Looking after my skin is definitely not something I’ve mastered. Window shopping? Yes! But skincare? Now that’s another matter. It’s not something I like to share because the truth is at my age I should know exactly what my skin needs. But to be honest I’ve found that it’s impossible for me to maintain the traditional, cleanse, tone and moisturize. I used to purchase a cleanser, toner and moisturizer from just one brand. However I found the cleanser irritated my skin. The toner was too harsh. The moisturizer was incredibly heavy.

So now my skincare regime consists of washing with a deep cleanser and moisturizing with a simple cream. Not ideal….because my skin is still not great. But I worry about trialing and testing too many different brands. Am I alone with this dilemma? NIVEA don’t seem to think so.

Recognizing the hectic lives we women lead and the fact that the strict beauty regime of “cleansing, toning and moisturizing” is no longer relevant – NIVEA want to give us a little time back with the launch of a new campaign titled “your skin your rules”. As part of the campaign they want to know a little about your skin care routine and which NIVEA daily essentials products you use. How does it work? Well, it’s pretty simple.

1. Visit www.nivea.co.uk/YourRules
2. Enter the barcode of the product you use or take a picture using a web cam
3. Enter your details and some info on your skin care routine
4. Receive a beauty treat from Nivea for your time.

It’s that simple and definitely worth the effort. Especially if it ultimately it means us ladies will get some help in the “clear skin” department.

Personally the only NIVEA product I love is the light moisturizing day cream. Anything else is just too heavy for me! What’s your fave product? I’d love to know especially if you have sensitive, oily yet sometimes dry skin! Yep, my skin is very complicated sometimes.

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If handing over your plastic to pay for a new pair of shoes fills you with guilt, you’re probably not aware of the benefits of swapping your cash for your card.

Free flights? A spa break? Top hotels? Gift experiences? Bet you didn’t think your card would get you those, did you? But with the Preferred Rewards Gold Card from American Express, you can get all those things and more.

Every time you use the card to pay for purchases, you can earn a puddle of points to redeem against a whole bundle of travel treats (including flights, cruises and a bed at the coolest hotels) – and the best part? There’s no limit on the points you can earn or the date they expire, so the more you spend, the more you’ll be rewarded.

You can increase your points super quickly, too, by earning double points on virtually all travel purchases like flights, hotels, trains, cruises and car hire, and on almost all your spending abroad, as well as getting double points at all major supermarkets and petrol stations in your first year.

But the Preferred Rewards Gold Card isn’t only worth its weight in gold, you know; it’s also your piece of mind while you’re away. Covered by Travel Inconvenience Insurance, Travel Accident Insurance and Global Assist® Services, it’s like your virtual guardian angel whether you’re waiting for your baggage in Brugge or supping Sangria in Spain.

What’s more – yes, it gets better – right now American Express is giving away a welcome bonus of 20,000 points just by spending and charging £1,000 in the first three months of card membership. That’s enough for a pair of return flights to some of Europe’s most exciting cities*.

And let’s face it, £1,000 in three months is hardly a challenge for a seasoned style-setter. It’s a Mulberry Alexa and an Hermes scarf, two pairs of Miu Miu glitter booties or a whole season’s wardrobe at Topshop.

So if you’re looking for a more rewarding travel experience, we suggest you visit amex.co.uk/goldrush to get started. We can almost feel the sunshine.

Terms and Conditions: *Subject to availability – taxes, fees and surcharges apply. If you’d prefer a Card without any rewards, other features or a Cardmembership fee, an alternative option is available – the Basic Card. Terms and conditions apply. The Preferred Rewards Gold Card is offered by American Express Services Europe Limited. Registered Office: Belgrave House, 76 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9AX. American Express Services Europe Limited is authorised in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 (reference number 415532) for the provision of payment services.

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We love Bicester Village. No question about it. What’s not to love? All our favourite brands in one gorgeous village at discounted rates? It’s simply fashion heaven.  If you’re not familiar with Bicester then you MUST pay the village a visit. With 900 boutiques at the village and lots of well-known fashion and lifestyle brands you’d be hard pushed not to find tons of fantastic pieces.  Best of all you can snap up last season’s collections with up to 60% off! Our must-visits? Alexander McQueen, Valentino, The White Company, Rupert Sanderson and Anya Hindmarch.

To do Bicester, you need to get there early. That’s a given. Start at the beginning of the village and work your way round and make sure you don’t miss a thing.  We tend to prefer going to the village with our girls…boyfriends just slow us down!

The only downside possibly is shopping at the village in the winter. Summer is fabulous but braving the cold winds can be hard for even the most determined fashionista. Walking around outside in the freezing cold is definitely not ideal, but honestly it’s a small sacrifice to pay especially when you can just run into the nearest café, grab a hot chocolate, take a breather and head back on out for round two.

For Xmas the village has launched a great comp titled Festive Secrets and are giving away some amazing prizes. You can win either one of 10, £100 gift cards and tickets to Warwick castle,   a prize from one of the fab stores at Bicester or…wait for it…the chance to win a shopping weekend at Fidenza village including flights and an overnight stay at the Carlton Hotel Baglioni. All you have to do is like Bicester on Facebook, recommend a friend to the comp and find a gold reindeer hidden somewhere on their site. Sounds easy? We’ve tried to find the gold reindeer but had no luck so far. But we shall not give up!  Visit Bicester Village Festive Secrets to enter and be sure to let us know if you win. In the meantime we'll continue looking for that gold reindeer!

