June Favourites
This month’s favourites are brought to you a) in the wrong month, because I miscalculated which date the last Tuesday of June fell on and b) from what is virtually an inferno, by UK standards. Thirty degrees. And that’s after a week or so of pretty high temperatures.
You may laugh, people from outside the UK: I KNOW IT’S NOT THAT HOT ON THE SCALE OF THINGS! I’ve been to the Arabian desert in June! I’ve been to Arizona when it was 117°F and my sandal melted crossing the car park to the mall! I know what heat is! We’re just never ready for it in the UK. Any and all types of weather are a surprise to us, it’s a national characteristic. If it rains, it’s as though we have never seen rain before. Throw us a thunderstorm and we’re ecstatic with the novelty of it all.
Anyway it’s hot and we have to have all of the curtains in the house closed during the day, due to the fact that our mid century home is almost entirely made of glass on the south-facing side, and then we have to open them all again at night to let the cool air in to circulate. Which means that I spend the whole day feeling my way about in the dark, like a mole, and the entire night wearing an eye mask because it’s light from approximately 4am. I’m feeling a little jaded from it all, if truth be known - and this is the first time I’ve ever complained about hot weather in my life.
And so to the favourites, to put myself into a positive mindset where all is fancy and good: there’s a brilliant budget serum, the best soft-feel bra and a fragrance that’s almost unholy in it’s sexiness.
The Borderline-Illegal Sexy Scent
Do you know, I used to adore perfumes. Couldn’t get enough of them. All types, from a fresh and light cologne to a musky, sexy, intense eau de parfum. Pretty florals, masculine ouds, sugary sweet eau de toilettes, niche perfumes in teeny dark bottles, mainstream crowd-pleasers with flower-shaped lids. I lapped it all up.
And then I had babies and there were very few scents I could stick with. When I was pregnant, fragrance was a no-no because it made me feel ill and then when I was breastfeeding, which was for a fair whack each time (my mind has blocked it out, but I’m thinking ten months each?), it felt weird to wear perfume. My habit has simply never re-established itself. I like a subtle waft of something, but I am reluctant to ever commit to a strong scent.
I’ll tell you the ones I wear most, these days: Santal 33 from Le Labo, Bergamot & Oud from Jo Malone and now, new to the party, Escentric Molecule + Patchouli. They’re all reasonably sultry, sexy, non-pretty scents that would probably be classified as “unisex”.
Interesting.
Anyway, the Escentric Molecule + Patchouli is just gorgeous and I have never had so many comments about a perfume. Sometimes I’ve even forgotten that I’ve put it on and it gets mentioned and I look around to make sure it’s definitely me being addressed. Because here’s the thing: Escentric Molecule perfumes tend to fade into the background for the person wearing them, they sort of combine with your own natural scent in a strange way, but they remain completely detectable (and alluring and gorgeous) to passers-by.
This Patchouli version sticks about way longer than the classic, cult-status original, and the patchouli gives it an earthy depth that is borderline illegal in terms of seductiveness. If you’re near to Liberty or Space NK then absolutely give this a try and let me know what you think. It’s currently on (a very small) price reduction at Liberty, too - £58.50 instead of £65, here.
The Budget Collagen Serum
Another beauty favourite, and those who read last week’s Skincare Routine on a Budget will already know about this absolute corker of a serum: The Inkey List Collagen Peptide Serum. High-powered, line-busting, elasticity-boosting formula that’s quick and easy to slip on beneath moisturiser, this no-frills bottle of skincare gold costs just over a tenner. (Find it here.) I cannot recommend this one enough if you’re looking to tick that “peptides” box in your routine but haven’t got masses of budget to go about it.
My Skincare Routine on a Budget
Last week I wrote about my skincare routine and I hope that it was useful, informative, entertaining (possibly not the last one but you can’t win them all!). I’ve been writing about beauty for 15 years and I get to try the majority of the skincare products that get launched onto the market: I’d say that, as far as skincare routines go, mine is pretty well-informed and has solid science behind it. It’s reliably effective. It would be a great starting point for a lot of people, so long as they don’t have significant concerns such as rosacea, or adult acne, or severe sensitivity. (In which case obviously, tweak it to suit.)
