August was holiday month and sadly not in the French way (eg: shut everything except fun down). I was very much straddling trying to relax and enjoy summer with trying to make sure my career didn’t go down the toilet (which I don’t think I needed to worry about but definitely felt like I needed to in the moment). Lots of my friends were away which was actually useful as they couldn’t distract me with another “garden and wine” evening. However, this did mean I got excellent text message updates (like the below from ) …

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As you are reading this, I am desperately on mission Get My Life Together. Doing all the admin I avoided when my brain was melting from the heat. I have just over a week before I head to New York for work (and a little play, obviously). Speaking of, should any fellow creator be reading this are you going to the ShopMy dinner? Because I don’t think I know anyone. This is my worst fear. I am confident from the comfort of my desk but IRL the introvert comes to play. And what the actual f is a “downtown cocktail” dress code? SEND HELP.

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In terms of other activities last month, I spent a lot of time sweating profusely, trying to work in the heat, searing my retina looking at the eclipse and putting a reluctant Border Terrier in the shower so she didn’t explode from the 36 degree days. I watched a lot of TV from my cellar - the one room in the house that wasn’t a sauna. I didn’t work out as much as I wanted to because the muggy weather made me feel like I’d been tranquilised - and in reasons yet to be explained I decided to round off the trip to the centre of the sun in Greece for a week (review to come, I loved it).

I suspected there would be consumer/shopping fatigue given the weather and the “do we need a raincoat or flipflops” conundrum, but no! You lot shopped - more so than any other month this year. Here is a snapshot of what you bought…

Let’s start with some TV and podcasts because I watched loads. I say “watched” but I worked from home for most of August and the television and Spotify are very much my colleagues (background noise) during the day.

• I’ve got into the Fashion People podcast which was recommended to me at “useful and ridiculous.” This is the perfect analogy and I love it. It gives focus to nothing of real-life importance and therefore the perfect escapism. Listening to two people dissect whether or not shorts can be worn to the office with incredibly niche, specific style references is superb. It’s perfectly fashion-clique in a way that only a weathered former brand-side worker could cope with (hi). I love Lauren’s take on the industry and the moving and shaking within it.

• In real world stuff, I listened to Andy Burnham on and really enjoyed it. He came across well - but IMO overcooked the point on being Northern (mainly because 2/3 of the UK live south of the midlands so surely this won’t help in the eventual polls?). We get it, you have imposter syndrome and new ideas. Please just do the job, we’ve had 7 PMs in the last ten minutes. I am currently on the fence about my confidence in him. I fear his success is down to his cabinet, who are a frankly bizarre crew of misfits. A manager is only as good as his team…

• Which leads me to an unexpected joy of a watch; the Mourinho documentary on Netflix. I love him. He’s fantastic. We should all channel his Special One energy. Some of the anecdotes by his former players had me in stitches, and I loved his open hatred of certain people and his pettiness about it. Sometimes, just sometimes being petty is great.

• Back to Burnham for a second, one part of the podcast I challenge anyone not to blub over is him talking about his dad, Roy. Roy is in a care home for Alzheimer’s and I have to say (as someone who’s family has been ravaged by the disease) having a PM who understands the need for focus and respect for social care can only be positive. Roy doesn’t know Andy is PM, but the home made sure he saw him walk into Number 10. Incredibly moving.

• Ooh and I’ve got back into the Call Me Daddy podcast (the Olivia Wilde episode got me) and listened to Bella Thorne’s one last week. I had no idea who she was but holy moly what a life lived considering she’s young enough to be my child (just). Her publicist had to chip at one point to stop her spewing about her ex. I loved it.

• In lighter news, my husband and I watched Last One Standing (series 2) which is about a group of outstanding comedians in a Big Brother style set up who try not to laugh. Romesh Ranganathan and Bob Mortimer were eye watering funny. As was Alan Carr’s bit when he realised he sounded less camp speaking with helium than without.

• I finally went to The Hart in Marylebone following months of salivating over pictures of their hash browns and banoffee pie. Reader, you must go. Excellent. Plus it’s in a brilliant location for a wander afterwards, Chiltern St is the kind of place that makes people move to London.

• Can’t not mention Prince Harry and Meghan’s return because I feel the US contingent think the Royal Family is the centre of the British’ universe. Let me assure you it isn’t. In my humble opinion, two (or many) things can be true at once. We can be agnostic to them, be quite fond of aspects of them both, have had high hopes for what they could have done to push forward the monarchy etc - whilst also feeling like they burned a lot of bridges - to not really understanding why they’re coming back given they have done very little other than complain how awful the UK was, attack the government, lie about hard truths about the structure of the Royal Family on the largest TV show in America (whilst simultaneously asking for privacy) and take the media (that as much protected - and covered for - Harry as it did depict the reality of his frantic-antics) to court unsuccessfully since they left the UK. It’s complicated. I just hope the kids are alright. breathes deeply..

