the face boosts blood-flow to the surface of the skin to oxygenate the skin for a bright and rosy complexion. 

Serum

Serums are skincare wonder products that are brilliant at tackling specific skincare concerns. If you are to add a step to your skincare routine, make it a serum as their concentrated cocktail of ingredients will make a real difference to your skin. Using a serum can help with a multitude of concerns from lifting and hydration to redness and sun damage.  

SPF on the Face

Come rain or shine, add an SPF to your morning routine. The sun is the number one cause of ageing, so adding an SPF is is the biggest difference you can make to slowing down the signs of ageing. It’s now easier than ever to use an SPF as they have lighter and more elegant formulations that easily slot into your routine. The tinted versions can be used just like a tinted moisturiser. Apply before your make-up. 

Face Cream on the Neck

The skin on the neck is very delicate and prone to ageing, yet it’s often neglected. The neck deserves the same degree of attention we pay our face. When you apply your facial skincare products, simply extend the application down to your neck and chest area and your sorted!