The Best Soft-Feel Bra
I’m on a total mission to find the best soft, comfortable bra that actually has some sort of support element to it. Trickier than you might think. It’s crazy: I can see how this bra would look, if I designed it. I could draw it for you! It would be cotton, breathable and it would be slightly longline so that the band at the bottom is robust enough to offer some support. Any moulding or padding to the cups (and it would have a bit of this, just for a smooth look) would be sewn in so that it didn’t shift about, and the general effect of this bra is that it would support gently and comfortably without creating a big long blocky monoboob effect. It would be like having your boobs supported by hands made from breathable cotton, which is sort of a creepy idea but I’m going with it. Maybe I’d call my bra Soft Fingers. Ew.
The closest I’ve found to this bra Nirvana is the SKIMS Scoop Bralette, which is like wearing air it’s so light. Has the perfect width straps that don’t dig in, offers a bit of support (though not tonnes) but is, ultimately, the most comfortable thing I’ve ever worn. Yes it creates a monoboob block, which is why I am still searching for alternatives, but under t-shirts or whatever it is absolutely serviceable and doesn’t make me want to tear it back off again the minute I get back in the house.
I wear this one here - I’m a 32DD and I wear the “SDD” size, as recommended in the fitting guide…it fits perfectly.
What I need to find now is the same bra but with some separation for the boobs so that it banishes the monoboob situation. Any recommendations, pop them in the comments. The reason this bra is in the favourites this month when I’ve had it for so long is that I have tested about a dozen alternatives and all of them pale in the presence of the almighty SKIMS Naked Scoop bralette. Find it here on the SKIMs website.
(Note it’s NOT the one that’s cheaper and says “fits everybody” - that’s an entirely different bra!)
The Softest Knickers
From bras to knickers: just a quick PSA that Stripe & Stare have their sale event on and it’s brilliant. The comfiest, softest knickers at half price. (Or often better.) I wear a medium in S&S and I’m a UK10-12. The Original cut give the best coverage, but actually the Brazilian style are very cheeky and sexy but wildly comfy. Which is unexpected…
They do gorgeous, bright colours with contrasting lace trim and they’re just a massive dose of dopamine in the old lingerie drawer, which previously was filled with 5 packs of M&S black cotton briefs.
You can browse the online sale here - the neon packs and brightly coloured single knickers are my go-to stock-up items!
The Free Book
OK, to finish off with a bit of a flourish: I have an excellent little gift for you! The paperback version of my book, How Not to be a Supermodel, is out soon and I will be eternally grateful if you are a lover of physical books and have pre-ordered a copy. (Honestly, it makes so much difference to the way a new book is promoted by the booksellers, so please do pre-order rather than wait for it to publish - you’ll probably get it slightly earlier that way, and they don’t take payment until it dispatches!)
HOWEVER! If you prefer to read an e-book, or you like to listen to your books then I have a huge treat. Digital subscription service BookBeat have given me a code to share with you - it gives you a free 60 day trial with up to 40 hours of listening time AND YOU CAN READ OR LISTEN TO MY BOOK!
Just click the link here, install the app and use the code “ruth” and your free trial will be automatically applied. There are over a million e-books and audiobooks to read once you’ve finished mine, though I can’t promise you’ll love them as much. (hohoho.)
If you’ve been wondering what to get as your special summer read then you can stop wondering - I have it sorted. You’re welcome.
And now I am off to lie in front of one of my “alternatives-to-a-Dyson” tower fans. (The best one I’ve found so far is this from Amazon, which is almost as powerful as the Dyson but makes about a third of the noise. Or so it feels. The Dyson sounds like an aeroplane taking off by comparison!)
Here’s the favourites video - it has a bonus little recommendation in there, right at the end, for those who need TV-watching inspiration…
I also await a non monoboob soft bra. Those flipping “slip in triangles” are as much use as chocolate teapots!
M&S now do T-shirts with integral bras. I bought my normal size 12 but my DDs cause the neck of the T shirt to wrinkle up rather than lay flat.
I’ve even tried cupped sports bras but the struggle to get them on makes me feel like I’m wearing a boa constrictor
I would very much like you to produce the ‘SOFT FINGERS BRA’ please and I will buy several. I am so sick of underwiring that isn’t long enough and pokes me in the side. Also I’m sad to say that despite having followed you since….ohh, sometime between child 1 and 2 I still don’t know what a serum is for!