• I have discovered Westwing. Not the TV show, the brand. Ahead of a much bigger post on furniture finds, here is a fantastic storage box I have my eye on. Niche, but my study looks like a photocopier exploded in it.

• One of my favourites to follow on IG (if you like France, flea market furniture and neutral tone vibes) Sydney, has collaborated with her friend Jessica (that she met over the app) to make vintage french linen and hemp hair scrunchies. SO CHIC. Mine just arrived and it’s actually LOVE. Here.

• New clothes wise, well, I lost my mind in August. I blame the heat. There was a lot of newness.

• This blazer, as featured above, barely made it through the front door before I was prancing around it. THE SLEEVES ARE GENIUS. Oh my god the fit is so, so good.

• Sh*t the bed, the new Sezane direction is fabulous. It was going a little “mumsy” (sorry) and where people with no original thought shopped - I do not like flouncy, whimsy stuff. Someone on here said it had gone from “Chloe” to “Celine” and that my friends is a direction I am here for…

• I ordered a bag, a shirt and a jumper and all three are OUTSTANDING (particularly the shirt, I love the tiger-eye popper buttons). I do wonder if the elevated price points are more to remove the aforementioned customer profile (this would be such a classic Parisian move) rather than improve the garment quality..? Let’s see. See it all here.

• Speaking of new directions; WTAF is the M&S x Aries collaboration about? I find that brand’s marketing strategy bizarre. Is there even one? It feels a little “jack of all trades, master of none.” I can picture the round-table marketing meeting where they discuss their various customer profiles (“Emma from Leeds” and “Jean from Lancaster” were favourites with my old agency) - but - it feels directionless… They cover everything - there doesn’t seem to be a focus, especially in influencer marketing. Plus, there is the odd product gem here and there but most of the clothes don’t last. ALL THAT SAID… this grey pure cashmere cardigan is spectacular. If I needed one I’d buy it. The additional stitching/shaping detail is 11/10. For £95, I’m loathed to say I’m impressed.

• Should you be Norway based my friend Anneli (and her sister, Robyn) opens her cafe and interiors store Casa Hava today in Nesbru just outside Oslo. Details here.

• In true ‘back to school” mode I have done what I always do and made the decision that new stationary will transform my working life. Dutch graphic designer Marjolin Delhass has collaborated with Arket and made this planner. Actually looks really good.

• In aunty news; ’s son looks set to be the next Mozart and we are thrilled. By that I mean he sat up at the piano and looked interested. I am already excited for him to become the next Hans Zimmer - and live off his residuals in my Soho-House founded future care home.

• Other than that, I’ve found various “moves” in the beauty industry really interesting. Westman Atelier’s pending sale, a new move by the Hourglass founder, Tilbury’s private equity company finally voicing discontent… (will they ever keep a PR-lead longer than 6 months?).

• And as an outsider looking in; Boots move to include premium beauty looks like an obvious protection against Sephora’s rapid UK expansion.

• Ooh and Estee Lauder deciding to put Jo Malone into Boots is something we shouldn’t ignore - a total change in positioning that says a lot about the fragrance sector right now.

  

I did some really chunky content this month, I have to say. I enjoyed making it too. My most-read post was about prepping before a trip so disaster doesn’t strike if you lose something on holiday. My friend’s reaction was to tell me she enjoyed the content but had no plans to action any of my suggestions - a week before we went away together. See below, followed by posts from last month…

Next month I’ll be doing a Paros/Greece round up, a denim edit (was supposed to be ASAP but some jeans have gone missing in transit so I need to shoot it next week) and a New York diary sort of thing (very excited for a few days pootling around NYC with and - and meeting up with some other Substackers IRL) - I am so happy about this I could scream…

I’m also putting together a round up of things I’ve found for my home as September is the month I tend to start 349756 jobs around the house in a quest to get it “all done for Christmas.” Reader; this will not happen. Oh and there is the small issue of my plan to launch my new business in 30 days time. LMAO NO SLEEP FOR ME.

First up, a post that had me frantically screenshotting throughout. must have known I had Fara Homidi on my mental shopping list for New York. You can buy it in the UK but at a premium via Selfridges (Sephora for US, Mecca for Australia). This post confirms that my visit will be an expensive endeavour. The lip pencils! The concealer as eyeshadow! The palettes!

