A splinter of a second after HE called I knew I had to do something drastic and quickly air brush myself into eye popping, jaw dropping gorgeousness.
It?s never good news when the ex comes knocking.
And now that SHE was??something had to be done.

A year since the man stepped into my premises no amount of coaxing, flattering, sweet-talking, back rubbing had smoothed him into talking about the mysterious ?Former?. Sneakily I have often, I admit, searched through his wallet and papers in search of a stray love note or at least a toothy Polaroid which would give me a glimpse of what the lady looked like.

But all in vain.

Today a whole of 13 months, 2 weeks and 14 hours later however the curtain was finally to be raised. At last I was to rest my eyes on the Woman at dinner tonight. So effervescent was my excitement that I spent the entire afternoon speculating and getting drunk on an abandoned bottle of Vodka.

Speculation no.1
The woman was stunning.

She had to be.
Why else would he possibly keep me from the details?
Surely the guy was just being a sweetheart and saving me the heartburn.
Possibly because i knew her already.
Maybe she was a MODEL!
Maybe I had seen her already on a billboard or a magazine cover and salivated over her dress..or, worse, her perfect booty… in front of him!

He must have cracked into a nasty smug smirk at the very sight of my girlish envy!

God!

What would I do when she struts through that door looking like a groomed little peacock ready to perch on a catwalk?
I absolutely couldn?t be looking at her with puppy eyes between serving her appetizers and rummaging around the apartment for my autograph book!

That would leave him snugly satisfied with his prowess over women for the rest of the year!!!!!

Instead.
Instead I would turn the tables and make the gorgeous little thing go vra vra vroom at the very sight of me.

That?s what I would do, yes.

Tipsily I ran into the bath and turned on the shower.
With 2 hours in hand I still had enough time to transform myself into a strapping little Swan. I was a pro at conversions of the kind. Walk in the park. Piece a?cake.
One foot on the bathtub other on the shower floor I was squishily scraping away at my leg with a razor.

Quick.
Now the nail polish.
Toothbrush in mouth I tugged and pulled at my toe nails with clippers.

Maybe there was still time for a hurried visit to the beauty parlour for a nippy pedicure?
Maybe not.
Hurriedly, HURRIEDLY I jumped from one foot to the other trying to scrub my muggy looking feet into civility.
And that?s when it happened.

Well sometime around then anyway.

Speculation no.2

Daintily as i stepped out of the bath, carefully trying to get into character early and act as graceful as one can possibly look and feel in a hideous green bathrobe, I slipped on something….possibly some of the ultra luscious, super lubricating hair serum I accidentally dropped on the floor and landed, ungracefully, perhaps a tad pathetically, right on my head.

When I woke up I was in the hospital.

Looking concerned and with a buck-toothed, blinking girl, probably still in school, HE stood close by.
Through her mouthful of teeth the lady who had just cost me a twisted ankle, a couple of bruises, a nasty slash on my posterior and a visit to the hospital blinked and said

?I have heard so much about you.?

I grinned a toothy grin and wished I was in a state to bonk my head against the wall.

Ever had that dream where you’re on a busy street, on your way to work, and you look down to find that you are only wearing underwear and nothing else? Don’t panic ? you’re the height of fashion! Because this season, designers are putting underwear on the outside.

Still wearing that bodycon cocktail dress? How quaint. All the cool kids are swapping their demure LBDs for sheer nighties ? lace, frills, ruffles ? the more, the better. Models at John Galliano looked like they had stepped out of the 18^th century in peekaboo tulle dresses with corset panelling, which were accessorised with grey powdered hair and over-the-top make-up, beauty spot and all. At Rodarte the look was slightly more conservative, at least in comparison. The Mulleavy sisters worked wonders with chiffon and tulle as usual, and created spidery sheer dresses in black and navy, the panelled bodices of which became a second skin to sullen-faced models. If nipple exposure simply isn?t your thing, opt for layers of chiffon, like this Gold Hawk nightie-style smock, available at My Wardrobe. For something sexier, Roberto Cavalli is the man to go to. The shorter version of the floral silk gown on the Spring/Summer runway is available to buy at Net-a-Porter, and gives a nod to the outer-underwear trend, without baring too much.

