Chat with Abi harding from The Zutons

Radio 1 Big Weekend. What an amazing weekend. One of the biggst highlights was getting to meet Abi from The Zutons - who I love. She is amazing...her hair, her style, her effortless chic. Top chick.

She looked amazing in her Diane Von Furstenberg playsuit and Stella McCartney pumps.

BSG: You look amazing as usual, what are you wearing?

AH: DVF and Stella; I love these two designers and I love to wear things that are different. I am a huge fan of the High Street, but to be honest, I have to look elsewhere a lot of the time cos' I like my style to be very individual.

BSG: What do you look for in an outfit?

AH: It has to stand out. No matter what. I like colourful outfits and if I see something that catches my eye I just have to have it.

BSG: Why did you choose this particular outfit today?

AH: Well, I had found this amazing t-shirt in Miss Selfridge that looked exactly like one that Dave wore for every gig. I bought it and thought, yeah I'm gonna wear this and we will match. Lucky I didn't wear it that night: I saw a girl in the front row wearing the very same t-shirt. I was mortified!

This stood out to me and I knew it would be comfy and cool too - it is so hot today!

Thanks Abi, we love you even more.

Wicked stories knocking about at moment

Long time no see, I know I am bad. Check out these stories online this week; these are a couple of my favourites:

Who are the High-Street Style Queens?? Kate, Lily, Madonna - they are all at it:


http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/fashion/story/0,,2281145,00.html


I love Hadley Freeman, her writing is so freshing - her article in G2 earlier this week about


Princess Bea and the fact that Alison Pearson came under fire from Fergie, was wicked.
Too right Hadders..(probably shouldn't call her that) at least Bea injects some personality into her clothes and doesn't look like every other Sloaney..or Chelsy Davy for that matter....


http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/fashion/story/0,,2281069,00.html


I LOVE Cosmopolitan.co.uk's new site. They have packed it with wicked features/tips/galleries and videos. Awesome.
http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/beauty/celebrity-beauty-most-wanted-peachy-cheeks-cate-blanchett/gallery



Loving peachy cheeks also. I would recommend Mac, Rimmel, Nars and Bourjois for fantatsic colours, textures and value for money.


Bourjois little pots have been around for years and are defo included in many a beauty chicks cult-product list.


If you fancy something a little brighter - try Benetint by Benefit - another cult product.


They have recently launched their newest shade: Posie Tint - this is lush. I prefer this to darker shades as I am quite fair. As usual, lasts ages and is perfectly packaged. Available in larger Boots stores, House of Fraser, www.benefit.co.uk and other leading outlets.

Rimmel Blush

Just a quick one..have just discovered Rimmel's Powder Blush in Pink Rose.
It is lovely. Perfect for this warm weather - gives a sheen known only to glowing pregnant women!
Lush - £3.49 in Boots, Superdrug, Tesco..well you can Rimmel just about anywherenow can't you!
Good, Good Good. mwah x

THE LEGEND THAT IS ASOS

OH MY GOD: I love Asos with a passion. The online fashion website is without a doubt the best around and up there with premium designer site Net-a-Porter.

Wow, just had my ASOS magazine through the door and have already set my heart on:

Christian Dior Vintage Sunglasses: £110

Insight Kitty love triangle bikini with removable pads: £35

Asos T-bar flat sandals £15

Asos Leather strapped sandals £22

and finally Asos premium pocket detail halterneck dress: £45.

The bargains you get on this site make me want to turn the air blue with profanity.

LOVE IT SO MUCH!