Take Care of Yourself

$514 and a Full Face of Fara Homidi

Cutting straight to the chase on this one because there is simply no time to waste…

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11 days ago · 89 likes · 59 comments · Allison

Last month I indicated some thoughts on Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively. Working thoughts… I do not have a verdict - just thoughts. I think we have been doctored into thinking any situation in life has a clear hero and true villain. By even discussing a “storyline” this way, we are playing into the media’s hands. Two things (or many more) can be true; Blake can have been difficult and Justin can have been a total “see you next Tuesday.” Jesus, if you met me on the wrong day you’d think I was a total a-hole too (and you’d be correct… I have toddler-like requirements to shine brightly…).

However, this piece by was excellent in explaining the complicated stance Justin and his team took in their (paid for, proven) mission to “take down” Mrs Lively. I don’t think either of them (or their partners) would be on my dinner party of dreams - but Baldoni’s choices were… interesting and absolutely intentional. I winced my way through this…

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For Two Years, We Were Told the New York Times Story About Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Was a Lie. The Court Record Showed It Was True.

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a month ago · 537 likes · 32 comments · MJ

In the only kind of breaking news my nervous system can handle, did the 3 word method. That’s right - the challenge she got all of us doing - she’d never done. To be honest, she’s been through a fair bit since she came up with concept so we’ll let her off. I admire the honesty and found her process super interesting. Especially as I’ve been on a major purge of my wardrobe recently.

The Allison Bornstein Newsletter

BREAKING NEWS

I have a confession to make. I have never actually done the THREE WORD METHOD…

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a month ago · 424 likes · 44 comments · Allison Bornstein

did a great styling post for all of us who live in Henley shirts from September to April - or - a pitch deck for all those who don’t (yet). I loved her collages; it encouraged me to have a sort out and conjure up some outfit formulas for autumn.

All The Above

A Case for a Henley

I’ve had a loose fitting henley on my mind for some time now. I’ve owned variations before (read: more fitted) and during a recent Vinted acquisition (not a henley) that desire increased tenfold. I’ve been perusing online for some options and I wanted to share them with you in the form of outfit inspiration…

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6 days ago · 17 likes · 6 comments · OFELIA

has joined Substack. Finally, some “business” content that doesn’t make me want to slam my head on my desk (more on this another time - but I am finding the “do what you love and the rest will follow” vibe on here really quite… dangerous). Really enjoyed reading this…

Pretty Busy, Lately

How to land your dream supplier

When I tell the story of how I met my manufacturer, it sounds a little bit like a unicorn story…

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8 days ago · 52 likes · 8 comments · Aimee Smale

Finally, I’m on the hunt for bras. If any of you have contenders for the following brief please let me know: boobs that are considerable, a desire to not look booby, straps that don’t look like scaffolding, ideally that I can’t feel I am wearing at all - and don’t look revolting. Is that too much to ask? In the meantime ’s piece on knickers/pants is great (and a couple of the bras might work - I’m going to try on the Spanx one next weekend) …

Clotheshorse

I Asked, You Answered: The Substack Fashion Girl's Guide to Lingerie

If you’re reading this in your inbox and it’s getting cut off, hit “expand” or “view in browser” to get the whole thing…

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7 days ago · 26 likes · 14 comments · Maura Brannigan

I really like dressing in September. Maybe it’s that “new school year” vibe here in the UK, but it does feel a month you can reset and re assess. Style wise hopefully we can wear jeans again, maybe a light jacket or loose knits? I’m not ready for coats but… wouldn’t mind a little rain after our long, hot summer Who knows what September will bring? It’s clear Earth is not following her usual schedule. I’ve known it to be both very wet and also a balmy 23 degrees (Celsius) at the end of the month for my wedding.

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Before we get into the “new” let’s look at the stuff thats carrying over from seasons prior - or at least the stuff thats proving to be worthy of a purchase as they aren’t going anywhere. Substack is very much a climate for “accrue good staples” and I feel like I’m better for it. From doing a deep dive into various other writers and looking at recent street style pictures here are bits I think will form the basis of my wardrobe this autumn…

• white and black long sleeves - These seem to have replaced blouses for lots of people? I have the Leset Margo long sleeves which I love, but I recently found this white and this black one which is the exact same composition and £45. If you want the oversize ones I took ’s recommendation and bought the Reformation one here.

• grey crew neck jumpers - The owners of the Substack-sacred Ophelia did not purchase it for one season did they? Here in the UK the COS and Hush (the Cora) replicas sell out fast.