The more conventional marriage between outerwear and underwear comes in the form of the corset. If you?re a fan, there was plenty on the Spring/Summer catwalks to satisfy your corsetry cravings. The standout piece at Bottega Veneta was the beautiful ivory bodice dress ? perfect for a black tie event or even a registry office bride! Buy yours at Net-a-Porter now. The queen of corsetry, Vivienne Westwood, did not let us down, and cheekily revealed classic white corsets beneath architectural jackets and sporty cerise skirts. Sass & Bide do a great corset with ruched bodice and black and gold belt detailing, beautiful enough to wear for cocktails without friends thinking you?ve forgotten your blouse. Also check out Coco de Mer for their gilt-coloured bodice ? far too fabulous to hide underneath clothes, as is Stella McCartney?s new lingerie collection. I say wear this sheer body under an unbuttoned white shirt for a bit of ooh la la! Extroverts will adore the new, big knickers, as seen at Alessandro dell?Acqua (La Perla do a black satin version), which offer just enough coverage to wear out over tights, a la Sienna.

If the idea of having your essential organs squeezed to death by a corset frightens you, you might prefer the comfier incarnation of the trend: pyjamas as outwear. A silky button-up blouse was paired with matching slouchy shorts at Stella McCartney ? add heels and head to the office. I loved the silk, lemon-hued, dressing gown-style belted dress at Preen, and over at Alberta Ferretti models looked comfy in slouchy all-in-ones. Pick up a kimono-style dress for boudoir appeal. Issa and Westwood offer fabulous patterned versions, but my favourite is Alexander McQueen?s powder pink dip-dye kimono. The integrated shoulder pads and metal belt give it structure, and transform it from a sexy bath robe to a fabulous cocktail dress. Who wants to waste this on the bedroom?

Everybody wants to lose weight. However, weight loss can only begin with a healthy food relationship.

Nowadays, many men and women desire a healthy body image, which is often a reflection of their overall health. Men and women may look at their bodies differently: men focus on their chest, arms, and abs, while women concentrate on their waist, hips, and thighs. But weight loss for both men and women begins with a healthy food relationship. (more…)

The one thing I never considered until last year is that one of the most important things to have when applying make up is a good base. Yes folks; peachy perfect skin is probably the most important factor to think about when you begin wearing makeup. It all sounds quite obvious but having clearer skin means that there’s so much less groundwork to cover!

It’s extremely tempting to trowel the makeup on, especially when you’ve got what appears to be the eruption of Mount Vesuvius part deux growing on your face. Believe me, and I do speak for myself here, wearing makeup can become a viscous cycle.

The sensible way to navigate a situation such as this would be to steer well clear of the dreaded spot. That’s right, don’t touch it, don’t poke it and for crying out loud, don’t squeeze it. I’m sure it’s perfectly fine for some people but for me personally, to actually leave it red raw and exposed for all asunder to see, is another thing entirely…it must be covered at all costs.

Recently my skin had started to breakout quite badly. I didn’t have a clue to why because usually my skin has been very obedient. I decided that I had to figure out the root of the problem, shifting through my skincare routine so I could eliminate the prime suspects. I wanted clear skin again.

Looking at the Steps

Every morning I would I wash my face with dove soap (the one with the blue grains inside for exfoliation). I remembered how my skin would feel quite dry afterwards, especially if I did not cleanse immediately and so I ruthlessly removed this from my skin care routine.

The next step involved washing my face, but this time with Biore Face Scrub. There is not doubt that exfoliation is an important step in skin care but after a bit of soul searching (well as much as I could concerning skincare) I decided that perhaps I’d become a little too enthusiastic about scrubbing my skin. And so I decided that the solution would be to limit the use of this product to twice a week.
After this step, I would cleanse and moisturize as normal.

