NEW: Maybelline express nail varnish remover

Every time I apply a bright colour to my nails, a sense of dread washes over me. When the bright hue contains little flecks of glitter, the anxious feeling gets even worse: how the hell am I gonna get this stuff off? I know I'm not the only one who chooses their nail varnish based on the length of time it's going to take to remove it two days later, or re-applies varnish to the tips to get another day's wear out of it. Nail varnish removal is a big problem. If I calculated the hours I've spent so far in my lifetime battling stubborn textured polish, I'm pretty sure I could have read War and Peace twice. Just think of all those useful things you could do if you had an extra five minutes to play with: you could straighten your hair a little bit more precisely, try on another three pairs of shoes, catch another news bulletin on the telly or even manage to put your mascara on in the way it was intended. Maybelline should be given an award for the pure joy their newest innovation is going to bring the female population, in the form of an express nail varnish remover. You may have heard of similar products being launched, but I've been told by many people this is the best one they've tried. When you unscrew the lid it contains a foam centre that you dip your finger into, the nail varnish remover within working to remove all colour and residue within three strokes. It works best when you rub your nail against the side of the foam, but after a few strokes all nail varnish has dissolved (even the annoyingly stubborn glittery ones.) I can't explain how much easier this makes my life, especially when I usually decide to change my nail varnish ten minutes before leaving the house. Knowing the pain and faff involved in the usual removal process, I don't think I can ever face going back to liquid and cotton wool. That's so 2012.

Available from June in Boots/Superdrug priced £4.99

CELEBS: Interviewing Pixie Lott

A little while ago I was lucky enough to spend the afternoon with popstar, style icon and little bundle of joy Pixie Lott. I wasn't just hanging around like a groupie, I wanted to find out what made her tick. Starting off in the semi-glamorous location of her hairdressing salon, Taylor Taylor, in East London (apparently one of her favourite places to go because they give an awesome head massage,) we quickly got in her car and spent the journey across London chatting about everything from Eastenders to festival fashion. Here are a few snippets from my afternoon with Pixie Lott...

You do a lot of gigs and concerts late at night. How do you relax when you get home? 
When I get off the stage I'm always really excited because I've got the buzz, but when that winds down I'm always really tired. I'll go home, make a cup of tea, put a movie on, chill on the sofa and have a snack. I'm a big fan of bubble baths and candles, but I don't have much time for them so they're very rare for me - that's probably why I enjoy them so much, as they're such a treat. I also love massages and facials, they're my all time favourite thing; that's why I love going to the salon as they always give you a head massage!

What's on your rider?
We always just have the general stuff really - ginger, honey and lemon for my voice, a little bowl of goodies or sweets, fruit... If we don't eat it all I can take it home too, so I don't have to do my food shopping the next day! (Cheeky Pixie.)

What's your favourite venue or concert to date? 
I really loved my tour, so I guess my favourite shows have been the London shows at Hammersmith Apollo. I also really love playing the stadium venues, like the 02, and I'm really excited about playing the Royal Albert Hall because it's so beautiful and I haven't played there before. I love going to concerts myself and I really want to go see Coldplay. Live music is the best way to listen to music.

You play a lot of festivals. Is that something you try to do every year?
Yes, I love festivals. It feels like you go away on a mini holiday; I love the festival fashion, meeting random people, the whole camping thing. I'd enjoy a festival even if it was raining, but when it's sunny it's just the best. At festivals you can literally wear whatever you want and nobody cares - if you want to paint on your face, shove a flower in your hair or wear something luminous, nobody looks twice! I always have to have a pair of wellies though - there's a pair I've had for years that are like boots-slash-wellies that I love.

What are the little things you do with your makeup to make you feel great?
Usually I don't go for statement lips, because when I'm singing the microphone smudges lipstick all round my face! I've tried it a couple of times and the photos afterwards have literally been me with lipstick all around my mouth, which is never a good look. That's why whenever I'm doing something where I'm not singing, I try to have fun with my lips. Before a show though I always have drama around the eyes, big lashes and smokey shadow that's brought out to the side to make it more feline. I think that's a great way to take your makeup from the day into the night, especially as lipstick can be quite hard to maintain while you're drinking.

How do you use accessories to change your look?
I pretty much always wear rings; I feel naked if I don't have any rings on. I wear little bangles and watches in the daytime, but in the night (say if I'm wearing a little black dress) I always layer chains to create more of a statement. Today I'm wearing some things from a great designer called Maria Francesca Pepe - she does loads of things with studs and bracelets with little crosses hanging down that I love. I actually got a few of them at Spitalfields market!