• slick ballet pumps - What I mean by slick is… Not at all twee. They need a strong shape. My favourites are my Freda Salvadors that are 100% worth the investment, but I also have my eye on some Loeffer Randall ones here.

• baseball/raglan two tone long sleeves - After testing out the look with a cheapy from ASOS, I have just upgraded to this from ME+EM and have zero regrets (the COS one for £25 always flies off the shelves too).

• small, simple handbags - I have a confession to make; I have bought two handbags (eeee). Friends will know this is quite unlike me. I had been stalking Celine Trios (the vintage ones) for months and finally bought a navy one second hand. Then, Sezane launched this. I bought the black. It arrived yesterday and my god it’s beautiful for the price.

• straight blue jeans - I’m doing a deep dive into denim later this month because I think I might have found the perfect ones - but tell that to my 30+ collection. You’re going to help me whittle it down to 10, max. I am trusting you with this.

• green cargo pants - I replaced a beloved pair of Alex Mill cargos with a pair from their new season (here) but I also stumbled upon a halfway house; the J Crew Luna’s in a fantastically bright green (not khaki, but not chartreuse).

  NB - I’m going to do a deep dive into these because I am fixated on outfits with them in.

• straight, smart black pants - The eternal quest, perhaps? You’re going to need a good pair of these. Copenhagen was full of them; they’re so useful. My current favourites are the Sezane Ciara pants (flattering, stretchy, with a lovely kick at the bottom).

• trench coats - Perfect for Spring and Autumn and never not chic. My current one is from Uniqlo (here) and I’m really impressed with it. One day I’ll invest in a vintage Aquascutum one.

I’m trying to consolidate and condense my wardrobe and that takes some real thought about where I’m buying from. When I look at the pieces that haven’t worn so well, or the fabric isn’t a great composition they’re often M&S or H&M. That’s not to say I won’t shop there but I am going to be a little more considered before I spend. Strangely, my stuff from Zara has been pretty good (especially for denim). But I think my love affair with M&S needs to take a break, at least for anything other than picky bits and sweet treats (the granola bars from the bakery? INSANE).

My plan is to improve my basics, I hope that comes across in my content. I don’t just mean the t shirts or the jeans (although both will feature) but I also mean for work. Shirts that are the right length drape and fit. Trousers that are cut just right. Maybe even some dresses. Making sure I can play outfit-formula-tetris as much as possible. Dressing for the office, or a corporate-type meeting feels a lot more challenging now most of us get to work in our comfies at least once a week. I want to find a way to make it just as easy.

As ever thank you for reading, and if you want a longer list of things on my wishlist you can find them all here. The focus is on finding knitwear and easy, throw on stuff that’s slick and polished without too much effort…

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For non subscribers; please note that updates on this post with before and after pictures of my recent treatments will only be available to my subscribers. Subscribe, support or share using the below…

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Over the last few weeks I have been delighted to spot a lot of green trousers. I say delighted because they are the easiest thing in the world to style. The colour combination options for outfits are…

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This instalment has come around quickly, but there’s lots of newness to go through! The heatwave fried and drained my skin to a prune-like existence and I spent every evening trying to get it back to its former glory (with some success, I might add). Here are the recent, the decent and snippets from the world of beauty.

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• Salt and Stone Neroli & Basil Perfume - Two ingredients that’ll get me excited are Neroli and Basil. Previously I’ve looked at brands like Jo Malone and Le Labo but this one is even better. Salt and Stone is a cool girl option and I am a willing customer. I’ve had their body washes before which are incredible (particularly love the Santal & Vetiver and the Saffron & Cedar ones). If you are looking to treat yourself or buy a gift for someone, I love these. They’re a much slicker option than the go-to brands.

• Beauty Pie Future Proof Lipsticks - A new thing from the BP team; lipsticks. I am a full lippie convert these days. Since I had some botox around my lips to even them out I have a much more natural lip edge, so lipsticks feel easier. Loads of them don’t last on me though, or at least not evenly. Thrilled to find some that do, these. Particularly recommend shades Damzel and Instinct if you’re after a dusky “does she have anything on?” kind of vibe. £14 with membership of £25 without (to be honest they’re easily worth the £25 compared to others).

• Inkey List’s Glycolic Exfoliating Stick - I have to thank for this as she posted about it. My word this stuff works. I first used it to sort out a cracked heel which it resolved in a few days. I now use it on the backs of my legs and arms where I get pesky ingrowing hairs. Guys, they’ve gone. I can’t believe how effective it is, and £15!