However if I did get a spot, I would always splat on a heavy application of Oxy 5 over it. Being a stubborn beauty junkie, I tended to ignore the burning sensation over the skin, thinking that somehow this meant that it was working. In retrospect, I think I applied far too much of this product. I guess you do that when you really want to get rid of a spot. But clearly it was irritating my skin more than it was helping, so I threw it out!

I’d also fallen into the habit of wearing makeup everyday without giving my skin a chance to breathe. It was also a case of, once I got a spot, I wanted to hide it with it concealer. At this point I really wanted to conquer the cluster on my face and so with great reluctance, I also decided that it was time to give up make up.

So how did it go? Two weeks in to the experiment, the redness has gone and is gradually clearing away. In addition I’ve also started to use blotting paper, once in the morning and before I go to bed so that I remove any excess oil from my face. It seems to be doing the trick.

So round off this experience, I have to say that I found that actually simplifying my beauty regime really can work wonders. So if you can bear it, leave it alone, at least for a while!

Here, in reverse order, are your seven essential swimming training tips for female swimmers like you. These tips have what it takes to help you become a winner;

We often hear in Retailing, what’s important is; Location, Location, Location. What are three of the most important components of swimming? Technique, Technique, Technique. Why?

Women’s Swim Tip  - 7 - Technique. Then Speed.
When you learn a new swimming skill or change stroke, you must swim more slowly for a while - before attempting to swim faster (by the way, the same thing applies to men). This can become frustrating, as it can be against your natural female racing instinct. However, the more you do something, right or wrong, the more it can become a habit.

For example, if you have a bad arm pull, think how many times you reinforce that bad habit during even one practice. When you try to swim quickly, it’s natural to focus your attention on going fast and not necessarily on holding your improved technique. So, until you have your new swimming technique well established, swim a little slower. Then, it’s far more likely you’ll be able to hold your new and better technique later on.

Women’s Swim Tip - 6 - One Thing at a Time.
What happens at home when you do too many things at once? If you’re like us, dinner gets burned, clothes get wrinkled and the phone goes unanswered. Now, let’s take that lesson to the pool;

Ladies, a female swimmer can make huge strides in power, speed, efficiency and endurance by working on improving only one training variable at a time. Called Parametric Training, it’s an important part of a number of many swim training programs. Once one particular variable has been mastered, (for example breathing) the next variable (for example stroke length) can be introduced.

Women’s Swim Tip - 5 - Drink Like a Fish.
As Mr Brinkley, your High School Science teacher told you, its scientific name is H-2-O. Commonly known as Water. Look into it, girls;

Fluid intake is essential on dry land. But it’s especially important during swim training and competition. Even though swimmers work in water and may not appear to sweat, there’s still considerable fluid loss in an average session. Have a bottle of fluid with you on poolside and sip regularly throughout a training session and leading up to a swimming competition. Maybe Science class wasn’t such a waste of time, after all.

Women’s Swim Tip - 4 - Train Like Flipper.
In the TV show, Flipper was supposedly a male dolphin. Not true. The animal that actually played Flipper was a female stunt dolphin from just off the coast of Texas.

Flipper could swim circles around mere humans (especially men). We might learn from that. Among other benefits, the occasional use of swim fins or flippers can help you achieve a better body position (even though it’s artificial). You’ll learn to become familiar with what this better position feels like. Then, you can try to recreate your ‘flipper’ position later on, during harder training.

Women’s Swim Tip  -3 - Breathe Easy.
Swimming, more than any other sport demands that your lungs provide the rest of your body with oxygen at an extremely high rate and at exactly the right time (otherwise you’re going to be breathing-in water). Effective breathing (inhaling and exhaling) is critical in turning oxygen into the energy needed to move through the water, keeping correct pH levels in your body and enough carbon dioxide for bodily functions.

Try this breathing technique walking on dry land before you try it in the water; when breathing-in, take in a fast and large volume of air. On breathing out, make a prolonged and even discharge of air. Maintain this air discharge throughout the arm cycle of your stroke (for example 3 seconds). At the end of the exhalation phase, give a little puffing action. This will enable you to completely empty your lungs, ready for the next intake. Try it next time on your way to the pool.