You went from very long to quite short hair last year - what made you take the chop?
I'd had the same hair for ages. Everyone had the exact same hair! I was bored and had a new album coming out... I didn't want to dye it so I thought I'd cut it. I was a little bit scared, but I thought 'hair grows' so why not just give it a go and if I don't like it just grow it out again? I feel my shorter hair is a little more edgy than before, (although my long hair was a lot more glamorous) and I can do a lot more with it. You can mess it up a bit, create volume - even though you think you can do less with shorter hair, you can still do loads. I just fancied a change!

Tell me about how you'd go from day to night with one accessory? 
The most instant thing to update a dress from day to night? You bring a pair of heels along! I always carry them in my bag and they come off as soon as they hurt. (I've been told off a few times by bouncers for taking my shoes off... And then I get glass in my foot!) I also like a statement piece of jewellery or a necklace that says something. If I was going somewhere a bit more civilised I'd just put on a blazer or a chic little jacket to dress it up.

What about taking your hair from day to night when you've been out all day?
I always like a bit of volume and texture in my hair; I've got this great stuff which is like dust that you just put in the parting of your hair and kind of shake it like crazy to build texture. (She means Resurrection Dust!) Or you can go for an 'up do', just using a couple of kirby grips to shove it up and still go for the messy vibe. Plaits are perfect for festivals, or in the summer, to channel the whole boho thing; usually I just take a section, plait into the hair and pull it out so it's really really messy. That's kind of my signature look.

So there you go: Pixie is the Queen of many things, including messy plaits, bubble baths and accessories. She also loves Shoreditch, Eastenders, seeing her mates and potentially helping her boyfriend to start a fashion blog. Pixie is taking over the world, one part of London at a time.

Want to wear your Summer Wardrobe right now?

The shops are full of pastel colours, white dresses and gladiator sandals, but unless we're the recipients of a heatwave in the next 48 hours we won't be donning them any time soon. Rather than stocking up on summer clothing and storing it away for that one ray of sunshine in October, why not bite the bullet and wear it today? All you have to do is make sure you accessorise in the right way and you've got a wearable outfit for any time of year. Here are my top three tips as to how you can wear your summer wardrobe right now - regardless of what the weatherman tells you.

1. Toughen it up with texture
Summer clothes tend to come in linen, cotton and other lighter materials that let air circulate in hot weather. The problem with these textures is that they look extremely seasonal; by adding in contrasting and stronger textures such as leather, metal or perpex, you can instantly counteract the summer feeling and make the outfit feel wearable. Cotton and leather is my favourite combo as it instantly lifts an outfit and feels like you're doing the dirty on summer. If it's good enough for Kate Moss...

2. Add dark accessories
White is all very well and good, but add a pastel cardigan and some beige ballet pumps and you're ready for strawberries at Wimbledon. (Not in a good way.) There's nothing worse than feeling like you dressed totally inappropriately, especially when the heavens open and you're faced with arctic temperatures. By adding in darker accessories you can take the edge off the brightness so that the white dress isn't the complete focus of the outfit - the eye has more shades to take in, so the white blends into the overall look. It's also less scary to wear first thing in the morning, when you're not quite sure what the day's weather will bring.

3. Brighten with a pop of colour
Adding in a brighter colour to an otherwise monocrome palette will help to bring the whole look together, especially in the form of a statement necklace and oversized scarf. Try shades such as blue, green or yellow that sit mid-way in the colour spectrum and don't overpower the rest of the outfit. Avoid reds, pinks or purples as it will look too tropical against the purity of the dress - save them for when the sunshine really hits and you're sipping on a cocktail by the beach.

What are your top tips for wearing your Summer Wardrobe pre-season? 