• Bob Beaute Brow Gel - I talked about this last month when I mentioed Violet Grey but wanted to share again because I am so, so impressed with this brow gel. I like my brows to look raised (they naturally slant downwards) but not frozen and this stuff achieves that for a good 8 hours. I like it a LOT. Violet Grey is the only place in the UK that stocks the brand, you do have to pay for shipping unfortunately but there is also a first-time discount. Worth it.

• Pradascope Mascara - As a rule, I don’t like fashion brand make up. I like brands that specialise in make up, rather than franchise it out to a beauty group. In recent times I’ve had to soften on this, but when Prada sent me a package I really want to not like it. Sadly, it’s really good, especially the mascara. The brush is different, it’s only got bristels on one side so you apply it by stroking your lashes. It’s very good. I wish I could tell you otherwise but sadly everything I’ve had from them is really good…

• Colostrum Co Powder - When my husband and I went to Somerset we were sat next to a lovely couple and I commented on how amazing their dogs looked for their age (bear with me, this isn’t just a pet based recommendation). They mentioned they had a brand, Colostrum Co which they (and the dogs) took every day. Liz, the founder, has MS which has been limiting her ability to walk more than a staircase at a time. She sourced some colostrum and long story long… was doing 10km hikes in Spain within weeks of taking it. This prompted them to build their own company. They very sweetly didn’t push it on us, but as soon as we parted I had a google and found their brand and bought some. So far, so good. Colostrum isn’t really spoken about in the UK but lots of American friends swear by it. The studies on the effectiveness for cases of dementia, MS, cancers, perimenopause are frankly astounding. I bought the capsules, but you can buy an unflavoured or a vanilla powder. I am gently placing it in front of both sets of parents who have various ailments too…

• 111 Skin NAC Eye Serum - Ergh, this one annoyed me. So, long term readers know I am very much a dedicated member of the Medik8 Crystal Retinol Eye church. Committed customer. But one finished and I was waiting for the 20% off sale and 111 Skin sent me this. Guys. it’s really good and I have now managed to love an eye serum that is even more expensive than the Medik8 (which is only £44 at the time of writing, run) . Three times as much. F*ck. 111 Skin stuff just is very good, their sheet masks are unreal. But they’re very expensive. Lesson here? Pasta and butter for dinner to fund skincare. Follow me for more toxic tips xoxo.

• Goop Beauty Bronzing Gel - Do I need another bronzing gel no? Was I going to turn down some product from Goop? Also no. I’d heard about this stuff being a “rich mom” bronzer and I totally get it. It is! The colour it gives off is a deep, “I travel to beaches regularly” kind of brown. The Westman is more of a “I sat in the park for an afternoon” and I love it, but this Goop is what old money wears. Am I making sense? I just really like it.

• EVY UV/Heat Hair Mousse - I mentioned in my post on SPF (linked below). I managed to fry my hair in the heatwave and it went orange. As in really orange. I do not spend the amount of time and money I do at the salon for it all to go wrong in the sunshine. So I did some digging and found this stuff. So far so good. Works as a volumising mousse too.

Delighted to be partnering up with ZIIP Beauty yet again. I saw talk in July about the very subject I want to put to you: you’ll have seen the Ziip everywhere and it’s because it’s really good. We 35+ female Substackers are littered with opportunities for anti aging/beauty tech. There is a reason this is the one that keeps making it “to print.” It’s excellent.

I’ve been using the device for ages now, so I used this partnership as an opportunity to update myself the small print. Did you know our skin is naturally slightly negatively electronically charged? I did not. I am enormously paraphrasing here but from what I can gather stress, aging and injury can poorly influence the skin to do “bad things.” Using electrical therapy means you reactivate the skin to repair well, firm up and sort itself out. And the ZIIP device is championed as best in class for doing this at home.

Even as a seasoned user, I am still astounded at the before and afters. I see two “types” of results; the longer term lift and improvement in skin texture, then the “just before an event” topical style result when I do the longer routines in the app (there are 17 to choose from and the longest one is 12 minutes). I was fretting to my manager in the Spring over this as ZIIP like us to show before and after content in partnerships and I worried that I wouldn’t have anything remarkable as I used it all the time. Then I did the “Everything Facial” on the app, just look at the results above…

The image speaks for itself. I don’t think I need to spell it any more clearly; I love my ZIIP and wholeheartedly recommend it. What it does for me for skin tone, strength and shape is exceptional. It is supposed to be good for people with spot prone skin, bar the odd hormonal Vesuvius I can’t speak to this but friends who have bought it for themselves have often found it magically walking to their teenagers rooms as the Tiktok before/afters for redness are incredible. Fun for the whole family!

