best face forth & stop traffic with those gorgeous legs!

image of Dorothy Malone via here

So yes, I am giving a guilty little smile as I realise how my absence from Devilishly Pleasurable has been one long extended one. In between that all, I have been either very lazy or very busy, turned 25, had the most amazing 50s-style picnic over the weekend, The Chocolate Robber (a lovely staple on this site) has officially gone missing and is presumed dead :(, am quite happy with how The Lair looks like now, in the thick of summer and relishing the last two-and-a-half months before the last three years of school life officially begin. . . Cooking up new ideas and directions for the site as well as other projects on the side! 

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Gorgeous summer glow!

Every girl has got loads of unwanted moisturisers, eye creams that don't work that well, and in a nutshell, a little lake of lotions and creams building in her collection. Especially when (1) you can't wait but try every pot or tube at the same time (2) one works better than another (3) something makes you break out slightly on your face (4) you have sachets of samples from magazines, friends, the beauty counters, etc

And then there may also be those bottles of liquid foundation and perfumes that you don't really use lying around collecting dust. Else, they are in the wrong shade. Personally, it pains me to see all these go to waste. Especially when you've spent £15 on some tube of moisturiser that your facial skin doesn't like.  But, these can be co-opted rather ingeniously for a gorgeous all-over summer glow (or even winter, if you so desire!)

All you need is (1) a large dispenser bottle-- a gorgeous one would be lovely! (2) your growing stash of creams and lotions (3) some foundation and/or bronzer and/or illuminator (4) a few drop of perfume/essential oils.

Painstakingly decant and squeeze your creams and lotions into the big bottle. That would be 15 parts. Add 1 part of foundation/bronzer/illuminator-- this can be less, depending on how much tint you want. Bronzing powder will also do. Another good idea is to add in some anti-aging cream so your mix can do double-duty. 

Then squeeze in a few drops of your favourite essential oils or perfumes. Mix whatever scents your nose loves. Spicy yet refreshing? Try black pepper + bergamot. Mysterious and sexy? Frankincense + ylang ylang. Or orange + vanilla + cinnamon to smell like pancakes and ice cream soda. Shake the bottle vigorously because you are concocting an amazing witch's brew of a cocktail. Give it a final stir.

There! Place your gorgeous bottle somewhere in your bathroom or bedroom where you will always remember to use it. Now slather it all over your you, feeling like your favourite Goddess, before going out to stop traffic with those gorgeous legs and a head-turning smile, smelling absolutely divine.

In a nutshell, this is the perfect way to smell divine, have glowing skin, cover some little imperfections (like those bruises you may get from knocking into corners all the time. . well, at least I do), eliminate wastage and clear clutter. Plus it will also be enriched with the properties of the lotions and creams you add in.

Don't have any such creams but are keen to try something like this? Buy a large bottle of unscented lotion and concoct away!  

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 image via Liz Earle

And, for a quick facial perk-me-up,  masks are de rigeur. But sometimes, they take a little too long. One of my favourites is an "instant mask" by Liz Earle, the Brightening Treatment Mask that never fails to impart instant radiance. Containing camphor oil and toning witch hazel, as well as soothing aloe vera to boot, all you have to do is massage it onto clean, dry skin for 30 seconds to a minute before wiping it off with a warm muslin cloth. A quick-fix that makes your skin oh-so-smooth, letting your makeup glide on beautifully!