Caci facial at the Four Seasons Hotel

As soon as I hit 30 I started to see creases on my face. They'd probably been there all my life, but as soon as I started to tick the '30 and over' box, every little line took on new significance. I've become increasingly concerned about the state of my skin, taking much longer to apply various creams and serums before bed, as well as booking in regularly for a cleansing facial to keep those deep lines at bay for as long as possible. As you age, your muscles lose their tone - the Caci facial treatment is designed to keep the muscles toned, the skin radiant and help reduce the signs of ageing. The treatment stimulates the circulation of energy to the facial tissue, which in turn increases the rate at which the skin produces collagen and elastin. It's designed to give gentle exercise to the facial muscles, tightening and firming them to help reduce slackness and restore natural contour. The Caci facial can also improve the reduction of eye bags, soften scar tissue and reduce the size of enlarged pores - luckily all things I don't currently suffer from, but at least I know it can help prevent them as and when I need! Conducted over a an hour in an extremely swish treatment room, the facial is administered using two metal rods that massage and stimulate the facial muscles. The process is completely painless as the electrical pulses work deeper in the skin than can necessarily be felt, although every so often a slight tingling sensation around the jawline took me by surprise. Extremely relaxing, the Caci treatment almost had me asleep within the first 15 minutes, but after the full hour my face felt fresh, plumped and clear. I could feel an instant lift in my skin and facial muscles, which lasted for around 2 days and helped my skin to glow. It's recommended that for long-term results a Caci facial is booked for every 6-8 weeks, so that the facial muscles can be continually stimulated and lifted to leave the complexion luminous - although there's still benefit to having treatments less frequently. I personally enjoyed how non-invasive the procedure was, particularly as it didn't leave my skin feel like it was covered in goo and exfoliated so much I could feel the skin from by 14th birthday. It provided me with the perfect balance of relaxation, facial stimulus and visual results - made even better by the luxurious surroundings in which is was administered. The Four Seasons Hotel on Park Lane is the ultimate in luxury, providing a pampering room to use before and after your treatment which contains everything you need to leave looking perfect again: hair dryers, hair straighteners, beauty products and even your own locker with robe and flip flops. While waiting (or after the treatment,) there's a heat therapy pool, steam room and sauna to utilise, as well as a relaxing waiting room with tea and nuts on tap. Up on the 10th floor and looking out on London's skyline could've been good enough, but all the little extras made this an experience I want to replicate again and again. No doubt I'll be booking another Caci facial ASAP just so I can gain the use of that delightful steam room again...

The Caci treatments at The Four Seasons Hotel, Park Lane, start from £45 a session.
More information on the spa and all treatments available here.

Must Have: Neal's Yard Beauty Sleep Concentrate

Some days you just wake up and look in the mirror with horror. If, like me, your skin can appear as if an alien has sucked the life out of you overnight, then you need a little pick-me-up to prevent small children screaming. I discovered Neal's Yard Beauty Sleep Concentrate by accident, applying it to my face as an overnight moisturiser (reading labels is not my thing.) When I woke up and looked in the bathroom mirror I was greeted with something that resembled human, rather than me minus any moisture or healthy glow. The Beauty Sleep Concentrate has been scientifically formulated to support skin’s natural night time regeneration, while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  It's lightweight and very easily absorbed into skin, so you don't feel like you're slapping on a thick horrendous cream and spend the night worrying about damaging your pillows. A couple of pumps are enough to cover the face in a thin veil, which instantly leaves skin feeling hydrated and fresh. Upon awaking the next morning, skin looks plumper, fresher, revived and hydrated. There's none of that sallowness that often follows a bad night's sleep, only a refreshingly clear and awake skin. In clinical trials conducted before the launch of this product, the concentrate was proven to increase moisture levels in skin by up to 98% over 12 hours - that's pretty incredible. With skincare it can be really difficult to notice a visible difference from one product, but I could instantly see the difference this made after one night and continue to do so. I've taken this away with me to use after long flights, for hen weekends and wedding celebrations, benefitting from a fresher complexion and a more unified skintone thanks to the added moisture. I couldn't recommend it more. In my eyes, it's a total must have.

Neal's Yard Beauty Sleep Concentrate is available from boutiques and online priced £31.50