MY FAVOURITE PRODUCTS: Here are a couple of pix of what is perched on my bathroom shelf:
From left to right and back again: Guerlain Issima Midnight Secret - this is many a beauty editors favourite, it makes you look like you have had so much more sleep than you actually have. Picked this bad boy up on my way to Singapore, I knew I would have many long nights ahead and as I got it cheap at Duty Free I thought, why not? FYI - try to pick up as many beauty essentials as possible at Duty Free. Save your pennies for your Christian Louboutin's!
Lancome Star Bronzer is next on the list. So good, words cannot describe how handy this little bottle is. It can be a lifesaver, a beauty doctor, a miracle in a tin - gives you an even and glowing tan that washes away. Try and get BFF or Boyf to spray as it will look better if someone stands a good few inches away from you and sprays while you stand still. Always pop towels on floor/on furniture - my white and slate bathroom when a funny shade of brown...
Redken Extreme Anti Snap leave in treatment not only smells like you have been dancing with unicorns and floating with the fairies, but it actually works and repairs your strands of straw, leaving you with Rapunzel-esque hair.
Olay Complete Everyday Sunshine great for a flawless, even and non-smelly tan. I use deep sun-kissed glow as I like to be a little darker. I have very sensitive and dry skin, so I always exfoliate well before using any form of body tint. These are a little easier to use, but my skin is quite fair and picks up colour so easily. I use all tanning products sparingly, or I end up looking like a Z-list Wanna-be WAG (notice how the 'wannabe' makes it ten times worse, I mean who would ridicule themselves like that??)
Next on the ever-growing-other half-has no where to live list is; Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions Clear Blemish Gel. I think this is up there with the other few blemish killers - this is so good, if it were alive it would be in Belmarsh. This gem clears blemishes over night. Use before bed and if no dryness occurs, up to 3 times a day. A real must-have.
Batiste Dry Shampoo - If you haven't got this already - go out and get it now. What a legendary product this is. Spray a few inches from greasy area, leave for a few moments, brush through with fingers and voila! Lovely, fresh and gorgeous looking barnet. Also Batiste is dirt cheap, I mean dirty, filthy cheap. Cheaper than a sandwich from Tesco. Get it now.
Mac Strobe Cream: So you haven't quite got Kate Moss' cheekbones, well never fear, our old pal Mac developed this and it has already achieved cult status. Pat on cheek bones for SJP cheek bones and even use on decolletage/shoulders for a pretty sheen to show off you tan!
I found this next product at an arts and craft fair on New Zealand's South Island. I was wondering around and fiddling with beads, sheep skin boots and other bits and bobs, when I smelt something incredible and my nose dragged me to a woman with the most amazing skin standing in a marquee type affair. The Original Blackball Goats Milk Soap (my fav is Manuka Honey) is made with completely natural ingredients and handmade in Christchurch New Zealand. Now unfortunately you cannot buy this here in the UK and I rely on my sister, who is now a convert to this since we found it in this amazing 'alternative' market, to send it to me.
However, fear not, Crabtree and Evelyn do a great range of natural goats milk products and I heartily recommend them. Check out www.crabtree-evelyn.co.uk. I like the Crabtree and Evelyn Triple Milled Goatmilk Soap. Feel bad dangling this amazing product within your grasp and cruelly snatching it away, but if you or your family/friends ever pop over to NZ, look out for it.
These are legendary products: Lancome Juicy Tubes. One of my most favoured lip glosses, my first real wages from a little part time job as a waitress went on one of these deliciously wicked tubes, I got mine in Fraise. Still a firm favourite. This particular fav at the moment is a limited edition from last year; I got three so as not to run out.
TOP TIP: Always stock up if you find a product you love, you never know when it might get taken away.. :-(
Ooh, this is a legendary product, loved by the masses! Kiehl's Creme de Corps. This needs no explaining. It is such a rich moisturiser; enriching even the driest skin. I love this and have spread the word on behalf of this amazing product. I find grandmothers and great-aunts are particularly fond of this little gem. Buy it for granny and find yourself with lots of home made apple pies as a thank-you. Well, you can't say fairer than that!
Wow, this is a long old list...Nars Skin Mud Mask - see previous post. Fantastic for deep cleansing and getting rid of toxins.
Natural Collection Passion fruit Body Spray: MMMMM lush lush lush. For £1.99 from Boots this leaves you smelling so good. It is light, fresh and doesn't make you want to be sick. Great bargain product and perfect for a quick spritz anytime. TOP TIP: I spray this on cushions, on the carpet, on my curtains and generally around the room to make it smell gorgeous before guests come round. Try a spritz of it on light bulbs or use your favourite perfume; the heat will send the scent around the room.
Frizz Ease Hair Serum by John Frieda is a miracle for your hair. Can't do without out and I love to rub a pin-top sized amount through the ends of my hair to give it a slight sheen. Worth every penny.
Hoola by Benefit is without a doubt one of the best bronzers in the whole wide world. At £22 it can be deemed a bit pricey, but it lasts for ages and will never break and fall out in your Mulberry (like other brands have done before...) as it comes in a Mr-T type indestructible box.
I also recommend bronzing powders by Mac, Estee Lauder and Guerlain.
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair is a protective recovery complex serum that you smooth onto cleansed skin morning and night. After a few weeks you WILL notice a difference. Think of all the good this is doing long term. Brilliant.
Le Vernis in Rouge Noir by Chanel was also one of the first teenage-bought luxuries. Smooth, dark and every bit as perfect as I imagined. Loved by celebs and the epitome of all that is right about Chanel. (Buy at Duty free and you can get more in your bag!)
Shu Uemura eyelash curlers are THE BEST investment a woman can make. Over the years I have tested loads of eyelash curlers and I can hand-on-my-heart state with all certainty that these are the greatest beauty tool of all time. Gently squeeze the bottom of the lashes (nearest the eyelid) and hold for 10-15 seconds, then do the same to the middle and then the top. Lush.
Philosophy Hope in a Jar is a lightweight moisturiser packed with antioxidants and beta-glucan guaranteed to give you a rosy glow. Use a 10p size blob for face and neck and smooth into the skin well. Try and allow 10 mins for it to sink in properly before yo apply make-up.
Finally, last but not least: Liz Earle Superbalm. Enriched with vitamin E and Neroli this is great for elbows, shoulders, feet, anywhere, a real skin saver for chapped skin. I rub mine into my cuticles and all over my feet after a long hot soak in the tub. Finish with Rouge Noir nail polish for the ultimate at home manicure!

