March Favourites – Ruth Crilly

A quick post today because I am writing this on Easter Sunday, when strictly speaking I should be trying to talk my kids down from their rampant sugar-high. One of them is currently gyrating to the Wonka soundtrack, the other has filled up a water pistol and is “cleaning the insides of the windows”. I have a feeling that hell is about to be unleashed.

This week has already seen hell unleashed, actually, in the form of Dexter the cockapoo’s severe bout of canine gastroenteritis. Never has the Dettol spray seen so much action. The entire house smells of egg, boiled chicken and rotting guts. It’s how I imagine an aeroplane cabin smells when they open the door after a longhaul flight.

Anyway: five favourites. Six things listed, but I cannot recommend one of them (the Anine Bing hoodie) due to the fact that it came “pre-distressed”, which is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever witnessed. It looks as though a rat has nibbled its way through the cuffs. I’ve kept the hoodie, obviously, because I am nothing if not consistent when it comes to buying unsuitable garments, but would I recommend it?

The jury’s out. I haven’t found another hoodie with the precise weight and drape and shape that makes this one so very good…but boy was it dear. (It’s here* online.) And so, the five bona fide favourites – make sure you watch the video at the bottom of the page, because that’s where all the action happens:

1. Hortology

I’m still buying cacti. And I’m still buying nice pots to put them in. I get it all from Hortology*, because the Hortology website tells you exactly which pot size and plant opening you need for each plant and then shows you exactly which pots you can select from. Hurray! It just makes it miles easier to order. Painless, I’d go so far as to say.

I need them to increase their cacti range, is my only beef, because I’ve worked my way through most varieties now. My front room looks like Arizona.

If you want £10 off your first order use my link here*

Read: What I Bought From Hortology

2. Pumps

Well well well, if ballet pumps haven’t gone and made a reappearance! The shoes that have probably given an entire generation collapsed arches and permanent tendon damage! No matter, they look chic and you can slip them on and off without having to bend at the waist – you have to take the wins where you can in this life.

I love these “pony skin” flats from Boden here* – there are some designer ones doing the rounds that look quite similar but cost over £600 so these feel like a bit of a steal by comparison. They are incredibly sturdy – it’s Boden we’re talking about here, after all – and the shape at the toe is relatively wide. You don’t feel as though your toes are being squished. Though I’d say they do come up a tiny bit small, if you’re wondering about sizing.

How could the ballet flat be improved? By sticking a strap across it, of course! Step forward (literally) the Mary Jane. All the low-key sophistication of the ballet flat but with practicality thrown in. What’s not to like?

The satin pumps from Wyse London* are great but most have sold out online – the leather “Pivot” from Russell & Bromley are equally gorgeous, find them online here*.

3. Snail Headband

Of all the weird things I’ve ever mentioned… this terry towelling headband has been wildly popular each time I’ve worn it on Instagram. It has foamy snail eyes attached. Are they eyes or antennae? Feelers? I don’t even have time to Google because I can hear that the music has changed from Wonka to the Zombies 2 soundtrack downstairs and my son is possibly seconds away from dropping to the floor to do some of his breakdancing. All lamps must be removed from his vicinity if he ever looks as though he might be about to breakdance, we learned that lesson the hard way.

The snail headband is great if you a) need something to hold your hair back with when you wash your face and b) fancy a bit of a laugh. It’s totally absurd.

Find it here* on Amazon, it’s a few quid.

4. ELF Cleanser

Such a good beauty find: the e.l.f. cosmetics cleansing balm. Affordable cleansing balms are quite thin on the ground, really – I feel as though mainstream mass brands are cottoning on to the fact that people want cleansers other than just “face wash”, but it’s slow progress.

Thank you, then, to e.l.f. cosmetics who have come up with a pot of cleansing unctuousness that is at once highly effective at makeup and grime removal and easy on the wallet. £11 a pot, breaks down into an oil that’s lovely to massage in and then flannels off to leave skin really clean but not at all tight.

You can find it here* online.

5. Straighteners

I did a comparison video on Instagram the other day: GHD Chronos vs Remington Ceramic 230. One pair costs ten times the price of the other pair. If you want to find out how they both fared, you can watch the video here.

Hair straightening is one of this month’s favourites because I have been doing it regularly and enthusiastically in an attempt to get me painlessly through my “growing out the bob” phase.

Read: How To Grow Out A Bob

I realise my hair will have the look and texture of old straw by the time we reach May – I’m trying out various heat protectants to try and mitigate the damage – but now I’ve started with the straightening irons, I just can’t seem to stop.

I can now see why people get addicted to straightening: it’s quick, foolproof and makes hair look instantly more groomed. I can straighten my hair in about an eighth of the time it takes to curl or wave it and it takes absolutely no skill. How have I only just discovered it now, in my forties? All that wasted time…

OK I’m off. It’s a Christmas (Easter?) miracle that I haven’t heard the sound of breaking glass coming from the kitchen/dancefloor and I don’t want to push my luck. I’m actually ducking out for a couple of weeks now and so I shall see you on the other side, when the schools go back and I can hear myself think…