For more ZIIP content from me pop over to Instagram where I’m nattering about it while doing a routine, and get 10% off a device with the code ANNAH.

Shop ZIIP Beauty with code ANNAH

• Counter Cleansing Gel - Absolutely gutted to finish this, I’ve asked my husband to pick me one up from the USA later this month. It’s such a good cleansing oil; I heard talking about an oil being the best remedy for hormonal breakouts and she’s absolutely right. Work it into the skin while you’re getting a bath/shower ready and then rinse off. It pulls all other oils and sebums out; leaving it clean but not stripped (which damages the barrier).

• Medik8 Advanced Peptide Moisturiser - I’m not really a moisturiser girl. I much prefer oils and gels. I keep one moisturiser with my make up that I use as a base if my skin is dry, but other than that I can often go without. So when I found this one, I was shocked how much I liked it. Medik8 is just such a good brand. My skin loves it. It’s sort of a whipped texture and feels so nice on. When I use it at night (as a sandwich with my retinal) my skin is noticeably firmer.

• Mantle The Miracle Mask - When I first opened this, I thought “meh.” It didn’t stand out to me at all. The ingredients are nice but nothing mindblowing (compared to more “technical” brands like Medik8 etc). I popped it on after cleansing one morning and left it to do it’s thing while I cleaned the house. I was shook by how bright and tight my skin looked. Words eaten. I would firmly recommend for the more sensitive skinned of us as nothing in the formula is fierce or strong - just really well put together. It’s reduced at Liberty, here.

What else is coming from me on beauty stuff you ask? Well, I am doing an indepth post on aesthetics later in the month. I’ll share everything I have done to my face and body. TBC on how many photos will be included (ha) but long term readers will know I am a huge fan of the people I go to so have asked them to fill the blanks on my own understanding of things to share with you. Subscribe to receive!

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I am about to embark on a Greek island holiday and if you haven’t ever done this let me tell you one thing to help you plan a trip; I suspect Plato based Tartarus on his experiences in Athens airport…

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Well, July went quickly didn’t it? Gosh, how boring of me to say. Most of the month passed by in a sweaty haze; what started as a heat-wave is now a heat-tsunami here in the UK. We aren’t coping well…

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This is subscriber centred content. To view it in full, plus recommendations, you will need to sign up below. I post once a week, so won’t spam you - and - you can select content to just arrive on th…

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After a few weeks of living in athleisure, I needed to give myself a kick up the behind. And it worked. I discovered a couple of new outfit formulas for myself that’ll make rushed mornings that bit e…

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This post has taken me a while as I wanted to do it properly. I love a research task; being a nerd is something I hid throughout my childhood but revel in as an adult. The SPF subject covers my favou…

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Starting with a little bit of a window into the world of influencing… Last month I was approached by a website called Nous to do a partnership. They wanted one story frame which isn’t much (usually i…

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This instalment has come around quickly, but there’s lots of newness to go through! The heatwave fried and drained my skin to a prune-like existence and I spent every evening trying to get it back to its former glory (with some success, I might add). Here are the recent, the decent and snippets from the world of beauty.

This is subscriber centred content. To view it in full, plus recommendations, you will need to sign up below. I post once a week, so won’t spam you - and - you can select content to just arrive on the Substack app if you prefer (rather than your inbox).

Subscribe now

• BASK sunscreen - I wrote about this in my heatwave survival post, it’s very very good. It says on the back you need to “shake it like a polaroid picture” and they aren’t wrong. The blue lotion bottle does need this to work. The yellow invisible spray doesn’t so much. Brilliant protection too.

• Sweed Beauty - If like me you pulled half your lashes out rubbing your eyes thanks to hayfever, I strongly recommend this stuff to get them back. No nasties, lovely formula and easy to do. I keep it by my toothbrush.

  NB - they’ve brought out hair serum on a roller ball which is a far superior way to apply it, no?

• Diptyque’s Lilyphea perfume - Gosh, this is special. I was invited into their Notting Hill shop so squeezed it into a day of meetings - so glad I made the time! The store is beautiful and trying out the different scents was very fun. I got to pick a perfume and went for the Lilyphea (lily pad). Bit different for me but its fresh and botanical without being too much or floral.

• Medicube Collagen Masks - I bought these during Prime as they were reduced significantly. Have to say, given the results I’d happily pay full price. I kept them in the fridge and whacked them on in the evenings. They’d be a brilliant post-holiday option when you want to inject some life into tanned skin. I’ve already repurchased because I went through 3 in a week.

