Sun safe

I have had an overwhelming response to my post about staying safe in the sun (ironic as it hasn't stopped raining since in England!) Anyway, I had a response from the British Skin Foundation (Bevis Man to be precise) about my post and I thought I would just mention some of the points that were mentioned:

"I think people don't always understand what the difference is between UVA and UVB nor what to look for in terms of their sunscreen. The old star rating was a bit confusing too for UVA ratings on the backs of bottles, as a five star UVA rating meant that it had a good level of UVA protection in relation to the level of UVB (ie. the SPF level) protection. So, a sunscreen with an SPF of 25 that had a four star out of five rating for UVA meant that it had a fairly decent level of UVA protection as well as a decent level of UVB protection.


Anyway, this system has now been changed anyway, as UVA protection symbols now don't have stars but the 'UVA' letters inside a circle which shows the sunscreen has a decent level of UVA protection."



And possibly the most important fact that was given to me was this:

"The majority (about 80%) of sun damage you accrue in life is done by the time you're 20!"


Which is actually pretty scary when you think about it!


I will be happy if at least one person has gone away after reading my blog post with a changed attitude about the effects of the sun on your skin. Again, I have to stress I am NOT a kill-joy, just into making changes to my life that will keep me young and healthy. By all means, when we do eventually get some sun, go out and enjoy it but just be sensible...

Fumble with FCP

The name was obviously created to make a bit of a stir, draw some attention. I invited a mate along via Facebook and he said he almost chocked on his dinner when it came up in his notifications "Catherine Wells invites you to Fumble at Stealth" Har har! 

Anyway, so I've just had a quick nosey round as I have a uni deadline in for tomorrow and am desperately broke (story of my life) The event is taking place to raise funds for the 2nd year's degree show- planning ahead (clever beans) I've never been to Stealth before... but what a great venue! There were donated clothes for sale (of which the owners would get a certain percentage back), a BBQ, and a cake stand! Later on there will be an after party in association with a Vice magazine issue launch which looks super cool (soooo wish I wasn't doing this work!) There clearly had been a lot of hard work and effort put into the organising and running of the show- and for a £2 entry fee it really was a worthwhile experience and has given me some ideas for when it is our year to raise funds for my degree show (scary stuff!) 

So this is a quick post just to say well done guys and gals... tremendous effort on your behalf and I hope the evening goes well for you! x 

Steve Madden lovelies

There is one thing you should know about me... I'm a shoe buying addict! I was on my way home and happened to pop into TK Maxx for a browse, knowing that I have NO money to spend... bad idea! I was instantly drawn to the shoe section, and I must say the Nottingham branch of TK Maxx is probably the best I have come across in terms of shoes- no dreary old lady flats... Well known names seem to be on every shelf- Carvela, Ted Baker, Guess, Michael Kors, Dune etc. The buyers for TK Maxx have recently really stepped up their game.

I was not expecting to find anything quite as amazing as my Michael Kors for £40 that I bought a couple of months ago, but I was not disappointed! Steve Madden shoes were aplenty. Not only were they really nice S Madden shoes, but they were very reasonably priced ones at that! Also if I stand corrected, TK Maxx is the only supplier of Steve Madden shoes that I know of outside the US. I discovered Steve Madden shoes when I visited New York in the New Year and from then on I fell in love. There were honestly so many pairs I could have bought to day but I settled on these coral beauties as I felt I would get the most wear out of them as the colour is very versatile. £35 later- will I regret this purchase? Definitely not! I may not be able to feed myself for the next week but oh it will be so, so worth it!

My babies:

St George's Day in Nottingham

As things go, I would say I am very patriotic. I love England and everything that it is associated with- tea, pubs, Sunday dinners (!), cricket, rugby.... You get my drift! The trouble is that St George's Day is often overlooked in this country in say comparison to St Patrick's Day. This was why I was thrilled to hear about the festivities occurring in Nottingham's market square. There was a parade, morris dancers, folk music and all in all the atmosphere was wonderful! There was no one being rowdy; just simple fun and laughter. I feel awfully proud to be part of such a great country! As a nation we need to be more proactive on St George's Day and have similar events up and down the country. St George- I salute you!

Here are some pictures from the festivities and below you will find some clips of the Morris men:

 Ripley Morris dancers in action

 Characters in the square!

Stay young, Stay safe

So I am 18, I am fair skinned, I like to go outside when the sun is out but I would not call myself a sun worshipper... would I really have sun damage?

Well apparently so.. all the marks circled with yellow indicate skin damage from the sun... Scary I know! And while there aren't large patches of damage, it is still quite shocking!

I happened to be doing a shift at work (Boots) and there was a No7 event on launching a new anti-ageing serum from their range Lift and Luminate. I was not in the age range that they were specifically targeting this new serum at but there was the chance to have your face scanned to see the effects of the sun on the skin. Seeing as I was just finishing work, and it was free, I thought- I might as well give it a go!

