Winning question: My girlfriend's birthday is in July, and as she's always spending her hard-earned money on beauty products, it would appear that this is the sort of gift she'd most appreciate. But I don't know one pot of goo from another. What are your tips to us hapless blokes when it comes to buying creams, paints and lotions for our loved ones?
Robert Brough
This is a great question. It's difficult to know what your budget is, what age your girlfriend is, whether she's a feminine-and-frilly type or a classic, minimalist one, so you will have to forgive me if some of my suggestions are too extravagant or too feeble.
My first thought is: don't give scent unless you are sure that she likes it and you like the smell yourself. Bath oils and body lotions (in well-designed bottles) are always safer. Girls are always dropping hints about what they really like, so listen to her talking to girlfriends. In the cosmetics arena there are lots of little things that any girl would be happy with. You could buy her a new make-up bag - preferably a designer-label one if you can afford it. Orla Kiely (www.orlakiely.com) and Anya Hindmarch (www.anyahindmarch.com) are both expensive but timeless. Or you could look at Cath Kidston (www.cathkidston.co.uk), practical, affordable and pretty if she's a flower-print sort of girl. You can sometimes get a bargain on eBay. Then you could fill it with small make-up items, as few or as many as you can afford. These are some I suggest:
1. Chanel powder compact (Poudre Universelle Compacte £25) - choose 'translucent-natural' powder. www.easycorner.com/debenhams, www.garden.co.uk
2. A Chanel lipstick - try Aqualumiere (colour - Ipanema) £17.50 or a gloss, Levres Scintillantes (colour - Iris) £16 .
3. Yves Saint Laurent lip gloss (Golden Gloss no 11), £17.50.
4. Lancôme Definicils Mascara, £19.50 (black, stockist as above).
5. Max Factor Masterpiece Mascara (black, £9.99) www.maxfactor.co.uk, www.boots.com.
6. Terry's Baume de Rose lip balm, £30, www.spacenk.co.uk.
7. Laura Mercier's Eye Portfolio £100 exclusively online at Harrods (www.harrods.com).
8. Bobbi Brown blusher (Blush - Spice or Pot Rouge Calypso Coral, £16 - peachy shades that look good on all skins) www.bobbibrown.co.uk.
9. A top-of-the-range Blush Brush like Bobbi Brown's £30, www.bobbibrown.co.uk.
10. Chanel's Blue Satin nail varnish, £14.50, www.easycorner.com/debenhams, www.garden.co.uk.
Another thing I would suggest is that you treat her to a cut and blow dry in a London hair salon. Nothing is better than a great hair day. Try Paul Edmonds new salon in Knightsbridge (166 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London SW3 1HW, www.pauledmonds.com). It will cost £115 for cutting-edge style and pampering. Then you could meet her and take her out for tea or dinner. A girl's perfect day.
My winter feet look terrible and they suddenly need to be good enough for sandals. What products and treatments do you suggest for a quick transformation?
Nancy Lewis
Feet need exercising, massaging and moisturising and treating yourself to a pedicure is like therapy after a long week. An easy and inexpensive routine is to buy a pumice stone (Ms Pedicure stone, £4.99, Boots) and rub it round the hard skin and heels, after the bath or shower every day or use the file by Champneys (top left). A beautician friend of mine swears by Flexitol (£8.99 at www. Boots.com) to get rid of very cracked heels. You could fake-tan your feet and legs carefully, wiping the soles with witch hazel at the end.
I'm a fan of Air Stockings (£19.99 www.airstockings.com) because it gives a smooth finish as if you're wearing tights and it comes in three shades according to your skin colour. Spray it on in an empty bath or shower and rub it in evenly. The finishing touch is a neon-bright polish on your toes. Put it on perfectly using the toe separators (centre left) and either Essie's neon-orange 'mini-shorts', £8.50 at www.nailsbymail.co.uk (available from June), a deep-blue (Chanel) or a shocking pink (RMK's True Pink 62, £12, Selfridges). This is the summer for bright, bright colours, perfect with Marcia Kilgore's new range of FitFlops whose multi-density midsoles are designed for muscle toning the legs as you walk.
Kathy's hot products of the month
To get your feet in good shape this summer you'll need a foot file (Champneys Luxury Soft-touch Smoothing £12.50). For a smudge-free pedicure use their Luxury 'c' toe separators, £2 (both available in selected Sainsbury's, 0800 636 262 and online, www.champneys.com). This summer's hot shoe is the Frill FitFlop, which comes in tan and stone suede colours, £45, available from mid-May at www.victoriahealth.com.