• Medik8’s Daily Cleansing Gel - This arrived a couple of days ago and went straight on my face. I consider anything from Medik8 to be top notch and have high hopes for this - especially for commuters as it’s formulated to help your skin barrier against pollutants without stripping the skin.

• Loopha Body Cream - Not all body creams were born equal! I am on a body brushing, de-fluffing and nurturing mission at the moment and will try anything to keep my skin hydrated and supple. I was given a bottle of this and so far, so very good. It’s got “saccharide isomerate” in it (nope, not a clue either) and from doing some further reading this does seem to be it’s secret. My skin is looking good and seems to be better for hairs coming through rather than turning into in-growers (my worst enemy).

• Prada’s Highlighting Powder (Cream) - I was treated to quite a few Prada beauty samples and this was the thing that stuck out for me. It’s remarkable; I got the champagne and the pink shades and they give a brilliant glow. Perfect for those “undone but polished” days. Also recommend the banana lip balm. It’s basic… but so am I.

Some very exciting news I’ve been waiting for, Violet Grey has launched in the UK. What is Violet Grey, you ask? Well, it’s actually pretty cool and does have a legitimate USP (unique selling point). Founded in LA (Melrose Avenue) sometime, Cassandra Grey curates the store by assembling a panel of trusted dermatologists, make up artists and plastic surgeons.

Think of it as holding the “Michelin starred” beauty products. As examples, it is heavily responsible for the growth of Crown Affair, Sofie Pavitt and Augustinus Bader in the US. To see what’s hot, check out their Just Approved section. Here are a couple of (exclusive to them) things I think worth your dosh…

• Tronche’s Scar Concentrate - Plastic surgeon approved, happy customer proven (me) this stuff works. It’s a kiwi brand, founded by a woman tired of beauty products flaring up her endometriosis. Very good.

• Eighth Day Tonic - Founded by dermatologic surgeon Dr. Antony Nakhla and is inspired by over 10,000 surgical patients and the innate healing and regenerative powers of human skin. The formulas are “bioidentical” meaning they use ingredients that are identical to the molecules already found in your skin. This tonic is unreal if you want a proper resurfacer. It’s patented.

• Bob Beaute’s Brow Gel - VG are this brand’s only retail placement (outside of their own website) Norwegian influencer Gine Margrethe created it, it’s good all round but the brow gel is exceptional.

Proud friend alert; I went to the Cotswolds to see ’s Grove England store. My, how far she has come. Its hardly a surprise; the two fragrances are delightful - a relief because when a friend starts a new venture I fret over what to do if I don’t like it. Not an issue here.

She launched the brand with Anenome, which is delicious. The candle is approved by all in my household (a rare occurrence) and the hand cream is a wondrous product. Then came Snowdrop which I wear a lot and am always asked about it.

Should you find yourself in the Cotswolds this summer go and pay Laura a visit, if not you can still shop the brand online here. Here is a pic of 7 month old Honey, Laura’s Maltese Terrier waiting like the good girl she is when we got to the house. Made me miss my previous dog, Lopez.

Back in March, Tria Laser got in touch and offered me one of their newest laser hair removal devices. I wasn’t sure whether to accept as I’ve been gifted devices before and they’re valuable; I’ve ended up feeling very guilty about taking brands up on it if I don’t use them. Even when I have the best of intentions.

You see, this isn’t my first rodeo with laser hair removal. I bought one device in a Black Friday sale and found it clunky and pretty ineffective. The second was gifted to me and as much as it was working, it took too long to get the result I wanted. Ultimately, I have a short attention span, even shorter patience and I can’t think of a new habit that’s ever lasted more than three weeks. So I did some deeper reading on the Tria…

… and immediately said yes. Why? Well, if their website isn’t enough to sell you on it, the Reddit chats will convince you. The only FDA approved device for clinical grade results at home and x4 more powerful than other devices you’ve heard about. Plus, you only need to do every weeks - rather than x3 a week+ with the last one I tested.

I should also mention I am a wimp when it comes to beauty. Ask my Botox doctor who refuses to see me at the beginning of my cycle (my pain threshold disappears and I nearly took an eye out). So when the device arrived I started cautiously on my legs on a Level 3 (out of 5).