You put your head in this box and shut your eyes. There are several flashes and then the machine scans the image of your face. Here are my results

The machine shows you all your blemishes, red marks, bacteria on your face. The results were really interesting. It picked up my blemishes which wasn't the most flattering part of the experience! If you ever get the chance to have a go on one of these machines, I would really recommend it- It is a real eye opener!

I digress... The bottom left shows the patches of UV damage already present on my skin. I am in the 40% mark for my age- 100% being people with little damage. There is nothing I can do now that I have this damage but the advice given was to start to prevent any more developing by wearing sun protection so that as I get older, my percentage score will increase whilst my peers scores will keep on getting lower.

The problem is that many people do not regularly apply sun protection and the easiest and most simple way is to use a moisturiser with them present. Be sure that it has BOTH UVA and UVB protection. In simple terms UVA rays cause ageing, whilst UVB causes burning. You know when you get that lush tan on holiday? Well that is your skin essentially cooking and telling you to move out of the sun. I totally don't want to be a kill joy- but make sure you cover up people! You don't want to look old and wrinkly before your time, or ever if you can possibly have it.

I read a report once that not all SPF 15 moisturisers give you protection from both UVA rays and UVB. Often they only include protection from UVB rays- this is NOT enough! Check your products people and invest in your health! What's a few extra pounds when your health is concerned?

The important message to ram home here is that no matter what the weather, cloudy, rainy, foggy, the sun is still out, and exposure to the sun has negative effects for the skin. You need to be looking for moisturisers with an SPF 15 which protects you from both UVA and UVB rays! Stay young, stay safe! DO IT NOW!

Delicacy

A wonderfully French film starring Amelie actress Audrey Tautou. It follows Nathalie, a beautiful, successful Parisian executive, who very suddenly looses the love of her life. It takes Nathalie three years to move on. She is wanted by many, but has a strange desire for the most unassuming male colleague- Markus, the gangly, buck-toothed Swedish admin assistant. What could have been a very sad film, is immediately uplifted by this unlikely pairing. Delicacy is poignant and to the point- life is delicate. We play on a thin edge. Be spontaneous and live for every moment. A split second can change your life. Tautou is reinstated as the queen of French rom-com.


Side note: Definitely want to get back into learning French!

Hug for a COKE?

So you thought you'd seen it all when I blogged about bus stops that dispense Mr Kipling cakes ... Well the latest in this line of promotion is Coca Cola who have asked the people of Singapore to hug a vending machine for a taste of their calorific drink.

Again another great promotional strategy to engage the consumers with the product but it stands to tell whether it will be as disappointing as Mr Kipling's attempt at a similar stunt in the UK. Maybe it will work in Singapore as their attitude to consumption is much more reserved than ours in the UK- there is also less antisocial behaviour and crime...

I wonder what brand will be the next to come up with such a stunt? I'm envisaging our pavements chock-a-block with "hug me" vending machines... Maybe it would bring back the community spirit that this country so lacks... Who knows!

Inspiring HOPE

Budgens is set to sell bricks of "Hope" alongside it's groceries in an attempt to make customers part with a little cash for a good cause. 

The idea is genius. I would probably pick up one of the blocks (which is returned to the shelf- you don't "buy" it to keep it) and for the donation to be charged to my receipt than put my coppers in a charity box. There is probably great psychological reasoning behind it...

This scheme has been set up as there has been a dramatic slump in the amount people are giving to charity in light of the recession- people just are strapped for cash and are thinking about every pound that leaves their pockets.It is the idea that you are buying "hope" and you are doing it as part of your daily routine. You would think nothing of it. I think it is a great idea and one that could really take off- providing it is publicised and promoted accordingly. Innovation is the key here... success is now down to us the consumers!

Luan- confusion, chaos

Luan (Chinese word) has been used as the focus for the latest exhibition at Nottingham Trent. It has been interpreted through the medium of dance. On entering the exhibition space you are presented with a series of screens that have several movements of dance playing on repeat. Although not initially understanding what Luan meant- there was definitely a sense of confusion in the movement of the dancers which reflected in the mood which was created for the viewers to experience. Taking inspiration from ancient Chinese supernatural, martial art folklore the audience is immersed in this child-like world were it is hard to distinguish what is real and what is not....

As I say about all exhibitions at Bonnington, it is definitely worth a visit. It is FREE and runs until 11th May with live performances at different points. Worth a vis

Marc Jacobs lance sa ligne de maquillage

Upon seeing this photo I was shocked... MJ in makeup? But then again it is MJ and so can be excused. Marc Jacobs has announced a venture into the world of cosmetics. Release date to be announced in due course.