Skincare (aka how Kat is currently avoiding burning skin and premature aging)

So, the one thing I figured I needed to change pretty sharpish when I moved to Nairobi was my skincare regime. I say regime. If I was feeling energetic before bed, I'd have a quick wipe down with a cleansing wipe. If I was feeling really energetic, that might be some Simple cleanser. In the morning, I'd just slap on the make-up again. Not really all that good for my skin (my excuse always being that I have a baby face, so it's clearly all fine).

Well, it's clearly not all that fine. And while Nairobi doesn't often feel very hot, there are enough examples of long-term sun damage walking around to make me behave myself. More seriously, I had a mole-scare right before I moved- while it turned out to be completely fine, I realised I really can't mess around with my skin. I am a pale, pale girl who lives in a very hot place. I burn really easily and whether I like it or not, am therefore at a higher risk for skin cancer. This means suncream is now my best friend. I really, really recommend it becomes yours too.

Ok, lecture over. Frivolity ahead. 

Let's start with the evening. This makes sense in my brain as most of my skin-lovin' takes place at night, so roll with it. Once I'm home for the evening, I take off my make-up (and with it, horrible amounts of dirt, dust and pollution). I'm currently using Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil Free Cleanser. I LOVE THIS STUFF. You only need a tiny squeeze, it lathers up like a dream, and leaves my skin feeling squeaky clean but not tight or dry.

I wipe off the last of far too much eyeliner with the Body Shop's Camomile Eye Makeup Remover- the only thing I've ever used which gets every last bit of mascara off my lashes, This is followed by a squeeze of  Soap and Glory Make Yourself Youthful Serum.

Before bed, I use the Body Shop's Vitamin E Night Cream, which always feels like a real treat for my skin- it's so thick and unctuous! And it always reminds me of when I was a little girl and would stay over at my Grandparents' house. In the evening, right before my bedtime, my Grandma and I would stand in the kitchen rubbing Oil of Ulay (as it was then) into our faces. It's nice to think of her when I'm standing on my own doing the same.

Once I've had those 8 hours of beauty sleep (HA!), the morning is much quicker. A wee bit of Simple hydrating light moisturiser if my skin feels a bit tight after my shower, followed by Clarin's UV Plus Day Screen High Protection Factor 40 (longest named product ever). It's a super small bottle, but it only takes a few drops to cover my whole face. I'm not sure it's the perfect product for my skin, to be honest, but it's not oil based and doesn't ruin my make-up if I reapply it during the day so I'm giving it a bit longer before I try something else. I'm alternating it with Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control for Face, but I think this is a better product for holidays rather than daily use. 

Finally, I use Nivea Suncream in Factor 50 for any other parts of me exposed to the sun , especially my neck, ears and hands. I'm a huge Nivea fan and if you use high factor suncream too, I think it's thee absolute best. It's the only one I've tried which isn't really thick and difficult to rub in. It absorbs really quickly and without leaving streaks.

What are your essential skin products? Anything you'd recommend I add to the list to try? D is coming for a visit soon, so it's an opportunity for me to stock-up!

p.s. Since Google Reader is closing (seriously unimpressed, btw), you can follow Unbecoming via Bloglovin here! 

Sunday love {9}

So I'm a sap and missing D. He's a big Dylan fan and often plays Blood on the Tracks. This is my favourite song from the album and one that will always remind me of D. Miss you.

Ahem,  so it's the end of another week. I've been unpacking again, catching-up,enjoying nights out for live music and nights in for the Champion's League final last night. How has your week been?


As someone with ridiculously pale skin who lives in a pretty hot country, I'm a bit obsessed with suncream but I can never really figure out what does what and what works best for my skin, particularly facial sunscreens. So I found Caroline's  SPF cheat sheet really helpful. The wonderful Sali Hughes has also reviewed facial sunscreens in this weekend's Guardian. More about my routine later this week!

If you're not sure if your body is bikini-ready, check out this handy chart. (Spoiler alert: it is!).

A bit late, but I'm in love with Tors' gorgeous new living room. She's got a great eye- I'm particularly jealous of those botanical prints!

I'm thinking of signing up for Ali Edwards' workshop, Hello Story, starting in July. I know it was recommended by Kam, but has anyone ever taken one of her classes? What did you think of it?

I LOVED The Princess and the Frog when it came out a few years ago. I have no shame in admitting I still love kids movies! If Tiana had been around when I was little, she would have been hands down my favourite Disney Princess. Here's 24 reasons why she's so kick-ass.

Finally, if you're looking for something new to read, check out Lisa's list of things she's been reading recently. I think I might have to buy a copy of Shadow and Bone.

Time to go

My three weeks at home have flown by and it's time to leave. On the work front, it's been a super successful trip. But outside of work, well, it's been a stressful few weeks. The universe is packing in a lot of uncertainty, family drama and illness into a short period of time. In many ways, I'm really glad to have been home through a lot of it and to have had the support of so many of my friends.

I've been squeezing in lots of time with friends around work and then enjoyed a couple of days off after I got back from Brussels. On Wednesday, D and I spent some time in the garden and then built another fort. Best idea ever. In between my naps, we watched The Woman in Black which was really entertaining and had some genuine frights... but nothing like the book on which it's based. Hey, I'm a purist!



After that, I did a lot of museum visits, seeing the Pompeii exhibition at the British Museum and perusing the V&A's fashion galleries and visiting the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum. My Dad came down from Liverpool for the day and we indulged in a lot of cake (he's a complete cake fiend).


But now it's time to go. As always, Saturday night is a rush of washing and packing and finding lost things. And as usual, we found some time to stop and eat our traditional going-away-dinner of paella. Today, we made it with guinea-fowl, trout and king prawns. Delicious if I do say so myself! You can find our basic recipe here.

And, of course, I'm still kicking myself that I left my camera back in Nairobi! My iphone has been working overtime these three weeks!

5 things I forgot to bring to Brussels

Why would I need any of these things?

1. A converter plug
I already own about 15 European converters. Make that 16 now. Who remembers the plugs?! Why don't we all just have one set of plugs and be done with it?

2. Pajamas
You'd think I don't do this travelling malarky very often, would you? I'll just be over here, sleeping in my pants. Let's hope there's no fire alarm. Like that time in Edinburgh when I also forgot my pjs. And there was a fire alarm.

3.  Shampoo
Because obviously the free hotel shampoo is so delightful. And obviously my hair looks beautious and not at all frizzy for those big meetings. Oh no, not at all.

4. Hair straightners
See above. Doh and doh.

5. Tights or a razor
That'll be me begging the nearest hosiery-purveyor for assistance (p.s. what sort of word is hosiery. Weird.)

Short trips clearly addle my brain- this is why I always make a list! What's the worst thing you've ever forgotten?