Housekeeping

Hi All!

12 Days of Giveaways
The 12 Days start today. For the first time some of the Giveaways will be held on Instagram. I will stipulate where they are open UK only or Internationally. They will all have daily entry if they are entered via the blog, and individual T&Cs will be given on any Instagram posts. They're GOOOOOOOOOD this year.

Blog posts and updates
Thank you for the feedback on how I should update old blog posts, except for the suggestion that I should open a spreadsheet and link them all together somehow. I'm a blogger, not an accountant! ;)

The general consensus is an update on the original post, unless they've changed the formula, in which case, new review with a link to the old one.

Cult Beauty Box
Some of you left comments saying that you hadn't received the email with the link - we have a handful left, more details here in case you missed it: cultbeauty.co.uk/carolinehirons

Give and Makeup Shoebox Campaign

Thank you for all of your donations so far - we are accepting your boxes right up until Christmas. Details on how to donate are here: carolinehirons.com/give-and-makeup


Vlog up as soon as I can manage it. See you soon for 12 Days!

Birthday Month and general Housekeeping.

Birthday
Lovely lovely readers. This month my little corner of t'internet turns 5. FIVE YEARS. I have absolutely no clue where the time has gone, but I'm happy to still be loving what I do and very grateful to those of you that both check in to read daily and watch the videos on YouTube. It would be an absolute understatement to say that starting this blog has changed my life in the best ways imaginable and I only have you to thank for it.

Tidying and newness
I've been doing a little housekeeping behind the scenes for a while now, updating Cheat Sheets, adding more information, removing a lot of these --> !!!!! <--- and just generally tidying. As part of my ongoing 'offering' I'm adding daily reviews. I'll still blog all my usual content, ramblings, newness, interviews, cheat sheets et al - but I love reviewing products and I know from the stats that you enjoy reading them. SO: if you have a particular request for a product to be reviewed please do leave a comment and let me know. Assuming I have the product I'll get started. The product with the most requests will be targeted first and so forth...

Monthly Skype Consultation winner
Last month I had my first consultation via Skype with the lovely Derin *HI DERIN!!*.
I'm picking this month's winner today and the new competition will also go live at the same time. Stay tuned for that one. And yes, it will be open internationally as always.

I'll be back this afternoon, off to make my hair brighter! ;) (See yesterday's post)

Blog Housekeeping - or 'Things I say time and time again Part 2'

Some Blog Housekeeping whilst I'm at it.

Just to clarify some key points that I think sometimes get lost on the blog:

• I am not a dermatologist - I am happy to recommend one - always.
• I am a qualified facialist  - My advice is built on experience, training, knowledge, trial and error and client interaction and feedback. I trained at Steiner in Wardour Street (now moved to North London) with the terrifyingly thorough Josephine Wackett as Principal. 
• I will always, always mention if I am working with a brand that I am writing about - so there is no need to ask me in the comments - rest assured I will always disclose. And no, I don't work for Clinique. :) I sincerely doubt they would have me.
• I have never been paid to post a review. I've never done sponsored posts either but I'm talking about the insinuation that I get a backhander from the industry - I don't. Ever.
• I DO buy product. I don't only post about freebies.
• Brands: If a reader has asked me about your product and you respond - the odds are I won't publish it. They're asking me for an unbiased opinion - they'll hardly get that from you - however lovely you may be.
• I very rarely recommend something I haven't tried. If I trust the brand and the inci looks good then I probably would - but I always say 'I haven't tried it'.
• Cleansing is by far the most important part of your skincare routine. But: you don't have to have 3 cleansers on rotation. It's just nice if you have two - one for MU/SPF removal and one for a 2nd cleanse. Therapists have been doing this in treatments since the land of donkeys and carts. Your face will not fall off if you use the same cleanser for both. 
• If something is working for you - please don't change it just because it didn't work for me or I don't particularly recommend it. All skin is different. Except for peach kernels. Stop that nonsense immediately. Regardless. 
• I didn't get on with the Clarisonic. This does not mean that I harm small animals. Thousands of you do. Excellent. Carry on. With the Clarisonic I mean, not harming small animals.
• I've never said I don't like Jurlique. Randomness? The odd product in the line maybe - but I like the range as a whole.
• I go back and adjust archived blog posts or update them where necessary and link to an updated review - Estee Lauder ANR for example. I've adjusted the Paula's Choice blog post and see no reason to add anything. It's self-explanatory. There is a postscript AND a second update at the head of the original post. I dig that Paula has such loyal fans - I do. Which leads me to....
• Mineral oil. Ah mineral oil. If you are using a product with MO in it - and you love it - please don't stop on my account. It won't kill you. There are better ingredients to use as a base for products - in my opinion - that is and has always been my point - but it won't kill you!
  

Housekeeping and The Faith Brothers

So many things popped into my head while I was on holiday that left me thinking 'ooh I must mention that on the blog!'

I thought a weekly (or more often) housekeeping post would help my brain put everything into one place - responses to some comments, newness, what I've been doing - and just general news.

First up:

Thank you for your lovely responses to yesterday's post. I'm so encouraged that you got where I was coming from and grateful for the support. Let us make no more mention of 'them' and move on to nicer people. :)
Some of you had recognised Amica and couldn't quite place where - she was one of QVC's longest-serving models - but to us she was much more. A longtime friend and neighbour - our kids go to the same schools and we we've witnessed her journey with cancer first hand. When I turned up to do my first on-air QVC show Amica was coincidentally booked as the model. Seeing her face in the Green Room immediately put me at ease to the point where Aly said on air: 'You two are like old friends!' - to which we both replied 'We ARE!'. She was a kind, generous, loving woman and will be greatly missed by us all.

Jetlag.

I used to travel a lot for work. Everywhere - the US, the Far East - but I have never been so jetlagged as I have been this week after getting back from our hols. Last night was the first time I've begun to sleep normally in a week. What is THAT about?

Kids.

Why don't kids get jetlag like adults? Ugh. Mine are like Duracell batteries while the Mister and I are sofa-bound sloths.

IBS (possible TMI for those of you that prefer to skip ahead to the next topic).

Unfortunately the food was not great while we were away and it triggered the worst bout of IBS I've had in years. Literally. I've managed IBS with diet for the last few years and had forgotten just how bad the cramps etc are. So many of you mentioned you suffer too - feel free to leave me any sworn-by remedies in the comments - I can do without that again!

Work.

All quiet on the retail front. It's August. The world is either away - or pretending they are away.

Everyone in beauty retail.

Let the September pre-Christmas madness begin!

One more before I go.

Many years ago (almost 30 - WHAT?!?!) - my girlfriends and I followed a band called The Faith Brothers. *waves to Cheryl, Heather, Michelle, Nicky, Jo and the Faith's gang*

Ah how we rocked a crimper.

Formed by Billy Franks and Lee Hirons (check the surname) they are ultimately how I met Jim.

Their first album has just been remastered by my very clever brother-in-law and has been released as a special deluxe edition. What kind of a platform is this if I can't plug family?




*throws hands in the air - shouts 'GRIP-PERRRRR!!!!!'*

The Faith Brothers music is available on iTunes, Amazon and through Cherry Red Records.
More info on Billy and Lee.
Fath Brothers FB page.

Thanks for letting me shamelessly plug the fam.

Have a great weekend.