Mud

A word of warning to anyone using a facemask before a big night out! Dont!
After a busy but rewarding week, I decided I would have a long hot soak in the tub, complete with bath salts, a large glass of pinot noir and Jane Austen for company. I thought, perfect op to smother my face in one of favourite brands' facemask. Nars Skin Mud Mask is genius and you can feel the cooling mud working its way into your city-filled smokey pours. As it says on the tin, it will deep cleanse for smooth refreshed skin.
Perfect. But for me, it means all the toxins gently floating to the surface. Big mistake when heading straight into Soho after work...
Lots of little bumps and blemishes rearing their nasty heads on my previously smooth and be-freckled skin.
This product is A-M-Azing, but please please, heed my advice and use over the weekend when you know you're staying in...or failing that, book a few days off work and wallow in mud all week...! YUM!
Great masks/cleanses/mousses that I adore and that always frequent my shelves:
Precision Deep Purifying Exfoliating Mousse by Chanel - Fan-bloody-tastic; so good in fact that Other Half started using it.
Neal's Yard Remedies Palmarosa Purifying Facial Mask, removes impurities, detoxifies and re balances skin - perfect after a weekend out on the lash me thinks. A great buy, worthy of any bathroom cabinet.
Estee Lauder Hydra Complete Multi-Level Moisture Gel Mask - this cools the skin and makes it feel so clean afterwards. I team with Liz Earle wash-clothes to give my face a really 'purified' feel.
More Chanel...but then daddy did tell me I always had expensive tastes..coming from a charming little council estate in the Kent countryside, I always spent my pocket money from my 3 jobs while doing my a-levels, on make-up, shoes, bags, jewellery and clothes. We're going back a few years, but me and one of my best friends were always rocking the best looks, even as teenagers and I don't think we ever quite fitted in - we needed room to move and be creative..we both work up town now in fashion/media!
I have digressed slightly, so more Chanel - Precision Masque Destressant Hydration, or for those of you note into Frenchi; Nourishing Cream Gel Mask. So lovely, smells good, comes with a handy little spatula-come-spoon and makes skin fell delicious.
Finally, although this is not a mask or gel, but I feel it should have special inclusion in the rituals of cleansing and purifying - Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions Quick Clearing Pads. A life saver if you ever feel like Vicky Pollard. Gives the skin a really good scrub in the sweep of a pad. Great for Blemish prone skin or when skin erupts at 'that time of the month.'

In my post box this week...:
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Body Oil Spray - smells beautiful. Conjures up happy memories of summers gone by; lying on a beach in Greece; sipping cocktails by the pool and attempting to look cool in stifling heat. In others words: lush. Coconut mmmm..
Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise Blue...I loved the original so this was always going to impress me. Soft, woody, floral notes - soft and not too overwhelming. I hate scents that overpower the sense and I am so sensitive to smell and my skin is very sensitive too. I love Chanel Chance but it sends me into sneezing fits! This fragrance hits all the right spots. A firm favourite. Will be back with more updates and top products shortly, taking a break to enjoy my Assam tea and upload pix of last nights shenanigans. Mwah x x x

Teeth

Well this made me laugh - Jodie Marsh's super-white, scary 'Ross from Friends' teeth have topped a poll as the worst teeth in the industry.

(Though to be frank, not quite sure which industry category she falls into...)

94% of UK women would rather have pearly whites like Sienna Miller (the girl can do no wrong) in a survey carried out by Listerine Stay White Mouthwash.

FYI - amazing stuff - I have a lovely bottle in the bathroom. The results are certainly surprising given the fact that more and more women are having cosmetic surgery, spray tans and hair extensions.

Only 3% said they would fork out on professional teeth whitening and 82% expressed concern the effects staining would have on their nashers. Listerine Stay White Mouthwash has a unique zinc chloride formula that keeps teeth clean and white. What more could a girl want?

Available nationwide: from £2.99 - visit - www.listerine.co.uk

...digressing slightly - Victoria Beckham has hair extensions, a perma-tan, fake nails (French manicure styleee) supposed fake breasts and pearly - yet she is a style icon. Now I have always wondered, is it her wardrobe that redeems her from the 'chav' 'Waggy' 'cheap' status? Must be...answers on a postcard..