Crabtree & Evelyn pop-up herb garden in Covent Garden

Few brands nowadays evoke feelings from times gone by, most preferring to refresh their identity so they appeal to a younger and more aspiring audience. Crabtree & Evelyn, however, have managed to firmly grasp their heritage with both hands while embracing the modernity and freshness that sells in 2013. Their shop in Covent Garden is bright and airy, containing shelves upon shelves of lotions and potions that bring a subtle scent to their customers lives. I'm a big fan of their hand creams, so it was great to get fully embraced into their collection and find out all the great secrets they have on offer. To express their passion for flowers, herbs and botanical ingredients, (as well as keeping themselves modern and relevant,) Crabtree & Evelyn have launched ‘The Avant Garden.’ The abstract pop-up herb garden will blossom on Covent Garden’s West Piazza until 9th June, celebrating over 15 years of their iconic Gardeners Hand Care Collection (which is perfect for gardening enthusiasts' hardworking hands) as well as 40 years of pioneering botanical formulations. The garden is beautiful in a rustic and unkempt way, the flowers and herbs already growing in all directions; as they bloom over the next few weeks I have no doubt this will become a real feature on the Piazza. The display also contains solar powered water features, which unfortunately were suffering from lack of daylight when I arrived, to provide another level of enjoyment for passers-by. If you pop into the shop (directly behind the garden,) you'll also see one of their latest collections on display which unintentionally brings it all together - Somerset Meadow is a refreshing and uplifting scent that smells exactly as you would expect (more on that later!) If you're around in London over the next few weeks, make sure you pop by the Crabtree & Evelyn 'Avant Garden' and have a sniff of what's on offer. It's open to everyone - regardless of your current gardener status!

The garden will be blooming until 9th June 2013.

Marie Curie Stories: Giving Cancer a Makeover in Hampstead

In 1948 the National Health Service was launched. The very same year, a comittee from the original Marie Curie Hospital in Hampstead decided to preserve the name of Marie Curie by launching a charity in her name; following the donation of an engagement ring to help raise funds, the very first appeal was launched... And the rest is history. Marie Cure Cancer Care now has nine hospices across the UK that are dedicated to delivering the best care to their patients, support to their families and vital services that make lives a little bit better. It costs over £40,000 a day to keep these nine hospices running, a financial figure that relies heavily upon donations and support from the public. I was lucky enough to be invited along to the Hampstead hospice to find out what Marie Curie really gets up to and how they help make patients' lives more enriched and positive, no matter what situation or future they may be facing. 'Hospice' is a pretty scary word for most, so it was amazing to be able to go behind the scenes and find out that a hospice is not a scary place in reality. The Marie Curie Hospice, Hampstead, is a bright and relatively cheery place that's located in the corner of a leafy and peaceful London suburb. Every person I met during my morning there was smiling, welcoming and passionate about the work that the hospice does - and it does a lot of incredible work. I'm pleased to be part of a campaign launching today called 'Marie Curie Stories,' which is bringing to life the different things that Marie Curie's hospices do on a daily basis that help improve the quality of their patients' lives. In the Hampstead hospice there's something a bit special that goes on every fortnight in a little room on the 3rd floor; something that to you and me may sound minor, but something that to the terminally ill patients makes a world of difference: a makeover. Makeup artist Carolyn K rocks up every other Friday armed with brushes, powders, creams and potions, ready to help some very special ladies look as amazing on the outside as they are on the inside. When your skin is dry, blotchy or looking like it's seen better days, a little bit of makeup and good advice can mean the world. The makeovers help make patients feel great about themselves and take a little time out, with the makeup encouraging them to make plans with friends or family after thanks to their new-found confidence. After a gym session they can pop in and have a chat with Carolyn, get their smokey-eye applied, put on a bit of lippie and for a small moment in time forget their troubles when they look in the mirror. It's such a simple, yet great idea. Considering some of these people may be very well near the end of their lives, they look so well and happy; Marie Curie focuses on getting their mind, body and spirit healthy and positive so they can make the most of whatever time they have left. It was incredibly humbling to be with terminally ill patients that are so unbelievably positive, to and find out what a huge difference Marie Curie really makes. The patients really look forward to the sessions every fortnight, giving them an opportunity to get together with people in a similar situation; it really is an invaluable service and just a small element of all the great work the charity does.

You can find out more about Marie Curie in the London area by liking their Facebook page, as well as checking out the other bloggers experiences.

Marie Curie has teamed up with six bloggers who have visited Marie Curie hospices across the UK. Follow #MarieCurieStories on Twitter and Facebook and at www.mariecurie.org.uk/mariecuriestories

