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The CH Blog
Caroline Hirons' expert advice, reviews and recommendations, all in one archive.
The function of the blog is to help you find what you do and don’t need in your skincare routine. From the core basics through to the spectrum of retinoid strengths and everything in between, the blog is an archive to breakdown jargon and present you with both my opinion and simple scientific facts.
Caroline Hirons, Founder and Qualified Skincare Expert
Elemis freshskin
I love a little Elemis - they were the first entry in the Mouth Hall of Fame and have consistently provided high quality, well-thought-out, must-have products. Yesterday I attended the...
23/03/2011
All eyes on Mister Sandler
Right I know you know I don't 'do' makeup. Well, not much and not really on here. But I cleared through all my makeup at the weekend to sort some...
23/03/2011
CEW Finds and Favourites - Living Proof Full Thickening Cream
I was sceptical when I first put this on my hair. I have a lot of hair. A lot of fine hair. A lot of very coloured, very fine hair....
07/03/2011
Brand Focus: Caudalie
Caudalie is based around the anti-oxidant properties of grape seed polyphenols and first went on sale in 1995. If you are still unsure as to what an anti-oxidant does, it...
07/03/2011
Tales from the other side of the till - Middle East Season
To normal people there are four seasons. In the life of luxury retail - in London - there are five. Repeat after me: Winter, Spring, Summer, Arab, Autumn Remember this...
04/03/2011
CEW Finds and Favourites - Jergens Cocoa Butter Body Moisturiser
I have waxed lyrical about my love for Jergens before so was pleased to see them entered into the awards this year. Well my old favourite Age Defying with Green...
25/02/2011
CEW Beauty Award Finds and Favourites
On Monday evening I attended the CEW Demo Evening – an opportunity for the members of CEW to try a variety of products by brands that have entered their Beauty...
24/02/2011
Current Skincare Routine - January/February
I posted on Wednesday about the changes I have consciously made to my lifestyle, diet and skincare routine. The upshot of it for me is that organic/natural has had to...
04/02/2011
QVC Beauty Bash
Last Thursday and Friday saw the Annual QVC Beauty Bash take place at the Business Design Centre in Islington. The Beauty Bash gives QVC's customers the chance to meet the...
02/02/2011
Acne Rosacea. No more?
Those of you that know me personally will know that for my 40th birthday I was given acne rosacea. Literally. I’ve had better gifts. Overnight I started developing angry red...
02/02/2011
Baby It's Cold Outside
I'm a Leo. In case that wasn't glaringly obvious - but nonetheless, I love the sun. A lot. I don't do well in the cold. Makes me moody. Grumpy. Kind...
09/01/2011
Where do you draw the line?
This is my third attempt at writing this post. I don't know whether I don't know where to start or just that there isn't enough room to vent everything in...
04/12/2010
Tales from the other side of the Till
She's orange. She's rude. She's patronising. She complains openly about her job. She talks to her co-workers instead of serving you. She points somewhere and says 'over there' when you...
17/11/2010
A quick Congratulations!! And a new Hall of Famer....
Emma Hardie won Essential Luxury Buy in the first ever Stylist Skincare Awards this week. So why not throw my hat into the ring and make it the first facial...
15/10/2010
Cheat Sheet - How to soften spots
Zits. Pustules. Papules. Wheals. Comedones. Milia. There are lots of things that happen to the skin – especially on the face – on a regular basis. This is purely for:...
04/10/2010
Give and MakeUp
We got a little inspired this weekend. Please click through to the site, have a read - and see if you can help. Thank you. Give and MakeUp
03/10/2010
My Staple Diet - Body Lotions/Creams/Butters/Balms
My collection of body products borders on insanity. Well, to some people anyway, to me it's just good sense. My family has skin that genetically tends to verge on the...
15/09/2010
Edward Bess Launch
LOOK WHAT I FOUND!!!! Basically, we were all invited to the launch of Edward Bess by the lovely Zuneta. Months ago. I subsequently 'lost' the pictures somewhere on the XD...
12/09/2010
My Staple Diet - Cleansers
I am often asked what products I use. To be honest I change my skincare more often than I change handbags. But I do have a few fallback staples that...
11/09/2010
Hall of Fame - The First Recipient
Well I surprised myself with this one. I've been toying with what would be in my own little 'Hall of Fame' for a while - and then I found myself...
27/08/2010
Cheat Sheet - Anti-ageing
Anti-ageing. We’re all so used to this phrase that we don’t even question it. If a product says it is anti-ageing on the box then it must be – right?...
13/08/2010
Toners - Which ones??
Following yesterdays post about toners - here's a quick guide to a few of my current faves and some trusty reliables. Starting from affordable 'cheap as chips' up to middle...