Women’s Swim Tip  - 2 - Be a TV Star.
We almost made it, big-time in Hollywood. But we only had enough bus fare to reach Toledo. Now, it may not be big screen drama, but we can all feature in educational videos. Have your coach or a friend shoot video while you are in the pool swimming and then critique yourself. You might be surprised. And it’s very likely that you’ll be able to improve at least one facet of your stroke.

Women’s Swim Tip -1 - Keep a Positive Attitude.
Strive for optimum, not maximum, performance. Emphasise the things which you can control (so forget about your boyfriend, husband or significant other). You can control only your own performance, so put your emphasis on good technique and personal best times. Improvements in these aspects are attainable by everyone, whereas winning a gold medal is achievable only by a few. You will enjoy training more if you can see yourself making progress.

Exactly 7 days 10 hours and 45 minutes after I pledged my life to establishing my presence in the office room I decided it was a lost battle.
This was not to be.
It just couldn’t happen.
Trying to get my co-workers to look me in the eye and answer my questions without rolling their eyes was like asking Lindsay Lohan to make public appearances wearing underwear! (more…)

In the UK, it’s easy to forget that we’re in the midst of the summer. Fortunately it seems that we’re being blessed with some beautiful weather at the moment. But before you head out the door to enjoy the summer sunshine; remember to protect your skin from the harsh UV rays of the sun.

It’s essential to take care of yourself, especially if you don’t want your summer spoiled with burnt skin and heatstroke or if you want to hear the worst case scenario, contracting skin cancer later in life. If that’s not scary enough, let me appeal to your vanity! The sun will leave you more susceptible to developing wrinkles.

Tips on protecting yourself from the sun

Always check the expiry date of your sun lotion. A sunscreen from two years ago is not going to be as effective as a new bottle.

For effective protection, it’s recommended to use no less than a sunscreen with an SPF of 15.
It’s wise to apply more cream on areas which are more delicate. Your feet, nose, shoulders, chest and even behind your ears.

Do as the Spanish do, take a siesta from the sun when it is at its strongest. This would be around midday to three pm.

Don’t assume you’re safe when you’re sitting in the shade. Even on a cloudy day it is said that 80% of UV rays can still reach us. So slap that lotion on no matter what!

Hair can dry out in the sun and leave you looking a bit frazzled. So wear hats to protect your scalp and hair.

If you are not planning on sunbathing but want extra protection, why not try a moisturizer with SPF included? It will be a lot lighter on your skin.

There are foundations which contain SPF but it’s not safe to rely on these as your only protection from the sun. Remember that foundation is meant to be used sparingly on your face. It’s not meant to be caked on like a mask.

If you prefer using your own moisturizer then purchase a sunscreen that you can wear over it and under makeup.

Most people get confused as to when to apply sunscreen on your face. Apply your moisturizer first, wait around ten minutes to absorb before applying your sunscreen and then you can apply your make up on the top of that. You want the sunscreen to sit on your skin directly for the most effective protection which is why it goes under your makeup.

This rule also applies for insect repellent. Always apply insect repellent after your sunscreen.

It’s important to get the timing right when applying your sunscreen as you need to let your skin absorb the sunscreen before you expose yourself to the sun. Aim to apply sunscreen twenty minutes before you go out.

Then remember to reapply every eighty minutes or at even shorter intervals especially if you have lolloping about in the swimming pool.

How much lotion should you apply? Don’t be stingy. Doctors advise a palm-full but if you apply more it’s not going to hurt you. Always apply enough so that it covers your skin sufficiently.

And if you don’t like the heavy feeling of some sunscreens, you also have the option of gels or sprays which have a considerably lighter feel on the skin.

So with that please be safe in the Sun!

Most of us love our summer accessories like sunglasses, sandals and headscarves, but the thought of wearing a hat strikes fear in many! Don’t think you can pull off serious headgear? These celebs did!

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