Illamasqua Paranormal: Nail Varnish

The non-weather of late has had me constantly wearing nude colours on my nails. What do you wear when it's supposed to be sunny, but the clouds are telling you to wait another month before changing-up your seasonal wardrobe? Nudes seem to go with everything and cross one thing off my list in the morning (don't tell me you don't match your outfit to your nail varnish...) but they leave me quite uninspired. Illamasqua are certainly no 'nude' brand, known for their bright colours, extravagant images and out-there concoctions, so it's no suprise these nail varnishes were the ones to well and truly get me out of my mid-season rut. Part of their 'Paranormal' collection, these three shades are strikingly powerful and omit a colour that almost leaves you breathless. Green, purple and pink shouldn't really work together... But on this occasion they totally and utterly do. The formulas themselves are delightfully thick without being gloopy, applying to the nail flawlessly to leave a delicate shimmer that catches the light. You barely need two coats to get a true-to-bottle colour, meaning there's plenty of room for a base and topcoat to keep them lasting flawlessly for as long as possible. I'm quickly falling in love with the nail varnishes from Illamasqua, the formulas and colours being perfect, as everyone else seems to be too. I had great fun creating a bit of nail art with the shades - made even better with a topcoat that makes them shine brightly under UV light. I don't have a UV lamp floating around at home, but I'm pretty sure if I was to wear these out to the Ministry of Sound (or some other hip club I'm probably too old to enjoy) it would be reminiscent of a foam party from 2003. And when was that ever a bad thing?

Nail varnishes available now priced £15.00. Top coat priced £13.50.

CK One Makeup: Shine Lipstick

If I was to empty my handbag right now there would be at least one lipbalm, lipgloss and lipstick floating between half eaten chocolate bars and last week's Stylist. I love the different textures, finishes and looks you can get from the different formulas, but also how you can layer them up to create something completely unique. CK One launched their cosmetics line earlier on in the year exclusively in Debenhams, but until recently I hadn't come across the amazing Shine Lipstick that's a key part of the range. Available in 12 different shades, these little tubes offer something pretty outstanding - a lipstick formula with added gloss, incredible moisture, high shine and fabulous pigment. The bullet itself is slimmer than a normal lipstick, allowing precise application in one sweep across the lip; the formula is thicker than you'd expect, leaving a comfortable shine and strong colour without the dreaded drag you often experience. Some of the coloured lipbalm-glosses I own are great for about ten minutes, but quickly leave you with dryer lips than you started with; these are incredibly comfortable to wear and last for a pretty long time, even taking into consideration transference onto a coffee cup. I'm utterly in love with this tangerine shade that's perfect for summer, giving me a pop of colour without feeling like I'm wearing lipstick. I can tell you now, it's going to be added to the handbag collection and will be floating around next to a copy of Stylist this time tomorrow.

The Shine Lipstick is available exclusively in Debenhams priced £13.00 each

BOOK: Neal's Yard Healing Foods

Established in Covent Garden in 1981, Neal's Yard originally launched to fight against the chemical approach to skin care and health that was being used so readily. Over 30 years later, Neal's Yard is still bringing us fantastic products and natural ingredients, but they've extended this into healthy eating with the launch of their new book 'Healing Foods'. I could not be any less interested in cooking or cookbooks, but this offers something different from the norm - a step-by-step guide to understanding what foods you should be eating and why. It starts off by explaining the different kind of diets around the world and why our Westernised food consumption causes so many issues, including IBS and gluten allergies. Once you read the introduction it makes so much sense (especially to someone who suffers from both,) and sets up the theme for the rest of the text. Neal's Yard take fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, meats, fish, teas and much more in turn, explaining the benefits of each individual ingredient and how it can aid your body's performance and recovery. Not one to normally sit down and read such a book pretty much from cover to cover, I was surprised at myself when I was still sat on my sofa fully engrossed two hours later. I learned a huge amount just from flicking through, understanding in particular what fruits I should be eating to ensure I'm fighting fit and my digestion is functioning the way it should. Here are a few tips I learned from the book, a must for anyone who wants to watch what they're putting in their mouth:

• Dark chocolate can not only be used for heart health, immune support and digestion, but also to treat sore throats and coughs.
• The humble watermelon can help speed up wound healing, while the aubergine aids body detox. No need for fancy supplements!  
• Cranberries can not only help with urinary infections, but also help alleviate heavy periods, gum disease and sore throats. What an amazing fruit!
• If you're suffering with insomnia or jet lag, nom on some cherries... They contain melatonin which promotes sleep and helps you snooze off.
• A kiwi provides 10% of your daily fibre requirement. Eat 10 and you're done for the day! Your tummy will be thankful.
• Apparently pears are a good bulking laxative, so perfect for IBS sufferers. They also have soothing and uplifting qualities if you're feeling blue. 
• Apples help ease constipation and diarrhoea, as well as fat absorption - perfect if you're watching your weight or suffering from IBS. 

Get Neal's Yard Remedies Healing Foods from Amazon priced £13.59