12/08/2010
Cheat Sheet - Toners
Toners of old are the Marmite of the skincare world. You either do – or you don’t. Unlike Marmite (it’s not for me) – I absolutely DO when it comes...
11/08/2010
MAC Rodarte Collection - The Result.
Update taken from source - Temptalia - original post here. MAC to Donate its Global Profits from the MAC Rodarte Makeup Collection to Benefit Newly Created Women and Girls of...
30/07/2010
MAC Rodarte Update - What do you think?
STATEMENT FROM M·A·C COSMETICS ON THE M·A·C RODARTE COLLECTION We understand that product names in the M·A·C Rodarte collection have offended our consumers and fans. This was never our intent...
20/07/2010
MAC Rodarte Collection - Just a bad idea.
Every so often a company makes a mistake.Sometimes it's a big one. This is not one of those situations. Knowing what I know - more of which later - this...
18/07/2010
Emma Hardie Rejuvenating Night Cream
I know I'm a little obsessed with Emma Hardie. It's not my fault. It started with this - one of the BEST cleansers I have EVER used. And I have...
07/07/2010
Lancaster Tan Maximizer
Just a quickie: This little gem has been around for an age and is definitely classed as a 'hero' product. And with good cause. My Mum used to use it...
06/07/2010
MUA Focus - Jamie Coombes, Dior Pro Artist - International and National MUA - UK & Ireland
The very handsome and talented Mr Coombes is the man to know if Dior is your thing - which I know for a lot of you - it is! He...
05/07/2010
Raise and hold your leg please...
* Don't worry - there are no before and after pictures in this post! But let's set the scene: A bush. I'm not the best at de-hairing myself. I shave...
30/06/2010
MUA of the week - Chiara Guizzetti
This week's MUA is Queen of the Catwalk Chiara Guizzetti. You know that dream where your backstage at Chanel tending to all the top models faces while Karl Lagerfeld holds...
10/06/2010
MUA of the week - Katy Messer
This week I'm focusing on one of our very own - Katy Messer has been in the industry for a long time - we first came across each other back...
31/05/2010
Cheat Sheet - Vitamin D & SPF
BRITS AS SOON AS THE MERCURY HITS 20 degrees C Gone are the days of my youth basting on a foil suntanning sheet with baby oil. These days the sun...
25/05/2010
Make-Up Artist Monday - Dorita Nissen
This week's MUA is Dorita Nissen. Dorita has been in the industry for 13 years and working as a full time MUA for 6 of them. Dorita during a hard...
24/05/2010
Parabens and Animal Testing - a quick word...
After a few comments this week on Twitter about parabens and a post from the lovely Sarah on London Beauty Review about animal testing - (more of that here) I...
22/05/2010
Make-Up Artist on Monday - Adam 'Medusa' Sidwell
This weeks MUA is Adam Sidwell aka Medusa - the International MUA for Illamasqua. How long have you been a MUA? I have been involved in makeup for 10 years...
17/05/2010
CHEAT SHEET - HOW TO GET THE BEST OUT OF YOUR FACIAL
The majority of women in the UK see facials as a treat - a lot of French women - and New Yorkers - see them as maintenance - and go...
14/05/2010
Make-Up Artist on Monday - Michelle George
I've been fortunate enough to work with some of the best MUA's in the industry - and the majority of them are relatively unknown. These are the people that are...
10/05/2010
Advertising v Allocation Part 2
After the enthusiastic response to this post last week I thought I had better finish what I started!!! The first instalment of this post can be found here. Let’s get...
03/05/2010
Tending to the Lady Garden
I would never normally mix business and blogging – but in honour of the Official roll-out of ‘all for eve‘ this week and in place of the usual ‘beauty’ posts...
30/04/2010
Biologique Recherche and P50
Those two words fill my heart with joy. Not only did I do some of my advanced facial training here (brilliant memories of hazy Paris days and nights!) but this...
28/04/2010
Loving a little Liberty!
I moved to London when I was 17. My very first retail job was in Liberty - an amazing place to work - primarily because you felt like an extra...
27/04/2010
Advertising v Allocation
We all know the power of beauty advertising in the glossy mags - and the pressure then put on the journalists to write about the advertisers products in their beauty...
25/04/2010
A Family Affair
I have been in the Beauty Business a long time - but thanks to the women in these two pictures below - my earliest memories are ALL beauty related... The...
14/04/2010
Cheat Sheet - Facial Massage for Cleansing/Post-Cleansing
Firstly - a moment on cleansing - get thee to an oil-based cleanser - NOW. Like attracts like - oil in your cleanser will attract all of the oil/dirt/excess sebum...
11/04/2010