Reader, there was no discomfort. Not an iota. To the extent I thought the device wasn’t turned on. And so my confidence grew, I’m now even using it on my moustache. There is the occasional pin prick when on the highest level, but its absolutely manageable. I’ve been using it for 3 months now (legs for 3 months, 2 months everywhere else) and I’d say I am nearly done. Hair growth has massively reduced; virtually non existent under my arms and bikini line which is a JOY. It’s easy to use, one of my favourite features is that it’s wireless as it’s my first that hasn’t required cables…

The device is £549 (10% off with my code ANNAH) so it’s a considered purchase. Given you only need to use it every two weeks I would get a group together and share it. Mine is being rotated among various friends and I suspect the women in my family will be next in the queue. And given how quickly I saw results, if you start soon you’d be well on your way to hairless for your holiday.

Get 10% off Tria Laser with ANNAH

I feel like I have a lot on the go, there has been a real surge in product gifting and I get overexcited and open the lot. Half way into the month I took a breath and double checked what was due to expire - and finished the below up.

• Champo Hair Mask - If you follow me on Instagram you’ll have seen me rave about this. Struggled not to share as I had a pre-launch sample for ages. It’s for fine hair that breaks easily and (in my case) puts the lipids (the fatty, strong bits) back into your hair. I love it. Far cheaper than the in-salon treatments I was considering too.

• Naturabisse Diamond Lift Mask - Words cannot describe how impressed I am with this stuff. I am SO sad it’s finished; I went through it very quickly because I was using it on my mates to get them to see the before/after. It is remarkable on the cheeks and jowl area - genuinely lifts it. If you are a bride this summer you need this.

• Merit’s Great Skin Serum - Unsurprisingly finished this during the heatwave as it’s great for hot weather. It’s a light, watery texture (a bit annoying as you do feel like you waste a lot on application) that tones, evens and sort of photoshops your skin. If I’m WFH but have meetings I’ll wear this.

• Koba Foot Cream - When asked for a photo of a non-style product I loved for a Substack piece I laughed at the photo I sent with it, below. This is my 5th tube and it’s fantastic stuff.

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The most refreshing thing about my Substack feed is that it’s ruled by women who otherwise go unnoticed within algorithms. Eldest daughters, “former” enter career choices here, those not looking to b…

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In a change from usual programming, I decided to do a post today because we women need to stick together. Last week was a lot. The heat… We just don’t know to do it in the UK.

I couldn’t even buy milk

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Lucky subscribers who scroll to the base of this email will see a never-before paid subs offer following changes to the availability of my free content.

This post includes a sponsored feature with Dov…

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I hadn’t planned to post this today, I have a draft of a personal style challenge I set myself on the go, but half the stuff on the product list I’ve bookmarked for June has gone into sale (or are di…

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I’ve been on Substack for almost two and a half years and my biggest takeaway is that useful content does best. My two best performing posts (by a mile) are my 2024 “what to buy when you visit the USA” and laughably, “what to buy from M&S Food.” Both are linked below.

I’ll try and do an M&S update before the school holidays (as we love an outdoors picky bits dinner, no?) but having come back from the US - and my post being two years old - I thought I’d do a refresh. I’ve roped in some American Substack friends to share their insight into clothing brands too. I’ve done sections on:

• beauty - includes make up, skin care, sun care and hair care (and debunks a lot of formula myths and pricing info)

• health & pharmacy - separated this out this time as the list is extensive into; make up, skin care, hair care, sun care and body care (with some debunking-myth stuff info on it all).

• clothing - my favourite bits and then this is where my pals come in, as they know some of these brands better than I.

• food - I could write a book (maybe?) on my love for American supermarkets so have attempted to explain the supermarket hierarchy/regional availabilities

• AOB - interiors stuff (like the best faux flowers I have ever found) and random niche stuff I’ve found in hardware stores… WD40 pen, anyone?

This is available to all for a limited time. It will undoubtedly be too long for email so you’ll need to have the Substack app/login to read the whole thing - and - paid subscribers have access to a list as a PDF which they can download from the Perks section of this post (if you’re reading this soon after posting I am just configuring out how to do this).

NB I have created an exclusive 30% off annual plans for this post, via this link.

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I don’t focus that much on paid subscriber numbers but the reality is this took me a long time to put together. Enough waffle…

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This content is sponsored by Dove as part of the launch of their Whole Body Deo collection. Find out more about the range below and stay tuned for an update on how it works for me (as a seriously swe…

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Is it just me, or has there been a big shift in the names that get air/Substack time? It feels like the “less is more” vibe is progressing from the entry-level wardrobe clear out and capsule wardrobe…

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I am typing this from the cellar as it’s the only room in the house under 35 degrees (95 fahrenheit). The dog is beside herself from a combination of overheating and her lack of a long walk this morn…

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