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Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat and London is overflowing with eager shoppers and honking vehicles cluttering up the roads and disrupting valuable shopping time. Or so you thought. 

The gods over at American Express have decided to eliminate the thing that puts a dampener on our festive spirit – aka road traffic – with a VIP shopping weekend that helps charity as much as it helps your sartorial endeavours.

Introducing the American Express Shop West End VIP (Very Important Pedestrians) Weekend – the only traffic-free shopping weekend in London this festive season.

Thanks to this frankly genius scheme, this weekend you can now enjoy two totally uninterrupted days of shopping on Saturday 10^th and Sunday 11^th December, where Oxford Street and Regent Street will be closed to road traffic so you can fully enjoy your shopping experience.

But the American Express Shop West End VIP Weekend doesn’t just benefit you – the event’s also raising money for the brilliant charity Kids Company.

We had the delight of joining Camila Batmanghelidjh, founder of Kids Company, for afternoon tea last week where she told us about the wonderful work they do for troubled kids and teenagers, not only throughout the festive season but all year round.

It’s a tremendous charity to get behind, and if you’ve got gifts to buy this weekend, you’ll be helping them help over 3,000 vulnerable children have a better Christmas.

For every purchase made with an American Express Card on Oxford Street, Regent Street, Old Bond Street and New Bond Street this weekend, American Express is offering double rewards to its cardmembers and what’s more, it will donate £1 to Kids Company, too.

Is there a better excuse to get in the festive shopping spirit?

Visit www.westendvip.com for more information.

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Look, we know how tempting it is not to bother shaving when winter comes round. Tights, trousers and an extra layer of warmth are easy excuses to leave your legs getting furry, but we reckon this might just persuade you to pamper your pins once more. BIC Soleil has come up with a rather cunning formula that promises to change the way you shave for the better with the launch of its shaver grip technology. That thing you get happening when your cheap plastic shaver slips from your hand and snags your skin? It's probably got something to do with the way you hold your razor.

According to the cosmetics company and body language expert Dr Jane McCartney, the way you hold your razor reveals a lot about your character, which is why they've developed four different grip types – ‘Talk to the Palm Queen’, 'The Pincer Princess’, 'The Feather-Light Lady' and 'The Pencil Painter' – tailored to suit every girls' shaving style. And they want you to be part of their community. BIC' Soliel's Just Live Facebook page is the perfect place for women to share their top pampering tips, get expert advice and keep up to date with all things stylish via must-read posts from featured bloggers.

What's more, to celebrate the new collection BIC, is holding a 10-week competition with weekly giveaways and prizes, finishing in spectacular style with every girls' ultimate Christmas present, the Just Live Your Christmas Party comp, where the winner and three friends will win an all expenses paid night out in London plus a make over at Dorothy Perkins with stylist tips and lots of pampering!

To take part in the competition head over to: http://www.facebook.com/BICSoleilJustLive

or check out: https://twitter.com/SoleilJustlive

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Ever since Kate told us to ‘Get the London Look’, we’ve been steadfast fans of Rimmel London. 

For nearly a decade now, Ms Moss has been the face of the cult British cosmetics brand and we’ve happily been following in her fashionable footsteps. After all, if it’s good enough for Kate…

Now, of course, we can get even closer to supermodel glamour as Kate’s launched her own range of specially designed lipsticks for the brand. The London Lipstick Collection by Kate presents seven statement looks from the palest pinks to the chic and classic red. 

And, presented in sleek black matt packaging with a kiss from Kate scribbled on the lid, they’ll look just as great in our clutch bags as they do on our lips.

Also featured in the Brit Collection, Glam Eyes HD Union Jack Eyeshadow palettes come in a cute union jack design with quirky shades such as ‘Green Park’ and ‘Black Cab’ – adding a bit of Brit cool to make-up bags world-wide.

Plus, the iconic I Love Lasting Finish Nail Polish has had a Union Jack makeover too, with the caps now emblazoned with the iconic flag.

From the most stylish capital in the world (its official, remember) straight to your beauty bag – morning makeup routines don’t get much sweeter.

The London Lipstick Collection by Kate, £5.49; Glam’Eyes HD Union Jack Eyeshadow, £6.99; and I love Lasting Finish Nail Polish, £2.99, are all available nationwide now.

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In need of a little sisterly love? Your girlfriends should put you back to perky – and we don’t mean your pals.

Girlfriends Material is a sisterhood of stylish girls who believe fashion shouldn’t compromise comfort.

As such, you’ll find a collection of endlessly versatile pieces that are classic enough to be worn season after season, but laced with a contemporary edge.

What’s more, they’re dedicated to delivering the highest quality fabrics – read: the ones that wash and wear well – at affordable prices. Sweet, huh?

We’ve picked our favourite pieces to give you a little inspiration. Happy shopping, girlfriends!

Riding hood poncho, $109.

Braided sweater, $75.

Cowl neck tank, $99.

Perfect sweater jackets, $99.

Cash scarf, $109.

All available at Girlfriends Material. Psst… don’t forget you can get 30% off all purchases from Girlfriends Material using our exclusive discount code: myfash30!

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