Tales From The Chair - August

Your monthly round up of everything I’ve been discovering and sharing with clients, straight from the salon chair . . .

Local Mentions

Paid a visit to coffee newcomer Bones Espresso on King St in Twickenham and really liked the friendly vibe as well as great coffee.

Skincare Heroes

This month my skin has been more problematic than ususal with a lot of angry, red, under the skin blemishes. I’ve been using Sunday Riley Saturn Sulphur + Niacinimide spot treatment before bed and have found it helpful in calming inflammation and helping to diffuse the ‘big ones’. Sulfur (10%) dries up pore clogging sebum and removes dead skin cells while zinc and bentonite clay draw out impurities, reduce excess oil and soothe redness. Niacinimide (4%) helps tackle post inflammatory pigmentation and boosts radiance. The inclusion of tea tree oil and manuka oil offer antibacterial and purifying benefits.

I’ve also started using Caudalie SOS Intense Moisturising Cream again - I love this velvety cream so much! I would say my skin is combination so technically this being ‘intense’ I would have guessed it might be too rich for me but the texture is just heavenly. Nourishing without being greasy, so comforting and soothing, like a big, gentle hug for your skin! It’s super simple, claiming to do little else other than hydrate but sometimes that’s all you want/need, especially if you have other products in your regime (serums/masks etc) working hard to tackle other concerns like anti-ageing. It also primes the skin beautifully for make-up.

Beauty Bits

Very much into Sol De Janeiro Cheirosa 68 perfume mist at the moment! Far sweeter than I would usally go for, it’s a fruity, floral scent transporting you to lush, sun dappled gardens in Rio , an uplifting blend of Brazilian Jasmine, pink dragonfruit, ocean air and a touch of vanilla and sun musk (I think maybe the musk is what stops it from being too sweet for me!) It’s been likened to the far more pricey Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540

A longtime fan of Aromatherapy Associates, I’m currently using their Rose Bath & Shower Oil. With these concentrated oils it seems a waste to use them in the shower IMO so I save this for bath times. I’ve been taking cooler baths during this time of intense heat and this soft floral oil is such a treat providing a luxurious moment of self care! I’ve been pairing this with burning Oskia rose de mai candle which smells delicious and the warm wax doubles up as a conditioning body oil once melted!

Style Spy

Scandi brand Nufferton and their unisex pyjama co-ords recently caught my eye, almost too good to save for lounging about the house.

Out and About

had a little mini break in Margate (full post of recommendations coming soon!) and took the plunge into wild swimming with a dip in Walpole Bay Tidal Pool.

Stopped by recently opened Updown Farmhouse outside of Deal for lunch on the drive home. Really good food in a beautiful setting!

Wandered by Turner’s House in Twickenham on my return and it made me think I must pay a visit! Have you ever been? Between The Sheets: Turner’s Nudes is a small scale exhibition running at the house until 30th October depicting a little known and rarely seen collection of his engagement with the naked female form.

Re-visted a fave bookstore in central and whiled away a few hours getting lost among the aisles. Foyles flagship on Charing Cross Rd has 4 wonderful floors to discover making it the largest selection under one roof in the UK.

Over To You

Leigh told me about Nonna Tonda fresh pasta delivery service for a fuss free solution to dinner. Letterbox pasta, sauce and parmesan, for a speedy supper ready in just 5 minutes and you can pause your subscription at any time.

Sophie was telling me about the melon margaritas being served up at Peggy Jean at Riverside Green, a restored barge now restaurant moored up by Richmond Bridge. Hollowed out melons filled with margarita and a little tap to top up your glass - I mean, yes!

Thanks for reading, I hope that you discovered something new!

H x